It was late into the afternoon when the group settled into Amelia's' home. Their multi-colored cloaks, save for a violet color, hung on a rack by the entrance as the group sat around their hostess' table. Amelia took in the lot presented in front of her as she came up to the table with a pitcher of freshly brewed mead and milk.

The first to her right sat young Twilight, a scholar of the queen. The prodigy of queen Celeste and highly intelligent. Her expertise lay in her weaving, spells and the like. She had a horn adorning her forehead. Still young, at a good age of ten and eight years. Light skinned from her days spent in her library and long midnight hair Twilight held herself with a straight-laced composure.

Beside her sat Fauna, another young lady with fair skin and pale pink hair. How she achieved that interesting color was beyond Amelia. The girl, looking the same age as Twilight, was of a timid nature. Even now as Amelia looked the girl over she seemed to try and sink farther into her seat, casting her eyes every which way. She was of the cloud folk, her wings folded at her back daintily and her long tail fretting along the floor. Seeing Amelia's' eyes on her Fauna flinched and nodded her head in acknowledgement.

Next to her was another cloud fold, Raine. Her hair was as interesting as four-headed bear, bearing the hues of a rainbow. Literally. Unlike her companion Raine sat in a way not proper for a young lady, and her body language spoke in volumes how little she actually cared. She was about a year older then both Twilight and Fauna. Just by looking at her Amelia could tell she was going to be a pain in the neck. and she grinned at her as if welcoming the unspoken challenge. To her grin Raine bit her thumb at her and snorted mockingly.

Close to her was a lively looking girl, the youngest by the looks of it, about seventeen years she'd say. Again like Fauna She sported a pink hue in her mane, only it was a deeper shade. She was fiddling with a fiddle she had "found" and was plucking at the strings in excited wonder, all the while giggling in sheer delight at the sounds they brought out. She was of the earth like herself, though she had scaled that bound as if she were a pure-blooded cloud folk. The girl was called Diana.

Finally to Amelia's' left was the final member of the group. She still wore her cloak but had removed her hood. She was as pale as moonlight with a deep violet mane, nearly matching her cloak. She bore a simple leather choker on her neck with a single diamond in its middle, held in place by a Celtic knot. Not unusual to see really but somehow seeing it on her didn't seem right. Had the leather choker been a black or grey color it would look fine but a brown strap made it seem......off. They called her Reina, who was also a weaver. Her ears were sporting gold rings and silver studs shining like new. She was a petit thing (has she had a decent feed lately?) but had a mature air about her. Judging by the length of her horn she had to be about twenty-two. If so, Amelia had her beat by a year.

What was slightly aggravating was that the mare wouldn't look Amelia in the eye, let alone toss out a casual greeting. Amelia decided to let it be and served up the mead, sliding pints to each and every one of them with a precise nudge of her hand.

She finally took a seat herself and drank deeply from her own mug. She sighed loudly and wiped her mouth with her hand.

"Alright. Get to explainin', if'n ya please. What was it you be needin' me help with?"

Twilight cleared her throat and rested her hands atop her mug.

"Surely you've heard tell of the happenings in our kingdom of Canterlot. How Drust, master of chaos, has been set free from his imprisonment and has enslaved our people."

"I'd be lyin' if I said otherwise. I still dun understand though. You have all these mares at yer side. And regardless of that pitiful display from earlier, I know none of ya used yer full potential, not even a smidgeon."

Raine scoffed loudly and took a swig from her mug, her long colorful tail swishing about in annoyance. Amelia arched a curious brow but said nothing to her.

"Well, He has usurped control of the kingdom from Queen Celeste, banishing her to the void he was imprisoned in. She cannot defend the kingdom from there."

Amelia nodded to Twilight, telling her to go on with her explanation.

"We know you are a bearer, just as we are."

Twilight brought up her hand and displayed her insignia emblazoned in the center of her palm. The others, save for Reina, showed theirs as well.

Fauna moved the collar of her tunic and revealed hers to be just below her left collar bone. Raine brought down the front of her tunic and displayed hers to be on her right collar bone, with Diana showing hers to be on her left shoulder. Everyone looked to Reina, who merely raised her nose to the air with a huff of "Mm-mm!" and shook her head, making her wavy locks sway slightly. Twilight merely groaned out and returned her attention to Amelia.

"Well?"

It took Amelia a moment to realize it was her turn, and with a growl of annoyance she stood on her chair and brought the lft side of her trousers down to reveal her own insignia, right on her left hip. They all looked on in awe at seeing it, then Amelia covered hit and got down from her chair.

"You're gettin' to yer point when again?"

"In order to take down Drust, we need all bearers to achieve this goal. ALL bearers."

Amelia nods in understanding, taking another grateful swig of the mead.

"An' who exactly is keepin' the rest of Canterlot afloat while you lot are away from the front? I don't see why all o' ya had to come down 'ere an' pluck me away from me family's farm."

