“Eeeee!” Twilight shrieked happily as she hopped around the campsite. “Hee hee hee hee! Everypony wake up! Guess what, hee hee!”

Spike groaned as he slowly looked up from under Fluttershy's wing. “What are you up for? Do we gotta do more running again?” He narrowed his eyes into little slits as he glared.

“Twilight... Angel bunny needs his rest,” the little yellow pegasus mumbled as she held the little rabbit in her hooves, close to her stomach.

“But today is going to be the most awesome day!”

“Mmm? Why?” Rainbow asked with a yawn as she slowly raised her head from her nice, comfortable resting cloud.

“Because we don't have to run anywhere! There's no impending attack, everypony is safe, there's no great battles we need to avoid! And, most importantly, today I get to learn earth bending! Eeeee!”

The dragon stared at her for a few moments before turning to the pegasus. “Could you...?”

“On it,” Rainbow grumbled as she broke off a chunk of her cloud and hurtled it at Twilight's face, before rolling over and closing her eyes. “G'night... wake me up at a decent time... like noon... or dusk...”

There was a loud crack as Applejack shattered the rock she was laying on. Everypony sat up, eyes wide. “Gooooood mornin' everypony! Yah all have a nice lil nap?”

“Go back to bed you two,” the rainbow-maned pegasus groaned. “It's barely even dawn. Even Pinkie's sleeping... still... somehow.” She glanced to the pink earth pony, who was still slightly snoring despite having sat up.

“Early tah bed, early tah rise. We got a full day ah apple buckin' ahead of us an'...” she trailed off. “Oh. Huh. We got a whole day ah earth bendin' tah work on. Come on, yah magical pony. Let's go teach yah some proper bendin'!” Applejack said as she started trotting away.

“Eee! What are we going to do first?” Twilight asked as she galloped after the mare. “Rockalanch? The trembler? Maybe I can learn to make explosions out of dirt?”

“That sounds good an' all, but let's start with move a rock,” Applejack said with a snicker. “Rest ah yah need tah get up earlier. Back on the farm we were up from dusk tah dawn buckin' trees and workin'.”

“Savin' the world is tough work,” Spike grumbled as he nestled under the yellow wing of warmth. “And I need my beauty sleep.”

“Heh. Come on, Twi, let's get yah some proper trainin',” Applejack said as she slowly trotted from the camp site towards some large boulders.

------

“Mmmkay. Lesson one. Yah wanna move a rock? Yah gotta be tougher an a rock! Like this! Yah!” The earth pony turned and head butted a large boulder, shattering it to pebbles.

“I got it!” Twilight said excitedly as she ran up to the next and pulled her head back.

“What? No! Wait until-” Applejack cringed as the alicorn head butted the boulder, not creating even the smallest dent as she tumbled backwards and fell over with swirls in her eyes. “Yah get a bit more practice. Come on, shake it off.”

“Ah can taste the sky. It's minty...” the alicorn mumbled as she slowly got to her hooves, head wobbling from side to side.

“Eeyup, catch!” the earth pony said as she flung a large rock at the avatar.

“Huh? AHHH!” Twilight shrieked as she was hit and sent flying backwards, head over hooves. She laid there a few moments, soft groans coming from her. “Owie...”

“Yah can't just roll away from it! Yah gotta use some muscle, some mmph! Now git back on your hooves and show the rock yah ain't gonna move, it has tah move!”

“R-right. O-on it,” the alicorn groaned as she got up and readied herself for the next rock. It sent her hurtling back with more pained groans.

“Uh huh. Okay, apparently this may be a wee bit outta your level. Try this. Yah push me past this line,” she said as she drew a line in the dirt, “we'll move onto the next lesson after that.” She stomped her hooves as rocks and dirt suddenly flew up and latched onto her. After a second she charged forward, sending the alicorn tumbling backwards.

“Owie... I think this hurts more than fire bending training...” the alicorn groaned.

