Fire and Ice

I sat up yawning. Today I was feeling nice and refreshed. I checked my phone. 6:37 am.

6:37! S***. I jumped up and looked around. Applejack, Big Mac, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash were still here. Andrew, Beth and Ben were still here too, but they technically lived here now. Wait? Where's Claire? I spun on my heels and let out a breath of relief when I saw her walking towards us from the woods. She seemed unusually happy. "Where were you? I asked evenly.

"Just taking a morning walk to the woods. We should consider getting ourselves some motorcycles, and did they really sleep over next to a bonfire?" Claire asked while looking at the the girls. Speaking of which.

I knew she was hiding something from me, but the girls hadn't planned to spend the night and their folks must have been worrying about them. "Hey! Wake up!" I shouted at them. They all mumbled and started waking up. Rarity was up in a instant with a mask of horror on her face.

"Why I just slept in my clothes? That is completely bad for personal hygiene," she cried looking close to tears. Ben sat up while looking around quickly. When he saw that no one was messing with her he laid back down.

Applejack and Big Mac sat up with worried looks on their faces. "We better git on home bro," she said to Big Mac.

"Eeeee yup," Big Mac said with the same worried expression.

"Granny Smith is going to have a fit," Applejack said. Now not was my turn to be worried. Granny Smith was a nice old lady, but if she was able to raise Applejack, Big Mac, and Applebloom and do a good job at it. Then being on her bad side was the last thing on my mind. It didn't help that I kept her two oldest grandchildren out all night. We didn't do anything, but she didn't know that.

"Dont worry guys, I knew we were going to crash here so I told all our folks before hand," Pinkie said with a wide smile. I spun on my heels and Rainbow Dash sat up really quickly.

"You did what now?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Now none of us will get in trouble," Pinkie Pie explained.

"Pinkie," I said.

"Yes Phoenix?" She asked while turning to me. I remembered what Midnight told me to do with Pinkie. I wouldn't want to meet him again only to tell him I failed the one job he gave me.

"What kind of drugs are you taking?" I asked. Pinkie Pie looked taken back.

"Its not crack because your not a skeleton. Not meth because you seem in control of yourself. Herion would have made you dead. So what is it?" I asked.

"Um, I'm not sure. I don't think anybody including the writer and myself know," Pinkie Pie said.

"The who?" I asked.

"The guy who- Never mind. Just be happy and the rest will fall into place," Pinkie Pie said.

After another ten minutes everyone loaded up and went home. Applejack and Big Mac gave us a ride back to our houses. Before we left I made sure Sunset Shimmer remembered to be at the bus station by 10:13. When Rainbow Dash asked why 10:13. I told her "Because the bus leaves at 10:15,"

When I got home, I thanked the apples for the ride before heading into my apartment. After two months of living here I actually managed to keep the carpet clean which was as big of a suprise to me as it was to everyone else.

After showering and eating breakfast, I brushed my teeth and went to the bus station around a quarter mile from my house. By that time it was 9:30 and I had some time to spare. Unfortunately my thoughts began to drift towards Twilight. I shot to kill, but I hesitated. Ben, Beth, and Andrew didn't see it. Claire did though. What made me worry was how she never brought it up. Not directly. Every time I did something she would push me through it as fast as she could. Now I did things automatically without thinking things through. In a way she was the leader, but i still called the shots. She planned those shots.

"Hey there," Sunset said nervously while taking the seat next to me.

"Hello," I replied with a smile.

After another couple of minutes the bus came. We both got on and sat down. We laid the bus fare of $5.00.And the bus began its treck to town.

"So what kind of books are you looking for?" Sunset Shimmer asked.

"Mostly adventure books where the hero wins," I replied.

"You like adventure books?" Sunset Shimmer asked with a smile.

"Yeah, in real life the hero rarely wins. And when they do it always costs something," I replied.

"What do you mean?" She asked me curiously.

The Umbrum crawled backwards from him. I would never forget the look on his face. He knew his time was up. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. With each step Midnight stepped closer to the Umbrum lifting the Uzi to him. Wait didn't that girl carry the Uzi. Before the Umbrum killed her. I took a glance at Midnight and my blood ran cold. Midnight's face was a mask of rage. He never gave that look to anyone including our beloved fostor parents. And the Umbrum knew it was directed for him.

"Just life in general," I replied.

