The sun slowly rose into the sky as the moon dipped back behind the mountains. Its glow rapidly spread across the land, awakening all manners of animals as its warmth alerted the world to the beginning of a new day.
The light quickly found its way to a large floating city, built on top of the clouds that hovered above an even larger walled city. Ponies ran about doing their daily tasks, be they working on homes, planting food, moving the clouds about or even practicing their air bending. A slight distance from the city a small course of obstacles, including a miniature cyclone, blizzard and a flurry of electricity-filled rain clouds, was stationed. A pegasus wearing a blue skin tight suit with yellow lightning bolts gazed at a clip board. She also had an orange and yellow mane. She was Spitfire, of the wonderbolts.
“Okay everypony!” she called out towards a small group of pegasi in similar outfits. “You all know why you're here. Most of you have spent the last month recouping after the Water Nation's attack. As a matter of fact, everypony has been working their hooves to the bone!” The mare began to pace as the ponies nodded in unison. “That's why today is so important! They've only been here a short bit, but Chickenwings and her friends have been invaluable both morally and with the defense of the last bastion of air benders. It may be the last day of their stay, but we won't let them just fade out like a gentle breeze! We're going to throw them a real twister of a party!” the ponies cheered and jumped up and down on the clouds. “Not only that, we're going to show them just how much we appreciate what they've done for us. That's right...” she turned towards the cyclone as a grin crossed her lips. “We're going to send them through... the Wonder-maker.”
The gathered ponies gasped as one near the front let out cries of disbelief as he looked back and forth between the others. “Ih wha, uh, gwa, UWAA! WAAAA! WAAAA! Grggg... grgggllll...” he foamed at the mouth for a few moments before dropping in a faint.
“Yes yes. I know they've only been with us a single month. But they can handle it! They've already stood up against the best the Water Nation has to offer. After that, this'll be a piece of cake,” she said with a nod as she turned back towards them. “We need to have it ready first! Every pony, I need this moving fast, moving hard and down near the ground! There isn't a pony within ten miles who'd wanna miss this! Now break!” she yelled as the ponies let out a cheer and flew off into the air.
------
A few clouds away a small blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and tail curled up in her warm cloud bed, occasionally letting out soft snores. She was on the top bunk and, in the bunk below hers, a purple alicorn with a dark purple streaked mane and tail was sleeping as well. The two were quite peaceful and relaxed until the door to their room suddenly burst open. “GOOD MORNING EVERYPONY!” a bright pink earth pony with a puffy mane and tail yelled as she barged inside and blew on a large horn.
“GAHHHHHH!” the two flying ponies screamed in unison as they jumped, manes on end, before crashing into the ground in a small pile.
“Pinkie... why?” the rainbow-maned one asked.
“It's a super duper special day!” Pinkie said as she hopped around the room.
“Rainbow... Dash...” the alicorn grumbled as she tried to get the other mare off her. “Your hoof... is in my nose...”
“Huh? Oh!” Rainbow said as she pulled off the mare. “Sorry, Twilight. Wait. Pinkie, how are you...” she groaned as she face hooved. “They cast that spell on you again, didn't they?”
“Yeppy peppy! I told them I wanted to come and get you up!” the earth pony said as she hopped around the room before blowing on their beds, sending some of the clouds fluttering off.
“My bed... no...” Rainbow whined as she watched the pink pony hop around the room and begin knocking their floating beds around like beach balls. “Ugh, fine... we're up. Let's go get some breakfast...” she grumbled.
“Ahhh!” Twilight said as the cloud bed landed on her. “Pinkie!”
“Hee hee, sorry,” the pink pony said as she wiped the cloud off. “Come onnn! Fluttershy and Spike are waiting!” she said as she hopped out of the room.
“Awhhhhhh...” Rainbow yawned as she put a hoof over her mouth. “Yeah. Let's go get some grub. Maybe I'll take another nap after,” she grumbled as she started walking down the hall. Her tail dragged across the ground as the tired pony occasionally stifled her yawned.
