Rarity sighed, resting her head in her hooves. She stared at Twilight as she looked down, processing what she had just been told.
"So...let me get this straight," Twilight said. "You, Applejack, met an ALICORN who looked just like me and said she was a time traveler?"
Applejack nodded.
"And that Alicorn also said that she was from a different timeline where we are the Elements of Harmony?"
Applejack nodded again.
"That'd be right."
Twilight shook her head, once again looking down.
"I'm sorry, this is all just very hard to believe. First of all, only Starswirl the Bearded was capable of time travel, and his spell only went back a few days. Second of all, the theory that alternate timelines actually exist is highly improbable. And finally, how to do I know you all aren't just lying to lure me into some sort of trap?"
"What!?!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "Okay, first off, she was an Alicorn. Starswirl wasn't. Second, this isn't just some theory. This something an actual pony actually saw. And third, we showed you the paper that says the Princess authorized us coming here!"
At that, Twilight looked down at her hooves.
"If I've learned one thing, it's that ponies can't be trusted. Not even Celestia."
"Ah'm sorry, but Ah'll have to disagree with ya on that," Applejack said, sitting up. "Ah'll admit there are a lot a' ponies who'll lie, and cheat, and con innocent ponies. But if Ah've learned somethin’, it's that there are still good ponies in this world. And the nice thing to do is to give 'em the benefit a' the doubt."
Twilight glanced up at Applejack with a glare.
"I've given enough ponies the benefit of the doubt to learn that it backfires. I refuse to be taken advantage of again. Besides...Celestia has good reason to arrest me if she wanted to."
Pinkie cocked her head.
"What do you mean by that?"
Twilight whipped her head towards Pinkie.
"Don't expect me to tell YOU. I see what you're trying to do, and I WON'T fall for it!"
Rarity finally lifted her head.
"Darling, we're not trying to get you arrested, nor are we trying to lure you into anything. We're stating fact. Besides, with what we've told you, wouldn't it be worth the risk if it might stop King Sombra once and for all?"
Twilight looked down in silence.
"We're not going to force you. If you don't want to go… we understand."
At that, her friends all turned towards Rarity, each with varying expressions of ‘why would you say that?’
"You have a point, I'll admit that,” Twilight sighed. “Still...I've lost too much to risk being caught again."
Fluttershy tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
"Why would any of you care? It's everypony for themselves these days."
Rainbow sighed tensely.
"I'll have to disagree you on that. I'll admit, I used to think the same way, but… if there's one thing I've learned from my time in the war, and from what I've been through recently, it's that, like Applejack said, there are still good ponies in this world. And you never abandon a friend."
Twilight stared downwards, a dead expression on her face. Finally, she looked up with a sigh.
"Assuming all this is true… why us? Why us six, of all ponies? Most of us haven't even met each other before this point, yet supposedly we're destined to use the Elements of Harmony together to defeat King Sombra… why?"
At that, the five were in silence, each trying to think of a way to answer such a question. Finally, Rarity spoke up.
"Honestly… we don't really know. What we do know, however, is that over the last few days, we've shared laughs, we've grown to trust each other, we've defended one another, we've helped one another, we've grown a bond… as friends. We also know that we have hope we can defeat Sombra… if we just do it together."
Twilight stared at Rarity, a thin layer of tears forming in her eyes.
"You know… I never did understand ponies like you. Assuming all of what you’re saying is true, that is. You all stand together… each of you putting each other before yourselves… even with everything going on in this world, even knowing how many ponies would take advantage of such a thing… you still hold strong to your friendship… you still hold strong to your friends..."
She took off her glasses, wiping them off with a cloth, before putting them back on with a sigh.
"...how do you do it? How do you hold on to friendship in a world like this?"
To the others’ surprise, Pinkie was the one to answer instantly.
"We didn't, for a while. I'm pretty sure we all used to be like you not too long ago… me especially. After everything that had happened, I honestly thought friendship was just some stupid thing foolish ponies used to try and ignore the world around them. True, I defended my fellow soldiers, but… I didn't do it because of a bond. I did it because I had learned it was just… what you do in Celestia's army. Outside of fighting, I didn't give two bits about them. Now though...I've realized something. I think we all have. It's true there are mean, cruel ponies out there who'll take advantage of a so-called friendship, but it's also true that a real, pure friendship, is a very powerful thing. Worlds more powerful than a fake one."
Twilight looked down, the tears finally falling down her face. She sniffed, looking up.
"Alright… I'll go. Just… give me some time to grab my things.”
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The six mares sat in silence, waiting for Celestia to come in. Day court had ran over that day, so it felt like it was taking ages for her to come.
Finally, the door handle lit up with a golden light, and the door pushed open, revealing the Princess who stood with undeniable regality. As soon as the door opened, Twilight sat up straight staring forward at Celestia, unmoving. As she did, tears began to well up in her eyes.
Finally, the Princess spoke, "Hello, Twilight."
At that, her tears broke forth and Twilight ran forward, throwing all manners out the window and falling at Princess Celestia's hooves, crying out between sobs, "I-I'm sorry, Princess. I'm s-so so s-sorry for e-everything."
The Princess immediately sat down, draping a wing over the pony in front of her.
"It's okay, Twilight. It’s okay.”