“So aint nothing to worry about, huh?” Applejack glared into the face of the Lava Lily receptionist early the next morning.
“Uhh… sorry?” He smiled and shrugged.
“You’re lucky I aint greedy enough to ask for my money back—but don’t expect me to be spending anything else here,” Applejack huffed, shaking her head. “Who were those folk last night anyways?”
“I’m sure they weren’t anypony important, probably won’t be back either,” the receptionist looked away. “Don’t let it discourage you from staying here and spending the rest of your money in Fire Vent.”
Applejack groaned and dragged a hoof down her face. “Are you being paid to say that?”
He coughed. “I’d say closer to threatened than paid. But don’t worry about it.”
“Could you just—could you tell me where I can find Sheriff Crater right now then? If you’re not going to be anymore help,” Applejack asked.
“The jailhouse. Obviously.”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “And would you mind telling me where that is?”
The mountains and the volcano just north of Fire Vent were full of hidden paths, canyons, and small groves of trees that made them perfect to hide out in from anypony who didn’t know the land. In the past, nopony would’ve wanted to live here but the volcano no longer being active essentially just made it another pile of rocks. The hot springs heated up by the magma chamber and a few veins were the only sign of what Fire Vent was. So because of that, there was nothing stopping this particular group of ponies from using it as their base. In the way olden days, the ponies who first settled Fire Vent worshiped the volcano—things like hot springs or living or building anything on the volcano and the mountains around it would’ve been sacrilege. Times change and the ponies living here became more secular, there wasn’t such a taboo anymore. Though some did worry that what they were doing might invite some sort of divine retribution.
The dozens that had entered Fire Vent last night and dozens more who didn’t all lived together in this ramshackle place after abandoning their former home. Still wearing the traditional garb, not afraid for ponies down there to see their faces, they didn’t care who knew what they were doing. It wasn’t about just hiding. Tents, shacks, and buildings made of simple sticks and leaves covered the hidden base, along with pilfered food, tools, medicine, and valuables stolen from Fire Vent.
Last night and several other nights.
“Didn’t go as well as I wanted but at least we brought some useful supplies back,” Tephra said to himself as he walked around the camp. He bit his lip, stopping in front of a tent with a red cross on it. “She’s still imprisoned… darn you, Crater.”
Tephra opened up the tent and walked inside, where a mare was sitting next to a stallion lying on a small cot. The stallion had a bandage around his right front hoof.
“What happened?” Tephra asked. “I heard from Double Dare that you got hurt last night and the attack on the hotel went wrong. Ace and Golden are missing too.”
Brisk Wings and Bubbles both looked a bit ashamed and clearly didn’t want to answer but the stallion soon sighed and began to tell the tale.
“We uh… well, we got to the hotel but it turns out there was somepony staying there. And so we tried to steal her valuables but she… well she didn’t like that. So we got in a fight, some stuff happened, and I think Ace and Golden probably got arrested,” he grinned sheepishly, shrugging.
Tephra groaned and reached up his hooves to tug on his mane. “You idiots… you got in a fight with a visitor? Somepony not even involved with any of this? That’s not what we’re doing—in fact that’s the last thing we should be doing! Something like that is only going to hurt Fire Vent even more! What if she starts talking about this the next place she goes to?”
“We didn’t want it to go like that! It was just bad luck that we couldn’t knock over the hotel, and she was tough. We didn’t want to hurt her but she wouldn’t let us go without a fight,” Bubbles said.
“And Ace and Golden...” Tephra shook his head. “Well maybe they can at least keep Maggie company.”
“With what we’ve been doing you kind of gotta figure it’s going to hurt Fire Vent’s reputation anyways...” Brisk Wings muttered.
Tephra glared at him. “I’m not stopping. It’s not right. We’re not letting that control freak get his way, you all came here with me because you knew he was in the wrong. None of that has changed. Fire Vent was going to suffer no matter what, and you know what? I’d rather see the whole town burn to the ground and never have a tourist visit again than see it keep going on under his rule. Him and Al-Karamaretel are both going to get what they deserve one day.”
He turned on his heels and strode out of the tent, leaving an increasingly worried Brisk Wings and Bubbles behind.
Applejack was right about Fire Vent looking much prettier during the day than at night. The sunlight reflected off the colorful tops of the buildings and made them contrast nicely with the smooth, reflective, dark stone that made up most of the buildings. And she could fully approach all the maple trees planted in the streets, along with some fountains and other plants and bushes that she hadn’t seen in the parts of Fire Vent she had been to already.
