Chapters Epilogue
Imagine the scene, if you will... It was a beautiful day in Equestria, the Birds are singing, the skies are clear, and all is well in the world.
"BOOM," a loud explosion could be heard all around the skies echoing off the cliffs and through the forests. A rainbow coloured shockwave clears the sky of clouds, and birds fly. All eyes look up, unfortunately missing the lone Pegasus falling uncontrollably from the sky.
Chapter 1 Help I am Falling
As the lone Pegasus regained consciousness, he heard the strangest noise. He knew he’d heard it before but couldn't place it, a loud whooshing noise. He opened his eyes and noticed white objects flying past him, his hove's above him and his wings waving next to him. He got control of his left wing and managed to spin himself around, noticing the ground approaching him...fast.
"AHHH!" he screamed as he realized he was in free fall. “F-f-falling, why the buck am I falling!?” the pegasi shouted. The ground growing increasingly closer, trying everything he could think of to slow himself down, but without feeling in his right wing it was futile. He got closer and closer to the ground, his heart racing. I am going to die, he thought to himself. He flapped his left wing as strongly as he could sending him into a spin, he waved his legs, again doing nothing to stop the oncoming doom he faced. Eyes closed, he started to pray.
"Dear Celestia, save me!" he screamed. He soon regained feeling in his right wing and managed to slow his descent, but not before he crashed into a group of trees, managing to hit every branch he could going through. With a loud thud, everything went black again.
The Pegasus awoke to find a little yellow filly staring down at him.
"Are ya okay mister?" she asked in a very strong accent he had never heard before. He noticed the filly was an earth pony with a red mane and a large pink bow. The Pegasus looked around, trees were spread out in evenly planted rows. The Pegasi looked up. They all had sweet, juicy looking apples hanging from the branches. They gleamed in the sun, making them look even more juicy, the thought of food made the pegasus’s mouth water.
"Where am I?" he asked the small filly, his accent was a strong Trottingham area one, very posh, very loving.
"Sweet Apple Acres, the best apples in all Equestria!" The filly replied, a big grin on her face. "Ah'm Apple Bloom," she carried on, "and who are ya?" she asked
"I don't know..." replied the pegasus as he limped over to a barrel of water and peered inside. In the reflection he saw a young pegasus with blue fur and a deep blue main with a red stripe, with red and blue stripy tail. Scars from hitting the trees covered his body, he noticed on his nose a batch of darker blue freckles. He had bright emerald eyes. Apple Bloom just stared at him.
"What do ya mean ya don't know?" She asked, curiosity taking hold.
"I mean I don't know! I have no memories... I can't remember who I am. What I was doing in the sky, nothing..." The pegasus said back, sadness seeping into his heart. "I have a feeling I was running… running away from something but I can't remember." He angrily bucked the nearest tree, a shower of apples falling on his head, along with a very heavy saddle bag. Apple Bloom picked it up and a small scroll dropped out along with a golden armoured chest piece, the pegasus opened the scroll and his mouth dropped.
"What's the matter?" asked Apple Bloom, reaching to take the scroll.
"She's gone!" the pegasus muttered, Apple Bloom took the scroll and read it.
"Oh my, Ah’m sorry mister... Ah really am." She felt deeply sorry for this unknown Pegasus.
"She's gone and I can't even remember her name or what she looks like." The colt burst into tears. A large red stallion came over.
"What's all the commotion," the Stallion asked.
"OhhiBigMacthispegasusjustfellfromtheskyandhasnomemoriesandIfoundthissaddlebagandinitthereisadeathcertificateforwhatIbeleiveisthispegasus'swifeandnowhewon'tstopcryin." Apple Bloom said so quickly that Big Macintosh just stared at her
"Er...what?" the confused stallion asked. this time Apple Bloom slowed down.
"This pegasus just fell from the sky and he has no memories, he kicked that tree and a saddle bag fell out, inside was a Death Certificate for His wife," she said. The Big Stallion looked over to the Pegasus, who was now curled up in a ball crying. the Big stallion remembered the Death Certificate he had hidden away of his last and only love, a small tear appeared in his eye.
"There, there, no need to cry, come on." Big Mac said peacefully in his deep voice, trying to calm the Pegasus down, it worked. The Pegasus got up and tried to trot away, but fell back over, screaming in pain.
"Looks like his leg is broken" said Apple Bloom
"Eeyup" replied Big Mac, he scooped up the Pegasus with his nose and slide him down his neck onto his back, the Pegasus just lay there. And they head to the hospital, Apple Bloom followed behind.
"Where's your cutie mark?" asked Apple Bloom
"A what now?" replied the confused Pegasus
"Your cutie mark," Apple Bloom repeated. The colt just stared at her, one eyebrow lifted just above the other in confusion.
"Still haven't a clue what that is, sorry," said the Pegasus after a short silence.
"Cutie mark, you know the mark everypony has on their flank, it tells them who they are and what their destiny is," she said, pointing to the flank of her big brother. The Pegasus looked down and noticed it.
He lifted his head back up. "Then where is yours?" asked the colt.
Apple Bloom blushed, her ears drooping. "I haven't got mine yet" she said, a tear forming in her eye.
"No, don't cry. I didn't mean to upset you," the colt apologized.
"Did that bag have anything else in it?" Asked Big Mac after a while.
"Oh yeah, a name tag," said Apple Bloom excitedly. She looked at the tag. "Shimmering Honor, I guess that's you"
"I guess I am then, Hello Apple Bloom, I am Shimmering Honor," he stuck out his hoof, the little filly reached up and shook it.
"Hello Shimmering." They carried on towards the Hospital.
Author's Note
This is my First FimFIction, I hope all goes well and I can develop this more, there is more to come, so don't worry, it doesn't stop here. Please let me know what you think in the comments section, all criticism is welcome as long as you give a reason. With thanks to my dear friend, the bloke who helped me become a Brony, and my editor, Vocal Brony.
Chapter 2, Call for Zecora
"So whats a Death Certificate any way?" Asked Apple Bloom, before Shimmering could answer, Big Mac spoke.
"Nothing for you to worry about." the stallion was clearly upset by something.
"Yeah, but what does it mean?"
"Don't ask"
"But.."
"NO!" shouted the Big Stallion, Apple Blooms ear's dropped, Shimmering looked between to two, realizing that Big Mac was very touch about this subject.
"Sorry Bic Mac" said a very upset Apple Bloom, the rest of the walk was very quiet. they reached the Hospital where a nurse came out.
"Whats the matter with him?" she asked.
"Hefelloutofatreeand..." Apple Bloom Started when Big Mac coughed, motioning to his little sister to slow down.
"He fell out of the sky, hit some trees and we believe he has broken his leg." Apple bloom said a lot slower. the nursed called back into the hospital and a porter pony came out wheeling a bed with his magic, Shimmering Felt the tingling of the nurse lifting him off the back of Big Mac using her own magic and gently placing him down on the bed, he was soon rushed into the hospital.
After a while it was conformed he had broken both legs on his left side and his left wing. he was being questioned by a Doctor.
"What colour is this?" the doctor asked holding up a yellow card
"Don't know"
"What object is this?" holding up a card with a apple pictured on it.
"Don't know" replied Shimmering getting increasingly angry with himself
"Whats your name?"
"Shimmering Honor"
"Okay, you have amnesia Mr Honor, what is most interesting is that there is evidence that you had a Cutie Mark and that it has disappeared, I have never seen this happen before" said the doctor.
"How did you know I had a Cutie Mark" asked Shimmering.
"Well where your cutie Mark was there is scarring beneath your fur as if it has been cut off, also there is a picture of you with a cutie mark in your saddle back" the doctor replied, dropping the picture on the bed. Shimmering picked up the picture, he was posing for the shot, but who ever had taken the picture wasn't very good or the picture was meant to be mostly burred, the only thing in focus was his face, but he could make out two distinct colours on his flank, an obvious sign of a cutie mark.
"Well, is there a way of getting it back?" he asked.
"Well I have never seen this before, I wouldn't know, but I bet..." he didn't finish his sentence, he just walked out muttering about potions and some mare would know what to do.
After a long wait a strange looking pony walked in, she had black and white strips and a Mohawk for a mane, she walked over to Shimmering Honor.
"Are you the one good sir, that has been causing a stir?" she asked in rhyme.
"Err, yes" Shimmering simply answered. the Pony then got out a bottle from her saddle bag.
"Drink this and you will see, that the memories will flow free" Shimmering took the bottle and drank the content. Nothing happened for a while, then his eyes shrank and started to dart about, looking all over the room, Shimmering could feel the liquids in his stomach bubble and he let out a massive burp, along with a puff of smoke.
"How do you feel, did that break the seal" asked the strange pony. Shimmering Honor closed his eyes, trying to remember as much as he could before the fall.
"No, sorry" he said handing the bottle back to the pony. She looked shocked,
"What went wrong, that potion was very strong" she claimed and walked out as a doctor walked in.
"Who was that?" asked Shimmering.
"Oh that's Zecora, she is a Zebra". Over the next few days Zecora kept coming back with different potions, all of which did nothing to Shimmering or his memory, one even made him forget more, one made his fur go rainbow coloured, and another made his voice high pitched. then Zecora stopped coming. Shimmering Honor was confused now more than ever. Zecora had been pouring all kinds of liquids down his throat to try and get his memories back, and now she just stopped coming.
After a couple of days the hospital couldn't do anymore for Shimmering, so they kindly kicked him out, saying just keep of the wings and take it easy. Shimmering decided to wander around town, it was a nice place, very pretty, houses with straw roofs where everywhere, there seemed to be no organisation in how the building where placed. He noticed one place looked like a carousel, even though he didn't know what one of those was, another was a hollowed out tree. And as he rounded a corner, he saw one building that looked like a ginger bread house, he got very hungry at the sight of it and decided to walk in. As he stepped over the threshold of the building, he was hit by a wall of confetti, he was incomplete shock as a pink mare screamed some form of welcome, then burst into song
"your new here, I see so let me say hi, your new here, i see so lets not go ye "
"Er, what was that" Shimmering asked.
"Oh, don't mind her, darling, Pinkie is always this energetic when she meets somepony new" said a white furred unicorn with purple mane, sat next to her was an orange pony with a stetson hat, a purple unicorn with dark mane with a pink strip and of course the overly energetic pink mare.
"Okay, I was just looking around, I am Shimmering Honot, you are?" he asked.
"Well, I am Rarity" said the white unicorn.
"Applejack" the orange pony introduced herself, lifting her hat and giving a small bow.
"I am Twilight Sparkle" continued the other Unicorn.
"And I am Pinkie Pie" the pink mare almost shouted while getting right up close to Honor's face. Then the mare took in a big breath.
"Your new aren't you, we need to PARTY!" and she ran off.
"I suggest you run, darling" Said Rarity. Shimmering did just that, he kept running and running. He noticed something shot across the sky, it was a rainbow streak, this jolted his memory. He ran after the streak, then his winks started to flap and he took off, he chased the rainbow till it slowed down and landed on a cloud. It was a Pegasus, he came up next to a cyan mare with rainbow colored mane and tail.
"I know those colors" he said, the mare turned around and looked at him.
