Rainbow Faded

"A day off?" Earthy touch arched an eyebrow.

The small family was gathered in the table to dine.

"Yeah... only a day... please father?" Monochrome smiled in a plead tone.

"I don't know..." the yellow pony said scratching his chin.

"Come on dear..." Petal said putting a hoof over her husband's hoof. "He work hard enough to earn this... One day won't make that much difference."

"I know honey..." Earthy said. "But what I'm curious at is why Mono needs a day off like this... We always take a break from work once a week."

Mono scratched the back of his head when his foster parents looked at him, waiting for an answer.

"Well... I wanted to visit a friend..." He said without lying.

"A friend?" Petal said. "Does he lives in Cloudsdale?"

"Ahm... no." Mono said trying not to lie... but at the same time not wanting to reveal where this friends lived. "He lives near Ponyvile..." Technically, the Everfree forest was near Ponyvile.

"Hmm... ok then..." Earthy said smiling. "Just don't come back too late ok?"

"Wow, thanks dad!" Mono said perking his years and smiling widely.

"I'll go make a pie so you won't go to his house empty hoofed" Petal announced and went to the kitchen.

"You know you don't have to, right mom?" Mono said to her before she reached the kitchen.

"I know... I'm just happy that you have a friend, that's it" She said and then started to use her magic to grab all the material for the pastry.

The purple foal went to bed early that night... next day he got up when the first rays of the sun bathed the land. His parents were already on the kitchen and after a quick breakfast, he went off. He was carrying a saddlebag with him as he flew straight to the forest. He halted right at the borders, taking a deep breath and then slowly flew inside. His eyes quickly adapted to the darkness of the forest so Mono didn't had any problem to see where he was going.

"Nevarius!" He called while flying. "Nevarius where are you?" The foal called again. Long minutes passed and not even a sign of the horned creature...

Monochrome landed in a nearby branch that was more than sturdy enough to hold his weight.

"Damn... where is he?" Mono sighed.

"You called?" He hear Nevarius voice really close to his ear.

The foal jumped in startle and yelped. He lost his balance and when he thought he would fall, many branches warped around his body to hold him. Nevarius stood right next to the pegasus with a wide smile and Monochrome realized that the branches that were holding him were actually Nevarius horns.

"You should be more careful... what If I wasn't here to hold you huh?"

Monochrome simply stared at him a little angry. His heart was racing and his chest going up and down very fast as he breathed for more oxygen.

"So..." Nevarius pulled him on the branch again and released his grip on the pegasus body. "What brings you to my humble and dangerous house?"

Mono breathed deeply to calm his heart and then spoke.

"I came to visit you... and bring you something that I always forget when I come here..." The foal said grabbing his saddlebags and pulled many feathers out of it. They had many different colors and sizes. Nevarius eyes shined with delight. There were enough feather to make a new pair of wings if he wanted to.

"Are these...?" He started to say and Mono finished his phrase.

"Yeap... these are foal's feathers... I spend six months collecting them while I was at the Flight Academy." Monochrome said proudly. "But every time I manage to come near the forest it is at work… So I never had them with me."

"I... I can't even..." Nevarius started to say, his eyes watering with tears with an obvious over reaction.

"Erm... o-ok, no need to cry..." the purple said getting uncomfortable with that.

The horned creature took a deep breath, swallowing his tears.

"Thank you... you brought me a life time supply of feathers! And I can't even properly thank you!" The weird creature said containing the urge to hug the foal.

"Well... You can thank me sharing this pie my mother did for us." Monochrome said putting the feathers back in the saddlebag and grabbing the pie.

At that moment, Nevarius lost it.

"COME HERE YOU!" He shouted and tackled the foal that yelped in surprise... and the yelp turned into a scream of despair when both fell from that branch. The floor started to approach really fast and Monochrome had his whole body warped in Nevarius hug. Whe he thought that they were going to die, the weird blank flank used his horns. Both grew in every single direction in a blink of an eye and warped in several branches all around.

Their bodies were just a few inches from the ground... The purple foal was pale and his heart was almost breaking his ribs due to the hard beatings.

"You didn't though I would let we hit the ground did you?" Nevarius chuckled.

"You... son... of... a-" Before Monochrome could speak another word Nevarius shoved a small piece of pie on his mouth.

