Episode 30: Over A Barrel
Episode 30:
Over a Barrell
During the sunset, a train was rolling across the desert powered by a team of strong, fast, and powerful stallions since apparently the locomotive up front had broken down. Inside the last car, was Applejack reading a bed time story.
“And that's when the yellow birdie thought to himself, "Hmm. My favorite little tree isn't such a little tree anymore." So she sang her song, big and strong, and they all lived in that great, big tree happily ever after. The... end.” Applejack read to someone or something as Rarity came storming in looking pretty annoyed with the farm pony with Kyoga accompanying her.
“Applejack! Were you reading a bedtime story to... an apple tree?” Rarity asked while pointing to said tree being tucked in.
"Seriously?" Kyoga asked with a raised eyebrow as if she was crazy.
“Heh... uh... Well, ya know, bein' replanted in a whole new place is very upsettin' for a tree... and Bloomberg here is one of my favorites.” She nervously explained as the unicorn approaches her pretty upset with what she is doing.
“No fair, Applejack! You've got a luxurious, private sleeper car for a tree, while I am crowded and cramped in the same car with all the other ponies along with the rest of the Guard. How am I supposed to get my beauty sleep?!” She complained.
“But Bloomberg's the whole reason we're makin' this trip. He needs his rest so we can give him as a gift to my relatives in Appleloosa.” She replied as she tried to reason with her.
“Hmph! You talk about it as if it's your baby or something.” Rarity scoffed unconvinced.
“Who you callin' a baby?! Bloomberg's no baby!” She said in offense before treating the tree as such. “Don't wet widdle Rarity make you all saddy-waddy. Bloomberg's a big and strong apple tree. Yes, he is. A-coochie-coochie-coo-coo-coo!”
“Convincing.” Fuli said very deadpan and unconvinced.
“It's widdle Rarity who's all "saddy-waddy"! Urgh!” Rarity then complained in baby tone as she walked off in a huff to which didn't change the lioness's expression as she finds their argument rather immature.
“Oh boy. Settling it out like big girls just like before.” Kyoga just said while rolling her eyes at their little spat.
"Sorry you had to see that, but I thank you kindly for accompanying us on this trip." Applejack apologized and thanked. "It means a lot to the Apple Family that you were able to help us out on this one."
"Whatever." She didn't think to much of it before moving to walk back to her cart as well. "Even though I don't find any interest in a tree transferring job."
"Look I get that you aren't very perked up about all of this but we just thought you could use a little exploring from outside of the Pride Lands and Ponyville." Applejack sympathized and explained why else they wanted her to accompany them.
"I only accepted your invite because I had nothing else better to do other than therapy sessions with Zecora." Kyoga bluntly replied in a rather cold tone. "Just don't go trying to force friendship on me, okay?"
She then pressed forward and made her way out leaving Applejack puzzled by her cold and distant attitude but nevertheless wasn't going to press it much like last time nor go as far as calling her disabled and risk getting scarred in the face.
Later than night every pony was in their bunk beds all chatting amongst themselves along with the Guard in a separate cart all while Rarity is annoyed out of her mind unable to sleep while Fuli is able to sleep comfortably since she is wearing earmuffs.
“Oh man, we're going fast! This is so exciting, I can't even wait!” Rainbow expressed her excitement over their trip.
“Oh my goodness...” Twilight expressed.
“Can you believe it.” Beshte said.
“I know right.” Bunga added.
“For crying out loud in the morning!” Rarity complained as she groaned as she turned over and placed her pillow on top of her head to mute out the conversing.
“I can't wait! Rainbow Dash: Yeah, yeah! Oh, my gosh!” Fluttershy expressed her joy looking forward to this trip as Spike irritably woke up.
“Do you guys mind?” He angrily asked. “I was up early fire-roasting those snacks you're all eating, and I'm pooped!”
“Uh, speaking of, some of these popcorn kernels didn't get popped.” Rainbow said as she presented her popcorn box.
“Yeah mine too!” Bunga added.
Spike responded by furiously roaring green fire at their popcorn boxes which burned them to crisps and ashes.
“Good night!” He angrily told them as he tucked himself back to bed leaving the others stunned by that.
"Can't say you didn't have that coming." Kyoga commented as she turned her back facing the window as she turned to sleep.