Twilight rolled her eyes as she followed after her friends. It wasn't long before she came to the mess hall, where rows of long tables had been set up. A young yellow pegasus with a pink mane was sitting at one of the tables and gently feeding something in her lap. As the alicorn came closer she could see the tiny purple dragon, with green spikes on his spine, laying on his stomach as the mare massaged his back. “Fluttershy, you shouldn't spoil Spike like that,” the purple mare said with a roll of her eyes.
“Oh, I'm sorry...” the pegasus mumbled as she moved her hooves to her side. “I just didn't want the poor dear to fall through the clouds and when I had him in my lap he seemed so tense... sorry...”
“Heyyyyy,” Spike objected as his eyes opened. “I was comfortable. What's the big idea?”
“Oh, sorry,” Fluttershy eeped as she went back to the massage. After a moment she froze and looked back to Twilight. Then back to Spike. Then back to Twilight. She let out a loud cry of distress as her hooves covered her eyes. “Ohhhhhh!”
The alicorn rolled her eyes as she moved to the table to sit by Rainbow, who was already stuffing her face. “It's fine,” the purple mare said. “Just don't expect one every day.” She licked her lips as she picked up a large juicy apple and brought it to her mouth. She opened slowly, about to taste the delicious fruit, when the door to the mess hall opened.
“Chickenwing! Rainboom!” a wonderbolt said as he looked at them with narrowed eyes. “Happy you finally manages to climb out of bed. You have five minutes then I want you both outside! Better chew your food quickly, ladies!” the pony snapped as he slammed the door shut.
Twilight sighed as she took a bite of her apple, her excitement for breakfast sufficiently broken. “I really wish they'd stop calling me that. My wings are fully grown now,” she grumbled.
“Aw, don't worry about it, Chickenwing,” Rainbow said with a smirk. “Everypony here has a nickname.”
“You only say that because you have an awesome one,” the alicorn said with a roll of her eyes. “How will this sound in future generations? 'Now let us look back, foals, on the stories of Avatar Chickenwing'.”
“Oh relax, they won't talk about it like that,” the pegasus assured her as she bit into an apple and continued talking with her mouth full, “Thay'll beh 'oo busy talkin',” swallow, “about your awesome comrade Rainbow Dash, speedster extraordinaire.”
“I hate to interrupt this riveting conversation,” Spike said with a roll of his eyes, “but if you two don't hurry you'll have to do your lessons on an empty stomach.”
The two fliers glanced at each other and nervously gulped. They quickly began to tuck into the food.
------
Far from the city of Cloudsdale, in a small bay known as Starfall Bay, a single Water Nation outpost stood overlooking the water. The fortification was well worn from the constant sea breezes, rust coating nearly every inch of the metal and pieces of wood almost rotted through. A single airship was at the dock being stocked up by strong earth ponies, bereft of any uniforms or armor.
Standing near the dock was a single unicorn mare, with a pure white coat and curly purple mane and tail. She wore a black dress with a crescent moon across the chest. The only blemish on her body were dark purple marks across her horn. “That ship should be ours,” the mare grumbled. “Auntie Celestia, why can't you commandeer it?” the mare asked the much larger pony besides her, as she made her eyes as large and adorable as possible.
“Now Rarity,” an older unicorn mare who was sitting by the other said softly. Her coat was white as well, with a near clear mane and tail. She wore a rainbow cloak with images of wings sewn into it. “As I've told you a dozen times, you must be patient. Our ship will arrive soon, but until then we must wait.”
“But it's not fair! I'm a princess!” Rarity snapped as she paced back and forth. “Every day we wait is another day we may lose track of the avatar! We should set out on our own!”
“Now dear, you know how dangerous that is,” Celestia said with a shake of her head. “We're barely a days trip from the Earth Kingdom. Traveling through the air would be fine, but on hoof would be near suicide. We'd be lucky to survive a week, let alone capture the avatar.”
“Ugh,” the young princess said as she laid on her stomach. “But I'm so bored! There is nothing... to... oh my,” she squeaked as she gazed out into the bay.
