Pyre's Reckoning

by BludgeonWarrior

Rating: mature
Tags: Sad, Princess Luna, Original Character, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark
Length: 13829

(Sequel to Equestria's Pyre) The return of Pyre becomes the prelude to a greater threat....

(Sequel to Equestria's Pyre.)
Equestria shudders as Pyre has returned to finish what she started three months ago, but for she is also conflicted by her new feelings given to her by the Elements. In response, Celestia sends Flashpoint and a new ally Cold Facts to the facility where Pyre once stayed, as she prepares all of Equestria for the coming storm.
Meanwhile in the darkness, another demented soul by the name of Psych-Optic travels Equestria, ripping apart the psyches of ponies with his eye that doesn't blink, all the while searching for the pyronic mare.
As all this transpires, a greater threat grows as the fire spreads...
(Warning: fire, death, insanity, psychological torment, and implied abuse.)

Published 2012-12-06 06:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-07-28 18:41:44 UTC

Flickering

A village.

Engulfed in a flaming storm, ashes fell like snow and smoke billowed from remains of what was a house. A house that used to belong to a family. There was a doll on the ground by a rock. It was then picked up by a mare with a flame-like mane.

"I used to have a doll like this, Fire.... It had these same curls in its mane... and I would brush them all the time..." The mare brought it to her hooves using her magic. She petted the doll's mane, only for it to shrivel and burn up.

"AAAARRRGGGGHHH!!!" The mare incinerated the doll until there was nothing but ash and dust. The mare fell down to her hooves and began to cry, but no tears escaped her eyes. The fire around the mare started to join, and formed a figure that resembled an Alicorn. It moved towards the mare and petted her mane.

"You don't need such trifles...." The Fire spoke in a strange distorted voice, "You will always have me......, My Pyre....." The Flame engulfed her and vanished from the burning village in Saddle Arabia...

Celestia stood in the Hall of Ceremonies, the grandness of it unable to erase the sorrow that plagued her. She was standing in the gaze of light from one the most recent of stained glass windows. It depicted the final confrontation with the fiery manifestation that was created from the tortured mind of Candelle, a mare that could manipulate fire. She had convinced herself that she was Equestria's Pyre, and caused death and destruction throughout Equestria!

That was three months ago.

Reconstruction was taking more time than it should. The.... lack of workers.... made things harder, and recent reports from neighboring kingdoms distressed the princess further.....

"Your Highness...." A guard stepped into the hall, "Chief Flashpoint has arrived."

Celestia nodded, not turning from the beams of light shining through the window.

The guard opened the door to allow the guest to enter. Flashpoint walked in and the guard immediately left and closed the door behind him.

"Something tell me that this isn't a friendly chat...." Flash mumbled as he approached the princess. "Princess..." he bowed.

She sighed, "She's still alive...." Celestia turned and trotted over to the rise.

Flash watched as she walked away. "Who...," he turned to the window and realized who she meant...

"Pyre...." Flash whispered as he remembered when he spoke to her, before she disappeared in a torrent of fire. Her burning laugh was echoing in his mind.

"Yes..." The Princess sighed, "She's been spotted in Saddle Arabia, Germareny, and several small towns and villages outside of Equestria..."

"I don't understand..., wasn't she...., I mean, didn't the Elements...."

Celestia shook her head, "It appears the Elements had little effect on Pyre..." Flash noticed the helplessness in her voice. "Her strength was greater than I had originally anticipated...." Her voice left her as she was sent back to that final bout in her mind, "That....monster she became....it's strength was greater than Luna's and mine combined! I doubt the Elements will work on it again...." She sighed again, "If she attacks again....., I doubt we'd be able to stop her...."

Flashpoint looked again at the glass window; he could see himself, Twilight and her friends......, and the Fire Alicorn. He reached his hoof out to it, but something happened that made him jerk back. He turned away from the window and walked over to the princess.

"Princess.... I-"

"No, I'm sorry....... I should have done something more...."

Flashpoint stood silent.

"You remember me telling you that I had examined Candelle after she was found..."

Flash nodded.

"Afterwards, I met with the other higher officials of Equestria and gave them my opinion..." Another sigh, "But then disregarded me and sent Candelle to a special facility outside Equestria's borders...."

"Yes, you told us about that..." Flashpoint reminded her.

"I know... that's where you come in, Flashpoint. I want you to go to that facility and investigate."

Flash was taken aback, but only for a short time.

"I'll do my best, princess, but I'm not much of an investigator..."

"That is why I will be accompanying you."

Flash turned to the speaker; a light gray stallion. He had a blue/light blue mane with matching glasses. His cutie mark was an ice cube, like how Flash began feeling like being around him.

"Flashpoint," Celestia began, "I'd like to introduce you to Cold Facts..."

"Greetings, Chief Flashpoint." Cold said as he fixed his glasses. His tone was how Flash imagined it would be: bored and uninterested. "I will be joining you to the facility that my father ran."

"Your father?!?"

"Yes...." Cold replied as he looked down at the floor, "My father, Vast Minds, founded that facility several years before Pyre was sent there. He created it to help ponies and other creatures that needed psychological assistance."

"In other words, a 'nut house'..... Great..." Flash groaned.

Cold Facts looked away again and sighed, "Not originally...."

"You see, Flashpoint," Celestia started, "During the time Pyre was sent there, Vast had been through... emotional pain..." Celestia looked at Cold, who was looking back at the wall. "He became more aggressive with his patients, using practices I was unaware of until Cold Facts came to me." She moved her head towards Cold Facts, who was deep in thought. He snapped out of it and picked up where the princess left off.

"When the princess announced the cause of the fires.... and Pyre... three months ago, I figured that she was kept in my father's facility, so I decided to research further into it. Being a head scholar at Canterlot University, I was able to enter the archives and find those documents. It did take some time, and even more to convince the officials to grant me an audience with the princess...." Cold muttered some unintelligible remarks; Flash smirked.

Cold Facts cleared his throat and continued, "I found several letters and reports that Vast had made to the council. In them, I discovered that he had transformed the help center into an iron asylum, and used threats and force to keep his patients in line. All of them written after his spiral...."

Cold looked away again and stared down at the floor sorrowfully, still keeping his usual expression.

"This is why I need you and Cold Facts to go there," Celestia asserted, "What Vast did there was horrible and cruel, and what he did somehow changed Candelle into the crazed mare she is today, and I need know if there is any possible way to convince her to stop her rampage! Can I count on you, Flashpoint...?"

Flashpoint stood in thought, then smiled.

"Well..., since you asked so nicely..." Flash winked.

The princess smiled, "Thank you...."

"Don't mention it..., your Highness." Flashpoint bowed then walked towards the door. "Hey, Specs!" He called over to Cold Fact, who was staring at the window that Flash was earlier, "Ya comin'?" Cold said nothing and proceeded to follow Flashpoint out of the great chamber.

Celestia sighed and walked over to the same window and stared at the fiery likeness of herself Pyre created.

"Candelle........"

"For the last time, I don't know where she is! Just get away from me!!"

The stallion was screaming and writhing on the floor in his home; he had been visited by a strange hooded pony. All that he could see of his intruder's face was a small glowing purple light where his right eye would be. There was also a strange whirring noise whenever the purple light would move it's gaze. The intruder had bombarded the poor stallion with question after question, each of them involving the whereabouts of Pyre....

"So...., another dead end..." The intruder spoke in a low, raspy voice that sent chills down the tormented stallion's back.

"Yes! Please....just GO!!!" The stallion begged, but was ignored by the hooded intruder, who instead walked over to the fireplace.

"How lovely...." The intruder moaned as he looked at a picture of the stallion's family, "No..., I think I'll wait for your wife and son to return..."

"NOOO-Ummph-UMMPH!!" The intruder shut the stallions mouth using a magic spell.

"None of that now...." The stranger scolded. He walked to the sink and filled a glass of water, "Such exhausting work..." The hooded figure then removed his hood to the stallion's shock and horror. The purple light and the strange whirring all came from his right eye; it was mechanical! It buzzed as it telescoped back and forth on his face as he drank.

