The Way of the Maneaanite

by Wheller

Rating: teen
Tags: Applejack, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Braeburn, Tragedy, Big Macintosh, Derpy Hooves
Length: 7354

Having recently converted to nephitism, Ditzy Doo adjusts to her new life.

Meanwhile, Big McIntosh steps off a train in Appleoosa with one goal in mind. Bring Applejack home.

Published 2011-11-18 07:32:46 UTC
Last updated 2011-11-21 01:37:15 UTC

Chapter 1

Chronology notes:
Stop! You are reading the eighth story in the Bonds of Eternity Series.

The first story in the series is Family found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1307/

The second story in the series is Nihil Novi Sub Sole found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1444/

The third story in the series is Friends in High Places found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1716/

The fourth story in the series is Trust found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1973/

The fifth story in the series is Domino Effect found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/2151/

The sixth story in the series is To Whom It May Concern found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/2465/

The seventh story in the series is Bridge Over River Rijn found here:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/2726/

The Way of the Maneaanite
Chapter 1

Ditzy Doo held her breath, sent a quick prayer up the chain, and hit the trigger. The sound of automatic gunfire rang out through the quiet air.

Ratta-tatta-ratta-tatta-ratta-tatta!

Ditzy Doo released the trigger and looked down range; the practice target was now just a smouldering pile of broken plastic some 30 metres down the range.

‘Very good, very good’, the voice from behind her said. Ditzy Doo turned and smiled at Graham Cracker, likewise, the heavily bandaged earth pony smiled back in his own way, with his eyes.

‘How did I do?’ Ditzy asked, her voice ringing with hope.

‘You have improved much, I think it is safe to say that you are ready’, Graham said simply.

‘Oh praise God!’ Ditzy called out in thanks. ‘These are so heavy!’

‘I know, I know, not to worry, Moses is working on it’, Graham said as the two ponies began their walk back to town.

It had been nearly two months since the arrival of the nephites of Ashville, climbing out of the Divide and making their way here, the site of their new city, New Maneaan; the Promised Land that God had intended for them. Under the leadership of Graham Cracker, and Bishop Josiah Hoof, their town had nearly been finished. It had been nearly two months since Derpy Hooves had thrown off her shackles to the Princesses of Equestria, the false goddesses and embraced the one true God, in all his glory, two months since Derpy Hooves had died, and been reborn, baptised in the nephite tradition, and taken the name of Ditzy Doo. Two months since the curious incident of her cutie mark disappearing from her flank, though neither Graham Cracker nor Bishop Hoof had an answer to that. Two months after the New Maneaanite doctors had been able to get her eye condition under control; something that doctors in Equestria had said would have been impossible, shows what they knew.

And probably most important to the task ahead of her, it had been two months since she had undergone training in how to properly use firearms, specifically the nephite’s signature 12.7mm pistol, which Ditzy had become proficient in quite quickly, her newfound 6/6 vision proving to have been to good use, and more recently, the brand new Marening Automatic Rifle, or MAR.

Ditzy didn’t particularly care for the MAR, while she would prefer to not have to use a weapon at all, as did the rest of the Maneaanites, sometimes, one had to be able to defend themselves, and the group wasn’t exactly popular in Equestria.

Ditzy Doo’s main problem with the MAR was its weight. The gun was heavy; the 8x60mm round that it shot was heavy. Having one MAR, a full load of ammunition, plus all the other equipment that one needed to carry to walk through the desert, a pony was easily carrying twenty to twenty five kilograms worth of stuff. Fortunately for her, Ditzy Doo would not be carrying an MAR for the task ahead, rather she would just have her regular 12.7mm pistol, bringing an MAR was not necessary for this task.

Ditzy Doo was lost in her thoughts, and had almost completely walked by Moses Marening’s workshop, where Graham Cracker not there to point it out to her, she would have. Ditzy could only blush as she back tracked and went inside, though Graham said nothing about it.

‘Moses? Are you here?’ Ditzy called out.

‘Yes! I am here’, a voice called out from the back. Moses Marening entered the front of his workshop from the back, smiling at Ditzy brightly. Moses Marening was a grey coated stallion, who was starting to get on in his years, his mane had once been a deep black, but was now turning silver at the ends with age. Moses also had the distinction of being New Maneaan’s only unicorn inhabitant... well, except for Dinky, but Ditzy figured that she barely counted yet, because she had yet to be baptised.

Like Ditzy, Moses too had been a convert to the faith, though Ditzy didn’t know what his old name was. Apparently it wasn’t something that was talked about.

‘What can I do for you, Miss Doo?’ Moses asked with a smile.

‘I’ve come to return the rife, could you...?’ Ditzy asked turning the MAR to face him. Moses nodded and enveloped the MAR with his magic, unclipping it and the spare ammunition magazines from her storm harness.

‘What? You don’t want to carry my heavy rifle across the desert? For shame!’ Moses said with a grin.

