Shortly after that the medics and important ponies from the plateau of Mountain Town arrived at the dam. Applejack really wished everypony had already been there when she made her little speech but she managed to still get her point across the second time.
The wounded were tended to and the mercenaries cuffed, Birdseed gave Applejack a single nod as he was led back to whatever prison there was at the plateau. Pepper was ecstatic that things had turned out so well and offered everypony another trip to the mud baths. Applejack would have steadfastly refused, she wanted to deal with the problems of the Twin Towns as soon as possible, but the sun had already lowered over the horizon and now Luna’s moon was the only light in the sky. Most ponies would be asleep, better to make the trip back to Valley Town tomorrow.
Pepper would come with them along with the former dam forepony, who Applejack now knew as Pickaxe, and about a dozen other various ponies from Mountain Town who wanted to tag along. Applejack said she’d talk to Thistle and Big Dad Redwood about sheriff Good Harvest to make sure there weren’t any problems, Thistle seemed like a level-headed mare, Applejack was sure she could talk things out with her. Marble and Obsidian were going to head directly to the sheriff’s office when they got back to Valley Town to bring him under custody as soon as possible.
The dam itself was going to be slowly dismantled. The workers would open up more holes to let the water flow increase at a slow rate to make sure there wasn’t any sudden flooding in the valley down below, over the course of a few days the river would eventually return completely to normal and the dam would be gone.
Morning came quickly.
They had slept in Pepper’s building, all of them filling up one room and haphazardly sleeping across the floor and furniture. Applejack woke them all up before the break of dawn, always an early riser thanks to her farm work.
Now the party of Applejack, the disciples and the Mountain Town ponies walked to the walled river separating the two towns. They had decided to also bring Birdseed with them so he could corroborate their story of Good Harvest planning everything. Pickaxe and one other were going to lower the drawbridge on their side and then they would make their way to the fort. Calmly and slowly so no one would think they were under attack.
“I really really hope this goes well.” Pepper said jovially to Applejack. “It would be super duper great and I’d be able to get back with Wavy and we’d have so much food and everypony would be happy right?”
“Uh, yeah.” Applejack at this point had effectively zoned out Pepper’s ramblings.
Pickaxe leaned in close to her and whispered into her ear. “Believe me, you don’t get used to her.”
The party made its way to the drawbridge uneventfully, Applejack looked out at the rather desolate “forest” that they had traveled through yesterday, she hoped that with everything going back to normal that maybe someday it could start looking as good as it did on the Valley Town side again.
Pickaxe and the other pony worked the drawbridge, it had the same mechanism as the one on Valley Town’s side. Despite its obvious disuse it still worked and the ponies all made their way across it. The operators of the other drawbridge were asleep again and didn’t even notice. Immediately Marble and Obsidian ran ahead, they’d make it to the hill quickly and find the sheriff while Applejack and Pepper took everypony else to the fort.
“Alright y'all, don’t worry none if some of the ponies seem a bit on edge.” Applejack said to the Mountain Towners. “I’ll explain everything to them.”
“What if they attack us on sight?” Pepper asked.
“I’m sure they won’t, they’ll recognize me at least and with all of us just walking down the path out in the open they’ll know we aren’t attacking or anything. Thistle seemed liked a perfectly reasonable gal.”
I really hope.
They made it to the intersection and took the path south to the fort, a short ways in and the large spiked trunks and watchtower became visible. And if they could see the watchtower then it was guaranteed that Thistle could see them.
“They really had this waiting for us?” Pickaxe remarked.
“Yep. That sheriff planned this out for a while.”
“It’s pretty cool looking though.” Pepper said with much more enthusiasm. “I was worried it would be scary, but it’s like a real secret base or something! Isn’t that awesome, wow, I should’ve made something cool like this on the plateau! Ooh, we could’ve mined out some more stone and made a castle!”
Applejack and the others ignored her as she continued on about what kind of castle she’d like to make, they were close to the entrance to the fort and could already make out a line of ponies in their ebony armor waiting for them. Thistle in front.
“Show time.” Quartz said to her.
Even Pepper realized that she should probably quiet down. The mixed party made it to the trench, right before the small wooden bridge over it, before Thistle opened her wings.
“Halt.” She said imposingly. “I know who you are, why have you come here Pepper? And you, outhider ponies, what game are you playing?”
Applejack decided to step out in front, giving her normal winning smile to Thistle. “Howdy Thistle, nice to see you again.” Thistle just stared back at her, clearly not caring about the small pleasantries. “Well, I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Mountain Town is going to get rid of the dam, and they never wanted or were planning to attack you. They just want to be friends again now and get everything back to the way it was.”
Thistle’s eyes went wide and her mouth hung slightly agape. The soldiers behind her blinked in surprise, murmuring between themselves like they didn’t quite believe it.
“Uh, and now for the bad news. You’ve all kind of been manipulated by Good Harvest, this whole fort was just part of a plan of his to provoke war with Mountain Town and take it over. Sorry.” She chuckled weakly and rubbed her neck.
Now Thistle straight up gawked at her. “What?!”
“Yeah, kind of a lot to take in, right?” Pepper spoke up from behind Applejack.
“But, but, that doethint make any sense!” The only soldiers behind Thistle were similarly slack-jawed and bewildered.
