Eight:
Now;
"Everypony look out!" Bow Tie shrieked. "It's the Strydons!"
She and Applejack galloped up over the hill, to where the other six mares stood. Quickly on their taills came four small size green dragons, each with a Troggle on his back, armed with their enchanted spears. Immediately, Twilight sprang into action.
"Girls, into a protective circle, NOW!" The pink Unicorn snapped. "North Star, Wind Whistler, get back to Galaxy and help her!" The two Pegasus nodded and flew off. The Six Strydons circled overhead, slowly closing in on the Ponies.
"Ooooh, six little ponies!" One of the troggles sneered. "Lord Tirek be very pleased with this catch!"
"Tirek? But that's impossible!" Medley Wailed. "We killed him... with the rainbow of Light!"
"Somebody forgot to tell him that!" Firefly replied sarcastically.
One of the Strydons dove at Applejack, who spun around and horse kicked the beast right in the face, nearly breaking it's jaw. Another dove at Firefly, who looped around in midair onto the dragon's back, and headbutted the Troggle rider off.
"Ponies can fight back!" One of the troggles yelled. "Blast them!"
One of the Strydons let out a stream of fire at Bow Tie, who leapt high into the air out of the way. Pulling off one of her ribbons with her teeth, she whipped it around the Strydon's legs, and yanked both beast and rider down.
"Learned that trick from Applejack!" Bow Tie laughed at Troggles. "My ribbons aren't just for decoration!"
"Ponies no make fun of Troggles!" The three grounded Troggles pointed their enchanted spears at the mares on the ground and fired energy blasts.
"Look Out!" The ponies dodged in every direction, and made for cover.
At that moment, two of the Troggles flew up beside Medley, who was dashing this way and that in a frenzy. The two foes threw a net over the panicking Pegasus.
"Got Her!" One of the monsters yelled in triumph.
"No! Nooooo!" Medley screamed in terror. "Lemme go! AIEEEEEEEEE!"
The Troggles quickly discovered the source of Medley's name and musical cutie mark, as her high pitched shriek made her captors grab their ears in pain, and drop the net. Still in a panic, Medley quickly zoomed well out of their reach.
As the Troggles continued to fire at the ponies, Twilight and Glory teleported behind the foes.
"Glory, fry 'em!" The two unicorns fired two powerful blasts of lightning from their horns, vaporizing the three troggles at such a close range, and leaving only three piles of ash behind.
"Troggles, Flee!" One of the ones still in the air exclaimed. "Ponies too strong!"
The remaining troggles and Strydons flew off in a panic.
"Yeah, you keep running!" Firefly yelled in defiance. "And tell Tirek if he comes after us again, well kick his sorry flank, too!"
"Well done, girls!" Twilight said with a smile. "You did the Dream Valley herd proud today!"
"Nice job, Medley!" Firefly congratulated her friend. "Your voice is so bad, it'll give those uglies a headache for a week!"
"Thanks." The neurotic Pegasus replied uncertainly. "I think."
"Wow, that was amazing!" Bow Tie yelled excitedly. "I bet you never saw action like that back in Equestria, huh Applejack?"
"Equestria?" Twilight asked in confusion. "What in the world are you talking about?"
...
"WHAT!" Twilight shrieked in surprise. "YOU'RE HOW OLD?"
"Hm, you took that better than I thought you would." Applejack replied calmly.
"How could you not have told me this?" Twilight asked angrily. "I'm supposed to be your best friend!"
"You never asked." Applejack replied. "Besides, would you have believed me?"
"But Bow Tie would believe you?" Twilight growled.
"Twilight, enough!" Glory stopped her, taking charge. "So Applejack, you said you were friends with Twilight Sparkle in Ancient Ponyville, correct?"
"Yes, indeed I was." Applejack replied matter of factly. She looked around at the ruins. "Ponyville looked a lot different back then, though."
"Can you tell us what the message that her ancestor left for Twilight means?"
"Actually, as much as I want to... ah, no, I can't."
"Wait." Twilight asked, confused. "Why can't you-"
"Because honestly, Twi, I don't remember."
"Hang on a sec." Firefly interjected. "How can you not remember?"
"A side effect of the magic that kept me from aging." Applejack replied. "As the centuries pass, more and more of my oldest memories fade into oblivion."
"So you forget more stuff as you get older."
"Yep, the stuff father back gets hazier and hazier." AJ replied sadly. "It's been so long, I can't even remember what Apple Bloom's voice sounded like anymore."
"Not to interrupt." Bow Tie spoke up. "But if Tiek's involved, we should go back and report this to queen majesty, at once."
"I agree." Galaxy concurred, trotting up behind them with Wind Whistler and North Star in tow. "You three should head back to Dream Castle, we'll inform the ponies of Paradise estate of the situation."
