//------------------------------// // III - Embers // Story: My Little Inferno // by GMBlackjack //------------------------------// “Drink this.” Starlight said, passing Twilight a hot cup of pink liquid. “Uh...” Twilight said dubiously, sniffing the drink. “I didn’t enchant it or anything. Just drink it.” Starlight said, her gaze cutting deep into Twilight’s soul. Twilight shrugged and nervously took a swig of the drink. She gasped. “That’s… Amazing! What’s in it?” “Apples, cranberries, cherries, pixel block dust, and a dash of smoke. All run through the flaming juicer while it was in the Inferno.” Twilight blinked. “Wait. That really worked?” “Amazingly so! I also burned a hundred toy raccoons because Derpy messed up someone’s order. It was beautiful. “Ookay…” Twilight said, finishing the drink. “...A hundred?” “I kept copying the one with a spell.” Starlight smirked. “I never have to buy anything twice.” “Clever.” Twilight said, walking to the front doors. “Well, I’ll be out today. Have fun, don’t burn the house down. Spike, Rarity and Rainbow Dash should be returning some books today. Don’t let them leave and ‘forget’ to do it again.” Spike saluted. “You can count on me!” Twilight stepped outside into the biting cold of winter, shuddering. She closed the door behind her, casting a silence over the hall of the castle. Spike spoke up. “You want to-” “Burn more things.” Starlight said, grinning. Spike sighed in resignation. “I’ll see if Big Mac or Discord want to do anything today…” He began penning a letter, trying his best to ignore the sounds of intense fire and explosions that came from the laboratory. “Okay pixels, make noises! And juice! ...I think I know what I’m going to call my culinary creation. Mares and stallions, I present to you- NOISE JUICE! Ah Trixie would be proud…” Spike sighed. He was going to have to get used to this wasn’t he? ~~~ Rarity trotted to twilight’s castle, saddlebags full of books - a lot of great reads. Most were about exotic and foreign fashion, but a few were cheesy romance novels that she had found unrealistic, but entertaining nonetheless. It was time to return them to Twilight, though hopefully she wouldn’t ask questions… Rarity shivered and knocked on the doors. “Dear, I have some books to return!” Spike pulled the doors open and let Rarity inside. “Hey Rarity. I’ll just take those…” He reached for the books. Rarity tensed. Spike. Why did it have to be Spike. Please don’t look please don’t look- “Huh? Feathered passions?” He looked at it closely. “A pegasus and a griffon huh?” Oh no. He was going to read it. It would give him ideas in addition to just being embarrassing. It… well whatever he tried to do after reading it would be utterly adorable but completely pointless and probably result in a lot of hurt pride on his part. “Wasn’t that good of a read.” She lied, dumping the rest of the books on Spike. “Now excuse me-” “-Coming through!” Rainbow Dash yelled, streaking into the room with a flash of color. “Here spike, book!” “Daring Do Fan Collection?” Spike questioned. “Quibble suggested it.” Rainbow Dash said. “it . Was. Awesome. I’d recommend it to you but…” She smirked. “It gets kinda intense.” Rarity got the impression that that book might also give Spike ideas. Bother. She should probably change the subject quickly. “Hey, where’s Starlight?” She asked. “In the lab.” Spike said, monotone. “What is it this time?” Rainbow Dash asked. Spike shrugged. “Fire.” Rainbow Dash blinked. “Okay… I want to see the fire.” “Really, it’s not that interesting-” “That’s exactly what you say when something is interesting.” Rainbow Dash retorted, already heading for the lab. Rarity decided she might as well follow - it might actually be interesting. Spike came along in the back, tapping his fingers nervously as they approached the lab. “You really don’t have to…” He said, to no avail. Rainbow Dash and Rarity soon entered the lab to the sight of Starlight looking at a fireplace. It was currently burning a brilliant blue flame. “Oh. Hi there.” She said without turning around. The blue flame mesmerized Rarity. “That… is so gorgeous.” “Blue beetle makes the fire blue, apparently.” Starlight said, equally mesmerized. “Got green and red too.” Rarity just stared. It looked like the ocean on a hot day in there… serene, but powerful. Like that face in the background. “This is boring. What’s it do?” Rainbow Dash muttered. In response Starlight picked up a neon red cube and tossed it into the fire - it exploded. “It burns things.” Rainbow Dash frowned. “What kind of things?” “All the things.” Starlight responded, throwing a raccoon plushie in. “Anything you can fit into it.” Rarity pondered this for a moment. “I wonder if you could color candle flames with this… Yes… Have a nice multicolored fire to tie the room together…” “Is it all about style with you?