Twilight squealed with delight as she stacked book after book on a large table. She stood in the royal library of Fillydelphia, surrounded by massive shelves filled to the brim with ancient texts. Books on magic, bending and, most importantly, history towered over her all the way to the large domed roof above.
The three ancient books they had found now lay strewn out on the table, slightly damaged but still legible. With a quill and scroll she quickly got to work, writing notes as her studious eyes scanned and dissected each word. Dust filled the air as tomes that had been left unopened for a hundred years now saw the light of candles. “Fascinating...” she whispered while trembling.
A loud squeal broke from her lips as she wrote in her notes. “Of course. She was a fire bender. That day was the... that's it! It's all so simple, how come no pony figured this out before?” She froze for a few seconds before face hoofing. “Of course. No pony probably cared before. Eeee, I can't wait to tell everypony!” She said as she galloped from the room.
“Ahem?” a guard pony said as she passed.
“What?”
“Lady avatar, you hooves,” the guard said as she motioned the way the alicorn had come.
A long trail of dust led to the avatar and she quickly looked down, blushing at the tremendous amount of ancient dust coating her hooves. “I-I'm so sorry! I'll go clean this up immediately, where's the nearest bathroom?”
The stallion pointed with a sigh, before getting down on his knees to clean it up.
She darted to the bathroom and reached for the faucet, twisting it on with a sigh. Nothing came out. “That's strange...” she muttered as she moved onto the next, then the next after that. Finally, she had to settle on just wiping her hooves off on a towel.
------
“I'm so, so sorry!” Aloe squeaked as she poured the bucket of water over Pinkie and Fluttershy, while others scrubbed the mud off them. “I have no idea what's going on with our water supply. I assure you, this is not common.”
“I-it's okay, really, it- eek!” the pegasus squeaked as the bristles dug more of the mud from her coat. “I-it's fine, really...”
“I'm so sorry. We'll have all this mud out and you'll be able to lounge in our baths as soon as it's out. Lotus!” Aloe called out as the blue mare walked in through the door. “Did you find the problem?”
“No. But, we're not the only ones. Aside from stored water, every building on the block is dry as a bone. The underground system must be damaged.”
The pink mare shook her head. “They're probably doing more maintenance. I wish they would do a better job of alerting us. Last time it was two days notice, this time none at all.”
Blueblood walked by the room, his eyes focused down the hall as he made his way towards the exit. His mouth was set in a scowl, eyes narrowed as he ground his hooves into the tile floor. He shoved both doors aside, stepping outside and scanning the street. It took him a moment to catch sight of the princess. “Diamondeye! We need to talk.”
Rarity squeaked, her entire body going rigid and mane going on end after the stallion's fierce arrival. “W-what? I, ummm, o-okay...” she squeaked as her eyes moved towards the door. They didn't open again, so she slowly walked towards him.
“I haven't told anyone,” he growled. “I... I'll deal with this. Come,” he ordered as he began trotting away, heading down one of the alleys. She followed after him, chewing nervously on her lip.
“Blueblood, I didn't-”
“Stop,” he said as he looked left and right. “I... I know. You're a... you're a water bender. The most... some of the worst ponies in existence. Just the thought that I almost kissed you makes my stomach flip.” He frowned as he turned towards her, moisture in his eyes. “I thought you sickened me. But I... I can't... I can't stop it! I can't stop... thinking about you,” he said as he began pacing back and forth. “The way your mane looks when it's wet, the way you look so cute sleeping wrapped up in a little ball, the way you have to align your food on its plate and cut it into even pieces before you'll eat it.”
“I... what?” Rarity asked as she cocked an eye. “Don't you mean-”
“I still love you!” he shrieked before charging in front of her. “Or... I mean... I really like you. A lot. More than I've ever liked anypony before. I know you're a water bender, and I'm a fire bender, but I don't care. Even if we're supposed to be worst enemies and... and... I don't care. You're a kind, sweet, generous mare. The nicest I've ever met. More importantly, you're beautiful and sexy, the kind of mare any stallion would go to war for. I... I'm sorry I lashed out before. I was surprised. Startled. But I understand now. You're obviously a refuge from the Water Nation, escaping their vial country. I can live with that. Besides, I know it could be worse. It's not like you're the estranged daughter of their ruler or anything.”
“Err... well... actually...”
