//------------------------------//
// Suited for Success 
// Story: Equestria 2028: Friendship Still Exists 
// by The Equestrian Tour 
//------------------------------//

	"Windy it's time to wake up!" a familiar voice called to her from behind a closed door.
A young Windy flashed open her eyes and jumped out of her bed with an excited smile on her face, and ran to her door.  She reached her hoof out and wrapped it around the brass knob and pulled, she stepped out of the way avoid being hit by the red painted oak door.  Once the door was fully open she ran down the hallway passing three doors and turned left into the living room.
In the room sat a stallion, who was reading the Hoofpekan Stall.  Windy slowed to a walk, "Hi daddy!" she greeted.
The stallion looked up from his newspaper and smiled, "Hello sweetie.  How do you feel today?" he asked.
"Well if I could stretch my wings," she grimaced as she tried to uncase her wings under her wraps.  "Other than that, I'm doing fine."
The stallion stepped off of the couch and put a hoof around his daughter and kissed her on the forehead, "I'm sorry honey.  I know it's hard on you, but it's also hard on us, too."
Windy frowned, "I don't want to be a burden."
"You aren't going to be a burden," he explained.  He wrapped his hooves around her mid-section and tossed her over his head.  She squealed with delight as she flew through the air and landed on his back.  "Come on!  Let's get some breakfast."
Windy bounced a little, "Do you think there are banana nut muffins?"
"And maybe some hay tots?" he added.  Windy giggled and her dad laughed also, "Come on."
He trotted with her into the doorway across the room, giggling and being happy.  They entered the dining room, and saw Windy's mom placing a plate filled with muffins and one with hay tots.  She looked off of the table and smiled, "Well good morning Windy," her warm voice greeted.
"Morning mommy," she jumped off of her father's back and ran over to her mom and hugged her.
"My my, so fast," her mom said surprised.
"Well, I'm not a pegasus anymore," Windy answered.  "So I have to be a good earth pony."
Her parents were shocked.  "Windy you're still a pegasus, no matter if you can fly or not." her mother comforted.
"Really because I don't feel it, and the other fillies and colts don't either," Windy said sorrowfully.
"Windy..." her father said in a soft voice as he walked up to her, "You may not be able to fly.  But wings do not make a pegasus."  He reached his daughter and wife and put his hoof on Windy's chest, "It's the heart you possess, the pegasi are known for their hard work and determination," he smiled.  "It's been two days after you've been clipped, and look at you.  You're running about, keeping in high spirits, and not letting it get you down," he hugged her tightly.  "You are the bravest pegasus ever, even braver than the pegasi who are Canterlotian guards."
Windy squeezed her father, "Thank you daddy," she began to cry.
"Windy..." her mother addressed her.  Windy's dad loosened his grip and so did Windy, he walked to his seat at a weak smile, "No matter what happens to you, or whatever you do.  We will always love you.  And you will always be the best flyer in all of Equestria." she kissed her on the cheek and hugged her.
Windy squeezed her mom back, "Love you, too."
They released their grips, "Lets eat," her mom insisted.
"Yeah, I'm hungry," Windy agreed.
They turned and looked at the table, to see Windy's dad sitting there eating two muffins and a pile of hay tots, "Breezy!" her mom scolded.
He looked up with his cheeks puffed, "Yes?"
"Those are my muffins!" Windy playfully said as if she were mad.
He swallowed, and leaned on the table, "And what are you going to do about it princess?"
Windy growled and charged her father, who caught her and pretended to hold her captive, the family laughed as they spent time together.
"Shit!" Sure Shot's voice entered the room.
Windy flashed open her eyes, and saw Sure Shot standing over her.  Windy blushed, "What are you doing?"
Sure Shot leaned next to her and her leg felt like it was tight, "Upgrading ya."
Windy looked at her leg and saw what appeared to a strap, "What is this?"
"Well, if ya didn't move, it's you trigger," he explained.
Windy realized that all four of her legs were spread apart and her wings were uncased.  She burst into a cold sweat, "Tra, trigger for what?" she stuttered.
"For your guns," he answered confidently.
"Do you have to install them like this, though?" she asked embarrassed.
He looked down at her and laughed, "Do I make you..." he flipped his mane, "nervous?"
She turned a brighter red, "Dammit!  Stop!"
