Now when Big Red came breezin' into town the next day everypony knew that something was gonna happen. Possibly something involving blood and iron. After all, there was little involving Red that didn't end in just that one way or another. What most ponies discounted however was that Marizona ranger's chances.
"I dun' heard there's some kinda law pony 'ere in town lookin' fer my head. Well, bring 'er on out 'ere so I can put her in tha ground like tha rest... First pony 'at gives 'er up don' get shot later." rang out the deep bass rumble of Red's voice, filling the mostly empty streets of the town proper. The clock tower had chimed eleven not forty minutes before.
Now, it being almost noon one can understand that Red cut a rather imposing figure, standin' there all dark and desperado lookin' in the sun. Red was a big fella to be sure, to be sure but it was all muscle. Dressed as he was, all dark cloth and gun metal, he was the spittin' image of those old story book bandits, and the black stetson he wore didn't help that particular image none either.
Thing about story book bandits however is that their reputation came a galloping hard before them, and in Red's case, that reputation had been earned by the blood and body count in this very town. As such, it wasn't five minutes before there was a great clammorin' to find that ranger and bring her out to Red. They needn't have bothered however.
Stepping out from the shadows between the saloon and the jail (A placement for convenience's sake that old Silver Star had proposed) the ranger pushed her hat back out of her eyes and watched the commotion with a rather lazy eye. She'd forgone her duster this day and wore only her vest with its gleaming badge of office, and the large peacemaker she wore at her hip. Taking a deep breath as she looked out at the stallion she'd come for she cleared her throat and spoke up.
"Lookin' fer me, Mac?" she asked simply, her voice somehow carrying over the din of the citizen's collective freak out. A commotion that died the instant the words were out of her lips.
Red's eyes widened slightly when he saw just who it was that was after his hide this time, but he didn't worry none. Didn't matter who it was, not one lick. She'd die just like the others, and then he'd be able to move on same as always.
Licking lips suddenly gone dry Red spoke up, that bravado of his crumblin' slightly. Just enough to show the town's folk that the stallion that had held their home in an iron grip was... Afraid of the smaller mare before him. "Was wonderin' when I'd see ya... Well, tell ya what gal, considerin' we got a history... We'll do this square. You know I ain't commin' quietly so don' bother askin'. When that clock strikes noon we'll draw, you'll die... And I'll make sure you're buried next to Ma, Pa, and Applebloom..."
AJ just closed her eyes and sighed, nodding slightly. There was nothing else to be said, they just stood there, facing one another, neither daring to blink as the seconds ticked slowly away. Everypony held their breath, they know that beautiful mare was soon to meet the reaper pony.
When the clock struck twelve there was nothing in that town but silence, a silence broken swiftly by a gunshot and the tolling of a bell, twelve times it rung, each will all the finality of a funeral bell...