The train ride back to Ponyville had been long, boring, and uncomfortably quiet. As soon as Rainbow and her friends got off the train, they went straight for the Palace of Harmony. As they walked through Ponyville, the group was interrupted by curious townsponies. Eager eyes stared at them as question after question was asked.
"Is it true Princess Twilight ran away?"
"I heard Rarity is an Alicorn now!"
"What happened to Lyra and Minuette? They've been so quiet since they returned."
"Did Luna really transform back into Nightmare Moon?"
Pinkie Pie and Applejack answered questions as they were asked. More ponies gathered around the group, speaking over each others. The normally quiet Ponyville quickly turned into a large gathering of concerned mares and stallions.
Rainbow grunted in annoyance. She was about to fly up and give the crowd a piece of her mind, but Pinkie placed a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head. "Let me talk to them, girls," the pink pony said. "I'll catch up."
Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Spike continued on their way toward the palace as Pinkie stayed behind to explain the situation in more details to the ponies of Ponyville. Rainbow silently thanked her friend for the distraction. They had better things to do than answer everypony's questions.
The group entered the Palace of Harmony and made it to the central throne room that served as the palace's hub. A few books, a bowl of apples, some sketches Rarity did for one of her projects, and random objects littered the room and gave it a homely feel.
Rainbow trotted to the central table, where the magical map of Equestria and beyond occasionally directed them to wherever they were needed. She poked it and sighed softly. "I suppose it would be too much to ask for this thing to just tell us where Twilight is."
They all stared at the map for a moment. Applejack broke the silence when it was clear nothing would happen. "I don't think this'll work, and it doesn't seem like Twi's been in here. Anypony got any ideas?"
Rainbow Dash shrugged, "Well, we can split up and look through the other rooms. If she's been here, she would have left us a note or something."
Applejack nodded. "Good idea. I'll go to her room."
"I'll take the library," Rainbow said.
"I can look in the kitchen. Twilight might have gotten hungry," Fluttershy suggested.
Spike spoke last. "I'll go down to the lab. Some of Twilight's experiments could blow up if they’re disturbed, and I think I'm the only one who knows what's safe to touch."
"Good," Applejack said, nodding at each of them. "Let's all check those rooms and meet up back here."
They all left to begin their search, Rainbow stepping into the slowly growing library that connected to the central throne room. While Rainbow had originally wanted to make it a gym, Twilight had insisted the room should be filled with bookcases. Eventually, the pegasus relented to her friend. It was, after all, her home.
As the pegasus suspected, the library was left undisturbed. A few books were left open on the large, central table. Rainbow took a quick look at them, but nothing stuck out as something a princess on the run might consult. Two cookbooks, a schoolhouse history book, a pile of trashy romance novels — the same kind of things that would normally be lying around a library. Since this part of the castle was open to the public, finding any sort of clue would be tricky at best.
In the back of the room, near the one large window that allowed natural light to come in, was a glass-protected display case. It contained a tome Rainbow knew very well — the journal she and her friends kept. As she flew toward it, she was reminded of all their challenges, their victories, their defeats, everything that made their friendship the way it was. It was all recorded within these pages. Surrounding it were six keys. The magical objects given to the pegasus and her friends reminded Rainbow of better times in her life. There's just no way Twilight would fly away and abandon us after seeing this stuff again.
For good measure, the pegasus flew to the second story. It mainly contained ancient tomes, most of them incomprehensible to Rainbow. She quickly looked through to see if anything had been removed. The collection seemed as undisturbed, as usual. Perhaps Spike could tell if something was missing.
"Enough looking around. It's time for action!" the pegasus said out loud before giving up on the search and returning to the throne room. Hopefully her friends would also be done investigating.
Fluttershy and Spike were already in the throne room with Pinkie Pie, who seemed to have just returned. Applejack was nowhere to be seen, likely still in Twilight's room.
"Nada in the library," Rainbow announced as she approached her friends. "I don't think Twilight was there."
Spike confirmed what Rainbow suspected. "She hasn't been to the lab, and the food is still all here. I think you're right. Let's hope Applejack finds some kind of clue."
"None of the townsponies saw her," Pinkie confirmed. "They're worried though; I might have to throw an 'everything will be alright' party to cheer them up!”
Rainbow Dash stared dumbfounded at her friend. "This isn’t the time to think about parties, Pinkie! Our friend is missing. We left Rarity in who knows what kind of situation. Princess Luna is in hiding. We can't think about balloons and cupcakes right now!"
Pinkie Pie looked down at her hooves dishearteningly as her ears drooped.
"Oh, umm, Rainbow..." The pegasus turned her head to see Fluttershy timidly addressing her. "I think Pinkie's right; those ponies need a distraction. We're all worried, and so is everypony in town. I think Pinkie is very brave to volunteer to throw a party. She probably doesn't feel like celebrating any more than we do, but morale in town is so low. It's sad to watch." Fluttershy's tone raised as she spoke. "We have to do something about it!"
Rainbow sighed. "Fine, maybe I spoke too soon, but don't expect me to have fun. The second we know where Twilight could be, I'm out of here!"
The argument was cut short when Applejack walked down the stairs, a defeated expression on her face. "Well, Twi's room is just as she left it. How did the four of you fare?"
They all shook their heads as the farm pony continued. "Well horseapples. I was hoping we'd have at least something to get started with. Fluttershy, I guess your idea's the best thing we got for now. I was hoping it wouldn't come to it though."
Fluttershy beamed. "Oh Applejack! It'll work, trust me! He's a good friend, and he'll be willing to help."
Rainbow frowned as she turned toward Fluttershy. "What the hay are the two of you going on about? If you know something Fluttershy, spit it out!"
The yellow pegasus hid under her mane. Applejack took a few steps toward Dash. "Calm down, Rainbow. Me and Fluttershy talked about it earlier on the train, and we both agreed it wouldn't be our first option. She wants to write to Discord and ask for his help."
Rainbow, Pinkie, and Spike all gasped. Discord may technically be reformed, but that did not make him trustworthy. "No way, no hay!" the blue pegasus replied, putting her hoof down. "For all we know, Discord's the one responsible! Who else could do this? I'm sure it would be a piece of cake for him to kidnap Twilight with his freaky magic."
Rainbow realized she had spoken without thinking as Fluttershy glared severely at her. "Listen here, Rainbow. I know Discord has made some mistakes before, but so have all of us. He's proven his heart is in the right place, and that he's trying to do what's best. He's made a lot of progress and I'd like it, I'd really like it, if you didn't talk about my friend that way!"
For such a timid pony, Fluttershy could be downright terrifying when angry. Rainbow turned toward Applejack for relief, but the expression on the farm pony's face eliminated any hope Rainbow could have had of arguing against Fluttershy's plan. Pinkie and Spike kept quiet as well. It seemed Discord would be coming to Ponyville.
