It was the beginning of nightfall when I heard a knock on my door, nice timing there. Fully awake, I answered the door.

"Evening Applejack." I greeted.

"Howdy, Bond. Ya ready for the night train ride to Appleloosa?" she asked.

"I sure am, that's if you're ready."

"Ah already am, now let's get moving."

We then left my home and walked over to the train station, the others were already there waiting for me.

"Whoops, guess I was delaying the train journey, right?" I asked.

"Nope, cause you're riiight ooonn tiiiimme!" Pinkie replied, singing the last five words.

Now how did Pinkie knew that catchy pop song from the early 90's?

"Uhhh Pinkie, we're gonna need to talk about your knowledge at some point." Applejack said, "But let's get on that train, my tree is already packed and ready to go."

We all boarded on the train and found our seats in the carriages. We were in one carriage with the beds, possibly reserved for train journeys during the night. As the train got going to Appleloosa, I decided to have a look at the end carriage to see what the tree looked like. I walked quietly to the end of the train to find Applejack with a bed that had a tree in it.

"Hey Applejack, is this your tree?" I asked.

She turned around, "Oh hey Bond, yeah this tree is the one we're taking to Appleloosa...and this one is special to me."

"Why is that?"

"Let's say that Bloomberg here was one of the very first trees I bucked when I started applebucking as a little filly."

"I get you now."

Applejack then turned back to the tree and read a book to it, which was kinda odd to me.

"And that's when the yellow bird thought to himself, hmm my favourite little tree ain't such a little tree no more. So he sang a song, big and strong and they all lived in that great big tree, happily ever after. The End."

She then put the book down and wrapped the duvet around the tree, another odd moment there.

I snapped out of it when Rarity walked in, she must've heard it all.

"Applejack!" she exclaimed, "Weren't you reading a bedtime story to..." she then noticed the tree inside the duvet "...an apple tree?"

Applejack giggled nervously as Rarity showed an unamused look and walked towards her, I stood on standby just in case it would kick off.

"Well ya know, being planted in a new place can be very upsetting for a tree and Bloomberg here is one of my favourites."

"No fair Applejack, you got luxurious private sleeping cart for a tree, while I'm cramped in the same cart with all the other ponies." Rarity moaned, "How am I supposed to get my beauty sleep?"

"But Bloomberg here is the reason we're all making this trip. He needs his rest so we can give as a gift to my relatives in Appleloosa." Applejack explained.

"Hm! You talk about it as if it's your baby or something." Rarity huffed.

"Baby, who are ya calling a baby? Bloomberg's no baby."

Applejack then tendered to the tree. "Don't let wittle warity make you all saddy waddy, Bloomberg's a big and strong apple tree...oh yes he is, a cootchy coo coo."

Rarity and I stood there, confused by AJ's protective behaviour.

"It's wittle warity who's all saddy waddy." Rarity grumbled as she left the carriage in envy.

"Ah tell ya, Bond, ah just don't get why Rarity's so jealous of me having this cart all for this tree."

"Probably because she's a Canterlot pony at heart with high standards." I said.

"Maybe...but ah reckon we should get some sleep now."

"Good idea, Applejack and I'm sure the tree will be safe."

Applejack and I took our beds which were the closest to the cart with the tree. The other girls continued talking excitedly about their trip towards Appleloosa. I didn't really mind, however as I was a heavy sleeper and that in a few minutes, I'll be sleeping away with no sounds made.

It was sunrise when I woke up, the others were still asleep, so I looked on out through the window to see the sun rising...oh Celestia, you always to nail the sunrise to precision...what, I didn't mean it like that...whatever, just shut up! Anyways, I then started hearing loud hoof-beats from outside which got the other's attention. I look at through the window on the other side of the cart.

"Uhhh, girls, it looks like we're not the only ones around here in this desert."

We all then cramped together and looked through the window to find...

"A buffalo stampede!" Twilight finished saying for me.

The others agreed.

"Oh I just love their accessories." Rarity commented.

"They're getting awfully close to the train."

I had to agree...a little too close to comfort, suddenly we began to feel knocks on the sides of the train. What are the buffalo trying to do, knock the train off the tracks and potentially injuring us?

"Look! Now they're doing tricks!" Pinkie exclaimed as we started seeing one buffalo jump on another.

Then a small one jumped on top of both

"Oh oh oh, now do a backflip!" Pinkie said.

"Do a barreroll!" I added.

The small one however jumped on top of the train.

"Or just jump."

We then heard the hoofbeats move towards the end cart with the apple tree.

"Something tells me this isn't a circus act." Dash pointed as she opened a window and zoomed outside.

All we could do was look on out as we saw Dash trying to stop the small buffalo from getting to the end cart, but it didn't work as Dash ended up colliding with the level crossing sign and was down for the count.

