A sheriff wandering among the desert canyons discovers 2 ponies, 2 unicorns, 2 pegasi, and one small-looking dragon surrounded by danger... and he thought he had seen it all.
It's already hard to live in the West. Deserts as wide as the eyes can see, predators prowling for easy prey. Brutal weather and extremely cold nights. Bandits lurk in search of loot and dollar. Bounty hunters with the craze for fame and prizes. This truly is a place not for the faint of heart.
It is up to the enforcers of the law to keep that balance. And yet, even within the law, few dare to deal with bandits in order to gain power, and making things harder for those law enforcers are the mounts. Sure, they have them too, but it ain't fun fighting against flesh-eating carnivores, large-horned bulldozers, and even tower-sized sledge-hammers.
All of them, no matter who they are or what they've done, are drawn to a certain town for the chance to gain fame and earn a fortune, for within the outskirts of this town lie caverns of unmined gold. With everyone wanting to be rich and gain fame, it is no wonder that the town encounters a lot of bandits and duelists.
So imagine the work of a tired sheriff when he finds six equines and a baby dragon. Will he welcome them to this quaint little town? Or will he sell them for their rarity? Join Jedidiah "The Lawbringer" as his world turns upside-down thanks to the magic of some colorful equines.
[All rights belong to their respectful owners] No cover art for today, will add later on.
Edit 1: Finally managed to put the cover art. Hope you guys enjoy!
The snow fell gracefully on the land, the winter ever merciful at the hands of the ponies at Ponyville. While there were no birds chirping, the hush winter breeze kept everypony calm. Routines were done normally, their markets overrun with patrons, the restaurants filled to the brim with cold and hungry customers; it was a normal day.
Within the town, a large oak can be found. Snow rests upon the mighty leaves of the oak. Inside the oak was a humble little library dubbed by the citizens as the Golden Oak Library. A fitting name, indeed. Inside the library stood 5 ponies and a tiny little dragon. They were waiting for their friend, who unbeknownst to all of them, brought forth a ton of books and her secret experiment.
"Twi, if this is one of 'em experiments like last time, Ah might have to bonk ya in the noggin'." Applejack, who at this point actively tried and escape the moment she hears "Twilight" and "Papers" together, said with a deadpan look. The other four ponies shuddered as they remembered being turned into frogs and cacti.
"I must say, Twilight, dear, perhaps this is NOT the best thing to do?" Rarity exclaimed, not wanting to be turned into a frog again. While it was a fun experience for Pinkie Pie, the moment she got turned into a cactus, it became a nightmare for most. She enjoyed it at first, until she realized that she cannot hug anypony nor hold a balloon without it popping.
"I dunno about that, silly filly! Being a cactus got me all pointy and sharpy." Rainbow Dash just stared, crossing her hooves together while Fluttershy simply read about the different flora, hoping not to earn the ire of the unicorn. Spike, the baby dragon, on the other hoof, decided to carry the "equipment" for Twilight as she was silently calculating the exact trajectory of her new experiment.
"Relax! It will be fine..." Twilight gulped, hoping it would. The goal was:
1. To know if teleportation can be used on a daily basis by the other ponies (and creatures). 2. To know how far a teleporter can teleport a pony. 3. To know the limits and fix those said limits.
In front of all of them, courtesy of Spike who brought it downstairs, was some sort of a stone slab with magic wires connected to a gem filled with magic. According to Twilight, the way it works is that once another one of these things are made, this teleporter can now teleport the pony onto the other platform. "Okay! I've run the calculations. It should be good now." She smiled sheepishly at her friends. "Ugh, I swear. You really are an egghead." Rainbow said as she rolled her eyes.
Twilight coughed as she explained what to do. Of course, everypony in the room already knows. However, a certain pink pony saw something new.
"Right, now that we are all inside the platform, all I need to do now is to activate it." She then glanced at the second platform, hoping that it would just simply move them all there.
"Ya sure this ain't turnin' us into another weird creature?" Applejack asked, silently praying that it wouldn't and that all would go well.
"Yes! I am 100% sure!" Twilight reassured, to which Rainbow chuckled at. "Pfft, the last time you said that, you were turned into a pickle." Not noticing that Pinkie was now looking at the buttons, the rest of them argued.
"Um, girls? Let's not fight, please?" Fluttershy tried her best to stop the argument, but it was to no avail as their bickering got louder and louder. However, they all stopped when Rarity saw what Pinkie Pie was doing.
"Oooh, what does this do?" Pinkie said as she flicked a lever, the magical current going through her. "PINKIE, NO!" They all said in unison. Realizing that the teleporter is now active without anypony placing their input, Twilight tried her best to stop the magic current. Unfortunately, it was too late as they were all plunged into what appears to be a spiral.
"Whee!" squealed Pinkie Pie as they are now travelling to Celestia knows where.
They then landed on the scorching hot sand. They yelped in pain, not just because of the sand, but because of the fall. When Rarity realized where she was, she inhaled. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
Somewhere, in a scorching desert, a few rhino-like animals grazed upon the cacti. They were calmly munching down on their meals, a few smaller ones were playing with each other. Just then, the alpha's ears flickered as loud thundering sounds can be heard. He grunted, alerting his herd from the danger, and they all bolted away from the sounds. Just then, something big came marching through alongside a rider.
"Y'all will never catch me alive!" The rider shouted as he shot back at the ones chasing him. Missing his marks, he looked in front and steered his mount to the left, hoping that the pursuers would lose him. They didn't.
They were rapidly getting closer. One of which was on his tail, almost quite literally. His pursuer was almost next to him, not even muttering a single word. And then he stopped. Why his pursuer stopped, he didn't care. He was so close to his exit. The other pursuers caught up to the lead and stopped as well. They stopped when their leader halted them. "HAHA! This will be the day ya almost caught Damien, 'The Tooth'!"
"Sir, he's escaping..." one of the men looked at his superior.
"I know," his superior said as he grabbed a rifle dubbed the Peacemaker by its inventors and aimed. "Two shots, guaranteed hits."
BANG! First shot. BANG! Second shot.
