Hunting the 6

Chapters

Long Ways From Home
Tracked
The Station
Some rest
An Old Face From the Rain
The First
Warmth From A Stranger
The Story...
Golden
Flame
Another Train
This is all I've ever known
A Time Before, And The Time That's Passed

Long Ways From Home

I’m not from around here. These green lush pastures and rolling hills into the deeper ivy colored valleys all were alien to me. I had grown up around them, but it was so long since I’ve seen them last. Nowadays I’m around dust, and sand, and rocks. Cactus too but that was a common beauty to where I’m from. I come from the desert. Long streaks of brown and orange was all I’ve ever known. Water was scarce and the painted lines down dunes of sand were all what seemed homely to me.

It had been hours since I saw that last dune before this strange line of trees. They flew by quick, the trees, that is. Sitting in this train watching everything go by so quickly just to disappear behind you, it’s strange. No more than a day ago I was back home, the warm dry air comforting me in my sleep. The smell of dry dusty rock trailed off around the fire in the little adobe house I called a home. Not gonna lie, times can be difficult living under the sun right above the scorching hot sand. But I tell ya, nothing compares to leaning your head out on a clear night to see such a wonderful painting just sitting out in front of your eyes.

Life though, is a hard thing to live with. Now, don’t be taking that out of context, when has your life ever been calm and subtle? Not twisted and confusing or difficult at all? If you say no, and you never felt this way then you have reached a perfect Nirvana that I can only envy.

I rested my dirt and dust covered hooves next to the windowsill. The sweet aroma of the sand still clung tightly to my horseshoes and fur around my hoof. I took a deep inhale of them. The pictures it painted just brought me right back there. The little adobe house with the fire in front of it, a small brick well pressed against one of the outside walls, the sturdy fence around the perimeter of the little piece of land made from yucca stalks I had cut down and dried by the fire. It was simple but I enjoyed it.

I was not used to this wet humid air that surrounded me. The fresh crisp scent felt new to the senses and the clouds and soft beating sun held a peculiar feeling to this new world I had entered.

This train ride was a little more expensive than I thought it would be, after all I did book a private seating room. I’m not around other ponies a lot so I simply try to avoid them as much as possible.

My line of work though is necessary that I’m around a lot of people. My father tried to get me to bring up the family business but I had turned it down and signed it over to my little brother when Daddy died. He’s wealthy now with a gorgeous wife and two colts, one cute little filly. I’d come up to visit once in a while, but their colts are getting smarter, asking me all sorts of questions I don’t want to answer. It’s hard to explain that your uncle kills for a living.

If you had a young little colt come trotting up to you, innocent as a baby, and asked you why you have a hoof with a metal contraption sticking out of the front of it you’re not going to tell him a lie are you? No, colts and fillies are lied to their whole lives. I simply walk away or ignore the question, seems simpler to do that anyway.

The clicks and clatter from the rail road below the car was soothing, it had been one of the few things that had not changed since I left. Back at the station in Desolate Acres nopony was on the train. It had come from farther east so I had either one of two theories, either no one desired to come out here or I was the last pony alive in that direction.

The light faded quickly as the train entered a tunnel. The window now showed a veil of black. Then I felt the gravity of the car shift. Everything was pulled forward as if the train was going into an incline.

“Attention passengers,” I heard a voice call out from the intercom, placed above the sliding door that opened to the room I stayed at.

“The main line has been closed off, so we will be taking a detour. Everything will be fine, but we will be delayed four to five more hours. Thank you for your patience.”

The train returned to it’s normal gravity pulling things to the floor and not to the wall. Not a minute after I heard a lot of clatter from outside my room, voices shouting and such. Shadows would rush past the small porthole that opened into the hallway. I ignored it and looked up towards the ceiling.

The baggage carrier swung overhead with the shifting car, the squeak chambered throughout the room and remained only a whisper among the other sounds. The black hat that I had slug on a hook above my head before we left the station had remained asleep and comfortable as I laid there almost sprawled out in the cabin. The flat brim perfectly orbited the crown of it. I flicked it off with a hoof and it landed atop my head propped on to one side covering one of my ears. I pulled it down over my eyes and tuned out all noise except for the noise from the train car. I closed my eyes and started to dose off.

My mind slipped back to one of the warm nights back at home. Night was cool and pleasing but lonely at times. You don’t realize how small you are until you gaze up at such a big curtain covering the sky painting it with diamonds and splashes of colors. Unlike the big cities and forests and such you can see the sky at night. I read in newspapers and such about how in the city you can’t see the night sky. That must be a shame, not being able to see such wonders of the night. I couldn’t even imagine it.

A knocking broke my slumber at the door of my train cabin. I was pulled from the starry night of the desert and into the realm I currently occupied. The train car held it’s rank scent of lemon soap and warm wood. I looked to the door.

“C’mon in, the door’s open.” I said pulling my hat over my eyes to where I could only see the inside black stitching.

I heard low shuffling then the door sliding shut.

“Sorry to have disturbed you, sir.” He said, or rather, what I thought was a he. The creaking bench squealed as someone sat on it.

I pulled my hat up from my eyes. A green unicorn sat across from me, his emerald colored mane pulled over to one side covering that side of his face, a black bowler hat sat on top of his head and a white canvas shirt was worn under a brown leather looking vest. His hind legs were covered by what looked like white and black pinstriped overalls, the shoulder latches fallen over the front hanging by his sides. He had deeply dulled hazel-colored eyes that sat behind small circular glasses.

“If I’m correct, you’re the one the boss hired?” He asked. I pulled my hat back over my eyes and closed them.

“Depens, who’s yer boss?” I asked. As i leaned back in the seat a loud screeching echoed through the room as i adjusted in the seat.

“If you are who I think you are, and you work for who I think you work for I have the right to believe that you are who I am looking for.” He said. I pulled my hat up and look at him he had a face that was completely enthusiastic and expectant of a question. All I did was stare at him.

“Listen kid,” I said pulling the brim of my hat over my eyes again.

“If yer gonna play this game with me, I reckon ya' better scram before you have a nice conversation with that there window when I toss you off this here train.” I warned him. I told you, I’m not the social type, this is why, ponies generally annoy me.

I heard him chuckling a little.

“You have to be Golden then?” I didn't even acknowledge him, i just remained still with the hat covering my face.

“You’re known for having a bad temper, the boss told me.” I shrugged under the brim of the hat.

“My name is Emerald, I’m your contact.” He said proudly.

“Anything you need in the city you come to me.” I heard

I though about telling him everything I needed so he could get right on to what for this project. In my head I made a checklist: Room and board, food, transportation, and map of the city.

“Well, first I need a room to be stay'in in.” I said to him behind the wide flat brim of my hat.

“Already done,” He said. “Anything else?”

“Some cash to get food n such.”

“You will receive that when we get off at Canterlot Station.”

“Transportation?”

“We prefer you to do this on hoof,” He said as I heard the squeaking from the bench as I’m guessing he re-adjusted or something.

“We can’t have this traced back to us in any way.” I heard Emerald say.

"Any kind of identifiable vehicle is too noticeable and already provides a major threat to being witnessed."

“I can understand that. I also need a map of the city that the target-“ I got out

“Targets,” he responded, cutting my off.

“Targets?” I asked lifting my hat up to look at him.

“Yes, you will receive a map of the city, but each ‘target’ is in a different city which you will receive a new map for each city.”

I looked out the window at the darkness of the tunnel, cut by light as a lantern that was hung on one of the walls cuts the darkness.

“You have six targets,” He said.

“They never existed,” My head twitched with an itch that had just started to bug me, I scratched at it with one hoof.

“That’s gonna cost ya boss extra, ya know that doncha?”

“We understand the complications, we are willing to pay full and pay for your train rides.”

“I thought you said I can’t have transportation?”

“I thought you meant inner city transportation, no, long distance you will have provided means of transport.”

“Mkay.” I said.

“Oh-“ He said.

“By the way, you no longer are on the side of the law.” He said giving me a dead stare in the eye.

“If you are caught you will be sentenced to death.” He said reaching into one of the pockets in his vest. I had my gun tracked on him the whole time. I don’t find him a threat, I just have trust issues. He pulled out a goldenrod envelope and tossed it to me.

“The boss wants them exterminated, in there is all their information.” He said getting up from the seat. I opened it and looked at the first page that slid out.

“Burn the documentation once you’ve acquired all the information you need.”

He trotted to the door then turned back to me before walking out.

“You cannot fail, Golden. And the royal guard have been tracking you since the last two stops.” He said readjusting his hat. “I’d recommend getting off at the next stop.”

“Thank you.”

All I heard from him as he closed the door behind him was “I’ll stay in touch.”

I looked over the page with the first target’s information filled out. It was a black and white photo, a unicorn was in it, the bottom right corner had a crown like relic with a jewel erecting from the center. Everything was there except for a name. Anytime her name was mentioned it was crossed out with black ink.

Name: ---------
Sex: Female
Age: 28
Birthday: ------- --; ----
Race: Unicorn
Color: Mane; Purple, streaks of darker purple and magenta. Body Coat; Light Violet
Known Location: Canterlot Magic Academy
Occupation: -none-
Information: ---------- is know for her magic skills and ability, crowned as a princess but turned down the honor to make sure she would pass away with her friends so she couldn’t watch them die. Trained by and mentored by Princess Celestia. APROACH WITH CAUTION! --------- is deadly to approach, keep your distance and exterminate with extreme prejudice. _________________________________________________

There was also a biography there but I didn't care much to read it. I turned the page over to see if there was anything else. One thing was printed on the back in blue ink.

Despite how much you like it, ditch the whole ‘Desperado’ look, you’ll be spotted easily

~Treble~

Tracked

Treble had been a good friend to me since I was younger. We didn’t grow up together or anything, but we were close friends. We went our separate ways, I took one path and he took another. He went on to go into music and the arts but his interests turned later, he became almost like a commander or overseer of some political affairs. Now though he runs a rebellion, I never expected him to go that direction but he did. Whatever he’s having me do it must be for the best.

I took a deep breathe of the stale air inside the cabin before getting up form my seat. I walked to the door, the metal hoof canon holding my hoof back a little as I took two steps to the door. I opened the door slowly and looked out into the hallway sticking my head out slightly. Down the hallway the separate wall had windows lining the walls of the car. Doors against one wall and windows on the other, the windows opening the hall to the black outside. In between each door was a wall light, it shown just enough to give off the detail of the room.

At the far end two horses stood with black trench coats with black fedora styled hats resting over their eyes. I turned the other direction, the same but one was using the telephone mounted on the wall of the passenger car.

I slid my head back inside and slowly closed the door.

“They did track me.” I said quietly grabbing my things off the baggage carrier. I grabbed the envelope and threw it in one of the inside pockets of the duster I had on. I moved the brim of my hat back to where it was parallel with the top of my vision. I checked the gun strapped to my hoof, clicked it sideways throwing the small clip out.

“Six rounds.” I folded it back in, sliding the bolt lock into place. Despite it’s rarity and age, the weapon was very useful. Easy to conceal and to use, flick the hoof down on the switch lever and-bang. It had some kick and was pretty powerful but it was worth it.

My I slung my light bag across my back. Just a saddlebag with some necessities, razor, ammunition, sage made soap, things like that. I sat with it strung to me thinking out how I would approach this situation.

Judging by the car I would have to move fast.

“This is your conductor speaking, the Next stop, Sycamore Valley, 20 minutes.” A voice sounded on the speaker over the door.

I thought about it, four-to-one, it’s obvious I’m outnumbered, but how will I do this? I walked out into the hallway and closed the door behind me. At once all the heads lifted and stared at me.

“Gentlecolts?” I said. They just stared.

“I think I got n idea bout what you want.” I said brushing the collar of my duster with my hoof getting the dust off them. I looked out to the other pair. All stood staring at me. I cocked my head sideways letting my neck pop and crack. I stood for a second watching and waiting for them to move.

“Well?” I said arcing my back with my hooves planted in the floor. The two I was looking at turned to each other and nodded. They charged at the same time, synchronized almost. I already analyzed them quickly and plotted out where I was moving.

One jumped up trying to pounce on me. I ducked quickly and he soared over me crashing to the floor behind. As soon as I was about to get back up I felt a hoof across my face followed by a searing pain that brought me up to my hind legs. I caught a glimpse of the uppercut and before he had followed up with another I caught him, stopping his arm at the shoulder.

Bringing my hoof back, I slammed my elbow into an oncoming brute’s face before returning the blow to the first in front of me, he was knocked back by the quick blow to the solar plexus. I turned to the other now bleeding form the snout. I lifted my hind leg up and drove it into his mid section and putting my force onto the leg pinning him to the ground.

I used him to jump off to the next one. I crossed my right hoof behind me and curled it in the form of a bludgeon and landed a clean hit on him. He was sent spinning to the floor but not as soon as the one on the ground stood up. He looked at me and I did the same. It was almost as if we were at a stalemate, waiting for the other to make a move.

He lunged at me with his left foreleg. I sidestepped and grabbed it, pulling him forward I lowered my head and yanked him forward. His head clanked against my skull and it put him on the floor. It hurt bad I tell you. I had to gather myself, that hit had thrown me off.

I blinked a couple times before my vision centered on a hoof darting at my face. I didn’t have time to react, all I did was close my eyes and wait for the pain to hit. A flash of pain enveloped my cheek with a cracking noise. I tumbled to the floor, feeling that punch all through my face. The same one walked over me on his hind legs. He had an opening between them; do you know a stallion’s weak spot? It’s right there.

I lifted my leg and with a loud crunch I drove my hoof into his crotch. All I heard was a deep breathe before the loud thud of somepony hitting the floor. I turned to the other two. One did same as before, trying to leap on top of me. This time I caught him mid air, spun around with him in my forelegs and slammed his head into the window, breaking it wipe open. I pulled his head out to open it, throw him half way out and slam it again in his abdomen. I opened the window back up and pushed the body out into the tunnel.

One was left standing in the hallway. He cocked his head sideways.

“Where did you learn to fight like that?” He asked in a deeper tone that I expected.

“Don’t matter right now,” I said crouching ready for anything he was going to dish out.

“You really want to do this?” He asked reaching for something in the inside of his trench coat. He pulled out what looked to be a handle of some sort. He removed the hat and a long horn erected from his slicked back mane. The horn gained some color around it before the same colored aura radiated around the handle.

“Come at me!” He yelled. The handle clicked and a blade shot out of it. He picked it up and twirled the straight switchblade in little circles.

“Mkay, but ya asked for it bud.” I charged him quickly, sliding to my hind legs. The knife shot at me and I ducked under it. As I rose up I shoved my hoof-mounted gun forward into his face and clutched my hoof down activating the trigger. I heard a loud crack followed by a thud. I didn’t even look at what I had done. I just looked at the ones sprawled across the hallway, all of which were unconscious.

“Now entering, Sycamore Valley station.” I heard from the intercom. You could feel the pull as the train slowed to a stop. I adjusted my bag between my shoulders and continued out, trudging slowly over the knocked out stallions. At the far end of the hallway I stood looking at the two still alive and the one with the puddle of blood under his head. I almost felt sorry, in a job like this though feeling sorry can get you killed.

