I lay in my bed, restless as ever. I wasn't sure what it was but something was keeping me up. Perhaps the heat?

It was getting very hot out as of late but nothing that should bother me, especially living in the basement. I rolled over to my left side, laid for a few minutes before turning over to my other side. I continued back and forth for another hour before resting flat on my back with a disgruntled sigh.

With a roll of my eyes I looked to my watch, the one Flim and Flam had made me. I clicked the illumination button and the clock readout to me that it was nearly midnight.

I groaned and rolled onto my stomach, pushing my face into the warm pillow. Getting up to my knees with a sigh, I fluffed my pillow and tried again, alas to no avail. Another irritable groan left my mouth. My body was exhausted yet I couldn't get to sleep.

I rubbed my eyes, my damaged eye not covered at the moment. It was too dark to see much anyways. With a yawn, I sat up and got out of bed. 'Maybe a drink of water will help...'

I stumbled my way towards where I figured the staircase was but ended up bumping into a wall. “Noooh... oh... uhm...” I mumbled groggily as I began feeling my way along the wall. “Stairs... somewhere... gotta be...” I continued to mumble to myself as my hands felt along the texture of the wall. It felt... different.

After a minute of walking along the wall I thought to myself. “I don't remember the wall being this long...”

There was a thumping in my head, as though everything was going hazy on me. I staggered back, holding my head with both hands. My vision blurred into focus and a dimming light began to flicker on in the middle of the room, hanging down from the roof and supported solely by the electrical wires.

Nothing was right. The room was empty and there was no staircase. The room, for the most part, was just square. There were scribbles on the walls, deeply engraved, that bled black liquid. My jaw dropped as my heart began to thump. There was one door... it was chained and dead bolted shut. The chains looked heavy, like something from a port anchor. Written on the door was 'No way out'.

I swallowed hard and a shiver went down my back as a ghostly groaning echoed in the room. Something started to grow along the walls, almost like veins. They were dark red, almost black. The walls began to ooze more of that black liquid as the cracks spider webbed across the wall, ceiling and floor. I tried to hop out of the way but soon found that impossible. A gasp left my mouth as one of the veiny cracks went under my foot but soon found it had no affect on me. “Whew...” I wheezed, wiping a film of sweat from my forehead.

Just as I thought I was okay I noticed something on the wall. It was like a... a face. Being stupidly curious, I stepped forwards to inspect it closer. As I got close a ghastly groan echoed through the room and the face pushed out of the wall, black liquid drooling out where the disfigured... pony thing, emerged. Its cheek was rotten and eyes were missing. Deep red splits around the eye sockets gave it a horrifying look. It continued to howl out it's groan as the front hooves emerged, strings of slim connecting it to the wall.

With a gasp I tried to backpedal but tripped and fell on my arse. The beast emerging from the wall squirmed and thrashed, suddenly breaking free from an apparent restraint and crashing down the the ground. Its lower half had been severed off, along with part of its right foreleg, though it obviously didn't hinder the creature as it somehow levitated into the air.

My breath was taken away as its face turned to me, the demon creature slowly hovering towards me as it groaned out its creepy vocal notes.

I kept crawling back but one of my hands slipped a little too much and I fell flat to my back, the creature now nearly upon me. Just as all seemed lost, a deafening roar boomed inside the room and a large mass piled the vile creature to the ground.

“HE'S MINE!” Derreck boomed, letting out a second roar directly into the face of the creature, viscous canine teeth gleaming like gems. Cocking back his right fist, three boney claws emerged from between his knuckles and he slashed low, butchering the head clean off the ghostly pony thing.

Black liquid, looking almost like oil and having the sticky viscosity to match, splattered across the floor, even smudging my friend's face. I let out a relieved sigh and went to stand but no sooner had I, the floor beneath me seemed to swallow me up. The floor seemed to stretch downwards, dragging me down as though it was an opening portal. I tried to grab at something but to no avail.

Beasts, like the one that had emerged from the wall, grabbed at my legs and dragged me down further into a hellish red glow. I let out a petrified scream and scratched at the floor, trying to grip anything. Just as all seemed lost and I was yanked down into the hellish abyss, a thick palm grabbed my wrist, and I grabbed his.

An electrifying current zapped through my body and burst the zombie pony things off my body with a burst of dark blue lightning. I looked into Derreck's eyes, as he did mine. With a deep voice he spoke. “I'll always catch you when you fall, brother...”

With that he swung my body upwards and into the darkness above...