"Fine," Rainbow replied with a groan. "Let's go write him a letter,"
The four ponies and baby dragon found themselves on their way to Fluttershy's cottage. Pinkie Pie took the opportunity to invite everypony they saw on their way to her 'everything will be alright' party. While a few ponies seemed to share Rainbow's skepticism regarding the event, many more expressed curiosity at the prospect.
The yellow pegasus explained her plan in more detail as the group entered her home. "As some of you might know, Discord created something he calls the 'Chaos Labyrinth'. It's his home, hidden somewhere in Equestria."
Rainbow Dash stared at her blankly, as did the others. Fluttershy smiled and explained. "After a few weeks of living here with me, Discord had a hard time adjusting. As much as I need to be around my animals, Rainbow needs to fly, and Pinkie can't sleep without an emergency cupcake next to her bed, Discord needs to be surrounded by chaos. That's why he created the Labyrinth.”
"Okay, so we just go to this labyrinth of his?" Rainbow asked.
"Not quite," Fluttershy replied. "I don't know where the Chaos Labyrinth is. Every time I've been there, Discord transported us, and it's been in a different place every time. Twilight once said it was probably in another dimension. I think he just moves it around. It's always in isolated places, away from everypony else. Last time I visited, it was at the top of a mountain."
"So, you write him a letter? I assume that creepy plant he left you still works," Applejack said as she pointed at a big carnivorous plant in a corner. Rainbow had seen Fluttershy use it before; she would write a letter, feed it to the plant, and Discord would receive it.
Fluttershy looked at each of her friends in turn. "Yes. I want to tell him everything that’s happened. About Twilight, Luna, Celestia, about everything. I want to ask him for help."
"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Rainbow asked, hesitantly raising her hoof.
"Since Tirek turned on him, Discord’s magic never fully returned to him. I don't think he even has the power to kidnap a princess." Fluttershy explained. "Twilight saved Discord that day. I just know he’ll be eager to repay the favor."
Rainbow looked at the others. Spike shrugged while Pinkie smiled. Applejack nodded at Fluttershy. "It's worth a try," the farm pony said.
Fluttershy smiled at her friends before moving toward her desk. She sat and started writing the letter in silence, her pet bunny, Angel, watching her from a nearby dresser. Angel eventually jumped on the desk, watching her write. Rainbow sometimes wondered if the bunny was able to read; he certainly did seem smarter than the average critter.
Rainbow and the others watched Fluttershy write in silence. Her wings started to itch; she had to fly. Too much guessing, too much talking, not enough action! She started to pace, flexing her wings.
Fluttershy finally finished writing after a few minutes. She rolled the letter up and brought it to the ugly carnivorous plant that seemed to wake up as she approached it. It opened its mouth and yawned, or at least imitated the action, as Rainbow didn't think yawning was something plants could actually do. A long tongue similar to a frog's leapt from the plant's maw to grab the paper. Fluttershy yelped as the tongue stuck to the letter, instantly pulling it inside the abomination's mouth. The plant burped loudly before returning to its sleepy state.
"That is one creepy mailbox," Rainbow said. "Aren't you afraid it'll try to eat a squirrel or something?"
Fluttershy shook her head. "Oh Rainbow. That's just Discord being Discord. The plant is completely harmless, although it did startle me the week it started singing."
"Never mind. I don't want to know," Dash replied, rolling her eyes.
The ponies did not have to wait long for a reply. After a few seconds, the plant started coughing loudly. Most of the animals ran away startled as Discord's abomination sprayed red dust all over the floor.
"Don't worry little friends. Mr. Plant is just feeling a bit sick... I think?" Fluttershy took a moment to go around her room comforting the scared animals.
Rainbow’s attention turned toward the red dust on the floor, although Applejack had already beaten her to it. The earth pony took a bit of it on her hoof, sniffing it. "Hmm, it just seems like dirt to me. What kind of trick is Discord playing now?"
"Maybe it's a clue!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. She already had her magnifying glass out as she crawled around the plant, inspecting the dust through the tool.
"Darn it!" Rainbow snapped in frustration. "Why can't anything be straight-forward? I'm tired of these clues and secrets. Is a clear answer too much to ask for?"
As Rainbow stomped the floor in frustration, Spike took a bit of red dust on his claw and licked it, causing the ponies to stare at him in disgust. "That's gross, Spike!" Rainbow said.
The baby dragon grinned at them. "I'm a dragon, I eat rocks and gems, remember? This is just like any of you licking your plate." Spike then pointed at himself, a satisfied look on this face. "Someone here knows where this dust comes from!"
The four ponies exclaimed at once, "Where?"
"The Badlands, south of Equestria," Spike explained. "Rainbow, you remember when I followed the dragon migration?" Rainbow Dash nodded as the dragon continued. "It's where we all ended up. I'd wager Discord is somewhere in that area."
The new information got Pinkie Pie bouncing up and down. "Yay, Spike! Now we just have to go to the Badlands, get Discord, have him help us find Twilight, and we can be back in time for cake!"
Applejack raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Pinkie, you have any idea how big the Badlands are? You could fit at least five Everfree Forests in there. This gives us a direction to go in, but not much else."
"I'm sure we'll find more clues when we get there," Fluttershy suggested. "As scary as it is, I'm willing to go. I'd love for you girls to come with me."
Rainbow Dash hesitantly placed a hoof on the yellow pegasus's back. "I don't know, Fluttershy. Why wouldn't Discord just tell you what’s up instead of sending you dirt?"
"I'm not sure, Rainbow," Fluttershy replied. "I hope he's alright. If somepony went after Twilight, why not Discord too? What happened to poor Luna is suspicious as well... We have to go look for him!"
Pinkie Pie suddenly stopped bouncing and in the blink of an eye, appeared face to face with Fluttershy, pushing Rainbow out of the way and grabbing the yellow pegasus's head. "Oh my gosh! If that's the case, they could go after Cadance! We should help her, too!"
Applejack came between the two, moving Pinkie away from a startled Fluttershy. "Alright everypony, calm down. We'll have to think. How about we sleep on it? I reckon none of us had a good night's sleep since this whole thing started."
The pink pony slowly nodded at Applejack. "You're right AJ. Beside, I promised I'd cheer everypony up, and I will. That includes all of you! Let's all relax, forget about all this frowny stuff for the rest of the day, and go save Twilight tomorrow!" Rainbow heard her add under her breath, "And we can go help Cadance, too."
Rainbow Dash had to admit that getting her mind off things for a few hours would do some good. She kicked the door open and turned her head to the open sky. "Look, I'm going to fly for a while. I've been on the ground too long and my wings are aching for some action. If you all think we should go after Discord, then we can do it. Just point me in the right direction."
