//------------------------------// // The Wrong Tree? // Story: Mission to Appleloosa // by GJT_Productions //------------------------------// "I can't believe Apple Fritter gave us all these hats and roped us into being part of Braeburn's 'tour'! I thought for sure the Element Bearers would recognize us!" "What is she even doing here in the first place, sir?" "Braeburn invited her there to share her baking secrets - that's what set up the gifting of Bloomberg and she was supposed to return to Ponyville after Bloomberg's delivery. I didn't think I would be following her here..." "Never mind that, sir. We need to catch up with Sheriff Silverstar!" "Right, of course. Did anypony see where he went after the 'tour'?" "Back into his office, sir. Probably still there, I imagine." "Then let's go talk to him, while we still have the chance. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash aren't accounted for - probably trying a rescue mission - and the other four Element Bearers went with Braeburn to the orchard overlook. This might be the only good window of opportunity we have to talk to the Sheriff about what's going on." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lieutenant Meadow Song leads the way of the small Royal Guard group, all wearing cowboy hats now after being dragged into the town tour Braeburn gave four of the six Element Bearers previously. Behind are Aide Cherry Fizzy, Guard Upper Class Noteworthy, Guard Upper Class Caramel and Guard Upper Class Lucky Clover, all cautiously looking around for the return of Braeburn from the small rise overlooking the Appaloosan orchards. Meadow Song pushes open the swinging doors into Silverstar's office cautiously, looking around at the sparse surroundings. Silverstar himself was sitting behind a desk, the keys to the holding cell hanging behind him, the holding cell itself behind a locked door off to one side of the building. The Guard Lieutenant immediately notices the anxiety in the sheriff's eyes - even if he didn't know about the buffalo raid on the incoming train, something was clearly troubling the authority figure. "Is there something I can help you gentlestallions with?" Silverstar asks, giving a critical eye on the party of stallions bunched in front of his swinging door. "Sorry, sir, we don't know if you've heard..." Lieutenant Meadow Song begins awkwardly as he and his party file into the small office. "I figured considering the train was late and missin' its caboose something went wrong with the trip." Silverstar states bluntly. "Well, yes sir, there was a..." Meadow Song tries again, not quite sure if the sweat forming on his brow was from heat or nervousness. "Buffalo been messin' up things again? Not new news 'round here." Silverstar cuts off again. "Oh, so this has been an ongoing problem?" Meadow Song asks as a reply, curiousity now raised as a result of the last statement. "Braeburn'll tell Applejack and her friends exactly that soon 'nough, but yes." Silverstar starts explaining. "Those buffalo want the whole orchard gone, no idea why. We can't do that because we'd starve - put a lot of work into establishing that orchard, ya'll understand?" The group lead by Meadow Song give vague nods of understanding - removing the orchard would certainly lead to the starvation of the settlers and failure of the settlement. And as members of the E.U.P. Guard, they were duty bound to prevent exactly this from happening. "Well, that supports the theory of a targeted raid on the train." Aide Cherry Fizzy points out to both Meadow Song and Silverstar. "I've got a good picture of what's goin' on here, but I haven't had any introductions yet. Who are you gentlestallions?" Silverstar asks, eyes glaring between hat and moustache and hoof tapping impatiently on the desk in front of him. "Apologies about that, sir." Lieutenant Meadow Song answers with a sheepish grin. "I am Lieutenant Meadow Song of the E.U.P. Guard normally posted in Ponyville, and this is my command contingent with me. We were sent here by the authority of Princess Celestia and the..." "Ordered directly by the Princess? Can I see evidence of that?" Silverstar asks one more time, gesturing toward the desk in front of him as he does so. "Sure... um, Cherry, what did I do with the scroll with our orders?" Meadow Song turns to ask Cherry Fizzy, the other stallions in the group exchanging concerned looks as he does so. "Didn't you hide it under your hat?" Cherry Fizzy asks in return. "Oh, right..." Meadow Song replies, blushing a bit as he drops his head down to shift his hat and create an opening for the scroll stored inside to drop out onto the wooden floor of the office. Gently, he picks up the scroll with his teeth and moves to gently place it on Silverstar's desk. Sheriff Silverstar skeptically unrolls the scroll with his forehooves and begins to read silently, Meadow Song and his command not daring to speak and barely daring to move while Silverstar looks over the scroll. Finally, Silverstar leans back in his chair and lets the scroll roll back up. "Well alright 'Lieutenant Meadow Song', I'll take you at your word. But I'm tellin' you, there ain't no 'Agents of Chaos' 'round here. Just angry buffalo and us Appaloosans." Silverstar comments. Again, the members of Meadow Song's command exchange looks. Meadow Song himself tries a suggestion: "But sir, maybe they tipped off the buffalo...?" "Maybe they did, maybe they didn't." Silverstar replies with a shrug. "Point is, haven't seen or heard of anything workin' with them buffaloes out there. If you want to find that out, you'll have to do that searchin' yerselves." "Right, we understand sir. Thank you for your cooperation. We'll be leaving now." Meadow Song affirms, taking back the scroll as he does so - the conversation was clearly at an end with the sheriff, and time was of the essence for getting anything else done. "If you find out anythin', make sure you pass it along to me, ya hear? Anything that'll help us solve this mystery we got on our hooves..." Silverstar comments, again showing his agitation about the situation he was facing. "Yes sir, I promise we will sir..." Meadow Song replies as his command begins shuffling out of the sheriff's office... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Are we barking up the wrong tree, Lieutenant? Sorry for the pun." Guard Upper Class Lucky Clover comments once the group has left the sheriff's office, adding the second sentence after some groans from his comrades. "I don't know, Lucky. I don't know." Meadow Song sighs out, looking at the town and relieved to find the Element Bearers are not back yet. The sun was high in the sky above the arid town, and the heat was beginning to take an oppressive chokehold. "Any suggestions on what we should do now, sir?" Guard Upper Class Noteworthy asks. "Follow the last main objective - find the pony codenamed 'Quesadilla Polka'. We'll need to ask around town where he might be." Meadow Song comments, his expression taking on a determined look as he does so. "Once we get a lead on where he might be, I will take Noteworthy with me and attempt to make contact with him. Cherry Fizzy will be in charge while I'm gone, and if necessary is authorized to cooperate with Sheriff Silverstar on a defense of the town, its citizens and their property." "Will that really be necessary, sir?" Cherry Fizzy asks worriedly, and once again the members of the group exchange glances. "In the absence of any revelations to the contrary, we must assume the Appaloosans have a right to place their town and orchard where they choose. And as members of the E.U.P. Guard, we are under oath to protect them from the buffalo aggression. That means cooperating and organizing in the defense against any buffalo attacks, even if it means going against the Element Bearers. Understood?" Meadow Song warns. No one was thrilled with the idea of opposing Princess Celestia's chosen six, particularly considering in many cases they had close relationships with the group's members, but all privately hoped that that scenario would be avoided somehow. The Royal Guard group exchange looks one more time to indicate they all understood what was at stake here. Meadow Song takes the long silence as understanding of what he said, and he speaks one more time: "We're wasting time standing around here. Fan out and see what info you can learn from the residents." The Guard members salute Meadow Song, then each one turns in a different direction and heads toward a different building in the main square of the town. Meadow Song is briefly alone with his thoughts and fears, before he too plunges into the search for information...