[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/houzIW1.png[/img][/center]
[center][h2](And [color=baddab]B[/color]inky)[/h2][/center]

Out on the field, Binky was little more than a backup esper to enable operations to continue smoothly when unexpected things happened. Sometimes this was stalling a crab rave long enough for freelancers to arrive, other times it was laying down suppressing fire to finish a fight. But at base, she was responsible for maintaining and testing Gemini’s espers. 

[color=baddab]”Guess that’ll do on short notice.”[/color]

The new lab in Pax Septimus had been out of operation for years. Partially because they were expanding elsewhere, and partially because the Iron Queen’s rule prevented the government from doing much. Though she had been dealt with or fled, and that meant it was time to get the facilities back in operation. As luck would have it, the training room was already operational. 

The training room was large enough for several espers to train at once, but it was presently set up as an obstacle course. There was a clear path that ran up vertical walls, along narrow catwalks, several barriers to maneuver around, with a clear finish line at the end. But that was just what was visible. Binky had set up several pop up targets, and there was a hologram machine set up to generate any sort of flashy visuals she wanted. 

Binky just needed to test it. And for that they needed someone to test.

...

This was it, Ashley reflected. Everything she had gone through these past few months had led her here, to Pax Septimus, to her first assignment as an agent of Gemini. Even though she had been a member of the organization for only a short time, Ashley had still heard no small number of stories about the brilliant Dr. Fritzi Moller, and the thought of working under her direct command was both thrilling, and a little intimidating. Ashley only hoped she would make a good first impression…

As it transpired, however, the novice agent would not be meeting the good doctor right away. First, she apparently needed to participate in a training exercise, under the supervision of someone named Binky. It was an odd name, to be sure, but it was probably just a code name, although what it signified, the young Esper couldn’t even begin to guess. She only hoped her instructor would be a nice, encouraging sort. Ashley firmly believed that positive reinforcement generated far better results than disparaging remarks, and the various successful tutoring sessions she’d conducted for her classmates back in high school provided ample proof of that.

Of course, the disposition of her instructor wasn’t the only thing on Ashley’s mind as she made her way to the training room. There was also the training exercise itself. Although never one to doubt the effectiveness of constant practice, the young Esper couldn’t help but feel slightly concerned, as if this exercise was a way of testing whether or not she was worthy of serving under such a highly esteemed member of Gemini. Indeed, Ashley couldn’t help but imagine that someone of Dr. Moller’s reputation would only wish to command the very best agents Gemini had to offer, and if that was the case, Ashley only hoped that she would be strong enough to join such an elite team.

But no, hope wasn’t the right word. She [i]knew[/i] this was where she was meant to be, had felt it in the depths of her being from the very moment she had received this assignment. There could be no wishful thinking here. She needed to be confident that she could pass any test laid before her. It was the only way the bright future she had seen when she’d first transformed would become a reality. And so, with renewed determination, Ashley Avenir, the Knight of Tomorrow, confidently strode into the training room.

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Agent Avenir, reporting as instructed!”[/color] she announced, standing at attention, and doing her best not to look the least bit nervous.

Unlike Ashley, Binky was not transformed. She glanced between Ashley and her tablet.  [color=baddab]”Yea, Fritzi wanted to talk to you about that. It’s not unheard of for agents to use their last name as a call sign, but we suggest against it. The harder it is to tie your real identity to your esper form, the better.”[/color] Binky swiped through some pages on her tablet. [color=baddab]”There are a few names she was thinking of. We thought ‘Asimov’ had a nice ring to it, but she doesn’t really like robots too much. Not as agents, anyway,”[/color] Binky shrugged her shoulders. [color=baddab]”Regardless, she’s probably going to be addressing you as ‘Orion’ out in the field. Hopefully you like the name, because she doesn’t change her mind easily.”[/color] Binky lowered the tablet at her side and looked out over the course. 

Thankfully for Ashley, Binky turned out to be rather personable, perhaps one might even say somewhat adorkable. The novice agent listened intently as Binky noted that Dr. Moller wanted to give her a codename, and had ultimately decided upon “Orion”. It was a good choice, all things considered. Orion was a hunter, and Ashley’s primary task as an agent [i]would[/i] be to hunt monsters, after all. Still, Ashley couldn’t help but frown slightly. As it happened, she had [i]already[/i] thought of a possible codename for herself and had, in fact, grown rather fond of it. Upon further reflection, however, the young esper was forced to reluctantly concede that “Knight of Tomorrow” [i]was[/i] a bit long, and if Dr. Moller had made up her mind, who was Ashley to dispute her? [color=MediumSpringGreen][i]Maybe I can introduce myself as “Orion, the Knight of Tomorrow”?[/i][/color] she mused.

