Spike, Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy sat at the kitchen table sipping from their glasses of apple juice. They slowly looked up as Applejack walked into the kitchen and began peeling some potatoes, her hat tipped forward to mask her face.

“Is it because you're scared?” Twilight asked as she limped in behind the earth pony.

“Ah ain't scared,” the orange mare growled as she quickly peeled a poor potato into oblivion. “Ah jus' have no intention ah fightin' the Water Nation. Yah all wanna do it? Be mah guests. But ah got a duty here. This here farm depends on me tah keep it goin' an ah ain't gonna let it down tah go galivantin' along the country side, bein' your lil trainer.”

“But we need you! I need you! The country needs you,” the alicorn yelled as she limped over to the mare.

Applejack growled and threw down the nub of a potato and peeler. “No means no! Ah ain't leavin'! Now, if yah want some help while you're here, ah'd be more than happy tah teach yah some earth bendin'. It's really not that hard. But as it is, Big Mac is laid up and ah ain't gonna leave him here alone with jus' Granny Smith.”

“Oh!” the avatar said as she nodded. “Of course. So, once Big Mac is all better you'll help us?”

“What? No! Ah never said that, ah said-”

“Fluttershy, come on! We have a stallion to make better!”

From his room, Big Mac let out a low groan as he buried his head into the pillow. However, the mare never came. Instead, Twilight found herself suddenly seated on the couch as Fluttershy glared at her.

“Okay, that's it! I understand that you want to keep moving, but you need to let your leg heal!” the pegasus snapped as she glared into the cowering avatar's eyes. “If you want us to go to the capital, fine, you can ride in the cart. But until your leg is all better, no more walking!”

“But-”

“I SAID NO MORE WALKING! You got a problem with that?!” she growled as she leaned in close, one eye closed, the other glaring into Twilight's.

“N-no...” the mare squeaked.

“Good. Now, miss Applejack? We would be delighted if you could show Twilight some earth bending, nothing too complex until she gets better. Perhaps you could explain the basics and philosophy of earth bending?”

“Ah guess,” the earth pony grumbled. “Okay, first things first. Yah wanna be an earth bender, yah gotta be stubborn, not take no for an answer. When the rock smacks into yah, yah gotta smack it right back, but harder. It ain't like your fanceh wind bendin' or fire bendin'. Yah don't blow it up, yah don't dodge around it. Yah take it head on cause yah gotta be tougher.” She looked the alicorn over. “When your legs all better, yah'll have tah work on that.”

“Ohhh, gotcha!” Twilight said with a wink. “So, my first lesson is to not take no for an answer! That means I refuse your denial and will, somehow, get you to come with us! No matter what it takes!” the alicorn said with a confident grin.

“That's not what ah... oh, forgit it. Ah got chores tah do, don't have time tah mess with your foalishness,” Applejack grumbled as she turned and walked to the kitchen. A moment later they heard the sound of the outer door slamming.

“Oh dear,” Fluttershy mumbled before looking to Twilight's leg. “Well, the good news is you're healing quite nicely. Within a few days it should be good enough to walk on. It'll still be a little weak and tender, but that'll fade quickly. Now, I'm going to go check on Big Mac.” She paused, before taking Angel off her head and placing her besides the alicorn. “Don't go anywhere. If you do, Angel will tell me, isn't that right?” The little bunny nodded. “Good. Now, I'll be back soon.” With those words, the pegasus turned and trotted off.

The avatar rolled her eyes. “Please, as if a little bunny could stop me from-” The rabbit jumped on her nose suddenly and glared into her eyes. The alicorn quickly cowered. “S-sorry, I'll be good.”

Upstairs, Fluttershy gently knocked on the door before walking inside. Big Mac looked up and smiled at the mare.

“Are you feeling better?” The pegasus asked as she quickly moved over to examine his leg.

“Eeyup,” the stallion mumbled. He then nudged his head towards the door.

“Hmmm? O-oh! That, ummm, they were just fighting about something, sorry. Did we wake you?”

“Nnnnope,” he said as he glanced to her with a cocked eyebrow.

“It's nothing important. Twilight just wants Applejack to join us, but she won't,” Fluttershy mumbled as she tended the leg. “I know the poor dear probably has a lot to tend to, what with you hurt and all. Just the two of you must have a lot to do here.”

The stallion sighed and shook his head. “Nnnnope.”

