This was it.
Weeks of careful planning and not one but three risky surveillance jobs were finally going to pay off.
Anon shuffled nervously in his saddle, unable to sit still.
"Oh quit fussin'!" Applejack tossed over her shoulder, "You're makin' my back itch!"
He leaned forward to give her a pat on the neck, "Sorry girl, just my nerves."
The dirty orange pony tapped the ground with a hoof and said, "Well, how's about we go over the plan one more time. That always helps calm ya down, keep ya focused. Really can't be messin' this one up now."
Anon sighed, then nodded once and said, "Alright, 'spose you're right. So, the Baron'll come 'round the mountain in his stagecoach, probably whippin' his ponies 'til they're frothing at the mouth since the fucker just loves to beat all his—"
"Focus, Anon," Applejack interrupted."
"Right. He'll be headed for that there locomotive in the distance, where we've left some toys in preparation. Now, assuming the clerk honors the bribe I gave him, the key to the Baron's coach oughta be tucked underneath the deerskin fur in the main coach, right by the tail."
Applejack turned a side eye on him, "Ain'tcha forgetting somethin'?"
Anon grimaced, "Yeap, no you're right, gettin' ahead of myself. So before I even go lookin' for any dadgum key, you and I trot down all pretty-like and I show the operator this here fancy deed of ownership and hope it's up to snuff. If they ain't convinced, we hightail it outta there and hope there's some way to salvage the last three weeks."
The pony shuffled her hooves awkwardly, rocking Anon back and forth in the saddle, and said, "Let's hope it don't come to that, yeah? Now come on, what's next?"
"Well, once we're on the steamer, we go straight to our bunk like good little overnighters. Then I go lookin' for that dadgum key."
Applejack nodded her head and prompted, "Alright, let's say y'all find the key right where it's 'sposed to be—what next? Can't just go bargin' into the Baron's room now can we?"
Anon gave her a playful tap of the heel, "And just who's to say that I won't?"
She snorted and bounced her rump to jostle him, "Don't be playin' games now, this ain't the time."
"Right right, just teasin'. Well, once I got the key and I've tested it out real sneak-like to make sure it'll work when the time comes, we lay low in our room for an hour or two, wait 'til we're good and lost in the mountains."
Anon grimaced—he didn't like this next part.
"Aaaaand then I quietly unlock the Baron's room, hide off to the side, and let you 'stumble' through the door to get a lay of the place."
"Oh, don't sound so glum, Anon," she chided, "You're comin' in right afterwards."
"Yeah I know, just hate sendin' you in there first. Feels cowardly."
She turned to look back at him with a quiet whiny, "Come on, Anon, we've been through this! If some big burly mother hubbard with a face like yours comes bargin' in through a locked door, anyone with half a mug upstairs is gonna shoot first an' ask questions later. But if it's just lil' old me—"
"Yeah yeah, I get it. You look cute, I look mean. I get why it's gotta be done, but that don't mean I gotta like it. I'd rather kick the door down and me myself'll be the one shootin' first, asking questions never."
Applejack gave him a stern look, "And what'd you plan to do when you barge in there and he's off to the side, or in the bathroom, or kneeling, or whatever the hay happens so y'all can't get a shot off right away, then instead he gets a shot off on you! Where'd I be then, huh?"
Anon scowled and swung out of the saddle with a heavy thump and a jangle as he hit the ground, intending to stride off in a huff. Applejack never even gave him the chance. The moment his boots touched the dirt, she whipped around and hooked a forehoof around his torso, locking him to her shoulder. He grunted and wiggled for a moment, but it was hopeless. Applejack was damn strong even for an earth pony; she could overpower him without even breaking a sweat and they both knew it.
He relaxed into her grip with a reluctant sigh and muttered, "Dammit girl, I just wanted—"
"No! I need y'all to hear this, Anon!"
She turned to peer at him, forcing him to stare into her deep green eyes, and said fervently, "I'm tired a you always wantin' to rush in all gung-ho, guns-a-blazing. Don't you understand ya got people relying on you—ponies relying on you! There ain't nopony else 'round here who does what we do Anon, and I can't do it without you."
She shook her head in frustration and continued, "Don't you get it? It's already bad enough that I'd wind up right back under the whip if I lost you, but we'd be letting down all those ponies who look to us for hope, too! There's more'n yer moon-blasted ego at stake here, ya big git!"
Anon raised an arm and shoved her face away, but she'd made her point and let him go after that.
They stood there quietly for a moment before he broke the silence, "Fine, I take your meaning. But what is it you actually want me to do? What are you looking for me to change?"
Her tail swished in agitation but she kept her voice calm as she slowly said, "I want you to understand the meanin' of the word caution, Anon. Just... quit bein' so reckless all the dang time, y'know?"
He shook his head, "I mean specifics, girl. Give me examples—something I did and what you'd wish I'd a done different, or somethin' like that."
