Nate glanced over at the large number of people lined up by the large bay doors as he drove through the parking lot. Shaking his head at the amount of people that showed up before the store was even open on a Saturday was always a strange site for him to see even if he had been seeing it for over five years. Stretching his back before closing the door to his old truck he made his way towards the building. Waving to a few of the familiar regulars as he approached he spied a few folks with propane canisters. After directing them on where to wait he made his way around to the back of the building.

"Morning, Nancy," Nate said as he walked into the back of the store.

"Morning, Hun," the older woman behind the receiving counter responded without looking away from the computer screen in front of her.

"Any sick calls for my department?" He asked as he signed in on the employee log.

"Two," was all she said as she started typing on her keyboard glancing back and forth between the stack of papers beside her, and the computer screen before her.

Yup one of those days. He shook his head as he started his way through the building. Arriving at the shop area he found some of his guys changing into their uniforms. A few pleasantries were exchanged as he began to change as well.

"Holy shit."

Nate barely heard the words, but he was certain of both whom it came from and why it was said. Nearly all of Nate's back was covered in scar tissue. It was quite a sight to most people.

"Yup," Nate responded as he turned to face one of the newest guys in the shop as he pulled on his white supervisor shirt. "This is what it looks like after napalm touches skin."

Nate had joined the military straight out of high school. It was about six or seven years ago just before he was about to retire from the military when it had happened. One last mission before he was to go home. Things turned south in a bad way. He'd been in combat many times before, he'd been close to death more times than he cared to count. Though seeing that fire bomb traveling through the air was definitely the one time everything seemed to go in slow motion.

He remembered seeing the new kid Billy staggering around. Must have been knocked for a loop from that last grenade. His body moved without thought. He grabbed Billy by the back of his tactical vest and pulled him along. He heard the explosion, and felt the heat coming soon after.

"GET DOWN!" he yelled as loud as he could shoving Billy in front of him.

A second later his world was pain. He never could recall completely what happened after that. Most of what he knew came from the mouths of others. Billy hadn't suffered any burns at all. Most of Nate's back and some of his arms had been badly burned by the napalm. He'd been given the nickname Phoenix for having survived that fire bomb.

Nate chuckled at the dumbfounded look on the new guys face.

"Hey, Nate!" the sound of the shop manager's voice called out. "I need to see you."

"Sure thing, John!" Nate called back as he pulled his work boots on.

"What's the word, John?"

"Gonna need you to man the propane station today," John said as he started unlocking the bay doors. "Derrick called out."

"I got it," Nate sighed shaking his head. Yup gonna be one of those days.

The first half of the day was pretty uneventful. Nate talked to a few people, shared a few laughs, and get yelled at by one ornery old man because his tank was too old to fill. It wasn't until after his lunch break that things started to get interesting.

"You know," came a familiar voice from behind him as he finished handing a lady her receipt for propane. "Given your history I'm surprised to see you working out here."

"Nice to see you too, Kid," Nate grinned as he turned to greet the young man.

"Seriously?" the younger man groaned. "I'm twenty three years old."

"Still makes you a kid compared to me, Billy," Nate laughed as he held out his hand towards the younger man.

"Whatever," Billy grinned shaking the older man's hand.

"So what brings you by?"

"Looking for a job actually."

"No kidding?" Nate raised an eyebrow. "Left the service?"

"Yup," Billy nodded and looked up at the sky pushing the cowboy hat he wore back a little.

The two talked while Nate put some tanks away. As Billy walked away to the building Nate caught the scent of something that he shouldn't be smelling.

"Crap," Nate groaned as he smelled the propane.

After sending folks away he began following the procedure for leak detection. Signaling the shop manager with the buzzer he then began putting the signs further out away from the station. After wrapping warning tape on the signs to block access he went back to the station to start looking for the leak. After several minutes he still couldn't find it. Standing up to stretch his back he caught sight of possible trouble.

"Sir," Nate called out to a man who had just stepped over his warning tape. "Sir!"

"Fuck you want?" the man hollered at him.

"Sir please step out of the marked off area," Nate called back. "We have a propane leak."

"Whatever," the man said flipping the bird to Nate before pulling something out of his back pocket.

"Sir!" Nate yelled seeing the pack of cigarettes and lighter in the man's hands. "Do not light that!"

"Or what?!" the man said putting one in his mouth and lighting.

"You could set the gas on fire, that's what!"

"Yeah like that'll fucking happen," the man sneered at Nate as he took a drag of his cigarette.

"Sir, please!" Nate said holding up a hand. "Just put it out and step out of the area.

"I'll step out," the man chuckled stepping back over the tape. "And you can put this out!"

He flicked the cigarette at Nate. For the second time in his life everything seemed to slow down. He watched as the lit stick of death spun in the air. He could see the man laughing. As the cigarette spun past him he felt the heat just like before.

"Fuck."

Celestia awoke to the soft insistent cooing of her long time companion. She grumbled softly as she turned over onto her side. The source of the sound, a bright red and orange bird of prey, softly alighted on the bed beside her. It cooked again, playing at her face with one of its elegant wings.