I gasped, thrashing up but something soft and furry pressed to my chest. “Sssh, easy...” cooed a gentle voice. “You're alright. It was just a nightmare,” whispered a soft and easing voice. Though it was dark, the night moon shone through my window and dimly illuminated the area.

“Mum?” I gasped though rather than a verbal answer, I felt her nuzzle into my neck.

“Sssh, quiet now. I'm here. Everything'll be alright. Just lay back...” Her voice was settling and put me to rest. Before I knew it, I was fast asleep...

My eyes gently fluttered opened as the sun poured it's rays upon me through my window. The hair along my arm prickled up, almost like flowers turning to catch the sun.

I looked to my watch. It was late morning, almost ten. A Friday. It was now the 25th of July. Almost two weeks since my birthday had passed and since then nothing had really come up. Working for Applejack and fooling around with Lassie and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, not much else to speak of. Twilight had tried teaching me basic levitation a few times but to no success. I just didn't understand how... but who needs levitation when one can do cooler stuff like control the nearby wind, launch magical energy blasts and teleport?

I heard a voice murmer from behind me while a pair of hooves wrapped around my waist. “Morning sleepyhead, sleep well?” she asked and I rose a brow.

“Ah dunno... had a bad dream early in the night,” I replied, vaguely remembering the horror as I slipped on my eye patch.

“How bout the rest of the night?” she asked and I shrugged. “Think of anything... particular?” she asked. I was about to answer but instead gasped as her hoof brushed against my morning erection. I wasn't even wearing my boxer briefs. I... I always wore boxers to bed, what happened?

“Mmm... someone slept well,” she whispered into my ear, breathing on the back of my neck before licking up the side. My back lurched forwards. “Huh, interesting. So that does work... I'll have to write this down...” she commented, probably to herself.

“Huh?” I asked back but was answered as she stroked her hoof down my length. “Uhh, mom!” I moaned but she just giggled.

“Relax. Spike said he was going out today, remember?” she reminded me but that still didn't exactly settle me. For somepony who's generally timid, brainy and docile, she can grow quite the appetite sometimes.

She rolled me to my back and hefted herself atop of me. My hands naturally glided themselves along her curves. Finding her flanks, I gave a squeeze right where her cutie marks were, eliciting a moan from her.

She lowered herself down, pressing my erection down and onto my stomach, then began to rub her slick moist folds along the underside of my length. She was soaked!

Her juices quickly coated my rod and she raised herself back up, allowing my cock to spring back to its full height. In one fluid motion she impaled herself on me, getting a shocked gasp from us both.

It always filled me with a sense of guilt, more so when we first started doing this. I mean... having sexual intercourse with my mother probably wasn't acceptable by Equestrian standards... but the intimate bond and pleasure it brought started to outweigh the guilt. We spoke of it sometimes but usually it resorted in us rutting and never went further than just bringing it up.

It would be a complete an utter lie to say it felt good having sex with my mother... it felt amazing.

She ground her hips into mine, completely engorging my cock into her depths. Slimy fluids seeped out the corners of her snatch, oozing down onto my lap as she rocked back and forth, moaning loudly. “Mmm... ooOOoooh, yesss, right there!” she whined out.

I felt myself deep inside of her, twitching. The thought of release was already burning into my mind. I imagined myself plunging deep into her canal and letting a torrent of spunk jet into her, like I had so many times before. But not right now. I wanted to make this last.

A thought quickly zipped through my mind, wondering what others would think... heh, they'd probably think we were crazy. They wouldn't understand. How could they? I don't even understand it.

Twilight began to bounce up and down on my shaft, slopping sounds echoing into the room. I felt her insides start to clasp against me, increasing the unbelievable feeling that was driving me into a bliss.

As she reached her first of what was undoubtedly going to be many orgasms, she leaned down and planted her wet, soft lips to mine, embracing me into a kiss. Her hips kept moving, driving me further down the path to my own orgasm. My hands moved towards her belly and began to play her her perky nipples, making her moan deep into my throat.

Before I knew exactly what was happening, a soft tongue licked up the underside of my shaft and around Twilight's folds. The two of us screamed in shock and jumped back, my cock slurping out of my mother.

We both looked down to the bottom of the bed where Lassie sat with an innocent look on her face, eyes shut with a bright smile on her face while she waved. “Hello... mmm, that tastes good,” she said with a lick of her chops.

