"So what's the catch?" I ask, staring down the firing range at the target set so far out before me.
"No catch. Just hit the target within a single clip's time or you ship out." he puts simply.
Simple enough, right? I just gotta hit the target. It's easy. So why am I so nervous? I look around and stare uneasily at various customers here with us, all focused in on their targets, using various weapons. I attempt to take it all in. I walk behind the other active booths and make my way to the weapon check counter. If i had Char, this would be so much easier, quick ember would've sooo done the trick. Unfortunately, we had to check all active pokeballs and pokemon at the door when we'd arrived so char is waiting on me in an oversized playpen behind the front desk. Guess they didn't want to risk any pokemon wandering out onto the range. I approach the Weapons counter and address the guy sitting behind it only to see him already staring at me with a sort of creepy smile stretched across his pale, near white skin, eyes barely open past slits, hands folded and in a slightly hunched stance.
"Hiyeee! Welcome to the Eye of the Fearow Shooting Range! We deal in the most damaging and destructive of weapons, readying you for any of your combat needs." The smile alone is enough to send major uhh... Chills down my spine but if that weren't enough, his face seems to be nothing more than a mask! "What would you like to practice with from our wall?" He says, gesturing behind himself only I must've blinked when he moved to do so because I didn't catch him move.
"Uhhhh... Yeah, let me get that one with the scope up there?" I say, gesturing to a gun that's on the top left of the wall. I look down at my Pokegear for a split second to check the time and when I look up, there he is, holding out the weapon. Y'know what? I'm not even gonna ask.
"Thank you sir." I nod and start to make my way back to Uncle Billy waiting for me in the firing stall when
"One last thing, young one, Is it true that your uncle is the legendary Gunnery Sergeant William Bakir?" Why?
"Im uhh... I'm just gonna make my way back to my stall." I say and hastily start to walk back
"Oh come now, you didn't think he could walk himself into a place like this and have no one realize who he is. He's one of the legendary gunmen of the AcceleRaiders. He wields the CannonSabers Zeus and Leto if I remember correctly. Have you ever laid eyes on such beautiful pieces of machinery?" Uhhh... what?
"Ethan!" Uncle Billy's voice snaps me out of the trance that I'm stuck in at the sound of the Gun Managers voice. "What's taking so long up here? You got your weapon, It's shooting time."
"Hm? Oh I'm Sorry Unc. I got caught up listening to this guy talking about your guns" I say, snapping my attention to him.
"My guns? Who were you talking to about my guns at an empty counter?" He says, gesturing to the counter behind me where once stood the strange man. Now, a 'Back in 20 minutes' sign.
"Yknow what? I dunno. Let's get firing." Seems paranormal? I don't question it. I don't wanna open some crazy curse on myself.
We make our way back to our range and I line up my shot.
"I've got a whole clip to hit it, right?" I ask, not looking away from the sights
"Whole clip. That's a scoped SMG. Good for a spray and pray but those bullets will waste fast." He says, arms crossed smugly and not even bothering to look over at me. I'll show him...
I stretch and crack my neck. I got this! I scope up and squeeze the trigger ever so sli-
KRRATA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TCHK
The gun shoots in an upwards line. I attempt to fire again, only to hear a click
"Empty clip. Looks like somebody's gonna ship out!" My uncle says smugly
"Waaaaait man i didn't know what to expect! Gimme another try" I plead with my uncle
"Alright how about this," he unlocks the gate and uses the target distance dial to reign it in. He takes the letter and walks back up to our shooting line "Not even a singed edge? Then here's what we'll do. You get one more clip on any gun of your choice BUT I'm pushing it back another 25 meters and you get no more chances. Sound fair?" He's a vicious business man...
"You got it" I say, reaching out and shaking my uncle's hand
"Alright then go ahead and choose your next weapon."
"I dont believe it" My uncle holds his hand over his mouth in amazement "How did you manage to outline the letter completely and not even get a scratch on it with a Colt Magnum?"
I stand up, pissed after the amazing recoil on the handgun knocked me flat on my back. I think for a moment and come to a realization: I'm probably not gonna get this car. Of course, that's the least of my worries. I'm gonna be out in the other regions, dodging bullets from anarchists
"Don't worry Ethan, when you're in the field, and the AfterShock soldiers are firing all around you, maybe the adrenaline will make you actually have some sense of accuracy. Sure did help with handling the Terrible two my first time" He reminisces as he crosses the firing threshold to retrieve the recommendation letter.
"The Terrible two?" I ask, dusting off my pants and leaning against the range gate
"Zeus and Leto. My CannonSabers." He says, reigning in the target and retrieving the unscathed letter from the stand. "First time I used them was on the battlefield and the adrenaline made it easy to use them even with all the recoil." Hmm... I've got a terrible idea
"Wait Unc. I got one more deal" I stare steadily down the range and lock my mind on the place where the target once was.
"Thems the brakes, Kid. I told ya, That first change was the only edit i'll make to our contract" He waves the letter in my face "I'll let ya drive the old girl when you're out of Boot Camp, hm?" He offers smugly, heading towards the exit. That is, until I say something that stops him in his tracks
"Triple the distance." What did I just say?
"What did you just say?" Uncle Billy stops just shy of the entrance, his suit jacket rippling in the draft.
"Triple it." I can't believe my own boldness but I feel like this time its deserved. "Triple it and if I don't make the shot, the car gets 3 coats of wax done before I enlist." I turn my head slightly and catch a glimpse of my uncle out of the corner of my eye. He's staring at me in slight surprise with his arms crossed.
"You've got balls the size of planets boy I tell you." He chuckles hardily and walks toward me with a sly smirk matching my own. "Only cause I wanna know what kind of fight you put up here. So what are you gonna use to pull off this feat? A sniper rifle? Handgun? RPG?"
I close my eyes and look downrange at the target
"You said any weapon I choose, right? Then I've chosen"
"Is that right?" He asks, staring downrange beside me
"Give me... Zeus and Leto. I want The Two."
A/N: Its. About. To go. Down.
This is Ethan's last shot and he decides to use The Two, guns with recoil like rocket launchers
My God, I've created an idiot...
And what was up with the Happy Gun Salesman (Peep the Cameo)
I've been MIA for a while but I'm back and the story continues. Ethan lives on! (For now...)
2 updates per month unless otherwise indicated and furthermore, I may publish my awaited Zombie Project
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Until Next