A Rumble in Appleloosa

Chapters

Prologue: A Train to Appleoosa
Bad Blood
Things Get Hot
A Burning Sensation
Hysteria Breeds Contempt

Prologue: A Train to Appleoosa

Hey there, HiddenBrony here. If this prologue seems familiar to you, than if you're familiar with my work, you'll recognize this as the AppleShy short: Fourth Month, found as an added extra to my Hop, Skip, and a Jump. However, it's important to this story as it directly precedes this fic, so for those of you who haven't read Hop, Skip, and a Jump as well as Big Mac's Strange Day, now would be a good time.

For those of you who have read Fourth Month, feel free to read and refresh yourself on what's going down, or go on to the new meat of the story: A Rumble in Appleoosa.

Applejack tasted the dry, arid atmosphere, her tongue lazing out absentmindedly. The constant clatter of metal against metal was dulled through the wooden cabin of the train car, the last vestiges of the day hanging just over the horizon. The mare yawned, her sun dried tongue hastening its retreat back into her mouth. The feeling of it in her mouth was not unlike sandpaper, and Applejack made as if to move to get a drink of water, but an ebb of warm softness kept her from moving. Eyes trailing against the obstruction, Applejack’s gaze fell upon the sleeping form of Fluttershy, nuzzled up against her in a peaceful embrace.

Oh yeah, that. Applejack inwardly commented, feeling a bit silly. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t even noticed her friend’s drift into slumber. The two had spent much of the early morning and afternoon playing whatever entertainment they could find, exploring the train they hadn’t a chance to see the last time they had taken the express to Appleoosa. It was no wonder the poor pegasus had tuckered herself out.

The trapped pony’s ear twitched as she heard the tell-tale clang of glass against metal as the refreshment trolley came through their car. As the stallion made past the girls, the farm pony hissed so as not to wake her sleeping friend, causing the green unicorn to pause his cart. Applejack was pleased with the result, quickly reaching up for her hat with a free hoof. “How much can Ah trouble you fer somethin’ to wet this poor mare’s whistle?” she whispered.

The stallion looked over his remaining choices on the cart before his phoenix-red aura took hold of a number of different drinks. His eyes never once fell upon the buttercream colored pegasus, merely dealing with his customer. “I got water, sarsaparilla, and a bit of applejack left. You’re not gonna get better outside of Appleoosa, that’s for certain,” the stallion returned with equal volume, knowing not to wake sleepy passengers. Tempting as it was, Applejack herself had to forego her namesake, her eyes trailing across the smooth pink mane in front of her.

“Ah’ll take water. ‘Tain't much longer to Appleoosa, Ah reckon. Ah’ve not made the trip all awake, but Braeburn said the car makes it out just ‘fore ten, and he’s meeting us at the station. No good bein’ silly ‘fore bed.” Applejack’s explanation was without active audience, the stallion having been focused on pouring the water expertly, sliding the wide open cup in front of the mare, who greeted the sight with a grateful smile. Pulling her hat down, the orange pony was about to pull out some bits before the auburn maned pony shook his head. “That’ll be alright, miss. I know these tracks like my front hooves; we ain’t got much further to go - we’ll restock on beverages when we hit Appleoosa.”

Before Applejack could cut in with a proper retort, the unicorn quickly retreated out the back car, taking full advantage of the mare’s position as pegasi pillow to get away with going against Applejack’s honest nature. Eliciting a small chuckle at the unicorn’s tactile perception, the mare took a long hard drink from her cup, nestled neatly between her hooves. “Appleoosa. It’s gonna be good to see Braeburn and the others again.”

“Mmmph...” was all that squeaked from the shuffling form of the pegasus beside her. She nuzzled even closer to Applejack’s rough body, heat rushing toward the conscious mare’s cheeks as Fluttershy’s wing reflexively landed across Applejack’s back, pulling her in as the mares touched muzzles. Planting a feathery light kiss on Fluttershy’s lips, the blushing Earth pony couldn’t help but feel the butterflies in her stomach. In her mind, it was only right for this pegasus to be the pony to make her feel this way, and she had long since forgotten that they were two mares in love. To her, and to most of the folks at home, she was a pony in love with another pony.

But out here, that old thought was coming back to her, nipping at her subconscious. The ponies of Appleoosa were a far more conservative bunch. As memory served, Big MacIntosh had come out here following a small problem when their sheriff, Silverstar, had run off to be with a buffalo. Ever since, Braeburn hadn’t written of any trouble, but her cousin was never much for writing home to Sweet Apple Acres to begin with. Still, he had invited Applejack out to Appleoosa for a visit, and seeing that it was off-season at the orchard, by golly, she was gonna go see her favorite cousin. Applejack smirked as her eyes fell on the sweet, slumbering pony beside her.

Not to mention it was time that could be spent alone with her marefriend. However again, as soon as the thought entered her mind, that freeze of unease filtered through her body. Her tail twitched against her will, brushing uneasily against Fluttershy’s own, causing the fragile form to fidget. Calming herself, the honest mare took another drink of water, finishing off a third of the generous cup as she laid her head down next to it.

Opting to stare out the window, the mare could see some track for a turn up ahead, and beyond it, Celestia’s sun was fighting a losing battle against the horizon to the west. Applejack’s mind diverted at the thought of the Princess. It was gratifying to learn that Celestia herself condoned the relationships between similarly gendered ponies. What she hadn’t been too keen on was Twilight’s revelation that that knowledge had come when she had sent a letter regarding something she had learned about friendship during Applejack and Fluttershy’s ‘coming out’ party Pinkie Pie threw. While there was no harm done, the pony felt the cold shiver of ‘what if’ Celestia hadn’t been in support of it. It took a male and female to make a newborn. ‘Twas only natural that way. At least, that’s what she had been brought up to know by Mayor Mare’s old classes in Sex Ed.

Applejack shivered at the memory.

“Applejack...?” The sound of Fluttershy’s voice, however quiet, startled the pony, causing the farm filly to jump. The sudden movement prompted Fluttershy to lock her wings, which only caused Applejack to nuzzle closer to the pegasus, much to the blushing of both ponies, Applejack’s tail twitching abruptly. After a moment where they moved feet and wings to get into a separate yet comfortable position, Applejack gave a pained smile to her marefriend.

“Sorry fer wakin’ ya, sugarcube. Didn’t mean to upset ya like that,” she apologized, the pegasus shaking her head as Applejack spoke.

“No, I’m sorry. I said I was going to stay up with you until we got there, and then I went and fell asleep.” Averting her gaze, the pony could only give a sad smile as penance for her mistake. “I’m sorry.”

Applejack smiled, sweetly moving closer to her best friend. “Now don’t worry about it none, ‘Shy. It’s a long, hard trip out to Appleoosa and it’s been a long day full a’ games and what-have-you on this train. Ah don’t blame ya one bit fer bein’ plumb tuckered out by sundown.” Looking out the window, the rumbling of the train saw fit to steal away the window view she had before, opening up the landscape before them. Apple orchards could be seen, stretched out like a spider’s web, with large, bulky shapes barrelling through the trees below. Applejack’s tail twitched about as it swung left a moment. “Well, look’n like we’re nearin’ our destination.”

“Applejack...” Fluttershy called, the orange pony turning towards the large sapphire eyes. She was surprised at the look of concern that hung on the graceful features, and more so when she kept eye contact. “You’re bothered...”

“I’m sorry?” Applejack gaped, her eyebrows askew at the accusation. “Bothered ‘bout what?” The steely cold wind from her heart brushed the tips of her hooves as Applejack’s face slowly began to fall, her heart not letting her hold out much longer.

Fluttershy looked back at Applejack’s twitching tail. Slight as it was, the twitches and random directions it flew were not swapping any flies. “Your tail always fidgets when something is bothering you,” she said innocently, her eyes matching against Applejack’s own emerald orbs. “Is something wrong?”

Applejack opened her mouth as if to speak, but only a strangled breath managed to escape her mouth. She hadn’t imagined herself in any sort of bother, but the cold that crawled up her leg and took hold of her heart was present, and Fluttershy’s kindness would not ignore it. Sighing, the pony took a large draft of water, feeling the cool drink pass down her throat and cool her nerves. “Ah should know better than to try and keep somethin’ from you, sugarcube.”

“I didn’t think you wanted to, but if it’s that important, than maybe you shouldn’t, if it makes you uncomfortable, I mean,” Fluttershy backpedaled, not wishing for Applejack to feel forced. “I-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“Nah, Fluttershy, you have every right to get me ta come clean, and if ever you ‘spect Ah ain’t being proper with you, you let me know straightaway. Uncomfortable has everything to do with it, ‘Shy,” Applejack confessed, her eyes narrowing at her own weakness. “Ah’ve been sittin’ here, idlin’ with mah thoughts about Appleoosa. Ah don’t know much about the ponies out there, but they’re mighty old fashioned.” Fluttershy merely nodded, not letting go of her marefriend’s eyes for an instant. She inwardly recalled the town from their last visit, the southern rustic feel of the shanty town was very thorough.

“Ah remember Big Mac tellin’ me about some scuffle out here on account of somepony runnin’ and fallin’ in love with a buffalo, and they were just... plumb run outta town. They didn’t see it as proper, I ‘spect.”

“And you’re worried about us?” Fluttershy finished, having arrived at the point moments before Applejack could voice it. The orange Earth pony closed her eyes and averted her gaze, the cold grip of shame tightening around her heart.

“A-Ah’m sorry sugarcube. Ah thought Ah was over this silly thing when... when Pinkie threw us that party.” Hurt crawled from her voice as she looked through faded tears, watching the trees of the orchard blow by. “Ah guess it just got everythin’ out in the open for everypony, Ah didn’t have ta really think about how ponies reacted to us. But this is a different thing altogether, Ah don’t want Braebu-”

She felt a light peck on her cheek, her ponytail lightly pushed aside as Fluttershy cuddled closer. “Sugarcube?”

“I love you, Applejack.” Another peck on the cheek.

Tears started to drop from Applejack’s chin as she her pain screamed away.

Another kiss, this time on the lips. “I love you.”

A smile, wide as can be, accompanied the tears that rolled down the honest mare’s face.

“Love you,” another kiss, this time fully returned, as Celestia’s sun gave way into night.

“Ah love you two, Sugarcube. And don’t let me ever forget it.”

Bad Blood

Dust billowed over wooden decks, weathering the sun baked wood into splinters. Heat radiated from the ground beneath Applejack’s hooves, a reminder of the day’s warmth as the starlight twinkled above. The sky over Ponyville was unlike that of Canterlot, but even that little village couldn’t stand up to the midnight expanse over Appleloosa. Lonely flats of sand and dust stretched on as far as the eye could see, mountains peaking along the horizon, the soft glow of the moon casting patterns upon the town.

A light pressure tore Applejack from the scene as Fluttershy leaned against her, her eyes stained with sleep from the long trip from Ponyville. The yellow pegasus looked no worse for wear, her lightly toned frame in contrast with the hard working farmpony beside her. In a fit of foalish behavior, Fluttershy nipped at Applejack’s hat, flipping it over her own head and patting it down on her pink mane. Applejack chuckled at Fluttershy’s tired antics, giving the young mare a loving nuzzle as she heard the train behind her coming to rest.

The strong helmsponies attached to the front of the train were in the process of being unshackled when Applejack noticed a peculiar sight. While three of the strong looking ponies were let off quickly and without fuss to go about their business, the fourth and largest of them was beset on all sides by a number of rope-wielding ponies donned with deputy badges. Applejack raised her head from Fluttershy, watching as the black stallion reluctantly went with the posse, her eyes slowly falling upon the pony overseeing the operation.

His tan coat fell in line with the western vibe the town gave off, punctuated with his settler’s hat and tanned leather vest. Applejack recognized the pony in an instant by his apple-marked flank and messy orange and blond flecked mane. “Braeburn,” she breathed, the Earth pony guiding her tired friend towards the respectable sheriff of Appleloosa. “Ah didn’t expect ya to meet us at the station, cousin.”