“Uhh... maybe it's time we all got a little shut-eye.” Twilight suggested to everyone it is for the best for the sake of avoiding cranky attitude in the morning as she briefly gets out of her bunk so she can massage the baby dragon’s scales. “We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”
“Awwww!“ The other girls minus Applejack and Rarity groaned as the guys went back to their quarters in the other cart.
“See you all then.” Kion called out to them as they left.
Once Twilight placed earmuffs on his ears while nuzzling him with a hoof and cheek she then joined the others and tucked themselves into bed. Although not for not as Rainbow and Pinkie couldn’t help but sneak to the cart where Bunga is so they could have a midnight chat together.
“Psst! Pinkie Pie, you asleep yet?” Rainbow asked in a whisper.
“No, are you asleep yet?” Pinkie asked back in a whisper.
“Nope.” Bunga cheerifully replied still full of energy before being hushed by the two ponies.
“If I was sleeping, how could I have asked you if you were asleep?” Rainbow whispered back in reply.
“Oh yeah!” Pinkie remembered in a giggle before continuing their whisper conversation as she brought forward a lit candle.
“When we get to Appleloosa, you think we'll have to carry that heavy tree all the way from the train to the orchard?” Rainbow asked.
“What tree? You mean Bloomberg?” Bunga asked.
“...No, Fluttershy.” Rainbow sarcastically replied.
“Fluttershy's not a tree, silly!” Bunga commented not understanding the sarcastic comment.
“Yeah!” Pinkie added as she lightly tapped her nose.
“What's going on?” Kion asked as he awakened from the commotion.
“Rainbow Dash thinks Fluttershy's a tree!” Bunga replied.
“I do not think she's a tree!“ Rainbow tried to explain herself.
“Did you say she was a tree?” He asked as he interrupted her.
“No. Well.. Yes. But not exactly–“ Rainbow again tried to explain.
“Ya know she's not a tree, right?” Kion told her while cutting her off again.
“She's not a tree, Dashie!” Pinkie teasingly repeated much to the peagsus’s annoyance as Fluttershy and Beshte awoke from the commotion.
“I'd like to be a tree...“ Fluttershy said.
“Really?” Beshte asked. “I could say the same yet while more for being a boulder.”
“Well isn’t that nice.” Fluttershy sweetly commented.
“Oh, for Pete's sake!” Ono snapped as he awoke from the commotion.
“Sorry Ono.” Kion called out to him.
“Didn’t mean to wake you.” Beshte added as the egret just flew off in a huff as Kion and Beshte returned to their beds to retire for the night.
“Let’s just go to bed, shall we.” The lion prince suggested to the others.
“Let’s.” Beshte immediately did so as he yawned before retiring for the night leaving the four alone to converse.
“Well that was kind of huffy.” Bunga commented in surprise.
“Huffy the flying egret.” Fluttershy added as they along with Rainbow and Pinkie giggled together which woke Kyoga up as her ears perked up from the commotion too.
“Would you all be quiet... NOW?!” Kyoga snapped at them with the candle light showing her glowing white eyes which startled the four as Fluttershy and Rainbow quickly flew back to her cart as Pinkie quickly blows out the candle.
“Sorry.” Pinkie apologized before joining her pony friends in bed.
Meanwhile Ono made his way to Bloomberg’s private cart so he could rest for the night to avoid being further interrupted.
“Hope you don’t mind but I’m going sleep here for tonight.” The egret said to the tree before grumbling to himself. “Oh, why did just do that.” He then said as rested beside the tree in bed. “Trees can’t talk.”
The next morning of the sunrise, everyone was awaken when they heard rumbling nearby as everyone all directs their attention to outside from their windows
“What the…?” Kion commented at what they are seeing.
“A buffalo stampede!” Twilight said in surprise at the sight of that happening.
“That’s interesting.” Fuli commented finding this out of the ordinary.
“Poa!” Beshte added.
“I just love their accessories!” Rarity admired the feather’s on their heads while Twilight gets worried as they are all alarmingly close to the train.
“They're getting awfully close to the train.” Twilight noted as they started rammed the train carts and the stallions pulling the train leaving the others bouncing around from the shaking around while Ono is still sleeping in the cart with the apple tree until the lead stallion rammed him back to force them to knock it off as he sped ahead of them as they all kept up following the train.
“Oooh, looky! Now they're doing tricks!”Pinkie commented as they all recovered from the shakeup as one of the buffalo gets on another’s back as a small female buffalo hops on the two’s backs.
