Arrow: Friend or Foe?by XhadowChapters An old day, some new thing. Chapter 2ThursdayOrigins An old day, some new thing. An old day, some new thing. Arrow: Friend or Foe? "Are you sure you want to write that," I asked, amused, "the teachers might think you're the arrow." "Meh," Lyra sighed, "I don't care, besides what's he done wrong?" "Well, crimes of fashion for starters," Rarity interrupted, "green leather..." she shuddered, "and who does he think he's impressing with that bow, honestly I think he's overcompensating if you know what I mean." I suddenly wondered what she was doing sitting with the "Rejects Council" (Aka Lyra and my study hall table) I was just about to voice just that when the teacher strolled up. "The arrow isn't a hero, kids. He's a murderer and he will be caught." Cheerilee placed her hands on the table and looked directly at me, "Understand?" I felt my heart freeze over, the blood turning to ice in my veins. 'Did she know? How'd she peg me? Did I leave my book in her reach? did they search my locker? Who else knew?!' The walls of the library started closing in. "Hey Ollie, you sick or something," Lyra blurted out to the whole library. Thinking fast I laid my head down on the table, "Just tired level 64 took forever." Cheerilee groaned aloud, "You were up all night playing a computer game? Need I remind you of the test on Friday?" "Please don't," I groaned into the table. "I have enough to deal with as it is." "Yeah, like getting past the warlock guarding the key of secrets," Lyra pounded the table, "Just like that he'll sap all your magic and leech off of your aura, reversing up to 35% damage!" "What happened to the deep philosophical conversations this table is infamous for?" Rarity asked, applying yet another layer of chap stick. "Caught us on our day off princess," I said once I was sure Cheerilee had gone back to her desk. "Philosophy test," Lyra deadpanned. Rarity nodded slightly, looking like she was holding back tears. "What do you need help with," Lyra sighed. "Um...well," Rarity pulled out her book, "everything?" "We'll help ya," Lyra glared at me across the table, "won't we, Ollie?" "Nah, I suck at terms you're on your own with this one." I forced my chair back from the table and stretched my legs. I was still sore from where the bus hit me last Tuesday. "N-no. Please I need all the help I can get." Lyra glared at me, "Oliver." She said sternly, pointing to the tally marks on her wrist. I rolled my eyes, "Fine, but this makes us even." Lyra laughed, "For today." "Fine, let's start with the basics then, yeah?" Lyra and I opened our books to the current chapter. Communism. "Wow," I sighed, "touchy subject." "What don't you understand?" Lyra asked, trying to push the topic forward. "Well, everything," Rarity flicked her book and I noticed some minute streaks in her eye shadow and a small strand of hair under her nail. 'This has been causing her a lot of stress.' "I've read the section over and over, but I just don't get any of it." Rarity collapsed, sobbing into her book. "I'll break it down for you." I offered, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Just stop crying, please you're embarrassing us." Rarity looked up at me, tears in her eyes, "Really?" "Yeah. Why not, it's not like I have anything better to do." I shoved my black book into my bag without breaking eye contact. 'Yeah, the city'll just save itself while I teach about the dangers of Communism.' "I didn't think you'd care enough." Rarity slashed away her tears. "Well, thanks for that." "It's no secret that Lyra is the human one." I drew the string back to my ear, the only thing I could feel was the fury of hell burning in me, "You. Have. Failed. This. City!" In his last moments, with his back against the wall, Worthy Comb begged me to take his innocent daughter that he abused her entire life over him! Without any further hesitation I put an arrow in the barber's throat and left him to drown in his own blood. "Oliver...?" Lyra asked, snapping her fingers, "You spaced out again. Are you okay?" "I'm fine." I sighed taking a deep breath, "Communism at its core is an economic theory proposed by Karl Marx..." Rarity had tears forming in her eyes again. I sighed, trying to think of a way to explain it. "A philosophy is kind of like an outfit. In the way that it's made up of several ideas, all working together behind the scenes to make something amazing on the surface. Now, the designer of this particular mess is this guy," I pointed to the picture in her book, "Karl Marx. He built a foundation on two particular philosophies: Atheism, which is the belief that there is no god; and Darwinism, which is the belief that everything alive comes from a common ancestor." "Belief? That's a proven fact, Oliver." "Back on topic, those are the undergarments, the shoes, what this whole thing stands on is communal ownership." Almost subconsciously I started a diagram of sorts. "What does that mean? communal ownership?" Rarity asked between scratching notes. "It means that everyone owns everything." "Oh, that doesn't sound so bad." "It means that you have nothing, no privacy. All of your personal belongings belong to whomever wants them." "Oh, that's..." "It brings us to the next piece, the pants, they're the belief that society is evolving past the need for social classes and money." "But, how?" "Government enforcement. Our shirt, they step in and decide who works where and how much they get compensated for it." "Well, that doesn't seem fair." "It's caused too many wars and cost too many lives." I thought back on the lives I'd ended, 'Am I any better than them?' "The Arrow isn't communist Oliver," Lyra snapped me out of my daze. shocked I tore my gaze from the table to my makeshift diagram. It was me, well by night anyway. Even with my meager art skills I could recognize the figure taking shape under my pencil, "I'm not sure what he is anymore..." "That's why someone other than the news has to write about him," Lyra tapped her notebook, "The local stations' all propaganda anyways." The bell sounded, shaking me out of my reflective trance. Rarity still looked on the verge of an all out panic attack. I swept up my bag and started for the door. "Lyra'll help you fill in the nit-picky details and page numbers." I turned to rarity and flashed a quick smile, "You'll be fine, alright? After all this is all we do." ` 'Who am I going after tonight?' I opened my black book and scanned through the crossed out names until I came to the first unblemished name: Vinyl Scratch 'No. T-that can't be possible...' I closed the book, taking several deep breaths I stumbled to my locker and threw it open. The metal storage facility didn't contain much, my other two phones and my faded green duffel containing my arrow gear. "I really should move this...." I lifted the duffel, checking for any signs of tampering. But thankfully none of my improvised seals (clear tape pressed tight over the zipper track) were broken. I sighed, "What now Dash?" The locker next to mine squeaked open and Rainbow's head appeared out of the darkness. "Seriously, how do you keep doing that?" She leaped out and started a series of athletic stretches. "There isn't much I don't notice anymore." Everyone I've killed flashed through my mind, faces twisted into expressions of pure agony as their final moments closed in around them. 'Cheerilee was right. I'm not a hero...I'm just the murderer that got away.' "So, the team needs a new archer and I heard you're pretty good." Rainbow offered as she finished her stretches. "Who told you that," I stowed my list and phones in my duffel, strapped on my backpack, and started for the door. "Pinkie actually," Dash followed after me. 'Damn. I don't have time for this.' I knew I could escape--easily. In the arrow suit. Doing it now, however, would butcher my cover. Rainbow grabbed my shoulder, stopping me. "What do I need to say? We're desperate. competition's coming up and AJ quit because of harvest." "I can't afford to," I admitted, hoping she'd leave me alone, "I can't do it and pay rent, alright?" "Rent?" Rainbow cocked and eyebrow, "Dude, you're in high school don't you live at home?" "I don't want to talk about it. Besides, I have to be across town in ten minutes and my bikes in the shop for another two weeks." 'Another thing I can't pay for.' "Oh," Rainbow released her grip, "I'm sorry." "I don't need your pity! And tell your friend to stop wasting our time!" I stopped, and took a breath, "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have snapped." An expression of pain crossed her features, "I understand." Rainbow turned to leave, "If you ever get the time I have a spare bow, maybe you could pass on what you know to the newbies?" Rainbow slipped me a scrap of paper with a very specific set of numbers scrawled across it. 'Wait...' I stared at the paper in disbelief, 'did I just get a girl's phone number?' "Uh..." "You want mine?" Rainbow nodded, "Yeah...let's do it that way." "Yep," I added my number to the page and passed it back, "less awkward." Rainbow gave a satisfied, albeit uncomfortable nod and proceeded to leave me alone. 'Finally' I sighed inwardly, pressing my shoulder into the door and bracing for the day ahead. "Oliver Queen." The principal's voice hit me like a cold knife. (yes I do know what that feels like) I turned to face her, at this point she was just another stress on top of the pile. Celestia nodded towards her office. I groaned, gathered up my bags, and followed her behind the faux wooden door. By the time I'd crossed the hall Celestia had already sat behind her desk and was wrestling with a few stubborn files, trying to get the drawer closed. When she heard the door close she snapped back to me. "Why is the captain of the CC PD asking to interrogate my students?" "I don't know, alright. Maybe you should ask him, or," I slammed my hand onto her desk, making a satisfying BANG! "Here's a novel idea you could ask his daughter!" "Oliver, are you okay," Celestia asked, shocked or on the brink of tears I didn't care which. "I don't need your pity!" 'Need or deserve? They're distinctly different things.' 'Both. And you know it, so why don't you just piss off' 'You really think you don't need help. That's a laugh!' 'Why don't you just shut the hell up!' "I have to get across town," I turned to leave, tripping over myself in the process. "Oliver, are you high," Celestia asked, offering a hand. "I'm fine!" I refused her offer and failed prying myself off the floor. "Oliver, this is a safe place, I can get you the help you need. Nobody's going to judge you." "I... haven't slept in three days," I admitted, my eyes closing on their own. "Wh...why?" "I haven't had the time, princess..." I shook myself awake, ignoring the shifting color in the walls. "I'm late for work." I pushed myself up, grabbing my bags. "So if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way." Celestia stepped between me and the door. "I can't let you do that. Oliver, you're destroying yourself." "In an ideal world, princess, none of us would have to pay rent. Celestia pulled something from her purse, but my eyes slithered over to the bookshelves lining the room. There was a little bit of everything: medical, philosophical, occult, an octopus...no, nevermind, biological, astrophysical, even fiction. I woke up in the backseat of a high end town car. "Oliver, I don't want to see you at school tomorrow, understand?" Celestia glared at me in the rear-view mirror. "And I called the Cakes you're taking the next three days off. Get some sleep." "I.." 'Tell her you're the arrow, maybe you'll feel better. my gaze drifted out the window, "How'd you know where I live?" "I care for my students Oliver," Celestia smiled at me, "Besides I put in a bit for the place myself." Contingency Corner. A huge manor on the outskirts of the city loomed before us, Powerful and absolute, it made its presence known through dark stone masonry and castle-like facades. A pair of rounded towers, like bookends, dictated the beginning and ending of the building. There were a couple of out-buildings but I didn't have any need of them. They sat empty, patiently awaiting their new purpose. "I guess that's why the rent's so much..." My head hit the seat and I was out like a light. Author's Note The explanation of Communism is bad, okay I get it. That's just how I understand it. Chapter 2I dragged myself back to the waking world, disoriented and miffed. "21:00!? I can't have slept that long!" I got up and made my way to my discarded duffle, "There you are." I pulled my bow from the depths of dark canvas, "At least Vinyl Scratch is a creature of habit." 'Vinyl Scratch is an active member of the Canaries, a hacker clan that siphons accounts and SWAT's innocent people for fun.' I threw up my hood 'That ends tonight.' Rain gently pattered against the pavement, providing a natural soundtrack for Vinyl's walk home. She kept a brisk pace, running late, and not once looking over her shoulder. I followed at a distance waiting for opportunity to strike. Suddenly Vinyl picked up the pace and turned down a back alley. 