Chapter Seven: Firearms Training (Part 1)

Rico

Seishou Academy Training Grounds, Undisclosed Location, Japan

Round 1

Sixteen, Elle, Funko, and Rico were at the firing range. That day's training consists of two parts: stationary target shooting and moving target shooting. Since Rico's classmates were assault rifles (ARs), she too was required to use an AR. When asked by Instructor Garand to choose a gun from the school's extensive list, Rico picked the Beretta AR70/90.

"Eh? You really are different Rico. No one uses an Italian AR around here. I heard someone uses an Italian shotgun and SMG, but not an AR," Funko said, her eyes gleaming with admiration.

"Oh, don't tell me your hammer is getting warm again Funko," Sixteen teased her. Funko blushed and started protesting. "We'll just have to see if she's as good as her fist in the gun!"

Rico just smiled and replied, "I used to use this when I was in Italy, that's why I picked this."

"Everyone, line up in the range. You are allowed to use semi-auto fire only and use a ten-round magazine. Stop firing when your magazine is empty or I say stop," Garand's order cut through the conversations and made the girls move to their positions. "On the count of three…one…two…fire!"

The range was filled with the noise of gunfire. Rico shot the metal target some distance away from her. After she emptied her magazine, Rico rested the AR70. After a while, Garand's order to stop firing came and the targets started moving towards the girls.

Seven of Rico's shots were gathered around the centre. "Sugoi, Rico!" Funko said wide-eyed, "you're also good at shooting—you're good at everything, kakkoii!"

"But not as good as me!" Sixteen smirked. "Nine of my shots are at the centre! Haha!"

"Gomen ne, Rico. Sixteen is quite the competitor," Funko whispered, "but you did great for a human. Besides, we're guns and well that sort of…gives us some advantage"

Rico just beamed and shook her head in reply, "If Jean saw how I did, he'd probably scold me! And I'm not really competing."

"Hey, what are you two murmuring about?" Sixteen asked rather impishly.

"Nandemo naiyo! Ha!Ha!Ha!" laughed Funko nervously.

Round 2

"For the second round, each of you will take turns. The goal is to hit all the targets as quick and as accurate as possible. The timer will stop once you've hit all your targets. There will be ten targets that will appear randomly and you will only have fifteen rounds," Garand barked again.

By now, Rico's classmates' interest was directed at her after knowing how she did pretty well for a human. In fact, they were pairing Rico and Sixteen for a competition.

Sixteen's turn came first. She readied herself with her AR in the middle of the firing range positions. "Ob the count of three," Garand again shouted. "One…two…begin!"

The targets popped up randomly in the left, right, and centre. Sixteen was able to shoot at them but some targets took two shots to be sent down. Sixteen's time was roughly 12 seconds and she expended all the fifteen rounds.

"Beat that, exchange student!" Sixteen stuck out her tongue.

After a while, it was Rico's turn. She stood at the same position Sixteen occupied. At the instructor's command, she commenced firing. The targets appeared in random again—different from how they appeared for the others and seemingly more erratic. But Rico shot them with agility and accuracy. As the last target fell down, the instructor's whistle blew and he declared the time.

"That was 9 seconds Rico. How many rounds do you have left?"

Rico emptied her magazine through the chamber. Five bullets fell; thus it only took one round per target. Immediately the range was filled with cheers and shrieks and the girls flooded towards Rico wide-eyed in wonder and marvel.

"Kakkoi, Rico-chan!"

"Sugoi!"

"You must have a really nice hammer!"

Rico just smiled widely and scratched her head awkwardly. She never got so much praise and at the Agency, what she did was normal. Suddenly, she felt a hand hug and tug her left arm. It was Funko. "Nee! Nee! Teach me how you did that, eh, Rico?"

"Hai!"

Suddenly, Sixteen approached her and her right hand held the M-16 above her neck. "Now we're even tomboy! We need to settle this score. Come by at the back of the gymnasium after school hours and let's have a mini-game. You can use your preferred weapons," Sixteen then walked away.

Round 3

It was past 1600 hours and Rico was in the back of the gym carrying her SVD with her CZ-75 concealed as a back-up weapon only, Funko was with her and she was anxious. Not only was she worried that her friends were going to do something prohibited but she was also concerned for their safety.

Sixteen finally arrived, carrying her M-16. "Hey, Sixteen, you don't have to do this; in fact please don't!" Funko begged.

"I have to settle this Funko. I'll accept whatever the outcome of this game will be. After this, I won't bother with 'competing' anymore," Sixteen replied coolly.

"Now tomboy, the rules are simple. The rules of engagement is search and destroy. We'll have three minutes from the go signal to run and hide. After that, we search and eliminate each other."

"You mean we kill each other?" Rico said innocently.

"No, baka! We use this," and she handed Rico a Kevlar bulletproof vest, "that vest is good; it can withstand even some high-calibre bullets. But these are modified. They are fitted with sensors that correspond to vital parts in the torso. In short, if the buzzer and light in the vest turns on, it means you are eliminated. Thus, we only fire at the vest but assume that each round really hits a part of the body. How's that to you?"

Rico fell silent for a moment and thought. She had such trainings at the Agency so it wouldn't be that hard. Besides, she wanted for this rivalry to end and just be friends with Funko and the others. In the Agency, no such rivalries existed; they always helped each other. Finally, Rico put on the vest; Sixteen did the same. "I'll do this Sixteen but promise me after this, no more competitions."

"Sure thing. This is the last," Sixteen replied.

