Exodus: Guns & Gore

Chi looked up at the sound of her classroom door opening. A young woman in a wheelchair carefully motored in and stopped just inside the door. If not for the burns that covered half of her face she would have been a beautiful girl. Light green eyes looked out from beneath her long black hair. Her hair hung over one side of her face as if masking the burn scars. Chi Blanca sighed to herself.

At Exodus Academy, everyone came as themselves, in Charlotte Hall's case she had been offered the chance to make a few changes to her Avatar in the interest of getting around better. She had refused.

Chi stood up and walked around her desk, "why are you late Miss Hall?" No one ever got a free pass from Chi Blanca.

Charlotte handed her a slip of paper; her right arm had been badly burned to the point that it looked like melted skin. Immediately after giving Chi the pass, she hid her arm from view beneath the green jacket that she had hung on the back of her wheelchair.

A sudden movement of desks interrupted their conversation, Chi turned her head, frowning at the noise. QJ had picked up the desk next to his and was carrying it to the back, he returned with a small table and placed it in the empty spot.

A small smile warmed Chi's face, "the back of your wheelchair isn't an acceptable place to hang your jacket. Please put in on and then introduce yourself to the class."

The thin, black-haired girl wheeled in front of Chi's desk and turned to face the class. "Please excuse my lateness, I'm Charlotte Hall, from Las Vegas, Nevada." After she finished she moved slowly over to the table that had been placed for her; she nodded at the person who had moved it. "Thank you," her voice was soft, barely heard, even in the quiet classroom.

"Welcome." QJ had his e-book open and was busy taking notes.

The clicking of heels caused him to look up; Chi was smiling pleasantly at him.

"Did you get your horse settled in the stables QJ?" She strummed her nails on the surface of his desk.

"Yes, thank you, Miss Chi." QJ stared up at her; he looked relaxed under the scrutiny of his homeroom teacher.

She moved her glance to Charlotte who had been carefully looking down, trying to avoid her attention. "Class, every student is required to have extra duties here at the academy. You'll either be helping out with Food Services, Janitorial or the Stables. "

Charlotte's face turned red as she stared at her teacher, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach caused her to lean forward as she considered her options.

QJ glanced at the new arrival. "Want to help me with my horse? He has to have two attendants, so far I'm the only one."

Charlotte faced the boy next to her; his blue eyes were as bright as a summer sky. "Shouldn't you ask someone else?"

QJ shrugged, "It's fine if you don't want to."

"I-I never said I didn't want to." Charlotte felt her face turning red again, "if you don't mind, then I will help."


Chi nodded, she was going to push QJ into asking her, but it seemed like the kid could read the room. She glanced at him before walking back to her desk, smart and kind, both good traits. Chi reached behind her desk and pulled out a large box; the sound of it landing on her desk was loud enough to draw everyone's attention.

Casually she pulled out a single gun holster and strapped it to her waist. She smiled at the class, "who wants to try me?"

QJ's hand shot up first; gradually a few other tentative hands were raised.

"Come on up QJ." Chi reached in the box and handed him a second holster when he arrived at her side.

QJ nodded and belted it on; it was a bit heavier than the one he was used to. He had noticed the two circles on the classroom floor earlier; now he realized what they were for as he walked over to the far one.

Chi watched him move to the far circle and turn around. She couldn't stop the smile that curved her lips, "so brave QJ."

QJ nodded, "I was going to say the same thing to you, Miss Chi."

The class laughed loudly; Chi shook her head. It was hard to be serious when he wore that goofy expression. "Gunfight Simulation, countdown please."

Exodus System Message: Countdown 3...2....1...Draw.

The class watched as both QJ and Chi drew their guns, they clapped loudly aftward.

Exodus System Message: Chi Blanca .25 Quinn Obreen .29 Chi Blanca wins.

Chi couldn't help but smile at the frown on QJ's face as he approached. "Well done QJ, .29 isn't bad at all."

"Hmm, let's switch." QJ unbuckled his holster and handed it to her."

"QJ... are you trying to say I rigged it?" Chi had to bite her lip to keep from laughing; he was utterly shameless.

"Well... no of course not." He shot her a sly look, "you did get the first choice though."

QJ walked back to his circle while he strapped the new holster on. He was smiling to himself; he already knew he didn't have his dad's blazing speed, .29 was pretty close to the best he could do.

"Ready now QJ?" Chi stood patiently waiting while her opponent took his time, 'is this kid trying to freeze me?'

"We should have a wager... to make it interesting Miss Chi." QJ smiled innocently at her, letting his hand rest lightly on the gun.

"A wager?" Chi crossed her arms in front of her chest; this brat was so cheeky. "Only if you've something interesting to bet."

QJ scratched his chin, "if I win you take us on a field trip tomorrow."

The entire class cheered, a field trip on day two would be awesome.

Chi nodded, "what are you offering if you lose?"

"Hmm... how about I get Remmy to come in and give a lecture?" QJ watched her eyes; everyone knew Remmy, it didn't matter if you played TAP or not.

