Our elders had spoken of the first breath of Flame Ponies. A story that explained how the Flame Ponies came to be. At the base of the mountain, before the ash, the fields used to be covered with life and color far beyond imagination. A great many ponies had gathered there to live out their lives among its beauty. What the ponies did not know was that the mountain that loomed over them was a dormant volcano biding its time.
It was said that the volcano erupted without warning, sending molten rock and ash down to the village of ponies below; encasing them in a tomb of volcanic glass. All the colors, all the life had been covered in ash and soot. There the ponies remained, faces frozen in terror, their lives forever lost to time.
As the years passed an Elder Dragon, said to be as massive as the mountains themselves, had come to the volcano to drink from its pools. The Great Dragon Char had found the ponies, victims of the volcano's wrath, and took pity on them. With magic more ancient then the stars themselves the dragon shared its fire with the ponies, granting them a flame all their own and melting the volcanic glass that had entombed them.
Unlike the dragons, the ponies could not contain the fire within themselves and thus the flames danced upon their very bodies. Thus, the first generation of Flame Ponies had come into existence. Grateful to the Great Dragon Char, the Flame Ponies honored the dragon and its kin. Building a castle in its honor, creating statues in its likeness and mining the dark mines of the mountain to bring it gold.
Legends tell that the Great Dragon Char dug deep into the volcano, to drink at the very heart of Equestria. Even since then the Flame Ponies had lived with honor and pride for many generations. Having emulated the traits of dragons, from their power, their resilience, their pride, and their lust for gold.
Although, I have never felt any of these traits. I was told that my father had named me Smolder, to burn slowly without a flame, that I was a sorry excuse for a Flame Pony. That I lacked that which shaped the very core of a Flame Pony; for when a flame is barely burning, it is only smoldering. Right now my flame was doing just that.
My first time swimming had not been an enjoyable one. Hotshot McFlash had declared our race a tie due to the unforeseen accident that occurred on the bridge. I was ready to declare Hotshot the winner for being ahead of me before the bridge had collapsed, but he wouldn't accept it. This only had every pony reporter asking if there was going to be a rematch between Hotshot McFlash and Blaze the Flame Pony.
That was when Mayflower had declared a rematch between the two of us with much excitement from Hotshot's fans who cheered at this news. Fortunately for me, the rematch would have to wait until Hotshot McFlash had run the Crystal Circuit, the Equestria Cup, and the Cross Pony Trophy first. Eventually Mayflower was able to direct most of the questions of upcoming events to herself allowing me to slip away.
"Smolder!" Hotshot called out to me.
My muscles were screaming at me, I did my best to ignore it, putting on a smile as I turned to speak with him. There were several ponies in black suits with black sunglasses that kept the crowds of ponies from rushing towards Hotshot; I figured it was his security team.
"You weren't trying to slip away without saying goodbye to ol' Hotshot now, were you?" Hotshot asked curiously.
"It's been a long day, I was just going to go home and rest for a bit." I answered honestly.
"I just wanted to thank you, Smolder." Hotshot said.
"Any pony would have jumped in to help, Mayflower. I just got there first." I replied.
"Well not just that. I wanted to thank you for living up to the pony I had idolized from when I was a foal. Brave, strong, and fearless. It was a dream come true to have raced with you, but it was an honor to have met you. Take care of yourself partner." Hotshot explained to me.
He held out his hoof to me. I took it, feeling my hoof ache with pain as we shook. I said my goodbyes, promising that I would give him his rematch one day before heading back to my little spot near the riverbank.
Hotshot's words echoed in my head, but words that never seemed to reach my heart. Probably because I did not feel like any of those things. Although the pain I was feeling did resonate throughout my body. Many doctor ponies at the race wanted to take a look at me, offering me advice on how to treat my pain, but I assured them I wasn't in any. It was hard to mask, forcing smiles was extremely difficult and when I finally got back to my little part of the river I had decided to take off back to the Ashen Fields.
There was old Flame Pony remedies to treat water burned ponies, remedies that were only found in the Dark Marsh Forests near the Ashen Fields and only a hoof full of ponies that knew how to make it. The pony I had in mind wasn't technically a pony.
