Rarity pulled herself out of the water with a small degree of difficulty, using her bending to keep the fierce river from sweeping her away. She looked up at the faces that greeted her and gave a small, nervous smile. “Hello again,” she said ever so softly. “Err, as I was saying before I... had that minor mud... issue.” She bowed her head. “I have been wrong, all this time. I have tried to help my mother and sister. I believed that... I belonged by their side. I believed only I could help them. I believed it was my destiny. I believed... wrong. So very, very wrong. I worked so hard, but I worked for the wrong cause.” She slowly raised her head and looked to Spike, before turning back to them.

“I've learned now. Thanks to my aunt, who never gave up on me, and Spike, who never did either. I know this Discord is... is an evil creature. I know what he's done to everypony. To my mother, to my sister. Even... even my father.” She lifted a hoof up to rub the necklace around her throat and closed her eyes. “And me. His power and taint... it flowed through me. Like some kind of disease and... it was because of Spike that I was freed from it. I don't know a lot about these elements, except that they are important. Well, and my aunt knew about them. I hold one of them. I... believe I can help you. I can teach you water bending. Join my element with yours. Together, we can purge that corruption from my mother and sister. Hopefully we can even put an end to this war. What do you say?” She used her hoof to rub her mane back, before slowly extending it in a hoofshake.

“Not a chance,” Rainbow said, diving down between the two. “Do you have any idea what you've put us through? You've tried killing us, tried capturing us and on more than one occasion you almost succeeded. Not to mention your mother and sister are insane, how do we know this isn't just some plot to get close to us? Maybe it was some other pony who has this element and you're just taking the credit?”

Rarity gulped and took a step back. “I... I understand. I mean, trusting me can't be easy, but I assure you, on my honor I--”

“No,” Twilight said as she raised a hoof. “Don't. We... can't trust you.” She slowly stepped forward. “You've been our enemy for so very, very long. You've fought us whenever you could. But... you couldn't always. When important times came up, you helped me. Sided with me. During Cloudsdale. When I was captured by the Shadowbolts. When the fire benders were in danger. You were always there, lending your hoof to the cause. Even though it seemed you hated it. You've sided with us and helped us so many times. But you always became our enemy in the end, every single time. Once it was over, your generosity evaporated. I want to know why this time it's different.”

Rarity gulped and slowly lowered her gaze. “I... I told you. It's because of destiny. I bear one of these elements, it means I... have to help you. It's my destiny. It's my--”

“No!” Twilight snapped as she stepped closer, their horns almost touching. “That's not enough. 'Because fate says I have to'? That's never going to be enough. Tell me why. Exactly why, this time is different. Tell me, or leave.”

Rarity stared into the avatar's eyes for a few moments before slowly lowering her gaze. She took a step back, but stopped as she almost toppled back into the water. She felt tears rising up from deep within her, but struggled to suppress them. “This... this time is different because... because...” She choked on the words and began to shake. “Because I need you. It's not for me, if it was just for me I'd have stayed home. You don't know these ponies you're fighting. I do. They're my family. They're my mother, my sister and... and in a way, even my father. To you they're just these evil, cruel, sick monsters that torment and kill all that stand in their way, but that's not who they are.”

Rarity stomped a hoof down. “My sister would never have hurt a fly. My mother... and my father. They were both kind, sweet, loving ponies. All of them were. If they were themselves, this war would have ended the moment my mother gained power, or when my aunt did. But it didn't. These aren't the ponies they are. These are... different. Changed. I can't save them. My aunt can't save them. No pony can save them except you.” The tears welled up in her eyes. “That's why I have to join you. I have to help you. I thought I could do it alone. I thought when I returned home, everything would be the same. I'd have my doting sister and loving mother back. We'd all be a family again, but we won't. We'll never be that until they are saved and... and I'll do whatever it takes to help you free them. I want to end this fighting, this war. I want to set everything right.”

Twilight shook her head. “And if helping them requires you to betray me?”

The princess lowered her gaze. “The avatar... isn't a creature of evil and destruction. This monster is. For so long I... I was blinded. I couldn't see that, couldn't realize that. It cost me so much. If I had just... joined you from the beginning. Helped you, rather than hindered you, imagine how much easier everything would have been.”

