//------------------------------// // Shrouded Skies // Story: Pony Tales 2- Buck Wrestling // by ChrisText //------------------------------// -----Shrouded Skies----- Braeburn has heard of Big Macintosh, but his demeanor and his voice has changed since then. ''You're the pony that I wrestled with five years ago??'', Braeburn exclaimed. ''Yeah, that would be me, in fact, I got on this train to have a talk with you about that.'', replied Macintosh. Caramel was already surprised that he had seen Braeburn on the train, and now he had seen Big Macintosh too? ''You wanted to speak with Braeburn about the buck wrestling match too?'', Caramel asked Bic Mac. ''Eeyup.'', said Macintosh calmly. ''I assume that Applejack is already in Appleloosa?'', asked Macintosh. ''Yeah, she just dropped off at the tracks in town, how did you know about my offer anyway?'', replied Braeburn. ''You know, me and letters have odd ways of meeting with each other.'' ''Twilight knows this especially, hah.'', Macintosh joked. ''What exactly did you want the both of us to talk about anyway?'', he replied. ''We may as well wait until we get off of this train you know, there are some colts that we wouldn't want to mention this around.'', Macintosh said while glaring at the colts in the front car. ''Why?'', Braeburn said, ''Are there some ponies on this train we wouldn't want to be around?'' ''Do I know any of them?'' *Crash* ''Alright tough guy, we've heard enough of your talking!'', said the largest stallion in the train. ''Oh, that must be what you meant Macintosh, I'm such a loudmouth...'', Braeburn said silently. ''Iron Will!'', Macintosh exclaimed. ''You know that guy Macintosh?'', Braeburn asked, ''He's a giant minotaur!'' ''You know what the old saying is Macintosh.'', Iron will said with a smug look on his face. ''When somepony's talking smack, get them to walk back!'' Iron Will lifted up both Macintosh and Braeburn with no problem. ''Hey, you dumb minotaur, get your greasy fingers off me!'', Braeburn shouted. ''What's that Braeburn, are you mad?'', Iron Will replied. ''Now, get off of my train!'' ''WHOA!!'', Braeburn shouted as the minotaur threw the both of them off the train. Caramel stood there, without saying a word, acting as if he never spoke with them. Iron Will looked him in the eyes and asked him a single question. ''You don't know those losers do you?'', he asked. ''Nope, nope, I've seen those losers in all of my life!'', Caramel looked him in the eyes and said this, and his fear was noticeable. ''Good, because I don't want any colt speaking of the match before it's time.'' ''We're turning this train around!'', Iron Will shouted. The conductor heard Iron Will's voice once and quickly headed back to Appleloosa, leaving Braeburn and Macintosh stranded with wounds. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ''Well, that wasn't nice at all!'', said Braeburn. ''Nope.'', replied Macintosh. They were stranded near the tracks in between Ponyville and Appleloosa. All they could hope for, was that Iron Will didn't hear about the deal that Braeburn and Applejack made to switch places. ''If that big fella hears any word about what me and Applejack did, then she's gonna be in trouble!'' Today was going to be a good day for everypony, and one little thing came along, and turned that day into crap. ''I wouldn't be so sure, we've dealt with the likes of him before.'', replied Mac. ''He goes around from place to place, acting as a salesman, preferably a bad one, trying to toughen up weak ponies.'' ''I'm surprised that a creature with a torso as huge as his was, was able to fit on such a small train!'', replied Braeburn. ''Yeah, but aren't we forgetting something along the lines of a third member?'', said Macintosh. ''.................................'', the both of them were silent and said nothing, meaning they had both knew what was on each others mind. ''I don't think we're forgetting anything'', said Braeburn. ''We aren't?'', replied Macintosh, ''Oh well, I guess it was just my imagination.'' Caramel sat back in his seat, hoping that somepony would come and save him. At this point in time, he's the damsel in distress, except he's no damsel, he's Caramel. The minotaur maniacally laughed in the front of the car, and the three of them were in pretty bad situations. Macintosh and Braeburn had to decide whether to head on to Ponyville, or return to Appleloosa. ''What should we do now?'', asked Macintosh. ''I can't believe I'm saying this but, we have to head over to Ponyville.'' ''Why would we head back to Ponyville?'', protested Macintosh, ''Don't you think it's a little bit odd as to why Iron Will wanted to go to Appleloosa?'' ''I'm aware of that Macintosh, but we've got to warn somepony.'', replied Braeburn. ''And the only ponies we could warn at this point, are at Ponyville.'' ''In fact, I'd suggest that we hightail it if we want a chance at saving Caramel.'' ''Iron Will had five of the wrestler ponies with him, and Caramel also applied for the competition.'' ''He may be interrogating him for answers right now!'' The two colts picked themselves up and ran across the field, they had a long way to go. Would Applejack be the next victim