"Autumn Blaze, do you know why I called you here?" Rain Shine asked, her tone carrying a mix of concern and authority.
"Yeah, yeah… Half of the village burned down again due to an argument over who could resist the Nirik form the longest," Autumn Blaze replied dismissively, rolling her eyes. “Quite ironic, isn’t it?”
"Actually…" Rain Shine started, but Autumn Blaze cut her off.
"With all due respect, Rain Shine," Autumn Blaze interjected, her voice rising with frustration, "you can’t blame me for all the arsons that happen just because I suggested that we end the silence. I didn’t force this on anyKirin. You all decided that this is the better alternative."
Rain Shine sighed, her patience wearing thin. "On the condition that our village won’t turn ablaze every other day…"
"Maybe we just need some more adjustment time," Autumn Blaze suggested, trying to sound hopeful.
"There was plenty of time before the silent period and also after. The solution never came. It’s time to face the facts, Autumn Blaze," Rain Shine said firmly, locking eyes with her.
"You tried to silence me before, Rain Shine," Autumn Blaze retorted defiantly, "I won’t let you do it again. And I doubt the others will let you devolve us, either."
"I only ever did what was necessary for the good of the village," Rain Shine countered calmly. "But please relax before you burn my den again with your Nirik form. Be assured I will not force anyKirin into the silencing waters again."
"You won’t?” Autumn Blaze asked, a hint of surprise in her voice. “So you’re still on board with my solution then?"
"No. Your ‘solution’ doesn’t work. Ignoring the problem shouldn’t even be called a solution in the first place. It’s obvious that our Nirik forms will never be surpressed. The charred huts outside are a clear indication of that. But there is another way," Rain Shine revealed, her voice laced with a mysterious certainty.
"There is?" Autumn Blaze inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"You may have thought that you convinced me to go on board with your plans to just ignore fire hazards. I’ve known from the start that your plans were bound to fail," Rain Shine explained, her gaze steady and unwavering.
"Why did you break the silence then?" Autumn Blaze pressed, searching Rain Shine's face for answers.
"Because of the outsiders. The ponies. They brought word of this new technology that could be our salvation. They call it: clothes," Rain Shine announced, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Clothes?" Autumn Blaze echoed, confused.
"Indeed. And their lead scientist who goes by the name Rarity has supposedly mastered this technology and can even replicate it in vast quantities," Rain Shine said, turning to lead the way outside.
"But we Kirin already wear clothes on occasion," Autumn Blaze pointed out, following Rain Shine with a skeptical frown.
"Not these kinds of clothes. Come with me. I’ve already ordered them via the ponies who came to us when our silence was broken," Rain Shine said over her shoulder, beckoning Autumn Blaze to follow. “They’ve just been delivered today.”
The young Kirin followed after the leader, her voice tinged with worry. "I hope this isn’t one of your extreme solutions again…"
"It may be extreme, but it does work," Rain Shine assured her, confidence evident in her voice.
"How do you know it will work? I’ve never seen any cloth contain the Nirik fires. Exacerbate yes, but never stifle. I very much doubt that fire resistance alone could change that." Autumn Blaze dismissively waved a hoof, her skepticism clear.
"I know they will work because I’ve already ‘distributed’ them to every fellow villager and have witnessed their effectiveness. Fires burn hot, but they cannot flare up without free flow of air. Haven’t you noticed anything after my summons were slipped under your door?" Rain Shine asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Actually, now that you’ve mentioned it, where is everyKirin?" Autumn Blaze realized, looking around.
"They are all sulking in their homes and redundant shelters. But the more important question you should be asking is, why isn’t the rest of the village burning given that at least half of them are in their Nirik form," Rain Shine said, her voice taking on a serious tone.
"Wait, why are half of them angry?" Autumn Blaze asked, confusion written all over her face.
"Because of this," Rain Shine said, pointing at the black, yet shiny thing in the middle of the clearing.
"What is that?" Autumn Blaze took a step back, her eyes widening in disgust.
"It’s the second last fireproof bodysuit that was delivered from Ponyville. I have the last one in my hut. The biggest one." Rain Shine explained, a tinge of pride in her voice.
"Why is this one so small?" Autumn Blaze asked, eyeing the suit skeptically.
"Yeah, that’s my bad. I didn’t actually send any measurements along with the order, so we got a variety of them.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I took the largest one for myself which is like four times bigger than this one. And everyKirin else made their pick as well. This one was the smallest one of the batch, so everypony rejected it," Rain Shine admitted, a sheepish grin on her face.
"I’d tell you that you’ll have to make another order then because I reject it too, but that wouldn’t solve anything because I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing any tight-fitting clothes." Autumn Blaze sat down, crossing her forehooves.
"But they have to be fur-tight or else they cannot contain the fire of our Nirik form," Rain Shine insisted, her tone becoming more serious.
"Well, there’s tight and there’s… that," Autumn Blaze pointed at the small jumpsuit on the ground, her nose wrinkling in distaste.
“You have to pick one of the available clothes.”
"There’s just one left!” Autumn Blaze stomped the ground. “Either way, I would never wear such clothes even if there was a decent selection of them."
