The darkness reigned. In the bleakness, in the silence, small sobs echoed. They pierced through the Cloudsdale town hall, ruling over the other faint, deathly grinding. Among the fluff, plump clouds that normally illuminated the sky, darkness swallowed these sounds. The only other made was the soft coddle of a cracking voice, a voice trying to stay smooth enough to ease a frightened friend. A voice failing.
"I-It's okay, I promise. Y-You'll see," the voice stuttered. Yet the sobs did not die down.
"Don't lie to her," another voice chocked. This voice was riddled with broken tears and heightened fears; such sound were only heard in the voice of a filly, after a long night of nightmares. Yet this voice was that of a grown mare, once a mare of strength and toughness. "None of us are getting out of here," it sniffled.
"W-We can't lose hope..." This new voice was timid and quiet, barely qualifying as a squeak.
Another rough, strong feminine voice spoke through the bleak dark. "She's right. We can't give up."
"And what do you suggest we do, huh?" the strong voice snapped.
"We just need to wait. They'll be back any second now, and then-"
"They've been gone for hours! They're never coming back!" the voice cried. It was jaded with agony and terror.
"Hey!" this new voice lashed back, "Don't say that! Soarin and Fleetfoot are good colts, they can manage!"
"They're gone!"
"No! They're fine, we just need to give them time!"
"Please, can we not fight," the only stallion in the room pleaded. He was still gripping the sobbing mare, trying his best to calm her; these arguments weren't helping at all, and the fact that they had gone on for hours made things worse.
The timid voice squeaked again. "M-Maybe if we can get some l-light..."
"Light? Are you insane? I love ya, but..."
"She's got a good idea," the other strong voice said. The air, grimness abound, could use some light. The darkness had reigned over them for hours - insanity seemed to be replacing fear.
"You've seen what happens! And you want to bring light into here? Are you insane? What's wrong with you ponies?" The tomboyish mare stammered, fumbling with her words.
"It's candlelight, Dash, it'll be fine," the colt explained. His voice was more directed to the mare in his arms, however.
"But-"
It was too late to argue; the instant sound of clacking flint reverberated through the cloud structure, draining out the gentle sobs for a short time. A spark flew off the rocks, landing gently on a lone spot in the darkness. All eyes were trained on the scene, fear tainting their colors grey. Then, the spark lit, a candle burst aflame, and thus there was light.
Nothing happened.
"I told you," the colt whispered to the mare.
Spitfire held the iron candleholder in her mouth, setting the flint rocks in her hooves back into their little glass case. She used the tiny wicker to light an array of emergency candles, all neatly lined up next to her own.
Soon enough, the town hall was lit by the dim light of concentrated fire. The small building was in good enough shape; the mayor's podium stood strong, and the multitude of chapel-like pews were still standing. Thunderlane and Cloudchaser sat in one of these, huddled together for warmth and comfort. The greyish mare was in tears, softly sobbing into her friend's shoulder.
Adjacent to them, the faces of Spitfire and Dash grew a deep amber as the Wonderbolt's captain approached the frightened dare devil. "I told you it'd be fine," the orange pegasus scoffed, pressing her face to Rainbow's.
"I don't trust you anymore. You are the one who sent two of your own team members to die..."
"I sent them for help. For all you know, they might be back on their way with a princess. So shut it," Spitfire commanded.
"Don't tell me what to do! You know, I used to look up to you! But now...you're just a bitch." Dash spat at her face and walked away, heading up to the podium and curling up in a ball.
"If we weren't in this situation..."
"P-Please girls, d-don't fight..." Fluttershy begged, peeping her head up over a pew. Seeing her beloved friend, she left her spot to join the rainbow-cyan ball. At her shaking Dash, she curled up next to her and spread a wing over the mare. She was timid, not weak. "W-We're all just scared right now..."
