open Dustbowl Caravan

[PoisonPegasus 8]

((I should just go ahead and make the bartender an OC ))

@@PoisonPegasus, 

 

"He was in earlier, I figured he'd joined up with you by know" the barkeep told Beastly. "If yer willin' to wait fer a bit, I'm sure he'll be back in before the sun sets" he added passing a glass of cold water to the pegasus. "Let me know if you need anything else".

Beastly nodded, and took a swig of water. He yawned, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth. He was tired, and needed sleep. 'Where is he? I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open.' Beastly wasn't one to fall asleep in public, but drowsiness was setting in, claiming him with every second.

[KingOfIcecream 16]

Seven High flipped over the last card he had available in his deck. To no avail, the card did not match up with any of the available slots. Seven High had just lost at a game of solitaire. Seven High could feel tightness in his throat and he knew what was coming next. Tears. Seven High could see his vision blurring more than it already was and quickly felt the warm stream of tears grace across his face. He lost at a game of solitaire, and he was officially the saddest colt in all of Equestria. He slammed his face down on the card table and let out a muffled scream of desperation.

Edited July 7, 2014 by KingOfIcecream

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@,

@@PoisonPegasus,

 

Tumbleweed smirked as he lead Forge into the bustling saloon. "Don't you worry about non o' them, they ain't nearly as bad as ponies like ta think. And if we do run into any trouble me and my partner have got ya covered, speakin' a which..."  he paused as he noticed the pegasus colt half-passed out on the bar. Giving the colt a hard smack on the back to jolt him awake, Tumbleweed proceeded to introduce Forge. "This here is my partner Beastly, he may look like a kid but he's got one helluva bite."

[Trevor Bright 872]

@,

@@PoisonPegasus,

 

Tumbleweed smirked as he lead Forge into the bustling saloon. "Don't you worry about non o' them, they ain't nearly as bad as ponies like ta think. And if we do run into any trouble me and my partner have got ya covered, speakin' a which..." he paused as he noticed the pegasus colt half-passed out on the bar. Giving the colt a hard smack on the back to jolt him awake, Tumbleweed proceeded to introduce Forge. "This here is my partner Beastly, he may look like a kid but he's got one helluva bite."

Forge looked at beastly with a critical eye, then noded. "Bite hmm? You mean that in a literal sense?" He looked up to see if they caught on to his joke, then just sighed. He didn't know why he tried for humor when it usually fell on its proverbial face. He stuck his hoof out to Beastly. "Forge." He turned around and, speaking to both of them said, "if there's nothing else, the barkeep has a promise to make good on and I have a room that needs sleeping in." Edited July 7, 2014 by Fictional_Author7

[PoisonPegasus 8]

Forge looked at beastly with a critical eye, then noded. "Bite hmm? You mean that in a literal sense?" He looked up to see if they caught on to his joke, then just sighed. He didn't know why he tried for humor when it usually fell on its proverbial face. He stuck his hoof out to Beastly. "Forge." He turned around and, speaking to both of them said, "if there's nothing else, the barkeep has a promise to make good on and I have a room that needs sleeping in."

Beastly looked long and hard at Forge, then nodded a hello. "Forgive me, haven't slept in a while. Stress..." Beastly had bags under his eyes, and they were bloodshot; clearly something was bothering him.

 

_________

 

Zaidor stepped into the saloon, looking for something to eat, when he spotted two ponies standing next to a quite feral looking pony. At once, he recognized him. "Beastly! My old friend!"

[Trevor Bright 872]

Beastly looked long and hard at Forge, then nodded a hello. "Forgive me, haven't slept in a while. Stress..." Beastly had bags under his eyes, and they were bloodshot; clearly something was bothering him.

 

_________

 

Zaidor stepped into the saloon, looking for something to eat, when he spotted two ponies standing next to a quite feral looking pony. At once, he recognized him. "Beastly! My old friend!"

Forge stopped and turned around. Hesitantly, he opened his mouth to say something. Finally he sighed and said to Beastly "if you need some rest, I'm about to get a room from the bar keeper. You can have it if you like...you sure do look like you need it more then I do." He walked up to the bar keeper and said, your brother is home safe. Here's the twenty." After getting the key to the room, he was about to offer it to Beastly when a Zebera came bumbling in. Forge recognized him as the one who had held up the platform this morning because he had googley eyes for some mare.

