The space just behind her eyes was killing her. Turns out crying when one was already sweating was a great way to feel dehydrated. On top of the physical discomfort was the shame present in the back of her mind. She'd been trying so hard to keep up a strong front for her friend; trying to be the person they could depend on. Yet here she was watering the lawn in front of the person she most felt she needed to impress. Through it all Miss Smith stood there watching, until finally the older woman reached out her hand. One last sob, and Willow lifted her water bottle as she felt the need to rehydrate first.
Lukewarm water poured out over Willow's head as she turned the bottle bottom up. Loose strands of dark gold laced her face as she took a couple of deep breaths.
"Thank you, Miss Smith," Willow said as she took Jane's hand.
[The Farm] Under Advisement, Part 2
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [The Farm] Under Advisement, Part 2
Jane shook her head. “Let’s see if yer still fixin t thank me when I send ye home tonight.” Then she turned and started toward the house. That last word stuck in Willow’s mind. It was barely past noon and the American had never kept her pupil later than 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Would she really stay until night?
“Willow.” Jane spoke sharply to get the girl’s attention, as if she knew her mind had wandered, despite walking ahead of the Brit. “If yer dead serious on this, I caint be yer fren— not when yer trainin. I’m gon push ye harder n a buckin bull. If ye think chores been hard, ye got another thing comin, ye kennit?” The gunslinger stopped at her front door and looked back to Willow. “I ain’t gon be nice cuz they ain’t gon be nice.” She pointed down the road at the rest of the world. “Now wait here.”
Jane returned a few minutes later wearing her gun belts and carrying two crisp lemonades. She handed one to Willow and kept walking. “If ye wanna walk tall, ye gotta think tall. If ye wanna be brave, ye gotta be best frens wit yer fears. Now, let’s go out back.”
Willow had never been out back. She had seen it from a distance on the few occasions she’d ridden No Name. She knew there were fruit trees and a garden. But she’d never seen it up close- never seen it from the gunslinger’s vantage. She would be the fourth person to ever see it up close.
“Willow.” Jane spoke sharply to get the girl’s attention, as if she knew her mind had wandered, despite walking ahead of the Brit. “If yer dead serious on this, I caint be yer fren— not when yer trainin. I’m gon push ye harder n a buckin bull. If ye think chores been hard, ye got another thing comin, ye kennit?” The gunslinger stopped at her front door and looked back to Willow. “I ain’t gon be nice cuz they ain’t gon be nice.” She pointed down the road at the rest of the world. “Now wait here.”
Jane returned a few minutes later wearing her gun belts and carrying two crisp lemonades. She handed one to Willow and kept walking. “If ye wanna walk tall, ye gotta think tall. If ye wanna be brave, ye gotta be best frens wit yer fears. Now, let’s go out back.”
Willow had never been out back. She had seen it from a distance on the few occasions she’d ridden No Name. She knew there were fruit trees and a garden. But she’d never seen it up close- never seen it from the gunslinger’s vantage. She would be the fourth person to ever see it up close.
Re: [The Farm] Under Advisement, Part 2
Willow followed Jane diligently as she stabilized her breathing and focused on the feeling of her hair drying out. Taking everything presented to her in stride, the teen found her spirits actually beginning to rise with every cautionary word Jane spoke. Of course she was still intimidated. No one in their right mind wouldn't have been. That said, this was precisely what she'd been looking for. Not just since coming to Safeholme. She had always yearned for excitement and thrills. It had always been for herself though. A way to rebel her upbringing. As such she'd been content with what she'd accomplished on her own, but as she had unceremoniously blurted out she felt like she was reaching a limit of simple trial and error while running around in the woods. So as she stood waiting for Jane to return Willow made herself a promise.
She would never complain about whatever it was Miss Smith was going to put her through. Perhaps a gripe or two after returning home; but when she was training everything that would happen, every pain she felt, and every struggle she faced was something she wanted and asked for. Willow was not going to give Jane any reason to think this time was wasted. This was for Drysi. This was for Johann. This was for Vrey and Kat. This was for herself.
"You've got this, kiddo."
Willow could almost hear her dad's encouraging voice as Miss Smith returned. Remembering her promise as she saw the gun belts, Willow accepted the lemonade before falling into step.
"Yes, ma'am," Willow said after gulping down half of the glass. "Pitter patter."