"It's no excuse," Spitfire snarled, wiping the spit from her face with the help of her uniform. She flapped her wings in an uproar, sending her shooting up. Once at the ceiling, she aimed her trajectory to Dash, and with the speed of an arrow, shot down. She landed atop the stunned pegasus, spinning and tumbling until she was on top.
"Hey, get off me!" Rainbow coughed. Her magenta eyes, barely lit from the clustered candles, shot up into Spitfire's own. The gaze of fear and anger did not move the enraged captain though; her muscles flexed through her skin-tight azure uniform, and her winds sprawled out in an overpowering display. Her forelegs crushed Rainbow's own, and her hind legs pinned the rest of the cyan pegasus down.
"I'm sick of it you multi-colored mockery of a rainbow! You disrespect my team, and you disrespect me-"
Rainbow managed to slip an arm free, and took a good shot at her ex-hero. The blow connected just at the captain's jaw, snapping her head left. Taking the opportunity, Rainbow hit her again in the gut. Spitfire was blown off of her, landing hunched down on the back wall of the town hall, leaving her open and powerless. The headstrong mare charged at the crippled pegasus - who was just now getting her bearings - and slammed into her head first.
It was accidental. Nopony could've seen it coming.
Spitfire burst from the thinning clouds, out into the world beyond. The ruptured hole in the clouds gave a clear view as she tumbled through the thick scarlet light. Rolling and sputtering, the Wonderbolts captain flapped furiously to regain balance. Scarlet was overtaking her, and now intruding father into the town hall. Nopony dared help - any who were capable of comprehending the situation actually backed away. Unfortunately for Rainbow, just the sight of the empty Cloudsdale streets, the shattered cloud streets, and the desertion as a whole was enough to stop her from even drawing breath.
"Light!" Thunderlane cried. He tore away from the shaking Cloudchaser and whipped over to the hole. Just outside, Spitfire was finally upright again. "Help me patch it! Help me patch the hole!"
Fluttershy, the only to respond, grabbed hoof-fuls of extra cloud from the ground and rushed to the colt. Said colt grabbed the clouds and shoved them in the whole with the expertise of a drunken bricklayer. Then, he grabbed more from his position, and shoved it in.
Just before the fiery-orange Spitfire could escape the scarlet light, the last bit was patched. She slammed into the wall with a light thud. "Let me in!" she cried, chocking on what could only be assumed as tears. "Please, let me back in!"
Then came the sound again. The familiar yet new sound that made everypony's heart skip a beat. The very sound that sucked the breath from everypony's lungs. The awful, scratching sound, that of grinding coarse sandpaper against itself.
"Please! Please!" the frightened, exiled mare begged. Her tears chopped her voice, but could not stop it as more begs and pleas were thrown.
Now came the smell. The putrid smell of something once so sweet; the smell of burning hickory, charred and overdone.
"P-Please... what...no..." Soon she was screaming at nothing, yelling 'go away' and 'get away from me'. Then, weakly, "...p-please let me in..."
Then there was silence as all waited for the inevitable. "I'm sorry," Thunderlane managed to force out, not audible enough for the shunned pegasus to hear.
A wail. That was all that was heard, was a deathly, cold wail. The desperate banging of hooves stopped, the cries for help died...all melted into this shrill scream, that died soon after as well. Once again, the silence reigned.
"I-I..." The colt couldn't formulate the words.
"It's okay," Fluttershy promised, holding back her own tears. Her face was strained in the dim candle's flicker, the pressure taking its toll. Even still, she nudged the trembling Thunderlane to show support.
"S-She's right..." Rainbow acknowledged. "I-I didn't w-want it to happen...the walls must be weak...b-but once they're out..."
Cloudchaser's sobs picked up, morphing into cries. Thunderlane whipped around, dashing through the stale air to his dear friend. He retook his seat, and let the mare sob into his shoulder once again.
Another hour passed, and nothing was said. Grim faces, dark and worn, masked each pegasi's emotions of fear and horror. All sobbing - even Cloudchaser's - died, giving way to a cold, empty silence. Even the air took the chill willingly, the candles doing no more than providing waning light. Rainbow, normally bold enough to lead these situations, had fallen into a mind pit. Her eyes were sunken and dark as they stared listlessly into the grouping of candles.
