//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 The Arrival // Story: Gem Hunt // by keithsterling //------------------------------// Its 11:00 hrs passenger boarding platform to all train, Ponyville train station, ponyville, Friendship kingdom. The ponyville train station is a large rectangle wooden building located at the edge of Ponyville next to the train track. Trains from Canterlot and other cities in Equestria come and go from this depot on a regular schedule. Once off the trains watching ponies walk about the station some buying tickets from various windows to travel to the other cities or picking up or drop off passengers to board the train. Were Justice and his mother, his contact in ponyville, was the Princess of Friendship Twilight Sparkle, the trigger for this Royal investigation has failed to meet him. "Princess Celestia reassured me mother, that Princess Twilight Sparkle would meet me here at the station. But she late some Princess of Friendship, she the trigger for this Royal Investigate and she didn't show up." Justice said, annoyed as his mother looks around the station looking for a beautiful purple alicorn mare. "First lesson Justice. If your contact fails to show up observe your surroundings. You can learn much about this town this way." Shimmer explains as she directs her son to look around the station. "Like what mother?" Justice inquires, looking around the station as ponies give them a second look. "Have you failed to notice that ever ponies give us a second glance and moving on?" Shimmer comments as Justice nod his head. "Why, mother?" Justice inquires. "Other than us being the height of Alicorns, Ponyville is a quiet small town; it seems that every pony around here seems to know each other. I give off the air of nobility, and you wear your white Solar Guard uniform give off the air of a soldier. We are the odd ponies out because we come from Canterlot. So now think about this Justice, what that tells us about the kidnapper?" Shimmer said poses the question to her son, who thought for a little while. "Well, that means the kidnapper is not from here!" Justice exclaimed as Shimmer kisses him on his cheek. "You are right, Justice. It most likely the kidnapper is not from around here. But their flip side to Ponyville is a small town with me being a noble mare from Canterlot, and you being a Solar Guard commander. We will not go unnoticed for long. That fact means that our investigation here is going to be that much harder to wrap up and you should know why?" Shimmer comment as Justice shook his head. "Well, mother, we should be ready for helpful ponies and not so helpful ponies here in Ponyville." Justice comment as Shimmer kissed him on his cheek again. "Welcome to Ponyville!" a pink earth pony with light cerulean colored eyes and dark pink curly mane and tail exclaim loudly. Causing Justice to leap all most out of his skin as his heart pumps spastically in his chest. Why his mother remains unfazed from the pink earth pony mare. "Who in Celestia light are you?!" Justice inquires, clutching his chest with his hand trying to regaining control of his breath as Shimmer assist him in trying to slow his breathing. "I am Pinkie Pie, silly." Pinkie pie comments as the purple Alicorn mare arrives a moment later, following right behind Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie! I ask you to find them? Not scare him to death." Twilight comments as she stands next to Pinkie and shakes her head a few times. "Well, here they are, Twilight." Pinkie comments as she goes off to greet the other passengers getting off the trains. "Your Highness is your name, Princess Twilight Sparkle. The Princess of Friendships and ruling Princess of Ponyville?" Shimmer inquires as Twilight shakes her head. "Yes, quick question?" Twilight ask "Yes." Justice answer. "Why did? The Princess sent a Noble mare from Canterlot and an Elite Guard to Ponyville. All I asked for was some pony to look into this case and solve it?" Twilight comment with a puzzled look in her face. "I am hardly just an elite guard. I am Princess Protector and Commander of Celestia's Elite Solar Guard unit. I am Solar Guard Commander Justice Silverlight." Justice said full of pride as Twilight smile spastically, and his mother kicked him in his back end. "Mother! What is that for?" Justice said, grumbling as he rubs his back end after his mother kicked him. "None of my foals ever thinks themselves better than some pony else." Shimmer said, scolding as Twilight face glazes with shock. "Mother?" Twilight said shocked "Did the Solar Guard Commander, Just call you, mother?" Twilight asked a bit shocked. "That is right, your Highness, my name is Countess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight. Co-head of the Silverlight Unicorn family of Canterlot." Shimmer said in her very well-bred, polite voice. "The-the