Flare Blitz paced in a slow circle, his steps even as he stared down at the ground, his mind lost in thought. Why had Twilight gotten so angry at him? He’d thought they were on pretty good terms. That’s what Velvet had told him anyway.
And he was… hesitant to trust Trixie with placating her. While the Inquisitor had been less of a hoofful since an incident in Ponyville some time ago, Flare still wasn’t a fan of the over-zealous mare.
“So… what am I supposed to do?” the stallion muttered to himself. He looked up and sighed, time to do what he did as a colt when he couldn’t figure something out.
Ask Mom.
He looked up at the massive mansion, between the high walls, magical and physical security and the other obstacles he knew waited inside… well, he was glad he wasn’t trying to invade this place.
Opening the gate, he stepped inside as he watched the security gems track him. Walking up to the door, he knocked a few times and waited, before it opened to reveal a unicorn maid by the name of Crystal Clear. She, along with her two sisters, Feather Polish and Clean Sweep, were the trio of maids that had served here since they were fillies. The trio were orphans which his mother plucked from the street and gave them work as maids. They certainly enjoyed it, even earning their Cutie Marks at it.
“Well, hello Master Flare,” Crystal bowed her head. She had a lovely tan-yellow coat and a two-tone blue mane and tail. “What brings you around here?”
“Came to see Mom,” he said as he stepped inside. “Is she around?”
“She should be in her study,” Crystal nodded as she looked her master over. Such a handsome stallion he grew up to be. Her staring went unnoticed as Flare moved through the mansion, finding the room that held his mother’s study. Manners drilled… (sometimes literally) into him made him raise a hoof and knock on the oak doors.
“Who is it?” A strict and mature mare’s voice called out from inside.
“Guard inspection,” he couldn’t help but smirk.
“Flare?” The door opened slightly. “Come on inside.”
The stallion nosed the door open, stepping past the threshold. This was a favourite room of his. Lots of his mom’s trophies, awards and decorations were here. A large map of Equestria and that big oak desk of hers that he and Coco used to play around when they were kids.
“Hard at work as usual?” Flare said as he closed the door behind him. “Don’t you ever sleep?”
“I power nap,” Upper snorted as she looked through some old charts. “Much more efficient.”
“No… No it isn’t,” Flare groaned and facehooved. “Anyway… I um… actually came here hoping for some advice.”
“Is it about your thrusts?” Upper commented. “You do need to work on them a little more. Spear practice shouldn’t be forsaken.”
“M-My thrusts are fine!” Flare blushed somewhat. Dammit Velvet, thanks to her, his mind went straight to the gutter. “It’s… well.” he paused and looked at her. “Could you at least put the paperwork down. This is important.”
Upper frowned and sat straight up. She peered over at him, “What could possibly be so important, Flare?”
“Well,” the stallion coughed into his hoof. “I uh… might be planning to propose to Velvet and Daring soon. Like… maybe tonight or tomorrow soon.”
Upper rolled her eyes and snorted, “Is that all? Why are you so worried then? Simply ask them and be done with it. It’s how I got your father to marry me.”
“Pretty sure you scared him into that,” Flare muttered under his tone. He’d heard the story of how she gave him a ring and told him to marry her or she’d break his legs. “Well, there’s two more things,” he murmured. “One… um, well…” he coughed again. You’re ah… gonna be a grandmother. Velvet’s pregnant.”
Upper froze and turned to offer a glare that only a mother could give, “I see you forgot about the protection lessons I gave you.”
“No I did remember, it’s just uh…” he blushed and pawed at the ground. “They weren’t enough it seems…”
Upper sighed and rubbed her forehead, “How were they ‘not enough’? Was I not thorough? Did the diagrams not help? The pictures? Should I have gone through the steps with you personally to make sure it stuck? I asked if you would like that but you said no. Perhaps I should have just gone through with it.”
That brought up a barrage of memories he’d wished stayed buried. Shaking his head to stave off the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, he looked back to her. “Actually, seems I’m a bit too er… potent it seems.”
Upper blinked a few times before letting out a bothered breath, “I see. So then, I should be expecting a number of grandchildren then. Hopefully, they perform better in the saddle then you do.”
Flare’s eye gave a small twitch. “Oh yeah, cause your methods of teaching were so helpful,” he muttered under his breath. Recalling the absolutely brutal training back in his foalhood. Rising with the sun and trying and failing to form a bond with a Gallimimus mount. Thankfully his sister had been bad at it too.
Upper’s ears twitched, “What was that?”
“And that brings me to my second problem,” Flare said, changing the subject. “Seem that Twilight Sparkle didn’t exactly approve of me marrying her Mom… so much so that I have been threatened with a very painful death and subsequent beheading by her should I attempt to do so.”
“Then strike her before she strikes you,” Upper simply stated. What? It’s what she’d do.
“I am NOT going to kill my future daughter!” Flare said with a snort. “Seriously mom, not every problem can be solved with violence.”
“…Have you tried ordering her to stop?” Upper offered.
“Yeah, because the greatest Chaos Mage on the planet is going to listen to me,” he deadpanned. “Forget it… I’ll go and ask Celestia for advice instead.”
Upper’s ears folded back against her head, “Oh… well…” Upper seemed to be trying to come up with something. “Have you tried… talking?”
