Welcome to Gaia! ::

The impromptu adventure to Erytheia’s wonder was a bit of an eye-opening experience.

Before joining the Vanguard, Cypher practiced diligently with his blaster; took pride in his achievements when it came to sharpshooting be it distance or accuracy. If anything he felt as if it might have been the only reason he was chosen for this mission; brawn over brains as the humans might say.

Which might be true, to some degree, since he wasn’t much of a talker and wasn’t involved in the natural sciences. But that was because his interests lay elsewhere; mechanical or technical fields, delving into how something works rather than why.

But that was something he probably should have been asking much sooner than now… Why?

Why did it seem that the hard work and effort he put in feel like it was ultimately a waste? Why did it feel like when he took time to aim a shot that the calibration was somehow off? Could it be that the gravitational pull was that different on Earth than Valencia? Perhaps the atmospheric pressure was affecting things as well…

Or maybe… Maybe he was too lax in his own training.

That was at least something he had control over and in his recent months of wandering, Cypher found some prime locations to set up metal or plywood targets since the paper didn’t take well to the blaster shots.

While the weather was starting to get a bit warmer, and the days were longer, he had decided to find a remote place in the woods to set up a private range. Far enough away from people so as to not attract any unwanted attention, but close enough in case there was an emergency with the Vanguard, he could return quickly.

Ten yards out, Cypher had his target set up and he took careful aim before pulling the trigger on his blaster.

Cypher pulled the trigger back ever so slightly then stopped just a hair's breadth away from actually firing.

The suddenness of his comrade’s unexpected appearance was in fact startling to him but he steeled himself and tried to hide the surprise. Vibrant red eyes glanced over at her and he paused, taking in her new uniform and quickly realized that Fae-Fae must have been amongst the few to have received a recent promotion. He wondered if someone had tried to mention it to him and he’d just been too in his own mind to have retained the information.

A plausible likelihood since the Vanguard hadn’t done anything as a group for several months for him to take notice of such things. Still, he was glad to see proper rewards for Cadets who had been devoting themselves to their given mission.

Cypher lowered his weapon and holstered it at his side. “Corporal Fae-Fae,” he offered her a formal salute since she was now his superior. “It has taken time, and is still a work in progress, but by Summer I hope to have this area set up as a functional training area.” Possibly include some of the lessons learned in his robotics class to incorporate moving targets for an added level of difficulty.

For now though, what he had was fairly basic.

“Vyn? No…” Cypher shook his head, an expression of shame replaced the surprise as his gaze fell to an arbitrary spot on the forest floor. For reasons he didn’t quite want to explain, he had been keeping this project a secret from the Vanguard. Fear of being further ostracized weighed heavily on his mind, especially after the incident that happened in the Dark Kingdom when he questioned the Negaverse’s Queen.

“I had intended to bring Fysarious here once the setup was more to my liking, but you are the first to see it…” There was still some shrubbery in the way, weeds to be pulled and the ground was uneven, but all of those were minor inconveniences and didn’t distract from the purpose of this place. But now, more than before, they drew his attention.

He paused in his musings when a gentle wind passed between them, stirring the ends of his long black-colored with an unmistakable scent.

Velenia…

Cypher felt something stir and had to close his eyes for a moment to keep from showing emotions he’d carefully hidden behind a steeled wall of indifference. But the scent Fae-Fae carried with her, nostalgic as it was, managed to lift the heavy weights of worry that had been weighing him down the past few months.

It was as if he could finally breathe again.

So different from the polluted smog-filled air of Destiny City where vehicles coughed out black dust from exhaust pipes and people hid in alcoves and alleyways with the thick smell of nicotine and other displeasing aromas.

But then she said the words he had so longed to hear. That Velyria would approve and for the first time since their arrival, it felt as if he’d finally done something right.

Cypher opened his eyes and looked up at the Corpral but he didn’t see her as a superior, not in this moment, but rather a comrade who, like him, was stuck in this unfamiliar place. Somehow she managed to keep such a positive outlook on their mission and he admired her for it. It did, to some degree, make her seem unapproachable; mostly because he was concerned that his own demeanor would bring down her mood.

But Fae-Fae’s words of encouragement were something most needed in a time he felt like there was not much left for him.

“I appreciate your kind words,” he responded quietly. “Admittedly I’ve been struggling; both with training and with adapting to the atmospheric and gravitational changes.” He wasn’t about to mention dietary needs since that was a whole other topic he didn’t want to get into. The point being, he wasn't faring well despite his appearance.