P-P-Princess P-P-Protector and Solar Guard Commander. Along with the co-head of the most prominent family in Canterlot. The Silverlight Unicorn Family- Countess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight. But-But, that means." Twilight voice edged with tension as Shimmer realizes she just made Twilight more nervous. "Your Highness please forgive me. I had no intention of getting you more nervous. I can reassure you I am just here to assist my son in this investigation." Shimmer said in a soothing motherly voice that reassuring Twilight. "Thank you, your lady ship.I will help if I can." Twilight said reassured "You are welcome your highness and your assists will be greatly appreciated." Shimmer thankful as the group walked through the center of Ponyville on their way to Sweet apple acres to talk with the first target of the kidnapper. Along the way, the group stopped several times by the ponies' citizens. It was giving some useful and not so helpful information about Ponyville and the residence. Some of this information was rumors and unfounded gossip. Due to the great volume and frequency of information from the residence of Ponyville, this allows the group to get a better grasp of the situation. "What is going on here?" Twilight exclaimed, puzzled as the group finely got out of town and headed toward Sweet apple acres. "I have never been stopped so much, even as an Alicorn Princess," Twilight said, annoyed as Justice and Shimmer just look at each other. "It what we thought was going to happen is' that right mother." Justice comment as his mother shook her head a few times. "Is there something you two are not telling me?" Twilight inquires as the two tall unicorns sighed a few time. "My mother and I were discussing this at the train station went we first arrived and why we were waiting for you, your highness." Justice comment as the group continued down the dirt path toward Sweet Apple Acres. "What does that mean, you two?" Twilight said a bit puzzled. "It what we call helpfulness sickness. Helpful ponies and not so helpful ponies come out of the woodwork to give us information about everything. As my son is not too experienced, at shifting through a great number of rumors and gossip from every pony. I was able to glean some important information about this case for us." Shimmer explains as the group stop to get a bite to eat at a restaurant. Before continuing , on their way to the Sweet Apple Acre, the group quickly stopped at a nearby clothing shop. So Shimmer could buy a quick change of more comfortable clothes then this dress she wearing. Shimmer quickly decides on a white solid colored pique polo shirt and gray relaxed fit jeans. She decides to continue wearing the blue quarter-strap sandals she had on with her dress. As the group arrives at Sweet Apple Acre Shimmer suggest that the group splits up. Justice and Twilight will go talk to the sister of the first victim of the kidnapper. why she goes look around were the juvenile filly was returned for clues. Its 13:00 hrs Sweet apple acre, outskirts Ponyville, Friendship kingdom. Sweet Apple Acre is a typical ranch-style property with lots of lands; a small two-story red farmhouse sits at about the center of the property. The rest of the property is dominated primarily by numerous Apple Orchards of various ages. A heavy scent of apple permeates the area around it. Lying under the shade of a tree chewing on stalk of wheat after finishing his day chores was tall vivid crimson red earth pony stallion morph with brilliant orange mane and tail. His powerful equine figure was encased in blue hickory striped bid overalls. His reasonably large feet were bare covered with grime. Sitting on the porch in the old rocking chair was old mare morph wearing a floral print dress most likely asleep. No were to be found was the first victim of the kidnapper Applejack's little sister Apple Bloom. Sitting at a wooden picnic table under the shade of the second tree, drinking freshly made apple juice was Commander Justice Silverlight, Princess Twilight, and Applejack. Since arriving in Sweet Apple Acre, both Commander Justice Silverlight and Miss Applejack had a long conversation together, feeling each other out. "Well, Miss Applejack. You are a welcome relief after dealing with Canterlot's nobles for most of my career who think lying is an art form to find an honest mare like yourself." Justice said complementing as it causes Applejack to blush a bit. "I thank you Mr. Justice, but you didn't come all this way to shoot the breeze with me. Did yawl." Applejack said in her southern drawl. "You are right Miss Applejack, the Princess sent me to look into the kidnapping of that little sister of yours. Her name is Apple Bloom, I believe. So what can you tell me about it Miss Applejack?" Justice asks as Applejack ears droop on top of her head, and she became