Avatar: Legend of Diamond Tiara. Book 2: Discord

by Jeweled Pen

Chapter 4: Water Lord

Icepick let out a light yawn as she stared out over the dark waters. It was cold and the unicorn wanted to be back inside the ship, wrapped in her blankets. Instead she was stuck on watch duty. She grumbled darkly as she looked towards the other ships in their fleet. Almost a dozen of them, all with their own watch guards. She couldn't much see the point.

This was a full Water Nation fleet and they were less than an hour from Harmony, anypony who wanted to attack would have done it ages ago. Now would be suicide. Heck, they'd be meeting with the representative of Harmony at any moment most likely.

She huddled tighter into her coat. She didn't understand WHY their arrival had to be timed for night. Even if they did have a special bond with the moon, it was bloody cold and she wanted to be warm. She almost envied the fire benders and their precious sun at this point.

A small blue light in the distance drew her attention, making her smile as she watched it. Finally, the welcoming ship from Harmony. Hopefully a full fleet. That meant hot drinks and lots of rest inside. And warmth, precious warmth.

Their ship was at the front, so she leaned forward to try and get a proper view of the blue light. “Helloooooo?” she yelled out over the waters.

“Mwa ha ha ha ha!” a voice rang out, chilling her to the core. “Such foalish ponies, coming to my territory! It's time you learned what the Great and Powerful Trixie is capable of!”

Icepick stared at the light. “What?” She let out a shriek and stumbled back as a whip of water came flying at her, missing by inches. There was a soft thump from the helm and she looked up.

Her blood turned cold as she stared at the figure.

She'd heard stories, even seen pictures of this mare. But there was no way it was possible. A blue unicorn in a great blue star-speckled hat and cloak. Her entire body seemed to glow, her strange blue tiara cutie mark especially. Still, the pony seemed fuzzy, as if she was being looked at through a smudged glass. But there was no mistaking who she was.

The once powerful tyrant of the Water Nation, second only in power to Nightmare Moon. Trixie.

------

Diamond groaned as she tried to fix her mane. “Is all this really necessary?” She was wearing brown armor across her hooves and side. It was very frustrating because her wings were finally at full size after the last month and she was, barely, able to fly now.

Well, it was more like falling with style. And a bit of gliding. But so long as she air bent downwards a lot she could get a bit of impressive air. She was learning. However, with the earth bending armor on, flying was a dream. “I'd have rather have worn a Wonderbolt uniform.”

Prism sighed and shook his head as he sat on the beach, wearing his own Wonderbolt uniform. “Hush, Avatar. This is an important meeting with the Water Lord. Your first meeting. You are a member of the Earth Kingdom, so you represent them. After the initial meetings are done, you can go.”

Diamond grumbled darkly, but didn't say another word. Every member of the council was here now, minus the fire bender representative who had still yet to be chosen. Prism and Ironwing were here as well, though only due to being children of friends of the Water Lord. Of course, the meeting was taking place on the island and since the two lived there, they could hardly be told to leave. The representatives of the Shadowbolts, Moon Raisers and metal benders were there as well.

They were all done up in their finest garments, representing their races and cultures. Diamond, unfortunately, was finding her own quite annoying. She'd had to choose something combat ready, but without her earth bending it didn't feel like she was at all ready to combat anything in such armor.

“What's that?” Ironwing asked, his hoof pointing up.

Diamond squinted, trying to see what the stallion meant. After a few moments she was able to barely make out the flying pegasus. He was wearing the blue armor of the Water Nation.

And he looked panicked. He dove down towards them, skidding along the ground. “Ambush! Trixie! Water Nation fleet!”

“What?” Blaze called out, staring.

“It's Trixie! She's here, she's attacking the fleet!”

Diamond felt a shudder go through her body. She turned back, but before she could she felt a pair of hooves on her side. She let out a yipe as her armor was torn off. “Hey, don't-- Vinyl?” she asked, confused as she stared at the water bender representative.

“Talk less, move now. FLY!” the mare yelled, giving Diamond a shove.

