S5 E6: Appleloosa's Most Wanted (What If?)
At Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack was complaining to Granny Smith. "But Granny," she protested "I can't compete in the Appleloosa Rodeo and keep an eye on Apple Bloom and her friends at the same time. I've only got two eyes and four hooves."
"No buts, Applejack," Granny Smith said stubbornly "If you're goin' to worry yourself about your sister's well bein' so much, you've got to learn to take responsibility and make sure she's alright. Apple Bloom's a growin' filly, and she can take care of herself."
"But she's never been to Appleloosa before, what if she gets lost?" Applejack asked.
"I don't get lost! I have an impressive sense of direction!" Apple Bloom boasted.
"Oh really, so where was that sense of direction when you ended up in the firey swamp and almost got eaten by that chimera?" Applejack asked her little sister. Apple Bloom said nothing. "That's what I thought. And that's exactly why I'm not takin' another chance."
"But Applejack, how are my fellow crusaders and I supposed to cheer you to victory if you won't let us come?" Apple Bloom protested "We'll behave, I promise."
"My answer is no, Apple Bloom!" Applejack said seriously "And that's final! Braeburn asked me to take his place in the rodeo long before I knew you were havin' another one of your crusader sleepovers this weekend. You'll just have to find somepony else to watch over the three of you."
"Aw, come on, Applejack!" Apple Bloom pleaded "You heard what Granny Smith said."
"No means no, Apple Bloom!" Applejack protested.
"Applejack, I ain't runnin' a foalsittin' service!" Granny Smith complained "I won't have Big Macintosh to help me like I did last time, he's goin' to be out of town with Filthy Rich workin' on a new trade deal. Don't you remember?"
"All the more reason why I'm not bringin' Apple Bloom and her friends with me to Appleloosa," Applejack insisted "Somehow, the three of them always end up gettin' into trouble. And if anythin' happens to them in Appleloosa, I don't know if I'll ever forgive myself. But I can't disappoint Braeburn after I promised him I'd take his plce in the rodeo."
"Please, Applejack, let us come with you!" Apple Bloom pleaded, clinging to Applejack's foreleg "I promise we'll be on our best behavior, we won't even try to look for our cutie marks. We'll only be there to cheer you on, nothin' more."
Applejack sighed, Apple Bloom and Granny Smith were incredibly persistent. "Oh, very well. I suppose if you and your friends agree to keep that promise, there should be no harm in lettin' you tag along. But stay out of trouble, got it?!"
Applejack's words fell on deaf ears, Apple Bloom had already raced out the door shouting "Wait til' Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo hear about this! They're finally goin' to get to see just how amazin' my big sister is when it comes to rodeos."
Applejack sighed "I just hope everything goes smoothly this weekend," she thought to herself "Between keeping an eye on the crusaders, and competing in that rodeo, I'm going to have my hooves full."
Apple Bloom could hardly contain her excitement during the whole trip from Ponyville to Appleloosa. She was eagerly looking forward to the chance to see her big sister compete. "Aren't you glad y'all came with me to see Applejack compete in the Appleloosa rodeo?" Apple Bloom asked her fellow crusaders, as they stepped off the train upon its arrival in Appleloosa.
"Totally!" Scootaloo buzzed in excitement "This is going to be amazing! I've never seen a real rodeo before!"
"Me neither!" Sweetie Belle added "And from the looks of things, Rarity wasn't kidding when she said your sister could be a big time rodeo star if she really wanted to."
The Cutie Mark Crusaders gathered to watch Applejack practice her skills, unaware that from a considerable distance away someone was watching the rodeo practice as well. "This is it," the figure thought to itself "After all this time spent running, I'm finally going to put an end to it all."
Applejack was currently practicing her hay bale tossing, as The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Braeburn watched with amazing. Applejack was tossing bales like there was no tomorrow, launching them through the air at a speed that could rival Rainbow Dash.
"Woo-hoo! Yee-haw! That's my cousin! Go, Applejack, go!" Braeburn cheered, as Applejack finished tossing the bales into a pile. Braeburn currently had a sling wrapped around his front right hoof, but that had done little to dampen his spirit.
Applejack trotted over to Braeburn, whiping the sweat from her brows. Practicing for a rodeo was good exercise, but it was also a lot of hard work. "Whew! It's been a dog's age since I got a chance to compete," Applejack said to Braeburn "All the rodeos in and 'round Ponyville are closed down for some reason."
"Well, I guess havin' injured kinfolk in Appleloosa sure paid off then, huh, cuz?" Braeburn asked.
"Just doin' my best to fill your horseshoes, Braeburn," Applejack replied "A shame about your accident, they say it'll be weeks before you're back to normal."
"Well you keep tossin' hay bales like that and I'll be out of a job!" Braeburn teased "I just know you're goin' to do fantastic!"
"I hope that's not just talk." Applejack teased, accidentally poking Braeburn's sling with her hoof in the process.
Braeburn howled in pain "Ow, ow! Watch it!" he complained.
"Ooh, sorry 'bout that," Applejack apologized nervously "Say, I've been meanin' to ask you, how exactly did you injure your hoof like that?"
"It's really embarassin' and I hate talkin' 'bout it, but I guess I've only got myself to blame," Braeburn said, hanging his head low in embarassment "I was bein' careless and foolin' around too much while I was preparin' for the rodeo. I ended up landin' on my front right hoof wrong and badly twistin' it, doctor said there was no way I'd mend in time for the rodeo. That's why I sent you that letter askin' you to take my place."
"Well, that's a darn shame." Scootaloo said kindly.
