//------------------------------// // The Meeting // Story: A Little Bit of Colour // by IMNOTHERE889 //------------------------------// Your eyes flutter open, and you smack your lips a couple of times. You slowly get up, groaning in satisfaction as you stretch your sleeping muscles. You twist your head on your neck, allowing it to loosen, as well as stretching out your wings and legs. You take in a deep breath and stop stretching. You slowly allow you hind hooves to land on the floor before allowing your forehooves clearance for landing. You look to your alarm clock, and your eyes widen out of shock and surprise, as well as fear. The clock read 8:40, and you had to be at work in ten minutes. "I SLEPT THROUGH MY ALARM!?!? OH BUCK OH BUCK OH BUCK!!!!" You scream, running downstairs into the living room at an alarmingly dangerous speed. You quickly gallop to your coat rack, and sloppily put on your Rainbow Factory uniform. It was strange, the uniform is pure white, yet white can get stained easily. Hmm. You quickly go around the room, trying to find your keys, and when you do, you quickly unlock your door, run outside, lock it again, and fly off to work, afraid that you'll get punished for arriving at work late. When you arrive at the factory, you arrive just in time for registration. The facility does this to see who is sick and needs to be replaced for the day. The stallion who is doing registration holds up his paper, looking through the names. He asks to see if you are here first, to which you reply with a shaky, "Present." The stallion puts a tick next to your name, and you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding, sighing of relief soon after. Since you were marked off, you headed inside the factory, casually making your way to the room you worked in, despite your totally not casual start. Just as you were about to make it to the entrance of your work place, you saw your manager approaching, the buff Pegasus with dark fur, known as Dark Colors. "Ahhh, there's that Rainbow Checker I was lookin' for. Remember our appointment?" Dark Colors, nicknamed Cole, asked, stopping in front of you. "A-appointment?" Your mind shot a blank. 'Think... Appointment... Oh.' You mentally facehoof as you remember the letter you got from the manager the day before. Your face gets an embarrassed blush, and you smile sheepishly. "Hehe... Sorry, manager—" "Heheh, this guy's got humor!" Cole interrupts, laughing whole heartedly. "Just call me Cole, buddy!" He says, giving you a hard (and very painful) slap on the back, making you clench your teeth and your eyes go wide slightly. "Ehehehhhh.... Sorry, Cole, I guess I was in such a rush this morning that the memory flew right over my head, as if I was the target in archery, and the archer missed by a mile." "OHhhhh, getting all metaphorical now, eh?" He smiles widely at you, causing you to smile back, but, nervously. Even though you weren't in the immense heat of your work room, you still began to sweat. "Come on, champ, we have a meeting. Come with me to my office," Cole says, turning and walking towards his aforementioned office. You stand in place, not knowing what to say. Your manager turns around and stops to look at you, noticing that he hasn't been followed by you yet. "You comin'?" He asks, giving you a small smile. You shake your head, getting you out of your stupor, and you quickly trot up to you manager. "Hehe, that's the spirit, sport!" He chuckles, and continues on to the office, and you actually follow this time. After a few minutes of navigating through the various work areas, you both finally get to the manager's office. Cole unlocks it, and walks inside, you following behind soon after. As you step in, anxiety gets replaced with downright fear, as your boss motions you to take a seat, you get more terrified than you've ever been in your adult life, as you sit down, you feel like passing out. "So, I've been told recently that a town without a name has been unable to receive any rainbow or color in general, so it's grey and tasteless. So, I have chosen you, dear worker, to allow some color get into this poor town," your manager states, his merry tone replaced with a serious one. There was still one thing you were confused about. I wasn't the why you had to do it, because this was understandable, a town without color? That must be terrible! It wasn't how long you had to do this, because you probably had plenty of time to bring some color to the town, but it was this: "Why did you choose me?" You ask, only realizing after you said it that the question slipped out of your mouth without your permission, like a sly fox who tricked you into drinking poisoned water, or a slithery snake that slipped out of your grip. "Why?" Your manager quoted you, standing up from his seat, putting his hooves onto the desk and leaning in close to you, giving you a sinister stare, "I chose you because you are the most trustworthy Pegasus in this whole factory. Pop quiz: how many Rainbow related incidents have happened all across Equestria since you started working here?" You gulp. You close your eyes and think back. You started working at the facility so long ago... But recalled... Something.... You open your eyes. "Uhm, two?" You say, unsure of yourself, clamping your eyes shut, preparing for the worst. "That's right, two. Question two, no pun intended, why did these incidents happen?" You think back again, and things became more clear. "The first one happened during my first week, when I was still a rookie checker. The second time one happened was when I was sick, so I was really out of it that day," you say, more sure of yourself this time. "Yes... That's right. And, has one happened ever since?" Cole asked, raising an eyebrow at you, leaning in closer. "No," you state, pure confidence in every aspect your voice. "Correct. Everypony that works in the facility trusts you to make sure the Rainbows are perfect. In fact, the whole fate of the factory rests on your wingtips, and you need to be able to balance it all the while, to make sure we don't end up in flames." You gulp. You hadn't looked at your simple job at that perspective before. Everypony... Counting on you... The fate rests on you... That's a lot to take in. "So," Cole says, leaning back in his chair, pressing his forehooves together and closing his eyes, "Do you know understand the main reason why I've chosen you?" Your heart stops, "There's MORE!?" "Hey hey hey, calm down! The last reason is very simple, but I'm gonna keep it a surprise," your manager says, giving you a playful wink. Now you were completely confused. Your face turns to one of complete confusion, and your manager bursts out laughing. "Ohh, your face! Your face! It's beautiful! AHHAHAHHAAAAAAA!!!!" Your manager says, causing your face to turn red from embarrassment. "So was that last reason a lie?" You ask, looking up to Cole, giving him a questioning face. He manages to calm down enough to say, "No. That last reason is real all right. Oh, and I forgot to mention, you have all the time in the world to do this assignment. Just don't finish it with your dying breath, okay?" Cole says, chuckling lightly soon after. "Oh yeah, the town is located west of Canterlot, a rock farm its main attraction." "Okay, sir. I won't let you down!" You say, getting a face of determination. "Now, go home and pack all the things you need for a long term stay. That is, if you're planning to stay long term," he winks at you again. "Thanks, Cole." You smile at him before leaving the room. You navigate through the factory, exit, and fly home. You get everything you need for a trip away from home: toothbrush, a phone, a comb, an old family picture, as well as a snack or two. You stick these in your Rainbow colored saddlebags (props to the factory for giving that to you) and look at yourself in the mirror. "My journey starts today. And I will not fail." You smile at the mirror as determination fills every aspect of your appearance. You go outside, lock your home, stick your keys into your saddlebags, and fly off to Canterlot before turning west. Your body filled with determination, you were ready for this mission.