//------------------------------//
// Chapter 25 - Justice on Sweet Apple Acres 
// Story: My Family and Other Equestrians 
// by Blade Star 
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    Apple Bloom had said that today would be ‘quieter’. She was right. This time, I only had to fire two warning shots into the air while I was serving the cider. The queue still stretched all the way back to Ponyville though. We also had a bit of extra help today as well. In thanks for holding back some cider for her, Rainbow, in a touching display of loyalty, helped Big Mac on the press, giving everypony else an easier time. AJ and Applebloom were able to keep up a steady pace delivering new bushels, and I could permanently run the shop front. In spite of her age, Granny Smith was like a machine when it came to her quality control. It was this that had arguably saved the farm last Cider Season.

With Rainbow’s help we were able to increase production somewhat, pleasing ponies no end. It wasn’t that we were short on hooves to help us; it’s just that you can only make so much good quality cider each day. The increase also allowed us to satisfy what Applejack called ‘Pinkie’s Share’. Every day of Cider Season, Pinkie would turn up, without fail, and buy at least a dozen mugs. 

“Ya know Applejack, if that were anypony but Pinkie Pie, ah’d say she was sellin’ stuff on the Black Market,” I said as AJ brought me another fresh barrel. 

“Fer a while ah thought she was,” she replied. “In the end ah had AB follow her back to Sugarcube Corner an’ see if she was doin’ that.” The orange mare smiled wistfully. “Turned out she just drinks lots of cider, an’ Ah mean lots.” She burst out in a fit of giggles.

We kept up this pace all through the morning and by lunchtime; the queue had trickled away considerably. The addition of myself and Rainbow Dash had raised the overall output to something near last year’s. She had also realised the usefulness of access to a treadmill prior to the race, which was after all, in two days’ time. 





It was about one in the afternoon, when we had just come back to work, that I was met with a pleasant surprise. Twilight, Fluttershy and all my family descended on Sweet Apple Acres. It was nice to see Twilight outside of a school based setting. Fluttershy and Lizzie came together, while my Mum and Dad came with exciting news. 

“It’s finished!” My Mum exclaimed gleefully.

“What is?” I asked. “The house?” My father hugged my mother and smiled.

“It sure is, Bones,” he replied. “Twilight and the removal folks just finished getting the last bits and bobs in, so we’ve moved in today!” 

“Although, a couple things need replacing, one of those ponies was a bit clumsy.” I sighed inwardly.

“This pony didn’t happen to be a pegasus mare, grey coat, blond mane, bubble cutie mark, with a lazy eye?” I asked knowingly. Twilight rolled her eyes in the background. 

“Well, now that you mention it,” my mother began, but I signalled her to stop there. She, like Twilight, rolled her eyes. “Brony thing I’m guessing?”

“Eeyup.” 

Applejack heard my impression of her elder brother as she walked up to us with yet another fresh barrel, drawing a laugh from her. Spotting her two friends, she greeted them kindly. It was nice to see that nopony was making any real fuss about my human family. As I said before, everything had practically settled down, though whether that was a good sign or not was still debatable. Applejack drew a few mugs of cider.

“Fancy joinin’ us?” She asked the assembled group. “Y’all should at least try one mug of cider before ya head out.” Both my parents took a mug, as did Lizzie and Twilight, each in turn handing over a couple of bits each. Fluttershy also took one, though I think she may have just been being polite. In spite of this cider’s non-alcoholic content, I insisted that I would stick to apple juice until we all finished for the day. Customers however, continued to lessen as the afternoon wore on, so we had some time to catch up with each other. My parents were still baffled by my change in accents, at this point I was almost used to my southern one though. As my family headed off, Applejack turned to me.

“So, er, Bones?” she asked curiously.

“Don’t you start as well, AJ,” I said jokingly.





An hour or so after everypony had headed back, we were getting ready to halt production and move all the kit back into the barn. RD warned us that a bit of a storm was set up tonight, we had after all, had almost two weeks of clear skies. Luckily, in view of Cider Season lasting one more day, she had managed to schedule the storm for the night. While this would ruin my view of Luna’s night, the viewing of which had become something of a habit, at least it wouldn’t affect customer numbers tomorrow. 

Me and Big Mac had one again hitched ourselves to the cider press and were preparing to drag it in, when we were approached by Rainbow; she seemed some kind of ticked. Streaking down from her advantageous altitude, she alighted alongside us. 

“Guys, we got trouble,” she said as the retracted her wings. 

“What do ya mean, Dash?” I asked, as I relaxed in the harness.

“I saw a couple of ponies snooping around the apple orchards. Didn’t get a good look, but they were definitely there.” I unhitched myself completely from the press.

“Well, best go tell Applejack then. Big Mac, I’ll be back in a minute to lend ya a hoof, okay?” The stallion nodded, so we both set off. 

We both sprinted back toward the farmhouse. Applejack, Granny Smith and Applebloom had already headed in to set up dinner. The two of us burst in like a couple of Royal Guards, scaring the life out all three of them.

