//------------------------------// // The Amarecan West // Story: Travelers Tales: Arizona In Appleloosa // by Slippin_Sweetie //------------------------------// The endless blue sky spanned hundreds of miles ahead as the desert sun scorched their hides as a dry gust of wind brushed against the herd. It had been a week into their journey to Appleloosa now. Arizona was growing impatient and tired. Perhaps it was the gnawing feeling on her hooves paired with the blistering sun. Or perhaps she was longing for her home back at Dodge Junction. She was never described as sentimental or whiney, but even this rough n tumble calf couldn't help but long for the old days. Arizona found herself constantly reminding herself that this hardship and stress had a purpose outside of irritating her. Texas, her father, said Appleloosa offered them an opportunity of a lifetime. There was a demand for milk and help. Both of which the herd could happily provide. Unlike her cousins and kin in Ponyville, the herd could never settle for the…pampered lifestyle her kinfolk indulged in. A simple life of grazing and milking wasn't on the minds of her or the herd. Texas had constantly reminded her of their ancient bovine ancestors and their distant cousins, the buffalo. Engraving a sense of familial and ancestral pride. Growing to despise the prospect of a cushy lifestyle. Seeing it has beneath the honorable semi-nomadic lifestyle her herd indulged in. Whether it be ranching or bartering for milk, there prized milk. In the winding lanes of the cattle drive, standing at the very front of the wagon train was Texas. A massive bull with horns fit for a creature of his stature and authority. The Leader of his humble tribe. Pulling his family's wagon without faltering for a moment. His gaze locked on the orange-dry dirt roads ahead of them. "Just a few more miles, y'all!" echoed Texas. "You said that the last five miles!" barked Arizona. Texas chuckled, "Well, nobody said this was going to be easy, Arizona. Just keep your head up." Arizona took a long deep breath as her mother peaked her head from the wagon. "Your pa is right; we can't be too far." chimed Minnesota. "Why couldn't we move to somewhere cooler? I heard Ponyville was nice this time of year." huffed Arizona. "Heh! You'd hate it there; our cousins live that…pampered and…soft kind of livin'." chuckled Texas. "Can't be worse than walking in the middle of the desert just to live in another part of the desert," grumbled Arizona. Minnesota scoffed, "Have a Lil optimism Arizona; Appleloosa is supposed to be an oasis in the desert. A real cultural center!" "Mama, I think you've been readin' too many of them travel brochures." retorted the calf. Texas perked his head up, seeing the village just beyond the horizon, "Oop! There it is! HEY EVERYBODY, WE'RE CLOSE TO APPLELOOSA…FOR REAL THIS TIME!" A resounding moo rumbled through the badlands as the cows quickly thundered their hooves in excitement. "Oh! And Arizona, remember-" “To be polite to the ponyfolk, yeh, yeh…I ain't stupid." she huffed. Texas smirked, shoving Arizona playfully, "That's my girl!" The bustling little town of Appleloosa was aware of their arrival, ponies poking their heads out of windows at the rumbling sound of the herd approaching them. As they grew nearer, they could even see the groves of apple trees, their fruit bright red and ready for harvest. A sunshine yellow stallion trotted out from one of the saloons, jumping up at the sight of the crowd. He ran to the edge of town, ready to greet the newcomers. "Well, howdy!" The stallion took off his hat, revealing a two-toned blond mane. "The name's Braeburn; welcome to Appleloosa!" His voice was cheery as could be, trotting up to Texas and offering a hoof. "Been awhile since we've had a herd come through here; for a moment there, I thought you were buffalo!"` Texas took the pony's hoof, practically lifting him in the air as he gingerly shook it, "Buffalo!? I'm honored! Bawahah!" Arizona smirked as he bit her lip, stifling a laugh as Braeburn flailed in the air. The large bull presented his herd, "The name's Texas, this my daughter Arizona and my beautiful wife Minnesota is inside my wagon. We were honored when Sheriff Silverstar accepted our little community into your town." "Now that's a hoofshake!" Braeburn stumbled, a goofy grin on his face. "Nice to meet y'all!" Minnesota carefully climbed from the back of the wagon as she trotted forward, presenting a fresh milk bottle with a red ribbon neatly wrapped atop the bottle's