Ready, Aim and Shoot!

[Artemis James]

Artemis had been building himself up all week for this. He'd been desperate to show his growing strength, that he wasn't the quivering, weak figure he'd been months earlier. The SPRITE had hit Artemis hard, and while he was still reeling from the remains of the symptoms, he had gotten stronger physically. While his body was recovering... His emotional state was still not quite the man he had been.
Artemis was still afraid; Afraid of what his mutation could do to him. Another SPRITE may kill him, which was a thought he kept trying to force from his mind.
While he was still a little far from returning to the man he used to be, he felt he owed a significant amount of his recent recovery to a certain Frenchman.
Franck had supported him better then anyone else, coming to visit him when he could, distracting the student from everything that he'd been through. Artemis felt as though he couldn't give enough back to the guy... Which was one of the reasons why he was treating his friend to a day out. He deserved it... And more. Although Artemis was certain Franck would never admit it.

They were sat on benches, waiting their turn in a group featuring a few other people, in a room which led out onto the field; As soon as the door opened... it was war on the other team. 
But while the paintball complex had seemed like a good idea when he'd suggested it, seeing the lanky Artemis in a baggy camo jumpsuit, protective eyewear and a paintball gun, the look didn't suit him at all. He pushed the goggles into place on his head, before trying to adjust the slightly baggy gloves he'd been provided with. It was cold, but the chill in the air was thankfully warded off by the thick hoodie he'd opted to wear underneath his jumpsuit. He glanced to Franck, done up in the same gear; Franck seemed to have an ability to look good in anything he wore, even baggy camo jumpsuits. "I'm pretty nervous," He admitted with a slightly uneasy smile, adjusting the paintball gun in his hands. It might only be a fake weapon, but it's weight felt unnatural in his hands. "If we lose, I apologise in advance." 
It felt good, being out here in the mountains away from the Academy, away from Kalispell... With a good friend. Artemis always looked forward to spending time with Franck; The guy always knew how to cheer him up... He warmed his heart.

[François Laffont]

There really was only one reason for Franck to be in here: he agreed for a friend. Franck and paintball certainly did not seem like two things you’d associate. The guy was so much of a pacifist that thinking he’d shoot people, even for with paint and just for fun, seemed hard to believe. At the same time, if a friend were to suggest this to him, he would not say no. This was just a game after all, he had to convince himself of that. He was still telling himself that as he put on the camo suit they gave to everyone and all of the protection gear required. He had a look at his friend. Poor Artemis looked as though he was floating in his. Franck didn’t consider himself bulky at all but somehow, if you crossed the whole personality aspect, he seemed to fit more in that attire than his friends. He felt as though he should have told him it was fine if he wanted to back down. He could probably still do, as they had yet left to do battle against the other team. But he was afraid Artemis would not admit to another activity now that they got this far. At least Franck could console himself knowing that his connection with the ones in charge of the complex had given them quite the reduction on the entry cost. Luckily, Ellen couldn’t care less why he wanted to get shot at, she merely pointed out how stupid she thought this was. Her opinion never stopped him from doing anything though.

He offered Artemis a bright smile. Some form of comfort and encouragement before it started. “Hey, tell yourself that we can cross that from the list of things to try before we die,” he said in a bad attempt to be humorous. He laughed a bit at his friend’s apology. “You think I’ll be better? My only chance is that I’m used to run. But I usually don’t have all this gear on me when I do.” This might slow him down. And the chase would just throw so much adrenalin through his veins, something he was not quite used to. “It’s like some big snowball fight. Only with paint.” Except not quite, but he didn’t want to think about that. Snowball fights, he did in the past. Mostly when he was a kid but he did, so it was something he could relate to and that can make this whole thing easier. Franck really thought the whole day would have been wasted if, in the end, Artemis did not have fun. He couldn’t care less if Artemis was doing this as much to get out as to thank him, the boy’s fun was what mattered the most.

