//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: Wronged Xenos // Story: Avatar: The Last Alicorn. Book 2: Earth Pony // by Jeweled Pen //------------------------------// The moon stood high in the sky as Rarity slowly ground a few green herbs into a thick paste between her hooves, before slowly applying them to the tortured unicorn's wounds. Colgate watched nervously and paced left and right. “We shouldn't be here,” the fire bender finally said. “What if they come back?” “You'll be fine,” the young princess mumbled. “If the Water Nation returns, they'll be too focused on me to worry about you. Besides, we can't move this stallion as it is, he's too hurt.” She slowly applied a thick layer of the mush on the gaping burn wound on his chest. “What does that mean?” the blue mare asked, though sudden movement from the hornless unicorn made her freeze. “A-avatar?” the stallion croaked out as he stared up at Rarity, his eyes squinting. “No,” she whispered gently. “My name is Diamondeye. What's yours?” The stallion swallowed before groaning. “S-shadowh... hoof...” he finally croaked out in a raspy voice. “The... the avatar. She... a-are you f-from the W-water Nation?” “No, we're not. What about the avatar?” the princess asked as she gently applied some of the paste to the bleeding hole in his head. She frowned as her hoof came back, blood coating it. “S-she... needs to know. F-fire benders,” the stallion coughed for a moment, each word struggling to get out through his damaged throat. “T-they know. W-water Nation... t-they said they found them,” he finally managed to get out, the burst of words making him burst into a coughing fit as blood splattered onto the mare. “The Water Nation knows?!” Colgate shrieked as she quickly limped towards him. “Tell me! How? Who said? What did they say? Tell me!” “Colgate!” Rarity hissed. “He's wounded. He needs...” She looked down at him again, before chewing on her lip. She finally let out a gentle sigh. “What did you hear?” “F-forest,” Shadowhoof croaked out again. “Said... g-going... t-to the forever f-forest...” “Everfree?” Colgate asked as she nervously chewed on her hooves. “Y-yes...” the stallion groaned. “W-warn... avatar. Needs... needs to know.” “We will,” Rarity said firmly as she gently brushed his mane. “You need to rest.” “A-am... am I going to d-die?” the stallion asked softly, as a few tears formed in his eyes. The princess froze, dropping a few herbs. She nervously chewed on her lower lip as her gaze shifted away. “N-no. You'll be... you'll be fine. Just rest.” He slowly closed his eyes, his breathing shallow. After a few moments Colgate smiled. “You saved him?” “No,” Rarity mumbled as she gently stroked the stallion's mane. “But you said-” “I'm not a healer,” she interrupted curtly. “There... there is nothing more I can do for him. These will dull his pain, but I can't save his life. The wounds are too severe. He's lost too much blood and the shock of having his horn removed is just...” Tears formed in the young mare's eyes as her mind drifted back to another, now dead, Water Nation soldier. “It's too much. I'll try to make his passing as painless for him as I can, but I can't do enough. Maybe if my aunt were here...” “Why tell him that? If he's going to die he deserves-” “He deserves to not have his last moments trembling in pain and fear at the thought of his death. No pony does. If he comes to, don't say a word. Just... let him try to be at peace for his last few moments.” “Fine,” the young fire bender growled as she sat down. She then gulped. “Do... you think he was telling the truth? That they know where the fire benders are?” The young princess shrugged. “I... I suppose it is possible. I don't think he'd have any reason to lie at this point. Forever forest?” “Everfree,” Colgate corrected. She gulped before chewing her lips. “You... you're from the Water Nation, right? What would happen if they had this information?” “It depends,” Rarity mumbled. “I suppose the most likely course of action would be to return home, as quickly as possible. Once there, they'd gather a large strike force before moving in to eliminate the rest of the fire benders. They might try to either capture, or eliminate the benders. Most of the Fire Tribe's lands belong to the Water Nation now, so they might just head straight there to gather a sizable force. How close would that forest be to there?” “On the border,” Colgate whispered. “I need to return and warn them. Please, I know you intend to-” “No,” the white unicorn said as she ground up some more paste, applying it to the stallion's chest. “I... cannot warn the avatar. But, there is somepony else I can tell. Somepony who might be able to stop this attack.” “Who? How?” “My aunt. She... if anypony could stop it, she could,” Rarity mumbled as she wiped the blood off her hooves. “How can your aunt stop them?” “She just... she