Braeburn turned his attention to one side, his hard features softening immensely as he offered his hoof out for Applejack. “Cousin Applejack, glad to see you could make it out to Appleloosa again.” A moment passed as both Apples stared at the passing black stallion, his eyes burning into the sheriff in a cool fury. Applejack watched in wonder as her cousin’s face hardened again as Black addressed the Sheriff.

“Sheriff Braeburn, spineless lawman of Appleloosa,” spat the stallion, “to what do I owe this pleasure? You haven’t come out to watch over me in four months.” Flashing a conspiratorial smile, he leaned against his restraints towards Braeburn. “Worried I might be planning something?”

“Black Bull. Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m here to look over my cousin.” Applejack found herself thrust uneasily into the conversation, but luckily Fluttershy seemed too tired to have taken notice. “I’ve learned not to waste my time with you anymore. Not even you can take four ponies in an even fight.” Gesturing to the ponies with ropes around Black Bull, Braeburn’s steel gaze never left Black’s eyes.

The stallion made a show of struggling against the ropes the deputies held, but the four ponies held strong against him, proving Braeburn’s point sufficiently. Despite this, there was a semblance of a smile still hanging loosely on his face. “I guess not.” Applejack caught sight of the other helmsponies, one taking time to watch the scene unfold with guttural chuckle. Black strained against the ropes, stomping a hoof into the dirt, his eyes dead on center with Braeburn. “But they’re not gonna be ready one day, Sheriff. Then I’m coming for you, and your family, for makin’ a fool outta me!” Snarling, Black Bull heaved one last time, but one of the strong stallions held him still, subduing the hulking beast.

“That’s a darn shame, I was hopin’ the community service was doin’ you some good, Black.” Shaking his head sadly, Braeburn took his hat off, placing it over his vest. Holding it tight against him, Braeburn addressed his posse. “Alright deputies, take him away. I’ll put in a word with the parole board not to have him released next time his name comes up.” Braeburn stood firm as Black swore, reluctantly pulling at the ropes as the four ponies led him away. Applejack took a short look toward Fluttershy, who thankfully had her head down, her face hidden in her mane as she considered sleeping where she stood, unaware of the abusive stallion whom had threatened them.

Applejack looked back toward her kin. Placing his hat back on his head, Braeburn shook his head woefully. “Sorry about that, ‘Jackie. We’ve had to keep an eye on old Black for awhile now after your brother got to him. He gets let out to do community service from time to time, mostly to pull the train.” Black was finally led out of sight when Braeburn let his steel facade fall, the pony’s grim features softening into the cousin Applejack recognized. “Shoot! I was really hopin’ he’d had learned his lesson, but the time in jail only seems ta’ have made ‘em worse.”

Applejack nodded, her eyes following the impressive figure. “So that there is the stallion my brother put in his place?” A smirk flashed on her face as her chest swelled. “I reckon he ain’t so tough. A good pony with a lick of sense and a length of rope can rangle a rampaging buffalo, Ah doubt he was different.”

Braeburn shallowly chuckled, but made no further effort to steer the conversation toward Black. “Well, it’s real good seeing you again. Last time you were this far out, well, I’m glad things have settled with the buffalo, even if Silver Star ain’t around here anymore because of it.” Eyes scanning the whole of Appleloosa, the stallion stood with his chest out, his gaze checking every nook and cranny of the settler town. “Hope this visit is purely pleasure, this time.”

“Ah hope so too, Brae,” Applejack said, her eyes trailing back to the rhythmically breathing pegasus at her side. “Ah wouldn’t want anything bad to happen when Fluttershy’s around.” Upon hearing her name, Fluttershy lifted her head, her eyes drooping as she looked around the landscape like a dream.

“Oh my, it certainly is pretty here at night,” Fluttershy murmured, before looking at Braeburn. “Applejack, when did you become a colt? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course. Oh, think of what new things we can do–”

Furiously red, Applejack coughed loudly as she threw a hoof over Fluttershy and put her other free hoof over her fillyfriend’s mouth. “Well, ah, Ah certainly do think we all should be gettin’ on ta bed. Ah know this little missy is more than a mite tired and she starts talkin’ nonsense when she is!” Applejack covered as a confused yet completely interested Braeburn listened on.

“Well I guess... we could be gettin’ on to bed.” Braeburn nodded slowly as he hesitantly motioned for the mares to follow him to the hotel in which they were staying. As they started moving, Fluttershy started to become more lucid, her wings stretching as they moved. “I tell you, Jackie, Appleloosa’s a different town these days. Our trade with the buffalo migration is something else, and we’re able to trade with other settler towns all across the desert thanks to them.”

Applejack let Braeburn’s praise for Appleloosa wash over her ears as she tended to Fluttershy, who despite carrying on like a trooper, still showed signs of fatigue. Brushing Fluttershy’s mane to one side, Applejack dipped under the brim of her own hat to look her in the eye. “Y’all alright, sugarcube? You gonna make it to the hotel?”

Fluttershy smiled at Applejack’s gesture, lightly kissing her nose. “Of course, it’s not too far now. I’m sorry I’m so tired, I guess the train really took it out of me...”

Attempting to banish the redness from her cheeks, Applejack nuzzled Fluttershy before looking up as Braeburn stopped talking. The stallion was staring at the two silently, a cold chill running down Applejack’s spine as his silence hung in the air. Pressure pushed at the bottom of her throat as Braeburn didn’t draw his attention elsewhere, the feeling clawing and pushing at some unknown anger. Shaking his head shortly, Braeburn shook the frozen expression from his face into a smile. “That’ll take some gettin’ used to. Come on, fillies, we’re here.”

The hotel’s exterior was nothing special. Beige sandstone walls glowing with pale moonlight, accented with wooden supports all around the outside. A rustic picture of a pony sleeping in a bed made of hay adorned the center above the doorway in true Appleloosan style. Slowly sauntering into the building, Applejack was greeted with a much more modern style, the inside much more like a Ponyville building than a wooden expanse of boards and brown. “Well that’s a surprise.”

“Aw, we know Appleloosa’s a tourist location by now, but it ain’t right for ponies from out of town to sleep in just hay and wooden boards like some ponies expect us to be sleeping on. We got little comforts of home here now since the last time you and the girls were in.” Braeburn’s hoof swept across the room, falling upon his hat, tilting it towards the girls as he made his way toward the door. “Well, I know you girls are sleepy, so I’m gonna leave you be for the night. Appleloosa’s got a lot to offer, and I could sure use your help out on the orchard. Nothing like back home on Sweet Apple Acres, just some advice here and there.”

“You can count on my help, Braeburn,” Applejack said. Fluttershy nodded numbly before dragging herself to her room, Applejack making as if to follow. However, as Fluttershy disappeared, the orange pony doubled back, her intent to track down Braeburn. Exiting the building, the other Apple Clan was standing just outside, the stallion taking Applejack’s appearance in stride. “Braeburn...”

“I know what I did, AJ. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable with your friend there.” Applejack settled back, her eyes meeting the ground. So Braeburn was aware of how she felt. He had no right to judge her for who she loved, and here he was, admitting it to the world–

“If it makes a difference, it wasn’t because she’s a filly, AJ.”

Applejack’s head snapped up, her eyebrow furrowing. “What makes you think Ah’ll believe that? Ah saw you hesitate when she kissed me...”

“Now that I didn’t do, Jackie," he said, shaking his head ruefully. Clearing his through, he gave his cousin a sidelong glance, a smirk dancing on his lips. "I was surprised at what you did.” Braeburn laughed, catching Applejack off her guard. “Back when we were young’uns, I heard the older ponies always say you’d never slow down for a stallion. Married to your work, they’d say, that filly ain’t gonna, well,” Braeburn paused, attempting to remove the smile on his face as he looked over to his cousin. “I’m right surprised at your tenderness with that mare.”

Applejack didn’t even attempt to hide the rushing red in her cheeks. The pressure in her throat depleted, and the rage that had built only accomplished in making her feel small. Pawing at the ground, Applejack hung her head. “Well, Ah... Ah...”

“It suits you, Jackie.” Picking himself up, Braeburn knocked his hoof against the floorboards a couple times as he let himself think. Ponies stumbled out of the Salt Block a hundred yards away, catching his attention. “Although I guess they were right, not a single stallion slowed you down.”

Applejack’s head picked up slightly with an apologetic smirk. “Sometimes it takes a mare to do the job right,” Applejack chuckled. Braeburn shot her an expectant look, but it collapsed into a deep throated chuckle that betrayed his high voice. “An’ not in that way, neither!” Trotting up to Braeburn, Applejack knocked her cousin on the shoulder. “Ah know you stallions have a one track mind.”

Braeburn ignored her jab, shaking his mane about. “I don’t know, cuz. What was that she said when she thought you were a colt, again?”

“None of your business, that’s what,” Applejack sneered, but her smile took away any force she had behind her words as she fell into a couple of uncharacteristic giggles. “Alright, but we haven’t done anything like that yet. Us Apples know how to wait, y’hear?” Applejack threw her hoof around his neck in a hug as she pointed toward the ponies around the Salt Block. “Ah’m hoping you keep that in mind around all the fillies with their tails in the air, Burnie.”

The redness on Braeburn’s face reached a level where Applejack wasn’t sure if she was suddenly talking to Big MacIntosh.

Morning came as uneventful as most days in Ponyville, much to Applejack’s pleasure. Sheets of sunlight peered through the wooden blinds across her window, painting the finished wooden floorboards in gleaming yellows. Through emerald green eyes, Applejack didn’t even mind the dust that shimmered in the air, reminding her of home. Yawning, the farmpony stretched and raised herself on her hindhooves. Forehooves out, Applejack sloped her back until she felt a satisfying crack as her spine adjusted itself.

The light snapping sound was enough to jostle the pegasus from her slumber. Rolling about in a green blanket, Fluttershy yawned in a much more expressive manner than Applejack, her hooves reaching into the sky as one brushed against the baby blue walls. Applejack smiled down at Fluttershy, moved to help the pegasus free herself from the entanglement of rogue blankets. Yet somehow in the middle of it all the two mares found themselves locked together in each other’s hooves, stealing morning kisses in a scene of romantic bliss. Fluttershy’s butterfly kisses trickled down Applejack’s forehead to the end of her nose.

Sadly, a knock on the door penetrated their bubble, forcing Applejack to groan aloud as a stray hoof searched for her hat. Fluttershy giggled, giving Applejack pause as she looked down at her little yellow pegasus with a warm smile. Punishing their moment, a second rap at the door forced the ponies’ attention. Applejack sighed and donned her hat, her hooves searching for traction on the bed. “Hold yer apples, Ah’m comin’...” she grunted, having been perfectly content with staying in bed all day for once. “Ah thought this was supposed ta be a pleasurable vacation.”

Fluttershy found it easier to remove herself from the bed once she found her wings, gliding to the floor behind Applejack with a happy leap. “I’m sure it’s fine. I mean, Braeburn is family, he’s probably really excited to see you!”

Applejack’s ear twitched, giving her pause at the door. Labored breath could be heard on the other side, as if a pony had just run a marathon. “Hun, we saw him last night.”

Fluttershy gave a blank look back at Applejack for a moment, her mouth scrunched as she tried to recall seeing Braeburn at all. “Oh. Um, did we?” However, Applejack’s expression softened as she shrugged her shoulders.

“You were mighty tired coming in, Fluttershy–” Interrupted a third time by the knock on the door, Applejack’s eyes flashed dangerously at the door. “Now I said hold on to yer saddle–” Opening the door, Applejack was greeted by a tired and dirty mare that looked suspiciously like one of the farm workers back at Sweet Apple Acres, yet female. “Caramel?” she asked, despite herself.

“...is my brother,” the caramel colored mare replied breathlessly. Applejack’s eyes went wide as she nodded slowly. She knew of Butterscotch, Caramel’s twin sister, who shared his coloration and even his cutie mark. “The Sheriff said to come here and get you, said it was urgent.”

