11:10 AM
Art [Clementine]
It wasn't long after that Clementine found herself outside, sitting on the stairs leading to the porch with a plate of cake on one hand and a fork in the other. The chocolate cake melted in her mouth, leaving a sweet, sugary aftertaste that came this close to making her tongue feel numb. She'd definitely forgotten how crazy good it was, like a sudden epiphany after years of eating animal meat and canned stuff. There was no understating it, Clem felt like the luckiest kid in the whole world…
… and part of her was glad Ellie was there too, taking in all that right next to her. They probably didn't have any cakes in Boston, was one of the girl's meandering thoughts, though it was a hunch more than anything, fueled largely by the way her friend viciously munched on the sweet. They hadn't really said anything since after the party… well, she hadn't said anything to Ellie. It wasn't all that different from the day they met. Glances seldom being shared, frittering away just as quickly. Once the cake was no more, Clem held the fork in her mouth, holding it with her lips as if it was meant to help her think of what to say. It didn't, really. The now fourteen-year-old lowered her gaze, nothing but the shifting grass in her view as that long silence further began to sink in.
Dot [Ellie]
Nothing Ellie's ever had compared to how delicious that cake was. Living on what the government would give them at the orphanage, and what she could scrounge up on their journey here, Ellie's palate consisted of bland goop and the unseasoned meat of any animal they could get their hands on. This cake, though, was like an explosion of flavor far beyond anything describable. Even the chocolate bar her and Clem shared back in Pittsburgh couldn't compare. The slice she'd been eating was gone before she even realized it, and she held the paper plate with her hands, balanced on her knees in front of her. Her gaze had shifted towards Clementine, though she kept her head pointed towards the street beyond their porch.
She still wasn't sure how to broach the subject that desperately needed addressing. Saying 'sorry' seemed to be the hardest thing in the world, as if the word was stuck on the tip of her tongue and went no farther. From what she could tell, the baseball-capped girl had something she wanted to say, too. At least, they were struggling together, though Ellie wished it was under… different circumstances.
Sighing, she mentally kicked herself, as if trying to push the words out of her mouth. Finally, something managed to slip out, a vocal mess of words that went by far too fast, but at least they were said. "I'm sorry for being a dick earlier. I didn't know, and-" Then her brain failed her, cutting her off. She struggled to find the right words, cursing under her breath.
Art [Clementine]
Clementine frowned from the outset, coldly facing away from the other girl in the process. All things considered, it was one ginormous task not to stay pissed at her, even if Clem felt partly at fault for cussing her out before. It wasn't just losing the cure, though often she very much wished it was. The thought of Ellie becoming the next Luke, it was beyond terrifying. Losing another friend over something... so fucking easy to prevent. The kind of thing that gnaws away at you for the rest of your life. Ellie knew what that felt like, and in Clementine's eyes, it made her all the more selfish for it.
After a much shorter period of silence, the girl raised her fist, hitting Ellie's left arm full force. Clem only wished she could've hit her in the face instead. "Stupid..." She murmured, before folding her arms around her knees, that frown fading into a pout. Clementine wasn't particularly ready to forgive her for almost sneaking out behind her back, but that helped a little. "I'm not gonna tell Tommy, okay…?" Even though I should.
"... but you owe me a birthday present." Clem finished with a hint of a smile, now a little more complacent about looking her friend in the eye.
Dot [Ellie]
Ellie rubbed her arm gingerly as Clementine's fist smashed against it, letting out a genuine yelp in the process. Yep, I… definitely deserved that. Despite the pain emanating through her body, she couldn't help but smile at the girl's use of the 'nickname', and a sense of relief as she stated her intention to not tell Tommy about what happened. Ellie was more than fine with forgetting about the whole ordeal, though Clementine would undoubtedly not allow her to do that.
A present…? Ellie grinned slightly, rolling her eyes. "Alright, Baseball Cap. I'll, uh… get to work on that," she let out a small chuckle, letting her hand drop to the wooden porch as the pain in her arm subsided. She had a chance to fix things, throw a bandaid over their friendship and hope it heals. Wouldn't be the first time. She set the empty paper plate on the floor next to her, her gaze now taking in the quiet neighborhood surrounding them.