can do a lot of things. Listen, just go. You know where they lived, where they are, correct? Warn them. Get them to retreat. I'll... I'll do what I can.” Colgate nodded, turning away for a moment before glancing down at the dying stallion. “What about him? Should we just leave him here?” “No,” Rarity whispered. “I won't... I won't leave him to die alone. Not like this. I'll leave once he has... once he has passed on.” The fire bender nodded as she turned to leave. “Diamondeye, I just want you to know. For a water bender, you're okay,” with those words, the unicorn galloped, as best she could, away. ------ Applejack trotted quickly down the dirt roads of her home. Twilight and Rainbow following behind her, the former leaning on the latter. She stopped for a moment as she yelled into the field. “Big Mac? Yah here? Come on, yah big lumix!” “He's probably still in town,” Rainbow grumbled. “You're worrying about nothing. We'll get there and you'll feel silly, running around and yelling like this.” “Mah brother wouldn't just run off an' spend the whole night gallivantin' around like some party stallion,” the earth bender said firmly as she trotted some more before calling her brother's name. With another lack of response she continued walking again. “He's a responsible stallion, knows tah tell me if he goes and plans to hang out all night. He'd never be out this late if he wasn't in some kinda trouble.” Twilight sighed, her horn alight to help guide their way. The glow jumped up and down with each limp. “I understand why you're so worried, but I don't think there's any way to keep yelling like that. We'll be to town soon and w-” “Quiet!” Applejack said as she froze in her steps. She stomped on the ground once, then twice more in rapid succession. “Big Mac!” she yelled before galloping off. Her two companions shared confused looks before chasing after her, into the forest of apple trees. They soon found the stallion, laying against a tree. Two of his legs were bent the wrong way and his face was so black and blue that he was hardly recognizable. Twilight quickly turned to Rainbow. “Go get Fluttershy! We need her healing, go!” The pegasus nodded, before taking off into the air. The alicorn then slowly limped forward, casting her light over the scene. “Is he okay?” she asked gently as she leaned against a tree. “I mean, is he breathing?” “Yes,” Applejack said as she moved up close to her brother, gently running a hoof through his mane. “Oh big brother, who did this to you? I swear, if ah ever find the no good dirty varmints who did this, I'll break them into puddy.” She sat down and continued to stroke his mane. Twilight moved in closer as she looked him over. “I think I have good news. Aside from, I think a few broken bones and a lot of bruises, there doesn't seem to be much damage. I think Fluttershy can tend most of theses. But who would... would...” The alicorn's eyes narrowed. “Those dirty rotten... the Flim Flam brothers!” The earth pony frowned as she glanced down at her brother. “Yah... really think they did this to Big Macintosh? Why would they?” “Easy,” the avatar said as she ground her hoof into the ground. “Those evil, lowdown scam artists plan to win by any means. Without your brother, you'll have to give up and-” “Ah ain't givin' up. Ah still plan tah go an' win this here tournament,” the earth bender snapped as she stroked her hurt brother's mane. “What?” Twilight asked softly, before shaking her head. “No! You can't. If you fight them two on one, you'll get crushed. Listen, we need the amulet, but there has to be another way. We can-” “Ah gave mah word,” Applejack snapped. “Ah ain't gonna let a buncha hustlers come an' make a liar outa me. Sides, yah already gone and done most ah your side ah the deal. Those pictures'll be done in a few days. An' ah fully intend for yah tah have your fancy lil trinket when they are.” “But, but, you'll get hurt! Listen, I know those two are evil, but they're also powerful! Fighting them two on one is-” “What ah'm gonna do,” the earth pony interrupted as she got to her hooves and walked over to the alicorn, glaring into her eyes. “You're all welcome tah try an' stop me, but ah'd advise against it. Yah jus' focus on gettin' your leg all healed up. Leave the beatin' ah these scoundrels tah me.” Twilight gulped nervously, before lowering her gaze. “F-fine. If... if you're really so confident. We won't... I won't interfere. Just, just be careful, okay? I don't want any pony getting hurt for my sake.” Applejack hmphed as she looked to her brother and grit her teeth. “Don't yah worry about me. Worry about them. No pony, but no pony, messes with one ah mah siblings and gets away with it.” She growled and gave a nearby tree a solid buck, leaving a hoof sized dent in it. “No pony.” ------ As the sun slowly rose again, Rarity trotted back to the wounded stallion. She