Appleoosa's Most Wanted
Pony's Log Number 506: I'm not sure which lesson is getting repeated here: Always Listen to young ponies or Don't judge a pony by its cutie mark...
It was beautiful day in the town of Appleloosa and lots of ponies were getting the grounds ready for the town's upcoming rodeo. Both Applejack and Mario were there to participate. Ponies who lived there couldn't help but be extra kind and hospitable to Mario when they found out he was family. It also gave the Appleloosans a sense of pride that a member of their own family was now the Prince of Friendship and that he was here to participate at the rodeo. Not only that, but Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were there at well.
"Aren't you glad y'all came with me to see Applejack and Mario complete in the Appleloosa rodeo?" Apple Bloom asked the two fillies.
"Totally! This place is a cutie mark gold mine!" said Scootaloo, "There's barrel racing..." The three fillies turned to see a pony racing between some barrels.
"...roping contests, rodeo clowning..." Scootaloo said as they saw another pony twirling a lasso and then roped a stuffed dummy sitting on a stake. Then the three fillies saw a group of clowns practicing their routine and silly antics for the rodeo. Then one clown crashed into another, causing some ponies watching them to start laughing.
"...steeplechase...!" finished Scootaloo as two ponies were running side by side as they jumped over some hurdles.
"Let's a go!" said Mario as he raced by at high speed and spin-jumped over the hurdles with ease as two cousins raced after him.
"If we can get into some of these events, we could all three walk off the train back in Ponyville with brand spankin' new cutie marks!" said Apple Bloom excitedly.
"Wouldn't a barrel look good here?" Scootaloo asked, looking at her flank.
"Maybe if it's a sarsaparilla barrel," said Mario as he arrived to talk to the group wearing his dark brown stenson hat.
"Very funny," said Scootaloo.
"What?" said Mario as he held a mug filled with the delicious soda, "I like a good cup of sarsaparilla!" Mario then went to take a long drink. He had barely exhaled when...
BURP!
"Oops...heh...excuse me," said Mario bashfully with a fore-hoof over his mouth. Scootaloo just smirked as Sweetie Belle giggled to herself.
"I want to lasso!" said Apple Bloom, looking at her own flank.
"Well, you are pretty good with a rope," Mario pondered aloud.
"I don't know...All these events look a little, well, dangerous," said Sweetie Belle wearily as she saw Braeburn chatting with another pony. It should be noted he had one fore-leg bandaged and in a sling.
"No risk, no reward," said Apple Bloom cockily.
"Apple Bloom," Mario warned, "Didn't I warn you and your friends about taking reckless risks?"
"I know, I know," said Apple Bloom, slightly annoyed, "Don't you go acting all overprotective with us like Applejack does. She still has a bad habit of doin' that."
"Believe me, little Sis, I know," said Mario, "But this time around, things are different."
"How?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Granny Smith put me in charge this time," said Mario, "If Applejack starts stepping out of line..." he then said darkly, "I can shut her down." Apple Bloom smiled deviously.
"You are totally the cool brother," said Apple Bloom, making Mario smile with pride.
"Alright, everypony, listen up!" said Sheriff Silverstar as he and his deputies arrived, interrupting the moment between Mario and the three fillies, "We need a big presence at this here rodeo, so make yourself plenty seen! I want that low-down varmint to know we mean business!" The three fillies approached nearby with Mario nearby to see what was up.
"I hope nothing bad is going on," said Sweetie Belle worriedly.
"Same here," said Mario before adding in his own country accent, "There seems to be some trouble a-brewin' around these parts."
"A cutie mark-apalooza and a low-down varmint?" Apple Bloom said excitedly, "This is shapin' up to be the most excitin' rodeo ever!" Mario just sighed and shook his head.
"Ah, youth..." said Mario, envying their innocence...a little.
"Yeah, come on!" said Scootaloo as she and Apple Bloom took off. Sweetie Belle was slightly hesitant before she followed after her friends. Mario was in deep through when he saw the three fillies run off.
"Girls! Wait!" Mario shouted as he went after them. As they left the area, nopony noticed the shadow of an ominous looking pony. They had left a rather giant but detailed horseshoe print on the ground.
And then somepony had to do a western harmonica rift to make it feel dramatic. That's Appleloosa for you.
(Main theme)
Elsewhere, several ponies were practicing lassoing hay bales. One pony then grabbed a hay bale with his rope and tossed it toward a mare, who then tossed it to another mare, and then that mare tossed it to a stallion. The stallion than passed it to Applejack, who bucked it high into the sky. The view zoomed out to show that she was working with her cousins to create the tallest stack of hay bales and several ponies were standing in various heights along the pile. Braeburn cheered for them.
"Woo-hoo! Yee-haw! That's my cousin!" said Braeburn, "Go, Applejack, go!"
"Whew!" said Applejack, "It's been a dog's age since I got to complete. Same for my big brother, Mario. All the rodeos 'round Ponyville are closed down for some reason."
"Well, I guess havin' injured kinfolk in Appleloosa sure paid off then, huh, cuz?" Braeburn remarked.
"Just doin' my best to fill your horseshoes, Braeburn," said Applejack.
"Keep tossin' like that and I'll be out of a job!" Braeburn replied. Applejack then gave her cousin a hoofbump...to his injured fore-hoof.
"Ow, ow!" Braeburn yelped painfully, making Applejack wince.
"Ooh, sorry," said Applejack, "Say, where's my sister and her friends? I knew Mario was busy training for the steeplechase."
"Uh-oh," said Braeburn once he realized that he didn't, "Gee, uh, I guess I got so caught up watchin' you that I-" Braeburn found it hard to speak since Applejack got into his face with a death glare.
"You said you'd keep an eye on those fillies!" Applejack scolded, "How am I supposed to focus on practicin' if you're not gonna-" Braeburn bit his lip as the three fillies appeared behind the orange pony. Applejack looked to see Sweetie Belle holding a caramel apple on a stick, Apple Bloom was wearing a pair of flags on her head, and Scootaloo was wearing a sombrero that had a cactus on top of it.
"There they are! Heh, right where I left 'em..." said Braeburn.
"What do you mean?" Mario asked, "they were with me watching my practice." Applejack went back to glaring sternly at Braeburn who was looking rather uneasy.
"Aw, don't be mad!" said Braeburn, but Applejack, true to her nature, wouldn't back down. He then cried out, "Owwwch! My foreleg! Hurts so much...!" He gave Applejack a pouty face. The Cutie Mark Crusaders just giggled to each other.
"Am I the only stallion in the family who can stand up to Applejack in a stare down?" Mario asked.