“Huh? Oh, then ummm... well, I guess she doesn't want to leave. She... I'm sorry. Twilight just wants your sister to teach her earth bending. She can be kind of stubborn sometimes, but she means well. Your sister doesn't want to come though, so there's no need to worry. She just doesn't want to go against the Water Nation and... Big Mac? What's wrong?” she asked as the stallion shook his head.

He sighed and looked to her. He then motioned towards the left. “Down tha hall, on tha right. Applejack ain't gonna leave that,” the stallion muttered.

“Hmmm?” Fluttershy squeaked. “I... I couldn't intrude. I-I mean... i-it's... wrong, isn't it?”

“Nnnnope,” the stallion said firmly.

She gulped and then looked down at his hoof before nodding. “O-okay. Well... if you want me to, it couldn't hurt. I'll go look after I'm done looking over your leg,” she mumbled as she gently ran her hoof along the break. Her hooves glowed as she soothed the pain, soon allowing the stallion to sleep. She gulped and slowly walked away, closing the door and then looking down the hall. She turned left and right before slowly tip toeing down the hall and gripping the knob on the right door. The pegasus stopped though, pulling her hoof away as she nervously nibbled her bottom lip and shuffled in place.

“What's yah doin'?” Spike asked from behind her as the mare shrieked and jumped up to the ceiling, hanging from it upside down.

“S-spike? I wasn't, I mean, Big Mac said I could, I was just, w-what were you doing?” she squeaked. A moment later she let out a shriek as gravity took over and she plummeted into the ground.

“Twilight is reading, Rainbow and Pinkie are helping with farm work and I'm bored. I just wanted to see what you were up to,” he reached out and gripped the door knob. “So, what's got your attention with this?”

“Wait, no, don't!” Fluttershy squeaked, but it was too late. The door was pushed open, as dust flew out and enveloped the two, forcing them into a coughing fit.

A large red carpet took up most of the floor, its threads still fresh and tight despite its age. In the center of the room a pristine, but old, blue crib stood. The walls were covered in cloud wall paper, with a sturdy dresser against the opposite wall. A number of blocks were scattered across the floor, as if they had been abandoned suddenly. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust, as if the room hadn't been entered in years.

“What in...” Spike mumbled as he looked left and right. “This is creepy. Applejack's room from when she was a kid?”

“I-I don't know,” Fluttershy mumbled as she slowly stepped inside and looked around. She stopped in front of the crib and blew on the headrest. Carved into it was a single name. “Applebloom?” she read aloud.

“Who's Applebloom?” Spike asked as he walked inside and picked up a hoof made block. “She really needs to clean this place up. I don't think any pony has been in here in-”

“What in tarnation do you think you're doing in here?!” Applejack screamed as she stared at them from the doorway. Her eyes were narrowed into thin slits. “Who told you you could come in here?! GET OUT!! OUT!”

Spike dropped the block and squeaked as he ran from the room. Fluttershy froze in fright, her entire body locking up at the screams. “I was, I mean, I just thought, I came in and I, I didn't mean to, I was just-”

“AH SAID GET OUT!” the earth pony screamed as she stormed into the room and physically threw the pegasus out, making her roll on the floor. “Yah all have no right tah go through mah things! I want you out of mah house! Ah want you out NOW!” she screamed as she stormed out, slamming the room's door behind her. “Get the avatar, and get out!”

“B-but your brother, he-”

“Leave! Now!” Applejack screamed as tears started to flow down the side of her face. “Just... just go!”

Fluttershy gave a pathetic squeak before turning to run through the house, downstairs.

“What was all that about?” Rainbow asked as the mare made her way down. “We could hear her screaming from here.”

“I just, I didn't mean to, we were, B-big Mac said it was okay, we looked into a room a-and-”

“AH SAID GIT!” Applejack screamed from the top of the stairs. “All ah yah! Ah want yah outa mah house! NOW! Ah don't care where yah go, jus' GO! Ah won't have yah-”

“Nnnnnope,” a firm voice said from behind her.

The young mare slowly turned her head around to look into the scolding face of Big Mac, who was propped up against the door frame, his two damaged legs held under him.

“B-but... they went into Applebloom's room,” she squeaked as she lowered her gaze from the might of the angry Big Mac glare. It didn't faulter however, as the mare lowered herself closer to the ground. “They... they intruded and... and...”

“Nnnnope,” the stallion said again.