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Why not just burn tuff?” She grabbed a piece of fruit and tossed it in. “Maybe because the love of burning things is a sign of pyromania?” Spike suggested. Rarity rolled her eyes. “Spike, it’s just a nice fireplace. Really, I think it can be a wonderful addition to the home. Just place it perfectly and create quite the ambient mood!” Rainbow Dash sighed. “Have any more things that explode?” “Some are on order.” Starlight said. “The catalog offers some bombs.” Rainbow Dash looked at the catalog Straight had gestured to. “That sounds pretty cool. Man, there’s a lot of awesome burnable stuff in here…” Rarity rolled her eyes. “They’re really marketing this as a fire toy? Really… Well I can’t fault them I suppose, but this is a waste of a perfectly good decoration. I think I’ll look into it.” Rainbow Dash tossed a raccoon in and chuckled. Rarity rolled her eyes. “Well, I’ll be off, see you girls later. Have fun… burning things I guess.” She trotted out. Spike bit his lip as he watched Starlight and Rainbow mess with the Inferno for a few hours - throwing things in just to watch them burn. It was spreading… ~~~ Days later, Rarity glanced outside the boutique - it was lightly snowing and well below freezing outside. However, the interior was warm and toasty, the cold winds of the outside unable to dent the heat produced by the Inferno. She was frankly really thankful she had infested in that Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace - the flames were pleasing to the eye and warm. She often walked around bundled up during the winter months - but not anymore. Right now the flame was pink - though that was likely to change next time Sweetie Belle came downstairs and threw a new colored bug into the fire. She manned the fireplace, asking only that she be allowed to play with it for a while after closing. It was a nice deal that - so far - hadn’t blown up in either of their faces. So far. Rarity still had her hooves crossed. Applejack came in and dropped a pair of boots on the countertop. “Need these fixed. Snow keeps getting in them through the holes.” “Right away.” Rarity said, grabbing a needle and the industrial strength thread. She spotted the defects and set to work sealing them up. “This’ll only take a few minutes…” “Mhm.” Applejack said. “...Apples, it’s warm in here.” “It’s the new fireplace over there.” Rarity said. “Does wonders for the temperature and the feel of the room.” “Why is it pink?” “That’s the color Sweetie last set it to.” Rarity said, tying a knot in her thread, sealing one of the boot’s holes. “She’ll change it again in ten minutes or so.” “Huh. Pretty fine. We need a new fireplace at the farm… Big Mac broke it during his last game night.” Rarity chuckled. “It’s called the Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace, if you’re interested. Marketed as a fire toy - but very useful.” “Applebloom mentioned that before…” Applejack noted. “Scootaloo has one I believe.” Rarity said, lifting the boots up to the light for a final examination. “I think we’re done here.” “Thank ya.” Applejack said. “Three bits.” Rarity took her payment and Applejack left the establishment. It was at that moment Rarity realized something. She had recommended Little Inferno at least ten times today alone. Huh. Weird. Sweetie Belle trotted down the stairs and closely examined the jar of colored bugs, looking for an exotic hue. She took her time, pondering deeply for several moments. It was in that moment that Fluttershy came in with a mauled dress. “Rarity? The animals got a little too playful.” “Oh heavens, that is dreadful! Give that here and I’ll-” At this point Sweetie Belle tossed in an ice-blue bug, shifting the color. Fluttershy saw it clearly and let out a pained gasp. “W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” Sweetie Belle blinked. “Changing the fire color?” “By burning innocent bugs!?” Rarity blinked. “Fluttershy… I bought those from a catalog to be used for this exact purpose. I’m pretty sure they’re not real bugs, no company could get away with deliberate insect torture.” Fluttershy marched up to the bug jar and sniffed it. They weren’t real bugs. “O-okay… That was still scary. Sweetie, you can smash bugs by accident or to protect yourself, but never torment them okay?” Sweetie Belle nodded slowly. Fluttershy sighed. “Ookay… Take the dress Rarity, I’ll be back for it tomorrow. I’m… Sorry for exploding.” “It’s okay Fluttershy. If you need to talk about it-” “Oh no, I was just mistaken.” She glanced back at the bug jar and shuddered. “Just… It’s hard to look at, okay?” “I understand.” Rarity said. “I’ll just order dye from now on.” “Thanks.” Fluttershy said, leaving. Sweetie Belle blinked, turning to Rarity. “So do I-?” “Keep doing what you’re doing for now. We close in half an hour anyway.” There were no customers the rest of the day. The sisters quickly closed up shop and sat in front of the fireplace. Sweeite tossed in some fabric scraps and a couple bugs. It was very pretty, colors splashing from left to right and filling Rarity’s eyes. “Why don’t you put one in?” Sweetie Belle asked, giving Rarity some fabric. “Oh, sure dear.” Rarity tossed it into the fire and watched it go up in flames. There was something… satisfying about the action. While the flames licked what she had placed in, she found that she wanted to put more in… And more… And more… It occurred to Rarity that she used these fabric scraps in other projects from time to time and should probably save a few for later work. Yet she found herself thinking the warm, welcoming fire was worth it. She could always just make more scraps.. After all, it was nice being in front of the fire with her sister… The two sisters fell asleep in front of the fire, the snow falling outside, the white of the sky contrasting heavily with the handful of smoke trails that reached for the heavens…