Rainbow started with a few warm-up laps around Ponyville before gaining some altitude and flying off her frustration through sheer speed. She busted a few clouds and even practiced some of her tricks. Few pegasi could match Rainbow in high-altitude flight, so she often flew up high when she wanted solitude. Unfortunately, the lack of oxygen made it hard to perform complex maneuvers; she would run out of breath and risk losing consciousness.
From high in the clouds, Rainbow could see a good part of Equestria. Ponyville seemed very small — only a group of brown dots on a green landscape. She knew ponies were down there, living their lives. From the sky, they were all but invisible — too minuscule to even consider. Canterlot was just as small, a protuberance on the tall mountain that towered over central Equestria. The capital was the city with the highest altitude in the nation except, of course, for Cloudsdale. Yet Rainbow was even higher still. Being on top of the world made the pegasus feel awesome.
Rainbow contemplated the view until her lungs could no longer take the altitude. She then allowed herself to fall, spreading her wings and letting the currents to carry her. The wind decided where she would go as she glided for a few minutes. She only made the occasional adjustment to her course, effortlessly avoiding clouds, birds, and other obstacles.
The pegasus eventually stabilized her flight, spotting a lonely cloud that looked perfect for a nap. She landed gracefully on the fluffy cushion before relaxing her muscles and falling to its puffy surface. In her frustration, she had over-exerted herself, only now realizing it as she lay resting. A nap will sure be welcome, Dash told herself as she closed her eyes.
Sleep came easily to her. In her dreams, she rescued Rarity from Blueblood with Luna by her side. Twilight was there, as were all her other friends. As the leader of the Army of Awesome, Rainbow had single-hoofedly defended Equestria against villainy. She was about to throw Blueblood from Canterlot's highest balcony when something roused her from her sleep.
"Rainbow Dash, wake up!" She slowly opened her eyes, the sun's unwelcoming rays beaming directly over her face. The vague shape of a pony appeared before her, shaking her awake.
"I'm awake. Jeez, calm down!" she grumbled. Rainbow took a moment to adjust her eyes and return to the real world. She could make out a stallion with a dark gray coat standing on her cloud. Thunderlane. It was Thunderlane.
The dark gray pegasus took a letter from his saddlebag. "Message for you from Cloudsdale. It's top priority, and I was told to deliver it to you in person and not to trust anypony else. You're not an easy mare to find, Rainbow."
Rainbow grabbed the letter. What could be so important that they had to send Thunderlane searching for her? "Fine, I'll read it," she told the messenger. He stood there for a moment, as if waiting for something. "Don't you have some place to be?" she said as she shooed him away.
Thunderlane nodded. "Right, I hope to see you soon then." He forced a smile that Rainbow didn't like. There was more going on here.
As the other pegasus left, Rainbow ripped open the envelope. Two letters were inside: an official looking one, and a smaller, hoof-written note. The first had Cloudsdale's seal on it, as well as the Wonderbolts’.
To Rainbow Dash,
Due to recent events, Mayor Breezefall of Cloudsdale and Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts have found it prudent to initiate the Emergency Military Act of the Cloudsdale Constitution.
As a Junior Wonderbolt and citizen of Cloudsdale, it is your duty to report to the city stadium for military service. You will be given a rank and responsibilities according to your skills and experience. More details will be given upon arrival.
We understand this request might come as surprising, but the fate of Equestria may depend on swift action. Furthermore, in the name of national security, we demand that any information regarding this be kept secret. Do not inform friends or loved ones that you have been drafted.
The letter had Spitfire's signature. Rainbow read it a second time, then a third. A draft letter made no sense. Like every pegasus who attended the Wonderbolts Academy, Rainbow had agreed to sign a document allowing Cloudsdale to summon her for military service. It was left over from the flight team's past as a defense force, but was considered a symbolic gesture more than anything else. The Emergency Military Act had never been enacted. The occasional call for volunteers would be made in times of crisis, but this was something different entirely. Perhaps the second letter would explain more.
Rainbow Dash,
I know your initial reflex will be to ignore the other letter you received. I've made you choose between Ponyville and Cloudsdale before, and in the past and you always chose your friends. I'm hoping I can convince you to come to us this time. It's for the good of all Equestria, Ponyville included.
This isn't about competition like at the Equestria games. You've been to Canterlot. You know what's going on. Equestria is in danger and we need all the help we can get. I'm not drafting you as a common soldier. You'll be an officer in my inner circle. You've seen enough action to maybe teach even me a thing or two.
I wish I could tell you more, but I can't risk it, not over a letter. I can promise you that if you come to Cloudsdale, it'll all be made clear.
I need you here, Rainbow. I can't force you to come, but I hope, for everypony's sake, that you will.
Spitfire
Rainbow's eyes remained glued on the letter. This was everything she had hoped for. A clear direction, possibly an enemy to fight, and Spitfire probably had some leads. On the other hoof, why was the message so vague? If Spitfire knew something, then why not just spill the beans?
Maybe Rainbow could take all of her friends to Cloudsdale with her. How would Spitfire react to her coming with other ponies, though? The letter did imply secrecy. Then again, an army couldn't be kept secret for long. If Cloudsdale had started drafting ponies, all of Equestria would know soon.
The pegasus groaned in frustration. Was this how Rarity felt when she decided to stay behind? She fell on her back and stared at the sky. Rarity was in Canterlot, Fluttershy wanted to find Discord, Pinkie seemed to have a strange obsession with the Cadance, and now Rainbow herself was considering going off on her own to Cloudsdale. Maybe Applejack would have some advice. She seemed to be the only one holding them all together at the moment.
Pinkie's party was tonight, and maybe the pink pony had a point. Getting her mind off things would do some good for Rainbow. At least she could look forward to having a bit of fun with her friends. She would also tell them about the letters. To hay with secrecy!
Rainbow flew back down toward Ponyville. For now, maybe she could help Pinkie with the party.
The party preparations went swiftly enough. Pinkie had covered the plaza in front of Sugarcube Corner with balloons, long streamers reaching from one house to another, and a wide variety of colorful lanterns. Four large barrels of Granny Smith's Special Reserve towered over a large table, with plenty of mugs available. Another table was covered with hay fries, small carrot dogs, vanilla lemon drops, daffodil crackers, and other tasty snacks. An enormous cake dominated the end of the table, waiting to be devoured by hungry townponies.
Rainbow had spent the last few hours before the party helping out Pinkie and Spike with the decorations. As she assisted her friends, the pegasus found her mind wandering back to the letters she had received. On a few occasions, she thought about telling Pinkie, but couldn’t bring herself to. Would her friend see it as a betrayal? The pink pony hated when a friend left town, even if it was only for a short time. Every time she was about to say something, Rainbow gave up and occupied herself with another task. She knew her friends would have to know eventually. Maybe once the party was over, she could explain everything without breaking Pinkie's spirit.
