Crackshot: New Beginnings

by Cold Cuts the batpony

A Stallion Called Crackshot

I waited expectantly at the Canterlot train station. Delta and Ms. Belle should be arriving any minute now. Sitting on a bench, I settled my baggage in front of me and lit a cigar.

"Those are terrible for your lungs," Belle dropped onto the bench beside me.

I turned, eyebrow raised, "An it's yer business how?" I knew it was a terrible habit, but one I hadn't yet shaken.

"Come now Belle, it's Mr. Crackshot's vice, you have your own," Delta cut in walking down the platform. Belle harrumphed.

"Jus Crackshot if you please," I stood up and gathered my bags, "so which train is ours and when does it leave?"

"Whenever we're ready I expect," Delta said, rubbing his chin and looking down the platforms at the waiting trains, "ah that one's ours!"

He took off at a brisk trot towards a drab looking engine coupled to a plain boxcar and a private coach.

"We get a private train?" I asked, leaning towards Belle.

"Yup," she hovered along beside me, prosthetic ticking slightly with every sweep, "Didn't ya see it in the 'perks and bonuses' section of the paperwork?"

"Paperwork?" I asked confused.

"Never mind," she groaned, "you really need to get out more!"

We loaded into the passenger coach. Not exactly luxurious, but much more pleasant than riding with the rest of ponydom on a cramped passenger coach.

After informing the engineer we were ready for departure we settled into a few chairs in a lounge area. Small talk ensued, weather, the Wonder Bolts, etc. And we eventually fell silent, accompanied only by the clackity clack of the tracks.

I pulled my rifle from its case and began to polish the brass fixtures, slowly and methodically. Belle piped up.

"So what's the deal with the rifle?" She asked looking intently at it.

I paused and looked up, "It's a long and sorry tale. Sure ya want ta know?"

"We have nothing but time right now," Delta chimed in, "I'd actually like to hear myself."

I sighed, "Suit yourself." I ran a hoof down the long barrel, reminiscent.

"My talent is rifle shooting, though some seem to think it's a little more complex than that," I gestured towards Delta who nodded, "I wasn't always the upstanding member of society you see today, in fact at one point my face graced the front of a wanted poster, dead or alive, 1,000 bits."

I was unsurprised to see the look shock on each of their faces, I returned to my polishing and storytelling.

"I was third in command, and most notorious of the Dirtfoot Crew under the late Dirty Dan. Head of the Pegasus division and the only markspony for a hundred miles in any direction. We robbed, and extorted, and killed...." I trailed off, hooves falling still, "killed so many." I almost whispered. I shook myself out of my reverie.

"Anyways, me and Dan eventually had a falling out, and I got shot in the process," I extended my left wing to show the pocked scars on the inside, "blast from a shotshell. Anyways, after.... a job went bad.... I swore I'd never kill again, I'd maim and cripple in the right circumstance, but life was no longer mine to take," my hooves became still and my eyes glassed over.

"I dedicated myself to destroying the Dirtfoots. It wasn't easy, one pony against so many, but I did it. I picked at threads and made tears here and there in the perfect places," my voice turned harsh, "and when everything was in place, I gave a final tug and the Dirtfoots collapsed on themselves." My jaw was set and my eyes were hard.

"You needn't go on if it's not something you don't want to discuss," Delta ventured cautiously. My eyes snapped to him, he shrank imperceptibly.

"No it's fine," I said, softening my gaze I went on, "Only the top brass of the Dirtfoots survived the infighting, including Dan, a few of my old friends, and my own brother. I spent the next few years hidden in the mountains of Apple-achia learning skills useful to the final demise of the Dirtfoots."

I shrugged, "I had almost decided to let it go and live at peace when they somehow found me up in the mountains. By then I had a few new tricks. Did you know there are herbs and poisons that will strip a unicorn of his magic, a pegasus of his flight, and the strength from an earth pony?"

Heads shook in bewilderment. I chuckled, "Neither did they. I left three magicless unicorns, five flightless pagasi, and two feeble earth ponies on the mountain that day. From then on, it was my goal to hunt down the last of the Dirtfoots and destroy them completely. Long story short, I did. The last of whom being Dirty Dan himself."

"I thought you said he was dead?" Belle interrupted.

"He is, he took the coward's way out," I let that sink in before I carried on, "after that I was aimless, I didn't know what to do and I fell into a deep depression. What good is a markspony that won't kill. The Royal Air Guard was out of the question, and I still had a royal bounty on my head."

I leaned forward and showed them a thin pale scar on the inside of my left foreleg, just above the hoof. Sitting back I continued.

"One night I tried end it all. I had nothing left anyway. But my attempt was foiled by none other than the princess of the night. I had made the cut and lay there awaiting my fate, I was light headed and ready to pass out when I saw her. I thought I was hallucinating, but she bound my wound with magic carried me away, to weak to do anything, I resigned myself to my fate." I pondered a moment, reflecting.

"I don't remember much of what happened after that. I woke in a dungeon, and was questioned constantly. I answered truthfully, confessing all my sins, giving names of everypony whose blood I'd shed," I chuckled, humorless, "making up names for the ones I didn't know, and hoping to be convicted, hoping to die. I don't know if it was weeks or days later, but I was brought before the princesses and given a full pardon. I didn't understand. The lady Luna stepped forward and told me it was her doing. She had heard it was me that destroyed one of the biggest gangs in Equestria almost alone, and that, like her, I deserved a second chance."

I frowned, "but I didn't want one. I begged them to kill me, I threatened that if they didn't, I would bind My wings and throw myself from a cliff. I was imprisoned again, only this time in a tower, in a luxurious room."

"The lady Luna herself waited on me, spoke with me, and for the first time, someone cared for me. I felt hope for life again," I fell silent, "Truthfully, I fell in love. Even though deep in my heart I knew my affections would never be returned, that it would never be. Regardless of my feelings, I was always aware of what I was, a bird in a gilded cage. Till finally a few weeks ago, Luna came to my room, she had my rifle with her. She returned it to me and informed me that I had been given a royal commission. I was to be a servant and vassal to the twin thrones. She said I had a few weeks of freedom to myself, but to return to Canterlot by a certain date. With that she left and I was escorted to the castle door."

I stopped here and looked around, "The few days after we're uneventful, I visited a few friends, and then I met y'all." The others looked on in silence and I felt uncomfortable under their gaze.

"I ain't lookin for no pity party, so stop lookin at me that way," I snapped, "It is what it is, the past." I returned to my polishing vigorously.

"Well Mr. Crackshot, I'm glad you're here. There's nopony else in all of Equestria with a talent so similar to yours." I sighed. I knew Delta was trying to be comforting, but sometimes that head of his was just too full of words.

"Thanks," I said anyways, Belle seemed awfully quiet, but I wasn't going to complain. Packing my rifle away, I stood up.

"I'm gonna get a little shut eye," I said moving towards the bunks in the back, "wake me when we get there."