Twilight nestled into her bedding happily, the cool night air making relaxation come easily. Setting up camp had been fast and simple, they just made sure to keep Spike hidden closely between them as they set up the tent. They barely got more than a second glance, even the soldiers didn't seem to want to look at anypony. Once they were inside, first watch fell to Applejack and she was more than willing to let the others get a few hours sleep. They'd made sure to cover up in blankets, just in case anything happened, but it was all going smoothly.

There was a soft, gentle din outside though. Even though it would be a few hours until midnight, ponies were still out and about, chatting with each other. Rainbow had been right, the cloaks they wore were extremely popular. Almost everypony was wearing one, the few guards stationed here didn't raise so much as an eyebrow at them. Then again, she'd only seen two guards so far, keeping watch over the camps. She couldn't help but wonder how many were here and how overwhelmed the soldiers were feeling. She pulled Spike close and gave the warm little dragon a cuddle.

Everything was going their way. She was even camping amongst her ponies, her people. She could see how they lived. Even more important, she could now live amongst her people. She wondered if they were happy or suffering. How did the Water Nation treat them. She also found her mind thinking about the play tomorrow. It was gong to be wonderful. But it was also very distracting.

She let Spike go and sighed, slowly getting to her hooves. She couldn't sleep like this, she felt too excited. She had to go see everything. She pulled the cloak back on her body and adjusted it, making sure her horn was hidden amongst her hair. The fact the cloaks were so big definitely helped with that. She then trotted to the door.

“Applejack, I want to go out for a little bit. Can you--”

“Say no more, sugar cube,” the earth pony said with a shake of her head and a smile. “Ah know yah probably been wantin' tah do this for ages. Jus' be careful, kay?”

The alicorn gave a swift nod and a smile. “Thanks. I'll be back in a little bit, I promise.” She then stepped out towards the camp. The tents were grouped up tightly, with only narrow areas between them to walk through. Their tent was on the outer edge for safety, but it made walking into the mass a chore. Ropes disappeared into the sand, their anchors hidden from sight so she had to walk carefully to avoid tripping. Between the tents it was dark, but she didn't dare try making light.

By the time she made it through the tents, she had tripped over half a dozen ropes and had to apologize to a few angry tent owners. It was all worth it when she trotted into the town. There were dozens of ponies milling about, talking, chatting and working. It wasn't surprising, since most of them didn't live here and it was easier to be out at night and sleep during the day. Most of them wore the same cloaks she did and she could count at least a dozen who could easily be hiding unicorn horns. There were only a few guards in armor in the town, they seemed to be trying their best not to draw attention to themselves. She saw the shifting eyes, the worried shuffles. The kind of guards who knew they weren't getting paid enough if things went south, but were too afraid to abandon their posts. They were all pegasi. Not an earth pony or unicorn amongst them.

She trotted through the town, looking over the sights as she went. A few ponies were cooking, filling the air with the scent of spices and vegetables, making her let out a content sigh. It had been so long since she'd had the cuisine of her people. It made her mouth water, though she tried to ignore it. She wondered if she could still endure the spices they used. A grin formed on her lips as she thought back to her days as a student when the cooks would sometimes try to make 'fire breathers'. Special foods that 'helped' struggling fire benders and dragons find the flame within. Mostly it just made them run for their lives and drink gallons of water. She remembered one time eating a small cookie that had been so spicy she nearly passed out and ended up nearly swimming in a bowl of fruit punch. She'd just been a filly then.

A soft, sad sigh escaped her lips as she kept walking. That was then, this was now. Rarity was right. No matter how much she wanted to be back with her ponies and come home, this wasn't quite her home anymore. Even if the Water Nation hadn't been here, it had still been over a hundred years since she'd left. Everypony she ever knew was long gone, devoured by the sands of time and leaving nothing more than the ghosts of memory in their wake.

She left the hustle and bustle and headed out through the town exit. The guards stationed there didn't even give her a second look. Heck, they didn't even try to peer under her hood. She could see the stage being prepared outside, pegasi and earth ponies dashing about as they worked, grabbing pieces from large wagons and quickly connecting them together. She barely made it a few steps before a pegasus dove down to block her way. A blue pegasus with a white mane. “Can I help you?” the mare asked.

“Huh? Oh, no. I'm just watching. Is that okay? Sorry if I'm being a bother,” Twilight said quickly, waving a hoof.

“Oh, no, not at all. We're just trying to get the stage all ready for tomorrows show. The stage may be collapsible, but when you have the many parts it can take hours to get ready.”