I pushed the door open to see a big open bar. The bartender behind the counter polished glasses and mugs to a clear shine contently before returning them below the counter. The big brownish horse whistled a lively tune, completely oblivious that I was even there.

He reminded me of Treble. He had a strong jaw line and a sturdy pair of shoulders. His mane was tangled and short like his. The only difference was that the one behind the counter was shorter than him, and-well, he didn’t have wings.

I made my way around the tables, the smell of wine and beer hung low in the air locking out almost every other scent. The low churning of the wheels under the car hummed along side the low sound of smooth jazz playing in the background.

I slid open the door to get to the unloading car. Before I could I heard a high-pitched whistle that rang in my ear. I turned around, the bartender had both his hooves on the bar and stared at me with a cold stare.

“You Golden?” I heard him ask.

“Depens who’s askin.” He reached down behind the bar and brought up an envelope.

“A young unicorn left something for you here.” He said.

“He had it addressed to golden,” He said observing me head to toe.

“And by your golden coat, I can safely assume that it’s you?” This humored me a little. These days I hear less and less of the smart-aleck type, everyone is so serious these days hearing something like that always put a big smile on my face.

“When do ya start servin drinks?” I asked walking to the bar.

“Hell,” he said shaking his head.

“I started at ten this morning, you want anything just tell me.” I pulled out a stool and sat there.

“How bout that thing you was tellin me about?” I asked crossing my hooves on the long bar table. He pulled the envelope out and slid it to me.

“That unicorn was in a hurry.” He said polishing one of the shot glasses that was turned over on the bar.

“Now, you wanted a drink or not?” I picked up the envelope and opened it, emptying the contents onto the surface I sat at. There was a long note followed by a key. The handwriting tight and neatly written, the page had no lines but the writing was in perfect parallel lines.

Dear Golden,

I apologize for the quick and to the point introduction we had earlier. We will be able to talk more later, but from where we were I could not really disclaim any vital information. Inside the envelope I gave to the bartender here, if you received it from him, had a key inside. This key opens hotel room number ‘412’ of the Canterlot Heights Hotel. You will be able to find it when you get off at Canterlot Station. Before you go any further when exiting there will be a metal briefcase next to a trash can by terminal seven, in there is your funding. After that a driver will be awaiting you there, he will have a name on a sign; that name is “Dinner Bell”. You will find him and take him with you, he is a private adversary hired by us. He will be with you twenty-four-seven. Now, I heard from the boss that you work alone, but in this case you are going to need all the help you can get. I’ve already booked you reservations at the hotel and everything should be prepared by the time you get there.

Sincerely:

Emerald

I closed up the letter and put it in the same duster pocket as the target information.

“Hey!” I heard the bartender yell.

“What do ya want?” I asked him shrilly.

“Order something or leave, I don’t know what kinda trouble you’re getting into but I won’t have it in my bar!”

At that I heard the train come too a full stop.

“Sycamore Valley Station!” I heard on the intercom.

“Leaving for Canterlot Station in fifteen minutes!”

I looked over to the bartender still polishing a shot glass.

“Do you have Sweet Apple Acres Alcoholic Cider?” The bar hand nodded and reached for a bottle under the counter.

That name brought me back, I tell ya. Sweet Apple Acres, been years since I’ve even thought about that name.

The Station

As he poured the golden brown nectar into a glass for me, it flowed into it churning as it hit the bottom of the mug. He placed the bottle back behind the counter. When he passed the mug to me all I could smell was fresh apples. I took the glass and brought it to my lips, the chilled drink ran down my throat. I felt it chill everything going down to my stomach. I nearly emptied the glass; it was left a little less than half full. I brought it to the counter, licking my lips to savor the residue from the drink.

“Not many ponies around here ask for such a beverage.” The bartender said.

“Any particular reason you wanted that exact drink?” He asked. I shook my head with a smile on my face.

“Nope.” I said finishing it off and thanking him for the drink. I felt a couple bits in my pocket that I used to pay off the cider and walked to the unloading car. I should have stayed on the train but I had an aching feeling that if I had stayed on I would have ran into more trouble.

The Sycamore Valley station was an underground train station. The ceilings were dripping with water created from the humidity of the cavern. It was cool and the air felt solid. Getting off the train the moisture in the air was strange to the senses. It took me a few seconds but I got used to it.

Sounds echoed down the tunnel, the sounds of rocks moving or a bat fluttering it’s wings escalating farther into the cavern. The steam and high-pitched release of steam from the train all infected my ears. As I stood there on the loading platform the day really caught up with me. It wouldn’t be smart to get back on the train to Canterlot; I’ll stay the night here. Before I check into anywhere I need to tell Emerald about what my plans were.

The station’s central communications outpost had a clear window showing the Station Master asleep in his desk chair, his blue conductor’s coat hung over the back of the chair his hat slid over his eyes. Next to the window was a phone booth somepony was in it chatting away. She was an attractive little mare, nearly half my size. She spoke softly, I could hear her through the door of the phone booth, her voice like honey to the ears. She turned to me while talking on the phone and she stared for a moment with her mouth slightly open. She was above beautiful, her blue and white mane curving over to one side of her face as her blue eyes pierced something deep down. We both stared at her for a moment, neither of us said anything.

She gently opened the door and peaked her head out.

“Just a minute Sir.” She chimed softly and sweetly still staring at me.

She slid the door closed and went back to whoever she was talking to on the phone. I turned and leaned over on the side of the booth waiting for her.

I stood there for about ten minutes, almost half asleep. The door shook suddenly and I glanced over to the mare.

“Sorry it took so long,” She said with a shy smile.

“Here, I’ll pay for your call.” She said handing me four bits. I touched her hoof and she looked up to me, i felt as if I towered over her. Our eyes met and we stared at each other, silently watching each other.

“Thank ya kindly.” I said breaking the silence.

I walked in and shut the door behind me and locked it. The phone was an assortment of big numbered buttons and a phone handing of a line hook. Pulling the paper that was left at the bar I turned it over to see the other side. A phone number was written on the back with the words "Forgot to give you my number;".

I placed the fee in the machine then dialed the number in.

“One-Three-Seven-Four-Nine-Nine-Three-Two-Four Six-Seven.” I read aloud typing them in as I said them. The phone rang twice before I heard a familiar voice on the other line.

“Golden?” I heard somepony ask.

“Yeah, It’s me.” I responded

“Golden, what the bloody hell are you doing?” I heard him shout into the phone.

“Don’t you know the train’s phone can be traced?” He asked me.

“I’m not on the train, Emerald.” I said to him, all I heard silence on the other line.

“Golden,” I heard quietly.

“What the hell is going on?”

“There’s been a complication,” I said.

“There was more of those horses on the train than expected, I think there was going to be more so I got off at Sycamore Valley Station.” I heard a sigh of relief on the other line.

“Do you need me to redirect your assistant?”

“I reckon that’d be a swell idea.” Then another concern came into my mind.

“How will we get the briefcase ya left back at the Canterlot station?”

“Not to worry,” He said on the other line.

“We can arrange for that to be redirected as well.”

I sighed for a moment. There was a hard stiffness in my back that had been making my senses twitch. I rolled my joints back arching my spine. Loud cracks reeked through my bones relieving the stress and tension that was carried on my shoulders. I sighed long and loudly into the phone.

“Everything Alright?” I heard

“Just tired, it’s been a long day I’d just like to get some rest.” I answered.

“I can understand that.” He said reassuring me.

“Yeah.” That’s all I said, it’s all I really had to say. Days like these, traveling a whole day to wake up being attacked. It really takes a toll on you.

“So, please call me in the morning when you’re going to Canterlot with your assistant. Not mandatory but I’d like to track you, just to see where you’re at.” A question had sprouted from an idea I had. At the mention of the word my curiosity reached its peak.

“Why do ya call ‘em ‘assistant’?” I asked into the phone.

“Because I’ve not got the slightest clue of whom he is.” Then the phone clicked. Surprised I glanced back at the phone while it alarmed a bleeping noise. I shrugged it off and put the phone back on the receiver.

The station’s musky atmosphere bugged me; I wasn’t too fond of dark damp places, let alone a cave. Alas I had to wait here for my ride. A bench rested across from the tracks, directly to my right by the station doors opening to the station’s plaza. I scoped it out and moved towards it, dragging my hooves to it.

I sat down on it, my body tired. Hunger was catching up to me, considering I hadn’t eaten since yesterday night. I missed breakfast this morning, it was either that or missing my train. So now I sit here, waiting for someone I have no idea what his appearance is or why he’s here. I just know that I have six ponies’ pictures and information who, within time, will be dead.

I swung my saddlebag around and it fell next to the bench. I slouched forward pulling my hat over my eyes as I had done in the train car. I closed my eyes and dosed off. I hate how you don’t exactly remember when you fell asleep or how it happened, you just know you did. Strange I think of these things, I know, but they bother me ya know?

My subconscious started to wonder. It brought me back to an orchard, a vast apple orchard. I had family in the farming business. My favorite relative was one of my cousins over in Ponyville. I know we’re related and all but man, she was a looker. I don’t remember a time we went into town that guys were all over her. She was a beautiful mare, I’ll tell you that much. I lost contact with her though-a long time ago. We are both the same age, last time I saw her I was still living with my parents-we went out there for a family reunion. The day Granny Smith died I did see her at the funeral, but I didn’t talk to her. I think that’s when everything started to change was when she died. It’s weird, right now I’m just wondering where she’s at now.

“Hey,” I heard, breaking my slumber. I cocked my read up right quick to see who was there. A younger looking stallion stood over me. One of his hind legs-one on the bench the other on the ground. He had a light grey mane with black streaks running through it his coat glowed a pale white, his eyes a glistening red-maroon color. A black canvas shirt clung to his chest, the sleeves rolled up to the part between his shoulder and the bend in the foreleg. Over that was a black vest, a holstered pistol hung out of it the handle barely visible. He wore a black fedora sitting to one side of her head. His grey pants matched the cap perfectly in color, they were fitted and held snugly to his legs. Black boots with white lace up the center were strapped to his hooves.

“Come here often gorgeous?” He asked sarcastically with a big smirk.

“Naw, just kidding, The name’s Starblazer by the way.” He said offering a hoof out.

"You can call me Star."

I stared at his hoof , then at the pistol handle in the holster sticking out of his vest. He had concerned look on his face as he stared at mine. Then he saw what I was looking at.

“Oh,” he said opening his vest up.

“Don’t worry, It’s not for you.” He said closing his vest back up.

“I was told to be looking for a ‘Desperado Looking character,’” He said looking around.

“Considering that you’re the only one here, I believe that’s you?” I still stared at him with no emotion, I held my poker face as best as I could. He sighed, throwing his hooves up and returning to standing on all fours.

“Emerald sent me, I’m you’re partner here.” He said moving around to the other side of me.

“Emerald sent you?” I asked, he nodded slowly.

“I didn’t want to stand outside like an idiot with a sign that said ‘Dinner Bell’.” He said sitting on the bench next to me.

“Now, I’m supposed to either take you to a hotel in the city, or take you to Canterlot.” He said touching his hooves together make a low clopping noise.

“I think it might be a better idea since it’s getting late and we need to travel through some think woods to get there.”

I nodded.

“Seems smart, I’m tired too.” I said getting up.

“You parked out there?” I asked pointing to the station doors. He nodded again.

“But there’s a ton of stairs we need to get up before we get outside.” He said moving some of his long grey mane out of his eyes.

“Before we go any further, let me start over.” He said putting a hoof out.

“My name’s Starblazer, you can call me Star.” With that I couldn’t help a smile on my face. I stayed silent and just stared.

"Now you?" He said gesturing to me.

“The name's Golden," I said.

"It’ll be my pleasure ta be workin with you Star.” I said grasping his hoof. He smiled back with his eyes closed.

A long screech rang through the cave as another train made it’d entrance into the station. A long icy chill ran down my spine, as if a glacier had moved onto my back. The cold air filled the air as the gust from the spinning train flew past us.

Starblazer’s eyes were squinted hard as he watched the train go by.

“Star?” I asked as I stood next to him. His face seemed sad, refrained, almost as if he remembered something horrible from his past just by watching that train.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” He said after blinking a few times, snapping himself out of a trance that he had enveloped himself in.

“Let’s-let’s go.” He said quickly trotting to the door.

He opened the station’s double doors to show a long staircase. I looked at it and sighed hard.

“As if I hadn’t had a long day already.” I said staring up at the behemoth of steps.

“Hey Bud,” Starblazer said to me.

“I’ll put out twenty bits on the fact that you couldn’t beat me up these steps.” He asked crouching down like he was ready to race.

His child-like demeanor was humorous. I could help but chuckle at the statement.

“Son,” I said flicking my head around to him.

“I don’t have twenty of anything on me, an I’m way too tired to be racin any hot headed stallions about.” I said starting my trip up the long mountain stairs.

Some rest

We finally got to the top of the stairs I was out of breath. Starblazer looked at me in a peculiar way.

“Man, you sure are tired.” He said opening another door.

“The car is just outside the station.” He said opening the door to the inner lobby. I entered and was bombarded by the scent of pinewood. That lush green smell that made anypony feel welcome. I stood for a second taking a deep inhale of it.

Starblazer went around my front and stared at me with a weird look.

“What?” I asked him.

“Nothing,” He said continuing forward to the front. The lobby was made of wooden log walls with candles lining the walls. In the middle hung a chandelier decorated with deer horns and antlers. Candles that had once sat on the edges of the horns and at the tips had melted away and now were just melted down dripping wax down off the side. A little hole in the walls where bronze windows echoed their bright light beside reflective glass at the far corner of the room, which I’m guessing, is the ticket window. A small mare had dosed off behind the panes of glass of the window. Sofas were circled around a stone fireplace across from it. You could tell the fire had been put out not too long ago hence the smoke rising from the charred logs. It had a homely feeling all around. We trotted past the window and the chairs to the other door. I pulled it open and let Starblazer out first, as common courtesy states.

Outside a shining white car sat. Long front bumper stretched around the front. Its lights were still on, breaking the darkness and gleaming out into the woods lighting up every inch of night. Gray streaks were marked all across the side and the engine growled like a caged beast. It was so powerful the engine just sitting idle was vibrating my chest.

“She’s a beauty, ain’t she?” He whispered in my ear.

“What is it?” I asked approaching the vehicle slowly.

“She was made in Mane-hattan!” He said gloriously hoping over the side of it into the driver’s seat.

“She’s called the ‘White Flash’!” He exclaimed revving the engine, each pulse vibrating my core more and more.

“Anything! Land, Sea, Air! She can outrun it all!” He yelled over the sound of the beast of a machine.

I leaped over the side like he had previously done, throwing my bag to the floor.

“One of the most powerful engines known to all of Ponykind!” He said throwing a stick shift into first gear.

