Aura of Burning Protection

“Huh, Where am I?” The voice echoed as Burn looked around only to be greeted by darkness.

“What are you really afraid of Burning Trails?” A voice that seemed to come from nowhere questioned.

“What? Who are you? Where am I?” He tried to pull himself to his hooves only to collapse to the ground.

“None of that is important, what is important is discovering your fears and facing them” Burn shifted uneasily and closed his eyes.

“Fears, what do you mean fears? Like what I’m afraid of?” He replied “Why?”

“Because without knowing your fears how can you expect to defeat them” The voice echoed “A storm is coming, and you will need to weather it, whether you face it alone will be your choice”

“A storm, fears and weathering it? You know you sound crazy right?” He brashly replied

“You question me, yet I know what you shall have to overcome” The voice sounded almost sympathetic “Your past is known to be a fear, but can you face it when the time comes?”

“I...I don’t know w-what you mean” He stammered

“Yes you do. You harbour secrets, hidden facts and most of all” The voice paused “Most of all you harbour regret, truth and pain”

Burn’s ears dropped before he managed to compose himself “I don’t have to face anything, I’ve run from my past so far I can avoid it again if the time comes”

“It is not a matter of if the time comes but when the time comes” The voiced seemed stressed before being composed again “I wish you the best of luck when the time comes”

Burn had a reply ready but it seemed to be drowned out by a migraine that had appeared as suddenly as the voice. He groaned and was reprimanded for opening his eyes a fraction by a blinding light. ‘Ahhh what the hell?’ He thought ‘What’s going on? Where am I now?’ His thoughts were interrupted by somepony whispering in his ear.

“Morning you fool” The voice whispered

Burn tried to open his eyes in the direction of the voice, only to be blinded again “Who?” he barely managed to get out at the volume he did.

“Shhhh its okay” The voice whispered in reply “Take it easy you had a big afternoon yesterday Burn”

“Who?” he asked again summoning as much volume as he could

“Shhhh it’s Glitter Shine I had to carry your drunk flank back to your bed” Whispered Glitter

‘Drunk? I was drinking? Was that just a dream?’ Burn thought as he tried to sit up only to meet a hoof that pushed him back down.

“I don’t think you’re ready to go anywhere just yet” Glitter almost giggled “You can’t even open your eyes yet can you?”

Burn felt himself blush “Ahhh I…I totally can just as long as there’s no light what so ever”

Now Glitter giggled “Aren’t you a brave little colt” She teased “Now you better get better because we have a job to do in a couple of hours”

Burn jerked upright and instantly regrated it feeling a burning in his throat “Uh oh” he managed to get out before covering his mouth.

Glitter sighed and levitated a bucket over to him “Here just get it in the bucket because I am not cleaning your room”

After what seemed like an eternity Burn managed to lift his head and open his eyes a fraction “T…Thanks a bunch Glitter”

“Well you owe me a night of sleep now” She mumbled

“How much did I drink?” Burn coughed out

“Ahhh let me think” She tapped her chin “I think it was four mugs of cider”

“Only four? I must have had a third of whiskey in them” He said dropping his head back to the pillow “Hey Glitz can you pass me my sunglasses from over there” He said pointed to his desk

“Sure thing” She said as she walked over to find them “Where are they?”

“In the drawer” he mumbled trying to keep his mind off of his weird dream

“I don’t see the-ohhh these ones?” She asked levitating a pair of black sunglasses and the letter that had been sitting on the desk since the afternoon before

“Yeah those ones ca…” His voice trailed off as he saw the letter “What’s that?”

“Huh? Oh the letter I don’t know Ginger gave it to me yesterday, he said it was from about fourteen months ago” She explained

“Okay I guess I’ll read it later then” He replied rolling over so his back was facing her

“You mean burn it without reading it? I know about your deal and why you haven’t been getting letters or sending any out” She glared at him from across the room

“Wha- How? I mean what?” Burn stammered out “I’d never”

“Drunk Burnie told me” Glitter rolled him over so that he faced her and walked over to him “You’re gonna tell me why and then you’re going to read this letter okay”

A look of desperation crossed his face  “I…I can’t, I won’t read it”

“Why not?” Glitter asked while getting close to his face

“I just don’t want to, it might be another Burning” He pleaded

“Burn” She sighed “Why won’t you open up? It can’t be that bad”

“I…I can’t” Glitter couldn’t help but feel sorry as his ears drooped “It’s complicated”

“Burn” She sighed “I’m here for you, I worry about you because your my friend”

“Glitter” Burn sighed as he ran his hooves through his mane “Thanks for helping me get back here, but I’m just not ready to go on about my past”

She sighed as she climbed into his bed “Uhh Glitter what are you doing”

“Well I figure I’m gonna make you uncomfortable, until you crack” She giggled “Or you could read the letter”

Burn could feel the burning feeling in his cheeks “Glitter this is inappropriate especially fo…” He was cut off by the warmth of Glitter wrapping her forelegs around him “G-Glitter?”