"Yeah, but on the bright side, Applejack's sure to win every event in your place," Apple Bloom added "And maybe when you're better, you could come to Ponyville and compete in a rodeo there."
"I'd like that, but Sheriff Silverstar wouldn't be too happy if I just up and left Appleloosa for a rodeo competition." Braeburn chuckled.
"Speakin' of the sheriff, where is he? He wasn't at the train station, or at his office," Applejack said to Braeburn "And I can't help but notice there seems to be some extra security at this rodeo. Is there somethin' goin' on that you're not tellin' me?"
Before Braeburn could answer, in the distance came the sound of an explosion, followed by a series of worried shouts.
"What's all the commotion?" Sweetie Belle asked "I hope nothing bad is going on."
Braeburn gulped "No, it can't be him." he whispered to himself.
"Braeburn! Get over here, now!" Sheriff Silverstar shouted "It looks like our worst fears have come true."
Braeburn reluctantly walked towards Sheriff Silverstar, Applejack and the Cutie Mark Crusaders followed close behind. "What is it, Sheriff?" he asked.
"Look at that hoofprint," Sheriff Silverstar said ominously "I'm sure you know that there's only one pony it could belong to."
Gulping, Braeburn bent down as best he could, and examined a massive hoofprint next to a stack of barrels (though it seemed like one was missing for some odd reason). "So, he's finally decided to show himself?" Braeburn asked Sheriff Silverstar.
Sheriff Silverstar nodded "Ain't no doubt. It's Trouble Shoes. Braeburn, start spreadin' the news, we're having a town meetin'!"
"Yes sir, Sheriff Silverstar!" Braeburn replied.
"Who's Trouble Shoes?" Sweetie Belle wondered.
"Trouble Shoes is bad news," Braeburn told Sweetie Belle "He's a notorious outlaw that's been stirrin' up trouble in the Equestria Rodeo Circut for years. Because of him, several high profile rodeos have been forced to shut down. He's likely why all of the rodeos in and 'round Ponyville haven't been runnin' lately, they're too afraid to operate as long as Trouble Shoes is at large."
"An outlaw? Here?" Scootaloo asked "This is starting to sound like one of those old movies they sometimes show at the theater."
"This ain't a movie, this is real!" Applejack said seriously "If there's an outlaw on the loose 'round there parts, we're goin' to have to send you three home."
Applejack decided to wait until after the town meeting, just in case she might have misheard or in case the Trouble Shoes Sheriff Silverstar had mentioned wasn't an outlaw.
Meanwhile, the entire town of Appeloosa had gathered, and began to chatter and rabble amongst themselves. "Is it true? Is Trouble Shoes here?" one pony asked.
"Sheriff Silverstar's not gonna shut down the rodeo just because of one incident, is he?" another pony asked.
The chattering, rabbling, and shouting continued, even as Sheriff Silverstar emerged from his office to address the crowd. "Quiet! Quiet, please!" he called, and a swift hush fell over the crowd "That's better," Sheriff Silverstar smiled, then continued "Now first of all, I called for a town meetin', not a mob scene! So put away those torches and pitchforks, that's not how we do things around here."
A few ponies quickly put away their torches and pitchforks, as Sheriff Silverstar went on talking "Now, you all know that there was an 'accident' at the our own rodeo this mornin'. Someone put blastin' powder in one of the barrels, and when the sun hit the barrel just right it ignited the powder and triggered an explosion. Fortunately, nopony was hurt, only a few bits of fencin' were damaged. I examined them hoof-prints myself and, uh... it was Trouble Shoes, all right. The very same Trouble Shoes who's been terrorizin' other rodeos with his dirty, underhoofed deeds."
Everypony in the crowd gasped. "Trouble Shoes? Here?" they chattered amongst themselves.
"Yes, yes, it's all true I'm afraid," Sheriff Silverstar told the crowd "Now, I know what you might be thinkin'. You're thinkin I oughta cancel this here rodeo like all the others have done. But dag-nab it, this has gone far enough! I'll be darned if Trouble Shoes thinks he can just frighten me into shuttin' down this rodeo after all the time and effort that went into planin' it! We'll double the patrols! We'll enlist the help of the Buffalo tribe! This rodeo will go on! Appleloosa ain't gonna be intimidated! Not on our watch!" That bold statement was enough to get the crowd cheering wildly.
When the town meeting was over, Applejack and Braeburn carefully escorted The Cutie Mark Crusaders to Braeburn's house, where Applejack quickly made it clear she was going to send the crusaders home.
"Don't send us home! You're not gonna let one accident frighten ya like it did last time!" Apple Bloom protested.
"I'm sorry, Apple Bloom, but I ain't takin' any chances!" Applejack said seriously "I can't have the three of you 'round here when there's an outlaw on the loose. The longer you stay, the more at risk you become! Heck, maybe I oughta call it quits and go home too. I learned my lesson about unneccesary risks."
"No, you can't quit!" Braeburn pleaded with Applejack "This rodeo is important to Appleloosa! And with you in there, we got a real shot at winnin'! Come on, now, you head on back to practice and don't worry none about these three. I won't let 'em outta my sight."
"You absolutely sure 'bout that?" Applejack asked Braeburn "I assure you, these three fillies can be quite the hoofful. And what about your patrols?"
"I won't be much help with an injured forehoof," Braeburn explained "I'll make sure these three stay safe until they're on the train headed home."
"But Braeburn-" Applejack protested.