"Well, Prince...I mean cuz..." Braeburn replied, "not all of us are interested in getting bucked in the face by Applejack." Applejack rolled her eyes.
"Nopony is ever going to let me forget that are they?" Applejack remarked.
"Not really," Mario replied with a smirk on her face.
"Kind of like that time you pulled a train so fast that you made a hole in one of the coaches," Applejack said smugly, "that had to be fixed using a passenger's leather bootlace." Mario went redder than ever and stomped off. It was quite an insult that Applejack had told most of their family relatives that story at his expense. Applejack chuckled as Mario walked off but then gave the three fillies a stern look.
"Y'all can't go runnin' off like that, y'hear?" Applejack scolded, "Backstage at a rodeo ain't no kind of playground!"
"Sorry, Applejack, Mario already told us that since we...kind of ran off from him once already," said Apple Bloom honestly, "We won't wonder off again." It was then Scootaloo gave the yellow filly a firm nudge to the side. Apple Bloom then remembered something.
"But, uh, speakin' of the rodeo...what would you say about me and the Crusaders maybe competin' in one teensy-weensy little event or three?" Applejack just looked a bit annoyed, but before she could answer...
"LOOK OUT!" Braeburn shouted. Applejack gasped as she saw that the super tall stack of hay bales came tumbling at the three fillies. The three fillies yelped as both Applejack and Mario dashed into them, knocking them out of the way just in time as the stack came crashing down where the three fillies had been standing.
"What the hay just happened?" said Applejack as she sat up. The stack of hay bales had also destroyed a nearby set of bleachers.
"I don't know, Sis," Mario replied as he sat up afterward, "That stack of hay bales was stable when I walked away. The only way it could have toppled over is if...somepony made them fall..."
"You fillies alright?" Braeburn asked the three fillies as he slowly and carefully approached the group.
"Uh-huh..." said Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.
"Yeah..." said Sweetie Belle. They were all shaken up. Mario raised a fore-leg to offer them a comforting hug, but only Sweetie Belle took the offer and let Mario hold her.
"Sugar and salt licks!" said Sheriff Silverstar as he came to examine the mess, "Well, I'll be..."
"What is it, Sheriff?" Applejack asked as she and Mario, once he got Sweetie Belle to let go, walked up to the sheriff. It was then they all noticed a rather large horseshoe print on the ground. Applejack and Mario looked at it blankly as Braeburn examined it worriedly.
"Is it him?" Braeburn asked the sheriff.
"Ain't no doubt," said Sheriff Silverstar, "It's Trouble Shoes." Mario blinked in surprise and even the Sheriff snorted in surprise when they both noticed that Caramel, dressed up like a clown, was playing a harmonica riff. But once Caramel saw the ponies were staring at him, he smiled sheepishly and walked away. The three fillies just shared worried looks with each other.
Later on just outside the Sheriff's office, the crowds were shouting just outside the Sheriff's office. Applejack and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were also there, anxiously waiting for both Sheriff Silverstar and Mario. Since the latter was a Prince, he had offered to help out and Sheriff Silverstar was more than willing for the extra assistance and had made Mario an honorary Sheriff. However, the longer the two ponies took speaking inside, the more rowdy the crowd outside became. The two deputies were becoming more uneasy as the ruckus increased.
"Is it true? Is Trouble Shoes here?" asked one townspony.
"You ain't gonna shut down the rodeo, are ya?!" shouted another townspony. It was then Sheriff Silverstar and the now titled Sheriff Mario. The later now had his own tan vest with a certified gold star badge on it to show his position as a honorably stallion of law and justice.
"All right now, I called for a meetin', not a mob scene," said Sheriff Silverstar.
"Now put those pitchforks and torches away at once," Mario said sternly to two ponies who had such items. The two ponies rolled their eyes and reluctantly discarded the items.
"Now, as many of you know, the Equestria rodeo circuit has been plagued by the dirty dealin's of a notorious outlaw," said Sheriff Silverstar.
"While he continues to roam free for the time being," Mario added, "His dirty handiwork has clearly not gone unnoticed."
"He knocked barrels every which way at the Hoof City rodeo!" a third townspony complained, "Nearly crushed my Aunt Bee Mare!"
"That's nothing," said a townspony nearby, "He sabotaged the steer pen at Pinto Creek rodeo, settin' off such a stampede they cancelled the whole dadgum thing!"
"What does the Prince of Friendship got to say about all of this?!" another townspony demanded as the crowds started shouting once again.
"Now, now it's true we had an incident this mornin' at our own Appleloosa rodeo," said Sheriff Silverstar, "Hay bale stack came down right near on top of three little fillies..." Applejack, Braeburn, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders winced at being reminded about the earlier incident, "...I examined them hoof-prints myself and, uh...it was Trouble Shoes, all right." The entire crowd gasped in shock.
"I reckon I oughta cancel this rodeo like all the others done," said Sheriff Silverstar sadly as his deputies shared worried looks with each other.
"Don't give up so easily, Sheriff," said Mario, "Your honorary Sheriff is on the case. I won't stop until I track down that outlaw and find out why he's doin' all this. Trust me all local citizens, visitors, and recently discovered kinfolk. Justice will be served." Mario couldn't help but use a little country accent as he finished his sentence while tipping the front of his hat.
"Well, having you tracking him down would help...but the rodeo is still at risk," Sheriff Silverstar pondered before finding his inner confidence, "but dang-hoof it, this has gone far enough! We'll double the patrols! This rodeo will go on! Appleloosa ain't gonna be intimidated!" He then walked through the crowd with determination with Mario at his side as the ponies all cheered. Back with the group, Braeburn and Applejack shared worried looks with each other.
"Glad that's settled," said Apple Bloom, "So, uh, Applejack, about me and my pals competin' in the rodeo..." Applejack gave them a discreet glare.
Just a short time later, Applejack gave them an answer to their request as they were all inside of Braeburn's small country home.
"Don't send us home!" Apple Bloom protested as Applejack put on her saddle bags onto her back, "It's not fair!"
"Now quit your bellyachin'," Applejack retorted sternly, "I can't have y'all around here with some outlaw on the loose."
"Hey, everypony," said Mario as he entered the room, "I just finished dropping out of the rodeo since I'm on civic duty and..." He then noticed the three fillies all packed up, "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Where are they going?"
"Back to Ponyville where they'll be safe!" said Applejack with a rather snippy tone.
"They'll be safe here," Mario protested, "I need some deputies to help me track down Trouble Shoes!"
"Are you listening to yourself when you speak?" Applejack snapped in shock and anger.
