Insanity.
What keeps one from diving into insanity?
What happens when that is torn away?
The bloodied mare's last connection to sanity disappeared into the depths of the pegasus device, leaving no remnants of her but streams of orange and purple spectra pumping out of the machine and a dark red staining the top. The spectra flowed silently into the vats, save for a strangely gentle slosh.
The mare swayed, a horrible laugh growing in her throat. It roared to a ear-piercing scream as she looked to her hooves, stained by the blood of the bodies of ponies around her. She glanced back at the machine before turning around and staggering towards nowhere, but away from the carnage, death in her eyes.
"I... I am... Rainbow... Factory..." she stuttered slowly, finding it difficult to remember how to to move her muzzle to make the words, "no... I am... Dash...dashing through the snow...". Another laugh erupted in her throat and she lost control of her legs, collapsing to the ground.
"NOOOOO!!!" she howled, tilting her head up to the ceiling, "SCOOTALOO!!!"
The pegasus shakily opened her wings and flapped them, lifting her limp body off of the floor. "You w-weren't supposed to FAIL!!!" she whimpered.
"Rainbow Dash, you cannot leave right now," a suited pony ordered, "you are not in the right place of mind-"
"I'M FINE!!!" She suddenly jerked, now in control of her legs, towards the door, desperate to feel the wind, for freedom from the oppression of the factory.
Several suited ponies looked to each other before taking off the ground at the mad pegasus. She reached the door and pounded it uselessly, the heavy door unrelenting to her strikes. Blood smeared across the surface with each hit.
"Rainbow Dash!" a suited pegasus demanded.
She shrieked and pressed herself against the door in an attempt to move away from the approaching pegasi. She heaved for air, her vision tinted red as she frantically scanned the room for another way out. Her eyes found the shattered door she had chased Scootaloo through and she closed her eyes, a giggle growing in her throat.
"How did you enjoy our last game of tag, Scootaloo?" she spoke into the empty space before her, "you never could outrun me!" The mare was overcome by a fit of coughing, finally coughing up blood before bringing herself back up. She glared at the suited pegasi before grinning and streaking over their heads. She tapped one, screaming, "You're it!"
The pegasi took a moment to recover, a moment Rainbow Dash took to race towards the broken door. She flew through it, the shattered wood scraping her sides.
She dashed into the main factory, blindly smashing through delicate machinery and cables as she had done not ten minutes before. Alarms and warnings blared, lights flashed as equipment shut down and smoked. Small fires burned and grew, singeing Rainbow's bloodstained coat as she flew, giggling and crying hysterically. She looked back at her chasers and flung her head back.
"You can't catch me!" she sing-songed, sticking her tongue out. Unable to see where she was going, she smashed into a column and weakly fell to the floor, moaning. Tears and her fresh blood mixed with the spectra and drying blood of foals as small strings of smoke trailed off of her coat.
Rainbow Dash screamed as electricity tore through her body. She lay spasming and giggling softly as she was surrounded by suited pegasi, tasers crackling.
The circle parted to let in a red-coated pegasus. He watched carefully, his keen mind struggling to form a plan of action. It was a delicate situation. Rainbow Dash couldn't just disappear, her friends and family would notice. But letting her out now would risk the factory's secrecy. She had lost it.
"Rainbow Dash, I can't let you leave right now," the red-coated pegasus said sharply, "it will risk the factory's-"
"I can do whatever I want, Hide," Rainbow Dash muttered darkly, cutting him off, "I... I am the boss here, not you!"
The pegasus stiffened, "When it comes to the factory's and your safety I am eligible to forfeit and override your authority."
"Gaahhh!" Rainbow yelled and flew upwards, suddenly able to move again, "You're not the boss of me!!!"
Hide sighed, having expected the reaction, then barked out orders. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get her, she can't leave!"
Pegasi streaked into the air after the enraged mare, who now flew with deadly precision through machinery, racing towards the exit. The suited pegasi, talented as they were, were no match for her. She reached the exit and landed hard, the guarding pegasus trembling.
Rainbow Dash glared at her, slowly walking towards her. "Let... me... through," she insisted, seething. The mare shook, struggling to speak.
"I-I have orders, y-you c-can't leave-"
"Who is in charge here?!?" Rainbow roared, lunging at the mare and tightening her hooves around her throat. She gasped for air, eyes bulging.
"D-Dr. Atmosphere h-has authority to-"
"WHO IS IN CHARGE!?!" Rainbow Dash cried.
The mare's eyes rolled up and she threatened to pass out. "Y-you..." she wheezed.
Pleased, Rainbow loosened her grip. "So open the door," she seethed.
The mare nodded frantically, hooves reaching for the controls. She entered a code and the door sighed open. Rainbow Dash threw the mare across the room and streaked out the door into the sky.
The suited pegasi flew in and landed, out of breath. Their eyes looked from the ajar door to the deathly still mare in a corner, then to each other, a dread settling over them.
"Aw shucks, Thunderlane, Ah don't think Ah can do this," an orange-coated mare sighed, "what will muh friends think?"
"Applejack," her charcoal-coated friend assured, "don't worry. From what I know of them they'll love it."
The earth pony sighed, her mane falling in her eyes. "But Ahv'e always been the reliable, down-to-earth one. How will they act if Ah start to get all lovey-dovey and dedicate myself to somepony else?"
Thunderlane lightly nuzzled her mane. "Well, it's too late now, Honey, your friends are here."
Applejack froze. "W-what?"
"Hey Applejack!" a familiar chipper voice sounded as a bright pink mare jumped and landed on the picnic blanket, "I brought cupcakes!" The mare paused, eyeing Thunderlane, then gasped, eyes wide. She quickly lowered her head, then while motioning not-so-discreetly to Thunderlane, whispered, "Is it him?"
Applejack blushed, then nodded. "Yes, Pinkie."
A delighted gasp came from the other side of the picnic blanket. An elegant white mare sporting a fancy hat rushed in, several other ponies following.
"You and Thunderlane," she said, waving her hooves between them, "you're a thing?"
The blush reddened under the farm pony's freckles as she stuttered for words. Thunderlane saw this and stepped in.
"Yes, we have been dating for about a month now," he explained, "we decided that we now felt ready to tell ponies."
A purple-coated alicorn smiled, "We're very happy for you," she started, "I know-"
"Yes, we're delighted!" Rainbow Dash's voice interrupted evilly from behind them.
The white-coated mare rolled her eyes and turned around. "Seriously, Dash, you could help to be a bit..." her voice trailed off as she focused her eyes and the bloodied mare. She opened her mouth, but only a strangled gasp came out as she recoiled back.
