Chapter 6: Old Friends

Twilight sighed as her hooves once again landed gently on solid ground, inside the Temple of the Moon. She looked around the familiar place with a smile. There was giant moonwell in the center of the rotund building. A statue of a beautiful unicorn in a nearly-real-looking silk dress held a basin of moon water that poured endlessly into the pool below. Around the moonwell, despite being inside, were luscious grass and flowers.

"Oh thank Luna!" Rarity exclaimed and kissed the ground, caressing it with her hoof. Twilight and Shining stared at her in surprise, blinking at her behavior. Rarity chuckled nervously, standing up. "Sorry, our last experience with a portal wasn't quite as pleasant."

Twilight and Shining chuckled, "I haven't been to Darnassus in years..." Shining gazed about the Temple in awe.

"We should go to Tyrande, she'll be expecting me." Twilight instructed, heading for a stone ramp on the far side of the Temple. It circled around half the length of the building before flattening out onto a platform above the main floor. Twilight cantered around the circle eagerly, quickly spotting Tyrande, a most beautiful unicorn with a lavender coat and dark, aqua hair. She wore a white silk dress adorned with sapphires and emeralds, it hung around her figure in an accentuating manner, giving her an air of grace and poise. Her intimidating prowess was re-instilled when one saw a magnificent glaive and silver-wood bow laying near her seat. She had pulled half of her mane back into an elegant bun, and woven leaves and tiny, silver chains all throughout. She had tattoos across both eyes of a barely darker shade than her coat, the pattern covered most of her face, and was known as "the bear". She also adorned her forehead with a silver tattoo of the moon, which shimmered and glowed. Tyrande was laying down on a purple, velvet blanket, gazing at documents with a bored expression in her glowing white eyes.

"Tyrande!" Twilight called, alerting the Priestess, who turned to face her and stood quickly.

"Twilight? You're back!" Tyrande gasped, rushing into Twilight's embrace.

"You say that as if you didn't expect I'd live." Twilight teased, both mares chuckled.

"Its so good to see you, you've been gone for weeks." Tyrande held Twilight in view, getting a good look at her, "You look like you've been through a lot." Suddenly her gaze hardened, "Where's my niece?" she asked.

"Right here Aunt!" Rarity galloped into Tyrande's un-expecting hooves.

"Thank Luna! I was so worried about you! Did you realize how much you put me through? Not even a note?" Tyrande scolded, "Your mother would have been furious, I promised her I'd protect you, Rarity."

Rarity slumped and lowered her head at the reprimands. "I'm sorry." she murmured.

"Oh, Rarity! I'm not angry as much I was concerned. I am just glad you are alright, at least...what is this?" Tyrande pointed towards the Marie's chest, having noticed the scar marring her pearly coat.

Rarity blushed, "Oh..um..orcs?" she chuckled nervously.

Tyrande scowled, "I hope you'll think twice about disobeying my advice next time around if that's what you have to show for it." she raised an eyebrow at the once-again humbled unicorn, who nodded sheepishly.

"Of course, Aunt." Rarity mumbled, Tyrande smiled warmly and gently ruffled her purple mane.

"That's my girl." Tyrande sighed, hugging her once more, Twilight walked over to the edge of the platform they were standing on and observed the temple. Tyrande watched her and noticed her limp, "Let me see your leg Twilight." she motioned for her to come closer. Twilight narrowed her brow in confusion and approached, holding her right hind leg out for Tyrande, "Hmm.." she examined her leg, "Strange..it is completely healed and yet, you still have a limp. It might be permanent." She gently placed the limb back on the ground.

"What do you mean permanent? I'll always have this limp?" Twilight glanced at her leg suspiciously.

"What's permanent?" Shining asked as he strode into the group.

"Nothing. What took you so long?" Twilight asked, still staring at her leg.

"I haven't been here in years, I took the scenic route upstairs." Shining nudged Twilight teasingly, receiving a deadly glare for throwing her off balance.

"And who is this handsome stallion?" Tyrande asked, winking at Rarity, who blushed.

