Painting our Life - 6 Colors

   "I'm being auctioned off." The words echo through my ears and bounce off my brain, not allowing me to fully understand. And when I do, I fall to the floor on my knees, and begin to sob. "Kyle? Kyle you still there?" Dash cried out, "Please come save me, I don't want to be sold to another person. I want to be with you. Don't leave-" I hear muffling sounds. And the next voice hits me like a battering ram.

   "Enough of this gushy crap. Kyle, you know what I want." The voice. That voice. Goddamn it. He's back. Tim McDan. "If you want your little pet back," I clench my teeth, "You'll have to come to win the auction. I'm pretty sure one of these fancy smancy rich people will buy her big." He laughs, it's menacing, I find myself at a loss for words. "Hey, it's your choice, just bring all your money, and we'll see how much the head waiter of a five star restuarant can afford. It's at the River Run Center in downtown Guelph. Can't miss it. Theatre 3." Then, nothing but silence. Beep. Beep. Beep. I gently set the phone down. And slowly grab my wallet from my desk. The headache I had earlier was completely cleansed by Dash's soothing voice. Even though the message it delivered was heartbreaking.

   The night stars shimmer. I climb into my car, and set it to life. Slowly, I drive into town. Downtown, towards the place of the auction. I've been to the River Run Center twice. The orphanage brought us to plays and musical acts.

   I sat in the front row. The puppets on stage glisten brightly with their shiny costumes and colourful jester shoes. It's a show about two clowns that tell lies and end up paying for them. It was quite funny. In the middle of the show, Tim kicked me in the shin. Jerry pulled me by the collar of my shirt and slapped me, hard. My face stung like crazy from the slap, and tears formed in my eyes.

   "Awww, is the big baby beginning to get wet in the eyes? The puppets to scarewy for yew? Need your mommy's arm to grab onto?" Jerry taunted, "Oh, that's right, you don't have a mom!" Tim laughed. We're all orphans, that's what made it funny to him. I clenched my fists and attempted a punch towards Tim. He grabbed my arm and twisted. I muffle a cry of pain. Everybody from the orphanage had their eyes on us instead of what was being performed onstage. They began to laugh. Tim and Jerry's chuckles and taunts ring through my ears.

   "Make it stop," I whispered, before receiving a punch to the gut.

   Here I stand. In front of the River Run Center. It hasn't changed a bit. Same tiled wall, same posters advertising nothing, same building shape, and same Tim. I shiver. My wallet bulges from the pockets of my jeans. I walk in. A woman greets me with a smile, and provides service.

   "I need to get to theatre 3," I mumble.

   "Oh?" She doesn't seem surprised, "So you've heard of the monster Tim McDan and his son nabbed as well. They're auctioning it off, you must be one of those buyers. That thing's hideous, but sort of cute." I flash her a look screaming shut up.

   "She's not a monster," I growl, angry at the woman's impression on Dash.

   "Here we are, Mr. Grumpy," She points at the door, and leaves, grumbling, "Rich kids and their snobby attitudes."

   I open the door, and walk down the hall leading to another door. I hear people screaming from inside. I inhale a deep breath, and exhale. Opening the door, everyone's eyes turn to me.

   "There's the man of the hour!" Tim says into the microphone. "Let's all give him a warm welcome for bringing this monster into our world." Everyone growls and shoot me looks. "This monster my son found in the forest," I look up to the stage. Jakob.. Jakob... The one who befriended Dash, the one who earned her trust, the one who betrayed their friendship. He smiles proudly at me, happy with what he accomplish in the "nabbing of a monster." "I'll hand the microphone to my son now, and let's all put our hands together for his heroic tale!" Everyone in the room claps. I clench the arm rest. Jakob stares at everyone in the room with huge pupils, smiles, waving to some of the cheering people, and begins his story of lies.

