Spectrum Joy
Chapter One
A young colt trotted down the sidewalk. His sand-colored mane matched the tail that dragged behind it. With his storm-cloud coat, he didn't gather much attention.
Ponies jostled past, bumping into the colt with no apology. He ignored their careless behavior and marched on.
A crowd was stirring around Mayor Mare's stage in the center of town. Pushing up her glasses with her hoof, she observed the crowd. The send-off was about to begin.
"Mares and gentlecolts", she began. "We are here on this day to send one of our very own off to Manehattan for the Best Fliers Competition."
The colt walked through the open sections of the crowd, searching for a seat with a nice view of the stage. He had waited for this day, and was prepared to send off his love with the best hope and wishes of luck.
"Let's have a big round of applause for the mare of Ponyville-", Mayor Mare continued. The audience began stomping their hooves on the ground, the young colt included. "Rainbow Dash!", the mare concluded with a joyful yell.
Onto the stage came his love. Vibrant colors ran throughout her mane and tail. With a slight shake of her head, her mane swung out around her, grabbing the attention of young Onyx with its tantalizing beauty. She trotted across the stage with grace that left the colt speechless. The rest of the world was a blur to him as he looked upon her in awe.
With his seat so close to the stage, he had a large chance to meet with this miraculous mare. Hooves were pushed toward the stage so that their owners may exchange graces with the young beauty.
Normally a quiet, relaxed sort of pony, Onyx wouldn't have rushed at the chance, but rather sit back and let other ponies have their way, even if he missed out. Today, he felt different. Rainbow Dash was so close, yet so far away. If he could get even a hoofshake with he would be filled to the brim with happiness. He stuck out his hoof with warm desire in is heart to be graced by her beauty.
As the blue, rainbow-maned pony strode across the stage, she held out her hoof the fans. Onyx continued to hold his hoof out straight, and was rewarded. In that small time where their hooves met, the young colt looked into her eyes, and saw that they were returning the favor. As time slowed, her hoof continued motion across many others', but her eyes remained fixated on Onyx's with a story behind them that foreshadowed a life-long remembrance, or at least, he fantasized.
When the blood rushed back into his head, he smiled as large as he ever had. With an encounter like this, one was sure to be happy. This prime example directed his attention to Mayor Mare as she began to speak once again on his love's behalf.
"Let's have a final round of applause for Rainbow Dash!", she said. The audience complied, cheering and screaming for their town's representative in the competition. As the mayor said this, a carriage pulled by two muscular stallions arrived, ready to bring the competing mare to Manehattan. "Miss-yous" and "Good-lucks" were shouted as the stunning pegasus waved her fans goodbye. The stallions began moving, pulling the cart further and further off toward the horizon. They were off.
Onyx left the crowd and departed with a new-found sense of self satisfaction. Remembering that fateful touch filled him with great joy, and the jubilant colt broke into a full-fledged gallop toward his home. With this thought in his mind, he was happy. Unfortunately for him, he had forgotten the purpose of the gathering. His love was being sent away to a competition in the far off city of Manehattan. Was that the last he would see of her?
The colt reached the door of his home outside the inner neighborhood. He entered and shut the portal to the outside. Plopping on his bed and pulling up the covers, he listened to the music from his stereo. The music soothed him, but the recurring thoughts clouded his mind, as well as his dreams. He could not bare being away from Rainbow Dash. She was his life, and delivered unto him a new feeling of joy.
His plans were set from that moment forward. It would not be the last time he saw her. He would travel to competition and cheer her on. This was not merely a plan, but more of a heartfelt chase. He loved this magical mare, and would see to it that their eyes would meet again.
Spectrum Joy
Chapter Two
In the morning, Onyx rose out of bed with clear determination; however, he was distraught. Manehattan was quite far way, and definitely too far for his wings to carry him. He contemplated this group of problems and came up with a suitable solution: He would take the train. But, as with every other idea he had, there was a problem. He hadn't much money to spare.
He did multiple chores, but was never rewarded for it. No matter how many times he had washed the dishes or done the laundry, he was never given an allowance. The only money he ever received was given to him from his father on occasions where the young colt was sent to the market. Any leftover bits after the trip were his, but he was rarely given more than a few bits extra over the cost of whatever he was told to buy. Whenever he would return after these trips, he would put up the groceries in their resting places and head to his room with whatever change was left over. All of his bits were in a yellow saddle bag that hung over the end of his bed frame.
Every time he had saved enough money, he would buy a treat from one of the expensive candy stands. This was another rare happening, but that just made it all the sweeter.
After preparing to face the day, Onyx was told that it would be another one of these occasions.
"Now, your father wants you to get just a few things today", his mother began. "We need a bag of apples, a bit of corn, and some soda. Can you handle that?"
Onyx simply nodded, as she handed him 10 bits. He put these in his saddle bag, and strapped it around his neck.
"Good. Now scurry off."
The colt turned and trotted slowly down the hallway, still a bit sluggish from his slumber. As he opened the door to Ponyville, his eyes stung with the light of the strong sun. Putting all uncomfortable feelings aside, he began his trip.
He walked past many ponies on the sidewalk, and made his way into the lively market. He decided to stop at the closest kiosks, those for corn and soda. Relieving his saddle bag of 8 bits and adding a few pounds of each item as replacement, he thanked the merchants and trotted off toward the market's apple stand.