“What is it dear?” the larger unicorn asked as she turned to see. Her mouth fell open. “That cannot be good...”
Five massive ships, each able to hold dozens of ponies and pulled by ten pegasi in black armor, were making their way through the bay. The two unicorns watched as the ships slowly pulled into the outpost and the center one lowered its ramp. Unicorns, wearing black armor covered with images of the crescent moon, slowly began their descent before standing at opposite ends of the foot of the ramp. They faced each other and then bowed.
Finally, a pony walked to the top of the ramp. She was a small white unicorn, with a bouncy mane and tail that had streaks of light purple and light pink through it. She wore a dark blue helmet along with a blue chest guard with the emblem of the moon. Her hooves were covered in dark blue guards with emblems of the moon on them as well. Her cutie mark was a large purple heart with a viper coiled around it.
The mere sight of her made the young princess' mouth fall open. “Sweetie Belle?” Rarity said softly.
“Sister!” Sweetie shrieked as she ran down the ramp. Her hooves embraced the older unicorn within moments.
“Sweetie Belle? Whatever are you doing here?” the princess asked as she held her younger sister in her hooves.
“I've come for you, of course,” the young mare said as she slowly broke the hug. “I heard you were in this horrible place and I just could not let it stand any longer. I have talked it over with mother and she has come to a decision. She wishes for you to return.”
“W-what?” Rarity asked as her mouth fell open a second time. “B-but what of my honor?”
“Forgiven. All is forgiven, dear sister,” Sweetie said with a smile. “Mother realizes she acted in haste. With the arrival of the avatar endangering all we hold dear, she wishes for you to return at her side. To return with me. My dear, dear sister...” the young mare's eyes flashed purple for a moment, causing Celestia to cringe.
“Fascinating,” the eldest unicorn said. “I see you have acquired your cutie mark, niece.”
“Oh? Yes,” the younger princess said. “It happened when... well that isn't important. Come, come, join me. My ship awaits, let us leave this dreary place.” The mare said as she tugged on Rarity's hoof, towards the ship.
“Indeed,” Celestia said as she glanced towards the waiting ship. “If you would give us a few moments to gather our things?”
“Oh, of course, of course,” Sweetie said as she let go and walked towards the ship. “Please don't keep me waiting long.” After a few steps the little mare burst into a happy prance.
Rarity waved her sister away before turning to her aunt. “Can you believe it? We can finally go home!” she squealed as she turned and ran into the outpost.
Celestia sighed as she followed after the princess. “Now Rarity, please calm down,” she said gently as she entered the building and scanned the area for any soldiers, but none were within view. “Come back.”
The princess sighed as she trotted back. “What is it? How are you not jumping for joy? We're going to see mother again! Be at the palace! Ohhhhh, I'll be able to design in my own personal workshop again! It is almost too wonderful to believe!”
“No, you are right, niece,” the elder pony said with a shake of her head. “It is too wonderful to believe. In fact, I would guess it is all lies.”
Rarity froze mid step. She then cocked an eyebrow and glanced back to Celestia. “I'm sorry, but what?”
“I believe it is all lies,” the mare repeated. “I do not believe my sister would let us return, so easily. My instincts tell me it is a trap.”
The princess burst into soft chuckles as she shook her head. “Now, auntie, I know you're one for caution, but don't be ridiculous. This is Sweetie Belle! She wouldn't lie to me if her life depended on it, let alone try to trap me. You remember how she was when we left?”
“Of course, she-”
“Cried like a filly,” Rarity said as she began walking again. “You worry too much. Aren't you even a little excited to see the capital again?”
“Rarity, when we left your sister didn't have her cutie mark,” Celestia said firmly as she followed after the young unicorn. “Please, do not allow your excitement to cloud your senses.”
“Relax. While I'll admit her cutie mark is a bit... odd,” the princess said with a turn of her head. “Dear Sweetie Belle couldn't hurt a fly, let alone us. You saw how excited she was.”
“Very well,” the older mare said as she sighed. “If you are quite certain, I will not argue...”