   "I was walk through the forest, exploring it, looking for bugs I could step on," I roll my eyes, "The day was perfectly warm, with a gentle breeze. I found some flowers and plucked them from the ground, to smell their flavour." I groan, this kid is bad at telling lies, much less a story. "When suddenly, a blue monster with rainbow hair jumped out from the bushes. It grabbed me and threw me to the ground. I was really scared. I thought I was going to die." He grinned, "But I overcame my fear, and punched that monster hard in the nose. It began to cry," Dash was tied up in a cage, mouth gagged with a cloth. She flashed Jakob a look of anger hearing herself put into such a pathetic position, "That's when I jumped up and kicked it in the stomach. I thought it was dead, but it was still breathing. My dad noticed I was gone for too long, and had comed into the forest to search for me." Like father, like son, two lying bastards. I wanted to step up and rip their heads off, but the crowds around me are patiently waiting to buy Dash, and I have no doubt they'd manslaughter anyone who disrupts the story. "He came just in time. The monster was getting back up, and he found some ropes to tie it up so it can't move." He pauses to think, "And that's when we brought it here so we can sell it for money!" Dash looks at me with pleading eyes. I read them, perfectly fine, I don't know how, but her eyes are her voice.

   "Kyle, I'm so sorry, I should've listened to you. I... I don't want to be sold and be some pet to some fancy rich snob." I helplessly watch a single lonely tear roll down her left cheek. Her telepathic message continues, "Even if you don't have the money to buy me back, I want you to know there's nopony, no one else I'd rather live with. I had this coming for me, I cannot blame you if you lose this auction, and I won't force you to take part. Those words I said earlier, I didn't mean them. I was... I was just so mad with the way I am living. I wanted to see this world. I wanted to see it's people, it's landmarks, I wanted to belong here." Dash closes her eyes for a long time, before sending more of what she wants to say, "I was clearly foolish in this, and this has unlocked a new experience for me. Kyle, even if this is the last time we'll ever see each other, I just want you to know, thank you." She disconnects from my brain. I flash her a look.

   My eyes scream, "I'm going to win this, Dash, I'm not going home without you. Even if I lose, I'm not going to give you up to one of these creeps." I manage a weak smile the her, hoping she understood my message. The auction begins.

   "Ok, so the starting bidding price will be $250." Tim begins, "Anyone? Anyone?"

   "$260," Someone from the crowd shouts out.

   "Going for $260, $260, anyone can beat that?" Tim repeats over and over.

   "$300!" I look over to a woman dressed in feathers. She smiles, "That darling's fur would make a wonderful coat." A shiver runs down my back.

   "$325!"

   "$356!"

   "$400!" The number grows and grow. I don't care how high it is, I'll blow my whole bank account if it's needed to return Dash.

   "$750!" Someone shouts out from the crowd. The bids are silenced. That one person who bid $750 pumps his hand in the air, thinking he's won. I stand up, and glare at him.

   "$800," I call out. My opposer growls his discontent.

   "$875," He raises his price. Son of a gun, I'm not letting him win this, Dash is going home with me. That's that.

   "ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS!" I scream at Tim, who's been watching with great amusement in his eyes.

   "$1150," The other bidder says through clenched teeth.

   "$1200."

   "$1256."

   "$1300."

   Dash's eyes widen at the ammount of money I'm offering up. I ignore her.

   The other person slams his hand against the backrest of the seat in front of him, "Bullshit, $2000." Tim looks shocked, he wasn't expecting this much.

   "$2050," I say.

   "Sold for $2000 to that man over there," Tim announces. The man jumps up and begins to dance. My heart sinks, and my fists clench. This isn't fair. I run up to the stage and to Tim, and punch him the face as hard as I can. He bounces back sending a blow to my gut. "Stupid poor sport, you lost, go home." He smirks at the knowledge of my loss. I clutch where he punched, it hurts like hell.

   "I offered $2050. I win, I offered the higher ammount. She is mine to take home." Tim grabs me, and throws me off. Out of the corner of my eyes, I see tears flow down Dash's cheeks. I've lost. Landing with a thud, I stay there. After I promised her I'll bring her back not even an hour earlier, I lost just like that. Everybody leaves the theatre, grumbling about their loss, leaving just me, Tim, Jakob, Dash and the winner of the auction. I pick myself up from the floor. The winner hands over a wad of hundred dollar bills to Tim, and walk over to Dash's cage. The unlocks the cage, and removes the gag.

