Author's Note

Okay Okay, Bear with me, please. People are worried that the pegasus is gonna become the main staple for this story. But this is called Flare the Phoenix! not flare the Fire Pegasus. Explanations are coming but I would like the opportunity to explain it with events in the story rather than spoiling it. There is a plan! I promise! I've reworked a few things, and hopefully, this next chapter goes down easier than the last few. It's not very long, and I would definitely appreciate feedback, but I think It turned out okay.

Edit - In my efforts to course correct a little bit, I may have accidentally created a continuity problem in this chapter. I'm pretty sure I've corrected it but please feel free to belittle me If I fuck it up again xD

Enjoy!

Chapter 5 - Partial Discovery

When I woke up again, I didn't have a clue where or what I was. It was like I could feel but everything was wrapped in static, the same deal with my vision. I was able to tell I was outside at least, and judging by the Sun it was around noon. When I checked my memory, I found a big fat blank between last night and now, which made sense of course. Thats what happens when an Idiot still learning their anatomy with absolutely no combat skills jumps in front of a laser beam.

I managed to get myself rolled over after a few moments and caught sight of one of my wings... Left or right? No clue, I am still rebooting parts of my brain... Although It looked scorched and bent, even as I watched it began repairing itself, Albeit slowly. After allowing my body a little bit more time on the mend, I attempted to stand. And as I did I re-acquainted myself with my Phoenix form, seeing as that's the one I'm back in... I wonder what the hell that Pegasi form was all about. God I need to find a book on this shit, I'm a novice with this sorta mythology at best.

Still, Stringing myself up by my bootstraps [figuratively of course] I started moving. Taking in my surroundings put me in the Forest still, again with no clue what had occurred between last night and now... If it WAS even last night. Anywho, putting that aside for now. My body was on the mend, keeping on trend with the Phoenixness... if that's a word, of my new self.

Walking through the forest gave me an appreciation for nature if I'm being honest, The scents the sights, all of it was new and I couldn't get enough of it! The plants were weirdly shaped, a bit creepy if I were to see it at night but In the day it wasn't too bad... Weird black vines growing in certain spots that shouldn't really be, you know, where vines grow? Hard to describe but they gave me weird vibes. Heck, even the Animals were bonkers! Stuff I've only seen in movies and such, like that one tiger thing with the different animal bits... Dont remember what it's called but it's cool!

Eventually, when I managed to find my way back to that castle, The sun was setting but this time I didn't intend to go straight to sleep. Instead, I opted to look around and in doing so I managed to find my way into the library! And BOY let me tell you, this place was huge! Torn to shit obviously, but still fucking humungous. I managed to find where the Librarian was supposed to be sitting and found a torn-in-half table with a few books on it. They weren't very important books, just a couple of fiction stories. What I was looking for was in the drawers to the desk, it was old and worn but it was there! A catalog! Luckily it was in the first place I looked, I did NOT wanna go searching through this entire place for what I needed.

Going through the Catalog I found a couple of books referencing the word 'Phoenix' and scurried off to gather them. Of course, I couldn't pick anything up with my hands or anything, but I could knock them to the floor and nose through them! heck, these talons could be used to grasp them If I had to. Anywho, the point is I went and gathered a few books on Phoenixes. This library had quite a few of them. Because of the sheer size or some other reason, I don't know, but I was grateful. Going through a few of them I found out a few things, Usually Phoenix's are lots bigger than I am, sometimes ranging to be pony-sized or bigger. That put me on the Squirt side of things, but anywho. Apparently, the Phoenix has some badass abilities that I haven't even begun to grasp. There's quite a large variance in a Phoenix's power but some are strong enough to bend time in certain ways even. And in some extreme cases, they possess nigh omnipotence?!

I sincerely doubt I got that lucky, but it's quite a nice thing to realize. Maybe... Okay, it's time for theorizing here. My case Is clearly special, right? Obviously Phoenix's aren't usually just spawned into existence from other isekai'd idiots like me. So maybe something went wrong? Thats option A I guess. It would explain being undersized and underpowered... Option B, maybe I got dumped into a young body? Still developing power and size and shit? But is that even how that works?! And Option C, I'm just a shitty little runt phoenix, which would suck.

If I'm being honest... Option B seems more likely, my flight isn't really up to par even when I do manage to get off the ground, and I've only been shown to have a few of the powers mentioned. So maybe I'm still developing them? If so why'd I randomly transform into that Pegasus? Could I consciously do that now or is that something that just... happens? I suppose it's something to try...

So, I tried it. Clearing my head, I focused on the feeling of that Pegasus form. Holding the image in my mind I put some effort behind it, like straining a muscle but instead of a muscle, I strained my mind. I don't know why I did it like that, It just felt... Natural. And, when I opened my eyes again, there I was. Standing on 4 hooves in a pegasi body! I did a little dance in my excitement and tripped over a book, plopping to the ground and instantly finding myself back in the Phoenix form. So, that happened... and now I feel tired, is that what was supposed to happen the first time? what the hell happened with it last time? I didn't even have to try before! Turning my attention back to the books I searched for an answer, and searched... and searched.

I was tired, annoyed, and frankly confused. The perfect mixture for frustration to flourish, and In that frustration I failed to notice the sparks around my talons... Right up until the book I was reading caught fire! Scrambling backwards I panicked, Looking around I found no direct water source or anything, So I just kinda... Threw myself on top of it, wings spread. I didn't expect it to put out the fire, but I figured my fireproof self could keep it contained to that book at least. And I succeeded! Mostly... It didn't spread any further at least. Luckily that wasn't the only book on this stuff, but still... what the hell just happened?

Okay... Slow down, think! uh... Well, I WAS gonna tell myself to think using my name but I've just realized I've BLANKED on it! What the fuck? No name! Not even a letter? oh, you are SHITTING me! I mean, I knew that happened sometimes in the shows but this is bullshit! I can't even insult myself properly! Okay okay okay, deal with that LATER... for now, Firestarting FEET. Thats uh, incredibly dangerous! especially in a forest like the one around the castle.

Okay let's take a step back and look at this objectively, So my powers are activating sporadically, sometimes requiring effort while other times NOT requiring ANY effort... which is dangerous. I'm effectively a RUNT and very volatile with absolutely no control... Yupp, screams child to me. That fuckin stinks, God knows how difficult BIRD puberty is gonna be. And... Wait, How would puberty even work with this shit? Cuz when I'm in Phoenix form I'm at least MOSTLY sure I'm a male, but when I'm shifted I land in some weird mash-up of the two. What the hell is pony puberty even like?! Grrr I'm getting a headache! Wait a second, is that the sun?

Looking up through a hole in the old and worn ceiling I could see light streaming through... I had been here since the start of the night period, and looking back I've triggered at least 2 powers in the same night, 3 if you count regenerating my injuries... I can feel the fatigue now that I look for it, but it's like it's not as important as it should be... That could be dangerous If I don't pay attention to that. Either way, It looks like my body is tired, and so is my brain... Maybe I should go back to that comfy room and take a nap?

Before getting up to go to sleep, I spent a few moments cleaning up my mess. I swept the burnt-up book to one side and stacked the other books I had gathered into a neat pile. And then, after another 10-minute search [god I need a map] I tracked down the room I slept in the other night, and clambered onto the bed, passing out nearly instantly.