Introducing Velvet Hedera and Moonstone Locket

A lone wolf howled in the close of day, it’s voice floating on the gentle wind of the night. With the sun gone the sand had cooled and the air turned crisp. In an hour or two it would actually grow cold but for now it was the perfect weather for any wary travelers who had endured the sauna that was midday. Two figures were silhouetted against the horizon, each coming from the opposite direction, one from the north and the other from the south. The wind faded when the two of them reached the edge of the town, allowing them to hear each other’s dragging hooves in the sand, the soft sound of the moving specs tickling their ears. Both silhouettes looked up from the ground and halted in their trudging. The one coming from the south waved first, the one from the north hesitated before returning the wave. As they got closer and closer to one another the moonlight revealed more features. They both shared a trail of hoof prints tailing behind them in the sand as well as a slouched and tired gait. The similarities ended there as the one from the north was a mare and the one from the south was a stallion.

The northern mare was a red earth pony. But her appearance fit that more of a unicorn. Her coat was glossy and shined gently under the moonlight like sequin. Her mane and tail were green and so were her eyes. She wore a large brown leather hat that had a flat bill on one side and curved upwards on the other side, a dark purple feather tied to it with clear silk that wouldn’t have been noticeable if the moonlight didn’t reflect off of it every now and again. Her right rear leg had a shorn hoof that was painted green while her other hooves were covered in red fur. She had dazzling black eyelashes that made her eyes pop. The green of her eyes were almost neon and clashed with her hair nicely, seeming to glow in the shadow that her large hat cast on her face. Over her was a dark brown leather cape that looked black in the night. Under her cape was a brown holster with two silver revolvers that shined in the night.

The southern stallion was a white unicorn. His mane and tail was a royal blue that buffeted with the breeze. His hat was slung on his side on top of a dark navy double barrel shotgun with a black encrusted barrel. The butt of the gun had a crescent moon engraved in it that wasn’t any more noticeable than a pimple on a fly. His hat was a simple black cowboy hat, one you could get almost anywhere in the south. Under the black holster that held his shotgun was a navy cloth trench coat that covered half of his cutiemark. Under his coat was an almost black navy vest with a pocket and thin white pinstripes. A white shirt was under the vest with a slightly loose collar. A red tie hung from said collar and was tucked under the vest. There was a pistol holster on his right foreleg with a perfectly shined silver and navy revolver that was a tad bit bigger than normal. Lastly, the hilt of a sword poked out from the left side of his coat, a red jewel crafted into the bevel. From what could be seen from his cutiemark it was a sword in its sheath. His eyes were blue as well and had bags under them from the long walk out here. Though he was tired, he didn’t look rough or unkempt and had the slight aura of a gentlecolt. His clothes, holsters, and sheath were all fitted and didn’t jangle or make much sound as he walked. He wore a stoic, unreadable expression.

The two strangers stopped in front of the saloon about ten feet apart from each other. The light from inside the building leaking out into the street. Silently, they both looked at each other and then to the saloon, their ears perking when voices erupted from within.

“Why in Equestria do you have a sex doll!? And why is it so small!?”

“I can assure you I don’t have a foal fetish!” Two voices came from inside the saloon, their shadows cast on the porch moving as they yelled.

The two strangers both raised a hoof, reeled back and tilted their heads in surprise and confusion. They both stole a glance at each other and relaxed a little bit. The stallion from the south walked over to the mare and gave her a warm smile, reaching his hoof out to her.

“Locket. Moonstone Locket.” He said in a friendly manner. The mare smiled and shook his hoof firmly.

“Velvet Hedera. Do you have any idea what’s going on in there?” The mare asked, her voice soft and gentle like a princess, her pronunciation was nearly perfect.

“Uh, no. No clue. Shall we find out?” Locket asked, nodding towards the swinging doors. He made note of the mare’s revolvers while she in return made note of his armament. Velvet nodded and trotted up to the door. Daintily she pushed the doors open and was met with a strange scene. A blue mare was staring owlishly at a purple mare and orange stallion playing tug-o-war with a stuffed animal, said stuffed animal had a large pink hole in it’s bum and a pink bow on it’s ear. A white mare was asleep in a chair, an older stallion had managed to fall asleep sitting up and a blue stallion was looking at a pile of playing cards a table. The tug-o-war stopped when Velvet walked into the room. Locket followed soon after standing beside the red mare with raised eyebrows.

“What a, um, fine establishment you all have here.” Velvet said awkwardly, glancing around the room in case of any more nonsense. It was then that Plum decided to let go of the sex doll, sending Avalon flying backwards into Velvet who in turn hit Locket who braced himself and caught Velvet.

“What’s this business about a sex doll?” Locket asked, pushing Velvet onto her hooves and brushing himself off. He trotted further into the room and stopped beside the bar.