“Let's reset, an' try again. Remember, yah need to be unmoving. Yah need tah jam your hooves into the ground an' tell 'em that yah refuse to move. Even if an entire mountain falls on yah and tries tah push yah 'round, yah refuse to move. It's not like fire bendin' where yah try tah burn through things an' plow through quickly, and it's not like air bending where yah try tah move and come at it from a different angle. Yah just sit there, and refuse tah move one inch. Then yah push back even harder. Steady, pure force. Got it?”

“Y-yes. I think I've got it. Let's try again,” Twilight said as she jammed her hooves into the ground and locked her knees. She gulped nervously as she looked up at the earth covered mare, but slowly nodded “I'm ready.”

“Yahhh!” Applejack yelled as she moved forward, her frame shoving the dirt aside. She slammed the avatar back, skidding along the ground a few feet. The alicorn closed her eyes and refused to bend her knees or fall, her hooves grinding up the dirt as she went. Then, she stopped.

Twilight slowly opened her eyes and looked down. She had finally stopped moving, even with the other pony pushing her back. She growled and slowly leaned forward, lifting a hoof and pushing Applejack back.

“Good! Like this, see? You're getting the hang of it!”

“Yes! Eek!” the alicorn stumbled as she tried to take another step, quickly flying back from the powerful push of the other mare.

“But yah still got a lot of work tah do... come on, gitup.”

“My everything hurts...”

“Gonna hurt a lot more if yah don't move it! Now git!” The pony slammed her hoof down as a pillar of stone slammed up under the purple pony, sending her flying into the air. “Up!”

“Ahhhhhhh!” Twilight shrieked as she beck fell down, slamming into the ground with a groan.

“Yah know yah got them fancy wings, dont'cha?”

“I-I forgot...”

“Hee hee. You know, watching this is kinda worth getting up early for,” Spike said as he leaned against a rock, munching on popcorn.

“Mmmm hmm. Happy I don't need to learn earth bending,” Rainbow said with a snicker as she took a hoofful of the popcorn and popped it in her mouth. “Think yah missed some of the kernals.”

------

“AHHHHHHH!” Twilight screamed as she ran down a mountain, an avalanche of stone chasing after her.

“Don't keep runnin'! Yah gotta stand firm and take it head on!” Applejack yelled as she walked down the mountain on one of the stones. “Ouch, not like that!” the earth pony cringed as the poor alicorn was flattened.

------

“That ain't gonna cut it!” the earth bender snapped as the avatar wobbled along helplessly, a large rock balanced on her back as she tried not to topple over. “Ah could shove yah over like this!” With a firm stomp of her hooves, the ground shook. The alicorn toppled over, the boulder rolling over her.

“Owie...”

------

“Now this just ain't gonna cut it,” Applejack grumbled as she glanced down at the rock Twilight was trying to push. It was easily the size of two ponies. “Yah gotta move one like that!” She said with a motion towards one the size of a tank. The alicorn's mouth fell open.

“So, how long until you think Twilight will have a breakdown?” Spike asked as he nibbled on a carrot.

“Oh, she'll stick with it. Still, it's a lot of fun to watch,” Rainbow snickered as she lounged on a cloud. “Too bad for her she can't be as awesome as me. Bending just comes naturally. Mmm hmm.”

“At least we have time,” the dragon mumbled as he laid back to rest as well. “With the fire tribe safe, all she has to do now is learn some earth bending and then we just need a water bender. How hard could it be to find one of those?”

------

“M-must I?” Rarity asked as she stared up at her aunt with quivering eyes.

“This was your idea... if we are too easily identified when we arrive at Fillydelphia we-”

“I know, I know,” the young princess mumbled. She took a deep breath. “I'm... I'm so sorry. I never wanted it to come to this.”

“I know. Just... make it quick,” the elder unicorn said as she closed her eyes.

