What Follows Hugs

by David Silver

34 - Diplomatic Arrangements

Cadance examined the pony in front of her. "He was really angry, wasn't he?"

The pony shrank away, perhaps in shame. "He fought like an animal."

"And you did not?" she asked, glancing aside at Shining Armor. "We will see him shortly."

Shining nodded towards his wayward soldier. "What happened, from the start?"

"Sir. We were... discussing--" His eyes darted away as he spoke. "--their ruler, Sombra."

Cadance forced a little smile. "Was he speaking well of him?"

The soldier grit his teeth. "I was... arguing about him, Sir, Ma'am."

Shining applied a hoof to his face. "Whether you were right or wrong, we're here as a friendly hoof. Getting into arguments with the people here doesn't help that."

Cadance reached to place a hoof on the soldier's shoulder. "You're a good pony, it's why we selected you for this duty. The tsuki are a remarkable people, and are finding their happiness. Whether there is because of or in spite of things remains partially to be seen."

The soldier stiffly nodded, his face pinking softly at the touch of his princess. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I didn't mean to make things awkward for you."

Cadance drew her hoof back and turned to the other side of the cavern they were in. "Sombra is speaking to the tsuki involved, then we will bring you two together. I don't want this to sour this visit."

They could see the collection of tsuki huddled around in a circle, faint whisps of shadow magic drifting up from among them.

Sombra leveled a hoof at his wayward tsuki. "What happened?"

"Pony say bad thing." He crossed his arms, but remained hunched, lest he be taken for challenging Sombra. "Say Sombra not good king, is good king. Get better."

Sombra smiled wickedly. "Your loyalty is noted. However, fighting with them is against my desires. You will apologize. Let them think their wrong thoughts. We will prove our superiority in actions."

The tsuki perked up, his ears going upright for an instant before gravity insisted on their flopping. "See? Is good king! Yes, will say sorry. Will show how good is."

A young tsuki doe nudged him suddenly. "How good we are," she corrected with a grin, satisfied with her own show of superiority.

Quick emerged from the shadows of the huddled tsuki. "They appear to be finished with speaking with their own. Shall we join them, M'lord?"

Sombra nodded as he turned to the collection of ponies, their pink princess easily spotted among them. "Yes. The plan does not change. We will demonstrate our magnaminty and our strength through forbearance. Come." He began a slow walk, taking no time in crossing the stone towards the waiting ponies, his tsuki following behind.

Not perfectly, the accused tsuki was smiling and looking quite proud. The pony pair was looking shamed and awkward as he faced them from behind Cadance.

Cadance smiled at the incoming group. "King Sombra, I apologize for my pony's hasty actions."

Sombra raised a hoof. "It is of little concern. Our people are just getting to know one another, a few conflicts are inevitable, are they not? Let us be grateful that no telling injuries resulted from this unfortunate little spat."

He made a little forward gesture with a hoof and the tsuki stepped forward in one awkward waddle, his people made more for hops than walks. "I sorry for hurting pony, was not nice." He was still smiling, making the apology awkward at best. "Next time fight, is because pony want fight, not because angry, yes?"

The pony tilted his head with confusion. "You're not... mad then?"

The tsuki shook his head, ears flopping in the motion. "Is you mad?"

"Um... no?" He did not have the tsuki's smile, instead uncertainty ruled his features. "Sorry... for... saying bad things like that. I should have been a more polite guest."

The tsuki pounced, but delivered a hug, not claws, snuggling the stallion happily. "Is okay! You make day."

The pony drew back a little, trying to process that statement. Cadance took a swing at it, "My aunt does make the day, it's true, but I think he meant that you made his day in particular."

"Oh..." The stallion reached around and patted the side of the tsuki gently. "Glad I could... help?"

Sombra nodded softly. "I trust we can put this messy little event behind us?"

Cadance nodded in kind. "Let's. If we find disagreement, let us express it through words alone, not with violence."

The tsuki were quick to murmur approval of the idea, as were most of the ponies, save for a few that were wise enough to remain quiet rather than voice their disagreement.

Sombra approached Cadance. "It's so good to see we are of like mind in this. Long has past the... barbaric... days of showing one's fangs first."

Cadance turned to the quieter portions of her retinue. "I agree, but there are lingering effects from our actions. I am... personally pleased that you've turned this new leaf, and wish for it to continue, but you have yet to apologize to those you have wronged before."

Sombra looked to where her pink hoof directed. "Let us finish one matter at a time, hm. I am told you have had an eventful day. Please, enjoy yourself." He took measure of the quiet ponies, a confident smirk on his face. "We can... approach other concerns later. Your visit has barely begun."

As soon as he turned to depart, Toby landed beside him, facing Cadance. "Am very sorry. Ponies for hugging, not fighting."

Cadance gave an easy smile to the tsuki. "I have little doubt that you would have stopped this, had you been there, instead of guiding me around." She glanced aside at Sombra's departing form before refocusing on Toby. "Do your people fight, for fun that is?"

Toby tilted his head left and right. "Wrestle, yes. Not use claws. Claws for digging, or fighting, real fighting." He held up one of his big soft paws. "I not like use claws like that. Save for monsters."

Shining chuckled softly. "I'm not sure I want to wrestle a tsuki."

Toby's ears lifted briefly towards Shining. "Why no? Is fun! Want try?" He turned to face the stallion. "Will start easy. Is fun!"

Tsuki close enough to hear the call for a friendly wrestle began calling out their encouragements, eager to see Shining and Toby clash in good spirits. Their excitement was a spark that spread fire through all the tsuki in the room, soon all gathered around, eyes locked on the two.