"Of course you would, I am the best flyer in Pegasus, how did you miss my sonic rainboom the other week" she stated.
"Was that a rainbow colored shockwave?" asked Shimmering.
"Well yeah" the mare said with an arrogant tone.
"THEN YOU WHERE THE ONE THAT KNOCKED ME OUT AND GAVE ME AMNESIA!" shouted Shimmering Honor. Anger building up in side him.
"your mane isn't going to set on fire is it?" asked the mare.
Chapter 3, what did I do?
Shimmering Honor was so angry at this unknown mare, this rainbow maned Pegasus, She had made him forget his life, she made him fall, she was the one who had grounded him for almost a week. The feelings of anger were so strong he wanted to hit something.
"Whoa there pal, what are you talking about losing your memories from my sonic rainboom" asked the mare.
"I was flying when that shockwave hit me from behind, knocking me out, when i woke up I was falling and had lost all my memories!" he shouted at the mare. She just stared at him.
"Oh, sorry man, er I am rainbow dash" said the mare "the best flyer in all of Equestria"
"Of course you are, you were so good you knocked out the audience" Shimmering shot back sarcastically.
"Well that's not very nice" Dash replied
"Oh, I am sorry, at least I don't make ponies forget their entire life because of a stupid stunt"
"Whats going on?" asked a small timid voice.
"A STUPID STUNT" screamed rainbow dash, taking off from the cloud.
"Excuse me, whats going on" came the voice again
"YES, A STUPID STUNT, I LOST EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF YOU" Shimmering Honor shouted back, he pushed Rainbow Dash.
"ex...ex...excuse" the voice tried to jump in.
"OH, ITS ON" Rainbow Dash charged Shimmering and rammed into him, sending him hurtling back, he regained control and tried to ram Rainbow Dash, she just managed to dodge and was about to kick his flank when his rear legs kicked her. Rainbow Dash shot upwards and through a cloud.
"ex..ex..excuse me" the voice asked again, this time slightly quieter. the fight was still going on, Rainbow Dash kicked Shimmering, Shimmering rammed Rainbow Dash.
"EXCUSE ME!" the voice final screamed out, both the Pegasus's stopped fighting, Rainbow Dash with Shimmering's right wing in her mouth and Shimmering about to kick Rainbow Dash in the underside.
"Whats going on?" asked the timid voice, they both looked down to see a few feet below them was another Yellow Pegasus, with a long flowing Pink mane and Tail and butterflies for her cutie mark.
"Fluttershy, what are you doing here?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"Pinkie sent me, she wants us all to be at the town hall for the new arrivals party"
"OH, GREAT, THAT PINK MANIAC WANTS TO THROW A PARTY" Shimmering shouted out and flew away, heading towards the Everfree Forest.
"Do you think we should stop him?" Fluttershy asked timidly
"No. He attacked me, he can look after himself. Come on, we need to tell Pinkie its a goodbye party now." Rainbow Dash replied angrily and flew off to the party, lets just say that a certain pink mare managed to get everypony in town on a search party.
****************
Shimmering Honor was flying over a large dense forest as the sun started to go down, he was still angry at the Pegasus named Rainbow Dash, how dare she wipe his memory out with a stunt. But the more he thought about it, he released he had been a bit of a jerk, how could she have known it would knock him out, or that it would give him amnesia, it wasn't excactly her fault. Shimmering stopped and hovered a few feet above the forest, knowing he should go back and apologies, not just to Rainbow Dash but that other Pegasus as well, what did Dash call her, FlutterHigh, Fluttersigh.
Below Honor. green eyes stared up at him, they noticed that he wasn't far from the tree tops, within a good jumping distance. They slowly climbed the trees, making sure that the creaking of their arms and the trees couldn't be heard, but the prey seemed to be too deep in thought.
Shimmering was busy thinking, should he go back and apologies, or should he carry on in the way he was going, hoping never to return and face those ponies again. With a loud crack and a sudden shift downward, he was pulled out of thought, he looked down to see a wooden creature staring up at him holding his hind leg, he tried to shake it off, but another creature appeared out of the tree tops and took hold of him by the midsection. They all fell through the tree cover and landed on the floor, the two creatures let go of him and started to slowly circle him on all fours a more wooden creatures started to arrive, they all went round in the same direction, circling him waiting to pounce. Shimmering was scared, there where six creatures circling him, suddenly one on his left jumped him. He managed to dodge and it tumbled into another, both breaking into twigs and branches, two from the left and right ran at him, again he managed to step back out of the way, the two headbutting each other. Shimmering felt a sudden pain on his back, one of the two remaining had taken a swipe from behind, leaving a massive scratch down his back, and cutting his left wing, Shimmering saw and opening and ran for it, the two remaining creatures followed him, he saw a cliff up ahead and decided to try and jump it, he ran fast, the creatures getting closer and closer. Honors front hooves never touched the cliff edge, hind ones pushing off, his wings spread, he glided to the other side, the two creatures on the other hand weren't as lucky, both falling into a raging river below.
Shimmering Honor landed on the other side, he wasn't badly hurt, he tried flying and managed to get above the tree tops.
"Now where in the hay am I?" he asked himself, it was now midnight, wolves could be heard howling and the stars twinkled happily in the nigh sky. As Shimmering looked around, he couldn't make out any landmarks, all he could see was forest, forest and more forest,
"Right then, where to go, where to go?" he said to himself, he span around twice and stopped with a hoof pointing out in front of him.
"That way then" and he headed straight ahead, he kept flying, making sure not to get close to the trees in fear of another creature attacking him. He kept on flying, when the sun came up, he kept on flying, all through the day, all through the night. never stopping, never sleeping, he just kept on flying.
**********
"Shimmering Honor, Where are you?" came many voices across the wind, just managing to make there way to Canterlot, Princess Luna heard the voices and left the castle, leaving a note for her sister.
Celestia I am leaving Canterlot to find somepony important, I believe Shimmering Honor is in danger, please may you raise the moon at night until I return.
Luna
The desert can be a horrible place.
Chapter 4, The desert can be a horrible place.
Shimmering Honor was flying, he didn't know where he was, what day or time it was, after the fight with those wooden creatures, those wolf like animals, he had flown off in a random directions, all he knew know was it was day time.
"THAT'S IT" he exclaimed to himself, "Timberwolves, how had I forgotten about them?, oh yeah" he released why he had forgotten everything again, all because that stupid mare and her sonic rainboom. His anger began to boil up inside him.
"I am miles away from her now, what does it matter? he said to himself, he spent the next few hours trying to remember his life, small images would come back, but then fade away into the dark abyss that was his memory, or lack of it.
After a few more hours flight, he finally started to feel tired, he could see that the dreaded forest below him was about to end, he hoped a river or a stream emerged from the forest as he needed a good drink. But as he got closer, his heart sank, it was a desert.
"A desert, how is that possible for a forest to suddenly turn into a desert?" he almost shouted at the sky, thinking there was some weird logic in this part of Equestria. He landed at the edge of the forest and saw that there was a small band of grass land, then just the desert. he looked around, hoping for some form of water, but nothing, there where no clouds in the sky and the sun was almost at its highest.
"I don't dare go back into the forest, but I can't go into the desert with out food and water." Shimmering Honor was stuck on what to do, he looked out into the desert and noticed something, shimmering in the distance, a small set of palm trees, and what looked like a small lake.
"WATER" he shouted and took off at full speed, heading out into the desert, his wings flapping as fast as he could, getting slowly closer to the water, but yet it took along time to get there. It was if the lake was slowly running away from him, he stopped just a few feet sort of a punch of trees, dead, dried trees and a dried up lake bed.
"A mirage?" Shimmering muttered to himself, "how did I fall for it?, where am I?" He turned around and headed back in what he thought was the way he came, he just slowly walked for a few more days, thirsty as hell and his stomach starting to slowly eat its self. he came along a road, an old dirt track of a road. Hope, but Before he could decide which way to turn, he collapsed, exhausted and out of hope, he lay there unconscious.
***********
Princess Luna had left the castle at canterlot two days previously and was roaming the skies, following where the voices had come from, she had stopped at Ponyvile, much to everyponies surprise. Luna had asked around, several ponies had said they had seen him, some even said he was last heard speaking to Rainbow Dash.
"Excuse me, are you thy one called Rainbow Dash?" Luna asked as she approached the cyan mare napping on a cloud.
"Yeah thats me, whos......NIGHTMARE MOON" rainbow answered, she jumped up ready to attack.
"No, Little one, I am no longer Nightmare Moon, I am here to find Shimmering Honor"
"Who?" Rainbow Dash looked at the princess with a look of confusion. "oh, that jerk who attacked me, he flew off over the Everfree forest, not seen him since" Rainbow Dash replied and laid back down to nap.
"Thank you, Rainbow Dash" and with that Luna flew away. heading over the Ever Free forest, she had to find him, She had to find the Captain of the night Guard.
***************
Shimmering Honor awoke in a bed, in a small wooden building, He looked around him, on the walls where diagrams of Pony body structures, hearts, lungs, wings, even a few samples of different creatures in jars. He tried to get up, but was suddenly pushed down by a tingling sensation, he looked at a hoof and noticed a red aurora around his body.
"Now, you need to stay lying down Mister" said a colts voice from the other room, with an accent that reminded him of Apple Bloom.
"where am I?" he asked
"Appleoosa, I am the towns doctor, and you sir are lucky to be alive" said the colt. He walked into the room, he wore a dark Blue suit and a bowler hat, covering his white coat and red main, a horn just peaking out the top of the bowler hat, and a red cross for a cutie mark.
"What do you mean, lucky to be alive?" Shimmering Honor asked.
"Well, When the buffalo where dong their annual stamped, they found you on their trail, picked you up and brought you here. You where so dehydrated you had fainted." the Doctor finished.
"Whats a Buffalo?" asked Shimmering, just as a rumbling started,
"They are" he said pointing out a window behind Honors head, he sat up and looked out as a heard of Buffalo stamped past them, their heads where decorated with colorful head banners and feathers. It was a beautiful sight to see and often brought many a tourist to see it.
"Wow, they are amazing!" he commented
"You never seen them before?" Asked the doctor
"I don't know, I have amnesia" he said, a sad look forming on his face, his ears dropped and he looked down at the bed.
"Amnesia, I have heard about it but have never seen a case" the doctor mumbled to himself. "Well just rest here for a few more hours, drink plenty of water and eat plenty of food and you can be on your way mister" the doctor said and went back into the room he had come out off. So Shimmering Honor did just that, he got up and went to find a bar.
Author's Note
Hi all, I am going to say I am not very pleased with this chapter, it was hard to write, but it gets the story moving
The town, the hunt and the gang.
Chapter 5, The town, the hunt and the gang
Shimmering Honor ventured out into Appleoosa, it was a small town compared to Ponyvile, with a train station, a sheriff's office and a bar that doubled as a hotel, in the distance he could see another Apple orchard. He walked down the main road for a bit to get a feel for the place, it was nice, but something was missing, he couldn't place it.
He walked over to the bar and walked in, the room became deadly quiet, everypony looking at him, the piano stopped and some pony in a stetson near the bar spat into a bucket on the ground, Shimmering stared back, his wings propping the doors open.
"Excuse me" came a voice from behind as the Sheriff attempted to walk in.