We then heard a clink from one of the carts, we galloped over to find...that the end cart has been disconnected from the cart we were on and we could only gasp at what happened as the buffalo captured the cart.

"They got Bloomberg!" Applejack yelled.

"HEEEEELP!" Spike shouted from inside the cart

"And Spike!" Twilight added.

"I'm going to help Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie declared unexpectedly.

Knowing her randomness too well, we all agreed there was no point in arguing.

"Alright Pinkie, then you and Dash can go and rescue Spike, we'll head to Appleloosa and get help." I said.

"Good thinking, Bond." Twilight agreed.

Soon, Pinkie then bounced off the cart and bounced all the way to help Dash till she was out of sight.

The rest of us could only wait until we got into the station before we could do anything else...but it wasn't for long though as we approached a station with the Appleloosa sign on it. After it pulled into the station, we then got off the train and were about to go for help when suddenly, there was a pony waiting for us with a creepy big smile.

"Hey there!" he greeted "Welcome to Aaaaaappleoooooosa!"

"Braeburn, listen." Applejack replied, "We-"

"Cousin Applejack, mind your manners." Braeburn interrupted, "You've yet to introduce me to your compadres, shame on you."

So that is Applejack's cousin Braeburn? Least I'm getting to know the apple family, well pony by pony at least.

"Listen Braebrun, something terrible has happened."

"Terrible is right, you're train is a full seven minutes late, that's seven less minutes for you to delight in the pleasures and wonders of Aaaaaappleoooooosa!"

Braeburn was about to shove us off the station with his head until I stood in his way.

"Hold on a second, don't think of touching me with your head, I have standards." I told him, showing off my alicorn appearance.

"Whoops, my bad."

I then moved out of the way and he proceeded with his previous action, I was able to keep up with them easily.

"It boggles the mind that we several ponies built all this just this past year, don't it? And as ya can see, we have all of the finest comforts. Like horse-strong carriages and over there, art strong horse carriages."

"You mean drawers don't you?" I asked.

"Eeyep!" Braebrun replied, almost copying Big Mac's catchphrase.

"Listen Braeburn, ah-"

Applejack got cut off again as Braeburn moved the girls to another part of town.

"And here's our local water home, the Saltblock."

This continued for a bit longer, showing us the sheriff's office, the wild west dance area and the mild west dancers which had me confused.

"But Braeburn-"

She got cut off once more as he took the girls to the big area full of trees.

"And here's the most wonderful sight in all of Aaaaaappleoooooosa! Our apple orchard."

Well at least we know where to put the tree...if only it wasn't taken away by the stampede.

"Braeburn!" Applejack said, raising her voice a little...I could tell she was beginning to get annoyed by his interruptions.

"First harvesting should be anyday now." Braeburn carried on.

"Braeburn-"

"And good thing too."

"Brae-"

"Cause we need that grub to live on."

"BRAEBURN!"

"Uh yes cousin?"

Finally...he's paying attention...about time too.

"Ya have a very nice town and all, but we have a HUGE problem here, some of our friends are missin'."

"A stampede of buffalo." Fluttershy said.

"They took Spike." Rarity added.

"Rainbow Dash went after them." Twilight added.

"And Pinkie Pie went to look for them, but we haven't seen them since." I added.

"And we had an apple tree for your orchard, but they took that too." Applejack finished, explaining the problem.

Braeburn's expression suddenly changed after hearing it all. "Did you say, buffalo?" he asked before sighing. "Them buffalo, they wanna send our ponies to take these trees 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 in this land, so we can feed our town, our families, our foals. And they're saying that all these trees have to go? It ain't fair."

"I know how you feel, but life is never fair for any of us." I said. "But then again, there's nothing wrong with a bit of faith."

"And speaking of faith, we need to go and rescue our friends from the buffalo." Twilight added.

We all nodded in agreement, we walking back into the town area of Appleloosa and bought a few supplies before grouping together on a cliff road.

"Gently please." Rarity whined.

"Sorry Rarity, but our friends are out there and we have to be ready for a long hike into buffalo territory if we're gonna save them...let's go!" Applejack said.

We walked on out to just about entering the desert...but it didn't take us long as no sooner we left the town, there was Dash, Pinkie and Spike all safe and sound.

"Hi guys!" Pinkie said.

"Pinkie!" Fluttershy exclaimed as she jumped into a hug....okay that was out of the ordinary from Fluttershy. "We're so glad you're safe."

We then got into a group hug, with all of us feeling happy again.

"Although, that's just made my purchasing of supplies gone to waste." I complained.

"Ah can get ya cashback later." Braeburn assured.

"Okay." I squeed out of the blue.

"How did you escape the buffalo?" Twilight asked.

"We didn't!" Pinkie Pie answered.

The little buffalo then hopped out from the rock and rubbed her hoof on the ground.