[color=baddab]”This is pretty much an all in one test. A hyper realistic hologram is going to cover the area, and I’ll act as your operator during the whole thing. It’s less an obstacle course and more a practice mission.”[/color] She placed a hand on her hip before looking back at Ashley. [color=baddab]”Your mission is to find the… we didn’t have any image files on hand, so you need to find and defend Ronald McDonald from approaching monsters. After you have secured him, you need to carry him to the extraction point. For the sake of this exercise, we’ll say he’s been frozen. Or hit by a spell that makes him feel like a bundle of wood?”[/color] With a snort, Binky scratched her back. [color=baddab]”This is just as much a test for you as it is for the course. Any questions?”[/color]

It seemed like a fairly basic exercise- locate a person of interest and take them to the extraction point, all while keeping them safe from monsters. From what Ashley could tell, [i]finding[/i] “Ronald” in a timely manner would be the hardest part. Once she’d done that, her powerset placed enough emphasis on healing and protective melodies that Ashley felt confident that she could get him safely to the evac point without much trouble. When asked if she had any questions, Ashley raised her hand.

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Um, do we at least have a rough estimate of where, uh, ‘Ronald’ is going to be? Also, when fighting the ‘monsters’, is it okay to use full strength melodies in here? I mean, I don’t want to damage anything…”[/color]

[color=baddab]”The course is fairly linear. Not at all like a real operation, but if you follow my instructions you should find the red haired clown. Just be prepared for-”[/color] Binky stopped herself. [color=baddab]”Actually, every operation has its share of surprises. As for the strength of your melodies, this is just as much a test for you as it is for the course.”[/color] She repeated. [color=baddab]”Aside from the hologram generator, everything in this course is relatively inexpensive and designed to be replaced if destroyed. It’s all part of the cost of maintaining espers. This is part of the reason why the government allows freelance espers to exist. ”[/color]

As she listened to Binky’s response, Ashley felt decidedly more confident in her chances of success, even with the mention of potential “surprises”. It was also good to know that she didn’t need to hold back with her melodies, although she was still somewhat curious as to what, exactly, she would be going up against.

A closer look at the course would reveal that while it did have space age white walls and a crisp appearance, most of the props looked like they had been pulled out of a junk yard. Piles of twisted metal and old tires could be seen further down the course, with the more expensive looking items were hidden away.  

Though Ashley wouldn’t have long to observe everything, as a static haze set over everything in sight. piles of garbage turned into twisting trees. Hanging ropes turned into vines. Even Binky’s attire seemed to change, and she now looked like she was wearing a leopard skin leotard, while her hair was tied up in a bun and held together with a bone. The training room had been transformed into a lush forest. 

[color=baddab]”I really need to talk to Fritzi about playing around with my avatar. She could have at least made me an amazon.”[/color] With a sigh, Binky stepped back towards the tree line. There was a clear path ahead of Ashley. [color=baddab]”If you’re satisfied, you can start running.”[/color]

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Right,”[/color] Ashley confirmed with a quick nod when Binky said she could begin. Moving at a pace that attempted to reach a balance between speed and caution, the young esper made her way down the jungle path. At the same time, she would be attentive to any instructions Binky chose to provide over her earpiece. With any luck, she would find Ronald before the monsters did. Or before [i]they[/i] found [i]her…[/i]

Binky’s voice was now being transmitted to Ashley via a com link located on her uniform. [color=baddab]”The target is up ahead. Ronald has presently been wrapped up by some-”[/color] Binky paused as if reading a script. [color=baddab]”Some spiders, I guess. They wrap people up in cheese, so you’ll need to remove the cheese in order to gain access to the target.”[/color]  

[color=MediumSpringGreen][i]Cheese?[/i][/color] Ashley thought to herself, after Binky’s first update sounded over her comlink. It was certainly strange, but from what she had learned during her first few months of training, real monsters could be pretty bizarre, so perhaps this wasn’t outside the realm of possibility? In any event, there would be time to consider such things later. Right now, there was a more pressing obstacle to deal with. 