"Oh, sorry" Shimmering stood to the side, the Sheriff walked past him and up to the bar. a pony in what looked to be a trench coat leaded over, and whispered something in the Sheriff's ear, which shot up, alert.
"You there, whats your name?" Asked the Sheriff, not moving his gaze at all, Shimmering looked around to see who would answer him. but everyone was looking at him, the Sheriff turned around and stared Shimmering down. "I asked, who ya where?" the Sheriff asked again, staring right at him.
"Me sir," Honor replied, pointing at himself
"Yes sir, you SIR" the Sheriff replied, the pony in the trench goat got down from the stool and walked next to the Sheriff, a deputy badge on his chest
"I..I am Shimmering Honor, I am a bit lost" he replied, his nerves getting to him.
"Shimmering Honor, lost ya say" the Sheriff looked around the room, all the ponies eyes where on him, the Sheriff walked up to Shimmering and looked him in the eye, Shimmering looked back, and saw darkness, they stood staring at each other, another pony spat into a bucket near the piano.
"I would say ya lost...." the Sheriff narrowed his eye, tension building so much you could cut it with a feather.
"...You ain't ordered a drink yet, Never been in a saloon before" the Sheriff Step back, front legs stretched out wide, he spoke in a cheerful tone, all the other ponies around starting laughing, it was obviously a major joke they played on new comers.
"So, what will it be Shimmering, Cider, Cider or more Cider" the Sheriff asked placing a hoof on the back of Shimmering's neck and leading him towards the bar.
"I think I will take a cider please" Honor replied with all his manors, the room soon return to normal, everypony talking, playing cards or seeing if their glass was bottomless. The Barcolt slide a cider down the bar and it stopped just in front of Shimmering Honor. "thanks" and he took a large swig, it was sweet, very sweet, it made him cough.
"Ya alright?" asked the Sheriff
"Yeah, I am fine, just didn't expect it to be so sweet" Shimmering replied. the Sheriff just laughed
"Wait till the after taste kicks in" not seconds later the after taste hit his tongue, it was nutty, sweet and tangy all at the same time.
"Oh wow, how do they do that?" Asked Shimmering.
"I haven't a clue, but the Apple family from the orchard make the best Cider in all of Equestria, so whats ya story?" the Sheriff asked, changing the subject.
"Well, I have been told I have Amnesia, the first memory I have is me falling, then hitting an Apple orchard and some Yellow filly told me the History of Equestria, then some Zebra who talked in rhyme poured different liquids down my throat, then I had a fight with another Pegasus, ran off over some forest, got attack by Timberwolves, I think that's what they are called. Then ended up in the desert and then in your Doctors Office." Shimmering said. the Sheriff stared
"Wow, so ya have no memories, it that why you have no cutie mark?" he asked pointing at the other Colts flank.
"Yep"
"SHERIFF, SHERIFF, THEIR BACK!" came the shouting from somepony outside the saloon, they sounded scared.
"Oh hay," the Sheriff but his drink down and walked outside
"Whats going on Sheriff?" asked Shimmering
"Come outside and find out" the Sheriff replied as he walked out the saloon, Shimmering Honor followed him out, of in the distance a small dust cloud was approaching, fast.
"What is that?" He asked as more deputies appeared from all over town, ponies rushed to cover and others attempted to quickly barraged themselves inside buildings
"The local gang".....
************
Luna was still flying over the Everfree forest, it had been three days since she had heard the voices and had set out on the hunt for Shimmering Honor,
"where could you be Captain?" she asked herself, worried that if she was too late, he could be in grave danger.
************
"Hello Sheriff, how is everypony today?" Said the mare sarcastically.
"Hello Storm, we are doing just fine, until you and your gang arrived" the Sheriff, he stared down the mare, she stood in front of her gang, Shimmering Honor looked at her, she was a Pegasus, Just like him, she had a deep black coat, Maroon mane, that was cut short, she wore a belt.with a revolver on the left side, a saddle bag on the right. she had several different ponies around her, all with revolvers and different types of hats.
"Well, looks like you have another deputy Sheriff, whats his name?" Asked the mare
"Him, He ain't no deputy Midnight, he is a traveler, whats ya name again son?" the Sheriff asked turning to Honor.
"Eh, Shimmering Honor" He replied.
"Well, I am Midnight Storm, and as ya'll can see" pointing to the other ponies around her "This is my gang, now stay outta our way and ya'll wont get hurt" She replied.
"Now what do ya want Storm?" Asked the Sheriff.
"Oh nothing much, just passing through, wanted to see this new Pegasus in town, you know I know everything that goes on" Midnight replied.
"Oh really, you wanted to meet a new Pegasi, well here he is, now get out of my town" the Sheriff shouted.
"Calm, calm, we mean no harm, yet" Midnight said and then they all turned around and galloped away.
The sheriff stared as the dust cloud slowly disappear, he turned to me and smiled
"And now ya'll know our problem" and with that he walked away.
"Wait, what does she do that's so bad?" Asked Shimmering.
"Well, she robs the bank, hijacks trains, stage coaches, anything that carries or holds any bits, she takes it." He said looking down at the ground. "And so far I haven't had the ability to catch her" the Sheriff said, disappointment in his voice.
"And why is that?" Asked Shield, he already new the answer, it was plain to see, but he wanted to get the Sheriff back for his little joke earlier.
"BECAUSE SHE IS THE ONLY PEGASUS IN THIS ENTIRE AREA!" He shouted out, shear anger displayed on his face. Shimmering Honor just laughed.
"Whats so darn funny?" the Sheriff asked, his tone was cold and a twitch had appeared in his left eye lid. Shimmering kept laughing, the saloon looked over at the two, trying to figure out what was so funny about the situation. Honor soon calmed down and wiped a tear from his eye.
"That was better than I thought" he said, then he spread his wings out as high as he could get them, they looked impressive, all the other ponies gasped, finally catching on to the joke, even the Sheriff had a smile on his face.
"Well I be darned, we do have a Pegasus that could help, I assume ya will help us?"
**********
Princess Luna had been flying for a few days now, She had just gotten to the edge of the Everfree Forest and saw some hoof prints, these seemed to appear from no where then wander in circles for a bit, as if confused. Then they disappeared, Luna landed near by and listened, but it was still day, she couldn't use her full power till the night came. so she sat down and waited.
"Oh, where in Equestria are you Shimmering Honor, the night guard need their captain." She was tired, so very tired, so very very.....
*********
After some planning and paperwork had been signed, the plan was set in motion, Shimmering Honor sat atop the train station, hiding behind the big sign and out of sight for all to see, life continued as normal, ponies going about their daily business, a train stopping every couple of hours. This was Tiring work, a deputy trotted up to the station, he had a case in his mouth, the earth pony looked around confused, then placed the case on the ground, near the side of the station, near of some other luggage. Shimmering watched as he gave one more confused look around and headed back to the Sheriffs office, Shimmering looked around, then in a blue blur, swooped down and picked up the case, no pony saw him. He opened it up and inside was a letter, a top a paper bag and a bottle.
"Eat this, ya'll be feeling hungry and thirsty soon " the letter said.
Shimmering looked in the bag, inside was a daffodil sandwich, he tucked in, he was very hungry, yet he managed to conserve enough of it for a good few hours later, he didn't know where the knowledge came from, it was instinct not to eat the whole thing and safe some. He turned to the bottle and opened it, a strong sweat smell of cider flowed out of the top, he took a swig and again conserved his rations. A few more hours of this and I might go insane, yet why does it feel so familiar? he thought to himself, still hiding behind the sign. Still nothing odd happened, nothing seemed off.
From his hiding spot, Shimmering Honor could see all the way down the street, and could see the direction the gang had come from and went last time they where in town. The sun was starting to get low in the sky and soon Ponies where heading to the saloon for an evening drink, Shimmering wished he could join them, but he still had his ration of cider in the case. Then coming down the street was the Deputy with another case in his mouth, he did the same thing, walked up to the station, dropped off the case and walked off, still confused as to where it was going. Shimmering Honor retrieved the case, opened it and inside was another note, which simply said.
"Dinner"
Inside was some hay fries, another sandwich and more cider, the fries where still warm. Shimmering ate those quickly to warm his stomach, then placed the sandwich and cider in the other case, he dropped the case back on the other side of the station, went back up to his hiding point and nibbled on his previous sandwich. Still fresh.
********
It was dark when Luna woke back up, the air was cold, the sky lite by the moon and the stars, She was happy, she as in her element. She looked around and was surprised to see the residue was still around, she could see the blue Pegasus she searched for fly off at a fast speed, she followed the ghostly form, her eyes never leaving him, then he stopped, the ghost faded, revealing that he had chased a mirage, she saw hoof prints and followed them, going off to the left of where he had just come from.
*********
It was the coldest night yet, there where no clouds in the sky, just clear skies, nothing to stop the heat escaping into the sky. Shimmering Honor sat there, shivering. dam its cold he thought, but he never stopped watching, every pony had gone to sleep, or at least that what it seemed like to anypony who would enter the town now. Yet that was the plan.
A faint yellow twinkle caught Shimmering's eye, off to the left of the town, it grew bigger as it drew near, a dust cloud behind the light, they had arrived....
Author's Note
Well, I wanted to get some more in, but I thought, why not feed them some more, see if they can work out where this is going and what does Shimmering Honor have planned.
Also yes Luna does have some abilities to see ghosts of events from a few days ago, I haven't decided how long the time is till the residue wares off, but it is something she can only do at night. It was my own little creation to give to the fandom
So I hope you all like it, please comment some ideas, I will take suggestions as to what could happen, I have a plan, just need some fillers. AND I know that spelling and grammar are off, I am slightly dyslexic, so yeah, I suck at writing.
Chapter 6, Ambush at creepy pass.
It was the coldest night yet, there where no clouds in the sky, just clear skies, nothing to stop the heat escaping into the sky. Shimmering Honor sat there, shivering. dam its cold he thought, but he never stopped watching, every pony had gone to sleep, or at least that what it seemed like to anypony who would enter the town now. Yet that was the plan.
A faint yellow twinkle caught Shimmering's eye, off to the left of the town, it grew bigger as it drew near, a dust cloud behind the light, they had arrived.
Shimmering Honor got as low to the roof as he could, the light and dust cloud getting closer and closer. Shimmering looked down the street and noticed the Sheriff looking in his direction. a nod of the head confirmed the Sheriff had seen the lights and headed back inside. The lights now with in a few yards of the edge of the town, Shimmering looked and noticed it was the gang he had meet earlier that day. They slowed down and soon entered the town, headed to the bank and waited outside.
"Hello everypony!" shouted the leader, a mare by the name of Midnight Storm. "I am here to make a withdraw!" she shouted, a few of the gang laughed and charged the bank, revolvers going off aimlessly into the night sky, Shimmering watched and waited...
The Sheriff and his men came out of various buildings and hid behind barrels and creates placed strategically around town.
"Give it up Midnight!" Shouted the Sheriff, Midnight turned around and laughed.
"Ha, you think you can take us?" Midnight replied raising her revolver in her specially adapted gloves. the gang ran out the bank.
"Its empty!" one shouted in shock, "There ain't no bits inside the safe, nothing!" Midnight was shocked..she looked around, realizing they where all doomed.
