Chapters Forgotten Fire: The First Spark
"Alright, now go stand over there like this"
Trixie motioned over to the middle of the bedroom, and Ember went over and did the pose she was told to do.
"Alright now... THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE WILL PERFORM HER NEXT AMAZING TRICK, BUT FIRST, SHE'LL NEED A VOLUNTEER."
She glanced around the room, pretending to search for a volunteer, before she set her eyes on her dad.
"YOU SIR, COME ON UP"
"Yes miss Trixie"
"That's the GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE to you, and don't you forget it" she said with a grin.
After they had performed the trick, Faolan and Soarin had left to gather wood, Serenity was in bed reading a novel, and Ember was helping Trixie clean up her set. The two unicorns were having a good time. Trixie had always wanted a sister, but she never thought this little filly, just under two years old now, would be so fun and such a great assistant. Truly, Trixie loved this filly, and was so grateful to have her. They had just gotten everything cleaned up when Trixie had the urge to grab something to eat.
"I'll be right back Ember dear."
"Gall wight Twixie" Ember replied.
Trixie left for the kitchen, so Ember decided to head to her room and grab her favorite toy. As she walked toward her room, she could hear sniffling from her parents room. She decided to poke her head in, and she found her mother with tears rolling down her face.
"Mommy, are you alwight?"
"Oh, Ember" she said shockingly, "I didn't see you there. Yes, everything is alright."
"What's wong?"
Serenity looked hesitantly at Ember, something stirring in her gut, but she just replied, "Something sad in my book. The main character just found his sister, but she doesn't recognize him. It seems she was brainwashed in the canyons where she was kept; moonblinked they call it. It's just a really sad part."
"Okay mommy." She continued to her room to get her toy, leaving Serenity to her thoughts. It had been nearly two years, and she still couldn't get rid of the strange feeling in her stomach. She was forced to do what she always did: push it away and read.
Faolan and Soarin had just walked back inside, leaving the firewood outside near the door. Faolan brushed off dried leaves and small bits of bark before hanging his jacket on the coat rack.
"Good work son. Winter will be here soon, so we'll need all the wood we can get."
"Of course dad; anytime. It's actually kinda fun just hanging out with you."
Serenity appeared around the corner with a grin on her face.
"Hello dear; you look happy" Faolan said.
"Yes, I am," she replied, "something wonderful happened today, but well discuss that in a bit. I think the pie is almost cooled, so we'll talk about it after hay sandwiches and dessert."
"I GOT ACCEPTED?!"
"Yes Soarin sweetie," Serenity proudly reviled, "the Wonderbolts were very impressed with your application. They'd like you to attend their training academy . They have asked that you pack soon and fly to their HQ by the end of the week."
"I.....I can't believe this..... I just never thought that....I...I can't.....I need to go pack."
Soarin dashed out of the kitchen straight for his room. Faolan couldn't help but smile excitedly at Serenity. Their son's dreams had finally come true, and there was nothing that could ruin it. Everything was perfectly wonderful. Their son was going to be a Wonderbolt, their daughter showed great promise as a magician, and their filly Ember had her entire life ahead of her. They were the happiest parents in Equestria.
Forgotten Fire: The First Spark
3. The Begining Of The End?
"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."
Forgotten Fire: The First Spark
Ughhhhh, why does my head hurt so much? I was only sleeping; I couldn't possibly have hit it on anything. I should probably go make some tea or something to relieve the pain. After all, the Summer Sun Celebration is tomorrow, and there is no way we are missing it this year. Hopefully Mom returned with some herbs and such. I'll just whip up a quick cup of tea and straight to bed. Gotta be well rested.