"No buts!" Braeburn interrupted "You get out there and work on your skills, I'll make sure to keep an eye on these fillies, they won't be goin' anywhere wthout me!" And with that, Braeburn quickly ushered Applejack out the door, then he turned to The Cutie Mark Crusaders and said seriously "Ya hear? Y'all ain't leavin' my sight! So don't even think about tryin' to wander off!"
"Come on, now! Time's a wastin'!" Braeburn called, as he led the three fillies to the train station "The sooner we get down to the station, the sooner we can send you three safely home!"
"But Cousin Braeburn, we want to stay and cheer on Applejack!" Apple Bloom pleaded "This is our first chance to see an actual rodeo!"
"Well, I'm sorry, but with that pesky Trouble Shoes on the loose, you three are in very real danger!" Braeburn insisted "Granted, I think it's possible he might not be as bad as everypony says he, but that's hardly a reason to let you fillies stay."
"Guess this wasn't meant to be our first rodeo after all," Scootaloo said, admitting defeat "We'll have to call off the sleepover when we get back home, there's nopony who can replace Applejack as the one watching us. Guess that means my folks are going to stick me with a babysitter, again."
"You could always sneak out and avoid your babysitter," Sweetie Belle suggested "I did it once."
"Don't you think I've tried that?" Scootaloo complained "The last time I tried to sneak out, my dad caught me, and I was grounded for a whole week. I'm not about to chance it, and risk being grounded for two weeks."
"I just wish there was a way we could prove to everypony that we can take care of ourselves!" Apple Bloom said angrily. But she didn't know what, she just continued to dwell on that thought the whole way to the train station.
However, Braeburn was in for quite the surprise when he approached the ticket window. "Well, don't that beat all?!" he grumbled "There's been a derailment just outside of Appleloosa, and the line won't be clear until after the pegasi bring the scheduled thunderstorm through here tonight!"
"What?!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders exclaimed.
"I know, I can barely believe it myself," Braeburn said unhappily "But it is what it is I'm afraid. Come on, we'd better head back to my place. You three will spend the night there, and then we'll go down to the train station first thing tomorrow. Got it?!"
"Yes, Braeburn." The Cutie Mark Crusaders reluctantly nodded.
"Cheer up," Braeburn replied "There'll be plenty of other rodeos and plenty of other opportunities to visit Appleloosa. It's just a shame this all had to happen during your first visit to Appleloosa. Normally, things are really peaceful around here."
The remaining hours of daylight passed uneventfully for The Cutie Mark Crusaders, as they found that Braeburn was quite insistent on not letting them leave his house. Not even playing a few board games, or a delicious meal of homemade hay burgers was able to cheer them up.
As Luna's moon rose high into the night sky, Braeburn ushered the three fillies upstairs to the guest bedroom, and tucked them in. Then, he made sure to close the bedroom door, before he went back downstairs and propped up a chair against the front door. "There's no way those fillies are gonna get past me." he thought to himself, then he yawned. The doctor who treated his broken forehoof had told Braeburn to get plently of sleep. Yawning again, Braeburn closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
Unknown to Braeburn, The Cutie Mark Crusaders weren't about to go to sleep. In fact, Apple Bloom was wide awake and making a plan. "If we could find Trouble Shoes and get him arrested, that would show everypony who seems to think we always need somepony watchin' over us!"
"And just how are we supposed to find Trouble Shoes?" Scootaloo asked Apple Bloom.
"We'll follow his hoofprints of course, there's bound to be some by where that barrel blew up," Apple Bloom explained "So we'll follow that trail, until we find Trouble Shoes."
"But how are we supposed to capture him?" Sweetie Belle asked "It's not like we can just waltz right up to him and say 'We're taking you to Appleloosa.' It's never that simple."
"We don't have to capture him, we just need to find him," Apple Bloom said with a smile "Then we'll lead Sheriff Silverstar right to him, and he'll be locked up! The rodeo will go on, and we'll be heroes, just like our big sisters!"
"Sounds like an awesome idea! Count me in!" Scootaloo cheered.
But Sweetie Belle was concerned, going out to look for a wanted outlaw wasn't even something she'd consider for a cutie mark. And now her friends were encouraging her to do it simply for the sake of being a hero? "Uh, I'm gonna be the only smart one here and say 'absolutely not'!" she protested "Even if we could find Trouble Shoes, and that's a big if, there's no telling what he'll do to us. Besides, what about that storm?"
"Trouble Shoes couldn't have gotten far," Apple Bloom replied "If we go now, we could probably follow the trail all the way to wherever he's hidin' out. And we'll just leave some sort of marker that the storm can't erase, so we can find our way back."
"If we can't find him before the storm breaks, we'll turn back," Scootaloo added "And you don't have to come along if you don't want to, Sweetie Belle. The only reason I'm going along with it is because it beats laying here and doing nothing."
"I hate it when you girls get like this," Sweetie Belle admitted, as the three fillies carefully climbed out of bed and tiphoofed downstairs "You make me feel like if I don't tag along, something bad's going to happen to you both, and I'll feel guilty," she then sighed again "Something tells me this is going to end very badly for all of us. If Braeburn or Applejack find out, we'll be in big trouble."
Apple Bloom chuckled "I wouldn't worry too much about Braeburn, look over there." Apple Bloom pointed a hoof to the makeshift barrier in front of the door. Braeburn had fallen asleep in the chair blocking the door.
"Well, whadya know?" Scootaloo replied softly "I guess even somepony as full of energy as he is has to rest at some point," she turned to Apple Bloom "You're sure Applejack and Pinkie Pie are only distant cousins, right? Because if I didn't know any better, I'd swear Braeburn and Pinkie Pie were related much more closely, like first cousins."