The alicorn was about to object, but then realized what was going on. She yelped and galloped off, taking to the air with a burst of air bending directed down. Her wings spread out and she haphazardly wobbled through the air, barely managing to keep above the water but slowly making her way up with heavy flapping of her wings and generous application of air bending. When she looked down, Octavia and Vinyl were already ahead of her, racing across a bridge of water the latter had made. Ironwing, Blaze and Prism zoomed past her, nearly knocking her off track as they raced towards the Water Nation fleet.

She just wished she knew who this Trixie was. She remembered hearing about a mare by that name in Twilight's notes, but there was no way it could be the same pony. That was impossible, she was sure of it.

------

When Diamond arrived on the scene, she couldn't help but gape. The fleet had been beached, shoved onto the shore and tipped over, struggling desperately to help free those who were hurt and get those out of the water who were still stuck in it.

Namely because of what was going on in the water. A blue glowing unicorn and two white unicorns twirled along in the river, creating pathways of ice that they used to skid along with ease as they directed attack after attack at each other. The blue unicorn was powerful, launching out great waves of attacks, striking with enough ferocity that it was easy to see how the ships had been beached.

But the two white unicorns seemed almost as if they were dancing, nimbly moving aside or redirecting the attacks, before launching their own much smaller, but more precise strikes. She let out a yelp as a skewer of ice sailed into the blue unicorn.

And right through her, not leaving a mark. “W-what?” Diamond said, her mouth falling open. Then she saw the mare's cutie mark. Her eyes nearly bulged as she dove down at the pony, rage blinding her.

That was HER cutie mark! 'HOW DARE SHE!' She flew down and sent a powerful burst of air at the mare.

Who jumped back and then thrust her hooves up. A pillar of ice flew up.

“Oh bu--” The pillar slammed into Diamond, sending her flying through the air. She hit the shore and bounced three times before coming to a complete stop.

“Diamond? Diamond, are you okay?” Blaze asked as she landed by her.

“Did... did anyone catch... catch the... name on that a-air ship?” the alicorn asked weakly, her head rolling from side to side. “I... I think I'm g-gonna sue...”

“Yeah, good luck with that. I think we're going to need you for this.”

The Avatar groaned and shook her head, before slowly rolling to her hooves and standing. She wobbled a few feet, before nodding. “Right! I'm here. Mostly. Kinda. What's going on? Who is that?”

“Trixie. Sorta. Those two fighting her are Water Lord Rarity and Princess Sweetie.”

Diamond nodded. “They're... good,” she said softly. She'd never seen a pony fight like that as they dove and skimmed along the water, almost as if they were dancing.

“I'd hope so. They're two of the best, now. Back in... anyway. Moving on. They're mostly a distraction for now. That's not really Trixie. Their attacks are going right through it.”

“What does that mean?”

“It's a spirit. You need to go to the spirit world and stop it.”

“W-what? Me? But I don't have my potion! I can't do it without the potion! I need the potion!”

“We don't have time to get the potion, we need you to get in the Spirit World, now!”

“W-well, why don't you?” Diamond asked softly. “It's not a... I-I can't be the only one who can do it, I mean, there's--”

“Diamond!” Blaze snapped, making the Alicorn stand at attention. “This thing is dangerous. We need you to fight it and we need you to do it, now. Are you going to help, or are you going to stand there?”

She chewed on her lower lip, before sighing and giving a little nod. “R-right. Sorry. I just... I'll do my best.”

“Good. Hurry. I don't know how long they can hold up.”

Diamond glanced back towards the fight, before slowly sitting down. She slowly closed her eyes and tried to push out the thoughts of the fight on the river. She took slow, deep breaths as she tried to focus on the Spirit World. On lifting her body up, out of its shell and going to the world beyond. A world unlike theirs, where the rules didn't apply correctly.

It didn't seem to be working, but she tried to ignore that. She continued to breath, slow and steady. She could do this. She would do this.

She felt herself lifting! She was moving, she was--

Being dragged off. Her eyes opened and she let out a yelp as she realized Blaze had her grasped in her hooves and up in the air. Trixie was standing over where she had been, spikes of ice impaled on the ground. “Gahhh!” the alicorn shrieked.

“Diamond, I thought you were in there?”

“No, I'm not! What in the world, I thought they had it!”

“The moment you started going all meditation, she came after you! Here, catch yourself!”