"My big brother, Shining Armor." Twilight grinned.

"I thought you told me you had no family?" Tyrande scrunched up her muzzle in confusion.

"Well I thought I didn't, but my brother was still alive, I just didn't know until recently." Twilight explained weakly.

"I see.." Tyrande murmured, eyeing the two, she didn't really see the resemblance, but she shrugged it off. "Oh, by the way, how did your quest fare? Obviously you succeeded, otherwise you wouldn't be in such high spirits." Tyrande lay down on her velvet cushion, waiting for Twilight to tell the story.

"Well, Theradras told me of a creature called C'Thun. She said he has returned, and lives in the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj." Twilight whispered his name, as per the norm, and sat on her haunches while she talked.

"Ahn'Qiraj?!" Tyrande exclaimed, then pursed her lips in thought, "But I've had the Cenarion Circle stationed in Silithus for ages, they've never reported anything suspicious."

"Maybe C'Thun wants to take us by surprise?" Rarity suggested.

"Obviously..." Tyrande sighed, "..what else did Theradras say?"

"That I would need help. And something about a prophecy, but she didn't get a chance to explain." Twilight said.

"Prophecy.." Tyrande murmured, "Interesting...ahem! Now, to the matter at hoof, if C'Thun has returned - and I doubt Theradras would lie about that - then we must prepare. She said you would need help to defeat him. Obviously, she was implying a raid of Ahn'Qiraj, we need to gather as many trustworthy ponies as we can find for such a task." Tyrande stood as she talked.

Twilight pondered for a moment, "Shining Armor and Rarity have already volunteered, but I don't know where I'd get an army."

Tyrande scowled, "Rarity..."

"I know! I know! I shouldn't have volunteered without your permission. I just wanted to help Twilight." Rarity cowered under her guardian's gaze.

"I didn't say anything about that. You are a grown mare now , and you can make you're own decisions, but think about Sweetie Belle, she's missed you." Tyrande spoke softly, noticing Rarity wince. "You didn't even say goodbye to her..."

Rarity's eyes welled with tears and she blinked rapidly, "I.." she couldn't speak and simply turned her head in shame.

Twilight and Shining bit their lips at the uncomfortable discussion, glancing elsewhere. "I'm not saying you can't go, but maybe you should reconcile with her before you do?" Tyrande placed a comforting hoof about her ward's shoulders,

"I don't know if I can face her!" Rarity cried in despair, most of which seemed over-dramatic. "I fear she shall not forgive me! Or worse, disown me! Or..or..."

"Sweetie tells me that she's seeing somepony..." Tyrande said with a smirk.

Rarity gasped dramatically, "What?!" she exclaimed, standing up so fast she nearly knocked the elegant Priestess over. "Sweetie Belle!" Rarity galloped out of the temple as she practically screamed her sister's name.

Tyrande chuckled, "Is that true?" Twilight asked, noticing the mischievous glint in the Priestess's eye.

"Not exactly." Tyrande smiled.

Rarity burst into her little sister's room in a tizzy, "Sweetie Belle?" she called, stopping in her tracks when her sister came into view.

Sweetie Belle gaped at her in surprise, "Rarity?" she leapt at her sister and wrapped her forelegs about her neck in a hug that was somewhat too tight. But Rarity returned the hug willingly, "Wait a minute!" Sweetie released her sister and pointed a hoof as she spoke in an accusing tone, "You just vanish into thin air without so much as a note and expect everything to be all fine-and-dandy when you come back?!" she had pushed away from the hug completely and narrowed her eyes at her sister, who hung her head.

"No, I didn't expect you to be thrilled when I came back. I was just...caught up in my idea and I didn't stop to think. I don't have an excuse for my behavior, Sweetie." Rarity sighed, sitting on her haunches.

Sweetie Belle thought about her words and sighed, approaching her sister, "What was it like?" she asked as she slid to the ground beside her.

Rarity looked up at her in confusion, "What was what like?"

