It was a busy day at Appleloosa, all full of excitement, because tomorrow was the Appleloosa Rodeo! Earth ponies from near and far, as well as some pegasi and unicorns had all come to have a grand-spankin' good time and watch some cowponies show off their rodeo skills.
"This is gonna be too cool!" Rumble flew up several hooves into the air to get a better look at all that was going on. "I can't believe Applejack was nice enough to let me come along with you guys to watch her compete in the Appleloosa Rodeo!"
"There's so much great stuff here to do," Twinken agreed as he, Rumble, and Apple Bloom all looked around, "There's barrel-racing, lassoing contests, rodeo clowns, steeplechase- I tell y'all this is the place to get a great cutie-mark!"
"If we can get int' some o' these events," Apple Bloom proposed, "we could all three of us walk off th' train in Ponyville with brand-spankin' new cutie-marks!"
"It's too bad Swettie Belle, Button, and Scoots couldn't come though," Twinken sighed, wishing the rest of their friends were here to enjoy this.
"Aw, y'know Button," Rumble shrugged, "rodeos are too "real" for him, especially all this dusty dry sun."
"An' Rarity wanted Sweetie Belle t' help her model fer some filly-sized dresses after she got one o' her... 'I-DEA's," Apple Bloom added, "and Scootaloo went with Rainbow Dash and Thunderlane to watch `em do some trainin' at th' Cloudsdale cloudiseum with th' Wonderbolts."
"Well, I guess we'll just have to have extra tons o' fun to tell them all about when we get back," Twinken settled," and maybe some cutie-marks, if wer' lucky!"
"Hmm, maybe something to do with one of the races..." Rumble pondered on what kind of cutie-mark he could get at the rodeo, hoping for something involving racing.
"I want a lasso!" Apple Bloom declared.
"Hold your horses, guys," Twinken looked towards cousin Braeburn who was shootin' the breeze with a friend of his... with his left foreleg bandaged up and hanging from his barrel.
"I'm all for getting a cutie-mark here, but... These aren't the safest kinds of events."
"No risk, no reward," Apple Bloom replied.
"AW'RIGHT! EVERYPONY LISTEN UP!!"
The three Crusaders looked down the way and saw several stallions gathering in front of the Sheriff's Office where Sheriff Silver Star was making an announcement, "We need a big presence at this here rodeo, so make yerself plenty seen! Ah wan' tha' lowdown varmint t' know we mean business!"
"Sounds like there's somthin' else goin' on around here besides th' rodeo," Twinken drawled, all this country culture bringing out his own Sweet Apple Acres accent.
"Ah'll say! A cutie-mark-a-palooza and a lowdown varmint?!" Apple Bloom was getting starry-eyed with excitement. "This is shapin' up t' be th' most excitin' rodeo ever!"
"Yeah, c'mon!" Rumble galloped off, Apple Bloom and Twinken following as they passed the alleyway next to the sheriff's office.
None of them noticing a tall shadow of a figure that left behind a huge hoofprint in the dirt.
Over at the rodeo grounds, Apple Family member Bushel whipped up his lasso and with the skill of a champ wrangled a haybale before whipping it towards Florina. She quickly tossed it up to Candy Apples, who heaved it over to Apple Cinnamon Sticks, who sent it up to Applejack, who quickly gave it a surgical buck up to what was the top of an IMMENSELY tall tower of haybales, all but Bushel standing on ascending points, as they practiced for their event at the Appleloosa Rodeo, the Haybale Tower. And they were looking good as they all heard an excited, "WHOO-HOO! Yee-haw!"
They all looked to see it was Braeburn, his left foreleg in a sling, "That's muh cousin! Go Applejack, go!"
Quickly but carefully getting down from the haybale tower she and her cousins had all set up to practice on, Applejack ambled over to Braeburn, phewing, "It's been a dog's age since Ah got t' compete. All th' rodeos `round Ponyville have closed down fer some reason."
"Well,Ah guess havin' injured kinfolk in Appleloosa sure paid off then, huh, cuz?" Braeburn was a tad down he wouldn't get to compete with his brother and cousins, but he'd rather they have a chance to compete than none at all.
"Jus' doin' mah best t' fill your horseshoes, Braeburn," Applejack gave a respectful tip of her hat.
"Keep tossin' like that an' Ah'll be out of a job," Braeburn teased while slightly raising his slung foreleg, which Applejack (with good intentions) bro-hoofed. "OW-ow!"
