<div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><strong>The Old Man and the Fox</strong></span></div><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.imgur.com/f9p8l32.png)</div><strong>NAME:</strong>Albion<br/><strong>DAY:</strong>September 28th, 2018, Afternoon<br/><strong>LOCATION:</strong>Outdoor Shooting Range<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong>Nerissa<br/><strong>EXTRA:</strong><br/><strong>WEARING:</strong>Standard SOPHE uniform<br/><br/><hr/><br/>"... What, did you seriously think this was a one-and-done exercise? I'm starting to think you were more trouble than you were worth to your previous instructors if they only gave you one exercise and let you go free." Albion frowned, folding his arms and closing his eyes. "Your worry isn't how much time is left for this class, it's the current challenge. Focus, Nerissa." He had to remind her one way or another. It felt like trying to pull teeth in getting her to focus... Was it her self-imposed charms that let her get by so easily in her courses?<br/><br/>Sonehow, despite all this, the girl just... Could not... Learn how to keep quiet. He blinked as was referred to as mean, with the possibility that he could be... Easily approachable. With all the body tone of a lifeless corpse, he slowly turned to her and looked down at her. "... Do I... Look like the sort of person who wants to be approachable to you? ... More importantly than that, is this all just a joke to you? I've tried to get you to focus on just one thing, and you focus on anything but it... Do you even want to be here? In the organization I mean." His brows furrowed, eyes narrowing as she peered into his eyes.<br/><br/>Given how intently she was looking at his eyes, she could also probably catch the aggravated twitch of his eye that told her he was probably keeping himself from throttling her. "I am not holding back an urge to strangle you, Nerissa..." He grunted, pulling back and massaging his temples. "I'm barely holding back an urge to shoot you and write you off as a lost cause to SOPHE later." The tone of his voice... Didn't really leave any room for one to consider if it was a joke or not. He turned his attention to the Target, needing to look anywhere else while controlling his breathing.<br/><br/>"... No, I don't discriminate, but I am especially prejudiced against servants of Zelkova, current or former. So far your only redeeming quality is that you serve Calder, which means I only mildly tolerate you better." He took one more breath, letting his frustration bleed out. "It's not as simple, or often as effective, as you make it out to be. It, and I really hope this isn't something I'll have to keep reminding you about, is also, once again, not the thing you should be focusing on right now." He drawled, leaning forward and relaxing against the counter.<br/><br/>It was all a sick joke. It needed to be, someone knew how cold and callous he could be and put him against the most optimistic force in SOPHE, probably to see who would break first. So far, he was not winning. The sound of her gunshots were the only solace he got in knowing that she would not begin running her motormouth again before she was done shooting. It wasn't until he heard her starting to act excitable did he finally stop tuning out the world to squint and look at the target. "... Hm, I guess miracles do happen. Congratulations, that's the first task accomplished." He spoke in little more than deadpan, not moving even as Nerissa leapt upon him to hug. It almost could have looked like a bright sun trying to hug a raincloud with how their personalities differed.<br/><br/>"A reward? ... Oh, I see, you were just coddled a lot growing up. Fed too many Carrots on Sticks to motivate you... No, your only reward is that I think you're a little less incompetent, and you get to go on to the next task." He wasted no time in speaking, leaving Nerissa standing there as he moved to the next booth. "Task two. Twenty seconds once again, only five shots needed this time, same parameters for repeat if objective isn't met." It sounded as if he was making it easier for her... Until he clicked a button and made the Target begin to move along a rail, occasionally speeding up and slowing down. "Begin when ready."