Rainbow Dash looked about her. There were more pegasi in this cramped space of Canterlot's castle than she knew even existed.

Strangely enough, none of them spoke, there was just an odd quiet shuffling of hooves. It also looked like they were all wearing the same aerodynamic flight suits and goggles. There were no lights lit, so Rainbow couldn't even tell what room of the castle they were all in.

Rainbow Dash stumbled around in the dark for a bit, then found a group of pegasi, tapping one on the shoulder. "Hey buddy, what's goin' on here?"

The pegasus didn't reply, just turned and looked at Rainbow Dash. Seeing she wasn't dressed like everypony else, the pegasus reached into it's saddle bag and pulled out an identical uniform and goggles. Hoofing them over to her, the pegasus turned back and faced the doors of the palace.

"Weird." Rainbow Dash remarked.

She looked over the suit. Normal looking rubbery uniform. The goggles, however, looked strange. There were little points inside the goggle's frame that puzzled her. Rainbow Dash touched the inside of the goggles with her hoof, and immediately pulled it away. The points sounded like little drills!

Before she could investigate further, she saw a nearby pegasus buckle, dropping to it's knees. It grunted, refusing to holler at it's discomfort. Rainbow dropped the clothes and goggles and ran over to the pegasus in question, helping it stand.

"Are you ok?"

The pegasus didn't reply, but Rainbow could see something was seeping from underneath the goggles of the pegasus. Rainbow's face blanched as she realized what it was.

Something wasn't right about this place.

About half an hour ago, Rainbow heard an announcement from Cloudesdale saying the pegasus ponies had to report to Princess Celestia for a special weather assignment in Canterlot.

Fare enough.

When she arrived, Rainbow only saw the group of pegasi she was with now; though all of them were in their current uniforms.

Rainbow wondered where she'd get her's, and looked around. It didn't look like there was any clothing store nearby selling these uniforms. Perhaps the pegasi received them on Cloudesdale. Rainbow Dash was thinking about flying back to see what was up until she noticed something else strange.

Nopony else was around. There wasn't a single unicorn walking by, which was a strange site to see for such a large city like Canterlot. Before she could inquire, the pegasi found their way into the castle via the front doors, which had just opened. Once they entered, the doors closed.

Now that they were here, Rainbow had yet to see the princess.

"Form a line!" Came a harsh voice.

The group stirred, and, upon seeing a pegasus wearing only a shirt and hat on the stairway, figured he was the pony in charge and complied.

Rainbow looked around hesitantly, then noticed where she'd deposited her clothes and goggles.

She ran to pick them up, but a pony stepped between her and the uniform.

Rainbow Dash looked up. Another pegasus, dressed identically to the one on the stairs, looked down at her. Rainbow just happened to notice a strange symbol on the pony's hat. "What's that mean?" She asked, pointing.

Before she could even think to move, two other ponies were on top of her, wrestling her by her arms and holding her down.

"Hold her steady. I'll put the goggles on."

The pegasus dropped to one knee, picking up the pointy goggles with both his hooves and placed them on Rainbow's eyes.

"Where's the princess? What are you guys-?"

Rainbow flinched, then grunted in a muffled tone before finally settling; her eyes burned. It felt like the points on the goggles were drilling into her head!

The pegasus stood up, holding the uniform over his front hoof. "Put this on." He said.

Rainbow tried to resist, then grunted some more as the goggles punished her disobedience. Stepping forwards, she picked up the uniform and started to get into it.

Then she looked up, upon seeing another pegasus flying over her, one clad as she was.

The pegasus flew strong for a few yards, then nose-dived onto the floor. He screamed, then took off again. Then nose-dived again, screaming. He struggled to his feet, then fell down and lay still.

Rainbow's mouth fell open. What was going on here?! What had happened to the princess?!

"Everpony forward!" Called the pegasus on the stairs.

Everypony filed through one double set of doors into another room. There, a team of pegasi placed packages in everypony's saddle bags.

"What's this?" Rainbow Dash asked, then grunted again as the goggles poked her head some more. Deciding to explore without speaking, she opened her saddle bag and read the words atop the box.

"Danger. High explosives. In high temperatures, store in someplace cool."

"WHAT?" Rainbow asked herself inside her head.

Another door opened, and the pegasi were led through it. It looked like they were in the main throne room, but no pony was on the throne!

"Where's Celestia? What happened to her?" Rainbow wondered, mortified that her beloved princess was nowhere to be seen. Not once did Rainbow think this was Celestia's doing. There was some mistake here. There just had to be.

The group of pegasi were turned towards the windows and separated into groups. Rainbow saw each window, which had all it's glass smashed and broken away from the frame, had words written above them. Some pegasi were just finishing tearing off the window pains and hauling away the broken glass. Every pegasus spread it's wings, and started walking towards the different windows.