Ember headed for the kitchen where Trixie was eating an alfalfa sandwich. She had become inseparable from the new cape and hat she had gotten as a birthday gift a few months ago. It had always been obvious she wanted to be a magician, but now she looked the part; she was even going to start traveling and performing live shows in front of an audience. Trixie was finally going to start living her life just the way she wanted to. She had always known what she would be, ever since the wand and moon cutie mark had appeared on her flank a few years ago. And here Ember was, close to being out of fillyhood and still without her cutie mark. She didn't really know what it would even be, since Ember wasn't particularly good at anything. Sure she was good at magic, but weren't all unicorns supposed to be? Trixie had a specific way to use magic that set her apart from any other unicorn, but Ember only knew what everypony else knew; nothing special about it. She decided to get her mind off of this thought, because it felt like her head was cracking and ready to burst like one of Trixie's fireworks.
After a nice, warm cup of herbal tea, Ember crawled into her bed with the thoughts of tomorrow. Her mother Serenity seemed really concerned about tomorrow. Every year she had stopped them from going to this "Pointless little Celebration", but this year was different. She wanted to make sure her whole family was in Ponyville to see the Princess raise the sun this year. Ember didn't understand her mother in any way; after all, she'd been concerned and strange her entire life, or as far as Ember knew, since she really didn't have any pony to compare her mother to. The darkness of sleep began slowing these thoughts, and she eventually was out cold. The last thought in her mind was "What if something goes wrong?"
~~~~~Summer Sun Celebration~~~~~
It should have been midday, but it was as dark as midnight. The sun had just simply never risen. Ember had never been to a Summer Sun Celebration, but somehow she knew that this year didn't go as planned. Who was this Nightmare Moon, and why did she trap Equestria in eternal night? Nothing really made sense; all Ember knew was that her mother was being very distant. Serenity seemed hexed in thought. Ember's head was still pounding, and Trixie's unceasing talking didn't help. "What was that? Who was that? What happened?" Trixie seemed distressed by what happened at the Summer Sun Celebration, and she couldn't get her mind off of it. Ember, on the other hoof, would like nothing more than to be in her bed and sleep. Her head just needed to rest.
The four ponies had arrived back at their house. The afternoon air was frigid with the absence of the sun. The ponies could see the breath in front of their muzzles, and the happy sounds of woodland critters was replaced by the silence of frosted air gently blowing through darkened trees. As Faolan started to unlock the front door, the blood-curdling screams of what could only be a group of mares beamed through the Everfree Forrest. Startled by this sound, the Lulamoon family stood perfectly still, peering into the woods to detect where the screams came from. After about half a minute, the sound of joyful laughter replaced the traumatizing screams, as well as what sounded like a happy song being sung. Perplexed by the sounds, Faolan quickly unlocked the front door, let the three mares into the house, and sealed the door behind himself after entering. Trixie's mind was now set on the sounds in the forest, and as her questions flooded the room, Ember made her way to her bedroom. Her eye sight was becoming blurry, she was feeling naueouss, and she struggled to keep her balance. She crawled into her bed, her mind in to much pain to make even the simplest thought, and drifted into sleep. Despite the freezing air blowing through every nook and cranny of the room, Ember felt surprisingly warm, almost as if there was a fire lit near her.
Forgotten Fire: The First Spark
What was this dream? It was so really, as if she was really there in Equestria several thousand years ago. As the dream faded, reality began to take place. She didn't remember getting out of bed, she just remembered running. No noises were present, just the gentle buzz of sleepy ears. She couldn't feel the pain in her hooves, or even see why they were hurting. All she knew was run, Run, RUN!
The loud crack of the wood beam falling next to her woke her out of her daze, and her eyes began to adjust to the burning light surrounding her. The intense heat was burning her flesh as she darted over the burning piles of rubble. This was no longer her house but a wildfire, consuming everything it touched. She heard the terrified screams of Trixie coming from behind her. She took a quick glance, and smacked into another beam that used to be in the ceiling. The daze of unconsciousness found her again, and her bright world grew black.
When she finally came to, the skeleton of the house was exposed, and a loud creaking sound emanating from the burning lumber. Through the blackened door frame, Ember saw Trixie running out into the cold, dark night. Ember tried to free herself from the crushing weight of the wood when Serenity calmly walked up in front of her.
