Bringing Literature To Life--Through Violence! [Tuesday, Second Period]

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Last week we talked about the nature of humanity." Because when Cindy taught a class, it tended to get pretty thought-provoking. "Today we're going to be dealing with adrenaline, challenge, and victory." Much simpler topics, really.

"When looking at a story about hunting other people, it's pretty easy to judge things without sufficient context." Max shrugged slightly. "What I mean by that is that, for many people, there's no real way to really understand the allure of hunting people. Because many cultures don't have 'game' hunting traditions where you hunt not for food, or for safety, but because it is difficult and it challenges you. But within some cultures, hunting can be a lot like climbing a mountain: you do it because you want a challenge." Seemed like a waste of time to Max, but he had been accused of laziness before. Once or twice.

"Now I'm sure there's all sorts of theory about why people like challenges, and why they go out of their way to do difficult things, but rather than discuss any of that," which would require some sort of research, "I figured the best thing to do would be to let you experience it."

Which might have explained the wooded setting that the Danger Shop was set to. And the pile of paintball guns and protective gear that Max was standing next to.

"Today's activity is simple. You're going to gear up and hunt the most dangerous game." Max grinned. "Me."

"If you can hit me before I manage to touch you, you win." Otherwise, you lost. Simple as that.

Max's grin broadened slightly. "And, come on, how many of your teachers give you an opportunity to shoot them?"

He turned and trotted toward the trees. "You've got five minutes to gear up!" he called over his shoulder as he disappeared.

Comments

The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Feel free to group up, or come after Max individually. Just mention which you're looking to do and Max can totally appear in the thread somewhere for hunting purposes.

Re: The "Game"

[hurtingzeebo]

Sam took to the high ground, which in this case meant the trees. She climbed up into the canopy, paintball gun strapped to her back, and took up a sentry position pressed up against the trunk. Sure, it cut off her field of vision a bit, but it also made her a much smaller target.

This guy was going to be way harder to catch unawares than Spencer, after all.

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max almost just found a good defensive position to hole up in, but where would be the fun in that? After all, most of his students weren't trained in tracking, so he'd probably just sit there for the entire period, and that sounded boring.

So he was moving slowly through the woods. Pausing behind cover to scan for threats before ghosting on to the next tree, bush, or whatever might block incoming paintballs.

But maybe he wasn't looking up into the trees? It was possible!

Re: The "Game"

[hurtingzeebo]

In Sam's experience, people frequently didn't look up.

Mind you, that experience was mostly indoors or in otherwise urban environments, but still.

She caught movement down on the ground and drew a bead on it with her paintball gun.

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

The movement immediately stopped. Almost as if nothing had ever been near those bushes at all.

Almost.

Re: The "Game"

[hurtingzeebo]

Like Sam was going to buy that. She kept her gun aimed on the spot.

Sure, she might be about to shoot a teal deer. But the little antlered bastards had it coming, anyway.

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Still nothing.

The real question was: just how patient was Sam?

Re: The "Game"

[hurtingzeebo]

In most things, not that patient.

In winning a game based on violence? Well. All the rules changed, then.

She waited some more, occasionally glancing up at the rest of the area in case this was a trick.

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Suddenly there was movement again. Branches rustled and something looked like it darted behind a tree.

Re: The "Game"

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

Squall ignored the protective gear -- it would only slow him down. He grabbed a gun and extra ammo and headed off into the forest after Max.

He wasn't skilled at tracking, but he knew how. And guns weren't his weapon of choice, but he could use them.

He followed Max's trail as long as he could see it, and kept his eyes peeled for anything that looked like a good place for an ambush.

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

There were a lot of places for ambushes. Max had picked the location, after all, but Max wasn't in any of them.

Though his trail did disappear rather suddenly right under a large tree.

Re: The "Game"

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

Squall sprang back just as suddenly, rolling towards cover. He scanned the forest all around, particularly back in the direction he'd come from. He didn't expect Max to be in the tree the trail ended at -- that would be too obvious -- but there was a good chance he was nearby, waiting to attack someone who was examining the tree too closely.

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Well, there was an are a few dozen feet back that was perhaps a little too still. But that could also be a trap.

Anything was possible.

Re: The "Game"

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

Squall had already blown the element of surprise with his evasive maneuver. If the professor was nearby, there wasn't much reason for him to be stealthy anymore.

He didn't really like being stealthy, anyways.

Squall poked his gun out from the underbrush he'd taken cover in and fired a barrage into the too-still area.

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

That earned a burst of movement (not that it was obvious what was moving around in those used-to-be-too-still bushes), but no cry of surprise or anything that sounded like a person getting hit with a paintball.

Then silence.

Re: The "Game"

[whateverknight.livejournal.com]

Great. He was jumping at shadows, and shooting the local wildlife.

Squall rolled back out from his cover and continued spinning as he got to his feet, watching the woods carefully.

With one eye on those bushes, he picked a direction and headed off.

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

A moment after Squall began moving, the bushes rustled again.

Re: The "Game"

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

Kenzi had flopped down on her stomach in the shadow of a tree, sniper-like, and was hoping the shadows hid her usual black clothing well enough. She would be thrilled just to get one hit here.

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Hiding was a good plan! As long as your prey was nearby. Max just happened to be a few hundred feet of way. A bit out of range, unfortunately.

Re: The "Game"

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

Kenzi got up, then flopped down. Then started crawling. Not as easy as it looked, carrying a paintball gun, yeesh. Then flopped down again and peeked up.

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max was leaning against a tree, looking vaguely in Kenzi's direction. But maybe he hadn't spotted her! He did look distracted, after all.

Re: The "Game"

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she wasn't going to buy that. Nooo. Well. Maybe she'd get a little closer. But still not close enough to get grabbed! Nope!

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Was he... whistling? It totally sounded like he was whistling!

Re: The "Game"

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

Dude! He knew she was there! Or someone was there! That was totally the I'm-innocent-officer-move-along whistle! AIeeeeee!

Kenzi tried to sight and see if she was close enough to shoot before she ran like the wind!

Re: The "Game"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

She might be! She could always give it a try.