Painting our Life - 6 Colors

   I stare up at the ceiling, lying in my bed. It's a beautiful Saturday morning. Rainbow Dash trots into my room, and sits on the floor. She tilts her head like a puppy. We just stare at each other. Trying to think of something to say.

   "You gonna lie there all day?" Dash breaks the silence. "I mean, like don't you have work today or something? You did take the day off yesterday."

   "Well it iiis a Saturday, but if you insist..." I get up from bed. My red pajamas dangle loosely around my body. She chuckles.

   "Hey, I'm just messing around with you." I smile. And give her a soft noogie on the head.

   "So am I." Then I send her out of my room while I change into my clothes for the day. As I brush my teeth, it hits me. That invisibility spell won't last for any longer. I should take Dash somewhere before it wears off. As I make myself a cup of coffee and toast for us both, I ask her.

   "How long do you think that invisibility spell will last?" She looks up.

   "Well, I was told by the princess it would last for at least 8 days. Today is the 6th day since I got here." Perfect.

   "So, you wanna go somewhere?" I ask.

   "Like where?"

   "Anywhere. The beach, the park, the movie theatre." That last suggestion seems to have peaked her interest. Dash takes a bite out of her toast and chews thoughtfully. She grins.

   "I'd like to visit a movie theatre." She decides.

   "Then it's settled, we'll go watch a movie." We finish our breakfast. Then I log onto my computer, and we check what movies were currently playing this month. Dash chooses on Speed Racer. From what I've heard, this is a decent movie. Well, from what I've eavesdropped anyways. We'll buy tickets when we get there. But we need a way to kill time. It's not even noon yet. I descend to the basement. Dash follows.

   I haven't been down here for three years. The layer of dust coated on top of an old table is noticable. To the extreme. The boxes are stacked neatly and placed against the wall. They hold all the things I've brought from the orphanage. I open the one at the top. It's flooded with teddy bears, coloring books, a half deflated soccer ball and a whole bunch of other toys. I pick up the box. It feels like it weights a ton. Once I set it down, I open the box that was stacked underneath it. This one is filled with with some of my old clothes. Many were from when I was a kid, the rest were worn in my last few years at the orphanage. I sigh. The memories sting a bit.

   "Is there anything specific you're looking for?" Dash questions. To be honest, I actually have no idea what I'm looking for. I just have a feeling this stuff will help.

   "Nope." She sits on the last stair and just watches me as I dig through this junk.

   "Need help with anything?" I bite my lower lip.

   "Yes, we need to get all this stuff upstairs." I mumble. Dash doesn't say anything. We spend most of the afternoon moving the boxes and old furniture behind the couch in the living room. When I check the clock, it was already 3 pm. The movie starts in one hour.

   "Hey, fancy walking to the movie theatre?" I call to Dash, who's lying lazily on the couch. She perks up.

   "Is it time?" She says excitedly.

   "Nearly, I'd say it'd take us at least half an hour to walk there though. So I guess it's fair to go now. Better safe than sorry." She jumps off the couch, and races to the front door.

   "Let's go!" She hops around, full of energy. I smile. I grab the scarf I gave her yesterday and wrap it around her neck. Then I put on my coat. The door opens and we set off on our little walk to the theatre.

   The snow sparkles in the sun as we walk to the nearest plaza, (technically I'm the only one walking since Dash can fly with her Pegasus wings) where the movie theatre is located. The plaza's parking lot is flooded with cars of shoppers. There's a mall nearby, and this is the only parking lot around this area, so many people just leave their vehicles here and walk the short distance to the mall.

   A large building stands before Dash and I. The words Galaxy Cineplex is sprawled across the top, entitling the builiding. The exterior of the building is painted as if it was space, with white shining stars piercing through the darkness. We enter. Dash's eyes sparkle. She looks around frantically, trying to soak it all in.

   "You look like as if you've never been to the movies." I joke.

   "I haven't, Equestria doesn't offer technology like this yet. In fact, our entertainment there is more of books and going to events like the Grand Galloping Gala or a Wonderbolts show." Her mouth gapes open, at the snack bar, the arcade, and the movie posters that hang on the walls. Ignoring her, I go to the tickets booth to purchase tickets, no, I just realized I didn't need to buy Dash a ticket. Nobody can see her right? Meaning she can just sneak through easily. Besides, it'd be awkward giving the ticket collector TWO tickets when there's only one me. And he'd probably think of me as a lunatic if I told him there's a cartoon pony from another universe beside me, and he just can't see her. I purchase a ticket to the 4 ol'clock showing of Speed Racer and tuck it into the pockets of my jeans. Then I make my way to the snack counter, to purchase some popcorn and drinks for Dash and I. I carry them as Dash follows. She offers to help carry the food but we can't risk people seeing theatre snacks floating around on their own.

