Chapter 4

“Uh, Rarity?” Sweetie Belle said, waving a hand in front of her face. “Yoo-hoo! Eques to Rarity!”

Try as she might, Rarity seemed to have been lost in her own little world as her hand was still stuck out. She had a dopey grin stretched across her muzzle as she gazed at Arthur, who simply arched a brow at her as he put his hat back on.

“She gonna be alright?” Arthur asked.

“Yeah, she’s my sister. She always does overdramatic stuff like this.” Sweetie sighed as she tried to nudge her sister back to reality.

“That was still pretty cool how you took care of those mean ponies, Mr. Morgan.” Pip said with a wide smile. “You were so brave!”

“I appreciate the compliment, Pip, but it’s like I said. Sometimes violence isn’t always the answer. Try as I did, I warned to at least talk them down but they were just to thick to see reason with words. I don’t know, just don’t do what I just did to solve yer problems. Trust me, it’ll only get ya into more trouble than you’d care to admit.” Arthur sighed.

“Oh, ok I promise.” Pip said. Arthur smiled and reached down to ruffle Pip’s head, earning a laugh from the little colt.

Pip was an innocent young colt who seemed to put the gunslinger in a brighter mood the more he remained by his side. The way he looked up to Arthur with those eyes of his made him remember his own son whom he lost many years ago. The mere thought of his late son, Issac, made his heart wain a little. He always sometimes wished he was there for him and Eliza more than he was, maybe then they’d still be alive.

“Mr. Morgan?” Arthur blinked out of his thoughts when he looked down to see the foals all staring up at him. “You look sad, Mr. Morgan, is everything ok?” Pip asked.

“Me? Naw, I’m fine. Just thinkin’ is all.” Arthur said with a fake smile.

“But you’re crying a little.” Scootaloo pointed out.

Arthur wiped his cheek with a finger and saw a tear had escaped his eye. Arthur wasn’t much of a cryer, in fact he couldn’t remember the last time he even shed a tear. He was always meant to be a hardened man and keep his personal feelings at bay. But after everything he’d been through; the fall of his gang, the loss of his friends, being alone and dying on the mountain, and somehow ending up in this strange place, no longer as a man, tugged on his heartstrings.

“I guess I’m just thinkin’ of the life I used to live back where I’m from. It wasn’t exactly a good life, but it was the only one I’d ever known.” Arthur said as he wiped his eyes a little more.

“Do you miss your home?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I do, but also not really. Wasn’t much of a life anyway.” Arthur said.

All four foals frowned at Arthur’s saddened mood. Pipsqueak then waved his hand down for Arthur to keel down for him. As soon as he did, the foals surrounded Arthur in a group hug, surprising the gunslinger from the sudden embrace.

“Ya don’t need to be sad no more, Mr. Morgan.” Apple Bloom said.

“Yeah, you’re here now and you shouldn’t let whatever troubles you have weigh you down.” Sweetie Belle added.

“You’re our friend, Mr. Morgan, so please smile for us.” Scootaloo said.

Arthur was once again at a loss for words. He hung his head low but obliged Scootaloo’s request and wrapped his arms around all four of them. He then smiled a content smile, and he felt a warm feeling in his heart he had almost forgotten about. As for Rarity, she had come out of her daze some time ago and was smiling down at how gentle and kind Arthur was with her little sister and friends. She also was a little taken back at the sudden shift in the gunslinger’s attitude but was still happy he was in brighter spirits. Ignoring her unladylike imagination towards Arthur, she knew that there was more to this stallion than meets the eye.

“Well, Mr. Morgan, I can see that you’ve already made some wonderful friends already.” Rarity said as Arthur stood up.

“I’m just mighty glad I ended up comin’ here. There seems to be more to this kind little town than I thought, what with stallions like those three runnin’ around.” Arthur said jokingly.

“Indeed, and if it is not too much to ask, I would also like to offer you my friendship.” Rarity said, surprising Arthur.

“Ya sure? Ya wanna be my friend?” Arthur wondered.

“But of course! It is something I like would very much like, if you wouldn’t mind.” Rarity said proudly.

“Well thank ya kindly, Miss Rarity, I’d gladly accept yer friendship and offer you mine in return.” Arthur said with a smile.

“Marvelous!” Rarity cheered. “And please darling, sine we are to be friends, I insist you address me as Rarity and noting more.”

“Fair enough, then I suppose it’s only fair ya call me Arthur.” The gunslinger nodded.