And with those two shots, Damien fell to the ground. His mount tumbled, roaring as it did. With a whistle, he commandeered his mount to walk towards the now struggling Damien. "Well, almost, at least." He mocked.
"Curse ya... Jedidiah," Damien said as he passed out. With a tip of his hat, Jedidiah dismounted and checked on the fallen dinosaur. It was alright, just a bit paralyzed due to the shot. He quickly ordered his men to capture him and the dinosaur. Jedidiah then took out a cigar from his pocket and lit it. "Tsk, bandits everywhere... Never learning their lesson. Lanson, make sure this one doesn't escape." He glanced at his deputy, the poor young man, tired and beaten as all of his shots missed. "Pull yourself together and go grab a drink back at Dinoville."
As his men were about to leave, he called out to them. "Make sure that the Para's taken care of." He exhaled a puff of smoke as the deputy left. He stayed there for a while, finding himself a rock to sit on. Just then, a nudge can be felt from his left arm. It was his Coelophysis. "You did good, Sky Chaser. You did good." He patted his snout, making the Coelophysis coo affectionately. This put a smile on his face.
Suddenly, a bright light can be seen at the horizon close to Jedediah. It was a captivating sight, but not something normal to occur. "Well, can't get enough peace around here, huh?" he said with a sense of danger as Jedidiah mounted his Coelo and rushed towards the light.
"Calm down, Rarity!" Applejack said, trying to hold her back from whatever it is she's trying to do.
"Calm down? Ah yes, yes. I am perfectly calm... NOT!" Rarity, again, tried to lash out, only to be stopped by Applejack.
"I'm... sorry..." Deflated, the once happy-go-lucky party central quietly sat next to a rock. Twilight, at the brink of anger, was about to say something but held it in, knowing full well that her friend has already gone through enough. "ENOUGH!" she howled, annoyed by the constant rambling of Rarity, the restlessness of everypony, and the failure of her experiment. She sighed as she glanced towards everypony. "Let's all just try and find a place to stay." She said, tired and dehydrated after a few minutes of walking.
Unbeknownst to all of them, they were being followed by the watchful eyes of bandits.
Tired and wanting to take a nap, the group rested in a nearby cave. Not even the proud pegasus can beat this insane heat. This made it even harder for her to scout for water. With no cloud in the sky to even manipulate, it seems all is lost. Night approached them, yet not a single one of them managed to sleep. They were hungry, they were tired, and most importantly, they were dehydrated. It was cold, surprisingly cold. If not for their fur, they would surely suffer the dreaded cold night. It is rare for ponies to suffer from hypothermia thanks to their magic, but this place just seems so unnatural to them.
"Twilight... I want to go home..." Spike said, tired from walking. Immediately after making camp on the cave, he collapsed, worrying all of the ponies.
"Don't worry Spike, we'll get us all home," Twilight said as she rubbed his head.
Dawn came for all of them at the sound of metallic clanks. It was a weird experience, but given that they didn't sleep, they thought nothing of it. Just then, a few clicks can be heard alongside thuds. Looking around, they saw two large ostrich-like animals. Had this been a normal situation, Fluttershy would have squealed in joy as she saw these new creatures. However, she was too weak and too tired to even get up.
What surprised her the most though was that she can't seem to understand what the ostrich things were saying.
"Uh, girls, what are those?" Applejack said, pointing at the two figures on the backs of the bird-like creatures. This made everypony look. Perhaps they were illusions. Another click and a beam shot out from the rifle, barely missing its mark. This did not register to them as they were too tired to even realize that they were in danger. As they glanced where the shot found its mark, they were horrified to see the scorched earth; the rock melting a bit due to the heat of whatever had shot them.
It was only when the bird-like beasts roared that they decided to run. The ponies were fast, but they were faster. With a few leaps from the Coelos, they immediately surrounded the group of ponies and the baby dragon.
"Look at what we got here... These here are strange entelodons." The ponies tried to fight, but the Coelophysis were terrifying. They had sharp teeth and even sharper claws. One swipe was all it took to knockout Applejack. This terrified Fluttershy so much that she fainted. "Well, they're feisty, that's for sure." The bandits then tied their bounty, trying to decide what to do with them.
"We could sell 'em to Dr. Gizmos. Problem is, we can't enter Dinoville, lest we encounter that sheriff again..." The bandit said, not wanting to pick an unnecessary fight.
"Perhaps we could just skin them? Their pelts do seem soft. We can also take the baby... uhh... what do you think it is?" The other bandit spoke.
"Please... have mercy..." Rarity spoke, tears in her eyes as she began to cry. The bandits, both shocked and intrigued, looked at the ponies. "Heh, they can talk. Alright, we'll let ya go." He then looked at the ponies.
"But first, I want to see you dance." The bandit unmounted his Coelo and pulled out a knife. He placed the knife on the crying mare's neck and ordered her to dance. "Go on, dance you weird entelodon! Shouldn't be too hard for ya!" he mocked as Rarity wept silently.
"Hey, you get your mangy paws of her, creep!" Rainbow said, flaring her wings as she tried to dash forward, only for the Coelo to snap at her, eliciting a yelp from the rainbow-maned pegasus.
"Check it, Dutch," one of them called out. "These here critters have wings? Ya think they can be sold to them Aviary fellows in Mokon Woods?"
The man chuckled. "Heh, we'll earn a fortune with the travelling circus if we sold these here freaks to them."
Twilight was having none of it as she decided to charge her horn, only for something to break the atmosphere around them.
Suddenly, the bandit who was still on his mount fell unconscious. It was at this moment that the sheriff came along. The bandit, who tried to make the poor unicorn dance and do other party tricks, struggled to get to his mount. He was then shot before he even had the chance to grab his gun. Not wanting it to end like this, he whistled and ordered both mounts to attack the lone sheriff, allowing time to at least retreat. Unfortunately for him, though, the sheriff shot another round at his leg, incapacitating him and even knocking him out. The other two Coelos were rapidly approaching. As such, he got off Sky Chaser and proceeded to equip his standard revolver.
Witnessing both sheriff and beast fight together was all it took for Rainbow Dash to partially regain her energy. She cheered the lone sheriff on, eventually catching him off guard. "TAKE THEM DOWN!"
