Things are going mostly to plan, but it turns out I need more time than I thought. I'll have to speed things up a bit...

Rarity awoke to a minor headache. She rubbed the base of her horn, sighing. She pulled a diary out from under her bed. Carefully opening it, she looked for an entry that matched the current date. She frowned in annoyance, realizing how little she had written in the diary before she had gotten close to Rainbow Dash. Flipping through the rest of the entries, she stopped at one that was written on the day of the rebellion. That's only a few weeks from now. I guess I'll have to do a lot to keep things from going the wrong way. Rarity put the diary onto a pile of books from Twilight that had accumulated over the years. Twilight would be stopping by later that day to pick them up. Leaving her room, she went to her inspiration room. She pulled a roll of light blue fabric off one of the shelves. Laying it out in front of her, she thought of what to make. Remembering what was written in the diary, she decided to make something for Rainbow Dash. I know I didn't make this for her until next week, but now that I know what's coming...

She had just finished laying out the pattern when the door to the boutique opened. "I'll be out to help you in a moment." she called, sticking a few pins into the fabric.

"Rarity? It's me, Twilight. I need those books." Twilight called.

"Darling, I forgot. Weren't you coming later for those?" Rarity replied, setting down her work and making her way to the entrance.

"Yes I was, but something came up, and I think the answer may be in one of those books." Twilight explained

Rarity lead Twilight to her room where the pile of books sat. "Darling, I doubt any book like that could've possibly ended up in my boutique." Rarity joked, showing her the books.

"I've left a few books here studying..." Twilight replied, scanning the spines of the books. "Yes, here it is." Twilight pointed to a tome near the bottom on the pile.

"How in Equestria did a pony as organized as you leave a tome like that in my house?" Rarity asked.

"It was probably left here from the Gala. Remember that spell I used for the mice and the apple? That's where I learned it. With how crazy that night went, I probably forgot that I even had the thing." Twilight muttered distractedly. "Well... I'm off, can you bring the rest to the library later?" Twilight asked, taking the tome.

"Sure." Rarity replied. Waiting for Twilight to leave, Rarity made her way back into her inspiration room. Making sure nopony was looking, she pulled a horn-shaped crystal out of small box emblazoned with her cutie mark. Muttering a spell under her breath, she closed her eyes.

As the spell began to work, she felt her body slipping away. Once she lost all feeling except for the magic coursing through her, she began to travel. Her soul being gently tugged across space and time. The crystal she grasped in her magic began to gain opacity. The lines that were carefully notched into it gained definition and turned from a translucent white to a dark brown. Despite her eyes being closed, she saw a pony begin to focus in her vision. As she completed the spell, one last thought crossed her mind. I sure hope this works

Aquilegias laid on her bed, not moving. The bandages carefully wrapped around her flank prevented her from doing so regardless of if she wanted to. She stared out the window, a lock of her mane falling into her face. Without thinking, she moved the purple hair away. It was all she had done for the past hour. Her sister had insisted that she stay here instead of go on the mission. Sighing, she scanned the sky for a flash of purple. Her sister wouldn't be hard to spot against the dull gray clouds that covered the sky. She laid her head back onto her hooves, wishing for some company. Why did Rarity have to go? I'd do anything to have her braid my mane again... Almost as if her thoughts had been answered, a figure slowly began to materialize in her room. "Rarity! It's been so long, how are you?"

The translucent figure laid next to Aquilegias. "I'm fine, Aquilegi... how's your sister?" Rarity asked. She frowned at the sight of her hoof. Though she had become mostly transparent, she could still make out the scar on her hoof. "It's been awhile since I've seen that..." she muttered.

"My sister is fine, Rarity. If you don't mind my asking... how far back did you go?" Aquilegias tugged the ribbon out of her mane, readying it for Rarity's styling.

"I'm currently a few weeks before the rebellion starts." Rarity replied, dividing her friend's mane into three sections. "I need to ask you something though."

