//------------------------------// // At High Noon // Story: Vignettes // by Lucky Roll //------------------------------// At High Noon The sun slowly crawled to the zenith, breathing heat on everything below. Eerie mirages floated on the barren wastelands surrounding the border town of Appleloosa, only the occasional screeches of the circling vultures interrupting the dead silence. Apart from a few rolling tumbleweeds (Appleloosians prided themselves on their fine, homegrown tumbleweeds), the streets were almost empty. The residents had long since learned it was useless to try working at midday; most of them were napping in their homes, napping in their shops, napping in the shades of apple trees or napping in the stables – it was a tough land for tough ponies. Not one soul seemed to move... apart from two figures in front of the saloon. Here, even the silence felt pregnant with ill omens, as the two ponies stared at each other: one a pristine white unicorn with fabulous purple locks, the other unicorn coloured lavender, wearing a star-shaped golden insignia and a giant, raw sienna sombrero adorned with tiny bells along the brim. No words were spoken; their deadly glares told more than a thousand sentences ever could. At long last, the white one opened her mouth. “So, it has come to this, Six-Shooter,” she said. “This town isn’t big enough for the two of us, and you know it.” “You’re messing with the wrong pony, El Bandito,” Twilight ‘Six-Shooter’ Sparkle answered. She slightly pushed back her giant agate-blue bonnet with the begonia on it and pointed to the badge on her chest. “I’m the law around here!” ‘El Bandito’ Rarity smirked. “You underestimate me, Six-Shooter. I didn’t become the most feared pony in the West simply by having a fascinating fashion sense and charmingly sensual eyes. My horn is the fastest you have and will ever see.” “We’ll see about that!” Twilight shouted and pushed her giant, amaranth-ribboned chupalla further back on her head. “Your reign of terror and trendy vogue, but mostly terror ends now!” “So be it! At the first sound of the bells tolling high noon, we both cast our most powerful spells! Do you accept my challenge, Six-Shooter?!” “You just made a grave mistake, Bandito! I am Governor Celestia’s number one student!” Twilight gloated from under her giant tricorn, decorated with way too many peacock feathers. “You have no chance of winning!” “Oh, don’t I? Only the better spellslinger will walk away from this place alive, you know!” Silence again. Hell-bent blue irises stared daggers at narrowed purple eyes. It was pretty tense for the first twenty minutes or so, but after that the two western heroines started to squirm awkwardly and blink their gazes away from each other. “So, have you read anything interesting lately?” Twilight interrupted the silence, glancing at her rival from under the brim of her giant viridian homburg. “Not really. What’s the time?” “About half past ten, I guess.” Rarity cleared her throat. “Not to be tactlessly sanguinary, darling, but could we perhaps kill each other a bit sooner than noon? I have some pressing business to attend to, if you don’t mind. My fashion empire isn’t going to conquer Canterlot by itself, you know.” “But of course.” Twilight scratched her neck, pushing her giant periwinkle ushanka forward. “How about we both turn back, walk ten steps in the opposite directions, and then fire?” “Perfect,” Rarity answered. They both turned, stepped once, then suddenly span around. Two horns flashed in unison as two unicorns yelled magical incantations, calling forth powers unimaginable. “Summon Greater Fainting Couch VII!” “Maximized Star Swirl’s Infernal Hellfire Hailstor– wait, what? Summon fainting couch? Are you even serious?” Rarity shrugged. “We can’t all be incredible magical prodigies, sweetie. I don’t want to name names, but some of us, particularly those who have talents in more... refined and elegant areas, are glad they can cast anything resembling combat magic at all, you know.” “Whatever.” Twilight looked around under her classy giant velvet top hat, noticing the unusually low amount of fainting couches present. “It didn’t even work!” “Oh,” Rarity smirked smugly, “I beg to differ. I did indeed summon the couch, thank you very much.” “What? But where–” Twilight noticed a rapidly growing shadow under her. “Oh f–” *** “And that was the last one!” Rarity announced. “Thank you so much for helping me out, Twilight! I really needed a model for all these petite hats! How can I ever repay you?” “Oh, don’t worry about it, it was my pleasure.” Twilight hopped down from the podium. “Come on, Dash, we’re done here! ...Dash?” She waved a hoof before the pegasus’ eyes. “Bwuh?” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Oh, sorry, Twi, I sorta... zoned out for a bit, y’know.”