The name's Willie Hill, my job bounty hunter. For the right price anything's possible. Until there's one man on Earth somebody is going to want somebody dead. Need somebody dead, would you like fries with that? Need somebody somewhere, what's the deadline? I'm not such a bad guy, if you're on ma good side. All I need is a pea shooter and some pesos, and whoever ya want is deader than a door nail in ten seconds flat. And now I'm covered on all sides by horse lookin' mother-humpers. Yeah I reckon Houston went to hell in a hand basket while I was gone, but Hell is where I belong. "So thou art finally awake." They seemed to bow like she was some type a royalty, they turned their back on me. Big Mistake, I put my double-barreled shotgun flush to ones head and BANG!
"I just blew yer mind... Outta yer head!" The purple brains painted a masterpiece on the wall over there.
"Uh huh." She didn't seem to care but just in case, I reached into my vest and grabbed out some buckshot rounds and reloaded. I blew another's head clean off. Man I could do this all day. "There Thou hast had thine fun."
"Not my fault they're idiots. When one gets shot the others run, simple."
"They follow orders, those orders were to do no harm unto thee.
"I work alone. Things like loyalty don't fit in the overhead compartment."
"Thou hast been brought here for a reason."
"What do you want?"
"I need someone out of the picture so to speak."
"I'm listening," A job's a job even coming from whatever the hell she is.
"I am by no means a warrior. I have entire armies for that exact reason."
"So what do you need me for?" This all seems a little stupid, coming from the guy talkin to a horse.
"I lack the efficiency of a human, especially one of your caliber, William Hill Boothe, the hunter trained by Jack Duncan himself. Hand picked to lead the secret service for Ulysses S. Grant at the age of 18, and did dirty work for Al Capone at 27."
"I see my reputation precedes me, I'll need a name, how you want it done, and 45% payment up front, cuz well I'm skint broke."
"My list is long, better start with someone easy, King Bowie of the Diamond Dogs. His son David is willing to become allies with my forces when his father passes."
"So you want me to off this Bowie guy, in order to speed up the hostile takeover bid? By shoving the tail of the snake down it's own throat, it gives you a firm hand-hold and one step closer, to running the world." I found a chair, sat down, and kicked my boots off.
"That's not how I would put it." She rolled her eyes.
"T'swhat it sounds like. Give me a run down on this place cause it definitely ain't like I'm used to."
"Let's start from the beginning, about a thousand years ago."
"In the future."
"Right, There was a girl who loved her sister, but soon that love turned into hatred and jealousy, she tried pushing these emotions down into her heart and over the years these feelings got stronger until they burst forth consuming her. She became insane and grew megalomaniacal, she was banished from the kingdom until two years ago when she had fully developed two personalities, one her original self,"
"And the second into whatever your name is." I'll just play along for now, until I can find an address for the nearest loony bin.
"I am The Nightmare Moon, and these are the top ten creatures on my hit list as you would say." Ten pictures were thrown down on the table I was resting my feet on.
"Can I get some coffee?" A ceramic mug was placed in my hand within seconds. "Man the service here's incredible. I looked through the photos, and stopped at the dog. "So this is this Bowie character?" She wasn't kidding about that dog bit. "How much is his head worth?"
"One Million." I nearly choked down my coffee.
"Dollars, James Hardin was only woth twelve thousand." Holy shit,
"Bits." Still even if it's a million of those stupid half quarters, I pocket $125,000. They're like gold pieces." If this one worth a cold mill, how much are some of these others worth?
"Wait did you say gold?"
"Thou art correct."
"You got a map?" She pointed to a bulletin board, with a map on it. "Where am I and how did I get here?"
"This place is called Equestria, and thou hast arrived here due to magic."
"Magic? No there ain't no such thing, if you'da said Aliens, or time travel, or some weird shit like that I'da believed you. Right now we're on the wrong foot. Notice I don't care about the stupid species difference, because I'm gonna stick with Aliens. Cuz talking horses that just ain't natural." I felt a yawn coming on. "And don't get me started on the stupid name, so is this another planet?"