She would never complain about whatever it was Miss Smith was going to put her through. Perhaps a gripe or two after returning home; but when she was training everything that would happen, every pain she felt, and every struggle she faced was something she wanted and asked for. Willow was not going to give Jane any reason to think this time was wasted. This was for Drysi. This was for Johann. This was for Vrey and Kat. This was for herself.
"You've got this, kiddo."
Willow could almost hear her dad's encouraging voice as Miss Smith returned. Remembering her promise as she saw the gun belts, Willow accepted the lemonade before falling into step.
"Yes, ma'am," Willow said after gulping down half of the glass. "Pitter patter."
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [The Farm] Under Advisement, Part 2
“Pitter patter,” Jane echoed.
Behind the house, Willow saw the things she had expected. The horses were off to their left, milling about the fenced field. A garden consumed a large square plot, probably fifty feet to a side. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to their arrangement. While larger plants, such as corn, beets, and potato were grouped, many smaller plants filled the spaces between: onion, carrots, ginger, tea, and on. It was the exact opposite of an orderly farm. Plants twisted and tangled among one another.
Jane didn’t stop here but followed the cabin’s perimeter. There was a porch to mirror the one out front, but Jane did climb its steps. Twenty feet from those steps were four rows of trees that ran away from the house: two of apples and two of oranges. Jane did not approach them, though she studied them as they passed.
Beyond these trees, on the far side from the fenced field, was a shed the girl had not seen before. It was squat and square, the door facing toward the orchard. The metal finishes still gleamed and the wood was fresh; it couldn’t have been more than a few months old. Jane did not stop here, though she gave the shed great consideration as they passed.
The wood of the table beside the shed was the same wood and had room for six to stand abreast with elbow room to spare. Jane stopped at the center and pointed. Fifty yards away was a collection of old, discarded junk amid a minefield of broken glass. Looming over the sad pile forgotten memories and decor was a twenty foot berm.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Jane had drawn and hip fired thrice before Willow had even realized the slick sound of leather was the gunslinger drawing. Willow could barely hear as Jane holstered again, ears deafened by gunfire.
Willow was spun by the shoulder and found herself looking up at her mentor, who spoke loud enough to be heard through the shock. “Now remember this! What are ye feelin? Fear. Adrenalin. Yer heart’s poundin war drums. Focus! On m voice, on yer body. This is yer first lesson: fear is good. Fear is yer body churnin up somethin fierce t face the end. Kennit.”
Behind the house, Willow saw the things she had expected. The horses were off to their left, milling about the fenced field. A garden consumed a large square plot, probably fifty feet to a side. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to their arrangement. While larger plants, such as corn, beets, and potato were grouped, many smaller plants filled the spaces between: onion, carrots, ginger, tea, and on. It was the exact opposite of an orderly farm. Plants twisted and tangled among one another.
Jane didn’t stop here but followed the cabin’s perimeter. There was a porch to mirror the one out front, but Jane did climb its steps. Twenty feet from those steps were four rows of trees that ran away from the house: two of apples and two of oranges. Jane did not approach them, though she studied them as they passed.
Beyond these trees, on the far side from the fenced field, was a shed the girl had not seen before. It was squat and square, the door facing toward the orchard. The metal finishes still gleamed and the wood was fresh; it couldn’t have been more than a few months old. Jane did not stop here, though she gave the shed great consideration as they passed.
The wood of the table beside the shed was the same wood and had room for six to stand abreast with elbow room to spare. Jane stopped at the center and pointed. Fifty yards away was a collection of old, discarded junk amid a minefield of broken glass. Looming over the sad pile forgotten memories and decor was a twenty foot berm.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Jane had drawn and hip fired thrice before Willow had even realized the slick sound of leather was the gunslinger drawing. Willow could barely hear as Jane holstered again, ears deafened by gunfire.
Willow was spun by the shoulder and found herself looking up at her mentor, who spoke loud enough to be heard through the shock. “Now remember this! What are ye feelin? Fear. Adrenalin. Yer heart’s poundin war drums. Focus! On m voice, on yer body. This is yer first lesson: fear is good. Fear is yer body churnin up somethin fierce t face the end. Kennit.”