His laugh turned into a chuckle, "Just let me get this on."  He took his front hooves off of her legs and put his head down past the left side of her ribs, his gruff brushed her ribs and she shook with excitement.  He pulled out a strap attached to green fabric, he did the same to the other side.  He put one strap through the loop of the other and pulled until it wouldn't come loose.  He stood up straight and smiled down, "There we go, now you're ready to go!"
Windy looked at her wing and saw the familiar shape of the gun she stole from the Justice House.  "Wait, did you...?"  Upon closer examination she realized that the pistol was attached to straps to keep it steady on the wings, and the string on the trigger lead down to her hooves.  "No way!" she exclaimed.  "This is completely badass!"
Sure Shot stepped over her and offered his hoof, "Glad ya like it,” Windy accepted his offer and reached her hoof out.  He carefully pulled her up to her hooves and he began to inspect her, "Hmmm, not bad.  Can't believe it actually fits ya."
"Really?" Windy checked herself out.  She extended her wings and saw that her other pistol was also attached to the other wing.  She giggled and reared up, Sure Shot's eyes grew wide and he jumped out of the way with a scream of freight.  Windy stomped down and two loud bangs went off on both sides of her.  She fell on her back, "What the hell just happened?!"  she asked through her ringing ears.
Sure Shot lifted his head and chuckled, "Yes!  It works!"
Windy took an angry attitude, "That's not funny!"  I could have been killed!"
The blue stallion rose to his hooves and limped to her, "Like hell, you were aiming at me!"  His horn lit up brighter than last night, and Windy raised in the air and turned right side up.  "Okay put your wings away," Windy obeyed, and her wings went to her sides.  "Now time to explain," he began as he set Windy on the ground gingerly, "You have been fitted with a new way to defend yourself.  It's simple really: just stretch your wings out, aim, and stomp."
Windy stared at her new fashion statement, a green vest with a plow on the side with small pullies on her sides with tightly pulled strings entering and exiting them.  "Will I be able to run?" she wondered.
"Yes?" he answered unsure.  "As long as you keep them wings closed.  But why don't ya just fly?  It's much easier, isn't it?"
Windy gave a cheesy smile, "Yeah of course, but...  No."
Sure Shot's jaw dropped, "Ya'll can't fly?"
Windy nodded, “I’ve been clipped."
"Wow, I'm sorry.  I didn't know."
"It's okay," she reassured, "It had to be done.  I think I'm a better runner than a flyer anyway."  She looked at her wings, "Sooo, how do I put more bullets in these when they run out?"
"You mean reload?" Sure Shot asked with doubt in his voice.
"Yeah reload!" she tested out the new term.
"Well to unload, just flap your wings really hard down..." he explained, "but I'm still not sure about entering the magazines."
Windy's eyebrow slowly rose, "What's a magazine?"
Sure Shot threw a hoof to his face, "Dear Celestia!  What have I gotten myself into?"
While they sat down to breakfast, Sure Shot explained to Windy all the parts of a gun.  When Windy asked how he knew so much, he said he was in the Canterlotian Royal Guards; this is also where he met Field Runner.  When they were packing up to head out, when Windy finally asked, "What happened to your horn?"
Sure Shot opened his bag and placed his cooking pan inside, then closed it, "After I couldn't find Field Runner, I went to a bar to drown my sorrows.  Well after six shots of one of the last bottles of Hard Apple Cider, four stallions entered.  They were punks lookin' for a flank for the night."
"Hey!  Old man!" the stallion with shades called to the barkeep.
"Ye...  Yes?" the barkeep answered shakily.
"You got any mares around here?" Shades asked in an interrogating way.  The rest of the group chuckled evilly.
Sure Shot turned in his stool, and pointed his hoof at Shades, his hoof continued to drift from him to the door behind him, "You!  *hic* What the hell do you want?" Sure Shot slurred.
The stallions began to laugh, "Look what we have here boys..." Shades pointed his hoof at Sure Shot.  "A hero."
"Damn right!  Three yeaars in the Royal Guard to kick your asses." Sure Shot jumped down from his stool, and stumbled about.  "Damn floor! Stop moving!" he regained a slanted posture, and wobbled.
"This clown wants a fight," one of the stallions predicted from behind Shades.
Shades chuckled, "Come in boys, we need to discuss!" Shades commanded his group and they obeyed by getting in a huddle.