He had looked away as he waited for the signal for them to go in the field. He turned to look at him only as he started to sense the boy calming down. The warm feeling wrapped around Franck and he gave him a smile as they had to get out and try to wage war on the other team. Let’s just hope they were not the super intense type.

[Artemis James]

Artemis, quite frankly, had wanted to try something that wasn't merely wandering around aimlessly around the mall, or a few drinks in some quiet bar. After everything Franck had done for him, Artemis had wanted to show him a good time, to try something different. He'd never been out paint balling before, that accompanied with his relatively lanky structure now emphasised by the baggy clothing he wore... Well, he didn't exactly look like ideal material for this kind of activity. Still, it fitted the description of something different, and anything that got Artemis away from the Academy for a duration of time was welcomed. That, and he got to spend time with Franck.

The gun felt no less uncomfortably heavy in the student's hands from Franck's reassuring smile, but he felt significantly more positive. He gave his friend a slightly brighter grin. "You look a lot better in this gear then I do," He spoke softly, glancing down to the camo jumpsuit. "I mean, I lost a bit of weight in hospital..." The nature of Artemis's affliction had went generally being fed
through a tube for a few weeks, since the toxin made it nearly impossible for him to stomach food without his body wanting to throw it all back up again. Still, thankfully he was past that now... It felt almost a lifetime ago.
Artemis looked back to the Frenchman as he tried again to reassure him; Comparing the event they were about to go charging into as a snowball fight with paint. Artemis had never been in a snowball fight, but he understood the basic principle. As the other boy looked away to take note of the still closed door, Artemis felt a warm smile pull at his lips, his nerves quelling. He took a deep breath, and sighed gently; He could do this... This was supposed to be fun, after all. Franck's words had calmed him. The Frenchman then looked back to him, casting Artemis a smile.

A warm heat flushed his cheeks, his smile turning momentarily sheepish before Artemis's eyes widened slightly as he quickly averted his gaze. But before he could say or do anything further the door automatically opened, and their group rushed out into the cold Montana winter air. Artemis was swept up in the rapid movement forward, his cheeks were now flushed a deep, embarrassed scarlet. The field of battle was a large area, with areas of trees, and various structures and walls built for ducking and covering. Their group rushed out with seemingly no tactical thinking, many struck with bursts of colour moments after escaping their holding area. Artemis bolted forward, getting his back against the closest tree before looking out around the area for Franck, franticly trying to spot him.

[François Laffont]

Although this activity was not what you’d first expect of Franck, he did not hesitate one second to agree with it. This was not just because he didn’t want to argue over what to do. Paintball was not as extreme as bungee jumping. And since he worked in a coffee shop, it was more interesting than going to one for a cup. Besides, unless someone really took this way too close at heart, it was just for fun. And it seemed to please Artemis so much so, really, Franck had no reason to object to anything.

It did seem a bit weird to have a gun in his hands. He never held one, real, fake or of any kind. Not even water guns or those used to play video games. The mechanism of it was simple enough for him to get it though. He just had to aim and press the trigger. And watch how many more of his ‘bullets’ he had left in there. Yeah, that one might end up being something he’ll forget but it was pretty easy to notice it, when you can’t fire anything. He just had to hope not to be ambushed when that would happen, otherwise he’d turn into an abstract painting.

He chuckled as Artemis claimed he looked better in that outfit than he did. Franck was not trying to be fashionable whatever he was wearing but there was something about him. Ok, maybe he was trying to be fashionable in whatever he was wearing. He liked looking good. But it was also sort of natural. “Gaining weight is easier than losing some. You already gained a little. And got some color,” Franck assured Artemis. The guy had never been what you’d call heavy to begin with, so it sort of showed when he lost more weight. “You’ve resumed your training, it will be back soon,” he added. That certainly would help too.