She fell quiet for a moment, but it didn't take her long to think of an example and she said, "Remember our first stakeout for this here train, an' you heard a gunshot coming from down there? You damn near gave me a bruise you dug your heels in so hard, but I refused to budge, and y'all got so dang angry ya just about jumped off an' ran the whole way yourself."
Anon scowled. He remembered alright.
"You mean when we could'a saved that poor pegasus from gettin' his wing broken if we'd've just hurried the hell up?"
He was surprised to see her actually prance in place a bit with agitation.
"No! That's exactly my point, we could not have saved him! Even if I'd a galloped as hard as I could the moment you kicked me, we wouldn't have been even close to making it in time, and our cover would've been blown to boot!"
Anon turned away in disgust, but he knew she was right and hated to admit it.
She just kept on talking to the back of his head, "One of these days your 'act first, think later' deal is gonna land one or both of us in serious shit, and if either of us falls, this whole operation goes under. I need you to get around the humans, and y'all need me to get the trust of the ponies."
Applejack trotted around and lowered her head to stare up into his glowering face and said, "If you give one single damn about what we're doin' here, then for all our sakes, please try not to get yourself killed, alright?" He averted his gaze and she stepped a little closer, "And if you don't give a damn about the organization, I know ya give a damn about me. What'd I be left with if something happened to you?"
Anon knew all too well. Without his face to keep up the front, their facade would be discovered within a fortnight, and Applejack would be right back where she started: no hope, no future, no friends, and nothing but hard manual labor until her body gave out.
Her face shoved into view again, "I see them angry lines in yer face gettin' softer, so don't pretend like I ain't makin' sense."
Anon passed a hand over his face and slumped in defeat, "Alright, AJ, you win. You usually do anyhow. I'll be more careful, just... don't be so angry when you remind me, alright?"
She visibly relaxed, "Fair enough. Ya don't know how happy I am to hear that, Anon. I tell ya, if y'all knew the half of what I've been a seein' in my nightmares, you'd be worried too. Some nights I really miss havin' Princess Luna around to—" She cut herself off abruptly and her eyes went distant.
Anon stepped toward her and gently rubbed the back of her head, just behind the ears, his voice low and understanding as he said, "Come on, girl. We'll bring it back, one pony at a time."
She closed her eyes for a moment, sniffed a little, then nodded and looked back up at him, "Right, 'course. So, anyway, the plan."
"Yep. Now where were we... ah, right: so once you go barreling through the door like a drunken donkey with four left hooves, you get him all distracted like so his eyes are off the door and then say the codeword—lets go with 'watermelon' today—then I come lumbering up behind him and knock him out cold."
"Ya make it sound so easy."
"Well, that's what I'm here for, ain't it?" he said with a wry smirk, "You're the looks and I'm the brawn."
"Now we just need to find a brain and maybe we can get some work done."
He smirked at that, then got back on topic, saying, "Once he's out, we ignore all the likely valuable goodies lying about and instead go straight for the rear cabin attached to his coach. That's where he keeps his most prized possessions."
"Right. We don't know who he's got, but we know it's somepony valuable—real valuable. Buck, the way he was talking the other night, it might even be one of the princesses! Now wouldn't that be a hoot!"
"Princesses?"
She grimaced, "Right, guess y'all wouldn't know. I'll explain later—I hear hoofbeats in the distance. I bet it's our mark."
"Even if it ain't we oughta be out of sight all the same."
She nodded and they moved sideways off the beaten trail and into the thicker brush. Applejack's coat wasn't dirty out of laziness, it was camouflage—her orange coat was so bright when it was freshly washed that it stuck out like a canary in a dung heap. Besides, it helped her look like a working horse and avoid suspicion.
Applejack's pony ears were better than Anon's and it took a few moments before he even heard anything approaching, but sure enough, Baron Luke Von Brougue himself came racing around the turn, whipping his poor ponies far more than necessary just like Anon guessed he would. He felt his whole body go rigid with rage, but Applejack's soft hoof on his shoulder kept him in check. The man would get what was coming to him soon enough.
After he passed, the pair sat in silence as they waited a reasonable length of time to avoid arousing suspicion after coming down the same path the Baron just rode through. Then Anon climbed with practiced ease into the saddle and Applejack began trotting peacefully down the road. As they approached the train, a guard and a conductor stepped out to greet them, the guard proudly displaying the large revolver at his hip. Anon hunched slightly out of reflex to mask his own weapons, then remembered he wasn't wearing any. Not that the guard had any reason to be suspicious of him in the first place, but you could never be too sure with these small town guards. Some of them had a tick up their behind something fierce and were just itching for a chance to take out their frustrations on someone.
Applejack stopped well short of the train and obediently lowered her head, avoiding eye contact as was "proper" for her position. Anon gave them a friendly tip of the hat in greeting.