“It’s just a stuffed animal!” Avalon exclaimed, shoving the doll quickly into his bag.

“Uh-huh. She’s reeeal stuffed.” Plum said, laughing. Avalon stuck his tongue out at her and rolled his eyes. Sarsaparilla shook her head to clear it then stood up out of her chair.

“Heh heh, excuse the foals, they’re just teasin. So can ah get ya somethin?” She asked, smiling at the newcomers. Locket’s face twisted in confusion at her.

“Are you from Trottingham?” He asked. Soft nodded, rolling her eyes. “How do you have both a Trottingham accent and a southern twang?” He asked in pure curiosity, raising a brow.

“Ah get that alot. Long story.” Soft said, waving dismissively. “So what brings ya here? You a couple?” Sarsaparilla Soft asked, trotting behind the bar counter. Locket and Velvet’s eyes shrank and they both shook their heads rapidly.

“No, no, no. We-” They both said in unison. “We just arrived in town at the same time.” Velvet finished.

Sarsaparilla, Plum, Backsaw and Avalon all smirked at this.

“You sure do finish each other’s sentences like a jen-you-wine couple.” Backsaw said from his table of cards.

“And talk in unison.” Plum added, going back to sit down. Locket and Velvet both grew flustered and if they weren’t already feet apart they probably would have moved.

“No. We’re just-”

“All I know is that if’in you two are mates, missy, you better be hiding a horn under that there hat of yours.” Backsaw cut Locket off, pointing at Velvet with a hoof. The red mare gave him a confused look while Locket’s expression turned more steel and stoic. The air in the room froze and everyone went quiet at the sudden statement. Locket leaned against the counter and raised both his front hooves.

“Wait, wait, wait. What’s so bad about a unicorn and an earth pony being a couple?” Locket asked, titling his head ever so slightly with furrowed brows. Plum looked over at Backseat, curious for his answer while Avalon and Sarsaparilla seemed indifferent.

“I did not never say that a unicorn and an earth pony couple was bad. I sa-” Locket cut Backsaw off.

“You’re right. You did ‘not never say’ it-” He said in mockery, “-but you implied it. I’m not stupid!” Locket fell back onto all fours with a stomp. Backsaw grew a cowpatty eating grin at this.

“Alrighty detective. Yeah! I don’t think unicorns should be mates with earth ponies. You all take our food, live easy lives with your magics, and lord over us like we’re inferior. You don’t deserve our mares!” Backsaw said, shrinking the distance between him and Locket.

“I don’t think that’s fair Backsaw. He hasn’t done anything.” Plum Peach said, putting her hoof on his shoulder.

“Yeah. And wait, we’re YOUR mares now? We don’t get a say in who we want to be with?” Velvet asked butting into the conversation.

“Of course not.” Both Backsaw and Avalon said in unison as if the answer was so simple it was blowin’ in the wind.

“WHAT!?” Everyone flinched when a loud scream filled the room. Everyone looked to the source of the scream to see the white sleeping beauty had awoken. Her hat wasn’t covering her face anymore and her eyes boiled with anger.

“What do you mean, ‘of course not’!?” She asked, glaring at Backsaw and Avalon. The two stallions were chastised, Avalon looking to Backsaw to answer her question.

“Well. Um. Mares are weaker and need to be taken care of. Beggars can’t be choosers and in return for protec...” Backsaw stopped talking when Lilia stormed towards him with heavy, slow steps. Avalon, Velvet, and Locket all scooted away from him as she neared. Swiftly, she pulled her whinnychester out with a single hoof and placed the end of the barrel on his muzzle.

“I look like I’m begging? You’re the one who’s gonna want protection in a sec, mister” Lilia said cooly, cocking her gun.

“Uh. Sheriff?” Backsaw asked, his voice cracking slightly. He looked over to see the older stallion still snoozing away. “Sheriff!” Backsaw yelled.

“Huh? I’m up.” The sheriff snapped awake, blinking rapidly as he took in the scene.

“Are you going to do something here?” Backsaw squawked, gesturing to the room. The sheriff squinted and then hopped up onto his hooves.

“Ma’am. You shoot him and I’ll be sure to make you a prime example to what happens to murders here.” He threatened, taking a step forward. Lilia glanced over at the older stallion before rolling her eyes and holstering her rifle. Backsaw and Plum Peach both gave a sigh of relief as Lilia went back to her chair. The blonde sat down in her chair and and put her rear legs back up. She gestured to the room, who all still had her very alert attention.

“Who are you all? I fall asleep for only a few hours and wake up in full room. I know who y’all are.” Lilia said, pointing to Sarsaparilla Soft, Backsaw, and Plum Peach. Her hoof moved over to Avalon and the newcomers. “Who is y'all?” She asked, giving him the stink eye.

