Spectra woke to somepony jumping on her stomach.
"Wake up lazy feathers!" Dash exclaimed with a grin.
"Huh? Dash stop... I'm... Up." Spectra managed to get out with the cyan pegasus bouncing on her.
Dash laughed mischievously, "Good morning."
Spectra looked around. She wasn't in her room back at Rainbow Dash's house. Both her and Dash were still on the mountain.
"You look confused." Dash started, "You fell asleep last night. So instead of waking ya, I decided we can stay up here for the night."
"Oh." Spectra replied, now understanding why she wasn't in her soft cloud bed.
"Well hey we got the day off today. Mainly 'cause I say so." Rainbow chuckled again, "So how about we go to my aunt's house?"
"Okay, where does she live?"
"Well, that's the thing. She lives in Manehatten. And there aren't any trains there for a few days."
"Wait. Manehatten?"
"Yup, why?"
"Oh nothing. It be nice to visit home again though."
"Well yeah. But we will have to fly there."
"No biggie Dash. But hey, how about we head into town and get some grub?"
"Sounds good. We need our energy to fly." Rainbow replied as she stretched her wings out.
"We can invite the girls as well."
"Yeah, but as far as I know, they're pretty much busy. AJ is apple-bucking, Rarity has some dress order. And Fluttershy is working on a new habitat for this family of chipmunks." Dash thought for a moment, "But I believe Twilight and Pinkie are free!"
"Okay. Sounds awesome! Let's go." Spectra said as she began to fly toward Ponyville with Rainbow by her side.
**********
The two pegasi made their way to Ponyville. When they arrived, Dash was first to say something.
"Alright Spec. I'll go to Sugarcube Corner and see if Pinkie's up to a little brunch party." Rainbow paused, "Knowing Pinkie Pie, anything to do with the word 'party' she'd be up for it."
"Yes ma'am!" Spectra saluted with a chuckle, "And what would you like me to do ma'am?" She asked, holding the salute.
Dash chuckled, "You go get Twi. See if she's busy with her egghead stuff. If not, tell her to come to Sugarcube Corner with us."
"Alrighty! Meet you there." Spectra replied, quickly dashing off to Twilight's library.
**********
Spectra sped towards the library at high speeds. She didn't know why. Something just urged her to see Twilight. She flew right toward the door when sompony walked out from the library.
WHAM
Spectra crashed right into the pony. The pony she crashed into was Twilight.
"Ouch..." Twilight moaned.
"Oh I'm sorry Twi. I wasn't looking where I was going." Spectra quickly replied, getting off of Twilight.
Twilight got up and brushed the dust off her wings, "Wow Spectra. What's the rush for?"
"Well I was coming to ask you if you wanted to come with me and Rainbow to brunch."
"Ah. That sounds nice. I'm up for it. Let's go." Twilight said as she began to walk away.
Spectra thought for a moment. Why don't you tell Twi? She's very tolerable. And you can trust her. Go! Do it. Tell her! "Hey, uh Twi?"
"Yes Spectra?" Twilight said, pointing her attention to the nervous mare.
"Can we go inside quick? I wanna talk to you about something." Spectra replied. Oh gosh. What am I doing?
"Sure Spectra. Is something the matter?" Twilight asked carefully, walking back inside the library with Spectra.
Go on... Tell her... "Yeah... Um... Twilight, have you ever had a secret that you just couldn't really tell anypony?"
"Hmm... Didn't you ask me this before? When I invited you over for some cider? Is this thing bothering you Spectra?"
"Well... Kinda..." Spectra gulped. She felt like she had a huge lump in her throat. She was barely able to speak, "Well, it's about me..."
"Go on..." Twilight said, sitting down on the couch and offered Spectra a seat.
Spectra gladly sat and continued, "Well when I was a filly. I was... Uh... Taken away..."
"Taken away? Oh gosh. Who had taken you?" Twilight asked, now very intent on listening to the troubled pegasus' story.
"Well... I don't know who... Besides that they were Cloudsdale Weather Facility workers..."
"Wait... Cloudsdale employees?" Twilight was now confused.
"Yes... It sound unbelievable... But it's true..."
"I believe you Spectra. But why would they take you? Of all ponies?"
"Well they forced... they forced me..." Spectra was beginning to tear up. She was having even more trouble speaking now.
"Go on Spec. I won't judge. You can tell me anything." Twilight said, giving the crying mare a comforting, friendly smile.
Spectra gulped and tried her best to continue, "They forced me to work..."
"Work? Where?"
"The... Rainbow Factory." Spectra broke into sobs at this point.