Lassie... the only one who, by my knowledge, knew about Twilight and myself... and accepted it... accepted it a little too much. “Lassie... what are you doing?!” I gasped in absolute shock, my mother clinging to me, still in shock from the startle. Lassie shrugged.

“It smelled good,” she replied. My head dropped. “Besides, if I had've asked for a taste you two lovebirds would've probably stopped... and the show must go on!” she announced and I groaned, along with my mother.

“I thought you said you didn't like him,” Twilight interjected and Lassie just shrugged with a 'meh'.

“I don't. He's not really my style... but beggers can't be choosers. Last couple of ponies that caught me peeping threw stuff at me and called the pound...” she replied. “Now then, without further ado...” Lassie pawed at Twilight's nethers, making her gasp. “Don't feel like you should stop just cause I'm here,” she said, moving her paw that was slicked with my mother's juices to my cock and giving it a brief stroke.

“Gahhh... this... this is... so wrong,” I whispered as Lassie gently stroked my cock, lubricated in my mother's pussy juice and cum.

“Yeah but what are yah gonna do? Tattle on me?... oh that's right,” she announced, just before shoving my thick shaft into Twilight's cooch. We both let out a gasp and her inner walls clenched down around me in response.

“Mmm... have her turn around and ride you backwards,” Lassie suggested. At first we were both skeptical about having Lassie around, but in the end both came to the quick conclusion that she was a nympho and would watch us anyways.

Twilight turned around and began to bounce that wonderful plot of hers against my lap. I gave her rump a gentle swat, making her flanks jiggle just a little. She let out a squeak but the smack only made her move her hips more. My cock slid inside her velvety cunt with every motion and in minutes drove me to my limit. “Ahh... ohh... mom...” I gasped and Lassie let out a squeal.

“Oooh, the best part, cumshot!” I just rolled my eyes but Twilight seemed to be lost in yet another orgasm which was clenching against my cock. My hands tightened around her hips holding her tight as I continued to thrust my hips.

“Quick, use your fingers and play with her clitoris! It'll drive her nuts!” Lassie ordered. I was about to interject but Lassie instead did it for me. I would've tried to stop her, had her actions not caused Twilight's insides to tighten even more. My back arched, driving my hips deeper into my mother, the sudden jerk causing a tingly numbing sensation in my cock, the sign I was ready to blow.

I felt a hot gush of slimy fluids seep past the sides of my cock which was gripped tightly by Twilight's cunt. My mother screamed in absolute ecstasy as my mutt pawed her sensitive fun button.

I let out a few jerky thrusts but just before I could reach my mark Lassie stopped me. “Wait, woah, hold on!” She said, just as I felt my balls tighten up, my cock already swelling and ready to cum.

My dog pulled me half way out of my mother's alluring nethers just as my first blast of cum shot out. It felt a little strange, only being halfway inside of her while I came... or maybe it was strange because my dog was holding the exposed length of my cock, stroking it ever so gingerly. A second torrent left my rod, no doubt plastering her love hole white.

My last few spurts were less potent but left us both gassed. It didn't take much for my cock to slip out but unlike ever before, my cum suddenly poured out of her in globs, her cunt opened wide from my cock. Not gaping but still giving me an enticing view that nearly made me want to go for round two.

The two of us lay flopped back while Lassie giggled. “You two get so carried away you forget there's more than just the two of you living here,” she laughed. I really hoped this didn't become a regular thing...

Sometime later...

My mother giggled as I kissed her tenderly. “Okay enough. I have to catch the train. Celestia needs me to accompany her to Saddle Arabia,” she said before planting a firm, yet brief kiss on my lips. “Okay, I gotta go. Be good... Lassie, watch over him and make sure nothing bad happens,” she teased and I gave a pouty face.

“Heyyyy...” I pouted playfully. Lassie laughed and gave a salute.

“Aye-aye captain. She'll be exactly the same when you come back, promise,” she said, giving the Pinkie swear. Twilight laughed and gave a wave as she departed.

After just a minute she was gone, off to the train station to Canterlot where she'd later accompany Celestia to Saddle Arabia for... princess duties I guess. I shut the door behind me and fluffed my white V-neck which clung tight to my body.

I had my cargo pants which I hardly wore anymore. My holy necklace rested around my neck, my wedding ring on my finger and my Bond watch around my wrist... just casual attire I guess. “So what now?” Lassie asked and I just shrugged.

“Dunno... sit on the balcony in a lawn chair and drink some apple juice... maybe berry punch,” I replied and Lassie rose a brow.