"I'm sure it's just a freak coincidence," Apple Bloom shrugged, as she carefully opened one of the nearby windows "Now come on, time's a wastin'! The sooner we find Trouble Shoes, the sooner we can turn him over to the sheriff."
"Worst, idea, ever." Sweetie Belle muttered under her breath, as she reluctantly followed Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, and together the three of them climbed out of the window. Already, they could hear the distant rumble of thunder. The storm was approaching fast, they would not have much time to follow the trail before the rain washed it away.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders followed the trail of giant hoofprints, as it led them past the outskirts of Appleloosa, and into the wilderness. It didn't take long for things to go wrong.
"It's another giant hoof print!" Apple Bloom exclaimed "We've got to be on the right path!"
"Do either of you have any idea where we are?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"You know, I think Sweetie Belle's right, Apple Bloom," Scootaloo said nervously "Feels like we've been going in circles. Maybe we should turn back now and head home before it's too late."
"But we're so close, I can feel it!" Apple Bloom protested.
However, at that moment, there was a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder. Just seconds later, rain began to fall, washing away the trail.
"I think we've gone far enough!" Sweetie Belle shouted, as the wind began to pick up " It's time to go back! We'll never find Trouble Shoes in this weather!"
"The storm is only getting worse, Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo added "The last thing I need is to catch a cold!"
Apple Bloom sighed "Maybe y'all are right. There's no point in tryin' to find anythin' in this kind of weather." However, before the crusaders had a chance to turn around and try to find their way back to Appleloosa, the cliff side they were standing on gave way! All three fillies screamed, as they were swept away with the raging storm waters.
"You've had some crazy ideas in the past, Apple Bloom, but this one really takes the cake in terms of foolishness," Sweetie Belle complained, when at last they were able to again set hoof on dry land "Not only have we not found Trouble Shoes, but now we're completely and totally lost!"
"You can yell at me all you like once we're out of this rain!" Apple Bloom replied "For now, we just need to find some sort of shelter to spend the night in. We'll start back first thing in the mornin'."
"Look, over there!" Sweetie Belle shouted, pointing towards a large shack of some kind.
"It looks abandoned." Scootaloo commented.
"Looks can be decieving, Scootaloo." Sweetie Belle nervously replied.
"Maybe, but it's better than standin' out here and gettin' poured on," Apple Bloom spoke up "Let's go see if we can find some blankets or somethin'. Once the rain stops, we can leave and find a better place to stay."
"It's not like we've got a lot of options right now." Scootaloo added.
Sweetie Belle sighed, and followed Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to the front door of the shack "Wait for me!" she pleaded.
Apple Bloom knocked on the door, only to recieve no reply. When she accidentally leaned against it, the door opened with a faint creak. Reluctantly, the three fillies went inside. It was very dark, and quiet. But not for long. All of a sudden, a lightning flash lit up the cabin revealing a rather massive brown coated stallion with a shaggy black mane and tail, and green eyes reflecting a somber look. The crusaders took one look at the stallion, and screamed in fright. The stallion did so as well. What followed was a series of chain reactions, that ended with the massive stallion getting a rather nasty bump on his forehead, knocking him out cold.
When the stallion opened his eyes, he felt very disoriented and confused. As his vision slowly returned, his eyes settled on three fillies who were gazing at him with looks of concern.
"Hello? You alright?" Apple Bloom called to the stallion.
The stallion responded by shaking his head, then after taking a good look at Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, he immediately said "Oh no! No, no, no, no! I am NOT adding foalnapping to the list of crimes they're goin' to charge me with!"
"Are you," Sweetie Belle gulped "Trouble Shoes?"
"Guilty as charged," Trouble Shoes replied glumly "Had some hot cider a-cookin' in the kitchen. Doubt it survived though."
"But, you weren't expectin' guests, were you?" Apple Bloom nervously asked.
"Of course not," Trouble Shoes replied "The cider was for me. Just my luck that a storm would break and drive three fillies right into my house. Even when I'm tryin' to get myself arrested, nothin' goes right for me."
"Wait? Why are you trying to get yourself arrested? You're an outlaw!" Scootaloo spoke up "I thought outlaws always loved running from the law and causing trouble! Unless, you're not really an outlaw and this is all just a misunderstanding."
"Oh no, I'm an outlaw all right, no doubt about that," Trouble Shoes glumly admitted "And for a time, I was enjoyin' the perks that came with it. But I'm gettin' tired of always runnin' away, I figured life in jail can't be any worse than life on your own. That's why I came to Appleloosa, I was hopin' the extra security would be enough to catch me and throw me behind bars. But as usual, it would seem lady luck just loves to kick me where Celestia's sun don't shine. This here storm's gonna erase the trail I'd left for that sheriff and his deputies to follow. Scores more misfortune points for old Trouble Shoes," He then tired to get up, only to lose his balance and crash into a few more objects that lay scattered around his shack. " Typical. Bad luck never rests for me." he complained.
"You sure that's bad luck?" Apple Bloom asked the outlaw "Seems like maybe you're just a little, um..."
"Klutzy?" Sweetie Belle suggested, that prompted Apple Bloom to glare at Sweetie Belle with a most unpleasant scowl "What? I meant no disrespect." she replied.
"I wish bein' a klutz was the cause of all my misfortune," Trouble Shoes complained "But you can tell that to the flank!" he pointed to his cutie mark, which was a horeshoe stuck in an upside down position "Upside-down horseshoe – bad luck. Follows me wherever I go like sour on old milk. Y'all best vamoose before my bad luck rubs off and sticks to y'all. I ain't about to play foalsitter for three fillies who should've known better than to wander off in a thunderstorm!"