There was always some warmth coming from Artemis when they were together but Franck usually dismissed it. Whatever it was came from their friendship. Whatever he felt was nothing more than that. As for the blush, Franck ended up rather oblivious to it and put the boy’s nervousness on what they were about to do. Anyway, they didn't really have time to discuss it because they let them out now that all the rules and safety measures were dispensed. Franck tried to follow Artemis as they all spread out. He seemed to remember there was more to it than just shoot your way through but Franck was fine sticking to defense and letting others use the offense tactic. He found a piece of wall he could crawl behind to avoid getting hit.

He should be looking in front of him, at the enemy, to shoot them, but he was looking around to spot his friend. When he did, he gave him a sign, hoping he got it and tried to get closer to Artemis, keeping his gun close to his chest and looking for any potential ‘enemy’ that would try to stop him. Although he still couldn’t quite understand the appeal of playing war, he had to admit that he was feeling an adrenaline rush like he rarely did before, and it was rather exciting.

[Artemis James]

In the few hours build up before to entering the paintball complex, Artemis had debated calling the whole thing off. Was he pushing himself too hard? As much as he was desperate to return to normal and just allow the fact his own body nearly killed him slip into fevered memory, Franck had warned him not to overdo it. Then there had been that girl... Nonie. She had mentioned something similar; But that was weeks ago... Artemis's condition and strength physically had continued to increase, and while he wasn't at his best, he was still closer to good health then he had been some months ago.
Surely it was worth a risk? For an afternoon where he could forget everything weighing on him and just spend time with his friend?
The pros, in Artemis's mind, far outweighed the risks. Still, stood here now, waiting to be unleashed out into the cold... Artemis couldn't help some pang of nervousness seep into him.

Franck seemed to have noticed however his physical progress, commenting on Artemis's slight weight gain and the warmth that had returned to his complexion; This assurance earned the Frenchman a smile, although this was a fight to maintain with his next remark. His training... Artemis hadn't stepped onto the Academy's arena since way before his illness. Could he even remember the last time he'd used his wings...? The trainers wanted him to start up again, and were becoming increasingly insistent on it... But at least Artemis still had his fatigue excuse; But there was only so long that would last. He hadn't told Franck he was avoiding his training... And felt that perhaps right now wasn't the best time to admit it.

All of these thoughts, these worries however, were swept away from the forefront of the student's mind when Franck had smiled at him... The result of which was still flooding his cheeks a warm red. Artemis remained with his back against the tree, clutching the paintball gun tightly in his grip as a flurry of colour filled the winter air. He could hear his comrades shouting, some calling out cries of victory when they struck an enemy paintballer.
All of this chaos felt like background noise, as Artemis tried to spot where his friend had gone, all the while very aware of the heat in his face.
Please let him not have noticed.
Artemis shook his head a moment, trying to collect himself. His gaze then found Franck, the frenchman giving him a signal to let him know he'd spotted him. 

Suddenly, a splatter of green struck the bit of tree just above him, breaking Artemis from his thoughts. He gave a startled gasp, before biting his bottom lip and bolting to where Franck was, ducking down behind the wall. "... F-Fun, huh?" Artemis spoke, his breath catching a little as he grinned. "Are you hit?" He suddenly caught sight of movement at the corner of his eye, raising the gun and firing at a rival from the other team, who ducked out of sight.

[François Laffont]

For a first time out, they were sure going for something quite physical. But Franck had never seen Artemis trained and despite his silhouette, he might be the kind to enjoy that much physical activity. Besides, Franck tried not to think too much about it. If, at the end of the day, he finds Artemis looking quite pale and tired, he might remember how his friend spent quite a few months at the hospital and he should have checked him up more to prevent that. For now, he figured it was alright. Artemis didn’t look too weak for the game and his nerves had to do with how new this all was to the both of them and not because he feared not making out of it totally fine. At least, it was how Franck saw it.