Ditzy Doo returned the grin. ‘Oh, I would if God wanted me to frighten the Appleoosans, but I have a feeling he wouldn’t like that, no I don’t think he’d like that one bit’.

...

The train screeched to a halt, the whistle blew loudly, and Big McIntosh looked up from what he was reading. The train had arrived in Appleoosa. Big McIntosh grabbed his saddlebags and stepped off the train.

He took a quick look at the engine, and discovered immediately that the railroad company must have found a solution to their coal shortage, as it did not have a team pulling it. Big McIntosh shrugged slightly and continued on his way. He had known about the shortage in coal for the engines only through having a representative from the rail company approach him with the offer of work.

With shortages nearly a year and a half ago, the rail company had resorted to gathering up a team of draught ponies to pull their engines from place to place. The representative, the name of which, Big McIntosh could not remember, had offered him a 500 pound contract. Big McIntosh had thought about it very hard, that was a lot of money, and to be honest, Sweet Apple Acres needed the money. Big McIntosh had almost taken the job, but had decided to pass on it, while Sweet Apple Acres did need the money, and that many bits could go a long way. He simply couldn’t be away from the farm when they needed him the most.

As it turned out, it had been a very good choice, as the rail company had been taken to court in at least 30 different times over the last year, as all of the draught ponies that the rail company had hired had all suffered some kind of injuries as a result from the heavy labour. Pulling an engine was exhausting, and physically demanding work, not to mention that running through the desert without the ability to stop for a drink of water and rest. Suffice it to say, the rail company’s ‘quick fix’, had been nothing but a bad deal.

‘Hey! Big McIntosh!’ cried a voice from outside the train station.

Big McIntosh took a look at the origin of the voice, it was his cousin Braeburn. Braeburn trotted up to him and grinned brightly at him.

‘Howdy Cuz! Welcome to APPLEOOSA!’ Braeburn said rearing up in a highly dramatic fashion, causing Big McIntosh to sigh slightly. ‘What brings ya ta town cuz?’

‘Ah think ya know ‘xactly why Ah’m here Braeburn’, Big McIntosh said flatly.

Braeburn frowned and nodded. ‘Tell ya tha truth, Ah been wonderin’ when ya was gonna come out here lookin’ fer her’, Braeburn said. ‘Ah don’t think she gonna be too happy ta see ya’.

‘Thas tough’, Big McIntosh said simply. ‘Applejack’s mah sister, and its ‘bout time she stopped mopin’ ‘round out here in the Mohoofie and come on home’.

‘Well, she ain’t exactly been mopin’...’ Braeburn said. ‘She been puttin’ herself ta use ‘round these parts, helpin’ us with tha plantin’’.

‘Applejack can make herself useful at home, where her family need her. Braeburn, Ah ain’t gonna ask again, yer gonna help me get Applejack ta come back home’.

Braeburn frowned. ‘All right. Ah’ll help ya... ta be honest with ya, town kinda wants to kick her out... when she ain’t workin’ she keeps makin’ a fuss over at tha saloon, gettin’ drunk at night, gettin’ in fights. Ah don’ know ‘xactly what got her mad at her friends ta come out here...’

‘It’s somethin’ stupid she done gotten worked up over’, Big McIntosh said. ‘Ah was hopin’ she woulda come ta her senses on her own, she usually does... clearly, this time, Ah gotta bring her ‘round’.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ditzy Doo had taken to helping load up the carts, she was glad to have the heavy MAR off her flank. In fact, she barely even noticed the 12.7mm pistol that was clipped into the storm harness compared to weight of the MAR.

Ditzy looked over the supplies that they were taking with them, some food, some water. A few crates of extra 12.7x33mm ammunition. Then mostly trade goods after that. Graham Cracker wanted to start things with Appleoosa on the right hoof.

Ditzy had made sure that Dinky would be in good hooves, she hoped that the other children in New Maneaan wouldn’t tease her about being a unicorn. The adult ponies of New Maneaan had treated them far better than the ponies of Ponyville ever had... children on the other hoof... Children were cruel. Not to mention that Ditzy was worried about a number of other things. Dinky had yet to have been baptised, and she had feared that that fact would be a point of ridicule for her daughter. Despite Graham Cracker’s assurances that it would not be, he pointed out to her that most of her other classmates in school would not be baptised yet either, which had somewhat helped to alleviate her fears.

Still, Ditzy Doo couldn’t help but be fearful. Torment and unacceptance was all she knew. All she wanted was a good life for her and her daughter, and she hoped to God that was what she would get in New Maneaan, and she was going to try her hardest to make sure that it happened.

It was like Graham Cracker always said. ‘We can pray for the safety and well being of ourselves and others... but we can’t expect God to do all the work’.

