[She's very bold indeed to approach Lightning, who's just landed from a rather impressive series of flips and twists, the silver sword in her hand slicing through one of the hapless training dummies that had been left for them like a hot knife through butter.
That the dummy falls to pieces should be enough, but as the magic in the thing begins to stitch it back together Lightning turns to Lisa.]
I was a soldier. Fighting monsters was part of the job.
[To say nothing of what came...after. She cocks her head just the slightest amount. Lisa has a weapon, but...]
[That this woman can move so swiftly and strike with such precision is all the more reason to approach her, honestly. Lisa takes a moment to consider the question, but only a moment.]
I know a bit of how to trap a regular beast- hares, boars, animals of that nature. However, I can only say that I've handled the aftermath with any proper training.
[A poor girl had to learn how to skin or pluck animals, if she wanted to eat some nights.]
[Trap? Oh, Eden. There's a huge difference between catching dinner and fighting for survival, and it's one that draws Lightning up short. This is a motley bunch, that much is for sure, but she'd assumed that everyone who came here could at least fight!
That's what she gets for assuming.]
Right. [A glance at the knife, then at Lisa's face. Teaching has never been her strong suit--Hope could attest to that--but at the same time...] I'm guessing you want someone to show you how to actually fight.
[Welcome to DWRP, Lightning, where no one is remotely equipped for anything.]
I believe that would be for the best. I don't plan on being on the front lines if I can help it, but, well. [Her fingers wring against the knife.] Things happen that we can't always plan for.
But I really should introduce myself, to start with. [She briefly hesitates, unsure of any customs in a world like this, before she settles before a quick and shallow curtsy.] I'm Doctor Lisa Tepes.
[No plan survives first contact with the enemy. Even if that enemy is a...magical training dummy.
Doctor, huh? Could come in handy, and it would be best if she knew how to at least defend herself. They'll just have to make do as best they can.]
Lightning. [No bow, no curtsy, just the sheathing of her blade back into the scabbard at her hip. No training. A moment's contemplation, then:] We'll start with the basics. Can I see your weapon?
[Properly, that is. What are they working with here?]
[She'd certainly moved quickly enough. Still, Lisa hands over her weapon without hesitation. If anything can be said of the organization they're working with, at least they'd been prepared to supply everyone with weaponry.]
[Lisa's gun isn't the most complicated or even heavy thing. It's a handgun, easier for a novice to handle without being overwhelmed, and the blade that is attached to it seems to be maneuverable in some way, possibly to get out of the way of wayward fingers.]
[A quick smile darts across Lightning's face at that comment; well earned, huh? She's not the only one to think that, clearly.
As for the weapon, she's seen bigger. But size isn't everything, and for someone unused to active combat smaller is better. It's well made, to be sure, and light enough to handle without stumbling. Ammo's going to be the main concern, unless it's somehow related to the Semblance that Lisa got along with the weapon. But there's only one way to find that out. She passes the weapon back.]
A gun this size isn't going to have much range. You'll need to get in close to your targets to do any real damage to them. [A gesture towards the dummy, now fully back to its old shape.] Try shooting that. See how it feels.
Well... I've never used one of these before, you see.
[Or seen anything like it, if she's honest. It seems familiar enough to the creations in her husband's castle: complex and mechanical and distinctly metal. But for the shooting part?]
Let me know if I look like I'm going to hurt myself, please?
Wait. [She reaches for Lisa's hands to adjust her grip into something safe. Her CO did this for her so many years ago, and it's honestly better than letting someone shoot themselves in the foot! Especially without a magical healer.] Here. Adjust your grip. Keep your fingers away from the barrel and hold it with both hands. Keep your arms steady and don't close your eyes when you fire.
[She has to scramble to remember the basics, the things she learned years ago. It doesn't help that she's used to rifles, not handguns, but the principle is...relatively the same! Well. Mostly.]
And only aim at things that you're alright with killing. Don't ever point this at someone you don't want to hurt.
Aren't you glad that I came to find you first before anything horrible happened?
[Especially because she was inclined to holding one hand on the barrel, at least before Lightning began moving her hands into a grip that's more appropriate. Besides the quip, she pays close attention to how her hands are positioned, tiling her head to one side so that she can better look at how her hands are along with feeling where they are on the gun.]
[Once she's confident with her grip, Lisa braces herself.]
Like any weapon, then. I'll make sure I don't hurt anyone else that I don't mean to.
[If she could make that 'no one', well, she'd be a happy woman. But the whole reason she's using a gun is because she knows she may have to use it one way or the other. So, she aims it towards the dummy with one eye squinting shut. It's quite different from what she's used to, so she's not the most confident in her aim... but all she can do to improve it is shoot, so she does.]
[The sound of the gun startles her more than the recoil does, making her jump with just about her whole body and her knuckles go white from how tightly her fingers close around the gun. Her aim isn't completely on point either, although there is a hit- sort of. A hole can be seen just on the side of the dummy, having grazed along one side. It's harder than one would think to point and keep something steady.]