“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Now do a backflip!... Or... Just jump?” Bunga figured as he and Pinkie are really enjoying the show before seeing that she jumped on top of the cart instead and ran atop of it.
“Uh, I don’t think this is a circus act.” Fuli figured.
“Me neither.” Rainbow said in agreement as they went on top of the cart to try to stop the commotion before it could get out of hoof as Kyoga followed after them.
“Hey there!” Fuli quickly ran in front to intercept her as she kept charging as Rainbow had to fly her up to avoid a collision.
Seeing that she is not stopping she moved to fly beside her while tossing Fuli back onto the cart so she can run alongside her.
“Where ya headed in such a hurry?” Rainbow asked. “Wow, you're pretty quick for someone so... bulky. No offense.”
“Huh..?” She said in confusion as she pressed forward with Rainbow flying in front to try to intercept her.
Kyoga ran after them while watching as she observes the female buffalo with what she is really after as she eyed the private cart containing the tree.
“I just wanna know…” She continued as the small buffalo just dodged her as Fuli dodged on the opposite side of the cart. “Hey! We’re talking to you.” She said as they intercepted her again only for her to reply with a backflip over them. “Whoa... Arrgggg... We got you now, you…” She declared as they speed ahead and prepared to catch her as she quickly dipped to the caboose of the train which left Rainbow crashing face-first into a railroad crossing sign while Fuli ended up having to skid to a halt with her claws on the last cart just as the buffalo unhooks it from the train while whistling to the others that she got what they wanted while signaling them to retreat with the cart in tow.
"Hapana!" Ono said in alert as he quickly flew out of the cart as he then came to fully wake himself up just as Kyoga made a huge leap onto the train cart containing the apple tree.
As soon as the others watch from the back door of the last cart watching in shock as this happened especially Twilight and Kion since Spike and Kyoga are on the cart.
“They've got Bloomberg!” Applejack called out.
“Heeeelp!” Spike cried out.
“And Spike!” Twilight cried back to him.
"Kyoga?!" Kion called out to her.
“Don’t worry! We’ll be okay!” Kyoga called out. “And I’ll keep watch over Spike until we regroup!” She shouted before they were both out of their sight while passing by Rainbow still recovering from the impact of the crash.
“Dragon-napping Spike and lion-napping Kyoga. I'll show her!” Rainbow angrily vowed but was unable to take after the as her head is still banged up and recovering from the impact of hitting her head on the sign.
At the same time, Kyoga kept her claws attached to the cart as she called down to the buffalo confiscating the cart with the apple tree on it.
"Hey, buffalo!" She yelled out to them. "HALT!"
The powerful shout was enough to intimidate the buffaloes into obeying her command as they all screeched to a halt.
"Care to tell me why you are kidnapping us?" She demanded an answer out of them.
"Our apologies." The female buffalo spoke on their behalf. "It was never our intention to. We just wanted the tree inside the cart.
"A cart that also carries a baby dragon that belongs to someone." Kyoga pointed out to said dragon terrifed of his abductors.
"Just the tree." She again repeated to assure they have no ill will towards them.
"Okay." She understood. "Then maybe you can tell us why you are confiscating this tree while nearby endangering our train ride over just now."
"Well if you're willing to listen to us, we'll talk." She offered.
"Very well." She accepted as the buffalo carried the train cart on over to their territory as she explains herself on behalf of all of the other buffaloes that partook in the scene just minutes ago.
Elsewhere, the train then arrived in Applebloosa with every all worrying about Spike and Kyoga with Fuli wasting no time and running back in the direction of the last buffalo sighting but before he others could ran after her they were suddenly greeted by a pony with a light brown fur coat, with an amber brown mane and tai, and green eyes, waiting for them.
“Hey there! Welcome ta A-A-ppleloosa!” He greeted.
“Braeburn, listen–“ Applejack tried to speak of something more urgent.
“Cousin Applejack, mind yer manners, you have yet ta introduce me to your compadres! Shame on you!” He immediately cut her off as he tried to speak what happened.
“Braeburn, listen, somethin' terrible's happened–“ She tried again as her eager cousin is still refusing to let her get a word.
“Terrible is right, your train is a full seven minutes late! That's seven minutes less for you to delight in the pleasures and wonders of... A-A-A-ppleloosa!” He then tried to push the others into showing the around as Beshte stepped in and used his super strength to stand his ground and keep him from moving them so he can listen to them. “Now come on now hippo, less resistance, more touring.”