Sunset Shimmer didn't ask anymore much to my relief. Luckily for us, the bus had a tv. Unfortunately, it was on the news. It was just regular weather forecast. Getting more and more bored with every second, I pulled out my phone and tried flappy bird. After several minutes I jumped up from my seat screaming "H*** YEAH!" Everyone on the bus looked at me with wierd looks. "New high score on flappy bird," I said. The younger people nodded understandably, but the older people still gave me wierd looks.

After losing at 569 I heard Sunset Shimmer say "Oh my God," while tensing up. I glanced up at the t.v. and even I saw suprised at what I saw. On the t.v. showed a reporter over a headline that read CHANGLING/UMBRUM RIVALRY GETTING OUT OF CONTROL?

I could see where Claire got the idea about motorcycles. In the background several changlings were riding bullet bikes through the streets in which chaos and fire were raging. A few gothic people were peeking out of doors and shooting long guns a them while they returned fire from uzi's in a drive by style. All across the streets changlings and Umbrum were going at it with blades in hand to hand combat. I couldn't help but give those Umbrum props. Those changlings were a battle squad. I was able tell just by looking at them. They were probably sent by Queen Chrysalis herself. And those Umbrum were fighting back and doing a good job considering that the changlings always seemed to outnumber them by at least two to one.

Two reporter's were talking about the scene that was becoming more and more frequent. "These changlings and umbrum are causing chaos to our peaceful streets in Manhattan," one of them said.

"We should find away to deal with the problem as a whole," the other one said.

"Now hold on, we can't group all the changlings and umbrum together. These guys don't represent all of them," the other said. I scoffed and Sunset Shimmer looked at me.

"What?" She asked.

"That's not true. We all live under our queens rule, if not then she sends someone like my brother of the changling Alaric to try and talk them back," I said.

"And if they don't?" She asked me.

On the screen the view changed to a airborne shot. "Does that kid have a grenade launcher?" The second reporter asked.

"They don't live to regret it," I answered.

"If we can't get rid of them, then we can at least disarm them. I mean both fractions are essentially walking armies that are dangerously equipped." The first reporter said. Suddenly I felt all eyes on the bus trained on me. I did my best to shrink, but I was 6'2 and I had a long knife on my back and a boot knife. It wasn't easy.

I felt a hand on my back. Turning my head I saw that it was Sunset Shimmer's which earned her a ghost of a smile from me.

Eventually the bus arrived at town. Sunset Shimmer and I walked to the book store and I bought my books and put them in a book bag. It was still eleven so we went to the mall for lunch. And for the second time in the span of 20 hours. I found myself.enjoying her company. She was more quiet than me, but then again. I didn't turn into a raging she demon. I made a mental note to not mention that. After another few minutes of joking around, a thought just sprung into my head. She was supposed to have something that me and my crew made her key herself back when we were on the opposite teams.

"Hey don't you have a car?" I asked her. Sunset raised her head me suprised.

"Yeah, but it's having problems right now," she said.

"Why not get it fixed?" I asked.

"I don't really have the money to fix it since I only have roughly one hundred to two hundred extra dollars a month," she said.

"One of us can fix it for you," I offered. Sunset's eyes lit up with a joy that I haven't seen her show since I football kicked the fall formal crown into her hands.

"You would do that for me?" She asked me.

"No," I said much to her suprise. "I don't really know alot about cars since I barely know how to drive. Beth is just the same and Andrew is even worse. Ben might be able to help, but I doubt he would make the trip. He's still in pain since that girl Twilight Sparkle kicked in his stones." I said. Sunset Shimmer winced. "He still has chronic testicle pain since she literally almost broke his uh, private parts." I explained. Sunset Shimmers light slowly started to dim and I knew I was losing her. "Claire might be able to help." I said.

"Are you sure? I don't think she really likes me with how hostile she gets whenever someone brings up the fall formal," Sunset Shimmer said. I scoffed.

"Oh believe me, her hostility isn't directed towards you," I said. It's directed towards me for hesitating and essentially trapping her here until she can confirm the kill or not. I instantly shot all thoughts about Twilight Sparkle to the back of my mind.

"And by the way, I've always wanted to ask you something." Sunset Shimmer asked me. I tensed up, his couldn't be good.

"Shoot," I said.

"Why did you pick my side during the fall formal?" She asked. Okay this was the second worst question I imagined her asking me. The first was if I liked her which no one including myself besides Claire knew.

"Call is intuition. Mainly it was because we had to choose a side during those events." I said.

"So why my side? And you didn't have to choose," Sunset Shimmer said.

