How had it come to this? One minute Applejack had been practicing her shots, the next she was in a contest. The rifle kicked against her shoulder. She barely missed the bullseye, a fresh hole appearing in the circle just outside it. She grit her teeth as her unexpected opponent landed a similar hit on her own target. Ratcheting another round, she took careful aim.
They weren’t the only ones at the range. None of the other people there were competing like this. But Applejack had gotten one look at those purple pigtails with their aquamarine streaks and suddenly it was on.
She had five shots left. The next one went wider than usual, and she swore under her breath when the siren made a better shot. Neither of them had hit a bullseye yet.
Neither of them had said a word either. A single exchanged glare, sizing one another and their respective rifles up, had been enough to get this mess started.
Another shot. Third ring from center. Better. Not good enough. At least Aria’s next shot had been similar.
What was she doing here? Had she always used this range near the Acres and Applejack never noticed? The odds that they had been going here for years and just happened to keep missing one another simply didn’t work in her head.
Fourth shot. No better than last time. At least Aria’s went wide, outer ring. She was oddly inconsistent. Distracted, maybe? Applejack could relate.
She glanced out the corner of her eye at the next booth over, just in time to see Aria do the same thing towards her. The woman was scowling. Yep, definitely distracted. Not one to miss an opportunity presented, Applejack took her time with the next shot. Focusing, steadying her breaths, adjusting her arms slightly, feeling the polished metal in her palm.
Aria fired. Applejack didn’t look. Slow breath in. Hold it…
Bullseye.
Smug satisfaction shot through her as she began collecting her spent shells. A check of Aria’s target; no bullseye. Good enough.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Startled that Aria had bothered to actually speak, Applejack tried to take on a nonchalant manner. “Home. I’m outta bullets.”
She thought that would be the end of things, but Aria turned to her, scowl intact, and announced, “I’m not finished.”
“Well, I am.”
“You can buy more bullets.”
“I ain’t made of money.”
Aria tensed, glaring a hole through Applejack’s face. It abruptly dawned upon the farm girl that she was facing an armed enemy without any bullets. Her stomach flipped. Sure, Aria might be upset after the whole Battle of the Bands thing, but surely she wouldn’t…
Setting the rifle aside, Aria pulled out her phone. “Give me your number.”
“What? Why?”
“I want a rematch,” the siren growled. “Next time you’re coming out here, I wanna know.”
Applejack considered taking her rifle and walking away, but if all Aria wanted was some competition…
She smirked and pulled out her own phone.