Ditzy had finished loading the last of the food and ammunition into the carts. Graham Cracker had hoped that they wouldn’t need it. As did Ditzy Doo, she had been taught to use the 12.7mm pistol strapped into her Storm Harness, but the thought of using it against another pony made her uneasy. She voiced the concerns to both Graham Cracker and Bishop Hoof; both stallions had just smiled at her and told her that she was a good mare. It had made Ditzy smile brightly. She could only hope so.

She looked around as the New Maneaanites that were accompanying Graham Cracker on the trip to Appleoosa, she noted that they were all earth ponies, with the exception of herself, and their coats were all earth tones. Crèmes, browns, greys, whites, there was one that was a either a grey or a very pale blue, but otherwise, that was it. Ditzy Doo noticed that it was odd that most of the New Maneaanites were like this too, the exception being Bishop Hoof himself, and his coat being a bright crimson. She could only wonder how that had come to be, though she did not ask, feeling as if it would be a far too personal thing to ask.

She took her place next to Graham Cracker, and the group set out for Appleoosa.

...

Big McIntosh walked silently through the streets of Appleoosa. Braeburn walked not too far from him as they made their way to the saloon, where Braeburn had reported that Applejack was at right now, drinking herself into a stupor.

‘Cuz, Ah feel Ah should pro’bly warn ya...’ Braeburn began as the two of them were about to enter the Saloon. ‘Applejack got a right terrible temper when she’s drinkin’’.

‘Applejack’s got a temper when she’s not’, Big McIntosh countered as he pushed open the door and walked in. Applejack was easy to spot, she was the only orange coated mare wearing a cowpony hat and three apples for a cutie mark.

Applejack had a small glass of apple whiskey in her teeth; she leaned her head back and swallowed the entire glass, before leaning back forward and placing it on the bar. ‘Another!’ she cried out demandingly.

The bartender, Morton ‘Salt’ Shaker, rolled his eyes, but poured her another.

‘Hey! Applejack!’ Braeburn called out. ‘Look who just rolled into town!’

Applejack turned her head towards the door, and heavily scrutinised the ponies that had just come through. ‘Th... That you, Big McIntosh?’

‘Eeyup’, Big McIntosh said simply, as he trotted over to where Applejack was sitting. ‘Applejack, Ah come ta take ya home’.

Applejack was clearly drunk by this point, Big McIntosh could smell it on her, and she looked dizzily at him. ‘Home? This here... is home now! Fer me!’ Applejack slurred. ‘Ya can’t make meh go!’

Big McIntosh rolled his eyes slightly. ‘Ah could, an’ Ah would, but Ah’m tryin’ ta get ya ta come back with some dignity! Yer family needs ya, yer friends need ya’.

‘Friends?’ Applejack snapped. ‘Ah ain’t got no friends, not anymore! Those ponies are nothin’ but two bit, good fer nothin’ lairs! Ah ain’t speaking ta them ever again! Fer’ever!’

Big McIntosh looked incredibly, and rather uncharacteristically annoyed, though given the situation, it wasn’t hard to see why. He had hoped that it wouldn’t come to this, but if anyone knew his sister, then it was Big McIntosh. She was a stubborn pony, and Big McIntosh figured that he was probably going to have to drag her back by force anyway.

It was at that moment when Salty, the town drunk burst through the double doors of the bar and began shouting at the top of his lungs. ‘They’s here! They’s here!’

Big McIntosh and Braeburn took a look outside and discovered that there were indeed ponies that were here. A group of twelve ponies, two of them pulling carts packed with things were rolling into town.

Applejack stumbled out behind them and took a look. ‘Whas goin on?’ she slurred.

‘Ponies of Appleoosa! My name is Graham Cracker!’ Graham Cracker said as he and his troupe rolled into town. ‘We are simple traders from New Maneaan, please do not be alarmed! We only wish to trade with you!’

Applejack, Big McIntosh, and Braeburn approached the new comers and gave them a look over.

Applejack quickly found that she was unable to take her eyes off one of them. ‘Derpy? Derpy Hooves?’ she asked.

‘Applejack...’ the mare replied. ‘It’s not Derpy, not anymore, it’s Ditzy Doo now’, Ditzy Doo said, gritting her teeth in agitation. ‘Graham? These are Ponyville ponies’.

Big McIntosh looked over the earth pony calling himself Graham Cracker, covered in bandages, Big McIntosh couldn’t see anything but his eyes, and he found that more than a bit disturbing.

‘Are they?’ Graham Cracker asked. ‘Appleoosa is a long way from Ponyville’.

‘Eeyup’, Big McIntosh said simply. ‘Ah don’ know what ya’ll want, Ah just came ta get mah sister and get gone’.

‘We are a peaceful folk, we want nothing more than to trade our goods, and maybe find things that we don’t have in New Maneaan’, Graham Cracker said simply. ‘I am called Graham Cracker; this is my friend Ditzy Doo, though you may be familiar with her under another name’.

