//------------------------------//
// Appleloosa Rangers Part 1: Haggard and The Red Bulls 
// Story: Equestria Heroes: The 3Ds (starring: Spike, Discord, and Big Mac) 
// by Phantom-Dragon 
//------------------------------//

In a flash of light, the boys stood in the streets of Applelossa.

"Whoa," Spike groaned, rubbing his eyes, clearing his vision. "Applelossa!"

"Eeyup," Discord said, in a southern drawl, while donning himself up in a western attire. "It's Applelossa. The apple of my pie. Don't that make ya feel right at home there old friend?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac replied, while slightly amused with Discord's humor.

"Howdy folks!" a voice called out to the boys.

The boys looked to see none other than Braeburn, Applejack's cousin, trotting up to the three.

"Howdy Braeburn," Spike greeted the stallion.

"Well cousin Big Mac! Is that you?" Braeburn exclaimed.

"Yup!" Big Mac replied, as the cousins shook hooves.

"Shoot! I half-expected you'd still be back at Sweet Apple Acres, running the farm with cousin Applejack and Granny Smith. What brings you here cuz? Matter of fact, what brings y'all here?"





The boys were later at a saloon, each sharing a cup of apple cider, while explaining everything to Braeburn the events that occurred, prior to their arrival.

"And that's why we're here," Spike said, finishing the story.

Braeburn was at a loss of words, until finally he spoke, "I-I don't believe this....cousin Applejack....g-gone? Missing ponies? Monsters?"

"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed solemnly.

"Speaking of," Spike began. "You wouldn't happen to see any of those monsters around here? Have you, Braeburn?"

"Or at least, Applejack?" Big Mac asked worryingly.

"Or Fluttershy?" Discord added, equally worried.

Braeburn shook his head sadly, "Sorry Spike. But I haven't seen any hair, nor hide of my cousin and her friends, or else I would've told y'all. And I certainly haven't seen any monsters around here. Well, not like the ones you boys encountered in Canterlot though."

Suddenly, a scream was heard, followed by the sound of windows smashing.

"Get away from me!" a mare's voice cried out.

"What the hay?" the boys turned their heads in the direction of the commotion, to see a young mare ran from behind the curtains, on the stage in the saloon, followed by a great big, brown minotaur, with two longhorn bulls accompanying him. 

The mare was a unicorn, who looked almost like Fleur De Lis, with the exception of her color. She had a brilliant orange coat, with her muzzle and hooves colored white, with her mane and tail colored fiery red, that are long, with the mane don up in curl, and the tail was slightly ruffled. She had bright yellow eyes, and her cutie mark was three scarlet, colored leaves, surrounded by sparkles. For attire, she wore a dark brown stetson hat, with a rose embedded, a brown saddlebag, and a red bandana.

The minotaur looked much bigger than Iron Will in pony, with great big, long, curved black horns. For attire, he wears a black stetson hat, vest, and a large belt, with the buckle in the shape of a bull's head.

The mare kept on running, until she slipped on a littered empty bottle of apple cider and fell on the floor. As soon as she got up, she was already cornered by the minotaur.

"You see?" the minotaur grunted. "I told you, you can't run forever. Now be a good little pony and come with us!"

"Never!" the mare shouted. "I ain't going anywhere with the likes of you!"

The minotaur snorted as he and his comrades surrounded the mare, "Well that's quite a shame. Because you're coming with us, whether you like or not!"

The bulls got closer, as the mare backed up.

"Stand back!" the mare threatened. "I'm more than just a pretty face you know!"

Spike turned to Braeburn. "Tell me Braeburn," Spike began. "What you said about monsters, are you familiar with that one?"

"Yeah," Braeburn answered. "That's Haggard! The notorious minotaur criminal who has ever walked in these parts of Appleloosa. He and his gang, the Red Bulls have held a record for stirring troubles in certain parts of Equestria. Robbing banks, kidnapping, ransacking homes, stealing foods from our crops, you name 'em."

The mare looked around, before she took notice of the boys.

"Hey!" she called out. "Little help here!"

Confused, Spike looked around to see all the other patrons in the saloon were too afraid to confront the minotaur. Working up the courage, Spike got up from his seat and shouted, "Step away from the mare, and no pony gets hurt!"

"Get lost kid!" Haggard snorted. "We ain't taking candies from you!"

"No, you aren't," Discord smirked. "But we are taking mares from you." With that, Discord reaches to the side, pulling the mare from before.

Baffled, Haggard and his bulls turned their head to see the mare was no longer standing in front of them.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll be leaving," Discord smiled, as the boys and girl tried to make their way out. "Good day."

But before the boys could reach the exit, the bulls slide before them, blocking their way out.

"Not so fast, boys!" Haggard snorted, stomping his way to the boys. "If you think you can just stand in between me and the girl who could be worth more than a million bits, then you've got another thing coming!"

"Just a minute partner!" Discord asked, eyeballing at the minotaur. "You can't talk to me like that! Them's fighting words!"

"Yeah them's fighting words!"

Discord conjured a small chalk as he drew it on the floor, while saying, "I dare you to step over this line!"

Haggard looked at the line curiously before snorting, "Okay, I'm a stepping."

"I dare you to cross that line!" Discord said as he drew another, with Haggard doing the same. "This one. That one."

The draconequus and minotaur kept this up, until.....