Re: [The Farm] Under Advisement, Part 2
BOOM BOOM BOOM
“Pretty loud, aye Whisper?” the man said in an exaggeratedly loud voice as he sat his revolver down on the gun range table. The man turned around and smiled apologetically as he saw Willow shutting her eyes and clamping her hands over her protective ear muffs. Kneeling down in front of the young girl he waited a few moments for her to relax, but the kid had gone full oyster. Putting his hands together at the wrist, he splayed his fingers out under his chin like the petals of a flower; then he puffed his cheeks, pursed his lips in a rather turtle-esque manner, and began to wiggle his eyebrows as he waited for Willow to open her eyes.
After about twenty seconds, the girl peeked out from a squinting left eye, and immediately began to giggle as she saw what the man was doing. The giggle became a laugh, and soon Willow had brought her hands down from the ear muffs and held them in her lap. The man’s silly face shifted to a warm smile in response to Willow’s goofy smile that was missing a number of baby teeth.
“We still hav' plenty of tim' if yau wauld rather go to Kidzania. Mom doesn’t want us back until evening for your party, plenty of time for you to eat some pizza, play in a ball pit, and probably get sick before heading back,” the man offered.
“No, I’m fine dad,” little Willow said back after her giggles subsided, but Griffin could see her hands were still trembling in her lap.
Blinking a few times in shock, Willow’s eyes were wide with surprise as she looked up at Jane. The shock and surprise of the sudden concussive blasts had startled her, and she found her hands trembling. Clenching them into fist defiantly, Willow nodded. “Yeah-huh. I’ll remember.”
“Pretty loud, aye Whisper?” the man said in an exaggeratedly loud voice as he sat his revolver down on the gun range table. The man turned around and smiled apologetically as he saw Willow shutting her eyes and clamping her hands over her protective ear muffs. Kneeling down in front of the young girl he waited a few moments for her to relax, but the kid had gone full oyster. Putting his hands together at the wrist, he splayed his fingers out under his chin like the petals of a flower; then he puffed his cheeks, pursed his lips in a rather turtle-esque manner, and began to wiggle his eyebrows as he waited for Willow to open her eyes.
After about twenty seconds, the girl peeked out from a squinting left eye, and immediately began to giggle as she saw what the man was doing. The giggle became a laugh, and soon Willow had brought her hands down from the ear muffs and held them in her lap. The man’s silly face shifted to a warm smile in response to Willow’s goofy smile that was missing a number of baby teeth.
“We still hav' plenty of tim' if yau wauld rather go to Kidzania. Mom doesn’t want us back until evening for your party, plenty of time for you to eat some pizza, play in a ball pit, and probably get sick before heading back,” the man offered.
“No, I’m fine dad,” little Willow said back after her giggles subsided, but Griffin could see her hands were still trembling in her lap.
Blinking a few times in shock, Willow’s eyes were wide with surprise as she looked up at Jane. The shock and surprise of the sudden concussive blasts had startled her, and she found her hands trembling. Clenching them into fist defiantly, Willow nodded. “Yeah-huh. I’ll remember.”
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [The Farm] Under Advisement, Part 2
Jane didn’t like the glassy look in her pupil’s eyes. She slammed a hand on the table. “Focus.” When she took her hand away, there was a vial on the table. Willow would discover it contained iron and steel upon drinking it.
“Quick. Take what yer feelin an use it. Pull all the scrap outta that heap n put it on the table.” Then she stepped back and folded her arms.
“Quick. Take what yer feelin an use it. Pull all the scrap outta that heap n put it on the table.” Then she stepped back and folded her arms.
Re: [The Farm] Under Advisement, Part 2
Scowling but holding her tongue, Willow simply nodded and focused. Catching sight of the vial, the teen had it in her hand before Jane had finished speaking. Uncapping the vial and tipping it back she was relieved to find it used a nice neutral vegetable oil. It’d didn’t quite have the same benefits as the cod liver oil Mr. Flynn provided, but Willow didn’t want to think about combining the flavors of that oil and Jane’s lemonade. With the metal in her system she could feel the Iron and Steel reserves kindle in her stomach.
Willow needed to use these two to collect junk? Thinking it through, she figured she’d get an earful if she tried to walk down range. So she needed to burn Iron to pull the scrap back up range. Blue lines blossomed from her chest and traced to numerous metal items all around her, but the junk pile was very faint all the way down range. She would need to flare the metal to enhance the lines, but she wasn’t sure how much metal she needed to pull or if she’d be provided more metal.
