//------------------------------// // Episode 7: Bushel of Problems // Story: Mobile Fighter G-Pony // by Raryn //------------------------------// "The sun rose up over the horizon, bathing the short spiky grass that covered land in a bright golden glow. Slowly it spread, sending shadows racing to the cover of the mountains in the distance and the various small rocks and boulders that lay, strewn about as if tossed by some large creature. Small animals soon rose from their sleep to—" “Pinkie,” Twilight said as she cut her friend off. “Yes?” she replied as she pulled her attention away from the land on the other side of the train tracks sitting next to a train station. “You don’t need to narrate what you’re doing.” “I know.” Twilight groaned at her friends actions. “Pinkie, you’re sure that this is the right time to be doing this sort of thing?” “Sure I’m sure,” Pinkie replied. “After that whole mind controlling incident and all that stuff, I decided that it would do the both of us good if we just took some time off of the whole pony suit tournament and took a small vacation. Don’t want either of us to break under the pressure… again. We just need to wait for the train to come is all.” “So that’s why we’re out here in the middle of nowhere on a train platform. But wouldn't it just be easier to go wherever you want to go in the core lander?” “And miss the fun of an old fashioned train ride‽” “Ok, I see.” Twilight sighed. “I guess it would do the both of us good to travel without having to drive there ourselves. So, when’s this train of ours supposed to show up?” “Any moment now.” In response to Pinkie’s answer, a loud whistle let off in the distance as a billowing white cloud of smoke signaled the approach of the aforementioned train. As it approached, its brakes squealed and the train came to a slow stop in front of the platform. “Well hello there,” an elder earth pony stallion clad in a dark blue suit said as he hopped out of one of the train cars and approached Twilight and Pinkie. “Where’re two pretty young mares like yourselves off to?” “We’re heading for Appleloosa,” Pinkie said cheerfully. “That’s where we’re going?” Twilight asked but got no answer as the train pony cut in. “Well then, hop right on board. It’s just a little more than a day’s travel from here to get there.” “Thank you.” Twilight and Pinkie hopped on board the train and settled themselves into the seats of an empty train car, which when Twilight took a look up and down the train, seemed to be every car. No other passengers? Twilight thought, strange. “Hey, Pinkie, what did you do with the core lander? After you dropped me off at the station that is.” “Oh I hid it,” Pinkie replied as she hung her head out a window. “You sure it’ll be fine?’’ “Yep yep, I’m sure. I hid it in a great place where no pony will ever think to look for it. Why do you ask?” “ALL ABOARD!” the pony who had greeted the two of them called out to the train’s conductor, giving them the all clear to start and cutting off Twilight’s response. The train lurched forward as the engine began to send steam through the wheel gears and slowly began to pick up speed. “What were you gonna say, Twilight?” “Oh, nothing, Pinkie. I was just making sure that it was safe. I’m sure that where we’re going we won’t need it.” Mobile Fighter G-Pony Episode 7 A Bushel of Problems The train slowly eased its way into the Appleloosa train station with the sound of squealing brakes and a train whistle. The train ride had been uneventful for the most part for the train’s passengers, save for a slight hold up when a small herd of buffalo had caused the train to be held up for an hour while they crossed the tracks; they had apologized to the conductor for the hold up. Though, Pinkie and Twilight had made the most of the ride. Twilight had managed to catch up with some of her readings while Pinkie spent most of her time staring out at the passing landscape playing eye spy with herself. Eventually, the rhythmic rumbling of the train cars on the tracks had sent the two of them into a peaceful, needed sleep. “Appleloosa station!” the elder train pony in the blue suit shouted to the train’s passengers. “All those leaving should exit accordingly. All those entering should wait 'till all passengers have exited before making their way onto the train. The train'll be departing in fifteen minutes.” Pinkie and Twilight were awoken from their rest by the shout and sluggishly made their way off the train. They said their goodbyes to the train pony as he helped to direct the new passengers onto the train and made their way towards the town. As the exited the station, they stopped and took in the sights. “Two-story buildings built of wood lined the dirt roads as ponies dressed in old-timey clothing with big hats and the occasional buffalo made their way—” “Pinkie, you’re doing it again,” Twilight said as she interrupted Pinkie’s monologue. “But it’s fun,” Pinkie whined. “No, it’s annoying. I already know what the place looks like. I have eyes of my own.” As Pinkie sulked and grumbled about Twilight not being any fun, a pony and a buffalo approached the two of them. The