   I hand the ticket collector my movie ticket. He rips off the barcoded part and returns the rest. I check the which theatre we are supposed to be in. 2A. It's right down the hall. The movie doesn't start for another 10 minutes. I take a good look around. The orphanage did take us here, to watch The Lion King. That was quite a while ago though. I don't remember much of this theatre, but the memories soon snap back as if revisiting this place triggered it. As we walk past theatre 1B, I feel a pang of sadness.

   "Hey, can you tell me about the last time you came here?" Dash asks, she realizes she said something wrong, and stupid when she saw the emptiness in that probably shows in my eyes..

    I stood in line, waiting for the door to open. The Lion King was about to start inside! I smile and hopped excitedly. The kids in front of me chatted about how long they've waited to watch this movie. But I'm more than that! This was my first time watching a movie AT THE THEATRE!

   "Well, well, if it isn't the scrawny loner scrap." Huh? I turned to face the owner of the voice, it's Tim, and standing behind him was Jerry. "I'm surprised the orphanage actually took a piece of crap like you with us." He raised a fist, and it landed right in the middle of my gut. Jerry laughed at Tim's blow. And gave a small kick into my shin.

   "OW!" I fell on my side and gripped my shin. That only aroused more laughter. Soon, the whole line began to laugh and point at me.

   "Look at him."

   "How will he ever survive in this world?"

   "What a weakling, crying in a public institute like this. It's a  disgrace to us men."

   Salty tears rolled down my cheeks. Of course, I will never receive a break. Just because we weren't at the orphanage doesn't give Tim a reason not to bully me. I struggled up onto my feet. I was at the bottom of the food chain at the orphanage. The scrawniest of all, no muscles, all skin and bones. I stared forward. Trying not to make eye contact with the ones who have just laughed at and humiliated me. Suddenly, Tim gave me a shove on the back. A hard one. I launched forward, my feet fumbled for a bit, and I landed on my stomach. Tim bent down, and grabbed me by my shirt's collar and pulled me up.

   "Did we say we were finished yet?" Tim snarled. Jerry walked up behind Tim, still smirking. "Nobody wants you here, why do you stay? Why don't you just disappear?!"

   "We don't need your face to be there to remind us of what kind of dump we live in.! You're average trash, good for nothing. Me an' Tim? We're gonna grow up big, get great jobs, and makes lots of money. You'll be living in your little hobo box, crying like a baby, eating beans you got from the food drive!" Jerry added insult to injury. He gave me a small kick in the shin as Tim had earlier. Even though it was just a small, kick, it burnt like hell from the earlier blows. Tim threw me aside.

   When I pulled myself up, I saw the supervisor. Staring at me. He had just sat aside, and watched the whole scene as it happened. Although I hoped, he offered no help or sympathy after the line started pouring into the theatre.

   "HEY!" A voice rings in my ears. I snap back into reality. Looking around, I realize I'm in theatre 2A. And Speed Racer is about to begin! "You ok?" Dash asks. She looks worried, as if I just died. Come to think of it, I did zone out a bit. The memory I just relived lingers, but quickly slips out of my mind.

   "Yeah. I'm fine." Dash sinks back in her seat, ready for the movie. Everybody in the theatre are quiet. It's not very crowded in here, the seats aren't even half filled. Somebody walks in beside me. In front of Dash. And was ready to sit down. "WHOA! Excuse me sir, somebody already sit there." I warn. He looks at me with curious eyes. Then moves on to the seat on my left that was really empty. Shit. I can't say a word to Dash now, or he'll get suspicious. I sink in my seat as Dash had done before. Her first movie and I can't even talk to her! I sigh. It's only natural I guess, with luck like mine.

   The movie starts. Fast moving cars. A kid daydreaming about racing through a cartoonish scene. The racing tracks remind me of Hot Wheels. Everything seems so unnatural, yet it's strangely entertaining. I look at dash. Her purple rimmed pupils widen, her mouth agape, she seems completely focused on the screen. I smile, and return my gaze to the movie as well.

   "Whoa." I mumble, "This is amazing." This is the first time I've seen an action movie on the big screen. At home, I've watched them on my television, but it's a bug compared to this screen. Dash starts cheering.

   "Go, go, go Speed!" I smile. I want to tell her nobody in a movie can hear her, they aren't even real people, just actors. But why ruin her fun or arouse suspiciouns? I take a sip of my cola. She's munching on popcorn. I take a peek at the man beside me. He's a bit bald, seems like he has a lot of muscle, and he's a head taller than me. He looks a bit familiar. Suddenly, he turns his head to me, as if he knew I was looking at me. I quickly look at back at the movie. He keeps staring at me, studying me. How rude.

   The movie brings to an end. The credits begin rolling. I sigh. It was a wonderful experience. We should come here more often, no, I almost forget that Dash's spell will not last for much longer, which is why I brought her here. I get up from my seat, and pick up our garbage. Dash flies up, mumbles she'll go and get some fresh air, and that she'll wait for me. Everyone has left the theatre already. Only the man who sat beside me remains, and I remain. I turn to leave.

