//------------------------------// // Year of 04 // Story: Six Best Friends Play Diplomacy // by DagaYemar //------------------------------// “Spike, are you almost done over there? You have to read the moves so we can get going!” Twilight called impatiently from the other side of the room. “Just a second!” Spike called back, quickly latching the window closed again. He caught the last bit of green flame out of the corner of his eye as he turned around and prayed a little for a fast response. Things were getting… out of hoof. In the meanwhile, he rushed over to the table and picked up the pile of six papers. “Alright, end of the fourth Summer turn. Let’s start with-” “Let me guess, Twilight stayed in Caballeria instead of going into the Sea of Tranquility!” Rainbow Dash interrupted, slamming her hooves on the table angrily. “Just like every turn! Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on!” “Er… Twilight did send her navy into the Sea…” Spike said. “And how did you know what my move was?” Twilight accused. “I didn’t tell you what I was going to do this turn. Were you spying on me?!” “Oh, come on! The way you’ve been holding your notebook half-open all the time, any of us could see what you write!” Rainbow shot back. Fluttershy gasped. “Girls, calm down! Rainbow Dash, I’m sure she didn’t mean it the way it sounded.” Twilight frowned at the yellow pegasus. “What do you mean, the way it sounded?” “I didn’t… I meant…” Fluttershy paused and seemed to waver with herself for a moment, then took a deep breath. After a moment to compose herself she looked up at Twilight with renewed confidence. “You all convinced me to give this game another chance and I’m going to do just that. Now let’s listen to what Spike has to say and continue playing… alright?” “Oh sure, you’re confident now that you’re winning…” Rarity mumbled under her breath, but only Pinkie caught it. The rest of them turned sharply to look at the baby dragon, who swallowed nervously under their stares. “Uh… ok, let’s keep going then…” Spike said, shuffling the page with the neatest writing to the front. “Like I said, Twilight abandoned Caballeria…” “Like I wrote!” Twilight interrupted, and Rainbow grunted and crossed her forelegs petulantly. “…And Rainbow moved into it, with the support of her two nearby units.” Spike continued. “Her other two units moved from the Dune Sea into Ptehinchala, and from Zaldia into Palomino. Twilight makes up for her lost spot by slipping into Zaldia, though. She also moved her army into Garanha as well, just as Rainbow Dash leaves it.” “But… but… but…” Rainbow sputtered, unable to believe what she was seeing. Spike pressed on. “Twilight was on fire this turn, taking back Broncordia as well, but only because Fluttershy moved her unit back into Paardveld. Twilight’s last unit moved south into Konikticut. Fluttershy’s only other moves were to move this army into Heyuktan and this army into the Western Badlands. The rest of her units held their spots. “None of Applejack’s or Rarity’s pieces move this turn. AJ’s navy in Alpaclan and Rarity’s army in Markovo each tried to attack alone, but neither Fluttershy nor Pinkie moved their defenders. Rarity also attacked Haupstadt and Elkheim, but Applejack defended with an equal number of units each time.” The farmer and the fashionista glared at each other from across the table. “And Pinkie…” Spike paused to clear his throat, wishing he’d stop leaving the bad news for last all the time. “Pinkie landed a navy in Elgland and Gryphos, taking a nation from the griffons and the elks.” The farmer and the fashionista blinked and shifted their glare to the party planner in perfect synchronization, as if on a well oiled spring. Pinkie smiled innocently back at them. Spike flipped through the last few notes, eager to get through it quickly. “Pinkie also sent her air force up into the Cerulean Sea, her army up into the South Dune Sea, and her other air force into Intiq. And that it! Good luck with the next round!” He flipped the fifteen-minute timer over and quickly backed away from the table. The vibe in the room was getting ugly and he wanted to get as far from the flying sparks as he could. … It was a close one, but Applejack reached Pinkie a hair ahead of Rarity. She dropped an arm around her pink shoulders, swung her around, and stalked off in a half-drag, half-huddle. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Rarity put on a pout and stamp her hoof. “Now, I know you might be a little upset about that last move…” Pinkie started, but Applejak didn’t let her continue. “Yer darn right ah’m upset!” she choked out in a barely contained harsh whisper. “Ah thought we were in this together, but you stabbed me in the back! Why would you do that?!” Pinkie’s smile froze on her face and she pulled back a little, not quite leaving the huddle. “It… you were open. I’ve been sneaking that unit up the sea all game and I thought it was a really clever move…” “Oh, real clever!” AJ spat. “Ah’m sure impressed. So you were plannin’ to attack me like that all game? Ah thought we were a team!” “We are! We are! But… it is just a game, you know. We’ve each got to play it to win or it’s not any fun!” Applejack gaped at Pinkie, stunned by what she’d just heard. A game? You betrayed my trust and think you can claim you were just playin’? First Rarity betrays me, now this… ah’m startin’ to see just what kind of traitors my friends really are! “You don’t even know what you’ve done.” Applejack said in a low, hurt voice and Pinkie reacted as if she’s been slapped. “What, no! Look, I was going to help you take back the West Dune-” “And you think ah would trust you again?!” Applejack interrupted once more, turning away and stalking off. “We’re quits now. Good luck with your game.” Pinkie sat on the floor and stared after her as she walked away, her silly little paper hat slipping from its perch. For once, she didn’t know what to say. … “Pinkie sure was aggressive this turn.” Twilight said conversationally as she slid into the seat next to Fluttershy at the table. “Though considering what she did earlier, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise.” Fluttershy nodded shyly, but she had a thoughtful look in her eye. “I still can’t believe she would cheat like that. She must have had some reason…” Twilight shrugged. “Either way, something needs to be done to stop her. And I think you’re in the best position to do something about it.” “M-me?” Fluttershy squeaked, suddenly paying a lot more attention to the conversation. By way of explanation, Twilight swept her foreleg over the board. “Look at that piece she’s got in the Dune Sea. Where else does it have to go than into Rainbow Dash’s unprotected space? Your army is the only one on that side of the board that can stop her.” “Yes… I suppose…” Fluttershy said, obviously wavering between her desire to avoid conflict and her recent decision to play the game seriously. Twilight sensed her indecision and moved a little closer. “You don’t want Pinkie to steal from everypony the same way you did, right?” “Well… no. It felt awful making everypony angry with me…” “And you do owe Rainbow for what you did to her.” “That’s true… it would be nice… to protect her.” Fluttershy looked up and stared Twilight straight in the eye. “And… it’s a good move, right? I mean, it’s a move a brave pony would make in this game?” “Of course it is.” Twilight replied immediately, her face a perfect picture of sincerity. “I’d even say it’s the smartest move you can make right now.” The shy pony studied her friend for a few moments, and then swallowed and nodded. “R-right. Alright! I’ll protect Rainbow Dash! Thank you for the advice, Twilight.” “Anytime.” Twilight smiled, hardly able to keep the grin off her face for a moment longer. She patted her friend companionably on the shoulder. Fluttershy smiled back and turned back to the board. “Oh, and I understand why you took your land back from me last turn-” But Twilight was already walking away. Fluttershy opened her mouth to ask if she’d heard her apology, but thought again and closed it. Its fine, I’m sure she has plenty to talk with the others about. I shouldn’t take up all her time. And it really was nice of her to help me out like that! But it’s strange… I thought she was fighting with the Buffalo right now. Why would she want to help Rainbow out? … “Rainbow, get down here! Everypony can see you up there!” Applejack called out. Rainbow Dash started in shock and peered down over the edge of the top banister of the staircase at the farmer. She descended in a flash and pushed her to the side of the room. “Shh! Do you want to give my position away or something?!” “Give away what?” Applejack shot back. “It’s pretty obvious you’ve been spyin’ on Twilight for the last hour. Those wild accusations you throw around every turn is a pretty big giveaway.” Rainbow opened her moth to retort, realized she had nothing to say in her defense, and started growing red in the face. “I’m not crazy! I know she’s doing something to make me look crazy and I’m this close to figuring out what!” AJ sighed and slipped a hoof over her eyes for a moment. This is getting’ me nowhere… “Ah’m not sayin’ you’re crazy; ah’m sayin’ you’re not doing it right! Let me lend you a hoof.” Whatever the pegasus had been expecting her to say, it certainly wasn’t that. “What?! Why would you want to help me spy on Twilight?” “No, ah want to find the cheater!” Applejack nearly shouted, but gathered in her frayed nerves at the last