“The sheriff? You mean Braeburn?” Fluttershy asked. Eyes darting between Applejack and the new mare who showed up, her previous mood had suddenly been replaced with apprehension. Shifting about on her hooves, Fluttershy tilted her head. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Taking in a few heavy gasps for breath, Butterscotch nodded before she answered. “You could say that, yeah. He said to come here and get you two pronto. Post pronto. He said he wanted you at the jail three hours ago.”

“Oh my, that’s a long time,” Fluttershy decreed.

Applejack chuckled despite the apparent levity of the situation. “Ah think my cousin was using a figure of speech.” Without much more dawdling, the three mares were on their way, Butterscotch trying to force a gallop on the girls, a request that Applejack reluctantly abided by. “If Braeburn really needed us this quickly, than he would have come for us himself.”

“I think the Sheriff is busy enough without having to leave the station,” Butterscotch shook her head as she informed them. “I’m just a deputy, though. Volunteer. I can make these kinds of runs.”

Applejack gave her an up and down a moment, but kept her opinion to herself as Butterscotch doggedly ran beside her, trying to keep pace. Surprisingly, Fluttershy was doing well enough on her own, wings outstretched. For Applejack, the speed in which Fluttershy galloped with gave her a not-so-pleasant reminder of the time she pulled a cart of three ponies with Dash and managed to keep up with four stallions pulling her. That pony could be full of surprises sometimes.

As they ran, Applejack came to the sudden realization that she likely would have had a better chance on her own hooves than trusting the four ponies to work well enough together to evade Rainbow Dash. She was so lost in thought that she almost bypassed the Sheriff’s Office completely. Applejack skidded to a halt outside the building, with Fluttershy behind her at a much more graceful trot. "Hotter 'n a Djinn's breath out here," Applejack commented dryly, wiping her brow as Butterscotch came to a halt seconds behind them.

“You two...” she gasped, trying to find her breath, “go on ahead. I’ll... catch up.” Taking her place next to the door, deputy Butterscotch leaned on her forehooves and slid onto her belly. Applejack tittered her tongue with a smile as she passed Butterscotch, Fluttershy in tow as the two mares entered Braeburn’s office.

“Hey Braeburn, what’s all the hullabaloo about?” Applejack called out, her head on a swivel. The settler pony in question popped up from under his desk, a wanted poster in his mouth and a pair of deputy stars in his hooves as he placed them down on the table.

With a great sigh, Braeburn fell back on his haunches with a small smile on his face. “Hoo boy, am I ever thankful you girls are safe.”

“Safe?” Fluttershy echoed behind Applejack, giving the farm pony pause as she matched gazes with Braeburn.

“Now whaddya mean ‘safe’? We got here yesterday with not a problem in sight. How exactly are we not safe bein’ here now?”

Braeburn's eyebrows shot up, his green eyed gaze meeting Applejack's as he pried himself off the floor. "I'm having a heckuva day, cousin. We got reports earlier this week that some of the excavatin' tools down south have turned up missin', included a which was some TNT. Ain't much gone, but still, I've had most of my deputies workin' on the case, and now this happens."

Applejack didn't much appreciate beating around the bush, especially from her cousin. "Braeburn, what exactly do you mean? Somepony got it in their head that they're gonna blow up Appleloosa?"

Sighing, Braeburn shook his head, placing his rawhide hat on his desk over some of his papers. "I gone and thought Butterscotch went and told you, but... well shoot, I guess that doesn't matter now." Kicking a hoof along the floor, Braeburn approached one of the nearby holding cells. Staring at the empty occupancy, the ponies drank in the silence. "This mornin' Black pulled a move some of my deputies weren't prepared for. Black's a big stallion, and when they were harnessin' him up to the train he broke free. Bucked two of the big fellas he works with right in the head, and the other puller betrayed our trust and helped him. 'Twixt the two of 'em they knocked our force unconscious. Most of 'em are in the hospital tending to their wounds, but Black Bull and his buddy Silverback are at large. Nopony saw where they ran off to, neither. It's just mess on top of mess right now."

Fluttershy took a step back as she heard two dangerous ponies were loose in Appleloosa, but that didn’t stop her from finding the courage to ask a question that was bothering her. “Um, Braeburn, I just...” Clearing her throat, Fluttershy willed herself forward. “I know dangerous ponies are a bad thing, and I really do appreciate us letting us know, but, um–”

“Why exactly is this any of our business?” Applejack finished. Fluttershy was taken aback, but Applejack raised a hoof. “Ah’m all for helpin’ catchin’ a couple a’ ne’er-do-wells, but that don’t answer why you brought us down here in such a rush.”

Braeburn sighed, turning toward Applejack. Despite facing her, though, his eyes averted hers as he spoke, “We got reason ‘ta believe that Black made his move ‘cause you’re in town. He saw you and me last night at the station. Figures since we’re relatives, he can make me suffer if he hurts you.”

“Oh, my.” Fluttershy’s mouth was scrunched up, her eyes darting about. “Maybe it would be best for us to leave Appleloosa then? I don’t want to cause trouble and...” Unfortunately, Braeburn was already shaking his head.

“That’s what we considered doing first, but Black and Silver are half the train-pullin’ team, and they sent the other half away in stitches. An’ not metaphoric sense, neither.” The Sheriff of Appleloosa took a second glance toward the wanted poster he had appeared with, side by side with an older one that had been made up on Black Bull. “We already put word out to Dodge Junction to see if there are any strong stallions willin’ to do the work, but we won’t hear back from them for a couple days. Earliest.”

Applejack sighed through her nose. “So what you’re sayin’ is that Fluttershy an’ I are stuck here with a wanted criminal and his pally who want revenge on you for putting him in jail.” Tipping her hat back, the mare took the opportunity to sit down, her face a mask of contemplation. “Well what about Big MacIntosh? You reckon he knows anything about me and him bein’ siblings?” All Braeburn could do is give her an apologetic smile, a shrug, and a shake of the head. “Well, at least he ain’t hoppin’ mad. Ah’m rather a double helping of revenge for him, ain’t I?” Drawing out a dry chuckle, Applejack shook her head. “Ah don’t suppose Ah could get a glass of water? All this imminent danger stuff is making me a bit parched.”

Fluttershy lazily flapped her wings on a bench in the corner of the Police Station, trying to kill time. There weren’t many animals this far out in Appleloosa, a fact that Applejack had claimed would be a bonus for a vacation. A couple days out on the frontier, nothing but each other and the beautiful desert landscapes. Now a pony had broken out of custody and was a physical threat to her marefriend, and all she could do was lie here in the station.

At least they were safe.

A soft thud on the floorboards alerted Fluttershy to Applejack’s approach, the farmpony carrying a glass of water. “Drink up sugarcube, the desert’s a hot place, inside and out.” Fluttershy had to admit, the stagnant, dry air of Appleloosa was only offset by the promise that it was, at the very least, a dry heat. The frontier town was blessed to have rain every couple weeks from a combination of luck and paid weather patrol out of Cloudsdale to keep the crops watered during the growing season. But right now some of the clouds had been moving in on their own, and there was the slightest touch of humidity getting trapped in their coats.

“Thanks.” Taking the glass in her hooves, Fluttershy took a small sip, her eyes trained on the cup. There was a silence between the mares, permeated only by the occasional pony asking about Black Bull. Applejack twitched and fidgeted, her tail swishing about. Finally, Fluttershy took her eyes off the cup. “Um, are you alright?”

“No,” Applejack said flatly. Fluttershy’s ears retreated back, quieting the pegasus as she returned to her cup. “Not twelve hours and Ah’ve already ruined our vacation, and we’re stuck in some police quarters ‘cause my brother put a hard headed brute in his place.” Applejack heaved a sigh, her eyes searching the floor for answers. “No good deed goes unpunished.”

“Don’t say that,” Fluttershy murmured, picking herself up. Leaping down from the bench, her hooves thumped on the floor, alerting Applejack as she drew close. Nuzzling under her, Fluttershy smiled. “We’re still together, so it’s still a vacation for me.” Applejack opened her mouth to argue, but no sound came out. There wasn’t any point in it. Right or wrong, she found herself quickly not caring either way, putting a hoof around Fluttershy.

The farmer rested her head over the veterinarian’s, closing her eyes as she felt the softness of Fluttershy’s hair. She had a wonderful smell of nature about her, contrasting of Applejack’s musky smell of hard work that never left her. One of Fluttershy’s wings curled around Applejack, bringing the two closer in a more solid embrace. Applejack felt her hoof slowly stroke itself through Fluttershy’s mane, her tail starting to fall silent against the floor. Ponies came in and out of the Sheriff’s office to report on Black Bull and Silverback, each one taking the time to see the two ponies holding each other in silence.

"Consarn it!" Braeburn exhasperated, his hooves falling over his desk. Glaring at the telegraph, Braeburn considered bucking the object into next week, but the fact it was their only means of communication out of Appleloosa was enough to make him reconsider.

Lifting her head up, Fluttershy turned to look at Braeburn, who met her gaze with an apologetic smile. "Is something wrong?" she asked. "I hope nopony's hurt!"

"Ah, 'taint nothing but a little cabin fever is all. With no ponies to pull the train, we can't get the next shipment of wood to finish repairing the town's water supply. The old water tower's been creaking fer months, but we only just put in the new order for wood to replace the weak leg." Slipping off his chair and getting on four hooves, Braeburn walked around the table. "Ah had Black on community service 'round there, cleaning up the wood that had been leaking, but he made such a ruckus– I had to move him. Project's been real slow since."

"That's awful. Is everypony going to be alright? How's the water supply?" Fluttershy asked.

"It ain't too bad– we had a lot more rain this year than most. We even have emergency reserves keeping cool in the basement of the Salt Block, just in case."

Applejack sniffed the dry air of the desert town, mildly amused that the town had seen more weather than she had down at the farm some years. "Makes for a good apple harvest this year."

"Should be. My pa and his crew are out working the fields right now, I reckon," Braeburn chuckled, giving his cutie mark a longing glance. "If it'weren't for this Black Bull mess, why I'm sure I'd be out there, helping out. Could have used your help, I know Ponyville ain't quite in season right now."

"Well, if somepony would let me outta this here establishment, Braeburn..."

Braeburn sighed, his tone dropping. "You know I can't let you wander out there, Jackie!" Walking around his desk, the sheriff confronted his cousin head-to-head. "Black Bull is not to be taken lightly– 'Specially when he's out there with Silverback."

Applejack snorted. "You know Ah can take care of myself!" Fluttershy looked away, her wings pulling closer to her body. She was certain Applejack would be fine if some big, mean pony tried to get to her, but...

"Against two powerhouses?" Braeburn took the words right out of Fluttershy's head. "I know you're strong, Jackie, but I can't risk you getting hurt if'n you get jumped by those two."

"And Ah'm saying Ah'll be fine!" A snort. Braeburn knew when his cousin was in a snorting mood, there was little that could ever budge her. He'd have to play dirty.

"Maybe you might, but what about her?" Braeburn said, his voice calming as he pointed to Fluttershy. The pegasus meeped in surprise, but she'd be lying if she hadn't been considering the present danger to herself, as well. Braeburn strategically avoided the icy stare Applejack was giving him as he pressed forward to the door. "What if she can't handle one of 'em? What if they try to use her to get to you, Jackie? I can't let anything happen– to either of you." Rubbing the silver star on his chest, Braeburn gave Applejack what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "I'm your big cousin, and I'll do what I can to keep you safe."

She didn't appreciate bringing Fluttershy into the argument, but even Applejack knew there was honesty in his words. "Fine. Just... fine." Applejack spat, her shoulders slumping in defeat. Fluttershy moved to comfort her, but Applejack waved her off. "I'm just gonna go do something useful. Indoors." Braeburn could only sigh as he watched his cousin go.

Watching Applejack head over to the cells, Fluttershy could feel her emotions conflicting. She wanted to be safe, for sure, but she knew that it was in Applejack's very nature to be outside, to be enjoying the open air and the sun on her back. Fluttershy's eyes searched the floor for inspiration.

