Epilogue
“Auuuugh!”
Cloud Cover scrambled out of bed, ripping apart her sheets as she tumbled to the floor, still crying and panting. She rested against the wall, hearing her heart pound, and held herself close until the images went away.
“Another nightmare?” Corona asked, lifting his head from his own bed to see his friend.
Cloud Cover just nodded, sobbing quietly.
Corona slipped out of his own covers slowly, stretching the tiredness out of his muscles. He slumped on the floor next to Cloud, allowing her to wrap her hooves around his body to remind her that they were still alive. His head lolled back as her shaking slowed, and soon they were both sleeping once again.
---
Rainbow Dash paced in the cavernous room, sighing as she caught sight of one more rainbow hair on the cloud before her.
The royal inspection had gone as roughly as she and Hide expected it would. Most of their technology was removed and destroyed, after an incredibly detailed history had been explained directly to the princesses themselves. Now, however, the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation was well on it’s way to doubling--or possibly even tripling--the area of weather they covered before.
“Bad publicity is still publicity,” the mare muttered, giving another strand of hair the evil eye as it wafted down to her hooves.
She wasn’t sure how she felt since she lost... that thing. Who was that dirty mare? Her sister? A monster? Or simply a ghost, a vision in her mind? It was hard to tell in the factory. Workers often mentioned that the place was haunted. Maybe they were right?
She shook her head, dismissing those thoughts. There was only one ghost that mattered to her, and she could not bring herself to ever let it fade into myth.
“And this here, Princess Celestia, is the original Spectra Containment Room. The machine at the back contains the series of pumps that transferred the rainbow components to the floors below.”
“Why is it tarped? I am certain my orders, that no section of this facility remain sealed or covered during inspection, were clear.”
“Apologies, your highness. The tarp was utilized to prevent grease or dirt from coming off the pumps and tainting the spectra. I’ll go remove it at once-”
“No, that’s not necessary. The uh...” The princess paused, glancing at the glowing pools of colour with disgust. “The... poor civilians in that pool... well, that the pool consists of... in a way... anyways, uh, they deserve prop- proper funerals...”
“Princess Celestia? Would you like to rest some more before we continue the inspection?”
“...Yes, Dr. Atmosphere. I must say, though, that while this inquisition shall remain steadfast on retribution for the crimes committed by this corporation, we may have to consider leniency on the fates of you and your workers. I just... I cannot comprehend the effort it must take to endure these terrors every day for an entire life.”
“Princess? I hope you don’t believe we’ve attempted to paint ourselves in any light but a neutral point of view. If the royalty wishes to punish us we shall not provide excu-”
“No, no, it’s fine, Doctor. Now please, I’d like to rest for a while.”
“Certainly, your Highness. This way, please.”
The memory made Rainbow Dash smile. She was completely prepared to reveal the Pegasus Device, knowing full well that she could only remain loyal to a company if she were not executed or imprisoned. The loss of the Device would have devastated her, but its sacrifice would mean she could continue to protect and grow her beloved Corporation.
And yet, there it lay, still tarped, still sleeping, still hidden from the eyes and minds of the citizens of Equestria.
She moved closer to it, remembering her first day operating the Pegasus Device. She had just finished watching the training video then, and the CWC Mantra had been stuck in her head. Even now, as her hoof wrapped around the cloth, it echoed in her mind, causing the lightest tinge of a smile to play across her face. She pull the tarp away, unveiling the ghost, the Pegasus Device, muttering the phrase aloud to commemorate the moment.
“In the Rainbow Factory...” she giggled, standing back in admiration. “... Where not a single soul gets through...”
---
I’d like to thank Cthuluigi, Autumn Wind, Patchwork Poltergeist, Jabberwocky Superfly, Saddlesoap Opera, and Sagebrush for all their help with editing and pre-reading. Thanks for putting up with me as I plowed through this chapter for the last year. I owe you guys, so so much. Finally, thank you to all my fans who encouraged me to keep writing. You’ve changed my life for the better.
If you've enjoyed Pegasus Device, check out the merchandise!
If you enjoy my stories, please consider donating.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan made fiction, based on the animated show “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic”. I do not own, nor lay any claim to My Little Pony or any related intellectual property.
This work was made entirely for entertainment value and as a tribute to the amazing work of the Friendship is Magic production team. It is not, and will never be, sold and distributed for profit.
This story falls under a Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License. This means you are free to make derivative works upon the concepts within provided your work is non-profit, you attribute the author for any copied materials, and share your own work under a similar license.
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YES, UPDATE! WOOOOO!
This... is still a thing?
