I had woken up earlier than I had intended. Princess Celestia had just barely raised the sun over peaks of the mountains to paint the sky a light blue hue; it silhouetted the riverbank around me by contrast. The flames from my mane had illuminated my small spot on the riverbank. The rocks seemed to dance from the light of my fire, and the crisp morning dew began to fade from the ground around me. With a yawn, I stretched out, pushing two small mounds of pebbles away from me; feeling my bones crick and crack.
I had mostly recovered from last night's party that was in my honor. At some point in the night I was challenged to a cupcake eating contest and had lost in great lengths to Pinkie Pie. The rest of the night was quite vague from that point on, but I could recall parts of the dancing, the games, and a very large cake. What I don’t quite clearly remember was stumbling my way back to river where my journey had begun. It was obvious that I had fallen asleep along the river bank, but at least I had the common sense to sleep somewhere that I couldn’t set fire to.
The relentless thudding of a cupcake induced headache lingered with me. I covered my head with my hooves begging it to go away. To my dismay it did not, so I hoped that some fresh air would clear it up. A walk through Sweet Apple Acres came to mind, if not the scenic view then perhaps Applejack's company would soothe my pain.
The walk to Sweet Apple Acres was peaceful. The wind blew softly fanning the flames of my mane that made my fire dance in delight. Everything in Ponyville seemed so foreign compared to my life in the Ashen Fields.
As I approached Applejack's place I could hear raised voices. I recognized Applejack's voice, but the other voice was a mystery to me. Luckily, I found that the gate had been left open and decided to let myself in. I walked down the dirt path, trying to follow the voices when I stumbled upon Applejack and a white mare pony arguing in the barn.
Their voices carried over each other and it was hard to make out what the argument was about. I heard words about of cider while it led into bits, and then I heard something about value and history. Which then led to something about a famous pony, land speed records, and Applejack’s uninterested tone on the matter.
At this point I felt it would be rude if I eavesdropped any further so I cleared my throat to make myself known. Applejack and the white mare pony both looked in my direction in surprise, but the white mare pony seemed even more surprised by me.
"I don't believe it!" The white mare pony exclaimed.
"Well howdy Ash, I didn't see you there." Applejack said warmly.
"Did I come at a bad time?" I asked curiously.
Applejack glanced at the white mare pony with a coy smile before answering me.
"Not at all, I was just telling Cindy Mayflower here on how we have some of our own fastest ponies on four hooves on this side of Ponyville." Applejack explained.
"I wouldn't know. I haven't met many other ponies." I admitted as the one called Cindy Mayflower carefully approached me.
"You're a real Flame Pony? This isn't some trick?" Cindy asked reaching out to touch my flames.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you Ms. Mayflower, those are real flames and this here is a real Flame Pony." Applejack intervened moving her hoof away from me as I began to recoil.
"I've never heard of a Flame Pony coming out from beyond the Ashen Fields! This is extraordinary!" Cindy Mayflower proclaimed stamping her hooves in excitement.
Cindy Mayflower was a stark white pony. Her mane was the lightest of yellows that seemed to gleam in the sun, while her cutie mark depicted several mayflowers. She seemed very groomed, carried herself with a sort of authority that Applejack did not seem to appreciate in the slightest.
"Ash here is the only Flame Pony to make such a journey, he's going to be staying here in Ponyville until the summit meeting of all-" Applejack was cut short.
"Would you be willing to meet the fastest pony alive?" Cindy interjected her question.
"I'm sorry, what?" I asked feeling confused.
"I represent the single fastest earth pony in all of Equestria, Hotshot McFlash! He's won all the Grand Hoof Race Awards for the past three years! I'm sure he would be more then ecstatic to meet a real live Flame Pony!" Cindy exclaimed in excitement.
"Why would he?" I asked curiously.
"Why, McFlash has grown up on tales of Flame Ponies that used run so fast that they would turn into balls of fire and leave trails of flames in their wake. You ponies are the reason McFlash became a racer!" Cindy explained to me.
"Well that's... nice." I mumbled, not sure on how to react to such a humbling tale.
"Promise me you'll stay right here! Don't you dare move a muscle! I'll be right back!" Cindy Mayflower insisted, pointing to the spot in the dirt where I currently stood.