“I imagine so...” She watched as three pegasi worked together to connect a metal bridge high over the stage. “Is all that stuff going to be safe?”

“Oh, yeah. Most of our group consists of pegasi. Best for the arts and all that, saves a ton of money on wires and things. Makes setting up super easy.”

“I guess. I ummm, I've never heard of this play before. Is it... popular where you're from?”

“Still pretty new. We're from the Earth Kingdom. Been preparing it ever since the Avatar first showed up. Though uhhh... with her death and all, it came to a crashing halt,” the pegasus said with a shake of her head, her eyes shifting a bit. “But hey, thems the breaks. Makes for a great story though, especially how she died. Though, don't tell anypony, but Pony Wu did add a new scene to the end he's hoping to show off here. Keep it hush hush though.”

“R-really?” Twilight asked nervously. “Don't tell anypony?”

“Nah, tell everypony. But he prefers we pretend it's a secret, it gets ponies more interested in it if they think nopony knows it's coming. You know how these playwrights are. Everything has to be so special and extreme with them.” The pegasus shook her head and chuckled.

“Shouldn't you be helping them install everything?” Twilight asked softly. “I'm not bothering you, am I?”

“Oh, no. I'm security. It's my job to make sure you don't cause any problems for anypony.”

The alicorn locked up. “I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to--”

“No, no, you're not in trouble,” the mare said with a shake of her head. “They don't mind ponies trying to get a peep. They like putting on a show, after all. They just want to make sure nopony tries anything silly like trying to attack the actors or burn the set. This story isn't exactly popular with... all your home. No offense.”

“Oh, right. Yeah, I can imagine why...” Twilight said softly as she glanced back towards the town. “I should go. Thanks for um... everything.” The other mare gave a small good bye before the alicorn headed back into the town. She walked back towards the camp, her cloak feeling so heavy and thick she swore it was smothering her. Of course the ponies here didn't like the story. After all, she had failed, most thought she was dead. News of her return likely hadn't spread everywhere yet so to them she was just the avatar that represented their nation and failed, spectacularly.

She gave Applejack a small nod when she returned before tossing off her cloak, sliding into bed and pulling her warm little baby dragon into cuddles. He grumbled in objection but was soon snoring again. Fine. She'd failed once, but she wouldn't fail again. She had all the elements together and they were on their way back to base. Once they were ready and had time to prepare, they'd learn how to tap into all their powers. Then they'd show the Water Nation just who they were dealing with.

------

“Welcome mares and gentlecolts!” a gray coated pegasus said from the stage, raising his hooves high. “I am Pony Wu, the founder of this entertainment company! I thank you all for coming and I trust you all will be quite excited and thrilled by the life of the avatar! In fact, for your eyes only tonight, we have one additional final act to be seen for the first time ever. I hope everypony is prepared!” The response he received from the crowd was lukewarm, at best.

The area in front of the stage was filled with ponies, most covered by tarps and cloth roofs placed over them to keep the sun out. Unfortunately, it didn't stop the sand from getting everywhere. The stage itself was just as covered, casting its own minor amounts of shade for the ponies acting. Twilight and her friends managed to find a small open section near the right side of the stage, allowing them to see easily. Spike was in his little cloak and held in the avatar's lap.

“Stop fidgeting,” the alicorn said softly.

“Its uncomfortable. Why do I have to be in your lap?”

“Because you're my little foal. Now keep it down,” the mare said with an annoyed hiss, glaring down at him. He let out an annoyed sigh as the play began.

“Ahhhhh!” a little yellow filly ran across the stage, shrieking as a rainbow maned pegasus stallion chased her around, holding a spider on a stick.

“Come on Fluttershy, it won't bite! Much!”

“Rainbow Dash! Stoooop!” the mare screamed. The crowd booed as they ran.

“I never did that,” Rainbow said under her breath, glaring at the stage.

“Yeah!” Pinkie said quickly. “We never pranked Fluttershy. That would just be too mean for words.”

Twilight shook her head. “It's just a play. Relax. It's not like...” She paused as a large rock pile exploded out, revealing a pink alicorn. “Is that supposed to be me?” she whispered.

“Yup, heh. I guess when you get all glowy and stuff you do look a bit pink,” Rainbow said in a teasing tone.

“Well, I guess it's not so--”

“I am so filled with hope and strength and I believe I can fix everything! Come, peons, I must find an air bending master who can teach me the ways of air bending so I, Twilight the Avatar, can become the greatest hero of all time and rescue the world!” the Twilight on the stage yelled. “You two, pegasi, you will come with me and help me fight all dangers and... you, pink earth pony, you will carry my luggage.”

