Life at Windian High (Part 2)




Diane Brandshire left work early, along with Frank Maynard and Chris Fallon, since Katt Chuan (who was still in her mortal form, thanks to Frank Persona Breaking the woren warrioress last night) wanted to help Jess out. Right now, Frank and Chris were walking through Windia, hefting the weapon cabinet while following a very happy woren.

"Are we there yet???" Frank asked from the back end of the cabinet.

Chris just laughed at his friend while his tail waved in amusement. "Hardly, Frank... remember, she doesn't live in Windia..."

"We'll be there shortly... just ya wait, Frank..." Diane said as she turned back to the Persona User with a huge grin on her face.

Frank just let out a loud sigh before moving again. After a few more steps...

"How about now?" The Persona User said in a child-like voice. Chris and Diane looked at one another, before turning to look at Frank, who by now had a goofy looking grin on his face. The two woren broke out in laughter, their tails and ears flicking about in amusement. Before long, Frank joined in as well, laughing his heart out.

The three continued on their way over to the Brandshire house, trekking along a well-worn path between Windia and Plainsfield, talking about various things. Finally, the trio entered the small town and made their way to the Brandshire residence, where Alex was waiting for them.

"Whoa..." The older Brandshire sibling said as he saw the three come into view. By now, Alex's tail was flicking in interest as he watched his sister and two of his friends lugging some sort of cabinet to the front door of their home. Wisely, Alex got out of the way so that the Persona User and Diane's boyfriend could make their way in.

"What in Ladon's name?" Alex asked curiously as Diane led the two into her house. Chris looked up at Alex while his ears began to droop from exhaustion.

"A weapon cabinet..." Chris simply said.

"I made it for her..." Frank followed up before catching his breath.

"It's th' surprise tha' I was telling ya about, bro!" Diane said as her tail flicked about happily. "Frank built little ole me a cabinet to put all my shinin' stuff in!"

Diane led the two movers into her house and over to the room that she and Alex shared. For some reason, much to Diane's relief, the room wasn't as messy today as it usually was.

"There... ya'll can just put it down there..." The younger Brandshire said as she pointed to a spot near the end of the bunk bed. Frank and Chris made their way to the appointed place and set it down before Chris collapsed into a chair and Frank against the bed while sitting on the floor.

"Jeez..." Frank said as he caught his breath. "That was a hell of a workout..."

"We carried that thing..." Chris panted out as he wiped the back of his hand across his furry brow. "From Windia..."

"To Plainsfield..." Frank finished up, while looking from Chris to Diane.

"I'm curious..." Diane said as she looked at her friend and her boyfriend. "Jes wha was tha' weapon that y'all were working on?"

"Some type of crossbow... Frank?" Chris explained as his tail flicked tiredly.

"A bowgun, Diane." The Persona User simply said.

"Bowgun? Wha?" Diane looked from Chris to Frank as her ears flicked in confusion. "Explain?" Was all the younger Brandshire said as she gave Frank one of her many patented looks.

The Persona User chuckled lightly as he leaned back against the frame of the bed. "It's a crossbow weapon that's like my shotgun, Diane." Frank got up and made his way to the desk. "Do you mind if I..."

"Not at all... go right ahead." Diane replied, knowing that it was her brother's notebook on the surface of the desk.

Frank picked up a pencil and opened the notebook to a fresh page. As he sketched out the weapon, Diane and Chris looked at the diagram in interest.

"Okay... this is the basic premise... This thing will be capable of holding eighteen arrows... here..." Frank explained as he pointed the tip of his pencil to part of the weapon.

"So ya kin get eighteen shots out... but wha' about reloadin'? Wouldn't ya have ta open th' chamber ta get a bolt out? And cockin' th' thing too..." Diane said in confusion.

"Not at all..." Frank said as he turned to look at Diane. "First off, this thing fires six shots... three bolts at a time that spread like a shotgun..."

"And to reload..." Chris started, as he pointed to the slide on the crossbow. "You just pull this back, much like the shotguns that you and Frank use."

"Kinda cool... but... wouldn' it be hard ta pump it? I mean, it gets th' weapon ready ta fire as well..."

"That's where we're having a problem..." Frank said with a sigh. "We can't figure out why it's so hard..."

"Well..." Diane said as she eyed the diagram, her tail flicking in interest. "Wha about th' reloadin' mechanism? Yer basin' it of our shotguns, right?"

"Well... yes..." Frank said as he turned to look at Diane. You have an idea?

"Hang on..." Diane said as she pulled her M500 Shorty off a hook above her bed. Immediately, she began to disassemble the weapon like a pro, leaving Frank and Chris in shock.

"Jeez!!!" Frank said before shaking his head. "I can't even take mine apart like that when it needs to be cleaned!!!"

"Eh... Storm Caller gits kinda dusty, so I'm cleanin' her often..." Diane said with a shrug. "Look here... Why dun we just do it like the gun here?" The woren motioned to a part of her disassembled shotgun, specifically where the slide and the loading mechanism were. "It seems ta make sense, rather then all th' springs ya have there... it'd be easier ta..."

"Have it like that, then with the mess that Chris and I have now..." The Persona User said before slapping his forehead. "Damn... I really am sorry to have done that to you, Diane... you're making this a lot easier..."

"See? Ya shouldn't have done it... I know mah way around these weapons... Now how did this go back together???" Diane said as she looked at her disassembled shotgun. She was also scratching her head as her tail waved about in confusion.

Frank and Chris just looked at one another before breaking out into laughter along with Diane.

"Anyway... kin one of ya get Boomer from the shed outside? Along with the bullets fer him?" Diane said as she began to assemble her shotgun again.

"Boomer?" Frank asked in confusion. "Wait... don't tell me... that's the gatling gun we gave to Alex!"

"Gatling gun???" Chris said as his tail flicked about in curiosity. "I'll get it for you, Diane. What does the gun look like?"

"Frank, would ya? It's kinda hard explaining tha' one..." Diane said with a chuckle.

"All right... Chris, it's a massive gun sporting six barrels that rotate as the gun fires, at the same pace as one of Alex or Brad's machine guns. The only difference is that it fires off rounds for a rifle, instead of small calibur rounds for a handgun." Frank explained.

"Right... so just look for the big ass gun sporting six barrels. Got it..." Chris said before running out of the room.

"Frank... thank ya... Ya shouldn' have... but thanks..." Diane said as she ran a finger along the edge of the cabinet.

Frank just shook his head lightly before fishing a small key ring from his pocket. "I told you, I had to Diane... Anyway, here are the keys for the locks... If you need a spare, I've got copies back at the store."

"Ladon... ya thought of everythin... there's enough room in her fer all my shinin' stuff... Boomer included... Thanks again, Frank..." The younger Brandshire said as she took the keys from Frank. After a few minutes, Chris came in with the gatling gun over his back and a case of bullets in one hand.

"Hey... We've got to get going... Diane, we'll see you at school tomorrow?" Chris said as he placed the gun down in front of the cabinet, alongside the ammunition.

"Sure thing... Thanks again, y'all... Take care!" Diane said as she kissed her boyfriend goodbye.

Frank and Chris left the Brandshire home, leaving Diane to take care of her weapon collection. The two separated when they entered Windia, Chris going home to spend time with his family, while Frank got ready for dinner at The Tiger's Catch.


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