Sprinting back down the dirt path I had just come from, Cindy Mayflower disappeared from sight as Applejack strolled over to me with a relieved sigh.
"I guess you better stay here until she gets back, wouldn't want to make her mad that's for sure." Applejack said.
"Is that why you two were making such a fuss in the barn?" I asked seating myself on the very spot Cindy had asked me to stay.
"You heard that, huh? It wasn't much of anything, Cindy was just trying to get us to move up on our date for our yearly Apple Cider sale, but I told her that there wasn't anything for it as it has to be done just right and at the right time." Applejack informed me.
"What's Apple Cider?" I asked curiously.
"You're kidding, right?" Applejack asked sounding annoyed.
"Let's say I do and I want you to humor me." I said rubbing my mane in embarrassment.
"It's one of Sweet Apple Acres most sought after beverages, it comes around only once a year and it sells out faster than you can say 'hot cakes'." Applejack explained.
"I'm guessing there are some ponies that just can't wait?" I asked looking down the path Ms. Mayflower left.
"That there pony is a few straws short of a bale of hay. She's been offering us just about everything to give up a few barrels of our Sweet Apple Cider before we start selling them. I told her we don't play favorites here, but she insists that her client, what's his name, Hot Hoof, really loves the stuff." Applejack continued.
"Do you not know who Hotshot McFlash is?" I asked with a chuckle.
"No. Why? Do you?" Applejack asked curiously.
"Not a clue." I said with a smile as Applejack smirked.
Cindy Mayflower had not been gone for very long, but it was just long enough to leave Applejack and I in an uncomfortable silence for several awkward minutes. There was not much I could say, most of my knowledge was of Flame Ponies and of the Ashen Fields, but it wasn't very relatable to the vibrant Sweet Apple Acres. More so, I knew next to nothing about Applejack, I did not know where to start with questions about her and her farm, but I decided that if I kept it simple I might not sound like a dork.
"So... Applejack?" I began, rolling a pebble with my hoof.
"Yeah?" Applejack replied.
I felt the words begin in my throat when a sudden tremble shook the ground, a sudden rush of air nearly blew Applejack's hat off and whipped the flames of my mane. It took a few seconds for the dust to catch up as it billowed in after the rush of air. The colt named Hotshot McFlash stood before us.
Dressed in a full body suit covered with different brands and names I had never seen before. He wore a pair of tinted goggles strapped around his head and a sparkling smile that seemed to be perfect for photographs. His mane had been tucked in under his suit.
"I wouldn't have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes." Hotshot said removing his goggles.
Hotshot McFlash pulled back the head portion of his suit like a hoodie, revealing him to be a light brown colt with a jet black mane.
"Aha! It is! It is a real live Flame Pony! Mayflower was right after all!" Hotshot hollered in delight as he stamped his hooves in excitement.
I glanced at Applejack who was adjusting her hat and wiping the dirt from her mane, then looking back at Hotshot who was already inches from my face; staring at my flames as close as he could.
"Hi..." I said slowly backing up.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Flame Pony! A great pleasure indeed! You have no idea what kind of impact you had on me and my life! It is an honor! It is an absolute honor!" Hotshot said holding out his hoof to me.
"Sorry, I can't-" As I spoke Hotshot immediately took hold of my hoof, shaking it vigorously and to my surprise was not in any pain.
"This here is a flame resistant suit; I wear it to cut down on friction that builds up when I run. You can get a pretty bad rash if you're not careful." Hotshot explained still shaking my hoof.
"This is Applejack, the owner of this plot, Sweet Apple Acre." I said trying to steer the conversation towards her.
Applejack did not seem too crazy about me passing the buck.
"Well how do you do, ma'am? Hotshot McFlash, fastest pony in all of Equestria. Might I just say that this here is the finest looking farm I have ever laid eyes on? Not to mention yourself, you're quite the looker if I do say so myself. Not to worry though, I'm not making a pass at you, just trying to get off on the right hoof." Hotshot railed off shaking Applejack's hoof just as vigorously.