"D-Dash?" she whimpered, shaking, "i-is that... y-you?"
Rainbow Dash laughed and the other ponies turned around, reacting in a similar way to the pale-coated mare.
"What do you mean, Rarity? Of course it's me, can't you recognize my.... my Rainbow Factory mane..." Rainbow shook her head, "no... no factory, just rainbow..." she looked up to her mane, "oh... it's red."
"B-but Dashie, what happened to your coat?!" Pinkie Pie stuttered, disbelief in her voice.
Rainbow's eyes went wide and her pupils shrunk, then she bent over, laughing. "What do you think? I dyed it!" she said sarcastically, swaying slightly.
The pink mare titled her head, skeptical, "Well that's a pretty bad dye job. And that looks like a pretty bad brand of dye."
Rainbow Dash stomped, causing Pinkie and the others to jump. She glared at them and her nostrils flared, her mind unable to cope. "Well of course it isn't dyed with dye. It's dyed with blood!" she said, her voice raising to a scream, "Get it?! 'Cause like, ponies dyed to make it?"
The others stared, eyes wide with shock and disbelief. The mad mare started laughing again, then broke into a fit of hiccups.
"*hic* I killed her!!!" she screamed at her friends. "Scootaloo! NOOOO!!!" Dash collapsed, her head in her hooves. The others watched in horror, unsure of what to believe. Before they could do anything, she shot back up, tears streaming down her face, causing the blood to run.
"Scootaloo and all the others! *hic* They're all dead! They all failed!!!" she yelled, her friends starting to shrink back. The bloodied pegasus bent over with a fit of giggles. "They all failed that petty little flight test, it's so EASY! And they're all dead! Even that little yellow one!"
With that Rainbow threw her head back and brought her hooves dramatically to her face. “Love can overcome all evils in this world!” she imitated in a shrilly voice. She then fell to the ground, laughing uncontrollably. "I-I'm so funny, aren't I?"
Rainbow Dash's friends watched, tears finally surfacing in their wide eyes. Rainbow started sobbing between her giggles, causing the blood to run further.
"But... Rainbow Dash..." the alicorn looked for words, "...how?"
The pegasus shot towards the stunned alicorn and looked in her in the eye, and screamed.
"THE RAINBOW FACTORY!!!"
The purple-coated mare uselessly blinked away tears, struggling to say something, anything. Rainbow Dash backed away a bit, chuckling, then slapped her own cheek. She stared stone-faced, straight ahead.
"Now a rainbow's tale isn't quite as nice..."
Rainbow shook her head. "No, that song doesn't belong in Equestria. It belongs to... Wood..."
"Ahhhhh!"
The broken mare swayed. "The failures from the flight test... they're killed! Brutally murdered... to make rainbows! The pegasi do it all! They kill foals!" she grabbed Pinkie Pie around her neck. "I kill foals!!!"
The crying pink mare wheezed, "Dashie! I can't breathe!!!"
"Scootaloo will never breathe again!!!" Rainbow Dash roared, her tightening hooves smearing blood onto the pink mare's neck, "and neither will you," she finished darkly.
The insane pegasus' vision darkened along with Pinkie's. Dash was vaguely aware of her friends trying to pull her off and Pinkie Pie's strained gasps. She was vaguely aware of her friends being thrown to the side and electricity arcing through her body. She was vaguely aware of falling to the ground, only to be roughly picked up and flown into the air by suited pegasi.
The last thing she saw was her friends' horrified stares before she blacked out.
"I-is she... going to be okay?" the purple-coated alicorn asked, shaking slightly. Pinkie Pie lay in a hospital bed, machines pumping air through her lungs. A bulky neck brace covered her neck and most of the blood smears, but not enough to keep the horror in the spectators from dying away.
"For the time being, we... don't know," a pale-coated mare answered carefully, "but know that we are doing everything we can, Princess Twilight," she assured.
Twilight slowly fell onto her haunches, resting her head in her hooves. "No no no no!" she whimpered, "this can't be happening!" She looked frantically to her friends, "and what about Rainbow Dash!"
"Twilight, Twilight," a small yellow pegasus assured, struggling to hold back tears of her own, "that's not in our control," she sat down next to the princess and wrapped her in her wings. She embraced the hug and fell into it, sobbing.
"Oh Fl-Fluttershy," she choked between sobs, "how are you s-so... brave..."
The other two ponies came in around the two and sat down, wrapping themselves into one big hug. It was like old times. Almost. They all felt the missing presence of Rainbow Dash and the failing spirit of Pinkie on the bed beside them, unable to reach out to them.
The door to the room slammed open, interrupting the hug. They looked up to see an orange-coated earth pony, his curly mane limp. His eyes went from the nurse, to Pinkie, then back to the nurse.
"Nurse Redheart! What happened to Pinkie Pie!" he said, his voice jittery. The mare walked up to him, guiding back towards the door.
"I'm sorry sir, but we have too many visitors as it is," she stopped, then blinked, "how do you know my name?"
"The internet," he answered, brushing over her question as he struggled to look over her shoulder to see inside the room, "and please! I need to be in there! Pinkie Pie made me who I am!"
The nurse started to object, but Twilight weakly interrupted, "it's fine, Nurse Redheart, he's Cheese Sandwich, Pinkie's friend."
The mare sighed, but let him in. He reared himself up so to dash towards the bed, but slowly went back onto his hooves and walked slowly over, keeping his gaze down. He reached the bed and stopped, frozen. He finally brought himself to lift his head. His eyes took in the sight of Pinkie's broken body before looking away.
"...What happened?" he asked sadly, his eyes hidden. Nopony answered.
"My Cheesie sense is aching. I know something bad is happening," he finally brought his face up to the four friends on the floor.
"What happened?" he begged, tears in his eyes. The ponies looked away, unable to bring themselves to talk.
"T-tell me, please," he finished softly, his voice cracking. He fell to the ground, silently crying. His hoof reached up to touch Pinkie's. They all continued to cry, too broken and weak to do anything else.
"G-girls?" a tiny voice wheezed, obviously finding it very painful to speak. Nurse Redheart rushed over to the pink mare, soothing her, tears of relief in her eyes.
"Hush now, don't try to talk," he ordered, quietly but firmly. She glanced down to Pinkie's friends, debating as to whether or not to wake them. Deciding to wait, she looked back to Pinkie Pie. "You're friends are here. Princess Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, even Cheese Sandwich is here," she explained.
Pinkie's face strained. "Ra-rainbow..." she sighed in question, her voice barely audible. Nurse Redheart stiffened.
"...I'm afraid she was unable to make it," she explained, glancing over the truth, afraid of upsetting the weak mare.