dropped a few objects she'd managed to scavenge up. Small bags had formed under her eyes and she struggled to stifle a yawn as she laid down besides the stallion. His breathing was ragged as his abused body struggled to maintain itself. She glanced towards the sky before letting out a sigh. “It won't be long now...” The wounded pony let out a gurgling groan as his eyes slowly opened. “W-who? W-what?” his craggy voice asked as he tried to move. “Shhhh, shhhh,” Rarity said quickly as she sat up and moved beside him. “It's okay. I'm here, you're not alone,” she whispered as she gently pulled out a cup she'd found, now filled with water she'd managed to gather. She gently moved it towards his lips. “Here, drink this. It'll help to sooth your throat,” she whispered. He slowly opened his mouth, taking the drink and swallowing it quickly. His eyes slowly closed again as he shivered. “It's... s-so cold,” he whispered. “It's dawn. It'll warm up soon, just relax...” she whispered back, gently combing his mane with her hoof. “W-who... are you? Why...” “Diamondeye, remember?” she said with a smile. “Don't worry. You'll be better soon. You just need to rest and... and save your strength...” she lied as she struggled to keep tears from her eyes. “I... t-thank you...” he whispered, before breaking into a fit of coughing. Blood trailed down the side of his mouth. “It's... I... I'm not going to d-die... a-am I?” “No. Of course not,” the princess said with a smile. “Don't worry. I won't leave your side, you're not alone.” A small grin formed on his lips as his ragged breaths stopped for a second. “I'm... I'm s-sorry...” he whispered as tears formed in his eyes. “Whatever for?” “I didn't... I-I'm so s-scarred...” he whispered. “I... I don't want to die...” “It's okay,” Rarity said with a smile. “You won't die. You'll be fine. I... I promise. The pain will fade. Just be calm...” “Tha...” he whispered softly as his breathing stopped once again, but this time it didn't resume. “Shadow?” the white unicorn asked as she leaned in closer. “Dear? Darling?” she watched and waited for a few moments, her eyes never leaving his unmoving chest. She slowly turned away as tears started to form in her eyes. “I'm sorry...” she whispered as she shook her head and pulled away. “May... may your soul find rest in the next realm. Please, please know that... that if my sister did this...” She cringed as she clutched her chest. “If she... if she ordered this... that is not the pony she is. Was. Will be. She was kind. Is kind. Is caring. She would... she would have never done anything like this.” She gathered her things, wrapping them in a bundle and tying it to the spear. With a single glance back to the deceased pony, she turned and began the slow walk back north. “And I won't allow her to perform more acts like this. I will save her. On that, I swear.” ------ “Ah'll be fine,” Big Mac groaned as he shook his head. His entire body was covered in bandages as Fluttershy quickly moved around, gently applying a glowing hoof to the wounded areas. He was laying on a large, red bed in the largest room of the Apple family home. “Ah'm sure yah will,” Applejack snapped as she glared at him. “But yah ain't movin' until your legs are all better an' the swellin's gone down. If yah go an try, I'll go get Granny Smith and let her take care ah ya.” The stallion cringed before lowering his head into his pillow and giving a little snort. “Nnnope...” “That's what I thought,” the orange earth pony said as she turned to trot towards the door. She gave another glance back to her brother before stepping out of the room and looking down the hall towards two doors. She shook her head before turning her back to them and trotting down the stairs. “Well, yah all were right,” she said as she looked around at the remainder of her guests. “Your lil yellow friend might be a bit meek, but she's a mighty fine healer. Mah big bro already has that stubborn look in his eyes.” “Are you sure about this?” Twilight asked as she glanced to the stairs. “If you try taking those two on, it might be you laid up in bed next.” “Ah'll be fine,” Applejack snapped in annoyance. “Yah all plan on whinin' the whole time like a couple a school fillies, or yah wanna come cheer me on while I trounce those two swinders?” The avatar sighed and shook her head. “Fine... but, you don't have to. I'll endorse your apples, even if you can't win. I-” The earth pony moved into the avatar's face, her eyes narrowed as the alicorn backed up quickly. “Ah. Gave. Mah word. I'm gonna get your fancy lil necklace and win this tournament, and no amount ah underhooved trickery or deceit is gonna stop me. Now, ah'm gonna go make some breakfast. Yah all are welcome tah join meh, but if yah plan on spendin' all your time tryin' tah talk me intah givin' up, yah all can go back tah bed. Yah understand?” Twilight squeaked