“Scootaloo what are ya doing?” I demanded as I stopped her, but she seemed to only want to hoof the filly once.

“Sorry, she really deserved it.” Scootaloo said. I turned to look at the filly, and it was Diamond Tiara. Now I saw why Scootaloo wanted to get a hoof in. Diamond Tiara didn’t seem to notice she had been hoofed, and I glanced over at the colt that had been killed. It was her father.

“Look, we need to keep movin’. Bring her with us, we don’ need her tattlin’ to Rabil.” I said, a big part of me wanted to leave her behind, she had tormented me and my friends for the past two-and-a-half years, yet I knew no matter how much I wanted revenge, it wasn’t the right thing to do. Scootaloo looked like she wanted the opposite and Sweetie Belle didn’t seem to say anything. Phalanx went to pick her up, but she hooved him away.

“Get your hooves off me you ruffian!” She said, getting herself up. Phalanx didn’t look happy, but didn’t say anything. “And just who made you Blank Flank in charge?” She demanded, and Phalanx spoke up.

“And just who do you think you are? Had us ruffians not done anything, your sorry ass would be dead. And she, filly, is somepony you ought to show a little respect too, we could have left you behind.” He said, and Diamond Tiara started to shout back, but he didn’t want to hear it. “No, you listen. If these three ‘Blank Flanks’ hadn’t existed, you wouldn’t even have had us nearby. So shut up and listen!” She didn’t look happy, but she decided not to say anything. Phalanx looked relieved that the whole thing was done with, and nodded. Everypony was shocked by his outburst, but he ignored it.

“Right, let’s get going.” I said, breaking the tension. We started moving again, and Sweetie Belle finally spoke up, asking a surprising yet good question.

“Why didn’t you leave Ponyville like we had said?” Sweetie Belle asked, and Diamond Tiara replied a bit harshly.

“Because my father thought we would be better off staying.” She said.

“Sheesh don’t need to be so uptight about it.” Sweetie Belle replied. The day seemed to pass by quickly and we found a small river to stay. As I started to help my father with a tent, my surroundings changed.

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The sun started its fall and Rabil huffed. They hadn’t found the Old Guard since Manehattan, and it irritated him greatly. What were they doing? “What news do you have of the Crystal Empire?” Rabil asked, sensing the presence of one of Tartarus’s creatures.

“It has been overtaken, my lord.” The creature answered in a gravelly voice.

“Good, tell Sombra to find anything in that library that even mentions my name.” Rabil ordered.

“It will be done.” The creature said, leaving. Rabil walked out into the gardens, which had been, redecorated. Discord had stayed though, but as he looked towards where the statue was, he let out a huff.

“If you wish to continue your existence, I would recommend showing yourself Draconequus.” Rabil said, his irritation quite apparent. Seemingly emerging from a dark shadow, or rather being the shadow, Discord appeared.

“Oh come on, can’t you have a little fun?” The god of disharmony complained.

“What do you not understand about stay out of my way?” Rabil asked.

“Don’t say that, you after all made me to help you with that troublesome sister of yours.” Discord replied.

“My point exactly.” Rabil said, it was pitiful to him, the Draconequus looked up to him as a parent of sorts.

“You’re worse than Celestia, and that’s saying something.” Discord said, looking bored. Rabil smiled.

“Good.” He said, and then killed the god with a blade of pure shadow. “I like having that reputation.” He said to the dead Draconequus.

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I suddenly transitioned back to the camp, where it looked like everypony else had gone and set up the camp, while Diamond Tiara stared at me like I was a freak. She was shouting, “Why does nopony else find a problem with this?” demanding an answer.

“Because they know what it is, Diamond Tiara.” I said, and she looked angry that they had no problem with it, I was obviously, in her mind, a lunatic. Scootaloo walked up and ignored Diamond Tiara.

“What’s going on now?” Scootaloo asked, and I knew she was honestly curious, and that she was probably going to tell the others.

“Rabil’s ‘friend’ Sombra retook the Crystal Empire, and he killed Discord.” I said, ignorant of Diamond Tiara. In the distance I heard Rarity scream something about mud, and Rainbow Dash laughing hysterically. Diamond Tiara huffed and sat down, looking unhappy to be there. Scootaloo walked over to Shining Armor and relayed the information, and I decided to ask a question that would seem dumb. “Why do you constantly tease me and mah friends?” I asked. Diamond Tiara rolled her eyes and ignored me. I walked directly in front of her, “Ah said why do you constantly tease me and mah friends?” I once again asked. She looked directly at me but didn’t say anything. “Hello? You deaf?” I asked.

She sighed and looked at me. “I am jealous of you. Of you and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.” She said.

“Why would ya be jealous of us?” I asked, wondering how in the hay Diamond Tiara could be jealous of us.

“When I got my Cutie Mark, I was initially really happy. But then, especially after my cutescienera, I started wondering how great it really was. I mean, all I got it for was practically being snooty, while you guys go and do all these things to get yours. I wish I was you, because I envy that sort of freedom.” She explained, looking embarrassed.

