Celestia approached Rarity about a week later about Pinkie Pie.
"Oh, that's right, you said you wanted to go with us to see Pinkie," said Rarity.
"Do you still want me to go with you?"
"Yes, please. Applejack and I couldn't convince Pinkie. I guess she took it kinda hard when the five of us broke apart."
"I see. Very well, I think I may be able to convince Pinkamena for you. But before I do that, I'd like you to do something for me, please."
"Oh, anything my princess."
"Very well, come with me. We're going to see my sister."
As the two walked around Canterlot Castle, they talked about what it was like when the 5 of them broke up after Twilight. Her condition was far worse back then; ravings and ramblings everyday. They couldn't even get a conversation with her, let alone understand what she meant. When they arrived at Luna's room, she was already waiting for them outside.
"Dear Sister, it is ready when you are."
"Alright, Luna, you can go attend to Twilight."
"As you wish, my dear sister."
The two entered the room. Luna's room was dark but in her room was an artificially lit moon. The very symbol of her power was shown gloriously in her room in the form of a central moon lamp near the ceiling. Dark blue curtains were draped around the windows and while it was still dark outside, her room seemed to light up in a white glow. Her bed was neatly folded and quite large. It was a queen size bed for Luna's large body. Rarity went toward the bed, the sheets were super soft and she put her head on the pillow.
"Wow, your sister has such a nice bed," said Rarity.
"Well, yes both our beds are very nice, but we're not here to sleep. I'd like you to go look at the telescope on the balcony."
On the balcony was a large telescope set up to look toward the moon and the stars above. It was a nice night, but Rarity didn't understand what was so important about the telescope.
"Is this what you wanted to show me? A telescope?"
"Why don't you look into the lens and tell me what you see?"
Rarity looked through the viewing glass and stared out at the stars.
"Beautiful isn't it? But this isn't where we're needed. Luna should have a chest somewhere in her room, I think she left it on the desk."
The two ponies went toward a small desk near the back of the large room. An ornate chest of ancient origins seemed to lay on the desk.
"This chest can only be unlocked by unicorn magic. It should have what we're looking for inside. Why don't you try and open it, Rarity?"
"Very well."
Rarity's horn glowed a milky white and she lifted the box close to her and tried to open it. She heard a click, but when she tried to open it, it wouldn't open.
"That's odd. There's a strange lock here and what appears to be a puzzle. Hmm."
"This chest is of unicorn origin, maybe you can solve it. I'll take you back to the infirmary while you try to figure this out. Luna and I need to have another talk. I hope you won't mind."
"O-of course, my princess. I'll gladly go back to the infirmary if you no longer have need of me."
Rarity trotted toward the infirmary with the chest. Along the way, she kept playing with the puzzle lock that seemed to be a combination of switches and tumbler locks. By the time she got back to the infirmary bed, Twilight was nowhere to be seen.
"Well she couldn't have gotten too far," thought Rarity as she quickly went to the bedside table and put the chest down.
She looked around the infirmary first but didn't see her. So she decided to walk around the castle in search of her friend. She checked every room from the kitchen to the throne room. She was just about to give up when she saw Twilight in a strange room with a desk lamp and a bunch of old records.
"This must be the record room containing all the documents of Equestria," thought Rarity, "Who is Twilight talking to?"
On closer inspection, Twilight wasn't talking to anyone. In fact she was alone in the room looking at thin air and apparently addressing some pony who apparently didn't exist.
"..that's the original plan, my princess. We'll move our forces here and here and take Cloudsdale in two days time...No...that isn't possible. I am the ruler of Canterlot and the unicorns are at my command..."
Rarity didn't want to disturb Twilight, but she ran to get Celestia almost immediately. It seems Celestia was just as perplexed by this scene as Rarity was.
Celestia turned to Rarity and asked, "How long has she been here talking to herself?"