“More horsepower than anything on this world, V-12 engine, supercharged, fuel injecting!” He said as the car roared. With a sudden jerk the car took off forcing me to the back of the seat. The Gs were impeccable as I felt the pull my face back. The open roof of the car let the wind sting my face. Star alternated the gear and slammed his hoof on the emergency brake while turning the wheel. The whole car screeched as the car drifted to the right. Before even slowing through the curve the car jerked me back beginning on it’s tremendous acceleration.

I was hanging on for dear life as he continued to gas it, you could feel the car getting faster-and faster-and faster. Then it stopped jerking me forward, I kept my back against the seat as best I could. My heart pounded when we stopped, it was going faster that that car was.

“Fastest thing you’ve ever ridden, I assure you.” he said to me turning the car off.

He jumped over the side and walked away. I still have too much adrenaline firing through my veins. I felt the top of my head, my hat was still on but the brim had been pulled up from the wind lash. I pulled it off and snapped it into place. A single drip of sweat rolled down my cheek.

Starblazer came back to the car.

“We’ve got rooms for the night.” He said tossing keys up and down in his hoof. I opened the car door and got out. Walking behind him I noticed we had pulled up at a motel. The car sat in the lonesome parking lot, except the one spot with the car in it. He tossed me a key.

Long dark sections of rooms lined the sidewalk that was covered by a canopy. Lights lit it up at some points but were washed out by the thick fog that I hadn’t even noticed roll in.

“You’re in room 7,” He said pointing to a door then continuing forward.

“You need me I’m in room 12.” He said walking farther ahead of me.

“You need me you know where to go.” He finished turning to another room.

I jammed the key in the hole of the door and turned it to the right, the clicking of the door signaled that it was open. I walked in and was bombarded by the smell of soap and linen.

As soon as I walked in I dumped off my bags by the bed, the sheets nice and flat freshly made. On the far wall outlines on the wall of where a picture had hung. A typewriter and some envelopes sat on a desk across against the wall of the bed. I walked over to it and tapped one key; I think it ‘A’ or something close.

I thought about it for a second. I had somepony special I hadn’t seen in years I bet would be happy to get a letter from me, not a girlfriend or anything, my cousin-from out West.

The desk the typewriter sat on was full of drawers stacked in the front of it. I pulled one open and a stack of paper was sitting in there, next to it lay a pen. I pulled one sheet out and loaded up the paper into the typewriter. The ink cartridge was full under the keys. I brought a chair around to the front of the desk. I sat there easing myself down and began to type.

Dear Cousin,

Been awhile since we talked last, a little more that seven years or so. I’ve been thinking about family a lot, I miss all of you and not a day has gone past that I don’t remember the sweet smell of the apple orchards that we would work and play in. I’m not really sure if you know of my new line of work but I’d rather not tell it to you over a letter. Please, I’d like to come out and visit to see all of my kin out there in Ponyville. I’m going to be at the following address at Canterlot: 32209 Canterlot Heights: PO box 213. Tell Big Macintosh and my baby cousin Applebloom I love them and can’t wait to see you and them again.

Sincerely:

I pulled out the page, the ink still wet on the page. I pulled out a pen out from the paper drawer and signed my name at the bottom of the page.

Golden Apple

I left the page out to dry next to the typewriter. For the first time I took my hat off. I wiped the sweat off my forehead. Pulled my mane back from my hoof and felt the wet from the sweat buildup under my hat.

I switched from my chair then onto the bed. I lay there completely stretched out; the dim light from a candle on the other side of the bed lit the room best as I could. I rolled my shoulders back pulling the muscle slightly then relaxing. I felt like crap from being in that train all day, maybe I should take a shower? No, I’ll do it in the morning, for right now I need some rest.

Just gonna close my eyes…

And let that cold…

Sweet embrace…

Take me away…

Author's Note

I apologize for this, I needed a space filler between traveling to Canterlot and the Sycamore Valley Station. The next installment will be coming out within the next few days and will pick up. Sorry about that everypony.

An Old Face From the Rain

“How many times did I hafta tell ya, Golden?”

“Papa! I’m sorry”

“No yer not! You little ungrateful bastard!”

“Sparkling! Stop!”

“No! The little shit knew what he was doin! And now look what he done!”

“Wait, Sparkling, who’re they?”

“What the hell?”

“Sparkling, get him to the cellar, they look like trouble.”

“C’mon Golde-“

“Sparkling! Git down!”

“Mama!”

“No!”

“Papa! Don’t go! Don’t go Papa!”

That woke me into the strange morning with sweat dripping down my forehead and painted on my neck. My heart was pounding through my chest. That dream, that memory I thought I had long forgotten, but it still haunts me. Deep in the crevice of my mind I try to lock it away but it gets out, I can only blame myself for what had happened that day so long ago.

I swung my hooves over the side of the bed and sat there for a moment, trying to tune out the painful memory that I had no idea still existed in my mind. I was so helpless, I watched them die, both my parents, right in front of me. I couldn’t do anything. I had stayed there, in that home before I wrote to my cousin. I cried so many nights. No one knew what happened except me. I left the farm and went to live away from everypony. Secluded, serine, quiet, spacious, without anyone to come looking for me.

I pulled myself up and looked at the time. It was early, four-O’-seven in the morning. That dream of what happened that night so long ago was-unexpected. I closed my eyes and thought of what was currently important. I said it aloud.

“Find the targets, eliminate them, they never existed.” With that I got up to all my legs and went to the chair, my coat draped over it. It was security, it was safe, it was one of the few things that reminded me of home. The strong stitching along the side of the duster and the sweet felt lining the sleeves were all I had that made me feel like I belonged anywhere.

Once in a while I’ll have that dream of what was said that day, or that walk away from it all- I remembered it all too much. The grey clouds melted through the blue sky and left a blue cobalt shadow left casted upon the land. The last of the apple trees had left go of their leave to watch them be carried away by the wind of autumn. The cool air rose from the orchards and the smell was long forgotten, the only noise was of my little hooves being dragged through the leaves and dirt on my way out of where I had been-where I had lived.

It hurt, the memory of what I had. I was so young then and yet I had grown so old over the years that had been drug out day by day. Now though, I realized I grew up around nopony, no one cared for me and for that I never had the same feeling for anyone else. The only ones I cared for was and till this day still is my cousin. She would always be there for me, and vice versa.

I threw my duster over my shoulders and grabbed my hat flipping it onto my head by my mouth. My hoof was sore from not realizing I had been wearing my gun all night. I flipped the clip out.

“Three rounds,” I said to myself nodding slightly.

I reached for my bag.

“Where in the world-“ I asked myself looking on the floor.

“It’s not here?” I asked.

Then it hit me I forgot to unload it from the car last night. I’ll have to reload the thing when we’re leaving. I put on the black leather boots that wearily sat at the foot of my bed. I strapped them to my hind legs closely tying the stitching up at the top keeping them secure. I stood from the bed and looked down at the white canvas shirt I had on under my coat, covered in dirt and stained. Then I looked at my big black duster it was worn and turned away too many times to count before it found its troubled owner. I’m glad it found its home on my shoulders rather than somepony else, I needed it not as a coat but more as a reminder. The scars that were once bullet holes fitted and sew back to little surface lines that were no more. This was me, the coat a reflection, and like all coats, I know deep down every coat has been thrown away. That was me, thrown away, but ever since then I’ve nowhere to go.

I walked to the door of my hotel room. A cold breeze came from under the slits in the door that brushed up against the fur lining my hooves. I pushed the handle down opening it to the open air.

A thick blue mist covered the ground and left some perspiration on my coat, the morning air was cool and new as the taste and smell of the moisture in the air clouded the senses to the degree of such easy pleasantness that I had not experienced in a long time. The smell of evergreen trees mixed with the pleasant aroma of the mist. I took a long deep breath of the air before walking down the lines on doors of other inn rooms.

I slowly walked down the cold walkway bordered by rooms, eight- then nine- then ten- then eleven- then-

“Don’t worry,” I heard coming from room twelve with the door open slightly.

“This won’t take long, I promise.” I heard from the door.

“I will be back before you know it, nothing will happen to me and I will make sure I write to you every night.” I heard leaking from the room.

“I can’t wait to get back and see your beautiful face again. Your iron horse, Starblazer.” I heard him conclude. I tapped the door with a hoof. He spun to look at me, his eyes shinned from tears as he tried to wipe them away before I saw but I did.

“Hey," I said opening the door.

"I was just going to get you." He said wiping away the tears from his face.

"You writing to a special somepony?” I asked sitting on the bed beside him on the bed.

“Not exactly.” He calmly stated as tears began running down his face again.

“I love her and would do anything for her, but, I don’t think she sees anything in me.” He said looking at the ground in mid sentence.

“I’ve never felt anything towards anypony,” I said watching him sniveling a little. Then I thought of that little mare back at the station, how i felt then.

“If she doesn’t like ya, I don’t see any reason why you should try to go for something so far out of reach.” I said sitting down next to him.

“Not to sound cold hearted but everyone's got somepony meant for him. Maybe it’s not her.” I said putting a hoof around him. He dragged a hoof across his face snorting in whatever tears tried to escape his cheeks.

“But I don’t want to give her up,” He said quietly.

“I will not meet anypony like her again.”

We sat in silence for a minute, it was sad seeing him like this. The poor thing, he was love struck and he never wanted to move on, I can’t imagine having feeling like that for anypony but I guess it’ll come when it comes.

“Star,” I said pulling myself together.

“We have to get to Canterlot.” I announced as I began to get up and walk to the door. From behind me I heard the springs of the bed cringe and squeak as he rose from it.

“Alright.” I heard him say shakily.

We both walked out into the fog, the mist still fresh and clean beneath an overcast sky. Starblazer entered the grey cloud to get to his car. All I heard was a click and then the roar of the beast that was a vehicle. Then from the fog two flaring beams broke the cloud and cut into the air. I approached the beastly noise out in the fog, once I got to the car door I threw myself over landing square in the seat.

“Canterlot?” I heard him yell over the engine.

“Yeah.” I yelled back so he could hear me. He reached a hoof over to the glove compartment and opening it with a pull of a lever from under the dashboard.

“We’re gonna be driving in some rain!” He said pointing to a pair of some eye goggles.

“There’s some goggles in there, we’re gonna need them.”

I pulled out two pairs and gave one to him, he strapped the lenses to his face. He wore an old looking flat cap-similar to the one he wore yesterday but more grey and worn looking.

I was jerked forward as the car backed out and thrown over into Starblazer’s side as he turned out onto the dirt road.

“When was that last time you been to Canterlot?” He yelled over the beast under the hood.

“About seventeen years!” I yelled.

“I barely remember it!”

“Well, what you do remember won’t be there!” He screamed as the tires screeched as he made a turn onto rougher road that bounced the car about.

“Ever since the world hit it’s industrial stage, the city has changed for better or worse. Depens on how you look at it!” He yelled again.

He straightened out as he slammed his hoof farther onto the petal. At that point the sheer force kept me in my seat. As he turned the next corner the car skidded sideways as dirt was kicked up from the road throwing rocks and debris into the air. He slowed down as he shifted the shifter before slamming his hoof back onto the gas. We turned onto a straightaway edged with stones.

Ahead a veil of blurred grey streaks fell within what looked like a mile away but felt like a second as we flew through it. In moments we were pelted by rain that stung my face and ears. I looked over to Baritone, through the goggles he seemed to have he eyes closed with a huge grin stretched across his face.

“Feel that Mr. Golden?” Starblazer called out over the noise around us.

“The wind, the rain, the smell, the speed?” I heard him say as he leaned closer to the front of the car.

“It’s so free, so…” He trailed off mid sentence. All he did was take a deep breath; his chest rose and sank back into his shirt. His looked ahead but his eyes were sad, there was something deep in his mind that was unsettling or hurt him, I ignored it and just sat there.

“There’s a gasoline station up ahead!” He exclaimed.

“I’m almost out of fuel so we’ll have to stop!”

I looked up to the clouds, the rain fell from them quickly. I pulled off my hat, I was surprised it was still on my head, and set it between my legs. I let the rain get into my hair, the cool drizzle ran down my face. It was calming-the grey skies and rain. I closed my eyes and let it take me away to a different spot in my mind. I wasn’t asleep I was just deep in thought, where am I going to go after I’m done with all of this? This running around and shooting? This isn’t a fit life for anypony yet here I am. I watch the sun rise and I watch it set on other’s lives. I could change it, I had enough money to move to a place like this. Spend my days living here in the rain, the calm, and soothing rain.

The car pulling left snaps me out of my trance as we pulled into a small gas station with one light peeling away the grey rain from it. Starblazer’s car smoothly drifted next to a pump no more than two feel from the pump. He didn’t even bother honking the horn all he did was rev the engine with a single growl from the engine. The shout from the car was so strong you could see the windows shake.

At that the door flew open. A tall red work-horse stood in the door, his overalls stained black with what I think is grease and his white shirt speckled with brown dots. Black blotches covered his face and a cap sat crooked on his head. A towel was slung over his shoulder.

“Is this a self service?” Star asked.

“Nnnope,” I heard him call out. The figure seemed familiar, too familiar and with that voice. My heart skipped a beat at the sudden realization of whom that voice belonged to.

I jumped out of the car and quickly walked over to the door. I stared at the figure in awe , that face I had almost forgotten, that face I had not seen in years. I stood there in the rain gazing at him-hoping, just hoping it was whom I thought it was, hoping they would have recognized me.

“What,” I heard the big horse say.

“Is that really you?” I heard him ask over the pelting rain. With a tear almost ready to be shed from my face I nodded with more joy than I have ever felt as a smile crossed my face.

I could not do anything else besides wrap my hooves around his waist tightly.

“No," He said.

"It can't be, you're dead-you're supposed to be dead." He said shaking his head as he spoke.

"Mackintosh you haven't changed in years." He came closer to my face, staring hard into my eyes.

"Golden?” He asked. I nodded once. His eyes flew open suddenly as he backed into the door frame again.

“Please,” he said to me, then gestured to Baritone.

“Come on in, stay a spell.” He called out. I no longer felt the vibration in my chest from the car and then I heard him behind me. We both walked into the small room. The red workhorse sat down at a table in the far wall. He angled the chair so it faced the two guests facing him. A lantern in the middle of the room lit it up nicely.

His body was shifted sideways, slanted in his chair. His face was worn and tired and his body had lost its once strong build. Bags under his eyes showed how exhausted he’d been. It was sad seeing him like this. He was once the strongest plow horse Equestria’s ever seen, probably the strongest period. Seeing him like this though as a little shocking.

“Big Macintosh,” I said happily with relief.

“We thought you was dead, Golden,” Big Mac pointed out, looking at me with a strange face as if he didn’t trust me.

“When we heard about your parents bein dead an all we could only assume the worst since you wasn’t there but they were.” He said taking off the hat that had barely fit on his head.

“Big Mac, you don’t realize, I had no where else to g-“

“Why not come to us?” Macintosh asked angrily leaning forward in his seat.

“We would not have hesitated to take you in. You’re family for fuck sake.” He said while wearing a look of disgust.

