3/14/2003

05:19 PM

Logfile from Tomite.

 

Central Park (Eastern End)

This is an incredibly huge park, very well maintained despite crowds that move through here at any hour, though it tends to be more deserted at night. Cobblestone paths run through the grassy areas, benches scattered everywhere. The park itself is divided into many sections, featuring even a restuarant at the center, a zoo, several statuary monuments, a fountain, and a floral garden.

To the south, the path slopes downward, passing beneath a bridge over which cars drive, and emerging into a wider opening, where the Zoo is locathed. Glancing further, you can see a red brick building with an intriguing clock on top. Once an hour, on te hour, the bronze statues of animals dance around the clock while an animated little tune chimes their rounds.

Obvious exits:

Central Park (NO)   67th St. (EA)   Central Park (WE)   Zoo

 

Ming had her phone turned off in the middle of translating and smoothing ruffled feathers in the middle of a business meeting, and thus, she was greeted with a voicemail when she escaped. Still dressed for work, she ignores the tug of the wind as she looks towards the place Chase said he'd be. She came, at least, in spite of being caught by surprise.

 

Bright, beautiful and wonderful day... so what do you think Chase is doing? Of course he is going to be outside, and at the park. Seeing as it is about the only stretch of nature to be had in this lousy city, you better believe he'll be out here. And, amazingly enough, over in a clearing that is relatively free of snowmelt and mud, an area has been roped off, set up with targets and quite a few different archers, must to the amusement of passers by. Chase is there too, but not doing anything more than sitting on a plank of wood, head bowed, rummaging in his backpack.

 

Ming sets her briefcase to one side of Chase, just watching him for a moment before her attention turns to the archers. "Happy to have found something to shoot?" she asks with a touch of humour, letting the tension that had built up from the meeting dissolve -- she's outside, she's not having to deal with finicky businessmen, this is good. "Or are you watching today?"

 

Chase squints right on back up to Ming as she approaches, and he breaks out into a bright grin to rival that of the sun. "Hey, you showed up. This is good." Backpack is pushed off of his lap and he is scrambling up to stand once more, "Actually, I got to shoot as some..." voice lowering, "fire elementals last night. That was a blast. But I figured I'd come out here and work off some steam." Hugging mikos are bad for the senses. "How're you doing?"

M

ing has a rather well-developed dislike of fire and fire elementals, really. She visibly twitches at the thought, then nods. "You expected me to ignore a request from you to get out of the insanity of translating for businessmen who argue over the slightest thing?" Again, that touch of humour. "I'm fine, though... is all well with the fire elementals and yourself?"

 

Chase responds with something of a grin, "Well, I didn't know if you'd have the time or not, so I thought that I'd at least try. But it is great that you did show up." Makes him all kinds of happy. "Oh yeah. Well, I can't say must for the restaurant, but I finally got a chance to do something. Saw myself what is probably another oni to try to track down. Rescued the miko. I'm good." It is really the simple things in life that make him perky. "So, gonna be here long? Or have a date with more businessmen?"

 

"So little confidence," Ming teases, shaking her head ruefully at him. "of course I'd come." Even if Setsuna and Travis probably really don't like her much, Chase did invite her. "I'm sure that that made you very happy, and that you did it with your usual style. No, I informed them that if they wanted someone to make coffee while they attempted to figure out what the other was saying and interrupting me whenever I translated, they could call their secretary. I'm finished with work for the day, of the normal sort at least. What did you have in mind?"

 

Chase grins. "Great." He reaches a hand up to shift the ball cap around so that the bill is too his back, then turns around to bend over and rummage in his pack once more. "You gave me a lesson in getting my ass dropped to the floor, it's my turn to return the favor." Wait. He frowns, glancing awkward to her from his position, "Well, not exactly like that, but... Oh, you'll understand." He stands back up after apparently finding something. "Give me your hands."

 

"That could so very easily be misinterpreted," Ming murmurs, more to herself than anything. Nevertheless, she holds out her hands, oddly callused in spite of their slimness -- and, strangely enough, if Chase is familiar with such, they're swordsman's calluses more than anything. "An archery lesson? I haven't the slightest idea of how to do that; the only normal weapon I can use is the sabre."

 

"It's been an awful long time since I've ever touched a sword. Not exactly my weapon of choice, and as I'm sure Brice would be happy to tell you, I'd more than likely chop off my fingers. Left or right handed?" Chase peers down at her hands, and considers. "You might wish to try a glove to begin with, just in case though."

 

Ming laughs, relaxing further. "I doubt that you'd cut off your fingers. It's hard to do unless you hold the blade, and... ah, never mind." She's about to ramble on about theory, it seems. "Left handed," she admits, "and I think that a glove will be good. Is there anything else I'll need for this?"

 

Chase frowns. "Left handed glove. I dunno if I've got one. I might, but I'll have to look. He does hand her a long leather strip with a couple of bands about it. "But that on your right forearm, on the inside. It'll save your arm from constantly getting rubbed by the string." Case drops back into a crouch, rummaging in the bag, for actually quite some time, and then finally coming up with a cry of success. "Here, try this too." It is a glove of sorts, again leather, but with open points for the very tips of the fingers. And then he goes to eye her arms and then her height, "You're pretty strong... we'll try something with a fifty-weight pull to start with." And then he moves over to try to try to find a bow that'll probably suit her.

 

Ming studies the things handed to her with a very incomplete amount of understanding, trying to put the guard on her arm with her other hand and not exactly getting it right. Another rueful laugh; she's not used to not being good at things, but she can take it well enough. The glove, though, doesn't present a problem; she pulls that on and flexes her fingers, testing the strength and flexibility. "I can't get this on quite right -- just like you didn't know the fighting style I do, I have no idea about this. You're the teacher, Chase, in this particular case." She's just going to follow, and, perhaps, admire.

