TRIXIE, APPLELOOSA SHERIFF
By: Einhander
Edited by Admiral Hoofesome
Pre-Read by Cola Bubble Gum
Chapter 1: 3:10 to Appleloosa, Part I
Whiste blowing, the 3:10 train thundered down the tracks, an hour outside of Canterlot.
It was the Appleloosa express, which only had one stop on its way to the far off desert town: Ponyville. It was one of the few steam powered engines on the rails. Most routes that weren’t headed to a big city (or the Crystal Empire) were pony-powered trains with tiny steam engines only good for spelling the pony team.
Ever since the narrowly-avoided buffalo-pony war, more and more ponies, both tourist and settlers, were headed out to Appleloosa. And due to the success of the Apple Family homestead, more apples were headed back to Canterlot and the other big cities.
Goods grown in the fields and orchards were worth more when they got to market faster. Pony powered trains were subject to any number of delay; steam engines weren't. Steam trains were faster, more reliable and cheaper. Soon all of the big businesses would clamoring to get their goods on steam trains.
Of course, as those businesses soon found out, steam trains were also easier to rob. It's one thing to try to make a team of stallions stop when they’re going full force, no matter how many masked ponies there are. But to stop a steam train, you only needed to capture its conductor...
Over the past few months, the 3:10 had transformed from a passenger/cargo train into a moving fortress. Today was no exception. At least a quarter of the ponies on the train were either peacekeepers or hired security. They paced up and down the aisles before the train departed, looking out of the windows and double checking tickets. Once the train started moving, however, nearly all of hired muscle vanished into the back of the train. The entire express, save for three passenger cars and the caboose, was dedicated to cargo. Something big was on this train. Something- or somepony- that was bankrolling all of these hired hooves.
There was one peace officer who was not on board to protect the train’ cargo, passengers or conductor. Deputy Braeburn had a different mission entirely.
The yellow earth stallion sat on an aisle seat, fedora in his lap and official papers in his hoof. He was in the second passenger car, coach section, which had one aisle with twelve rows of seats. A ticket-taking stallion was working his way up from the back of the car as the train picked up a good head of steam. Braeburn’s passenger sat to his right, staring out of the window quietly.
Braeburn was an apple-farmer, an original homesteader of Appleloosa, and a member of the Apple family. He was also recently made the Sheriff’s deputy, and one of his first tasks was a supposed simple one: to escort Appleloosa’s new Sheriff to town from Canterlot.
Sheriff Silverstar had broken his leg in an accident and Appleloosa needed a new Sheriff. There were no ponies who stepped forward (or rather, no ponies who had the needed experience stepped forward., so Silverstar wrote to Celestia requesting help. The Princess wrote replied that they had found a suitable replacement, but someone from the town would need to escort her from Canterlot to Appleloosa.
Braeburn volunteered. He was Silverstar’s deputy, he liked being helpful and it would be a good excuse to drop in on his cousin Applejack. Or so he thought. The local train turned into an express mid-journey and skipped Ponyville. It was strange, as the train had left on time and the conductor did not give any reason for the change over the loudspeaker.
Once he arrived at Canterlot, Braeburn had been surprised to find an armed escort waiting for him. He had been further surprised to find that he was taken not to Princess Celestia, but to Princess Luna. He had never met the Princess of the Moon (and now the Courts) before, but he removed his hat and minded his manners. Luna had told him in no uncertain terms, that her and Celestia’s choice for the Sheriff’s position was the right pony for the job…
However, she was also a convicted felon on parole, although he had nothing to worry about. She was more than qualified, but she was also very powerful who must be watched closely.
After listing this baffling contradiction of attributes and giving him written orders, Luna had escorted him to the front gate and revealed a light blue unicorn with an off-white mane, purple eyes and a cutie mark of a crescent moon with a wand. She also wore a wizard’s hat, a haughty expression and… was in chains.
“Excuse me, sir? Ma’am? Tickets please,” said a ticket-taking pony, snapping Braeburn out of his daydream. He handed up their tickets. The ticket-taker took them and gave a wary look at Braeburn’s fellow passenger--his prisoner, if he was being honest--who was still staring out of the window. Braeburn pointed to his Deputy’s star pinned to his vest and the ticket-taker nodded, taking the tickets.
“What’s with all the security?” asked Braeburn.