The stallion chuckled and shook his head. “Heh, funny.” The grin left his face as she stared at her nervous tapping of the ground. “You're... joking. Right?”
“Banished... daughter... actually,” the unicorn squeaked.
Blueblood just stared, his mouth open as his eyes wandered over her body. He then smiled, moving in to wrap a hoof around her shoulder and rub his nose against hers. “Fine. I... I can deal with that. The daughter of...” he shivered and shook his head. “I just need to not think about it much. Do you wish to exterminate all fire benders?”
“What? No! I was one of the ones helping stop my sister from destroying them! Sweetie is... oh. Oops.”
The stallion pulled back then, wobbling slightly. “W-wait... your sister... your sister is that... oh... I think I'm going to be... ohhhhhh...” he squeaked before finally falling over onto the ground, his eyes rolling back into his head.
“What? Blueblood! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that, I didn't want to tell you! It just kind of slipped out!” She shook him, while chewing her lower lip. “Please, wake up. I'm so sorry.”
“So, you're a princess as well? I knew it,” a mare's voice said from behind.
Rarity squeaked as she slowly turned around. Suri stood, a large grin on her face while she eyed the unicorn like a tiger eying its lunch. “W-what? I have no idea what you're-”
“Cram it! I heard everything. Not only a water bender, but a princess? Ohhh, I'm going to enjoy taking you down. I knew you were trouble, but this? It's just too much to believe!” the mare cackled maniacally. “I'll be a hero when I turn you over to the guards!”
“You're not turning me in anywhere. You're delusional! After all the problems you caused us, you-”
“Problems I've caused you? You cost me my assistant! Not to mention I've had myself completely cut off from the Sapphire Tiger! Do you have any idea how many commissions I got from them in a year? Oh, I'm going to enjoy this,” the earth pony stomped her hoof on the ground as a stone sword popped out. It was raised into the air and leveled on the unicorn. “Surrender. GUARDS! Guards! I've captured a water bender!” Suri yelled as she lunged. The blade shot out from the right, narrowly missing Rarity's horn as she ducked back.
“Stop it! Somepony, help!” the unicorn screamed as she was driven back by the flashing stone blade. “HELP!” She backed into the wall, narrowly ducking in time before the blade stabbed hilt deep into the wood.
Suri yanked the blade back with a growl. “Come on, you harlot! Water bend! I know you can! Do it! Do it now!” she screamed while slashing at the unicorn.
“You're insane! Leave me alone!” Rarity yelled while backing away. She knocked over a few crates and barrels while she looked for anything to defend herself with. One of the barrels was sliced to pieces, sending pickles flying at the princess. She shrieked and tried to shield her eyes, the liquid stinging her eyes. “H-help!” She rolled to the right, the sword narrowly missing as it skimmed against her leg.
“Give it up! Look, pickle juice! Bend it, bend it you fool! Show everypony what a creature you are! You monstrous little water bender! You and all your kind should be exterminated!” Suri yelled as she stomped her hoof again, a small pothole forming in the princess's path.
Rarity stepped into the hole, her leg locking and making her fall over with a shriek. The sword thrust forward. She tried yanking her hoof free, but the ground wrapped around it. “AHHH!” she screamed while she tried to lift her hooves up to defend herself.
“Graggk!” Blueblood yelled as the blade pierced his side, the stallion blocking the princess from the strike.
Suri's eyes went wide before she pulled the blade free. He collapsed to the ground, his body shaking as he struggled to breath. “Stupid fire bender. She's my target, not you!” She thrust her hoof forward and the sword flew through the air again. It burst into a cloud of dust before it could pass the bleeding stallion. “Huh?”
“You're under arrest,” a voice said from behind her. Three earth ponies in the kingdom's robes towered over her from behind.
“W-what? No! Don't arrest me, arrest her! She's a water bender! Listen, she, get your hooves off me!” Suri screamed while two of the soldiers detained her, gripping her hooves and dragging her away. The last ran to the felled unicorn.
“Is he breathing?” the earth pony asked.
“Y-yes, but he's having trouble. He needs help, p-please,” Rarity squeaked as she watched Blueblood bleed across the ground. She collapsed to her knees as her hooves wrapped around her stomach. “H-he was trying to protect me from that maniac! She just... she...”
