Chapter 6: The Town

“Alright, so we now know how to use Sun Cloak’s crystal, but we still haven’t solved his ridd-,” Twilight stopped mid-sentence, not wanting the crystal to repeat itself again, “…his puzzle.”

“That’s right, but what in the hay does a tiny house, loved-ones, newborn eyes, and a rock quarry all have in common?” asked Applejack.

“Ooo! Ooo! I take care of the Cake’s children all the time!” Pinkie offered enthusiastically. “They have newborn eyes and loved ones, but I don’t know if I’d call their house tiny.”

“Pinkie! You’re a genius!” shouted Twilight happily.

“What? You think it’s at the Cake’s house?”

“No, the Cake’s children have newborn eyes and loved ones. Sun Cloak must be talking about his own home; where he was born!”

“Twilight, that could be a little far fetched don’t you think?” asked Rarity.

“I think she’s on to something,” Rainbow Dash defended her purple friend’s claim.

“Alright, but even if she is correct we have no idea where he was born,” reminded Rarity.

“She’s right;” said Twilight dejectedly, “to find that kind of information would take me hours of research in the library.”

“Why don’t you just ask Sun Cloak?” asked Fluttershy quietly.

“That’s a great idea!” Spike agreed.

The young dragon then proceeded to pick up his team’s small ruby and he spoke to it.

“Sun Cloak, where were you born?”

At once the gemstone began to hum and flash as the dull yellow unicorn, always with his sparkling cloak, appeared before the group.

“Where was I born?” mused the ancient stallion as he raised a hoof to his chin, “I was born and raised in the little town of Saddleback. It was a mining town and my parents owned a small eatery in it called The Sun and Stars.”

Sun Cloak vanished as soon as he had appeared, but the group now had the answer to their question.

“I guess that settles it. Since he lived in a mining town, they must have had a rock quarry,” stated Twilight.

“Then let’s get a move on!” shouted Rainbow Dash with a triumphant leap into the air. “Just one question…where is Saddleback?”

“I have no clue,” Twilight shrugged.

“Twilight,” began Princess Celestia, “why don’t you and your friends come with me to the Royal Archives and we’ll look through the maps we have on file. I’m sure we can find the town there.”

* * * * * * * * *

The small party went with Celestia, but what they found was not what they were expecting. Sprawled across various tabletops were a litany of maps, diagrams, and notes left haphazardly by someone clearly in a hurry.

“Trixie!” exclaimed Rainbow. “She must have figured out the clue and beat us here. We’ve got to hurry or she’ll get to the next one before us too!”

The group set about looking over all the maps that Trixie had left unattended in her great rush.

“I don’t see a Saddleback on these maps,” declared Spike. “Are we sure these are the right ones?”

“If Trixie figured out the puzzle and left these maps so suddenly that she couldn’t put them away, then it’s bound to be here somewhere,” answered Twilight even as she was scanning a fading parchment.

For a few minutes they didn’t have any luck.

“Ooo! Ooo!” shouted Pinkie suddenly while pounding on a map. “Here! I found it! Saddleback!”

The others looked where she was pointing. Sure enough, there was a small black dot with the label ‘Saddleback’ above it.

“And look right next to it,” Rarity pointed slightly above the little dot, “there’s a small mountain; the perfect place for a stone quarry.”

“It would appear that you have found what you were looking for,” began Princess Celestia. “I will make sure to get this mess cleaned up, so don’t worry about that. However, as for transportation, I will again lend you my charioteers. Saddleback doesn’t seem to be much further away than Ponyville, even if it is on the opposite side of Canterlot. But this will be the last ride I will be able to offer you. I do not know where Sun Cloak will send you next and I will need every able body I have at my disposal to keep the peace.”

“Thank you Princess,” said Twilight as she bowed her head toward her glorious mentor.

* * * * * * * * *

The group of seven was off to Saddleback. They were once again soaring through the skies at great speed, thanks to Celestia’s charioteers.

“Trixie may have beaten us to the maps, but at these speeds we’re sure to get to Saddleback first,” commented Rainbow Dash.

“Heh, no kiddin’. Look! I think I already see it!” Applejack pointed down to a blurry spot of color on the ground.

The trip had taken up most of the afternoon, but soon the party found themselves unloading their supplies and waltzing into the small town. The terrain seemed to be more akin to a desert. Small shrub brushes and some skinny trees dotted the landscape. But around the town grew plenty of greenery thanks to a great irrigation system and a deep reservoir full of water.

“Welcome to historic Saddleback,” Spike read a sign as the charioteers took back off to Canterlot, “Population: 134.”

The town itself was a hodgepodge of architectural design spanning different eras in Equestria. Most of the buildings had the tell tale signs of age on them, but some of them looked to be brand new. The streets in the town were mostly dirt roads with one large, central dirt street running through the heart of the original settlement. The seven trotted slowly down this main road, looking for any sort clue that would help them solve Sun Cloak’s riddle.

“It’s so dusty here,” mentioned Rarity, “Good thing I packed the perfect outfit for just this sort of occasion.”

The white unicorn was wearing a light brown outfitted with many pockets. She also had on a large hat that matched her clothes. She looked like she had stepped out of the pages of one of the “Daring Do” adventure books.

“So, what are we lookin’ for exactly?” asked Applejack.

“Anything that could lead us to the answer,” Twilight responded.

Some of the townsfolk were out and about. They watched curiously as the party made their way down the road. Almost all of the inhabitants were earth ponies and they certainly didn’t look like rock miners.