"IT'S A TRAP, RUN!" She shouted and galloped towards the edge of the town. The gang followed, Shimmering spread his wings and flew up, into the black abyss known as the night sky.
He followed the gang for a few miles and looked back, the Sheriff and his men where sticking to the plan, chasing after them, but not trying to catch them. Shimmering saw the railway up ahead, the bridge crossing a canyon was closed, sections removed for 'maintenance', this forced the gang to the left, a massive cliff blocking the right... one pony was a bit stupid, thought he could jump the cap between the sections of bridge, the scream confirmed he couldn't.
Shimmering still flying above the gang watched as they rounded a corner, into Creepy Pass... a few ponies had overtaken Midnight storm, and were now a few meters ahead of the main body of the gang.
BANG!
Several large explosions rang out, the main body stopped, looks of horror on their faces, TNT. The Sheriff had set up another trap...the explosives had caused a rock slide...unfortunately the ponies at the front didn't stop in time...they where enveloped in a cloud of dust as rocks and dirt filled the passes exit, the ponies at the front where never seen again. Shimmering could see that the gang had started to turn around, but another explosion cut across the pass and blocked the other end, they where all trapped, waiting to be arrested by the sheriff...
Midnight looked around her, chaos had ensued once the first explosion crushed her men...They planned this, how could they...they didn't even know we where coming..
She had one advantage over her men though, she was determined not to be trapped. She span round towards the exist that had been blocked first and ran, her gang not noticing...she ran faster and faster, she spread her wings and flew up into the sky, over the rocks and dirt and onto the other side...freedom!
Midnight looked back, worthless, the lot of them, can't even get out of the pass. with that she ran, and she kept on running...
Shimmering has holding back a laugh as the ponies trapped in the pass started to panic, the deputies had caught up and where now lining the top of the walls. But Shimmering saw something else, Midnight Storm flying out of the pass...he followed her, staying as high up as possible so he couldn't be spotted. Midnight landed hesitated and carried on running...
Now was his chance, Shimmering Honor angled downwards and folded his wings, gaining speed from the drop, he angled himself to be aiming just in front of Midnight. When he got closer, he spread his wings and impacted Midnight, sending them both rolling over the ground...impacted a large rock and then fall flat on their backs...
"Who the hay are you?" Midnight asked, then she looked over and saw it was Shimmering. "Oh great taken down by the new pony in town..."
"Yep, and not only the new pony, but the new deputy as well." Shimmering said as he pulled out a pair of hang cuffs from his belt, he cuffed Midnight's hooves and then wrapped some rope around her waist, securing her wings. They headed back towards the town at a slow trot...
Luna was still following the trail left behind by her captain... it had been still for a while when it had gotten up and had moved at some speed in yet another direction..
Now she could see a sleepy little town in the distance... BANG! a loud explosion rang out from her right, she looked over to see the faint glow of an explosion. Her ears poked up and listened intently. must be miners she thought and continued to the town.
When Shimmering returned to town with the captive in tow, the streets where empty, besides a very large crowd hanging around the saloon... Shield tide Midnight to a wooden post and headed over to the saloon...
Author's Note
notice any references in there
The New job and the train ride.
Chapter 7, The New job and The train ride
The saloon was surrounded by almost everypony in Appleoosa, all were staring into the building via any means they could, Shimmering Honor was confused. He left the tide up Midnight Storm and trotted over.
“Whats going on?” he asked as he reached the edge of the crowd.
“The Princess is here!” said one Unicorn.
“Princess Luna herself!” exclaimed an Earth pony.
Shimmering was shocked. Why would the Princess of the night be here?
He spread his wings and flew over the crowd and landed on the small balcony that was just outside the room he had used a few times. He opened the door and walked into the main part of the building to a landing just above the bar.
He looked over the old wooden banister. Below was a scene he never thought possible. Princess Luna was in the middle of the room sitting at a table with the sheriff, who sat on the other side. A pile of Ponies lay on the ground to their left. Scattered on the table was an assortment of shot glasses… half empty, the others filled with…
Wait, is this a drinking contest? Then that pile of ponies… they LOST!?
He looked down in shock as the sheriff took another shot glass along with the princess. His hoof was shaking, and he was only just able to get it to his muzzle before he poured it down his throat. He paused, then slowly toppled to the left. One of the bat pony guards caught him on his back, and bucked him onto the pile of drunk ponies.
“Is there not one pony who WE cannot defeat?” Luna asked, She stood and spread her wings, some of the ponies left in the saloon looked scared, and nervous.
Something clicked in Shimmering's mind, a memory. I remember, Luna can hold her drink. There was one other who could as well… who was it… who was… it? ME! Memories flooded back into his mind as Shimmering remembered that he use to have contests like this with the Princess all the time, and she always lost. He spread his wings and slowly descended into the seat opposite Luna.
“There is but one.” he said as he placed his hind on the chair. Luna was shocked at first, but smiled as her horn started to glow… Shimmering somehow knew this removed all the effects the alcohol had on the Princess, making it an even contest.
“Oh really Captain?” She asked Sarcastically. Shimmering Honor looked at her confused.
“Captain?” he looked around trying to work out who she was talking to, the three bat pony guards were all looking at him, they were all saluting him.
“But… ME!? Whoa-whoa-whoa… I ain't no Captain. You have me mistaken your highness.” he stuttered.
Luna just looked at him. “Are you not Shimmering Honor?” she asked as the barpony came over with a new tray of shot glasses all filled with a reddish liquid.
“Yes your highness. But I am no Captain,” Shimmering replied.
Luna just laughed and picked up a shot glass. “We will test thine theory then. Beat me and we will know for sure if thou art Captain Shimmering Honor of the Night Guard.”
Shimmering picked up a glass, and held it to his muzzle. Odd, thats not cider… uhm.
They downed the drinks, and slammed the glasses back down on the table. The warm smoky flavoured liquid poured down Honors throat. It was not what he was expecting which resulted in a rather heavy coughing fit.
“Wow, what is this stuff?” he asked.
Luna looked at him with a confused look on her face. “You really don’t have any memories? Well it is known as Whiskey, my dear Shimmering.” She picked up another glass.
This continued for a good couple of hours. More and more whiskey shots were downed, and Shimmering could feel his head pounding. His world started to spin, but Luna looked worse. She was swaying from side to side, backwards and forwards. As the barpony brought out the next round, the unexpected happened.
Luna got up out of her chair, held out her hoof, Shimmering shook it. Luna then turned and stumbled over to the pile of ponies. She looked down at them, and passed out, landing with an almighty thud accompanied by several of said ponies letting out gasps as more weight was added to the already heavy load.
“I guess I win?” Shimmering said, then flopped down onto the table, asleep.
Shimmering Honor awoke the next day with an outstanding headache. Every heartbeat sounded like the roar of thunder not mere inches from his ear.
“How much did I drink?” He asked himself as he got out of bed, the covers falling to the floor. He stumbled out of the room, and into the saloon downstairs. When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he saw Princess Luna sitting at a table, drinking a cup of coffee.
“Good morning Captain, how are thee today?” she asked as Shimmering stumbled over to the table.
“My head is killing me!” he exclaimed, Luna looked at him and her horn started to glow, the pounding in his head started to fade then suddenly disappeared. “Thank you, but why do you keep calling me Captain, I have no memories… I have amnesia after being blown out of the sky by some silly stunt.” Shimmering said, a little bit of anger seeped into his voice at the thought of that stupid cyan mare.
Luna thought for a moment, then closed her eyes as she started to concentrate, her horn glowed brighter and brighter. Shimmering looked on, worried. Luna leaned forward, and Shimmering leaned back, but was forced forward by a bat pony guard. As Luna’s horn touched his forehead a flash of pain shot through his brain.
Memories flooded back. Training, promotions, being Captain of Luna's personal guard. His wife… her funeral. Shimmering pulled away again before the spell was finished and suddenly certain memories disappeared. Any relating to his long lost wife sank back into the void of amnesia.
Shimmering looked at Luna. The corner of his world started to darken. Noises became faint, then nothing.
When Shimmering awoke again, he had some memories. Not all of them, but enough to know who he was. He was a Captain in the Royal guard. He was Luna’s Captain, but something else tugged at his mind. Something made him want to never go back to Canterlot, or Ponyville. He no longer wanted to be a Captain.
He walked out of the room, and his hoof hit something on the floor. He looked down to find a small draw string bag. he picked up the heavy bag and opened it. Inside were bits, lots and lots of bits.
MONEY , he thought. I can pay ponies back now. I can buy things… I… I… wait, there is a note as well . He picked out the note from the bag. On the front was the words To Shimmering Honor . He opened it up and read it.
Dear Shimmering Honor,
Contained in this bag is the bounty for one Midnight Storm, wanted on charges of armed robbery, assault, assaulting officers of the law, murder, murder of an officer of the law, and resisting arrest.
The total is 16500 bits.
Yours, Marshall service of Equestrian Western regions.
“16500 BITS!” Shimmering shouted.
He ran towards the front door, and bolted out. As soon as he was outside he spread his wings, and flew the short distance to the sheriff’s office. He unceremoniously burst through the door, and landed in front of a very startled sheriff.
“What can ah do for ya’ll?” he asked.
“Bounty? What is a bounty?” Shimmering asked.
The sheriff went on to explain that a bounty was placed on a criminal's head, and that certain ponies called bounty hunters go out looking for the criminal, and either arrest them or kill them. Afterwards they bring the criminal in whatever state they are in, and receive a bit reward.
Shimmering was astounded. Here was an amazing way to make money, and he could do things his way. No red tape of guarding Princesses, or working within the law, and he could work for as long as he liked. It sounded perfect.
“How do you become a bounty hunter?” Asked Shimmering.
“Simple, get a gun or two and start looking for wanted posters, after you do a test in Trottingham, a judge gives you a Bounty Hunters License” the sheriff replied.
Shimmering turned, and ran out of the door. He looked at prices of revolvers, and found a good cheap one, a six shot Smith and Western. He bought himself a stetson hat, and a jacket. He even got a pair of sunglasses, and a set of saddlebags.
Princess Luna watched as her Captain went from shop to shop, buying all sorts of bits and pieces. she flew down to him and landed in front of him.
“May we ask the meaning of these purchases, do thee not wish to return?” she asked, concern in her voice.
“I don’t your highness,” Shimmering bowed down to the Princess. “I feel if I do return, my lack of memories will cause more issues, and I would be a bother… So I wish to start anew. I will be a bounty hunter, protecting the citizens of the eastern regions in my own way,” Shimmering Honor finished.
“Do thee mean the Western regions? We understand and can see that thee is not fully recovered… Alas I shall return now, and wish thee good luck. You truly are one of strong Honor” Luna bowed her head, took off into the air, and flew back to canterlot. Shimmering watched as she got further and further away, then disappeared into the horizon.
The sheriff had seen the whole thing, and slowly walked up to Shimmering Honor.
“Captain is everything okay?” he asked.
Shimmering looked up and smiled. “Not Captain… just Shimmering Honor. The new bounty hunter in these parts!” He said as he pulled a heroic pose.
