Flame, Soul, Rage, and Draconis

Flame: Rekindling hope….and some sanity.

Everything was a blur after I passed out. I remember regaining consciousness several times. There was always yelling, so I ended up with a massive headache and more pain than what I was already in. The whole time, one thought was playing over in my head, as well as the shock that I tried to really strike down another living being.

‘How was he able to get back up? I ran him clean through with a foot long fucking bayonet. The saw tooth edge should’ve ripped his insides to shreds, as well as the fact that I fucked his gut six ways to Sunday!’ It went on and on like that, me asking myself that question over and over again. With the thought in the back of my mind that I cut his hand off made it worse for me. ‘He probably bled out from that, which means I killed him…God damn I fucking killed someone!’

I was on the verge of wanting to commit suicide. Bad guy or not, I took a life, and it made me feel like a monster. The same one that children were afraid would jump out of their closets. Suddenly, the endless black of unconsciousness changed. I was in a forest, and even more, I was human again, wearing my old black polo and jeans. I gave myself a once over, reaching behind me, I felt my back. No wings. Looking at my arms, I found a lack of the blood red fur that has been there since the fucked up and bull shit adventure started. Looking down at my feet, I was greeted with ten, human toes. I smiled and checked the rest of my body. No tail, no mane, no muzzle, and no huge ass anime eyes.

“I’m…Human again!....But where am I?” Looking around, I saw trees in every direction, but familiar ones. “Wait. Is this the Everfree forest?” Being so distracted with the trees, I didn’t notice the clearing nearby. That is, until I heard a loud thud and my own voice. “OW! Note to self, learn how to walk again.” I turn and stare into the clearing. I saw myself, as a Pegasus anthromorph. ‘Ok, what the fuck? Am I watching my own memories or some bull shit like that?’

No response, as expected. Sighing in defeat, I watch myself try to learn how to walk, chuckling at my clumsiness. I then went ahead and watched everything I did when I woke after learning to walk again. Arming myself, reminiscing, and of course, talking to myself. Then I watched myself perk up and listen to something before sprinting off. I shrugged and followed him, or, I was more so dragged along to see. I watched myself stalk Lyra, Bon bon, Vinyl, and Octavia, and follow them to the castle. ‘Heh. I now know how creepy I was when I stalked them. Too much sneaking out at night….Meh.’

Then came watching the fight with Khawl, and my half real, no, PART real explanation to the others. Still don’t see why they thought it sad. All of a sudden, I was dragged off to a new clearing. I watched David basically doing the same thing I did, except Dawn came out of the shadows. ‘Wait. I’m following Dawn here? Does that mean I’m watching her memories, not mine?’ The theory was sound as I watched her convince David to stay put, before getting dragged off to a new clearing, and then watching her do the same to Evan and Scarecrow, except she lead them to David, and then to the road. ‘So I am watching Dawn’s memories!’ From there, I watched her stalk me and the others after I caught up with them, all the way till we reached the edge of the Everfree forest, where the memory suddenly stopped and vanished, leaving me in an infinite field of white.

“I thought you’d like to see I was telling the truth.” I spun around, more shocked than surprised, even though I kinda expected it. But that wasn’t it, it was what, no, WHOM I say that shocked me most. A pitch black Alicorn, wearing sparkling blue armor consisting of: a helmet with her foot long horn protruding from the base of her head, a breastplate with a crescent moon on it, and armored (Horse?) shoes that went up to mid leg each. Her mane and tail looked as if they were made of the night sky itself, and billowed in an invisible wind just like Celestia’s, and she was gazing at me through half-lidded teal eyes. What made me shocked was that I knew who she was. “Dawn…You’re really….Nightmare Moon...” She smiled sadly at me. “Yes….but how do you know?” I blink before facepalming myself. “Listen, in my world, we had this thing called Telelvision…..It basically let us see into other dimensions, but not interact with them…Everything that’s happened wasn’t supposed to happen….So I guess we accidently made a rift and Khawl got through or whatever….I don’t wanna talk about it.”

She gave me one of those Holy Shit looks but nodded. “Well…Even with my previous identity, I AM trying to help…But I want one thing in return you see. Nothing bad that is!” I give her my best poker face and cross my arms. “Go on.” “…..I want somepony to kill me….” Fuck the poker face, my jaw dropped. “Kill…?” Then my thoughts from before returned, and I felt my eyes glaze over. “…” Dawn saw this, and walked up to me. “First time you took a life?” I nodded solemnly in response. “I see…Well, if it’s worth anything, I’m sure Khawl is still alive….Ok that’s kinda not a good thing but still. I’ve seen him impaled by a spear to the heart and get back up. Cutting off his hand won’t do anything.” I perked up at that. ‘Still alive? So I didn’t kill him….But I had the intention….Aw fuck it, he deserves it.’

