Seven:
Then;
"So this is Tambleon, huh?" Rainbow dash asked. "Huh, it's not much bigger than ponyville."
The Ponies walked through the gates of the town, and found themselves in a settlement somewhat larger than Ponyville. The buildings and homes were much more closely packed together though, and a huge stone wall surrounded the town.
"Why'd they build this big, scary looking wall around the town, huh?" Pinkie pie asked curiously.
"The Purple mountains is rough country, Sugar Cube." Applejack replied nervously. "That big scary wall probably keeps even scarier stuff outside."
Fluttershy looked over at the armored guards, that lined the walls. "But with all these big strong stallions here, we should be safe... right?"
"Excuse me ladies." One of the guards asked politely, approaching the six mares. "But you don't look like soldiers. What in the name of Celestia has brought you to this forsaken place?"
"I am here on the request of her royal highness, Princess Celestia." Twilight Sparkle replied, unrolling a scroll, and showing it to the guard. "She has commanded me to inspect the laboratories and facilities that Luna has established here."
"Yep, it has the royal seal and everything." The guard stallion frowned, looking at the scroll, and reading it over. He motioned to one of his lieutenants. "Soldier, get these ladies inside, and get them rooms for the night."
"Yes sir." A pegasus sentry saluted his officer, then turned to the six mares. "Ladies, if you'll please follow me."
"Finahlly, we're goin inside where it's nice ahnd warm." Applejack sighed with relief.
"I can't wait to get my hoovsies warm by a fire!" Pinkie Pie giggled, hopping behind the guard.
"Looks like a nasty snow storm is blowing up." Rainbow Dash replied, flying up in the air to look at the skies. "Why would your Pegasus schedule a snowstorm this big and dangerous?"
"The Pegasus don't control the weather here in the Purple mountains, Miss Dash." The guard replied grimly. "His elevated eminence forbids us from using magic to manipulate any of the environment here in his dominions. We are permitted to have a town in these mountains by his leave, after all."
"And the animals take care of themselves, too?" Fluttershy asked nervously.
"Yep, we ponies only have to take care of ourselves." The soldier replied. "That's what frees us up to work on the projects Princess Luna wants us to accomplish."
"That is so creepy!" Rainbow Dash replied.
"Yeah, it's really spooky." Rarity agreed. "I hope we don't have to stay here too long."
It was at that point that the sun began to set.
"We'd better get inside, girls." Twilight Sparkle remarked. "It gets even colder after sunset."
The Six mares followed the sentry to their quarters.
...
The caverns of the north were not a place that any civilized pony would go... dreary, dark, and damp, they provided little protection from the bitter cold outside. Even the Griffons who dwelled in these mountains avoided them like the plague. It was here that many bands of outlaws and brigands made their home, raiding across the borders into both the Griffon kingdom and Equestria.
It was one such band of uncouth ruffians that Midnight now found himself amongst. Information he had found on the black market had allowed him to locate the right cave, and Unicorn magic had allowed him to teleport there. The Troggles, a band of Goblins with animal-like features, threatened him with spears when he appeared inside their cavern. But his gift with words soon won him an audience with their leader.
Grogar was a terrifying sight to behold... even for a pony. A large ram with curled horns and grey fur, he towered over every other creature standing in the cavern. Once a street thief from the slums of Manehatten, Grogar had worked his way up the criminal ladder, despite the fact of his species being at the bottom of the pony-dominated Equestrian social ladder. Eventually, his criminal activities got him banished from Equestria... and he ended up out here, in the wastes.
"So let me get this straight, Unicorn." Grogar hissed. "You wish for my soldiers and I to attack and raid Tambleon... so that you may put on a display to 'defeat' us?"
"Yes, I will lower the city's magic defenses for you, and arrange for there to be a weak spot in the city's wall guard." Midnight replied. "When you have caused enough damage, I will step in and use the rainbow of darkness to make a display of defeating you. Of course, any items -or any pony- your band may come across during your raid may be kept as treasure you can horde... or as slaves you can sell."
"And what is it that you seek, Midnight?" Grogar hissed. "What is it that makes you wish to sell out your own kind?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Midnight replied defensively. " What I do, I do to save ponykind from itself!"
"Ponyfeathers! My informants in Equestria tell me exactly who and what you are!" The oversized ram hissed. "You are a unicorn mage, who has spent your whole life seeking perfection!"
"Shut your mouth, you old goat!" Midnight snapped. "You know nothing about me!"
"I know about how you were kicked out of Celestia's school of magic, for your cruel and unethical experiments." The Goat taunted him. "And I know how you abandoned your own Pegasus wife and Unicorn daughter in Ponyville, because they didn't match your vision of perfection."