of Iron Will, or would Caramel become a kidnapped hostage? There have been rumors going out, but they weren't official, so the administrators pushed them aside and told the public they were lies. The champion of the Buck Wrestling Rodeo, was Iron Will, and he was controlling the outcome of the fight before the matches even started! ''I hope what were getting into isn't a big issue Macintosh.'', said Braeburn, ''Because if this is serious, the challenging wrestlers will be cheated out of their victories, and somepony could get hurt!'' Braeburn had ignored the fact that somepony was going to have to get hurt in the process of those matches, except he was talking about somepony getting hurt in an unofficial match. He had hoped with all of his heart, that Iron Will wasn't up to any funny business. Twilight and her friends were unaware of what had been taking place. The amount of time it would take for a train to travel from Appleloosa to Ponyville, would take about 8 to 7 hours. Two stallions dashing their way to Ponyville may take a whole 14 hours. What makes matters worse, is the fact that they had barely left Appleloosa by the time Iron Will confronted them. ''S-So, what are you guys going to do with me?'', asked Caramel. ''Oh, nothing, you're coming with us to Appleloosa though.'', Iron Will replied. ''That doesn't sound so bad..'', Caramel thought. ''We're going to search Appleloosa for the strongest wrestlers we know, then we're bringing them with us to Fillydelphia!'', Iron Will shouted. All of the colts in Iron Will's group cheered and rooted for the plan to work. Caramel was one of the many wimpy stallions in the train cowering in fear. ''Man, I'm such an idiot!'', Caramel thought, ''How would I stand a chance against these guys in the ring anyway?'' ''Even their bucking muscles have muscles, and their torso's are huge!'' ''Not to mention the strongest of them all, is a minotaur that can barely fit in this freight car!'' ''All this just for some stupid buck wrestling, I want to go home!'' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack walked her way up to town hall to speak with the sheriff. ''Uh, sheriff, Ah'd like to have a talk with ya'.'', AJ said before entering the room. ''WHO'S THAT, GO AWAY, WE'RE CLOSED RIGHT NOW!!'', Applejack heard the voice of a frightened colt behind the desk. ''Calm down, it's just me Applejack, don't you remember me?'', she reassured the pony that just happened to be the sheriff. ''Why are ya' hiding behind a desk anyway sheriff Silver Star?'' ''Oh, I thought you were one of those burly ponies who came here earlier.'', replied the sheriff. ''What burly ponies are ya' talking about?'', AJ asked. ''There were these large, and tall stallions, they had asked me to show me our best rodeo ponies!'', the sheriff said. This was the sheriff of Appleloosa. One of the toughest sheriff's around, and he was never one to deny a challenge, he certainly isn't afraid of any rogue group of stallions. But this group of stallions were no mere ponies, they were the strongest ponies in all of Fillydelphia, and a minotaur that was stronger than all of them together! ''I received this message from the train passengers, one of them sent me a letter using teleportation.'', said the sheriff. ''Mind if I have a look at it sheriff?'', asked Applejack. The sheriff handed over the letter and she read what had happened on that train. ''Sheriff Silver Star, there were these huge ponies and a tall creature of some kind!'' ''A minotaur of some sort I think, they took Big Macintosh and Braeburn and threw them off of the train!'' ''We're approaching the city by train right now, you all have to evacuate the city and hide!'' Applejack let out a loud gasp and asked the sheriff her last question. ''Well why are you still in the city sheriff?'' ''I don't care how big they are....or how scared I am, I have a town to defend!'' Before their conversation ended, the train stopped in Appleloosa. There was no time left for talking and the both of them hid behind the desk. That was the only place they could hide at this point. The next thing Applejack and the sheriff heard was, ''HELLO, ANYPONY HERE?'' Sheriff Silver Star foolishly rushed outside to protect his town. ''No, come back sheriff!'', Applejack insisted. ''Look here fellers, if you think you can just march up to my town and demand our strongest men, then you better get back in that train and leave!'' The sheriff charged at the shortest colt with a pie in his mouth, with hopes of scaring them off. He prepared himself to throw it at the pony. The colt simply raised his hind legs and bucked the sheriff's hat right off. ''Agghh, darn it, I've been beaten.'' ''Now, show us your best stallions, or we're going to have a problem!'', shouted Iron Will. The sheriff's ears were ringing and there was only one idea he had left. ''Take me, I'll go with you to Fillydelphia.'', the sheriff replied. ''Oof!'', Iron Will had struck the sheriff in the side of the face and fell flat over. ''Don't make jokes sheriff, it'll ruin your credibility!'', the minotaur teased. Applejack stormed out of town hall and shouted, ''Leave the sheriff alone, I'll go with ya' to Fillydelphia!''