Hunting the 6

by Starblazer225

Long Ways From Home

I’m not from around here. These green lush pastures and rolling hills into the deeper ivy colored valleys all were alien to me. I had grown up around them, but it was so long since I’ve seen them last. Nowadays I’m around dust, and sand, and rocks. Cactus too but that was a common beauty to where I’m from. I come from the desert. Long streaks of brown and orange was all I’ve ever known. Water was scarce and the painted lines down dunes of sand were all what seemed homely to me.

It had been hours since I saw that last dune before this strange line of trees. They flew by quick, the trees, that is. Sitting in this train watching everything go by so quickly just to disappear behind you, it’s strange. No more than a day ago I was back home, the warm dry air comforting me in my sleep. The smell of dry dusty rock trailed off around the fire in the little adobe house I called a home. Not gonna lie, times can be difficult living under the sun right above the scorching hot sand. But I tell ya, nothing compares to leaning your head out on a clear night to see such a wonderful painting just sitting out in front of your eyes.

Life though, is a hard thing to live with. Now, don’t be taking that out of context, when has your life ever been calm and subtle? Not twisted and confusing or difficult at all? If you say no, and you never felt this way then you have reached a perfect Nirvana that I can only envy.

I rested my dirt and dust covered hooves next to the windowsill. The sweet aroma of the sand still clung tightly to my horseshoes and fur around my hoof. I took a deep inhale of them. The pictures it painted just brought me right back there. The little adobe house with the fire in front of it, a small brick well pressed against one of the outside walls, the sturdy fence around the perimeter of the little piece of land made from yucca stalks I had cut down and dried by the fire. It was simple but I enjoyed it.

I was not used to this wet humid air that surrounded me. The fresh crisp scent felt new to the senses and the clouds and soft beating sun held a peculiar feeling to this new world I had entered.

This train ride was a little more expensive than I thought it would be, after all I did book a private seating room. I’m not around other ponies a lot so I simply try to avoid them as much as possible.

My line of work though is necessary that I’m around a lot of people. My father tried to get me to bring up the family business but I had turned it down and signed it over to my little brother when Daddy died. He’s wealthy now with a gorgeous wife and two colts, one cute little filly. I’d come up to visit once in a while, but their colts are getting smarter, asking me all sorts of questions I don’t want to answer. It’s hard to explain that your uncle kills for a living.

If you had a young little colt come trotting up to you, innocent as a baby, and asked you why you have a hoof with a metal contraption sticking out of the front of it you’re not going to tell him a lie are you? No, colts and fillies are lied to their whole lives. I simply walk away or ignore the question, seems simpler to do that anyway.

The clicks and clatter from the rail road below the car was soothing, it had been one of the few things that had not changed since I left. Back at the station in Desolate Acres nopony was on the train. It had come from farther east so I had either one of two theories, either no one desired to come out here or I was the last pony alive in that direction.

The light faded quickly as the train entered a tunnel. The window now showed a veil of black. Then I felt the gravity of the car shift. Everything was pulled forward as if the train was going into an incline.

“Attention passengers,” I heard a voice call out from the intercom, placed above the sliding door that opened to the room I stayed at.

“The main line has been closed off, so we will be taking a detour. Everything will be fine, but we will be delayed four to five more hours. Thank you for your patience.”

The train returned to it’s normal gravity pulling things to the floor and not to the wall. Not a minute after I heard a lot of clatter from outside my room, voices shouting and such. Shadows would rush past the small porthole that opened into the hallway. I ignored it and looked up towards the ceiling.

The baggage carrier swung overhead with the shifting car, the squeak chambered throughout the room and remained only a whisper among the other sounds. The black hat that I had slug on a hook above my head before we left the station had remained asleep and comfortable as I laid there almost sprawled out in the cabin. The flat brim perfectly orbited the crown of it. I flicked it off with a hoof and it landed atop my head propped on to one side covering one of my ears. I pulled it down over my eyes and tuned out all noise except for the noise from the train car. I closed my eyes and started to dose off.

My mind slipped back to one of the warm nights back at home. Night was cool and pleasing but lonely at times. You don’t realize how small you are until you gaze up at such a big curtain covering the sky painting it with diamonds and splashes of colors. Unlike the big cities and forests and such you can see the sky at night. I read in newspapers and such about how in the city you can’t see the night sky. That must be a shame, not being able to see such wonders of the night. I couldn’t even imagine it.

A knocking broke my slumber at the door of my train cabin. I was pulled from the starry night of the desert and into the realm I currently occupied. The train car held it’s rank scent of lemon soap and warm wood. I looked to the door.

“C’mon in, the door’s open.” I said pulling my hat over my eyes to where I could only see the inside black stitching.

I heard low shuffling then the door sliding shut.

“Sorry to have disturbed you, sir.” He said, or rather, what I thought was a he. The creaking bench squealed as someone sat on it.