"It is very much Earth, in the year 4012."
"Aliens and Time Travel, ooh ain't I lucky? Now payment I obviously can't carry around that much dough without causing some kinda suspicion,"
"Tis not a problem. Here is your payment." Some saddlebags floated over and landed on the table.
"The hell am I supposed to do with these. I ain't got a horse."
"Thou canst borrow one of mine." She brought a hoof to her mouth and whistled, how in the blue hell can she do that? A black Clydesdale galloped into the room. "I have grown tired of this one think of it as a gift, and for some extra incentive, take this, tis dangerous out there." A new belt appeared around my waist sporting a brand new pair of Revolver pistols and a serrated survival knife.
"Well thank you kindly," I stood up and walked over to my new mode of transport, and I must say a mighty fine piece on work. Strong back, big lungs, deep blue eyes. "What's your name big guy?"
"He does not speak, I prefer the strong silent type, they have many advantages." It didn't take much to figure out that she used this stud for a slave.
"Typical woman, once you're finished with em you just toss em aside like yesterday's trash. And us men fall for it every time, don't we Fella." He whinnied like telling me he agreed. "We'll set off in about an hour, and maybe we'll learn you to talk, like her." I threw the saddlebags on him climbed on. "I'ma put him through his paces, then we'll head out." I whipped the reigns and he trotted out the door. Once out of the castle he went into a full gallop. This horse was faster than any thoroughbred I ever rode. I started hearing this voice. "Whoa, boy." He stopped and looked around, apparently he heard it too. "Wait here, it sounds like it's coming from over there."
I hopped off his back and took out my new knife, and started bushwhacking. What I saw on the other side was a naked woman bathing in a waterfall, humming the most touching tune I ever heared in my life. Entranced by her song and curves I took a step forward, a twig snapped under my boot and brought me back. She turned around and drew a pistol. "Who are you!"
"You don't want to get in a gun fight with me, sister, lead is one of the few things I don't want to see put in you."
"I asked you a question, and I want an answer." She pulled the hammer back.
"William H. Boothe, and your's pretty lady?"
"Patricia Hayden, United States Navy but I guess that no longer matters." She lowered her gun and walked to her clothes which were folded on a rock. She still kept her eyes on me though. "Did you say Booth, as in,"
"John Wilkes yes,"
"Interesting, I see you have chosen a more western attire, whilst mine is more modern."
"When you from?" I sat down and took a good long look and my new six shooters. Shiny silver not a lick of rust, and the bullets were top of the line.
"2013,"
"Ooh from the future is we? How'd you get here."
"I was on a routine flying exercise over open waters, and in seconds I flew into a hurricane, that wasn't there a second before. Next thing I knew I crashed my plane near here. Mostly cosmetic damage though. All I need's a welding torch and a plasma cutter."
"So that Women's Rights thing worked?"
"Yep, now why are you here?"
"Born and bred in Texas, not much to tell without havin to kill you. U.S. secret service,"
"You're the William H Boothe?"
"The one and only, though I put an E at the end cuz well the whole Lincoln thing."
"Wow, a living legend."
"Not that I didn't enjoy the show, but I got a job to do.... Aw shit."
"What?"
"She didn't tell me where to go." I whistled for the Stud. He stuck his head through the brush. "I gotta go back and get directions." Y'know I really gotta think of a name for him. "C'mon let's go big guy." I hopped up on his back and offered my hand to the pretty lady. "I'm sure that Miss Moon'll give you a job if'n you want."
"I don't see why not, I mean there isn't anything to do around here."
"Partners?"
"Partners," She smiled and took my hand. I hefted her up and sat her down behind me.
"Hold on this's gonna be a bumpy ride." I whipped the reigns and Stud bolted back to the castle, only a few minutes later, we arrived. I turned my head back and she fell off. "I told you to hold on didn't I?"
"I didn't expect a horse to go sixty miles an hour!"
"Make yourself presentable Miss Hayden, I'd like you to meet my boss." I helped her up and she combed through her long black hair with her fingers. The castle door creaked open and we went inside. She kept her hand on her gun and followed slowly, I'll admit I didn't get a good chance to get a feel for the layout last I was here, but eventually I found the throne room.