Big McIntosh looked over at Ditzy Doo, she looked different than the last time Big McIntosh had seen her, sure, but he definitely recognised her as the mail mare from Ponyville. ‘Eeyup’, Big McIntosh said simply. ‘Ah’m Big McIntosh’.

Applejack pushed Braeburn out her way and got into Graham Cracker’s face. ‘How come yer hidn’ yer face!?’ she spat at him.

Braeburn looked extremely nervous at Applejack’s outburst; he glanced to Big McIntosh, hoping that his cousin had some kind of plan for dealing with his sister.

‘I do not hide my face, I have it covered because I was burned over my entire body’, Graham Cracker said softly, not missing a beat, though Applejack did not seem to be satisfied with this answer.

‘Know what Ah think? Ah think yer lyin! Nopony tells tha truth, nopony ‘t all!’ Applejack exclaimed, hovering mere millimetres away from Graham Cracker’s face.

‘Step back’, Graham Cracker said without emotion in his voice.

‘Or what?’ Applejack asked. ‘Gonna preach me ta death?’

It was at that point when Big McIntosh bit down on his sister’s tail and dragged her backwards. Braeburn was quick to step in.

‘Ah’m sorry about that, my cousin’s had a little too much ta drink fer her entire life... don’t let her bother ya none! We’re certainly glad ta have ya here! Welcome to APPLEOOSA!’ Braeburn said, rearing up and calling out the town’s name enthusiastically. ‘Come on now! I’ll take ya right around and show ya the town!’

Braeburn looked to Big McIntosh and darted over to him quickly. ‘Do somethin’ ‘bout her! She gonna get us all inta trouble with these folks!’

‘Eeyup’, Big McIntosh said simply as Braeburn darted back over to the New Maneaanites to give them the grand tour of Appleoosa.

‘Ah coulda taken him!’ Applejack exclaimed as Big McIntosh continued to drag her along.

Big McIntosh looked at her and just sighed. ‘Eenope’.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ditzy Doo was foaming with anger with Applejack, and Big McIntosh, here. The last thing she needed was a reminder of her old home and the pain that it had brought her. In the past, she had just taken the emotional abuse and kept on smiling. Shrugging off the things that had been done to her, she had been a push over. The entire town had walked around all over her, and for what? What had she accomplished in her time as a letter carrier for the Ponyville post office?

Absolutely nothing, her wage of five pounds fifteen and five a week was barely enough to provide for her and her own.

Money meant nothing to her, not anymore, all that mattered was her, Dinky, Graham Cracker, and the rest of the community. Ditzy Doo hadn’t even bothered to return to Pony Express to collect her pay for the job that had brought her to the Divide, but that was mostly because she hadn’t actually made the delivery. The package had been stolen from her and she had no business trying to get paid for the job. She had no idea, of course that that was exactly how the shipper had wanted it to happen.

‘Ditzy Doo...’ Graham Cracker said quietly. ‘Remember, we must not harbour ill will towards others, it’s bad for the soul’.

Ditzy closed her eyes tightly and let out a sigh. ‘I know... I know. It’s just brought up a lot of bad memories, I’ll ask for God’s forgiveness after I’ve calmed down a little’.

Ditzy Doo looked up to discover they had made their way to the centre of town, where a group of ponies was standing, looking right at them oddly. Ditzy figured that it was probably the old CPS CO19 riot barding that all of them were wearing, as they had put their guns away before rolling into town.

The lead pony, as could be told by his apparel, was the Sherriff, Silver Star.

‘Hello’, Graham Cracker said. ‘My name is Graham Cracker; do not be alarmed, for we are simple traders and missionaries from New Maneaan’.

‘Never heard of ya’, Sherriff Silver Star said simply. ‘Or this, ‘New Maneaan’ you come from’.

Ditzy Doo knew that this was going to be a mistake. Letting Sherriff Silver Star know who they were was going to turn around and bite them.

‘New Maneaan is a town of nephites, like I said; we are simple traders and we...’ Graham Cracker said, but was interrupted by Sherriff Silver Star raising a hoof.

‘I’ve heard enough’, Sherriff Silver Star said simply. ‘You best be turnin’ ‘round right now and going back the way you came, right now’.

‘Are you sure? We have many things to offer you’, Graham Cracker said.

‘I’m quite sure, no. So get you and your ruddy fake god out of my town before I run you out’, Sherriff Silver Starr said.

‘Excuse me?’ Graham Cracker asked, Ditzy noticed that his ears were beginning to twitch.

‘You heard me, your god is fake; you all are morons who need to be made to pay for turning away from Princess Celestia’, Sherriff Silver Star said.

‘It is one thing to forgive a slap across my cheek, but an insult to the Lord requires... no, it demands correction’, Graham Cracker said. He did not manage any more before one of Silver Star’s deputies took a swing at one of the New Maneaanites, the blow connected with his face and sent him to the ground.

Graham Cracker responded by rearing up and striking Sherriff Silver Star with his hind legs. Within seconds, the entire town had erupted into violence.