"I-I don't know, I just happened to pass by here and she was talking to herself like this. Apparently she was talking to you...I'm sorry, my princess, I got scared so the first thing I did was come to you. I apologize for interrupting your meeting with your sister."
"It's alright, we were just about done anyway. Should we get her attention and bring her back to the infirmary?"
"Yes, I think that's the best course of action until we figure out what's going on in her head."
The two nodded and Rarity was the first to speak up.
"Twilight? What are you doing in this dusty room?"
"Rarity? Where am I," asked Twilight, a little confused.
She rubbed her eyes.
"How did I get in here?"
She could still see phantom ponies but she could see Celestia and Rarity standing in the doorway.
"You were talking to yourself, Twilight," said Rarity, a little scared, "You were talking about conquering Cloudsdale."
"Conquering? Cloudsdale? I...have no idea what's going. I think I need more sleep. Can you carry me, Rarity?"
"Of course."
Rarity walked toward Twilight and let her slump on her back as she fell back to sleep.
"Princess Celestia, what should we do? It sounds like she's involved in some war or whatever with an alternate universe version of you."
"I think it's time you get your friends and we delve into Twilight's mind."
"Are you sure this is a good idea, princess? Who knows what's going on in there. If anything goes wrong--"
"I'll have Luna take you and your friends. She will protect you in there."
"V-very well, my princess. If that is what you wish, we will do it."
"Find your friends first, you will need their help to solve this mystery. If you need my assistance, just have Spike send word."
"Thank you, princess," said Rarity as she took off in a gallop toward the castle entrance.
* * *
Rarity high-tailed it to Applejack's place. She took the first train she could get to Ponyville and ran right through Ponyville w/o a second glance to anyone. Applebloom and her friends saw Rarity running through ponyville and wondered what was going on, so they tailed her. Onward she ran toward Sweet Apple Acres, the trees that held shade along the borders of the farm flashed streaks of light in her face. She ran through the fields of the farmland and straight to the farmhouse and quickly knocked on the door. Applejack came and opened it to find an out of breath Rarity and three fillies close behind. She gave the three of them a stern look and then ran away.
"Come inside Rarity," said Applejack.
"Thank you, Applejack. We need to get Spike and go to Pinkie's," said Rarity, a little out of breath, "Can get a glass of water?"
"Sure thing," said Applejack getting a glass from the kitchen and filling it up with water, "I hope you don't mind tap, the water filter's broken."
"Water is water, Applejack. Thanks," she said taking the glass and taking a few gulps.
"So what's the rush? Celestia has told me to get the five."
"You mean you me and the other 3?"
"Who else? Anyway, we need to go see Pinkie first. Celestia has agreed to help us get Pinkie back. I need to get Spike and have him send word to Celestia to meet us there," she said taking another few gulps.
"Alright, will we need the Elements?"
"I don't think so. I think it's time we broke the ice with the girls and brought us all back together," said Rarity, full of confidence.
The two made their way to Twilight's library to get Spike.
Rarity came in first and asked, "Spike, you around?"
"Ya, I'll be with you a minute. He came out of the kitchen. Welcome to the Ponyville Libra-" Spike stopped short when he saw Applejack and Rarity come in, "Oh it's your girls. You need something?"
"Ya, I need you send a letter to Celestia to meet us at Pinkie Pie's rock farm." Rarity said hurriedly.
Spike grabbed quill and a parchment and started on the letter.
"Do you want me to come with you, Rarity?" Spike asked, hoping to join them, " This is Twilight we're talking about.
"I think it's best we handle this ourselves Spike. Sorry about that," piped up Applejack.
The two mares bid him farewell and left. They went toward the rock farm on the very edge of Ponyville just before the mountains and gullies of the forsaken lands. By the time they arrived at the door of the farmhouse, Celestia was already waiting for them.
"Oh, Princess, you got here first. I was worried we might have to wait for you." Rarity said.
"I wouldn't keep my subjects waiting." Celestia smiled.
Rarity knocked on the door again and Pinkie's father opened the door.