"We promised the buffalo a chance to talk." Rainbow Dash added.

"Talk?" I asked

"Yes...I'm Little Strongheart and we just want to talk…" Little Strongheart responded.

"Oh, yeah? 'Bout what?" Applejack questioned with a hint of aggression.

"We brought our new pal to explain to the Appleloosians why they should move the apple trees off buffalo land." Rainbow Dash replied.

"Are you sure, cause maybe we could-"

"That's weird. 'cause my cousin, Braeburn, here, wants to explain to the buffalo why they should let the apple trees stay." Applejack interrupted me.

"That would be a useful thing to –"

"The land is theirs! You planted the trees not knowing that. Honest mistake. Now, you just gotta move 'em, that's all." Rainbow Dash interrupted.

"Well... Eheh..." Braeburn chuckled nervously.

"They busted their rumps here! And now they're supposed to bust their rumps again, just 'cause some buffalo won't stampede someplace else?" Applejack defended.

"Plant the trees somewhere else!" Rainbow Dash continued to argue.

"Where? It's the only flatland around these parts!"

"The buffalo had it first!"

"The settler ponies need it to live!"

"ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU!" I shouted as they stopped to looked at me, "Each side has their own good reasons, but arguing is not the way to fix this issue!"

Pinkie Pie suddenly gasped. "Hey! I've got an idea! Get every buffalo and pony to come in town and I have a foolproof plan to bring them together!" Pinkie Pie rushed off, leaving us confused.

Nonetheless, we did as she asked and managed to gather all the ponies in the town and all the buffalo from the land towards a stage in the middle of the town. The entire crowd gathered around the stage and whispered with many questions on why they were there in the first place, especially with the buffalo.

Just for laughs, I had dressed up in a Simon Cowell costume, hoping to lighten up the mood, if anypony asks where I got this, don't!

Spike was playing the piano on the right hand of the stage while Pinkie Pie poked out her head from the closed curtains, grinning greatly. She turned her head towards Spike, waving over to him while he returned a thumbs up. What was Pinkie Pie going to do now…?

Suddenly, the curtains shot open and revealed a closed clam in the middle of the stage. The clam slowly opened, revealing Pinkie Pie, who was lying down. She sat up and began singing.

We may be divided

But of you all, I beg

To remember we're all hoofed

At the end of each leg…

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?

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"

"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

Thro-o-o-o-ugh!" Pinkie Pie finished.

The audience only returned silence. Spike's clapping was only heard. "All right, Pinkie Pie! That was FANTASTIC! What a great song! You're right on!"

The sheriff and the chief looked at each other for a moment and nodded. "It appears that Sheriff Silverstar and I have come to...an agreement."

"We have." The sheriff agreed.

"That was the worst performance we've ever seen..." The chief answered, disappointing and surprising Pinkie Pie.

"I would have to agree." I added whilst trying to impersonate Simon's voice, "It sounded like an elephant trying to walk on a roof without grace...it was utterly ridiculous."

"Teh... Abso-tively!"

"The time for action... Hmh... Is upon us!" The chief began with a threatening tone in his voice. "Our stampede will start at high noon tomorrow. And if the orchard is still there, we'll flatten IT! AND the whole town!"

"But, Chief!" Little Strongheart tried to reason.

"An' we Appleloosians say you'd better bring yer best, 'cause we'll be ready and waitin'." The sheriff counter-attacked.

"But, Sheriff..." Braeburn walked towards the sheriff.

The buffalo and ponies went their separate ways to prepare for the fight that was to come.

"Oh... That wasn't the message of my song at all..." Pinkie Pie commented, sadly.

I looked over to Spike. "Spike, take Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie to the buffalo and see if you can prevent them from going on with this mess. The rest of us will talk with the sheriff and see if we can knock some sense into them."

"Got it!" Spike responded. "C'mon Pink!" Spike dragged Pinkie Pie by her tail while Rainbow Dash flew after them.

I looked over to Fluttershy, Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity. "C'mon let's get to the town quick!" They nodded and began following me.

When we arrived at the town, every pony was already boarding their windows, locking their doors, and creating barricades throughout the whole perimeter of the town.

"Ah want my kin ta have what they need to live, but a storm's a-brewin' here and ah don't like the look of it." Applejack commented.

"We've just got to talk some sense into them before somepony gets hurt." Twilight replied.

We attempted to try to talk the ponies of the town out of fighting, but they were stubborn as mules. Every time we tried to talk, they continued on climbing in their windows and shutting their doors. When we reached their orchards, there were bucking apples, but for defensive uses. Twilight tried to get one of them to stop and talk but all she received was an irritated look. "Why won't anypony be rational and reasonable?" She exclaimed.