And with the last swipe from Sky Chaser, the bandit Coelos fell to the ground. "Atta boy, Chaser. Atta boy." He grunted as he stood up. He then went towards the equines, untying the rest. "Y'all alright?" He spoke in a hushed tone, making sure not to scare them away. Twilight, ever so grateful, decided to hug the man along with her friends. Confused by this notion, he simply patted the now crying lavender unicorn. "Uh, yeah, uh, let it all out..."
She sniffed. "Thank you..."
"I get that you were in quite a dilemma but you shouldn't cry. There's no water out here for miles." It was then that a yellow pegasus sneezed as she regained consciousness. She glanced at the tall figure and immediately cowered and hid in her mane, as if she can't be seen by the naked eye.
"It's okay, Fluttershy, he's cool." Rainbow said, albeit tiredly. To further prove the point that he is "cool", he simply gave them a jug full of water from one of the stashes in the saddle. This got everypony, and even dragon, to thank the being even more.
He thought he had seen it all... He was wrong. "I might have to lay off the whiskey a bit," he mumbled as he watched the weird equines, and a weird dino, chat with each other.
"So, y'all from another world?" This made Twilight look at the being as he petted Sky Chaser. "Uhm... yes..." He nodded. "Thought as much. Y'all don't seem to belong here. Last I checked, ponies don't talk."
This annoyed Twilight and the rest. "We do talk, you know? We're talking right now." Rainbow said with a bemused face. The being chuckled. "Yes, yes. It's why I said that y'all are from another world."
The man then tied up the bandits and the unconscious Coelos as he rode Sky Chaser. "Wait, where are you going? You can't leave us here!" Rarity said, almost clinging to the being's leg. The rest pleaded as well. Even a newly awoken Applejack pleaded, albeit a bit confused as to why. "Relax, there is no way Sky Chaser can carry y'all in one go." He then glanced at a curious Fluttershy who looked like she was about to start asking questions. "I'll have to bring in Thorn Charge to help with that."
"But, how will you even come back here? It's a long way to go!" Twilight said as the being reached for the saddle bags.
"With this, the Teleport Matrix," he said as he showed Twilight the small, rectangular object. "I'll just mark this place on my map and I can easily find you... so long as you stay in place." Twilight wanted to ask more, but then he vanished before she could even talk.
"Well... this is a weird place." Pinkie said, looking at everypony. Everypony had a deadpan stare.
"Well... that was weird." Jedidiah sighed. He really had to stop himself from squealing after he saw the cute bunch of equines. While baby dinosaurs were cute, those things... they were cuter. That combined with the fact that they were talking equines pretty much made him question if he should continue drinking or not. The coats never really bothered him. After all, he saw some green brontops along the way, grazing whilst he was chasing that lunatic of a bandit. That and one of his friends had a pink Coelophysis.
He grumbled to himself as he went back home. He gave them water, so they should be fine for an hour. And with that free time, maybe then can he convince Thorn Charge to finally wear the heavy transporter, or maybe just attach a cart to it.
"Hey there, Jed!" a small child waved at him.
"Barry, good to see ya!" He dismounted Sky Chaser and ruffled the kid's hair, making sure that he held onto the lead. "Did ya take care of the dinos in the stable?" Barry grinned as he ran towards the stable and back to Jed.
"She laid an egg!" Just then, a large Parasaurolophus stepped outside, nuzzling the little kid and the egg. Jed patted the Para, smiling in awe. He had seen her grow from an egg and now she's a mother of her own clutch of eggs. "What do you plan to name the newborns, Barry?" He said, looking at a giggling child as the Para licked him in the cheek. "Hmm." He pondered. "I wanna name them... Fluffy, Kent, Mylene, and Tuck!"
Jed laughed and ruffled his hair once again. "Well, better hope old man Bill allows those names."
He then left, waving goodbye to the kid. He wanted to walk, and so he walked. It was relaxing. He never had the time to walk and just breathe in the scenery. It was either the desk job at the office, or tackling some pesky bandit over some cargo. Heck, even bounty hunters get under his nerves at times.
"I just hope he finally accepts that heavy transporter... What do you think Sky?" The Coelo looked at him and simply licked his face. "Yes, yes, you're probably right." Eventually, he managed to get to his house. "Hello? I'm home." He said, garnering no response. "Guess they're still away, huh, Sky?"
Bringing Sky Chaser into the stables, he was eventually greeted by a grumpy rhino-like dinosaur. "Consarn it, Thorn Charge! I haven't even done anything and you're already mad!" He placed his hand unto his face, squeezing the ridge of his nose.
He sighed and patted the Centrosaurus. "Alright. Alright. If I take you outside, will you promise not to charge at the gates again." The Centrosaurus growled. Jed sighed. "I swear, why do I even keep you?" He then grabbed a saddle and proceeded to add a bit more. The Centro wasn't pleased when he had to chomp down on the bridle. He snorted and grunted, but Jed was unyielding.
"Alright. Let's go."
"IT'S BEEN 30 MINUTES! HE'LL NEVER COME BAHAHACK!" Rarity moaned and wept, hitting the ground with her hoof. She sniffed, then sobbed again. "WE'LL BE STUCK HERE FOREVER! I HAVEN'T EVEN GOT THE CHANCE TO MEET MY ONE TRUE LOVE!"
This made everypony give her a deadpan stare, with some sighing. Rainbow rolled her eyes at her friend's antics as she stretched her wings and flew upwards.
"Rarity, calm down. I don't think he'll just forget about us like that." Twilight said, trying to comfort the distressed mare. "Besides, we're colorful ponies! He will never forget that!" Pinkie added, which is true. They were indeed colorful.
In the span of 30 minutes, the group managed to attract a few dinosaurs who were mostly herbivores. A Coelo came by, however, this one was much smaller and decided to simply nibble on Applejack's Stetson, much to the chagrin of the farmer. It was only when a small yet chubby one-horned dinosaur arrived that the Coelo stopped nibbling and bolted to another place. Of course, being an animal lover, Fluttershy decided to pat the dinosaur. The dinosaur was relaxed and was a herbivore, thank Celestia for that. When the whole herd finally passed through, and the dinosaur left the group, only then did they realize that it was a baby dinosaur.