neck. "Please accept this here token of gratitude, Mr. Braeburn." smiled the cow. Still recuperating from the mighty hoofshake, Braeburn gently took the bottle with a smile. "Ooh, why thank you, Mrs. Minnesota, very kindly! Well, you're sure welcome to our town, and we have plenty of food to help you along the way. I'm a greeter of sorts, so I can help you set up camp nearby! If y'all need anything, just come to me!" "Ah, don't you worry about a thing, Mr. Braeburn; we'll steer clear from causing trouble; you just tell Silverstar that we're here," Texas said with a firm pat on Braeburn's back. "Tomorrow, we'll discuss tending to that orchard, and my wife can talk about all things milk related, y'know, settle all the intricate details!" chuckled the bull. "Well, of course, I will!" Braeburn let out a small oof, trying not to stumble over at the force of the pat. "Lemme just go and tell him, and we can both help you on your way! We can settle business tomorrow. I understand y'all need your rest." Gesturing toward the town, Braeburn trotted forward. "We've cleared out a nice spot for you and your kin and prepared some food for your arrival! I hope you like apples!" "Oh! Thank you kindly, dear they even cleared a spot for us!" smiled Minnesota. "Lead the way! EVERYONE MOVE OUT!" thundered Texas. Braeburn led the herd to a nice cleared spot of land next to town. Several ponies had been waiting there, preparing for their arrival, with food and a fire already set up. Braeburn trotted over to a table of pies, taking in the sweet aroma. "Whoo-wee! I'm getting hungry myself! Welp, let's get you all settled, then we can eat." Braeburn stomped his hooves before kicking into the air. "This'll be just like raisin' a barn!" After directing the wagons to certain areas, ponies and cows alike began to set up tents, setting down boxes and crates, talking amongst each other cheerfully. Arizona examined the banquet table, taking all the apple-based desserts and fixings. She'd been told that the ponyfolk in Appleloosa were part of some greater family that bartered, sold, and grew apples. But, she didn't think they ate anything but apples; that'd be like a cow consuming nothing but its milk because that's what cows made. She shook off that nagging thought as she grabbed an apple and a few empty bottles sitting in a trash can before galloping away from the festivities. The calf laid out her bottles as she fetched her lasso resting on a large stone before quickly snagging one of the bottles with her rope. Braeburn chatted with Texas a bit more before turning, noticing someone was missing from the crowd. He trotted away, giving the bull a nod, following his gut as he wandered along. Finally catching sight of Arizona in the distance, Braeburn slowly trotted up, not wanting to startle her. "Well, hey there, whatcha doin' all the way out here? Not hungry?" the stallion gave her a soft smile, "Or just not a party po– er, creature?" Arizona turned back to face the stallion, quickly snagging another bottle before she entirely focused on the pony, "Er, not what you call an…er…." she'd scratched her head, looking for the word "Social-lite." "I understand, I enjoy a good party, but it might be exhausting after such a long journey," Braeburn nodded, scratching a hoof into the dirt, "I hope I'm not bothering you; I'll go if you don't want the company. I just wanted to offer you a cold cider from the tap." He pulled out a bottle of fresh cider, offering it to her. Arizona slowly trotted over, seeming somewhat unsure about this pony. But the offer for cider was just too enticing; she'd quickly snatch the bottle before popping the cap off the side of her horn. "This 'er the strong stuff?" she said before taking a swig. "Ah well…" He bit his lip; he hadn't considered that or her age, "It might be, yes. Just uh… don't tell yer' dad? I wasn't really thinking about it…." He didn't want to incur the wrath of a bull his size. She smirked, taking a long swig of the cider, "Don't worry about a thing; I can take care of myself. 