//------------------------------// // Ch. 19: The Dreaded Noose // Story: Tales of Apple Scratch: Just Another Wild West Story // by TigerSwirl448 //------------------------------// Chapter 19 The Dreaded Noose <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> The last thing I remember feeling before blacking out was the cold rush of water. But the next thing I remember was waking up and feeling this horrible pain in my head. I didn't want to wake up from the peaceful land of slumber I was in for who knew how long. When I finally got myself to wake up, I found myself in a small cabin, the air was chilled when I tried to get warmer in the quilts. But doing that also hurt me. I felt a horrible pain in my chest, shoulders, and sides. That was when I turned to see Tinker sleeping on some sort of make shift work bench with remnants of gun powder and a broken down revolver on the desktop. Oddly enough it looked like my Walker revolver. I noticed Velvet was reading a book sitting against the wall. I didn't think she was concentrated on the book since her knee was jumping up and down with nerves. I also noticed Butterfly on the floor painting the box that once held my Walker revolver and gunpowder kit, painting what looked to be apple blossoms. Butterfly must have noticed I was watching her since she turned to me then gasped. "Annie!" She cried out waking up Tinker. Tinker yelped falling back off her chair to the floor. She grabbed the broken down revolver looking for targets. Tinker then noticed that it was me waking up and let out a sigh of relief. Velvet jumped high hearing the cry then noticed me. "You're back!" She exclaimed walking over to me as Butterfly leapt up on the bed hugging me. I'll hate to admit that it hurt like hell that she tried to hug me. I yelped out pushing Butterfly away from me to try and figure out why I was in such pain. Velvet grabbed Butterfly and set her at the foot of the bed. Velvet then turned her attention to me asking me questions about how I was feeling and such. I told her plain and simple that I had a very bad headache and I was sore all over. Tinker and Velvet explained to me what had happened. At first I was amazed by such a story but then I soon remembered what had happened. I was standing on the cliff side with Melody and we were talking about what was happening and the whole truth was Melody stole from a duke and now that duke came to get the money back and to kill us both! I couldn't believe that ... but yet I wasn't surprised. I knew Melody had to do certain things to get through her life from stealing and conning people. But the look on her face when I told her that they were going to kill me Melody was shocked. It was like she was trying to wrap her head around the news I told her. I wondered why she was acted so terrified by the news. I went ahead and told Velvet and Tinker what had happened on the cliff. They didn't seem too surprised by my story. Tinker quickly told me that Ace and Dash were there to help me and Melody and saw it too. That made me think, I did remember seeing Dash and Ace fly into a mist cloud they created. "What about Melody?" I asked with worry. "Is she alright?" Velvet shook her head. "We don’t know yet. Dash and Ace have been into town to try and get information about their plans." I made my mind at that moment and tried to get out of bed. Trying to move hurt so bad! My muscles were telling me to stay in the bed but I knew the longer I stayed in that bed the shorter time I would have to save Melody. I know she lied and tricked me but she's still my sister. I had to get her out of trouble! Velvet and Tinker tried to keep me on the bed, and the sad thing was, they were able to push me back into the bed when they couldn't hold me down before. I was in pain and it weakened me. The door opened bringing in a cold blast of air into the chilly cabin. Dash and Ace came into the cabin shutting the door behind them. They were surprised to see me trying to push off Tinker and Velvet to get up. After a second I fell back into the bed with a groan. After a bit of talking I finally got to the more important thing, where was Melody? Ace took a long while to answer my question as he bowed his head in shame. "They took her to Fort Smith." he said. Tinker and Velvet gasped with fear but I was confused. "Where?" I asked. "Fort Smith." Tinker said with a shiver. "One of the darkest places in the Frontier!" That made me wonder. What was Fort Smith? I asked that question. Ace leaned against the wall thinking. Finally he looked at me with sad eyes. "Fort Smith is home to The Hanging Judge. Isaac Parker. A man who believes that a criminal deserves the noose, his way of trying to clean up crime in the frontier." "Hanging?" I asked in shock. "Celestia and Luna would never use such death penalties." Ace shrugged. "Celestia and Luna might have outlawed it but it's still in use. More so here in the frontier. We don't have the goddess princesses here to make law, it's the gun or the noose. And most prefer the noose to be a capital punishment." "Not only that." Tinker said with worry. "He's the first ever man to call forth ... the giant gallows!" Tinker whispered with fear, shaking. "Giant gallows?" I asked. Tinker explained that the Fort Smith Gallows is the most magnificent piece of engineering