“Alright... Ponyville. Last chance to some rest...away from others...” A dark red stallion with a black and red mane and tail whispered to himself as he walked by a sign, welcoming to the very town. Despite the warm sun overhead, he was wearing a blanket over his side, with two bags over his flank. As he crossed the bridge, he could hear a group of fillies talking about cutie marks and special talents. One of the fillies, an orange one wearing a helmet, spoke up.
“I know! We could try to get some swimming Cutie Marks!” The stallion chuckled softly as he walked by, before frowning as a yellow filly with a large bow in her mane spoke up. He knew they were talking about talents and Cutie Marks, and that only made him feel worse.
“Yeah! Maybe then we'll get 'em! C'mon Sweetie Belle.” He watched as the third pony, a while unicorn with pink and purple hair ran with the other two fillies, nodding and smiling. The male shook his head and hung his head as he walked along. He figured maybe if he could find the library, he could get some quiet time to himself.
He had no idea where it was, and he was afraid someone would recognize him if he asked for directions. He wondered around Ponyville before he finally found a sign in front of a tree with a book. He figured this was it, and he opened the door. Inside was a purple and green dragon, sitting on a counter, reading a book. The dragon closed the book and put it down quickly as the colt walked inside, and spoke to him.
“Hi! I haven't seen your face around Ponyville, are you new here? My name's Spike, I'm the assistant librarian, as the 'mane' librarian is out” The dragon chuckled at his own joke. The stallion only rolled his eyes before biting his lip.
“When will the head librarian be back? I need to talk to them.” He asked, trying not to sound desperate. He was sweating, however, due to the blanket and the heat around in the air. He needed a rest. Spike saw this, and offered in a place to lay down in the shade.
“Take a seat, she might not be back for a while.” Spike sat down again, opening his book, making sure to keep an ear out for the bell on the door.
“But...” The other male sighed and sat on the floor, making sure that the blanket stayed on. He could find no argument to not stay, and due to the comfy position of the floor and the warmness around him, he quickly fell asleep.
When he awoke, he was in a comfy bed, and he gasped and looked at himself under the covers, widening his eyes. Whoever had moved him had seen his Cutie Mark; A bright red flame. He sighed and stuffed his face into the pillow and closed his eyes. Then he heard a voice, this one was a sweet-sounding, female voice.
“Hello! I haven't seen you around Ponyville, and I'm sure I would've seen you... I'm Twilight Sparkle, and you are...?” The stallion turned his head and opened an eye to look at her. What he saw astounded him. A lavender unicorn with a purple and pink mane was looking straight at him. She must have been the one to put me up here, he thought. She saw my Mark...and she's...still smiling? The mare continued to smile before chuckling a bit awkwardly. “Hello? Equestria to...?”
The stallion couldn't resist speaking and telling her his name. He perked up. “Blaze. Blaze WildFire.” He did, however, instantly regret it. He sighed and shuddered, stuffing his face back into the pillow. This left Twilight with a confused look.
“Blaze? Um...are you okay?” She put a hoof on his back and shook him softly, he groaned and shook her off. She put on a worried face and tilted her head. “I know we just met... but you can trust me.”
As Blaze looked up at her, he knew he could trust her. Maybe it was that spark in her eyes, it reminded him of...
No. He could not remember her, not now. He decided that he could tell her everything...eventually. So, he started to speak, calmly, slowly at first. “Well... I'm... I just...I don't like my name, nor my talent.” He looked over and saw her opening her mouth. “And before you ask... I just don't.” He quickly added, and saw she shut her mouth. She nodded softly.
“You know. You should never be ashamed of who you are. Who you are is...what makes you unique, and you should never be sad of it, or dislike it.” He looked at her, then sighed and looked away, shaking his head.
“You really don't know the entire story. I just...wait a second, are you the head librarian?”
“Yep!” She spoke easily. He nodded before sitting up again, slower this time.
“I...I was wondering if...I could maybe...stay here? I don't want anypony else to know...and you've already seen my Mark....”
“Well...I don't have a lot of room...but maybe you could stay for a few days. But why don't you want anypony seeing your mark? It's just a fi-”
“Sh!” He cut her off quickly, afraid anyone else would hear, such as Spike. “Please Twilight. I don't want anyone else to know...it's...it's frightening...” She was about to ask why, before her sharp mind quickly pieced it together.
“Wait a sec...you mean you can control...it?” She widened her eyes a bit, wondering exactly what his talent was. She was beginning to get nervous. What if this pony was an arsonist? Would she have to turn him in?