“It’s true.” Birdseed spoke this time, shackles still around his forelegs. “I and my mercenary group were hired by this “Good Harvest” to blow up the dam. If you were told by him to make this fort and everything I believe Applejack here has the correct idea about things.”
“But, but...” Thistle tried to come up with something to say. “But he truthted me! That’s what he said, I was supposed to be captain of the fort and gather up all the ponies I knew who didn’t trutht Mountain Town! It was my duty! Ith not a lie!”
Applejack walked forward to put a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
Thistle’s eyes watered. “Is it really true?”
“Yeah, two of my friends are going into town to grab him right now. They’ll be back soon and we can sort all of this out. In the meantime, how about you let us all in and we can get to know each other better? I think it would go a long ways if the ones who are here to protect Valley Town are the first ones to go back to being friends with ponies from Mountain Town.” Applejack smiled at her and gestured to Pepper and all the rest from Mountain Town behind her, they smiled eagerly as well, hoping that the first friendships could be reforged.
Thistle looked at them and then back at her own soldiers, they had a mix of hope, disillusionment and respect written on their faces. Wiping the tears from her eyes she nodded at Applejack.
“Alright, you can come in.”
The soldiers led everypony into their fort, others looking on while some went to spread the word to the rest of the ponies. The Mountain Town ponies looked around inside it, Pepper was all ooh’s and aah’s even though there wasn’t anything particularly impressive inside. Birdseed just lumbered along disinterestedly while Thistle went to a picnic table that had been set up and plopped down on it, hooves stretched over the top and looking like a sulking puppy.
“At this point I almost wish you were about to thurprise attack us.” She said.
“Hehe, you don’t have to worry about that either sugarcube.”
A short while later and Marble and Obsidian came bounding back to the fort. But Good Harvest wasn’t with them, instead…
“Darling!”
“Angel!”
Pepper and Wavy ran to each other and embraced, Wavy spinning her around while she tightly hugged his neck. At the end of the spin the two of them deeply looked into each others eyes and passionately kissed. It was embarrassing enough for Applejack to wince and close her eyes.
For a few minutes after they continued to call each other escalating pet names of “Sapphire” and “Rose” and “Perfection”.
Meanwhile Applejack talked with the disciples.
“What happened? Where’s Good Harvest?”
“According to the deputies at the station, Good Harvest is missing.” Obsidian said.
“Missing? Did he skip town or something after hiring those mercenaries?” Quartz wondered, brow furrowing in puzzlement.
“No, it’s not like that.” Marble started. “He’s been missing for weeks. Nobody knows where he is or what happened to him, we went up to Redwood Manor instead after we heard this and got Wavy. Figured him meeting Pepper would help.”
Applejack frowned. This just wasn’t making sense. She was reminded of what Birdseed had said at the dam yesterday, too many coincidences, something was wrong about all this.
“I’m going to go talk to Thistle for a second.” She said, turning to go have a chat with the sulking mare. Thistle didn’t react to her approach, instead it seemed like she was trying to sleep, but Applejack still had to set some things straight. “Hey Thistle, when did Good Harvest ask you to make the fort anyways?”
She didn’t move her body but her eyes slowly turned to Applejack. “I got a letter a while ago, he told me he needed me to captain the fort he was planning. He knew I didn’t like Mountain Town and what they had done. And the letter a.. a...asked me to gather every volunteer I could who also was apprehenthive.”
“So you never actually met him? You never talked in person about the fort?”
She shook her head. “I’ve known him for a long time, we talked a lot, I thought the letter was offishul business and I went right to it.”
Applejack was about to ask more when Wavy and Pepper, hooves over each others shoulders, came sauntering up.
“Good news! Pepper and I will marry as soon as possible.” Wavy said, giving Pepper a quick kiss on the cheek. “Now that things are going to be better between our towns we don’t have to worry about any backlash. Oh, you don’t know how terrible it is to be separated from your one true love for so long! My dearest Pepper, I promise to never leave your side again.” They looked into each others eyes and affectionately nuzzled.
“I’m happy for ya.” Applejack said, and meant it despite the eccentricities of the pair. “I just wish we could find out what’s going on with the sheriff and just what happened here.”
“Well I think it’s fine that our towns are at least becoming friends again. I too would like to learn sheriff Good Harvest’s situation but really I think there’s something much more pressing for us all to do in celebration of our fixed relationship and Pepper and I’s betrothal.” Wavy winked at her.
“What?”
Applejack learned that night that wine was pretty good.
Wavy brought everypony up to the Redwood Manor for a party and after a few glasses her troubles had melted away. Even Quartz and Bedrock had decided to drink some and partake in the festivities. Wavy and Pepper thought this was the perfect way for everypony to break the ice with each other, and it seemed to be working. Pickaxe was chatting up some of the soldiers, Thistle drunkenly stumbled around the Mountain Town ponies with a big happy grin, and the newly betrothed couple danced and danced.
Thistle suddenly collapsed, completely out, so Obsidian took her to one of the fancy couches in the ballroom.
Applejack sat back. The ponies filled the lavish ballroom. Musicians played from a stage in the corner, waiters handed out food, she supposed this was the kind of wealth that Big Dad Redwood had if his son could organize something like this in a couple hours.
It was nice.
A pretty nice way to end things in the Twin Towns. Tomorrow morning she’d head out with the disciples to home.