"My, My, that was quite short," Miss Moon shouted from the throne holding a crossbow.
"What the Hell is that!" Miss Hayden drew her pistol and screamed. "Drop the weapon,"
"I'd prefer if thou wouldst first."
"On three we both do it. One, Two, Three." Patricia holstered her gun, and Miss Moon set down the bow. "Now give me some answers, first of all HOW CAN YOU TALK!"
"I know of primitive Earth languages, and thus I may speak in them, as can humans."
"That's idiotic, it makes no sense, how in your horse brain can you know the complex muscle movements and voice box needed to speak English let alone any other language?"
"She's an Alien,"
"I do believe in intelligent life out there but if she is how did she get here, and why work with us and not her own kind?"
"He is correct, I am from a planet thou may knoweth as Uranus, or Poseidon if thou art from 2200 of earth years. The Equestrians as we were called by the populace of this planet arrived here by what humans called teleportation, we prefer the term magic."
"How did your kind learn of Earth?"
The patron god of our race was well known by the Grecians as they referred to themselves as. The Equestrians worshiped Poseidon, for fathering our kind. And so did humans, which led us to believe that our two worlds were connected in some cosmic way, unbeknownst to either race at the time. But upon the eve of December the 31st 2299 we realized that we were here to protect the fragile human race, from extinction, sadly we failed in this respect, and decided to remain here and help the land return to it's former glory in hopes that one day the gods would recreate the humans which we had grown to love as our own family.
"What happened?"
From Earth's Moon came an abomination called X-od, led by warriors stronger than any we in our combined history had faced. It seemed that upon contact the humans became weak like the enemy radiated disease.
"How did you win?"
We by no means won the war, our allies weakened by the mere presence of the enemy fell rather quickly. We rallied against the technology based species with our vast catalogs of magical spells which seemed to catch them off guard at first, but when King Agenor was killed the X-od seemed to gain his memories, his thought processes, his power.
"So once assimilated they used his memories to topple the already crumbling resistance. Wait you said the war wasn't won, where are the X-od now?"
"The Enemy was indeed driven back but they remain a threat due to one crucial aspect, they are a hive mind, Each soldier knowing what the leader knows. The leader knows anything and everything, and all they have to do is touch, alive or recently dead, all of thine memories are added to their already vast knowledge." Ooh these things sound like the perfect prey, time to go hunting.
Author's Note
Now Being a separate entity Nightmare now speaks in first person but still keeps the traditional speaking otherwise. She has amassed a vast army of dark creatures thanks to her finding Sombra's horn, which also explains her new body. A little insight on the X-od, any questions will be answered in due time, and over the three stories that have been planned.
Miss Hayden looked down at the pictures on the table and picked them up. "Are these?" She shuffled through them. "Targets?" I watched as her eyes got wider and wider. "No you can't, they're innocent creatures."
"What is innocent, tis but a word. They are by no means innocent,"
"I DON'T GIVE A FLYING FUCK! You can't just put them on the chopping block just because you hate them."
"Thou art trying my patience."
"Oh drop the old English shit, I'm a pilot, I got twenty twenty vision, and you know what I'm outta here, I'm gonna go fix my plane and I'm gonna warn them about your serious case of bullshit."
"I have no time for this, Shadows, bring me her head!"
"Yes Princess." About ten of those muscled horses busted through the door, crossbows in hoof. "Right away."
"Have fun," In a split second my left revolver fired and a bullet ripped through one's head and I swung my Shotgun around and whacked Miss Moon upside the head.
"Call off the goons, or I blow your brains out little lady."
"You wouldn't, dare." She seemed shocked that I'd disrespect authority, due to my so called past.
"I do, call them off, let her go, and throw in some spending money, or so help me God, I'll give you day terrors Nightmare."
"There is no God,"
"So there's nobody to stop me is there?" I the reflection of her eyes I could see my own, crazed and determined. "Clock's ticking, make your choice, to live or die?"