The ticket-taker began punching the tickets, “The pony delegation from Saddle Arabia. They’re the ones who reserved the first class car all to themseves. But most of the hired hooves are in the back with the cargo.”
“Well how do ya like that? Must be nice, havin’ a whole car to yourself!”
The ticket-taker shrugged, “Seems like a waste of bits to me. I mean, it’s not like the 3:10 gets crowded.” He gestured to the rest of the sparsely populated car. Braeburn and his prisoner were in the middle of the car. Behind them, there was a small group of foals on a school trip with their teacher. In the very last row there was a black pony wearing a black Stetshoof hat hunched over and apparently sleeping. Ahead of Braeburn was a dark blue unicorn reading a book, an elderly pony couple staring out the window holding hooves and finally, in the front row, was a dark red mare with a crude, hoof-made wizard’s hat.
The train pony handed over the tickets, “Then again, maybe it’s a good thing. Less ponies on the train, less chance of us gettin’ robbed.” He nodded to the empty seats, “You two can take whatever seat you want after we stop in Ponyville. From there, it’s express all the way to Appleloosa.”
Braeburn smiled, “Sir, ya run an excellent train, but ya gotta work on your dialect! It ain’t Appleloosa, it’s Appppppllleeeelllooossa!”
Although the train was going at an incredible rate of speed, and the wind was whistling by outside and the engine was chugging along loudly, one could nevertheless hear a pin drop after Braeburn yodeled his town’s name. The ticket-taker stared at Braeburn with a befuddled expression.
“Yes... Well... Thank you for, uh, that. Whatever ‘that’ was.”
“Go ahead! Give it a try!”
The taker shook his head, “Uh-huh, yeah I’m not doing that, but you, uh, folks have a nice day.”
The ticket taker left and Braeburn turned back to his prisoner, who was still staring out of the window. Her name, according to the papers, was "TRIXIE COMMA T.G.A.P", which just raised more questions than it did answers. But Trixie C. Tgap was no more helpful than her paperwork, giving only one word answers or none at all. Braeburn had always been a friendly pony, but after a few minutes of forced one way small talk, he had given up.
He kept staring at his paperwork, then at the pony next to him, then back to his paperwork and the bright metal star enclosed within, which was still glowing. Braeburn glanced at the chains on her hind and front legs, magic-draining chains if he guessed right. Expensive to make and risky to use on a prisoner being transported by one pony. Around the mare’s neck hung what at first looked like a necklace, but upon closer inspection, was a different kind of chain. It was a gorgeous silver pendant, with three rubies in a row, evenly spaced. You had to be quite close to realize the pendant’s chain was just slightly too tight to lift over one's head and there was no place to unhook it. The guards had taken her hat and cape away at the Canterlot train station when they placed the necklace on her. She had been visibly upset, but she didn’t complain.
Braeburn looked back at his instructions: when he was to officially give her the job, the chains were to come off, but not the necklace. During one of their two-to-three word dialogue sessions, he could have sworn he saw the left ruby on the necklace light up after some of her answers.
The steam whistle blew again, and the conductor came over the loudspeaker: "10 min CCCCSSSHHH Pony SDSHHHRRRKKK Thank ya'll CCCSHHH Express."
The dark blue unicorn a few rows up did a double take. "What didst he say?"
Braeburn looked around and found that the ticket-taking pony had moved to the next car, so he responed: "I speak pretty good conductor, ma'am. Pretty sure he said 10 minutes to Ponyville."
The unicorn blushed and said, "We extend our thanks to thee, officer."
Braeburn grinned and shook his head. Canterlot pony formal speak always made him smile. He turned his head and found the light blue unicorn giving him a look, eyebrows arched.
This was as much of an opening as he'd had all day with this 'Trixie.' He decided to try again.
"Ya know, I've heard and seen a lot of strange things in my time. I've seen a war stopped by apple pie, I've seen a pony almost give her life for a tree, and I’ve seen a musical number almost cause genocide. In fact," he frowned at the realization, "I saw all of that in two days."
Trixie stared at Braeburn, face blank. When it became clear she had nothing to add, Braeburn went on:
"But I ain't ever seen a pony transported in chains so she can start a new job as sheriff."
Trixie finally cracked a small smile (possibly a smirk), and said, "What is your name, deputy?"
"Braeburn, ma'am. I believe I mentioned that."
"Well, Deputy Braeburn, you will find that as you get older, life becomes a bit more than right and wrong, black and white, and so on."