As ponies began arriving, they talked to each others in low voices. Pinkie jumped from one group to the next, offering drinks, telling jokes, and trying her best to get ponies to mingle. It didn't seem to have much effect though, as the party was slow to kick off. Spike sat down with Scootaloo, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle as they all shared a plate of hay fries. Applejack and Fluttershy arrived together with Mayor Mare. Thinking back on the events of the day, it did make sense that Applejack would have visited the mayor and gotten her up to speed.
As for Rainbow, she was busy helping Mr. and Mrs. Cake bring more food from Sugarcube Corner to the large tables Pinkie had placed outside, near a statue of one of Ponyville's founders. The pegasus set the large bowl of punch she was carrying on a table and waved at her friends. She turned to the Cakes, who nodded at her and motioned toward Applejack and Fluttershy. Rainbow smiled at them before her attention turned to the party.
Fluttershy was the first to spot Rainbow Dash. She waved the blue pegasus over to the three while Applejack explained something to Mayor Mare. Rainbow trotted through the slowly growing crowd of ponies. As she got closer to her friends, she felt a surge of nervousness. Should I tell them about the letters?
Rainbow didn’t get enough time to consider it before Fluttershy welcomed her. "Oh, Rainbow Dash! I'm so happy you've decided to come to Pinkie's party."
"Yeah, I actually helped her out with the decorations, too," Dash replied. "Pinkie's right. Everypony needs to relax a bit."
"I'm glad you came around, Rainbow," Applejack said with a smile. "I was just telling Miss Mayor about Pinkie's party today. She’s decided to give a speech."
"That's great," Rainbow said with a smile. "Good luck with that, Miss Mayor."
"Well, I better go help the mayor get settled," Applejack continued. "You go enjoy yourself now, Rainbow. Try to relax."
Mayor Mare nodded at the pegasus before leaving with Applejack. "Always a pleasure, Rainbow."
Applejack and the mayor left Rainbow with Fluttershy. The blue pegasus’s thoughts once again turned toward the letters in her bag. Fluttershy wanted the four of them to go find Discord. Would she accept Rainbow going to Cloudsdale instead? She would probably say yes regardless, attempting to avoid possible conflict between her and her friend.
The yellow pegasus interrupted her thoughts. "So, how was flying today?"
Rainbow Dash brushed her mane. "It was fine, I got to practice a few tricks, then I took a nap."
"Oh, that's nice," Fluttershy replied.
Rainbow considered bringing up Twilight again, but remembered that Pinkie made her promise not to. She had to get through this party, and only one idea came to mind. "Come on, Fluttershy. Let's bust open one of those cider barrels."
"If you want to," Fluttershy meekly replied as Rainbow dragged her to the table where Big Macintosh was serving mugs of the sweet apple drink. Getting drunk might not be wise, but it was probably the only way she could manage to keep the promise she had made to Pinkie: to relax and enjoy herself.
As the two pegasi tested the surprisingly hard cider, Mayor Mare got up on the small stage she often brought to such events. Applejack stood next to it, but did not climb its stairs. Rainbow also spotted Pinkie bouncing toward the front of the crowd as the mayor raised her hoof, asking for silence.
"Fillies and gentlecolts," Mayor Mare began. "As mayor of Ponyville, I first want to thank Pinkie Pie for getting us all together tonight. I know most of you are worried about the past few days' events. I share your worries, but I also trust that everything will turn out fine. Princess Twilight has always managed to triumph against everything thrown in her way, and I, for one, have no doubt she'll return to us. In the meantime, I know Ponyville can be strong. Our small town has always persevered in the face of adversity, and this will be no different!"
Polite applause met the mayor's speech. Rainbow took another sip of cider as she looked over the crowd. Nopony was buying it, save for a mulberry-maned pony, whose loud, "woo!" made ponies turn in the direction of the cider barrels. The ponies of Ponyville continued whispering in low voices, probably sharing their doubts about the future.
"Twilight always had Celestia helping her, this is different," Bonbon whispered to Lyra.
"Does that mean Twilight will be okay, mommy?" Dinky asked her mother.
"She didn't say why Rarity isn't here," Aloe told her sister Lotus.
Rainbow noticed Applejack and the mayor sharing a look. This was obviously not the desired result of the speech. Rainbow kicked the dirt. So much for getting everypony's spirits up.
Everypony returned to their conversations. Mugs of cider were passed around, and a few ponies stopped by the snack table. They were all going through the motions, pretending to enjoy themselves. Rainbow found Pinkie watching the crowd from her position near the stage. The pink pony eventually looked down at her hooves. By this time, her parties usually had everypony cheering.
Rainbow turned to her drinking companion. "Darn it, Fluttershy. I knew this whole thing was a bad idea. Nopony can just pretend their problems are going away. Look at Pinkie! You know how she gets when ponies don't enjoy her parties."
Rainbow's companion answered timidly, a hint of defiance in her voice. "At least Pinkie tried. She wanted so badly to cheer everypony up. I think we should help cheer her up in return."
Dash sighed loudly and looked down for a moment. She eventually shook her head and started walking toward Pinkie, motioning for Fluttershy to follow. "You're right, come on."
The two pegasi arrived next to the pink pony as the mayor got off the stage. The party's mood was slowly returning to its reserved, somber state. Pinkie's mane was slightly deflated, as it often was when the party pony felt sad or disappointed.
"I'm sorry the party isn't working out so well," Rainbow awkwardly offered.
Pinkie slowly raised her head. "You were right, Rainbow. This party was a waste of time. Nopony wants to be cheered up right now. I don't even want to have fun."
"Now, that's just not true," Fluttershy replied, nuzzling Pinkie Pie. "Ponies did come. We all need to get things off our chests. It might just take a little bit longer for everypony to get out of their shells." She smiled and looked at the pink pony in the eyes. "Keep at it, Pinkie, you're doing a good thing, even if it might be hard to see it right now."
"So get out there and do your thing, Pinkie!" Rainbow completed with renewed vigor as she pushed Pinkie toward the stage. Fluttershy had the right of it. We might as well go through with the party. It's not like it could get any worse.
Pinkie gazed over the crowd of ponies. "You're right, girls!" she giddily replied as her mane sprang back into form.
The pink pony jumped onto the stage. "Stop everypony!" The crowd quieted down and gave Pinkie its attention. "I want to thank all of you for coming to my party, it means a lot to me! Now, I know you're all worried and sad, I am too. I'm hoping we can forget about all of that tonight, though, and have a bit of fun!"
