While all the girls agreed to go help plant Bloomberg, it took some time to organize everything. So, one week later, all the adults (including Gilda) and Spectrum boarded the train. The CMC had been invited, but at the time, they had not been interested since the trip was mostly for the transplant and not for the sake of getting to actually see what was in town. Spike stayed behind to keep the Library running (and help watch the girls).
The argument that evening caused Spectrum and Gilda to head to the car with Bloomberg (they could still not believe the tree had a name). The next morning resulted in a stolen train car, Rainbow needing her face fixed, 2 sentient beings missing and AJ, Pinkie and Rarity having to subdue 2 of their friends.
Midnight lost it when she saw Spectrum being dragged away in the train car. Pinkie and AJ had to pin her down to stop her from breaking the door and chasing them. The roar she unleashed was heartbreaking and bone chilling at the same time. Shy lost her form completely. Because one of her mates was hurt and the other was kidnapped, Fluttershy's normal reservations were understandably replaced by a protective instinct. Despite the fact that she sympathized with Fluttershy, Rarity had to subdue her for her own good.
Braeburn was waiting for his cousin and her friends at the station. Seeing AJ carry a purple mare out on her back while 2 others came out also carrying ponies one a pegasus the other, an odd bug pony, however, was not what he expected.
"What happened to those 3?" Braeburn quickly asked.
The pegaus sat up "Uh, what did I hit? A mountain?"
The pink mare giggled "No silly you hit the crossing sign."
The rainbow mare grimaced " Right. I am so going to get that stupid buffalo"
Braeburn felt his stomach drop but tried to hold his smile he turned to cousin Apple Jack to ask about her friend when he saw the look in the purple mare's eyes. The fact that they looked like a sidewinders only compounded how hollow and dead they looked. shuddering he turned to look at the last pony who was waking up.
"Now, Fluttershy, Darling. I know you're upset but please try to calm down."
The bug pony only nodded her head. She was startled when she noticed Braeburn staring at her, but after a moment she just sighed and walked over to the pegasus.
"Shy? your disguise dropped!?" Rainbow was confused when Shy just put a hoof over her mouth.
"I don''t care about that right now. Who are they going to tell anyway? Now are you okay dear?"
Rainbow blinked slowly before she nodded "Yeah. My head hurts a bit, but I'm good"-She then looked around-"Where's Gilda?'
they all started when a hollow voice answered
"She was in the car with Spectrum and the tree"-Midnight had come out of her depression somewhat-"Now, Mister Breaburn what can you tell us about the local buffalo herd?"
Braeburn had seen many scary things in his life, but the face of this mare terrified him to his very soul. "Sigh, you see it's like this-"
Meanwhile
Little Strong Heart felt her life flash before her eyes when they opened the train car to come face to beak with an infuriated griffin. When they heard the blood curdling scream from the train, they thought they had gotten away from the monster, not brought one with them! The buffalo still remembered when the griffins where deadly hunters to all, rather than just brutish jerks, so seeing one with the tree they had stolen was not good.
"So some one want to explain what's going on, or do I have to get physical?" Gilda was not happy but she did not want to scare Spectrum any more than she already was so injury was not likely, for now.
Strong Heart spoke up "W-we just wanted to get the tree, we had no idea you were in there, honest" She paused when she heard a sniffle and the oddest looking pony she had ever seen walked in to view. Well her eyes did at least, they could not see her properly until she ventured out of the car due to her black fur (which they did not know ponies even had) .
The snake eyed, fanged filly just looked at her with big confused eyes "Why did you want the tree so bad? Can't you get food from town?"
This brought them up short, she thought they wanted it for food? "If you would come with me, I'm sure the Chief would explain it better than I could." After a moment they both nodded and Spectrum hopped on Gilda's back as they went to see the leader of the buffalo.
That night
Spectrum was pacing in the dream world. "Okay so the ponies of Appaloosa needed to expand their orchard and used the tribes sacred ground to do so, without speaking to the tribe at all or even trying to offer compensation something is going on here."
With a look of determination, Spectrum sped off in less than a minute she had alerted her mother to the problem and pulled her father into her dream to get the town's side of the story.
Midnight was overjoyed to see her daughter unharmed and Nightmare was quite concerned (fortunately Midnight was not in trouble). After hearing Spectrum's explanation, both were confused though for different reasons.
"The plans for the town specifically mark all tribe territory as off limits and even marks several square miles for expansion. They can't have needed all of it already, surely."
Midnight was now even more confused "But, I checked the town records. The area the orchard was expanded on to is marked as unused flat land?"
Nightmare's horn glowed as she summoned the memories of the town map from both their minds. There it was, clear as day, someone had tampered with the plans given to the town to not show the buffalo territory at all.
Nightmare gained a very irked glint in her eye," Twilight, dear, please go get the leader of Appaloosa for me. Spectrum, go get chief, Thunder Hooves, did you say?"-Spectrum nodded-
"Right and I shall get my sister from her dreams so we can sort this out."
Silver Star was quite confused, to be honest, When that creepy purple snake eyed mare dragged him out of his dream, he thought he was going to die. Now he was entering a room with the Princesses!? "Your majesties how may I be of service" He was so caught up in their presence he did not notice the leader of the buffalo enter as well, who merely inclined his head in greeting before waiting for them to speak.
Celestia stepped forward "We called you both here to speak about the recent hostilities in the area. Chief, as you represent the injured party"-the Sharif started-"You may speak first."
Thunder Hooves had heard stories about the pony leaders, but had never had the chance to meet them. He was quite impressed with their power and their integrity (he hoped) "My tribe has used that same sacred ground to stamped on for generations, we would have been willing to share it with the town had they spoken with us but to just claim it; even for something as vital as food production; without even consulting us is a grave insult."
Spectrum had spoken with the Chief and explained that, while she agreed that the town was in the wrong ,perhaps they had not had any choice but to use that land. So the chief was willing to compromise, but not surrender.
Silver Star was in shock. Sacred? No one had said anything about sacred ground "Sheriff what do you have to say in response to this?"
Normally Silver Star was as stubborn as a rock and would have stuck up for his town, but these were the Princesses, practical goddesses in pony form. Who was he to say they were wrong? "I can only claim ignorance and apologize profusely for said ignorance, your majesties. Our maps mark that area as unused."
Celestia sighed "It is as you said sister"-
She brought both maps forward-"This is the map we have on record at Canterlot and a copy of one from your town hall. Something is quite wrong. I find it very hard to believe you used all the allotted orchard space in less than 500 years."
The sheriff double, than triple-checked, both maps and he hung his head in shame before turning to the Chief "I, again, apologize, on behalf of the entire town over what we did. If it ain't to much to ask, could your tribe help us move the orchard trees to where they should go? Just to make sure we don't mess up again."
Chief Thunder Hooves was happy to agree to that deal and they both returned to their own dreams ready to start the new day as friends.
Aftermath
Midnight had woken up early to let her friends know what happened and, when the buffalo returned with Bloomberg and their family members, the whole town got the work re planting the orchard (once the whole situation was explained). Little Strong Heart had apologized to Rainbow for allowing her to get hurt and she helped plant Bloomberg herself as an apology for stealing him. Once the whole mess was sorted out, the town and tribe had become much closer (and the buffalo gained a new appreciation of what the orchard had to offer). The girls were all able to go home, happy that a crisis had been averted.
Never noticing the shady figures with them on the train.