--Many years later--

Rainbow Dash walked slowly through the pure spectrum cooling area with a clipboard hung around her neck and a pen in her hoof. Factory workers buzzed around her as she did her daily task of inspecting the numerous columns of spectrum cooling containers lining both her right and left. She was a full grow mare now and also the chief rainbow manufacturing manager. She had made a full recovery after she had been released from the hospital those many years ago. Soon after she had been released she had begun determinedly striving towards her goal of one day working at the Weather Factory and figuring out a new way to create rainbows.

Once she had become old enough Dash signed up to work at C.W.C (Coudsdale Weather Corporation). After numerous years of hard work and undying willpower she soon became assistant rainbow manufacturing manager. The only pony that had had a higher position than her, in the rainbow sector, was Dr. Snow who was the chief rainbow manufacturing manager. They grew a strong friendship and made a great team together, yet Rainbow Dash could tell that deep down the doctor still felt guilty about what had happened to her those many years ago. Then, one day, it suddenly happened. Dr. Snow announced to the rainbow facility’s staff that he was retiring. The doctor appointed Rainbow Dash his job position, and from then on out she had been the rainbow facility’s head manager.

“...thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four, and thirty-five,” counted Rainbow Dash as she jotted down some quick notes on her clipboard, “Seems like we’re running right on schedule today. We have thirty-five full containers of pure spectra. Good job everypony!”

Rainbow Dash sighed as she let go of the clipboard. It dangled around her neck as she turned to leave the cooling area. It was almost lunch time and she was starved. She had been in such a rush this morning that she hadn’t even had time to eat breakfast. As she made her way out the sliding doors and into the hallway she bumped into Star Runner who still worked at the facility.

“Hey, Miss. Dash, I was looking for you. You weren’t at your office so I decided to check here.”

“Yeah, I was inspecting the cool area. What is it?”

Over time Dash had become pretty good friends with Star Runner. He was, after all, the first factory worker that she had ever met.

“Well, uh, one of your engineers would like to have a word with you. I think he said that he’ll be waiting for you in the main room,” reported Star brushing his mane out of his eyes.

“Okay, thanks. Catchya later Star.”

Stopping in the main room wasn’t a problem for Rainbow Dash. She had to pass through it anyway to be able to get to her office for lunch. As she made her way down the hallway she greeted workers who walked by, either by smiling and saying ‘hi’ or by telling them to ‘keep up the good work’. Upon entering the main room Rainbow Dash began to scan the area, searching for the engineer who wanted to speak with her. Her eyes fell upon a dark red pegasus dressed in a white lab coat. He stood next to one of the massive spectrum caldrons used to stir the pure spectra and was fiddling with a pair of safety goggles that hung around his neck. As Rainbow Dash approached him she could tell that he seemed to be in his mid thirties.

Looking up the engineer noticed Rainbow Dash and greeted her in a quite calm and slick voice, “Why hello Miss. Dash, I am Dr. Atmosphere, one of your mechanical and biological engineers.”

“Hello Dr. Atmosphere…”

“Please, just call me Hide.”

“Okay, Hide, I was just about to go to my office to get some lunch. How about to tell me whatever it is that you want to tell me while we walk there?”

“Why of course Miss. Dash. I was going to suggest a more private location anyway.”

Hide followed Rainbow Dash through the main room and out the large titanium doors leading out of the rainbow facility before he began to speak.

“So, how long have you been chief manager now?”

“About six months,” replied Rainbow Dash with a grin, “It’s all gone by so fast. It feels like just yesterday that I was the assistant manager, and the day before that signing up to work here.”

“Yes, well, I noticed you the day that you signed up Miss. Dash. I saw greatness in you, and knew that someday you would become a great worker. I saw you mature over the years, and eventually become the mare you are today. After great consideration I finally decided that you’re ready to hear the truth,” proclaimed Hide as they got into an elevator.

“The truth? What are you talking about?” asked Rainbow Dash confused.

“Yes, the truth,” repeated Hide sternly as he pressed the up button, “Do you remember back when you were just a filly? When you were first brought to the Weather Factory?”

“Um, yeah. They brought me here because they thought I could revolutionize the way of creating rainbows.”

“And do you remember the test results?”

Hide’s question hit a soft spot for Dash. She remembered sitting in the hospital on the brink of tears vowing to herself that she would one day discover a new way to make rainbows since she wasn’t the key.

“Yes, I remember. They came back negative. What does this have to do with anything?”

“Everything, Miss. Dash. This has to do with everything,” replied Hide very calmly and seriously, “You see, I was the one who tested your samples.”

The elevator they were riding in came to a sudden stop and the doors slid open. The two ponies stepped out and walked a few paces down the hall before stopping in front of a door. It used to be Dr. Snow’s office, but it now belonged to Rainbow Dash.

“And?” asked Dash, pausing with her hoof on the door handle.

“I’ll tell you once we get inside,” replied Hide as he checked behind his shoulders to make sure that nopony was around.

Rainbow Dash shrugged and opened the door. The office was more contemporary now, compared to Dr. Snow’s old design. Warm sunlight poured through the polished glass wall to her left as Dash ambled over to her office desk.

