//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5 
// Story: Equestria on the Brink 
// by G-Money 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 5



The chariot raced through Equestria, dashing across the midnight sky to reach Ponyville in time to save the town from the path of troll destruction.

They were too late.

As the chariot approached Ponyville, the ponies saw enormous clouds of thick black smoke rising into the deep blue sky, just like the ones in Canterlot.  These ones, however, hit much closer to home.

“Sweetie Belle!” cried Rarity.  “My sister is in there, with those…those ruffians!”

Everypony thought about their friends trapped in the besieged town.  Rarity worried about Sweetie Belle; Twilight worried about Spike; Applejack worried about Apple Bloom; Pinkie Pie worried about Gummy; Fluttershy worried about Angel, as well as all of her other animal friends for whom she cared so dearly.  Even Rainbow Dash was concerned for Scootaloo, her number one fan.

“We…failed,” said Twilight in defeat.

The chariot landed about 50 feet outside of the town, but the ponies remained motionless, weeping over the loss of everyone they knew and loved.

“We certainly must go in there and save them,” Rarity suggested.  “I, for one, promised mother that I’d protect little Sweetie Belle!”

“It’s too dangerous, Rarity.  We’d all like to go and save Ponyville, but that would be suicide right now.  We can’t take down an army of trolls alone, as much as we’d like to.  Princess Celestia is our only hope,” Twilight reminded the others.

“But who knows what they’re doing to them!  They could be in the process of being slaughtered as we speak!”

“We can’t do anything about that, Rarity.  There just aren’t enough of us to do any good.  If we get captured in there, nopony will be around to save Princess Celestia, and all hope will be lost.”

“Speak for yourself, then!  I am going to rescue my sister.”

Rarity got out of the chariot and began walking slowly towards Ponyville.

“What in tarnation are ya thinkin, Rarity?  None of us ponies would stand a fightin’ chance in there alone with them rascals!” warned Applejack.

Applejack knew exactly what Rarity was thinking, and she was just as worried about Apple Bloom.  But she also knew that charging into a troll town wouldn’t be enough to take down an entire army.

Rarity was too determined to heed her friend’s advice.  She continued towards Ponyville without looking back, keeping her head high and quickening her pace.

As soon as she was within 10 feet of the nearest building in Ponyville, several trolls emerged from the eerie building, jumping out of the windows and soon surrounding Rarity.  Her friends watched with horror as the trolls grabbed her by the hooves and whisked her away towards the town center and out of sight.

They sat there and watched as their friend was captured by the enemy.  Each one of them bore a heart of sorrow, but there was nothing they could do about Rarity.  She was gone, and there was no way to get her back.  Twilight activated the chariot again and continued on towards the horizon.

Fluttershy staved off tears for as long as she could, but she eventually broke down.   Her thoughts drifted to memories in the spa, her beautiful Gala dress – Rarity had been such a great friend to her, listening to her at times when no one else would.  But now, she was gone.

Pinkie Pie felt the glum mood plaguing the chariot, and she wanted to brighten everypony up.  She couldn’t be her normal self in a time like this, especially right after her friend was taken right before her eyes.  Still, she could try to cheer her friends up, and maybe changing the topic would get their minds off of Rarity.

“So, did Princess Luna tell you how far away they took Princess Celestia?  Which direction is the troll land in?”

The other ponies looked lost in thought, but Twilight looked up and replied, “No one knows for sure where the trolls live, not even Princess Luna.  Only Princess Celestia knew, and she hid the map of locations outside of Equestria deep within the Fillydelphia Archives.  We have to go there to find the map.”

Not a single word was uttered after that, and the rest of the ride was ominously quiet.  They only hoped that they would reach Fillydelphia before the trolls.