Slice of Velvet and Pear

by David Silver

36 - We Gotta Share

"That's it!" Rainbow flew off in a streak, the chief's retelling of the tale too much for her to bear a moment longer.

Pinkie took a step after her. "I have a different idea, but it will require Spike."

Moon peered at Pinkie suspiciously. "How could Spike help you with this?"

Spike crossed his arms. "Do you need something set on fire? Again."

"No, silly." She rushed up to Spike and poked one of his hands with the flat of her hoof. "I need these. Can you play a piano?"

Moon grabbed Pinkie with her magic. "It is up to him if he wants to do that."

"It's alright." Spike held up his hands placatingly. "I've played a few times... Why?"

Pinkie threw down some sheet music into Spike's waiting hands. "Because I need you to play this for me. We'll convince those ponies that we can solve this without getting in any big fights."

"Huh..." Still, Spike was reading the music. "I'll do my best... This isn't simple."

"I know you can do it!" They wandered off together to give a performance that would surely resolve the matter.

Moon remained behind. "Sir." She was facing the large chief. "Assuming the ponies do not wish to leave entirely, what would the second best option be?"

He considered that with low rumbles. "Hm. You are the first to ask that. Them leaving would be best, but what would be second..."

Strongheart stomped a hoof. "There is no second--"

Thunderhoof set a hoof down in front of Strongheart. "Do not close your heart. The new pony asks a valid question, and does so with peace in her heart. She owes neither us nor the ones who attack us anything, but still she seeks an answer that will please us all." He drew his hoof back. "But know that there is not always a peaceful answer."

"No... But that isn't a reason to not look for it until it is proven to be unattainable." That was just logic! At least as far as Moon saw it. "Pinkie will do her best to convince them, but I have my own ways. Please, what would the second prize be?"

"Hm. To be honest, we do not care if they are there." Thunderhoof nodded slowly, the feathers of his headdress ruffling with the motion.

"What?!" Strongheart peered at her revered elder with obvious shock. "Of course we do!"

"We do not," repeated the chief firmly. "What we care about is that we can stampede along the lands we always have. If they wish to wave at us on the way by, nothing is harmed."

Strongheart kicked at the dusty ground. "As if they would let us! It's 'their land' now, even if we have used it for generations!"

Moon weighed the option with her hooves as if they were physical things she was moving. "By the laws, they are entitled to that land due to your... Do you have property ownership of the land?"

Thunderhoof's eyes widened a bit. "Ownership? The land was here before us. It will be here after us. All we can do is tend it and treasure it while we remain on it. How can any creature 'own' it?"

Moon let the hypotethical weights fall. "A fascinating philosophy, but unsupported by current laws. You do not have land deeds nor royal decree, and they do. By the law, they have a greater entitlement to that land. I am not arguing which is 'right', subjectively, or objectively, but the law is the law."

Strongheart stomped towards Moon, glaring at her. "Laws that ponies made? The same ponies that steal what was ours for hundreds of moons?!"

"Yes." Moon inclined her head. "If you provoke them sufficiently, more ponies will come. If the buffalo I see are your total, there are more ponies by a considerable margin."

Thunderhoof deflated with a sigh. "You present a terrible choice. Live in dismal defeat, or die trying for more. This is a terrible truth you present. You do see that, do you not?"

Strongheart leveled a hoof at Moon Dancer. "Would you fight with them, driving us from the land we love alongside your pony kindred?"

"If Celestia ordered it." Moon perked her ears. "Have you spoken with her? A royal decree would settle this rapidly."

Thunderhoof inclined his head towards Moon Dancer. "From how you speak of her, is she a chief?"

"Like you," agreed Moon with a smile. "You two might benefit from a discussion."

"I am not opposed to speaking to the pony chief." Thunderhoof considered a quiet moment. "Is that something you can do?"

"I can ask." She turned to see a complete lack of Spike. "After I find Spike again. He can send letters to her."

Strongheart stood proudly. "We knew he was a very magical and powerful dragon. It is fitting that he may yet be the answer to our problems... if this pony chief will listen to reason."

Thunderhoof pointed back towards town. "He went with pink one, to perform? I did not catch the specifics."

"Right, I think they said something like that." Moon began towards the town. "I'll find him there."

Strongheart hurried to Moon's side. "You're not going anywhere without me."

"If you wish." Moon didn't seem bothered at all by her buffalo companion. "That will make giving any reply I recieve easier."

