Song from the Shadows

by SteampunkBrony

Rating: teen
Tags: Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Original Character
Length: 3922

After two years of working at the rainbow factory, Nightsong is offered a chance to escape alive.

Nightsong, a Cloudsdale weather factory worker, has been looking for a way out of the nightmarish work within the rainbow factory. One night she gets her chance, but will she be able to return to a normal life?

Sorry about the short description, but i'm terrible at these things.

Rated T for swears and such

Published 2011-12-06 23:21:17 UTC
Last updated 2012-03-09 17:26:40 UTC

Just another sunny day in hell.

Darkness Rising
Chapter One: Just another sunny day in hell

"GOOOOOOD MORNING CLOUDSDALE!" The radio announcer yelled through the airwaves, seemingly right at Nightsong. "This is Rainbow Dash standing in for DJ Pegasai who is off in Manehattan doing a gig with DJ Pon-3."

Yeah Buck you too RD. Nightsong though as she rolled out of bed and flopped onto the soft cloud floor of her room. She proceeded to her mirror as the radio carried on.

"It's another sunny day here in Cloudsdale, with some light showers this evening. That's right folks, the weather factory is purging the cloudmaker so get ready to get wet if you're outside." Dash announced as Nightsong combed her Mane. Removing the tangles from her green and black mane was annoying, but she hadn't slept the best that night.

I wonder if the princesses know what goes on here... She thought as she pulled on her work uniform, a one piece affair that kept spectra off of her body. It was black so stains would not show, and had a pocket on either flank for carrying things, since saddlebags were not allowed inside the factory. I hate my job, I did not sign up for this, I signed up to work night shift as security, not maintain a machine that turns pony corpses into rainbows! She silently raged. But they put me doing just that, buck my life. The green and black pegasis thought as she stepped out into the hallway that led to the dreaded rainbow factory.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Allright you Mules, get to work or we'll toss you in with today's shipment!" The boss, a neon orange pegasis with somepony's skull for a cuite mark yelled at the workers as they were finishing breakfast. The black suited security ponies were everywhere around the room, after all, it was the rainbow factory. Not a single soul gets through.

Nightsong sighed and got up and headed for the catwalks over the Spectra storage, heading towards the processor. She was let in without ceremony, her ID card giving her clearance to enter the room. "First bunch will arrive in fifteen, better have it running by then or the boss ain't gonna be happy with you." The emotionless voice of the guard reported before closing the door.

"Good morning to you too..." Nightsong muttered as she pulled a Spectra-stained panel off of the processor and climbed in, getting to work on checking and maintaining the various mechanical bits inside.

Right on time the first load of the deceased was carted into the room. Nightsong had just finished replacing the access pannel and was already being yelled at by Solar Flare. "NIGHTSONG! How many bucking times do I have to tell you to have this damn machine running by the time we get here!"

"I'm sorry sir, but unless you want the whole system to fail it needs to be checked and maintained properly. If I don't do that, it will break." She replied, her voice even, used to the verbal abuse from her perpetually bad tempered boss.

"I don't give a buck about what you think! Get it running." Solar Flare ordered as he waited for the shipment to be moved into place.

"Already working on it Sir." She grumbled as she pulled the levers and hit the right buttons to start the machine. Soulless prick and a total asshole to boot, when I finally snap from his verbal abuse he's gonna enjoy his machine, from the view of one of the corpses. She thought as she put in the earblooms of her PegaPod music player and cranked the radio, drowning out the sickening crunches as the recently deceased were dumped into the machine one by one.

Equestria had very few graveyards, most were for the nobles and various important ponies. Everypony else was 'cremated', that is to say their families were given a jar of fireplace ash and the bodies were sent to the rainbow factory. Only a few ponies actually knew what happened to the bodies, namely those involved with building the crematorium furnaces. The furnaces were enchanted to teleport the bodies placed inside to a few hubs throughout the country, and from there they were brought to the rainbow factory. It was a system that had been invented in secret long ago and stayed that way due to tight security and assassins.

As the first cart emptied, a second rolled up on its rails above the processor's opening, ready to unload its grim cargo.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

A shrill whistle sounded through the factory as closing time was announced, the aincient brass steam whistle still loud as ever.

"Bucking finally..." Nightsong said with a sigh as she shut down the machine, a few final gory noises coming from the depths as it took care of the last body. She pulled out a high pressure hose and began spraying down the machine, blood, meat, and spectra all getting washed down the drains.

The guard stepped in. "Need a hand?" He asked, his tone different from before as he flew up to where she was.

"If you don't mind, there's another hose by the first." She said. "Not that I don't appreciate it but why the sudden help?"

"I dunno, I suppose that I think lending you a hand may help make an otherwise grim day a little better. The boss is a complete dick to you and you have the worst job of us all, running this... abomination. How do you handle it?" He said, grabbing the other hose as Nightsong removed the maintenance panel.

