Tending Flames

There wasn't much excitement in Firestorm's life. He lived the usual routine of every other pony, going to and from town, greeting, eating and all that. Maybe even talking to a few ponies for a bit. But for the most part, it was just the normal day to day grind, not much to brighten his view of existence.

Oh, and he made fireworks. Buck-tons of fireworks.

Firestorm's Fireworks was THE household name in everything that went bang to any degree all across Equestria. His business made everything from whizz-pops to rain-bombs, cracklers to cannons, and all manner flashy bright and loud pegasus terrors. It was what he loved to do. Blow stuff up.

But yeah, that was about it. Aside from being a wold renowned unicorn inventor and entertainer, his life was pretty boring.

Firestorm was testing some new rocket designs today. That meant he was probably going to ignite something, likely enough himself. Which was why he was currently wearing the heavy dark grey coat that wrapped around his torso and forelegs, zipping up the front and parting again in an enormous hood that buttoned up to cover his neck and head. Only his hind legs, tail and eyes would be exposed, but even so, his light chestnut coat was usually dusted with dark grey powder residue that gave him a very monotone appearance. At least he was recognizable: Nopony else had his dark grey tail, permanently singed and ragged from experiments, or his bright fireball of a cuti-mark, so often hidden beneath ash on his coat. His horn was a give away too. The damn thing never once got any Powder on it, and always looked so clean in it's ochre coloured spledour, it's innate magic repelling all residues. Idiot horn.

Firestorm wandered down to the testing field a good mile from town, but only half that from the Fireworks Factory. The area was silent, all the animals having been chased away over the years by the giant explosions. The clear sky seemed to be leached of colour at the test site because of the magic shield cast over the area for protection. The reason this precaution was necessary was planted firmly in the middle of the the huge clearing in the sparsely wooded wilderness just before the Everfree Forest to the east of Trottingham. There, surrounded by the studious masters of the the factory, was the world's biggest cannon.

The enormous piece of steel was mounted on a huge barbette; no wheels could handle the kind of force of such a high powered gun. The device was currently pointed at it's regular target; the mountain barely visible on the horizon, and the city perched bravely on its side. Canterlot's world famous celebrations were no mean feat, and this gun just made them all the more spectacular, with the amount of fireworks it could deliver just over the city. It was said that the lights brought on by this single invention were as close as any pony had ever come to rivaling Celestia's sun itself.

But it wasn't firing today. Instead, it was the cluster of shoulder high party rockets planted like the Tartarus's flowers in a bare patch of earth a few steps from the barbette's stone base. Okay, time for a bit of fun.

Firestorm may not have been easily excited by...well, life, but that big bundle of joy in explosive form was about to make his day. These were special orders for one of his regular customers, the Great and Prickly Trixie. Anypony trying to impress everypony as much as that pony needed the scariest damn fireworks imaginable, and the patterns these things made would blow her usual spinners out of the sky.

He waved a hoof at all the unicorns and earth ponies standing around, warning them to retreat to the trenches just inside the treeline. They all did so quite quickly, well aware that ten rockets were enough to hurt many of them. The only pony with any sense of safety was the cloaked smudgy brown unicorn at the centre of the clearing, who just so happened to be the world expert on manipulating fire.

The whole fire thing would not go down very well with a certain Pegasus who happened to be passing at that precise moment. He was flying lazily over the site when he happened to look down at the scenery. Seeing an enormous pile of what amounted to bombs clustered around a unicorn was slightly unnerving to begin with. Watching said unicorn lighting the many fuses surrounding him was clearly a sign of deep psychosis. The Pegasus looked around for a second until his eyes settled on a likely looking little cloud nearby. He flew to it, grinning.

It was with much the same expression that Firework merrily set fire to the tapers around him. Then he backed away and crouched down to watch in anticipation. Firestorm felt a rare squee coming on as he watched the fused work their way closer and closer to their rockets. Seconds left...

And then there was a small and incredibly direct rain shower. It drenched the rockets in seconds. the ground turned muddy and the one by one the fuses fizzled out in the pouring rain. One fuse struggled against the tide, but, a hairs breadth from the rocket body, a drop of rain struck it. Firestorm let loose a spell in silent desperation. He gathered all the heat left in the fuse and relit it, trying to force the rocket into life. But it was not to be. Firestorm closed his eyes for a second, before looking up at the now white and fluffy cloud hovering just above the treetops. More importantly, he spotted the sniggering face of a pegasus peeking down at him.

Firestorm growled slightly and rapidly heated the cloud until it evaporated into thin air, revealing his tormentor. The pegasus fell with a yelp. That'll wipe that smug look off his face, Firestorm thought with some satisfaction. This disappeared when the pegasus extended his frankly enormous wings and glided down to just in front of the irate fire mechanic.

"Hiya! My name's Chasing Haze, what's with the sparky stuff?" The pegasus sensed that the Unicorn might be slightly ticked off for some reason.

Firestorm looked the intruder over. He had a light blue coat, like the colour of the sky of a midday autumn horizon. His mane was a loosely hanging assortment of spiky hair, his tail similar, both just off black with long white highlights here and there. It made for an eclectic mix. the Pegasus' frame was very lightly built, all long legs and neck, with a wiry look that bespoke many hours on the wing despite his youth. Speaking of wings, this specimen had a pair at least twice the size of your run-of-the-mill pegasus, which added much to his presence when spread. Folded, they just made him look a little chubby.

"Hello. Would you mind telling me why the buck did you rained on me? Do you know who I am?" Firestorm growled.

Chasing Haze had absolutely no clue what this unicorn was talking about. "Uh...No. I'm new here." He smiled, waving a hoof lackadaisical manner.

Firestorm blinked. "What?...Okay, whatever, listen, this is a designated off limits test area, and you just-"

"Rained on your parade?" Finished Chasing, nearly keeling over with laughter.

Even Firestorm had to admit, that was sharp. And, in truth, no harm had been done. The rockets' wax coated skins had protected them from damage. Still, this had been an important test, and the fuses were ruined.

"Listen, I am Firestorm of Firestorm's Fireworks, And this area is off limits, everypony knows that. You have to recognize the name at least. Now I'm sure you won't mind leaving so I can reset the last of my fuses and get on with my job."

Chasing Haze looked up at the sky, not really paying attention. "Yeah, I guess...If the fire is well tended...and stuff..." He focused on Firestorm, "I come from down south a ways. I haven't heard of Firestorm's Fireworks, but I'm pleased to meet you, Firestorm. I just got a job with the fire patrol, so we might meet again soon! I'm going to Ponyville, ask for me if you're ever in town!" Haze spun and, raising his large wings, took off.

Firestorm caught a glimpse of a cutie-mark. Sort of a raindrop shape, and indeed, the left half of the pattern was one. The other half was half a candle flame.

"Yeah right..." He mumbled, before shouting out to his minions for more fuses.