They hurried back to the town to find Pinkie giving her enthusiastic, if not well recieved, performance. "You gotta share! It's the right thing to do!"

As soon as that was done, a buffalo approached Moon and Strongheart. "Did the chief say anything, or do I declare war now?"

Strongheart waved to Moon. "Wait. Let her speak to the dragon first. Perhaps thier chief can talk sense into them where we have failed.

Moon hurried to Spike's side. "Your performance with the piano was quite remarkable."

"Aw, thanks." He rubbed behind his head. "Good to see you back. How did the chat go?" He looked around her. "I see Strongheart over there."

"She is waiting for you to take and recieve a letter, if you are willing?"

Spike produced a quill and a blank scroll. "Ready!"

"Thank you. Dear Princess Celestia, I apologize for this brief missive, but there is a tribe of creatures that require your immediate attention. The buffalo treasure their stampeding grounds, on which Appleloosa and its apple orchard have been placed. We understand the Appleloosans desire for survival, but the buffalo were here first. Though they have no formal deed to the land, they request their long use of the land to count. Any reply on your part could set matters at ease. Thank you, Moon Dancer."

Spike lit the scroll with a puff of breath, sending it flying through the air. "Now we wait."

Spike looked ready to wander off with a coughing fit brought that to an end. He hacked up a new scroll and offered it towards Moon. "The return trip is never as easy."

"Thank you very much." She hugged Spike gently and willed the scroll unfurl, two buffalos right behind her.

Moon Dancer!

I hadn't expected you to write, about that of all things. I have heard about the buffalo, but only tattered pieces and rumors. I had no idea they were being put upon by Appleloosa's placement. If this land was used by them first, I won't just take it.

Moon nodded as she read over it. "Princess Celestia is as kind as she is prudent. I am certain she has an answer here.

I will meet with them and discuss this immediately. Can you write me the location where I can meet them?

Strongheart snatched the paper from the air. "I will write the directions."

Moon shook her head. "I will give you a fresh scroll." Which she provided. "Then we can send it to her." With her original scroll returned, she could continue reading.

In the meantime, please ask that the ponies of Appleloosa not get in the way of the buffalo's movements. I will give more detailed instructions after I've spoken to them.

Moon nodded slowly. "This feels handled. Strongheart, are you satisfied?"

Strongheart offered the new scroll with the directions to the chief. "This all sounds good. If she keeps being nice while and after meeting the chief, then we have no more reason to be upset, and will return your tree."

Moon twitched up an ear. "Applejack will be--"

"--Where's mah tree?!" Applejack was charging at them, scowling at Strongheart. The other buffalo moved between them, becoming a living wall. "Let me past! Ya done stole mah tree and ah want 'em back!"

Pinkie descended on AJ, one arm around her. "Relax! We just worked it out."

"By getting out of their way?" Rainbow had arrived, hovering angrily with a scowl to match.

Twilight gestured to Moon. "I think she's contacting Princess Celestia."

All the ponies present peered at Moon with shock. Rarity fanned herself with a hoof. "Is it alright to bother her with our little problems, darling?"

Moon sat in place as if to make her stand. "This is a legal concern. The local constabulary seems pre-occupied with the safety of the local ponies and cannot administer this. Who else should I consult? Princess Celestia has kept this nation whole and prosperous this long and this falls well within her jurisdiction."

Twilight shrugged softly. "If the local governance has failed to resolve this, elevating it to Princess Celestia isn't entirely unreasonable." She turned to the sheriff of the town. "Do you accept what her ruling is?"

He took off his hat and pressed it to his chest. "Well, shoot. I can't... She's Princess Celstia. How do ah say no to that?"

Twilight nodded, turning onwards to Strongheart. "Will you wait for her response? You are not a citizen of Equestria, technically... You do occupy it. It's a curious situation."

Strongheart pointed to herself and her buffalo friend. "We were here first."

Twilight nodded. "I'm not arguing that, just asking if you'll wait for her to write back."

Strongheart sank to her haunches with a huff. "If she says something foolish, then I am leaving." Her friend thumped to his haunches near her in solidarity. "We will wait right here. How long will she take?"

Spike's cheeks balooned. With a few coughs, and thumps of his chest, he got the scroll to pop free. "Ta da!" He offered it right over to Moon Dancer. "What'd she say? I didn't expect a second letter."

"Would you like to read it?"offered Moon with a little smile. "Or I can, if you'd prefer."