pony was and earth pony stallion, light gold with a brilliant orange and amber mane and a cutie mark of a single red apple. He was wearing a light brown vest with a shiny star badge pinned to it and a similarly colored Stetson hat that set him apart from the rest of the ponies of the town. His companion, while smaller than the other buffalo, was still larger than the ponies of the town. Her bulky frame and long spindly legs were a dark orange color, similar to that of baked clay while her mane was of a brighter orange color. About her head, she had a simple purple and white triangle patterned headband with two large feathers sticking out of it from behind her head. “Howdy there, new ponies,” the stallion in the hat spoke with an accent that reminded Pinkie of her friend Applejack. “And welcome to,” he reared up onto his hind legs, “Aaaappleloosa! Gem of the Equestrian plains. Mah name’s Braeburn an' mah companion here is Little Strongheart. She’s the daughter of the leader of one of the local buffalo tribes.” “Nice to meet you,” Little Strongheart said after being introduced. “What brings you to our town?” “We’re just here for some rest and relaxation,” Twilight responded. “Oh, and I suppose we should introduce ourselves as well. My name is Twilight Sparkle. And this is—” “Hi there! I’m Pinkie Pie!” “—Pinkie.” “Well howdy then, Miss Twilight an' Miss Pinkie. And if rest an' relaxation is what yer lookin’ for,” Braeburn wrapped a leg about both of their shoulders and steered their view to the town, “then you’ll find that Appleloosa is jus’ the place ya need.” “Though that wasn't always the case,” Little Strongheart added. “Would you two like to know a little history of the town?” “Oh yes, that would be lovely,” Twilight said, her eyes sparkling at the thought of new knowledge. “Eh, why not?” Pinkie said indifferently. “Ok then, when this town was first founded, way back before even the great upheavals of the cities against the princesses, there were many conflicts between the settler ponies and the local buffalo tribes.” “Yeah, the Appleloosans of the time managed to build the whole place in less than a year back then,” Braeburn piped in. “Unfortunately, they didn’t know that the plot of land they had chosen was part of the some sacred ancestral buffalo stampeding grounds.” “But it looks like that all got settled out,” Pinkie interrupted. “I mean, the buffalo and ponies in the town all seem happy together.” “Ayep, it took many years, but eventually the seeds of friendship were sown between the ponies of Appleloosa and the buffalo.” “And legend has it that what finally did that was a simple apple pie,” Little Strongheart stated. “Wow, that’s very interesting,” Twilight said. “Thank you for telling us about it.” “So, Braeburn,” Pinkie started. “I was wondering. This town’s called Appleloosa. Is there any relationship to Sweet Apple Acres?” “Ayep. Old Apple Acres is where the settlers came from. You can call us all one big family I guess.” “Oh, then are you related to Applejack?” At the mention of the name, Braeburn’s face contorted into a mask of disgust and loathing that startled both Pinkie and Twilight at how suddenly it had happened. “Uh, did I say something wrong?” “Never mention that name ‘round here, ever!” Braeburn spat in disgust and turned away from Pinkie, Twilight, and Little Strongheart and quickly headed back into the town. “Who ya’ll talkin’ ‘bout?” a familiar voice sounded behind the group. As they turned towards the source of the voice, they saw a familiar orange earth pony mare with a brown stetson hat set over her ponytailed yellow mane and wearing a light brown vest. “Applejack!” Pinkie rushed to her friend and pulled her into a big hug. “What are you doing here?” “And where did you come from,” Twilight asked. Applejack turned to face Twilight and stared at her for a moment before cocking her head to a side. “Do Ah know ya?” “Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Twilight Sparkle. I'm Pinkie's friend.” “Ah, well Ah'm glad ta meet ya, Twilight. As fer yours and Pinkie's questions, I came in on the train just like every other pony that comes here. As fer why Ah'm here, well, the colony heads said Ah had ta and ya know Ah can't say no to 'em.” “Applejack, you can't be here,” Little Strongheart interjected as she moved to shield Applejack from any wandering eyes from the town. “You know what happened the last time you were here after your... little event.” “Just call it what it is, Lil' Heart,” Applejack said as she sighed. “Ah remember what happened the last time. Ah'll try not ta get into another big fight with Braeburn. It's good ta see ya though.” “Yeah, it's good to see you too, AJ. Not everyone here shuns you and we miss you. And thanks for trying to stay on Braeburn's good side, it means a lot to me.” “Ah see, you still got yer eyes set on my cousin don't ya?” Little Strongheart's face flushed red as Applejack jabbed her side with a hoof and let out a loud bout of laughter. “What's so funny over here?” Braeburn said as he returned. Little Strongheart bristled as she moved her body to further shield Applejack. “Oh, nothing, Braeburn, nothing