Pinkie fell limp, exhausted from trying to support herself up, sighing quietly.
Nurse Redheart looked from Pinkie to her friends as her heart broke. They didn't deserve this, especially not from their own friend! Now Pinkie Pie was teetering on the edge of death, and the others were breaking beyond repair. How could this have happened?
The nurse decided that waking the others while Pinkie Pie was conscious was imperative and set herself to doing so. Gently arousing them, they shot up. Upon seeing their friend's eyes open and aware tears came to their eyes. They all surrounded the bed, drinking in the moment of relief. No words were spoken, not physically at least.
As Pinkie drifted off into unconsciousness again, Nurse Redheart approached Twilight Sparkle, a reluctantance in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, carefully wording her news.
"I hate to be a bother, but Princess Celestia asked me to ask you if you could give her some insight on the safety of Equestria. She has guards looking for Rainbow Dash, but she is also afraid of how safe their mission is," she finished, biting her lip.
Twilight meekly nodded. "I'll go to Canterlot," she said quietly, walking past the nurse. Before leaving, she turned back to the room, mumbling a good-bye. She closed the door, leaving the others with Pinkie Pie.
Twilight reached the Canterlot castle. She stared at the door blankly, her vision blurring. Her mind was still in disbelief and shock from the events of the day and she found herself having trouble to organize her thoughts. She finally mustered up the courage to knock on the door and she was quickly greeted with several guards. They ushered her in silently. Princess Celestia was waiting in the greeting hall, and she beckoned for Twilight to follow her into a smaller room.
Upon entering Princess Celestia turned around to face Twilight, who looked up at her with faded dull eyes. The Sun Princess' heart broke and she pulled Twilight into a hug.
"Twilight Sparkle, what happened?" she asked, "to Rainbow Dash? Why did she try to... injure Pinkie Pie?"
Twilight remained silent, quietly breathing. Princess Celestia mentally took a step back and decided to wait before pestering the small alicorn more. She spent a couple minutes just letting her cry silently.
"The Rainbow Factory," she said quietly.
Princess Celestia creased her forehead, the facts not quite adding up.
"Twilight, the Rainbow Factory is a group of elite unicorns who are able to create the spectra. They took over rainbow-making when I was unable to create it myself during Luna's banishment," she explained.
The purple alicorn shot up, anger burning in her eyes, "Don't mess with me Princess! The Rainbow Factory is a horrible place where pegasi kill foals who failed their flight tests to make rainbows!" she breathed heavily, "I'm not in the mood to be lied to!"
Princess Celestia took a step back, shocked and confused. "Twilight Sparkle, but I'm afraid you are mistaken. If the Rainbow Factory was doing something like that I would know of it," she explained, slowly backing up.
"Well if you had seen Rainbow Dash you wouldn't be thinking like that!" Twilight snapped, heaving. She stopped, horror in her eyes. "She... she killed foals! She killed... Scootaloo..." she fell onto her haunches, shocked.
Princess Celestia watched, unsure of how to react. "Perhaps... this is all a misunderstanding?" she offered, "I know you have been one to jump to conclusions before."
Ignoring her, Twilight continued, "Rainbow Dash came to the picnic, covered in blood. She was insane. She had snapped. I don't know how or why. I think Scootaloo had something to do with it," she choked, "and now we don't know where she is!"
Celestia tried to reason further with Twilight, a horrible dread settling in her stomach that her words might be true, but the alicorn retaliated, refusing to accept her help.
"I don't know what lies you've been fed, princess," Twilight spoke sharply, "but I am not buying into them!"
A few moments passed, the two princess standing across from each other. Twilight heaved, her legs threatening to give out, and Celestia watched, her mind slowly realizing that things were not as they seemed.
"You're telling the truth, aren't you," Princess Celestia finally accepted. Twilight's head fell.
"I wish I could say I wasn't," she said meekly.
The elder alicorn's heart broke again and she pulled Twilight into another hug. She remained silent, unable to find any words to express her emotions.
"I'm afraid that Equestria has been living under a lie," a voice spoke from small magical screens across Equestria, "that rainbows are a joyful, innocent beauty."
Applejack, Rarity, Cheese, and Fluttershy looked up from Pinkie's bed, their eyes dull and bloodshot. They focused on the screen in the room, showing Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight. Princess Celestia's reluctant voice continued.
"Rainbows are quite the opposite. The Rainbow Factory has always told me that unicorns produced the spectra, but today I learned that it is not such an innocent process. Pegasi..." the Princess' shoulders shook, her lips unwilling to tell Equestria the truth, "Pegasi... kill f-foals who fail their flight test to create the spectra," Celestia' voice cracked, yet she continued, "I don't know h-how long this has been going on for, or how it has slipped under my m-muzzle all this time."
Princess Celestia shuddered slightly and took a deep breath before looking back up, "I advise all of you to stay indoors until the matter is resolved and you are all safe. Do not travel. I know you may be worried about family members, but it is for yours and their safety. We are doing everything in our power to fix this."
She looked off to the side. "Your faithful ruler, Princess Celestia."
The golden glow disappeared from her horn and the screens disappeared simultaneously.
Twilight Sparkle walked through the castle, having said her farewells to Princess Celestia. Her heart ached so deeply and every step was an effort. She reached the door and slid it open slightly. Hundreds of flashes greeted her as reporters barked out questions. With every question she flinched back.
"What did the princess mean by 'pegasi' working in the factory?!"
"Why can't ponies travel to meet with their families?!"
"How long has the Rainbow Factory been using foals to make rainbows?!"
"Who started all this?!"
"Does this mean there will be no more rainbows in Equestria?!"
Twilight pressed herself back against the door, struggling to get a word in. Anger built up inside of her, anger towards the ponies having no respect towards her in what she was going through. This wasn't their business, they didn't want to know!
The questions continued on until Twilight snapped. "Fine!" she shouted, landing on all her hooves, "You wanna know?! I'll tell you!"
The reporters quieted down, waiting for answers. Twilight took a deep breath.
"One at a time, please," she quietly demanded, slowly letting her anger and frustration cover up her sadness.
"Who works at the Rainbow Factory?" a reporter shouted out.
Maintaining a monotone voice, Twilight answered, "Pegasi. It has to be. Only they can walk on clouds."
More camera flashes and muttering.
"Is it true that Rainbow Dash works in the Rainbow Factory?" another reporter asked.
Twilight stiffened. "I wish not to answer that," she said flatly.
"My brother saw her meet you, covered in blood!" a voice shouted, "you can't deny it!"
Twilight's wings flared, "That is none of your business!!!" she screamed, causing another ripple of mutters and camera flashes.