“Well, bounty hunter. If ya wish, ya can get the next train to Manehatten. It leaves in about ten minutes, and ya’ll first bounty is being put aboard to be sent to court.” The Sheriff pointed to the train station as a whistle could be heard in the distance.
“Aye sheriff, thank you so much. You have helped me, and now I bid you farewell and good luck!” Shimmering said, raising a hoof to his new hat, and tipping it slightly. He trotted down to the station. As he arrived he saw Midnight Storm being ‘loaded’ into one of the box cars. Shimmering trotted over, and checked ‘his’ bounty.
“Everything alright lads?” he asked the two deputies.
“Yes sir! Ya can sleep well tonight.” The first one said.
“She will be locked up good and proper in the city,” the other one exclaimed. A mutter was heard from the box car.
“What was that my dear?” asked Shimmering.
“I said, not if I can help it,” Midnight said defiantly. Shimmering laughed and proceeded to board the train. A whistle was heard and the guard waved his flag signaling the train's departure. It jolted and slowly started to pick up speed as it left the now peaceful Appleoosa behind.
About three hours into the journey, Shimmering Honor had fallen asleep. The gentle sway of the carriage as the train stormed down the track had lulled him into a light slumber. Yet something didn’t sit right in his mind. He knew that this was all too easy. Prisoner transfers back at the castle had always been complicated affairs with massive amounts of security and secrecy. Yet here they just flung her on the first train out of town, and he didn’t see many guards or…
Oh thats not good. Not good at all . Shimmering bolted upright as something dawned on him. He got out of his chair and calmly made his way to the rear of the train where the boxcars were. He climbed up onto the roof and looked around, nothing. He made his way to the boxcar with Midnight Storm in and knocked on the door as he flew next to it, a deputy opened it confused.
“May I enter.” Shimmering said, but unfortunately at the same time the engine blew its whistle. Shimmering looked along to the train and saw a tunnel approaching...fast! he flew into the box car as the train entered the tunnel.
“Err..Mister, What are Ya’ll doing here?” Asked the confused deputy.
“What security do you have on this train?” He asked.
“Security, just me, Ma Sheriff said that's all we will need as her gang ain’t no more.” The deputy said, pointing a hoof in Midnight's direction.
“Is this standard procedure?” Asked Shimmering with a bit more urgency, he trotted over to Midnight and checked the chains holder her down where secure while the Deputy stood in front of the still open side of the box car.
“Err..yeah, we do this all the time, Ya not from around here are ya?” He asked, Shimmering looked around at the Deputy as the train excited the tunnel, the Deputy suddenly vanished with a scream… a lasso had pulled him out of the train.
Shimmering ran to the door and saw a gang of ponies galloping alongside the train. A train robbery, no… they are here to break Her out. Shimmering turned to Midnight storm.
“Friends of yours?” He asked and pulled out his revolver.
“Nope, they are the Marktown Train Robbers… not very nice ponies, now I suggest you let me out so I can help you!” She shouted over the racket of gunfire while pulling at the chains clapping her hooves to the floor.
“And why would I do that?”
“Because… they kill everypony in rival gangs...and we...have had falling outs in the past!” She finished as bullets zipped past their heads.
“Well I can’t let you out anyway… the guard had the key and…” BING, CLANG… Shimmering was startled to see a bullet had hit the shackles...Midnight's fore hooves came free and she got up.
“You were saying?...WATCH OUT!” She cried as a Pony jumped into the boxcar, Shimmering span around and bucked him hard in the muzzle, he dropped his revolver onto the floor and fell out of the boxcar. Midnight made a dash for the revolver, she picked it up and looked at the odd item… it was golden plated and had fancy decorations on it.
“Waste of good gold if you ask me.” She stated. Another pony jumped onto the Boxcar roof, Midnight calmly pointed the gun up and fired off a shot...THUD, red ooze started to seep in through holes in the roof. “Not bad.”
More shots fired into the Boxcar and pinged of the metal frame. Shimmering and Midnight were firing back when a horrid noise filled their ears...BOOM!!! Shimmering Honor poked his head around the door and looked to see where the explosion had come from, what he saw made his heart sink… Up ahead was a canyon, a very deep and wide canyon. Crossing the canyon was a wooden trestle bridge, which, by the looks of the large fireball, had just been blown up.
“On my mark, jump!” Shimmering instructed.
“Cut my wings lose, then we can fly out.”
“No...we need to keep our wings tucked, if we spread them as we jump, the wind would knock us into the sides of the canyon and kill us.” Shimmering stated as he found a spare bit of rope and tied his wings down to resist the urge to open them.
“What… are you crazy… I don’t belie….” Midnight never finished the sentence as a screeching noise came from the front of the train. The engineer had jammed on the breaks…
The Train kept hurtling along the track, sparks flew in every direction, but it couldn’t stop in time the engine toppled over the edge of the broken bridge, dragging the carriages along with it, screams of trapped earth ponies and Unicorns alike filled the air.
“Ready… and….JUMP!” Shimmering shouted as the Boxcar toppled over the edge, both of the Pegasi jumped out of the doomed wagon and fell. They landed on a slope with a thud and rolled down, bouncing off rocks and falling off small cliffs… BOOM!!! The engine exploded as it hit the bottom of the canyon, a Fireball going up and igniting all the carriages.
Shimmering Honor woke to a scene from hell… burnt and twisted metal lay everywhere, along with mangled bodies. Shimmering got up and looked around, lying next to him was Midnight Storm, unconscious, but alive. She does look cute when she is out cold. He thought, he undid the ropes on his wings and felt a sharp pain on his left as he gave them a light flap…Dam, broken wing . He scooped up Midnight and laid her across his back.
“Come on then, lets get you to Manehatten then.” He stated to nopony and started the long walk back to civilization.
Just a Walk in the Canyon...
Chapter 8, Just a walk in the canyon…
Three days… That's how long she had been out cold… three bucking days… and now it was the fourth day, the fourth sunrise and SHE is still out cold…
HOW!
She didn’t take that much of a hit, did she?” These thoughts had been circling Shimmering Honors mind for the past couple of days since the train wreck, he had been carrying her on his back the whole time.
His injuries were easily fixed, he had checked the wreck and found a few medical supplies, he had tied his wing into a splint to help make sure it healed right. He had disinfected any cuts, he had checked himself over and was happy.
Midnight Storm was worse off, she had broken a leg and a wing, so he quickly splinted them up and then got to work on the cuts…
That was three days ago, he had been carrying her unconscious form for that long, he had tied her up at night, but then untied her while carrying her…
As he walked, the canyon just kept going and going… he couldn’t see a way up, or a way out, the walls towered over him.
I need to get out this dam Canyon, find the railway and follow that.. yeah… that's what I need to do...find a way out…
“Dammit, now I am repeating myself...I am sure I said that yesterday.” He said aloud. What happened next caught him off guard.
“You did… and the day before… and while you sleep.” Came a Trottingham mare’s voice. Shimmering Honor looked around, but he was the only one in the canyon..
“WHO SAID THAT!” He shouted.
“Hay, not so loud!!” Something shifted on his back as the voice returned.
“You're awake…” Shimmering looked over his shoulder to see Midnight Storm staring at him.
“Well yeah...how can I not be with you talking to yourself.”
“Oh, I am sooo sorry, and what’s with the Trottingham accent, you had the one all the other ponies had back at Appleoosa?” Shimmering asked.
“Because I am from Trottingham… I put on that accent so I could intimidate them more… do you really think my normal accent is scary enough?” She asked, now Shimmering thought about it, her accent made her sound so sweet and peaceful, it was hard to believe she was a gang leader not the other day.
“I see your point… so how long have you been awake?”
“Every night and a few times each day.”
“Why did you not say anything?”
“No reason too.”
“Well, you could have said something, I was worried I would go insane...you hungry?”
“Yeah...you got any food?”
“Nope...you?”
“What do you think?”
“Thought so.” Shimmering's head dropped, how could he keep going… he hadn’t eaten in three days, he hadn’t had anything to drink and he was oh so tired…
“How long has it been since we jumped?”
“I woke up and started walking about three days ago, how long I was out is another matter.” Just then a rustling could be heard from a bush..Shimmering lowers Midnight to the ground and goes for his revolver.
He draws it and points it toward the bush…
The rustling noise increases.
A cold sweat has formed on Shimmering’s brow…
The noise gets louder and more frantic
CLICK ... Shimmering pulls back the hammer on the revolver and aims towards the bush…
“Who’s there, come out with your hooves up!” He commands…
Suddenly, the noise stops, out jumps one of the most unexpected thing…
“A RABBIT...I GOT SCARED OF A DAM RABBIT!!!” He shouted as he carefully lowered the hammer back into its safe position placed the revolver back behind his saddle bag.
“HAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!...You should have seen your face...HAHAHAHA”
“Not funny Midnight, not funny at all….” He turned around to see Midnight standing up, struggling to take the splint off her leg.
“HAY, you can’t take that off just yet, your legs broken!” He warned.
“No its not, just dislocated, see.” He twisted her leg and a loud popping sound could be heard, Midnight winched in pain and then wiggled her leg.
“See, good as new, but the wing, yeah… that's broken.” She winched again as she tried to move her wing.
“Well, then, shall we keep going?” and with that they kept walking.
It was now noon, the sun shone straight down into the canyon, there was no shade, no cover as the two Pegasi walked.
“So, what made you become a criminal?” Shimmering asked
“I was abandoned as a filly, my parents didn’t love me, they took me to an orphanage and left me there to rot… they even told me they hated me, I was adopted, by some rich stallion in Manehatten. He thought having a soft spoken Trottingham mare as a slave was a good idea, so I killed him, I took his rifle he used for hunting and…”
Five years before
“Hello master, wake up, we are going to play a little game!” Midnight jumped on the Stallions bed.
“Midnight, what the, its not even morning, I only just got to sleep you deranged mare!” He shouted at her… he soon stopped when he saw HIS rifle in HER hooves, and it was pointed at HIS muzzle.
“But I wanna play...” She pouted and but on a puppy dog face.
“GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM!!” He shouted.
CLICK
“Wrong answer!” Midnight smiled as her pupils dilated…
“Okay, I’ll play, I’ll play!” He sobbed…
“Good colt… now out on to the street.” The Stallion got out of bed and walked down stairs with Midnight following, the rifle pointed at his neck. Once they were out on the street, Midnight forced him out into the middle of the road.
“Now RUN!” She shouted as she shot the ground in front of him, the dazed Stallion did… he turned around and ran for his life.
“Ahahahahaha...RUN MASTER, RUN…” His heart was pounding as he ran down the street, a shot rang out as the bullet zipped past his head… he turned the corner, into a back ally…
“Ahhh, MASTER THINKS HE CAN OUTRUN ME! HAHAHAHAAAA!” Another shot rang out and blew a hole next to the running stallion, he looked back and couldn’t see her… then it hit him, he looked up. There was Midnight, flying through the sky, rifle in hooves… BANG, another shot and another shower of tarmac…
“Keep running master!” She teased, it had started to rain heavily, the stallion slipped round another corner and carried on running, this ally was darker, par one light at the end… against a stone wall… a dead end!
