24
Rolling through the hills of Equestria, Twilight and friends were aboard the train heading out towards one of the border towns. While Applejack and Rarity were in the last car, most of the others were in the next one watching Twilight as she attempted to repeat what she had seen her friend do once. Her magic was slowly forming into the shape of a bowl but when she tried to form another object inside of it the whole construct fell apart leaving her looking annoyed.
“Ugh! How can you do this so easily?! If I just knew what the runes were to do this it would be easy but you seem to do it without even using any!” The purple mare glared at the orange unicorn that was sleepily watching her from one of the beds. With a yawn she lifted her head from off her pillow to focus on Twilight.
“At least you're doing better than you were when trying to figure out my fire magic. Fighting off something you summoned from the elemental planes was not something I wanted to end an already bad day with.” The librarian blushed at being reminded about the incident that had happened before they boarded the train. At being reminded of this, Rainbow Dash flew over to the sleepy unicorn.
“That reminds me, what were you doing to show up so tired? Applejack asked us to show up a week ago so why would you do whatever it was you were doing? And how is it you were the only one not affected by that things flames?” Aegis Flare tried to roll her eyes at the pegasus but was interrupted by yet another yawn.
“I was just doing a quick run through the Everfree Forest to check on some things. I would have been back a couple days ago but I had to track down and save yet another guard that was following me around. I thought the learned the last few times after they replaced them with a thestral but it seems they didn't. I could actually put up with them screeching in my ear as long as I didn't have to drag them out of the forest.” The others roll their eyes at this having had issues with random guards as well over the past few months. “As for your other question-”
“It's because of the Theory of Magical Transmission.” All eyes turn to Twilight as she interrupts the other unicorn. “When magic is used it will transfer certain protections at the same time as a sort of safety feature. It doesn't always happen but with elemental spells, pegasus flight, and even telekinesis there is an extra layer to the magic that protects the user or target.”
Twilight pulls out a sheet of paper from nearby with her magic as an example and pokes at it with a quill. “Telekinesis will protect an object from damage to an extent when cast correctly while elemental spells grant a near immunity as long as you are casting the spell. It wouldn't be very useful magic if Flare burned herself every time she used her magic, or an ice mage to contract frostbite when conjuring up a snowstorm. Unfortunately sometimes this effect can cause some unintended side-effects.”
With a pulse of her magic Twilight sent the sheet of paper across the train to imbed itself into the wall. The others back away from it a bit when it goes limp while still being stuck in the wall while being completely undamaged. That was the situation that Applejack and Rarity walked in on after returning from checking on the tree. Aegis Flare was glad to see that the sun was setting, as well as Rarity preparing for sleep, so that she could finally rest after being awake for over twenty-four hours so far.
Unfortunately for her, especially with her sensitive hearing, she wasn't allowed to do so as her friends kept up a racket. Even after both Spike and Rarity tried to quiet them down they still kept up with the noise forcing her to follow the dragon's example of heading to a quieter place. Spike looked up and scowled as she walked into the train car but one of his eyebrows shot up when she just tossed her pillow into a corner before flopping down onto it. When her horn lit up and bathed the room in an orange glow, causing all sounds from outside of it to cease, the dragon just smiled before he curled up again next to the tree.
<><><><><><><>
The next morning the orange mare woke a bit late after finally getting a well-deserved rest in, though on seeing the train car being filled with buffalo she felt that she could do with a few more hours. Looking around drowsily she brought a hoof up to rub at her eyes before sighing and looking over towards the dragon that was awake and talking to one of them by the tree. “Spike? Why are there a bunch of buffalo on the train and where are the others at?”
Spike looked over from where he was talking with a smaller female buffalo to see the slowly awakening unicorn. He turns back to say something to to his new companion before leader her over towards Aegis Flare. “Hey Flare, this is Little Strongheart and, uh, there seems to have be a bit of a problem around here. The buffalo tribes want the ponies of Appleloosa to move their trees since they put them all in the path of their stampeding grounds.”
The dragon led the two out of the train car to find that it had been brought to the buffalo's camp instead of the intended destination. The young buffalo took up the conversation at that point. “We only wanted the tree and didn't intend to get anyone else involved. The Appleloosans just started planting trees all along our ancestral grounds without asking us for permission.”
