Cutie Mark Crusaders and the Haywire Campfire

by QuestionMarkPony

Rating: everyone
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Cutie Mark Crusaders
Length: 5533

A fire breaks out in the Everfree forest.

A fire breaks out in the Everfree forest and the citizens of Ponyville must band together to help put out the blaze. Featuring appearances from the mane six and everyone's favorite mail mare among other notable ponies.

This story was originally written as part of the FIMFiction February Write Off.

Published 2012-03-06 18:23:25 UTC
Last updated 2012-02-20 06:07:30 UTC

Cutie Mark Crusaders and the Haywire Campfire

Cutie Mark Crusaders and the Haywire Campfire

It was a hot, summer day in the magical land of Equestria and ponies everywhere were making good use of the fine weather while it lasted. Nowhere was this truer than in the small town of Ponyville where sports games and picnics and afternoon strolls were the order of the day. Every pony was trying their best to relax and enjoy themselves, except that is, for three little fillies who had set out that morning with a different mission entirely.

“What about cutie mark crusader scuba divers!”

“We tried that already. Remember that squid, Sweetie Bell?”

“Oh yeah. Sorry Scootaloo.”

“I know!” cried an excited Apple Bloom, “cutie mark crusader survivalists!”

“Survivalist? What’s that?” asked Sweetie Bell.

“It’s like camping and learning how to survive in the forest and stuff,” explained Apple Bloom. She’d heard the term a few times in recent months from her brother, Big Macintosh, and had a vague notion of what it entailed. He’d really taken an interest in the topic ever since Princess Luna returned to Equestria at the last Summer Sun Celebration. “We need a ‘bug out bag’ though if we want to do it proper like.”

“Bug bag? I don’t like bugs, Apple Bloom.”

“Why? Are you afraid of bugs, Sweetie Bell?” Scootaloo jeered.

“No! They’re just icky and gross. Besides, you’re the only chicken in this group.” Sweetie Bell and Apple Bloom giggled at the joke. Scootaloo had been stuck with the nickname ‘Chicken’ ever since the three fillies had ventured into the Everfree Forest alone while on a sleepover some time ago. She hated the name, it was so uncool, and the girls seemed to tease her with it whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Apple Bloom stopped and thought for a moment. “I don’t think it’s too important because Big Macintosh says you can just leave it wherever, as long as you can find it when you need to. We can try fire building and food collecting and all that other stuff without it.”

“Well then, what are we waiting for?” said Scootaloo. The girls beamed at each other, their minds made up.

“Cutie mark crusader survivalists! Yay!” squealed all three fillies in unison.

* * *

A few minutes later, on the northern edge of the Everfree Forest, the cutie mark crusaders were busily setting up their survivalist camp.

They had no idea how to start a fire without matches, so they had stopped by Fluttershy’s cottage on the way to the woods. Fluttershy was probably the kindest and most trusting pony in all of Equestria, but she wasn’t stupid. She’d asked the young fillies what they had intended to do with the matches before she had handed them over. Apple Bloom had felt bad about lying to Fluttershy, but if they needed the matches to get their survivalist cutie marks then no harm could come of it in the end.

The fact that they were all wearing their auburn colored cutie mark crusader capes should have given the game away, but Fluttershy didn’t doubt the innocent little fillies. Such thoughts were not a part of her nature.

Apple Bloom dumped the last of the dry wood and tinder onto the mound that would soon become their campfire. Scootaloo was fiddling with the matchbook, clearly anxious to get started, and Apple Bloom briefly reconsidered the decision to leave Scootaloo in charge of starting the fire.

There was a crunch of foliage along the edge of the forest and Sweetie Bell emerged carrying a branch ladened with dull, purple fruits. “Um, I think these are edible,” she said, doubting herself.

“They’ll do. Can I please start the fire already?”

Apple Bloom looked around, checking that everything was in order before giving Scootaloo the go-ahead. They had made a small tent by propping up two of their capes with sticks. The third cape lay on the ground, its silken inner layer facing the sky and sparkling golden in the sunlight. If it rained, they would use this third cape to catch water, but it served no real purpose at the moment. “Alright, light the fire Scootaloo.”

Phosphorus met strike pad and the match burst into flame. Scootaloo nestled it in the dry, powdery tinder that had been arranged around the edge of the campfire which caught at once. Before long some of the thinner sticks were burning and the fire had taken hold. Smiles etched the fillies’ faces as they watched the flickering flames, marveling at the intricate patterns they danced through the air.

