-<>~--*--~<>-<

Aurelic is awoken suddenly when the train starts being knocked around by the buffalo. Reacting quickly, he turns into Forge just as the blanket flies off of his body. He glides through the air, smacking into the walls and other ponies during the attack. He'd forgotten just how violent the attack on the train to Appleoosa was. And that he shouldn't be wearing his saddlebags during the attack, considering its contents. "PAIN!" That was all he could think about as he was constantly crashing into various random ponies he'd been in the train car with. When they'd stopped being jostled around, Forge noticed that he landed muzzle first into some pegasus mare's chest fluff. He senses an extreme rise in anger, said mare bucking him in the chest, hard.

"It's not MY fault that happened! Blame the buffalo for knocking the train around!" Forge yells in response. Now he hurts even more.

The mare simply harrumphs, walking back to her seat. The rest of the onlookers not really sure what to think about what just happened. Suddenly, the roof begins thumping. Not long after, the mane six minus Rainbow scurry through the train car, heading for the back of the train.

"Oh, hey there Forge! Did you see the buffalo outside the window? Gotta go see what's going on! Bye!" Pinkie manages to yell out as she follows the rest of her friends to the next car.

Forge just sits back in his spot, waiting for the eventual arrival to Appleoosa. "Fucking stupid train attack. Fucking asshole buffalo..."

Soon enough, the disgruntled four return. Applejack looks to Forge as they pass by, motioning for him to follow. Forge stands, making his way to their train car. Twilight is hyperventilating from the sheer panic brought on by Spike's kidnapping, pupils shrunken as she mildly shakes.

"They! Took! Spike!" Twilight manages to sputter out as she struggles to breathe.

Forge looks at Twilight with concern, as do the others. Applejack places a hoof to Twilight's wither.

"And we'll get him back. If those buffalo try anything, they'll be twisted up worse than a pretzel in a rock tumbler."

"Um, where's Pinkie?" Fluttershy asks, noticing the lack of a pink on pink pony in their vicinity.

"She went after Rainbow. They'll be fine. I think..." Forge chimes in, eliciting mild shock.

"I'd ask how you know, but I think I know what you're gonna say." Applejack says, a small amount of distrust creeping its way into her tone.

"Gut feeling? Knowing Pinkie, she probably went after Rainbow if she's not here. I wasn't exactly expecting this crap today." Forge lies, fully poker-faced.

"Wait, you didn't have one of those... visions?" Rarity asks.

"No, I think those are for the big things. Like, apocalyptic things. This isn't exactly that kind of situation." Forge continues to lie.

"How are you so... okay with everything?" Fluttershy asks, while still trembling a bit.

"Oh believe me I'm panicking internally right now. If I wasn't trying to keep calm, I'd probably be huddled in a corner right now in the fetal position rocking back and forth while quietly whispering to myself." Forge states, prompting complete silence in the train car. "What?"

"For some reason, I think he's telling the truth about that." Applejack breaks the silence.

"And besides, my saddlebags do have a few things I brought with me. I'm a blacksmith, so what do you think I could have in here?" Forge rattles his bags a bit, metallic sounds clattering inside. "I always keep at least a few small things for self-defense should I need it. So I'll gladly help Applejack make good on her promise."

-<>~--*--~<>-<

Once the train arrives at Appleoosa, Forge quickly separates from the understaffed mane six, heading out into the town to explore without having to deal with the literally pushy Braeburn. "Holy FUCK I'm hungry. Time to see how drunk ponies can get on salt. Hopefully enough for a quick meal... And not the sexy kind, jeez. That's borderline rape. No, general positive emotion. I hope they get happy drunk at least." Forge enters the Salt Flock saloon, pulling out a ten gallon hat that he packed with him. Apparently Pinkie was quite happy to let him borrow it for the trip when the arrangements were made.

