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Gold Bubbles
e681e3
>>817291
>>817380
>If you're going to fight, you need practice fighting.
>A bullet is a bullet, even if it's a fancy round that's carrying an oil payload or whatever. If it hits wrong someone will die. So you should be practicing your shooting, and not just in good conditions. Practice while you're hungry, practice while you're tired, practice while you're covered in mud, practice while you've been doused in itching powder. If you're serious about not killing people, you need to have perfect control of your weapon in all possible conditions.
>Logan's exoskeleton is a powerful advantage, if he can use it right. At the moment he's likely to either hurt himself or kill whoever he's fighting. He's hitting with enough force to pulp people, and he's not good at pulling his punches yet.
>He should be practicing with a trainer as much as he can for the next three days. Even if he's planning on playing a supporting role instead of directly fighting, he needs to be comfortable enough to be able to defend himself.
>Gina has pretty good control, mostly. But she needs to practice against humanoid targets. She should be able to disarm, distract, and discourage attackers. Again, the "practice in all conditions" advice holds true. She needs to be able to accurately use her power while she's half-drowned and starved for air. Not because that's a situation we want to happen, but because you plan for the worst.
Ann "Hey, guys, here's what the voices have to say..."
I impart the messages meant for them.
Logan "R-R-Right."
Gina "Thanks for the suggestion, but I've got my own plan. I'm going to eat a big meal, and take it easy until mission day."
Ann "Is that all?"
Gina "Yep. I might help Logan with his combat training, and I'll definitely need to cook up a plan to get past Pratthole's water show. Other than that, I'm good to go."
While her schedule seems irresponsible, it's actually fitting for her. Gina's naturally a pretty good fighter, so training isn't as necessary. She's spent years practicing her fire manipulation, so practice would bear inconsequential results. Finally, if what Polo said is true, we shouldn't have to worry about Prattford. Our job will be to deal with the guards, not the water bender himself. Resting up her mind and body is all she really needs.
As for me, I should find a place to practice firing this thing.
~~~~~~~~~~
Apparently, I'm not the only one here who's got things to shoot. When I asked Jodie about possible firing ranges, she hooked me up with an instructor. His name is Shin Sakuma.
Shin "Be gentle with the trigger. If you jerk it like that, you'll mess up your aim."
Apparently, firing a gun incorrectly is incredibly simple. I don't know where I got the idea that it wasn't. Also, just to be clear, I'm only practicing with the piercing shots for now. They have the simplest trajectory, and are the most important to get right. These could kill people!
I fire off another shot, and watch it go below the target once more. Closer, but far from good.
I lower my gun, and turn towards Shin. He shakes his head.
Shin "Your arm lowered slightly before the shot. You need to be able to hold your stance."
I take out the earbuds Logan gave me, and ask Shin a question.
Ann "How do you know so much about proper shooting?" I have a suspicion, but I would appreciate confirmation.
Shin "I was a marine, back on Earth." For whichever voice it was that asked, there you have it. Someone from Tier one.
Ann "Did you have to shoot much? Our last war was quite a while ago."
Shin "They had us practice firing different weapons at least three times a week. They really force you to memorize every aspect of shooting, for good reason too! If you don't hit your target, you've given them more time to hit you and your comrades."
Ann "Just to be clear, most people here aren't carrying firearms, right?"
Shin "No, it's not very common. You're the only other person I know who has one. However, that doesn't erase your responsibility."
Ann "Of course not. I just wanted to make sure."
Shin "Now, put those earbuds back in. We aren't leaving until you either run out of bullets, or land six consecutive shots right into the center."
Right as the sun goes down, I finally land six in a row. After standing here for hours on end, with only a lunch break to clear up the monotony, it's a beautiful sight. It's a good thing Logan packed so many, or else I would have to be more sparing.
Shin "Great job! I was starting to worry we'd be practicing into tomorrow."
Ann "Cool..." I'm too tired to formulate my thoughts into words. My hands are sore from the recoil, my legs are sore from standing for so long... I want to go to sleep.
Shin "Alright! I'll see you again tomorrow. Next time, we'll try out a moving target."
sigh...
~~~~~~~~~~
Ann "Why is there a window to... the sky? Yeah, why is there a sky window in this room?"
After a much shorter firing session with Shin, I decided to come by this Tier's school. Specifically, I wanted to speak with one of the teachers. He's supposed to be the strategist behind this strike.
Teacher "Hello to you too. How can I help you?"
Ann "Oh, sorry. That window just took me by surprise. My name is Ann Pepper. I wanted to get some details about the... thing." I'm not sure how open I should be about details here. It's a school, not a very private location.
Teacher "Ah, I see. Nice to meet you, Ann. My name is Marvin Read."
Ann "Um... This isn't what I came here for but... The window?"
Marvin "Do you like it? It was quite a hassle to install."
Ann "If what Logan told me is even remotely close to true, then I would assume so. Then again, I get the impression that this is some sort of energia. Am I right?" Logan had to design his portal experiment with machinery, but I don't see much of a border around this window. If I look closely, I can see wood underneath the purple glow. Nothing resembling technology though.
Marvin "It was a mixture of different energia. Polo was helpful in getting Alice and I to the correct height. Alice locked the second window in the air, and all I had to do was supply the link. The teacher's lounge hasn't looked better."
Ann "It is nice. Sort of calming."
Marvin "Yes... Now, I do believe you had some questions? We can talk about anything here." Confirmation, we can talk here.