“Excuse us!” Kion then shouted to get his attention. “We get that you’re excited to show us around but we have a huge problem that Applejack has been trying to tell you!”
“A stampede of buffalo.”
“They took Spike and Kyoga!”
“Rainbow Dash went after them!”
“And we can't find Pinkie Pie or Bunga.”
“And we had an apple tree with us for your orchard, but they took that too!”
Fluttershy, Rarity, Twilight, Ono, and Applejack all explained together sentence by sentence.
“Did you say... buffalo?“ Braeburn sighed hearing this as he leads them to his apple orchard. “Them buffalo, they want us settler ponies to take every single tree you see here off this land. They sure as hay don't want any new ones added in.”
“But why?” Fluttershy asked.
“Beats me. We put a lot of hard work into this land, so we can feed our town, our families, our foals! And now they're sayin' all these trees have to go? T'ain't fair...“
Meanwhile Rainbow Dash is now making her way through the desert wastelands in search of the buffalo that caused all of this drama sneaking around rock to rock.
“Ooh, I can't wait to get my hooves on that little buffalo... Hnnh... Ow!” He grumbled as his head still winced in pain from the hit. “Nobody tricks Rainbow Dash and gets away with it.”
“Boo!” Pinkie and Bunga teasingly said as she appeared right in front of her and startling her.
“Yah! ...Pinkie Pie! Bunga!”
“Ah, ya caught us! Looks like we tricked you and didn't get away with it either! You're good.” Pinkie returned with a giggle before Rainbow quickly covered their mouths.
“Shhshh! What do you think you're doing?! You gotta get out of here!” She urgently whispered to them.
“I do?” Pinkie returned cluelessly.
“You're gonna blow my cover.” She whispery responded as she ducked behind a nearby rock.
“I am?” The honey badger cluelessly asked.
“I'm trying to save Spike and Fuli!” She irritably returned trying to keep them quiet.
“Oh my gosh! So am I!” Pinkie said as she spoke up and appeared in front of her.
“And the more of us there are out here, the more chances of us getting... caught. Run, Pinkie, I'll hold 'em off. Save yourself!” Rainbow then spoke up as Pinkie’s distraction ended up blowing their cover to a herd of buffalo and then prepared to face off again.
“Easy there buffalo’s.” Fuli appeared as she urged them to stand down with Spike and Kyoga appearing alongside her before they could duke it out.
“Stop! Dash, Pinkie, 'sup? Hey, no worries, I know those guys. They're cool.” Spike added.
“If you say so, Fuli, Spike and uh..." One of the buffalo replied while getting confused at the lioness's name.
"Kyoga." She answered rather annoyed.
"Right, sorry. Kyoga. Catch ya three later.” One of the buffalo said to them as they left the scene as the ponies and honey badger wasted no time greeting their friends.
“Ah, ah, ah.“ Fuli warned them against hugging her. “No need to get all mushy about it.”
"Don't even think about it." Kyoga added adopting the same stance.
“But how did you both escape?” Bunga asked them.
“How about we explain it to you all on the way back.” Fuli offered as they all went back to where the buffalo were setting camp. "I too ended up running into that just as I too got surrounded by them."
"How did you...?" Rainbow asked the question everyone's thinking.
"I ran off ahead at full speed to catch up to them. They ended up sensing my presence and quickly headed me off right as I got to their camp." She replied as they all made their way to the camp where a campfire was set up where they all had dinner together.
“Seems they took us by mistake. And they felt awful about it too, poor guys. Fortunately, they totally respect dragons, lions, and cheetahs, so they treated us like honored guests.” Spike explained as the buffalo offered them grub which didn’t look appealing to Rainbow and Fuli. “Still don't like ponies much, though... But you're with us, so it's cool.”
“You gonna eat that?” Pinkie and Bunga asked them.
“Knock yourselves out.” Fuli said to the as she handed them each an extra bowl as they really started chowing down on it much to her, Kyoga's and Rainbow’s disgust as the lioness pushed aside her bowl of grub as she already lost her appetite.
“Huh. Well, I still don't trust them. I say we turn tail and bail while we still–“ Rainbow voiced her disgust for their actions this morning as she looked around the camp.
“Mmm!” Pinkie and Bunga voiced as they munched on the chow.
“Before we finish eating?” Pinkie asked as if she was crazy.
