A week passed and Diamond was quickly finding herself more and more frustrated. Again and again Meadowbrook would pop up, in one village or another, drain it and then be long gone by the time they could respond. The Air nomads were doing what they could, but even when they set up more guards throughout the nation, the guards got taken out too. Between Shining, Dazzling and Meadowbrook they were able to crush any air benders that tried to stop them, while Hothoof was able to wreck the town and gather up the ponies on the ground.
It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. The four of them could pop up anywhere and there was no knowing where they'd appear. The Air Nomad lands were huge, and there were just too many places for them to hide. And that was before even taking into consideration they had earth benders. With that, it was all but impossible to catch them.
It was all starting to feel hopeless and Diamond couldn't help but feel like a failure. It was happening all over again, the unmarked were slowly being made more and more, yet--
She froze and looked up at herself in the mirror, steeling herself. “No. It's not the same. Not this time. Meadowbrook doesn't have an army. She just has four ponies. And they will slip up, they will give us an opening. When they do, we will stop them and get all those cutie marks back.” She took a slow, deep breath. “She doesn't have followers. She doesn't have some new world order. She has a small group of psychotic ponies who are selfish, wicked and evil. Who will be stopped.” She gave a small smile. “We'll stop them. No matter how strong they get.”
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. She froze before looking towards it. “Yes?”
“Diamond? It's Prism!” he called in. “Silver is here for you!”
Diamond blinked a few times, her mouth falling open. She couldn't imagine what would bring Silver all the way out here to the island. “Thanks,” she called out before trotting out of the room and towards the door. When she opened it, she stared at Silver. The mare was pacing back and forth on the porch. “You could have come in. Is something wrong?”
“What? No. Didn't want to be a bother,” she said with a wave of her hoof. “Diamond, I wanted to ask if you'd like to come to dinner tonight.”
“Really? That sounds--”
“And meets my grandparents.”
Diamond blinked a few times, her mouth falling open. “W-what?”
“My grandparents. They're going to be at dinner tonight. Meeting them, would you like to?”
The alicorn stared, her mouth falling open. Finally, she gave a nod. “I uhhh... I guess. Are they, errr... nice?”
“If you're there, they will be,” she muttered softly. “Probably.”
“I uhhh... I guess.” Diamond blinked. “Is that the only reason you came over? It's a bit of a flight.”
“I wanted to test out the wings a bit more, too,” she said with a shrug. “Wanna fly back to land with me? I think I'm going to get a bit of lunch.”
“Lunch?”
“Breakfast, lunch, whatever,” Silver said with a wave of her hoof.
“Silver, are you okay? You seem... stressed.”
“A little bit,” she said with a shrug. “Kinda had this whole thing dumped on me and I'd have preferred more time to prepare.”
“Wait. Are these... Alicity's parents?”
Silver gave a small nod.
Diamond blinked. “Button and Acrylic are going to want to see this.”
“... Button has met them once. I wouldn't put him through that again. Acrylic... well, he's in the hospital.”
“Oh, right. Have uhhh... you seen him, since?”
“Of course. I try to visit him every other day. Haven't you?”
Diamond's cheeks burned and she looked away. “I... well... I... no. I actually haven't seen him past the... first time. I mean, he was so hurt and--”
“He still is,” Silver said with a shake of her head. “I don't even think he's fully aware of me being there, so I wouldn't worry about it. I mostly just want to check up and make sure he's not dead or anything. Burn out is just really painful.” She then reached out and patted her withers. “Besides, you've been extremely busy. Training every day in the different elements, not to mention having to rush off every time Meadowbrook shows her head. Frankly, you're doing a great job. Nopony can blame you for not having time to visit Acrylic.”
Diamond nodded slowly before giving a little smile. “I... guess. I still can't help but blame myself, though. I mean... a good friend should make the time. Right?”
“Sometimes. But a good friend should also know their limits. Acrylic wouldn't want you to push yourself too hard on his behalf. That'd upset him a lot more than you not visiting.”
