//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: The Legacy of Dash the Stampede // by JackTheEpic //------------------------------// "So did you hear? Dash the Stampede was spotted in New Haven last week, and is supposedly heading this way." The grey stallion in leather said "Yeah, I heard she is heading for the capital. Supposedly she is seeking an audience with the Princesses." The emerald green stallion in a leather suit with a metal over lay on the sides said "Really? I heard that she was going to turn her self in and collect her own bounty, and use it to buy her own freedom." replied the grey stallion "No bucking way. That isn't good in any possible way. All those people who have spent years hunting her, who left their families, and their life behind to hunt her and bring fortune to their town. If she really does that, she is basically bucking them over, and telling them to screw off." said the emerald stallion in disbelief "Your telling me. If I ever see her, I will giver her a piece of my mind, and collect that reward my self." said the grey stallion with a smug grin on his face "Hell, If I saw her, I would ask her if the rumors are true, if she is in fact a womanizing mare with no limits to how far she will g-." the emerald stallion started to say before a loud thud from the counter interrupted them. Sitting at the counter was a cyan mare with spiky rainbow colored hair, dressed in a red duster trench coat, dark blue jeans, brown boots, and yellow sunglasses. She had slammed her glass down on the counter, which made the thud they heard. "Hey, doesn't she match the rumors?" the grey stallion asked the emerald one "You know what, I think she does. Do you think we should ask?" retorted the emerald one "Are you crazy!? If she really is her, if we get her angry it would be the end of us!" replied the grey one "I can hear you clearly you know." The mare said suddenly, which caused the stallions to jump back and reach for their guns. "Relax boys, there is no need for violence. If you have a problem with me we can simply talk it o- GET DOWN!" the mare screamed as she dove for the stallions, talking them to the ground, just before the saloon was torn apart by a hail of bullets flew through the air, and riddled the saloon. Walls crumbled and furniture was destroyed before the gunfire stopped. "Stay here." The mare said, "Unless you plan on helping you will only get in my way." "W-w-we can help. Please we don't want to die!" The stallions said simultaneously The mare looked at them, judging whether or not if she should let them, or if their help will only result in death. "Fine, you can help. But if you fire, shoot to injure, not to kill. You got that?" The mare asked, the stallions replied by nodding their heads as they pulled out their pistols. The mare pulled out a pistol from her side as well, but the stallions noticed something strange about the gun, it seemed to be a little big and clunky to be used in combat. That and when she peeked her head around the corner they noticed it was a revolver with a barrel that was aligned with the 6'o clock position instead of the 12'o clock position. A rare style indeed. The mare turned back to the stallions and said, "There are 10 people out there. They all have either machine guns or shotguns. I will take the 6 on the right, you get the 4 on the left. And remember, shoot to wound, not to kill." The stallions nodded their heads, and the mare held up her hand and started counting down from 3 with her fingers. And when she reached zero, she rolled out into the open and fired. While the stallions stood up and took out their targets. They fired 2 shots each, and they only heard one from the mare in red. They though that she might have been killed, but when the looked over to where her targets where, they were all on the ground clutching one of their arms. They looked over to her in astonishment, and watched as she reloaded all 6 of her shots. "H-h-how did you take them out so fast? And how come we only heard one shot?" The grey stallion asked "Simple. Im just that good." the mare replied as she went over to the bartender who was lying on the ground behind the former bar counter, quivering in fear. She held out her and the bartender grabbed it, she then helped him up and asked him if he was alright. He simply replied with a nod of his head, probably out of sheer shock that he was still alive. The mare then grabbed a bag that was lying on the ground near where she was sitting before this happened, and then proceeded to walk out the ruined door. The stallions ran to the door and yelled to the mare now a fair distance away, "T-t-thank you for saving us!" the grey one yelled "C-can we know your name?" the emerald one yelled The mare stopped and turned her head around and yelled back, "Your welcome! And the name is Dash, Dash the Stampede!" The stallions simply stood their in shock. They couldn't believe they were saved by the legendary outlaw Dash the Stampede. And when they finally let it sink in, all they could do was faint. Meanwhile Dash thought to herself, "How come even in my journey to retirement, nothing ever seems to go my way. Ah, well, maybe in that new town of Ponyville will be different. If I can get there, and change my look, hopefully my past will cease to haunt me." Dash let out a sigh and continued walking in the direction of the new town. And finally after a week of walking, she finally arrived. And much to her surprise, the town seemed to have been settled in a rare green zone. There were trees scattered on the outskirts, but there seemed to be a thriving apple farm on the far side. From what the merchants of the town of Yellow Gem, this place has only recently been declared a town, due to it finally reaching a size suitable enough for it to be called so. But this land had been first settled by a family known as the Apples, over 150 years ago. And only recently have they allowed people to settle here. And when word got out that this was in a green zone, claims were selling faster than water in a dry season. She was lucky to get that claim from that merchant, but it cost her all of her double bits. Seeing this place, sent joy into her heart. That a place like this could exist among the vast deserts that are this planet. And that there are people who are willing to share this with others. And at the same time they risk this lush land, but they do so to make the lives of others better. That is true love for their fellow creature. And I will be damned if anyone ruins it. So I promise to my self, that from this day, I will not let those who care for nothing of the land, and only care for them selves, that they will not take this land. So declare I Dash the Stampede.