"I don't really know, the radio helps, that way I don't have to deal with any of the sounds." She said with a sigh. "Er, if you're squeamish don't look in untill I get this bit washed out..." She said, frowning as she removed the pannel.

"Why is tha-" He cut himself off as he went white and hurled. sitting on a small ledge just inside the machine was somepony's head cut in two.

"That's why..." She said. "Just wash the puke down the drain" She said as she pushed it off the ledge and let it fall into the depths of the processor where it would be handled the next day. She then began spraying down the insides.

"By Celestia, how do you handle that without hurling!" The guard said, staring at her shocked after he regained his ability to keep his lunch down.

"Two years of doing it every day. after four weeks the shock of it dies down." She said with a sigh as she looked back at him. His face was a cross between shocked and mortified as he stared at her. "Go ahead and say what you want, last guard probably has already said it anyhow."

"That's horrible... why did you continue the job?"

"When I signed on I signed a contract. hidden in the legal jargon was a line saying that if I quit, they have every legal right to kill me. There's also a line saying that I can't leave the high security area of the factory. I haven't been outside in two years and, well you know the rules if I try to run."

"Detain by any means possible..."

"In other words, shoot to kill." Nightsong said with a sigh.

"By the moon... I didn't think it was that bad..." He said. "Damn now I want out of this..."

"Good luck, they'll treat you the way they would treat me. Ever wonder what happened to the guy you replaced?"

"Yeah..."

"They threw him into the processor when he announced his resignation. Hey, at least you can go home, I'm trapped here unless someone busts this place open." She said with a sigh. "What I would give to see the night sky again..."

"... Nightsong right?"

"Yeah. I was a musician before this, I made some orchestral stuff as well as some trance, never really got popular but Scratch has used my stuff in a few of her big gigs."

"So what made you sign on with the factory?"

"The record label that signed me went under, I wanted to work security here while I tried to find someone else to sign on with, but that was two years ago."

"How'd you go from security to this though?"

"Machine broke one day, boss yelled at me to try to fix it, I managed it so he shot the old matainance pony and assigned me to the job."

"Bucking psycopath..."

"Yeah. Anyhow, we're done here... no wait..." She said climbing into the machine. The guard flinched at a nasty crack followed by a sickening squelch.

"another head?" The guard asked, shuddering, when Nightsong emerged, her hooves covered in crimson.

"No." She said with a sigh. "Somepony's foal, probably not even two years old, got caught on one of the blades." She said.

"... How do you do it?" He asked, looking sick again.

"At first, fear for my own life, but then I got used to it... what kind of monster does that make me?" She said. "I mean... I don't even cry about it any more."

The guard walked over to her and put a wing around her. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up... Then perhaps... well the boss'll probably send me to the moon but I think I may be able to sneak you out for a bit."

Nightsong perked up at that. "R-really?"

"Yeah, next week would be a good time, there's a party for the guards so they'll be fewer in numbers..."

"I'll be ready." Nightsong said with a smile. "Now, let's get moving, the boss gets antsy if I linger too long."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Author's note:

Well this little idea popped into my head as I was litstening to the various remixes of rainbow factory. This will turn into a slice of life style story after a bit, but untill then things will be a little more... interesting. Sorry to those of you waiting on Night's Magic, but i'm still working on the next chapter of that.

Freedom

A/N: Well there ya go, another chapter. I decided to do a little action in this one, hope ya like it. Fifty internets to the pony who can guess the game those songs came from WITHOUT looking at the youtube tab that those links open. As always lemme know what i did wrong, i enjoy constructive criticism.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Are you ready?" The guard said with a kind smile.

It was a week later and Nightsong had been planning her escape. She knew it was going to hurt the guard's feelings, even though he had been so kind to her, but she had to escape that damned factory.

"Yes, I'm ready." She said smiling, she had left her work coveralls on, deciding the black fabric would help with her escape.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

An hour later the guard and her were sitting on one of the maintenance walkways that the unicorns used when repairing machinery on the outside of the factory.

"I must admit, tonight was fun." The guard said smiling, they both had splotches of spectra on them from a pipe breaking, causing them to have to sneak past the maintenance crews.

"Yeah, it was... I don't think I ever got your name..." Nightsong said leaning onto the guard's shoulder.

"It's Starwatch. I usually got the night shift before i was transferred, I'm not a day person to be honest..."

"Well Starwatch, Thanks for the wonderful night." Nightsong said hugging him, "But I'm afraid I have to go now... they probably have noticed I'm missing..."

"Night... what do you mean?"

"They do rounds of the rainbow factory's workers rooms to make sure none of us try to escape... chances are they're in a panic trying to find me..."

"I'll hold them back..."