"Ahh....., much better...." The intruder slowly trotted back to his silenced victim and sat in front of him, the eye whirring as it fixed itself on the frighted stallion. "Before your family returns, I think we should get to know each other better..." He smiled.

"You may call me Psych-Optic..." The eye dilated on the disturbed stallion, "And from my observations, life's been very good to you...." The eye then flashed red, "Some ponies get all the luck..." Psych-Optic gritted his teeth in anger, but stopped when he heard hoof-steps outside. He smiled again, "Maybe they will be more receptive than you were....."

Smoke

Flashpoint and Cold Facts sat at the station, waiting for the train to arrive; it will take them to Coltic Falls, a small town that is near Vast Minds' facility. From there, they'll trek the rest of the way on foot.

It was a gorgeous summer day, but Flashpoint was shivering; sitting next to Cold was like sitting next to a Windigo in December.... on the moon. Cold took little notice of Flashpoint, he was tapping his hoof rather impatiently, as if he want to leave quickly.

"Cold! Cold!!"

A mare ran up to the two seated stallions in a great hurry. She had a yellow mane with eyes to match, and a white coat as pure as newly fallen snow. Her eyes were sparkling from the sunlight in her tears.

"You did't tell me you were going there yourself, Cold!!" She cried, feeling betrayed. Flashpoint decided to step back, realizing that this between them.

"Couldn't get away in time..." Cold sighed, "I have to, Bright..." He put his hoof on her shoulder, "I need to learn what sort of atrocities Vast committed there after we left..."

Bright turned away, tears still sliding down her face, "He's most likely dead anyway..." She muttered with disdain.

"I need to be sure of that, Bright...." Cold whispered.

Bright ran to him and hugged him tightly, the tears dripping on to him.

"Be safe..." She whispered to him. Cold simply nodded.

The train pulled into the station and let out a loud whistle.

"I have to go now, Bright....." Cold escaped her grip and boarded the train with Flashpoint.

"Be safe, brother..." Bright muttered softly as the train blew its whistle again and pulled out of the station.

Two hours later, Flash and Cold were once again sitting together in the train coach. Cold was looking through files and reports, giving Flashpoint some time to think about what Celestia had told him.

"How come the Elements didn't do anything?!?"

He then thought of what happened with the window when he reached for it, but a strange fear took hold of him and he began to shake.

"Something wrong....?" Cold inquired, looking up at Flash.

"I-It's nothing...." Flashpoint stuttered, to which Cold raised an eyebrow. "So...." Flash began nervously, "That was your sis, I take it?" He hoped to change the subject.

"Yes." Cold replied as he looked through a letter, "Her name is Bright Ideas."

"She's very..." Flash trailed off as Cold gave him an icy glare though his glasses, ".....sweet...." Cold nodded and returned to his work.

"Look, I know it's not any of my business..." Flash sighed, " But I overheard you two talking about your father.... Did something happen....? Were you two part of his 'emotional pain' the princess mentioned...?"

Cold Facts smirked, "It appears you aren't as dense as I thought you were...." The smirk disappeared from his face the very second after it appeared, "Vast Minds, our father, was the most brilliant psychologist in all of Equestria...." Cold closed his eyes and remembered of when he was a little colt. "I always wanted to be like him...." He sighed, "Seventeen years ago, our mother passed away...." Flash's eyes widened. "Bright and I had to stay with him at the facility for two and a half weeks before our aunt took us in.... That's when I saw how broken he was...."

Cold explained to Flashpoint how insecure Vast was growing up, that his fascination with the inner workings of one's psyche was ridiculed by the other colts and fillies. All except on..., his future wife and Cold and Bright's mother, Hidden Truth. She was the only one who really listen to Vast, and he loved her for that. As they grew up, they lovers grew closer and closer, and were married as soon as they graduated college together. And very soon after that, Truth gave birth to Cold Facts. When Cold was two, Vast proposed his idea of his facility to Princess Celestia and the rest of the high officials, who agreed to fund him. After its completion, Vast spent years there at a time, Cold only seeing him every six months or so, and when Cold was eleven, Truth had another foal, a filly that she named Bright Ideas...

"She was six when our mother died...." Cold reflected, he then shook his head, "Too young to understand what our father was going through, but I did... Vast had taken to drinking to erase his depression, but it only made it worse.... He became angrier with his assistants...., and us...." Cold shut his eyes, remembering all of his bruises and bloody noses his father gave him. "I always made sure that I was between him and Bright...."

Cold stopped and looked at Flashpoint, who had been silent throughout Cold's story.

Flash gave a heavy sigh, "I'm sorry...., I should have minded my own business...."

Cold nodded, "As am I....." He looked out the window at the night sky, where the moon shone brightly down on the landscape...

"A wonderful moon tonight, Luna...."

The princesses were conversing privately in their chambers.

"Many thanks, but there are too few stars..." Luna sighed, "I am weary, sister, from all the searching..."

"I know," Celestia apologized, "But we must find Pyre and help her through her dreams."

"I agree," Luna replied, "But whenever I do find her in the Realm of Dreams, I am pushed back by a black smoke.... Strange how she's able to do so...."

"I've been thinking of that too...." Celestia admitted, "I have reason to believe that.... something... is helping Pyre..."

"Perhaps..." Luna sighed, "Even despite the smoke, I am able to hear her dreams.... She suffers; she constantly has nightmares of what she'd done in Timberhill...." A tear escaped the eye of the Princess of the Night. "I feel so powerless..."

Celestia walked to her sister and comforted her. They sat together by the fireplace. Luna stared into it, and for an instant....., she thought she saw eyes.....

Ashes

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.....

Ruined

The train bellowed smoke as it pulled into Coltic Falls' station, and brought with it Flashpoint and Cold Facts, who came to find answers at Vast's facility. When they got out of the station, they were met with glares from the residents, which consisted of ponies, griffons, and the occasional minotaur. Flash had never been outside of Equestria and was quite out of his environment.

"Well, lead on..." Flashpoint nudged at Cold.

"What do you mean, lead?" Cold responded confused.

"Aren't you leading us to your father's facility?"

"Actually, we didn't get there by land..., Bright and I were brought and left there on chariots..."

"Great..." Flash walked up to one of the ponies at the station, "Uh..., Excuse me, do you know where we could get directions?" He was met with silence from the stallion, who walked off without a word. He tried again with a mare, but she did the same, as did everypony else he talked to. "What's wrong with everypony?" Flash stood baffled.

"Perhaps we should ask somepony in authority?" Cold suggested.

"Yeah...., good call."

The proceeded to find the mayor, and were met with more glares as they walked through the town.

"Why are they staring at us...?" Flash felt extremely uncomfortable.

"I would be suspicious of anyone if I lived nearby an insane asylum..." Cold muttered.

"Yeah..." Flash agreed, "Ah! That looks like the town hall." Flash pointed to a taller building that had an emblem of a waterfall on the top of the building.

"Obviously, lets go." The two stallions went inside and were met with even more glares, though one of them actually bother to approach them. "Are you the mayor of this town?" Cold asked him.

"Aye, I would be..." The stallion replied, "What business do you have with me?" Flash could tell how tired and annoyed the mayor was.

"We want directions to Vast's facility." As soon as Cold said that, the other citizens began to murmur and jeer at them.

"Come with me..." The mayor led them outside and they walked for a while til they reached a stone gateway, guarded by two large stallions with spears. "Here..., follow the road, and you will reach the ruins..."

"Ruins?" They both asked.

"Yes..., three months ago, the 'Iron Hell' burned down in a great flame.... I sent some stallions to check the debris, but they found no survivors..."

"None....?" Cold asked again.

"None...." The mayor repeated.

"Then why the guards?" Flash asked this time, "If there were no survivors, why all the security? And why is everypony staring at us?"

"It's none of your business...." The mayor muttered.

"Look, I'm Canterlot Firepony Chief Flashpoint, I'm here on orders from Princess Celestia of Equestia and I wish to know what's happening in this town, because I want to help you..." This caught both the mayor and Cold off guard, "I've noticed how fearful some of your citizens looked and I can see you're exhausted from something, so just tell me what's going on here."

The mayor sighed, "Very well.... You see, there have been several intrusions here the past week..."