“Could we maybe stay at the hotel?" she asked, catching Braeburn's attention. "I, um, I know you’re trying so very hard to keep Applejack safe, but I don’t think she can stand to be in here much longer.” Fluttershy looked over to one of the cells, where Applejack had taken to inspecting each one for signs of weakness. This quickly manifested in bucking the iron bars every few seconds to test their structural integrity. Turning her head back to Braeburn, Fluttershy gave him a big-eyed, hopeful pout, something Rarity taught her some time ago. “Um, Please?”

Considering the offer, Braeburn’s thought process was interrupted by three loud clangs and a loud crashing noise from inside the facility followed by an, “Found a weak one! Hoowee, imagine if some ruffian got his hooves on that one!” Trotting out from the cells, Applejack appeared with a cracked iron pole and a giant smile on her face. With a loud rap against the ground, Applejack beamed at the others. “No need to be thankin’ me now, Ah’m just trying to help as best I can. Y'know, indoors. Where it's safe.”

Braeburn sighed loudly as he put a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Ah think you can take Cousin Applejack to the hotel and I’ll send a deputy over to watch the hotel.” Letting his hoof slip, he trotted around his desk and over to Applejack. “Well cuz, it’s about mid-day, so I think it’s safe for you ‘n Fluttershy here to head back to the hotel for the rest of the daylight. I’ll be over at night to make sure you’re alright. We’ll discuss more then." His eyes trailed over the broken iron bar, wincing as he stared at the bent metal where Applejack had bucked it. "Maybe I can keep my station here in one piece, then. I’ll send Butterscotch ahead to make sure everything’s okay at the hotel. You get ready to go.”

Applejack met his gaze, her hoof sliding off the iron bar on the ground as a bashful smile grew on her face. “Thanks Burnie.” Braeburn signaled Butterscotch, the mare nodding and taking off running in a cloud of dust.

Heading out of the building, Applejack sighed deeply out of her nose, stretching her legs out at every few steps. Fluttershy couldn’t help herself to a silly little smile, nudging Applejack as the two made their way back to the hotel. “You really didn’t need to do that to get out of there. I know it’s, um, dangerous and Braeburn is just looking out for you, but I think he would have listened to reason.”

Applejack laughed, tossing her hair to the side opposite Fluttershy. “Ah don’t think you know how Burnie works. That stallion doesn’t listen to a thing unless you knock it into his head a few times.” Applejack’s face turned thoughtful as she reflected back on the iron bar. “Sometimes it boils down to bucking down a house at the supports to get that stallion to pay you two bits of attention.”

Fluttershy seemed to take this in stride, the two trotting mares catching sight of the hotel. “I do hope we leave Appleloosa soon. It’s a wonderful little town, but I’m really worried about you, Applejack.”

“Well, that makes one of us.” Opening the door, Applejack shook her head. “Ah truly ain’t worried about Black Bull and Silverback. If they come lookin’ for me, Ah’ll be ready and waitin’.” Sighing wistfully, the farmer leaned against Fluttershy as they headed toward their room. “Ah just wanna get some proper rest from all that not-worrying and not-vacationing.” Fluttershy smiled at the strength Applejack had in herself, leaning closer to Applejack as they opened the door to their room. Applejack put a hoof to her mouth as she called for the deputy Braeburn had sent before them. “Everything spic and span, Butterscotch? Ah–”

The first thing Applejack saw was the deputy hogtied and out cold on the floor. The second was the pair of hooves headed directly for her head. The last was the coming darkness that fogged her vision as her Fluttershy screamed, and a rugged black stallion smirking over her.

Things Get Hot

A thousand, tiny Apple Blooms bucked her head, drumming to the beat of her heart. A muddied thickness aliken to that of the Everfree Forest trickled into her vision, eating away at her senses. Applejack strained against the vines that threatened to hold her, her mind like molasses, sucking the motivation to move dry. From afar, Fluttershy's muffles whimpered through the undergrowth.

That wasn't right.

Applejack was the strongest mare this side of Canterlot, and there wasn't anypony who could harm her loved ones. This would not do.

Appleloosa roared through the foliage, overtaking Applejack as her eyes snapped open. Baby blue walls met her vision as the afternoon sun through the shade over her window. Two rough stallions, one donned in a deep brown coat and jet black mane, the other colt a faded beige, swept aside by his silver hair. Both ponies stood over Fluttershy, who shook with unbridled fright.

Applejack fought to get the jump on the two, her hooves straining to get into action, but much to her despair, the criminals had gone and roped her up, her mouth clenched shut by a length of twine. With a grunt of frustration, Applejack pushed against her bonds, but the lengths unjustly stayed firm against her freedom.

“Make another sound, and we'll make sure your friend here won't be seeing the sky ever again!” grunted her captor, turning away from Fluttershy.

Black Bull caught sight of his other prisoner, a sick smile spreading across his face as he strode across the length of the room. By this point Applejack noticed a third mare, Butterscotch, still lying unconscious near the door, her brown mane scattered in a sunburst around her head. Applejack's sightseeing was cut short by a swift, unprovoked kick to her abdomen. Fluttershy let out a horrified squeak, but Silverback leaned close to her and growled, quieting the yellow pegasus. Black knelt down on his forehooves to get a better look at Applejack's face. “So, this is the Sheriff's cousin. Another bucking little pony with a head full of nothin' but apples.” His breath smelled of hard cider.

“So what do you want to do, Black?” Silverback asked, “We ain't got time to messin' around with these mares, much as I'd like to go a few rounds with this here pegasus.” Applejack's heart skipped a beat. Her jaw lashed out against the twine, thin lines cut into her muzzle as she struggled. Black slid back a moment as Applejack writhed against her aggressors, but to no avail. Alongside her mouth, a cut had opened, dripping blood along her lip and down her chin.

“Well, shit, this one's got some fight in her,” Black expressed, fighting to win back his calm, malevolent demeanor. Swallowing, Black Bull stood up and addressed Silverback with a wave of his hoof. “We got a little time before Sheriff Coltcuddle checks in on his dear little cousin. Get the rope and tie up the pegasus girl. She's of no consequence, but it's good to have another bartering chip.”

“I thought we weren't bargaining for manure, Black! If you wanted to bargain, you should have chose a better place than the middle of bucking nowhere! You said we were gonna drop the Sheriff-” Silverback stepped forward, but the larger stallion rebuked him quickly.

“Shaddup, Silver!” Black stomped toward his compatriot, his eyes widening. “There is no need for the mare's to know what were up to! It's called mis-die-rec-tion!” Whipping his head about, Black flared his nostrils. “Celestia-dammit, Silver, I thought you were smarter than that.” Applejack's mind reeled as the stallions continued to argue. She was roped up, Braeburn was in danger, and Fluttershy, poor Fluttershy was caught in the middle of some family feud that didn't involve her. Black Bull looked over his prize, Silverback having calmed down enough to start preparing Fluttershy to be bound and gagged. Applejack's blood boiled. “Well, it sure is nice of the Sheriff to give me back my mare on a silver platter.” Peering over to the door, Butterscotch murmured something in an unconscious fit, blissfully unaware of her predicament. “She's gonna learn it ain't right to turn your back on your man. Especially me.”

“Hold still you little-” Applejack and Black Bull tore their attention away from the caramel mare in time to see Fluttershy slip under Silverback's hooves, darting inbetween his legs as the large stallion fumbled with his rope. “Black, get her!”

Fluttershy's hooves scrambled in the enclosed space, her wings spread as she popped into the low ceiling. Applejack's heart beat a mile a minute as the large black stallion roared up toward the ceiling, his hooves grazing uselessly against Fluttershy's midsection. Aiming a panicked cloud-kick, the yellow pegasus was rewarded by a quick knock against Black Bull's head, leaving the musclebound criminal momentarily stunned. Behind her, Silverback shouted obscenities as his hooves dragged and tangled against his cohort's. Only taking a momentary hesitation to gasp at the pile of pony, Fluttershy muttered a quick 'sorry' and landed next to Applejack, her hooves and mouth making quick work of the twine around her marefriend's mouth.

Spitting and stretching her jaw in newfound freedom, Applejack's eyes turned fierce upon Fluttershy. “Forget about me, sugarcube! Get yourself to safety!”

Fluttershy shook her head quickly as she pulled on the ropes at Applejack's legs, “Oh no, I can't! I couldn't, not without you! It's not safe, they said they'd hurt you-” Unlike the twine, the ropes held strong, straining and scratching against Applejack's hooves.

“Get out of here Fluttershy! Ah can handle this!” Applejack ordered, her eyes scanning the ropes along her bonds as she heard Silverback navigating himself out off of Black. Selecting a rope, Applejack's head lunged for the binds, her jaw snapping down, crushing through the fibers in a single bite. “Ah promised mahself Ah wouldn't get roped up again since that Trixie incident, and here Ah am, hogtied like a...” Hoof freed, Applejack quickly navigated her remaining hooves to freedom as Silverback came upon her, Fluttershy ducking behind Applejack, the farm pony standing tall against the helmspony. “Y'all best keep back now, ya hear?” Applejack leaned her body back, her forehooves outstretched, pushed against the discarded rope. Head dipped low, Applejack made sure every bit of Fluttershy was protected behind her. Black, unfortunately, was starting to stir, his head shaking furiously.

“Come on, little pony,” Silverback grunted, his hooves playing at the floor. The large stallion shifted himself sideways quickly, putting himself between the mares, their exit, and the unconscious deputy. “I spent good money on that rope. I'm gonna need a little repayment for that.”

“Y'all need to stay right where you are.” Applejack's eyes darted around the room. How many hours ago was she laying here in a cloudy bliss with Fluttershy? She wanted to go back to that. “Way I see it, you got one good option, and dozens a' bad ones.”

“'Sat so?” Silverback grinned back at Black Bull, the larger stallion starting to slowly approach the pair. “And how exactly you figure two little mares are gonna get the upper hoof on two big, bad stallions? Complain us to death? Maybe whine a little?”

For a moment, Applejack considered the proposition. It certainly had worked with Rarity and the Diamond Dogs those summers back. Shaking her head, the pony's tongue licked at the fresh cut across her muzzle. “Nah, sugar. That ain't rightly my style.” Stretching one of her bucking legs, Applejack spun on a bit, her hooves kicking out like lighting, outstretching just short of Silverback's crest. In another instant, Applejack was back in position, a smirk on her face. “My style leaves you and your friend there too busy to fight me 'cause the Sheriff an' his posse gonna be waiting for you outside just short of five minutes, if the sun is any indication.”

Black snorted, his face contorted in disgust as he retrained his vision. “They're bluffing, Silver, they don't know where we are-”

“Y’all think knockin’ poor deputy Butterscotch here out cold ‘fore she could report back to mah cousin was a good idea?” Applejack's interruption swallowed the noise right out of the room. Black and Silver exchanged looks, the former doubling back to Butterscotch to check on her for a moment. Silver kept himself between Applejack and Fluttershy, his face slowly cracked into an unsure gaze. Fluttershy flapped her wings behind Applejack, ready to take to the air to help avoid the criminal stallions, prompting Applejack to slide herself back. The stalemate hung in the air, threatening to crack upon the ponies at any moment. “Ah heard that you were sweet on that poor mare before, Black. Ah also heard she helped take you down.” Looking toward the window, her eyes doubled back a moment to Fluttershy's wings. The poor pony might be too frightened to fly anymore – the adrenaline fueled moment traded for air that was tense enough to pull at her coat. “Y'all really should have just left her alone, Black.”

“Don't you tell me what I can and cannot do!” Black roared, breaking into a gallop across the room. Fluttershy gasped and Applejack prepared a heavy buck to keep her safe, but the strong hoof of Silver kept Black from crossing the threshold.