Blaze sighed before nodding slowly. “It's...it's related to my emotions...” He saw the confused look on Twilight's face, and continued. “Meaning, when I'm, say, angry, I might...accidentally set stuff... on fire, or move fire around onto something. It's like...I can't control it well. I have to be completely emotionless... or else bad stuff happens...” He sighed, ending his small speech. He looked over, and saw that, instead of having a terrified look or an angry look, Twilight had a smile on her face.
“Well, I'm sure I can help you control your powers. I used to be the same way, but...well, not to brag, but I learned how to do some powerful magic. Part of it helped me earn my Cutie Mark!” At this, Blaze groaned softly. “Sorry sorry.”
“It's fine...I just...don't like ponies talking about Cutie Marks or talents.” He nodded, then laid back down. “When I was a child and I learned about my talent, it was...difficult. My family has had a history of using elemental magic, but they all learned to control it as colts and fillies. Me? I'm full grown, and still haven't mastered it. So I figured that since I couldn't master it over my emotions, my emotions would have to go.” He nodded before continuing. “But it's difficult, still.”
“I think I understand. I could teach you, or ask Princess Celestia if she could-”
“No! The princess must not be informed of my whereabouts!” Blaze interupted her, getting a shocked look from the mare. She perked an eye-brow and leaned forward, rubbing his back.
“Why not? Are you afraid of her? You can rest assured that I am her most trusted student. If I simply tell her you need mentor, maybe she'd even train you personally...”
Blaze shook his head quickly. He then sat up, and looked back into her eyes. That spark he saw in...her, was still there. “Listen Twilight... I...I thank you for the offer. But if anypony were to recognize me, anypony seen with me would get in trouble...” he shook his head again before sighing.
“In trouble? Why?” The mare opened her eyes wider in shock, wondering just what he could have done. As the stallion looked up, he saw Twilight grow a pair of bat wings, and her fur turned black. Her horn sharpened and curled and she grew taller. A forest grew suddenly from no-where. Twilight had changed, however, when she spoke, she had her normal voice. “Are you okay? You don't look well...”
When he blinked, all was normal. He was inside the tree-library, staring at it's owner, who had grown back to her normal size, shape, and color. He realized he was staring, open mouthed at her. He promptly closed his jaw, feeling his cheeks grow slightly red in embarrassment. He nodded once before getting out of the bed he was laying on, keeping the blanket over his back and flank. “Yes... yes, I'm quite fine, thank you. You were saying?”
“I...was just asking what happened...if you don't wanna tell me, that's fine... but maybe I can help you...” Twilight looked at him with a worried face. Once again he stared, but only for a second.
“...You're a very trust-worthy pony...especially if the Princess trusts you enough to be your teacher...” This was met with a heartfelt smile.
“Well, I believe I can be trusted well... but if you don't want to tell me, I won't make you.” She looked back and started to walk away as he heard Spike call out for her, he shook his head and attempted to grab at her with a hoof.
“Wait, Twilight... I...I can tell you. Maybe you can help me... but you can't tell anyone. Not even your closest friends. Nopony can I'm here, or you might get in some big trouble...” She nodded and smiled before a light, almost whispering voice fluttered up the stairs.
“Twilight? Are you here? I need someone to help me find a book, and Spike doesn't know where it is...”
“Coming!” Was the lavender's pony response. She nodded at the stallion. “We can talk later, when everypony is asleep. He nodded, and watched as she walked down the stairs. He trotted over and looked over the railing. He saw a yellow Pegasus smiling and talking. “So, what'ya need Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy smiled more and nodded softly. Her voice was so soft, Blaze almost couldn't hear her. “Well, you see, one of my animals have this weird disease I've never seen before. Do you have a copy of Animal Diseases and Remedy’s or anything of the like?”
Twilight shook her head, having memorized every book and checkout in her library. “I'm afraid I don't, sorry Fluttershy. I think I lent it to Lyra, for her pet snake though. Maybe she'll let you use it.”
With a small thank you and a farewell, Blaze saw Fluttershy walk out, and sighed. It must be so easy making friends when you can control your talent, he thought to himself. When you don't have to worry about everypony freaking out about being burned.
Blaze looked out the window, and blinked at what he saw. A light-blue grayish Pegasus with blond hair flew by the window, upside down. He thought he also heard something about muffins...
After a few hours of Blaze waiting, hearing several ponies talk about what books they need, Twilight helping them, and just general chatter, the sun was going down. The purple pony walked up her steps with a small yawn. Blaze chuckled. "Your day always this...boring?"