"I wonder what they are called. Ohh, this is so fun!" Fluttershy exclaimed, clapping her hooves together. When the whole herd went away, the young Coelo went back and started nibbling on the Stetson yet again.
"Consarn it- Fluttershy! Ah need help here, please!" Fluttershy hovered next to Applejack and began to scold the Coelophysis. "No! Bad... uhh... crane? You do not nibble on other pony's stuff!" She glared and the tiny Coelo whimpered. "Ohh, there there, it's alright now. As long as you learned your lesson, then all is good." Fluttershy said, hugging the tiny Coelo and nuzzling it. Relaxed by this, the Coelo yawned and nuzzled Fluttershy's chest as it went to sleep. A collective "aww" can be heard from the group. This made everyone look with awe, with some even cooing at the tiny dinosaur.
"Heh, Ah guess ya ain't that bad."
Not even Spike was immune to the cuteness of the Coelo.
Just then, a blue pegasus landed, managing to snag a bit of water from the forming clouds. "Heh, what did I say. Best. Flyer. Ever." Rainbow said, giving everycreature water.
"Uhh, Fluttershy, what is that? And why does it... look so cool?" Rainbow queried, pointing at the Coelo. "I don't know, it's a new creature." She gasped. "Do you think he'll come back with a new creature?" Fluttershy excitedly said. Twilight then pondered, placing a hoof on her chin. "He did say something about Thorn Charge to help with carrying us all."
"Maybe it's one of those things that passed through!" Pinkie said, bouncing up and down. They all nodded.
"Well, it does fit the name. Still, I don't want to be at the receiving end of whatever horn that thing has." Rarity spoke, finally managing to calm down. Just then, a low grunt can be heard. A huge dinosaur walked by along with some babies. It had a club for a tail, and a really armored back. Of course, since Rainbow Dash had Tank, this dinosaur immediately pierced her heart.
"Oh... my... GOSH! Look at the babies!" Fluttershy said, extending a hoof to the playful Ankylosaurusi. Twilight then had an idea, grabbing hold a bit of cacti with her magic and fed the babies. "Aww!" They collectively said. However, the babies fought and nibbled each other after one was being fed and the other wasn't.
"Hey now, don't ya start fightin', okay?" Applejack said, remembering her sister. The mother then groaned, calling back her children as they waddled away. One even tumbled down after sneezing. "So," Spike said, watching the baby dinosaurs run off to their mother. "All we need to do now is wait then, huh?" Spike asked. Hopeful, they decided to at least walk a bit around the cave to see if there was something interesting to do while they wait.
"Alright, you had your fun. Now, can we place a wagon behind you?" The Centro groaned, but surprisingly, it allowed Jed to even add the Wagon Kit. By sheer luck, it seems that fate had blessed this Centro with kindness and understanding for a bit.
It is done! He managed to finally place a wagon! He sniffed a bit, "I thought this day would never come." Finally, he was ready to pick up those ponies, and the baby thingummyjig.
"Now, all I have to do is prepare. Let's see... I hope they can eat bread. A bit of water... Aha! I'll have to thank Steven for the mangoes."
He placed everything that he needed in case the Teleport Matrix ran out of juice. As such, he prepared 8 sleeping bags, rations for 8 people, and finally, food and water for Thorn Charge. "All good to go!" He rarely was a happy man, but his Centro finally letting him add attachments made him almost as happy as his wedding day.
"Now then... Let's go." He grabbed his Teleport Matrix and set it on the Teleporters. While the Teleport Matrix was great for easy travels, it simply can't teleport you on an exact location, thus having to rely on the teleporters. He sniffed, spat at the ground, and drank some water. "Here goes." And then they vanished.
When they conjured at the Teleporter, they immediately went towards the cave. Luckily, it was close to them. A few walks and they should make it back at Dinoville, safe and sound. He's just hoping, even praying, that the Teleporters don't fail this time. "God, I should've told them to fix the Teleporters ASAP."
"These emeralds are absolutely divine!" Rarity said. The group managed to find crystals just around the cave. Though, with those crystals, they saw bones. Choosing not to panic, with the help of Twilight's explanation as well, they decided to ignore the bones and just explore a bit more. Of course, they stayed near the cave, should the tall being come back for them.
It had been 54 minutes. They've encountered a few more animals, although, what they've encountered were no longer dinosaurs. They've encountered a few tiger-like creatures with long fangs and one elderly rhino. Fluttershy, recognizing the similarities of these creatures, decided to observe them.
Curious, Twilight simply stood near Fluttershy as she decided to make mental notes about the similarities of said creatures. Pinkie saw a few cubs and simply scooped them up, much to the chagrin of Fluttershy. Rainbow, on the other hoof, was bored and simply threw rocks at the wall of the cave.
Applejack simply decided to take a nap; she was done for the day. First, she got teleported to some unknown place. Next, she had to travel without food and water, only resting on this tiny cave. Finally, she got bonked in the noggin by some weird ostrich. It was luck that saved them from those guys, but gosh darn it, she's had the worst end of the stick.
Just then, a loud groan echoed. It was one of those reptiles with a long horn, only this time, it was bigger. Much bigger. This woke up Applejack and alerted everypony. It was pulling something on its back, and by the looks of it, a caravan.
"He returned!" Spike said, jumping up and down. He was also holding onto the Coelo like a stuffed animal as it tried to nibble on him. The rest followed suit as the large rhino-like reptile marched towards their direction.
"Well, it seems your all still in one piece." Jed said, hopping off the Centro and opening the caravan. And with a blink of an eye, everypony, and even a baby dragon and a baby Coelo, sat inside the caravan. "Right..." Not even bothering to question how they got there, he pointed at the crate inside the caravan. "There's a few rations there if y'all are hungry."