Shaking my head, I look to her. “Why do you want someone to kill you?” She hangs her head and sighs. “Because I did such terrible things before the Elements of Harmony separated and purified me from Luna…I deserve it…Besides, even if I tried to move into society, everypony would fear me, and what’s the point of living if I go through life being shunned and having no friends?” I frowned at her response. Of course, a stupid idea popped into my head. Grinning from ear to ear, I gave my own response. “Oh really? No friends? Then what are Spirit, Efyu, Pendragon and I? Swiss cheese?” Her reaction was priceless. It went from shocked to curious and then crying tears of joy.

Course, I should’ve seen from that last reaction phase the tackle hug, consisting of her standing on her hind hooves, her fore hooves wrapped around my neck. To finish it off, her head was resting on my right shoulder, tears starting to drench my shirt. “Thank you Ignition, thank you oh so much….” I couldn’t help but smile and wrap my arms around her. We were like that for a while, just holding each other until she finally ran out of tears. When she released me, she gave me a good once over, then an adorable sniffle. ‘Ah shit! Diabeetus!’ “So, this is what you looked like before?” I smirk and shrug. “Yeah. Nothing much right?” she chuckled at me. “Nope. Gives you the humble look. I like it.” I just roll my eyes at her and grin. “Don’t let Pendragon catch you hearing that or else he’ll—“ I never finished. Dawn was suddenly screaming in pain before everything vanished and came to light again. I was staring at some sort of white ceiling, and there were several sounds, including shouting from somewhere to my left, but above all, Dawn’s screams of agony were still going on as her misty form flew to the far side of the room.

I felt my old, protective self-come back, and the familiar rage come back fresh and in full force. Looking to my left, I see that cause of Dawn’s pain. A Unicorn royal guard in full armor, with a black glow about his horn, shooting spell after spell into Dawn’s form. “OH FUCK NO!” He stopped and stared at me as I leapt out of some sort of bed at him. “MOTHER FUCKER! I’LL RIP YOU TO SHREDS!” I tackled him to the ground, causing his concentration to break, and a nurse I didn’t notice sprint out of the room, calling for help. Fuck that. My eyesight went orange again as I started to pound away at the guards face with my right hand, left holding him down by his neck. “MOTHER. FUCKING. BASTARD! NO ONE HURTS MY FRIENDS!” I kept pounding away at his face, blood starting to pour from where I landed multiple blows. Nothing else mattered right now except putting this douche in his place.

While I pounded away, I heard Dawn yelling for me to stop, but the rage had taken my actions over. This fucker had to die. It wasn’t until I heard more hoofsteps did I stop. His face was so messed up it was barely recognizable, and for once, I was out of breath. “Don’t….You EVER….Hurt Dawn again…..Got it…?” He merely whimpered. Standing shakily, I look to the doorway Evan and Celestia were staring at the display before them in shock. I flicked them both off and turned towards Dawn, who was still in a corner. Walking over to her, I hold my left hand out to her, since my right was covered in blood. “It’s ok Dawn. It’s over. You’re ok.” She started to calm down, but when I heard hoofsteps, I snapped again and spun to face whoever moved. Celestia and a few guards entered, but stopped at my glare. “ANY of you come an INCH closer, and I’ll torch you. I fucking swear it.” It was a promise. I felt the rage ready to burst again, but I was holding it in check, barely. I watched a unicorn mare wearing a nurse outfit dash in and start using her magic to heal the guard. I didn’t give a damn right now, I was staring off against Celestia and five Royal guards, armed with spears.

Celestia had a look of rage on her face when staring off against me, before looking behind me and shifting her expression to one of curiosity. I took a step forward and clenched my fists. “Don’t even think about hurting her.” She looked at me with confusion before sighing. “Perhaps you should explain whom you are protecting, and why you saw fit to nearly kill one of my guards, Ignition.” It was more of a demand than a statement. I growled before responding. “I am protecting Dawn, a good friend of mine, who I was speaking with before your guard came in and blasted her. That’s why I beat the shit out of him.”

Her shock at my forwardness was evident on her face. The sound of more hoofsteps caught everyone’s attention. It turned out to be Kyle and David, who took one look at the scene before turning to me. When they spoke at the same time, I thought it slightly humorous. “What happened!?”

I just stepped aside ever so slightly so they could see Dawn’s misty forms past the guard. Kyle let his eyes widen as he looked from Celestia, the guards, Dawn, and then me. He repeated this process three times before settling on me. “Protection reflex?” “Oh now someone fucking gets it.” Kyle sighed and walked inside the already cramped room. “Celestia, if he really beat the shit out of one of your guards, the reason is real, especially since he was protecting Dawn. She saved us back in the forest."

