//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1. The Crusaders meet again. 
// Story: In old Manehattan 
// by Askre 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 1
 
“We’re going to Manehattan. We’re going to Manehattan!”
 
Applejack took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying not to let the three dancing fillies around her bother her too much. She stood on the train station platform in Ponyville and around the mare bounced her little sister Apple Bloom and her two friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
 
It was midsummer and no school for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Things were also doing so well at the farm that Applejack had decided to take her sister to the big city to meet their relatives. Big Macintosh could handle one week without her, or that’s what he and Granny Smith said, they were apparently of the opinion that she needed a vacation.
 
When hearing about Apple Bloom’s trip, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had asked if they could come too, their families had no plans. Applejack didn’t mind and her little sister definitely didn’t either, now all three of them could meet up with Babs Seed and have some fun together.
 
“Sweetie, dear, are you sure you packed enough?” Rarity inquired, rather unfazed by the antics of her sister and her friends. The unicorn was looking concerned at the mountain of luggage.
 
“I think so.” Sweetie Belle stopped her bouncing and scurried over to her big sister. “It’s only a week after all.”
 
“Yes I know, I’m just worried you don’t have enough,” her sister claimed, rubbing her muzzle thoughtfully with a hoof.
 
Ah’m more worried how in the hay we’re goin’ to get all that stuff into the train, Applejack thought and tried not to shake her head. She didn’t react much when a rainbow colored blur came whooshing past her, except by grabbing a hold on her Stetson hat so it wouldn’t fly off.
 
“Hey squirt.” Rainbow Dash landed on the platform, grabbed Scootaloo in a headlock and gave her a nookie. “Try not to have too much fun in Manehattan without me.”
 
“Can’t promise anything,” the orange filly grinned. “But we are going to meet Babs and have awesome fun.”
 
“I’m sure you will.” The rainbow maned mare nodded but then she looked around and scratched the back of her neck “Say aren’t your mom and dad going to see you off?”
 
“Mom said she would try and get back from Cloudsdale in time, dad’s been in Canterlot for the weekend overseeing a play he wrote. He won’t be back until tomorrow.” Scootaloo shrugged, she was quite used to her parent’s being absent as both worked in places that took them away from Ponyville. The young filly didn’t mind much, she enjoyed the freedom and not having parent’s hovering over her every minute of the day.
 
“Hey you think we’ll find a pony who doesn’t understand his or her Cutie Mark?” Apple Bloom suddenly asked excited, ever since gaining their own, the crusaders agenda had quite changed. Now they were filled with desire to help other ponies understand their destiny.
 
“Who knows, but don’t be goin’ and asking everypony you meet if they understand their cutie mark correctly,” Applejack reminded her sister who grinned sheepishly.
 
“Oh thank Celestia, you haven’t left yet,” a hurried voice called and a pony came racing to the station.
 
It was a brown stallion with an hourglass cutie mark. He stopped on the platform to catch his breath, on his back was a parcel. The crusaders looked at him curiously but before they could inquire about it, Applejack was already speaking to him.
 
“Howdy there Mr. Turner, Ah would have thought you of all ponies knew when the train came,” she said with a chuckle.
 
“Yes that would be right, I just didn’t know which train you would be taking,” Time Turner said with a dry chuckle. He grabbed the parcel from his back and presented it to the mare “Applejack, can you do me and Derpy a favor and deliver this parcel to Tango down in Manehattan.”
 
“Sure, so how is old Tango doin’?” Applejack asked as she accepted the package.
 
“Wait, Tango is living in Manehattan now? When did that happen?” Rainbow Dash asked with a confused frown.
 
“He went on probation shortly after he was arrested but was placed in Manehattan. Derpy and I just found that out by happenstance few years ago, we’ve been corresponding, Mulberry has gone and visited him few times, but we are a little worried about him if I must be honest,” Turner sighed. “Tango didn’t want many to know where he was living so we’ve honored his wishes.”
 