"OOH THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" Pinkie said at the top her lungs. They all said their thanks and dug into their meals. Fresh fruit and bottles of water, even a jar filled with juice, awaited them. He chuckled and immediately hopped on the Centro. He tried to teleport, unfortunately, it did not work. "Well, guess we'll have to go the old fashioned way." He grumbled to himself. Twilight noticed this but simply held onto it. She was hungry, after all. And thus, the journey began.
They traversed the scorching desert, encountered a few bounty hunters along the way, and even saw a few flying bat-like things on the horizon. It was mostly quiet, namely because of the tall creature riding the "Re-rhino", a name given to the Centrosaurus by Pinkie Pie since it looked like a reptile rhino. The wind then became harsh as a sand storm approached them. The ponies panicked, yet the tall creature and the Centro pushed on as if it didn't bother them. Sand got inside the caravan, much to the chagrin of Rarity.
They then crossed a valley pass, a few Parasaurolophus grazing on the small trees. The ponies gasped at the sight of the majestic creatures. One of the older Paras even went near the caravan, allowing itself to be caressed by the ponies and the young dragon. With a mighty roar, the other Parasaurs ran alongside the caravan, impressing everypony. The Centro then roared as he ran.
Upon reaching a nearby oasis, thunder clouds appeared and heavy rain poured. It did little to stop the caravan. The Centrosaurus even roared when Fluttershy, who was worried for the re-rhino, tried to stop them, making Fluttershy cower after that encounter. Eventually, after a few minutes, the rain stopped and they all saw the sun setting in the horizon. It was beautiful and serene.
Then, another herd of those re-rhinos appeared. Noticing that it was the same herd, Fluttershy flew out a bit and decided to pet the babies. This made Jed stop and take a break.
"Uhm... excuse me, but... what are they called, exactly? If you don't mind me asking." Fluttershy asked, nuzzling the baby as Jed got off the grumpy Centro. "That right there is a Centrosaurus. Stubborn creatures, they are, I'll tell you that." She thanked the creature and flew back to the rest of the herd, now knowing what they are. Noticing that night is approaching, he called out to the pegasus and continued the trek.
Night came and Jed steered the huffing Centro to a nearby cliff-face. "We'll set up camp here." He ordered. And within a few minutes, the camp was made, thanks to an eager Applejack and an excited Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie helped as well, granted, she only placed down the sleeping bags. Twilight, itching to ask this tall creature some questions, decided to walk towards him as he fed the Centro. However, all she got was a nibble from the baby Coelo, making the tall creature chuckle. "She likes you, huh?" Twilight then stared at the tall creature. "She?"
"Female Coelophysis often nibble a lot when they're babies. Males just simply scratch." Twilight simply nodded. She was about to speak when she was cut off. "Alright, we'll talk in the morning. You all best get some rest." Annoyed, Twilight wanted to protest, only to find that most of her friends are already sleeping. Even the unicorn mare, who was aghast at the idea of filth in her mane, slept so peacefully. Perhaps it was for the best. Sleep is indeed essential, after all.
Dawn came, and with it, a new day for travel. Applejack woke up the earliest out of all of her friends, stretching from her sleep. She shook her head and yawned as she rubbed her heavy eyes, trotting towards the sleeping Centrosaur. "Yer a very heavy sleeper, huh?" she said, rubbing the crest of the dinosaur.
"Yeah, he is. The old age might be gettin' to the bugger," Jedidiah said, surprising the pony.
"Yer up early," Applejack said with a hint of caution, causing Jedidiah to chuckle. "Welp, I have to, with my job and all," answered Jed as he drank water from his pouch. "Y'all slept so peacefully that you forgot to decide who's the one guarding," Jedidiah idly commented as he offered some water to Applejack. She accepted with a nod as she drank greedily, the heat of yesterday's sun catching up on her thirst. Trying for a more casual talk, Jed tried to ask her about things. Things that made him curious.
"So," he started, "you get up at this hour often?" Applejack simply gulped down on the water, feeling refreshed. "Ya bet!" She said, giving Jed back his pouch. "Runnin' an orchard takes quite a lot of time, so Ah have to wake up early in the mornin'," exclaimed Applejack as she stepped away from the snoring Centrosaur.
"Yer a sheriff, right?" she asked, looking at Jedidiah as he sat on a rock next to a pot.
"Took the mantle when I saved the mayor's daughter," he calmly said with a longing look. Mistaking this feeling for something else, Applejack simply placed her hoof on his shoulder. "It's alright, Ah know that feeling..."
"Well, that business of hers sure is taking quite a lot of time," Jed said, misreading the situation, completely ignorant to the pony's feelings. "Oh," Applejack said, giggling sheepishly. Never before had she blundered like that. Still, she couldn't mistake those eyes. Those were the eyes of someone who lost a lot, and given his job, she understood. They continued to talk more about their homes, their family, and even their jobs. Jedidiah was intrigued about the way they harvested apples back home.
"Well, if we have you in our fields, we'd be the best in terms of selling apples," Jed joked as he nudged a chuckling Applejack.
The laughter was enough to wake up the party pony, greeting them both with a hug. Noticing the idle chit-chat of the two, Pinkie Pie decided to know more about Jed, especially since she was planning on making him a "Thank you for saving us" party, something she'd probably do once they get back home and improve upon the teleporter.
"Good morning to you too, Pinkie," Jed said, amused to the antics of the pink mare. Of course, Pinkie also patted the sleeping Centro, reminding her of her own pet, Gummy. In truth, she misses him a lot. "Sooooo, whatcha talkin' about?" She questioned, giving them both such a bright smile.
"Nothing much, really," Jed said as he opened his pouch and gave it to Pinkie. "We were just talking about the farms, our homes, and our worlds," he told the drinking pony. "It really is fascinating, another world without dinosaurs."
Pinkie simply nodded, giving back the pouch after drinking water. "You bet! Buuut, when it comes to animal friends, Fluttershy is the best pony to talk to!" While waiting for the others, they decided to talk more about Pinkie, of how she grew up in a rock farm, only to end in a baking career. "Joy Barker would like you, a lot," Jed idly said, chuckling at the sight of Pinkie doing cartwheels while explaining. As everything was happening, he noticed a butter yellow pegasus gently patting the Centro.
"Good morning, Fluttershy!" Pinke exclaimed, waving at the shy pegasus.