The whole rainbow factory concept I mean, not this story. I
hopedthought that it died off long ago, apparently I was wrong.Amazing as always, Aurora.
I must confess to feeling some disappointment at how this was concluded. Parts of it felt a bit rushed - the conclusion it was all building up to... just sort of passed by without much note at all.
Three main things strike me as being lacking:
The manner in which Gentle broke - it felt too passive, she simply ended up going on a rant and then more or less stopping and letting everyone walk away. It seemed far too little of a payoff for what, throughout most of this fic, was a fair chart of her descent into the madness that was the Rainbow Factory.
Scootaloo meets Rainbow - It was okay... But that's really all i can say about it. It just never had the feel of the glorious confrontation I, and no doubt others, had been expecting. Dash should have been ranting, should have been raving, should have turned on Atmosphere and accused him of setting this all up - as far as her broken mind was concerned she had killed Scootaloo herself. The whole thing should have been, just... more i guess.
Two foals entered, two foals leave - It feels much like the foals won too easily with how they essentially got let out. I went into the last chapters fully expecting one of them to die. I don't mind that the Factory lost, but i don't think the foals should necessarily have won either. Especially with the stuff that happened with Corona in the third chapter with the fact that he seemed to almost be accepting that he, and other failures, may have actually deserved this. I really did expect him to do something to more or less engineer his own death in the machine (sacrifice himself and drag someone else such as gentle in with him, or just plain suicide as he comes to the conclusion that he is worthless for anything else, something at any rate).
Finally the princesses seem kinda... too lenient in the epilogue. Felt more like they were being given a tour rather than having an inquisition - which would no doubt have involved one heck of a lot of guards investigating everything (which in turn makes the fact a Pegasus Device remained there rather shaky). That said the fact that Rainbow is still, essentially, bound to the device (and in turn is still rather insane) is a good ending spot albeit one that seems a bit predictable - though admittedly I can't think of anything better to suggest on that.
Oh - one more thing. You've done a lot of really nice character stuff as you followed the descent into insanity of Gentle and the general broken-ness of the staff, but you appear to have shied away from the foals actually returning home - surely the discovery by their parents of what really happens when their Foals were taken away after failing the test should have been touched upon in some way?
Anyway... don't mind my griping - i still really do like this fic and will happily recommend it to others.
2132412
I'll admit the whole story could probably have done with a fifth chapter, but after a year and a half writing 50,000 words, I felt it was time to conclude and move on.
Thanks for your critique, however; there's several points I agree with you and a few I don't, but what matters most is that you enjoyed the story and I enjoyed writing it.
To be honest, I would've liked for this epilogue to be a bit longer. With everything Cloud and Corona have been through, I just think their characters deserved a more detailed description of their lives after their escape.
Well, I'm assuming this is the end of the Rainbow Factory saga. I enjoyed the first story, but this installment was a huge improvement. Nicely done.
that was a good ending if you ask me. is she going to make herself into a rainbow now or something? also, what was the rest of that little thing? "In the rainbow factory were not a single soul get's through" yadda yadda?
I agree with some of the previous comments that the ending felt a bit rushed and the epilogue felt a bit short - but I fully understand needing to finish something that just doesn't want to seem to end.
It was still awesome, and I still couldn't stop reading until I reached the end. While I didn't feel this one held the creepy-factor that the original Rainbow Factory had, there was still a lot of suspense. You've got a great and thorough writing style - I love how you don't fully and completely explain every little thing like some need to and allow the audience to reach the conclusions themselves, you do great character development and I find it easy to believe in your characters. Props!
Look forward to seeing more from you
Amazing this was pure gold. I'm sad to see it end.
2132230 You know that this is written by the guy who wrote the original story, right?
2132970 Well hopefully this person has improved their writing style and storytelling capabilities drastically since then. I don't follow rainbow factory for my own reasons, but do know who wrote it.
2133082
Know, or know of?
Because I haven't the foggiest clue who you are.
Also the only reason Rainbow Factory may seem dead to you is because EquestriaDaily has a 'No-RF' policy. It's been pretty active elsewhere.
2133197 Well I clearly don't know you, so option b.)
And I don't go on EQD at all, I treat it with the same reverence one would show to someone infected with the rage virus; I stay far, far away. It hurts me to go there.
So what happened to the factory?