“Y-you let them go in?”

“Eeyup,” the wounded stallion said with a firm glare.

“Why?! It's none of their business! What happened to... what happened to them was mah fault. All mah fault...”

“Nnnnope,” Big Mac said again, though he stumbled slightly. Fluttershy quickly darted up the stairs, moving to his side.

“You need to be in bed, you're hurt. Come along, Big Mac,” the pegasus said as she moved to his side to help him. “Sorry we woke you...”

“What happened?” Rainbow asked as she flew up to land behind Applejack.

“It's none of your business... I...” Tears streamed down the earth pony's face as she choked on the words. “Just... I don't want... I don't wanna talk- EEEE!” she shrieked as her tail was grabbed and she was dragged down the stairs.

“Well, too bad!” the pegasus growled as she dragged the other mare into the living room with Twilight. She flung the earth pony besides the alicorn. “You're going to tell us what set you off. If for no other reason than you obviously need to talk to somepony about it.”

Applejack trembled in the cushions as she slowly looked around. Twilight stared at her in confusion, Pinkie and Spike had gathered on the floor with popcorn and Rainbow just glared at her with a defiant look. The earth pony slowly let out a sigh and nodded. “Fine... yah all win. Ah... ah'll tell yah what happened.” She took a deep breath, and began.

“It happened... years ago. Ah was young. Ah was... so young. Ah was about tah have a new baby sister, but ah had mah mind filled with thoughts ah adventure an' high livin'. Ah was tired ah livin' on a tiny lil farm with ah buncha...” she choked on the words as she wiped some tears from her eyes. “Ah knew if ah didn't go before the baby was born, ah'd never go. Ah left tah Fillydelphia, left mah home, spent a few months there,” her hooves trembled as she wrapped them around herself.

“Was close enough we had some trade with 'em. Ah tried tah live there, stayed with some cousins, an ah found what it was like bein' all fanceh and proper. Ah couldn't stand it, but ah tried. Ah started tah... ah started tah... ah got homesick. Ah came home as fast as ah could, ran tah the farm as soon as the caravan got close enough. Was gonna see mah baby sister and the entire family, couldn't wait,” she choked for a few moments as she wiped tears from her eyes. “E-even now I c-can remember how in the moon light the trees seemed tah almost reach out for me, as if tah welcome me home in a tight hug,” her eyes began to water even more as she shook.

“Then ah saw the barn, b-barely standin' and torn tah pieces. Our south field, demolished. Our home... the door busted in. It was... it was hours 'fore ah found out what happened. The Water Nation came, took supplies. Mah d-dad and m-mom tried tah fight em off, but they were outnumbered. Him, mah mother, mah lil sis... all taken and killed. Granny Smith an' Big Mac only survived c-cause... cause they were in the n-north field when it happened...” Her hooves trembled as the tears flowed like waterfalls. “Happened so fast, nopony in town even knew... even knew it happened. Ah shoulda been here. If ah hadn't go- oof!” the pony toppled over as Twilight tightly wrapped her arms around the crying mare.

“It wasn't your fault,” the alicorn whispered, her own eyes wet with tears. “You... you were just a filly. There was nothing you could do to stop them. If you had been here... you'd... you'd have died just like them,” the avatar whispered as she choked on the words.

“H-how could it not be mah fault? Ah should been there! It was mah responsibility! If ah had b-been here ah coulda done somethin'... Ah... ah coulda fought them off mahself. Or... or gotten them to safety, or... I...”

“If you had been there,” the avatar whispered as she shook. “Nothing would have changed. You'd have died or been captured, and they'd have still lost their horns.”

“Ah... what?” the earth pony asked in confusion.

“I-I mean, they'd have still died and... and everything. Y-you not being here saved your life. It saved your brother a sister,” Twilight mumbled as she glanced down, chewing on her lower lip. “There... there was nothing you could do.”

Applejack sighed as she turned away. “Ah... ah know. Ah understand. Ah just...” she closed her eyes and slowly got to her hooves. “Listen. Ah appreciate what you're doing. What... what you need to do. You're all brave, goin' against the Water Nation. But ah can't leave. Granny Smith an'... an' Big Macintosh, they need me. Ah can't just abandon them. Ah have a responsibility to them, an to this farm. There are ponies here who need me. Ah won't let them lose somepony else. Ah hope one day yah all can understand what that's like...” she mumbled as she turned and trotted away.

