The Eternal Rainbow

As the sun arched across the morning sky, Achroma groaned as the beams of light shined into her face, causing her to stir and slowly open her eyes.

"Ugh... what happened last night?" she grumbled. Sitting up, Achroma looked around the room, immediately realizing that this was not her room... in fact, it probably wasn't even her house. Slowly but surely, memories of what she had done and what she had become began to creep back into her mind... and she felt sick to her stomach, which probably still had the bloodied meat of that poor old mare in it.

Then, something occurred to Achroma... if she was a blood-sucking vampire now, then she should probably get as far away from the sunlight as possible, lest she turned into dust and truly die.

Do not worry about the sun, my child, a voice said to Achroma in her head. Immediately the filly yelped in surprise. While it is true the sun is dangerous, it will not kill you. Instead, it merely turns you back into a normal mortal… albeit one whose skin will feel like it's on fire.

“W-who are you?” asked the young vampire before a shadowy after-image with glowing orange eyes appeared before her. When it spoke, the inside of its mouth was glowing orange as well.

My name is Shade. I am one of the first of the vampires… and it is to my regret to admit I am the one who bit you.

"Y-you are the one who did this to me?" asked Achroma in shock as she gestured at the wound in her neck, which had already become nothing more than faint scar tissue.

Yes... I have brought a fate worse than death upon you... and for that, I am truly sorry. However, in order to right my wrongs, I have taken it upon myself to teach you how to adapt to your new abilities. said Shade.

Achroma cast a furious look at the shadow. "And what makes you think I'd want to learn how to be an immortal murderer from you? I ATE a pony last night for crying out loud!" she yelled.

Shade looked at the young vampire. I understand that you are angry with me. But, fate has casted upon you and every other vampire who has ever been born or turned an eternal mission: to protect ponykind from fearsome creatures that they cannot stop, and who wish to harm them. she calmly replied.

"What creatures?"

Werewolves, ghouls, Dark Vampires, binge drinkers, and wraiths amongst other things. You should really get moving, your crimes will not go unnoticed for long.

Achroma was about to retort but thought back on that idea as she soon looked outside and saw the constable and several guards looking into an alleyway nearby, and they were muttering something about blood in the carriage she'd stolen.

“Okay... okay so... what are my powers then? Do I turn into a bat or something?”

No, that’s... that’s idiotic, where did you hear that? Of course you don’t turn into a bat…. you turn into a SWARM of bats.

“Right... because that makes SO much more sense."

I cannot stay much longer. Forgive me but we shall meet again. said Shade as she vanished into thin air.

"Okay," muttered Achroma as she turned her attention to the problem at hand. "Now, how am I going to get out of here unseen?"

Looking around the room she found a set of black robes that seemed very out of place. She immediately grabbed them and put them on and quickly pulled the hood over her head and carefully walked out of the house while trying to avoid being detected.

Unfortunately, as she walked past the constable and the guards, one of them spotted her, and thought she seemed suspicious. "Hey, you! Halt!" he called after her.

"Oh, buck!" yelled Achroma as she turned on her heel and began to run as fast as she could. The guard was barely able to keep her in his sight on foot, so, he resorted to using his wings.

Well, that's just cheating! thought Achroma as she looked behind her to see that a few other other guards, including the constable, flying after her, and they were actually gaining on her. Well, if you wanna fly, then I will too!

And with that, Achroma flapped her wings, and flew off like a rocket, the acceleration nearly throwing her off-course. WHOA! What the buck?! Since when could I fly like this?!

The guards behind her, meanwhile, were thinking the exact same thing.

"Whoa, that pony's even faster in the air!"

"No way we can keep up with them now!"

"Quiet, all of you!" barked the constable. "I don't care how fast that pony is, they're our only lead to that murder-theft case... although, I must say, what kind of twisted being would steal a filly's corpse, rip an old mare to shreds, and steal a carriage? NOW AFTER THAT PONY!"

"Yes, sir!" barked the guards, before they started flying with every last ounce of energy they could muster.

Achroma looked over her shoulder, and saw that somehow, the guards were STILL keeping up with her. Out of sheer desperation, Achroma flapped her wings as hard as she could, steadily picking up speed. As she did, new sensations began to tickle her mind. The speed... the adrenaline pumping through her body... the wind in her mane... she was liking this... A LOT. It felt almost as intoxicating as drugs to her. The faster Achroma flew, the more it seemed like the air itself began to warp around her, making a flexible, multi-colored wall that seemed determined to hold her back.

However, Achroma's determination was proving stronger as the wall began stretch to its very limits.  "I will not be captured by mere mortal slowpokes! I will not be put to death again! I... WILL... NOT!!!" she screamed, before, finally, the wall broke.

Every single eye in Equestria was turned to the sky at the sight of what appeared to be a rainbow explosion of some kind, and trailing from the center of the blast was what appeared to be a rainbow, while the multi-colored shockwave expanded for nearly a 2,000 mile radius, shattering windows and boulders, and even creating fissures in the ground. Of course, some ponies were under the impression that Equestria was under attack and ran inside their homes, grabbed their children, and hid under their dining room tables. Others simply couldn't move a single muscle, nor look away from the spectacle. And others still were talking rapidly about it with those nearby.

"What the buck was that?!"

"Was that a weapon of some kind?"

"No, is it- is it a rainbow?"

"No, it looked more like a sonic boom!"

"No way! It was a rainbow sonic boom... a Sonic Rainboom!"

What kind of idiotic name is that?!Achroma thought to herself as she flew away from the scene. However she soon felt herself tire out and that her body was burning up from the sun itself. She soon felt her wings give out and she fell into an empty home.

"Oh, man... that was... that was... AMAZING!" laughed Achroma as she rested her head against the  floor. "Maybe this whole vampire thing won't be so bad after all."

Oh, yes. Aside from the killing innocent ponies for the sake of self-preservation and being hunted by misguided fools who see you for the monster you truly are, it is truly a joy to be a creature of the night.

Achroma groaned as she turned her head to face the shadow that was Shade. "Thanks for killing the mood. I just flew faster than anypony ever has in the history of Equestria and made some kind of rainbow explosion in the sky!" she snapped at Shade.

Ah, yes. The mortals will be talking about that so-called "Sonic Rainboom," for millennia. It seems as though you are extraordinarily fast, even for a vampire.

"Gee, thanks."

As it were, I have a little assignment for you. I need you to go to Cloudsdale, the City of the Pegasi. Make sure it's dark out when you get into the city. There is a secret location I want you to find for me. said Shade.

“Uh huh. And what is that place called?”

The mortals have come to calling it the Rainbow Factory. Really I figure Rainbow Producers and Weather Maker Facility was good enough but the name stuck.

“And…. what do I do when I get there?”

Get a job.

“Funny.”

I am serious. You get a working job there. No need for you to attract more attention as somepony who has no family and still counts as a filly… though in two days that would’ve been different.

Achroma frowned in sadness... two days from now would've been her 18th birthday, had she still been mortal, that is. "All right, I'll get a job at this Rainbow Factory place, and keep my head down for a bit," said Achroma.

Oh, you'll be doing more than that when you get there.

Achroma frowned. "What do you-" she began to ask, but it was too late. Shade had gone. Heaving a sigh, Achroma collected herself off of the floor and slowly flew out of the hole she'd made in the roof. If she was going to get to Cloudsdale by nightfall, she had better get a move on.