It's the middle of the evening as the Mane 7 plus Spike were on a trip to visit Applejack's relatives in Appleloosa. They all took the trip by train as four Earth pony stallions were pulling the train to reach their destination. In the back of the train, Applejack was currently reading a bedtime story to someone. . . or something.

And that's when the yellow birdie thought to himself, "Hmm. My favorite little tree isn't such a little tree anymore." So she sang her song, big and strong, and they all lived in that great, big tree happily ever after. The. . . end.

It is revealed that what Applejack was reading a bedtime story to was an apple tree that she brought along for the trip and named it Bloomberg. As she tucked it into a bed, someone cleared their throat to get Applejack's attention and it revealed to be (Y/N) who had a confused look on his face.

Applejack, were you just reading that tree. . . a bedtime story?

Uh. . . well, ya know, bein' replanted in a whole new place is very upsettin' for a tree. . . and Bloomberg here is one of my favorites.

*sigh* Listen Applejack, I actually came in hear to ask if you can actually let Rarity sleep in here.

What? Why?

For some reason, she won't stop complaining about how loud the other ponies are in the same car we're sleeping in. She constantly kept nagging me to try and convince you to give up the private sleeper car.

Sorry, no can do (Y/N). Bloomberg's the whole reason we're makin' this trip. He needs his rest so we can give him as a gift to my relatives in Appleloosa.

You say that like it's your baby or something.

Who you callin' a baby mister?! Bloomberg's no baby!

Applejack then rushed over and cuddle with the said apple tree.

Don't wet widdle (Y/N) make you all saddy-waddy. Bloomberg's a big and strong apple tree. Yes, he is. A-coochie-coochie-coo-coo-coo!

(Y/N) just simply gave a look of "are you serious" to Applejack.

You make my point for me.

(Y/N) then walks back to the main car where the rest of the Mane 7 were as Rarity was delighted to see him come back to her.

(Y/N), darling! So did Applejack allow me to sleep in the back luxurious sleeper car?!

Um. . . uh. . . nope.

(Y/N) then covered his ears with his wings as he knew what was going to happen next. Rarity had a shocked look on her face as she then screamed so loud that even the Earth ponies pulling the train could hear her.

WHAAAAT?!

I knew that was going to happen.

Well, this is just unexceptable! Applejack gives that luxurious, private sleeper car for some silly tree, while I am in here with our uncouth friends. How am I supposed to get my beauty sleep?!

I don't know. Why don't you just play along with them until you get tired enough to get sleep?

Darling, I am not some hyperactive filly. A lady needs her beauty sleep when she says so.

I have a feeling that this will be a long, long night.

It was now nighttime as Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Fluttershy, and (Y/N) were still up talking to each other while Rarity and Spike were both getting annoyed from their conversations.

Oh man, we're going fast! This is so exciting, I can't even wait!

The other ponies agreed to that as they were all now talking pretty loud. Rarity was not comfortable at all as she puts her pillow over her head.

*sighs* For crying out loud in the morning!

Spike was also irritated by the loud talking as he got from under the blanket with an unhappy look on his face.

*groans* Do you guys mind? I was up early fire-roasting those snacks you're all eating, and I'm pooped!

Uh, speaking of, some of these popcorn kernels didn't get popped.

Okay, fine. . .

Spike then breathes out a stream of fire at Rainbow Dash's popcorn which incinerated it and one popcorn popped at Rainbow Dash's eye.

Good night!

Spike then goes back under the covers while the rest of the group were surprised by Spike's attitude.

Geez, some dragon's grumpy.

Uhh. . . maybe it's time we all got a little shut-eye. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.

Agreed. Good night everypony.

Twilight then turns out the lights which made everypony else disappointed and soon enough both (Y/N) and Spike were fast asleep, however Spike had pretty loud snoring. However, everypony else was not asleep.

*whispers* Psst! Pinkie Pie, you asleep yet?

*whispers* No, are you asleep yet?

Rainbow Dash then appears with a lit candle she's holding.

*whispers* If I was sleeping, how could I have asked you if you were asleep?

*whispers* Oh yeah! *giggles*

*whispers* I know some of us want to sleep with (Y/N), so I thought maybe we could all take probably one hour of the night each to sleep beside him.

*whispers* Oooh. Good idea, we can each cuddle with him without him noticing.

What's going on?

Rainbow Dash said we could all sleep with (Y/N) for an hour of the night each.

Great idea, but how will we be able to do that without waking him up?

Huh. Y'know I didn't think that through yet?