'Here we go. For the good of the city.' I forced my last meal back down, wincing as the acid burned my throat. Nocking an arrow, I turned the corner . "Vinyl Scratch," I knocked off her signature headphones and readied another arrow, "You have failed this city." "You're making a mistake..." "You and your friends drained old man Copper's account." I drew the bow, "That money goes back where it belongs." The only sound in the alley was the rain. "It's about the money then?" Vinyl asked, reaching for something. "Don't try it, Vinyl." I tried to put on an air of confidence, letting the Arrow's reputation do the talking. Vinyl pulled out her phone, "Just a phone." I bit back a tear, "Don't make me..." My voice changer quit! "what did you do?!" Vinyl turned the phone towards me like a tazer. I rolled, something impacting my thigh. I felt suddenly cold and tired, Drugged! I let the arrow loose, it buried itself in Vinyl's phone sending it rocketing down the alley. The three Vinyls took a step towards me. I closed my eyes, shaking my head. 'No! I'm not gonna die.' "Sorry, Green Arrow. But I need the money." I barely nocked another arrow, "Don't make me do it Vinyl..." "I don't think you're in a place to make threats." I collapsed to my knees, sending a spray of water in all directions. I looked up at Vinyl her jagged blue hair framed her face just perfectly. I couldn't speak. I couldn't even think. "Say goodnight Green Arrow," Vinyl kicked me over as my vision faded. "Vinyl," I pulled myself up, searching for my assailant. The sun beat down on me. "That's not good..." "CC PD!" voice from behind me exclaimed. "That's even better," I grabbed my bow and started running. I scanned the alley, pulse pounding in my ears as I sprinted. I heard a short burst of gunfire behind me. One of the rounds shattering a window inches from my head; showering me in broken glass. I was rapidly running out of alley, a police car blocking my only exit. "CC PD! Drop the bow!" There! I slid into a narrow passage between two buildings, rolled to my feet, and hit the ground running. The city street overwhelmed my senses. Cars rushing about, people going about their lives, and a flock of airplanes overhead. A beat up pickup pulled off the street towards me, snapping me out of my daze. "Green Arrow, get in." I didn't question the invitation. I dived into the steel bed and threw the tarp over me, severing my connection to the outside world. We waited there in silence as time seemed to stop around us. I set my jaw, gripping the dart still buried in my thigh, 'This is gonna hurt. I ripped it out, stifling a cry, 'I hate it when I'm right.' I studied the dart, it was roughly three inches in length with grooves carved into it to ensure a straight flight.'This took time and bits, where'd Vinyl get this?' I turned it over, noticing that it had been modded to hold a syringe. 'Strange,' I popped it out and rapidly found the serial number. It was from a batch shipped to Memorial, the local hospital. "What?" I was shocked, after going through all that they let this get out on the streets? I got hit by a bus! A bus! "You're good, Green." I made sure, lifting the tarp just enough to verify the all clear. "Very good, if I do say so myself." The driver continued, "I have a job for you, if you're interested." "I'm guessing I don't have a choice in the matter," I replied, throwing off the tarp. The driver removed her shades, revealing her cold steely eyes. "You have a choice, Green Arrow. Everyone does, it's just that your choices of late are...endangering my employers. Making investors nervous never did the economy any good." "Investors," The grip around my bow tightened, "You mean the fatcats who control the cops and people through intimidation and bribery?!" I leaped upright, nocking an arrow on the way up. "Impressive, but you're not innocent. Are you Green Arrow?" She paused, "After all it's not like you haven't done this before." "Who do you want me to kill?" I demanded, barely resisting the urge to put her down. "It doesn't have to come to that," She assured, "Just get the message across." I scoffed, "No." "Really? you don't even want to hear what the job..." I cut her off with an arrow through the steering wheel. The horn blasted a long, low, and distracting note. She turned around, barely, long enough for me to slip away. I ran back to the club Vinyl left the night before for my civilian clothes. Careful to stay out of sight, one of the things coming here made me good at. I stopped outside the back door, and collapsed behind the dumpster. "I don't know what I'm doing." I sighed, kicking the metal bin. "Am I even doing the right thing, anymore?" The tears started running over my mask. "This isn't who I am." I turned the bow over, debating just throwing it away. "I'm not a hero. I'm not a badass. I'm not even Oliver Queen." I heard the door open and the rattling of a trash bag. 'shit.' I pulled myself further behind the bin, hoping whoever it was didn't see me. "Wha-" I closed my eyes, trying not to move. "G..." I heard him stutter, "no way..." I sighed, it was over. The city would stay as corrupt, I'd get life in prison and never get home. All he had to do was dial the phone. He slid back beside me, "You're Green Arrow," He glanced around and lowered his voice. "You're my hero, man." "I'm not a hero," I looked him in the eye, "all I do is take lives." "So does the army," he settled in, offering me a cigarette. I silently declined. "You're the only one in this city that cares about us. The real people, us guys struggling to get by." He struck a match, "The cops, they're a joke. They don't do anything unless you've got money, and the city council..." He scoffed, lighting his cigarette, "They're even more corrupt. It's no secret that the one-percenters own them. They fund their campaigns, finance their office, you name it." "I know. But you need someone who doesn't make the streets a warzone." I grabbed his cigarette and smashed it beneath my boot. "You need someone who can do things without the bloodshed." "Listen. I'm all for the whole peace thing. But, that didn't work for us." He pointed west, "Sure the suburbs, and the upper class...it worked for them, but they've got money and power." He paused, patting the ground, "This, this is the Everglades. The wrong side of the tracks. The folks here, they've got nobody looking out for them. Nobody to look up to. We..." He stifled a tear, "w-we're just barely getting by. We dream of moving, gettin' out, but we know we can't. It's a trap, and nobody can get out." "I'm sorry, but I can't give you a way to fix everything." I pulled myself up, "Only you can do that. I'm going to turn myself in." I sighed, trying not to cry, "I can at least get real justice." "You can't do that!" He grabbed my shoulder, and I instantly pictured all the ways I could kill this kid. "We have nothing! You've saved this city, given us hope. A dream, you can't take that away from us, we've got nothing else!" "If, it means anything, I'm sorry." I pushed him against the wall, pinching the nerve in his neck. He fell to the pavement like a ragdoll. "At least I didn't kill him..." I walked the five miles back home with my head down. Too busy battling my own demons to see anything around me. Sighing in defeat, I unlocked the door and tossed my duffel on the couch in the corner. This is how it must be. They'll just have to find a real hero. I cracked a can of Manticore and stared at the empty fireplace. Does it, though? This is your way home. Maybe it isn't worth getting back. Besides, nobody misses me there. Ha...I can't argue with that. But, you can still do this. Just a few more names and we'll be able to forget all about this. I scoffed out loud, Back home? Back to Dairy Queen six days a week with no hope, no future? I froze, I heard someone chamber a gun. No...not now. I dived for my bow as the door burst open. I grabbed the bow, turned, and... "Oliver?" "Vinyl?!" I dropped the bow, it wasn't very good against a .45 at this range. "Wait...you?" Vinyl dropped her gun, "You're Green Arrow?" "How'd you..." I face-palmed, "Tracker in the dart." "Yeah..." Vinyl backed away slowly, "you tried to kill me!" "I gave you a choice," I shouted, pulling myself up, " besides, you drugged me!" "You destroyed my phone, do you have any idea how long that took me to build?" Vinyl threw the remains on the floor. "You ripped my pants, do you have any idea what those cost me?!" I laughed, "This--this is insane." "Why me? There's a million other people to go after in this city." Vinyl eyed the gun lying on the carpet. "You're on my list, Vinyl. I don't have a choice." I risked a glance at my discarded bow, "Besides, I didn't steal an old man's savings." "You're still concerned about the money, really?" Vinyl threw her hands up, "What happened to the big bad Green Arrow who wants to save the city?" "His widow deserves what's owed her," I shouted, flipping the footstool over the gun and diving for the bow. I rolled, grabbing my weapon on the way up, nocked an arrow and drew. "Vinyl Scratch, you have failed this city." "Copper's dead?" Vinyl shook her head, "No, you're lying! No fatalities, that's how we operate." "You didn't know," I asked, lowering the bow, "He passed away Monday when the money ran out." "No...," She sighed, dropping her gaze to the floor, a single tear forced its way down her face. "He lived down the block from me, I barely knew him. His wife brought us cookies when mom--" I waited in silence for her to continue. "I...I killed him, didn't I?" Vinyl looked at me, tears in her eyes. "I...nobody can say for sure, they did all they could but..." 'God this sucks. This was her neighbor and his blood's on her hands. no matter what I say...' I found myself holding her hand, "Vinyl, you didn't know." "What do I do?" Vinyl demanded, barely matching my gaze, "How do you deal with it?" 'I don't.' "The guilt stays with you, much like losing someone it never goes away. It just gets better." I sighed, trying to giver her something, anything useful, "Staying busy helps, not giving your mind time to reflect." "I'm going to turn myself in after school tomorrow, but if you want to come with me you can. We can talk to the cops about what happened." I offered, trying to make the situation better. "I-I don't know. I don't want to go to jail, Oliver." "Do what you will, Vinyl." I told her, trying to put up a false front of confidence, "But do yourself a favor and go home. Get some sleep." She nodded slowly, taking a step back. "Just take the gun with you, Vinyl." "Okay..." Vinyl gingerly picked up the .45, "You're not coming after me anymore, right?" "No. You've learned your lesson, I think." "Yeah...I'll see you tomorrow...?" "Get some sleep Vinyl." With that she was gone. Going home is the best thing for her now. Her family can help her through this far better than I ever could. ' I kicked off my boots and fell backwards onto my bed. This is my last day on this world...any world. One last day and it'll be over, all of it.' I clicked off the light, and almost immediately fell asleep. Author's Note Please lend me a hoof making this better??? ThursdayI didn't sleep very well. My mind kept returning to the things I'd done, people I've killed...and Vinyl. 'I can't believe I turned her away like that.' I pulled myself out of bed, taking a glance around the room. It was just as I had left it, my bow laying on the end table with a can of Manticore next to it. I got to my feet and grabbed the can, 'At least this has one good use.' Pulling my pants from my duffel I laid them on the floor. I poured it on the small bloodstain around the new hole in the thigh. The blood turned green and ran off with the rest of the concoction. "I don't know who'd drink this." I shook off the various liquids and hung them on the coatrack in the corner to dry. I grabbed my school bag, casting a glance at the bow on the table. I remembered what Rainbow told me, and why I can't help her. "I guess it doesn't matter anymore..." I threw the bag on, and ripped open the door. I stopped for a minute, looking back at the room. 'I tried. That's the important thing, right?' I sighed. 'You're going to be late. 'Does that even matter at this point?' Making a hypocrite out of myself I took off at a run, barely stopping to lock the front door. I took my usual seat on the bus and glanced out the window, lost in thought. 'What's prison going to be like? I mean with all I've inherited I'm sure I can handle anyone in there. At least one on one. "Is this seat taken," Bon-bon asked, snapping me back to reality. "Um...I don't think so," I moved over, letting her sit down. "You don't usually ride the bus, Oliver." Bon-bon stated, reaching in her bag for something. "No, I usually drive myself..." "Your 750-TI is still in the shop off Queen and Gambit." "Anyone ever tell you, you're a bit of a creep?" I asked, trying to shut down the conversation. "I'm intrigued that you didn't join the archery team, I thought for sure that was right up your alley." Bon-bon paused, brushing her hair back. 'She's wearing a wire!' "Too much homework, and work hours for competition, Bon-bon." I reached in my bag forcing my list to the bottom, out of sight. "You know, you can talk to me right?" "I can't talk to anyone," I countered, letting my gaze return to the passing city. Bon-bon tried several more times to start conversation before the bus finally pulled into the CHS parking lot. 