"Going on an adventure like that? Nopony to tell you what to do, traveling perilous lands. It all sounds pretty romantic." Sweetie faked a swoon.

Rarity giggled and pulled her closer with a foreleg, "Not necessarily. If you think Twilight wasn't telling me what to do you're dead wrong. And perilous lands could hardly be considered romantic once you've experienced them. What type of books have you been reading?" Rarity scoffed.

Sweetie Belle blushed, "Well...I may have ventured into the 'Romance' section of the library..." she tapped the tips of her polished, cloven hooves together and glanced to the side.

"Oh that's lovely! I loved reading romance when I was your age." Rarity grinned, she was glad her mistake seemed to have been easily corrected, and Sweetie was already trying to reconnect with her.

"Oh really? I guess I should have expected that." Sweetie smiled.

"Hey, Tyrande said you're seeing somepony! Who? I must know!" Rarity jumped to her hooves and grabbed her sister by the shoulder.

Sweetie's eyes widened, "Where on earth did she get an idea like that?"

Rarity gaped, "The nerve..." she murmured through gritted teeth.

Sweetie looked at her sister, then, furrowing her brow, stood to examine her, "You look terrible." she smirked.

"Hmm?" Rarity blinked and looked in the mirror, "Oh, yes, I suppose I do." she murmured, her hair was greatly loosened from its place in her braid, and her clothes were bloodstained, torn, and disheveled.

"Why don't you take a bath and I'll help you wash. You can tell me all about the adventure in the meantime." Sweetie led Rarity out the back of her room into a small, private garden. She approached a wading pool she had and motioned for Rarity to undress.

"Thank you, Sweetie." Rarity smiled, taking her advice and undressing before sinking into the surprisingly warm waters with a sigh.

"Now, about your adventure?" Sweetie implored. Rarity smiled and nodded.

Twilight and Shining both sat at the dining table of the temple, eating heartily of foods one couldn't possibly find on a journey such as theirs. There were a great many fruits and nuts, some imported hay of the highest quality, and many exotic cheeses. Tyrande ate with them, and just as heartily, for she was a warrior-priestess and undertook brutal training every day.

"Tyrande, I've been curious, and I know it's a sensitive question, but how fares the Emerald Dream?" Twilight asked, referring to the second plane of existence between the mortal and spirit worlds. The Emerald Dream was where the Druids and the Green Dragonflight spent years in slumber, keeping the nightmares at bay and peering into the future every so often.

Tyrande dropped her fork and began to cough lightly, "Ahem! Twilight, I don't really want to talk about it." she murmured sadly.

"Oh you misunderstand me, Tyrande! I only meant to inquire after the Druids. I'm sorry, I should have been clearer." Twilight winced at the pained expression on the Priestess's face. Tyrande's husband had been trapped in the Emerald Dream ever since The Reckoning of their world. 10,000 years before, when Queen Aszhara was influenced by the demon-lord; Sargaeras, into opening a portal to the demon plane. In their attempts to stop her, Tyrande, her lover; Malfurion, and his brother; Illidan, sacrificed much. Illidan became infused with a demon's power as their only means of stopping the onslaught. As a result he was banished through the Dark Portal in order to save his life from the Demon Hunter; Maiev Shadowsong. Shortly afterwards Malfurion, along with Ysera the Dream-Binder of the Green Dragonflight, went into the Dream and became trapped.

Twilight sighed as Tyrande's face contorted, she had barely married Malfurion when it happened, and more than 9 eons of separation from one's other half would no doubt pain anypony. "There has been..." Tyrande inhaled deeply, "..no change, we cannot go into the Dream, and all who went in, still haven't come back." she blinked rapidly, fighting tears.

"Tyrande, I'm curious because the Old God could possibly have something to do with it." Twilight explained, that piqued Tyrande's interest.

"What do you mean?" she leaned closer and urged Twilight to continue.

"I don't know for sure, but if he could influence somepony as old and wise as Theradras, perhaps he could have done something to the Emerald Dream? Killing him could possibly solve that." Twilight suggested.