There was a slight breeze and it fanned the fire nicely. The flames continued to grow and the girls added more sticks occasionally as they saw fit. The fire rose hungrily each time new fuel was added and before long it roared merrily.

Occasionally a little gust of wind would blow embers from the fire into the air. The little fillies were pleased by this and watched the orange flecks as they rose and fell and faded. But some of the flecks didn’t fade and hit the ground still hot and smoldering.

The air shimmered with the combined heat of the fire and an already warm day. The grass was mostly green but yellowing in places where the summer sun had dried it and it was in one such yellow patch that the trouble started.

Hot embers and dry grass get along very well together, like a house on fire as a matter of fact, except it’s the grass which is on fire.

Sweetie Bell was the first to spot the problem.

“Oh, my gosh! Fire! The grass is on fire!” she screamed in panic.

“Of course it’s- Wait? Grass?” and Scootaloo stared in disbelief as the fire leapt from one blade of grass to the next.

Thwap! Apple Bloom struck out at the flames with her cape. While the other two sat gawping, wondering what to do, she had taken the initiative and now beat furiously at the steadily spreading fire.

“Help me,” she pleaded, turning to her friends. Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell snapped into action and lunged for their own capes.

Then they stopped and stared in horror as Apple Bloom’s cape smoked and began to burn. The golden lining, so beautiful before, was rapidly being reduced to a blackened mess.

* * *

Fluttershy was humming to herself as she walked the edge of the Everfree Forest. A breeze blew through her mane and she smiled at Angel, her pet rabbit, as he hopped along beside her.

“Oh my, what a lovely day. Don’t you think so, Angel?” she said, her voice lilting on the wind.

Angel cocked his head and shrugged indifferently.

“Oh come on now, even baby bunnies must enjoy a sunny day like today.”

This time Angel just kept on hopping. He was like that sometimes. Fluttershy didn’t mind because deep down she knew he was happily enjoying the beautiful weather as much as she was.

A blue bird flashed overhead almost indiscernible from the clear blue sky, but Fluttershy’s trained eyes spotted him clearly enough. I wonder where he’s going in such a hurry, she thought and with a few flaps of her wings she took to the sky to follow the blue bird’s progress. If anything was going on in the world of the birds and the animals then Fluttershy wanted in on it.

Angel stopped and watched her from below, just for a moment, before turning around and hopping back in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage. He knew her thoughts just as she knew his. She would return home when she was done and he intended to be there for when she did.

The blue bird was gone by the time Fluttershy crested the foliage of the trees. From the direction he had been heading she surmised that he would be somewhere over Ponyville by now. The breeze was stronger above the trees and she felt its cool fingers gently caress her with each flap of her wings.

All around her the world was peaceful and as it should be.

Then she heard something. It was soft, no doubt carried by the wind, but she couldn’t quite place it. A sheep perhaps? She turned in midair and followed the sound. No. Not a sheep. Voices. She could hear voices.

Fluttershy was nearing the edge of the tree line now so she allowed herself to drift downwards and alighted upon the soft ground below before stepping out of the trees.

The voices were nearer now. She could hear them coming from her left. They were female voices but she was still too far away to make out what they were saying. She kept following them along the edge of the trees and then she saw a few thin wisps of smoke.

Fluttershy paused and then broke into a run. She recognized those voices now. She had heard them just a few hours ago, asking to borrow a box of matches on Applejack’s behalf. They had lied to her. She realized that now. How dare they lie to her! And now what? Smoke? A fire? Panic set in and she ran faster.

The trees curved up ahead and she could not see around the bend before she reached it. When she turned the corner, her heart froze in her chest along with the modicum of anger that she had felt at being lied to. In front of her, three soot-streaked fillies tried in vain to stamp out a roaring fire. Great swaths of grass were ablaze and in the space beyond she could see one of the great knurled trees of the Everfree Forest burning brightly.

“Girls!” she screamed. They heard her cry and ran towards her. She could see the tears running down their cheeks and the mixture of relief and guilt in their eyes. She wanted to grab them and hold them tight and take them away from the fire and the heat and the now billowing smoke. No! She had to stay. She had to take control. The fire would spread until it engulfed all of Ponyville and the Everfree forest would be no more than ashes in the wind. It had to be stopped, or at least contained.

Apple Bloom startled babbling an apology but Fluttershy cut her off.

“Not now, Apple Bloom. We can talk later. Right now we’re the only things standing between that fire and Ponyville. Scootaloo, I need you to fly back to Ponyville and warn everypony about the fire.”