Sure Shot's horn lit up and his gun levitated off the ground, it rose to his face and he took aim.  He held it there until the Shades broke the huddle.
"Alright you dru..."  Shades began to say, but was cut off by the eruption of the gun.  The bullet flew from the gun and pierced through the skull of the stallion.  The bullet traveled through the stallion brain and exited from the back-side of his skull, splashing his goons in red.
"Holy shit!" one goon expressed his fear.
"Get him!" the stallion to Shades' left ordered.
They hesitated for a moment, then gathered enough courage to charge.  Sure Shot didn't even give it a second thought; he dropped his gun to the ground and charged back.  Everyone in attendance scooted away from the fight, but watched intently.
The stallion who gave the order threw a punch and hit Sure Shot's jaw.  His head jerked sideways and the stallions stopped to gloat, "That's just the beginning, there's plenty more to come!"
Sure Shot's head turned back around, he stared the stallion in the eyes.  Sure Shot rammed his head just below his horn into the stallion's forehead.  The stallion fell to the ground, with a bloody skull, "There's more to come if ya'll want it!"
The other stallions looked at their fallen friend, then growled, "You're dead!"  The bigger stallion lunged at Sure Shot and tackled him to the ground.  The other stallion came up and began stomping on his mid-section.
Sure Shot thought through the escaped breathes and blows, he quickly hatched an idea.  He swept his rear legs and tripped the stomping pony, who fell with a large thud, then he rammed his head forward pointing his horn at the bigger stallion's eye, the horn protruded through his eye and he fell back with a loud scream.
"Damnit!  He blinded me!" the big stallion screamed.
Sure Shot tried his best to get up quickly, but only came up groggily and heavy due to his injured ribs and drunken state.  Despite his dull pain, he jumped on the big stallion and began barraging his in punches.  The stallion dropped to his knees, and tried to endure the pain.
A large wooden object smashed against Sure Shot's head, he stopped his assault and stared blankly at the wall on the other side of the bar.  He fell off the stallion and laid on his back.  The smaller stallion helped his friend up and they limped over to Sure Shot and stomped on him, but he didn't take notice of it, he only saw the tip of his horn laying on the ground.  The other patrons ran out of the bar quickly, but the stallions continued their beating. 
Sure Shot began to glow, and the furious stallions backed away from him.  He began to levitate and his eyes turned bright white.  His attackers exchanged concerned glances with each other, and the stallion with the bloody nose began to rise.
"Is he dead?" he asked his friends while shaking his head.
"Uh, do unicorns levitate and glow when they die?" the smaller stallion asked.
The stallion with the bloody nose looked at the center of the room, his face filled with freight.  He quickly turned and began to run for the exit.  "Where are you going?!" the one eyed stallion yelled.
Sure Shot cringed in pain, then released all of the energy in a mighty yell, virtually vaporizing his attackers and the bar.  Twelve minutes later, Sure Shot woke up in a four foot deep hole and the entire town was staring at him.  He slowly rose to his feet, and stared back, "Do ya'll know where I can get a drink 'round here?"
"And that's why I have a broken horn," Sure Shot concluded.
"So we have a team of" a broken unicorn, and a flightless pegasus..." Windy pointed out. "Now all we need is an earth pony afraid of dirt and we'll have a full band of misfits."
Sure Shot laughed while throwing his saddlebag over his back, "You know Windy, you may not understand jack squat about anything.  But hell if you ain't entertaining."
"Thanks...  I think,' Windy smiled awkwardly.  She grabbed her saddlebag and threw it over her back.  "So where are we going?"
Sure Shot limped slowly towards her, "South," he answered.  "There's an old friend I want to see.  It's been a while and I want to make sure she's fine."  He began to limp past her.
Windy turned and followed him, "She?" she wondered.  "Is it a sister...?  Or a mare you dated before you knew you were gay?"
"Sorta both really, I'll explain on the way."
It took them three days to arrive at their destination.  A town that was built in between the old towns of Quillsyvania and Coltcinati.  The town was excellently built: high metal walls that cannot be scaled, with guard towers to overlook the barren land, there were also two story metal buildings that were sturdy enough to withstand another devastating blast from Twilight's spell.
Windy stared at the fortress in amazement, "So mares built and live here?'
