A small white cat lay, curled into a ball, on a windowsill in the elegant boutique and residence of Ponyville's premier fashion designer and diva. Silently, the feline slept, its chest rising and falling even despite the commotion playing out just downstairs. However, not even she could slumber through the ruckus of shattering dishware that echoed throughout the building followed by agitated, and moderately angry shouts.

"I will most certainly not go with you to that wretch's castle whether it be by demand or request. I do not have anything I wish to say to any of that structure's residents that would be considered ladylike and so I will be remaining here in my boutique." Rarity glared at the pair of pegasus soldiers she had allowed into her home with distaste. "I was expecting news about the war, not some brutish demand that I return to that dreadful place."

"Miss Rarity. The queen has ordered us to come fetch you. She requests your presence later this evening and has even provided us with the necessary provisions to make a stop in Fillydelphia should you wish to dine before your arrival." The pink stallion spoke as if he were bored of the mare's attitude mixed with mild ire at having a plate smashed upon his helmet.

"My answer is still, no. I do not wish to speak with the queen and so, I ask that you leave so that I may open my shop for the night." With a huff and a raise of her nose, Rarity spun in place and made for the rear of her shop's lobby, busying herself with arranging the ponyquins and a few dresses for display should any clientele aside from her current commissioners decide to visit.

The guard that had been speaking to her loosed an exasperated sigh and turned to leave. "Alright then. The queen suspected you would be hesitant to come and so we have been stationed here for four hours should you change your mind. We will be waiting in the town square."

The pale unicorn watched as the pair of pegasi marched out of her boutique, then returned to her pre-opening duties. "Honestly. Who do they think they are, demanding me to just up and leave my business? And to meet with the murderer of my dearest friend, no less. Hmph!"

She would have killed me! I didn't mean for it to happen....

The white mare stood stiffly as her former friend's words bit at the back of her mind. "Maybe I should have listened to her side of it.... No! I will not. There isn't any way that poor girl could have wanted to kill anypony." Yet, despite her need to defend her deceased companion, the look on Twilight's face when she had uttered that phrase seemed truly desperate. She sighed and halted her setup of the boutique, too distracted to even prepare for the work day. "I should go see how little Spikey-Wikey is doing. I sure hope Apple Jack isn't overworking him. That would be simply dreadful."

The path to the apple farm that housed the orange country mare and her family plus one was littered with the dead leaves of fall, finally beginning to settle since the war cancelled this year's Running. Rarity trotted down the debris-strewn path, cautiously avoiding the dirtiest sections in order to keep her coat pristine. A sudden gust of wind tossed her mane and scarf about causing her to shudder in its cold grip.

"My, this weather has been absolutely horrid. It's going to become too much for the weather ponies soon, if we don't get more here to assist them." Her thoughts turned to her absent friends as her worry for the upcoming winter season weather linked them to the hindrances it would create for any type of fighting. Her heart sank, then filled with anger when her mind drifted towards a certain lavender unicorn. “Why am I worried about her, of all ponies? No, I simply cannot let my anger spoil a meeting with friends.” She cast her gaze down the path and bit her bottom lip. “Friends.... How is Twilight doing? It must be horrible living under that tyrant..., but that still doesn’t excuse her for-”

“Well, howdy Rarity. Fancy meetin’ ya here!” The orange farmer stepped onto the path next to her wearing a large smile followed by an oppositely dispositioned baby dragon. She bumped her rump against the white mare and chuckled when she cringed at the messy earth pony’s contact. “What are ya up to, comin’ all the way down to the farm on a day like this?”

“Ugh, Apple Jack. Do you always have to be so... dirty?” She shivered slightly and took a tentative step away from the apple farmer. “Anyways, I came here to see how Spike was doing. He’s been through so much already and I wanted to make sure you aren’t overworking him.”

“I’m fine, Rarity. I volunteered to help with all of the chores. Not like I have anything better to do, with everyone leaving me....”

