The art of marksmanship. Death from afar, defense for up close [Ranged weaponry class! Closed!]

"Good afternoon, students," Felix stated, his voice growing mirthless and stern. More to get the attention of whoever had decided to enlist and attend his class. "Thank you for attending, even those that are just a tidbit late," the warmth returned to his voice once more. A jovial and welcoming tone was what his voice consisted of. "As you might've read in the course description, this is a practical class to train marksmanship, including semblance aiming. And give some pointers on how to defend yourself when forced into melee combat with a firearm," knowing full well the caliber some students used as bullets, a smirk played on his lips and he let out a soft sigh. "Or just obliterate the fly completely."

He shrugged, before pulling out his own pistol. "Ranged weaponry comes in all manners and forms. Bows, pistols, rifles, launchers," he flicked the weapon around. "But they all have one thing in common. Either they have attachments to aid your aim. Such as scopes, optic sights, you name it. Or they don't, at which, you're falling back on iron sights on firearms and composite bows, or for the more stylish students under us, a bow or crossbow without any kind of aiming assistance." He ran his finger across the top of his own pistol. "Iron sights," he stated, before flicking it around and holstering it again. "A ranged semblance is a tad more difficult, but see it as lobbing a grenade or firing a mortar. Semblance aim requires a lot more practice than using weaponry."

"Now. It is indeed easier to use optics and attachments to aid in shooting. Though again, there's a clear difference whether there is magnification involved. If you want to drastically increase your long range effectiveness, slam a scope on it. Though realize that you're also throwing away close range advantages. State what you will. Hip fire will only run you out of ammo." He took a deep breath, before grinning momentarily. "Feel free to stop me at any time you have questions, by the by."

Richard wasn't certain what he was doing in this class, he didn't have a weapon and his semblance couldn't generate projectiles... well it could; but certainly not traditional ones. Perhaps it was because the lecturer had left out the type of projectile Richard was practiced at creating; that formed of dust. He then brought up sights... well, Richard was hardly going to attach a scope to his arm; he could maybe invest in some binoculars but anything outside that seemed rather pointless. He could do just find with analog measurement; using the proportions of his own arm and scaling to that of the environment around him. Extending one arm ahead of him, pointing his fingers to the sky and having his thumb point toward his chest, he could generate the required triangles to calculate most any distance as long as he had some point of reference... if he really needed to he could create a reference point himself with earth or plant dust.

Honestly, was this a bust? He'd forced himself out of bed for a class that didn't seem to relate to him much at all. He wanted to improve his ranged fighting, controlling the battlefield was vital to how Richard fought, but if this class was so intrinsically tied to weapon combat well... perhaps he could prompt a change in direction. He wasn't the type to speak out, but...

He drew a crystal from beneath his scarf, light blue in colouration, and begun to gently weigh it between his fingers; almost alike one would click their pen on and off. The glow and the light should, hopefully, have prompted the Professor... despite Richard's shortness likely obscuring him within the crowd of people. Hopefully, upon seeing this, the lecturer may recall that some students would use dust; both in their weaponry and outside of weaponry in order to generate projectiles... that or just get to talking about it if they had intended to later.

A Marksmanship class hmmm that was something Sammey didn’t think that would be a class on its own. With her bow and Arrows with her the bow being a ice blue color and her snow white and ice bule  quiver hooked onto her  lower back but just above her hips. It wasn’t often that a professor outside of combat classes or for something big but at the same time it was a marksmanship class so it sounded like you would need your weapon more than most other classes.

Sammey stopped in front of a door to the class she looked at the time to see she was like always five minutes early to the class. As she walked in she seen the professor in the front of the class so she like always sat in the back corner of the classroom and sit down and got her thing setup for the class. With her bow sitting on the desk in front of her things.

Maestus was already completely overwhelmed with thoughts listening to this guy talk about iron sights and scopes or whatever.  The main reason she signed up for this class was because she realized that her main weakness was her lack of ranged, so she felt determined to learn as much as she could from this class, but now?  Although what he was talking about might not seem very complicated to most, it's important to note that, when it came to combat, she was only experienced in using her claws.

As Maestus listened, she held her hands on top of her head, anxiously tapping on her 'crown' and tapping her foot whilst trying to keep up with all of the information being given to her. When Felix mentioned that he was open to questions, however, she stopped immediately.  Holding her hand high in the air like an excited child, Maestus asked, "I know you talked about guns and bows, but will we go over javelins? Throwing knives?  Anything that you can throw? Because I... uh..."