One look at the waitresses, and he knew immediately how Pinkie got that outfit for her musical number that everyone hated. And considering the noises coming from the upstairs rooms, and the fact that a waitress and a patron just left one of them, things were looking worse by the second. "Did... did Pinkie really get that outfit HERE of all places! I mean, holy SHIT! She's too pure for this place!" Forge sits at a nearby table, thinking as he observes his surroundings further. "Guess I won't have to worry about drunk rape then. Apparently pony prostitution exists. Is that even legal here? I gotta look this shit up sometime."

An earthie waitress moves to his table, holding a clipboard in her mouth. She sets it on the table. "What'll you be having sugar? We have salt from the mines, whiskey, beer, rum, and if you think you can handle it, me.~" She emphasizes the last word with a sultry tone and face.

"I'm soooooo gonna regret this. Later." Forge smiles, taking a quick look at her flank. Her mark seems to be for crochet. "Guess that's why she works here. Poor mare ended up with a mark that can't work as a full career." "I think I'll start with the most... delectable item~"

The waitress giggles, turning around and looking behind at Forge. "Come on then, a room just opened up~"

Forge follows, filled to the brim with anticipation. "Time to put my changeling abilities to good use."

The waitress closes and locks the door once they're in the room. Hips swaying, she makes her way over to the bed, laying across it in the classic Paint Me pose. "Don't keep me waiting, sugar~"

Forge smirks, briskly walking to the side of the bed, hopping up on it. Incidentally, his sudden leap causes the mare to fall onto her back, the pose lost. Without any warning, he kisses her, his tongue going in deep. Once the initial shock wears off, the mare returns the kiss with fervor, the lust in her beginning to fill him quite substantially. Her forelegs wrap over his back, prompting him to press his tip to her entrance. The spike in pleasure he feels from her ignites a drive in him, the disguised changeling immediately going for a quick, firm slam into the mare. Giving her a moment to adjust to his sudden entry, he quickly begins to hump her relentlessly. Every thrust inside eliciting a cute squeak from her as their lips remain locked. Overall, his slightly rougher motions serve to draw more excitement and lust from the mare than their initial kiss.

Eventually, Forge breaks the kiss, staring deep into the mare's eyes. He could almost swear her pupils have a slight heart shape to them. It's not much longer before the mare orgasms, noticeably quicker than Suture had. Thinking fast, Forge pulls himself out of the mare, forcing his body to blow a load of fake semen all over her teats and belly. Unlike the end of his night with Suture, he somehow felt invigorated, rather than tired.

"Wh- well I'll be, you've got a lot of stamina for a stallion." The mare says, her breathing labored.

"Ah, I guess I do, miss..." Forge trails off.

"Oh my, I never introduced myself... Inseam." Inseam responds. "Usually customers don't ask. You're an odd one."

"Well met, Inseam. My name's Turner Forge, Forge for short." He says, amused that they'd just made introductions right after fucking.

"Mmhmm... By the way, that'll be seventy bits." Inseam informs him.

Without questioning it, Forge levitates seven ten bit coins from his bags, setting them on the nightstand.

-<>~--*--~<>-<

Forge exits the saloon with a full stomach, and notices the four friendly friends of pony town all geared up and ready to head out. He catches up to them right as they finish their conversation, and the missing two members show up out of the fucking blue. He sort of just walks towards their direction, barely beginning to hear their argument.

"The land is theirs. You planted the trees not knowing that, honest mistake. Now you just gotta move em, that's all." One prismatic pegasus states pretty matter-of-factly.

Braeburn begins to talk, only for Applejack to interrupt. "They busted their rumps here, and now they're supposed to bust their rumps again just cause some buffalo won't stampede someplace else!?"

Before the argument continues, Forge forces himself between the two stubborn ponies, ready to add his own stubbornness to the mix. "Applejack, Rainbow, stop raising your voices. This isn't your decision to make, and it's not your fight. Suck it up, and pull your heads out of your asses. Your stubborn stupid arguing is literally giving me a fucking migraine."

The group stares at Forge, mouths agape. This doesn't last very long. "What did you just say!?" The VERY pissed Rainbow and Applejack yell in unison.