Rainbow looked around. The ponies seemed to be listening to Pinkie as she continued. "I want to tell you all about a friend of mine. I know she's friends with a lot of you too. Her name is Twilight Sparkle. Whenever something bad happened here in Ponyville, she was here to help. She never gave up when the Everfree Forest started invading, or when Discord was turning the town upside down, or when Cerberus escaped. Each time things got bad, she got all of us together and helped us unite to save the town! Wherever she is, I know she's not giving up!"
Pinkie took a breath. Her speech seemed to be having the desired effect as smiles started coming back to a few ponies' faces. "If we want to help her, then we need to stick together. Every time Twilight helped us fight some big baddy, we did it as friends, and even had fun! We need to do the same now. Like Miss Mayor said, we need to keep Ponyville alive! For tonight, let's stop thinking about everything we lost and have fun with everything we still have. We have each other, we have our homes, our town, we have cider, and we have cake!"
Rainbow Dash was amazed that Pinkie not only brought smiles back to the ponies, but even managed to cheer up the pegasus herself. It still wasn't as energetic as the usual Ponyville parties, but the cider was flowing, ponies were smiling, and slices of cake were being passed around.
Berry Punch and Lyra opened another barrel of cider. Drinking songs were sung as the Sun went down and the evening truly began. Rainbow was tempted to gulp down her whole mug of cider, but decided against it. She might have to fly to Cloudsdale, and didn’t want to endure the journey on a hangover.
Pinkie didn’t share the same moderation as she joined Berry in a drinking song. "There once was a little pony who fell in a barrel of cider."
Rainbow enjoyed listening to the drunken antics as she spent some time with the other weather ponies. Blossomforth told her how Cloudchaser had gotten stuck inside a raincloud. Flitter laughed and joined in the drinking song, other pegasi adding their voices.
"She decided drinking it all was better than swimming forever." A group of stallions started singing. Caramel climbed on a barrel. He sang louder than the rest, convincing more mares and stallions to join in.
Rainbow noticed Applejack still talking to the mayor. Big Macintosh joined them, carrying a slice of pie. A drunken Berry Punch bumped into him, throwing the pastry into the air and onto the mayor's head, causing a round of laughter.
"Once the barrel was empty, little pony smashed it to the ground!" Pinkie Pie poured more mugs of cider, passing them around to everypony. Glasses were raised as the song increased in volume. Lyra gulped down an entire mug.
Fluttershy and Cheerilee entertained the young colts and fillies who were still going strong. Rainbow spotted Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo in the group. The children laughed at the dancing and singing adults, Sweetie walking in an exaggerated zigzag, pretending to be drunk.
"And as everypony looked at her, she yelled 'bring another round!'" Laughter resonated through the scene as Caramel fell down from his barrel onto a pile of hay fries.
As the chorus echoed, more ponies joined in. "Drink and drink and drink and drink and drink and drink and buck!" Applejack and her brother sang loudly, as did most of the weather team. Spike had been walking around asking for sips of cider, but now seemed to be having a hard time walking in a straight line. The evening continued in this fashion, the ponies finally allowing themselves a night of fun and celebration.
The party started to die down after a few hours. Fluttershy had already gone to bed, as well as Cheerilee, Mayor Mare, and most of the other ponies. Berry Punch and Caramel were still drinking alongside Carrot Top, Noteworthy, and Lyra. Rainbow stood in a corner, yawning as she looked over the scene when Applejack joined her. "Hey there, Rainbow. We didn't get much chance to hang out tonight, but you seemed like you enjoyed yourself."
"I gotta give it to Pinkie," the pegasus replied, raising her mug. "She managed to do it. I didn't think it was possible to cheer up anypony after what happened."
"She sure knows what she's doing," the farm pony said as both she and Rainbow gazed over a snoring Pinkie Pie. The party pony had fallen asleep next to an empty barrel of cider.
The two friends took a moment to appreciate the scene. The few ponies still awake seemed like their worries were mostly gone. Sure it would all hit them again in the morning, but at least Ponyville had gotten a chance to relax.
Most of the cake had been eaten, save for the few half-eaten pieces found on plates all around the area. All of the cider was gone, except for the one last half-barrel, which Berry had just opened. Some ponies were still awake, calmly discussing whatever was on their minds, just as Rainbow and Applejack were doing. While they spoke quietly, they were clearly cheerful. The party was coming to an end, but everypony would surely go to sleep with smiles on their faces.
Rainbow looked out in the distance. She sighed as she turned to her friend. "Applejack, I got drafted today."
"You what now?" the farm pony asked, giving Rainbow a confused look.
The pegasus took out the two letters she had been hiding all day. "I got these letters from Cloudsdale. Apparently they're reforming the military. As a Junior Wonderbolt, I have to report for duty."
"They can't force you to do anything you don't want to, Rainbow."
"I know, AJ, but here's the thing. I want to go. If Cloudsdale is getting organized like that, there's got to be a good reason. What else do we have? Going on a wild chase after Discord? Hoping Princess Cadance comes up with some spell to find Twilight?"
Applejack sighed. "I know how you feel. Just today, the mayor asked me to stay in town. She suspected all of us would want to go out after Twilight." Rainbow raised an eyebrow, which prompted Applejack to nod and explain. "Apparently, Twilight handled so much of the town affairs, getting back to managing everything is too much. You heard her speech tonight, it wasn't as inspiring as she used to make them. She's just not sure she can handle the town on her own anymore. She's getting ready for retirement."
"What are you trying to say?" Rainbow asked.
"I'm saying maybe I should stay and help manage things here in Ponyville. You wanna go to Cloudsdale, Fluttershy wants to go after Discord, Pinkie kept going on about wanting to go to the Crystal Empire after a few mugs of cider... Is it wrong to go our separate ways on this one?"
Rainbow Dash thought about it for a moment. "Isn't it what Twilight would have us do? She's always making use our skills in the best possible way. As much as I hate it, Rarity is probably where she'll be the most useful. Maybe we need to follow her example and each look for Twilight in our own way."
"Maybe you're right," Applejack suggested, her hoof to her chin. "Let's sleep on it and decide what we want to do in the morning."
"Speaking of, I'm about ready to hit the hay," the pegasus replied as she yawned. "See you tomorrow, AJ."
"Sleep tight now, Rainbow," the earth pony replied, patting Dash on the back before they both went their separate ways.
As she flew off toward her home, Rainbow knew sleep would come easily. If Applejack could understand why she wanted to go to Cloudsdale, no doubt her other friends would support her decision as well.
The city of Cloudsdale finally came into view on the horizon. Rainbow Dash had been flying for a good part of the day, only taking the occasional break on passing clouds to allow her wings to rest. The trip from Ponyville to Cloudsdale was one Rainbow had made many times.