“Hold it Black, she's right, Sheriff will be looking for his deputy and he ain't gonna be alone. We can't take out the whole herd with just us,” Silver barked. Black matched eyes mere inches from Silver's face. "Not without our toys." The smaller stallion kept his ground, and soon Black snorted and moved over to Butterscotch. Bending down, Black flipped the unconscious mare unto his back, unwilling to give up his prize. “Black, it's just past midday, you can't just–”

“She's my prize.” Black seethed, looking about the room. “Keep them mares here. When I give the signal, we'll run for the hideout. The confusion should be enough to keep 'em too busy for us. And make sure the Sheriff's cousin doesn't pull anything!”

Silver snorted, but obeyed. Casting his steely eyed glare over the two, Silverback kept his imposing presence trained over the only real way out of the room, leaving Applejack and Fluttershy with a fair amount of the room to brood. Applejack debated about rushing the large stallion, but moving with forward momentum against such a large opponent wouldn't work if he was expecting you – that she had learned enough from foalhood scraps with Big MacIntosh. And her later scraps. And last Thursday, really, when she and her brother had one for old times' sake with Applebloom in audience. Her family that, for all intents and purposes, was threatened by some no-good-nik and his... his... Applejack looked up.

Silver greeted her with silence and a watchful eye. Applejack sighed, looking over to Fluttershy. The pegasus had fled to a corner near the bed, her eyes darting between the door and the window. Keeping her eye on Silverback, the pony headed over to Fluttershy and laid down next to her. “You okay there, sugarcube?” She knew the answer already.

“N-no.” Fluttershy buried her head in her hooves in an attempt to shrink away from the situation. “I'd rather face a dragon again.”

Under the gaze of Silverback, Applejack nuzzled closer to her mare, prodding Fluttershy with her shoulder. “That was right brave what you did, there, Fluttershy. Ah'd hate to think what these ponies might have done if you hadn't been so quick on your hooves.” Going silent, Fluttershy dug herself further into her hooves, resembling more and more like a lump of butter with pink garnish than a pony. “How're your wings?”

“I-I can't move them. I don't know how I flew earlier. I was so scared.”

Applejack leaned forward on her hooves, digging herself into Fluttershy's mane. “You were brave, sugarcube.” A million ideas ran through Applejack's mind of how to get past the stoic observer, but all of them were risky, and too many included Fluttershy in on the attack. And even though she disoriented Black earlier, Applejack felt wary of the pegasus' use in a straight out fight. To this day, Applejack didn't quite know just how Fluttershy had such a body count during the changeling battle, but a pony was different. “Ah suppose we wait for the cavalry.” First chance she got, though, she'd send Silverback packing for even daring to hurt her Fluttershy. Before she knew what she was doing, she affectionately nuzzled and licked Fluttershy's snout. Fluttershy looked up in surprise, but her face was a mask of beauty in the darkness.

“I guess I am still on vacation,” Fluttershy murmured, rubbing underneath Applejack's neck. A loud harrumph in the corner put a stop to the ponies' fun, Applejack shooting a glare that could kill towards the stallion standing guard.

“You got something to say, ya big gorilla?” she challenged. Applejack stood up to look the large stallion in the eye.

Silverback looked to and from between the door and the mares, before ineffectually shrugging. “I never took you two to be fillyfoolers.” Fluttershy stood up, but not in reaction to Silverback's comment, but rather she put a hoof on Applejack's shoulder.

“Um–”

Applejack snorted, taking a few steps closer. “Yeah? Well I guess that goes both ways. I never suspected you to be one for attemptin' to murder mah cousin–“

“Applejack, please–”

“I ain't said a thing about no murderin' ponies!” Silverback shot back, giving the mare's a hard look. “So long as your cousin folds like the weakling he is, nopony is gonna have to get hurt!”

Applejack couldn't keep herself from spitting in disgust, Fluttershy shakily removing her hoof from her marefriend's side. “An' what about Fluttershy? 'Have some fun'? You'll be lucky if Ah don't–”

“Applejack!” Fluttershy demanded. Applejack froze to her spot, her blood still boiling under her skin. “Please, there's no reason to stir up any more trouble.”

Stillness clung to the air as Applejack failed to remove her gaze from her opponent. “He made as if to hurt you, 'Shy. Ah can't let him do that again.”

“You won't. You wouldn't ever,” Fluttershy begged, “but please don't make things worse than they already are.”

Applejack halted, her breath stayed. She kept eyeing Silverback, but eventually she exhaled long and hard. “Ya'll really are mah better half sometimes, Fluttershy.” A moment's hesitation was all that flickered on Fluttershy's face before she smiled. Applejack turned back to Silverback, feeling his tongue was thoroughly loosened. “Your pally has been gone a long time, Silver. When's that signal coming, or has Black just left you to rot?”

“He ain't leavin' me 'till the day I die. Black said as much,” Silverback said, his expression cool.

“How far you trust the word of a criminal?”

Silverback snorted. “Farer than you'll get me to turn on 'em. Foalhood friends, thick and thin.”

Applejack chuckled darkly. “Worth a shot. So what's the signal?”

“A shout,” Silverback explained, his eyes unamused. However, a sparkle shown behind his eyes. “Then a boom.”

“A... boom?”

“Cousin works the mines down South. Let’s just say he gave me a gift recently.” Silverback smirked. “Soon as Black sees your cousin, we get a shout. Then I get to share my gift.”

A pin dropped somewhere in Appleloosa. From outside, all three ponies in the room could hear the sound of hoofsteps across the long lonely road of Appleloosa. The Sheriff's posse had arrived. “Alright deputies, I want this building searched. Deputy Butterscotch was sent ahead to make sure my cousin and her extremely special somepony were safe upon arrival, and we ain't heard a lick of 'em since.”

Silverback looked about quickly, his eyes bulging. “Black said he'd shout. He hasn't shouted. They shouldn't be here!” Applejack justified smirk didn't help his mood. “Black? Black! Where are you?” Silverback wheeled around and headed for the closed door.

“Spread out, cover the exits, and call for backup if you see the fugitives. Now spread out and find my cousin!” Braeburn shouted from below as Silverback opened the door.

At least, that was the plan before the hotel exploded.

A Burning Sensation

Temporary quick note: It's a touch unedited, so if you see something weird, feel free to let me know in the comments.

It was a hot summer's day on Sweet Apple Acres, and Applejack was on fire. Or at least, some of the wood that burned brightly above her was. Dust, soot, and smoke swirled around the hellish landscape around her as flames licked greedily at the dry wood. Her lovely baby blue hotel room had been replaced with wooden slivers and stakes which peppered the walls. In front of her, Silverback's barrel was speckled with debris, the stallion's lifeless eyes staring straight into hers. Applejack hated to admit it, but it would seem Silverback's enormous girth had saved her from the blast.

“Blast...?” Applejack coughed, her lungs rejecting the poor excuse for air in the hotel. As the dazed mare started to orient herself upright, a frozen fear accompanied her. “Fluh-Fluttershy!” Applejack called out weakly, drawing herself up to all fours. “Fluttershy!?” Looking about, Applejack couldn't be sure what happened, but she knew she was alone in her room, and that the yellow pegasus was nowhere to be found. Struggling to keep on her hooves, Applejack pushed forward, her eyes looking everywhere for a strand of pink hair. A yellow pegasus plume. Anything.

The door to her room embedded into the side of Silverback, Applejack easily found herself in the upper hallway of the burning hotel by bypassing a large hole in the floor. Keeping her head low, Applejack peered through the rising smoke. She could see into the floor below, splinters and debris filling the hotel room below. Thankfully, Applejack didn't see anypony down there. Taking a deep breath of what she hoped was cleaner air in some corner of her room, the farmer leaped over the hole, heading out unto the balcony hallway overlooking the foyer.

The foyer itself was an inferno in every corner, and Applejack saw the entrance had been completely collapsed under the strain of some explosion. “Fluttershy!” Foregoing the need to save her breath, Applejack doggedly stepped through the smoke and ash.

Suddenly, the floor under her forehoof gave way, the pony barely having time to rebalance her weight before a pillar of flame shot up through the exposed hole, lapping hungrily at the new oxygen Applejack had unwittingly provided. Sliding her hoof up to her head, Applejack reached for her hat to filter the smoke, drawing it over her mouth as she deftly avoided the roaring blaze at her feet.

“Celestiadammit!” Black's voice cut through the smoke as the giant stallion of a pony barreled through a doorway, flames licking at his tail as the deputy clung weakly to his back, Butterscotch and Black Bull rolling out of the way of debris. The door behind them collapsed, leaving Black coughing for his next breath while Butterscotch struggled for her own through the gag over her muzzle. Applejack's eyes narrowed as she caught sight of black, her anger flaring as she took in the sight of Butterscotch, still bound, even as the building around them fell apart. “Silverback, you crossed your damn wires! I had the TNT go off –” Black stopped when he noticed Applejack, hat replaced on her head, standing above him on the stairs to the foyer. Black Bull's eyes danced about in his head. “Where in Tatarus is Silverback!?”

“Dead. Where is Fluttershy.” Applejack commanded.

“Dead!?” Black shouted, his hoof stomping on the ground. “Well, I guess he triggered the door charge.”

Applejack shook her head, one hoof taking each step tentatively as she worked her way down. “Where is Fluttershy? Where is my mare?”

“Your mare?” Black Bull echoed, his smile growing. “That little pegasus was your fillyfriend?” Somehow, despite the situation of a burning building with no available exits except second story windows, the coughing stallion laughed aloud. “That's too perfect.”

“Way Ah see it, Black, getting yourself trapped in a burnin' building ain't my idea of a perfect plan. Now.” Applejack's hoof hit the last step as part of the stairs collapsed behind her. She didn't look. “Where is Fluttershy?”

Black leaned down, his breath stinking of salt and strong cider. A smile curled past his lips. “Search me.” Looking over Butterscotch, Black sniffed at the smoke as he disregarded her continued presence. “With any luck, some of the TNT turned her into a fine pink mist.”

Applejack felt her eyes narrow on instinct. “Y'all best take that back before I finish what my brother started.” Shifting her hat, Applejack's tail whipped dangerously around.

“Brother?” Black Bull shook his head. “Ya can't be...”

“What, a little family resemblance not clicking for you? Big Mac sure hit you hard.” Spurned on, Applejack ignored the little voice in her head. The one that told her the building was going to collapse, that her air was running low. The heat was oppressive. Applejack ignored all of that. “Now you're going to tell me where the love of my entire life is, and your going to release that mare, find us a way out, and then humbly accept the fate you've chosen for yourself, or you ain't leaving this building in one piece.”

Black's eye bulged as he looked over Applejack. “Your brother... ruined my life. I want him dead. He took Butterscotch. He took my freedom.”

“Y'all took the freedoms of everypony you met!” Applejack challenged. “Way I see it you ruined yourself.”

“No. I'm going to kill you.” Black nodded at his own statement. Applejack took a step back as she noticed a change come over Black Bull. “Then, I'm going to kill your speck of a cousin.” Black started to chuckle and laugh, filling the burning building with malevolent mirth. “And then, then I'm going to draw your brother out, and I'm going to kill him too!” Taking a step toward Applejack, Black Bull smiled ludicrously at her. “Then I'll have my revenge! First the sister, then the sheriff cousin, and then the main course himself. Then everypony will know what happens when you mess with Black Bull!”

“Applejack!” Finally, the voice called through the burning wreckage of the collapsed entrance. “Oh dear, please oh please tell me you're okay! Oh my, Braeburn, please!”

“Cousin! Are you okay in there!?”

Black Bull whinnied loudly as he rushed Applejack down, the mare using her small stature to quickly move around the rampaging stallion, taking great care to be on the look out for any flailing hooves meant to hurt her. Leaping to the side, Applejack rolled across embers that littered the ground as the ceiling above cracked, sending new ash and flaming chips of wood down below. “Ah'm in here! Black's gone right crazy!”

“Hold on, Jackie! I'll have you out of there in a jiff!”

