forgivetheinsubordination | IC Contact

Most guns are mass-produced. You put out five thousand parts an hour, there's gonna be things that are slightly off about each piece in a different way. Maybe the barrel has an irregular ground-out area. Maybe the scope's the teeniest bit flawed. Maybe it wasn't put together exactly right.

[Garrus shrugs.]

The more you learn about guns, the more you'll be able to compensate. To fix them to your preferences, and deal with the flaws. If you want. I know you've got plenty of weapons already. But that's a damn good shot for a beginner, and you could figure this out.

[It's probably because of her training, really. He's seen some of what Ino and Kakashi can do now, and it's clear they've worked hard at their craft. Which makes sense.]

Compensate for the pull, and try again.

[ the barrel of the rifle lowers so sakura can roll her shoulder. it doesn't hurt, but the kick back isn't exactly something she was expecting. ]

I actually don't have that many weapons. My tanto, [ she gestures at the blade holstered at the small of her back ] and three kunai someone gifted me. [ and only three of those are long-distance weapons of any kind.

she raises the gun again and, remembering how the shot veered, compensates. which is an odd thing to do when looking through a scope. she still misses. it's a nearer miss this time, though. the frown that tugs at her mouth isn't a frown of frustration, but of someone who has just discovered a new puzzle they're determined to figure out. ]

Alright, so what's it look like when someone can actually hit the target?

Like this. Purple flower, three trees to the left of the red one.

[Garrus finds it in his scope and fires, a quick, smooth action born of decades of practice. The flower bursts into petal fragments and he lowers his gun.]

Different sizes and types of rounds do different types of damage, though part of the gun's effect is in the head. Means if you're up against someone who knows what a gun is, you can shoot them anywhere and do more damage because they figure they're gonna get pretty badly hurt. When it's someone or something not familiar with a gun, you've gotta be more precise. Forehead, vital organs, throat. Those are the shots that'll take them out. Everything else just hurts.

[ the starry-eyed look she had back when garrus told her what his rifle could do is the same one that she wears as she watches that flower burst apart. ]

With the kind of precision you're talking about, hitting non-vital areas could also work to your advantage, depending on the situation.

[ her knowledge of anatomy when combined with a sniper rifle has the potential to be a truly terrifying thing. and this is why most of the ninja are on red team. ]

The kind of precision I'm talking about takes years and years to master.

[He slings the gun back on his back with a shrug.]

I'm a sniper. This is what I do. Most people aren't going to be able to use that sort of precision because they don't want to take the time to learn it. But I'll teach and work with anyone who does.

[ years and years... that's not unexpected but at the same time sakura can't help but wish it were easier to master things. but, on the other hand, then everyone would be doing it. ]

You sure you want to make an offer like that? I can get a little obsessive when I find something I want to learn.

[ which is to say she's going to put in however much time it takes for her to get really damn good at this. and will possibly be texting garrus questions about guns a hell of a lot. ]

I enjoy teaching. Especially when it's someone who wants to learn.

[There are plenty who think they want to learn but don't want to put much work into it. They just want to point and shoot and while sure, sometimes they'll hit things, it's going to be more wasteful than anything else.]

I'll teach you, Sakura.

Thanks. Really.

[ she grins and hefts the rifle up again, sighting the flower. ]

How long do you think it'll take for Ino to make a bouquet of some of these?

You're welcome.

[He steps back, watching her stance and how she's holding the gun as she takes aim.]

And I give her five, ten minutes once she finds them. And once she's sure they're not going to try to eat whomever she gives the bouquet to.

Sounds about right.

[ breath in, breath out... a few petals on the right side of the flower flutter as she misses again. ]

Ah, damn. Too much compensating that time. [ she shakes her head, still smiling. ] I feel like I'm back in the Academy.

You'll get it.

[He sounds confident because he is. She's smart and determined.]

You've got the pattern down, now you just need to know the gun. That was closer than the other shots, too. And I'm gonna bet none of your Academy instructors were as stylish as me.

