Gamblers and Gunslinging Samurai

Ahhh, Equestria...

...

...

Expecting more then that? okay fine.

Equestria, the land of magic and friendship, it was a vast land shrouded in magic, mystery and adventure. It was a land, also inhabited by strange anthropomorphic creatures, ponies, zebras and griffons. Many of these creatures wandered the vast land of Equestria, while others lived in towns and cities, much like the humans. Of course, they did not live without strife, as Equestria, while magical and mysterious, is also a vast wasteland.

Twenty years have gone by since the End War happened, nearly destroying the world as we know it. Cities and towns, and the land remain in ruin with only the survivors of the war trying to scratch out a living in the old destroyed settlements. Manehattan, Canterlot, San Flankcisco, Ponyville and Appaloosa are among the many that still thrive despite the damage, with a few smaller ones struggling against bandits and gangs. Many however have taken advantage of this situation, making names for themselves as professional gunslingers, bank robbers, thieves and criminals, bounty hunters, and many other professions.

But, we go now to the town of Ponyville, a nice little settlement downwind of Canterlot and just a few hundred miles north of Appaloosa. Thanks to the farms in both towns, they've managed to maintain and build quite a reputation as profitable towns, selling apple products from Sweet Apple Acres, ammunition from the nearby Rockville, and medicine from Ponyville's very own Zecora. They had a little bit of everything for passerby, travelers, or new people looking for a place to live. Its also well known for being a place to relax, recuperate, and rest after a weary day of travel or two. Perfect to stop by, maybe get a girl or two, some drinks and sleep away your woes.

The road towards Ponyville was a long and winding one that led all the way into the vast unknown, where many threats and dangers lurked in great quantities. Raiders, gangs of bandits and rogue military, as well as desperate people looking for money or food. It was dangerous times, but very few messed with certain types of people.

There were two types of people - among many - that you didn't fuck with.

Gunslingers.

And samurai.

And well...

...

There's someone, that's both of those.

Ponyville - AJ's Bar

AJ wiped the counter top of her bar, watching as Big Mac lugged in barrels of their special cider out of the backroom and replaced the empty ones behind her. The stallion had taken off his shirt after lugging in the fifth barrel, a clear sheen of sweat glistening off his well built physique for all to see. The six foot tall stallion worked hard for the family, doing most if not all of the heavy work while his younger sisters did their own part, Applejack working the bar and the farm, while Apple Bloom... uh... Apple Bloom...

Eh, she was just being a cute little fucker with her friends.

There were not many people in as of late, and that meant AJ might have a bit of peace today. There was only Berry Punch, the town drunk who was currently passed out in her usual booth. A stallion who only went by the name of The Doctor, who was sitting in a booth near Berry Punch, in front of him was a mare named Roseluck who was listening to him talk about something. And finally, a few humans sitting around the bar, with one sitting at the counter a few feet from her, he had said nothing to her however, appearing to be asleep.

She wasn't sure if he was a passerby, or someone on the run. She had plenty of wanted posters up on the board nearby, but she didn't recognize his face, for it was hidden by his brown hat. She said nothing though, only standing by her shotgun, the double barrel loaded with buckshot and ready for use. Big Mac had his own gun, a sawn off he kept in a holster on his hip. Apple Bloom was inside the bar as well, the filly standing with her friends behind the bar in the back room's office, conversing on what to do with their time today.

Business had been slow for her bar and farm as of late, ever since the Dalton gang had set up shop in the hills nearby, many caravans had stopped coming into town and that hurt both her business, and the town's business. Several bounty posters were thrown up all over Ponyville and Appaloosa, but no one has come to lay claim to the bounty as of yet. The town had offered much in terms of a reward, up to 300 bits, but none had taken the offer.

Of it they had, they didn't survive long to try and claim it.

AJ let out a tiny sigh as she put her counter rag down, grabbing one of the many dirty glasses and beginning to wash it with a different rag. She was halfway through cleaning the glass when the doors opened, and when the mare looked up, she saw a rather pudgy man walk in, wearing a large hat and armed with two small revolvers by his side. He stumbled into the bar, and behind him walked in about three or four different men, all armed with different weapons, most being small caliber rifles and shotguns. They marched in with swagger in their steps, acting like they owned the building before taking a seat each at the bar.