Suddenly Diana shot an excited hand into the air, waving it fast and wildly about.

"Ooh! Ooh! Me! I wanna say it! I know this one!"

Fauna interjected.

"We needed everyone to find you, um, since all of our insignias are connected. They only resonate once all of the insignias are in harmony with each other."

"Aww~"

"S-Sorry."

"Plus we have the scholars assistant keepin' everyone alive over there until we get back.", interrupted Raine as she picked her ear.

"I was able to conjure up an isolation spell that'll last for at least a fortnight."

Amelia rubbed her chin at hearing all this.

"An' how long has it been since you came to get me?"

The scholar fidgeted at the question, becoming sheepish all of a sudden.

"That was.....eight nights ago."

Amelia ran her hand down her face as she let out a groan.

"Even if we all get after him with our combined forces, in the state you lot are in we'd be knocked onto our backsides a hundred times over. Have you thought on how ya were gonna go about all o' this?"

"Of course we did! That's also why we need you to lend us your strength, Amelia. Because of this."

Twilight reached out with her hand and pointed to the right side of Amelia's' covered face.

Amelia flinched and defensively knocked her hand away.

"No."

"Amelia, just hear us out-"

"I've heard enough, Twilight. And I said no. I will return to Canterlot with all o' ya, but do not ask that of me again."

Amelia rose before anymore could be said.

"I'll get ya a place to rest fer the night. Tomorrow we train."

"Train?!?!", they all exclaim.

"Y'all deaf as well as daft?! TRAIN!! And no complainin' either!"

And with that Amelia went to get a room ready for her guests.

In the dead of night Amelia wandered away from the house and walked through her family's farm, meandering through the cornfield and traveling past the apple trees. As lovely as the night was she walked with a destination in mind, her hooves carrying her by memory. A lone breeze blows by, cooling her and causing her mane to swish slightly.

Once she made her way out of the trees she came to a clearing close to a cliff, with nothing more then an aged boulder to greet her. It looked unassuming and was located well away from prying eyes.

Amelia raised a hind leg and simply nudged it a few feet away. Something makes her stop and still her movements. Reaching to the concealed dagger she keeps strapped to her ankle Amelia throws it keenly in the direction that drew her attention and heard a distant 'thuk!', followed by a cry of alarm. Shaking her head she puts the boulder back in its place and walks back into the trees.

Amelia comes across the source of the sound, confirming her suspicions. There, stuck to an apple tree with the dagger holding her in place by her hood, was Reina. She let out a chuckle at seeing the pale skinned mare struggle to free herself.

"Are you TRYING to kill me?!"

"And jus' what are you doin' followin' me all the way out here missy?"

Reina huffed out indignantly and crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.

"Look, as amusin' as this is, ah hafta get to somethin' important. Sit here a spell an' ah might let ya outta that."

As Amelia turned to leave, a harsh whisper caught her ear.

"I hate you....."

She turns to confront the woman but her annoyance leaves her body as quick as a breath as Amelia sees Reina letting thick tears slip over her cheeks. The farmer becomes confused instantly and goes to stand face to face with the overly dramatic mare.

"Not that ah mind being hated but just what warrants you, a woman who just met me, to come to hate me so quickly?"

"You....You don't remember, do you?"

"If'n ah did, ah'd sure as hell settle the matter.", Amelia mumbled as she yanked the imbedded dagger out of the tree and freeing Reina.

Their eyes met and for the briefest moment Amelia felt the heat of Reina's anger flicker in her deep blue eyes. It didn't help that she had a pained expression on her face either, and Amelia became truly confused.

Reina bowed her head as her shoulders shook, her wavy tresses falling over her face as she moved.

"Y-You.....honestly don't remember me......do you? Amelia, 'the mountains' bane'......"

Her ears twitched again at the mention of that name. That's the second time someone's used these names given to her many moons ago in a single day. She narrowed her eye at the woman and braced herself for anymore surprises.

Reina took a fierce hold of her cloak and tore it away from her body, revealing her torso clad in a black bodice and white tunic, with her white skirts swaying from the removal of her cloak. Her skirt had a single slit running down the right side, revealing her insignia to be on her right hip as well as a garter belt strapped around her thigh. Had it not been for the small scabbard on the garter Amelia would've thought she had equipped it to catch the eye of a young colt.

She watched as Reina gathered energy at the point of her horn and both her hands, the building force causing her to levitate off the ground. Amelia was used to facing a weavers' art, but something about this one seemed........disturbing. She didn't have enough time to dwell on the thought though, as Reina locked eyes with her again, tears still streaming forth.

"......Damn you....."

It was a harsh whisper that soon escalated into a full blown roar as Reina let loose her power aimed for Amelia. The look in her eyes was akin to a woman scorned.

"DAMN YOU!!!!!"

-End

Author's Note

Continuation of "Coming together". Cover art is not mine.