After Monochrome recovered from that scary, he and the weird horned creature finished the pie while sitting under a nearby tree... Curiously, right above them was a small whole on the leaves, so the sunlight was able to pass.

"So, how about the griffon?" Nevarius suddenly asked and started to munch on his last piece of pie. Monochrome cough a little and looked at him.

"I'm... I'm sorry?" He said confused.

"The griffon..." Nevarius repeated "Three feathers that you showed me were from a griffon... something about your age... good flier and awesome hunter AND... a female." The horned creature said blinking towards Monochrome that blushed deeply.

"S-Stop it!" He said getting really embarrassed.

"Oh, don't get all shy now!" The blank flank laughed. "Tell me, what her name is?"

"It's... It's Gilda..." The foal said not looking at the weird creature. "But she's just a friend I meet at the academy... I don't think I'll ever see her again."

"Don't be so fast on assuming things... I lived long enough to know that hope is the last thing that dies..."

"Really?" Mono said looking at the horned creature.

"But of course! Now... I think is time for you to go." Nevarius said standing up and suddenly getting really serious. "And don't forget mono... never let hope die... you have the gift to see the light where others see only darkness... and darkness will soon arrive in this land."

The foal stared at Nevarius for a second, arching an eyebrow.

"Come!" Nevarius said smiling again "It's time for you to go home"

The blank flank creature used his horns to grab Monochrome and the threw him in the air, hard enough so the foal would pass through the hole on the leaves... once the foal was out, the leaves closed and Monochrome couldn't go back inside... Without any other choice, the purple pegasus flew back home... still thinking on the last words that Nevarius said.

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As the years passed, Monochrome saw small changes in the city that he visited so much. Sometimes working… other times only to hang out with his parents. He saw when a stunning unicorn mare with a coat white as snow, opened her store to sell dresses... She immediately caught the attention of everypony in the small city because the Carrousel Boutique was the first store to sell dresses and clothes with the same quality of those found on Canterlot.

Sugar Cube corner soon received a new worker. A crazy pink pony with a love for parties that he never saw before. Actually, no one ever saw a party so big as the one she threw the first day after she started to work. Word was that she had to work a week without receiving a single bit to pay for all the bakery that was used on the party. But she didn't seems to care... All she wanted was to see everypony smiling and enjoying themselves.

Nevarius started to complain about some yellow pegasus that build her shelter near the Everfree forest... something about she taking away all the pray that the timber wolves, manticore and other carnivores that lived in an area of the forest, making many of them move out to other places. When Monochrome went there to investigate, he couldn't help but laugh. The shelter she build served as shelter for many birds and other small creatures. So, when the night came, many would flee from Everfree forest to her shelter, avoiding being caught by the carnivores. Took some talk to convince Nevarius that that was a good thing, since that area was now more safe for the inhabitants of Ponyvile, and that he wouldn't have to worry about rescuing somepony so soon.

What really surprised Monochrome was the fact that Rainbow Dash moved to Ponyvile to work in the weather control. But it seems that after few years, she didn't remembered the purple colt anymore... Took some time for her to associate that he was the weird purple foal that enjoyed staying till late with Gilda. Rainbow told him that she and Gilda haven't seen each other since that Summer Flight Camp, when the trio got separated. It seems that she had returned to her home, since her father had got really sick... After that, Rainbow didn't had any other news from the griffon. The purple pegasus couldn't help but to be disappointed... He really expected to see Gilda again.

Another year passed and a very especial letter arrived for Earthy touch... It was a royal letter with very interesting information.

"It says WHAT?" Petal said with her jaw dropped. Monochrome didn't quite understand why she was so surprised and, in a way, not happy with the message.

"It says that we are to use that area that is closer to Everfree to make more flour" Earthy said still a bit surprised too.

"The lands near the forest?" Mono asked.

"Yes..." Earthy started to explain. "Between our fields and the Everfree there are many acres of lands that no one owns. This letter gives us permission to use these lands and double our production of flour!"

"And double our work too!" Petal said. "How are we supposed to work on those lands? We barely can work on our own... we cannot accept this gift... or whatever it is."

"We don't have any choice honey..." Earthy said "these lands were given to us to be used and produce enough flour to supply Ponyvile for the Summer Sun Celebration that will happen in a few months..."

"Oh, Celestia... " Petal sighed.

"Hey mom, don't worry... We will be able to do it!" Monosaid smiling confident.