All was quiet, lost in the empty maelstrom, until Thunderlane's head snapped up, his eyes alert and filled with anxiety.
"Th-Thunder?" the timid pegasus stammered, noticing the new behavior.
"Shh! Do you hear that?" he hushed, looking around frantically. His left ear twitched away, violently flicking up and down as if it were detecting a threat. But there was no sound, nothing but the faint sound of grinding outside the cloud walls. Everypony looked around, even Rainbow, who was tucked away beneath Fluttershy's wing.
There was nothing for a moment, then, the mystery sound revealed itself. A small thud echoed throughout the building. The 'fastest flyer in all Equestria' shot though the air, up and over the flooring. "I-It came from there!" she shouted, pointing to a small chunk of fallen cloud that had landed in the center aisle.
Upon tracing it's fall, the pegasus found herself looking at a small, thinning piece of the ceiling. "Dear Celestia..."
"What?" the colt called up in a shaky voice. All eyes focused on the cyan pegasus as she stared at the thinning hole, eyes wide and mouth agape.
"T-The eclipse...it's..." She shook her head, forcibly booting herself back into action. "The roof!" she told them, "It's cracking!"
"Cracking?" Fluttershy repeated, flying up to meet her friend. Once at eye level, the cyan mare pointed to the ever thinning hole. It wasn't long until the light would break through.
"W-We have to do something!" Cloudchaser called up.
"Oh yeah, who would've guessed?" Rainbow was angry, her mocking tone announcing it.
"Don't insult her, she's trying to help," Thunder snarled.
The timid yellow pegasus stepped up now. "P-Please, we need to take care of this before-"
A concentrated beam of scarlet pierced the ceiling. A thick cylinder of light beamed down, hitting an empty pew - nothing of importance happened to the pew, but the sight of the diluted scarlet almost made Rainbow Dash hurl.
"What do we do?" she cried, looking to the remaining three pegasi.
"I-I-"
"We need to get out of here," Cloudchaser said. She flew out of Thunderlane's arms in a frenzy, flying around in a disorganized haze.
"Hey, hey! Calm down, we'll figure something out!" The dark colt promised, flying up by her side. He gripped her tightly, trying to keep her steady.
A sudden beam of scarlet, a match to the first, broke through the ceiling and barely missed Fluttershy's cheek. The mare squeaked, tears finally breaking free as she swooped to the side. Her friend gripped her just as the other two, and held her tight. "Sh-sh-sh, it'll be alright I promise," the strong mare whispered.
Another beam broke through. Then another. "H-How is this possible?" Thunder cried as scarlet began raining around him.
"How is any of this possible?" Rainbow retorted in her rash tone. Her magenta eyes scanned the place, looking for any safety.
"What now?" Fluttershy squeaked, audible only to her friend.
"I, uh, t-the corners! Get to the corners! They're the strongest parts of a building!" she commanded. Without hesitation, she darted away with her pegasus friend, headed for the upper right corner of the square building.
A crash from behind her stifled her motions. Behind her shoulder, and beyond Fluttershy's mane, the other two ponies had been crushed by a massive chunk of the cloud ceiling. A huge, thick beam of pure crimson light scorned them as they failed to get up; they were out cold. The Solar Eclipse hung straight above the hole, visible to all four of them, burning into their minds.
"Get up!" Rainbow pleaded, ready to rush to their aid. "Get up! You have to get up!"
"Rainbow, no!" the timid mare cried, gripping her friend.
"Let go, we can't just sit by-"
The loud cracking sound stole her voice. Sandpaper, rusted gears, crumpling paper...it didn't matter what the analogy, it had her voice. She stared in fear as it poured into the town hall, down the large scarlet chute.
The waving smell of crispy hickory invaded her nose, burning her, searing her. Yet she did no more than bite her lip. The smell grew, stronger and stronger until it was pungent. "Don't look," she whispered, voice breaking.
