In the middle of Autumn season, around the 40th day (roughly the end of October), the Apple family at Sweet Apple Acres went on their trip to Nimbuscait, a good 300 kilotrots north of Ponyville. Several ponies packed up and eagerly marched to the railway station and boarded the train. While the adult mares and stallions delighted in visiting their relatives far away, the fillies, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were fearful and apprehensive of what they were to expect. From the stories Applegem told them, they would have stayed in Ponyville while Applejack, Big Mack, Granny Smith and a bunch of others went off.

Applebloom asked if she and Sweetie Belle could stay with Scootaloo and her parents, but Applejack sternly said no.

So in the thick of pouring rain and dense fog, they boarded the train and switched to their next train at the town of Risette. They stayed overnight at a place called the Trainstay Inn, a barn furnished to accommodate passengers waiting trains. The next morning, the Apples boarded the westbound train for Nimbuscait. Early in the afternoon, the train crossed over the 500-trot wide Arod River, and virtually into another world. Most ponies not from Nimbuscait felt like they travelled back in time whenever they crossed the border from Arod County to its east, or Abille County to the south (Ponyville County was south of Abille Co.)

First thing one would see was the huge stone wall and fortified towers built into the shore along the Arod river. At the location where the rail tracks crossed the river, huge religious monuments and signs written with stern warnings welcomed incoming travellers. At points where roads crossed into Nimbuscait, border stations were set up, along with gates. Ponies trotting in and out of Numbuscait, most of them local traders and merchants, were closely scrutinized by the zealous border guards, bent on preserving the historic culture in their homeland. The trains went straight on through, and stopped at the station outside of Nimbuscait City.

Ponies here wore clothes, and kept a puritan like fashion. It was a requirement to wear clothes in Nimbuscait, and if a pony didn’t he or she was severely punished if not scrutinized, shamed, condemned, preached, or ostracized. The Trainstay Inn at Risette had its own little shop full of new and used clothing. Apparently, regulation required that all ponies entering or passing through Nimbuscait had to have at least one set of clothes in possession. Then, at Bristle Thatch, the last stop before Nimbuscait, was a “mandatory shop” for those without adequate clothing. The train crew kicked off anypony who failed or refused to purchase an outfit. Doing so saved their own flanks from the wrath of the deranged priests who ruled the county.

The first thing Sweetie Belle felt as the train passed through the gate was a chill. She gazed out the window as the train steamed through the dark farmlands. Most fields were all but mud, already harvested and planted for next spring. Distant lamps lit up the fields, and could barely make out shapes of ponies patrolling their fields. The stormy night shrouded the huge lake just behind the thin patch of forest behind the fields. It was early in the morning, about 60° (8:00am), and it was still nearly dark out.

5° (50 minutes) later, the train lurched to a stop, its wheels belching a metallic screech along the tracks as it pulled into the station.
”Nimbuscait, folks.” called the conductor on the PA speaker.

“C’mon Applebloom, Apple Belle. Up ‘n’ at ‘em.” Applejack barked, rousing Applebloom and Sweetie Belle from their sleep. Granny Smith went ahead and left the train. A few minutes later, they were out on the platform in the chilly morning wind. Sweetie Belle shivered uncomfortably in her dress and coat. She tried to pull the bonnet tighter over her head to keep the icy wind out, but that did no good. Fully afraid, she instinctively kept close to Applejack.
The soldiers, big bulky stallions donned in armor and religious tabards, inspected everypony who got off. Several more boarded the train to check the passengers onboard and search their luggage.
“Applejack Sweet Apple...” the guard said as he wrote AJ’s name on a waxboard.
“Yessir,”
“And who are these two?”
“These’r mah two sisters, Applebloom and Applebelle.”

The guard nodded but snarled when he saw Sweetie Belle’s horn. He then cast Applejack a stern glance.

“Ah know, sir. But they don’t do dehornings in Ponyville.”

Sweetie Belle immediately stepped behind Applejack in a futile effort to hide from the prying eyes of the guard.

“...that’s why Ah brought her.”

The guard grunted as he thought, then replied, “Very well. Make the proper arrangements then. If that unicorn casts a single spark of magic, it will be put to death, am I clear?”

“Y-yes, sir,” Applejack stuttered.

The guard nodded his dismissal. Applejack looked back, and saw Sweetie Belle walking back through the crowd of ponies to the train. It was a half-assed attempt to slither away, but the crowd parted to give her space- fearful of her being a unicorn. Nimbuscait was not unicorn-friendly territory.

“Stay here!” she barked at Applebloom, then bolted after Sweetie Belle. She caught the filly just in the nick of time as she was about to sneak aboard the train. Applejack bit Sweetie Belle on the ear and violently yanked her away from the train. Sweetie cried in pain as Applejack dragged her by the ear back towards the guard and Applebloom.

“Ow, you’re hurting me, lemme go!”
“You shut yer yap, Apple Belle!” Applejack snarled in her ear. “You sneak off like that again, anypony will take you an’ burn you at the stake!”

“You sure you got a handle on that unicorn?” the guard asked sternly.
“Yes-yessir,” Applejack stuttered nervously.

“Then take it and begone!” the guard ordered.

The trio walked out of the station and joined Granny Smith who was chatting away with the family members who came to the station to meet them. Applegem was among them.

“Ah’d like you to meet my grandfilly Applejack,” Granny Smith said, nodding to AJ. “And the two darling fillies here are Applebloom and Apple Belle.”

“My, Applebloom, you’ve grown up so much! Last time I saw you, you were just a wee little one,” the creaky old grey mare commented.
“And these ponyfolk here are Applesteam, Apple Canelle, Apple Poppins, and Applegem,” Granny smith introduced the four to Applejack and the fillies.
“Howdy, nice to meet y’all.” Applejack said with a nervous smile.
“We missed you, Applejack,” ‘Gem said in her creepy cordial accent.
Apple Poppins, the old grey mare cast a stern look at Sweetie Belle, and the others did the same.

“Annie Smith,” Applesteam stated sternly, “Why have you brought a unicorn into our town? And why in Equestria does AJ say she’s her sister?”

“We adopted her. Her mother, er- Ah mean her sister who she was living with was killed in a fire. Ah thought it would be good to introduce her to y’all, and get her to know the Apple family. She’s too young to be casting magic, and therefore won’t be a problem, Ah assure ya.”

Applesteam wasn’t convinced and still cast her death glare down at Sweetie Belle, who cowered behind Applebloom.
“Annie Smith, you know unicorns aren’t welcome here in Nimbuscait. Applejack?” Applegem prompted.
“Ah, yes, we brought here to have her dehorned. Nopony will do it back home.”

Granny Smith would have blasted Applejack for that, but not infront of their relatives.

“I think we should get going,” Apple Poppins urged uneasily, “Looks as thought it might rain again.”

As the group began to walk along the dark cobbled streets, Applesteam glared at Sweetie Belle, and hissed, “I’m watching you, don’t you dare get any ideas.”