[ if she was thinking of trying a fourth time, the short burst of laughter that escapes her derails that idea. ]

Since all my instructors wore the same uniform and flak jacket... Yeah, you're probably right.

[His mandibles flicker out a little. Making someone laugh makes him feel a little better, actually, and between the lesson and her sense of humor Garrus is successfully pushing back his heartache.]

So what Kakashi wears is what you're always subject to. Sorry to hear that. I'd try to give him advice, but nothing turian will fit him. At least it looks like the younger generation isn't gonna have to deal with that mishap.

Yeah, I don't usually wear sensei's kind of get up. I like my boots too much.

[ she misses her boots. ]

And not all of the jounin sensei wear that, just most of them. Ask Kakashi about what his best friend wears sometime.

Not boots, clearly.

[He tilts his head.]

Gonna guess it's at least practical and protective, if the friend's not using the flack jacket. Something billowy? Can catch weapons that aren't bullets with that.

[That's not his style, not when guns are what they use now back home, and especially not when it takes some grace, but he thinks it's a fair guess.]

[ her face screws up as the mental image of gai and lee in billowy dresses floats through her brain. it's got her torn between horror and laughter. ]

Uh, no. Kind of the opposite.

[That's... an interesting expression there, Sakura. Garrus isn't quite sure he's seen it before, and now he's more curious.]

The opposite.

[He doesn't have to think hard on what the opposite would be. Noh-Varr's outfit is as tight as it can get, as was Miranda Lawson's back home.]

What, clinging to them? Can't say I really get that style, but they're far from the first people to use it.

Mmn. He and one of his students both wear tight, green bodysuits. With bright orange leg-warmers. And a bright red headband like Kakashi-sensei's tied around their hips. And the flak jacket.

[ she'd mention the bowl cuts too, but she's not sure the horror of that would be something garrus would grasp. what with the not having hair. ]

It's... it's really something.

[ to say the least. ]

Green, with orange, and red.

[His mandibles flare out as he takes that in and tries to figure out how the end result would look. The answer? Horrible.]

I'm not exactly any good with fashion. But that sounds like a disaster. Unless it's a clever plot to blind their enemies with the side-effect of blinding their allies too.

No, he just thinks it looks cool...

[ she likes gai and lee. really, she does. but their fashion statements leave a lot to be desired. ]

Hey, can I ask a potentially personal question?

[Garrus tilts his head and looks over at her.]

You can ask it. Can't guarantee an answer, but I won't be offended by a question. Most questions. I'm sure there's gonna be exceptions, but I don't see it happening here.

It that, uh... flutter, flap thing-- [ she puts her hands on either side of her jaw and wiggles them in a rough approximation of his mandibles moving. ] Is that voluntary or involuntary?

[ this is probably not the kind of question he was expecting... ]

I guess it could be both too, like humans moving their facial muscles when laughing.

Flutter flap thing.

[His voice is as dry as it can get.]

They don't teach Blues even basic xenobiology, do they. The movement of my mandibles is both. Most of the time you see me do it, it's involuntary. I've relaxed more than most turians, try to show more emotions because I'm around a lot of people who aren't turian back home and here, people who can't read my subharmonics.

[He's not annoyed, just a little surprised and amused by her wording choice.]

I wasn't sure what word to use! [ she's a little flustered. ] I'm used to the word mandible referring to the jawbone and that's clearly different than your... mandibles. Since you have a lower jaw too.

[ excuse her while she flushes a bit because that phrasing is a little awkward too. ]

Anyway--I was asking because I noticed it looked like the equivalent of human mouth movements in our facial expressions.

So you went with flutter flap thing.

[Not dropping that. Ever. He's going to tease you about this for years to come, Sakura.]

It's a good comparison, though, it and facial expressions. If a lot of teeth are showing I'm either happy or something's about to die, that sort of thing.

[And a fair amount of teeth are showing right now.]

IC Contact - Consignment

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