The Grey Rainbow

A greyscale rainbow is seen all over Equestria moments later.

Ponies all over Equestria notice this rainbow. It's origin... Cloudsdale. What was going on? Nothing like this had been seen before. Had this been used to signal the end? Perhaps. No one knows for sure... but it was certainly a sight to be seen. It inspired a strange form of awe in all the subjects of Celestia and Luna alike. Not a good kind of awe though, one of those awes that seemed to... stop everypony in their track.

Nopony could take their eyes off it. The world around them, slowly fading into a matching greyscale that of the rainbow. Equestria is now free of any color, personality, and anything interesting. Ponies voices became monotone. Eyes glazed over. A single speed was shared by the ponies. Everything save all physical appearance was the same.

Never before had a mistake been made in The Rainbow Factory. Never before had a bad rainbow been shipped out. Never before had anything but perfection been accepted. Now, it's too late. Too late to take it back. Because everyone makes mistakes, and nopony is perfect.