Life Finds a Way

Chapter 17

Genesis still held onto his smile as they walked into the firing range. He hadn't been sure what to expect from Clarissa, but she had managed to impress him once again. He wasn't sure if he should allow himself to be impressed, as that meant she was much more capable than she let on. However, she had stated she had taken self-defense and those were the only skills she used. It seemed likely that she wasn't used to her enhancements yet if her surprise at his injury was an indicator. It truly seemed as if she had no idea how fast she was moving. She did more than just keep up with him, she was fast enough in her reactions that he was thrown off each time. That was no easy feat as he was faster than anyone except Sephiroth. He shook his head at the mystery she represented. For every answer he was able to discern, two more questions appeared.

For now, he had other things to focus on. He would just have to make sure he didn't lower his guard. When he stopped in front of a counter that held several different fire arms she gave him a confused look. He pointed to the selection before responding. "Choose one you think you might be comfortable with. There is a range just beyond the barrier." He pointed to a partial wall behind them.

"What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Also, I thought Soldiers used swords?"

He wasn't sure if she was stalling or truly curious but treated it as the latter. "We will be assessing all of your skills, but I am starting with the ones you stated you had knowledge of first. You have already proven to be capable in one of those. As for the guns, you are correct. Soldiers have no need of them, but it is still required that we be cognizant of their basic functions and uses if the need ever arises."

Clarissa wasn't thrilled with the answer, but she realized there wasn't much point in pushing back. She turned to look over the selection before settling on a handgun that resembled a 9mm. She carefully pointed it away from Genesis as she pulled back the chamber to check for a round as well as to verify the function. When a bullet was ejected she was partially relieved to see the function looked like what she was familiar with. She couldn't tell the caliber of the bullet at a glance, though it didn't really matter. She also found the switch to release the magazine after a moment of searching. She checked to see that there were still several rounds before reinserting it and loading a round back into the chamber. Once she was finished with her inspection she turned back to Genesis to see him watching her with obvious interest.

"I see you may have once again understated your familiarity with the trappings of combat."

She didn't bother trying to hide her rolling eyes. "Why don't you wait to judge how good a shot I am. Just because I understand basic gun safety doesn't mean much more than I was taught to be careful."

He didn't bother answering her, instead he gestured toward the barrier blocking the firing range. She walked around it to find a long, empty room. "Where are the targets?"

At her questions Genesis flipped a switch in a panel on the wall behind them causing several targets to appear. Clarissa was stunned for a moment. She had been wanting to see how realistic their VR was and even though these were stationary they were amazingly realistic. She didn't bother hiding her excitement when she turned back to him. "That's awesome! I would love to see how those work."

He smirked at her enthusiasm. "They work by standing in as targets. I will progressively change their pattern and eventually have them become moving targets."

The look she gave was probably more offensive than she meant it to be, but she barely managed to hold in a 'duh'. Instead she tried to explain what she had meant. "I was pretty sure that was their function already. I was talking more about the mechanics of it. I'm sure I have already mentioned that I'm a geek, and since I have never seen anything like this technology before, I find it fascinating."