"By who?"

"We don't know...., but he leaves the ponies that live in that house traumatized and crazed, raving about his 'eye'..., I'm at a loss on what to do!"

"When was his last break in?" Cold joined in the investigating finally; he seemed tense.

"Yesterday..." The mayor broke into tears, "He attacked my son and his family and left them broken!" Flash walked up to him and held his hoof.

"I'm sorry for what happened..." Flash whispered, "I'll help out in any way I can when we get back..." Flash then motioned to Cold and they went on their way down the path towards the 'Iron Hell'....

The mayor went back to the town hall and entered his office, "Odd...., I never closed the curtains..."

"I did that..." A voice spoke and startled the mayor. His chair turned around to reveal a hooded stallion sitting in it. A glowing purple dot where his right eye would've been was all that the mayor could see. The mayor tried to open the door and leave, but couldn't.

"I took the liberty of fixing the lock on that door, but it has this lousy malfunction of locking us in..." The intruder laughed.

"Who are you?" The mayor demanded.

"Why, didn't your son tell you?" The intruder removed his hood, causing the mayor to gasp, "I'm Psych-Optic..."

The mayor now knew what his son and the others meant about an 'eye', as that was where the purple light came from, a robotic eye!

"What do you want from me?!?" The mayor now terrified.

Psych-Optic chuckled as he got up from the chair and slowly walked towards the mayor, "Nothing from you, per-say, but I heard that there were two new arrivals heading over to 'Iron Hell', would these rumors be true?" He asked as he was about five inches away from the mayor's face, his synthetic eye whirring as it stared into his eye.

"If I say yes, what are you going to do to me?" The mayor huddled against the wall in absolute terror.

"I'll leave. Simple as that." Psych-Optic went to the window, "Oh! I almost forgot!" He stopped and turned around, "Tell me the names of the two arrivals..."

"I only know one, his name was Flashpoint, Firepony Chief of Canterlot, and he was sent by Pricess Celestia of Equestria!" The mayor covered his head to avoid the eye's constant gaze.

"Canterlot, eh? Hmm......, well, I must thank you for your service, but I'm afraid I can't let you roam about with such information..." Psych-Optic smiled.

"BUT YOU SAID-!!"

"I said I would leave, I never said I'd leave without having a little fun... Haha....Haha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"NO! NO! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"

Flashpoint and Cold Facts followed the path that eventually led them into a wood. They were silent for some time but then Cold spoke up, "Why so concerned about the problems in that village?"

"Why aren't you?" Flash asked back rather angrily, "A crazed stallion is going around turning others mad and you're not concerned?"

Cold was silent; he looked away from Flashpoint and then stopped, "I'm worried about my father..." Cold muttered.

Flash felt really dumb, "Right......, no survivors...." He walked back over to Cold, "I'm sorry...., but I thought you hated how Vast was?"

"I do..." Cold answered, "But I can remember when I loved him..." Cold closed his eyes, "I remember showing him my test scores...., and when I would sit outside in the snow every year, waiting for him to come home for Hearth's Warming..." Tears began to appear. "Now I'll never see him again.., and it's all because of her...."

Flashpoint sighed, "I know how you feel...., I lost someone I loved to Pyre's flame myself, my older brother, Fire Fight..." Flash told Cold about what happened to Fire Fight and of his own conflict with Pyre, of how he would've killed her with his bare hooves if not for Celestia's intervention.

"I would have never known..." Cold whispered, "You seem so.... cheery..."

Flash smirked, "Only when I can..., c'mon on, still more road to go..." The two continued there way through the quiet forest, the few sounds being the buzzing of bees and the rustling of leaves. They trekked for about an hour before they reached the end of the forest, and that's when the saw it, in the distance, a lone building scorched to a black, the grass around it burned away, and debris scattered around it, the place many refer to as...

"'Iron Hell'... This is the place... I guess..." Flashpoint turned to Cold, who was looking down. Cold then looked at Flash and nodded, and the two of them headed down to the ruined asylum....

Author's Note

And back with Pyre again, trying to get back into the swing of things. Tell me what you think and feel free to speculate.

Smolder

The blood-red morning sun rose over the hill to reveal the smoldering remains of a once quiet fishing village, smoke still rising from the charred wooden houses. The light of dawn also revealed the mare responsible for the blaze; she was sleeping on the ashes of a wooden chair next to the scorched form of a young filly, a horrifying expression burned into her eyes. Pyre awoke with a smile on her face, returning from the first sweet dream she's had in years, but her smile vanished when she saw the filly by her side.

Pyre sighed heavily as she got to her hooves and began to walk through the burned town, observing the devastation she caused last night. She notice a small still burning flame on a flower and she walked towards it. Pyre stared at the burning rose and thought about what will happen when this was all over...

"There with my family and my Fire,
I imagine it in my dreams,
Won't need to know what friendship means,
Not with my family and my Fire.~"

She manipulated the small flame to shift and form into two ponies...

"Mother and Father will be standing there,
They will see how much I've grown,
Nothing more could I desire,
Not with my family and my Fire.~"

Pyre then made the flame become a small foal that jumped into her embrace...

"There is my sister bathed in light,
I hold her and sing a lullaby,
She smiles at me and gives my cheek a kiss,
She says, 'Candelle, I wuv you so much sis.'~"

The flame dissipated and Pyre was alone...

"To reclaim what once was mine,
Is that really such a crime?
I'll burn everything as this 'Pyre',
To be with my family and my Fire.~"

Pyre lowered her head and was silent. The Fiery Alicorn appeared behind her and looked down at the solemn mare. He reached down and touched Pyre's shoulder with his flaming hoof. She turned to him and stared into his red, burning eyes and sighed, "Take me home, Fire...." The Fire Alicorn nodded as it reverted to a flame and began to cover Pyre with its form. The Flame disappeared and Pyre along with it, leaving behind them a burnt waste of a once quiet fishing village...

That same morning , a hooded pony walked over to the train station, earning the glares of the other residents, but he ignored them and proceeded, and soon arrived at the station. He approached he conductor, "I wish to go to Canterlot..." The hooded stallion demanded.

"I'm sorry, sir, do you have a-a-a-a-uhhhhhh......" The conductor pony trailed off as he looked at the purple light that shone from under the stranger's hood.

"Is there a problem...?" The hooded pony chuckled.

"D-D-Do you have a-a-a-a ticket s-s-sir...?" The conductor shivered.

The hooded stallion groaned as he reached into his hood's pocket, the conductor ducked, expecting some sort of weapon, but instead a large sack filled with bits was thrown at his hooves. "Will this cover my ticket...?" The stallion chuckled, "You keep the rest if you keep silent of my being here..."

"Uh...Uh... Yes, sir..." The conductor left to get the hooded stallion his ticket, soon returning, "H-H-Here you go, s-s-sir...." He handed the hooded stallion his ticket, "Now you better get on board, the train'll be leavin' soon!"

"Why thank you, sir... ehehehe...." The hooded stallion chuckled as he boarded the train. He went to the back car to be alone as the train pulled out of the station. The stallion removed his hood to reveal the same stallion who had been terrorizing Coltic Falls. Psych-Optic rubbed his hoof through his purple-ish mane, which was messy and was singed in places. His robotic eye whirred and spun as he began to think out his plan while in Canterlot.

"I cannot keep wasting my time for Candelle to attack that worthless speck of a town any longer..." Psych-Optic growled, "I'll have to ambush her when she returns to Equestria! HAHAHA!!" His synthetic eye spun as he laughed. "But first, I'll need more information of her recent attack...." Psych-Optic's thoughts returned to what the mayor had told him of the arrivals, "Hmmm....., Firepony Chief, eh? Hehehehehe...." Psych-Optic's sadistic mind drifted off into a sick bliss as he began to imagine the fun he'll have in Canterlot....

The Fire Alicorn stood in the doorway of Pyre's torched room as he watched her play with little flames that she was controlling. He watched as she laughed while she played, not a maniacal laugh, but a happy one, like she used to when she was a filly so long ago....