Quite literally, in this case. As Ashley moved along, she came up to her first obstacle. It was a stone slab that was roughly fifteen feet tall and had no imperfections that one might use to scale it. Either side of the structure was covered in thorny foliage. It seemed less natural and more the sort of thing a game developer might include to railroad a player into facing an obstacle.

Even with the enhanced physical attributes of her esper form, Ashley knew there was no way she could leap over the wall which barred her path, and her Genre didn’t currently include any mobility enhancement notes. Sighing, the Knight of Tomorrow swiftly came to the realization that if she couldn’t go [i]around[/i] the barrier, she would just have to blast [i]through[/i] it. 

Time was of the essence, so Ashley prepared a melody that she hoped would be strong enough to penetrate the barrier in one shot. Raising her wand to point directly at the center of the obstruction, the ultra-tech instrument glowed a bright green, while a rising hum filled the air as particles of arcane energy gathered around its twin prongs, and the rapidly spinning sphere, which hovered between them. The swirling emerald motes soon coalesced into a diamond-shaped bolt of pure energy, which glowed with brilliant light. 

Ashley took a deep breath.

[color=MediumSpringGreen][i]Here goes nothing…[/i][/color] 

[Silver Projectile][Powerful][Piercing][Damage X] = -168 mana

As Ashley’s weapon powered up, her com crackled to life again. [color=baddab]”I find some humor in how you chose to blow down the first obstacle you see. Especially given your concern for the course. Though a question for you, if I may.”[/color] Binky cleared their throat. [color=baddab]”When that burning ball of energy blows that slab apart, how are you going to make sure it doesn’t fry our dear clown as well?”[/color]

Ashley’s eyes widened at the sound of Binky’s question.

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“W-What?!”[/color] she stammered. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Y-You mean he’s right on the other side of this wall?!”[/color]

Admittedly, she hadn’t anticipated that, but the novice agent quickly set to work rectifying the situation as best she could. With her melody just about fully powered up, Ashley shifted her aim to the far right side of the obstruction and repositioned herself so that her melody would strike at an angle, thus hopefully keeping Ronald well clear of the blast.

Of course, what looked like a digitally rendered rock was nothing more than some old wooden pallets nailed together to form a wall. They blew apart in spectacular fashion, throwing “stone chips” in every direction. The projectile was hardly satisfied with that and continued destroying everything in its way before slamming into a metal barrier. At least it sounded metal, but it looked like the projectile hit the trunk of a large tree. Only scorched earth remained in its wake. 

[color=baddab]”No, I was just curious. It’s important to think about these kinds of things when you don’t know where the hostages are in a rescue mission.”[/color] With a creek, what remained of the stone slab fell to the side.

Though it did seem like Ronald might be close by. Just ahead were several piles of cheese wedges, with the aforementioned spiders crawling around them. Only the spiders had a very unconventional shape. They appeared to be giant burgers with plastic straws for legs. The smaller ones were still running away from the destruction Ashley’s weapon wrought. But there were five that were large enough to eat a man, and they didn’t appear to be deterred by Ashley’s firepower. 

[b]”For the big cheese!”[/b] one cried out, and charged ahead. His buddies flanked him on either side, but it would be a bit before they were on top of her. 

With the barrier removed, Ashley was free to continue her search for Ronald. However, it wasn’t long before she was faced with a new problem- several hamburger spiders. Despite the monsters’ ridiculous appearance, the Knight of Tomorrow knew that it would be foolish to disregard the threat they posed. She also knew that she couldn’t waste time dealing with them in a prolonged engagement. She needed to get past them, and then find Ronald. Not wasting a moment, the high-tech heroine sprinted towards the lead spiderburger, her energy shield flashing to life to cover her torso, while her wand snapped off a few quick bolts of arcane power. These probably wouldn’t harm the whimsical monster too severely, but perhaps they would be enough to momentarily suppress it. 

[Silver Self][Shield][Reflect] = -120 mana

Ashley’s attacks peppered the front of the hamburger spider. While the massive body could take a few shots, its little straw legs were not up to the task of resisting an attack like that. The burger fell to the earth, momentarily unmoving. She attempted to leap over the creature, curling up her body so that her shield, which she had positioned directly below her, would completely block any potential attacks from that direction.

But jumping over the spider would prove to be tricky. It was difficult to judge just how big they were at first, but their large, tasty bodies were taller than Ashley’s own. She wouldn’t be able to jump over them, but managed to hop onto it and pull herself up. 