"W-What?"
"Don't look dammit!" Dash cursed. She spun around to Fluttershy, placing her hooves on the mare's shoulders. "Don't look!"
The shy mare was in tears now, the sparkling droplets washing down her face. "I-"
"Hush! Just. Don't. Look!" The sound was beginning to drain out her voice as it grew ever louder. More and more beams of scarlet light were shattering through the ceiling, creating pillars of pure dilution. The sound and smell seemed to be porous, seeping in through the holes and being absorbed by the stale air.
Just as the heat began to build behind them, Rainbow Dash pulled her friend close, burying her head in her own cyan fur.
There was the brilliant, scolding flash, then nothing. Nothing but the scattered thuds as the roof continued falling. Yet now, the sound did not stop. In fact, it was stronger, coming in waves of power and hatred. "C'mon," the bold mare told her friend, "We need to move!"
Holding her tight, Rainbow took Fluttershy down to her planned corner, weaving in and out of the scarlet pillars. It was fast, it was hard, and it hurt, but she successfully slammed into the corner.
"I'm scared," the weaker mare slurred through her tears.
"M-Me too," Rainbow shakily concurred. "Me too..."
More thuds bellowed as the roof began its convex cave. In the center, where the largest hole was busy linking up with smaller ones, the Solar Eclipse silently mocked the cowering mares. It's red rim produced the clouded scarlet light that was devouring Cloudsdale, the black moon in its center matching Rainbow's pupil.
The light grew closer, cornering them in. The crunching sound drew near, as did the horrid smell. As the town hall fell to pieces, the mares exchanged their last goodbyes.
"F-Flutters...I-"
Too late. A cracking sound beneath them indicated the final support failure; either they would succumb to the light, or they would fall to their deaths. A dark, cavernous crack ran through the pews, up the aisle, and to the podium. Chunks of the floor gave, falling to the dusty Equestria beneath them.
Soon pews were sucked into a gaping hole on the floor, one that matched that of the roof. Everything was melting away as chocolate in the sun. Larger and larger it grew, until it had swallowed most of the floor. Everything was lit by the flaming scarlet light - even the faces of the last pegasi.
The crack had reached them, both in the floor and on the roof. The sound and smell followed, now burdening them as if they were tangible. The weight on their chests was unbearable; they could both hardly draw breath.
"R-Rainbow," the smaller pony heaved, "I'll miss you."
"Don't-" They cyan pegasus paused for breath. "-say that. We'll...be fine."
The floor beneath them shifted, ready to give way.
"Aw, Dashie," Fluttershy choked, her tears still rolling. "You're a bad liar."
Suddenly, the floor broke free, releasing the weak flyer to the light. Dash reached out desperately, barely missing her hoof as Fluttershy fell. Now more than distraught, Dash turned away and buried her head in what remained of the cloud wall, the falling screams of her closest friend dying down.
Now it was just her. Alone. Cold. The warm smell of hickory still invading her senses.
The light was upon her now, just at the base of her hooves. She was on the last, secluded piece of cloud flooring. The walls were giving way now, and she could see - between her tears - that the rest of Cloudsdale was facing the same fate. The weather factory, the rainbow factory, the lodging and dome, all...melting.
Scarlet burning hit her hooves. It was like fire, and she felt much like the town hall. Quickly she retracted her hind legs, curling up into a ball. The hickory and grinding was devouring her, attacking her, destroying her. Tears gushed forth, painfully rolling down her cheeks and onto the last piece of crumbling flooring.
Rainbow... the crunching whispered.
The mare's heart skipped a beat as she receded further into the last bit of shadows. "Go away!" she cried to the grinding.
Rainbow...
"No!" She clenched her eyes shut tight, squeezing them as hard as she physically could. No protection, so exposed...and the light was coming.
It burned. As the light finally overtook her trembling, surrendered body, she burned. Not physically, but it felt like it. She wailed in agony, mental and literal. Images of Spitfire ran through her head, her voice matching up with Dash's.
