Chapter 148. Gun Training

It had been about eight days since Lyra and Mika chose to stay on the farm to train with firearms. Aside from their first day, when Alex personally guided them through the absolute basics such as firearms safety, stance, grip, trigger control, and sight alignment, he had not had much time to oversee their training directly. In the days that followed, most of their time was spent on static shooting drills at close range, typically between three to ten meters. Their accuracy started off low but gradually improved as they internalized the fundamentals.  When Alex arrived at the training grounds, he was greeted by the sight of both girls practicing with blanks. Oddly enough, these were just as dangerous as live rounds, since the bullets were made of soft metals rather than energy crystals infused with Pokémon moves. Their targets were the same drones Clawitzer used for shooting practice, positioned ten meters away. The drones occasionally shifted positions to force the girls to aim again, preventing them from simply firing at a completely static target. "How's shooting practice going?" Alex asked as he approached. "Alex! You're back!" Lyra exclaimed, rushing forward to throw her arms around him in a hug. Mika followed right behind her wrapping her arms around him with a bright smile. "Sorry I had to leave just as your training started." "It's fine. We needed time to practice and improve on our own." "And? How's the progress going?" "See for yourself." The girls returned to their shooting practice while Alex stood by, quietly observing their performance. They were consistently landing 50 to 60 percent of their shots on target. Lyra showed slightly better precision, while Mika leaned more toward speed. Their improvement was evident, though still uneven in places, especially when fatigue began to take its toll. Even so, their progress was impressive, considering they spent eight hours a day on shooting drills and used the rest of their time sparring or exercising to build strength and endurance. "Excellent progress," Alex said with a nod. "I think you're both ready for more dynamic drills." He began teaching them how to fire controlled pairs, reload efficiently under pressure, and transition between multiple targets. Shooting while moving was introduced gradually, beginning with simple lateral steps and eventually building up to more active footwork and fluid movement. "So, how was the trip?" Lyra asked. "Judging by your last one, did you rescue another damsel in distress in Pewter City?" "It was okay. Visited an orphanage, killed the director, took her face, walked through the front door of their main base, destroyed their security system, killed over two hundred people, looted the place, watched Brock simp out, and had the most amazing noodles." "Noodles? Did you bring any?" "Sorry. I forgot to pack some. Want to stop by sometime? We can just teleport over." "It's a date then," Lyra said with a grin. "Ahem," Mika cut in, arms crossed. Lyra smirked. "A date with three people." "I'm more interested in Brock simping out," Mika said. "She was the head of the human supremacists in Pewter City," Alex began. "She'd been causing Pokémon floods to hit the city for nearly a decade. And at the same time, she was dating Brock." "Oh my god! And? Did they fight? Did they make up? He simped out so they made up, but how? What did she say?" Mika asked, firing off questions in rapid excitement. Alex recounted the full story, detail by detail, as Mika practically swooned at the drama. "Ew," Lyra muttered. "But it was so romantic," Mika insisted. "Almost got buried in that cavern because of their drama," Alex grumbled. "You deserve it for snooping," Mika replied. "I wouldn't have been able to tell you the story if I didn't snoop." "You got me there." By the end of the day, the story had spread to the other girls, and most of them were just as enamored with it as Mika, except for Nyx, Kaia, and Rhea, who thought Brock was far too forgiving considering the devastation Lirien had brought to the city. They reasoned she must have been phenomenal in bed to have been forgiven that easily. In the weeks that followed, Alex kept his promise to Lyra and Mika, personally training with them every day. In addition to their excellent progress in shooting practice, he sparred with them regularly and provided workout routines designed to target the right muscle groups. He also taught them proper hand-to-hand combat techniques, including gun disarming and muzzle reading. By the end of the second week, their gun training had yielded noticeable results. Their accuracy improved to an average of 65 to 75 percent, depending on the complexity of the drill. Lyra's careful aim resulted in tighter groupings, while Mika's quick reflexes helped her complete drills faster, albeit with a slightly greater margin for error. Both girls began developing personal shooting styles that reflected their unique strengths. By the third week, Alex implemented stress drills and shoot/no-shoot scenario training. They engaged targets while advancing and retreating, used cover more intelligently, and learned to identify threats quickly.  