"You win, Shadows release her." With almost a sense of unwillingness the shadows obliged, Dissension among the ranks, very interesting.
"Two things is gonna happen right now. First things first, she gets enough money to fix her plane, and second she walks outta here without anybody touching her from that point touching her but me, understood?"
"Sir, yes Sir!" The nine remaining Shadows seemed to take my orders better than Miss Moon's. I walked over to Miss Hayden and placed my hand on her shoulder.
"Why are you helping me?" Her eyes belayed any thought of fear but I could feel her heart pounding and body shaking. "The stories I've been told said you were ruthless, conniving, and downright sadistic." She shook her head. "But that's why you were brought on."
"Every man, woman, and child deserves to make their own choices, and I respect yours. Sides I still got the right to refuse service. If'n you and I cross paths again I can't guarantee that we'll be on speaking terms, you understand?"
"Thanks William,"
"Call me Willie," A shadow stopped by my side and hoofed me a pouch. "How much?"
"Five hundred Sir."
"Good," I handed the bag to her. "This should be plenty, for food and one of them plasma thingies."
"Thank you."
"Now get out of here before I change my mind Soldier."
"Yes Sir Chief Hill." She saluted and shook my hand,
"We'll be seeing eachother again real soon now you hear?" She left and after I was sure she was out of earshot I turned to Miss Moon who had the death stare deep enough to give me chills.
"It was imperative that she be silenced, if she were to warn them it would be devastating to my plans to destroy the X-od."
"Are these ten in league with the enemy,"
"Not exactly."
"Alrighty come clean, just who are they and why do you want them dead? I need this kind of information, before I decide they're worth the shit ton of trouble I just slammed down on my plate." I spread out the nine pictures, on the board. "Talk, to me."
"The Zebra Zecora, is one of the very few non Unicorns to utilize magic."
"Why is she on the list?"'
"She is helping the enemy of this I am sure,"
"How do you know?"
"My Spies in the kingdom have relayed this information."
"Alright, now this one." I pointed to the light blue one with rainbow mane.
"Rainbow Dash, she along with these five are top priority," She pointed to five others A purple one with a horn, a white one with a horn, a yellow one with wings, an orange one, and a pink one. "These six possess the Elements of Harmony, Loyalty, Magic, Generosity, Kindness, Honesty, and Laughter in respects."
"What do they have to do with this?"
"The Elements are weapons yes but they do not harm let alone kill I don't want to reform the X-od I want them eradicated."
"How would one go about taking them out of the picture?"
"What, thou art actually pondering such a difficult task?"
"Are they like Christmas lights or like bullets?"
"What does that even mean?"
"If I take one out do the others not work, or do I have to remove them all for the gun not to fire?"
"I suppose if one is rendered inert all others are as well, in the case of them." She pointed to the final two. "My so called counterpart Luna and the one whom tops the list Celestia. When She had to use the Elements on Luna and myself they were rendered inert for one thousand years due to the fact that their friendship was severed thanks to the the fact of my appearance in the mind of the Lunar Maiden."
"Let me get this straight, these weapons are useless if you have no friends, why that's just plain stupid. I mean why use those when you got one of these?" I pulled out my left revolver and reloaded, There were no bullets. "This was a Russian Rouge. Very clever,you stacked the odds in your favor in case I turned around and tried to kill you. You are the perfect politician."
"I'd prefer the term Misunderstood."
"Okay, The plan will probably consist of heavy undercover work followed by subtle attempts at assassination I've done this before. Now about humans, are we all gone or do we got some stragglers hanging on?"
"There have been some reports of a few but none to worry about for now."
"Speak softly and carry a big stick, I speak loud and carry a Boomstick."
I whistled for Stud. "So any place I should stay away from?" I saddled up and threw myself onto his back.
"Apploosa comes to mind, they have a tendency to overbear."
"Alright, off to Apploosa, wherever that is."
"I just said not to wander there."
"I don't need to listen to you, all I care about is what I think is right." Little does she know our definitions of 'Right' are completely different. Killing something for the sake of just killing. Even Al wasn't that twisted. Besides a real man would hunt the prey themselves than send someone else. If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to repel it; if we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known, that we are at all times ready for War. I've always been ready for is war, cuz there never will be peace. The sooner she realizes this, the better for her. "Don't tell me what to do just point me in the direction."