“I do not carry the luggage!” Pinkie hissed. “Well, more than my fair share! And I am not a super huge pink stallion!”

“Ah think he's bigger than Big Mac,” Applejack said in awe. “Heck, ah think he may be bigger than two Big Macs.”

“I didn't even know ponies could get that big...” Rainbow said, staring. “You don't think it's like, two ponies in a suit, do you?”

“No, no no. That would be silly. It's probably just a trick of the light,” Twilight said. “Or a griffon in a pony costume, maybe?”

“You don't think I'm only in the group to carry luggage, do you?” Pinkie asked, gently poking her hooves together.

“What? No!” Twilight said quickly. “You've saved our flanks dozens of times. This is obviously just a... well, the pony has no idea how we actually operate. That has to be it. Bad information from bad sources. I bet... oh gosh.” She face hoofed. “Here comes Rarity...”

Rarity stared as her mouth fell open. “You... have got to be kidding me.”

“Oh, woe is me, aunty!” a white earth pony with an obviously fake horn, mostly white aside from the end which was red and black. “We must find the avatar, we must!” Boos started from the crowd. The hoofful of guards stationed around the stage started looking nervous, rubbing their spears slowly. “For you see, it is only the destruction of the avatar which can restore my honor and allow me to return home! Not to mention get rid of this dreadful blemish on my horn! Oh, how could I have let my horn soak in tea, dishonoring my family name?”

There was a moment of silence from the princess, before her shriek of frustration was covered by Pinkie's hoof. “Mfffff!”

“Shhhh!” A nearby pony said, gesturing with a hoof.

“Sorry,” Twilight said, before glancing to Rarity. “Keep it down, we're undercover.”

“My horn was not soaked in tea. You couldn't do that to a horn, it would just wash out,” Rarity whispered angrily once the hoof was removed. “This dark coloration is from my mother coating my horn in poisonous water and drilling through the end. If it had been lower I could have lost the ability to bend altogether. It is not something to joke about.”

“Celestia isn't... that fat, is she?” Rainbow asked nervously. They looked up at the mare playing her aunt and their jaws nearly hit the floor.

The mare more wobbled than walked, the fake ship that rolled across the stage creaking dangerously with each step. “Come, niece. We must eat more of this cake, it is delightful. The avatar can wait, oh ho ho ho. Let us go to that village on the hill and see if we can throw some kind of party. Look, I even have my trusty kazoo.”

Rarity's eyes twitched. “Okay, that's it. They all die.”

“Don't you dare,” Applejack snapped, tugging the mare back by her tail. “You'll get us all in trouble.”

“But she, she's, the kazoo, it must die. It must burn and be impaled and frozen and melted again,” she hissed angrily under her breath. “The kazoo is evil!” She paused. “And they are really being rude about my aunt. She has never been like that. Ever!”

“Oh, look, the whole raising of the sun thing is coming up,” Pinkie said excitedly as she motioned to the stage.

“All of you will die if you don't hand over the avatar to me!” the fake Rarity yelled, before stomping her hooves. The small torches set up around the stage were put out by dropped buckets of water while the civilian ponies(intermixed with fake pony dummies) wailed and cried out for mercy.

The fake Twilight stepped forward. “No! You will not hurt these ponies anymore. I am the avatar, I will not stand for any evil or destructive tendencies directed towards the innocent. I banish you from this town!” Fierce-ish winds picked up, making the airship blow off the stage as the fake Water Nation ponies wailed in defeat. The alicorn then turned around, motioning to the back of the stage. The moon slowly moved behind the stage as a giant yellow orb rose up. “There! Now that I have defeated the enemies of the nation, I must go and find the Great Dragon and raise him from his sleep, so I can destroy all the ponies who have dared to spread their power and control over the world. Come, help me on my adventure!” She then walked off the stage, followed by the three chosen ponies.

“You know, that was... sorta accurate,” Rainbow whispered. “I wonder how much they know about what happened next.”

“Mwa ha ha ha ha!” A blue unicorn stepped onto the stage, making all of them aside from Applejack cringe. “Now I, the wonderful and majestic Trixie, commander of all the Water Nation, have been sent to capture and defeat this avatar. But, I cannot do it alone. No! I must use the greatest force known to ponykind! The Shadowbolts!” The unicorn eeped as an apple knocked her fake horn off. “Hey!”

“Pinkie,” Twilight whispered softly. “You're going to get us in trouble.”

“Sorry, she just really rubs me the wrong way,” the earth pony said sheepishly as she put a second apple down.