softly and nodded, cowering on the floor as the orange mare's eyes seemed to pierce through her. The farmer hmphed and trotted away, towards the kitchen. “You know, if she fights anything like she scolds, she might just win this,” Rainbow said with a snicker. ------ The crowd had, somehow, managed to get even bigger as the cart pulled into the arena. Ponies were yelling and howling in excitement as they prepared for the coming match, and the floor was so filled with ponies that Applejack was forced to make a rock bridge just to get to the stage. As she took the stage, the cheers died down as the confused ponies looked around, trying to catch sight of her big brother. The Flim Flam brothers stood on the opposite end of the hall, wicked grins plastered on their face as they lounged about. The referee galloped to Applejack. “Where's Big Mac?” She sighed. “He won't be makin' it. He was attacked las' night and won't be able tah fight. Ah'll be doin' this on mah lonesome.” “What? But that would be two on one, I ca-” “Ah don't care how many of them there are,” the earth pony said with a snort. “Ah'll kick their plot from here tah Fillydelphia if they think they can break our record. Now, yah gonna start this match or not?” “Err, of course,” the stallion said as he trotted to the center of the stage. “Now, there's been a slight change of plan!” he yelled as the crowd went silent. “Due to some... difficulties, Big Mac will be unable to compete! Representing the Apple family, will be Applejack, the younger sister of-” The referee cringed as a tomato hit him in the back. “We came here to see Big Mac fight!” a mare yelled. “Yeah! Bring him out! He's the best bender in the kingdom!” a stallion yelled. The Flim Flam brothers just snickered. “Getting awfully angry, aren't they ref?” Flim asked. “You know, we're more than willing to just take the championship if little Applejack wants to back out. It wouldn't be fair beating up one one little mare, just because her brother spent all night getting drunk.” The mare's eye twitched slightly as she ground her hoof into the ground. She took a deep breath before holding out a hoof and grinning. “Yah know what, you're right. This ain't fair!” she yelled out. “There's only two of you. I tell yah what, tah even the odds ah'll even fight yah blind folded. How's that sound?” “W-what?” Flim asked, taken aback by the taunt. “You would get, hey! What do you think you're doing?!” Applejack trotted to the end of the stage and pointed to a little filly near the front. “Yah mind holdin' onta this for me?” she asked as she popped her hat off. The little tiny unicorn nodded as it was dropped on her head, before running into the crowd with a high pitched squeak. She then turned to the referee. “Yah mind if ah borrow yer hoofkerchief?” The referee gulped and hoofed it over. After a moment she had it tied around her head, blinded to the world. “Now, we gonna get this done? Ah still got a lotta chores to get done so ah'd rather not spend more'n a few minutes on yah two.” The crowd's jeers stopped as they watched and laughed at the mare's insults. Within a few moments a cheer filled the air as the ponies called her name. “Applejack! Applejack! Applejack!” Flam frowned as he rubbed his mustache. “You may have gotten the crowd on your side, farmer. But once we trounce you, you'll regret trying to make a mockery of us. Let's start this!” “Begin!” the referee yelled. The brothers quickly shoved their front hooves out, as two spikes shot out from either side of Applejack. She slid her back hoof back as the ground under her shifted back a few feet, letting the spikes impale in front of her. “Yah all sure about this? Ah mean, if yah can't even hit a blind pony...” the mare taunted. “HIYA!” Flim yelled as he stomped both front hooves down. A square wall shot up from the stage and fell forward, attempting to flatten the mare. She merely thrust a hoof forward as the two spikes the brothers created turned quickly and impaled the wall, crumbling it. Flam lifted his hooves up, sweat covering his body as a large chunk of the stage, the size of ten ponies, was held over his head. He threw it forward at the mare. “APPLEJACK!” Twilight screamed as she started to charge forward, but crumbled as pain shot through her broken hoof. “Whoa,” Rainbow gasped as she stared. As the avatar looked up, her eyes went wide. The stage was covered with small bits of rubble, the earth pony having not moved a step. “That all yah got? Mah big brother could bend larger rocks when he was a colt. Yah all plannin' tah actually try?” the mare asked as the crowd began cheering even louder. The two stallions growled as they galloped towards her! She hmphed and thrust her back hooves against the ground. The two stallions let out a yelp as the ground shifted under them and they tumbled forward, hooves splayed out. Applejack didn't