"Ooh! Sorry," Applejack grimaced before looking around, "Say, where're th' foals?"
"Oh! Uh, gee Ah..." Braeburn nervously remembered he was supposed to be watching his young cousins, Apple Bloom, Twinken, and their friend Rumble.
"Ah guess Ah got so caught up watchin' you that Ah-"
"You said you'd keep an eye on those foals!" Applejack started to give her nervous cousin the riot act, "How am Ah s'posed t' focus on practicin' if ter not gonna-"
"There they are!" Braeburn interrupted and Applejack turned to see the foals standing there, each of them with a souvenir or snack, "Right where Ah... left `em."
But Applejack still gave Braeburn the stink eye, "Aw don' be mad!" - Braeburn got shifty before he resorted to extreme measures - "A-HOUCH! Mah foreleg! Hurts so much...!"
To sell it, Braeburn tried giving Applejack sad foalish eyes and puppy-dog pouted, but Applejack wasn't buying. Although the foals enjoyed it a little, given their chuckles, only for Applejack to turn her stern demeanor on them.
"Y'all can't go off runnin' like that. Backstage at a rodeo ain't no kinda playground."
"Sorry Applejack," Apple Bloom began to apologize, only for Twinken to make a very obvious groan.
"Somethin' t' say, Twinken?" Applejack raised her brow.
"I don't need no foalsitter fretting over my every step," Twinken ran his mouth, "because I'm getting to be a pretty good mage. I can handle myself and I can look out for my friends!"
Apple Bloom elbowed Twinken before he dug himself in deeper and spoke to her sister, "But, uh, speakin' of th' rodeo, what would you say about me an' th' Crusaders maybe competin' in one teensy-weensy lil' event or three?"
"LOOK OUT!!" Braeburn pointed up and they all looked and gasped to see the haybale tower Applejack and her cousins had been practicing on dangerously swaying back and forth!
"Stand back! I've got this!" Twinken faced the bale, lighting up his horn for a spell- "YOW!!"
Applejack had tackled the Crusaders to the side and not a few seconds later did the tower topple and crash down. As the dust settled, everypony saw the haybales hadn't hurt anypony but some nearby bleacher seats and the fence behind them had been crushed.
"What the hell jus' happened?!" Applejack looked around, the adrenaline still fresh in her system.
"I'll tell you what just happened!" Twinken pushed Applejack off, "You almost got us killed!"
"WHAT?!" Applejack gave Twinken a very angry look, but before she could say more...
"Are y'all alright?!" Braeburn came over, his eyes full of concern.
"Sugar an' Saltlicks!"
They all turned to see Sheriff Silver Star standing nearby, his eyes narrowed razor sharp as he looked upon the aftermath of what could have been a real disaster, "Well, Ah'll be..."
Giving Twinken an irritated look, Applejack went over to Silverstar, asking, "What izzit, Sheriff?"
She looked at what he was looking at to see a LARGE hoof print in the dirt, standing only a hoofstep away from the based of what had been the haybale tower. Braeburn saw it too before asking, "Izzit him...?!"
"Ain't no doubt. It's Trouble Shoes..." Silver Star declared as an atmosphere of intensity washed over them all... coming from the harmonica played by a nearby rodeo clown as he gave the moment that certain musical something to play up the drama.
Realizing they were all looking at him, the clown stopped and smiled sheepishly before stepping out of the picture.
News spread of what happened rather quickly and before long practically the whole town of Appleloosa was crowding in front of Sheriff Silver Star's office, chattering louder than cafeteria of gossiping fillies. But none could deny the concern and worries felt by everypony.
"Is it true? Is Trouble Shoes here?!"
"You ain't gonna shut down th' rodeo, are ya?"
"ALL RIGHT NOW!" Sheriff Silver Star yelled as he stepped out to address everypony, "Simmer down, Ah called for a meetin', not a mob scene."
In the crowd, a couple stallions grumbled as they threw away their torch and pitchfork as Silver Star continued to speak, " Now as many of you know, th' Equestria rodeo circuit has been plagued by th' dirty dealin's of a notorious outlaw."
"He knocked barrels every which way at th' Hoof City Rodeo! Nearly crushed mah Aunt Bay Mare!"
"Tha's nothin'! He sabotaged th' steer pen at Pinto Creek Rodeo, settin' off such a stampede they cancelled th' whole gotdang thang!"
"Now, now! It's true," Silver Star spoke over them all, "we had us an incident earlier at our own Appleloosa rodeo. Hay bale stack came down pretty near on top o' these three youngun's!"