“Huh?” Diamond asked, moments before she was dropped. She spread her wings out and steadied herself. “I don't think it's going to work!”

“Well... we'll think of something!”

Shards of ice were hurtled at Trixie from the two mares, though the spirit merely moved aside or let a few go through her. Diamond frowned, before pulling in her wings and diving down at the mare. She was on land now, so there was less water. But the unicorn still managed to gather what was near her and form a whip with it, swinging it at the alicorn.

Diamond blew out hard, forming a burst of wind and slowing her descent, as well as scattering the whip. She landed on the ground and raced at the mare, ducking down under a second strike of water. She spread her wings out a few inches, balancing herself perfectly before leaping up and over the mare.

“Stand still, Avatar!” Trixie yelled.

“Buck yourself!” Diamond yelled back as she landed. She stepped forward and bucked the other mare right in the cutie mark.

There was a moment's pause before the world exploded. Diamond shrieked as she was sent hurtling forward, flipping head over hooves, before crashing into the ground and skidding a few feet. “Owwwww... why... me?” Even worse, her flank was burning now, too. She slowly dug her head out of the ground and turned back.

Trixie was gone. All of her was gone. Then her eyes were drawn to her glowing flank. Her cutie mark! The green was mixing with the blue, making a cyan cutie mark on her flank. She held her breath and slowly looked towards the water. She reached out a hoof and tried.

The water shot up into the air, making her shriek. “MY WATER BENDING IS BACK! MY WATER BENDING IS BACK! I'M A WATER BENDER AGAIN!” She then thrust out her hooves, trying to form fire. Nothing happened. She stomped her hoof to make a stone block shoot up, but again nothing. She took a deep breath before shrugging. “You know what? Two is better than one.”

“Avatar, are you okay?” Prism asked before he landed by her. “We saw a flash.” He let out a yipe as she raced forward and hugged him.

“I've got my water bending back! It was in that... fake Trixie!”

“That is quite the interesting development,” the elder of the white unicorns said as she trotted forward, smoothly moving to stand before the alicorn. Despite the fight, she seemed completely calm and still, not a hair out of place and barely breathing heavy. How she maintained it the Avatar couldn't guess. “Avatar Diamond Tiara, I presume? I am Water Lord Rarity.” She bowed her head politely. “I was a good friend of your previous incarnation.”

Diamond nodded and opened her mouth, before pausing. She... couldn't believe it. She'd heard of Rarity, but the mare had to be old enough to be her mother. Yet she still looked so young, and beautiful, with barely the slightest wrinkle. “O-oh. Nice to... nice to meet you,” she said softly before clumsily bowing.

“This is my younger sister, Princess Sweetie Belle,” she said before motioning towards the younger of the white unicorns, who bowed. “Alas, my eldest child, Princess Colgate, is back at home, monitoring the nation while I am away. But allow me to introduce my younger twins, Princess Celestia and Prince Luna.” She motioned towards two ponies who could have easily been clones of each other, except one had a white coat while the other had a dark blue coat. Their manes glimmered like silver and they looked every bit as beautiful as their mother.

Diamond suddenly felt severely self conscious. “Nice to meet you,” she said softly. “We should probably pull back to the island, in case... any more of... whatever that was, happens.” She couldn't help feeling a little giddy though. Her water bending was back, another attack like that might give her back her fire bending or her earth bending.

“What an excellent idea,” Rarity said before looking back. “I'll have the soldiers--”

“I'll take care of it, get everypony working,” Sweetie said quickly.

“What? But--”

“Please. You have a lot to discuss with the Avatar, I can handle a bit of damage control and tend to the wounded. Go, go.” The young mare shood her away.

“Very well. Avatar, shall we?” Rarity said before turning and trotting down the river bank.

Diamond nodded, following after the mare who somehow managed to seem so calm and dignified despite what just happened. She wished SHE could do that.

------

“Hmmm,” Rarity said as she gently tapped her hoof to her chin and looked into her tea. “This... is quite interesting. Regaining your bending like that is... quite unique. Whoever has them now must be very powerful and tied closely with the Spirit World.”

“Have you dealt with the Spirit World before?” Diamond asked softly.