A train station had recently been built in Gale, the village underneath the city, and a balloon would take visiting ponies up into the clouds, making the need to fly to reach the city a relic of the past. Twilight had also created an easier to cast version of her already permanent cloud walking spell, so earth ponies and unicorns could now easily visit the city in the clouds.
For all the ease of travel now offered, Rainbow often opted to fly to Cloudsdale on her own anyway. The city had always been a symbol of pride for the pegasi; to touch it, one had to fly high up into the air. The reward of life in the sky was one that used to be reserved to the ponies able to reach it. Rainbow's time in Ponyville had changed her views on that, but she still enjoyed the personal challenge.
The flight was also a tradition to Rainbow. It was a good test of her endurance, and the trip offered her time to reflect on past and future events. She had made an important decision this morning, but it was not one she made alone. This choice had the potential to change Rainbow's life, as well as her friends'.
Rainbow and the others had all agreed to meet at Sugarcube Corner for breakfast. The blue pegasus had brought her two letters, expecting that everyone would want to see them.
Pinkie Pie had visible pouches under her eyes from the previous night's party. She was slowly drinking one of Mrs. Cake's secret hangover cure milkshakes. Fluttershy, in contrast, had seemed well rested, her cyan eyes wide open and aware. Applejack appeared just as alert as the yellow pegasus. Her frown betrayed serious concern; Rainbow knew the farm pony had a lot of responsibilities on her shoulders.
Spike seemed to have a hard time staying awake. He had curled up in a sleeping position on the chair next to Pinkie Pie. As for Rainbow, she had slept well, but not enough. She woke up shortly after the sunrise, thoughts of the important decisions ahead keeping her from getting back to sleep. Seeing the Sun in the morning reinforced her faith in Princess Luna; even while accused of imaginable crimes, she was still loyal to her ponies.
After they had all ordered breakfast and went through the usual morning pleasantries, Applejack got them on track. "Alright, everypony. I've been thinking about what we all need to do, and I think we might have hard decisions to make. First of all, Rainbow, can you show them what you showed me last night?"
Rainbow Dash gulped. She knew this was coming, and she did promise Applejack, but now it was real. "Yesterday, Thunderlane came to see me. He gave me these two letters." The pegasus took out both sheets of paper and placed them on the table. "It's a draft order, and a personal letter from Spitfire. They want me to join the Cloudsdale military."
Fluttershy took the first letter and gave it a quick look. "Since when does Cloudsdale have an army? I know the Wonderbolts often fight monsters, but they haven't really been a true military since a long time ago, right?"
"Technically, the Wonderbolts were founded as a military force," Rainbow replied. "They do have to go on missions once in a while, but overall, Equestria's always been peaceful. One thing everypony seems to forget is that pegasi who attend the Wonderbolts Academy can, at any point, be drafted into military service. It's mostly a symbolic thing. As far as I know, this is the first time it happened."
Pinkie Pie immediately roused herself out of her half-slumber and jumped in front of Rainbow. "You can't go, Dashie! We need to stick together!"
Applejack raised her hoof. "She should go, Pinkie. I found myself thinking last night, about what Twilight would do. Then Rainbow came to me with her letters. Twilight's a good leader. She knows our strengths. She'd ask all of us to work where we're at our best." Pinkie crossed her legs and glared at Rainbow.
"Is that why you encouraged Rarity to stay in Canterlot?" Fluttershy asked.
"Partly, yes," the farm pony replied. "If something's going on in Cloudsdale, we can't ignore it. The same way we can't forget about Discord."
"So we all go find Discord and Rainbow goes to Cloudsdale?" suggested Pinkie, still glaring at Rainbow. "What about the Crystal Empire?"
Applejack sighed. "Not exactly. Rainbow's going to Cloudsdale while Fluttershy will go find Discord. As for you, Pinkie, I feel like it's a waste of time, but Twilight often trusted your instincts. I'll risk doing the same. You can go see Cadance and Shining Armor. Take Spike with you; he's still a bit of a hero back there, and could be useful."
Rainbow Dash had been quietly listening to the exchange, still trying to wrap her brain around it all. "What about you, AJ? Do you still want to stay here?"
"That's right, Rainbow. I'm staying in Ponyville. Miss Mayor asked me to. She says Ponyville needs at least one of us here, holding the fort as it were. Ponies got used to Twilight and the rest of us protecting the town and all. Truth be told, Mayor Mare wanted all four of us to stay, but priority should be finding Twilight and Luna."
"Works for me," Rainbow replied. "I'm certainly fine with going to Cloudsdale. It's where I'll be at my best, like you said." Her brow furrowed as she turned toward the yellow pegasus. "What about you, Fluttershy? Are you willing to go find Discord by yourself? Traveling alone to the badlands can't be safe."
Fluttershy hid behind her long mane for a moment before taking a deep breath and meeting Rainbow's eyes. "Oh, it is very scary, but I think I can do it. Discord is a friend and I know he'll look out for me. As for you girls, Applejack is right. We all have things to do. I... I can be brave." She nodded firmly. "I'll find Discord's Chaos Labyrinth, and then I'm sure he'll be able to help."
Applejack nodded at the group. "It's settled then. We'll go our separate ways and do what we do best. If any of you learns something, either return to Ponyville or write me a letter." The friends all nodded together.
The rest of breakfast had been more casual. They all knew that these might be the last moments they would spend together for some time, and they all took advantage of it. Rainbow Dash had left her friends first, hugging each in turn and saying her goodbyes before finally taking flight toward Cloudsdale.
She now found herself flying toward the city in the sky, her head filled with questions regarding what she would find there. Why was Rainbow the only one contacted? If there truly was a threat to Equestria, Spitfire might have asked for her friends to come too. Did the Wonderbolts' leader even have an enemy in mind, or did she order the re-militarization of Cloudsdale in anticipation of aggressive moves by another nation?
Dash also remembered not seeing any of the Wonderbolts at the funeral in Canterlot. There would have to be a good reason for that. Did they suspect the enemy to be in the capital? If that was the case, Rarity could be in danger.
Rainbow Dash lost herself in her thoughts longer than she realized. She found herself close enough to make out some of the city's features. Large rainbows arched over pristine white cloud buildings surrounded by the familiar white columns so distinctive of Cloudsdale architecture. She spied groups of pegasi in the distance. While Rainbow was too far away to differentiate their features, she could tell the metropolis was extremely busy. No doubt she wasn't the only one to receive a draft letter.
As she approached further, Dash took notice of a familiar turquoise-coated pegasus. While she had remained in contact with Lightning Dust after the academy, their friendship had never fully recovered from the accident that almost killed Rainbow's friends. Still, both pegasi could respect each other's skills, and they had quickly realized that their friendly rivalry did not have to end.
