Autumn Blaze

Autumn and Applejack stood facing each other, a punching bag suspended from the ceiling between them. Both were wearing training bras and shorts with sneakers. Autumn pulled at her top, uncomfortable with how it hugged her torso.

“Is this really necessary?” Asked the kirin.

AJ nodded. “I heard how y’all like to wear very little or nothin’ at all. But, here, at the gym?”

“I get it,” Autumn said with a forced smile. “No public nudity, right?”

The orange mare smiled for real. “Exactly. Plus, these clothes are the best for working out since they’re tight. Loose clothes could get in the way.”

“I suppose,” Autumn muttered, seemingly disappointed that the mare had a good reason.

“Alright,” Applejack said, holding the punching bag. “Hit it as hard as you can.”

Autumn nodded and pulled her fist back. “Get ready for this monster,” she said, before throwing her punch.

AJ rolled her eyes before she felt the bag jerk from her grasp. She had to take a step back to avoid it hitting her in the face. “The hell?” She asked, staring at Autumn.

“Was that good?” The kirin asked innocently. “I-I mean, my purple have naturally strong muscles since we lived in nature and had to build all our homes from scratch.”

“Right,” AJ said with a chuckle, patting the bag. “Should’ve guessed by your… actually incredible abs. However, you still need technique.”

“Technique?” Autumn asked. “Like dodging and blocking?”

“Among other things, yeah,” AJ smiled, before she walked up to the kirin. “Let’s go back to the hotel so I can teach you how to use those muscles of yours for combat.

Autumn nodded. “Lead on, teach.”

Dusty knelt down in the basement of her hideout, gripping the dagger firmly in her right hand. “The dagger Black Sapphire used to kill her family. Infused with the powers of the Nether itself. A power which is now mine.”

“You find it easy?” Autumn asked from her shower. “Throwing punches at others?”

Applejack, who was in the shower next to the kirin’s, smiled. “If my life, or the life of one of my friends, is in danger, I’ll fight whoever I have to. Even, if it means killing them.”

“I see,” muttered Autumn.

“Now, let’s finish up and get back to the hotel,” AJ called over to her. “I need to show you how to fight.”

Dusty brought the dagger’s blade to her arm. She could feel the heat of the Nether from within the blade. Dragging the dagger across her arm, she let out a grunt of pain before the dagger began to glow red.

“It’s time,” she sighed, before red Event from the blade shot into her open wound. The veins in her arm faced off a red glow as the energy coursed through her body. “I-I can feel it,” she grunted. “The power.”

Autumn slid into the passenger’s seat as Applejack sat down in the driver’s seat. “So,” AJ began. “Rainbow tells me you’re seeing someone?”

The kirin blushed but nodded. “Mmm-hmm. She’s really nice, and… I feel safe with her.”

“Well, I’m glad ya found what you were lookin’ for,” the orange mare said with a smile.

Dusty let out a yell as a pillar of fire erupted from her body and burned through the floors and roof above her.

Applejack slammed on the brakes when she saw the pillar of fire in the distance. “What the hell?”

Autumn leaned forward before letting out a gasp. “Rusty lives around there.”

AJ eyed her before slamming on the gas. She then took out her cell phone and called the police station. “It’s Applejack. Get me Spitfire. Quickly!” She swerved around other cars that had stopped in the road when the fire pillar appeared.

At the police station, Spitfire’s desk intercom buzzed. “Ma’am? Applejack’s on line one for you. Sounds urgent.”

The pegasus picked up the phone and pressed the line one button. “Applejack? What’s going on?” Right after she asked, she heard phones throughout the building ringing. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”

“There was a weird explosion,” AJ explained. “Cause unknown, but I don’t think it was natural.”

“Where is it?” Spitfire asked. “I’ll send units.”

Applejack sighed as she saw what was left of the building. “Just tell them to follow the smoke.”

Autumn gasped and quickly ran out of the car once it was parked. Running into the fire, she looked around. The staircase was practically nonexistent and there was no sign of life. Tears started to fill her eyes but quickly evaporated in the heat. She ran out the other side to see a naked mare on fire walking down the sidewalk, away from the inferno.

“Uh… ma’am?” Autumn asked, her voice making the burning mare stop. “Are you okay?”

The mare slowly turned around and saw the kirin. “Autumn?”

Autumn gasped and went wide-eyed. “Rusty? Wh-What happened to you?”

The flaming mare chuckled. “I found what I was looking for. Now, I have powers, like you. And, I’m immortal. Like you. We can be together now.”

Autumn shook her head. “What? But… What about the others living in that building? It wasn’t just you.”

Dusty shrugged. “I didn’t have the luxury to think about them. I needed the power. And, now I have it.”

“Rusty, you…” Autumn said shakily as she took a step back. “Y-You didn’t need to… do that. I-I would’ve…”

She was cut off by the sound of approaching sirens. Suddenly, two cop cars skidded past Autumn and came to a sudden stop. Officers climbed out and aimed their guns at the burning mare.

“Get down on the ground!” One yelled.

Another looked at the kirin. “Do you know her?”

Autumn shook her head. “N-Not anymore.”

Dusty’s eyes narrowed as she raised her fists. “No one can stop me now.” When she was about to attack, she heard a gun go off to her right. The bullet melted midair as the mare looked over to see AJ. “You,” she growled, pointing her palm at her attacker. “You did first.”

She fired a torrent of flames at the orange mare, but Autumn quickly jumped in the way as the flames engulfed her. Applejack shielded her eyes from the heat as she watched. Autumn grunted as she felt the extreme heat. This fire was only a tad hotter than what she was accustomed to, but her body seemed to be about to handle it.

Dusty stopped her attack and lowered her hand. “So… you close them, do you?”

Autumn sighed and stood up, her clothes still on fire. “I do,” Autumn sighed, her eyes steaming from her tears. She then let out a yell as her body turned black and her flames turned purple. Her clothes completely burned away as she now stood as a naked nirik. “And, I’ll do what I must to protect them.”

Dusty growled and clenched her fists. “You’re really going to throw away everything we had?!” Dusty yelled, her own eyes starting to steam. “That meant nothing to you?!”

“It meant everything to me,” Autumn whimpered. “But… after knowing the real you… you’re just not my type.”

Dusty looked away and exhaled sharply. “Then… y-you’re in my way. Just like e-everyone else.” She then returned her attention to the nirik. “I really hope you know how to fight.”

Autumn shrugged. “I’m still learning.”