"Oh! Well." Spike unfurled the scroll and read it out loud as he went.

Moon Dancer,

I had no idea the trouble was developing in quite that way. I looked into the matter with some quick research and what I found is distressing. The buffalo were there when I was just starting Equestria, and they worked at my side during very difficult times in much more troubling ages that you will never have to experience, I'm glad to report. Tell them 'The Sun Rises on Agate Patterns'. As for the ponies there, I will pay for the space they have to vacate, but they have to vacate it.

The buffalo will have their route returned to them, and the trees relocated. The buffalo will hopefully assist, but they don't have to. This is not a mess they made. I should have thought of this issue before now, and apologize for not doing so.

If More is Needed, Tell me,
Princess Celestia

Spike rolled the scroll up neatly. "Huh... Agate patterns?"

Strongheart had her ears pinned against her head. "That is a very sacred reminder... It means that ancient vows are not forgotten, or they were and are now remembered, and will be honored. I did not know she had any oaths with our herd... I need to speak to the chief." She stood up. "If you will obey her words... then... our conflict is over. We will return your tree and help plant it out of the way."

Fluttershy clapped joyfully. "I'm so glad that's over with. We'll help!"

Author's Note:

Sometimes, calling in Upper Management isn't a bad idea.

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Comments

[Booster Spice]

Sometimes Middle Management forgets, sometimes its petty, and the rest of the times its just population avereage idiocy?

[badninja]

Good to see Celestia was able to realize her error once it was brought up to her. Always glad to see that writers remember that she can be called upon when the situation is something that she should have been involved with from the start.

[i_am_the_jam]

That went well...

[Baree]

This is a bit confusing. So Celestia send two letters back? How did Moondancer and co. knew a second letter was coming after Little Strongheart gave Celestia a location to meet? And why was the tone of the second letter from Celestia so much more urgent than the first?

I get the impression that a second letter was written into this chapter without realising there already was a letter and/or removing it. Also because of the conversation between the letters, it strongly hints towards the fact that they are still waiting for a reply and ignores the fact they already received one.

Also: "Well, shoot. I can't... She's Princess Celstia. (Celestia).

[David Silver]

11340411
Oops, looks like mistakes were made in the end there, kudos for noticing.

[David Silver]

11340411
Fixed!

[Venerable Ro]

I can imagine Celestia facehooving because she completely missed just where the Appleoosa ponies planned to settle.

A very different outcome, and a very reasonable one at that. As to whether it's better, well time will tell on that count.

[PhycoKrusk]

And that is leadership. "I'm the one who screwed up, so here is how I'm going to fix it."

Sometimes that's... really all you can do.

[Greenhorn]

Being thousands of year old make you forget several little things. Good thing she kept records.

[redandready45]

11340575
The leader who admits he or she is wrong is the one who will go far.

[PhycoKrusk]

11341563
That depends. Because if the leader finds themselves admitting they're wrong more often than not, followers are going to start questioning the leadership....

[redandready45]

11341665

Fair point.

Be a leader who can balance compromise with steadfastness.

Be Abraham Lincoln, who could balance manners and kindness with his determination to save the Union.

Don't be Trump, who denies losing an election.

[David Silver]

11341723
Let's keep the modern politics out of our pony shenanigans. :)

[PhycoKrusk]

11341767
Agreed. If we bring modern politics into this, who knows what could happen?

I mean, what if we de-optimize Moondancer's schedule?

[David Silver]

11341774
Her tears are too painful to consider. Don't do that.

[redandready45]

11341767

11341774

Sorry. I wasn't trying to make a debate.

[Enderstorm]

That's what the episode should have been if it wasn't a kids show.

[Hoof of Approval]

*Checks the author, seventeen chapters in.*

Of course it's you.

*Continues reading.*

[MooseWhisker]

Twilight gestured to Moon. "I think she's contacting Princess Celestia."

Wait what? When the heck did Twilight get there? She wasn’t mentioned in this chapter or the previous one at all before just then. I just assumed she was back in ponyville.

[David Silver]

11673285
Sorry for not bringing her up sooner.

[Victor07]

Twilight gestured to Moon. "I think she's contacting Princess Celestia."

Twi was so quiet that I started to wonder if she had come along or stayed in the library.

[Numinos]

Aww, now there'll be New Appleloosa somewhere else : )

Hm, this evolves into rationalfic. Interesting : )