downcast. "First off, Mr. Justice. It’s something I don't want to remember. It was the worst day in my lahf went the kidnapper took Apple Bloom. I never felt so helpless in all my lahf. I am her big sister, is my job to protect her and couldn't." Applejack said her eyes widening innocently as a tear comes to her moderate, sap green eyes. "Miss Applejack, I know how you feel. Back in Canterlot, I have my own little sister. She not as young as your sister is. But still, as her big brother likes you it my job to protect her. It would break my heart if I couldn't protect her. But at the same time, my sister would want me to tell everything I know about what happened, to make sure it never happens again to some else sister."Justice said sympathetically as Applejack lifts her head and looks at Justice reassured. "You are right, Mr. Justice, my sister, would want me to tell you everything I know. So I am ready tail." Applejack said renewed and reassured as Applejack relay everything that happens during and after Apple Bloom returned to her. Meanwhile, at the site of the return Baroness Shimmering Diamond Silverlight examined a tree with the visible marking of something being tied to it. It reinforces her conclusion that this is the place the victim, Apple Bloom, was returned. In front of the tree were the foot impressions of a teenage mare with size seven barefoot. She sniffs the foot impressions a few times and picks up the strong scent of apples on them. Plus, a very musty odor as if Apple Bloom was held for something in an old building. Long enough to get the musty smell on the soles of her feet. "You don't look like a dawg. So why are yawl sniff around that tree? Like a dawg." A teenage mare said in a southern drawl as she approaches shimmer surprise to see another pony around here. Shimmer studied the new arrival for a little while. The very light yellow teenage mare stood a good 5ft 4in the average height for 15 years old young earth pony mare with vivid crimson red mane and tail. Her robust equine figure was attired in a desert khaki-colored short-sleeve work shirt and diesel gray-colored relaxed fit cotton cargo shorts. Her very light yellow feet were bare covered with a dense layer of grime, through the grime Shimmer could make out red-orange nail polish on her toes. A red bow held her unruly mane in an improvised ponytail for convenience. "I take it; your name is Apple Bloom." Shimmer commented, catching the teenage mare completely by surprise. "How do you know who I am? Caint remembers tail a ferner my name." Apple Bloom said as her face grows chalky, fearing their after her again. "My name is Countess Shimmering Diamond Silverlight; I am assisting my son with investigating your kidnapping, Miss Apple Bloom." Shimmer said in a soothing voice that relieves some of Apple Bloom's fear. "Please to meet you, your ladyship." Apple Bloom said in a polite country manner as she walks up to the taller, unicorn mare that towers over her by several inches. The 1 ¾ inch heel on her sandals adds a few more inches to her overall height. "Please to meet you too, Miss Apple Bloom." Shimmer reply as she for a few moments floated the idea in her head to remove her sandals and stand barefooted so she willn't tower over Apple Bloom. But quickly dismiss the notion as her feet are far more sensitive to the roughness of this apple orchard terrain. It wouldn't take too long for the rough terrain to become unbearable on soles of her feet. Besides, her overall height would still tower over this teenage earth pony mare even barefooted. "Miss Apple Bloom, do you remember anything during you're kidnapping before you returned to your sister?" Shimmer inquiry as Apple Bloom sat on a hay bale in the apple orchard. "Caint remember anything, your ladyship. I was unconscious through the whole ordeal." Apple Bloom said truthfully as Shimmer sighed a few times. She suddenly snaps her fingers with an idea. "Miss Apple Bloom, May I examine your feet?" Shimmer inquiry as it caused Apple Bloom to blush with the request from this noble mare. "Why?" Apple Bloom asked "You were wondering why I was sniffing around that tree like a dog." Shimmer comments as Apple Bloom shook her head. "I was sniffing your prints in the dirt; I pick up a noticeable musty odor in your prints, Miss Apple Bloom. I want to check your feet for anything that might have got stuck to bottom of your feet." Shimmer explains as Apple Bloom reluctantly allows Shimmer to look at her feet. The bottom of Apple Bloom's size seven feet were caked with ever more grime it was somewhat hard to distinguish her real bare feet from all layers of filth that covered the soles of her feet. Suddenly Shimmer discovers something that was stuck to bottom of Apple Bloom's right foot. It was a green ferns stems, she carefully removed the stems from her foot and created a small plastic bag to bag it.