The Bounty Hunter

by Hope Is Never Lost

Chapter Three

Calo watched Equestria’s countryside raced by his window, as nothing but a blur of green pastures powdered with batches of milky-white fog clinging low to the ground. Grey crags in the distance were like jagged teeth of the valley, creeping slowly underneath the horizon; a streak of amber accompanying the sun began to make its ascent across the sky. In the corner of his eye, the illustrious silhouette of Canterlot perched high atop its mountain deterred the sun from shining upon this broad, empty landscape. It's brilliant aura filtered through the castle’s prominent towers, casting rays in every direction across the morning sky.

He took a brief glance around the train car: a couple of ponies filled the benches, most of them sleeping; one mare who looked like she’s been up for days was tiredly flipping through a newspaper.

Calo had tried sleeping, as he always did on these long, uneventful train rides. But for reasons he deemed weren’t worth pondering, Calo found it difficult to do so over the train’s dull, aged chugging thumping like war drums in the back of his head. While its rhythmic bumps, rattles, and whines would bring a comforting sense of nostalgia, for this time, in particular, it made him restless. None the less it was heading to his destination.

Calo moved his head to the side and let out a sigh of content when it let out a satisfying pop. It seemed that even the ponies believed the rumors now as they glanced at him only to glance away in fear. Deep in the west, he was considered only a rumor to scare criminals. Though the ponies did give him a few curious glances and that was it. Just the way he liked it. He was only here to make bits, not make friends. If you didn't have bits or a contract, then leave him alone. Usually, it didn't work so he gave them the count to three. It was all a bluff. He wasn't going to kill them unless they tried to kill him. Luckily everypony always bought his bluff.

"Ponyville train station arrival in five minutes!" One of the train conductors shouted.

Calo rose to his feet and stretched his back. Glancing over he could see ponies had already begun lining up at the doors, no doubt eager to get off the train from their long journey or to get away from him. Either way, he didn't care.

'Just keep your eye on the prize and move on from this town.'

With that thought, he stepped outside onto the train station. Glancing around he saw the whole station was tiny. A simple shack to but tickets from while the central part of the station were where you gave you tickets to board the train. His primary focus was the town that seemed a little away.

'The First thing is to find some maps of the entire area and scout the area for possible hideouts.'

In the distance, a pink pony with a bouncy, curly, hot pink mane and tail was trotting happily up the dirt road toward them. Her eyes were closed as if she was lost in happy thoughts, thus not seeing the two figures up the road.

Calo's face twisted at the sight of the pink pony. He never saw a pony look so bright and colorful in his life.

She stopped to a complete halt the moment she laid eyes on him. She was as silent as a statue. She was one because she froze right in the middle of her trotting. She was floating in mid-air, which defied all laws of physics.

The two different being were engaged in a silent stare-down. His eyes narrowed as he slowly reached down towards his weapon. Suddenly, the pink pony gasped before she zoomed back to the town in a pink blur just leaving Calo there with his mouth opened in surprise before he put his emotionless facial expression back on.

'No doubt she knows me. Great.'

Calo walked at an average pace until he finally reached the town. There were colorful ponies everywhere he looked. They were trotting to and fro, chattering happily and incessantly like chickens in a coop. Every single one of them was engaged in various enjoyable activities. One pony was happily eating a delicious pastry here; a small filly was playing with a jump rope there; it was like walking into a fairy-tale. These ponies looked like they never had a care in the world. It was all peace and harmony.

Calo scoffed.

How naive are these ponies are? They think nonviolence and 'friendship' can solve everything. If all that were true then he wouldn't be doing his job. Nor would he have a job.

"WATCH OUT BELOW!"

Calo looked up, searching for the source of the voice and saw a grey-furred pony with a golden mane and wings falling to the ground at a fast speed with a bag on her as well. Without even thinking he rushed over while reaching his arms out catching her with her colliding into his chest causing him to stumble but not fall.

Calo glanced down at the mare only to look into her eyes. He saw they were golden like her mane and tail, but what surprised him was that her eyes were a little crooked, unable to focus on the same thing. She then looked at him, and her eyes then went wide.

"Are you, alright Miss?"

She rubbed her head a little and answered, "Y-yes. Thank you, Mister."

"Good. Now get off." Calo grunted while dropping the mare onto the ground while turning to walk off.

"Hey, mister!"

Oh for the love of.

"Yes, what do you want huh?"

The mare he just saved had gripped him into a hug squeezing tightly around his chest with her hoove.

"Thank you for helping me!"

Before Calo could even say a word the mare had already flown off. He just stood there for a few minutes while a small smile appeared on his face only to disappear one sec later when he realized what he was during.

'Don't get soft. Just find the library and get the maps or look at them, find the bounty and collect the bounty.'

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Where is Calo Nord from?

[Kaiser change name]

7329604 Star Wars knights of the old republic.

[Hope Is Never Lost]

7329604 Heres two videos

[nightmaster0]

Great story.