“Ahh, Master has hit a dead end...literally!” Midnight landed behind him, blocking the exit…
“Please...don’t kill me...no...no...please no...NOOOOOOO!” Midnight was slowly approaching, as she was silhouetted in the alley, the only thing the stallion could she off her was her outline, her eyes shone a bright white, her pupils were so small. Her mouth was turned up in an evil grin… her teeth gleamed a brilliant white…
The image sent fear deep into the Stallions heart...it was the last thing he saw. A sudden pain in his head caused him to flip onto his back, his legs went limp as a warm red ooze slowly trickled down his forehead…
“That was my first kill, I hunted him to that dark alley and shot him, when I snapped out of it. I ran, I ran and I ran, never stopping, I jumped onto a freight train, rifle in hoof and ended up at Marktown… I robbed the bank and took off.. within a year, I had my own gang.” Midnight finished her story. Shimmering looked at her…
She has been through so much… She… I feel sorry for her… Shimmering Honor was confused, why did he feel sorry for her? She was a criminal, she killed ponies, she robbed ponies… how could he feel sorry for her?
Yet he still wanted to hold her, to tell her it was alright… oddly, he wanted to protect her.
It had been a few hours since Midnight had told of her first kill… the sun had dropped below the ridge of the canyon, now creating plenty of shadow… they two ponies kept on walking… kept on heading down the everlasting canyon…
snap
“Did you hear that Midnight?” Shimmering asked as his hoof slowly made its way towards his revolver.
“Oh calm down, its probably another rabbit.” She laughed.
“True, but why has it been following us then for an hour along with the two in the bush to the right and the one on the right?” Asked Shimmering
“What?”
“I can hear them, they are creeping up on us… I count four.” Shimmering slowly pulled out his revolver and pulled the hammer back.
“How can you tell?” Midnight asked, wishing she had a revolver.
“Training, I was a Captain of the Night Guard.” He stated, this made Midnight lean back a bit… a Night Guard, a Captain
Suddenly five ponies jumped out of the bushes, they started to circle the two Pegasi. their faces had some sort of war paint on and they had vulture feathers behind their ears.
“Okay, I was wrong. Five!” Shimmering aimed his revolver at each one individually, his hoof resting on the trigger, sweat started to run down his forehead.
Midnight got closer to Shimmering, for some reason, she felt safer next to him.
“Their the Red Vultures, they like to wait till the prey is dead or close to it to take what they want.” Midnight stated, a hint of worry in her voice.
“Thanks for the info...Now, what do you ponies want?” Shimmering asked the small gang. None of them answered, they just circled and stared.
“They never speak in Equestrian tongue.” Midnight informed him
“Again, thanks” he almost spat at her sarcastically. His left flank suddenly had a burning pain forcing into his skin and muscle, he let out a yelp of pain as a shot echoed down the canyon.
He turned around and saw a red painted pony holding a small revolver in his hoof, Shimmering let off a single shot and the unfortunate pony fell to the floor…
He shot me…
Shimmering could feel a warm liquid oozing down his fur, he kept turning around until he came face to face with a very shocked Midnight… as his world started to fade, he noticed a smile appear on her lips, one that sent shivers down his spine, one he remembered she had described not hours before. Her eyes had started to dilate.
“No..pony...hurts..my…” And then blackness…
Useless…
Worthless…
You will never find it…
Your hopes…
Your dreams…
All gone…
All destroyed…
The voices rang out around him as he ran, he kept running in that dark void, nothing in front, nothing behind, just more voices… repeating… repeating…
Useless…
Worthless…
Lonely...
She left you...
You will never find it…
Your hopes…
Your dreams…
All gone…
All destroyed…
What was happening...why was he running, Shimmering Honor couldn’t understand it, he tried to stop, but he kept on running…
Useless…
Worthless…
Lonely...
She left you...
Nopony ever loved you…
They all forgot about you…
Why do you continue...
You will never find it…
Your hopes…
Your dreams…
All gone…
All destroyed…
“PLEASE STOP!!!” He shouted at the voices, then a rainbow shockwave appeared in front of him, getting closer, faster, the sound echoed in his head…
Useless…
Worthless…
Lonely...
She left you...
Nopony ever loved you…
They all forgot about you…
Why do you continue...
You will never find it…
Your hopes…
Your dreams…
All gone…
All destroyed…
BY ME!!!
The Rainbow maned Pegasus appeared in front of him, laughing, she looked so evil...then she was engulfed in a red could as the mare changed shape into Midnight Storm.
And now, I am going to kill you!!! And that evil grinned mare charged him…
Shimmering shot bolt right up, his fur was matted by large amounts of sweat, his chest was rising and lowering at an alarming speed as he gasped for breath…
Then he noticed the warm glow on his right side, he turned to see a small fire… he looked up to see it was night time, when he looked down he found himself in some form of sleeping bag. He kept looking around and noticed a small pile of saddlebags, a few rifles and revolvers, a mess tin and a kettle was suspended over the fire by a metal cooking frame.
“Bad dream Shimmy?” Came a soft voice, he found its source. Midnight Storm?
“Err..yeah, you can say that, but where did all this come from? what happened?”
Midnight was sat on the other side of the fire to him, she was atop another sleeping back.
“Well we were ambushed, you were shot and I...well..” She pointed to an area behind Shimmering, he turned around and froze… there hanging by their hind legs where 4 ponies, each seemed to have had all of Tartarus hit them… a few had bones sticking out, others could only just be recognized as ponies..
“...I kind of killed them” She finished...
“Why, they could have shown us a way out!” he almost shouted.
“I tried to get them to tell me… I did, trust me…” She pleaded. why does she look so cute? how can I be made at her, she saved my life, she hasn’t run away either.
“Why didn’t you run away?” Shimmering asked her.
“Huh?”
“While I was out cold, you could have run away, restarted your gang and left me too die, why didn’t you?”
“Well, I don’t know…” She blushed and turned her head a little.
“Okay...well before I blacked out you said, ‘Nopony hurts my… My what?”
“My…”
“Yes” Shimmering was getting interested. It nagged him why she had said those words.
“My…” Midnight struggled to say the words.
“My...my...my.. MY SHIMMY!!” she finally shouted out… She looked at Shimmering Honor across the fire, her eyes started to fill with tears…
“YOUR Shimmy, what the buck is...ahhh!” Shimmering went to stand up, but a pain shot through his flank, he checked to see that it had been bandaged up, a large re spot was evident.
“Don’t move shimmy, you will make it worse..” Midnight ran over to Honor, she pushed him back down gently.
“Now go to sleep, I will stay guard.” She smiled, not an evil grin, but a sincere smile, one that warmed his heart.
“So where did you get this stuff?” he asked.
“The gang had it hidden in the bushes, they have food and everything, now sleep Shimmy.” She commanded, he laid down and closed his eyes.
“Thanks Midnight” he finally said as he drifted to sleep.
Useless…
Worthless…
Lonely...
She left you...
Nopony ever loved you…
They all forgot about you…
Why do you continue...
You will never find it…
Your hopes…
Your dreams…
All gone…
All destroyed…
BY ME!!!
The Rainbow maned Pegasus appeared in front of him, laughing, she looked so evil...then she was engulfed in a red could as the mare changed shape into Midnight Storm.
And now, I am going to kill you!!! And that evil grinned mare charged him…
Shimmering’s eyes shot open… another dream, another nightmare… It was still night time and the fire had started to die down, but something made his ears perked up, a noise, a mumbling…
“He is soo cute, so kind, I think I love him… but he doesn’t feel the same way, he never will, face it, he is a bounty hunter, you’re a crook, a criminal and murder. I am just another pay cheque to him, a way to get more bits...nothing else… OF course he has feelings, did you see the way he tried to protect you, how he carried you, fixed you up, he could have left you for dead… but he carried you for three days, without food or water… NO, he will never love me, will he? urr I don’t know, I don’t know” the mumbling continued along with the sound of a pony passing backwards and forwards.
Soon Shimmering Drifted back to sleep, he didn’t dream again that night.
More walking...More talking
More walking...More talking
Chapter 9, More walking...More talking
“He is soo cute, so kind, I think I love him… but he doesn’t feel the same way, he never will, face it, he is a bounty hunter, you’re a crook, a criminal and murder. I am just another pay cheque to him, a way to get more bits...nothing else… OF course he has feelings, did you see the way he tried to protect you, how he carried you, fixed you up, he could have left you for dead… but he carried you for three days, without food or water… NO, he will never love me, will he? urr I don’t know, I don’t know” the mumbling continued along with the sound of a pony passing backwards and forwards.
Soon Shimmering Drifted back to sleep, he didn’t dream again that night.
Shimmering slowly opened his eyes, it was just starting to get light. He stretched his legs and wing, yawned and got up out of the sleeping bag.
The fire had died out sometime in the night, the cooking pot on top now had a very cold stew inside and the kettle had been blown off in a gentle breeze.
Shimmering looked around and found Midnight curled up on top of her sleeping bag, she was still mumbling in her sleep.
“I am sure I love him… I am sure...sure...Shimmy…” She muttered, this brought a smile to Shimmerings face…She is rather cute when she is asleep .
“Come on Midnight, time to get up!” He said with a commanding voice, trying to act as if he didn’t hear her mumbling.
“Huh?...What? oh, morning Shimmering…*YAWN* oh my...so, we still got a lot of walking today?” She asked groggily, small bags had formed under her eyes.
“Yep, so lets pack up what we need and can carry and head out...that way I think…” He looked up and down the canyon, trying to work out which way to go.
“That way” Midnight pointed a hoof out to her right.
“Okay then.”
They soon packed up the campsite, they had strapped the sleeping bags to their saddlebags, which were filled with food, water, ammo and the cooking kit. Shimmering stepped over to Midnight with a rope.
“Whats that for?” She asked, taking a step back.
“Just because you didn’t kill me in my sleep or run off last night doesn’t mean I trust you.” He tied the rope around her stomach and under her wings, then connected to other end to himself in the same manner. Midnight just looked at him with disbelief on her face, but her eyes showed pain.
“Now come on...lets go already.” He started to walk off and pulled Midnight along.
For the first few hours, neither of them spoke, they just walked in silence. When it reached midday and the sun was at its highest, they took shelter under an overhang, hiding from the suns heat.
“Shimmering?”
“Yes Midnight.”
“Can we please take this rope off please? It itches and is rubbing my fur to tightly.” She gave the rope a slight tug.
“No.”
“Why not?” she looked hurt again.
“Because you are still my bounty and you still have a date in court.” He said emotionlessly. Midnight just sat there.
Soon the two pegasi where walking again. They kept on walking in silence for hours, Shimmering Honor didn’t mind, he found it nice to be able to just get some time to think.
Okay, lets look at the situation.
I have no memories.
I was a Captain of the Night guard, now I am a Bounty Hunter.
And I am stuck in the middle of a dam canyon with my first bounty tied to me.
My wing is broken and so is hers. So no chance of flying out of here.
Shimmering looked across to the mare next to him.
But she is cute. WHAT. No, stop, she is a bounty...just a way to get some bits.
His face went a slight red and he snapped his gaze forward.
But she did say that she liked me...I heard her...twice...I think
He looked at me...I swear he did...then he blushed...what is that stallion thinking?
Midnight had caught Shimmering looking at her from the corner of her eye, when his head snapped back to looking forward, she gingerly turned her head slightly to look at him.
