Fall of the Trossels

Spike laid unconscious on the floor of Twilight's home. Frostburn and Stonebolt had dragged him back in after he lost consciousness after seeing the two of them together.

"He's been like this for two and a half hours," Stonebolt explained.

"Is he okay," Twilight asked. Infernalo looked down at the baby dragon. He nudged him a bit with his front hoof and Spike moaned slightly.

"He's fine," Infernalo said in finality. "Now, let's just get some sleep." Leafwind trotted in and saw the unconscious Spike lying on the floor.

"Is this a bad time," sheasked.

"No more so than usual, Leafwind," Infernalo assured her. As they all went upstairs, Frostburn carrying Spike to his bed, Twilight held Infernalo back.

"Infernalo," Twilight said, her eyes wide with anticipation towards his response. "Why don't you sleep with me tonight?" Infernalo looked into her large violet eyes. Infernalo, you idiot, a voice told him. She's clearly coming onto you. Worst case scenario: she sees you as a jerk. You still got four others. What if I really like her, though, he thought. Just get in that bed, you half-wit, the voice retorted. Seeing Twilight's staring back at him, Infernalo sighed and nodded. He followed Twilight up to her room, and heard loud claps of thunder from outside. "Sounds like a pretty bad storm," Twilight said as she drew closer to him. "I get pretty scared alone during these thunderstorms." As Infernalo got into bed, Twilight snuggled up next to him. Despite her comfortable warmth and embrace, Infernalo couldn't get to sleep. Maybe it was the storm, or maybe it was what, or who, was racing through his head all night.

"Spike, Spike," Frostburn said sweetly, gently nudging him awake. Spike turned to her.

"Oh, hey Frostburn," he yawned. "You're up early." Frostburn looked back at him in confusion.

"It's ten in the morning," she stated. Spike stretched out and rolled out of bed.

"You won't believe the dream I had last night.

"Spike, that wasn't a dream," Frostburn said. "That was my twin sister Stonebolt." Spike didn't faint this time. He simply nodded acceptingly and left. Frostburn followed him closely.

Infernalo walked through town, trying in vain to clear his head.

"I've met so many cute girls here," he said to himself. "They're all in love with me too. There's that Pegasus, the cuter Pegasus, that cute earth pony, that really hot unicorn, and then Twilight. Then there's that other earth pony, but she seems far too annoying, and I've already got something bouncy, annoying, and childish. I call her Frostburn." he chuckled a bit at his own joke, before returning to his thoughts. He noticed Leafwind skipping by.

"Hi Infernalo," she said. "I'm off to play with my new friends."

"Leafwind," he said. She stopped and turned to him. "How exactly did you get out?" She shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. "I just woke up frozen and then some burning tree melted me out, then I think you know the rest." With that, she continued her skipping.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders sat up in their tree house, waiting for Leafwind to show up when finally they heard a knock at their door. Leafwind stood outside, standing on a tree branch. The branch receded when she stepped off.

"How'd you do that," Apple Bloom asked.

"I don't really know," Leafwind said honestly. "I just of got these powers when I got my Cutie Mark." She revealed her flank, showing off her new Cutie Mark.

"You already have your Cutie Mark," Sweetie Belle said in disbelief, with a hint of disappointment. Leafwind nodded.

"Trossels get their magical powers right before they get their Cutie Marks. That's how we find out our elements too. Just because I have my Cutie Mark doesn't mean I don't or can't hang out with you guys. You're my friends." They smiled back at her, not feeling as upset as Leafwind thought they'd have been.

Frostburn carried Spike on her back, as she decided to finally break the silence.

"Spike, do you think Rarity likes me," Frostburn asked. Spike paused a moment, trying not to answer in a way that would hurt her.

"What makes you say that," he heard himself answer.

"She just seems to come off as hostile and passive-aggressive towards me whenever I'm around," she pointed out.

"Rarity just needs time to adjust to you," he said, trying to be reassuring and hoping that Frostburn didn't see right through him like tissue paper. Frostburn nodded and accepted it as an adequate answer.

Rarity was pacing back and forth in a state of disarray when Fluttershy walked in.

"Rarity," she asked. "Are you okay? You seem a little upset." Rarity sniffed, trying to regain any semblance of her typical composure.

"Fluttershy, I didn't really ever see Spike as more than a friend," she said honestly. "Then I started seeing him hanging around with that Trossel girl, and I feel like I've just lost a part of my soul." She tried fighting back tears of pain as Fluttershy rubbed Rarity's back comfortingly.

"It's okay, Rarity," Fluttershy said comfortingly. Rarity stopped suddenly after her sudden realization.

"Then again," Rarity said. "There's always her super handsome brother Infernalo." Fluttershy blushed, thinking about him. Rarity seemed to notice this, and snapped her out of her trance.

"Fluttershy," she asked. "Do you like Infernalo?" Before Fluttershy could answer, she flew away and left Rarity with a questioning expression.

Frostburn sat on top of a tall hill, overlooking the sunset as well as seeing what was left her home far off in the distance. Infernalo trotted up behind her.

"I figured I'd find you here," Infernalo said, scaring Frostburn.

"Infernalo, you scared me. I thought you were someone else. How'd you know I'd be here?"

"You'd always go up to that hill outside of town to think or when you were upset when you were a filly. Since, y'know, I figured that this was the closest thing to it. Something up?"

"I just have a lot to think about," Frostburn said quietly. "Why are you here?"

"I got a lot to think about too," he said, sitting down next to her.

"The sunset is very pretty, isn't it big brother?" Infernalo nodded.