My body felt tighter at first. It was an uncomfortable feeling that caused me to want to squirm around. The instant I did, I felt a pulling at my wound. My eyes shot open and I looked down. My chest wound had been stitched closed, very well.
I didn’t do that. I looked around and noticed that I was on a makeshift couch made of wood, leaves and animal furs. That was the source of my constriction as I noticed I was lying on my hooves. I felt lighter than before and angled my head towards my wings which had vanished without a trace. Thoughts of all shapes and sizes entered my mind and I felt a rush of panic as I looked around the area. I was in a hut of sorts; no, a house with walls of sturdy wooden construction. I recognised the wood to be that of the trees in the Everfree. It became clear to me that one of the many things that followed me had dragged me back inside. But they’d helped me.
The makeshift home was dark, save for the small fire in the wall cleverly fitted with rocks so as to avoid the fire spreading beyond its desired location.
“I saw you fall from the Factory.” a voice called from behind the couch. I turned my head quickly to look at my aid, but the motion pulled at my stitches, forcing me to turn back. I groaned in pain and squinted my eyes shut.
“You’re the first survivor I’ve seen since…” the voice trailed off. It broke slightly as it spoke, revealing the voice to belong to a female roughly two, maybe three years younger than myself. A door opened, letting in some natural light. The sudden flash burned my retinas and I fidgeted about, trying to escape the evil sunlight.
“Shut the door, quickly.” the mare’s voice called out. A lighter voice replied with a quick collection of apologies as she complied with the original mare’s command. The light faded and I felt relief envelop my eyes. I went to speak, hoping to address them and reveal them for who they were, but when I projected my voice, all I could hear was silent gurgling.
“Your body is dehydrated. I’m surprised you’re able to move so easily.” the first mare said. A bowl of water entered my view and I saw the slight hint of a turquoise coloured hoof. It looked dishevelled as it retreated back into the darkness. I slowly drank the water that was placed in front of me, holding back the sudden urge to chug it as the liquid made me realise just how thirsty I was. When I’d finished, I tested my voice again. My throat seemed fine if not a little sore.
“Where am I?” I knew I was still in the forest, but where in the forest was my question.
“A hideout in the Everfree forest. This place has been our home for nearly a year now. We’ve done our best to fashion living areas inside. We went so far as to construct walls and floors made of the wood of other trees in the Everfree.” the lighter voice reminded me of Bright Eyes and my eyes snapped open.
“Why did you bring me here?” I stumbled to my hooves and backed around to the opposite side of the fire. Trying my best to ignore the stinging from my stitches, I searched around for my saviours. Or perhaps they were more than they seemed.
“You undoubtedly want to get revenge on Cloudsdale and its Rainbow Factory. We want it all gone. I was loyal to the floating city once, but events changed my point of view.” the older of the two mares spoke. I detected a hint of guilt in her voice.
“Who are you?” silence was my response. My perception of time slowed down, making the moments that passed seem like minutes. Finally, a reply sounded in the darkness, followed by their approach. In the fire, I saw a young filly with a bright orange coat and a royal purple mane and tail. To her left was a slightly older mare with scars coating her turquoise pelt. Her mane and tail were of a particular menagerie of colours. I then remembered hearing about this particular pony throughout my term as Captain of the Royal Guard and afterward in idle gossip in Canterlot.
“You’re Rainbow Dash, the fastest mare in Equestria. You were also the first pony to turn down the offer to become a Wonderbolt for reasons you never revealed.” My surprise showed in my voice. Rainbow Dash nodded with a mixture of solemness and pain. The filly beside her reached out a hoof and rubbed the renowned rainbow mare, who leaned into it.
“Yes, I am. And this is Scootaloo. She saved my life and my soul.” I dropped my guard as I watched the two practically hold each other in their arms. I wondered if this was what it would have looked like if Ocean Heart were holding Bright Eyes. Painful memories and fantasies brought me back to reality.
“That doesn’t matter.” My words caught their attention. “I need to find Twilight Sparkle. If not her, then perhaps her assistant. Spike, I think his name is. I need to get a message to Princess Celestia, or perhaps Luna.” A huff from Scootaloo halted my demands.
“You think we didn’t try and expose the Factory? We sent letters through Spike, but somehow she never received them.” Rainbow Dash sighed as Scootaloo explained the situation.
