Chapter Ten: Practicum (Part 2)

Seishou Academy, Undisclosed Location, Japan

Rico and company approached the large bulletin board; Sixteen was particularly excited. For the past few the days, the talk at the Academy was about the incoming Annual Seishou Academy Team Battle and today the announcement of the teams will be released.

"EH? Her again?!" Sixteen bellowed upon seeing her and Elle's names together.

"Calm down, Sixteen, Elle did great last year. You owe your victory and life to her!" Funko exclaimed. Elle gave a big pout, blushed, and nodded.

"Hai! Hai! Just don't go off wandering and arriving late, Elle!" Sixteen said while pointing a finger at Elle who gave a smile and nodded again.

When Funko looked at the board, she gave a squeal. "What is it now?" asked Sixteen. Funko pointed a shaky finger while her eyes rounded in surprise. Sixteen followed the finger and saw what was written: Team Alpha: FN FNC-RICO.

"Lucky you!" Sixteen exclaimed.

Rico approached while skipping happily and saw the announcements. She was elated and gave off a big smile. "You know, at the Agency, we also had these contests," she said, "my pair was almost always my close friend Henrietta. You remind me of her!" she said to Funko whose hands she held. Funko blushed heavily.

"Hey Rico, Funko's hammer is sensitive! If you do that, she'll wet you! HAHA!" Sixteen teased and chuckled aloud.

"Shut up!" Funko shouted while withdrawing her hands.

"So where will it take place…Hmm…Oh, the theme is Urban Warfare! So we'll have it in the 'Seishou Town' built by the Academy," Sixteen replied.

"Hey, Rico. You said back in Italy you always fight in cities and raid buildings, right?" Funko asked. Rico nodded. "We'll beat you Sixteen! I have Rico on me!" Funko stuck out her tounge.

"Really? Remember, the US also performed a lot of urban operations and I have been used there! So we'll see!" Sixteen replied smugly.

Rico was too thrilled to care who wins. Such contests reminded her of what they had back at the Agency and playing with Henrietta whom Funko resembles. She loved how she could move so much and exercise her body in such events-that makes her feel alive and is enough for her. It was an added bonus that she is paired up with Funko, the closest friend she found in the Academy.

The Annual Seishou Academy Team Battle

"Seishou Town", Undisclosed Location, Japan

The Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawks carrying the girls from the Academy landed gently at the helipad in the Seishou Town. Though named a town, it was actually a massive complex city composed of buildings (both small and tall), roads, shrines, stores, and even a subway system just to name a few. The Town was built by the Academy for training purposes.

At the helipad, the girls were ushered to the tents set up in front of the observation/air control tower. In the tents were long wooden tables and benches and several boards where the map of the town was pinned. When they settled down, Instructor Garand began to brief them.

"The rules of the game are quite different from last year's battle. It will be a combination of death match and conquest. This means that there will only be one base which you will have to find. You won't mistake it when you see it. Conquering that base is not the only objective. You must also eliminate the other teams.

"That means to say that you must both eliminate all teams and conquer the base. Both requirements are needed to win. Eliminating all teams without finding the base does not make you win nor would you be a winner by simply finding the base.

"The contest will begin by the deployment of all teams when the signal goes off. You have three minutes to run and take cover and find strategic positions. No one is allowed to engage at that part. At the second signal, the battle begins and you must fight your way to the base.

"Remember to only shoot at the vests! Prepare to sortie in thirty minutes. That is all. Good luck!"

Instructor Garand climbed up the observation tower while the girls went to the "dressing" area where they wore their bulletproof vests above their usual Seishou Academy uniforms. They also stuffed their vests with extra magazines. Finally, they put on their Velcro nameplates. Rico's was the only different one. Whereas the others read M16, FNC, L85, etc., hers read RICO. After dressing, the girls cleaned and tuned-up their weapons; Rico would still be using her SVD Dragunov which she fitted with a silencer.

As they were cleaning/tuning up, Sixteen spoke, "the rules this year sure are difficult! I wonder what entered that rusty Garand's mind."

"Yeah, sure is," Funko said, "but I have Rico. We'll make it for sure!" and she gave Rico a pat in the back. Rico smiled in return while she was tuning up her sniper rifle.

"You're not using an AR, Rico? Good luck when it comes to close fights!" laughed Sixteen.