in the frontier. The judge had ordered for the gallows to be built to hang six men at once. Five years prior it was built and was used to great success. Now Fort Smith is known for the gallows of the frontier and for its infamous jail “Hell on the Border”. A place no one wanted to be. And Melody was being taken there for her doom! <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Annie was sitting there in her bed, staring at the quilt. She couldn't believe what she just heard. "Melody is going to be hanged?" Annie asked with fear. Ace nodded. "That's a huge possibility. In the frontier there are three ways in getting hanged. Murder, Rape, Horse or livestock thievery." "Or have a pocket full of money." Dash snarled turning away. "That Philharmonica guy will bribe the judge." "Not so fast, Dash." Ace said glaring at him. "I know Judge Parker won't be bribed." "How do you know that?" Dash growled. "I mean every official of the law gets bribed off once in their life." "Not Parker." Ace snarled. That caused the group to look at him. "Ace?" Velvet asked carefully taking his hand. Ace sighed squeezing her hand. "I knew him alright." He snapped causing everyone to look at him. "He was in the Equestrian guard. He was a lawyer but had to join the guard. We worked together for a time and then he left saying he wanted to make a difference." Ace sighed shaking his head. "I didn't think he would be a judge here for the frontier. The Hanging Judge for that matter." Dash thought for a long moment. "So you knew this guy and you think he won’t take money?" Ace glared at him. Annie felt the tension in the air. She cleared her throat. "How long was I asleep?" "For almost a week." Velvet answered happy for the change of subject. "We thought we were too late to help you. But I suppose the Horse Gods brought you back for a reason." Annie sighed smiling a touch and looked around for one person in general. "Where's Diamond?" She asked. The horrified looks on her friends gave her pause. Annie sat up with a wince holding her side. "Where's Diamond? Isn't she here?" No one spoke an answer. Until Butterfly shook her head. "She was taken by the bad men." Tinker gasped covering the girl's mouth looking to Annie with worry. Annie blinked a few times trying to process what was said, until finally she understood. The same men that were after Melody and shot at Annie took Diamond. Annie’s hands clenched the quilts tightly as she glared. "Where?" She whispered. Tinker gulped turning to Ace and Velvet for help. Dash looked away twiddling his thumbs. "Where did they took her?" Annie asked again this time with anger. Ace swallowed before answering, "I heard that they took Diamond and Rose from the tavern and took them to the hotel. But recently ..." Ace rubbed the back of his neck with worry. "What?" Annie asked a touch softer. "Minister James Temple has Diamond now." Ace said. "What?" Annie asked glaring at him. "We don't know where they took her." Ace said quickly. "Dash and I searched everywhere but lately Skytalon has her deputies all over town looking for us." "Yeah we had to hide in alleys and stuff to avoid being seen." Dash said quickly. "But things are going bad there. The thugs have taken over while Reginald's gone somewhere." Annie nodded as she forced herself to sit up again with a grunt. "Annie, that's not wise." Velvet said quickly taking her arm. Annie pulled her arm away as she struggled to stand up, grunting with pain holding the wall. "You need to rest." Velvet exclaimed. "No!" Annie panted shaking her head. "The longer I lay around the less time we have." "Less time in what?" Tinker asked. Annie snarled audibly trying to stand up straight without the aid of the wall. "The less time we have in saving our friends." She panted pointing to Tinker. "How much of your gunpowder do you have." Tinker blinked a few times. "Um I have a large bag with me now," "How much in all." Annie asked. "Um, I have six barrels back at the workshop." Tinker said. Annie began thinking as she thought about the idea of gunpowder. "Tinker, can gunpowder be used other than bullets?" Tinker nodded. "Yeah, it can. If not careful then KABOOM!" Tinker blinked thinking. "What are you thinking about?" Annie smirked a touch with an idea in her head. "What if we make a bigger boom?" "What do you mean?" Dash asked with worry. "We can't blow up part of the town." "Dash is right, "Ace said severely "I'm not going to have blood on my hands." "Not for the town." Annie said smiling. "I think we should take out the gallows in Fort Smith." "That's impossible!" Ace said shaking his head. "That place is guarded by Griffin soldiers, Annie." Annie frowned at that. "Really?" "Yes, really." Ace exclaimed shaking his head. Annie then began thinking again. She already knew where Diamond and Melody were, but where was Rose? "Where's Rose?" Annie asked. "At the bastard's hotel. Locked up for his pleasure." Dash said with a growl causing the others to look at him. Dash blinked looking to each of them. "What? It’s true." Velvet sighed rubbing her face. "Yes, I hate to admit it but that girl is going through Tartarus more than once in that hotel. Rose has been strong for Melody but I’m not sure how long she can hold up." Velvet shook her head. Annie didn't need any words to know what this Reginald