Fluttershy and the Rainbow Factory

Invitation [Chapter 1]

(A/N: Just so you know, this takes place before Twilight's castle, but just after she became an alicorn.)

The Rainbow Factory has always been a complete mystery to those who have heard of it. Nopony has ever been seen walking in or out of the unknown factory.

The manager is offering 5 mares a tour. Nothing could go wrong; right? Although, foals do sing:

In the Rainbow Factory, where fears and horrors come true.

In the Rainbow Factory, where not a soul gets through.

***

'Alright, girls, are we ready?'

Twilight, a purple alicorn, levitated a pinkie-brown book towards her face. The purple aura surrounded the pages as she glanced at the printed words in front of her. Traces of 'Yes'es echoed through her ears, making them twitch slightly, 'Good, lets get started then.'

'Ooo, I'm so nervocited!' a pink, bubbly mare, known as Pinkie Pie, exclaimed. A grin expanded her cheeks as Applejack, an orange earth pony, said 'Seriously?', questioning her choice of words in her usual country accent.

'I do hope the factory is sterile,' a white unicorn called Rarity said, 'After all, I did just get my hooves done.'

A yellow pegasus crawled over to Twilight, 'U-Umm...T-Twilight..?'

'Yes, Fluttershy?' Twilight answered, engrossed with her book, still reading.

'I...Well...The thing is...'

Fluttershy's mouth began to quiver gently as Twilight interrupted her, 'That's nice.'

'I-It's just that...The factory...'

'Uh huh.'

Twilight snapped the book shut and turned towards her friends, 'Okay, as you can't walk on clouds, I shall cast the cloud walking spell again.'

'B-But you don't understand! The Rainbow Factory is a horrible place where they take and kill ponies and use them to make them into rainbows!'

All 4 ponies stared at Fluttershy for a moment before bursting into a fit of laughter.

'Aw, Sugarcube, you need to not take all them pony tales as truth.' Applejack said, wiping a tear from her eye. Rarity walked over to Applejack and continued, 'I'll bet you that Rainbow Dash told you that just to scare you, dear.'

'B-But, it's true! Even Rainbow Dash knows it, that's why she isn't coming!'

'She's meeting us there,' Twilight said, getting ready to leave, 'Now, enough stories, Fluttershy.'

'B-But...'

Tears started swelling up in the pastel pegasus' eye as she followed her friends out of the library door.

***

The 5 ponies landed their pink and purple air balloon carefully on a cushion white cloud. Pinkie Pie held onto a golden bar before pointing at a huge building, 'Oo, oo! There it is!'

The ponies hopped off their floating vehicle as Applejack admired the sight.

'Hoo wee! Ain't this spiffy?'

'Fluttershy! You're being unreasonable!'

Applejack turned around.

'No! I won't!'

Twilight ferociously tried to pull Fluttershy off the balloon, though her grasp was too strong.

'Fluttershy, they're just stories!'

'No, they're real! They're real, Twilight! Please stop!'

'Come on, Fluttershy! Everything will be fine!'

'No, Twilight! No means no!'

Rarity sighed, 'Twilight, is this really necessary?'

'Unfortunately, Rarity, it is.'

Applejack grabbed her lasso and began to tie Fluttershy up as the two talked.

'Twilight, dear, she's severely terrified! This is serious.'

Fluttershy began to cry once again as she stared at the two.

'Can't she just go home?' Rarity continued. Twilight shook her head as Pinkie went over to Fluttershy, wearing a beard made from the cloud.

Changing the subject, Applejack looked at the locked, black gates that towered over them, 'When are they going to let us in, Twi?'

'They said noon, it should be any min-'

As if it knew it was talking about it, the gate creaked open; it revealed the the cloudy, pebbled path in front of them. A rainbow carpet unfolded and a familiar pony walked down it like a supermodel. Twilight was alarmed.

'Sup Guys?'