She still wasn't used to it. The sight of so many people living their lives as if nothing had happened, and no fear for those that ruled over them. Without FEDRA around, this place flourished, and it would only get better after they've gotten the cure. Maybe Clementine was right, maybe it was stupid to put her life at risk. She had an obligation to make it there, one way or another. For these people; for Clementine, and Joel, and Lee… for Riley. Her hands clutched the metal pendant around her neck, feeling the words etched into them with a swipe of her finger.
"A present, huh?" Ellie found herself muttering while she let go of the pendant, desperately trying to think of something that she could get her friend. For a couple of seconds, she found herself baffled, unable to think of anything her friend would like. She hadn't found any sign of chocolate in the markets, so that was a no go. Though, she was sure that Lee had used everything they probably had in that cake. For a while, she bounced between different ideas, until she finally realized that she already had a present waiting for her, something she'd been holding onto that she found the night before. Her eyes brightened, and she turned towards Clementine with a smile. "Hold on, I think I actually have something."
With that, she instantly scrambled to her feet, heading inside and climbing the stairs two at a time. It didn't take long to find the item in question, and she grabbed it quickly, rushing back down the stairs and to the porch once more. The girl was looking out into the street, only to start turning her head as the door opened. Ellie plopped down next to her, holding the item out for the girl to take. It was a book, rather old, but in almost pristine condition. The title read 'Where the Wild Things Are'.
"I found this at the library yesterday. I was going to give it to you when you woke up, then Carl found me. I know that your copy got fucked up back in Pittsburgh, so… I convinced the librarian to give it to me." Took a fucking while too. She began to shrug as she realized that she probably wasn't supposed to know about the books. She'd seen most of them as Clementine had abandoned them back at that house in Pittsburgh, but she knew that the girl kept one. "Sorry, needed to borrow a lighter, and found it in your backpack."
Art [Clementine]
Clementine stared wide-eyed at her friend, those big pair of eyes soon facing the book she carried in her hands. What shocked Clem the most was probably the fact that Ellie even knew anything about that, which under different circumstances might've made her especially flustered. This time though, even in spite of knowing the other girl had looked through her backpack without permission, Clementine couldn't help but feel endeared by her excitement. "Ellie, that's… that is awesome, but…"
There was a 'but', and it had Clem visibly wincing. There wasn't an easy way to put it, some surefire explanation Ellie would get. It… probably wouldn't make any sense to anyone else. Clementine reached for her backpack, hoisting from its depths a copy of the same book: Tattered almost beyond recognition, smears of water and dirt across its once sturdy cover and pages. "...I already got one."
Dot [Ellie]
Ellie's heart dropped as Clementine reached for the book in her backpack, the words that she hadn't been expecting reaching her ears. She knew that Clementine probably didn't even want anyone knowing that she carried that book around anyway, and there seemed to be something more about it that she'd missed. She mentally cursed herself when it dawned on her; that book had sentimental value for her, probably belonged to her parents. How could she have been so blind to that? She kept the picture and the pendant as reminders of Riley, so that she'd never forget her, yet hadn't even considered that Clementine might've been doing the same.
She held the book awkwardly in her hands, retracting them away from the girl as she settled the small book in her lap. "Oh…" Once again, she was at a loss for words. It was starting to become a trend she didn't like, along with how shitty she was being to Clem. That's probably what made it feel worse; she wanted to make it up to her, but still managed to fuck it up. "Sorry, I didn't-" More tumbling words, followed by a sigh. "I'll find you something better, d - don't worry," she tried to smile, to put her friend at ease and brush off the subject with what she hoped would appear as a light jest. She wasn't sure if it worked, though. "Too bad there's no airplanes left. We could've taken that trip to Norway. Learned how to ski."
Art [Clementine]
Skiing? That almost stole a laugh from Clementine. It would've, had that whole thing not felt so friggin' awkward. To think Ellie went above and beyond to do something nice for her only to get shot down immediately. The smile she forced was gradually replaced by a frown, and the urge to… at least try to elaborate on it, even if that side of her felt super uncomfortable to share. Not like hiding it from Ellie was gonna do her any good from then on. "I know it's… weird," the girl finally said with a soft head tilt, still holding the old book close to her. Clem took a deep breath, letting it out in a long sigh before saying anything else. "They were all mom's, things she used to read me. I used to carry them everywhere, all the time."
