A few birds chirped outside as the sun beat down on equestria. A nearly unbearable heat wave covered canterlot like a thick, woolen blanket. In a small house and into a dark room, quiet breathing kept the silence at bay. A blue filly lay bundled in her blankets as if it was the middle of winter. The blue and purple mass of blankets and a filly rolled, and a swoosh filled the room as the blankets rubbed past one another. A gentle clip clop came from the hallway and progressively got louder.
Eventually there was a knock, "Pyrodessa? Are you awake?"
The filly yawned and stretched, "Mooom... Leh me sleep. I don't start school till tomorrow..."
"Pyrodessa, it's late. Even for you. Get up and i'll take you to a friends."
"Fiiiiine." groaned the filly, obviously annoyed. She kicked off the blankets, the fabrics hitting the floor with a gentle pomf. With a sapphire blue aura, she grabbed a brush from her small desk, which was mostly covered in random clutter and a few ashes. She began to brush through the extreme tangle of sapphire and cyan blue, with a few grunts as the bristles caught particularly bad ones. With a gentle clip clop, she trotted out the door to look at the mare she knew as a mother.
"Ready mommy." she piped, then began to trot a few steps before the crimson mare stopped her.
"Go brush your teeth. Now." she commanded. Pyrodessa groaned and turned back to her room, then returned moments later. Annoyance was obvious in her voice "I feel like you still didn't decide to do it."
"Oh my Celestia, fine!" she snapped, then returned to the bathroom and began to run the water. The blue aura enveloped a bright pink brush and dipped under the stream, while a tube of toothpaste floated over to the brush. Within a few seconds, the entire tube had been squeezed dry. "Oops... Still need practice...", she muttered. She then started to drag the brush across her teeth, enjoying the slight burn of the mint. Pyrodessa finished brushing, then rinsed and trotted to meet her mother. The mare had a slight frown, but quickly hid it before pyrodessa could see.
"Ready?", she asked in a cold tone.
The blue filly couldn't help feeling concerned as she began to speak, "Ready, mommy... Where are we going..?" She proceeded to jump onto her mothers back after the red mare had crouched down.
"Your friends wanted to play at the river.", she replied. She began to trot out of the home, shutting the door with a creak and a slam.
"Wait... You always said to stay away from there. Why are we breaking your rule? Am i gonna be in trouble?!", she hastily asked, panicking slightly.
"No, sweetie. You'll be fine.", she assured her. Pyrodessa nodded and calmed down, playing with her mother's mane for a while.
She then curled up, "I'm taking a nap, mommy. Wake me up when we're there." Her mother did not reply. She only gave herself a small, sadistic smirk.
The sound of an object levitating surrounded the filly, and her mother's warm coat disappeared from under her. The rushing sound of water was easily heard.
A small yawn escaped Pyrodessa's muzzle, "What're we doing, mommy?" The reply from her mother wasn't the normal, soothing tone she always used.
Her voice was cold and hateful as she replied,"I don't need a failure for a daughter." Pyrodessa felt her body be thrown forward, as a gasp left her muzzle. She collided with the water, the cold, seemingly hard surface hitting her as hard as a slap from a pony. She began to flail about, trying to stay above the water's surface.
"Mom!", she screamed, her hooves beating the water. Her hopes went up as she saw the red aura, and she smiled. Then the force she thought of as a savior pushed her under. She tried to gasp for air, but water invaded her lungs. Adrenaline began to pulse through her tiny body, but her strength still couldn't hold off her mother. After a few seconds, the aura dissipated, and she rose to the surface. She quickly latched onto a nearby log, then coughed and choked up water. She quickly pulled herself onto the log and out of the water, screaming as she tried to avoid the liquid.
Pyrodessa managed to paddle to the river bank, then collapsed on the grass. "Mom...", she called weakly before registering what had happened. The blue filly broke into tears and sobbed, pounding the dirt below once with a tiny, blue hoof. She began to ask herself questions, most of which she couldn't even process. Pyrodessa took a shaky breath, then asked herself, "Why?" Then, a rich, elegant, mare's voice permeated her mind.
The soothing tone was also mildly discomforting as it said, "Well now, Pyrodessa. You have seemed to find yourself in very dire circumstances."
Pyrodessa gasped between sobs and wiped her eyes, "W-who's th-there? Where a-are you?" She proceeded to look around her in a mild panic. The only objects in sight were a few trees, the rushing waters of the river, a flock of birds, and the grass below her. Not one pony.
The voice continued, "I am no where really. As hard as it may or may not be to believe, I am within your mind. As for who I am, I've no name. I've never been given one, as I've no parents."
The blue filly replied, "H-have mine. I d-dont want it anym-more."
"Pyrodessa. I quite enjoy that name. What shall I refer to you as?" The filly managed to stop crying long enough to rack her brain for names. Her favorite household object popped into mind.
"Matches.", she said with a sniffle. Matches smiled to herself as the last of the tears rolled down her cheeks and onto the ground.
"Matches? I suppose the name shall do for now. Though i see no reason whatsoever to disown the beautiful name you were given.", Pyrodessa muttered.
"Why are you in my head? I don't wanna share my head.", Matches asked.
Pyrodessa paused, then spoke, "Well now. I suppose you have not noticed you are alone? When a pony is alone, and desperate, celestia gives them a friend. One that can never leave, or hurt them. After all, you cannot possibly go back to your old friends. They may inform your mother as to where you are, and she may desire to finish what she started." Matches felt an ache in her heart, as she knew pyrodessa was right.
"I'm cold...", she thought to herself.
"Then start a fire, you i-. I apologize. I meant to merely suggest you start a fire. It is your talent, after all.", she replied. The reply was cold and angry at first, but returned to her comforting tone as she finished.
"I didn't say that out loud... Don't read my mind. It's weird."
"Very well. I shall never do so again. I apologize once more.", she assured. Pyrodessa proceeded to talk as Matches started a fire with a spell. Matches accepted her new, invisible friend, then let her talk. She then began planning on how she was getting to school tomorrow.