"Remmy? The Remmy?" Chi couldn't stop her face from blushing, "QJ, you shouldn't bet things you can't cover!"

"Open-Comm Chat, Rembrandt." QJ's voice seemed loud in the suddenly quiet classroom. A moment later his hud blinked on and Remmy's face peered at him.

"QJ! Aren't you in school right now?" Remmy's pretty face smiled at him; her pink hair was sticking straight up. QJ was one of her favorite people, and he had grown up playing with her adopted daughter.

QJ returned her smile, "we are betting on a gunfight, I need a wager so if I lose you'll have to come in and give a lecture to my class."

"A lecture? I'd love too!" Remmy clapped her hands excitedly, "Oh wait... that's if you lose right?"

"Yep, thanks Remmy. I'll let you know how it goes."

"Okay QJ!" The cute gnome waved her hands and then signed off.

QJ looked up at his teacher; her face had gone pale with shock. "We good Miss Chi?"

Chi took a deep breath, Remmy was one of her heroes when she was in school. How did this kid know her? They were obviously close; the pink haired gnome hadn't even hesitated. An opportunity like this was something she'd never imagined. "I accept the wager QJ."

They squared off again a few seconds later, this time Chi looked serious, QJ however, looked exactly the same.

"Ready QJ? Gunfight Simulation, countdown please."

Exodus System Message: Countdown 3...2....1...Draw.

QJ listened for the countdown; he placed all his weight on his left leg. As soon as the buzzer sounded, he spun counterclockwise while drawing.

Exodus System Message: Chi Blanca .23 Quinn Obreen .31 Quinn Obreen wins

The class jumped to their feet and erupted in applause after the gunfight, slowly they settled down. The two opponents stared at each other.

"Nice try QJ." Chi had to work hard to keep the smug look off of her face.

"Hmm? Better check the results, Miss Chi." QJ naturally knew they assumed he lost. Since this time he was obviously slower.

"Miss Chi missed." Charlotte Hall spoke from her wheelchair; she understood right away. He had turned sideways and leaned back, a shooter like Chi would always aim center mass.

Chi stared at her student, her heart pounding as she frowned at him. He had dodged and drew at the same time, but managed to stay in the small circle. What sort of godly reflexes did he have? She cleared her throat, "please take your seat class; I'll be right back."

QJ unbuckled his holster and placed it neatly in the box; Chi had been so rattled she had left without removing hers. He grinned at his class who were all watching him, and he raised his hands over his head in victory, "Field Trip!!"

The class cheered QJ as he walked back to his seat. Unexpectedly Charlotte gave him a high five.

"Well done." Charlotte surprised herself; the words had popped out before she could stop them.

"Thanks, she's pretty fast." QJ took his seat and pulled up the school itinerary. He lowered his voice and leaned close, "the third years are doing the Doubler Canyon Raid for the first time tomorrow." Maya had told him that, she had also mentioned why they were attempting it so early.

Second-year academy members were given accounts to the games they wished to play. The students were divided equally between GnG, Iron Mountain, Civil Unrest and Martial Law. They would spend a good portion of their lab times leveling up their characters. During the third year, they would start to do low and mid-level raids.

"Doubler Canyon?" Charlotte didn't have to hide her surprise, "they have enough level-30 players to attempt it already?"

QJ nodded, "they must, normally it isn't even attempted until mid-year." He glanced at her, for once she didn't look down, "mind if I call you Charlie?"

She frowned at him, that was her Dad's name, "don't you dare... but you can call me Char."

Miss Chi returned a few minutes later carrying a small box. She walked around the room, placing small bands on everyone's desk. "These are level thirty fodder bands, good for Guns and Gore only. Tomorrow we will be attempting the Double Canyon Raid."

The entire class stared open-mouthed before everyone started speaking at once.

"A raid already?"

"Isn't that a third-year raid?"

"We are so gonna wipe."

Miss Chi held up her hand, the only one who didn't look scared was QJ, he was smiling to himself. "Be careful what you wish for QJ."

"I wonder Miss Chi..." QJ deliberately left the sentence open.

Miss Chi sighed; this kid had already made a good impression on her. "What now QJ?"

"The third year GNG class is going to be given access to the new server opening up if they complete the raid. I wonder if we could get that same deal." QJ leaned back in his chair, well aware that his question had surprised everyone.

"If my first-year class finishes the Double Canyon Raid successfully, I will push the account awards through a year early and get access to the new server opening up." Chi opened her hud and gave QJ raid leader access to the Exodus Quartermaster.

QJ jumped when his hud popped up, sending him a notification. "I'm the raid leader?"

Chi nodded, "I can't help you at all. If I'm going to jump a year ahead in curriculum, then you are going to have to show me that you are capable."

"Please send me everyone initial BR scores and Character sheets." Everyone who attended Exodus came with the intent of playing one of the Exodus games; they were put through a variety of practical tests that graded their abilities. QJ had easily broken the range sharpshooting record.

"I can do that," Chi sent him the information and then closed her HUD. "In the interest of prepping for the field trip tomorrow, I will dismiss you for the day. "