at all.” “Ah, ok then.” Braeburn walked forward a bit more to address Pinkie and Twilight. “Look, Miss Pinkie, Ah want ta 'pologize fer how Ah acted before...” he stopped suddenly as his eyes caught sight of his cousin standing with the other three. “What are you doing here?” His voice dripped with hatred as his faced turned into a deep scowl. “Ah thought Ah told ya never ta come back.” “'Twasn't mah idea,” Applejack snapped back. “Then why're ya here? Somepony tell ya ta come here ta make more trouble fer us?” “Braeburn, I don't think—” Little Strongheart began before she was cut off by Applejack. “Ya make it seem like Ah have nothing better ta do then ta bring shame an' misfortune ta mah family. Look, the colony heads sent me here ta try and establish somethin' between the two towns.” “Yeah sure, a likely story.” “Well, it's true!” “Oh course it is. Ya never do anything wrong or bring shame down on us,” Braeburn jabbed. “So, assaulted any colony heads lately? “That's a low blow, Braeburn!” “Applejack, maybe you should calm—” Pinkie began as she was cut off by Braeburn. “Oh is it?” “O' course it is! Ah haven't done anything like that since the first time.” “And what a time that was.” “Uh, how about we take some time to calmly talk things out civilly?” Twilight suggested. “Me? Have a civil conversation with that?” Braeburn said as he jabbed a hoof in Applejack's direction. “Ha! Her idea of civil is beatin' the other pony senseless.” “Aw that does it!” Applejack shouted. “Ah don't care about the orders that the colony gave me about not fightin' ya. Braeburn, you, me, right here, right now!” “Jus' like Ah said, always comes down ta fightin' with 'er. Tomorra mornin', the outskirts of town. Meet me there and we'll deal with things then.” “Ah'll be there!” Applejack and Braeburn shot each other looks of hatred as they backed away from each other without turning around. Then they turned away from each other and stormed off in different directions to the worried gazes of Pinkie, Twilight, and Little Strongheart. “So much for that peaceful vacation, Pinkie.” After the confrontation, Little Strongheart offered to show Pinkie and Twilight around the town as a way to take their minds off of what was going to happen the next morning. Unfortunately, none of them really had the mind to take in the sights of the town. Eventually the three of them found themselves sitting at a corner table in the town’s watering hole, the Salt Block. Each one wracking her mind to try and figure out some kind of plan to stop tomorrow’s fight from happening. “So, any ideas on how to stop this?” Twilight asked the other two. “Nope,” Pinkie replied. “No.” Little Strongheart let out a sigh with that. “Yeah, me neither,” Twilight admitted. “But we have to do something. We can’t just leave them be. You saw how they were, how they were at each other’s throats the whole time. I doubt that this little fight of theirs is going to follow the regulations of the tournament.” “You don’t mean?” Little Strongheart asked anxiously. “I’m sorry.” “Hum, I might have an idea,” Pinkie said after a moment’s thought. “What?” Both Twilight and Little Strongheart turned towards Pinkie. “If they’re not gonna play by the rules, then I think I got the perfect idea.” “Pinkie, you’re not thinking what I think you thinking, are you?” Twilight asked, a hint of reservation in her voice. “What’s she thinking?” Little Strongheart asked, confused at the exchange. “I promise I’ll be careful, Twilight, they just need a nice distraction and a common foe to face.” “That’s what I was afraid of,” Twilight said as she brought a hoof to her face. “Try not to damage it too much this time, please.” As the sun rose over the flat tops of the plateaus of the Equestrian plains that surrounded the land outside of Appleloosa to spill the bright light of the sun across the vast land, two ponies stood silently facing each other. Each wore a hard look upon their face as they stared at the other as a gentle breeze rustled their manes beneath their similar stetson hats. “Ya showed up,” Braeburn said flatly. “Ah ain't no liar,” Applejack replied just as flatly. “Well, at least that ain't changed 'bout ya.” “Yeah, an' yer still right uppity on justice, as always.” “That sounds more like a jab at me then anythin'.” Braeburn looked up at the sun as it crested the tops of the plateaus. “So, are we gonna fight? Or are we jus' gonna stand around all day?” “Ah was just waitin' fer ya ta start it.” Applejack turned away from Braeburn and walked a few paces away. “Don't go cryin' ta the tournament officials if ya break yer suit now.” “I wouldn't think of it,” Braeburn stated as he backed away from Applejack. “Let the thunder of hooves be the herald for victory! Come! Raging Bison!” “Let's get this Rodeo started! Applebuck Pony!” From the top of one of the plateaus, the Applebuck Pony, with its bright orange coloring,and large stetson hat, rose to its hooves and stood casting a shadow across the land before it threw itself from its perch down to the ground below at Applejack's call. Off in the distance, a cloud of dust rose from the ground, signaling