"Shoot I know about that. That's every day in Appppple--" he stopped himself, when he realized ponies were staring, "Er, in Appleloosa. It's just confusin', that's all. And it’s Braeburn, ma'am."
"'Trixie' will do, Mr. Burn." Trixie replied wearily, closing her eyes.
"That reminds me, how do you pronounce your last name?"
"Just like it sounds, Mr. Burn."
”Er, Braeburn is fine. But your name doesn't really sound like anything." Trixie opened one eye and stared at him critically. He swallowed and looked at his paper, "If'n you'll pardon for me for saying so. Tee-gap? Tah-gap? Or is it like, t'jap?"
"Give Trixie that," she barked, grabbing her discharge papers.
Be it the order of Judge Princess Luna that
TRIXIE COMMA T.G.A.P.
be transported to Appleloosa and be given the rank of
SHERIFF
for a term of no less than
ONE YEAR.
SO ORDERED
Hon. P. Luna
Trixie groaned. Of course. Of course they would do this to Trixie. Why wouldn't a princess kick her while she was down? Then again, a fake last name could mean an easier escape in the end.
"It's just... 'Gap.'" She answered finally.
"Just Gap?"
"The 't' is silent," she murmured.
"I guess what I'm askin' is... How'd you wind up here?"
Trixie stared out the window again, her eyes getting a faraway look.
"Trixie Lulamoon, thou have been found guilty of no less than seventy two crimes against ponies, and it has fallen on us to determine thy sentence."
Trixie hung her head, silently listening to Princess Luna. She was in the same courtroom where her tantrum had caused the Princess to put her in jail overnight. Her attorney, Slow Drawl, was also silent, but had his head up, intently watching Luna. So was the prosecutor, Shining Armor.
"Thou have gone by other names for as long as our records have mention of thee. The Great And Powerful Trixie or Trixie Comma The Great And Powerful. Very little of what is in our records indicate substantial power beyond trickery and deceit, and there is no evidence of greatness. Thou were expelled from the School for Gifted and Talented Unicorns and many of thy boasts have been proven untrue. Wouldst thou dispute any of what we have said?"
Trixie muttered something under her breath.
"Thou must speak up if thou wishes to be heard."
"Trixie has greatness in her," Trixie said in a dull tone of voice, head still looking at the ground. "And one day the world will realize that."
Luna then did something that surprised even an old courtroom hack like Slow Drawl.
She smiled.
"That will depend on you, Trixie Lulamoon."
Trixie lifted her head, daring to arch an eyebrow.
"This court offers thee two paths. For these crimes, we are authorized to give thee three years in the Crystal Empire Prison. However, you must choose."
"One year in the Crystal Empire, starting today." Luna paused, letting the words hang in the air. "A train is waiting to take thee immediately there, where thou will stay for one year. After which you will be a free pony and may take whatever path thy choose."
"...Or?"
"Or there is another train, the 3:10 to Appleloosa. If thou choose to board that train, it will be to take on the job of Sheriff in that far off part of our kingdom. For one year, minimum, subject to renewal."
Trixie stared at the Princess, mouth agape.
So was Shining Armor. "Princess, I mean, your honor, really--"
"Silence, Prosecutor! You already had your chance to recommend a sentence, and we have taken that into consideration."
Shining shook his head and muttered, "A job or jail. Gee, what will she pick?""
"We are not finished. There will be conditions of your parole. There will be rules." Luna's horn glowed, and a document was spun out of air, which floated down in front of Trixie. "These conditions are non negotiable. And we promise thee, if thou break ANY of our rules and conditions, thou will be resentenced to the full three years in the Crystal Empire’s Cells. No early release. No appeal."
Trixie read the paper quickly and then dropped it without a care. Slow Drawl caught it and started to read quickly.
"Choose wisely, Trixie Lulamoon. And choose now."
Trixie smiled and quickly drew herself up to reply.
"Ya honor, I need a moment to speak with my client," interrupted Slow Drawl.
"Trixie does not--mmmfph!" Slow Drawl was covering her mouth with his hoof.
"Brief recess, your honor?"
Trixie came back to the present, realizing Braeburn was still staring at her.
“Trixie had a choice, Mr. Burn. The train to Appleloosa or… the Crystal Empire. Trixie chose your train.”
Braeburn swelled with pride. “You chose us over the Crystal Empire?”