"You heard me the first time. Shut it, and let the buffalo and settler ponies talk without interrupting them with your pointless bickering." Forge stands firm, taking one of the largest risks he has so far throughout his stay in Equestria. His heart is thundering in his chest, emotions riding high in the heat of the moment. He's also feeling a little nauseous.

Twilight steps in. "Both the settler ponies and the buffalo have good reasons to use this land, there must be something we can do..."

"Hey! I have an idea!" Pinkie jumps in quite literally, plummeting to the ground like a heavy stone.

-<>~--*--~<>-<

Pinkie's number comes to a close, the entirety of the audience remaining silent, except for Spike. The chieftain and sheriff nod to each-other silently. "It seems that Sheriff Silverstar and I have come to, an agreement." The chieftain states, the sheriff replying with a curt "We have."

The anticipation of their answer grips the audience, save for Forge. "That was the worst performance we've ever seen." The chieftain remarks, all of the positivity vanishing. To Forge, it was as if a flock of birds flew in and whisked away dozens of spirits all at once, the nausea setting in again. The leaders threaten each-other, the dour mood spreading further. Until Forge can't hold himself back, the negativity affecting him enough to throw off his better judgement.

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP AND LOOK AT YOURSELVES!? YOU'RE BOTH ACTING LIKE SPOILED BRATS TAKING THEIR TOYS AND THROWING THEM AT EACH-OTHER! CAN'T ANYBODY BE CIVIL ANYMORE, OR HAS EVERYONE FALLEN OFF THE DEEP END! FOR FUCK'S SAKE!"

Dead. Silence. Forge pants heavily, breath heaving after releasing all of that negative emotion. "...I think I'm gonna be sick." Forge gallops off towards town.

-<>~--*--~<>-<

Having vomited up some kind of strange red goo into a garbage can, Aurelic re-disguises himself. "Ugh, so much anger..."

Forge makes his way from behind the saloon, noticing something strange. The settlers weren't boarding up their homes and businesses. "Ooooh fuck ohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuck. Did I change something? Please tell me I didn't fuck it up! Celestia's gonna kill me!"

Just as he'd began to panic, Rainbow spots him, signalling to the others that she found him. She lands right next to him. "What happened to you Forge, you just up and left after chewing out the sheriff and chieftain."

Forge sighs. "Well, I guess the nerves got to me. Had to run back here to find a place to... heave." He motions from his stomach up to his mouth.

"Oh... gross." Rainbow looks behind her, the rest of the group approaching quickly.

"Anyway... what happened after I left?" Forge asks.

"Whoo nelly, you're harder to track down than an out of season zapapple tree. You okay there Forge?" Applejack says between breaths.

"Yeah, I'm fine now. But I need to know what happened after I left, where's everybody else?" Forge asks, internally screaming behind his facade of calmness.

"After you ran off, the chieftain and sheriff had another talk. Little Strongheart and Braeburn managed to convince them to come to an actual decision. They decided to clear a path through the orchard, for the buffalo to stampede through. And in exchange, the buffalo are to given some apple based pastries and stuff as payment for the land. The trees are being moved right now, actually." Twilight explains.

Forge calms down, relieved that things were kept on course this time. "But that might not happen every time... I need to be more careful." "So, I guess that's that then huh? Good thing they worked out an agreement instead of fighting like that."

"Yeah, I mean, could you imagine how many perfectly good pies would've been wasted? Pies are for eating, not throwing! Unless it's a cream pie for a prank. Mmmm... cream pies..." Pinkie licks her lips.

Forge's ears splay back. "Oh my fucking god... I'd swear she's doing that on purpose. Then again, she had one of... those outfits..." He clears his throat. "Well if it's all the same to you, I'll be heading back home. I've got some work to catch up on. You know how it is." He begins to walk away.

"How are you going to get back? Our return tickets are for tomorrow." Twilight pipes up.

Forge sighs. "Well then, looks like I don't have a choice. How's about we go into the Salt Flock for some salt? First round's on me."

Author's Note

Edit 2/27/22: Added in a sex scene, where it was only implied before. You're welcome~