Diamond sighed and gave a small nod, before spreading her wings and taking flight. “You're right, I guess. So uhhh... tell me about your grandparents. What are they like?”
Silver frowned for a moment as she flew through the air. Finally, she spoke up. “We're Water Nation.”
“Huh?”
“We're from the Water Nation. Grandma and grandpa... well... they're unicorns. Water benders, to be precise.”
Diamond faltered slightly. “W-what? Both of them? But, I mean, Alicity is an earth pony and--”
“Yeah, so am I. Mom was one too,” Silver grumbled a bit darkly. “Something they make sure to NEVER let us forget.”
Diamond blinked a few times, her mouth falling open. She then gasped. “O-oh. I'm... guessing you don't... get along well with them?”
Silver shook her head. “There's a reason we live here and they live there.” She paused for a moment. “And a reason daddy never actually uses any of the alicorn enhancements, even if he developed the majority of them.”
The alicorn's eyes widened. “Wait, is that why you guys are able to do all this? I mean, work with magic and create all this stuff?”
“Probably. Daddy says he got all the best schooling when he was a kid and... well... let's just say Water Nation curriculum was very unicorn heavy.”
“What about you?”
“I grew up in Harmony. Daddy said he didn't want me growing up in that kind of environment.”
“What about your mom?”
Silver froze for a moment, before veering down towards the beach and landing on the sand. She took a slow, deep breath. “We uhhh... we never... we've never really talked about my mom, have we?”
Diamond landed besides her. “No, not really.”
The earth pony glanced over. “Died, during child birth. I uhhhh... wasn't an easy child, it seems,” she mumbled softly. She glanced towards the city. “It's pretty common, though. Lots of... ponies lose their parents like that. There, simple, right?”
Diamond blinked a few times before moving besides her. She gave her a small nudge. “I uhhh... I know what you... I mean... I... know how that feels.”
Silver took a slow, deep breath. “Really? Why? Did your--” The words caught in her throat when she saw the look on Diamond's face. “Oh.”
“Yeah. Don't really... talk about her much. Daddy definitely didn't. So uhhh... I mean... I guess...”
The earth pony nodded, glancing off to the side awkwardly. “Yeah...”
The two stood in awkward silence for a moment. Finally, after a few minutes Diamond spoke up. “But, hey, I mean, our daddies were pretty cool, right? I mean... a bit... over protective, but I know my daddy still did a... mostly good job with me. Probably fed into my ego a bit too much, but I... know he loves me.”
Silver nodded. “Yeah. Daddy is awesome. He uhhhh... besides. I still have a good mare role model. Secretary and all.”
“That reminds me. What is Secretary's name? It's not actually Secretary, is it?”
“What? No, of course not! It's... it's...” Silver blinked a few times. “... Is it? Buck. You know, now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever actually called her anything but Secretary. She's never corrected me, either. Maybe I should look at her file...” She paused again. “Buck, where does Secretary store the employee files?”
Diamond snickered for a moment as the two started to trot into the city. She paused and reached out, putting a hoof on the other mare's side. “Hey... Silver?”
“Huh?” she asked, glancing back.
The alicorn moved to stand by her, then reached out. “You uhhh... I mean...” She coughed. “There was a... special thing me and my dad used to do all the time. It's like... a kinda secret hoof shake, I guess. Would... you like to learn it?”
Silver blinked a few times, staring. “What? Really? Why me?”
Diamond nudged the ground. “Cause... well... I mean, you're like...” She chewed on her lower lip. “You're like a sister to me.”
The earth pony froze, her mouth falling open. “A... a sister? I... I'm not a... I'm...”
“I'm sorry, was that weird? I didn't mean to make it weird, I just though, I mean, I-I'm sorry, forget I asked, it's stupid. I--”
“No,” Silver said, reaching out and putting a hoof on her withers. “I'd like to learn it. I think... I think that'd be great.” She gave a little smile. “And... you're like a sister to me, too.”
Diamond nodded and then gave her a little smile. “Okay, it goes like this. Bump--”
------
Starlight rocked back and forth, her eyes closed as she hugged a small little white bunny to her chest, gently petting its back as she rocked back and forth. “Bunny... bunny...” she mumbled softly under her breath.