"The Elements of Harmony had no effect on me...." The Fiery Alicorn contemplated, "But it seems that they have worked their power on her...." Pyre was rolling around in the flames, chasing them around like a puppy would with its tail, "The harmony of the Elements are awakening Candelle...."

The Fire Alicorn left the room and began to walk through the destroyed hallway, his fiery body becoming brighter and fiercer, and his smoky mane became thicker and blacker. "My power is near fruition......., I cannot have any mistakes now!!"

Just then, a noise echoed throughout the ruined asylum, the sound of a door opening. The Fiery Alicorn began to flare wildly, flames bursting all around him, smoke belching from his mane, and his eyes burned solid red as he remembered that one.... The one who foiled him those three months ago.... The one who defied him the pleasure of incinerating those wretched princesses... The one who pushed him into the Elements of Harmony.... The one whose presence he felt entering 'Iron Hell' that very moment.

The Fire Alicorn shrank down to a Flame, "I think I'll let Pyre deal with him...." The Flame then vanished into thin air, leaving Pyre alone with the two stallions who had just entered 'Hell'.....

Author's Note

Pyre's song is based on "Castle on a Cloud" from Les Miserables.

Singed

The large metal door creaked loudly as Flashpoint and Cold Facts entered the halls of 'Iron Hell'. Inside, it was very dark; there were no windows in the entire facility. From what they could see, everything was destroyed, torched by Pyre when she escaped. Cold began to cough a little from the ashes that polluted the air around them.

"You still remember your way around?" Flash asked Cold as he eyed what appeared to be a front desk. Flash walked over to it and gently touched it with his hoof, only for the whole counter to break apart, hitting the floor with a loud crash, ashes and dust clouding around him.

Pyre's ears shot up...

"Good job..." Cold coughed as he approached the ash-covered Flashpoint, "And I believe I do..... That way." Cold started to walk through the hallway on the right, a coughing Flashpoint following behind him.

As they walked through the hall, the two stallions would often come across a scorched corpse of some poor pony or some other creature. Neither said a word as they both wanted to get what they came for and leave this Hell as soon as possible.

Flashpoint and Cold Facts finally arrived at a stairway, "Down there, that's where Vast's room and all his research is, lets go..." Cold said as he began to trot down the steps...

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

Flashpoint raced to see and saw Cold hanging on the stairs; there was a huge gap. Flashpoint grabbed Cold's hooves and pulled him back onto the solid floor. They were both breathing heavily, Flashpoint cough because of the ash.

"Thanks..." Cold got to his hooves.

"It was nothin'..." Flash coughed, "But now we've got a problem, how are we going to get down now? That gap is way too wide to jump..."

Cold smirked, "I believe I can fix that.." He approached the ledge of the stairs and began to groan. Flash saw that Cold's horn was glowing an icy blue, and sweat that was trailing down his face as he concentrated on his spell. Flashpoint then started to shiver as a small flurry of snow formed around the two stallions. Cold groaned some again as he used his magic to move the flurry down the steps, filling the gaps with ice and had it continue down into the darkness.

"There, *pant* it should go on to fill any other gaps with ice." Cold looked at Flash, who was hesitant to step on the ice. "You won't slip..." Cold sighed as he started down the frozen steps, "We need to hurry."

As the two of them journeyed down the dark, icy stairway, Flashpoint grew more and more uncomfortable and anxious. He felt strange, like there was something watching him from... somewhere... He thought back to the incident with the window and the... thing... he saw. It had given Flash the same feeling...

"Look..." Cold spoke, startling Flash, "There's a dim light at coming from the door at the bottom." It was a faint purple light coming from down the hallway.

Cold Facts and Flashpoint quickly went down the rest of the stair and entered the dimly lit hall, hoping to find out more of Vast did here...

Pyre crept through the hall, eager to find out what, or who, caused that noise. Then all of the sudden, she began to shiver.

"I'm... cold?" Pyre muttered as she created a blanket of flame and wrapped it around herself. Ever since Timberhill, Pyre has had an extremely low tolerance of cold air or any frozen. It was one of many methods Vast had to keep Pyre in line.

"How is there cold...?" Pyre wondered as she continued to wander down the hallway until she reached the stairs.

"It's coming from here....?" Pyre looked in the stairway and saw that the gaps in the steps were filled with ice.

"How in the hay...?" Pyre began to gather the ash around the room with her magic and formed a grey-black cloud of ash that she then climbed on top of. The cloud then carried Pyre down the stairs, as to avoid the icy steps.

Soon she was at the bottom, facing the dimly-lit hall. Pyre was shake, not from the cold, but from her fear. She had never been down those stairs before, not even after she torched the facility, Pyre knew that this hall led to where Vast had worked privately. She could tell because of the light that came from it, as purple was Vast's favorite color as she remembered. Pyre started to hear voices coming from down the hallway ahead. She sighed, took a deep breath and began to ride the ash cloud down the hall as to avoid making noise.

"Vast is gone..., Vast is gone..., Vast is gone..., gone forever....." Pyre kept whispering to herself as she floated down the dim purple-lit hall, though at many times, she thought the opposite was true...

Flashpoint and Cold Facts reached the end of the hall and entered into a strange room where the purple light was coming from. It was filled with strange metal devices with screens and there were papers scattered everywhere. On the right side of the room there was a metal desk with schematics of something but there were blood stains on it so they couldn't make it out.

"Your dad had some weird hobbies...." Flash commented on the decor of Vast's room.

Cold said nothing as he wander through his father's room, looking for some sort of files, or notes, or anything of that nature. He searched through all the drawers and shelves, and he came across several strange discs. In every one, there were many of those strange discs that resembled small records.

Cold took out all of them and placed them on the desk. "What the hay are these things?" Flashpoint asked.

"I'm not sure, but they seem like small silver record.."

"Well, maybe they are.... Look, there are numbers written on them." Flash pointed out.

Cold looked at the disc he was holding, it was labeled 284. "Hmm...., I remember us passing a door with the same number on it...."

"Hey, Cold!" Flash called, "There's a slot in the machine that's the same size as those discs. Maybe this thing plays 'em."

"Maybe..." Cold walked over to the device and inserted the disc. The screen lit up and an image appeared on it. It was a grey unicorn stallion, same color as Cold Facts, but instead of a short blue mane, his was lang and dark purple, and was also wearing a lab coat.

"Father...." Cold muttered as the recording of Vast cleared his throat.

"Patient 284. Typical split-personality case. Stems from childhood trauma and parental abuse. Collapsed after twelve questions. Little useful data gathered from subject. Will be disposed of."

The screen went black leaving the two of them to process what they just saw.

"I can't...." Cold turned away, "He's changed....., even more than I thought...."

Flash put a hoof on Cold shoulder, "We need to keep watching these. One of them has got to be about Pyre." Cold nodded and they looked for more of those discs...

Pyre reached the door way at the end of the hall when she heard a familiar voice.

"No! It can't be!" Pyre gasped silently as she peeked inside. She saw that the voice came from a recording of Vast on the screen, and then she saw... "Him!" Pyre saw Flashpoint, watching the recording with some other stallion, who made Pyre shiver just looking at him.

Pyre sat low behind the door and listened in as the two stallions played more recordings...

"Patient 375. POW from the Griffin Kingdom. Sent here for interrogation. Will make excellent test subject for my new technology. Will record results."

Cold put his face in his hooves; they had been watching these recordings for the past twenty minutes.

"I can't do this..." Cold walked over to the table, "I can't sit here and listen to all these recordings of how disgusting my father was!" He slammed his hoof on the table, causing everything on it to scatter.

Flash noticed some more discs that were underneath the blueprints, "Hmm...." Flash walked over and looked over them, "Cold! I found 'em, look!"

Cold came over to Flash and looked at the discs. They were all labeled 'Candelle' with a number after them.

"Very well...." Cold sighed as he went and inserted the first of the discs into the machine. The screen lit up as the recording played.

"I've received a new patient today. A filly named Candelle, who the high officials dumped me with. Apparently she is responsible for the fire in Timberhill I heard about. Most interesting..."

The recording ended and Flash put in the next one.

"After my first session with her I can clearly tell that she's quite emotionally unstable. I will need to find ways to restrain her."