“Like I was saying,” continued Hide, closing the door cautiously behind him, “I’m the one who tested your samples. Miss. Dash, I would like to inform you that they were positive.”

Dash coughed a little as she choked on the sandwich that she had just begun eating, “What!?”

“Yes, I found an alternate way of making rainbows that day Miss. Dash. Dr. Snow just never told you.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t know what to say. All she could do was sit in her chair dumbfounded. She watched as Hide made his way over to a small abstract sculpture sitting in the corner of the room.

“Snow never told you because he was afraid of the truth. He’s the only one who currently knows about it besides me. He called me ‘sick’ for ever thinking up such a thing, and told me to forget about it. He said that as long as he was in charge ‘the rainbow facility would never stoop to such low and twisted levels’. But he was a fool,” seethed Hide as he studied the sculpture, “This truth will revolutionize everything!”

“What is it?” inquired Rainbow Dash enthralled by what Hide was saying.

Hide stole a quick glance at her before responding, “It turns out that pure spectrum runs within the blood of all ponies. It only has to be extracted.”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This was better than she could have imagined! If pure spectrum really was inside of everypony then that would mean no more gems, no more extraction capsules, and no more reactor! Everything would be so much safer and cleaner, and it would cut the expenses of making rainbows by the thousands.

“This is wonderful! Why haven’t you told me sooner!?” exclaimed Rainbow Dash excitedly.

“Because of the way the spectrum is extracted…” replied Hide.

“And how is that?” asked Rainbow Dash leaning back in her chair.

Hide’s eyes widened at this question. He started to nervously tap the floor with his hoof as he hesitated for a moment.

“Ya know… that’s a very good question Miss. Dash,” chortled Hide somewhat hysterically.

Sweat began to form on the red stallion’s face and he started taking in quicker and shallower breaths. As he slowly turned to face Rainbow Dash she noticed that his eyes were dilated and he was leering at her in an uncanny way.

“When I found out how to extract the spectrum it almost drove me mad,” explained Hide, “The only way it can be extracted is by harvesting all of the flesh and blood from inside of the ponies. A simple grinder should do the trick. Then it’s only a matter of a time before the spectra separates from the dying flesh.”

Rainbow Dash’s stomach churned at Hide’s explanation and she almost vomited on the floor. He watched as she recovered from the sudden and unexpected convulsions.

“…disgusting…” stuttered Rainbow Dash holding her stomach, “How can you live with yourself?”

“Simple,” replied Hide regaining his calm and slick composure, “I told myself that it’s for the best of Cloudsdale…No, for the best of Equestria! I mean just think about it Miss. Dash. It would cut the costs of making Rainbows by nearly sixty-seven percent! No more company gem mining, no more raw spectrum. It would be so much cleaner and resourceful. With only a dozen ponies we could make more pure spectrum then with fifty gems!”

“That doesn’t change the fact that it’s murder!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash harshly.

She noticed that Hide took a few steps back at her sudden outburst. His surprised face changed into a wicked grin as he continued to stare at her.

“You don’t get it do you?” countered Hide slyly, “It would also be so much less dangerous than the current method. You, of all ponies, should know that! You witnessed the danger of the reactor firsthand.”

Rainbow Dash gasped as she suddenly remembered visiting the Weather Factory for the first time. She remembered being in the control room when the reactor malfunctioned, and how she had smashed her head into the viewing glass. She remembered…

“AAAHHHUUUGGG!” screamed Rainbow Dash as her head erupted in pain.

She still couldn’t remember what had happened to her after she had hit her head. Every time she tried to remember her head would always seem to explode with pain. Dr. Snow had always told her that she had breathed in raw spectrum, but Rainbow Dash just couldn’t remember. All she could remember was waking up in the hospital bed.

“Don’t you ever… talk to me about that experience again!” gasped Rainbow Dash as the tension in her head subsided.

“S-sorry,” stammered Hide shocked.

There was a moment of silence as both the ponies took a few minutes to calm down. Rainbow Dash could tell that Hide was in deep thought as he paced back and forth across her office.

“How about this?” asked Hide finally, “We wouldn’t kill just anypony. We’d kill criminals, the vermin of the world. And when we run out of them we could start knocking off failures, those idiot ponies that can’t do anything except stain Cloudsdale’s remarkable reputation.”

“You’re out of your mind!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash pointing at Hide, “Now get out of here before I decide to fire you!”

The two pegasi stared intensely at each other for a few seconds before Hide finally smirked and shook his head. Slowly, but surely, he made his way over to the office door and opened it.

Before stepping out he turned to face Rainbow Dash one more time and added, “I just don’t think you understand what you’re doing.”

“Don’t you ever bring up that sick idea again!” shouted Rainbow Dash as he shut the door, “I will fire you!”

Author's Note

I know, this chapter is short. That's because the next chapter was originally going to be part of this one. But I decided to just publish this part of it because it was taking so long to write. Anyways, the next chapter (or technically the second half of this one) will be published soon.