“But I can’t fl-” began Scootaloo.

“Just go, please, and hurry!” Scootaloo immediately turned and dashed in the direction of the town.

“Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, I’m sorry but we must stop the fire from spreading. Stick close to me and concentrate on any small patches of fire you see…”

* * *

“I still don’t understand how you can eat so much sugar?” said Twilight Sparkle bemusedly.

“That’s easy, silly! I just gobble it up! Nom-nom-nom,” gleefully explained Pinkie Pie, who then proceeded to demonstrate on yet another cupcake. Suddenly Pinkie’s smile vanished and her eyes widened “Oh! Oh! Twilight! My knee’s all pinchy winchy!” said Pinkie Pie wiggling her hoof in the air.

“Your knee? Is this one of your ‘Pinkie sense’ things again?”

“Yeah, it means something scary is about to happen!”

“Please, what could be scary on a perfect day like today?”

“I don’t know but my knee is really pinchy…” Pinkie Pie frowned and wiggled her hoof some more for added effect.

It was at that moment that Scootaloo, gasping and out of breath, raced around the corner of a nearby building and spotted Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie. Her vision blurred as she changed direction to intercept the two ponies and she felt her strength leaving her as she neared the end of her frantic run.

“Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Twilight! Over there!” screamed Pinkie Pie

“Scootaloo! Whatever’s wrong? What are you covered in?” queried Twilight, putting her head against Scootaloo’s body to steady the trembling filly.

Scootaloo mumbled something, but she was so out of breath that the words were lost on Twilight and Pinkie. In the end, all she could muster was the strength to say a single solitary word, “fire”, and weakly point back in the direction from which she had come.

Instantly Twilight was on alert.

“Fire! Oh no, no, no…” but Twilight could see that Scootaloo was indeed covered in soot and she knew that the little filly had exhausted every ounce of strength to warn them of the approaching danger.

“Pinkie Pie, I need you to take Scootaloo to the hospital right away,” and as an afterthought Twilight added, “and then get a hold of Rainbow Dash, tell her to gather up the weather ponies and to bring every rain cloud she can find.”

“Okie dokie!” and with a crisp salute Pinkie was off on her mission, Scootaloo flung over her back.

Twilight’s mind raced. Rainbow Dash could be anywhere and who knew how long it would take to find enough rain clouds to put out a fire on a day like today, when the sky is so clear. In the middle of summer, wildfires could easily get out of control. She’d read about it happening in a book. In all likelihood the other earth and unicorn ponies would have to take action while the pegasi were gathering the rains.

She heard a cry and looked up. Other ponies around Ponyville were staring at the sky where a cloud of thick black smoke was steadily rising just south of the town. A pink pony with a yellow mane and a white lily in her hair squealed “the horror… the horror” before fainting. Something had to be done, and quickly, or the whole town would descend into chaos.

Calling on her magic, Twilight Sparkle summoned a large box and leapt on top of it so that she could see over the heads of those ponies closest to her.

“Listen up everypony!” she cried out, and in unison all the ponies within earshot turned to look at her, their attention drawn to the purple unicorn and her authoritative voice. “There’s a fire south of town and if it is allowed to spread who knows what damage it could do to our homes. I need everypony to help me put out the fire as quickly as possible but that means we will need to work together.”

Twilight spoke easily now, the words coming naturally to her. “You!” she pointed at a nearby stallion, “round up everypony you can find and tell them to grab buckets, cups, saucepans, anything that can carry water, and then send them to meet us.” The stallion nodded and set off on his assigned task. “Everypony else follow me!”

* * *

The fire had grown tremendously since Scootaloo had left. At first Fluttershy and the two remaining fillies had only succeeded in slowing the advancing flames. Then welcome assistance came in the form of Rarity and two other ponies that had seen the smoke and come running. Together the six of them had managed to hold their ground against the roaring flames for a time, but the fire was growing in all directions at once and the thin line that the six ponies formed was soon bowing backwards as the fire slowly seeped around the edges. In the end they had to withdraw or risk being cutoff entirely by the flames. With soot blackened faces and hooves stinging from the heat, they had retreated.

Twilight and her small posse arrived at the scene just in time to watch the hasty retreat. Immediately she ordered the six ponies to head back to town, they had already played their part in the drama of the day and she could see that they were too exhausted to continue.

As they stumbled away, Twilight allowed herself a second to listen to Rarity’s cries of “My tail! My beautiful tail!” before returning her focus to the inferno before them. If Rarity’s worst injury was a slightly singed tail then she had been quite lucky.