“Good. Now, we must prepare!” Rarity said as she began packing. “Ohhhh, it's been so long since I've been home! I wonder how the fashion trends have changed. Do you think some of the designs I was working on would fit in? No, no, I cannot reuse. I must reinvent!” the unicorn pranced about as she tossed her things into boxes in preparation.
“I don't know how you managed to gather so much in the short time we've been here,” Celestia mumbled as she gave a nervous glance back the way they came.
------
Twilight, or Chickenwings as she was better known, groaned as she slowly walked out from the mess hall. The sight before her made the mare stop in her tracks. Ponies of all kinds were sitting just outside on the grass. The mess hall had been grounded! “W-what? What's going on?” she asked as she looked about frantically. She spread out her wings and planted her hooves, preparing for a fight.
“Avatar Chickenwings! Air bender Rainboom!” a loud mare's voice boomed out.
“What's going on?” Rainbow asked as she popped out at the sound of her nickname. “Why are we on the ground?”
“Today is a very special, if sad, day!” the voice boomed again. “For today is the day you leave us. As such, a special challenge has been prepared. Behold!” Fireworks filled the sky as six of the wonderbolts took to the air. The ponies ran straight into a wall of clouds and tore it apart, revealing the obstacle course behind it. A long trail of cloud rings, each with a cloud inside them, were set up in tight formations, requiring a pony to make multiple ninety to a hundred and eighty degree turns in quick succession to go through.
Three tornados were maintained at different intervals, separating the course into four sections. The first section was clear, the second encased in a fierce downpour, the third was enshrouded in snow and ice while the fourth, and final, section was filled with fierce lightning clouds.
“The wonder-maker! An obstacle course only the greatest of air benders can hope to pass!” the voice boomed as a pony landed on the roof of the mess hall behind them, Spitfire. The mare held a megaphone in her hooves. “If you two can manage to make it through that, you'll officially be air bending masters, as well as honorary wonderbolts! Are you two ready?”
Rainbow blinked and grinned. “Oh YEAH! Hang onto your feathers everypony, I'm going to show you all how a master flies!” the confident pony yelled as she jumped into the air and did a little spin.
“Ummm... y-yeah. Uhhh, me too...” Twilight said nervously as she stared at the powerful storms above.
The crowd burst into cheers as the ponies stomped their hooves in excitement. “Okay every pony!” Spitfire yelled. “We all know you're excited, but let's tell the two the rules first! It's simple. You need to knock out every single cloud without touching a single ring! Not only that, it's timed! You have ten minutes, though the current record is six! Think you got what it takes to break the record?”
“I'm gonna shatter that record!” Rainbow yelled as she took off. She flew over to the first ring with a grin. “Okay, everypony! I hope you're ready for the best show of your lives! Don't blink, or you might miss me crossing the finish line!” with those words the pony took off! She was a rainbow blur across the sky, zipping along between the cloud circles so fast the spectators could barely see her. As she passed each circle the force of her speed not only tore the cloud asunder, but spread out and burst the rings as well. Within seconds she was through the rings and straight into the first tornado.
“Okay everypony! She's done with the first section in only a few seconds, but that's the easiest and shortest part!” Spitfire yelled into the megaphone. “Next comes the true challenges of her air bending! Can she control the wind and... and... holy buck...” the pegasus' mouth hung open as she stared.
The crowd went silent as Rainbow performed. She had just zoomed straight through the tornado, spinning two full circles before blasting off into the snow section with such force the winds were blown apart and the wonderbolt controlling them was sent hurtling into a nearby cloud. The speedster didn't slow down, bursting through the cloud rings so fast that she had a trail of water flowing after her.
As the mare disappeared into the second tornado the crowd just stared, every eye trying to focus on the blur as it burst straight through into the snow and ice. The blur did slow down for a moment at the first turn, but after that she began speeding off even faster, pulling a small blizzard in her slip stream.