The journey home was much harder to make in my current condition, so I opted to make my way through the old mining tunnels dug by Flame Ponies in years passed. It would be the safest route for me to take, and it would save me a great deal of time. Many, if not all, of our tunnels had been abandoned in years long passed, but there were a couple we still used to avoid spiders or owlbears. My venture through the cave was quiet, my hooves clopping against the stones under hoof echoing through the empty tunnels.
Eventually, I came out the other side, into the vacant and dismal fields I called my home. The entirety of the Ashen Fields were covered in knee deep ash, if the name did not already give it away. With every step I took ash danced up into small clouds and settled around me. In the distance I could see Castle Char, towering in disrepair and stood looming over the fields. I could see lights in the distance, other Flame Ponies that slowly walked from rock to rock hut.
Our Flame Ponies kept to themselves in the Ashen Fields, no pony left their homes unless for food or if the Twins demanded it. The Twins of course being my older brothers, Wick and Pyre, who currently resided as rulers over the Ashen Fields in a minor capacity. Acting only as stewards, the Twins took orders from our father, the King, to carry out any official decrees. The rest of the time they forced our ponies to brave the Dark Marsh to find food for them or entertain them if they were bored. It was a miserable existence, without any sort of future to be seen for them.
"Hold." A voice said aloud.
I looked up to see a familiar face. It was General Hearth standing outside the castle's entrance with two Royal Guards at his side. He was a dark grey pony, dressed in his old armor that had not been shined in many years, and cutie mark looked of a feather on fire. He was much taller than I, much older, but still treated me with like a Prince; extending ever courtesy and respect that it would derive.
"General Hearth, sir." I said aloud.
"Smolder? Is that you?" General Hearth asked in disbelief.
The General quickly approached me. I felt his hooves touch my foreleg and I winced in pain. He quickly recognized my injuries.
"Get Wingston! Hurry!" General Hearth ordered to the Royal Guards.
General Hearth assisted me inside the castle. The large stone doors opened slowly scraping across the ash ridden ground. The entrance stretched far into the castle, many pillars lined the Main Hall before letting out into a grand staircase that led to the Throne Room and the rest of the castle.
"What happened, Smolder?" General Hearth asked me in a whisper.
When there was no other pony around, General Hearth would use my given name, only using my title in front of other ponies to lead by example. I preferred him using my name.
"I went swimming." I remarked with a groan.
"What would drive you to do that?" General Hearth asked in disbelief.
"Some pony was in trouble, I wanted to help." I confessed.
We got close to the staircase when the Twins descended the stairs before us. Both colored jet black, flames a deep red, they were almost as tall as the General and shared a cutie mark depicting their names. My brothers, who had volunteered me to go on this quest to steal the Elements of Harmony had come to welcome me home.
"Why if it isn't little brother Smolder." Wick said tauntingly.
"I wasn't expecting you to have completed your mission so quickly." Pyre said sarcastically.
"So where are they? Where are the Elements?" Wick asked curiously.
The Twins waved the General to the side; he begrudgingly did so lowering his head. I was forced to stand under my own power, which was fading quickly. They paced around me lightly jabbing me with their hooves, testing me to see if I would react to the pain I was obviously in.
"Look brother, Smolder seems to have fallen into some water." Pyre said, clicking is tongue in disappointment.
"Better if he had been washed away then returning without the Elements of Harmony. Father will be most displeased." Wick warned.
"Where's Wingston?" I asked, wincing from another jab of theirs.
"We're not his keepers, he could be lying dead somewhere for all we know." Wick remarked coldly.
The thudding of wood began to echo across the Main Hall of the castle. The Twins grimaced at the sound. Turning to look back at the stairs, the two Royal Guards appeared from a stone door at the side of the staircase; standing at attention.
"I will take it from here." A raspy voice said aloud.
From the side of the staircase, that led to the dungeons beneath the castle, a small creature wrapped in many cloths of varying degrees of grey limped into view. Long strips of mismatched cloth wrapped around him, covering his entire body, except for his eyes, and his long fingers that gripped his staff. These rags were old Flame Pony clothing that was fire resistant,Zenith which allowed him contact with us. One his wings was missing the thin membrane of skin, crippling him from flying. He stood no taller than Spike, although the staff he carried was twice his height. Smolder knew him best; it was Wingston the bat.