“Are you loco in the coco?!” Bunga added in a similar manner.
“Can I please have more of that mushy stuff, whatever it was?” Pinkie asked to the buffalo that Rainbow and Fuli crossed paths with earlier as she brought forward a bowl of gemstones and two zebra legs.
“Yeah me, too?” Bunga also asked.
“Certainly.” She replied while handing Spike the bowl and the two cats the meat-filed legs. “And, Mr. Spike, Ms. Fuli, Ms. Kyoga, you like gemstones and zebra meat, yes?”
“Turquoise. Mmm!“ Spike happily replied as he downed the entire bowl.
“Aah, thanks.” Fuli just as happily thanked her as she started enjoying her meaty dinner along with Kyoga as Spike spoke up to introduce her.
“This here is Little Strongheart, and these are our friends Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.”
As Rainbow turned around, anger sparked in her eyes upon seeing her after a double take.
“You!”
“You!” She reacted in shock as she too remembered her from earlier.
“That's it! We are outta here!” Rainbow prepared to storm off as Fuli and Strongheart quickly intercepted her when she prepared to drag Pinkie by the tail.
“Wait!” Fuli called out to the light blue furred peagsus.
“Please accept my apologies for what happened on the train. We didn't mean for anyone to be hurt.” The young buffalo apologized.
“Yeah, right.” Rainbow refused to believe it as she tried to turn away yet she intercepts her again.
“We only wanted the tree. The settler ponies have overtaken the land and have planted an orchard all over it! Because of their thoughtlessness, we can no longer run over our traditional stampeding grounds.” She explained to them much to the ponies and honey badger’s confusion.
“Huh?”
“I think it's time they met Chief Thunderhooves.” Spike suggested as Rainbow’s anger still refused to tame in the slightest as the five are brought to meet the head buffalo face to face.
“Hmmh. We have a long and winding stampeding trail that we have run upon for many generations. My father stampeded upon these grounds, and his father before him, and his father before him, and his father before him, and his father before him, and–“ The chief explained before Strongheart interrupted seeing that everyone was getting tired and confused from the long-winded explanation of past generations and ancestors.
“I think they get the idea, Chief.” She kindly urged him to get to the point.
“It is a sacred tradition to run the path every year. But this year, these... settler ponies, these...Appleloosans!” He then angrily fumed at the thought of them as Strongheart had to place a calming hoof on his snout.
“They planted apple trees all over it without asking our permission.” Strongheart explained to them.
“Really?” Fuli asked as Kyoga eyed that something was a little off by what they claim is the truth.
“Well that's not very nice. Right, Rainbow Dash?” Pinkie commented as Rainbow simply huffed in bitterness towards the little lady.
“The ponies refused to move their trees, so we are stuck here, and it is not fair!” She further explained their frustrations towards them.
“I see. And may I ask have you actually talked to them about it?” Kyoga asked to make sure she is getting this down right.
“Well…no.” She honestly answered.
“Uh-huh. Maybe you should all try talking to them and just ask them to plant their trees so they you can run your traditional stampeding trail.” She suggested back to them.
“Well we never thought about that.” The chief admitted.
“Doesn’t hurt to try.” Fuli urged them to as the two share a nod together.
“Very well.” He agreed while turning to Strongheart who nodded as she responds to his request. “You got with them and talk to those Appleloosans and see that they’ll move their apple trees.
The next morning the others were getting their saddle-bags on as they prepare to venture into buffalo territory to rescue their friends.
“Ow! Gently, please!” Rarity urged Applejack who was tightening her saddle-bag on her back.
“Sorry, Rarity.” She apologized. “But our friends are out there and we have ta' be ready for a long hike into buffalo territory if we're gonna save 'em! Let's go!”
They all prepared to head on out of town when their friends suddenly appeared before them unharmed.
“Hi, guys!” Pinkie greeted as Fluttershy happily tackled her into a hug.
“Pinkie! We're so glad you're safe.” She expressed as Kion and Twilight gladly reunited with Fuli and Spike.
“Oh thank goodness you’re okay.” Twilight said as she hugged Spike.
“How did you escape from the buffalo?” Kion asked everyone.
“We didn't!” Pinkie replied much to everyone’s surprise as the buffalo that hijacked the apple tree appeared from behind the rock as Fuli stepped forward to explain it better to everyone.
“Turns out taking us was a mistake and they only wanted the apple tree because they state they have a right to stampede on the land.”
