Consortium
By: no sh*t sherlock
Commander Hurricane looked over a large stone table map in his war room. He was deeply vexed over his troops current positions. Last week they had lost more than fifteen square miles on their eastern border to the Earth ponies. It had happened while the majority of their forces were dozens of miles away conquering a few miles of unicorn territory to the north. However each of the three pony tribes still had roughly the same amount of territory.
As he looked at the blue colored figures that represented his forces locations, a thought that had been swirling in the back of his mind for sometime came up. That things wouldn't change from this.
For all of his life things had been the same between the three pony tribes. The unicorns would take over some of their territory and they’d in turn reclaim it or conquer some of the earth ponies. Or really any combination of losing land and regaining it somehow.
Inside the kingdoms, things were far from prosperous. The temperature was constantly dropping and citizens of the three tribes went hungry as the majority of food went to soldiers on the battlefields and shortages became wide spread.
All the while those same soldiers were dying in the constant battles that ultimately got them nowhere. The armies of the pony tribes were evenly matched. Commander Hurricane understood this and he knew the other tribe leaders must as well. But still they fought long and hard all the while well informed of the fact that It would take something big for the war to finally end.
Though of course, at the time, the Pegasus leader didn’t know that the time was now.
“Commander Hurricane!” Private Pansy flew hurriedly into the room. “An emissary arrived from Unicornia.”
He turned to his subordinate, a bored look on his face. He was sick of this. Every few weeks or so they’d receive one of these ponies from one of the other tribes, offering them some kind of deal for something he either couldn't grant them, didn’t want or didn't need.
“What is it this time? I thought I made it clear to those unicorns that I would not trade our recent northern claims for the release of two prisoners."
"I'm not sure. He didn't speak much at all." She said as she pulled a note from her saddlebag. "He simply said to give you this."
Hurricane took the note and scornfully laughed when he finished reading it.
"What is it, sir?"
"The Royal snootiness wants to hold another meeting."
"Another? Even after the last one went the way it did?"
"Mmhmm. It's a week from now and not in the same place." He looked into the details at the bottom of the page. "She wants to hold it somewhere in the mountains."
"That doesn't sound too ideal." Pansy shook her head. "Why somewhere so isolated?"
"I'm not sure. Those mountains are as close to 'neutral' territory that we're going to get." He handed her the note and pointed to the bottom. "Still we'll be cautious. Send scouts to watch over that location. If they do try something, we'll know."
One Week Later...
Commander Hurricane had arrived early. No other ponies occupied the run down mountain shack with him.
The isolated location bothered him, but he was also interested to hear whatever it was that Princess Platinum had to say. In the years and months before, her messengers' purposes had always been clear and any meetings were held in the same spot. The secrecy of this meeting intrigued him.
Creeeak
Commander Hurricane swung his head around to the door where two ponies had entered.
“Hello Commander, I’d like to thank you for coming. I trust it did not interrupt your schedule too much?” Princess Platinum greeted nicely.
Hurricane raised an eyebrow. Never before had the unicorn met him so warmly. Not that he expected or even wanted it, as he knew he’d never done the same either. He glanced to the second pony who stood next to her. A young white mare about the same age, maybe slightly younger, with a green mane. She wore dirty brown cloak with a hood tied off by a rope. The quality of her attire was in complete contrast to the Princess.
“Who’s this?” He pointed
“I’m Clover the Clever.” She answered quickly.
The Commander blinked blankly at her as if he was supposed to know what that meant. She noticed his unsatisfied expression and continued.
“Star Swirl the Bearded’s last student?” She continued, but the Commanders expression didn't change. “The most trusted advisor to the Princess? How is it you’ve never heard of me?”
“Umm Let’s get down to the reason we’re here.” Princess Platinum interjected quickly. “The War.”
“I think you're getting ahead of yourself. Shouldn’t we wait for Chancellor Puddinghead?” The Pegasus asked.
The Princess shared a quick look with her advisor.
“His presence won't be needed here.” She said sternly. "Now, about this war... How does the prospect of ending it sound?"
“It sounds good."" Hurricane said with aspiration. “But it won't happen, you know this. Compromising has never worked for any of us and it won’t now. None of us want to settle for anything less that what we want."
“True, but today, compromising wasn’t the plan. We were thinking more a partnership between us.”
Commander Hurricane looked between the two unicorns, initially think that their proposal was some kind of attempt at humor. But they stared back at him with deadly serious eyes, waiting on him to reply.
“Really?” He said plainly. “A partnership for...what exactly?”
The Princess looked to Clover who spoke next. “There is a large area of fertile land that we can divide 50/50 amongst our kingdoms. However we can only acquire it if we can unite for forces.”
This annoyed the pegasus. He had not been informed of such an area. “Where is this expanse? Why is it the Earth ponies and I haven't heard of it.”
“I assure you that you have, Commander. From this location it is everything east of here.”
He blinked again and was silent for a moment. This time he knew they had to be leading him on. “So that's your plan? You want us to form an alliance to take the Earth ponies land?”
"Yes." Clover said after a short pause.
"The earth ponies sit upon an area of land comparable in size to both of ours. Their army is great. You think just taking it would be possible?"
"Combined, our forces would have to clear advantage in strength, speed and size. We would overwhelm them; obliterate thier army. I’m assuming you realize as we have that if we keep fighting as we always have, we will continue to get absolutely nowhere. If all three cannot cooperate, then I see no other way. Some group must knocked off the board completely. We went over it, considered going to the Earth ponies, but in the end decided the Pegasi would be best suited to be our ally.”
"And it wasn't a hard decision." Princess Platinum added.
"Why not?" The Commander asked.
"Simple." Clover shrugged. "Magic. All ponies have it, but we unicorns can actively channel it into spells and other effects. Pegasi use it to fly and control the clouds and weather. Earths ponies use it to have greater connections to nature and grow food. But what does that really make them?"
He thought for a moment. "Farmers?" He guessed.
"Precisely." The hooded mare nodded. "And farmers can be... coerced. Which solves the food problem."
Commander Hurricane was not ashamed to be interested. There were certain times he had considered forced labor, only to bury the thoughts thinking his advisors and citizens would them too extreme, trying to get them on board would've taken time. But if the unicorns were really planning on doing it, then he now had a catalyst. He wanted more land, more food , more power. He wanted their partnership.
"Well, you have certainly captured my attention." He said, now more casually. "Tell me this plan of yours."
