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>The cartridges rattle around in their box as you walk through the gravel lot; it feels weird to come to the range with just them and no gun to use them in.

>After you lost track of time yesterday, getting waylaid by the mysterious vixen -- seems like most of them are like that -- you had a short exchange with Aki over the phone. She had asked for your help on something at the range, and was very specific about the timing.

>You blew right through her time frame. All of her messages that flooded your phone when you left the museum had been blocked by the thick concrete of the vaults.

>By some miracle, the cheetah wasn't as mad as she should have been with you, and accepted your wordy apology on the condition that you fix things by coming to the range the next day (today, Saturday).

>Even with all that, you figured bringing her an 'I'm sorry' gift would help.

>Especially considering what would be happening tomorrow that she'd agreed to be a witness for.

>She specified to meet her at your favorite bay, 6; the ones that lead up to it are suspiciously empty as you walk through. It's early afternoon on a Saturday, more people should be around.

>When you arrive, she's not there, thank god. You wanted to be early to make up for yesterday, to make sure that you'd be there.

>And now you are. You set the box of ammo down on the bench and twiddle your thumbs a bit, taking a spot on one of the stools.

>The cheetah had been sort of vague about what it was she was doing when she initially texted asking for your help. She made it sound like she needed someone to watch her go through a course, which is strange -- you know how to shoot, but you don't know nearly as much of the ultra-modern, ultra-tactical CQB doctrine as she does.

>You're not going to question it, though. She's helped you out a few times, and you have her -- though it's mainly been at the range.

>She only got your number from Rebecca, which you suppose you're not really mad about.

>Would have been nice for her to get it from you.

>The sound of jangling gear attracts your attention, and you shuffle out from the shelter to look down the road back to the entrance; Aki is there, lugging one of her huge range bags and another filled with her various targets and props.

>As she gets closer, though, you note the backpack she's also got on -- today must be a heavy day.

>"Hey Aki," you say when she gets closer, "Sorry again, about what happened. Like I said, I just got caught up, and--"

>"Don't worry about it," she says with a light raspberry, "you're here now, this didn't have to be done right-away right-away."

>"Still, I got you something."

>Her ears perk up, and you point to the box of 380.

>"It's not all that easy to find," you say as she sets the bags down and picks it up, "and I know you've got a few that use it, so..."

>"Thanks, Anon," Aki says with a slight smile. She sets the box off to the side, making room for her to lay out all her gear as per usual.

>"So, what exactly am I helping you with?" you ask after a moment, letting her continue to lay out the gear -- you notice she's using a gun mat, which is unusual, and she's actually using boxes for ammo rather than her normal ammo cans.

>She pauses, unslinging her backpack and shoving it into your hands.

>"This."

>You open it as the cheetah goes back to unpacking; inside is a small case, a notebook, and what look to be camera accessories.

>Pulling everything out, you realize that's exactly what they are, the case holding a video camera of some kind.

>"This thing have slow-mo or something?" you ask, tentatively fidgeting with the controls and the accessories, "You want me to get shots of you while you're at a problem station, or something?"

>"Not quite," she says, not looking up. "Check the notebook."

>Something in her tone seems stressed -- not in the way she normally is, from going fast all the time, but some other way. You take a look at her book, the cover blank aside from the brand name and page count.

>The first page reads 'Marketing 499' at the top, a sort of script beneath it. The page is divided in two columns, a bunch of notes scribbled in one, and some drawings in the other. The former seems to be both a script and directions for camera movements, and the latter are... impressive.

>The little illustrations of the camera shots and angles look a little rough around the edges (literally), but you can easily make out the details in spite of it. Perspective, motion, consistent sizes and proportions to the little cheetah figure are all there and clear.

>Flipping through, you find the next four or five pages are filled with more of the same, the images telling you a story that seems like a training video or ad.

>You look up at her, finding that she's finished unloading -- and note that her array of weapons is different from usual. Much different.

>Rather than a smattering of various arms from the 80's to early 10's that she normally insists on using, everything here today is modern. And from Tridentia.

>You recognize the 10X, spiffed up and turned into a race gun, but not the various 800 series or ForXs that also lay on the table. On a slightly closer inspection, you notice that they're all factory standard, not at all spiffed like the one 10X she has.

>There's a few other X models as well, an XS, XL, and XG, all factory standard.

>But it's Aki's outfit that confirms to you what's going on: gone are her normal neutral colored clothes with a slight bit of bag to them, zippers and pockets unused but available, instead replaced by a pair of short shorts and a glorified sports bra, the latter sporting a Tridentia logo prominently on the front.

>Without her normal low-cut plate carrier, you realize she's got a bigger bust than you ima--

>You keep the curses about that damn fox to yourself this time, and instead ask something useful.

>"So we're... shooting an ad?"

>"Yeah," the cheetah sighs, closing her range bag and moving on to the props bag, lugging it out into the bay.

>"Look, I -- I'm taking a summer course in marketing. One of the big projects is to design an advertisement -- actually filming it or creating it is worth extra credit. Like, a lot."

>You don't know if her grades aren't that good, but you've got the tact not to ask as she begins setting up her barriers and targets -- these ones looking fairly basic, just a waist-high wall.

>"Didn't know you had this many Tridentia's," you say instead -- but her tail still stiffens as she continues her work.

>"I don't."

>"...Did they sponsor you or something?"

>The cheetah doesn't respond as she walks back to the bench, her expression more severe than you've seen.

>When she's shooting, Aki's face gets a little funny since she's so focused -- it's kind of cute, actually -- but this is more serious.

>And not at all cute.