Before she could resume running to the clown’s location, the burger spun in place. Ashley fell onto her back and needed to do everything in her power to prevent from falling off the giant patty. But she couldn’t just stay there, as his buddies were closing in to assist.

The young esper knew she didn’t have much time in which to act, but thankfully, a new plan had begun forming as soon as she’d landed atop the lead spiderburger. Ashley knew that she was smaller than her arachnid opponents, and she was pretty sure she had them beat in agility as well. If she moved quickly, and avoided their attacks, she could use the strange creatures’ flat bodies as makeshift stepping stones. In addition, such a move also afforded the possibility that the creatures might accidentally entangle themselves in their own cheesy webs. With luck, that would allow her to reach Ronald, who appeared to be fairly close by, albeit almost completely encased in cheese…

Meanwhile, one of the nearby spiderburgers was clearly preparing to shoot a glob of webbing in her direction. Thinking fast, and not helped in the slightest by her rising dizziness, the Knight of Tomorrow decided upon a desperate, last-ditch strategy. If she could time things just right, she might, just [i]might,[/i] be able to use the momentum generated by the lead spiderburger’s rapid movements to her advantage…

Right before the nearby spiderburger launched its cheesy webbing, Ashley sprung into action. Raising her energy shield in an attempt to block the webbing, in the event she wasn’t quick enough to avoid it, the high-tech heroine released her hold on the lead spiderburger, just as it gave its mightiest thrust yet. Propelled by the creature’s unintended push, the Knight of Tomorrow would attempt to leap atop the spiderburger in the direction closest to Ronald, while firing a few bolts from her wand at the cheese securing the captured clown to the floor. Assuming she was successful in both avoiding the spiderburgers’ webs and freeing the encased Ronald, Ashley would continue leaping from spiderburger to spiderburger until she was close enough to grab the mascot and flee from the whimsical arachnids as fast as her legs could carry her. 

Before Ashley could take her next hop, the spider she was going to hop onto spotted her and opened its mouth. If she wasn’t careful, she would land between a soft bun and some warm cheese! 

Seeing the spiderburger’s maw opening wide before her, Ashley quickly prepared a melody and fired it down the creature’s “throat”. 

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Eat this!”[/color]

[Silver Projectile][Damage X] = -90 mana

Simultaneously, she positioned her shield between herself and the hungry monster, both to protect herself from any webbing it might choose to shoot, as well as any spray from what she hoped would be its imminent, messy demise.

The projectile struck true, and the burst briefly distorted the hologram. For just a moment, the burger spider looked like a wooden crate with an open lid. But it didn’t take the simulation long to correct the error to an overcooked burger laying on its side. 

[color=baddab]”You’re making good time, Orion.”[/color] Binky’s voice cut in again. [color=baddab]”I’ll just get a chopper at the extraction point, just keep heading north.”[/color]

[color=MediumSpringGreen]Roger,[/color] Ashley acknowledged.

Ashley was free to close the distance between herself and Ronald. All she had to do was pull aside a single slice of cheese to uncover him. And she did so

In more ways than one.

Under the slice of cheese was indeed one clown. His cheeks, nose, and hair were all the same shade as ketchup, and his face as white as chaulk. What Ashley might not have been expecting was that his clothes seemed to be missing. He was wearing white boxer shorts with little yellow M’s all over them, and nothing else. His arms were crossed over his chiseled abs, and he was smiling at her. [b]”Thanks for the save, my little nuggie!”[/b] He winked.

Ashley’s eyes went wide and she couldn’t help but blush at Ronald’s state of… [i]undress…[/i] Somebody clearly had some [i]very[/i] strange tastes… The mascot then proceeded to thank her for the rescue, in response to which the high-tech heroine stammered, [color=MediumSpringGreen]“O-Oh, um, y-you’re very welcome,”[/color] while doing her best to give an appreciative smile. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Come on, let’s get you to…”[/color] the young esper’s voice trailed off as Ronald was promptly snatched up by a man with a yellow scarf and a black and white jumpsuit.. 

[b]”Drats! The king must have hired the Cheeseburgler!”[/b]

And MAN was the cheeseburgler fast. He ran away from the spider burger nest as fast as his legs could carry him, with Ronald tucked under his arm.

