Forgotten Fire: The First Spark

"Dear Mom and Dad,

It seems like it's been an entire lifetime since I was living with you guys in our little house in the forest. I've been doing very well in Cloudsdale. They gave me my own place right near the Academy, they've said I'm one of the most promising flyers, and Spitfire herself has taken a great interest in my progress. She is going to send me and my friend Fleetfoot to the advanced training class. I just wanted to check-in since I haven't seen you since I left last Fall. Anyways, I'll come and visit just as soon as I can, because I'm sure you all miss me just as much as I miss you. Say hi to Trixie and Ember for me, love you all, and I'll write again real soon.

~Soarin"

The shadow-colored Pegasus came through the sliding door and out onto the porch where the rest of her family were sitting on pillows. She was carrying a bag full of marshmallows, which she placed on the table next to the chocolate and graham crackers. Ember was supposed to be practicing her magic, so she was in charge of lighting the fire. Ember knew how to levitate, how to teleport, and even how to create images and mirages, but she was having a lot of trouble with conjuring, so Faolan was telling her everything he could about making fire. Trixie was off sitting in the yard, preparing for the spectacular show she was about to perform. This would be her first ever show with fireworks; actual FIREWORKS. This was going to be her biggest show ever. It would require skill, concentration, and more power than she could think of. She could let nothing go wrong.

"Hey, so how's it coming?" Serenity calmly asked Faolan.

"Alright," he replied, "She's a fast learner, just like I was. Every unicorn has difficulty with certain spells; it'll just take time and practice."

"Sounds good then. I'm going to go see how Trixie is doing. Tell me when she can get the fire going so we can work on some s'mores."

Serenity smoothly wandered over toward Trixie, who was perfecting her firework spell. Ember was starting to be able to summon fire around her horn, but all of her concentration was broken when she heard the loud explosion.

"THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE IS READY TO BEGIN!"

The full moon shone over the dimly lighted yard that backed up to the woods. There were three ponies sitting on pillows, s'mores at their hooves from the fire that Faolan had ended up lighting, all waiting for the show to begin. There was a layer of fog that arose around the small, wooden stage, and yellow fireworks spun and burst around the outside of the curtains. The moon appeared to beam a spotlight on Trixie as she performed her magic show. Trick after trick went by flawlessly, and Trixie couldn't have hoped that her show would go as well as it did. The show was performed without a hitch, and at the end, there was a thunderous applause by Trixie's family, all filled with pride and amazement.

Ember was helping Trixie take down the curtains and clean-up after her magic show. Serenity and Faolan were still sitting on the porch and eating what remained of the s'mores.

"They're very talented, aren't they?"

"Yes, that they are," Faolan replied.

'They have their whole lives ahead of them. So much promise and potential."

"Yeah... It really is the beginning of the end for them."

"The beginning of the end?" Serenity asked confused. "What could you possibly mean by that?"

"Lets face it, they both have amazing talent. It won't be long until they're off on their own, living their lives and being important. Trixie is really doing well with her goals of becoming a magician, and with the rate that Ember is improving, I honestly don't believe that 'Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns' is out of the question. Really, their fillyhood is already coming to an end. They'll be full grown mares before we know it, off on their own and living whatever life throws at them. They can't ever go back, only forward. It just... kinda amazes me to think about that."

Serenity gave a gentle nod, smiling and staring into Faolan's eyes. "That's a wonderful thing you just said dear. I guess when you think about it like that, it's true. This really is the beginning of the end for them."