//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3: Blazing Rain 
// Story: Crimson Gambit 
// by Brosparkles 
//------------------------------//

	Mac kept his head low, and watched the desert go by him. Confronting her on the train wouldn't work, it’s too public. So he waited, and watched the desert. The train eventually reached the small dustball that was Dodge Junction. The town was a small, isolated dot of civilization in a harsh desert. Marigold left the train, and Mac followed, leaving from the back. The sun beat down on him, he could feel the pure heat radiating around him. Marigold quickly went through the village, determined and all business. Mac watched her from a distance, careful to stay away from her. She didn’t even seem interested in the town, she headed away from the buildings, and into the desert. The blowing sands quickly swallowed her, and Mac had to follow as to not lose sight of her. The desert seemed to stretch on for ever, but he knew it hadn’t been more than a couple minutes he had been tailing her.

In the distance he saw three figures shadowy figures slowly materialize out of the sands. Three stallions were standing around a small camp, nothing more than a few tents and a fire. Two of them were rough figures, muscular, but not tough. Both pegasi. The third stuck out, being a true desert dweller. He could tell immediately from his face. Covered in scars, with an elongated muzzle. His blonde hair was torn and dirty, swept back by the wind. He was always looking beyond you, never at you. He was tall, and athletic. Not musclebound, but strong. He looked somewhat underfed, his chest was thin. His brown fur was cut thin, looking more like a thin covering than a full coat. Marigold approached them, the desert-dweller clearly the leader of the group, spoke, in a clear, eloquent tone, but he was unable to fully mask his rough voice. His speech was too perfect, he was clearly unfamiliar with the Equestrian dialect. Most likely he was from the deserts to the south of the hills.

“You’ve got the bits?” he said.

“Right here.” Marigold said, opening her pack..

Marigold showed him the money, inside a small canvas bag.

“Now bring him to me, and if you bastards hurt him, you’ll be begging for me to shoot you. by time I’m done.” Marigold said, welling up with anger.

“Relax, the boy is unharmed, and he will remain that way, as long as we get paid. Come with us, we will discuss this further inside, away from the sands and sun.” the desert-dweller said.

Marigold didn’t budge.

“I’ve got the money, now let him go. That was the deal.” Marigold said.

“Fine. Go get the boy, and bring him out here.” The desert-dweller said.

One of the pegasi headed into the tent on the left, and dragged out a young colt, not even as old as Applejack. The colt was bound, gagged, and blindfolded. His blue fur was dirty, and his grey mane was a mess, but he was unharmed physically. He was thrown onto the sands roughly, and the pegasus drew a knife, and put it to his head. Marigold reached to her waist, when the pegasus cut his blindfold. The colt opened his eyes slowly, wincing in pain from adjusting to light. His gag was removed, but he was left bound. She gave them the money, which the desert dweller took. The colt began to weep, his voice shaky and weak.

“Mari! Thank Celestia you’re here! I thought I was gonna die!” the colt said.

The pegasi both shifted to the side, one closer to Marigold, the other to the desert dweller.

“It’s going to be okay. You’re safe, now.” Marigold said, tearing up.

“I’m glad to see you’re reasonable after all. Just a simple transaction.” The desert dweller said.

“Let’s get out of here.” she said, undoing his rope bindings.

“I think you should stick around for a while.” One of the pegasi said, grabbing her by the neck. 

The other pegasus grabbed the desert dweller, and shoved him to the ground.

“What are you doing? She gave us the money! Let go of me!” the desert dweller said.

“Boss says we leave no witnesses. That means you.” one explained.

“He never trusted you.” The other added.

They both pulled their knives, the colt screaming once more.

“Mari! Help! Anypony, please!” he wailed.

Mac ran through the sands,charging at the pegasus holding Marigold, slamming into him with his shoulder, toppling him. Mac disarmed him, and stamped his chest, crushing his chest. He gasped for air, and Mac let up, and kicked him in the side of the head, knocking him out. Marigold, now free,  grabbed her gun, and pointed it towards the other pegasus. The desert dweller remained silent. The other pegasus threw the desert-dweller to the ground, and charged at Mac with a knife, slashing at his foreleg, giving him a deep cut. Marigold fired, wounding the pegasus’s leg, sending the knife flying. The pegasus bolted off in fear, Marigold firing several more times, but not able to see him any longer in the sand. 