“We think they’ve found some way of interfering with Spike’s deliveries. And there’d be no point sending a letter the old fashioned way. They have ponies working on the inside of the mail system. Ditzy Doo’s one such pony.” Scootaloo shuddered at the thought.
“And she used to give me muffins.” Despite the rambling, I growled at nopony in particular.
“That unicorn.” I muttered. The two mares’ ears flicked, indicating they’d heard me.
“Unicorn? What unicorn?” Rainbow Dash seemed to take an interest in that bit of information.
“From what I could tell, he was the one in charge. He seemed to know me personally, but I couldn’t recognise him. How a Unicorn could walk on Clouds is beyond me.”
“Then they have an advantage.” Scootaloo interrupted me once more.
“Huh?”
“The new Manager of the Rainbow Factory knows who you are, but we don’t.” she clarified. I felt hesitation reach me. There was a moment’s pause as I contemplated revealing myself to the two. Ultimately, my mind told me to do so, taking on the form of Discord’s voice. Why I’d decided to use his voice baffled me to no end.
“My name is… Azure. I was the Captain of the Royal Guard before Shining Armour. Who I believe is Twilight’s older Brother.” Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo seemed surprised.
“What?” I demanded. They both gave me a look as if to say they didn’t believe me.
“You don’t look anything like your poster.” Rainbow Dash said. She escaped into the darkness once again, leaving Scootaloo and me standing around the fire. We heard rummaging sounds from afar, then the heavy hoofsteps of the rainbow mare as she approached, revealing an old poster of me in my youth and a mirror.
“I don’t understand, I can’t have changed that much in seven years.” I looked at the poster first, but as she flashed the mirror in my direction, a pair of bright glowing orbs drew me towards it. My surprise at what I saw was beyond comprehention. I froze, looking at the unfamiliar stallion in the mirror. His coat and mane were grey and the eyes, oh the eyes. It was as if my pupils and irises were removed and replaced with a white light. I didn’t move as Rainbow Dash removed the mirror from my sight. Scootaloo went so far as to wave her hoof in my face, but I didn’t stir.
“I think we broke him.” she said in a mock humorous tone. Rainbow Dash returned with another bowl of water.
“Better he find out here, than in public. Sometimes the extent of madness depends on where one is. If he were back at his home, he’d probably be screaming. Whereas here, there’s no point because nopony can hear him this far in the forest.” Scootaloo gave Rainbow Dash a disbelieving look.
“Have you been reading Twilight’s books again?” she asked.
“I’ve little else to do while I wait for an opportunity to reveal myself to the public without the fear of the Rainbow Factory catching me, haven’t I?” she gave Scootaloo a raised brow as she spoke. The young filly just kicked at her hooves.
“An opportunity which has just frozen in front of us.” she added. For the first time since I’d left to pick Bright Eyes up from school the day I was captured, I heard a laugh. Discord didn’t count.
“So we’re going to help him destroy the Rainbow Factory?” Rainbow Dash smiled with a glimmer of hope in her eyes and nodded.
“That’s right, kiddo.” she replied with a tomboyish personality that seemed to better suit her than the depression she was radiating.
“And when it’s all over, I’ll adopt you. Just like you always wanted.” Scootaloo blushed slightly, breaking eye contact with her friend.
“I heard you in your sleep the night we escaped. You were dreaming about your past desires.” Scootaloo’s face reddened, making her face look like a peach with a bunch of purple leaves on top.
I then remembered Discord’s statement about him watching me wreak vengeance upon the factory, and the slight hint of my rage spreading beyond Cloudsdale’s dark side crept upon me like a spider. What if I prevent their goal? I snapped out of my frozen state and looked upon the two now focused ponies.
“I can’t use you… unless your resolve is as great as mine. What would you give for this?” The two ponies looked at each other, their confusion emanating like an aura.
“Are you willing to die for this?” I clarified. To my surprise, they both nodded without hesitation.
“We learned the night we escaped the factory that we couldn’t live without each other. At the very least, we want to die together, and not at the hooves of those in that hellish place.” Rainbow Dash proceeded to hold Scootaloo tightly in her arms. I thought of Bright Eyes at that moment, and to hide the pain I felt, I grew an angry expression.
“Good. All I need from you two is to find out who works at the Factory and perhaps discover who the unicorn is. Leave the rest to me.” I placed my hoof over my wound and lightly pressed against it.