"Well that's mighty fine of you to say, Mr. Hotshot." Applejack mumbled trying to loosen her grip from his hoofshake.
"Please, just Hotshot. Mr. Hotshot is my father. Technically it's Dr. McFlash, but he isn't too picky about it." Hotshot informed her.
Feeling that this was my chance to slip away I began to make a move towards the gate when I caught Applejack's eye and knew she wasn't going to let me go that easy.
"I'm sure you didn't come all this way to chew the fat with little old me, I'm sure you have tons of questions for Ash over there." Applejack said with a grin.
"Where are my manners? I didn't even ask you for your name Mr. Flame Pony. If my mother could see me now she'd wonder what sort of foal she raised." Hotshot exclaimed jumping in front of me.
"It's Smolder… of the Ashen Fields." I answered him forcing a smile on my face.
"Well that there has got to be the longest name I have ever heard. We could probably trim that down a bit and make it easier to say. I've got it! How's Blaze strike you? Not bad if I do say so myself, I don't honestly know where I come up with such great names." Hotshot rattled off.
One more nickname to add to so many I had been given already. I watched as Applejack slipped away back into the barn, I felt my flames flicker in envy, and heard Hotshot gasp aloud.
"Do that again! What am I saying? Asking you to preform like some circus pony, mother would surely be shaking her head right about now. Manners, Hotshot, manners. I cannot begin to tell you the stories I've heard of you and your kin. Being able to meet you face to face has been the highlight of my year, no, probably my life." Hotshot rambled.
"I'm glad I was able to do that for you." I mumbled taking a step back.
"Now where did Mayflower get to? I must have run off without her again. I tend to do that when I get excited, poor thing is always chasing after me. Couldn't ask for a better manager though, keeps this wild stallion on a short lasso I tell you what. Wouldn't have gotten to where I am today without her help." Hotshot said looking around.
"I believe that's her over there." I said motioning towards the path.
In the distance there was a pony struggling to catch its breath, taking slow steps just over the hill and clutching its chest.
"Well I'll be, she's getting faster these days. She used to not turn up for hours when we first started out. Be right back." Hotshot told me.
I watched as Hotshot seem to explode off the spot. I had to admit, I had never seen a pony move as fast as him, but I did not feel inclined to tell him this. Hotshot reached Mayflower in a matter of seconds, before I could take a step he was already back with Mayflower in tow.
"Blaze, I'd like you to meet my manager, Cindy Mayflower. What am I saying? You two have already met, how else did Mayflower know that there was a Flame Pony here? I tell you if my mind worked as fast as my hooves I'd be smartest pony in all of Equestria. I guess some other pony will just have to pick up the slack on that one." Hotshot informed me.
Cindy Mayflower's mane had been blasted back by the sheer speed of Hotshot, her face had splotches of dirt from the dust he had kicked up and she did not seem used to being carried at high speeds.
"A…pleasure." Mayflower muttered waving her hoof at me.
"The pleasure is mine." I replied with a weak smile.
"If you two will excuse me I wish to speak to Ms. Applejack further. Hotshot be sure not to leave here without informing me where you are going." Mayflower informed him fixing her mane.
"I read you loud and clear Mayflower. I tell you that girl will not let me take a step without writing it down in triplicate. I don't blame her though, wouldn't be the first time I ran off and left her without a forwarding address, but enough about me, I want to hear all about you Blaze. Come on and bend my ear for a while." Hotshot said slapping me on the shoulder.
The problem with talking to the fastest pony in all of Equestria is that you can't run away from him. I was subjected to answering every single one of his questions about Flame Ponies, humoring him with tales of my life and having to return the favor by listening to his. My headache seemed to be just as interested in sticking around as Hotshot did.
"Hotshot!" Mayflower called out after almost an hour.
Both of us turned to see Mayflower and Applejack standing near the front of the barn looking quite cross with each other. With a sudden blast of air Hotshot was standing in front of both them while I sat in a cloud of dust.
"Ms. Applejack and I just came up with a wonderful idea to help raise a little extra money for Sweet Apple Acres during their yearly cider sale." Mayflower began.