Letting out another sigh the unicorn rubbed at her face yet again before muttering. “It is way too early to deal with something like this. I just hope that what my parents told me about these things are correct.” She speaks up so the others can hear her next words. “I really hope you have the treaty between you and Equestria. I might as well start getting information on this end and hope that Twilight is looking for something where they are.”
Spike just raises an eyebrow at her while Little Strongheart looked surprised but waved her over towards one of the tents in the center of the camp. Inside were racks of scrolls being tended to by an elderly looking buffalo who the younger one immediately made her way to. “Scholar, we need the scrolls that contain the treaties with the ponies.”
The elder buffalo looks at the two warily before nodding and moving purposefully through the racks until she pulls one out and lays it on a portable table for the two. A few others soon join it until there is a small stack of them which causes Aegis Flare to shake her head. “Well I might as well get to reading before something else happens.”
Little Strongheart stayed to watch for a bit before she left the mare to her reading in peace. Aegis Flare found many sections that could deal with the current situation but until she had more information she couldn't come up with a plan. With a sigh and a rub of her eyes she packed up her notes before heading outside to find that the sun had set for the day. She was surprised to find that Pinkie and Rainbow Dash had arrived earlier as well and the pegasus was wanting to head right out to talk sense into the Appleloosans.
Luckily, after many hoofs to her own face and a few eye-rolls, Aegis Flare was able to convince her to wait until the morning before heading out. Of course when the time came there wasn't much she could do to hold the pushy pegasus back. “So what were you doing the whole time that we were coming to save your flank yesterday anyways?”
The orange unicorn glanced at her saddlebags before sighing. “I was looking through the treaties for something that could help out. Appleloosa had been around for a couple years already so it is odd that this is only happening now. Until I can see what is going on in the town I can't say what will happen but unless a suitable compromise is found the buffalo tribe is well within their rights to kick them out.”
Pinkie looks worried about this but Rainbow Dash looks even more motivated as they march towards the town. They arrive just as their other friends were leaving to come save them, to their amusement, and while Applejack and Rainbow Dash started arguing Aegis Flare moved over to talk to Twilight. “Twilight, I really hope that you found something in town because from my end it's not looking good.”
Twilight looked confused at her friends words as she glanced over at the arguing ponies. “What are you talking about? We spent all this time getting ready to come rescue you and Spike.”
The orange unicorn's jaw dropped for a moment before she remembered who she was talking to before she started rubbing her eyes again. “Right, you were too caught up in your books back in Canterlot to pay any attention to any of the princess' diplomatic meetings.” Twilight looked a combination of offended and embarrassed at this but her friend ignored it. “These are buffalo lands according to a treaty so there should be records in town on why this area was chosen over somewhere under Equestrian control. Even maps of the area would be useful to an extent.”
Twilight looks thoughtful as she watches the others walk off after Pinkie. “Anything like that should be in the town hall since there isn't a library here. I don't know why I didn't think of this before, a little bit of research and everything will work out just fine.”
~~~~~~~
“Twilight, did you really have to say that this would be easy? This place is a complete mess.” Aegis Flare looked over the pile of scrolls that she had been looking through to Twilight who was being assisted by Spike as he brought another pile to her. The purple unicorn looked up from her reading to glare across the room as another lock of her mane popped out of place.
“Well it's not my fault that nopony around here knows how to organize this place like it should be. It's like they just tossed everything in here at random and just forgot about it all.” The mare slammed her forehead down into the table in front of her as Spike popped out of another pile of scrolls.
“I found it! Here's that map of the area that you wanted me to find, Flare.” The orange unicorn perked up as the young dragon brought the requested documents over to her. Quickly unrolling them she checked the area to see what was in the area but what she found left her confused.
“This area is the only way through these mountains for hundreds of miles. Why would they block the entire pass with the apple orchard without even leaving a path through it anywhere?” Twilight came over to look over her shoulder to see what she was complaining about to see what she was talking about. Looking it over she pointed at a couple marks on either side of the town.