"You said pegasi work at the factory," another reporter started, "does that mean that any pegasus walking in the street could be a worker?"
The princess paused, the question triggering possibilities in her mind. Remembering she had to answer the question, she stammered, "I-I mean, I guess that that's possible?" After all, we never knew Rainbow Dash worked there.
"Does this mean that any and all pegasi murder foals? Should we be trusting the pegasi?" another reporter demanded.
Twilight took a step back, both mentally and physically, finding herself unsure of how to answer the question. "W-we should be careful, but there's no reason to suspect every pegasus out there," she answered carefully.
Or is there? We never had any idea Rainbow Dash was killing foals...
Twilight shook her head. "Well, maybe, but, ugh," she sighed, suddenly feeling very small, "I... don't know."
The reporters shouted out more questions, but Twilight opened her wings and took to the air, unable to bear the shouts and accusations.
All pegasi? she reprimanded them silently, I can see why you might accuse pegasi for this but all of them? Her mind drifted to Fluttershy and anger stirred up inside of her. There was no way that sweet kind pegasus would do such a thing!
Twilight brought her mind back to the real world and found herself going nowhere and lost. She frantically glanced around, looking for a landmark. Spotting Canterlot in the distance, she sighed in relief, then changed her path towards Ponyville. The question of how she had traveled so far in such short time tugged at her mind, but she didn't address it. Not then. That didn't matter.
The alicorn came up to the hospital and dealt with a few more reporters before entering. Nurses and doctors dashed through the hallways, past her. She stood, colours blurring past her until all she saw was six streams of glowing colour.
Red... orange... yellow... green... blue... purple... the spectra flowing into one.
Twilight cringed back as she remembered those same colours glowing among the blood on Rainbow Dash.
"Just remember what that's made of!" a familiar voice uttered from behind her. Twilight froze, unable to scream. She turned to see Rainbow Dash grinning at her, blood glistening on her coat. A strangled gasp came from Twilight's throat as the pegasus came closer.
"S-stop! G-go away!" the alicorn stammered, shaking, "p-please!"
Rainbow pulled a pouty face. "What's this? The Princess of Friendship asking one of her best friends to go away?" she mocked, taking another step closer.
"I..."
Rainbow snickered. "Out of words, Egghead?" she teased, coming right up to Twilight. She creased her forehead, looking at the terrified mare. She smiled, "how would you like to become the purple of a rainbow?"
"NOOO!!!" Twilight screamed as reality faded back in. She backed up into a cart, spilling equipment across the smooth hospital floor. Ponies came to her aid, helping her up and saying words of encouragement she could not hear. She mumbled off some apologies as she tried to insist that she didn't need help. Pushing the ponies off, she stumbled through the hospital, tears slipping down her cheeks, one question running itself through her mind again and again.
Why did this have to happen to us?
'Pegasi Considered a Threat' Agrees Princess Twilight Sparkle
We all have been horrified by the news of the Rainbow Factory, but we may be in more danger than we think. A recent interview with Princess Twilight herself leads us to believe that pegasi may be a threat to us.
Upon being asked if pegasi on the streets might be workers and therefore a threat to ponykind and the like, she replied with, 'I guess that that's possible?'
Many of us have pegasi as friends, and you may think that there is no way that they could be responsible for this. However, this is not the case. Rainbow Dash, the bearer of the Element of Loyalty, has been confirmed to be a Rainbow Factory worker, and her closest friends didn't even know if this.
In this time of turmoil, we must trust no one. Instinct may be to cling to our friends and family, but that instinct could be the end of you.
Stay safe.
Stay indoors.
Trust no one.
A pegasus stallion cantered through Manehatten, eager to meet with his non-pegasi family, but worried about the message Princess Celestia had given. He worked in the Weather Factory and knew of the Rainbow Factory, but not what it had been doing until now. It made him all the more desperate to get to his family before they were made falsely afraid of him.
He turned a corner, trotting faster. The sun was setting beyond the tall buildings, casting irregular shadows across the streets. A small group of ponies noticed him and started towards him, looking at him in such a way that sent shivers down his body. He eeped softly and sped his pace up more, fearing what might happen if they caught up. For all they knew, he worked at the Rainbow Factory.
A small alley came into his view and he dashed down it, hoping to lose them. Finding it a dead-end, he immediately regretted the decision and turned back around, only to find his chasers blocking the exit. His caution roared to a full-out panic and he spread his wings to take to the sky, but was slammed into a wall by one of the chasers. He weakly slipped down the wall, blood dribbling from his lip.
The now-proved-to-be attackers closed in on him, glaring ominously. He shivered in his hooves, praying to Celestia that they would just leave him alone or that this had nothing to do with the Rainbow Factory and his status as a pegasus.
One of the attackers, a unicorn mare, spat at him, anger in her eyes. "Do you work at the Rainbow Factory?" she asked darkly, her eyes glinting in the fading light, "'cause my brother failed his flight test last month, and I'd hate for you to be one of the ones who killed him," she seethed.
The stallion stuttered, struggling to bring himself onto his hooves. "N-no! I d-don't have anything t-to do with that place!" he objected.
The unicorn grabbed him in her magic and slammed him back against the wall. He moaned, his head spinning as he tried to reassemble his thoughts.
"That's just what a worker who was trying to cover themselves up would say," she muttered before dropping him onto the ground.
"I-I really don't!" he insisted, "I just work in the lower factory-"
He was cut off as another an earth pony slammed his hooves down onto his chest. Thankfully the attacker was quite scrawny, but he hit hard.
"Isn't it all the same?" he spat, "Upper, lower, Rainbow, Weather, it's all one Factory. You're one of them," he jeered, grinning evilly. He turned to his partners, the unicorn as well as another earth pony stallion. "So, whaddya say we do to him?" he asked slyly.
"Beat him up real good for killing my brother," the mare sneered, clenching her hoof.
"I didn't... kill your... brother," the stallion insisted, teetering on the edge on unconsciousness.
Ignoring him, they continued. "He's killed ponies. Little fillies and colts? And all you wanna do is beat him up?" the scrawny pony argued, "I'd say death for death!"
The mare's eyes went wide, then slipped low, her mouth silent. "I don't know... I mean, I want revenge, but not like that."
The two turned back to look at the other stallion, who simply shook his head.
The scrawny one sighed. "I guess you're right," his face lowered, then he slowly raised his head, grinning, "but we can still beat the living crap out of him," he chuckled.
The pegasus' eyes widened in dismay as his attackers turned back to him, hooves raised. He merely whimpered as they all fell.