I pulled my hat up from my eyes. A green unicorn sat across from me, his emerald colored mane pulled over to one side covering that side of his face, a black bowler hat sat on top of his head and a white canvas shirt was worn under a brown leather looking vest. His hind legs were covered by what looked like white and black pinstriped overalls, the shoulder latches fallen over the front hanging by his sides. He had deeply dulled hazel-colored eyes that sat behind small circular glasses.

“If I’m correct, you’re the one the boss hired?” He asked. I pulled my hat back over my eyes and closed them.

“Depens, who’s yer boss?” I asked. As i leaned back in the seat a loud screeching echoed through the room as i adjusted in the seat.

“If you are who I think you are, and you work for who I think you work for I have the right to believe that you are who I am looking for.” He said. I pulled my hat up and look at him he had a face that was completely enthusiastic and expectant of a question. All I did was stare at him.

“Listen kid,” I said pulling the brim of my hat over my eyes again.

“If yer gonna play this game with me, I reckon ya' better scram before you have a nice conversation with that there window when I toss you off this here train.” I warned him. I told you, I’m not the social type, this is why, ponies generally annoy me.

I heard him chuckling a little.

“You have to be Golden then?” I didn't even acknowledge him, i just remained still with the hat covering my face.

“You’re known for having a bad temper, the boss told me.” I shrugged under the brim of the hat.

“My name is Emerald, I’m your contact.” He said proudly.

“Anything you need in the city you come to me.” I heard

I though about telling him everything I needed so he could get right on to what for this project. In my head I made a checklist: Room and board, food, transportation, and map of the city.

“Well, first I need a room to be stay'in in.” I said to him behind the wide flat brim of my hat.

“Already done,” He said. “Anything else?”

“Some cash to get food n such.”

“You will receive that when we get off at Canterlot Station.”

“Transportation?”

“We prefer you to do this on hoof,” He said as I heard the squeaking from the bench as I’m guessing he re-adjusted or something.

“We can’t have this traced back to us in any way.” I heard Emerald say.

"Any kind of identifiable vehicle is too noticeable and already provides a major threat to being witnessed."

“I can understand that. I also need a map of the city that the target-“ I got out

“Targets,” he responded, cutting my off.

“Targets?” I asked lifting my hat up to look at him.

“Yes, you will receive a map of the city, but each ‘target’ is in a different city which you will receive a new map for each city.”

I looked out the window at the darkness of the tunnel, cut by light as a lantern that was hung on one of the walls cuts the darkness.

“You have six targets,” He said.

“They never existed,” My head twitched with an itch that had just started to bug me, I scratched at it with one hoof.

“That’s gonna cost ya boss extra, ya know that doncha?”

“We understand the complications, we are willing to pay full and pay for your train rides.”

“I thought you said I can’t have transportation?”

“I thought you meant inner city transportation, no, long distance you will have provided means of transport.”

“Mkay.” I said.

“Oh-“ He said.

“By the way, you no longer are on the side of the law.” He said giving me a dead stare in the eye.

“If you are caught you will be sentenced to death.” He said reaching into one of the pockets in his vest. I had my gun tracked on him the whole time. I don’t find him a threat, I just have trust issues. He pulled out a goldenrod envelope and tossed it to me.

“The boss wants them exterminated, in there is all their information.” He said getting up from the seat. I opened it and looked at the first page that slid out.

“Burn the documentation once you’ve acquired all the information you need.”

He trotted to the door then turned back to me before walking out.

“You cannot fail, Golden. And the royal guard have been tracking you since the last two stops.” He said readjusting his hat. “I’d recommend getting off at the next stop.”

“Thank you.”

All I heard from him as he closed the door behind him was “I’ll stay in touch.”

I looked over the page with the first target’s information filled out. It was a black and white photo, a unicorn was in it, the bottom right corner had a crown like relic with a jewel erecting from the center. Everything was there except for a name. Anytime her name was mentioned it was crossed out with black ink.

Name: ---------
Sex: Female
Age: 28
Birthday: ------- --; ----
Race: Unicorn
Color: Mane; Purple, streaks of darker purple and magenta. Body Coat; Light Violet
Known Location: Canterlot Magic Academy
Occupation: -none-
Information: ---------- is know for her magic skills and ability, crowned as a princess but turned down the honor to make sure she would pass away with her friends so she couldn’t watch them die. Trained by and mentored by Princess Celestia. APROACH WITH CAUTION! --------- is deadly to approach, keep your distance and exterminate with extreme prejudice. _________________________________________________

There was also a biography there but I didn't care much to read it. I turned the page over to see if there was anything else. One thing was printed on the back in blue ink.

Despite how much you like it, ditch the whole ‘Desperado’ look, you’ll be spotted easily

~Treble~

Comments

[La Barata]

Excellently written, fantastic spelling and grammar and interesting plot.

Moar!

[Starblazer225]

thank you so much! I do appreciate the kind words, and not to worry, more will come soon