"Apploosa is due south three-hundred miles."
"Thank you kindly." I whipped the reigns and stud took the memo and walked back out. It was night by the sound of it. Crickets played their songs. The warm air hinted summer or late spring. The dense forest to a normal man would be a near unsolvable puzzle, but to me it was an open book. The trails suggest going west, but I was taught never to trust trails left by wildlife unless I'm hunting. If I go north the moon left of me, I'll wind up in Ponyville that's where more than half of the so called targets live, there I can get some dirt on them. See if they really are worth the prices on their heads.
(Northern Everfree.)
Patricia wandered aimlessly through the dense forest purposely leaving a trail hoping that Willie would follow. She wanted to talk to him, but couldn't bring herself to wait for him. After all her SEAL training, she never once before felt so helpless. Her steel trap mind felt like it was shut. She couldn't think properly, she was flustered, almost brought to tears. All of her friends, her team, have to be worried sick. She thought. She felt confused her thoughts flying back to her crash, what felt like only yesterday. "Why didn't my instruments find anything wrong? Even tower command gave me the green, and what was with Willie?"
(Northwestern Edge.)
"How bout Shadow?" I had spent the last hour bouncing names around. Not many fit the big guy, he seemed to like Shadow the best. "Woah there, you hear that?" I had a feeling something was around here. "Who's there!" I shouted scaring whatever was there. Looked like a pale yellow Pegasus. "What's your name?" It didn't answer, I dismounted and hid behind a tree. Maybe if it thinks Shadow's talking she'll open up. "I won't hurt you,"
"Sh-sh-sh-shadow Pony!" She screamed as she galloped off.
"Damn, that could have gone better,"
"Y-y-yes." Shadow's first word he's a quick learner. His voice sounded like one of those secret service rookies.
"Good, job now that's one down. It looks like that was the bearer of Kindness."
"She d-didn't s-s-seem like it."
"Yes it would seem like that she gets scared too easy,"
"W-will you do it?"
"We'll see, c'mon let's get to Apploosa."
"B-b-but M-m-mistress said."
"I don't care what Mistress said, I don't follow orders, unless they come from someone I respect."
"S-she can k-kill you with a w-wave of her hoof." He followed close behind and tried to vocalize the words he thought would get his point across.
"She won't" I knew she could aliens are just that good, I mean she if I can call it a she, I'm not sure anymore. Was strong enough to whip me from 2000 years in the past, she could kill me with a snap of her fingers if she had any.
"A-are you sure?" You can't fake sincerity like that if you just started to talk.
"She needs me, no self respecting politician would take out their right hand."
"What does that m-mean?"
"William Marcy Tweed corrupt New York Alderman rose to power by buying votes for his gang the aptly named Tweed Ring, essentially controlling New York."
"B-but, how does that describe Mistress?"
"She picked me right?"
"Uh huh."
"Think about it." He stayed quiet through the town, obviously desert due to it being midnight. I found a train station with a steam engine. The engineer asleep in the sleeper car. I kicked him out of the bed, must be nice. He shook himself awake. "Hey this train go to Apploosa?" He took one look at me and scrambled to a corner.
"Well of course it does. straight on through overnight, leave tomorrow morning."
"That's not good, here's what's gonna happen you are going to get off this train, take this and get a nice room somewhere, and let me ride out of here on this here train."
"And if I refuse?"
"I won't mind much, I'll just throw you off without the money."
"Okay, I'll go," I tossed him some bits about fifty.
After he got off I got Shadow to shovel coal and start the fire. The train lurched forward as I bid farewell to the engineer. "Oh and make sure to tell your leader about me." As the train picked up speed I looked in the kitchen car. "No meat, Should have taken the engineer,"
"Y-y-you'd eat him?"
"When you're hungry, but I'd never eat you. We're business partners. Keep the engine hot, we'll switch off in a few hours."
"O-okay."