Pyre listened in as Flashpoint and Cold Facts played through recording after recording, each one making Pyre remember all the 'sessions' she had with that monster.

"He's gone...... He's gone...." She whispered, trying to keep herself together...

Flash and Cold have gone through most of the recordings until there were two left.

"Candelle has been quiet through most our recent sessions, only speaking about some 'Fire' that keeps talking to her. Obviously a delusion of her own insanity. Unfortunately, she becoming a lot less amusing to me and I'm afraid she will have to be disposed of soon. Such a pity...., Candelle had given me such great data. It has allowed me to complete the prototype for my new device. With it, I will be able to pierce into the minds of my subjects, giving me access to their thoughts and memories. Thanks, Candelle...."

The screen fizzled to black and Flash took out the disc. He then took the last disc when he noticed that their was some blood on the title.

"What do ya make of this, Cold?" Flash handed the disc to Cold Facts who examined the title.

"I can't make it out..." Cold sighed, "Just put it in..."

Flash put the final disc in the machine and the screen lit up with Vast's image, only it was dark, with only the purple light glowing, and Vast was covering his right eye with his hoof, which was red from blood.

"Pyre..... That's what she called herself when she attacked me... I was too secure in my assumption of her passiveness... Heh.... She escaped.... She torched the whole facility.... All the other patients and staff are dead.... Now I have nothing..... Nothing, but HATE." The image of Vast removed his hoof from his eye too reveal an empty socket.

"The little wretch took my eye from me! She took all that I had left in this world!!" Tears started to form from Vast's left eye. "I'm sorry Hidden Truth, my love..... The stallion you loved is dead! Forever! Gone!" In the middle of his crying, Vast suddenly started to laugh maniacally.

"But I won't die without a fight!" Vast turned away in the recording and picked something from off the table, "With this, I will find her...." He was holding a strange metallic sphere in his hoof. "This..... This is the result of several year of research and hundreds of test subjects.... This 'eye' with allow me to pierce into the thoughts and memories of anypony's eye I look into.... With this...." Vast began to insert it into his empty socket, "I will BREAK CANDELLE!!" He shoved it into his socket, causing Vast to scream in pain, sparks shooting out from the 'eye'. Cold couldn't bear to watch his father scream in such agony.

The recording showed Vast covering his right eye with his hooves, then slowly lowering them to show his new cybernetic eye. It then switched on and a purple light gleamed from it, its whirring and buzzing being drowned out by Vast's hysteric laughter becoming louder and louder.

"Watch out, little Pyre....., for my little 'eye' will find you in your Fire..... Hehehe.... Hehehehe...... HAHAHAHHA! HAHAHAHAHA!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAAAAAAAHH!!!!!!"

The screen went to black...., leaving the room absolutely silent...

Meetings

It was dark and quiet in the baggage car. The train it was attached to was making its return to Canterlot, unknowingly carrying the sadistic Vast Minds, or as he now calls himself, Psych-Optic.

He sat in the center of the car, unmoving, his mind fixed on the moment that little wretch Candelle shot a searing jet of fire into his right eye, which he had later tore out, and then replaced with his new 'eye'. He hated that little wretch, even when he had his 'sessions' with her, though Vast relished her suffering as he poked and prodded her broken psyche. Such practice was the only thing that gave Vast pleasure after Truth's death...

Psych-Optic's robotic eye sparked as it sensed a new presence in the train car.

"What possible reason could the Herald of the Insanity have for intruding my solitude?" Psych-Optic smiled as he turned to face his visitor, who was a frightening green stallion with a darker green mane, with strange green triangles in his green eyes. They were not entertained by Psych-Optic's comment.

"You wonder how I know of you and your sister world, the Illogic? It's quite simple really," He rolled his hoof through his mane, "Many of your, how shall we say, 'lesser members' were sent to my facility, and a pony fitting your profile was who they described would kill them if they talked," Psych-Optic smiled again, "So I gave them a less.... gruesome death..."

"The fact that they were caught is more than enough to end their existence..." The green stallion growled.

"But of course...." Psych-Optic smirked as his synthetic eye looked through the triangular iris of the green stallion, though he later wished he didn't. His 'eye' was bombarded with image after image of gory fights, a deranged pony that defied all concept of logic, and himself as the green stallion stabbed a large spear though his robotic eye and out the back of his head.

Psych-Optic came to, finding the green stallion holding him above the ground with a single hoof, "If you value your meaningless life, you will not do that again..." The green stallion gritted his teeth.

Psych-Optic nodded and the green stallion released him from his grip, "I did not come to this pathetic version of the world to make idle chatter with your worthless being," The green stallion spat, "The Insanity is concerned with the status of one of our more effective members who resides here..."

"Would I know this crazed pony...?" Psych-Optic asked as he approached the green stallion, but was halted by a fierce glare from him.

"I would think so...." The green stallion turned, "She's the one who made you into what you are now..."

"Candelle?!?!" Psych-Optic jumped back, his robotic eye starting to spark, "That little wretch? She's a part of your group?"

"Indeed..." The green stallion sneered, "Pyre has been serving with us since her defeat by the Elements of Harmony...." He turned to Psych-Optic, "The Insanity has lost contact with her, some time ago, and is unable to pinpoint her location...., something is interfering..."

"Why waste time with such a wretch," Psych-Optic smirked, "When I'd be a much more useful ally...."

The green stallion barred his teeth, "I do not care for your allegiance, but since I care little for this world, you can locate Pyre for me..."

Psych-Optic smiled, "I was already doing that..., with my own plans..."

The green stallion snarled, "I don't care for your agenda...," He turned and walked away, "I only want you to locate her and determine how she is hiding from us... We don't like it when our members try to slip away...."

The green stallion tossed a small bag to Psych-Optic, "You will summon me with the item inside..."

Suddenly, a portal appeared inside the train car, large thorns crawling from the other side of it. Psych-Optic's synthetic eye began to spark from the energy emanating from it.

"May I know who it is I am serving...?" Psych-Optic gazed into the dark portal.

"The Sociopath." The green stallion said without turning, then departed through the portal which then vanished.

Psych-Optic smiled, "So Candelle, you've been busy since you left... Heh heh...." He returned to the spot he was sitting, and thought about how Candelle could escape the sight of such a powerful force.

"Very busy...."

Bright Ideas was pacing in her and Cold's apartment; she was anxious about her brother being in such an awful place.

"I just can't stop thinking about him," Bright sighed, "I hope he's okay..."

A knock on the door took Bright away from her pacing and she went to answer it.

"Hello?" She said as she opened the door, "Oh! Princess Celestia!!" She bowed, "Why are you here?"

"I've come to talk to you," The princess spoke, "May I come in?"

"Oh, Of course, your Majesty!" Bright opened the door and let the princess enter, "Sorry for the mess, but it's all of Cold's research he'd been doing."

"I see... Anyway, I need to talk to you about Candelle..."

"What is it, Princess?"

"If we ever are able to restrain her, I believe you are the one to reform her."

"Me?"

"Yes, I sense you have a great ability to communicate with ponies like her," Celestia smiled, "I know you'll be able to do this."

"Thank you, princess," Bright bowed, "Has there been any news from Cold?"

The princess shook her head.

Bright sighed, "I thought so...."

"He'll be fine, he's with one of the bravest ponies I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. But there is something else I'd like you to do..."

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"I'd like you to go to Ponyville and give Twilight Sparkle and her friends this," The Princess poofed up a scroll, "It's important that she gets this..."

Bright smiled, "Sure, I can do this, your Majesty."

"I've arranged a chariot to take you to Ponyville," Celestia went to the door, "It's very important...." The Princess then exited Bright's apartment leaving Bright to wonder what sort of message was in this scroll....

In a strange dimension, smoke and ash spread throughout, and flares burst from large lakes of fire. In the center of one of these lakes stood the Fire Alicorn, his body absorbing the lava into his body, making him grow larger and fiercer. A mouth began to form with teeth made from molten rock, and his wings became grew molten scales. Molten rock also began to cover his body, creating armor like shields.