Rarity nodded, and struck. With the gentle sound of metal on metal, the elder ponies mane was cut as long, clear locks of hair fell to the ground. She stared up at her aunt, struggling to hold back the tears. “I... I'm so sorry... I wish... I wish there was another way...” she whimpered as the scissors cut once again and, soon, her aunt stood with a thin, long tail and mane. “I just... I-I need a moment,” the young princess whispered as she shook her head and took deep breaths.

“Little niece, I tremble in fear to imagine what you will do when it comes time for yours.”

“Just... just make it quick,” Rarity said softly as she held out her hooves and waited for the loss. A few clips and snips later the elder pony sighed.

“It is done. Do you wish to see it now or...”

“Y-yes. I must... d-did any of the curls survive?”

“I'm afraid they all had to be removed. Niece, you must be strong. Come along, we will find a river or... something. I assure you, you look quite adorable with short hair.”

“Well of course you say that!” the mare shrieked. “You're my aunt, you have to say I look good no matter what!” She glared up at her elder, before slowly lowering her gaze. “I... I am sorry. I didn't mean to lash out... I'm just upset. So many hours, wasted...” She turned and looked to her fallen locks, a tear forming in her eyes as she turned away. “Let's... let's go. Perhaps I'm just over reacting.”

“Don't worry, it'll be fine. We'll find a lake or something, and you will see that you are still beautiful,” Celestia said as she walked close to her niece, giving her a comforting nuzzle.

Rarity smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

------

“Does it LOOK like ah'm lookin' to laugh?” Applejack snapped as she stomped her hoof on the ground, eliciting a soft squeak from Twilight.

“N-no ma'am.”

“Then why do yah keep showing me these jokes?” the earth pony snapped as she motioned towards the three boulders that had slammed into the nearby wall.

“S-sorry,” Twilight squeaked as she lowered her gaze. “I-I just, they were coming at me and I-”

“This is not what bein' an earth bender is about, yah don't just-”

“Applejack!” Rainbow snapped from behind the earth bender. “You're being too rough on her. It's just her first day!”

“First day? She's the avatar, there aren't any-” the earth pony squeaked as the pegasus jammed their noses together.

“Calm. Down. She's trying her hardest, don't just keep yelling at her,” Rainbow growled.

The earth pony's eye twitched, before she let out a sigh and shook her head. “Fine. Ten minute break for breakfast, then we get back to it,” she hmphed before storming off.

Spike trailed after the earth pony, nibbling his carrot. “Soooo... what's up?” he asked once they left the other two behind.

“Whaddaya mean, what's up?” Applejack asked as she glanced back.

“Yah got really intense there. Thought yah were actually trying to crush Twilight near the end,” Spike said as he took a bite of his carrot and started talking with his mouth full. “Yah know, yah cwush 'er an' 'on't 'ave a 'tudent.”

“What?”

The dragon swallowed, then belched. “If you crush her, you won't have a student. What's got you all riled up?”

“Nothin'. Nothin' at all. Jus' a bit... flustered. She's takin' her time an' ah need tah train her so ah can head back home. They're all waitin' for meh...” Applejack mumbled as she hopped onto a rock and laid down.

“They are? What are they waiting for?” Spike asked as he hopped onto the rock and sat down, leaning against her. “You never told us what convinced you to come join us.”

“Ah... well... yah see...” the earth pony sighed as she lowered her gaze. “Good ol' Granny Smith and Big Mac. Ah'll be honest, ah kinda wanted tah come with yah all, a lil bit.” She closed her eyes. “Mah big brother, right now? His legs probably still in the sling. Ah couldn't just leave 'em tah take care of everything by themselves, now could I?”

“I guess. But then, why did you come?”

“Ah kept... well... ah kept glancin' out the windows. Kept hopin' tah see yah all. Traveled down tah town a few times, found out where yah went and if there had been any news. Not a single bit of information. Came home one day, and all mah work was done. Thought somepony had come and stolen the entire fields harvest! Ran inside, found Big Mac peelin' apples and Granny Smith bakin' some pies for all the ponies they'd hired tah help with the harvest. Heh.”