He did sense a little change coming from Artemis at the mention of training. Franck sure meant training his power, as it was important, but also included training physically. It cannot be good to your muscles to spend weeks in a bed with little activity other than going to the bathroom or lifting a spoon full of Jell-o. Plus the conversation over training his abilities should be left there until they went back to school. You never know what some people might have to say about it.

All of these questions had, anyway, left Franck when they entered the ‘battlefield’ and had to shoot their way through the other team while ducking behind broken wall panels and sliding into tunnels. Franck had not yet done it but he figured he should try. Then again, it was so easy to wait at the end of it to shoot in the face whoever came out. They said not to hit the face but some must have done it anyway.

As he was moving towards Artemis, the young man tried to do the same and nearly got hit. Franck shot to help him out but he was unsure as to where exactly the shots came from. “I’m not. Are you?” he asked as Artemis joined him. He was the one getting shot at after all. “I think we better move. They know we’re here. And I’m not sure how close they are. You ready to try the gun?” He could also give Artemis a moment. Even when you know it’s just paint, it must be a shock to be the target like that. Artemis was the one who saw the rival team getting closer. “Come on,” he said, not intending to stay here to see which one of them would shoot first next time. It was time to make a move.

[Artemis James]

Chaos was breaking out around them in bursts of colour, cries filling the air of those hit and those claiming victory. Only mere minutes into the game and Artemis was inwardly doubting his decision to take Franck paintballing. He wanted to push himself, to prove to Franck that he was getting better physically; But the sheer level of physical activity and endurance this game of war seemed
far more extreme then he was expecting... Some members of their team seemed to taking it quite seriously. Still, Artemis had come this far... He wasn't going to quit now when he was already in the midst of the fake battle. Artemis took a deep breath, urging his composure forward before he glanced to Franck, managing a smile.
"No... At least, I don't think so," Artemis spoke quickly, taking a moment to check the camo jumpsuit for any signs of bright paint splatter; Thankfully, so far, Artemis was unscathed... Although judging from the way the opposing team was going about this whole event as though it was some sort of championships, it wouldn't be for long.

Just after Franck questioned Artemis on his readiness to use the weapon in his hand, a flash of camo and the gleam of a painball gun pointed in their direction and driven Artemis to aim and fire, sending their attacker diving out of sight someone behind a large piece of broken wall. Artemis found himself blinking at the vacant space where the attacker had been, before looking to the gun in his hands, taking a shaky breath before casting the other boy a wide grin. "More then r-ready!" He stammered slightly, the rush of adrenaline already hammering his heart against his chest. The gun still didn't exactly feel natural in his hands, but he couldn't deny that firing the paintball gun, knowing it was all in good fun, was a little thrilling.
Having managed to compose himself from his earlier flush to his cheeks, Artemis gave his friend a determined nod. "Right, got it... We should head to the outskirts of the area, right? The main fight will be in the centre." He then looked round, his eyeline darting as he tried to spot what their next move should be. "What about that tunnel?" He questioned, looking back over to Franck. As he did so however, another member of the other team emerged from behind another piece of wall, creeping towards them.

Artemis's gaze widened, before he grabbed hold of Franck's arm. "COME ON. We gotta make for cover!" He urged.

[François Laffont]

Franck had never gone paintballing before. It was more the fact it was a ‘safe’ version of war that made it less attractive to him. He understood it was a game however, like the video games or the snowball fights he mentioned to Artemis earlier. If he could take throwing snowballs at people, he figured he could take paintballs. He thought he was fit enough to take it. His main issue would be to try and aim right without getting shot at. He was, however, paying close attention to Artemis, just to make sure the young man was fine with the amount of physical strength and endurance this might ask for. It sure was a little late to back down now. Somehow, Franck doubted they would let him leave unharmed if he asked them to quit. So Franck kept an eye on him. He didn’t want his friend to tire himself too much.