“Others shared your sentiment as well, but one by one, I led them to this place, and ‘convinced’ them to go along with my plan.”
“Where have I seen this before…”
“The two of us are the last naked ones left in the village.”
“So, I guess this is the time when you banish me from the village again since I can tell you right now that I wouldn’t wear this trap in a million years. I prefer to keep my freedom, thank you very much.”
“No, I can’t let you off the hook this time around, Autumn Blaze. You’d just find a way to undermine me again and our village would pay the price… again. I need you to become part of the solution.”
“Look, I couldn’t fit in there even if you tried to force me.”
“The furtight bodysuit stretches a little.” With a swift move of a foreleg, she flipped Autumn Blaze on her back. “And even if you’re not convinced by my argument alone, you shouldn’t underestimate my strength.” She towered above the young Kirin. “There’s a reason why noKirin ever challenged my leadership.”
“Until now…” The pony on the ground burst into flame.
“That won’t help you.” Rain Shine assumed her Nirik form as well and charged her horn.
Autumn Blaze put up more of a fight than she ever did in her lifetime. Even the mighty Rain Shine struggled to keep her in check. But in the end, might made right, and the Kirin who would never wear a furtight bodysuit wore the smallest one of the batch.
“Can’t breathe!” Autumn Blaze hoofed at the tight fabric, but it proved too sturdy to be ripped off. “Take it off!”
“This is your life now, Autumn Blaze.”
“What the…” She tried to curse but ran out of breath midway.
“Once strapped the bodysuit cannot be taken off. Such were my specifications, and such is the implementation. All your sensitive areas and your mouth are exposed since they’re not a fire hazard. Everything else will be forever shielded from the fragile world. This is the final solution.”
After more struggle and some crying, the deed was done.
“I can still tell that you’re in Narik form, Autumn Blaze. Yet you don’t emit any flame.”
“Please, just banish me. I promise I’ll never return. Take this clingy fabric off me. Take it off! I can’t bare it anymore.”
“But bare it you must. There’s a limit to how many times we can rebuild our village. We’re starting to run out of unburned trees already. But that will never be a problem again because our curse has finally been contained.”
“You don’t understand. I feel trapped. I’m engulfed in this touchy cocoon. It’s pressing against me from all sides. I can’t even breathe properly due to the pressure. And the ground… I can’t even feel it anymore. All I sense is this slick rubbery texture. I’m isolated. And these wrappings won’t even let me move without pressing on me ever tighter. The thing is uncomfortable and constraining. It keeps violating me without my consent. My coat is squashed, making every part of my skin itch.”
“I must admit, I’ve never worn one myself yet, but I’m sure it’s not that bad.”
“When I was banished from the village, I yearned to be touched. But now I feel like dozens of hooves are touching me all over my body. The sensations feel as if I was captured by a violation gang. I just want to run away, but that wouldn’t help me because the suit is latched onto me. I feel it touching me even more if I move. But standing still just feels like being buried alive with pressure squeezing me from all sides.”
Rain Shine shrugged her shoulders. “We don’t have any alternative, so you’ll just have to get used to it.”
“Used to it‽” I’ve never even worn tight clothes. And this torture fabric feels more like a coffin than clothes. With every movement, I find resistance. It makes me want to cry. The least pressure I feel is when I’m still, and even this is unacceptable. It keeps touching me and won’t stop! And what if anyKirin sees me in this? I’d die of embarrassment.”
“Yeah, they felt the same. That’s why everyKirin is sulking alone in the remaining huts.”
“You were supposed to protect us! But instead, you trapped us. The pressures of agony are descending on me from all sides, and I bet my fellow Kirins fill the same. I’d run away from it if I could, but I know the pressure will follow me wherever I go.”
“I am protecting you. I’m shielding you from yourselves.”
“And what’s shielding me from the pressure? I feel the touches of torment from all sides, and you’re just watching me. This compression is unbearable. I just want to rip myself free.”
“Actually, it’s not just fire-resistant but cut-resistant as well. You can’t take it off without a key.” With that, she threw the key into her mouth and swallowed. “For safe keeping.”
“No! What did you do? Why can’t you understand that this is unacceptable?”
“Burning the village is unacceptable.”
“All my legs are tingling because they’re not getting enough blood. I need to take off these damn clothes now! They are squeezing the very life out of me. I feel as if a giant spider cocooned me in its web. And if I try to move, the fabric rubs against me. And if I scratch the itch I feel all over my body, it only makes it worse.”
“I’ll ask you the same as I ask everyKirin. Do you want the silent treatment?”
“Yes, please! Anything is better than this.”
Rain Shine levitated a gag, strapped it in Autumn Blaze’s muzzle and snapped the lock behind her head. ”There you go. No key needed for locking.”
“Ngh‽”
“Don’t worry. It’s just for a little while. You just have to wear it until you accept my final solution. And after that we can wait for my bowel movement together…”
“N-n!”
“Well, if you’re going to be ungrateful about it, I guess I’ll just have to make it permanent.”
Author's Note
GDoc
Don't forget to read the sequel to this story. You can find it here: Incendiary ignorance