  "Well, well, well, look what I've won," He grins. Dash sticks her orange tongue our and spits.

   "I'm not going home with you, I want to be with Kyle," She nods towards my direction. The man turns to me. Tim and Jakob watch from the side with great amusement.

   "So you are this being's previous owner." Owner... I clench my fists, Dash and I lived together as equals, as friends. His sharp eyes pierce through me like a knife, "This explains why you tried so hard to buy her. She seems great, she better be prepared to put her back in it in doing the chores around my house. She'll be quite useful." Dash spits again.

   "Like hell I will!" She screams. The man walks over to her, and slaps her. The sound echoes through the theatre.

   "If you are going to be my pet, you will need to learn to watch that sharp tongue of yours." That's it. I jump up onto the stage, grab the man by the collar, and pin him to the ground. My rage just converted to strength. I send a fist flying into his stomach, he coughs. Then I pick him up again, and toss hom off the stage. Dash gasps. I'm quite surprised at myself as well.

   "Get out," I whisper, but he hears it crystal clear. The man gets on his feet and scrambles out the theatre. I breathe a sigh of relief. I don't know what to do now. Dash watches my back, in disbelief at what I just did. After what felt like an eternity, Tim begins to clap.

   "I never thought you had it in you, Kyle," His voice is gruff, "That wasn't half bad. I'm leaving now." I don't turn to face him.

   "Dad, can you take me to the grocery store and buy cookies now?" Jakob's voice squeaks. I hate him. He almost had Dash sold. Our cover is blown now. This can't be happening. The police will be at my door by tomorrow morning.

   "Scram," Tim says to his son.

   "Wha- daddy you promised me!" I let the two fight at the side. I step up to the stage to untie Dash.

   "I no longer have a use for you, run back to the orphanage where you belong." The words echo through the theatre. Cries from Jakob follow. I don't look at him, but his sniffing is loud enough for me to hear. He runs to a corner and sits down. Tim stuffs the wad of money he received from the man into his pocket, and takes his leave. Dash stands up, now free of her ropes.

   "Dash, help me," Jakob pleas, although it pains me, Dash and I silently walk towards the exit. "Please," He gets up and follows us. "I have no where to go," He runs towards us, tears flowing down his cheeks. "PLEASE!" He falls to his knees when he sees us ignoring him. He begs to our back. We open the door, leaving the ten year old boy who deceived us both to cry alone in the theatre.

   Dash and I stand in the hallway, outside will be dozens of people waiting for the next play or show. Dash will never make it through. I think it's pretty stupid, whoever scheduled this must like pulling people out of their beds at one am in the morning. I begin to open the door, Dash behind me, bracing ourselves for the gasps when the people see her.

   "Thank you," Dash whispers before I set my hand in the doorknob.

   "Halt!" A regal feminine voice thunders. A blinding light flashes from behind us. I close my eyes, and cover them. When I open them, a white, large pony with a majestic rainbow mane stands before us. My eyes widen, it's Princess Celestia from the land of Equestria. The ruler of them all. Dash bows down.

   "The pegasus Rainbow Dash will now return to Equestria to end her exilement. The council has decided this realm is not meant for her, even if she was to be punished for her crimes. I am here to collect her," The Princess says. The words flow magnificently out of her mouth. I return to my senses. Dash's jaw hang agape.

   "Whoa Princess, sorry but no thanks," Dash says, "I'll continue my banishment and stay here." She looks to me with a smile.

   "This is not an option, you will return. Even if I have to use force." Celestia's horn begins to glow, telling me she has begun to cast a spell.

   "No! Wai-" I begin to say, but she cuts me off.

   "It was interesting Kyle, but every story has an end, and this, is yours," Celestia's last words, before engulfing the room in once again a blinding light. Dash's eyes full of worry, was the last thing I saw, before the world blacked out, my world.

*This isn't the end yet guys, stay tuned! NEED COMMENTS V.V HONESTLY REALLY, TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK, WHAT YOU DIDN'T LIKE, HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO GET BETTER?! BLARGH!