Celestia’s white muzzle was glowing in the moonlight as she surveyed the night sky from her gardens. It was indeed a sight to remember-the stars were pulsating softly and swirls of greys and deep blues danced their way around the black. Her sister’s moon shone almost as brightly as the sun. It dappled the fields below. But despite all this Celestia was deeply troubled.
Something was wrong – all wrong. Pegasi foals kept disappearing from the face of Equestria.

“They have for years, yet never in such droves as these.”

“Indeed.”

The white goddess jumped and turned around to see her unsmiling sister staring at her. Luna always seemed to appear suddenly, without any warning, and Celestia would always get the fright of her life when her sister crept up on her.

“Lulu, I called for you a good 15 minutes ago.”

“Sorry Celly…” Luna’s blue cheeks turned a violent shade of red. “I was watching the new episode of ‘My Little Human’. The plots are so good, and I really connect with-“

Chuckling, Celestia brought her hoof to her sister’s lips. Smiling gratefully, the blue alicorn took the hint and shut up.
“Lulu, please sit down. I wish to speak to you of an unsettling matter.”

“It’s the Pegasi, isn’t it? Every month about a hundred foals fail their tests. Some ponies say those that fail are taken away to new countries. I know that’s not true. I can tell where any pony is at any time. These ponies though…”

With a grimace, Luna sat on the grass and looked up. Her eyes widened and took in her domain as she thought deeply. A silent tear slipped down her muzzle and hit the ground. How she regretted her foolish actions earlier in life. She’d missed so much. Now the world moved without her help and something evil was ahoof, but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

“Celly?”

“Yes?”

“Are you as confused as I am?”

Slowly, the white mare raised a hoof to the skies.

“See that star covered by a cloud?”

“Of course I can’t. It’s covered. Sister, do not fool about. Explain things to me simply.”

Tutting, Celestia pulled Luna towards her and held her close.

“This is as simple as I can make it. So, you cannot see the star. It is covered, as you say. Yet, as time passes, the cloud will move slowly aside, revealing the object behind. Your confusion is like that. We must wait, think, and the answer will become apparent. If we are patient then we will find out where our little foals are going to.”

“You always did make things sound so fanciful.”

Celestia laughed loudly, head thrown back, eyes closed.

“Lulu, you always say things so bluntly. It’s rather hilarious, you know.”

Cuddling one another close, the two mares watched the night turn slowly to day. The sky turned from a pitch black to a remarkable hue of dark blue, to a stunning rose. As the sun broke forth from its slumber a rainbow flew across the sky.

****

‘FOOM!’

Grumbling, Scootaloo pulled herself from her comfy bed and stretched her hooves skywards. She yawned as she made her way to her wardrobe and pulled out her new outfit – a mint green outfit with a rose tail and a rose cutie mark to match. Scoots was posing as Dash’s daughter whenever a new group of foals came in.

“Mornin’ Shcootaloo,” Dash slurred as she tumbled into the bathroom.

“Dash, just how many drinks did you have last night?”

A pink head peered into her room. Dash had her costume on.

“Jusht a few. Appleshjack had her shcider and Rares had her ‘Bordeaux’ thingshmebob…”

The orange filly rolled her eyes as her ‘mother’ began to sing ‘Equestria Gurlz’ at a deafening volume. With a slight sigh she began to cram her way into the green suit, juddering at the unfamiliar feel of the material as it clung to her hind legs. Once she had shed her orange for green she rammed on the matching mask and ran to the mirror. It was so strange for her to look at the pony reflected in shiny surface. The only remaining feature of her past look was the purple irises that surrounded her black pupils.

“Yoush look peeeeerfeect. Jusht like me.”

Staring at Dash, the now-mint-green-pony-that-was-really-orange decided it was time to get her ‘mother’ sobered up.

****
Two ponies were stood on a platform above the machines.

Rainbow couldn’t get the taste of coffee out of her mouth. For all she had been absolutely intoxicated earlier, two full packets of raw coffee beans had brought her back to full sanity. Or as sane as you can get it you work in the Rainbow Factory. ‘Rosie Thorn’, or rather the newly named Scootaloo, was stood behind her as she looked down on the foals below. It was plain that ‘Rosie’ was pale and shaking underneath her green mask.

“I’m not doing the speeches today Scoots,” Dash whispered. “I’m overseeing the… process.”

All she got in reply was a high pitched whimper.