"Yes, I heard myself say the Cutie Mark Crusaders are staying here and going to help me," said Mario plainly, "They'll be safe with me. I didn't just teach them those turn battle technique for entertainment value after all. Besides, I know these fillies. Even if you make them go to the train. I can guarantee you they'll never get there and they'll end up looking for Trouble Shoes on their own, which will put them in real danger."
"Way to spoil our escape plan..." Apple Bloom muttered under her breath.
"If they value not being grounded for life..." Applejack said, staring the three fillies down and making them wince.
"Sis, you need to get it in your head that these three fillies are at an age that they won't obey you because you said so or because you try to be stern with them," said Mario sternly, "It just doesn't work! Plus these fillies can take care of themselves and I'll be with them. Don't make me repeat what drove Apple Bloom into the paws of that chimera..."
"There gettin' on the train for home and that's final," Applejack interrupted as she got into her older brother's face. Mario glared back as the orange pony turned away and sighed sadly, "Aw, maybe I oughta call it quits and go home too."
"If you're willing to go home too," said Mario, "Then I'll let you take the three fillies home."
"No, you can't!" Braeburn protested, "This rodeo is important to Appleloosa! And with you in there, we got a real shot at winnin'!"
"Braeburn, we've got more important things to worry abo..." Mario then stopped when Braeburn gave him a sly wink, which made the alicorn see what he was trying to do, "...y-y-yeah, you're right! Since I had to drop out, you're the only pony who can represent the family, Sis. You can't let this Trouble Shoes intimidate you!"
"Nopony intimidates me, Big Brother," said Applejack darkly, "Not even you." Mario glared but quickly stepped aside when Braeburn got behind the orange ponies and shoved her out the door.
"Come on, now, you head on back to practice and don't worry none about these three," Braeburn told him, "I won't let them out of my sight." Applejack looked back, seeing the three fillies give over the top smiles on their faces, but then Braeburn slammed the door shut before she could say anything else. Mario waited next to the door impatiently.
"Is she gone?" Mario asked curiously.
"Coast is clear as apple tree branches in the winter, cuz," said Braeburn.
"Finally," Mario said, slightly annoyed, "Okay, I need to make sure that the rodeo grounds are secure. When I get back, my deputies and I can start tracking down Trouble Shoes. You three fillies stay here until I get back, alright!" The three fillies smiled and nodded as Mario took his leave. Once Mario left, Braeburn slammed the door, clicked three sets of locks on the door, and then scooted a small chair in front of the door and sat on it.
"Ya hear?" he warned the three fillies, "Y'all ain't leavin' my sight!" He began to stare the three fillies down as the fillies just shared worried looks with each other.
It wasn't long before the sun had set and Mario hadn't returned. Braeburn had fallen asleep at his post. Apple Bloom then opened the window beside the front door as the three fillies sneaked out if the house.
"I thought we weren't going to wander off again," said Sweetie Belle, "Mario said he was going to come back and get us."
"This ain't wanderin'," said Apple Bloom, "We know exactly where we're headed - to find Trouble Shoes!"
"But isn't he a dangerous criminal?" Sweetie Belle asked, "And I thought we were going to wait for Mario before going after him? He told us to wait for him!"
"Well, Mario was taking too long," said Scootaloo, "and it's already dark out. We might as well get a head start and look for Trouble Shoes on our own!"
"Besides, we only need to find him," added Apple Bloom, "we don't need to capture him. The Sheriff and Mario can handle that. And Mario will be so happy that we found Trouble Shoes for him!" Apple Bloom then jumped onto the top part of a fence.
"And once he's in jail," said Scootaloo as she joined Apple Bloom on the top of the fence, "we'll be competing! And then it's..."
"Cutie mark city!" said Apple Bloom and Scootaloo together as they shared a high-hoof, hopped off the fence and continued on their way. Sweetie Belle tried to catch up, but when she tried to jump over the fence, she lost her balance and tumbled down the other side. She looked ahead at her friends reluctantly.
"Worse idea ever," said Sweetie Belle and sighed, "Mario is not gonna like this..." Since Sweetie Belle found her worries were left unheard, she had no choice but to follow her friends.
It wasn't long before an owl hooted with a menacing look on its face as the Cutie Mark Crusaders made their way through a dark woods. Apple Bloom started cautiously to look around until she felt her fore-hoof step into something on the ground. She looked down to see what she had stepped in.
"It's another giant hoof print!" said Apple Bloom as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood next to her.
"Do either of you have any idea where we are?" Sweetie Belle asked as she looked around the area. Before anypony could answer, some lightning crackled in the sky, causing Scootaloo to run off, squat down, and cover his eyes fearfully. It was then it started to rain.
"Uh, maybe we should head back and try again later," Scootaloo suggested before whimpering, "I think we should've waited for Mario."
"Ya think?" Sweetie Belle added annoyingly.
"C'mon, before we lose the trail!" Apple Bloom shouted, wanting to keep moving forward despite not knowing where they were going at this point. Sweetie Belle just looked at Scootaloo worriedly. The orange Pegasus just shrugged her shoulders and went after Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle just watched them walk away before another clash of lighting struck in the background.
"EEEEEEEEEEEK!" Sweetie Belle screamed as she ran after the two fillies. Behind them, the hoof print was quickly filled with water as the rain got heavier. It wasn't long before Sweetie Belle spoke up again once she had caught up with the two other fillies.
"Come on, we've gone far enough!" said Sweetie Belle, "It's time to go back!"
"The rain is only getting worse, Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo added nervously, agreeing with the marshmallow filly, "Let's come back tomorrow, or at least wait until Mario can come with us." Apple Bloom took a few more steps forward before finally stopping.
"Maybe y'all are right," said Apple Bloom, "So, how do we get back?"
"You mean you don't know?!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed when the thunder clashed, causing the three fillies to huddle up and hold each other as they started shaking.
"I knew we should've waited for Mario," Sweetie Belle said fearfully.
"Why didn't you say so before?!" Apple Bloom retorted.
"I did say so before!" Sweetie Belle shot back when lightning clashed and they all forgot about being angry and just held each other.
Back at another barn, Applejack and the other cousins were soaking wet as they walked inside of the barn to get dry.
"Whew! Good job, y'all!" said Applejack, "I know they need lots of mud for the rodeo tomorrow, but I wish they would've warned us about this rainstorm." It was then Braeburn wobbled inside and gave a loud whinny.
"Braeburn?" Applejack exclaimed, "Where are the girls?" All Braeburn could do was laugh nervously in reply.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" Applejack shouted loudly as the view zoomed out from outside the barn.
"W-w-w-well, Mario did say he was gonna take them to find Trouble Shoes..." Braeburn blurted out as Applejack growled in rage.