Silver Star pointed out the Crusaders and Applejack and Braeburn standing protectively behind them as Silver Star confirmed it, "Ah examined them hoofprints muhself, and... It was Trouble Shoes, all right."
This spurred a round of GASPS amongst the crowd as everypony looked at each other in worry.
"Ah reckon Ah oughta cancel this rodeo, like all th' others done..." Silver Star said pragmatically until a fire lit in his eyes and he declared, "But by th' Pale One Himself, this has gone far enough! We'll double th' patrols; this rodeo will go on!!"
The crowd parted before Silver Star and his deputies as he went off, saying, "Appleloosa ain't gonna be intimidated!"
The crowd cheered, happy to hear Silver Star's assurances and broke it up to return to their usual businesses, leaving the Apples and Crusaders at the Sheriff's Office as Apple Bloom saud, "Glad tha's settled. So, Applejack, about lettin' me an' th' boys compete in th' rodeo..."
But both Twinken and Rumble shared a knowing look in contrast to the hopeful smile Apple Bloom was giving her sister.
"Don't send us home!!" Apple Bloom whined as Applejack put Bloom's saddlebags on her at Braeburn's house. "It's not fair!"
"Now quit yer belly-achin'," Applejack said firmly, "Ah cain't have y'all around wit' some outlaw on th' loose!"
"Well, you can't make me go!" Twinken said brazenly, Applejack giving him a look but he wouldn't be back down. "I came here to watch the Appleloosa Rodeo and no outlaw and no certain yella-belly named Applejack is gonna send me off on th' next train outta here!"
"Twinken...!" Applejack was very angry, "This ain't up fer discussin'! Ah'm already gonna have a few things t' say to yer mama when we get back!"
"What?! Applejack, no!" Braeburn cut in, "Y'cain't leave! This rodeo's real important t' Appleloosa, an' with you in'ere, we got a real shot at winnin'!"
Then, without waiting for Applejack's response, Braeburn got pushy and "nudged" Applejack out the door, "C'mon, you head on back t' practice, an' don'choo worry none about these three. Ah won' lettem outta mah sight!"
Braeburn shut the door behind Applejack and quickly set some locks to secure it tight and pushed a chair in front of it and sat down while giving the Crusaders the stink eye, "Ya hear? Y'all ain't leavin' mah sight!"
The way he bore his green eyes into them, the Crusaders shared looks of their own... until a sneaky look spread across Twinken's. He approached Braeburn slowly, the earth pony stallion watching the young unicorn colt's every move as Twinken said, "Yer th' boss, cuz. We won't leave your sight."
"Good," Braeburn kept his eyes locked on Twinken but found it hard to look at all three of them with Twinken standing so close... when he noticed a soft red glow, and saw Twinken's horn was beginning to illuminate. As were his own eyes as Twinken established eye-contact, his red pupils shimmering like heat waves as Braeburn began to feel just slightly dizzy as he lost thought.
"sO yOu WoN't MiNd If I dO tHe SaAaAaMmMe..." Twinken's voiced sounded like it was echoing through the room as Braeburn felt a restful haze overcome him and before he knew it he was sawin' logs louder than a rattlesnake on steroids.
Twinken turned to Apple Bloom and pointed out the window, which lit up with his red magic and opened. They all quickly slipped out and away, though Rumble did ask, "Um, what exactly are we doing now? And Twinken, what'd you do to Braeburn?"
"A little bewitchment Twilight taught me," Twinken said, feeling pretty proud of himself. "She told me that it'd come in handy if I was ever being held up against my will."
"But Braeburn was just looking out for us," Rumble debated.
"Well, how else would we able able t' head out an' find Trouble Shoes?" Apple Bloom spoke up as she led them towards the nearby woods.
"You wanna go out and look for a... what'd the sheriff call him again? A notorious outlaw?" Rumble's tone obviously implied this wasn't a good idea.
"We'll just find him and then let the sheriff know where he can find him," Twinken shrugged off the concern in the gray pegasus colt's words as he and Apple Bloom leapt up onto the fence surrounding Braeburn's yard.
"An' once he's behind bars, we'll be competin' and we'll be sayin' hello to..." Apple Bloom high-hoofed with her brother as they both declared, "CUTIE-MARK CITY!"
They hopped down while Rumble simply flew over the fence, following reluctantly but his own pegasus instincts to protect spurred him forward as he mumbled, "Worst idea ever..."