The capture of Black Bronc was the cause for much celebration in the town of O.K. He had been terrifying the countryside for weeks now, and his imprisonment represented a turning point. Even the nearby buffalo tribe, drawn in by the commotion, joined in on the celebration when they realized one of the few ponies who had the raw strength to fight a buffalo was no longer a threat.

His imprisonment had been a massive undertaking, requiring three teams of ponies to tie him up and drag his unconscious body back to O.K. The task quickly became dangerous when, just as they entered town, the mighty stallion awoke and began struggling against his bonds, bringing down an entire team with one powerful motion. It was only with the immediate assistance of several buffalo and a team of griffons, armed with lassos and led by Doc, that they managed to bring the beast down and lock him in chains.

Filly the Kid, on the other hoof, had been much easier to deal with. She had been placed in a baby swing with a bar across the front, held in place with a child safety lock. The diminutive villain screamed, cursed, and flailed about in her seat, but was rendered helpless and finally settled into a grumpy mood.

With the two bandits locked away, an impromptu party broke out on the main street, with the Pinkietons at the center of it. Suddenly, gone were the suspicious looks and wary gazes; now the townsfolk were ready to welcome the newcomers with open arms. Caught up in a festive spirit, the Pinkietons pulled out their instruments and began playing for the crowd. Soon the entire town had joined in, swinging and dancing in the street or bringing an instrument of their own to join the band. Even the divisions between the townsfolk seemed to vanish in the midst of the celebration.

Afternoon turned to evening as the party went on with no signs of slowing down. Vinyl and Octavia were taking a break from playing, sitting on the sidelines with a mug of cider each and looks of satisfaction on their faces. Both of them watched Watt Sun and Sharp Eye dance together in the middle of the crowd, swinging each other around and lost in the joyous moment as the band sang, “Well I hope Messy Manes will remember, a western mare don’t need her around anyhow...”

“Nopony can say we Pinkietons don’t know how to party,” Vinyl remarked, taking a swig of cider. “Look at Watt and Sharp go!”

Octavia grinned and closed her eyes, resting her head against the wooden post beside her. After all the tension of the past couple of days, it felt good to relax and let the stress ebb away. The lanterns the townsfolk had brought out cast a soft light over the street as the last remnants of daylight faded away in a soft purple light over the western horizon. The cellist exhaled slowly, savoring the peace.

It was not to last. The festive spirit was quickly cut off by a loud ‘bang!’ that rang through the air, causing everyone to duck low to the ground in alarm. The music abruptly stopped and everyone on the street looked up fearfully to see that a newcomer had entered their midst. Standing at the edge of the lantern light was a strong looking unicorn mare with a pale yellow coat and an unkempt mane of frizzy hair. She wore a vicious sneer and was levitating a black hoof cannon beside her that was still smoking from the blast it shot. Even from a distance, one could make out the golden, curly writing on the side of the cannon that reflected the light of the lanterns: ‘M.M.’

“Goooood evening, fillies and gentlecolts!” Messy Manes’ voice was raspy but her tone was jubilant as she smiled widely at the cowering townsfolk before her. She took a step towards the crowd, causing some ponies and mules to slowly back away while others remained rooted to the spot. “Seems y’all having a little celebration here! Well, what’s the occasion?”

No one spoke. The villain looked around, still grinning like mad. “Y’know,” she continued as she scratched her chin with her cannon, as if deep in thought, “I seem to have lost track of a couple friends of mine. Last I heard, they were supposed to be coming through here. Now y’all wouldn’t happen to have seen them, would you?”

Everyone remained silent. Messy Manes’ smile seemed to only grow wider. With a flourish, she aimed her cannon at the saloon and let off a blast of bright orange magic. It exploded on impact with the building, erupting into a huge fireball which threatened to engulf half of the facade. The crowd scampered, some diving for any barrel or cart or building or anything to shield them from view of the villain while some pushed back to the edges of the street to give them a wide berth. The bartender of the saloon watched on in shock, his horrified expression sharply illuminated in the glow of the fire.

