My Little Inferno

by GMBlackjack

IV - Aflame

Fluttershy walked through ponyville, ready for a nice calm winter walk. Such things were normally pleasant, serene journeys where she said hi to friends and appreciated the beautiful winter landscape. Even if she had a goal in mind - go to Pinkie’s and talk about Hearthswarming gift ideas - she would still find wonder in the world.

All those things were still there - the snow was beautiful, the townsponies welcoming, and the land just nice looking. But it was tainted.

There were several trails of smoke floating high into the sky from various chimneys. She knew what they were from - those Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplaces that had been taking off. Ever since Rarity had installed hers, more and more had been going up. And while Fluttershy knew the bugs sent by the catalog weren’t real, she did know that foals got ideas really easily. The moment winter ended and real bugs started showing up…

She was really worried. She could see how these fireplaces were changing how ponies perceived the dangers of fire. No longer something to be respected and feared, but to be played with. To be treated like just another toy…

Fluttershy shook her head - she needed to stop thinking about others like that. The Little Inferno was just a toy that also happened to appeal to ponies outside the target demographic. That was fine. Nothing bad had happened - just a few ponies needed more baths to wash the soot off.

Fluttershy pushed the thoughts out of her mind and focused on the town. She began to hum a happy and chipper tune while she walked, ignoring the smoke trails best she could. This was her walk and some Fireplace wasn’t going to ruin it for her. Her smile bright, she kept trotting along.

“Snails! Throw more balls in!”

“Can’t we just enjoy the fire Snips?”

“No! MORE BALLS BURNING!”

Fluttershy didn’t even glance at the two colts. It was not her place to judge them. They were just having fun…

“Hey, Carrot Top, throw some wine into the Inferno. Works wonders at parties.”

“Berry, I don’t have an Inferno.”

“You should get one. Like, now.”

Fluttershy’s smile faltered. It was still spreading… More and more chimneys would go up…

Her house would be fine, away from town as it was. The town could enjoy their Inferno just fine-

“I hear bits burn in the Fireplace!”

“Really?”

Fluttershy breathed deep, calming breaths. Just keep walking… Just keep walking…

“I fell asleep with my head inside the Inferno! It was awesome!”

Fluttershy’s smile vanished completely. This was not good and this was not going to end well. She just knew it - ponies were changing because of this Fireplace. It was affecting them too much. It was going to hurt somepony.

She began to gallop, trying to get away from the chimneys. They were starting to scare her with their presence. She just wanted them out of sight…

She ran into Sugarcube Corner, breathing heavy, almost hyperventilating.

“Hi Fluttershy!” Pinkie said, appearing from nowhere and prompting a scream from Fluttershy. “Wo-oah! Looks like you’ve seen a ghost!” Pinkie giggled. “Don’t worry, I’m not dead yet!”

Fluttershy took long deep breaths to calm herself again. “You… Just… Scared me… That’s all.” Fluttershy recomposed herself. “How are you doing?”

“I’ve gotten Hearthswarming presents for every pony in Ponyville! As usual. Had most purchased a month ago. So many smiles are coming!” She squeed.

Fluttershy smiled. “Glad to hear it. I haven’t gotten any of my shopping done…”

“You still have a weeks, and I have plenty of ideas we can talk about later. But how have you been? You haven’t been in town for a while!”

“Well…” She paused for a moment, thinking of how to put her feelings. “You know those Little Infernos?”

“Yeah, duh, who doesn’t?” Pinkie responded.

“They make me nervous.” Fluttershy said. “The way they burn things… Animal-like things…”

“Ooooh, Rarity told me about that bug thing! There’s nothing to worry about Fluttershy, it’s completely harmless!” Pinkie grinned. “I keep doing crazier and crazier things to it and I haven’t gotten burned even slightly!”

“It’s… not going to give you burns.” Fluttershy admitted. “But… It’s affecting ponies. They’ve started thinking differently. Doing crazy things. Sticking their heads in the fire!”

“Ah, that’s fun! So bright!”

Fluttershy blinked. “How-” Then she saw the soot in Pinkie’s mane and took a few steps back. “You’re into it too. Oh no.”

“It’s fine Fluttershy.” Pinkie answered her. “I had the Little Inferno first! Ordered it the moment I saw it in my premium edition of Fun Catalog!”

Fluttershy said nothing.

“Come on, I’ll show you it! There’s nothing to worry about!”