Due to his upbringing, it was rare for Cypher to request aid. However, when offered, it was not beneath him to accept the help and company.

He nodded, then turned and motioned towards the targets. “I am testing the durability of certain Earth materials while also practicing my aim. Originally I had tried paper targets, as recommended by a classmate. A decent, inexpensive choice for their pellets or bullets, but insufficient for blasters. At best, they sustained two shots but most of the time only one.”

“Another suggestion was to use soda… cans which had similar results.” His gaze focused on a round silver base with jagged edges on the ground beside him. A piece of trash, yes, but also evidence of another failed attempt.

“What I have out there right now are targets made of two separate materials. One is of heavier metal, more durable than the aluminum and the other is a medium-density fibreboard, an engineered material that is presumably stronger and denser than other boards of similar make.” He had definitely spent time researching the difference between the various plywood materials, how they were manufactured, and their purposes. Particleboard was less costly but he suspected that a single sheet wouldn’t last a full day of training.

“If you have time, would you mind helping me test them out?” Although he wasn’t certain what upgrades Fae-Fae had made to her blaster, he planned to have her aim at the metal target regardless.

“I’m only vaguely familiar with such sports. However, the objective seems straightforward. ”

Cypher felt somewhat embarrassed to admit that of the videos he’s watched, most were either instructional videos on ‘How To’, historical documentaries, or sci-fi series. The last one was more so out of a mix of curiosity and amusement; he found enjoyment in comparing the similarities and differences between human imagination and reality. Sometimes it was close to accurate, other times it was wildly inaccurate and borderline humorous.

“How would you suggest we allocate point values?” He asked, genuinely intrigued by the idea of turning the training exercise into a bit of a game. Presently, the targets had three concentric circles drawn on them with water-soluble chalks; a temporary design so he can make changes as needed.”Are there any other rules we should take into account?”

Cypher turned to look at her, one brow raised, intrigued by the proposition, and yet his eyes narrowed suspiciously. So, this is what it feels like to be baited… he smirked, not at all offended by her mischievous grin. She obviously knew something he did not and he suspected it had something to do with her upgrades.

“What is it you’d like to claim if you were to win?” Hopefully, it would be something within his means, if not well- he’d figure that out later.

Cypher raised a questioning eyebrow when he realized that when she said retrieve, Fae-Fae meant to steal. Not an easy task to go unnoticed when he stood at nearly six and a half feet tall.

“Admittedly I haven’t spoken with Cadet Andreiya since our arrival. But I will ask for one if you win.” He agreed. If Andreiya was unwilling to part with a tomato then he’d speak with Fysariius and ask if he knew how to grow them properly and present Fae-Fae with a plant of her own. Might take time but surely she would appreciate it, or so he thought to himself.

“I suppose... if I win…” Cypher paused to consider his options carefully. “If I win, I’d like to ask if you would help me turn this place into something worthy of the Vanguard.” In its current state, the training ground was fairly rudimentary but he had visions of what it could become.

Areas established for those who favored blasters over blades while still accommodating the sharp-edged wielders. Perhaps a place set up for sparing or co-op drills. True, he might be over his head with this, but as someone who had nothing but time on his hands, what else was there for him to do?

Is it not a good choice?” Cypher wondered, head tilted slightly to the side in an almost confused if not contemplative manner. For a long moment, he seemed to be weighing his options but decided that he liked his first pick the best.

“Yes, I’m sure.” He nodded decisively and then moved to stand in front of the wooden target.

Feet spaced a shoulder-width apart, he raised his blaster with both arms extended. Cypher wasn’t looking to show off by shooting with one hand nor was he trying to go for speed shots either; not that his blaster allowed for such things. He took a breath and exhaled slowly before pulling the trigger with his right index finger.

Center hit.

Oddly he felt no measure of excitement, considered it a lucky shot, and allowed his blaster the ten seconds needed to recharge before taking another shot.

Again it hit the same mark.

Rather than smile, he frowned deeply; more confused now than before. On Erytheia his weapon firing seemed haphazard at best, but now- It was as if he was back on Valencia. Still, Cypher felt like this was a fluke and this time shifted his position to something a little less stiff, took in a deep breath, and released it slowly like the last two times. The trigger pull was smooth and again-

The third shot hit the center circle.

“I promise you,” he turned to Fae-Fae, “I am by no means cheating…”