“What about those? Aren't those paths through the mountains?” Aegis Flare takes a closer look at the before shaking her head.
“They go through, but unless they've been improved since this map was updated they wouldn't be good enough for moving any number of wagons through, let alone an entire tribe of buffalo.” The two continue to look at the map for a few moments more before Twilight heads back towards where she was seated before. Before she could get back to her own research Spike called out from across the room.
“Hey, I think I found the deed to Appleloosa. Do you think this will help at all?” Twilight just shakes her head at him in response.
“No Spike, the purchase records of the town won't have anything that we are looking for. We need something that will help us convince the Appleloosans and buffalo tribe to sit down and talk this out and come to an agreement of some kind.” While she may not have been interested in it, the other unicorn was looking over in confusion.
“Let me see that, Spike. There shouldn't even be a deed, but treaty or some other diplomatic letter since this is apparently buffalo territory. Something isn't right here.” She looked over the contract once Spike brought it over and frowned at what she found. “Well there is what looks like the princess' signature, though I have no clue who this Manifest Destiny pony is. But something is wrong with this seal, it's not like the one on the buffalo treaty but I'm not sure what's wrong.”
Hearing this was enough to catch the purple mare's attention and send her rushing across the room to look over the document. “I can't believe it. The princesses signature is a fake! You can tell because she has a spell she uses when not only signing any document but also for when placing the royal seal. If either of them are missing or even the slightest bit off then the document is supposed to be sent to her to be redone. This shouldn't have made it out here. Why would this be here?”
“I'm starting to wonder if there even is a copy of the treaty here now. It's almost like somepony wants there to be a fight here.” Twilight looks confused at her words as she writes a letter down on a spare sheet of parchment.
“But why would anypony want to start a fight with the buffalo? It's not like there is anything out here that-” She is interrupted by a loud crunching sound and the two unicorns turn towards Spike to see him chewing on a chunk of turquoise. As he pulls out another piece from somewhere he sees the two looking at him and he raises an eyebrow questioningly. “Spike? Where did you get that from?”
The dragon looks down at the turquoise in his claws before he pops it into his mouth with a loud crunch before replying. “Little Strongheart gave me a few before we left their camp. They're rather tasty too. Why didn't you get these at all while we were in Canterlot?”
“Because they cost way too much compared to what I've been getting you. The local gems were cheaper and...” She notices Aegis Flare slamming her head into a desk which interrupts what she was saying and makes her remember what they were doing. “And that is probably the reason why somepony would want a fight to break out here. If something starts then the Royal Guard would get called in and if they manipulate things even more then the buffalo could be driven off their land. Spike, I need you to send these to the princess, now!”
Twilight passes both the letter and the deed to Spike as she starts packing everything away with help from the other unicorn. Leaving the room they found that their friends had somehow gathered all the Appleloosans and buffalo on the border of the town and orchard in front of a stage. What happened next caused both unicorns to shake their heads in shame as Pinkie started up what was probably her worst performance to date. They didn't even notice when Spike had vanished but he was somehow already up on stage on the piano.
At the end things seemed to have been made worse, but before the buffalo chief and sheriff could part ways the two stepped forward. “Wait! If you start fighting you will be doing exactly what they want you to do and then everybody loses.”
The two turn to stare at the orange mare that stopped them with a look of confusion. “What are you youngsters talking about? Who is this they you are talking about?”
Twilight steps forward with her notes and the map at this point and shows them to the two. “We would still be searching if we had time but from what we found this was all set up so you two would start fighting forcing the Royal Guard in to settle everything. Everything was planned so that you would block this pass when logically there should have been a road through the orchard to allow traders through.”
From somewhere she pulled a few charts out showing the current design of the orchard as well as a few possible alterations. “If the town setup the orchard like this then the would see a twelve percent boost to...” Aegis Flare tones out the lecture that Twilight starts in on the sheriff and pulls the buffalo chief off to the side.
“Chief, she was right in saying that we haven't found everything yet but you can answer at least one of the questions. The town was supposed to be paying their taxes to your tribe in some form but were they ever making it to you?” The chief looks at her as if she was speaking a different language before he shook his head.