   "Hey Kyle." I freeze. That's not Dash's voice, or anybody else I know. Looking back, I see the man who sat beside me is on his feet. "You haven't changed much. You're a bit taller now, but still scrawny compared to me." Shit, I reconize that voice. It's Tim, the one that had bullied me so many years ago.

   "What're you here for." I huff under my breath. This won't turn out good. At least, that's what I fear.

   "Money, I'd planned to rob this place after the movie ended. I'm a bit short on cash, and my cigarrete stash is running low." He brings out a small knife from the pocket inside his coat. "But I figured, stealing money from you would save me a lot of trouble."

   "I thought you said you'd grow up and make lots of money." I tremble as I mumble the words. Tim stares into my eyes.

   "Jerry grew up to become a great scientist, he left me." He looks down for a minute, his expression tells me self pity,"Enough talk, hand over your wallet." Tim barks. No, I'm not gonna hand him my wallet. I don't have much in here, but I need every cent if I'm going to get a new job and save up for a better house. There are exit two doors in this theatre. A lightbulb goes off. I point at the door behind Tim.

   "Jigs up, police are here!" He whips around, expecting to be circled by uniformed men. I take the moment to make a run for the door on my side. I look back. Tim was standing still there. Confused. He looks back to me. I'm close to the door. Tim breaks out into sprint. The door is never closed. Thank good for that. I run into the middle of a crowded area.

   "THERE'S A MAN WITH A KNIFE BACK THERE! HE TRIED TO ROB ME, SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE!" I holler. Everybody's head turns to me. But it's too late. Tim already made it to me. He grabs me by the chest and puts the knife over my neck. Security begins to pour in.

   "Drop the knife!" One of them orders. The knife is dangerously close, one swift movement and I'm done for.

   "Another step closer and this man dies!" Tim snarls. Everyone takes a step back. I'm shaking all over. Crap, crap, crap. How will anybody do anything without getting me killed? "Now, everybody drop their wallets infront. Any sudden movements, this knife goes through his neck." All the people in the room silently take out their wallets and drop it in front of me. "Good, now all of you leave." They don't leave. "I said LEAVE!" I begin to wonder about Tim's stupidity. Of course Jerry would leave him. I would've done the same. Nobody's going to leave while someone is about to get killed here. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dash hover in. She sees me and waves her right hoof, then she sees Tim and the knife close to my neck, and her happy expression is suddenly replaced with an angry one. She bolts towards Tim. No one but me can see her. Behind him, she gives Tim a hard kick on the head with her hind hooves. Tim is taken by surprise and drops the knife and falls to the ground. I seize the weapon, but it wouldn't have mattered if I did so or not because my attacker was knocked out. A security cop walks up to me.

   "Are you alright sir?" He asks. Nobody in the crowd moves, they stand there, staring at Tim in awe. Normally, people don't just fall and be knocked out. Another cop tells a bystander to call the hospital and order an ambulance. I take a peek at Tim and look back at the cop.

   "I'm fine, can I go home please?" He eyes me.

   "Yes, I figured you had a rough time here and this experience has chilled you. Go home, and get some rest." I nod my thanks and head for the exit of the theatre. Dash follows.

   We walk home in silence. Neither of us have anything to say to break the silence. The sun has already set. It's pretty dark out here. I unlock the front door. Dash hovers in, and flies into the guest room which I have given her as a room of her own. I make my way to my room. I change into my pajamas, and crawl into bed. The house is quiet as death. Sobs break through the silence. I know who it is. My heart aches knowing Dash is feeling horrible, we both aknowledge that a blow on the head like that could mean a deadly concussion. I lie in bed. She saved my life. It could've ended the other way, with Tim slicing that knife through my neck. I can't take it anymore. I get up from bed. And tiptoe to Dash's room.

   She's sobbing in bed. Her eyes are red, and her cyan coat is stained in salty tears. I sit down beside her.

   "It's not your fault." I mutter soothingly. "You did what anybody would've done." She looks up at me. The tears seem to have stopped.

   "It's a replay of my sins all over again." She mumbles, "I was exiled remember, I was sent here to rejuvinate, and to think about what I've done. Not to repeat it." This isn't how today should've gone. We were supposed to go to the movies, have a great time there, and come back with wonderful memories. She begins to cry again. "I hurt everypony around me." I hug her. She's taken by surprise.

   "That's not true." I say, "You brought me up from despair. I've changed much from a week ago. I've already said that. And it won't ever change. And thank you. You saved my life, physically and mentally." I give her a kiss on the forhead. And leave the room, letting her think. And to be honest with you, Dash is the most important thing in my life right now.

*Author's note:

   I spent too much time on this chapter. Had to wrap it up quickly, I have no intentions of this becoming a clopfic where its human x dash. But opinions can change and my ideas often morph. I will expect some constructive feedback.