"Ah, girls." Twilight replied with sigh of relief. "I'm glad you survived the battle."
"It takes more than a few Strydons to keep us down." North Star replied. "Besides, this is nothing compared to some of the other adventures I've had."
"Twilight, do you want me to go back to the Estate with them?" Wind Whistler asked.
"No, Wind Whistler." Twilight replied. "You need to inform the other pony herds of Ponyland that Tirek is back. And inform all the other races, as well."
The Pegasus pony nodded. "I shall endeavor to carry out the task you have given me to the best of my ability." With that, she and North Star flew off, while Galaxy teleported away.
"Come on girls." Twilight replied grimly. "We need to get back to Dream Castle as soon as possible."
Most of the trip back was passed in silence, until Bow Tie spoke up.
"Applejack, what was Equestria like?" She hesitated. "What you remember of it, I mean?"
"Calm and peaceful." Applejack smirked. "Way more calm and peaceful than ponyland is now. I mean, this place always seems like there is a new enemy just waiting around the corner to crush and enslave ponykind."
"What were some of the worst enemies you had to deal with in Ponyville then?" Firefly asked. "Was it fighting a herd of fire-breathing dragon? Or maybe an evil sorceress?"
"Actually outside of Nightmare Moon, a few Changelings, and Discord... we didn't have many threats in the old days." Applejack admitted sheepishly. "The worst we ever got in Ponyville was a parasprite infestation, and a bunny rabbit stampede through the center of town."
"Wow, and we deal with bloodthirsty trolls and evil wizards on a daily basis." Twilight replied sarcastically. "You Equestrians had it sooo hard!"
"Would you please stop being so sour at me, Twi?" Applejack pleaded with her. "I had my reasons for not telling you!"
"All this time I thought you were a member of the Apple Family, a descendant of the Harmony bearers, like me!" Twilight snapped. "But here you were, a living legend I could've asked so many of my questions to, and you didn't say anything!"
"Questions I could barely have remembered the answers to, my friend." Applejack insisted. "My memories of those days come and go."
"Uh huh, right. You're nothing like the histories portray you." Twilight shot back "Honest Applejack my flank!"
The orange earth Pony merely glared at her, scowling. The Two mares were silent the rest of the way back to dream castle.
...
"What? You failed to capture those ponies?" Tirek roared in a rage.
The Troggles had come back to Canterlot, after having been defeated by the mares. Tirek couldn't believe they had failed to capture four helpless Ponies!
"Sorry master!" One of the Troggles pleaded. "They too strong!"
In a fury, the giant horned Centaur opened the sack sitting on the arm rest of his throne, and unleashed the rainbow of darkness. The black band of living energy leapt out of the bag, and lunged down at the frightened Troggles, coiling around them like a snake. The terrified goblins were quickly consumed by the rainbow before it dove back into the sack Tirek was holding in his hands.
"Hmmm... Clearly these Ponies have gotten stronger since our last encounter." Tirek mused "I'll need to try a different strategy if I am to defeat them, before the gathering darkness covers the land!"
The Dark lord let out a howl of cruel laughter. The mares of dream valley would never know what hit them!
...
"...So that's the whole story, you highness." Twilight said, bowing before Queen Majesty.
After returning to Dream Castle, the six mares had gone to tell the queen about everything that had happened. Majesty sat back on her throne, thoughtful for a moment.
"So you are certain this message came from Twilight Sparkle?" Majesty inquired
"Yes, my queen. Only a mage of her caliber could have put that preservation seal on the box."
Majesty turned to the orange earth pony. "And You, Applejack... you who I invited into my royal court when you had no home, and were starving... you kept this information from me?"
"I am sorry, my queen." Applejack replied sadly, her head down. "I shouldn't have withheld the truth from you."
"It is all right, Applejack. I'm certain you had your reasons." Majesty inclined her head towards Applejack. "And it is we who are honored to have such a famous legend from Equestria's past, walking here among us."
"Thank you, your highness." Applejack replied, embarrassed.
"You what should we do about this, my queen?" Glory asked. "Who would know about Twilight Sparkle, and about what Tirek might be planning?"
"Should we go to the Royal Paradise?" Firefly asked. "The Council of Six Princess Ponies that live there, might be able to help!"
"Yes!" Glory replied excitedly. "The Six princesses each have one of the wands of power, that each contain one of the elements of Harmony! Surely if we combine their power with the power of the rainbow of light-"
"Then go, my Little Ponies." Queen Majesty replied. "Head for the Royal Paradise, while I send a Pegasus over the rainbow, to bring Megan and the Rainbow of light back to Dream Valley."
"Thank you, Majesty." Twilight replied, as she and the other ponies bowed. "We know how vital this mission is, and we shall not fail you."