Make myself a winner

Misty's eyes cracked open a sliver.

Luster Dawn had wrapped her friends and herself in a magic bubble -Savarin had made her own- but the area surrounding them was charred rubble. Their magic bubbles slowly landed on the ground, and Misty managed to do a messy glide down with her new wings.

Only a few Ponyville buildings were sizzling, and the asteroid itself was smashed in pieces.

All but Savarin's jaw had dropped when they saw Misty.

Misty had become one with the Fire Flower. She was as tall as Princess Twilight but still shaped very generally like a kirin, besides her two charred wings.

Most of her fur was a dark purple but glowed deep beneath with flower petals and leaves' patterns. Her curly mane was no longer curly. Both her mane and tail were made of fire.

Winding up her jagged horn was a carved flower, a burning bloom sticking out her horn point. Besides her teeth -which were now nirik fangs-, everything in her body had a strange ethereal glow.

Misty didn't have to act, didn't have to hide behind pretty, pretty words as she had done for most of her life.

She could say clearly: "I want to be worshipped before I kill you, Luster Dawn."

"No, we will beat you," Luster said. "We have the power of friendship."

"I do too. I have my Savarin."

"That isn't friendship!" spat Nettle.

Misty walked closer, relishing the way Nettle shook. "Who are you to say what friendship is and isn't? Savarin and I have been friends longer than you've been friends with Luster Dawn."

"And now you're going to kill us. What part of that is friendship?"

Misty licked her lips. "Worship me."

Nettle's lips curled, but she carefully bowed to the ground.

Misty could feel her power in her body. It was more power than she had ever had in her life.

It was the power of the Fire Flower, yet she couldn't cast a thing.

She kept her face smoothed over, kept herself from panicking.

How could this happened?

Her horn glowed with black fire, but despite all this, nothing happened.

No Nettle squirming in pain.

Nothing.

She had zero practical practice with magic. She knew the words, but it was the difference between reading how to play the piano and actually playing Beethoven on the first try.

"Savarin," Misty said, voice cracking.

Savarin's white magic surrounded them, and they teleported with a pop. Misty blinked and staggered.

They were a distance away from the asteroid, standing on blackened ground.

"This is only a roadblock," Savarin said, resting a hoof on Misty's shoulder.

They did Misty's least favourite thing in the entire world: they ran.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Rolling hills dotted with trees went on and on to the horizon as far as Misty could see.
They galloped as fast as they could until Savarin had to stop because she had a stitch in her side.

"They'll come after us," Savarin said.

"Thank you, Ms Obvious."

Savarin gave her a look.

"Sorry," Misty said.

They started to gallop again until they felt they were far enough away not to be followed.

They stopped for the night, underneath a tree.

Up above, the stars glimmered, and Misty rolled onto her back, her wings spreading out around her.

Savarin curled up next to her.

"This isn't what I imagined," Misty said.
Savarin hummed. "Patience. We have moved but one chess piece."

Misty turned her head, and they pressed their lips together.

Savarin's lips were cold and sweet as sugar.

Beneath the stars, they had sex.

The following day dawned bright and early.

Savarin had caught a rabbit and made some rabbit stew, flavoured with bone marrow.

Misty wasn't hungry, so she didn't have any.

While they walked, Savarin taught Misty magic. Each spell she tried fizzled into sparks that scared any passing critter.

The more Misty learned, the more she cursed Leafy. The only possibility in her mind was Leafy had lied about the power the Fire Flower had.

And now, she was a firey beacon for anycreature hoping to catch her.

They kept walking.

Misty tried her wings, but they were still weak and not enough to fly them to where she wanted them to go. It did help flying them across a river, and still, they walked and talked.

Two days later, Savarin said: "a farm."

Through the thick oak trees, there was a farmstead. A simple fence surrounded it, and there was a plain little house, a plain little barn, and an old well.

Misty and Savarin walked closer and stopped near its sign. The sign was a swinging acorn.

"Sweet Acorn Orchard," Savarin read.

Misty gave the sign a flick with her hoof, and it swung at her touch. "Do you know this place?"

Savarin shrugged with a smirk. "I look at maps."

"Oh you."

"Oh yes. Should we rob and/or kill them?" Savarin whispered, just in case anycreature was listening to what they were saying.

"Not yet. Let's see how she reacts to me first."

They walked up to the door, and Misty knocked.

