M:   MA didn't say anything in response and just nodded, he knew that Wehr was telling the truth that he wasn't always like this, he was the General of the Nazi Army at one point after all, but all that mattered was that he is like this now.

MA turned to Poldara and Iremacht as well, "come on boys, we should get going if we want to make it to the gun range before lunch."

Poldara nodded to his uncle and took Iremacht's hand to practically drag him forward.

It still took a while to get to the training ground, it was near MA's bomb range where they would test tanks and explosives, so both were well beyond the city limits.  A few high-ranking officers were using the gun range to sharpen their skills, and they saluted the militants when they drew near. MA saluted back and waved them away, when they were gone he turned back to the others.

"Well, here it is, this particular range is used for my high-ranking officers to sharpen their skills, and Poldara and I use it a lot as well," he said.

The shooting range was about half the size of a football field and was designed to resemble a scene from an apocalypse movie; with barrels, cars, and broken walls strewn about it. There were several targets stationed around it, some were stationary and a few moved from behind walls or popped up from behind barrels.

L:   "A live training course," Wehrmacht observed. "Machty, this is good for you. It's like you're on a real battlefield with the pop-up targets." 

"You make it sound like a little kids' playground," Iremacht snorted. Nonetheless, he started towards the gun booth to try out a few guns, eyeing the shooting range's landscape as if already charting a path through it. "I thought you lot would have more aerial exercises. Your entire family has wings, don't they?"

"Just because we have wings," Wehrmacht said, folding his arms, "doesn't mean we don't appreciate ground troops." 

Iremacht rolled his eyes and grabbed a rifle. 

M:   "He's right Iremacht," MA agreed, "these training grounds focus on training my soldiers, who of course, don't have wings. I do have a base that is deeper in the country where we test aircraft and aerial warfare, but for the most part, my training ranges focus on ground attacks." 

"There is a paintball park a few hours from here where Uncle and Dad play with some retired soldiers." Poldara said, "they lead teams and aerial duel against each other." 

MA shook his head, "come on Blue-Jay, you're making me and your dad sound like children."

L:   The mention of paintballs made Iremacht perk up because the first memory he had was shooting MA with a paintball. His fondness deflated, however, when he remembered those were the days when he lived with his father, still a child, still truly happy and shielded from the real effects of guns that he was now acquainted with. 

"Being children again isn't so bad," Iremacht mumbled. Then he pointed at the human who was monitoring the gun stall. "You. Time me." 

Iremacht darted straight into the apocalyptic shooting grounds and started aiming at targets.

Wehrmacht watched his son blast through the targets that got in his way. The last time they had gone to a shooting range with MA, they had competed over who could aim the best. 

Wehrmacht flexed his wings. "Speaking of aerial duels ..." he said. "Are you up for one, MA? I'm feeling a bit more confident this time around."

M:   "Sure, I have definitely been curious about what you have to offer," MA said, "what do you think Poldara, want to see your uncle aerial duel a fellow militant?" 

Poldara didn't respond as he was way too busy watching Iremacht shooting targets like nobody's business, it was incredible how fast he was mowing them down, even the moving targets didn't stand a chance.

MA chuckled as he watched his nephew's bewildered expression, "you know Wehrmacht, I'd say you and your son are the most fascinating things that have ever happened to Poldara, I think by the time you leave his face is gonna freeze like that."

L:   "If you're interested Poldara, Iremacht might be willing to teach you some things," Wehrmacht said. His tone became more serious. "And, if you could, please keep an eye on him for me. You two seem to get along." 

Iremacht blasted the final target, splintering the wood through the bullseye. He rolled his shoulders confidently and flicked some imaginary dust off his gun before jogging back to the gun stall. 

"One minute and thirty," the human reported. 

Iremacht growled and gave him the gun, "Not good enough. Reload this."

M:   The soldier was slightly put off by Iremacht's hostile tone of voice, but he wordlessly did as ordered and reloaded the gun. 

MA on the other hand frowned at the young militant, "you better watch your tone with my soldiers, Iremacht. You may see humans as beneath you, but in my army you will treat them with respect, is that understood."

MA didn't wait for an answer as he walked behind the gun booth and opened up a crate, he came back out with two paintball rifles. "After the machine gun incident, Poland and Trigger have only been letting Poldara shoot paintball guns, but I'm sure we can find use in them for an aerial duel," he said, handing Wehrmacht a rifle. 

Poldara on his end was unable to stand still in anticipation of the fight.

L:   "Hmph," Iremacht grunted, taking his gun back and waiting impatiently for all the targets to be replaced. Before he took off for a second round, Iremacht muttered under his breath, "Fortunate I'm not in your army then." His red eye gleamed when it spotted the targets being erected again and he let his itching fingers pull the trigger, resuming shooting them all again. 

Wehrmacht took a paintball rifle and tested the weight in his hands. He aimed it around experimentally. "Perfect. So, what should the rules be? First to get hit three times loses? The paint makes it easy to tell. Anything off-limits?"

M:   "Yes, back in the days of swords and shields, you were not permitted to harm another's wings, so I intend to follow that tradition," MA said, loading his rifle, "I also think headshots should be off-limits as well because I know from experience that it hurts to get hit there." 

"Aren't you guys gonna wear helmets?" Poldara asked. 

"Nope, armor wasn't allowed in aerial duels either a long time ago," MA explained, then turned back to Wehrmacht, "have you actually done one of these before, because there is a starting ritual that we have to do before we begin fighting."

L:   Wehrmacht smirked at MA's headshot reference - courtesy of Iremacht. 

"I've done aerial duels, but I never got to learn the rituals of the olden days," he said. "During the second world war, we'd already be in the air and charging at each other right off the bat. There was no time for pause. I'm sure Prussia knew it, but he never bothered to teach me." Wehrmacht waved at MA's wings. "Though like I said before, it's good to keep the traditions alive. I have a feeling you know it. I'd be honored if you could teach me."

Iremacht finished his second round and returned in time to hear his father talk about keeping old traditions alive. He preferred modernization, so he tuned out that conversation and asked the human for his time again, a bit more politely.

M:   "A minute solid this time, sir," the soldier reported again. 

-----

"Of course, follow me," MA said, he then led Wehr away from the shooting range and into the more open area of the bomb range, Poldara following close behind. MA wasn't worried about any of them getting blasted, there was no testing scheduled for today, and he didn't wait for Iremacht because he figured he wouldn't be interested, but if he was then he could see them from the gun range. 

"This should do it," MA said when he was satisfied with the air space, he stopped them and faced Wehr, "ok, the initiation ritual is quite simple, first we take five steps back from each other and spread our wings to their full wingspan, it is meant to intimidate your opponent into hopefully backing down, but obviously we're not going to do that.  Next, we will circle each other three times in a counterclockwise direction, keeping our wings up and feather's bristled to appear larger. Once the last rotation is finished, we draw our weapons and wait for one of us to mimic a raptor's war cry, then we will fly to the height limit of 30 feet and start fighting. So are you ready?"