[AppleLover 146]

Little Wind woke with a start. he didn't realize he fell asleep, even if it was only for a minute or two. 'Nah, can't sleep. But I should go and look around town.' he thought. he got out of bed and realized that his key was still in his mouth. Luckily, he didn't swallow it. He spit it onto the dresser that was next to the bed and walked out. He went down the stairs and saw a Zebra. He never saw one before, and he thought it was kinda cool. 'Maybe I'll talk to him later. But now, I'm gonna go for a walk.' he headed out the door, took in the dry desert air, and turned left. 

[Trevor Bright 872]

Dusty was up and out of bed, revolver in hoof at the noise. There it was again! Some pony was moving around in the room next door. He slowly slunk across his room so he could have a good vantage point of the door should it be opened. He waited, tension building in his body. Just when he thought he could stand it no longer, the door next door opened. He leveled his revolver at the door, waiting for it to open...it didn't. The hoofsteps went past his door and down the stairs. Dusty sighed in relief and uncocked his revolver, and walked over to the nightstand, setting it down and turning on the lamp. He squinted in the light for a few moments, then turned around and looked over his room. He'd gotten for 80 bits. It was a tad expensive, but it came with food and drink. Not that Dusty drank. He was a professional. He prefered not to cloud his mind with drink. Sighing, he straightened up his bed. "No use trying to sleep now." He mutters to himself. Dusty checks the load on his revolver out of habit. He knew it was full. All 12 shots. He walked over to the closet of his room and opened it, pulling gear out. First thing he put on was a makeshift chest plate. "Should protect you from anything and everything those Pronghorns throw at you. Not to bad gun fire either...just don't stand in it too long. It's not bulletproof." That's what the smith that made it had told him. He was right. The only thing that had damaged it was a shot from a rifle a little while back. He'd needed medical attention after that. He got patched up though, and so was his chest plate. He smiled fondly at it. Next he put on his Duster. That thing could keep him dry in the middle of a flood. Well, mostly dry. He pulled the duster on and grabbed his holster and knife. He holstered his revolver in his holster (((say that 10 times fast))) and grabbed the last few things in his arsenal. A modified gas mask and his special lucky tried and true Trail Carbine. His mask was modified to allow him to breathe during a dust or sand storm. It wouldn't do much against gasses anymore, but there wasn't much use for that now he was out of the military. And his rifle was as durable and trustworthy as they go. He shoved the mask in a pocket, slung the rifle over his shoulder on to his back and stepped outside. "Better go see if my employers are here yet." He says to himself as he steps down into the bar.

@

Edited July 9, 2014 by Fictional_Author7

[PoisonPegasus 8]

Beastly looked up at Zaidor, then ran to him, grabbing him in a vice tight hug. "It's been awhile, Zaidor."

 

Zaidor nodded, hugging him back. "Always good to see my feral friend. Come, let me buy you a glass of whiskey."

 

Beastly chuckled. "Zaidor, you know I don't drink liquor."

 

Zaidor smiled. "Well, neither do I. But must celebrate!"

 

Forge stopped and turned around. Hesitantly, he opened his mouth to say something. Finally he sighed and said to Beastly "if you need some rest, I'm about to get a room from the bar keeper. You can have it if you like...you sure do look like you need it more then I do." He walked up to the bar keeper and said, your brother is home safe. Here's the twenty." After getting the key to the room, he was about to offer it to Beastly when a Zebera came bumbling in. Forge recognized him as the one who had held up the platform this morning because he had googley eyes for some mare.

[AppleLover 146]

The town really was beautiful when you looked past the dry, airy desert and the fact that you could get killed for just looking at somepony wrong. Little Wind looked this way and that. He saw plenty of things. He saw a sheriffs station, a general store, and a forge. Plus a bunch of plain, brown buildings. "Well, this has got to be the worst walk I have ever had. Maybe I'll just go back to the saloon." Little Wind said, making his way back. 

[Trevor Bright 872]

Forge had taken a seat at the bar. He had just taken a deep draw off his drink when he heard someone step up to him from behind. He was about to just discount it as someone walking by, until he heard the voice. "Well. I believe I owe someone a thank you." Forge turned around to see one of his clients standing right behind him. "Dusty? Wow. You've survived that rifle shot?" Dusty snorted. "Yes, no thanks to your chest plate you made me." "You're still wearing it though." Dusty looked down, hiding a smile. When he looked up again, he had regained his composure. "I'm here on business. Some caravan owner by the name of Tumbleweed told me he needed a bit'o security for his trek and, well, since I'm ex-military and one of the best around, he hired me." Forge nodded at this. He'd made many things for Dusty Spurs over the years. Dusty was one of his best clients. "Well, enjoy your drink, I'm going to have a look around." Forge waved his good bye and went back to his drink. Dusty walked out the door of the saloon and just about ran in to somepony. 