The mare re-adjusted her fake horn and raised a hoof, before being joined by dark clothed pegasi. “Now, prepare my ship! We set sail immediately. Avatar, you will fall by my hoof!” The crowd booed as the ponies flew off the stage on another fake airship.

The curtains closed behind them, marking the first break. Twilight sighed. “Well... thoughts?”

“It's... informative,” Applejack said with a shrug. “Ain't the worst thing ah ever saw, though ah'd love tah know how much of it was true.”

“Ehhhhh,” Pinkie waved her hoof from side to side.

“Hey, I show up in the next scene, it's going to be the best part,” Spike said with a smile. “We've got to at least stick around for that.”

“Don't worry, we're not leaving,” Twilight said with a shake of her head. “At least, not yet...” She eyed the guards closely. “Is this all the guards they have?”

The ponies looked around. “I think so,” Rainbow said with a shrug. “Maybe the others are sleeping?”

“Still, even if they had twice this many they'd have less than a... well, only a small fraction of the ponies they are guarding. How can they be expected to do anything?”

“Well, they have spears and armor,” Rainbow said softly. “Also, wings. Nopony here can bend so they probably don't want to cause any trouble. So long as the ponies here believe the guards are in control, they're in control.”

“Do you think the other countries are like this now?” Twilight asked softly.

“If they are, ah don't envy the soldiers back in mah home,” Applejack said with a shake of her head. “Yah'd need two guards for every bender there, otherwise you're jus' askin' tah get buried up to your neck in rock an' stone.”

“I guess,” the alicorn said with a shrug. Music started playing again as a small ship rolled onto the stage, ridden by the fake Twilight and her friends.

“Well, it certainly was good that I was able to smash in those Water Nation soldier's heads so we could take their ship,” the fake Rainbow said.

“We... we didn't have to hurt them, they surrendered...” the fake Fluttershy said.

“Bah, accepting surrender is stupid. It's much funner just to snap them in half.”

“But--”

“Shut up. Fluttershy. Nopony cares.”

“Ohhhh...” the yellow pegasus sniffled and trotted off. The crowd gave a soft aw.

“I would never treat Fluttershy like that,” Rainbow said through gritted teeth. “And I am not some blood thirsty psycho.”

“Well, actually,” Applejack said with a hint of tease. “Yah are always the first tah rush in when the goin' gets violent.”

“Well, yeah. Just because I don't look for fights doesn't mean I won't be there when they rear their heads,” Rainbow said softly, shuffling her hooves nervously. “You all don't really think I'm that... violent, do you?”

“Of course not, sugarcube,” Applejack said with a snicker. “You're always jus' there by our side. Ain't nothin' wrong with wantin' tah stand by your friends an' help them out when the goin' gets tough.”

“Yeah,” Fluttershy said softly. “You only fight when you have to. Or when, well, others are in trouble. Or when it's easier than... but you fight for good reasons.”

The pegasus nodded softly. “I... I guess. I just--”

“Oh buck no!” Spike said, startling the group.

“What? What is it?” Twilight asked, before gawking at the stage. “Is that... is... are they...”

“Oh, that is awesome,” Rainbow said with a snicker as she tried to hold in the laughter. She was one of the few in the crowd who succeeded.

“It's just a show...” Fluttershy said quickly.

“You look much, much better in person. Really,” Rarity said as she reached out to gently pat his back.

On the stage the fake Twilight was dealing with the fake Spike. Who just so happened to be an oversized gecko with scales taped onto his back and led around with flies. “Wow! A real, actual dragon. Who would have thought such a creature still existed? What's your name?” the fake avatar asked.

“Spike!” a voice came from the back of the stage.

“Wow. Truly a noble creature. Come, Spike. We must go forth, for I believe with you by my side, I will be able to face any challenges. Fluttershy, stop cowering.”

“B-but... d-dragon... i-it's a s-scary dragon!”

“It's just a baby, look,” the fake alicorn put it on her wing. “See?” The wing broke off, making her cringe as she quickly turned so the other side of her showed. “Completely harmless. It's not like it's a real dragon.”

“RAWRRRRRR!” A large rubber dragon head lowered from above. “Who dares enter the home of the Great Dragon? Rawrrr!” The crowd gasped and stared with wide eyes at the fake creature.

“Really? He'd be furious if he saw that,” Spike said in annoyance. “I am not a gecko.”

“They couldn't get any real dragons, I'm sure it's the best they had. At least they don't have you keep spouting off all grandly like you're in some kind of book,” Twilight muttered. “I do not sound like that. Or have horrible depression fits.”