"But mister!" Scootaloo protested.
"Get along! Skedaddle!" Trouble Shoes demanded, interrupting Scootaloo. He opened the door, and as lightning cracked he pointed a hoof towards the wilderness " Am-scray!" he shouted.
"Um, we don't really know the way back to Appleloosa..." Scootaloo sheepishly admitted.
"But o' course I do," Trouble Shoes replied, then he frowned and sighed "Wouldn't you know it? My lucky day. Oh well, I suppose I don't have much of a choice. I was thinkin' about turnin' myself in anyway, and it seems my decision has been made for me."
Once the storm had passed, Trouble Shoes led The Cutie Mark Crusaders back to Appleloosa. The whole time, he remained gloomy and miserable.
"It's actually kind of sweet of him to help us out like this," Sweetie Belle whispered to Apple Bloom "I guess he's not all bad, but do you think we can trust him? He could be lying."
"He's not lyin'." Apple Bloom whispered in reply.
"How can you tell?" Scootaloo asked.
"I don't really know how to explain it," Apple Bloom said to Scootaloo "But somethin' in my heart can sense that he's indeed tellin' the truth. Also, I couldn't help but notice a couple of pictures of him in the shack. He seemed younger and more cheerful in most of them, there's got to be some sort of story that explains why."
"Uh, Mr. Trouble Shoes?" Scootaloo said nervously "You sure you want to take us all the way back to Appleloosa? We could probably find our way back from here, and nopony would have to know we found you."
"Don't try to make me change my mind, kid," Trouble Shoes responded "I've spent a life time runnin' from the law, and I'm tired of it. Like it or not, the time's come for me to turn myself in and answer for my crimes."
"Why did you even decide to become an outlaw in the first place?" Apple Bloom asked "It seems to me like you weren't born that way. In fact, it seems like you were quite happy when you were younger."
"Y'all like stories?" Trouble Shoes asked his guests, all three of them nodded in response. "Just my luck. I was hopin' you'd say no," Trouble Shoes said glumly "It's a long, sad, story. When I was a colt, I wanted to be a rodeo star somethin' fierce, but I just didn't seem to have the knack for it. I practiced and practiced, but I always seemed to mess up. Finally, I somehow wrangled up the guts to audition for rodeo school."
"So what happened?" Sweetie Belle asked Trouble Shoes.
Trouble Shoes sighed again, and continued his story "Right in the middle of that tryout, I knew I was doin' what I was meant to do. And wouldn't you know it? In a flash comes this here cutie mark. I messed up my whole routine once again, and everypony started laughin' at me. Didn't even finish my routine 'cause right then I knew bad luck was my fate. That fire for rodeo never did leave me, though. Couldn't keep away from 'em. But the next rodeo I tried out for, the judges wouldn't let me participate, they said I was too big. I got so mad, that I smashed up the entire rodeo arena. It was the first time in years I'd felt so happy, so I started doin' it again, and again, and again. Rodeo after rodeo. 'Til I'd finally built up a reputation as a pony to be feared. But after my efforts to sabotage the Dodge Junction Rodeo backfired, I started havin' second thoughts about my life."
"And that's when you decided to come here, and attempt to sabotage this rodeo." Scootaloo realized.
"Yup, and now you know the whole sad story," Trouble Shoes replied "But don't bother tryin' to tell that to anypony, they'll tell ya that I made it up to sound like a nice guy. Just my lot in life, I reckon..."
"Poor Trouble Shoes." Sweetie Belle whispered.
"It's too bad he had to resort to sabotage," Apple Bloom added "He put on quite a show back in that shack. He would've made a great rodeo clown. And he could've still participated in rodeos, just not in the way he thought."
"So he's been looking at his cutie mark wrong the whole time!" Scootaloo realized "It's not bad luck at all. He just needed to keep on trying, until he found a way to control himself. Maybe I could teach him some of my ballet moves, if they helped me learn how to balance and pull off sick tricks on my scooter, I bet they could teach him how to work with his massive body and not be so clumsy."
"Well, here we are," Trouble Shoes spoke up "And wouldn't you know, the calvary has arrived."
Sure enough, there stood Sheriff Silverstar, Braeburn, Applejack, and a few other Appleloosa residents. And of all them looked quite angry, Applejack and Braeburn especially.
"Well, well, what an unexpected surprise," Sheriff Silverstar said in a low, growly voice "So, Trouble Shoes, just terrorizin' the good citizens of Appleloosa wasn't enough for ya. Now ya had to go and abduct these three fillies. I am surprised."
"But he didn't kidnap us!" Apple Bloom protested "We snuck out and got lost, he brought us back here."
"You did what?!" Applejack exclaimed "Apple Bloom! You delibertly disobeyed me, and made poor Braeburn here worry himself half to death!"
"Ya'll got some nerve disobeyin' cousin Applejack like that, and draggin' your friends into this!" Braeburn scolded "Do you have any idea how worried we were?!"
Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all hung their heads in shame. "We're sorry." Apple Bloom apologized.
"Well, sorry ain't gonna cut it!" Applejack said angrily.
"And if Trouble Shoes didn't fillynap you three, there's still the charges of attempted vandilism, intent to cause harm, and generalized mayhem!" Sheriff Silverstar said ominously "And so, by the power granted to me by the good citizens of Appleloosa, I hereby place Trouble Shoes under arrest! Trouble Shoes, you have the right to remain silent!"
"Just my luck." Trouble Shoes said glumly, as Sheriff Silverstar and Braeburn led him to the jail cell.