Rainbow waved at her old acquaintance. "Hey, Lightning! Wait up!"
The golden-maned pegasus turned her head around. She immediately smiled as she saw Dash. "Hey, Rainbow Dash! Long time no see. I guess you're here for the same reason I am?"
"Yup, draft letter. I'm not sure exactly what's going on, but it's got to be important if Spitfire called in the Emergency Military Act."
"I'm as much in the dark as you are," Lightning replied, matching Rainbow's flight speed. "Still, it's a chance to kick some tail and show Spitfire what I'm made of. I've been itching for some action lately."
Rainbow frowned, "This isn't like stunt flying. Have you ever been in an actual fight? Some of the monsters I had to go against were pretty darn scary. Sure, I could totally take them on with my awesome moves, but it's nothing like flying loops or busting clouds."
"Pfft, if you can take on monsters so can I," the turquoise pegasus replied as she shook her hoof dismissively. "Beside, I haven't seen you at the past two training camps."
Rainbow harrumphed. "I've still been practicing! Being companion to a princess keeps me plenty busy!"
"Whatever Dash. I guess I'll see what you're made of in training later."
Rainbow nodded. "Oh, you can bet your flank you will!"
As the two pegasi got closer to the city, they saw groups of ponies in uniforms everywhere. They wore protective armor over their chests and hooves. Plates of cloudsteel covered as much of the pony's bodies as possible without impeding their movement. Since pegasi fought in the sky, speed and maneuverability were often favored over solid protection.
Rainbow and Lightning flew through the city in silence, both of them taking in the sights. The city was arming itself. A stallion placed posters on walls encouraging ponies who weren’t drafted to join the military. Some of those posters had been vandalized, crude drawings and anti-war messages plastered over them. War against whom though? The few ponies she questioned while flying through the city said Cloudsdale had only reformed the military as a precaution.
"We better get some explanation about all this," she told her companion.
Lightning Dust shrugged. "We got orders, we came. They just have to point me in the right direction and whatever's in the way is gonna be sorry."
Rainbow sighed. Under different circumstances she might have agreed with Lightning. Today though, there was a lot at stake. Spitfire sent her a personalized letter; hopefully meeting the Wonderbolt leader would explain what was really going on.
They arrived at the stadium to find it converted into a recruitment center. Groups of pegasi trained inside and above, all under the watchful eyes of Wonderbolt officers. Rainbow did notice the Wonderbolts still wore their signature blue and yellow outfits. It was a uniform that inspired loyalty. Whoever decided to have them wear it instead of the new armor understood how to keep morale up.
A brown stallion with a large, black mustache stood next to the entrance with a clipboard in front of a table covered with papers. A large sign that told new recruits to 'report for duty here' was also placed in the area, indicating he was the pony to talk to.
Rainbow landed in front of him, Lightning close behind her. "Rainbow Dash reporting for duty, Sir!" She gave the pony a military salute.
Lightning mirrored the gesture, announcing her presence the same way. "Lightning Dust reporting for duty!"
The stallion took a moment to look them over. He took a glimpse at his files before tipping his head in Lightning's direction. "Lightning Dust, you've been assigned to the sixth feather in Commander Soarin's wing. Report to Captain Rapidfire for assignment. You'll find him at the obstacle course, right up there above the stadium." He pointed up with his hoof to a group of ponies flying in formation through cloud circles, wind bursts, and other standard obstacles.
Lightning gave the stallion another salute. "Sir!" she announced before flying off, giving Rainbow a wink as she went to meet with her superior.
The mustachioed stallion turned toward Rainbow. "Rainbow Dash, I have special orders for you. You're to report directly to General Spitfire. She should be found in the stadium's royal suite. She converted it to her temporary office."
"Yes sir!" she replied with another salute. She couldn't help but wonder about the titles. Spitfire had always been a captain. Why the sudden change to general?
The stallion chuckled. "If what I heard about you is true, you won't be calling me 'Sir' for long."
Rainbow grinned. "I'm sure of that. After all, I'm awesome!" The blue pegasus flew inside the stadium. She noticed the large balcony where Princess Celestia used to watch the various competitions. Fleetfoot was standing on it, talking to another mare Rainbow didn't recognize.
Rainbow Dash landed on the platform, giving the other two pegasi a salute. Fleetfoot grinned at her. "Rainbow Dash, good, you're here. Spitfire was worried you wouldn't show up. I knew you'd come around, though."
"Thank you, Ma'am!" Rainbow replied with a salute, uncertain how to approach the situation.
The senior Wonderbolt chuckled lightly. "No need for that, you've been assigned the rank of Wing Commander, same as me. We'll be leading these ponies together."
Rainbow gasped in surprise. She knew Spitfire believed in her abilities, but to make her a commander in the Cloudsdale military? "A... commander? It's an honor, but why me?"
"I'll let Spitfire explain. Trust me, you'll love it." Fleetfoot replied, pointing toward the suite with her muzzle. "She should be in her office. Better not keep her waiting."
Rainbow nodded, uncertain what to say. She noted large banners hanging around the suite as she walked inside. Half of them displayed Cloudsdale's insignia, the others showed the Wonderbolts'. A secretary sat at a desk with a pile of papers and a typewriter. She seemed too busy with her work to even notice Dash's presence.
Spitfire was at the end of the room, sitting beside the same large desk she normally kept at the academy. She wore a severe-looking uniform. On the table sat a well-polished helmet. It was decorated with golden lightning bolts and a large red plume on top.
"General Spitfire, Ma'am," Rainbow announced as she walked to her desk.
The orange-maned Wonderbolt stopped reading the report she had in her hooves and stared at Rainbow Dash, blinking a few times. "Well, here's somepony I didn't expect to actually see. I suppose I owe Fleetfoot a drink."
"Well, you said Equestria's future was in the balance," Rainbow hesitantly answered. "I couldn't ignore that, Ma'am."
Spitfire smiled. "You can drop the Ma'am. I need you to be straight with me from now on." She rose and walked toward the balcony. "We can't talk in here though. Come on, feel like flying around the city?"
Rainbow's wings were a bit tired from her journey, but she wasn't about to refuse Spitfire such a request. "Sure, I'm always ready to stretch my wings."
"That's the spirit. Come on." Spitfire led Rainbow out of the suite. She nodded her head at Fleetfoot as she left. "I'm giving Rainbow the tour. We should be back in a few hours."
Fleetfoot nodded back as Spitfire flew away, Rainbow trailing behind her. They flew in silence for a while, Rainbow taking in the sights. She spied large groups of ponies training in the stadium with spears. She decided to risk a question. "So, I gotta ask. Why all of this? I'll grant you, Equestria does feel vulnerable, but you don't build an army like this just in case the griffons decide to test our borders."
