Lost Colours

by Static Shimmer

Chapter 1

6 o’clock. The chime of the closing bell rang through the Cloudsdale Weather Factory and production came to a halt. With a breath of relief, all the workers left their stations and began to leave the factory, the air buzzing with conversation.

“Hey, Silver Spark, wait!”

The middle aged stallion turned to see his friend galloping towards him, “Autumn Shift!” He laughed as his co-worked shook clumps of snow out of his mane, “Tough day?”

“I swear that machine has a mind of its own! You’re not exactly spotless!”

Silver Spark looked down at his oil soaked hooves and laughed, “Starlight Aura won’t be too pleased if I get any of this in the house!”

“I’ll bet! Listen, I wanted to give you a heads up. Something’s happened to one of the Upper Level mechanics; I overheard one of the Forecolts saying they were looking to give a promotion. Just thought I should tell you, now that you’ve got a filly under your hooves too! They grow up fast you know!”

“They sure do! Seems like yesterday she was just a foal, now she’s tearing around the house faster than I could when I was young! She’s got a real strong pair o’ wings! She’ll ace Flight School, and then hopefully she won’t end up in a dead end job at the Weather Factory!”

“They’ve got more opportunities these days! We were all just expected to work here, unless you were really something special! Anyway see you tomorrow Sil’!”

Silver Spark paused in front of the gates of the factory, looking up at the dark fog which hung in the air around the Upper Level of the factory. A sickly smelling smoke seemed to constantly rise from the chimneys, day and night. He had worked in the same job since he left Flight School, and yet he knew next to nothing about this mysterious part of the factory – only that it produced Spectra, the substance used to create rainbows. None of the workers knew more than that, nor did they ask.

Most pegasi were filled with groundless sense of pride; not just for the factory, but for all of Cloudsdale. To Silver Spark it was a fool’s paradise.

The regime was strict, and conformity was the only option. From the moment a foal is born, they are conditioned to not to think, but to follow. Every filly and colt must pass a flying test to prove that they are worthy of being a Cloudsdalian. Those who do not pass are never seen again.

Silver Spark sighed and looked up at the blackened towers. He got a bad feeling when ever he looked up at the Rainbow Factory, but he thought of his wife and daughter. He wanted a better life for them, something a humble mechanic’s wage couldn’t provide. He would do whatever it took to be able to send that filly to Flight School, equipped with everything she could ever need and more. In the thick dark smog he saw his daughter’s future.

He knew he would have to try for that promotion.