"This is the only one left." She smiled unconsciously, running her fingers through the torn leather. "There's nothing like it in the whole world." The worry that Ellie would think she was totally dippy was still there, very much present… but it did feel good to own up to it, for the very first time since she left her home five years ago. Clementine looked back at her friend, that warm smile still refusing to go away. "You should keep that, though," she told Ellie, referring to the book she planned to gift her. It did click a second later, something that had Clem averting her once lively gaze with haste. "I - It's for little kids, but…you might... like it." Maybe?
Dot [Ellie]
Ellie's features softened as Clementine spoke about the book, and about her mother. Of course, it had belonged to her mother. Ellie closed her eyes, regretting even bringing up memories that Clementine likely didn't want to remember. In a way, Ellie envied her. Her parents might still be out there, looking for her, but her? Her mother was dead, and her father was… who the fuck knew. The only things she had of her mother was the letter she wrote and her switchblade, both given to her by Marlene. That was it. How many times did she re-read those words on that crumbling scrap of paper? Tears that were shed? Far too many times to count. Somewhere out there, someone brought her into this world, someone that loved her more than anyone else ever could, and Ellie would never get to meet her.
That fact still choked her up sometimes.
She set down the book next to her, eyes taking in the cover before finally returning to her friend. Her tone was softer, any hint of excitement now gone. "I understand…" She took in a deep breath, fingers finding the pendant around her neck once more. She averted her gaze, the crumbling street beyond filling her vision. "When I met Marlene, she… gave me this." She reached into her pocket, pulling out the switchblade. "It was my mom's. She gave it to Marlene to hold for me, along with a letter she wrote. I still carry it around." Though it reeks of shit. "They're the only things I got from her. She died when I was born." She bit her lip, chewing on the words threatening to pour out of her mouth, things like 'I wish I could've met her' and 'I wonder what she was like' sitting on the tip of her tongue, but never coming out. She took in a deep breath, calming herself.
Her fingers tightened around the pendant, raising it slightly for Clementine to see. "And this was Riley's. The Fireflies gave it to her. After she died, I… went back and found it. This, and a picture we took together are the only things I have left of her. So…" she sighed, letting the pendant rest against her collarbone, "…the point I'm trying to make is… it's not weird to hold onto these. They were a part of our life once, somehow, and this is how we remember them. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Got it?" Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, a serious look crossing her face. She meant every word of it, and hoped that Clem would take it to heart. Their memories deserved to be remembered, for better or for worse.
Ledge [Lee Everett]
After quickly excusing himself from the house for just a couple of minutes, Lee's next destination was Tommy's. He'd heard a few things about people going on runs at this place, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to at least inquire. Things had been so busy these past few days that he'd once again left this to the last minute…
After asking Tommy rather awkwardly about wanting to take Clem outside the walls for a bit, he found it odd that the man's first question was whether Ellie or Joel was going with them too. Lee shrugged it off, chalking it down to just a brother's concern. After assuring him it was just himself and Clem going out, Tommy's demeanor was quick to change to something akin to supportive of the idea. It seemed relatively safe to go, after all... other patrols were probably out and about too.
With the rifle Tommy had allowed Lee to take now slung over his shoulder, the man made his way back home. He thought it was finally time that she learned how to use one, and he figured it'd be a fun and productive birthday present. Clementine was old enough to handle one now, hell... getting their hands on a rifle this good before Pittsburgh was rare enough in itself. Smaller firearms were always preferable for tight spaces, but it was about time the knowledge he had given her was expanded on. That and maybe seeing how capable Ellie was with the rifle back on the road was starting to weigh on his mind a little, Joel had clearly done a good job at teaching her. Regardless, this lesson was probably long overdue.
It wasn't long before he spotted Clementine finishing up the cake with Ellie on the porch. He'd already told her about the planned 'trip' today but had left the details pretty vague.
"Birthday girl. Let's get a move on!" Lee called out whilst waving her over from a distance.