He breathed out, coughing smoke out of his form, "I sense another familiar presence...., one that Pyre met when we were defeated...."[i/]

The Fire Alicorn levitated out of the lava pool, "So They are finally on to me...., not that it matters..., my power is already great enough to fight whatever They send at me..... And soon I'll be powerful enough to engulf this entire world!"

The Fire Alicorn vanished away in an explosion of fire and smoke, leaving a haunting laugh in the empty world....

Author's Note

The Sociopath is an original character belonging to Psychopath and was used with permission. The Insanity is also his concept.

Ignition

Flashpoint and Cold Facts stood in total silence from the recording, the only noises were the faint humming from the light, and the unison breathing of the two stallions. The silence was broken by the disc ejecting from the device. Flash looked over at Cold, his face for the first time broke down. Cold's lowered brow was gone and his eyes sparkled from the tears running down his face. Cold's glasses slipped off his face and hit the floor, but he didn't notice. His eyes were still focused on that last image of his father: laughing, that 'eye' looking into the camera with that purple glare....

"Cold....," Flash sighed and put his hoof on Cold's shoulder, "I'm sorry, but we should hurry and get the evidence together 'n leave..."

Cold said nothing; he closed his eyes, nodded, picked his glasses up, and went to putting the discs in his saddlebag.

Pyre was still shaking; she nearly gave herself away while the recording played. Just the sound of Vast's monotone, cruel voice was enough to make her shiver, even with the blanket of fire wrapped around her. But then she heard that he survived; she was in a panic.

"No......., n-no......," Pyre muttered to herself, "He's.....gone......, isn't he.....?" Vast' mad laughter at the end of the recording was still ringing in her ear, and the more she thought about, the more sure she was that Vast was still alive. "He'll imprison me, and poke and prod, and torture me, just like he used to!"

Then, the blanket of flame wrapped around Pyre began to flare, her eyes and horn glowed fiery orange, and the very air around her began to boil.

"NOT THIS TIME!!"

"What was that?" Flash barely got the question out before the wall where the door was blew apart, flares and debris scattering. When the smoke cleared, Flash saw the last pony he wanted to see; the mare who burned down the 'Iron Hell'...

"Pyre..." Flash muttered.

Her attention was more focused on Cold, who in the purple light, looked like his father Vast.

"You thought you could imprison me again, and prod me with your devices!" Pyre shouted, flames bursting behind her, "But I have you now, VAST," More flares launched around the burning mare, "This time I'll make sure you BURN!!"

Pyre launched a barrage of flares and fireballs at Cold who crouched as he prepared to meet his fate. Flash quickly pushed on the emblem of his uniform and jumped in the way of the scattershot.

"Heh...Heh... What?!?"

The smoke cleared to reveal Flashpoint in the armor that Celestia gave him. The very same armor that helped to defeat Pyre three months ago.

"You didn't think I'd come to this burn mark without insurance now, did'ya?" Flash smirked at the seething mare.

"You side with HIM?!?!" Pyre shouted and writhed in the air, floating on the searing flames. "That monster who tortured me for years here, took the rest of what little I had!!!" Flash notice Pyre's voice breaking off, as if somepony else was saying it. He heard Candelle, not Pyre, opening her pain to them...

"I.... I'm sorry, Pyre....," Flash stuttered, "But this pony is not the stallion that tortured you, he's-"

"LIES!!" Pyre screamed, large flares bursting around her. She raised her hooves and created more fireballs, and hurled them at the two, but is was in vain as they bounced off Flash's armor.

"GRRR-RAAAGAGGAHGAGGGHHHH!!!"

Pyre flailed and squirmed above the scorching fire, seething in rage. More flares shot from her hooves at the trapped stallions.

"Flashpoint!" Cold finally got himself together, "We need to get out of here!"

"I'm open to ideas!" Flash strained as he stood his ground, being pushed back by the constant hail of flares.

Cold thought for a second and then realized, "Those stairs looked like they'd been out since the fire! Vast must have had a secret exit!"

"Well, look!" Flash yelled, "I'm kinda busy at the moment!"

Cold looked around the purple-lit room, though the smoke made it difficult. Eventually, he noticed strange lines in the floor under the desk.

"Cover me!" Cold raced over to the desk.

"AARRAHHGHH!!!" Pyre shouted, now shooting flares and fireballs at Cold. Flash quickly jumped in to reflect the attacks away from Cold as he looked around the metal desk.

Cold reached his hoof under the desk, "There's got to be something.... AH!" A button click and the floor underneath the desk folded down to reveal Vast's emergency escape route.

Cold crawls underneath and starts going down the hole, "Hurry!" Cold grabs Flashpoint's leg and pulls him under and in the hole.

"NOOOOOOO-AAAHGHGGHHHHH!!" Pyre screamed. Flames erupted around her, everything in the room beginning to melt from the extreme heat. Vast's notes and schematics and devices are incinerated and the names of all of his victims of his sadistic practices are lost in the ash...

"He won't get away..... hehe....HAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!!" Pyre laughs as she creates a large cauldron on scorching fire.

"GAHAHAH!!" She launches it down the hole, fixed on the intention of roasting Vast into oblivion.

"Hurry up!"

The two stallions crawled through the chute as fast as they could, but it wasn't long before they began to hear rumbling coming from behind them.

Flashpoint looked back and saw a glow getting constantly brighter.

"Buck."

Flash grabbed Cold and braced for the flame. BOOM! Flashpoint's armor protected them from the massive flare, and they rocket through the chute until the two are launched from the other side of the escape route.

They flew through the air and crashed into the tops of the trees. The two were back in the forest outside the facility.

"Ugh... Ow..." Flash got up onto his hooves wobbling from the impact. "Cold? You...okay..?"

Cold Facts was hanging upside down from a branch, "No...."

Pyre was standing in the middle of the now scorched room, breathing heavily and shaking.

"He's not gone...." She mumbled, "They're still alive......" She started to cry, though this time, the tear were real, as they came from her very core...

"Pyre....."

The Flame appeared behind her and molded itself into the Fiery Alicorn.

"Why are you crying, my Pyre,,,?" The Flaming Being comforted her, though staying away from the tears dripping from his sparkling eyes.

"He's still alive Fire!" Pyre dropped to the Fire Alicorn's leg and cried into it, "Vast is still alive! He's going to lock me away again! And the one firepony is helping him!"

The Being's smoky mane shivered from the tears, but it didn't let Pyre notice it. "It's alright my little Pyre..., your flame grows stronger every moment, and soon...., Vast won't matter anymore...., once we're with your family again...."

The Fiery Alicorn shrank into a wisp of flame and then faded off as Pyre's mane began to burn fiercely, becoming fire, and her eyes and horn flared orange.

"I will be with my family again....., AND NOT EVEN VAST WILL STOP ME FROM BEING WITH THEM!!!!!!!"

The room sears with light as flames rocketed up through the stairway and burst through every room in the facility...

Flash and Cold were climbing down the tree when they saw the 'Iron Hell' explode in a geyser of fire, bursting into thousand of pieces of debris, soaring through the sky and crashing into the ground, until only a large burnt crater remained where 'Iron Hell' once was....

"We better get going..."

"I agree...."

The two stallions jumped out off the tree and ran off to Coltic Falls, to return to Canterlot and Celestia with the recordings of the sadistic doctor....

Dark and Light

A thick black cloud of smoke hung over the early train as it pulled into the station, which was darkened by the high shadows of the afternoon. The whistle blown wasn't as loud as it normally would have been, as if the long shadows blotted out the sound. The harsh and chilling wind that blew around the train was akin to being with a pack of Windegos in the frozen Crystal Spires; unusual weather for a summer afternoon.

The few passengers aboard the train were shivering as the exited. Their faces were pale and stiff, and they were unable to talk without stuttering. The ponies waiting in the station were unnerved by and somewhat concerned, but they soon found themselves feeling the same way when a hooded stallion stepped off the train.

They all backed away as the stranger slowly trotted past, faint whirring noises occurring whenever he tilted his head. Some of them sweared they had seen a purple glow from under the stranger's hood.

The hooded stallion said nothing as he trotted off the station, and when he left, the chilled wind vanished and the sunlight blew away the haze that surrounded the train, as if it left with him....