“Pinkie… When was the last time you left the Little Inferno alone for a whole day?”

Pinkie’s mind began to work out the problem. “I haven’t!” She answered happily. “And I’m none the worse for it!”

“But-”

“Come on Fluttershy, you should get over your fear. It’s completely harmless!” Pinkie grabbed her friend and took her to the furnace room. Fluttershy gasped - the room was completely black from floor to ceiling, the soot sticking to everything.

Inside the Little Inferno appeared to be a miniature floating sun, burning and melting everything in the enclosure, its gravity swirling all the fires towards it.

Fluttershy began to shake. “I don’t know about this Pinkie…”

“Oh come on, it’s fun!” Here let me put out the sun…” She tossed a yellow and black device into the fireplace that exploded everything in a huge explosion. “And we can do other stuff now! Watch!” She stuck a packet of flower seeds in and burned it, causing several daisy blooms to blossom before Fluttershy’s eyes.

“Pretty right?” Pinkie asked.

“I guess so…” Fluttershy said, though she realized a moment later that the daisies caught fire, life being extinguished right before her eyes. And there was no point to it…

“Or what about these magic mushrooms that divide when exposed to heat? Or this ice bomb? Or these fireworks!?” Pinkie started cackling as she shoved more and more things into the fire, her laugh unceasing and shrill.

The fire flashed, froze, died out, exploded, burned more, and swirled in fanciful patterns, lighting Pinkie’s grin with a haunting light.

The fire eventually died down. Pinkie was breathing heavily. “See Fluttershy? Nothing to worry about…”

Fluttershy was long gone.

“Well that’s rude.”Pinkie pouted. “She never even got to ask me for tips about Hearthswarming gifts…”

Pinkie shrugged, turning back to the Little Inferno. “Oh well.. Time to see if snow and rain can mix.” She tossed in a snowglobe and a smoke detector, the two reacting perfectly with each other.

Pinkie giggled.

This was so fun!

Why would anypony be scared of it? It was just enjoyment incarnate!

Outside, Fluttershy was running like her life depended on it, knocking over more than a few ponies in her rush. She didn’t even pause to say sorry - she was too disturbed by what she had seen. Shellshocked.

That Fireplace was horrible - and she was the only one who knew it! Nopony would help her…

Her friends were trapped…

She was alone and there wasn’t anything she could do or say…

She bolted back to her house, slamming the door and hugging a fluffy plushie. “It’ll be fine… It’ll be fine…”

The stuffed raccoon looked back up at her, soot on it. Fluttershy screamed at the black marks, dropping the toy and looking at her hooves for the first time. The soot was sticking to them. The soot was sticking. The soot was sticking!

She ran to the sink in a blind panic, trying to wash the soot off. But it clung to her coat, only coming off in minuscule amounts.

“Get off! Get off! Get off! GET OFF!” She yelled, throwing the soap into the sink and scrubbing viciously.

Several minutes passed, and she eventually got it all off. She relaxed a bit, calming her breathing, and sat down.

And saw that her back hooves were still covered. She screamed again.

The scream pierced the day, ringing out into the snowy wilderness. In the distance, over Ponyville, dozens of smoke trails floated into the sky…

A cloud of smoke was starting to form over their heads…

Comments

[Keywii_Cookies55]

Ah, there's that conflict

[DizzyWaddleDoo]

VI is 6. 4 is IV.

[GMBlackjack]

7814557

AAAAAA BAD TYPO BAD TYPO!!!
Fixed. Thanks for pointing it out.

-GM, master of ice.

[My name is R]

I wish this was my first time through, so I could speculate, but I don't know how much my thoughts are colored by foreknowledge.

“Wo-oah! Looks like you’ve seen a ghost!” Pinkie giggled. “Don’t worry, I’m not dead yet!”

Noo...

She ran to the sink in a blind panic, trying to wash the soot off. But it clung to her coat, only coming off in minuscule amounts.
“Get off! Get off! Get off! GET OFF!” She yelled, throwing the soap into the sink and scrubbing viciously.

Off dammed spot!

Chapter 3:

“it . Was. Awesome.

It.

“Why not just burn tuff?”

stuff

Chapter 4:

You still have a weeks, and I have plenty of ideas we can talk about later.

There’s a lot of ways for this one to go. A few weeks, a week, weeks, but not a weeks.