Equestria Noir Case 7 "Into the West"

by Jacoboby1

Chapters

Chapter 1: "Appaloosa County"
Chapter 2 "Wild Sandy Yonder"
Chapter 3: "Camp"
Chapter 4 "Guns and Liars"
Chapter 5 "Hootenanny"
Chapter 6 "Dances with Buffalo"
Chapter 7 "Friendship...Friendship Never Changes"
Chapter 8 "Celestia's Gonna Cut You Down"

Chapter 1: "Appaloosa County"

Equestria Noir

Case 7

“Into the West”

By Jacoboby1

Dedicated to: Kkat

Chapter 1

“Appaloosa County”

“And they all lived happily ever after…the end”

“Applejack?” I said staring at the orange cowpony. She tensed up upon hearing my voice. “Are you reading a book to a tree?”

Applejack was reading a book to a tree. The tree in question was a large apple tree at the back of the caboose. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a plant laid out on a bed like it was a sick foal. Either way Applejack smiled rather embarrassingly “Ah’m sorry sugercube, it’s just that Bloomy ere was gettin anxious about meeting her sister and ah tried to calm her down”

“Should I be worried that you referred to a tree as a her?” I said warily as Applejack began nuzzling the tree affectionately.

Then she started talking to the tree…”Don’t you listen to mean ole Private Bloomy, you just relax and gets some rest while we head on to Appaloosa” She gave me a green eyed glare that told me not to ask.

I walked out from the caboose and entered the passenger car where Twilight was waiting. I just gave this flat look at her. She smiled “You stumbled across her reading to Bloomy didn’t you?”

“Your friends are weird…” I said not amused.

She smiled “Well just be glad there aren’t any buffalo to steal the tree this time”

“I’m probably the one’s who’s going to have to lug that dumb thing around” I grumbled.

Twilight raised an eyebrow “You mean Bloomy?”

“Nah” I said sarcastically “Fluttershy”

“You do know that Fluttershy is not a tree”

“I never said she was a tree!”

“You implied it though”

“No! I mean” I shook my head to get my bearings. “Why would you think that I thought Fluttershy was a tree?”

“Maybe because she’d like to be a tree?” She said smiling again.

“Like I said” I sighed “Your friends are weird…”

She laughed as I sat down in the seat opposite her. She then looked up from the letter she had been reading before I came in “I wonder why Sheriff Silver Star asked for you personally?”

“We’re heading to Appaloosa right?” I said leaning back in my seat. “Maybe he’s having some trouble and needs a helping hoof?”

“I would think he would be able to handle whatever’s going on himself. Applejack hasn’t heard from Braeburn in a while so maybe some trouble has reared its ugly snout”

“I’ve never been to Appaloosa before. It’s a new settlement right?”

“Yeah” Twilight said speaking to me like a teacher would “It was founded about a year ago and has since grown into a town about half the size of Ponyville”

“That’s still a small town” I observed

“Even still it’s grown pretty big compared to when my friends and I were here last time” Twilight replied “I’m just worried about what would cause the sheriff to ask for us personally”

Applejack appeared from the caboose and sat down beside Twilight “Bloomy’s asleep now so I thought I’d give her some space”

“Careful Applejack” I said smiling “She might escape in the middle of the night and run off with a maple tree”

Both I and Twilight laughed at my joke. Applejack frowned “Very funny, I suppose ya’ll be more than happy to carry little Bloomy to her restin spot”

I frowned…this was going to be a long trip.

_________________________________________________

The train rolled to a stop as we arrived at Appaloosa. Applejack and Twilight got off the train and turned back to it. Applejack smiled “Keep ‘er steady Private! Ah want to make sure she’s right and comfortable!”

“How about I be right and comfortable!?” I yelled as I dragged the dumb tree out of the caboose. Damn that thing is heavy even with magic. I set the tree down on the platform with a huff. “From now on, we don’t take any big pieces of luggage! Foliage included!”

Applejack simply smiled “It’s mighty kind of ya to help out Private. Ah just know you’ll be willing to take Bloomy all the way to the orchards once things are set”

I frowned as Twilight walked to me “Note to self…no tree jokes whenever we come out here, my horn can’t handle it” I rubbed my horn to drive home my point. A common misconception is that telekinesis makes everything weightless. What ponies don’t know is that the larger the object the more concentration it requires to lift it. Twilight never had to worry about that because her talent far overshadows the average unicorn’s. ME on the other hoof, I had to contend with the thought of lugging that damn tree all the way to the orchards.

I turned around and found myself looking into the most enthusiastic green eyes I ever seen. The eyes belonged to a stallion my age with a bright yellow coat and a long bronze gold mane. He wore a brown cloth vest and a large cowpony hat on his head. He was smiling at me in a rather…cheerful way. “Howdy! Welcome to AAAPALOOSA!!!” He exclaimed rearing up and neighing the name of the town.

“Uh…glad to be here…” I replied nervously.

He then began shaking my hoof vigorously “Howdy there Ah’m Braeburn and this ere is the wonderful town of AAAPALOOSA”

“I gathered but…” I tried to continue.

He then looked passed me at Applejack and sighed “Again Applejack? Ya bring along yer friends and ya don’t introduce em? Shame on you!” He then tipped his hat to Twilight “Pleasure seein you again though Miss Twilight”

Twilight smiled at the over enthusiastic stallion “It’s good to see you too Braeburn. How’s Appaloosa?”

“Well why don’t I show yer friend here mister uh…I didn’t catch yer name”

I realized he was talking to me. “Uh, Private Eye, I’m a detective”

“A Dahtective?!” Braeburn exclaimed with a glee I don’t think a normal stallion should give off. “Well shoot! If this is yer first time here let me show ya around!” He then grabbed me by my leg and suddenly I was being dragged around Appaloosa.

I gave one last pleading look back at Applejack and Twilight. They just smiled and waved as I was being dragged by the stallion. Braeburn showed me all the sights of Appaloosa: Horse drawn carriages, horses drawing horse drawn carriage, the local salt lick and pretty much anything I could’ve possibly wanted to see at the small town.

We finally stopped at the town center and he let me go for the first time in what felt like an eternity. “Any questions partner?”

“Yeah, you got any aspirin?” I said as I stretched out my leg that he drug me around with.

The cowpony flushed a little “Sorry ‘bout that, I get a little carried away whenever somepony new comes around”

The only thing getting carried away was me pal! I snorted a little “Look, I just need to find Sheriff Silver Star”

“Well why didn’t ya say so?”

“I think I might’ve said so during when you were giving me the forced guided tour”

Just then Applejack and Twilight came up behind Braeburn. Applejack nudged the stallion “Braeburn why can’t ya just wait for somepony to answer before ya drag him off like that?”

Braeburn smiled “Sorry cuzin, can’t help but be hospitable”

I looked around at the town “Things seem to be awfully quiet here. Braeburn?” The cowpony looked to me “Has there been any trouble around here?”

The stallion sighed “Ta be honest with ya? Yeah, a lot of problems have been happenin around here”

Applejack looked over at Braeburn “It’s not the buffalo again is it? Ya ‘all made a peace agreement with them”

Buffalo were a race of indigenous tribes that lived in the vast deserts. They weren’t discovered until recently but they have a long and rich history. I heard that some settlements have had trouble with the more violent tribes of buffalo. But most tribes were peaceful enough provided nopony trespassed on their stampeding grounds.

Braeburn sighed again and shook his head “Nah that’s the thing cuz” Braeburn looked off into the distance “They haven’t been showin up”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked inquisitively “I thought the buffalo come around every week to trade”

“They do” Braeburn affirmed “But over the past couple weeks we’ve got nothing from them. They haven’t been stampedin around here in over a month”

I nodded thoughtfully “That’s probably what’s got the Sheriff wanting me to give a house call”

“It’s not only that” Braeburn continued “We’ve also been havin trouble with bandits”

“Bandits?!” Applejack yelped

The stallion nodded “Yep, they’ve been comin around and causin all kinds of trouble over here. Stealin our food, shootin up stores, ya all are lucky yer train didn’t get hit by em”

“They’re armed?” I said “But how? I don’t see any unicorns around here, how can they shoot without magic?”

Braeburn smiled a little “Ya ‘all underestimate earth pony ingenuity” He then walked to a nearby store and came back with a strange piece of equipment. It was a saddle that a pony could put on their back. On each of the sides of the saddle was a long cannon. I’d say it was about the size a normal shooting rifle would be. Braeburn slipped the saddle on himself and a small mouth piece on a metal rod was there.

Twilight stared at the device in wonder “What is it Braeburn?”

“This ere is called a battle saddle” Braeburn said proudly “We made em so that we earth pony’s could shoot”

I looked over the device “Very sophisticated…this could change modern warfare”

“Well it’s certainly changed how we fight bandits” Braeburn said “Sadly though them bandits got a hold of some of these and that’s how they were shootin up our stores”

“How does it work?”

“Well, ya just bite down on this ere bit and” he bit down on the mouth piece and both canons fired with a mighty BOOM!! The bullets went flying harmlessly into the sky. I shook my head to get the ringing out of my ears.

But why couldn’t they stop drumming? Wait…that isn’t drumming…that’s rumbling!

STAAAMPEDE!!!!

We looked on as a herd of cattle was running towards us. We leaped out of the way to one of the buildings on the sides of the road. Applejack looked at me “Private! We gotta make sure them cattle don’t continue stampedin”

“What do you need me to do?” I said ready for action

“Me and Braeburn will take care of the front! You and Twilight cover the sides and make sure none of them run off!”

Twilight nodded and teleported to the other side of the cattle herd. I ran alongside the herd and made sure none of the cattle ran into any buildings. Applejack and Braeburn hopped on the backs of the cattle. The pair made their way towards the front and started lassoing up the leaders of the herd. Applejack and Braeburn pulled and turned the herd away from crashing into a nearby building.

I looked on as small part of the herd went the other direction. I broke off from the main group and made a beeline for the herd. I didn’t know much about herding but I knew cows hated noise. I levitated out my revolver and leaped on the back of one of the leaders. I fired my gun in the opposite direction of where I wanted to go. The cattle turned to run away from the loud noise and nearly avoided a general store.

I kept the cattle going but I was beginning to lose my balance on the leader. I guess my gunshots scared him too much. I was about to fall off the steer when I felt somepony grab my trench coat with their teeth. I looked up and my grey eyes grew wide in shock.

She flipped her head and tossed me onto another leader. Her gold eyes looked over at me “Watch how a country gal does it city boy!” She then pressed on the back of the leader so it went off towards the outskirts of town. I was so distracted I didn’t notice a nearby sign coming towards me. Two seconds later I did as I slammed into it and fell off the cow I was riding.

I shook my head and ran after the slowing down group of cattle. My savior from before had stopped the herd and was now riding on the back of a bucking bull. She laughed even as the bull finally had enough of her and shot her off his back. She flew in the air and I dived to catch her. Both of us entangled until we righted ourselves. She was on top of me by the time we found some semblance of order. Her gold eyes looked down at me and she smiled “Well, Private. Fancy meeting you here”

I looked right at her, I couldn’t believe my eyes “County? What the hell are you doing here?”

County was about a year younger then I was. Her coat was a dark rust colored sheen. Her mane was long and golden blond that contrasted vastly with her dark coat. She wore a black desperado hat with a brown band around it. Her golden eyes looked at me “The hell I’m doin here is savin yer sorry ass city boy”

“I could’ve stopped that herd ya hick!”

“In yer dreams pretty boy!”

“Redneck!”

“Sorry ass!”

“No good drunk!”

“No good heartbreaker!”

….we then burst out laughing. I couldn’t believe after all this time I’d run into County way out here. We both hugged each other “It’s great to see you County!”

“Great ta see ya to Private!” She said smiling. We broke off when we noticed Applejack, Braeburn, and Twilight looking at us “Looks like ya brought yer friends”

Twilight looked at the country mare puzzled “Private, who is this?”

County stood up and dusted herself off. She offered her hoof to Twilight “County Elizabeth Sher…homicide”

Chapter 2 "Wild Sandy Yonder"

Chapter 2

“Wild Sandy Yonder”

“You’re a detective?!” Twilight said her jaw dropping a little. “And you know Private?”

I stood up, dusted myself off, and smiled “Yeah, County here was my partner when I worked homicide back when I was on the force”

County smiled proudly “Yep, twenty seven cases all solved. If it wasn’t fer Private and I, Ah don’t think the force could’ve solved half of them cases”

Twilight smiled politely at County and shook County’s extended hoof. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, Private’s current partner”

County tipped her hat at Twilight. “Mighty pleasure to meetcha’ Twilight” She then gestured to Braeburn “Ah trust this handsome stallion ere told ya what’s been going down ere?”