"I can't believe Princess Celestia would ask me to deliver this letter to Twilight personally! But why...?"

Bright contemplated this question as she walked through Ponyville, after arriving on a royal chariot.

"I thought the princess had placed an enchantment on Twilight's dragon that allows them to send letters to each other easily? Why send me? And what did she mean that I could help Pyre? I should be at the Canterlot station waiting for Cold, not delivering letters!"

Bright held her head and sighed, "I shouldn't worry about Cold so much.... Besides, I'm going to see Twilight again..." She smiled, "I haven't seen her since she came here to Ponyville..., wonder if she'll even remember me..."

Bright trotted up to the door of the library, where Celestia said Twilight resides.

"Heh, of course she'd stay at a library..."

Bright knocked on the door and waited for a few moments before knocking again.

"Maybe she's not home.... I guess I could go in...., libraries are public places after all...." Bright opened the door and walked in, she didn't like going into a place when nopony's home, be she wasn't going to sit outside the door waiting.

"Wow, this place is a mess!" Bright stepped over the piles of books on the floor, but tripped over a purple shape and landed on a pile of opened books.

"Uhh...wha....who?" The purle shape got up to her hooves and groggily looked around.

"Uhh... Spike? Is that you?" The shaped yawned as she rubbed her mane out of her face.

"Uhhh...." Bright groaned as she got up to her hooves and tried to focus in on the three purple ponies.

"Uh... Twilight?" Bright reached out to one of the three purple shapes but fell forward through the optical illusion and reunited with another pile of books.

The chilly wind seemed to follow Psych-Optic as he traversed through Canterlot, causing everypony he passed to shiver and stare at the hooded stallion who just passed by.

He became increasingly irritated as continuously walks by head-held-high, snobbish, 'high class' unicorns who look at his appearance and huff off with what they think is a clever remark.

Such type always annoyed Vast, even as a young colt obsessed with the 'pony condition' and wanting to share his findings. But at every instance, he was ignored, even by his own parents, as they were too busy arguing or fighting. When he would try to intervene, he would be slapped away by the drunken fool that was his father, and would return to the sanctum of his room.

His fascination with the inner-workings of the mind made Vast an outcast among even the least popular of ponies. It was only when she loved him did he ever truly feel....

Psych-Optic's robotic eye whirred as he passed by the Firepony station.

He scolded himself for reminiscing over such nonsense and walked over to the side of the building.

His 'eye' scanned the wall to find the alarm wire and the worked to disarm it, which was quite simple work.

"Wouldn't want to let all of Canterlot know I'm here.....yet..." The warped stallion smiled as he trotted over to the back door and went inside, his 'eye' sparking in anticipation of the...'fun' to come...

Twilight' eyes widened as she read Celestia's letter Bright had given her. She sighed and set the scoll down on the table.

"I can't believe it...." Twilight sighed, "All our effort..., all the pain..., and the Elements did nothing...."

Bright could only nod as she saw her old friend begin to tear up.

"And she's been in other kingdoms and countries..., hurting them in her crazed delusion..."

Bright walked over to Twilight, "I'm confident that Celestia has a plan..."

"I know.., but why would she wait until now to tell me?"

Bright couldn't find an answer and looked down and sighed.

Twilight sighed as well, "Celestia said in the letter that Flashpoint went with... Cold Facts? Isn't that your brother?"

Bright nodded, "They left two days ago..." She sighed, "They're going to the facility where Pyre was kept..."

"Really? Why would Celestia send them there?"

Bright turned away, "Because.... she believes that.... something might have happened there to make her reject any help..."

Twilight pondered this thought for a second before returning to Celestia's letter, "Who's this? A Vast Minds?"

Bright looked down at her hooves again, " Our.... father..."

Twilight's eyes widened again and she read more of the letter, "The princess says he might be responsible... for Pyre's distrust in others..." She looked at Bright, "He was the founder of the facility..."

Bright sulked and Twilight understood to change the subject, "She also says that you're supposed to help Candelle come to her senses..." She smiled, "You were always good at helping others Bright..."

Bright nodded and continued to sit, remembering all the times Vast would beat Cold for getting in-between him and herself, all the times he made her cry...

Twilight sighed and went over to a desk and pulled out a paper, some ink, and a quill, and she began to write a letter to return to Celestia. So many thought ran through her head as she wrote. Why did the Elements have no effect? Why did she wait to tell her faithful student? How are they even going to defend Equestria from Pyre again?

Boil

It was utterly silent in the burned crater where Vast's 'Iron Hell' once stood, all except for a single burning flame that floated amongst the rubble, observing the debris, looking for something...

The Flame darted over to a fire-like color sticking out from the ash. The Flame made a disturbing noise which might be described as a laugh and it touched the flame shape, causing it to flicker to life. The fiery shape rose from the ashes like a great phoenix, covered in searing flares that swirled around the ashen-colored mare that rose with it; it was the mane of Pyre.

She was asleep; resting from the fiery explosion she had created in her rage and fury. An explosion so powerful that it incinerated the building and anything that was left of Vast's research there.

"Awaken.... my Pyre...."

Pyre's fiery eyes slowly opened to the sound of her Flame's voice.

"Fire...." Pyre weakly spoke as she opened her eyes. What she first saw did not comfort her; the smoking crater filled with ash and debris.

"It's gone...the Hell I lived in for so long..... ashes at last..." Pyre spoke sadly. Though she truly hated the 'Iron Hell' and all the torture and pain Vast had done and caused to her..... she felt no happiness in it's destruction....

"....Vast is still out there.... running like the coward he is...with the same stallion that had stopped me those three months ago..." Pyre began to climb out from the crater, thinking again on what had happened those three months ago...

"You... joined with me Fire... to destroy Canterlot and their princesses..." Pyre remembered every word, every movement, every breath that had happened during that battle...., but she remembered the aftermath as if it took place only moments ago..., it was that clear in her memory...

"I felt so... strange... so warm... not like....fire......." She felt to her heart, "Warm like.....before...."

Pyre stopped in her climb and thought back, back to when she felt the same 'warm'.....

"Candelle..., meet your new baby sister..., Chandelee...."

The newborn foal opened her new eyes, revealing luminous yellow eyes, like two little suns, shining brightly on her small pale yellow face. She had a tiny tuft of red hair for her short mane and she glowed with spirit. She looked at her new older sister and cooed as she smiles.

"Do you want to hold her Candelle?"

The pale orange filly nodded and opened her arms for her cooing sister. Her mother helped her hold the foal and she rocked her sister.

Little Candelle never felt so warm....

Three tears fell from the fiery mare's burnt orange eyes and splashed onto the scorched earth under her. She realized what the warm feeling was...

Her fiery mane began to flow as a Flame grew from the flares. It's scorching red eyes were focused on the spot where the tear fell. It scowled at them and the wet ash began to boil. The Flame then turned to his Pyre.

"You are sad, my Pyre...." It's voice lacked much of the care it had for her and was now like a burning fire.

"......................" Pyre said nothing, she kept her head down and away from her Fire.

The Flame grew large and fierce in anger, but then shrunk back to normal.

"My Pyre...." The Flame spoke softly, but still did not have the caring tone, "I only want what's best for you my Pyre..."

Pyre gave no response for some moments.

"Do you love me...?"

Her question wiped the area of all noise, even that of the Flame. It remained silent for a minute. Then it finally spoke, "What do you mean, my Pyre...?"

The Flame knew fully well already...

Pyre raised her head to the Fire, "....you don't make me feel...." She paused and puts a hoof to her chest, "....warm..."

The Fire floated silently for a moment and then began to grow, limbs forming and smoke billowing around it's head, until it becomes the Fire Alicorn. It stood tall over the ashen mare.

"My Pyre......, we are one..., I am a part of you... as you are a part of me...." The Fire Alicorn moved and pointed to her flame cutie mark, "Such is the whim of fate..."

Pyre's head sank to the charred ground.

"But you must remember...., I am your Fire..."

The Fire Alicorn then disappears into a swirl of flame and smoke, leaving Pyre alone among the debris and ash...... and feeling cold....