"Eeyup," Sure Shot agreed. "Built by mares for mares."
"Wow," Windy admired.  She then questioned, "Does she still remember you?"
Sure Shot reached his hoof to his head to feel his hat, then placed it back on the ground when he was sure, "Wearing the same hat like I was wearing two months ago."  He looked at his body, "And the same body, and..."
"Okay I get it!" she interrupted.  "So we can just go in?"
"Should be able to," he answered.
Windy deadpanned, "Well that's reassuring."
A loud crack went off in the distance, a small dust cloud appeared in front of Sure Shot and a clump of earth smacked him in the face.  Sure Shot jumped back and winced when he landed on his bad leg, but maintained his composure, Windy screamed.  "The hell is wrong with them?" Sure Shot wondered.
"They obviously think you're a treat!" Windy stayed away from Sure Shot.
Sure Shot snarled, "Damnit let us in!" he demanded.  He began to limp forward again, "We need to see Golden Beacon!"	
Another Shot was fired, but Sure Shot continued to walk, he looked up at the tower on the far right and saw the sniper.  "No stallion will ever enter these walls!" the sniper threatened.
Sure Shot laughed obnoxiously, "That's were ya'll are wrong!  I've been in your city before!  It has a bronze statue of Princess Luna in the center of town!"  The sniper took aim, the crosshairs sitting on his head.  "My name is Sure Shot, the only stallion to enter these walls!" he tapped the steel wall with a thunk.
The pegasus sniper took a deep breathe, and began to pull the trigger, "Goodbye, you waste of skin," she said to herself.
"Stop!" a mare commanded from behind.
The sniper lowered her weapon, "Not when I'm about to kill a threat to our sisters!"  She turned her head, "Now run along and..." the mare sniper straightened up, turned around and lowered her weapon to her side, "Sorry mam, I didn't mean any offense."  
"It's okay," the obviously high ranking mare forgave her, "Let them in and don't!  Let this happen again!"
The sniper saluted, "Yes mam!"  She turned to her left, "Open the gate!" she demanded the gate keepers.
The two mares whom operated the gate’s controls, began to turn the wheels and the gate began to break in two.  The two metal doors began to disappear into the wall.  "Carry on!" the high ranking mare said as she began running down the stairs. 
"Yes mam!" the mare sniper saluted and began scanning the environment for threats.
The gate began to slide open, Sure Shot turned to Windy and smiled triumphantly, "Told ya they'd let us in."
Windy deadpanned, "Yeah, you almost got killed also," she trotted past him into the city.
"They're called results," Sure Shot followed.
They entered the city, and saw the giant metal buildings with window gardens decorated with brilliantly colored flowers.  "It could us some more color," Windy suggested.
"I told 'em the same thing when I came here," Sure Shot explained.  He began pointing from building to building, "Blue here, some yellow there, and maybe some green..."
"How the hell did you get here?" a lone voice came from the side of them.
The pair turned to see the high ranking mare walking down the steps, "Walked for three days," Sure Shot answered.
"Is that Golden Beacon?" Windy asked.
Sure Shot examined the random mare closely, "No." he answered.  "I don't ever remember seeing her in town."
"Well she sure seems to know you," Windy observed.
The mare came closer, stopping right in front of Sure Shot.  "I still can't believe Cousin Apple Jack gave you her hat."
Sure Shot looked confused, "How do you know that my cousin was Apple Jack?"
The mare wrapped her front legs around Sure Shot's neck, "Duh, look at me!  You idiot, it's me Cherry Petal."
Sure Shot's face turned to surprise; "No way!" he hugged Cherry Petal back.  "I can't believe you're alive."
"I can't believe you are!" Cherry Petal buried her face in his chest.  "I mean I've heard rumors you were in town before, but I just couldn't believe it."
Sure Shot gave a hearty laugh; "I'm so happy you're still alive!" he pulled the mare out of his chest and looked her in the eyes.  "Look at you!  You took that damn ribbon out of your tail."
Cherry Petal laughed, "Yeah the mares around here treated me like I was a little filly, but I showed them I was somepony not to mess with."
"That's my girl!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Windy imposed on the reunion.  "I don't mean to interrupt, but who is she?"
Cherry Petal and Sure Shot smiled at eachother, then at Windy, "Well Windy," he began, "This here is my sister, Cherry Petal."