Bloody Debauchery and Other Gentle Pastimes

NOW!” Lilia screamed. A changeling lunged at Plum with outstretched hooves. Plum and it locked eyes for a second, her pupils were small and scared whilst it lacked any pupil at all but it was clear in that one second that it wanted to kill plum. It wanted to do everything bad imaginable to her, or at least that’s what she thought as she pulled back the trigger on her shotgun. Several balls of lead came flying out the end of the barrel with fire trailing behind like some sort of twisted meteor shower, a beautiful sight to see if it wasn’t heading towards you. The butt of the gun slammed back into Plum’s shoulder, making her yelp in pain. But it’s what she saw afterwards that made it worth it. The changeling she shot at was frozen in time as Plum took in every last detail of her first kill. The changeling’s mouth was wide open in a silent scream of pain, spit flying out of it’s maw with a few drops of blood and a fang ‘leaving the nest’ as well. It’s eyes, once scowling were now wide in a mix of both shock and confusion as if it hadn’t yet processed exactly what was going on and why it was in pain. The power of the shot had stopped all the forward momentum in it’s torso while his legs and wings were flung forward, the combination of it’s expression and it’s pose making it looks as though it was asking for help. It’s hard outer shell was broken on it’s chest, dozens of tiny small fragments of it’s skin were tossed into the air like victory confetti. Dark, vomit green blood was ejected into the air, splattering onto Plum’s face. The mare stuttered while she gasped when the blood hit her, her eyes defocusing. She shook her head to re-focus herself and just like that time returned to it’s normal speed and Plum was thrown back into the chaotic firefight just as her changeling slammed onto the ground with a thump. The sound of gun shots were deafening as Plum struggled to cock the shotgun. She looked down to see if it jammed and when she looked back up, another changeling was no less than a foot away from her, maybe trying to avenge it’s friend. She let out a shrill ‘eek’ and looked away expecting to feel fangs digging into her neck but the sensation took longer to come than she thought and when she looked back all she saw was that sam vomit green blood blocking her vision as more of it crashed against her face, some of it getting in her mouth. Plum recoiled at this, pinching her eyes closed and covered them with her hooves as she began to sob. It was loud, it was scary, it was fast paced, and it was something Plum didn’t want to be in anymore. She curled up with her ear pinned against her head and waited for it all to be over. She didn’t know how many more bullets flew but she shivered in relief when the last one did. She hadn’t realized how loud she was crying until the loud bangs of gun ceased, leaving her crying voice to echo through the town. She peeked one eyes open to see the last changeling come to a hoof burning, horseshoe grinding stop right in front of Lilia before turned and hauling tail away with fear in it’s eyes. Lilia aimed down her sights and just before her hoof clenched down on the trigger, Locket’s horn glowed blue and moved the barrel of her whinnychester down a centimeter. A bullet exploded out the end of the rifle and flew perfectly straight on some invisible string right the changeling’s ass. It let out a whine of pain and tumbled into the sand. At first it just lied there but when it looked back at the group of ponies all still pointing guns at it, it started crawling, pulling itself across the desert floor toward the dust wall. Towards safety.

“Wow! You’re good.” Locket commented to Lilia with an impressed look. She looked back at him in utter annoyance that melted into minor frustration.

“You messed up my shot.” Lilia complained, half playfully hitting him.

“I want to talk to that one.” Locket said, pushing up into a sitting position.

“So you made me shoot it in the butt?” Lilia asked humorously.

“I thought you were aiming for it’s butt in the first place, I wanted you to shoot it’s leg.” Locket said with a quick snort.

“Nope, I was aiming for the head mister.” Lilia said, standing and sitting down beside Locket.

“Well you would have got it too. That bullet didn’t move an inch, beautiful shot... and you don’t shoot worse than you look.” Locket said, giving Lilia a wink. Avalon and Velvet looked at the two of them and exchanged confused looks.

“When did you two get so chummy?” Avalon asked with a suspicious look. Lilia and Locket both hopped to their hooves and stepped away from each other. Avalon nodded as his suspicion was confirmed he gave Locket a hard look then pointed behind them.

“Your catch is getting away.” Avalon said indifferently. Locket looked behind himself and cursed under his breath, taking off after the changeling who had made some considerable progress. Avalon glared after Locket, staring daggers into the back of his head. He was taken out of his glaring when Velvet’s hoof touched his shoulder.

“It’s probably something between ponies who shoot a lot. What’s your problem?” She asked carefully with a curious look.

“That stallion. He’s hiding something.” Avalon grumbled.

