The sun was just below the horizon preparing to invade the night sky and push back the moon as it reclaimed its place in the sky above. In this predawn light, miles from any other pockets of civilization a breeze began to stir in a field. Slowly the breeze turned into a wing and then a gale as it swirled around a deserted field near a forest.

As the wind threated to become a powerful tornado it suddenly shifted direction and blasted outwards as something was forced into the empty space. In a flash of light where once only sat an empty field now stood dozen upon dozen of builds all lining roads that ended abruptly at the edge of buildings.

A moment later the sound of metal striking metal and the screech of rubber on road filled the air from the town. Slowly lights along the road flickered to life as if they suddenly gained power and lights in many of the houses started to appear. Panicked screams and yells started to fill the air from the town as well as a few loud bangs and flashed of light from inside several houses.

Many figures rushed from the houses and store fronts that doubled as residences as flashing lights began to fill the streets coming from on top of metal objects as sirens filled the air and more screeching of rubber on road filled the air as these vehicles arrived at the site of where other metal boxes had crashed into each other or people gathered in confusion while other ran down the street screaming in panic.

As some of these group threated to panic figured dressed in gold uniforms stepped from the vehicles with the flashing lights holding small objects in their hands. As they spoke into them their voices were amplified by speakers that sat before the flashing lights as they urged the crowds to stay calm. In some instances these figured dressed in gold uniforms had to forcible drag groups apart as some of the panicked people attacked the others, looks of fear plain on their faces.

As this happened across the town larger vehicles with flashing lights began racing from one of the larger buildings in the town heading for the homes where the loud bangs had been heard, now filled with whimpers of pain and frantic fear filled yells for help.

One of these vehicles raced past a group of buildings that sat inside a high fence topped with razor wire. While the dark green wearing figures within this fence looked around in confusion and clutched the metal objects held in their hands they remained calmer than the rest of the town.

The door to one of these buildings burst open and a figure walked out, it was clear this figure was female as she headed for one of the other buildings a look of determination on her face.

Staff Sergeant Dusty Trails opened the door to the administration building and found it filled with other soldiers all trying to report what had happened while the two sergeants behind the desk in the entry way tried to maintain order and make sense of what was happening.

Dusty trails as that like her the other soldiers found themselves transformed into these strange bipedal forms. Dusty had been having breakfast in the mess hall with her squad when there had been a bright flash of light, when her vision returned she found herself still sitting a the mess hall table, only now where her squad had been sitting now sat confused looking bipeds that looked somewhat like her squad.

After everyone had lowered their side arms from the sudden appears of strange alien being before them the soldiers in the mess hall had begun to assess what had happened. It hadn’t been too hard to realize everyone was who they should be but the bodies were beyond strange.

Were once she had been a dark yellow earth pony with a green and pink mane she was now a taller bipeds with the same color fur and mane though where her front hooves had been now sat a pair of hands like a Minotaur’s, in fact her body look a lot like a minotaur only thinner and smaller, also minor the horns. The strangest thing about the body was the two large additions to her chest.

Also strange was while she still had her uniform top she now found herself wearing pants in a black and green camo pattern with knee pads and black sturdy boots on her feet which based on how they felt were no longer hooves either. All the soldiers in the mess hall were dressed like this, even there sidearms had changed locations. Where they once had rested squarely on everyone’s flank just over their Cutie Marks they now rested on their hips.

The pistols had also been changed as they now sat comfortable in everyone’s hands, the mess hall had also changes, it was bigger, the benches now designed for their new bipedal bodies. None of this made sense to her.

A lieutenant who had been eating his breakfast at the same time as everyone else was quick to take charge of the situation and start having everyone assess the situation, once that was done the stallion had sent Dusty to report what had happened to the administration building while they all waited for instructions.

All the others were most likely sent from various sections of the garrison to report what had happened just like her and ask for orders.

As the confusion threated to reach a breaking point the door deeper into administration building opened and a stallion walked out. One of the sergeants behind the desk glanced over and was quick to open his mouth as he saw the insignia on the collar of the stallion. “Officer on deck!”