“Well...” Rainbow said softly. “The one they said made you crash the blimp, you did kind of have a major depression fit around then. But hey, you'd been gone for a hundred years. Anypony would have. It's not like they know about you running off and... wait, you don't think they know about that, do they?”

“At least you ponies actually get lines outside of your name,” Pinkie said with a humph. “I do more than carry luggage and go 'Pinkie'.”

The ponies sighed and went back to watching, shaking their heads as the fake them went traveling across the sky in a giant fake dragon boat. Then they arrived at Appleloosa and Applejack frowned.

“Wait, ah remember hearin' about that. Ah knew a buncha air benders came an' helped, but that was you lot?” the mare asked softly about halfway through the scene.

“Yeah,” Twilight nodded. “It was... pretty... oh...” She couldn't look away as the final fight happened. Rather than the fake avatar being saved, she fought off the commander and hurled her from the base, sending her hurtling to her death. The real alicorn started to feel a little sick. “I hadn't... thought about that in a long, long time...”

“I can't believe they cut my save out,” Rainbow grumbled as she crossed her legs and scowled. “That was like, the best part. I was awesome there.”

The ponies sighed in displeasure as the next scenes started, the separation. It began by showing Fluttershy's training then the rehabilitation of Rainbow. By the end, both the real mare's were scarlet and their comrades all stared at them.

“You... did you two... really?” Twilight asked softly. “I-I mean, I know Fluttershy was... helping heal you and all, but ummm...”

“Ah never woulda guessed yah two were... well, Rainbow, sure. But Fluttershy?” Applejack asked with a nervous cough.

“I totally would have called it,” Spike said with a shrug.

Fluttershy merely whimpered in response and buried her face in her hooves. “W-we did no such thing,” Rainbow said quickly, her eyes lowered. “She only helped heal me. We never, ever, under any circumstances, made out.”

“It's alright,” Twilight said with just a hint of tease. “It's a common situation to fall for the pony tending your wounds. Not to mention-- ow!” She rubbed the back of her head. “You didn't have to hit me.”

“I'll hit you a lot harder if you all don't knock it off,” the pegasus hissed through gritted teeth.

“Relax, sugarcube. We're all jus' playin'. No need tah take this junk seriously,” Applejack said with a small snicker.

“Will you ponies keep your whispering down?” one of the other guests snapped at them. “I am trying to enjoy the play!”

“Sorry,” Twilight said quickly as she turned back to the play. Despite the lukewarm welcome, many of the ponies seemed at rapt attention. Her own capture and escape was being played out. She turned bright red as after being rescued by the Phantom and left behind, the actor playing her broke into a long, romantic love song.

“Hey, at least they got that part right,” Spike said with a snicker, before yelping. “Hey, no need to pinch me!”

“I-I never sang a love song of any kind,” Twilight said with a small squeak. “I-I thought the Phantom was a stallion at the point, anyway. It was just a small crush, that was it. I didn't know...” She was suddenly all too aware of everypony staring at her.

“You... had a crush on me?” Rarity asked, her eyes wide and aghast.

“N-not you, the Phantom. I thought it was some kind of... fan. Some stallion who... I-I had never been really saved like that before and, I mean I was... s-shush up, the plays still going.” Twilight's cheeks burned brightly as she stared at the play, trying to ignore the light snickering from Rainbow.

The next scenes were a little more bearable. The meeting of the fire benders was practically glossed over, making Twilight scowl as one of the most pivotal times in her adventure was reduced to little more than a hoof note.

“Hey! I'm the avatar!” the stage-alicorn said.

“We're fire benders,” the other ponies said.

“Awesome. Start lowering and raising the sun.”

“But--”

“Don't worry, I've got the Water Nation under control.”

“Ummmm...”

“Come ooooooooon.”

“Well... okay.”

After that the stage Twilight, still alone, arrived at the remains of Cadence. The stage version of her friends were there to meet her, where they traveled off together after Trixie, intent on stopping her giant beast of destruction. The curtains closed on their galloping and another small break was called. Ponies started milling about and talking.

“This play sucks,” Rainbow said softly. “They cut out all my best parts and make me come off as some kind of hot headed fighter.”

“I wasn't even in half the play,” Spike muttered softly. “I just disappeared after Appleloosa.”

“Ah think yah were supposed tah be that stuffed animal that Rainbow was huggin' while Fluttershy... tended tah her,” Applejack said, barely managing to keep the grin from her lips. “Jus' relax. It's jus' a play, it don't mean nothin'. They jus' add an' subtract tah make it more excitin' an' relatable.”