'It's about time.' I sighed as we made our way off the bus. I started towards the school, trying to keep my anxiety at bay long enough to survive today. 'One more day and I'll be out of here.' I ripped open the glass door and made my way to my locker, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. "Oliver Queen," The captain sighed from behind me. I growled, slamming my locker, "What?!" He scoffed, shocked, "Excuse me?" "How much are you making for grilling me, huh? Who's paying you?" My grip shifted on my book, getting ready to swing it. "It's no secret that CC PD only works if somebody's lining their pockets! So who's paying you?" 'Why do I care so much?' "You're not wrong," The captain admitted, "but my only interest is the truth. Rich or poor I want justice." "Captain Heartstrings, you have--" I pulled back ready to strike. "Oliver Queen," Celestia called from down the hall. "You'd better get to class, it wouldn't look to good on your record." I begrudgingly lowered my book, allowing the captain this small victory. I sighed, making my way to the principal's classroom. "It's good to see you finally made it, mister Queen. When I heard the busses were running late I thought for sure you'd miss out on valuable class time." "May I turn in the paper now, and work on something else with the remaining time?" I asked offering the completed assignment. "You have it done already?" Celestia asked, pride and shock blending her voice, "I only assigned it Tuesday." "Like I said, I don't have time to sleep." It wasn't much, just Equestrian law. Pretty straightforward, all I had to do was compile and present evidence of conspiracies...hypothetical of course, and conclude the paper with a lesson in spotting illegal conspiracies. Really not that hard when that's literally all I do. "I'd say, just keep track of it for now. But if you want to work on something else for the period do it quietly. Okay?" Celestia pointed me to my usual seat at the back of the room, next to Lyra. "I got it." I acknowledged, making my way to the back of the room. I cautiously took my seat, scrambling to collect my thoughts as I opened my sketchbook to the first blank page and started drawing concepts for new arrow gadgets. It was something to keep my mind off of my looming confession more than anything constructive. "Olivier," Lyra glanced over at me, voice breaking, "I need to talk to you." "After class," I sighed, "That'll be the best time for both of us." Did I just come off as an ass to another one of my allies? I focused on the design of a new grappling arrow that would double as a survival axe if the occasion arose. Although I knew I'd never be able to build these things, or after today, be able to use them it was still a comfort to be able to stretch my imagination. Before I'd finished the bell sounded, packing up I hesitantly followed Lyra out into the hall and away from passing students. "Listen, Oliver..." Lyra started, only able to meet the gaze of the floor, "I'm sorry. I...you're a good friend, but I don't want you to try and stop me." "Lyra," I asked, confused and scared, "What's going on?" "Just...don't blame yourself. It's not your fault." 'What the hell? what do I do?!' I barely had time to finish the thought before Lyra shoved me back into the open locker, slamming it closed behind me. "Lyra!" I screamed, only able to see her eyes through the slits in the steel door. "I'm sorry, but I can't let anyone stop me." Lyra picked up her bag, "I'll see you in another life, Oliver." "Lyra!" I kicked the door, "don't do this, Lyra!?" I watched her silently walk away. Unable to react, to stop her. "Son of a bitch!" I started desperately ramming the door, tears running freely. The steel door finally broke its hinges, and exploded open forcing me to fall flat on my face. I pushed myself up, spitting the blood from my mouth. "Oliver? what happened?" "Lyra," I pinned someone to the lockers too blinded by adrenaline to see who they were. "...She just went into the gym..." I let her go and took off running. I threw open the doors, Lyra was on the stage across the room injecting something into her arm. I pulled a dart from my pocket and threw it towards her. The syringe shattered, its contents evaporating into a black mist when it touched the floor. "Lyra Heartstrings, do not fail this city!" She turned to face me, her eyes and hair had turned black as midnight, "Lyra is gone, only the Lyre remains." "Don't make me do it, Lyra, please." I reached for my other dart, tears running down my face. Lyra dropped to all fours, snarling like a rabid animal. "I will do it, you know I will." I brushed my fingers over the fletching, aiming for the throat. 'I can't do this! This is Lyra... She lunged, leaping from the stage to the floor in front of me. "What did you take?" I demanded as I squared off with my best friend. "One of us isn't going to make it out of this alive, Green Arrow." A wicked grin split her face, "who's it gonna be?" "I...I can't accept that, you're going to be fine...I...I'm gonna fix this." I screamed as her leg connected with my ribs, dropping to the floor. "Maybe if you cry a little more I'll kill her quick." Something snapped in my mind, the pain drained from my body. Forcing my eyes to meet hers I spat, "You get out of her, bitch!" I swung for her face. She gripped my wrist, turned my arm, and pulled. "You wouldn't hit a woman would you?" She turned, throwing me across the gym like a rag doll. I impacted, rolled and came to a halt under the window. "Son of a..." I forced myself up to my feet, struggling not to pass out. "Language," Lyre chastised as her foot connected with my sternum, sending me out the window. I laid there coughing, struggling to breathe. 'This is it, there's nothing I can do.' Lyre gripped a shard of glass, turning it over in her hand, "What's that thing you always say?" She turned it over, backhanding it. "You have failed this city?" Going for the kill...here we go. I rolled, barely dodging the blow. Using momentum to my advantage I brought my foot up. My boot connected with her skull, knocking her over. I Braced my foot against her back, gripping her shoulder with one hand and her bicep with the other. "I'm sorry, Lyra." "You don't get to..." I cut her off by breaking her arm. 'Oh, god!...what have I done?!' She screamed, breaking my fragile heart. I kneeled down and silenced her with a blow to the back of the head. "Shit," I fell off of her, coughing, gasping for air. When I could finally breathe again I risked a glance in her direction. Lyra's arm bent the wrong way behind her back, laying face-down in the dirt surrounded by shattered glass. I turned over and vomited up the bagel I had this morning. 'What have I become?' I slashed the bile from my lips and staggered over to my best friend's broken body. 'She...she doesn't have much time. I have to get her to Memorial, now!' I gently rolled Lyra over onto her back, careful of her arm and waking her back up. I moved her feet towards her body. Then standing on her feet for leverage I gripped her good arm and lifted her over my shoulder. I put my right arm between her legs and forced myself upright, gripping her good hand around her leg. I stumbled the first few steps, but quickly got into a groove, carrying my friend towards the parking lot. I staggered onto the blacktop, struggling to stay awake. "What the hell?" I glanced over, one of the local cops was making his way over to us. 'She doesn't have time for this bullshit!' "Hey, kid," I heard his gun clear its holster, "What the hell's going on here?" I turned, glaring, "You don't want to stop me." "Yeah, well I'm the one with the gun. How about you put the girl down and I don't shoot you." "Fine," I gently laid Lyra down and took a step back. The "cop" kneeled next to her, acting like he was checking her vitals. I silently made my way behind him. waiting for the right moment. "Captain, I've got..." I looped my arm around his neck, cutting off his airflow. "You have failed this city." In a few seconds his body went limp and I tossed him aside. 'Key, keys, keys...' I frantically searched his belts, throwing aside the useless items, 'yahtzee!' I picked up Lyra, laying her across the backseat. "Officer Buck, you okay? What you got out there, over?" I picked up the radio, pressed the button, "You have failed this city." I ripped the CB out of the car and tied up the unconscious officer. "Hang on Lyra, you're gonna be okay." I started the car, and tore out of CHS. Within a few seconds I'd figured out the lights and sirens. "Just hang in there," I glanced in the rear-view, "God, please!" I pulled up to the emergency entrance, all but driving through the doors. I threw open the door, rolled over the roof and tore open Lyra's door. "Get me some help out here!" I didn't wait. I couldn't. She couldn't. Lifting Lyra I made my way into the hospital, screaming my head off on the way in. Redheart greeted me from behind the desk. "How can I help you?" "Redheart, Lyra needs saline, charcoal solution, and dialysis." I shifted Lyra slightly on my shoulders. "Sign in and we'll get to her as..." I slammed my dart into the desk in front of her, "NOW!" Redheart looked from the dart to me, and back again. "Okay," She turned down the hall, "Orderly! We've got an overdose!" She turned back to me, "Do you have any idea what she took?" "No, Some of it was an injection. I got there just in time to stop one of the injections." I placed Lyra in the wheelchair a gruff, grey orderly rolled up. "What happened to her arm?" Redheart asked, "it looks like a compound fracture." "I...I had to do something, she just went insane. It was like she wasn't human anymore...she almost killed me, and god knows how many others." I shook my head, trying to clear my tears. "Nightmare," Redheart spat, turning Lyra's head, "Stage two, you might've just saved her life." "She's...she's going to be okay..." I sighed, coughing. "Take her to OR 1 stat!" Redheart ordered, "and padge doctor Horse, tell him we've got another CHS special." "What's that supposed to mean," I demanded, grabbing Redheart's coat. Redheart sighed, "The last three cases of Nightmare this month have come from CHS." "Someone's giving this to kids?!" I couldn't believe it, I still can't. How someone can just give this shit out to kids. "I'm gonna find em. They're going down hard." My speech devolved into a coughing fit. Redheart looked from her lab coat back to me, "Are you..." I didn't hear the rest of her question, my vision faded and my head cracked off the tile. Author's Note I are the sorries . you have no idea how hard this was to get past.... OriginsWho am I? I felt myself falling through unsettling dreams, living Oliver's life in reverse. Fighting Lyra, Confronting Vinyl, knocking out that kid behind the club... Where did I go wrong? I glanced at the walls of this tunnel of memories, I wish this hadn't happened...that I never came here. I first woke up on the corner of D ave and C street. It was an old hotel that hadn't seen a tenant in my lifetime. But...somehow, as if by an act of some deranged god the room I woke up in was in immaculate. "Top of the mornin' to ya," the stranger greeted, adjusting his green, half-tied necktie. Naturally I asked where I was, remembering I was just in the shower seconds before. "Don't you worry about that, lad," The stranger pulled a pipe out of nowhere and blew out a stream of pink and yellow bubbles. I clenched my fist, demanding answers or that he just kill me and get it over with...honestly I don't know which option I preferred. "You don't sound so sure that's what you want." He snapped his fingers and the bonds I didn't know I had on vanished. I spat something like, "go to hell Maxwell." He stopped, stood up from his chair, and turned to the window. Toying with his jacket he turned around wearing Maxwell's suit, straight out of the game. "This suits me, I think. Of course, I don't care about anyone else's opinion." he turned back to the window, modeling his new look. While he was distracted I rolled off the side of the bed and started for the door. The Irishman turned and with a snap of his fingers I froze. He suddenly appeared in front of me, so close I could smell the wet ink on his suit. "This city needs some excitement, and from what I've gathered so do you. Here's the deal: you finish this list..." He snapped his fingers and a notebook appeared, floating just above his hand. "And You'll be home." He stepped back, studying me for an uncomfortable amount of time. "But you can't go out like that. You'll look like a freak....no, no, no, see we can't have you standing out." He snapped his fingers and my green arrow cosplay suit appeared, with my 10$ bow prop to complete the ensemble. When and what did I take? And how much did it cost? I tried in vain to reach for my wallet. "Oh...I assure ya, this is as real as it gets." This Irish troll, grabbed and ripped my 200$ suit in half right in front of me! "Just getting it to size, lad," He winked at me, "honestly you worry too much." He snapped my bow in half. I've killed for less! I thought at him, trying to kill him with just my rage. "You, know," He leaned in real close, "You don't look like you belong. Let's fix that, but let's bring the pain while we're at it!" He clapped twice and everything went black. I was conscious for everything, bones shifting, breaking, contracting, growing. My entire body burned as my vital organs reshaped and shifted. Everything hurt, more than I'd ever hurt before and it never stopped. It just kept going! There was no end, all I wanted was to be able to breathe, be able to scream, anything! I couldn't feel the tears flowing down my face, but I knew they were there. I don't know why, but I took a slight comfort in the thought that at least they existed, that my eyes cared. As suddenly as all this started I was dropped to the floor. I couldn't move, I just felt like I ran ten miles, died was resurrected, and ran another ten. "You'll thank me for this later," he slammed the book against my chest, "oh, I took the liberty of changing your name into something...a little more fitting. Welcome to Canterlot Kid, Bye-Bye." I didn't hear him leave. I didn't hear anything...for a long time. I was unable to process anything...my mind felt crushed like someone ran over my brain with a steam roller. 