I wake to find myself in the bosom of my mother, her warm fur lures me into sleeping once again but the cold wind hitting my face is making it impossible.

It’s that time of the week again. Every week, I have to go to the castle of friendship and learn with my aunt Twilight and my uncle Spike about the proper use of magic and how to control it.

The very idea was weird for me at first. Why did I need to control it? My magic was perfectly fine… Well, that’s how I thought at first. Truth is, my magic was being held back by a powerful spell cast by my parents. And even if my parent wanted to keep using the spell, restraining my powers would only affect me in the future… or that’s what mommy Tia and mommy Wonna said.

…

I take a brief look outside of the warm embrace of my mother just to find that we just arrived. The slight pressure of the landing taking an effect on me a second later.

“Walaig,” I struggled to said.

My aunt receives me with open hooves. Spike is by her side with a scroll rolled up in his claws: probably the list of things I’ll be doing today. My mother handled them both my things before giving me my Whamy. The sight alone of my plushie made me squeak in joy before hugging it the same way auntie Pinkie does when she starts yelling in joy.

We are now in the main hall of the castle, my uncle in front of me, he looks weird, maybe scared? I don’t know for sure, they haven’t said anything to me since meal.

“Are you sure about this, Twi?” He asked, sweat trailing down his forehead. “My fire is like… a really a big step for her…”

“Don’t worry, Spike,” My aunt said, her face was behind a book but something told me that she was smiling. “She is more than capable. Just make sure to start slowly.”

Curiosity pushed the words outside of my mind, “wah wil pik do?” I ask them.

Twilight smiled in glee, I guess that is how I look when my mom gives me the Whamy after a hard day.

“Oh Flurry you look so adorable when you speak!” she jolted, her book no more in front of her muzzle. “Don’t worry, Spike is going to use his fire against you. You will have to use your shield like you have been doing these last weeks. But here is the catch, Spike’s fire is different than my magic, you will notice it soon.”

“Use your best shield, Flurry!” Spike exclaimed, a sighing escaping his lips afterward. “Can’t we just skip this part and go to the point when I’m on the receiving end?” he asked. He looked sad for some reason. Really sad…

“Sorry, Spike, I know you are afraid, but you need to have faith in our little Flurry Heart,” Twilight said before handling the book to Spike, “Besides, her magic is too powerful. Stepping up to attack lesson so early will only take a bad effect on her own understanding of magic.”

Spike stepped back and breathed a mouthful, “Okay… I’ll believe in her.”

“That’s the spirit!” Twilight nodded and then turned to me. “Flurry, set up your shield!”

Something inside me clicked, a weird rush that made me jolt the same way I do when a thunderstorm rampages through the skirts of the Crystal Empire, and almost instantly, my horn cast a shield spell around me.

Spike mumbled something, he sounded worried and a little angry but I couldn’t hear properly him over the protection of my magic. He took a firm step forward, his chest growing like a balloon. A green flame covered my vision a second later.

The flame surrounded my shield like water running through Tia’s mountain. The warm was really soothing and enjoyable, and the view was something new for me too. It looked like the shower of colors that covers the sky every night at home, but with more details and way more glimmering.

The warm feeling became stronger, more comfortable but a little painful at the same time.

It became stronger again.

I charged more magic into my horn and so the shield grew. It didn’t last… not a minute passed before the aching feeling returned. I charged my horn again. The fire grew. I tried my best once again, but it was impossible to contain it.

No… Aunt Twilight said I could do it.

I took a huge breath, and with a mighty grunt, a powerful shield raised over the one cast before.

The warm feeling disappeared.

I was safe and sound inside my magic. I sighed with content and stretched my hoofs.

Wait

The warm returned. The aching returned. The pain returned. And worst of all, I had no power left for another spell.

Help

I tried to cry for help but my chest felt heavy and sore. Images flashed inside my head, hay, wood, food; I was about to end like them, burned. The pain raised, I tried to scream but my throat felt like the very flame in front of my eyes.

“This is amazing! Her shield is even more powerful than Shining’s,” I heard my aunt’s voice… it almost felt like a whisper.

Twilight please help me. Spike, please hear me out, your fire.

My shields cracked. My vision was becoming blurry. I trotted forward in a bee-line, hoping that my uncle would hear my faint screams of help.

“Your fire… is going to kill me. Please… Stop…”

My shield broke apart… it felt like a direct blow to the head. One that knocked me up instantly, saving me from the pains of the overpowerful green hazard.

I feel a sense of calm fill me… Whamy is by my side, I’m almost sure of it. I moan in delight, my eyes opening as the muffled pant turns into a yawn.

Uncle Spike?

Is not Whamy the one hugging me is Spike. A weird occurrence, last time I was awake he…

He almost kills me… We were training my shield power… and I failed. How? How was I still alive?

While losing myself in my thoughts, Spike noticed my eyes staring at him.

“Flurry Heart…” his voice sounded weird, like someone drinking and talking at the same time, “I’m sorry… I-I’m so glad you are safe and sound… If not because of my hearing senses I couldn’t have heard the sound of your shield breaking before turning my fire into magic.”

It was at that moment that I started noticing another important feature on my uncle’s face: he was crying. A lot. It was weird, like something that shouldn’t happen. Adults shouldn’t cry, right?

“Pike,” I said smiling in an attempt to cheer him up.

He wore a smile on his face once again, his claws wiping his tears before embracing me in another hug. The embrace didn’t last, but the warmth radiating from his scales was more than enough to make me feel like I was hugged.

Now with my head away from the scaly body of my uncle, I noticed that we were in his room, resting on his bed. His room was quite spacious, there were a lot of books with shiny and beautiful covers. The walls were the best part, posters of superheroes covered the whole section. To make it even better, every hero’s costume shimmered intensely, I-

“Let’s go to see Aunt Twi’, she went from purple to blue after our little big accident,” he said, his words bringing me back from the posters lingering on the walls.

He took me with his hands and after a couple of seconds we were outside the room and walking through the hall.

“No more training for today, Flurry,” Spike said before moving me in front of his eyes, “Today is gonna be just fun and food for you and me, little cutie.”

The mention of food made me jolt in joy, gibberish sound escaped my mouth as I embraced him in a bear hug.

Spike went silent again after those words, he seemed to be happy but there was definitively something odd about him. I still didn’t understand him, maybe he was still sad for what happened back there? He shouldn’t be, I was fine; he saved me in the last second after all.

…

I have to admit, dragon’s fire was something really to be afraid off, and its power and heat only grew with each passing second. Thankfully he is my friend and-

A horrible thought coursed through me.

I’m safe because he is part of my family… a friend… because this was a training and not a real fight…

A real dragon would have killed me… even when my shield was stronger than my fath-

I shrieked in fear and tightened the hug, pushing those bad thoughts aside from my head… they were too horrible.

Think about fun and food Flurry, that’s all that matters. Dragons are our friends now. There is nothing to fear.

There is nothing to fear…

Author's Note

And that is the first episode, most of Furry's early years will be like a prologue on this story. After setting up the arcs I will put according names to each chapter.

I intend to leave this fic at the bottom of my priority list. That, of course, will change as time goes on. (if it turns out that you readers actually like this then it will be more easy for me to pour some love into this story)

I'm currently searching for a second editor, so, if you want to help me out just send me via a PM or through a comment down below