"Mmm, perhaps, but he's only been back a short time compared to how long the Emerald Dream has been like this. I'm not sure if it was him, but either way, it is something to give me hope. Thank you, Twilight." Tyrande smiled.

Twilight returned it, and a much-refreshed Rarity came into the dining room just then, a slightly smaller white unicorn following her. "So sorry we're late! I had some catching up to do." Rarity presented her sister to Twilight and Shining, "This is Sweetie Belle! Sweetie, this is Twilight Sparkle and her brother Shining Armor."

Sweetie Belle was a charming looking young unicorn. She appeared to have the fashion sense of her sister, and wore a soft, blue gown decorated with topaz gems. Her hair was twisted into silver plaits and braided to fall over her left shoulder. She looked up at them and smiled sweetly, "Hello! Rarity just told me all about you." she curtsied politely and approached the table to sit. Rarity beamed with pride and sat across from Twilight with a giddy grin on her face. Twilight smiled at her and continued eating, probably one of her last good meals before the next journey.

Tyrande had offered to transport Twilight to Feralas so that they could take hippogryphs from there with the help of her mages, but Twilight had refused. Tyrande's sentinels would not be able to reach Ahn'Qiraj right away, it would take a few weeks at least. And she most certainly did not want to lounge about in Cenarion Hold whilst waiting for them. Besides that, she had an old friend she wanted to see, and who - perhaps - would help them.

Rain poured heavily outside the tavern, muffling the excited shouts and hoots from inside. Twilight approached the door with Rarity and Shining, "This is where we were headed all this time? A tavern?" Rarity groaned.

Twilight had instead used her opportunity at a professional portal to get to Stormwind, as that was where she last saw her friend. After a few inquiries, she narrowed her search down to the Lion's Pride Inn, located in a very small town called Goldshire, just outside Stormwind City. "Rarity, please just bear with me..." Twilight sighed, straightening herself up before she opened the door, hardly noticed by the drunken ponies inside.

All three ponies entered and looked around, taking in the surroundings. There were many stallions talking and drinking, a few had bar-mares on their arms. And in the middle of the main room there was a crowd of stallions cheering somepony on.

"Ok!" A loud, slightly slurred voice said, Twilight perked at the sound, recognizing the voice with a smile, "Who thinks they have the guts to beat me in a knife throwing contest?" A cyan, Pegasus mare with a prismatic mane jumped atop a wobbly table as she spoke, holding five daggers in her hoof.

"Where is your so-called friend?" Shining whispered to Twilight, who smirked as she glanced his way.

"Nopony?" The drunken mare glanced around, her magenta eyes sharpened as they fell on Twilight, who had stepped forward. "You?" she grinned.

"Oh we both know I'm no good at knife-throwing." Twilight smiled wider when the cyan Pegasus recognized her voice and she removed her hood.

"Twilight!" the mare gasped in excitement and jumped off the table, knocking a few drunken stallions over in the process. She threw her arms around the expecting shoulders of her friend. "It's been too long."

"It's good to see you again Rainbow." Twilight murmured, biting her lip as the memories they both shared came flooding back to her.

"Hey! Whose your friends?" Rainbow asked with a slur, draping one foreleg over Twilight's shoulder and examining the two unicorns.

"This is Rarity, and my brother; Shining Armor." Twilight introduced.

"Brother? How the buck did that happen?" Rainbow asked, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"It's a long story." both Twilight and Shining said at the same time.

"Shining, Rarity, this is Rainbow Dash. I helped her out of a jam quite a few years ago. And she's been a good friend to me ever since." Twilight looked to her companions expectantly while she spoke, and seeing the slight disapproval in their eyes she scowled briefly. But she cleared her throat and turned to her friend, "Now for you, RD. What the hell are you doing here? I thought you gave up on drinking."

Rainbow burped, covering her mouth with a hoof far too late to be polite, "Well...I dunno, I wanted a room for the night, and they had a contest, I won. Hic!" she grinned.

Twilight raised an eyebrow, "I see, in that case you should probably come with me, eh?"