Several Attacks on Pegasi Break Out
Since the news of the Rainbow Factory has come out, several pegasi from Manehatten, Ponyville, Fillydelphia, and Canterlot have been attacked by ponies wanting revenge for killing siblings or children. All of the attackers are non-pegasi. Cloudsdale remains unaffected.
Most of the these attacks were not stopped by the authorities, as many are unwilling to protect those who may have killed their friends and family, innocent children. Princess Celestia has openly stressed her dismay for this, as she believes and enforces that all are innocent until proven guilty. Due to the authorities' unwillingness to intervene, almost all of the pegasi have ended up in the hospital.
Once again, please exercise extreme caution going outdoors if you have to, but if possible stay inside.
Be safe.
Be kind.
Be careful who you trust.
Hide slammed the newspaper down onto the desk, growling. "Innocent children?" he scoffed, "they're failures, guilty failures. Those ponies don't understand what the Rainbow Factory is and why it is so important!"
He looked over the paper again, quietly seething. "And the discrimination against pegasi? We are the superior race!'
The pegasus pressed his hoof to his forehead, collecting himself. The faint banging from Rainbow Dash rang in his head, refusing to let him forget that he had that problem too.
"I-is there anything I could get for you, sir?" a waiting pegasus asked, hoping for a chance to leave the room before his anger might be taken out on her. Hide saw right through it but sighed.
"Some coffee would be nice," he grumbled, sliding the paper off of his desk onto the floor. The mare glanced at it, slightly taken back by the childish gesture. Seeing Hide looking at her, she shook her head and dashed out the door.
Once she was well gone, Hide slumped in his chair, Rainbow Dash's consistent banging louder now that he wasn't ranting.
He sighed. "How are we gonna fix this?" he questioned to an invisible audience. Hide remained silent for a couple minutes, slowly blinking as the banging got louder. Finally being fed up with it, he got up and stormed out his office door. Pegasi cowered as he passed, in fear of the anger plainly displayed in his posture, eyes and walk. He muttered, unsure of how to feel. They were supposed to fear him and Rainbow Dash, but they were also taught to hide their emotions of fear.
Deciding to deal with it later, he went on to into the dorms, coming to the door that the banging came from.
Bang!
"Rainbow Dash!" Hide shouted to the insane mare. She stopped for a moment, then started banging again, harder.
"Let me out, Hide!" she screamed, "I need to make rainbows!"
Hide rubbed his forehead, groaning. "We can't! We're under lock down and we have no more failures!"
"Well find some!" Dash shouted back, slamming with her full force against the door. Pain shot through her body and she fell to the floor, moaning.
"Stop hitting the door!" Hide tried to reason, "you're going to hurt yourself!"
"Good!" Dash screamed, throwing herself back at the door.
Hide huffed, then grabbing a taser from a pegasus who was inching past him, he unlocked the door and stuck it out, Rainbow running into it. She bent over in pain and fell to the ground. Hide kept it going until she passed out completely. Sighing, he stepped out of the room, handing the taser back to the pegasus, who opened her mouth to speak, worry in her eyes. "M-may I ask, sir, how do you plan on fixing this?"
Hide rolled his eyes nonchalantly in an attempt to cover up his own worry. "I'll figure it out." He continued on down the hallway. Once he was out of earshot he sighed again. My best shot right now is to wait and hope it all blows over, he grimly decided, if that even happens.
Several More Attacks on Pegasi, Two Deaths
Equestria is plunging into more turmoil as hate and fear are spread. Just yesterday we learned of the Rainbow Factory, and since then multiple pegasi have been attacked in streets, leaving many hospitalized. However, more recent attacks have caused the death of two pegasi.
While families and friends are grieving over this, others feel that pegasi deserve this and have broken out in rallies. The press would like to stay neutral on the subject, but we urge you look closely at what's at hoof.
Stay safe.
Be smart.
Attack on Cloudsdale
Up to this point, Cloudsdale has remained unaffected by the pegasi-haters. However, just yesterday after the two deaths of pegasi, more havoc was wreaked. A group of unicorns and earth ponies, even a couple pegasi threw an unexpected attack on Cloudsdale, leaving several more dead. With the use of technology and magic, much of Cloudsdale is in ruins. Pegasi residents are currently evacuating, but pegasi-haters are making quite difficult for it to run smoothly, with several more small attacks taking place. The royal guard are simply not enough, with many being unwilling to help and many pegasi in the guard as well.
Princess Celestia is considering taking drastic measures for the safety of pegasi if things get worse, but has so far kept these plans from all eyes but her own. She would prefer not to do this, and has given a message that she hopes Equestria will take to heart.
"I know that you are all confused, hurt, scared, and you want to blame someone, but please, do not take it out on the pegasi. For all you know, all of them are innocent. Taking out your pain on pegasi is not justified. Please, I beg of you, stop this hurting. All you are doing by attacking pegasi is causing more pain. Revenge is not the way.
Your faithful ruler, Princess Celestia."
That is all she said, and we don't know how long she will wait before activating her plan. For now,
Be safe.
Nurse Redheart walked out into the waiting room, where Cheese Sandwich, Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack lay, half asleep as they struggled to stay awake. Upon seeing her, they jerked awake, eager but dreading to hear what news she might have.
The pink-maned nurse smiled warmly, bags uner her eyes. "Pinkie Pie's condition is stable. She will survive," she said, her voice strained but relieved.
The five ponies sighed, relaxing back onto their seats. The other ponies in the waiting room let out a small breath too, having gleaned the news of Pinkie's injury from the hospital talk.
Nurse Redheart left, leaving the five friends to finally let themselves relax a bit. Pinkie was going to be fine. The same couldn't be said for Rainbow Dash, but that was out of their control. The immediate problem was no longer a problem.
A small commotion at the entrance of the hospital caught their attention. They looked up to see two older fillies gallop in, a couple nurses running after asking them to sign in. Rarity and Applejack gasped, their pupils small.
"Sweetie Belle..."
"Applebloom..." they breathed simultaneously, dread settling in their stomachs.
"*hic* I killed her!!!" she screamed at her friends. "Scootaloo! NOOOO!!!" Dash collapsed, her head in her hooves.
The memory flashed in their eyes and fresh tears surfaced.
"Applejack! Scootaloo just took her flight test!" Applebloom said urgently, then noticing the horror in her sister's eyes she stopped, frozen.
"R-Rarity?" Sweetiebelle's voice quivered, "where's Scootaloo?" she asked, trembling.
The mares froze. In all their mess they hadn't even thought about how Scootaloo's death would affect Applebloom and Sweetie Belle.
Applejack wordlessly pulled her sister into a hug, Rarity quickly following suit.
