The sun hung high in the pixelated sky of Gun Gale Online, casting a vibrant glow over the sprawling landscape. The serene hills and the distant mountains provided a picturesque backdrop, but inside her makeshift shooting range, Pitohui was anything but serene. She leaned against a boulder, her purple hair swaying gently in the digital breeze, eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of her favorite partner-in-crime, LLENN. But the girl in the pink poncho was nowhere to be found, leaving Pitohui feeling bored and restless.
"Ugh, where is she?" Pitohui muttered, tapping her fingers on the barrel of her custom pistol. "I could really use some chaos right now."
As she fidgeted, a group of men—her loyal subordinates—milled around, some practicing their own shooting, others chatting quietly. Pitohui couldn't help but smirk. With LLENN off doing who-knows-what, it was the perfect opportunity to shake things up.
"Hey, you lot!" she called out, her voice sharp enough to snap them to attention. "I'm feeling a little… underwhelmed. How about we turn this shooting practice into something a bit more entertaining?"
The men exchanged glances, eyebrows raised. M stepped forward with a wary expression on his face. "Uh, Pitohui, what exactly do you have in mind? We're supposed to be improving our aim, not becoming targets ourselves."
"Aw, come on, M! Don't be such a buzzkill! I'm thinking of setting up some moving targets. You guys can run around, and I'll see just how good my aim really is!" She grinned, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
M's face paled slightly. "You can't be serious. That's dangerous! What if you accidentally—"
"Accidentally? Me? Never!" Pitohui interjected, feigning innocence. "Besides, you all signed up to be my minions. I'm just putting you to good use!"
With a flick of her wrist, she pulled up a digital interface, quickly adjusting the settings. The targets shifted from stationary to dynamic, and soon, a series of obstacles appeared on the range. "Alright, everyone! You'll have ten seconds to scatter. I'll give you a head start before I start shooting."
The men looked at one another, unease spreading among them. M crossed his arms. "This isn't a good idea, Pitohui. What if someone gets hurt?"
"Oh, don't be such a worrywart! It's all in good fun. I'll only use my lower-caliber rounds! You'll barely feel it!" She winked with a sadistic smile.
"Pitohui, this is madness!" M insisted, but the other men, emboldened by her enthusiasm, began to move away, laughter bubbling up as they spread out across the makeshift range.
"Ten seconds!" Pitohui called, counting down dramatically. "Ten! Nine! Eight!"
As the countdown echoed, her subordinates dashed behind rocks and trees, trying to find cover. The thrill of the challenge electrified the air.
"Three! Two! One! Time's up!"
Without hesitation, Pitohui raised her pistol, aiming down the sights with a fierce determination. She spotted one of her men peeking out from behind a boulder and squeezed the trigger. The sound of the shot rang out, followed by a satisfying 'thwack' as a round hit the ground right in front of him.
"Whoa!" he yelped, diving back behind the boulder. "You almost got me, Pitohui!"
"Almost? I was aiming for you!" she called back, giggling. The thrill of the hunt surged through her veins, and she relished the adrenaline coursing through the simulation.
M threw his hands up in exasperation. "This is a bad idea! You're going to get someone injured! You're not in a game anymore!"
"Relax, M! It's all part of the fun!" She darted to a different vantage point, scanning for her next target.
A few more shots rang out, each met with shouts and laughter. The men ducked and weaved, trying to avoid her aim, while Pitohui reveled in the chaos. She was in her element, the thrill of the chase igniting her spirit.
"Gotcha!" she yelled as another shot found its mark, striking a small target one of her men had set up. "Too slow, boys!"
"Seriously, Pitohui!" M shouted with exasperation edging his voice. "You have to stop! This isn't safe!"
"But it's so much fun!" she replied, laughing as she dodged behind a rock. "What's life without a little excitement?"
As the practice continued, the sounds of gunfire mixed with shouts and laughter filled the air. Pitohui felt alive, the rush of the game eclipsing her earlier boredom.
But just as she was about to take another shot, a familiar sound broke through the chaos: the unmistakable sound of footsteps. Pitohui paused, her heart racing as she turned to see LLENN approaching, her pink poncho contrasting sharply against the green grass.
"Pitohui! What on earth are you doing?" LLENN shouted, eyes wide as she took in the scene.
Pitohui beamed, her excitement doubling at the sight of her friend. "LLENN! You're just in time! I was just—"
"Playing target practice with your minions?" LLENN cut in, a mixture of disbelief and amusement on her face. "You can't shoot at them like that!"
"Why not?" Pitohui said, pouting playfully. "They signed up for it! Besides, I'm using non-lethal rounds! It's like a friendly game!"
LLENN crossed her arms, a smirk creeping onto her face. "Friendly? Looks more like mayhem to me. But you know, if you're offering free target practice…"
Pitohui's eyes lit up. "You want to join in? We could turn this into a competition!"
"Alright, but if I'm doing this, we're switching roles," LLENN said, her competitive spirit igniting. "You'll be the target this time!"
Pitohui laughed, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Fine, fine! But just so you know, I'm still going to win!"