“Your cousin thought you were dead.” All he did was look to the window.

"I'm sorry," That was all that I could say. I felt terrible for completely disappearing like that.

“She cried fer days.” He finished looking down at the floor almost half defeated.

“But thank goodness you’re here now.” A weak smile crossed Big Mac's face.

“How is she?” I asked.

“Your cousin stayed on the farm after Granny Smith died.” Macintosh said tapping the table with one hoof.

“Everyone else kinda scattered throughout Equestria, ya rarely find any of us farmin' anymore.” He looked at the table and then looked down.

“Applebloom ain't around no more.” He began rubbing his face, I had an itching feeling that I was bringing all these painful memories.

“She fell in front of some train coming back from a market run in Canterlot’s Market District.” A sad sigh fell from his mouth as sad heavy eyes were painfully etched onto his face.

“She lost you, then Granny Smith, then poor sweet little Applebloom, but your cousin’s strong and she can pull through, she's a strong mare that's fer damn sure.” He said with a smile and teary eyes.

“I glad she didn’t lose everythin that meant somethin ta her.” Macintosh said to me weakly.

“You stop by the Farm, back in Ponyville,” The smile faded quickly.

“Say hi to ma baby sister.” He uttered under his breath.

He walked to the door slowly.

“The fill up is on me, just stay in here until she’s filled up.” Big Mac ducked his head out the door and ventured out into the rain.

I stood by the window and watch the rain pelt the glass and wash down to the ground. Time had gone by too fast, faster that I’d ever wanted it to. Now this is the result from all of it. I have a feeling if I hadn’t left after my parents were killed, things would have been different...

The First

“Golden?” I heard, snapping me out of my nap. I moved my legs over from the arms of the couch I had them lying comfortably on. I tilted my hat back from over my eyes. Starblazer stood there wearing a black trench coat that lightly drug below him. On his head a black flat brimmed bowler cap.

“We have a meeting to attend.” He said looking towards a grand red door, on either side long windows were embedded on the wall beautifully decorated with complex ironwork. Inside one of the windows was a sign that read closed, which means the side facing the outside read ‘open’. Busts of the two rulers sat in front of both windows, the fair Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

I swung my legs around and sat there on the couch. Star stood to his hind legs and leaned on the door similar to how he had before at Big Mac’s place. He had a watch strapped to his hoof, an expensive looking watch to match. He kept looking at it then to the door.

“When did th' informant say she’d be arrivin’?” I asked. He shook his head.

“The target was supposed to be here five minutes ago. Right here at the Royal Canterlot Library.” He responded looking back to his watch. I rolled my sleeve up and looked down at my foreleg’s hoof. The shiny metal weapon still stayed there silent, anticipating when we will be able to use it.

The walls were decorated with golden leaf etches along white marble walls. The smell of old paper and ink drafted through the rooms already unpleasant musk. I sat on one of the red-velvet couches placed across from the big grand entrance. Behind me was two long staircases leading up to a second deck-floor holding rows and rows of books. Directly behind me was a floral arrangement, six roses all different colors sitting in a vase. It looked new but one of the roses was wilting, still had it's color,but was near falling off. It was beautiful yet sad to see it like that. I turned to it and plucked the rose off dropping it to the soil from where it came.

Then I heard it, a slamming almost, but it was muffled.

“Hold on.” Starblazer said with his ear against the door. The door opposite to him opened. He snapped quickly back to his leaning stance, his hat pulled over his eyes. I stood staring to match the target up with the one that picture I had of her. A purple unicorn entered. Her eyes outlined with complimentary blue makeup and her hair straight but longer than the picture. It was her.

She wore a coat that was hanging on her shoulders and a long skirt around her mid section. Her hooves were strapped into leather shoes. She had a saddlebag with only one pouch hanging over her right side. As soon as her purple eyes caught mine observing her I snapped away before our gazes met. I looked down at my hooves on the floor.

“You look new here, stranger.” I heard her say gleefully. I looked back to her. She had a smile on her face and glimmering eyes that shone brightly.

“I’m here on business.” I said to her looking over to Star then back to her gaze.

“Well, I do hope everything goes well!” She said trotting happily by me. Out of the corner of my eye I caught Star looking at me. He raised his eyebrows, trying to ask me if it was her but without words. I nodded once.

“Okay then,” he said under his breath. He stuck his hoof into the windowpane turning the sign around to where the “open” side faced us.

I got up and moved towards the stairs. Walking up opened the building up to a greater room much longer and bigger than expected. Shelves with books lined on them leaned on each other peacefully and calmly waiting for someone to come by and open their old pages to new adventures. In the middle of it all was a desk piled high with books. The whole library was empty though, and quiet.

I walked slowly passed the rows of shelves of books. I caught small lines of some titles while looking for the mare. ‘The mysterious Mare-do-well’ I read from one, ‘The Classic Tale’s of Daring Doo’, all were old books that had been around since I was a just a young colt.

I turned looking around corners and down some of the rows. She was nowhere to be seen. I looked behind me, Starblazer stood by the stairs leading out of the library. I looked back to my front. She could be anywhere. The adrenaline in my veins started to push me a little harder putting my nerves on edge. I had no idea where she’d gone, I had no idea of what her capabilities were, I had no idea what to expect and that is what was putting me on edge. I watched her go up the steps she couldn’t have been far. I need to find her and I need to take her down. I turned towards the entrance again to see if Starblazer was still there. Instead I was face to face with her.

“Why are you trying to kill me?”

“S’c-s'cuse me?” I asked hesitantly.

“I said, why are you trying to kill me?” I was a little shocked by the question, how could she have known what I was trying to do?

“I can read your thoughts,” She said.

“That’s how I know that you want to kill me.” She took a step closer.

“Now, before I decide to use some real magic on you, why are you trying to kill me?” Finishing in that her horn grew a bright purple haze around it. It held bright and shone throughout the library, brighter that most of the lights inside already. I had dealt with unicorns before and the easiest way to get close is to break their horn. I’d have to be either really accurate to make that shot or I’d have to get close to her.

“Listen Golden,” she said. The color around her horn faded and she began a slow trot towards me.

“I don’t want to hurt you, what I have done was for the best for everypony.” She said backing off a little.

“I-I didn’t want to do it, honestly, I knew she would hurt a lot of ponies and I wasn’t going to just sit by and watch.” A tear formed at her eye.

“I didn’t want to hurt my teacher, but I had no choice.” She dropped to the ground. Her head faced the floor, her face digging into her forelegs,she started to cry.

“I wanted to do what was right, I-“ She was silent for a moment. Then she looked up to me.

"Mr. Golden, you've never watched anyone close to you get hurt, have you?" She asked. A certain fire blazed inside my heart and kicked my mind in the balls.

"I watched my family die before ma very eyes." I said to her harshly. The memory fell back and created a glacier of ice ran all down my spine creating a sudden chill.

"You didn't kill them did you?" She asked. I stood there dumbfounded, confused by the statement.

"You never watched them so hopeless that all they could do is stand there in shack and awe as you struck them down without hesitation. I killed her, I murdered her in the courtroom, right as she was supposed to raise the sun. I did it." A stream of tears rolled down her cheeks, a small smile crossed her face before she spoke again.

“I’m not even going to fight it,” She said weakly with a little chuckle.

"I know what I did, and now, for that, I must pay." I looked out to Star for an explanation across from me. I'm not sure what to have done. He had his hoof in an open part of his coat, probably around some kind of pistol, just in case things got complicated. I walked closer to her; she laid there, her stomach on the ground and her legs bent inward under her. I placed my hoof on her head, the gun was itching me forward to pull the trigger. Instead I lifted her chin with my hoof to look at her in the face the barrel was facing below her chin, if I were to fire it would have gone straight through her brain. I released the switch trigger back into position putting the safety on, letting the gun be dormant until I needed it, if i needed it.

“Why are there ponies that wanchu you dead?” I asked. She sniffed, then took in a deep breath and looked up to me with a smile and tear stained eyes, pulling her chin off my hoof and staring at me tears pouring down her face now.

“Because I did the right thing.”

Bang

I felt something just then, like a force that threw my foreleg back, the one the gun was mounted on. A loud crack rang through the empty room. Her head whipped back to the floor, slamming hard against the marble ground. I looked down, a purple aura faded from the gun around my hoof as the smoke resonated from the barrel of it . The same aura that had once surrounded the unicorn’s horn. I couldn't process this, did I fire that shot? No, I couldn’t have.

Starblazer rushed to my side.

“Did y-“

“No.” I said cutting him off.

“I-I think she done killed herself.” I said looking at my hoof, it was painted with flecks of blood. Smoke faded from the barrel of the gun.

“She pulled th’ trigger.” I said quietly under my breath. A pool of blood was below her head and surrounded her body. The red puddle gleamed against the white marble floor.

“Did you hear any of that?” I asked Star. He shook his head.

“Now that I look at her though,” He said kneeling close to her.

“I think I knew her.” He brushed her mane away from her face revealing closed eyes and a red hole centered in the forehead.

“I do know who that is. Her name is Twilight Sparkle.” He began as he rose back to his four legs.

“She had a much shorter mane way back when. She was one of the elements of Harmony, really brainy girl, always reading books and stuff. Why would the boss want her dead?” Star questioned letting her hair fall back onto her face.

“Better question m' friend, why did she go on n' kill herself?” I asked along with him, he shrugged, not taking his eyes off the body. The whole room was quiet, silence stayed suspended over the scene in the middle of the library. Two stallions standing there standing and pondering over a dead mare in between them, her eyes closed as a hole leaked blood onto the white floor coming from her forehead and the back of her skull.

I played those last moments back in my mind.

“Why are there ponies that wanchu you dead?”

“Because I did the right thing.”

Bang

What could she have meant? What could she have done? Who did she kill exactly?

Baritone backed away from the body.

“We better get going.” Starblazer said quietly. He turned and began to trot back to the entrance.

“We gotta leave before anyone sees us.” I heard him say. I nodded even though he probably didn’t see me. I turned away from the scene and walked towards the door. Why did she do that? Go and kill herself like that, what did she mean by “Because I did the right thing”?

As I walked out of the library I turned and looked back at the bouquet of flowers all resting in that vase. One was lying in the dirt below, red petals surrounding the end of the stem. It was wilted, but still had it’s color. It was going to die so I just pulled it off before it could turn brown and wilt away completely. There were still five resting peacefully over there. Up until someone like me comes along and plucks it off.

Warmth From A Stranger

We walked out into the street, littered with ponies who’ve been enveloped into a beast called the real world and have drowned in substance know as poverty. Amongst their broken faces and worn clothes their minds probably barely held a single thought of what this was and maybe dreamed of what life would have been. Some lay in the street under the bright aurora of light casted down by lamps lit by oil. Many of those who laid there were, only once in a while, covered in a think blanket of rats tearing at the flesh of a horse, mare, or colt locked into an eternal sleep.

I pasted by one, his face casted down to the cobblestone sidewalk as a small cart behind him housed his few belongings. His body torn from hunger and lacerations that covered his sides made him look close to dead. This was a sad sight for anypony who had never found it usual in wherever they were from.

This was the South Oil District of Canterlot, located far South of any actual livable dwelling, yet here they are. They’re penniless, homeless, jobless, every ‘less’ you could probably imagine they had to deal with.

Baritone and I walked down on of these cold-cold sidewalks. He kept his eyes locked onto the ground as he walked. He looked up for a second but then right back to the ground. The air was getting colder as the sky grew dark. A light fog began to roll in and the city’s streetlamps glowed through the dense haze that had sprouted from nowhere.

The entire time Star and I walked down the cobblestone walkway my mind was desperately searching for an answer as to why that mare did what she did. My mind twisted and contorted trying to dig for an answer but alas I found none. She said something about her teacher and not wanting to kill her. On the information about her it said that Princess Celestia taught her magic. Could she have? No, she couldn’t have, if she did though, how did she manage that? How can you kill something immortal? It didn’t add up, how did she do it…

How could she do it?

Traveling up next to the road I started to wonder if my cousin got my letter yet, whether or not she wrote back and it was at the little safety deposit mail box that was at the address I’d left on the letter.

“Starblazer,” I said getting he attention. He sort of glanced over to me.

“Would ya’ mind doin’ me a favor today?” He shifted his gaze back towards the road ahead of us.

“It all depends, what you want me to do?” He asked me.

“Do you remember that address I should ya’?” I asked him. He nodded calmly before taking his hat off and adjusting his mane atop his head.

“Would ya’ mind running down there, seein if my cousin wrote back to me yet.” I slightly begged him. His face contorted a bit as he thought of it for a minute.

“I guess it couldn’t hurt.” He said biting his lip a bit.

“It’s kinda a long walk though.” Star muttered under his breath.

“I’ll grab it and meet you back at the hotel.” He said turning in the other direction and walking away down farther into the haze of the modern world. Now that he was gone I stood here. Alone in a shawl of cold embrace of what had been created. It’s cold and ruthless, this changing of times, I remember when all of us were happy with how simple it was. That’s why I live far away from everypony else, so I can move along at my own pace, so this new world isn’t forced onto me.

Caught by the wind, a newspaper found its way flying through a hot breeze and stuck to my leg. I pulled it off and looked at it. The titles and headlines had filled me with a certain rage towards this-this putrid decade and this advancement.

“Fourteen school children killed in classroom,” I read aloud.

“Two newly-weds massacred in courtroom, four stallions committed suicide yesterday morning, three mares foun’ dead in hotel bathroom.” This was disturbing, I kill ponies and stallions for a living and this was disturbing. So many dying, so many being slaughtered, I had never remembered this happening in such great numbers before.

“It’s sad, isn’t it?” I heard a soft feminine voice from behind me. I didn’t even look back to the figure. The voice though was slow and sweet, like honey to the ears.

“This is what happens with progress,” The voice said, it was familiar sounding voice, like I had heard it somewhere before.

“Three children hung from building in downtown,” I read aloud also.

“Why is this happenin’?” I asked still not acknowledging the mare behind me.

“When the times change, so do others.” She stated softly. With that she walked in front of me. Blue and white bangs had been separated and fixed nicely and sat neatly below a maroon red fedora like hat that was pricked up on one side and fell flat onto the other side of her face only revealing one blue eye. She wore a long brown and burgundy dress draped on her with a black vest over that. Her face was soft and forgiving, her eyes shone brightly as she stared at me with complete bliss. It was the little mare from the station back in Sycamore Valley.

“I remember you,” she said looking into my eyes closely. I peered back into the blue pools in her eyes.

“You’re the one from the station four or so days ago.” I looked away from the deep blue in her eyes and stared at the street beside us.

She stepped back into vision staying within my focus.

“You’ve had a long hard life, stranger.” She said lifting a hoof to my chin and bringing it to face her.

“I can see it in your eyes my friend.” She pointed out taking her hat off showing her short elegant mane.

“In hard times like this, ponies like me, and stallions like you. We need friends.” I stepped away. And walked around her. She didn’t move, I saw the formation of a frown begin to form as I crossed her.