“Really? No... adventure into Ghastly Gorge, epic shootout with Timberwolves, save Angel Bunny from a horrible fate, rescue the world from a crazy mare with powers over the environment, adventure to the unclimbable mountain peak... just... sit and drink juice?” she asked and I blinked. Come to think of it, I had become really laid back lately.

“Uhh... yeah...” I replied, a little unsure with my own words though she spoke my mind.

“You've changed. Twilight tells me lots about when you first got here. All: shoot first, ask questions NEVER! Blow away anything that threatens Equestria. Hard headed take no shit kinda guy... just drink juice?”

“And lay on a lawn chair,” I finished, going to the fridge and retrieving a pitcher of mixed fruit juice along with a glass. Lassie just sighed, grabbing a cup for herself and following me up to the balcony.

I set out a small table and flipped out the long lawn chair as Lassie flipped hers out. Pouring myself a drink, I let out a relaxed exhale. “Ah yes... this is the life...” I whispered and Lassie just stifled a laugh.

“Seriously? Twilight said you used to spend every single moment of your beginning life in Equestria bodybuilding and trying to find a way home and now... this?” she asked and I just shrugged.

“Rolling with the wind Lassie... gotta keep up with the times. It's pretty nice here... wayyyy better than back home,” I admitted openly, not feeling one sense of guilt about it. “Though I would like to have a slab of steak every now and then...” I thought to myself out loud and I heard Lassie lick her lips.

We sat for a little while, conversing about things that'd taste good. At first it was mostly meats; bacon, porkchop, ribs, steak, ham, turkey. But after a short time of meat product we moved on to other things. Sundaes, waffles with whip cream, milkshakes...

Not soon after Lassie sat up. “Actually... cum to think of it,” she giggled and moseyed back inside. I peeked back then shrugged as I leaned back into my seat. As I sat I let my eye flutter shut, just relaxing and basking in the warmth of Celestia's gift to the world.

A scream echoed in the sky but all I managed was a crack of my eye before a blur of grey slammed me right to the floor of the balcony. “Nughhh...” I groaned in discomfort. I felt the shivering of a pegasus that laid across my chest. I gave her fur a gentle pat and rub. “Afternoon... Derpy...” I grunted.

Her head perked up and she looked to me with an expression of distraut. “EVAN! I'm so sorry...” she looked to the sky and blinked with those cute crisscrossed eyes of hers. “I was flying along then 'WHOOSH!' The wind caught me and...” she trailed off and looked past me, towards the balcony door before squealing.

I heard Lassie's voice speak up. “Oh, hey Derpy,” Lassie greated. Derpy clapped her hooves erratically.

“Oooh, I love cream pies!” she chimed and I rose a brow, looking back to see that Lassie had two cream pies on a plate. Lassie stifled a laugh.

“Uhh... oh, is that so. Tell me, do you like eating them out?” she laughed, and Derpy nodded quickly.

“Mhmm, they're really good but they're kinda messy and it gets all over the place,” she replied and Lassie nearly burst into laughter, quickly setting the pies down on the table.

“Bwa-hahahahahaha... oh goddess, that's priceless,” she cackled. Both Derpy and I gave her a glance. “What?... oh goddess you two are so... you know, you guys should have a cream pie,” Lassie commented and I sighed.

“Uhh... I dunno. I just want some juice. Derpy can have mine,” I replied and Lassie smirked.

“You're gonna give her a cream pie?” she said, stifling a laugh. I nodded with a shrug as I stood up and stretched, but I felt a piece of wood from the busted lawn chair jabbed into my lower back.

“Yeah... sure I'll give her my cream pie,” I replied with a grunt, Lassie nearly tearing up with laughter.

“Oh... oh goddess, it's too much! You're... oh...” she trailed off with a look of horror that matched Derpy's as I pulled the small four inch long piece of wood out of my back. “Bleeding!” Lassie gasped but I just waved it off.

“Splinter, it's nothing,” I replied, the injury quickly sealing shut. Lassie was quicker to accept it but I gave Derpy an assuring nod and turned so she could see where the injury used to reside. “See? Nothing wrong,” I replied modestly.

Derpy smiled with a wipe of her brow before turning her attention to the cream pie. “Sure you don't want some? We can share,” she suggested but I just shook my head.

“Nah... but if you want I'll get you a chair,” I offered and she looked to me. “For... you know, if you wanna relax with us,” I offered and she nodded quickly. Lassie snickered to herself silently.

"Yeah... so he can give you a creampie..."