“And we promised the buffalo a chance to talk about it with our new pal Little Strongheart here to explain to the Appleloosans why they should move the apple trees off buffalo land.” Rainbow added while placing a hoof on her back.
“That information would be quite help–“ Braeburn seemed ready to talk to her about in a friendly manner before Applejack got in between them and got face to face with Rainbow Dash.
“That's weird. 'Cause my cousin Braeburn here wants to explain to the buffalo why they should let the apple trees stay.” Applejack countered as Kyoga's concerns were confirmed as two and two were put together there.
“That would be a useful thing to–“ Strongheart seemed just as ready to consider until Applejack and Rainbow Dash got into another heated argument.
“The land is theirs! You planted the trees not knowing that. Honest mistake. Now, you just gotta move 'em, that's all.” Rainbow fired at the farm pony.
“They busted their rumps here! An' now they're supposed ta bust their rumps again, just 'cause some buffalo won't stampede someplace else?” Applejack fired back at the speedy peagsus as both Braeburn and Strongheart are both looking uneasy seeing their squabble as the rest of the Guard starts to get annoyed by it.
“Plant the trees somewhere else!”
“Where?! It's the only flatland around these parts!”
“The buffalo had it first!”
“The settler ponies need it to live!”
“Come on, Applejack!”
“You're bein' unreasonable!”
“I put my hoof down!”
“ENOUGH! Both of you!” Kion then shouted at them with a growl to get them stop it as they immediately shut up upon hearing him while intimidated by his little outburst.
“Look! Both the settlers and the buffalo have good reasons to use this land. There must be something we can do.” Twilight then spoke up seeking to find a resolution to the matter.
"Well if you all ask me I think we should..." Kyoga tried to propose before Pinkie popped open her mouth.
“Hey! I've got an idea!” Pinkie proposed while whispering her idea to Bunga who was immediately on board with the idea.
“And what would that be?” Kyoga asked as the two immediately run off ahead.
“Why do I get the bad feeling this is not going to end well?” Fuli asked the unicorn in charge.
“Probably because of their antics always getting them into a knack of trouble.” Twilight replied as Fuli shrugs and nods in reply.
“Figures.”
“Let’s just hope they don’t start a war.” Kion hopefully said as everyone all gets together in the center of town where Pinkie and Bunga have set up a stage there with Spike playing on the piano for the music accompanying the song the two were about to do in front of the whole crowd of Appleloosa ponies and buffalo tribe.
Once everyone was gathered Pinkie and Bunga began their performance while Spike wearing a black fedora hat plays the music accompanying their song as Pinkie and Bunga appear outside of a clam shell onstage with the former wearing a purple dress and a matching feather on her head with black leggings while the latter wore cowboy outfit complete with a belt, badge, hat, along with a brown shirt with matching pants and boots.
“We may be divided
But of you all, I beg
To remember we're all hoofed
At the end of each leg.”
She sang as everyone watches on with puzzled and disturbed looks as two cowgirls lift them out the clam shell.
“Oh, no.” Fuli muttered under her breath.
“No matter what the issue
Come from wherever you please
All this fighting gets you nothing
But hoof-and-mouth disease
Arguing's not the way
Hey, come out and play!
It's a shiny, new day
So, what do you say?”
Pinkie and Bunga sang together as they hopped around the stage while dancing alongside the piano player.
“You gotta share
You gotta care
It's the right thing to do
You gotta share
You gotta care
And there'll always be a way through.”
Bunga sang in front of the dismayed crowd as they then both sang together.
“Both our diets, I should mention
Are completely vegetarian
We all eat hay and oats
Why be at each other's throat?
You gotta share
You gotta care
It's the right thing to do
And there'll always be a way
Throoooough!”
As soon as the song ended, there was just stunned silence from the crowd with only Spike cheering them on while both Kion and Twilight place a paw and hoof on their faces in embarrassment while Fuli and Kyoga were so mortified they could not even look at them as they turned away.
“All right, Pinkie Pie! Way to go Bunga! That was fantastic! What a great song! Yeah, right on!”
“It appears that Sheriff Silverstar and I have come to... an agreement.” Chief Thunderhooves then spoke up as he and the shrieff exchange a nod after a moment.
“We have.” Sheriff Silverstar said in agreement as everyone got their hopes up with matching smiles.
“That was the worst performance we've ever seen.” The buffalo chief stated as the performers frowned.