Rarity felt another pang of sadness and anger fill her heart at the young dragon’s words and demeanor. And how could she just tell Spike to leave like that? He’s much too young to just brush off as if it were normal. Well! I’ve decided! I’m going to go to that castle and give that mare a piece of my mind! “I’m sorry, Spike. Well, I didn’t only come here to see how you were doing, Spikey-Wikey.” She emphasized the nickname by ruffling his spines before looking back up at Apple Jack. “I also came to tell you that I would be leaving town for the day and, perhaps if it takes longer than I expect, into tomorrow. You see, I have been summoned, again, by Nightmare Moon to, as I assume, make Twilight another dress. I’ll be leaving from the town center as soon as I get there, so could you be a dear and tell Pinkie Pie and Sweetie Belle for me? I mustn't waste anymore time or else those barbarians may simply leave without me.”

Apple Jack nodded and whistled. “Well, shoot. Y’all better be careful, sugarcube. If ya find it to be dangerous, just high tail it on outta there. Who knows what that mare’ll do.” She tilted her stetson up and smiled at the unicorn. “Don’t ya worry none, though. Ah’ll be sure to let the others know where y’all are gonna be goin’.”

“Why, thank you, Apple Jack. I’ll be certain to come and tell you when I return. Ta-ta for now!”

The orange mare watched her friend return down the path towards Ponyville’s main thoroughfare before turning and heading back to her own farm. “Come on, Spike. Ah think we’ve done enough for today.” She stopped when she didn’t hear the soft padding of scaly feet upon the dirt path and turned to find the purple dragon missing. “Poor fella must have been tired and went back already. I sure hope Rarity can talk some sense into that unicorn. Spike needs her.”

Darkness settled upon the obsidian castle as the protective cloud barrier, recently commissioned from several towns’ smaller weather factories, settled over the keep. For miles around the structure, densely packed cloudstuff formed a solid wall between it and the open sky, blocking out the moon’s light along with any possible aerial invaders. A young stallion stood parallel the High Commander of the Lunar Army, the pair staring up at the now-settled protection inspecting its length for any structural flaws.

“Lieutenant Swift Eye. The eastern section seems loose. Command the Cloud-flight to pack it further and provide some additional rainbow for magical support. I do not want this barrier to fall unless we, ourselves, need it gone.”

The tanned-yellow unicorn nodded and lit his horn, the rusty color lighting a small area around them as he amplified his voice. “Flight Captain Cane! Reinforce the eastern cloud-wall and apply more rainbow essence to the area!”

A stern-faced pegasus mare fluttered down into view, by way of the many magical spot lights set up to illuminate the pegasi’s work, followed by a score of other ponies before saluting and ordering her squad to perform their given task. “Excellent. It seems the rest of our barrier has been made to perfection. You will accompany me to the Lunar Throne and we will report to the queen of the completion of the project.”

“Yes, ma’am!” He stiffly saluted and fell into march behind Cloudy, keeping his gaze focused on the hallway ahead of him. Despite his training and close proximity to the queen due to his rank, he still couldn’t help but to be nervous. Everypony still recalled the night Nightmare Moon had furiously destroyed her enemies. The terror still sat fresh in their minds, yet he had a duty to perform and, after being hoof-picked by the High commander to help lead the queen’s armies, he wasn’t about to let his fears get in the way of his job. He had a family to feed.

Cloudy stopped outside the throne room door, the short trek from one of the castle's parapets gone in a flash, before pushing open the door to step inside. Both ponies halted in their tracks and blushed furiously, joining the several other ponies dotting the room in avoiding looking at the spectacle before them.

Nightmare Moon was reclining upon her throne, casually stroking the mane of the mare between her haunches, when she noticed the pair of soldiers step into her hall. She took a deep breath and looked up at them, her facial features not faltering from their usual passive gaze. “High Commander Horizons. How goes the placement and securing of our cloud-wall?”

The white mare opened her mouth to speak, caught off-guard once again by the night mare’s actions, but couldn’t find her voice. A quick, nervous cough and a shifting of her eyes to attempt to block out Twilight’s form assisted her, however. “Uhm.... Oh. Y-yes, Your Majesty. The barrier has been... erected... a-and our troops are rea-ready to begin seeking out the enemy base camps."