[color=baddab]”I should have known the burger king would interfere with our mission!”[/color] Binky sighed, though it was unclear if she was in character or just found the simulation too absurd to handle. [color=baddab]”You know what to do, and don’t hurt Ronald!”[/color]

After blinking a few times to confirm that, yes, that really [i]did[/i] just happen, Ashley raced off in pursuit, the spiderburgers not far behind. In the event she could get a clean shot off, she’d fire a bolt from her wand at the fleeing cheesburgler, but she didn’t want to accidentally hit Ronald. It also didn’t help that her powerset was currently rather useless in situations like this, and without an ally to assist her, the high-tech heroine knew she faced quite the challenge.

[color=baddab]”You’re too slow to catch up to him.”[/color] Binky cautioned her. [color=baddab]”You’ll need to inconvenience them without hurting the VIP.”[/color]

Ashley’s chance might have been right ahead. After making her way through some rough obstacles, the course opened up to a pond. There was no way across, less you wanted to swim or swing on vines. The cheese burglar decided to swing.

[b]”The secret recipe will be mine!”[/b] He cried out before grabbing onto a vine. The way the cheeseburgler moved was like a monkey. They had a lot of control over their momentum and didn’t have a problem swinging from vine to vine with just one hand. Ronald cried out in a panic.

[b]”Big cheese! Big cheese!”[/b] The spiders cried out in a mantra as they closed in on Ashley’s position. 

Ashley knew she needed to act fast. She had been presented with a small window of opportunity, but it was closing by the second. The spiderburgers had almost reached her position at the edge of the lake, and with the frankly astonishing speed with which the cheeseburgler was moving from vine to vine, the young esper didn’t have time to attempt to hit the rival mascot’s hand. Instead, she opted for a different solution. Preparing a melody, Ashley aimed her wand at the cluster of vines in front of the cheeseburgler’s path. Being mindful to ensure she was constantly adjusting her aim so that it remained a short distance ahead of the fast-swinging mascot’s current position, she fired.

[Bronze Projectile][AoE][Damage X] = -96 mana

With luck, the ensuing burst of neon green energy would succeed in slicing through all the vines in front of the cheeseburgler, and at the speed he was going, Ashley was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to stop himself in time, before he plunged into the water below. In any event, the Knight of Tomorrow wouldn’t remain idle. The spiderburgers were nearly upon her, and so, a moment after she fired her melody, the high-tech heroine dove into the water and began swimming towards where the two mascots had hopefully landed.

The cheeseburgler fell into the pond, and Ashley dove in after him before long. The remaining spider burgers came to the edge of the pond but went no further.

[b]”No no no soggy buns bad![/b] They muttered to each other. It seemed the chase was over for them. 

As fast as the cheeseburgler was swinging, his strength meant little in the water. He was carrying a man under his arm and had a single arm to paddle with.

[color=baddab]”You’ve almost caught up, but don’t get overconfident, We have no idea what the enemy esper is capable of.”[/color]

Ashley was getting closer, but it wouldn’t be long before the cheeseburgler got to land. CShe needed to do something before he got to land. 

So, the cheeseburgler was an esper, was he? That figured. Although, aside from his superhuman speed, he hadn’t exhibited any other abilities, something that was sure to change once he reached dry land. If there was any positive aspect about the situation, it was that, when it came to swimming, Ashley appeared to be the faster of the two. But was she fast enough? The novice agent wracked her brain for a way to possibly slow the mascot down further. Her repertoire of notes didn’t include any means of restraining a target, or boosting her own speed, but perhaps…

Propelling herself with only her legs, Ashley unclipped her wand from her belt, pointed it at the fleeing cheeseburgler, and fired off a melody.

[Bronze Projectile][AoE][Damage] = -48 mana

With any luck, the melody’s AoE aspect would defuse the Damage note just enough to stun the captor, while leaving the captive relatively unharmed. Even if the pair began to sink, the high-tech heroine trusted that she would be fast enough to reach Ronald and pull him back up to the surface.  

Boof!

Both Ronald and the cheeseburgler yelped. The spell resistant esper took less damage than Romald did, but it was enough to get him to drop the clown. Before he could pick them back up again, the cheeseburgler noticed Ashley approaching and left him, choosing to swim ashore instead.

[b]”Thanks my little nuggie.[/b] Ronald said as Ashley drew closer. 

[color=baddab]”The extraction point should be just ahead. Keep an eye out for any hostiles. The Cheeseburgler hasn’t been neutralized yet.”[/color]

The burger thief slapped his hand against the ground, and a giant wall of meat rose up, creating a barrier. It didn’t stretch all the way around the pond, but it did prevent them from seeing each other.