[The quip earns Lisa a small snort, perhaps amused or perhaps exasperated, but Lightning's nearly-placid expression doesn't change as she steps back out of the way. She's already counting the things that Lisa needs to adjust; posture, aim, vision, and wondering how she got herself into this situation.
Oh, right. She chose to come. As if she could have said no.
It is telling that, when the gun goes off, Lightning doesn't even blink. She's used to this sort of thing, trained, and narrows her eyes at the dummy. The magic begins to repair it fairly quickly, but there certainly was a hole in the straw just now. For a first timer? That's actually a decent shot.]
Not bad. Your reaction needs work, but you still hit the target. [She turns back to Lisa.] Next time, keep both eyes open.
[Still shaking a little from the sensation of the recoil, Lisa leans forward to squint towards the dummy. It's definitely recovering, but she can't say she's satisfied with the result.]
I was hoping for something a little more in the center... but I will take the praise where I can get it, thank you. At least the knife portion won't be as difficult to figure out.
[Taking one hand off of the gun to shake it and making sure there isn't a finger near the trigger so that she doesn't accidentally scare herself to death, Lisa breathes out slowly.]
[No one's first shot is good. At least Lisa actually hit her target! That's more than Lightning can say about some of the GC recruits in her squad.
They were. A mess.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Lightning can only shrug.]
They are. Stand too close to a rifle and you can blow out your eardrums. [A glance at the little pistol, then:] That one's not that bad. You should be fine.
[Not like they can get her ear protection here, anyway. She has to wonder if this Legion even knows what that is!]
[Ear protection, funnily enough, is exactly what's on Lisa's mind as she looks over the weapon. If they're really up against such vast and dangerous forces, it seems only logical that they'll have to use bigger weaponry at some point for larger scale battles... Maybe she should start thinking of something ahead of time. Just in case.]
[One thing at a time, however. For now, she nods.]
That's good to hear. [Ha.] Then I suppose all I can do is to continue practicing my aim until it's even a little better. For the knife part, how should I deal with that, or should I only focus on the gun for a while?
[Instinct tells her to say stay back, to focus on range and let the others pick up the slack of going in close, but with these circumstances, this situation, and how few they really number...
Lightning sighs.]
The size of your knife means you'll have to get in close to your target. If you're not prepared for that, if you're even a second too slow, they could tear you apart. [And Doctor she may be, but without healing magic...ouch.] You're better off sticking to the back lines for now.
[At least until there's a chance for proper training. The only question is if they'll have the time for that.]
I'll be quite happy to! Now to see if the Grimm agree.
[Because what she wants isn't something that's important, she thinks. At least not in an active war zone like this. Adjusting her position a little bit to see if that helps her experience from last time, Lisa begins to adjust her gun for the next shot.]
How long have you been doing this? I mean, not the... entirely different world part. Although you're free to tell me if you've done that too.
[There is that to consider! Lightning steps back out of Lisa's way, head tilted pensively. Would going from Cocoon to Pulse count as going to another world? Probably, but that'll open too many questions she's not quite ready to talk about.]
A few years. [Which probably begs the question of who'd let a teenager sign up to the military, since she doesn't look a day older than twenty.] I helped train the recruits a few times. This isn't that different.
[Beyond the obviously mismatched equipment, anyway.]
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A!
That the dummy falls to pieces should be enough, but as the magic in the thing begins to stitch it back together Lightning turns to Lisa.]
I was a soldier. Fighting monsters was part of the job.
[To say nothing of what came...after. She cocks her head just the slightest amount. Lisa has a weapon, but...]
Have you had any training before?
no subject
I know a bit of how to trap a regular beast- hares, boars, animals of that nature. However, I can only say that I've handled the aftermath with any proper training.
[A poor girl had to learn how to skin or pluck animals, if she wanted to eat some nights.]
no subject
That's what she gets for assuming.]
Right. [A glance at the knife, then at Lisa's face. Teaching has never been her strong suit--Hope could attest to that--but at the same time...] I'm guessing you want someone to show you how to actually fight.
no subject
Welcome to DWRP, Lightning, where no one is remotely equipped for anything.]I believe that would be for the best. I don't plan on being on the front lines if I can help it, but, well. [Her fingers wring against the knife.] Things happen that we can't always plan for.
But I really should introduce myself, to start with. [She briefly hesitates, unsure of any customs in a world like this, before she settles before a quick and shallow curtsy.] I'm Doctor Lisa Tepes.
no subject
Doctor, huh? Could come in handy, and it would be best if she knew how to at least defend herself. They'll just have to make do as best they can.]
Lightning. [No bow, no curtsy, just the sheathing of her blade back into the scabbard at her hip. No training. A moment's contemplation, then:] We'll start with the basics. Can I see your weapon?