Braeburn nodded “Ah did detective, I must’ve forgotten ta tell em you were the detective though”

Applejack sighed “Somethings never change Ah guess” The cowpony met county and smiled “Ah’m Applejack, a friend of Privates and Braeburn ere is mah crazy cousin”

“Hey!” Braeburn spoke indignantly “Ah prefer the term excitable”

We all laughed a little then County spoke again. “Ah’ll take ya all tah see Sheriff Silver Star” She started walking back to town “He’ll elaborate on what’s goin on round ere”
__________________________________________________

“Ah tell ya! It’s them buffalo that caused this!” A pony shouted when we reached town. He was standing on a soap box with a large crowd surrounding him. He was a large stallion with a bright blue coat and a cowpony hat on his head. “The minute them buffalo leave them bandits start showin up! It can’t be a coincidence!”

Some of the crowd murmured in contemplation. Braeburn sighed next to me “That there’s Gelder, he’s the pony who owns them cattle that we had to herd down”

County snorted “He can’t just go round accusin the buffalo cause he can’t control his livestock”

Gelder continued “Fer too long we’ve had to give up our valuable stock to them buffalo! What have they given us in return!? Nothin!” some ponies shouted in agreement.

It was then that I heard a very deep voice speak next to me “Damn idiot…”

Gelder looked out into the crowd “Who said that?! Ya think ya know what’s going on?!”

The crowd looked around for the owner of that deep voice. I looked to my right and there he was. He was big, like Big Mac big. His coat was bright green like a green apple and his body was well toned and muscular. His mane was a soft auburn that was cut short. I noticed some battle scars on his body. He was a soldier. He looked up to Gelder and spoke in that same deep voice of his.

“I believe you’ve said your piece Gelder. Your cattle were simply scared by the gunshot fired by this pony here” He gestured to Braeburn who flushed in embarrassment. “That’s not cause to blame the buffalo for your own problems…find somepony else to take care of them if you can’t…” He turned and began to leave. Then his gaze stopped at Applejack, it lingered a little as he walked away.

Applejack stared at the strange stallion as he walked off. “Who was that?”

Braeburn shrugged “Don’t know, heard he was some soldier or something from outta town. Those are the first words Ah’ve heard him speak since he got here”

I noticed that Applejack was flushing a little as she watched the strange pony leave. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Applejack, in all the time I’ve known her, look at a stallion like that…

_______________________________________

“Ah thank ya kindly fer comin here Detectives” Sheriff Silver Star said as we entered his office. The sheriff was a tan colored earth pony with a large black cowpony hat and blue vest and a red bandana around his neck. His face sported a mustache that would’ve made Potso proud. Right now his blue eyes were looking at me and County. “We’ve been havin a lot of problems round here and we appreciate whatever help we can get”

I nodded; County and I were sitting in chairs that Silver Star left for us to use. Twilight and the others were outside making sure nopony was peeking in. I spoke first “Braeburn said you’ve been having trouble with bandits?”

“Yep” was his response “They’ve been attackin our town fer weeks on end; we’ve managed to fight em off with the battle saddles. But Ah hold no illusions about Appaloosa’s defenses” He took a swig out of a whisky glass “It’ll only be a matter of time before the place falls”

County spoke up “With all due respect partner. This is a job fer the royal army not a couple of homicide detectives”

“Ah know that” Silver said waving a hoof to get our attention “What Ah need though is fer somepony to look fer Deputy Bronze Star”

“Your deputy?” I deduced

“Yep, Ah sent him out with a group of local militia to see if he could take out them bandits” He shook his head solemnly “They haven’t returned in three days”

“And ya want us to find him?” County deduced

“Ah would go myself but there’s always that chance that them bandits will attack again” He took another swig of his whisky bottle “Ah hate to ask ya to do this, but if it’s to help mah town I’m willin to do anything”

County and I looked at each other. We both knew this was crazy but the bandits couldn’t keep attacking the town. We both agreed without speaking to each other about it. I turned to Silver Star and spoke simply “Where was your deputy seen last?”

_____________________________________

“Out west?” Braeburn said as we were packing up supplies “Nothin out there but sand and cacti”

I had tried to convince the others to stay. I’m honest this time! But Braeburn said he wanted to come to protect his home and Applejack wanted to come to protect her cousin. I couldn’t honestly leave Twilight behind. Even if I flatly refused for her to come into the desert with me she would’ve followed anyway. For some reason she’s been rather…close to me since I came out of the hospital.

Right now though she was too focused on her check list to think about anything else “Right, canteens are full? Check! Food stocked up? Check!”

Braeburn sighed “That’s the forth checklist we’ve had to go through today”

“You’re lucky” I said as I packed ammo for the battle saddles into a saddle bag. Man those bullets were big! “Usually she has three checklists dedicated to making sure all the other checklists have been double checked”

“She’s just making sure we don’t go unprepared” County said taking a swig from a bottle attached to her belt. “Desert is a very dangerous place if yer unprepared”

Twilight looked over at the bottle County had “What are you drinking?”

“Whiskey” County said as if Twilight asked what two plus two equals.

“You’re bringing alcohol on this trip!?” Twilight said indignantly

I shook my head bemused “Don’t try and talk her out of it, many a pony has tried to get her to kick the habit. She’ll just start licking any nearby rock if you don’t let her have her whiskey”

“That only happened once city boy!” County said after putting her drink back on her belt.

I laughed and slung the saddle bags over my back. I then noticed that we were one head short. “Has anypony seen Applejack?”

Everypony shrugged until the orange cowpony came in with some more ammo for the battle saddles. “Sorry it took so long, got held up at the ammo shop”

Braeburn raised an eyebrow “But the ammo shop rarely has customers, how could ya have gotten held up?”

Applejack suddenly looked flustered “Nah reason! And it had Nothin tah do with that stallion from earlier!” She then realized she just spoke that part aloud “Horseapples…”

I smiled wryly “Applejack, is there something that the element of honesty is keeping from us?”

Twilight giggled a little as Applejack’s face turned from orange to red as one of her apples. We all laughed a little as Applejack shouted at us “Ain’t none of ya alls business!”

____________________________

I slipped off my hat and wiped my brow for what had to have been the twelfth time. We’ve been walking in the desert for hours on end. Braeburn was leading the pack ready to fire at any bandits with his battle saddle. County and Applejack also had battle saddles. Twilight was the only one among us unarmed. Though with her talent for magic I’ll bet she could just make a pony’s head explode without trying.

“Not much farther to where the deputy was supposed to camp” Braeburn called from the front “Keep yer eyes peeled though, bandits can attack from anywhere”

Twilight fell beside me and looked me over “Are you okay? You’ve been sweating like a leaf”

“I’m fine Twilight” I spoke reassuringly “Just getting used to the heat is all…”

Twilight’s amethyst eyes looked at me “If you ever need to stop and rest let me know okay?”

I nodded; Twilight seemed way more concerned for my well being than usual. I didn’t mind her wanting to help. I just hated being coddled and feeling helpless. I remembered my stay in the hospital, I felt like I was going to climb the walls any second. I wanted to be able to do things and being asked to sit still and rest up didn’t help much. Still I didn’t want to concern Twilight too much.

Braeburn spoke up “Ah found their camp!”

We all ran up and sure enough there was the camp. Only I should say there was a camp. The place was strewn with bodies everywhere. We walked cautiously down to the camp. I walked to the body of a young earth pony stallion. He had a badge of bronze on his vest that read “Deputy”. I looked over as the group gathered around the body “I think we found our deputy”

County bent low and looked over the body “Looks like cause of death was a shot to his stomach…punctured his lungs and went out his back”

Applejack was starting to look sick and both me and County gestured to a nearby rock for her to throw up behind. I looked at the deputy’s back “That’s a pretty big bullet hole”

Braeburn then picked a battle saddle bullet out of his saddle bags. “Ya think this could’ve caused it?”

I levitated the bullet and sure enough the caliber matched. “Whoever shot him had battle saddles ready and primed”

Twilight had finished examining the other bodies “Same thing with the rest of them. All of them were shot by battle saddles”

I looked over at Bronze Star...he had a smaller bullet hole in his head. It looked like it was .44 caliber...

Braeburn shook his head “This doesn’t make any sense, how can a buncha bandits get a hold of so much ammo?”

County looked over at the cowpony stallion “Have the saddles been stolen lately?”

Braeburn shook his head “Nu uh, we take special care in guarding our saddles so that nopony misuses them”

I nodded slowly “Then the only logical conclusion…is that the bandits somehow have access to the saddles”

County looked over at me “They would have to have somepony in town give them the key somehow…”

“Which means that the bandits are close to the town?”

“Too close if ya ask me, Ah’m getting the suspicion that a pony in town is responsible here”

“You think that a townspony is one of the bandits?”

“Have to be, how else would somepony get battle saddles without them goin missin?”

“You have a point; still we should try and figure out where the bandits went”

“And when we find the bandits”

“We find our killers”

Both County and I turned to see Braeburn and Twilight staring at us. “What?”

Twilight just raised an eyebrow “Do you two always do that?”

County shrugged “Only on cases, otherwise I can’t get two sentences without hearin somethin that fall under the lines of:” She imitated my voice “County ya need tah kill that habit of yers!” “Why can’t ya be a responsible citizen like me?”

Twilight and Braeburn laughed at the impression of me. I frowned at the cowpony. “I only say those things because I care”

County smiled at me and punched me in the leg. “Ah’m a big girl Private, ya don’t always need to hang over my shoulder”

“It’s not me hanging over I’m worried about…”

“Ya keep tellin yerself that hun”

“Hey ya alls!” We heard Applejack shout. The four of us went to the country mare as she was standing over some tracks. Hoof tracks. She looked at me “They’re several days old but Ah think they belong to the bandits”

Twilight bent down to look at the tracks her horn aglow. “My tracking spell should work…the extra weight from the battle saddles would explain the depth”

Twilight’s horn glowed and the tracks became highlighted by magenta magic. County’s eyes grew wide “Might impressive trick ya have there hun”

“I had a good teacher…” Twilight said trying to sound modest.

“Let’s go” I said taking the lead.

_______________________________________

We followed the trail of tracks into the sand. Twilight and I led the way of the pack. Twilight kept looking over at me whenever I stopped to wipe my brow. I wasn’t used to the heat but that didn’t mean she had to keep looking at me like I’m about to fall over.

Suddenly Twilight stopped “The tracks…they stop”

County looked over at the tracks which stopped. She ran a hoof along the sand “That probably explains it. Three days in the desert ain’t good for tracks”

Applejack looked over at the tracks “Wait…this track ere…” She gestured to a track that didn’t glow “This kind ain’t made by ponies, too big”

Braeburn looked at the tracks “They’re buffalo tracks!” He looked on “They’re heading that way!” Suddenly the stallion took off into a run.

“Braeburn wait!” Applejack shouted as she gave chase. The rest of us quickly followed as the tracks kept going away from where we were originally heading. Suddenly Braeburn climbed a small hill and stopped at the top. Applejack climbed up after him “Braeburn! What in tarnation are ya…oh Celestia…”

Twilight came up second “What’s going on- oh no…”

County and I went up last and just gazed at the most horrible sight I’ve ever seen. Dozens of buffalo…all dead on the plains…with bullet wounds to the head…some of them…didn’t have fur anymore.

Chapter 3: "Camp"

Chapter 3

“Camp”

“Who coulda done such an evil thing…?” Braeburn said as we walked among the corpses of the buffalo. “This ere’s a massacre”

County tilted the head of one of the buffalo. She shook her rust colored head “They’ve all been shot with battle saddle ammo…them bandits did this”

“But why?!” Applejack shouted gesturing around to the dead buffalo everywhere. “Why kill em all!? We ponies don’t eat meat so why kill all them buffalo?!”

“They didn’t kill them for their meat…they killed them for their fur” I said as I closed the eyes of the fifth buffalo I’ve come across. At least two dozen of them littered the fields like giant brown boulders. Some smaller buffalo that had to be children were among them.

Braeburn bent down to close the eyes of a smaller buffalo “I hope Little Strongheart didn’t get caught…”

I looked over at Applejack “A friend of his?”

The orange cowpony nodded “A friend to all of us, she’s Chief Thunderhoof’s daughter, and it’s thanks to her and Braeburn that the town’s at peace really”

I looked over at the yellow stallion as his head was bowed before the little buffalo. “Looks like she is more than just a friend to Braeburn…”

Applejack nodded and went to comfort her cousin. I looked over to see Twilight digging graves with her magic. I walked to her and looked at her work “You’re going to bury them Twilight?”

She nodded but didn’t stop digging with her magic. “They may not be ponies but they don’t deserve to be left out here for some vulture to pick at them…”

I nodded and we spent the entire afternoon burying the Buffalo in graves. Braeburn used some old sticks to set up grave markers for them. All ponies with hats took them off as Twilight prayed over the graves of these murdered creatures. I wasn’t a terribly religious stallion but I prayed that they find solace wherever their hooves tread now.