hesitate as she stomped on the ground once and the two were shot into the air. As they came down, a pillar of dirt shot up and slammed into them, sending them back into the air with pained grunts, only to be shot back up a moment later by a slightly shorter pillar. This continued three times before the two were finally shot off the stage by the final pillar. The crowd stared for a moment, before bursting into deafening cheers. “Ring out!” the referee yelled. “Applejack is the winner! Applejack wins! She... miss Apple?” the stallion asked as the mare trotted towards the two groaning earth benders. She stood a foot from the edge of the arena and tore off the blindfold, glaring down at them. “That... she cheated!” Flim snapped as he pointed an accusing hoof. “This was a two on two tournament, she should have been disqualified! There is no way that counted, she, ahhh!” The orange earth pony thrust her hoof back as the two brothers were suddenly drawn towards the arena. As they came closer, the edge of it collapsed on top of the two of them, molding around and pinning all but their heads to the ground. “H-hey, what are you doing?” The crowd turned deathly silent. “Yah all thought ah don't know what yah did?” she growled as she dropped off the stage, landing on the dirt and rocks pinning the two. “W-what are you-” “Yah think attackin' mah brother can just go unpunished?” the mare asked as she bucked the side of the stage. A moment later a large pillar of rock shot out, landing on her back. “I-I don't have any idea what you're talking about!” “Ah wanna know how yah did it,” she snapped as the pillar of rock floated over her head. “Mah brother wouldn't ah lost to the two of yah. You're powerful, but yah got no control. Did yah ambush him?” “W-we didn't do anything!” Flam yelled. “Let us go, we-” “Don't buck with me!” Applejack yelled as the pillar flew up, over their heads. A moment later it crashed down. “WE DID IT!” Flim screamed as the pillar stopped, mere inches from his head. “We paid a pony to drug him and then we attacked him in the night! We did it so we'd win by default! Please don't kill us!” he screamed as the entire arena fell silent. After a few moments the crowd started yelling as ponies stood up in their seats and yelled angrily at the two pinned ponies. “That's what ah though,” Applejack said as the pillar collapsed on their heads... it crumbled instantly, the thin dirt revealing a completely hollow center, not leaving so much as a bruise. The two pinned ponies coughed and sputtered as dirt covered their faces. She turned and, with a wave of her hoof, the ground shot up to toss her back onto the stage. She glanced to the referee. “Now, ah do believe ah won this lil bout?” “O-of course. Is... is what they said the truth? They attacked Big Mac?” the stallion asked as he looked down at the two sputtering earth ponies. “Yup. Could yah go an' get the sheriff? If he'll have somepony come down tah get Big Mac's statement, we'll be mighty pleased. They'll probably wanna talk to the avatar as well. Apparently these ponies have been up to a lot of- EEK!” she shrieked as she was suddenly picked up. The crowd had been unable to contain themselves any longer, surging onto the stage and picking up the mare as they cheered her on. “EEEEE! Put me down, yah varmints! I'm not a ball! Eeeee!” she screamed as she flailed her hooves wildly in the air. ------ Rarity continued the slow trot away from the remains of Drowsy Void. Every so often she glanced back towards it, her mind thinking of the stallion who died. She imagined her sister, standing over him as she ordered his punishment to commence. As they gouged the horn from his head. The princess shook her head. “No. No no no. It's... there has to be something else. It couldn't have been Sweetie... could it? No! It's... it's what my aunt said. That corruption. It has to be,” her eyes shifted towards the sky, the glare of the sun making her quickly turn away. “It may have my sister now, but I will save her. I will return her to that... to the angel I know her to be. Kind. Sweet. Compassionate. Adoring. Do you hear me, Discord?” she growled as she stomped a hoof. “You can't have my sister! She's mine!” She let out another sigh as she shook her head. “Talking to yourself now, Rarity? Ponies are going to start thinking you're insane. Oh well... how did my aunt put it?” She cleared her throat. “'You're only crazy if something answers back.'” she said in a near perfect impression of Celestia. She let out a soft, sad sigh. “Oh auntie... I wish we could talk. I need your advice. I need to know what I can do... how we can stop this...” Her mind once again began to wander. She imagined a tribe of fire benders. Dozens of them, living together. Then a swarm of the Water Nation's soldiers descending on them, ripping out their horns, chaining them together, enslaving them. Her