"And explain to my queen that her changlings sat on the sidelines while something with magic happened? No thank you I choose life," I said. Sunset Shimmer giggled.

"Your queen can't be that cruel can she?" Sunset Shimmer asked.

"No, but my siblings would never let me hear the end of it." I replied.

"Solstice and Corvis might not be, but Midnight would be f****** p*****. And then I would choose life." I said seriously.

"So why did you choose my side instead of theirs?" She asked me again.

"Oh, I can give you a long list of reasons why we wouldn't have chosen Twilight's side, she somehow managed to get on our bad sides without speaking a word to us. The primary reason I because you came to us. Twilight was rallying people to her and expecting people to go to her. And unless it's our queen. We never follow anyone like that. You however came to us despite our brief ugly history and asked for our help. And that's what made us choose your side. That and we weren't kind of wearing plastic pony ears." I said.

She was asking me all these questions which I didn't mind. Although I felt like I was entitled to at least one. Sort if like why you come from a world where anything and everything is possible and why she would choose to stay here, but before I could she asked another question I wasn't keen on answering. "I saw your brother fighting you and. Well I know it might be a little too personal, but why did it seem like he was itching to kill you?" She asked me. I instantly looked for a way out of answering. And I found it in the form of a spiritualist.

"Hey let's go get a reading?" I said while runningto the store. Anything to avoid telling her the answer. Only Claire, Midnight, Alaric, Solstice, Corvis, and our queen really knew what went down. One other girl knew
What went down, but I never learned her name. Solstice said it would be Better if I never saw her again and to not look for her since Midnight did all he could to keep her away from me. Not that he blamed her. It was a miracle that Midnight still treated him like a brother. Not that he ever was nice about it. Still though, he had his moments when Phoenix feel like Midnight cared about him.

Inside the spiritualist's shop was dark and dimly lit. Loud classic music was jamming and I resisted the urge to plug in the aux cord for some good old fashion electric rock. "Welcome to my lair. Would you two like a reading from Serenity Glow?" A old women who looked somewhere between seventy to three hundred years old.

"Yes please, how much would it cost?" I asked politely while reaching for my wallet. I wasn't going to let Sunset Shimmer pay.

"Did Serenity Glow ask for money?" Serenity Glow asked us while motioning for the two of us to sit down. I opened my mouth to protest, but Sunset Shimmer had already pulled me to the table where a crystal ball sat. Serenity Glow took Sunset's hand. She made a wierd sucking in sound as her eyes glazed over.

"You come from a dark past child. And I see you are in a dark time now child and you will have a hard time ahead in the near future," Serenity Glow said. Sunset Shimmer seemed to shrink with dread.

"That's a happy thought," I mumbled.

"But do not worry child for the darkest part of night is before the dawn. And you hall find happiness, friendship, love, and uh, ponies?" Serenity Glow asked. My head snapped towards Sunset as confused as Serenity Glow was. Sunset's face was a blush and turned into a even deeper red. I however was grinning with joy. Sunset Shimmer's bullies only got worse and a few were even trying to attack me and my crew. Not that it did them any good. We were still changlings and Claire was enough to put them down, hard.

Wait, what did she just say? I wondered what was more disturbing. That I was jealous of Sunset finding love, or the fact that ponies didn't disturb me like they should. Suddenly Serenity Glow grabbed my hand making me bite down a scream.

"And your read in is, oh." Serenity Glow said while her face filled with pity. "Your last is long and tragic, but I see you had several small candles with you throughout your dark times. These candles I see are dimly lit almost like you blew them out and they barely relit. Be sure to not blow them out again for candles can o my relight themselves once. And your future only gets bright we as if several lights will appear, but be warned. The other candles will consume this new light in fire if you unleash its wrath. And you have a bond with someone who relies on you with only a few others for a foundation in this cruel world. There is another thing, but I can't get a reading except-" Serenity Glow started, but was cut off and her head snapped back with her eyes rolling to the back of her head.

"Serenity!" Sunset and I shouted simultaneously.

Serenity regained her posture and looked at me with the saddest look I have ever saw. "That is the worst feeling I could ever imagine someone experiencing. Please make sure they find happiness. Only a few hearts can suffer that much and still show kindness, even if it's a fleeting kindness." Serenity said.

"Who and what now?" I asked very scared at this reading. Now I kinda wished I just told her why Midnight hated me.

"And be warned on how you decide on actions for your actions will effect many people as well as your own in ways only a few can understand." Serenity Glow said.

