//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 - Rainbow Extraction // Story: The Adventures Of Henry Hoof In Equestria // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// Cloudsdale, a magnificent city in the heavenly skies. The home of the fierce pegasi ponies, where the freedom of flight is a test to determine each individual's future. In ancient times, Cloudsdale has fallen in defeat after the earth ponies became allies with the unicorns and the griffins. But the past is over. Now, Cloudsdale is the provider of clouds, rainbows, and weather, for all of Equestria. But despite that fact, their law was still as strict as the ancient times. Fillies who will finally learn to fly will be directly sent to Flight School to learn even further. Their government, for years, no, for decades now, are aware of the heartaches their law brought to all of their citizens, but they decided to ignore them. They believed that the law was strong, and will make each individual in Cloudsdale strong, both physically and mentally. That law however, began to crumble after the Windigo incident, where a lot of pegasi became frozen, and even the city of clouds fell to the ground. Now, the government of the said city are revising each of their laws, and are even considering the opinions of a number of regular pegasi ponies living in the city. The news that Cloudsdale is undergoing a drastic change has spread all around Equestria like wildfire. It gave the pegasi ponies something to smile about. Finally, things will start to change, for the better. ---------- Chapter 15 - Rainbow Extraction ---------- 1. The Black Rainbow ---------- In a large dimly lit and windowless room, filled with bookshelves, tables, chemical apparatuses, scattered papers, and floor-to-ceiling cylindrical-glass containers, a black pegasus stallion, with a maroon-colored mane and tail, was seated on a stool, his elbows resting on top of a table, and his head rested on both his front hooves, blankly staring at the documents on the table, where some were pinned down by his elbows. He had lost track of the time that he spent in that position, staring at the documents, where the only noises his ears could faintly hear were his own slow and deep breaths and the ticking of the wallclock. The only source of the room's dim lights were coming from the tall cylindrical-glass containers of some sort, where inside were filled with blurry water, lit up by faint green lights from inside the containers. The dead silence of the room was making the pegasus' mind even more chaotic, for it only grants him even more reason to think of...everything. Finally, for what felt like an eternity, he let out a very heavy and depressing sigh, slowly sliding his head from his hooves to the table. A quiet thud managed to echo around the room as he rest his head on the table sideways, and soon, he dropped his hooves across the table. He knew this day would come. He just knew. That is why he and his late father began these experiments. He knew this day would come, but he never gave up hope that, if by a miracle, something will happen to prevent this day from ever happening. But alas, such thoughts were nothing more now. He needed to face the facts, no matter how difficult and painful it may be. If there was another...other ways to do this, then he would take it by a heartbeat. But none came... None anymore... He slowly rose up into a standing position, staring at the document on the top of all the other piled-up papers on the table. The contents of the document was marked with a very bloody red approval of the board. The message he dreamed never to come true. "...Approved..." He quietly read the red mark as hooves echoed in the room, coming from the cloud-made spiral staircase. It only took a couple of minutes before the sounds of numerous hooves became louder and louder, until silence reigned once again. The black stallion slowly turned around to meet the newcomers: bulky pegasi stallions, with them were unconscious cyan pegasi fillies with rainbow mane and tail. The fillies' images hurt him inside, but he never showed such weakness in the outside. "Strap them..." The pegasi stallions nodded their heads as they slowly walked pass him, towards the flat tables near the other corner of the room. One pegasus filly was strapped in place in each cloud table. As he quietly watched the pegasi stallions, he heard another set of hooves descending from the staircase. He turned around to see two other pegasi stallions, carrying yet another cyan coated pegasi filly, with a rather messy rainbow mane and tail. He fought hard to avoid to sigh. He pointed them to the others with his head, and the pegasi stallions walked pass him towards the tables. Seven pegasi fillies. He counted mentally as the pegasi stallions slowly walked towards the staircase to leave the room. Though they look tough, the pegasi stallions could not grab the courage to stay in the room to watch. And now that he's alone again, he let out yet another heavy sigh. All these seven fillies could have achieve a wonderful life if the government of Cloudsdale decided to reconsider his proposal. ...no. That's not right. That is the sole reason why he and his father created these projects... Both of them dreamed for this day to save the poor fillies of Cloudsdale. Both of them swore to achieve this goal, soon after his brother d... Fillies who begin to learn to fly will be sent to Flight School to learn more about flying. There they stay for years of