SWWC: Something Wrong With Canterlot

by Lighttone GryphonStar

File 21: Month 10-Part 1: The Old West

The arid desert scene was cut through with two gray as could be, earth ponies. They had come far and survived many dangers to reach this place. Many told them leaving the Las Pegasus barrier was a crazy idea, but neither of them listened. They needed to find out the truth, leaving their home behind in the process and heading into this dangerous place.

"Dodge City..." The oldest sister's deadpan voice was unfazed by the massive amount of bullet holes in the sign that read the name of the city.

"Sound like a dangerous place... Are you sure about this Maud?" the younger sister shivered behind her.

"Come on, Marble," Maud reached around and pushed her up front.

"No! You lead the way." Marble shrieked and jumped clear over her hands and landed behind her again. "You're the oldest."

"Suit yourself..." Maud sighed and took point in the front. Her sight flickered left and right before spotting a bar. "Enough DnD has told me the best place to get information is the nearest tavern."

"Okay." Marble agreed. Her eyes widened and she gulped slowly, "I've never been in one..."

"Just stay right beside me and everything will be fine, sis." Maud walked to the entrance. Her sister didn't need much insurance and she stuck to her backside like glue.

The inside was littered with shadows and smoke from a couple of long pipes. The smell of booze and tobacco filled the air, matched by the sounds of triggers popping in the air of guns empty of bullets. The entire tavern was riddled with bullet holes that would make any good target practice. The only things left untouched were the alcohol and the bartender.

It was a gray gentle stallion in a two piece suit minus the jacket. That of which was laying on the coat rack beside him covered in bullet holes. The sight sent shivers down Marble's spine. However, her sister kept a straight face. Maud took her seat and looked him over. His clean-cut brown mane showed a sense of pride for the way he kept him. But his mold green eyes showed wisdom beyond his years. He must've seen some horrible sights in his life.

Hoping this one was a reasonable stallion, Maud dropped some coins and asked. "We need two rooms and information."

"Names..." he barely looked up from his cup.

"Brace Camp." Maud lied.

"Star Shine." Her sister chirped behind her.

"Lying is a terrible habit. I would advise against it." The bartender informed her. "If you want information you will have to earn it." He gestured to himself in hopes of gaining their trust. "My name is Mudbriar and you are?" He waved back to them. Neither of them answered but gave soft smiles, well Maud attempted to smile. "Enough foreplay, the King is always listening." He lifted his sleeve and showed all the decay underneath along with the obvious bullet holes. "You need to talk to the boss before you can have anything."

"Boss?" Maud leered over to the direction and found a cowboy covered in tore clothing and darkness. His face sunk deep in cold rice with the cheapest beer in hand, half drunk. He was clearly too damn wasted to even noticed them at all. She ignored him and asked the bartender again. "Just give us the price of some rooms."

"The rooms are free!" The cowboy answered her. The two sisters faced him as he slowly lifted his head up and took another drink. "You just need to pay respect!" His voice was filled with a mix of drunkenness and spit.

"I have no intentions to be a part of your cult, Sir." Maud stood her ground and pointed to the emblem of the king over his badge.

"Yeah, I serve King Kray... He raised his beer up higher, and all the other patrons joined him in a toast. "Loyalty the King!!"

Maud jumped to a defensive stance, not realizing until now that they were surrounded by the enemies of Equestria.

"Take it back!" Marble sheepishly cried out. "He took everything from us."

All patrons jumped out of their seats, loading their guns. They only stopped as the lead cowboy finally stood up. "What did he take from you?" He raised his gun at them. "Your friends..." He slowly walked out of the shadows. "Family?" Stepping closer revealed the dark and twisted truth and shined over the cowboy's entire body. "Or maybe he ripped out your very souls."

Maud was truly caught off guard to see his real form. The shredded pieces of clothing were actaully crystalized flesh and bones. Split down the middle and crossover back and forth. "What the fuck are you?"

What could be best described as a distorted mess of crystal and earth pony stopped in front of them and placed the barrel of his gun right along their faces. Never once did he put the end to their temples. Instead, he let it fire off upward, right by Muad's ear. "My name was ripped out the same day he took my arm, leg and side of my face." He leaned to show his features still moving despite his crystallized state. "Call me the sheriff of this town, Crystal Apple."

Both sisters were pulled out of the trance with him by the ground shaking violently around them. Their eyes raced to the doorway, where outside the sky was being covered in crystalized walls. They wanted to leave, but the cowboy stood in their way.

"Give them rooms anyway." He jumped over in front of the door.

"Of course, Crystal Apple." The bartender answered him.

"No!" Maud tried to push him aside. "We're leaving."

"You can't now!" He pushed her into her sister's arms. "There are more enemies outside then there are in here. Especially now that lock down has begun."

"What lock down?!" Marble panicked.

"It only activates when somepony connected to the six poses a threat to one of his Anti-Six." Crystal Apple laughed out loud. "Now I get it... It's been so long since I last saw you two, I had forgotten." He put his gun back and held out his hand to them. "You are two of the sisters of Pinkie Pie."

"Yes, and we need to find her... at all cost."

******

Author's Note:

So this section will be about Maud and Marble, as well as some of the others based around one of the Anti-Six. Who is Crystal Apple? Well, obviously he's an Apple, but not Big Mac or Applejack? What are his connections? Why are they here? more will be revealed in later seasons.

Be ready as this section ties directly into the next chapter. Both deal directly with the Pie family. Next time, we see Limestone's past before joining the villains.