However, the building she was standing in front of would not ever be classified as pretty no matter the time of day.
The jailhouse was a large two-story cube with an iron roof that immediately gave it a different look to everything else in Fire Vent. The windows on the second floor that she could see were all barred as well. Not really out of the norm for a jailhouse but she had to say that this one was a fair bit more intimidating than most she had seen.
There were two deputies, or at least ponies she suspected were deputies, standing around outside the front door. Watching her.
“Can I come in?” Applejack asked. “I’d like to talk with Sheriff Crater.”
The deputy on the right simply smiled at her and nodded. “Anything that would make a visitor from out of town happy. Head on in, he should be right at his desk in the front office.”
Applejack stared at the two of them for a moment longer before she walked on up and grasped the handle to the jailhouse’s door. “Guess there aint nothing to worry about for real then.”
The two deputies flinched and looked away. Applejack rolled her eyes and opened up the door, walking inside.
Considering what had happened last night, it was fairly quiet inside the jailhouse. There were several empty desks, no deputies inside that she could see. It was weird. After a bunch of ponies had attacked and ransacked the town, and probably stolen a bunch of stuff if what those ones that accosted Applejack last night were anything to go by, she figured there’d be more activity here. Applejack was just getting more and more confused. She was thinking of just asking Sheriff Crater for directions to Al-Karamaretel and getting out of here. But this place also seemed like it really needed help. Could she just leave it like that?
Of course not, curse her good nature. She shook her head thinking that all her friends would do the same exact thing. None of them would be able to just let things go like this. It wasn’t just what Discord said either but maybe this would prepare her for when she reached Al-Karamaretel too. If she figured out more and more of what was going on it might help. She already knew she wouldn’t just be able to walk in a straight line to Elysium’s View and ignore everything else. If there were problems she couldn’t avoid coming might as well get used to fixing problems like whatever’s going on in Fire Vent first.
And to start that she needed to learn everything she could from the Sheriff.
And she didn’t want to hear him say there was nothing to worry about.
The front office was easy to see since it was the only place in here with a closed door and a frosted glass window. Applejack pushed open the door and walked in without bothering to knock.
He was sitting behind his desk, pencil in hoof, writing—no, doodling—on a piece of paper.
Sheriff Crater glanced up as she entered and raised an eyebrow at her for a moment before he remembered. “Oh that’s right, you wanted to talk about directions first thing in the morning, didn’t you?”
Applejack flatly stared back at him. “I don’t know if you’re pretending nothing happened or just hoping I didn’t see or hear none of that myself last night.”
He shrugged and looked to the side. “Don’t have the foggiest idea what you’re talking about. Nothing happened last night. There’s nothing strange or unusual going on in Fire Vent. When you leave tomorrow be sure to spread the word about how nice of a place Fire Vent still is to visit.”
“Grr,” Applejack gnashed her teeth together, feeling a vein bulge in her forehead. “Five ponies. In through the window of the room I was staying in. Got in a fight with them and drove them off after they tried robbing me. Two of them were knocked out and I bet they were brought here last night.”
Sheriff Crater frowned. “Oh. I didn’t realize you were actually assaulted by them.” His nostrils flared as he tapped his hoof on his desk, thinking for a moment. “Fine then, I won’t lie to you about this anymore. You know what happened last night but it’s still not a concern of yours. I’d like you to still enjoy your time here and then spread the word about Fire Vent’s welcoming hospitality and all it has to offer. Now would you like me to write up directions on the fastest way to get to Al-Karamaretel from here?”
“No. I don’t right know what’s going on here or why yet but this town clearly needs some help. So let me help you with whatever your problem is,” Applejack offered.
“Help? Why? What’s it to you?” The Sheriff asked.
“Well for one I already got involved last night. And two it’s kind of just the right thing to do? I can’t just walk on past ponies in need. Who were those ponies anyways? They attacked me yeah but they didn’t want to hurt me or nothing,” Applejack asked.
Sheriff Crater snorted angrily. “Just a bunch of fools, thieves, and criminals who can’t accept change.”
“So this all started with the Citadel of Al-Karamaretel? Whatever they’re doing led to this?” Applejack pressed.