"Stop it!" Midnight yelled. "That is enough!"
"I can understand not wanting to be married to a cross-eyed mail mare." Grogar drove the knife home. "But why throw away a perfectly good unicorn child? Is that why you seek Princess Luna's attention? To create an even more perfect offspring?"
"I SAID ENOUGH!" Dark energy exploded and crackled out of Midnight's horn, and his eyes burned with rage. "You know nothing of me, nor why I've made the choices I've made! Now will you help me or will you not?"
"Very well. We shall attack Tambleon in three days!" Gryogar smiled, pleased he had gotten under this pony's skin. "Make sure all preparations are ready by then."
"Excellent." Midnight replied, calming himself down. "I had best be on my way, then. This will be an event that the ponies of Equestria will not soon forget..."
...
"This is unbearable, Celestia!" Princess Luna yelled in anger. "Why do you not even trusteth us to run the affairs of our own court?"
The moon princess was in the great hall of Canterlot, the Unicorn Skyrunner at her side. She was standing before her older sister, trying her best to keep her anger in check.
"That I trust you, should be shown in the fact that I told you I was sending Twilight Sparkle and her friends, to inspect the facility you've been running." Celestria replied matter-of-factly. "I trust you implicitly, little sister. But I do not trust those you have surrounded yourself with."
"Princess Celestia." Sky Runner replied respectfully. "We hold the highest ethical standards at the Luna academy. All of our subjects are volunteers, who are perfectly aware of consequences of the magical alterations that are being done to them. We are only paving the way for the changes to pony society that progress will bring...exploring new frontiers, advancing knowledge-"
"Pony society does not need to change." Celestia replied firmly "Ponies do not want things to change. Change is chaos, and the result of chaos is Discord...you two had best remember that."
As Celestia and her guards trotted off, Luna fumed at her sisters actions.
"She had no right to speak to you like that, my lady." Sky Runner nuzzled her reassuringly. "But I'm sure wants she didn't mean to..."
"Our sister beith a good and kind ruler." Luna told him. "But she doth be an extremely stubborn mare, and set in her ways. When we did bring defeat upon the vile Discord, we foundeth a world in Chaos, and we did create the stability and order of Equestria, to endeth the suffering of ponykind."
"Celestia fears any kind of major change, because she fears the return of instability and Chaos." Skyrunner replied, realizing what Luna was getting at. "And your descent into Nightmare Moon didn't help matters any, did it?"
"It did make her fear of dissent and change from the status quo even worse." Luna then shook her mane. "We wish she -and all the ponies of Equestria- would see that I'm only trying to make life better for Equines."
"I'm sure she'll see you're only trying to help ponykind." Skyrunner smiled. "And besides... I will always believe in you."
"We are glad for your comfort and support." Luna smiled, and nuzzled him back. "Now, even is coming... why don't we go and set up for my evening court?"
The two ponies trotted off, trying not to think of the troubles all around them...
...
The guard had shown the six mares to a rather comfortable room, and it was not long before they were in their beds, and trying to get to sleep.
But as they had on the train trip to Apploosa, they were more in a mood to talk than sleep. This time, however... Rarity was in more of a mood to chat, as well.
"So, what did you girls think about those Stallions?" Rarity asked the others.
"Why is your mind on guys so much, Rarity?" Rainbow Dash asked, annoyed. "Either guys, or girly stuff."
"I dunno, I thought those guards were mighty fine." Applejack replied with a smirk.
"I'll second that." Twilight Sparkle agreed.
"Ugh! Honestly, Twilight!" Rarity scoffed "What is it with you, Applejack, and Fluttershy having a thing for big and buff Stallions?"
"Hey, I like my men with a brain, to go with that brawn- thank you very much." Twilight replied. "And... Maybe some sideburns."
"And my stallion has to kind, as well as strong." Fluttershy replied softly, hiding her strong blush. The other girls knew it was hard for her to even talk about this stuff.
"What is it about you and Pinky Pie havin' a thing for pretty boys, Rarity?" Applejack shot back sarcastically. "That really paid off with Celestia's nephew, didn't it?"
"I thought we agreed never to speak of that again." Rarity growled.
"Hey, I don't just want a guy who is pretty!" Pinky Pie replied, giggling. "I also want a pretty guy who knows how to party!"
"Uuuurgh! Look, girls... I'm just really, really tired tonight." Rainbow Dash grumbled in disgust, "Let's just get some sleep, okay?"
"Good night, everypony." Twilight Sparkle replied, turning off the light. "See you in the morning."