//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: The Way of the Maneaanite // by Wheller //------------------------------// Chapter 3 Ditzy Doo was foaming with anger with Applejack, and Big McIntosh, here. The last thing she needed was a reminder of her old home and the pain that it had brought her. In the past, she had just taken the emotional abuse and kept on smiling. Shrugging off the things that had been done to her, she had been a push over. The entire town had walked around all over her, and for what? What had she accomplished in her time as a letter carrier for the Ponyville post office? Absolutely nothing, her wage of five pounds fifteen and five a week was barely enough to provide for her and her own. Money meant nothing to her, not anymore, all that mattered was her, Dinky, Graham Cracker, and the rest of the community. Ditzy Doo hadn’t even bothered to return to Pony Express to collect her pay for the job that had brought her to the Divide, but that was mostly because she hadn’t actually made the delivery. The package had been stolen from her and she had no business trying to get paid for the job. She had no idea, of course that that was exactly how the shipper had wanted it to happen. ‘Ditzy Doo...’ Graham Cracker said quietly. ‘Remember, we must not harbour ill will towards others, it’s bad for the soul’. Ditzy closed her eyes tightly and let out a sigh. ‘I know... I know. It’s just brought up a lot of bad memories, I’ll ask for God’s forgiveness after I’ve calmed down a little’. Ditzy Doo looked up to discover they had made their way to the centre of town, where a group of ponies was standing, looking right at them oddly. Ditzy figured that it was probably the old CPS CO19 riot barding that all of them were wearing, as they had put their guns away before rolling into town. The lead pony, as could be told by his apparel, was the Sherriff, Silver Star. ‘Hello’, Graham Cracker said. ‘My name is Graham Cracker; do not be alarmed, for we are simple traders and missionaries from New Maneaan’. ‘Never heard of ya’, Sherriff Silver Star said simply. ‘Or this, ‘New Maneaan’ you come from’. Ditzy Doo knew that this was going to be a mistake. Letting Sherriff Silver Star know who they were was going to turn around and bite them. ‘New Maneaan is a town of nephites, like I said; we are simple traders and we...’ Graham Cracker said, but was interrupted by Sherriff Silver Star raising a hoof. ‘I’ve heard enough’, Sherriff Silver Star said simply. ‘You best be turnin’ ‘round right now and going back the way you came, right now’. ‘Are you sure? We have many things to offer you’, Graham Cracker said. ‘I’m quite sure, no. So get you and your ruddy fake god out of my town before I run you out’, Sherriff Silver Starr said. ‘Excuse me?’ Graham Cracker asked, Ditzy noticed that his ears were beginning to twitch. ‘You heard me, your god is fake; you all are morons who need to be made to pay for turning away from Princess Celestia’, Sherriff Silver Star said. ‘It is one thing to forgive a slap across my cheek, but an insult to the Lord requires... no, it demands correction’, Graham Cracker said. He did not manage any more before one of Silver Star’s deputies took a swing at one of the New Maneaanites, the blow connected with his face and sent him to the ground. Graham Cracker responded by rearing up and striking Sherriff Silver Star with his hind legs. Within seconds, the entire town had erupted into violence. Ditzy Doo could only watch as the Appleoosans swarmed around them, charging forward to make it to the brawl, it was at this time that she was grateful to god that she had been given hoof-to-hoof instruction. ... Big McIntosh looked up as the town had erupted into violence. ‘Figures, them freaks gone done and made trouble’, Applejack said, she got to her hooves and was about to rush in to join the fighting, Big McIntosh and Braeburn leapt upon her and pinned her down to keep her from getting anywhere. ‘Eenope!’ Big McIntosh exclaimed. ‘Git offa me!’ Applejack cried out in frustration. ‘Eenope!’ Big McIntosh repeated. He turned his head to the sound of the train’s whistle and watched as it rolled away; obviously, the engineer had taken notice of the town brawl and decided to get out while he still could. The train was supposed to be stopped for a hour, Big McIntosh had been in town only fifteen minutes. Now they were stuck here with this. ... Ditzy Doo had been tossed back into the goods cart, smashing it to pieces, all twelve of the New Maneaanites guns spilled out onto the ground. She was quick to grab one and clip it into her Storm Harness, along with as many extra clips as she could muster before one of the Appleoosans came for her. She began to flap her wings and rose into the air and got a look over the situation. While better trained for a fight like this, Graham and the rest of the New Maneaanites had been subdued by the sheer number of town ponies that had gone after them. Ditzy wasn’t going to take this anymore. She fired her 12.7mm pistol into the air twice; the shots rang out and got everyone’s attention. ‘We came in peace, and you attack us. We want to live peacefully with you, and you try to harm us’, Ditzy Doo called out in anger. ‘You, the ponies of Appleoosa have brought the wrath of New Maneaan down upon you, you have brought the wrath of God himself upon you! As long as I live, I will make sure you pay for your transgressions!’ Ditzy Doo departed from Appleoosa at high speed, she would return, however, with more of their group and she would rescue Graham Cracker and the rest of the New Maneaanites that Sherriff Silver Star and the rest of his ilk had taken prisoner. The Appleoosans would be made to pay for what they had done. ... Sherriff Silver Star looked unfazed by the mare’s threats; he simply ordered to lock the New Maneaanites up in the town jail until they could figure out something to do with them. ‘Ah wish Ah coulda gotten in on that’, Applejack said out of frustration. Big McIntosh looked at his sister with disdain; he didn’t like the mare that the influence of Alcohol had created from her. ‘Applejack! Granny Smith didn’ raise ya ta be like that, she taught ya to be kind ta others!’ Big McIntosh exclaimed. ‘Yeah, and she also taught me ta believe in Princess Celestia like a good mare should, that’s somethin’ Derpy Hooves... or whatever she’s callin’ herself now needs educatin’ in’, Applejack slurred. Big McIntosh sighed and looked to Braeburn for help, he didn’t say anything, he only offered a small shrug to the situation. Braeburn wasn’t like the other town ponies, he wasn’t going to let mob rule influence his actions, but there really wasn’t much that he could do to persuade Sherriff Silver Starr one way or another. Big McIntosh sighed again. This was a huge mess, and he’d gotten himself and Applejack caught right in the middle of it.