“What do you mean you’re worried about him?” Applejack frowned, she had only learned of Tango a little a while ago simply because she was friends with Derpy’s friend Carrot Top.
 
“Actually we’ve been worried about him ever since we first met him, at first during our letter writings he seemed alright, but just asked for news and said very little about himself. When Mulberry went to visit him, he said he didn’t like the look of the neighborhood Tango was living in and lately Tango’s letters have been down right depressing,” the stallion told her.
 
Applejack frowned and took another look at the parcel, especially the address. It didn’t ring any bells for her, then again it had been a long time ago since the mare had temporarily lived there with her aunt and uncle. She didn’t remember all the street names.
 
“Rarity, you familiar with Hoofington?” Applejack looked at Rarity who had joined the group in their conversation. If anyone knew the big cities it would be her.
 
“Hm.” The white unicorn rubbed her muzzle thoughtfully. “No, it’s certainly not in the fashion district and certainly doesn’t sound like the main market place. Bridle Way is the theater district, this is probably one of the residential areas further in the city, like Hooflyn.”
 
“Babs lives in Hooflyn, maybe Hoofington is just nearby,” Apple Bloom pointed out.
 
“Most likely, oh well we’ll worry about it when we get there.” Her older sister nodded and put the parcel among her own luggage which was just one suitcase. It was actually both her and Apple Bloom’s luggage.
 
“One another thing, keep an eye out for Barricade, I think he lives in the area too,” Turner said in a warning tone.
 
“Oh right, that lousy good for nothing lives there too,” Applejack snorted and her eyes narrowed a little.
 
“Who is Barricade?” Rainbow Dash asked, mirroring the Crusaders in confused expression.
 
“An awful stallion who took advantages of poor Derpy Hooves many years ago. It was before you moved to Ponyville, he’s unfortunately Dinky’s biological father,” Rarity explained to them.
 
“He’s nothing but trouble that pony.” AJ nodded and looked at Turner. “Don’t you fret, Mr. Turner, we’ll deliver the parcel to Tango and stay away from Barricade.”
 
Time Turner nodded his thanks before leaving the platform. Rarity and Rainbow Dash now looked at Applejack who seemed deep in thought suddenly. The Crusaders noticed this as well but before anyone could inquire about it, a vanilla yellow pegasus with a light purple mane and tail made a clumsy landing in front of the platform.
 
“Oh I made it,” she said, completely out of breath explaining the uneasy landing. On her flank were three purple parasols.
 
“Mom.” Scootaloo jumped off and rushed over to the newly arrived mare.
 
“Hi Scoots, see I made it, just like I said,” Parasol chuckled and hugged her daughter.
 
“Awesome to see you, mom, glad you could make it,” Scootaloo said and the two went up to the platform. Rainbow Dash gave the yellow mare a playful nudge.
 
“Don’t tell me you are tired after a short trip from Cloudsdale, Thunderlane will be gunning for your second in command position of the weather team if he hears about that,” she teased.
 
“In his dreams, I’m just a little out of practice flying at top speed,” Parasol made a playful excuse and stuck her tongue out.
 
“We are going to have to see about that, can’t have my second slacking off,” Dash snorted but still grinned.
 
Applejack had barely noticed Parasol’s arrival; she was still thinking. Something did not sit right with her and what Turner had said about Tango worried the mare. Then he had also taken his time to warn them about Barricade, could it be he thought those two were connected somehow?
 
I should make sure not to take the girls with me when I deliver the parcel, just in case. Sunflower or Aunt and Uncle Orange can help me find the address, she thought and looked up when hearing the distant sound of a train whistle.
 
“That’s our train,” she announced, recognizing the Manehattan express.
 
The Crusaders almost immediately began jumping up and down in excitement again. It was finally happening; they were going to Manehattan for the first time after acquiring their marks.
 



 

Here lies Vanilla Cream.


Beloved sister, daughter, granddaughter.