Meanwhile, Applejack brought the CMC back to Braeburn's house. "Get some sleep!" she said angrily "We'll discuss this in the mornin', but the three of you are in a lot of trouble!" And Applejack led them upstairs and tucked them into bed without another word.
Next morning, things were hardly any better. Tempers had cooled off a little, but Applejack and Braeburn were still furious with Apple Bloom and her friends. And they made this fact clear in no uncertain terms.
"Snakes alive, what's with you?!" Applejack angrily asked Apple Bloom "What were you thinkin' wanderin' off like that?! You could've gotten hurt, or worse!"
Apple Bloom gulped, she knew she really didn't have an excuse for her actions, and she now felt very silly. "But Applejack, I was just tryin' to be brave like you. I wanted to prove to you that I could take care of myself."
Applejack sighed "Sugarcube, you need to listen very carefully to what I'm about to tell you. I am brave, when the situation calls for it. I've been brave when facin' down threats like Nightmare Moon, King Sombra, and even Tirek. I've been brave when facin' down timberwolves or a chimera. And I've been brave when dealin' with the possibility of losin' Sweet Apple Acres. But, just because I'm brave, doesn't mean I try to prove myself by rushin' head long into danger. Bein' brave, doesn't mean that you go lookin' for trouble."
"But, Rainbow Dash is always charging into things without thinking, and nothing bad's ever happened to her." Scootaloo protested.
"And if Rainbow Dash was gonna jump off a cliff, would you follow her even if you could fly?" Braeburn asked Scootaloo.
"No way! I would never do something like that!" Scootaloo insisted.
"So then, you should know that just because somepony like Rainbow Dash does it, doesn't automatically mean it's okay for you to do it." Braeburn explained.
"Even Rainbow Dash wouldn't go rushin' off to face an outlaw, just to show that's she brave," Applejack added "In fact, lately R. D.'s has been workin' on not bein' so rash."
"And what about me?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"If you were convinced that what your friends were doin' was wrong, you should've told me or cousin Applejack," Braeburn said to Sweetie Belle "Doin' the right thing isn't easy, but you should never be afraid to speak up if you think your friends are doin' somethin' you know is wrong. Of course, there's a difference between tellin' on someone because you want to keep them safe, and tellin' on someone just to get them into trouble. And it's important to realize the difference."
"All three of you are lucky that Trouble Shoes was willin' to help you out," Applejack scolded "I hope the three of you have learned your lesson, because when we go back to Ponyville, your parents are goin' to hear about what happened. And Apple Bloom, I'm pretty sure Granny Smith won't be too happy to hear about this, so don't think you're off the hook either."
There was a long silence, until finally Apple Bloom spoke up "Whatever sort of punishment we'll have to face for bein' so stupid, we'll take it. But right now, there's a pony who's lookin' at his cutie mark all wrong. He may think his life has been nothin' but bad luck, and we have a plan to show him that's not the case."
"Besides, we kind of owe him for helping us find our way back." Sweetie Belle added.
"I don't know about this," Applejack said nervously "Even if Trouble Shoes was tellin' the truth about his cutie mark story, you can't just bust him out of jail. That's against the law!"
"Well, actually, we can't really hold Trouble Shoes for long," Braeburn admitted "The only thing we could even charge him for at the moment was the barrel explosion, and nopony got hurt. His crimes against the Equestria Rodeo Circuit will have be settled in a court. Right now, he's probably in the jail so that ponies who have a grudge him against him for what he did in the past can't hurt him."
"So, do you think we could arrange to get him released?" Scootaloo asked "He'll probably still have to go to jail, eventually. But if we can help him see what his cutie mark really means, maybe we can help him turn over a new leaf so that he's a better pony by the time he goes to trial."
"I suppose we can head down to the sheriff's office, and see what he thinks," Braeburn considered "But if he says no, that's the end of it."
After a quick breakfast, Braeburn took the CMC down to see Sheriff Silverstar, while Applejack headed off to compete in the rodeo. "No way am I'm gonna let myself walk away without at least one blue ribbon this time." she thought to herself.
Braeburn spoke with Sheriff Silverstar, while the CMC waited anxiously outside the sheriff's office. They tried their best to listen in on the conversation, but to no avail.
At last, Braeburn came out of the office. Compared to yesterday, he was no longer smiling, but at the same time he didn't seem to outright angry and on the brink of exploding with fury like he had seemed last night.
"Well?" Apple Bloom asked Braeburn.
Braeburn cleared his throat "It wasn't easy, Sheriff Silverstar was really worried somepony might try to hurt Trouble Shoes if he lets him out. But, I managed to convince him to let you three spend some time with him under the guise of 'Community Service'. I just hope you know what you're doin' this time."
"Trust us, Braeburn, everything is going to work just fine," Sweetie Belle reassured him, but under her breath she added "I hope."
"Then he's all yours," Braeburn said seriously "But I'm still gonna keep an eye on the three of you. You ain't pullin' another fast one on me, no siree!"
"Thanks for the help. And don't worry, we wouldn't dream of running off again." Scootaloo replied, as she and her fellow crusaders walked up to the jail cell Trouble Shoes was resting in.
Due to his massive size, Trouble Shoes was having trouble sitting upright in the cell bed. Sure enough, it couldn't take his weight and collapsed. "Figures." he grumbled.
"Aw, come on now, Trouble Shoes! That's the fifth matress you've broken since I put you in here!" Sheriff Silverstar complained "I'm runnin' out of mattresses!"
