• Published 23rd Feb 2015
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Avatar: The Last Alicorn. Book 4: Alicorn - Jeweled Pen



Book four of the Avatar series, with Discord free and the story under his control, what danger awaits our heroes?

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Chapter 23: Each day

“Where'd yah find Spike?” Applejack asked the moment Twilight popped out from underground. “An' who's he?” She pointed a hoof towards Blueblood who popped out from the ground a moment later.

Twilight blinked a few times. “Wait, how did-- oh, right. Earth sensing. You probably felt them long before... well, it's a long story.” She glanced down to Spike. “He was just trying to hide out and make sure he didn't get found. I managed to convince him to come with us.” She looked back to the stallion. “This is Blueblood. He--”

“Y-you're alive!” Sweetie said, her eyes going wide as she stared at him. He stared right back and took a step back.

“Y-you,” he said softly, backing up against the alley wall.

Twilight looked between the two. “What... what's going on here?”

“I, I was kind of the one responsible for his horn being removed,” Sweetie said softly. “When I was under Discord's control. I... well, I saw him as a rival for Rarity's affections. So I thought it best to have him eliminated. Or... at least defaced. I heard he died though. I thought... your body was... oh...”

“I survived,” he said softly, glaring at her. “The pain was tremendous and I was at death's door for quite a while. But I lived. Don't get any ideas, either. I still plan to be a rival for Rarity when all this is over.” He paused and stared. “W-wait, you saw me as a rival? You... were in love with your--”

“I admired my sister!” Sweetie said quickly. “That was all. I was very, very clingy though. I didn't like... other ponies getting close. That is all. Nothing creepy so ummm, please get your mind out of the...” She looked at his scars and lowered her eyes. “I... I know it's not enough, but I am sorry. When I had you put through that, I wasn't myself. I... I am truly sorry, from the bottom of my heart.”

The stallion glared at her for a few moments before finally nodding. “I... I don't know if I can forgive you. But, for Rarity I'll try.” He ground a hoof into the ground. “But I make no promises. I will never, ever forgive what--”

“I'd just like to remind everypony while this is truly fascinating, we are still in the middle of hostile territory and don't really have time for Rarity's coltfriend and sister drama,” Rainbow snapped. “Especially considering what we found out.”

Twilight nodded. “I hate to agree, but this will have to wait. Once we're out of the town, we can deal with it. So, what was found?”

“We found the statue!” Sweetie said happily. “Best of all, it was unguarded. Ponies can just walk right up to it and everything!”

Twilight grinned. “Well, that'll make things easier. We can just--”

“There's some bad news,” Rainbow said with a sigh. “Applejack?”

“Ah'm sorry tah say, ah don't think it'll be quite that easy. Yah see, we found somethin' too. Trixie's here, she's got a new air ship. Even worse, Solar Flare was with her. Last we saw, Trixie was goin' inta the city an' Solar Flare was watchin' the ship.”

Twilight's eyes widened. “W-what? Already? But it's only been... how did she catch up so fast? I thought they'd keep her delayed at least a little... oh. Are... are Celestia's eyes working now?”

“Oh yeah,” Applejack muttered. “An' she looks pissed. Not that ah can blame her. Gilda got her good that time.”

Twilight nodded before sighing. “Wonderful. Trixie, Nightmare Moon and Solar Flare. Just fighting one of them was difficult enough, I don't know if we can fight all three of them. That's not even mentioning what forces they have on top of it. Half of the Water Nation army is probably here too.”

“I doubt that,” Scootaloo muttered.

“What? Why?”

“Trixie's egotistical. If she, Nightmare Moon and Solar Flare are here, she's probably only brought the minimal troops with her. She wouldn't dare risk one of her soldiers capturing you and getting the credit. Probably.”

Twilight nodded. “That is a distinct possibility, but not one we can depend on. We need to get to the statue. I'll go alone and--”

“No!” everypony said at once.

“There isn't another option,” Twilight hissed. “If we move in too large a force, we'll draw attention. If I go alone, I have a chance of getting in and out without being seen.”

“Yeah, and what happens when you go up to the statue and go into your little coma?” Sweetie asked with annoyance. “You'll be a sitting duck. Somepony has to go with you who can get you and the statue out. That means an earth bender. That means Applejack.”

