//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5: The Plan 
// Story: Three Evil Rulers, Three Cold Hearts 
// by Matthais Unidostres 
//------------------------------//


Three Evil Rulers, Three Cold Hearts
Chapter 5: The Plan

As the Sun; stopped in the sky as Princess Celestia was still frozen solid in Canterlot; hung high over Equestria, Sweet Apple Acres became the a sort of base of operations for the citizens of Ponyville. All of them were frightened and on edge. Luckily, apple cider is good for calming nerves. 
Within the barn, Spike and the Mane Five had gathered around Rainbow Dash, Pavise the Pegasus Pony Royal Guard, and Spitfire the wounded Wonderbolt. After listening to their story, Twilight was the first to speak.
“The Windigo froze Princess Celestia?” she gasped.
“Solid,” Pavise said sadly, “It got Princess Luna too.”
“But they're the Princesses!” Spike shouted, “Aren't they, like, all powerful?”
“Remember Discord? He sure was stronger than them. He actually stole the Sun and Moon from them for a while,” Applejack said gravely.
“Which means the only things that can beat the Windigos and save the Princesses. . . are the Elements of Harmony!” Twilight said with triumphant epiphany.
Rarity replied, “But that horrid Princess Platinum,” but she then said quickly, “Yes horrid, I should know, I had to suffer through playing her in the Hearths Warming Eve play,” she then went back to a drama-queenesque voice and said, “Has complete control of Canterlot Castle, and the vault containing the Elements of Harmony! Of all the worst things that could happen, this is THE! WORST! POSSIBLE! THING!” A couch suddenly slid into the barn as Rarity dramatically fell onto it crying, “Doomed! Doomed! Doomed to become frozen forever by Windigos because of those horrid rulers! Why? Why? Why?”
“You make me sick.”
There was a huge gasp as everypony turned to the injured Wonderbolt.
Rarity shot up and gasped twice. “Oh! I make you sick?” she said, clearly offended.
Spike grabbed Spitfire by her dirty mane and pulled so that they were face to face. “Take that back. Now!” he growled.
Remembering what happened to a certain chicken feather, Twilight quickly pulled Spike of Spitfire with her magic. “Spike, calm down,” she said.
Undaunted by the baby dragon, Spitfire got up and said to Rarity, “My team was taken down an escaped lunatic, my home is now under the control of said lunatic, Equestria's capital is under the control of another lunatic, and all you can do is act like a retarded drama-queen while the ponies with brains have to figure out how to get these Elements of Harmony before these three maniacs freeze the world just like they nearly did thousands of years ago!”
As everypony stared at her, Spitfire let out a sigh and fell down on her sore knees. She hisses with pain and sighed again, “Rapidfire, Fleetfoot, Soarin'. . .” Spitfire mused sadly, her voice softening to the heartbroken mare she was inside her torn Wonderbolt costume, “All of them, struck down by the Windigo. They didn't stand a chance, and I couldn't help them.” Spitfire slammed her hoof down hard into the ground, “And I still can't help them.”
Everypony was struck silent by the speech. The silence was deafening, but then, somepony broke it with a loud singsong voice.
“IDEA!”
Everypony looked at Rarity, who had jumped off of the couch. She smiled broadly and looked around at everypony. “I know how we can get inside to the vault!”
Everypony began talking and asking questions at once. Rarity ignored them all and went straight for Spitfire. “If my plan is going to work, we need to trust each other and work as a team. We both want to save Equestria, and if you want to free your friends, then we have to work together. So, are we friends?” 
Rarity extended her hoof out to Spitfire. She blinked solemnly, and she extended her own hoof to shake. “Sure. Sorry about all that before. Heh. Maybe I'm a bit of a drama-queen!”
Rarity smiled back and said, “Ha! Sorry sister, but I'm the drama-empress!”
Everypony shared a long laugh from this. Rainbow Dash flew over to Rarity and said, “Come on! Come on! What's your plan?”
Rarity nodded, “Okay. Twilight, we're gonna need the Ponyville municipal hot air balloon, lots of dirt to make convincing looking scuff marks, and a spell that can make magical chains!”