"Don't bother... they would kill you in an instant..." She said taking his gun in her hooves. "Take this, count to five, then start shooting. Say I got the jump on you, that I knocked you over before jumping... save yourself, I'll die before I give up this one chance." She said smiling at him, tears in her eyes. "Your wife and foal deserve you more than I deserve to live, wish me luck." She said pressing the 10mm pistol into his hooves. "Star... Follow your orders and don't cry over me... I don't even exist to the world anymore." She said as she jumped over the railing, entering a free-fall.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Cue battle music!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Seconds after the black and green pegasus enters her dive, nine shots ring out accompanied by a slightly choked shout of "SECURITY BREACH!" followed by an alarm klaxon beginning it's wail.

Oh no you don't! Nightsong thought as she pulled a small device from her pocket and pressed a button.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Inside the rainbow factory five cola bottles shattered from extreme heat as the thermite they contained ignited, their detonators triggered. Molten iron poured across coolant pipes and important temperature controls for the spectra processor as the machine roared to life, a dull thud echoing through the facility as a home made bomb ripped the control panel apart. The separation spell matrix began to generate heat as the hopper-full of corpses fell into it, beginning a powerful magical chain reaction.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"AFTER THAT ROTTEN LITTLE BITCH!" Solar flare yelled at the elite guards of the factory, the six pegasi diving after the free falling pegasus, pulling out various forms of firearms. They accelerated downwards, but Nightsong spotted them and responded in kind.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Another alarm echoed through the Rainbow factory as the separation spell matrix began to overheat and melt down, the sheer amount of energy being generated was causing the stone spell matrix to crack, a deep blue light shining from the cracks.

A worker ran into the control room to see what was up. "Celestia have mercy on us..." He muttered in shock as he beheld the now melting mass of metal that had been the processor. Rubber and plastic components were burning as wiring sparked and zapped. The worker slammed his hoof into a glass covered button on the wall, the two alarms that had been ringing cut off, leaving an eerie silence before a low drone was heard, the old air raid siren from the last war involving Equestria groaning to life, it's haunting, pulsing drone echoing across Cloudsdale.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Bullets whizzed past Night as she accelerated downwards, the drone of the meltdown alarm music to her ears. If this doesn't end the factory, at least they will be investigated. She thought as she looked up at the dark mass of clouds, the ponies that were inside scattering across the sky.

She cried out as a bullet impacted her right hind leg, tearing through the flesh just above the fetlock. She cried out in pain, pulling out of her dive moments before she hit the ground, making a beeline for the Everfree.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Solar Flare ranted as he ran towards the spell matrix, dragging an unfortunate unicorn behind him. "Stupid Bitch thinks she's gonna win? LIKE FUCKING HELL THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON MY WATCH!" He yelled as he tossed the Unicorn into the room with the processor, following him in. "Fit it or you die!" He growled at the purple unicorn.

"I don't think i will..." The unicorn said with a smirk. "After all, I know what happens in here, on my last visit to Cloudsdale i found out, I was originally going to report this to the Princess Celestia, but i think this is a smarter solution... after all..." She said as she charged a spell, "I am her prized student."

The door welded itself shut behind Solar Flare as Twilight teleported from the room.

"YOU FILTHY ROTTEN STINKING WHORE WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE I WILL DESTROY YOU AND EVERYTH-"

Solar Flares shouts of rage were abruptly ended as a blue flash and a impossibly loud explosion rocked Cloudsdale, spectra painting the city and the ground below in bright vibrant colors as a glowing blue mushroom cloud rose over the Cloudsdale Plains.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The explosion momentarily blinded and deafened Nightsong as she tore through the air towards the Everfree, the visible blast wave following her across the plains, catching up fast. She poured every ounce of strength she could into outrunning that deadly wall of high pressure air.

The six stallions chasing her kept firing as the wave caught up, they were barely keeping up to the pegasus as she sped across the hills.

Just a little more speed... c'mon... i can beat this... I have come too far to die now! She mentally screamed at herself, a pressure cone forming in front of her as she accelerated, the blast wave swallowing up the first of her six followers.

