The sun hung, hot and oppressive, over the desert-like scrub studded plans of western Equestria. The air shimmered slightly with the heat, a heat that the long time residents of the small town of Appleoosa barely noticed any more. For them, and for any other westerner, this was a damn fine day to be alive.
Sure, the ambient temperature was comparable to an oven, sun burns were highly likely, and there wasn't an AC unit to be found for a good many miles. It was a good day all the same. The reason for this however had to do with the fact that the local villain was no where near town at the moment. Big Red wasn't there to dampen everypony's spirits like some kind of dark cloud over their collective parade.
The local town-lead, Braeburn, was damn near close to calling it a holiday. Felt enough like one to know that nopony'd be dying today at the hooves of the aptly named outlaw. It was of course right then and there that Murphy decided he'd be bucking up the fine day with extreme prejudice.
To the town of Appleoosa came a strange this fine day, the winds whipping her leather duster about and exposing the handle, a well warn handle, of a rather large pistol at her side. She came plodding slowly, head down slightly and her wide brimmed hat shading much of her face. The first to spot her frowned slightly at the sight but trotted out to say hello all the same.
"Howdy pardner. Wel'cum tah Appleoosa. What brings ya 'round these here parts?" came the question from the local doctor.
The only answer was silence and a disinterested glance from the stranger. A silence that persisted for several long moments, moments that would've had the Doc sweating bullets were he not already doing so due to the heat. Finally she spoke up, accent thick and voice pitched low. "Bet'ness..." was all she said.
Up close as she was now, more of this stranger was available for the cautiously curious eyes of her welcome wagon. From the lack of any bulges or wing holes in (or under) her coat and lack of a horn the strange mare could only be an earth pony. Nothin' strange there really. Her dusty coat was an orange color stained darker by days obviously spent on the road. That brief glance from the stranger had shown her eyes to be a brilliant emerald color. It was those eyes what gave the doc pause though. They were the eyes of somepony who walked with a purpose that would never been set aside for anything. The kind that no matter how soft the gaze they gave you, you could always see the steel behind them.
Stumbling over his words, the doc managed to get his next question out, unsettled by what he'd glimpsed in that brief eye contact. "Peaceful kinda business ah hope?"
"...Depends..." came the response as the stranger kept right on walking into town. She obviously didn't have too much to say.
Frowning slightly, the doc let her go. Answers from her seemed akin to blood from a stone... And he had a heat stroke to go treat... Namely the one he was working up to right then and there.
A day had passed since the stranger'd come to town. A day since she'd disappeared into the well kept rest house that the town prided itself on. A day that had allowed rumors to spread like wild fire throughout the town. Of course the doc's the one who started most of them.
"Bet she's one of them big name outlaw ponies, ya know, tha train robbin' kinda outlaw." was his theory, one he happily shared.
"Naw cos, I bet'cha fiddy bits she some kinda small time bandit what's lookin' tah get her hooves on summat out this'a way." was another popular rumor flying about at the moment.
"Well, did'ja see that duster? 'At was leather or Imma mule! She must be some kinda murderer what skins all 'er kills and wears 'em round like 'at pink monster we dun heard 'bout las' year." Came the opinion of the local drunk (who just so happened to be a mule.)
No matter what the truth really was, one thing was agreed upon by all, even the rather eccentric undertaker. That was that, whatever her business in town was, it revolved around her firearm. It was the kind of business that took their good day and made it just another day in the hell hole of a desert in which they lived. The business only done with the big iron at her hip.
Meanwhile, not too far off, there sat a massive red stallion who gazed down at his target with a faint smile on his face. At his side was a pistol with a notched grip and the words, "Widow maker" carved into it. Calmly this stallion got to his hooves and walked calmly to the farmstead he'd been watching not a moment before. As he walked he silently counted to himself, already mentally adding the next three notches to his pistol's grip... That'd make an even twenty he'd put in the ground. That suited Big Red just fine...
To the town of appleoosa came a stranger one fine day
Hardly spoke to folks 'round her, didn't have too much 'ta say.
Just one dared ask her business, though his wits gave him a slip.