“It would have only been one book!” Pinkie offered.

The ponies gave her confused looks, before turning back to the conversation. “Maybe my sister would already be saved. My mother, too. But they aren't, not yet. I can't take back what I've done. All I can do is try my hardest to fix all the mistakes I've made. I've made so many, but I will do whatever it takes to fix them. All I ask is that you give me a chance.”

Twilight stared at the mare for a few moments before motioning the others to come with her. They formed a small circle and started whispering. “So, thoughts?”

“Ah say we tie her up, break her horn an' leave 'er here. This has all the workin's of a trap, plain an' simple,” Applejack said sharply.

Rainbow sighed and glanced over towards the mare again, before shaking her head. “I... hate to say this, but I have to disagree with Applejack here. The mare has been chasing us for a while, but she has come through quite a few times. You said it yourself, Twilight. If nothing else, we can probably use her to get us back out of here.”

“What? But she's all...” Applejack frowned and glanced back to the unicorn, who gave a timid wave, before turning back to them. “She's Water Nation, plain an' simple. We can't trust her in the slightest.”

“I don't know. I... met her mother. There's definitely something off about her. Maybe fixing her really is Rarity's grand plan. There's something wrong with her sister, too. Lots of things, even. I say we give her a shot. A small one. Worst comes to worst, we can take her down.”

Twilight nodded. “Well, that's one for, one against. Pinkie?”

“Oh, I say we let her stay, of course! Then we've got the whole gang back together. It's really taken farrrr too long and just dragged on and on as it is. Besides, if we don't then we'll need to find Vinyl again, which will just end with her disappearing at the last moment, leaving you teacherless. Again.”

Twilight nodded. “Well... she... makes some weird, if valid points. Spike, I'm guessing you're all for letting her stay?”

“Of course. Trust me, I've spent more time with her than any of you. She's a good pony. Just... makes a few mistakes. She's trying to get through them though.”

“Right. Fluttershy, I'm sure you want us to give her another chance?”

“No,” the pegasus said softly.

“Right, so that's all but Apple-- what?” Everypony turned to stare at the yellow mare.

“She's... I don't trust her.” Fluttershy gave a small shake of her head. “She's fought against us plenty of times. She does help us when it's really important, but she is always back to chasing us a moment later. This could easily just be another one of those times. Once she has what she wants, she'll forget every bit of loyalty she had and come at us, blades of ice blazing. We just... we just can't trust her to do the right thing. What if something happens to you again? I can't... heal any more. I say we leave her here. Maybe... not break her horn though... if that's okay?”

“Oh, I ummm... I guess that's all but... Applejack and Fluttershy then,” Twilight said softly, still staring at the mare.

“Actually, I gotta agree with Fluttershy,” Rainbow said with a shrug. “She makes a valid point. This mare has been chasing us for a while and she always starts again the moment she gets what she wants.” She frowned and sighed. “But, she has helped us before...” She shook her head. “Ehhh, I'll just go neutral this time. If we can clean her sister and mom up, that'll fix things anyway, right?”

“Actually...” Twilight shuffled her hooves nervously. “Her... sister might not be a problem. At least, not as big a one as she was originally. I... fought her in the middle of all that. I might have purged Discord's corruption from her, too. I mean, I'm sure I did. It's all kind of a little blurry. B-but that doesn't mean she's good. For all we know, the moment her mom found out, she was re-whatever that was. But she might not be corrupted now. But we don't know how much of that was her, and how much of it was Discord.”

“Great,” Applejack said with annoyance. “So the moment lil miss poison bendin' princess shows up, Rarity starts tryin' tah off us when ours backs are turned. Ah don't trust her as far as ah can throw her. Well, if ah couldn't throw 'er very far.”

Twilight nodded and glanced towards the princess. “I guess it's just Pinkie and Spike for her then. But there is still one more problem. If she... has the element, we need her. Nightmare Moon, possibly Discord, can only be beaten with them. We... might not have a choice in the matter. I dislike the whole fate explanation she offered, but it might be something we have to accept.”