“I don’ want any friends.” I said as I walked away. Then I felt something press up against my side. It felt good but alien, as if somepony was leaning on me.

“You don’t want any,” she said with big beautiful eyes.

“But you need them.” I was ready to knock her into the gutter and walk away leaving her there. I didn’t, there was something about her that was different. She made me feel something deep down, deeper than I had ever felt. That feeling tore deeper, almost like my heart was indecisive as well as my brain. She began to speak again.

“What’s your name stranger?” She asked calmly still against my side.

“Golden,” I said. I’m not sure how to feel about her. I felt almost comfortable around her, as if she had a aura of security and warmth around her I had never felt in anyone before now. She was a light, a fire if you may, among this cold world that had surrounded me. I felt close, I felt happy, and I felt something else. What is that feeling that I’ve never felt before. It was almost as if deep down I felt that this world of progress had innovation had been numbed, softened and was less cruel than it really was.

“My name’s Colgate.” She muttered. I was not sure where to go with this, what should I do? What should I say? I just kept watching my hooves be carried forward and touch the concrete. I looked over and watched her small legs move along with mine but faster. I had no direction as to where I

“You’re not from around here, are you Golden?” She asked me moving a bit closer. I thought of a question but I feared something like that would have been frowned upon.

“Yer lonely, arencha’?” I had to ask, no matter how rude it might have been. Her face withdrew and flared with bright red.

“Quite an unusual question to ask stranger,” She said shyly her face still a little red.

“Not the kind of thing you don’t upright ask.” My wit started to get the better of me.

“Usually one ain’t attracted to a stallion that they just met.” I said looking down to her. A smile crossed her face before she opened her mouth. She thought for a second, her mouth still wide open.

“H-how did you know I am attracted to you?” She asked quietly.

“I can see it… In your eyes.” She looked down as she blushed again and tried to hold back a smile. She looked back up to me, her piercing blue eyes that stared me hard in the face, cutting deep into my soul like a knife through a soft apple. She bit her lip and looked down.

“I’m sorry to bothered you,” She said looking at her hooves that scratched the sidewalk so gently.

“But, next time you’re free,” she added pulling a card out of an inside pocket of her vest.

“Visit me sometime.” She said putting the card in one of the pockets of my duster. I didn’t take my eyes off her. As she walked away I heard her say one thing before being absorbed by the city streets and the fog.

“I’ll see you around,” She stopped and looked back at me, her eyes half closed.

“Golden.” With finishing that she left me there with a warmth, a wanting for something… more. This feeling was different, I wanted to be around her, I wanted to follow her. Now I’m standing here in the middle of a city I am completely lost in, I have five more ponies that have their days numbered, a heart hungry for something that I had just recently found.

“Hey!” I heard from behind me snapping me out of my trance.

“Golden!” I heard someone call out from behind me. I turned to the figure approaching me, Star was galloping towards me at full speed.

“Guess what?” He asked enthusiastically.

“Might I ask what?” I said to him.

“You have to guess!” He said to me with a playful tone. Stuff like this just pisses me off, makes me want to put holes through walls. Something ignited deep down and I snapped. I stood to my hind legs and gripped his collar of his jacket and lifted him up off the ground.

“I ain’t the playing type, ya hear?” He looked at me a little shocked. His mouth hung wide open as he stared at me with shock.

“Now, what is it?” I asked barring and gritting my teeth. He reached into his trench coat and pulled out an envelope with a bright red wax seal holding it shut. I switched gazes between the letter and Starblazer. He said one thing that changed my whole mood.

“It’s from your cousin.”

The Story...

That night I laid in my bed my mind contemplating over the letter from my cousin. I’ve read that damned page well over a thousand times it seems. Every word written on it was another striking blow to the heart. Every dismal vision the sentences and words created left me speechless. I memorized every part of it though and in my mind I kept hanging over that letter for what seems like hours.

Dear Golden,

After I received your letter I cried for several hours thinking about how happy I was to hear from you again. You have no idea at all of the joy I felt after reading your name at the bottom of that letter. I wish I had some better news to give you, but everyone has his or her bad times. Sadly the whole family broke up. After Granny’s death the family had a sudden change of heart. Almost all of us are no longer in the farming business and have pursued careers in the city. I was surprised that you mentioned your little cousin Applebloom, but unfortunately she is no longer with us. Big Mackintosh left for the city, after that I never heard from him again. Hardly anypony lives in Ponyville any more, it’s turned to kind of a ghost town. Everypony either moved to the city or just up and vanished. I’m one of the few that stayed, I’ve been by myself for about seven or eight years now. Tending the orchards is all I do anymore, I can’t go anywhere, I have no friends and I’m just alone out here. I’m glad you wrote Golden, I thought that I had lost you too and I still am in shock that I got this letter from you. I realize that it has been over fifteen years (at least I think it is) since we last saw each other in person. Sometime when you’re not busy we should meet up at the farm, have dinner here like old times.

Love, your cousin

…

I didn’t need to say the name, I knew who it was from.

I still lay there staring at the ceiling. It was in the dead of night, the lamp by my bedside glowed dimly, lighting only a small portion of the bed I was laying on. Looking over to it the little flame danced gently in the little lamp. Watching fire always calms me, makes my mind stop for a while.

“What did she mean,” I asked the empty room.

“Why did she go n’ kill herself?”

I adjusted, rolling from my side onto my back, changing my gaze from the lamp to the ceilings pinkish-orange tint that seemed illuminated by the soft glowing light. A long silence hung in the room, one could almost drown in it. I began to put myself in a trance, a weird state of mind where I shut everything out. All that remains is my mind, I can’t feel anything, but I see everything.

I put it to work, imagining what I would have done or where I would have gone if my parents were never killed. I could have been a lawyer, or maybe worked on the farm. Male prostitute? No, I couldn’t do that, too self-conscience about myself, and not to mention, but that means there’d be a chance that I could be hired by another stallion. Not to sound close-minded but I couldn’t doo that for a living. Maybe I could have inherited the money from my parents, then just lived happily on the farm, maybe could have found myself a girl at that. That’s not how it is though, nothing ever goes the way you want it to, nothing ever does.

A knocking on my door broke me from my slumber. It took me a second to snap out of it. I looked over to the clock sitting still by the lamp. The big hand rested on the three and the small one closer to the seven, but not quite there.

“Just a sec’,” I said rolling off the bed and dragging myself to the door of the room. The light from the lamp provided a little bit of lighting so I could see where I was going. I coiled my hoof around the doorknob and opened it. A yellow pegasii stood in the doorway, her fiery orange mane was wild and slicked back towards the hallway. A pair of sunglasses rested on the tip of her snout and a big decorated military officer’s coat rested on her back and shoulders.

“Hello fine sir,” she said with a big smile and an official tone to her speech. Adjusting the glasses sitting on her nose to a higher point of her face.

“I apologize for the hour I have arrived, but I must speak with you-“ she broke off looking down the hallways in both directions before coming back to me.

“Mind if I come in?” She asked.

I reached over for a vase behind the opened door.

“What do you need to be speakin’ with me bout?” I asked gripping the vase tightly ready to strike if needed to.

“Please, if you have the time, I must speak with you personally and alone.” She said already making her own way in. I let go of the vase and moved out of her way as she entered. She thanked me before standing in front of my bed without a word.

I lit one of the lamps hanging on the wall and shed more light into the room. She took her glasses off and folded them into her navy blue jacket. I stood there still staring at her leaning against the door, watching, waiting for her to pull something.

She began to scan the room, looking from my saddlebag to my duster hanging on the wall, from there she saw my hat hanging on a separate hook next to it. She walked up and took the hat from the hanger and looked at it, feeling the brim and the crown of the hat, then putting it back on the hook and going back to the bed and sitting on it.

“So whaddaya want?” I asked staring her down. Her orange eyes held no emotion, they were completely bland, almost void of suspicion and care.

“I don’t really know your name, and you don’t know mine. I know who are, I know what you do, and I know what you’re doing.” She stated calmly.

“I know your capabilities and I know of your skills. I know what your job is and I’ve come with a warning.”

I scoffed at her. Hearing that brought me back a couple nights ago to where I had those stallions jump me on the train.

“If those were yer boys on the train, I’m sorry I kicked their asses back there. You can give ‘em my deepest apologies. ‘Cept fer the dead one o’course.” Her eyes narrowed as I said that.

“You don’t even know what you’re doing I bet.” She said as her tone became harsh and cold.

“You’re merely a pawn to try to wipe away the pa-“ I cut her off mid sentence.

“Imma hitman trying to get a decent wage.”

“You’re an idiot!” She yelled standing up. Her cool complexion broke. She exhaled hard through her nose.

“You don’t understand.” She said.

“I don’t need ta’,”

“Yes you do!” She exclaimed.

“Your ‘six targets’ are the elements of harmony, or as we like to call them, The Six.” I rolled my eyes at her words.

“So?” I asked as I started to walk to the bathroom on the opposite side of the room.

“It’s a big deal that you don’t even know who they are.”

“Like I said, I don’t need ta’,” I said turning on a lamp next to the entrance of the washroom.

My reflection looked at me, his expression was tired looking, worn, he had been through so much. Dark green eyes shone dimly against white and pink tinted eyes. The glossy mane that had once sat gently on his head was matted and untrimmed, long bangs draped in front of those broken eyes. The average to below average sized stature was built up under strong shoulders. A long pink scare ran between his right eyebrow and scaled its way down the face, finally cutting off below the burnt yellow cheek, right by the jaw line. This was me, this scared and tattered face. It wasn’t much to look at but it was me.

“Now,” I heard the mare behind me say.

“You do know why they want them dead?” She asked. I watched myself shake my head in the mirror.

“Let me ask you, haven’t you noticed the absence of two of the highest royalty in the country?” I watched a face of realization and confusion come over my face in the reflection. Where had they gone? Why haven’t I heard any news of them?

“Have you even noticed that both the princesses are gone?” she asked. I thought about it for a minute. I turned around looking at her. She had her hooves bent up at her face, looking at them, not even acknowledging I was there.

“Whaddaya mean?” I asked walking to her.

“You don’t care though.” She said firing a deadly gaze at me. My curiosity got the better of me. I pulled a chair out from the corner of the room and placed it in front of the pegasus-mare sitting on the bed.

“So you are interested?” She asked. All I did was stare, she knew what I wanted to hear.

“Very well,” She said.

“It’s kind of a long story though.” She began. She pulled the coat off her shoulders, underneath she wore a similar colored undershirt and black pants, she readjusted herself and then spoke.

“Princess Celestia, the divine and immortal ruler she was, and or is, was a great leader. She, besides that being, wanted to make her country great at any cost. I’m not sure if it affected you at all, but what she had started was a horrible dream for a better tomorrow that was corrupt, twisted, and sick.”

“After looking at the details and history with some interesting and mixed points at what make society great, she came to the conclusion that in order to make the world great, you must wipe the world of an evil that was dragging progress down mile by mile. Everyone knows that there are a total of five distinct races of pony populating the kingdom that we know of: Earthpony, Pegasii, Unicorn, Zebra, and Crystal Pony. In her mind though, she believed only two of those five had the divine right to stand amongst the rest.”

“She believed that the dominant races were the Pegasii and the Unicorn, everything else was unequal and should be eradicated. After about a month of preparation she began her removal that she called ‘The Great Purification’. She had Royal Guards load up on early firearms they crafted and dress in white and red garb, the called themselves “Purifiers”. Their job was to search for the other races out there and terminate them one by one. This, no matter how twistedly thought out it was, had some unsuccessful moments where a few slipped through death’s clutches. She had begun this away from any town or city within a hundred mile radius of Canterlot, but it stopped before it even reached Las Pegasus or Luisi-neigh-na because she withdrew the plan. The death toll was enormous, she killed nearly every earthpony that far out. She left that and moved on to other affairs.”

“Another fifteen or sixteen years went by the economy was in ruin and she thought deeply about a solution to bring the collapsing society to it’s former glory. The old ideas cane back to haunt her, she decided it would have been a genius idea to start it all over again, and run the rivers with blood. Her closest assistant, the one you’ve already killed, Twilight Sparkle saw what she was doing, but it was on a bigger scale. She was going to rid the world of the other races with a bomb that would wipe out everything that didn’t have a horn or wings.”

“All it needed was a spark from a magically able Alicorn to use it. Twilight Sparkle stopped this, but she couldn’t kill her in her current state. The elements were needed to take away immortality. With that, the elements of harmony, your six targets, turned her into a mortal earthpony. Then, the six massacred her in the thrown room.”

“After that Twilight relieved herself of immortality and went back to being a normal unicorn. Princess Luna saw what had happened to her sister and wanted to start what she could not finish, but a more of a cost. She was led to the idea that all the races except for Alicorns were the problem and they ALL needed to be slaughtered. Once again, they had to do what they did before to her sister.”

“After that, we needed them to be relocated since that they would have been hunted down.” She gestured to me.

“We now know one of the heroes that saved this world, our world, is dead. And we do believe that you were the one who pulled the trigger and you were the one with blood on your hooves. We do know you have five more targets, we know you can best our agents and troops, and we know you will continue your mission, or ‘job’ of you prefer.”

“So what’s the point o’ comin’ here an tellin me this?” I asked cutting her off again.

“Well, for one so you might see what you’re dealing with, and two to warn you.” She said putting her glasses and jacket back on.

“Warn me ‘bout what?” I asked.

“That even though you might succeed,” She said as she began walking out of the room.

“We won’t make it the slightest bit easy for you.” With that she slammed the door shut and her steps echoed down the empty hall. Now I was left myself here by myself again. My mind was contorting, trying to understand what was I really doing. Am I really going to kill the other five ponies that rescued the world, or should I walk away from this now while I’ve only just barely started?

Golden

A knocking sounded at the door, a loud knocking. I lifted my head up and stared at the entrance. Small strands of light peeled themselves from the curtain behind me, shedding their dim white early morning light onto the floor. The sweet smell of linen clung to the air as a hint of a strange bodily odor sprouted from someplace around me, it was probably me, I needed a good bathe something fierce. The pounding at the door continued.

“Just a minute,” I forced out of my mouth groggily. I managed to lift myself up from the seated position I had slept in and closed in on the door. My muscles were locked in that seated position so long they were beginning to cramp, I could feel them locking as I moved. Something was strange though, the door had no light beneath it. It was dark on the other side.

As I wrapped my hoof around the doorknob I felt a strange sensation, as if I had been moved. Like I wasn’t in the hotel anymore. A cold glacial arc traveled down my spine as I turned and looked behind me, nothing. There was no room there anymore, only black. Everything was black, no light had been casted anywhere, it was merely utter and total black. The only thing I could see was my hooves and the white door, everything else remained black. I was bitterly confused but I felt as if it was normal, like it shouldn’t take me as a surprise.

I heard a distant voice that wasn’t mine, but it was familiar

soft…

and sweet…

“Open the door, Golden…” I heard it whisper in my ear.

