Wellspring Arms & Meditation Center, Wednesday

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

They were in ancient Egypt. Cable hadn't taken any chances: he'd gone off-island yesterday, not to play tourist, but to make absolutely sure this wasn't his universe's ancient Egypt. He had good reasons for it.

He just wasn't going into them.

He'd left Jan upstairs just in case before opening up the shop, HELP WANTED sign joining the little one that read Open. Sat down, stared out the window, not that he could see much of Alexandria from here.

[[ open! ]]

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[shotbillmurray.livejournal.com]

After class, Columbus headed over to the Wellspring Arms. Granted there was no zombies on the island (Not counting the ones at Caritas. Columbus hadn't been there yet.) but Columbus felt it was time to stock up just in case.

Plus he needed to send another "care package" back home.

"Hi," he said cheerfully as he approached the counter. "Exactly how many pump action shotguns do you have in stock?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"A few," Cable said, giving the new guy a look to determine his mettle. "We don't sell firearms to students."

Columbus looked like he could barely lift one.

[shotbillmurray.livejournal.com]

In truth he looked rather awkward whenever he did carry one.

"I'm not a student," Columbus said with shrug that said it was a common misconception. "I teach a survival class up at the school. Thought it might be wise to stock up if I have to return home."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Cable... continued to look mostly inscrutable about it all, though if you were looking really carefully, you might be able to find like a quarter inch of amusement. Somewhere. "We tend to avoid selling firearms unless there's an emergency," he said, dryly. "'Stocking up' doesn't fall under our parameters..."

He hadn't said no yet, which was... mostly an invitation to share your story or get out.

[shotbillmurray.livejournal.com]

"Well the guns come in pretty handy back home," Columbus explained, catching the gist of what Cable was looking for. "Though I'm not sure exactly when or if I'll be heading back. Several months ago a virus hit the United States. A mutated version of the mad cow disease. Except instead of mad cows it turned almost everyone into mad zombies. Since then it's been pretty much a survival of the fittest."

Though looking at Columbus, you wouldn't think of him as being able to survive anything.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Though looks could be deceiving.

"Zombies," Cable repeated. "And you're thinking about going back there at all...?"

[shotbillmurray.livejournal.com]

"I have-"

Columbus fumbled for a moment trying to think of the best way to describe Tallahasse, Witchita and Little Rock.

"Family. Of a sort," he said feeling uncomfortable with the term. "I know it's safe here but I feel... obligated to go back. If that's possible."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"It usually is," Cable said, "But sometimes you have to sit out your stint... hm." He glanced over his shoulder towards the shotguns. "And you want to buy to resupply?"

Columbus didn't seem to be lying, but...

[shotbillmurray.livejournal.com]

"Exactly," Columbus said with a solemn nod. "Along with any ammunition. I highly doubt I'll use any of the inventory on the island as it seems rather safe. I may be back for additional supplies when my line of credit allows."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Cable looked at him again for a long few seconds.

"If I find you using these on-island outside of an invasion or a shooting range," he said, conversationally, "They're coming right back here." Beat. "And I'll need to see your license."

[shotbillmurray.livejournal.com]

"Oh! Sure!" Columbus said with a few blinks as he reached for his wallet. "That shouldn't be a problem. I mean the island seems pretty safe and-"

Wait. Did he say invasion?

"Did you say invasion?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"Zombies were two years ago... so I don't think we'll be seeing those for a while..."

Mighty reassuring, Nate.

"We have a little trouble every few months."

[shotbillmurray.livejournal.com]

"Oh!"

The was a couple of quick blinks as that Columbus let that fact sink in. Then he shrugged and pulled out his driver's license.

"Okay, then. Will this suffice for ID?"

[heromaniac]

Momoko headed into the Wellspring Arms for the first time in a loooooooong time and sighed, setting a box on the counter. "Hello Again!! I have a totally weird situation and I was hoping you could help?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Cable looked up.

"Momoko," he acknowledged. "Tell me."

[heromaniac]

"Well," Momoko hesitated a bit, then. She'd been thinking this over for a few days, but thinking and doing were two totally different things. But she promised herself she'd try.

"You did know that Triela... died, right? She went in her sleep. Last week." Almost to the day.

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"I've heard."

There wasn't a lot that happened on his island that escaped him.

"I'm... sorry for your loss."

[heromaniac]

"Thank you." Momoko took another steadying breath and gave a small smile.

"Ah. So. At the funeral, some of us found out that she'd left us things. Which was nice but totally not necessary. Not that I can tell her that, now, of course. But it was nice to be thought of, you know? And, uhm, well, she left me this." Momoko opened the box and lifted out the gun case carrying the pistol, setting it on the counter. She looked at it a moment then transferred her gaze to Cable. "And I don't know what to do."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

Cable picked up the gun a second later, giving it a good look-over and checking the magazine. "Triela never did play around," he said, thoughtfully. "Though I never took you for the firearms type."

[heromaniac]

"I'm not? Not really. I've been learning how to shoot since I got here, though. If I'm going to be a true hero, I need to learn about a lot of things; I can't just say I don't have to because they aren't important in my world."

"I've gotten pretty good after three years!" She chuckled, a bit embarrassed. "But the gun I always used in Club and at the range was one of Triela's SIG sauers? They look a little alike, but I don't know anything about this one."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"It's a FN Five-seven," Cable said, putting it back on the table. "Originally a military design, but they legalized it for civilians a few years back. 5.7×28 millimeter ammo, with a capacity for kevlar-piercing bullets. Recoil's not too bad."

He did guns like he did breathing, mmkay.

[heromaniac]

Luckily it wasn't breathing for Momoko. What she knew came from all her time with Triela and classes.

"I always have trouble with recoil when I try a new gun," she admitted. "So, wait... Kevlar-piercing?" That didn't sound good and she couldn't remember why. "What does that mean, again?"

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"Kevlar-piercing ammo can breach body armor," Cable said. "But that doesn't get sold on the civilian market."

[heromaniac]

WHY WOULD SHE GIVE ME THAT?! Was what Momoko wanted to say. It was what her eyes said, though. The idea of owning a gun that could shoot through armor was a bit...

...

Well, okay. She supposed it made sense in worlds where guns and armor were necessary.

"I can get regular ammunition for it, though, right? I need something if I'm going to practice with it."

[spring-lost.livejournal.com]

"You'll need SS195LF or SS197SR ammo. That's the regular kind." He cast Momoko a look over his desk. "I'm not usually in the practice of selling firearms to teenagers," he said. "But you've already got the gun-- though don't let me catch you using it outside of a hostile situation or the range."