“What makes you say that?” Velvet cocked her head.

“Because he hides simple things. I could care less if he and the merc rutted each other’s brains out last night. What I care is the fact that both of them hid it like two foals in a cookie jar. If they hide that, imagine what else they’re hiding.” Avalon said, watching as Locket levitated the changeling onto his back. It must have been tired because it didn’t even put up a struggle, just lied there.

“Oh ho ho. Look at you. And here I thought you were just a dumb filly fondler. Are you a psychiatrist?” Velvet asked, giving Avalon an impressed glance.

“No, it’s ju-” Avalon stopped when a sound hit his ears, making them twitch. He looked down and saw Plum sobbing quietly on the ground. “Oh buck, Plum are you okay?” He and Velvet asked, kneeling down to the purple mare. She didn’t say anything and just kept on sobbing. Avalon looked over at Velvet with worried eyes.

“Every pony i’ve met who hides little things has an ursa major skeleton in their closet.” Avalon said, finishing his statement.

“How big do you think his skeleton is?” Velvet asked.

“Big enough that he won’t be able to hide it very long.” Avalon said, spitting in the sand. Velvet recoiled with a raised hoof at that.

“That’s disgusting.” She said, staring at the glob of spit on the ground, her face twisted in disgust.

…

Locket trotted back into town with the changeling lying on his back asleep. Without a word to anypony else, he sat the changeling down on the porch of the saloon and used the string from his hat to tie it to one of the post, looping the string through the holes in it’s legs before tying two tight knots. With a satisfied nod he stepped back. The changeling’s forelegs were tied behind it’s back and while it was an uncomfortable position, it wouldn’t hurt it.

“Locket. Come here.” Avalon called out from inside the saloon.

“Yes? What’s-oh.” Locket said, walking through the swinging doors. Just to the left of the doorway, Plum was slumped against the wall with tear trails staining her fur. Her eyes were red and puffy. Her lip quivered and she choked out a sob every now and then.

“Locket. Plum’s scared.” Avalon whispered. He was sitting beside her running his hoof through her mane. Locket slowly walked over to the and sat down beside Avalon.

“Plum. It’s alright.” Locket cooed, trying to comfort the mare.

“See! I done told you all. Mares need to be protected by sta-”

“SHUT-UP! We don’t need your ignorant hillbilly gospel right now!” Avalon yelled as Backsaw started to rant. If he wasn’t rubbing Plum he probably would have thrown something at the stallion. Lilia and Sarsaparilla yelled something along the same line as well. Backsaw sneered at everyone and went back to his spot beside the piano. Plum tensed up at the yelling and shivered.

“Hey now. It’s alright.” Avalon cooed soothingly to Plum, stilling running his hoof through her mane.

“T-t-then promise.” She croaked out, looking up at Avalon with teary eyes.

“What?” Avalon asked softly, smiling down at her

“Pr-promise you’ll protect me.” Plum said, looking at Avalon with hope and worry in her eyes. Avalon looked down at her and smiled warmly.

“Plum. Me AND Locket promise that no force on Equus will hurt you while we’re still breathing.” Avalon said confidently. Plum’s eyes sparkled, she looked at Avalon and then Locket and smiled her eyes giving him a ‘really?’ look. Locket nodded ‘yes’ and so did Avalon. Plum wiped a tear from her cheek and crawled over them so that her head was in between Locket’s forelegs and back legs while her rear was in between Avalon’s forelegs and back legs, the two stallions making a little cave for her to rest in. Avalon and Locket exchanged a pleasantly surprised glance and rubbed Plum’s back.

“The proper way to say that would Locket and I.” Plum corrected them softly, smiling with her eyes closed. Ever so slowly her breathing steadied and slowed until she had fallen asleep, a sweet whistle ringing the air with every exhale.

…

Locket was asleep against the wall with Avalon slowly dozing off with Plum still under the both of them. Just as Avalon had drifted off to sleep he was jabbed in the muzzle by a hoof. Locket got the same treatment and the two blinked awake. Lilia, Velvet, Sarsaparilla, and Backsaw were all standing in front of them. Locket yawned and rubbed his eyes.

“What’s going on?” He asked, lowering his voice to a whisper when he felt somepony shift beneath him.

“That changeling you tied up?” Sarsaparilla said, hinting at something.

“Yeah, what about’er.” Locket slurred his words as he yawned again.

“...it’s awake.” Sarsaparilla said neutrally.

Locket’s drowsiness vanished, his brows shooting up. He thought for a moment then smirked.

“Oh……..you wouldn’t happen to have some potato chips, would you?”