“I'd love to hang out with you two. If you don't mind,” she replied in her usual dopey voice. I nodded in reply and went back inside to retrieve two more chairs, a glass for Depry and my aviators.

I probably looked silly, sunglasses with an eye patch, but regardless. I made my way back up to the balcony and set the chairs out, the three of us quickly relaxing. “Ahhh... yep,” I said to myself.

Derpy let out a relaxed sigh. “Yep,” she added in.

Down in the street below, Big Mac must've been talking because I heard his trademark 'Eeyup'.

Lassie added in her relaxed sigh. “Mhmm.”

I gingerly sipped at my glass of juice, still cold from the ice cubes. Condensation resided on the sides of my glass, wetting the palms of my hand as I drank my beverage. Lassie and Derpy devoured their pies, making a mess on the balcony that I'd undoubtedly have to clean up later. We all sat for what must've been hours. I looked to my watch to see it was getting on in the day but by no counts late, only being four-thirty, though the watch displayed it as 1630.

Before I really realized, a western theme tune was playing. I looked over to see Lassie had retrieved that radio Spike had given me for Christmas and was playing one of my custom CDs. The tune was from the Dollar Trilogy, specifically the main theme from 'A fistful of dollars'.

Lassie hummed to the tune. “Sounds western... like something Applejack would listen too...” she commented. I chuckled.

“It was from a movie... it was a spaghetti western,” I informed her.

“Spaghetti?” Derpy and Lassie both asked.

“I don't understand why they called it that either... just the genre of movie... westerns were what made me want to buy a Winchester 30-30 levergun,” I mentioned but they both just blinked, having no idea what that was.

“A what?” Lassie asked, Derpy interested too in the topic, the theme still humming along.

“Mmm... an oldie but a goldie... they didn't serve much purpose in the modern world back home, what with the invention of more powerful and faster cycling rifles, but with famous actors doing movies with old leverguns and revolvers they sort of came back into popular culture... and I wanted one more than anything at one point,” I informed them.

Derpy spoke up. “So what is it?!” she asked, her curiosity for the matter nearly bursting. I had technically just told them, but I'd give them the benefit of the doubt since firearms weren't a thing in this world.

“Uhm... you know my... my guns, right?” I asked and they both nodded, having both seen what they were. “Well... the ones I'm talking about were like the big long ones, except they had this... this thing that you'd like...” I made the motion as though to action the lever, "And though would chamber a round into the gun..." I let out a sigh, knowing they'd have no idea what I was going on about. “Anyway, I got one,” I replied with a sigh of regret.

“Was it good?” Derpy asked, hearing the regret in my voice.

I turned to her. “Have you ever... wanted something so badly you can almost taste it... almost feel it?” I asked and she nodded. “Well... I was so hyped up to buy one... I think it would've been...” I trailed off and thought in my head. “SKS, Boito 590, SVT-40, Mosin, Eagle...

“Sixth gun... anyway, I had this wild hankering to have one. It was getting to me so bad I brainlessly went into the local gunshop without any thought whatsoever. They had a couple guns but they weren't the one I wanted. I wanted... it had to be what I imagined it. Anyway the gunshop owner knew me better than I knew myself and said he had just what I wanted and pulls out this box. Says the original owner bought it new in the box, never been fired and probably just sat in the closet. So I got the rifle and it came out to just short of $1100... which is ridiculously overpriced for a regular levergun,” I replied and Lassie rose a brow while Derpy spoke both their thoughts.

“So if it was overprice why'd you buy it?” she asked, curious as ever.

“Cause I wanted the gun that badly. It was called a Canadian Centennial... being from Canada I thought it was cool that there were maple leafs engraved in the side with Canadian Centennial written with gold colored lettering... figured maybe I'd use silicon paint and color the maple leafs red and the branches brown or something...” I informed them. Lassie was quick with her question.

“But?...” she asked, already partially knowing where this was going.

“But... well I got home and pitched the box into the burning barrel since that's what I do with all the boxes of new guns... then went to research the rifle a little to figure out how to clean it and lube it up properly before being shot for the first time... turns out the rifle was a commemorative gun and was worth more unfired and still in the box... which I had torched...” I replied and Derpy gasped.

“That's awful,” she whined while Lassie just cackled.

“That's priceless... just like the gun would've been!”

I just shrugged. “Well... yes and no. The value of those rifles is stated to be around $600 new in the box, but most shops sold them for upwards of $900 to $1200, sometimes more... they also came in a set of two and if you had the twin set still in the box they could easily fetch you around $2000... well, anyway, unfired the rifle was still worth a bit more than if I shot it...” I trailed off.