“So, me and Fluttershy making out is relatable?” Rainbow asked with an angry snort.

“Well, romance is very popular these days,” Rarity said with a smile. “At least you have parts in it. All they've done with me is a few minor scenes with my aunt and I arguing between them. Just look at how they are butchering poor Pinkie's character.”

Twilight sighed and gave a nod. “I guess they just missed a lot. Once all this is over I think I'm going to write a book. I do not want this play to be what any of us are remembered for.”

“So long as I'm more than just a minor gag character,” Spike said with an annoyed snort.

“Of course. You're my number one assistant, you're very important to the story,” the alicorn said before giving him a hug.

“Shhhh, it's starting again,” Rainbow said.

A gong was hit, sending its echo through the crowd as the curtains slowly opened. They revealed a pony in a bear outfit knocking over a small city as a cloud city hovered just out of reach. They quickly went off stage as the fake Trixie rode a wheeled ship onto the stage. “Now that I've mastered the darkest magic of all, I will destroy all who stand in my wake! Even the Shadowbolts shall bend to my might. Avatar, just you wait. Soon Cloudsdale will fall and from there, the world! Ah hah hah hah hah!”

The ponies let out slow, annoyed sighs as the ship glided off the stage, trailed by the crowd's boos. The Twilight, Rainbow and Fluttershy actors glided onto the stage, riding a cloud on wheels. “I... I just don't know if I can do this,” the fake alicorn said. “She's so powerful. How can I hope to face such a powerful creature?”

“You can do it, Twilight,” the fake Rainbow said. “Don't you worry, we'll be keeping them off your flank as long as we can. All you gotta do is work your magic and we've got this won. Isn't that right, Fluttershy?”

“I... I'm frightened...” the fake Fluttershy said with a whimper. The real Twilight rolled her eyes. However, after a few seconds the pegasus spoke up again. “I-I've never been more scared. But... but I don't care. I know if we all work together, we'll succeed. I-I know it's scary, a-and we might get hurt. B-but that's no reason to give up!” She actually shouted the last bit, drawing stunned stares from the crowd.

“That's right. Don't worry, Twilight. With all of us by you, how could we fail? Isn't that right, Pinkie?” the fake Rainbow asked.

“Pinkie, Pinkie!” the large pink stallion said before tripping and stumbling off stage, to laughter from the crowd.

Twilight chuckled and shook her head. “You know, until that last part, they were doing so well, too.”

The real Pinkie shrugged. “Ehh. If you can't laugh at yourself, what can you laugh at? At least they did one good example of one of us,” she said before giving their little yellow pegasus a friendly nudge.

“I-I don't think, I mean, I-I wasn't really, I-I was just d-doing what I was told then,” Fluttershy said softly, nervously shuffling from hoof to hoof.

“Hey, you totally saved my life in that fight,” Rainbow said with a shake of her head. “Don't sell yourself short.”

“I... I... w-well... I... t-thank you...” the mare said softly as she peered down at the rest of the act.

The rest of the fight was quick and rough, with the ponies fighting off hordes of enemies as the bear slowly started destroying the cloud. Finally, when things seemed their darkest and the fake Rainbow and Fluttershy were back to back, under attack from all sides, the avatar reappeared with an even bigger bear, destroying the smaller bears and scattering the forces of the Water Nation.

The Fake Twilight looked super excited in her big bear costume as she knocked over little toy tanks, air ships and finally stomped on a little stuffed version of Trixie.

“Did anypony else find that last ummm... stomping, oddly therapeutic?” Twilight asked softly.

“Ohhh yeah. I kinda want them to do an encore,” Rainbow said with a chuckle. “Almost makes it worth watching this tripe.”

They then started showing the training in air bending and, to the alicorn's horror, the birth of the nickname Chickenwings. She groaned into her hoof. She groaned even louder when they showed her getting possessed by the queen of the changelings.

Almost everypony cringed when the spirit got beaten out of her, especially when the massive fake Pinkie Pie body slammed the poor avatar.

“Holy... that had to hurt,” Rainbow said. “Do you think she's okay?”

“It's just a stunt, I'm sure. It probably just looked like he... slammed her through the stage floor. I'm sure,” Twilight said nervously. She motioned towards the side of the stage. “See? There she is. Just... a little wobbly. But mostly she looks fine. I think.” She cringed again. “I'm sure that falling over was planned. Part of the act.”

Applejack shook her head. “Ah hope she's gettin' paid a decent sum for all this. That hadta hurt.”

