Old Friends, New Enemies: Part 1
"Applejack, why do I got to wear this blindfold? And where exactly are you taking me?"
AJ gently moved her sister as she said with a smile, "Well do you want me to ruin the surprise…?"
Apple Bloom exclaimed joyfully, "A surprise?! I'm getting' a surprise?!"
"You sure are."
"Well hurry up and let me see it!"
Her sister chuckled, "Okay, okay, we're almost there." she looked ahead to see Rarity guiding in a blindfolded Sweetie Belle and Rainbow Dash did the same with a blindfolded Scootaloo. When they stopped to face each other, the sisters said at the same time.
"Ready? Now!"
On cue the trio took their folds off and gasped! Both Sweetie and Scootaloo shouted happily.
"Apple Bloom!"
AB shouted back gleefully, "Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle!" The three kids squealed and quickly embraced in a group hug.
The three older sister exchanged smirks upon their little sisters' reunion. Then they slightly frowned knowing they would have to break the news to the girls.
Applejack started, "Listen, I know yer excited to see each other again, but this visit can only be for today."
The three girls looked at her and groaned with Apple Bloom inquiring, "But why, big sister?"
Rarity responded instead, "Because, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo have to go back to town. "
Rainbow pointed, "Yeah, as much as I am able to convince Scootaloo's parents otherwise, I can't keep her away for too long."
Rarity mentioned, "And Mother and Father would never let me hear the end of it if I suddenly turned my sister into an outlaw as well."
Sweetie complained, "But I want to be an outlaw!"
Scootaloo agreed, "Yeah, me too!"
Apple Bloom cut in, "Trust me, girls, you don't want to…"
The older sisters were surprised but pleased to hear that nevertheless.
Scootaloo gestured, "But our sisters are…"
AB stated, "Our sisters are doing somethin' completely risky but they're doin' it for the right reasons. I've been out in the wilderness for awhile now, and trust me it's not fun and games… I miss bein' able to go into town and to play with ya. You do not want this life."
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were astonished by their friend's statement.
Sweetie began to say, "Gosh, Apple Bloom, is it really bad out here?"
AB replied, "No, it's not too bad but ain't great either." she motion her friends to follow her, "Come on, I'll show ya what I mean." she led them away.
Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash watched them go as Rarity commented.
"That was quite an impressive and mature speech Apple Bloom gave."
Applejack looked troubled as she voiced with unease, "It sure was… And as proud as I am of Apple Bloom blossoming like that, at the same time I can't help but think that she was actin' too mature… This lifestyle has made her age faster and frankly that worries me. Apple Bloom deserves to live out her childhood before she's force to deal with adult responsibilities."
RD said, "I'm with you on that, AJ. You're only a kid once in your life and should make the most out of it before it's too late."
Applejack nodded, "Exactly."
Rarity mentioned, "But in dark times such as these, one cannot enjoy life without worry constantly hanging over your head."
Applejack sighed, "We can't wait any longer… Rainbow, I need you to send word to Baron Rich to make a carriage ride around the forest tomorrow afternoon. We're staging the robbery."
Rainbow saluted, "Done and done!" she ran off.
Rarity questioned in concern, "But Applejack, are you sure? As much as the others and I are training hard, I don't think we quite ready for the field yet."
Applejack replied, "This will just be a simple performance, Rarity, and knowing you I know you will be able to pull it off."
The seamstress furrowed her brow, "Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?"
The farmer smiled, "Trust me, as dramatic as you can get, you're a fairly good actress."
"Oh, how sweet…" she giggled, "And I am, aren't I?" she flipped her hair.
Applejack just rolled her eyes humorously.
It was late at night as Twilight, Sunset, and Spike were in the castle kitchens packing up food. Spike said to his sister, "I got to say, Twilight, this was a great idea. Making relief supplies for those that are on the edge of starvation especially for those whose husbands or fathers are rotting in prison all because they couldn't pay their taxes."
Twilight expressed, "But of course, when your only support system is the man of the household, it leaves women and children to fend for themselves."
Sunset pointed, "And not only are we feeding the needy around Canterlot but any surrounding area."
Twilight asked her, "How many packages do we have so far?"
Sunset checked her list, "So far we have about over twenty packages."
Spike inquired, "Think that'll be enough?"
Twilight sighed, "It's never enough, but at least it's something to help the people. After all, Cadence told us to help anyone in case Blueblood overdoes it, and I'm pretty sure charging people at over 200 bits a month qualifies as overdoing it."
Spike nodded, "It sure does."
Sunset asked him, "And you have found the men we can trust for this mission, right?"
Spike nodded, "I've known them since my days as a squire, they will not disappoint and they certainly will not tell anyone in the castle especially the prince and the sheriff."
