The next day I caught Moon walking into his apartment complex, so we went up to his place.

"…you're gonna take the kid on?"

I nodded as he opened the door for me, he had a few new weapons on the wall near the media screen.

"Yep, maybe I should swing him by here so he can meet a real Hunter. And get some decorating tips."

Moon glared at the decoration comment.

"These aren't decorations, these are trophies."

He had a point. I looked up at his first Saber, the little standard green one they tossed him on his first Hunt.

"I remember I was sitting down at the Guild, when I got a call from the Hunter trainer, the one who retired. He said he gave some kid a saber and he killed off an entire Forest Section. Said you just kept going, he lost you half-way."

Moon gave a rare smirk as he clicked on some lights.

"I always did play it solo…"

I sat down and threw him a look.

"…I heard they're stillgiving you payments on taking out the Worm…"

The Worm as in that giant Sewer Beast in the Caves.

"…they just finished the payment on that computer monster, I wish they'd give me credit for the Dragon."

Moon was in the party that shot down the Dragon, but the Guild wouldn't pay any of them for it. Too many Teams claimed to do it, but I was there. We used to work together, remember? Yeah, me and him took out the Dragon. Get over it.

"…you were the one who slashed his neck and slowed him down, they won't give you a meseta?"

He didn't blink, he never took credit.

"…it's not the cash I'm worried about…I'm set for the next few years but I want to get back down there."

I looked at him plainly.

"…after Falz went down they gave us all a two week break…as I recall, you loved it."

"I nearly died of exhaustion towards the end."

True, this guy was a machine down there. I've never seen a guy fight with so much heart for so long. He had on some cotton shirt and pants, I was in my Ranger Training Program jacket and blouse, had a meeting earlier.

"…A lot of guys like you retired…"

He seemed a bit ticked.

"…I'll retire the day our kind can live without a dying planet or a race of freaks killing us off…"

I decided to change the subject, I never admit defeat.

"…so how are the royalties for the Atlas?"

The Ranger's Atlas was still a top-selling book, and Moon received the royalties for it since his mom left it to him in her will. So when Snipe bought the set, Moon probably got a portion of the profit.

"…I'm having the first published set of the next version sent to me, have to check over a few things."

"…since when do you know anything about Rangers?"

Another in-joke, Moon knew Rangers inside and out from his Mom.

"…they're publishing the set she never got published."

I heard she had another series done before she died…Moon must be getting it complete.

"Really? What's it about?"

He shrugged and dusted off a wall-mounted katana.

"The Hunter's Atlas…"

"HA!"

"I'm serious…my mom wrote it about her dad."

Moon's grandfather was a Hunter…that's where Moon learned his trade, and inherited all these old bladed swords. He explained the finer points of the books before I had to leave for my next appointment. Snake's bar.

Ten minutes after I got there Snake came in from the back room, probably selling some Mates or something. He slapped hands with a few regulars before noticing me, this android was pretty popular with the retired hunters.

"Hey, steel-ass, I'm getting a full-time pupil."

He picked up a pool cue and examined it while taking a seat next to me.

"Really? You mean the one in the black armor, blue visor? Voice filter?"

"…that's the one."

"I've seen him around the Range."

Oh yeah, Snake likes watching Rangers practice or compete.

"You give him a name yet?"

I thought, trying to remember.

"Yeah…he looks like a Snipe to me."

"…and? What's his name?"

He didn't catch it.

"…Snipe."

He stared at me through his digitally animated eyes.

"…sounds great. So how are you gonna convince him to stick with you?"

"…a maxed out Apsaras that happens to get lost and be found in his apartment?"

Snake laughed a pre-recorded snicker.

"You've learned well, my bleach-headed friend…"

I punched him in the metal stomach, laughing. I've always been a real blonde, the jerk. He didn't flinch of course, droids didn't feel much pain.

"Wait...how did you know I was taking the kid on?"

He didn't answer.

"…so, is it even legal to give a power MAG to a new guy?"

I ordered a drink and shrugged.

"I doubt it…when he turns that thing on it may quadruple his stats. And he hasn't even been on a Quest yet."

"Isn't an Apsaras a Force MAG usually?"

"Shade figures it'll make learning magic easier…"

"Easier? You have any idea how much disks he'll be able to use?"

I looked at him.

"We use those spell disks for coasters at home…"

Snake got called off to play pool, I watched him beat six guys at eight ball before sneaking off to the Greenil section. I was a Greenil myself so I knew the place well. I knocked on the door to the Kid's Box and he answered, pulling his helmet on. That's just…eh…well, I know guys who just love helmets?