Braeburn simply kept his head bowed as Twilight finished her prayer. The stallion looked up and his green eyes looked at each individual grave “Them bandits are gonna pay fer this…”

County walked and put a comforting hoof on the stallion’s shoulder. “We’ll find em Braeburn; ya can count on me and Private”

Braeburn nodded and put his hat back on his head. I turned to the rest of the group “We’ll stay here for tonight, the bandits might come back and I wanna make sure nopony comes around to do grave robbing”

_______________________________________________

Twilight managed to get a fire going with some wood we brought along and a simple fire spell. Applejack began cooking some stew for dinner mostly to distract herself from the fact that we didn’t sleep far from the resting place of a herd of murdered buffalo.

I sat on a nearby rock looking up at the stars. Out here in the desert you can see entire galaxies in the night sky. I understood why Twilight loved astronomy so much. I wondered what worlds await us beyond the endless stars?

I then heard somepony climbing onto the rock beside me. It was County, she smiled a little at me “You’ve been up here a while city boy”

I nodded “I’m just trying to occupy myself…Braeburn back yet?”

County sat up and looked at Braeburn who was sitting where the buffalo were laid to rest. “He’s back at the graves again…this really tore him up inside”

“I can imagine…he was a big advocate for peace between the buffalo and settlers. This must feel like a slap to the face”

County nodded somberly “Ah hope we can solve this…them buffalo didn’t deserve to have their skin ripped off like that”

“Fur trade is highly illegal because of this…” I said knowingly “It’s no wonder why the buffalo don’t come around to Appaloosa anymore”

“Ya think that the bandits aren’t really bandits but are actually ponies from town”

“I think so, that would explain why they would have battle saddles”

County got up “Well, Ah’m gonna get a drink…care to join me?”

I shook my head “The last time I had a drink with you I ended up on a stage, wearing a top hat, and singing Ponny Cash way off key”

“Ya did have a funny rendition of Celestia’s Gonna Cut You Down” She laughed as she walked off. “Private, Ah’m glad ya came. Things just ain’t as much fun without ya around”

I smiled as she walked to camp. I got up and looked down at Braeburn. His head was bowed before the graves. I walked over to Applejack who was pouring some stew into bowls. She looked past me at Braeburn “Could ya try and convince him to come and eat?”

“Why me?” I said looking at the cowpony “He’s your cousin”

Applejack shook her head “Ah…Ah know this sounds bad but Ah don’t wanna go back there…Ah don't wanna go near where them buffalo are sleepin...”

I nodded “I understand, stay here and try and convince County to not drink so much”

Applejack nodded as I carried a bowl of stew with my magic. I walked out to meet Braeburn and I set the bowl next to him. “Braeburn you need to eat something”

Braeburn looked at the bowl then back to the graves. “Thank ya kindly but Ah’m not hungry…”

“Braeburn, I understand how you feel…”

He suddenly turned and glared at me with those green eyes of his “Nah ya don’t! Ah just had to bury friends! Ah recognized some of them kids! Kids Private! They didn’t deserve tah be shot up like this!”

“I never said they deserved it Braeburn” I said calmly

“How can you stay so calm in all this?! How can you stand there and just take all this?! Do ya not have a heart at-“He was cut off when I delivered a fierce left hook to his muzzle. He fell to the ground like a ton of bricks. I looked on calmly even as he glared up at me.

I simply gazed at the stallion “Braeburn you need to calm down yourself…this isn’t helping”

“Neither is punchin me ya damn fool!” Braeburn tackled me and both us started wrestling. Braeburn was angry but he didn’t have the combat training I did. I flipped him onto his back with my hind hoofs and pinned him on the ground. He struggled and squirmed but I held my weight on the stallion “Get off me!”

“Only if you promise me that you’ll listen to me!” I shouted down at the stallion while keeping him down “You can’t sit there wallowing! We have to be strong for them!”

“Fer who!?”

“Applejack, Twilight and County! We’re the guys Braeburn! If we break down then they breakdown! Now quit acting like a colt and start acting like a stallion!”

Braeburn soon stopped struggling and I let him go. He got up and wiped off blood coming from his mouth. He then looked at me his eyes apologetic “Ah’m sorry…Ah don’t know what came over me”

I wiped some blood off my muzzle “You just needed some sense knocked into you”

“Ah think Ah understand…ya needed me to start acting like a stallion”

I nodded “Braeburn you and I are the stallions here. We can’t breakdown; we have to show we can handle things like this. They need us to be strong…” I gestured back to the camp. “We’re all alone out here; we need to make sure the group stays strong”

Braeburn nodded “Ah understand Private…ya have a funny way of leadership ya know”

“I’m just here to make sure you eat…” I levitated the bowl of stew to him. He took and looked at me. Then he began to eat out of it. I walked back to the camp. I didn’t take pleasure out of punching Braeburn like that. But I needed him at his best if I was going to keep this group going.

I never asked to be the leader of a group. But if nopony stepped up to take the task, we’ll end up dead in the desert.

____________________________________________

“Ow!” I yelped as Twilight dabbed a cloth to a bruise on my muzzle “Easy!”

“Sorry, I still can’t believe you and Braeburn fought each other” Twilight said as she sat next to me at the campsite.

“He needed some sense knocked into him…I just couldn’t stand seeing him like that”

“So you hit him?” Twilight said as she dabbed at my bruise again “Private…are you sure you’re doing okay?”

“I’m fine Twilight, I keep telling you that” I said as she put a bandage on my bruise.

“I don’t mean to sound like a worry wart but…” Twilight put a hoof on my cheek “It’s just every time we go on a case you put yourself in so much danger”

“It’s part of my job Twilight…” I said leaning into her hoof. I liked the way it felt when she did that. It made me forget how much my face hurt from the little brawl with Braeburn. “I have to put myself in danger so that others don’t have to…”

Twilight scooted closer to me and I felt her coat press against mine. She felt warm despite the desert’s cool breeze at night. Her violet eyes glittered in the starlight as she looked at me. “You know you don’t have to face all of this alone…I’m here to”

“I couldn’t risk you Twilight…” I shook my head but couldn’t break eye contact with her. “It’s better if just one of us shoulders all the burden…”

“Private, you are always trying to face every challenge alone…” She reached with her hoof and turned me so we sat face to face. “I learned a long time ago that you can’t shoulder all of the burden”

I just stared at Twilight. She had been my shoulder throughout this whole thing and all the other cases. She was right in a way…I couldn’t shoulder all the burden of this. I needed to be strong for the whole group. But right now…I just had to prove myself to this one mare. “Twilight…I can handle it…”

Twilight shook her head “The last time you tried to handle it alone you almost died. I had to rescue you remember?”

“I’m glad you were there…” I said simply gazing at her.

Twilight blushed a little “Well…anything for you Private…”

“Twilight…”

“Yes Private?” She said her face turning even more scarlet at all of this. I’ll admit I felt my own face turning scarlet while looking at her. My heart was suddenly beating fast like a drum.

“I never really got to tell you" I fumbled for the right words. Luna I was sounding like an idiot "Twilight what I realized when I asked you to leave…”

“Private you don’t need to talk about that…”

I shook my head “No, I feel I should. Because in that one moment when you were gone I realized that…Twilight I…”

Twilight’s eyes looked at me eagerly…desperate to hear what I have to tell her.

“I’ve…fallen…for…”

Can you feel the love tonight?!?!

“The hell!?” We both looked over to see County with a whiskey bottle in hoof. She was leaning on one hoof and holding the bottle in her other hoof while smiling at both of us. She was obviously drunk… I glared a her ”County what the hell?!”

“Ah don’t mind me *hic* ya two go on with what ya alls were doin!” She said her words slurred

Twilight glared at her “You’re drunk!”

“Nah Ah’m not drunk!” County said while swaying a little “Ah’m just singing ya two lovebirds a love song!”

“Oh Celestia no…” I said my cheeks turning bright red in embarrassment. County always sang while she was drunk. Song quality ranged as vast as the desert.

Can ya feel the love tonight?

The peace the evenin brings fer ya?

*hic* the world for once, in *hic* perfect harmony!

With all it’s Celestia damn thangs!

Twilight started laughing and I prayed for Celestia to strike me down with any form of lightning bolt. County began butchering love songs left and right. This had to be the biggest blunder I ever had with a romantic confession in my life. I got off the rock and took the bottle from County.

“Hey city boy!" She shouted trying to take a punch at me that missed completely. "Ah need that *hic*!”

“I think you’ve had quite enough County…” I said keeping the bottle out of hoof’s reach.

“Give me the Celestia damn bottle!” She started reaching for it and my horn glowed a soft grey. Suddenly County’s golden eyes closed and she dropped like a rock.

“What did you do to her?” Twilight said looking at the now snoring County.

“Aesthetic spell, used to knock ponies unconscious. I learned it before we came here”

“What are you going to do with her?” Twilight said hopping down as I lifted County onto my back and started walking back towards the campfire.

“Put her to bed like a good girl” I said as County began snoring song lyrics. I thanked Celestia that Twilight couldn’t hear them. They involved us…well you can probably figure it out.

___________________________________

“That’s right Priv…” She said drowsily as we made our way back to camp “Spank me like a bad pony…”

I set her down on a bedroll that we laid out earlier. Applejack and Braeburn were asleep in their own sleeping bags. I put a blanket over County as she drowsily went on. I left a bucket next to her in case she threw up in her sleep.

Twilight looked down at her “Was she always like this?”

“Drowning herself in Alcohol? Oh yeah, she’s been drinking since she was sixteen…” I sighed “Been trying to get her off the habit but she’s attached to the bottle”

“How sad…” Twilight said looking down at County “When she’s sober she’s not all that bad of a pony”

“Yeah, she was a great partner when I was on the force”

“You two really work well together…” Twilight observed “Have you two ever…you know…”

I shook my head “No way! She’s not interested in unicorns at all”

“What is she into?”

“Pegasi believe it or not” I said “She’s always liked how they can fly”

“How long will she be out?” She said changing the subject to the sleeping County

“Till morning probably, you should probably go to bed as well. I’ll take first watch”

Twilight nodded and started walking to her bed roll. Then she turned and kissed me on the cheek. I blushed a little at this sudden display of affection but then she turned and fell asleep on the bed.

______________________________________

I sat on top of the rock as Luna’s moon was reaching its zenith. I held my revolver in my front hooves in case anything came out of the desert. My four companions were sound asleep on their bedrolls. It was already past when I was supposed to wake up Braeburn to have him take over.

I felt he needed some sleep after what he had been through. It was then my ears perked up as I heard a howl. I pulled out a pair of binoculars and saw a strange sight out on the desert sand.

There was a wolf…a beautiful mottled brown wolf who was howling over the bodies of a bunch of wolves around it. The wolf couldn’t have been older then adolescence. I always liked wolves for some reason. The other foals in class always thought it weird that I liked a predator animal. I thought there was some grace to behold among these pack hunters.

Then the wolf looked over at me, its eyes were a bright yellow. I walked down the path from camp and walked towards the wolf. It kept its gaze on me and didn’t make a move to attack or growl. I noticed it had blood on its leg as I approached it.

I didn’t know how to approach the creature but I felt compelled to speak to it “You’re hurt…”

The wolf made a show of licking its leg. It was as if it could understand that I was concerned for it. It then started limping towards me. I’ve never seen a desert wolf approach a pony like this before. It sat down in front of me and held out its hurt leg.

“You want me to help you?” I said looking at the leg. I bent down to examine the leg, the wound looked like a bullet wound. But the bullet was like the one in my gun not a battle saddle one. “Somepony shot you…hold still…”

The wolf obeyed and stood as still as possible. I used my magic to telekinetically remove the bullet from its leg. It let out a whine of pain but didn’t make a fuss. I then reached into my trench coat and pulled out a bandage. I wrapped the bandage around the wolf’s leg. In the process I learned that the wolf was male.

I looked around at the rest of his pack. “The rest of your pack get shot up to?”

The wolf simply stared at me with those yellow eyes as I finished bandaging up his leg. I guessed this wolf was probably hit by bandits as well…this was another victim of the bandit’s selfish greed. I tied the bandage and nodded “There you go”

The wolf walked around a little to get used to the bandage. Then he looked back at me. My grey eyes met his yellow ones. “Well go on, you don’t want to stay here” I said waving my hoof for the wolf to leave.

The wolf stared at me for a long time then turned and began walking away. I looked as it walked away. It stopped just then and howled at Luna’s moon. I smiled at the beast and raised my own muzzle. I howled along with the wolf to sort of play along.

It looked at me for a long time then howled again. I howled back at it and we began to howl back and forth for a full five minutes. Just then I turned to walk away. The wolf also turned and walked away.

For some reason…I felt something special formed between me and the beast of the moon. Something that I could never explain to anypony even if I tried, it was like…we were kin. I helped him, he accepted me as a wolf. I guess we were just a couple of loners really…just hoping to find a home.

Chapter 4 "Guns and Liars"

Chapter 4

“Guns and Liars”

I woke up with a start as I heard them.

BANG BANG BANG!!!

