Front and Back

"Oh, ok! You're really doing this! WE'RE really doing? We're doing this!?" Kanon asked hesitantly.

"Why do you use only close and mid-range shots?" Sano asked, watching the practice target spin in place.

"Uh...well, I don't aim good." Kanon said with a nervous laugh.

"Also it feels REALLY good to fire right into an aragami and blast off its face right at point-BLANK!!" Kanon exclaimed with a mad glint.

"Right..." Sano said dully.

Not we like we can't relate...

"Anyway. For this part, I'll need you leading me through this a bit." Sano said.

"You want me to? Really want me to? Are you SURRE? Am I dreaming right now?" Kanon blurted out as her mind went blank.

"No, I'm a melee god-eater so I've never had to touch the bullet editor. What I know is small, and I need you to explain what those blood bullets were." Sano said rubbing his scarred wrist.

"OK-OK! Listen!" Kanon said abruptly.

Sano waited, as she watched the excitement fill Kanon's face. And waited.

And waited...

"..." Kanon looked like she was about to say something, but no word ever came out.

"..." Sano then continued to wait.

"...Ok, I actually don't have the whole shebang for blood bullets." Kanon finally said.

Sano debated whether to welt Kanon with his god-arc. At the moment the shield seemed to have a far-away look on the skull.

I shouldn't be surprised by her by now...

"Oh, but I can SHOW YOU!" Kanon lifted her god-arc and placed herself in front of the practice target.

She aimed at the target ready to fire but halted suddenly.

"You might want to stand back." Kanon warned.

"(Oh?)" Sano curiously walked backward.

Let's just see.

Kanon put her finger on the trigger and viciously pulled it.

The tip of her gun illuminated and oracle energy built up, making the god-arc vibrate. In a flash the bullet exited the nozzle and out came a massive mortar leaving a trail of red lightning. The mortar itself was massive but not bigger than average.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The mortar hit the target, and the explosion expanded.

And expanded.

And expanded.

The inmate's eyes widened in shock, seeing the explosion STILL expanding.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The shooting by this one bullet immolated the target.

"(It's still not done!?)" Sano thought as he put his shield up in front of him. The skull face on the shield seemed shocked as well.

Kanon stood still watching to her delight. She was showing no signs of fear.

Sano could swear he could feel the room tremble. He kept his shield up until he finally felt the wind die down. Sano rescinded his shield and felt a lump in his throat at what became of the shooting range.

It was scorched almost ear to ear. By some miracle, the bullet didn't take up the whole room. Sano then looked to Kanon who turned back to him with a smile.

"Do you like it? That was actually a new one I got recently. If you go a long time without shooting it, KABOOM!" Kanon said happily. At seeing Kanon move her god-arc in his direction Sano's god-arc seemed to flinch.

Sano however smiled.

"Kane, I think you might figure this out on your own, honestly." he said.

Kanon's eyes lit up and she hugged her god-arc to her chest.

"I-I-Won't let you dow-aag!" Kanon slipped after one step. When she was expecting the hard floor, she found Sano's forearm.

Sano then swept his other arm under her legs. Kanon could feel him prodding at her calves inspecting them.

"I-I'm fine, really! I am ready to do this! Please!-Oh Please! I don't want to let you down! I've really worked hard for this! It's been 28 days since my last friendly-fire incident!" Kanon said desperately.

"Calm down." Sano said, moving his hand along her calves and hips.

"Does that hurt?" he asked.

"No." Kanon shook her head.

"Then breathe, you're fine. I just wanted to make sure you're ok.(Her legs are a lot stronger now.)" Sano said releasing Kanon from his arms.

She gave the inmate a heartfelt nod and straightened herself up.

"I'm gonna tell you about a friend of mine. She had a blast gun like you, but her bullets were like flamethrowers." Sano said.

"Oh, you mean she used a bunch of radial bullets? I do too!" Kanon raised her guard arc to the range and fired a stream of blue that frosted over the practice target.

"Right. But not like that. She could keep it going for a lot longer." Sano said.

"Heh? How?" Kanon asked.

"That's what we have to find out. I didn't get to find out how she made the bullets before she...died." Sano said as he set his eyes down the range. Kanon frowned as she put her hands to her chest.

"How did she...die?" she asked hesitantly.

Kanon was met with silence. Realizing how blunt she was, Kanon tried to correct herself.

"I'm sorry, I should've been more considerate! I was out of line!" she said.

Sano took a deep breath.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." Kanon assured, placing her hand on the inmate's shoulder.

Sano glimpsed at Kanon, and couldn't help but admire the features of her face. Despite her childish nature, she did have a rather mature disposition. Sano took the hand on his shoulder and massaged it with his thumb.

He could feel the many blisters and roughness of Kanons skin. Two months of hard work.

"(It's only been two damn months.)" Sano thought.

I could swear it was one. Time flies...when you actually know what time it is.

"Sano." Kanon said, as she took his hand in both of hers.

The inmate felt Kanon tighten her grip on his palm.

"Maybe we should take a break. I wasn't gonna say anything, but you don't seem yourself." Kanon said. The inmate gripped back on Kanons hand on reflex.

When he did Kanon moved closer to Sano pulling his hand to her chest.

"Did something happen?" she asked. The inmate was silent. He only stared at Kanons hand, doing his best not to look at her face.

"I'm here for you. I know I let you down with Ciel, but I'll protect you this time. So please look at me." Kanon pleaded.

"(She's still hung up on that?)" Sano thought. Kanon moved in until she was touching Sano's shoulder with her own.

With the gap closed Sano had no choice but to look at Kanon. They were literally face-to-face.

Once her blue eyes locked with his, a memory triggered in his mind.

Don't ignore me on this. You'll need to know this when you talk to a girl your own age again. If you ever need help from someone, an import someone specifically, take their hand.

An older woman took a young man's hand and put it to her mouth.

Uh, what are you doing!? HUH!?

And like that, oh, I should explain a few more things.

Save it, I get the picture. My parents always did it.

The boy tried to pull away but the woman pull him right back.

Listen I said!

Sano grasped Kanons hand firmly and raised her palm to his lips. He gently kissed it.

Kanon's heart raced and she blushed pink beginning to stammer. However, upon seeing the sadness in Sano's eyes she steeled herself.

With slight hesitation, she moved her head forward placing her lips upon his hand.

For the inmate it was like an ocean of fire ran through his arm. Sano let go of his god-arc and let his free arm fall to the side.

Should I just leave?

They kept their lips in place as they stared at each other.

Kissing the front of the hand is like a cry for help.

Kissing the back of the hand is an extension of affection.