training and developing their minds and bodies for the duties they one day achieve, and they will accept their tasks forcefully. If however, they decide not to accept their fate, or fail in any of their flight exam...they will be deemed unworthy to be called a pegasi...and then... He slowly walked around the table to get it over with. The sooner, the better. But as he reached a corner of the table, his gaze landed on another set of documents. The documents of his proposed plans for better ways to extract the colors of life from other sources. Even though his own father disapproved his plan, he still spent almost a year to gather more than enough information and evidence that it can be done. And he was more than happy to finally be able to gather a lot of data. He was also beaming with confidence, after witnessing a multi-colored wave across the heavenly sky a few years back while he was studying a cherry tree. Witnessing such an amazing scene made him even eager to find out if the cherry could actually be enough to provide the color red. Finally, his brother can rest in peace when the board approves his proposal. Now however, a painful red mark of disapproval from the board crushed his hopes and dreams. Ever since that day, he began to doubt is very own cutie mark, the symbol of his special talent and skill. His cutie mark, a rainbow, the same as his father, except, his cutie mark has a faint yellow sun near the other end of the rainbow. He convinced himself that he will be like his father, the pony who will be the one to create the colors of the rainbow. But the sun, he convinced himself, that there may be other ways to create such a wonderful painting in the sky. Ways, which are not as grim as what has been practiced, ever since in ancient times. How sad it was for him to provide the colors of a lovely painting in the sky, hiding the grim and dark secret it holds behind the magnificent colors. He sighed. But at least there's one good thing about all of this. Fillies of Cloudsdale who fail their exams will no longer be...extracted...of their color. Ever since he and his father began their project, the board expected nothing less than success. They did succeed, but now the board wants to see results, and he has to do this, for the fillies who failed their final tests, so they can be spared from their grim fate. He continued to walk towards the row of tables where the cyan pegasi fillies were strapped in place. He stopped midway, slowly landing his gaze on each one of his and his father's 'creations'. At first, he thought that he and his father finally found the answer to save the poor fillies of the city of clouds. Their proposal to the board: create pegasi clones, that hold special DNA that will be able to carry all the colors of the rainbow. Ever since the board gave them both permission to perform their 'scientific research', they both burned their eyebrows for days, weeks, months. These fillies before him... They're fake ponies. Clones. Fakes. Scientific creations. He knew these facts well, but... But...they're fillies... And no matter how many times he convince himself that they are not 'real', he does not have the heart to do his task. If only the board approved his proposal of gathering colors from other sources of nature. Not only it would save lives, but it would also add more possible jobs for ponies! Why couldn't they see that? After the Windigo incident, he resubmitted his proposal hoping that, since Cloudsdale is under major reformation, it will be approved. He has yet to hear from them. But even though the city is reviewing their laws, they're still strict of deadlines, and he is nearing his, to provide enough color for rainbows in the approaching spring season. If only his father was still alive, then he wouldn't be the one doing this. But he's a coward. He knew he needed to do this if he wants to save his own life. He slowly and grimly walked towards a box-like machine, were on top lies a small screen, and a couple of levers and buttons. He pressed on a combination of buttons, and soon, the floor under the tables where the fillies were lying on started to shake lightly. He pressed one last button before one side of the room's wall slid down, revealing the other parts of the room, where a weird machine-like contraption is attached on the ceiling of the newly revealed part of the room. One of the table slid under the spider-like machinery, and as the table stopped, it sent a tiny shake that slowly arouse the filly to consciousness. The other tables slid and stopped on one corner of the newly revealed room. The black pegasus pushed a few more buttons before walking to the newly revealed room. Soon, the cylindrical-glass containers containing blurry water and emiting faint green light slid and stopped on a corner of the newly revealed room. He then walked towards the table which was under the spider-like machinery as the wall slowly slid back up to conceil them inside. Four flourescent lights turned on, shedding enough light to see everything inside the room. After the filly's eyes adjusted, she found herself strapped on a table. Looking around, she saw the grim-looking black pegasus, a scary-looking machine above her, and tall empty cylindrical-glass containers in different color. Each container has tube-like pipes from the top, reaching the ceiling, and continued to the machine above the filly. "Where am I...?" The filly managed to asked after slightly controlling her fear. A number of the strapped fillies began to