Rainbow nodded, "Hey, whatever you say Twi." she shakily got to her hooves and followed Twilight, who led her outside.

Twilight dug through her bags for her hearthstone, a small, white rock embedded with a glowing, blue rune. Everypony who traveled owned one, it was not very powerful, however, and could only be used once a day. The stone had the power to pull the bearer through the Twisting Nether, like a teleportation spell, but without needing to cast any magic. She gently rubbed the rock and they were absorbed in a flash of light.

The four ponies reappeared in Stormwind City's inn; The Gilded Rose. The hearthstone was almost always attuned with inns, most particularly in major cities, so the innkeeper did not act surprised when a group of ponies suddenly appeared before her. "Twilight!" she exclaimed when she recognized her frequent customer, that is; frequent until a few months before when she had left for Kalimdor to visit Darnassus. The brown mare wore a red barmaid's dress, a few modest necklaces and trinkets hung about her neck. She had her crimson hair pulled back into a right ponytail, and her tail braided into a basketweave pattern.

"Hello Allison, long time no see?" Twilight gave her a friendly hoofshake, "I hope I can have a room or two for the night, we have a long journey ahead of us." she pulled out a pouch of coins, which was received with a courteous smile and bow.

"Of course, dear. I fear business is slow this time of year, but that means more room for you. Feel free to choose you're rooms, dinner will be ready within the hour." Allison pointed them upstairs and moved to clean a table.

Twilight ushered her friends upstairs, Rainbow was carried, as she had passed out and was likely to have a hangover in the morning. Twilight insisted that Shining and Rarity take they're own rooms, and that she would share with Rainbow.

Once she had laid Rainbow on one of the beds in her two-bed room, she got to work undressing her and preparing a bath. "Twilight?"

Twilight stopped and looked at the door, "Hello Rarity." she smiled, continuing her work, "Did you need something?" she asked as she carefully pulled Rainbow's tunic from her body. She grunted slightly as she lifted the mare into the bath she had prepared.

Rarity winced when she noticed how many scars Rainbow had under the clothes and armbands she wore. "Who is she?" she murmured, having approached Twilight's side and begun handing her things she would need.

"Thank you." Twilight accepted a bar of soap from her friend and began to lather it in her hooves, "She's an old friend, I've known her for most of her life. She lived with me in Karazhan, I practically raised her." she explained as she began to spread the lather on the Pegasus.

"Where'd she get those scars?" Rarity pointed to a particularly nasty looking scar that ran down the length of Rainbow's inner thigh.

Twilight sighed, "It's not a happy story..." she began massaging the soap into Rainbow's mane while she spoke, "She was kidnapped as a filly by slave-traders and sold to Helka Grimtotem."

"Sweet Celestia!" Rarity exclaimed, there had been terrifying stories about the arenas that the Grimtotems owned.

"Indeed, she was a gladiator for most of her youth. How she managed to survive it all those years is a mystery and a miracle." Twilight quirked her mouth into a half-frown, "They did many unimaginable things to her...things I don't care to think about..." she continued, "She was emaciated when I met her, and she had recently lost a fight. Usually losing meant death, but her opponent didn't kill her, perhaps because of her age. That fight is what gave her this..." Twilight gestured to the scar that ran over Rainbow's eye. "Helka had lost a great bet on her over that fight, and was going to kill her herself. So I smuggled her out. She lived with Medivh and me afterwards."

Rarity nodded, "Poor thing, I can see why she drinks. Even though that's not the most inconsequential measure of forgetting one's troubles." she helped Twilight rinse the cyan mare's body and used her magic to help lift her out of the tub.

"No it isn't." Twilight smiled briefly, "I'm glad I found her again. She's like a little sister to me, heh...but she said I'm like a mother to her." she tenderly dried Rainbow and bent to plant a kiss on her forehead.

Rarity smiled, "I can see why she thinks that, you treat her like a daughter." she grabbed a towel of her own and began to dry the magnificent spectrum-colored mane that most certainly gave the Pegasus her name.

