The training began quickly and intensely on the heels of the noble Prophet's quiet departure. Needless to say, though, actually training something that could readily hurl its peers dozens of feet through the air presented… Certain challenges. Swiftly, they moved to multi-person drills, pitting her against two, and three, and finally four Initiates at the same time. Soon after, though, they moved to doing the same with the Keep's guards. But, short of bringing in war machines, nothing they put against the strange little pink thing that was Kipo could survive in the training arena for more than a heartbeat.

And so, amusing as it was to watch the bouts, they soon gave up entirely on combat training.

Instead, they moved to martial masteries. The sword and glaive came naturally to her, of course, even if she more overpowered her enemies than beat them. There was danger to her proclivity to simply crush her opponents through sheer power, but she didn't seem to relish it. Nor did she seem to try and hurt anyone purposefully, for that matter, so neither he nor the instructors feared her falling into the dark hole of pure, raw power over all else.

Next, then, was weapons training at the firing field outside the Keep's walls.

The firing field was, more or less, simply everything between the treeline at the base of the incline the Keep had been built upon and the Keep's walls themselves. Targets were set up in front of the wall, made of durable neo-laminate panels fitted to the front of treated wood. But the targets never made it feel like he wasn't shooting at the Keep's own walls. Which, even if a Plasma round like their munitions fired or a Carbine were never going to damage the walls, always felt instinctively…

Well, wrong, in a small word.

But, it was how things were done, and he was no one who could challenge how things were done. With her monstrous strength, teaching her to fight hand to hand was out of the question. But they could still teach her how to shoot, which was as important to a warrior as prowess in the ring was, often enough. Even if personally R'Tas far preferred the feeling of a blade grip in his hand.

"This is a Plasma Repeater, of the standard variety." The weapons instructor, a lithe, younger Elite in Minor armor, explained quietly as he held the gently humming weapon out to her. Kipo took it awkwardly, unsurely, and the instructor yanked R'Tas in front of her to use him to show her how to hold it. Tucking the stock into his bicep, the instructor spoke quietly, "There isn't much recoil, so place the butt of the weapon here or on your shoulder. This will keep it under control."

"Okay." She murmured, mimicking R'Tas' instructed grip with her own weapon.

"Grip here with your off hand, to level it." The Minor said, pointing to where R'Tas was holding the base of the barrel-enclosure. She did and the Minor nodded, pleased, and stepped back, "Good work, Sacred One. Now, simply point the weapon at the target at the base of the wall and squeeze the hand-grip gently."

"Alright…"

"Only for a moment, though." The instructor cautioned gently, "The weapon is automatic, and so will fire until you release or the weapon overheats and burns your hand."

"Alright then." She nodded, raising the weapon and taking her best approximation of a firing stance, legs half-bent and the weapon tucked against her shoulder.

It was awkward looking, clearly based on how the Sangheili six feet to either side were firing their own Plasma Repeaters and likely wrong for it. But she was trying her best, and this was the first. Time she had tried something like this. Such was evident by the wild, undisciplined spray of plasma that hosed the wall around the target at the end of the range.

"Not terrible." R'Tas rumbled while she looked at the smoldering pits scored along the wall's surface. She turned to him in surprise, brows raised, and he chuckled, "When I first came out here, I very nearly shot myself."

"Only nearly?" The Minor huffed a laugh, taking the Repeater from her and inspecting it for any damages. "I have a car on my thigh from when I first fired a weapon, it overheated, and I dropped it on my legs."

"Really?!" Kipo asked, surprised and before she choked on a laugh as the blocky Repeater was shoved into her chest. She didn't stagger, though, more than strong enough to resist the larger Elite's shove. "Oi! Rude!"

"Yes, it was rude, and yes, I did burn myself." The Minor grunted shortly, sounding… Affronted and amused at the same time, somehow. Waving a hand at the target he grunted, "I want you to land at least one plasma round on the target."

"But…" She sighed, chewing on her lip for a moment, thinking, before finally saying, "I've never even used one of these before. Father let me use particle lasers, but those felt-"

"Particle lasers?" The Minor asked quietly, voice quiet and filled with a familiar sense of… Awe and curiosity. "You mean… Like the Maintainers wield, on the Relics?"

"Maintainers- Oh, you mean the Sentinel drones!" She blinked, smiling and nodding, "Yeah, they use particle beams for weapons and, you know, tools. I like 'em, their really accurate and clean, and they don't have any recoil."