"I don't understand," I said confused and pretty scared. This women knew what she was doing and I understood more about rocket science than what she was trying to say. Now if only she stopped going around the subject and flat out told me what was going to happen.

"I am forbidden from explaining the future to someone, but I can show you," Serenity Glow asked while grabbing my hand and placing it on the glass ball. My vision flooded with shadows and I was able to feel emotions from a distance as if I could sense other people's thoughts. And seeing how I saw a talking dog. I wasn't sure if I was imagining that.

Serenity Glow's emotions were a defeated sorrow as if she knew something was going down, or went down. Now I wondered just how much of that night she saw in that reading.

Sunset Shimmer's emotions were confusion and worry, but underneath that I sensed a sort of comfort that came towards my direction. Underneath that reeked of regret and sadness not towards me, but the world.

"Focus on what's ahead," Serenity Glow hissed. I immediately obeyed. Not a good idea to try and go rouge in a when I was seeing sounds and such. I focused my attention ahead and felt myself slip forward in time. There was many different paths, but Serenity pushed me towards the most direct path that tasted like familiarity. The area around me changed from ink black to sea greenish black. And then I sensed emotions from several people all familiar. There was also dozens of others that I didn't know, but all had a sense of trust directed at me. I tried moving forward again, but the classic music blinded me which was wierd since everything was black. Or sea greenish black. "Turn down the music I can't see," I shouted. The people around me directed confusion and amusement towards me.

Serenity or Sunset must have turned off the music because I was able to see again, which was still a mystery to me since all I could see was black. It was like being blind, but I could taste the colors.

I was thrust forward again, but this time not as far. There was three new presences there with a sense of greed that I couldn't despise since it felt like it they couldn't help it. Instead of being sea greenish black, they tasted like golden, blue, and violet. And now I was wondering how I could taste them since they felt like whisps of air around me. Three of the familiars were oozing out want and desire as well as a hint of love to these three.

Suddenly the three colors were a mix of energy as if they were fighting something while the familiars were shooting confusion, irritation, and anger towards me. After a couple of minutes the colors changed to fear and while the familiars changed to realization, anger, and desperation.

After another few seconds the colors felt the pain of losing while the familiars changed to disbelief, betrayal, more disbelief, sadness, regret, and a mix of other emotions while my own changed to a sinking realization and fear.

The colors were reeking of sadness and defeat and disappeared while three of the familiars pinged the pain of loose. Many of the other familiars directed sympathy towards them before turning to fury and betrayal towards me. Suddenly all of them except one who emitted worry were shooting so much hate towards me I felt my bones get hit.

Suddenly the most powerful familiar that now had an aura of menace snapped while my own emotions changed to realization, fear, and regret. After that I turned and began to run back to Serenity and Sunset. And that's when I heard the distant sound of gunshots. 'CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK' and my side's exploded with pain. The one familiar that didn't hate me shot forward in a dash of bravery between me and the other familiars. 'CRACK' that familiar erupted in pain while I snapped back into my body.

"Am I, am I going to d-" I began before Serenity Glow cut me off.

"The future is never set in stone, but this is the path you are on at the moment. It would be your loved ones who do the deed, but only after you push them to the very edge." Serenity Glow said.

"What could I have done to make my loved ones want my blood?" I asked her.

"That I do not know, but it would be your own doing unless you correct yourself." Serenity said.

"How can I do that?" I asked.

"You must figure that out yourself," Serenity said before ushering us out. Once outside Sunset immediately turned to me asking me if I was going to be alright. That's when I realized that she didn't have a clue what was going on. I wasn't alright since I just saw my could be death. Best not tell her about that.

"Yeah I'll be fine, and what was that about ponies?" I asked. To my suprise she blushed.

Before she could answer I heard a series familiar voices. I spun on my heels in disbelief just as they grabbed me in a bear hug. Midnight, Corvis, solstice, and Forest weren't there, but everyone else was. He grew a few inches and was a little taller than me now, and he cut his hair to just below his eyes. From the corner of mt Wye I saw Sunset Shimmer watch as I embraced them. Bullet belts, Jean jackets, dark hoodies, converse shoes, combat boots and dark gray clothing marked them for what they were. "Whos this? A tall guy that was the guru of our pack before. He asked the question while looking towards Sunset Shimmer. I turned to her with the happiest smile on my face.

"Sunset, I would like you to meet the rest of my changling family," I said.