“To help with the harvest?” Spike asked as he smiled to her.

“Eeyup. Hired nearly a dozen ponies tah do all the work. Even Granny Smith went an' helped. She used tah be a right amazin' earth bender, yah know. She can't so much any more, but she used tah shake the dirt with the best a them. Next thing ah know, ah get hit upside the head with a bag ah supplies an' have 'em yellin' at me. Now, yah may not of noticed, but mah brother don't like tah talk much. So when he does? A pony's gonna stand there an' listen. Told me ah better get mah flank out there an' help you an' your lil friends. Wasn't right that ah just... work on the farm,” she choked as little tears formed in her eyes. “Ah... d-didn't wanna go. Ah promised I'd always take care ah the farm, no matter what. But... that big red gravel head. Looked meh straight in the eye and said 'Applejack. Best way yah can help our farm is tah get out there an' smash the Water Nation intah dust. It's what ma and pa woulda wanted.'”

“Really? He said all that?”

The mare paused before shaking her head. “Well, no. But it's what he meant. Ain't always what yah say, sometimes it's just how yah say it.”

“So why are you getting all frustrated at Twilight? It sounds like they have everything settled.”

“Ah just... last time ah left ah lost mah parents and lil sis. Who knows what'll happen when ah get back this time? What if ah can't get back, what if ah fail? Leave them missin' another lil Apple? Ah promised...”

Spike frowned and reached up, gently patting her back. “That's not going to happen. Twilight is going to fix everything. All she needs is a little bit of help to get there. Trust me, we've been through a lot, and we're all still kicking.” The dragon pounded his chest. “Though I'll be honest, I am a big helper in that. Heh.”

The mare snickered and gave a little nod. “Sure. Yah certainly are a nice lil fire brand. Bet yah can take half a dozen of them water benders on your lonesome.”

“Wellllll, I don't like to brag, but I totally could,” he said as he flexed his muscles. “We should probably get back though. Twilight still needs lessons.”

“Ehhh... ah'll come back n a few. Give the avatar a few more moments rest. Yah can go if yah like.”

“Nah, I'm comfy,” Spike mumbled as he laid back against her and closed his eyes.

------

“It's... it's not the worst thing ever. Yes. I could... I could live with this,” Rarity mumbled as she stared at her reflection in the clear water. Her hair was short and straight, the purple strands barely coming down to the bottom of her ears and up past her horn. “It'll... it'll work, right?”

“You look wonderful, dear,” Celestia said as she patted the young mare's side. “Now, we should leave after a quick wash,” she said as she stepped into the water. They took their time, using her hooves as the two helped remove loose strands of hair and caked on dirt from each other. The unicorn froze and quickly looked up.

“What is it?”

“Nothing. I just thought I heard something... it's nothing,” the elder mare said as she stepped free from the river.

“Heard something?” the young princess asked as her cheeks turned red. “You mean... somepony spying on us?” she yelped as she jumped from the water and quickly shed the droplets with a wave of her hoof. “Let's find them, now,” she growled.

“It might have just been the wind,” Celestia said, but was ignored as the younger mare stormed off through the bushes and trees. The elder unicorn just sighed and rolled her eyes. “You'll need another bath now...”

“KYAAAAA!” Rarity screamed as she jumped back from one of the bushes, her eyes wide. Almost instantly her aunt was by her side, hooves around her niece.

“What was it? A snake? Were you bitten? Are you hurt? Where is it?”

“There! In there, he, it's a, he's hurt, blood, it,” Rarity shook as she stared, her eyes wide and frightened.

Celestia stared at her niece before slowly stepping into the bushes. A hoof came to her mouth as she saw the white unicorn stallion, his blond hair coated in blood, laying in the grass. Long lacerations covered his body and a small chunk of his horn had been cut away. “Rarity, stay back,” the elder pony said as she moved closer. She kneeled before the pony and placed a hoof to his side. The stallion twitched and let out a soft groan. “Niece. I need you to find some herbs, they-”

“I know which ones,” the princess said quickly as she galloped away.

