//------------------------------// // New Sheriff in Town // Story: My Little Caboose: Blue is Magic! // by DarkWing //------------------------------// "I know what you're saying, you don't want to hurt somebody because how you've been brought up." Sarge said understandingly. "But remember, I wasn't brought up like you. I was taught to respect people, sure, but only to people who deserve it. Like you and your family. Gary is an AI. Not only is he not a person, but he sure as hell doesn't deserve any respect." "Ah guess." Big Mac nodded. "I'm not telling you this for you to side with me. I'm telling you this because I want to do it my way, and I want you to accept that." "Ah do." Big Mac nodded again. "Which is why ah think ya'll should do the same when ah do things my way." "Ya'll are yappin' like a bunch a fillies!" Granny Smith chuckled loudly, turning to them. "How 'bout this middle ground. Big Mac, don't help Gary. Sarge, don't hinder him." Sarge and Big Mac shrugged at each other and nodded, when the door front door open and Applejack came in with some flour and other baking ingredients on her back. "Ah, just in time!" Granny Smith smiled when Applejack walked next to Granny Smith, allowing her to take the ingredients off of Applejack's back. "What are ya staring it?" Applejack asked, smile on her lips. "Jealous that ah managed to get here faster than you could've?" "Wheres Gary?" Sarge asked, coming off rather harsh. "What are ya talkin' about? Didja forget that he decided to stay and work with ya?" Applejack laughed, but face her face was serious. "Did you lock him in the barn and forget?" "Eenope, he gave up after his third try to go help ya in Ponyville..." Big Mac said quietly, glancing uneasily at Sarge, awaiting an I told you so. "God dammit." Sarge hissed instead, sprinting to the door. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Gary kept a steady pace as he walked through Ponyville with disgust, feeling ashamed to be walking amongst the filthy shisnos. He felt ripples of disappointment when he remembered his location, but at the same time felt conniving. Felt like himself. Some ponies walked near him since he looked lost, but whenever they did he walked faster than them, not wanting to interact, even if he didn't know where exactly his destination was. He did not want to accept help from any of them, lest he dirty himself. Soon, however, he found his destination. A tall building, sitting right in the middle of Ponyville. "The hive mind of Shisnoville..." Gary muttered to himself as he looked at town hall. "I feel sick just being here." Gary took a deep breath. He would need all his courage just to step through into where he felt most shisnos have been. At least at the farm they weren't running around everywhere like ants. Gary looked up and walked to the door, opening it with vigor, but not so much that anybody would believe he had anything bad planned. He peeked inside to see a tan pony, sitting at a desk. Her hair was in waves, giving her a less formal, but still respectable demeanor. Gary coughed lightly to inform her of hi location. "Hello, may I help you?" Mayor Mare asked, giving Gary her formal smile. "Just admiring the scenery." Gary said. "There isn't much to see in here." Mayor Mare said politely, looking at Gary with interest. "I can't place your accent, where are you from?" "Excuse me, I often lose my manners around shi- such delightful ponies." Gary finished off hesitantly, cringing on the inside as the he forced a heavy smile. "Believe me when I say you most probably would not have heard where I came from." "I generally like to think that I'm well versed on locations in this world. You don't become mayor for nothing. Even if I have never heard of it, I would still like to know the name." "Oh, well, er..." Gary trailed off edgily, knowing he needed to think of a legitimate sounding one. One that sounded as stupid as Ponyville. "Uh... Minneighsota." "Ah, Minneighsotta!" Mayor Mare chuckled, extending her hoof again. Gary shook her hoof, now convinced that the shisnos living here are unoriginal. "I've never met a Minneighsotian, seeing as it's such a long ways from little old Ponyville." Mayor Mare said thoughtfully. "What brings you here? Business?" "Of sorts." Gary said, carefully continuing his smile. "I moved here as of late, and I was just-" "You're living here?" Mayor Mare asked with surprise. She walked up to a book on her desk and started flipping through it. "What's your name?" "Neigh." Gary sputtered, knowing he would need a pony sounding name. "Neigh?" Mayor Mare asked with an unsure glance. "Yes, it's short for Neighoming." "But that's a name of a state." "My parents were never the brightest." Gary admitted, smartly showing his side to her. "Hence why I prefer to keep it short. My parents were also the reason I no longer have my mark. When I was young, I was in an accident involving them. Though that is actually why my voice is as charming as it is as well though, so it was not all bad." "Alright, Neighoming from Minneighsota." Mayor nodded, writing a new entry. "I do not have you listed in here for some reason, so I will have to fix that. Do you live on your own?" "No, I am currently residing with the Apple family. I actually came by yesterday." "Ah, the Apples. Nice bunch of ponies. They really know how to work." Mayor Mare said respectfully. "Did Granny Smith tell you how she was here when Ponyville was first established?" "No, she didn't." Gary said, slightly impressed, but acting way more impressed than he really was. "I will have to ask her about that when I get back." "Is Sarge from Minneighsota too?" Mayor mare asked, looking at the list of residents of Sweet Apple Acres. "Er, no. But we have known each other for a while." Gary said truthfully. "Family?" "No." Gary said hastily. "I see. What was your past job in Minneighsota?" "Oh, that. I was actually helping the mayor there." Gary said, putting his smiling into overdrive. Now was where his plan shifted into second gear. "Which is actually what I came here to talk to you about. I was wondering if you had any openings for assistants?" "I like to think that I could handle this by myself..." Mayor Mare said dubiously. "What is your experience?" "Well, I helped for roughly twenty-five years. I was going to run for mayor, but decided to live less loud of a life. But the politics still run thick in my blood, so I figured being an assistant in such a nice place as this would be lovely." "Twenty-five? How old are you?" "I am forty years old." Gary said slowly, feeling his cover may have been blown. "You look younger." Mayor Mare said sincerely. "When you walked in I thought you were in your early twenties." "Right back at you." Gary said with a tactical wink. Mayor Mare was taken aback. She was always treated with respect, but she never particularily felt she would be treated like that. "Even though I do feel I could handle this on my own, having such an experienced pony by my side is too tempting to ignore." Mayor Mare said with a flushed nod. "Welcome aboard." "When can I start?" Gary asked, feeling confidence overwhelm him. "Today is already over. Is tomorrow too early?" "No, I could do tomorrow." Gary said, smiling pleasantly, turning to leave. "Great. We will talk about your times and your pay then." Mayor Mare said, walking to the door with him, both out of her politeness and out of slight fondness. "Sounds delightful. I am sure the Apples will be most pleased with this news. They aren't making as much money as they should be." Gary said, trying to act appreciative, as if her accepting his offer was more for them than it was for him. "That they aren't." Mayor Mare agreed. "They are hard workers, and are some of the most respectable ponies I know." "Indeed." Gary said slowly as he walked out the door, not liking being so close and friendly with the shisnos. But it was necessary. "See you tomorrow?" "Tomorrow." Mayor Mare said, shaking his hoof one more time. Mayor Mare watched as Gary walked away happily. Mayor Mare thought it was because he was happy to have been a part of the community now, when he was really happy only because his plan was now set in motion. Stupid shisnos.