Art [Clementine]
A slight loosening of her shoulders gave away Clem's relief at hearing Ellie say all that, that sheepish smile from before returning stronger than ever. Holding onto Dad's hat and Mom's books… maybe it didn't have to be as strange as she always made it out to be. It helped that Ellie was so intense about it, to an extent almost unlike her. It felt… pretty nice, knowing they were both hogging sentimental junk everywhere they went. Before Clementine had the chance to speak up, she heard the unmistakable sound of Lee's voice calling out for her. 'Birthday girl', he said, prompting said girl to roll her eyes. "I gotta go," she uttered, clumsily getting to her feet. "Catch you later?"
Clementine dashed towards Lee, who waited for her on the opposite side of the street, a rifle strap hanging on his shoulder. He'd mentioned heading out to somewhere or other, though she didn't really know what to expect. After the surprise today had been, it was pretty hard to. Her head hadn't stopped spinning since. "Hey," Clem greeted him warmly, almost overzealously, her feet tapping excitedly in anticipation for whatever it was he had planned. Her eyes were drawn to the rifle first and foremost, to which she crossed her arms in response to, something of a quip escaping her shortly thereafter. "Who're we shooting?"
Ledge [Lee Everett]
A slight scoff escaped him accompanied with a smirk. "Oh, you're the one that's going to be doing the shooting." He averted his gaze to the rifle for a moment before readjusting the strap on his shoulder whilst they continued to walk. "I, uh, figured it's time I gave you a few lessons on how to use this thing. Tommy's got patrols out already so it should be relatively safe out there."
Art [Clementine]
The girl blinked twice rapidly, snapping her head to her right, where Lee was, with widened eyes. "You mean it?"
Firearms - at least of the smaller kind - were pretty standard for Clementine, had been for years now… but rifles were a totally different beast. She could practically hear Pete bending her ear again about how it'd 'probably knock her on her ass.' It'd been so long since then, the thought of actually learning how to use one had never actually crossed her mind.
"You think I'm ready for it…?" She genuinely asked, now wholly unable to drag her gaze away from that huge thing on Lee's shoulder he intended to pass on to her.
Ledge [Lee Everett]
He'd been putting this off for way too long, Clementine's reaction was all the more confirmation of that fact. If Ellie could get the hang of it, then Lee saw no reason why Clementine couldn't either. Unless... if she didn't have as good of a teacher as Ellie did. Lee's knowledge was pretty much what he had learned from Lilly, so getting back into the swing of things was hopefully something he could pull off too. He diverted his attention to the excited teen with a grin. "I think you're more than ready."
Dot [Ellie]
Ellie had watched Clementine and Lee disappear down the street, talking about teaching her how to fire a rifle. Ellie stayed on the steps for a little while longer, once again getting lost in her own thoughts. She felt relieved to know that Clementine didn't hate her for what happened back at the church, that her sense of pride and lust for freedom didn't end their friendship. She didn't know what she'd do if that happened, and the very thought of it was more than enough to have her feeling uneasy.
She held the book in her hands, eyes scanning the cover for a moment, before she pushed herself to her feet, heading back inside. She set the book down on the coffee table in the living room, heading for the kitchen. She found Joel clearing a spot inside the fridge to put the cake, carefully placing it on the bottom shelf before shutting the fridge. Once he turned around to notice her, Ellie leaned against the kitchen counter.
"You know, I didn't think you'd like birthday parties." She spoke, a hint of humor in her voice as she smiled slightly. "I thought you'd leave the first chance you got."
Kentucky [Joel]
He had been so intent on laying the cake down in the kitchen that he hardly noticed the girl approaching from behind him. He swung around, cake having left his grasp and into the fridge, heart pumping. Joel winced, but the sight of Ellie loosened his nerves for the time being. "Well, I still don't really like 'em, but the cake was pretty good." He continued fumbling with the fridge before shutting that white door for good, turning around. "So, you need something then?" He spoke, patting his hands down.
Dot [Ellie]
Ellie simply shrugged her shoulders as Joel turned his attention to her. With Clementine off with Lee and the rifle, she found herself once again without anything to do. Her mind had wandered back to what Carl had said before, about the Fireflies, and she found herself thinking that it was probably something worth mentioning.
Alright, let's just… get this out of the way.