HE IS..he is blushing..ohmygoshohmygosh, he does show emotion..
She felt her heart flutter a bit, she needed to say something, the silence was killing her.
“So Shimmering…”
“So Midnight…” They both started to talk at the same time.
“Sorry…” they both apologized.
“You go first Shimmering”
“Okay, so tell me about the Marktown Train Robbers, if I am going to be a bounty hunter, I need to know about the gangs in this region.” This took Midnight by surprise.
“Well, why do you care?” she said, mocking being cross.
“Because I do...is it so wrong I wanna talk for a bit, we have been walking for hours.”
“Well, take the rope off then!” She snapped.
“Fine then, if I take of the ropes, will you speak to me?” he was starting to get annoyed, he didn’t like the idea of her being lose.
“Yes” Shimmering undid the rope. “The Marktown Train robbers are a group of ponies who only target the trains. They are all earth ponies, all stallions, and their leader hates me.”
“Why does he hate you?” Midnight looked up at the sky.
“Because I got to a train before him once, it was about two years ago…”
The train was sat in the station of Dodge City, waiting to leave for Baltimare. Midnight and her gang knew what was on the train...Gold, and lots of it. They had taken the engineers and guards out and was no masquerading as the trains crew. As it left the station, they all cheered as they had gotten away with it.
About a mile later, they stopped and got the rest of the gang onto the boxcars and the train carried on to a specific point. But as they passed Marktown, another gang started to gallop along side the train.
“Boss, we have trouble!” shouted one of Midnights gang members, she popped her head out of the trains cabin and saw the gang.
“What D’all want?!” She called out as one pony galloped next to the engine.
“This train!” he called back
“Well, sorry but we have it!”
“What?!”
“Names Midnight Storm...and me and MY gang got this train first!” all the boxcars opened up to reveal ponies inside with weapons drawn. The pony jumped up into the engine.
“This is my heist missy, so get!” and he punched her in the muzzle. What followed was chaos. Midnight bucked the stallion out of the engine as the rest of the gang shot at the ponies galloping along side. It was a blood bath. Another pony jumped onto the tender.
“Not so fast missy, do you know how we are?” He asked as he pulled out a sawn off shotgun.
“No, should I?” She teasingly asked, pulling out her two revolvers.
“We are the Marktown Train robbers...and this is our train.” he fired a shot at Midnight, but missed.
“What the…?”
“Up here!” The Stallion looked up, Midnight was hovering just above him, “I’ma Pegasus!” and she started to shot the coals around his hooves, making him dance.
“Dam Bi…AHHHHHHH” one of his forelegs was hit and he fell over. Midnight landed in front of him.
“Now then mister Marktown Train Robbers...get!” She bucked him off the train, the rest of the Train Robbers ran off, their tails between their legs.
“…And thats how I got into the bad books of the Marktown Train Robbers.” Midnight finished her story.
“Okay, so your turn to ask me a question.” Midnight blushed and looked down,
“Shimmering...what...what do you think about me… truthfully?” She asked, stammering through her embarrassment.
“How I feel...about...you…” Shimmering gulped. What do I say, what do I say! Just then he felt a sting in his neck, his became dizzy and the world started to spine.
“Shimmy...Shimmy...SHIMMY” Midnight cried, then he noticed a dart fly into her neck… he started to blank out as he saw her starting to sway then fall over. His world went black as felt his head hit the ground.
Chapter 10, The plot thickens!
“Shimmering...What...What do you think about me?…Truthfully?” She asked, stammering through her embarrassment.
“How I feel...about...you…” Shimmering gulped. What do I say, what do I say! Just then he felt a sting in his neck, he became dizzy and the world started to spin.
“Shimmy...Shimmy...SHIMMY!” Midnight cried, then he noticed a dart fly into her neck… he started to blank out as he saw her begin to sway and then fall over. His world went black as he felt his head hit the ground.
When Shimmering regained consciousness, his head felt heavy, his eyes felt like they would pop out...everything hurt.
Then he noticed his surroundings, the ground was above him, and the sky was below him, it glowed orange with either dawn or dusk. At least he was out of the canyon.
He tried to move but everything was tied up. He felt rope on around his hind legs, fore legs and wings. He looked towards them to realise he was being hung upside down by his hind legs. A pole ran across above him to two A shaped stands.
Shimmering looked to his sides and saw the still unconscious Midnight hanging next to him, he looked around and worked out he was in the middle of a camp. Tents surrounded a fire to his right, on his left was Midnight and some cattle that had been fenced in.
“Cattle Rustlers?”
“Ah you’re awake?” came a Stallions voice.
Shimmering looked over at the pony, he was an earth pony with a lime green coat and dark green mane. “So, you’re the new Bounty Hunter in these parts that, so far, hasn’t been able to deliver his first bounty from over a week ago. How lame.”
“You try getting train wrecked.” Shimmering shot back.
“Oh, too bad, its a shame really that you got stuck out here, I mean, me and my gang were out here rustling. And finding some dead Red Vultures. We got these lovely sleep darts as well...and if Celestia was smiling on us. We find you and Midnight Storm in the canyon. OH boy are you in for it.” The Stallion laughed as he pulled out Shimmerings revolver.
“And what is this peice of crap, its so cheap, I’m surprised you were even able to kill anypony with this thing.” He flipped out the drum, and emptied the rounds onto the floor.
“You’ll regret this.” Shimmering said as the stallion laughed and trotted away, leaving Shimmering hanging there. He noticed the orange light on the horizon was fading, great, night time. At least I wont be bothered by anypony, might just be able to escape . He looked around again, trying to find anything in reach of his mouth...nothing.
As the moon began to rise behind him, its light just touched his hind hooves. Why are my legs tingling? he looked up, the fur on his legs seemed to be standing on end, but also changing colour, it was turning into a greyish shade.
“What the…” the colour spread down his legs as the moonlight covered more of his body, soon it reached his wings. They began to shake slightly, the feathers seemed to get smaller and soon disappear into the bone...no...a leathery wing was left behind. What the hay is happening to me Shimmering started to squirm as he felt the tingling move up his neck, and on to his head.
Midnight started to stir, she slowly opened her eyes, and soon realised she was upside down.
Her head shot from side to side, then stopped, hanging next to her was one scared looking Shimmering Honor, he was looking at his body with fear. She followed his gaze and noticed his fur changing colour, then his wings change into a leathery version. The colour spread across his body. His eyes filled with pure terror as it reached his head. Midnight watched as his ears began to grow, his pupils became slits, held within his emerald orbs. She noticed he had his mouth open and saw four fangs growing from his jaw.
“Shimmering, are you okay?” she asked. She wasn’t scared. She had seen it happen before all the nights she had watched him in his slumber. The first time it happened had scared her to near death, but when he didn’t move towards her, and just slept, she had become intrigued, watching carefully each night.
Shimmering glanced at her when she spoke.
“Vhat is ‘appening to me?” he asked, his voice had changed, the new fangs had altered how he pronounced words. Midnight looked at him and sighed.
“Every night, you turn into a Batpony until first light of day. It only happens when the moonlight touches you.” She explained.
“The other night I came over and had a good close look at you, I looked at your fangs and I believe your saliva has a numbing effect as I had got a large amount of saliva on my hoof from looking around your mouth and it went numb.” She looked sad.
“Really? Vow, Zat is interesting, I vill ‘ave to look into zis some more” he looked at his fur on his chest and ran a tongue over his fangs, they felt sharp.
“I ‘ave an idea, I might be able to bit zrough zee rope”. He bent his back and managed to get to the bit of rope around his chest, he bit down on it and then moved it about under his fangs. He bit and grinded at the rope, then felt a bit of it fray and snap. He carried on. Suddenly the rope around his chest fell of and his wings became free.
“whoa” Midnight watched intently as he flapped his leathery wings and started to pull away from the frame holding them in place. Soon the sound of straining rope filled the air followed by a loud snap. Shimmering shot forward then stopped as the rope around his hind legs fell off, her got his fore hooves free with his mouth then went back to Midnight
“Vant to ‘elp me?” He asked
“How?”
“I vill set you free, IF you ‘elp me kill these lot, zen for zee rest of zee journey, I will treat you less like a bounty and more like a mare.”
“Fine, and I promise I won’t run away, I will go to court quietly when we reach the next town or city.” She said, excepting that no matter what she did now, she was a dead mare trotting.
STAMPEDE
Chapter 11. STAMPEDE
Its not fair. I do a lot of work, capture the cows and what do I get, nothing, absolutely nothing. The boss didn’t even recognise me, we went to school together!
It was a cold night to be on guard duty, but the cattle rustler had drawn the short straw, plus with a bounty hunter and Midnight tied up, nopony wanted to be outside. They were all to scared after hearing about the massacre of Midnight’s gang, the train wreck and the skinning of the Red Vultures.
Huh?, what was that, I swear, I heard something...I wonder what heavy is doing, wait. Did that tent just shake?
The stallion moved towards the tent in question, the door was untied and moving in the light breeze, he stuck his head in.
Completely dark in here. “Hey, heavy is that yhmmmmmm!” Something leathery wrapped around his head and dragged him into the tent, then jolted his head to the side with a snap.
“Sweet Celestia its cold tonight.” the earth pony mumbled as he moved about the camp, trying to get from fire to fire to keep warm. his eyelids felt heavy, and soon began to make the slow journey downwards to its partners. His vision blurred as he drifted between the waking world and snoozing.
A pony stepped out in front of him, the earth pony lazily stopped,“Oh, I know you...you’re..err.” he was still losing the battle to keep his eyes open, so didn’t notice the pony in front of him was not part of the gang. Something heavy landed on his head with enough force to throw him forward and planted into the ground. He decided to stay still, too tired to get up, he didn’t have to worry about waking up again as he suddenly found himself in a land of permanent sleep.
Hot Chocolate, steaming soup, pasta, dammit. Think of warm stuff. The stallion was trying as hard as he could to think of a way to warm himself up, but he shivered in the cold, breezy night.
Why do I have to be on night duty tonight, why couldn’t I be in my sleeping bag? Something rustled in the small grouping of trees behind him. He turned quickly to see a silhouette of a pony.
“W..Who g-goes there?”he stuttered.
“Oh, please help me!” came a mares voice, the silhouette moved, it looked like one of her hind legs were trapped.
“Uhm, okay.”He moved slowly and cautiously towards the pony, a hoof on his revolver, ready to draw at a moments notice. He got closer and closer, when he got closer to the mare, she was smiling, but not a happy smile, an evil grin
“Now you better run.”She ordered as a loud rumble built up and the sound of trees breaking filled the air. The mare shot upwards
“A Pegasus...MIDNIGHT STORM!” he finally recognised the mare. He turned and ran as the rumble got closer.
“BUFFALO!” He cried as he ran.
15 Minutes earlier
Shimmering was quietly sneaking around the camp, while Midnight hovered above a tree, her wing was now almost fully healed and able to hold her in the air. She spotted something of in the distance. Another camp? She lowered herself to the ground and found Shimmering.
“Shimmering, there is another camp over there.” she whispered and pointed a hoof in the general direction. His ears tweaked and he took flight.