Messy Manes chortled. “Whoops.” The sound of liquor bottles bursting inside the saloon could be heard out on the street. A moment later, a sign hanging over the front door fell to the ground in a burning heap of wood. The flickering light of the flames cast dark, wavering shadows over the street, but Messy Manes’ grin could still be made out through the darkness that shrouded her face. “Now that’s a shame. But that’s what happens to damn liars.”

Quiet Earp and Doc stepped forward out of the crowd, both clutching lassos as their eyes blazed, reflecting the roaring fire before them. Quiet muttered through the rope clenched between his teeth, “If you think I’m gonna stand by and watch you destroy my town—”

“Don’t worry sheriff, I’ll be out of your mustache soon enough,” Messy Manes said with a chuckle. “I’m just here for the Pinkietons.”

Octavia and Vinyl stepped forward to stand beside Quiet and Doc, both holding their instruments. Vinyl raised her guitar, giving the villain a cocky grin. “If you want us...”

Octavia drew an arrow against the string of her musical bow, aiming at Messy Manes. “Come and claim us.”

There was a sudden loud ‘click!’ and a gruff voice called out, “Don’t even think about it, Pinkieton.” Vinyl and Octavia turned to see two ponies standing on a nearby rooftop, clearly illuminated. One was a handsome, reddish brown-coated unicorn stallion with a white face and hooves, wearing a fedora and aiming a magically-powered rifle at the Pinkietons. But it was the mare standing next to him that caught the agents’ attention. She was a familiar earth pony with a cream-colored coat and a curly mane that was equal parts blue and bright pink. She was holding a slingshot and aiming what appeared to be a wrapped candy, similar to the ones that adorned her flank.

“Bon Bon?!” Vinyl exclaimed. “What the hay are you doing here?!”

“Bon Bon?” the mare replied, looking confused. “Oh hay no, I’m Bonnie! I don’t go for that cutesy stuff. The only Bon Bon I know is my loser sister of a copper in San Franciscolt.”

“I suppose candy runs in the family,” Octavia muttered, eyeing the small treat that the robber was threatening them with.

“Drop your weapons!” the stallion yelled, brandishing his rifle.

“Drop your weapons!” came the voice of Sharp Eye. She and Watt Sun were standing in the street, staring up at the two bandits. Watt Sun had his kazoo clenched between his teeth, while Sharp Eye was wearing an ammunition belt across her chest that was equipped with frosting packets, party horns, birthday candles, and a rubber duck. Both were holding cupcakes in a throwing stance. “Back down or we assault you with cake!”

Bonnie quickly aimed her slingshot at Sharp Eye and Watt Sun. “Clyde,” she muttered to the stallion beside her, “any of them move, you just start shooting.”

“You got it, sweetums,” Clydesdale replied, keeping Vinyl and Octavia in his sights.

“Why should I be scared of you?” Sharp Eye mocked. “We at least have baked goods. You’re threatening us with an itty-bitty piece of candy!”

In response, Bonnie narrowed her eyes and let go of the small, wrapped candy in her slingshot, flinging it directly at Sharp Eye. The young mare didn’t react, but Watt Sun’s eyes widened in terror when he noticed that one of the wrapped ends of the candy was lit on fire.

“Get down!” he yelled, shoving Sharp Eye out of the way. He managed to dodge the candy just before it hit the ground, exploding in a blast that left a small crater in the street and covered the two Pinkietons in chocolate and caramel shrapnel. The onlooking crowd began to scatter in earnest, with many shrieking and diving for cover in the nearest building. Octavia spun around, aiming her arrow at Bonnie and Clydesdale while Vinyl looked on in shock.

“What the hay was that?!” the DJ yelped.

“My own personal invention,” Bonnie boasted, grabbing another wrapped candy and loading it in her slingshot. “Bon-Bombs.”

“That figures,” Vinyl muttered while Watt Sun helped a blushing Sharp Eye to her hooves.

“You know, we really should stop all this fighting,” Messy Manes remarked. “I really just came here to leave a message.”

“And what would that be?” Octavia asked, glaring down the bandit.

Messy Manes gave her a wicked grin. “I’m here for my fellers, the ones you have locked up somewhere in town. I’d like them back, please.”