[Properly, that is. What are they working with here?]
no subject
[She'd certainly moved quickly enough. Still, Lisa hands over her weapon without hesitation. If anything can be said of the organization they're working with, at least they'd been prepared to supply everyone with weaponry.]
[Lisa's gun isn't the most complicated or even heavy thing. It's a handgun, easier for a novice to handle without being overwhelmed, and the blade that is attached to it seems to be maneuverable in some way, possibly to get out of the way of wayward fingers.]
no subject
As for the weapon, she's seen bigger. But size isn't everything, and for someone unused to active combat smaller is better. It's well made, to be sure, and light enough to handle without stumbling. Ammo's going to be the main concern, unless it's somehow related to the Semblance that Lisa got along with the weapon. But there's only one way to find that out. She passes the weapon back.]
A gun this size isn't going to have much range. You'll need to get in close to your targets to do any real damage to them. [A gesture towards the dummy, now fully back to its old shape.] Try shooting that. See how it feels.
no subject
Well... I've never used one of these before, you see.
[Or seen anything like it, if she's honest. It seems familiar enough to the creations in her husband's castle: complex and mechanical and distinctly metal. But for the shooting part?]
Let me know if I look like I'm going to hurt myself, please?
no subject
Oh boy.]
Wait. [She reaches for Lisa's hands to adjust her grip into something safe. Her CO did this for her so many years ago, and it's honestly better than letting someone shoot themselves in the foot! Especially without a magical healer.] Here. Adjust your grip. Keep your fingers away from the barrel and hold it with both hands. Keep your arms steady and don't close your eyes when you fire.
[She has to scramble to remember the basics, the things she learned years ago. It doesn't help that she's used to rifles, not handguns, but the principle is...relatively the same! Well. Mostly.]
And only aim at things that you're alright with killing. Don't ever point this at someone you don't want to hurt.
no subject
[Especially because she was inclined to holding one hand on the barrel, at least before Lightning began moving her hands into a grip that's more appropriate. Besides the quip, she pays close attention to how her hands are positioned, tiling her head to one side so that she can better look at how her hands are along with feeling where they are on the gun.]
[Once she's confident with her grip, Lisa braces herself.]
Like any weapon, then. I'll make sure I don't hurt anyone else that I don't mean to.
[If she could make that 'no one', well, she'd be a happy woman. But the whole reason she's using a gun is because she knows she may have to use it one way or the other. So, she aims it towards the dummy with one eye squinting shut. It's quite different from what she's used to, so she's not the most confident in her aim... but all she can do to improve it is shoot, so she does.]
[The sound of the gun startles her more than the recoil does, making her jump with just about her whole body and her knuckles go white from how tightly her fingers close around the gun. Her aim isn't completely on point either, although there is a hit- sort of. A hole can be seen just on the side of the dummy, having grazed along one side. It's harder than one would think to point and keep something steady.]
no subject
Oh, right. She chose to come. As if she could have said no.
It is telling that, when the gun goes off, Lightning doesn't even blink. She's used to this sort of thing, trained, and narrows her eyes at the dummy. The magic begins to repair it fairly quickly, but there certainly was a hole in the straw just now. For a first timer? That's actually a decent shot.]
Not bad. Your reaction needs work, but you still hit the target. [She turns back to Lisa.] Next time, keep both eyes open.
no subject
I was hoping for something a little more in the center... but I will take the praise where I can get it, thank you. At least the knife portion won't be as difficult to figure out.
[Taking one hand off of the gun to shake it and making sure there isn't a finger near the trigger so that she doesn't accidentally scare herself to death, Lisa breathes out slowly.]
I suppose bigger guns are louder, aren't they?
no subject
They were. A mess.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Lightning can only shrug.]
They are. Stand too close to a rifle and you can blow out your eardrums. [A glance at the little pistol, then:] That one's not that bad. You should be fine.
[Not like they can get her ear protection here, anyway. She has to wonder if this Legion even knows what that is!]
no subject
[One thing at a time, however. For now, she nods.]
That's good to hear. [Ha.] Then I suppose all I can do is to continue practicing my aim until it's even a little better. For the knife part, how should I deal with that, or should I only focus on the gun for a while?
no subject
Lightning sighs.]
The size of your knife means you'll have to get in close to your target. If you're not prepared for that, if you're even a second too slow, they could tear you apart. [And Doctor she may be, but without healing magic...ouch.] You're better off sticking to the back lines for now.
[At least until there's a chance for proper training. The only question is if they'll have the time for that.]
no subject
[Because what she wants isn't something that's important, she thinks. At least not in an active war zone like this. Adjusting her position a little bit to see if that helps her experience from last time, Lisa begins to adjust her gun for the next shot.]
How long have you been doing this? I mean, not the... entirely different world part. Although you're free to tell me if you've done that too.
no subject
A few years. [Which probably begs the question of who'd let a teenager sign up to the military, since she doesn't look a day older than twenty.] I helped train the recruits a few times. This isn't that different.
[Beyond the obviously mismatched equipment, anyway.]