recover their consciousness as the black pegasus stallion walked and stopped on the left side of the table. To him, seeing her scared eyes looked too real. To her, his eyes hold nothing, not even the faintest light from the lights on the ceiling, which only worsened her fear. She tried to set herself free, but she was strapped in place. "Please... Let me go...!" A box-like machine slid beside him, and he gave it a momentary stare, to divert his attention from the filly's eyes. He rose a hoof above a button as he took a deep breath and sighed. "Let me...tell you...a story..." He swallowed his fear as he brought himself to press the button, making the machine above the filly alive. "One day...there was a young pegasus filly..." The filly was already in panic, eyes opened wide, pupils shrunk, and breath fast and shallow. "...and he...has a younger brother..." The machine shot a wide red light to the top of the table, and slowly working to the other end, scanning whatever was lying on the table. "...and they both dreamed to become great flyers one day... Even the fillies on the other tables began to shiver from fear. Finally reaching the end of the table, the red light disappeared, and the machine quickly spreads seven needle-like arms, resembling that of an arachnid as it somehow let out a mechanical roar. "...But one day...everything changed." "AHHH!" ---------- 2. Flapping Wings ---------- "Wake up, you two." A pegasus mare gently said as she poked her head from the slightly opened door. A groan echoed in the room, coming from two pegasi fillies, who were desperately trying to get back to sleep. "Five more minutes..." Whispered the black pegasus filly as he turned to the other side, his forehooves lay resting on the head of a smaller pegasus filly, with a blue coat and cyan-colored mane and tail. The mare chuckled as she walked towards the side of the bed. "Come on now. You don't want to miss your first day of practicing to fly, do you?" "Sleep...good..." Whispered the smaller filly. "Yeah..." The black filly agreed. "Sleef...good..." The mare rolled her eyes. "Fine." And she began walking towards the door. "Oh well, more pancakes for me then." And with that, she gently closed the door as the two fillies sprang up to a sitting position. "No fair!" "Pancakes!" The two fillies yelled in unison as they both jumped out of bed and quickly ran downstairs and towards the kitchen, where on the table were two plates filled with pancakes. They quickly scrambled to the chairs and began devouring the pancakes, but they slowly ate their food properly after hearing their mother's snort. "That's better." Their mother nodded, chuckling a bit. --- The needle-like arms of the arachnid-like machine pulled away from the gray and lifeless pegasus filly, and slowly retracting itself back on the ceiling. The once empty cylindrical-glass containers on the corner of the room were now containing liquid of different color, though it still need a few more for each to be filled completely. The room was now echoing with fearful and nervous cries of the fillies, except for one, who was trying her best to pull herself out of the straps. 'Come on...! Come on!' Rainbow Dash thought as she furiously tried her best to free herself. The black pegasus, who was sharing a story while the machine was draining the color of the filly, has momentarily stopped his story-telling as he pressed a few combination of buttons. Soon, he pressed a button, and the table of the lifeless filly began to move towards a wall, and stopping near the containers which were illuminating green dim lights. He stared at the lifeless gray filly for a few seconds before he began to slowly press a combination of buttons. He then slowly walked towards the lifeless body. As soon as he began walking, one of the fillies' tables began to shake lightly and slid under the arachnid-like machinery. "No!" Cried the filly, who was desperately trying to set herself free. "Please! Don't do this...!" "That day..." The black pegasus slowly said as the machine began scanning the table with red laser lights. "...was the day when things began to change..." The machine spreads its seven needle leg-like parts as it cry a mechanical roar. --- Cloudsdale is a majestic and huge city, built on a large mass of clouds, floating at ease above the grassy fields northwest of Canterlot. The sun was almost out of the horizon when two pegasi fillies and their mother reached the eastern edge of the city, where no buildings would be any obstruction for those who yearned to learn to fly. The two fillies, excited for their very first flying lessons, started to flap their wings rapidly, but they could only lift half of their bodies, leaving the other on the cloudy ground. With their mother's guidance, the two fillies were able to properly flap their wings, and for what felt like hours, they were finally able to lift themselves vertically. The black filly, overjoyed by the accomplishment, and while still on the air a few hooves above her mother's height, he tried to fly forward, tilting his body forward, but it only made him fly diagonally straight down on the soft cloud ground. His blue brother however, have managed to fly forward, sideward, backward, and everything else with clear ease. The black filly groaned as his mother gave him an appreciative pat on her head. "Come on, big brother!" Said the blue pegasus as he swirled around near them. "You can do it! I know you can!" Thankful for his little brother's encouragement, enough