Like a switch had been flipped the noise died and everyone in the room snapped into a salute aimed at the stallion. The stallion stood slightly taller than Dusty and was noticeable more muscular, not to mention older by a few years. The stallion’s fur was light blue and his mane and tail was red with a streak of grey that was trimmed short to make the horn on his head clearly visible. He surveyed the room with eyes that had clearly seen many things in his career and even in a different body it was hard not to recognize Colonel Brighter Days, the commander of the garrison.

“At ease.” The Colonel said in a voice that sounded like this was just another inspection and not a confusing mess with his soldiers all finding themselves in new bodies. Every soldier in the room dropped into rest, Dusty couldn’t help noticing all their hands went behind their backs and they held them there while their feet sat shoulder width apart.

Colonel Days walked the rest of the way into the room and stopped in front of a Pegasus mare. “Report.”

“Sir, training grounds has suffered an unknown change to all personnel present as well as alteration to equipment. Gunnery Sergeant Fleetfoot has taken charge and began organizing everyone while he sent me to report what had happened.” The mare said crisply.

Colonel Days nodded and moved onto the next soldier, a unicorn stallion. “Report.”

“Sir, motor pool has suffered the same changes as the rest of the garrison, we have a few minor injured caused by the bright flash happening while mechanics worked on vehicles but nothing to serious. Staff Sergeant Grila has organized everyone and began treating the injured with onsite med kits while I was sent to report.” The unicorn said.

The Colonel nodded and moved onto the next soldier, and after receiving that report he went to the next. All the way down the line till everyone had reports the same thing, all personnel in the garrison as well as equipment had been altered after the bright flash.

Receiving the last report the Colonel Days looked at the gathered soldier. “Has anyone heard anything from communications?” He asked calmly. He was answered by shakes of the head.

“Here sir.” A small earth pink pony mare with a lighter pink mane said as she ran into the room from outside, she was panting a bit and it was clear she had sprinted all the way over to administration from the communication building. The mare snapped into a salute. “Privet Cottencandy reporting for communications. We have suffered changes to our bodies as well as to equipment and a partial communications black out.” The mare said. Dusty Trails could tell the mare must have been fresh out of training as she noticeable shook slightly but was still trying to look calm.

“Explain.” Colonel Days said as he walked over to the mare.

The mare swallowed nervously before speaking. “While we have communications with the Royal Guard in the town we have lost all communications with the rest of the county, everything just went dark sir.” She said.

Colonel Days nodded. “Thank you privet.” He said and turned to the gather soldier. “While things may be strange right now I can assure you the situation is under control and I’m sure we will have communications back up soon, most likely whatever that flash was simply overloaded our antenna which would mean we wouldn’t be able to contact anyone, once it is repaired we will have full communications back.” He said to reassure the soldier under his command. He then looked at Dusty. “Staff Sergeant.” He said and Dusty snapped to a salute delivering as ‘sir’ to acknowledge he was speaking to her. “Get your rifle team together and take a couple of Humvees out. I want you to head to Ponyville and report what has happened as well as see if it’s happened to anyone else or just us.”

He said and Dusty nodded. “Yes sir, we can be mobile in ten.” She replied. She could tell the reason the Colonel was giving the order publicly like this was so the rest of the soldier saw that things were being done and everything was under control.

“Good, you are all dismissed.” The Colonel said before he made his way back towards the door that lead deeper into the admin building and the soldiers started to file out to report back to their sections While Dusty did the same she was also going to grab the two squads that made up her rifle team so they could carry out the order Colonel days had for them

Dusty Trails couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, she didn’t know what but something in the air just wasn’t right, she hadn’t noticed it in the initial confusion but now that everything had calmed down the air felt…..tainted somehow.

Whatever it was she was sure it would be dealt with once they reached Ponyville.

Author's Note

Well a group of soldier and an entire town the guard just arrived in a very unfriendly world. Wonder how they will all react.

Also no clue when The Commander will be arriving but she will possibly show up later, most of this story will be done with OCs