'Did I just get...' Slowly, and with great pain I pushed myself to a sitting position. Everything felt...different. I risked a glance at my hand. I sighed... "No, if I have to become a bad fanfic can't it be in their real world? Why this one?!" I forced myself upright, fighting the vertigo given by an extra foot of leg. It's hard to come to terms with, it felt like being on stilts. And my mind was adjusting like windows RT trying to boot. When I was finally able to look anywhere but the ground I saw my suit. It was 'real' before. Made of a high quality leather-esc material with quivers that would actually hold real tipped arrows. It came with a black undershirt with fake shoulder pads attached to the sleeves; pants; the leg holster thingies; the arm guards (I didn't get the sleeved one.); the mask; the jacket and the main quiver. The only difference that I could see from across the room was that the quivers were full of arrows. I turned my gaze over to the bed, where, on the pillow rested a full size exact replica of Oliver's season one re-curve. Slowly. I wobbled my way across the room, determined to not fall on my face. I didn't exactly want to meet the new world dressed as the Starling City vigilante, but the only other option was walking around Canterlot in my undershirt and shorts. 'My life might be a horrible fanfic, but it's not going there.' Picking up the varied garments I noticed that they'd become much heavier. The pleather had become real body armor. Light enough for mobility, but still noticeable. "I really have to stop questioning these things..." Deciding two layers was enough I peeled off my undershirt. Um...That...are not correct... I looked down at myself, blinking every three seconds, waiting for the delusion to fade. I...I'm...Ripped...? I shook myself, "That ain't gonna last." I pulled on the black, dryfit undershirt, hiding the paradox underneath. "This is great..." I wasn't completely unhealthy, a little overweight with a light dusting of acne that simply refused to let me grow out of the phase. But...I don't even know where to start here. I grabbed my pants and the quivers placing them carefully on the bed next to me. I looked to my shorts for a second... Nope. Not going there. I pulled my pants on, and... Have you ever had something that fit you? That truly fit you, like it was made explicitly with you in mind? Until now, I hadn't either. I threw on my vest, zipped it up, threw up the hood, and strapped on my quiver. 'Well, let's make the most of it...or something...' I looked over to the bow, and wondered how long it would take for the cops to arrest me. I grabbed my bow, feeling like a true badass for the first time in my life. After a momentary examination of the weapon I let out a sigh of relief. 'Finally, something left-handed.' Idly, I tried drawing the bow and to my surprise, it was actually quite easy. But not knowing a thing about archery I assumed that was good, besides it wasn't like I was going to use the thing. I put on my gloves, mask, and grabbed the list...just out of curiosity. I found a pair of boots by the door with a new wallet inside. I opened the green, leather pocket book, finding no paper notes. Not even a place for them, instead it was like a coin organizer. Half of it was dedicated to various important cards and the like. It contained a motorcycle license with my name and face on it. "What?" The wallet also held a set of keys emblazoned with a 750ti. "This is a joke." I shook my head in disbelief. "That's my graphics card back home." ... "I..." .... "I..have to do this...Don't I?" ... The thought of hunting down anyone, cartoon world or no, made me sick. "I can't do this." ... I looked at the book, turning it over in my hand. Finish this and you'll be home. With a renewed determination I grabbed the boots and sat on the bed. He never said I couldn't take this down to the local PD, and let them do it the right way. Feeling like I beat the system I laced up my boots, "This is going to be as easy as Batman makes it look." I grabbed my bow and considered how best to open the door. On the one hand I could kick it down, roll out into the hallway and find my way out of here like batman would. On the other hand I could just open it and avoid collateral damage. I stood there just long enough to make me feel like a total idiot, before calmly twisting the knob and slowly pushing open the vaguely painted door. I took one last look back at the room. Just in case I missed something. Back in the ICU... Lyra cracked open her eyes for the first time in three days, only to be greeted by white light and burning pain. "Where am I?" "Get a crash cart in here!" "....What..." Lyra managed through the vertigo. "Paddles!" "Charging," There was an uncomfortable silence, "Clear!" "No effect, doctor." "Hit him again!" "Clear!" Thud! "No response." Lyra's eyes finally cleared enough to give her a guess as to what was happening. As far as she could tell, she was in fact alive and in the hospital. "What happened?" Lyra thought back as far as she could, but there was this huge gap from when she shut Oliver in a locker and locking the gym doors. Lyra's eyes went wide, "Green Arrow... he saved my life..." "Hit him again," The doctor ordered. The nurse picked up the paddles and the doctor stepped back, giving Lyra a first look at who was dying. "Oliver?!" "Clear!" The nurse hit Oliver with a jolt of electricity powerful enough to lift his upper body off the bed. Lyra heard a bunch of beeping sounds and they put the paddles away. "They're going to let him die..." The pair crossed the room and threw away their gloves, before obsessively washing their hands and getting new gloves. "You have to save him," Lyra screamed, "You can't let him die like this!" "Redheart, decrease the dosage to 86, and change the bandages once per day." The doctor ordered. Redheart, the nurse, nodded and added the new orders to the clipboard on the counter. The doctor pulled a stool up next to Lyra's bed and sat down with her chart. Staring at it like a gypsy into a crystal ball. "I see you're back to normal. How do you feel?" "No. screw that, save Oliver!" The doctor made a note of what Lyra had said, "Why?" "Why?! You're a doctor, it's your job for goddess' sake!" Lyra was angry, if she wasn't strapped down she would be at this guy's throat right now. "But why him, specifically?" The doctor asked, leading the conversation in circles. "Because..." Lyra looked over at her dying friend, she knew he'd do anything for her. "Because...I love him." "You don't sound too certain of that." Lyra turned her glare on the doctor, "Drop dead." "That's good to hear, actually. Given the circumstances." The doctor made a few quick notes before laying the clipboard down at the foot of the bed. "Do you know why you're here, Lyra?" "yeah." Lyra whispered, tearing up and looking desperately to Oliver for help. "Why are you here?" The doctor asked. "Why are you still here?" "Oliver is alive Lyra. But we're worried about you right now." "Did...did, I put him there?" Lyra asked, her eyes overflowing. "You...weren't yourself." The doctor watched Lyra like a hawk, looking for a specific reaction. "I..." Lyra choked on nothing, "Who stopped me?" "He left this in the desk when you were admitted," The doctor showed Lyra an arrowhead that he had been hiding. "...he...someone else..." Lyra found herself studying her friend, "I'm not going to let him down." Lyra turned back to the doctor, determination burning in her eyes, "I will not fail this city." "Always good to hear." the doctor turned to leave. "H-how long do we have to stay here?" Lyra asked, a hint of panic in her voice. "You'll both be here at least a week. You're lucky you know," The doctor looked back at her, a single tear sliding down his cheek, "I've seen too many kids die on this junk. And not one of them took half as much as you did." "My goddess," Lyra sighed, sinking into the pillow. And for the first time in a long time she considered her future. I felt nothing. A white, blank canvass had become my reality. Silence. I tried calling out, but no reply. "That's poetic," as the words left my mouth a raven landed on my finger, clutching a black rose in her talons. "I know." I lifted my hand, letting the bird fly away. "I've had enough of the fighting, if this is to be my death, take me now." The dream. Shattered. Leaving only nonsensical fragments of memory. I found myself on a glorified stretcher in a bland white room with the letters, ICU on the wall outside. I turned my head, and noticed Lyra. She looked like a wreck. Her hair was a mess; she'd cried herself to sleep; and she had lost a ton of weight. "Oh, god kid..." I laid back down, trying to reconcile my memory of Lyra to her current state. It didn't work. "I..." grimacing, I pulled myself out of "bed" and, using my IV, stand as a walking stick, crossed the room. "I have to know..." "Hey, kid," I managed, pulling up a stool. "Mmwha?" Lyra looked at me cross-eyed, "Gr-ararow?" "Where did you get the drugs," I asked, voice barely above a low rasp. "you...what...?" "Lyra, who gave you the drugs?" "Drug...s?" Lyra looked at me, laughed a while, "Apples." "No. Drugs. Who gave you Nightmare?" I was rapidly running out of patients. "Yeah, yeah. Apples. Big apple." Lyra looked at the ceiling and laughed a while, "You. go to big apple, he's set you up." "Macintosh?" My mind screamed at the impossibilities, "Are you saying Macintosh gave this to you?" "No. Paid sixty bits. S-I-X-T-Y Bits!" Lyra slumped over, unconscious. "Macintosh?" I can't take her word for it. She's high. But...no. There has to be someone else doing this. He'd never.... "What the hell are you doing?!" Captain Heartstrings demanded from the doorway. "What you won't," I turned, falling to the floor. "Nurse!" He called over his shoulder, "We need some help in here, bring restraints!" "Counting your chicks before they hatch, captain?" I asked, struggling to stand upright. I heard a gun chamber, "I've got you now, you won't get away this time!" "I wouldn't try that captain. This room is oxygenated, you fire one round and half the hospital blows up." I warned pulling myself to my feet. "Captain! Put that away." I always got butterflies when I met a character from the show for the first time, and this was no exception. Nurse Redheart stepped into view, took one look at me and rushed to my aid. "You shouldn't be out of bed, and you shouldn't have that. I'm a nurse not your mothers, I have enough to deal with already!" "I was talking to a friend I almost lost, can you blame me?" I asked, choking on the last bit. "She almost..." "let's get you to bed," Redheart glared back at the captain. "Don't help him. He's green arrow." The captain holstered his gun, and rested his hand on his baton. "Above all do no harm, Captain," Redheart spat, as she looped my arm over her shoulder. "If Lyra tells you who gave her Nightmare she goes free." I added, recalling my Equestrian law classes. "I can't trust you," the captain made his way to Lyra, never once taking his eyes off of me. "I'll testify as a witness and plea a code 76," I told the captain, this was my friend's life on the line. "Shut him up, nurse." "It'll clean her record..." "Boys," Redheart interrupted, "there's someone to see you." I followed her gaze to the doorway. "Oliver Queen!" There, in the doorway like the angel of death stood Green Arrow. "You have failed this city!" "What?!" I demanded of the paradox. The figure released an arrow. It was a bad shot. Without a thought I reached out, grabbing the projectile an inch from Redheart's throat. To the nurse's credit she didn't even flinch. When the three of us looked back to the figure it was gone. leaving only an aura of confusion and dread hanging in the air. Author's Note This is my excuse for my inexcusable tardiness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5rjDLzc9FE And then: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djbXktkM-TE Yeah...my acting is intolerable....just guess who I portrayed...I are sorry...