Maestus lowered her hand slowly upon realizing a very important error she might've made choosing this class.  "I don't own... a gun."  If she didn't feel stupid or out of place before, she certainly did now.  She thought that this would be a class for teaching someone how to properly use guns or bows or something!  Turning her head to her feet, she kicked idly at nothing, hoping the teacher wouldn't be too upset with having a student that didn't even have a ranged weapon.

He was immediately stopped for questions, a hand rose. And a smirk grew on his face. "Yes, you in the white and gold?" Felix folded his arms and nodded. "Indeed," judging from her voice that she was female, "miss?" Having inquired her name and hopefully have gotten an answer, Felix took several steps to the rights and padded several armoured boxes.

"I was hoping that people would present their own weaponry, or perhaps semblance," the soft smile was still present. "Though I came prepared. I was allowed to pull some strings and get my hands on some second hand military stuff. These contain firearms, javelins, weighted knives." He glaced around the room, not having missed the shimmer of dust. "And dust, for the individual that decided to play with it now. Please be mindful of it."

He snorted slowly. "There is no shame in not owning a gun, Miss." Felix was quick to reassure. His class, after all, was to learn things about how ranged combat went. And even if a student didn't have the means to fight with ranged weaponry, it might be a lesson on how to fight someone possessing the range advantage. "You, along with every student are here to learn, first and foremost. Even if it is just to counter someone with ranged weaponry. I'm by no means a close combat expert such as my peers. But I can hold my own in a brawl."

He glanced around the students. "Anyhow, to pick up on my original explanation." He pondered for a moment, before nodding to himself. Moving over to a blackboard that had been wheeled in the shooting range for this exact purpose. "By now we have realized there's a plethora of way to deal damage from afar. Weaponry, semblance and dust. The latter two often in tandem with eachother. Though dust infused weaponry or ammo is not unheard of either," he explained whilst writing the three up on the blackboard. Tapping it momentarily. "Weapons, allow for aim assistance," so he wrote 'AIM' underneath. "Semblance is.. Very broad. And difficult to discuss. For more questions regarding your actual semblance, Mister Elderwood's classes would be a smart idea. As would be Mister Orange's. I'm just here to help you with actually aiming them. Lobbing fireballs, having beam rays. If it is ranged, I will try my damndest to assist you. But the most important about semblance is practice." And so, the word 'PRACTICE' was written underneath. "Lastly, dust. I know the very basics of dust and how to use it, but any more intricate questions will need to go to my colleague, miss White. If you have a dust infused weapon, fall back to," tapping his chalk on 'weaponry', "Weaponry." He took a deep breath. "Raw dust, either in it's refined form or crystals still, are a bit more odd to deal with. I've been informed of students who know how to shape crystals or dust dust in a way that they can utilise it for ranged. Which I personally appluad."

He shook his head. "Regardless, as you might realize. This class will come to be a very practical one. I'm not a stickler for history, though there will be theory about the current technology in firearms and ranged weaponry down the line." He smirked. "Yes. This theory will be tested on your practicum." He shook his head and smacked his fist on one of the crates, the lid slamming open. His foot moved up to kick the blackboard away, sending it sailing to the wall, tapping softly against the side of she shooting range. "As you might all see, I've set up a plethora of holotargets. If you didn't bring your own weaponry, take from the crate reserved. If you have any questions, or issues with aiming. Just raise your hand. I'll be moving through and try to get to everyone and offer advice." He coughed momentarily. "Call it stereotypical. But the most important thing here is to also have fun. I realize that I'm a bit more practical than my colleagues."

He clapped his hands. "Now Rouse!"

This was... a lot of talking. Richard was having a hard time keeping up focus, he was so used to reading books and being in control of pace that when faced with a monsoon of speech his mind was finding it difficult to keep up. The blackboard had singular words written upon it rather than the whole of the text he spoke. At the sound of clapping and the rising of individuals, heading toward crates that seemed to be full of weaponry, Richard couldn't help but look down to his intricately carved crystal. Evidently he would have to use from his own supply... he'd simply take from the teacher's to restock what he would lose.