"I'M GONNA KILL HIM!" Applejack shouted loudly again. It wasn't long before the two ponies left the barn and made their way toward the sheriff's office. Along the way, Applejack noticed Mario was just walking slowly back in their direction, soaking wet. Applejack's face turned deep red when she saw him.
"MARIO!" Applejack screamed as she rushed up to his face and said darkly, "where is my sister and her friends?" She growled at him fiercely.
"With Braeburn back at the cabin," said Mario firmly, "Now what's with the attitude?!" Applejack's anger melted into fear and worry.
"What?" she asked softly when Braeburn walked up beside the orange pony. Mario did a double take when he saw him before face-hoofing himself.
"Oh, don't tell me!" Mario retorted angrily.
"I don't get how they got out," said Braeburn, "I was fast asleep in front of the door and it was locked!"
"You were asleep!?" Applejack snapped as Braeburn chuckled sheepishly.
"I still can't believe they sneaked off like that," said Mario.
"Now you know how I feel when they don't listen to me," said Applejack.
"Well of course they don't listen to you," Mario protested, "you're the overprotective nag who never listens to them! I'm the cool brother! They're supposed to listen to me!"
"Oh brother," said Applejack with an eye roll.
"C'mon, y'all!" said Mario, "We need to let the Sheriff know about this!" Mario ran off as the two ponies followed behind him.
Inside the Sheriff's building, Sheriff Silverstar was busy playing cards with his two deputies.
"Ha! Fish my wish!" said Sheriff Silverstar excitedly as he plopped down his hand.
"Aw!" said Star Spur as he faceplanted the table.
"Dagnabbit!" said Senior Deputy as he slapped his losing hand down irritably. It was then Applejack, Mario, and Braeburn rushed inside, soaking wet and looking rather worried.
"Sheriff Silverstar! You gotta help!" said Applejack worriedly, "My sister's gone! and her friends too!"
"Apple Bloom's our sister!" Mario reminded her.
"Whatever!" Applejack snapped.
"I've searched and searched," said Braeburn, "but no sign of 'em anywhere!"
"I was busy making sure the rodeo grounds were safe and secure when they disappeared," said Mario.
"It must've been Trouble Shoes!" said Applejack.
"Now, now, hold on there," said Sheriff Silverstar, "Trouble Shoes done alot of bad things in his day, but nothin' like that!"
"You really wanna take that chance?" Applejack asked.
"Now easy there, Sis," said Mario, "Let's not jump to conclusions here! After all, we're dealing with three fillies who have a habit of getting into trouble because they don't think things through."
"And what if they've gone to find Trouble Shoes on their own?" Applejack suggested. Mario blinked.
"Good point," said Mario, "Let's roll, everypony!"
"Y'all heard my honorary co-sheriff!" said Sheriff Silverstar, "Come on, y'all! Let's ride!" Sheriff Silverstar lead the charge as Mario and his two deputies followed behind him as they headed out of town to start a more extensive search.
Meanwhile, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were just moving about the woods with Scootaloo leading them.
"You sure about this, Scootaloo?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I thought I was, but now I'm not," said Scootaloo as the three fillies stood near the edge of a cliff.
"So I pretty much got us completely and totally lost," said Apple Bloom, "How could this get any worse?"
Oh Apple Bloom, whether one believes in fate or karma, the rule of common sense is always the same.
Never say a situation will get worse. 'Cause it usually will!
Because at that moment, the cliff edge they were standing on crumbled. The three fillies screamed as they slid down what had become a naturally made mud slide. Eventually they landed into a large puddle of mud. Apple Bloom was the first to emerge from the mud. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle emerged right after but the latter was sitting on top of the former's back.
"We gotta get out of this rain," said Apple Bloom to the others, "There's no tellin' how long this storm could last."
"Look!" said Scootaloo as she pointed to a dark house/stage wagon in the distance, knocking Sweetie Belle off her back and into the mud.
"It looks abandoned," Apple Bloom remarked, "Let's go see if we can find some blankets or somethin'." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle exchanged worried looks before catching up with Apple Bloom as they made their way toward the little house/stage wagon. Apple Bloom slowly opened the door with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle standing beside her. Then another lightning clash startled them, causing them to rush inside of the abandoned house and Sweetie Belle used her magic to shut the door. The three fillies spread out to look around the one-room building. They found the place to look very dark, dirty, and some corners covered in cobwebs. Suddenly, the door opened and there stood a very tall and very big stallion, but it was too dark to see his face.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The three fillies screamed as they held each other.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" shouted the large stallion. He also jumped, banging and damaging the top of his door frame and then wobbled backwards into the house. He mumbled words of surprise and pain as he then wobbled forward and crashed into something again. He then tumbled forward, crashed into something else, which made the three fillies wince, and then backed into a table and sat down on it, shattering it to pieces. He then made a large dent into the roof, took off at high speed and smacked into a low ceiling lamp. The lamp swung away and then swung back and smacked into his face, knocking him down and out cold.
(Lose a life fanfare)
The large stallion then groaned as he slowly came back to his senses. Apple Bloom stood before him to see if he was alright. It was all she could do since she or the other fillies had a spare green and white mushroom on hoof.
"Hello?" said Apple Bloom, but the stallion had trouble hearing the yellow filly until he recovered a bit more, "You alright?" Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood beside the yellow filly.
"Surely," the stallion said gloomily.
"We didn't mean no harm," Apple Bloom explained, "We just came in to get out of the rain."
"Had some hot cider a-cookin' in the kitchen," said the stallion, "Doubt it survived." He looked toward the kitchen corner of the house, which a pot of cider was nowhere to be found and a pan hanging from the wall came clanging down on top of the stove and onto the floor.
"I ain't gonna rise to greet y'all," said the stallion, "Awfully rude, I reckon, but as you can see, I'm the fresh casualty of an unusually unfortunate circumstance. My lot in life, I suppose."
"Are you...Trouble Shoes?" Apple Bloom asked curiously.
"That's me," said the stallion. The three filly flinched before Apple Bloom tried to walk toward him.
"W-what are you doing?" Scootaloo asked nervously as she raised a foreleg in front of the yellow filly.
"I'm gonna unwrap him," said Apple Bloom.
"You can't do that!" Sweetie Belle protested, "That's Trouble Shoes!"
"Aw, he don't seem so bad," said Apple Bloom as she helped get the large stallion untangled. Once Trouble Shoes was free, he stood up before the three fillies. He was a very tall and large sized stallion, even bigger than Big Mac. He had a chocolate brown coat with a blank mane and short tail. He also had a mini-cowboy hat on his head. Then lightning stuck behind him to make him seem menacing, but Apple Bloom just gave him a cute smile.