Vinyl snorted. “Yeeeeeah. That’s not gonna happen.”

The villain raised her cannon at the DJ. “You be careful what you say, Canterloon. You’re playing with fire here. Now I want y’all to free my ponies, then turn around and head back where you came from. And when y’all get back there, you can tell that blowhard of a prince who hired you that I’m keeping his gold mine.”

“How did you know about that?!” Octavia exclaimed, her eyes widening. “How did you find out we were coming?”

Messy Manes chuckled. “A little birdie told me.” She paused, then spotted the glare Octavia was giving her. “No, seriously. A carrier pigeon delivered me a note.”

“And who sent you that note?”

“Ah, I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say. But we really should stop all this chit-chat. That fire ain’t gonna put itself out.” Behind her, a crash from within the saloon echoed out onto the street, a sound which was accompanied by a sad moan from the bartender, who had yet to take his eyes off his burning saloon.

“And I want to make something else clear here,” Messy Manes continued. “Anypony, any mule, and any griffon caught helping, aiding, or even speaking to these here Pinkietons will get the same fate they will.” At her proclamation, those in the crowd closest to Octavia and Vinyl immediately backed away from them, refusing to make eye contact with the Pinkietons. The cellist felt a pang in her heart at the sight.

“You bloody cowards!” Doc bellowed, seething at the sight of the townsfolk backing away. “Stand up for your own homes!”

Messy Manes laughed. “Actually Doc, I think I’ll leave you for Gretchen! I’m sure you two will want to catch up!”

Even in the orange glow of the fire, the Pinkietons could clearly see Doc’s face pale considerably. But he remained defiant, muttering through clenched teeth, “You can tell that buck-beaked runt I’ll take her on any day.”

“I’m sure she’ll be thrilled,” the bandit replied. “But enough chit-chat. Where are my fellers?”

“There’s no way we’re lettin’ your bandits go,” Quiet Earp muttered. “You’ll have to raze the town before you get to ‘em.”

“Careful what you wish for, sheriff,” Messy Manes said, teasing her cannon in Quiet’s direction. “I’ll do it, and I’ll make you live with the consequences. Are you sure you want that?”

The sheriff fell silent, swallowing hard at the bandit’s words. It was at that moment that Watt Sun unexpectedly stepped forward. “Hold on, maybe we could reach some sort of compromise. There’s no need to put the town in jeopardy here.”

There was a tense moment before Messy Manes replied. “...I’m listening.”

“You want us to leave, and we don’t want to release your fellows for their attacks against the town,” the Pinkieton calmly explained. “What if we return to Canterlot, never to return, but we take Pretty Colt Bolt, Filly the Kid, and Black Bronc back with us, to face trial in Canterlot?”

“What?!” Vinyl and Doc yelled simultaneously, but Watt Sun quickly held up a hoof to silence them.

“That’s my offer,” he stated. “You let us return on the next train to Canterlot, with our prisoners, and we’ll stay away for good.”

Messy Manes scratched her chin with her cannon, silently considering Watt Sun. “Tell you what, I’m a generous mare. I find your terms quite agreeable. Tomorrow, you take the first train out of here, and we’ll call it even.” She began to turn away, but then glanced back. “But if you’re not gone by tomorrow afternoon,” she growled, “I will return to burn this town to the ground.”

Messy Manes trotted away in earnest, quickly passing beyond the light of the fire. The Pinkietons glanced up to see that Bonnie and Clydesdale had vanished while everypony’s attention was focused on Messy.

With the threat over, the townsfolk hurried to put out the fire, moving quickly to pull buckets of water out of the town’s well and dump them on the saloon before the fire could spread to the neighboring buildings. Several griffons began lifting piles of sand into the air, flinging them down onto the building. With every bucket of water or pile of sand thrown on, a great plume of black smoke rose into the air, but the flames slowly receded.

But even as the heat of the fire died down, the exchange between the Pinkietons was becoming more heated by the second.

“We hired you to finish a job!” Doc hollered into Watt Sun’s face. “Not scamper at the first sign of trouble!”