Twilight, do you know a spell that can keep someone asleep?

No, not really.

Oooh. I'd like to sleep with (Y/N) as well.

Oh, for Pete's sake! Enough with all of your love fantasies already!

Spike had enough with all of the noise as he jumped out of his bed and headed for the back of the train car.

Well that was kind of huffy.

Huffy the magic dragon!

The girls giggled at Fluttershy's little joke as their giggling woke (Y/N) up a bit.

Ummm. . . were you girls just talking about sleeping with me?

The girls all looked at each other with huge blushes on their faces and they started to indistinctly speak to deny (Y/N)'s assumption while Rarity was even more irritated than before.

Would you all be quiet. . . NOW?!

The ponies see Rarity wearing a mud mask with cucumbers on her eyes which scared them a little and they all blow out the candle to get to sleep.

The next morning, the Mane 7 were almost at Appleloosa and they were still sleeping, until a loud rumble caused some of them to jump out of their beds confusing them.

Talk about a rude awakening. What was that?

Everypony then looks outside of a window to see a bunch of buffalo running beside the train.

A buffalo stampede!

I just love their accessories!

Actually, their getting awfully close to the train.

The buffalo stampede then tried to knock over the ponies pulling the train and some also were trying to knock over the train cars that the Mane 7 were in causing them to tumble inside all over the place.

Everypony brace yourselves! This is about to be a bumpy ride!

In the back car where Spike was sleeping with Bloomberg, he couldn't hear nor feel the stampede trying to knock over the train as he kept snoring. Back in the car where the Mane 7 were sleeping, they all looked outside once again to see the buffalo now getting on top of each other.

Oooh, looky! Now they're doing tricks!

The ponies then notice one small female buffalo that had a light brilliant tangelo coat, a light brilliant gamboge mane, dark grayish reddish brown eyes, dark gray hooves, and she was wearing a purple and white headband with two feathers on it. Her name was Little Strongheart.

She hopped all the way on top of the buffalo so that she would get to the height of the train.

Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Now do a backflip!

Little Strongheart just jumps onto the train and starts heading for the back of the train.

Or. . . just jump?

Hmm. . . Something tells me this isn't a circus act.

Yeah, you might be right. Dash, come with me. The rest of you, stay in the train car. We'll try and contain the stampede or at least find out the reason why they're trying to knock us down.

The ponies nodded as (Y/N) and Rainbow Dash fly out of the train car to go on top of it and (Y/N) then flies down in front of Little Strongheart blocking her path.

What's going on here?

Little Strongheart ignores (Y/N) as she just jumps over him which confuses him. Rainbow Dash then flies towards where she was running.

Wow, you're pretty quick for someone so. . . bulky. No offense.

Huh?

Rainbow Dash then blocks her path in front of her.

I just wanna know-

Little Strongheart doesn't listen and just runs past Rainbow Dash.

Hey!

(Y/N) then flies to block Little Strongheart once again.

Can you just explain, what are you-

Little Strongheart jumps and does a couple of flips over (Y/N) which surprised him.

Whoa! She's not only fast, but she's also acrobatic.

No time for being surprised by her skills!

Right.

(Y/N) and Rainbow Dash then both try to fly as fast as they can after Little Strongheart, but as soon as they were both about to catch her, she throws them off guard by hopping onto the back car. This caused both Rainbow Dash and (Y/N) to slam into a railroad crossing sign and they both fell to the ground.

Seeing that she took care of the two ponies, Little Strongheart then disconnects the back car of the train that was carrying both Spike and the apple tree, Bloomberg. She then whistles to get the buffalo to change their course of running as they headed back to get the train car.

The mares that were on the train were surprised by what happened, but Applejack was the most surprised.

*gasps* They've got Bloomberg!

Spike then appears on a window as he woke up.

Heeelp!

And Spike!

Both Rainbow Dash and (Y/N) then both got up from the ground in pain and they both saw Spike in the train car getting pulled away by the buffalo.

They've taken Spike!

Dragon-napping Spike. I'll show her!

Rainbow Dash then felt her ear in a pain as she rubs it a little. (Y/N) then helps her up from the ground.

Are you alright, Dash?

My ear is sore, but other than that, I've fine.

Good.

So what now?

I know that our friends are probably worried about us, but we can't just leave Spike in that car. And they also took the tree.

Well, what the heck are we waiting for out here? We should be chasing them down.

Rainbow Dash was about to fly off, but (Y/N) uses his magic to stop her from moving.

We can't rush in there. Those buffalo are smart, so we have to do this the strategic way, alright?