"Of course guests would arrive while I ain't got no pie to offer," said Trouble Shoes, "Scores more unfortunate points for Trouble Shoes. Wh-whooaaa!" Trouble Shoes had started walking toward another part of the house when he stepped on a lone banana peel, slipped about, and then crashed into a nearby bookshelf where three bowling balls bonked him on the head, earning him a tall bump-a-lump on his head.
"Typical," he said sadly, "Bad luck never rests."
"You sure that's bad luck?" said Apple Bloom, "Seems like maybe you're just a little, um..." Apple Bloom struggled to find the right word for Trouble Shoes situation.
"Klutzy?" Sweetie Belle suggested.
"Tell that to the flank!" said Trouble Shoes as he showed the three fillies his cutie mark, "Upside-down horseshoe - bad luck. Follows me wherever I go like sour on old milk. Y'all best vamoose before my bad luck rubs off and sticks to y'all. Get along! Skedaddle!" Trouble Shoes then opened the door for the three fillies to leave, but all the three fillies could do was stare at the heavy rain as more thunder clashed outside.
"Am-scray!" Trouble Shoes yelled.
"Um, we don't really know the way back to Appleloosa..." said Scootaloo.
"But o' course I do," said Trouble Shoes, "Wouldn't you know it? My lucky day." No pony needed long to realize he was being sarcastic.
Once the storm had passed, Trouble Shoes led the Cutie Mark Crusaders back to Appleloosa.
"It's actually kind of sweet of him to help us out like this," said Sweetie Belle to the others.
"I know! What do we do if he takes us back to Appleloosa and the Sheriff and Mario arrest him?" said Scootaloo, "If I get a cutie mark for that, I'll feel guilty every time I see it."
"Say there, Trouble Shoes," said Apple Bloom as she walked up to the large stallion, "you might not want to take us all the way back to Appleloosa. The Sheriff sort of has it in his mind that you're a no-good outlaw lookin' to shut down the rodeo. Plus he's got the Prince of Friendship trying to track you down."
"My kind of luck he'd think and do that," said Trouble Shoes sadly.
"But...it is true?" Apple Bloom asked curiously.
"Y'all like stories?" Trouble Shoes asked.
"Mm-hmm!" said the three fillies with smiles on their faces as they nodded.
"Just my luck," said Trouble Shoes, "I was hopin' you'd say no." It was then a flashback occurred to show Young Trouble Shoes watching a rodeo.
"When I was a young colt," Trouble Shoes explained, "I wanted to be a rodeo star somethin' fierce, but I just didn't seem to have the knack for it." It was then young Trouble Shoes charged at a barrel.
"Whoooa!" Young Trouble Shoes yelped as he was knocked backwards. Two buffalos who were watching him laughed. Then Young Trouble Shoes tried to do some lasso tricks. At first, he was managing his rope without much of a problem , but then he got tied up in his own rope.
"Awww!" Young Trouble Shoes grunted as he tried to break free. The buffalos watching him laughed.
"I practiced and practiced," said Trouble Shoes as his younger self tried doing the steeplechase.
"Whoooa-oof!" Young Trouble Shoes grunted when he ended up tripping and face-planting the dirt.
"And finally, I wrangled up the guts to audition for rodeo school," Trouble Shoes continued as his younger self started twirling his lasso before a group of stern looking judges, "Right in the middle of that routine tryout, I knew I was doin' what I was meant to. And wouldn't you know it? In a flash comes this here cutie mark." As he spoke, his younger self got a flash of light on his flank, earning his upside-down horseshoe cutie mark. Young Trouble Shoes was so surprised that he ended up lassoing a barrel and sending it crashing onto himself. The judges all laughed as Young Trouble Shoes struggled to get the barrel off of himself.
"I can still remember them judges a-laughin'," said Trouble Shoes, "Didn't even finish my routine 'cause right then I knew bad luck was my fate." As he spoke, his younger self walked sadly away.
"That fire for rodeo never did leave me, through," said Trouble Shoes as his younger self was watching the rodeo from behind some barrels, "Couldn't keep away from 'em. So I'd sneak down and have a look, and wouldn't you know it? Bad luck would strike again. Just my lot in life, I reckon." It was then Young Trouble Shoes became a full grown stallion, but as he was watching the shoes, he stood up a little more and knocked the pile of barrels over, creating a huge mess. Trouble Shoes winced as he tried to hide to prevent from being seen. It was then the flashback ended. Trouble Shoes just kept moving forward with a glum look on his face.
"Poor Trouble Shoes," said Sweetie Belle sadly, "I can't believe those mean judges would laugh at him like that."
"Don't you see?" said Apple Bloom, "They weren't laughin' at him. They were enjoyin' the show."
"What are you saying?" Scootaloo asked, feeling a bit puzzled.
"Think about it," said Apple Bloom as she walked ahead of the group again, "If we saw a rodeo clown doin' what he did back in that shack, we'd think he was the greatest!"
"You're right!" said Sweetie Belle, "he could still be in rodeos, just not the way he thought."
"So he's been looking at his cutie mark wrong the whole time!" said Scootaloo, "It's not bad luck, it's-"
"Gotcha!" shouted Sheriff Silverstar.
"Give yourself up, we've got you surrounded!" said Mario sternly as the two deputies lassoed Trouble Shoes with some ropes. Applejack and Braeburn glared at the large stallion.
"Just my luck," said Trouble Shoes with a sad sigh. Mario raised a curious eyebrow at his remark.
"Trouble Shoes, you're under arrest for vandalizin' the property and piece of mind of the good rodeo-lovin' ponies in Equestria," said Sheriff Silverstar sternly, "Not to mention fillynappin'! And generalized mayhem!"
"Wait!" said Apple Bloom when Applejack raised a fore-leg to stop them.
"Braeburn?" said Applejack, "Get these fillies someplace safe."
"And don't go losin' em again!" Mario remarked, but gave the three fillies a discreet glare that hadn't been noticed.
"Wait, no!" Apple Bloom called out, "Listen, Applejack! Mario please..."
"Girls, I'll take it from here," said Mario sternly before he and Applejack walked away.
"NO!" the three fillies shouted, but their cries were left unheard as Braeburn took them back to his house. They didn't know that Mario had heard their pleas. He didn't mean to tune the girls out, unlike a certain sister of his, but he knew Trouble Shoes needed to be secured before he could do anything else.
"This doesn't make any sense," said Mario aloud, "How on earth could Trouble Shoes even get inside the house? He's way too big to fit through the windows and the only way he could've gotten through the front door is if he bashed it down. And there's no sign that anything was damaged, not even a sign of a struggle...In fact...he didn't even put up much of a fight with us and surrendered easily."
"Probably cause he knew he was no match for all of us," Applejack said cockily.
