Chapter One: Appleloosan Trouble
How Westquestria Was Won
By: ADIABETICPONY
Author’s notes:
This story doesn’t take place in “Equestria” per se. More like a Wild West version.
This story is inspired by A Fistful of Dollars; A Few Dollars More; The Good, The Bad, The Ugly; and Red Dead Redemption
This story contains ponies with guns. When I figure out how that works, you will be the first to know.
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It was a sunny afternoon when the steamboat named: Equestrian Dream neared the large port of Manehattan.
Once the large ship was docked, everypony on board rushed off to either see loved ones or the great sights the magnificent city had to offer. It seemed the only ponies that weren’t in a rush to get anywhere was a unicorn dressed in a nice shirt under a leather duster with an Equestrian Sheriff’s badge on it and an earth pony who looked very out of place with his leather duster, badger fur hat, and look of pure irritation on his face.
“This sure is a change from Ponyville,” the upset earth pony remarked as he looked around the enormous city ahead of him.
“Come with me Mister Strings,” the sheriff said as he began to trot in the direction of a large brick building.
“Where are we going?”
“We are going to meet some associates of mine in the police station”
“I thought you were helping me find out where my wife and son are and find whoever took them? Or did you lie to me Sheriff Silver Spurs?”
“I would never lie to a colt with your…… skills Mister Strings. But first, you’re going to help us find the ponies who have been attacking Appleloosa.” The sheriff calmly said as the pair walked into the station.
“No. I’m not gonna help you or nopony else until I get some answers,” Strings said stopping abruptly in the hallway. “Where are they and who took them?”
“Fine, if you must know. My friends and I took them.” The sheriff calmly stated as he kept walking into a room that bared his name by the door frame.
Strings looked at Sheriff Spurs with a look that was a mix of anger, hate, and confusion.
“Excuse me sir? Did you just say that YOU took my family? My WIFE AND SON?!”
“Yes sir. You see, it was the only way we could ensure your cooperation.” Spurs stated with a bit of a sigh.
Pulling his revolver out of its holster, Strings pointed it straight at the sheriff’s face.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t put a bullet in you, right now.”
“Because, you don’t know where they are, you won’t make it out of here alive, and my friends with find out what you’ve done and kill your family. Now I advise you to put your gun away, sit down, and let’s discuss our next course of action.” The sheriff calmly stated without a bit of worry in his voice as another colt walked into the room and took a seat in front of the desk.
Strings contemplated his options. He could easily take out the two colts in the room, but what about everypony else and they did have his family. Realizing working with them was his only option; Strings put his gun away and sat next to the newly arrived colt.
“This is the pony who’s going to help us.” Adams said turning to the new colt wearing an almost identical outfit to him, the only difference being the color of his duster.
“Ah. My name is Gold Star,” Adam’s friend said, offering his hoof to Strings. “I wish we could have met under better terms.”
“I’m Four Strings. It’s nice to meet you Mister Star.” The desperado pony replied. Ignoring the other pony’s outstretched hoof. “So what do I have to do to get my family back?”
“You see, there have been attacks on Appleloosa and you’re going to help us find them.” Adams said as he pulled his cigar out of his pocket and lit it. “You see a gang of ponies led by a colt known as Long Tailed Sam. You’re going to find him and bring him to us.”
“Then I get my family right?”
“Of course. Here take this; it’ll cover the cost of the train ride to Appleloosa,” Adams told Strings as he handed him a bag of bits. “Once there look for a pegasus colt named Smooth Jazz. He will bring you to the gang’s hide out. He has an eighth note for a cutie mark. He should be in the saloon playing an alto saxophone. If you hurry you should still be able to catch the train.”
With a grumble, Strings made his way down the paved streets of Manehattan towards the train station. Just as the Sheriff said, he was just barely able to catch the train before the conductor pony yelled “All aboard!”
Taking a seat in the middle car, Strings began thinking about his past. About the ponies he robbed and sometimes had to kill. Not that he enjoyed killing, it just had to be done sometimes, he was nothing like the members of his old gang. And he certainly wasn’t like Bucking Bronco, the gang leader who had gone crazy and his started to think anypony that was better off than him was bad.
After Strings had relived every memory he had with his gang he thought about how they left him to die after he was shot by a sheriff down in Sundown when their bank heist went south. Thank Celestia that colt named Angel Hooves saved him. Too bad they had to separate though; Angel said something about finding some gold before somepony else did. Sometimes Strings wished he had gone with him, but that would mean he never would have married his amazing wife and had a beautiful baby boy with her.
But that was years ago and all that mattered was finding that Long Tailed Sam guy and bringing him in. It’s the only way to get his family back. Since he didn’t have anything to do to pass the time, Strings decided he would catch his forty winks. After what seemed like forever, he finally found a comfortable position and let sleep’s sweet embrace take him.
“Sir. Sir please wake up. Sir, we’ve arrived to Appleloosa.”
Waking up with a groan, Strings thanked the conductor and headed off the train, and replayed last night through his head. He could have sworn he heard somepony say something about a tree being on board.
Stopping on the platform to stretch, he looked around and tried to find a sign anywhere that said “Saloon” or anything close. It wasn’t until a few blocks that he finally found the saloon and just as Marshal Adams told him, there was a colt with an eighth note cutie mark leaving the stage.
“Howdy mister, my name’s Four Strings.”
“I’m Smooth Jazz. I’m the pony your friends hired to bring you to the gang hideout.”
“Whoa there. They aren’t my friends. I’m just trying to get my family back.” At that the grey pegasus’ face fell slightly.
“I see. Whenever you’re ready to leave, just tell me.”
"Let’s go, sir.”
And with that they left the saloon and made their way through the desert toward the gang’s hideout. After about an hour of galloping past mesas and buttes, Strings’ guide suddenly stopped by and said, “This is as far as I’ll go. Keep heading in this direction for about ten minutes and you’ll come across Goldwing’s Fort. That’s where the gang is holed up. Best of luck Mister Strings.”
“Thanks Mister. I’ll need it”
The pegasus wasn’t lying, it was only a short trot from where they stopped. The fort was nothing special, its walls crumbling in some places. It was obvious that nopony had cared for this place for the longest tme.
“Long Tail Sam! I’m here to bring you in!” Strings yelled at the fort from behind a nearby tree.
“Ya’ll are gonna need an army if ya wanna bring me in! Hehaha!” Long Tail Sam yelled back. “I ain’t never gonna git brought in! You ain’t got a chance in Hell!”
“I am an army.” Strings said as he walked out from behind his tree, his Colt “Harmonymaker” drawn and readied.
There was a moment of complete silence before it was broken by a loud BOW!!
“Hehaha!! I done told ye you ain’t never gonna git me!! Hehaha!!”
Strings looked down and was greeted by the sight of a crimson tide flowing from his chest. As he closed his eyes, his world faded into darkness.