Straightening his back, turning his head and hearing a mild crack he looked out to the array of targets lain before him. Richard would draw his claws on his right hand, sliding out not like most typical faunus claws did (from beneath the nail) but rather the flesh on the top digit of his finger split down the centre before the sickle like white claws rose like the knife of a switchblade. Shifting the crystal between his hands and locking it in place through the use of his claws, each penetrating a separate grove which had been meticulously craved into the raw dust. Holding the crystal to his chest, in his right hand, he extended his left arm to create an L shape with the target filling the gap. Clenching the muscles in his right arm a claw would penetrate the crystal and split it down the centre; a ray of pure cold energy bursting from the centre and penetrating through the holographic target. The stream of cold would go on for a good few seconds, Richard seemingly able to angle the beam even as it was firing. It hadn't been a direct hit through the centre, but it couldn't have been off by more than a couple of inches. Behind the target, where the beam had been halted by the wall, an icy puddle had formed roughly a meter in diameter.

Now with this crystal split into two he sheathed his claws and took a portion in each hand, the sum of them was smaller than the total of the crystal but they would suffice for throwing. As he held them he noted that they were beginning to grow, the shattered halves were leaking and freezing in an almost jagged formation. Waiting till he found them roughly symmetrical he would throw them in an overhand manner, not unlike one would throwing knives, first that in his right hand and then that of the left. Again neither would pass directly through the centre, always just a little off, but as the masses shattered against the back wall they would affix themselves to the wall and expand outward as numerous sharp icicles.

Quite content with this Richard would reach behind himself, into his baggy jumper, and unhook his weapon. From his back he had pulled what looked to be a black suitcase with two indents separating the outer quarters of the case from the middle portion. Around it's edge were not additional black metal panels but instead chains. Reaching and pulling from an area next to the handle her removed one, then another, black metal sickle from the box. As he pulled on them chains, attached to the bottom of what looked to be ornate wooden handles, emerged and the box fell to hang between them. Gripping the handles he began to scope out the range for his next volley of attacks. As he had pulled the handle the at the bottom of the box had seemingly folded inward, as though it could no longer be pulled.

As the Professor was taking Sammey was make note in her head she has outstanding memory. He only seemed to have only really talked for about 15 mins max. "As you might all see, I've set up a plethora of holo targets. If you didn't bring your own weaponry, take from the crate reserved. If you have any questions, or issues with aiming. Just raise your hand. I'll be moving through and try to get to everyone and offer advice." Sammey looked around and seen in the group someone seen worked somewhat with before and make sure to stay away from him. Sammey walked over to the holo targets farest from the person and pulled out her bow and looked at the holo targets.

Seeing something like this reminded her of when her mother was showing her how to first use the bow. She pulled out her bow and opened it this was going to be fun for her. As she started to shoot hit every holo targets dead center every time. After about 15 arrows she stopped and smiled seeing everyone of her arrows hitted the center of every target. It was some time since she last did something like this it was a nice feeling and really shooting grimm all the time was getting old.

Maestus tried her best to listen as intently as she could while Felix talked, but had a hard time after about thirty seconds. After this time, she began to look around as he talked, only focusing her attention back on him when he started to write something, but she'd soon lose focus when he was done. When Felix hit the crate with his fist and mentioned the weapons within it, she began to shift in excitement at finally being able to practice her ranged combat. Soon, she'd be able to find out exactly what she was good at outside of melee fighting.

The second he clapped his hands, Maestus dived towards the box as if she were an animal, and the crate her prey. Opening it up, she waited a moment, unsure of which weapon she was going to try first. "I've never used... this!" The android snatched a pistol out of the crate before sprinting towards a target. Once she was wherever she was supposed to be, she took aim. As soon as she fired her first shot, the gun flew out of her hands and onto the floor, making Maestus jump a fair distance up in surprise. Guns fight back? Maestus picked up the pistol cautiously and placed it back in the crate, upset that a weapon would attack it's own user.

She would then walk over to Felix to ask a question. "Excuse me. There's something wrong with that one. It pushed back when I tried to use it, and it made me drop it on the floor." She crossed her arms, upset that a teacher would let her use faulty weaponry and possibly put her in danger. She wasn't nearly angry enough to yell or anything, but she was certainly irritated with Felix.