Things were finally starting to look up. The cheeseburgler had been forced to relinquish his captive, and Ashley had Ronald safe in her grasp. Now all she had to do was get him to the evac point. Of course, there [i]was[/i] the slight problem of a meat wall blocking her path, but it also blocked her enemy’s line of sight, which gave her an advantage. 

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Take a deep breath, Ronald,”[/color] the young esper instructed, keeping her voice low so that the cheeseburler wouldn’t overhear. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“We’re gonna be going underwater for a bit.”[/color]

[b]”I trust your judgement, little nuggie.[/b]

Holding tightly onto the mascot, Ashley submerged herself beneath the water and began swimming towards the reeds near the shoreline a short distance away. Since the meat wall was blocking the path, she and Ronald would just swim to the edge of the jungle. By employing the dense foliage for cover, the high-tech heroine should hopefully be able to plan her next move in relative safety, skirt around the barrier, and maybe even launch a surprise attack on an unsuspecting cheeseburgler… 

While Ashley was under water, a spray of fries ripped through the meet wall. It seemed that the cheeseburglar was covering themselves in preparation for a hidden attack. But Ashley was out of sight for the moment, and it was likely that the cheeseburgler wouldn’t know exactly where to look. The cheeseburgler had their finger pointed like a gun, surveying the area for an esper and a clown who’s outfit was lost to some hamburger spiders.

Thankfully, the dense reeds provided enough cover for Ashley and Ronald to sneak out of the water and into the lush jungle foliage beyond. Watching the cheeseburgler from her place of concealment, the young esper aimed her wand at the rival mascot’s arm and fired off a melody.

[Silver Projectile][Damage X] = -90

While Ashley was normally against killing humans (or at least rough approximations of them) if she could help it, she really didn’t want to get involved in a prolonged combat, especially when she was so close to the evac point. And so, to ensure the cheesburgler would be unable to hinder them further, she would attempt to disarm the rival mascot (in this case, quite literally).

Perhaps if her attack was silent and didn’t glow so vibrantly it might have turned the cheeseburgler into a one-armed bandit. But he had just enough time to hop out of the way and raise his hand up for a counter. But now he was in a real pickle. After all, his objective was to capture Ronald for his secret recipe. The clown wasn't worth anything dead. He was at a disadvantage in this situation, and was forced to cut his losses and try again at a later date. He dove into the trees, disappearing from sight. 

Just ahead was the extraction site. Binky was standing there eyeing a stopwatch, and behind her was a red helicopter with a giant yellow “M” on it.

[b]”Just a bit further...”[/b] Ronald whimpered. As short as their time together had been, their adventure was starting to take a toll on the clown.

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Darn it,”[/color] Ashley grumbled as she watched the cheeseburgler dodge her shot. She really wished her various Glamours weren’t so bright and noisy, but there really wasn’t much she could do about that, now was there? At the very least, her attack had succeeded in driving the rival mascot off, leaving them a clear path to the nearby chopper.

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Okay, Ronald,”[/color] Ashley sighed. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Let’s go.”[/color]

Keeping her eyes peeled for any potential tricks from the cheesburgler, and staying within the cover provided by the jungle foliage for as long as possible, the Knight of Tomorrow set off for the chopper. With any luck, there would be no further surprises, but she held Ronald close, regardless.

Ashley would be pulled out of her thoughts by a soft click. When she looked towards the source of the noise, she would see it was just Binky tapping the stopwatch in their hand. [color=baddab]”That’s time.”[/color] She slid the watch into her pocket, which was something on her real outfit and not the prehistoric leotard she was currently wearing. [color=baddab]”So my verdict on the test course is that it needs work. Sprawling forests aren’t really where we expect to dispatch espers. While I appreciate Fritzi’s sense of humor, we could probably stand to use some models that weren’t taken from some fast food joint. There’s also the part where you tried to jump over a burger spider and nearly ran into the cables that held it up right. Cables work for flying opponents, but it’s too dangerous to use in a holographic simulation like this.”[/color] She crossed her arms. [color=baddab]”How do you think you did?”[/color]

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Um, fairly well, I guess?”[/color] Ashley replied hesitantly. While she was relieved that the exercise was finally over, she couldn’t help but feel a little apprehensive about Binky’s evaluation of her performance. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“I mean, I managed to retrieve Ronald and bring him to the evac point without him getting [i]too[/i] badly hurt,”[/color] she added, gesturing to the chopper. It was a bit unsettling to hear that [i]Dr. Moller[/i] had been the one to design this bizarre scenario, though. Ashley had always imagined the renowned researcher to be a very logical, straight-laced sort, and yet this newest revelation painted a picture of a far more whimsical individual…