Hothoof hummed happily as he knocked a small stone up into the air repeatedly, bumping it again and again with his hoof. Shining was laying in a corner, her snores echoing through the cave. Glimmering eyed the crazed mare in the cage, before looking to Meadowbrook. “Is it my imagination, or is she getting better?”
Meadowbrook glanced over to her and shrugged. “She isn't directly under Discord's influence anymore, or his Avatar. I doubt the effects will fully wear off for a while, but I imagine she'll get better eventually.” She then glanced down at a small map. “It's of no concern, though. She has no cutie mark and no magic, she's nothing even approaching a threat. Perhaps if her mind returns she'll finally shut up,” she muttered before tapping on the map with her hoof.
“We could just execute her,” Glimmering muttered softly.
“Until I discover who Discord's Avatar is, her life is more valuable than all three of you put together. In fact, until I have the Alicorn Amulet and their power, her life is more valuable.”
Glimmering frowned, glancing back towards Starlight. He wondered how valuable any of them would be once Meadowbrook had those. He idly wondered if he could kill a spirit, if it was even possible. As great as his power was, he was no Avatar. “Then what is your next move?”
Meadowbrook frowned. “The other Avatar isn't coming out to play. I need to find a way to draw her out. She's close to Diamond, I know that. But where? Why is she avoiding... this?” She shook her head. “Is it possible she knows about me? Did Ahuizotl tell her?”
Glimmering glanced at the map for a moment, eying it. “Do you need them both to be together?”
Meadowbrook nodded. “Indeed. Both are far more dangerous that I'd care to admit. If Discord's Avatar has the amulet, that makes her a far greater threat.”
“Then I think the plan is obvious. When we attack, they react. They prepare, grab their forces and come to us.” He tapped on the map. “That is why they're so slow, they'll never catch us. And this Discord probably knows that. However, the Avatar you know has weaknesses. If we force them to react quicker, to come to us without gathering their forces, then Discord might make her appearance and aid the Avatar. Especially if they suspect they may finally catch us.”
Meadowbrook blinked a few times, staring at the map. She then glanced to Glimmering and gave a small smile. “Make her react quicker? I... think you might be on to something.” The smile spread even wider before she tapped her horn. “And I think I know just the place to go.”
------
Diamond gave a nervous grin across the dinner table at the gray unicorn stallion and yellow unicorn mare. “So... errr... Mister Set and Misses Crust, right?”
The stallion nodded, eying her. “Indeed. But you may call me Jet and my wife Upper.” He looked her up and down. “So... Diamond. I really must say, I am surprised to meet you here. Had I known the Avatar would be gracing us with her presence, I would have worn my nicer suit.”
Diamond coughed, giving a nervous smile. Compared to the suit and dress wearing ponies, she was quite plain. Only wearing her trademark tiara. “It's uhhhh, quite alright. I thought this would be a more casual thing, anyway.” She glanced over to Silver, who was trying her best to look at anything but across the table.
“Mmmm. As the Avatar, shouldn't you always try to look your best?” Upper asked. “After all, you are a representative of all pony kind. Especially with all these... others around.”
“Others?”
“The dogs and their ilk.”
The alicorn blinked a few times, before nodding. “Oh! The diamond dogs. I actually don't do much with them, that's more the councils job.”
“Mmmm. That's probably for the best,” Jet said, before glancing to Silver. “The servants are running late. Is it that Secretary again?”
“No. She's fine,” Silver said, her voice like ice. “She and daddy will be back soon.”
Upper gave a small sigh. “I don't see why he keeps her around. She's not even a bender, just one of those... Earth Kingdom unicorns.”
Diamond blinked a few times. “What's wrong with the Earth Kingdom?”
“Nothing, dear. They make fine earth benders. But their unicorns... well, they leave much to be desired. I mean, just a little bit of magic? No actual bending? They're not even proper unicorns. I know Alicity's little... hobby might have money troubles, but you'd think he could hire a proper assistant.”