Ditzy Doo could only watch as the Appleoosans swarmed around them, charging forward to make it to the brawl, it was at this time that she was grateful to god that she had been given hoof-to-hoof instruction.

...

Big McIntosh looked up as the town had erupted into violence.

‘Figures, them freaks gone done and made trouble’, Applejack said, she got to her hooves and was about to rush in to join the fighting, Big McIntosh and Braeburn leapt upon her and pinned her down to keep her from getting anywhere.

‘Eenope!’ Big McIntosh exclaimed.

‘Git offa me!’ Applejack cried out in frustration.

‘Eenope!’ Big McIntosh repeated. He turned his head to the sound of the train’s whistle and watched as it rolled away; obviously, the engineer had taken notice of the town brawl and decided to get out while he still could. The train was supposed to be stopped for a hour, Big McIntosh had been in town only fifteen minutes. Now they were stuck here with this.

...

Ditzy Doo had been tossed back into the goods cart, smashing it to pieces, all twelve of the New Maneaanites guns spilled out onto the ground. She was quick to grab one and clip it into her Storm Harness, along with as many extra clips as she could muster before one of the Appleoosans came for her. She began to flap her wings and rose into the air and got a look over the situation. While better trained for a fight like this, Graham and the rest of the New Maneaanites had been subdued by the sheer number of town ponies that had gone after them. Ditzy wasn’t going to take this anymore. She fired her 12.7mm pistol into the air twice; the shots rang out and got everyone’s attention.

‘We came in peace, and you attack us. We want to live peacefully with you, and you try to harm us’, Ditzy Doo called out in anger. ‘You, the ponies of Appleoosa have brought the wrath of New Maneaan down upon you, you have brought the wrath of God himself upon you! As long as I live, I will make sure you pay for your transgressions!’

Ditzy Doo departed from Appleoosa at high speed, she would return, however, with more of their group and she would rescue Graham Cracker and the rest of the New Maneaanites that Sherriff Silver Star and the rest of his ilk had taken prisoner. The Appleoosans would be made to pay for what they had done.

...

Sherriff Silver Star looked unfazed by the mare’s threats; he simply ordered to lock the New Maneaanites up in the town jail until they could figure out something to do with them.

‘Ah wish Ah coulda gotten in on that’, Applejack said out of frustration. Big McIntosh looked at his sister with disdain; he didn’t like the mare that the influence of Alcohol had created from her.

‘Applejack! Granny Smith didn’ raise ya ta be like that, she taught ya to be kind ta others!’ Big McIntosh exclaimed.

‘Yeah, and she also taught me ta believe in Princess Celestia like a good mare should, that’s somethin’ Derpy Hooves... or whatever she’s callin’ herself now needs educatin’ in’, Applejack slurred.

Big McIntosh sighed and looked to Braeburn for help, he didn’t say anything, he only offered a small shrug to the situation. Braeburn wasn’t like the other town ponies, he wasn’t going to let mob rule influence his actions, but there really wasn’t much that he could do to persuade Sherriff Silver Starr one way or another.

Big McIntosh sighed again. This was a huge mess, and he’d gotten himself and Applejack caught right in the middle of it.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Applejack had long since passed out from the drink, Big McIntosh couldn’t have been any happier about the situation, Applejack was his sister, he loved her, but she could be so thick sometimes it drove the draught pony mad.

Braeburn wasn’t much help either, he’d been pretty much the only Appleoosan to maintain his head, which, according to Applejack from the last time she’d been here, nearly a year and three fourths ago, had been pretty much the same instance.

‘Ah don’ like this cuz, not one bit, Ah can’ belive mah friends an’ neighbours would act like this!’ Braeburn said with a frown.

‘Eeyup’, Big McIntosh said simply.

‘This is a mess!’ Braeburn called out, he had begun pacing back and forth around his home, which they had relocated to after the fighting in town had died down.

‘Eeyup’, Big McIntosh said simply.

‘Ya got any ideas?’ Braeburn asked hopefully.

‘Eenope’, Big McIntosh said simply.

Braeburn frowned and went back to his pacing. Big McIntosh rolled his eyes in annoyance,

‘Please stop that’, Big McIntosh asked.

‘Sorry’, Braeburn said with a frown as he went and sat down on the sofa opposite the one Big McIntosh was sitting on; Applejack lay asleep on the sofa next to him.

‘An’ Applejack’s just gonna make it worse, I thought she woulda been a mite more tolerant than that’, Braeburn said, looking worriedly at his sleeping cousin.

‘Applejack needs ta be brought ta her senses’, Big McIntosh said. He sat quietly for a while, and then, slowly, a grin began to form on his face. ‘An’ Ah think Ah gots an idea!’

...

Braeburn gently pushed open the door to the Appleoosa sheriff’s office, Sheriff Silver Star in sitting at his desk, looking over papers, and keeping an eye on the gaol cells holding the New Maneaanite Prisoners.