might be doing to Rose behind closed doors. Annie hadn't forgotten what Tinker told her a long time ago that Rose was Reginald's plaything and punching bag. "What about Diamond? What will James do to her?" Annie asked with worry. Ace shook his head. "I don't know. First I heard that he took her someplace private for a cleansing like before. But I haven't seen any displays yet. And he's well known for showing off his power to people." Ace said thinking. Dash shrugged. "Maybe he's using Diamond for himself?" He turned to the group then balked seeing the stormy glares. "Not helping." Tinker said slapping him upside the head. Dash yelped rubbing his skull glaring at the inventor. “Not smart Robby.” Butterfly said shaking her head. Dash glared at the girls then turned to Ace. "Think about it. I mean that man has been off his rocker since Annie did the No mortal man can tell me what the Gods want, thing." "And how do you know this?" Velvet asked curiously. Dash gulped with nervousness holding up his hands. "Hey don't judge me on this alright." He said with worry. "When I was down after Annie getting sick I went to the church for solace and heard his sermons." Dash shivered rubbing his arms. "It was a bit nuts and scary. Even his own followers were scared of him." Dash pointed to Annie. "He's especially got it out for you, but since you've been dead he's been acting even more coo-coo in the head." Dash said waving his finger over his temple in a crazy gesture. Annie nodded getting angry. "Well, he'll be having a rude awakening when I find him. If I find out he's been harming Diamond, I'll put a bullet in the place where the sun doesn't shine." After her declaration of war, she heard silence. She looked up seeing her friends’ spooked faces. "You're really going to do that?" Dash asked spooked. "Kill a minister?" Annie noticed the fearful looks of her friends. She sighed. "I'll try not to, but I'm not afraid to do it." They remained silent at such a bold and dangerous idea from Annie's mind. Killing a man is one thing but possibly killing a man of the church is quite frightening to think about or even the consequences of doing so. Annie pushed off the wall waving her arms around trying to stay up on her wobbling legs. "Right now, I want to get back into shape as fast as possible." Annie grunted until she finally fell back into the bed with a sigh. "Rest," Velvet ordered as she held her hand above Annie's face. "What?" "Rest, we will wake you when you have rested." Velvet said before she placed her hand over Annie's eyes. Annie gasped trying to push off Velvet's hand. "What the-!" Annie yelped out before suddenly her mouth closed and her arms went back to the bed. Velvet removed her hand and the group saw Annie deep in sleep. Velvet sighed rubbing her hand with a wince. "I haven't used that spell in years. She'll sleep for most of the day and hopefully through the night." She said turning to Ace and Dash. "We have to think fast either way." She stood up rubbing her hands together. "We need to find out what’s happening with Melody. We also have to find Rose and Diamond before things get worse." Dash nodded. "I’ll go and find Diamond. Maybe I can talk to some of the followers and see if they'll spill some beans." "Beans?" Tinker asked. Dash groaned with a slap to his forehead. "Again Tink, no one has any beans!" "Aww," Tinker whined crossing her arms across her chest. "I told you I was wanting snacks!" Butterfly nodded crossing her arms across her chest. "I'm hungry too!" "Don't you start!" Dash scolded pointing at Butterfly. He groaned seeing her stick her tongue out at him before giggling. Dash sighed shaking his head. "This is why I don’t let you hang out with Tink. She poisons the mind." Dash said in a creepy voice, twirling his finger next to his temple and making wonky eyes with his tongue sticking out in a comic gesture. Butterfly giggled as Tinker snickered. "Anyway," Ace said smiling a touch. “Thanks for the laugh, but we still need info. I'll try and figure out a way out of town without us being caught." "Wait," Tinker said quickly. "You mean we have to leave town? How?" Ace nodded. "Here's my plan for right now. I know for certain once Annie's up she'll bring up Tartarus and she'll make a spectacle no doubt. In short, once we get everyone we're leaving town and escaping." "Where will we go?" Dash asked nervously. "Won't those guys hunt us down like rats?" "Sure they will. Earlier this morning I went to the air above the canyon, the canyon is the only way for us to get in and out of the area. What if we block off the way out?" "Block the way out?" Velvet asked curiously. "What do you mean?" Ace used his hands to form mist and within the mist he created a maze. "See the canyon is like a maze. There are three ways to get out but we always used the shortest route to get out. So at the entrance of the canyon to the east there is a wind blasted rock over the ravine, it’s the only way across the ravine to the desert." "The rock bridge." Dash exclaimed seeing Ace nod to him. "Exactly, if we can find a way to block the eastern entrance no one will follow us or track us for weeks. That way no one will find us. With the snow still heavy on the ground and more snow coming by spring we would be gone with the wind." Ace flicked his hands letting