“Tomorrow Industries is NOT having money issues,” Silver said, grinding her teeth. “And Secretary is one of the BEST assistants any pony could ask for.”
Jet gave a soft sigh. “Yes, I suppose ANY pony could ask for. But you and Alicity aren't just any pony. You're of the upper echelons, there's no need for you to associate yourself with the common pony. Isn't that right, Avatar?”
Diamond blinked. “W-what?”
“See? Even the Avatar agrees,” Upper said, shaking her head. “In fact, just look at the ponies she surrounds herself with. The heir to our family, the sons of two prominent council members. The daughter of the previous Avatar.”
Diamond's eyes went wide. “Wait, how do you know that? Have you been studying me?”
“Of course,” Jet said with a shrug. “You are close to our family, we had to make sure you were actually a decent Avatar.”
The alicorn's mouth fell open, too shocked to speak.
“Even if she was JUST an earth pony once,” Upper said with a shake of her head. “She managed to come from a rather prominent family as well, the Richs. She obviously knows exactly who she is and who she should be associating with.”
Silver ground a hoof into the table. “There's nothing wrong with being an earth pony...”
“Of course, dear,” Jet said with a shake of his head. “There was nothing that could be done about it. After all, when your father chose your mother, well... these kinds of things were bound to happen. I blame myself, really. Perhaps if I had better prepared him for the world.” He then nodded to Silver. “But you have the right idea, dear. With your little metal horn and wings. They may not be quite the same thing but--” He let out a shriek as he was suddenly blasted across the room by a sudden burst of air. Upper followed suit a moment later.
Diamond stood up on her hind legs, her front hooves on the table. “See, that's where you're wrong. I am not a proper Avatar. I am a very easily pissed off Avatar. Just ask half the ponies who've managed to get on my bad side. Not only that, I'm one who has no trouble pounding the faces in of ponies who manage to go ahead and piss me off. And congratulations, you've both managed it! How about a nice round of applause?”
“I-I say--” Jet started, but was silenced by a another burst of wind that rattled the room.
“No, you DON'T say. I'm done listening to either of you,” she snapped angrily, glaring at them. “Trust me, I've heard that kind of talk enough times that I know where it's leading. It's leading to the both of you being flung out the window and ending up in a ten foot deep crater in the ground. It's leading to me spending a week apologizing to Silver for doing horrible things to the both of you that I honestly won't regret. So how about you both just shut up and let's enjoy this dinner in peace.”
Upper opened her mouth to speak, but went silent when a small flame formed on the tip of Diamond's horn. She quickly shut her mouth again. Diamond sat down and gave a sheepish smile to Silver. Who had a hoof over her mouth and was trying not to laugh. The four sat in silence and after a few minutes Alicity and Secretary came walking in, carrying bowls of stew, corn, bread and some weird pasta dish Diamond couldn't identify.
The meal was a silent affair as nopony seemed willing to say the first word. Diamond nibbled her food, a small ball of worry starting to form in the pit of her stomach. She wondered if she had gone too far. She'd never really known her grandparents, she had no idea how she was really supposed to act with them. Not to mention there was a little bit of her old self, the desire to just pound ponies into doing what she wanted.
Finally, Alicity spoke up. “So, Diamond, how goes the pursuit of Meadowbrook?”
“Hmmm?” she asked, glancing up. She swallowed some noodles and then gave him a small smile. “Honestly? Not very well, yet. We're still waiting for her to make a mistake, but they're fast. She's gotten stronger, too. But I have no doubt when the time comes, we'll defeat her.”
“Has there been any clue as to how she's stealing these powers?” Alicity asked.
Diamond shook her head. “No. I mean, we already knew she was a fire bender, but she should have lost that ability when she lost her cutie mark. Well, when she lost it for real. But now she has it back and she's gaining all the other elements too.”
Upper snorted. “A fire bender, truly? After all the work we've done to aid them, this is how they repay us? Creating some new awful terrorist?”