Twilight had just finished drying one of Rainbow's wings, and folded it gently, "I suppose..." she murmured, then with a strangled sound she suddenly hugged the mare's head to her chest. "By Luna, I've missed her!" she began to cry, surprising Rarity. "She's all I have left besides Shining...and I didn't stay with her. I wasn't there for her this past year, and I wish I could take it back." she sniffled, stroking the prism mane while she cried, her tears landing on the still-damp fur of her adoptive daughter.

"I'm sure she knows you cared, you had things you needed to do. And you were very helpful in Kalimdor, you saved lives. Rainbow must surely know that? You didn't do anything wrong by parting from her, you were there for her for most of her life, and I know she probably missed you just as much." Rarity soothed, wrapping a foreleg around her friend.

Twilight nodded, fetching a wooly coat from her pack with her telekinesis. She wrapped the coat around Rainbow's shoulders and lifted her onto the bed. "I'm sorry, it's just been tough. We've both been through so much, and we didn't stick together to help each-other out when I'm sure we needed it most." she began to brush Rainbow's mane, and Rarity brushed her tail.

"Well you are here now, and that's all that matters." she assured, patting Twilight on the back, "I need to go wash up, I'll see you at dinner?"

Twilight nodded, "Of course, I'll see you there." she murmured. Rainbow stirred slightly on the bed, mumbling incoherently and rolling onto her side. Her hoof instinctively felt for the blanket and pulled it over her body. After snuggling into the bed, Rainbow smiled and relaxed with a sigh.

Twilight couldn't help but smile at her, she bent down to kiss her forehead once more before she blew out the larger candles lighting the room and left.

Rainbow awoke with a yawn, groaning, she put a hoof to her head as it throbbed from her hangover. "Damnit..." she murmured, sitting up with a wobble. Wait... Rainbow paused and took in her surroundings, this wasn't the Lion's Pride, she knew her room well enough to know that.

Rainbow stood carefully and slipped into her clothes, buckling her belt about her waist and sliding her daggers into the sheaths. She tightened her armbands and legbands, placing her leather headpiece on her forehead and tying the straps beneath her chin. With a sigh she blew her hair out of her eyes and turned to exit the room.

"Gah!" she yelped as she nearly crashed into familiar purple mare, "Twilight?!" she gasped in surprise.

"You're finally awake! I thought you'd sleep all day, we got your bags from the inn you were staying at." Twilight hugged her tightly and pointed to a simple satchel stuffed to the brim.

"What are you doing here? Why am I here?" Rainbow asked in shock.

"Wow..." Twilight blinked, "You must have been drunk off you're ass to not remember." she chuckled.

"Remember..?" Rainbow murmured, digging through her bag to find a bottle of blackish liquid, which she gulped down with disdain for the taste. Her headache almost immediately vanished and she felt less tipsy.

"Well I came to find you because I need your help." Twilight explained, sitting on her haunches, "We are...on a mission...you might say. How would you like to come to Silithus with my friends and I?"

Rainbow turned and raised an eyebrow, "What kind of mission?"

"Well...erm...it's hard to explain." Twilight tapped her hoof on the ground quietly.

"Well, is it dangerous?" Rainbow asked casually.

"Most likely." Twilight shrugged.

"Long journey?"

"Yes."

"Evil creatures we'll need to avoid or kick in the tail?" Rainbow asked with growing - yet hidden - excitement.

"Yes, of course." Twilight grinned, knowing where this was going.

"You know me, anything that matches that description and I'm there, no matter the circumstance. I'd go even if I'd never met you before!" Rainbow bounced up and hovered, her smile wider and determined.

Twilight stood, "We're leaving in the morning. But in the meantime, are you hungry?"

"You can bet you're hind leg I'm hungry!" Rainbow landed and trotted up beside Twilight.

"Shining Armor, Rarity, meet Rainbow Dash." Twilight introduced her friends to one-another again.

"Nice to meet you." Rainbow said with a charming smile, then turning to Twilight whispered; "Nice hunk of a stallion, eh? Where'd you pick this guy up?" she turned back around and winked at Shining, who shuffled uncomfortably and gave a nervous grin in return.