"Oh," she said, calmly fluttering towards the group. "G-good morning, everypony," Fluttershy said meekly. Jed simply smiled gently, offering her the same water pouch he gave the other two. "So, you're the animal expert?" Jed asked, prompting the pegasus to smile. Before answering though, she took a sip from the pouch and gently exhaled.
"Y-yeah, I just love animals," Fluttershy said, gently giving him back the pouch. Out of all of them, it seems Fluttershy drank the least. Jed quickly got up and went towards the Centro, motioning for them to follow. Fluttershy, excited that Jed might talk more about the creature, followed eagerly along with her friends. However, Jed quickly turned to the right, confusing the others. They then found themselves near a cliff, granted, it was a small cliff that would bring no harm should they jump. Confused by this, Pinkie began to wonder, but before she could, Jed quickly got into his belly and hushed them as he pointed at something beneath the cliff. They followed and saw another herd of Centrosaurus grazing in the small oasis.
"Wow!" Fluttershy exclaimed. The rest were in awe to see such animals. This wasn't the same herd, but it was still a majestic sight to behold.
"Now," Jedidiah began as he looked at them. "I told you of their names, but not their natural behavior," Jed said, speaking in a hushed tone. "Despite looking like grumpy reptile rhinos, as Pinkie calls them, Centrosaurs are one of the most family oriented dinosaurs," Jed said, pointing at the dinosaurs.
"These creatures are loyal to their caretakers. Aggressive when it comes to defending their family, they will surround the younglings in a circle to create this "protective ring" on them." There they saw multiple hatchlings playing with each other, with their parents nudging the babies when they get too hyperactive.
This fascinated the three ponies, especially Fluttershy. "I want you to guess who the alpha is," Jed said as he watched the ponies in amazement. Pinkie, first to speak up, decided to point on a large one.
"Ooh, that one! That one!" She beamed at the sight. Jed simply chuckled. "You were close, but no, that ain't it," he said, patting the mane of the pink pony as she pouted. Applejack simply pointed to the smallest, thinking about how looks can be deceiving. "That ain't the one either," he simply stated, smiling at Applejack.
Finally, Fluttershy decided to speak up, pointing at the one farthest away from the group. "You're right, Fluttershy!" Jed said, making Fluttershy smile even brighter than before. "That Centro is the alpha of the herd. You can see this with not only his size, but also his horns."
Jed then pointed towards their sleeping Centro, "Look at his horns in comparison to the alpha. Notice how the alpha has a third set of horns on his head. That means that this Centro is older than most in the herd," Jed explained, much to the excitement of the others. He did not mention the scars, lest he worries the other ponies. "Look at how he radiates confidence, the way he looks around instead of grazing," Jedidiah said as the lone dinosaur was sniffing and turning, vigilant of its surroundings.
"Oh, I want to pet him so much!" Fluttershy said, hovering over the others. Jed simply stood up and asked them to follow them back to the campsite, to which everypony agreed.
"Uhm, excuse me if I sound rude, but why do you have Mr. Thorn Charge in a saddle to begin with?" Fluttershy asked, curious to the situation.
"Well, we have them as a means for transportation," Jed answered honestly. "Some are built for heavy purposes, such as our Brachiosaurs, while some are built for defending other folks."
"Brahkiosawrs?" Applejack asked. "What the hey are those things?"
"They are long-necked creatures as tall as some of the trees. You'll see them soon," Jed stated. "While some treat these dinos as companions, some definitely use them not just for transportation but for farming, escorts, and even transporting heavy supplies that we can't carry ourselves." Fluttershy was satisfied with that answer, beaming widely as she hovered towards the Centro, who eventually woke up and started groaning.
"Careful there, Fluttershy. No matter how friendly you are, if you suddenly pet him while he is still groggy, he might just bite you," he said, pulling her back gently before an accident happens. "He may be a herbivore, but that beak can still do a lot of damage."
Thorn Charge simply roared at the others as he stood up, grumpily walking towards the plants as he chomped it with his sharp beak. "Sorry about that Fluttershy, he's just a grumpy old dino, even when he was still a baby," he said as Rainbow Dash woke up to the sound of roaring. "Ughh, my head," exclaimed the cyan pegasus as she hovered towards her friends. She greeted them and looked upon Jed with amazement, recollecting the way he saved them from the bandits. It was awesome, to say the least.
They all sat in the shade as Jed started to make breakfast for the rest of them, with Applejack volunteering to help.
"So, how did you become a sheriff?" Rainbow asked as she was piqued with interest. Of course, since she was asleep with the others, she did not experience the early morning conversation and the mini adventure Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Applejack experienced.
"Well, I became a sheriff after a few years of work," he said, stopping as he finished chopping the onions and adding salt to the soup. "I guess saving the mayor's daughter made it faster for me to climb the ranks," he chuckled, stirring the soup gently.
"That's so cool!" Rainbow said as she hovered towards Applejack, much to the chagrin of the farmer working on the ingredients. "Hehe, sorry," she apologized as she continued, "So uhh, why'd you become the sheriff?" Jed simply sighed, recollecting his age old reason.
"Someone has to do something, what with all the problems going all around with bandits and stuff," Jed answered. "Not the best reason, huh?"
"Are you kidding me? That's heroic!" She said, raising a hoof to the air. As they continued their idle chatter, they heard a screech of a worried unicorn. When they looked back towards the tent, they could see Thorn Charge licking the wailing unicorn, spewing that her mane is ruined at such an early hour, with no hair spa nor shower in sight. Rainbow simply chuckled at her antics. Twilight simply woke up to the commotion, worried at her friend Rarity. Since she does not know much of the Centro, she thought for sure that the Centro was hungry. Combined with the young Coelo constantly following her and nipping on her hind hoof, she really has no idea if the dino was truly safe or not.
Jed simply whistled, relaxing when the Centro still followed basic commands. The dinosaur quickly stopped at what he was doing, moved towards the human, and simply grunted when he saw the cyan mare.
"Good morning to you too, you big lump of horns," he said as he walked towards Rarity and Twilight. "Apologies for that, Thorn Charge likes to lick things that look like food."