Diamond glowered at the woman, making her cringe. “No. They didn't. Meadowbrook in no way represents the will of the Fire Tribes. She's hurt them just as much as she's hurt the other nations. She's just a bad pony who needs to be stopped, where she is from or what kind of bending or magic she has has nothing to do with it.”
“You must admit,” Jet said calmly. “The Water Nation never had anything like this. Stealing a ponies cutie mark?”
“Oh, no, they just preferred to hack off a pony's horn,” Secretary said flatly. She was rewarded with both Jet and Upper going red in the face.
“Indeed, an atrocious part of our history that none of us would ever dream of forgetting. Not something any of us are proud of. However, we merely took their magic and, even then, only some of them,” Upper said with a shake of her head. “An act that we have paid dearly for, with many donations and the aid we've offered to their country. But this Meadowbrook is doing it to everypony. Even worse, she is a pony that has already been stopped once. As dangerous as she was, it should have been only once. If the Avatar had struck then and ended this threat the first time, this danger wouldn't now loom over all of our heads.”
Diamond froze, her stomach doing a little turn. She stared down at her plate, suddenly feeling only a few inches tall.
“Now Twilight, she was a proper Avatar,” Jet said with a shake of her head. “She would have crushed this Meadowbrook in a moment and then made sure she never caused any troubles like this again.”
Silver frowned. “Diamond is a great Avatar. Meadowbrook was... well, broken. Helpless. There was no reason for her to just kill her then. Twilight would have shown mercy, too.”
“Really?” Upper asked with a cocked eye. “After the whole incident with... Discord, I'd imagine she knew the value in striking down an enemy when the time came. Just look at all the destruction he caused. Tearing the nations apart, shifting ponies, altering their minds...” Her eyes lingered to Alicity. “Changing... ponies.”
Alicity froze in place. Secretary's eyes narrowed and she looked as if she was ready to jump the table, her spoon bending slightly in her telekinetic grasp.
Diamond looked between the two of them, before gasping a little. Her hoof went to her mouth and she couldn't stop herself from saying it. “Alicity was born during Discord's reign?” She regretted it instantly when Silver looked up and quickly shook her head. Alicity dropped his spoon and got up.
“I'm going to go check the muffins,” he said coldly, before trotting off. Secretary followed after him a moment later.
“Indeed,” Jet said with a shake of his head. “How else would you suppose an earth pony would spring up from our bright, unicorn lineage? Obviously Discord's magic had some... taint over his creation. I'm surprised you were unaware. I suppose it isn't the kind of thing a pony would brag about.”
The alicorn just watched the stallion retreat to the other room, cringing with every few words. Her eyes then turned to Silver, who looked sad and a little guilty. Diamond sighed. “Well, I guess I was wrong then.” She took a deep breath. “Here I thought Discord only did bad, but if that's the case then I guess Discord did at least one thing good for this world. I'd rather have a thousand Alicity's than even one more of you two,” she said coldly.
Upper gasped, her eyes going wide. “How dare you. I'll have you know I--”
“Have a stick so far up your flank I could probably reach down your throat and yank it out. Before proceeding to beat you with it,” Diamond said coldly, her eyes narrowed to slits. “Wanna see?”
Jet gave a low growl. “Avatar, you are extremely rude for one in your position. Were these different times, I'd have challenged you to a water duel and--”
“Oh, go right ahead,” Diamond said with a shake of her head. “In fact, how about I fight both of you at once? At least then it might be something resembling fairness,” she said through gritted teeth and was rewarded by the color draining from their faces.
“Well? Alicity? Aren't you going to say anything to your... guest?” Upper snapped at him.
He shrugged. “If you accept, I can probably sell tickets,” he said before trotting out of the room.
The color in their faces quickly turned red and the two got to their hooves. “Very well,” Upper snapped, glaring at them. “We can tell where we're not wanted.” She turned and stormed out, Jet giving a curt nod before following in her steps.