the mist dissipate away. "But right now we have to get Rose, Diamond, and Melody out of town or out of harm’s way close to the same time." "How?" Tinker asked curiously. Ace thought for a long moment then sighed shaking his head. "Now that, I don't know yet. It only matters as to where we find the others. Melody might be stuck here or in jail at Fort Smith. Diamond could be in the church or in the tavern. And Rose ...." Ace sighed shaking his head. "I don't know what Reginald will do to her if angered enough, but we'll have to get her as soon as we find the others." Velvet sighed rubbing her face. "So what should we do until then?" "First things first." Dash said grabbing his hat. "We need horses.” <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Melody shivered in the back of the covered wagon, feeling the hard bumps and sways of the wagon on the uneven ground. She looked down at herself to see the course rope wrapped around her middle, she squeezed her cold numb fingers from behind her back trying to get blood circulated through them. She scooted to the corner shivering even harder pulling her knees up to try and keep warm. "Give me a blanket or something!" She yelled out. She was still dressed in her cotton blue shirt form the time she was captured. And sitting in the back of a freezing wagon in the last three hours was hard. If only she hadn’t pulled off her jacket or opened her mouth before being tossed into the wagon. "Shut up," a voice yelled back. Melody growled looking up behind her to see the bulks of her two escorts on the bench, two of Reginald’s thugs. One driving and the other with a rifle. "Reginald won't want me dead!" Melody threatened. "You don't want to tell him that you let me die of freezing to death, right?" "Shut up, we're here!" The voice said again causing Melody to stiffen with fear. Already? She thought with fear as she heard a set of hooves. Where are we? "Halt! What brings you here?" A voice called out. "We're here to see Judge Parker. We're here from Frontier City." One of the thugs said. Melody waited until she heard the confirmation from the guard. "Alright, come on in." Melody heard the shouts and the sound of gates being opened. The wagon began moving again. Melody looked out through the back to see the rider as a Griffin soldier. She gulped watching the large black gates slam shut by the Griffin soldiers. "Shit," She whispered. The wagon came to a stop and she heard her two escorts leap off the wagon bench and went to the back. Melody gulped as they leaped into the wagon and grab her under her arms and lift her up. Melody was shoved off the wagon, Melody gasped and fell hard on the ground. Melody groaned as she was grabbed by her shirt and was forced up on her feet. "Oh look, we're just in time." The thug said chuckling as he turned Melody to the side. Melody struggled in their grasp until she gasped seeing a large crowd of men and women and children dressed in black looking at a small stone wall. What was behind the wall was the gallows. Melody had never seen such a sight before that it made her pale feeling sick. It was the largest gallows she had ever seen. Melody gasped feeling the thug's breathe on her ear. "Twenty-one feet tall of white painted oak, sixteen feet across, and look at that." He whispered as they watched six men march up the wooden steps to where they were forced to sit on a bench at the back. Melody gulped back bile seeing the six nooses hanging off the white top wooden beam. Melody didn't hear anything, all she did was seeing the dreaded noose as a preacher standing on the gallows said the death warrant to the six men. “Now, watch this." The thug whispered sweetly into her ear. Melody watched as the six men were forced up to their feet and walked forward over the trap door. "You see they are standing on a single trap door that will drop at the pull of the lever down there." The thug said pointing. Melody followed the finger to the small lever next to the stairs where the preacher was standing by. “You have a choice to say your last words gentlemen.” The preacher said softly. When no man spoke the preacher bowed his head. “Now you will face the Gods' judgment.” Melody looked back at the men to see one well-dressed man place black hoods over the heads of the men and then place the designated noose over their heads to their necks, pulling them noose to where the noose will encase their necks. Melody's knees began to get weak seeing this. Melody felt tears of fear pooling in her eyes seeing the executioner walk to the lever. Everyone went silent watching. The executioner tightened his grip. "No!" Melody whispered, terrified squeezing her eyes shut, turning away. The thug held her chin and forced her to watch. Melody opened her eyes watching the man pull the lever. The trap door clanked down after the release and all six men fell. Everyone gasped or screamed at the sound of the door slam against the gallows and the necks snapping. Melody fell to her knees crying feeling terribly sick, feeling her lunch coming up. The thugs snickered as she cried. The first thug grabbed Melody's shirt and forced her up. "No!" Melody begged. "No! Kill me, shoot me, or rape me! I don't care, anything but hanging!" She begged trying to run but the thug got a good hold of her. She didn’t want to