"What do you want? Can't you see we are having words with our little brother?" Pyre sneered.
"Your words are as useless as the two of you. Inform your father that Smolder has returned before I tell him that you neglected to." Wingston replied threateningly.
The Twins shot Wingston ugly looks before ascending the staircase. He may have been considerably shorter then the Twins, but they still acknowledged Wingston's position within the Kingdom. Wingston was, technically still is, the Royal Advisor to the King of the Ashen Fields. He watched the Twins climb the staircase to the throne before turning his attention to me. Even though his eyes only showed I could always tell when he was smiling. Wingston limped over to me and embraced as best he could. I leaned forward to hug him back.
"It is good to see you, Smolder." Wingston said happily.
"It's good to be home, Wingston." I replied.
Wingston looked at the water burns I carried. Shaking his head slightly he waved the General over.
"General, please assist the young Prince to the Infirmary." Wingston said pointing his staff up the stairs.
"Of course." General Hearth replied.
Our infirmary was several slabs of granite for Flame Ponies to rest upon; it was our form of beds. Much of the room was coated with a thick layer of ash and dust for it had not been used in quite some time. The General had stationed two Royal Guards outside the Infirmary doors, while he himself stood at the foot of my bed diligently waiting for Wingston to return.
General Hearth and Wingston had seen the banishment of the Mad King, my father, and the aftermath that had taken place, but it did not have them drift into despair like the others. The Infirmary doors creaked open with the sound of Wingston's thudding staff echoed into the room.
"Smolder, I would very much like to know why you tried to go swimming?" Wingston asked curiously.
"A pony was in trouble, I wasn't really thinking." I admitted.
"Judging by your water burns I can safely say that you were in that water for quite some time." Wingston said limping up to my bed of granite.
General Hearth assisted Wingston to the top of the bed where I saw him holding a small bottle of green liquid in his wing.
"Dragon root, wisp fire, and a dash of olive." Wingston said offering me the drink.
The taste was very bitter. It was miles away from being cider, but just as I had finished drinking it the water burns began to lessen. The pain was quickly draining away and my face showed my relief.
"Thank you, Wingston." I mumbled in relief.
"You'll be happy to know you hold the record for the longest Flame Pony to be submerged under water." Wingston informed me.
"Really?" I asked happily.
Wingston's staff knocked me on the head with a thud. I winced. Rubbing my head with my hoof.
"That record should not have been broken, especially not by you, Smolder." Wingston scolded.
"Sorry." I mumbled.
The Infirmary doors creaked open again, this time a Royal Guard stepped into the room.
"The King demands Prince Smolder's presence at once." The guard stated.
I climbed the stairs to the Throne Room. I had taken this climb before, the steps to my father, the steps to the King, but it never seemed to get any easier. The large stone doors opened before me, black smoke billowed out as I entered.
The corridor that led to the throne room had once been lined with stone etchings of the Flame Pony Kings that had come before, but now rested upon the floor as dust. The corridor opened up into a circular room where the Twins waited on each side of the entrance and I stepped out into the center of the room. The widows were caked with black soot, blocking all light from coming in or out. Near the throne stood a large mirror, black iron snaking the borders, and my reflection was nowhere to be found in its glass. I stopped before the mirror, bowing my head to it, feeling my heart begin to race.
"Smolder." My father's voice echoed through the room.
Two piercing red eyes came into view within the mirror. Fire seeping out from the edges of the glass, his burning red eyes hung in the darkness. I did not speak, I was taught to only speak when posed a question.
"Smolder, why have you come back?" My father asked.
His voice echoed in the room, magnified a hundred times, his voice deep and bitter like the emptiness within the mirror.
"I was injured." I stated quietly.
"Injured? By whom?" My father questioned.
"Not by whom, but by a river." I answered, nervously.
"A river? A river!" My father shouted.
The soot from the ceiling trickled down, the room shook from his booming voice.