minute. “Look, ah’m basically out of this game at this point. Between Rarity’s, Shy’s, and now Pinkie’s last couple of attacks, there’s no way ah’m makin’ it through the next round without losin’ somethin’. Barrin’ a miracle, ah’m going to be eliminated any time now. There’s just nothin’ ah can do about it anymore. “Everythin’ started goin’ bad when Twilight’s orders changed that first time! It’s clear that somepony here ain’t playin’ fair and if ah can’t win this game anymore, ah’m at least going to make sure that cheater isn’t goin’ to! Now do you want my help or not?!” Rainbow Dash bared her teeth in a ferocious grin and stuck out her hoof. “Best news I’ve heard all night!” The two of them bumped hooves and just like that, their earlier disagreement was set aside, if not forgotten. “But I don’t know what more we can do.” Rainbow continued. “I’ve been watching Twilight nonstop, but aside from all the notebooks she’s writing stuff in and how she sometimes switches to quill and ink, she’s not doing anything very weird.” But AJ was already shaking her head. “Then maybe it’s not her. Ah’ve kept my eye on Rarity for a while now. Ah thought she had the most to gain by stoppin’ you from beatin’ Twi, but she hasn’t taken advantage like ah thought she would. The point is if whoever it is was usin’ magic, we’d have seen that aura thing around her notebook. Ah sure haven’t; what about you?” “…No…” Rainbow admitted. Applejack spread her hooves as if that proved her point. “It’s just a guess, but ah think they aren’t usin’ magic here. Which means the cheater could be anyone.” “If we’re looking for a cheater, we don’t need to look any farther than Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow grumbled. She was only half-serious, but if she expected the farmer to rise to her former ally’s defense she was about to be disappointed. “Right now, ah’m not ruling out any suspects.” Applejack deadpanned. “First thing’s first, we need to lay a trap of our own. Listen close…” … “Applejack’s mad at me!” Pinkie shouted right into Rarity’s ear. With a massive effort, Rarity managed not to leap squealing like a pig from her seat. Instead, she smiled dazzlingly to hide her true feelings. “I can’t imagine why, Darling!” “I know, right!” Pinkie continued, completely oblivious to the fashionista’s sarcasm. “I mean, I know it’s no fun to lose, but that just makes fighting your way back up that much more fun! It’s not like she can’t get it back, I mean, it’s only one teeny tiny little ship and she could get Fluttershy to help if she really needed it. I just don’t see what the big deal is…” “Oh no, I have no idea either!” Rarity cut in sweetly, still grinning pertly without looking directly at her. “Why ever would she be upset that you stabbed her in the back with no warning or provocation whatsoever?” Pinkie stopped her pacing and whirled around. “That’s not what happened!” “Oh no?” Rarity said archly, snubbing up her nose. “I was at the same table as you and I must say, I sympathize with Applejack on this one. I can understand how it feels to be attacked with no warning, for no reason. Leaves quite the bitter taste in the mouth.” “I’m just playing the game!” Pinkie cried, indignant. “That ship had been moving up every turn. Don’t blame me if you didn’t leave something to stop it!” Rarity finally looked Pinkie in the eye, pinning her in place with distaste. “Oh really? Was it there the whole time, or was it another of your ‘extra’ pieces?” “Ah! I-I-I… ahh!” Pinkie sputtered, her shock momentarily depriving her of normal speech. She pulled the rulebook out of thin air and angrily opened it to the back. “I already told you, that was a real move I found in here! See! The Flying Dutchmare Maneuver, right here, see! ‘Any extra piece that is sneaked onto the board is a legal piece so long as no other player notices, but must be removed immediately if discovered”. I got rid of it as soon as it was pointed out, didn’t I?” “Only because Spike noticed it when you put on new units last turn.” Rarity huffed, turned away again. “And I do not care that the book says we can’t take back any moves it might have made, the rest of us haven’t been resorting to such cheap tricks!” Rarity stood up quick and started away, but paused and turned back over her shoulder one last time. “Applejack may be able to fight back, but I can’t. So enjoy your new spot. Oh, and don’t worry about your chocolates, I’ll make sure you get what’s important to you!” Pinkie was near tears as Rarity stalked away from her. She lay her head down on the table with a thump and stayed like that for a bit. What just happened? I was just trying to do something fun! And I’m winning! But… why is everypony so angry that I’m winning? Aren’t games supposed to be fun? … OK, I think I’m getting the hang of this. Fluttershy thought to herself, bending over her notebook. I’ll attack Pferdreich from Paardveld and support it with my two other units. Twilight’s the only one who can intervene, but she’s probably going to sit on Broncordia to get it back. Her navy will most likely be protecting it… this might actually work! The others were right, I just needed to give playing it a chance and- “Hey Fluttershy!” Rainbow said brightly, completely throwing her friend’s train of thought awry. “Got a question for you!” “Ah! Um… wha-what is it?” Fluttershy asked once she recovered her voice. Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head and grinned, trying to act super casual and not at all in a rush as the last few minutes of the round counted down. “Well, it’s not so much a question really. I just wanted to tell you that I was going to attack right up into Twilight’s territory this turn!” There was an awkward pause as the two ponies stared at each other. It only grew worse as time dragged on and neither one made a move to break it. “I’m going to attack Twilight.” Rainbow repeated. “Right up through here where she’s defenseless.” “That’s… good?” Fluttershy ventured. “Right. Well, I just wanted you to know that.” RD said awkwardly, mind racing for some way to change the subject. “You know, with you trying to get that place she stole back. It’s like, a distraction. Attack from two sides!” “Oh, I’m not trying to get Broncordia back.” Fluttershy said. Rainbow was turning to make a hasty retreat, but this new tidbit caught her attention and she swiveled back. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t you want to strike back?” In answer, Fluttershy hesitantly held up her notes. “I was thinking she’s probably going to defend it with the two she’s got here, so it’s be just a tie if I tried to take it back. Instead I’m going take Pferdreich.” “Oh!” Rainbow said, eyes lighting up with understanding and realization. “I see! Well, I should go. Gotta talk to somepo-I mean, not talk to somepony! Orders! I’ve still got to write my orders! So… good job! Remember, I’m attacking Rocinante. Gotta dash!” Fluttershy blinked in confusion as her friend beat a hasty retreat. "Well… that was strange…" … “Haven’t talked in a while, have we?” Rarity said in greeting. Applejack shrugged. “Not since you declared war and ah had to respond in kind.” Rarity bristled, but the farmer held up a hoof to forestall her outraged response. “Ah didn’t mean anythin’ by it, just blowin’ off some steam. Sides, we got another bale of hay to turn.” Rarity raised her eyebrow at that. “Bale of hay to turn?” “Yeah, you turn hay. It’s a farmin’ thing.” She shrugged, conceding the point and dismissing it. “I know what you mean. Pinkie attacked both of us. I assume you have some plan to get revenge for it? If so, I’m all ears.” “Still workin’ on that.” Applejack grunted in distaste. “Ah can maybe force her out of my country, but not if ah have to defend myself from you at the same time. Ah was hopin’ we could call a ceasefire until our mutual problem is dealt with.” The unicorn sniffed and brushed an invisible spot of dust off her hoof. “I can certainly understand the sentiment, but I still don’t see how that improves my situation. What are you offering me?” “Information.” AJ said, leaning in closer. Ah did tell Rainbow to say this to Fluttershy, so it's technically true... “Ah hear that Rainbow was the one who got Pinkie to attack us.” Rarity jerked backwards, but her eyes quickly grew introspective. “Pinkie is taking bribes for favors. Still, it seems a little farfetched that Rainbow Dash, of all ponies…” You were usin’ Pinkie too, eh? Applejack thought, filing that piece of intel away for later. She could feel drops of sweat starting to form on her brow, but she plowed on with her prepared story before her nervous ticks gave the game away. “Believe it; ah was just talkin’ to her and she let it slip. I don’t know what she promised Pinkie, but she’s givin’ up on the lower coast and goin’ right up after your stuff. Pinkie’s just softenin’ you up and is goin’ to back off as soon as Rainbow arrives.” “I... I never would have imagined…” Rarity said in a shocked voice. “She’s goin’ to avoid Twilight’s forces by passin’ through Rocinante. You got plenty of time to get your armies back to block if you go this turn.” Applejack paused for a calculated few moments. “Twilight could stop her, ah suppose, but she’d have to step in this turn. Well, not much time left. Ah’d better get to writin’.” She trotted off, but not before catching Rarity shooting a speculative glance Twilight’s way. She grinned to herself, pleased that her seed had been successfully planted. Now to see what kind of tree grows… … “And then Rarity