An old day, some new thing. An old day, some new thing. Arrow: Friend or Foe? "Are you sure you want to write that," I asked, amused, "the teachers might think you're the arrow." "Meh," Lyra sighed, "I don't care, besides what's he done wrong?" "Well, crimes of fashion for starters," Rarity interrupted, "green leather..." she shuddered, "and who does he think he's impressing with that bow, honestly I think he's overcompensating if you know what I mean." I suddenly wondered what she was doing sitting with the "Rejects Council" (Aka Lyra and my study hall table) I was just about to voice just that when the teacher strolled up. "The arrow isn't a hero, kids. He's a murderer and he will be caught." Cheerilee placed her hands on the table and looked directly at me, "Understand?" I felt my heart freeze over, the blood turning to ice in my veins. 'Did she know? How'd she peg me? Did I leave my book in her reach? did they search my locker? Who else knew?!' The walls of the library started closing in. "Hey Ollie, you sick or something," Lyra blurted out to the whole library. Thinking fast I laid my head down on the table, "Just tired level 64 took forever." Cheerilee groaned aloud, "You were up all night playing a computer game? Need I remind you of the test on Friday?" "Please don't," I groaned into the table. "I have enough to deal with as it is." "Yeah, like getting past the warlock guarding the key of secrets," Lyra pounded the table, "Just like that he'll sap all your magic and leech off of your aura, reversing up to 35% damage!" "What happened to the deep philosophical conversations this table is infamous for?" Rarity asked, applying yet another layer of chap stick. "Caught us on our day off princess," I said once I was sure Cheerilee had gone back to her desk. "Philosophy test," Lyra deadpanned. Rarity nodded slightly, looking like she was holding back tears. "What do you need help with," Lyra sighed. "Um...well," Rarity pulled out her book, "everything?" "We'll help ya," Lyra glared at me across the table, "won't we, Ollie?" "Nah, I suck at terms you're on your own with this one." I forced my chair back from the table and stretched my legs. I was still sore from where the bus hit me last Tuesday. "N-no. Please I need all the help I can get." Lyra glared at me, "Oliver." She said sternly, pointing to the tally marks on her wrist. I rolled my eyes, "Fine, but this makes us even." Lyra laughed, "For today." "Fine, let's start with the basics then, yeah?" Lyra and I opened our books to the current chapter. Communism. "Wow," I sighed, "touchy subject." "What don't you understand?" Lyra asked, trying to push the topic forward. "Well, everything," Rarity flicked her book and I noticed some minute streaks in her eye shadow and a small strand of hair under her nail. 'This has been causing her a lot of stress.' "I've read the section over and over, but I just don't get any of it." Rarity collapsed, sobbing into her book. "I'll break it down for you." I offered, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Just stop crying, please you're embarrassing us." Rarity looked up at me, tears in her eyes, "Really?" "Yeah. Why not, it's not like I have anything better to do." I shoved my black book into my bag without breaking eye contact. 'Yeah, the city'll just save itself while I teach about the dangers of Communism.' "I didn't think you'd care enough." Rarity slashed away her tears. "Well, thanks for that." "It's no secret that Lyra is the human one." I drew the string back to my ear, the only thing I could feel was the fury of hell burning in me, "You. Have. Failed. This. City!" In his last moments, with his back against the wall, Worthy Comb begged me to take his innocent daughter that he abused her entire life over him! Without any further hesitation I put an arrow in the barber's throat and left him to drown in his own blood. "Oliver...?" Lyra asked, snapping her fingers, "You spaced out again. Are you okay?" "I'm fine." I sighed taking a deep breath, "Communism at its core is an economic theory proposed by Karl Marx..." Rarity had tears forming in her eyes again. I sighed, trying to think of a way to explain it. "A philosophy is kind of like an outfit. In the way that it's made up of several ideas, all working together behind the scenes to make something amazing on the surface. Now, the designer of this particular mess is this guy," I pointed to the picture in her book, "Karl Marx. He built a foundation on two particular philosophies: Atheism, which is the belief that there is no god; and Darwinism, which is the belief that everything alive comes from a common ancestor." "Belief? That's a proven fact, Oliver." "Back on topic, those are the undergarments, the shoes, what this whole thing stands on is communal ownership." Almost subconsciously I started a diagram of sorts. "What does that mean? communal ownership?" Rarity asked between scratching notes. "It means that everyone owns everything." "Oh, that doesn't sound so bad." "It means that you have nothing, no privacy. All of your personal belongings belong to whomever wants them." "Oh, that's..." "It brings us to the next piece, the pants, they're the belief that society is evolving past the need for social classes and money." "But, how?" "Government enforcement. Our shirt, they step in and decide who works where and how much they get compensated for it." "Well, that doesn't seem fair." "It's caused too many wars and cost too many lives." I thought back on the lives I'd ended, 'Am I any better than them?' "The Arrow isn't communist Oliver," Lyra snapped me out of my daze. shocked I tore my gaze from the table to my makeshift diagram. It was me, well by night anyway. Even with my meager art skills I could recognize the figure taking shape under my pencil, "I'm not sure what he is anymore..." "That's why someone other than the news has to write about him," Lyra tapped her notebook, "The local stations' all propaganda anyways." The bell sounded, shaking me out of my reflective trance. Rarity still looked on the verge of an all out panic attack. I swept up my bag and started for the door. "Lyra'll help you fill in the nit-picky details and page numbers." I turned to rarity and flashed a quick smile, "You'll be fine, alright? After all this is all we do." ` 'Who am I going after tonight?' I opened my black book and scanned through the crossed out names until I came to the first unblemished name: Vinyl Scratch 'No. T-that can't be possible...' I closed the book, taking several deep breaths I stumbled to my locker and threw it open. The metal storage facility didn't contain much, my other two phones and my faded green duffel containing my arrow gear. "I really should move this...." I lifted the duffel, checking for any signs of tampering. But thankfully none of my improvised seals (clear tape pressed tight over the zipper track) were broken. I sighed, "What now Dash?" The locker next to mine squeaked open and Rainbow's head appeared out of the darkness. "Seriously, how do you keep doing that?" She leaped out and started a series of athletic stretches. "There isn't much I don't notice anymore." Everyone I've killed flashed through my mind, faces twisted into expressions of pure agony as their final moments closed in around them. 'Cheerilee was right. I'm not a hero...I'm just the murderer that got away.' "So, the team needs a new archer and I heard you're pretty good." Rainbow offered as she finished her stretches. "Who told you that," I stowed my list and phones in my duffel, strapped on my backpack, and started for the door. "Pinkie actually," Dash followed after me. 'Damn. I don't have time for this.' I knew I could escape--easily. In the arrow suit. Doing it now, however, would butcher my cover. Rainbow grabbed my shoulder, stopping me. "What do I need to say? We're desperate. competition's coming up and AJ quit because of harvest." "I can't afford to," I admitted, hoping she'd leave me alone, "I can't do it and pay rent, alright?" "Rent?" Rainbow cocked and eyebrow, "Dude, you're in high school don't you live at home?" "I don't want to talk about it. Besides, I have to be across town in ten minutes and my bikes in the shop for another two weeks." 'Another thing I can't pay for.' "Oh," Rainbow released her grip, "I'm sorry." "I don't need your pity! And tell your friend to stop wasting our time!" I stopped, and took a breath, "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have snapped." An expression of pain crossed her features, "I understand." Rainbow turned to leave, "If you ever get the time I have a spare bow, maybe you could pass on what you know to the newbies?" Rainbow slipped me a scrap of paper with a very specific set of numbers scrawled across it. 'Wait...' I stared at the paper in disbelief, 'did I just get a girl's phone number?' "Uh..." "You want mine?" Rainbow nodded, "Yeah...let's do it that way." "Yep," I added my number to the page and passed it back, "less awkward." Rainbow gave a satisfied, albeit uncomfortable nod and proceeded to leave me alone. 'Finally' I sighed inwardly, pressing my shoulder into the door and bracing for the day ahead. "Oliver Queen." The principal's voice hit me like a cold knife. (yes I do know what that feels like) I turned to face her, at this point she was just another stress on top of the pile. Celestia nodded towards her office. I groaned, gathered up my bags, and followed her behind the faux wooden door. By the time I'd crossed the hall Celestia had already sat behind her desk and was wrestling with a few stubborn files, trying to get the drawer closed. When she heard the door close she snapped back to me. "Why is the captain of the CC PD asking to interrogate my students?" "I don't know, alright. Maybe you should ask him, or," I slammed my hand onto her desk, making a satisfying BANG! "Here's a novel idea you could ask his daughter!" "Oliver, are you okay," Celestia asked, shocked or on the brink of tears I didn't care which. "I don't need your pity!" 'Need or deserve? They're distinctly different things.' 'Both. And you know it, so why don't you just piss off' 'You really think you don't need help. That's a laugh!' 'Why don't you just shut the hell up!' "I have to get across town," I turned to leave, tripping over myself in the process. "Oliver, are you high," Celestia asked, offering a hand. "I'm fine!" I refused her offer and failed prying myself off the floor. "Oliver, this is a safe place, I can get you the help you need. Nobody's going to judge you." "I... haven't slept in three days," I admitted, my eyes closing on their own. "Wh...why?" "I haven't had the time, princess..." I shook myself awake, ignoring the shifting color in the walls. "I'm late for work." I pushed myself up, grabbing my bags. "So if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way." Celestia stepped between me and the door. "I can't let you do that. Oliver, you're destroying yourself." "In an ideal world, princess, none of us would have to pay rent. Celestia pulled something from her purse, but my eyes slithered over to the bookshelves lining the room. There was a little bit of everything: medical, philosophical, occult, an octopus...no, nevermind, biological, astrophysical, even fiction. I woke up in the backseat of a high end town car. "Oliver, I don't want to see you at school tomorrow, understand?" Celestia glared at me in the rear-view mirror. "And I called the Cakes you're taking the next three days off. Get some sleep." "I.." 'Tell her you're the arrow, maybe you'll feel better. my gaze drifted out the window, "How'd you know where I live?" "I care for my students Oliver," Celestia smiled at me, "Besides I put in a bit for the place myself." Contingency Corner. A huge manor on the outskirts of the city loomed before us, Powerful and absolute, it made its presence known through dark stone masonry and castle-like facades. A pair of rounded towers, like bookends, dictated the beginning and ending of the building. There were a couple of out-buildings but I didn't have any need of them. They sat empty, patiently awaiting their new purpose. "I guess that's why the rent's so much..." My head hit the seat and I was out like a light. Author's Note The explanation of Communism is bad, okay I get it. That's just how I understand it.