Princess Platinum looked out at the unmoving Sun as she sat on her throne taping her hoof impatiently. It would be absolutely roguish and barbaric to be the first to attack, but waiting for either the Pegasi or the Earth Ponies to start the war was so boring. She really wished they would hurry up so it would all be done with, for there was no way they could possibly out triumph over the magic of the unicorns!
Chocolate Sun walked into the room and said, “Announcing: most loyal of vigilantes, Twilight Sparkle and Rarity!”
The two unicorns entered and bowed in the presence of the new Princess.
“Oh, it's you.”
Rarity's head jerked up as she stared at Jet Set and Upper Crust.
“You know her?” Platinum asked slowly.
“Yes. Not the most sophisticated of ponies, but what would you expect from Ponyville!” Jet Set said snootily.
Platinum "humphed" and gazed at the two unicorns. "I've heard a little about you. Descendant of Clover the Clever, and descendant of. . . me. . ." she said regally, tapping her front hooves together slowly.
Twilight gulped and said, "Yes Your Majesty. We decided to capture a couple of rebellious rejects for you. Perhaps they have information you can use. They're waiting in the hall."
"Send them in," Platinum said with a smile.
The doors opened, and in came Pavise, Spitfire, and the rest of the Mane Six, all bound in chains made of magical energy.
Platinum took a long, good look at the ponies, and then turned to Twilight and Rarity. Then, she began to chuckle, quietly at first. Almost out of disbelief. Then, the chuckle began to grow into a laugh, still out of disbelief. But then, the laugh rose in volume and in strength, until it became a laugh of ultimate triumph.
Rarity and Twilight quickly exchanged nervous glances. Platinum suddenly jumped up to her hooves and looked both ponies in the eye. "Do you think I am a fool!?"
On cue, the doors opened again, and in walked in Trixie and Prince Blueblood.
"You!" Rarity and Twilight said as if on reflex.
The two blue unicorns just stood there, both smiling victoriously.
Platinum sat back on her throne and said, "My Royal Adviser and my Royal Consort told me all about you two trouble makers. Goodness gracious, you fill me with shame Rarity. Perhaps I should've been more careful when putting my Stallion Stable together. . ." Platinum froze when her ears caught up to what she just said. Her cheeks turned red for a second, but then she shook it off an continued, "Anyway, I know you," she pointed to each of the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony, "Are the wielders of those Element thingies locked in the vault. You obviously want to use them to stage a coup d'état."
"That's silly, we aren't chickens. Why would we want a chicken coup?" Pinkie suddenly piped up innocently
Platinum ground her teeth together, "For once in his pathetic Pegasus life, Hurricane was right! Earth Ponies are numb-skulls! All right guards, you may arrest them now!"
About twenty unicorn guards charged into the room.
"Scatter!" Twilight exclaimed as she dispelled her chain energy spell.
The next few minutes were complete and utter chaos. Spells were hurled back and forth with without a care, and hooves were thrust forcefully into faces. Flashes, explosions, battle cries, and clouds of magical smoke filled the throne room. It was a terrible symphony of cacophony set to the rhythm of Platinum shrieks of rage.
"GET THEM! GET THEM! KILL THEM! WOUND THEM! ANYTHING! JUST GET THEM!"
After what felt like hours, the smoke cleared, revealing that a majority of the unicorn guards were unconscious. A group of five had captured Pavise and Spitfire, and had them bound in magical chains similar to Twilight's. 
However, the Mane Six were no where to be seen.
"FIND THEM!" Platinum shrieked.
Suddenly, another guard rushed in, "Your Majesty! The Pegasi and Earth Ponies have mobilized! An Earth Pony army is coming from Appleloosa, and a Pegasi army is headed here from Cloudsdale! They'll be intersecting at Saddle Plain, alongside the rails of the Friendship Express.
Platinum sprang up onto her hooves with eyes sparkling, "Perfect! We can kill two inferior races with one stone!"
"But your Majesty, what about-?" Upper Crust began, but Platinum cut her off.
"I'm sure my Adviser and Consort can take care of our six traitors. Ha! I bet their on their trails right now! As for these two Pegasi, they can rot in the dungeon! I have an army to lead, and a war to win!"
Pavise and Spitfire glared daggers at Platinum as the guards led them away.



The Mane Six hurriedly ran down the hall toward the vault where the Elements of Harmony were kept.
POOF!
Two unicorns appeared in their path in a puff of smoke.
"Halt!" Prince Blueblood shouted
SMASH!
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!"
Everypony gaped at the hole Prince Blueblood had made in the stained glass window of Discord. In one swift motion, Rarity had leapt forward and bucked the Prince right through it.
"What?" Rarity said nonchalantly, dusting off her mane with her hoof, "He'll live. I'd say it's only a few yards down to the sculpture garden."
Trixie stomped her hoof and said, "You may be able to kick off that idiot, but you cannot best the Great and Powerful Trixie in battle!"
Twilight stepped forward and said, "Trixie, you could join us."
"Never!"
"Trixie, think! All ponies should be in harmony! Think of what Platinum represents!"
"Do you think the Great and Powerful Trixie cares!" the azure unicorn shot back, "At least in her world, unicorns such as the Great and Powerful Trixie are respected and given power! Power to rule!"
"Come on Twilight," Dash said, "She's not gonna listen no matter what you say. We gotta take her down."
"I know," Twilight said sadly, but then she glared at their foe and said, "But leave her to me!"
"I wouldn't have it any other way, Sparkle!" Trixie spat.
And then, they went at it.