There were three of them, one in the far corner holding the one called Graham Cracker, he was being kept by himself, and the two other cells were holding the ten others, five in each.

‘Sheriff Silver Star!’ Braeburn called out. ‘The New Maneaanites are commin’ back!’

Sheriff Silver Star looked up, as did all eleven New Maneaanites that were locked up in the gaol cells.

‘They’re commin’ from the northwest! If we hurry we can head ‘em off at tha pass!’ Braeburn called out frantically.

Sheriff Silver Star rose from his seat. ‘We best be going then, good to see whose side you’re on Braeburn’.

Sheriff Silver Star and Braeburn galloped away from the Sheriff’s office to gather up the deputies, leaving the door wide open and easy enough for Big McIntosh to slip in and close the door behind him. The New Maneaanites all looked up to discover the draught pony with his sister, fast asleep on his back. Big McIntosh picked up the brig ring of keys that Sheriff Silver Star had left on his desk and unlocked Graham Cracker’s cell door; he dumped Applejack inside and closed it back up tight.

Graham Cracker didn’t even flinch.

‘Ah can’t let ya go, they’d know mah cousin Braeburn was involved’, Big McIntosh said.

‘I understand’, Graham Cracker said. ‘I do not understand, however, why you are putting her in with me’.

‘Ah’m kinda hopin’ ya can talk some sense inta her’, Big McIntosh said with a shrug. ‘Maybe she’ll see ya ain’t bad folk?’

Graham Cracker looked at Big McIntosh oddly, but said nothing as the draught pony walked out of the sheriff’s office.

...

Applejack woke up, groaning loudly, her head hurt something awful, she needed a drink.

‘Welcome back to the land of the conscious, Graham Cracker said.

Applejack shot up and pressed her back against the gaol cell door, discovering that she was locked in with him.

‘Going somewhere?’ Graham Cracker asked, looking straight at her.

‘P... please don’t hurt me!’ Applejack cried out.

‘What makes you think I am going to hurt you?’ Graham Cracker asked.

‘Wait... ya mean yer not?’ Applejack asked. ‘But... but yer a nephite!’

‘And what do you think you know about nephites?’ Graham Cracker said.

‘Well... Ah... Ah never met one befer, but mah granny said they’re all a bunch of low life door to door salespony types tryin’ ta push their beliefs on good folks like us, and they get violent when ya disagree with them’, Applejack said.

‘Ah... yes’, Graham Cracker said. ‘I’ve heard that one too’.

Graham Cracker prodded at one of the pockets in his CO19 vest and began to push something out of it.

‘Wha’s that! What are ya doin!?’ Applejack exclaimed in a panic.

‘I have time to kill’, Graham Cracker said, the object fell out of the pocket and Applejack studied it for a moment, it was a book.

‘Wha’s that?’ Applejack asked.

‘This is the Book of Nephi’, Graham Cracker said. ‘I always keep it on me, especially for situations like these; I tend to get in them quite a bit’.

He lowered his head towards the book and pushed it open and began to read.

Applejack watched him for a minute and he didn’t look up for the entire of it.

‘I have another one on me if you would like something to read’, Graham Cracker said without looking up. ‘I have a feeling it’s going to be a while until the sheriff returns to let you out of this cell.’

‘Oh... uh’, Applejack said. ‘I... uh... don’t read s’ good’.

To tell the truth, Applejack didn’t know how to read at all, and she felt horribly embarrassed. Applejack hadn’t finished school, she barely had any education at all; unlike Big McIntosh she had nothing for an education except for what Granny Smith had taught her about apple farming. Her granny had taught her to count, and how many pence were in an Equestrian Pound, which was two hundred and forty, that was the extent of Applejack’s education. She’d attended maybe a year of public schooling in Ponyville while she was younger, but Granny Smith had needed to take her out of it, they couldn’t afford to send both Big McIntosh and Applejack to school, of course, when it was time for Apple Bloom to go to school, that was a different story, but she was much younger than Applejack and Big McIntosh with nearly a twelve year gap between Applejack and Apple Bloom, the world was different now, you needed an education, and they were going to make sure that Apple Bloom would get it.

Applejack was highly insecure about her literacy, or really, the lack there of, particularly after becoming friends with Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight had recommended several books to Applejack, thinking that she would like them, some of the books had been about farming, and some of them had been fiction novels that Twilight thought that Applejack would have enjoyed. Applejack had always kindly taken out the books that Twilight had suggested for her to read, and then waited two or three weeks and then brought them back, not even bothering to open them.

‘Shame’, Graham Cracker said without looking up.

Applejack continued to think about the issue for a while. Here she was, the bearer of the Element of Honesty, locked in a gaol cell with a nephite who had practically forced her to think about her literacy, or once again, her lack thereof.