"The Rainbow Factory? I remember reading about that." Twilight began, as she got up and started trotting around the library, clearly looking for something. "But I always thought it was an old mare's tale. Ah!" She exclaimed as she found the book she was looking for.
Twilight opened the book and flipped through it rather quickly. Spectra was trying to stop her sobs. To be strong for around her friend.
Twilight began to read what was written in the book, "It says here:" She cleared her thoat, "The Rainbow Factory was the facility in the up most area of the Cloudsdale Weather Facility. Being in the Weather Facility, the Rainbow Facility was only accessible by ponies who worked there. Most ponies who worked there, were forced to stay there." Twilight paused in her reading, "Is this true?"
"Yes..." Spectra replied quietly.
Twilight nodded and continued reading, "It is said that in the Rainbow Factory is where pure Spectrum is created. Spectrum was originally made when the unicorns of Canterlot and the pegasi of Cloudsdale would combine their 'magic abilities'. The princess of the celestial body, Princess Celestia, was a big part of this process. With the banishment of Nightmare Moon, and Celestia having to raise both the sun and the moon, the Spectrum was not able to be created. Therefore, to create Spectrum, the pegasi of Cloudsdale discovered a new way to make Spectrum. There are many rumors of how this new process. The major rumor was the extraction of Spectrum from the bodies of ponies?" Twilight's reading became a curious question for Spectra.
"Mhmm..." Spectra replied nervously.
"Ehem, The extraction of Spectrum was a extensive, brutal, but beautiful process. All ponies that were sent to the Rainbow Facility, not sent for work, were put up on a platinum plate, and were latched down. From here, the extractor would dissect into the ponies' skulls and suck the Spectrum out of them?!" Twilight was now shocked at her readings, "Is this true?!"
"Yes... And this is what I was afraid of..." Spectra began to get up to walk out the door, "I understand if you don't want to associate with an ex-employee of that place..."
A lavender coat covered the door as Spectra went over to it.
"No, Spectra. That's not it. You were forced, weren't you?"
"Yes. Honest I was. I didn't want to be there. That place was dark and horrifying."
"I believe you. Now sit." Twilight commanded.
Spectra obeyed and sat back down, "It's just. I've been hiding this secret ever since I made it out of that place."
"Why didn't you tell anypony?"
"Because, I thought if anypony found out... They wouldn't want to even associate with me. You don't understand how many poor, defenseless, ponies I was forced to murder at that cruel place." Spectra was on the verge of tears again, "When I made it out of that place, I was getting chased by the facility's security. I flew away so fast, I did a Sonic Rainboom. I managed to lose them after that. And that's when I got this." Spectra finished, referring to her cutie mark.
"Your cutie mark makes more sense now. So what's your special talent then?" Twilight asked.
"That's the point, I don't know!" Spectra blubbered.
"Well, whatever you do, don't believe it's to work at that place. Noponies' special talent is to work at someplace as brutally cruel as there." Twilight said, putting her hoof on Spectra's to try and calm her down.
"I know Twilight. And thank you." Spectra got out between her sobs.
"For what Spectra?"
"For being there for me... I couldn't tell anypony else. You were the only one I can trust with something like this."
"That's what I'm here for Spec." Twlight stated, giving Spectra the same friendly smile, "Hey, if you can get yourself cleaned up upstairs, we can head off to Sugarcube Corner to meet Rainbow. I'm sure she's getting impatient."
"True." Spectra wiped her eyes and trotted up the stairs to wash up.
**********
Twilight and Spectra trotted beside each other all the way to Sugarcube Corner. When the two reached the doorway, Twilight stopped.
"Something wrong Twi?" Spectra asked.
"No, nothing's wrong. Just I think you should tell Rainbow." Twilight stated.
"Tell Rainbow what?" Spectra knew what Twilight was referring to, but she wasn't sure why.
"Tell her about what you told me. She should know more than anypony." Twilight noticed Spectra's unsure look, "Don't worry. I'm sure Rainbow will understand. She loves you, as a friend and even as a sibling. Also, she is the element of loyalty." Twilight finished in a joking tone.
"Alright... If you think so Twi." Spectra replied.
Twilight nodded at Spectra and the two mares trotted into Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were sitting in a booth and talking with each other. Rainbow noticed Twilight and Spectra walk in.
"There you slow-ponies are! Where have you been?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, obviously annoyed.
"We were talking Rainbow. Be more patient next time." Twilight responded.
"Fine... What were you talking about though? I sent Spectra to go get you like thirty minutes ago!"
"It's private Rainbow. If Spectra wanted to tell you, she can."