Diamond sat there for a moment, before looking to Silver. “I am so, so sorry I just, I kind of got mad and I kind of let my old side go and--”
Silver put a hoof to her mouth, shaking her head. “Don't. It's fine. Honestly, I kind of expected something like this to happen. Hoped for it, even. Well, hoped they'd try to be tolerable, but this is the next best thing. It's... never really fun to have them around.” She then sighed. “They'll be back tomorrow, anyway. Probably act like none of this happened, too.”
“Are they... always like this?”
“Horrible? Yes,” Silver said flatly. She then looked back to Diamond. “Did... you really mean what you said?”
“Yes. I mean, which part?”
Silver was silent for a moment. “That... well... Discord did something right?”
Diamond rolled her eyes. “Of course not. I mean, he was Discord, pure evil. I would never claim he did anything right.” To her surprise, Silver looked a little hurt, then. “He had nothing to do with Alicity. I'm sure it just, well, happened. It'd hardly be the first time ponies had children of different types than them,” she said with a wave of her hoof. “I couldn't really see Discord going out of his way to make one pony be born an earth pony. I mean, what would be the point? Your family doesn't even have any connection to Discord.”
Silver cringed, before giving a small nod. “Y-yeah. I guess... y-yeah. We don't really... have anything to do with him. Why uhhh... why would he do anything like that?” She gave a weak little smile. “Pure evil and all that...”
Diamond stared at her friend for a moment, before smiling. “But... if he had? If, for some strange reason, Discord decided to make Alicity an earth pony and it helped to lead him to what he is now? Then yes, I'd say he did one good thing. But only the one. There'd still be a huge, massive list of horrible, awful things he did. But at least that wouldn't be on it. Because that helped lead to you, too.”
Silver blinked and gave a little smile. “Thanks. So uhhh... what do you think you'll do about Meadowbrook?”
The alicorn sighed and shook her head. “I... honestly have no idea what I can do. As much as I want to just... smack her, she's not really giving me any chance. She's just dodging around and being, frankly, impossible.”
Silver smiled and reached out to pat her back. “Don't worry. I know you'll catch her eventually.”
“I sure hope so. I just wish we had some idea of where she is heading. It's all just... random now. Or seems to be.”
The earth pony nodded. “I'm sure she'll slip up eventually. And when she does, you'll be there.”
“Hopefully,” Diamond muttered. Her eyes lowered. “What if... when she does, I'm not strong enough?”
“What?”
“I mean... look at what happened last time. When I finally met her, she destroyed me. Crushed me into the dirt. Now she's even stronger than that, a lot stronger. She has all those cutie marks and--” Her mouth was covered by Silver's hoof.
“You're stronger, too. A lot stronger. You're smarter, braver, a better fighter. You're training under some of the greatest benders of all time. When the time comes, you'll defeat Meadowbrook. I know you will.” Silver moved in and gave her a small hug. “Because you're the Avatar and it's your destiny. You can save everypony. Anypony.”
Diamond nodded. “R-right.” She trailed off for a moment. “When... when the time comes. When I'm finally... ready,” she whispered softly. “I'll have to strike, won't I? I'll have to... end her, won't I? Like Twilight would have?”
Silver was quiet for a moment, before shrugging and pulling back. “I don't know. In the end, that's your decision. Mercy or... death.”
“Whoooo wants blueberry muffins?” Acrylic asked as he trotted back in the room, tossing the plates off his back and onto the table, a big grin on his face as he sat across from them. “Diamond, it truly has been an absolute marvel having you over tonight, we should do this more often.”
Diamond snickered. “Like whenever your parents come to visit?”
“I would never say that,” he said with an innocent grin. “I would imply it, think it, possibly even pay for it, but never say it.”
She just smiled back at him. “Honestly? Tonight has been... an experience I wouldn't mind repeating more often.” She reached out and grabbed one of the muffins, taking a bite of it. Her eyes lit up. “O-oh. Wow. Did you make these yourself?”
“Indeed,” Acrylic said with a nod.
“Ahem,” Secretary said.
“Secretary helped. A little.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Diamond chuckled and took another bite, a grin on her face as she relaxed with her friends. She couldn't help but feel that, maybe, everything would be alright in the end. As long as she had ponies like this around her.