Rainbows and choices

18

I flew home. It had been so easy to look into Ocellus' eyes and pull that lever, but now it was hard on my heart. It was raining worse than I had ever seen and the temperature was only just not freezing. It was slightly later than usual and it was pitch dark under the thick layer of clouds that blocked out all the light from Luna's moon and stars. I knew which direction to fly and how long, so seeing nothing was no problem. The cold of the rain penetrated to the bone and I shivered. My hooves and wings felt clammy and I was worried that I would no longer be able to use my wings. After a while it was time. I had trouble moving my cold-soaked wings. I flew straight up, ducked down, pulled up and did a few loops. It was exactly what my wings needed to warm up a bit. I might have to do it again in a few minutes. The cold penetrated deep into my bones. I wanted to fly farther, but realized that I didn't know where. I had lost my orientation during the loops and I saw nothing in the pitch dark. That would be walking. Carefully I landed on the ground and immediately sank a few centimeters away in the mud. I decided to follow the path and soon I came across a direction indicator. It was too dark to read, but with my hoof I could feel what word was written in the wood. Ponyville. I followed the long and winding path, until I came to a right-hand part of the path surrounded by trees. The soft, faint scent of apples reached my nose. Soon I could see the siloet of sweet Apple acres. After a lot of spluttering through the mud and the streets of ponyville, I came to the school. I flew in the building itself to prevent the mud from getting everywhere. In the bathroom I quickly rinsed my hooves and dried myself. Still shivering with cold, I crawled under the blankets. Suddenly I felt something hot rolling down my cheek. When I wiped it with my hoof to see what it was, I only saw a watery drop. My tear. I felt another tear and another. Finally I cried myself to sleep.

I woke up. The sound of rain against the window was not the only thing that I thought I heard. Maybe I had only imagined it. I kept my eyes closed and crawled a little deeper under my blanket. Then I heard it again. I opened my eyes and saw Gallus standing in front of the window. I forgot to close my curtain last night. Gallus was soaking wet with pouring rain and patted my window impatiently with a muddy claw. When he saw that I was awake he gave a sign that I had to come. I gave him a confused look. He turned his eyes and pointed at the door. I remembered locking it before I went to sleep. When I walked to the door and opened it, Gallus nodded and flew away. We arrived in the student room at the same time and I saw that everyone else was there too. Silverstream, Smolder, Sandbar, Devo and Yona. Gallus spoke. 'Okay, I've been thinking for once and I think we should all work together to save Ocellus.' He said. 'How do you want to do that? We have no idea where the failures are and I don't think they will be taken to a place within Equestria.' Said Smolder. 'Maybe you can take a look in your realm and one in the realms around it?' Sandbar suggested. 'That's no use. If they really don't want the failures to return to Equestria, they will not send them to the first best place in the area. They must be far beyond all your realms.' I said. 'Maybe we can follow the carriage that brings the failures.' Gallus said thoughtfully. He had started to walk in circles and left muddy traces everywhere. 'Forget it. The carriage regularly passes through huge open sky surfaces. Without clouds to hide behind, they will catch you.' I said. 'Maybe follow from the ground.' Yona said. 'Not going to work. They are flying too high to see from the ground.' I said. 'How do you know all of that?' Asked Sandbar. 'Do you really think I haven't tried that after my brother and sister?' I asked. I was surprised that I had come up with a lie so quickly.

The next day we were in the class of Headmare Sparkle. Devo, who was sitting next to me, pushed a note in my hoof. When our hooves touched each other, my cheeks became warm. On the note I could just read the hasty scribbles of Gallus. "After school by the lake" I looked around and saw that the others had also received a note. Gallus looked at us and I gave a subtle nod as a sign that we would be there.

After school we went to the lake. Devo couldn't come because he gave tutoring to a few new students. He was just so nice and kind. Gallus was already nervously waiting for us. 'What's wrong, Gallus?' Silverstream asked. 'I found a way to find Ocellus.' Gallus said enthusiastically. 'We give everyone who has to take his test a locator and when the failures leave we know exactly where they are.'

'That's not possible, because ... ehh where do you want to get all those locators from?' I asked nervously. 'I have a cousin who is busy with things like that. I'm sure he would give us a few.' Said Sandbar. 'No, because, uh ...' I started. 'What's on ponies tail?' Asked Yona. 'It seems ... IS THAT BLOOD?' Said Smolder. 'No, there are other colors too. Green and yellow and purple. It looks like a rainbow.' Sandbar said, looking at my tail. 'I probably spilled yesterday with the paint on the reserve defense ...' I started. 'Why do you use rainbow paint to defend Cloudsdale?' Silverstream asked. 'I, uh ...' I started, but Smolder interrupted me. 'The tour of the Weather factory in Cloudsdale!' She cried. 'The upperfloor of the Rainbow factory was secret. We were not allowed in and the people who worked there were also secret. You are not in the Secret Reserve Air Force of Cloudsdale at all, are you? You work on the upperfloor of the Rainbow factory.' I just didn't know what to do. 'That is ridiculous.' I said with a nervous smile and I was sure it wasn't convincing. I just hoped that my friends would misinterpret the emotion behind my words, but this time I wasn't lucky. 'So it's true?' Gallus asked. 'Why didn't Pony tell us?' Asked Yona. 'Yeah, you know you can trust us.' Said Smolder. I knew this was a moment of choice. I could choose my friends. I could tell them that it was true and that they couldn't tell anyone. I didn't have to tell them how we make the rainbows. I could also choose for the Rainbow factory. I actually had to follow the procedure. I thought about Ocellus. I wanted so badly to choose my friends, but I couldn't disappoint the Rainbow factory. The Rainbow factory is for the greater good. What should i do?