Author's Note

Warning: this chapter will have a near suicide attempt. Also hover over the spoiler after you read for a bit of character information. The villain of this story is Starlight Glimmer from the story "The Friendship test" by Magpiepony
Before you ask the train Rarity Encountered is not a Thomas character but rather a character from a short film that has gone viral.

A Test Against Time: Part 1

Rarity walked through the streets of Ponyville one crisp evening. Her face looking devoid of life. It had been weeks since that fateful day. The day she lost her best friends to Starlight Glimmer's own friendship test. After that experience Starlight vanished and was never seen or heard from again. The Royal Guards tried searching for her but it was no luck. Spike, devastated was taken back to Canterlot and is currently residing in the castle. To Rarity finding the killer and Spike's wellbeing were the least of her worries.

Ever since the test, she suffered nightmares and would cry herself to sleep. Many ponies tried to comfort her and give condolence but she turned them away, including her parents and Sweetie Belle. Nothing would ever cheer her up and that to her was telling her to take a walk to a place where she could end it all. She walked right outside town and soon came to her destination. A set of Railroad tracks. She stared at them for a bit before stepping on and sitting down facing one direction.

Then a faint whistle sounded. It echoed through the night. Rarity, for the first time in a few weeks smiled for she knew what that whistle meant. "Trains... They can take you anywhere, more importantly they can take you away. Don't worry my friends. I'll be joining you all soon."

She closed her eyes as she felt a rumbling beneath her followed by the sounds of metal wheels on rails. She just waited hoping for this to be quick. Then, to her surprise, she heard the sounds of metal screeching. This was odd to her she knew the train was close but she felt it was still too far for the engineer to acknowledge there was something on the track. Soon came the sounds of a groan followed by hissing steam. Rarity opened her eyes but in front of her wasn't the usual small pink train, but instead was something bigger. She looked up to see a pair of red glowing eyes staring down at her.

Meanwhile Starlight Glimmer herself was in a hotel in Manehattan. She knew it wouldn't be long now. She had everything she needed to flee the country by boat. Tomorrow she would sail away from Equestria and hopefully find some place to lay low. Her disguise hasn't failed her yet.

It all worked so well. Her so called friendship test was success to her. True she only spared one pony but she knew Rarity was already broken. She couldn't help but look back on the test and grinned.

Then to her surprise came a knocking. "Room service." Came a voice.

Starlight was confused. She didn't order any room service. Either way she went to the door and there standing was a pegasus in a bellboy uniform with a suitcase. Now Starlight was even more confused. Why would bellboy also be room service as well. "There must be some mistake. I didn't order anything."

The Stallion smiled as he pulled something out of the suitcase. "I know, I just wanted to get inside without security noticing same as you trying to flee the country. After what you did in Ponyville."

Starlight gasped but before she could say or do anything, a baseball bat has struck her in the face. Her head got filled with pain as she passed out on the floor.