Sitting on the rampart of the Royal Castle I watched the sun begin to set behind the mountains. I watched the shadows of the mountains stretch out over the land. Tracing the edge of the Everfree Forest until it fanned out over the ridge towards the west. I returned my gaze to the sunset wondering if Princess Celestia had added the colors of a sunset or if it was something beyond her control.
Shining Amor stood in the balcony overlooking the courtyard and the rampart I was sitting on. Princess Cadance came striding next to Shining Armor, gently nudging him with her hoof to get his attention.
"How is he?" Princess Cadance asked looking out over the balcony.
"He's been up there ever since we got back." Shining Armor said with a sigh.
"Have you tried talking to him?" Princess Cadance asked.
"I tried, but I think he wants to be left alone right now." Shining Armor replied.
"The poor thing, it wasn't his fault Private Nightshade got hurt." Princess Cadance said sympathetically.
"That is only part of it." Shining Armor said.
"The Queen?" Princess Cadance asked.
"Yeah. The Queen." Shining Armor said nodding his head.
"Is he still angry with her?" Princess Cadance asked.
"I think he's angry with himself." Shining Armor replied.
Princess Cadance leaned over to nestle her head against Shining Armor's, his hoof reaching over her and pulling her close.
"How is Private Nightshade doing?" Princess Cadance asked.
"A few broken ribs, a sprained hoof and a bump on the head. He's going to be alright." Shining Armor said.
"Do you think we'll ever see the Queen again?" Princess Cadance asked.
"I doubt it." Shining Armor said with a smile.
The wind began to pick up a bit. Racing over the rampart to flare my mane back. I took a deep breath, exhaling slowly looking down at my hooves.
"Mind if I join you?"
I looked up to see Princess Celestia striding down the rampart towards me.
"Sure." I said.
Princess Celestia strode over to me, her multicolored mane and tail dancing in the breeze. Sitting down next to me she looked out over the rampart admiring the view. We sat in silence for a few minutes, not looking at one another, and just enjoying the sunset.
"I've received word that Private Nightshade is expected to make a full recovery." Princess Celestia said kicking things off.
"I'm… relieved." I said.
"The three earth ponies you helped rescued have safely returned home. They send their thanks." Princess Celestia continued.
"Cool." I said.
Princess Celestia looked over at me. I glanced up and saw that she was smiling at me. I didn't feel like smiling.
"Shining Armor has given his full report on what had transpired in the mountain. " Princess Celestia mentioned causally.
"I got to be a Cadet." I mentioned.
"So I've heard." Princess Celestia replied.
"But only for a little while." I said.
"I heard that you were a big help in finding the lost ponies." Princess Celestia commented.
"As a flashlight." I mumbled.
Princess Celestia laughed quietly to herself. We sat quietly for a few more minutes, the sun almost disappearing behind the mountains.
"Luna should be raising the moon any minute now." Princess Celestia said looking up at the sky.
I knew Princess Celestia could sense my anxiety. She had given that look that Tea had given me. I was such an easy pony to read.
"Princess Celestia?" I asked.
"Yes?" Princess Celestia replied.
"When I fought the Queen for the first time…" I began; facing forward not wanting to look over at Princess Celestia.
"She had kicked me, like she did Nightshade. I was… down and I was sure I wasn't getting up again." I said taking a breath.
"I remember feeling numb, the spiders closing in, and my vision going dark." I continued taking a deep breath.
"Just before I slipped away… I heard a voice speak to me and I…" I felt my words catch in my throat. I looked away trying not to let Princess Celestia see.
"I thought it was my mom, looking out for me." I said brushing my nose with my hoof.
"I felt a fire rage inside me, a fire that gave me so much strength that I was able to stand up and face the Queen again. The warmth of my flames, the courage I felt, and it all seemed so comforting. " I explained.
"But this time..." I said feeling angry.
"This time, I didn't hear anything. Nothing but roar of my flames and the cries of the spiders." I said feeling myself shake.
"The fire that raged inside me felt like it was burning through me, creating this empty feeling that I could not fill." I said touching my chest.
"There was no warmth to my flame. No matter how much fire I casted, I felt cold." I explained clutching my hooves together.