I rolled off my spotting rock just in time for the rock to get shot to hell. I dived behind the rock and pulled out my revolver. I looked over to see Braeburn and County shooting back at whoever was shooting us. Twilight was working on a barrier spell in case any of them tried to get closer. Applejack aimed her battle saddle’s cannons at the attackers and unleashed hell on them.

I looked over my rock. There were three of them, all stallion earth ponies. They wore ponchos and pants to hide their coat colors and bandanas to cover their faces. They all wore black desperado hats like what County wore. They all bit on their mouth triggers for their battle saddles. I ducked just before I could get shot with more holes then Swiss cheese.

I poked out and fired with my revolver at them. One of my bullets got lucky and hit a stallion in the side. The stallion yelled in pain as Braeburn’s battle saddle finished the job. The stallion fell to the ground with a hole in his head. His comrades saw they were outmatched and started to retreat.

I kept shooting at them but the stallions were too fast. They knew how to trek on the desert so they ran off quicker then we could stop them. Braeburn did manage to clip one of them in the leg though. I looked over at the group and gestured to the body “County, check him out”

She nodded her dark rust colored head and ran to the body. Applejack followed her in case any bandits came back. I looked over at the rest of the group “Is everypony alright?”

Twilight nodded “Sorry I wasn’t much help…I couldn’t focus my magic in this heat…”

Braeburn shook his head “Nopony is blamin ya Twilight, right now we got a dead bandit and that’s what counts”
I nodded and walked down to the body. County undid the bandit’s bandanna with her teeth. Braeburn let out a gasp at what he saw “It can’t be…”

It was Gelder…he was one of the bandits.
__________________________________________________

“Ya sure it was Gelder?” Silver Star said when we got back to Appaloosa. We spent the last hour explaining what happened to the town sheriff. I found it how he was more concerned about Gelder then the buffalo.

County nodded “Yep, Ah’d recognize that bigot anywhere”

“Damn shame…” Star said looking out his window “This ain’t gonna look good, ta think that ponies in mah own town are plannin on destroyin it”

I leaned forward “With all due respect sir…a lot of buffalo were lost as well”

“Ah plan tah talk tah Thunderhoof when he comes around” Silver Star said simply

“That’s Horseapples!” County shouted “He deserves tah know what’s gone down to his own people!” She got up and faced the sheriff “Ya all should be lookin fer him now!”

Silver Star glared at my friend “Ah have bigger problems! Ah have a town that needs protectin! Now get outta my office and find out who them bandits are before Ah send ya all back tah wherever ya came from”

County snorted and walked out. I followed shortly after not saying anything to the sheriff. When we got outside County took a sip of her whisky bottle “Damn stubborn stallion, doesn’t he know we just had to bury twenty buffalo, females and children included?”

I put a hoof on County’s shoulder and she calmed down a little. I spoke to her in a voice I usually reserved for when she drank too much. “County we can’t get hung up on him right now. Nopony else saw what we saw out in those plains”

“Them bandits did” County said mildly “At least we got one of them bastards”

“Now comes the challenge of figuring out which of the ponies in town are suspects…”

County nodded knowingly “We outta handle this smoothly, don’t want this turning into a witch hunt”

“Let’s start out with the owners of the battle saddles themselves” I said looking at her “If we can figure out who’s getting guns then we can figure out who could have easy access to them”

“Applejack and Ah will hit up that angle, ya take that pretty mare of yers and ask around and see if any pony had a grudge against the buffalo”

I nodded and began to walk into town. The trouble with this whole plan was simply this…everypony in town could be a suspect.

_________________________________________________

Twilight and I entered the local saloon. The place was packed with ponies hanging out after a hard day’s work. Some were playing card games at the tables and a stallion was playing a nearby piano while a gal was singing on stage. Some stallions tossed bits at her as she flashed them on stage. My head tilted a little to see her...Wait is Twilight looking at me?! Crap...

Twilight gave me a glare and I remembered what we were here for. I walked to the bar and was greeted by an earth pony stallion with a slicked black mane and a mustache. He looked at me and smiled “Welcome to the salt lick, can I interest you in anything?”

“I’d like information…” I said placing my police badge on the bar “With a side of apple cider…”

The stallion nodded and put a mug filled to the brim in front of me. “What would you like to know?”

“There’s a lot animosity towards the buffalo around here” I said after taking a sip form the cider. Twilight was asking around the tables while I was talking. “Is there any pony who’s been pushing for action against them?”

The bartender simply shrugged “Most of us in town have gotten used to the arrangement we’ve made with the buffalo. Though there was a campaign a couple of weeks ago that said that the buffalo were taking advantage of us”

“But the buffalo get to use their ancient pathways and get food in the process. The town gets the added security from predators and trade with the buffalo. What was the protest about?”

“In truth I never got involved with the whole business” The bartender said wiping a mug with a rag. “But apparently the argument was that the buffalo got part of our crop whenever they passed through. Thus they were taking advantage of us”

“Seems a little childish” I said taking another sip of cider “Aside from the now deceased Gelder were there any ponies that were really caught in the whole protest?”

“There were five of them…” The bartender said speaking quietly. “Gelder was one of them; he was the face of the protest. Another pony named Whipcrack, the cattle hoof who lives on the outskirts, was the muscle”

“Who was the brains?”

“That would be Poncho; he’s a weaver who has a shop on the south side of town. He’s the one who organizes everything”

“That’s three; obviously they couldn’t go around protesting without more help…”

“Well one member they talked about but I never saw him. I can only suspect he was the leader who was never seen but only listened to”

“And the last member?” I said leaning forward in my bar stool.

“Was…Deputy Bronze Star”

_________________________________________________

“A member of the local law enforcement and our victim was caught up in a conspiracy against the town?” Twilight said as we walked through the town. A lot of ponies seemed on edge, like they would be waiting retaliation for the buffalo attack any day now. I couldn’t help but feel uneasy as well.

“Right now, we talk to each member and see if they had anything to do with the bandit attacks…”

It was then I saw the other three members walk to us. County spoke a little out of breath “We’ve talked to everypony about the saddles. The only ponies that had access to em were the ponies that are part of the law or ranch hands”

“Any of them there when we got shot at?” I asked looking at Braeburn

He shook his head “Nu uh, them battle saddles were gone…and the only pony who could’ve taken em was a pony by the name of…Whipcrack”

_______________________________________________

An earth pony stallion with a dark brown coat and a Stetson hat on his silver mane glared at me. “Ah didn’t kill em! Bronze Star was a friend of mine!”

We were sitting in a small ranch shack, usually made to house ponies who work on the ranch. Right now I was sitting in front of Whipcrack keeping my cool grey gaze on him. “Those battle saddles were let out to you Whipcrack, only ranch hands and law enforcement are allowed to use em. You are the former so that makes you a suspect”

“Look I was at the fields working!” He retorted glaring at me “Ya can’t prove Ah was there at all!”

County who was standing next to me simply gazed at the stallion. Her gold eyes were looking him over. She had a different style to finding the truth then I did. She could pinpoint whether a pony was lying or not simply by something as subtle as an eye twitch. She smiled “Yer tellin the truth about not bein one of the bandits…but ya know more than yer lettin on”

“What’re you talkin about?!” He said way too fast

County got really close to Whipcrack. “Ah think ya know em bandits…ya know who they are…know why they killed all em buffalo…yer sweatin…yer hooves are shuffling…ye know don’t ya?”

Whipcrack sweated even more at this. County knew when to add pressure where it was needed. It’s what made her such a great detective; she knew how to make a criminal crack under pressure. Whipcrack finally relented “Alright! Ah was told tah leave the battle saddles over by the rocky path next tah the orchards! Ah was only doin what Ah was told!”

County didn’t break her gaze “By whom?”

“Ah don’t know his name! He just sent me a letter!”

“What letter?!” County said not giving him an inch

“Over there! On mah desk!” Whipcrack shouted

“Thank ya kindly…” County finally backed off and walked to the desk. She tossed me the letter. I opened it and scanned the contents.

Dear Whipcrack

It’s time again, you can get access to the battle saddles and Ah know you can get em. Bring em to the path by the orchards tonight; we have a lot of work to do. Appaloosa will be free again

Voice

“When did you get this letter?” I said after I finished reading “And who is Voice?”

Whipcrack smirked “Voice is the one who’ll make sure that Appaloosa no longer has to suffer under the buffalo. Half of mah crop was lost thanks to that damn agreement we made! Ah got this letter about a week ago and Ah took it as a call to arms”

“Which leaves one last question” I said looking back at the stallion “Where were you a week ago after you dropped off the saddles?”

“Ah went home and worked the fields and then went to bed. A couple of the other ranch hands can vouch for me”

_________________________________________________

County looked over at me “Ya know it was a week ago that Bronze was shot accordin to the autopsy we got”

“You got that while I was at the saloon?”

“Yep, also found somethin interestin…” County said

I looked over at her, “What exactly?”

“That Bronze Star was the only one who was killed not by Battle Saddle…but by a revolver bullet”

“Our killer got confident and decided to cut him down personally”

“It’s that confidence that will help us find em” County said smiling

“Just like old times eh County?” I said returning her smile.

“Yep, Ah really miss ya Private, yer somethin to behold when on a case”

“I have good help” I said simply as we walked back to the group.

________________________________________________

We arrived at Poncho’s shop and I pulled out my revolver. If Poncho was the brains of the outfit then he probably had an escape plan in mind. I watched as Braeburn and Applejack ran around back. Twilight then teleported to the top of the roof ready to pounce on Poncho should he try and make a break for it. County and I hugged the opposite sides of the door.

I nodded at County then knocked on the door “ERPD! Open up this door!”

The response was thus: boom!!

I just dodged somepony shooting a shot gun blast where my head was seconds before. I was pretty adept at dodging bullets it seemed. I turned and bucked down the door and saw a violet colored earth pony with a shot gun. He aimed it at me and I ducked behind a nearby stand to avoid getting shot at.

“Give it up Poncho!” I yelled over the gun fire

“Ah’m not about to go without a fight! You pigs would enslave Appaloosa even more to those beasts!!” I heard him shout as he fired blast after blast at me.

“You got nowhere to run Poncho!”

“Nopony will question me if ah shot in self defense!”

“Nopony will believe that bullshit!” I heard a voice shout from further inside. I looked up to see that Braeburn was wrestling with Poncho. The cowpony slammed his hind legs into the jaw of the tailor. The shotgun went flying away and Braeburn started wailing on the tailor “This is fer all the buffalo ya shot ya damn monster!!” He began launching punch after punch at Poncho.

After a while Braeburn stopped punching the tailor. He got up and looked to me. I looked over at Applejack “Get your rope…”

_______________________________________

“Look it’s very simple…” I said glaring at the tailor pony tied to the chair in front of me. “You tell me who Voice is and I won’t have my associate go back to beating the living crap out of you”

Poncho simply glared at me “You are all madponys!”

“The only madpony is you Poncho…” County said advancing on the stallion. “Did you really think you could get away with what you did? Ah had mah friend look in yer store. The battle saddle ya have in the back? It’s the same caliber as the bullets that are in twenty corpses!”

“The buffalo deserved it! They steal our food and we get nothing in return! Our town will die out if we can’t plant those trees in the path of their damn stampedin grounds!” Poncho retorted

“You’re sick….” Braeburn said before Applejack held him back from doing anything rash.

I looked over at Poncho “You were there…you were one of the bandits that we shot”

“You can’t prove that!” Poncho yelled back

“Braeburn…you shot one of the bandits am I right?”

The cowpony nodded “Yah, Ah shot him in the back leg…”

I held up one of Poncho’s legs…there was a bandage on the leg. Recently applied and still bleeding. “I’ll bet you a hundred bits that there is a bullet wound under here”

Poncho’s eyes grew wide at this. He’d been caught….he was a murderer. It took all of Applejack’s strength and Twilight’s to hold back Braeburn. Poncho looked up at me “I only wanted…what was best for the town…”

“Your good intentions led to twenty buffalo dead…and that wasn’t enough…you took their fur as well”

“It was Voice’s idea…he wanted to get rich off selling the furs on the black market…”

“Who is Voice?!” I said glaring at the tailor.

“I don’t know! He wore a bandanna like the rest of us! I didn’t recognize anything about him! Voice is a code name! I swear on my mother’s grave I don’t know his real name!!”

I held up a hoof to punch Poncho. He didn’t deserve to get off this easy! He deserved to be punched to hell! He killed all those buffalo! And for what?! His own greed and misguided sense of justice!! It was then I felt a hoof on my shoulder…I turned to see Twilight looking at me…her violet eyes telling me not to become him…

I turned to Poncho “I’m placing you under arrest for the murder of twenty buffalo, as well as illegal fur trading…may Celestia have mercy on your soul”

I turned and walked out. I didn’t want to be in the same room as the bastard.

_______________________________________

Silver Star took Poncho and Whipcrack to prison that day. I simply sat on the front porch of the sheriff’s office. I looked over to see Twilight sitting beside me “I almost lost it in there…”

“Sorry I don’t have coffee to cheer you up…” Twilight said putting a hoof on my shoulder.