"...I'm so sorry girls," Twilight Sparkle started, trembling. The two fillies started to cry. "W-when Rainbow Dash came to see us, she was screaming that she had killed..." Twilight's voice caught, "foals... Scootaloo," she finished, the shock from the moment fresh.
"But..." Applebloom objected.
"No..." Sweetie Belle sobbed, "it's... it's a joke, right?"
"I'm sorry, but... no," Applejack choked.
The two fillies burst into tears in their sisters' embrace, holding nothing back. They sobbed no's, cried their eyes dry. They had lost their best and longest friend, their fellow Crusader.
It was as though they had lost a part of themselves.
Another commotion stirred in their entrance and a nurse rushed in, towards Fluttershy. "Miss Fluttershy, we need to go," she hissed quielty.
The alarmed mare stood up, "wh-why?" she asked, looking around.
"There's ponies outside who want to hurt you," she quickly explained, "being a pegasus and a friend to Rainbow Dash, they highly suspect you as a Rainbow Factory worker."
"B-but-" the pegasus stuttered, looking to her friends, who sat in shock, "I would never do something like that!" she insisted.
The nurse shook her head, motioning down the hallway, "tell that to the pegasi-haters outside," she said, "there's a secret basement you can hide in," impatient, she grabbed Fluttershy's hoof and pulled her down the hallway.
"But..." the pegasus' eyes glazed over, then she snapped out of it, shaking the nurse off.
"Miss, we need to-"
"What about the other pegasi in here?" Fluttershy demanded, tears glistening in her eyes.
The nurse groaned ever-so-slightly, the voices at the door growing louder, "they're mostly here for you, but all of the pegasi here are to injured to move, mostly from the attacks, so we can't move them anyway," she explained.
Fluttershy brought her hoof up to her mouth, horrified that the attacks had been that serious. "H-how are you going to keep them safe?" she asked, shaking.
"With any luck, the attackers won't go after them but if they do, we will have all the doors locked," the nurse assured, "now we need to go."
Fluttershy gave in and the nurse pulled her through the main hallway before turning off into a smaller one. She lit her horn and started to pry a couple tiles off of the floor, revealing a cellar door.
"This used to be a barn, and this was the cellar," she said, ushering Fluttershy in. She walked a couple steps, then hesitated, the cellar being very dark. The nurse promptly lit her horn and sent a small glowing orb down. Fluttershy relaxed slightly, then hopped down the rest of the stairs.
"I'll get you out when you're safe," the nurse said, looking over her shoulder, "I'll bring some food if it takes too long," she added before closing the door.
Fluttershy sat, bewildered at the sudden change from light to dark. She lightly whimpered, huddling herself into a ball, and started to cry again.
The nurse quickly placed the tiles back before hurrying back. She entered the main hallway just as the crowd burst through the door. Princess Twilight stood in their way, wings flared.
"I will NOT let you hurt my friend!" she shouted, tears burning in her eyes. The crowd grumbled. "I know Fluttershy and I know she would never do something like..." Twilight shuddered, "she's my friend!"
"Well, Rainbow Dash was your friend and you never knew she worked at the Rainbow Factory!" a voice in the crowd pointed out.
"Yeah! How can Fluttershy be any different?!" another voice shouted.
Twilight's eyes narrowed. "Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are two very different ponies."
"But they're both pegasi!"
Twilight snapped. "Would you stop that? Pegasi are ponies too you know!"
The crowd started to object, but Twilight's horn flared to life and a glow enveloped the crowd. She grimaced as she teleported them all out, then surrounded the hospital with a protective bubble.
She sighed and fell to the ground, feeling helpless against the situation. The ponies in the waiting room sat, shocked. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom continued to cry in their sister's hooves, unable to cope with the loss of their friend. The crowds muffled shouts and pounds could still be heard outside the bubble.
Cheese lifted his head meekly to look out the window at the mob. "What could cause them to act so irrationally?" he said quietly, his voice dry, "all this hate, so quick to accuse Fluttershy..."
"Fear," Rarity answered, her voice clear, "fear and pain."
As night came the mob thinned until all the ponies had left. Having cried themselves to sleep, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom lay in a midst of blankets and pillows on the floor. Fluttershy was brought up from the cellar and she lay on a couch, shaken by the fact that ponies had thought she might be a killer of foals. Innocent little foals!
The ponies' attentions were caught by a flash of light from outside and the opening of the hospital door. The tensed for a moment, but relaxed as Princess Celestia stepped into the waiting room. She sadly gazed over the room of hurt, broken ponies, eyes catching on the tear-stained cheeks of the two sleeping fillies. Remembering that Scootaloo had died, she closed her eyes, tears brimming on the edge of them.
Oh help me, I can't do this.
"I heard what happened," the princess started, looking to Fluttershy, "I am deeply sorry for what you had to go through. I had no idea that telling the people about the Rainbow Factory would make them assume all pegasi are guilty."
Fluttershy looked down, muttering out a thank you. Celestia's heart broke a little more.
"No!" Twilight interrupted, "it's not your fault! I let those ponies interview me when I wan't thinking straight and lead them to believe all pegasi are bad!" Twilight choked, looking away, "... sorry."
Applejack moved over to her and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Now Twilight, this is no time to be playin' the blame game," she said firmly, "you did not intend to cause this."
"B-but..." the alicorn blubbered, "I did cause it! I let my anger get away and now Equestria's a mess!"
The farm pony's face twisted with frustration, but she let it go. "Well blamin' yourself isn't make anythin' better," she affirmed, "you need to stop." Twilight sobbed, finding herself more tears.
Princess Celestia lightly coughed. "I hate to interrupt, but I am hoping for your opinion on a matter," she said softly. Twilight rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up, but kept her gaze downward.
Celestia sighed lightly, righting herself. "Princess Luna and I have come up with a temporary solution that we mean to use if things... got worse. Like this. Perhaps..." the princess paused, the words heavy on her tongue, "perhaps sending pegasi away, to a safe place, is what's best."
The ponies contemplated the thought. "You mean like, to a camp?" Applejack gathered.
Celestia nodded. "They would be taken very well care of and be under high security protection. This would ensure the innocent's safety as well as... keep any guilty, if there are any living down here, secure."
The four friends looked to each other, debating the option. All of their thoughts felt sluggishly slow from the events of the past two days.
"This would also mean Fluttershy would have to leave. You wouldn't see her for a little while," Princess Celestia reminded them. They stiffened as they realized it, glancing to Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy, darling, we will only do this is if you are okay with this," Rarity said, "it's up to you."
Images of the hurt pegasi and Rainbow Dash flew through Fluttershy's mind. She lowered her head. "I... I'm fine with it. As long as ponies aren't hurt anymore."
Princess Celestia nodded gravely. "Thank you, Fluttershy."
