//------------------------------// // #4 Setting Up // Story: Avenging Sun // by Fullmetal Prime //------------------------------// Alone in the warm, quiet barn, Clint Barton pulled an arrow out of his quiver, nocked it and took aim at his target. He pulled the string back, only for a sharp pain to flare up from his shoulder. "£$%&!" Twang! ... the arrow shot off from the bow... Thunk! ...And embedded itself in the floor of the barn, not that the archer noticed. "Damnit!" Clint grabbed onto the bandage around his left arm with him barely biting back a hiss at the pain in it and to a less extent his other injuries from the crash several. Deciding that six failed attempts to draw his bow was plenty and not wanting to reopen his injuries, Clint left his makeshift indoor archery range for the kitchen area. He placed his bow on the counter and opened the fridge door. Sadly, after eating all the kid's bacon all that was left was a few vegetarian substitutes and a lot of cake. Deciding beggars can't be choosers, he pulled out a slice of birthday cake, with white and purple icing and a few marshmallows. Next thing on the agenda, he thought, retrieving a for and pouring a fresh cup of coffee. Getting some decent food, I need to get back into fighting shape. He took out a slice of cake and scoop up some frosting on his fingertip to taste. A second later he took a bigger chunk out of the cake and scooped it into his mouth with a please hum that he would deny he made if anyone had been present. Okay, making that finding more food, He amended. After that taste bud epiphany, the wounded archer dropped down on the old couch in the corner of the old barn. Then noticed a small radio set on the coffee table in front of it. His host probably got from Treasure Trash's shop. Speaking of whom, while he wouldn't admit it to the kid he'd probably have to see the junk collector on the chance he'd have a few more parts he needed. Curious if the old thing actually worked and tired of sitting alone in an empty shed, he hit the power button and adjusted the dials. After a crackle of static, a voice faded in. "-efore we get back to the music, I once again remind all you listeners that because of this freaky weather, a few roads have been closed, so expect a lot of displaced traffic. Now, to make your longer then usual trip to work less of a pain, here's Sapphire Shores's original hit. One last quick reminder, despite what it looks like out the window there's still a chance to call in and win our special Summer Starter Prize." Belle House Backyard In the bizarrely cold Summer morning, Sunset pulled an arrow out of a quiver, nocked it and took aim at her target. She let go of the bowstring... Twang! ...sending the arrow flying through the air ... Thunk! ... right over the target and bounce of a net set up behind it. "Damn it," Sunset, muttered as she lowered the bow. A hand patted her shoulder and Applejack spoke up behind her. "Hey, you almost got it that time." "Thanks, AJ." "Heck, I think you should audition for the next Robin Hood movie." "Thanks, Rainbow." "No problem," The sports star replied, sitting on a bench with her arms folded behind her head and her legs crossed. While, Applejack had been a great instructor, gentle guiding and encouraging Sunset, Rainbow Dash had settled into the peanut gallery, occasionally teasing her friend as she got used to the weapon. While it was annoying, it was an improvement compared to yesterday. After Anon-A-Miss post Rainbow's mood was bouncing between embarrassed, annoyed, at one point angry until settling on humiliation induced depressed. Fortunately, after the slumber party got underway she started to cheer up between a fashion of Rarity's rejected designs, so bad they were kinda fun. Then Cookie Crumble came in with some fancy treats she learned to make on some of her and her husband's many, many vacations, just as they were putting on Applejack's movie of choice, brightened the athlete right up. Which, brought them to this morning. Having woken up even earlier then yesterday, courtesy of Sweetie Belle setting off the smoke alarm, Applejack and Sunset's planed archery tutorial was extended. Applejack though surprised by the sudden request before the party, had brought some of her archery gear from Sweet Apple Acres, a bow, a quiver of arrows and a net to keep the fired projectiles from damaging anything in their hosts' gardens. Rainbow followed them out saying it was still too early to deal with Pinkie's antics and that she didn't like how Rarity's eyes shifting from her multi coloured head to her small cupboard of hair care products. Said party girl and fashionista meanwhile stayed in the latter's bedroom wanting to bounce ideas off Fluttershy since she'd be the host that night. Sunset pulled out another arrow from the quiver and once more took aim at the target. Said target was a ratty old mannequin with a quickly painted bull's-eye, which may or may not have been from a previously unopened bottle of mascara. Rarity had given her permission for them to use it, since her mother was planning on throwing it out with other bric-à-brac that was cluttering up their attic. She fired, this time it touched the mannequin at least, by way of cutting its neck as it flew over the shoulder. The sight of which made all three girls grimace with Rainbow and Applejack covering the same spot on their necks. "Well, that was the closest you've gotten so far," Applejack assured, while Rainbow sat up as something occurred to her. "Did you do this back in Pony Land?" "Equestria," Sunset corrected as she felt the wire tense, then relaxed her grip, firing the arrow this time striking the mannequin at the very edge of the shoulder the shoulder. "But not... for a while." Applejack gave an impressed whistle, "Well, you're getting back in the grove real quick." Sunset smiled at the praise, but it lessened a tad when the arrow fell out from