The soldier frowned as he placed a hoof against the wound. “Lady, I'm going to need you to calm down. I'll do the best I can to save him. Just stay calm.”
“Is he... i-is he going to be okay?” Rarity asked as the wounded fire bender wheezed on the ground.
“I don't know. It looks like a lung was pierced. There's a lot of blood...” the stallion mumbled as he applied pressure, struggling to suppress it. “Help should be here soon.”
The princess chewed on her lower lip as she watched the dripping liquid of life. She took a deep breath and her horn began to glow as the blood slowed.
------
“I've done it!” Twilight squealed with excitement as she raced into the throne room. “I know how to use the elements, I... errr, what's going on?” Her mad gallop slowed to a gentle trot rapidly.
Fancy, Photo, Sapphire, Vinyl, Octavia, her friends and a number of ponies she couldn't identify were talking in the room, sitting around a long square table. “Ah, avatar! How wonderful of you to join us,” the emperor said with a smile. “I hope you have pleasant news?”
“Yes I do, what's all this about?” she asked before stopping in front of the table.
“Just some minor plumbing issues.”
“I said we had it handled,” Sapphire snapped, glaring at Photo. “It's only due to her insistence that this meeting was called. I should be-”
“If you could handle it, there would be no problem,” Photo hmphed. “Mah ponies should deal with this. They, for one, have ze necessary talent to NOT turn this into some... some deplorable sham!”
“Mah soldiers have more than enough talent tah kick a hundred of your soldiers flanks. Ah could handle this entire thing with one hoof behind mah back!” Sapphire yelled as she slammed a hoof down on the table.
“There's that accent again,” Pinkie said with a giggle.
“Look how she buckles under ze pressure,” Photo said with a hmph. “She is obviously not ready for such... such stress! Your highness, you should allow my ponies to work their magic!”
“This is my jurisdiction, you overpaid and overfed pebble bender!” Sapphire screamed as she got onto her hind hooves.
“Enough!” Fancy finally yelled, slamming his hooves down. “Avatar, you were saying?”
“Oh, umm, here!” She tossed a number of books on the table and pulled out a thin metal pointer. “So, I cross referenced the dates of the journal against the same dates in a number of historical books. Now, at first I didn't find anything aside from brief mentions of the things she defeated on one date, then nothing on the second. However, then I found this!” She held up a book with a picture of a cloud on it.
“A weather book?” Rainbow asked with a roll of her eyes.
“No, it's a... wait, yes. A weather book. How did you know?” the unicorn asked as she slouched, the book drooping in her magic.
“I was being sarcastic...”
“Oh. Well, yes. A weather book. Those two days were very, very important days to the fire benders! Now, let me show you.” She tossed a large chart, covered in pictures of the sun and moon, onto the table. “As you all know, fire benders share a connection with the sun, just as water benders share one with the moon. Now, what most don't know.” She aimed the pointer to a picture of the full moon. “Is during the full moon, a water benders power is at its strongest. In fact, for a short time while the moon is at its peak, their power increases exponentially. Fire benders have something similar, except rarer.” She motioned to a picture of the sun.
“Wait!” Rainbow said as she raised a hoof. “If that's true, why don't they just make the moon a full moon every night?”
“The cycles,” Twilight said with a grin. “You see, when the sun and moon are raised, their alignments shift ever so slightly. Causing the different moons and it's also the reason some days are shorter than others.” The group stared at her blankly. “O-oh. Right. Back in the past, they did. I guess going a hundred years without the... anyway. The cycles are back on track. Now, according to my calculations this will happen in a little over two months,” she motioned towards an image of the sun. She smiled knowingly, preening at her accomplishment.
“And that is what?” Fancy asked as he looked at the image.
“Oh. Right. The summer sun celebration, or the longest day of the year. Seventy days from now, when the sun rises, for about fifteen to twenty minutes the sun will be at its peak. During this time, a fire bender's power will be astronomical compared to its basic levels. It was at this time Avatar Clover was able to access the elements by herself. If I could get near enough before that time, I would have time to defeat Nightmare Moon for good.”
Vinyl let out a low whistle. “If you could defeat Nightmare Moon, that would put a large damper on the Water Nation's plans. She's seen as a god to some ponies. Without her, this war could be over.”
“Brilliant,” Fancy said as he watched her, his mouth hanging open slightly. “Just imagine, seventy days from now this war could be over.”