“Now, let's see what I can do for you,” Celestia muttered as she got to her hooves, tearing the bushes away and gathering some water in her canteen. She then moved back to the wounded unicorn's side, slowly crouching to clean the wounds.

------

“YAHHHHHH!” Twilight growled as she pushed her shoulder against the large rock covered Applejack. Inch by inch she pushed the earth pony back, slowly shoving her past the line. With a final, powerful thrust she slammed the other mare full force, toppling the earth pony over. “I did it!”

“Guh! Yeah, yah did,” Applejack said as she got to her hooves, the rocks falling away, and motioned towards the boulders laying to the side. “Now, let's see how solid your stance is.”

“On it!” the alicorn said happily as she galloped towards the rocks. The earth pony lifted one and dropped it on the avatar's back, who locked her legs as she held it.

“Okay, hold it steady,” Applejack said as she slowly circled the mare, grinning before slamming her hooves down. The ground shook, but the alicorn refused to bend or topple. She stayed steady, even with the boulders wobbling on her back. “Now that's what ah like tah see! Keep it up, might even be able tah make a proper earth bender outta yah.”

“Really? Eek!” the alicorn toppled over as she relaxed her stance in excitement.

“... Eventually. Now come on, let's see what kinda rocks yah can break,” Applejack said as she bucked the boulder off the avatar. She hummed a moment as she looked around, before grinning. “Stand right there,” she trotted away and moved towards the cliff wall. The earth pony turned and gave it a powerful buck. Cracks formed along the wall, spreading out on all sides as the mare stared sinking underground. “Remember, don't dodge. Yah gotta be too stubborn tah move!”

Twilight squeaked as she looked down where her teacher had been. She then slowly looked up at the cracks forming on the cliff wall. They spread quickly, shaking and trembling as the unicorn's ears went flat on her head. “Oh no.” A single small rock fell to the ground as the quivering wall stopped. “Oh. Well, that's not so-”

CRACK! The wall collapsed from the abuse, sending hundreds of rocks down at the mare in an avalanche of stone. She let out a shriek as she planted her hooves, watching the impending wave with horror. At the last moment she spread out her wings and took to the sky, shooting off as fast as she could and narrowly avoiding being crushed by stone. She stared down at the cloud of dust that filled the air, her mouth open.

The dirt, dust and rock separated as Applejack popped out from the ground, a pillar of stone under her. “What was that? Yah finally get a proper chance to test out what ah taught yah, and yah jus' run away?”

“Well, I, I just, it was a lot of rock. I mean, i-it came at me and I p-panicked,” Twilight squeaked as she held her hooves close to her chest. “I-I'm sorry, I was just, I was scared because it was all...”

“It was rocks and dirt! Yah need tah stand there and take it, head on! Yah need to be tough, strong, powerful, stubborn! Unwilling to let the rocks take yah down! What do yah think I've been teachin' yah all this time?”

“I don't, I mean, it's... maybe if... it was just one rock? Or... smaller rocks, or-”

“Is that what yah wanna do when yah finally go up against the Water Nation for the last time? Ask them tah send fewer ponies? Smaller tanks? Maybe have 'em attack yah one at a time?” Applejack glared as she shook her head. She stopped as she caught sight of Spike, who was glaring up at her. “Ah mean... Twilight, listen. You're doin' fine. But yah need tah do better. Yah need tah get all this right, get the mindset of an earth bender. Yah can't let them push yah around. If yah do, then when the Water Nation comes for yah, they'll roll over yah and everypony yah know and care about will be... gone.”

Twilight stared for a few moments before looking down at the rocks, then to Applejack. She nodded slowly. “I... yes. Let's... let's try again. One more time. I think I can do it this time. I just need to... think like a earth bender. I can do this.” The mare took a deep breath and slowly lowered to the ground. “I'm... I think I can.”