“Exactly,” the mare said with a smirk, before frowning. “Though, Trixie is an earth bender too. Not tah mention she's... well, she's got Discord's power. She--”

“All three of them are a problem,” Sweetie said softly. “That's why you're going to need a distraction.” She took a slow, weak breath before looking to her two closest friends. “You're... going to need us. We'll try to fight them and--”

“What? NO!” Applejack said with a stomp of her hoof. “Ah ain't havin' mah sister race towards somethin' so dangerous! She might get torn apart an--”

“I'll take Trixie,” Scootaloo said quickly. “She's an omni bender, so bending won't be enough. My training is designed to take benders down. Even, well, alicorns. No offense Twilight.”

“Yah all ain't goin'!” Applejack said again. “This is too dangerous tah--”

“Ah got Solar Flare then,” Flowerbloom said. “Her fire bending is dangerous and she knows water bending too well tah risk usin' it on her. I'm the best bet at gettin' in an' out without getting' fried.”

“I'll come with you,” Blueblood said. “I may not be able to bend, but I know how a fire bender fights.”

“No no no!” Applejack said with a few more stomps of her foot, barely managing to avoid creating craters in the ground. “That's too dangerous and--”

“Then I've got my mother,” Sweetie said with a shake of her head. “She... probably won't actually try to kill me. So it's for the best. I--”

“No,” Applejack said with another stomp of her hooves. The ground suddenly rose up and enveloped the three mares up to their knees. “It is too dangerous, we--”

“We need them,” Twilight interrupted with a shake of her head. “They've been with me every step of this journey. They've fought by me at all times. It's dangerous, but we don't have any choice.”

“Besides,” Sweetie said with a smile. “All we have to do is delay them long enough for you to get the statue. You'll need to help Twilight, since once she goes in, if she's found she'll have to be moved fast. Rainbow and Fluttershy will need to keep an eye out for trouble. Well, err, I mean... not an eye, but--”

“No, I know what you mean,” Rainbow said with a shake of her head. “Besides, I think I'm getting the hang of this whole... seeing with air bending thing. I've been practicing a lot. If we get into trouble, well, it'll be a good chance to really practice it.”

Applejack let out a soft whimper. “But... but... she's mah lil sis, ah can't--”

“Yah can't let that stop yah from savin' the world,” Flowerbloom said before lowering her head. The ground receded. “Listen, this is more important than any of us. The world needs us. Needs all of yah, an' Pinkie. Once... once this is all over, we can worry about those other things. But... we've done all this before. We've fought. Nearly died. We can handle this just like we have everything else. So please. Trust in us. We ain't helpless, we know what we're doin'.”

Applejack stared for a few moments, before finally nodding. She let out a sigh of sadness and trotted over to give her sister a hug. “Fine. Yah'd best be careful. Ah swear if yah let anythin' happen tah yah, ah'll tan your hide myself. Okay?”

Flowerbloom nodded and gave her big sister a hug. “Of course. Trust me, that ol' fire bender won't stand a chance.”

Twilight nodded and glanced to Blueblood. “You'd better do your best, too. We'll be depending on you.”

The stallion nodded. “Don't worry. I will ensure she is safe.” He bowed his head. “Avatar, I'd think it best you take the other elements and find somewhere safe where you can bring the statue. This will be... quite the distraction we'll be creating. There's no telling what panic it will cause and what harm will occur if you aren't in hiding when we begin.”

Twilight nodded. “We'll make our move soon.” She glanced to the sky as the sun went up and around. “Just find them and... do your best. Delay as long as possible, but then get out of there. Okay?”

There were a few quick nods. Twilight tapped her hoof and sunk underground with Spike. Applejack gave her little sister one more hug, before disappearing under the sand as well, taking Fluttershy and Rainbow with her. Sweetie gave a soft sigh and waited a few minutes for them to get away. “So, girls. This... will probably be the most difficult thing we've ever done. There's... no telling what we'll encounter. If we'll even survive this. I would understand if any of you changed--”

“Not a chance,” Scootaloo said with a shake of her head.

“Not like we got much choice, is there?” Flowerbloom asked. The three put their hooves together. “It's this, or let the world burn in Discord's power.”

Sweetie nodded and slowly pulled her hoof back, wiping her eyes a little. “If... if none of us make it back. I just, I want you to all know I lo--”

“We know,” Scootaloo said with a nod, chuckling. “We all love each other, best friends forever, right? Come on. We're going to be fine. If there's one thing that I've learned from all this, it's we're awesome. Wayyyy too awesome to die now.” She turned and started trotting away, blinking away her own tears. “No need for big, sad crying stuff. We've got some benders with butts to kick.”

The girls gave a few small nods before following after the mare. Blueblood followed behind, nervously glancing back. He just hoped he'd be able to keep his word this time, how many others had he broken already?

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