'Sides, pa lets me have a bit of cider sometimes." She was lying, or at least a half-truth. Pa let her have cider but most certainly not hard cider. She mostly did this to put her pony host at ease and, of course, nurse this newfound contraband in her hooves. "So what's the deal with all the…apples." Braeburn let out a small sigh of relief before perking up, "Ah well, it's in the name, isn't it? Appaloosa was founded by the Apple family, of which I am a part of. It's in the blood!" He held a hoof to his chest with pride, grinning widely. "Ya probably heard of my cousin Applejack, the Element of Honesty? She's saved Equestria a buncha times!" "Nope." Arizona said bluntly, "Never heard of no honest apple-element- no how." "Now, what in the hay?! You musta been far off not to hear about Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, and Lord Tirek! Although that might've been for the best, don't want y'all caught up in trouble." Braeburn took off his hat and rubbed the back of his head, "Applejack and her friends have saved Equestria from all those villains n' more! You'd love to meet her, I'm sure." Arizona shrugged, "I never did pay no attention to the news or pony business, to be fair. I'll take yer word about your cousin, though." "But enough about me, how about you?" Braeburn trotted over, sitting down on a rock. "That is if you're comfortable." She shrugged, "Ain't much to me, really. I'm the daughter of the herd leader. I enjoy ranching, roping, and a good tussling." she chuckled. "This place ain't too different from Dodge Junction, just as boring." huffed Arizona, "You don't have any bandits or ne'er do wells, right?" "Well, we do have some trouble with the trains; sometimes bandits will steal some cargo, but not enough to be a real issue. But if you're interested in helpin' around town, I'd ask the sheriff. He'd know what's going on and who needs a good talkin' to." Braeburn gave her a simple shrug and a smile, "You got your eye on becomin' a deputy?" The cogs in the calf's mind began to turn as the prospect of catching bandits entrapped her thoughts. "Deputy….say where do these bandits tend to strike; got any uh…references?" blabbed Arizona. "Well, they usually steal a few barrels of oats and wheat, some rye, and some supplies for making cider. We got a feelin' somepony's tryin' to cut in on our business, or perhaps they're moonshinin'. It's nothing we can't cover, but it's becoming expensive over time. Usually, during the evening, trains coming in and out of Appleloosa." Braeburn sighed, "It's a might annoying, I'll admit." "You can't just let folks take from yah! Why don't you round up a posse and stamp em' out?" bucked Arizona as she frantically trotted in place. "Well, we ain't see who it was doin' it, so it's hard to wrangle up a group to go and stop 'em. We only assume they've been takin' it from the train since it's accounted for when it's loaded on, but we can't find it when we unload it. It's a bit of a pickle." Braeburn sighed, plopping his hat back onto his head. "If you could help, that'd be real kind." "Well, it beats wrangling critters every day or hauling milk around; I might as well do something around here," Arizona said as she attached her lasso to a notch on her belt. "Where should I start? The Sheriff? Maybe I should hitch a ride on the train, or better yet, maybe we should form a posse!" "Hold on now; it's best to talk to the sheriff before you plan to do anything else. I don't think he'd take kindly to you startin' a posse without askin' him first, 'specially if we don't know who's doing it." Braeburn waved a hoof before standing up, "C'mon, I'll go and introduce you!" "Oh okay, let me go tell my pa." she'd thunder loudly, "PA, I'M GONNA GO INTO TOWN WITH BRAEBURN!" Texas roared back from the campsite, "OKAY, SUGAR BOOGER, JUST DON'T STAY OUT TOO LATE AND BOTHER HIM TOO MUCH!" "STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, HONEY!" shouted Minnesota. Arizona turned to Braeburn expectantly, "Lead the way." Braeburn blinked, surprised at the sheer volume the cows could throw their voices. Shaking his head and rubbing one of his ringing ears, the stallion nodded and led the way through town. As they made their way through, Braeburn would stop for a moment and wave towards other townsfolk, giving them all a friendly, cheery smile. "Awright, we're here!" Braeburn announced as they approached the local jail. "He might be takin' a nap, so let's try not startlin' him, eh?" Walking up the stairs, Braeburn knocked on the door before creaking it open. "Sherriff, you home?" As the door creaked open, the small office of the sheriff was revealed to be empty. Untouched from any foreign elements, with his paperwork resting on his desk and his small living and bed neatly tended to. Arizona put a hoof to her chin, "It must be a kidnapping; they're getting bolder, it seems….we need to take the law in our own hooves!" Braeburn chuckled, "Naw, he's probably doin' rounds or at his house– he doesn't actually live here; he