to ward off the shame in his heart, he began flapping his wings again, and as soon as he got in the air, his brother stopped beside him, and shared to him what he did. A demonstration later, and the blue filly was already flying around. Eager not to be outshined, the black pegasus filly applied his brother's advice, and he soon found himself flying forward. The two of them were flying around, and careful not to fly over the edge of the city. The black pegasus filly was chasing after his brother when he suddenly noticed his mother's sad expression on her face. Noticing him, her mother quickly flashed a smile, and waved a hoof at him. But it then struck him... ...He and his brother learned how to fly... --- The seven needle-like arms pulled itselves away from the gray and lifeless filly, and the machine retracted itself back on the ceiling as it oozes out liquid of different colors of the rainbow through the transparent pipes, travelling towards the seven large cylindrical-glass containers in the room. The very sight made the other fillies' fear even worse as the black pegasus stopped his story-telling. Earlier, while the machine was busy with the screaming filly, the black pegasus pushed a few buttons on a container that was filled with blurry water. After a few pressed buttons, the liquid inside was slowly drained away, and after it was completely empty, the glass case of the container slid open. The black pegasus pressed a button under the table, which released the straps, and he then carried the lifeless gray filly, and threw it inside the capsule. "...You could have lived a wonderful life..." He whispered to himself as he pressed a few buttons, and soon, the glass case of the container slid close, and the container was then filled with clear water, and the green light was flashing inside. "...Another life lost..." He whispered as he slowly walked towards the table under the arachnid-like machinery. Rainbow Dash was already fearing for her life, but she still managed to stay cool and was still able to think clear. She saw the black pegasus, pressing buttons under the table that released the straps. That part was clear, but she now needs to figure out how to reach those buttons. The table she and the rest of the fillies were strapped on to were too huge for their size. 'There must be a way...' A few pressed buttons, and one of the tables slowly slid underneath the machinery, where a very scared filly was in panic; breathing fast and shallow. "Just so you all know..." The black pegasus slowly said as he pressed a few buttons. "...I love every single one of you..." The machine began scanning the filly. "...evenly..." The arachnid-like machinery spreads its seven sharp legs as it roared, and immediately brought its legs towards the frightened filly. ---------- 3. Crushed Wing ---------- "Do we have to go...?" The blue pegasus filly managed to asked in between his sobs. The black pegasus was quietly crying, his hoof rubbing the mane of his little brother to try and help him feel better, but reaching no luck on that goal. Their father, after hearing the news, quickly left his work and met them halfway to their home, where they first enjoyed lunch before the adult pegasi ponies informed them about Flight School. The black pegasus was already aware of this, but it still hurt, nonetheless. "I'm afraid so..." Their mother slowly replied. "But...I don't want to leave!" Cried the blue filly. "I don't want to stay in school! I wanna be with you!" "I'd love to be with you, too..." She said as she wiped a tear from her eyes. "...but you must understand..." "No!" The blue filly yelled as he stomped both his front hooves on the table. He then leaped out of the chair, and flew towards the door. "Cerulean! Wait!" Yelled his mother as the black pegasus filly gave chase. After getting himself out of the door, the black pegasus quickly turned his head around, trying to spot his brother. As he was looking, his father came out from the door and joined the search, until... "There!" The black pegasus yelled, pointing a hoof at the faint blue dot from far away. It it weren't for the white clouds, he would have never seen his brother from the blue sky. Both pegasi flapped their wings and gave chase. --- After throwing another lifeless body inside the capsule, the black pegasus began walking back to the busy machine. The room was filled with painful screams as the cyan pegasus filly was slowly turning gray. The black pegasus only stared blankly at the filly as he continued to share a story to no one in particular. "Keep in mind that..." Despite the screach of the pained filly, his voice still found its way to get through the noise, and reaching the other fillies' ears. "...this pain you all will go through will bring joy and happiness to other ponies in Equestria..." "'Joy and happiness' your face, you freak!" Rainbow Dash shouted, glaring venomously at the black pegasus. Inside, he flinched, but outside, he showed no change in his blank expression as he turned his gaze towards her. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh, and he soon opened his eyes, still not able to reflect any light. "...back to the story..." "Who the f*ck gives a damn about your story when you're gonna kill us anyway!?" Rainbow Dash spat, thanking Midnight mentally for the cursing words he learned from him. "Such a foul-mouthed filly..." He slowly and calmly said, though inside, he was angry. Soon, the screach of the filly slowly went to a stop as her gray eyes slowly closed. Sensing no life from the filly, the machine retracted its legs and itself back on the ceiling as the black pegasus turned his attention on the buttons. Another table slid under the arachnid-like machine as the black pegasus continued pressing a few buttons. "Now then..." He said as the machine scanned the frightened filly strapped on the table. "...allow me to continue my story..." After scanning the filly, the arachnid-like legs stretched out and dug itself on different parts of the filly's body. As the tortured filly screamed, and the black pegasus continued sharing his story as he walked towards the containers, Rainbow Dash tried to exhale a lot of air, to try and squirm out of the straps. As she did, she caught a glimpse on the dead filly inside one of the glass containers, were the lifeless body began to...melt...and disappear... The very sight made her lose her concentration as her lungs cried for air. She gasped for air as fear and panic began to run wild in her mind. They're going to be tortured, suck their lives out of them, and disappear as if they never existed!? --- Cerulean may be able to fly, but he was not a fast flier, as well as the black pegasus filly. Their father, however, was quickly catching up on the blue pegasus. "Cerulean!" Their father yelled. "Stop!" "No!" Cerulean shouted back as he was now flying outside the borders of Cloudsdale. The very thought of flying outside the border was too much for the young filly to comprehend, for fillies were always warned of how dangerous the outside world was. Fear struck his mind, where he could no longer focus on his wings, and he began to fall. "Cerulean!" Yelled their father as he dove down after him. The black pegasus filly, seeing his brother falling, struck him hard inside. He wants to save him, his mind tells him so, but his body was not obeying. His wings froze open as he glided down to the cloud ground. He crashed, but it was a good thing that clouds are soft. He stayed lying on the ground for a short while, his body and mind no longer in unison. He could faintly hear the crowd of ponies gasping and whispering around the surroundings. He didn't budge an inch, as fear overwhelmed him. He only managed to recover after hearing his brother's sobs above him. He weakly lifted his head, and he saw his father, staring worried at him, carrying his younger brother on his hooves, crying. Reunited, but they will be separated soon... --- "...but at least my brother and I were still together in Flight Camp..." The black pegasus stallion said as he left the container being filled with water, walking towards the table where the machine went back on the ceiling, leaving the lifeless gray filly on the table. "You are all products of me and my father's research..." He said as he pressed the buttons, making one the tables slide under the arachnid-like machine. Rainbow Dash is seriously running out of time. There's two of them left now... "'Pity those who have souls', an old mare once told me..." The black pegasus said calmly as he continued pressing buttons on the box-like machine, bringing life to the death-bringer on the ceiling. "'Souls are given by nature', she once told me..." The machine emitted red laser light, scanning the table underneath. "Science and nature are two very different subjects..." The machine finished scanning, and it now spreads its seven needle-like arms. "If nature gives every living being souls...then..." The needles quickly reached the frightened cyan pegasus filly. "...science does not..." ---------- 4. Broken Flight ---------- A year had passed since the two pegasi brothers were sent to Flight Camp. The evenings of their first few months were full of tears, but at least a number of pegasi fillies helped them, for they too were sad to leave their families to attend a stupid school. The training was difficult and tiring, but each day, they managed to stay on their hooves. Not only do they have each other to support themselves, but they also have friends to help them along the way. But as easy as they earned friends, they too easily acquired pegasi fillies who bullies them. The black pegasus filly will often times try his best to stand up and protect his brother from them, and most of the time, he and some of their friends end up getting hurt, and what was worse, no one in the institution gives a flying feather. Their excuse? It is part of the training, for one to become a strong pegasi. After a year in the school, their father payed them a visit, and both were surprised and happy to see him. Once in a while, their mother checks up on them, but their father never payed them a visit, until now. Fillies enrolled in the institution were not allowed to leave the premises, unless there are natural calamities that would reach the floating city. They talked in the audience seats in one the school's flying race tracks, away from any other ponies' range of hearing. The reason of his visit was for him to wish his sons well in the upcoming annual flight exams. He wished them, he prayed for them, and he begged them to pass. He hesitated at first to explain to them why, but after he got the courage to explain, a pegasi officer called their father's attention, stating that his visiting hours is already over. One last hug, and their father left, with the officer following him. --- "My father..." The black pegasus calmly said, staring blankly at the pained filly, who's color is being sucked and turned gray. "...was working hard to find a way to 'save' us