"What of the Elements? Where are they?" My father asked angrily.
"I don't have them." I replied, feeling terror grip my heart.
"Foolish, dreadful son! To be cursed with weakness in my bloodline!" My father roared in anger. "Did you even get close to Canterlot?"
"No. I got as far as Ponyville before meeting Princess Celestia." I confessed.
"What?" The Twins asked in disbelief.
"You… met with Celestia?" My father asked, his tone changing into surprise.
"He lies father!" Pyre cried, not believing me.
"Silence!" My father shouted shaking the castle with his voice. "Leave us! I will speak to my son alone."
The Twins bowed low before making their way back down the corridor. I was left alone with my father.
"What did Celestia say to you?" My father demanded.
"She… she said that if I could prove that Flame Ponies were ready to be trusted again, that I could appear before the Summit and plead our cause." I explained to him.
"Flame Ponies do not plead!" My father cried.
I cowered beneath his booming voice, my legs trembled and I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest.
"You haven't forgotten your mother, have you?" My father asked disappointingly.
I looked up to see a silhouette of a white pony, mane of golden fire standing in the distance.
"Mom?" I asked staring into the mirror.
"She is waiting for you, Smolder, we both are." My father said, attempting to sound sincere. "We can save her Smolder, free her from the Void, but first you must bring me the Elements of Harmony! I need it's power!"
"I know! I know!" I shouted feeling a sense of dread in my heart.
I watched the figure of my mother disappear into the darkness. I lowered my head feeling my heart throb in pain. My father remained silent as I did my best not to show him my fear.
"Perhaps we can use the Summit to our advantage." My father said slowly. "Distract them with this Summit meeting Smolder, earn their trust, find the Elements and bring them to me." My father decreed.
"Princess Celestia has given me the chance to show every pony that we can be trusted again. We can't just throw away this opportunity!" I argued.
"You dare defy my orders?" My father cried in anger.
"But Father!" I shouted.
"I am your King!" The Mad King Scorch cried shaking the castle once more.
I bowed my head low at these words, not daring to look up at the mirror.
"Go. Play their game. When the time comes we shall have what we need, and you shall have your mother and father again." His words echoed in the room before fiery eyes disappeared from the mirror.
The room was dark again. I sat staring at the ground feeling as if I had jumped into the river once more. I turned to leave, heading towards the corridor. Pyre and Wick were waiting near the end to speak with me. I swallowed hard, trying to summon up some of my courage that my father had shaken from me.
"You would be wise not to return unless you have the Elements of Harmony, little brother." Pyre warned me.
"If you fail in this task, you might as well not return at all." Wick added coldly.
"I'll be back, I promise." I said quickly. "We'll get her back."
My brothers didn't spare anymore words with me. They pushed opened the stone doors to allow me to leave, before slamming them shut behind me. I stared back at the doors, feeling that there was more then just stone between me and my brothers.
"Leaving so soon?" Wingston asked curiously.
We stood just outside Castle Char. Several Flame Ponies peeked out from their rock huts to look at me before hiding once more. General Hearth had gone to patrol the borders of the Dark Marsh, Wingston was the only one left behind to see me off. Like most times in my life, Wingston was always there for me, even when I didn't know I needed him.
"The ponies in Ponyville will begin to worry if I am gone for too long." I told him.
"Oh really?" Wingston asked in surprise.
"They promised to help our Flame Ponies. They've been kind to me, Wingston, and have offered me their friendship." I explained.
"That is something worth keeping, Smolder." Wingston stated.
In the pit of my stomach I knew what my father wanted me to do. He wouldn't gamble our future on the Summit. If some pony finds out that I was really just there to steal the Elements of Harmony I would lose my mother and father forever; along with any hopes of helping my Flame Ponies.
"Goodbye, Wingston." I said with a smile.
"Until our next meeting, Smolder." Wingston said, hugging me once more.
Walking away, I headed for the long canyon that separated the Ashen Fields and Ponyville, I had not gotten far before Wingston called out to me.
"I would not recommend jumping into any more rivers!" Winston shouted.