"Okay, Trouble Shoes, let's go!" Apple Bloom called, as Sweetie Belle took the jail cell keys off their rack with her magic.
"Ain't no need. Can hear the rodeo just fine from this vantage," Trouble Shoes protested "You three don't owe me anythin'. Far as I'm concerned, I'm much safer in here then I am out there."
"But we've got a plan to help you live your dream!" Scootaloo spoke up "Apple Bloom's pretty confident it'll work."
"Listen, y'all, I'm a known criminal. How you proposin' on gettin' me into a rodeo?" Trouble Shoes complained "There's no way the judges or rodeo officals will agree to it."
"We'll see about that." Apple Bloom grinned, as she opened the jail cell.
Apple Bloom's plan was soon put into motion, even though the rodeo was already underway. The current event was known as "The Hay Bale Monster Stack", and the objective was simple, stack as many hay bales as you could within the time limit. Whichever team had the highest stack won.
Thanks to Applejack, the Appleloosa team was firmly in the lead. The sound of hay bales being kicked and the crowd cheering could be heard from miles away.
"Go, Applejack!" Apple Bloom cheered "Show 'em how it's done! That's my sister!"
"You can do it!" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle cheered simultaneously.
"Well, how do I look?" Trouble Shoes asked, drawing the CMC's attention away from the rodeo. Trouble Shoes was dressed up like a traditional rodeo clown, including a bright red nose, a multi-colored wig, floppy red shoes, and a powdered white face. The CMC couldn't help but giggle.
"Nice job on the decoratin', Cousin Braeburn." Apple Bloom complimented.
"Wasn't easy usin' only one hoof," Braeburn replied "Doc says another day or two at the earliest before I can start usin' the other one again."
Just then, "The Hay Bale Monster Stack" event ended. The judges had declared a winner, Team Appleloosa. "Alright, Applejack!" Apple Bloom shouted "I knew you'd do it!"
"I sure hope she thanks me for lettin' her compete," Braeburn added, then he turned to Trouble Shoes as entertainment music began to play over the rodeo loudspeakers "Okay partner, you're on!"
"Say what?! I may be dressed like one, but I ain't no rodeo clown," Trouble Shoes protested "My cutie mark's an upside-down horseshoe, and that means bad luck."
"That all depends on how you look at it," Sweetie Belle said kindly "Think of this as a chance to turn it all around."
"You always wanted to be a part of the rodeo, right? Well, now's your chance. Go on!" Apple Bloom encouraged.
"I still don't see how this is supposed to help." Trouble Shoes complained.
"You gotta start at the bottom, and work your way up," Apple Bloom explained "Once ponies get used to seein' you around, you'll feel a lot more comfortable and be able to perform much better. Then, you can work on your skills and get into the rodeo as a participant."
"You sure 'bout that?" Trouble Shoes asked.
"Not absolutely, but if you don't try you'll never know," Apple Bloom encouraged Trouble Shoes "This is a chance for you to turn your life around and free yourself from your streak of bad luck."
With a reluctant sigh, Trouble Shoes stumbled his way into the rodeo with the other clowns and entertainers. His klutzy ways soon proved to be a hit with the audience.
"There y'all are!" Applejack called to the CMC and Braeburn. She was carrying a huge golden trophy from her victory in "The Hay Bale Monster Stack" event. "How 'bout your big sis, huh?" She asked Apple Bloom.
"You were great." Apple Bloom said somewhat eagerly, then quickly turned her attention back to Trouble Shoes.
"Say, since when are y'all so into rodeo clowns?" Applejack asked, as she noticed the crusaders devoting their attention to said clowns antics. "And where the hay's Trouble Shoes?"
"He's right in front of ya!" Apple Bloom explained with a laugh "Notice anythin' familiar about the stallion in the center?"
"Now that ya mention it, he seems a tad bit bigger than the rest of the performers," Applejack realized, then she laughed as well "That's the best rodeo clown I ever seen! So, this was your plan all along?"
"Eeyup," Apple Bloom nodded "And it seems to be workin'."
"I hope you cleared this up with Sheriff Silverstar so he could inform the crowd." Applejack said to Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom sweat dropped "Oh no, I completely forgot! Oh man, if the audience finds out it's him, there's sure to be a panic!"
"Then I hope his costume holds up until he's done with the act, for his sake." Sweetie Belle said nervously.
Unfortunately, shortly after Sweetie Belle had said that, disaster struck. Trouble Shoes was so absorbed in his new role as a rodeo clown, that he forgot to pay attention to what he was doing. In a series of mishaps, his costume fell apart. When at last he realized his mistake, it was too late. A barrel landed on top of his head, the water inside it washed away the powder on his face, and in the proces of trying to remove the barrel he knocked off his red nose.
Everypony in the crowd gasped. "He escaped from jail!" One mare shouted.
"Let's get him!" another mare shouted.
"He's not ruinin' this rodeo!" a stallion chimed in.
The CMC, Applejack, and Braeburn were horrified at what they saw. In the blink of an eye an almost mob like mentality swept over the crowd, as several ponies grabbed torches and pitchforks.
"Stand aside, young'uns!" Sheriff Silverstar called, as he arrived on the scene "Guess it's up to me to once again calm these folks down." And he raced towards Trouble Shoes as fast as he could. "Now wait just a darn minute here, folks!" he demanded "He ain't what you think he is, at least not anymore! I know he's caused trouble in the past, but that's no excuse to resort to violence! Revenge won't solve anythin'!"
"But it'll feel great! Besides, he deserves it!" a mob pony shouted.