The light of her laughter,


 taken from us too soon.


Rest and be ever at peace.


 

Babs Seed stared at the headstone, heavy frown on her brow. She blew the bang of her mane out of her eyes but never stopped staring at the grave. The filly was a bothered by seeing that name on the gravestone, ever since discovering it when visiting her own mother’s grave a while ago.
 
It’s her isn’t it? Babs thought, the grave was only a couple of years old at the most.
 
The gravestone was white marble and aside from the inscription it also featured a cutie mark, no doubt it had once adorned the pony who now lay in its eternal slumber. It was a candy heart.
 
In Babs’ head there came an image of a vanilla colored pony with a soft yellowish mane, manning the counter of a candy shop. Shop that was long since closed now. The filly’s frown turned into a scowl.
 
“It gotta be her.” Babs muttered and turned her head when hearing her name called. Her sister Sunflower was by the entrance of the cemetery, having already walked there after the two sisters paid their respect to their mother’s grave. The filly, however, had taken a turn to take another look at the mysterious headstone with the familiar name.
 
“Babs, we’ll be late to meet Applejack and the others at the train station,” the light crimson mare called.
 
“Coming, Sunflower,” the filly responded and finally tore her eyes away from the stone. She trotted off, navigating the paths between the various gravesites before arriving at the gate.
 
“What were you looking at anyway?” Sunflower asked as the two ponies headed off away from the cemetery.
 
“Oh nothing important,” Babs said with a shrug.
 
Sunflower didn’t inquire further, figuring her sister had simply seen a curious looking headstone. It was clear though why she had been in a hurry, it was bit of a walk to the train station from the cemetery, but still short enough that it was pointless taking the subway.
 
Once at the station they found the platform for the incoming Ponyville train. Sunflower had brought a magazine and once sitting down immediately began reading it. Babs meanwhile decided to take a look around, there were a lot of ponies on the platform, it was impossible to tell though if some were waiting for arrivals or if they were waiting for the train to board it.
 
Babs walked a bit further towards the station proper, she noticed the concession stand and wondered if she should buy something to drink since it was warm. The filly started towards the stand but stopped short when seeing young pegasus land in front of it. The girl was dark grayish brown, her mane and tail was dark grayish sapphire blue with grayish blue highlights.
 
Cara? Babs frowned, the newly arrived filly was thinly but still healthy looking, her cutie mark was a screwdriver and a wrench forming an X.
 
Cara didn’t seem to be in any hurry at the stand, she was carefully looking at the selection and stepped out of the way for other ponies who already knew what they wanted and made their purchases. Babs wondered if the filly remembered her, it had been a while since they last met and it hadn’t been the most amiable meeting.
 
Babs started towards the stand, she wasn’t worried about teasing. Cara wasn’t one of her old bullies, but it still wasn’t a pony she cared much to meet again. The earth filly stopped again when the pegasus turned her head when hearing a train whistle. Babs blinked at the sight of her bruised cheek, it looked like something or someone had struck her.
 
The arriving train turned out to be the Crystal Empire express so Cara turned her attention back to the stand. Taking a deep breath, Babs approached the stand and first now noticed that the pegasus stood slightly taller than her, she guessed that made sense Cara was a year or two older probably already in her early teens.
 
“Hey,” Babs addressed Cara, who immediately looked at her with a scowl.
 
“Yeah, what’cha want?” she snorted and showed no sign of recognition.
 
“Remember me? You stole my ball few years ago, called me a Hooflyn snob, though you did apologize for dat,” Babs reminded her and smirked, she actually wanted to try and be friendly.
 
“Oh… it’s you.” Cara now seemed to realize who she was talking to. She showed no contempt or reservation but she clearly was wondering why Babs was talking to her.
 
“You still livin’ in Hoofington,” Babs asked curiously.
 
“Where else would I live, Hooflyn?” the pegasus snorted and returned her attention to the stand.
 