"Howdy, fellas."
The conductor merely nodded sourly, but the guard gave him a cheery, "Howdy!" in response, stepping right up close to Applejack's side, both thumbs hooked on his belt as he added, "So what brings you out here all on your lonesome? We're a long way from any real town."
Anon shrugged with feigned indifference, "Ohhh, I was out tryna hunt in these parts. Thought I'd have better luck than I did back home." He pointed at Applejack's bare rump where any catch would've been strung up with a rueful chuckle, "Clearly I was mistaken."
The guard chuckled with him, then asked, "And where exactly is 'back home'? You from around these parts?"
"Oh no, I'm from out east, just over the border roundabouts that new town Oatman."
Anon and Applejack had learned this train's schedule and happened to know that town was just a few hours along its route.
The guard tilted his head and asked, "Awful long way to go huntin', wouldn't ya say?"
Something about the man's friendly demeanor was setting off warning bells in the back of Anon's mind, but there wasn't much he could do now except play along and see where it goes, so he fibbed a bit—something he was unfortunately far too practiced at.
"Well, you know. Ya see a doe, take a shot, try and chase her down, wind up clear across country without a spot of blood to show for it... repeat that a couple more times and, well, ya wind up some damn fool too far from home like me," he shrugged in a 'what can ya do' sort of way and added, "That's why I'm here, to board the train and finally get back home. Assuming this one's headed back east, that is."
The officer eyed Anon suspiciously and held out his hand for Anon's papers. Anon hesitated with what he hoped was a friendly and bemused smile and not a condescending smirk.
"Uh... meanin' no offense, sir, but ain't that the conductor's job?"
That seemed to confuse the man for a moment, then he realized what had happened and chuckled wryly, "I ain't askin' for your boarding pass, partner. I'm a wanting to check that your property's legitimate."
"Oh, right. Uh, should be in one of these here pockets... ah, here ya are. There's her mane and coat color, a copy of her cutie mark, and her name's right there: Orange Blossom."
The guard followed Anon's finger, frowning slightly, looking back and forth from the paper to Applejack and back again.
"Pull back that saddlebag, lemme see the mark."
Anon did so, revealing an orange flower in bloom, with a small serial number dyed into her skin just below it. The officer let out a sigh, "Alright, I guess you're clean. You oughta know we've been getting reports of a wanted pony seen in these parts that matches that one's coat and mane color."
"...But ya ain't arresting me, so..."
"It's mark don't match, and well, those marks these ponies got don't never lie."
Anon nodded, "That they don't. What's the mark of the wanted pony? I'd like to keep an eye out, too."
"It's three small apples in a triangle pattern. Pony's known as 'Applejack,' and if you spot it, just keep right on turning. Dangerous, that one is."
Anon scoffed in disbelief, as any rational human would, "Really officer? A pony, dangerous? Come on."
He nodded seriously, "Yeah, you heard me: dangerous. This one's already injured two people since their last escape. It's a thief, a vandal, and some say it's even a man-killer. I have orders to shoot on sight."
Anon whistled low, "Man, I didn't think these ponies had it in them to hurt no one. Figured the war made that pretty clear."
The guard shrugged, "I dunno, but at least most of them seem to know their place. Yours seems very well trained, so well done."
Anon accepted the compliment with a tip of his hat and the man stepped back, allowing Anon to finally turn toward the conductor. From the man's expression, he wanted this exchange to be done and over with as quickly as possible, and Anon was inclined to agree. After a cursory glance at his boarding pass, the conductor waved them silently along and Anon guided Applejack forward a few short trots. Then he hopped out of the saddle and gave her legs a quick brush down to get the bulk of the loose sand off before boarding.
Once inside they carefully maneuvered down the narrow hall to their little booth labeled 17B. No sooner was the door shut than Applejack was whispering fiercely, "Buckin' horse manure, I ain't done none o' that tripe! And I sure as hay ain't never killed no humans!"
Anon laid a calming hand on her withers and said, "I know girl. At least we won't be in this region much longer."
"But... shoot on sight? Really!? I ain't even done nothin' but got myself free! Sweet Celestia, you'd think I'd... well, I'd killed somepony! Thank the moon I remembered to disguise my cutie mark."
"Yeap. And good on you for not even twitching an ear in reaction. You played your part like a master."
"If only it weren't needed," she grumbled.
"If only. Now, I'm a go find me a key. Stay outta trouble, y'hear?"
She made a noncommittal grunt and Anon slid the door open again, ambling casually down the hall and nodding politely to the occasional face he saw in open doorways. He crossed over one more car and suppressed a grin as he saw the skinned deer on the far end of the floor. Then he looked around and silently thanked The Lord for his good fortune: the car was almost entirely empty, with just two tired looking faces staring idly out the window. That made his life a lot easier.