Twilight sighed as the mare disappeared, her gaze lowered as tears formed in her own eyes. “I guess that's it, then,” she mumbled. “We'll... we'll leave as soon as Fluttershy says I'm able.”

“You're going to give up, just like that?” Spike asked as he cocked an eyebrow. “I thought it was all, destiny you met, and stuff? What about not taking no for an answer and all that junk?”

“I... I can't,” the mare mumbled as she rolled around, her back to them. “I... I know exactly how she feels. She's... she's right. She has a responsibility. So do I. I can't waste any more time here. Every day I'm here, countless ponies die in this war. Ponies who wouldn't have to, if I hadn't disappeared. I'll just... I'll l-learn what I can from her, and then once my leg is all better, we'll go.”

Rainbow and Pinkie looked to each other, concern in their eyes. The pegasus took a step towards the alicorn, but for once was too slow. Spike stood up on his tippy claws as he hugged the avatar. “Twilight, it's not your fault,” he mumbled. “You're only one pony. You're trying everything you can to stop this, no one could ask any more from you.”

The alicorn sighed and shook her head. “How... how can you say that? It's because of me the dragons are all but extinct. My... everypony I ever knew is dead, likely after having their magic and horns torn from them. If I had been here, I'd-”

“You'd have been killed. Just like Applejack would have if she was here when they came,” the dragon interrupted. “It's too late to do anything about that. You've fought and been hurt for those who you can save. I've seen you do everything, face impossible odds, just for the chance to save ponies. It's taking time, and more ponies will likely die, but they'd die just as much if you ran off now and got yourself captured or killed. You aren't going to just give up now, and let all those ponies die for nothing, are you?”

Twilight sighed and rolled back around to face them. She reached out, and pulled Spike into a hug. “No. No I'm not. I'll... I'll never give up as long as I can still do something. Thank you, you're a wonderful friend.”

The dragon shrugged as red formed in his cheeks. “Aw, It was nothing. Just being the best assistant I can be.”

From just outside the room, Applejack sighed as she hung her head. She slowly made her way up the stairs, heading past Big Mac's room and to the room opposite her own. She slowly opened the door and peeped inside. “Granny? Yah awake?”

The room was warm and stuffy, the windows covered with a thick blanket to keep out the light. The room was clean, though it smelled stale and dusty. “Hmm? What is it, Appleblossom?” a very old, decrepit light green earth pony asked. She had the red covers of her bed pulled up to her chin, though she still shook hard enough for her gray mane to wobble.

“Oh granny. Appleblossom is... long gone. It's me, Applejack,” she mumbled as she moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “Sorry I haven't been by recently, I just... I've been busy...”

“Ah horsefeathers,” the old mare said as she reached out to rub her granddaughter's mane. “Yah all got a farm tah take care of, yah don't have tah worry about an old wreck like me. Ah know how tah take care a myself. Now, yah sure yah don't need any help with the fields this year?”

“I'm sure,” Applejack said as she tucked her granny in tight. “Don't you worry one little bit about the fields. Ah can handle them, and we can hire a few helpers if we need 'em.”

“Well, if you're sure,” the mare mumbled as she closed her eyes. “What's all the hub bub going on downstairs? Woke me outa mah dreams.”

“Oh! We have some visitors. The avatar and her friends-”

The elder mare's eyes shot open. “The avatar?! She's here?!” Applejack let out a startled shriek as the covers were tossed off, her along with them. “Why didn't yah wake me? We been waitin' over a hunerd years for her tah show her mane about here! My, she must be a lil older than me! Ah gotta see her!” The pony leaped to her hooves off the bed and galloped towards the door... her legs slowly moving an inch or so every few seconds.

“Now, granny Smith, you belong in bed. The avatar-”

“Now ah ain't so old ah can't climb outa bed and down a coupla stairs. The avatar, as ah live an' breath. Never thought ah'd see the day.” The elder mare took a moment to pause as she made it past the bed, leaning on the hoofrest.

“Oh Granny,” Applejack said with a smile. “Come on then, ah'll introduce yah.” She trotted on ahead, holding the door for the mare.

------

The avatar and her friends sat at the foot of the stairs, a deck of cards in front of them as they played a rousing game of go fish. Occasionally they glanced up as the elder pony made her way down, but they still had a while to go. After Pinkie won her sixth game, the final step was defeated and the earth pony took a shaky step on the ground floor.