"I don't think that's the case, Sis," said Mario, "Plus why were the Crusaders just roaming free behind him if they were kidnapped? Wouldn't they have been tied up instead of just following him if they had been fillynapped?"
"Where are you goin' with this?" said Applejack, "We caught Trouble Shoes for kidnappin' em and that's that. I don't see why your wrangling your brain about all this." Mario glared, seeing that his sister was definitely in her stubborn mode. Rather than call her out like he usually did, Mario went for a more...tactful approach.
"Never mind, my genius is far too brilliant for your simple mind to understand," said Mario smugly, "just make sure to speak to Apple Bloom when we get back. She was trying to talk to you before you tuned her out...again!" Applejack just glared at her older brother before rolling her eyes at him.
The next morning, Mario was busy speaking to Trouble Shoes while Apple Bloom finally had a chance to speak with Applejack while the orange pony was getting ready for the rodeo.
"But Trouble Shoes isn't the menace everypony thinks!" Apple Bloom protested.
"Sakes alive, what's with you?" Applejack asked, rather irritably, "Why in tarnation would you want me to get him out of jail when he's the one who ran off with y'all to begin with?!" If there was ever a time to tell the truth, it was now. But all Apple bloom and the others could do was wince and said nothing to refute Applejack's remark.
"Now if y'all excuse me, I'm off to win Appleloosa rodeo hay bale monster stack," said Applejack huffily as she headed out the door.
"Um, Applejack?" said Apple Bloom softly, but she was too late. Apple Bloom has already shut the door. The three fillies exchanged sad looks with each other.
"Ugh, we should have told her the truth about Trouble Shoes," said Sweetie Belle, "and that he didn't fillynap us!"
"Well, why didn't you speak up?" Apple Bloom snapped.
"We thought you were gonna tell her!" Scootaloo protested. Apple Bloom glared and then sighed.
"Well, it's not like Applejack was listening...like usual," said Apple Bloom bitterly and then sighed, "and I bet Mario is sure gonna find out sooner or later."
"Indeed I have," said a voice, making the three fillies wince. They turned to see Mario was standing outside the door and leaning his back against the doorpost with his hat tipped low and fore-legs crossed.
"I just got back from speaking with Trouble Shoes," said Mario in a tone that was anything but casual, "He's actually a descent stallion. Just a little clumsy. It's a shame that's considered a crime in Appleloosa..." The three fillies looked uncomfortably. They all knew that when Mario spoke to them in that tone, he was angry with them. Sweetie Belle was in the verge of tears. She couldn't take having Mario mad at her.
"Okay! He didn't fillynap us!" Sweetie Belle confessed, "We wanted to try and find Trouble Shoes for you because it was already getting dark outside!"
"We know Trouble Shoes only wants to be part of the rodeo," said Scootaloo as Sweetie Belle wiped the tears creeping out of her eyes, "He was just watching the ponies practice when his clumsy nature caused those mishaps. He meant no harm. They were just...accidents."
"I think we've found a way to help Trouble Shoes, but we need your help getting him out of jail," said Apple Bloom sadly, "Mario, please! Help us..." Mario just glared as the three fillies gave him the ol' puppy dog eyes. Mario just rolled his eyes and looked away.
"I don't appreciate you girls taking off after I told you to stay put," said Mario, "We could have helped Trouble Shoes and prevented him from ever getting stuck in jail if you had listened to me."
"We know," said the three fillies together sadly, "We're sorry." Mario just sighed.
"All actions have consequences you know," said Mario firmly as the three fillies looked ashamed, "but I guess we can discuss punishment later..." The three fillies perked up, "...right now we need to help Trouble Shoes get out of jail."
"Wait, can't you just release him," Sweetie Belle asked.
"I thought I could," said Mario, "but his accident prone nature made Sheriff Silverstar oppose the idea. And you all know that being stubborn is a rather common trait in this family."
"Don't we know it," said Apple Bloom, "but fortunately, we've got a plan for a jail break." Mario smirked.
"Let's hear it!" Mario said as he knelt down as he and three fillies huddled up to discuss the plan.
Back at the Sheriff's office where he had Trouble Shoes inside the jail cell. The large stallion was just trying to look out of the window.
"Well, at least I get me a view of one small corner of the rodeo," said Trouble Shoes when the bed he had been standing on caved in and he had the bed stuck on his waist.
"Figures," Trouble Shoes muttered.
"Aw, come on now, Trouble Shoes!" said Sheriff Silverstar, "I'm runnin' out of mattresses!" He pointed to a collection of mattresses that all had large holes in them. Trouble Shoes looked sadly away as Sheriff Silverstar tipped his hat forward to take a little nap. Mario noticed the ruined mattresses from outside the window and rolled his eyes.
"Dummy," Mario muttered, "Why not just put the mattresses on the floor where he won't puncture them when he sits or stands on them? Duh!"
"Never mind that," said Apple Bloom as she and the other two fillies peeked in the window, "Sweetie Belle, you're up!" She and Scootaloo smiled at the marshmallow filly. Sweetie Belle looked inside nervously.
"Sweetie Belle," Mario whispered, "Breathe and focus." Sweetie Belle nodded as she made her horn glow and used her magic to grab the keys hanging nearby. Scootaloo then shook Sweetie Belle with excitement. Sweetie Belle quickly recovered as she pulled the pulled the keys outside. Apple Bloom then rushed inside.
"Come on, Sheriff!" said Apple Bloom, "You're about to miss the hay bale monster stack!"
"Jiminy, that's startin' already?!" said Sheriff Silverstar as he rushed out of the building. Sweetie Belle, with the keys in her mouth, Scootaloo, and Mario watched him disappear.
"Nice work girls!" Mario whispered, "Let's move!" The three ponies then rushed inside. They wasted no time opening the door to Trouble Shoe's cell.
"Let's go, Trouble Shoes!" said Apple Bloom, "This here's a jailbreak!"
"Ain't no need," said Trouble Shoes sadly as he stood up with the bed stuck on his torso, "Can hear the rodeo just fine from this vantage."
"Now that's just stinkin' thinking, Trouble Shoes," said Mario, "I didn't just go out of my way to break you out of jail behind Sheriff Silverstar's back just for you to stay put!"
"Besides," Scootaloo added, "we've got a plan to help you live your dream!"
"Listen, y'all, I'm a known criminal," said Trouble Shoes as the punctured bed fell off his torso.
"No, Trouble Shoes," said Mario, "you're not a criminal. You're just a stallion whose clumsiness had been misunderstood as a pony who's trying to sabotage the rodeos. Even I can tell that isn't the case. You're not cursed with bad luck. You just have a lack of self-confidence and your large size makes it easy for you bump into things. That's not a crime! As far as I'm concerned, you've been unjustly arrested for what were unintentional accidents."
