Red Dead Revisited/Growing where You're Planted

Red Dead Revisited/Growing Where You’re Planted

Jack Marston in Equestria

Chapter 5: I Know You too

Jack looked at the work being done to the mansion. He considered what to call the place where it sat. It wasn’t right to call it Tumbleweed, after all this wasn’t Tumbleweed anymore. Instead it was now just part of Ponyville. Summer vacation had come for the fillies and colts, and that left Cheerilee with free time. It was free time that she was using to help with the old home. Of course Seth had managed to visit before getting twitchy and taking back off into the more abandoned buildings. Jack felt for the old grave robber. It was a different world, and Seth didn’t even have the dead he was so used to talking to. All he had was Jack and a few old buildings that were left of a town that had died.

Maybe that’s why he hung around the old general store. The town had died, it was on its way to being buried by time, dust, and termites, so it only made sense that Seth might have a connection to it. Regardless Jack looked at the work already done to the entry hall. The new wood floors were holding up well. The slats he’d gotten from the sawmill that supplied that Sofa and Quill store with lumber had turned out to be exactly what he needed. The slats were about half an inch thick, each one had been about ten foot long, and they fit perfectly across the old joists in the floor.

He’d cut some to fit against the wall, or to go flush against a doorway, but all in all they worked. He looked to see Cheerilee currently working on the wood trim of the house. She hadn’t been lying when she said that she knew woodworking. The trim she was making, and putting up in the place of the old trim, was beautifully engraved, and it had a sort of timeless feel to it. He studied the work they were doing, and then he looked at the supplies. They had enough wood, but he was running low on nails.

“Looks like I gotta hit the smith’s shop up for more nails,” he said.

She looked at him and climbed down from the ladder she had been working on top of, “Okay, well I could use a break, and we could grab some lunch while we’re out.”

He nodded, and the two of them walked out from the house. As they exited he stopped as he noticed someone standing in their yard. It was a pony, but he wasn’t dressed like most of them were. He wore a top hat, his slacks and coat were both black, and he seemed to be looking out over the changing area. Jack neared him.

“Can I help you mister?”

The stallion chuckled darkly, “Perhaps, Mr. Marston, perhaps,” he turned toward him.

Jack noticed that the stallions eyes were a dark brown, but they seemed soulless, empty, and off putting. He stepped back, “Mind ta tell me what you’re doing out here?”

The man stretched his hand, “Why I’m checking to see how life has reentered Tumbleweed. It’s not often that I see a town rise from the dead. Typically when one dies it stays dead.”

Jack studied him, “How do you know what it’s name was?”

The man looked at him, “Oh, I know far more than that, Jack Marston,” he grinned and looked past him, “It was a scene like this where I first talked to your father.”

Jack looked at him, his hand ready to pull his revolver which he had on him this time. The man stood there, seemingly unconcerned. Instead he looked around him, “I also know your history. An author, traveler, bounty hunter, game hunter, and for a short time a prospector.”

He looked at the town again, “But even though you’re different you are still very much cut from the same cloth.”

“Mister, I don’t know you, but you’ve got about six seconds to explain yourself,” Jack said.

“Your mother’s temperament doesn’t suit you, boy,” he said, “Still, I have a favor to ask. Since you seem to be willing to help those who are unable to help themselves, perhaps you will see fit to help a friend of mine. He’s arriving in Canterlot this evening on a train. He believes himself to be something of an author himself. You might suggest to him that he could gain some inspiration from the gardens at the castle, perhaps even step into the sunflower patch and simply bask in nature,” he then motioned toward Ponyville, “Or you can go about your day and leave it alone. Either way it doesn’t matter to me.”

With that he began to walk away and Jack just watched him. What he had talked about sat heavy on his mind. He’d known his name, and he talked about his Pa and Ma. He shook it off, and he looked toward Canterlot. He looked to see Cheerilee who looked confused as well. She stepped near him, “Did, did he say that he knew your father?”

Jack nodded, “He did, but that can’t be right.”

She looked at him, and then toward town, “Maybe we should go to Canterlot. I understand if you don’t want to, but something seems odd, and if nothing else it would might be worth letting the guard know.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a pretty good idea,” he said, “We ought ta be able to make the train before it leaves if we hurry.”