Derpy spoke up. “So what happened?” she asked, curious to the fate of my rifle.

“Well... I called her Daisy, left her in her original state and stored her away. Never shot... guess I was kinda scared to do it... I dunno... I bought another two shotguns then I was gonna go out and buy a regular Marlin levergun but I never got the chance. I ended up here...” I replied.

Lassie spoke up with a sense of wonder. “So... never shot her? Like... not even a little?” she asked and I shook my head.

“Nope... actually she's in the toolbox of my truck,” I stated and Lassie fell over with a gasp.

“UGH! GAH, why didn't you just show us?!” she asked, pointing out my stupidity. I rubbed my chin.

“Oh... oh yeah,” I commented as I rubbed my chin. “Yeah, why didn't I do that?” I asked nopony in particular. Lassie shot up.

“Well come on then Mr. Intelligent, show us the money... gun,” she ordered. I stood up, along with Derpy and we all proceeded outside. I opened the one toolbox where six cases lay present. Applebloom, No-Name, Trillium, Nightshade, Violet and Daisy.

“Well... you know, this toolbox could only fit six gun cases if I put them a certain way. When I bought Heather, my Norinco, I put her in the back window rack because... well, no room here,” I replied.

“Special treatment?” Lassie asked and I just shrugged with a shake of my head.

“No... just... whatever. Anyway,” I replied as I pulled out the case labeled 'Daisy'. Opening it up, we were beheld by the beauty of the rifle. Many people will comment that post 1964 Winchester rifles weren't as good as the pre-64... but that didn't stop this rifle from looking as elegant as ever.

The barrel was octagonal, at a length of twenty-six inches. The scrolling and engraved receiver looked awesome, one of the main reasons I purchased the rifle. The blueing was just as fine as the day it had been made. The trigger and hammer were blued like most of the rifle and the inscription along the side of the barrel read 'Canadian Centennial 1867-1967' in gold letters.

The stock was walnut if I wasn't mistaken, and had a glossy lamination that made the rifle feel smooth to the touch and look even more beautiful. The iron sights were a little strange, but really reinforced the idea that the gun was just meant to be on display rather than a shooter. Instead of buckhorn sights or leaf sights, or even a peephole sight, the front post was a blade type sight with a little metal ball at the top while the rear sight was like nothing I was used to or even seen before. It just looked like a U.

Lassie rose a brow. “Wow... that thing looks pretty sleek,” she mentioned. Derpy blinked curiously, not sure what to think. “Well come on then, let's shoot it!” Lassie commented and it felt like I had taken a hit to the gut.

“I... well... we shouldn't...” I stammered, choking on my words a bit.

“Oh come on, what's the big deal?!” Lassie asked. I didn't exactly have a good answer but Derpy interjected.

“Lassie, you shouldn't pressure friends into doing something they're not comfortable with. It's his... Daisy,” she said, looking down to the case and reading the name I gave her. My gut twisted as I swallowed hard.

“I guess... well... it's never gonna be worth anything in this world...” I stated and Lassie paw-pumped the air but again Derpy interjected.

“Don't feel like you have to Evan. It's entirely up to you what you do with your things,” she said. Wow... for a mare who didn't come off as super intelligent she spoke words of great wisdom.

I took a deep breath. “Nah... I think it's time... why buy a gun for so much and never use it at least once? What's the point in that? It'd be like making a super duper muffin and never eating it, just leaving it on display...”

I put Daisy back in her case for now and grabbed some ammunition from the second toolbox. “Just uhh... let me do something first,” I told them as I went back inside. Shedding most of my clothes I changed into a more... western look.

Those black trousers Derreck had spray painted, a nice white t-shirt covered by the vest Braeburn had given me which was then covered by my duster made by Rarity along with the spur boots. Slowly, and most gingerly, I reached for my cowboy hat and placed it atop my head before looking at myself in a mirror.

I looked kinda silly and ridiculous, especially with the eye patch. Walking back outside, I saw that Lassie had retrieved the radio and was playing more of my western music. As she saw me walking out she stifled a laugh. “Please tell me the movie actors that did westerns didn't look as corny as that,” she cackled and I frowned.

“Oh goddess... ohhh that's priceless!” she squealed. I sighed and retrieved the rifle from her case, putting the case in the toolbox. My heart started to thump. I couldn't believe I was doing this.