“Well then, ah say we gotta find out if she really has one ah them elements in her,” Applejack said before turning back towards the princess. “Maybe she doesn't an' it's all jus' some kinda mistake? Then we can jus' leave her here an' get out.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “I suppose. But...” She glanced down to Fluttershy's wing. “That light. It felt... good. I felt it flowing through me. I felt recharged and energized and just plain amazing. It even got rid of whatever the monster did to Fluttershy. I... think that was the power of the elements. All the elements. I think she might... possibly be telling the truth.”

“Is there any way to be sure?” Rainbow asked. “Make her pull it out?”

“I don't know if they work like that. They don't seem to just pop out on command, it always seems to be when we need them,” Twilight said with a sigh. “Or when... I do things. I... I think I've got an idea. Just trust me and keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't try any funny business.” She pulled back from her friends and trotted towards Rarity. “Okay. I want you to close your eyes and try focusing on your element, okay?”

The princess nodded, closing her eyes.

“Just stay still.” Twilight stepped in front of her and closed her own eyes. She leaned forward and let their horns touch, eliciting a gasp from the ponies. Her horn began glowing purple as she tried reaching out for the mare with her magic. After a few minutes of silence, she pulled back and shook her head. “I... I think it's there. I think she has it. She really, truly has it. She's... one of the elements.”

“See? I told you!” Spike said cheerfully, nodding his head.

“I... I know we've had problems in our past. So many, many problems,” Rarity said as she lowered her head. “I can't take back what I've done, but I can try to help. Please, that's all I ask. Let me... help you. Please. If there is... anything I can do. Too many ponies depend on you for you to just turn me aside. I'm not asking you to like me, or even trust me. Just please allow me to help.”

Twilight glanced back to her friends. “Well?”

“Fine,” Rainbow said with a sigh. “But the first sign of trouble, I say we break the horn.”

“Ah agree,” Applejack said with a snort. “Even if she is one ah them elements, she ain't one ah us. If she wants tah be one ah our partners, she's gotta earn it.”

“I concur,” Fluttershy said softly, fidgeting from hoof to hoof. “We... don't really have much choice in the matter, anyway. B-but I don't think w-we have to break the horn...”

Twilight nodded and looked to Rarity. “Well, there you go. Acceptance by no other choice available. I hope you don't screw it up this time.” She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, but it lingered.

The princess nodded her head quickly. “Don't worry. I plan on showing you all just how useful I can be.” She then looked around. “So, where to now, miss avatar?”

“We're heading north, come on.” Twilight turned and started walking. The others followed behind, occasionally giving Rarity untrusting looks.

Pinkie, however, slowed down and walked by the mare. “Don't worry. They'll grow to like you soon enough. In the mean time...” Her hoof shot out, making the princess cringe.

Rarity looked down in horror at the kazoo that now dangled from her lips. “You... you were the party mare! This kazoo... it haunted me for ages. My aunt had it and...” She let out a soft whimper. “I can't believe I forgot about her...”

Twilight paused for a moment. “How long after we left did you follow us? Did anypony else follow us? How about the... effort? Did you see anything?”

“I'm afraid neither of us did,” the princess mumbled. “Spike and I... awoke after the battle. We saw the destruction but we were hurt in the fight. Something hit us and... when we came to, we were outside the city. We just ran, then.”

Twilight nodded. “So you don't how many of us... escaped?”

“I'm afraid I don't,” Rarity said before taking a deep breath. “I... saw the walls. I tried to warn you before you came. I was... going to tell you what my mother had planned. But... something... I don't know. It's all fuzzy. Did... did she manage to...”

“We stopped her traps,” the avatar said with a snort. “It wasn't easy, but we stopped it. We just don't know how many escaped. I was hoping you might have seen or... even helped some of them escape.” She sighed and shook her head. “I suppose that's too much to hope for. Tell me, what is that... thing that was chasing us? How do we stop it?”

