After that, target practice was over. But the class wasn’t finished, as Anastasia, the Russian teacher, had them put their guns back and dragged them into a nearby building. Although some had been beaten by the unknown slaps, they kept their mouths shut, and kept moving forward for the fear of being beaten again.

Inside the building, a strong smell of gun oil, rust and metal filled the room, despite it being well ventilated.

Smiling, Anastasia turned to the blanks, “Before you can leave here you must repair guns. Those of the top rank 1–10 have the need to fix only ten guns. 11–20, twenty guns. The rest, thirty guns. You have until midnight to finish, and I will inspect each gun. If it is not up to my standards, then I shall whip you once for each mistake. I assume those who’ve dealt with it know the pain and wish not to repeat it.

In response, some of the girls shivered, as they clutched their arms trying to forget.

Seeing them wiggle made the Russian feel all giddy inside.

“Now, if you look at the left side of the wall, there are manuals on each gun here that’ll walk you through the process of repairing these guns. You each may ask me one question, and only one question per class, and I’ll decide if I want to answer it.

“Now take your stations and begin.”

And so, the blanks spread out to claim a table for themselves, with Alex and Fei getting a table next to each other. With her station secure, Alex looked at the giant pile of guns, and watched the girls fight over the better looking ones.

Not feeling up to fighting for guns, she shrugged her shoulders and headed over to Anastasia. Watching Alex come over made the Russian raise an eyebrow, as she didn’t expect a question right away.

“What do you want, First?”

“Do we get anything as a reward if we do extra things such as drugs, a better score, or better privileges?”

“Hooo? Trying to sweet talk me, blank? If you put in the effort to fix extra guns besides your quota, I’ll pay you in drugs depending on the quality of the work.”

With a sly smile, Alex thanked Anastasia for her response and headed over to the massive pile of guns. By now, the herd had picked up their guns and were currently trying to find a book for them.

She had thought about also going over to look at the books, but decided to try something she thought about on the fly. Digging through the pile, she picked up only handguns, no matter the type, and carried them over the table in batches. When she finished, she had over two hundred types, ranging from various types of damage.

Moving the magic within her, she picked up a handgun and began to study it. The numbers began to flow out, revealing the gun's current status.

Trashed Glock 19

Attachments: None

Condition: Broken

Ammo:0/0

Picking up another pistol, she let the numbers study it as well.

Trashed Desert Eagle

Attachments: None

Condition: Broken

Ammo:0/0

One after another, she studied the guns to learn their names and how many of each kind she had. After making neat piles, she picked the three best looking pistols of each group and began opening them up for study.

Around her, including the teacher, people noticed the strangeness of what Alex was doing and wondered what she was up to.

Meanwhile, Alex was off in her own little world, as information kept flowing into her head and she learned about the inner workings of handguns.

Soon, the simple information of the handguns became more detailed.

Trashed Glock 19

Attachments: None

Condition: Broken tiger, broken spring, chamber needs cleaning, warped guide rod.

Ammo:0/0

Like this, she figured out the problems of each gun, and knew how to put them back together. With a confident smile, she headed over the part section for the list of replacement parts and started gathering them in bulk.

Heading back to her table, she got to work, as her hands began to fly over the table and the numbers lead her actions in fixing up the guns. Anastasia's eyes grew wide as she saw Alex moving from one gun to the next, although her first movements were slow and a little jarring, by the tenth pistol, she had gotten to a competent level. By the fiftieth, skilled, and by the hundredth, practically an expert.

The amount of time it took her to finish was an hour and a half. Wiping the sweat off her brow, she looked around, and saw the looks of awe and disbelief. And when she cast her gaze over at her teacher, she saw her head tilt with eyes filled with a blazing curiosity.

“Teacher, I’ve finished repairing one hundrerd guns. Would you please check my work.”

In response, Anastasia shook her head and dug into her pockets, “No need. I’ve carefully watched and you’ve done well. Here is your reward.”

Throwing a bag at her. Alex caught it, to find out it was a bag of drugs, high quality at that.

With a happy smile, Alex was about to leave and head over to the library, when she was stopped by another blank. Bewildered, she looked and saw the E-Rank badge and saw a gun laying on top of her hands.

Cheeks hollow, the girl asked, “Can you help me fix this?”

Feeling pity in her gut, she was about to agree, when Fei held out her hand between the two.

With a snarky smile Fei asked, “Sure my friend could help you, but do you have anything in return for her effort?.”

“I wa-”

In a flash, Fei covered Alex’s mouth, “Sorry, I have something really important to talk with my good friend. Can you give us a moment?”

The hollow girl merely nodded her head in response.

Sending looks at the other girls, Fei dragged her over to a corner to talk.

After they had a little more privacy, Fei let her hand go.