 

 

"Maybe I'll just go back to the saloon." Little Wind said, making his way back. 

 

"Oh, sorry, pardon me." He was about to keep walking past when he stopped and turned around to face the pony. "Excuse me, but would you happen to know a pony named Tumbleweed? I'm supposed to talk to him about a job. My names Dusty Spurs, I'm supposed to be part of security for this upcoming caravan trek."

Edited July 10, 2014 by Fictional_Author7

[AppleLover 146]

"Well hi Dusty. My name's Little Wind. But no, sorry sir. I just got into to town, so I don't really know anypony. But I hope you find this Tumbleweed you're looking for." he said. He went into the saloon and made his way up to his room. He rumbled around in the chest, and took out his book. The title read, 'A Lonely Night' and showed a picture of some dark silhouette. "Now I can't remember getting this, but it seems interesting." he said, opening it up. 

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

Tumbleweed looked up as he heard his name being passed around the Saloon, after a few moments of searching he identified the source as a tan stallion. "So you're Rusty Spurs?" he said recognizing him from the description, "I was just about to write you off as a no-show, I assume you're here to talk business. Hey Barkeep, ((that is officially his legit name from this point onwards)) pour me a cider on the rocks," he perked an eyebrow at the stallion. "You want a drink? I'll buy."

Edited July 10, 2014 by TheSteampunkNinja (TSN)

[Trevor Bright 872]

@,

 

Tumbleweed looked up as he heard his name being passed around the Saloon, after a few moments of searching he identified the source as a tan stallion. "So you're Rusty Spurs?" he said recognizing him from the description, "I was just about to write you off as a no-show, I assume you're here to talk business. Hey Barkeep, ((that is officially his legit name from this point onwards)) pour me a cider on the rocks," he perked an eyebrow at Rusty. "You want a drink? I'll buy."

Dusty smiled. "Actually the name is Dusty, but as long as you're paying me, you can call me whatever you darn well please as long as it isn't dead." He smiled and sat down at the bar next to Tumbleweed. "No, its alright. I prefer to have my wits unclouded. No offense. Just a water would be fine." After getting comfortable and quenched, he finally gets down to business. "So, I'm assuming this'll be a few week trek? Maybe a month?" Reaching in to one of his pockets on his duster, he pulls out a map. Laying it out on the table he points to Deerango. "We're here. Where was the exact route you were planning?"

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

"The quickest there is, right through the Dustbowl." Tumbleweed pointed to the large swath of orange color on the map. "I imagine it'll take about a day to get to the edge from here so long as we avoid any trouble. Once we're in the desert there ain't no tellin' how long it'll take. I've driven some lucky caravans that cross it in a week while others take the upwards of two months dependin' on the weather, and the bandits o'course."

Edited July 10, 2014 by TheSteampunkNinja (TSN)

[Trevor Bright 872]

@,

 

"The quickest there is, right through the Dustbowl." Tumbleweed pointed to the large swath of orange color on the map. "I imagine it'll take about a day to get to the edge from here so long as we avoid any trouble. Once we're in the desert there ain't no tellin' how long it'll take. I've driven some lucky caravans that cross it in a week while others take the upwards of two months dependin' on the weather, and the bandits o'course."

Dusty nods. "That's where I come in. Is there anyone else you hired for protection I should meet right now? And how many ponies are you lookin' at this caravan being?" He looked around the saloon, looking at every pony. His eyes locked on to a certain ponies, and he held his gaze. Finally the other pony blinked and Dusty turned back to Tumbleweed. "From the looks of it, this saloon is almost full. That means most of these ponies must be going on some caravan out of here soon. Your caravan?"

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@, 

 

"Nah, they're probably just here for poker night. There ain't that many ridin' with us this bein' the last caravan of the season and all. My friend Beastly over there helps me out with keeping everything up and running" Tumbleweed said pointing to the wild looking pegasus by the bar. "Me and him usually take care of things on our own, however we ran into a bit of an issue on the last trek and I decided to look into a bit more security."

Edited July 10, 2014 by TheSteampunkNinja (TSN)

[Trevor Bright 872]

@,

 

"Nah, they're probably just here for poker night. There ain't that many ridin' with us this bein' the last caravan of the season and all. My friend Beastly over there helps me out with keeping everything up and running" Tumbleweed said pointing to the wild looking pegasus by the bar. "Me and him usually take care of things on our own, however we ran into a bit of an issue on the last trek and I decided to look into a bit more security."