a gust of wind. With an annoyed sigh she reached for a new arrow, but only touched air. When Applejack arrived at the Belle house, the quiver had contained thirty two arrows all of which now littered the ground around the ratty mannequin. "...How?" "Well, Dash, there's this neat lil thing call wind..." Applejack's reply got a snicker out of Sunset. "Hahaha. No, I mean, how did she hold the bow? They don't have hands over there, right?" Rainbow mimed pulling a bowstring but with her hands clenched into fists miming hooves. "She probably used her fancy schmancy unicorn magic. Right, Sunset?.... Sunset?" Applejack turned back to Sunset, who frozen in place crouching down to pick the arrows out of the snow. "Sunset!" "Huh?" the girl's head spun round to her friends. "You okay?" "Y-Yeah," Sunset quickly picked up the last few spent projectiles before going back to the quiver. "Look girls can we change the subject?" A blonde eyebrow raised at the requests but Applejack simply shrugged, "If that's what you want Sugercube." Rainbow Dash, meanwhile. "Aw, come on, Shimmer!" the spectrum haired girl threw her hands up into the air. "Now, it's gonna be bugging me all day! I gotta know!" "I'll trade movie slots with you to drop it." "... Deal." "Hey!" the three friends turned towards Sweetie Belle standing in the doorway. "Rarity told me to tell you to hurry up if you don't want to be late." "Lambsakes! We gotta move!" Applejack declared after checking her watch before she and Rainbow shot off. Almost barrelling over their sisters' friend as they left, through the kitchen then up the stairs. Sunset hung back to finish packing up the quiver before carrying it inside. "You can just leave it," Sweetie spoke up when the older girl was halfway across the room. "My Dad said he'd take it back up to the farm for AJ, said it'd give him an excuse to avoid the attic." "Guess generosity is in the blood," Sunset thought aloud with a chuckle as she placed the quiver and bow next to the table where no one would trip and ran after her friends, pausing to give the younger girl a quick smile. "Thanks, Sweetie." The fire mane ran after Rainbow and Applejack, leaving an awkward looking Sweetie Belle alone in the kitchen gripping her backpack's straps. "Sure... No problem." Later at CHS The six members of the Rainbooms and sole member of the CMC arrived just in time for the morning bell. Thanks to the late departure from the Belle household, and a detour due to Rarity's usual route being closed, they arrived too late to rebuild Awesome and Party On to their former glory. Throwing a wrench into the planned rematch said fort's commanders craved. The disappointment was forgotten quickly however, as the subject of their next party at Fluttershy's became the topic of conversation. Pinkie bounced to the head of the group, declaring her attention to through the best "Pet friendly Slumber Party Ever!" while Rarity had begun brainstorming ideas for little clothes and accessories for her friends personal menagerie, said friend was currently listing of the preferences of a certain spoiled rat rabbit. Sunset was just behind the three but stopped with one foot up the steps when she notice Applejack and Rainbow had stopped not far behind and were looking up at the school building, unease on their faces. Her heart went out to them, she remembered there were so many days she just didn't want to come to school either. She turned and walked back over to them. "Hey, we're all in it together right?" Sunset gave both their shoulders a squeeze. After a second Rainbow and Applejack returned the smile Sunset offered and nodded. "Right." "Ah guess so." "Besides, I doubt Pinkie is going to let them ruin our fun," the three chuckled, then Sunset turned and hurried into the building waving at her friends to follow her. She hurried into the school with a wave leaving Rainbow and Applejack standing before the building where no doubt another day of mockery awaited. Both athletes returning their gaze to the school. Applejack was the first to turn away after the door closed behind the Equestrian exile, turning to her spectrum headed friend. "Hey!" rose coloured eyes blinked as Rainbow snapped out of her thought, before turning to see the farm girl's offered first. "Good luck." With a smile, Rainbow tapped it with her own. "You too." They followed after Sunset, then Rainbow started walking slightly faster. Applejack followed suit and was then a head of the sports star. Then Rainbow sped up again. Then Applejack. This repeated until they finally caught up with the fire mane who through out her arm lightly whacking the spectrum headed human across the stomach. "Rainbow wins." Said winner turned her head and, ever dignified in victory, stuck out her tongue at her sour faced rival. Sunset meanwhile shook her head with a small amused smile. The three carried on in silence until, Rainbow opened her mouth. "Sooo, did you do archery before?" The former unicorn let out annoyed sigh before turning to her friend. "Didn't we agree on this topic already?" "No, I mean back when you ruled the school with an iron fist, er, hoof," Rainbow chuckled at her own joke. Sunset somehow flinched and rolled her eyes with an annoyed sigh at the same time. "No, I didn't. I was too busy adapting to a new body and world, then I was preoccupied with taking over the school and planning to steal Twilight's crown when the portal reopened," Sunset explained memories she hadn't paid mind to in years bubbled up, before she shook them away. "Well... I did... for a few weeks. Flash took to a range on a date once where I relearned the basics." "Wait, you told Flash "Popularity stepping stone" Sentry about that?!" Rainbow declared, earning a light whack! on the back of the head from Applejack. "Hey!" "Believe it or not, no," Sunset pushed the guilty bubbling up in her chest, then frowned in genuine puzzlement. "He just... surprised me one day. I don't think I even brought it up to him." "Huh? Guess he's smarter then he looks."" Applejack scratched her head underneath her hat. "By the way, ah know we just agreed not to hound ya about it what brought this here archery trip of any how?" "O-Oh, I... don't know what to tell you, AJ. It just... snuck up on me." Brook Street Flash Sentry's morning could be summarized as such. Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap! "Craaaaaaap!!!" The last thought became vocal as he just managed to avoid slipping on a patch of ice. He quickly regained his footing, but not before he accidently kicked over a disposable coffee cup set on the pavement before a seated pair dressed in old, hole filed clothing, spilling out a decent amount of change and a few notes. So, now he had that on his conscience. "Hey!" one of the cup's owners jumped to her feet and yelled after him with a raised fist. "Watch it, ya lousy Flatscan!" "Sorry!" Flash shouted back over his shoulder as he continued running down the street, not even hearing the end of the woman's shout, muttering under his breath. "I sleep through my alarm, car's still in the shop, Mom and Dad are already at work, bus already went past." He kept running until he came to a crosswalk just as the light turned red and traffic sped by, giving him a chance to catch his breath. He adjusted his backpack, then noticed the weight. "Aaaand I forgot the box," his moaned as his hand became acquainted with his face. "Great. What else could happen?" As if to answer, two or three car horns sounded with a shouts. Removing his hand, Flash saw someone dressed in a similar state to the cup owners but barefoot, staggering across the road narrowly avoiding speeding cars. He noticed they were holding a plastic bottle, probably containing the cause of said staggering. It wasn't even nine yet. Why do I say things? The guitarist asked himself, with the follow up question of why his feet were moving. Suddenly finding himself running across a busy street, Flash grabbed the stumbling figure by the arm and shoulder of their baggy then dragged them back to the sidewalk with him. He jumped the last few steps, narrowly avoiding a small truck. Flash sat up and looked back at the crossing, where a newly crushed plastic bottle was now flattened on tarmac surface. "Okay....that was close," He to turned to the figure, and reached to help them up. "Hey, you okay?" "Getoffa me!" a slurred voice came beneath the hood as the figure gave a hard shove to the boy's chest catching him by surprise and tripping him up onto his back. His rescuee got to his feet surprisingly quickly, then stumbled up the way Flash came, muttering about looking for something, probably his recently crushed bottle. "Sorry," Flash muttered as he rubbed his back as he stood back up. "I just can't win today," he sighed as the walk light turned green. Later that morning First Applejack, then Rainbow Dash. Why? What are they after?! Sunset shut her locker with a tad more force then necessary, then made her way to class. She went to autopilot, her feat knowing their way. The aforementioned question, had come and gone from her mind since Anon-A-Miss' first post. Why target them? Who would target them? Why- She snapped out of her thoughts when something flew past her face and hit the wall. She turned to direction it came from and only saw an empty corridor. "Well, that hasn't happened in a while," she muttered with a sigh. It wasn't a complete shock, she had noticed a few dirty looks shot her way over the past few days. She couldn't say she was surprised given her history. She turned to inspect the projectile and found a thick brown journal held closed by a three digit combination lock. Eyebrow raised, Sunset picked up the book, noticing that there were dozens of little coloured paper tabs sticking out. Whoever threw this better hope Twilight never finds out. as she pondered the purple princess' reaction, her mind drifted to her last conversation with their shared mentor. Actually, that goes for both of us. "For the paperbacks!" The purple Alicorn declared in the booming Royal Canterlot Voice, as her army of militant librarians marched through the portal armed with spears tipped with "Not for Loan" stamps. Sunset shuddered at the thought, then turned her attention back to the book. She turned it over in her hands looking for some sign of who owned it, finding nothing, no name, no sticker or a doodle. Which was strange considering how CHS encouraged self expression in its students. Then she noticed the clock. "Ponyfeathers," not daring to be late for Harshwhinny's class, she stuffed the book in her bag intending to bring it to lost and found later. She then hurried down the hall, just managing to avoid barrelling into Vice Principal Luna, who was carrying a large box. "No, running in the halls, Miss Shimmer!" "Sorry!" Meanwhile, in an alleyway somewhere, just outside of the big city side of Canterlot, a certain swaying figure stumbled along muttering to themselves. "Stupid, kid... Idonn need.... not for him still... have water. Must have water...." The alley stank, they thought they saw a sign with a green, red and white flag, on their way in. "Not what they have me!" "... need to.... what they gave me out. Make head better..." Can't have their water again, it made their thoughts so... thick? "I-I need... to find..." They lost their balance and fell into a trio of trash cans, knocking two of them over and used the last one standing to hold themselves up. "Near. I'm near. So near. I can almost taste it." They dug their finger tips into rusty metal lid. "I'll find you...." As their grip on the trash can tightened, sparkling white spread out from their finger tips across the bin's surface, down onto the ground and even up some of the nearby wall. As they spoke, their breath in the cold air became thicker but it did not rise. It fell. "Princess."