“Open it.” I did as it said. With a single motion I turned the cold doorknob and thrust the door open. A bright light that shone through me it seemed and could light up the entire night sky bombarded me and left me standing there, dumbfounded and blinded. I couldn’t see anything, white light everywhere, It was all I could see. Then it retracted, the white pulled from my eyes giving me clarity into the world it pulled me into. The first thing my senses recognized was the smell of apples.

Apple trees surrounded me, they were planted in rows, perfectly lined with not one out of place. The trees stretched for miles it seemed, all under a giant cloud of grey blanketed the world and a dull, eerie mist rolled under it. I walked down the rows and rows now. It was unending, rows and rows of them, they didn’t stop. Then I saw it.

Out in the fog a little black blur took form. A big house it looked like, very plain and not much to the shape of it. My first sense, a sense I could not control told me to move towards it. The place had a very strange feeling to it, like I was naturally supposed to be there. The mirage finally came into full view taking a better defined shape, it was a house. Two plain windows hung themselves around an old door that sleepily leaned up to the house, a slightly slanted smoke stack held crooked to the roof.

Was it?

It was…

My…

My old home…

It had been so long the memory of it had disappeared from my mind and the image of it brought back nostalgia like nothing ever could have.

“Home?” I asked myself quietly.

“How?” I walked closer, before I could get any closer I heard something, like a cry. Then I saw it, a memory in third person.

An older Stallion, maybe five or ten years older than big mac is pulled a young colt into the house by his ear, his green eyes filled with tears, his glossy golden mane was covered in dirt. He flung the door open and slammed it shut behind him. The stallion was screaming at him from inside the house.

What they didn’t see was the platoon of white and red guards approaching.

I tried to scream but nothing came from my throat except a choking sensation, the less I forced my voice the less it choked me.

The guards approached, musket like weapons were strapped to their back, they all looked at each other before unloading them. They took them off their backs and began loading pellets and balls into the guns, pouring gunpowder into the barrels, cocking the rifles.

“Aim!” I heard somepony scream.

Then I heard it. That phrase that brought me back to that day.

“Sparkling! Git down!”

“Fire!” I heard.

They raised their rifles up and fired at the house. Bullets tore through the house ripping past the walls and tearing the home to shreds and pieces. Then I heard a young colt’s scream.

“No! Papa! Don’t go!” The door flew open and the stallion stood on the front doorstep looking out to the guards. Then she came, a tall hooded figure waltzed out of the lines. A black hood blanketed her face, a midnight blue horn emerging from her head. The horn glowed and she pulled something from her cloak. A long blocky pistol emerged, a slender barrel sticking out of the top of it. She pointed it at the stallion with no hesitation.

A large crack cut the air. The stallion at the door fell back onto his flank, staring at his chest to see the blood trickling down his front. From there he looked up back to the figure in black coming closer to him. She pushed the stallion over with one hoof to where he laid there on his back, aching in pain. Then I heard her talk.

“Interesting,” she said looking at the gun she controlled with her magic.

“This is a prototype weapon my sister helped develop, a repeating machine pistol, called a mauser.” She stood on top of him with on hoof and pointed the sidearm down to him.

“You’re the first actual test subject.” She cracked of another round into him.

Crack

One round after the other and with each shot she fired made my heart lurch. When she finally stopped she reloaded it, popping the magazine from the top of the gun and putting a new clip in. She looked to the guards, then to the body.

“We’ve done what we’ve needed!” She barked out not taking her eyes off the body.

“We’ve successfully purified this place, let us move on!” The guards wailed and stormed off ahead of the black hooded figure.

I rushed to the house, I looked at the stallion who laid in the doorway. His eyes stared at the sky, they were dark and bleak, void of life in every sense of the word. My gaze went upward to the inside of the house. Everything was destroyed, pictures shattered, walls torn apart, the whole place was in ruin. In the far corner though, a little body sat there. Forelegs wrapped around his hind legs bent inward under him. He was crying into his hooves silently.

I had to do what I think is right, I walked over to him stepping across the pieces that remained of the home. Another body was sprawled across the floor, it was a mare, she laid face down her back was full of holes that bled blood onto little puddles that were around her on the floor. Walking across the rubble I noticed the pictures, some were of them, the stallion and that colt, some of which I’m guessing are of that mare. It was a mess all in all.

As I turned my attention back to the crying little figure against the far corner I caught him looking at me. His eyes filled with tears. Fear, fear was the only word I have to describe the emotion on his face, pure and utter fear. He stared at me with that fear stretched across his face that held a grasp to his heart.

I reached a hoof out. As I outreached it he withdrew away from it, burying himself deeper into the wall.

“I’m not gonna hurt ya buddy.” I said as calmly as I could, pulling my hoof back, I knelt down next to him.

He looked up to my face, a long streak ran red coming from the top of his right eyebrow and traveled down his face to his burnt yellow cheek. I wiped the blood away, he cringed a bit as I did it but not so much. I flicked the blood of my hoof and looked into his dark green eyes.

“What’s yer name kid?” I asked him. He sniffed and wiped away some tears from his face and looked up to me.

“Golden.”

Flame

“Golden,” I heard again.

“Golden,”

“Golden!” Somepony screamed.

“Golden! Dammit Golden, get up!” That snapped me out of my slumber. I awoke to a white face, red drops splattered across it. Fear and confusion were wiped across burgundy eyes frantically searching for something on my face.

“Golden! Get up!” I began to get my senses back, his face was the first thing I saw.

“Golden!” I blinked trying to focus on what was happening. Starblazer was there, shaking me like a madhorse. His eyes were frantic and confused.

“Golden!” I sat up as quick as I could.

“What?” I asked.

“We need to go! Now!” He screamed going to the door and looking out into the hallway.

As he said that a series of bangs rang down the hallway, Starblazer ducked back into the room as chips of the door and doorway flew by him. He leaned back out into the hallway and returned fire with a series of short shots, the sound volleying off the walls. The urgency hit me as I sprang from the bed. I threw the duster on and readied myself, arming the hoof-mounted gun as fast as I could. Before I knew it I was fully dressed and fully armed as well. I backed against the wall behind Star, who had taken cover behind it.

“What’s goin on?” I asked. Starblazer looked out into the hallway.

“I was told by the front desk to come downstairs to see some stallions who wanted to see me.” He said aiming a revolver-looking weapon into the hall and capping off two shots before a series of clicking sounded from the gun.

“There were almost twenty-maybe twenty five armed horses down there. All of which were looking for us.” He dragged a large hoof over the cylinder release and emptied the gun, the empty shells pinged as they hit solid ground. He frantically began to shove more bullets into it as fast as his hooves could go.

“They’re also forcing us to go downstairs where there’s more of them.”

“How?” I asked.

He looked at me with the dark red eyes and pointed up with a free hoof.

“They set the roof on fire.” On hearing that I slammed my head against the wall.

“I need t’ stop this shit, it’s gettin’ way too damned crazy.” I said to myself.

“There’s more downstairs though,” He said peaking into the hallway. As he did that another horse burst into the room. Star did not hesitate going at him. Once one hoof got in the door he sprang. In a flash the handle of the gun was brought up below the jaw of the stallion that barged in. He was knocked back as Starblazer turned to plant his forelegs down and deliver a kick to the stallion’s face. He was spun around backwards and hit the floor headfirst. Before the horse even moved Star did the same tactic, planting his forelegs but brought his hind legs up and sent his back hooves down with all his weight behind them. As he bounded off his face a large blood splatter sprayed from his head.

His eyes shot back to the door.

“Golden, watch out!” He screamed. I turned my head just in time to see a board flying towards my face. I ducked in time but he got enough to where he clipped the tip of my ear. The board was split into pieces as the thing exploded against the wall. As he brought his other hoof around I ducked again, moving to the side this time I caught his foreleg. With that I slammed his head into the wall, as he slid down awkwardly with no motion I brought my leg up and stomped in his jaw with a satisfying crunch.

I looked back into the hallway, before I could get a glimpse of what I was up against a spray of bullets whirred past my head.

“There any way out?” I asked. Starblazer looked partially through the door.

“I don’t think so.” He said dismally. A fake indecisive smile crossed his lips.

“Are we going to die here?” He asked looking at me hopelessly.

I couldn’t answer him. I wondered now, moments away from Celestia knows how many armed horsemen will go through that door and gun us down. This might actually be my last run before I die, and at such a young age too.

The thought of death, the thought of no matter what you’ve done and what you want to do will never be accomplished, that there is no other way to go. The idea hurts, ya know? I couldn’t really explain it. You could fight death but you’re just pausing the inevitable, all you can really do is just let it happen.

I relaxed, I sat down and just kicked back, I looked over to Star before pulling my hat over my eyes. He looked confused, he expected me to have something for him to do.

“Uh, Golden?” He asked, I flicked the brim up on the side of the hat.

“What’s the plan?” I stared him hard in the face, I tried to find a decent answer. I played responses in my head: ‘Die,’ no, that’s a bit too shallow, ‘give up?’ a little unclear, ‘wait the inevitable’. I looked towards the hallway as the gunfire seized for a moment.

“Wait the inevitable.” I said blandly. Just as I said that a loud crash rang in my ears, we both sprang up and looked out the doorway. The ceiling had caved in and had dropped on top of where the gunfire was originating. Starblazer turned to me quickly.

“The hell was that?” He asked looking back to the hallway.

“Inevitable.” I said bolting into the hall. Loud cracking echoed even more so as the ceiling was beginning to weaken.

“Star! We hafta git out now!” I screamed.

He took off out of the room and I followed up with him. We were sprinting side by side at full gallop down the once beautiful decorated halls, now covered with scorched from flame and fire. Up ahead a gaping hole was set in the floor from when the debris weighed down the ceiling as the building started to cave it.

We both stopped at the opening in the floor and looked down. It had fallen down to the lobby, all six floors to the ground level.

“Damn,” I heard Starblazer say next to me.

“I guess we jump across.” I said looking to the opposite ledge.

“One at a time though, if we jump at the same time the floor in bound to fall through.”

“We’re going to jump that?” Star asked unbelievably. He sighed quickly.

“Fine,” he said backing up to head a running start. He backed up a little and charged to the gap. Then he jumped and flew across the gap, when I say flew he rocketed past it, like he was fired out of a canon.

He stopped at the edge and looked back.

“Now you!” He yelled from the other side over the cracking and popping of the fire in the building.

I looked over to the ledge. I am just now realizing the distance and in order for me to make it-it would be a stretch for me to reach it.

“Golden! You have to jump now!” He yelled. I backed up a little farther than Star had and dashed forward.

As I reached the end of the floor I jumped. About half way through I started to feel the momentum slow down.

“Oh shit!” I heard Star say. I watched the edge of the other side fall over my head. I fell forward, my weight carrying my back over me as I started to do a mid air summersault. I felt the heat of the debris all the way through the other floors. Before I knew it I made contact with something hard below me. I had crash-landed on something below me that had dug into the middle of my back.

“Golden!” I heard Star call from above me.

“I’m going to try to get to you!” He yelled urgently. I tried to move but it hurt. I had to get up or I was going to be in a lot more pain. I sat up and looked below me. I landed atop a table that had broken my fall. I rolled my shoulders, but before I could look in front of me a hoof forced me to the floor.

The weight pinned me down to the floor, forcing a crack as my head hit the floor. A large horse had pinned me down by his hind leg. I tried moving but he weighed too much.

“Yourrr a slick fuckah ain’tcha?” He said in an uncommonly thick accent. A searing pain went through my chest as he pressed harder. I managed to open an eye to see him.

He was a huge black stallion with a white tipped muzzle and ears that stuck through a old green worn hat. A large cigar hung from a toothy smile consisting of yellowed crooked teeth.

“Ya got twenty one of mah best stallions killed, ladie!” He said pinching the cigar off with a hoof. He tapped the ash off then looked at me for a second.

“Mighty fine scar ya got tha.” He said leaning closer to me pushing his hoof farther into my chest. He pulled the cigar down close to my face.

“Mah brrothah was in there, shootin at ya nd such.” He nodded bringing the cigar up to his lips to puff a few out then bringing it back to my face.

“I’m gonna bring ya outta here, since this is kinda yo fault, I plahn ta make ya pay.” He then pressed the cigar against my neck. The burning took a second to kick in. As soon as I felt it I wailed. The burning stopped and he pressed his hoof even farther into my chest. Now it was getting hard to breathe and I could feel the wood of the floor giving way as well as the heat pressing against my head.

I realized that my I still had my hoof gun. I took my hoof off of his and hit the side of his leg.

“Ya gonna hafta hit a lil harda than that.” He said, a loud clink sounded and I fired it. The blood splattered my face as the bullet tore through his leg, he wailed as he fell to the floor. The massive stallion gripped his leg. As quick as I could I rolled over and stood staring at him waiting for his next move.

“Not what I was tryin ta do, partner.”I said to him as he gripped his leg. He stare at me with angered flaring green eyes.

“Ya gonna pay fer thaht.” He said flinching and going back to his leg. As I turned around a pain crossed my face. Someone had hit me in the face so hard it sent me to the floor. Before I got up I was picked up again and dragged around. I was brought up to my hoofs at full height. He had my mane in a hold, the pain wretched through my scalp as they pulled back. Then I was pushed forward. I put my forelegs up and pressed them up against whatever wall I was against. My head was forced against the wall. I opened my eyes and was face to face with the jagged glass edge of a broken side table.

I was pulled back again and forced forward once more. My face even closer to the glass, inch by inch my face was raised up and my neck moved closer to the jagged shard. He slammed my head closer, I could feel the sharp edge pressing against my throat. I felt a single drop fall down my neck, I didn’t know whether it was blood or sweat but it was going down fast and I didn’t want to see if anymore would come. I’d have to hold him until his strength gives out or until mine does. I had to just stand there with this large shard of glass in my neck for as long as I could. Now I could feel it, digging and ripping into my throat. I closed my eyes, thinking, hoping it would be quick, hopefully less painful than how it hurts now.

“Get off him!” Someone screamed as the feeling of my mane being pulled was no longer there. I fell to the floor, coughing and wheezing, blood seeping from my opened neck. Star fell backwards behind me then flew past and slammed the horse’s throat onto the shard. He hung there, lifeless as a stream of blood ran from his neck.

Starblazer fell down next to me, breathing hard and slow he looked up.

“We have to get out of here, now.” He exclaimed out of breathe. I nodded, still a little choked up. He stood onto two legs and picked me up, slinging me over his shoulder and carried me out.

We stood outside the building, Starblazer still held me up. We both watched the building crumble and descending to ashes and dust below. Even from across the street the heat was unbearable. Soot had covered some of the faces of the crowd, as well as us. Our eyes and cheek painted grey and black. We were kinda funny looking, but there was one face in the crowd. A yellow mare with a fiery orange mane, her eyes sheathed by a pair of dark aviator’s sunglasses and her body cloaked with a dark blue coat.

A single hoof was raised to her face as she lowered her glasses down to where she could see me, they flashed from me to the burning building then back. She then slid her glasses back over her eyes and disappeared into the crowd. I got the message she was trying to tell me, whether I like it or not they will stop at nothing to make sure that these ponies are protected and they will stop at nothing to do so. Now here comes the real question, when should I stop then?

