Disclaimer: I own not and make no money off of this.

Warnings: Violence.

Notes: Just random thoughts about weapons and how you could really use a whip.

Four
by Fairady

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A whip can kill in one of four ways.

It can break bones. The fragile bones in the neck, the vulnerable areas of the skull, or even the ribs around the lungs for an extra slow death. Quistis favors the neck bones. One snap of her wrist sends the whip out, a double crack that is always quick and clean. The skull is harder and usually requires one of her heavier whips. One with a significant weight on the end that can smash through bone with the force of her swing. Two or three times sometimes depending on her aim. The ribs are something she knows how to do, but has employed in battle only once. It took all of her strength and the augmentation of Ifrit to do it. Not the most effective tactic in her arsenal.

It can slice flesh. Lay open veins that bleed out quickly in battle. Quistis has several whips with a variety of blades on them. Each one uniquely suited to a certain type of enemy. A razor thin blade for soldiers. Sharp and thin enough to reach through the gaps in their armor. A series of serrated hooks for monsters that can catch on their thick hide and drag bloody swaths open.

A whip can also be poisoned. A thin film of fast or slow acting poison on the tip or a special blade is all that's needed. Just one hit and then she can move on quickly. One cut is all that's needed to get the poison into the system. The hardest part of poison is remembering not to touch the poisoned bits. To keep her hands clear of that tiny barb as she coils the whip back up in a single motion that's been instinctual since she was fifteen.

The last method is a last resort and she only uses it in desperation, strangulation. It's awkward and almost impossible to strangle an opponent from a distance. The time it takes to do it is too long and gives them plenty of time to escape the whip. She has to get in close to do it properly. Within arms reach, which negates the practicality of having a ranged weapon, close enough to wrap the whip around their throat and pull. Close enough to put a knee in their back or chest as they thrash about. Feeling them fight her in every pull and burning strain of the muscles up her arms, along her shoulders, and down her back. Listening for that last futile gasp and shudder that means it's all over.

Four ways to die, and Quistis has used each one of them in the past hour. She lets the corpse fall at her feet unwinding her weapon from the boy's neck as she quickly surveys the halls. They've turned the tide of battle finally. Galbadia Garden's forces are being pushed out of Balamb Garden as students fight students in a clash that's hard to make sense of. Only the cut and color of uniforms distinguishing who is on which side.

The moment is over almost before she can comprehend the turn in the tide. A group of Galbadian students charge at her. Barely old enough to be cadets but still wielding their weapons with a willingness that Quistis meets with a double crack of her whip.

Four ways to kill is all she's ever needed.

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