>"Alright, did you go over the script?" she says instead, checking and rechecking the guns, making sure they're clear.

>"Yeah... wait, am I the camera guy?"

>"Quick learner, you are," she chuckles, dropping the mags.

>"Aki, I -- I don't know how good I'll be, I've never done anything like this before."

>"Either have I," she says. "All I got is a dream and a vision."

>She goes to the boxes of ammo and opens a few, loading up a few of the different magazines.

>"Look, I didn't draw those little bits just for me," she says when she's done, coming up to you and tapping at the notebook. "I think you can figure it out from them, right?"

>You don't think she's ever stood quite this close to you before -- she's a little shorter than Talia, but still plenty taller than you, a head and a half or so.

>The way she's looking down at you, you swear she's somehow putting on puppy-dog eyes despite being a cat.

>"I can try, Aki. I'll do my best."

>"That's all I ask," she says, tussling your hair a little, smiling. "Now let's get this shoot on the road, cameraman."

>The two of you do; you didn't do as bad as you thought.

>The camera and the little stabilizing mount it had made it relatively easy for you to get good, smooth shots of the cheetah, though thankfully she started you off in the shallow end.

>Her little 'ad' seemed to be for the brand as a whole, the first parts being overviews of the different series. Lots of still shots, and a few separate sliding ones across the table, the hardware displayed on the gun mat in an artful form. Loaded mags lay at the base of each gun, a loose cartridge standing atop a box of the same caliber -- Tridentia made, of course.

>Aki had you do a couple of repeats for the shots of the guns and gear, making you switch out a few lens attachments, but beyond that she only needed one take for all the other shots.

>Her voice didn't falter as she gave brief summaries of the different models, went over operation, and did the transitions that she'd edit in post.

>The hard part was the action stuff.

>Aki's script had her go through the basics for a little bit, showing the proper grip, sight alignment, stance -- but more of it focused on movement, multiple targets, and taking cover.

>Not that you're surprised.

>Even without the range being set up as complicated as she normally had it, it was difficult to track her as she went between stations, much less with good angles. Her little script took that into account, but she wasn't a fan of needing to slow down for you, sometimes taking three separate shots for the start of a transition, her movement, and the beginning of her next position.

>Being this close, you got to really appreciate how quick she was. Her body seemed almost fluid when she gave those little bursts of speed, the clip of her emptying the 10X's mag in less than a second one amazing example -- even more so when you consider all the hits were in the A-zone, and that the gun isn't automatic.

>You found yourself appreciating other parts of her, too... but that's because they're black. The shorts and bra-thing really do stand out, compared to the normal dots on her otherwise yellow fur.

>...Though you did find the cream color of her bare stomach interesting. Half the pictures you've seen of nude cats didn't have that, half did.

>"Solid," the cheetah in question says, sitting at the bench with you and reviewing the footage. "Not bad for a first time behind the camera, Anon."

>"You didn't do too bad in front of it, either," you say. "They make you do other stuff like this for the class?"

>"Nah, it's mostly been boring theory," she says, leaning back. "'Knowing your audience,' 'public image,' 'market appeal,' stuff like that."

>"Who's this for, if you don't mind me asking?"

>"My professor," she snorts. "Beyond that? I don't know. People like Rebecca, maybe."

>"I don't know if she's quite ready to take on five different targets at once..."

>"Maybe, but it'll inspire her to try, at least."

>"Maybe... is 'public image' why you focused on Tridential?"

>Aki huffs through her nose, crossing her arms.

>"Not exactly. I mean, I guess they've got a good reputation."

>The way she says it is almost begrudging.

>"Market appeal, then?"

>"No, that was what you're here for," she says, turning to you -- the look in her eye isn't quite right.

>"Operating behind that camera, you'd be the best to tell -- "

>You realize what it is then.

>Her eyes are tinted a slight orange.

>" -- did I look hot?"

>Even though you suspected the damn cherub's involvement, you're still dumbstruck for a moment -- long enough for him to take his grubby little paw from her mouth and for the cheetah to realize what she just said.

>"I -- yeah, yeah you were."

>Fuck, he got you too.

>"A-ahh, well, good," Aki says, nearly falling from her stool as she gets up.

>She's always so cool, so confident -- you're worried that this reaction goes beyond Cupid's meddling, that she's dehydrated or something.

>"Aki?" you ask, getting up as well, "You okay?"

>"Yeah! Yep! Yep I'm good!"

>You can't tell if she's panting as she quickly throws the boxes of ammo and the various guns into her range bag, her hands shaking between the little bursts of speed she uses. She's panting, faster and faster.

>"Aki, are you--"

>"I'm alright!" she nearly shouts.

>She stops, her paw resting on the green and white box of 380.

>The smaller caliber has fallen out of use, given the size of some anthros, but you know she's got a few range toys that use it.

>She lets out a shuddering huff, and turns her head towards you, still holding the box.

>"Thank you," she manages.

>Then she's slung on her backpack and has taken a range bag over each arm, humping it all towards the parking lot with surprising speed.

>"Aki!" you call after her; she doesn't stop, her body shifting in that slightly fluid way even under load.

>You don't catch up to her, tiring out more quick than you'd like to admit on the ~100m dash, but you do manage to get a glimpse of her car before she goes.

>In the parking lot, aside from your Hilux and the old Corolla that today's RSO has (she's even less attentive than Talia), is a Jeep Intercept.

>Brand new, shiny blue, and with some kind of sticker in the rear window.

>The souped-up offroader peels out of the gravel lot before you can get a good look, though you've no doubt who was inside. You stare at the dust trail for a bit, panting, before grunting and heading to your own vehicle.

>Some fucking wingman.