“We didn’t realize how bad it would be at first. The news about it came sparingly from a few random travelers and merchants who passed through Fire Vent. Something about the Citadel not allowing travel over its bridge lately. Ponies here figured there had to be a reason, or it was a temporary thing, or they were still letting small amounts of traffic through. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Business slowed down, then it slowed down even more and ponies started to get worried. We had a few locals who went around to other towns asking if they knew anything about the Citadel and how their own towns were doing. Nothing but bad news came back. Only the river towns were still doing any sort of real business and it didn’t have to do with the same kind we rely on. From the west everything dried up. Because ponies were hurting they were less likely to come here and spend their money on frivolous things. And all the while the Citadel of Al-Karamaretel continues to keep the bridge closed. We’ve never dealt with business being so dead for so long—even some seasons where a sickness spread through a lot of the west, or there was a disaster, or an unusual snowfall, it wasn’t as bad as this. Al-Karamaretel is killing us,” Crater finished.
“I’m sorry to hear all that. But why did these other ponies start doing what they’re doing? And if they’re from Fire Vent in the first place then where do they even live?” Applejack asked.
He scoffed. “Somewhere up in the mountains, hiding out there like the lowdown band of thieves they are. Never bothered to find them, what does it matter? There aren’t enough jail cells for them all and as long as I still run the town then that’s the important part. We don’t need a big fight breaking out here.” He shook his head in annoyance. “You want to know why they’re doing this? Because they’re idiots. You heard about our mayor skipping town didn’t you? Well he didn’t just skip town—he emptied the community safe, stole our emergency funds, and ran off to the City of Opportunity in the middle of the night once he realized how bad things were getting. Sadly enough that probably made him the smartest pony in town. But that put us in an even worse spot so I did what needed to be done—made myself Sheriff and took personal control over every business and public utility in Fire Vent.”
Applejack grimaced. “And I can’t imagine that going over well with everypony.”
Even Applejack, while she could understand the situation, wasn’t sure if she agreed with him. It felt too power-hungry in her eyes.
“Only the stupid ones who didn’t realize all they were doing was making things worse. In fact that’s still what they’re doing. Stealing stuff from town, breaking windows, attacking my deputies. Yeah, that’s going to help bring back Fire Vent’s tourism industry,” he clicked his tongue. “Selfish criminals, that’s all they are. It’s already bad enough when so many of the ponies still living here are just flat out unfriendly and unwelcome to visitors—as you yourself also experienced.”
“Yeahhh...” Applejack had to admit he was right about that.
“So it’s just more and more problems piling up one after the other. With what’s happened, even if Al-Karamaretel starts letting ponies across the bridge again it’s going to take Fire Vent a while to recover.”
“Did all this happen right when you took over or was there something else?” Applejack raised an eyebrow at him. “I can’t imagine ponies wouldn’t have been willing to sit down and talk first.”
“You’re right,” Sheriff Crater shrugged. “Sure, there was some resentment and complaining going on from the start, but it only reached a head when one mare tried breaking into our food stores. Naturally I arrested her. Of course her hotheaded husband and his friends didn’t like that. They tried to break her out by force and when me and my deputies repelled them, they gathered what they could along with some more like-minded ponies and left for the mountains. Idiots. I’ve still got her locked up, she needs to be an example to the rest, and I can’t cave in to the ones robbing from and making a mess of town.”
“All this feels like it just got out of hoof so quickly—y’all really just kept making the worst possible choices and refused to compromise at all,” Applejack sighed and shook her head. “Letting your dang ol’ resentment and dislike of each other make the situation even worse.”
“I aint letting morons who can’t see the big picture make things worse for Fire Vent. Now if you want to help by going up and cracking some skulls be my guest,” Crater said.
“I’m gonna talk to them and see if maybe I can get all of you to come to a compromise,” Applejack narrowed her eyes at him.
“Doubt that’ll get you anywhere, but if you want to talk so badly you can start with that mare up in the cells and those two others you apparently knocked out last night. Maybe from the two of them you can find where their hideout is,” Crater suggested. “Don’t expect me to come to the table even if you can talk some sense into their thick skulls when you get there.”
Applejack held back saying that that made him have an even thicker skull than the ones he was insulting.
“Fine. I think it’ll help to get the other side of the story,” Applejack said.
“There isn’t an “other” side of the story. There’s the right side and the wrong side,” Crater said. “Head out of my office and go up the stairs to the right. That’ll take you to the cells.”