“Fluttershy, Ah can't tell you how good it is to hear your voice! I guess that goes for you too, Braeburn.” Applejack shook her head, trying to clear the smoke that threatened her vision. Coughing, Applejack felt her knee give out a moment as the oxygen deprivation started to take it's toll on her. Before she could think on it, the charging madness that was Black Bull cleared through the smoke, steam pushing past his nostrils as he made to stomp on Applejack, the toned farmed having just a millisecond to leap out of the way, the experienced mare aiming a buck against Black's midsection. It connected gloriously, Black stumping into the burning wreckage of the entrance.

Howling in pain as the fire licked at his coat, Black focused his pain-cleared mind on his opponent, taking the weakened Applejack off guard. Whipping his head about like a hammer, Applejack took the full force of the pony's weight to her barrel. Flown into the registration desk, the flame-weakened wood gave way against Applejack's weight, the wooden shrapnel cutting small gashes across her side as Applejack fought for win.

“I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna kill your cousin.” Black grunted, his heavy breath labored as he approached Applejack. “Gonna kill your brother. Then for kicks, I'm going to kill your fillyfriend.” Applejack strained against the wood, prying herself back on to her hooves, her emerald eyes sharpening on Black.

“No one hurts an Apple and gets away with it. Y'all took a cheap shot against my brother. Ya went to jail. Y'all broke out of jail to hurt my cousin, and now you're in a burning building.” Looking over to Butterscotch, Applejack could only be relieved to see a slight breath in her chest, but the smoke in the building was billowing down now, and she hadn't much longer before all the oxygen was used up. “Ya buck me, and now part of yer coat is burned off.”

“And ya try to hurt Fluttershy. Ah'm gonna show you what happens when you hurt an Apple.” Sliding her forehooves out, Applejack took a readied stance, her body wavering lightly in the intense heat. Sweat poured from under her brim, stinging her eyes. Smoke mixed with tears ran down her face.

“I'll bruise all the Apples I want. I'll kill every last one of 'em!” Black roared. The stallion galloped toward Applejack, his body fueled by insanity. Applejack smiled weakly, her body twisting like lighting as Black drove himself forward, his mind reeling as he flashed back.

Black Bull was galloping down the middle road of Appleloosa. Big Mac spun like lighting.

Black Bull was galloping down the middle aisle of the hotel, Applejack spun like lighting.

Their legs kicked out with the force to shake every single apple off a tree.

And Black Bull went sprawling, his momentum reversed in an upward arc.

Lain flat against the ground, Black Bull made no further movement against Applejack. Looking over her work, Applejack nodded weakly. “That one was just fer me.” Looking around her, the muffled calls of the ponies outside the building barely reached her ears. “Sure is toasty in here. Ah'm feelin' right tired.” Walking slowly over to Butterscotch, Applejack removed her hat and put it over her face, leaning over the mare, Applejack loosened the pony's bonds and ripped off the gag, resting it loosely over her mouth. To her surprise, Butterscotch moved.

“Thanks....” she coughed, her hoof over the fabric to keep the air filtered. A loud crash interrupted the ponies as the upper floor balcony collapsed nearby, dusting the two mares full of hot embers. Applejack limply trundled backwards, supported by Butterscotch. “There has to be a way out!”

“Ah'm right concerned there ain't a one.” Applejack coughed, her knees giving out underneath her. The hard working pony stared at her legs in surprise, the last of her strength leaving her. “Black woulda left with you first chance he got. He must have left charges at all the windows, collapse 'em. Keep ponies from getting in or out.” Wiping sweat from her brow, Applejack rested in the middle of the fiery expanse, her eyes loosely trailing the flames that licked against the ceiling. “Ah think he meant ta bury my cousin.”

“That's not the Black I knew...” Butterscotch murmured, shaking her head.

Applejack made to huff, but instead ended up clearing her lungs of black smoke. Putting her head on her forehooves, she closed her eyes. “Don't tell me you're getting sentimental for the maniac.”

“Oh no, he was a bastard,” Butterscotch looked over to the entrance, where she could still hear Braeburn and some of the townsfolk screaming for them. Sighing, the deputy mare found a spot next to Applejack. “He was just a bully back then. This all seems a bit beyond him.”

“Ah guess prison changes a pony sometimes,” Applejack murmured, her breathing becoming more labored.

Butterscotch nodded, her eyes trailing across the stairs. “Hey AJ? Can I tell you something?” Applejack grunted in response, which Butterscotch assumed was an affirmative. “Your cousin is really hot.”

Applejack stopped breathing.

Butterscotch blinked, leaning her head down next to Applejack. “AJ? Please don't tell me –”

“Sweet on my cousin, are ya?” Applejack opened her eyes, pushing herself back onto her hooves. “Does he know?”

Butterscotch looked up, a blast of heat washing over the two as the kitchen area collapsed. Above, one of the ceiling supports creaked dangerously. “I-I don't think so. He's... kinda the reason why I came back to Appleloosa. He an' your brother saved me.”

“Ah heard. Big hero, my brother.” The irony of the statement was lost on Applejack as she stumbled forward to the door.

“...lejack! Please! Say something! Anything!” Fluttershy's voice was screaming for her on the other side. “Please! Oh my goodness, Braeburn, please let me go in there, I can fly through the window again –”

“Now listen up out there!” Applejack shouted for all she was worth. A sudden silence took over the outside. “Ah don't rightly know how much time Ah got in here, but it ain't lookin' mighty good.”

“Jackie, please, we're doin' everything we can-”

“Ah know, Burnie. Ah know. But I got a mare in here who is mighty sweet on you cousin, and Ah really don't think it's right to keep a lady waiting,” Applejack took a certain enjoyment at Butterscotch's scandalized expression. Looking over the flaming panels, Applejack watched a wooden plank fall over, letting in precious oxygen, in which the heat happily licked up, flaring near her and searing across her tail. “Celestia almighty!”

“Careful, cousin! I'm coming to get you soon –”

“Save it, Burnie. If Ah wait for you I might as well be vulture food.” Sticking her nose toward the open planking, Applejack took in as much air as she could before the hair on her snout started to singe away. “Alright Butterscotch – ” Spinning about, Applejack found that the poor mare had succumbed to the heat, her eyes closed. “Y'all make a good damsel.” Grunting, Applejack felt her hooves move with a little less resistance, the oxygen returned to her blood. Shifting the mare onto her back, Applejack aimed herself for the plank on the wall. If the place was weak enough to have planks falling from the ceiling, Applejack guessed maybe the walls weren’t all up to snuff, either. Aiming herself toward a flaming section of the wall, she braced herself. “Well, here goes nothing.”

“Yeeeeeeeeeehaaaaw!” Headfirst, Applejack roared through the weakened, burning wall, smashing the weakened planks in a plume of fire as the pony shaped hole exploded forth. Applejack's hooves hit burning wood as she worked her way past the porch. Kicking up coals, Applejack leaped one last time into the dust and dirt of Appleloosa, Butterscotch rolling off her back and unto the ground. Stumbling, Applejack tried hard to keep herself upright, but eventually exhaustion took hold. Collapsing sideways, Applejack breathed in the cool, fresh air, blissfully unaware of the ponies busying themselves over stamping her tailfire out. Somewhere in her peripheral a pony had put water next to her face, and she stuck her tongue limply out to lap up the sweetest water she ever tasted. Taking her fill, Applejack coughed as she tried to blink away the burning smoke. “Fluttershy... where's Fluttershy?”

“Oh my goodness, Applejack!” Rushing forward, the pegasus pried herself from the crowd, her eyes assessing everything about the farmer on the ground. Almost nothing remained of Applejack's orange coat, stained black from the soot and smoke that had permeated the building. Her blonde mane was singed, and her tail was significantly shorter, burned away from the fire. Her hat, however, seemed just fine. “I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I should have never left you –”

“Sugar...” Applejack breathed, a cough escaping her lips in a smokey cloud. “Ah didn't know where you went. You got nothing ta apologize for.” Taking in grateful breaths, Applejack pushed herself unto her four hooves.

“I'm sorry, there was just... a huge explosion and Silver was flung into you and you shielded me. Suddenly there was fire everywhere and I couldn't lift you myself.” Fluttershy hastily explained, the pegasus' hooves quickly setting to work helping a nurse pony who had appeared when Applejack hadn't noticed. “So I flew out the window to tell Braeburn where you were, but then the building started to collapse. I was so scared.”

Applejack minded the nurse pony who was busying herself with a bandage across her forehead where she had breached the wall of the hotel. Grunting, Applejack caught the attention of the nurse and shook her head. “Ah think Ah can handle myself for a few minutes.” Fluttershy made as if to argue against Applejack's stubborn nature, but held her tongue. Looking about, Applejack’s eyebrows, or what was left of them, fell upon the crowd of ponies. “What’re y’all doing?”

“Cousin?” Braeburn galloped up to his kin, but slowed considerably as Fluttershy moved herself between the two. Her face was a mask of caution, unsure if Applejack could take much more stimulus. Braeburn moved around the pegasus, taking great care not to put any strain on Applejack. “Y’all shouldn’t be standing around, Jackie.” With a confused gaze Applejack scarcely believed the words that came out of her mouth.

“Where’s Black?”

Braeburn’s face froze, his eyes flickering between Applejack and the burning building. “I-I’d believe he’s still in there.”

Applejack snorted, her leaden hooves slowly taking a step toward the inferno. “Well what’re y’all standin’ around here for?” She sent a blazing look toward her cousin, pointing toward the hole in the wall she had made with her head. “There’s a pony in there that needs saving!”

“Jackie...” Braeburn started. “I don’t think –”

“Think nothin’, Ah will not stand here when somepony can be saved.” Taking another step forward, Applejack was surprised to see a flared yellow wing blocking her path. Her eyes followed the bone all the way to the bright cerulean eyes that she fell in love with. “Sugarcube?”

Fluttershy retracted her wing, her eyes struggling to stay matched with Applejack’s. “N-no.”

“Now sugar, Ah can’t stand aside when somepony needs help-”

“No!” Fluttershy said again, with more vigor. “I can’t let you in there, I thought I lost you in there, I can’t let you in there. The roof could cave in or–”

“Well it ain’t yet!” Applejack argued, her eyes growing hard. “Every second spent arguin’ about it means another second lost until it does. Now Fluttershy, Ah lo–” The words died in her throat as a large crack roared out of the hotel, a section of the roof somewhere deep inside of the hotel giving away. “Ah ain’t got time for this.”

Braeburn stepped forward with a shake of his head. “Cousin, Black tried to kill you–”

Wheeling about, Applejack looked him hard in the eyes. “What of it? Ah am not a murderer!”

“Murderer? Jackie, no one said you were a murderer.”

“Ain’t I?” Applejack challenged, her eyes drawn to the blaze, the air around them growing hotter by the second. She had to admit, it was still a far cry colder than when she was inside the building. “Ah’m the one who laid Black flat, if he dies in there, then that’s on mah head.”

“Y’all laid Black Bull flat?” Braebrun asked incredulously, the levity of the moment lifting with his eyebrows. “Shoot, there must be something about Ponyville Apples...”

“Braeburn!” Applejack roared, her blood starting to boil. Another section of the hotel collapsed as Braeburn fell silent. Other ponies who had come out to see the fire were starting to back away, leaving just the fire brigade wetting the surrounding buildings to keep the fire contained.

“Applejack!” Fluttershy shouted, refusing to be ignored any longer. Applejack returned her attention to Fluttershy, finally noticing the tears that fell from her face. “I’ll go. You stay here.”

“Sugarcube, I can’t ask you ta’ do that.” Applejack stepped forward, but Fluttershy back away, shaking her head.

“No one asks you to do everything you do, Applejack. Now it’s my turn.” Fluttershy’s wings flared, her voice shaky, but holding some lost sense of conviction. “I can’t have your heart surrounded by guilt. Because I’d feel it too.” Stepping toward the flames, Fluttershy winced as the flame bellowed at her.