That stranger there among the town wore a big iron on her hip.
T'were about mid-afternoon when she trotted into town,
steely eyes slowly lookin' all 'round.
"She's an outlaw, loose and runnin'" came a whisper from each lip.
"Here to do some business with that iron on her hip."
Softly the voice of the undertaker rang out as he sat at his work. The white pegasus was busy carefully shaping a large coffin out of the best quality apple wood he had... Somepony was going to be needing it real soon after all.
I haven't read it yet, but the amount of memories involved with slaying raiders to that song makes me smile. It also tells me I need psychiatric help but what can ya do?
And I liked it thus far.
3332453
Smile, and shoot more?
3332637 I don' own the game anymore. I'm planning on getting it back once my finances are back up to snuff though. Still I liked it even the style felt western with a touch of Mel Brooks..
3332643
Aren't we supposed to be yelling at that guy to leave us alone, or is that only when he won't quit burning out villages down?
In any case, I'd like to know what you think of the pony-fied lyrics... That is, if you don't mind..
3332716 Not bad at all. I'm enjoying it thus far.
3332717
Ahem... Music is not my thing, but I'm trying to keep it right in line with the general tune of the song. This is a project I'm going to be using to unwind a little after the last chapter I put up for From the Outside In. Mauling Red, the main character in that story, as I did was painful to write but I kinda had to... Its a major plot point x_x
3332733 Wow..I just checked the description...I...I can guess that'd be hard on ya..
3332741
Writing things like that chapter isn't all that hard for random characters, but I'm rather attached to Red. He's mildly self-insertish, which is kinda embarrassing to admit to honestly. That said, he's got a life of his own and his own personality, Makes him feel like something special to me. Having to hurt him in the name of events that will come to pass just felt wrong and painful to me.
That kinda makes me sound odd, talking about my characters like that... But I've always felt one of the aspects of a great writer is the ability to make yourself think/feel like your characters.
3332776 If I just write for a long time It stops being me and starts being what they'd do. So no I understand exactly what you mean. Trust me I do. I'm going back through and editing my first story to make sure the characters shine out on their own more. I know where my main character is headed and I don't like the scenes I've written for the stories final chapter. It will be heard breaking a characters heart in them.
3332783
Without spoilers, just in case you're gonna go read that lol, Red had to loose something important to him to gain something else later on. Sure its not going to be completely lost, but the way in which it was taken actually lost me one of my readers I do believe.
3332796 Some stories are hard to read. I've had to step away from several stories to calm myself before soldiering on...
3332799
Well I hope that what comes next, some Twilight badassery, will make up for what obviously disturbed my readers... The current villain is really gonna be hurting... Like... A lot... Now that's some violence I'm going to enjoy writing... Why do I feel as if by admitting that I've just admitted I have a problem?
3332813 -Motions to the post about my aforementioned fiend slaughter loving ways.-
Thumbs up if u listened to Big Iron while reading this!
3332845
Well i had it playing while writing it, so does that count for anything?
3332821
-Pat pat- I know da feelz
3332854 Yep yep yep!
3332926
Woot! I demand teh thumbs... Rampant gaming has made my own rather well worn. Dear gods I sound like Lyra. "Handsss......."
QUICK! Someone who's a better artist than me, draw a Sombra-fied version of Lyra!
great beginning. Hope to see more
3333697
I'll be starting on the next chapter tonight. This was actually put up early due to insomnia. Would have gone up this evening otherwise.
I blame you! Now I want to write a Fallout Equestria fic!
3352735
Whyever for?
3353081 Got me reminiscing about New Vegas which brought my memories of the ride that is Fallout Equestria and well damn.
3353172 Well if you do decide to write something I'm willing to co-author it with ya if you want. It'd be nice working on a collaborative effort like that.
3353225 I'll keep ya posted, but I probably not do anything. I've got a lot on my plate already.
3353231
Mmk then. I'll work on a chapter for this either tonight or tomorrow. RL stuff got in the way over the weekend
Sounds like a parphase of this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=999RqGZatPs
3360288
That's kinda because it is lol. I said as much in the description.