“Why can't you just hold the sun there, have super powered bending all the time?” Rainbow asked with a smirk. “It's what I'd do.”
“Yeah, and then you'd burn out your bending, if you survived,” the alicorn said with a roll of her eyes. “But here it is. With this, we can win!”
“That will mean nothing if Fillydelphia falls now,” Photo said with a hmph.
“I said I had it under control,” Sapphire hissed.
“Okay, will somepony please tell me what's going on?” Twilight asked as she sat down.
“It turns out there isn't any water coming out through the city's plumbing system,” Rainbow said with a shrug. “I suggested they move on to cloud basins, but they just glared at me.”
“... Huh?” the alicorn asked in confusion.
“Under our city there is a vast network of rivers,” Fancy said as he pushed her papers aside to reveal a map of the underground. “Through earth bending and modern technologies, we've set up a filtration system and a number of pipes that supply water everywhere in Fillydelphia.”
“It's a heavily monitored system,” Sapphire said with a scowl. “However, with the sudden influx of refuges and the large number of... extras, we've acquired.” The mare glared at Twilight. “It has obviously been over worked. It's too far underground for the water benders to have come close. I've already sent a few of my soldiers to check where the clog is, and once they are finished the city will be back in order.”
“Nonsense! This is obviously the work of the Water Nation!” Photo snapped, eyes narrowed on the mare. “You've been too lax on defenses, allowing them to assault the most important system we possess!”
“I've done no such thing! Our system is fine, it's a minor clog!” Sapphire growled before stomping a hoof, causing the entire room to shake.
“Sapphire!” Fancy yelled as he slammed both hooves down. “Enough!”
“But-”
“No. I sai-”
“Commander!” A stallion suddenly burst through the door, interrupting them. His coat was glistening with sweat and he was panting from exertion. “It's, it's horrible!”
“Who said you could interrupt? This is a private meeting,” Sapphire growled.
“The city, parts of the city. They're sinking into the ground!” the stallion said quickly.
Everypony shared glances, before running from the room.
------
Rarity sat in a chair in the infirmary, glancing occasionally at the tightly bandaged Blueblood. Her aunt stood in the chair besides her, sipping some tea.
“It's not your fault, you know,” Celestia said softly.
“I never said it was,” the princess grumbled.
“I know. But I can see the guilt in your eyes. The mare was... a troublemaker. She would have likely attacked you regardless of what she heard.” The elder unicorn gently nudged her niece with a cup of tea, who ignored it.
“I know it's not my fault!” she hissed. “I'm just... I'm just worried. He's hurt and...” She chewed on her lower lip. “Is he... is he going to die too?”
“I don't believe so,” Celestia said before she glanced towards the door. A few nurses galloped by, pushing gurneys around. “The healer said the wounds weren't quite as severe as they'd thought, since he didn't lose as much blood as he should have. So long as he avoids getting hurt again, he'll be fine.”
Rarity nodded and got to her feet. With trepidation, she moved to the stallion's side and stroked a hoof against his side. “Oh Blueblood... I'm so sorry you got hurt trying to protect me. Maybe I should have-”
The ground suddenly tilted to the right, tossing her to the floor. “Ow! What the buck was that?” Everything in the room began rolling slowly towards the wall opposite the two. “Jademane?”
“Hold on,” the mare said as she climbed up the tilted floor and made her way to the window. Outside, ponies were evacuating into the street as the ground slowly rose around them. Springs of dark blue water burst from the mud. “We need to get Blueblood out of here. Now.”
“What? Is it an earthquake?”
“Worse. The building is sinking. That's enchanted water. Deadly,” Celestia said before she turned back to them. “Wake him up.”
“Blueblood,” Rarity said loudly as she gripped him by the shoulders and shook. “Wake up! You need to wake up!”
“Huh?” the stallion asked as he blinked dazedly. “D-Diamondeye? Wha's goin' on?”
“Come on, we need to move. I know you're on a lot of drugs right now, but your life depends on it,” the princess said as she started pulling him from the bed. The stallion groaned, but groggily moved with her. With a hoof over each mare to support him, they walked out the door.
The halls were flooded with ponies, doctors and nurses struggling to get every patient out as the building continued its sluggish descent. They ran uphill towards the opposite end of the building, towards the non-sinking portion.
