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.

Next Chapter: First Blood Estimated time remaining: 11 Minutes