Chapter 2I dragged myself back to the waking world, disoriented and miffed. "21:00!? I can't have slept that long!" I got up and made my way to my discarded duffle, "There you are." I pulled my bow from the depths of dark canvas, "At least Vinyl Scratch is a creature of habit." 'Vinyl Scratch is an active member of the Canaries, a hacker clan that siphons accounts and SWAT's innocent people for fun.' I threw up my hood 'That ends tonight.' Rain gently pattered against the pavement, providing a natural soundtrack for Vinyl's walk home. She kept a brisk pace, running late, and not once looking over her shoulder. I followed at a distance waiting for opportunity to strike. Suddenly Vinyl picked up the pace and turned down a back alley. 'Here we go. For the good of the city.' I forced my last meal back down, wincing as the acid burned my throat. Nocking an arrow, I turned the corner . "Vinyl Scratch," I knocked off her signature headphones and readied another arrow, "You have failed this city." "You're making a mistake..." "You and your friends drained old man Copper's account." I drew the bow, "That money goes back where it belongs." The only sound in the alley was the rain. "It's about the money then?" Vinyl asked, reaching for something. "Don't try it, Vinyl." I tried to put on an air of confidence, letting the Arrow's reputation do the talking. Vinyl pulled out her phone, "Just a phone." I bit back a tear, "Don't make me..." My voice changer quit! "what did you do?!" Vinyl turned the phone towards me like a tazer. I rolled, something impacting my thigh. I felt suddenly cold and tired, Drugged! I let the arrow loose, it buried itself in Vinyl's phone sending it rocketing down the alley. The three Vinyls took a step towards me. I closed my eyes, shaking my head. 'No! I'm not gonna die.' "Sorry, Green Arrow. But I need the money." I barely nocked another arrow, "Don't make me do it Vinyl..." "I don't think you're in a place to make threats." I collapsed to my knees, sending a spray of water in all directions. I looked up at Vinyl her jagged blue hair framed her face just perfectly. I couldn't speak. I couldn't even think. "Say goodnight Green Arrow," Vinyl kicked me over as my vision faded. "Vinyl," I pulled myself up, searching for my assailant. The sun beat down on me. "That's not good..." "CC PD!" voice from behind me exclaimed. "That's even better," I grabbed my bow and started running. I scanned the alley, pulse pounding in my ears as I sprinted. I heard a short burst of gunfire behind me. One of the rounds shattering a window inches from my head; showering me in broken glass. I was rapidly running out of alley, a police car blocking my only exit. "CC PD! Drop the bow!" There! I slid into a narrow passage between two buildings, rolled to my feet, and hit the ground running. The city street overwhelmed my senses. Cars rushing about, people going about their lives, and a flock of airplanes overhead. A beat up pickup pulled off the street towards me, snapping me out of my daze. "Green Arrow, get in." I didn't question the invitation. I dived into the steel bed and threw the tarp over me, severing my connection to the outside world. We waited there in silence as time seemed to stop around us. I set my jaw, gripping the dart still buried in my thigh, 'This is gonna hurt. I ripped it out, stifling a cry, 'I hate it when I'm right.' I studied the dart, it was roughly three inches in length with grooves carved into it to ensure a straight flight.'This took time and bits, where'd Vinyl get this?' I turned it over, noticing that it had been modded to hold a syringe. 'Strange,' I popped it out and rapidly found the serial number. It was from a batch shipped to Memorial, the local hospital. "What?" I was shocked, after going through all that they let this get out on the streets? I got hit by a bus! A bus! "You're good, Green." I made sure, lifting the tarp just enough to verify the all clear. "Very good, if I do say so myself." The driver continued, "I have a job for you, if you're interested." "I'm guessing I don't have a choice in the matter," I replied, throwing off the tarp. The driver removed her shades, revealing her cold steely eyes. "You have a choice, Green Arrow. Everyone does, it's just that your choices of late are...endangering my employers. Making investors nervous never did the economy any good." "Investors," The grip around my bow tightened, "You mean the fatcats who control the cops and people through intimidation and bribery?!" I leaped upright, nocking an arrow on the way up. "Impressive, but you're not innocent. Are you Green Arrow?" She paused, "After all it's not like you haven't done this before." "Who do you want me to kill?" I demanded, barely resisting the urge to put her down. "It doesn't have to come to that," She assured, "Just get the message across." I scoffed, "No." "Really? you don't even want to hear what the job..." I cut her off with an arrow through the steering wheel. The horn blasted a long, low, and distracting note. She turned around, barely, long enough for me to slip away. I ran back to the club Vinyl left the night before for my civilian clothes. Careful to stay out of sight, one of the things coming here made me good at. I stopped outside the back door, and collapsed behind the dumpster. "I don't know what I'm doing." I sighed, kicking the metal bin. "Am I even doing the right thing, anymore?" The tears started running over my mask. "This isn't who I am." I turned the bow over, debating just throwing it away. "I'm not a hero. I'm not a badass. I'm not even Oliver Queen." I heard the door open and the rattling of a trash bag. 'shit.' I pulled myself further behind the bin, hoping whoever it was didn't see me. "Wha-" I closed my eyes, trying not to move. "G..." I heard him stutter, "no way..." I sighed, it was over. The city would stay as corrupt, I'd get life in prison and never get home. All he had to do was dial the phone. He slid back beside me, "You're Green Arrow," He glanced around and lowered his voice. "You're my hero, man." "I'm not a hero," I looked him in the eye, "all I do is take lives." "So does the army," he settled in, offering me a cigarette. I silently declined. "You're the only one in this city that cares about us. The real people, us guys struggling to get by." He struck a match, "The cops, they're a joke. They don't do anything unless you've got money, and the city council..." He scoffed, lighting his cigarette, "They're even more corrupt. It's no secret that the one-percenters own them. They fund their campaigns, finance their office, you name it." "I know. But you need someone who doesn't make the streets a warzone." I grabbed his cigarette and smashed it beneath my boot. "You need someone who can do things without the bloodshed." "Listen. I'm all for the whole peace thing. But, that didn't work for us." He pointed west, "Sure the suburbs, and the upper class...it worked for them, but they've got money and power." He paused, patting the ground, "This, this is the Everglades. The wrong side of the tracks. The folks here, they've got nobody looking out for them. Nobody to look up to. We..." He stifled a tear, "w-we're just barely getting by. We dream of moving, gettin' out, but we know we can't. It's a trap, and nobody can get out." "I'm sorry, but I can't give you a way to fix everything." I pulled myself up, "Only you can do that. I'm going to turn myself in." I sighed, trying not to cry, "I can at least get real justice." "You can't do that!" He grabbed my shoulder, and I instantly pictured all the ways I could kill this kid. "We have nothing! You've saved this city, given us hope. A dream, you can't take that away from us, we've got nothing else!" "If, it means anything, I'm sorry." I pushed him against the wall, pinching the nerve in his neck. He fell to the pavement like a ragdoll. "At least I didn't kill him..." I walked the five miles back home with my head down. Too busy battling my own demons to see anything around me. Sighing in defeat, I unlocked the door and tossed my duffel on the couch in the corner. This is how it must be. They'll just have to find a real hero. I cracked a can of Manticore and stared at the empty fireplace. Does it, though? This is your way home. Maybe it isn't worth getting back. Besides, nobody misses me there. Ha...I can't argue with that. But, you can still do this. Just a few more names and we'll be able to forget all about this. I scoffed out loud, Back home? Back to Dairy Queen six days a week with no hope, no future? I froze, I heard someone chamber a gun. No...not now. I dived for my bow as the door burst open. I grabbed the bow, turned, and... "Oliver?" "Vinyl?!" I dropped the bow, it wasn't very good against a .45 at this range. "Wait...you?" Vinyl dropped her gun, "You're Green Arrow?" "How'd you..." I face-palmed, "Tracker in the dart." "Yeah..." Vinyl backed away slowly, "you tried to kill me!" "I gave you a choice," I shouted, pulling myself up, " besides, you drugged me!" "You destroyed my phone, do you have any idea how long that took me to build?" Vinyl threw the remains on the floor. "You ripped my pants, do you have any idea what those cost me?!" I laughed, "This--this is insane." "Why me? There's a million other people to go after in this city." Vinyl eyed the gun lying on the carpet. "You're on my list, Vinyl. I don't have a choice." I risked a glance at my discarded bow, "Besides, I didn't steal an old man's savings." "You're still concerned about the money, really?" Vinyl threw her hands up, "What happened to the big bad Green Arrow who wants to save the city?" "His widow deserves what's owed her," I shouted, flipping the footstool over the gun and diving for the bow. I rolled, grabbing my weapon on the way up, nocked an arrow and drew. "Vinyl Scratch, you have failed this city." "Copper's dead?" Vinyl shook her head, "No, you're lying! No fatalities, that's how we operate." "You didn't know," I asked, lowering the bow, "He passed away Monday when the money ran out." "No...," She sighed, dropping her gaze to the floor, a single tear forced its way down her face. "He lived down the block from me, I barely knew him. His wife brought us cookies when mom--" I waited in silence for her to continue. "I...I killed him, didn't I?" Vinyl looked at me, tears in her eyes. "I...nobody can say for sure, they did all they could but..." 'God this sucks. This was her neighbor and his blood's on her hands. no matter what I say...' I found myself holding her hand, "Vinyl, you didn't know." "What do I do?" Vinyl demanded, barely matching my gaze, "How do you deal with it?" 'I don't.' "The guilt stays with you, much like losing someone it never goes away. It just gets better." I sighed, trying to giver her something, anything useful, "Staying busy helps, not giving your mind time to reflect." "I'm going to turn myself in after school tomorrow, but if you want to come with me you can. We can talk to the cops about what happened." I offered, trying to make the situation better. "I-I don't know. I don't want to go to jail, Oliver." "Do what you will, Vinyl." I told her, trying to put up a false front of confidence, "But do yourself a favor and go home. Get some sleep." She nodded slowly, taking a step back. "Just take the gun with you, Vinyl." "Okay..." Vinyl gingerly picked up the .45, "You're not coming after me anymore, right?" "No. You've learned your lesson, I think." "Yeah...I'll see you tomorrow...?" "Get some sleep Vinyl." With that she was gone. Going home is the best thing for her now. Her family can help her through this far better than I ever could. ' I kicked off my boots and fell backwards onto my bed. This is my last day on this world...any world. One last day and it'll be over, all of it.' I clicked off the light, and almost immediately fell asleep. Author's Note Please lend me a hoof making this better???
ThursdayI didn't sleep very well. My mind kept returning to the things I'd done, people I've killed...and Vinyl. 'I can't believe I turned her away like that.' I pulled myself out of bed, taking a glance around the room. It was just as I had left it, my bow laying on the end table with a can of Manticore next to it. I got to my feet and grabbed the can, 'At least this has one good use.' Pulling my pants from my duffel I laid them on the floor. I poured it on the small bloodstain around the new hole in the thigh. The blood turned green and ran off with the rest of the concoction. "I don't know who'd drink this." I shook off the various liquids and hung them on the coatrack in the corner to dry. I grabbed my school bag, casting a glance at the bow on the table. I remembered what Rainbow told me, and why I can't help her. "I guess it doesn't matter anymore..." I threw the bag on, and ripped open the door. I stopped for a minute, looking back at the room. 'I tried. That's the important thing, right?' I sighed. 'You're going to be late. 'Does that even matter at this point?' Making a hypocrite out of myself I took off at a run, barely stopping to lock the front door. I took my usual seat on the bus and glanced out the window, lost in thought. 'What's prison going to be like? I mean with all I've inherited I'm sure I can handle anyone in there. At least one on one. "Is this seat taken," Bon-bon asked, snapping me back to reality. "Um...I don't think so," I moved over, letting her sit down. "You don't usually ride the bus, Oliver." Bon-bon stated, reaching in her bag for something. "No, I usually drive myself..." "Your 750-TI is still in the shop off Queen and Gambit." "Anyone ever tell you, you're a bit of a creep?" I asked, trying to shut down the conversation. "I'm intrigued that you didn't join the archery team, I thought for sure that was right up your alley." Bon-bon paused, brushing her hair back. 'She's wearing a wire!' "Too much homework, and work hours for competition, Bon-bon." I reached in my bag forcing my list to the bottom, out of sight. "You know, you can talk to me right?" "I can't talk to anyone," I countered, letting my gaze return to the passing city. Bon-bon tried several more times to start conversation before the bus finally pulled into the CHS parking lot. 