Blood, Tears and Laughter. A Rainbow Factory Fan-Fic

Chapter Three: The Animal Inside

  Author's Note: This chapter takes place three years later, and Flash is now about twelve years old.

  Flash continued to become more and more brutal, more like Her, and part of him couldn't stand it. He was standing in the bathroom of Her quarters, looking into the mirror at what he had become.

  He had grown somewhat, being taller than he was when he had arrived a few years ago. And his fur and mane were stained with blood, to the point where most of it would not wash out anymore.

  "What has become of me?" He asked his reflection, his voice filled with sadness. To his surprise, (though he thought he might be hallucinating) it responded.

  "You've become stronger, that's what. You've shown everyone here what you're made of and destroyed anyone in your way." It said, sounding like a sinister version of himself.

  "No I haven't!" He yelled back, "I've become a monster! I've killed others and almost killed my friends. I can't sleep with the things that I've done. I'm becoming just like Her!"

  "And that's a good thing, don't you remember what She said? 'Don't you know how things work around here? It's survival of the fittest.' You had to do those things to survive this, and you've gained the fear and respect of others. You should be proud of yourself."

  Just then, She came into the room. "Is something wrong? I heard yelling." She asked.

  "No, no. Everything is fine. It's, nothing. I'm fine."

  "Alright, if you say so." She said, sounding a bit skeptical. "I'll see you later my little protégé." Then She left the room.

  "Ehyuck." He spat, "I can't stand how she talks to me. Treating me like I'm her perfect little murderous pet" He turned back to his reflection, it smirked at him, laughed quietly and turned back into his normal reflection, mirroring whatever he did.

  "*sigh* What's happening to me?"-

"I can't escape myself,

So many times I've lied, (So many times I've lied)

But there's still rage inside,

Somebody get me through this nightmare!

I can't control myself!"

  -The next day another batch of flunk-outs was delivered to The Factory, the poor little ponies didn't know what was going on.

  'I feel so horrible seeing this happen, knowing exactly what it feels like.' He thought, but then something inside him spoke in reply.

  'You shouldn't, they're worthless to The Flock. They can't even fly properly, so stop sympathizing and get to work!'

  The voice had never been this commanding before, and it startled Flash. 'Fine, I'm just saying I've been in their position before.'

  He trotted to the end of the catwalk and pushed the button that would start the projector and play the song he'd seen and heard on his first day here. After that had ended and his audience looked thoroughly frightened, he began to relay the same speech he'd been forced to say numerous times before.

  "By now, you’ve all clearly determined that you are not going into exile. There is no deportation. There never was. You are in The Factory. You will never leave The Factory. And while you may be called useless, that’s also not entirely true. You’re worthless to The Flock as a Pony. But you still have purpose!"

"Purpose to all the ponies in this land, far and wide. You get to help us make rainbows! Beautiful, magical rainbows, doesn’t that excite you?” Flash looked over all of the fillies and colts below him as looks of shock and disgust appeared on their faces.

  "Figures, it is such an important and honorable task that it often leaves it's new bearers speechless. Now, do we have any volunteers?"

  A brave young colt with a medium green coat of fur and an ocean blue mane stepped forward and spoke, there was always one who did this.

  "You can't do this to us! We're still pegasi! We have rights!"

  Flash sighed and said, "Not here you don't, you have no clue what's in store for yourselves do you? Well, I'll let The Overmare explain."

  Flash stepped back as She approached and took his place at the end of the catwalk. She then recited the same thing She had countless times before and got the same reaction from Her audience, total panic.

  But this time Flash just sat back and watched as those beneath his rank reigned them in and restored order. Then, She spoke again.

  "Alright then, now that that's taken care of, take the one who spoke up and use him as a demonstration of what happens if you act out of line."

  The workers grabbed and dragged the struggling pony over to the cold metal chains and shackled him to them. "Please, don't do this! I'll behave, I promise! Please!" The poor thing sounded so distressed, but Flash had already sealed away any sympathy for them, and signaled to the operator to start The Machine. It then hummed to life as the chains raised the whimpering pony high above the Factory floor, and positioned him above the mouth of the giant metal monster. Flash averted his gaze as the following events unfolded.

  She said, "We find The Machine works best when the ribs are already broken."

  Just like before, and every other time, the chains started twisting, causing the colt's ribs to shatter and brake, small bits of them poking out of his chest. And then, like every other time, The Machine dropped the whimpering bloody mess that had once been a pegasus inside its gaping maw, grinding him to bits and turning him into beautiful blue and green Spectra, which oozed out of pipes at the bottom of The Machine and into vats of the corresponding color.

  "How can I continue to do this?" Flash quietly said to himself as he walked away.-

"So what if you can see,

The darkest side of me?

No one will ever change this animal I have become.

Help me believe,

It's not the real me,

Somebody help me tame this animal I have become!

Help me believe,

It's not the real me,

Somebody help me tame this animal!"