[color=baddab]”I do not think many people with your skill set would be able to get through this course as fast as you did, but speed isn’t everything.”[/color] Binky cast her hand out towards the start of the course. [color=baddab]”You expended quite a bit of mana to get by the stone barrier. It was only fifteen feet tall, and it could have been scaled with a vine attached to an anchor of some sort. Barring that, you could have tied one end into a loop and caught it on the brambles on either side of the wall. If you were careful, you might have even been able to get the jump on the spiders without risking Ronald’s life. That melody was noisy, destructive, and could have hurt the VIP.”[/color]

Ronald patted Ashley on the back. [b]”You did okay.”[/b]

[color=baddab]”Don’t encourage her!”[/color] Binky scolded Ronald. [color=baddab]”And speaking of hurting the VIP, you shot a melody directly at him! I’m sure Fritzi would appreciate something as brazen as that, but the cheeseburger was an esper. He could have resisted such an attack, and it would have been more effective on poor Ronald! This is another situation where you could have used the environment to your advantage. Had you knocked down a few trees or even some branches, you could have denied the cheeseburger an escape and caught up to him.”[/color]

Ronald was still panting.  [b]”A little bit of pain reminds me what it’s like to be a man..”[/b]

Binky glared at Ronald, but decided not to argue with the simulation. [color=baddab]”It was a tragedy watching you successfully evade the Cheeseburger, only to whiff the shot that could have ended him. All melodies are noisy, but a beam would have denied him any chance to escape.”[/color]

Ashley cringed slightly as Binky picked apart her performance in exacting detail. Ronald, who for some reason hadn’t derezzed yet, tried to offer some encouragement, but the mascot’s words only made her feel even more depressed. After all, what good was she if she had to turn to a [i]hologram[/i] for support?

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“W-Well, um,”[/color] Ashley attempted to explain herself. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“I didn’t know how long it would take to try and scale the barrier, and I admit to not thinking through all the possible ramifications of using such a powerful melody, but I [i]was[/i] able to correct things so as not to put Ronald at risk. As for shooting that melody at him, I didn’t feel I had any other option. I don’t have access to restraining notes, and the cheeseburgler was far too agile for me to think knocking a tree over in front of him would hinder his movement in any way. So I did the only thing I could, while ensuring the melody would be as weak as possible.”[/color]  

At this point Ashley actually began to look a bit upset. Angry, even. 

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“And the reason I chose to use a projectile, rather than a beam, for that final shot is because the former has less of a delay in casting than the latter. I was [i]trying[/i] to catch him unawares, and, thanks to the way my Glamours work, powering up a beam is a [i]lot[/i] louder than firing off a bolt…”[/color] she grumbled, crossing her arms, while an annoyed scowl marred her face. 

[color=baddab]”But you had the element of surprise, and by the time he heard it, it would be too late to react.”[/color] Binky shook her head. [color=baddab]”Agent Orion, I am simply assessing your performance and showing you where you could have altered your strategy.”[/color] The corners of her lips curled up into a smile. [color=baddab]”When it comes to an operation, the result is binary. You are either successful, or you aren’t. I’m not some angry drill sergeant that gets a kick out of breaking down new recruits.”[/color] She pointed at herself with her thumb. [color=baddab]”My esper state lasts thirty seconds, and only if I don’t use any melodies. I’ve had to really train myself to use melodies only when absolutely necessary.”[/color] She shrugged her shoulders. [color=baddab]”But far too many recruits try to solve everything with melodies. Regardless, I think your examination went well. Fritzi is likely reviewing the data now, and may even talk to you later about it. But regardless of what she says, I’m glad you’re with us.”[/color] Binky took Ronald from Ashley and tossed him into the helicopter. He said something, but the whirling blades made it hard to hear. [color=baddab]”Is there anything you’d like to go over?.”[/color]

Ashley listened as Binky spoke, taking a particular interest in the revelation that her esper form could only be sustained for thirty seconds. That was definitely something she wanted to learn more about. She was also surprised by her instructor’s change in demeanor. Binky seemed a lot less critical and a lot more friendly, now that the review portion of the test was over.