got mad at me!” “Uh huh.” Twilight said distractedly, continuing to write notes in her various books. Pinkie, completely oblivious to her audience’s disinterest, pressed valiantly on. “I just don’t understand why they’re taking it so personal! It was a great move! OK, not for them, sure, but either of them could have done something about it if they’d seen it coming!” “Uh huh.” Twilight repeated, turned to a fresh page and licking the tip of her pencil. “And what do they expect of me?!” Pinkie said, spinning in place and pacing in the other direction. “To just sit around and do nothing all game? Do they expect me to just up and leave for no reason?” “It might make them feel better…” Twilight said, still barely paying attention. Pinkie, however, froze in place as the idea worked its way through her mind. “Wait, that’s it! They’re upset that I attacked, but they don’t lose anything if I’m not on those spaces this turn! They’ll be so relieved that they’ll forgive me! Great idea, Twilight!” Pinkie shot off across the room to where she left her notebook on the other side of the room. As she passed by Applejack and Rainbow huddling next to the table, she overheard one of them whisper “She’s going to do what?!” in a shocked whisper. While she was tempted to stick around and figure out which of them said that and what they were talking about, the end of the round was almost here and she didn’t have time. She scooping up her notebook and started furiously erasing. Twilight paused in her writing and looked up with one eye. She smiled to herself and made one last mark in her book before Spike called time. … “Let’s get this started.” Spike said several minutes later, shuffling his papers into an ordered stack. “I’ll start with the tapirs. Surprisingly, Pinkie chose to move her navies out of Elgland and Gryphos and took to the sea again.” “There, see?” Pinkie interrupted. “I took it back! That makes it all better, right? Right?!?” “A little too late, partner.” Applejack grumbled. Rarity sniffed and turned her head up as well. Pinkie’s jaw dropped. But… but… but… I took it back!!! Why are they still so angry?!? I don’t understand!!! Spike cleared his throat to get their attention. “Anyway… Pinkie also moved her southern forces north into Intiq and Northern Dune Sea, while her other two defend Hippopotamia. Rarity’s army and air forces moved east into Ternej, Markovo, and Latigo. Her other pieces also are doing nothing this turn, which is surprising because Applejack is leaving Elkheim.” “Um… wait. Does this mean Pinkie didn’t try to take the East Dune Sea?” Fluttershy said softly, but none of them paid her any attention. “Oh… dear…” “Instead, she took back Elgland… from no one, but that’s beside the point.” Spike continued. “She also rushed her army down into Pferdreich with the support of her air force in Breidas. The bad news is Fluttershy also sent her army there, with the support of two other units in the area.” “Three to two…” Applejack sighed, slumping down over the table. “So ah lost that one, huh?” “Normally…” Spike said, scratching nervously at his throat as everypony’s attention perked up. “Twilight’s navy attacked Ard, displacing Shy’s air force and cutting off its support. That made it a tie between you two and nopony gets Pferdreich. And Fluttershy needs to move her unit out of Ard.” The pegasus nodded morosely and pushed it over into Jama. “None of Twilight’s other pieces moved this turn. Her unit in Garanha got support from the air force in Konikticut, which is a good thing because Rainbow Dash tried to take it with the units in Caballeria and Yegua. Another tie, so neither moves this turn.” Rainbow and Applejack couldn’t resist shooting a knowing glance at each other from across the table. The other four only looked confused, but only one at the table was paying any close attention to everypony’s reactions to this news. Spike, sensing something was happened, waited for a little bit before hesitantly going on. “Fluttershy moved her air force from Naqah to Pte, and also took the East Dune Sea from Heyuktan.” “What?!” Rainbow shouted, shooting her friend a murderous look. “You took more land from me!” “I-I was trying to protect it for you…” Fluttershy mumbled, but Rainbow turned her back to her angrily and she subsided. Knowing that there was still one move left to go, Spike prepared for the worst. “And Rainbow Dash ends her turn by taking Killa unopposed from Ptehinchala, with support from Tatanka.” He flinched, prepared for another outburst, but Pinkie still seemed to be lost in shock over something, so he pressed on to the finish. “That means when it’s all totaled up; Fluttershy loses one unit, Pinkie Pie loses one unit, and Twilight gains one. And that’s it. The next round starts now!”