Rainbow Dash pouts at that.

Ugh, fine.

Meanwhile, the rest of the mares even though Pinkie Pie somehow disappeared, finally arrived in Appleloosa which was a large Western-like small town.

As soon as the train came to a stop, the mares rush out of the train and they immediately run into Applejack's cousin, Braeburn. Braeburn was an Earth pony with a light gold coat, brilliant gamboge mane and tail with brilliant amber highlights, brilliant pistachio eyes, his Cutie Mark was a single apple, and he was wearing a cowboy hat and a cowboy vest around his front body.

Hey there! Welcome ta A-A-ppleloosa!

Braeburn, listen-

Braeburn interrupted Applejack as he kept on talking.

Cousin Applejack, mind yer manners, you have yet ta introduce me to your compadres! Shame on you!

Braeburn, listen, somethin' terrible's happened-

Terrible is right, your train is a full seven minutes late! That's seven minutes less for you to delight in the pleasures and wonders of. . . A-A-A-ppleloosa!

Everypony sees that the ponies of Appleloosa were like Braeburn wearing cowboy or cowgirl attire. Braeburn then quickly pushes the mares to a different location in Appleloosa.

Boggles the mind, we settler ponies built all this in just the past year, don't it?! And as you can see, we have all of the finest comforts. Like horse-drawn carriages!

The mares look to see a stallion named Black Stone pulling a carriage until he stop.

Okay, you pull now.

Another stallion named Noteworthy then emerges from the window of the carriage.

Aww, we just switched.

And those there are horse-drawn horse-drawn carriages.

The mare then see some ponies drawing some of the carriages on canvases.

. . .Listen, Braeburn, I-

Applejack words fell on deaf ears as Braeburn pushes them to another location in Appleloosa where they are now in front of a building that gives salt.

And here's our local waterin' hole, the Salt Block.

A pony names Morton Saltworthy then kicks another pony out of the Salt Block.

That's enough salt for you!

Can't I at least. . . get a glass of water?

Braeburn then pushes the mares to another building that was the office of the sheriff.

Over there's the office of Sheriff Silverstar.

Sheriff Silverstar was an Earth pony who had light azure eyes, a dark amber mane and tail, a grayish amber coat, his Cutie Mark was a sheriff star badge, he was mulberryish black cowboy hat, and he was wearing a moderate cobalt blue vest with a badge on the left side of his vest, and a red bandanna around his neck.

Braeburn once again pushes the mares and this time it was at an open field where a bunch of ponies were doing Western style dances and another open field where ponies were dancing in a more slow pace.

And here's where we have our wild west dances! And here's where we have our mild west dances!

But, Braeburn, we-

Braeburn then pushes the mares one last time for them to see an apple orchard in front of them.

And here's the most wonderful sight in all of. . . A-A-A-ppleloosa! Our apple orchard.

Braeburn!

First harvest should be any day now.

Braebu-

Good thing too!

Brae-

'Cause we need that grub to live on!

BRAEBURN!

Uh, yes cuz?

You have a very nice town an' all, but we have a hu-uge problem! Some of our friends are missin'!

A stampede of buffalo.

Hearing the word "buffalo" got Braeburn's attention.

They took Spike!

Rainbow Dash and (Y/N) went after them!

And we can't find Pinkie Pie.

And we had an apple tree with us for your orchard, but they took that too!

Did you say. . . buffalo? *sighs* Them buffalo, they want us settler ponies to take every single tree you see here off this land. They sure as hay don't want any new ones added in.

But why?

Beats me. We put a lot of hard work into this land, so we can feed our town, our families, our foals! And now they're sayin' all these trees have to go? T'ain't fair. . .

The mares had sympathetic looks for Braeburn about the situation that Appleloosa was in with the buffalo.

Back with Rainbow Dash and (Y/N), they were both sneaking around some rocks to try their best to play it safe and not be seen. (Y/N) then glows his horn to try and sense Spike.

I can sense Spike's energy, he's definitely not to far from here.

Hey, (Y/N). When did you get the ability to sense our energy like that?

Beats me. One day I was just practicing some magic spells and someone knocked on my door and somehow something just made some involuntary sense inside me and all of a sudden, I could tell that it was Pinkie at my door.

Wow! You've got some awesome powers, (Y/N).

Heh, thanks. Now let's continue to try and get Spike and that tree back.

Yeah, I can't wait to get my hooves on that little buffalo. Nobody tricks Rainbow Dash or (Y/N) and gets away with it.

Did someone say Pinkie?!