“Thanks,” Applejack huffed and left. She had enough of talking to him for now.
Making it up to the cells was easy at least. There was only one deputy standing in front of the stairs and that was it. Applejack wondered how many deputies in total there were—and how many there were in that band of robbers—compared to the rest of the town. On the second story there was a row of cells down the hallway with a couple of small, barred, windows on the other side. In the first cell there were two familiar ponies that she could now see a lot better than in the darkness last night. As soon as Applejack walked into view the two of them perked up and gawked in surprise at her.
“You… what are you doing here?” One asked, a forest green unicorn with purple eyes and a short and frizzy pink mane asked.
“I’m more curious over who she is,” the other—a grey earth pony with a rusty brown mane and green eyes—said.
“I just wanted to talk to you both actually. And see if you were doing okay. Fight or not I didn’t want to hurt you too bad,” Applejack said.
“I get the feeling you could’ve punched harder if you really wanted to...” the unicorn said, rubbing his chin.
“Kind of our own fault for pretty much attacking some innocent gal from out of town...” the earth pony said.
Before Applejack could say anything else another voice came from a cell at the end of the hallway.
“Fight? Who got in a fight? Ace! Golden! Don’t tell me you got in a fight with some mare from out of town!” The hearty, feminine, voice loudly called out.
“Uhh...” Both stallions gulped.
“That’s gonna make Tephra real mad! Well, madder than he already is...” the voice sighed deeply. “Fire Vent doesn’t need that kind of bad reputation right now. Hello? Mare from out of town? Not many ponies come to the jailhouse, what are you here for?”
Applejack blinked and found herself walking towards the far cell. “I came to talk with you and see if maybe I can set things right here.”
“Well aint that a big undertaking. Lot of crazy ponies in Fire Vent nowadays,” the voice said.
Applejack reached the cell and looked in, seeing a young earth pony mare only a year or two older than her smiling back. She had a yellow coat and a hot red mane that seemed like it was practically glowing. Her bushy red tail swung about behind her like a dog and the mare gave her a friendly wave to greet her.
“Hey there! Name’s Hot Magma, but you can call me Maggie! Having a fun time in Fire Vent?”
“Um. Not exactly,” Applejack answered truthfully.
Maggie sighed, wilting in a way that reminded Applejack of Pinkie Pie. “Yeah, I understand. Things haven’t been good around here for a long while. It’s too bad my hubbie attacked the town again last night, it sounds like you wouldn’t have had any trouble if it wasn’t for that.”
“I was planning on enjoying your hot springs today actually...”
“Eugh… this is all my fault!” Maggie dragged her hooves down her face. “I never wanted any of this to happen, I just couldn’t stand that jerk and his absurd rationing! He didn’t have the right to take everything he did and decide what could be done with it. And now my husband’s just making everything worse! He’s just letting his anger get to him, and of course he wont talk with Crater or anypony else. Fire Vent is being torn apart...”
Applejack bit her lip. “I understand how you’re feeling, and I hope I can help.” She then raised an eyebrow at the mare. “You know you don’t come off like a normal thief by the way?”
“Hehe,” Maggie chuckled. “Well I was a little, um, let’s say peeved. Crater was going overboard with who was allowed to eat what and if things like cakes and desserts would be allowed at all. I was planning to steal some ingredients and bake up some nice stuff for the neighborhood children.” She shrugged. “Got caught, I’m a bad criminal I guess.”
“That’s a good thing though,” Applejack smirked.
“Well either way, I was breaking the law and stealing stuff that didn’t belong to me. But I think everypony else has really overreacted to the situation.”
“Yeah… well, I’m gonna go talk to that husband of yours now. I have a lot of experience with fixing problems like this to be honest. May not look like much but I know a thing or two about ponies getting along and being friendly,” Applejack smiled.
“You really don’t need to go through all that trouble. You’re just a traveler from out of town, aren’t you?” Maggie sadly looked back at her.
Applejack shrugged. “I am, but so what? Ponies in need are ponies in need. Just wish we could all sit around a table and drink cider together—that’d solve things real quick. I promise I’ll also try talking with Crater again and see if he’ll let you out of your cell, for now I’ve got a question to ask those other two.”
“I doubt he will but thanks for trying,” Maggie managed a small smile. “Oh! What’s your name by the way?”
“Applejack! Don’t wear it out,” she winked.