Shadow of a Rainbow

by Kracko

The Reservoir

The Reservoir

Spectra’s room was simple and had a draft going through it, much like her mind. Also like her mind, the room was her sanctuary; a place she can escape the pressures of being her mother’s replacement. She lay on her bed, shrouded by a heavy silence around her.

The door to her room was gently pushed open. A loud squeal shattered Spectra’s silence like glass.

“Man, I gotta get this door fixed sometime. That hinge is in its death throes for sure!” Spectra’s father stood at the doorway, swinging the door back and forth while examining the hinge. “Hell, maybe I should just go down and get Apple Bloom to fix it.”

Spectra examined her father. She was never sure why her mother chose him as her mate. He was tall, sure, but that wasn’t much to go on considering the rest of him. He turned from his task to see his daughter glaring at him.

“What’s up with you, Speck?” her father said, “You’re looking at me like I killed someone!” Her father’s laugh boomed through the house.

“Speck, why does he always call me that?” Spectra thought. “I’m OK, Dad, just trying to rest.”

“Well those eyes should be closed then, dontcha think?”

“Ha ha,” Spectra said, “I just love a good joke.” Her father laughed.

“Do you always have to act like your mother?” Her father said.

“Do you always have to compare me to her!?” Spectra snapped.

“Whoa, whoa, Speck, I’m just trying to have a conversation with you---”

“For once?” Spectra interrupted. Her father’s expression changed sharply.

“Excuse me, young lady?” Her father grunted, “I thought we raised you better than to talk back to you father!”

“‘I thought WE raised you better’?” Spectra mocked, “As if Mom ever had the time to be with us, prancing about like a damn show pony!”

Spectra didn't have to look at her father to know she had said something horrible, but a large shadow stretching across her floor made it even more apparent.

“Now look here little lady,” her father said, “You can talk back to me all you want, but don’t you DARE talk about your mother that way!”

Spectra leapt off the bed and pressed her snout to her father’s, their eyes just inches from one another.

“I suppose that means I shouldn’t talk about her then.” Spectra said.

“Nonsense, what would make you think that?” her father spat.

“I heard that if you don’t have anything nice to say about someone,” Spectra answered, “you shouldn’t say anything at all.”

Spectra thought she saw a spark of anger in her father’s eyes, like a star shimmering in Luna’s domain, then nothing at all.

+++

“Oh, my head...” Spectra mumbled, grasping her forehead. She lay limp on the cloudy floor, her head lolling about on its pivot. Her eyes would not stay open; her legs would not stay straight. It felt as though the weight of everything she had on her mind was dragging her down to the floor, and it seemed that it would pull her through the cumulus she lied on.

Spectra, using her small amount of strength, grasped at the memories leaving her, and focused on the previous bout of consciousness.

She saw images of her father dancing in front of her eyes, him standing by a door, an argument, being face-to-face with him...

“Nothing,” Spectra thought, “why can’t I remember what happened?” Spectra had always been told she had her mother’s forgetfulness, another name in the ledger of comparisons. She finally garnered the strength to stand up, stretching her wings as she did so. Her head still felt as though it was wrapped in iron bands, but she had been through worse. She needed something to drink.

Spectra went to the top of the ledge (pegasi didn’t need stairs), checking on her father’s disposition. She noticed that he was watching the hoofball game, typical of a Sunday. She saw that the Cloudsdale Thunder were playing the Fillydelphia Fillies again. She always found it amusing that the pegasi teams had their wings tied, very amusing.

Spectra retreated to her room, and stood in front of her window. Across the way from her home was the Rainwater Facility. The reservoir of the facility was full of water from Fillydelphia, its most recent donor. The pool shimmered and scattered sunlight all across Cloudsdale. The water not only looked good, but it tasted good.

Spectra had gone to Fillydelphia once with her parents because her mother was attending a competition. Her mother took home the first place prize, which included a barrel of their reservoir water, which the public generally was forbade to drink. Spectra managed a mouthful when her mother decided that the water should be for all of Cloudsdale, not just her family. The barrel was dry within an hour, but Spectra would never forget the water’s flavor.

Spectra was snapped into reality by a cool breeze caressing her mane. She at first withdrew from the draft, but then embraced it. The wind curled around wings, ruffling her feathers and begging them to join them in the sky. Spectra approached the window, allowing all of the calming air to present itself to her.