Trixie opened her mouth to respond and felt the left ruby on her necklace warm up in anticipation. It could feel the lie coming. She said a very bad word in her head and then replied, “It was the lesser of two evils.”
“Oh.” said Braeburn, deflating. The left ruby on Trixie’s necklace dimmed. “Well. I hope you’re up for it. It’s a big job, being Sheriff of--“ he looked around, then whispered, “-Appppppplllleeelloooosa.”
“Trixie wants to know why you keep doing that.”
“Doin’ what?”
“Saying the name of the town all drawn out like that.”
“Oh. That’s just how we do it in Apppplllleeee-“
Trixie motioned with her hooves, “Trixie demands to know if you can stop.”
He blinked. “Stop what?”
“Stop saying… that word like that.”
Braeburn smiled, “Oh you mean Apppppllleeelllooosa?
Trixie facehooved. “This journey is proving to be a barren source of amusement.”
The intercom suddenly crackled to life again, and the conductor's voice said "Now SsssHHHHH PonyviCSSSS CSSHHH press."
The dark blue unicorn a few rows up turned around again and looked at Braeburn, who smiled and said "Now approaching Ponyville."
Trixie groaned. If she was being honest with herself, this was the part of her sentence she was looking forward to the least...
Slow Drawl and Trixie were hustled into a small room in the back of the courtroom by the guard ponies. There were two chairs and a table, but nothing else. Not even a window or a picture on the wall.
“There is nothing for you and Trixie to discuss.” Trixie said, sitting down as best she could while navigating her chains.
“Have you actually read this thing?” asked Slow Drawl, tossing the document on the table in front of Trixie. “Technically, you can’t even tell a fib about needing to use the little filly’s room.”
“Trixie doubts your claim of being a lawpony.” Trixie sniffed, “It’s jail or not jail. Simple.”
“It’s one year guaranteed, then you’re out, versus three years if you fail. And make no mistake, Mz. Lulamoon. This is a test rigged for you to fail.”
Trixie scoffed. “Trixie defeated an Ursa Major. Trixie can also pass any Princess’s test.”
“No, you didn’t. That was made very clear at trial,” snapped Slow Drawl. “Which also means you just failed Luna’s test. Take a gander.”
Trixie rolled her eyes, but took the document in hoof and read.
"If thou accept these terms, thou will be placed immediately on the next train to Appleloosa.
Thou are assigned to the post of Sheriff in Appleloosa, with all the rights and responsibilities conveyed therein, for one year, subject to renewal based on the discretion of Judge Luna.
Upon the end of each one year term, thou will be up for renewal based on thy performance.
Thy performance in thy assignment, and the continuing of thy parole, are based on the following conditions:
1) Thou must only use your magic in the discharge of thy duties.
2) Thou must protect the innocent and uphold the law.
3) Thou must not lie.
3a) Boasting about things thou have not done shall be considered a lie.
If thou are found to be in violation of conditions 1-3a, thy parole shall be revoked and a prison sentence of three years imposed.
These terms are non negotiable.
_____________ ______________
DEFENDANT JUDGE
ADDENDUM:
Acceptance of these terms can only be made after thou has asked forgiveness from Twilight Sparkle.
Trixie snapped her head up in shock. “I have to apologize to Twilight?!”
“That’s the least of your worries, Mz. Lulamoon. See those conditions? Do ya see number 3A? Because ya just blew it, right here and now.”
Trixie bristled, “What do you mean?”
“You never beat no Ursa Major. Hell, you didn’t even tussle with an Ursa Minor. You ran away.”
Trixie sighed, leaning back in her chair. “Trixie figured Twilight would tell everypony about that… incident.”
“Did she need to? You had a whole town that knew you were full of crap, pardon my language. And then you came back to the scene of your crime.”
She pounded the table with her hoof, “If they think Trixie is going to apologize to Twilight, they’ve got another thing coming.”
“Good! Then I’ll tell Luna you’re doing the year. Let’s go.”
“Hold on, hold on!” cried Trixie, “Nopony said anything about agreeing to jail!”
“Mz Lulamoon, I want the best deal I can get for ya, and I’m tellin’ ya… don’t do this. Don’t agree to something ya’ll can’t do. I don’t want you to be imprisoned for one year, but I especially don’t want you to go for three years.”