Ann "I have a few questions and concerns about the plan. Firstly..."
>>817500
>One informant
>I don't like the sound of that. Chances are he's brainwashed to be loyal and will send you straight into an electric cage.
>Spend time finding another way in. Surround the throne room with different forces and you might pull this off...
Ann "Polo mentioned that you have an informant. Can you prove that they are not brainwashed or disloyal?"
Marvin chuckles in response. It's somewhat reassuring.
Marvin "Well, they definitely aren't brainwashed. I've spoken to them recently, and their behavior was the same as it's always been. Energia like that would have noticeable effects on the target. Especially when I brought up specifics about the plan. As for treachery, it's impossible."
Ann "How so?"
Marvin "For starters, it would imply that someone would willingly subject themselves to Prattford. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but Prattford has an abrasive personality."
Ann "I may have picked up on the hints." I rub my eye for emphasis.
Marvin "He doesn't have many fans, even among his own men. They serve him on the queen's orders. Our informant, however, isn't pledged to the queen."
Ann "Who exactly are they?"
Marvin "Her name is Trekker. Before Prattford set himself up, she was our elected mayor."
Ann "...And Prattford just let her into his ranks?"
Marvin "No, he forced her into his ranks. He gave her an ultimatum that boiled down to: serve him as a lowly secretary, or rot in a cell. She chose the former."
Ann "...He made her a secretary. He gave his political rival a role where she would deal with his files and information." It would be hilarious if he didn't have the power to easily kill people.
Marvin "Many of Prattford's decisions are meant to be shows of his authority. He likes to show off his power. Now..." Marvin opens a drawer in his desk, and pulls out a few papers. "What else would you like to know?"
Ann "What's the actual plan? I understand that we'll be entering through a window, but what happens after that? Will we be splitting into groups?"
Marvin "Oh, you guessed correctly. After making sure the area is clear, we will be separating into groups. Half of the people will focus on finding and subduing Prattford. The other half will hold off the guards."
Ann "Wait, back up a bit. What do you mean by find Prattford?"
Marvin "Our intel indicates that he doesn't have one bedroom. He constantly alternates between five rooms every night, with no set pattern."
He hands me an exterior map of his castle, with a few areas highlighted.
Marvin "We won't be certain where he is, so we have to split our forces. If we give him time and an opportunity, he might escape. Worse still, we have reason to believe that the rooms he isn't in will have multiple traps set up to detain invaders. Caution will be necessary at all points."
Ann "I see. Thank you." I set the map down on his desk, next to his mug. I read the text on it: "#1 Father, but only due to limited selection". I wonder if I can get something similar for my dad. I'll ask him where I can pick one up after the strike.
Ann "Could you tell me one more thing?"
Marvin "Sure, go ahead and ask."
Ann "What roles have you assigned for me, Logan Faust, and Gina Cortez?"
Marvin "Oh, I actually just finished assigning you the other day. One second..." He flips through the papers in his hands, before stopping on one.
Marvin "Here we go. After assessing your abilities, as well as your personal relationships, I decided that you would work best as a support group. You'll be paired up with Group #2; a four member team made up by Polasarius Purt, Wilson Dreygat, Quinn Dreygat, and Gwen Valor. Your team will be searching the eastern turret, which contains the secondary throne room."
Ann "Wait, he has a secondary throne room?"
Marvin "Yes. He uses it for meetings with people he considers less important."
Ann "Right, we're dealing with a powerful child."
Marvin "Do you have any questions, thoughts, or concerns about this current plan?"
Ann "Not at the moment, but I'll come back if I think of anything. Thank you."
We exchange a handshake, before I leave the room. I'll share the details with Logan and Gina later today. After everything I've accomplished, I think I've earned a trip to Marley's.
~~~~~~~~~~
Logan finished my bullet carrier today. He bashfully explained that it was all he could do with the time he had, but it was far better than what I expected. It's a belt with two pouches on the sides, and six bullet dispensers. Three in the front, and three in the back. Each dispenser can hold three bullets at a time, and both pouches can hold ten bullets each. Using this, I can carry 38 bullets at a time. 44, when you count the six that are already loaded.
While that number is great, it's also what has lead to my current situation. Because, as you know, Logan didn't give me a normal gun. This gun has an array of bullets. Ten different types, to be exact. While I can eliminate gas shots (as I'm lacking in gas to fill them with), that still leaves me with nine types to choose from.
Not only that, the different pocket types mean that I have to be smart about where I put my bullets. The dispensers drop all three bullets at once, so I need to pair up shots that synchronize well. I can't just fill a dispenser with two waters and a sleep. A smarter combination would be oil and fire, or blunts and gust, or water and shock. The pouches, on the other hand, don't keep the bullets still. If I'm in a rush, and I reach in to grab a bullet, it will take longer to find the exact one I want. The best use for these would be for refilling my dispensers. Alternatively, I could fill each pouch with only one kind of shot. If I did that, then it would be viable for me to reach into them during a fight.
Ugh, the strike is tonight, and I don't know what I should do. I have six dispensers, two pouches, and one cylinder to fill. If I choose poorly, I'll be useless. I need to be smart about my ammunition.
Too many piercings, and I'm lethal. Too many water/oils, and I lack independence. There has to be a balance.
Let's see... I think...
Oh, voices! You usually come up with good ideas (and some stupid ones, but I'll chalk that up to a vocal minority). Do any of you want to weigh in, before I lock in my selection?
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