"Sonnet? I'm not booked with you till tomorrow in the Range…"

I pushed my way into his bare apartment, seeing a few of the weapons I gave him on every flat surface.

"About that…"

I spun in a practiced twirl, ripped the Greenil badge off his chest, and stuck a small chip onto the back of it before he could blink.

"What the hell?!"

He tried to pry off the badge to inspect it but I summoned my MAG to drop an item crate at his feet. I kicked it and a bright yellow Apsaras floated out, spun around the room before floating over a surprised Snipe's shoulder. He stared.

"Um...your MAG thinks I'm you…"

"Your MAG…kid, I want to take you on full time…my apprentice, so to speak…"

He stared.

"Um, my funds aren't that well…"

"…we'll divide my findings and prices."

That shut him up.

"To sweeten the deal…that MAG over your head right now is a level 200…if you tap your badge to activate it, it will link up with you and possibly multiply your stats by who knows how much…"

He stared at his badge and at the yellow floating object.

"…Um….I really…don't…"

"…it's in your blood…"

He stared at me through that blue visor of his, reached up and tapped his badge as if he just earned it. The MAG lit up, scanning him and forming a link. He spoke while it loaded.

"…can't deny you there…"

Suddenly his MAG fully loaded, he looked like he had been shocked, I caught him when he nearly fell. He was panting through the filter.

"Mother of…"

"You're pretty tough…most new guys pass out when they get a lv1 MAG…"

He didn't acknowledge the compliment and just cracked his neck slightly. His MAG twisted a bit too, mimicking its new master.

"…can you toss me my Rifle from the side table?"

I picked up his slightly above average standard rifle and tossed it to him, he caught it in one hand without looking. The MAG was probably boosting his hand-eye coordination.

"…it barely has any power in it…"

I smirked, he was learning fast.

"Kid, you can use weapons that your peers can only dream of right now…you just have to find them."

He nodded, twirling the rifle and spearing it back lightly onto the table.

"…another perk…"

He looked up at my comment.

"…my husband, Shade, is an extremely bored, high level Force…"

He nodded slightly, confused.

"He is going to give you every bit of magic you can use."

…blank stare.

"…and by the way, you just graduated Basic Ranger Training."

He looked like he might pass out. I walked up to him, tapping his badge for effect and looking into his visor.

"…you are now an independent Hunter, a RAmar. You can now use every weapon at your disposal, every resource, and every piece of knowledge. Your job is whatever the public or private need done. Your code-name is 'Snipe', for the tradition you feel is essential to Hunting, which is something few learn so early."

He managed to stand up straight as I more or less knighted him. I then dropped my voice back to normal and turned to the door.

"…tomorrow you have off, get yourself used to the power…"

"…what power?"

"Well, you can now kill certain people. And that MAG may have enhanced you by ten times."

"…so I can…like lift up a tree when I have it turned on?"

"…you can't turn it off…MAGs lend us power 24/7, even if you're in causal attire. And it stores items, also. I left a few goodies in it for you, and some meseta. You need to buy a Shield, couldn't find one that wasn't mystical. And you may want to start calling yourself Snipe, it's your name now."

With that I left him in his tiny apartment, staring at himself in the mirror.

I stopped half way home to catch the ice cream scooner, occupied by a retired old Hunter who is richer than most of Pioneer 2. He sells ice cream because it's what he loves. I watched the side window go up and he smiled, recognizing me.

"Sonnet…same as usual?"

I nodded.

"Just christened a new guy…he's gonna be my new sidekick."

He smiled again, handing me my usual diet cheat.

"Well, you tell him every Hunter gets ice cream after their first Hunt…that's a law."

…it was, really. This guy gave free ice cream to every new little Hunter, whether a burly Hunter or a pale Force. This guy was probably more popular than the Principal, how could he not be? Ice cream was illegal along with other sweets, but who could arrest this guy? Most of the cops find him after their shift for a quick double scoop. This guy knew pretty much everyone on the ship from the sound of their voice.

I paid and waved him off, then went to the Guild and registered a new Ranger. The clerk, whom I knew, asked me if I was related to him. My having an apprentice was an ongoing joke on the ship. I had been working with an older Ranger for years before going off on my own. Usually every older Hunter is teaching some one, and here I was without anyone. Well, every joke dies eventually. Now we can all make fun of Snipe's helmet.

Author's Notes

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