He casually strolled down the hall and scuffed the tail of the deer as he walked over it, and sure enough, he felt a little lump beneath his toe. His heartrate jumped up a bit—Hell, this plan of theirs might actually work!
He continued into the next car over, which happened to be a small buffet car, and grabbed a plate of bread rolls. Then he returned to the previous car and, just as he passed the key, he feigned tripping over his own feet with an "oop!" and a grunt, and dropped the plate of buns with a loud clatter.
"Ah shit, sorry, sorry folks. Still getting used to these damn boots..."
He may as well have not even bothered for all the attention the two passengers paid him. He stooped to pick up his plate and buns, slipping the key out from under the deerskin in the process and covertly tucking it into a small pocket he'd had sewn into the end of his jacket sleeve. Then he straightened and returned to the buffet car. It was the last car before the Baron's so, after casually waiting for a lady to finish getting her plate and leave the room, he quietly tested the key in the Baron's door. He didn't actually turn it to unlocked, just barely far enough to recognize that it would work later. Satisfied, he slipped the key back into his sleeve pocket and turned back just in time to see the train's guard stepping through the door at the far end of the car.
"You there!" he said with a glare, "Was that you causin' such a ruckus just now?"
Anon grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah... still ain't use to these here boots, stumbled and dropped my damn plate. Was it really that loud?"
"Just dropped your plate, huh? What are you doing over by that door? That's a private coach, that is."
"O-Oh. Sorry sir, must have gotten turned around. I was wonderin' why it didn't open for me."
The guard sighed and his shoulders slumped, "Well, you ain't the first one, and I doubt you'll be the last. What fool laid out this buffet car to be perfectly symmetrical I don't know, but I'd like to give him a slap for the trouble." He pointed at the table in the center, "Look, this side of the table has the plates, that side of the table has the food. You go from the plates, to the food, to the exit. Got it?"
"Yessir, got it."
"Good. The man what owns that there coach ain't exactly friendly and's a bit too quick on the draw, if ya catch my meanin'."
"'Preciate it."
The man turned with a wave of his arm and they both moved back into the previous car.
"If you don't mind my asking," Anon said casually, "That man in the coach... who is he?"
The guard waved a dismissive hand, "Ah, he likes his privacy, that one. Wouldn't be happy at all if I went about blabbin' his name to anyone who came along."
Anon nodded and shrugged, "Fair enough, I can respect that. I suppose a man of power like that needs to keep things close to his chest."
"Who said anything about a man of power?"
Oops. Anon thought quick, "Oh, nothin'. But I mean, he's got a whole coach so himself, so I assume he's somebody important, that's all."
The guard shrugged, "Coaches like that don't hardly get used out here in the boonies so it ain't as pricey as you might think."
"Ah okay, so it could just as easily be some random Johnny splurging a bit for the weekend, I gotcha."
He set his hand on the door to booth 17B; time to warn Applejack about who was out here before he opened it.
"This here's me. I didn't catch your name, officer...?"
"Jones. Officer Billy Jones."
Anon tipped his hat with a friendly grin, then slid the booth open. Applejack was sitting stock still on the floor by the window, but the guard grunted when he saw her."
"Hmph. Ya see that there dirt on the seats? Your pony's been treatin' itself to the human chairs while you were gone." Applejack's ears flipped back nervously and Officer Jones' grin turned wicked, "Yep, see them ears? It knows what it did. Y'all need a crop or anythin' to make your point?"
Anon scowled fiercely, though not for the reason Jones was thinking.
"Nah, I've made this particularly point before, so clearly I'm gonna need to use something a little more substantial. It'll regret it plenty after I get home."
Jones furrowed his brow, "Sure you don't want to punish it now? 'Sposed to be best to do it while the event is fresh in its mind, y'know, like a dog."
Anon's scowl deepened, "Oh no, I'm gonna let it stew for a few hours and just try to imagine what sort of punishment will be in store for it later. The anticipation will be nearly as bad as the discipline itself."
"Well suit yourself. Aside from that it seems well trained so you must be doing something right."
Jones shot Applejack a nasty look and she quickly averted her eyes, tension and nerves etched in every line of her body.
He laughed and tipped his hat to Anon, "Alright, I take your meaning. Toyin' with that thing oughta be fun."
Anon forced himself to chuckle in response and slid the door shut as Jones turned to walk away, then let out a long sigh and muttered to himself, "Fuckin' prick."
When he turned around to face Applejack, he was surprised to see she hadn't entirely dropped the scared pony act.
"Whoa, relax girl! You know I ain't about to whip you. Come on, hop on up."
He sat down and patted the space beside him and she hesitated only a moment before climbing up and settling in.
"Sorry. Old habits die hard, I 'spose. And y'all put on a damn good act."
Anon wrapped an arm around her neck and jostled her playfully, "I keep telling you we're equal. It's all just for show, alright?"