be hanged, anything but that! She witnessed hanging before in Manehattan in the streets and was always threatened to get the noose as a child by cops and the shop keepers she stole from. But she didn’t think her end would be by hanging! "Shut up!" The second thug said grabbing her other arm as the two dragged her towards the building with painted black words, “BARRACKS” in capital letters. The thugs pushed open the door and lead Melody through the building interior to a door. Melody shivered as she was forced down the stone steps to the basement. From the looks of the empty room with chains on the walls, this was the jail. “Welcome to Hell on the Border, Liker.” The thug said before chuckling. Melody gulped as the thugs pushed her down to the floor by a corner on top of a worn out blanket. One thug untied her arms and wrists and the other thug clamped a black shackled on her ankle. Melody looked up as the two thugs chuckled and walked away. Melody looked down at her red chapped hands as she rubbed them feeling the pins and needles stabbing her hands as her warm blood went through her cold hands. She shivered sticking her hands under her arms shaking. She looked up with a glare seeing the thugs leave her alone shutting the door behind them. Melody growled looking down to see an empty bowl. She grabbed the metal bowl then threw it with a yell at the stairs. She fell onto her side onto the scratchy blanket and started to cry. "Please Titania, I don't want to die like that! Not like that!" She whispered sniffling bringing her legs up to her chin trying to keep warm. "Annie, please." She whispered. "If you can hear me, please just help me. Help me!" She cried herself to sleep wishing this was just a nightmare. An hour later Melody jumped awake hearing the door open. She gasped sitting up seeing the boots walk down into the jail. Melody shook as the thugs returned for her, laughing. Melody turned away, without her magic she couldn't fight back anyway. They unshackled her ankle and placed a pair of hand cuffs around her wrists and lead her back upstairs. After leaving the barracks hey entered the courthouse. She looked up to see Reginald waiting for her at the courthouse smiling at her. Melody glared at him ready to walk past him. Reginald grabbed her puling her back. "Not yet, let's have another little chat." Reginald said sweetly, Melody glared at him. "I already told you a dozen times." Melody said annoyingly. "I don't know where your money is." She growled. Reginald sighed shaking his head. "You don't want me to tell Rosie that you still say no. I'm sure she's getting tired of that answer." Melody closed her eyes turning away from him. She already knew that Reginald was abusing Rose when she says no. But after learning that Kim was found dead at the river and Annie's body was not found things have changed. Why keep telling him that the money was with Annie? She thought if she could continue her charade things might get better, but in truth things have been getting harder to keep the lie even if it was half true now that Annie was gone. "Just please," Melody whispered turning to him. "She had nothing to do with this. Just leave her alone!" Reginald chuckled shaking his head. "She was involved with you Liker, she had every part of this as a chicken does with an egg for your breakfast." He grabbed her sleeve and pulled her with him through the doors. "It’s time to see the judge." Melody looked ahead to see two soldiers walk up to them taking Melody and lead her into the small courtroom. Melody looked around to see not that many people inside the room. Some were people coming in due to the cold outside during the hanging. Melody now has an audience of onlookers as she was taken to the chair. Melody sat down feeling sick as the judge was already sitting at the table next to her. Melody gulped seeing the Eponian man's long white beard and hard eyes. She gulped turning away. "Now who is this?" The older man said wiping his nose. "Judge Parker," Reginald stated standing up. "My name is Duke Reginald Philharmonica from Manehattan." Judge Parker nodded. "Yes I have heard of the Philharmonicas. And what is your case? Does it have something to do with this woman?" "It does your honor." He said smirking. "This woman here, has stolen my fortune that rightfully belonged to my sons back in Manehattan." Melody bit into her cheek to keep from making any facial features to prove her guilt. She has to find a way to get out of this alive or even get a jail sentence. But the words she heard about this man made that unlikely but maybe she can get a lighter sentence. Or so she thought. "Not only that your Honor, she also brutally murdered two men." Melody blinked in shock looking at Reginald. Reginald smirked reaching into his satchel and pulled out a stack of papers. "These papers are statements made by the prospectors of Frontier City where Miss Liker was detained. Several prospectors say that Miss Liker left a bar with two men and she returned alone with blood on her hands and shoes." Judge Parker thought for a moment stroking his white beard as he turned to Melody. "And what is your plea?" "N-not guilty on both charges!" Melody stated firmly in a lie. She gulped knowing that she's in trouble. "Hmm," the judge said loudly thinking. "Now Miss Liker, is it