during our first year in the school..." Rainbow Dash's attempt of removing most of the air in her body to try and squirm out didn't work. She tried again multple times, only to land on failed attempts of escaping. She could no longer hold her own fear as she could no longer think of any other ways of escape. The black pegasus turned to the cyan pegasus who, earlier, was trying to escape. He slowly walked towards her, and stopped on the side of her table. Rainbow Dash, though hastily taking breaths out of fear, was shooting him a venomous glare. "You gave up so easily..." The black pegasus calmly said. "Like you care." Rainbow Dash growled, and spat at his face. He wanted to slap her for such a behavior, or yell at her for how inappropriate spitting was, but his own body refused to listen, instead, he calmly brought a hoof on his face, and wiped the saliva off of him. He took a breath, and sighed. "Don't...give up." Rainbow Dash, despite her current situation, rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks." The black pegasus stared at her with a blank expression for a short while before returning to the lifeless filly's table. 'Out of all the seven creations of my father... She's the only one who managed to fight the false memory that was implanted in her head.' He would have loved to figure out why Rainbow Dash managed to remember her early memories in the lab, but unfortunately, if he needs his life spared, then he needs to fill the seven containers of different color. From his calculations, the fillies' colors will be enough to provide rainbows around Equestria until next winter. Pressing a combination of buttons, another table slid underneath the spider-like machine, leaving Rainbow Dash alone on the corner. She needs to think of something fast. If she couldn't...then...! The machine finished scanning the filly on the table, and it then stretched it needle-like arms. "Let us continue..." The black pegasus said as he pressed a button. --- The pegasus brothers, along with other pegasi fillies, were gathered in one of the racing tracks of the institution. Judges were summoned and were seated on the judges' panel. A whistle was blown, and the fillies scrambled and settled in a horizontal line, all were facing the race track in front of them. Their instructor, a muscular crimson pegasus stallion, marched in front of them as he gave them a brief explanation of the exam. The first part was a twenty-lap race. The second part was cloud-clearing. Third part would be flexibility, where fillies will fly around every obstacle. Final part would be a combination of all three parts of the exam: a race, avoid obstacles, clear their designated clouds, and reach the finish line. Each part will have five fillies participate at a time. Their instructor then shouted their names of their designated groups The black pegasus was glad that his group consisted of his friends, but fear struck him when he learned that his young brother was with the pegasi that bullies them. He tried to reason with his instructor, or even asked to swap places, but the stubborn instructor shoved him off, or he'll instantly fail the exam. --- "Just like her..." The black pegasus stared blankly at the screaming cyan-turning-gray filly. "...my brother screamed out of pain after they purposely beaten him during the race..." --- The black pegasus came in fourth place. Not bad for a weak flier such as him. He and his group went to the audience's seats, but instead of cheering one another, they became dead-silent as they watched the blue pegasus filly fearfully preparing himself on the starting line, together with the group of grinning pegasi. --- "The race started, and instead of racing fairly, they delivered wing pounds, hoof punches, and headbutts to my brother, but he kept going, until he could no longer hold himself, and he was instead used as a ball, being tossed and passed towards the other racing pegasi, until I could no longer stand watching my brother in that situation..." The black pegasus calmly said as the needle-arms pulled away from the lifeless body. He pressed a combination of buttons, and the table of the dead pegasus filly slid towards the green-lit cylindrical-glass containers, and Rainbow Dash's table slid under the arachnid-like machine. She struggled, using all her remaining strength to free herself, but just like the others before her, struggling was useless. But she couldn't give up. No, not yet. She ignored the tears streaming down from her face. She may die any time soon, but she won't die without trying to save herself. Images of her friends back in PonyVille flashed in front of her vision as the machine began to scan her with red laser lights. "That's right..." The black pegasus said calmly. "...don't give up." The machine finished scanning her, and slowly, it stretched it's needle-arms around, each pointed at the helpless filly as the black pegasus stallion slowly pressed a combination of buttons. "Just in case you forgot..." He said, still a quarter away from finishing the combination, since she was the last filly needed to be extracted, he's already adding commands to automatically shut the machines down. "...I...love each one of you...evenly..." ---------- 5. ...Save Me... ---------- The black pegasus leaped from his seat, flapping his tired wings furiously, and he's flying straight towards the race track. He collided with the other racers, sending the four bullies and himself rolling dangerously on the race track, as the unconscious