Rainbow tore into the last tornado and spun around it five times before zooming out and into the final section. Water, snow, clouds and wind surrounded the blur as she tore through the final section of the obstacle course. She turned perfectly and, no matter the angle, hit each ring dead center. As she finally tore through the final cloud-ring she hurtled towards the mess-hall cloud and slammed into it, sending the captured liquids outward into the crowds. The pony brushed a hoof through her mane and smirked.
“Holy... four minutes, twenty-eight seconds! It's a new record!” Spitfire yelled. The gathered ponies jumped up and down in cheers. Even Fluttershy, a mare normally unable to talk above a squeak, was cheering as she jumping up and down, waving her hooves.
“Was there ever any doubt?” the pegasus asked as she whipped her head forward, sending the moisture from her mane into the crowd.
“Well, there we have it!” Spitfire yelled into the megaphone. “Rainboom has put on a tremendous display! I give you, our newest air bending master! Quite a show you put on there. We've had a few break down the course before, but never with such vigor.” The pegasus glanced back to Twilight and chuckled. “Don't worry, we'll have it set up again for you. It shouldn't take too long.”
“Huh?” the alicorn asked before waving her hoof. “No no! Don't worry about it, take your time. I'll uhhh, I'll just go ahead and ummm, wait here,” she mumbled softly as she looked off to the side.
“Heh. Well, you heard the pony, let's get this going!” The wonderbolt yelled as she threw down the megaphone and took to the sky to help with the re-construction.
------
Rarity pranced from side to side as she traveled down the hall. Celestia walked behind her, unable to stop smiling at the sight of her nieces joy. However, she could not help but look ahead with dread. Every nerve in her body told her this was a bad idea. Before long the two were outside and walking towards the airship as the unicorns on either side bowed their heads.
Sweetie stood at the top of the platform and waved her hoof. “Come, come! It's time we return home!” she said excitedly. “You'll never have to travel these lands again. We can be together forever,” the young mare said as she grinned widely.
“See, aunty? You worried for nothing,” Rarity said as she started up the incline. “It's Sweetie Belle. Somepony like her could never try to deceive any pony.”
Celestia nodded as she glanced back at the other ponies behind them. As she boarded the ship she glanced around, a number of jugs of water were set up on the deck.
“Miss Rarity, Miss Celestia,” one of the water benders said as he bowed his head. “Please, allow me to show you to your cage.” Everypony froze as the unicorn's ears went flat. “I... I mean, y-you-”
“Cage?!” Rarity blurted as she took a step back. Celestia planted both her hooves firmly on the deck as she looked around. The water benders encircled the two as they took offensive stances.
“No no, sister! You misunderstand!” Sweetie said as her eyes glinted purple. “It's just a precaution. To ensure you can be with me... forever...”
“Sweetie, what are you talking about?” Rarity asked as she pushed up against her aunt.
“There's no more need to run, dear sister...” Sweetie said as her horn began to glow. Water from one of the nearby jugs flowed up and swirled over her head. It began to shift and bubble as it changed from clear blue to a thick, purple glob. “You'll be safe with me.” The orb exploded, sending dozens of purple shards at the young mare.
Celestia grabbed her niece and forced the young mare behind her, grunting in pain as she blocked the purple liquid with her body. A light sizzling filled the air as her own horn glowed. Water sprang up from all the jugs and hurtled straight at the ponies opposite the boarding plank. They were knocked aside as the elder pony held Rarity and ran to the side of the ship, jumping off into the bay below.
Sweetie let out a howl of rage as she ran to the edge of the ship and glared at the water below. “AFTER THEM!” she screamed before turning to the pony who had slipped up. “If they escape, it will be your head.”
Below the flying ship a thick fog began to fill the air. The ponies in the ships gulped as they dove over and began their search.
------
Twilight gulped nervously as she stared below. Everypony was watching her, waiting to see the show she'd put on. She was standing on a cloud, the obstacle course re-created and directly in front of her.
“Okay, Chickenwings!” Spitfire yelled into the megaphone. “Come on, show us what an avatar can do!”