To Twilight, the entire northern edge of the Everfree forest seemed to be ablaze. Great swaths of trees were already being consumed and the crackling of their branches was audible even though there had to be at least fifty meters of burning grass between her and the nearest tree. Each branch that broke was like the dull staccato of distant thunder.

Thankfully there was a small river that wound its way lazily through the middle of Ponyville. Twilight doubted that the fire could cross the river but she hoped she would never have a chance to find out. If the flames got that far then a good half of Ponyville would already have been lost. She had to act soon, before long the hellish sea of flames would reach the southernmost edge of Ponyville. She couldn’t let it get that far.

Behind Twilight, the other ponies waited for her instructions. A few new faces had joined the group of expectant ponies and she could see more trotting towards them from the town. Less than half of the ponies with her had anything that could carry water. Those that had come equipped she quickly formed up into a bucket brigade stretching back to the river, each pony passing a full container of water forward to the next in line. This water was them dumped directly onto the leading edge of the flames causing them to sputter and steam.

Of the other ponies, those that had magic were called upon to dig fire trenches around the eastern and western edges of the flaming grasses. Twilight had faith in the fact that their magic, however untrained in the art of firefighting, would prove sufficient to uprooting enough grass and earth to contain the fire.

The earth ponies that were left had the toughest job of all and many regretted not returning home for a bucket so that they could have carried water instead. They were tasked with stamping out the fire with their bare hooves. If they stayed together and kept a close line then they could starve the fire of new fuel and slowly force it to burn out.

“You can’t ask us to do that!” cried one fearful blue stallion, but Twilight Sparkle cut him off and pointed out that the fire would likely be destroying Ponyville by now had Fluttershy and the two fillies not stayed behind earlier and stamped out the fire wherever it had started to spread. If two fillies and Fluttershy, meek as she was, had tried to stomp out the fire on their own initiative then the group of earth ponies could hardly stand against Twilight’s orders now, so they set about their task.

Twilight thought about helping the other unicorn ponies, but they seemed to be doing fine without her and moving to help either group would take her away from the center of the action and make it harder for her to give instructions to the rest of the ponies. Instead she called forth as much of her magic as she could and channeled it into changing the direction of the wind. Where before gusts of wind had blown the fire nearer and nearer to Ponyville, now they drove it back towards the Everfree Forest. The wind blew the heat of the blaze away from the assembled ponies and allowed them to get closer to the flames where there hooves and water buckets could be put to better use. More importantly, stunting the fire’s progress towards the town meant that Twilight was buying more time, both for the trench digging unicorns and for Rainbow Dash and the Pegasi.

On the down side, more and more of the Everfree Forest began to succumb to the flames.

* * *

Rainbow Dash had called together all of the pegasus ponies and had divided them into squads. Each squad was led by one of her expertly trained weather team, so the inexperienced among them could benefit from their knowledge during the time ahead.

The full extent of the wildfire was readily apparent to the pegasi, who benefitted from an aerial view. Rainbow Dash was worried about how clear the skies were and wondered if enough clouds could be gathered to completely quench the roaring flames below. In a moment of wisdom not common to the headstrong mare, she decided to call for two volunteers; one to head to Cloudsdale to bring back a few fully loaded rain clouds directly from the weather factory itself and another to head to Canterlot to alert Princess Celestia of the situation.

Rainbow Dash selected one of her own team for the Cloudsdale assignment. They knew the proper channels and exactly what to ask for when they got there. Her decision on who to send to Princess Celestia was a little more difficult. She didn’t want to lose more of her weather team because they were needed here in Ponyville. And then Rainbow Dash spotted a gray hoof among those raised to volunteer.

“Private Derpy, front and center!” called Rainbow Dash in the most authoritative voice she could muster. The gray pony with soft, straw colored hair darted forward unsteadily until she hovered in front of Rainbow Dash. Behind her several of the assembled pegasi muttered, rubbing bruised elbows and examining wings where Derpy had bumped into them on her way through.

There’s no way I’m letting her go anywhere near that fire, thought Rainbow Dash, we’re in enough trouble already as it is.

“Derpy, I have a very important mission for you. I need you to fly to Canterlot and report to Princess Celestia on the state of the fire. Do you think you can manage that, Derpy?”

“You can count on me, Rainbow Dash!” said Derpy Hooves with a grin.

“Well then… get a move on!”

“Oh! Sure thing, Rainbow Dash. Anything I can do to help.” And with that Derpy took off in roughly the direction of Canterlot.