blue filly flew straight to the walls of the race track. Even though the tracks and the walls were made out of clouds, the ones used in the race tracks were slightly more solid than the ordinary clouds used as a ground for pegasi to walk on to. The blue filly crashed head-first on the walls of the race tracks, cracking his skull and bleeding. Despite the protest of his body to lay down and rest, the black pegasus ran and flapped his wings to reach his brother. He wrapped his hooves around him as he cried for help. --- As the machine roared, a faint crashing sound echoed from above the ceiling of the room. "Unfortunately... No one dared to help me..." --- The fillies around the race track all wanted to help, but the fear of helping others during an exam left them immobilized, for if they do help, then they'll instantly receive a failed mark on their exam. The black pegasus remembered this fact despite his panic, and he immediately stopped shouting and begged his body to move as he flapped his wings and began to trot towards the clinic. --- A loud crash echoed around the room, and though calm, the black pegasus mistakenly pressed the wrong button, making the arachnid-like machine on the ceiling roar as it quickly brought its seven needle-arms towards the table, barely landing on the target, to the filly's relief. "Something's behind this wall!" A voice shouted from the other side of the movable wall. "Hm..." The black pegasus corrected the commands, pressing buttons fast, though his face still hold no change of expression. "Help me!" Yelled the filly as the seven needle-arms retracted back above. Soon, the room was now filled with powerful pounding sounds and the neutral cry of the machine. --- The black pegasus filly slammed the clinic's door open, and quickly shouted for help. The nurses tried their best, but his brother was no more. The black pegasus filly cried the whole afternoon, seated beside his brother's bed, his face buried on the white bed where the blue pegasus was laying. Soon, his instructor and a number of officers carried him and his brother, for they both failed their exam. --- "Help me!" Rainbow Dash yelled, tears streaming down her face. Soon, the wall was slammed down, revealing six of Princess Celestia's Royal Pegasi Guards. The black pegasus stallion calmly turned his attention at them as he continued pressing buttons on the machine. The arachnid-like machine extended itself down, and turned towards the new arrivals. Wasting no time, the royal guards spread their wings to pound the black pegasus, but they instead begin to dodge the sharp extending legs of the machine that is trying to stab each one of them. Rainbow Dash, realizing that the machine's attention was no longer on her, began squirming, desperately trying to escape, as the black pegasus pony continued to stare blankly at the dodging royal guards as he continued pressing buttons with his hooves. --- They were brought in the secret basement of the Weather Factory, where he saw his father, the head of the rainbow operations. Their father swallowed a huge lump of fear and shame, seeing his sons in that room, where the two fillies were strapped on two tables. --- Thankful for his golden-plated armor, a royal guard was pushed by one of the needle-arms towards the green-emitting container. He crashed and broke the glass container, spreading the water around the room. At first, Rainbow Dash feared for the worse, but after the royal guard quickly got back up on his feet, he quickly rolled to the side to evade the attack. --- Their father was used to these kinds of operations: extracting the colors of the fillies who failed their exams, but to do the process to his own sons... He hesitated, and begged the government officials, who were always present during the extraction, to spare his sons, but he was silenced of his cowardice with a beating. --- A royal guard leaped forward to avoid one of the leg's attacks, and as he came to a stop, he found himself in front of the calm black pegasus. Quickly taking this opportunity, he delivered a lot of force to his feet to jump and deliver a powerful headbutt at the black pegasus, throwing him towards Rainbow Dash's table, and he continued to roll to the other end of the table, and he found himself on the floor. He quickly got up, and took a step to the side to avoid the royal guard's tackle. As the royal guard landed on the floor and turned, he received a powerful back kick on his face, sending him to the wall. --- Their father was forced to press the combination of buttons, and soon, he closed his eyes, wishing there was a way to shut his ears, as the machine stabbed the black pegasus filly, and began extracting the filly's color. --- The black pegasus stallion flapped his wings and landed in front of the box-like machine, and he was about to press another button when another royal guard tackled him and pinned him on the floor. The guard then turned his head over his shoulder. "Somepony turn that thing off, now!" --- As the machine was shut off, the government officials left the basement, leaving the father of the two extracted fillies crying. After what felt like hours of grieving, he slowly removed his children's body from the table, and gently placed them inside the large cylinder-shaped glass container. Pressing a few buttons, the containers slid close, and soon, green light began to flash from inside the containers as it was filled with water, floating the two gray lifeless fillies in the center of the