Eleanor wasn't as scared of heights as she was of things that ought to be familiar to her suddently turning unfamiliar, otherwise she would've been shaking like a leaf as soon as she stepped into the airship. No – it was the moment she was issued her rifle and instructions that she felt her legs start to buckle and wobble. Not that she was unfamiliar with guns altogether, as her grandmother kept a pair of lighter women's rifles for them to use whenever the local lord deigned to invite the two tavern keepers, also famous in their area for the way they prepared fresh game, on one of his hunts; it was when she saw the loading mechanism that the rifle wasn't the single-shot type that she was more accustomed to.

At least the newfangled contraption was handed to her pre-loaded but still, what in Hell's Kitchen was she to do once she ran out of bullets, not to mention when those... things would start to come at her? It looked so easy when she watched her squadmates work their weapons, but could she also pull it off as deftly as they did, and in a pinch no less? Could she keep the thing from jamming, or heaven forbid, blowing up in her hands? So long as this one thing kept worrying her, not even ten bandoliers of ammunition around her waist could make her feel better (an obviously stupid idea in any case), especially knowing that they won't be facing the likes of criminals or terrorists, but outright abominations and creatures straight out of nightmares.

Jumping from as high as they did was no less scary, but at least it took her mind off her rifle for a while. The thought that the dress with the shorter skirt she picked for herself wouldn't gather as much air as the others' would as they dropped cheered her up, but only a little, and not for very long.

Unlike the rifle, the parachute was much simpler to work: just yank the ripcord like so when you feel it's the right time to do so, and – voila! – arrive at your destination looking like an intact human being and not like a pizza that's botched, bloodied and flattened beyond all recognition. That easy! There was still the issue of extricating herself from the limp, clumsy thing once she landed, but thankfully Polina and the others were standing not very far from where she wound up. Free from her parachute, Eleanor unshouldered her rifle, inspected it one more time to the best of her ability, and quickly made her way to her squad. “Polina! Everyone! I'm coming with you!” she cried as she hurriedly let loose one shot, and then another, at the hideous things as soon as they reared their ugly heads. She wasn't really counting on her bullets hitting anything that mattered, but at least maybe she could distract the monsters for a little longer while the rest of the squad did their thing.