"What'll you be havin' partner?" AJ asked, being polite despite these men giving off the atmosphere that they didn't deserve any such thing. they all smelled of rum, and like they haven't been washed in weeks, months even.

"Rum! if'n yew got it~" The man chuckled, eyes drifting across her body and making her feel sick.

As Applejack proceeded to grab the bottle, she could feel their eyes groping her body as she reached up to the top shelf. AJ was by no means an un-attractive mare, she worked out regularly and did plenty of hard work around the farm and bar, and it gave her plenty of muscle that only added onto her figure, perfect toned muscle and strong legs, C-Cup breasts and long almost silk like hair that flowed down her back and was tied off at the end, same as her tail. She's had plenty of looks thrown her way, along with offers for a good time, but she knew they only wanted to bed her for her status as an Element of Harmony, for bragging rights.

Once AJ grabbed the bottle, she turned on her hooves and brought out a few shot glasses, and filled them up before sliding them over. However, one of them grabbed her arm and said, "Leave the bottle eh?"

AJ yanked her arm away, narrowing her eyes as she set the bottle down. She turned away from them, deciding to wash a few glasses to get her mind off of the men. But she could still feel their eyes on her, eyeing up her body like she was nothing more then a slab of meat. For once she would like to meet someone who isn't a complete jerk, and doesn't eye her up like a fucktoy.

She was brought out of her thoughts, when she felt a hand grab her ass. Whirling around she slapped the hand away, snarling at the pudgy man who held his hand, shaking it slightly. "Hands off!" She told him, glaring at the human.

"Hehehe, just wanted a feel~" He chuckled, slogging back his drink as his comrades chuckled, no doubt enjoying seeing her flustered. She wished Mac was in the room right now, but he was probably out back, lugging in more barrels to restock the old ones with.

"You best keep your hands ta yourself, if you know what's good for ya." Applejack warned him in a threatening tone, fingers itching to grab her shotgun and fill the human full of lead. She didn't hate humans, on the contrary, one of her most trusted friends was a human, but this one she would have liked to shoot in the face...

Several times...

With a cannon.

"Sure you want me ta do that? Ah'm sure we could uh, hehe, have some fun! Plow you nice an' good like~" He chuckled again, swinging his arms outward as if to showboat himself, but instead he ended up knocking the rum bottle aside and hit the sleeping man in the poncho. Covering him in rum, and knocking his hat askew.

Applejack cursed the man, as the sleeping human began to wake up, head slowly rising up. The mare shook her head, grabbing a washcloth and starting to clean up the rum that was spilled. "I'm sorry bout your hat sugarcube," Applejack apologized to him as he sat up, hat covered in rum which dripped off onto his poncho. He said nothing as he took off his hat, giving the tattered thing a little shake near his leg and flinging the rum off onto the floor.

"Hahaha, sorry bout that buddy~ Spilled muh drink." The other one cackled, slapping his hand against the poncho man's back.

The poncho man said nothing, looking like he was half awake and trying to wake himself up.

"Hey buddy, I said I was sorry!" The man growled, narrowing his beady eyes at the poncho man. "How bout you buy me and my friends a drink or five, and we'll forget all about it~"

AJ scoffed, however. "You spilled it on him sir, you're th' one at fault here, not him."

"Shut yer mouth." The man said, hand on his gun as AJ narrowed her green eyes at him. "This don't concern ya."

The poncho wearing man still said nothing, as he grabbed the bottle of rum, and gave it a curious glance. "This expensive?" He suddenly asked, his voice almost a grumble.

"Uh... n-not really." AJ told him, suddenly fearing a shootout between these two. She had just cleaned up from the last one, and didn't have the bits to fix up the place again. "B-bout twenty bits a bottle Ah'd say."

The man nodded his head, before he then set the bottle down and reached down to his side, AJ thought he must have been going for a gun, but instead... he pulled out a small pouch before placing around thirty bits on the counter, and sliding them over to her. He then proceeded to stand up, and looked ready to walk away.