“Lets check it out zen,” he said as he flew off.
When he reached the camp, he was surprised to see the Buffalo who had taken him to Appleloosa.
“Help zere, I vas vondering if you could ‘elp me again?” he asked.
“And who would you be?” asked the chief. Shimmering explained the situation and what he needed of them.
“We will help you, those rustles tried to take a few of our females the other day,” the chief said.
“They tried to take my daughter as well” said one bull. They settled on a plan of action and got into position.
“Oh, please help me!” Midnight called out, she saw the stallion moving towards her, his hoof going to his revolver. Her mouth twisted into an evil grin as he got closer.“Now you run,” she took off as the Buffalo Stampeded through the trees, the stallion galloped back to camp screaming.
Ponies started to stir at the screaming and the rumbling that was getting louder, they got out of their tents in all sorts of nightwear and looked around confused. The leader by the name of Lightning Arch stood up.
“Whats going on!” He bellowed, one of the stallions came running past him screaming buffalo.
The trees shook and then, out of the darkness, came a tidal wave of large furry mammals, they kicked up dirt and charged straight through the camp, knocking over ponies in their way and trampling them into the ground. One or two rustlers got shots off before being flung into the air by the mighty beasts.
Lightning looked around at the carnage, his men running in fear as their camp was demolished. The Buffalo headed straight towards him, then split and went around him. Out of the center of the herd, a bat pony came galloping, head down and face covered by a stetson hat, he rammed into Lightning.
“Who the buck are you?” He shouted over the rumbling.
“Zee one and only, Shimmering Honor,” the bat pony replied looking up.
“You can’t be, you’re tied up!” Lightning looked over at the A frame that Shimmering and Midnight were tied up to, but indeed, they were gone. Midnight landed next to Shimmering, the ever present evil grin getting bigger.
“Oh he is Shimmering alright.” She laughed. Lightning growled and charged at Shimmering. Midnight jumped back and watched. Shimmering charged forward, Lightning raised a hoof to punch, Shimmering ducked and headbutted his chest causing Lightning to topple over. He launched his hind legs out, Shimmering flapped and flew up before diving into Lightning’s stomach, Lightning wrapped a leg around Shimmering’s neck and flung him to the ground.
Shimmering got up and ran forward again, Lightning dodge to the right and bucked Shimmering in the side, sending him into a stack of crates. Shimmering got up and threw a crate at Lightning,i t smacked him in the face. Lightning fell over, he drew his revolver and pointed it, but Shimmering was gone. The herd of Buffalo now ran in a circle around him, Midnight had disappeared as well.
“Where are you?!” he shouted.
“EVERYWHERE!” Shouted Shimmering
“Show yourself!” Lightning growled. A grey blur shot out of the herd and hit Lightning in the side, before disappearing into the brown whirlwind rushing around him.
“Coward!”
“OH REALLY, ZAYZ ZEE ONE WHO USES A GUN IN A FIZT FIGHT!”
“Says the one who hides in a herd of buffalo!”
“Who zayz I am hiding?” Shimmering said from behind, Lightning turned in time to see Shimmerings hoof as it connected with his face. He fell over and looked up, Shimmering was gone again.
“Bastard!”
“I don’t think he is.” Midnight laughed.Lighting span around to see Midnight stood behind him with Shimmering next to her.
“Now you die.” Lightning pointed the revolver, Shimmering shot forward, Lightning felt a sharp pain in his neck, Shimmering stepped back, blood dripping from his muzzle. Lightning’s hoof shot up to his neck and felt the warm liquid leaking from two puncture wounds.
“You...you bit me.” He stammered.
“Exactly, now you vill bleed out” he smiled.
“I have a better idea.” Midnight grinned as she held up some rope.
“You can’t leave me here! Let me down!” Lightining’s world had been turned upside down, literally, he now hung on the A frame set up for Shimmering and Midnight as blood slowly poured out of his neck.
“I zink I can, and I zink I vill.” Shimmering walked away as the buffalo left.
“No...come back...I demand it...let me down!”
“Have fun with the vultures!” Midnight shouted as the trotted into the distance, the sun started to rise and shimmering regained his blue fur and feathers, his ears shrank and his fangs disappeared.
“Interesting,” he mumbled as he looked himself over.
Author's Note
ITS DONE...YAY
Thanks goes to WhisperingSounds for the edit
SHIP AHOY
Chapter 12: SHIP AHOY
“You can’t leave me here! Let me down!” Lightining’s world had been turned upside down, literally, he now hung on the A frame set up for Shimmering and Midnight as blood slowly poured out of his neck. “I zink I can, and I zink I vill.” Shimmering walked away as the buffalo left. “No...come back...I demand it...let me down!” “Have fun with the vultures!” Midnight shouted as the trotted into the distance, the sun started to rise and shimmering regained his blue fur and feathers, his ears shrank and his fangs disappeared. “Interesting,” he mumbled as he looked himself over.
Shimmering and Midnight walked for a few more days, resting every few hours, hunting for food and just talking, nothing spectacular had happened since they escaped the camp. But on this day, Midnight was quiet….awkwardly quiet.
“You okay Mid?” Shimmering had asked her
“Y..y..yeah I am fine” she smiled and he kept going.
No I am not, I think I have fallen for him...oh celestia look at him, his strong forelegs, the way his whole body flexes...and the wings...ohhh those wings look so soft and well kept. She thought to herself, he looked across at her and blushed.
“Your drooling” Shimmering said bluntly and she quickly wiped it off and looked away, trying to hide her blush. Oh no, he saw me...calm down Midnight, calm down, I am sure its okay. They kept on walking and soon came to a cliff, looking out over the ocean. Shimmering looked down, the white tips of the waves slammed into the side of the cliff, sending spray up and over the two ponies.
“10 meters...not bad” Shimmering muttered, he looked up and out towards the horizon, Midnight looked at him, his mane blowing in the wind, his leather jacket reflected the sun, his stetson shadowed his face and made her heart flutter. He looks so calm...so...perfect.
He moved his head forward, as if trying to get a closer look at something and took his glasses off, his emerald eyes squinting “there is a ship out there” he states.
Midnights head span round “WHERE!”
And sure enough, just visible on the horizon was a pair of sails.
“OH wow...could we fly out it, might takes to civilisation?” Midnight smiled, then frowned “Oh, that would be bad for me...what with the hanging that will be waiting” she shivered slightly. Shimmering looked across at her and sighed.
“I can see what I can do about that, let’s go.” He smiled and flared his wings, Midnight beamed at the thought and copied him, yet deep down, she knew he couldn’t do anything about it. Both Pegasi shot into the air and headed towards the ship. After 10 minutes, they soon saw it was a military ship, a frigate. The ship had three large masts with four huge sails on each, as they got closer they saw it had two sets of gun ports, meaning at least 3 decks within the hull. Shimmering felt uneasy as the ship wasn’t flying any fags.
Shimmering landed carefully on the deck, Midnight soon joined him.
“Where is everypony?” she asked, the ship was deserted, not a soul in sight, Shimmering shrugged and moved towards the captain's cabin, he knocked and waited.
He knocked again.
And again.
Nothing.
He pushed the door open, and the cabin was empty, they both walked in and looked around and found everything looked like it was normal, a journal sat on the desk. Midnight walked over and opened it to the last entry.
“Something is foul on ship, so we are going to be towed behind on a lifeboat till the air clears” She read out. Shimmering sniffed.
“There is a trace of something” and he walked out the cab and to the first deck, sniffing as he went. “HEY!” Midnight called and ran after him. They headed down a level to one of the gun decks, again, everything was perfectly placed, cannons lined and ready, tables set for meals. Hammocks hanging ready for a pony to sleep in. The ship creaked and swayed as the two ponies exploded, going deeper into the ship, a stove was still cooking some form of stew, medical equipment was neatly stored and the cargo was still intact.
“Well, I can say they weren't raided” Shimmering noted and headed back to the top deck”
“There is a rope dangling of the back here” Shimmering spotted, he headed to the stern of the ship where a rope trailed in the water behind them, tied to one of the lamps. He leaned out and pulled it in.
“But its snapped” Midnight pointed out, Shimmering looked out to sea.
“The crews long gone then” he bowed his head for a second then turned and headed to a small table.
“Looks like we have to take this ship to port, thankfully all the maps and equipment are onboard still, so I can easily get us to a port” he smiled and headed to the wheel, then stopped.
“Lets wait till tonight, when the stars are out”He smiles and Midnight nodded in agreement. They both went to a couple of hammocks below decks and climbed in, falling asleep.
A few hours later, hoofsteps on the deck woke Shimmering up, he noticed Moonlight coming through one of the gunports and stepped into it, his fur going grey and frizzled as he transformed, a hatch opened nearby and he ducked into the shadows,
“Fancy this frigate just sailing along on its own” Said one Stallions voice
“Shame the Royal Navy will lose it now” Another said, Shimmering could see them walking down the steps into the hull.
“Hey, there is somepony ‘ere” said the first voice, they had spotted Midnight still asleep in the hammock. The pulled out a couple of musket pistols and moved closer, Shimmering could see both where earth ponies and so easily taken if he could get above them.
“Ohh and its a mare too” said the second as the got to within inches of Midnights sleeping form. They leaned in too look closer.
Midnight however, was not asleep. She span around quickly, he hind hooves smacking one pony in the neck, sending him tumbling into his friend, both fell to the ground and both muskets went off.
“WHAT WAS THAT!” more voices could be heard from the top deck as about 5 ponies rushed down the steps, they didn't find anything. Their two friends had disappeared, all that remained was two smoking muskets.
“What the? is this one of them ghost ships captain?”
“I ‘eard that if a pony boards one of them ships, he becomes part the crew”
“Nah, I heard you go to Davie Jones Barn”
“Dont be silly, there is no such thing as a Ghost Ship...wait...where is Red Case” four ponies looked round and sure enough, they were missing a stallion.
“he was right there” exclaims one
“I told you, it was a ghost ship...we are all doomed” Screamed one and he ran to the steps.
“Hard Flank get back here...AHHH” Shouted another who was then dragged into the shadows. “Help me AHHHHH” he screamed followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor, a red puddle soon seeped out the shadows.
“Every pony for himself” Screamed the one that ran, as he reached the stairs he stopped “Captain...there is something behind the stairs” he said nervously, he could see through the slats and two piercing yellow eyes with slits for pupils looked back.
“Where...SHOOT IT!” the Captain screamed, only for the pony at the stairs to disappear into the shadows too with a terrified scream.
“Show yourself, now!” screamed the pony. He spun round as he heard Hoofsteps behind him, then from his left, no right...now behind him again. The pony kept spinning this way and that, soon stopping as he had managed to get tied up in some rope. “what the?” it tightened around him and he fell to the floor, two sets of hoofs could be heard now, both appearing out the shadows in front of him, one was a grey stallion with frizzled fur and mane, another was a Black mare with maroon mane.
“Looks like ve ‘ave caught use a pirate” said the stallion, the mare just smirked. “I am thirsty” the Stallion kept on and moved closer “And I am zure he does not need hiz blood anymore” he said slowly as he walked around the bound pony.
“Please dont” the Captain whimpered.
“Too late for that” said the mare and his vision went dark, his closing never to open again.