"I dare you to trip over this line!"

Haggard realize too late he was duped as he tripped over the said line, and fell down in the basement. Every pony  all laughed, as they applauded to Discord, who bowed his head repeatedly, "Thank you. Thank you. You're all very kind."

The celebration was cut short, when Haggard came charging up the stairs, covered from head to tail with maple syrup and chicken feathers.

"Alright, that tears it you misshapen galloot!" Haggard fumed, furiously. "Y'all getting the horns now!!"

With that, Haggard charges after Discord, who quickly ran back to Spike and Big Mac.





[Boss Music]

"What the hay?" Spike exclaimed, as he, Big Mac, and Discord suddenly found themselves frozen in place, and time stopped completely around them. "Where'd that music come from?"

"Oh, it's my new boss music spell," Discord explained. "Whenever something like this happen to us, a catchy music plays. What better way to have a fight, than to do it, with an epic fight song in the background to spice up the drama. Am I right? Or am I right?"

Spike and Big Mac thought for a moment and answered, "It's kinda catchy. Strange, but catchy." Discord smiled when Spike gave him a thumbs up. "Okay Discord. Let's do this!"

"Eeyup."

With that, the boys were unfrozen as they turn their attention to the minotaur, who apparently doesn't take notice of the song. Haggard charges at the boys with his horns, but the boys quickly jumped out of the way. The furious minotaur couldn't stop in time as he crashes into the wall, getting his horns stuck.

"Oh, I hate it when this happens," Haggard groans.

With a snap of his finger, Discord conjured up three wood planks as he, Spike, and Discord all spanked the minotaur in the rear repeatedly.

"Hey! Stop it!" Haggard bellowed angrily, before he finally pulled himself loose and glared angrily at the boys.

Out of impulse, Discord fired a cupcake into the minotaur's eye, before his feet revved up like wheels, as Haggard chased him around the saloon.

With a rope in his mouth, Big Mac lassoed the minotaur, as Spike jumped on his back, holding him by the horn. With all his strength, Haggard pulled Big Mac by the rope, while repeatedly trying to buck Spike off.

"Yee-haw!" Braeburn shouted. "Ride 'em boys!"

Either Discord's sense of humor had rub off on him, or he was just caught up in the moment, Spike hollered, "Yahoo-hoo! Howdy, howdy, howdy!!!"

Eventually, Spike was thrown off, while Discord, after conjuring up a baseball glove, successfully caught him.

"Thanks Discord," Spike breathed a sigh of relief.

"No problem," Discord replied, before joking, "I do like a game of Dragon Balls." A disc scratch was heard, followed by a moment of awkward silence, before Discord broke it with an unamused, "Someone care to play a rimshot, please?"

After the boss music started up again, the boys resumed their fight with Haggard.

Haggard kept on charging and throwing punches at the heroes, who kept on dodging, jumping, and ducking out of the way. The heroes retaliated as Big Mac bucks his legs out at the minotaur in the face, Spike swinging on a chandelier thrusts his leg out to kick the minotaur, while Discord stuffed the minotaur in the face with a custard cream pie.

"And here's a glass of chocolate milk for you!" Discord said, conjuring up a glass of chocolate milk, dumping in the milk, but not the glass, zipping away as an explosion went off, leaving the minotaur in a daze.

"Alright you guys!" Discord shouted, holding the minotaur in place. "Let him have it!"

With that, Big Mac picked Spike up, throwing the dragon at the minotaur, who landed a punch to the face, while shouting, "COWABUNGA!!"

Exhausted from the fight, and succumbing to the wounds inflicted, Haggard fainted.

[End of fight song]




"Yeah!" the boys cheered, as they all gave each other a high five.

"Did you see how awesome we were?!" Spike exclaimed. "With the whole, Big Mac picking me up, throwing, and  cowabunga stuff?"

"I know!" Discord added. "That's like our thing now! We totally have a thing now!"

"Eeyup!"

"Wow," the mare from before gasped. "You guys are amazing!"

Discord smirked as he don up a scarf and shade, "Yes, I know. I am incredibly courageous, handsome, suave, and talented, you don't have to say it."

Suddenly, a groan was heard, as the boys turn around to see Haggard, slowly catching his breath, getting back on his feet, snorting furiously at the heroes.

"You've got spunk, boys," he snorted. "I'll give you that!" Haggard quickly smirked deviously, "But...unfortunately for you, that means...." Taking in a deep breath, he shouted, "IT'S GO TIME!!"

The ground shook, and soon enough, the boys and their acquaintances, all found themselves surrounded by more longhorn bulls.

"Can we talk?" Spike asked, meekly.

"PUNISH THEM!!" Haggard shouted.

With that, the bandits all jumped at the boys.

"Guess not," Discord exclaimed, as he, the boys, and the mare all got out, unharmed. "What a bunch of maroons."

"Yeah," Spike chuckled. "C'mon, let's get outta here!"

"Eeyup."

With that, the boys all took their leave, along with their new acquaintance.

It wasn't a while later, when Haggard took notice.

"Huh?" Haggard shouted incredulously. "STOPPPP!!"

The bandits all froze in place, as their leader looked around, seeing the boys were nowhere in sight.

"Where'd they go?!? Huh? You! Dan! Pinhead! Did you see them? Did anyone?"

The bandits all bore questionable looks.

"AHH!" Haggard screamed. "They got away!"