She nodded and sat back upright, but still didn't seem able to relax. After a few moments of silence, Anon gently prompted, "...You alright, girl?"
Her breath caught in her throat and she shook her head, then said quietly, "No Anon. No, I'm not."
He put his arm back around her neck, but this time to pull her into a hug.
"Yeah... I know."
"Why's it gotta be like this, Anon?"
"You know why."
"No I don't!" She pulled away from him and wiped her face with a fetlock, "I get we lost the war, but why was there ever a damn war in the first place? Why'd we all have to turn to hate and violence 'stead of just talkin' it out like with any other species? What'd we do wrong? What'd we do to deserve being..." her voice fell to a whisper, "...slaves?"
Anon grimaced and said, "Y'all didn't do nothing wrong, Applejack. Ponies never did nothing wrong. It was all us, the humans. We're the ones filled with greed and hate and violence. We're the ones turned what should've been a simple diplomatic discussion into a declaration of war. Y'all hardly even fought back—it was obvious from day one y'all didn't want to fight."
"Well 'course we didn't... why would anypony fight when there are friends to be made?"
"Because evil, Applejack. Some people are just plain evil, and there ain't no two ways about it."
"That don't make me feel better, Anon."
He sighed heavily, "I know, girl. It ain't helpin' me much either, truth be told. But that's just how the world works. We do what good we can, when and where we can, but on the whole... we're just gonna have to deal with all this evil around us." His arm snaked around her neck a third time and he pulled her close again, "But you ain't alone no more, alright? We're partners."
She nodded silently, then laid a head on his chest and murmured, "Thank you."
An hour or two later, Anon finally wrestled himself upright and gently shook the head resting in his lap. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around in fear for a brief second, then her eyes found his face and she relaxed. It happened sometimes, and Anon didn't embarrass her by bringing attention to it.
"C'mon girl. Time to do the good work."
She picked herself up and stretched her forelegs over her head, limbs bending in ways no normal horse could manage.
"Alright," she yawned, "I'm up. Let's, ah... let's get going."
"We gotta pick up the goodies first. I was with the guard and couldn't grab them earlier."
"Yep, I saw." She hopped to the floor and slid the door open, peeking out with the edge of her face, then whispered, "Clear."
They made their way down to the buffet car without event. Upon entering, they were forced to amble about and pretend to get some food while another man got a plate of food to bring back to his cab. When he finally exited, Anon dumped the plate of food he'd been gathering and jammed a chair up under the door to the rest of the train. Then he bent low, tucking an arm up under one of the tables, feeling around until he found a bag full of gear, secured there just the day before by a very sneaky Applejack.
He quickly helped her into her saddlebags, hooking her up with her very own weapon: a custom built colt pistol that hooked firmly onto her fetlock and was operated by twisting her hoof the right way. She could even reload it herself with her mouth in a pinch, but it was slow and usually Anon would do it for her. It was also nearly the same color as her coat, so it blended in and was not easily noticed. It was far and away the most illegal thing they owned, and if the feds even knew it existed then the bounty on their heads would at the very least quadruple.
Next he loaded up his own gear: a beautifully carved revolver on one hip called "Cupid" due to the heart on the grip, a plain sawed-off shotgun on the other hip, a very expensive lever action rifle across his back, and multiple knives stowed in various places on his body. One was even tucked up his sleeve and could be produced in less than a second with just the right flick of a wrist--and he practiced the motion religiously to ensure he could still do it under duress.
He and Applejack paused and nodded slowly to each other, then positioned themselves by the door to the Baron's car. Anon very slowly and cautiously turned the key in the lock, wincing at every faintest little click, expecting a shotgun blast through the door at any second. But it turned over without problem and Anon stepped sideways out of immediate sight of the door.
Applejack leaned sideways on the door, turned the handle, and with a feigned startled yelp, made a controlled tumble into the room, landing in a carefully calculated heap of limbs that looked messy but actually helped conceal her equipment while giving her an excellent view of the room.
Until he heard the codeword 'watermelon,' all Anon could do now was listen. He heard a gruff voice that sounded like it had been asleep say, "Uhhh... huh? What? Who the blazes are you!?" The Baron, presumably.
Applejack was all charm, "Oh! Goodness me, I'm terribly sorry, sir! I was only leanin' up against that there door takin' a breather when the darn thing just fell open! Scared the bejeezes outta me, if I'm totally honest. So sorry to bother you, sir, I'll just be going."
There was a sound of sliding furniture and the Baron said, "N-N-Now see here! Halt, I say, explain yourself! The door simply fell open? What a load of rubbish. How did you open my door? Where is your owner? Who lets their pony simply roam about the train? I demand you answer me at once, slave!"
There was more rustling and Anon imagined Applejack attempting to reposition herself to give him easier access.
"I don't much know what yer meanin' sir. P-Please, I need to get back to work! I already shouldn't've been resting."
