Wildfire - Lighting the Flame, Chapter 3.2 - Descent

Hey my wonderful followers!

Yes, chapter 3.2 - Descent, is published. I want to thank the four people that read it for sticking with it and liking it so much. So have a sneaky snippet from the chapter to get you all excited.

~ ~ ~

“You did what!?” Cyclone screamed as she angrily launched herself at her friend with her black wings spread to their full span.

The black mare’s enraged scream broke the serene peace and quiet of Canterlot’s Royal Gardens. Fifty feet away a noble couple were disturbed from their walk around the edge of the crystal clear lake, the very lake where Dusk had encountered the noble stallion weeks earlier, causing the mare to raise her nose in the air; no doubt making an unsavoury comment about the four noisy ponies to her companion.

Fifteen minutes ago on this sunny late autumn Thursday afternoon the four friends had been arranged in a semi circle not far from the impressive statue of Sky Dive, the long-dead mare captured in a rearing pose, sharing a small picnic prepared by Darkstar. Her brother had chosen this spot for its privacy, not to mention beauty, given the close proximity to the lake. Cyclone, in her now trademark attire of simple red dress and pastel pink nappy, had bought the alcohol-free ciders they were drinking.

Air Raid had just helped herself to a sunflower and watercress sandwich when Darkstar, who had just eaten a daisy and wildflower one, had asked how her visit to see Wildfire had gone. Before she could answer however Brightstar and Cyclone had both said they were going to visit her tomorrow, the Friday, as that was the morning they both had free periods at the university.

Air Raid and her conscience had been hoping to avoid this topic and, at first anyway, until the white unicorn repeated her question causing the other two to look at her. Eventually after a few moment’s silence she took a deep breath and considered her reply. There was really no good way of saying what she had to say. Instead she decided on speed, like a band-aid being ripped off a wound. “I dumped her; I told her I wasn't ready to be a full time carer.”

Moments of complete silence followed this proclamation, broken only by the chirping of the birds as they nested for the coming night, and the gentle sounds of the ducks swimming on the nearby lake. Nopony spoke. Nopony made any sound at all. The three as one sat and stared with mouths hanging open in shocked disbelief. Slowly, very slowly, Cyclone got to her hooves and very carefully made her way around the picnic to stand in front of the lime green pegasus. “Say that again.” She said with a forced calmness in her tone.

Nervously Air Raid got to her own hooves, taking a step back away from her friend. "Cy, I…” she started but was quickly interrupted.

“I said, say. It. Again.” This time Cyclone took a step towards the retreating mare, causing the other two to stand as well.

“I…I dumped her, Wildfire, in the hospital. I left her. I walked out and I left her.” Air Raid’s voice was barely audible in the gardens, but the three ponies caught every word.

“You did what!?” Cyclone screamed as she angrily launched herself at her friend with her black wings spread to their full span.

“Hey now,” Brightstar said quietly, lighting his horn to catch the enraged pegasus in his yellow aura. “We should at least give Raid the chance to explain before you rip her head off.”

“Explain what?” Darkstar narrowed her eyes and stepped past her brother and the still-struggling Cyclone held in his glowing yellow magical hold to viciously jab her white hoof at Air Raid’s chest. “What’s there to explain, exactly? We all know what she did, don't we, Air Raid?”

Under Darkstar’s jab Air Raid retreated on to the closely mown grass of the Royal Gardens. She left the pebbled path with genuine fear in her grey eyes. The lime green mare couldn't remember seeing Cyclone or any of her friends with such angry looks on their faces. Angry looks directed specifically at her. Hastily she backed away until her hindquarters impacted the marble statue behind her. “Hey! I know full well what I did, alright?” She shot back, flaring her own wings in a defensive stance.

“How could you Raid?!” Cyclone continued to writhe and squirm uselessly in Brightstar’s aura. “Wily loves the bones of you, you selfish bitch!”

“Cy, I know, alright?” Air Raid snapped back, stomping a hoof into the grass. “I feel like crap for yesterday!”

Brightstar stepped beside the struggling pegasus he was currently restraining, wearing an uncharacteristic scowl. “Start talking Raid; and, make the explanation you're about to give a phenomenally good one.”

Air Raid balked under the blue unicorn’s intense gaze. Finding she couldn't retreat any further the lime green mare sat on her haunches beside the marble statue. “I um, well I ah…I panicked! Alright, I admit, I saw her and I freaked out!” Air Raid tried to defend herself against her friends, ‘well, not friends for much longer,’ she thought. “I do have a career you know!”

“You…” Darkstar took a step forward which became a full charge, her muzzle pulled back in a snarl of rage. “You heartless…aargh!” Words failed the white unicorn and she ended up screaming at her selfish friend as she ran at her.

“Stop.” Brightstar caught his sister in a yellow aura identical to the one that currently held the still-struggling Cyclone. “First of all, Raid, get away from Sky Dive’s statue. Luna catches you on it again you’ll have more than us to deal with. Second,” he said as he stepped backwards, pulling the two struggling mares with him to allow Air Raid the space to move. “Are you seriously saying to us, Wily’s friends, that you put your career above your marefriend?”

“No!” Air Raid took a step forward and away from the statue, heeding the stallion’s advice. “I'm not saying that…it, it's…look, it's complicated alright?”

"Complicated my flank!” Cyclone yelled, still fighting her friend’s magical hold, “You’d better hurry up and make it simple Raid, Brighty ain't gonna hold us forever!”

“They were talking about me being her nurse, taking care of her full time, I…” Air Raid blushed and looked down at the ground. “I was scared. I'm not ready, I can't deal with that…”

“So, when she came back from Trixie’s Place and you said you’d never leave her, that was ponyfeathers?” Darkstar snarled in utter contemptuous rage, “All those times she stood by you! Wily gave her virginity to you! Damnit Raid she loves you!”

“Wily loves you and you treated her like manure!” Brightstar snorted with a stomp of his hoof. “Get your pathetic flank back to that hospital and talk to her!”

Air Raid stepped forward, stomping her own hoof. As much as she knew she was in the wrong and deserved their ire, having her back quite literally against the wall raised her own temper. “Yeah? What if I don't?”

“If you don't I'll shove my horn so far up your ass ponies’ll think you're the new fifth alicorn!” Darkstar screamed.

“Oh yeah? You wanna come try it?” Air Raid’s lips were pulled back in a snarl, her wings wide.

“Nggh…” Cyclone could see where this was going to end, and none of them could really afford a night or two in Canterlot’s jail cells. She squirmed in Brightstar’s weakening magic. “Brighty, put me down and take Darkie home. I'll make sure Raid squares it with Wily.”

"Hmph!” Brightstar released Cyclone from his yellow aura then turned on his hooves and stalked away without a backwards glance, carrying his sister with him who directed a lewd gesture with her hooves at Air Raid as the two unicorns exited the gardens.

“Raid, listen I’m…” Cyclone flared her wings to fight the wobble of not bring held in her friend’s magic as she began, only to be interrupted by the other pegasus.

“Buck you Cy!” Air Raid yelled before turning her back on her black-coated friend and stomping off to her car, leaving Cyclone all alone in the secluded part of the Royal Gardens amidst the half eaten remnants of the picnic they had been sharing.

~ ~ ~

There you have it. A little sneaky look. I really hope you all like it.