Cadance raised a hoof to hide her smile. "You've stepped in it now, Shining. You don't want to disappoint Toby, do you? You know he'd sniffle the moment he was alone."

Shining did what any brave stallion in his place would do. He turned to Flash and waved a hoof at him. "I will send forth my bravest warrior. Go, Flash Sentry, show him how a pony wrestles."

Flash's ears fell in dismay. "Uh... yes, Sir..."

Toby clapped his paws eagerly, ignorant of Flash's worry. "Is good, we wrestle. First to pin wins. First to pin twice wins."

Shining perked an ear at Toby. "Best two out of three?"

"Is what say," answered Toby with a quizzical look. "Will be gentle cause first time, yes? Maybe even lose, but worth it to show friend how do."

The crowd of tsuki were quick to snatch up Flash and Toby with equal abandon, forming a wide ring of curious faces as they were deposited on either side of it. Ponies pushed in to get a view of the action, Cadance and Shining among them.

Toby reared up onto two legs and spread his paws. "Can stand?"

Flash rose onto his hind legs, looking less sure than Toby, but managing the balancing with just a little wobble. "Like this?"

"Yes, is good." Toby bobbed his head. "Oh, is good say. If see Tsuki like this--" He waved a paw at himself. "Means is time to fight. We fight, good fight, friendly fight, yes?"

"Yeah." Shining smiled awkwardly. "Nocreature gets hurt, right?" He took a step forward.

Toby matched his step, his hackles rising. "Is ready? Will be nice." The time for words was over. Toby stepped towards Flash, not jumping at him out of respect for his untrained status.

The crowd exploded in tsuki cheers even as Cadance leaned towards Shining. "Stepping towards Toby like that was the signal to start. Let's remember that."

Flash didn't want to go down too easily. He had some pride as a warrior. He feinted to the left and ducked right, trying to get in under Toby's reaching paws. Toby's grasping digits closed, barely getting a hold of the surprisingly fast pony's tail before he was barreled into.

Flash threw his weight into Toby, smashing into him with the not inconsiderable weight of the equine form. Toby's smile only grew. "Say not know how, is good." He pulled at Flash's captive tail, drawing the pony away as he bounced back. "Feel." He crouched down, pudgy fingers wriggling. "Fight."

Flash got a quirk of a smile on his own. "I am a soldier." That didn't mean he was sure he could win at wrestling. That wasn't part of the day to day drills. He reached back with one hoof, rubbing his sore bottom. "Could you, uh, not pull that? It's not really made for that."

Toby's smile broke instantly. "Oh! Is sorry! Can pull mine." Tsuki tails were much shorter and denser than pony ones, able to take a tug without complaint, unlike the rabbits they looked similar to. "Give free try." His arms went slack, offering up a free approach to Flash.

Flash considered his approach. "It's... alright, you didn't know." A mad idea came to him and he suddenly charged, ducking his head low, his forehooves almost touching the ground in a struggle to avoid galloping as his body wanted to do. He thrust his head forward and down and came up between Toby's legs, throwing himself upright. Toby squeaked with surprise as he lifted from the ground. Flash wasn't strong enough to lift him entirely, but it was enough of a rapid motion that he was thrown off-balance and wobbled dangerously.

The stallion was on him without delay, crashing into him to help him finish toppling over to the stones with a great crash of tsuki flesh. Toby laughed merrily. "Not see! Is good!" He coiled around and grabbed Flash from his prone position, hugging the stallion tightly. "Is good! Can wrestle!"

The crowd was a mix of hoof-stomps and clapping paws, cheering on the good-spirited competition.

Toby was on his feet in a sudden flash of fur, bouncing away from Flash. "Now is serious. Not lose again." He bobbed his head quickly. "Is ready?"

Even as Toby leaped across the ring at Flash, Quick seemed to form from nothing beside Cadance. "Quite the spectacle, is it not?"

Cadance jumped in surprise before seeing who it was. "Ah, Quick Stroke. Taken without malice, it seems the tsuki fighting style is very kinetic."

Another tsuki closeby joined the conversation without hesitation, "Is natural. We bump and show who is big and fast. To stand means fight. To make sit down is end of fight. Is good, right?"

Quick nodded lightly. "That is their way. Neither Sombra nor myself showed them this. Near as can be told, it is simply the way they always were." He watched Toby hug and mildly crush Flash in the ring. "It would seem Toby is more than a match for his current opponent."

Shining chuckled at that. "Flash was a brave pony for trying. Ponies do not wrestle as often, but not never. Honey, ever see the wrestling rings?"

"I've heard of them," admitted Cadance. "I've never actually visited one before. I can see the appeal, even if it isn't my personal taste."

The tsuki that had spoken up slid closer, a grin on his face. "Maybe pink princess want try? I show how wrestle good."

Shining thrust a hoof in the way. "Thanks, champ, but it's my job to show her how to wrestle."

"Shining!"

Author's Note:

Shining is threatening my rating with his humor. Dang stallions.

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Comments

[Daremo]

Shining chuckled at that. "Flash was a brave pony for trying.

He was volun-told to participate, sir.

[tsaukpaetra]

Cultural lessons even when not at a desk? Who planned this?
They're impressed with wrestling, just wait until the Magic demonstration!
Keep going! ;)

[Dxinsider]

I am loving the story. added it to favs and like. cant wait for more fluffiness.

[David Silver]

9002546
Hello and welcome! The fluffs shall continue.