true that you stole money from this man?" "N-no." "Liar!" Melody stiffened and turned to see one of the hugs pointing at her. "She stole my lord's money and lost it! She claimed to have buried it." Melody gulped looking to the judge to see his eyes pierce hers with a glare. Melody looked around her to see more of them looking at her, judging her. Melody bowed her head knowing it was hopeless. Reginald smiled as he approached her. Melody looked to the judge but he stayed silent looking through his papers. "Liker tell me now, while you are under the gazes of the horse gods and justice." He said smiling. Melody gulped trying to think up something, but Reginald and the thugs he brought with him will just call out her lies. Then her thoughts went to Annie, what would she see in her now lying through her teeth. Annie wouldn’t be happy. If this was a way to get her light sentence, she could try telling the truth, the whole truth. She finally sighed looking to Reginald to see his smirk. She’s starting to hate that victorious smirk of his. "I'm ... Guilty of both charges." She yelled out causing Reginald to stiffen. "Yes I stole money from this man." Melody said louder standing up pointing at him as Reginald backed away from her. "He is nothing but a no good thief himself! Conning people to get money for himself! " "Silence!" The judge called out. "He is the one using thugs to threaten his competition in the railroad industry! He hires men in the frontier to steal money from trains of his enemies!" She screamed out. "Order now!" Judge Parke yelled out. "I took that money because it's not his anyways! He claims it's his family’s fortune to hide the fact its dirty money! And the two prospectors yeah I killed them too!" Melody screamed out glaring at anyone who made eye contact with her. "To survive in the frontier you have to be tough and stronger than the one man next to you!" For a long moment Melody was silent clenching her fists. "And you will have me killed while that man hires men and women to kill for him to keep his hands clean of blood!" "That’s a lie!" Reginald yelled out pointing at Melody. "Order! Order in this court now!" Judge Parker yelled out slamming his gavel on the oak desk. He turned to Melody pointing at her. "The law of every man for himself might have been law before I came around Miss Liker. But not while I am in control here. By my order for thievery and the murder of two men, you will be hanged!" Melody heard the slam of the gavel and felt her legs gave out beneath her. She fell into her chair panting hard. The soldiers grabbed her and pulled her away taking her back to the jail under the barracks building. Reginald fixed the lapels of his jacket and his hair watching her leave. He smiled walking to Judge Parker as he stood from his chair stroking his white beard. The judge glared at the Eponian man with distaste. "What do you want Philharmonica." Judge Parker asked gruffly. "I want to hang Liker in Frontier City." Reginald said sweetly. That surprised the judge. "Excuse me? All hanged subjects that I sentenced to hanging will be hanged here." Reginald shrugged. "I'll send you a replacement. I want to make sure all the prospectors that lost their comrades to see her hang for her crimes." Judge Parker thought for a moment glaring at the duke. "I agreed to have her tried here in Fort Smith." "I'm sure some money might change your mind?" Reginald asked holding up some beak notes for him. Judge Parker pushed the bills away. "Keep your blood money Philharmonica. You don't think what I heard makes me uneasy about you?" Reginald glared at him as he stuck the beak notes into his pocket. The judge though sighed with a nod. "Fine, have your hanging in your town. And I suggest you leave my frontier and go back to your city." Judge Parker said with a warning tone. Reginald turned to see the soldiers glaring at him backing their judge. Reginald cleared his throat hiding his worried frown, feeling threatened by the griffin muscle. "Fine, have it your way Judge Parker." Reginald snapped as he walked out of the room snapping for his two thugs. "Get Liker, time to go back." The thugs ran to the door as Reginald walked out the front into the cold weather. His plan is falling into place nicely. <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Melody sat in her new cell in Frontier City, in the sheriff's office jail house. She turned hearing the sounds of pounding of hammers outside her cell. She covered her face with her hands. So much for being the honorable woman by claiming her crimes and pointing out the real cause in the courtroom. It just made things worse. Melody remembered that when they returned to Frontier city she was sent to the sheriff's office where she was weighed and measured for her noose. Some sort of procedure to make sure that her hanging would be quick and painless. But she noticed the smirk on Skytalon's face as she wrote a different number than the actual number in her journal. She whispered in her ear that Reginald wanted to make sure Melody’s hanging as horrible as possible so no one will go against Reginald and make a fool out of him again. This would be considered cruel murder than an execution. And what was worse, she could tell that the gallows were being built in a place where everyone indoors or