Flare of Hope

Ponies all throughout Ponyville dropped to a knee, as their prince dashed down the main road, a small purple dragon clutching to his back. If it hadn't been so funny, most ponies would've considered it a very big indication that something huge was going down. But it was actually absolutely hilarious.

"Oh, I hope Twilight's alright," the baby dragon whined.

"I don't think they'd kill each other, but I don't think it's too wise to be around that fight."

"Why's that?"

Flare skidded to a grinding halt, Spike smashing into the back if his head. "Because they're in a tree. And Lady Star's specialty doesn't exactly agree with wood."

"Uh... what's her specialty?"

Fire. Everything was ablaze, as the two battered unicorns glared at each other, from opposite ends of the library, breathing heavily. "Ready to give up... Sparkle?"

Twilight glared back, hatred filling her voice. "Never... Falling Whore."

Star snarled, as her horn blazed a grey aura, and hurled a bolt of magic. Twilight jumped to the side, avoiding the bolt, never really figuring how to avoid the aftershock of Star's little grey bolt. The lavender unicorn squealed, as the bolt exploded, the shockwave sending her slamming into the wall, and burning a chunk of fur from her side. Star was too busy reveling in her victory to notice the small crimson bolt shooting toward her. She was hit square in the face by the bolt, and tumbled backward. She got up, and looked around, noticing Twilight crawling out of the rubble of a destroyed bookshelf. Things were definitely about to get scary.

"So, why are we heading back, your highness?"

"Well, since the library, itself is fireproof, then we don't have to worry about it collapsing around us, right?"

"Well, um yeah..."

"Then I want to watch this."

The dragon relaxed his grip now that the prince had slowed down. "Um... forgive me for questioning your judgement, your highness, but why?"

Flare turned his head and looked at Spike. "Because it'll be funny. One day, you'll learn just how much fun passive-aggressive button-pushing is. Plus, I think Star likes it. Plus I need to make sure neither of them gets hurt."

"So, you must really like Lady Star, if you tease her so much."

Flare's eyes went wide. For a moment, he thought about denying it, and lying to the baby dragon, but then he remembered how the fight between the two mares began, and realized there wouldn't be any use in denying it. After the whole thing was over and done with, Celestia would probably get a letter from Twilight, and then it would all be out in the open. Joy. "Well, Spike, can you keep a secret?"

The little dragon nodded. "You bet I can. I'm not like Twilight." And that only confirmed Flare's fear.

"Well, Lady Star, and I are secretly dating."

"Oh, wow! I promise I won't tell anyone, your highness."

Flare smiled back at Spike, and chuckled lightly, noting that they were almost at the library. "Well, then you have my gratitude, Spike. In fact, I may even ask my mom about knighting yo- HOLY SHIT!"

Spike looked worried. "What is it, your highne- Mother of Celestia!"

Both of them stared, wide-eyed at the library. It was still standing, and had been unburnt, but that didn't mean it was immortal to everything. Most of the walls had holes, from where small explosions had blown out a fragment of the wood. Most of the windows were broken, and fire was pouring out of the holes in the structure. Flare took off in a heavy gallop toward the library, hoping that nothing horrible had happened to Star.

Just as he was about five meters from the door, the door shattered, and out flew Twilight Sparkle, sliding, as she hit the ground, and toppling into Flare and Spike, knocking them both over, as she ran into them. Flare finally got back to his hooves, and looked back at the door. There stood Falling Star, her eyes blazing a deep grey, and she was breathing quite heavily. She had a few patches of fur missing, and a small piece of her mane had been disintegrated, but she still looked to be in better shape than Twilight.

Flare stood, staring at the blue unicorn, somewhat dumbfounded, but completely speechless. Spike was on the opposite end of the reaction spectrum, and he ran to Twilight and started trying to wake her up. Star trotted over to Flare, and nodded her head in the direction away from the library. "We should probably go."

"Definitely."