"The more my fire grew, the angrier I became, and the deeper the emptiness felt. Then the world broke apart and it consumed her. It almost consumed me." I said staring at my hooves. I could feel myself shaking. My anger was rising over the thoughts of the Queen and I could feel my mane flaring from it.
"Hate can dig into a pony very deep Smolder." Princess Celestia said.
"Allow it to dig deep enough, and you'll feel empty forever." Princess Celestia explained.
I looked up at Princess Celestia who looked back with a warm smile and I could feel myself wanting to smile back.
"Every pony feels this way sometimes, Smolder. Flame Ponies wear such emotions on their manes. We can see when you're upset, when you're hurting. You can't hide it like other ponies can." Princess Celestia said.
I looked down at the floor. I felt embarrassed and my mane flared. It only embarrassed me more.
"Remember that feeling anger is as natural as feeling happy. You must choose which you wish to feed your fire. May it be the love you felt for your mother or the let it feed on the hate you felt for the Queen." Princess Celestia said watching the sun disappear and the moon beginning to rise.
"Princess Celestia?" I mumbled hoping she wouldn't hear me.
"Yes, Smolder?" Princess Celestia asked. She did.
"I never… met my mom. But-" I swallowed hard.
"I feel like she would have been… a lot like you." I said staring at the floor.
"How so?" Princess Celestia asked with a laugh.
"Kind, sympathetic, and pretty." I said tapping my hooves together.
Princess Celestia laughed again covering her mouth with her hoof. I could feel my mane flare in embarrassment.
"That is very kind of you to say, Smolder." Princess Celestia replied.
I begged my mane to stop flaring.
"I am sorry." Princess Celestia said.
"Sorry? For what?" I asked curiously.
"For regarding your ponies as lairs and mischief makers." Princess Celestia said.
I felt my heart jump. I stared up at Princess Celestia lost for words.
"My memories of Flame Ponies were shrouded by the actions of the Mad King. You have reminded me of how Flame Ponies used to be." Princess Celestia said warmly.
Words were no longer coming to me. She had apologized to me. To Flame Ponies.
"You will have my support at the Summit Smolder. I will help make your ponies smile again." Princess Celestia said with a smile.
I could feel my heart jump into my throat. I wanted to say so many things, to thank her over and over again. The hardest part about being a Flame Pony is that we can't show our appreciation; we must always say it. I struggled to speak, I felt as if I was going to cry and begged myself not to. I was imagining the Flame Ponies in the Ashen Field having a life like that of Ponyville. To see my Flame Ponies smiling once more. To not live in fear of the unknown but to have courage to face the future I had helped bring.
"Thank you." I whispered trying to keep it together.
"Thank you, Smolder." Princess Celestia said warmly.
Princess Celestia and I had descended the ramparts together, once inside the castle she excused herself and wished me a safe travel back to Ponyville in the morning. I wished her good night before heading back to the Infirmary where the doors had been left open and a commotion was taking place within.
"So then the Queen's leg comes swinging down, her leg is the size of a tree, and it's coming right at Smolder. Nightshade sees this and flips on the hero switch. He dives at Smolder, it was all in slow motion by the way, and pushes him out of the way at the last second and takes the hit instead! Nightshade goes flying across the room! BAM! Right against the wall, out like a light! I'm the first to reach him, I concluded that his brain bone was broken and needed a doctor pony right away! So I valiantly lifted Nightshade onto my back, fighting off at least twenty spiders with one hoof before carrying him to safety."
I had walked in on Cosmic retelling the story of what happened in the mountain, acting it out in front of every pony to see. Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, Peanut, a bed ridden Nightshade and a light blue pony all watched and laughed.
"Twenty spiders?" Shining Armor asked sarcastically.
"It could have been thirty. I didn't have time to count them all." Cosmic said rubbing his hoof against his chest.
"Smolder?" Tea asked aloud walking out from the back room.
Every pony turned around to look at me as Tea quickly rushed over to me.
"Are you alright?" Tea asked quickly looking me over hugging her clipboard.
"Yeah I'm al-" I was cut short by Tea hitting me over the head with her clipboard.
"What is the matter with you?" Tea shouted looking for an opening to my head as I lifted my hooves to defend myself.