"Dame!" Funko cried. "Don't do this!"

"Leave us Funko. We had a deal already. If you want to help out you give the signal for us to start."

Funko's face became filled with distress; she doesn't have much of a choice so reluctantly she nodded. When both of them were ready. Funko gave the signal, "Hajime!"

The two ran in different directions. Rico headed for the middle school building while Sixteen for the forest. Rico went to the top floor and found a good vantage point where she set up her SVD. Sixteen went behind covers in the trees—she anticipated that Rico would be sniping. After three minutes in their watches, they began.

Rico watched her surroundings carefully using her high-powered rifle scope. She saw a movement in the trees which from experience told her was human movement. But she waited. She can't afford to shoot an innocent. Finally her confirmation came: the blonde hair with an orange hair clip. She began firing.

"Ku-so! What an eagle-eye! At least I know where she is," Sixteen swore and open fired then got on her stomach and crawled, careful not to reveal her position. Rico fired at where she last fired but fell silent again. "I won't be able to hit her like this, my gun's short; damn that sniper. I need to get closer."

And so Sixteen crawled and ran towards the middle school building. Hiding in covers whenever possible and firing to distract Rico. She made random zigzagging movements whenever there was no cover making it difficult for Rico to hit her. Unlike other targets, Sixteen was small and fast.

"No good, she's too fast," Rico muttered under her breath, her sights still focused. Sixteen appeared again and she fired. The shot hit her in the left shoulder but was not enough to disable her. Sixteen staggered back towards cover but fired a burst as she did so. Since she was quite near Rico now, the shots hit Rico's scope, rendering it useless. Rico quickly fell back and removed the scope as well as the other accessories. Sixteen used this opportunity and ran inside the middle school building. When Rico looked down, she saw no traces of Sixteen; instantly, she knew Sixteen was inside the building. Rico though there was only one option left: ambush.

Slinging her SVD in the left shoulder, she retrieved her CZ-75 and climbed down, her ears alert for any sound. As she was in the third floor staircase, the fire alarms blared. Damn, Rico thought, she's really smart. It would now be impossible to hear Sixteen. Rico's initial reaction was to exit the stairway and take cover in a room. As she did that, a burst of shots welcomed her. Rico decided to just exit in the second floor but as she did that, another burst of shots just came. No good, I have to face her head-on, this has to end! Rico decided.

She exited the stairway and Sixteen fired at her; but she used her arms to block the shots. Her arms immediately oozed blood and that surprised Sixteen. Taking the opportunity, Rico fired with her pistol continuously in Sixteen's vest. At the fifth shot, the buzzer sounded and the red light turned on. Sixteen dropped her weapon and raised her hands.

"Baka! You used your arm!" Sixteen shouted.

"But there were no rules prohibiting it," Rico replied.

"Idiot, not that! You put yourself in danger just to win!"

"I want this contest to end so we'll all be friends."

"Still! Come on, let's take you to the nurse!"

Funko arrived just in time and she cried when she saw Rico. "Rico! Rico! You have blood all over you!" Funko removed her uniform leaving her wearing only a thin, white, sleeveless shirt. She wrapped it in Rico's bleeding arm and removed her vest.

"Arigatou, Funko. But I'm fine, nothing to worry about…" Rico smiled and then she staggered. Sixteen and Funko quickly brought her to the doctor.

Doctor Sig SK46's Quarters

Since the school is closed so was the doctor's office so they rushed Rico to Dr. SK46's sleeping quarters. Luckily, it was far from the professors' quarters.

Rico slowly opened her eyes, "Where am I?" she asked.

"At last she came into!" cried Funko who was sitting in a chair besides the bed. "I was so worried Rico, but at least you're fine."

"You're in my quarters Ms. Rico," said the doctor kindly. "Lucky for you, your arm seems well and doesn't need replacement at least not according to the manual. Seems like the 'repair shots' did the job." She pointed at the black medical kit and a booklet with the Agency's logo and marked "Top Secret."

Rico looked at her arm and tried to move it. It did. She was more than happy. What terrified her was the loss of her body.

"It might take a couple of days for you to fully recover," continued Nurse SK46.

"Thank you, doctor. And sorry for the trouble," Rico said silently.

"Not at all! Not at all! Normally I would report this to the Headmaster," Funko and Sixteen looked in alarm, "but I guess it would do you more harm than good. I'll keep mum about this, but you have to clean the mess in the middle school building!"

Sixteen and Funko offered themselves to do the job and off they went. Rico fell asleep again.

After about an hour, Sixteen and Funko was back at the doctor's quarters again. Rico woke up again. "Sorry, I wasn't able to help…"

"It's okay!" Funko replied. "Just please rest!"

"Hai! Hai!" Sixteen added. "And, uhm, here's something as an apology gift. I hope this will help you make feel better." She handed Rico a nicely wrapped package. Rico opened it and inside was a brand new high-powered rifle scope. "I busted your scope so I though you will need a new one," Sixteen said and she got Rico's Amati case, opened it and attached the scope to her SVD. "Try it," she said to Rico.

Rico tried her new scope, "This is good! Thank you so much Sixteen! You didn't have to bother…but thank you!" Rico's face was a mixture of tears and smile.

"Don't mention it. Just make sure you won't do that stupid trick again except of course when really needed," Sixteen replied.

"Hai! Uhm, Sixteen. No more competitions. Let's be friends, please?" Rico asked.

"I could use a friend as skilled as you," Sixteen grinned. "Yosh! To a new tomodachi!"