I smiled and waved back, acknowledging that I had heard him before carrying on.
"I don't want to lose you." Wingston mumbled solemnly.
I decided to take the main road from the Ashen Fields. The canyon was prone to rock slides and ambushes by Diamond Dogs, but it had been quiet for quite some time. It was shorter than the tunnels and I was ready if I had come across any timber wolves or manner of beast. Fortunately, I didn't run into any.
It must have been around midnight when I felt that things were starting to look up. That's when I had taken one more step before the universe saw fit to prove me wrong and dropped me into a pit. It was a very well-disguised pit, the dirt that lay atop it blended so perfectly that I pretended it wasn't my own fault of not seeing it.
I heard scratching coming from near the top of the hole. I looked up to see four large spiders staring down at me.
"We has caught ourselves a Flame Pony!" The first spider declared.
"I told you a hole would work!" Another spider quipped.
"Well it was my idea to put it here." Said another spider.
"Well how's about we talk it over dinner?" The last spider said.
A sudden burst of fire shot up out of the pit causing the spiders to fall over backwards in surprise. I stood at the bottom looking towards the top with a rather annoyed look.
"This here Flame Pony is feisty." A spider said.
I watched as one poked its head over the pit and once more I spewed fire at it. I wasn't planning on fending off spiders until morning but I guess it was better than speaking with my father.
"What is that?" Asked a spider.
"What is what?" Asked another.
"That there, don't you sees it?" Asked the spider.
"I only has eight eyes. What is it you see?" Asked a spider.
From the bottom of the pit I could hear sudden screams of fright from the spiders, several hisses and a couple of thuds from above. I could hear a spider yell retreat and I just sat there in the pit looking pathetic.
"Are you alright?" I heard a voice ask me.
I looked up to see what appeared to me as the most beautiful pony I had ever laid eyes on. Colored in what appeared to be the night sky of blue and black, her mane was partially translucent, rippling and sparkling and her voice sounded quite elegant. Unfortunately, I merely stared at her not able to find the words to say hello.
"Perhaps the Flame Pony is injured and cannot speak?" She asked me again.
"No, I'm cool." I replied quickly.
"Cool... like the temperature?" She asked me.
"No, cool like I'm alright; just cool." I replied like the dork that I am.
"I am glad to hear that you are cool." She said with a smile.
"Thanks." I said.
In the back of my mind I could hear myself screaming to stop talking.
"What is your name, Flame Pony?" She asked curiously.
"Smolder… of the Ashen Fields. One time owner of a pit." I introduced myself, trying to add a joke in.
"Smolder? Not the same Flame Pony who resides in Ponyville?" She asked in surprise.
"Yeah, that's me." I replied.
"My sister has told me a great deal about you." She informed me.
"Who's your sister?" I asked curiously.
"Princess Celestia." She replied.
I looked at her feeling quite confused and utterly surprised.
"I didn't know Princess Celestia had a sister." I remarked.
"And I didn't know Flame Ponies were prone to falling into pits." She replied, sounding a bit annoyed I didn't know of her.
"Well... that would make you a Princess as well, right?" I asked, trying to save myself some trouble.
"Indeed, I am Princess Luna." She answered.
I sat at the bottom of the pit, staring up at Princess Luna who casually stared back at me. I had the sneaking suspicion that I had offended her by not knowing who she was and I would have to ask to be rescued from this pit.
"So… I'm guessing that you raise the moon, since Princess Celestia raises the sun?" I guessed.
"You would be correct." Princess Luna replied.
"Any chance you could raise me out of this pit?" I asked with a smile.
"I am not sure; Celestia is usually the one to raise the heavy fireball into the sky." Princess Luna stated; obviously still peeved with me.
"Well if you can't do it, maybe you can get your sister to do it." I suggested.
"I can most certainly do it! Behold!" Princess Luna shouted, accepting my unintentional challenge.
For a moment I was sitting at the bottom of the pit, when I suddenly found myself being flung up into the air. I was several feet above the pit before crashing back down to the ground next to Princess Luna.
"Perhaps I raised the Flame Pony a bit too high." Princess Luna remarked.