Twilight pointed, "Then I guess that means we're all set then."
Sunset nodded in agreement, "Tomorrow, we journey across the kingdom and beyond."
"A robbery?! Where?!" Sheriff Gladmane demanded to three guards that were called the Diamond Brothers though they had symbols of dogs on their chest plates.
The shortest one, Spot spoke up, "Just outside the Everfree Forest, sir. Baron Filthy Rich and his family were taking a carriage ride when they were robbed by bandits!"
The sheriff inquired, "What did they look like?"
Rover said, "He does not know, the bandits were masked so it was hard to tell who they were."
Gladmane began to pace around his study as he ponder on his next move. Baron Rich was a shareholder among the nobility and was easy to influence in the royal court. He was an important asset to the prince and for him to lose everything would be damaging to the rich. He then told the brothers.
"I want you three to go to Baron Rich's house and you are to provide him and his family protection from now on. So that no more bandits may try to steal from him."
They saluted to the command with Spot saying, "It will be done, sir."
Applejack was dividing the bags of gold and jewelry on the table as she pointed out, "Okay, that bag is gonna go to the Cakes to help with their business. Pinkie, I can count on ya to deliver it, right?"
Pinkie saluted, "Alan O'Pie will not fail!"
Rainbow rolled her eyes, "We're still not sure about the names, Pinkie."
Rarity agreed, "They are rather unusual."
AJ interjected, "We'll worry about that later. Right now, we got to get this gold to the people that really need it at this moment. Rarity," she pushed a bag to her, "you'll give this to the other seamstresses so they'll be able to buy more fabric…"
The prim and proper girl finished for her, "Where they can make clothes for the poor without charging them. Not to worry, I'll see that they come through, I know that Coco was most thrilled with the idea."
Applejack nodded in approval, "Good." then she moved a bag toward Fluttershy, "This is goes to Cheerilee and the orphanage."
Fluttershy nodded.
Then she handed the last bag to Rainbow, "And you're to use this to distribute among those who are at the edge of poverty."
Dash nodded, "Done and done." taking the bag and set out with the others following behind her.
Applejack then went around the camp to find her sister sitting next to the pond and it appeared that she was drawing something.
"Whatcha got there, Sis?" she inquired.
Apple Bloom showed her the parchment and explained, "It's a diagram for outposts around the Everfree Forest. When I was showing Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle around yesterday we came up with the idea."
AJ marveled at the picture, "Land sakes, Apple Bloom… That's brilliant!"
AB beamed, "Yeah! And connecting the outposts would be bridges, zip-lines, and gangplanks!"
Applejack chuckled, "Little sister, you are a genius. When the girls get back, I'm gonna have to show this to them, they'll love it!"
The sisters embraced.
"Sweet!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed when she saw Apple Bloom's diagram on the table.
Rarity pointed out, "A magnificent idea!"
Pinkie jumped in joy, "I love it!"
Fluttershy mentioned with a smile, "It is rather good."
Applejack proclaimed, "The way I see it, we each take a section of the forest and make it our own."
Dash declared, "No problem! I know exactly what I want at my outpost!"
AJ added, "Keep in mind though, they have to be practical because the outposts are supposed to be our lookouts at the first sign of trouble."
Rarity nodded, "I quite agree."
The girls started to chat away about their designs.
At the Rich estate, the Diamond Brothers met with Baron Rich and his family. The Baron inquired, "But is this really necessary? It was a just one little robbery. I got plenty of wealth as it is so it doesn't matter if I lost some bits and jewelry."
Baroness Spoiled addressed the guards, "Don't listen to him, he's still traumatized from the event. If you ask me, the Sheriff is showing commonsense of protecting one of the most powerful barons in all the land, who's to say it won't happen again!"
Spot said, "And that's why we're here, to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Filthy and Diamond Tiara exchanged troubled looks. This was not going to bode well for Applejack and her friends if they can't get the money they need to help the village. They were at for loss of what to do.
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"Common Sense. Not "commonsense."
Love Apple Bloom's enginenuity of the set up. I think Rarity's parents wouldn't mind it as much, just say the sisters ate engaging in something they both like. So who are the stallions.... Cheese Sandwich, Soarin, Fancy Pants, Flash and....Timber... are my bets, maybe Quibble Pants too.
So the Diamond Dogs are ponies.. well in EQG they are humans so I shouldn't be surprised...
8444830
My spell check didn't see anything wrong with it, so I just went with it.
I've been really enjoying this story so far!!! I love the twists you've put in that change from the original, and this is a concept I'd never thought would work, but it does! It seriously makes me want to read the original Robin Hood stories. Great work so far!
8446606
Aw, thanks.
I really love all your stories. I love the way you take stories that have been told and retold and make them your own. It's so creative.