Just then, the sound of something squeaky and bouncing was heard which made Arthur’s ear twitch. He turned to see another mare literally hopping towards them with a wide smile on her face. She was pink furred mare with a pink puffy curly mane and tail that looked like cotton candy, she had blue eyes and was wearing a pink skirt and top.

“Hiya Rarity!” The mare chirped in a bubbly tone.

“Why hello, Pinkie Pie, how are you?” Rarity said.

“I’m doing super duper! Hey, did you see anypony new come through town? I got a pinkie sense that there’s a new friend and I wanna meet them!” Pinkie said cheerfully.

“Why yes, in fact, this is him right here.” Rarity said, gesturing to the gunslinger. “His name is Arthur Morgan.”

“Uh, howdy there ma’am.” Arthur said with a tip of his hat.

Pinkie said nothing at first as she gazed up at the tall stallion. Just when Arthur was about to say something, Pinkie let out a loud gasp and ran off, leaving a pink smoke trail and a bewildered stallion.

“What in sam hill was that about?! How’d she move so damn fast like that?!” Arthur asked completely baffled.

“Oh I wouldn’t worry about it too much, Arthur, that is just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie.” Rarity said with the foals nodding in agreement.

“And just what the hell’s that supposed to mean?” Arthur inquired.

“You’ll just have to find that out for yourself, if you stick around long enough that is.” Rarity said with a wink.

“But I…y’know what, nevermind.” Arthur sighed. “So where’s this sweet shop or what not?”

“Oh yeah! This way, Mr. Morgan!” Sweetie said as she and the foals continued their trek. Arthur then thought of something that made him scratch his chin.

“Excuse me Rarity, but you wouldn’t happen to know of any place I can go to look fer some kind of work do ya?” Arthur asked.

“You’re looking for a job?” Rarity wondered and Arthur nodded. “Hmm, well perhaps you should try the Town Hall, Mayor Mare is always willing to lend a hand to any seeking employment.”

“The Town Hall, sounds good, thank ya kindly.” Arthur said as he tipped his hat and walked after the foals.

“Farewell Arthur!” Rarity said in a singsong voice. As Arthur strode away, Rarity continued to stare at the gunslinger and her cheeks began to flush once again. “Farewell indeed~.” She cooed with a giggle as she practically skipped away with a wide smile.

Arthur, the CMC, and Pipsqueak were continuing their trek to Sugarcube corner and were all smiling contently. It was a bit surprising for Arthur to encounter a group of stallions like the ones he scared off earlier. It seems that even in a world as colorful and peaceful as this, there’s always going to be a bad apple or two somewhere lurking about. As Arthur walked, something didn’t sit right in his gut after the whole ordeal. Those stallions seemed to have been under the impression that they were the ones in charge. It also didn’t help his cautious instincts that told him that there might be something bigger going on around here, and he might’ve just shook a hornet’s nest without meaning to.

“Hey kids, back there with the stallions, has anythin’ like that ever happened before around here?” Arthur asked, making the foals look back to him and to each other.

“Well, I guess you could say that.” Scootaloo admitted.

“Mah sister told me about this group of ponies that sometimes comes through town every once in a while. At first no pony really paid them any mind since they kept to themselves.” Apple Bloom said.

“But recently they’ve been getting really mean.” Sweetie Belle said.

“How so?” Arthur wondered.

“Like what you just saw with Rarity, they also bully ponies into giving them money and sometimes they steal stuff.” Pip explained.

Damn vultures… Arthur growled in his head.

“Does the law do anythin’ about them?” Arthur asked.

“The local guard has tried to arrest them many times but they either slip away before they’re caught or deny any accusations.” Pip said.

“I see, well what about-”

“STOP THEIF!!”

All ponies snapped their heads to the voice of distress as a stallion pony sprinted away from a shouting mare, carrying a satchel on his back. The mare had orange fur with a blonde mane and tail tied at the end to make the hair look like a loop. She had emerald green eyes and was wearing a brown Stetson on her head, a red and white checked shirt with a brown vest coat, and blue jeans that went well with her figure.

“SOMEPONY STOP THAT VARMINT!! HE STOLE MAH BITS!!” The mare cried out.

“Applejack?!” Apple Bloom yelped.

“Never a dull moment in this damn town.” Arthur grumbled as he adjusted his hat. “Stay here kids, I’ll be right back.”

Before the foals could question him, the gunslinger broke out into a sprint after the thief. As Arthur ran, he took notice that he was running much faster than he did back home. The feeling in his lungs did not burn and he felt like he could run for hours on end. The illness he was paranoid about still having was nonexistent, as he didn’t feel any sort of burning sensation. Arthur smiled a confident smirk as he picked up the pace and bolted after the thief.