Rainbow Dash tried to piece everything together in her head, and the answer came too quickly for her to know how to respond. She was jostled into one line by a nearby pegasus, one without a uniform, and as she got closer to the windows, which the other pegasus were flying out from, she looked up at where she assumed she was supposed to go.

Her mouth went dry as she read the words written above the window.

Cloudesdale.

It all seemed so sudden.

Twilight peered out her window one morning and marveled at the gathering clouds. She wasn't up to date on the pegasus weather schedule, and figured perhaps they were due for a large downpour this morning.

Twilight turned from the window, smiling. She hadn't intended on going outside today anyway. Best to lie back down under the covers and read a good book.

Twilight settled down, reading the newest installment of the Daring Do series. As she knit her brow, pondering over Daring's situation in retrieving another treasure against insurmountable odds, she failed to notice Spike waking up, and walking outside to get the morning paper.

"Um, Twilight." came a voice as Twilight heard the front door open. An odd chill and smell reached Twilight's nose, and she shivered for a second, looking over her book down towards her dragon friend.

"SPIKE! Please shut the door! It's freezing out there!"

"But, but, Twil-"

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Twilight leaped from her bed, looking down at the second story. She quickly teleported to the front door and shut it.

"I don't see why you couldn't have just-" Twilight was interrupted as the smell she experienced earlier came to her nostrils again.

"What's, what's that smell?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you, Twilight!" Spike threw open the door, and the two stood there in the howling cold wind.

Dark billows of smoke coughed out into the air. Explosions of all different colors showered the countryside. This wasn't a cloudy day. This was a battle zone.

-------------------------------------------

"Oh, let's go inside little friends." Fluttershy looked nervously at the billowing smoke, and winced every time she heard a bang.

"I'm not sure what's going on," Fluttershy said, turning to her huddled animals, "but I'm sure somepony-"

A large explosion rocked the small cottage Fluttershy and the animals called home. All the animals scattered, despite Fluttershy's pleas for composure. Once they'd left, Fluttershy turned to the door and poked her head out to investigate, looking more shocked than afraid.

A tree just a few yards from her house looked like it was split in two. The bark was all black and charcoal colored, and a couple of the branches were on fire.

Fluttershy gasped, then flew up to the tree, batting the flame with her hooves. The branches were weak, and they feel off as soon as Fluttershy touched them, falling into the stream below. As the fire extinguished, issuing a mighty hiss from the water, a family of ducks and a turtle leapt from it's waters and looked up to their pegasus friend in silent inquiry as to what was happening.

"Come inside!" Fluttershy said, beckoning them towards her cottage.

Fluttershy turned her back on her animal friends and suddenly felt herself being rocketed into the air. She couldn't turn her body as she flew, and thudded against the outside wall of her cottage, bending her body backwards at a painful angle.

Fluttershy got up and, after rubbing her head and examining her tweaked back, turned back to the animals.

"Come on, right this- *GASP*"

The animals weren't there. Ground zero for the last explosion was right where the animals stood. The turtle's shell lay a few feet away, colored black from the blast, minus it's owner.

Fluttershy turned and ran inside, slamming the door behind her. It was only then, after catching her breath, that she broke down and sobbed. A couple squirrels poked their heads out of their dwellings inside Fluttershy's house and came to her side, trying to comfort her.

Fluttershy felt better knowing her animals were there for her. She only hoped she'd be able to do the same for them. Holding them tight, ignoring for a moment the explosions, the smoke, and the barren landscape outside, she suddenly felt her motherly instincts come into the fold.

Her eyes narrowed. She would protect her animal friends, whatever the cost. Jumping to her hooves, she grabbed the squirrel's up in her mouth and ran towards the kitchen. Her birds and other woodland creatures emerged from their homes and followed frantically.

Once they all grouped there, Fluttershy pushed aside a rug and revealed to her animals a trap door. Opening it with some difficulty (and receiving some aid from her forest friends), she urged them to all go inside.

"Quick! Into the medicine cellar. I'll be right with you as soon as I can!" Every creature obeyed without a word.

Fluttershy closed the door, then looked up as an explosion tore part of her roof away. Smoke and howling wind came roaring in, causing soot and ash to fill the kitchen. Fluttershy coughed and ran for the door. She had to know where her other pony friends were.

--------------------------------------

Rarity and Sweetie Belle were found collectively screaming inside the back room of Rarity's boutique, usually reserved for extra storage. The Cakes were the closest to Rarity's boutique, and while Pinkie and Cup Cake huddled with the twins, Carrot Cake ran to Carousel Boutique to retrieve the unicorn sisters.