Spitfire grinned at Rainbow. "Well, you're not afraid to ask questions. That's what I like about you, Dash. You say what's on your mind. Speaking of, I heard you stood up for Princess Luna back in Canterlot."
"I just had to tell the truth," Rainbow replied. "Some of those nobles were coming up with the most insane accusations. Return of Nightmare Moon, betrayal of Equestria, they even accused her of murdering her sister!"
Spitfire calmly nodded. "So I heard. You don't have to worry about me though. I agree with you. I happen to trust our Princess of the Night. Let's just say I used to have bad dreams."
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "Bad dreams?"
"Never mind," the Wonderbolt leader answered with a weak smile. "I will answer all your questions, but first I want to show you around." She motioned toward the city. "We have the entire city mobilized. While we haven't called for a full conscription yet, the idea has been thrown around. For now, anypony who swore a pledge of loyalty has been drafted. We also called for volunteers within the city. We plan on recruiting within the rest of Equestria soon."
"Why the secrecy, though?" Rainbow asked.
"Simple; because Canterlot isn't aware we're doing this. You'll see the reason soon." Spitfire took a deep breath and eyed Dash severely. "Now, tell me Rainbow Dash, do you still feel comfortable leading ponies?"
Rainbow nodded. "Fleetfoot did mention you wanted to make me an officer. I won't let you down, Ma'am!"
Spitfire smiled. "Good, I expect nothing less. From now on, you serve under the rank of Wing Commander, meaning you'll have a full wing under your command. That's eight feathers, each made up of eight units."
"And I unit is eight ponies. I remember my military history lessons," Rainbow replied with a wink.
The general continued. "You have a lot of experience fighting all kind of creatures with Princess Twilight and your friends, and you’ve also demonstrated quick thinking, leadership, and loyalty in the past."
Rainbow nodded, uncertain what to say.
Spitfire frowned lightly. "Before I officially give you your rank and uniform though, I need to be sure you're in. I can't have you desert the moment Pinkie Pie or another one of your Ponyville friends calls. To be blunt, what we're doing here is too important, and your responsibility will be too great. Cloudsdale has to come first."
Rainbow gulped. This was not a promise she could make lightly. On the one hoof, her whole purpose for coming here was to join the Cloudsdale Army. As a member of the inner circle, she would probably learn far more than she could have in Ponyville. If whatever was being planned was as important as Spitfire made it out to be, then there was nowhere else she should be.
On the other hoof, Rainbow could not help but picture Pinkie Pie, Applejack, or one of her other friends in danger. Would she be able to stay in Cloudsdale and obey orders even if her friends needed her? What if Twilight was found? Would she be allowed to go after her? Rainbow risked asking. "What if we learn where Twilight Sparkle is? My friends are out looking for her right now."
"Then we will go after her," Spitfire answered. She stopped suddenly, forcing Rainbow to pull up and turn toward the General. Spitfire's tone turned grave and serious. "But we will not put Equestria at risk. Above all else, the nation's safety is paramount. I need to know that you will be loyal to our cause, Rainbow. I must know that my commanders will see this to the end, no matter what happens."
Spitfire's tone spoke volumes about the gravity of the situation. ‘Loyalty,’ the word kept ringing in Rainbow's head. She was reminded of her earlier conversation with her friends, each of them going where they could be the most useful. Rarity could not leave Canterlot, nor could Applejack just leave Ponyville. Rainbow was being loyal to her friends, even if they were far away.
"I want to protect Equestria, General, and if that means Cloudsdale comes first, then it comes first. I trust you when you say it's worth it, and I won't get distracted." Even as she spoke the words, Rainbow felt her heartbeat race. I sure hope I'm making the right choice here.
"Good," the general answered. "I think you're ready to learn exactly what we'll be fighting for. Follow me."
"Where are we going?" Rainbow asked as they took a sharp turn.
"To the mayor's house. There's somepony there you should meet."
Mayor Breezefall lived in a large house on a cloud dominating the city. It was kept a respectable distance from other clouds, allowing him some privacy. The house was a two-story building, and was very open, as most Cloudsdale buildings were — only a set of columns separated the bulk of the house from onlookers, the middle part being the only completely closed-off area. Soldiers patrolled the cloud's perimeter, both in the air and on the surface. Rainbow counted at least twenty.
"I'm assuming these guards aren't here just for the mayor?" Rainbow asked.
"No, and you're about to find out why. Remember one thing though. What you're about to see inside this house must remain confidential. We will reveal it to the rest of Equestria, but not before we're ready to defend it."
Rainbow nodded as she flew down toward the house. She tried her best to keep her hooves from shaking. What was this secret Spitfire was so adamant on protecting? She wouldn't even speak of it in the open.
Both ponies landed on the cloud and walked toward the house. Guards saluted them as they approached the front door. A guard opened it as they approached, and they both stepped into the richly decorated house. The inside walls were framed in enchanted wood that wouldn't sink through clouds. Tapestries hung on the walls, depicting pegasi in flight.
A large cloudstuff staircase lead to the second floor. Spitfire started walking toward it, but did not go up. She instead went to a small door on its side. She opened it to reveal another set of stairs going down. A few cloud homes had basements that were built inside the clouds themselves. Some ponies used them to store valuables away from sight — the perfect place to hide a secret in a city like Cloudsdale.
Spitfire opened the door and held it for Rainbow, a small smile appearing on the general’s face. Dash stepped in, followed by her superior, who re-locked the door behind them. Together, they descended the dark staircase. During every step, tension rose within her. What was awaiting below? What secret was so important that an entire army would be mobilized to protect it?
Her eyes were still adjusting to the darkness. Cloudsdale was always bright and sunny, being above the weather. A dark room within the city was something she had a hard time wrapping her head around. Ahead, she heard voices and saw a large black shape. A chair? As they approached, she could make out several ponies. Two wore armor, different from the soldiers she saw outside. Were those Canterlot guards? The other pony she knew to be the mayor.
"Thank you, General Spitfire, for bringing Rainbow Dash here," a loud, commanding voice announced. It was unmistakable. As her eyes adjusted, Rainbow saw who stood before her, sitting on the dark throne, though she could hardly believe it.
"Y...Your Highness," Rainbow said, hey voice trembling from the shock.
Princess Luna gazed directly into the blue pegasus's eyes. "Rainbow Dash, I have heard of your actions in Canterlot, and how you refused to believe the slanderous lies being told about me. You were right. I did not murder my sister, nor am I guilty of any of the other crimes they accuse me of. For now, what I require from you is an oath. Are you forever my subject?"
Rainbow Dash bowed deeply as all her doubts evaporated. "Yes, Your Highness. Your word is my command."