"Ms. Applejack let me be first to say that I live for your cider, I remember when my mother first gave me a glass of that delicious drink. I tell you couldn't stop singing its praises. I have to at least get a few barrels to last me until next year or I simply go cider crazy." Hotshot praised her.
"Hotshot, pay attention." Mayflower said clapping her hooves together to get his attention.
"Shoot Mayflower." Hotshot replied.
"Ms. Applejack has agreed to give us a few barrels of cider early if you agree to race here in Sweet Apple Acres." Mayflower informed.
"For that cider I'd run from one side of Equestria to the other!" Hotshot exclaimed.
"The ticket sales alone will pay for the barrels and then some. It may even draw ponies from as far as the Crystal Kingdom to see you race, which means even more revenue for Ms. Applejack." Mayflower went on.
"Sounds like a win-win for the two of us, who am I racing? A couple of fillies? Some up and coming hotshots? Perhaps the Wonderbolts would like crack at me." Hotshot asked rubbing his chin.
"Actually, we thought that you could race the Flame Pony." Mayflower replied.
"Me?" I asked sounding very surprised.
Applejack smiled wide at me. Hotshot McFlash was in all sense of the word stunned. His eyes lit up, his mouth curled into the biggest smile, hollering aloud and stamping his hooves.
"Now that is a race! Mayflower you are a blooming genius! A race against my childhood idol! I can see the headlines now! Hotshot McFlash, Equestria's fastest pony racing against Blaze, the allusive Flame Pony who leaves a trail of fire in his wake!" Hotshot exclaimed.
"But I'm not a racer. I can't compete against the fastest pony in all of Equestria." I said aloud feeling like things were beginning to spin out of control.
"Words… cannot begin… to describe how much that means to me." Hotshot said choking back his own words, throwing his hoof around me.
"Sure you can, Ash! All you need is a little training, some coaching, and some self-confidence." Applejack said still smiling at me with her pleading eyes.
"Nothing short of a miracle will have him ready to even come close to keeping up with Hotshot, it's a publicity stunt to bring in a crowd who not only wants to see Hotshot race, but to see a Flame Pony that has been unseen for many years. Hotshot will race alongside Blaze for a time and surely beat him come the finish line to give the crowd their monies worth." Mayflower explained to them.
"It will be an honor just to be running alongside a Flame Pony I assure you." Hotshot reassured me.
Before I could decline I could see Applejack mouthing 'please' to me. After the way she and the others had accepted me so easily yesterday I felt I should return the favor.
"I'll do it." I said putting on a smile.
"That's what I'm talking about! Good on you Blaze! I'm going to need a whole new suit to wear for this race! Mayflower, I'll leave spreading the word to you. Ms. Applejack, its' been a pleasure. Blaze I look forward to racing with you." Hotshot said strapping back on his goggles.
Before Mayflower could get a word out, Hotshot McFlash exploded from the spot and disappeared into the distance leaving me and every pony else in a cloud of dust.
"I hate it when he does that." Mayflower muttered.
"Finally, something we can agree on." Applejack mumbled.
"Just have those barrels ready to be picked up tomorrow, I'll handle all the arrangements. Just have that Flame Pony at the starting line come next week." Mayflower said tauntingly, making her way towards the gate.
"Don't worry! He'll be there! He's going to leave that Hotflash McSlow in a cloud of smoke!" Applejack shouted after her.
"Not uh!" Mayflower shouted back slamming the gate behind her.
"Yeah huh!" Applejack cried back.
Applejack wore a frown on her face, watching Mayflower trot away down the path with her nose turned upwards.
"I tell you that pony is a bigger pain in the flank then falling in a bed of roses." Applejack mumbled.
Applejack looked over at me, she noticed my very confused look, and she herself looked quite taken aback.
"Ah shoot Blaze, I'm sorry I roped you into this. She made me an offer I just couldn't pass up and having you run this race seemed like the best way of getting every pony what they wanted." Applejack explained rubbing the back of her mane.
"Consider this my thanks for all your help yesterday." I said trying to sound appreciative.
Applejack beamed at me, the flames on my mane flickered again, but this time it was because I felt nervous.
"Alright then partner, we have to get you in shape for your race against motor mouth." Applejack declared.
"What did you have in mind?" I asked curiously.