"But how...? We are only three ponies and these new lands needs to be prepared before being used. Do you have any idea how hard is to plow a virgin soil?" She said looking at the young colt.

"She got a point son... to use these kinds of field we need to revolve the earth... but with all that grass it will be no easy task, even with your mother's magic helping us." Earthy said.

"Not only that, it will consume a precious time that we use to work on our old fields..." Petal finished.

"What if we ask for help?" Mono said.

"To whom?" Petal said. "We don't know anypony that can actually help with that..."

"hmm... Maybe I know a pony that can help us..." Mono said smiling.

"Really? Who?" Earthy said curious.

"A friend of my... I'll go ask him for his help right away!" Mono said very excited, eager to help his parents.

"Ok... just don't take long..." Petal said not showing much faith on her son. "Let's go honey... we need to start plowing those new lands..." Petal walked towards the door, followed by her husband. Both went to the barn to take the plow to the new part of the farm.

Monochrome dashed through the sky going to the only friend he had... And he was 100% sure that this dear friend would never let him down.

"Nope." Nevarius said. He was in front of his caldron, using his horns to mix some kind of potion... or soup.

"But why not?" Monochrome whined.

"Because first, my powers don't go beyond the forest and second, I don't want to. I don't agree with this kind of work on the soil..." Nevarius shrugged.

"Please... without your help we won't be able to fulfill the royal task!" Mono pleaded.

"Wait... 'royal task'?" Nevarius turned to see the young colt. "You mean that Celestia is involved with it?"

"I... I guess... Why?" The purple pegasus didn't see any connection.

"Ok... since it was Her request... I guess I can help you with that..." Nevarius said scratching his chin. "Bring me some fur from your dad and mom... And I'll need some of your feathers too."

"Do I want to know why?" Monochrome asked a little hesitant.

"No. Now go... bring those to me and I'll tell you what to do next." Nevarius said and stretched his horns towards the colt."

"STOP!" Mono shouted and stepped back. "I can fly on my own, no need to throw me out..."

"Oh... Alright then." Nevarius shrugged.

The purple pegasus soon reached the border of his parents field and saw them working on the grass fields. Earthy Touch was pulling the plow while Petal wind was helping him with her magic. They had barely completed a quarter of an acre in hours... both looking exhausted already. He landed near them.

"So... this friend of yours will be able to help us?" Petal said stopping the magic.

For a moment Mono thought about saying 'yes' but that would be a bad idea since he didn't know what exactly the horned creature was going to do.

"No... He said he can't... I'm sorry." Mono said faking resign.

"Don't worry, at least you tried..." Earthy said smiling at his son. "Why don't you grab a rope so you can help here?"

"Ok dad... I'll be right back..." Mono said not very excited about doing this kind of labor.

The young colt soon came back wearing a saddle and attached himself on the plow. Both he and his father started to pull the farming tool while Petal Wind helped them with her magic, pushing it. By the time the sun had set, the family only managed to complete half of an acre. They dragged themselves to home and Earth Touch let his body fall on the living room floor.

"I guess I'm becoming old..." He mumbled.

"Don't be silly..." Petal said using her magic to help her husband to stand again. "You are a healthy stallion... this awful job is the problem here..." she sighed.

"Mono, go take a bath and - ..." Petal started to say but as she turned to look the purple pegasus, he was already on the couch, sleeping.

"The poor thing really out did himself today..." Earthy said chuckling.

"Well... at least now we can bath quicker..." Petal said walking towards the bathroom...

"Go on dear... I'll just cover him here..." Earthy said going to get a blanket.

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The moon was high in the sky... Its pale light shining through the windows of the house. A lone shadow walked silently through the corridors and stopped in front of one of the rooms. The door was closed and it let out a soft sound when the figure opened it. The room was being illuminated by the moon light that came through the open window. Lying on the bed was Earthy Touch and Petal Wind... Both sleeping deeply. The shadow approached the couple... A kitchen knife reflected the moo light... The figure approached the sharp object from the female's neck and then...

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A/N: Hey there! Sorry for delaying to release this chapter… ears is ending and I got tons of school's stuff to do plus work, leaving me with almost no time to write. Next chapter will come out shortly (if everything works according to my schedule).

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it. Don't forget to leave your comments below and hit the 'like' button if you are enjoying this story!

Ciao!