Usually here was an orange-coated pony with the brightest intentions. She sold apples of all sorts, and, with an orchard to supply her, was always well-stocked. She was a very successful mare, and one that Onyx had seen around his love more than once. He would have really liked to speak to this mare, one aptly named Applejack, but she was not there.
Thinking about Rainbow Dash, Onyx realized that she may have been preparing for the competition later that evening. Oh well, he thought. I'll get apples some other time. Thinking about the remaining two bits in his saddle bag, the colt grinned faintly and walked back home on the same popular sidewalk.
The young colt arrived at his home and made way for his room. Groceries were left on the kitchen counter, not put in their place. His parents yelled at him, inquiring about the absence of apples. He simply answered by saying that Applejack was preparing for the big event. His parents had no clue who or what he was talking about, and he knew it. He didn't have time to explain.
His room was quiet and mellow as usual, the radio still playing with the sounds of his favorite bands. He took in each new sound as encouragement to do what he needed. It was his strength for perseverance. He also drew well, and often. His cutie mark even depicted a pencil. The entire room was an allegory for his personality.
Onyx reached removed his saddle bag and produced the two coins from the day's trip. Placing them on his dresser, he added up all of his savings. 45 bits, he thought. This is definitely enough.
Pouring all of his savings into his saddle bag, he made his choice. He would forgo his weekly treat from the market. Seeing his love was much more important than eating candy. He slung the bag around his neck and, without further requirements, he made his way out of his house and had his destination set in his mind: Manehattan.
What he got when he exited his home was not what he expected, nor deserved. Some other pegasi from his school were waiting by the sidewalk.
"Hey look", one of them shouted. "It's Earthbound!" The three pegasi were laughing at Onyx's expense.
"You know what's cool?", the obvious leader asked. "Living in Cloudsdale!" Of course by answering his own question, he had his underlings in stitches. What was said next really threw Onyx into tumult.
"Too bad Earthbound has a boring family!" The young colt had heard this enough from others, but did not try to insult the pegasi. All of them had qualities that would have been easy to make fun of, but Onyx was not that type of colt. With a sigh, he shrugged off their laughter and galloped toward the train.
Upon arrival, Onyx made note of Applejack making her way through the crowd. Must've been right, he thought. Waiting in line for something had never seemed so difficult. As each pony boarded the train, the line shrunk about a hoof's length. Nopony liked waiting, but Onyx was particularly impatient. As he slowly made his way to front of the line, he began hearing scary things. High numbers were thrown about. Once finally at the front, he discovered their origin.
"Eighty bits!", the ticket vendor yelled, his hoof extended toward Onyx, expecting his pay.
"But I only have forty-", he began as the ticket seller cut him off. As the rude colt began to call the next in line, an orange savior stuck her hoof out of the nearest train car's window, stopping the words from leaving his mouth. Next, thirty-five bits fell into his hoof. Realizing the help, Onyx poured his own money into the payment.
"Hop in.", said the ticket salesman.
Onyx did as he as told. As he trotted down the aisle of the train, he made sure to find Applejack. There, sitting with at the front row with a smile on her face, was the orange savior.
"Take a seat right here!", she insisted. The colt inched toward her and slid onto the comfortable seat.
"Thanks for that", he said.
"No problem. What's your name Sugar cube?", the mare inquired.
Onyx answered his name with slight hesitation. He wasn't sure who was on the inside at the moment, but he was called Onyx, and so he spoke that name.
"Well ain't that a nifty name! I'm Applejack", "AJ' for short.", And with that, she took Onyx's hoof and shook.
"Departing for Manehattan now", yelled the attendant of the car. Onyx looked out the window past AJ and watched Ponyville slip by. "See you all again in an hour.", and with that, the attendant walked through the car's door and slipped into another section of the train.
Onyx fought back a question he had previously wanted to ask. Without saying anything, he got his answer.
"The other girls took yesterday's train. I had some packing to do for the trip, still." Onyx looked at her, acknowledging. Looking into his obvious qualities, AJ made a remark.
"You sure don't talk much. Let's change that."
For the remainder of the trip, they spoke of Rainbow Dash, and how ready they were to cheer her on at the competition. AJ noticed something was on Onyx's mind.
"What's wrong Sugar cube?", she asked, caring.
"I have a question, if you don't mind.", he began. No objections were made, so Onyx let out with it. "How does it feel to be an earth-pony?"
AJ pondered this for a moment. "It's a bit harder to do things without magic or wings, sure, but it also tells people that we're tough, honorable workers." Onyx wasn't quite satisfied with the answer he received. He continued to speak on the topic.
"My dad is an earth-pony", he admitted. "..and we live on the ground for him."
AJ sensed other problems ahoof. There was no way this colt was so bothered just because of his home's location.
"What problems does that cause for ya?", she asked.
The colt wanted to keep quiet, but just told her the truth. "I'm made fun of daily. I'm not sure why it bother's me so much, but I just feel so different. Sooner or later my little filly sister will start getting picked on as well..."
"Let's change the subject.", said the mare. Onyx was happy with her choice. With good intentions, AJ brushed his mane off to the side with her hoof. As soon as she thought of a new topic, they realized that they had made it to their destination.
"An hour can fly by.", AJ said. The orange mare sure was right.