Now able to talk, Alex asked grumpily, “What do you think you're doing?”

Fei just gives her a look, “What am I doing? What are you doing?! About to do free labor without getting anything in return is beyond stupid.”

“What’s wrong with helping another magical gi—Oh.”

Seeing Alex be struck with a realization, Fei nodded her head in approval, “You’ve seen how magical girls act. They are usually greedy, high, drunk, or bloodthirsty. But the most important thing is that they are incredibly lazy. Unlike you who works so hard for some weird damnable reason.

“If you don’t ask for something in return for your services, then they will just use you.”

“I get that, but what can something basically broke offer me?”

Rolling her eyes Fei replied, “Sometimes I wonder if your stupid or smart, or just a sheltered princess.”

“Hey!”

“You can offer them to work for you. You remember that question you asked the teacher, right? The more you trade in, the more rewards you get. She never said that the guns had to be your own.”

“Oh, I teach them how to assemble guns and they give me gun tax for teaching them. I turn those guns in and get a reward. By doing so, I’m not relied on, and they can then stand on their own feet.”

“Now you get it. Now, pay up.” Holding her hand up, Fei's expression showed it was the most natural thing to do.

“Eh?”

“I want to be paid for giving you information, and to be your bodyguard.”

“My bodyguard? I don’t need such a thi—Oh, fuck.”

“You understand, don’t you? If you acquire such wealth without a means of protection, you’ll just get beaten up and get your stuff stolen. In fact, if this goes on for a while, some of the higher rankers might want to get in on this. So, in case that happens, I want more payment.”

Digesting such information, Alex suddenly thought of something, “Fine, I’ll pay you. But you’re thinking too small in just cornering the E-Rank market.”

Fei shook her head, “Your thinking is too greedy. I can’t protect you against all the D-ranks.”

“What if I had a backer? An A-rank and B-rank?”

“If you had that, I’m sure we could expand. Do you truly know someone like them?”

Alex nodded her head, “As long as I can get in contact with them, I’m positive one will help. But the other, the B-rank, will need to have her palms a little greased.”

Hashing out the details a little more, Alex gave Fei one of her drug bags she got out of Sial, and the accord was struck.

Walking back over, Alex noticed that E-rank girls were now standing together, while the D-rank girls were looking over while fixing their guns. Heading over to the girl who first asked, Alex looked at her shivering.

“I’ve decided to help you learn how to fix guns, in return you must give me each time we fix guns, five compleated works, and your question for the teacher. There is no negotiation, take it or leave it. This offer stands for everyone here.”

The group of E-rank girls that numbered one hundred brightened, as one by one they shouted for help to grab this chance at life.

With them all accepting, Alex dragged the girl who had tried asking her to help fix her guns over to the teacher.

“Now, Rel, I want you to repeat after me. Is it ok for me to take the questions of others as my own?”

Before Rel could open her mouth, Anastasia raised her hand, “No need for a third party first. Since the girls agreed to the deal, and I have technically presided over it, I will enforce it. So you have ninety-nine questions now. But for the sake of my sanity, I’ll offer you a deal."

“We’ll treat the questions as a type of currency. One question equals one point. One point can be used to ask a common question such as what you’ve asked before for example. Ten points and you can ask a question that doesn’t have to be about class."

“But be warned, if I don’t know the information, I will tell you just that, and you’d lose those points. For one hundred points, you may ask me for a small favor or some high class knowledge. For a thousand points, I’ll help you once if it’s within my ability, or ask about something of equal value. If you don’t accept my deal, then I’ll just do away with the questions and they will be worthless.”

Replying the words over again, Alex felt it was fair, but was caught up at one point, “How will you decide the worth of a question.”

“Ninety Eight questions left. Don’t worry about that, I’m quite fair with my dealing as long as you don’t try to screw me over. After all, didn't I give you that bag of drugs? Besides, you have no ground to negotiate, take it or leave it.”

Sighing inwardly, Alex felt bitter that she couldn’t negotiate the terms, but at least it wasn’t too outrageous.

“Deal.”

“Then we have an accord.”

“Alright, alright. Teacher, I have some questions. Can we speak in someplace more private for a few minutes?“

“Ninety seven. If that is what you desire then follow me to my office.”

Alex turned to the waiting E-Rank girls, “Give me ten minutes and I’ll help you with your guns.”

Not waiting for a reply, Alex turned around, and followed the teacher inside.

...

After ten or so minutes, Alex walked out of the teacher's room with a smile on her face, followed by the teacher who looked at Alex like she was a little monster.

I should’ve raised the points value of the questions. Lamented Anastasia.

With this information, I know what to do. Thought Alex, as she made confident steps.

“All those that made a deal with me, follow me through this door over here.”