The two of them rushed into Ponyville proper, and they saw the sight of the Friendship express as it pulled into the station. Like Jack had said they had a good chance to make the train, but it would take a few minutes for them to purchase tickets, and hopefully the train wouldn’t leave before they were done. They went past the Blacksmith’s shop, the market square, and the diner before they arrived at the train station itself. Stepping up to it Jack pulled out his bag of bits he had taken to carrying, and paid for them both a ticket to Canterlot.

The train whistled, indicating that it was about to leave, and they barely boarded it before it began to take off. They took a seat together, and Jack looked at the window. This world was certainly far greener than a good part of where he had been originally. Granted, Tall Trees was pretty green most of the time, but a good part of New Austin tended to be dry. It was enjoyable to see everything so green, so lush, and it tended to hide the rougher parts of this world.

He felt Cheerilee beside him, and both of them heard the rumble of their stomachs. Near them a mustard colored stallion was eating a small meal. He looked toward them, a gentle smile on his face, “Sounds like you both might be a little hungry. I’m afraid I didn’t really pack enough to share, but the snack cart should make its rounds. I don’t want to intrude too much, but I would most likely stay away from the sandwiches. They tend to be dry, and the only condiment they have to add to it is ketchup, nasty stuff. Instead you might want to try their candied apples.”

Jack nodded, “Thank you,” he said.

The stallion smiled, “You’re welcome, although… do you mind if I ask what you are?”

He grinned, “I’m a human, which honestly I’m not that different from any of you,” he replied.

The stallion nodded, “Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Baked, Baked Bean,” he offered a hand.

Jack stretched his own out, “Jack Marston.”

The two of them shook hands, and then Jack let him get back to his own meal. He looked around, and as Baked Bean stated the snack cart was making its way toward them. It stopped near them and they looked at the older mare as she stared at him for a moment and then smiled.

“Anything from the snack cart dears?”

Cheerilee looked at, rubbed her chin, and then nodded, “I’ll have a candied apple please.”

Jack nodded, “I think that I’ll have the same.”

The older mare reached into a small box, pulled out two chilled caramel covered apples, and then handed them to them both. Jack pulled out two bits, and passed them to her. She grinned at him, and then began walking further up the walkway. He looked at the candied apple, sniffed it, and then took a bite. He was pleased to taste such a bounty of flavor. The caramel set off the natural sweetness of the apple, and somehow it managed to be more mellow than overly sweet. He finished his apple, and looked at Cheerilee who was finishing hers. She smiled at him, and hugged onto his side once she finished.

He returned the gesture and together they rode in silence while the train neared Canterlot. A few moments later the train rolled itself up to the station, and Jack watched as Baked Bean exited the train. He followed behind with Cheerilee near him, and the two of them watched as Bean stood there in the station. He had a sheaf of paper, a quill, and an opened bottle of ink. Jack watched as he dipped the quill into the ink, replaced the stopper on the ink, and then began to write on the paper.

He neared him, hearing how he was describing the station itself in great detail.

“Hmmm, it’d be nice for a tourist pamphlet…” Baked Bean said.

“Mr. Bean, I take it that you’re a writer?”

He nodded, “Well, I’m trying to be one. I was hoping that coming to Canterlot would give me the inspiration that I need to write my novel.”

Jack nodded, “Well, as a fellow author, you might want ta check something other than the train station. I heard the royal gardens are nice, and sometimes just describing something as simple as a sunflower can get things ta going. I often found that just being around nature tended to help my writing, and maybe it will do the same for you.”

Baked Bean nodded, “Well, it can’t hurt. Thank you.”

With that he turned and began to walk in the direction of the castle. Jack waited to see if there was something else, or if something was going to happen, and a few moments later his patience did reward him with a happenstance. A few moments after Baked Bean left a Pegasus that was working above them dropped the support that she was holding onto. When she did a large piece of stone fell from where the support had been holding it, and it hit where Baked Bean had been standing.

Standing there Cheerilee touched his arm, “Am I crazy or did you just see what I think I saw?”

Jack nodded, “If you’re crazy then we both are. How in the hell did that fella know that we needed ta be here?”