"MOM," Ember screamed, "MOM, HELP ME. PLEASE!"
"No," she replied calmly.
"Whaa..What?" Ember was shocked.
Serenity was fighting back a tear. "I knew I should have trusted my feelings. I knew you would find me, some way, some how. I knew there was something wrong with you. I...I...," a tear rolled down her face, "I resent you. You took everything from me: My home, my friends, my SANITY... and now my life. Goodbye..." she couldn't stop the stream of tears leaking down her face. All she could do was lift her wings and take off into the empty night.
Ember lay there, under the burning wood pile, crying harder than she ever had. The fire that was engulfing her didn't matter. She blocked out the boiling pain of the fire covering her body. What point was there in running? She couldn't run from her feelings. It was better to just close her eyes; close her eyes and rest...
Forgotten Fire: The First Spark
The air was cool and still. The gentle buzz of night surrounded the sleeping filly. Her body was still, but her mind was overflowing with her emotions and fears. The flames had died down long ago, but the pain of abandonment was still burning her. She didn't know why the fire hadn't burned her alive; she didn't care. She just closed her eyes as tightly as she could and shut the wold out. It's the only thing she could do.
For hours she slept. She missed the sun reclaiming the sky. She missed the cheers from every pony in Equestria celebrating the return of Princess Luna. She even missed her sister running over to her and doing everything she could to wake her, all in vain. Everything was gone, so she slept.
She wasn't sure how long she had lied there, burying herself in her own misery. All she knew was that this wasn't where she had lied down. This place wasn't the pile of ashes that had once been her house, nor was it the familiar forest that had been her home for all her life. There were clay walls built up around her, with strange masks hanging from them, and a large cauldron sitting in the middle of the room. It took her reddened eyes to adjust to the new landscape, but as soon as her world came into focus, fear gripped her heart. She bolted to her hooves, ready to run out of the door she was still trying to find, when a smooth and kind voice whispered, "Do not give into your fright, I assure you that you will be alright."
Out of the shadowy door frame appeared a Zebra, or at least, Ember thought it was a Zebra. She had never actually seen one, but she was sure of it, because of the stripes. The Zebra was wearing a dark-brown cloak with the hood pulled up. After pushing the hood off, Ember could see that the Zebra's neck was covered in strange golden bands, and so was her front hoof. She had a ring in her ear, and her mane was standing straight up. Ember couldn't believe how strange this creature looked.
"Where am I", Ember asked. "What am I doing here?"
"I saw that you were in distress, I figured you could use a rest."
"I was fine where I was, I don't need your help," she replied angerly. "Who are you and what do you want?"
"Zecora is who I am, and I must help you, in any way I can."
Ember looked away, anger in her eyes. All of her sadness had been replaced by hatred for this Zebra. Ember just wanted to get out of this hut and go into the forest; she didn't know where, just someplace other than here.
"I know the darkness that is in your heart, but please do not let it tear you apart." Ember turned her head towards the Zebra, confused. "Please just listen to what I have to say, then you can decide if you want to stay."
As the moon rose into the darkening sky, Zecora told Ember that she was sorry for what happened to her family, that if she needed any help in any way that she would help, and that Ember could stay with her for as long as she might need. As they talked, Ember began to warm-up to Zecora, and she accepted her generous offers, figuring that she still needed a home. They kept talking until the sun was ready to rise, and Ember felt happy, actually happy. She pushed and feelings of her family deep within the recesses of her mind. Now, Zecora was her family, and she was happy.
Forgotten Fire: The First Spark
The long trip from Ponyville back to their home in the Everfree Forrest was one filled with great joy. Faolan and Serenity had just become the parents of their third child. Serenity carried the basket which held the small orange filly with a fiery colored mane. They were approaching their nice little hut where their other two fillies were happily awaiting their return. The pure joy Faolan felt was evident as he briskly trotted to the door, but Serenity was a bit more content. There was something about this new baby that she couldn't quite place. Her worry was replaced, however, when she saw the glee-filled faces of her children.
