The Range [Early Monday afternoon]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela had been thinking quite a bit about her last session on the range with Karla. Those shields had been very impressive, and while she didn't think of the other girl as a direct threat there was always a little voice at the back of her mind whispering that she had to know how to take down anyone she encountered.

And she thought she had a solution.

The gun case in front of her was in the sort of pristine condition that suggested it didn't get used very often, but the weapon she pulled out had still been very carefully cared for. It wasn't the sort of thing she'd choose for most missions. Too unwieldy and too little ammunition, but for the very specialized situation of the shields Karla had demonstrated this should do nicely.

Triel didn't normally bother with ear protection despite how often she insisted on it when others were on the range, but today she was wearing it. Which was a good choice, she decided, because the sound of two ten gauge rounds firing virtually simultaneously would have hurt even her ears.

[Open!]

Comments

[glacial_queen]

They certainly had Karla flinching when she walked into the range. She stayed far back from where Triela was shooting though. She had a healthy respect for guns, now that she had seen what they could do.

Instead, she waited until Triela had finished her current round, then waved to get her attention.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

The rhythm of Triela's firing was steady. One abrupt explosion before she had to reload the gun. She'd snap it open and eject the shells before sliding new ones into the back of the two barrels.

This time she left the gun open with the spent shells sticking out the back unextracted. She pulled her ear protectors down around her neck and waved back at Karla with the hand not occupied holding her gun. "Hey," she grinned.

[glacial_queen]

"Hey Triela," Karla greeted, heading over. "Kiss kiss." She eyed the new gun warily. "That one's very impressive," she said cautiously. "And loud. What is it?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Ten gauge double-barreled shotgun," Triela answered with a savage sort of grin. "I've been thinking about it and I think this is the best solution for taking down one of those shields of yours."

Even with the gun unloaded and open she was careful as she swung it around for Karla to see the two side-by-side barrels. "It can fire two rounds at once. I think the first one will shatter the shield and then the second one hits whatever was behind it."

She frowned a little bit. "At least I think so. The slugs in these things are much heavier than stuff we were using last time, so they should work."

[glacial_queen]

"Would you like to try?" Karla offered. A Sapphire shield appeared over the target. "I ate breakfast this time," Karla offered with a wry grin.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Might as well see if it really works," Triela grinned back and tossed Karla a set of ear protectors. "You're going to want these."

[glacial_queen]

"Are you kidding?" Karla asked, quickly inserting them. "I think I wanted a pair back in the doorway!"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"It is a tiny bit loud," Triela agreed with a smirk as she inserted a fresh pair of shells, snapped the shotgun closed and raised it to her shoulder.

"You ready?"

[glacial_queen]

"Just a smidge," Karla agreed. "And ready."

The shield didn't have a chance in Hell.


[In case you wanted to describe Triela's awesome.]

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

That was enough for Triela. She pulled both triggers.

The ten gauge shotgun slug wasn't really considered all that useful by most people. It was too big and too powerful and that meant that it had incredibly heavy recoil and that you couldn't carry that many rounds. But for this it was actually perfect.

Pulling two triggers was a single motion, but they were offset enough that there was half a heartbeat between the two rounds. The first to slam downrange was a solid lead slug bigger than any bullet had any right to be. It shattered the shield on impact which opened the way for the 12 lead pellets behind it, each the mass of a bullet all on their own, to slam into the target.

Some of the pellets missed. That was inevitable as they spread out wider than the target itself, but the gaping holes the ones that did hit left behind made it clear why people didn't tend to use the ten gauge for much. It was kind of hard to imagine a human being surviving a shot like that, after all.

As she lowered the shotgun Triela grinned savagely. It had worked pretty much exactly like she'd hoped it would.

[glacial_queen]

"..."

Karla blinked. Several times. That had been really scary. "Wow," she whispered. "Umm, looks like that's successful then."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela was still grinning when she turned to nod at Karla. Then she frowned slightly. "You were telling me that there are different colors and they have different strengths, right? Are there stronger shields than yours?"

[glacial_queen]

"The Sapphire is ninth out of thirteen. There's the Red, the Gray, the Ebon-Gray, and the Black," Karla said, ticking them off on her fingers.

There is also the Ebony, but since no one even knows that's possible, it doesn't count.

"When I make the Offering to the Darkness, I'll most likely wear the Ebon-Gray," Karla explained. "You can descend down to three Jewel ranks from your Birthright."

[withoutverona]

Romeo was just in the range to get his guns from the weapons locker before he left, but he stepped in at the sound of gunfire to see who was practicing. "Triela," he called, at a break in the action.

He shouldn't be surprised.

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"Romeo," she tossed him a small grin of greeting, then she threw in a wave for good measure.

[withoutverona]

"I'm glad I caught you," Romeo said, returning the smile. "We leave in a few hours."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela went oddly still. "For good."

[withoutverona]

Romeo furrowed his brows. "Well -- there's homecoming, of course, and graduation, and email and phone calls. We aren't vanishing forever."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Something in his response was enough for her breathing to settle slightly and she nodded. "Then I'm glad you ran into me, too."

[withoutverona]

"I couldn't tell you to take good care of the range, otherwise," Romeo said lightly. He eyed the gun case in his hand, considering if he wanted to shoot and -- no. Not enough time. "Are you a senior next year?"

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

Triela snorted and shook her head. "Do I look like a senior?" she asked in amusement. To be fair she still looked about 14, just like she had when she had first arrived.

"I suppose that's not helpful since even when I am a senior I'll still look like this." She smirked. "I'll be a junior."

[withoutverona]

"You look exactly the way you did when I got here," Romeo agreed. (and that still gave him the creeps a little bit.) "I'm glad to know you and Ino will be here two more years, at least. I wouldn't want to be forgotten too soon."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"I don't think you have to worry about that," Triela laughed. "Especially," she raised an eyebrow, "Since you'll be staying in touch ands visiting."

[withoutverona]

"Ah, but a man likes to know he'll be remembered anyhow," Romeo said lightly. "I hope you keep gun club going. I know I didn't always come, but it was good practice when I did."

[sorella-vecchia.livejournal.com]

"I don't think you have to worry about that. There are still people who need a place to practice, and who need to understand what's possible." Her eyes narrowed at a sudden stray thought and she almost muttered 'like Arthur', but didn't.