"You prefer… Non-automatic weapons, then?" R'Tas asked, waving his weapon at her own meaningfully. "Rather than these automatic ones, I mean. You would prefer something more precise and controlled?"

"I guess so, yeah." She shrugged, "Why, do you have something like that?"

"I do." He nodded, turning to the Minor and asking, quietly, "Would you mind retrieving a Type-31 from the armory? I believe such would be more to her tastes."

"It will be done." And, in spite of rank and procedure, the Minor bowed his head, pounding a fist into the metal over his heart.

R'Tas wanted to correct him, and opened his mouth to do so, but before he could the Minor was gone. And so he was left in silence with the smaller woman who looked up at him with a single raised brow.

Quietly, he grunted, "Try another shot with the Repeater while we wait. I know you may not use it, but I would prefer you try in case one day you have no choice."

"But this gun sucks, R'Tas." She complained tiredly, glaring at it like it was cancerous or toxic. "The recoil makes it impossible to aim with. I don't understand how this can be any good for anything except, like, keeping people in cover."

Sighing, he raised his weapon and sent two long, four shot bursts down-range into the same spot on the wall. Then, he lowered the weapon and raised it again, resetting his aim and sending another pair of bursts into the spot. Finally, silently, he turned a look on her and cocked his head to the side.

An obvious challenge.

"I guess…" She sighed and scowled as she raised the weapon, sending another inaccurate burst scoring along the wall above the target.

Then, at his quiet urging, she tried again. It was the fifth burst where she finally managed to hit the target, winging its edge with the first plasma bolt before the other two rocked off to the side. She cheered excitedly, bouncing on her heels as the Minor finally returned, carrying the Needle Rifle he'd asked for in one hand, barrel leaning against his shoulder. In his other were several small canisters that could be slotted into the side of the weapon and, somehow, refilled it.

Not that he knew how that worked to save his life.

"This is a basic Type-31 Needle Rifle." The Minor explained quietly as he traded it over, powering the Plasma Repeater down and attaching it to a mag-plate on his back. "It is semi-automatic, one round to trigger pull. Simply sight and fire."

"And beware the super-combine."

"What's that?" She asked, looking between R'Tas and the Minor before going back to looking at the rifle. Pointing a finger at the needles she asked, quietly, "

"If you can and three of the needles within around four inches of each other and they will detonate rather violently." The Minor explained quietly, pointing his long, armored fingers at the same shards of crystal that Kipo herself was. "These are what you fire, and they vanish as they go. I will show you how to reload later."

"Okay then…" She gestured at the target with her rifle and asked, excited, "Can I shoot it now?"

"Of course." the Minor answered, waving a hand around them and huffing, "Why else are we here?"

A long moment passed before Kipo fired, first slowly and then faster as she adjusted to the weapon. The first two rounds went wide, impacting the scorched wall, but she only hummed and adjusted her stance, sinking to one knee and taking a breath. The next three rounds sailed truer, slamming into just to the side of the target's center. The cluster was close enough that the crystals glowed and then, after a moment, detonated in a vibrant hue of violent violet.

Kipo practically leapt to her feet, whooping excitedly and pointing, "See that? I'm a good shot, that Repeater

"So." R'Tas rumbled over a laugh, "It would appear that we have found your weapon of natural choice, then."

"Right?" She beamed, "I'm so excited! No more crummy plasma guns for meeee~!"

"Well... I would not say that, I'm afraid." The Minor rumbled quietly, offering the Repeater back to her and nodding at another target. "All warriors must at least be passable with all weapons they are likely to need to use. This includes you."

The young female only groaned but, with only a little prodding, she took the weapon and got ready to continue her training. The next couple bursts of Repeater fire were scarcely more accurate than her earlier ones but they had plenty of time. And, once she was proficient with it, she'd be able to begin studying the standard Plasma Rifle. Then the Carbine, Beam Rifle, which he suspected she'd enjoy too, and so much more.

XxX~~~XxX

As two summers and winters passed, Kipo trained and integrated into Vadum Keep, as the Oracle had seemingly willed it to be. She and teh Keep grew in strength as the time passed and warriors came, to test the Keep's rising strength. And to see the rising symbol of the Oracle that Kipo was steadily becoming, in the eyes of the Covenant. With them came trade as well, swelling the wealth and prestige of the Keep even further. The jealous eyes that drew, it seemed, did not dare to strike at them with Kipo there.

On this day, though, Kipo was watching rather than training with the newer trainees.