"MOMMY! DADDY!"
"Trixie, Soarin, we're back, and we brought a surprise."
The two fillies crowded around the basket that Serenity had just placed on the floor in the living room. They both basked in awe at the little filly, stirring in her sleep. Trixie's face lit up when she saw her sweet little sister. Soarin looked lovingly, but not specifically impressed, having seen Trixie being brought home not two years ago. Either way, they were both ecstatic to have a new sister. Serenity glanced over at Faolan, pride beaming in his eyes, and she couldn't help but smile. The wonderful feelings of her family pushed any uncertainty out of Serenity's mind.
They laid the new filly down in her crib, turned off the lights, and went to tuck their other children into bed. After the nightly routine had been finished, Faolan headed to bed.
"I'll join you in a bit. I'll just be up a little while longer" Serenity said.
"Alright," Faolan replied, "please don't be too long."
Serenity stared out of the window at the moon. The dark, wooden land that surrounded the house was basked in the pale light of the moons glow. A shutter shot through her spine when her eyes set on the dark shadow caste upon it. "The Mare on the Moon," she thought to herself, "that's what they've been calling her." She turned her head and wandered into the middle of the room, her movement slow and smooth. She sunk her head down in though about her new child. She just couldn't get over her feelings about her. Something was wrong, but she had no idea what it could be. Serenity pushed the thoughts from her mind, determined to not let them effect how she felt, and went into her bedroom where Faolan was already asleep. Sleep came very difficult due to the 1,000 different thoughts swarming around in Serenity's mind. She was thinking about her new filly Ember, her whole life living in the Everfree Forrest, and things she hadn't thought about in a long, long time. Eventually sleep found her, but it did not bring peace. She gave up, and spent the rest of the night re-living memories she had desperately tried to forget.
Forgotten Fire: The First Spark
The Harmony Chronicals-Part 1
A long time ago, in the magical land of Equestria, six friends kept the balance of the land with the six Elements of Harmony: Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic. These six friends were charged with the task of looking over the land of Equestria, and the creatures that lived there. The dominate species were the Ponies: Earth, Pegasus, and Unicorn. These three species lived together in peace and tranquility after leaving their old land and prejudices behind them in the search of a better life and friendship. The six friends were not only supposed to take care of the ponies and the numerous other creatures, but defend Equestria from those who would do it harm.
Far from Equestria existed other kingdoms: the magical Crystal Empire, the rocky mountains of the Dragons, and the dark and barren landscape of Nightingale. Like Equestria, the Crystal Empire was a peaceful society of kind ponies who spread happiness and joy across the lands with the Crystal Heart. The Dragons tended to stick to their mountains and coexist without worry of the ponies living outside of their realm. Unlike the compassionate ponies if Equestria and the Crystal Empire, and the uninterested Dragons of the mountains, Nightingale was the home of evil creatures who were hell-bent on taking the other kingdoms for their own. The nightmarish Bat-Ponies of the barren canyon lands soul purpose was to wreak havoc on the world of ponies by using war and dark magic. These creatures would not stop until they achieved what they were out to conquer, no matter what the challenge, not even the six wielders of the Elements of Harmony. The Bat-Ponies would find some way to destroy the Elements, no matter what the risk or cost.
And so it was that the six friends would defend Equestria and its neighboring kingdoms from the evil of the Bat-Ponies. It was up to the three Alicorns, the Unicorn, the Pegasus, and the Dragon comprised of miss-matched body parts to keep balance in the fragile world in which they lived. But would they be up to the task? Would they be able to resist the lure of darkness and the evil magic of the Bat-Ponies? Would the Elements of Harmony be able to save Equestria from the fallout of hatred and death? Only time would be able to tell...