//------------------------------//
// Taking Out the Trash - Edited 
// Story: Friendship Force! 
// by Chrome Masquerade 
//------------------------------//

Having finished cleaning up the park, the newly named and titled Applejack/Groundskeeper decided to give chase to Connor and his ""friend""*.

Naturally, the local thugs attempted to stop her. "It's a freaky... horse... person... thing? Just get her!" one of the more competent toughs commanded. "We're gettin' paid good money to take this place over, after all!"

Groundskeeper's ears perked at that. "Hired goons, eh? Then i don' hafta hold back much."

She was going to dodge the first volley, but realized that the bullets (the thugs were largely using .45 caliber rounds) would have badly damaged some of the park that she'd JUST fixed up. 

Raising her hammer, she spun it in a circle, drawing the gunfire into a vortex of sorts. Snatching the lead bullets from the vortex, she looked up and down at her hammer, in appreciation. "Ah think Ah'll call that move the... 'Buffer Zone Cyclone'." she said.

Turning back to the stunned gunners, she raised the handful of bullets. "Misplace somethin', boys? Y'all can have 'em back." She flicked one bullet toward each gunman, which with her substantial strength did a fair amount of damage upon impact, also knocking them a few feet away.

Of course, the bullymen survived, with how thick their hides already were. To say nothing of their skulls.

Concentrating and stomping one hoof, a tree sprouted that leaned over and snatched the unconscious gunmen.

"Y'all don' mind hangin' around fer a bit, do ya, fellers? The 'proper au-thor'ties' should show up soon enough." she joked before moving on to the thug of the highest grade. "Arrite, you. Which a'way did Connor head?"

"That way! That way!" the trapped thug said, in more than a little panic, indicating with his head (too scared to be able to move otherwise).

"Thank ya kindly. That weren't so hard, was it?" she said mock-thankfully before flinging him into the tree with pinpoint accuracy, him coming to land among the rest.

"A ringer! Yeehaw!" she exclaimed, before moving on.

More goons came to impede her progress, but to no avail. Those who weren't knocked silly just after willingly turned themselves in.

Soon enough she happened upon her mark. Having seen the heroine's swift and systematic dispatchment of his hirees, he was running as fast as he could. Not nearly fast enough, though.

Along the way, the country heroine encountered a couple of containers that glowed semi-brightly. Feeling a connection to these, she picked them up, automatically absorbing their energy before crushing the containers in her relatively bare hands.

"Well! That was refreshin'! I feel like Ah'm stronger now." she said to no one in particular.

Catching up to Connor while practically brushing his goons aside like flies, Groundskeeper subdued him carefully.

"It's time for a CHAT, traitor." she seethed.



(Atop a nearby building)

"Arrite, Connor," Groundskeeper said, "Tell me where your Red friend got to."

"I'm not telling you anything." he said defiantly.

"Ya might have noticed that it's a LONG way to the ground, Connor."

"You wouldn't." he said, calling the country heroine's bluff.

Groundskeeper shoved her face up to his, nose to muzzle, staring into his eyes directly and pushing him closer to the edge. "Read m'lips. Spill th'beans or YOU'll be th' one taking a spill. TALK."

Clearly quite intimidated, Connor said, "Okay! Okay! Chokov'll likely be at a warehouse down Heartfelt Avenue!"

Smiling, Groundskeeper said, "You look a mite overwrought, ""chum"". Why not take a little nap?"

WHACK!

Restraining her mark with strong vines until the police could arrive, she said, "And THAT was for Jack Sylas."

Flush with her first victory, our heroine took off to deal with the next threat to the city.

But what will the next encounter bring? Find out next time!