Franck figured they’d all be hit at the end of this. They nearly got covered in paint when someone came their way. Was it a friend or a foe? either way, Artemis sent them ducking for cover and Franck was not hearing anything about them being on the same team so it had to be an ‘ennemy’. Franck was glad this was a large field. While it would make using his power to pinpoint people’s location harder, it also prevented him from having too many emotions thrown at him at once. Artemis was grinning after his attack but his voice was shaking. “You alright?” There was tension inside of him but Franck felt it too. It was the adrenaline forcing them to act faster.

Franck nodded, liking the idea of going for the sides instead of the center. “If we find a good spot, we might even be able to shoot at them without them seeing us. That’s a, uh... vantage point?” Franck looked at the tunnel he had seen before. He was about to say something about it but they didn’t have time to talk. Whoever ducked for cover was still nearby and was having another go at them. Or it was someone entirely different, Franck couldn’t quite tell. They had to run.

Franck took a sprint, sort of covering Artemis along the way as they ran to a side of the field, the one by the tunnel. Since he was shielding his friend, he offered his back and flank to the shooters and he let out a light scream when he felt a ball of paint hitting him. He shoved Artemis behind a wall for cover. “wow, that actually hurts,” he said. It pinched more than really hurt but he sure felt it.

[Artemis James]

Paint balling wasn't Artemis's usual choice for a supposed "fun" activity spent with friends. He was usually more the type to choose to go and see a movie, hang out at the mall... On an adventurous day, maybe a trek through the forest enveloping the Academy. Paint balling was not only a strenuous activity, but the sheer general aggression involved was not something which came to Artemis naturally. However, despite that, as the adrenaline began to circulate and the thrill of not being shot down within the first few minutes passed over him, Artemis found himself... Kind of enjoying it; After all, it was all in good fun... It wasn't as though the bursts of vibrant colour could actually do any proper harm.

With his cold breath catching in his throat, Artemis gave a nod at Franck's comment regarding if he was okay or not. He was thankful his friend hadn't merely bolted into the fray and left him to fend for himself, but then as soon as that thought entered his mind Artemis shook it off; Franck was far from the kind of person to do that. The next few moments however passed in a frantic panic as the enemy took a chance at them; Artemis took off towards the side of the field with the tunnel, his gaze focused on the defensive structure in an attempt to avoid being distracted by the ensuing chaos around them. "Fran-" Was all the young musician managed before he caught the light cry out which stopped him in his tracks. Artemis whipped round, his heart in his throat, before he was shoved by the Frenchman behind the wall.
Artemis stumbled back, giving a small yelp, falling back a little against the wall hard to regain his balance; Clutching the paint ball gun tightly, Artemis desperately looked for his friend. "FRANCK!" He called out to the Frenchman, noting the splatter of colour now across the other male's camo jumpsuit... And the shooter was preparing to fire again.

Artemis bit his bottom lip, his eyes narrowing; He knew this was only a game, but the small scream Franck had given from their attack had flared his anger. He bolted forward, firing the false weapon at the attackers, leaving an arch of paint splatters across the trees they'd taken cover behind. Shaking a little, lowering his gun and letting out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, Artemis looked over his shoulder to Franck. "Y-You... You o-okay? It didn't hurt too b-badly, right?" He spoke, his words catching a little.

[François Laffont]

Franck did not expect the adrenaline rush to have this effect on him. He knew people’s emotions could affect him but it was hardly the case right now. The only one he may really feel anything from was Artemis and the young man felt pretty much the same as Franck was right now. At most, did it only enhance what he was feeling but Franck doubted it. The adrenaline just made it difficult for him to focus on any emotion anyway. This was not something that happened a lot with Franck. He rarely did the kind of activities that could cause this on him. The novelty of this may be the reason why it seemed so much fun, the fact still remained that Franck could appreciate his day.