"I spoke to Carl earlier," she started, intentionally omitting the part about them trying to sneak out. The less Joel knew about that, the better. "We talked about the Fireflies. Seems like a lot of people hate them here. Tommy's probably not going tell us where they are." She stopped there, scratching at her arm awkwardly. There was a chance that Joel would ask about what they talked about, and she wasn't sure if she'd have a good answer if he did. Right now, they needed to think about a plan B, in case she can't get the information out of Carl. They had to make it to the Fireflies, one way or another.
Kentucky [Joel]
Joel's heart caught in his throat. He extended a hand for a second, as if to say something, but stopped himself and brought the finger back to his chin. It was good she was talking to other kids, he supposed. But that wasn't the important part. The part that was important was Tommy's reluctance to give them any information. "He won't tell us..." Joel muttered, eyes fluttering towards the floor. He covered his mouth with his hand, stepping past Ellie and leaning onto the counter.
"Goddammit!" He swore, slamming a fist into the counter while a vein began to pop in his head. After everything Joel had done, after all of this... Tommy had the gall to deny them the damned salvation of mankind. Joel turned around, leaning his back against the counter now, looking towards Ellie now. "Sorry." He tongued his gums with anxious fervor, rattling his fingers along the deathly countertop. "Carl tell you anything else? Or was that it?" My own goddamn baby brother.
Dot [Ellie]
That was about the reaction she'd expected. This whole situation was beyond fucked, since it was becoming clear that Tommy was trying to keep them here. They wouldn't let her outside the walls, and wouldn't tell them anything about the Fireflies, and they were looking for books that might help them find the cure. These things were adding up, and it was only frustrating her. As much as she'd support them looking into the cure, they clearly didn't have the manpower to pull it off. They didn't even have any scientists, and that Eleanor lady was barely a doctor. The Fireflies were their only hope in getting it to the rest of the country.
"He mentioned that a lot of people here are ex-Fireflies. Might be able to get something out of them." She shrugged slightly, averting her gaze to the counter opposite her. "When Carl gets back from his run, I'll try to see if I can't get him to tell me." It was a long shot, given how he'd reacted when they asked before, but it was still worth pursuing. Better than relying on Tommy, anyway.
Kentucky [Joel]
This community was starting to get on his last nerve. It had felt like they had been here for ages now, but what had only been... a week, maybe? He had lost count, more on his mind other than numbering the days he had till his death. Scratching at his chin, Joel sighed and crossed his arms. "Do you know any of these... 'ex-Fireflies?' I'd like to have a chat with them." He cracked his knuckles in thought, wonder wasting away his words.
Dot [Ellie]
Ellie immediately shook her head, frowning. "I don't know. Carl didn't give me any names." Not that I had time to ask. It seemed that Joel was about as fed up as she was with this place, though he'd reached that point way before now. She'd picked up on his sense of impatience early on, most of which she assumed had to do with Tommy being indecisive on telling them where to find the Fireflies.
Sooner or later, they'd both reach their breaking point. They had to get there. Soon.
"Maybe ask around?" She offered, shrugging. "I can talk to Carl when he comes back, too."
Ledge [Lee Everett]
As the duo trudged onwards through the lush overgrowth, Lee found himself noticing just how vacant these woods were of the infected. Usually they'd come across the odd two or three that they'd have to take out. Frankly Lee was impressed at just how locked down they had this area. Right now, he was just scanning for a good spot to set up shop.
"So… fourteen huh? How are you feeling about it?" He averted his gaze to the now one year older teen with a raised brow. It really was a frightening thought at just how many years seemed to pass since they'd met.
Art [Clementine]
Clem let out a chuckle, giving the question some semblance of thought before shrugging her shoulders. "I don't… feel different." It was sorta funny, really. All that time spent envying Ellie for being a year older… turns out it didn't make a lick of difference. Some of the weirder changes aside, being fourteen years old felt just the same as most other years that came before it, only with a few more inches to her name, and usually something new to sulk over. In that regard, at least, being fourteen did feel pretty different. Being able to smile on her birthday wasn't something she ever expected to wind up… missing.
With Lee's question came a different passing thought, that of the questioner himself. Clementine could feel her head almost physically struggling to wrap itself around the idea, but Lee had been fourteen too, once. Back when cakes and candles used to be commonplace. Trying to imagine it always brought a smile to her face, though given how someone who'd experienced it was right there beside her, maybe that time she didn't have to stick to her imagination. "Did you?"