"Deep breath, shoulders straight, yet relaxed," he stated whilst a student holding a rather heavy caliber of rifles nodded solemnly. Before Felix had actually gotten to this man, he had tucked the rifle in his hip and partook in the most base definition of hipfire. The rifle being set to fully automatic. "Align the closest sights to the furthest. Take a deep breath and squeeze the trigger slowly." As soon as the words left his mouth, a single shot rung from the rifle. And an empty casing was ejected. Felix glanced at the target, right between the eyes. "Keep this up. Single shots or short controlled bursts. Don't forget to hand your score in after class. And don't hipfire." He padded the student's shoulder and turned around, to face Maestus this time around.

He seemed confused for just a moment at the android's remark, before a chuckle left him. "I'm sorry," he held up his hand and moved over to the crate, fishing out the gun that he reckoned Maestus dropped in. Since it looked just tossed in and he could see the safety was just turned off. "Several things first, young lady, I'll get to the kicking part soon." Felix held up the gun, sliding out the magazine. "Never, ever, place a gun back without turning the safety back on." He put the magazine to the side and cycled the slide twice, a chambered round popping out, before clicking the safety on. "I've completely disarmed this weapon," he said whilst placing it in the crate again, kneeling down to pick up the round that popped out. "By taking out the magazine and the last bullet in the chamber." He held the bullet up clearly for Maestus to see. Tapping the casing. "There's gunpowder in here, when the primer at the bottom of the bullet is hit," showing suit, he proceeded with his explanation. "It detonates, sending the bullet itself," tapping the copper bullet now. "And will send it flying. The kick you feel is from that gunpowder detonation." Plucking the pistol from the crate again, Felix took it in both hands. "When you're new to firearms and pistols, you want to hold it with two hands, your dominant hand on the grip and finger either on, behind the trigger or infront of the trigger guard." He tapped his left hand against the magazine. "Your other hand here, gripping on your dominant hand for stability and recoil dampening. Then you line up the sights and shoot." He flicked the pistol around and held it out to Maestus. "Veterans like myself tend to hold pistols of low to average caliber with one hand and already have a proper sense of target acquisition and recoil compensation. But you, and most students here, need to mind that. And gun safety." He gave Maestus a soft smile, nodding. "If that's all?"

After being done with the android, Felix moved over, standing a bit behind Richard and folding his arms. Watching silently for the time being.

(( I'd like to apologize for a lack of proper writing and a possibly rushed post. I found a brief moment to post, so I seized it. ))

Richard couldn't help but frown deeply, his mentor would have thrown him to the Ursa... best method to learn was to gain a couple scars. Mental, physical, on the self or on someone else... it didn't seem to really matter as long as you lived long enough to think about your mistakes. Besides, we should all have aura here... shouldn't we? Perhaps he was over estimating the others but regardless, he felt like this guy was soft ballin' em.

Blades now in hand Richard began to swing the chain in his right, building momentum before releasing it and piercing through the upper section of the target... but in pulling it back toward him the blade cut deeply through it as though it were rending down it's centre. Next came an arced through from the left hand, across the body and while that blade rushed toward it's target he threw the right handed chain once more to strike quickly in the centre... the two met the target at the same time. An effective feint... not that there was much point in feinting a target. Richard heaved a shallow sigh, whipping the black sickles back toward himself. From the centre of his chest a rumble groaned... would sneaking out now be that hard...

Sammey looked at the targets she hit and did a small smile. She looked around to see how some of the other people here doing. Hmmm? It looked like most of them didn’t know how to shoot by the sounds and looks of it. She was thinking to herself why so many would take a marksman class and not know how to even use a long range weapon, and or not even have one? It made no real sines to Sammey on why they do something like this but it was o...k..?? Maybe?

She than gone ahead and got her arrows back and started to shot them again and like for for she hit the targets dead center. So that was 30 time she hit them in a row. It sounded good to her if she stopped for a bit so the others don’t fall back too far behind her.

After being told about exactly why what just happened had happened, Maestus reluctantly reached for the pistol, arming it again and taking the safety off. Maybe this time... She took aim at one of the targets and, once satisfied, fired again. This time, she was ready for the force that she would receive, and locked her joints. After firing, she took a look at where she left her mark. She hit her target perfectly.

After seeing how well her first real shot was, the excitement got to her, and she began firing again. One after the other, faster and faster until she heard a quiet clicking sound instead of the exhilarating banging noises she expected. Unsure of what to do, she pulled the trigger again, and nothing but that click could be heard. Maestus's excitement was now replaced with disappointment as she realized that bullets are indeed not infinite, and she just used up every single one in that pistol. "I uh... I guess I should try something else anyway." She did her best not to show her sadness.