the arrival of something large and fast. As the dust cloud approached, the outline of the Appleloosan suit became clear. As the name Braeburn had called out stated, the Raging Bison was a suit modeled on the body frame of the buffalo. Applejack stared with awe at the powerful looking Appleloosa suit. It was larger than her Applebuck Pony; it stood a full two heads taller than it at the withers, with similarly sized muscular limbs coated with armor and ending in large iron hooves that tore through the ground like butter. It was of a dark brown earthy color with bars of red and white color running across its sides and down its chest. But what really drew her eyes was the pair of large horns that adorned the Bison’s head; gleaming white against the color of the suit itself. “Ho doggie, now that there’s one powerful lookin’ suit,” Applejack said to herself as a smile slowly spread across her face. “Ah wouldn’t want ta have it any other way.” She turned away from her cousin and his suit and entered her suit and initiated its startup sequence. Braeburn watched her as she did then turned his eyes upwards to gaze at the Applebuck. He shook his head after a moment and turned to his suit and entered, following Applejack’s example and starting his suits startup sequence. As soon as the suits were set to go, they threw themselves at each other, rearing up onto their hind legs and grappling with their forelegs. The Applebuck and the Raging Bison fought in a show of strength, slamming their heads into each other as they fought for control. Despite its formidable strength, the Applebuck found itself losing ground as it faced off against the Appleloosa suit. With a mighty push, the Raging Bison pushed the Applebuck back again, causing it to step into an unstable part of soil. As the Applebuck lost its balance and fell sideways, the Bison got its head beneath its chest and with a flick of its head, sent Applejack and her suit flying through the air to land several dozen feet away. After the toss, the Bison pawed at the ground and lowered its head as it surged after the Applebuck, intent on crushing it beneath its mighty hooves. As the Applebuck landed, it tucked in its legs and rolled through the landing, coming back to its hooves. Once back to a vertical base, its left foreleg opened up, revealing the gun that was located there and it took aim at the charging Bison. It fired off round after round into the legs of the Appleloosa suit, but as the Raging Bison closed in, Applejack was forced to dive out of the way. As the Bison slowed and brought itself around to once again face the Applebuck, Applejack saw that her shots had done nothing more to the armored legs of it then to slightly dent it. “That little peashooter of yours ain’t gonna hurt mah Bison,” Braeburn mocked as he brought his suit into motion again, rearing up onto its hind legs and kicking the air. It landed back on the ground with a massive thud, its hooves leaving massive craters as they slammed into the ground before the suit once more stampeded forward towards the Applejack and her Applebuck, its head lowered and horns gleaming in the sunlight. Upon seeing how slowly the Raging Bison was to change directions once it began its charge, Applejack rushed towards it and as she neared, she and her suit dove to the side as the Bison passed by. It landed on its forelegs as they spun to position the Applebuck perpendicular to the passing Bison as it drove its powerful hind legs into the side of the Bison. To her surprise again, the devastatingly powerful buck from the Applebuck barely pushed the Bison from its course, and the kick had reverberated up along the Applebuck, causing more damage to it than it had inflicted. Applejack reached down and rubbed her legs as she watched the Raging Bison take another wide turn in preparation for another charge. “Darn thing’s too strong ta go head ta head against an too armored ta hurt in the normal way. Gotta think of a different approach.” As the Raging Bison made its next pass towards the Applebuck, it jumped up as it passed and grabbed onto the large hump of its back, avoiding the brunt of the charge. Once it found a solid purchase, the Applebuck drew forth the handle of its energy lasso and activated it. It whipped its head back and tossed the lasso round the neck of the Bison. “Ride ‘em cowgirl!” Applejack shouted as she pulled the lasso to the side, causing the Bison to change its direction to its side, right onto a path that lead into the rock face of a plateau. As it quickly approached, the Applebuck dropped down the Raging Bison’s back and watched as it plowed into the wall, dislodging rocks from above which rained down onto it. “An that’s how we do it, Sweet Apple style!” “Ya think a few rocks’ll stop us?” Braeburn said as the Bison pulled itself from the rubble, a little banged up, but otherwise unharmed. “The Bison was made to withstand these kind of things cous’.” “What’ll it take ta keep ya down?” Applejack groaned as she wracked her brain to try and think of an effective strategy against such a powerful opponent. “More than that,” Braeburn replied as the horns on the Raging