The avatar nodded nervously as she stepped to the edge of the cloud. “R-right. W-what I can do. H-here I go!” she squeaked as she leaned forward... and then back. “Err, I mean now.” She wobbled a little. “A-any moment now...” she said as she glared back at her wings. “Come on, work!” she shrieked as they finally spread out. With a sigh of relief the pony charged forward... and tripped over the edge of the cloud, tumbling out. “Eek!”
“Oh, wow, look at that!” Spitfire yelled as the crowd cheered. “Doing it while flying upside down, now that's confidence!”
“Ahhhh!” Twilight screamed as she flailed her hooves about wildly. She burst through the final ring and managed to right herself, though her movements were still wild and jagged as she made her way through the next batch of rings. Going slow and steady she began eliminating each cloud in the rings, though it sometimes took her two hits to burst them. “Heee! This is kind of fun!”
The avatar began showing off, going through the rings at a third of her top speed and bursting the clouds as she went through. “Yes! This isn't hard at all! I- EEK!” she screamed as she went through the last cloud ring and straight into the tornado. “AHHHHHHHHH!” She flailed her hooves wildly as she tried to steady herself, but alas she couldn't stop the horrible spinning. She erratically spun through the tornado as she tried flapping her wings and bending the air around her. She managed to shoot up through the gale and straight into the wonderbolt trying to contain and control the winds.
Both flailed about as the tornado gripped and twirled them around in a tight circle. No longer held by the air bender, it began to plow through the obstacle course towards the other twisters. Ponies on the ground screamed in horror as clouds, rain and winds combined into powerful gales of destruction. The second wonderbolt ended his winds as he flew at the trapped ponies, intent on helping. Within moments he was sucked in as well as the two pegasi and alicorn flew around in the howling cyclone.
Spitfire stared, mouth open. “Okay, everypony! Wonderbolts, on me! We're going to counter that 'nado! Counter-clockwise!” she glanced down to Rainbow and smiled. “Come on, you're with me.”
“Alright!” Rainbow said as the two took to the air. More wonderbolts joined them as they began circling the gales at a distance. They started out a fair bit away, before tightening the circle with each lap around. Before long the tight formation of pegasi were wrapping tightly around the smaller cyclone and its winds began to weaken.
“Now!” Spitfire yelled as three of the wonderbolts broke off from the group and dove into the destabilizing tornado. A moment later they popped out the opposite end with the three ponies, each one dizzy with swirling eyes. “Okay, they're clear, let's get this out of here!” she yelled as her wings began to flap rapidly. The other pegasi copied her movements as the winds burst around them and started breaking apart. Rain and snow were sent hurtling to the ground as the wonderbolts flew straight up, out of the dying gales.
“That was awesome!” Rainbow yelled as she landed on a nearby cloud with the others.
“A little,” the wonderbolt said as she looked down at the poor ponies. The four rescued ponies were laying flat out on the ground below, their eyes little spirals. “I sure hope they'll be okay. I wonder what... oh dear. That can't be good.”
“What?” the rainbow-maned pegasus asked as she looked down. Her eyes went wide as she saw it. Six earth ponies, each in thick iron armor, were walking towards the gathered ponies. A blue pegasus with a dark blue mane and tail was walking a bit ahead of them. “Earth kingdom?”
“Yeah...” Spitfire muttered. “Soarin's with them. I guess this means all the prisoners have made it to Earth Kingdom okay, but why would they come back?”
“I don't know,” Rainbow mumbled. “We should probably go check it out.” She took off from the cloud as the others followed after her.
As they landed Twilight was being pulled to her hooves by Soarin, who looked a bit nervous. “So, avatar, these ponies would like to chat with you. They want-”
“No need to be so shy about it,” said the pony in front, a blue-coated, red maned and tailed earth pony. “Avatar, we have come to discuss the end of this war.”
“Huh?” Twilight asked as she rubbed her head and groaned. “O-oh yeah. I ummm, I'm trying my best. I still have two elements to learn.” She glanced to Spitfire and gulped. “And three to master.”
“No, no,” the earth pony said as a grin flashed on his face. “I mean a way to end this war. Now. All we need is your help,” he said as he held out his hoof.