“I wouldn’t even mind a little of County’s whiskey at this point…this case is just…too much…”

“Private…if you’re not able to go on…”

“I’m not backing down Twilight…it’s just not in my nature”

“I wasn’t going to suggest you leave the case…we still need to find out who Voice is and how the buffalo are doing. But you have friends Private…we can help you if you think it’s too much to handle on your own”

“Thanks Twilight…but I’m fine” I said getting up on my hooves. Braeburn, Applejack and County were walking back to us. Braeburn was smiling which was refreshing, that stallion was just better when he was in a good mood.

“Ah just got word! We found out where the buffalo are!” Braeburn reared in excitement “Poncho told us that buffalo ran off north, which is where they must have their camp now!”

“That’s great” I said smiling “We should be able to get their side of the story”

County chuckled “Hold yer horses Private, we have another piece of news fer ya”

“And that is?” I said raising an eyebrow at the smiling ponies.

Applejack spoke up “Well they’re dedicatin a rebuilt town hall tonight and the entire town is havin a hootenanny”

County laughed a little “We thought that before we ran off tah find the buffalo we’d look fer some fun first”

I shook my head “We can’t just put the case on hold to throw a party”

Twilight smiled “Aww come on Private, it’ll allow you to…cut loose” She smirked at those last words.

“Need I remind you of the last time you had me cut loose?” I said flatly

“Don’t worry” Applejack said smiling “This party is Pinkie free, so ya don’t have anythin to worry about”

I looked at all four faces around me. I wanted to say no, I wanted to get on with the case. But Celestia’s sun was already descending…we’d have to travel at night if we wanted to reach the camp. It was never a good idea to travel at night in the desert. I finally sighed and relented “Alright…we’ll…cut loose…”

Chapter 5 "Hootenanny"

Chapter 5

“Hootenanny”

YEEEEHAWWW!!!!

Somepony shouted as the music began. The entire town square was converted into a dance floor with some games set up like an old fashioned carnival. Ponies were forgetting their troubles with the buffalo by dancing the night away.

I sat at a nearby bar with a mug of cider in my hoof. I watched as the country ponies danced to the very catchy country music. The music was the kind you could easily dance to. I found myself tapping the leg of the stool with my hoof on more than one occasion.

“Part of partyin is actually bein a part of the party Private”

I looked over to see County sitting beside me. She smiled at me as she held a whiskey mug in her hoof. She noticed my chastising expression and she sighed “Private, Ah’m not gonna hear it”

“When are you ever going to put that thing down?” I asked concerned

“When Whiskey stops tasting good…” She took a swig from her bottle “Why aren’t ya dancin with that pretty marefriend of yers?”

I flushed bright red at this. “County she’s not my-“

“Don’t give me that horse shit; ya all would’ve clopped if Ah hadn’t interrupted” County said laughing at her joke.

My grey coat suddenly felt like a furnace. The thought of Twilight and I…oh Celestia was I really thinking that?! I glared at County “It’s not like that!”

“Then enlighten me Private” She took another swig of her bottle “Why haven’t ya gone all the way with her?”

I got quiet for a second “Because I…”

“It ain’t because of Larksong is it? You still feel fer that song bird?”

I shook my head “It’s more than that…Twilight’s…delicate”

“Ah, the girl next door type huh?”

“I guess you could say that" I sighed a little "I just want to make sure it’s what she wants”

County then looked at me with those gold eyes of hers. I couldn’t really read her expression “Yer a great stallion Private…she’s a sweet mare who just wants you. If that’s not a match made in heaven then Ah don’t know what is”

I smiled “Thanks County…”

“She’s lucky to have yer eye…Ah only hope Ah find a stallion like you” County said almost wistfully

“You don’t want a stallion like me County”

“And why the hell not?” County said, looking over at me confused.

I laughed “Because I have yet to get you off that drinking habit of yours”

Her brows furrowed and she punched me in the foreleg “That’s fer the drinkin comment!” She then tipped my hat down over my eyes affectionately “That’s fer bein so damn caring…”

I lifted my hat as County ran into the crowd. She grabbed a nearby Pegasus and started dancing with him. County was never one for subtlety when it came to romance. I only hoped I wouldn’t have to deal with godchildren any time soon. I simply laughed as she danced with him…that’s when I noticed Applejack walk towards me.

“Enjoyin the party Private?” She said her green eyes looking at me with a mix of cheerfulness for being at a party and concern for my well being.

“It’s lively that’s for sure” I said taking a swig of the apple cider. “Where’s Braeburn?”

Applejack smiled and took a seat beside me “He’s over by em shootin galleries. Showin off to all of em mares how much of a top shot he is”

“Well he did shoot a bandit in the head so I guess we can let it slide”

We both laughed but then Applejack stopped. Her green eyes looked behind me…I followed her gaze and there he was. Sitting on a barrel was the stallion from earlier. His eyes occasionally met Applejack’s as he watched the other couples dance. His expression was as unreadable as a steel wall.

I looked over at Applejack whose orange coat was starting to turn red. I smirked “That wouldn’t happen to be that stallion you're pining for would it?”

Applejack shook her head furiously “Nuh it ain’t! Ah’m not lookin at em I mean" I gave her a look and she gave up the facade "Aw Horseapples why should I bother lyin anymore…?”

“So why don’t you go talk to him?” I suggested

“Me talk to a stallion!?” Applejack exclaimed as if I told he to jump off the top of Canterlot Castle’s tallest tower. She shook her head self consciously “Ah…Ah can’t….”

“What are you so nervous about?” I asked looking at her as she tried to bury her blushing face in her hat. “He’s obviously interested”

“Private…” she looked over at me her green eyes betraying her concern “Ah…Ah’ve never…talked to a stallion…like that…”

“Why not Applejack? You’re one of the most honest and strongest mares I know. What stallion wouldn’t want that in a mare?”

“But…Ah ain’t...” She sighed in defeat “Ah ain’t like Rarity or nothin…Ah ain’t pretty…”

“Oh don’t give me that Applejack” I said patting her on the back with my hoof. “Looks don’t mean everything”

“Ah know, but it certainly does help…”

I got an idea “How about I talk to him?”

Applejack’s face looked at me pleadingly “Yah don’t need tah Private! Ah mean…what if he thinks Ah can’t face him myself?”

“Just relax, I’ll see if he’s on the level” I set my empty cider mug and started walking towards the steel faced stallion.

He didn’t look at me as I came up to him. “Hey steel face!” I said trying to get his attention. The only really indication I did was that his eye moved to face me. He didn’t say anything for a bit. I smiled awkwardly and spoke again “I’ve noticed you’ve been eyeing my friend there…”

I gestured to Applejack who was trying everything in her power not to be noticed. It didn’t seem to work because the green colored stallion simply gazed back at her. Then he looked to me and spoke in a very deep voice. “Is she yours?”

I shook my head “No she’s just a friend of mine. You see she’s never actually talked to a stallion before…ya know like that” He didn’t move, did this guy even smile?! “Anyways, I wanted to know if you are interested at all in her”

He looked back at Applejack, then back to me. “What do you care if I’m interested?”

“You can’t kill a guy for being curious”

“No, but they have a habit of killing themselves” Was that a joke? I can’t tell because the guy didn’t smile.

“Anyways, Applejack is a very nice mare. She’d love to talk to you but I think you should make the first move”

He kept his gaze on me and then shook his head “Why should I pursue her? You do know what I am right?”

“You’re a soldier are you?” I said gesturing to some of the battle scars on him. “Judging by some of these scars you’ve seen combat”

“So you’re the detective that I’ve been hearing about” He sighed “Anyways, I’ve seen my comrades die around me…all crying for their mares back home. Why should I put myself through all of that?”

I stared at him. It wasn’t that this guy wasn’t interested in Applejack…he was just worried about dying and leaving her hurt…this guy cared more then he let on. “I still think you should talk to her…”

He shook his head “Are you hard of hearing?”

“I’m hard of getting rid of but that’s a different story” I dismissed his comment with a wave of my hoof. “Anyways…as a soldier you should have something to fight for”

“What do you mean?” His eyes betrayed curiosity for just a moment. He wanted to know how I could justify this.

“Think about it, you’re fighting every day of your life. Some of your buddies have died on the battlefield because they had mares back home. They wanted to make sure that by them dying and fighting they could live happily. Applejack could be that one pony you would stand up against your enemy for. Go talk to her…she’s a wonderful mare who would love somepony to care for her. When you’re lying injured on the battlefield…you’ll remember this mare that cares about you back home…who wants you to live so that she can hold you again”

Through out my entire speech he didn’t flinch or twitch. His eyes then closed and then opened again. He…smiled “You’ll not leave me alone unless I do talk to her will you?”

“I have been known for my stubbornness” I said matter of factly.

He got off the barrel and started walking towards Applejack. I looked back at the soldier “Wait, I never got your name…”

He looked back at me and shrugged “Never got yours…”

“It’s Private, Private Eye” I said as he began to walk away.

He stopped for a minute and simply said “Applesnack…”

_________________________________________

I wandered the games a little when I came across Sheriff Silver Star at one of the shooting ranges. He had a revolver on his belt. He waited for the starting sign to go and he pulled out his gun, stuck it in his mouth, and hit the targets one by one. He saw me and set the revolver back in his holster.

“Howdy Private” He said friendly like “Wanna take a shot?”

I shrugged “I guess I could…nice Marshal you have there” I said gesturing to the gun in his holster.

He smiled and pulled out the gun and I levitated the gun to inspect it. “Ya know yer firearms Ah see”

“Yep” I said looking at the engraved revolver “The Marshall was called that because it was designed personally by General Marshall Patton during EW2. It’s .44 caliber with enough firepower to leave a sizeable hole in somepony’s head. Patton created this line originally as a gift to his best friend General Chruchfire. The story goes that Chruchfire also had a gun of the exact same design commissioned for Marshall. Thus the gun was always sold in pairs…”

“Ah lost the other one a long time ago” Silver Star said shrugging “Damn shame to, it was a good gun”

The gun itself looked relatively new though…how could you lose a gun so quickly? I shrugged and gave the gun back to the sheriff. “Still a good gun”

“Ya got a firearm?” He asked after holstering his gun.

“Well…I have this” I pulled out my .32 caliber revolver. Silver Star shook his head. I looked at him curiously “What?”

“Ya plan tah shoot somepony with this shit gun? No offense but you could use somethin with a bit more kick”

“What do you have in mind?”

Sheriff Silver star reached into his vest and tossed me a gun. It was a .44 revolver with a black paint job on the metal and a brown handle. It was certainly larger then my .32 and looked like it could pack one hell of a punch “Call this one ere the Blackbird”

I levitated the revolver to eye level and held it out in front of me. “This’ll knock out anypony if you aim it right…”

“Tell ya what” Silver Star said gesturing to the shooting gallery “Ya get a perfect score and Ah’ll let ya keep it”

I smirked “Alright you’re on” I stepped up to the game and loaded the revolver. I cocked the hammer with my magic and closed my eyes.

______________________________________________

Fenlock was looking at my stance as I held the gun in my magic. “Don’t force her Private; just because she’s a more powerful gun doesn’t mean you have to match that power. A gentle hoof can tame the savage beast”

____________________________________________

The music began and I fired the revolver at the targets. One by one I hit each target’s bull’s-eye with absolute precision. I finished with the highest score and the satisfaction of Silver Star looking at me dumbfounded.

I simply smiled and took the gun’s holster from him. He gave me an odd look with those blue eyes of his “Where’d you learn to shoot like that?”

I shrugged and walked off with my prize “Wild Gunpony?”

__________________________________________

I twirled Blackbird a little then set her in my brand new gun holster. She gave me a sense of power…like I could take on the whole damn world with her at my side. I wonder if this was how Bit Eastwood felt.

I looked over and saw Applejack dancing…wait, Applejack can dance?! I looked over and saw Applejack was dancing to a rather slow song with Applesnack. They were actually talking to each other. The guy was smiling around her…Private you’ve done it again. I should reward myself with some more cider.

I felt somepony tap me on the shoulder. I looked over and my face flushed a little. Twilight was there clad in a blue country dress for the occasion. Her mane shined in the light of the lanterns of the carnival. She smiled sheepishly as I stared at her “Hey Private…”

“Twilight…you look great” I said my face turning scarlet.

“Thanks, County suggested I wear this tonight…”

County has fallen into my habit of getting involved with relationships eh? Well…I’m happy to take the results thank you. I removed my hat in a curt bow “Will you honor me with a dance Madam Sparkle?” I said in my best imitation of Fancypant's gentle stallion like manner.

Twilight smiled and performed a curtsy “I would be honored Sir Private”

We stepped out on the dance floor just as County took the stage. She tapped the microphone and then spoke out to the crowd of dancers “How ya alls enjoyin this fine evenin?”