“I don’t like how they’re all looking at us,” Rainbow Dash leaned over to Pinkie Pie and whispered.

“Maybe they just need to hear a happy song,” replied Pinkie and she took a deep breath.

“No! Pinkie! That’ll only draw more attention!” cautioned the cyan pegasus.

“My-” Pinkie started to sing when Applejack interupted.

“Looky yonder!” The orange mare pointed to a building with delight.

Pinkie stopped her song and the group looked up at the structure. In large, but worn, blue and gold painted letters was a name: Sun and Stars Café.

“Good eye Applejack,” encouraged Rarity. “Well come along everypony, it’s beastly hot out here and I could do with something to drink.”

The party entered the old establishment. It had clearly been redone multiple times, but had held fast through the long years nonetheless. A small bell attached to the top of the door jangled as the friends came inside. The cushioned booths were a bit worse for wear, but seemed to be holding together all the same.

“Well howdy!” called a green colored earth mare from behind a counter. “What can I do ya’ for?”

“I am quite parched, do you have anything to drink?” asked Rarity as she strolled up to the counter.

“Why sure we sure do. Best water in all of Saddleback missy.”

“Oh, I suppose water will have to suffice then.”

“K, just one sec.”

The young mare filled up a tall glass with ice cold water and handed it over to the prissy unicorn.

“Anythin’ else I can help y’all with?”

“Actually yes,” began Twilight, “we were told that there was rock quarry somewhere around here?”

“Aw, that old thin’? It’s straight down the road, ya’ can’t miss it, but it’s a long walk. What would ya’ want to go there for anyway? It hasn’t been touched for years.”

“Hold on, I thought this here was a minin’ town,” said Applejack.

“Oh I git it! Y’all must be on one of them historic tours of Equestria!” the pony blindly guessed, “Well let me help ya’ out then. This here town hasn’t been used for minin’ for a long time now. That was back when Saddleback was new. Now a-days Saddleback is a farmin’ community. Best oats ya’ ever did eat.”

“Thank you very much, but just one last question,” Twilight replied gratefully, “Do you know who originally owned this café?”

“Can’t help ya’ much there. The first owners built this place ‘round five hundred or so years ago, I reckon. All I know is that they were entertainers of some sort, maybe musicians. Anythin’ else?”

“No, I think we’re good. Thank you again for your time,” Twilight thanked the helpful mare and then turned to leave.

The rest of the group followed behind their purple companion.

“My pleasure, and, hey, don’t be a stranger. Come on back again sometime!” the green pony called out with a cheerful wave.

“So what now Twilight?” asked Spike when they were back outside on the road.

“I suppose we’ll just keep walking toward the quarry. I don’t know anywhere else we could start at.”

The group again began their walk down the large dirt street. After a few minutes in the hot sun, a large grey colored cliff with a smooth cut face began to appear in the distance, the quarry was in sight. They took a few more steps forward when something totally unexpected happened: Sun Cloak’s ruby hummed and sputtered to life and appeared before not only the group, but also the entire town.

“Welcome to Saddleback!” said the translucent stallion. “I don’t know if it’s still in tact by the time you hear this message, but even if it isn’t I want to welcome you to my home town. This quaint village is a mining town and…”

Sun Cloak blabbered on about Saddleback, but the group wasn’t paying much attention to the unicorn. If anypony in the town hadn’t been watching the Royal Treasure Seekers before, they certainly were now.

“Shut it off! Shut it off!” rasped Rainbow Dash desperately as she waved her hooves around and tried to hide Sun Cloak’s image with her wings.

“I don’t know how!” Spike replied as he clicked on the ruby frantically with his claws.

Suddenly, Pinkie’s head lunged toward the tiny ruby and she ate the gem.

“Pinkie! Wh-What are you doing?” Spike jumped back startled, with a slobbery claw.

“Mmhhm…rrff...immmin…hngg,” she mumbled back.

Sun Cloak’s muffled voice could still be heard rambling on from inside the pink pony’s mouth.

“Spit it out!” cried Rainbow Dash.

“Ptooie!”

The gemstone hit the dirt and landed safely at Fluttershy’s feet.

“What was that all about?” Rainbow Dash moved over to confront Pinkie.

“I thought you wanted it to be quiet, so I made it quiet.”

“But not like that!”

Sun Cloak’s message came to an end and his image faded away in the dusty streets. The villagers were stunned as they stared wide-eyed at the strange group who had come into their town. Suddenly, a young teen-aged stallion rushed forward with some of his friends.

“Grab the crystal! We still have a chance at the treasure!” he shouted.

Four ponies surged forward with the brash youth, focused solely on the Royal Treasure Seeker’s ruby. As the ponies grew closer, a yellow barrier formed around the seven friends. The rambunctious youths bounced harmlessly off of the strange yellow bubble.

“Twilight, was that you?” Applejack whispered.

“No,” Twilight said and shook her head in disbelief.

Her wide eyes told that she was just as shocked as the rest. The barrier held fast even as Sun Cloak’s voice boomed through the air all around.

“My magic will protect the seven teams until the end of the hunt. Let this be a warning to you!”

The warning echoed angrily throughout the small town. The young hooligans screamed and ran away while the rest of the town took a few steps away from the strangers in their midst. The yellow barrier detracted and Spike picked the ruby out of the dirt and dusted it off with new-found appreciation. The friends trotted speedily toward the quarry as the villagers’ eyes followed their every move.

Next Chapter: Chapter 7: The Quarry Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 47 Minutes