“Teh... Abso-tively!” The pony sheriff stated in agreement.
“The time for action... Hmh... is upon us! Our stampede will start at high noon tomorrow. And if the orchard is still there, we'll flatten it... and the whole town!” Chief Thunderhooves declared in the sheriff’s face with narrowed eyes much to everyone’s shock.
“But, Chief!” Little Strongheart tried to protest against it on deaf ears.
“An' we Appleloosans say you'd better bring yer best, 'cause we'll be ready and waitin'.” Sheriff Silverstar declared unafraid of the threat as both sides then separate to prepare for war leaving only the Guard behind.
“Oh... That wasn't the message of my song at all...” Pinkie complained in disappointment as everyone prepares for the upcoming war that’s about to be unleashed.
“How could they possibly not like it?” The honey badger questioned just as lost as the party pony.
"Maybe because they found your attempted message in song truly horrible in case you missed what the chief had just said." The lioness answered at the clueless duo. "And now thanks to you two, a war has just begun."
Shortly after the declaration, everyone was cracking down hard. From nailing boards on windows to barricade the buildings, to carrying much needed apple supplies, all the while everyone runs around frantically.
“I want my kin ta' have what they need to live... but a storm's a-brewin' here. And I don't like the look of it.“ Applejack voiced of his concerns as the clock starts counting down.
“But how are we going to get to stop before they start a war?” Beshte asked.
“We've just got to talk some sense into them before somepony gets hurt.” Twilight voiced of what must be done as they all split up as she and Kion approach two ponies.
“Listen, maybe if you would just reconsider, we…” Kion began which is met with the two charging inside and slamming the doors after them refusing to listen.
“About the trees. Now if you could–“ Rarity tried to suggest with Fluttershy accompanying her which is met with another slammed door in refusal to listen to reason as Beshte and Ono try their luck at the apple orchards where ponies are bucking and gathering apples.
“If we could just sit down and talk we could–“ Ono tried to speak to one of the ponies which is met with an agitated growl as he trotted ahead to which didn’t sit well with him as he pouted in response. “Why won't anybody be rational and reasonable?!” He shouted in frustration as the other ponies in town prepare and gather supplies in preparation for battle
“Sheriff, if we could only–“ Applejack tried to speak with the sheriff as he directs traffic and doesn’t even pay attention to her as he runs off ahead while the factory workers prepare apple pies with the townsponies raising the flag in the center of town while preparing barricades there with Twilight, Kion, Applejack, Beshte, Ono, Rarity, and Fluttershy can only look on in worry and dismay that nothing is getting through to them as they cheer in preparation for tomorrow’s fight.
Meanwhile at night in the buffalo’s camping grounds, the buffalo are all preparing for battle by placing paint on their faces, sharping their horns, and having sparring matches together all the while Rainbow, Fuli, Kyoga, and Spike watch on with Little Strongheart in worry.
“Isn't there some way to stop this?” Spike pleaded with her.
“Unless the settlers remove those trees, I do not think so.” She returned in resignation as she ran off ahead to fetch gem stones for Spike and another zebra leg for Fuli who both munch on their food as Kyoga meets up with the chief to talk sense into him along with Rainbow who is already trying the same thing while the baby dragon sighs at the futility of the situation.
“I know you don't want to do this.” Kyoga tried to urge him against it.
“But they have taken our land. What would you have me do, Kyoga?“ Chief Thunderhooves returned seeing he has no choice in the matter.
“I don't know... but it's never too late to think of something.” Kyoga said while unable to come with a way to reason with him. "At least the ponies there are least listening to reason instead of just straight up attacking you and taking over your land."
"And I suppose you've been there too?" He asked as he glanced at her scars.
"Yes." She replied with a sigh as a painful memory of being clawed flashed through her mind as she shook her head wishing not relieve it.
“Then you'll probably understand that at noon, it will be too late.” The chief grimly replied as he put on his face paint.
The next day the time comes also the clock is minutes away from striking high noon as the ponies prepare the town as their battlegrounds with barricades and apple pie ammo ready to use against the buffalo herd who have all arrived at the top of the hill overlooking the town.
“Come on, think! Think, think, think, think, think, think, think!” Rainbow desperately thought to herself thinking of a way to stop this as the clock chimes when it strikes 12:00.