 

Chase apparently finishes rummaging, returning with a rather generic looking bow. Not at all like some of the exotic fair that some of the others at the range are sporting with all the gadgets attached to them. Pointless. He strings it quickly, tests it once himself, and then offers her a wry grin. "Here... let me." Hand reaches over as if to settle the brace just right on her forearm, tightening the straps on the side with a flick of his fingers. "Its birch, which'll do. I prefer the natural woods. Come along now." And then the teenager is busily pushing Ming over in line with the edge of the field. Pushy, isn't he?

 

Ming watches intently as he settles the brace and tightens the strap, but is that the hint of colour in her cheeks? Never. Dignity is forgotten, or momentarily set aside, as she's pushed, laughter escaping her once again and she glances over her shoulder at him. "Why do I get the feeling that you are as passionate about this as I am about my own form?" she asks rhetorically as they stop, though she doesn't step away from him.

 

Chase responds with another grin. "I'm good at this. Some people and swing swords around like some kind of Highlander, some can... well, some can do other things, like knock me to the floor as well. "Okay... it really isn't all that difficult, you just need a lot of hand-eye coordination, a steady hand, a good grasp of mathematics, and faith. Oh, and me." He flashes her a win and then is reaching over as if to put his hands on her hips to turn her to the side, still standing behind her, "Now, stand perpendicular to the target like this, take the bow in one hand at about... here, and we'll try this without an arrow first."

 

Question: does Ming treat this like her martial arts lessons and focus, or does she try not to focus on the fact that he's definitely within her personal space and she really... doesn't mind that? Can't have both. "..." Such an eloquent response to that wink, really. "Coordination and you?" she asks after a moment, regaining some measure of her wits as soon as she's aimed the right direction. "I'm sure that that is an important thing, indeed. Having you, that is." A tease? Perhaps. She adjusts her grip upon the bow, then touches the string with thumb and forefinger. "Is this right?"

 

Chase turns to the side to make sure she gets a good look at his smile, but then is moving once more behind her. "Well, you can actually try it a variety of ways. Two fingers, three, one over the nock of the arrow, or all of your fingers. The last one was the way I was taught back... well, you know. Grandpa showed me another way, so you do whatever is comfortable." And once more he is moving her how he sees fit, wrapping his hand over her's that holds the bow, directing her fingers to the string. "Okay, now bring up your arms, straighten your right and draw back with your left. Pull back to your cheek, ear, past your ear, whatever you like best."

 

Ming is definitely going to treat this like a lesson, though her own return smile is faintly teasing. "I think you're enjoying this far too much," she observes, but settles for testing the draw of the bowstring with her thumb opposite index and middle fingers as the most comfortable for her. She uses that motion to try to elbow Chase in the ribs subtly, too, a low chuckle escaping her. "Was this just an excuse?"

 

"Of course I am," Chase replies simply, "But you aren't paying attention at all. Distraction is very bad for an archer. You could send an arrow off and end up hitting a comrade. Now pay attention and stop trying to flirt with me." He hitches at the arm to his ribs, laughing, "Excuse?" And that is all he says, before plucking a simple target arrow from where it was drove into the ground, handing it to her. "Lets try this with an arrow now." Never mind that he is moving over so that his entire front side is more than likely going to press completely to her back. He has to be... close to help her with this, or something.

 

"I am paying attention," Ming demurs, shaking her head just a small amount, "and I don't flirt, either. Much." She has to be honest, after all, and as she's really -- honestly!! -- going to treat this as an archery lesson rather than flirting, she duly ignores the contact for the moment as she nocks the arrow and draws it back, drawing a bit too far and blinking as it falls from the string. "Er... I don't think that was supposed to happen."

 

Chase grins, moving away from her to grab the fallen arrow once more and hand it to her, "Remind me to get you a bow with a stronger pull-weight next time. "Try again. Once you get it pulled back and comfortable. Take aim on that target over there." He hesitates for a moment flickering a look at the bare trees, and then back to her, "There isn't any breeze, so you don't have to worry about that."

 

"Thank you," Ming replies, taking the arrow again and nocking it once more. "No, there isn't any breeze." She knows that one full well; she can feel the movements of the air around her, after all. This time, she manages not to drop the arrow, and the bow *twangs* at just the right moment -- strangely enough, she has her eyes closed as she looses it, feeling the pressure of the wind around the arrow as it actually hits the target -- on the outer ring, but still, an actual hit. "There."

 

Chase is blinking, and showing just how impressed he is that it actually hit. "Well, damn. Are you sure that you've never actually done this before, Ming? I suppose you really don't need me." He chuckles, taking a step back and away from her, smiling rather proudly all the while though. "Like an old pro. You'll be replacing me soon if you keep that up," he teases with a wink.

 

Ming glances over her shoulder, a rather amused grin upon her face -- unusual, for her. "I'm very coordinated," she replies, "and you mentioned the wind, so I managed to use that. Just to listen to where it would go." She's actually flushed with victory at this development. "I doubt I'll ever match you, though."

 

Chase grants her another wink, "Flatterer. No, this is good. Very much so. This way we can do this much more often. Because I can actually shoot with someone that knows a thing or two, and is actually rather fun to be around as well." A breath, "Of course now I suppose I don't really have to get so close to give you a few pointers, but I suppose I'll still figure out a way..." Shameless as well. "Okay, lets try this again..."