“A little, yes. My... aunt was far more adapt at it than I was. A few of our higher level mages can enter as well, but it is difficult. Twilight was always the best at it and even she developed it later in our journeys. But we did face a creature like that Trixie, as well. Once. Though at the time it was a giant bear. Ironically, it was Trixie who commanded the creature.” A frown came over her face. “And when we defeated the bear, we believed Trixie was gone forever. It... seems we may have been wrong a second time.”

Diamond nodded rapidly. “So you think she has my cutie marks?”

“It is possible. Trixie was...” Rarity rubbed her chin. “Interesting. Very, very interesting. I knew her before her initial fall. She was... cruel and twisted. A monster. She reveled in hurting others and tearing them apart, proving her superiority over them. I was... sadly... disabled for much of her second reign, but judging by what the others have told me, she was no less cruel in her second incarnation. Especially with the power of Discord flowing through her.”

“So you think she's returned?”

“It is possible. We never did find out what happened to her. I'd always hoped she'd met her end in the Badlands. But, as this was a creature of spirits, perhaps she has merged herself with the Spirit World and now she is a spirit. I... tremble to think of the destruction she could cause there.”

Diamond nodded. “Well... I guess I have a second reason then.”

“Hmm?” Rarity asked.

“Oh, err...” She glanced over to Sassy, who looked just a tiny bit furious enough to spit. “I'll be heading to the Badlands shortly, in order to see if I can uncover any connection with Twilight, my previous life. I need to know what happened to her and find out if there's any way to... well, fix our connection.”

Rarity blinked a few times before giving a nod. “I see. Well, that is quite the interesting development,” she said before taking a sip of her tea. She then glanced towards the other gathered ponies. “There is no need for silence, feel free to add in your own thoughts. I represent the new Water Nation, we are no longer to be feared.”

“HOWWWWWW?” Vinyl asked, finally.

“Hmm? How what?”

“Seriously, there's like... three wrinkles on you. No pony ages like that. I saw what you'd been through. Come on, mare to mare, you've got to tell me your secret.”

Rarity chuckled, a hoof coming to her lips. “Oh, Miss Scratch, always the kidder. I assure you, I was just lucky.” She then paused and her eyes narrowed. “Not the... luckiest in our... group I'll attest... darn you Pinkie...”

“I think what my cohort MEANS to say,” Octavia said with a bit of annoyance. “Is we've, for the most part discussed this with the young Avatar. We've spent many, many hours discussing it, but have yet to have come to a conclusion and have decided to leave the decision in the Avatar's capable hooves.”

Diamond couldn't help but feel a little proud. Octavia had called her capable.

“But perhaps with this new attack, it would be best if she stay here,” Blaze said suddenly.

“W-what? But you said you were okay with it!” Diamond said quickly.

“I was. But this... thing was dangerous. If Trixie is involved, there's no doubt she'll be coming after you, Diamond. Going to the Badlands is just what she'd want. You'll be vulnerable there.”

The alicorn closed her eyes and shook her head. “No. I need to go, now more than ever. If Trixie is out there... I have to find out what happened to Twilight. I have to face her, too. She may be the very thing holding my connection to Twilight back. I can't just hide here.”

“I agree,” Rarity said suddenly, drawing a soft gasp from the group. “To both sides, oddly. It is too dangerous to go, Avatar. But you can't not go, now can you?”

“Err... yes? No?” Diamond said in confusion.

“As such, I will offer what assistance I can. Celestia, Luna?” she called out, glancing back to her children. “Would you like to do your mommy a favor?”

“Keeping the Avatar alive would be an honor,” Luna said with a nod.

“Besides, I've always wanted to kick Trixie's flank! I just never thought I'd get the chance,” Celestia said with a chuckle.

Rarity nodded, then glanced back to the Avatar. “If you will accept the help of the Water Nation, of course? I assure you, my children are both fine benders in their own right.”

Diamond nodded. “E-err... o-of course. I don't see why not.” She was starting to lose track of just how many ponies were going on this trip after all. “We'll be leaving in a few weeks. Tomorrow Industries will be funding the incursion and a ship is being prepared as we speak. After next weeks demonstration, it should be prepared and we'll be good to go.”