Rarity simply looked aghast, "Do I look like food to, to, to such a beast?!" Jed simply sighed, looking at Thorn Charge, who was busy licking Fluttershy. "Either that or he likes you girls more than me," he said, distraught that his own Centro shows more affection to strangers than to his owner. Fluttershy interjected, seeing that her friend was distraught about the situation. "Maybe he thinks that we are foals?"
Twilight simply perked up with Fluttershy's explanation. "What do you mean, Fluttershy?"
"Well, Jed told us that Centrosaurs are really protective animals, even forming a ring to defend their young. Maybe he thinks that we are tiny and weird, uhh, hatchlings?" Fluttershy explained, to which it satiated the hungry mind of Twilight while calming down Rarity. "Well, I suppose if you put it that way," Rarity said as she rubbed the saliva off her mane.
Twilight simply stood there, basking in the warmth of a sun. A delicious smell then wafted towards her nostrils. She glanced towards the soup pot, hungry for breakfast. Spike was on her back, groggy due to the loud shriek.
They all had breakfast consisting of soup. Twilight took this opportunity to ask questions. Questions such as "what are you," "what are these animals," and "where are we going," all for the purpose of learning where they were and how to go back to Equestria.
After an eventful breakfast, the gang decided to continue on their journey, packing up all the stuff and generally being helpful to one another. They passed through several other dinosaurs and mammals, each differing from one another. From the carnivorous scavengers, to hostile predators, to say that the lands are dangerous is an understatement. Luckily for them, the beasts seem not to mind their presence. Finally, after hours of travel, they have now reached Dinoville Canyon.
Walking a few more miles, the Mane 6 spotted a house near a waterfall. There sat a blue Parasaurolophus, with a woman tending to it. "Oh, you're back! How are you, Jed?" the woman said, brushing the crest of her Para.
Standing before them is Hope Simmons, welcoming Jed back from his adventure with open arms. "Thank you kindly for catching that no good Damien, stealing wheat and bread like that," she spoke, tipping her hat to the sheriff. As she went on and talked to Jed, she noticed at the corner of her eyes a pink and purple mane. Curious, she went towards the caravan and looked inside.
To say that she was shocked was an understatement. "Woah! What are these guys?" said the usually calm woman, grabbing the attention of her Para in the process. The Para, curious on what these things are, sniffed the white unicorn and sneezed on her. "Eww! Why me?!" screamed the unicorn now covered in slimy mucus. The yellow pegasus simply patted the Para, curious on what the Para is.
Upon hearing the white unicorn speak, she gasped and fell unto her rump, screaming hysterics at the talking unicorn. Jed simply pinched the ridge in his nose. "Gather everyone in here to Dinoville. I'll explain everything there," Jed said, partially annoyed at what is going on. To comfort the crying unicorn, he simply said that there is a shower in his house, immediately garnering the attention of said unicorn.
Waving goodbye to Hope, he continued the journey towards Dinoville.
They took all the sights in. Of course, they were still in a desert, but their new surroundings impressed them. Humble houses with weird metallic chimneys and neon lights next to large stables, where multiple dinosaurs reside in. The look on Fluttershy's face when she saw a tall dinosaur with a really long neck surprised the others.
"That must be them 'Brahkiosawrs' Jed talked about, though Ah imagined them to be... taller," Applejack said, only to be surprised when a gigantic Brachiosaur walked towards their caravan. "Ah take it back," she simply said.
Finally, they were there. Or rather, they were on Jedidiah's house. Rarity immediately dashed towards the shower and bathed, the rest shaking their heads on the antics of their friend. "Well, guess you should just make yourselves at home for now," he stated as he grabbed his pipe, walking outside the door. "I'll go back here and pick you all up after I talk with the mayor."
Rainbow simply saluted, while the rest nodded. They looked around the place, noting how cozy it feels. Spike simply waddled near the fireplace, carrying the baby Coelo while avoiding her tiny nibbles. While it didn't hurt him, it was still annoying.
Twilight was simply at awe when she found Jed's office as it was filled with books she has never read before, from novels to documents of old. Applejack simply lingered outside, looking at the stables and the house itself. By the mere mention of stables, Fluttershy immediately went outside as well, looking at the dinosaurs inside.
She saw a Parasaur nuzzling a few eggs, the grumpy Thorn Charge, and the speedy Coelo who saved their lives, Sky Chaser. She also saw a bull-like carnivore, sleeping in the haystacks. Rarity was, of course, freshening up after the saliva fiasco she endured, even encouraging the others to take a bath as well. Rainbow, on the other hand, was simply at awe at the trophies and medals, from speed-racing to defending the town. Pinkie, who joined Rainbow looking at the medals, decided that she wanted to see if the kitchen has any ingredients for a cake, only stopping when she saw a photograph of Jed along with a child riding on a Coelo. They were smiling in the photo, which melted her heart, hugging it and then placing it back to where it belongs.
Just then, a loud knock on the backdoor can be heard. It sounded so young, which meant it was a child of some sorts. "Jed? Ya in there?" The child said. Not knowing what to do, Twilight simply teleported everyone back inside as they talked about their current predicament.
"Uhh, what's going on?" Rainbow said, surprised that they were all in a random study, with Twilight simply looking on the open door. "We have to think this through, not everypony can be as kind as Jed," she said. They all nodded, especially after the bandit incident. Unfortunately for them, Pinkie simply walked towards the door, immediately welcoming the child. "Pinkie!" They all said, annoyed at their friend's behavior.
"Wha-" said the child, surprised to see a pink pony in front of him. "Hi! I'm Pinkie! It's so nice to meet you!" she said as she continued to speak more and more, as fast as a Coelo running. The child simply smiled at the confusing sight, entering the house as he saw the others, panicking at their friend's actions. When he saw the baby Coelo though, he immediately squealed and hugged it, with the baby nibbling on the child's arm.
"Where'd you find this cutie?" He said, looking at the baby Coelo and doing clicking noises with his tongue.