We all cheered and whooped in response to County. She laughed and continued “Well let’s kick things up a little! Here’s one to all ya lovers out there!”

I looked at Twilight worriedly “Get ready to move…”

“Why?” Twilight said looking at my curiously

“Because when County sings…things go down”

County then began to sing a fast paced song that we all had little trouble dancing to.

Is the girl you left behind out there a night romancin?

Makin eyes at someone else and singin, but is she dancin?

Only the girl you left behind you dream her when yer sleepin!

Puts Teardrops in her eyes from secrets which she’s keepin!

She bounced around the stage and kept the words coming.

Happy just play a tune and dance the whole night away!

Hope the girl you left behind will be there for you someday!

Lonely is the wind that blows and you know you’ll always

Miss her!

Lonely is the lover’s heart if only you could

Kiss her Kiss her!!

_________________________________________

The music slowed down and County sang a more romantic song as time went on. I found myself with my front legs wrapped around Twilight. She was so warm and her mane smelled so sweet.

I heard her whisper in my ear “Private…you were going to say something earlier…back at camp…”

I whispered in her ear…she shuddered a little at feeling my breath on her “I was before County interrupted…”

“Maybe she’s trying to help you work up the confidence to say it…”

I lifted my head from where it was in her mane and looked at her with my grey eyes. “Truth is Twilight…I realized something the moment I fired you that one time…”

“Private I know you missed me…”

I put a hoof on her lips to shush her. “Truth is…I realized that I…” The words were so simple…yet so hard and beautiful to say “I love you…”

Twilight’s eyes became wide as I said those three words to her. I never had the guts to say those words to her yet. Now that I did I desperately waited for her response. Her approval was all I desired and wanted now…nothing else.

Her eyes looked down at the ground. Her body shook a little and I heard a sob. I grew worried at this...did I say something wrong!? She raised her violet eyes to me...I noticed they had tears in them. I feared the worse “Twilight I…”

She put a hoof to my mouth then shook her head. She then just reached a hoof around me and pulled me into a loving kiss. I stared at her as she blinked away tears. She stopped kissing me for a moment and said softly “Private…I love you to…” She wiped away more tears “I just never thought a stallion I loved would say something like that…”

I just drank in her violet eyes. I loved her…she loved me…I never thought that would come out. Now that it did…I wanted to savor every moment with this beautiful mare. I put my forelegs around her and pulled her into the most loving and tender kiss I could muster.

Some ponies around us looked at us but neither of us cared. We were in our own little world…one where only we existed. I tasted Twilight and drank her like wonderful wine. I was in love…I hadn’t felt like this in a long time. This beautiful mare, so smart, brave, and kind…was what I would fight for. What I would live for so that she could hold me again…I love Twilight…

Chapter 6 "Dances with Buffalo"

Chapter 6

“Dances with Buffalo”

“How much farther Braeburn?” County complained as the five of us walked in the endless desert. The terrain around this area was less sandy and rockier. I can’t count how many times I got a rock stuck in my hoof and had to magic it out. How the buffalo could walk here let alone charge was beyond me.

Braeburn turned back as he was leading the way “Not much further, we should be hittin their camp bah nightfall”

“Ah hope so” County sighed “Ah don’t know how long mah legs can keep goin”

Indeed we have been walking all day trying to get to buffalo territory. Braeburn said that the Buffalo moved to this area after Poncho and the other bandits shot them. I hoped that the stallion knew what he was doing.

Just then we heard a scream and I felt Twilight leap on top of me. She clung to my neck for dear life and I struggled to maintain my balance. When I righted myself I looked over to where she jumped from. There was a large rattlesnake hissing at her. Twilight was shaking like a leaf as she looked at it. “Snake…”

I had her slide off my back and I gave Twilight a bemused expression. She blushed a little in embarrassment and we watched the snake return to its resting place under a nearby rock. I shook my head at her “Twilight it wasn’t going to bother you if you didn’t bother it”

Applejack chuckled a little “Twilight’s always been a little skittish round them belly sliders”

We all laughed a little as Twilight flushed in embarrassment “I just don’t like snakes okay! Winter Wrap Up was torture thanks to them…”

I rolled my eyes and chuckled “Snakes? That’s a silly thing to be scared off…”

County’s eyes went wide and she pointed at me with a hoof “PRIVATE THERE’S A SPIDER ON YER BACK!!!!”

I leaped and began to scramble to get that spider off my back. “Where is it?!! Get it off me quick!!” I rolled on the ground to get that big spider off my back…I heard no splat though.

Everypony roared in laughter as I lay down on the ground. I glared at County who was laughing the hardest “Not funny County! You know I hate spiders!”

“Get’s em every time” County said before laughing out loud again. “So who’s got a silly fear now?” She smirked and continued to laugh.

I crossed my forelegs in disapproval at the whole lot of them. This was going to be a long trip.

_____________________________________________________

Celestia was about to retire the sun as we kept walking in the desert. It was way too quiet and I looked over at Braeburn “You’d think we’d have run into the Buffalo by now…”

Braeburn nodded “Yer right, but if ya think about it they don’t exactly have reason to trust us” He looked around warily at the desert around us “Ah wouldn’t be surprised if they gone and left the desert entirely after what Voice and his cronies did…”

“True” I said knowingly “Though even still, we should’ve found some hint of them by now…”

“Uh guys…” I heard Twilight say.

Braeburn kept talking “Buffalo are actually pretty good at covering up their tracks. Used mostly to keep predators away from followin them”

“Guys” Twilight spoke again

I continued “Something so big and so easy at hiding…I wouldn’t want to face something like that on the battle field”

“Guys”

Braeburn shook his head “Ah’ve seen em fight, they can easily impale ya with them horns of theirs”

“GUYS!!!”

I looked back at Twilight rolling my eyes but I kept walking forward “What’s so important Twilight that you’d interup-oof!” I ran into something that interrupted my talking.

I looked up into the dark eyes of a full grown buffalo warrior. I yelped and ran back to my comrades. In a matter of minutes they completely surrounded us. There were at least of a dozen buffalo there all three times our size and not looking happy to see us.

Braeburn spoke out “Is Little Strongheart among ya?”

One Buffalo spoke out “What would you want with her pony!? Have you come to skin our chief’s daughter as well!?”

“That’s enough Fissure!” A feminine voice spoke from among the crowd. “I won’t have you attack my friends like this!”

The buffalo parted to reveal a young buffalo calf. She couldn’t have been much older then I was. She lacked the bushy fur of her brothers but she wore a headband with a feather on it. Her dark eyes looked at Braeburn and she smiled wide at him “Braeburn!”

“Little Strongheart!?” Braeburn ran and the two friends hugged each other. At least things were off to a good start if this was the same Little Strongheart that Braeburn spoke so highly of. The two parted their hug and Braeburn’s green eyes looked the calf over “When Ah saw all them buffalo Ah…Ah worried they…”

She reached up and put a small hoof on his shoulder in comfort. She then looked past us and saw Twilight and Applejack among us. “Applejack? Twilight? What are you two doing here?”

Applejack smiled at the young calf “We came ere tah help find the monsters that shot ya alls”

Little Strongheart then turned her brown gaze to me and County “And you two are?”

County and I took off our hats in respect. The fact we did it in sync got us a couple of looks. County and I did that as our sort of greeting. We've done it so often I did it without thinking about it. “Detectives Private Eye and County Sher, we’re here investigating the murder of your brothers and sisters of the tribe”

She nodded and gestured further up the path “You should come to our camp; we’ll get you all comfortable and get some food in your bellies”

My stomach growled in response to that thought. We all laughed including some of the buffalo. I guess food really is the great equalizer.

________________________________________________

The camp wasn’t large and looked to be built recently. A few structures made out of blankets and sticks offered minimal shelter from the elements. A single bonfire sat in the center of camp and burned brightly. I sat on one of the logs surrounding the bonfire looking down at the food provided for us.

I was never a picky eater but I would occasionally send some portions over to County who was more than happy to eat up. Something about Buffalo food just didn’t sit well in my stomach. I wouldn’t want to throw up before we met the chief.

Chief Thunderhoof came out from his tent with Little Strongheart beside him. The buffalo chief was huge, easily twice the size of me with a lot of fur and girth. He wore a headdress made from feathers that signified his rank as a leader. I bowed my head in respect and then my grey eyes met the brown ones of the chief.

“My daughter tells me, that you all are here to try and find the beasts that murdered our brethren” He spoke in a deep and dignified voice.

Braeburn nodded and spoke first “Chief, we saw what happened to the buffalo that were slaughtered. We want ya tah know that they all received a proper burial”

Thunderhoof nodded somberly “I thank you Braeburn, you’ve always held a respect for our people. You have done my people a great kindness”

I spoke up “Sir, Can you tell us exactly what happened that day? If it’s not too soon to speak of it”

Some buffalo hung their heads in mourning for their lost brothers and sisters. I saw more than one grieving mother have tears reach their eyes. There were five children of the twenty that were killed. Thank Celestia there weren’t more.

Thunderhoof fixed his gaze upon me. He was assessing whether I could be trusted or not. I held my gaze and did not back down or put up a front. I had to show him I have nothing to hide. He then nodded simply.

“This has not been the first attack by the bandits on our people. They attacked us whenever we stopped for camp or drink”

County whispered in my ear “That would explain why they haven’t been to Appaloosa, they must’ve been tryin to evade them bandits”

Thunderhoof continued “The most recent attack however was when we first saw them. They came at us from the hills with their fire sticks and slaughtered our brothers and sisters in cold blood. They wore cloth on their bodies and faces so I did not see what they looked like. But, I did notice one of them stopping to shoot at me with a smaller fire stick instead of his big one”

I reached into my trench coat and withdrew Blackbird. Some Buffalo were ready to charge me for pulling out a gun. I levitated it in front of me and showed it was empty. That and a glare from Little Strongheart got some of the more heated members of the tribe to back down. I held the gun to the chief “Like this gun?”

Thunderhoof’s eyes looked at my gun. Recognition entered his brown orbs “Yes, of similar size but a different color and shape”

I nodded and holstered Blackbird back in my trench coat. “After they shot at you, you and your people escaped?”

The buffalo chief nodded “Yes, they did not pursue us once we were out of range of their fire sticks. We did not look back at them as we fled for our lives”

I nodded “Thank you chief, I swear to you I’ll find out who did this and they will pay”

We dispersed after that and the group went to various places. Braeburn went around with Little Strongheart and handed off mementos we found on the bodies to their families. Applejack went to talk with the cooks about some recipes mostly involving apples you could get from Appaloosa. Twilight was talking with some of the elder members of the tribe with a notebook in hand. They told her of their long and incredibly complex history on these plains.

I on the other hand was drawn by a female Buffalo; she bore a strong resemblance to Little Strongheart. She smiled and gestured for me to follow her into a nearby tent. I entered and she sat down with a fire between us.

She was an older buffalo from what I could tell. She smiled warmly at me “You are the one who is searching for answers…”

“Yes mam” I said affirmatively “I’m Private Ey-“

“I know who you are young man” She spoke in a tone that I was used to hearing from my teachers whenever I spoke up in class. “My husband told me of you, he believes you are an honorable Pony. A rare thing indeed”

I ignored the obviously racist comment and moved on “Why do you want to see me?”

“Because dear pony” She said looking at me with those brown eyes of hers “You are sick, and I am a medicine cow so I plan to help you”

I put a hoof to my head “I don’t feel feverish”

“Not that kind of sick pony” She said with a chuckle “I meant sick in here…” She pointed a hoof at my chest. “You bare many troubles on your heart”

I raised an eyebrow “And you can cure me?”

“Not cure, simply treat so that you can go on the road to getting better…”

“I don’t need medicine I need clues to solve this case” I said as politely as I could muster.

She shook her head bemused “Your hunger for the truth is admirable, but in your current state you will only hamper yourself”

“What do you mean?”

“That is for you to find out little pony…” She took some herbs and tossed them into the fire. The smoke became a strange color that smelled sweet. “Inhale the incense…and find the darkness inside you”

I knew of Buffalo vision rituals from school. They involved inhaling a particular type of drug to receive visions. I’ll admit I was skeptical about the whole business. But then again I live in a world where friendship can be weaponized into an unstoppable rainbow laser. Maybe there was some truth to this stuff.

My grey eyes met the old brown ones of the buffalo medicine cow. “What will I see?”

She shook her large head at me “Only what your heart contains…and maybe some things yet to come…a future that may come to pass…”

I knew I wasn’t going to get anything out of her. I moved my head into the smoke and inhaled deeply. Suddenly my mind became foggy and I felt dizzy…maybe I just…need a…nap…

I fell over and drifted off to sleep to the sound of crackling fire…

_______________________________________________

My grey eyes opened and I found myself sitting in the ruins of a strange city. I looked around; all the buildings around me were crumbled to waste. Some stood valiantly despite the destruction around them but they would fall in a number of years.

I wrapped my forelegs around myself…I was naked to this cold wind. I looked up at the sky and saw that a dense blanket of clouds covered it.