“I... what?” Spitfire asked as she glanced to Soarin. “What is he talking about?”
“Oh, you should know exactly what I'm talking about,” the earth pony said as he slammed a hoof down on the ground. “I'm speaking of using the power the avatar used to defeat the army attacking Cloudsdale! The power to control these spirit animals! With such things the entire Water Nation would quiver before her might and this war would end!”
“WHAT?!” Twilight, Rainbow, Spitfire and Pinkie said at once.
Soarin coughed as he lifted a hoof. “For the record, this was not my idea.”
------
Far from the war discussions, back at Starfall Bay, Sweetie hummed softly as she sat on a small bench in her room. She had the head of a life-sized unicorn doll, with the same coloration’s as her sister, in her lap. She slowly ran a brush through the dolls hair. “Why, yes I have been sister. I know my dress making skills aren't as good as yours, but now that you're here you can show me all your secrets. Oh, don't worry. We have all the time in the world! I've been so busy since you left,” she cooed as she ran the brush through the mane. “So many things I want to tell you. I even got my cutie mark. Oh, you do? You're so kind, but I really think yours is nicer. We're going to have the most wonderful party when we get back. You will make our dresses, won't you? Ohhhh! I would love to help! I ca-” the mare stopped as she heard a light tapping on her door. “Who is it?”
“Y-your highness, it's me,” a voice opposite the door said. “Aquahoof.”
“Ah, of course,” Sweetie said as she gripped the doll in her magic and slid it across the room. She dropped it into a large cage that took up half the large room, filled with fine clothes and a big fluffy bed. “Do come in.”
The door opened and a nervous looking unicorn stepped inside. The same one who had accidentally alerted Rarity before. “Errr, we've searched the bay, but the princess is nowhere to be found. They've escaped.”
“Oh?” the young mare asked as she idly plucked some stray hairs from the brush. “Then why are you here?”
“B-because I-I felt I should alert you,” he said softly as he stared at the floor.
“Oh, no. Not what I meant,” she said as she placed the brush on the table. “I must say, I commend you.”
“Y-you do?” he asked as he let out a sigh of relief. “You're too kind, princess.”
“Oh, no,” she said as she got to her hooves. “Not every pony would come to their deaths so willingly. You are quite brave.” Her horn glowed as water lifted up and out of a nearby jug.
“W-what? No! W-wait!” he shrieked as he backed away. “I-I can go back out! L-look again! Please! I just- AGHHHHHHH!”
A few moments after the screams stopped, Sweetie walked out from the room and trotted to the deck. The captain of the ship gulped as she smiled at the little princess. “W-where to, your highness?”
“We're heading back to Water Nation,” she said calmly as she looked out over the bay.
“Water Nation? But what of your sister?”
“She'll be heading after the avatar,” Sweetie said with a grin. “We'll just have to get her first. For that I desire specific help. Also, one of your soldiers made a mess in my room. Have somepony clean it.”
“R-right away,” the captain said as she trotted off.
------
Far from the bay, Celestia slowly crawled from the water onto an empty beach. The mare groaned as she collapsed on her side. “Ugh...”
Rarity coughed as she plucked herself from the tide as well, shaking the water from her mane. “Auntie? Are you okay? What was that?”
“I... I will be fine...” the elder pony mumbled. “Escaping just... took more out of me than it should have. I just need some time to rest,” she mumbled as she held up a hoof. The purple liquid slowly spilled out from her wounds, as well as a little blood. She let out a sigh of relief. “Dear... I need you to find some leaves to make a dressing...”
“Of course,” the unicorn said as she started to head inland, before stopping. “Aunt Celestia? What was that? What Sweetie did?”
The mare let out another soft sigh. “That... is a long story. When you return I will tell you all about it, and what has happened to your sister to make her change so.”
Rarity nodded and sighed. She trotted off, though she gave one last glance towards the sea. Off in the distance she could see the five ships as they exited the bay, heading off in the opposite direction. “Oh sister, what has happened to you?”