Fluttershy was surprised at this action and approached the child, excited to talk with a fellow animal lover. The rest then calmed down when they saw how affectionate the young child is. "Oh wait, I forgot!" the child said, quickly turning towards the rest of them. "I'm, uhh, Barry! It's nice to meet you guys," he said, glancing towards everyone. Before the others could introduce themselves, however, he quickly told everyone to follow him, which garnered Twilight's suspicion.
"Not to be rude, Barry, but why do we need to follow you?" Twilight asked. Barry simply shrugged, "Dunno, Jed said that you needed to come to the center of Dinoville."
He then scratched his head while carrying the now sleeping Coelo. "Weird though, he never told me that you were, uhh, ponies?"
They all nodded, with Twilight wanting to state what type of ponies they are, only for Barry to simply run towards the door and call them.
With no other option left, they decided to go outside. They took more of the sights as they passed through more of the town. Once they reached the center, however, they saw a few more buildings not like the others. One seems to be a market zone while the others seem to be important government buildings. And upon reaching near their destination, they could hear someone talk.
"They are sapient beings, just like us, and I hope you all welcome them like how we welcome newer citizens to our quaint little town," he said, glancing around everyone. "When he saved them from bandits, he had the chance to learn more about them, and he brought them here to help them. I just hope everyone else accepts them the way our very own sheriff did, for they are kind beings, merely longing to go home. And so, I ask of you, all of you, that you share with them the same compassion we share with others. That we share with them the same friendliness we had given to those who needed it."
This caused the rest to shout with glee, accepting what their mayor is saying. "And with that, I present to you, the Equestrians!"
A loud cheer can be heard when they saw the ponies, although some remained skeptical on the whole thing. Each of them were waving to some degree, with Fluttershy having the weakest wave out of all of them as she cowered behind her mane. Of course, the others found this adorable, and simply gave her a gentle smile. Rarity and Rainbow simply basked in the glory that they were having, with Applejack simply waving, nervous about the whole thing. Twilight simply smiled at everyone, with Spike waving on her back. Pinkie, however, simply went towards everyone and shook their hands, making everyone chuckle.
As soon as all of the commotion stopped, they simply followed Jed and Barry back home, where they agreed to stay, so long as they help out with the town. And given that the town treated them with care the moment they were introduced and as a means to repay their savior, they thought nothing of it. Upon arriving, Barry simply waved them goodbye and walked towards the market, seeing that he has something to buy for the new Coelo.
"Well, this is certainly an unexpected surprise," Rarity simply said. "I just hope that you don't assign us to really hard chores," Rarity added, looking her hooves for damages. Applejack simply nudged Rarity in the side and rolled her eyes. "Ah swear, could ya at least try and do somethin' for once?"
Rarity simply scoffed at the remark, but then pondered about it. She was saved by the sheriff, the least that she can do is break a sweat. "Now now, no need to argue," Jed coughed, putting the pipe back at the desk. "I've talked with the mayor and assigned you with jobs that I'm pretty sure that you can handle," he said, making Twilight raise an eyebrow at the comment. "And what does that mean?" Twilight asked, curious, concerned, and suspicious of the whole thing.
"Simple, really," Jed said. "Applejack will help in the farms, Fluttershy will take care of the dinosaurs in the stables, while Pinkie will help in the bakery. Noticing a pattern here?" Jed said, making Twilight ponder upon the situation. He then opened his pouch and drank from it. "That's if they want to, of course. We have lots of job openings, should they want it. Call it a compromise for, well, whatever's happened with y'all being here; best I can do at least."
Jedidiah then glanced at the windows as he scratched his neck. "If it were up to me, none of y'all would have to work but we're really low on people after some of them going to Mokon Woods for an expedition."
"That would mean that Rarity would help with something that relates to sewing, Rainbow with something related to weather, and I myself with something related to... books?" Twilight said as she anticipated the situation. Jed simply nodded as he blew out smoke from his pipe. "Well, yes and no to some parts," he continued, grabbing a piece of paper and placing it on the table, immediately writing something on it with a pencil. "After talking to each of you, that's the best I can offer up to fit your abilities."
He then turned the paper so that they could read what he wrote.
"Twilight, you are to help with either the librarian, or well, be a secretary in the Town Hall. Rainbow would help with the mail or be part of the scouts for the Guardian Outpost," he paused, taking a swig of water. "Of course, you'll have your very own uniform on either jobs. This applies to all of you by the way."
He then turned his gaze at Rarity. "You, however, you have quite a lot of options. You can either help with the seamstress and tailors, help the saddle makers, or go and help with the stocks in the warehouse."
They all went silent, pondering, thinking about what they want to do. Looking at each other, they all nodded and agreed. "Well, when you put it that way, we'll offer our services wholeheartedly," Twilight said, with Spike cheering as well.
"I wish to help with the dinosaurs," Fluttershy said meekly.
"Ah shucks, guess Ah'll help with the farmin', ain't got nothin better than hard work!" Applejack said, raising her Stetson.
"Being the fastest flyer AND the best scout will make everypony back in Ponyville cheer my name!" Rainbow said as she did a loop in the air.
"Why, I must give my services to the fine tailors and seamstresses of this fine town, don't you think so?" Rarity simply said, posing as elegantly as she can.
"More cakes and bread, more happy customers in the end!" Pinkie exclaimed as she bounced up and down and all around.
Twilight simply nodded at all of her friends. "Spike and I will take the job as a secretary. You'll need help with organizing, after all!" She gave Jed a wink. "That and all the books I can read," she mumbled.
"Yeah, we'll be the best at this!" Spike said as he raised his clenched claws in the air.
"Great," Jed said as he finally closed his pouch, amazed at the ponies. "I'll introduce you to your coworkers tomorrow."
"Just one more thing," Twilight said, "why weren't you at the Town Center?" Jed merely coughed as he straightened his hat, "I had matters to attend to at the office. Ain't as easy to waltz in the center without trying to talk to my very worried recruits, now can I?"
Twilight merely grumbled but accepted that answer. "Now, again, I ain't gonna bother you too much if you don't want to work, so uhh, are you sure you want to help out?"
They all nodded. Jedidiah merely smiled as he walked outside, stretching his limbs. Tomorrow would be a great day.