'It's about time.' I sighed as we made our way off the bus. I started towards the school, trying to keep my anxiety at bay long enough to survive today. 'One more day and I'll be out of here.' I ripped open the glass door and made my way to my locker, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. "Oliver Queen," The captain sighed from behind me. I growled, slamming my locker, "What?!" He scoffed, shocked, "Excuse me?" "How much are you making for grilling me, huh? Who's paying you?" My grip shifted on my book, getting ready to swing it. "It's no secret that CC PD only works if somebody's lining their pockets! So who's paying you?" 'Why do I care so much?' "You're not wrong," The captain admitted, "but my only interest is the truth. Rich or poor I want justice." "Captain Heartstrings, you have--" I pulled back ready to strike. "Oliver Queen," Celestia called from down the hall. "You'd better get to class, it wouldn't look to good on your record." I begrudgingly lowered my book, allowing the captain this small victory. I sighed, making my way to the principal's classroom. "It's good to see you finally made it, mister Queen. When I heard the busses were running late I thought for sure you'd miss out on valuable class time." "May I turn in the paper now, and work on something else with the remaining time?" I asked offering the completed assignment. "You have it done already?" Celestia asked, pride and shock blending her voice, "I only assigned it Tuesday." "Like I said, I don't have time to sleep." It wasn't much, just Equestrian law. Pretty straightforward, all I had to do was compile and present evidence of conspiracies...hypothetical of course, and conclude the paper with a lesson in spotting illegal conspiracies. Really not that hard when that's literally all I do. "I'd say, just keep track of it for now. But if you want to work on something else for the period do it quietly. Okay?" Celestia pointed me to my usual seat at the back of the room, next to Lyra. "I got it." I acknowledged, making my way to the back of the room. I cautiously took my seat, scrambling to collect my thoughts as I opened my sketchbook to the first blank page and started drawing concepts for new arrow gadgets. It was something to keep my mind off of my looming confession more than anything constructive. "Olivier," Lyra glanced over at me, voice breaking, "I need to talk to you." "After class," I sighed, "That'll be the best time for both of us." Did I just come off as an ass to another one of my allies? I focused on the design of a new grappling arrow that would double as a survival axe if the occasion arose. Although I knew I'd never be able to build these things, or after today, be able to use them it was still a comfort to be able to stretch my imagination. Before I'd finished the bell sounded, packing up I hesitantly followed Lyra out into the hall and away from passing students. "Listen, Oliver..." Lyra started, only able to meet the gaze of the floor, "I'm sorry. I...you're a good friend, but I don't want you to try and stop me." "Lyra," I asked, confused and scared, "What's going on?" "Just...don't blame yourself. It's not your fault." 'What the hell? what do I do?!' I barely had time to finish the thought before Lyra shoved me back into the open locker, slamming it closed behind me. "Lyra!" I screamed, only able to see her eyes through the slits in the steel door. "I'm sorry, but I can't let anyone stop me." Lyra picked up her bag, "I'll see you in another life, Oliver." "Lyra!" I kicked the door, "don't do this, Lyra!?" I watched her silently walk away. Unable to react, to stop her. "Son of a bitch!" I started desperately ramming the door, tears running freely. The steel door finally broke its hinges, and exploded open forcing me to fall flat on my face. I pushed myself up, spitting the blood from my mouth. "Oliver? what happened?" "Lyra," I pinned someone to the lockers too blinded by adrenaline to see who they were. "...She just went into the gym..." I let her go and took off running. I threw open the doors, Lyra was on the stage across the room injecting something into her arm. I pulled a dart from my pocket and threw it towards her. The syringe shattered, its contents evaporating into a black mist when it touched the floor. "Lyra Heartstrings, do not fail this city!" She turned to face me, her eyes and hair had turned black as midnight, "Lyra is gone, only the Lyre remains." "Don't make me do it, Lyra, please." I reached for my other dart, tears running down my face. Lyra dropped to all fours, snarling like a rabid animal. "I will do it, you know I will." I brushed my fingers over the fletching, aiming for the throat. 'I can't do this! This is Lyra... She lunged, leaping from the stage to the floor in front of me. "What did you take?" I demanded as I squared off with my best friend. "One of us isn't going to make it out of this alive, Green Arrow." A wicked grin split her face, "who's it gonna be?" "I...I can't accept that, you're going to be fine...I...I'm gonna fix this." I screamed as her leg connected with my ribs, dropping to the floor. "Maybe if you cry a little more I'll kill her quick." Something snapped in my mind, the pain drained from my body. Forcing my eyes to meet hers I spat, "You get out of her, bitch!" I swung for her face. She gripped my wrist, turned my arm, and pulled. "You wouldn't hit a woman would you?" She turned, throwing me across the gym like a rag doll. I impacted, rolled and came to a halt under the window. "Son of a..." I forced myself up to my feet, struggling not to pass out. "Language," Lyre chastised as her foot connected with my sternum, sending me out the window. I laid there coughing, struggling to breathe. 'This is it, there's nothing I can do.' Lyre gripped a shard of glass, turning it over in her hand, "What's that thing you always say?" She turned it over, backhanding it. "You have failed this city?" Going for the kill...here we go. I rolled, barely dodging the blow. Using momentum to my advantage I brought my foot up. My boot connected with her skull, knocking her over. I Braced my foot against her back, gripping her shoulder with one hand and her bicep with the other. "I'm sorry, Lyra." "You don't get to..." I cut her off by breaking her arm. 'Oh, god!...what have I done?!' She screamed, breaking my fragile heart. I kneeled down and silenced her with a blow to the back of the head. "Shit," I fell off of her, coughing, gasping for air. When I could finally breathe again I risked a glance in her direction. Lyra's arm bent the wrong way behind her back, laying face-down in the dirt surrounded by shattered glass. I turned over and vomited up the bagel I had this morning. 'What have I become?' I slashed the bile from my lips and staggered over to my best friend's broken body. 'She...she doesn't have much time. I have to get her to Memorial, now!' I gently rolled Lyra over onto her back, careful of her arm and waking her back up. I moved her feet towards her body. Then standing on her feet for leverage I gripped her good arm and lifted her over my shoulder. I put my right arm between her legs and forced myself upright, gripping her good hand around her leg. I stumbled the first few steps, but quickly got into a groove, carrying my friend towards the parking lot. I staggered onto the blacktop, struggling to stay awake. "What the hell?" I glanced over, one of the local cops was making his way over to us. 'She doesn't have time for this bullshit!' "Hey, kid," I heard his gun clear its holster, "What the hell's going on here?" I turned, glaring, "You don't want to stop me." "Yeah, well I'm the one with the gun. How about you put the girl down and I don't shoot you." "Fine," I gently laid Lyra down and took a step back. The "cop" kneeled next to her, acting like he was checking her vitals. I silently made my way behind him. waiting for the right moment. "Captain, I've got..." I looped my arm around his neck, cutting off his airflow. "You have failed this city." In a few seconds his body went limp and I tossed him aside. 'Key, keys, keys...' I frantically searched his belts, throwing aside the useless items, 'yahtzee!' I picked up Lyra, laying her across the backseat. "Officer Buck, you okay? What you got out there, over?" I picked up the radio, pressed the button, "You have failed this city." I ripped the CB out of the car and tied up the unconscious officer. "Hang on Lyra, you're gonna be okay." I started the car, and tore out of CHS. Within a few seconds I'd figured out the lights and sirens. "Just hang in there," I glanced in the rear-view, "God, please!" I pulled up to the emergency entrance, all but driving through the doors. I threw open the door, rolled over the roof and tore open Lyra's door. "Get me some help out here!" I didn't wait. I couldn't. She couldn't. Lifting Lyra I made my way into the hospital, screaming my head off on the way in. Redheart greeted me from behind the desk. "How can I help you?" "Redheart, Lyra needs saline, charcoal solution, and dialysis." I shifted Lyra slightly on my shoulders. "Sign in and we'll get to her as..." I slammed my dart into the desk in front of her, "NOW!" Redheart looked from the dart to me, and back again. "Okay," She turned down the hall, "Orderly! We've got an overdose!" She turned back to me, "Do you have any idea what she took?" "No, Some of it was an injection. I got there just in time to stop one of the injections." I placed Lyra in the wheelchair a gruff, grey orderly rolled up. "What happened to her arm?" Redheart asked, "it looks like a compound fracture." "I...I had to do something, she just went insane. It was like she wasn't human anymore...she almost killed me, and god knows how many others." I shook my head, trying to clear my tears. "Nightmare," Redheart spat, turning Lyra's head, "Stage two, you might've just saved her life." "She's...she's going to be okay..." I sighed, coughing. "Take her to OR 1 stat!" Redheart ordered, "and padge doctor Horse, tell him we've got another CHS special." "What's that supposed to mean," I demanded, grabbing Redheart's coat. Redheart sighed, "The last three cases of Nightmare this month have come from CHS." "Someone's giving this to kids?!" I couldn't believe it, I still can't. How someone can just give this shit out to kids. "I'm gonna find em. They're going down hard." My speech devolved into a coughing fit. Redheart looked from her lab coat back to me, "Are you..." I didn't hear the rest of her question, my vision faded and my head cracked off the tile. Author's Note I are the sorries . you have no idea how hard this was to get past....
OriginsWho am I? I felt myself falling through unsettling dreams, living Oliver's life in reverse. Fighting Lyra, Confronting Vinyl, knocking out that kid behind the club... Where did I go wrong? I glanced at the walls of this tunnel of memories, I wish this hadn't happened...that I never came here. I first woke up on the corner of D ave and C street. It was an old hotel that hadn't seen a tenant in my lifetime. But...somehow, as if by an act of some deranged god the room I woke up in was in immaculate. "Top of the mornin' to ya," the stranger greeted, adjusting his green, half-tied necktie. Naturally I asked where I was, remembering I was just in the shower seconds before. "Don't you worry about that, lad," The stranger pulled a pipe out of nowhere and blew out a stream of pink and yellow bubbles. I clenched my fist, demanding answers or that he just kill me and get it over with...honestly I don't know which option I preferred. "You don't sound so sure that's what you want." He snapped his fingers and the bonds I didn't know I had on vanished. I spat something like, "go to hell Maxwell." He stopped, stood up from his chair, and turned to the window. Toying with his jacket he turned around wearing Maxwell's suit, straight out of the game. "This suits me, I think. Of course, I don't care about anyone else's opinion." he turned back to the window, modeling his new look. While he was distracted I rolled off the side of the bed and started for the door. The Irishman turned and with a snap of his fingers I froze. He suddenly appeared in front of me, so close I could smell the wet ink on his suit. "This city needs some excitement, and from what I've gathered so do you. Here's the deal: you finish this list..." He snapped his fingers and a notebook appeared, floating just above his hand. "And You'll be home." He stepped back, studying me for an uncomfortable amount of time. "But you can't go out like that. You'll look like a freak....no, no, no, see we can't have you standing out." He snapped his fingers and my green arrow cosplay suit appeared, with my 10$ bow prop to complete the ensemble. When and what did I take? And how much did it cost? I tried in vain to reach for my wallet. "Oh...I assure ya, this is as real as it gets." This Irish troll, grabbed and ripped my 200$ suit in half right in front of me! "Just getting it to size, lad," He winked at me, "honestly you worry too much." He snapped my bow in half. I've killed for less! I thought at him, trying to kill him with just my rage. "You, know," He leaned in real close, "You don't look like you belong. Let's fix that, but let's bring the pain while we're at it!" He clapped twice and everything went black. I was conscious for everything, bones shifting, breaking, contracting, growing. My entire body burned as my vital organs reshaped and shifted. Everything hurt, more than I'd ever hurt before and it never stopped. It just kept going! There was no end, all I wanted was to be able to breathe, be able to scream, anything! I couldn't feel the tears flowing down my face, but I knew they were there. I don't know why, but I took a slight comfort in the thought that at least they existed, that my eyes cared. As suddenly as all this started I was dropped to the floor. I couldn't move, I just felt like I ran ten miles, died was resurrected, and ran another ten. "You'll thank me for this later," he slammed the book against my chest, "oh, I took the liberty of changing your name into something...a little more fitting. Welcome to Canterlot Kid, Bye-Bye." I didn't hear him leave. I didn't hear anything...for a long time. I was unable to process anything...my mind felt crushed like someone ran over my brain with a steam roller. 