Carrot Cake had a hard time finding the two sisters between the explosions.

"Keep yelling! I'll get you out of here, girls!"

Finally he threw open the back room door and took charge of the situation.

"Ok, girls, stay close to me, stay calm. Rarity, put Sweetie Belle on my back. Come on, keep up."

Rarity didn't have a problem with staying in step with Mr. Cake's lanky stride, but had to work on staying on course with the roundabout path Carrot took in order to return to the sweet shop. She couldn't keep her eyes off her sister.

"We're almost there!" Carrot hollered over a few more explosions. "Stay with me! We'll make it!"

The three burst through the door, Carrot Cake taking the door off it's hinges as the trio slid into Sugarcube Corner. Carrot Cake couldn't stop sliding, and found his face smashed against the front table display glass. Pinkie appeared on the other side.

"Oh my gosh! Are you guys alright?! What's going on out there?"

Mr. Cake tried to speak, but found his face was stuck to the glass. "We don't know, Pinkie." He finally said as he got up and dusted himself off, reuniting Sweetie Belle on the floor with her sister, "our guess is just as good as yours."

"Where's Twilight?!" Mrs. Cake asked, "she could send a letter to Celestia!"

"No, Spike does that!" Pinkie said, misunderstanding how out-of-place her minor correction was.

"Whoever!" Carrot hollered, a little high strung over dodging so many explosions. There was a clatter of hooves behind the group, and they all turned around defensively.

Twilight stood there, huffing and puffing, with Spike on her shoulders, barely hanging on.

"Spike! Twilight!" Everypony hollered.

"Do you know what's going on, Twilight?" Mrs. Cake asked, getting a little hysterical.

Twilight looked up. Her face was covered in soot, her legs were shaking, and her eyes were filled with tears.

"The...the library is on fire." She said softly.

The words Twilight spoke seemed so desolate and hopeless, it was as though the last light in the room was sucked out.

The weight of the situation, the uncertainty as to what exactly was going on, and the plight everypony now had on their hooves, settled in.

Only the twin's crying broke everyone from falling into a funk. It seemed to awaken Twilight, who, after shaking her head a couple times, said, "where, where's everypony else?"

The cakes looked at each other. "We don't know! We haven't seen anypony else accept you four." Mr. Cake explained.

Twilight turned to the door, squinting. "There's got to be a mistake. Celestia," Twilight looked down, her eyes roamed the floor, but were taking in nothing, "she would have...would have." Twilight fainted on the hard wood floor, then was immediately helped up by Pinkie Pie and Rarity as the group wordlessly moved further back into Sugarcube Corner upon hearing more explosions.

"Now, come on, darlin', let's get you up!"

Fluttershy had flown hard and fast through the forest in an effort to get to Ponyville as quickly as possible, and without exposing herself in the open lane. However, whatever was creating the explosions had rocked some trees lose, and a few had knocked Fluttershy about as they fell. Thankfully none of the trees landed on the light yellow pegasus, but the hurt it caused her was immense enough.

Applejack had found her about half an hour later, on her own scramble with Big Macintosh alongside her into town.

Big Mac could hear Applejack mumble to herself as the two continued running into town, Fluttershy atop his back.

"Can't imagine what on earth is goin' on here! Are those pegasi havin' a party or somethin'?! Twilight should know somethin' about this, or at least Celestia if nopony else."

It was confusing for everpony as they looked up at the black smokey sky. Nopony knew how many hours it had been. Maybe it was a whole day since the bombings first happened. The sun and moon never showed up.

Twilight was awoken from her shock slowly with the encouragement of Pinkie Pie and Rarity, giving her water and soothing words amid the hellish downpour.

Mr. and Mrs. Cake were busy back in the kitchen, and needed all the floor space to themselves checking the appliances and gathering what food they could, so Sweetie Belle and Spike kept the twins occupied.

Soon the Mr. and Mrs. returned, storing their dried goods in the back room and stockpiling the expendables in a corner. Sweetie Belle happened to notice Mr. Cake was carrying a knife in his belt. Mr. Cake noticed her gaze and turned to her. "It's just a precaution, Sweetie."

Everyone's worry about the obvious point Mr. Cake made was broken as Twilight spoke.

"Spike, take a note to the princess."

Spike got up slowly, as though Mr. Cake's precautionary measure sparked some fear in him great enough to keep him from standing, and ran over to her.

He found some paper in the back room and a quill.

"Princess Celestia, we beg of you an explanation." Twilight said, then coughed.

Pinkie Pie looked at Spike, shook her head, then Rarity took up the slack as Pinkie held up a glass of water for Twilight.

"If there's anything at all you can tell us about this absurd phenomena, feel free to let us know."