Franck had to move the clothes he had on to see the result of the blow he received. Right there, a splatter of bright yellow paint for all to see. It certainly flashed on all this green. He startled as Artemis cried out his name. He stared at him, too shocked to sense both fear and anger out of his friend to really help him out shoot away the enemy. The cry that came out of his lips earlier as he got hit came more out of surprise than real pain. He didn’t expect it to affect his friend like that. You’d think the splatter was not yellow but red and it was blood not paint. But it was only paint. At most, Franck supposed he may be a little sore tomorrow but nothing he could not handle.

Now that Artemis was done firing, he inquired about his wellbeing. “It’s alright. It took me by surprise. It snaps a little more than I expected, that’s all,” he assured him. He stared at Artemis, studied his face. “You sure you’ll be okay?” He looked over the protective wall to where Artemis had been shooting previously. You could see the paint but it was hard to tell whether it was his doing or the result of many other battles that took place here. “ I don’t see them. I think, in this game, it’s not a good idea to stay in one place too long. You want to catch your breath before we try finding them before they find us?”

[Artemis James]

Artemis was frankly a little startled by his own actions. He knew despite his generally meek personality that he was controlled by his emotions, as proven by the manner in which he'd attempted to protect his sister... He'd stood up to the twins, and not only that, but had faced violent criminals way before he even passed the threshold of Bellefonte Academy, all in Lucy's name; Not that she partically cared or far from encouraged him to do so... But it had been the right thing to do in his mind, and he had upheld his opinions firmly with steadfast resolve.
Artemis may be meek, but he held a fiery heart.
That being said, his actions had still surprised him. He stood blinking at his friend, his breath catching ever so slightly before relaxing when the Frenchman assured him that he was fine; Artemis bowed his head, his eyebrows furrowed as he silently scolded himself for panicking... This was a GAME, and he'd reacted as though Franck had been really shot. The adrenaline was likely the reason; He quickly tossed the other boy a wide smile, giving him a small nod. "I'm fine... Honestly," He spoke, trying to reassure him as best he could, hoping his words held enough conviction. "I think... I think I'm j-just getting a little caught up in it all." He gave a light hearted shrug of his shoulders.

He didn't want Franck to worry, and so quickly shook his head at the offer of a moment's pause. Standing or sitting still for any short length of time also left them open to attack, and Artemis certainly didn't want either of them to suffer with an onslaught of violent paintballs. He closed the short distance between them, and patted the Frenchman lightly on the shoulder, hoping to further reinforce his assurance that he was perfectly fine to continue. "Don't worry about me!" He smiled. "I-" His comment was however broken by a sharp, small scream, doubling over as a slew of colour was sent bursting over his back. Artemis bit his bottom lip, his eyes momentarily clenched shut tightly as he took in a sharp intake of breath; It... STUNG.The pain seemed to shoot down his back and burn down into the back of his legs, likely due to his wings. Artemis slowly stretched back up with a low hiss of pain, before snapping his eyeline over his shoulder in the direction of the attack. The members of the other team ducked behind a wall, although it was likely they were gearing themselves up for another flurry of paint.

"... That... T-That really hurts, huh?" Artemis spoke, trying to make light of it with a forced smile. "R-Ready to... To hit back?" He was fighting to ignore the now heavy sore ache throbbing throughout his back.

[François Laffont]

Seeing that Franck was indeed alright, Artemis seemed to calm down. He even managed to give his friend a smile, which reassured Franck that this whole idea may not have been a bad one. The whole activity was something new to them. While the whole concept of war may go against some of Franck’s principles, doing something that was so adrenaline-driven was not an issue. He so rarely did that but even someone as peaceful as Franck could feel the need to at times. He simply didn’t expect things to go this way. Apparently, neither did Artemis.