The door opened slightly, and an earth pony head poked out. "Who is it?"

"I'm Misty Flare, and this is Savarin," Misty said. "We're two weary travellers and were wondering if we could stay for a night. If we can't, we understand."

The pony looked Misty up and down, her jaw-dropping. "What are you?"

"I'm an alicorn."

The pony opened the door wider and let them into a very homey room.

"I'm Hazelnut. You can call me Hazel," the earth pony said. "Take a seat, take a seat. I'll get some tea going."

Misty and Savarin sat at the table.

"Do you live by yourself up here?" Misty asked.

Hazel busied herself near the stove, returning with acorn cookies and acorn tea on a tray. She set it on the rickety table with a smile and sat down herself.

"I sure do," she replied. "Pistachio, my cousin, moved to Canterlot after his parents died and left the farm to me."

"You're related to Pistachio, the designer?" Misty leaned closer. "It must get lonely up here."

Hazel let out a laugh, but she stopped to sip her tea. "I suppose it is a little lonely."

Misty smiled. "We can keep you company while we're here."

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Hazel made acorn soup for dinner, even though Misty said she didn't have to, and Misty helped while Savarin dozed.

(Misty didn't eat a thing.)

After cleaning up, Hazel set them up with a mattress in the loft. There Misty and Savarin lay on a lumpy mattress.

The blanket was scratchy, and the mattress was too small, but Misty bore with it as she had to be a perfect guest.

She rolled over, but she could feel Savarin staring at her back, so she didn't roll over again.
The loft was also very cosy, laid out with photos of young Pistachio, his parents, and the Acorn family. A small mirror sat on top of a bedside table.

Misty got up, careful to not disturb Savarin. Savarin was fast asleep already.

Misty crept toward the mirror, marvelling at her face and her glowing eyes. She touched her face with a hoof, running it along her snout.

She could feel the heat of the flowers and leaves deep below her skin.

Except...

She frowned.

Her fiery mane was no longer as bright. The flower that had grown up her horn had withered away. Her hoof even trembled with weakness.

"Is everything alright up there?" Hazel called up.

Misty didn't dare fly -she didn't trust her wings yet-, so she climbed down the ladder.

Hazel was sitting near the bare fireplace, reading a book. She had golden spectacles resting on her nose, and she took them off when she saw Misty.

Misty took a seat next to Hazel.

"I noticed you didn't eat anything," Hazel said.

Misty looked over.

Hazel's cheeks turned red. "It's none of my business. Forget I said anything."

"No, thank you for being concerned. I'm sure your food is delicious." Misty inched her chair closer to Hazel's, smiling at her gently. "I'm just not very hungry these days."

"Alicorns don't eat much?"

"That must be it." Misty paused. "I am hungry for something else."

"Oh, what is that? I can make you anything you-"

Misty got up and sat on the same chair as Hazel. She towered over Hazel, her wings creating a purply alcove around them.

"I have a husband! He works in Appleloosa," Hazel squeaked.

"But he left you alone up here. What kind of husband is that?"

"What about Savarin? I thought you two were-"

"She doesn't mind." The leaf and flower patterns glowed brighter beneath Misty's fur before they dimmed. "But, I understand. Cheating is wrong. Savarin and I should be leaving."

She got up achingly slow until Hazel's hoof rested on hers.

Hazel didn't look her in the eye as she said: "My husband doesn't have to know."

Bullseye.

"Have you ever been with a female creature, Ms Hazelnut?" Misty asked.

"When I was in school, I did fool around a little."

Misty grinned. "Naughty little mare." She leaned over the mare and pressed her mouth against Hazel's trembling ear to whisper: "I could just eat you up."

Hazel's eyes bugged out, and she turned red from her nose to her tail.

Misty leaned closer to Hazel, enclosing her in her wings. She needed the touch.

She thirsted for it.

"M-Misty," gasped Hazel, as she wriggled and trying to get away.

Misty's jaw unhinged, and she swept over Hazel as if Hazel wasn't tangible. She swallowed again and again, drinking in Hazel until there was nothing left.

Misty let the dried out husk that used to be Hazel drop to the chair. It was barely a pony anymore, only a skeletal, dried-out thing.

Misty got up, spreading her wings. Her entire body glowed from within, and the flower grew up her horn once again and spread its petals.

This was what had been missing.

She needed souls.