Hours of the day at the plantation gradually passed by. Separated since their arrival, Applejack hasn’t seen or heard of Apple Fritter in days. To her only knowledge, it was insisted that she would work in the house while Apple Fritter was out in the fields. It was not her fault, but Applejack felt guilty for not enduring the brutality with her.

Now she was like clockwork, but not in the way she knew as an apple farmer. Every morning, she would wake among the others in the slave quarters behind the house to be dressed appropriately. Next, she would have to help set up brunch for the slave owners: Fox, Cap and Top. Sometimes, Top wasn’t present and the seat was left open for a guest. For the rest of the day, Applejack followed any of the three around the house, either if they would sit outside to admire the landscape or in front of a fireplace. One time in the afternoon, she had to watch a slave fight organized by Fox. To watch a nonsensical fight to the death between two ponies against their will was sickening. From that moment on, if not her first day, she had to fight off the urge of bucking their faces in.

When night would come, she’d try to feel relief to have the day end, but homesickness instead. She hoped for Applebloom to stay focused in school despite her situation. As for Big Mac, she just didn’t know what to think. A part of her wishes he would stay to look after Applebloom and Granny Smith, and the other one to look for her. However, she tried to stray from the latter because she didn’t want to imagine him getting severely hurt.

She felt slightly satisfied about one thing, and it was she was not experiencing the exact hell Celerity promised.

Her daydreaming was over when she started to overhear conversation between Cap and Top. She stood by a door outside the library room with the eerie sounds of candles burning on the walls.

“Haven’t spoke with the little brother about it, but who was that pony he sold to that Cobb fellow?” asked a gravelly voice.

A younger voice replied after a short pause. “Was that green-haired one. You saw her, she came with the other mare working in the house. Sex-ridden queer. Don’t know why Fox would switch their jobs right then and there. Anyways, why’re you asking?”

“‘Cause he was supposed to deliver dynamite to an outpost down the southernmost part of the mountain, and a couple of my stallions have been telling me that he was killed way over in Parasprite Hollow, along with four others in my gang. That the place looked like it was blown up. I have no idea why the hell he’d wander up there.” Applejack had to resist from gasping out loud. She started to press her ear against the door.

“Huh. How long ago did that happen?”

“Must have been at most a week. Apparently, the explosion was so loud, some pegasi up the mountain heard it.”

“No survivors?”

“None at all. Heck, they even said there’s no trace of the pony they bought.”

“Didn’t he have a bounty on his head?”

“Yeah, for murder and stagecoach robbery. And I’m telling you, he wouldn’t have got killed if it wasn’t for him wandering past our lines like a damn idiot.”

Applejack stared blankly in disbelief as she pressed her ear onto the door.

A hoof forcibly shoved her aside. “Are you eavesdropping? Move.”

She looked up to see Sharps. He seemed much more distressed than their last encounter. Applejack turned away and walked off, pretending to mind her business. She looked behind her to notice him knock on the door with a hoof wrapped in bloodstained cloth. After a moment, the door swiveled open and he entered.

The gravelly voice sounded surprised upon his entrance. “Sharps, what are you back for so early? Where’s Legerity?”

“I was gonna talk with you about that. Cap, this is just between us two.”

“Er, that’s just fine.” The younger voice said, “I’ll be out back with Fox.”

In a panic, Applejack snuck into another room to hide. She listened for Cap’s hoofsteps as it faded away. When the door shut, she moved into view to eavesdrop through the door again.

“Go and sit. You don’t look good at all. You were saying?”

Hooves tapped on the ground and a wooden chair squeaked. “It’s a long story, but we weren’t able to get him. I mean, we couldn’t even get to Appleloosa.”

“Quit stalling now. Just spill it.”

“If you say so. Legerity, your ponies and I made it to the little town more east of here. When we got there, there was a Marshal just floating around staring us down.”

“A marshal officer? Out here?”

“Yeah, that’s why something didn’t feel right. Legerity had the idea of confronting the guy. Stupid fuck actually told us some other ponies would be coming for us, so we ganged up on him and set him as a trap.”

“Law doesn’t extend that far down the desert. Said why they came down here?”

“He was shitting himself too much to not say anything else other than to save himself, so no. But, that’s where everything just went loose.”

“Yeah?”

“These ponies - four of ‘em - managed to take us on. Your three, uh, were killed. And I had my hoof shot off. Still managed to fly off with Legerity.”

“How the hell did you get three of my ponies killed?”

Sharps sighed. “I was too focused on this one stallion. I, well, screwed up when I was about to get him and he shot me first.”

“These ponies. They were marshals too?”

“All, except two. The pony who shot me wasn’t - I don’t know him - but I sure as shit know who the other one is. The bounty hunter named Siringo.”

The aged stallion paused to speculate. “This might be coming together too well.”

“Huh?”

“Posses and gangs up north are holding their own against the law as well and I can’t do much about them. I dunno what they’re intending, but we’re going to be in their sights soon enough. Strange how just now they’ve decided to take action. I’ve spoke with Siringo some time ago. Told me he had a bounty on him. I’m betting that sonuvabitch is selling all of us out.” The stallion clapped his hooves together.

