//------------------------------// // Every griffon a marksman // Story: The Iron Chancellor // by Radical Centrist //------------------------------// Bismarck was shocked. Even more than the griffons were when they saw the power of the rifle, as it had dispatched the bird at a great distance in an explosion of feathers and blood. Some had dropped their rifles in fear of what they held, as they began to grow frightened to what would happen if they misfired their friends, however, it quickly died down with their reminiscing of the safety feature. Bismarck was shocked by how accurately the griffons were able to fire. He knew it had to do something with their eye sights, as he also felt his eyes zoom in like a scope whilst focusing on the bird he previously shot. But their ability of marksmanship was unprecedented, as they had just received their rifles, and even the most gifted marksmen as a recruit take years to master their trade. He had first begun the practice with easy, close-range targets, however, it quickly became clear that it was too easy for the griffon recruits, as the next in line to shoot distanced himself away from the target to show-off, and it quickly became a contest of how flamboyantly they could fire their rifles. Bismarck was too busy being amazed at their performance to bother disciplining the griffons of misconduct, as they didn't even bother to prone or crouch to shoot, as recoil was virtually non-existent, even with their starved bodies negatively affecting their strength. How are they doing that?! Even the finest German marksmen could not achieve such a fe- OUR AMMO! "CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE!" Bismarck cried out, as they did not have enough bullets to continue "playing". His cries of plea were immediately answered, as the enthusiastic griffons all halted what they were doing and looked towards Bismarck for further instructions. Bismarck nodded at this in approval. "A fine performance griffons, however, you will never be able to be called soldiers by your mannerisms." Bismarck scolded the rambunctious griffons, as they seemed to act like children who had found their new favourite toys. He could have sworn that just before this, they were all terrified of their "toys". All the griffons cringed when they heard the word "soldiers," as they had linked them with death and destruction by experiences dealing with them. Bismarck saw this reaction and reassured his griffs, "We won't be the same as those barbarous looters, I assure you all that." He had doubts that it would work, but it somehow was able to relax them, as they all seemed to unconditionally believe him. Strange, their entire world seems to be drowning in intrigue and death, yet they trust me completely. They are nothing like the liberals back home, and somehow more of a loyal dog than the conservatives. Do they really lack someone to invest their trust in? Bismarck thought grimly, as his expressions grew empathetic, thinking about how much the griffons had to suffer. I will lead them. I will create a state where these griffons will never need to suffer or feel unsafe ever again. Bismarck swore to never break his promise nor betray these griffons. He would destroy anything that got in his way. "Delivery for the barracks!" A griffons' voice boomed out from the barracks' gates, as Bismarcks' eyes began to focus on an approaching griffon who was flying towards him with a letter. "Paul had told me to give this to you first." Bismarck grabbed the letter off the hovering griffons' claws and began scanning the letter, I heard a gun fire! I am assuming it was you, and if it is congratulations on hitting your target! Anyways, here are the requested uniforms, I had put quite a bit of effort into designing them so I expect a thank-you when you return. -signed Paul Mauser your weapons provider Bismarck scrunched up the letter and threw it away, "Bring them in." The messegebearer nodded at this and flew away towards the gates. Soon enough, the messegebearer and four other griffons appeared at the entrance of the barracks' fields, towing four wagons brimming with crates, which were being glared greedily by Bismarck. The delivery griffons opened the crates, revealing several uniforms and helmets which wowed the griffons in front, prompting those in the back to move forwards to see. Clothes were considered a luxury only reserved for royalty, the extremely wealthy or eccentric warlords for them, and seeing such well-made ones that were dedicated to them made some faint in gratitude and many who thought they were unthinkable wasteful. "Before you wear these, you are all going to wash up. I don't want your filth to dirty up the insides." Bismarck harshly stated. "Everygriff go up and grab a raincloud." >>Timeskip<< "As long as you are holding my rifle, you will always be wearing the uniform as well." Bismarck dictated as he began to see some griffons dissatisfied with the resistance that their clothes gave them whilst in the air. "You will get used to weight, especially with the added kits and tools that you will be carrying around." Bismarck then presented the uniformed griffons a shovel, bayonet, canteen, dressings (bandages), and several extra ammunition. He had ordered double the standard German soldiers' ammo count, as he correctly assessed that the griffons could carry far more then the average man. The griffons were given two pouches filled with strip magazines, totalling to a staggering 400 bullets (normally they would carry 150). They were fixed onto the uniform as to not flop mindlessly during flight, and the griffons didn't seem to mind the added weight. They placed their canteens in the space between their wings and their shovel between the other. Their dressings were held in