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To Kazumi's disappointment none of the people she had grown accustomed to took part in the game she joined. The car she had been directed to pulled up to a game hosted in an amusement park. Exiting the vehicle she noticed most, if not all of the Beach's members who were allowed to carry guns, the militants, had arrived in cars alongside hers. The man she had seen guarding the makeshift armory was among them.
As she watched them one man stood out to her, a heavily built man with a shaved head. Just by looking at him Kazumi could guess that he had been in the army. It was in the way he carried himself, the way his eyes scanned his surroundings, the heaviness of his step.
Kazumi was reminded of the worst parts of her father.
By the way the others looked to him it wasn't difficult to put together that he was the militant leader.
Stepping up to the usual table of phones, she was approached by this man in a clearly practiced way. Picking up one such phone he spoke,"Hatter said you were good with knives." The way he spoke of the other man seemed comfortable, but not warm. There was a history to his tone, but not one that was readily apparent.
"I am."
"You good with guns?"
She only nodded in response, taking a phone of her own.
He grunted, examining the screen in his hands, his lack of emotion clued Kazumi in to the fact that this meeting was not a special one, just more of a formality. "This game is a test for you. To see if you have what it takes to be a militant."
Her reply was cut off by the closed registration announcement, and the game 'Beast Hunter' was announced. The rules seemed quite simple, in essence a free for all hunt for points assigned to an array of wild animals, from low pointed, fairly harmless boars and birds, to high pointed deadly tigers and panthers.
Remembering her last encounter with a panther, Kazumi shuddered at the thought of facing one again.
At the end of the announcement of rules the militant leader turned to her again, holding out a small handgun. Gingerly taking it from him, she checked the weapon, finding it fully loaded with six bullets. It felt heavy and awkward in her grip.
With no further explanation the man marched off. Left on her own, Kazumi prepared herself for the game to begin, her hands clenching and unclenching in anticipation.
'Breathe' A soft woman's voice reminded her.
Composing herself, she adjusted the unfamiliar weapon and stalked off further into the carnival.
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Kazumi was in her element. With only six bullets to use carefully, she was immensely glad this game centered on something intimately familiar to her.