We returned back in town where they had just finished barricading the perimeter of the town with wood and nails. I knew that they wouldn't stand a chance against the buffalo…

"Sheriff, if we could only-"

Applejack tried to talk to the sheriff but he ignored her and kept moving. We turned over to the bakery to see ponies baking thousands of apple pies. Lastly, in the town square, they raised a flag with their emblem planted proudly on it. The ponies cheered and threw their hats upwards to the sky.

Fluttershy and Rarity looked at me, worried. "Bond, there must be something we can do to stop this!" Rarity said.

"The way it looks right now, I don't think we can do anything to stop it." I sighed.

Noon came as fast as the settlers prepared themselves for the attack by the buffalo. Many of the buffalo gathered above a cliff and stared down at us. The settler ponies looked very frightened by the huge mob they formed. The clock was only a few minutes away from hitting twelve. Many ponies watched from the inside of their houses as carts full of apple pies made their way over to the perimeter.

"Come on!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed while she tapped her forehead with her hoof. "THINK. Think, think, think, think, think, think, think!"

The sound of a bell tolled, striking suspense in each of us. The bell continued ringing throughout the silence that filled the entire area. I could only observe as the settler ponies stared beyond the town at the horde of buffalo waiting at the cliff. All of us were worried and could only wait to see when the buffalo would make their move.

As we waited for the buffalo to strike, I saw Little Strongheart place a hoof on the chief's face.

Rainbow Dash gasped as she observed what had just happened. "He's not gonna do it!"

I was feeling a lot more hopeful, maybe Strongheart was able to get through to him.

whaddaya say?

You got to share

You got to care

It's the right thing to do

I gasped as I heard Pinkie sing. "PINKIE! NOOO!" I shouted out to her.

"You got to share…" She continued singing. "You've got to care…"

"CHAAARGE!" The chief's voice erupted. In that second, they began stampeding towards us. Pinkie Pie could only stare, stunned.

I caught up to Pinkie Pie and pulled her away from the path of the stampede. From behind me, I could see the buffalo break through the wooden perimeter as if they were merely branches.

"PINKIE YOU IDIOT!" I shouted, "You just HAD to mess it up at the last minute, didn't you?!"

"But-"

"No time to argue, we gotta get back to town and put a stop to this one way or another." I then galloped back into town and stopped to see the carnage taking place.

As soon as I saw the chief hop into the air to pummel at the sheriff, the sheriff quickly threw the pie at the chief's face and the buffalo chief fell to the ground. The buffalo quickly came to his aid to see him defeated. One of the buffalo observed this and began crying as the pony next to him took her hat off in respect.

Spike cried along as well as he hugged Twilight tightly.

However, one of the pieces of the apple pie fell down towards his stuck out tongue. He closed his mouth and swallowed. He opened his eyes and quickly licked the pieces off his face. "Yum! Hey, I've got a much better idea!" he said, "We will allow the apple orchard to stay in exchange for a share of it's fruit and those delicious apple pies!"

The settlers cheered as they agreed to the negotiation between the buffalo.

I sighed in relief.

The settler ponies chopped down trees, creating a pathway for the buffalo to use for their stampeding. The ponies used the apples to bake the apple pies they gave out to the buffalo as they passed through the path.

"I'd rather eat turquoise any day of the week." Spike chomped on the bowl of gems he had.

"Bloomberg, this is yer special day. Mama's so proud of you!" Applejack announced as she had just finished planting her apple tree in a isolated spot away from the other trees.

I giggled on the inside, glad her baby talk with that tree was now done and dusted.

The buffalo began roaming back to their village after they finally settled their differences between the settler ponies. Little Strongheart noticed Rainbow Dash and waved over to her.

"Dear, Princess Celestia..." Twilight began speaking near me as she observed the peaceful scene. "Friendship is a wondrous and powerful thing. Even the worst of enemies can become friends. You need understanding and compromise." Rainbow Dash, Little Strongheart, and even Applejack began racing through the road as the sun began setting. "You've got to share. You've got to care –

"Hey...that's what I said." Pinkie Pie sighed as she walked over to Twilight and I.

Twilight giggled. "Sorry Pinkie, but you did kinda anger everypony else."

Pinkie Pie turned away without a word and looking upset.

"C'mon, everypony. It's time to go home." Twilight told us.

"Good idea, home is where the heart is, after all." I said.

Afterwards, the eight of us boarded a train as we waved goodbye to Braeburn who did get me the money back in the end. We were on our way back to Ponyville and it was already evening time when we got back. We exchanged our farewells and all I wanted was to get home and into my bed.

Sleeping away, I looked back to the moment where I unintentionally let out my anger on Pinkie...I wondered if she would forgive me for that heat of the moment. But then again, what I learned cheered me right up...PIES ARE AWESOME! Next Chapter: A Bird In The Hoof Estimated time remaining: 24 Hours, 37 Minutes