"Philomena," Celestia muttered brushing the feathered offender away. "Stop it."

Philomena not one to be deterred squawked softly, and pecked at Celestia through the bed sheets. Celestia gave a muffled response and lazily swatted at her feathered friend. Philomena fluffed herself up and hopped on top of Celestia's covered body, and pecked at where her head should have been hidden.

"Ack!" Celestia was awake now having just gotten a beak to the nose. "Alright, alright. I'm awake."

Philomena took flight and cawed in victory. Celestia sat up and stretched with a yawn. She looked around blurry eyed before glancing at the clock that hung on the wall above the fireplace. It was still three hours before she was supposed to raise the sun. She frowned and looked over at her feathered friend.

"Philomena," Celestia groaned. "Why did you wake me up?"

Philomena cooed softly and winged her way out to the balcony. Celestia sighed and taking her dressing gown from the foot of her bed, and wrapped it around herself. Stepping lightly she joined the phoenix at the edge of her balcony. Looking out at her kingdom she breathed in the cool morning air. After a few minutes of silent contemplation she took notice of a flashing light in one of the northern towers.

"Hmmm," she smiled at Philomena who looked at her from the tower as well. "Looks like Starswirl is up to something."

"Shall we go and see?"

Philomena cooed and took flight. Celestia giggled and spread her own wings before tightening the belt of her robe. She knew the royal guards hated it when she flew around, but what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them. Silently she flew to the tower that Starswhirl used for his own magical experiments. She alighted on one of the upper balconies and quietly made her way inside. Taking the stairs down to where Starswirl's laboratory.

Celestia found Starswirl standing at a podium reading from a large tome. His horn alight with power as he guided multiple bits of chalk to draw a rather intricate magic circle in the center of the large room. The light she had noticed were coming from floating orbs of different types of magic around the room fading in and out of focus. She stood there for several minutes silently as she watched her teacher at work.

"How long do you plan on simply standing there?" Celestia jumped slightly in surprise at the sudden comment from the ancient stallion that hand't turned to look at her.

"One of these days you'll have to tell me just how you do that," Celestia chuckled softly as she stepped up beside Starswirl.

"There is a lot more left for you to learn," Starswirl chuckled softly as he continued with his work.

"So what are you working on, Teacher?" Celestia asked looking down at the tome.

"Nothing really," he answered as he stroked his beard while examining the magic circle to make sure all the lines were accurate.

"Oh really?" Celestia's eyebrow arched as she recognized the high level of magical efficiency that was at work before them.

"Well," Starswirl smiled mischievously at his student. "This just so happens to be the time of a magical apex."

"Oh, my," Celestia's eyes widened at this statement.

"Oh yes," Starswirl nodded as he directed the chalk to adjust a few lines. "With this I will be able to acquire a measured reading unlike any other before."

"That will be most impressive," Celestia said with a nod.

Celestia watched on in silence as Starswirl began moving the different types of contained magic around the circle. As each orb of magic reached a certain point of of the circle it glowed brighter. At what Celestia could only believe to be the brightest glow of each they would stop where they were. She could not deny how much in awe she was of her old teacher. Even though his magical power was no where near as powerful as her own since she had become an alicorn, his abilities still far exceeded her own when it came to technique.

"Almost time," Starswirl said as he stepped back from the tome.

Celestia felt her heart beat quicken as the seconds dragged on. They didn't have to wait long as the orbs of magic began to glow even brighter. The intensity of the magical build up sent tingles down Celestia's spine.

"It's incredible," Celestia said in awe.

"Yes," Starswirl smiled as he stroked his beard. "Quite so...."

Suddenly every orb of magic began to flicker. The very air began to vibrate with power. Starswirl moved to the tome eyes wide.

"Teacher?" Celestia asked in confusion.

"Something is wrong," Starswirl said flipping through pages. "This spell is only supposed to measure magic."

"Starswirl!" Celestia shouted pointing at the center of the magic circle where something was coming into existence.

As the orbs of magic began to glow bright enough to become painful Celestia could feel the pressure within them building. Before they even had a chance the magical energies exploded. Flames erupted outward from the magic circle.

Philomena who had been perched high on a shelf had sensed what was coming. She had sense it coming for awhile. This was the very reason she had awoken her caretaker. She swooped down and drew the magical flames into her own body. She was more than capable of doing this much. The heat of fire she could take, but the force she would not be able to stop. Once she was certain she had it all she winged her way out the window to disperse it safely.

The force of the explosion sent both Starswirl and Celestia flying back. Recovering faster than most Celestia used her wings to prevent herself from falling to the floor. Starswirl wasn't as fortunate. He hit the floor hard and slid a few feet. Celestia did not look to him. Her attention was on the creature standing in the center of the magic circle.

It was in a slightly hunched position. It's arm raised slightly as if trying to protect itself. Brilliant blue eyes looked up into her's and for a moment she felt as if time slowed around her.

Author's Note

This is the beginning of a grand story. I do hope it has entertained you so far. "Until the Next Chapter"