“Where am I?” I said to myself as I got up on my legs.

“Yer lookin at what’ll come but ya don’t need tah worry about that”

I looked around for the source of the voice. I looked up at the top of a nearby ruined store. There sat a rust colored Pegasus with a battle saddle and a black desperado hat on his head. He smiled a friendly smile at me and spoke in a very appaloosian accent. “Howdy, welcome to yer subconscious”

I simply stared at him then spoke “It’s official…I’m going nuts”

The Pegasus laughed “More nuts then ya think, but me and mah friends are gonna help with that…”

Chapter 7 "Friendship...Friendship Never Changes"

Chapter 7

“Friendship…Friendship Never Changes”

I simply stared at the strange Pegasus. His eyes were rather merry despite the ruins around him. He got up and floated down to me. “Who are you?” I asked warily

“Somepony who’ll come round in a couple of centuries” He said with a chuckle.

“I don’t understand” I said eyeing the Pegasus with suspicion “I don’t know you so how can you be in my head?”

He shrugged “Ah don’t know, maybe yer just goin crazy”

“Not helping” I said flatly

“Right, listen Ah’m Calamity” He said offering a hoof. I shook it suspiciously. I felt his hoof, I was dreaming but this dream was too real. Calamity went on “Ah want ya tah follow me, we got a place we need tah go…”

He started hovering off and I followed. We walked for a few minutes in the ruins of this city. I looked around “Where are we exactly?”

Calamity shrugged again “Ah don’t know, its yer head” He looked around a little more “But Ah’d reckon we’re somewhere in Manehatten…or what’s left of it anyways”

“What happened?”

“Ah can’t tell ya” Calamity said warily “Ah’m only supposed tah lead ya, not give ya too much info about what’s goin on”

“This has got to be the strangest head trip of all time” I said shaking my head.

We stopped in front of a door Calamity landed beside me “Here we are”

I looked behind the door, there wasn’t anything behind it. The door lead to nowhere but then I remembered I was dreaming. I looked at Calamity who gestured with his rust colored head for me to open the door. I reached up with my hoof and opened the door…

________________________________________________

I was in a black area, nothing was there. I could see myself but everything around me was black. I then saw a light and turned. There was a hospital room…a blue Pegasus lying on the bed...blood all over her. A grey teenaged stallion was crying into her dead hoof….oh Luna no!!

I shook my head and watched my mother die again. This couldn’t be happening!! I ran to her but the hospital room kept going farther and farther away. I finally just fell over on the non visible ground and started feeling tears on my cheeks. No…don’t die again mom…don’t leave me alone again…I want you back…I miss you so much…

I felt something touch my head. I looked up to see a unicorn. She was older then I was maybe by a year or two but she was stunningly beautiful. Her black coat almost had her blend in with the background but her white mane with red and gold highlights outlined her appearance. Her blue eyes showed compassion and kindness. She smiled down at me warmly. She reminded me of mom…

“You suffer so much Private…” She said in a voice that reminded me of Moongale’s. It was smooth as silk…she had to be a singer of some sort. I noticed her cutie mark of a singing bird on her flank. She gently nuzzled me on the top of the head. “You have witnessed so much pain…losing a mother at such a young and tender age”

I let her nuzzle the top of my head. It felt like she was a big sister kissing a scabbed knee. “I miss her so much…Why’d she have to die…”

“It’s cruel but in a way…had she not died you never would’ve gotten Tailspin…”

“I wish it was me that died that day…she shouldn’t have to suffer…she didn’t deserve to die!”

Suddenly her blue eyes looked right into mine. “We always try to shield the ones we love Private…but sometimes…not even the greatest doctors can cure death”

“What is that supposed to mean! My mother is dead! She died because I didn’t want to take over the family business! MY CELESTIA DAMN FATHER KILLED HER!!!” I then fell to the ground again…I felt exhausted. I then began mumbling “It’s all because of me…had I let him do what he wanted….he wouldn’t have used that mandrake…mom would’ve”

“Shh…” I felt her nuzzle me again and whisper words to comfort me. “Private, some things we cannot prevent…”

“But if I could prevent it…I would…”

I then heard a deep voice speak behind me “Velvet you heard him”

I turned around to see another strange looking pony. He was clad from head to hoof in some kind of steel body armor. His face was obscured by a visor but I could tell from his voice he wasn’t playing around.

Velvet looked at the steel stallion pleadingly “Give me more time with him Steelhooves…”

“We don’t have time” he said simply. Why did his voice sound familiar? “He needs to face it soon”

I looked at both of them “Face what?! What’s going on!!?”
_________________________________________________________

The scene suddenly shifted. I was standing in a burning building. I recognized it almost immediately. I saw myself on the floor…I was unconscious. This was when I leapt in to save Dinky from the burning building. Where I almost died…

I looked to see the Steelhooves standing over my body. His expression was unreadable under his armor. Funny…he reminded me of Applesnack somehow. His deep voice spoke again “You leapt into a burning building knowing this could’ve happened…”

I glared at the armored stallion “I did it to save Dinky!”

“But if it was only you, who had to die, and you would’ve caught Glimmer and saved Dinky…but you would still end up here…would you still have run in?”

“Of course!” I yelled “I was doing what was right!!”

“Were you?” The armored stallion asked skeptically “Or were you just trying to play a Luna damned hero?”

“No I wasn’t-“

“Maybe Dinky wasn’t worth saving…”

“You take that back!”

“You let a murderer get away because you weren’t willing to make the sacrifice necessary to do so”

“I couldn't let a filly die!!!” I yelled even louder. I got right in the steel stallion’s face “How can you stand there and say that!”

“Maybe because it’s easier to let just one pony suffer…”

“It is easier! That’s why I leapt into the building in the first place!!!”

____________________________________________________

The scene shifted again. I wasn’t sure where I was at first. But then I recognized all sorts of ponies around me. They didn’t look at me or acknowledge me. They’re voices meshed so much I couldn’t make out what one pony was saying.

I tried to speak to get somepony’s attention but no words came out. The hell?! I spoke again and still silence greeted my lips. I couldn’t speak.

“You suffer in silence…” An accented voice spoke behind me.

I turned around and saw…Zecora? No this zebra was a little younger, and heavily scarred on her body. She was rather lithe and muscular compared to the only other zebra I knew.

Her expression was unreadable “You are afraid of others Private…”

I tried to reply but no words came out again. I really was mute.

“You do not let others into your problems because you are afraid. You are afraid to share the burden…”

I shook my head furiously. Of course I don’t want to share the burden! I didn’t want others to get hurt!

The zebra spoke simply “I too understand what it’s like to suffer as you do. It’s better if you let your problems speak…for some ponies are willing to listen”

I shook my head again. All of this didn’t make any sense! Who were these ponies and zebra that tried to tell me how to live my life! I’ve done nothing but good! My problems are my own! Its better if I suffer alone then toss the burden on a pony that doesn’t need it!

The zebra shook her head disapprovingly “Never…you will soon face this ideal of yours…”

_______________________________________________

The scene faded to black again. Everything around me was just black until I saw another light. Fearing another look but my curiosity getting the better of me I looked. I saw…a mare?

I almost mistook her for a filly she was so small. She had her back turned to me; her coat was a soft blue and her mane a short brown. Sort of like mine now that I think about it, although she wore it better than I did. A small horn was on her head, she was a unicorn like me. She wore some kind of blue and yellow lined jumpsuit on her with a large 2 on the back of it. I also saw a strange device on her left front hoof. It looked like a high tech watch of some sort.

But then she turned her head to me, her eyes were a soft brown…and they were crying. She simply looked at me but then I felt something on my hooves. I looked down and saw blood filling the invisible floor. I leapt back in surprise and wiped off the blood from my hooves. I looked back up at the mare again…I gasped at what I saw.

Bodies were piled up around the mare. Many of them were ponies, a couple griffons, even a dragon at one point. They were all bleeding…I saw children among the bodies to…did she…no she couldn’t have…

She slowly nodded and cried all the more…she killed them all. I was looking at a mass murderer…how could such a small and weak looking mare come to this? She should be having her first romantic affair not all these bodies.

I then saw another strange sight. Between us spawned another unicorn, a bottle of alcohol in her hoof. Then another stallion showed up. Then a mare followed by another two stallions. I looked behind me and I saw my parents, and their parents, and their parent’s parents.

Slowly the gap began to close between me and the ponies that kept appearing. Till finally…a filly appeared in front of me, I stared at the little thing. She was a soft shade of magenta with a soft brown mane. Her bright amethyst eyes looked up at me in awe and wonder. Wait…amethyst? This was…

“You’re…mine…and Twilight’s…” I said slowly.

I looked past the filly and looked down the line. This filly was my child…and the ponies leading to the small mare were her descendents. I was…the ancestor to this mass murderer!

If you live…then she’ll come about and kill all those innocents…

I felt a gun in front of me. I levitated it slowly with my magic. I opened the chamber and saw it only contained one bullet. One shot would be all it would take…

If you die…she wouldn’t even exist…she wouldn’t be born to destroy all their lives…

If I die…It would be better for everypony…

Better one pony be sacrificed to save the many….

…it’s true…if I sacrificed myself…I could save all of them…

Do it…save all those ponies…

I held the gun to my head with my magic…just pull the trigger Private…it would save them all…you could stop her! You could save so many by just disappearing!

“Daddy…”

I looked down at the little filly again. She looked so beautiful…she had her mother’s caring and kind eyes. Right now though…they were crying…she didn’t want me to kill myself.

“I love you daddy…”

She is a figment of your imagination! Don’t listen to her!

But she…she said she loved me….

So what!? Think of the ponies that will die!

But if I die…she would never be born…

That’s right! And all those ponies will be saved if she isn’t born!

I wasn’t talking about the mare…

WHAT?!!?

I was talking about my daughter that you want to have killed…

She isn’t your daughter! She’s something your mind conjured up! Think of doing the right thing!!

I aimed the gun into the empty abyss and fired. I couldn’t do it…I couldn’t condemn the life of my future daughter…I just collapsed onto my belly. The tears flowed freely…I was so weak…when asked to sacrifice myself…I couldn’t do it….all those ponies will die…I felt something…a nuzzle?

I looked up to see my daughter nuzzling me on the cheek. She looked at me with those bright violet eyes of hers. She smiled…Celestia she had a beautiful smile…”Thank you daddy…I love you…” She then began to fade…

I reached out to try and touch her…but she faded before I could touch her. I looked as the rest of the family line faded. I looked up and saw that the bodies were gone. The mare wasn’t crying anymore…she was smiling at me.

“You finally get it don’t you?” Her voice wasn’t exactly pretty but it had a certain charm to it.

“Get what? What’s the point of all this…?” I said very confused.

“The point was that you learn a valuable lesson…that your pride was holding you back”

“My pride?”

She nodded “You’ve been trying to shift the entire burden to you and you alone. You fail to see others involved”

“But …it’s better if just I suffer”

She walked to me and put a small hoof to my mouth. She just had this air about her…I can’t explain it but I felt compelled to listen to her. “In my time…everypony has a virtue, something that we all accept as part of ourselves. An unwritten rule that we use to keep ourselves sane…mine was sacrifice”

“How is sacrifice a virtue?”

“It means I’m willing to put the burden on myself. Too many times I thought that if I alone faced the burden then nopony would get hurt” She sighed a little “It’s gotten me close to death more times than I can count”

“So what are you trying to say exactly?” I said looking at her

She snorted in frustration “Jumping Luna on a f**king pogo stick from the moon and back you can be so dense…”

“You just came up with that off the top of your head?”

She blinked “Yes”

“You’re vulgar for such a young lady…”

“And you are too stubborn for your own good so I guess we have a lot in common”

We both laughed, she had a good laugh. I looked at the small mare in front of me “So what do you want me to get out of this…?”

She smiled at me and stepped back. I saw the ponies from before appear…first Calamity, then Velvet, then Steelhooves, then the zebra…”That you are not alone…”

I looked behind me and ponies started appearing one by one…Twilight…Rainbow…Rarity…Pinkie Pie…Applejack…Fluttershy…all ponies that have helped me. They didn’t care how dangerous it was…whether they could get hurt or not. I was their friend…we are all in this together. We are all fighting for a better tomorrow. I didn’t have to face my burden alone…they were all willing to carry it with me.

I looked back at the small mare. “Thank you…whoever you are”

She smiled “They call me…Littlepip…”

___________________________________________

I felt something rough and wet hit my face. I blinked open my grey eyes and met a pair of yellow ones. I yelped and fell back in shock. Standing before me was the wolf from before. I looked around…I was in the middle of the desert not too far from the buffalo camp.

The wolf was panting in the heat of the sun. He seemed friendly enough…wait what was that in front of him? I levitated the object in front of me. “A Marshall?”

Indeed, it was a Marshall hand gun, just like the one Silver Star had. I looked at the wolf “Where’d you get this boy?”

