The Outcasts

A week had passed since the execution, and many ponies still celebrated as if it had just happened, singing jolly, off-key tunes in the nearest pub with mugs of strong cider in their hooves while others, like Applejack, carried on like nothing happened, paying no mind to the drunk ponies who invited her to join them for a few rounds of cider. She didn't want to take part in such things before attending the sermon at the Cathedral of Mother Nature today, so she kept her eyes fixed on the ground beneath her hooves.

Thump!

"Ow... Hey wat-" Applejack caught herself before she finished that line, scrunching her muzzle in embarrassment. She had bumped into Stalwart Shield's second-in-command, Commander Steelmane. And she, being nothing more than a regular citizen, was going to tell Commander Steelmane, of all ponies, to watch where he was going? She wasn't one to disrespect a stallion of the law. "Erm... W-what ah meant to say was I'm sorry sir." The commander rolled his eyes, then leaned closer to the small orange pony and pushed up the brim of his cap.

"You know, you don't always have to be so formal Applejack. If you want to tell me off, then tell me off. You're not gonna get locked up just for doing that you know." he said with a demeanor as calm as a lake. He was unusually tall for a pony, with a silver coat and an almost black mane. He kept a sword with him, always on his left side because he was right-hoof dominant, and his uniform naturally was slightly more extravagant than that of the various guards stationed around Earth's Haven because of his higher rank, though still retained the standard colors.

"Commander, ah ain't gonna do that regardless o' whether or not ah get locked up, not to a stallion of the law." Applejack said firmly. Steelmane sighed.

"AJ, you've got to be the most stubborn pony I know. Hell, probably even more so than Stalwart Shield. Once he gets his mind on something, you can't change it, kinda like you." The commander stood up to his full height and adjusted his cap back to its prior position. "Now about your friend." AJ facehooved. There was always somepony who brought up Sugar Buzz. "He hasn't gotten into trouble if that's what you're thinking. He's a good kid, really. Now, reason I brought him up is 'cause when I came back from my trip outside last week, I saw you and him arguing. What was that about?"

"It was about why we gotta kill them mutants. Ah tell ya, they ain't no better than fleas, the lot of 'em... And he's asking why we gotta kill 'em? We gotta follow what Nature intended and weed her garden, 'cept the weeds are the mutants, and the garden's the world, ya know?" The commander placed an assuring hoof on her shoulder.

"I'll try and talk a little sense into him if that's what you're getting at."

"Best you do sir. That boy's gonna start a riot if'n' he gets the chance." she growled.

"Now, I wouldn't say that. Sure, he might say a few things to the wrong person, but I don't think the riot'll be started intentionally by him."

"Now, before you go sir, ah got a question. What did you mean by 'when you came back'?"

"I wasn't in the city during the execution last week that's all."

"You sayin' ya left the walls of the city? Commander, out there's nothin' but mutants and them other freaks what don't belong anywhere NEAR this city!" Steelmane felt a lecture coming, but his expression didn't change. He studied the dress she was wearing while she continued her rant, then finally piped up when she stopped to catch her breath.

"Don't you have a sermon to attend?" Applejack jumped to her hooves in a panic.

"Aw hay bales, yer right! Ah'm gonna be late!" she cried before galloping off. Steelmane chuckled to himself. That's the third lecture today that he's thwarted, only eleven shy of his record. Looks like I've got a pony to find then.

Sugar Buzz was laying on his couch with a controller in his hooves, enthusiastically playing Parasprite Panic. He held the highest score on the arcade version, mainly because everypony else wasn't that good at it. It was still a rather new form of entertainment, these video games, so even Sugar Buzz had trouble with it now and again. Now and again while playing, his mind flashed back to last week, mainly when his character fell into the pitfalls. He wasn't too fond of having to see executions like the one just last week, and he didn't take too kindly to Stalwart Shield now and again, but followed his laws regardless to avoid being locked in a cell for whatever period of time the city leader felt appropriate. A knock came at his door just as his character died for the umpteenth time.

"GAH! Coming!" he said, punching the pause button. He trotted over to the window next to his front door and peered through it. He saw a guard in full armor padding holding a spear that was blunted with thick cloth wrapping, and next to that guard stood Commander Steelmane. He groaned, but proceeded to unlock all three locks that kept his door closed to the public. The commander had a pleasant smile on his face, though to Sugar Buzz, it felt as pleasant as the smile of a shark. The guard accompanying Steelmane stepped forward and cleared his throat.

"Mister Buzz, the commander would like a word wit-" Sugar Buzz held up a hoof to stop him.

"Now, hold that thought. Before you rattle on any further, did the cowpoke send you?"

"I-I'm sorry?" asked the guard.

"I think he means Miss Applejack, Padlock." stated the commander.

"Ah. Um, no she didn't sir."

"Alright. Just thought I'd ask, since every other time you two are at my door, it's because of her. Please, come on in. You were probably going to anyway." Sugar Buzz stepped aside. Padlock started to step inside, but was stopped by the commander.

"Padlock, I'd like a word with Mister Buzz in private, please."

"Of course sir." He stepped over in front of the window and turned to face the street, while Steelmane stepped inside the house, ducking slightly to avoid to hitting his head against the top of the doorframe due to his height. Sugar Buzz shut the door behind him and casually trotted back to his spot on the couch. Steelmane sat down in the nearby recliner, smoothing out his uniform before leaning forward and setting his cap on the table in front of him.

"Sugar Buzz, nice seeing you again."

"Uh-huh." Sugar Buzz grunted. The pair sat in silence for a while. It was like waiting in a hospital lobby, except without the smell of sickness and the moldy, outdated magazines. The young colt turned off the TV, but left the game system running as he normally did when occupied with something else for a short time. Steelmane shifted in his seat, thinking about how he was going to word his offer to the colt. He didn't want Padlock coming in and making things harder than they already were, what with the colt's displeasure.

"So Applejack-" began the commander.

Sugar Buzz raised a hoof ."Aaaand I'm gonna stop you there. You just told me that you weren't sent here by AJ, yet you're already bringing her up. What's this got to do with her?"

"I was just going to say I ended up running into her this morning while she was on her way to a sermon. We talked a bit, then she brought up an argument you two had a week back after the execution." Steelmane stated.

"Oh yeah. Honestly I still think I won that one, 'cause she made an excuse about having to do something back home or something like that, and then ran off."

"I've got an offer for you."

"An offer? But-" Sugar Buzz started.

But the commander stopped him and set a folded piece of paper on the coffee table in front of both of them. "Meet me at the Moonlight Bushel."

"The Moonlight Bushel? Sir, I'm nowhere near the drinking age!"

"I didn't say we were going for drinks." the commander stated coolly. This confused the colt further. "When you get to the Moonlight Bushel, look for a cellar door around the back. I wrote the instructions on how to get in on that scrap of paper. Don't come before 8:30 at night." And with that said, Steelmane got up and left without saying anything more.