“Ah can’t let you go alone, ‘Shy!” Applejack leaped forward, her knees buckling as her weight fell on them. Despite her bravado, her body just wouldn’t take the stress, her adrenaline from before starting to fade. “You go in, Ah’ll chase you to the end.” Alongisde the edge of the hotel, where Applejack had originally stayed this morning, some of the wall collapsed, the entire building leaning dangerously to the side. Both mares stared at the hole Applejack had made on her way out. “Ah wouldn’t know what to do without you, Fluttershy.”

Braeburn had called his deputies around, relaying orders in a hushed voice as he started to push all the gawkers away from the fire. The rest he ordered to the other side of the building to keep the fire from spreading out into the shrubs and starting a bushfire. Approaching the two mares, Braeburn shook his hat. “Look, I know it’s an unpopular decision, but...”

“Ah’m not leaving a pony in there to burn away.” Applejack started, but she was cut off by a chuckle and a well-placed hoof.

“How about y’all let somepony whose job it is to go in and get that brute?” Braeburn suggested. Sure enough, a pony dressed in full fire brigade attire was already approaching the hole, the magically enhanced gear walking over the coals with no problem. “Ah swear, you Harmony gals have hero complexes or somethin’.” Tittering his tongue, Braeburn walked alongside Applejack. Assessing her, he finally threw a hoof around his cousin and hugged her as soft as he could. His sheriff facade melted away, revealing the Braeburn Applejack grew up knowing. “Jackie, don’t you ever scare me like that again, okay?”

Fluttershy’s hooves stayed glued to the ground, her wingtips still flared as she turned to look at Applejack and Braeburn, the former throwing a relaxed hoof over her cousin. “Genuine emotions from mah Burnie? Ah might start believing you’da missed me.”

“Shoot, Jackie,” Braeburn sniffed, releasing his cousin, “Ain’t nothin’ like that. Imagine what I’d have to go through, telling Granny Smith you up and got yourself roasted like an Apple Pie.” Chuckling away a stray tear, Braeburn reflexively ducked Applejack’s weary retaliation. Braeburn gestured over to Butterscotch as she was placed on a stretcher, a small smile on his face. “Cousin, were you being, you know...”

“Nah, she said she fancied you. Almost made it her dyin’ words.” Coughing harshly, Applejack couldn’t help but keep a smile as she struggled to get the words out. “Celestia forbid. She gonna be okay?”

Braeburn shrugged, Fluttershy trotting over next to Applejack, neither mare really detaching their eyes from the burning building and the ponies inside. “Worse she’ll get might be in her head, dunno much. I’m gonna keep a good eye on her, though.” Kicking a hoof on the ground, Braeburn struggled to match eyes with his cousin. Applejack raised an eyebrow, finally tearing her eyes away from the hotel.

“Burnie? Y’alright?” Applejack breathed, but she felt Fluttershy’s wing fall over her, bringing her close. “‘Shy?”

Fluttershy blushed, but she didn’t say much as she leaned as hard as she could against Applejack. The farmer wore the most bemused expression on her face. “I just... need to know you’re here. Next to me.”

Applejack’s face softened. Braeburn gave them just a simple smile as he took in the sight of the burning hotel. “I don’t think you knew how scary it was for us out here, with you in there.”

“Ah think Ah got an idea,” Applejack said, her hoof running through Fluttershy’s mane. She suddenly felt very tired, her rump sliding to the ground as she started to let the professionals handle Black. Fluttershy nuzzled closer, sitting next to Applejack as they overlooked the fire together. “Ah’ve been scared of a lot of stupid things this trip. Mostly mah stupid mistrust in how mah family might react to tha’ love of mah life,” Applejack sent an apologetic look over to Braeburn, her eyes meeting his for a moment, “but that wasn’t important.”

“At least you didn’t do anything stupid about it,” Braeburn offered. Applejack gave an appreciative chuckle.

“Didn’t have time ta. Leave me to my own devices and Ah’m capable of anything.” Fluttershy looked up, her eyes soft. Licking the side of Applejack’s face, she rested her head on Applejack’s.

“I wasn’t worried about any of that.”

Applejack exhaled long and soft through her nose, her eyes closing. “You’re a stronger pony than I am, sugarcube.”

“Sir!”

The shout came through clear, jostling the remaining ponies from their moment. Braeburn was the first to react, recognizing the voice immediately as his deputy in the building. “Heat Stroke, y’all okay in there?”

The answer wasn’t what he expected. In the next moment both Fluttershy and Applejack were nearly thrown back by the force of an explosion. Heat Stroke flew out of the building, the structural integrity of the main hall falling with his body as he was thrown across the ground, Braeburn moving to catch him as he slid. “Heat Stroke! Heat Stroke, what happened in there!?”

Applejack could only watch on in horror as the rest of the hotel collapsed inward, the formally two story structure reaching it’s previous heights in flame only. With a blast of heat, splintered wood and coals flew about, the collected ponies shielding their eyes from the embers.

Heat Stroke groaned, his head moving slowly as he looked through his mask at Braeburn’s face. “Black... Bull. He ain’t...”

Applejack felt the air drift back around her, giving her room to breath. Chancing it, she opened her eyes. Peering through the smoke and flames, a figure stood among the flaming wreckage, deliberately striding its humongous girth toward the ponies.

His coat was replaced with burning embers. A once jet black mane had erupted into flames, burning brightly as every step brought the stallion closer. It heaved with the smoke, body rumbling with every breath. Applejack rubbed her eyes as Black Bull took a step onto the burned out porch, his eyes no longer sky blue, but a white expanse of pure heat. Stomping against the dusty ground, Black Bull’s hooves brought fire with every step. Applejack and Fluttershy could only watch, frozen, as the last of what made Black Bull a pony burned away to something much different.

“My... Prize..."

Hysteria Breeds Contempt

Applejack couldn’t help but stare as the beast known as Black Bull took a step toward the gathered ponies, the mare instinctively putting herself inbetween the demon and Fluttershy. Braeburn put himself inbetween his injured officer and looked unsuredly between Black Bull and Applejack. How exactly had the jail kept Bull imprisoned when... that lurked just beneath his coat? It didn’t make sense.

“‘Jackie! Get away from him!” He fought every urge to call Black Bull ‘it,’ in fear that he might offend the hulking, blazing behemoth of a pony.

Fluttershy’s hooves stayed firm on the ground, out of fright or some unearthed vessel of courage, Applejack neither knew nor cared. Her face was frozen as well, her eyes dancing over every last detail, her lip trembling as her wings outstretched. “It-it’s a Djinn.” Applejack’s ears perked at the name.

“Ain’t those supposed to stay in stories?” Applejack argued, as if trying to ignore the proof roaring in flames in front of her. Black Bull took a step off the wooden platform. Behind him, the final railings collapsed with cracks and snaps. The hotel’s roof finally caved in with one last defiant roar. Embers flew about, circling the Djinn as he unleashed a guttural laugh. Applejack shrunk back, shielding her eyes from the debris.

Leaving the questions for later, Applejack threw what remained of her mane back and pushed her marefriend back, away from the dangerous convict turned supernatural horror. Braeburn got the clue, helping his friend to his feet as he waved his hoof in the air, signaling to Applejack to clear out and regroup.

“Where is my prize?”

Fluttershy yelped as she felt herself prodded along by Applejack, her Fight or Flight instincts kicking into full Flight gear, her legs pumping hard to put as much distance as she could between herself and Black Bull. Applejack stumbled as she suddenly felt whatever held Fluttershy back snapped, the pegasus taking off like a lightning bolt. Picking herself up, Applejack looked back to the fire-maned stallion, her eyes narrowed. Black turned his blank, white hot eyes, matching gazes with the determined Earth pony.

She figured he looked none too pleased. Her assumption was rewarded with a whinny as Black Bull started to give chase. “Consarn it! Time to hoof it, girl!”

“Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!” Fluttershy screamed, her blue eyes stealing glances back to see if her nightmare was still there. Sure enough, the Djinn galloped behind them, fire bursting with every step he took. With a strained gulp, the pegasus attempted to flare her wings, but fear held them still at her sides. “WhatdowedoWhatdowedo?”

Having Fluttershy stuck on repeat didn’t exactly fill Applejack with ideas, her tired body heaving forward with every step. She simply didn’t have time to recover for this! Applejack’s eyes scrambled for somewhere to go – someplace to hide, but the wooden structures that made up Appleloosa stayed her hooves from approaching them in fear of the Djinn following them inside and catching more of the town on fire.

“Hey! Big ‘n ugly ‘n...!” Braeburn shouted, his head quickly coming to an end of his prepared insults. Applejack cautioned a look back, her gallop turning into a reluctant trot. Black Bull had stopped, his head turned back to stare at Appleloosa’s sheriff. Braeburn was decked out in Heat Stroke’s gear, the deputy pony in question having disappeared from view. Applejack figured he had taken shelter in one of the buildings. “Yeah, you! You know, with the, uh, face!”

“Braeburn, what in tarnation...” Applejack breathed. She was cut off before she could wonder much further by a tug on what remained of her tail. Behind her, Fluttershy gave her a panicked nudge in the opposite direction. “An’ leave Braeburn!?”

Fluttershy’s eyes darted between Black Bull and Applejack before swallowing hard. “Applejack you aren’t in any condition to help now. He’s wearing that heat protection gear – We aren’t! We have to go!”

“But –” Applejack fought, but Fluttershy put her hoof down. Casting her cousin a sorrowful gaze, Applejack could see Black Bull start to move toward her again. Ignoring the sheriff’s attempt at deterring him, Applejack felt fear grip her heart again.

“I hear Butterscotch is mighty sweet on me!”

Black Bull came to a dead halt, the flames that made up his mane flashing a furious blue. Turning about, Applejack scolded herself for feeling the slightest bit of relief as the Djinn roared. “Oh yeah, turns out she really digs a stallion in uniform.” Black Bull wheeled about, his hoof scrapping the ground. Braeburn could be seen smiling under his glass facemask. “Well, a respectable one, anyhow. Guess she didn’t much care for your black and white stripes!” With an otherworldly whinny, Black Bull charged back toward Breaburn, the stallion kicking his forehooves into the air before taking off into a full gallop.

Applejack wanted to cry out, but Fluttershy quickly led her into the old Salt Block nearby, devoted to keeping Applejack out of danger as much as possible. “We can’t stay out here, not with you in this condition.”

Applejack reluctantly let herself inside, her eyes trying to keep on Braeburn and his enemy until the two ponies disappeared behind a corner. “Shoot! Condition or not, it ain’t right leaving somepony with that thing – least of which my cousin!” Applejack said as her hooves fought against every word she said. As she felt the shade overtake her, Fluttershy helped Applejack through the large double doors.

The Salt Block was deadly silent for the number of ponies there were in it. Applejack half remarked that it might have been a fire hazard, which at best met with nervous laughter. Ponies all over the Salt Block were staring at the two with varying intensity. It was a wonder how Fluttershy kept her cool as she led Applejack to a nearby wall, allowing her fillyfriend to collapse against it. “Okay, it’s going to be fine. Braeburn can handle Black for awhile while the rest of the deputies figure out what to do with what... with what he’s become.” Walking silently over to the bar, the pegasus could feel all eyes on her.

“Um, excuse me, Mr. Barkeep?” she asked, her voice hardly above a whisper. “I’d like a glass of water for my, um, for my friend over there? She was in the inn and–” The barkeep slammed a glass of water on the table, his eyes never leaving off of Fluttershy’s. “O-oh! Um, thank you.”

“That’ll be two bits,” he grunted. Fluttershy’s eyes went wide, her wings outstretched.

“Oh! Um, two bits? For a glass of water?” The stallions gaze didn’t change, Fluttershy’s wings started to curl back in as she shrank back. “Well, I guess it is the desert, so water isn’t cheap. So um,” Fluttershy reached for her bit purse, but quickly remembered that, much like the rest of her items, it was likely burning at the center of the inn. “I don’t have any money...” Looking up, Fluttershy heard Braeburn’s voice at the back of her mind.