Squinting with an idea, Willow instead flared Steel. Identical lines burst out, tracing along the existing lines, and pointing out with more detail where the junk in the pile resided. Focusing on the first Willow pulled only to find herself lurch forward. Dropping the burn momentarily, Willow pressed her body against the table and braced herself with both hands. Trying again she burned Iron and pulled hard. The pile down range shifted as a piece of scrap was wrenched free. Now Willow just needed to deal with the metal hurtling towards her. Without Pewter she knew her reaction time wasn’t going to be nearly as good, so once the metal was about ten yards out she dropped the pull and then used Steel to push on the scrap and arrest its forward momentum.
Willow needed to use these two to collect junk? Thinking it through, she figured she’d get an earful if she tried to walk down range. So she needed to burn Iron to pull the scrap back up range. Blue lines blossomed from her chest and traced to numerous metal items all around her, but the junk pile was very faint all the way down range. She would need to flare the metal to enhance the lines, but she wasn’t sure how much metal she needed to pull or if she’d be provided more metal.
Squinting with an idea, Willow instead flared Steel. Identical lines burst out, tracing along the existing lines, and pointing out with more detail where the junk in the pile resided. Focusing on the first Willow pulled only to find herself lurch forward. Dropping the burn momentarily, Willow pressed her body against the table and braced herself with both hands. Trying again she burned Iron and pulled hard. The pile down range shifted as a piece of scrap was wrenched free. Now Willow just needed to deal with the metal hurtling towards her. Without Pewter she knew her reaction time wasn’t going to be nearly as good, so once the metal was about ten yards out she dropped the pull and then used Steel to push on the scrap and arrest its forward momentum.
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [The Farm] Under Advisement, Part 2
Jane watched with the same neutral expression she wore during her practical exercises. “On the table, Mizz Fairburn.” It was the flat tone of an overseer correcting minor mistakes she’d witnessed a hundred times and expected to correct a hundred more.
Jane was poised to interpose if Willow over corrected a pull, but otherwise remained uninvolved. As the second piece of metal came free of the pile, Jane interjected with,
BOOM
and the scrap went skittering across the dirt with a fresh peep hole punched through it.
Jane was poised to interpose if Willow over corrected a pull, but otherwise remained uninvolved. As the second piece of metal came free of the pile, Jane interjected with,
BOOM
and the scrap went skittering across the dirt with a fresh peep hole punched through it.
Re: [The Farm] Under Advisement, Part 2
Willow shot Jane a curious look. It was surprisingly catty for the older woman, and the teen almost laughed as a result. That said, she felt like she was just properly introduced to the game. It was safe to assume Willow was providing Jane with moving target practice, and any future piece of metal she pulled was going to become a target. If Willow pulled just a single piece at a time it would be an easy target for the gunslinger. So she’d need to try and pull multiple pieces at a time, which brings the added challenge of focusing on multiple pulls amid gunshots. The thought came of using Steel to push Jane’s guns, but she almost immediately dismissed that as she didn’t want to risk bullets flying anywhere they shouldn’t.
Taking the first piece of scrap in hand as a marginal line of defense, Willow once more braced herself against the table. With a surge of heat, Willow flared Iron and pulled against the weight of the scrap pile. One of the pieces burst out, followed almost immediately by the second. She kept pulling, and once she felt Jane was sighted in on the two moving targets, Willow began pulling the piece of scrap that had been shot last round. Two targets and an ambush. She noticed the larger of the first two faltered, and a bead of sweat began to track down the side of her face.
Taking the first piece of scrap in hand as a marginal line of defense, Willow once more braced herself against the table. With a surge of heat, Willow flared Iron and pulled against the weight of the scrap pile. One of the pieces burst out, followed almost immediately by the second. She kept pulling, and once she felt Jane was sighted in on the two moving targets, Willow began pulling the piece of scrap that had been shot last round. Two targets and an ambush. She noticed the larger of the first two faltered, and a bead of sweat began to track down the side of her face.
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
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Re: [The Farm] Under Advisement, Part 2
Jane watched, arms crossed, and made no move to draw as the three pieces of jagged metal hurtled toward Willow.