“This is my sky, this is my home,” thought Spectra, as she vaulted over the windowsill and into the blue. The reservoir was just a short flight away, but Spectra had enjoyed every second. She glided down to the pool, not making a sound as she alighted onto the cloud.

Spectra paused to take note of the “DANGER KEEP OUT” signs mounted on the fence enclosing the reservoir. Resources necessary for weather (excluding sunlight and clouds) were strictly monitored, and forbidden from personal use. Spectra tread lightly on this rule, almost as softly as she tread on the cloud beneath her. When she reached the water’s edge she had to fight the urge to plunge her head into the water and drain the reservoir dry. She bent her head downward and began to lap up the water.

Spectra’s mind, which had been bound with worry and fear, was finally as clear as the water she drank. She didn’t know whether it was the wind passing by her or the water passing through her, but her worries had faded, her problems washed away. She was at peace once again.

“Just like your mother,” a voice said from behind her.

Spectra jumped back and lost her breath as she scuttled to turn herself around. She was met with a mountain ridge embellished with sinew. The mountain heaved back and forth, causing a tide of air to wash over her mane. Spectra was breathing just as heavily, albeit more strenuously than the stallion standing before her. She craned her neck to meet her objector’s eye.

The stallion’s eyes seemed to swallow Spectra, and she felt as though she was falling through his pupils, careening through a ring of gray. The reflections of light in the water flickered back off of his eyes, blinding Spectra and bringing her back to reality.

“What’s wrong?” the stallion cooed, “why are you covering your face like that?” Spectra noticed a hint of disappointment in his voice, a voice whose words seem to float on a river of breath.

“Nothing,” Spectra said, “I just --- looked at the sun, that’s all.”

“You’re looking west, Spectra,” the stallion laughed. “I’m pretty sure Celestia doesn’t have it over there this early.”

“Damn,” Spectra thought. She wanted to change the topic, though she wasn't sure why. “I suppose I should know the name of the pony who gets me in trouble,” Spectra said “My name is---”

“I already know your name, Spectra.” the stallion said, “Everyone does.”

“Don’t remind me,” Spectra mumbled. She glared at the stallion, who didn’t seem to take notice.

The stallion said, “My name isn’t as...um...colorful as yours.”

“Har har.”

“My name is Cortland,” the stallion said, “not as fancy as my friends’ names, I’ll reckon, but a name I’m proud of.”

Spectra reflected on his name. “‘Cortland’?” That’s a peculiar name for a pony, especially a pegasus.” Of course, in her position, she was more concerned with whether she’d be standing in Celestia’s court in the next few moments than her captor’s name.

“Nice to meet you...Cortland,” Spectra said, “ I suppose you’re wondering if I’ll go quietly.”

“What on earth are you talking about, Spectra?” Cortland said, his breath chopped into pieces by laughing breaths, “Who ever said you were in trouble?”

Spectra was taken aback, “I assumed that the reservoir water was off-limits, seeing as you have a fence around it and---”

“If you knew it was ‘off-limits’,” Cortland said, “then why did you come here? There’s a public fountain just down the street.”

Spectra broke eye contact and mumbled, “This water’s better.”

Cortland broke into raucous laughter, nearly losing his balance. Spectra glared at him again, but Cortland’s eyes were shut tight with mirth.

“My aunt always told me,” Cortland started, nearly choking on his own laughter, “There ain’t no better place to get food than right under your nose.”

Spectra could not grasp this pony; he was wise and yet so folk. She couldn’t put her hoof on it.

“I suppose you’d better go, Spectra,” Cortland said, “wouldn’t want ya getting in trouble now, would we?” Cortland attempted his best wink, which looked more like he was trying to fit his entire face into his eye socket.

“No, we wouldn’t,” Spectra said, still not believing her luck, “Goodbye!” Spectra took off towards her house, reluctant to leave the stallion alone by the water, watching as she disappeared into the clouds.

Spectra could only hope that his memory of her wouldn’t do the same.

+++

Comments

[JustAnotherBadSonicOC]

I Like this, but, How did Rainbow Die? This story would be more understandable if we knew About Rainbow's Death, Rather than knowing she died in an accient, What kind of Accident, Did she die instantly or did she die in the hospital? Did she die after giving birth to Spectra? Can you please give us some coverage on Rainbow's Death? This story would make such more sense if we knew how Rbd Died.

[skywindsapprentice]

i got an idea for spectra's dad but you probably won't like it and though this isn't how i thought it would go it's still good

[Kracko]

1419113

There's a lot more story left

I still have many chapters planed for this, so please hang in there