“I-I’m Avalon Sky. Famous worldwide globetrotter.” He said, starting to strike a pose and then decided against it.

“Famous worldwide baby bucker you mean.” Plum said, snickering with a hoof over her mouth. Lilia ignored her and moved her hoof over to Velvet.

“I’m Velvet Hedera.” The red mare said, nodding to Lilia.
“And what do you do?” Lucky Lila asked.

“I’m a sailor on leave.” Velvet said with shrug. Lilia nodded. For Locket, Lilia stood up and walked over to him only stopping when she was muzzle to muzzle with him. Casually she place her hoof on the hilt of his sword.

“And what do you do that would require so many weapons? Mister.” She asked, attempting to pull his blade out but was stopped by Locket.

“Locket. I hunt monsters.” He said, sliding his sword back into the sheath. “And you are?” He asked unphased. Lilia removed her hoof from and the sword and walked back to her chair, swaying her hips as she did so.

“I’m Lucky Lilia. I’ma mercenary, not’a bandit so I’d appreciate less suspicious looks.” She said, stopping beside her chair to give them each a look.

“You have to admit. Lucky Lilia is something you’d expect to see on a wanted poster.” The sheriff said with a shrug.

“Yeah, I know.” Lilia said, rolling her eyes. With a huff she sat down heavily in her chair. The crack of wood splitting sprung into the air as her chair broke and she crashed to the floor on her back.

“Anymore of ya want to break mah chairs?” Sarsaparilla asked sarcastically with the stamp of her hoof. The saloon fell silent aside from the groaning of Lilia on the floor.

...

Avalon was walking towards the door with an annoyed look on his face. His bag was tied closed with his stuffed animal shoved to the bottom of the bag. His wings were flapping slowly as they warmed up for flight.

“I’m leaving. I can’t sleep here. I’ll just fly somewhere with an actual inn.” He grumbled, looking back over his shoulder to see a saloon of ponies who couldn’t care less. Lilia was even waving goodbye with a grin before wincing and rubbing her tush in pain.

“Ahhh don’t think so son. Got word from canterlot that a huge sandstorm is coming through.” The sheriff said, polishing his revolver from his spot on the steps.

“What?” Avalon yelped, rushing out of the saloon. He vanished outside of the saloon for a minute before peeking back inside. “Guys. It’s huge!” Avalon exclaimed, vanishing outside once again. Curiosity getting the better of them, everyone made their way outside and stared to the north at the huge wall of sand headed towards them, Lilia sucking in air in pain while she walked. Locket squinted and focused in on the storm.

“I can fly over that old timer.” Avalon said with a dismissive hoof. He jumped and took off but came crashing back down when Locket grabbed his tail in his magic.

“Whoa now. Don’t break the surly bonds of equus just yet. That’s not a normal dust storm.” He said, pointing to the top of the dust cloud while the glow of his horn faded. “That’s a changeling dust storm, see the tiny black dots throughout it? It’s much bigger than it looks from this distance. They won’t let you just fly over them either....we’ve got about an hour before they get here.” Locket explained in dread. Everyone squinted to see the itty bitty black dots, the sheriff rubbing his eyes. They all gasped as they saw the black dots.

“Did you know? You’re a monster hunter!” Sarsaparilla asked, sending him a deadly glare. Locket returned the glare but relaxed soon after, raising a hoof in a 'stop' gestu

“I knew there was a changeling swarm in search of a new home but I didn’t think they’d be coming through here or anywhere close. I wouldn’t put myself in danger.” Locket said, rubbing his head in slight confusion. Plum pried her eyes away from the approaching storm to look at Locket with worry.

“Danger? What do you mean by danger?” She asked, glancing over her shoulder at the storm. Locket looked at her, chewing the inside of his cheek.

“...Nothing. If we just go inside and stay quiet, they’ll pass over us.” Locket said, turning and trotting back inside. They all shared a look, Backsaw spit on the ground, and Plum blanched at him for it.

“...Well, I don’t know about you all but I’m going to heed the warning of the only pony who hasn’t acted like a hissy filly tonight and bunker down.” Velvet Hedera said softly, turning and trotting back inside. Backsaw and Lilia sneered at the back of Velvet’s head. The sheriff and Sarsaparilla both shook their heads and walked back inside. Eventually Backsaw, Avalon, and Lilia moseyed back to the saloon leaving Plum Peach all by her lonesome outside. The cool night air buffeted her coat as she gazed out at the storm, her eyes glazed and unfocused. The moon tinted the sand a deep blue, turning the once hot sauna into calm ocean, contrasting the hulking mass of sand storming towards them. Plum sighted loudly and looked down at the ground with a tiny whimper of regret.

“Oh…….buck.”

Author's Note

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