Open your eyes Rainbow...
Images of her friends now bombarded her screaming mind. Twilight, courageous and nerdy. Applejack, strong and bold. Rarity, stuck up yet kind. Pinkie, always up for a laugh. Then Fluttershy, falling to her death, burning in the crimson eclipse, taunted by the cracking.
"No!"
Open...
Her eyes were forced open though no will of her own. She was staring at a tiny patch of shadow in the crumbling corner, the crunching and hickory still engulfing her.
Too close to the sun...
"W-What?" she stammered, body feeling as though it were aflame.
Too close...too close to the sun...
The crunching's voice was...familiar. Though on fire, Dash could feel her heart slow. That voice...that sweet, soft, calm voice...
"N-No...NO!"
Too close to the sun, Rainbow Dash...
Terror, fear, remorse, guilt, sadness, anger...all in her soft magenta eyes as she turned around to face the scarlet light. "Too close to the sun..." Memories. Hated memories. Suppressed memories. Violent memories, of darkness, cold, yet vibrant and colorful. Red, blue, orange, purple... And scarlet abound. Her eyes clenched shut again. "I-I made up for that..."
Too close to the sun...Too far from yourself...
"Y-You told me to do it! It's n-not my fault!"
You know what you've become...Too close to the sun...
Out of words, she thrust her tear-bogged eyes open, wishing, praying that it would end. "I'm...I'm..."
ICARUS!
Epilogue:
"Nopony knows of the disappearance of Cloudsdale or the pegasi?" Twilight asked, shocked.
Princess Celestia, her beloved mentor, shook her head. They were in the library in Ponyville, a quaint little place.
"We're looking into it now, but...well I'm sorry Twilight, but we don't know."
"Did it have anything to do with the eclipse maybe? Please, Princess, this are my friends we're talking about! Please please please, don't you know anything?" the unicorn pleaded.
"I'm afraid not," the tall deity responded. "Twilight, my beloved student, it is becoming late. Please, if you wish for me to make progress, I will require time. I'll tell you anything I find out, okay?"
"...Alright Princess," Twilight sniffled. Tears were swelling at her eyes; a sight that brought pain even to the princess.
"I love you with all my heart, my faithful student." Celestia bent down to nuzzle Twilight, comforting the unicorn the best she could.
"T-Thank you princess...thank you..."
***
Canterlot Castle bowels:
"She said do it, so do it!" Luna snapped at the guard.
"Y-Yes ma'am!" he responded, obvious fear swollen in his eye. He picked up the stack of tan folders from the metal railing behind him, and disappeared through a door labeled "Furnace Rooms."
The princess of the night followed her personal guard in, escaping the metal halls and entering a metal box. At the far wall was a huge pit that burst with blue fires. Night flames, made by her herself. She was rather proud too - those flames could torch anything. Normally they were used for a simple heating purpose; however, tonight they were to be used for much, much more.
On the wall to her left, Luna examined the stacks upon stacks of tan folders. Four of her night guards were currently taking down a few from the top and dragging the heavy, brutish things to the current incinerator. She followed, nearing the fire and examining the preparations.
"Would you...care to begin, ma'am?" a guard asked as he dropped his stack off.
Luna nodded, and was handed but one folder. With her magic, she brought it to the fire, but hesitated. One last, good look at the title was all she wanted, for nostalgic purposes if nothing else.
Rainbow Factory: Running Reports 968, Letter of Resignation
-Rainbow Dash
Finished, an air of slight joy about her, she told her guards: "My sister would have these done tonight, and we shall not keep her waiting!"
One by one, they began tossing the stacks into the flames, destroying any evidence of the atrocities committed in Cloudsdale in one act of final totality.
[Author's Note: Rainbow Factory is not owned by me. This is simply some spurt in my head that I put into a word processor. The original Rainbow Factory is owned (as we all f*cking know) by the genius AuroraDawn.]