Ledge [Lee Everett]
"Nah, same as you." He responded almost without a second thought and a slight shrug. The memories of the birthdays they used to throw in his childhood were enough to put some semblance of a smile on his face. No matter how old, he got it was funny how things like that were just cemented into his memory. Truth be told, even if he knew it wasn't entirely possible anymore, giving Clem something as close to that as he possibly could was all he wanted to do today. "When you reach your teens the years start to go by so quick you hardly even realize it. It's gonna feel like that for a while." Until you start pushing your forties like me...
Art [Clementine]
The girl audibly sighed at the mention of 'being in her teens', something of an intimidating prospect the more she thought it over. They'd talked about it irregularly, mostly the stuff Lee figured she should know about preemptively. Being a kid out there had been fucking tough enough as it is… but, being a woman sounded, like... twice as hard. Clementine buried her hands in her jacket pockets, burying the thought along with them. Moping about it wouldn't do her any favors…
Down the pathway Lee and Clementine headed through was an old gas stop… though nowadays, it was pretty much just a stop. Anything remotely useful, even from a distance, looked like it was totally gone, ransacked long before the day she was born, and whatever was left, down to the last speck of dust, had probably been looted by the scouts back in Jackson. It was barely even good enough to spend a night in, what with the broken windows and rotted walls, overgrowth dressing its interior and filling it with charming flowers, not unlike a makeshift garden.
It was perfect.
"Hey. How about over there? For practice." She nodded in the gas stop's direction, and shot a grin at the man walking beside her, curious to hear what he'd think of the idea. They could definitely find some empty bottles there… It'd be just like last time.
Ledge [Lee Everett]
"Hm." Lee mulled over the thought of entering the ransacked looking gas station Clem had pointed out. It did look like the perfect place to find what they needed, but it did also look like the perfect place for something to be hiding in. Lee wasn't about to rule out the possibility that the scouts at Jackson had maybe missed one or two of the infected here or there. "Okay, I'd say it's worth a look." He spoke before the duo slowly made their way to the decrepit building. He'd been in plenty of these buildings before, back when you had to go inside to pay for petrol. They were usually crammed, which meant it wouldn't be very pretty if they got jumped. Avoiding some of the broken glass on the ground, Lee stopped at the rotted glass door, unstrapping his shotgun he'd brought along and using the butt of it to knock a few times. The man waited for a solid few moments to see if anything from the inside would be drawn to the ruckus.
Nothing.
"Alright. Y'know how it works, keep your guard up when we go in here."
Art [Clementine]
"Mm-hmm." Clementine nodded, pulling her revolver out of its holster and holding it close to her chest, slowly turning the door handle so as to not make any excessive noise. For once, it felt like, the door didn't creak at all, only heightening the sound of the pieces of glass that lied under it. It looked empty from the get-go, beams of light sneaking through the multiple cracks in the crumbling structure, reinforcing that fact by illuminating the darker corners of the station. Even so, Clem knew too well to just drop her guard, taking a minute to check every inch of that place before finally crying in relief. "Clear!" Good, that was… good. After the things they ran into back in Pittsburgh, the anticipation never failed to give her goosebumps.
Now that they'd taken care of that, it was time to do what they came there for. Lee and Clem both began to inspect some of the drawers and other compartments for things to shoot at... Although one of them was clearly more focused on the task than the other. The cash register had seized the girl's attention on its first glance. It looked almost like a typewriter, except it was more like the kind you'd find inside a spaceship. Clementine wiped the dust off the screen in a fit of curiosity, not revealing much of anything until she flipped a switch in the back, turning the fancy 'old-world machine on. Granted, there weren't any bottles there, but…! Upon pressing the button on the bottom right corner of the register, its drawer suddenly popped open, making an outlandishly satisfying cha-ching sound. Whoa, cool!
In the old refrigerator was where the empty bottles were stored, pretty much the only type o'thing that hadn't been looted. Clementine picked up a batch of bottles and carried them to one of the broken windows, ordering them up neatly one beside the other. Once they were all set, she lured Lee outside the gas stop, near where the fuel tanks were; the window and the glass bottles in full view, right in front of them. "How's that?" She asked, totally full of herself. For all intents and purposes, this was the most fun Clementine has had in weeks.