"Excellent. Have.... Have your commanding officers divide the-” Nightmare gasped and took a moment to recompose herself before placing a hoof on Twilight’s head. “Hold, Twilight. I am aware that this is what I instructed you to do, but you are causing me to lose my focus.” With the unicorn pulled away for the moment, the black queen returned to addressing the present ponies. “As I was attempting to order, have your commanding officers divide the current troops stationed at the castle, along with a squad of fifty minotaur per unit, and deploy them to the cities with the largest known griffon camps nearby. Leave five-hundred troops here to defend my castle should Griffonia decide that now is an opportune time to assault my keep.” Cloudy saluted, followed by a sloppy salute from the stallion beside her which finally drew the alicorn’s attention. “Hmmm.... And who would this whelp be? I have not seen him often among my army’s ranks.”

The unicorn hesitated for a moment during which Cloudy took the floor for him. “Lieutenant Swift Eye of the Moon Gazers. One of the officers I selected at your behest. Chosen for his skill in training and uncanny ability to long-distance spot.”

Nightmare raised her head, and eyed him curiously, a hint of distaste in her gaze. “Ah, I recall the Moon Gazer family. Very loyal to my cause. It is a shame that the noble line had to be sullied by stallions.”

“Wait.... Moon Gazer.... Didn’t that family name die out centuries ago? The last known member was supposed to have died with the passing of Snow Drift.” Twilight looked from her lover to the unicorn in question, her confusion displayed openly on her face.

“Uhm.... I don’t know everything, but my mother had told me that we were once nobles and were waiting on something to rejoin the elite ranks. There certainly aren’t as many of us around as our family tree suggests there should be.”

“Regardless, perform the task I have given. Commander Horizons, I shall expect the soldiers to be deployed by tomorrow morning. Divide your officers as you see fit. If you have nothing else to report, you are dismissed and can begin preparations for the movement.”

“Actually, Your Majesty, I do have one question.” Nightmare raised her eyebrow, waiting for the pegasus to fight off her blush and continue. “I thought you were a.... A mare. Why-”

“A spell. Twilight revealed to me the spell a few days prior, the aftermath of said spell you saw yourself, and I figured it would be a decent practice of... endurance... since it is rather sensitive.” A sparkle of mirth glinted in the mare’s eye as she looked back down at between her legs. “Plus, she owes me a favor promised on that night.”

“Of... course....” Cloudy nodded slightly, averting her eyes once more, then cleared her throat and motioned for the exit with a tilt of her head. “Come, Lieutenant Swift Eye. We have much to complete in a short time span.”

With the distraction gone, Nightmare pressed back upon Twilight’s head, urging her to return to her duties. “You are not finished yet. We still have several hours until the seamstress arrives.”

Rarity stepped into the large echoing halls of the obsidian castle for the third time since its construction and slowly made her way through the dark corridors with the assistance of a servant mare. If she was to say she was entirely comfortable with traversing the eerie building that was home to her greatest enemy, she would most definitely be lying. Rarity constantly glanced about her, trying to discern any other noises over the noisome clopping of their hooves. She couldn’t keep her mind from wandering towards her previous ejection from the place and the promises that had come with it.

Despite her trepidation and latent fear and anger, the trip went smoothly, almost without incident save for her rather unladylike collision with another servant that she hadn’t seen due to her distractedness. In mere minutes the pair had arrived at the door to the throne room, the towering doors standing ominously above them. “Here we are, Miss Rarity. Queen Moon instructed that, when you arrived, you be taken directly to her audience chamber. You’ll find the queen and her consort inside.”

Rarity nodded and made to enter, but a hoof on her shoulder halted her mid-stride. “Oh, uhm. I would be cautious about what you say in the queen’s presence. There have been... incidents recently which have invoked her wrath and she’s had something of a short fuse for the past week.”

The white unicorn blanched, paling noticeably even through her already pristine white coat. If her fears weren’t set before, they certainly were now. “I.... Thank you, dear. For the warning.” With a slight nod, the earth pony left Rarity alone in front of the doors, contemplating whether or not she should just leave. A short moment later, she sighed and lit her horn. “I cannot back down now. Not after telling Spike I’d talk to her.” She magicked the heavy, metal doors open and froze in place just a step inside, feeling her anger begin to boil over her fear, and the shock at the unfamiliar form of her ex-friend, at the lewd display before her.