Returning to her routine felt surreal, as if the chaos of the past few days had been nothing more than a bizarre dream. The black beast had gone silent. It was like he'd given up, or maybe—just maybe—her mental "blind" was more effective than she'd thought. Either way, it felt strange, almost too quiet, as though waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Training resumed, though her pace had significantly changed. She was now clocking in at 55 kilometers per hour—faster than some cars, which would've been impressive if it didn't come with a side of mild existential crisis. Her speed was becoming her signature move, but she couldn't shake the nagging doubt about her weapon of choice. Guns were great, sure, but they felt…limited. Every time she had to reload, it was like a glaring reminder that no matter how fast she was, her weapon couldn't keep up.
That thought nagged at her until she finally brought it up to PS during a break. PS had a knack for cutting through the nonsense, and right now, she needed that kind of clarity.
"What are you thinking?" PS asked, wiping sweat from her brow after a particularly grueling session.
"I'm thinking... maybe guns aren't it for me. I mean, they're great for long-range attacks, but with my speed, I feel like I should be leaning more into close combat. Something that doesn't run out of bullets," she admitted, feeling a bit sheepish.
PS raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "And why do you think you've been learning all those martial arts? For fun? Guns are fine for most people, but with your speed? You're wasting your potential. Think about it: You can be on top of an enemy before they even know what hit them. A gun doesn't complement that—it holds you back."
"And another thing," PS added, "You do know those nano bracelets you wear aren't just for protection, right?"
She blinked, caught off guard. "Wait... what?"
"Yeah, they're not just armor or whatever you've been thinking. They can turn into whatever you want. Anything."
Her brain scrambled to catch up with the information PS had just casually dropped on her. "Wait, anything I want?"
PS shrugged. "Within reason. You've been running around like a speed demon with guns, but those bracelets? They could've been your answer all along. Think of them as... adaptive weapons."
As she sat there, still processing PS's words, she stared at the sleek nano bracelets on her wrists like she'd never really looked at them before. She could practically hear her brain whirring, trying to make sense of how she'd missed something so obvious.
"Wait, wait," she started, holding up her hands. "You're telling me these little bracelets I've been wearing—just, you know, assuming they're basic, boring protection—can actually turn into anything I want? Like, weapons?"
PS folded her arms and gave her a bemused look. "What do you think they've been for? Fashion? Please. These aren't some chunky bangles you picked up at the airport souvenir shop."
"Okay, no need to be sarcastic," she muttered. "But seriously, how did I miss this?"
"You didn't miss it," PS said with a casual shrug. "You just didn't ask. You've been relying so heavily on those guns, it's like you're convinced bullets are the only answer. But you're fast—like, crazy fast—and guns are limiting you. They run out of bullets, you've got to reload, and by the time you've done that, you could've already taken out three targets with a knife—or, you know, whatever you want those bracelets to be."
She squinted at PS. "So why didn't anyone tell me this earlier? Was this some kind of test? 'Let's see how long it takes her to figure out she's been wearing the Swiss Army Knife of accessories?'"
PS laughed, shaking her head. "Not exactly. But let's just say Mr B expected you to catch on. You've got instincts, but you've been overthinking things lately. Your head's too wrapped up in following procedures—guns, tactics, the usual stuff—but you're different. You're not like the others. You've got speed on your side, and frankly, you could've been using these bracelets to complement that instead of lugging around an extra ten pounds of gear."
She raised her eyebrows, skeptical but intrigued. "So... what exactly can these things do? Because 'anything' is a pretty big range."
PS leaned back against the training room wall, crossing her arms. "Well, you can shape them into whatever close-combat weapon you want. Knives, claws, spikes—you name it. You can even use them to reinforce your body. Think shields, armor. Whatever fits the situation. And the best part? They're fast. Faster than reloading a gun, that's for sure."
Her mind was racing now, imagining all the possibilities. "And all this time I've been relying on a Glock like a chump."
PS chuckled. "Don't get me wrong, guns have their place. But for someone like you? It's time to upgrade your thinking. You've got speed most people could only dream of. Use it. Stop limiting yourself to slow, human problems like 'How many bullets do I have left?' and start thinking, 'How can I use this speed to break their faces in two seconds flat?'"
She stared at her wrists, flexing her hands, trying to picture the transformation in her head. "So... I could turn these into, like, super sharp claws like Wolverine?"
PS nodded. "Yep."
"Or maybe a shield, like to block attacks while I'm dodging?"
"Exactly."
Her eyes lit up. "What about a big-ass hammer? Like, Thor style?"
PS tilted her head, considering it. "It'd be heavy, but yeah, technically. Though I'd recommend going with something a little more agile, considering how fast you move."
A grin spread across her face. "And Patchy's just been sitting there watching me fumble with guns this whole time, huh?"
PS snorted. "Oh, he knew. I'm pretty sure he's been waiting for you to connect the dots. He's got his own ways of teaching lessons, you know. Subtle as a brick."
She groaned. "I could've been running around like some kind of sci-fi ninja this whole time, and no one thought to tell me?"
PS clapped her on the shoulder. "Welcome to the game, kid. Now, let's see what you can really do."
It made sense. Actually, it made too much sense. She cursed herself for not realizing it sooner. It reminded her of the day she'd chosen guns in the first place. Patchy had given her that look—suspicious, almost like he'd expected her to know better. She could've sworn he was about to say something, but of course, he'd kept quiet. Typical.
She couldn't help but smile, excitement bubbling up inside her. Maybe she'd been underestimating herself this whole time. Speed was her advantage, and now, with the nano bracelets, she finally had a weapon that could keep up with her. It was like a whole new world of possibilities had just opened up.
She stared down at the sleek nano bracelets on her wrists. All this time, she'd been limiting herself, thinking inside the box when she could've been... well, punching through it. Literally.