Another Train

That morning the flame had been extinguished and the last of the embers had been put out beneath the grey overcast sky a few days prior to this morning. I was alone again, at a local café around the corner from the train depot that I would be leaving on soon. I was tired, sore, the smell of smoke stuck to every stitch of my clothes. I hadn’t changed clothes since that night night, the farthest I got to was cleaning myself off but not much else.

This café was a hole-in-the-wall place Star had told me about, he was already on his way to the train to get a cabin ready for us, I remained back here.

I was thinking now, of that mare that I met, Colgate, her name was. I thought about her, her soft sweet voice, her glossy mane, her gentle touch. The thought was overwhelming. She had ignited something deep down, something I had never felt before.

“My name’s Ruby, I’ll be your waitress” I heard somepony ask, breaking my train of thought on her.

“Is there anything I could get you?” She asked about to start writing on the pad. I thought for a second.

“Some water, other than that I think I’m good ma’am.” I said looking away back over to the station.

“Alright,” Ruby said turning away and walking to another table.

As she walked away I started to go back to her. Now that I think about it, how will I ever see her again? How will I ever talk to her again? I tapped a hoof on the table, thinking of how I was going to ever see her again. I was lucky to even be able to meet such a mare.

I think though, after all this is done, I might just retire from this. Open up a brewery down the street from here. Good business, great location, just a few miles from the outskirts of the city, and… I could be closer to her.

We managed to meet, her and I, yesterday. We met, had a nice dinner, just a mediocre time. I remember though, telling her I had to leave. It was hard to say, not going to lie. She didn’t take it well, trust me, it wasn’t easy on either of us. I walked her home, I spent the night, stayed there for an hour or two, then wound up here. Waiting for Star.

“Your water, sir.” I heard the waitress say as she let down a pitcher and a glass.

“Mighty appreciated.” I said tipping my hat to her.

I lifted the glass and took a gentle sip. I sat back and tilted my head back staring at the grey sky. I started to notice that it had been such a long time since I’ve felt the sun, or seen the moon for that matter

“So, if what that mare said in the hotel room was correct, than Celestia is dead.” I said to myself under my breath. I brought the cup to my mouth again taking a long swill from the glass.

I pulled four bits from my duster’s pocket and placed them on the table and made my way toward the station. I was glad I got to get away from the city and all of its fools gold and silver paint. I’m torn though, I don’t want to leave her. I want to stay here because of her.

I had boarded the train and began to make my way to my cabin, located thankfully to the back of the train. The hallways of the train seemed empty, I saw maybe one or two ponies passing by trying to get to the back of the train but other than them it was empty. The hall with my cabin on the right was exceptionally quiet. I heard chatter from one room in particular, the middle one, my cabin.

I pulled the door open just to hear a bombardment of laughter.

“Did he really now, Star?” A dim green unicorn asked. The other white stallion shook his head warmly.

“Yeah! Somethin’ about a… Butterfinger Hitler? Whatever and whoever the hell that is!” As he said that they both wailed with laughter. Then I noticed the five empty bottles of wine on the floor next to them.

Star fell to the floor, gripping his sides. Emerald looked over to me.

“Oh! Look who it is!” Emerald said, the alcohol bringing out his thick accent.

“Mister Cowboy bounty hunter man!” He said, drunkenly mocking me. The smell off him was repulsive.

“No!” Starblazer said getting up from the floor surprisingly stably.

“He's a hitman, get that right!” He screamed as they both cracked up together. This did not amuse me in the slightest. Star got that off the expression I wore on my face.

“Emerald, stop being drunk, Golden is here, we gotta talk strait and good.” He managed to slur out of his mouth.

“Yesh!” Emerald said before face planting into the floor of the cabin. Star looked out him blankly with his eyes half closed.

“Is he dead?” Star asked with no emotion. Emerald let out a moan before hiccupping then leading to a snore.

“No, not dead.” Star said as he walked over to one of the benches and passing out on it. I had to laugh at what had just happened. They were both drunk off their asses and it wasn’t even ten o’clock in the morning yet but it was still a little fun to see I’ll admit.

A few hours passed by in the day. The train had rolled down the tracks, and the scenery had changed from fields stained and tainted from civilization to bustling hillside. The faint snoring from my associates melted the silence that was clinging and trying to block out the sound of the tracks and the train in the front.

I enjoyed the peace and quiet while it was there, neither did I mind the clicks and clacks from the tracks nor the heavy breaths from Starblazer and Emerald asleep in the cabin. I thought about how tired I actually was, my body is worn, no matter how young I am, I’m sore and tired of this life. It gets me some money but it’s not as full filling anymore.

Emerald struggled in his sleep a little, rolling over then stretching. He sat up slowly gripping his forehead. He lay on the floor of the room. He let out a low moan of pain in his voice rang out. He was not facing me, I was seated in the far corner closest to the door, he was facing the opposite direction towards the window.

“My word,” Emerald said harshly, looking around the cabin frantically. “Did Golden get on the train?” He asked looking around. He stared straight at me and still looked around desperately.

“What’s going on, what’s happening?” He asked. I looked at the floor below him. A pair of spectacles was resting behind him.

I grabbed Emerald's face and calmly turned his head around, placing the glasses at the end of his snout. Bright red strained eyes glared though the lenses.

“Oh,” he said, realizing what he had done wrong. “Pardon me Golden,” He said “I have this bitter headache that has just dawned on m-“

“It’s called a hangover.” Starblazer butted in, muttering while still laying down. “You’ll get over it soon.”

Emerald rubbed his eyes from behind his glasses.

“How long has it been since we left the station in Canterlot?” Emerald asked pulling himself together, now speaking in a more official tone that I was used to hearing.

I looked out the window.

“We lef at ‘bout eleven? The day's beginin ta wind down now, about seven, eight awers?”

“Pardon?” Emerald asked. I looked at him expectingly.

“Wha?” I asked.

“Awers?” Emerald asked confused.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“Twenty four awers in a day? Awers.”

“Oh, hours!” He corrected.

He nodded quickly, then rose up to the bench across from me.

“Back to business.” Emerald started picking up a bowler hat off the floor and placing it on his head.

“Our next target is in the bustling city of Manehattan.” He said resting two hooves under his jaw.

“I knew her personally so I could dispose of the file now if you like, I have all the information that you need to know.” Emerald said offering a hoof out.

“Let me see the envelope.” He ordered, I plucked it from my duster and handed it to him.

“The mare you looking for is a current mail-mare and-or courier for the almost extinct Pony Express.” He said holding the envelope up and plucking a single page from it. His horn flashed for a second and the file was ablaze the disintegrated to dust onto the floor.

“She’s more than likely to be stronger than you and me combined, same goes for speed and agility, she could beat us both in those catagories.” Emerald said. “A little bit of a hot head at times and hot tempered.” He pulled a photo out of his leather vest that was hugging his torso.

“Here, a decent picture of her currently.” Emerald held the picture out using his magic. “Multi colored mane consisting of different colors as well as a cerulean blue body.”

Something in the photo caught my eye though. A tag around her foreleg’s hoof.

“How recent was the picture?” I asked.

“Two years old.” He answered. “Why?”

“Well, she probably doesn’t look like that anymore.” I said taking the picture out of the air.

“See that tag? Righ’ there.” I pointed out around her hoof.

“It’s meant fer surgery, she probably changed her appearance.”

Emerald brought the picture back to his face. He slid back in his seat.

“Damn…” Emerald said under his breath. “How are we going to find her then?” He asked.

“You said you knew her personally?” Starblazer piped in.

“Yes, but I have no idea what she looks like.”

“Do you know her name?”

“Why of course.”

“That’s all we need then.”

Star got up from the floor surprisingly quickly and headed for the door.

“Either of you require any refreshment?”Star asked opening the door the hallway.

“Sure, I’ll come withya.” I said getting up.

“Emerald?” Starblazer gestured. He raised a hoof up.

“I’m fine,” Emerald said blandly. “I need to get over this ‘hangover’, you’re talking about.”

Star shrugged and continued on into the hallway.

A thick brew of lilac scented air filled the hallway. The dim pink light filled the room as the day settled in the horizon. Star stopped in the hallway and stared at it, the empty sky that is.

“Man,” He said looking out across the plains and fields until the horizon was just peaking out, the sky beginning to darken.

“Ya know, she loved the sunset.” Star said. “She’d love to have seen it again.” I was a little confused as to who he was talking about. A warm smile crossed his face as he spoke.

“I remember one day, I found myself sitting next to her. We were still in school, in an art class.” He backed up against the wall and stared out still.

“I was so scared to talk to her, I didn’t want to say anything but I was talking and continued, such an idiot. I kept blathering about random crap like a moron” He sighed a little.

“I don’t know why I keep thinking about her, she’s always on my mind.” He looked down to the floor.

“I would take a bullet for her. Hell, I’d even choose torture over seeing her even hurt a little.” His face turned, a dismal smile crossed his face. He sighed hard and looked to his flank at his cutie mark.

“She doesn’t want me around though, I try to get close to her but every time I try I just get farther and farther away.” He ended that sighing hard and reverting his gaze to the deeply grey sky.

We both stood there in an awkward silence. I still stood in the hall staring at him as watched the clouds fade down to a light blue, then to the dark azure they were meant to be.

Star snapped out of his little trance and continued down the hallway.

“So,” I started trying to start some small talk.

“Where’d ya learn t’ fight like that?” I asked.

“Like what?” Starblazer asked with a puzzled expression.

“Back there in the hotel, the one that burned down. Where’d you learn t’ fight like that?”

Star shrugged again, I’m getting real tired of that.

“My father was a pegasus, a veteran that served in the Changling war many years before my birth and was a leading commander in the Pegasii army, I guess it’s just in my blood.”

“You’re father’s a pegasus?” I asked. Star paused for a moment.

“Yeah.” He said faintly picking up his stride again.

“So yer mother was n Earthpony then?” He stopped in his tracks once more. Something struck him hard this time though, he had this torn look on his face. That one you have when you’re not sure if you want to tell someone something or not.

“No, she wasn’t.” Star said continuing his pace going down the hall. We got up to the car jump. He slid open the door and moved through to the other car. I followed closely behind.

“Wait, how’d you end up like…” I asked pausing at the end to let him fill the gap for me.

“Long story.” He said distastefully.

“Somethin’ personal?”

“Extremely.” Star said marching off down the hallway.

The train still remained empty and hollow as we moved farther down the train to the restaurant in the mid section of the train. On entering the car we were both greeted by the warm smell of pastries and other goods they sold there. We both grabbed a table.

Star pulled a cigarette from one of his pockets and lit it up taking a drag off of it and then blowing the air up out of one side of his mouth. A single pegasus came up to us, he was tall and built. His eyes were calm and collected and his cool complexion made me wonder how he landed as a waiter in a train and not as something else.

“Welcome to the Equestria’s Line café, could I get you two anything?” The waiter asked sitting down and pulling a pen and paper out of an apron he wore over his black canvas shirt.

“Well, I can’t have anything to drink, alcohol wise, since I’m still feeling bad from earlier.” Star looked over to me. “I’ll have whatever you have,” he said.

I thought for a second.

“Just some milk, fer the two of us.”

The waiter nodded and walked away. We both sat in silence as the cool air began to rise with the sun going down.

“In all my career working as an agent for the boss, I’ve met a few very scary hitmen and bounty hunters. You though, are different. The way you do things, the way you think, just everything is different.” Star pointed out.

I wasn’t sure how to take that.

“Thank ya? I guess?” He looked to my hoof.

“It’s just strange to me.” Star said scratching his head with a hoof.

The waiter came back with two glasses full of white. Something though in his expression was different. He seemed more concentrated, more concerned and focused. He returned back to the kitchen as quickly as he entered.

“Waiter!” Star called out but it was too late, he had already made his way into the other room.

“Damnit!” Star exclaimed slamming his hoof into the table.

“I’m starving!” He exclaimed. Stars eyes flickered to the door we came through.

“Look who decided to join us?” He called out. I turned in my chair to see Emerald walking up. He sat down at our table with us but a streak of concern was worn on his face.

“Golden, I think we may have something to be concerned about.” Emerald opened with.

“What?” I asked. Emerald looked both ways quickly.

“Have we stopped at any stations on the way so far?”

“No… we haven’t.” I replied

“How many passengers do you think are on this train currently?”

“I saw three I think walkin’ in.” I said.

“Any more?”

“No.” I replied once more

“Then we need to figure out what’s go-“

Emerald was cut off by a scream of pain created from his own lips as our waiter had mashed a red hot metal plate onto Emerald’s hoof. He wailed out as the stallion pressed all his weight onto it.

Star grabbed a fork off the table and jammed it in the brute’s chest and he fell back to the floor in pain. Emerald’s eyes were wide as he stared at the brand that it left on the back of his hoof, a giant ‘AD’ was scorched into his right hoof.

“Dammit!” Star screamed leaping over the table to go after the stallion. As the waiter raised the metal again to use on Star he kicked it away and fell onto him carrying a punch with his fall, repeatedly landing blow after blow on him after the first devastating strike. The stallion refused to move after the sixth or seventh punch.

“W-W” I heard Emerald stammer.

“What?” I asked him.

“We need t-t-to get of-f-f this train,” He stuttered best he could through the pain.

As he spoke the door was thrown open and Stallions poured into the room from all directions and circled us. We didn’t move as they circled us quickly. Star still was atop the unconscious, possibly dead, stallion, Emerald was still seated at the table gripping his hoof in total shock, and I stood there waiting for the first move made by us or them.

“I warned you, didn’t I?” I heard a familiar voice call out from the mob. An orange pegasus pushed through the strong stallions and stood there trying to cut with her stare through her glasses. I t was the same one from the hotel room, she even wore the same blue badge decorated coat.

“You gone done it now.” I said moving my duster over to one side getting ready to reach for a pistol I had stowed in there.

“Don’t even try it cowboy.” With that a loud click sounded. I felt the cold steel barrel of a gun against the back of my head that halted me dead in my tracks. I had nothing else to do but slowly as I could move the duster back into place.

“You’re in some deep shit now, huh?” She asked.

“How does it feel to have a barrel to your head?” She snapped.

“Not the first time.” I fired back.

A thick smirk crossed her face.

“Shoot him.” I heard the metallic clink of a hammer drawing back.

“Not in the head though!” She ordered.

“Make sure his last moments are his most painful ones. Cap his legs first.”

Author's Note

Took me a while to get this up but it's finally here. I had a major case of writers block and I promise the gap between this one and the next won't be as long, I promise!

This is all I've ever known

I closed my eyes, bracing myself. Pain seemed to linger less as the thought of it coming unexpectedly would seem to sheath the feeling. But a moment after moment passed before I realized that nothing had happened. I stood there like an idiot. I cautiously opened an eye but was bombarded by a white light and the smell of coffee. I blinked a little and came to the realization that what I had seen wasn't nor was even there at all. I rubbed my eyes with my hoof seeing that I was outside, just across a cobblestone street of pedestrians, buggies and cars that were rushing passed. I looked up to the grey blanket of clouds shielding the once blue sky. Most of the cloud cover tainted and stained by plumes and stacks of smoking breaking into and mixing with the air that was already painted grey.

