Pyre's Reckoning

Deep within the burnt ruins of the facility, a mare sat alone in a blazed room. Ashes and dust covered every wall, and smoke still came out from the crevices in the floor. A skull sat in the corner, far from the rest of its body, which was across the room. The skull was scorched black and its hollow eyes seemed to be forever gazing at the mare, who was sobbing. Her fiery mane drooped over her face as she lied there in despair. She was crying, but no tear has ever escaped her flaming eyes since she destroyed her home and family.

She incinerated her entire village. She never meant to, but Fire made her give up the life she had, so she could be with him...., forever. Then Celestia sent her here, a place the other inmates refered to as "Iron Hell", and it quite deserved it. She often remembered the screaming and gnashing of teeth that echoed in the halls of wretched asylum. Then there was the care taker... She hated him.... He would often toss her around as a filly and would ask questions she could't answer, so he'd hurt her more, and she'd cry in her peculiar way....., and he would laugh.... Laugh at her sorrow.... Laugh......

"GAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" She screamed and collapsed to the floor, her wail echoing throughout the entire building. Her sobs were not unnoticed, as a Flame ignites behind her...

"Pyre...., Why do you cry....." The Flame spoke to her as she writhed in the ash.

"I-I want to stop...." Pyre mumbled, "I don't want to hurt anypony anymore..."

The Flame was startled and raced to her face. "But why, my Pyre.....? Why this change of heart....?"

Pyre raised her head and looked deep into the Fire, "She haunts me.....; Candelle haunts me...... Everyday I feel this emptiness grow in me, Fire... I don't want to be hated, I want to be loved and accepted..... To be with my family......."

The Fire grew fiercer as it heard this, "You don't need anypony. You have me..... Forever...."

The Flame reached to Pyre, but she got up to her hooves and turned to walk away, sobbing as she did. Something then caught the Fire's attention as it fell from the face of the tormented mare as she went into the hall; It was a tear, a real legitimate tear made of water.

The Fire blazed as it's anger grew to a fever pitch, the small Flame becoming a raging Inferno. "I CANNOT ALLOW THIS....., NOT WHEN I AM SO CLOSE!" It burst in the hall after Pyre, shrinking down to it's original size.

"My Pyre......," The Flame spoke softly, "I am your Fire..... Everything I do....is to protect you....To shield you from those who hurt you....."

"THEN WHY DID YOU TAKE MY FAMILY!!!!" She turned to the Flame behind her, eyes red from her sobbing.

The Fire said nothing, then sighed, "I never wanted you to know the truth, my Pyre......."

"What do you mean? WHAT TRUTH?!?!?"

The Flame grew and grew til it completely engulfed Pyre, and the next thing she knew she was back in....

"Timberhill....." Pyre breathless; it was the first time she had been there since she was taken away by Celestia's minions. It was completely barren, with not a single speck of life among the ash and rubble. She turned to the Fire, "WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE?!?"

"To show you your purpose, my Pyre.... Look at the desolation you caused.... The sheer destruction.... Complete annihilation...

"NONE OF THIS WAS MY FAULT!!! IT WAS YOUR'S!!!!!" Pyre screamed at the Fire as she swung her hooves at it.

"Maybe so....., The Flame whispered, "But it was you who created me that day! I AM YOUR FIRE!!" It burst into an Inferno, streams of flames swirled around fiercely and fireballs shot out in random directions.

Pyre's emotions soon took control, "STOOOOOPPP!!!!" She began to gather all of the Fire into her horn, a task that pushed Pyre to her knees. When it was done, Pyre fell to the ground, breathing heavily and angrily.

The Flame reappeared beside the exhausted mare and began to nuzzle into her mane. "I love you, my Pyre....." The Fire spoke, "I want you with me..., but I don't like seeing you unhappy..... That's why I saved you from that nasty stallion who tormented you....And helped you on your quest to destroy the one who sent you there......"

The mare began to cry again, "I want my family...." Pyre sobbed as she looked to the spot where her house once stood, imagining herself jumping into the arms of her parents and holding her baby sister before they fade into flame and smoke and becoming ash in her hands....

The Fire glowed, as if it thought of an idea. "Maybe......, when all of Equestria burns under us....., then I might be strong enough, my Pyre....."

"What do you mean.....?" The poor mare asked as she rubbed her burning eyes.

"Strong enough to bring your family back, my Pyre.... I will give them what I gave you to spare you from the burning flames, and they will live with us...... Forever....."

Pyre hope soared for what seemed like the first time for her, she then looked again at that same spot and saw herself, her parents, her baby sister, and Fire all standing together in a great castle for the rest of eternity...

"I...., Oh, thank you, Fire!!!" She got up and her eye twinkled with mad glee.

"Let's be on our way then...." Pyre giggled as the Flame surrounded her and transported her to the next target. She appeared before a little colt who was playing in the field outside of a small village.

"Wh-Who are y-you....?" The child asked as his body shook with fear.

The fiery-maned mare giggled and twitched as she once did several months ago, "I'm your Pyre...." She giggled as her eyes and horn began to glow.....