Grabbing a pair of earplugs for each of us, I held the rifle with one hand while stuffing the ammo into my coat with the other. Lassie spoke up. “Hey... wherever we're goin... can't we drive?” she asked.

I licked my lips. “Well...” I trailed off, closing my eyes and visioning it. The western tunes from the Dollar Trilogy played in the background while a small gust of wind blustered past my feet, nabbing at the flaps of my duster coat. I gripped on the rifle with both hands. “We could just walk... it's not far...” I replied. Lassie sighed as she followed along with the radio, Derpy close behind.

Derpy trotted up beside me. “Evan, are you really okay with this?” she asked and I sucked it down.

“It... well... I dunno. It's like... I don't know how to explain it. But it's time,” I informed her and she hovered up and rested a hoof on my shoulder.

“It's okay if you don't want to. Some things aren't meant to happen,” she said. I looked forwards and spotted a street sign in her path.

“Sign,” I stated bluntly, nodding my head towards the sign. She nodded.

“Yes, some things happen and it guides you-” she started but I cut her short.

“No, like, sign ahead,” I replied but she didn't quite get the blunt statement and continued on with her words of wisdom.

“Sometimes it's better to wait and think about it before acting-” I cut her off, grabbing her and gently redirecting her flight away from the sign. “Woah! I didn't even see that... thanks,” she thanked me and I gave her a tip of my hat.

“No... thank you Derpy. I know what you mean but it's been long enough. I should shoot it at least a few times,” I said to which Lassie spoke up.

“Me too! I get to try it, dibs seconds,” she reserved her place in shooting the rifle. I looked to Derpy.

“You wanna try too?” I asked and she twitched her lip.

“Well... uhm... I don't... never did the thing with the bang thingy,” she informed me, which I already knew. “What's it like?” she asked and I shrugged.

“Fulfilling... I don't know, it's kinda... fun I guess, depending on how you take it,” I replied. After another few minutes we reached the open pastures. I went over to an apple tree and plucked an apple, placing it on a stump nearby.

I don't know why but this was so... heart pumping. Like I was about to do something I wasn't readily prepared for. Maybe I wasn't. Walking back a few dozen yards, I handed out the earplugs to Lassie and Derpy, informing them of why they should put them in.

With a shallow breath, I reached into my coat pocket and fished out a single cartridge. On the rim of the cartridge read '30-30 WIN'. The bullet itself was a lead core that was jacketed with metal. Remington branded it as 'Core-Lokt' ammo but really it was just jacketed soft point.

Timidly holding the single brass cartridge, I thumbed the shell into the loading door on the side of the rifle. With a controlled deep breath I racked on the buttery smooth action of the rifle. With a round in the chamber, I butted up the stock to my shoulder and lined up my sights with the apple.

My heart was thumping, each beat like a gong in my ear. Sweat beaded down my face but that might be because it was hot out and I was wearing a duster coat. My finger rested feverishly on the trigger, Lassie leaning in close to me, watching with great interest.

Sweat dripped down onto my lips and just as I began to squeeze back on the trigger I sprung my finger out of the trigger guard, gasping as I pointed the rifle to the ground. “I can't! I can't...” I wheezed, Lassie's entire figure seeming to deflate as she sighed. Derpy trotted up to my side, removing her earplugs but giving me a warming smile as she rest a hoof on my side.

“It's okay. When you're ready, do it at your own pace,” she told me. I racked on the lever and caught the live casing mid-flight, putting it back into my pocket. Lassie sighed but then spoke up.

“Can we at least paint it like you wanted? I think there's some of the silicon paint back home,” Lassie asked. I thought about it for a moment before nodding.

“Yeah... sure. That'd be pretty cool,” I said and we all made our way back to the library. I wasn't sure why I was okay with painting the rifle but not shooting it... quirks I guess. As we entered the library Derpy and I proceeded downstairs while Lassie went to retrieve the paint. Soon accompanying us, she carried down some dark red paint and some wood brown paint.

Setting Daisy down on the bench, Lassie pulled out a fine tipped paintbrush. “You're rifle. You should be the first,” she commented. I took a tiny dab of red paint and started with one of the leaves. I leaned back and looked at it. It wasn't quite what I was expecting but we weren't done either. Lassie started on another leaf while Derpy looked to me.

“Are you okay with this?” she asked and I nodded.

“Oh yeah, knock yourself out... just uhh, try to stay inside the lines, you know?” I replied, offering her a brush. With an unsure nod she started painting one of the branches wood brown. Lassie spoke up, still painting away.