“Walkers first!” an aid at the stairs kept yelling as he held onto the door frame and tried to keep a patient in a wheelchair from rolling down the building. The three quickly made their way down the steps, each one eliciting a pained moan from the stallion.
“We're almost out, just hang on,” Rarity whispered as they made it to the first floor. A few quick steps and they were outside, back on level ground. The unicorn turned and gasped.
The building was now turned at a heavy slant, with the exit they left through above ground, but the rest slowly sinking under. Earth benders had taken point, doing their best to hold the building up, but it was a slow evacuation. Springs of water were forming around the building, hastening the descent as well as forcing the earth benders to keep their distance.
They quickly moved away, giving the rescuers room to move. “What's going on?” Rarity asked her aunt.
“It must be an attack.” The mare frowned. “Perhaps they have-”
“AHHHHHHH! HELP MEEEE!” a mare screamed as she flailed her hooves wildly. A spring had opened under her hooves, the dark blue water enveloping her. Unfortunately, it refused to let her go. Inch by inch the earth bender was being dragged under, her entire body coated in the dangerous liquid. Other ponies galloped to help her, grabbing her hooves and trying to pull her free. The magical water quickly moved out to envelop them as well, sucking more and more into its folds.
Rarity stared for a few moments before looking to Blueblood and Celestia. “Run!” she said quickly before she charged towards the floundering ponies. Her horn lit up when she came closer and thrust out a hoof. The water parted under her bending magic, peeling back from the ponies like a thick gel.
The captured ponies collapsed on the grass, stumbling away from the death trap. A grin formed on her face as no pony seemed to notice, the rescuers too focused on stopping the sinking.
“She's a water bender!” a pony suddenly yelled out. “Get her!”
Not waiting to see who reacted to the yell, the princess turned and ran in the direction she'd sent Celestia and Blueblood.
------
“Yes. Truly this is just a normal malfunction with the system, no?” Photo said as she glanced towards Sapphire. “Look! Look at what your lax security measures have caused! Such destruction! Such anarchy! Such... such unfabulousness!” the earth pony yelled as she shook her head.
Dozens of homes were sinking into the ground as dark pools of vicious water spread around them. From the top of the palace the damage across the inner city could be seen as seemingly random spots began sinking into the earth.
“This... it's... I...” Sapphire cringed, grinding her hoof into the ground. “I'll deal with this immediately. I'll-”
“Avatar, would you go with her?” Fancy asked.
The alicorn nodded. “I'd be happy-”
“What? But your highness!” Sapphire yelled, looking towards the destruction. “I can handle this, I-”
“The avatar has far more experience dealing with the Water Nation's tricks than any of us do. You'll bring her and her friends. That's final. Do you understand?”
The mare growled, but slowly nodded. “As you wish. Come, avatar.” She turned and stormed away.
------
“Commander,” an earth pony yelled while running towards the galloping group in the streets.
“Run and report, soldier!” Sapphire ordered.
“A water bender was seen at one of the sink points, a white unicorn with a short mane and tail! Unfortunately, she escaped before anypony could detain her. Two more sink points have sprouted up in the last ten minutes. We can't deal with them fast enough.”
“How many casualties?”
“None reported. Our examination squads are MIA however. Three units have been prepped to go down at the inner wall, all others are dealing with this crisis.”
“Good. Go see what you can do here,” the commander yelled as they galloped through the city. Finally they came to a stop, short of the large inner wall. Three groups of eight earth ponies standing at alert. “Okay, everypony! The Water Nation is up to no good, we're going to make sure they fail. We'll be going down as four units, I'll command the fourth unit and be taking the avatar and her friends. Any questions?” She waited a half second before yelling again. “Good! Okay ponies, we're going down! Sweep through the tunnels and regroup at the base hub! Go go go!” She tapped her hooves to the ground.
The ground opened up around the four groups before dirt shot up. Darkness enveloped them on all sides as they sunk faster and faster into the bowels of the world. Then, there was light.
Green, glowing crystals shined from the walls of the large dirt tunnel they stood in, allowing them to see the rocky path. Rainbow looked around nervously, chewing on her lower lip as she kept glancing up at the rocks above. “Well, it looks all clear here we should go now!” the pegasus squeaked out.
“We got a lot more tah check out before we're done here,” Applejack said with a snicker. “Come on, let's git. There are eight ponies up ahead.”