“So he is, huh?”

“How ‘bout this other pony who wasn’t a marshal?”

“Well, I know I haven’t seen him before. I don’t think I could remember what he looked like neither.”

“I, on the other hoof, know what to do. I will take a group of my gang and I’ll see about putting an end to these jokers ourselves before they get here. Then on to fend off against the marshals up north. Should be enough to tell Appleloosa and Dodge to back off. You’re coming with me.”

“Wha- why do I?!”

“Because - I’m saying so. You would want to get revenge on the pony who shot your hoof off.”

“I mind as well go looking for jobs in Los Pegasus again. You wouldn’t expect me to fire another gun again with just one hoof. I can’t just strap two machine guns to my sides and somehow fire them. Who the fuck even came up with that idea in the first place?!”

“Darn it, keep your voice down.” His voice sounded unfaded by Sharps’s growing rant. “You’ll also have to point them out to us, if you woulda let me finish.”

“Whatever you say. What’ll you say to Fox and Cap?”

“Not a thing. I ain’t going to cause enough worry as is. Eli will still be looking out for them. There’s also been a loner acting suspicious for some time down there, so that should be reason enough.”

“Reason enough for sending like, twenty of us?”

The stallion chuckled out loud. “Oh, can’t go wrong with overkill on this kinda job.”

“We’re going when?”

“Tonight. Come, I’ll gather some of my gang.”

Before Applejack knew it, the door opened and she bumped into the stallion, known as Top Gristle. Upon contact, she kept her eyes aimed at the ground. Top simply pushed her aside with a strict look followed by Sharps.

What could that Siringo pony possibly be up to, Applejack thought. She wondered who this other pony was. It could be Big Macintosh. No, it couldn’t have been. Whoever they were, she just hoped that these ponies would make it over here.

…..

In fact, they were very much on their way in the right direction. After the cruel, but pleasing duel, the five ponies spent the following few days travelling south along the mountain. Along the way, the Marshals shared their tales of Appleloosa and Dodge occasionally joined by Siringo. As always, Mac stayed silent and just walked on.

Now, the dusk has already taken over the land with the smallest peak of the sun over the horizon. At the southernmost foot of the mountain, they came across a more rugged terrain. Rocks took the forms of shapes from round and short to tall and jagged. It was a maze for the ponies to find their way, walking in circles and to dead-ends.

Further into these boulders, the light of a campfire was in sight. At the instant another hoof stepped on the ground, a gasp was heard and the fire extinguished.

“Before anyone was gonna say one of us go first, just let that sum’bitch go instead.” said Siringo.

Marshal Star growled for a second. “If it makes you happier, Nancy.”

Before anypony else could react, a voice shouted in the darkness. It sounded like a mare, but in a strange, but familiar accent never heard before.

“Do not take one step closer!”

Only Marshal Star panicked there and then. “Geezus-shit! Who in Celestia’s name can speak like that?!”

The spark of a lantern flashed in their eyes. Behind it, was a slim buffalo wearing its usual headband. She was well-hidden behind a boulder.

“I am saying this for the la-” The buffalo looked straight at the marshals’ polished badges and immediately changed her tone. “Um, my apologies, marshals...” She sheepishly lowered her lantern and stood up.

“Who are you?” asked Cornfield, moving in front of the group. “Why all the hostility?”

The buffalo stepped back apologetically. “Again, forgive me for that. It seems to be more disturbing in the night than usual.” She lit up the campfire and the blaze was re-ignited. “My name is Little Strongheart of the Buffalo Tribe.”

“Ah, you’re one of them who wanted to start trouble in town back then.” Marshal Star remarked.

“I didn’t realize some of you ponies still hold that against us. All of that aside, would you all like to stay for the night? I would enjoy the company after such a period of time.”

Cornfield exchanged suspicious looks with his deputies. “It’d be nice, I guess.”

“Then it would be my pleasure.” Little Strongheart gestured them to come forward to the campfire.

The marshals trotted over and each gave a nod towards the buffalo. Siringo had to tap Mac on the side to get his attention, who advanced as if the occurrence never happened.

…..

“What are you ponies doing this far west?”

Glancing at Mac, Cornfield spoke up again. “That’s business of the law. But let me ask, what are you doing so far from your herd?”

“From my tribe, there’s been word of ponies by the mountain intended to cause harm to us in the future. It’s my responsibility to discover this myself.”

“Hold it, how long have you been down here?” asked Siringo.

“I have been down here for at most a month. I’ve been thinking to travel more west, but I have a feeling it is far more dangerous than I thought. You stallions come from Appleloosa, if I remember correctly?”

“From Appleloosa and Dodge, yes.” Cornfield looked over to Mac once more and took the opportunity to ask a vital question. “This is something we need to know, miss - er?”

“You may say ‘Ms. Strongheart’.”

“Ms. Strongheart. Have you seen a pegasus flying by here with a unicorn? It’d had to have happened in the past week.”

“I have, actually. The two of them looked rather odd because they were just out in the open arguing were each other and were surely in a rush. I feel fortunate they didn’t see me.”

The trio slightly perked up.