"It's not boring. It's perfectly fine... and so you know, sometimes I learn a special lesson about friendship." The mare chuckled at him and then looked at her one bed. The stallion's gaze followed.
"Let me stay the night, and I'll sleep on the floor. All I need is a blanket. For...you know."
"Yeah. I know... well, I'm sure I could find a spare blanket somewhere around here. You sure you don't want the bed?" Blaze chuckled softly at this, shaking his head.
"I couldn't impose. It's already enough that you're letting me stay here." They both nodded, then he stepped at the ground awkwardly, resulting in a giggle from Twilight.
"It's not imposing, but if you insist... " She walked over to the closet, and using her magic, brought forth a blanket. "This is usually used with guests, or the winter. It's a pretty thick blanket, should be good to lay on."
"Well, I'm not gonna be laying on it...I don't want anyone to peek in and see my Mark..." He told her with a slight bite of his lip. "Do you...still wanna hear about why I'm...here?" He asked, with hint of apprehension in his voice.
"Well, do you still wanna tell me? I won't force you to, but maybe I can help." She ended with a smile at the stallion, climbing into her bed.
Blaze nodded and looked up at her before looking back down with a soft sigh, the memories returning as if they were fresh, despite being several months, if not a year old...
"Blaze!" A black alicorn ran through the forest, yelling her best friend's name. She lept and ducked under branches. She had to find him, it was crucial. Luckily, she found him sitting on a stump, playing with some animals, smiling and having a good time. She bit her lip and stepped down softly, her ringed hooves planted firmly, her crimson and orange mane flowed in the wind, but still stayed over the right of her face. She gently padded over, the animals having seen her quite a lot before.
"What is it Alyx?" The colt smiled and tilted his head, feeding an acorn to a squirrel. He rolled onto his back, and looked up.
The mare bit her lip and looked down, brushing the ground with a hoof. She sighed and looked up, small tears in her eyes. "Your dad...you know how he left a while ago to protect Canterlot?"
At this, the red colts eyes widened and he say up, smiling. "Is he back? He told me when he got back, he'd take me to go get icecream in Fillydelphia! You know, where everyone says they have the best icecream in all of Equestria!"
This almost broke the alicorn's heart to tell him, but she had to. She held back tears, though many still leaked through. She shook her head and sighed. "Yes...I know... but... your father...was killed, protecting the princess. I'm...I'm sorry..."
He blinked, the information settling in, though making him uneasy. He swayed and fell onto his side, his smile gone. "He...he's not...comming back?" He looked at her, she shook her head, her fur already wet from tears.
"Never...I'm sorry... no magic can bring back the dead..." she shuddered at the thought, but still looked at him.
Tears swelled up in the colt's eyes, he stood up and looked up, suddenly bursting out crying. He rested on his hooves and sobbed, his fur quickly wet from tears. Alyx walked over and rubbed his back. A swallow flew in and chirped around for a few minutes, looking for food. The animals around the two ponys looked up, and suddenly ran away into the trees around them. It was several more minutes before Alyx looked up, smelling burning wood.
"B...Blaze!" She gasped out loudly and pushed him away. He looked up, still crying before widening his eyes. The treetops around them were on fire. He rolled out of the way of a falling tree, smoke quickly filling the air as more trees were set on fire. He started to run away, leaving Alyx there. She cried out again, and attempted to fly, but the trees above her were too engulfed in flames to fly, and the smoke distracted her too much for magic.
Without looking back, Blaze ran. With each brush and touch of a leaf or a tree, it was set aflame. He made it out of the forest, panting heavily, crying. He shook his head. "I can never go back...not...not after that..." He sighed and sniffled as he walked away. He didn't even care when he heard a small sound, a flash of light, and a fire was branded forever on his flank.
"And so...I've been on the run ever since." The stallion ended with a nod, his face keeping the same blank expression it had as when he started the story. Twilight's eyes, however, were quite wide.
"Blaze that's...that's terrible...I'm so sorry..." The stallion chuckled lightly and shook his head.
"There's no need to feel pity for me. True, it still hurts, but I'll be fine."
"Who was Alyx? A friend" She looked at him, her gaze getting softer.
"The best, if there was one."
"...Oh..." She looked around before rubbing his arm with a soft smile. "I'm sure I can help you with your magic...and if not, then the princess could, I'm sure... now, if you don't mind..." She yawned and layed back down slowly. "I'm going to bed."
He nodded and layed down as well, resting himself on the floor, letting the blanket cover him. "Good night Aly...Twilight."