The next scene made Twilight stare in confusion. “They... they just completely skipped over the whole Flim and Flam thing. What about the Alicorn Amulet?”

“Hey, that means I'm coming up,” Applejack said with a grin. “Ah hope they get mah good side.”

The actors walked across the stage as a small curtain was raised, revealing an earth pony with a straw hat and a piece of straw dangling from her lips. “Well, howdy folks, what brings the three of yah tah Sweet Apple Acres?”

“There's four of us,” the fake Twilight said.

“Ah, mah pardons. Ah ain't so good with them there numbers.” The crowd burst into giggles as Applejack just scowled.

“Do all the ponies here see us earth ponies as just jokes?” she asked angrily as the actor version of her proceeded to make a mockery of herself. “Ah work a farm. Ah couldn't get through a week of sales if ah didn't know how tah count an' ah'd love tah see any of the ponies here tryin' tah fill out all the paperwork required tah file each year. Dang ponies don't have any idea what kind of work goes inta runnin' a farm, it ain't all buckin' trees an' lassoin' cattle.”

“It's the accent,” Rainbow said softly. “It kinda makes you seem a bit...” She eeped as the earth pony seemed to almost be surrounded in flames as she scowled at the mare.

“It makes me seem what?”

“N-nothing. Look, they're g-going towards Fillydelphia.”

Applejack grumbled under her breath as they returned to watching. Now that they were five strong, the group headed straight towards Fillydelphia. Where they promptly received a note from a delivery pegasus.

“Oh no! The fire benders I met not that long ago are in danger. Quick, we must gather our forces together and go to them!” The fake avatar then galloped into a cut out of a building, moments before the curtains closed.

The curtains re-opened a moment later to reveal the fake Rarity and fake Celestia, standing on clouds. “If the avatar goes to these fire benders aid, she may be captured. I cannot allow this. Come, we must hire these pirates to aid us in helping the avatar and then, when the moment is right, we'll strike and I'll capture her!” The crowd booed and hissed as the curtain closed again.

“That is not at all how, or why, it happened like that,” Rarity said softly, grinding a hoof into the ground. “I was just trying to help those ponies. Not... all the...” She shook her head. “Oh, never mind. It's a silly play with... silly thoughts.”

The battle over the Everfree Forest was, even to the ponies insulted by the play, quite the sight. Pegasi fought in the air over a forest of pony height trees, which occasionally threw out vines to try and ensnare the air force. Ponies that were knocked inside let out wails of fake terror. Twilight snickered softly. “It's a little scary how accurate that is...”

“I hated that place,” Rainbow said with a shake of her head.

“Is it just me, or are they cutting out a lot? Ah mean, when ah joined there was a lot more than this goin' on,” Applejack muttered softly.

“Well, to be fair there weren't a lot of ponies around for... most of what we did,” Twilight said. “Or at least, not ones they could talk to. The water benders and fire benders are in hiding, so it's not like they could give accounts of what happened. Though this whole act seems to be going really fast. It really felt like a lot more happened to us.”

“Completely ignoring everything that happened to me,” Spike said, grumbling under his breath angrily. Fluttershy gave him an encouraging pat on the back.

The battle of the Everfree Forest played out before them, ending in a triumphant cheer from the crowd when the fire benders escaped. The guards started to look a lot more worried, slowly shifting their spears from side to side as they watched the crowd. The curtains closed, giving the last break before the final act.

“Welp, I'm going to go get some snacks. Anypony want anything?” Rainbow asked before getting to her hooves and stretching out.

“With what bits?” Twilight asked.

“Ah. Right. Going to go stretch then. Anypony wanna come?”

Pinkie and Fluttershy got up to follow her as the rest remained behind. Twilight stared at the side of the stage, where a few of the actors and some guards were having a heated discussion. After a few moments, one of the guards walked behind the curtain while the other walked off again to stand guard at his post. Once the others returned she moved back closer to everypony and whispered. “I think there might be some trouble later. We might want to get out of here quickly.”

“There's only one more act to go,” Rainbow said with a shrug. “Why miss it?”

“Eh, this things been goin' on forever it feels like,” Applejack said. “Interestin' though. Ah can hardly see it becomin' popular.”

“Fine. But just get ready in case anything goes bad. I don't want to get caught in a fight and blow our cover,” Twilight whispered. After a few more minutes the curtains rose and the story began.

Rarity fumed under her cloak as the act described her as a spy for her sister, plotting to defeat the avatar and capture her aunt. “That wasn't how it happened at all...” she whispered. “I was... I just... after he...” She shook her head and got to her hooves. “I... I need to go for a minute.”