I was surprised when David walked past Evan and into the room himself. “Yeah, a no fucking brainer there. I suggest getting your soldier boys the fuck out before a fight starts.” Celestia looked at David with a  rather deadpan look before sighing in defeat. “Very well, but I want to speak with all of you later. A group of guards will remain in case Khawl returns.” With a bow of her head, she and her guards left the room, one of them levitating the downed unicorn guard, with the nurse in tow. I turned to Dawn again, smiling sadly. “You ok?”

Her response was to shift to her normal body, minus the armor, and smile at me. “Yes Ignition, thank you.” I heard someone gasp and turned to see Evan with his jaw hanging loose. David grinned and nudged him. “Might as well close them lips boy. No dicks for you today! BWAHAHAHA!” Kyle facepalmed while grinning stupidly at David’s joke. I just chuckled and looked back to Dawn, who was smirking. Evan started bitching at him, so I tuned him out. “Hey, Dawn. Since we basically know who you are, can I ask a question?” She shrugged and me and nodded. I reached up and pointed at my head with my left hand. “Mind jumping in my head? For travel of course. Just so no one freaks out.”

The look was one of those Are you serious looks, but she smiled and turned to mist again, it was cool, watching her body dissolve into mist, and in ten seconds no less. “Don’t breath.” It was all I could do to hold my breath as she entered my head through my nose. When she finished, I coughed several times, getting used to the scent of flesh fresh in my nose. I turned back to the guys to see them all gawking at me. “What? What the fuck are you ass holes staring at?” Evan walked forward and crossed his arms. I noticed his left sleeve showed signs of being torn and then fixed. ‘Not to self, ask that later.’ ‘Just let me clarify that now. He got bit, badly mind you, by the timberwolf he and Efyu were fighting, while Efyu caved its skull in with a rock.’ My ears immediately perked up, so did my brows. My mind wen’t into overload, making me miss out on Evan’s question. Course, then it settled on Dawn being the one who spoke. A sudden calling of my name brought me from my thoughts. “Huh? Repeat that?” “I said, smart ass, why the sudden cautioness, and did you notice your cutie mark on your arms?”

‘Cutie mark?’ Looking to my right arm, I saw it. Right under the beginning of my arms, just like a tattoo, was my mark. A double helix made of fire, minus the bonds, spun three times, with a long sword going through the middle. ‘Impressive. Means you’re a born fighter…And a pyromaniac.’ My stupid grin was my response. Then of course, I finally looked at my torso, which was surprisingly lean, and also, bare of any shirt, or wound from where I was stabbed. I looked to the guys in confusion. “One, I don't want another incident. Two, the fuck happened to my shirt? And why am I not fucking wounded?” David grinned. “Rarity jacked your shirt when they removed it, and some pony named Nurse Redheart and a bunch of others used magic to seal up yo shit. So be happy.” “Rarity has my shirt?.....If I get it back with Diamonds in it, SHIRT OR NOT, I. AM. Burning it.”

Kyle walked up to me all suave like before putting his right arm around my shoulders. “Oh come on now man. Dem diamonds would look good on you, especially since you can make em shine now. Give it a try.” I just smacked him upside the head. “How about no, ya fashion loving traitor? That goes for all you ass holes! I haven’t forgotten the stunt you all pulled.” I pushed Kyle off of me and crossed my arms at them. They all hung their heads in shame. Looking around the room, I saw it was a typical hospital room with a single bed inside of it. ‘I can tell your mad at them and what not, but you have to admit, it was a great strategy, seeing as your obviously the best fighter.’ ‘Oh shut up. Not my fault I….Ok so it is my fault I took an interest in swordplay but that’s beside the point.’ ‘Right. Let’s go with that.’

A grunt was my response. Looking back to the guys, I saw them staring at me sadly. “….If you’re trying to give me an overload of anime looks, forget it…..But I DO forgive you sorry assholes.” They smiled at my forgiveness. Grunting, I felt my pants over and noticed a distinct lack of two things, no, three now.

My belt, my bayonet, and my sword. “Ok….Who is the STUPID mother fucker….Who took my shit….?” Kyle sighed before motioning to the door with a jerk of his head. “Applejack is holding them for now…” I didn’t move a muscle. I did tilt my head at him. “You thought this a good idea with Applebloom being her sister?” Evan and Kyle both gave me the OH SHIT looks before bolting. David just stood there confused. “What?” “Sister tries everything, and I mean EVERYTHING for a cutie mark.” David groaned loudly before stomping out. I casually walked out of the room and followed David all the way to the receptionist desk, where I signed myself out. When I heard my medical bill paid….I shrugged and walked outside, breathing in the fresh air. I took a look around. Not far from Ponyville, just on the outskirts.

With a sigh, I set off towards Ponyville, specifically, Twilight’s library. My shit was in the hands of someone, no, somepony, who has a little sis, that from what I know, does really stupid shit, and is so adorable while doing it. Right now, my only comfort besides having Dawn in my head, was going to be books. Lots and lots of fucking books baby.