//------------------------------//
// Chapter 16 
// Story: Royal Harvest Festival 
// by Featherdust418 
//------------------------------//

"Whoa, whoa! Now just hooold on a minute here- Granny, you mean to tell me... you know Green? Bu-wha... how?" Applejack was shocked- how could they know each other? They had to have met recently, or something. Was any other way possible? A.J. would just have to wait until she heard what her grandmother had to say about this. Seed just stood there, his jaw hanging open. He could barely process what was unfolding before him, and simply nodded while A.J. was speaking. 
"Oh, Green and I go way, way back. Course, we lost contact over time, but I do remember meeting him-  back when we had first traveled to Canterlot looking for some land. It was then that I had met General Green- we became fast friends, bonding over our love of working the land, as well as our seemingly unusual names- we were just kids, after all. He was shy on the outside, but once you got to know him, he was just as wild and adventurous as any young colt his age- at the time, o' course. In fact, he used to love this farm... what exactly happened after I left, Green?" Green gave her a hard stare, but Granny never backed down- in fact, she responded with the same stare. Finally, he sighed in defeat and began to speak. 

"All right, I'll tell you... but you have to understand, its highly unlikely that we'll be considered friends after this." After Granny gave him a firm nod, he explained,
"Well, after you had left to find a new place to settle down, things... changed around here. My mother returned home from guard duty, and although she tried to help out with the farm... she was disheartened to see none of her foals showing the least bit of interest in joining the guard.  And why would she? She was hardly ever around, why would any of us want a life like that? Why would you want to be separated from your family? Still, I loved my mother- she was kind and worked hard to provide for us, along with my father. And I wanted to make her proud. And so, once I was old enough- I joined the royal guard. She actually argued with me a bit, telling me not to do something just because of her, but because I wanted to for myself. And I insisted that I did.. and that's the truth. When I was younger I would go down to the training camps and watch the guards train... it was fascinating. I could see why she loved it so much. The rest of my family, however... they tried to hold me back, telling me that that wasn't the life for me- I've always loved farming!

I think that's when it got to me, though. I was tired of everyone telling me I'd be some 'great farmer' some day. Well, maybe that wasn't what I wanted anymore? Ponies can change, but everyone around here seemed to miss out on that. I got fed up with everypony telling me what I was 'supposed' to do- so I made a vow of sorts. I vowed to prove that I was no longer interested in farming... and shut it out of my life. I joined the guard, worked hard and focused on the training. Whenever I had to visit my family, I would say as little as possible when the subject of farming came up. Eventually, I knocked some sense into their heads, and they accepted the fact that I was done with farming. Good. Finally. Once that was cleared up, I started to speak up again once talk of farming came around- I still knew much about the subject, and I didn't mind if others chose that lifestyle- I simply didn't want it for myself."

After listening to his explanation, Granny nodded again- then paused slowly, and a puzzled look came over her face.
"Now hooold on just a second... if y'all are sayin' that you can accept other ponies lifestyles- then why wouldn't we be friends? I think there's a bit more to this story..."
"Still just as sharp as you were all those years ago. You're correct- there is more. Well, my parents were becoming older, and my brother and sister started to take most of the workload into their own hooves. However, my brother soon became ill, and was too weak to care for the farm- and my sister basically left to go into business. I was now married to a wonderful, caring mare, with a foal on the way, as well. My parents turned to me to take care of the farm, as there was no way they could do it on there own. They also were quite old fashioned, and were against hiring ponies to do the work- they wanted it to stay a strictly family business. I argued for a bit, but once I explained to my wife the situation, she started to daydream about raising our foal on a wide-open farm... I loved my wife dearly and when she started to get like that, there was just no way I could say no. So I finally accepted my parents offer, and returned to farm work... or at least when I wasn't called away for guard duty. Soon my wife was due, and gave birth to a beautiful little filly... unfortunately, the birth was quite a struggle for my wife, and not long after she... she passed away.

I made another vow then, to take care of my daughter as best as I could, and do everything in my power to protect her. She grew up on the farm, a happy and healthy girl- finally, one day when she was old enough... she started dating. Now, its always difficult for a father to accept that her daughter is ready for that- though I think I ended up scaring most of her dates away, having been both in the guard and working hard on a farm. And then she met Appleseed, one of the few stallions with the guts to stand up to me. I admired that, I'll be honest. Sure, he had been nervous, but that was to be expected anyway. Your talk of almost constant farming did get to me at times... but I saw how happy that made my daughter, and understood that this was the life she wanted... all the better for her to find someone who shared that love of the farming life.

Finally, the two of you got married, and I sold the farm to you and went back to guard duty. Clearly, that was my biggest mistake... I promised to protect my daughter, and what happens when I leave? She leaves and joins her mother to be with her forever. I... I wasn't ready for that. I broke my promise... but you... you promised that you would keep her safe, in my stead. And what happened? You failed! I should'v never left this place... now it feels as though there is only pain here..."

As Green began to gain a heavy heart, Appleseed began to glare at him.
"Failed? Failed!? How dare you tell me I failed, I did everything in my power to keep her safe and healthy! You weren't the only pony that loved her, I had to watch her die in front of my eyes! How do you think I felt? Time and time again I would call the doctor, begging him to do something, anything... we did everything we could, but finally that fateful day came... the day he said nothing could be done anymore. I didn't give up however, I continued to use the previous methods... even if only to prolong her life here just a bit more. And the same would have happened whether or not you were there. I loved her, Green... and I need you to realize that. To realize that I didn't work her to death... if you are too blind to see that that isn't who I am, then... well, I guess you don't really know me at all."

Green looked up at Seed with a look of shock, and tried to say something... finally, he looked down in shame. 
"I... I guess you're right, Seed. I really shouldn't have blamed you, that was wrong of me. It was hard though... you had taken my vow and put it upon yourself... and then that vow broke, whether or not it had been your fault. And yes, the outcome most likely would have been the same, that I understand. It was just... the whole way it happened, it just wasn't a good situation..."

"It was a terrible situation, Green. However, its all in the past now... I'm not saying that we should forget, but rather that we need to move on. If Heart Chart was here right now, I feel as though she'd be very disappointed in us."

"... Yes, I suppose your right. I don't blame you for what happened, Seed... can you forgive me?"

Seed smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, after all these years, Green finally recognized that he was not to blame. Maybe some real family healing would start, and maybe Green would forget the whole deal and start helping out with the farm more!
"Absolutely, Green- you are forgiven."
"I'm glad... thank you, Seed. However! Don't think that this little 'forgiveness session' has changed my mind about what this farm will become- this farm is still failing, and it needs to change! The deal is still on."

Seed groaned inwardly, and replied,
"Very well... I'm still going to fight you to the end on this, though. You'll see, we'll win that contest!" Green simply responded with a hearty chuckle and said, 
"oh yes, I'm sure you will... now I've been standing here long enough! Come on Force, let's go- the sooner I leave here the better!"
Force, who had arrived somewhere during the middle of the conversation, nodded and began to follow after his grandfather.
"Now hold on just a minute! I still don't see how we can't be friends... that didn't tell me much, or maybe I'm missing something?" Granny asked Green.
"Well, you're here to help my son-in-law with that silly competition, yes?" After Granny had nodded, Green continued "Well, there you have it- you insist on helping in a lost cause, and I just find that to be so foolish. I just can't see being friends with ponies who would do something so ridiculous... especially when that help is going against me. Good day, Granny Smith." And with that, Green and Force left... just as Buck was coming in. He watched his grandfather and brother leave, then looked around at the company that had arrived not long ago... then continued to look back and forth between the door and the company.

"I... missed something, didn't I..."