"Shining Armor is my brother." Twilight deadpanned at Rainbow, who widened her eyes.

"What? You said your whole family was dead!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"This again." Rarity facehooved.

"Apparently not." Twilight sighed, "Just roll with it ok? I'm tired of explaining." she also facehooved, peeking at Rainbow from under her mane.

Rainbow shrugged, "Hey, I'm cool with it, just a little shocked is all. So why are we going to Silithus?" she sat down and began eating as she spoke, not bothering to finish chewing before talking.

Rarity grimaced at her behavior but kept quiet, Twilight cleared her throat, "Well, you know of Tyrande I assume?"

"Duh! You lectured me about her more times than I can count back in Karazhan. And besides, anypony who doesn't know about Tyrande Whisperwind has to be stupid." Rainbow stuffed a croissant into her mouth after she spoke.

"Well, yes, but anyways, she's planning an attack on Ahn'Qiraj. Apparently an old enemy of the Titans has re-emerged there and is threatening Azeroth." Twilight explained, leaving the phrase "Old God" out of her speech purposefully to avoid panic with anypony who might hear.

"Really? Didn't you tell me the Qirajians are extinct?" Rainbow asked in interest, gulping down water.

"That's what I thought, but Theradras said otherwise.." Twilight continued, only to be interrupted by Rainbow's sputtering.

"Theradras?" she asked in disbelief, "What the hell are you talking about? She's been a total loony for decades!"

"We killed her and she talked to Twilight in a dream." Shining explained in a bored tone.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow, "I suppose that makes sense." after looking at her drink for a moment she shook her head, "Nope, it doesn't."

"Look, I'll tell you the details later. My point is that I came to get you before we left for Silithus, now are you still in?" Twilight asked in irritation.

Rainbow mulled it over, she didn't have much she really needed to do but sit around. And she hadn't been hired since she punched her last employer's son in the face for hitting on her. "Well, yeah, if you need my help I'm always there Twi." she smiled.

Twilight sighed and smiled back, "Thanks RD."

"No problem." Rainbow leaned back in her chair and placed her hind hooves on the table, receiving a glare from Allison. "Hey!" she exclaimed, "You mind if I bring somepony along?"

Twilight blinked, "What type of pony?" she asked suspiciously.

"Just a friend of mine. Don't worry, she's not a mercenary or anything like that." Rainbow elaborated, rolling her eyes at Twilight's raised eyebrow.

"I don't suppose there's any harm in it. We do need as much help as we can get." Twilight sighed.

"Great, I'll go get her. We're leaving tomorrow right?" Rainbow stood, straightening her clothes and stretching her wings.

"Right." Rarity lifted her head from her hooves, which had been propped on the table when she had begun to fall asleep during the conversation.

"Alright, I'm off, and I'll be back before morning." Rainbow trotted outside, spreading her wings and taking off amidst the bustling of evening merchants in the Trade District.

Rainbow flapped her wings to ascend higher before she held them out to soar. She knew exactly where she needed to look to find her friend, as Elwynn Forest was not a large place. No doubt she's going to love this... she thought to herself, as her friend had always dreamed of leaving Elwynn and seeing the world. She had only flown for mere minutes before she spotted the house she was looking for. Rainbow folded her wings and began her plummet towards the earth. She narrowed her eyes as she neared the ground and smiled, her wings flaring out just in time to catch the air and slow her descent just so. Her hooves straightened and she touched down firmly, skidding a few feet before she came to a full stop.

"Why, if it isn't the famous Rainbow Dash, herself!" the familiar Westfall twang in her voice made Rainbow smile as she turned to face the orange mare.

"How've you been Applejack?" Rainbow stepped forward and gave her a brief hug.

Applejack was in her usual blue overalls and green, linen shirt, hair tied into a braid over her shoulder with a crimson ribbon. She smiled and leaned on her pitchfork, swirling a stalk of wheat in her mouth, "Ah've been good, the harvest was a pain in my ass, but we managed to get the hay in the barn before the rains." she wiped her forehead of sweat as she spoke.