Watt Sun opened his mouth. “It’s—”

“Are you insane, Watt?” Vinyl said forcefully. “We’re not leaving with that mare loose!”

“But—”

“What the hay were you thinking?!” the DJ continued. “Are you an idiot?!”

“I—”

“Don’t call Watt Sun an idiot!” Octavia scolded. “You of all ponies have no right to insult him!”

“Could—”

“Oh, big surprise, Ms. Goody Four-Shoes standing up the nice, polite stallion,” Vinyl scoffed.

“If I may—”

“Exactly what are you implying?” the cellist asked hotly.

“HEY!” Sharp Eye bellowed, silencing the two musicians. “If you two would hush up for two seconds, I think Watt Sun has something he wants to say.” She glanced over at the stallion, who smiled bashfully.

“Err, right. Listen, I know you’re angry with me, but I think I just bought us some time.”

The next morning, a freight train was sitting at O.K. Station, the engine puffing smoke into the air as it idled, waiting to depart. At the back of the train was a large stock car with steel shutters on the side, painted a metal grey with the words ‘PRISONER TRANSPORT’ printed on the side.

Vinyl, Octavia, Watt Sun, and Sharp Eye each approached the station platform before entering the train car. Unbeknownst to them, their progress was carefully watched by a group of figures crouched on a bluff overlooking the town. With a groan of the wheels and a great chugging from the engine, the train slowly began to move out of the station, beginning its journey over the mountain pass and across the desert beyond town. The figures on the bluff quietly retreated as the train left O.K. behind.

Several minutes passed as the train traveled through the mountain pass, uneventfully chugging its way along the winding railroad. It passed through a short tunnel before emerging in the desert plains on the other side of the mountains. It was there that the peaceful trip was quickly ended.

A fiery explosion suddenly erupted ahead of the train, blasting a cloud of dust and a section of train track high into the air. The engineer of the train had little time to react. He pulled the emergency brake, but there simply wasn’t enough distance for the train to avoid crashing. The engineer leapt out of the train just before it hit.

With a horrible screech of metal, the engine tumbled into the small crater left behind by the explosion, landing on its side with a boom that echoed across the plains. The next couple of cars were taken down with the engine, smashing against it and spilling their contents in a terrible explosion of wood and metal fragments. The next two cars tumbled onto the growing pile of wreckage, flipping over and landing atop the remnants of the other cars with a violent crash. For what seemed like ages, the air was filled with the screech of the rest of the train cars skidding to an abrupt halt and the thunderous thuds of cars derailing and landing on their sides as a huge cloud of dust engulfed the scene, hiding it from view.

At last, the cacophony ended and a thick silence settled over the scene. The dust began to clear, revealing the twisted wreck of what had been a train. But while the front half of the train had been torn asunder and flung on top of itself like so many toys, the rear half remained intact, sitting undamaged on the tracks. The prisoner transport car was among those lucky cars.

A group of nearly a dozen ponies rapidly descended from the mountains overlooking the scene, charging at the train. Each wore a bandana and was clutching a weapon, moving quickly towards the wreck. They stealthily approached the prisoner transport car, with one grasping the handle of the door while the others braced themselves. On the leader’s signal, the door was flung open and they charged inside.

It was empty. Gray, featureless walls were all the ponies found inside.

Bonnie pulled her bandana off her face, looking around in confusion. “What the hay? Where are they?”

Messy Manes pulled off her own bandana, her eyes narrowing at the sight of something on the ground. It was a small note, taped next to a handle embedded in the floor. The bandit pulled on the handle, opening a hatch to reveal the track bed below the train. A device with a flashing red light was planted on the bottom of the trap door. Messy Manes snatched the note off the floor and read:

You shouldn’t break a promise with a Pinkie.

“Messy?” Clydesdale asked. “What is it?”

The leader gritted her teeth, her eyes flaring and her horn beginning to glow as she clutched the note in her shaking hooves. Suddenly, the paper burst into flames, reduced to a small cloud of ash that vanished in the breeze. The other bandits backed away hurriedly.

Messy Manes stomped over to the door, stopping to stare out into the distance. After a long, tense moment, she spoke.

“Call out Gretchen.”