"What is it?"

"Do you remember how to make that protective fabric that we learned about in training?" Rarity finished weaving Aquilegias' mane into a braid, tying it off with the ribbon.

Aquilegias stopped to think. "Yes, do you want me to show you?"

"No thanks, I think I can access the memory on the crystal you gave me.” Rarity replied. She pulled the crystal out from behind her, showing it to Aquilegias. “Well, I’m off…”

“Rarity, wait!” Aquilegias gasped as her friend began to fade. “I just saw my sister, she’s heading this way. Please wait for her to get back.”

Rarity looked at her friend. “Okay, I guess I shouldn’t leave without braiding your tail at least.” Aquilegias grabbed a ribbon from her desk and handed it to Rarity.

“Tell me a story while we’re waiting.” Aquilegias suggested.

Rarity gave Aquilegias a thoughtful glance. "Okay, Aquilegi, pick a topic."

"Okay... how about fashion? Also, you can still call me 'Quilegi', Rares." Aquilegias replied.

"Wow, with every new nickname, your name gets shorter... first Aquilegi now it's just Quilegi..." Rarity smiled, finishing the braid. "Hey, why don't I teach you how to braid?"

Aquilegias shook her head. “No, thanks, you braiding my mane and tail is kind of like a friendship thing…”

“Friendship ‘thing’?” Rarity asked, combing knots out of Aquilegias’ tail.

“Well… its a thing… You have always braided my mane and tail. Also, my sister has tried to teach me… it didn’t end very well.” Aquilegias smiled at Rarity.

Rarity laughed, finishing the braid and securing it with a ribbon. “Anyway… you want me to tell you a story?”

“Just talking is fine. Besides, my sister will be here soon, and I can imagine she’ll want to tell a story.” Aquilegias leaned into Rarity, happy to have the comfort of another pony again.

Rarity wrapped a hoof around her friend, smiling. “Not a problem, Darling, it’s nice to see you again.”

The moment was broken up when Aquilegias threw her friend off. Smiling playfully she glared at Rarity. “I told you not to call me ‘Darling’ it’s too formal!”

“Am I interrupting anything?”

“Sister!” Aquilegias carefully got off her bed, walking across the room to hug her sister.

“Purpur! It’s been a while since I’ve seen you!” Rarity exclaimed.

Purpur smiled at Rarity before closing the door to the balcony. Taking off her helmet, she sighed. “Goodness, I can’t stand how hot and uncomfortable that thing can be.” Purpur smiled, ruffling her mane. Rarity laughed. “What?”

“Purpur, your mane looks like a purple porcupine when you ruffle it like that!” Rarity laughed.

Purpur stuck out her tongue, tugging off her chestplate. “That’s better. The armor they issue us is so heavy… and it isn’t even customized a little. Mares and Stallions with the same armor. Stallions are always complaining about it being a bit tight, and ours is always chaffing.”

Aquilegias laughed. Rarity smiled, hugging Purpur. “Well, dears, it’s been nice to see you, but I must head back to my time.”

“Already?” Aquilegias moaned, giving her best puppy-face.

“Yes dear. I’m sorry, but I’ll be back later, I promise.” Rarity waved her hoof. The two ponies in front of her faded away.

Rarity woke up on her floor, her legs stiff. Slowly rising to her hooves, she rubbed the base of her horn. I forgot how much magic that spell took Shaking her head to clear it, she picked up the crystal. It was still glowing faintly from the spell. Rarity returned it the the box and hid it under a pile of fabric. Trotting back into her room, she laid on her bed. Noticing something on her desk, she saw a note.
Rarity I ended up needed the rest of those books, so I came over with Spike to pick them up. -Twilight Rarity tossed the note into a trash can. Then, she realized something The Diary!

Author's Note

I'm still setting things up a bit, but I promise things will make sense by the end of the next chapter.