"Still doesn't change anything," said Trouble Shoes.
"Yes it does," said Mario firmly, "My friends and I know you can live your dream to be in the rodeo. It might not be in the way you wanted, but if you trust us, we can help you change pony's opinions about you. We know a way you can put your clumsiness to good use."
"And why might I ask would the Prince of Friendship want to help somepony like me?" Trouble Shoes asked.
"I have a friend back home who also deals with uncontrollable clumsiness," said Mario, "but she worked hard and is now doing something she enjoys with her life. You can do the same, but you need to be out there instead of just sitting inside of a jail cell letting ponies treat you like a criminal."
"Point taken, but just one thing," said Trouble Shoes, "How you proposin' on gettin' me to the rodeo?" Mario and the three fillies smiled.
Back at the rodeo, the ponies sitting in the stands were cheering loudly as Applejack and several of the family relatives were working together to set up the tallest pile of hay bales as possible. The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Mario were now watching the event from the side lines.
"Go, Applejack!" said Apple Bloom.
"Show 'em whatcha can do, Sis!" Mario shouted as he waved his stenson hat, "Yee-haw!"
"You can do it!"
"Woo-hoo!" said Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle together.
"Well, how do I look?" Trouble Shoes asked as he appeared before the four ponies with clown make-up, a red nose, blue hair wig with purple hat, yellow-orange polka-dotted shirt and baggy blue overalls, and some overly big clown shoes on his hind legs.
"Fit to a T," said Mario with a chuckle as the three fillies giggled. Then they continued to watch the hay bale stacking. Trouble Shoes couldn't help but get a little enthusiastic.
"Come on now, stack them bales! Woo-hoo!" he shouted as the four ponies just smiled. It was then Applejack and the group bucked another hay bale to the very top of an already high stack. The haystack wobbled a bit, making the crowd gasp, but then it landed securely at the top. A judge then appeared to measure the stack as Trouble Shoes, Mario, and the three fillies waited anxiously to see if Applejack and the others had done it. The judge then made the final call. Applejack's stack was higher than the rest and everypony cheered.
"That's my sister!" said Apple Bloom.
"You mean our Sister!" said Mario, "Way to go, AJ!" Applejack and her group smiled before the crowds before making their way off the show grounds. It was then the clown ponies began to appear and started performing before the crowd. It wasn't long before the crowds were laughing, even Trouble Shoes was finding their antics hilarious.
"'Kay now, Trouble Shoes," said Apple Bloom, "you're on!"
"It's show time, my friend!" Mario added.
"Say what?!" said Trouble Shoes as he saw one clown roll toward one pony and then jumped over another as a small stallion held up three larger ponies in a diamond shaped formation as a pony jumped through the center, "I may be dressed like one, but I ain't no rodeo clown."
"My friends here think otherwise, Trouble Shoes," said Mario, "Care to explain little Sis?"
"You got your cutie mark all wrong, Trouble Shoes," said Apple Bloom, "You were born to entertain! You got a gift for makin' folks laugh, don't you?"
"But my cutie mark's an upside-down horseshoe, and that means bad luck," said Trouble Shoes.
"That all depends on how you look at it," said Sweetie Belle as Mario hummed in agreement.
"You always wanted to be a part of the rodeo, right?" said Apple Bloom, "Well, now's your chance. Go on!"
"Your chance to shine is before you Trouble Shoes," said Mario, "Now get out there and make 'em laugh!" Trouble Shoes hesitated but then charged into the field where two ponies were juggling and another two ponies were playing with some bouncy balls. Trouble Shoes bit his lip nervously and looked back to see Apple Bloom and Mario ushering him to go on. Trouble Shoes then stepped into a ball and then fell, sending the ball flying and bonking Braeburn on the head. The crowd laughed as Trouble Shoes got back on his feet. He didn't notice that his wig and hat had fallen off. But neither did Mario or the three fillies as they cheered happily for him.
"There y'all are!" said Applejack as she held with a fore-leg a very large gold trophy, "How 'bout your big sis, huh?" It wasn't long before she noticed none of them were paying any attention to her and had their full attention on the show.
"Yeah, way to go," said Apple Bloom flatly.
"Good job, Sis," said Mario in the same tone, "Now hush and let us watch the show." Applejack then glared at the rodeo clowns.
"Since when are y'all so into rodeo clowns?" Applejack asked before glaring at Mario saying, "and if you say its cause I'm simple minded I'll buck you all the way to Ponyville!" Neither Mario or the three fillies were listening to her. It was then Trouble Shoes saw the other clowns hop and flip about on top of some barrels. He then tried to jump off a barrel himself, but then a clown bumped into him from behind. Trouble Shoes went flying forward onto his back so the clown looked like he was using the large stallion like an hill climber. The crowd laughed again. Then the other clowns tried jumping through some hoops and Trouble Shoes watched for a moment.
"Just leave me be, cutie mark!" said Trouble Shoes, "I aim to clear that there hoop!" Trouble Shoes charged for a hoop being held by the small stallion. The minute he saw Trouble Shoes coming at him, he started running for his life, making the audience laugh some more as he was chased about by Trouble Shoes. Trouble Shoes then smashed into some barrels and got one stuck on top of his head. He started running amok, making the audience laugh even harder. It was then the other clowns had formed a pyramid when Trouble Shoes came crashing through them and smacked into a stack of hay bales. The stack then collapsed as a hay bale crashed on top of each clown, including Braeburn. The crowds were just laughing themselves silly at all the chaos.
"Come on now!" said Trouble Shoes as he finally slowed down, his voice muffed as he expressed his annoyance of getting barrel stuck on his head. It was then the straps to his overalls came loose and his pants fell down. The crowd just laughed even harder. Mario was banging the side of his barrels and wiping his eyes of tears from laughing so hard. The three fillies were laughing and high-fiving each other for Trouble Shoes. Even Applejack was laughing herself silly.
"That's the best rodeo clown I ever seen!" Applejack laughed. Trouble Shoes then got the cork to come out of the hole of the barrel so he could see. He noticed all the ponies laughing at him, which included Applejack, Mario, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. He finally managed to get the barrel off of his head, the excess water washing off his clown-make up. Now the only thing keeping his true identity safe was the red nose. He had just smiled when the red nose popped off. The crowd gasped.
"Trouble Shoes," they all exclaimed.
"What the hay?!" said Applejack as she and the three fillies looked stunned. Mario winced.
"I should've known we couldn't keep his identity hidden forever," he told himself.