pouches on their pants, however, noticed that there were several straps on their coat that remained which looked like they could hold mini-shovels. Bismarck looked at his griffons in pride, however, was still disappointed that Paul had disagreed on designing them the Imperial German uniforms, and instead, Paul had designed one which he claimed the German army had standardised in 1902. How can a citizen feel pride when their boys go to war dressed like the common peasantry? Bismarck thought, as he believed the old German uniforms were far more recognisable and prestigious than this "drab". At least they kept the imperial uniforms for the officers. He even noticed several useless straps in the front which he did not recognise on the soldiers' uniforms, and scoffed at Pauls' wastefulness. "You missed some boxes." The deliverygriffs said, pointing at several boxes labelled "prototype" on the sides. "We have everything we need, so you can send them back, they are probably spare pieces in case of missing parts from the uniforms." Bismarck disregarded, as he didn't even bat an eye at the boxes being mentioned. "Well, I was given a direct order from Paul to tell you to 'check it out'." The deliverygriff said lazily, "That's all, so we will report back to Paul now. Good day." He dismissed himself, prompting the others following him to leave as well. Bismarck begrudgingly looked over at the boxes and noticed the labelling. Prototype? What are you planning on now Paul? Bismarck opened the box and was greeted with... Potato mashers??? He grabbed one of them and inspected it closely. There was no labelling nor words on them, just a stick handle with two grey tips, one larger than the other. He held both ends and the smaller tip began to twist in his strong grip and pop off. Bismarck for some reason began to remember the conversation he had when he and Paul had just met. Looks like a potato masher, one end is cylindrical, the other a cap with a string attached... Bismarck looked down to see the tip that had popped off and saw himself grabbing onto a cap with a string attached. "..." "GRENADE!!!" Bismarck yelled and threw the stick grenade away from everygriff else. The grenade exploded mid-air, raining down shrapnel onto the griffons below, however thanks to their steel helmets, the shrapnels harmlessly bounced off with an audible "ting". All the griffons present flinched or ducked, as they saw some of their own being knocked down by the shrapnel force applied to their heads. "At ease! Is anyon-griff injured?!" Bismarck yelled out, concern plaguing his voice. When nobody answered, he became relieved in knowing that nogriffs were harmed by his accident. "What was that?!" A griffon with a slightly scratched helmet asked as he was shaking fearfully from his near-death experience. "No need to panic! I merely 'accidentally' primed it, and no griffon is injured!" Bismarck yelled, with recovered integrity which seemed to calm the soldiers down, and begin standing again. "What you had just saw, and experienced was what you call a 'grenade', I also lacked experienced with it, resulting in its accidental detonation," Bismarck reassured his soldiers, who all seemed to doubt once more, realising that they will handle a weapon that even their instructor wasn't clear of. "I know what you are all thinking, and no you will not blow yourself up with these new weapons, there is no way that you will accidentally prime them," Bismarck reassured once more, but realised he contradicted himself when he had just old his soldiers he had 'accidentally' detonated it. The griffons all relaxed at this correction. "Anyways, I had been told by Paul to issue you all with these grenades, so I will be instructing you on how to use them," Bismarck said, grabbing another stick grenade from the box. "Y-you want us to use them?" The soldiers hesitantly asked. As at one side, they were grateful in knowing that Bismarck trusted them to entrust them with such powerful weapons, but also terrified in what they could achieve. "You may think this is extreme, however, it is necessary to defeat our enemies." Bismarck solemnly replied, "Our enemies? Why would we need something like that to kill forest critters?" A defiant griffon asked, betraying his code of unquestioning obedience. "Do you think those looters and warlords are your friends then?" A nearby soldier cheekily replied. "We were too afraid to call them our enemies, but now things have changed." Another soldier stated, "They will now think twice before stealing our things!" A soldier triumphantly cheered, "They will think twice before stealing everygriffs"' things! Not just ours!" Another followed, "DOWN WITH THE WARLORDS! HAIL BISMARCK AND PAUL!" Every soldier cheered, making Bismarck smirk in flashback during his times as chancellor, as the German people would praise him for his achievements. After several more cheers in Pauls' and his name, he decided to stop this undisciplined behaviour, "ATTENTION!" Every soldier immediately stopped their cheers and quickly formed back up to their previous positions, awaiting their leaders' instructions. "Great reactions, but you all need to show restraint and discipline if you wish to be a real soldier. So that's why I will be drilling you in formations and procedures to harden you into true fight-capable soldiers." Bismarck scolded his recruits, "Your exercises will be harsh and brutal, but I expect you all to be able to withstand them, as you had done with other problems throughout your lives in this hellish world." "Question!" A griffon with an oversized helmet asked, "What's your question soldier?" Bismarck responses calmly, "What's hell?" Bismarck face-clawed himself. He had to remind himself more that it was called tartarus in this world.