“That... it...” Rarity shuffled nervously on her hooves. “I guess... well, to put it in simple terms.” She chewed on her lower lip and looked to the side. “It's what remains of my father. After my mother... well. My mother was... changed by Discord. My aunt and father tried to find a way to fix her. It was his notes that I gave you back in Cloudsdale and they were what he used to try to free her from that monster's control. As far as I know, he tried to fight her in... the Spirit World. It didn't work. She... killed him. That's all that's left of him now. All that... remains.” She stomped a hoof down. “It's not my father, though. It looks like him and... has his voice in a chilling, evil way. But that's not him. I know my father. This is nothing but a twisted, distorted reflection of the good pony he was. Something my mother made for... I... I don't know why. Perhaps to taunt and lord herself over. Or even as a... memory of sorts.”

Twilight nodded slowly, her eyes twinkling as ideas started to form in her head. “Come on, we should keep moving. We have a long way to go and... a lot to think about.” She let Rainbow take the lead as she focused on a coming up with a plan. “Well... Rarity. Tell me more about this... thing. How was it being held?”

“Inside a prison my mother fashioned. I had to break it, but he came out like... that. Gas like. He solidified for a bit, but... well...”

The alicorn nodded. “He doesn't seem as susceptible to our attacks when he's in that gas form. But he did solidify when you arrived. That could explain why the flames were able to hurt him. Or, at least, it seemed to make him back off...” She frowned again. “I have a suspicion he might be a lot like the ursas back in Cloudsdale. Especially if what you tell me is true. That... could be bad.”

“Why? We got rid of them easy enough,” Rainbow said with a shrug. “Sent the Water Nation packing, too.”

“Yeah, but this likely means the only way to fight him is in the Spirit World. Hurting the ursas was nearly impossible in this world. They don't have a truly physical form, though they can still destroy things as if they did. Bending and magic doesn't... work the same in that world. I was really hoping we wouldn't encounter that creature again, but now that we know more about it...” Twilight took a deep breath and paused. “If... it comes back, we may have to fight it. We may have to go to the Spirit World to do it. I... don't know if I can keep everypony safe if it comes to that. There's no telling what we could find there.”

“Can't be any worse than the Everfree Forest,” Pinkie said with a giggle.

“Ugh, don't remind me,” Rainbow said with a snort. “That place was brutal. Getting lost in there thanks to Gilda was...” The words trailed off as she turned to look dead ahead.

“Rainbow, I'm sure she's okay,” Twilight offered. “We just have to--”

“Don't. I... I know she's okay. She has to be. She's wayyyy too tough to let a few... major injuries take her down. Just... focus on taking down this evil spirit. Okay?”

The alicorn sighed and nodded. “I suppose it's not completely outside the question of me being able to take all six of us into the Spirit World. But it won't be easy and... we'll be in there for who knows how long. It's weird and different there. Hard to get everything back to normal. Not to mention finding our way out isn't always easy. If Queen Chrysa--”

“Bug girl?” Rainbow asked with a snort. “We'll just smash her into the ground if she tries anything. We did it once already.”

Twilight scowled. “Oh, yes you did. Don't think I'm not appreciative of you being so rough with my body while I was out of it, either!”

“Bug girl? Out of your body? Spirit World?” Applejack asked. “Yah all mind fillin' a mare in on what all this fancy hooplah you're goin' on about is?”

“Oh, right,” Twilight said with a sheepish smile. “You haven't been with us quite as long. So, here's the thing...”

------

Silence echoed through the camp where the capital, Canterlot, had once stood. The remains of the city were nothing more than collapsed buildings, charred ground and melted walls. There were dozens of small tents strewn across the courtyard in front of the castle which was still in the midst of collapsing. So much damage had been done that even the best carpenter they had couldn't dream of fixing it and, sadly, only a few pieces of it could still be salvaged.

Despite the large bonfires that kept the ponies warm and the dozens of ponies sitting around them, very few ponies who were awake dared to talk above a soft whisper. There would be little to no enjoyment tonight. The night had fallen, a clear sign that the sun and moon were still in their cycles and, in their ruler's eyes, a reminder they had failed. She stalked through the camp, her head held high as she searched for anything, or anypony, to distract her. A few airships had arrived in the city, but only a fraction of what would be coming in the next few weeks.