outdoors can see her, even a clear view form the hotel. Reginald wants everyone to see and Melody was to be the prime example of his power. If Reginald was in Equestria this would be huge news and the princesses would stop this. But she's not in Equestria, hanging was an accepted form of execution in the Griffin Kingdoms. "So much for my adventure huh, Annie?" Melody said out loud looking at the ceiling as if Annie was floating right there listening to her. She smirked. "Remember those adventures we would have during the parties, I would sneak in for cakes while you stood guard. And when I'm caught you save me just in the nick of time?" Melody sniffled shaking her head. "I wish I was there for you like you were for me. I tried Annie. I tried." Melody stuffed her face into the straw filled pillow hearing the continuing sound of hammers building her gallows. All she could do now was cry, think back, and regret everything she had done. There is nothing she can do now. <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Annie was busy walking around the room to get her legs moving as she thought of a plan. Butterfly was sitting on the bed watching Annie pace. Sometimes Annie would throw punches at invisible foes, sometimes she would wince harshly holding her side or her shoulder where she was shot. Other times she continued on trying to block the pain out of her mind a she trained herself. Once she was done training she cleaned her Walker revolver. Tinker said that she had to clean out the gunky wet powder and mud out of the revolver while Annie was asleep. Thanks to Tinker’s work, Annie's Walker looked good as new and fully loaded for action. Ace and Dash returned from their walks around town, Ace tossed Annie some new clothes as Dash hugged Butterfly handing her a bag of salt water taffy from a store he was able to gain access to. "What's going on?" Annie asked as she pulled on a maroon button up cotton shirt. She noticed the look of fear on Ace’s face. "Trouble," Ace said with worry. "Like what?" Velvet asked, sewing a new pair of socks. Ace reached into his jacket pocket and held out a folded piece of paper, handing it to Annie. Annie took the paper and unfolded it and gasped. It was a poster for an execution next to the sheriff's office on Main Street. The hanging of Melody Liker. "Oh no!" Annie whispered. Tinker took the poster and gasped with shock. “She’s not going to hang at Fort Smith?” Tinker asked biting her nails. "She's going to hang as soon as the gallows is finished being set up." Ace said seriously. "How much longer do we have?" Velvet asked with worry setting down her sewing kit. "Not long." Ace said worriedly. "They have been working a lot by the look of it. If it rains later today they'll have to stop, but Reginald won't have them stop. He wants Melody dead now." "Why?" Tinker asked with worry before snatching a piece of taffy from Butterfly’s bag. “Hey!” Butterfly cried out glaring at the older girl. "She's an example." Ace answered rubbing his face. "I over heard talk that Reginald is anxious to get rid of Melody. Something about a time limit. I think something is going on in Manehattan that's causing him to want to speed things up." Velvet gulped shaking her head. "What can we do?" "I'll tell you!" Annie snarled standing up. "We're getting her out now." "Not so fast!" Ace said quickly. "We still haven't found Diamond yet." Annie growled falling back onto the bed covering her face. "Where haven't you looked?!" Annie yelled out removing her hands from her face to glare at Ace. "I can't keep waiting, I have to get Melody out now while they're not expecting it." "We can't anyway." Dash argued. "The sheriff's office is guarded by thugs and Skytalon's hired guns. Even the hotel is swarming with thugs." Annie sighed rubbing her face again thinking. She sat up on the bed setting her hands together under her chin. She looked down at the paper in Tinkers hand then looked to her Walker sitting next to her. She licked her lips with an idea. "I think I have an idea." The others looked to her. "We’re going to escape on the day of Melody’s hanging." Everyone looked to her confused. "How?" Tinker asked snatching another taffy. Butterfly gasped then swiped the taffy before Tinker could put the candy into her mouth. Resulting in biting her fingers on accident. Butterfly tossed the taffy into her mouth seeing Tinker glaring at her. “Hey!” Tinker exclaimed seeing Butterfly giggle. Annie ignored the two bickering girls turning to Ace. "Ace you said that the gallows is close to competition?" "It is. Very close." Annie nodded. "Think about this.” She said thinking out loud. “Everyone will be focused on the gallows and the guards will be guarding around Melody and the gallows." "Right," Dash said nodding. "So the hotel will be easier to get into." Annie concluded. The group looked up at Annie with surprise. "Of course," Ace said smiling. "Reginald will want a front row seat to the action and he’s too chicken to walk around without his body guards. Most of them will be with him at the gallows guarding him." "Right," Annie said smiling. "So we'll be able to sneak into the Hotel and take out the remaining guards and free Rose." "But then what?" Velvet asked worriedly. Annie pointed to her. "Velvet you will tend to our horses in the back