Canterlot, two years after the return of Princess Luna, the richest city in all of equestria has much to offer to those who visit. Those who live in the city today are of the richest of nobles and those who aren’t nobles are nothing more than ponies struggling to survive. Those who are lucky become butlers or maids for the nobles. The rest end up struggling to keep a business alive or end up on the streets of canterlot.
Silver Streak, a young gray unicorn with a teal mane that has many streaks of silver running through it and a rune symbol as a cutie mark, wore an intense look of concentration as he stared down a blank pendant that was covered with a slight shimmer of silver. Slowly a swirl of metallic looking ink seemed to engrave itself into the pendent forming a small clockwise swirl. Looking over his work Silver Streak checked over his work making sure none of the lines touched. Feeling exhausted though he missed a small overlap of the engraving in the center of the swirl.
“Well that’s half the battle.” Silver Streak mumbled to himself. Touching the pendant with his horn, it started giving off an orange glow as he pumped his magic into it. Suddenly a muffled gurgle erupted from Silver Streaks stomach. Looking to his stomach he stood up, dropping the pendent on the table.
“Well guess it’s about that time huh?” Leaving the room he was in Silver Streak walked through a door to his right leading into a rather small room with nothing but an old wooden bed and a small cabinet. Looking inside the cabinet revealed several empty jars. With a sigh Silver Streak grab a small cloth bag from under his bed that jangled when he picked it up. As he exited the room, he failed to notice the glowing from the pendant slowly getting brighter as he made his way to the front of the building which acted as a shop. As he left the pendant started fracturing letting off small puffs of smoke and heat.
Walking through the cobble streets Silver Streak arrived to a rather large market in the city that was lined with stalls and wagons of all sorts of shapes and colors. Looking around he found one wagon in particular that caught his attention. The contents of the cart were many large jars of dried flower petals. A mare earth pony who stood by the wagon looked expectantly at silver.
“How much for a jar?” Silver Streak asked the mare as he walked up to her.
“That would be five bits a jar sir.” The mare said with a smile.
Levitating the bag of bits in front of him Silver Streak looked inside and counted. Twenty eight bits, with a sigh he levitated two bits with the number five on them out of the bag over to the mare, picking out two jars in the process. The mare quickly snatched the bits out of the air with a slight glimmer in her eyes.
“Thank you very much sir, do enjoy them now.” she said in a polite tone.
Silver Streak just gave the mare nod. Heading back home Silver Streak noticed several pegasus in the sky carrying buckets of water towards a column of black smoke. Normally Silver Streak wouldn't pay much attention to this, but it didn’t help that the smoke came from the direction he was heading. He just hoped it was not close to home.
Silver Streaks fear’s became reality as he got closer. Just down the street he could see that it was his home that was indeed on fire. Frantically rushing up to the building he was stopped by a guard that put his hoof out. A dozen or so ponies all worked together to put out the fire, unicorns put up barriers to stop the flames and heat from spreading, while pegasus and earth ponies threw water as fast as they could into the flames.
All Silver Streak could do was sit and watch as his whole life's work went up in flames. Everything seemed to slow down around him as he watched the events unfold. Glass shattered from heat, smoke poured out of any opening and slowly climbed into the evening sky. The flames, once he looked into the flames his eyes became pinpoints, everything around him became quiet. Nothing seemed to matter but the flames clinging to anything that they touched. They glowed with a menacing orange and red, that was threatening to consume his very being.
“Silver?” came a worried voice from behind, “Is that your Silver Streak?”
An Amber pegasus with a little grey around his muzzle and a mane of red with black veins, approach Silver Streak. He was adorned in Purple armor with gold trim that rattled a little as he got closer. As he did he noticed that Silver Streak was sweating even though they were well out of the heats grasp thanks to the unicorns helping put out the fire.
“Silver?” He put his hoof on Silver’s shoulder and shook it slightly. Silver just slumped down to the ground trembling. Giving Silver Streak a worried glance Amber Storm picked him up and carried him away from what was left of the burning building.
Silver Streak slowly came back to his senses, first thing he noticed was that he was moving. Coming out of the haze he looked around to see the marble streets of the upper levels in Canterlot and the sun was half set. Slowly looking around he found he was being carried by somepony, all he could see though was a pair of amber colored winds and armor.
“H-hello?” he asked in an unsure squeak.
Amber Storm stopped and looked back to Silver Streak who rested on his back.
“Well it’s good to see your back Silver.”
“Amber Storm?” Silver asked. “W-Where are we?”
“Can you walk?”
“I think.” Silver said as he climbed off Amber Storms back. Looking down at his legs he noticed he was a little wobbly but he would manage. Silver looked back up to Amber Storm and nodded.
“Good, now come on, you're going to stay with me for the night.” he said as they entered the airship docks. Silver followed him behind a rather large warehouse that had a small flight of stairs leading under the building to a large door. Once inside Amber Storm spoke up again.
“Well here we are.” Amber Storm said as he moved out of the way to let Silver Streak through. “Make yourself at home, I need to go to the castle for a little while.” Before leaving Amber Storm gave one lance glance at Silver Streak gave him a smile of wonder as he continued to look around the room.
Princess Celestia sat in the throne room looking over the room as the last of the suns rays danced through the colored glass and onto the floor giving the room a beautiful glow as the light reflected off of the marble and onto the ceiling. Soon she would be able to relax from her trip back from Saddle Arabia. A knock from the door made her head snap up, one of the royal guards entered.