“My name is Babs Seed,” the earth filly grunted, at least she hadn’t been called a snob again.
 
“Good for you,” Cara remarked and finally selected a candy bar and a soda from the stand and went to pay for it.
 
Well this is marginally friendlier than last time, Babs thought and picked a soda for herself.
 
The filly wasn’t really sure why she was trying to approach Cara. The pegasus had clearly stayed out of Hooflyn after their last encounter since this was the first time since last when she saw her. Babs had since then changed schools and didn’t go to many of her old haunts anymore.
 
“So what happened to your cheek, you in a fight or somethin’?” Babs asked while she waited for Cara to complete her purchase.
 
“Or somethin’,” the pegasus muttered and then glared at the younger filly. “I mean, it’s none of your damn business, Hooflyn.”
 
Before Babs could say more Cara unfolded her wings and flew off. The earth filly shrugged and went to pay for her soda, then she returned to the platform her sister sat on and read her magazine.
 
From the corner of her eyes Babs noticed Cara land amongst group of teens at the edge of the last train station platforms. The pegasus stood closest to the tallest of the colts, an earth pony, bluish colored with silver mane.
 
Must be her friends, Babs shrugged and looked down the train tracks when hearing a train whistle. This time it was the Fillydelphia train, she glanced at the time table and saw that it was at least another ten minutes before the Ponyville one.
 
“Can’t wait to meet the Crusader’s again, been way too long,” Babs remarked even if she knew Sunflower would barely hear her while sunk in her fashion magazine.
 
“You think Uncle and Aunt Orange will mind if I have my ears pierced, or am I still too young for dat?” she asked just to test the reaction. Sunflowers just made a humming sound; she hadn’t heard a word her sister had spoken. “What about my tongue?”
 
“Yes, sure whatever,” Sunflower said dismissively. Babs giggled, she had no plans to get any kind of piercing but it was always fun to see how sunken her sister sometimes was in her reading.
 
Finally, the train from Ponyville arrived. Sunflower looked up from her magazine and packed it away. Babs watched eagerly as the car doors opened and ponies began pouring out of them. She was quick to see three fillies amongst them and immediately ran over to greet them. In fact, she didn’t stop until she barreled right into them, tackling all three to the ground in a hug.
 
“Good to see you too, Babs,” Apple Bloom laughed as her cousin allowed her and the rest of the Crusaders to stand up.
 
“What can I say, I missed ya all,” Babs chuckled and helped Sweetie Belle rise, the unicorn hadn’t quite recovered her breath after the unexpected tackle hug.
 
“Why hello Babs, hello there Sunflower,” Applejack greeted as she arrived out of the car. Sunflower had just arrived with the group when seeing where exactly her little sister had run off too.
 
Babs quickly greeted Applejack before she turning her attention back to the Crusaders, leaving the mare to talk with her big sister. Now that her Ponyville friends were finally here she could tell them what she had in mind. That is, as soon as they were out of earshot from the adults.
 
“So in your last letter, you said you had a mystery on your hooves?” Apple Bloom inquired. Babs was quick to shush her cousin and carefully glanced at the adults who hadn’t noticed.
 
“Yeah, but I’ll explain later when we’re home at my place, but I do want your girls help to solve something,” Babs Seed told them, causing the three Crusaders to glance at each other.
 
“Mother of mercy, is that your luggage?” The four fillies suddenly heard Sunflower shout. They all glanced back to see the mountain of bags and suitcases.
 
“Well, that here is mine and Apple Bloom’s and that one is Scootaloo’s,” Applejack said and pointed towards two suitcases, then tiredly she gestured to the mountain. “That’s Sweetie Belle’s.”
 
Now all eyes went to the white unicorn girl. Her crusader friends and Applejack didn’t look overly impressed, while Sunflower and Babs Seed’s jaws were proceeding towards the train platform.
 
“What?” Sweetie put on her most innocent expression. “It’s just a few necessities.”
 
End chapter 1