I rolled over on the path, rubbing my head, and brushing dust off my face.
"You have been rescued Flame Pony." Princess Luna declared.
She was even prettier up close.
"I had it under control." I mumbled feeling childish.
"Perhaps the Flame Pony would like it better back in the pit?" Princess Luna asked curiously as her horn began to glow.
"No, no thanks." I said waving my hoof.
"You are a far cry from Ponyville, Flame Pony known as Smolder, what brings you this far out?' Princess Luna asked.
"I was just visiting my home." I said motioning back down the path.
"Perhaps you should travel with friends so that you do not find yourself stuck in any more pits and surrounded by spiders?" Princess Luna suggested.
"I was just distracted, really!" I insisted feeling like I was being teased.
"I shall see you back to Ponyville, to ensure that you do not fall down further." Princess Luna declared.
It was a sort of win-lose, I got to walk with Princess Luna for a time, but she only did so because she thought I was going to fall into another pit. She was much taller than me, taller than General Hearth, but only by a little. I tried to straighten up when she wasn't looking hoping by some miracle I'd look taller, but all it did was make me feel like a giraffe.
"My sister told me of the war your Flame Ponies waged many years ago, how the Mad King tried to cover all of Equestria in Fire." Princess Luna spoke up after a while.
"Yeah… sorry." I muttered feeling very embarrassed that this would be the topic of conversation.
"I know the feeling of being banished. The loneliness it brings. For my sister had banished me to the moon many years ago." Princess Luna said.
"The moon?" I asked disbelief.
"Yes." She replied.
"Okay." I said trying not to sound surprised.
"For you Flame Ponies to have been exiled I can understand how you must feel trying to interact with ponies again." Princess Luna said.
"Well I try not to set things on fire most of the time." I said.
"As I try not to use the Royal Canterlot Voice when addressing the ponies of Ponyville." Princess Luna replied.
"Royal Canterlot Voice?" I asked curiously.
"IT IS WHEN WE SPEAK IN A LOUD VOLUME TO ADDRESS OUR SUBJECTS!" Princess Luna's voice exploded sending me cartwheeling away.
"Sorry." Princess Luna said in a normal register while I stared at her upside down in the grass.
I realized how my father was able to magnify his voice to sound so intimidating; it was just a technique that royalty used.
"That was kind of cool." I said sounding very impressed.
"Cool, as in okay?" Princess Luna asked.
"Cool, like that was awesome." I replied.
"Well, thank you Flame Pony." Princess Luna said sounding grateful.
Our walk back to Ponyville was filled with discussion of all the things we encountered in the Dark Marsh or the Everfree Forest. Our battles with Owlbears, Timber Wolves, and Spiders. I felt comfortable speaking to Princess Luna. She seemed to act very differently than the rest of the ponies in Ponyville. She was an outsider like me, trying to fit in where and when she could. Unfortunately, our walk came to end as we reached the border of Ponyville.
"I have had fun speaking with you Flame... I mean Smolder. I find your ponies to be very interesting." Princess Luna declared.
"Perhaps if things work out at the Summit you can come patrol the Dark Marshes with us?" I offered.
"I am sure the fun would be doubled! For I have not entered the Dark Marsh in many years! Who knows what sort of beasts lie within!" Princess Luna shouted in excitement.
I smiled. A part of me did not want to see her go, but the other part of me said get out while you still have your dignity.
"Farewell Smolder, I wish you the best of the luck for when you speak at the Summit." Princess Luna said stepping forward and spreading out her wings.
"Princess Luna!" I shouted unable to catch myself.
"Yes?" Princess Luna asked turning to face me.
I could feel my heart take punch after punch, I was sure that I was shaking from my nerves.
"I just… wanted to tell you… that…" I stuttered trying to swallow my fear. "That I think you're a pretty cool Princess."
At this point it felt like some pony to a hammer to my heart and kept smashing the already smashed pieces over and over again.
"Thank you, Smolder the Flame Pony." Princess Luna said with a smile.
She soared back up into the night sky, I lost her among the stars overhead and I could feel my now mended heart doing back flips. I felt myself smile like a dork as I walked back over the bridge.