The princess left, leaving the friends to bring themselves into a hug, holding on to all they had left.
"But daddy I don't wanna go!" insisted a small light brown pegasus, "I wanna stay here!"
The tall orange stallion's face strained. "Please, Pound Cake, don't make this any harder for me. It's for your safety," he begged to the colt, pushing him to the door. The colt struggled a little more. "It's like going to camp!" the stallion tried to reason, tears in his eyes.
"But I don't like camp!" Pound Cake screamed, bring more tears to the stallion's eyes. He closed them and pushed Pound Cake out the door, to a waiting carriage filled with more pegasi and guarded by some of the few loyal Canterlot guards. They came to take screaming colt from his father, who turned his head away.
"It's... for the best."
When Pound Cake was on the carriage his crying stopped, glaring at his father accusingly. Unable to bear his son's hate, he turned around and headed inside, where his daughter and wife stood, shocked. He looked at them weakly before heading to the back.
Princess Celestia Sets up Camps for Pegasi
After a mob threatened a hospital to get at Fluttershy yesterday, Princess Celestia decided that it enacting her plan was imperative for the safety of pegasi. She has opened up a series of camps where pegasi will be deported to by secure transport. What's left of the Royal Guard will be coming to each town with wagons, and Celestia asks that all pegasi over the age of six board willingly for their safety. If any pegasus parent has a child under the age of six, pegasus or not, that cannot get care from anypony, they may come along as well.
She says to pack what you can, but come right away when the Guard comes. The princess in unsure of how long their stay will be, but they will be fed three meals a day and have proper sleeping quarter as well as access to healthcare.
Princess Celestia ensures us that this is a safety measure, and should not be taken offensively in any way.
Be safe.
A pegasi-laden wagon flew up to one of the pegasi camps. It was stopped by one of Royal Guard, who looked over the wagon before letting it land. The pegasi on board got off, sadly looking at the barbed-wire fence and the large, plain building, among them Fluttershy and Pound Cake. They were ushered into the building, the interior as dull as the exterior.
"It doesn't look like much, but it has everything you need to live for the next little while," one of the guards ensured. Looking over the Ponyville pegasi, the stallion lowered his head. "I'm... I'm very sorry for how my fellow guards are acting. I know that most of you, or all of you, for all I know, are innocent."
The pegasi nodded and mumbled out thanks before wandering off. The guard sighed and headed back outside as another wagon landed.
"Ponyville?" he asked, to which the guards nodded.
"There's still a couple more wagons from Ponyville, but Cloudsdale's gonna have a heck of a lot more," one explained as the pegasi got off. The stallion paused. "We've been experiencing some... difficulties with the pegasi. It's especially hard with the young'uns."
The guard sighed as he motioned for the pegasi to follow him. "I know."
But what can we do about it?
"This is stupid!" a factory pegasus said as he slammed his hooves into the table, interrupting the meeting. "How are we ever gonna get working again!"
Hide briefly glared at the stallion, his uneasiness displayed plainly on his face. They could all feel the presence of the Royal Guard in the lower factory, emptying it of the innocent workers. There was no way they could get there way in, between fear and the door, but them being there was enough to put the upper factory workers on edge.
"If you would stop interrupting me I could explain how!" Hide grumbled, his nerves on the verge of snapping. The pegasi grudgingly calmed down and looked to Hide expectantly.
The red-coated pegasus took a deep breath, struggling to regain his composure. "Look, at this point if we don't get help all of Equestria will be separated, pegasi from non-pegasi, and the Rainbow Factory will never make rainbows again. The Flock will die," he said matter-of-factly. The pegasi started to object, not seeing how admitting defeat was going to help. Another glare from Hide silenced them.
"That is why we need to form a compromise," he said cooly.
"What do we have to barter with?" a pegasus mare objected, "stopping factory work? 'Cause we can't continue anyway right now," she said, starting to loose it.
Hide rubbed his forehead, "Continuing factory work is what we are bartering for, idiots," he hissed, "we have Rainbow Dash!"
The pegasi quieted down, feeling slightly embarrased.
"Princess Celestia has memory spells of all sorts. Refuses to use them, but I think Rainbow Dash will be enough to convince her," Hide explained with a slight roll of his eyes, "I need two volunteers to come with me to Canterlot to help."
The factory workers looked to each other, weighing the plan in their minds. Deciding it seemed feasible enough, two pegasi shyly raised their hoofs.
Hide looked at them flatly. "Are you volunteering or not?"
Their hoofs shot up boldly, sheepish smiles on their faces.
Hide got up, sighing, "Come on then."
"Let me outta here! These are for the failures!" Dash screamed for the umpteenth time, pounding on the walls of the closed-in carriage. The pegasi ignored her, pulling up to Canterlot castle. Several guards flew up to stop them, demanding to know their business.
"We are here to talk with princess Celestia," Hide said, flying alongside the carriage, "we have an offer to make."
Rainbow's shouting caught their attention and they peered at the carriage. "Excuse me," one said, "but is that... Rainbow Dash I hear?"
Hide nodded slowly, a small smile forming on his lips.
"But how did you find her? We were looking everywhere..." the guard's face tightened as he made the slow connection. He hardened his face, but let them through.
They passed by them, Hide taking the lead.
"Murderers," the guard hissed at him, causing the pegasi to stiffen. Hide shook it off, continuing down to the castle.
"Who are you?" Princess Celestia said weakly, her sister by her side, "and what do you want?"
Hide bowed almost mockingly. "Princess, I am Dr. Atmosphere, the current head of the Rainbow Factory. Normally the head is Rainbow Dash, but since she is out of commision, I am now the head," he explained, his voice oozing artificial kindness, "and I am here to make an offer."
Celestia face hardened. "Dr. Atmosphere?"
"Call me Hide," he insisted. Celestia sighed quietly.
"...What offer?" she said cautiously, looking to the carriage.
Hide smiled. "Here we have Rainbow Dash herself," he said, motioning to the carriage with a wing, "or what's left of her shattered mind. She has lost her last link of sanity and will never be the same again."
Princess Celestia's eyes narrowed. "How could you..."
"Unless, of course," Hide offered, "you were to use a memory spell."
The princess' face hardened.
"Now, Rainbow Dash isn't the only one who will never be the same again," Hide reasoned, "all of Equestria is separating, hating. The Rainbow Factory has affected everyone. Perhaps..." Hide said slyly, "a larger scale memory spell is necessary?"
"Those spells are for emergencies only," Celestia said flatly.
"Yes, but you aren't getting Rainbow Dash back unless you use them," he reminded her, "I'm pretty sure that this qualifies as an emergency."