Ledge [Lee Everett]
As time went on, Lee could clearly see Clem was a lot more excited about this than he previously thought. It really spoke measures as to how much she was changing, when he first gave her lessons, she was hesitant to even hold the gun. But now she seemed to welcome the challenge.
"Looking good. Now how about we get some distance and start this thing?" He suggested before leading her slightly further out. He tried to keep it around the distance Lilly used to train them with, although of course given Clem's inexperience, he'd make it slightly easier. He also needed to compensate the distance because of that scope giving her a slight advantage. Overall he opted towards picking a distance that wouldn't be too difficult, but offer a slight challenge. Once all was said and done Lee swung the shotgun back over his shoulder and slung the rifle back into his hands, extending it towards Clementine.
"Before we start, get a feel for its weight. Tell me how it feels to you." It was a basic request, but Lee was going in baby steps in an attempt to get her to adjust as smoothly as possible.
Art [Clementine]
Clem stretched her arms forward, latching on to the rifle Lee extended towards her. The instant he let go, there was a more than evident struggle to keep the rifle above her waist. Not something she expected, judging from the surprise spelled out in her eyes. The girl eventually found a comfortable, if not clumsy way to hold the rifle, trying her hardest to make it look effortless. "Lighter than it used to…" She answered, eyes locked on the rifle, and away from Lee. That it was, if only just marginally. Lighter enough to at least keep the thing steady.
Despite her best efforts, Clementine still found herself holding the firearm rather awkwardly, confused as to which part of it to hold on to, and even more so on how to keep proper balance while doing so, considering the leap in size from her revolver.
Ledge [Lee Everett]
This was going to be a process, one that he would have to explain clearly. She was managing so far, a little nervous and unsure of herself but that would pass with time.
"Alright, so you're gonna want to adjust your stance and square up a bit, keep some pressure on the back foot but don't lean backwards. This one's got a lot of kick." These bullets were going to travel a lot further than the ones from a handgun. Clem was right handed, so he'd need to focus on getting the way she held it right.
"Now press the stock right in between the blade of your shoulder, keep it tight." He spoke whilst slowly guiding the rifle into her right shoulder. Ensuring that one hand rested with her finger on the trigger and the other one supporting the forestock.
"This rifle is lever action, it's here. This little handle right below the trigger. Push it outwards with your same trigger hand until it stops and then slam it back up to load one in. Try it out."
Art [Clementine]
Clementine puffed out her chest, standing upright, or at least as much as she could manage with the rifle weighing her down. She then dragged her right foot a couple of inches back, until the barrel ceased to cumber one side of her body over another, the air in her lungs whiffing away all at once, as her chest decompressed with it. Next was leaning it on her shoulder, the easy part. "Keep it tight… like this?" She asked, just to be sure, keeping the stock well seated where Lee had instructed her to. It definitely felt a little less cumbersome, though it didn't keep her shoulders from getting sore the following minute. Harder than it looked was an understatement, a fact only accentuated the moment Clem tried rubbing her nose while holding the gun, only to end up losing her balance all over again. Fuck! Stay still…!
Lee said something about it being 'lever action', which only made it sound like some sort of toy. Her brows drew together at the thought, the girl shaking her head lightly in some attempt to focus. The handle was right there, just like he said it would be. Clem pulled it down once, getting a quick feel for the motion, before pulling it back up; the soft clicking sound indicating that she'd pulled it off without a hitch. "Okay..."
Ledge [Lee Everett]
"Alright, now take a look through the scope. Don't keep your eye too close." He further instructed. "When you see one of the bottles, aim a little lower than you usually would with a handgun. This thing is powerful and the bullet's gonna go flying, so be prepared. You gotta keep a firm grip but don't get too tense. Then when you're ready, squeeze the trigger. Okay?" Having figured he'd covered just about everything, all Clem had to do now was put it in practice. He took a step back to give her space, eagerly awaiting the bullet's departure.