Rainbow glanced up. “What? You're going to miss the--”

“I don't care,” she hissed before trotting off, hanging her head low.

“I'm going after her, she's probably-- hey!” Rainbow stopped as her tail was grabbed.

“Let her go,” Fluttershy said softly.

“But she--”

“She just needs some time to be alone. She's not going to do anything, trust me.”

The rainbow-maned pegasus stared for a few moments before letting out a soft sigh and shaking her head. “Fine. Whatever.”

Rarity trotted out from the crowds and took a deep, steady breath. The sand shifted horribly under hoof, but she tried her hardest to ignore it. Her mind kept shifting back to thoughts of... him. Blueblood. She had been so close at that time to stopping her madness. She was happy. She had really considered just giving up on the avatar, maybe even helping her. Maybe returning home wasn't such a big deal.

Then she'd lost him, brutally killed by those earth benders. A part of her still burned against them. She didn't forgive them. She doubted she ever COULD forgive them. No, she never would. Blueblood had been good, he didn't deserve what they did. She deserved it, not him. He was good, kind, compassionate. More importantly, he had forgiven her. She felt the pain and sadness gnaw at her from the inside as she struggled to fight back the tears, but they ignored her rebellion and soon they flowed down her cheeks in small little rivers. She looked back towards the crowds. None of them were looking at her. She was just a mare, alone in the desert.

Rarity collapsed on the sand and let the pain flow out, the lost opportunities and chances evaporating in the hot sun, along with her tears.

She didn't know how long she had been out there, but when she finally got to her hooves she did feel better, if dehydrated. She re-joined the others, dropping besides Twilight. “What I miss?” She hoped they'd already skipped Blueblood's scene. Had they not even shown it? They hadn't mentioned him so far.

“Most of the fight. I'm about to die,” Twilight whispered as she watched. The ponies were fighting as the great dragon's head roared down from above, shooting out glitter at the soldiers as they backed away. The mock battle raged until, finally, the ponies were cornered. The fake Twilight tried to fight them off but, finally, she was overwhelmed and impaled through the chest. The scene made the real avatar cringe and rub her scar. The mare on the stage took a few weak, pathetic steps before collapsing on the stage.

The crowd and stage ponies went silent as the curtain slowly lowered from above. There were no cheers or hoof stomping. Just a stunned silence as they watched the fake alicorn disappear behind the thick blue cloth. The silence was eventually broken as a pony stepped out from behind the curtain, Pony Wu.

“Well! Wasn't that quite the story. I hope you all found it entertaining and informative,” the stallion called out, a wide smile on his lips. “As you all know, this story has undergone quite a few revisions before now, but it has finally reached approval from the Water Nation. In fact, we were almost banned from playing it before altering a few scenes.” He gave a nervous chuckle and looked from side to side. “However, we are very happy we were able to show it to all of you ponies first. We were intending to have Manehatten be the first city we played in the Fire Tribe lands, but we find this venue to be far better.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. After a few seconds he stomped his hooves down. “There is one final scene we wished we could put in, but we haven't had time to enact it since we found out. Instead I'll have to give a verbal summary.”

The guards visibly flinched.

“The return of the avatar!” Pony Wu yelled, stomping his hooves down. “The avatar has returned, launching an attack straight into the heart of the Water Nation, destroying Canterlot!” The crowd erupted into frantic whispers as the guards tried to charge the stage, but found themselves suddenly impeded by ropes, props and a massive fake Pinkie Pie. “Her forces have driven a knife into the heart of the Water Nation, marking her return! She's still out there, still fighting for us. Now is the time! The Water Nation is at its weakest, if we all fight we can take back our homes, take back everything! We can kick them from your lands! The Earth Kingdom and the Air Nomads will fight soon, and it's time you did too! The avatar is coming! She's almost here!”

There was a scream from backstage, followed by a pegasus being flung onto the stage. A guard wielding a spear ran out after. “Cease your heresy! You'll be executed for this, mark my words!” the pony yelled as he charged.

Pony Wu didn't stop. “Now is the time to stand up! The avatar is fighting for us, we have to join her! Join her while we still can, while we have the opportunity! The avatar is coming, she's fighting!” He took a few steps back as the spear drew closer. “Now's the time!” His eyes closed as the blade came closer. “Fight for her while--”

Flames arched through the air, landing between the playwright and the guard. The spear stopped inches from the pony as the pegasus quickly stepped back, searching for the source.

Every eye turned to the alicorn standing near the back rows, her wings spread out and fire in her eyes. “The avatar isn't coming,” she said. “The avatar is here.”