"Taking on the Queen of Spider's twice in one week? Almost falling into a bottomless pit?" Tea screamed towering over me as I curled up on the floor hiding my face.
"You're the biggest… biggest… dork I know!" Tea shouted stomping her hoof down and strode off towards other.
I carefully uncovered my face trying to see if the coast was clear.
"I don't know who is more dangerous, Tea or the Queen and all her spi-" Cosmic was cut short as Tea also hit him with her clipboard.
"Tea." Peanut replied.
"How are we feeling?" Tea asked coming up alongside Nightshade's bed.
"I feel fine. Don't feel a thing." Nightshade said trying to sound tough.
The light blue pony next to him looked very concerned. Tea did not. Tea poked him on his side with her clipboard. Nightshade grinded his teeth trying not to groan in pain while the light blue pony looked worried.
"See! Just fine!" Nightshade said through his teeth with a hard fought smile.
"Colts." Tea mumbled under breath.
"I guess all the bandages are to for show then?" Shining Armor said.
"Nightmare Night isn't for another couple of months but you're already looking like mummy." Peanut joked.
"Are you sure you're okay?" The light blue pony asked curiously.
Nightshade seemed to turn a bright red. He began to stammer and shake nervously.
"Nightshade is going to be just fine Belle." Princess Cadance answered for him.
I walked over to Nightshade's bed. I cowered as Tea walked past me holding her clipboard up to take another swing but she let me live.
"Hey Smolder." Nightshade said.
"Hi." I replied from the end of the bed.
"I heard you turned up the heat and went hoof to hoof with the Queen." Nightshade said with a smile.
I tried to say something but I once more I felt the words get caught in my throat.
"Everything alright, Smolder?" Nightshade asked.
"Smolder's just had a long day." Shining Armor said trying to help me.
"I'm sorry." I said.
"Sorry?" Nightshade asked.
"I wasn't paying attention and I… you… I didn't..." I mumbled trying to find the words.
"Hey, wow, hold up Smolder." Nightshade said trying to sit up.
"Hey now, take it easy." Peanut said putting a hoof on his shoulder.
Nightshade patted Peanut's hoof with his own ensuring him he was alright.
"You didn't do anything wrong." Nightshade said waving his hoof at me.
"But I should of-" I started but Nightshade spoke up.
"But nothing, I had your back since we entered that cave. I wasn't going to let some dumb spider take a swipe at you. I'd do it again too. No pony or spider messes with my friends." Nightshade said tapping his hoof against the bed.
"I think Nightshade flipped his hero switch again, he's making a speech." Cosmic whispered to Peanut who nodded in agreement.
"Thanks." I said meekly.
"Do mention it Smolder, as far as I'm concerned you're one of us now." Nightshade said laying back in his bed.
"He doesn't have any wings." Peanut said feeling confused.
"You know what I meant." Nightshade snapped.
Every pony laughed. I could feel my smile trying to make an appearance.
"I don't think you've been properly introduced. Smolder this is Belle." Shining Armor said.
"You mean the Nightshade's special somepony?" I asked curiously.
I'm sure if Nightshade had the strength he would have tackled me once more. Princess Cadance had covered her mouth with her hoof in shock while Peanut and Cosmic looked very excited at the current development. Shining Armor slapped his face with his hoof. Even Tea leaned over the nursing station to see.
"I'm your special somepony?" Belle asked curiously looking at Nightshade.
Nightshade could no sink lower into his bed; he looked mortified.
"He can't run away, do you think he'll deploy his fainting tactic or will he use gibberish to confuse her?" Cosmic whispered to Peanut.
"Definitely gibberish." Peanut whispered back.
"I-I-I-I-I-I-"Nightshade stammered turning bright red.
"Good call." Cosmic whispered back.
Belle reached over to hold Nightshade's hoof. She smiled warmly at him. Nightshade smiled nervously trying to talk but couldn't get past gibberish.
"Oh my look at the time we really should be going!" Princess Cadance announced.
Princess Candance's horn began to glow. Peanut and Cosmic were suddenly being pushed towards the door with Shining Armor flowing right behind them.