Dusty nodded understandingly. Times were hard on everyone. Including the Pronghornds it seemed. Their attacks had become more frequent then usual. While this was good for business, it was wearing him out. Dusty figured this was probably going to be one of his last jobs of the season. "Alright. Anything else we should go over, or anything you need me to do right now?" Edited July 11, 2014 by Fictional_Author7

[PoisonPegasus 8]

@, 

 

"Nah, they're probably just here for poker night. There ain't that many ridin' with us this bein' the last caravan of the season and all. My friend Beastly over there helps me out with keeping everything up and running" Tumbleweed said pointing to the wild looking pegasus by the bar. "Me and him usually take care of things on our own, however we ran into a bit of an issue on the last trek and I decided to look into a bit more security."

Hearing something odd, Beastly's ear twitched, straining to hear it clearer. He whirled around to see a stallion stop briefly by Tumbleweed, and continued walking, slipping something in his pocket. Beastly growled and pounced on the stallion, tackling him to the ground.

[Trevor Bright 872]

Hearing something odd, Beastly's ear twitched, straining to hear it clearer. He whirled around to see a stallion stop briefly by Tumbleweed, and continued walking, slipping something in his pocket. Beastly growled and pounced on the stallion, tackling him to the ground.

Dusty whirls about at the commotion, drawing his revolver. He instinctively points it at the pair on the ground, but moves his aim when he sees the Pony that Tumbleweed had called 'Beastly' on top of another pony. "Beastly? What happened?" He keeps his pistol cocked and at the ready, but holds it by his side in a non-threatening but ready position.

[KingOfIcecream 16]

After roughly fifteen minutes of having his face on the card table, Seven High heard a loud thud followed by the cock of a pistol. He pulled his face from the table with a nine of clubs sticking to his cheek. He listened intently to the current conflict.

Edited July 14, 2014 by KingOfIcecream

[PoisonPegasus 8]

Dusty whirls about at the commotion, drawing his revolver. He instinctively points it at the pair on the ground, but moves his aim when he sees the Pony that Tumbleweed had called 'Beastly' on top of another pony. "Beastly? What happened?" He keeps his pistol cocked and at the ready, but holds it by his side in a non-threatening but ready position.

But before Beastly had a chance to answer, the other stallion pulled out a switchblade and sliced across Beastly's neck. Beastly let out a lion like roar as he fell backwards. Jumping up, the stallion ran outside, shouting, "I got what I came for, see y'all later!"

[Trevor Bright 872]

@

But before Beastly had a chance to answer, the other stallion pulled out a switchblade and sliced across Beastly's neck. Beastly let out a lion like roar as he fell backwards. Jumping up, the stallion ran outside, shouting, "I got what I came for, see y'all later!"

Dusty jumps off his seat and runs outside after the pony. You hear gun shots then Dusty comes back in. He quickly kneels down next to Beastly and, pulling out his field aid kit, begins to try and bandage up Beastly's neck the best he can. When he's finished, he stands up and says "Did the best I can. You should probably see a real doctor before to long, but that should be ok for a while." He walks over to Tumbleweed and says "Whoever that pony was, he got away. Did you recognize him?"

 

After roughly fifteen minutes of having his face on the card table, Seven High heard a loud thud followed by the cock of a pistol. He pulled his face from the table with a nine of clubs sticking to his cheek. He listened intently to the current conflict.

Forge stumbles drunkenly over to the table Seven High is sitting at and barely manages to sit in the seat. When he's finally settled in, he turns to Seven High and says "Well, whash have we here? Sholitaire? You Win'in?" his eyes are poorly focused over Seven High's shoulder even though he's obviously trying to talk to Seven. 

[HunterTSN 1,444]

@@PoisonPegasus,

@, 

 

Tumbleweed shook his head, "never in my life, probably just some scum with a knife and no brains" he said before turning to Beastly. "Hey you alright kid? What did that punk do to bring you down on 'em like that huh?" he asked his partner with a raised eyebrow.

 

---

@@PoisonPegasus,

 

Red walked over to the zebra stallion by the bar and sat down. "This place sure is crazy isn't it?" she said taking a sip of martini, "he your friend?" she asked the zebra, gesturing to the bandaged pegasus.

Edited July 14, 2014 by TheSteampunkNinja (TSN)

[KingOfIcecream 16]

Seven High replied "No! Nno I'm naht. But now that yer here, hows bouta nice game o' blackjack? I've been tryin' ta play fer awhile now 'n' n'body seems ta want to." He said gesturing to the barkeep and the shady looking colt in the corner, "So how bout it? Loser buys a couple o' drinks?" He collected his cards and began to shuffle them.