The crack of a rifle echoes through the forest. Barely missing the center, the musket ball sunk into the bark around the circle painted on the tree.

Pale hands trembling, young America looked up expectantly at his foster father. Hoping for some form of praise, his face fell as England's emerald eyes filled with disappointment.

"Wasn't that good?" asked America expectantly. " I almost hit the middle!"

"Almost won't kill a man," England replied with icy determination etched into his voice.

Frightened at the sudden seriousness of the Brit, America's eyes widened. Mentally shaking the stunned demeanor out of himself, he cleared his mind of everything but focusing on the target. Inhaling deeply and calmly, he steeled himself for the coming explosion of sound as he lined everything up and pulled the trigger.

The force knocking him back a few steps, America waited impatiently for the smoke to clear. As the view of the target became visible, his arms became slack and the musket fell to his side. A look of incredible surprise on his face, a feeling of infinite accomplishment grew inside of him; the musket ball had hit the dead center of the painted circle.

Excitement obvious in his voice and on his face, he asked, "How as that?! I hit it right in the center! What do you think?!"

Oversized eyebrows knit in a mix of unhappiness and confusion, England's cold eyes moved from the tree to the young country's face. "I think," he answered icily, " that that was pure luck. Luck isn't guaranteed to save your life. Do it again until it's perfect. Every time. Don't come back to the cabin until it is."

A look of defiance and anger overtook America's small features as he yelled at the retreading back of his father. "Why do I even need to learn this? It's not like we're in the middle of a war!"

England's figure paused. He replied, " It's a useful skill for when you're older."

He continued walking as he thought, ' Besides, one day you won't want me anymore...You ought to at least have a chance...'

The sound of determined gunfire followed the Brit all the way back to the cabin.

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