“So ya tease us to make yerself feel better?” I asked, already knowing the answer. She nodded, and I looked at her. “Look, we’re fine with ya, well, unless ya tease us. It just makes ya look like a jerk.”

“Really?” She asked.

“Ah am at least, Ah don’ know about Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.” I said, and Sweetie Belle chimed in.

“Yeah, I’m fine as long as you don’t harrass us.” She said, giving a smile. Scootaloo came and just nodded, not wanting to admit it.

“Say, whatever happened to Silver Spoon?” I asked. Diamond Tiara sighed.

“I don’t know, to be honest. I didn’t see her after they came.” She said. “Why are you in charge of this whole thing though?” She asked me. I explained to her the whole prophecy, and the strange oddity no one seemed to ever hear of it until us. When I finished she looked, awed perhaps? “Wow, so your Cutie Marks are really important.” She said.

“Yep.” I replied.

“But where is your group going?” She asked, “You certainly aren’t running away.”

“We’re headin’ tuh the Changeling Jungle tuh see if we can get their help.” I said, and she looked shocked.

“Are you out of your mind?” She asked, “They tried to invade us over half a year ago!”

“Yes, but the whole world is at risk here, a small group of rebels ain’t gonna do a darn thing against a huge army.” I said, “Anyways, we might find some of our Cutie Marks on the way.” Diamond Tiara looked away and seemed to be in thought, so I left her alone. I looked over to see my father talking with Phalanx about something, and my father did not look happy. “Whatever...” I thought. I thought of the book once again and pulled it out, then proceeded to go to a small tree. I looked at the page about Rabil, which was the same information Celestia had told us, and turned the page, to be greeted by my own image. I looked around, making sure there weren’t any distractions, and looked at it. The drawing unfortunately didn’t have my Cutie Mark there, saying it would be discovered.when I realized it.

“Apple Bloom!” A voice called, and I looked up, irritated by my distraction. It was Diamond Tiara, and I wasn’t sure if I was glad or angry. “There you are, look I just want to say I’m sorry for what I have done to you over the past couple of years.” She said.

“It’s fine, right now Ah’m tryin’ tuh read somethin’ here.” I said, trying not to sound mean.

“Alright then.” She said, walking off. Something dawned on me, and I turned back to the page on Rabil, and looked at some piece of information.

“...The being’s essence relies upon one thing, and one thing only. This is the reason why they will return, because the seal did not eradicate it. However, it must be cautioned, the destruction of the being’s weakness has the potential to devastate all of reality.”

“What darn weakness is this?” I said, this book was too vague. I tried turning back to the pages after the description of me, and they wouldn’t move. I tried turning it, but it seemed like it was a solid block of paper that was glued to the back of the book. “Aw hay.” I said as I put the book back, and walked over to where the fire was. Phalanx and my father weren’t talking anymore, but I could see my father glaring at him still, while Phalanx ignored it.

“You should have seen those two,” I heard Rainbow Dash say, and I turned to look at her, “They were really going at each other over something.”

“What were they arguin’ ‘bout?” I asked, curious. She shrugged, and Big Macintosh walked up.

“Got some apples for y’all. Found ‘em in the woods, they’re a-oh kay to eat.” He said as he put some apples out.

“Thanks, Big Mac, as I said yesterday, I despise rations.” Phalanx said.

“What’s so horrible about rations?” I asked.

“Well for one, their texture is extremely unpleasant, imagine sandpaper mixed with mud.” He said with a chuckle, “And they taste like, dried mud on grass that has been put into unsanitary water and then breathed on by dragons with extremely bad breath, no offense Spike.” He said, and Spike laughed.

“None taken.” Spike said.

“Then why do they make the rations?” I asked.

“They’re one the most nutrient-dense foods in Equestria.” Phalanx said, “So they’re last resort food, but trust me, they’re last resort poison.” He chuckled as he bit into an apple. “Still can’t believe Rabil was able to kill off Discord so easily, hay, it wasn’t easy for the Elements of Harmony.”

“Well from what Ah understood, Rabil created Discord to help him kill his sister, but Ah guess Rabil thinks that Discord would be a problem to his plans now.” I said. A guard seemed to realize something and chimed in.

“You know what I don’t get, who created the Elements of Harmony? Was it Naqril, or the other two?” The guard said. It was a pretty good question, nopony had explained their origin, and it seemed just to catch me. I made a mental note to write that down in that journal later. The grass rustled and Rarity walked up, looking irritated at Dash.

“You know you don’t have to make this whole thing worse, Rainbow Dash.” She said, “I still don’t want to get, muddy, if its not necessary.” Rainbow Dash looked like she was about to burst into laughter, but Sweetie Belle seemed to appear from nowhere.

“You know, this better not be like the Sisterhooves Social.” She said, that whole event being almost a year ago.

“Of course not, I mean, that was necessary, because you’re my sister, Rainbow Dash leading me into mud for a practical joke on the other hand, is not.” Rarity said turning to Rainbow Dash, who had started laughing again.

“Better get ready for the worst then, Rarity.” Phalanx muttered, walking off.