“Whew, ah don't remember us havin' so many steps. Now, where's this avatar ah heard so much about?” she looked down to Spike and let out a gasp. “Mah oh mah, what has a hunerd years done tah yah? Yah gone an' shrunk tah the size of a filly! An' your skin, it's all... flaky!” the mare gasped as she poked the annoyed dragon.

“... I'm not the avatar,” Spike grumbled as he pointed towards Twilight. “That's her.”

The mare gasped again, her mouth falling open. “As ah live an' breath. Yah don't look a day over eighty...”

Twilight blinked and looked down at herself. “I... what? Eighty? But... but...” A glare from Applejack made her sigh. “Fine... I mean, thank you. My name is Twilight Sparkle, I'm the avatar. A pleasure to meet you at last, Granny Smith.”

“Ah can't believe it, the avatar, in mah home. If your mother were here she'd be so proud,” the elder earth pony said as she wiped a tear from her eye. “A feast! I'll go an whip yah up some delicious fresh apple thingamabobs like yah wouldn't believe!”

“Now Granny, there's no need for all that,” Applejack said as she moved to her elder's side. “Ah've already gone an' taken care of it. We have a number ah delicious treats at the avatar's beck an' call. We've treated her jus' like we would any guest, just like yah taught us.”

“Huh? Ah taught yah? Oh yeah! Now, avatar, yah gotta let us know. Are yah here tah finally put those gosh durn Water Nation ponies in line? Send 'em back to their own country, where deh belong?”

“Hah, and then some!” Rainbow burst out with a smirk. “We already took out one of their big armadas, and their general! Not to mention got both the sun and moon going again, right under their noses. Heck, at this rate we should have their entire army back where they belong before winter comes.”

The ancient pony's eyes sparked with new life as she semi-reared an inch off the ground. “Well, ah'll be a rattlesnake's aunt! Yah all gonna have it done so soon? My, wish yah all had come a bit sooner. Coulda...” the mare's eyes dimmed quickly as the energy in the room instantly fell flat. Even Pinkie gulped nervously as everypony went silent.

“Well, that's no reason to stop!” Applejack said quickly. “Now that ol' Granny Smith is up, how about we throw a delicious shin dig? Ah know Big Mac's a bit hurt, but ah can still cook yah up some mighty fine treats. Whaddaya say?”

“That sounds awesome!” Rainbow said with a grin. “Do you have any of those apple fritters or sweet apple cider left?”

“Mmmm hmmm!” the cowpony said with a nod of her head. “Yah all just relax. Avatar, I'd suggest yah get back tah restin' that leg ah yours. Don't wanna push it too hard and... huh? Granny Smith?” she called out as she looked around, but the mare was nowhere in sight. “Where in-”

“AHHHHHH!” Fluttershy screamed from the floor above.

“Ah buck,” Applejack groaned as she darted up the stairs.

“Yah all stay away from mah gran' son, yah siren!” Granny Smith yelled as she slowly chased Fluttershy around the room. The young pegasus trotted at a gentle pace, ahead of the mare.

“I-I wasn't, I'm sorry, I was just...” she squeaked as Big Mac held his head and shook it.

“Yah all think jus' cause he's laid up in bed, yah can sink your fangs inta him? I'll have yah-” Granny Smith snapped, only to be stopped as Applejack galloped up behind her and yanked the excited earth pony back.

“Wait! She's a nurse, she's just tending to Big Mac's leg!”

“Huh?”

“She's a nurse. Big Mac's leg got hurt, she's tendin' to him while it gets healed. She's a friend of the avatars!”

The elder pony blinked a few times before looking to the cowering mare. “O-oh. Ah'm awfully sorry. Ah thought yah were one ah Peach's girls, comin' tah try an steal mah gran' son away.”

“N-no p-problem...” the pegasus squeaked out as she cowered on the floor, hidden behind her soft pink tail. “C-c-could happen to a-anypony...”

Twilight sighed as she shook her head. “This is going to be an interesting meal...”

------

The sun slowly disappeared as the moon triumphantly made its way up from its resting place. All seven ponies, and the dragon, had managed to gather at a large table filled to the brim with sweet smelling foods. While they lacked the full course of apple flavors that Big Mac had created, there were a new variety of non-apple based products created with the help of Fluttershy and Pinkie.