Standing next to the larger Gel'Ton and with him on her other side, she leaned against one of the shield pylons around the arena's edge while the three of them watched the unfolding training. Or rather, the old Shadow dressing down one of the younger Initiates who had failed to keep up with the others in the morning run.

"Thoughts?"

"I do not know about these young ones, Kipo." R'Tas sighed as he watched the old Elite scold the group. "They seem... I don't know. Different to my own cadre of Initiates."

"I dunno." She chuckled quietly, "I think they're doin' pretty well. Less of 'em have spent time gawking at me, at least."

"Hm..." He wasn't too certain such wasn't the case, but he could still see more than enough glances paid their way. He saw challenge in them, directed to her and to him alike, though the former was far more common. "Perhaps you should step in, then? Hurl a few around like so many bags of grain?"

"Hah!" She laughed, "Maybe in a bit. Gel doesn't want me to hurt their feelings too much."

"Or their bodies, Sacred One." The old warrior rumbled and turned, waving a hand at the already chastened looking young Initiates. Older ones bore more anger, he could see, directed at the youngers that had caused their gathering. "They ought be grateful that neither pride nor flesh will have to fear your wrath much longer, I dare say."

"Heay, I have time in the day." She laughed, rolling her shoulders and grinning playfully. "Today's a pretty good day, too. Wouldn't mind a bit of a brawl. Get the blood pumping. It's warm enough for it."

"True." R'Tas rumbled, enjoying the pleasant feeling of the warm sun on him and the cool breeze. "It is a good day."

"Indeed, my kin. It is a perfect day for a run, I would say. One that ought to begin now, that is." Gel'Ton murmured, clasping his hands behind his waist and watching as the Initiates turned to begin another long run around the arena. "Some of them will graduate tonight. I suspect they are none too happy to be facing punishments from their youngers on such a vaunted day."

"Wait, wait, wait, hol' up a minute." Kipo said, pushing off the pylon while a smile spread over R'Tas' face. "Graduation is today?"

"I don't know." R'Tas laughed, paying the older warrior a look and asking, playfilly, "Is it, Gel'Ton? Surely I would know about such a thing."

"I do not know, I fear. Perhaps I should send word through the Guards, ask about it?" The old Shadow laughed when Kipo rounded on him, glaring at him fearlessly. Waving her off, he raised his voice as the other Sangheili approached their bend in the circle, closest to where they were standing. "Fine, fine, yes, you are right. Today is the day that many Sangheili become warriors of the Keep, finally!"

R'Tas could see the pride and excitement on the faces of those old enough to feel it, but they did not pay the words too much heed. Instead they kept to their formation, running as they ought to. Which was good, as faltering now would only look bad on them going into such an event.

"And us as well." R'Tas nodded somberly, turning his gaze skyward to watch the drifting clouds. "After today we will, the both of us, be able to leave Sanghelios to serve the interests of our Keep. And the Covenant besides, of course."

"The latter may be more likely than the former, I fear, my young friend." Gel'Ton murmured quietly as the other Sangheili rounded the bend yet again. Feeling their gazes on him, and the question in them, he explained quietly, "Once Kipo is Named, there are orders to leave with the rising sun. The same Minister who once came to see you, and who governs our sector, has called on your services with a… Sensitive matter."

"I see." So soon? He knew that he was very likely not the reason why, and paid Kipo a look. Well, we shall do our best, and bring honor to Vadum Keep, I am certain."

"Yeah." She nodded and smiled, easy confidence coming back as she shrugged, "We'll kick ass, take names and make sure everyone knows which Keep is the biggest and the best. You can bet on that."

"Indeed." The Old Shadow rumbled, raising his voice and calling out, "All who are of age, it is time for your Naming. Bathe and then be inside and ready. Your duties shall be assigned to you after the Naming is done."

Quietly, the older Elites parted from the running pack to take their leave. And with a parting nod, he and Kipo moved to follow behind them. As they went, he felt the disquiet from his young charge. She was anxious, it seemed, and he was smart enough not to suspect that it was from the Naming.

"We will be fine." He assured her quietly, "The Prophets are wiser than to levy tasks unto us which we cannot face. And besides, your strength is more than most can even hope to boast to having. You needn't fear the coming duties."

"I know." She nodded, "Just anxious, no worries."

"But-"

"Just relax." She waved him off more firmly, "We have stuff to focus on."

"True enough." He shrugged, dropping the matter as she's asked him to. They did have other things to focus on just now, after all…