Sweetie walked besides her mother, looking around at the ponies huddling near their fires, too frightened to look up at their terrifying ruler. She still felt so... wrong. It wasn't much, but just a little bit. Nagging at the back of her mind. Everything just felt off, as if she'd gone back to her room and everything was a few inches to the left.

The younger princess glanced to the remnants of the castle. There were ponies, even at this hour, working to clear the refuse. Her mother headed towards it and, even by the torchlight, the princess could see the workers lock up as they came closer. Sweat formed on a few brows as well.

“How long until the chamber is cleared?” Nightmare Moon asked one of the ponies, a unicorn.

“S-soon, your highness. We've managed to reinforce the structure so there is no danger of it collapsing. However, as spread thin as we are, there are too many... errr... well... y-your highness. We need more time and ponies to prepare for this event. We managed to prepare the amulet and secure it, before the Avatar's arrival. Most of the preparations are safe as well. But we need more--”

“Every unicorn in my nation will be here soon, that will be enough,” Nightmare Moon hissed. “Is the way clear for the chamber?”

“Y-yes, your highness. A-allow me.” The unicorn turned and briskly started trotting down the hall. Broken glass and wood filled the halls of the ransacked building and, on more than one occasion, they had to go around great collapsed walls. However, they soon made it to a large doorway. The door was opened to reveal one large room, filled with pillars and metal chests.

“Leave us,” Nightmare Moon said with a quick flick of her head. The unicorn galloped from the room so quickly he slammed his shoulder into the wall, but didn't stop. The door slammed shut behind him. “Well... daughter. As it seems your elder sister has chosen this disgrace to abandon her family, it falls on us alone to teach these ponies the true strength of the Water Nation.”

Sweetie nodded, but didn't speak. She wondered if her mother would dismiss her as easily as she did Rarity and decided not to risk it. She couldn't do anypony any good if she was dead. Her mother had been quickly spiraling deeper and deeper into her anger and everypony could feel her nearing the breaking point. Nopony wanted to be near her when that wire finally snapped, so for now she just played along.

The ruler of the nation stepped forward, her horn glowing as the boxes were opened and then slid aside. She kept looking through them until finally a long smile formed on her mouth. “Finally. I was hopeful I wouldn't need to use this, that I could crush their insignificant armies when they tried their foalish attack. Alas, my armies are filled with incompetents.” She pulled out a steel necklace. It looked so mundane and simple, aside from one little jewel that dangled near the front. It took her a few moments to realize it was a scale. One of Spike's scales.

“Mother, what is that for?” the princess asked. Even asking the question made her worry she could be treading too far, but she had to know. Something about it was chilling her to the bone.

“This is how we will eliminate the fire benders and their ilk once and for all.” She lifted the amulet into the air for a moment as it seemed to glow with red light. “A few weeks ago one of my soldiers brought me a book from our library. It had old, useless magics in it. Aside from one very old, almost useless spell. A simple tracking spell that requires a single dragon scale.” She turned and slid the amulet onto her daughter's neck. “With it, we can find any dragon that remains in this world.” The grin on her face made the princess' heart turn to ice. “I will show all those foals what happens to those who oppose the Water Nation. I will bring the full might of the Water Nation against them.” She then walked to the door, opening it and stepping out.

Sweetie stared at the amulet for a few moments, before quickly trotting after her mother. This tool would allow them to find all the dragons. Maybe it could even allow her to find Rarity. They could be together, again. Maybe that would make everything feel right. That was probably why she felt so... off. So odd. She just missed her big sister. She just wanted her sister. She'd learned her lesson, truly. She didn't want to hurt Spike anymore. She didn't want to hurt or kill anypony. She just wanted their family to be together again. She glanced up to her mother. Would Nightmare Moon allow them to become a family, a real family, one last time?

------

Glowing green eyes watched the camp of ponies. Twilight and her friends rested inside a small earth bent cave, a small glow emanating from the entrance but hidden by the trees that covered the entry. Applejack stood on guard, looking out into the wilderness, though she couldn't see much.

Sombra watched from the shadow, his glowing eyes staring into the earth pony with a cruel and twisted fascination. “Aaaaaaaavaaaaaataaaaaaaar...”