Freedom is a Rarity

The CHS band room that the Rainbooms always practiced in held the same, normal scene. Rainbow was sitting on a chair, flirting with Fluttershy, who was in her lap, Sunset was talking to Twilight, who was cleaning her glasses as she listened to her new friend, and Pinkie was practicing on her drums. Yep, everything was normal at that moment. However, a moment doesn't last forever,"Guys!" Applejack yelled as the teen barged into the room, throwing the door open, fresh tears still falling from her eyes and staining her cheeks.

"What's wrong AJ?!" Pinkie exclaimed as everyone gave the farm girl their attention,"And where's Rarity?!"

"I...I don't know how...but...but...Trenderhoof got her! They're both gone!" Her words caused everyone to gasp, and eyes to fill with fear.

"How is that possible? She said she wouldn't leave the room until you got there!" Twilight said, placing her glasses on her face.

"Like ah said, I don't know, but whatever he did, he has her now, and we gotta find her before he...he..." Applejack broke down into tears, and Fluttershy was instantly at her side, hugging her.

"We'll find her Applejack, but we can't find her by just sitting here doing nothing! I say we head to the police station and tell them what's happened." The shy teen said, earning a nod from everyone but Twilight.

"As much as I would love to do that, we don't have solid proof that he took her, and a person can't be considered missing until forty-eight hours after their disappearance." She explained, adjusting her glasses.

"How do you know that?" Sunset asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I watch a lot of documentaries about this kind of scenario."

"Well if we have to wait until Wednesday to report this to the cops, then we need to try and find her ourselves! Come on!" Rainbow commanded, beginning to run out the door when Fluttershy grabbed her arm.

"Dashie, we don't even know where to begin looking! We need to look for clues as to where he might have taken her."

"Good point...let's go talk to Mrs. Cherrilee! She teaches Algebra II, maybe she can point us in the right direction." Rainbow concluded, and the girls ran down the hallways, hoping the teacher hadn't left yet.

"...and so we need to know if you happen to see where they went!" Applejack finished plea in her eyes.

"Well, I remember seeing the two leave the room together, and if my memory is correct, they got into a blue Toyota, and after a few moments of talking, they headed down Firestone Alley."

"Wow...that's very important information! Thank you!" Twilight said gratefully before the girls took off toward Fluttershy's van.

"Good luck ladies!" Cherrilee called, before sighing,"If only I had known, I wouldn't have let her leave..."

"I'll drive!" Rainbow said, jumping into the car and starting the car, while AJ got into the passenger seat, and the others in the seats behind them.

"Why can't I drive?" Applejack asked as Rainbow began to speed down the road, driving at the exact speed limit of fifty-five.

"Because you're upset, and behind the wheel, your emotions can set your speed," Rainbow responded.

"Fine..."

"Let's just hope that they stayed on this road, and didn't take many turns..." Pinkie sighed, and the others gently nodded in agreement.

The car ride was silent, Rarity silently struggled against her bonds, but unfortunately, the knots were too tight. Nearly an hour had passed, they had pulled onto a highway, and were traveling as fast as possible. Rarity had finally worked up the courage to speak,"Where are we going?" Her voice cracked slightly from crying.

"Why do you care?" He asked, voice low and almost emotionless.

"I just...wanted to know..."

"If you must know, I'm taking you to Everfree. I have an old cabin there where you'll be staying for a while." Rarity sighed, looking at the floor of the car," Aw, don't look so glum Princess," He giggled,"It's not you I'm even after."

"Then why take me...?"

"Once you're out of the way, Applejack will be alone, and I can take what I want. You are my bait," Rarity's mouth dropped, her crestfallen mood turned to anger that was hard to hide, as she finally understood his plan.

"You...You're crazy! She is going to be with our friends looking for me! I seriously doubt she is going to be alone anytime soon!"

"So you think...just sit back and relax, the show will begin soon, for me anyway," Though she was slightly confused by this, she assumed he had a plan for everything, and simply slumped in her seat, looking, and failing, to find any kind of escape.

It was nearly sundown when Trenderhoof finally pulled up to the cabin. Rarity's breath quickened slightly as he approached her side of the car, and lifted her bridal-style from the car, and carried her inside. She attempted to struggle but failed to free herself,"Stop struggling my dear, it's no use."

As they entered the house, he brought her to a small room, that held nothing but a bucket, a blanket, and a pillow. Rarity realized that he had probably been here before in case he had to take her. He placed her on the floor and used a knife to cut the ropes on her wrists and ankles, and clamped a chain around her ankles, it was attached to the wall,"Make yourself comfortable," he laughed before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. Rarity sighed as tears once again filled her eyes and were slowly falling to the floor. She curled up on the floor, laying her head on the pillow before whispering,

"Please, Jackie...stay with our friends..."

"Applejack we have been driving all day, we will keep looking tomorrow, let's just stay at my place for the night," Pinkie groaned as the girls continued to try and coax Applejack out of the car.

"We can't stop lookin'! We don't know what he'll do to her!" Applejack cried, tears welling up in her eyes.

"AJ! It's sunset! We won't make any progress while we're tired and it's dark! We will continue looking as soon as the sun comes up! Now get your butt in this house before I use The Stare on you and we have to drag you inside!" Fluttershy yelled, and almost instantly, Applejack was out of the car.

All evening the girls were comforting Applejack, hoping she would cry herself to sleep. Of course, they were all thinking what their friend was hoping, that Rarity was okay.

"Good morning Princess," Trend said soothingly as he placed two apples and a bottle of water in front of his prisoner, who had just woken up,"Thought I would leave you some food. I'll be back...soon..." He cackled before leaving the room, locking the door and leaving the cabin, locking the front door.

Rarity sighed and faced the wall, she wasn't hungry, and she didn't know when he would bring her food again, and sparing it was essential,"Ugh! Stop moping Rarity! You have to get out of here! There's no telling what he is going to do to her!" A smile then came to her, and she ran her fingers through her unkempt hair,"Bingo!" Pulling a hairpin from her hair, she began to work on the chains locked around her ankle.