He turned his head towards the direction of where we found the dead buffalo…he must’ve found it at the camp. What a smart wolf, I looked at the gun and opened the firing chamber…two bullets were missing.

I reached into my trench coat and pulled out the bullet I found in the wolf’s leg…It was the same caliber. The revolver also had the same serial number as the one on Silver Star’s. The only reason it would have the same serial number would be if…they were sold in a pair.

I smiled and rubbed the wolf on the head with my hoof. “Good boy…” He pushed his muzzle into my hoof. I guess he did see me as kin…”You’ve just helped me solve a murder…who’s the good boy?”

Chapter 8 "Celestia's Gonna Cut You Down"

Chapter 8

“Celestia’s Gonna Cut You Down”

We entered town just as Celestia’s sun was ready to make the dip towards the horizon. My companions and I walked in the center of the street with me at the helm. I was ready to confront the true mastermind.

He stood in front of me and I was standing several feet in front of him. He smirked “Well, looks like the desert didn’t kill ya…”

“You apparently didn’t get the memo” I said flatly “I’m very hard to kill…Silver Star”

He laughed as he stood in front of me “So, how’d ya figure it out?”

“It was rather simple really, my suspicions started when you showed more concern for your deputy then for the twenty buffalo dead. I chalked it up to simple grief at the time but then Poncho told me about a fella named Voice. Voice was the mastermind behind everything. The one who wanted to see this town free from the buffalo”

Braeburn made like he was about to tackle Silver Star. But he was held back by Applejack who shook her head.

Silver’s eyes were trained on me “And who is this voice?”

“It’s you…it must’ve been so humiliating. There you were…ready to die to protect your town, willing to lay your life on the line to protect this settlement. But one pie to Chief Thunderhoof’s face later…and everything changed. Suddenly the Buffalo were no longer the enemy but an ally. You couldn’t stand it…you couldn’t stand being wrong about them”

He was sweating at this point…he knew I was hitting the right points. I was backing him into a corner and I wasn’t about to let up.

“You weren’t the only one though…you suckered in five others and you laid waste to the buffalo like there was not tomorrow”

Townsponies were out by now wanting to know what the commotion was about. They all whispered among themselves as I went on.

“But you knew that the time would come when you would have to put a stop to this. The buffalo stopped coming so you decided to clean up your mess. Your deputy was easy…send him out into the desert and put a bullet in his eyes. You hired both me and County to arrest the other two members and Braeburn took care of Gelder”

“Yer spoutin out why and how I could’ve done it!” Silver Star snapped at me. “Ya have no proof Ah was there!!”

I whistled and that’s when the wolf appeared. He held the Marshall in his teeth and set it down in front of me. I petted the wolf on the head “Good boy” I levitated the Marshall in front of me. “It’s the other gun your missing…you said you lost it but I beg to differ. This Marshall has the exact same serial number as the one you showed me at the party”

“And where’d ya find this gun?”

“My friend Luca here…” I gestured to the wolf that held his head proudly. “Found it at the crime scene buried under some rocks. Also he was shot in the leg by a .44 caliber bullet. The same bullet caliber that is found in a Marshall…and in Bronze Star’s head”

There ya have it. He didn’t have anywhere to run now. He was exposed for the pony he really was. He laughed manically. “Ya really are a damn sympathizer!! Ah knew it from the moment Ah saw ya!”

I kept my grey gaze calm and cool. He wasn’t getting away on my watch. “I’m placing you under arrest Silver Star”

“Ah AM THE LAW HERE BOY!!” He yelled “Ah should put you under arrest fer obstruction of justice! Them Buffalo have done nothin but steal from us since the moment we arrived!”

“How do you want to settle this?”

“The western way…”

I looked at my companions. Twilight looked at me worriedly but I gave her a small smile. I got this. County gently pushed Twilight to the side. Applejack and Braeburn walked over to my right towards the now shocked and growing crowd.

Silver Star held his hoof next to his gun holster “We settle this once and fer all! Ya have two ways of goin out Detective…on the train…or six feet under.”

I levitated out Blackbird…looked at it…then tossed her aside. Everypony looked at me like I was crazy. County held Twilight back so she couldn’t get in the fray. I glared at Silver Star “I thought we could settle this like Stallions!”

“Ya thought wrong…” In a flash he pulled out his pistol stuck it in his mouth and fired. I flew back several feet as the bullet hit me in the chest. I fell to the ground in a heap of dust.

Everypony in crowd was hushed as Silver Star looked around “See this is what happens to sympathizers! They let the buffalo poison their minds! This settlement has seen nothin but hardship because of them! Sympathizers only make it worse! Now you all see what sympathizing with those animals will do to you!!”

A hush fell over the crowd. Then…it began.

Stomp. Clap. Stomp. Clap. Stomp. Clap.

Everypony looked over as Braeburn stomped on the ground and clapped his front hooves. The pattern continued when Applejack, then Twilight joined in.

Stomp. Clap. Stomp. Clap.

County pulled out a guitar and started strumming a familiar tune. A tune that revealed what was to happen…

Silver Star looked on “Have ya all lost yer minds! Yer friend just got shot and yer playing Ponny Cash?!”

The crowd looked on as Applesnack joined in. His steel face betraying none of what he was feeling, he was following Applejack’s pattern to a tee. She smiled at him and the pattern continued.

Then…I began to sing in a low voice…

You can run…for a long time

Several ponies gasped in shock as I stood up on my hooves. Silver Star’s face turned pale as he saw me walk towards him. The sound of my friends continued to reverberate throughout the whole town.

Run on for a long time…Run on for a long time…

My grey eyes glared at him. Sooner or later Tia’s gonna cut you down…Sooner or later Tia’s gonna cut ya down…

I advanced on him and he aimed his gun at me. I levitated the gun right out of his mouth and tossed it beyond his reach.

Go tell that long tongue liar…go tell that midnight rider. Tell the rambler the gambler the…back rider. Tell him that Tia’s gonna cut ‘em down. Tell ‘em that Tia’s gonna cut em down…

Other Townsfolk joined in the pattern and song. Some that knew the words sang along with me. Slowly the town was turning against Silver Star.

Well my goodness gracious let me tell ya the news. My heads been wet with the midnight dew. I’ve been down on bent and lot, talkin to the princess of Canterlot.

He was sweatin now…I advanced even more on him. He had nowhere to run, nopony to support his mad dream. He only had the judgment of Celestia provided by me.

And she spoke to me in a voice so sweet. I thought I heard the shuffle of Angel’s feet. She called my name and my heart stood still.

I opened my trench coat to reveal a bullet proof vest under it. I then looked right in Silver Star’s eyes.

“When she said Private…” I gave him a mean left hook that sent the sheriff to the ground like a ton of bricks. “Go do my will…”

________________________________________________

A couple of burly townsfolk took Silver Star to the prison cell. He wasn’t going to get out any time soon. Several towns’ folk spoke worriedly. If the Sheriff was gone then who was going to maintain order? What were they going to do?

That’s when I shot Blackbird in the air to get their attention. They all turned to look at me as I stood beside Braeburn. I looked at the yellow stallion and smiled. “You’re on Braeburn. Show them what you’ve got”

Braeburn then stood on top of a nearby store porch. Everypony looked to him and many whispered about the ranch stallion standing in front of them. “Listen ere ya alls!” Braeburn spoke to the crowd “We can’t let this stop us!”

A towns pony shouted from the crowd “The buffalo will come and attack the town! This whole settlement has been a disaster!” Several spoke in agreement.

Braeburn’s green eyes scanned the crowd “That’s exactly what Ponies like Silver Star fed on” A hush fell over the crowd as he spoke confidently. “We can’t quit now! This settlement was built not because things were easy but because they were hard!”

I felt Twilight brush up against me. She sat beside me as Braeburn continued his speech.

“We sweated and bled for this land! We didn’t do it for ourselves we did it fer our children! Our children’s children and their children after that! How can we look our children in the eye and say we gave up!? We are earth ponies! Ah wanna be able to look my grandson in the eye and say that we made this land into what it is!”

The mood lifted in the crowd. Everypony was willing to listen to Braeburn and his inspiring speech. Braeburn reared on his hind legs and shouted “We will not back down! We are not gonna let this ruin everythin! The buffalo are not enemies but allies! Our friends! Let us work this land together! AS ONE!!!!”

Several Ponies cheered at this. I looked on and even saw some buffalo had worked their way into the crowd. Man those guys were sneaky. The crowd dispersed and started talking with the buffalo that came. Suddenly they were no longer afraid of them; they were inspired by Braeburn to make this work. I walked over to the stallion who was looking upon the fruits of his labor.

I smiled at him “You really won them over”

Braeburn rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment “Ah just told em the same thing ya told me…only better and without the whole punchin me in the face deal”

We both laughed at that. “Can I trust you to handle things here?”

“You bet!” Braeburn said determined “Ah’m gonna turn this town around with the buffalo’s help. No longer do we have to ‘fraid of each other”

“That’s good to hear”

“Say uh…”

“What?”

“Could ya do it with me?”

“I don’t know it’s kind of your thing”

“Just this once?”

“Fine…but only because it’s time for celebrating”

We both reared on our hind legs and shouted “AAAPALOOSA!!!”

_______________________________________________

Twilight and I stood in front of County as the train rolled into the station. We were about ready to leave and it was time for goodbyes.

County smiled at me “It was great workin with ya again Private…”

I returned the smile “The feeling’s mutual County…it was great having a great detective such as yourself on board”

“Aww now yer makin me blush” She said with a chuckle. She then turned to Twilight “Keep em out of trouble will ya?”

Twilight smiled and nodded “I will, it was nice meeting you County”

County smiled in a rather sly way “Just name one of yer fillies after me and will call it even”

Both me and Twilight’s faces turned deep shades of scarlet. Twilight had no idea about the whole “we’re going to have a daughter” thing but the thought of us.

County laughed out loud “Ah you two are just so adorable!”

“County!!” We both said at the same time. We looked at each other then away as our faces turned even more scarlet. But then I noticed Applejack with Applesnack.

He was holding something in his hoof in front of her. A piece of paper? Applejack nervously took it and put it under her hat. She smiled at Applesnack and hugged him with her forelegs. He awkwardly hugged her back but gave a small smile.

Twilight looked over at me and smirked “You wouldn’t have anything to do with this would you?”

“What can I say Twilight?” I said in mock innocence “I just am a soldier of love”

That's when I felt something rub against my leg. I looked to see Luca sitting beside me. His yellow eyes betrayed what he wanted. I looked over at Twilight "Private he's a wolf!"

"A very smart and useful wolf" I said petting the wolf on the head "With the right amount of training he could make a great help on cases"

"Alright but I'm not going to be responsible for any rabbits going missing"

The conductor called for the passengers to climb aboard. They put Luca in a cage to ride in the baggage car. I had to do a little arm twisting to do so but they became convinced to let the wolf on board. Twilight, Applejack and I got on the train quickly to avoid the rush. All Three of us looked out the window as the train began to move away.

County waved at me and I waved back. It was strange…it was like I was waving a part of me behind. I guess I just worked with County for that long. My eyes followed Applesnack…his steel gaze was only on Applejack.

Applejack blushed a little then blew a kiss at Applesnack. Was that a flush that came to his cheeks? He made a show of catching the thrown kiss and holding it to his heart. I smirked over at the blushing Applejack.

Her green eyes glared at me and Twilight “If any of ya alls blab this tah anypony Ah’m gonna tie ya both up and hang ya from a cliff”

Both Twilight and I simply laughed as we ventured the long trek home.
___________________________________________________________

200+ years later…

I was looking down at a strange hat. It was grey and looked like the hats on some of the detectives you would see in some of Stable 2’s literature. I use literature in the most light of term though as usually the criminal was some kind of anti overmare fanatic. Not riveting in the least if you ask me.

I picked it up and looked at it curiously…where did I see this before? The hat looked familiar almost…

I then heard Velvet Remedy calling for me “Littlepip! Calamity found some supplies!”

I turned my head and called back “I’ll be there in a sec!” I turned my attention back to the hat. Whoever it belonged to…well I got this weird feeling in my gut that he was happy. He lived a good life…somehow because of me.

I shook my head. I must just be craving Homage so much that my head was messing with me. I could use some mentals. I put the hat back down on the ground to rest. I turned around and began walking…I could've sworn some voice called me though…saying…

Thank you Littlepip….

_______________________________________________

Authors Note

This story is dedicated to my inspiration and muse. Kkat, if you ever find this I just want to say thank you. It’s because of your masterpiece that I felt the courage to write. I still have a long ways to go but I want to thank you for putting me on that path. Thank you so much for giving the fandom such an awesome gift. I hope one day I can be as great of a writer as you are.

Your biggest fan…

Jacoboby1

Author's Note

Link to side story: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/50228/equestria-noir-side-story-bella-notte
Link to next case:http://www.fimfiction.net/story/50322/equestria-noir-case-8-scoots-and-murders