"So you are trespassing and delinquent? What a disgrace you are. Come here at once--that's an order!"
There were a few clicks of hooves on the hardwood floor and Anon laid a hand on his pistol. Surely any second now...
"Sir please, they'll be wondering why I haven't returned!"
"Silence! What in heaven's name are you wearing? What kind of gear is that. If you continue to avoid my questions I shall have you beaten. Now--"
"Watermelon!"
Anon took a quick peek into the room before acting. In an instant, he took in the layout of the furniture, the distance to the Baron, and Applejack's position relative to him. She had smartly kept herself off to the side so she wouldn't be in the line of fire if Anon was forced to shoot.
"What the devil are you saying? Watermelon? The food?"
Anon quietly stepped out, took three steps forward, and just as the man was turning to investigate this new noise, Anon clamped his arm around the man's neck, the Baron's chin over his elbow, grabbed his first with his other hand, and squeezed. The man never even had a chance. Within seconds he was limp in Anon's arms and he let him drop carelessly to the ground.
"Right, that won't keep him out for long. You know what to do."
She nodded, and Anon jogged back out the door, dislodged the chair from the buffet car's door and replaced it, then jogged back into the Baron's room, shutting and locking the door behind them. Now they had privacy.
Applejack, meanwhile, had hogtied the man in record time and gagged him just as effectively. He would wake in a moment to find himself almost completely immobile and unable to speak.
Anon got a wicked glint in his eye.
"Don't..." Applejack warned.
"Come on, he deserves it."
"He does, be we don't deserve the price it'll add to our heads! Theft, then assault, then murder, that's the order. Each one is a bigger bounty and more sheriffs on our tail. We're here to steal a pony, Anon. Nothing more."
Anon growled, but he knew she was right. Together they approached the rear door, only to discover it was locked. Applejack sighed.
"Alright, go look for the key while I see if I can get the damn pick set to work this time."
She sat beside the door and reached into her saddlebag as Anon began digging through drawers and peeking into cabinets. The Baron began to stir, and Anon realized the key might just be on the man himself. He began rifling through his pockets just as his eyes fluttered, then snapped open and narrowed with hate and fury.
"Yeah, that's right, I dare. Fuckin' stop me you piece of shit."
Then he sucker punched the Baron on the side of the head.
"Anon!"
"Ahh, he'll be fine. Nothing broken. Yet." He leaned down real close to the Baron's face and muttered in his most intimidating growl, "Nobody knows we're here. Nobody's looking for you. It'll be a good long while before anyone realizes something is wrong. An awful lot can happen with all that time... ya catch my meaning?"
Baron Luke Von Brougue's eyes darted around the room, then settled back onto Anon's, and now the eyes were filled with fear.
"Ah, he understands. Good. Now, we're getting into that back room of yours one way or another. It's up to you whether it's the quick and easy way, or the slow and painful way. Which will it be?"
He shook his head, but Anon caught his eyes darting to a spot on the wall. Upon closer investigation, there was a wall-colored envelope glued there, all but invisible unless seen from an oblique angle.
"Oh, clever you. I wonder what's in here?"
Anon pulled out the key and approached Applejack, who swore vehemently, "Damn pick was such a waste of money, ain't good for nothin'!"
"I'm sure it just takes practice."
Anon slid the key into the lock and clicked it open as Applejack replied, "Practice shmactice, I've spent hours on that buckin' thing and still ain't got a single..."
She trailed off as the door swung open to reveal a pale blue pony with a filthy brown mane and tail. The pony squinted at the light, for it had been pitch dark inside. She asked in a scratchy voice, "Are... are you my new master?"
Applejack took a clumsy step forward and Anon noticed tears had begun streaming down her face.
"D... Dash? R-Rainbow Dash, is that really you?"
The pony seemed confused by her words.
"Rainbow... Dash? That... that's not my name anymore. Come on, you know we can't use our old names."
"Dash!" Rainbow it's me, Applejack! We're here to get you outta here!"
"Well... I mean sure, that's a weird way to phrase it, but yeah I'm ready to go. Who's our new master?"
Applejack lunged forward and began tearing at the ropes that held Rainbow Dash in place.
"No--nngh--master, explain later. We need--hnng--to go!"
The rope abruptly snapped under Applejack's enormous strength and it coiled loosely around Dash's body. Anon, who had been surprised by his pony friend's reaction, finally stepped into the room, leaving the door half open for the light, and knelt beside Applejack to help unwrap the ropes.
However, the moment he approached, Dash's whole demeanor instantly changed. She adopted a pitiful expression, her voice raised nearly an octave, and she straightened almost violently upright, staring straight ahead with unseeing eyes and speaking in a rapid, nervous tone.
"M-Master! Um, you're my new master, right? I-It's a pleasure--no, an honor to meet you! My old master called me Bluey, but of course you can call me whatever you like. Sorry, you knew that. Um. I-I'll be good, don't worry! I know what happens to bad ponies who don't listen."
