Featuring:
Chapter 2: Combat Practice
A month after setting up shop in the city of Vale, the Shining Blade is now known by a few people in the downtown district as the shop that has it all. A regular at the shop is Bianca Snow, the heiress to the Snow Arms Corporation. But not only does she buy the store’s products, she borrows the time of the newest employee, Lock Noire, for training exercises. The two travel to a warehouse where Bianca stands next to a crate with a sheet over it.
Bianca: Today, I’ll be showing off a new weapon that I’ve been creating over the past few weeks.
Lock: New weapon?
Bianca pulls off the sheet to reveal a sword with a claw shaped blade.
Lock: Looks dangerous…and very pointy.
Bianca: I call it Grand Tempesta, a weapon to surpass my previous ones.
Lock: What’d you do with your old guns?
Bianca: Took them apart and used some pieces to make this.
Lock: So you traded two pistols that transform into tonfa for a sword?
Bianca: No. I traded two pistols that transform into tonfa for a rifle that transforms into a sword.
Lock: Wait that thing’s a rif-
Suddenly, a shot wizzes by Lock’s head, burning through his hair, and hits the crate behind him. Lock slowly turns around to look at the hole in the crate and then back at Bianca.
Lock: WHAT THE HELL!
Bianca: What?
Lock: What? WHAT?! YOU JUST SHOT AT ME! WHAT”S WRONG WITH YOU?!
Bianca: I just figured it would be better to show you than to tell you. Now let’s test it out shall we? Prepare yourself.
Lock: *sigh* Fine then. Let's go.
Bianca takes a fighting stance and Lock draws his pistol. Bianca charges at Lock with her weapon in sword mode. Lock shoots at Bianca but she dodges the shots and gets up close to Lock. She swings her sword swiftly, forcing Lock to dodge her attacks.
Lock: So fast!
Bianca: You’ve left yourself wide open.
Bianca sweeps Lock’s feet and knocks him on his back. She then holds him at gunpoint.
Bianca: You lose.
Lock: (grins deviously) You think so?
Bianca: Huh?
Lock looks at Bianca’s feet. Bianca looks down and sees that she is surrounded by Ember Knives.
Bianca: Knives?
Lock: Ember Knives. I stuck some into the ground while I was dodging your sword. You were so focused on trying to hit me, that you didn’t notice your surroundings. Move an inch and those knives will explode.
Bianca: And what about you? You’ll be caught in the blast too?
Lock: That won’t happen if you just give up.
After a long pause, Bianca closes her eyes and puts away her sword.
Bianca: Well played, detective. You managed to stop me in my tracks, but was putting yourself in danger necessary?
Lock: Well it’s pretty obvious that you’re on a higher level than me. This was the only option I could think of.
Bianca: But how did you know I wouldn’t attack anyway? What if I had detonated the trap you set up for me regardless of the risk?
Lock: I would have blown up with you. Plain and simple.
Bianca: How reckless.
Lock: (smiles) Reckless is part of being a detective.
Bianca: (laughing) You are the strangest person I’ve ever met, Mr. Noire.
Lock: (standing up and dusting himself off) Yeah well, you’re pretty strange yourself Miss Snow.
Suddenly, a growling noise is heard.
Lock: Uh…
Bianca: Lunch time.
Lock: Ah man…and I forgot my lunch. Mind if I-
Bianca: Yes I do mind. Get your own food.
Lock looks at Bianca shocked over how bluntly she turned him down.
Lock: (thinking to himself) This girl is so selfish!
Bianca: Well? Get going. Lunch only lasts for 30 minutes.
Lock: (sigh) Right…
Lock leaves the warehouse, pained by his growling stomach. In the distance on top of another warehouse building, a girl wearing a straw hat watches over Lock.
????: Hm. Deceptive, reckless, and confident. Not bad. But let’s see how you fight when your life is on the line, Mr. Detective. (smiles) Hehe.