“Princess Celestia, Captain Amber Storn has arrived.”
“Send him in please.” Celestia said as she refocused.
“Very well Princess.” the guard pony walked back through the double doors. A few seconds later Amber Storm entered the room as the doors slowly closed behind him. Celestia sat quietly as Captain Amber Storm strode into the room, stopping halfway to bow.
“Captain Amber Storm, I wasn't expecting you to be back so soon, is there something you wish to ask about your assignment?” Celestia asked curiously as the doors shut fully behind Amber Storm.
He approached the princess, only to stop a few feet away from the stairs leading to the thrones. “No princess, I’m actually here to ask for a favor.” He said in uncertainty.
Celestia gave a warm smile. “Very well, what is it you wish of me captain?”
“I’m sorry to ask princess but I’m just at a lost on what to do.” Amber Storm was about to continue but was stopped by Celestia.
“Captain Amber Storm, you have served me without question for many years, I will be happy to help you in anyway I can.” Celestia said with a honest smile.
“Thank you princess.” Amber Storm said with a bow, clearing his throat he spoke again. “Well..you see one of my friends recently lost his home to a fire and is staying with me as of tonight, since I leave tomorrow I was hoping that you might be able to help him.” He finished in a pleading tone.
Looking out the closes window Celestia spoke with a frown. “That is most tragic.” Celestia continued staring out the window as the last rays of the sun disappeared. “Bring him here tomorrow, I shall come to a decision tonight.” as she finished she looked back to the captain.
“Oh thank you so much princess, I-I’ll bring him tomorrow before I leave.” Amber Storm gave one last bow as he exited the throne room.
‘Well it seems I won't be relaxing tonight as I thought I would.’ Celestia thought to herself. ‘I’ll have to discuss this with luna, maybe she’ll have a few suggestions.’
“Well that was nice.” Silver said to himself as he walked around the room.“Let’s have a look around shall we?’
The first thing he noticed in the room was the white oak table that was in the dead center of everything. Walking up to it he saw many carvings of different ponies on the legs of the table and at the top of each leg an alicorn was engraved. On top of the table a rather large map of equestria marked with a small red pin down in the Palomino desert region, somewhere in the mountains from the look of it. Looking around the room again he found a gothic table set, a red plush couch that matched the carpet, and a blue granite kitchen, and two more doors he has yet to go through. One door which he guessed was Amber Storm’s room was to the left of the kitchen, and the second was at the top of some stairs directly ahead of him. Unable to be anything but curious he advanced to the door at the top of the stairs. Going to open the door he found it was locked, this only succeeded in making him more curious. Quickly going back downstairs he investigated the kitchen, looking for something small and less valuable. Opening a few drawers he happened upon a wooden spoon. He couldn't help but smile, it was perfect.
Holding the spoon in his magical grasp he concentrated on it, slowly his magic engraved four silver runic letters into the spoon's handle, those four rune letters happened to spell open. Smiling at his work he continued back up the stairs and held the spoon in front of the door. Ever so slowly he trickled his magic into the rune lettering on the spoon until it starting giving a green glow. Using his magic grasp he pressed the spoon against the door, the glow of the runes slowly disappeared into the door. Suddenly the door started glowing with the same hue of green and the lock made a distinct click.
As SilverStreak opened the door the light poured out into the darkness revealing a few crates and many dark outlines farther down the room. Illuminating his horn with a silver glow he carried on down the room passing the crates. Row after row Silver Streak walked past all sorts of crates and barrels varying in size until he stopped near what he guess was the front of the warehouse. Sticking his snout in the air he sniffed with a foalish grin creeping its way onto his face.
“Is that what I think it is?” He sniffed the air again taking in an aroma of sweetness.
Quickly he ran about trying to locate the source of the smell untill he came face to face with a barrel that was nearly double his size near the front of the warehouse, using his magic he grabbed a smaller crate that was his size and used it to climb up on so h could reach the barrel's top. Using his magic grasp once again he yanked the lid off of the barrel and peered inside.
The barrel was filled to the rim with what looked like rose petals, sweet, fresh rose petals. Squealing like a filly on Hearth's Warming eve he quickly dove his face into the barrel, burying himself under the soft petals, quickly he ate as many as he could. After his third mouth full he stopped, something wasn't right, the sweat rose petals quickly turned bitter and made him gag.
“Okay, not rose petals then?” He said to himself in disgust, suddenly it hit him. The world around him felt like it was spinning.Unable to stand straight he fell face first into the barrel. Quickly he struggled to climb out of the barrel but couldn't get a grip on anything, effectively flailing his limbs in every directing sending him only deeper into the barrel.
“Help, Somepony!” SilverStreak yelled desperately.”Help me, Please!”
Taking in a deep breath while avoiding to inhale any of the petals. He tried to yell once again but he couldn't, struggling he tried to make any sort of noise but only small and pitiful squeaks came forth. Everything around him was slowly spinning into darkness. Ever more desperate he tried throwing himself into the side of the barrel, only problem was he felt weak, weak and sleepy. Slowly he slumped down into a relaxed stupor, and sat in darkness when he lost control of his magic.
‘It’s kinda funny.’ He thought to himself. ‘These petals make everything feel realy good.’ He laughed to himself slowly as he fell into a deep slumber.
