//------------------------------// // Prompt: Wild West // Story: Nailah's Books of Speedwrites. // by Nailah //------------------------------// The Cursed Mare. The sun had risen to high noon., Iit was time. He let out an annoyed huff, as he strapped his belt to his side. He didn’t want it to come to this. Why? He flinched, feeling the sting of a tear drop running down his face, as he kicked a barrel on his way out.  Big Mac was a strong and able- bodied pony. The town respected him;, they treated him as their lifeblood. To him, this place was more than just a home;, they were his family, and this...woman,. I if he could call her that, had just walked into his life and charmed him into falling madly in love with her, and now here he was about to face her head to head in a life or death duel. “I betcha asking how it came to this. It’s a long story. I’ll try to keep it short, I ain’t got time to dabble on for long. She’s waiting for me at high noon.”  **** She was the prettiest mare he had ever laid eyes on. Dark blue coat, dark long flowing blue mane and tail. Her cutie mark, a moon. She was the essence of the night, and yet everything about her shined like a bright candle amidst the darkest of nights. “Hello there, stranger. Would you mind allowing me to stay here a night? I’m quite tired and could use the rest,.” she spoke, but he was far too distracted staring at her to say much. “Yep,.” was all he mustered. It was just the start. By morning light, she was gone, vanished without a trace, and yet still very much on his mind. He had to see her again. He had to find out her story. What brought a mare like her to a little town like his? Not that Apple Acres was a bad town., Tthere was good plow here, and the trees grew mighty and strong, and yet, she was much too regal to stop here. “Sis,.” he began, biting his lower lip,. “I ain’t gonnagoing let her just walk away like that. I’m going after her,” he stated, full of confidence, and stride. His sister embraced him tightly, kissing him on his cheek. “Stay safe, brother. Return to us. Apple Bloom and I won’t be able to handle things here without you for long.” “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.” he stated flat, as he packed his bags and began to search for the mysterious mare. The dessert was unforgiving to anyone who wasn’t prepared., Hhe had brought four canteens of water, strapped to his sides, his small satchel strapped to his back, and his gun fastened into it’s holster by his side. Big Mac wasn’t certain how far he traveled, or how long he had walked. The sands whipped against his face, and he felt the sting of the heat pouring down on him. He huffed as he panted, and continued on, until at long last, he found himself collapsing onto his flank, weary from the travel. “What are you doing here?” questioned a voice that he couldn’t see. He glanced all around, but all he saw was sand. “Go away if you know what is good for you. Stay and I’m afraid I’ll have to put an end to you,.” spoke the mysterious voice. He recognized her. “WAIT. I just wanna talk.” he stated, hoping she’d at least listen to reason. Surely, she was a strong mare, and didn’t want to be gawked on by others, but he just had to see her, to talk with her, just to know her name. “Talk? You want to talk? About what? There is nothing to discuss. You offered me shelter, and I went on my way. That is all it was, all it ever will be. Don’t be fooled into believing more. No pony would want to be around someone like me,” she admitted., Hhe could sense a harshness in her tone, a sting of a wound yet not healed. Perhaps he could do something for her. “I want to be around you. You’ are so majestic, beautiful as the stars. Please. Give me a chance. If I fail, then ya have every right to shoot me where I stand,” he stated, desperatelyion. He felt the sweat drops pouring down his face, hHis tongue hanging out from the heat of the sun. His whole body shook, not from fear, but from overheating. He panted heavily.  She revealed herself to him. S, standing before him, was a tall alicorn, her regal form right in front of him. He was level with her legs as he sat there, and took a gulp of a breath, reaching for his canteen, and taking a swig of his water. “What’ is your name? I’m Big Mac,.” he introduced himself to her, still awonder, and a lost in the drift this pony had captivated him. I, it was almost like a curse.  “Princess Luna is what they call me., Yyou may call me Luna,” she replied as she offered him a hoof to get up off the ground. Big Mac found himself stuttering. What should he say? He reckoned he shouldn’t keep saying she was beautiful and he was in awe of her. No… “Why wouldn’t ponies want ya around? I doain’t see no problem with ya,.” he questioned her. Luna sighed softly, tilting her head towards the night sky. “It isn’t of your concern. You have a family, do you not?” “Yep,.” replied Big Mac, blinking, and awaiting her to tell him why he should shun her. He saw no reason to hate her for sure. “I hurt the ponies. I turned the world to eternal night, out of jealousy. I was afraid no pony would love me as they did her,” admitted Luna as she somberly turned away. “WAIT!. Don’t go!. Your past doesn’t make ya bad, it just means ya made bad choices. Let me help you. Show you a better life. Come with me to my town, stay with me,” Big Mach shouted, not wanting to lose her, not when he had come so far. He lost track of where they were. “Fine. Have it your way. I will go with you.” replied Luna, nodding her head and using her magic to aid them in getting back to his town, before Big Mac fell unconscious. ******** “At that time I thought she was just a lost soul, adrift., I thought she needed me., Llittle did I know, she was using me. I felt betrayed when I realized it. When I realized all of the time we had spent together was nothing but a lie. It was all a LIE!. LUNA!” he shouted as he stormed out the door, as he narrowed his gaze, running his forehoof into the dirt over and over again. He could see her shadow as she began to descend to the ground. He bit his bottom lip.  “WHY?” he asked her even now, he wanted to believe there was good in her, that this pony before him was some sort of magic. “I told you, I am a curse to ponies. You didn’t believe me. You have no one but yourself to blame. I am meant to suffer alone. It’s my punishment for my crimes. Now, it’s time you go to the wild beyonds to rest. I must do what is right. You must perish,” she spoke with utter devotion to her cause. It stung him, he didn’t want to hurt her, he loved her, the tears rolling down his eyes as they stood a good solid twenty feet apart. It was getting near., Tthe clock ticked., Iit was a quarter toof high noon,. That was when it began, when one of them would shoot first, and the other would die. Big Mac wasn’t ready. He knew in his heart he would never be ready to kill this mare, but he reckonedreckon he had too, for his family, for this town, for her.  “Luna…... I wish I could’ve done more for you. I’m sorry this had to be,” Big Mac sniffled , as he reached for his gun as the clock struck noon. Without hesitation he went for his gun, he aimed it straight for her head, he had to kill her in one blow, or else he’d be a goner himself. He had to make this count, but his hooves were unsteady, he was shaking. A, as he pulled the trigger, letting the bullet fly. Luna felt calm, calculated, and sure of herself. She reached for her gun, pulling it out and unleashing the bullet at Big Mac. Both of them shot at each other at almost the exact same time. Luna didn’t want to kill him, she knew in her heart, she had loved him, and she knew he had loved her, but it was a love that could never be. It was her punishment for her crimes against the world that she would be forever alone. She smiled at him as she felt the bullet hit her, she made it look to him as if he had killed her, when in truth, she had never truly been there in the flesh. Back deep in the wild beyond of the wild west, an empty vast wasteland was where she called home. This was her home. It felt as empty as her heart had once been, but Big Mac had taught her to hope, hope that someone like her could be forgiven, that she could find a life worth living, and so she made it her vow to find a way to break this curse placed upon her and return to him. Return to the man that had stolen her heart. ***** Big Mac sobbed like a baby, he couldn’t even look at her. Laying there dead, he killed her. He knew it was necessary, but why? Why did it have to come to this? He loved her. Sulking he went over to where her body lay, to discover there was no body there. Confused, but strangely relieved, he couldn’t help but wonder; in her last moments did she teleport away so he wouldn’t have to watch her die?last moments. It was high noon when it happened and, Big Mac wouldn’t never be able to eat right for days after the tragic loss of the mare he had loved. The town would move on, time would pass, wounds would heal, but Big Mac made a promise to himself. He made a promise to never love again. He would protect his family, his town from the ones like Luna, and he would assure that his kin knew of the story of the cursed mare and the stallion. He felt a reassuring hoof on his shoulder, however he couldn’t help but to sob whenever he gazed upon the moon. He knew he’d always love her at high noon.