"I thought she told you two to--" he was so stunned as he saw Celestia with the two, he got down on his hindlegs, "My dear princess, I am so sorry, if you wish to come in with these two, you are more than welcome. We don't usually see you around these parts."
"Well, all my subjects are important to me, so I'd like to check up on them from time to time. Why don't you two head up to her room? I'll be up shortly. I'd like to have a talk with this stallion for a while."
"Of course, my princess."
The two went back to Pinkie's room. She was still huddled with her pillows and blankets on her bed.
"Uh, Pinkie? Princess Celestia is here. Don't you wanna say hi?" Applejack asked nervously.
"..I guess..." Pinkie said getting up out of bed and sulking down the stairs toward the living room as the other two followed.
Celestia noticed Pinkie wasn't her usual self.
"Pinkie, I heard you've been upset. Can you tell me about it?" Celestia said in a kind and soothing voice.
"Rarity slapped me and we argued...the rest is a blurr, but we broke up after that..."
"Don't you think you're overreacting to a slap?"
"She kept screaming with tears in her eyes about how nothing's right anymore and that Twilight was our beacon and how we'd lost it. Once that happened the 5 of us didn't speak to each other again."
"Rarity, would you like to say something to Pinkie Pie?"
"I'm sorry, Pinkie. I overreacted as well. Please forgive me."
"...Fine." Pinkie said giving Rarity a hug, "You owe me, though."
"Anything to have you back Pinkie," said Rarity hugging her back.
Pinkie's mane didn't go back to the poofy, cotton candy and bright pink right away. Instead, it stayed a straight dull pink. But for the first time in almost eight months, she smiled at Rarity. She went back to her room and the three of them left the farmhouse pleased that they accomplished the mission. Fluttershy was next, but the three would have to meet her tomorrow morning as it was already late and she'd be in her cottage by then and it had be a rather stressful day. Rarity went to bed that night with a smile on her face realizing she'd finally broken through one of her friends. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash would not be so easy. For starters, Fluttershy didn't want anything more to do with the incident good or bad and Rainbow Dash was still mad at Rarity for what she said and did to her, though Rainbow wasn't as mad as Pinkie.
The following day, Applejack and Rarity asked Spike to write a letter to meet them at the Ponyville Zoo to talk with Fluttershy. They found her with some elephants and feed buckets.
"Oh hey, you guys. What's up?" Fluttershy said softly, just then she noticed Princess Celestia with them, "Oh my, I'm sorry princess. If I knew you were coming, I would've tidied up a bit more and made myself more presentable."
"It's alright Fluttershy. I heard from your friends that you stopped talking about the incident completely. Is that true?" Celestia said soothingly.
"Oh my, I've been so out of touch with Twilight for so long that I've completely forgotten about it. Is she alright? She's not hurt is she?" Fluttershy said with a soft but concerned voice.
"Relax, Fluttershy, your friend is unharmed. Just a little hazy." Celestia said.
"Well, that's good to hear. Would it be possible to see her?"
"In due time, we still need to talk to Rainbow Dash," said Rarity.
"I'll talk with her, if it'll let me talk to Twilight sooner," said Fluttershy with determination in her soft voice.
"I'll go with you, Fluttershy," Applejack said, "I need to have a word with Rainbow too. She's been a little edgy around me and Rarity lately."
"Thank you both," said Rarity.
Applejack spoke up, "We're all friends, Rarity, we should help each other."
"You're right, Applejack," she said whiping a tear from her eyes, "Thanks, I can't believe it's taken me this long to realize this. Thank you both."
And with a fond farewell, they left the zoo to go home. Rarity went home again, feeling much better than she had in months. Things were finally starting to turn around for the group of friends who had broken up for such a long time. The next morning, Rarity opened her door to see her 4 friends show up. Rainbow Dash gave her a hug and whispered into her ear 'I forgive you'. The five were reunited at last. With the five friends reunited, Twilight's recovery seemed just within reach.