"Smolder, I think it's time you went to bed." Princess Cadance said.
"But it's only-" I started to say but a clipboard came sailing through the air at me.
"Goodnight!" I said quickly running towards my slab of granite.
The next morning was filled with goodbyes. Nightshade and Belle had spent most of the night talking, long after I had fallen to sleep. I congratulated him on becoming Belle's special somepony and he thanked me for spilling the beans for him. Peanut and Cosmic also came to say goodbye, telling me that if I ever need a favor that I shouldn't hesitate to ask. Then I went to say goodbye to Tea.
I approached her slowly looking for a clipboard or any other blunt instrument she may had been carrying but she showed me her hooves were empty.
"So this is goodbye." Tea said sounding disappointed.
"I'm sorry I worried you." I replied.
"Good." Tea said.
I smiled but Tea found it hard to return it.
"Tea." I said stepping up to her.
"Yea?" Tea asked looking surprised.
"I have something for you." I said trying not to sound nervous.
"Really?" Tea asked sounding surprised.
"Rarity, helped me with this." I said waving to Peanut who brought it over.
Peanut put it down on the ground in front of Tea. It was a lantern.
"Oh… it's… pretty." Tea said looking at it confused.
Peanut opened the glass door on the lantern for me. I leaned down and breathed a small flame inside. It lit up and the flame danced about.
"Now you can take a little part of me wherever you go." I said straightening up.
Tea looked up at me.
"Just remember to fill it with oil every now and again." I said with a smile.
I had no idea giving presents to ponies would make them start to cry. Tea seemed to be tearing up and I looked for Peanut for help but he had disappeared on me.
"Thank you, Smolder." Tea said softly picking up the lantern.
Tea was smiling and almost crying at the same time so I wasn't sure whether to appear happy or concerned but I nodded all the same.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were going to do this. I don't have anything to give you." Tea said quietly.
"Can you write me a letter?" I asked.
"A letter?" Tea asked.
"It would cool if I was the first Flame Pony to get a letter." I said with a smile.
Tea smiled at me wiping the tears from her eyes with her hoof. She nodded.
"Goodbye Smolder." Tea said softly.
"Goodbye Tea." I said feeling my voice crack.
Tea laughed. I felt my mane flare.
The train conductor seemed to have a problem with me boarding the train like the rest of the ponies. I understood his concern but his idea to put me into the furnace in the front wasn't my favorite idea. Luckily though he did find me a seat at the caboose, the very end of the caboose, the railing outside of the caboose and I was told to hold on unless it melted the bars.
The train lurched forward. Some ponies waved at me as we pulled away. I waved back. I watched Canterlot slowly become smaller and smaller. I was glad Tea had liked my gift. I wish I could have given more, just a little more but I knew I couldn't. I could see the country side from back here. I could smell the wild flowers that grew in numerous colors. It was soothing to me. Aside from the train's chugging sounds and loud whistle it was a pleasant ride.
Eventually the train started to bring me closer to Ponyville, the open green fields, the birds singing in the trees and Rainbow Dash waving at me from a cloud. The train pulled into the station, at least most of it did. I had to de-board the train at the back. I walked to the side of the train station where I head a familiar voice.
"Twilight! He's over here!" Spike shouted from the edge of the Train Station's platform.
"Hello Spike." I said with a smile.
"Hey there Fireball, did you enjoy your time at Canterlot?" Spike asked lowering himself slowly off the platform rather than taking the stairs.
"Very much." I said watching Spike drop to ground.
"You have to tell me all about your fight with the Queen of Spiders! And the rematch!" Spike said running up to me.
"Yeah sure." I said with a smile.
"That will have to wait." Twilight said walking down the stairs of the platform.
"That's right!" Spike said snapping his claws.
"There is some pony here to see you Smolder." Twilight said.
"Some pony?" I asked curiously.
"Well technically it isn't a pony but he says he's a friend of yours." Spike corrected.
"He showed up early this morning looking for you." Twilight said motioning to me to follow her.
"Where is he now?" I asked.
"We have him waiting at our place. It's the Golden Oakes Library in Ponyville. He said his name was Wingston." Twilight explained.
"Wingston!" I shouted in surprise.