"Never mind her Rico, we'll do our best!" whispered Funko while she held Rico's hand. She quickly pulled it away and blushed for she felt her heart and hammer thump!

"What is it, Funko-chan?" asked Rico. Her smile just made Funko's heart and hammer thump more.

"Be…betsu ni!" Funko replied blushing even harder.

"It's nothing Rico. I bet Funko just prevented her hammer from going off!" teased Sixteen. Again, Rico's face was clueless and innocent; until now, she hasn't figured out what the "hammer" thing is all about. Funko was about to protest but the speakers blared with Garand's voice, "Everyone, assemble to the clearing now, I repeat, assemble now!"

The girls hurriedly ran towards the clearing and assembled by their teams, some of them were:

Team Alpha: Funko-Rico

Team Bravo: AR18-Galil

Team Charlie: Sixteen-Elle

Team Delta: AUG-T91

Instructor Garand was looking at them from the tower and he shouted, "Ready yourselves! Prepare to sortie when I fire the flare! On the count of three…three…two…" and Garand fired a red flare which zoomed up at the sky.

The teams ran at full speed in different directions. Funko and Rico headed towards the west (the helipad in which they assembled was in the northeast most part of the city). Upon reaching a what seemed like a store, Rico pointed that they should turn southwest. "There's that tall building, it's good for taking cover," she said. Funko nodded and they proceeded. They ran a street lined up with low to middle rise buildings. Before they reached the tall building, a green flare came up at the sky and the speakers around rang out again, "Three minutes is over. You are now weapons free. Good luck!"

With that, they quickly took cover in the nearest building.

"Hey, Rico, you have more experience in these things, you take point," Funko said.

Rico nodded with a beam, "Hai! I'll provide covering fire while you advance, that will be our tactic. You engage anyone who gets near you but don't worry; I'll take them out before they even get close."

"How about you, Rico? No one will cover you," asked Funko who was worried.

"Don't worry about me, I'm extra sensitive! Just remember to be sensitive too. Just look quickly at the source of any sound or sight and you'll do fine!"

"Arigatou, Rico. Let's do this, we can win," beamed Funko.

Rico motioned Funko to cross the street and take cover into what looked like a dilapidated house. As Funko moved out, Rico scanned the surroundings with her well-trained and enhanced eyes and saw the glint of a gun barrel sticking out of a building. It was aiming at Funko. Rico fired at the barrel and the girl holding it staggered forward: AUG. Seeing her opportunity, Rico fired two successive rounds at AUG's vest and she fell inside the building. Rico gestured to Funko that she had one down and Funko made a thumbs-up sign.

Scanning the area again, Rico saw that it was clear and ordered Funko to proceed down the street. Funko did so carefully yet swiftly. Rico also changed her position while still looking around. As Funko was walking, a manhole opened up and there came out T91. Funko dodged T91's fire just in time and returned fire. The bullets hit T91's vest and she fell down.

"Sheesh, you two are good. You're as good as winners," T91 said. The speakers made a sound again, "Team Delta has been eliminated!"

"Thanks! Take care, T91," Funko smiled. Rico grabbed Funko's wrist, "I'll climb the top of that five-storey building. You wait below and look at me. Go when I signal you to. Don't worry, I'll cover you from above."

"Hai! Rico. Take care!" and they separated ways. Rico quickly went up the building. In less than a minute, she was there. She signalled Funko to proceed. As Funko did so, she took cover every now and then to what cover was available. Rico continued to scan the surroundings and she saw someone running and approaching Funko: Galil. She quickly fired at her and the Israeli-made gun who resembled a cat fell. Rico was alert for any signs of AR-18. She had to be nearby, Rico thought.

As Funko hid behind a car, the building across her suddenly exploded. Debris started to fell over her. In a flash, Rico jumped from the fifth floor and landed perfectly below. She dashed at full speed, hugged Funko, pushed and covered her.

As they stirred up, they saw the pile of concrete that would have squashed Funko. "Oh my…thank you Rico," Funko said as she hugged Rico and cleaned the dust that covered her face. "Are you hurt?"

Rico shook her head, "I'm fine."

From behind them, someone came running, Eighteen. Rico aimed her gun and was about to fire but Eighteen lowered her gun and raised her hand. "Don't shoot! Are you hurt?"

Rico lowered her SVD as well and Funko answered ,"No. How about you?"