“Trixie can manage. Trixie’s played tougher places than Apple-whatever,” she said, “Ponyville, for one.”
“It ain’t a show, though. It’s a full time job, being the law in the last frontier of Equestria. It’s a harsh, unforgiving place and it’s a hell of a responsibility to drop on anypony, much less one without the experience.” Trixie looked down again at the document, thinking hard. “And don’t think they’ll just rely on your word that ya’ll are followin’ those rules. They’ll have spies. More than that, they’ll hook you up with a tracker ruby.”
Trixie tilted her head, “A what?”
Slow Drawl shook his head, “Another little gem they don’t tell people they found in Sombra’s fortress. It’s a little silver and ruby necklace that looks innocent enough, except it tracks what you do and say. Each ruby is enchanted to wait for the wearer to break a single rule, and if the wearer keeps breaking the rule, the ruby shatters, sending a giant shining star into the sky. That way they can find the pony that broke the rule. Sombra used it to police his citizens, and now Luna is using it to track ponies like you.”
There was a pause.
“How does it work?”
Slow drawl made a rectangle in the air with his hooves. “Three rubies, side by side. One ruby for the lyin’ rule, one ruby for upholding the law and one for controlling your magic. Don’t ask me how the rubies know if you break a rule, but believe me, they do. They’ll start glowing if you even think about it, or if you start to say or do it. Now it ain’t exactly a hair trigger; it won’t go off because of one little fib or one look the other way. But they’ll get brighter and brighter, and if you push it too far they will explode and you’ll be going to jail for three years.”
Trixie frowned. “Trixie does not like the sound of this one bit.”
Slow Drawl nodded, “I don’t like it either. There’s a reason we got ridda ol’ King Sombra, and it wasn’t to steal his methods of oppression.”
Trixie shuddered. “But one year in Crystal Prison… Trixie can’t do that,” she paused, eyes softening, “I just can’t, Mr. Drawl. You don’t understand.”
“No, you don’t understand, Mz. Lulamoon. I’m the one that got ya this deal, I sweated blood and tears to get ya this deal, and I’m tellin’ ya now, it’s no good. It’s shoddy.”
Trixie looked at her attorney and then at the document. “Trixie needs a pen.”
Slow Drawl reluctantly took out his quill and rolled it over to Trixie.
“You’re doing this with your eyes open, ya hear? I don’t want any word coming down later on that ya’ll didn’t know what you’re getting into.”
Trixie stared at the quill pen. "Last night, you said something about the children of Ponyville. Did the children... did they really call me the bogey mare?"
Slow Drawl paused. "They asked if you were a made up monster, like the boogey mare."
Her magic still being drained by the chains, Trixie grabbed the quill with her mouth, signed the document, then spit the quill out. Trixie stared at her attorney.
"They lock up monsters who scare children. Trixie is not a monster."
Slow Drawl grimaced at the saliva covered quill, and then looked at the document.
TRIXIE, THE GREAT
AND POWERFUL
_____________ ______________
DEFENDANT JUDGE
Trixie gave him a grim smile. “Trixie Lulamoon knows what she is doing.”
Slow Drawl shrugged, “I sure hope so. By the way, don’t forget now, the first condition of your parole?”
Trixie groaned.
“That’s right. Get your apologizin’ face on, because ya’ll goin to see your best friend, Mz. Sparkle.”
The ticket-taker pony came back into the cabin from the first class section, snapping Trixie back to the present. While her mind was elsewhere, her eyes had been watching the scenery. Now that her brain was back in the same place as her body, she realized something was bothering her.
"Braeburn," she asked, "How far are we from Ponyville?"
Braeburn, smiling that the mare had gotten his name right, cheerfully said, "Why, less than a minute now, Trixie."
"Then Trixie wants to know," she murmured, "why the train isn't slowing down."
Braeburn opened his mouth for a quick reply, and realized he didn't have one. He looked out the window, noting how quickly the posts were moving past the train, and nodded. "Tarnation. You're right. We’re speedin’ up."
The ticket taking pony, also noticing the train's rate of speed, stared out of the window with a concerned expression on his face. Braeburn and Trixie followed his gaze and saw two yellow ponies driving a complicated looking machine that was somehow keeping up with the train. They were tall with bright red manes, and looked like twins, except the driver pony had an epic moustache. The other pony was filling with a giant metal object that was mounted to the side of the vehicle. It was black and ominous, and it resembled a crude cannon.
