Prologue
The purple eyes of the mare seemed to stares blankly outside of the single window in the ceiling of the large and vast space that was her home. They given this to her, and they didn’t wanted her outside of these walls. It was strange to her, once an artist from Canterlot now trapped in something she loved. The whole building was like an ironic image of a sanctuary. With statues of the sisters on both sides of the walls. Yet an upper floor that had halls that stretched out in great lengths. Filled with tales of strange stories that couldn’t had exist in the pony world. Tales on God, others, then what were told about the sisters of the sun and moon.
It might have been this pony’s strange delusions that kept her here. The forbidden word that must been kept secret to all the Alicorn. Soon the earth pony would sit there at the upper floor, reading one of the tales of another world. Another world different from Equestria- but with a similar image like our own. As she would read her eyes began to drift. It’s been long since she had slept.
As her mind drifted to sleep….there was a single phrase that floated through her mind. One that she would kept clutching ever since she awoke in this strange place. ‘When will I paint again…’ Just as her eyes fluttered closed, her silence was suddenly ceased by the sound of magic being formed in the middle of the room, levitating a plate of food that gently came down from a small opening from the ceiling that would soon disappear, closing shut. Slowly the earth pony stood up and made it down to the middle of the sanctuary. Before gently sitting down and beginning to eat. The white floor, having been always so clean reflected her face. A grown pony with messy green hair that was once tipped with paint, that now seemed worn and dull. Her talent, a painter in Equestria. Was only painting a few times every season. The once creativity that she would flow with had been washed out after a month of being here. Of course, using the single window to keep track of the days that blew by. Marking them down on one of the bookshelves with her own hooves that carved into the ancient wood itself.
This entire sanctuary, is just a large cage to her that was an illusion to look like she was living in a paradise. A paradise, she once loved. Slowly as she finished her food she stood up, as the bright flick of the gold magic would pick up the plate and move it up to the opening in the wall that once closed again. “Miss Palette Sketch…” A voice came from around the building, that seemed to bellowed through hidden speakers that hid within the interior of the sanctuary itself. “Day...236...you’ve been here for quite a long time, having you?” This voice to her was quite well known, it was the one that originated the gold magic. “..I believe it’s time for your next artwork...your equipment will drop down very shortly...please. Do not disappoint us. I despise doing this to my ponies...but as for you I have no choice.”
“....Why- does this knowledge need to be hidden from others….? Why? They deserve to know the wonders of the-.” Palette Sketch began to speak, her voice soft and sad from her situation. Yet the voice interrupted her.
“You do not need to say it. You do not deserve to say….” She corrects before the doors open and her paints and variety of brushes came in, including an empty canvas. Sitting up bright with magic, as the voice behind the speaker waited and assisted. “Now….paint.” Slowly with a nod taking her brush and readied her paint. The brush dips into the canvas and as she lifts it up she gently strokes over the white with the light blue.
Swirling...blending in between the hues of colors and the emptiness of the canvas. Usually she would be happy and yet- she couldn’t. Knowing no one other then them will see such a masterpiece unfold. It was upsetting to the earth pony. “...Tell me....” She began to say before looking up at the ceiling stopping mid stroke. “...What day is it...exactly..? Can you tell me that? It’s been so long since I looked at the equestria calendar.”
“It is Monday...The 12th of June.” The disturbingly calm voice spoke as the magic dragged over some more paint for Palette. Looking over, next to her giving a small sigh as she took the paint and continued.
“Thank you...I...I needed to know. Greatly appreciated.” Her voice staggers, it was nearly a year since she was there. It was beginning to get to her despite her trying to distract herself on the lovely books. While at this strange place, the only close thing she could use for using her creativity is the single pages in the books themselves, but with no ink....or lead. She had nothing to work with.
“Miss Palette Sketch....I must ask you something. Do you miss things outside of the world....? Your pet...your job...your life?” This caused her to begin to quiver as Palette began to paint quicker. Tears were glimmering under her eyes as the voice began to say. “You will see all of that soon...quite soon....as long as you do as your told. You will be set free.” Getting some white paint the earth pony painted the clouds around the corner of the painting, it looked almost like a ghostly passway. At the very end, a bright figure was seen, a Alicorn with a shadow of what seemed to been a unicorn. Gasping from her stress Palette would mutter she was finished, and with magic everything would be drifted away from her reach. Not to be touched for a long time as she fell on her stomach sobbing. “Thank you....enjoy the rest of your day...you did quite well..” Then with the voice silenced as the one talking to her was now gone.
Palette was alone again, beginning to sob to herself.