container. He slowly raised a hoof, and gently placed it on the glass, as if he's trying to touch his son's head one more time... --- A royal guard managed to reach the machine of buttons, and desperately started pushing random buttons, making the arachnid-like machine on the ceiling act crazy, roaring ear-piercing cries echoing around the room. A royal guard, who received a powerful kick on his face, finally recovered his consciousness, and worked his way towards the filly, and trying his best to pull the straps off. He can see the filly shouting something at him, but his ears were still ringing from the massive pain of the kick he received, making him unable to hear anything except for his aching head. --- As soon as the black pegasus filly slowly begin to melt, their father returned to his table, and started coming up with solutions to one last problem he has to solve before he could finally begin to achieve his year-long research of cloning. Dissolving the body was his concluded way to preserve every fabric of DNA of any fillies who were extracted, cancelling the body and any other cells to begin the process of decomposition. It took him a few more months until he managed to land on one uncertain answer, but if it will brings his children back to life, then it's worth the shot. Mixing chemicals, careful measurements, combination of buttons, and soon, the glass container began to glow, and inside, the once empty water-filled container began to show a small pony, soon turning into a gray filly. A few more commands and pressing buttons, the gray fur slowly turned black, and the mane and tail slowly turned crimson red. After a few minutes, the filly's eyes slowly opened. --- More royal guards came down and tried to bring a stop to the rampaging arachnid-like machine. One of the royal guards heard the filly's cries, and immediately worked his way towards her, and followed her rapid instructions of pressing the buttons underneath the table. The straps went loose, and the filly immediately flapped her wings to try and get away, only to accidentally be pounded back to the floor by one of the enraged machine's legs, which almost made her lose her consciousness. A royal guard carried her and made their escape. The black pegasus pony calmly watched everything that was happening around him, ignoring the guard who was still pinning him down, disabling him from moving. --- His father's doubts were right. He may have achieved to bring his son back to life, but the emotions were no longer present. But his father was wrong. The black pegasus' emotions were still there, but it was the body that could not understand how to perform emotions. He wanted to tell him that fact, but his own body would not allow him, which scared him inside. His father spent a few more months, studying and finding a solution, and finally, he did find a solution, but at the same time, he was caught by the officials. But instead of begging for mercy, his father thought of an idea: an idea that would help the fillies of Cloudsdale. After hearing his proposal, the officials requested him to submit his proposal on paper, for them to further study the plan. It only took a day for his father to receive an order to test his proposal. Unfortunately, there was no other available corpse to use...except... --- Outside Cloudsdale's Weather Factory, royal guards barricaded the area, preventing pegasi ponies from approaching further. Princess Celestia confidently yet angrily stood hooves away from the tall structure, awaiting her guards who went inside after her order. Beside her was Aurora, her mother Sunset, and her friend Fluttershy. The three pegasi ponies were worried of their friend's condition. Soon, a royal guard came out, carrying a weakened cyan pegasus filly. He slowly landed in front of the princess, and gently placed the filly on the ground, where Aurora, Sunset and Fluttershy quickly rushed towards the rainbow-maned pegasus filly. Later, royal guards came out from the structure, and with them was a chained black pegasus stallion. They stopped in front of the princess, and as one of the royal guards explained what happened to the princess, the black pegasus locked his attention on the still-frightened rainbow-maned pegasus filly, and ignoring the worried and angry looks of the other three pegasus ponies. "Just remember..." The black pegasus whispered, reaching the ear of the rainbow-maned pegasus filly. "...that I still love you...brother..." --- Princess Celestia angrily marched inside Cloudsdale's House of Laws, where the city's law-makers were all present, seated, and shocked to see their ruler. She stopped in front of the president of the house, and levitated a folder of documents, and angrily slammed it on the table in front of the startled pegasi stallion. On the folder was a large red message of disapproval, which then glowed in white, and as the white light faded, the folder now carries a new message. "Approved by the Princess of Equestria" ---------- Author's Note ---------- I am aware of the fanfic 'Rainbow Factory', however, I did not and will not be reading it. I couldn't stand/read/stomach gore-ish fics. I only know about the fic's story through my brother. He gave me a short summary of the said fic. Also, I accidentally saw a fan-made video of the said fic on YouTube. Fortunately, the video was not that gore-ish, I think. The concept of draining the pony's color really caught my interest. Anyway, I hope this is not a complete copy of the said fic, though.