Celestia remained silent, contemplating. Her sister watched, wanting to put a word in but unsure of what to say.
"Everyone forgets about the Rainbow Factory, you get Rainbow Dash back, and the Rainbow Factory continues its work in the shadows," Hide finished, smiling at his foolproof plan.
Princess Celestia creased her forehead. There was no way she could ever let the factory continue. But Twilight and her friends... needed Rainbow Dash.
"...What about Scootaloo?"she asked, her mind hesitant.
Hide's face questioned her, then his face lit up. "Oh, you mean the little filly that caused all this? What about her?"
Celestia had to take a breath to contain her anger at his nonchalant attitude. "Her friends are heartbroken! Do you really think that they can just forget about her?" she ranted.
"They can," Hide said slyly.
"What do you mean-" Celestia's face darkened as the reality dawned on her face. "No! They are too close! And too many ponies know her!"
Hide internally groaned, but kept his calm outward demeanor. He thoughtfully stroked his chin, going over possibilities. There was no way to bring the filly back from the dead, but he could get some DNA, and with the new project...
"I've got it covered," he assured, "so what do you say?"
Celestia lowered her head, pain in her eyes. She couldn't believe she was actually going to leave the Rainbow Factory to continue it's work, but what else could she do? Perhaps is she had more time she could think of something... but pegasi were being hurt and killed!
"Sister, you're not actually going to do this, are you?" the dark blue alicorn asked, finally finding her voice. Her eyes were wet and her lips trembled as she waited for her sister to assure her that she had a back-up plan, another way.
"Oh Luna," Celestia sobbed as she reached out a pale white wing to lay on her back, "I'm so sorry... there's no other way."
Hide slowly grinned.
Princess Celestia turned away from her horrified sister to one her guard. "Please, fetch for me the large-scale memory spell from the restricted vault," she ordered softly, casting a spell over him, "you will be able to open it."
The guard lowered his head, but nodded, heading off through the castle. Hide smiled, his plan falling into place. Sure, some accommodations had to be made for Scootaloo, a failure at that, but otherwise, he had it his way. The Rainbow Factory was his now.
"Please, Tia! We can find another way!" Luna begged, coming in front of her, "we can't... we can't..." she broke into sobs as Celestia drew her in with a wing, tears of her own running down her cheeks. She didn't bother trying tell her that everything was going to be okay, or that this was the only way. This was terrible, and nothing more.
The guard arrived, floating a scroll in a blue levitation field. He moved it over to the two princesses, his face dark.
"Th-thank you," Celestia sighed, "I'm sorry."
The guard looked away, refusing to meet her eyes. Celestia's face pained, but she straightened herself to look back at Hide.
"How is this going to work?" she asked stiffly, the scroll floating by her side.
Hide stepped up closer. "You use the spell to erase the memories of the past two days from all of Equestria, with the exception of me so I am able to honour my end of the deal and make the Factory better from this incident," he paused, "you must erase your memories too."
Celestia started to object but stopped. She didn't want to remember this. Call it greed, but... there was no way she could live with herself if this was on her mind. She nodded gravely.
"Rainbow Dash?" she questioned.
"Of course," Hide said smoothly, motioning towards the other workers to open the carriage. Rainbow Dash leaped out, her eyes wild. She locked onto Hide and started to seethe. She turned to Celestia, panting.
"Let me make rainbows!" she cried, creeping towards her. Celestia's heart broke, the sight of Rainbow Dash covered in blood refreshing the pain and reminding her that this was really all real.
"Please, Rainbow Dash!" she sobbed, "don't make this any harder!"
The princess closed her eyes, lighting her horn and surrounding Rainbow Dash with a spell. The blood faded away, her wounds slowly closed up and the black suit disappeared. She finally finished by putting the fighting mare to sleep. Her kicks and screams died away and she slipped into unconsciousness.
Celestia looked to Hide, chin high. She closed her eyes, but tears still made their way through her eyelids. She turned to Luna, lowering her head. "It is time sister, I will need your help," she said softly. A sob escaped Luna's lips as she raised her horn to meet with her sister's. Celestia opened the scroll and moved it so they could both read it and breathed slowly.
"Now."
"Thank you for coming to be counted for the pegasi census," a cheery voice played over an intercom, "have a safe trip home!"
Pegasi streamed out of the building, weaker ponies loading onto carriages. A carriage took off, several pegasi inside and others flying alongside it.
"I wonder why it had to be so far away," a pegasus noted, "all this way just to be counted?"
The other pegasi shrugged it off, unwilling to try to make sense of it. Several more carriages took off.
Something felt off. But they couldn't put their hoof on what.
"You sure this'll work?" a suited pegasus asked Hide as Scootaloo walked towards Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. They hid in a bush, watching the scene.
"Only one way to find out."
Applebloom saw her first, and her eyes lit up.
"Heya Scootaloo!" she chirped, "how'd ya flight test go?"
Sweetie Belle turned around to see her. "Oh, hi!" she sing-songed, before pausing. "Where've you been the past couple days?"
Hide held his breath. Scootaloo's eyes were blank... slowly registering...
"Well, the flight test went great!" Scootaloo said, smiling, then creased her forehead. "But after apparently I got excited and burst into the air and... kinda hit my head real hard on a passing carriage and... got a concussion," she smiled sheepishly.
Shock passed through her friend's faces. "Are you okay?" Sweetie Belle asked, worry in her voice.
"Oh, yeah, I am now. But I don't remember much," she added, rubbing her chin.
"Ya... remember us, right?" Applebloom nervously asked, lightly laughing.
Scootaloo scoffed. "Of course! How could I forget you!" her friends' faces relaxed, "I just don't remember much of our times together."
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom looked pitifully at their friend before smiling reassuringly. "Don't worry, we'll tell you everything!" Sweetie Belle squeaked, slinging a hoof over Scootaloo's shoulder.
Applebloom smiled, joining the hug. "We got ya covered."
Hide grinned as the three fillies went off, telling stories. No more loose strings.
"Scootabot is a success," Hide's assistant said quietly. Hide looked to him.
"Scootawhat?" he asked flatly.
He rolled his eyes. "Come one, lighten up. It's a success!"
Hide smiled, letting it slide.
"It will continue life, living as a pony would. It think's it's Scootaloo, so it will be very convincing," the other pegasus stated happily, "Life is back to normal."
Hide snickered. "Children. So easy to trick."
The two laughed for a bit, the sun seeming to shine bright on them. Things were good.
"So..." Hide's assistant started, "the factory continues?"
Hide smiled, opening his wings and lifting himself into the air.
"Yes," he said, flying up to Cloudsdale.
"The Rainbow Factory continues."