Spike cocked an eyebrow at the last part of the sentence, and looked at Rarity. Her expression was mixed with worry as well as anger. She too was just as unstable about the whole situation as everypony. Spike rolled up the scroll and blew on it, watching the smokey trail fly up into the sky. Spike wondered if the note would get lost, or if the sky itself, so alike to the smoke the note form usually took, would swallow it up.

Everypony quickly looked to the door as half the Apple family came bursting in.

"Anypony in here?" Applejack hollered, her coat covered in dirt and grime.

In the dark, it would have been hard to see the group, especially since they weren't in the front room, so Applejack was about to turn and leave when Rarity spoke up first.

"We're in here, Applejack!"

"Who's 'we'?" Applejack asked, stepping inside so Big Mac could get inside.

"The Cakes, Pinkie, Sweetie Belle, myself, Spike, and Twilight." Rarity answered.

"Alrighty, then I'll leave Big Mac and Fluttershy here; there may be a few ponies trapped in their homes."

"Wait, AJ."

Big Mac leaped in front of the door, barring Applejack's route of exit.

"I'm not gonna' let you go by yourself."

"And ahm not lettin' yuh go out there, Big Mac, so, stand aside!"

Big Mac didn't budge. "Yer overthinkin' this, AJ. Just calm down for a second."

Applejack obeyed her brother's request, sitting quite forcefully on her haunches.

"Ah'll go lookin' for other ponies, you wait here with Mrs. Fluttershy."

Applejack didn't reply, but took Fluttershy on her back and walked her over to the group, sitting her up against the wall.

Applejack turned to the door, but Big Macintosh was already gone. She turned back around, silently furious at her brother, then said, "Ahv been wonderin' if the barn at Sweet Apple Acres would be better. The Corner is right in the middle of town!"

Mrs. Cake spoke up, "wouldn't it be more dangerous trying to leave Ponyville?"

Applejack frowned. "I recon it might be, especially with the wounded."

So the group sat there, hunkering down in the sweet shop as the sounds of explosions echoed all around them.

-------------------------

Big Macintosh ran to the nearest home and didn't bother to open the door. Plowing through it, Big Mac scattered brick, wood, and insulation. Looking quickly around the dimly lit room, Big Macintosh searched of any ponies who may be trapped inside. He couldn't find any here, and left just as quickly as he'd entered.

Running down the street, his heavy hooves ripping up cobblestone from it's place, Big Mac galloped on, undaunted by the occasional explosions that would have knocked any smaller pony off their feet. After perusing the block, Big Mac considered abandoning the search. It seemed like everypony had vacated.

But Big Mac had to be sure. He turned towards the last row of apartment homes and tore up the earth in a blind dash. Then something flew into view, something that worried Big Mac. The dark something, masqueraded by the dim light, suddenly grew bright and charged at Big Mac. Big Mac threw himself onto his belly, and the bright something flew over him. Whatever it was was very hot, nearly scorching his mane.

Looking up, Big Mac beheld four pegasi hovering in formation in front of him. All of them were clad in rubber suits similar to those the Wonder Bolts wore. They also wore goggles too, but these looked a bit different. Big Mac couldn't place it, but it appeared that some fascet of the eye protection these ponies wore looked like more than simple eye guard. It looked like there were tiny barbs in the sides of the goggles.

Big Mac didn't have any more time to think, because he saw the pegasi striking metal to flint and igniting something inside their bags. Big Mac wasn't sure what these pegasi were doing, but he knew it couldn't be anything good.

Leaping out of the way, Big Mac nearly missed a barrage of fireworks, the explosion of which still propelled the large stallion into a nearby house.

Big Mac tore the door open and leaped inside. To his horror, a trio of ponies hollered upon Big Mac entering. Saving his own hide would be hard enough, but having to take care of this family of ponies was stretching it.

"Get up! Yuh gotta' get outta' here!"

The trio wordlessly did as they were told, the mare of the group occasionally yelping in fear.

Big Mac ran through the dark house, knocking over a table and a vase.

"Sorry ma'am!"

Big Mac made for the side window, shut his eyes, and dove through. Falling a few feet, Big Mac landed on his neck, rolling over and flopping flat, lying still.

The trio of ponies behind Big Mac left their home through the hole Big Mac made, and didn't stop as they ran through the back alleys off to the forest.

Big Mac shook his head and got up, a little shaky this time. His eyes widened as the pegasi from before came into view, like hummingbirds.

Gritting his teeth, Big Mac ran through the streets, the pegasi in pursuit, dodging potholes and broken structures. His priority now was to keep the pegasi from finding the family he'd rescued. If that meant his death in the process, so be it.

-- To Be Continued.