"Well, your application is impressive. So tell me, why do you want a position with us?"
"I don't know." Booster said. "I just need a job is all." he made up a reason. The office was small, well-lit compared to the rest of the factory. The stallion speaking to him, a yellow colt in glasses named Quarterly, sat behind a modest desk and looked over his application via computer screen.
"Well, as you know the Rainbow Factory has had to go public about a few things recently. Some cutbacks have had to be made in some unfortunate places and I can't really promise you the benefits I could've a few months ago." Quarterly explained, gesturing with his hooves as he did so.
"That's fine. I... I understand." Booster replied. His expression was somber, stoic. He, like many others understood how the Rainbow Factory worked already. He didn't need another explanation but that wasn't going to stop him from getting one apparently.
"We've always had to do what is necessary here, some of us don't like it but somepony has to do the tough jobs. We might as well try to make the best of things, right?"
"Right, right." Booster nodded, his expression didn't change.
"We wouldn't normally consider an applicant who didn't finish flight school but as you've seen, times are difficult right now. We're all having to make some sacrifices here and there. We will endure however and soon we should see things back to normal soon enough."
Booster nodded again and looked the yellow colt right in the eyes. "I understand, right now I just need some regular work, something close to home."
"Well, that I can promise you." Quarterly said with a chuckle. "It just so happens we do have some positions open and if everything checks out, we could have you started here by the end of the week."
"Sounds great." Booster replied, trying to sound enthusiastic and reserved at the same time. This place had a reputation, Booster knew that and Quarterly knew Booster knew that. He had to play the 'no other options' card as long as he could. Sympathy, he was only doing what was necessary. Sounded good on paper. He was already the same as the ponies that worked here. But would Quarterly buy it?
"So, how about a tour while we process the background check?" Quarterly got up from his desk and walked over to the door. Booster got up slowly, not speaking. He tried to make his face seem a good combination of nervous and glum. Thinking about how to do that confused him, oddly enough accomplishing the desired expression. Quarterly led Booster out of the door and back into the entrance hallway. They turned right, walked down the dimly-lit corridor and went through a pair of double doors into the factory. Booster took note of the sign that read "AUTHORIZED PEGASI ONLY on the side of the door.
Beyond the double doors was the another long corridor, doors lining both sides. Past an intersection directly ahead of them was yet another set of double doors.
"The first rainbow was actually discovered by accident." Quarterly began as they walked. He looked over his shoulder to make sure Booster was paying attention but kept moving forward. "A group of pegasi were trying to create a cyclone when an unfortunate mishap occurred. Nopony knew it at the time but the loss of all those pegasi at the same time during that storm is what created the very first rainbow seen in Equestria. Lasted almost forty minutes and was seen from Ponyville to Canterlot. Truly, it was inspirational... and unfortunately very tragic."
Pictures hung on the walls as they walked by. Booster thought about Quarterly's words as he eyed each frame. Some were pictures of ponies, pegasi, unicorns, earth ponies. One picture made him slow down to examine it. Underneath it said "Rainbow Mill". It was a picture of what looked to be a wooden structure with several windmills on top of it. A long line of ponies stretched outside. They were in shackles being led inside this structure. An ominous rainbow, jagged and wavey in its colored rays rose out of the top of it.
"The first rainbow factory was started to try and duplicate the process that created the phenomenon that was seen in the skies that day. Pegasi researched tirelessly trying to find out what made rainbows occur. Taking colors like paint and just mixing them with the general atmospheric technology pegasi normally use yielded no results. It was discovered rainbows required a very specific ingredient: life itself."
Booster said nothing. A history lesson wasn't something he needed but it was answering a few of his questions and keeping his mind off things so he listened.
Quarterly continued. "As you know, when a pony loses hope, they lose their color. They gradually become grayer as moral drops. This process works in reverse as well. Keep in mind, this was a time when Equestria was in a state of depression, ponies were becoming grayer by the day. Jobs were hard to come by, there were too many ponies needing work. So we found a solution to keep up moral and eliminate surplus simultaneously. With rainbows."
The phrase 'eliminate surplus' hung in Booster's ear for a moment. These pegasi that worked here had been doing it for generations. Treating ponies like cattle, leading them in to slaughter to create a colorful display. All for the 'greater good', a 'necessary sacrifice'. The hope of all Equestria came first. Booster would rather live his life depressed and gray than let this go on another day. Still, he kept his mouth shut.
They stopped in front of anothe picture. Emblazoned at the top were the words "Our Founder" underneath was the name Misty Veil. A white pegasi with a pink mane and lite pink tips, she smiled softly in front of a background of clouds.
"Misty Veil was the pony that started it all, once again, by accident. She pushed a couple pegasi into some machinery one day at the original rainbow mill and after the screams subsided, the most gorgeous rainbow appeared. Shot right up across the sky. Soon after, we contracted the princess to provide 'emotional relief' to the population and volunteers started coming to us from all corners of Equestria." Quarterly smiled at Booster as he looked at the picture of the pegasus, the one responsible for starting all of this. So much horror all at the hooves of one mare. Even worse, Booster had to admit she wasn't unattractive. He examined her tail a little more closely than he wanted to and felt disgusted with himself for doing so. He was admiring a monster.
The yellow pegasus turned and led Booster through the intersection. The hallways they crossed were completely dark, whether this was regular or not, Booster couldn't tell. The floor and walls were a dull white and matched the tile they walked on. It looked more like a hospital than a factory, something that didn't bode well. They continued walking up to the double doors in front of them. FACTORY FLOOR hung on the wall above them.
Quarterly stopped and put a hoof on the door. Carefully, he turned to face Booster.
"The factory floor. Eh, this is the area that gets... shall we say, the most attention? I assure you though that it's a much more complicated process than it seems and we all do what is absolutely necessary to ensure the highest quality. I have to warn you, it's not pretty but at the end of the day it's just another job."
Booster, still stoic, nodded, forcing himself to agree. "Right. Just another job." Quarterly pushed open the door and the two entered.