We even have emergency reserves keeping cool in the basement of the Salt Block, just in case.

“Um, sir? It’s sort of an emergency, perhaps I could pay you later? Sheriff Braeburn did say that there was a lot more water sitting cool in your basement—”

The barkeeps eyes hardened. “That’s for emergency use for the down only. Three bits.”

Fluttershy’s eyes buldged. “Three? Oh dear.” This was just like the market back in Ponyville, all those years ago. She had to be assertive, but she didn’t have even the smallest purse in which to barter with.

“S’fine, Fluttershy,” Applejack wheezed from the side of the room. “Somepony got me some water ‘fore Black showed his true colors. I’ll be... I’ll be fine. Just need some rest.” Looking between the barkeep and Applejack, Fluttershy shamefully trotted back to her mare. “Thanks for tryin’, though.”

“I should have grabbed some of our things –”

Applejack sighed and shook her head, finding the action to be a lot more free with the loss of much of her ponytail. “You can’t blame yourself for forgetting a few fru-fru odds’n’ends, ‘Shy.” Applejack weakly raised a hoof out to Fluttershy’s cheek, but found it difficult to keep her hoof up. Fluttershy, however, met the pony halfway, placing her cheek gently against Applejack’s hoof. Slipping down next to Applejack, Fluttershy sighed.

“You’re gonna have to find someplace else.”

“Wh-what?” Fluttershy jumped, looking around the room.

The barkeep stared down the two fillies, his eyes unblinking. “I said y’all need to find someplace else to be. We don’t take kindly to non-paying customers.”

“You–” Fluttershy started, her eyes darting over to Applejack. Unfortunately, Applejack seemed to be barely holding on to consciousness as it was, her eyelids flickering. Looking back at the barkeep. “You can’t! She’s in no condition to go anywhere! Please!” Fluttershy shakily got to her hooves, the eyes of everypony in the room boring into her.

“It’s policy,” the barkeep stated, his hoof motioning to the door.

Fluttershy opened her mouth as if to protest, but nothing came out. This just couldn’t be happening. Not now. Applejack groaned behind her. “Please, I’ll make it up to you somehow. There’s a tab, right? Maybe I can start one? Or put it on Sheriff Breaburn’s? I’m sure he won’t mind...”

“Consarn it, fillyfooler, can’t you take a hint!?” A stallion bellowed from the back of the room. Fluttershy felt her body tense up as she slowly looked toward him. “We don’t want your kind in here.”

“Wh-what? But I’m—”

“Unnatural begats unnatural. If you’re in here, that... thing out there, might come in here too!” A mare called from the balcony above, her mane tussled up in some fru-fru hairstyle. “I’m certain that.... that thing wouldn’t have come to our poor town if it weren’t for you two.”

Fluttershy’s head moved around the entirety of the Salt Block, new ponies taking the inititive to drive her out. “Yeah! That’s right!” the stallion from the back called. “These two arrived, and then everything went to hell!”

“Please! You can’t!” Fluttershy cried, but even now some of the ponies were starting to get up off their benches and chairs and gather around her. “She needs to rest. Please!” Her eyes looked over to the barkeep pleadingly, but he made no effort to change his expression, let alone his ultimatum. Behind her, Applejack grunted weakly as one of the stallions started to push her roughly toward the door.

Fluttershy turned sharply, tears beginning to stain her cheeks. Her eyes narrowed, her stare intensifying. “Don’t you touch her!” she barked, her wings flaring. The blue pony hesitated. He made the mistake of locking eyes with Fluttershy. “Don’t you dare touch her! I won’t let you harm a hair on her head!” Stomping her forehooves, the stallion backed off. Fluttershy quickly put herself between Applejack and the crowd of ponies. The Stare was in full effect, but that didn’t mean that she wasn’t without compassion. “I know you’re all scared right now. I am too. But this is no time to be going into hysterics.”

“I’m sorry if I... make you all uncomfortable. I never thought I’d be this way...” Fluttershy trailed. However, before anypony could interject, she was back on course. “But it’s still no reason to put myself and Applejack in danger! The creature out there isn’t looking for... for fillyfoolers. It’s a Djinn. He’s a Djinn.”

“A Djinn? Like those fire-spirit things from those old stories?” A more-curious-than-afraid mare asked. “That’s totally impossible.”

“I’ve met many impossible creatures.” Fluttershy smiled despite herself, thinking over all the animals she had befriended over the years. “A Cockatrice who could turn a pony to stone. I’ve heard the Timberwolves call in the night. Once, on a Hearth’s Warming Eve, I heard the call of a Windigo, and so much more. These creatures are real, everypony. And Appleloosa has one in their midst.”

There was a stark silence after this. Nopony wanted to really admit the clear and present danger, but the conviction behind the little pegasus’ words was enough to give them pause. “Well how do we deal with it?” one adventurous stallion asked.

Fluttershy hesitated, shaking her head. “I... I don’t know. The Djinn I’ve read about were trickster spirits, but they match the description of what Black Bull turned into. A pony of fire—”

A grunt cut off Fluttershy from going any further. The barkeep had circled his countertop and approached Fluttershy when she had been preoccupied with the crowed en mass. “I’m sorry, while your information is interesting, if you don’t know how to stop the beast and aren’t a paying customer, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

Fluttershy’s blood ran cold. Hot tears threatened her eyes once again. “H-how could you be so mean?” Even she had to admit it wasn’t exactly her strongest defense.

“Policy. Pay up, or get out.”

“Oh piss off, half the people in here haven’t paid for a thing!” A green stallion shouted from the bar. In his hoof was a mug of water, a piece of celery hanging out of it. Taking a drink from his glass, he got to his hooves and walked up to the barkeep and Fluttershy. “Here missy, give this to your ladyfriend. Make sure she chews the celery up nice.” Handing over his cup, the stallion eyed the barkeep. “Nerve of some ponies. Willing to put others in danger just ‘cause... Well, I don’t pretend to know your reasons.” The stallion sniffed, shaking his head as he headed for the door. “Ain’t no use standing in here anyhow. Buncha ponies standing slackjawed at a couple of fillies– Any of you even think what’s gonna happen if that Djinn thing comes in here?”

Fluttershy was tending to Applejack as best she could, the earth pony only semi-conscious as she numbly chewed the celery. However, Fluttershy looked around the room at the possible exits, and to be fair, there weren’t a lot. The windows were rather near the door, and a lot of the second-story ones were only within her reach. It didn’t hit her until now that she had been the only pegasus she’d seen in town. “A bottleneck...” she trailed.

“That’s right. He’d burn down this place faster than the hotel went down– With all of you in it,” the stallion said, exiting the doors as he did. The room fell deathly silent as the ponies considered their predicament. The Salt Block wasn’t any sort of hiding place, to be certain, but it still was a wall between them and the unknown. Outside was where the Djinn was– a pony turned firebeast that everypony was sure would roast them if they got too close. But it was a lot more room to run.

In comparison, the outside suddenly didn’t look so bad to a potential mass grave. Fluttershy could only throw her wing over Applejack as a crowd of ponies rumbled past her into the Appleloosan streets.

“Sugarcube...?” Applejack stirred. “Ah’m rightly parched, but... y’all think you could stop dripping water on my head?” Looking at her hoof, Fluttershy bashfully realized that she had tipped the mug over and had been pouring a small stream on to her marefriend’s head.

“Oh no, I’m so sorry!” Quickly righting the cup, Fluttershy was pensive about Applejack getting back on her hooves so soon, but Applejack wasn’t about to stay down for long. Taking the mug up for herself, Applejack drank greedily from it. “You shouldn’t be getting up, you’re injured and—”

“And all sorts of other things. Ah ain’t sayin’ you ain’t right, ‘Shy, but Ah don’t have it in me to just sit around while my cousin is out there, fighting Black Bull’s Djinn thingy.” Applejack huffed.

“The Sheriff can handle himself,” the barkeep interrupted. Just as he had before, the slate gray pony had switched sides of his countertop, and was busying himself with cleaning some random glass mug. “Seeing as you’ve helped chase away my customers, I hope you don’t have some moral obligation to stay in here any longer.”

Fluttershy blinked, her will to keep Applejack in one spot gnawing at her. “Well I—”

“None whatsoever. Thank you for your... hospitality. Ah’ll be right sure to tell all my friends. Heck, I’ll even put in a word for you with Princess Celestia. How about that? I mean, I have personally saved her flank multiple times as one of those Elements of Harmony. Like my mare Fluttershy here.” Wearing a grin that could freeze a supernova, Applejack limped out the swinging doors, her stump of a tail swishing behind her with as much swagger as she could muster.

Fluttershy quickly followed after her, stopping fast as she nearly ran into the back of Applejack. The orange pony had stopped dead in her tracks, the last few ponies who had been in the Salt Block just moments before could be seen scurrying between buildings, moving away from the burning pony in the center of town. Black Bull had caught up to Sheriff Braeburn.

At his feet, the charred outside of the heatsuit Braeburn was in was quickly starting to give away under the intense heat of the Djinn’s anger. Muffled coughing was heard under the mask, but it was clear that he wasn’t going to last much longer under Black Bull’s presence.

“Braeburn!” Applejack cried, her hooved barely managing a trot as the limped towards her cousin. Fluttershy quickly slipped to her side, managing only to stabilize her before she fell. “You let him go, Black Bull! You hear me! Or I’ll buck you so hard that you’ll wish you stayed in stories!”

Fluttershy felt her heart throbbing in her chest. “Please, Applejack, you can’t!”

“You’re right, Fluttershy. Ah can’t. Ah can’t let some bully win in front of me. Ah can’t watch somepony be killed while Ah stand by and do nothing! Ah can’t when Ah can still do something! Anything!” Tears ran freely from her face as she struggled to take another step forward. Black Bull looked up from his catch, his white hot eyes staring at the two fillies. “If Ah can get him away from Burnie... If Ah can just distract him long enough for him to get away...!”

“Then what? Applejack, please, he’ll just do the same for you, and then you both won’t get away!”

“Ah have to try. Ah have to risk it!”

Fluttershy... smiled. Shaking her head cooley, Fluttershy sidestepped away from Applejack. With no more crutch for her to stand on, Applejack stumbled on her side, failing to keep her balance. “I’m sorry, AJ. I can’t risk it. I can’t risk you.”

“Sugarcube!? What are you doing?”

Steeling herself, Fluttershy kept her voice just above a whisper as she approached the Djinn. “If I can distract him long enough... get him away from you two.”

Applejack’s heart leapt to her throat. “N-no... ‘Shy, you can’t!”

“Hey! You big meanie!” Fluttershy shouted, her knees shaking. Black Bull took a step toward her. A step away from Braeburn. “Y-yes. You. Can’t you see what you’re doing here? You’re hurting innocent ponies!”

“My.... prize. Where is... my prize?”

Fluttershy hesitated, her eyes darting towards Braeburn and back. “I don’t... no prize is worth this! You’ve hurt my friends! Innocent ponies, just for a prize?” Despite everything, Fluttershy took a few steps forward. She’d rather face a thousand dragons before coming up to something like this. “Have you no heart?”

“No heart.... Give me my prize. Give me her.”

Fluttershy halted. She knew what he meant. That poor deputy sheriff, the one that... “Oh, I see. You want Butterscotch. That’s why you attacked Braeburn!” Shouting the creature’s motivations in their face wasn’t much of a strategy, but Fluttershy needed time.

“Sugarcube, stop! Please!” Applejack called from behind. She herself was struggling back to her feet. Fluttershy had to act fast.

“You want her?” Fluttershy asked, her voice filling with some unnatural confidence. She felt like Rainbow Dash. What would Rainbow Dash do in a situation like this? “You’ll have to catch me first! Then you can have your prize!” Wings flaring out, Fluttershy flapped hard, taking to the air. Keeping low to the ground, the pegasus darted perpendicular from where she had started.

With an otherworldly whinny, the Djinn sprouted wings of flame and took after her, leaving Applejack behind.

“Fluttershy!”