“Now what in the name of Celestia is goin’ on here?!” Applejack demanded.

“We got a couple snakes in the grass, AJ,” I replied.

“Yeah, I saw two ponies snooping around the orchards,” Rainbow elaborated. Applejack and Granny Smith scowled.

“Come on Blade Star,” she said, picking up her lasso. “Let’s go find those varmints. If there’s one thing Ah don’t have time for, it’s a no good thief.” If only we had a couple of Winchester repeaters, I thought to myself. “Rainbow, you mind taggin’ along, we could use your speed if they make a break for it.” RD saluted and took off. 

Night was just beginning to reclaim the sky from the day, and the clouds were moving in as we reached the orchard Rainbow had found our two ‘visitors’ in. There was definitely somepony there, and judging by the way they were searching the trees, their intentions did not seem honourable. Sweet Apple Acres apples were of the highest quality, which meant that every now and then, you’d get somepony trying to get a couple for free, or in an attempt to cultivate their own high quality apple trees. They were doing their best to keep low, but were making a bit of a hash out of it. My military experience may only amount to hours of Call of Duty and Operation Flashpoint, but even I could do better than they were. 

“Looks like there are only two of them,” Applejack whispered. “I reckon we oughta be able to take’ em.” As we looked on, the two ponies, split up, heading to opposite ends of the orchard. “Perfect. Blade Star, you take the one on the right, an’ Ah’ll take the one on the left. RD, you stay back here in case somethin’ goes wrong.” We all signalled our understanding and set off. 

I kept myself low to the ground as I moved towards my assigned mark. It was a unicorn pony, so I figured I might need magic. I had a couple low level spells that would help, and if worst came to the worst; I could just discharge raw magic. Twilight had taught me well. The unicorn looked, given his size, to be a stallion; I managed to get behind him. I figured I would take him by surprise and use a basic restraining spell Twilight had learned from her brother. 

It was then my mind decided that I ought to say something before taking the bugger in. The words of a certain Captain Macmillan entered my mind. I crept closer to him; he was still unaware of me. Even in this quadruped body, I could still swing a decent left hook. It would disorientate him and give me a better chance of restraining him safely.

“Oi, Suzy!” I called out in my best Scotch accent. 

The stallion promptly turned around to get socked in the face. I wasn’t surprised to see a god-awful red moustache on his muzzle. It seemed some old friends were back. Apples tumbled out of the sack he had slung over his shoulder. I was about to use the restraining spell Twilight had taught me when the little sod kicked out, throwing me off balance. He quickly scrambled to his hooves and began to gallop away.

I quickly began to give chase, for he was heading back to his companion, but before I did, I charged my horn and used what Twilight termed a ‘Flare Spell’, to light up the overcast night so all could see where they were going. The bright red light showed up my own quarry, as well as Applejack and Rainbow struggling with their own.

“Stop in the name of the diarchy!” I cried. Always wanted to say that. 

As we both neared the struggling trio it looked very much like a fight would break out. Two unicorns against a Pegasus, an Earth pony and a partially trained unicorn, did not give good odds. 

It was then though, that Big Macintosh came charging in like the 5th Cavalry. Evidently he’d seen my Flare spell, come to investigate and seen what was going on. He was going hell for leather across the open ground heading straight for us. To this day, I have never seen any creature as terrified as those two conponies. He broadsided the one I was pursuing and the other quickly surrendered to Applejack and RD. We all closed in on the now very frightened pair.

“Well, well, look what we got here,” Big Mac said, wincing slightly from the pain in his shoulder. “Long time no see Flim, you too Flam. Ah s’pose we ought to have a little talk.” 





Luckily for the Flim Flam Brothers, that was all Big Mac did, talk. Apparently, after they had fled Ponyville, they had continued up and down the country trying to flog their low quality produce of cheap cider and nonsense tonics, each time drawing ire from the local population when they were found to be either, in the case of cider, undrinkable, or in the case of their tonic, glorified apple juice with no medicinal qualities. As a result they were two of the most wanted ponies in Equestria. When the Guards came to collect them, they were more than happy to go, quite desperate to get away from the Apples and myself, as well as RD. They would be taken back to a court in their home town of Fillydelphia to answer for fraud charges, in addition to the theft charges we intended to bring against them. As I said, Sweet Apple Acres apples were of the highest quality, the one thing their attempt at cider lacked. 

By the time the whole matter was settled, it was quite late and the storm was imminent. So we quickly hauled the cider press back inside, just as rain began to fall, and then we went back to the farmhouse for a late supper. One more day of Cider Season, and then the day after was the Running of the Leaves. I asked Applejack if I could keep working on the press all day tomorrow. 

It became clear that this would be a necessity, as Big Mac’s tackling move had put his shoulder out somewhat. Rainbow also had to work tomorrow clearing up this storm. So tomorrow, I would work the treadmill, while Apple Bloom would serve the cider. Big Mac was restricted to hauling the, to him, light bushels back and forth.