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Thanks, Binky,”[/color] Ashley told her instructor with a sincere smile. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“And I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I wasn’t angry at [i]you,[/i]”[/color] Ashley clarified. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“I just don’t really understand why my powers work the way they do. They can be so inconvenient… As for questions,”[/color] she added. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“Well, I kind of thought that agents carried out assignments in teams, or at least in pairs. As you just saw, there are certain tasks I’m not particularly suited for taking on single handedly, but in a team situation, I’d like to think I have a lot to offer.”[/color]

[color=baddab]”Well first off, that’s not a question.”[/color] Binky had become firm once again. [color=baddab]”And yes, most of our agents have a specialty that they lean towards, but that doesn’t mean you can always rely on it. Agents do fall in combat, and when they do, the rest of their squad needs to cover for them. Who do you think would fare better when that happens: a group of highly trained specialists, or a group of highly trained generalists?”[/color] 

Ashley frowned when Binky asked her own, [i]actual,[/i] question. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“I guess a team of generalists…”[/color] she replied. 

Binky tapped her shoulder, and the holographic landscape turned off. The pallet wall laid in ruin, and there was a swimming pool that had acted as the pond for this course. [color=baddab]”While not all espers are effective on their own, it is important that we see what their weaknesses are and where they need to improve. This was not an official test, but do realize that I am responsible for training other espers, and my observations might be worth looking into.”[/color] She broke eye contact with Ashley. [color=baddab]”You are resourceful, you have value, but I’m not going to pretend you couldn’t have been better. I’ve worked with espers who have been doing this for years and can pick apart their performances.”[/color]

After the green-haired girl had finished with the rest of her micro lecture, Ashley hesitantly spoke up again. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“I-I know I made mistakes today, and I really [i]do[/i] want to improve myself, so, um, I’d be very grateful for any further advice you can give me, especially on how to mitigate my Glamours’ various detrimental drawbacks. For example, you said that you can’t really employ melodies, and that you can only remain in your esper form for thirty seconds, so how do you even accomplish anything? How do you  decide the right moment to transform, and how do you keep yourself safe in combat when you’re [i]not[/i] transformed? How do you figure out how to make the best use of such a limited window of opportunity? Do you gain enhanced reaction speed, so that you can process things more effectively?”[/color]

Ashley was now speaking quite quickly, asking one rapid-fire question after another. Having always been a rather inquisitive girl, and in light of her own limitations, she was eager to learn how Binky had managed to overcome what seemed like a far more crippling set of weaknesses. 

A low growl escaped Binky’s lips. [color=baddab]”Truth be told, I’m something of a special case. No operation is ever over in thirty seconds, so I’m usually required to stand by until I’m needed. I’m usually operating equipment on operations that warrant it, or defending key points until other espers arrive.”[/color] She didn’t look at the recruit. [color=baddab]”I’m pretty much a walking example of someone who can’t escape their specialist role, So please do your best to broaden your horizons.”[/color] Binky took a deep breath before turning to look at Ashley. After examining her face, she mustered a half smile. [color=baddab]”Hiding under the reeds was a good idea, by the way. Thinking like that will help keep you in action.”[/color]

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“I see…”[/color] Ashley replied with a slight frown after Binky explained her unique situation in a bit more detail. It seemed as though the green-haired esper wasn’t particularly fond of [i]their[/i] highly specialized nature either… [color=MediumSpringGreen]“I will!”[/color] Ashley declared with perhaps a bit too much intensity when Binky advised her to broaden her capabilities. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“That’s a promise!”[/color]

Ashley almost couldn’t believe it when, a moment later, Binky actually complimented her on one of her decisions, and, after overcoming her initial shock, the young esper gave her instructor a big smile. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“T-Thanks! It’s nice to know that I at least did [i]something[/i] right.”[/color]

[color=baddab]”Like I said earlier, you passed, not that it was anything too official anyway.I didn’t realize you were going to beat yourself up like that.”[/color] Binky sat down on a nearby bench. [color=baddab]”Alright, here. I tried to run the course myself just to test everything. I did have an advantage in that regard, but I recorded my attempt if you wanted to see it. It’s a lot slower than yours though. I didn’t want to use up my esper form on a test course so I did the entire thing with a simulated pistol.”[/color] She was scrolling through her tablet.

[color=MediumSpringGreen]“Really?”[/color] an incredulous Ashley inquired as she sat down to watch the recording. [color=MediumSpringGreen]“You mean you didn’t transform at [i]all?[/i]”[/color] She had to admit, she was [i]very[/i] interested to see how Binky’s test run played out…