He laughed as Artemis assured him he simply got a little too caught up in this. “I had no idea you had this in you,” he confessed. He was still smiling. So long as Artemis was fine, he didn't think there was a problem. He’d likely suggest another activity for next time though. Franck was looking around, any movement his eye could perceive being suspicious, wondering if there was not someone ready to shoot some paint at them. Staying here may not be best but he wanted to make sure Artemis was up for the rest of the game. He was telling him he was fine when Franck heard the scream and he saw Artemis’ expression as he got hit. He knew, for being hit before, how that hurt when you did not expect it. Franck meant to shoot back at the person who hit Artemis but he was also holding him. He stood up with Artemis, ready to hold him if necessary.

Franck offered Artemis a sheepish smile now that the guy knew how that actually hurt. “You ok?” he asked, because he seemed to have taken it worse than he did. He nodded though at the question. “Let’s take some cover and show them,” Franck agreed to, moving around the wall so they could be safer from their shots.

[Artemis James]

Artemis certainly hadn't expected the activity to go the way it had done... He'd expected a fun afternoon firing paintballs in a similar manner to some kind of light hearted water fight. He hadn't expected how serious some of the other members of the teams were taking it, and he hadn't expected the sheer rush of adrenaline sweeping his system. He had to admit, it was thrilling. His dismissal of Franck's concerns and comment that he'd merely been swept up in it all earned him a laugh from his friend... And a remark which brought a slightly goofy smile to Artemis's lips.
Upon realising how ridiculous he must look, he felt a deep heat settle in his cheeks; He quickly looked away from Franck, trying to make it seem casual. "Well, I guess I can be full of surprises," He replied warmly, feeling a small elevation somewhere in his chest despite himself.

The pain from the attack began to fade right away, leaving a dull, burning ache in it's wake which burned down the length of his back to his legs. Artemis knew the hits hadn't struck his legs, which led him to the assumption that the reason for the pain there was his wings. He however shoved that thought as far back in his mind as he could, instead focusing on his friend, casting his gaze quickly back to Franck.
"I'm fine," He assured him with some confidence. "Let's show them what we've got!" He moved after the Frenchman, gritting his teeth a little from the soreness in his back, already priming his paintgun; He needed to remain calm... Franck seemed surprised that Artemis had handled himself this far, and that thought warmed him... He was determined to keep it up... Deep down, Artemis wanted to impress him. With his breath catching slightly, Artemis readied himself, knowing the other team were surely gearing up to place another attack against them. "O-Okay... I'm going to move around those trees... Get them from behind, if you're okay making a distraction?" Artemis spoke, before looking to Franck. "Are you... Okay with that?"

[François Laffont]

Franck didn't think Artemis looked ridiculous smiling to him like that. But he was keeping an eye out for whoever might take advantage of that to shoot at him once more. That didn't stop someone from shooting him despite Franck’s best effort. You just couldn’t have eyes everywhere. It took Artemis by surprise, so did the pain. Luckily, it didn’t last too long. Franck didn’t think about Artemis’ wings however. He tended to forget about that part of his friend’s anatomy, wings not being a usual apparatus humans possessed. Still, he was there to help his friend the best he could while pointing his gun more or less in the direction the shot came from so that he could fire at anyone who may try to get at them while they moved.

Artemis was quick to reassure Franck and the Frenchman smiled what probably was the closest of a smirk he could put up before nodding at him in agreement. They’ll show them. It was just paint after all. It was not like they would really kill anyone. The best proof of that was that the two of them were still breathing.

Franck was trying to come up with an idea. If they could get some vantage point, they could shoot them without being seen. Only the terrain was made to provide you with shelters and obstacles but little of said points. Artemis had another strategy in mind however and Franck listened as he exposed it. So he wanted Franck to play the decoy? “I’m ok with that. I’ll wait until out close to the trees then I’ll shoot in their direction and circle back to get to you,” Franck agreed. He couldn’t say he particularly enjoyed playing the one being shot at but he would have done so just to prevent Artemis from being the decoy himself.

Like he just told Artemis, he wouldn’t make a move until he knew Artemis was getting there. Then he’d get their attention and, with some hope, he wouldn’t end up running into more of them while shooting around.