I was outside the coffee shop back in Canterlot, guessing to myself that I had either dosed off or rather trying to think that's what it might have been. A vision? A warning for future events? Either way, I think this train ride I should be more cautious that I already am.

I entered the assigned cabin in a car towards the center of the train. The halls smelled of foul lemon soap and a dense musk of some unidentifiable odor that I tried to ignore. Ponies got off the train, more leaving than getting on which aroused my suspicion but where we were going wasn't a destination of travel. As I stood at the door of the cabin I was expecting a drunk Starblazer and Emerald laughing and rolling around with bottles of wine and liquor littering the floor. To my surprise, they weren't. Emerald sat with his back straight in his seat, his eyes deeply fixed into a book he was reading. Star, sitting directly across from him, was slouched over in his bench, his flat cap pulled over his eyes. I walked in and sat on the bench next to Star, he didn't even stir in his sleep as the loud creaking sounded from the old wooden seat.

"So, I take it your time in the city went well?" Emerald asked, turning a page of his book.
"More o' less," I said looking out the window to the other half of the station where royal guards were helping load soldiers onto a war caravanning train south to fight on the front lines.
"Have you ever been to our next destination, Golden?" Emerald asked, I cocked my ear towards him then shook my head.

Our next destination was far east of here, near the border of the Crystal Kingdom, unfortunately the once beautiful city was torn apart by a war we had began fighting years previous to this.
"The city of Detrot is far from here, a long ride is ahead of us Golden." As he finished that I noticed something I hadn't before. An "AD" seemed to be branded to the back of his left hoof.

I gazed at it for a minute, then turned to the window again.
"How'd ya get that there bran'? I asked Emerald, seeing him close his book and look up to me out of the corner of my eye.
"This one?" He asked lifting up his left hoof. I looked back and nodded. He shrugged and opened his book and continued reading.
"Cooking accident." Emerald responded quickly in a slightly deceptive tone. I caught it quick and went back to the window. The train began to move along. The sound of the screeching steel wheels on the rail pinched my ears as the car lurched forward and began to move. The metal beast that was the powerful engine hissed and screeched from the front.

With that Star in his seat rubbed his eyes before opening them wide, their red Shine flashed about and then focused one me.
"Good to see you made it Golden," He said patting my foreleg that was crossed over my other one. He turned back over to me, he light from the station ceiling metal rafters making ways of grey light pass through the car in lines.

Emerald closed the book and looked back to us both, crossing his hooves under his jaw looking at us both hard in the face.
"Now," He said looking to the floor, the cracking his eyes back at us like whips.
"We've hit a major bump in the road here." Emerald said adjusting his glasses as he spoke.
"This next target, Star over here, knew on a personal level. So he at the moment knows more about our next target than we do." Emerald put a hoof out, giving him the gesture that he has the floor.
Star pulled a little bit of paper from a pocket in the knit vest he was wearing, along with a matchbox and a metal tin. He opened the tin and poured some of its contents into the paper and gently rolled it as he spoke.
"The data our agency has collected is very acute, and even more so, the level in which they know is only scratching the surface of what we could grasp."

Star licked the paper and rolled it between his hooves, making a slender-hoof rolled cigarette. He drew it to his lips and struck the match, light the end in a single try. As we finally pulled away from the station we were immediately greeted by the claustrophobic closing of the industrial walls, the back of buildings. Multiple pipes and panels littered and constricted the walls. Smoke venting from the train covered anything from ten feet above our vision and steam covered anything four feet below but I was willing to bet that even above that smoke we'd still find about a mile of more of those pipes and sheets of metal going straight up. I turned from the hideous sight from the window just to hear Star speak again.
"Our next target is farther east, as we've already said." He took a long drag on the cigarette. The smoke gently poured from his lips and drafted up then disappearing as he hung it from his jaw.

"I knew her back before this-" He paused to look out the window with hurt eyes.
"Industrial Revolution" He pulled the lit stick from his mouth and looked back to me.
"Her name was Rainbow Dash." He said leaning forward in his seat to where his forelegs crossed over his chest. He had a very stern look on his face. The smell of his cigarette burning now infatuated the cabin, I was not bothered by it. He opened his mouth but no words came from his lips. As he tried to say something he caught himself and thought, then he closed his mouth and bit his lip.
"She was a pegasus, we're close to the same age. I think she's a bit older." He took the cigarette from his mouth between the fetlock and drooped his head over, smoking lifting up from his tilted down head.

I cocked my head over to one side, he said 'was' when he mentioned her name.
"Was." I said. He looked up to me with his eyebrows raised but his eyes half closed.
"I'm sorry?" He asked.
"Ya said 'was', h' name 'was' Rainbow Dash. D'ya know what her name 's now?" I asked looking him dead in the eyes.
He shrugged nonchalantly, bringing the cigarette up to his lips, his massive hooves covering the lover half of his face and neck as he took another drag as the ash burned down the cigarette.
"She had joined the Wonderbolts after I had met her, there was a flying incident and she was to be blamed for three of the deaths during it." His eyes dropped and his vision narrowed on the floor.
"She ran and changed her name, her appearance, dyed her mane and coat to something different than the cerulean blue she once was."

He looked out the window, the massive heaps of pipes and steel gave way to an opening. Smaller apartments, all in terrible condition. All covered with grime and muck, falling apart, ponies littering the streets, ash falling from the massive smoke stacks above them. They all looked sick and poor, it was a grueling sight to see.

Star was cringing at the sight. "I owned a record store here.... seven years back it was as to the date." He burned the cigarette to the fag and dropped it into the ashtray.
"Two brothers from the east offered me five times what I had paid for it originally." He dropped his head and his shoulders bulked up. "I had a huge stretch of property here, most of it was music storage here." He smiled, a little hurt behind the grin he wore.
"Industries and factories were starting to be brought up on all sides. I wasn't making any money and my only buyers would be rich men that would come and buy one or maybe two albums in the span of a month. I could not live with that income." His eyes grew tired.
"That offer came up, I was young though, and with all that money I felt like I could do anything." The smile faded.
"Two weeks later I took the most dearest records I had and left, they tore down the building and in it's place a massive steel plant was made, twenty four hours a day smoke and smog pumping from it's stacks. The residents and the poverty and sickness came later." He sighed hard looking to Emerald.

"Where did we go so wrong?" Star asked in a weak tone. He turned back to me.
"What did you do before this all happened."Star asked. I looked down at my duster and at my gun. I felt a weight come down, I was never really affected by it. This was the life I had lived since that day so many years ago.
"I-...I have always done this" I said.
"This is all I've ever known."

A Time Before, And The Time That's Passed

I stood there in the shack, Starblazer remained quiet in the corner he moved into when he first entered the room. He kept his eyes locked on the floor and did not break his gaze. The whole shack had a warm open feel to it. The smell of cinnamon floated up from some unknown source.

I looked at the contents inside the little gas station’s shack, in which I’m guessing Big Macintosh lived in. The walls were wood and void of paint. Some pictures hung on the wall but other than that they were blank. An old wooden table was at the far wall with two chairs seated around it and a gas lantern burning bright in the center of the table. Across from that was nice little ironclad stove with a small fire burning in it. A small counter sat beside the oven and next to that was a sink. A shelf was mounted above all of it and it contained some spices, a couple bottles of some expensive alcohol.

I stared at the pictures in the frames from a distance. Time had gone by so fast for me, damn near fifteen or sixteen years since what had happened that day-so many years ago. I trotted over to the frames hanging there. They brought a smile to my face, the tugging at the heart it brought me. They were the closest things I had to a family. A bigger photo from a longer time ago hung in the center. All of the family was there, every aunt and uncle; Big Mac was there too. He was so young then, that’s when we all were. My cousin stood right next to me, she had her hooves completely wrapped around me, she was almost on top of me. It felt like she was the sister I never had-and I was that twin brother she never had as well. Applebloom wasn’t even born yet-her mom though was there though. I forgot Auntie’s name but I just remember her upright leaving. I don’t remember why or if she left at all, she just disappeared.

Braeburn was my other cousin, he stood to the right of us, he had a big hat on-too big for his head at least. His parents were right behind him smiling. All of us were smiling, all of us were happy then. No one ever was confused or scared, none of us had a care in the world. I don’t want to remember what happened after that.

I read books on how to repress a memory, to close it off. Everything I tried never worked, it came back once in awhile. I tried to lose myself in that photo, that beautiful moment so long ago. Those were the days I tell you.

I couldn’t help but glance at the others, the nostalgia that it brought back churned my heart. I could feel my face contorting, trying to hold back tears that were building behind my eyes as I watched how much time passed while I was gone. So much had happened, I had just seen little Applebloom when she was a baby. She reminded me of her sister in some of the pictures. It was always like every girl in the family got the charm and every stallion got the strength. I was nothing special though, I never had the build or the strength to work the farm nor did I have the intellect to do anything else. I guess I was kinda useless and kinda a nobody. Guess that’s why I chose this profession, it’s good to be a nobody.

I heard a slam of a door behind me that took me out of my nostalgic trance. Big Mac stood in front of the door-soaked and wet.

“Car’s full.” He said walking over to one of the chairs.

“You might as well be on your way, you could stay if you want.” I looked over to Star. He closed his eyes and looked towards the floor, giving a gesture to the door. I looked back to Big Macintosh. He was staring at the lamp that rested on the table.

“I’m sorry cousin,” I said walking up to him.

“I’d like to stay, but I got business to attend ta back in Canterlot.” He looked at me with a rare smile. One that you don’t see from anypony too often, it was a smile of remembrance and of insight. Big Mac saw something that moment and that spark intrigued me.

“Whadaya lookin’ at me like that for?” I couldn’t help but unsheathe a smile that was pulled onto my face.

“Nothin’,” He said turning back to the lamp.

“You just remind me so much of your mother.” He hit a string deep down. A wire snapped in my mind. I could feel something, something hurt-a good hurt. It was strange how much that hurt deep down, not a bad hurt. Nothing was bad about it, I-I-I don’t know how to feel.

I couldn’t react to that, I think my mind was still processing what cousin Macintosh just said. I didn’t know how to take it, nopony had ever said anything like that before.

It was kinda awkward, I just stared at the floor and nodded once-maybe twice and then walked outside into the rain. From behind me I heard one last thing.

“Stop by anytime Golden,” I heard through the rain.

“You’re always welcome here.”

I paused and looked back.

“I will!” I yelled back. As I did Starblazer was just walking out, shutting the door. The rain had loosened up since it came crashing down earlier. The fog that rolled in had gotten thicker and the grey sky turned to a different shade of black.

We both jumped into the car. Starblazer clicked the ignition and the car roared to life. I sat there, looking out over the car door out into the mist. The car jerked forward and with that we were off. I still stared into the mist. What Macintosh had said caught up with me now. I tried to hold off my emotions. I felt my face contort and twist, my throat felt closed and my eyes began to water. I had no idea why, I don’t think it was the memory of my mother that made me feel like this.

The dense forest seemed to lighten as we headed toward a clearing up ahead. The more the forest disappeared the easier it was to think. The realization of time is overwhelming and sometimes the pain it brings can be unbearable-especially when you see everything you wanted so dearly be lost in the sands of time.

The car within seconds made it through the clearing to an open field. Ahead about ten to twenty miles was a mountain. Clinging to the side of the mountain with a trail that led down the side and poured onto the field below was a city. A castle rested at its peak and the modern city of Canterlot was in full view.

Grey and black clouds loomed overhead as black smoke stacks from the city trailed white and black plumes skyward feeding the dull blanket covering the land. The air stung my eyes as I had just realized that I had not put my goggles on yet. The sky let a subtle soft drizzle get sprinkled on the world that I saw. The cosmopolitan city had grown as the times changed from a humble state of baroque etiquette and beauty to an industrial province of steam and gears. City streets were painted with steam powered building and pipes streaking out from factories.

What was once a beautiful open field had been wounded. That natural aura that such a majestic place had once had was gone now, torn and scarred by the hooves of civilization. It was sad that we were the ones tearing this world apart, everypony saw progress like this beneficial but in reality the aren’t looking at the big picture. That cosmopolitan lifestyle and that recognition of what beauty really was-was no longer there. I had ventured to many cities out back near Baltimare and such out eastward.

Cities were disgusting; the once classical feeling to a city had been purged of that style. The ones who lived in such places called it a “steam-powered” era. I hated the whole style of everything. It was a mesh of iron gears with leather with a hint of the brown rusted iron color. It was ugly and warped, mad at times. As we got even closer that madness rose even more, the more of the city that you saw the more it seemed to hang over you, like a ghostly presence that never left your side.

The awful scar was getting closer to us. I hadn’t even noticed that the road had changed from dirt to asphalt. The cars engine kicked into another gear and slowed. You could feel the deceleration and the slight pull forward as my body continued towards the front of the car. We passed some homes on the outskirts of the city. One by one they looked old. They looked as if they had not changed since I was a little colt, but as the road progressed so did time. The buildings changed, from brick and plaster to wood and steel. They still progressed into the madness that was the modern time. From that they dove into a madness of pipes and gears and moving parts of what looked like alien technology. The heavy mist still mixed with the steam and humidity that the city itself produced.

The car’s growl seemed to change to a loud purr as we cruised down the center road.

“So,” Starblazer said.

“I am supposed to drop the car off at a safe location, then proceed on hoof.” Star explained looking at me through water-splattered goggles.

“Do you have any place in particular you’d like to stay for your time in the city?” He asked. The car started to slow as we came to a stop sign.

“It’s been a while my friend.” I said looking out to the strange streets.

“You pick someplace, as long as it gotta bed.” I added looking back to the driver. He shrugged,

“You wanna just stay at my place up in downtown?” He asked. Honestly I didn’t care what he did, I just know it’s raining and I’m hungry.

“Sure, why not?” I stated in a kinda sarcastic tone.

“Great.” Was all I heard from him as he adjusted the stick shift forward into a new gear and the car lurched forward again pulling me back into the seat.

“I just need to run by my mailbox around this address.” I added as I pulled the letter to my cousin out of my jacket pocket and passed it to him.

“See the thing here?” I pointed at the address, He looked closely at it.

“Yeah, I know where that is.” Star said looking back to the front of the car.

“A little out of the way of where we’re going but we’ll manage.” He pointed out jerking the wheel hard to the left. From that the car turned to the left as well.

“It’s towards the outskirts of the city.” He said flipping the wheel around again going back in the direction we came front. I turned my hat down over my eyes blocking the light out and leaving a dark shadow in its place.

“Mind wakin me up when ya get there?” I asked.

“No need to worry.” I heard Star say.

“We’ll get there in no time.” I let out a breathe of air as I let the soft release of consciousness envelope me so gently, so closely. The world got tuned out, the presence of the car vanished as the whole world around me vanished as I was enveloped into a warm abyss deep within the recesses of my own mind.