//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: The Rescue // Story: Equestria Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Nightmare // by sonicdash123 //------------------------------// Twilight laid on the office floor in chains along with Trixie and the princesses as she wanted to know something about Charming Thunder's arm. "Princess?" she asked to Celestia. "What is with Charming's arm? It looks different somehow." "I think I can answer that," Luna said. "A thousand years ago after I became Nightmare Moon, I used my magic to create a glove that will give me unlimited power. When it was done, I was about to destroy my sister with its power, but I was too late to put it on my hoof. The glove teleported along with me to the moon to be banished. When I was up there, I vowed that whoever wear the glove and has taken my powers, I would vow revenge if I was defeated once the stars freed me. And now here we are as my vow came true. Its my fault that all of this happened." Her ears then drooped and laid down on the floor. "I don't blame you, sister," Celestia said. Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Spike were tied up to a wooden pole as they struggled to break free. The mob was blocked by Charming Thunder's shadow forces as they shoved them back. Charming Thunder stood on stage next to the tied up ponies and dragon. He turned to face them as he said, "You six are standing upon the brink of the abyss." He then walked to where Flutershy was and continued. "Yet only now it is not to late. I could spare your lives in on condition; join me or die." Fluttershy head-butts his face and he took a few steps back with his hoof on his face. He then laughed to himself and turned to the audience. "These weaklings have refused to join me and made their decision to die in the hands by my power." Back in the mayor's office, the princesses struggled to get out of their chains except for Trixie who felt ashamed for what she has done. Twilight turned to her and shouted, "Come on, Trixie. Snap out of it. My friends are down there." "Its all my fault," Trixie said. "You got to break these chains," Cadence said. "I can't. I tried. What difference does it make." "But you can't let Nightmare win," Celestia said. "He already has." "So you're just giving up?" Twilight asked. "Just leave me alone," Trixie shouted. A moment of silence broke down in the room until Luna said, "Okay. Okay, Trixie. We'll leave you alone." Silence then came in the room again as the group heard an echo from outside. "And now it is my sworn duty," Charming Thunder announced. "I will send these six back where they belong." He then raised his clawed hand and aura got sucked of the tied up ponies and dragon. "NOOO!!" Trixie shouted as she began to use her strength to break free from the chains. The chains began to break as the princesses did the same. Once her chains broke from the floor, she levitated her lightsaber and teleported out of the mayor's office. The princesses flew out of the window to join her to help free the others. Charming Thunder laughed as he drained the life of the victims. He suddenly got tackled out of nowhere and landed on the ground off of the stage. Trixie lifted her lightsaber and began to strike but it was too late. Charming Thunder turned into mist and flew away from the town to the direction of the castle of the two sisters. The crowd cheered as the princesses arrived on stage. Trixie walked up on stage and began to announce, "Citizens of Ponyville, Charming Thunder has persecuted our people, ransacked our great town. And now help me and the princesses free him from his dark torment. Will we allow him to take over Equestria?" The crowd then cheered and began to march to the castle as a herd of cows. --------------------- Charming Thunder landed at the castle walls next to the shadow soldiers and ordered, "Nopony gets in or out. They are after me and you must guard me with your life. I will be in the throne room if things go wrong." "Yes, sir," the soldier said as he and the others took positions at the wall. They aimed their rifles at the bridge in case they try to cross. As Charming Thunder walked down the stairs, he looked at his wrist gear and pressed a button on it. The mob of ponies along with Trixie approached the bridge to the castle when all of the sudden, a shot hit the ground in front of them. Trixie looked up and saw the snipers at the wall. "Let us handle this," Celestia said as she and the other three princesses spread their wings and flew to the castle walls. They dodged the laser bolts as they flew to the walls. They fired their magic at the shadow troops as they approached. When they landed, the rest of the ponies crossed the bridge and arrived at the front gate. Charming Thunder saw the army approaching and shouted, "BRACE THE GATE!!!" The troops held the gate as the mob tried to break through the castle doors. The doors then shut behind Charming Thunder as he heard the banging from the doors outside. "The Elements of Harmony and I have unfinished business to attend to and this time, the princesses won't stop me." He then used his magic to teleport to the controls to a trap door. "And I know just how to do it." He then chuckled to himself as a roar was heard underground.