Sapphire stared as the cowpony for a few moments. “Wait, you can feel them too?”
“Eeyup.”
“Maybe you aren't as useless as I initially thought,” the commander said as she took the lead. Applejack glared at her back as they walked through the open tunnels.
“W-who made these? Are you sure they're safe?” Rainbow asked as she stuck close to Twilight.
“We did, and of course they're safe. I had some of the greatest earth benders in my units craft these tunnels. Nothing short of an earth bender could hope to take them down,” Sapphire said with a smirk. “I only let the best do the important tasks. Now shush.”
The group walked out from the tunnels, moments before letting out gasps of awe. A large cavern stood before them, twisting and turning under the city. A great underground river entered from the opposite end and exited into another tunnel close to the one they came through. Thick metal pipes, covered in ice, came down from the roofs and stabbed into the coursing river.
Standing by the pipe, was Sweetie, Flowerbloom, Scootaloo, three unicorns and two earth ponies wearing their armor. “About time,” the princess said with a chuckle. “I was starting to wonder if any of you ponies were coming to try and stop us.”
“Cease your actions immediately!” Sapphire yelled as she stormed forward. “I am Sapphire Shores, commander of the Earth Kingdom's military. You will surrender, or suffer the consequences.”
A wide grin formed on Sweetie's face. “The commander? Oh, in that case you are right,” she said as she stepped forward, her head lowered. “Truly, there is no way we can defeat you. We nobly surrender.”
“What?” Twilight said, her eyes going wide. “You give up that- eek!” She jumped back as the water from the river shot up, forming a wall of ice between Sapphire and the rest of the group. “Sapphire! Look out!” the alicorn screamed as flames burst from her horn. Rainbow took to the air, flying over the wall. As she passed it, the dirt above suddenly lashed out, sucking her up as she let out a scream.
Flowerbloom sent out three daggers, the blades narrowly missing the commander as she jumped to the right. When she stepped closer to the water, it shot out to grab her. The earth bender tapped her hoof. A wall of rock shot up, but almost instantly it exploded into a cloud of dust. Without her shield, the water surged forth and wrapped around her. It quickly pulled Sapphire into the river, sending her spiraling downstream into the tunnel.
“Sapphire!” Twilight screamed as she raced towards the water's edge, but was grabbed from behind by Applejack.
“If yah go into that water, we won't be able tah get you out!” the earth pony snapped. “We need ta take care of the rest of them, they're jus' gonna try tah split us up!” She stomped a hoof down as Rainbow was spit from the roof. “Come on, we needta all fight 'em.”
Sweetie smirked. “One down, five to go,” the water bender giggled as the water flowed up around her horn. “I hope you're ready for this.” The unicorns copied her gesture as the water circled them a moment. Then, shards of ice shot from the liquid, hurtling towards the avatar's group.
“Yah!” Rainbow yelled as she flapped her wings, sending a gust of wind through the projectiles and scattering them.
“Come on, let's go!” Twilight yelled while she charged forward. A ball of flame formed at the tip of her horn before shooting forward. The Water Nation ponies jumped away as it exploded, shattering the ice from the pipe and enveloping one of the unicorns who fell, screaming, into the river.
“This won't work as well as I hoped. Pull back!” Sweetie yelled as she shoved a hoof forward. The water turned to a thick mist, enveloping the room as the ponies made their hasty retreat.
It took Twilight and Rainbow a moment to clear it, but their enemies were gone. “Dang it!” The pegasus growled. “Those cowards!” She darted forward. A wall of stone shot up to block her, forcing her to a screeching halt.
“Hold on there, sugarcube,” Applejack said with a shake of her head. “They're tryin' tah separate us. We need tah be extra careful, or we're done. No runnin' off on your own.”
“Ughhhh, but it's soooo boring!”
“Don't yah worry. Ah can still feel 'em. They're movin' fast, but they aren't outta my range yet. We need tah go, but together.”
Twilight nodded. “Applejack is right. If we let ourselves be separated, we're doomed. We'll have to trust Sapphire to take care of herself. For now, our biggest concern is eliminating these threats. Capture who we can, force the other to retreat.”
“Right!” the ponies yelled in unison, nodding their heads. Even Fluttershy put on her most determined face. With confident hooves, the five galloped towards the next tunnel.