only sleeps overnight if there's somepony in the lock-up. That's usually Shot Glass; he just can't take his cider or his saltlick." He shook his head, letting out a low whistle. "Might just wanna leave him a note, or we can wait until he comes back. I'm in no hurry." Braeburn shrugged. "Howdy Braeburn, who's the calf?" echoed Silverstar from behind. The old sheriff greeted the two as he raised his brow at the sight of Arizona, "Ah, you must be the new herd of cattle. Welcome to Appleloosa; I'm Sheriff Silverstar, and I run these parts. It's a pleasure to meet you ma'am." he'd tip his hat. "Though, I'm a bit surprised," he'd turn to Braeburn, "I thought we agreed you'd handle all the formalities and such. Is something wrong?" "Ah, she just wanted to meetcha; apparently, she's got her sights on that little train problem we've been dealin' with." Braeburn nodded, giving him a relaxed grin. "I figured it would be nice of her to meet you and maybe discuss it a Lil more since you got all the details." Silverstar chuckled, "Starry-eyed, are we? Looking for glory or bits?" "I just wan' to help, besides I can whip some bandits into shape. I'm no pushover." huffed Arizona. Silverstar rubbed his temple, lifting his hat from his eyes as he examined Arizona's gaze, "Welp, if you're interested in the law business, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to at least inform you of the details. Braeburn you want to join us?" Braeburn sighed, "Welp, I suppose I got her into this by mentionin' it. I should see it through, for safety." He glanced over at her with a soft smile, "Not that I think you're incapable, but I'd rather not tell yer Paw that I let you get hurt and I wasn't there to help." "Come inside then," beckoned Silverstar. The stallion quickly presented his work on a stray table near a tack board, "Well, we've been getting bushwacked for about a few months. At first, we thought it was just a few numerical errors from our loaders and suppliers." "Then it went from a few barrels of rye and wheat to a few dozen. A few hundred bits in losses to a few a thousand very quickly. But it was an in and out gig, no scuffle or witnesses… that was until last week when one of the engineers saw a herd of ponies and a few buffalo openly steal from there." "Up until now, we just thought it was rumors or ponies from Dodge Junction stealing from us or miscounting. But now it's just plain ole' banditry." sighed Silverstar. "Well… why don't you posse up and fight 'em?" prodded Arizona. "Well, I only have about… three ponies, sometimes four if Braeburn helps, and they tend to the responsibilities of Appleloosa. Braeburn runs the local Orchard, I handle the ongoings and legal finagling, while my boys ensure peace and civility in Appleloosa." "We just don't have the numbers to put it plainly." shrugged Silverstar. "Er, what about Braeburn's cousin?" retorted Arizona. "Ha! Applejack? She's got way more important business than tending to some bandits. After all, she's the element of Honesty; it's kinda a big deal." sighed Silverstar. "I wish my cousin could come and visit. Maybe I could send her a letter." Braeburn offered. "Sorry, Braeburn, she's on some sort of pilgrimage or something, can't take a letter right now." "Figures," Braeburn grumbled. Arizona sighed, "Then I'll just do it myself; make me a deputy, and I'll nip this problem in the rear!" "Well, hold on there now, we're civilized folk ain't we? We're not gonna just wrangle up a group and go stormin' in. We should at least talk first and make sure we're gettin' the right ones. If we ain't careful, we might accidentally accuse someone who's innocent." Braeburn spoke up, trying to make sure no one ran off without a plan. "Do we have any names or faces?" Silverstar shook his head, "Nope, the only thing we know for sure is that some buffalo helped in the robbery, but it was too dark out to see anypony's face." "Well, then perhaps we should interview the Buffalo and see if anyone saw or heard anything to do with it." Braeburn nodded, turning to Arizona, "You'll be a great help too. Ooh, maybe I could introduce you to a friend of mine; y'all might get along! Her name's Lil Strongheart." "So we're opening an investigation? Let's get to the bottom of this and bring these thieves to justice!" stamped Arizona. Silverstar slowly glanced at a clock on the wall, reading it was 9 PM, "... Can't it wait til morning?" Arizona sighed, "....you ponyfolk are strange to me." "You'll learn," Braeburn chuckled, "Now, let's get you back to camp."