“I thought I told you to come alone.” the desert dweller said.

“I thought I did.” she said.

“You want me to let them kill you?” Mac asked.

“I’m glad you came, really. I owe you my life.”  The desert dweller said.

“Shut up. I’m still not sure I want you alive.” Marigold said.

“I did what I had to for money. But I had no idea they would try to kill a child.” the desert dweller said.

“Well, if you are as innocent a you say, Celestia might have mercy on you and pull you out of Tartarus. Hell, you might even go to heaven. Maybe not.” Marigold said, cocking her gun.

“He told me all I had to do was hold the child until you came.” the desert dweller said.

Marigold held the revolver to his head, and he closed his eyes, and muttered a prayer beneath his voice. Mac simply watched, unable to make himself stop her. He didn't want to see him die, but he understood her anger. 

"Any last words, bastard?" she said.

He stayed silent.

"At least you had some honor in death, unlike in life." Marigold said.

He looked into her eyes, she was filled with pure fury. He knew this was his end.

‘Stop!” the colt said.

“Rain?” Marigold said.

“Dont do it! He’s telling the truth!” Rain said, still half bound.

“How do you know?” Marigold asked.

“He was the only one to show me kindness. he would treat me like a pony, not just some object.” Rain said.

“I may not be proud of what I had done, but I wanted it to go with as little suffering as possible.” the desert dweller said.

"Then I'll at least give you the same courtesy." Marigold said.

"He had fought with the others about my binding. He gave me water and food. He stopped the others from beating me."

Marigold was shaking, nearly having pulled the trigger, but she put the gun down. She holstered the gun, and unbound Rain.

“Thank you ever so much. I am glad to see this all done.” the desert dweller said.

“Now get the hell out of my sight.” Marigold said.

The desert dweller walked off into the desert once more, fading in seconds.

“Mac, I’m so sorry.” Marigold said, turning to him.

“I’ve had enough apologies.” he said.

“Here, take the money, Its 6000 bits total, keep it all for what I put you through. I hope you can forgive me someday, but I understand if you don’t. I just h-” Marigold was interrupted by Mac kissing her, which she quickly gave in to.

“I know.” was all Mac said.

“Who’s this?” Rain asked.

“It’s not important.” Marigold said.

“Yes it is! He saved all of our lives! And he kissed my sister!” Rain said.

“McIntosh. Of the Apple family.” Mac said.

‘Let’s get out of this desert.” Marigold said, to which they all agreed.

The sand swallowed them up once more, as Marigold led them back to Dodge Junction.

“Mac, how’s your leg?” Let me see it.” Marigold said.

“It’s fine.” Mac said, as it dripped several drops of blood onto the sand, staining it red.

“No, it isn’t.” Marigold said, tearing at her dress. 

She took a small chunk off the end, and wrapped his leg.

“This should at least stop the bleeding for now.” Marigold said.

“You didn’t have to do that.” Mac said.

“It’s the least I owe you for what you did back there.” Marigold said.

“Your dress is ruined now.” Mac said.

“This thing? It’s fine,really.” Marigold said, looking at the huge tear in the dress.

The three of them talked until they reached Dodge Junction, where they would part, for now. 

“I’m going to be staying here for a while, until I can catch a train to Ponyville. Say, what’s the address of this Braeburn’s farm?” Marigold said.

“Why?” Mac asked.

“So I can send you letters.” Marigold said.

He gave her the address, which she wrote on a small chunk of scrap paper.

“I guess I’ll see you around, cowboy.” Marigold repeated, before kissing him again, and Mac boarded a train back to Appaloosa.

“So just who is this guy? You know him?” Rain asked Marigold as Mac boarded.

“He’s a...friend.” Marigold said.

“Friends don’t kiss. Friends don’t give each other those sorts of looks. Now I want to know whether or not I’m going to have a new family member soon!” Rain said.

“I doubt it. He’ll want to settle down.” Marigold said.

The train took off, separating them for now.