No muss, no fuss.

But the other man stopped him, standing up and giving him a glare. His buddies all looked prepared for a fight, and so did the pudgy man who was leading them. "Yew gonna buy us another bottle boy?" The man said, and not as a question, but more of a: 'You better, or else' sort of question.

The poncho man placed his hat atop his head, turning his head to look the man in the eye. "I don't see why I should... your fault you spilled it."

"Ehhh, that don't matter, what matter's is, me and my friends are thirsty~ And uh," The man put a hand on his holster, as if emphasizing what would happen if the other man didn't agree. "Well, we're a bit short on money, care ta spot us some?"

Several seconds passed, before the poncho man said, "No."

"What was that? Fraid Ah didn't hear ye quite well."

The poncho man stepped closer to him, and said, just a little bit louder, "I said... no."

The pudgy man growled, before grabbing the bottle, looking at it before, to AJ's shock, he tipped the bottle upside down and poured the rest of the contents over the poncho man's head. The rum ran down off his hat and stuck to his clothes, splattering onto the floor as the poncho man had a glare on his face, an indifferent frown and blue eyes set in a glare. He then threw the bottle against the wall, smashing it into pieces and making the other patrons look over, looking quite nervous.

Berry Punch remained immobile, head lying on the table with several empty bottles around her.

"Think yer smart boy?" The pudgy man growled, as Big Mac arrived in the room, shotgun drawn and ready to be used. That is, if the pudgy man's friends hadn't drawn their own guns, aiming them at both AJ and Mac. The poncho man said nothing, only standing to the side with his head turned towards the pudgy one. "I think yew owe me somethin'."

"I owe you nothing." The poncho man told him, blinking as the rum stuck to his clothing and soaked through to his skin.

"How bout I kill yew and take errything yew got boy!" He said, pulling out his gun, narrowing his eyes.

"What do you want... a duel?" The poncho man questioned.

"Hehehe, if yew want to die like that, then fine~ Let's take this outside!" The pudgy one yelled, as AJ grew nervous, mostly for what could happen afterwards.

The poncho man nodded, and AJ hoped this wouldn't end badly for her.

Ponyville - Outside AJ's Bar

AJ had followed them outside, lingering by the door with Big Mac and the other patrons, save for Berry who was too drunk to move let alone be awake. The people outside all cleared out, some staying to see who got shot first. The pudgy man and his friends all stood by, chuckling like they knew exactly how this was going to end, while the poncho man stood opposite of the fat one, poncho blowing in the wind as a tumbleweed scurried across their line of view, like any good western movie.

"Hehehe." The pudgy man cackled, as the poncho one said nothing, instead keeping his right hand on something hidden from view. "Whoever gets shot, loses~"

"Obviously." The poncho one said, and pulled out something from his side, something that, made AJ's eyes grow wide with fear, and make the pudgy man and his friends stare.

A Katana.

The pudgy man blinked his eyes, before he slowly smirked, and then began to laugh as loud as he could, his friends joining in shortly after. AJ couldn't believe what she was seeing, when she looked closer at the poncho man, she didn't see any guns on him, sure he had holsters for guns, but he lacked the firearms themselves. He didn't even have a rifle on him, just a long katana that he held in his right hand with the blade held outward from his right, the blade gleaming in the sunlight and making her wonder if the man was insane.

"Yew shouldn't have brought a knife ta a gunfight boy~" The man laughed loudly, as a few people around them look at the poncho man with pity in their eyes, others thinking he was down right stupid.

Great... another mess we gotta clean up. AJ thought to herself, realizing the man was probably going to die. She expected him to at least have some sort of gun, but he only had a sword in his possession, and wet rum stained clothing.

"Yew best get ready boy, and make peace with yer god cause Ah'm bout ta fill you full'o holes!" The pudgy man cackled, hand lingering above his six shooter as he swayed slightly.

Time slowed down for Applejack, as she watched the two men, ears folded back in preparation for the sound of gunshots... followed by the thud of a body. Much to her misfortune, the time stretched on, the wind blowing hot air across the dusty town as both men stared one another down. Big Mac stood by her side, and inside the bar, the CMC were watching from the window, faces pressed up against the glass as they watched on, waiting for the first move.