“Stop! Stop runnin’ right now!” Arthur called out.

“Buck you! This is my score!” The thief shot back.

“I’m warnin’ ya, boy! You better stop or you’ll be sorry!”

“Keep dreaming, old stallion!”

Arthur growled as he ran more and more through the streets of Ponyville. The thief tried to throw Arthur off his tail by tossing barrels or knocking over fruit stands but the gunslinger jumped over them all with ease.

“I swear to the fuckin’ Lord, if you don’t stop right now I’ll break your goddamn legs!” Arthur barked.

“You and what army?!”

Alright, I’ve had it with this piece of shit. The gunslinger sneered in his head.

Putting a little more force into his sprint, Arthur reached around his belt and grabbed his lasso. He untied the rope and held the loop in his hand and began spinning it up in the air. Once he got the proper momentum, he stomped on the ground and used the force to throw the lasso through the air. The loop soared towards the thief and as soon as it was right over his head, Arthur pulled on the lasso, making it wrap around the thief’s body nice and tight. The thief yelped as he tripped and fell on the ground and he dropped the satchel, tumbling through the dirt as Arthur slowed his sprint. He had done it, he lassoed his catch and now he had to finish it.

Making sure to keep the loop tight, Arthur pulled on the rope as he reeled in the struggling thief. As soon as he was standing over him, Arthur shoved him to the ground as he began to tie him up.

“Now you just stay out and this’ll all be over soon!” Arthur said as he began binding his hands.

“Who the buck are you?! Let me go!” The thief demanded.

“Nope, I’m afraid ya took somethin’ that don’t belong to ya so I’m bringin’ ya back so I can return it to its said owner.” Arthur said as he moved to his hooves to tie them together.

“Hey! I got plenty of bits and that satchel! It’s yours if you untie me!” The thief bargained.

“Sorry, boy, but I don’t work like that. I’m takin’ both you and that there money with me and you’re each gonna go where you’re meant to. With you in a cage and it with its rightful owner.” Arthur said as he pulled on the rope that bound his hooves. “There, that oughta do it.”

“You have no idea who you’re messing with!” The thief snapped over his shoulder.

“Oh I’m sure, I’m sure, now hush up while so we can get back there nice and quick.” Arthur scoffed as he hoisted the thief up and over his shoulder. Arthur walked over to the satchel and grabbed it and slung it over his other shoulder. Once everything was gathered, he began his trek back to where he came.

“Come on, mister, you don’t really wanna do this right?” The thief asked.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I do.” Arthur dismissed.

“Why though?! You’ll get nothing but a pat on the back and a sideways glance! No rewards whatsoever!” The thief complained.

“Not sure what you’re spoutin’ about, I actually enjoy the occasional back pat.” Arthur shrugged.

“Do you have any idea how much bits is in that satchel?! You’d be set for a good long while with that kind of scratch!”

“You really don’t listen well, do ya boy? I ain’t interested in no offer ya got fer me and I don’t aim to be anytime soon. You’re the one that dug yer own grave when ya went and stole from some…pony who most definitely needs it more.” Arthur retorted.

“How do you know that I needed it more than that stupid mare?!”

“Firstly, don’t call mares stupid, it’s rude. Secondly, she earned this here money, and thirdly, ya wanted money? Then why not get a damn job?” Arthur lectured.

“You think it’s just bells and whistles around here, don’t you?! You’re just a country stallion living in the sticks without any sense of what it’s like to struggle! The group I run with, they know what it’s like! That’s why I steal, because we take from those who don’t deserve it!”

“Ya wanna know somethin’ about me, boy? I too used to run with a gang. I too was a thief, among other things, and I was damn good at it too. I used to think like you do, that my gang’s needs outweighed anypony else’s. But then I saw just how much the greed turned somepony I used to see as a mentor, a sort of father figure, into a crazed murderer who soon didn’t care who he hurt to get what he wanted. This group you run with, boy, they’re bad news and will remain bad news as long as they’re around. So instead of complaining like a foal, be a stallion about it and accept yer punishment. Either that, or I come back their and show ya what I really do to little shit stains who don’t know their place.”

The thief had nothing more to say as he just hung his head. Arthur snorted as he continued to walk back to the place where the thief stole the bits. The gunslinger smirked a little since this was something he was all too familiar with back home and here he was, doing it again.

“This place seems to be gettin’ more interestin’ by the minute.” Arthur chuckled to himself.

Author's Note

His first bounty, and another of the Six soon met.

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…