Their performance under pressure was shaky at first, but repetition hardened their instincts. Mika initially overthought her responses but adapted quickly, while Lyra proved steady even in chaotic setups. Accuracy across varied drills improved to roughly 70 to 80 percent, with tighter consistency and faster response times becoming more apparent in both. In the fourth week, training focused heavily on realism and tactical decision-making. Alex ran them through mock combat courses that combined movement, target identification, and shooting from awkward positions, sometimes while physically exhausted. They practiced room clearing, worked under time constraints, and responded to complex scenarios on the fly.  Their accuracy rose to 80 to 90 percent, with their mechanics becoming second nature and their decision-making sharpening by the day. Both Lyra and Mika had grown into competent, reliable shooters, capable of handling real-world engagements with a calm efficiency well beyond most civilians. In terms of their overall progress, their physiques hadn't changed much. Both were already in excellent shape from their time at the police academy and the constant movement during their journey, so they were already physically fit. However, their overall strength finally matched their status as Expert-ranked trainers, thanks to the Elite ranked meat Alex had been feeding them. It was a significant upgrade from their usual Expert ranked diet, and the improvement in strength was noticeable. As for their Pokémon, they picked up a few new tricks, but nothing beyond that. A month simply wasn't enough time for any major breakthroughs. Even so, they likely made the most of it, especially with the support system Alex's Pokémon provided when it came to training and combat. "I'm going to miss you guys," Lyra said as she gave each of the girls a big hug. Their month of training had come to an end, and it was time to continue their journey. They were taking a moment to say their goodbyes. Both wore short skirts, crop tops, comfortable shoes, and slim backpacks. They also carried Trapinch and Axew in their arms, which made them look cute and deceptively vulnerable. Inside those packs, however, was enough ammunition to level the base Alex had taken down three weeks earlier. Alongside it was top-of-the-line camping and security gear, purchased by Alex and modified by Rhea to enhance overall safety and comfort. They also carried a year's supply of Elite ranked meat, courtesy of Alex. They were armed to the teeth, each carrying a pair of compact pistols with 20-round magazines, designed by Rhea to suit their smaller hands and minimize bulk. Lyra's pistols were blue for killing and silver for support. Mika's were black and silver, serving the same purpose. The color schemes matched their hair. Their clothes had no pockets, and since it wasn't realistic for Rhea to install spatial compartments into every outfit, she integrated them into the Poké Ball belts for quick access during emergencies. While this setup was less stealthy than originally intended, it was the most practical solution under the circumstances. Additionally, they each had thigh belts designed for the same purpose, in case their outfits couldn't accommodate a standard belt like the ones they were currently wearing.  Each compartment could hold a pistol and three spare magazines. It was the most that could fit given the limited space Rhea had to work with, but it was more than enough to take down a group of perverts. Their combat armor was based on the same design as Alex's, but it was customized to fit their bodies perfectly. A professional tailor handled the fabric adjustments, ensuring a snug and comfortable fit, while Rhea finished the suit by installing the armor plates. The full set included a tactical helmet, an armored vest, reinforced pants and shoes, and a heavily armored long coat. "Be sure to stop by every now and then," Alex said. "Or at least call." "I know, I know. You don't have to baby us so much," Lyra replied, sounding like a rebellious teen. "Don't worry. I'll make sure we call regularly," Mika added, playing the role of the responsible daughter. "You should hurry up. Your window's closing," Nyx reminded them. Now official bounty hunters, Lyra and Mika had convinced Nyx to act as their informant, the same role she already played for Alex. Naturally, the bounties they pursued were mostly under the million Pokédollar mark. Targets above that level had usually survived for a reason and weren't to be taken lightly. At Alex's signal, Gardevoir teleported the pair to Celadon City, where they planned to head south along the bike trail. A recent attack had been reported in the area, giving them a solid lead to kick off their journey. Nyx then turned to Alex with a pointed look. "You need to go too. That nest isn't going to hunt itself." "Alright. Thanks, Nyx." "Anytime." A minute later, Gardevoir returned. Alex gave her a new set of coordinates, and without another word, they vanished. It was time to hunt some Pokémon nests. ----- An R-18 beach chapter series totaling over 10,000 words in 5 chapters is available on Patreon. It also serves as a refresher on what the girls look like. I know I sometimes forget, so hopefully this helps you too. I've been wanting to write this for a while, but I kept putting it off. Eventually, I realized it didn't quite fit into the main chapter flow, so I decided to release it as a bonus. Enjoy! Support me on Patreon patreon/babywrath