Quest: 1.4

--- Jon ---

--- Afternoon ---

He considered it for a fair moment before shaking his head.

(No, it’s probably better to just leave her alone… I’m not all that good with people anyway…)

He already knew most of the kids in his school considered him the weird kid. And if he was going to be spending a lot of time with Ying helping around the camp, then maybe it was better he kept whatever neutral opinion she had of him, rather than spoiling it with his awkwardness.

Taking a look around the range, he found the one physically the farthest from her and made his way over in an attempt to keep from annoying his fellow CIT.

Once at his target, he knocked an arrow and drew the bowstring until it was taut, before closing his eyes and breathing in.

(Inhale… 1… 2… 3… 4…)

It was an old military trick his mom had taught him to help him keep calm and focused the one time she’d taken him to a firing range.

(Exhale… 1… 2… 3… 4…)

Something about how pacing your breathing can help with oxygen flow and increasing your focus for a few moments.

(Inhale… 1… 2… 3… 4…)

And while the trick did absolutely nothing to help him shoor a gun that was honestly a size too big for his twelve-year-old hands, he’d found with archery…

(Exhale… 1… 2… Release!)

He opened his eyes and fired, letting muscle memory auto-correct his aim, until…

(Bullseye!)

He kept at it like that, not firing very fast but making his shots more often than not. Something he felt he’d have to work on since he was pretty sure he only had so much time to shoot during competitions, like the ones he’d have to enter if he really wanted to try out for those scholarships.

Once he’d fired all of the arrows, he’d brought with him he’d jog down to the end of the range, collect his arrows and return to his starting position. Around his third cycle of doing this, he began to notice the feeling of someone watching him.

As he once more made his way back from the target, he noticed Ying watching him with a tense expression, before turning back to her own target and firing, her arrow hitting just off the center.

The entire time he’s at the range this continues, with Ying giving him looks every time he goes to collect his arrows, until he’s eventually relieved to make his way back to his cabin and away from his fellow camper.

Scene Consequences

-Relationship with Ying, starts out at [Undefined] -Jon and Ying know each other. But he doesn’t really know what she thinks of him.

-Archery: + 3XP (2XP + 1 from Location and Equipment Bonuses)

---

--- Night ---

Despite knowing there wasn’t anything to fear, he decided it’d be best if he tried to avoid whoever had stepped on that branch. After all, while no dangerous animals ever came this close to the camp, it didn’t change the fact that the adults tended to send someone to keep check that none of the campers were sneaking around where they weren’t supposed to.

(Like me.)

So with that thought in mind he took off in the opposite direction of the noise, knowing it was probably best to just let whoever was on watch think someone had snuck out and got away, than to risk getting caught and leave a mark on his CIT record.

As soon as he started running, he heard a shifting in the foliage following behind him.

He picked up his pace, just barely keeping himself from tripping as pushed through the forest, the tree canopy above blocking out what light the moon gave off and the fireflies refusing to glow with so much noise nearby.

(Darn it, I can barely see a thing!)

And with that thought his luck finally ran out.

“Gah!” His foot finally caught on a tree root, sending him on a painful tumble across the forest floor, where he eventually ended up laying in a tangle of limbs. “Ouchie…”

“Hmm…” A snort of amusement caught his attention, drawing his gaze to a tall man in flannel with brown hair and a scruffy shadow of facial hair, holding up an old candle lantern. “Would’ve thought you older campers ‘d have a better time seeing in the dark as often as you sneak around out here.”

“To be fair I wasn’t really one of the ones sneaking around all that often.” He defended a little awkwardly, already knowing he was caught.

“Often enough to be doing it tonight.” Quartermaster Rogers pointed out gruffly.

Not waiting for his response, the Quartermaster grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him to his feet with a strength that was honestly a little startling given the man’s frame.

Given how the older man already scared him (shitless) that bit of information did very little to reassure him.

“Come on then.” The quartermaster ordered, not even bothering to make sure he was keeping up as the man left.

(Not like there’s much else I can do…) He figured, following the gruff older man.

“You’ve been here, what, six years now?” The quartermaster surprisingly started up after a moment.

“Yeah…” He admitted, a little cautious to be alone with the man, even if he knew the man’s reputation as an axe murdering psychopath was extremely exaggerated.

“And you’re training to be counselor next year?” Rogers pressed, not bothered by his hesitance in the slightest.

“Yeah, if the camp ‘s still open then.” He let slip, before cursing himself as he caught himself.

Quartermaster Rogers gave a bark of laughter as he pulled out a flask from his jacket and took a swig of it. “This camp ‘s been open for decades, and it’ll stay open decades longer.”

(That’s not what miss Edna said…) He didn’t feel like telling the older man that, especially since he’d snuck alcohol into the camp again. (Still don’t get why miss Edna hasn’t fired him for that.)

As they finally exited the forestry, he began turning towards miss Edna’s cabin, already resigned to whatever punishment the head counselor decided for him.

“Hold up.” The quartermaster stopped him long enough for the older man to take another swig of his flask. “You want me to keep quiet about this?”

He couldn’t help but blink. “Huh?”

“There are a few things I need help with around the camp,” Rogers began to elaborate, “you help me out here and there, and I’m willing to look the other way whenever you feel like bending the rules a bit.”

“Are you… are you blackmailing me?” He had to ask, because he was pretty sure this was blackmail.

“I prefer extortion.”

He stared at the quartermaster for a solid minute as the older man stood there waiting for his answer.

He didn’t think miss Edna would punish him that harshly for being out so late. In fact the older woman would probably laugh it off, and ask what kind of mischief he was up to, since he’d gotten up to so little over the years.

At the same time though, being able to walk around at night might help him keep his head clear, especially given how the looming camp closure was hanging over his head.

“It’s nothing too weird, right?” He finally asked.

“Just doing my job around camp for me.” The quartermaster admitted before taking yet another swig of his flask.

(If it’s just a bit of chopping wood, or collecting equipment then…)

“I guess it’s alright.” He reluctantly agreed, hoping he wouldn’t regret this.

Scene Consequences

- Discovered hidden skill [Night Vision] at E rank (Lv. 5).

- Can now help Quartermaster Rogers around the camp. (Will give training to a random skill, but maybe the Quartermaster will give Jon a few tips while you help him.)

- Jon’s walk helped him refocus, restoring 5 Mental HP

-Jon’s tumble left him with a few scrapes, dealing 5 Physical damage.