sister standing amongst them, towering over as she laughed at their suffering. Rarity's steps quickened. “I will save you, Sweetie Belle. No matter what the cost. Just you wait, Discord. You've made a powerful enemy now...” ------ The sun stood high in the sky as Twilight and her friends, along with Applejack, made their way back to the farm. Rainbow flew above them in tight circles as she worked out her wings. “I can't believe how awesome that was! Even if it was earth bending, you looked soooo cool out there. Fighting them blind folded? How did you even do that?” “Simple, sugarcube,” the earth pony said as she trotted, the cart pulled behind her. “Ah just used mah earth bendin' tah feel where they were an' when they were gonna attack. Yah win a few ah these shin digs an' yah pick up a thing or two. Yah didn't think Big Mac had gone an' won all these tournaments on his own, now did yah?” “Well, maybe a little bit. Your brother did look pretty awesome when he dropped half the arena on that one guy.” “Yeah. Moves like that though are why we hafta keep fixin' the gosh darn stage. We almost got kicked out one year for all that damage.” While the two talked, Twilight frowned as she held the alicorn amulet in her magic. She shook it a few times before placing it around her neck. “I don't... feel any stronger,” she mumbled. “Maybe you aren't using it right?” Spike asked. “It smells delicious.” “I figured it would give me magic just by wearing it,” the alicorn mumbled as she glanced up. She sent out a small burst of flame. “Nothing, huh?” she looked up as she frowned. “What's wrong?” the dragon asked as he looked up as well. “It's gotten really cloudy, I wonder if it's going to rain,” Twilight mumbled as she took the amulet off and shook it a few more times. “Come on, why don't you work? Why don't you... don't you...” her eyes twitched at she stared at the back of the amulet, and a few words carved into it. “Made... in... Fillydelphia...” she growled as she ground her teeth together. “IT'S A FAKE?!” she screamed so loud that Spike and Pinkie jumped back. “What?” Rainbow asked as she glanced down. “It's a fake! A knock off! IT'S JEWELRY!” the avatar screamed as she banged her head on the side of the cart. “This entire time, we wasted two days where we should have been traveling to the capitol, AND IT'S A FAKE!” “So... it's useless?” Spike asked. “Completely,” the avatar groaned as she rolled onto her back and looked up to the sky in defeat. “I can't believe this. After all this we just... ugh.” “Can I have it then?” the dragon asked. She nodded and tossed it to him as he quickly began popping out the gems and scarfing them down. “Well, ah reckon it's not that bad. Fillydelphia ain't that far away,” Applejack said with a smile. “I still have to get there,” Twilight grumbled. “Who knows how long it'll take us to find an earth bending master who can help train me? Not only that, but I also have to try and find the other element. Every day is precious, we're on a... a...” she trailed off as her eyes turned to Applejack. The earth pony stopped as they pulled up in front of the farmhouse. “Well, we're all here. We-” “It's you,” the avatar interrupted as she stared at the mare. “It was under my nose the entire time. I don't know how I missed it.” “Huh? Excuse me?” the confused earth pony asked as she cocked an eyebrow. “You. You're an amazing earth bender, you helped us out, you're a great friend, you're honest, it has to be you. It's like Starswirl said, I will find the other elements since we share a special bond. We were destined to meet. Applejack, I know this is sudden, but... will you be my earth bending trainer and help me to defeat the Water Nation?” “What?!” Rainbow asked as her eyes went wide. “About time,” Pinkie said with a snicker. “Om nom nom,” Spike grumbled as he continued chewing on his snack. Applejack just stared at the avatar for a few moments, her mouth hanging open. She then shook her head. “Nnnnope.” “But-” “Ah said nope,” the earth pony snapped. “Ah have no intention of goin' against the Water Nation now, or never. Yah all find somepony else,” the cowpony stormed off, slamming the door of her home behind her. “That was... a bit... of a harsh reaction,” Rainbow grumbled. “So I guess we're just going to get Fluttershy and go?” “Not a chance,” Twilight said quickly as she watched the door. “I WILL get her to come with us, if it's the last thing I do. She's the one, I know it!” “Twilight, you heard her,” Rainbow grumbled as she looked to the door. “She's scared of the Water Nation. She's already helped us put Flim and Flam in prison, we can't ask her to take on-” “Shhhhhh,” Pinkie said with a shake of her head. “Trust Twilight, she knows what she's doing.” “Ahhhh!” Twilight shrieked as she tried to get out of the cart, and fell out face first. “... Mostly,” the earth pony said as she hopped out.