The pudgy man drew first, pulling out his gun and in one quick move, fired.

AJ whipped her head to the side and closed her eyes, not wanting to see the blood or anyone die today...

However, all she heard was the bang, followed by a sharp ping noise.

Murmurs started to spread among the group of people watching the stand off, and AJ opened her eyes, turning back slowly to see a very stunned fat man, along with the poncho man who still stood, sword held upwards towards his face with the sharp end facing outward. AJ blinked, wondering why he wasn't dead, as well as what the noise was.

"W-what the...?" the pudgy man shook slightly, not believing what he had just seen.

The poncho man said nothing, only lowering his sword slowly as a little thin trail of steam wafted off from it, and he started to walk forward. The pudgy man suddenly backed away, holding his gun at the hip and firing off more shots, Applejack watched with both horror and fascination as the swordsman kept moving forward, somehow managing to side step the wild shots and even deflect one or two with his sword, she could have sworn she saw him split a bullet in half.

He kept moving, until the pudgy man dropped his gun, pulling out his other one and firing it off, only for the poncho man to do continue his advance on the other man, side stepping his poor shots, or even deflecting his bullets with his sword, blade moving like a blur almost. Eventually the man ran out of ammo, and dumped his other gun, before pulling out a large looking bowie knife. "Alright, Ah'm gonna gut you like a fish!" The pudgy man yelled, charging at the swordsman with a yell.

He didn't get more then a few feet before the poncho man slashed at his knife, cutting it in half before spinning around on his heel and throwing his elbow into the pudgy man's face hard, and causing him to fall back with a yelp, bloody nose and broken teeth flying. The pudgy man fell to the ground, holding his face as his knife fell into two pieces onto the ground, and he held his face.

"Grrrr, yew'll regret this!" He yelled, getting up and starting to run away, holding his face as his friends followed him close behind, before they disappeared down the road, leaving behind several shocked and impressed people.

The poncho man sheathed his sword by his side, adjusting his hat before moving forward and picking up the pistols that were dropped. He held them both in his hand before walking over to Applejack, who had Big Mac by her side. The mare gulped slightly, intimidated by the man's skill with a blade, it was rare to see someone so skilled with a sword in Equestria,  especially against a firearm considering many had abandoned the use of blades for firearms... very few were known to do it. But here was someone skilled with a sword, walking towards her.

He stopped in front of her, looking up at her from where she was standing above the small steps. AJ wasn't very tall, only about as tall as a average human male, she figured if she was on even ground with him, he'd tower over her by a half foot or so. He tilted his hat back a bit, and gave her a little smile that, she had to admit, fit him nicely. The sun showed his face, and he was actually very attractive for a human, a rugged face, with a few scars on his lip and neck, bright blue eyes and a trimmed beard. He was also nicely built, no doubt he could handle himself in a fist fight if need be. The stranger donned a simple tattered dark brown hat over brown hair, a worn red poncho with a little pattern on it going along the edges near his neck, under that she saw he was wearing a dark brown shirt with rolled up sleeves, showing nicely tanned and toned arms, a pair of fingerless gloves, rugged pants and boots.

In short, he looked every part of the dangerous but attractive rogue.

"I'd just like to apologize for the ruckas ma'am." He told her, his southern tone friendly and apologetic as he looked around the town. "By any chance, there a general store nearby?"

AJ blinked a few times, before she nodded her head. "Uh, yeah, its just down that way." She pointed out towards the town, where a various shops and stalls could be seen.

The man nodded his head, tilting his hat towards her as he turned on his heel and started down the road. "Thank you kindly miss, see ya around." He waved behind him, walking down the road and leaving behind Applejack and Big Mac.

Applejack just watched him leave, everyone beginning to disperse and go about their day as if nothing had happened. Big Mac patted AJ on the shoulder, jerking his head back to the bar to signal they still had work to do, AJ watched the man leave however, before tilting her hat back with a sigh and going back into the bar.

Oh how little did she know, just how much things were going to change.