“Delightful,” Rarity said with a small smile. She paused and then looked back, glancing over the assorted representatives. “Would... you all allow us a moment alone, please? I'd very much like to discuss something private with the Avatar.”

“What? Why pony want talk with alicorn?” Rover asked, the dog stomping a paw. “Pony plotting against city?”

Blaze coughed into her hoof. “Need I remind everypo... everyone, that Water Lord Rarity was once one of Twilight's closest friends? I believe she can be more than trusted. Come along.” She turned and walked out from the room, the others slowly drifting out after her a moment later.

Once the room was empty, Rarity turned towards the Alicorn. “Child...” She took a slow, deep breath. “To... be honest, I'd hoped we'd never meet.”

“I'm... sorry?” Diamond said softly.

“No, it's not that. You are just... if you are here, it means that there is truly no chance that my dear friend is still alive. We held out for many years that she would come back.” She put a hoof to her forehead. “If only the Water Nation hadn't needed me so, perhaps she would have invited me and...” She closed her eyes again before taking a deep breath. “I... am thankful for this opportunity. If... you can discovered what happened to our dear, lost friend, it would mean the world to more than just you. All of us she left behind have... wondered. Always wondered what happened to her. She was quite the mare, Twilight. Brave, strong, impossible to deter. Wise. A bit.. anti-social at times, but her heart was in the right place. If you are even half the pony she was, I know the world, and this mission, will be in capable hooves.”

Diamond blushed. “T-thank you. I think.”

Rarity smiled before reaching out to put a hoof over hers. “Do not be afraid, child. I'm sure you're still confused about a lot of things. Heaven knows Twilight barely knew what she was doing half the time, but she pushed forward and got done what needed to be done. I know you shall, too.”

The alicorn's eyes widened. “W-wait, she did? But I thought... I always thought all of this came so... easy to her.”

“Oh, heavens no. Her journey was rife with trouble, danger and...” Rarity gave a sigh. “All manner of horrible encounters. Many of which, I am sad to say, I was the cause of. I don't know what stories you've heard, but Twilight did not always win, did not always have the answers and was most definitely not perfect. What she was, was persistent. She knew the world needed to be fixed and she never, ever gave up on trying to fix it. Even when it hurt and almost killed her, she would stand against all the forces of the world to try and set it right. Even when it DID kill her, she never gave up. I... do not know what life has in store for you and I couldn't begin to imagine the dangers you will face.” She squeezed the hoof slightly. “All I can tell you is never give up. You are the Avatar and the world depends on you. You don't need to be perfect, you don't need to fix every problem in the world. As long as you keep trying and keep your friends close, I am sure you'll succeed and right whatever wrongs the world has in store for you.”

Diamond gave a small, weak nod. “Thank you. I... honestly... I have failed quite a few times. I--”

“We all make mistakes, dear. I know that more than anypony. But do not allow them to hold you back, Twilight... rarely did.”

“Rarely?”

“All of us deserve our little moments to grieve, child. Just always remember, you're not alone in your journey. The Elements of Harmony may be destroyed, but there was always more to friendship than just those.”

Diamond smiled and gave a small nod. “T-thank you.”

“Of course.” Rarity slowly got to her hooves. “I'd best go take a rest. After that voyage, I feel stiff as a board. I do so look forward to seeing more of this city. I'd love to see the fashions of Harmony. Good bye, Avatar. Until next we meet.”

The alicorn nodded, watching the mare go. She couldn't deny feeling a small, warm feeling in her chest. She wondered if it was those words, or a connection with Twilight. Either way, she couldn't help feeling stronger and more confident than she had before.

Comments

[CrystalMaster76]

Now this is the type of legacy building i can get behind, respecting the past while keeping the focus on the present. Rarity's chat with Diamond has now eclipsed Diamond's chat with Prism and Blaze that ended with the epic smack-down as my favorite conversation of the series.

Also, yeah, Sweeties here too, hopefully we get a nice catch up chat with Scootaloo (who really hasn't done much other then stare down her husband.) Colgate as head daughter?, works but i prefer Minuet as her name. I like the initial impression we get of the new Cele and Luna, i just hope they don't end up brainwashed as Silver's goons (both this series and this family has had enough of that).

Other than that, good action, good character dialogue, great chapter, cheers.