"You had somethin' to do with this didn't you?!" Applejack scolded as she got into her older brother's face, "I can't believe you go behind the Sheriff's back and do such a thing!"
"Just shut yer trap and step aside," Mario ordered as he made Applejack back up and jumped over his barrel, "Let's move girls." The three fillies followed him right away as Applejack just raised an eyebrow, wondering what the four ponies were up to. As for Trouble Shoes, he was getting worried at the crowd glared at him.
"He's escaped from jail!" shouted a female townspony.
"Ruinin' another rodeo!" shouted a male townspony.
"Let's get him!" shouted another female townspony. It was then the two stallions who had been carrying a pitch fork and a torch respectively, grabbed their items. Trouble Shoes looked frightened at all the ponies shouting at him when Mario and the three fillies stood between the large stallions and angry crowd.
"Wait y'all!" shouted Apple Bloom, "He ain't you think he is!"
"Stand aside, young'uns!" said Sheriff Silverstar with his deputies standing beside him, "This one's goin' back to jail!"
"No he isn't," said Mario firmly, "He never escaped. I was the one who released him!" The crowd gasped in shock and even Sheriff Silverstar was stunned.
"Wuh? Huh? Why'd you do that?!" Sheriff Silverstar exclaimed angrily.
"As a Prince of Friendship," Mario explained, "I made a promise to see that justice was served. But justice wasn't served. Trouble Shoes here was jailed and declared an outlaw for what weren't even crimes, but just unfortunate accidents." The crowd was stunned and Sheriff Silverstar was just as baffled.
"What in tarnation are you talkin' about?" said Sheriff Silverstar, "Trouble Shoes is responsible for ruinin' rodeos all across Equestria!"
"But he never wanted to ruin any rodeos!" said Sweetie Belle, "Like Mario said, they were just bad accidents."
"Sweetie Belle, what are you talkin' about?" Applejack asked as she approached the group.
"Just listen and these three fillies will explain everything," said Mario, "Carry on girls." The three fillies smiled before Scootaloo continued.
"Trouble Shoes has a gift for making ponies laugh!" said Scootaloo. The crowd blinked for a moment.
"That's true," said a judge, "He is awful funny."
"He thought his cutie mark was telling him to keep away from rodeos," Apple Bloom explained as Trouble Shoes held his regular mini cowboy hat to his chest, "but deep down he knew it's where he was meant to be. He just didn't know how to do it." The crowd muttered to themselves. Applejack and Mario smiled.
"What she says is true," said Trouble Shoes, finding the courage to speak up, "This here entertainin' y'all with my klutzin'? That's what I was supposed supposed to be doin'. I know it now. I didn't mean no harm, honest! I just ain't never loved nothin' like I love a rodeo, so I kept on sneakin' back and makin' a big old mess of things. Turns out I was just a-lookin' at my cutie mark all wrong. I'm extremely grateful for Prince Mario for givin' me this opportunity. He and these fillies were the ones who helped me understand the meaning of my cutie mark and finding my place in the rodeo."
"That may be so, Trouble Shoes," said Sheriff Silverstar, "but you still gotta face charges for the problems you've caused!"
"If I done wrong, I'll see to it that I take my medicine and square my accounts," said Trouble Shoes honorably as Mario nodded in approval. He could tell the large stallion was a pony of his word.
"Truth be told," said Sheriff Silverstar in a more casual tone, "we could understand all the trouble with the rodeos, but why'd you have to run off with these here little'uns last night?" The three fillies winced.
"Girls..." said Mario in a stern tone.
"Uh, yeah, about that..." Apple Bloom stuttered before explaining everything. Soon the townsponies, along with Applejack and Sheriff Silverstar, learned the truth. Trouble Shoes was no longer considered an outlaw or a criminal, but the three fillies were now facing the consequences for sneaking out and getting lost.
"You really want us to clean up all this mess Trouble Shoes made?" Apple Bloom sighed as she and the other two fillies were busy trying to sweep and move the hay bales and barrels laying about.
"Maybe it'll teach you not to go wanderin' off after we say not to!" said Applejack as she sat comfortably on a hay bale with her trophy beside her.
"She's right," said Mario as Sweetie Belle tried moving a barrel with her magic, "you deliberately disobeyed me when you decided to go find Trouble Shoes on your own. Even when I said we could have searched for him and helped him out together and it would have been done without causing such a mess." The three fillies just shared knowing looks with each other.
"Ugh," Apple Bloom complained as Sweetie Belle dropped her barrel and caused it to roll away from her, "Ain't it bad enough that Applejack gets to go back to Ponyville with a shiny trophy, Mario gets to be an official honorary sheriff of Appleloosa, and all we're bringing back is these same old blank flanks?"
"Y'all helped Trouble Shoes realize what his cutie mark really means," said Applejack.
"Not just any pony can re-interpret a pony's cutie mark," said Mario, "you three should be proud of that."
"Ain't that a nice feelin' you can take back with you?" Applejack added. The three fillies turned to see Trouble Shoes chatting with the rodeo clowns.
"I guess we did make things a little better," said Sweetie Belle.
"It does feel kinda nice," Scootaloo added sheepishly.
"So...we can stop now?" Apple Bloom asked hopefully."
"Nnope," said Applejack as she sat up and she and Mario had smirks on their faces.
"Back to work you three," Mario added firmly. The three fillies looked most annoyed and got back to work. Then Applejack was given the shock of her life when Mario picked her up with his magic and placed a broom in front of her.
"Get to work, Applejack!" said Mario as he sat on the hay bale she was sitting on.
"Excuse me?!" Applejack interjected indignantly.
"Apple Bloom and her friends actually tried to tell you about Trouble Shoes not kidnapping them when he got arrested but you wouldn't listen. Twice," said Mario, "You've been warned time and time again about tuning them out. Now you pay the price. So get cleaning!"
"Y-Y-You can't do this to me!" Applejack protested.
"Wanna take this up with Granny Smith?" Mario asked casually, "I'm sure she could settle this." Applejack growled angrily before she started sweeping and muttering incoherent words. Mario chuckled as he released a satisfied sigh.
"It's good to be in charge," said Mario with a wink.
But he said it to himself.
Sigh...these episode tend to be my least favorite because Applejack never seems learn to hear our the Cutie Mark Crusaders. While this episode wasn't as bad, I still felt the need to alter the ending a bit. Applejack didn't deserve to sit all high and mighty like she did at the end of the original episode. At least that's my opinion.
Well, I hope you still enjoyed the adventures of Sheriff Mario and his filly deputies!
Next time: We return to the Grand Galloping Gala! Hopefully, the mane Eight can have a better experience this time around. But I doubt it...
...Discord's on the invite list!
Peace Pony Fans!