“This is cool, all of us doing something together,” my canine companion mentioned. We all nodded and within a few minutes were done that side. “I'll get a stand,” Lassie said, zooming off and quickly returning with a small bench rest for the rifle so we could paint the other side whilst the first side dried.

There wasn't much room so Lassie and Derpy did most of the painting. After all was said and done the three of us stepped back to admire the rifle. She was quite pretty. Lassie leaned over to me. “Won't shoot it but painting it up is fine, huh?” she teased but I didn't answer.

While the rifle dried the three of us went back up to the balcony and I began to relax again. “Yep,” Derpy whispered.

“Yup,” I added in.

“Mhmm,” Lassie finished. After a while longer I heard Derpy shuffling some things around on the table, setting out a chess board.

“Wanna play?” she asked hopefully and I nodded with a smile.

“One condition,” I replied and she rose a brow, a look of mild shock on her face.

“Go easy on me.” Lassie chuckled before sitting up.

“Well... while you two dingalings play chess, I'm gonna go for a drive,” she told me. She walked back inside then out the ground floor entrance and I watched her hop into Juggernaut and drive off.

I looked back to Derpy whom was playing as white again. I looked to my black pieces, namely to my king piece. I wasn't sure what possessed me to do so but I picked it up and gave the chess piece a kiss to the snout before setting it back down.

Derpy made first move and my stomach sank. I knew, just gut feeling, she was gonna mop the floor with me...

Third person...

Lassie bombed along towards the loading yard and looked down the the CB radio that resided just beneath the air conditioning controls. Grabbing it she began fooling around with the device.

“Uhh, breaker one-niner this is eagle six do you read? I'm Oscar Mike, ETA five minutes,” she giggled playfully but to her surprise the radio chirped back.

“What? Evan's dog, is that you?” Chirped Flam's voice.

“Woah! It's the clown brothers,” Lassie taunted back.

“CLOWNS?! We're not clowns!” Flim burst over the radio to which Lassie squeaked with joy.

“Yeah, well I'm not Evan's dog, I'm Lassie,” she shot back. There was a moment of silence before Flam spoke.

“Yes indeed, well... Lassie, what was it you were talking about?” he asked.

“Oh nothing, I was just fooling around, you know?” she chuckled, to which Flam scoffed.

“Well, please refrain from doing so. The radio should only be used for emergencies.” Lassie began to mock his words, mouthing his exact sentence word for word in a foalish manner.

“Yup, kay, I'm just gonna fill up, over and out,” she replied before hanging up. “Goofy clown striped brothers,” she laughed to herself. Pulling up to the fuel pumps in the loading yard. She shut Juggernaut down before giving the steering wheel a pat. “Sorry honey, I ain't gonna fondle you like Evan does Cadance,” she said, hopping out, lazily leaving the driver door open while opening up the fuel door and cap.

Grabbing the diesel nozzle, she flicked on the pump, but no sooner had she turned around the pump was turned off. Spinning around, she was greeted to the sight of three large rats.

“Hello again... Canidae oh-six-seven,” said the first rat.

“We've been waiting for you,” said the second just as two more rats came out on the flanks of the first three.

“You!” Lassie snarled, remembering her first encounter with these rodents. Knowing where this was undoubtedly going to lead to, she decided to make the first move and charged. In a flash the first rat drew a small paw held crossbow and fired a tranquilizer dart into Lassie stomach.

With a gasp, the dog staggered back, looking to the dart which was leaking it's potency into her body. Yanking it out and tossing it away, she knew for certain she only had a short amount of time before she collapsed.

Rushing back to the truck, she hopped in and grabbed the radio. “FLIM, FAM-” Her words were already beginning to distort. “Port! Ratssf, HURRRYYYYY!” She screamed just as the rats grabbed her hindlegs and yanked her back out.

The radio dangled about freely on the cord as Flim and Flam answered back. “What? Lassie? Lassie, talk to us! LASSIE!” Flam's voice screamed...

Author's Notes:

So I actually do have a Winchester Canadian Centennial, but I never got the box with it, the gunshop owner said the box was pretty toast when they got it, but the rifle is unfired. You can tell because there's no primer marks on the head of the firing block. I just figured to add that bit in to play true to the character's stupidity. Anywho, sorry bout the wait again, I was up north (Higher up north since I'm already in Canada) doing some contracting work for the last two weeks. I'm gonna try to have the next chapter out this weekend, or at least the Monday after. If not, than shame on me.
Cheers everyone