Suddenly Nightsong felt something change as the world went quiet. She saw a wavy ring of green in her peripherals as she slowly pulled away from the pressure wave behind her.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The guard who was right behind the fleeing pegasus couldn't believe it, a second explosion? No... it was a rainboom... only one color but the fact that he could no longer hear and that his wings were broken by the sudden mass turbulence convinced him as he slammed into the ground barely below the speed of sound, saving somepony the nasty job of burying him as the sheer momentum of his impact digging his own grave.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Please switch music.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

I did it... Nightsong thought to herself, letting herself glide down to the dirt road leading into the everfree, I escaped... and destroyed that thrice damned machine... Now what... She thought as she went in to land, screaming in pain as her rear leg took on weight. She fell down onto the path and breathed heavily for what seemed like hours before she heard a quiet voice, "Oh my! Are you okay? Miss? Miss!" The last thing she saw before passing out from blood loss was a yellow blob running towards her.

aftermath

A/N: I'll ask ya'll to think of this one as a direct continuation of the previous chapter, instead of a new one, i had to cut the last one off before i passed out on my keyboard.

also for information's sake, here's the headcannon i'm using for locations so we're all on the same page.

i am referencing YoorPorrick's map of equestria and assuming since cloudsdale and the weather factory are made of clouds they drift somewhat over the plains.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Fluttershy gasped as she ran over to the mare who had just crash landed by the cottage, she and her animals had been awoken by the brilliant flash from the explosion. She was splattered lightly with spectra, but the shy mare could tell the pool of red by the green and black mare's hind leg wasn't liquid rainbows. "ANGEL! BRING THE FIRST AID KIT QUICKLY PLEASE!" Fluttershy yelled surprisingly loudly, and within moments the bunny was rushing to where she was, a white box larger than him bouncing along behind him.

"Thank you, can you run and get some help please, I don't think i can carry her back to Ponyville myself and i don't think any of the animals are in a state to help." Fluttershy said as she popped open the case, the rabbit saluting smartly before shooting off towards Ponyville. Pulling out a few fabric bandages and some gauze, and donning a face guard the timid mare got to work bandaging up the wound on the other pegasi's leg.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Applejack and Big Mac had been working late sorting through the day's harvest and had witnessed the explosion from the Apple family's barn. They had immediately dropped what they were doing to join whatever assistance Ponyville was lending to the rescue effort.

The two siblings were barreling down the road to Ponyville, both of them hitched to the empty apple family wagon that was bouncing down the road behind them. As they passed the junction to Fluttershy's cottage they could see a small white blob heading for Ponyville ahead of them.

"Mac, I think that's angel!" Applejack said between breaths.

"Eeyup." Was all the red stallion replied before applejack gave a shrill herding whistle, causing the bunny to slow to see what had caused the noise.

"Angel!" AJ called as they caught up to him. "Is something wrong with fluttershy?"

The bunny shook his head and started charading giving first aid.

"An animal is injured?" Big Mac asked.

The bunny again shook his head and pointed to the ponies and made wing flapping motions.

"There's a hurt pegasus?" The two siblings said in unison.

The bunny gave a nod and pointed towards Fluttershy's cottage.

"Let's get the wagon over there, the only reason 'Shy would send Angel is if she couldn't get whoever's injured back to town. Angel, let somepony know that we're bringin an injured pegasus in from Shy's, draw it out if ya haveta." AJ said and the trio split up to execute the plan.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Fluttershy pulled the blood spattered face guard off, the last knot tied in the bandage and relaxed slightly. "That's all I can do..." She muttered as she heard the sound of hoofbeats and something wooden from the direction of the road.

Soon enough the apple siblings and the wagon came into view. Applejack unhitched herself from the harness and went over to the pegasus' side. "What's the pro... oh mah..." She said as she got a look at the other pegasus. "That's one mighty bad wound, let's get her loaded up. Mac, lend a hoof willya." The red stallion nodded and unhitched himself. The three proceeded to gently lift the unconscious mare onto the wagon.

"I'll sit back here and make sure she doesn't get hurt any worse." Fluttershy said. "You two get us there as fast as you can without bouncing her out of the cart... um... if that's not to hard."

"Sure thang sugarcube. Let's go Mac."

"Eeeyup." The stallion replied and they started off down the path at a good pace.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"And so far there have been no reported casualties from the blast. It seems most of the Cloudsdale pegasi were trained to handle something like that in the event that it ever happened." Mayor mare said to twilight who nodded.

"That's good to hear, any news on what that secondary explosion was nearby?" Twilight asked.

"None yet, however the pegasi in the area that reported it said it looked similar to the sonic rainboom in its appearance. I am not quite sure what to make of that."

"Me neither. I don't know of any other pega-" twilight was inturrupted by a smallwhit rabbit poiking her leg. "Who? Oh, hi angel, is Fluttershy here?" The rabbit shook his head before beginning his usual game of charades to convey his message.

He started rrunning on the spot

"She's on her way fast?"

He nodded then mimicked being injured badly.

"She's hurt?" Twilight gasped.

The rabbit shook his head and held up both of his front paws.

"Someone else is?"

Angel nodded then pretended to pass out.

"Whoever's hurt is unconcious?" Angel nodded and motioned that he was done. "Spike, stay here with mayor mare, listen to whaat she says. If Fluttershy is rushing whoever she found here it's bound to be bad." Twilight said, her assistant giving a mock salute as the librarian and the rabbit headed towards the path to fluttershy's.