Heh it's pretty cool to think back to when the first chapter came out. I Read It I've
Been here since the first chapter
2132578 Firstly: where'd you get the idea she make herself into a rainbow? SHe's not, its just saying she's still insane and was just remembering the days when they first used the Pegasus Device. Secondly: It came from the song and inspiration for these two fan fics, "Rainbow Factory" by the Wooden Toaster. In the chorus and the ending lyrics were the lines: "In the Rainbow Factory, where your fears and horrors come true/In the Rainbow Factory, where not a single soul gets through,"
2133454 static1.fjcdn.com/comments/hmph+yes...+yes+quite+bully+my+good+sir+bully+indeed+_7ae17702f840b79879037e956fb190b1.jpg Indeed good sir!
What?! I mean, I know Equestria's Judicial System is bucked up in most fanfics, but this takes the cake. Murder hundreds of children and you'll get leniency because of the "terrors" you had to endure when you murdered hundreds of children.
2132230
The concept of the Rainbow Factory has become far too prolific in the fandom to be forgotten. Just as almost everyone knows Cupcakes, almost everyone knows the Factory. Whether it's in a passing reference, or featured in a full-blown story like this, the idea of the Factory will never die.
Now we need a Separate story for Corona and Cloud or an epilogue's epilogues. Get to it, chop chop. Lol jokes, take a massive break.
I must say this story turned out awesomely, still thought the ending was too short though, but who am I to complain.
I enjoyed this story, and thought it was a fitting conclusion. There were some things we didn't get to see, but I view that as leaving it open for others to write fan fics or a future sequel. I've always been interested in how Dash's loyalty was betrayed, and how she joined the corporation. Now I'm wondering if Scootaloo's sacrifice is going to change Dash at all, or if she'll just go back to operating the factory.
Great work, I can't imagine spending a year and a half writing a story. I think I speak for everyone when I say we appreciate that you did.
I fucking cried when I read the end of the epilogue
2132578
The original story was based entirely off of the fan-made song "The Rainbow Factory" on Youtube.
This is the sequel (And probable successor in my eyes) to the first story.
The "In the Rainbow Factory, where not a single soul gets through" are simply lyrics to the song.
Here
I feel as though...
The ending was anti-climatic.
I mean, Dashie just sitting there as Scoots sacrificed herself kinda pissed me off. I know Rainbow Dash was shocked at seeing her but when it comes to family, one acts before thinking.
I don't like how Dash thought before acting.
Cause when it comes to family, you go through hell and back to keep them safe, no questions.
And I can testify to this, my little brother and I were riding horses. Well, he was riding I was doing chores.
And he decided to ride where the other horses were grazing. His horse spooked at something, reared and darted off. My little brother went flying onto his back and the other maybe ten horses spooked and ran in a tight group towards me, blocking me of my brother.
I see this happening, dropped whatever I was doing, and ran through, yes THROUGH the herd of stampeding horses to get to him.
Probably the most stupid thing I have and will ever do, but I didn't think. My brother was in danger and I got there as fast as possible, my health be damned.
I enjoyed this overall, even though I, like others, felt that the end was a bit rushed. Gentle's sudden departure to insanity was just that: sudden. Although an almost certain outcome to her "promotion", there just didn't seem to be any sort of lead up to it. Also, it could've done with a bit more exposition on Cloud and Corona's life after the Factory, imo, but I can completely sympathise with the feeling of: "Sod it, I just want to get this done".
So yeah, tl;dr: Good story, slightly rushed but still mostly satisfying ending. Well done, sir/madam!
OH MY GOD JUST KILL RAINBOW DASH ALREADY!!! the good part is that this story isn't over yet. Now seriously whats left to do?
2137447
I feel you need to read that scene again. Do remember that Dash is a little... addled, shall we say.
Scootaloo! Queen of uncertain fates!
2135105
Was your brother okay?
Wow. That was an incredible ending to an idea that has fascinated me since the first time I heard the song. Thanks so much for giving Wooden Toaster's wonderful fantasy so much life, beauty, and devotion. You took an idea and made it your own, writing a story that awoke the horror inside us all; and "Pegasus Device" was a wonderful extension of that fantasy, revealing what happened to the characters that we grew to love and fear for, while gently introducing new ones. We all owe you for the hours of pleasure you gave us when you wrote these wonderful stories, and for all the time we spent reflecting on them.
Thank you, Aurora Dawn.
>>GingerLuna
Thankfully yes, we was wearin his helmet so that prevented his head hitting the hard ground. He bruised his tailbone and back pretty badly whille spraining his wrist.
And then we had to chase the freaking horse so we could get the saddle, bridle, and all the fun stuff.