Twilight was the heart of the party, the elder pony demanding to hear story after story of her adventures, both old and new. “So, there I was,” the alicorn said before taking a sip of her drink. “Cookie jar on my head and struggling to get it off. Meanwhile, the other foals are just laughing their flanks off. I finally run around so much I trip and fall, shattering the jar and sending the cookies everywhere. Instantly, the laughter just stopped. I couldn't figure out why, until this biiiiiiig shadow, as large as a house, suddenly towered over me. I looked back, and there she was. My teacher, Sunset Shimmer. The glare she was giving me alone made me start to cry.”

“Was this before, or after the flaming tapestry incident?” Rainbow asked with a snicker.

“Just before. So, here I am, crying, covered in cookie crumbs and everypony just runs away to leave me with my teacher. Oh, I'm terrified at this point. I just know I'm going to get yelled at, or grounded. But, the moment the other kids were gone, she just rolled her eyes and started picking up the mess. Starts lecturing me about how I need to focus on my bending, not working on my telekinesis. Tells me I'll never become a master like her if I don't. It took a while but we... we got it cleaned up,” the mare's wings began to droop slightly as her gaze lowered. “She then gave me a cookie. Told me it was still pretty impressive that... I was able to use my telekinesis to lift something so heavy at my age. That I still deserved a... a reward even if... if I did break the rules,” she whispered as her eyes began to mist over. She quickly shook her head and wiped her eyes. “T-the cookies didn't hold a c-candle to your fritters though, heh heh,” the alicorn said nervously as she picked one of the fritters up and took a bite, a moment before letting out a sad sigh.

The ponies looked awkwardly between each other as Spike patted her back. After a few moments the older mare spoke up again. “So yah know a buncha fanceh magic on top ah all dat bendin'?”

“Oh, yes! Well, I did, at one time. I always found magic really fascinating,” Twilight mumbled with a soft blush. “I used to practice all kinds, even pulled off a teleport spell, once. When it was discovered I was the avatar, I no longer had time to learn magic. I had to focus all my energy into my fire bending.” She shrugged. “Now it's kind of stagnant. I doubt it would have mattered much, though. As exciting as magic is, I still found bending just as fascinating and I probably wouldn't have ended up being that good at it. Many unicorns train their entire lives just on that, and I doubt I could have come anywhere near their levels.”

“Are yah kiddin' me?” Rainbow said, her mouth filled with apple fritter. “Yah'd pobabwy be dah bed maggion in dah world if yah put youw mind to it!”

“Really? You think-”

“Oh yeah,” the pegasus said as she downed a gulp of cider to clear her mouth. “You're a complete egg head. That's what magic is all about, right? Being all smart and knowing all those fancy things?”

Twilight blinked a few times. “Well, yes, ummm, there is quite a bit of math that goes into magic. See, you have to balance your-”

“Exactly. You're one of the smartest ponies I know, and you're still young. I bet if you really wanted, you could master all kinds of magic and find out how to do really cool things like teleporting all over,” Rainbow said with a smirk and a nod. “Who knows, once you master all the elements and we kick the Water Nation back to where it belongs, you can learn all the magic you want.”

The alicorn sighed before shaking her head. “As nice as that sounds, I doubt that's going to happen. Also, I'm not sure how much of that was a compliment, and how much was an ins-” she was cut off as a loud pounding filled the room. Applejack turned towards the door, eyes wide.

“Now who in tarnation would be comin' around here at this hour ah the night?” the orange pony grumbled as she got to her hooves and trotted towards the door. She pulled it open as a red unicorn mare stumbled inside and collapsed.

“A-avatar?” the mare called out. Her entire body was caked in sweat, as she panted on the floor.

“I'm here!” Twilight said as she got to her hooves, cringing slightly as the tiny burst of pain as she limped over. “Who are you? What's wrong?”

The mare looked up, her eyes slightly glazed from exhaustion. “D-drowsy Void. It's destroyed. The... the...” she trailed off as Applejack gave her a mug of cider, which she quickly downed. “I hid. Listened. Had to find you, had to warn you,” the mare groaned as she closed her eyes and gasped for breath. “They... they found fire benders. The Water Nation is heading t-to the E-ever... Everfree Forest.”

Twilight's body went rigid as the words echoed through her mind. A loud, high pitched wail filled the air. A few moments later she realized it was her own scream as the words washed over her like a tidal wave.