June 3, Summer 1545
Flora Marksmanship Academy
1100
Abby proceeds quickly heading towards the firearms training room down the hallway. The walls were a passionate dark gray, and she looks over at Luna who was trying to keep up.
"Can you slow down a little bit? I'm still trying to get my bearings." Luna pushes her glasses back up towards her nose as she quickly rounds the corner with Abby, sweat forming at the top of her brow.
"Col. F says it's time for us to get a move on and I already know where the room is. I looked at the map and we need to get there first to take a look at the weapons and make sure we're able to get which ones we want to train with. I will look for the double doors." They heard noises coming from the room in front of them.
"Is that gunshots: Luna's feet felt like cement as her stride slows behind Abby. "I hate the sound of gunshots. Do you know I hate the sound of gunshots? Why do I have to be here?" Luna paces back and forth, shuffling in the hallway as if trying to dodge an assailant.
Abby turned to put her hand on Luna's shoulders. "They sent you here because you're the best of the best. We still don't know what assignments we're going to have until we choose our weapons. Captain Dashner is going to be the one that makes the final decision. Do your best today, okay? We have a long afternoon in front of us." Abby let go with a cheerful pat on Luna's head and cheek. "Come on, let's get inside."
"Thank you," Luna says, squeaking softly. "You're right, we have to keep moving forward and we need to get a good look at the weapons before the rest of the class gets here."
Pushing the double doors open, Abby's eyes met the red brick room that went as far as they could see. There were several people walking around, shooting guns at straw targets down lanes. To the right, a young man stood, his eyes meeting Abby's.
"You must be here for the next session. Are you part of Captain Dashner's group?" The man inquired.
"The name's Abby, and this is Luna. We were going to be checking out a variety of weapons today before we start our field training."
"You're more than welcome to have a seat over there in that room until the rest of your group gets here. There are a few weapons for display on the table and then we'll get you loaded up with ammunition." The man nods, not waiting for Abby to confirm. He simply walks off holding his clipboard and pen, almost stumbling over another person.
"Come on, let's go. I'm so excited," Abby says as she grabbed Luna's hand, darting towards the gray door at the end of the range. "I wonder what types of guns will be available." My grandfather told me of all the different guns in the military. Some guns are only available here at the Marksmanship Academy. Nowhere else. These are not standard issue. A lot of these guns are like the best of the best."
Yelping, Luna grabbed hold tight of Abby as if not to get left behind by her exuberant friend. "I'm with you. Don't worry, I'm not leaving you. Just get me to weapons and I'll look at them like they're small little rubber duckies."
"You're silly," Abby says as she walks into the room. A variety of guns stretched about three wooden tables wide. Abby was so entranced with the weapons, she almost touched one before a voice echoed out of a corner of the room.
"Please do not touch the weapons." The commanding officer came into the room. "Thank you," a studious, yet firm, voice states.
Abby turned her eyes to the right as she felt her situational awareness was hindered by the number of firearms on the table. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you. All I saw was guns on the table and my brain just went crazy. I can gaze all I want, right?"
The middle-aged man in the corner was endeavoring his eyes back to the front of the room as if ignoring Abby and Luna completely.
Still clutching Luna's hand, Abby notices a small revolver that was silver in color and had a dark brown handle. It was likely it could be concealed in a bra or a pocket without anyone even noticing.
"You're gripping my hand a little bit tightly. Could you let it go?" Abby spoke up, her eyes watering slightly.
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Luna let go, giving her a sweet smile. Before she could examine the small revolver's contents, her leader and the rest of her classmates join the room.
"Didn't know you were so keen on killing folks," Derek states as his broad shoulders barely fit through the single door to the room. "Maybe you're one of my people." Derek was a tall man whose eyes were cold, and he took a seat on the corner of the dark oak bench.
Abby's eyes traced Derek's body, which sat still like a statue. "I don't like killing for fun, if that's what you mean." She returned her eyes over to Derek who sat there arms crossed. How do I even respond to that guy? His whole being is void of emotion and is filled with darkness.
"I understand the excitement, but please wait for the class next time," Captain Dasher states. She was the last to enter the room. Her eyes cut sharply at Abby and Luna who were standing there trying not to have any more attention put on them. She made her way to the man in the corner to sign a few documents. "Alright all of you, I have read your files and I know what weapons work best for you in a combat situation. But I do not know how to improve improvisation. It's important when fighting a war. I will not stereotype you into the weapons that you trained within basic training before you got here. On this table are the best of the best and there is also a new prototype that they are working on in the scientific division.
"Oh, that sounds elegant," Ian says as he drew closer to his commanding officer's eyes, like a baby seeing their mother for the first time.
"Elegant indeed," Rebecca smiles as she clutched the defendant on her chest, bowing gracefully. "Tell us more."
"The truth is, we're losing the war," Captain Dashner says as she twiddled her thumbs. "I had a meeting with Col. Rayfield yesterday about the naval situation. We're using a lot of our magi crystals to the enemy. As you know, the greatest surplus of magi crystals are in the cove of enlightenment. We are losing the Navy battle and it is becoming more apparent that we need to find alternative ways to harness energy. The government is going to turn the weapons to crystals into bullets in a short duration. There may be power outages across the country. They believe it is the best way for us to turn the tide, especially for those who called themselves marksmen."
"Oh shit, so you're saying that the crystals are now bullets. What do the bullets do?" Marcus inquires, seemingly interested for the first time since the morning dawned.
"Before the demonstration, I'd like all of you to choose your weapon." Captain Dasher stood back in the back of the room awaiting the class to make their choices. She held her long black hair as if lost in thought or focusing on a memory from the distant past.