I have to say, this is an appropriate ending. Most stories that I've seen branching off of the original Rainbow Factory story end in either complete failure or a noble victory. This one was much more bittersweet. The foals escaped, but there was no reason for them to stand as witnesses to the horrors of the Corporation. They didn't get the vindication that they had done something of meaning. That was a large part of their motivation to keep them going while trying to get out. The only one who had true relief in the end was Scootaloo. Everyone else was either mentally scarred or evil enough to not care. Dr. Atmosphere is probably the most despicable character here. Rainbow Dash was pitiable, but he didn't care. He saw that there was no need for the factory in its current state. He got rid of it only because it wasn't efficient enough. All the foals who died there were simply a statistic to him.
A fitting ending for this story. Thank you for all the time you spent in bringing the story to a close.
this story was absolutely beautiful the way Scootaloo went out was absolutely amazing and i never expected it in fact i'm still sad she didnt make it out of the factory but also in a way she did in a tragic sense. well done and in truth im kinda sad its over Rainbow Factory and now this are two of my favorite fanfics oh and always great job including the song into the fic
Well the set up was a success, The twist at the end was wonderful ha there was indeed no happy ending the only one who came out no worse for ware was atmosphere. The foals as I predicted are traumatized and feel so very very meaningless. And Rainbow dash of course is mentally broken,clinging to whatever she can muster to remain loyal to anything,the ghost of her past literally appearing to push her off the deep end as it were. All in all a fitting end to a dark tale..no valiant heroics of two 'failures' .no comfort from others when they got out. just a dark institution carrying on as always with a new leader at the helm, and the pain of millions perhaps amounting to a mere statement on television to wash the slate clean.
No glory,
No redemption.
just the lingering nightmares of a place
where all your fears and horrors come true
All in all rainbow factory to me I must admit when it first came out I saw it as little more than another shock fic, It had some plot but I was curious as to how celestia and them could have never noticed rainbows super special talent had nothing to do with racing? >;3 I found it funny to re see her cutie mark as the blood of the innocent thundering down from the clouds above XD but I digress... I liked it yes, but it was easily placed among the hundreds of tales I have read before to be forgotten sad enough. that's not to say that It wasn't referenced a few million times XDD But anyways back on topic...
I had never been so glad to have thought perhaps that there was something brewing in the clouds as it were and watched this writer hence after. The blogs regarding a glorious sequel excited me, after reading all of the horrid spin offs of this tale...and I tell you they were plain awful....
It just made me even more relieved to see it and think 'thank luna above the real sequel!!' And I must say after this installment to the tale of that fabled factory...I have grown to love this tale and am relieved that not all things are as they seem. in my eyes before this rainbow factory was simple shock horror...(considering what all happened in rainbow factory with little to no char development and oocness abound and it felt as if something was missing) Now I know the whole tale and am happy to find a true grim dark tale. I will continue to watch your work,resting easy knowing that nothing out of you is at it seems at first glance.
I have to say thou.... This hit me in the feels.... Very hard.
hehehe "In the rainbow factory, where fears and horrors come true. In the rainbow factory, where not a single soul gets through."
I just love this story. You did an incredible job of bringing the story behind Glaze's song to life. I also especially love the characters in it. My favorite one being Contrail. hehehe
My feels... they have been moved...
Poor scootaloo... But that was an amazing read!
yes. Now this is how you end a dark story. The main protagonists don't win. The bad guys don't die. There's no resolution that doesn't involve them dying. I also love how you ended with Dash's sanity slipping away. More often than not I find fics that sart dark but end up with a sappy ending. You know how it goes: good guys winning in a glorious victory and permanently squashing the bad guys, bad guys winning but questioning if what they did was right, main character sabotaging the bad guys plan and then giving the "I'm right you're wrong here's why" speech, and then the always popular Celestia comes to save the day ending. Weeeeeaaaak
So what I'm saying here is the long version of "congratz"
So... I applaud you good sir/madam!
Funny thing is, I was listening to Rainbow Factory and when I read the part where RD said "In the Rainbow Factory... where not a single soul gets through" at the same exact time it said that in the song... Awesome story, I loved it
i couldn't follow along with the final fight sene what did i read?
2173431
I have no clue. I'm going to read the entire fanfic over again tonight after I finish everything I need to do. I suggest you do the same, and try not to read too fast.
In the rainbow factory, where fears and horrors come true
All I can say is a simple "thank you".
Thank you for giving us this masterpiece.
2189581 That's the idea.
2193628 yea I watched captain hook the biker gorrila and nd the exact words were "we don't even need a kid." And later surprise said "awww I can't believe we're going to Pony hell for nothing" I was noticed on this site and that made me happy. (Lol)
2199448but in the end she said,"I'm Taking away your sister," Scoots was rainbows sister
This was a fantastic story!
Thank you 