“They took my sis.” Mac blurted out. Cornfield scowled over at him for a split-second.

“Oh.” Little Strongheart was thrown off guard with Mac’s words. “What do these certain ponies do, really?”

Cornfield exerted a sigh in mild irritation. “They kidnap ponies from anywhere close to the desert, is what they all do. It’s been going on for damn near months, and now we’re seeing to a stop to it.”

“Your sister’s name is Applejack, correct? I met her when her and her friends visited Appleloosa. We did not get along at first, but I came to have respect for her. I’m very sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be.” Mac uttered.

“We’ve reason to believe that we know where she and a bunch of other ponies are being held and that they are used to work against their will. I let the red, silent one come along, as well as Horn Siringo right next to him.”

Strongheart grimaced at the unicorn. “I just noticed you there. Don’t think we forgot what you tried to do to us, Siringo.”

“Wha- I just asked you a question right then and there not five minutes ago!”

She turned to Mac again. “Also you, I very much admire your courage for undertaking this task. I have no doubt that you’ll come to her rescue someday. You remind me of an old pony legend passed down even among buffalo.”

Siringo sat up, interested. “What could this be? I might be familiar with it.”

“The pony’s name was Jon Gold.”

Mac’s ears twitched. Despite having no relevance to him, he couldn’t help but think he may have heard that name before.

“Jon Gold,” the unicorn repeated. “I haven’t heard anyone say that name in a coon’s age.” Each of the marshals agreed with him. “The stallion seen all of what the desert and beyond offered. It didn’t matter the type of situation anyone was in, he was always willing to help them, even through violence. I - I looked up to him as I grew up. Even had the chance to be with him for a while.”

“Oh, do you remember this story?” Strongheart asked.

“Sure do.”

“Go on, then.” said Cornfield.

“It was back at that farm we came from - where Mac decided to, well, spare Trixie’s life - where Jon Gold drifted by. I was living around there for a while and there was a gang, not as bad as the Gristle Brothers but certainly were a pain in the ass. Was barely as old as you at the time, Mac - it was also the second time around I got to handling my own gun - and it was there where I first saw him. Wore clothes exactly like Sheriff Silverstar, which was always what stuck out about him and had a long blond mane like you again, Mac.”

Mac almost raised an eyebrow, ultimately gaining interest in this Gold fellow.

“I maybe sounded desperate, but I implored for his help to stop this gang at the last second, since there’s no one else who wanted to. And to my surprise, he agreed to. Didn’t even think a second to say no. So we venture down south, just near the San Palomino border.”

“You know where he was going?” asked Mac.

“Hm? Oh, he was going to move out southwest, the same path we did. Anyhow, we’re there. This small gang had a just as small sort of villa, maybe like how I see the Gristle plantation now. I was brewing a simple plan of ambushing them, but Jon Gold had a simpler one. One he didn’t intend to tell me. All he did was keep me behind him, trot up to the front yard and got the attention of every pony holed up in there, and when the time came, he pulled out his pistol and shot every one of them before I could blink. I reckon he had some sort of custom gun because I remember, to this day, that he used only eight shots. And there are oh so few pistols like that.”

Mac peeked his eyes down at his gunbelt. His special revolver also held eight bullets.

“All that just came on to me so fast, I was just standing there. Like any gunslinger would, he twirled his pistol, tipped his hat, and was on his way. But not to the west like he was going, he was on his way to the east, to Appleloosa. Just as he was going to leave, he told me the words, ‘I’ll tell everypony this deed was of no one but you. I was never planning to tell anyone else about that bu-”

“Just a darn second,” Cornfield interrupted, perplexed. “So when I heard this about you a long time ago, that was never you. It was - the Jon Gold?”

“That’s right. And other than through other tales, it was the last I’ve ever seen or heard of him. By now, it should be clear that he’s passed but I wouldn’t like to imagine he died alone in the desert.”

“I never thought I would hear of an experience with the stallion himself.” remarked Strongheart.

“Me neither, Siringo.” Cornfield added. “Can’t believe you’d keep that a secret.”

“Well, I guess considering what’s happened in my life, it’d be claimed as bullshit.” Siringo looked at Mac with concern. The red pony continued to blankly stare at his pistol, with unknown thoughts forming around his mind. Siringo noticed that Mac’s pistol too, had eight shots. Something had the urge to escape his mouth, but he decided it wasn’t worth mentioning.

“It’s just the start of the night, now.” Cornfield said. He started to lay down on the sand with a yawn. “The rest of us should get shut-eye to leave early like we always do. Ms. Strongheart, you’re free to travel with us.”

The young buffalo smiled. “That would be great, actually. I will be prepared the first thing in the morning.”

Before heading into his slumber, Siringo tapped Mac’s shoulder. He still glared at his weapon.

“You okay there, Mac? Need sleep?”

“I’ll get to it.” Mac sighed and holstered his revolver into his gunbelt to remove for the night. As one last thought before heading to sleep, he pondered if Jon Gold was a certain pony in his past.

Author's Note

This chapter took quite a while to work on. I had trouble with catching up with AJ and scrapped two characters in place of Little Strongheart.