A Night Under the Stars

With a final tug, Smith Wesson secured the last guide rope for his tent. He tilted back his stetson and gauged the position of the setting sun. From its movement, he knew he had spent only twenty minutes setting up camp. His white fabric tent was up and filled with his gear. A small fire was alight, frying some eggs, with a pile of wood next to it to keep it going a while. Lastly, he had acquired a large boulder to use as a seat.

A night out in the wild like this was truly peaceful. Although Smith Wesson's parents had moved to Manehatten for convenience, he himself had stayed and could see himself remaining in the area for the rest of his days. He was middle aged now, having spent most of his life in the west. But seeing the beautiful sunset as it was now, red against the sky, casting shadows across the land, made him never feel the need for anything else.

Happy with his setup, Wesson adjusted his waistcoat as he sat down on it. He slowly withdrew his revolver from its hidden holster within and checked the weapon. Maintenance was key to survival and he checked all of his gear on a regular basis. He needed to do so more than the normal pony, considering the large amount of use he gave them all.

"Hello!" a sudden voice hollered into the pony's face. Zuberi stood tip-toed on his hooves before the pony sitting upon the rock. He had a knack for suddenly appearing like so. He set down on all fours once more and plopped down onto the dirt in front of Smith Wesson. "Looking for me? I knew you'd never think to look right in front of you." The perky zebra smiled widely at the pony, watching him go over his weapon.

(Judging by that entrance, are we saying that Zuberi and Wesson already know each other? Considering how much they both travel and adventure, I reckon that would be good)


Wesson jumped a little from being startled by the sudden appearance. No denying that he hadn't been expecting it. There had been a time when not even a lizard could have gotten within 30 yards of him without knowing. Alas, those days had passed him by a while ago.

The gunslinger was normally always wary of anyone. In his experience, the friendliest of ponies could easily pull out a gun on you, or leaving you to fend for yourself. He inspected the zebra in front of him. Green eyes with a matching green shemagh. He thought that he may have recognised this zebra from somewhere.

"Do Ah know ya?" Smith Wesson asked carefully, his hooves still holding his revolver.

(idk, in your descrption of the thread you said "an expected visitor" so i figured that you'd planned on them somehow knowing each other lol but idc what we do lol)

Zuberi bounced a little where he sat. "Maybe, I've met lots and lots of ponies in Equestria! I just saw you sitting here alone and thought nopony likes to be alone, and thought I'd say hi!...... Hi!"

( Wow, I forgot I put that. I am stupid sometimes... )

Smith Wesson eyed the zebra for a moment longer before a smile appeared on his face. That enthusiasm and optimism could only belong to one equine he knew.

"Zuberi!" he exclaimed, sliding his gun away and getting to his hooves to offer him a hoof shake. "Ain't seen you in these here parts for a long ol' while now. How've ya been?"

(lol youre not stupid!)

Zuberi stood and wrapped the pony in a big hug. "Smithy! You recognized me! I haven't seen you since, like... that thing! The thing we did! Remember that thing? I can remember it, I just don't remember what we called it."

With all his enthusiasm, Zuberi had a way of making Wesson smile. He chuckled loudly as he was brought in for a hug by the zebra.

"Yeah, the thing. Ya wouldn't by any chance be referrin' to the snake pit incident, would ya?" he reminisced, "'cause the way Ah remember it, Ah saved your stripy flank."

Smith Wesson gestured to the fire behind him. "Care for somethin' to eat? Roots, eggs and Appleloosan apples. Freshly bucked today."

Zuberi laughed out loud. "My stripy flank?? Remember who got bit, Smithy." Zuberi then looked down at the food and his face lit up with glee. "Yes! Please! All I've had to eat the last few days was granola!"

Zuberi laid down and rolled onto his back, looking up at Smith. "Where ya been? Whatcha done? Whatcha seen? Tell me everything from the beginning," he questioned enthusiastically, waiting for the food to finish.

Wesson wasn't one to blush (especially as it wouldn't show on his burgundy coat) or to be embarrassed easily but he found himself being so at remembering the bit. He subconsciously rubbed his left hoof, as if still being able to feel it.

"Yeah, yeah, still your fault," he chuckled, sitting down on his hind legs by the fire. He looked over to Zuberi lying down and couldn't help but grin. "Everything? That's a lot of things..."

Getting two plates out from a nearby bag, Smith Wesson piled some food onto each before passing on to the zebra.

"Well, Ah went and done a shooting competition that Ah won. Several hundred bits for that one. A few jobs of protecting trade caravans from bandits. The usual..."

Of course what was really plaguing Wesson's mind was the shooting at he bar in Appleloosa not too long ago.