“All right everypony, let’s go find some clouds!” called Rainbow Dash to the remaining pegasi, who immediately broke off into their squads and set to work.

* * *

Back on the ground, the earth and unicorn ponies were continuing their fight. Through immense effort and teamwork they had checked the fire’s progress and were now slowly driving it back towards the edge of the Everfree Forest. To many of the ponies, it looked like victory was only a matter of time, but in actual fact the fire had only moved deeper into the forest itself. For every meter that the ponies reclaimed, another meter of the Everfree Forest was set alight.

Twilight Sparkle was so focused on using her magic to help the ponies around her that the danger of the fire spreading in the other direction had slipped her mind entirely.

Of all creatures, it was Spike, the purple and green dragon hatchling, who realized how false the ponies’ sense of impending victory was. He had shown up a few minutes after Twilight had assigned the ponies to their tasks, so he decided on his own to join the earth ponies who were trying to stamp out the embers from the fire. When some of the ponies later recounted the events of that day, the irony of a dragon helping to put out a fire started by three little ponies was not lost on them.

Because of his dragon heritage, Spike was well suited to stamping out the fire. He delved right into the thickest part of the flames, shrugging off the heat easily due to the resistance that his scales and hide afforded him. It was here, in the hottest part of the blazing inferno, that Spike noted how much more smoke poured out of the forest than when he had arrived and his mind made the connection.

At first the idea disheartened him, but then a new thought struck him like a sonic rainboom to the skull. Zecora. His eyes widened and his mind was instantly made up. Spike broke ranks with the earth ponies around him and sprinted head long into the fire in the direction of the Everfree Forest.

No pony noticed him leaving and no pony worried about the little dragon who was, after all, at home surrounded by smoke and flames.

* * *

Rainbow Dash frowned as she surveyed the loose collection of wispy clouds that her weather ponies had strung together. She hoped it would prove to be enough, but she feared that wasn’t the case. Then, just as she was about to give the order to begin squeezing every last drop of rain out of their meager cloud cover, she heard a shout from one of her weather squadron and turned to see a massive wall of thick, black rain clouds approaching rapidly from the direction of Cloudsdale.

Sending that messenger had paid off after all.

Rainbow Dash ordered half of her pegasi to commence the rains with the clouds that they had already assembled and rushed to meet the oncoming storm from Cloudsdale with the rest of her troop in tow.

Down below, the earth and unicorn ponies cheered as the heavens opened and the rain began to fall. It came slowly at first, but as the fresh storm clouds arrived the rain quickly became a torrential downpour the likes of which were rarely seen in the lands around Ponyville. The fires, which had raged for hours despite the best efforts of the local ponyfolk, were put out in mere minutes. Everywhere gleeful ponies let the rain wash over them, cleaning away the soot and the sweat and purifying them in the wake of their ordeal.

Twilight Sparkle felt a warmth growing inside of her as the relief set in. They had done it. They had survived and Ponyville had been saved.

She surveyed the scene around her. Here and there ponies cheered and danced, splashing merrily in puddles. Others sat and let the emotion of the moment wash over them. From what she could see, no pony was badly hurt. A few manes had been singed, but nopony had suffered any kind of permanent injury.

“Shoot! Did I miss all the fun?” it was Pinkie Pie, pulling a large pink and white wagon filled with what appeared to be water balloons.

“Pinkie,” scolded Twilight “there are some things that you really shouldn’t take lightly.”

“Uh huh,” said Pinkie, not really paying attention, “where’s Spike? When I told him about the fire he went running over here but I can’t see him anywhere.”

“Spike?” Twilight thought back. She seemed to remember seeing him but she hadn’t bothered to think about it much at the time given everything else going on. A knot formed in her stomach as she started looking around, trying desperately to spy the little dragon somewhere in the crowd of joyous ponies.

“Twilight?” but Twilight Sparkle didn’t hear her friend. She raced off and started asking everypony she came across whether or not they had seen Spike. Cheerilee, who was near the front of the bucket brigade, remembered seeing him helping stamp out the fire with the earth ponies up front. When Twilight asked the earth ponies in question, many of them remembered seeing Spike in the heart of the blaze but none could tell her where he had gone afterwards.

Many of the ponies had stopped their celebrations now and the word was slowly being passed around that Spike was missing. Some even started calling his name and Twilight joined in with fear cracking her voice, but there was no answer.