Anon's heart sank. The desperation in her voice was all too telling--this pony had resisted training.
They never resisted for long.
"Th-There's no need for any disciplinary schools, I've already been to them all. N-Not because I misbehave! No, I just wanted to be the best pony I can be for you. My old master didn't return me or anything, I'm n-not like that, I swear. I was actually head mare for a long time, and a good one! He just already had a few other ponies and wanted to downsize, that's all. Um, th-that's what he told me, at least, I don't claim to--"
"Dash."
At his gentle word, she fell instantly silent and utterly still. Her mouth opened, then closed again. Finally, she quietly said, "Um... y-you can call me anything you like, of course, b-but if I could... if I could please just ask... anything but that. I..."
Applejack interjected, her voice choked with tears, "Rainbow, it's okay, you're safe now. We're gonna take you home."
She nodded curtly, "Of course, home. Yes. I'll take good care of your home, master."
"N-No, I mean--"
"AJ, Listen," Anon interrupted, "We don't have time for this. She's been thoroughly broken, and we're not gonna fix her with a five minute conversation. Let's get her somewhere safe, and then we can talk all we want."
"B-But she--"
Rainbow Dash instantly jammed a hoof into Applejack's muzzle to silence her, all but shouting, "Yes master, of course!" She glared fiercely at Applejack, who was left stunned as Dash stood and began walking toward the door. Anon grimaced.
"Like I said, she's been broken. She said she was head mare, too. Getting her to safety is gonna be rough."
Applejack stared after her, mouth still hanging partially open. Anon snapped a finger in front of her face.
"C'mon girl, snap out of it. I still need your help."
In a flash, Rainbow Dash was back in front of Applejack, a hoof hooked roughly around her withers, "Come ON, we have our orders!" said Rainbow Dash. She looked back over her shoulder in Anon's direction without actually meeting his eye, "Don't worry master, I see what's going on here. I'll get this pony back in line for you, you don't have to--"
"No, Dash."
A flicker of anguish flashed over her face, but she smothered it quickly. "O-Okay, sorry master. What do you want me to do instead?"
"Just... you're not head mare right now, okay? Don't start acting like one just yet."
"Oh, um... yes, master."
She deflated as if she was utterly worthless and walked slowly toward the door, ignoring Applejack entirely and waiting patiently for the two of them to exit. Anon approached Applejack and ruffled her mane reassuringly.
"Don't worry, girl. I'm sure once she understands what's going on, she'll start to change back to her old self. It'll be okay."
"You... you don't understand..." Applejack wore a pained expression as she stared at the pony's backside, "This is--was Rainbow Dash, the fiercest, most courageous and strong-hearted pony I've ever known, not to mention one of my closest friends from... from before. To see her like this, it's..."
Rainbow Dash was acting like she didn't hear, but Anon could see her ears turned back toward them and wondered just how much she was comprehending.
"Well, like I said, I'm sure she'll start to come back to herself soon. Just give it time."
Applejack nodded, "I sure hope so."
Anon led the way out of the room and noticed Rainbow Dash jerk with surprise when she saw the Baron.
"You recognize him?" Anon asked.
Rainbow Dash nodded, "He took me away. I thought he was my new master, but he never gave me any orders, never even spoke to me. May I ask--who is he?"
Anon decided to take temporary advantage of the situation to better handle Dash as they escaped the train.
"He was working for me, bringing you to me. Listen, here are your orders."
She instantly turned and sat facing him, ears perked, eyes wide and focused, but still never quite meeting his gaze.
"We are going to leave this train by unconventional means. You are not to question this, nor hesitate when the time comes to depart. Follow me from beside Applejack, do not step in front of her, and if a gunfight breaks out, you stay beside Applejack. Understand?"
"Yes, master!"
"And don't call me master. Call me by my name 'Anon' or, if you must use a title, use 'sir'."
"Yes, sir!"
Anon nodded, feeling a little awkward, then gestured toward the Baron, who was on his side attempting to scooch his way closer to the door. Applejack slid him back to his starting place with no apparent effort, then returned to Anon.
"Right, so how are we doing it today?" Applejack asked.
"I was kinda thinking we disconnect the car and let it just coast to a stop this time."
"And the Baron?"
"Ah, someone'll find him eventually."
The Baron made a grunting sound through his gag, but Anon ignored him.
Applejack glanced at him, then said, "They might find him by crashing into his car with another train."
"True. We'll roll him outside then."
"You really hate this guy, huh?"
Anon grimaced, "If you knew half of what I knew about how he treats ponies, you'd hate him too, and he don't treat humans much better. Trust me when I say no one will be missing him very much. I mean, if you think Rainbow Dash is bad now, be glad he only had her for a few hours."
He noticed a little shudder from the pegasus when he used her name again.