"Fine." Rainbow replied, "Let's eat now. I'm starving." Dash stated as Pinkie ran back into the kitchen.
Spectra and Twilight sat down next to Rainbow Dash as Pinkie Pie came back out with a small tray. On the tray were a variety of food items. Spectra observed the plate and saw; a slice of warm apple pie, a small thing of hay fries, a couple plain muffins, and a small bowl of salad greens.
"Looks delicious!" Dash exclaimed, diving into the tray for the apple pie.
Pinkie laughed, "Dashie, don't eat it all! It's for everypony to share."
"Hey. Me and Spec need our energy for out flight." Rainbow Dash replied to Pinkie with a mouthful of apple pie.
"That's right. Where are you girls going anyways?" Twilight turned to ask Spectra.
"Well we are going to Manehatten." Spectra replied.
"Manehatten?" Pinkie asked, "Why would you wanna go there again? Didn't you just come from there? I mean I'm not one to judge, I'm sure if I got to go back home to my family, I would too. Although probably not seeing as my family lives on a boring old rock farm. Not very fun over there. But I'm sure your family's fun!" Pinkie rambled on in her randomness.
"Yeah... Pinkie... Spectra doesn't know here family. She's kind of like me." Rainbow said to the pink pony.
"Kind of?! You two have the same mane, practically the same cutie mark, can do a Sonic Rainboom, you two are more then kind of alike!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"Yeah. But anyways, we're going to meet my Aunt Sapphire." Dash continued.
"Your aunt? I thought you didn't know your family Rainbow?" Twilight questioned.
"Well I really never talked to my aunt before. So it would be the first time we'd meet."
"Well I guess that's good. And it's worth it to find out if you to crazy pegasi are related. It's pretty obvious though. Like Pinkie said." Twilight paused to take a hay fry into her mouth with her magic, "Besides, you both have the same stubborn attitude as well." She finished, giving a wink to Spectra.
"Whatever. But we are gonna head out after brunch." Dash continued as she continued to munch on her breakfast.
"Slow down Dashie." Pinkie warned, "You don't wanna get a cramp while flying."
"True Pinkie." Dash replied, slowing down her eating pace, "It's just I'm so excited!"
"Same here." Spectra joined in.
Rainbow Dash pushed away her plate and flew over the others, "Well I'm ready when you are Spec! I'll meet you back at my house when your ready. I'll have your saddlebag ready as well."
"Alright Dash. Meet ya there." Spectra replied.
With that, Rainbow sped out of the store and flew away. Twilight laughed at the pegasus' enthusiasm, "That feather brain... I wonder about her sometimes." The other two laughed at Twilight's statement.
"Well you probably have enough time Spectra. I'm sure Dashie wants to say bye to AJ first before leaving." Pinkie stated.
"Yeah. Probably." Spectra agreed, taking a bite of a muffin.
"So, Spectra. Do you plan on telling her?" Twilight asked.
"Probably. I would tell her when we arrive at Manehatten though."
"Tell who what?!" The now curious Pinkie Pie questioned.
"Spectra has something she wants to tell Rainbow Dash. It's private though Pinkie." Twilight stated.
"Oh. Okay!" Pinkie responded, diving her face into a cupcake, she seemed to pull out of thin air.
Spectra got off her seat and stretched her legs out.
"You heading out now Spectra?" Twilight asked.
"Yeah. I'm gonna go meet Dash at home now."
"Alright. Bye Spec. Have a nice trip." Twilight said farewell.
"Bye!" Pinkie exclaimed loudly.
Spectra chuckled, "Bye everypony. See you in a few days."
**********
Spectra flew towards Rainbow Dash's Cloudominium. She noticed Rainbow Dash darting back and forth in a hurry. She flew inside. Rainbow Dash flew back and forth, making sure she had everything she needed.
"Dash?" Spectra tried to get the hurried pony's attention, "Rainbow Dash?" Still no response. Spectra reached out her hoof and caught Rainbow's tail as she flew by.
"Ouch! What was that for?!" Rainbow questioned in defense.
"Calm your feathers down. We're fine. Did you get our saddlebags packed?"
"Yes. But I just want to make sure we are ready before we leave."
"We're good. Let's go. We don't need anything else." Spectra replied, as-matter-of-fact.
"Okay, if your sure. Then fine. What are we waiting for, let's go!"
Rainbow Dash flew out the front of the house in a rush. Spectra laughed at the pegasus, "She is a feather brain huh?" she muttered to herself. Spectra followed the eager, cyan pegasus out the Cloudominium.