Then, just as Twilight was beginning to despair, who should emerge from the smoldering edge of the Everfree Forest but Spike. Propped up on his shoulder was a barely conscious Zecora who leaned on Spike with every step. Spike’s face broke into a tired grin as he was immediately swallowed by the herd of ponies. Zecora was taken away to get medical help and the other ponies began to bombard Spike with questions.

“What happened to you and Zecora?”

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Wow, Spike, you’re amazing. That fire didn’t even touch you did it!”

Then above them all came a voice he knew very well and a sobbing Twilight landed in his arms, hugging him and loving the fact that he was okay.

“Woah! Calm down Twilight. I’m okay.”

“Don’t you ever worry me like that again, Spike,” mumbled Twilight between sobs.

“I’m sorry. I should have told somepony where I was going, but if I had of waited much longer Zecora might not have made it.”

Then Spike proceeded to tell Twilight and the surrounding ponies about how he had realized the danger Zecora was in after he spotted the fire encroaching upon the Everfree Forest. He had set off at once to try and warn her of the danger moving her way, but when he had arrived at her shack it was already burning. He had heard her muffled cries for help and had dragged her to safety. Zecora had inhaled a lot of smoke and the two of them had barely kept ahead of the wall of fire that pursued them.

Spike ended his story by describing his relief at the sudden rain shower and how he and Zecora had made their way back towards Ponyville.

The collective praise of the assembled ponies was cutoff, however; as the sound of a trumpet announced the arrival of the royal chariot.

“Hey Twilight, Spike, glad to see you’re both okay,” called Rainbow Dash as she alighted on the ground beside her two friends, “I sent Derpy Hooves to fetch Princess Celestia when Pinkie Pie first told me about the fire. I figured the Princess would need to assess the situation given how much damage the fire was doing and all.”

“Good thinking, Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight meaning it.

“I AM SORRY TO DISAPPOINT EVERYPONY BUT I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS MY PRESENCE NOT THAT OF MY SISTER THAT WAS REQUIRED.”

“Princess Luna!” gasped Twilight Sparkle, surprised to see the lunar princess rather than Princess Celestia. Luna was usually too busy playing video games and catching up on a thousand-years-worth of outdated astrology charts to perform many public duties.

“Oh my gosh! Derpy!” moaned Rainbow Dash.

“I’m sorry Rainbow Dash. I just don’t know what went wrong!” stammered Derpy Hooves

One of Luna’s royal escorts turned and whispered something into the princess’ ear. Luna nodded acknowledgement and turned to Twilight Sparkle.

“CAN YOU…” she thought for a moment, “um… can you please take me to the Ponyville hospital. I’ve been informed that there are three fillies there who have some owning up to do.” Then turning to Rainbow Dash, “I trust that you and the weather team can wrap things up around here without my help?”

“Oh yeah. We’ll have this place back to normal in ten-”

“Good. Lead on Twilight Sparkle,” and the princess was led away, with many of the other ponies trailing in her wake.

* * *

“So what do you have to say for yourselves, my little ponies?”

“We’re sorry, Princess Luna,” chorused Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo as one.

“Good. Well I hope that you have learned your lesson. It is important to try hard to better yourself, but everypony should always consider the consequences that their actions can have on those around them,” said the princess, “And you girls should consider yourselves lucky that Derpy brought me instead of my sister; she would have made sure you had good deal more time to reflect on your actions today. You don’t look much like Cutie Mark Crusader astronauts to me.”

And with a snort of nervous laughter, Princess Luna turned and left the room.

“Well the Princess may have let you girls off easy but I sure as sugar won’t,” grumbled an annoyed Applejack from the foot of Apple Blooms hospital bed. “Your brother and I decided that Zecora should stay in your room, Apple Bloom, until her house gets fixed up. It’s the right thing to do seeing as how ya’ll helped destroy it in the first place by not thinkin’ and all.”

“That’s right. And after you girls have been dismissed from hospital in a day or two, you are going to be helping Fluttershy to replant seeds for all the plants that got burned down and to make new homes for all the animals and birds that lost theirs in the fire,” chimmed in Rarity, who had already been released by the doctors at Ponyville General after they had determined that a few stray tail hairs were not cause enough for an overnight stay.

“Oh, that’s alright, Rarity, I can manage on my own,” mumbled Fluttershy from her bed in the corner of the room.

“Nonsense, my dear. They owe you a great deal more after what they’ve done.”

“Oh man! This is so uncool!” squeaked Scootaloo in her crackling, pubescent voice and everypony laughed at the absurdity of the little filly’s remark.

The End