As the clock chimes a dozen times the ponies all nervously watch on as they await for the buffalo to make the first move with Little Strongheart placing a calming hoof on the chief to try to urge him one last time to try to convince not to go through with the attack who sighed in response.
“He's not gonna do it!” Rainbow gasped with hope with matching smiles from the other’s seeing this from afar at least until Pinkie and Bunga wearing this outfits the other day got up in front and sang.
“–what do you say?
You gotta share
You gotta care
It's the right thing to do.”
The chief growled in infuriated anger as the Guard’s smiles dropped into mortified shock.
“Pinkie…”
“Bunga…”
The two Guard leaders both said in dismay just when things were looking up again.
"You dolts." Kyoga growled as the chief shouts.
“Chaaarge!”
He then lead the way as Pinkie and Bunga both got shuffled on top of the stampede as everyone retreats as they plow through the barricades as the shrieff leads the pie catapult ready to counterattack the buffalo charge.
“Ready...” He said as they got ready. “…aim...” He said as they got ready to… “fire!” He shouted as they shot pies at the buffalo.
Some of them got hit and others managed to miss as one of the cowgirls leaped onto one of the buffalo while a couple of others squared off against them.
A few more buffaloes plowed through hay barricades the ponies have set up with one of them having a hidden anvil covered in one of them to which said buffalo who charged ended up getting knocked out from it as another ended up blindly crashing into a building which caused it to fall apart.
At the very center of the town, both the sheriff and the chief were both ducking it out as the latter charges at the former who is trying to nail him done with apple pies to which he is so far dodging.
He looked around for more ammo only to realize too late that he is out of pies leaving him defenseless as the chief goes for the kill through the flying pies ahead of him being flung by the other brave warriors. Seeing that he is done for he gracefully takes his hat off and placing it to his chest while closing his eyes preparing for the worst and he would have been if a stray pie just hadn’t happened to hit him in the face while catching him off-guard.
Everyone seeing this ended up ceased the fight and looked on in saddened horror at what their meaningless fight as caused as one of the buffalo’s cried at the sight while being comforted by another farm pony who took her head off in respect for him.
Spike even cries as he buries his face into Twilight’s chest who places a hoof on his back to return the comfort as one of the crumbs and bits of the pie slips and falls into the chief’s mouth which was caught by the Guard’s eyes as he then stood up licking the pie into his mouth after finding it delicious.
“Yum!” He said in delight as the Guard exchanges smiles seeing this. “Hey, I've got a much better idea!” He then proposed to everyone to put an end to the conflict.
In exchange for a pathway for them to romp across along with a fair share of the apple orchard with apple pies provided the apple orchard can stay where it is.
By working together the farm ponies were able to clear a path for the and by using the apples from the trees they cleared they were able to whip up some apple pies for the buffalo as they charge by while accepting their sweet-filled gifts something that Applejack, Kyoga, and Rainbow Dash were more than willing to help them both out with as they worked together to oversee the progress of their new pact and with that settled Applejack was able to plant Bloomberg into the new orchard while the lioness makes way for one last word with the buffalo chief.
"So looks like there was a way for a compromise after all." Kyoga remarked to the chief as he came to smile in agreement.
"Yep, a very delicious compromise." He agreed as he licks his lips before chomping into one of the pies while eating it in one bite. "If only I wasn't so blinded by rage back there this all could have been avoided."
"Well, better late than never." Kyoga returned with an understanding smile seeing him as another friend she can talk to.
"Truer words have never been spoken." The chief said as he turned to Stoneheart. "Stoneheart, time to go!" He called out to her who was just meeting up with Applejack and Rainbow Dash overseeing the planting of the farm's newest tree.
“Bloomberg, this is yer special day. Mama's so proud of you!” Applejack said to tree with Rainbow standing alongside her as Little Stoneheart leaves with the chief to regroup with their herd but not before exchanging a goodbye wave to the two as they followed after her for one last run.
As Twilight looks on seeing the success of the two parties compromise with Kion the former writes her letter to the princess.
“Dear Princess Celestia,
Friendship is a wondrous and powerful thing. Even the worst of enemies can become friends. You need understanding and compromise. You've got to share. You've got to care.
Your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.”
“Hey! That's what I said!” Pinkie complained.
“Yeah, me too!” Bunga also complained.
“Well the dance routine you two did didn’t really give them the message properly.” Kion replied.
"Plus, your song really ticked them off." Kyoga added to them as they simply frowned and pouted while the two leaders share a good chuckle together.
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