Applejack realised at this point that in her shame, she had hidden the fact that she couldn’t read from her friends and for it, and it made her a hypocrite. She had gotten angry with Vinyl Scratch in particular for hiding the true reason for wanting to go to the Hoofson Bay, she had gotten angry at her friends for rallying behind somepony that she had seen as a liar, and had skipped town for Appleoosa because of it.

Applejack was a ridiculous, big headed hypocrite and it had taken the imprisoned nephite to show her.

‘Ah’m sorry Ah judged ya’ll’, Applejack said. ‘Ya’ll aren’t bad folk, aren’t ya?’

‘That remains to be seen’, Graham Cracker said, looking up. ‘Ditzy Doo harbours much anger in her soul, she is a good mare, but I feel that the Appleoosans have pushed her over the edge’.

‘Ah know that pony. It’s hard ta believe she’d hurt anypony’, Applejack said.

‘Ditzy Doo has been pushed around by many in her life, there is only so much abuse that one can take before the anger consumes them’, Graham Cracker said. ‘It isn’t right, but I understand the reasons why she is angry’.

Applejack frowned, she admitted to herself that maybe she wasn’t as nice to Derpy Hooves as she should have been throughout her time in Ponyville. There had been several occasions where Applejack had taken to laughing at the Pegasus mare’s misfortunes alongside the other town ponies. She’d always thought it was in good fun, never realising just how hurtful it could have been for her.

Applejack had to admit, being locked in a gaol cell with Graham Cracker had been overall a positive experience. She had had a lot of time to think about life. Big McIntosh was right, she had been being stupid, and even though she had just realised that he had tossed her in a cell, it was okay. She had forgiven him.

Of course, now Applejack had to wonder what was going to happen when the sheriff got back and found her in here?

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sheriff Silver Star and Braeburn trotted back into the sheriff’s office after being gone for a few hours.

‘Ah coulda sworn I’d seen somethin’...’ Braeburn said.

‘It’s all right Braeburn’, Sheriff Silver Star said. ‘I for one, am just glad to know whose side you’re on’.

Braeburn nodded and departed from the sheriff’s office without another word. Sheriff Silver Star turned and immediately spotted that Applejack was sitting in the gaol cell that was occupied by Graham Cracker, he immediately raised an eyebrow at this, eyeing her suspiciously.

‘How did you get in there?’ He asked.

‘Uh... Ah don’t rightly know?’ Applejack said, that wasn’t a complete lie. She figured that Big McIntosh had done it, but she had no evidence for it, to be perfectly honest. ‘Ah woke up in here! Can ya let me out?’

Sheriff Silver Star nodded and picked up the keys and walked over to the gaol cell door. ‘No funny business, ya here?’ The Sheriff said plainly.

Graham Cracker looked up from his book and nodded in affirmation. ‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ he said. Sheriff Silver Star opened the cell door, Graham Cracker leapt up and in under a second was on top of the Sheriff, kicking him in the face hard and knocking him out. He picked up the gaol keys and fumbled with them in his hooves.

‘Ah thought ya said ya weren’t gonna pull any funny business?’ Applejack asked.

‘Did this look humorous to you? Because it certainly didn’t to me’, Graham Cracker said, smiling with his eyes towards Applejack. ‘I have to knock you out too, otherwise they will believe that you helped me escape’.

‘But Ah didn’t help ya!’ Applejack cried out. ‘Ya did just fine on yer own!’

‘I know that, you know that, the town ponies are not likely to think the same way’, Graham Cracker said simply.

‘Fine. Go ahead, Ah guess’, Applejack said, and shut her eyes tight. She felt Graham Cracker’s hoof connect with her face, sending her to the ground and quickly off to the land of the unconscious.

Graham Cracker pulled Sheriff Silver Star and Applejack back into the cell and quickly locked it up behind him. He went over and unlocked the other two cells and freed his fellow New Maneaanites from their bondage and instructed them to follow him. Graham Cracker used the keys to get into the sheriff’s lock up, where they retrieved their weapons and ammunition.

‘Come, brothers and sisters, we must make for New Maneaan before...’

Ratta-tatta-ratta-tatta-ratta-tatta!

‘Before that happens...’ Graham Cracker said as his voice began to trail off. He pushed open the door to the sheriff’s office to discover, that to his horror, Ditzy Doo had returned with two of Moses’ MARs clipped into her storm harness, and she was tossing fire bombs onto Appleoosa’s buildings.

The town ponies were all running about screaming their heads off, it was mass confusion and panic, such disorder as the town ponies fled in all directions. Worst of all, all of the buildings were wooden, and there was a slight breeze, the fire was spreading quickly. Graham Cracker already knew that it was too late.

Appleoosa was burning to the ground.

He turned to two of the nephites behind him. ‘Get Applejack and Sheriff Silver Star to safety. I will handle this’, Graham Cracker said.

He trotted out into the centre of town and looked up. ‘Ditzy Doo!’ he cried out.