“Gonna read the letter yet?” She giggled

“No, and can I have my sunglasses?” He embarrassedly replied

“Well then” She started before gently nuzzling him which resulted with him squirming “Read it and you get your glasses, if you don’t I’m going to have to make some noise”

“You wouldn’t somepony would walk in, and besides you’re not that cruel”

“Well” She started nuzzling him again “No I’m not but your body is really warm”

“Glitter please I…I just don’t want to do this now”

“But I do” she whispered into his ear causing it to twitch “And I know exactly what to do” She giggled as she slowly placed her hoof on his chest then slowly moving it down his body.

Burn pulled himself upright “Fine I’ll read the darn letter"

“To bad I would win either way” She nuzzled

“Glitter are you? Burn stuttered “Are you okay?”

“Huh” Glitter snapped back into reality after realising what she was doing “Ahhhh I’m sorry I Didn’t mean to… Ahh you probably think I’m crazy, I…I lost control I onl…” She was interrupted by a hoof being placed on her mouth belonging to a Pegasi who seemed to be in pain.

“Shhh” Burn muttered clenching his eyes “Still hungover remember”

“I feel so stupid and… and” Glitter stuttered over what had happened

“It’s okay calm down, you’re gonna be in no state to watch the prince today, besides” He blushes as he leans in and nuzzles here back “You have that on me, now do you want me to read the letter or not?”

“Yes” She squeaked out blushing furiously “Read it”

“Okay” Burning frowned as he opened up the letter ‘I really don’t want to do this but seeing as what Glitter just did I guess I have to’ He thought as he opened up the letter and scanned the page.

Hey Burn

I know I’m the last person you’d be expecting a letter from since leaving, I mean I was the last pony you talked to before leaving. I had no idea you felt that way about her, I didn’t mean to but stuck up and mean to you but you always seemed so eager to help them and I don’t know why that irritated me. I’m wondering off the topic of this letter though, she has run off and nopony knows where she is. The last thing she said to me was something about finding you, regret and how blind she was. Please I don’t know where you are or if she knows but if she finds you let me know please.

Burn saw that there used to be a signature but there had also been an ink spill over the first bit leaving the word Strings. Burn instantly knew who it was from and what it was about but hadn’t seen the mare in question.

“Ummm who is it from?” Glitter’s voice squeaked from his shoulder “I shouldn’t have read it but umm it’s been on my mind since I got it”

“One of my old friends “ Burn replied trying to mask his emotions

“Who is it, there a musician I’m guessing?” Glitter asked her voice at a low volume

“Yeah I knew her in Manehatten and her friends gone missing, nothing I can do though” He sighed

“Hey B...Burn” Glitter blushed “Can we um forget about earlier?”

“If I get my glasses I might consider it” He replied

“Ohh right” The sunglasses had fallen to the floor while she was trying to get him to read the letter “Lemme get them for you”

“Hey Glitter about earlier” Burn blushed in preparation of his question “Were you doing because you wanted to or because you wanted me to read the letter?”

Glitter dropped the glasses in the air “Uhh, A bit of both kinda thing, umm I’m go get ready now Burn”

“We still have an hour and a half if you can stay, I mean if you want to you know get some sleep you know her…” He stuttered before being tackled onto the bed by Glitter

“No funny business okay?” She blushed

“This coming from you when you just you know” Burn replied jokingly

“I..I didn’t mean to you know the last bit” She ducked her head

“Just come lay down already” Burn slowly rose as Glitter climbed into his bed “I’ve got things to think about”

“Oh Burn I thought that you… Never mind, I was just being stupid I guess” She sighed and rolled over facing the wall

Burn glanced at the letter resting on the desk then to Glitter “All right move over the” was all he managed to get out before being pulled onto the bed “Well somepony is excited” he mocked as he wrapped his forehooves around her and checked the clock ‘you can sleep for a bit’ he thought pushing his throbbing headache aside.

“Burn?” Glitter squeaked

“Yeah what’s up?” He replied while running his hoof through her mane.

“Thanks” She yawned “even if it’s just for one night”.

“Huh? What do you mean?” He asked

“Nevermind, forget it” She shifted uneasily

“Is it for this?” He asked as he nuzzled her “or this?” He chuckled as he pulled her closer “Now get some sleep you need it, I’ll wake you up when we need to get ready”

“I’d like that” Glitter said before closing her eyes and slowly dozing off to sleep in Burning’s arms.