"That's good, how are the apples coming along?" Rainbow moved over to the nearby fence that houses the apple trees. There were only about fifty on the farm, but the Apple family was known well in the Eastern Kingdoms for their amazing apples.

"Much better than last year, Ah dunno if ya remember but we had a mighty drought last harvest." Applejack stood on her hind legs and leant against the fence, letting the breeze whip her braid around. "So, watcha doin' all the way out here? Ah'm sure ya didn't just come to visit me, you've got somethin' to tell me don't ya?"

Rainbow smiled, nodding, "Perceptive as always AJ, I've got a friend who needs some help. We're headed to Kalimdor." she looked out of the corner of her eyes as she spoke, gauging Applejack's reaction.

"Kalimdor? Are ya serious? Why, Ah've been wantin' to go there since Ah was just a little filly!" Applejack exclaimed.

"So you'll come?" Rainbow asked.

"Are ya kiddin'? I'd give my left hind leg for an opportunity like this!" Applejack beamed.

"I thought you might." Rainbow turned to her friend and smiled warmly.

"When are ya leaving?" Applejack motioned that Rainbow follow her, and began heading for her barn.

"Tomorrow morning. You should probably pack." Rainbow replied.

"My, my...that's pretty soon...but Ah suppose Applebloom's old enough to take care of everything. Did ya know she got married last month?" Applejack entered the barn and made for a nearby closet.

"Really? That's great! Who's the lucky stallion?" Rainbow entered behind her, examining her wing while she watched Applejack dig through the closet.

"He's from the Stonefield's farm, Ah doubt ya know him, but he's a real good guy, and Ah can't be prouder of Applebloom." Applejack pulled her overalls off and tucked them in the closet, replacing them with green, studded flankplates.

"That's good, it's probably really nice to see her secured like that. What does his family farm?" Rainbow approached and helped Applejack with the straps of her armor.

"Thanks. Yep it is. They farm melons, apparently those are good for makin' a living." Applejack pulled her hair out of the braid and tied it with another ribbon into a ponytail, tucking the blond locks into her helmet. Her mane went through a hole in the helmet, falling over her neck.She blew the remaining strands of her forelock out of her face and adjusted the helmet until it was comfortable before tying the straps.

Rainbow helped her equip her bracers and arm-guards, "I can't believe you still have all this." she chuckled, remembering the last adventure she had gone on with the farm-pony. They had visited Redridge, and while camping they were ambushed by gnolls, close, sentient relatives of the hyena. It was a nasty fight, but Applejack had taken out the majority of the beasts with her axe. Rainbow couldn't really understand where a farm-pony got such skill with the weapon, but a more refined wielder of the dual-bladed axe she had never met.

"I told ya my pa gave them to me. I'd never get rid of it, but it is a little dusty." Applejack brushed off her boots and slipped them on, tightening the buckles. After a content nod she reached into the closet and pulled out her axe. The blades were sharp, made of silver and adorned with black markings. Applejack ran a sharpening stone over the edges, twice on each side of both blades, before tucking the rock into a small pocket on her belt, pressing the button closed to keep it from falling out. "Now Ah just need to give Applebloom the news, no doubt she'll be all fussy bout it." Applejack turned to Rainbow with a sigh.

"You look like you're heading out to beat up some orcs." Rainbow smiled, patting the grinning orange mare on the back before she turned to leave. "Don't be late, we'll be waiting for you in Stormwind." she called back as she spread her wings.

"Ah won't be! Ah'll be seein' ya tomorrow!" Applejack called as Rainbow took to the sky. Rainbow showed she heard by saluting in the air. Applejack chuckled, her heart pounding with excitement, her dream of going on worldwide adventures was about to come true. "Now to tell Applebloom.." she grimaced before turning towards the modest farmhouse, "Here goes nothin'..."

Author's Note

So many in this chapter eh? Too many but meh!
Here's what RD and AJ look like (Art is mine)