Ditzy stopped her assault momentarily, looking down at him and haphazardly tossed the fire bomb that she had just lit off to the side, landing on a building that was already on fire. ‘Graham Cracker! Good you’ve escaped! I figured you’d probably find a way to escape without my help. This way we can cover our retreat’.

‘Ditzy Doo... this, is NOT acceptable!’ Graham Cracker said. ‘What does the Book of Nephi say!?’

‘“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbour as yourself.” This is different thought!’ Ditzy Doo called out. ‘These are NOT our people! They are not our neighbours, these... ponies are an affront to God, I believe you said it yourself, they require correction’.

‘We can argue about the meaning we are to take from the Book of Nephi later. You have sinned Ditzy Doo! But we will discuss what action to take against you when we return to New Maneaan. Now come! We must return with haste!’

Without another word, Graham Cracker, Ditzy Doo, and the rest of the New Maneaanites fled from the quickly burning Appleoosa.

...

Braeburn watched in horror as his town burned. Not only had that crazed New Maneaanite mare set fire to the town, she had set fire to the Apple Orchard as well. Braeburn wouldn’t have been surprised if you could see the smoke in El Paso Fino, or maybe even as far Las Maregas.

Worse still, he listened to the town ponies’ chatter, they were all crying out for blood. It burned Braeburn up inside, the town ponies were perfectly willing to blame the New Maneaanites for the destruction of their town, and worse still, they were perfectly willing to ignore the role they played in it.

‘SHAME ON YOU!’ Braeburn called out. ‘Shame on all o’ you! Yer all so riled up and want to blame somepony? Yeah, it was a New Maneaanite that burned the town! But les’ not fergit tha ‘uns who gave ‘er the matches. That’s on us! The New Maneaanites came in peace, and what’d we do? We attack ‘em. Far as I’m concerned? The Destruction o’ Appleoosa weren’t done by a New Maneaanite, but a group of Appleoosans’.

Braeburn sighed, and picked up the unconscious Applejack and slung her over his back. ‘But Ah know ya’ll, you ain’t gonna take responsibility fer what we all done. Ya didn’t with the Buffalo, and ya ain’t gonna do it with the New Maneaanites either. So you want ta conflict with the New Maneaanites? Well ya’ll can count me out, any o’ you that come ta yer senses can find me and mine in Ponyville’.

Braeburn began to walk away, headed towards the east. ‘C’mon Big Mac, If we go now, we can make it ta El Paso Fino by t’morrow mornin’’.

‘Eeyup’, Big McIntosh said, he fell in behind his cousin and the two of them began their slow march back home.

As could be expected, nopony followed them. In fact, they might as well have not even heard a single thing he said, for the Appleoosans went right to planning their revenge.

...

The anger in Ditzy Doo’s heart began to calm itself as they had reached the gates of New Maneaan; she sighed and looked to Graham Cracker. ‘You were right, I see it now, I was just... so angry. I let that anger consume me and I’ve sinned against God... the worst part of it is... I don’t think God can forgive me ’.

Graham Cracker looked Ditzy Doo in her eyes, and could see the sincerity behind it. She was sad that she had done what she had done. That was something.

‘God will forgive, it is what God does’, Graham Cracker said. ‘You are sincere; I can hear it in your voice. That is a start. Your road to forgiveness will be hard, I will not lie to you, but I do believe that you can make it’.

Ditzy Doo nodded in affirmation. ‘I will do my best to redeem myself’, Ditzy Doo said. The anger in the mare’s heart had all but burned itself out, now there was naught but sadness. She didn’t know how she was going to make up for what she had done, and worse still, she didn’t know how she could even look Dinky in the eye.

...

Applejack had awoken about an hour into Braeburn and Big McIntosh’s walk to El Paso Fino, Braeburn set her down and felt glad that she was back. The trio would hit El Paso Fino at day break if they kept walking all night. They could hop a train back home no problem.

Applejack looked at Big McIntosh sadly. ‘Big McIntosh? Ah just wanted ta say Ah’m sorry, Ah been big-headed an’ stupid ‘bout this whole ordeal’.

‘Eeyup’, Big McIntosh said.

‘It weren’t fair to run off like Ah did’, Applejack said.

‘Eeyup’, Big McIntosh said.

‘Ah just wanted ta say, Ah’m sorry and Ah hope ya can forgive me’, Applejack said with a nervous grin.

‘Ain’t me ya need ta apologise to’, Big McIntosh said simply. ‘Yer friends are tha ones who need an apology... along with Caramel and Carrot Top, who I hired to help out around tha farm while ya were away’.

‘Caramel and Carrot Top!?’ Applejack exclaimed in surprise.

‘Eeyup’, Big McIntosh said.

The group said little more during their trip, they walked for the entire night, not stopping until they arrived in El Paso Fino, where they purchased train tickets and hopped on a train, falling asleep practically the moment that they sat down, and staying asleep for the long ride out of the Mohoofie.