“No. That is part of why we wanted them gone from our lands. We could have ignored them but them blocking our ancestral paths were the last straw. But if what you say is true then maybe other means can be used to settle this.” He looked over to where the purple unicorn had materialized three more charts while the sheriff 's eyes were looking a bit glassy. “It seems as if your friend has already dealt with one problem, but what about those that you say started this?”
All eyes were drawn towards Spike as he let loose a mighty belch and a small tower of flame appeared before forming into a scroll which was quickly snatched up in Twilight's magic. After a quick read she sighed as she turned towards the others. “The princess just verified that those documents were a fraud and if you wish she can be out here in hours to help settle the situation if need be. The unicorn that set all this in motion is currently under guard now while investigations are underway to find what else he had done.”
The chief and sheriff look at each other for a moment before nodding to each other and turn back to the unicorn. “No that won't be necessary, we should be able to handle everything from here, though we could use the proper documents that should have been used to be sent out.”
<><><><><><><>
“I can't believe that they didn't like my song! It took me hours to set everything up and they just ignored the message of it.” The others in the train car just roll their eyes at Pinkie as they try to get comfortable for the night. Things went smoothly after everything that they needed was sent to the town and the two groups finally were able to negotiate a deal. When they left, the ponies were starting to move many of the trees around so that there was a clear path so that the buffalo could stampede through unhindered.
“What I can't believe is that you all are still awake after all that work and are yet again keeping me awake after a long day. Are you going to do this every time we're on the train during the night?” Spike looked at the talking mares in annoyance from his bunk. They flinched away when they saw his bloodshot eyes and looked abashed at keeping him awake.
The dragon looked over at Aegis Flare for help but he found that she was already asleep and on closer look saw that she was wearing earmuffs to block out all the talking. He let out a sigh of relief as the lights were turned down and the others settled down to sleep. It was only moments later though when whispering started floating up from the other bunks again causes his eyes to shoot open. “Oh, come on!”
And now that the itch is scratched, back to more Fallout 4. 
Seriously it's a bit difficult to focus with that game sitting there incomplete. 
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I don't get why she is using earmuffs instead of her shields at the end. It just seems strange. Why didn't she use the earmuffs on the first ride?
Kind of a pity that Spike didn't sleep in the same bunk as Aegis while she was casting her shield spell. That would have been a cute scene. They both cherish sleep after all.
7072293
Maybe she bought them while in town?
7139726
But why buying them in the first place? Spending money for something her magic can do seems rather pointless.
7149408
Presumably out of the “do it without magic if at all possible” mentality she has, or in order to avoid wasting magic. Depending on how exactly the spell works (i.e., whether it requires “maintenance” of some kind) she may have done so in order to get a better night’s sleep. Personally, I believe that if she bought them that it was an impulse buy spurred by not wanting to bother with a spell right before going to bed.
I will fully admit that I’m grasping at straws here — ’tis conjecture and inference ontop of inference ontop of supposition after all — but I figured you might find it interesting nonetheless.
7151663
That's a possibility. Although I remember she likes to show off, that with making breakfast with only her magic in front of...was it Twilight? So I figured using it openly like that in a casual way would be more fitting than some ear plugs. It still seems a little strange to the because of that. I also can't imagine that it consumes that much magic, considering that she can make whole bridges with her magic!
So in the end I guess this will remain a mystery until the Author speaks up.
It's more likely that the Author facepalms though and asks him-/herself why we have a discussion about some freaking ear plugs!
KILL HIM SOON.
9972959
KILL HIM WITH FIRE, DEAHT TO THE AMERIC i mean PONY IMPERIALISM
I liking the storie s molt so far
9972959
44 chapters later and we still haven't so much as seen the guy
7072293
Maybe keeping them going in her sleep is too hard or she doesn't want to waste energy on something that earmuffs can do.
Though I'm surprised that it took this to get anyone to look at the paperwork. I'm remember Applejack being really stubborn in that episode because she couldn't compromise until twilight came up with a way. The idea that the trees were on the Buffalo land wasn't something she was willing to consider.
A lot
(This is a bit late)
Tell me about it