//------------------------------//
// Chapter Five 
// Story: Dark Side of the Moon 
// by jessietiptoes 
//------------------------------//

	"Slate, I'm sending you to my highest ranking Pegasus guard," Luna said as she strode through the castle's apple orchard. Shadows seemed to move on the own accord as the moon cast an eerie light on the castle grounds.
"Why?" Slate asked, following close behind the princess, Midnight Rose at his side. 
"I want you to be a scout. My eyes in the sky," Luna answered. "And I want General Stonehoof to train you as one of the Lunar Guard." Slate grew excited, his thoughts wandering. Though he may be handpicked by the Princess of the Night to be her personal scout, he was still just a colt at heart.
"General Stonehoof?" asked the ever-curious Midnight. Luna nodded distractedly. "I've never heard of him. I've heard of General MacTrotter, though."
"MacTrotter is the leader of the Solar Guard," Luna said bitterly. "Stonehoof prefers to stay out of the trivial disputes between Celestia and the Griffon Empire."
"Well, MacTrotter certainly won't be ordering me around," Slate scoffed, smirking. Luna wheeled around, dropping her head in order to look both foals straight in the eyes.
"I want you two to listen carefully," Luna murmured forcefully. "Celestia must not receive warning of our uprising. If MacTrotter, or one of the Solar Guard, or even Celestia herself gives you an order, accept the order and come straight to me. I will see that whatever task you are assigned is carried out. Am I understood?"
Midnight and Slate nodded vigorously. 
"Good. Now. Midnight, you are to wait here. I will take Slate to the Lunar training facilities," The princess said, lifting her head. Midnight nodded, making herself comfortable underneath a particularly large apple tree. Luna unfurled her wings, motioning to Slate to do the same. Alicorn and Pegasus launched themselves into the air, Luna in the lead. 
"Where exactly are these facilities, Princess?" Slate shouted over the rushing wind. 
"Very near the northern edge of our border with the Griffon Empire," Luna answered. The orchards beneath them slowly morphed into treacherous cliffs and outcroppings of rock, before leveling into a flat clearing of stone. Directly in the center of this clearing was a tower, where a dark blue Pegasus pony stood guard. 
The armor he wore was much like that of the Solar guards Slate often saw in Canterlot. The main differences, he noticed, were the dark purple hue of the metal, and the pony's wings. Instead of the soft feathers Slate was used to, this pony's wings were leathery and bat-like. 
Luna noticed Slate's confusion. "The wings are not a permanent mutation. There is a charm on the back plate of the armor, transforming the wings into a more manageable form. Once the armor is removed, your wings will be back to normal," she explained.
"I get a suit of armor?" Slate asked excitedly. 
Luna chuckled. "You will receive the armor, and a training suit. General Stonehoof will inform of when you are to wear each one."
Gradually, Luna began to descend to the stony ground below. Knowing his royal etiquette, Slate let the princess touch down first before landing gently beside her. From the shadows stepped a tall, rugged looking stallion. His charcoal coat was not brushed. His black mane was swept to one side, and a lighter gray scar sliced across his muzzle. Like the guardpony in the tower, this heavyset stallion had those bat-like wings. 
"Your Highness," The stallion said, his voice harsh and gravelly. He had a heavy Trottish accent.
"General Stonehoof," Luna said. "This is your apprentice, Slate.
"Hope ye don't expect easy work, lad. Ye ain't slackin' off out 'ere," Stonehoof growled.
Despite the uneasy feeling in his gut, Slate stood tall and said, "No, Sir!" Stonehoof appraised Slate quickly, then gave an approving nod to Luna.
"'E'll do well, I think," Stonehoof said. "Strong wings, strong back, regards authority with respect. Lad'll be just fine."
"This is where I leave you, Slate," Luna said. "Make your way back to the palace at dawn."
"Yes, Ma'am," Slate said, bowing respectfully. Luna took to the skies, angling herself towards the palace. 
"Well then, Slate," Stonehoof said, giving the colt a once-over. "Are ye ready to begin yer trainin'?"
"Yes, Sir!" Slate said, saluting quickly. Stonehoof chuckled.
"No need ta be so formal, laddie. I don't bite," The General told him, winking good-naturedly. Slate relaxed, taking a liking to Stonehoof's attitude. 
"Sir, what exactly am I here to learn? The princess didn't tell me much," Slate explained.
"The majority of your trainin' will be in air combat," Stonehoof began. "Since ye'll be a scout, we'll also be workin' on sharpenin' yer eyesight."
Slate nodded, his mind absorbing this. He would be an important asset to Luna's army, this he knew. And maybe someday, he could be a great warpony like Stonehoof.


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"Midnight, I believe your magic is strong enough now to move away from defensive spells, and towards offensive spells," Luna told her young prodigy as she returned to the apple orchard.
"Really?" Midnight's eyes grew wide at the thought of advancing in her studies. Luna chuckled to herself. Midnight Rose was so much like Twilight Sparkle. The only difference was, Midnight was far more advanced for her age than Twilight ever had been.
"Before we begin, I want to take you somewhere," Luna said, making Midnight's ears droop just the tiniest bit. "I am going to put a disguise over myself, so that I will not be seen for who I am."
Midnight was confused, but knew better than to ask too many questions. Luna's horn glow a deep blue, and a shimmering aura fell over the princess. When the curtain of magic lifted, a smaller pony stood where Luna had been. This pony had the same color scheme as the princess, but her mane did not glisten and undulate on it own, and her wings had disappeared. This was the figure of a common-pony with a simple three star cutie mark, not that of a regal Alicorn who literally held the night at the tip of her horn.
"Follow me," said the disguised Luna. Midnight did as she was told. Quickly, the two exited the palace grounds. Instead of heading towards downtown Canterlot as they normally would, Luna directed them to the West End of Canterlot. Midnight's confusion heightened. The West End was the poor side of Canterlot. The ponies there were sometimes known to be dangerous, but much of the time they hid in alleys and kept to themselves, hungry and scared.
The streets darkened considerably, seeing as the street lamps here were very poorly maintained, and many were completely burnt out, or at the very least flickering. Midnight's eyes darted about in an attempt to stay aware of her surroundings. Luna walked with her head down and her eyes directly ahead. 
The princess turned down a pitch-black alley between a small bakery and a rather large library.
"Midnight, light your horn," Luna commanded. Quickly, Midnight allowed magic to flow from her horn in the form of light. The young pupil was momentarily blinded. 
When Midnight opened her eyes, she gasped in horror. She was not prepared for the suffering she saw before her. Ponies of every race lay throughout the alley, barely eight feet wide. Foals shivered in groups in the corners. An emaciated Pegasus mare lay on her side in a pool of her own vomit, her sides barely lifting with breath. A Unicorn stallion stood not far from the mare, his eyelids twitching erratically. Every pony in the alley was sick or starving, injured or dying. Their coats were patchy, their manes unkempt.
Tears sprung to Midnight's eyes as she turned to her princess-in-disguise. 
"Tis heart-breaking, is it not?" Luna said sadly, slipping back into her old language. "These ponies need the help of their princesses more than anything, and yet, Celestia does nothing. She is deaf to the cries of the sick and the hungry. Twilight Sparkle is too brain-washed to go against her beloved mentor. She too will pay no mind to the suffering that lies beneath her hooves."
Midnight's jaw went slack as anger boiled through her veins. "You mean... Celestia knows about this?!"
Luna nodded gravely as she watched her subjects cower at the sight of a healthy pony.
Midnight's decision had been made. She would stand by Luna. For as long as these ponies lived under these conditions, the Equestrian rule was corrupt, and only Luna could save it.