The story of spectra was told. Rainbow felt that her explanation was always far superior to those of the other workers. Scoots agreed; she’d only been here two weeks and yet she was getting to grips with the timetable and her jobs remarkably fast. Being new was not easy for the cyan Pegasus when she had first arrived, even if she had performed the famous Sonic Rainboom and won some self-respect. Only her friends back home kept her sane. They still did.

All of a sudden Rainbow became aware of a small body at her side. Her protégée had moved beside her as soon as the time came for the spectra collection. Scoots’ pupils dilated in horror as the screaming children were murdered and thrown in the machines by several crazed mares.

“Who are they?”

Scootaloo was now staring ahead in a sort of empty sadness that most ponies know.

“They are the ‘fury squad’. Lunatic mares that tear the condemned limb from limb if the foals fight back.”

“Oh.”

A red stallion with his mane flopping over his eyes flew onto the platform.

“Urm, hey Pansy, Rosie, you can come down now. I think we’re done for today.”

“Thanks Odd Job. We’ll get going. When’s dinner?”

“Twelve thirty!” Odd shouted over his shoulder as he flew off again.

With a flap of the wings, Dash jumped off the balcony and soared out of the door. Scootaloo watched the cleaners clear up the blood for a moment before following suit.

****

From her window Scootaloo had a magnificent view.

The rainbows would rocket from the sides of the cloud-building every once in a while, colouring the skies with a vivid arc. Sometimes this arc would end up miles away. Occasionally it would land directly beneath the factory. When this happened the red would reflect on the underneath of the clouds above, creating a layer of red clouds that took your breath away.

On the ground strips of green and turquoise were clearly visible. Pink and yellow meadows lined the sides of these, and once a week a light yellow mare would walk across these meadows with her rabbit, blending in with the superb daffodils. Far off in the distance one could occasionally see a strip of deep blue. Dashie claimed it was the sea. Scootaloo had heard of it in her classes – ‘a wide expanse of water’ Miss Cheerilee had said. When the fog rolled in waves around the land it was removed from sight. Even then the amazing scene was not hindered as the light turned the fog into a screen of smoke that seemed to emit a light of its own.

Scootaloo was admiring this startling tableau when the doorbell rang.

“I’m coming!”

Cantering at a leisurely pace the now-orange pony wondered about who could possibly want to see her during the evening. Everypony made the most of their spare time and it was very strange to see a pony travelling around the factory past seven pm.
Right hoof out, Scoots opened the door and whimpered.

A grey stallion stood before her. He spat at the sight of Scoots, lowering his head and making certain that the saliva hit the floor at her hooves.

“Mr Cold Stone, sir.”

“Oh look, the worthless blank flank.”

“Not any more sir. I received my cutie mark about two weeks ago as a matter of fact.”

Cold Stone snorted derisively. Shoving Scoots aside, he trotted in and opened a jet black saddle bag with his mouth.

“Rainbow Dash! RAINBOW DASH! Get here now you lazy dirtbag!”

“What did you let him in for?” Rainbow asked as she walked into the hallway.

“Rainbow Dash,” Stone murmured.

“Cold Stone,” she replied.

The pair both strained to smile at one another. A crackle of electricity snapped the air as they both stared one another out. The fight for supremacy lasted a long time; neither wanted to show weakness. Scootaloo asked herself whether the two of them always did this.

Stone snapped. Dash grinned in triumph as he went into his saddlebags and brought out a rolled up document. He carefully unrolled it and held it in his mouth; it was an exam paper. In fact, it was the main exam paper of some foal, the one containing all of the grades achieved by a Pegasus. This paper was excellent. Every box but one was ticked with enthusiasm, except for the last.

“Miss Dash, this poor pony appears to have failed their final exam.”

“A lot of Pegasi do.”

“Yes, but this is different. As this pony…” Stone lay the paper on the floor so the name was visible. Scootaloo, it read. ”…is young worthless stupid flank here. Can you explain why your little pet didn’t get put in the machine with the others?”

“No.”

“You saved her you snivelling ninny. Now you need to listen to me. If you want to last on this place for any more than a day then you toe the line. You must do exactly as I say, or we have an extra rainbow on schedule. If you do so much as one thing wrong, just one, then I put BOTH of you in that machine. I don’t care if it’s legal. Am I understood?”

Nodding, Rainbow opened the front door and watched as Cold Stone walked out. Then she just sat with the exam paper and cried.