Thermal Vision yawned as he trotted to the Canterlot Firepony station. He enjoyed when Flashpoint went out of town, allowing him to sleep in. As usual, he was up late the night before. Thermal never gave a straight answer as to why he stays up so late, because he changes the excuse. Sometimes it would be bird-watching, at others, home improvement, and even once, being nabbed by sky pirates. Nopony believed any of these stories though, but Flash ignored all of them. He respected Thermal's diligence in his work was enough for him. Also that it's nopony's business what a stallion does at night.

Thermal walked into the station and waved, expecting to be greeted by somepony, but was greeted with only silence.

"Huh...? Where is everypony..?" Thermal wondered out-loud as he looked around, but still nopony around.

"This is just odd..." He trotted up to the locker room. "What the hay...?" The locker room was trashed. Their were suits and equipment all over the floor and the lockers were thrashed. He walked around and inspected the damage until he heard a moaning sound and went over to it.

"Ahhh!"

It was a Firepony, Flame Wheel. He lied on the floor huddled near the wall. His eyes were wide and bugged out, and his face was filled with absolute terror.

"Flame Wheel?! Are you okay?! What the hay?! Where are the others?!"

Flame Wheel answered all of Thermal's questions with a single, low moan, sending shivers down Thermal's spine.

"There... that wasn't so hard now was it...? A strange voice laughed from the other room.

Thermal went in and gasped loudly; all of the other Fireponies were on the floor in the same state as Flame Wheel, all except Hot Spot, who was standing in front of a light grey unicorn stallion with a purple mane. The stallion had dark patches on his coat and in his mane, suggesting he had been through a fire. Thermal paid no mind to that, as he was too focused on the intruder's robotic right eye.

"Hehehe..." The intruder chuckled, "You must be Thermal Vision..." The intruder put a hoof to Hot Spot's side and pushed him to the floor.

"Hot Spot!!" Thermal rushed over to his friend and checked him over; his face was the same as the others. "What did you do to him?!?"

The intruder chuckled again, "I broke his mind..." The intruder smiled, "He refused to tell me what I wanted to know..., so I broke him..."

Thermal embraced his fallen friend and held him close. He then stands up and turns to the intruder, his eyes fogged with tears.

"You MOTHER-BUCKER!!!!"

Thermal charged at the intruder in his emotion-driven anger. The intruder smiles at the stallion's anger and uses his horn to lock Thermal with magic.

"Hehehehe...., I am Psych-Optic..., a.... psychologist of sorts... hehehe..."

Thermal watched as Psych-Optic's robotic eye sparked as it looked at him in the eye.

"What do you want?!" Thermal demanded loudly.

"Hehe... I merely wish to know more about the chief here..., Flashpoint isn't it..?" He turned to the huddled ponies who all hid their heads from him, "They didn't tell me willingly..., so I shattered their wills....." Psych-Optic smiled again, "Are you willing to cooperate...?"

"Buck you!!!"

Psych-Optic's face beamed with sick delight.

"How wonderful..."

His robotic eye sparked wildly as it began to grow. It grew bigger... and bigger... and bigger. Thermal couldn't believe what he was seeing; the eye was now the size of Canterlot castle, somehow still in the same room. Electricity shot out everywhere as the massive metallic eye slowly looked down at the tiny stallion before it, who was shaking with fear.

Psychotic laughter echoed and screeched around terrified Thermal. It was Psych-Optic's voice, but distorted and constantly changed pitch and tone.

"sO LeTS sEe hOW yOu WoRK!!!!"

The giant artificial eye loomed over Thermal as it's purple lens glowed down on him. It seemed impossible how such a huge object could be in this room, which seemed unrealistically large room. The glowing lens shot out purple lightning down at Thermal, who barely grazed it and took off running. After what seemed like hours, Thermal spotted a door, an odd pink door, and he bolted to it. He went in, only to find himself in a warm, pink room.

"I know this place..." Thermal softly said to himself.

"Do you now...?"

Thermal turned around and found Psych-Optic standing behind him where the door once was. Thermal attempted to punch him, but the crazed stallion caught it with his own hoof, and began to crush it. Thermal cried in pain; he never thought such a stallion capable of such unreal strength.

"Don't even try to resist..." Psych-Optic proceeded to tear off Thermal's entire arm right off with his single hoof, and Thermal fell to the floor, screaming in pain. There was no blood or muscle, but a green ooze that spurted out of the empty socket.

"You cannot hide any of your secrets from me..." Psych-Optic smiled as he pinned the now three-legged stallion to the floor.

"Now lets see what you hide..." The mad stallion's horn then turns into a spinning metal drill and he smirks as he brings it closer to his captive's forehead.

Thermal screamed and writhed as the drill sinks deep into his head. He was dead though, he would've taken notice if not for the immense pain and agony he was going through at the moment.

Psych-Optic smiled throughout the entire drilling and after a whole minute of this torture, he yanks the drill out and it reverts t his normal horn.

Thermal was finally allowed a moment to breath from the intense pain. It was then that he realized that he wasn't dead, as one who'd been drilled in the head would be. He moved the front leg that was still attached up and felt where the drill had gone through. He feels a hole in his forehead and sees a yellow light coming out from it. He then screamed in pain again as something tries to push out of the hole. He opened his eyes and saw a pink hoof protruding out before closing them again and cried in pain. The pink hoof pressed harder through the hole and it painfully stretched to allow a second pink hoof to squeeze out.

Psych-Optic had a twisted grin on as Thermal squirmed in agony from the object trying to come out from the hole. He decide to speed things along and pulled the object out, causing Thermal another great surge of pain.

"Get up... she waits for you..."

Thermal looked and saw what had squeezed out from the hole in his head: a mare. No just any mare, she was his very special somepony. Her pink coat would have made her blend into the walls if not for her bright violet mane and her shimmering green eyes. Her cutie mark was a flower with a red heart for its blossom.

Thermal was again baffled at this; how did she come out of a small hole drilled into his head?! These thoughts were replaced however, when she started walking toward him.

"Hi Thermal..." She said softly. She was unaware of Thermal's missing limb, and of the shining yellow hole in his head.

"Uh...." Thermal was unable to form the right words, "Hi.. Heart Blossom...."

"Something wrong Thermy...?" She asked flirtatiously, still oblivious to his wounds, and to the mad stallion walking behind her.

"Well...?" Psych-Optic moved to her, "You love her don't you...? Or is it because of her profession.... that you're ashamed of your love for her...? Ashamed for your love of a prostitute...." He smiled, "Yes.... she's who you meet late each night..." He moves closer to her face, Thermal unable to move for some reason, "So you can embrace in your love.... your true love.... how.... sick......"

Suddenly the room turns a hellish red and Thermal finds himself strapped to the wall, Heart opposite him. She looked around as if she came out of a daydream and saw Thermal.

"Thermy!! You're leg!!" Heart screamed, now seeing him as he is, "What's going on?!?!"

"It's quite simple my little tart..."

Psych-Optic was now standing on a floating platform between the two, a sick pleasure smeared on his face.

"My profession...."

The floor far beneath them boiled and rolled into a searing acid rising slowly to them.

"And I do so enjoy it..."

Heart's straps disappear and she falls.

"THERMAL!!!"

"HEART!!!!!!"

Tears poured from Thermal's blank eyes. He was standing in front of Psych-Optic, in the Firepony station. Everything Thermal saw was in his mind. None of it was real. Nothing except Thermal's horrified sorrow...

"Another mind shattered....." Psych-Optic smiled, then pushed Thermal's unresponsive body to the floor next to Hot Spot, both having the same blank horror on their faces.

"Well, I've had my fun..."

Psych-Optic left his victims lying in their shattered minds and went into Flashpoint's office.

"You a quite the complicated pony..." He said as he looked around, "Yet we are not so different..." He picked up a picture frame from Flash's desk, "We both hate that wretch..."

The picture Psych-Optic held was one of Flashpoint's older brother Fire Fight, who perished trying to save Timberhill from the fiery Pyre.

He put the picture in a saddle bag he took from one of the lockers. Other than that, the only other thing in it was the small bag from the green stallion...

Psych-Optic smiled, "I can't wait to meet you...., Flash...."