The intercom crackled to life.
"CCSHHH second CCCCSSSHHHH back CCCSSH SHHH forty-two CSSSHHH"
Virtually every pony stared up at the intercom speaker in befuddlement. The only two ponies that did not stare both rose, unnoticed. The black pony stood by the back door, and the dark red mare got up out of her seat and headed towards the door to the first class section.
"What didst the conductor say now?" The blue unicorn asked.
"That... That was just gibberish," said Braeburn, concern leaking into his voice. The door to the first class section closed with a bang. The ticket-taking pony turned his head, alarmed. The dark red mare was gone.
The intercom crackled to life again. "HeeeeeeCCSSHHHH eeee!"
Braeburn sat upright in his chair. "THAT sounded like a cry for help!”
As the deputy stood up, Trixie looked towards and past him, and noticed that the yellow ponies outside the train had lit their cannon, and it was now aimed at the train.
Trixie grabbed the deputy and screamed “Get down!”
Outside, the yellow ponies braked suddenly and disappeared from view. Trixie and Braeburn didn’t see the cannon go off, but ever pony in the car felt it, as an explosion rocked the train.
Ponies tumbled everywhere. There was chaos and coughing as smoke started filling the air. Braeburn hoped against hope that the cannon hadn’t fired on the passenger car in back of them.
Smaller explosions rattled the car again, this time coming from the front of the train. The ticket taking pony ran for the first class car, but the door blew off its hinges before he could get there, sending him flying back into the aisle. The outline of the dark red mare appeared in the smoking remains of the doorway, clutching a staff that had a blue crystal at the tip.
Braeburn froze. There was screaming coming from the first class car. He wanted to move, but he couldn’t. He stared at the dark red mare. She had a black mane, blue eyes and a black cherry cutie mark. Her eyes found Braeburn's, and her gaze shook him to his core. His eyes then flickered down to her staff, and she followed his gaze, pointing the staff in Braeburn's direction.
The blue unicorn got out of her seat to help the wounded train pony, and the dark red mare shifted her gaze to the unicorn. They exchanged stares, but the blue unicorn was not afraid, and started summoning her magic. The mare with the staff was faster and said "60!" to her staff, which lit up sending a blue bolt flew out and hit the blue unicorn in the head. She faltered back, stunned but not out. The red mare fired another bolt which crumpled the blue mare to the ground.
Seeing a second pony down snapped Braeburn out of his stupor. He remembered the extra security was in the cargo cars, and shouted to Trixie, "Stay down, I’m going to get help!" as he started to sprint towards the back door.
He only got about three feet before there was a crack, like a piece of wood being broken in half. Braeburn fell back onto an empty seat a few rows in behind Trixie, clutching his muzzle in pain.
Standing over him was the black stallion, no longer hunched over in the corner. The black pony had a black hat and a black vest. Along both sides of his vest were all manner of knives, each with a black handle. The only other color on him was white: his mane, his cutie mark, two white cards, the Ace and Jack of Spades, the trim on his vest and his eyes.
He leered over Braeburn, staring at him with his milky white pupils and a crooked grin. His mouth was smiling; his eyes weren't.
"Hellllll of a jaw you got there, partner," he said, his voice a lazy, rolling growl, "Doooo yourself a favor and sit this one out, Deputy."
The black pony then turned as the dark red mare cursed as she restrained the blue unicorn. The unicorn on ground was glowing with a strong aura. Trixie recognized the chains that the red mare was using on the unicorn; they were the same ones that were currently draining her magic.
"Ppppppproblem Cherry?" Asked the black pony, who continued to stretch out the first word of every sentence he spoke.
"Fine, fine. No thanks to you," snarled the red mare. She locked another chain around the blue unicorn’s neck, who finally she stopped struggling. "And it's Black Cherry, if you please." She then stood with a snort, adjusting her hat.
The black stallion laughed as she left, turning to the rest of the ponies. "Alright fillies and gentlecolts, as you've probably surmised, this is a stick up." He then grinned, watching the younger ponies shiver in fear, "Fortunately for ya'll, we're not here for your money, we're here for the Saddle Arabian's." A knife suddenly appeared in his hoof, and he started playing with it idly, "So sit back and relax, and no one gets hurt."
The train pony began to moan on the ground, so Cherry gave him a kick. He stopped moving.
The black stallion grinned. "Mmmmuch.”