Art [Clementine]
Clementine nodded, slowly this time around, biding her time. Everything else came naturally; the scope drawing near her right eye, as the bottle she targeted gradually came into view. Below the barrel of the rifle was a small tubular magazine, where the rounds would go, probably. Triggering the release mechanism, Clem loaded the rifle with a single bullet, following that by pulling the gun's handle outward and slamming it back up, exactly like Lee said. Raising the rifle again, the girl's back foot remained fixed, her shoulder just as static, eyes narrowed in anticipation. Spaced between that and the sound of gunfire was nothing more than a soft exhale, before Clementine steadily squeezed the trigger.
In a flash, her whole body was sent nearly staggering backward, a thunderous sound announcing the bullet speeding past everything in its vicinity and piercing the wall. It hit neither of the bottles, though it was a valiant attempt from the young shooter.
Oww…" She murmured, weary arms and aching hands begging her to lower the rifle, which she did only a handful of seconds after the soft puff of smoke came to leave the gun's barrel. "... That was so close…! Did you see it?" It was a little exciting, for as mundane as firing a gun was. Enough so to make the smile she had from ear to ear that much harder to contain.
Clem followed the very same steps as before, breathing in slowly while her good eye creeped up on the scope. It looked like an easy shot, probably was meant to be one, and that fact only fueled the girl's frustration, bringing her determination to land the shot to its absolute peak. The girl finally let out every ounce of air in her chest, squeezing the trigger and sending the bullet soaring through the air in a straight line, colliding with the bottle in the middle and smashing it into dozens of little pieces.
Her eyes widened, at first in sheer disbelief, then in pure excitement. "Oh my god! I got it!" Triumphantly shouted the girl, who'd lowered the rifle for good that time. The absolute thrill running through her made every impulse that followed a little less avoidable, though one definitely stood out: With the rifle still in hand, Clementine pounced on Lee with the strongest hug she could bring off, her mouth curving into a smile.
"Thanks, alright? I should've said it earlier, but I didn't, so..." It wasn't hard to tell she wasn't planning on letting go. The birthday, the cake, the lesson… that whole morning. Everything Lee had ever done for her, and that she'd never know how to repay. "You're the best."
This was a start, she thought.
Ledge [Lee Everett]
She got it. Not even her third try in and she was already getting the hang of this faster than even he could anticipate. "See? I told you you'd be-" In that split moment his speech was cut off as she practically jumped on him, almost cutting him short of breath. With a big smile, he wrapped his arms around her with a hug of his own. No matter how old she got she would always be that same little girl, to him at least. These past few months hadn't been a walk in the park. They hadn't see eye to eye on a few things recently, but again… That was pretty much guaranteed when you were raising a teen.
"I'm so proud of you, Clem." He finally responded warmly after a few moments, still having not let go himself. That wasn't just directed at her shooting skills, but was more of a culmination of the pride he'd been feeling seeing her slowly mature over the years. Mature beyond her years but still always finding a way to be as caring as ever. It was a nice gesture to see just how appreciative she was of him setting this whole thing up. Looking past everything that had transpired today, there was one thing that was still hurting.
It was the fact that he knew he didn't deserve this. Her appreciation. Until he finally told her, every day would just be another failed effort at attempts to make up for past mistakes. Regardless, it was something that he shouldn't think about right now; that was an issue for another day.
"That rifle, we can get in some more practice before we leave Jackson... but I want you to hang on to it. Consider it my present to you." He spoke after they had finally both let go, eyeing off the rifle in her hand. He had already planned to give it to her one way or another depending on how the lesson went. She'd proven to be capable with it thus far, so it felt warranted to let her keep it.
Art [Clementine]
It wasn't the biggest surprise that he'd let her keep it, but it was a pleasant one nonetheless. The thought of Lee giving her a real rifle of her own would've been pretty out there not even two years ago, and yet here they were... there she was, holding that excessively large… thing in her hands as if it wasn't the biggest deal ever.
"I'll be careful with it. Promise," she quickly responded, latching the rifle onto the straps in her backpack, though not without a bit of a hassle. It didn't slow her down as much as she expected it to, save for trying to climb anything, or just… sitting down. It'd get easier with time, Clementine figured. Getting to the Fireflies, with all the land they still had to cover… she didn't expect to have much of a choice on the matter.