“Right. Ah'll get on it,” Applejack said as she stomped on the ground as the rocks began to gather up.

------

“Here, I found these,” Rarity said as she dropped a number of different plants on the ground.

Celestia looked them over as her eyes went wide. “Well... I'll be. Rarity, you've gotten far better at identifying them. This is the only one that's poisonous,” the elder unicorn said as she tossed aside a small red leaf. “These should do wonders.”

The young princess nodded as she looked down at the wounded stallion. She nervously nibbled on her lower lip. “He's... going to die, isn't he? We're too late? Just like...” She shook her head and turned away. “Maybe if we'd come here sooner, or noticed him quicker, or... or something...”

“He'll be fine, worry not,” Celestia mumbled as she ground the plants into a paste. “The wounds are bleeding heavily, but most are quite shallow. It would take quite a bit more to kill this poor stallion. You may look at him, it won't hurt.”

Rarity gulped and slowly looked down at the stallion. She twitched as Littlewing and Shadowhoof flashed to her mind. She quickly shook her head and then gazed down at the unconscious stallion. The wounds were now cleaned and, aside from a large stab in his chest, most were tiny and insignificant. “Do you know when he'll awaken?”

“He's been in and out of consciousness while I've been tending to him,” the elder unicorn said as she slowly rubbed the paste against his chest wound. “He mentioned the fire tribes. I believe he may have been one of them.”

“Really? Wait, do you mean these wounds are...”

“Yes. They appear to be from water benders. He was likely stabbed and cut multiple times while attempting an escape.”

“I... I see. Did you... catch his name?”

“I believe so. Blueblood.”

------

Twilight gulped nervously as she stared at the wall of rocks ahead of her. Any moment they'd come falling down on top of her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, jamming her hooves into the ground. “Okay, I'm ready.”

“You sure?” Applejack asked from the bottom of the wall. “Yah better be sure that-”

“I'm ready. I won't move,” the alicorn growled as she dug her hooves in. “No matter how many rocks fall, I will stand my ground.”

“That's what ah like tah hear!” the earth pony said as she gave the wall a powerful buck, before quickly melding with the ground. Instantly the rocks rumbled towards the avatar.

Twilight kept her eyes closed, holding completely still as the avalanche of stone raced towards her. As the first stone slammed into her, she held her ground and pushed out with her bending, and she felt it crumbled to dust around her. She growled and pushed forward, unwavering as the rocks split around her and parted ways, crumbling and filling the air with dust. However, after the second large rock hit her, she was unable to break it fully. Then the third, fourth and fifth sent her toppling over with a shriek.

As the avalanche of rock and dirt finally stopped, she laid under many feet of stone. She was quickly unburied by her earth bending teacher, who stood over her with a smirk. “Well, yah gone an' done it. If nothin' else yah got the mind set of an earth bender down. How yah feel?”

“Better than last time I was buried in rocks... at least nothing feels broken,” Twilight groaned as she slowly got up, shaking the dirt off. “So I failed, huh?”

“Nnnnope!” Applejack said with a chuckle. “But ah think that's enough for today. Yah know how tah move a rock while not movin' yahself. Tomorrow, ah'll show yah some real earth bendin' techniques.”

“Wait, really?” the alicorn squealed as her wings shot up. “You mean it?”

“Eeyup. Ah think yah gone and earned it. For now though... ah'd let Fluttershy have a look at yah. Also, might wanna take a bath.”

“Huh?” Twilight said as she looked down. She was covered from head to hoof in dust, not to mention the innumerable scrapes and cuts. “Oh, right... hee hee!” she said as she galloped off. “Fluttershy, guess what, guess what! I passed the first lesson!”

“So... still worried?” Spike asked as he hopped over one of the fallen rocks.

“Eeyup. But... well, she's pretty good. Maybe, jus' maybe, we'll be able tah do all this after all. She's stubborn enough tah get it done.”