'Did I just get...' Slowly, and with great pain I pushed myself to a sitting position. Everything felt...different. I risked a glance at my hand. I sighed... "No, if I have to become a bad fanfic can't it be in their real world? Why this one?!" I forced myself upright, fighting the vertigo given by an extra foot of leg. It's hard to come to terms with, it felt like being on stilts. And my mind was adjusting like windows RT trying to boot. When I was finally able to look anywhere but the ground I saw my suit. It was 'real' before. Made of a high quality leather-esc material with quivers that would actually hold real tipped arrows. It came with a black undershirt with fake shoulder pads attached to the sleeves; pants; the leg holster thingies; the arm guards (I didn't get the sleeved one.); the mask; the jacket and the main quiver. The only difference that I could see from across the room was that the quivers were full of arrows. I turned my gaze over to the bed, where, on the pillow rested a full size exact replica of Oliver's season one re-curve. Slowly. I wobbled my way across the room, determined to not fall on my face. I didn't exactly want to meet the new world dressed as the Starling City vigilante, but the only other option was walking around Canterlot in my undershirt and shorts. 'My life might be a horrible fanfic, but it's not going there.' Picking up the varied garments I noticed that they'd become much heavier. The pleather had become real body armor. Light enough for mobility, but still noticeable. "I really have to stop questioning these things..." Deciding two layers was enough I peeled off my undershirt. Um...That...are not correct... I looked down at myself, blinking every three seconds, waiting for the delusion to fade. I...I'm...Ripped...? I shook myself, "That ain't gonna last." I pulled on the black, dryfit undershirt, hiding the paradox underneath. "This is great..." I wasn't completely unhealthy, a little overweight with a light dusting of acne that simply refused to let me grow out of the phase. But...I don't even know where to start here. I grabbed my pants and the quivers placing them carefully on the bed next to me. I looked to my shorts for a second... Nope. Not going there. I pulled my pants on, and... Have you ever had something that fit you? That truly fit you, like it was made explicitly with you in mind? Until now, I hadn't either. I threw on my vest, zipped it up, threw up the hood, and strapped on my quiver. 'Well, let's make the most of it...or something...' I looked over to the bow, and wondered how long it would take for the cops to arrest me. I grabbed my bow, feeling like a true badass for the first time in my life. After a momentary examination of the weapon I let out a sigh of relief. 'Finally, something left-handed.' Idly, I tried drawing the bow and to my surprise, it was actually quite easy. But not knowing a thing about archery I assumed that was good, besides it wasn't like I was going to use the thing. I put on my gloves, mask, and grabbed the list...just out of curiosity. I found a pair of boots by the door with a new wallet inside. I opened the green, leather pocket book, finding no paper notes. Not even a place for them, instead it was like a coin organizer. Half of it was dedicated to various important cards and the like. It contained a motorcycle license with my name and face on it. "What?" The wallet also held a set of keys emblazoned with a 750ti. "This is a joke." I shook my head in disbelief. "That's my graphics card back home." ... "I..." .... "I..have to do this...Don't I?" ... The thought of hunting down anyone, cartoon world or no, made me sick. "I can't do this." ... I looked at the book, turning it over in my hand. Finish this and you'll be home. With a renewed determination I grabbed the boots and sat on the bed. He never said I couldn't take this down to the local PD, and let them do it the right way. Feeling like I beat the system I laced up my boots, "This is going to be as easy as Batman makes it look." I grabbed my bow and considered how best to open the door. On the one hand I could kick it down, roll out into the hallway and find my way out of here like batman would. On the other hand I could just open it and avoid collateral damage. I stood there just long enough to make me feel like a total idiot, before calmly twisting the knob and slowly pushing open the vaguely painted door. I took one last look back at the room. Just in case I missed something. Back in the ICU... Lyra cracked open her eyes for the first time in three days, only to be greeted by white light and burning pain. "Where am I?" "Get a crash cart in here!" "....What..." Lyra managed through the vertigo. "Paddles!" "Charging," There was an uncomfortable silence, "Clear!" "No effect, doctor." "Hit him again!" "Clear!" Thud! "No response." Lyra's eyes finally cleared enough to give her a guess as to what was happening. As far as she could tell, she was in fact alive and in the hospital. "What happened?" Lyra thought back as far as she could, but there was this huge gap from when she shut Oliver in a locker and locking the gym doors. Lyra's eyes went wide, "Green Arrow... he saved my life..." "Hit him again," The doctor ordered. The nurse picked up the paddles and the doctor stepped back, giving Lyra a first look at who was dying. "Oliver?!" "Clear!" The nurse hit Oliver with a jolt of electricity powerful enough to lift his upper body off the bed. Lyra heard a bunch of beeping sounds and they put the paddles away. "They're going to let him die..." The pair crossed the room and threw away their gloves, before obsessively washing their hands and getting new gloves. "You have to save him," Lyra screamed, "You can't let him die like this!" "Redheart, decrease the dosage to 86, and change the bandages once per day." The doctor ordered. Redheart, the nurse, nodded and added the new orders to the clipboard on the counter. The doctor pulled a stool up next to Lyra's bed and sat down with her chart. Staring at it like a gypsy into a crystal ball. "I see you're back to normal. How do you feel?" "No. screw that, save Oliver!" The doctor made a note of what Lyra had said, "Why?" "Why?! You're a doctor, it's your job for goddess' sake!" Lyra was angry, if she wasn't strapped down she would be at this guy's throat right now. "But why him, specifically?" The doctor asked, leading the conversation in circles. "Because..." Lyra looked over at her dying friend, she knew he'd do anything for her. "Because...I love him." "You don't sound too certain of that." Lyra turned her glare on the doctor, "Drop dead." "That's good to hear, actually. Given the circumstances." The doctor made a few quick notes before laying the clipboard down at the foot of the bed. "Do you know why you're here, Lyra?" "yeah." Lyra whispered, tearing up and looking desperately to Oliver for help. "Why are you here?" The doctor asked. "Why are you still here?" "Oliver is alive Lyra. But we're worried about you right now." "Did...did, I put him there?" Lyra asked, her eyes overflowing. "You...weren't yourself." The doctor watched Lyra like a hawk, looking for a specific reaction. "I..." Lyra choked on nothing, "Who stopped me?" "He left this in the desk when you were admitted," The doctor showed Lyra an arrowhead that he had been hiding. "...he...someone else..." Lyra found herself studying her friend, "I'm not going to let him down." Lyra turned back to the doctor, determination burning in her eyes, "I will not fail this city." "Always good to hear." the doctor turned to leave. "H-how long do we have to stay here?" Lyra asked, a hint of panic in her voice. "You'll both be here at least a week. You're lucky you know," The doctor looked back at her, a single tear sliding down his cheek, "I've seen too many kids die on this junk. And not one of them took half as much as you did." "My goddess," Lyra sighed, sinking into the pillow. And for the first time in a long time she considered her future. I felt nothing. A white, blank canvass had become my reality. Silence. I tried calling out, but no reply. "That's poetic," as the words left my mouth a raven landed on my finger, clutching a black rose in her talons. "I know." I lifted my hand, letting the bird fly away. "I've had enough of the fighting, if this is to be my death, take me now." The dream. Shattered. Leaving only nonsensical fragments of memory. I found myself on a glorified stretcher in a bland white room with the letters, ICU on the wall outside. I turned my head, and noticed Lyra. She looked like a wreck. Her hair was a mess; she'd cried herself to sleep; and she had lost a ton of weight. "Oh, god kid..." I laid back down, trying to reconcile my memory of Lyra to her current state. It didn't work. "I..." grimacing, I pulled myself out of "bed" and, using my IV, stand as a walking stick, crossed the room. "I have to know..." "Hey, kid," I managed, pulling up a stool. "Mmwha?" Lyra looked at me cross-eyed, "Gr-ararow?" "Where did you get the drugs," I asked, voice barely above a low rasp. "you...what...?" "Lyra, who gave you the drugs?" "Drug...s?" Lyra looked at me, laughed a while, "Apples." "No. Drugs. Who gave you Nightmare?" I was rapidly running out of patients. "Yeah, yeah. Apples. Big apple." Lyra looked at the ceiling and laughed a while, "You. go to big apple, he's set you up." "Macintosh?" My mind screamed at the impossibilities, "Are you saying Macintosh gave this to you?" "No. Paid sixty bits. S-I-X-T-Y Bits!" Lyra slumped over, unconscious. "Macintosh?" I can't take her word for it. She's high. But...no. There has to be someone else doing this. He'd never.... "What the hell are you doing?!" Captain Heartstrings demanded from the doorway. "What you won't," I turned, falling to the floor. "Nurse!" He called over his shoulder, "We need some help in here, bring restraints!" "Counting your chicks before they hatch, captain?" I asked, struggling to stand upright. I heard a gun chamber, "I've got you now, you won't get away this time!" "I wouldn't try that captain. This room is oxygenated, you fire one round and half the hospital blows up." I warned pulling myself to my feet. "Captain! Put that away." I always got butterflies when I met a character from the show for the first time, and this was no exception. Nurse Redheart stepped into view, took one look at me and rushed to my aid. "You shouldn't be out of bed, and you shouldn't have that. I'm a nurse not your mothers, I have enough to deal with already!" "I was talking to a friend I almost lost, can you blame me?" I asked, choking on the last bit. "She almost..." "let's get you to bed," Redheart glared back at the captain. "Don't help him. He's green arrow." The captain holstered his gun, and rested his hand on his baton. "Above all do no harm, Captain," Redheart spat, as she looped my arm over her shoulder. "If Lyra tells you who gave her Nightmare she goes free." I added, recalling my Equestrian law classes. "I can't trust you," the captain made his way to Lyra, never once taking his eyes off of me. "I'll testify as a witness and plea a code 76," I told the captain, this was my friend's life on the line. "Shut him up, nurse." "It'll clean her record..." "Boys," Redheart interrupted, "there's someone to see you." I followed her gaze to the doorway. "Oliver Queen!" There, in the doorway like the angel of death stood Green Arrow. "You have failed this city!" "What?!" I demanded of the paradox. The figure released an arrow. It was a bad shot. Without a thought I reached out, grabbing the projectile an inch from Redheart's throat. To the nurse's credit she didn't even flinch. When the three of us looked back to the figure it was gone. leaving only an aura of confusion and dread hanging in the air. Author's Note This is my excuse for my inexcusable tardiness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5rjDLzc9FE And then: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djbXktkM-TE Yeah...my acting is intolerable....just guess who I portrayed...I are sorry...