"I'm okay. I heard the explosions and quickly ran here. You think that was part of the game? It's unusual," Eighteen wondered.

Before Funko could answer, there came the sound of continuous gunfire and Eighteen's vest became full of holes and she fell. "Eighteen!" Funko screamed. Rico pushed Funko down and hurled her in a cover. She then retrieved Eighteen's unconscious body to cover as well.

"That's not an automatic rifle, that's a light machine gun," Rico said, "I don't think this is part of the game anymore! Quick, let's get out of here!"

She carried Eighteen in her shoulders and they ran towards a subway entry. As they ran, the ground in which Funko stepped on exploded into pieces, sending her falling to the ground in her face. Rico crouched and aimed at the source and couldn't believe what she saw: a Croatian RT-20 20mm Anti-Materiel Sniper Rifle. Wielding it was a girl who wore a black school uniform and a Russian golden mask. Rico fired at the girl's hand and she retreated. They continued to the subway while Rico reloaded her SVD.

Before entering, they Sixteen and Elle running.

"Good to see you!" Funko exclaimed.

"This is dangerous; it's not part of the game anymore!" Sixteen shouted. As she did so, the speaker near them sounded again, it was Garand's voice.

"To all students, RTB immediately. This is not a game or a drill. Carry the wounded with you. Evacuation is under way. I repeat, to all students, return to base…"

"Inside the subway, quick!" Sixteen commanded, "there's a shortcut if we follow the tracks!"

The group descended. Before they could reach the station, gunfire greeted them. They took cover in the posts.

"That's not one of ours, it's an automatic shotgun!" Sixteen exclaimed as she returned fire.

"It's a Saiga 12," Rico said, "they also had an RT-20 sniper rifle earlier!"

"They had what?!" Sixteen screamed while still firing. The Saiga suddenly silenced. It was Funko who hit her.

"Onward," Sixteen ushered. As they ran, a burst of fire came again and Elle fell unconscious, her vest torn to pieces.

"ELLE!" Sixteen shouted. She carried Elle on her shoulders.

"It's too dangerous, let's get back up," Rico said and they did that. When they reached upstairs again, four girls wearing black school uniforms and Russian masks were aiming their weapons at them: the one with the slightly damaged RT-20, a PKP Pecheneg, an OTs-14 Groza, and who looked like to be their leader, an AK-47. Behind them, three girls also approached, aiming their weapons: the Saiga 12, a Bison, and a Saritch .308.

"Give it up already," said the AK-47.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Sixteen asked.

"None of your concern. I'm going to count to three for you to drop your guns. You'll do it if you know what's best," said the Saritch.

Sixteen raised her weapon and aimed at AK-47. Behind her, Saritch and Saiga fired at Sixteen who quickly fell and rolled down the floor. Bison kicked Sixteen further downwards. Rico dropped her SVD.

"Good girl-" RT-20 said but was cut off when Rico lunged at her. Rico drew out her CZ-75 and fired three rounds at RT-20's head which blew into pieces. Blood and skull fragments splattered in her friends and Rico's face. Taking opportunity of the surprise, Rico tackled Pecheneg and fired four rounds, two at the neck and two at the face.

AK-47 shouted, "You bitch!" and fired at Rico who used Pecheneg as a body shield. Behind them, Saritch knocked Funko unconscious using her gun and slumped Funko in her shoulders.

"Yo! AK! I have one already, let's retreat!" Saritch shouted. AK-47 walked backwards while firing and then she turned and ran down the station.

"FUNKO!" Rico cried. She retrieved the RT-20, reloaded it, and fired it. It hit the back of Groza's head which blew into smithereens, the brains, blood, and skull fractures scattering everywhere including Elle and Eighteen who were lying. Groza's body fell and blood gushed out from her severed head. AK fired again from the dark and several rounds hit Rico in her left arm and right hip. Blood spurted from Rico's arm and hip but she did not mind. Instead, she threw the RT-20, retrieved her SVD and continued down the subway.

"Ri…Rico," it was Sixteen, she was barely conscious and dirt covered her, "save…save Funko, please…"

"Hai, Sixteen, I will. Please stay there. Ask for backup when the teachers come."

Sixteen nodded and dozed off. Rico ran further down the station.

Funko, hold on. I'll save you! I won't lose you!