of the hotel. Once we get out, you’ll take Rose to the rendezvous we had been talking about." "Which is where again?" Tinker asked confused. "Across the river." Ace said smiling. "Sisal agreed with the plan with a few extra insurances." He said popping his knuckles. "We'll have a tiny camp at the cliff by the canyon entrance." "Then hopefully,” Annie said standing up. “By that time I will already know where Diamond is being kept. I'll get her out of harm’s way and we will be sleeping at the camp site for the night. We’ll leave at dawn out of the canyon." The group nodded. Annie turned to Tinker. "Remember to take all the gunpowder to the point where we agreed on." Tinker nodded with a smirk. "I'll be happy to get rid of all that excess powder. No more killing machines from me." Tinker said proudly. "The plan will be fine but what about Melody?” Dash asked worriedly. “How can we get her out?" Annie thought for a long moment looking at her Walker again lifting it up in her hand. “You just leave getting Melody out to me." After the conversation and some dinner, Annie stepped out of the cabin and heard a familiar whinny. Annie smiled seeing Twilight and Fair Breeze happy to see her. "Hey girls," Annie whispered rubbing their noses fondly happy to see them unharmed and unmarked thankfully. Ace and Dash were able to sneak off to the train yards close to Vanhoover to release some horses and to bring back Twilight and Fair Breeze from a life in the Griffin militia. The two mares and the few horses the boys stole were given food and new saddles for the ride. Velvet was super happy to see her old horse again. Annie stroked Twilight's neck brushing her fingers through the mare's hair. "You think this will work?" Annie turned hearing Dash walk over. Annie smiled as she continued to stroke her fingers through Twilight's hair catching the small tangles as she stroked. "I know this will work." Annie whispered. "If nothing we can still rely on Tinker's bomb to help us with our escape." Dash gulped looking down at Annie's boots and her legs remembering the bullet he had to pull out of her thigh days ago. He sighed turning away. "What if one of us gets hurt?" Annie turned to him to see his blush. "What if Butterfly gets hurt in all of this?" Annie wrapped her arm around him hugging him close. "Everything will be alright. I promise you that." "You know something?" Dash whispered. "What?" Annie asked looking down at him. "I’m glad I met you, Apple." Annie blushed a touch as she smiled. "I'm glad I met you too Dash." After a moment Dash pulled away with a sigh. "If you said we'll make it, then I know we will." He said with confidence. "Good man," Annie said chuckling, then she noticed the cabin door opening and Butterfly came out looking for them. "I think Butterfly wants you." Annie said pointing to the door. Dash turned to see Butterfly rubbing her eyes with a yawn as she walked over. Butterfly wrapped her arms around Dash’s waist. Dash smiled turning back to Annie. "Yeah, once this is over, I'm teaching this kid to fly for real." Dash said with a smirk. Annie nodded with a smile. "I'll be happy to see that." Dash scooped Butterfly in his arms with a grunt. "Geez, you're getting heavy!" He said hearing Butterfly giggle. Dash turned to Annie. "Are you coming?" Annie shook her head. "No, I'll be there in a little bit." Dash nodded. "Alright, night then." "Good night." Annie whispered as she looked up at the night sky to see the moon high overhead. She sighed scratching her cheek thinking. "You know something Twilight," She whispered hearing Twilight snort in response. "Everything will change when we get out of here. I just hope you're ready for the run of your life." <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Melody woke up to a peaceful morning. She yawned rubbing her tired eyes looking up at the ceiling. "Good morning Annie." She whispered sleepily. "Another day of racket, huh?" She asked closing her eyes. But something made her stiffen and open her eyes. There was no banging of hammers, no yelling orders, it was silent. That can only mean one thing. "Dammit." Melody whispered getting out of her cot, running to her bared window. She leaped up grabbing the cold bars and pulled herself up to look out the window. What she saw ruined the good morning she was having. The gallows had been built overnight. She released the bars falling to the ground. She turned with her back against the wall and slid to the floor with shock. That was too fast to be normal. "Reginald must really want me dead if he had his boys work over night to get that thing up." She whispered with fear covering her face. She looked up hearing a door open and the sound of footsteps walking over to her. Her visitor was Maxine walking up to her cell. She unlocked the cell and stepped in the room. Maxine was grinning ear to ear as she tossed the plate of food to Melody's feet. "Here you go, Liker. The last meal of your life. You'll be hanged by noon today." Melody gulped glaring at her. Maxine squatted down in front of her smirking. "You'll be joining Apple in a few hours. I hope you'll be happy to see her soon." Melody turned away closing her eyes. Maxine chuckled as she stepped out of the cell locking the door behind her. "This is it huh?" Melody whispered. "This is finally it."