Bison’s head split to reveal a pair of guns aimed at the Applebuck. As it began firing, the Applebuck dodged to the side only to be followed by the Bison’s guns with a turn of its head. The Applebuck managed to hunker down behind one of the large rocks that had been knocked loose from the cliff face. Suddenly, a line of gunfire streaked across the back of the Raging Bison and the boulder that the Applebuck had been hiding behind. The two pilots raised their gaze up in the direction of the gunfire and saw a pony suit up on top of a near plateau. The new pony suit jumped off the plateau and slammed down onto the ground not far from the two opponents. This new suit was covered entirely in an earthy brown and green cloak that billowed in the morning breeze while attached to each foreleg were the guns that had fired down on the Applebuck and the Bison. “An jus’ who the hay are ya‽” Braeburn asked. “Yer interuptin’ an important fight.” “Who am I?” The voice that answered was deep and gravelly. “I am the pilot who’s gonna retire you two.” The new suit rose onto its hind legs and let loose another round of gunfire into the Bison and the Applebuck’s hiding rock. “That does it!” Applejack shouted as the Applebuck jumped out from behind its cover and charged the new pony suit at the same time Braeburn and his Bison did. The two suits converged onto the new suit and began to throw out kicks with their legs and strikes with the heads and hooves. But, even with the ferocity and speed of the Applebuck’s and Bison’s strikes, the new suit dodged each one, flowing with each strike and causing them to miss by scant inches. Another strike for the Bison led to the new suit striking out and hitting both the hoof it used to brace itself and its head from opposite directions, knocking it just enough off balance that its own bulk and weight pulled it off its hooves and sent it to the ground with a mighty crash. At the same time, the Applebuck tried to capitalize on the divided attention of the new pilot and lashed out with a pair of fore hoof strikes. But as the attack happened, Applejack found herself flipping through the air as she was thrown by her opponents counter attack. As the two suits picked themselves off the ground after their failed attacks, Applejack and Braeburn saw that their opponent had begun to run off, away from them. The two pilots shouted out in frustration as they gave chase and raced out across the Equestrian plains. Soon, the three suits began to approach a vast canyon that had worn its way through the land and eventually, the rouge pony suit found itself caught between two very angry pilots and a sheer drop down to the canyon floor. “We got ya now!” Braeburn shouted as the Bison surged forward in an attempt to send the interloper into the cliff. Unfortunately, the rouge suit employed the same tactic that Applejack had earlier and jumped towards the Bison, landing a hoof on its head to use as a platform that sent it soaring of the impressive bulk of the Bison. As the Bison came to a stop headfirst in the dirt, the Applebuck whipped out with its lasso and wrapped it around the rouge suit's forelegs and yanked it towards it. It spun and as the rouge suit neared, it drove both powered hind legs into the suit and sent it flying back towards the Bison, who had pulled itself back to its hooves and now had its horns in prime position. The rouge suit twisted itself in the air and sent its trajectory off just so it missed the horns of the Bison. Though it did not miss entirely; the edge of the cloak it had been wearing caught and was pulled free to reveal the form of the Shining Pony as it sailed over the edge of the canyon, dragging the Bison along by the horns. The Bison caught the edge of the canyon wall and began try and pull itself back up to solid ground. As it struggled, the Applebuck slowly approached until it stood directly over the Bison. “Jus' go an' do it!” Braeburn shouted as he stared up at his cousin. “This is how you'd want it anyway, Ah suppose. Yer opponent helpless and such.” “Braeburn, shut up.” The Applebuck reached down and helped to pull the Bison back up. “This isn't how Ah wanna win. This ain't even how Ah wanna fight.” “What're ya talkin' 'bout?” “What Ah'm sayin' is that you better make it to that finals ya hear.” “Ah see,” Braeburn said after a moment's thought. “In that case, you better not go an’ lose a no pony either.” “You got it!” Down at the bottom of the canyon, Pinkie watched as the two cousins made their agreement to meet once more at the finals to settle everything. “Hey, Pinkie,” Twilight’s voice chimed in over the intercom. “Is everything going alright over there? I know you said that you'd handle everything, but I know that even you can't prepare for everything.” “Don't worry, Twi,” Pinkie replied. “It's all good. The plan worked. I got them to stop fighting and it looks to me like they are on the road to reconciling. Make sure you tell that to Little Strongheart, ok. I'm sure she'll be happy over that.” “So, so much for our peaceful vacation then.” “What're you talking about. The vacation's not over yet. Next stop, Stalliongrad!”