"Alright," said Applejack, "I'll disconnect the car. Hopefully it'll be a while before anybody noticed."
Anon knelt beside Rainbow Dash, who averted her gaze when he approached.
"You alright girl? How you feeling?"
She seemed surprised by the question and unsure of how to answer at first. Eventually she said, "Um... I'm kinda hungry?"
Anon nodded and reached into his knapsack, pulling out a small package of crackers, saying, "Here you go. Enjoy."
She took it almost reverently and hesitated before biting into the paper wrapper to tear it open, her ears perked toward him as if expecting him to command her to stop. Anon spied something in her mane and, slowly to avoid scaring her, reached up with a hand to brush aside a clump of hair. There was a stripe of vivid red in her mane.
Anon felt a gentle lurch as Applejack got the car disconnected and she came trotting back up to them. Anon ignored her for the moment and asked Dash, "Why do you hide your mane?"
She hesitated, then awkwardly said, "Um, it just hasn't been, well, cared for in a while. After my old master had to give me up , I spent... I dunno, a few weeks or so in one of the pony kennels. It... wasn't a very good one."
Anon could imagine just how 'not very good' it was.
"Sorry to hear that, but we'll get you cleaned up soon. Looking forward to seeing what your mane really looks like under all this grime."
"Yeah... I guess." She gave him a small smile then, the first he'd seen on her face, and it looked good on her.
He stood and checked the opening at the front of the car and saw they had already slowed quite a lot. Soon they would be stopped entirely and it would be time to get moving. Anon squatted beside the Baron.
"Alright. I can either leave you in the car and you risk getting hit by another train that doesn't see you in time, or I can have Applejack drag you outside and leave you in the dirt. Nod your head to stay on the train, shake it to wait in the dirt."
He nodded vigorously, then grunted again, more urgently this time. Anon rolled his eyes--he was going to regret this, he knew. He loosened the Baron's gag and slipped it free of his mouth.
"Oh, thank the gods... bloody savages." Anon held the gag up again and his tone immediately softened, "W-What I mean to say is, well, why?"
"It's simple really."
Anon's voice was casual as he slowly stood and walked to the man's desk.
"You're an evil piece of shit."
He grabbed the Baron's crop and returned to the man.
"N-Now see here, th-there's no cause for--"
Anon leaned down close until his face was just inches from the man's and hissed, "I want you to think about this moment next time you raise a whip against another sentient being."
Then he lashed out with the crop, whipping the man hard across his back. His fancy clothing, useless for protection, immediately tore and revealed a bright red line where he'd struck.
"Ah--AAAA!"
Anon raised the whip again, then jerked to a stop as Applejack leapt in front of him, shielding the man with her body.
"Don't you buckin' dare!"
The Baron looked curiously at Applejack but Anon just scowled, "Dammit girl, you know he deserves this!"
She scowled right back at him, "And you know damn well you ought to leave him be!"
Anon gritted his teeth, his arm still raised. Applejack hated whips, she'd collapse in an instant if he brought it down on her... but he couldn't, and she knew it. His arm slowly lowered and he dropped the crop at the Baron's feet.
"Alright Applejack. I don't get why you're defending this scum, but alright."
"Applejack..." Her ears flipped back as the Baron said her name, "You're that wanted pony. They... They say you killed a man!"
She snorted and turned away from him, "I just save ponies, I ain't killed no one."
Anon tapped the man's gut with a boot and laid a hand on his revolver, "But I might."
The Baron just looked scared and kept his mouth shut after that.
Applejack approached the coach door and said, "Come on, Anon, quit scaring the man. Let's go."
Rainbow Dash blinked in surprise when he nodded and approached her, but she followed them without question just as he'd told her to. The train car was ambling slowly down a gentle hill towards a broad valley, so it wouldn't stop fully for a long while.
Anon stood on the edge of the car and turned to Rainbow Dash, "Just jump straight sideways and roll to the ground. Don't try to stay upright; tuck and roll."
Applejack smirked, "I don't think a pegasus needs to worry about that. Right, Dash?"
Rainbow Dash didn't answer, only looked down at the ground. That's when Anon noticed her wings for the first time--or rather, what was left of them. They'd been pinned to her back, plucked of every feather, and left there to wither away until they were no more than strange blue tentacles coming off her shoulders. They were thin and frail, as if they hadn't been used in a very long time.
Applejack gasped, tears springing to her eyes, "Dash, your--"
"Yeah, my wings! Get over it. I have."
"But--"
"Whatever!"
She pushed past Applejack and leapt sideways off the train. Applejack whinnied in surprise and leapt after, and Anon rolled his eyes, following after them both. He tucked his head in and let his momentum twist his legs out from under him, shoulder bouncing off the grass, then he splayed his limbs out to stop himself rolling any further. He skidded a bit further on the grass, then slid to a halt directly next to Applejack.