"It's true that Trouble Shoes has caused trouble in the past, but if any of you attack him you're no better than he is," Sheriff Silverstar lectured "How do you think this is gonna make us look in the eyes of Equestria if we allow for this to happen? The rest of Equestria is goin' to look upon us with shame, and it'll all be our fault! Trouble Shoes may have been a notorious outlaw, but he still deserves to be treated like any other Equestrian bein'!"
"He's ruined so many rodeos! Why should we trust him?!" another mob pony demanded.
"You don't have to trust him, but at the same time don't you think it's wrong to stay mad at him?" Apple Bloom asked, as she and her fellow crusaders approached the mob.
"Trouble Shoes is still going to stand trial for what he's done, but this way he has a chance to turn his life around." Sweetie Belle added.
"He's maybe the best rodeo clown I've ever seen!" Scootaloo finished "You can't deny that he made you all laugh."
"That's true! He is awful funny." a rodeo judge admitted.
"He thought his cutie mark was tellin' him to keep away from rodeos, but deep inside he knew it's where he was meant to be. He just didn't know how to do it." Apple Bloom went on.
"What she says is true. I didn't mean no harm here, honest!" Trouble Shoes spoke up "The entire reason I chose this rodeo in the first place was so I could get caught. I rigged a barrel to blow up when I knew nopony would be around, then I was goin' leave a powder trial for your sheriff to follow and arrest me. Things didn't turn quite how I'd hoped though. But know, I just want to have a chance to make up for all the bad deeds I did in the past. I'm tired of bein' known as Trouble Shoes the no good outlaw. Turns out I've been lookin' at my cutie mark wrong all along. My talent isn't bad luck, it's entertainin' and performin'."
"Even so, Trouble Shoes, you still gotta face charges for the problems you've caused! And I doubt Princess Celestia will be as merciful," Sheriff Silverstar warned "You may not have caused any serious trouble here, but several other rodeos have evidence of your sabotage. You'll probably have to face serious jail time."
"If I done wrong, I'll see to it that I take my medicine and square my accounts. I promise." Trouble Shoes insisted.
"So, don't you all see?" Apple Bloom asked the crowd "Trouble Shoes wants to turn over a new leaf, but he knows he's still goin' to have to pay for his past misdeeds. Don't you think it's better to let go of your anger, before you do somethin' you'll regret later?"
That seemed to convince the crowd to leave Trouble Shoes alone. Slowly but surely, tempers cooled off, and the former mob dispersed peacefully.
"Ya'll were quite brave facing down that angry mob there," Applejack said to Apple Bloom, as she and Braeburn approached the trio of fillies "Even so, you made me really worried."
"I'm sorry, Applejack," Apple Bloom apologized "But I knew I couldn't let Trouble Shoes get hurt because of a misunderstanding, and what he did in the past. Nopony deserves to be treated like that, no matter what they might have done."
"That's true, nothin' good ever comes from resortin' to violence as soon as you get mad," Braeburn nodded "Anger is a very powerful emotion, but if you let it get the best of you, it always leads to trouble."
Applejack quickly changed the subject "Now, don't think that just 'cause y'all helped Trouble Shoes realize what his cutie mark really means, you're off the hook for what happened last night. Braeburn and I have been thinkin'-"
"And we've come to a decision-" Braeburn added.
"If the three of you agree to help clean up the mess Trouble Shoes left behind durin' his clownin' around, then I'll see about keepin' what happened here to myself," Applejack explained "But in return, I want you three to promise not to wander off on me ever again. Words can't express how worried I was that night! I thought for sure somethin' awful would happen to ya'll So, what do you say?"
Apple Bloom quickly spoke up and said "I suppose you've got a deal. We may have made things a little better, but we still shouldn't have wandered off in the middle of the night."
"Yeah, that was pretty foolish of us," Sweetie Belle added "We'll make sure we never do that again."
"Uh-huh," Scootaloo nodded "I'd feel pretty bad if that somehow ended up being our special talent. So, when do we start cleaning up?"
"Right now," Applejack replied "Braeburn and I will help a little, but the three of you are goin' to do most of the work."
"That'll take forever!" Apple Bloom groaned.
"Well, I guess it's what we get for making such a stupid mistake," Scootaloo replied "We might as well make the most of it." And so, the three crusaders set to work on cleaning up the rodeo grounds.
"So, how was Appleloosa?" Granny Smith asked Applejack and Apple Bloom when they returned home.
"Pretty good! Applejack won first place in 'The Monster Hay Bale Stacker' event!" Apple Bloom boasted.
"And Appeloosa found itself a promisin' new rodeo star," Applejack added "All thanks to Apple Bloom and her friends."
"Sounds as if you both had quite the adventure there." Granny Smith concluded.
"You could say that." Applejack and Apple Bloom both said with a wink. At least for the forseeable future, the events that had unfolded down in Appleloosa would remain known only to them, Braeburn, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.
Stats
Page generated in 0.033 seconds
Total duration
869 users online
490,616 hits today, 1,996,409 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Awesome rewrite
Hey there. Darn good re-write on this episode. Very good reasons for the rewrite. Plus the exchanges, emotional content and wrap-up were all well done in all the right places. Again, definite much better job on the characterizations than the actual episode. I will definitely be looking forward to more of this as soon as time and inspiration will allow.
This is a huge improvement from an episode I truly hated for the reasons you just mentioned. The way Braeburn acted was indeed butchered for the sake of the plot and Sheriff Silverstar was no better, thankfully they're corrected in this rewrite.
Very, VERY good. I certainly enjoyed the huge amount of changes here. Thumbs up.
You put too much lion king references in this story.