Flare paused.
Flare blinked.
Flare looked at her and tried to process that. “Did… did you just actually give advice that didn’t require a hoof fight?” Huh… so miracles really did happen. And they were beautiful.
Upper nervously turned around and tapped her forehooves together, “Is it… good advice?”
Okay, this was weird. Since when was Upper Crust, the mare that likely had bigger balls than the entire stallion population of Canterlot combined, nervous about something. Flare was certain she’d taken the emotion, beaten it to death and fed it to her dinosaurs.
Well, might as well roll with it.
“It would be if I wasn’t terrified of her,” Flare sighed as he sat down. “What am I supposed to do Mom? I’m so far out of my depth here. Marrying two mares? And they both have crazy powerful kids?” he sighed and thunked his head on the table. “Maybe I should let Twilight behead me.”
“Well you should definitely not let her do that,” Upper deadpanned and then sighed. “Look, I’m not the best one to ask for things like this. All I can say is that you need to confront this problem now or it will just get worse and worse…” She turned away, “Until it’s impossible to win.”
Flare chuckled and smiled. “That… was actually pretty good advice mom.”
Upper blinked in confusion and then smiled, “I’m very happy to help.”
“Oh sweet Celestia you’re smiling!” Flare mock-cried. “May the Sun Princess have mercy, we’re all doomed!”
Upper glared at him, “Do you want me to ground you?”
“Too old, and I don’t live here anymore,” Flare smirked smugly.
Upper narrowed her eyes, “Do you want me to make you?”
“Oh, and how is the retired old warmare gonna do that?” he said, calling her bluff.
Upper’s horn flared and she stood up, “Go to your room!” She bellowed as loud as one using the Royal Canterlot Voice, shaking the room.
“…I think I’m deaf now,” he said, having fallen back out of his chair. “You’re gonna make a great, albeit terrifying grandma.”
Upper grinned, “Thank you… but seriously, go to your room and think on this. Now.”
“…Yes Ma’am…” the stallion sighed and trudged from the room with his head hanging low. After he left, Crystal poked her head in.
“Is everything okay Mistress?” she asked. “Master Flare looked out of sorts.”
Upper’s shoulders slumped, “Oh, he’s just dealing with a few personal things with his lovers and their families…” Upper fidgeted about, “Crystal, do you… do you think I could be a good grandmother?”
“Huh?” Well that totally came out of nowhere. “Well, I suppose you could be, as long as you remember that foals are fragile. Why do you ask Mistress?”
“I just…” Upper sighed, “You know I’m not good with other ponies and… I’m just nervous about what is coming.”
“What’s coming?” Crystal blinked and then her eyes widened as she put two and two together. “Wait, you mean… Flare is going to…?”
Upper nodded, “One of his mares is pregnant.”
“Oooh~” Crystal squealed happily. “That is wonderful news. Clean and Feather will be happy too. Well, maybe not so much Feather. She’s still holding that crush after all this time.”
Upper chuckled, “If Feather wishes, she may try as well. He already has two. I don’t think he’ll mind a third.”
“I think Flare’s hooves are full enough,” Crystal giggled. “Come on now, it’s time for your break. You’ve been in here all day and it’s time for a bath Mistress.”
Upper rolled her eyes and chuckled, “So eager to get me out of here and into a bath. Is there a reason behind it, or are you just a good maid, my dear Crystal?”
“N-No!” Crystal blushed hard and looked away. “You would simply forget otherwise. My Mistress is surprisingly hopeless.” She totally wasn’t looking forward to bathing her. Nope.
Upper nodded, “Alright, I can admit that at times. I’m so glad I have somepony as reliable as you by my side to remind me.”
“Darn right,” Crystal huffed and flared a wing. “And while doing so, we shall talk about these future grandfoals no?”
Upper chuckled, “Well, if you insist.” She moved forward, “Still, a bath sounds divine. It certainly would help loosen me up.” She rolled her muscular shoulders.
Crystal totally wasn’t drooling at the sight of the powerful unicorn mare. She gulped heavily and nodded. “R-Right this way Mistress,” she stammered as she left the room.
Upper nodded and made her way towards her destination with powerful strides, “Thank you again, Crystal. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Probably work yourself into an early grave,” she murmured and smirked. “Well no matter. Let’s get you cleaned up.”
After a while, Flare realised that he didn’t actually have to stay in his room and he headed out to try and find Twilight. Perhaps she’d calmed down in the last twenty four hours and would be more willing to talk.
And he prayed Trixie wasn’t around. Yeah she was Twilight’s ‘foalsitter’. But Sweet merciful Epona above did she terrify him. How that mare got to be in charge and remain in charge was a mystery.
He approached Twilight’s room and after a hesitant moment, knocked. “Twilight?” he called out. “Are you in?”
He got no response, so either she wasn’t here, or now she was just ignoring him. He sighed and lowered his hoof. Well, so much for getting worked up about this. He’d braced himself for just about anything the mare might have thrown at him.
And it was all for naught. Twilight didn’t appear to be here. And that worried him. He was at fault for angering her. What if she hurt somepony?
The stallion snorted and shook his head. “No, she wouldn’t do that. Twilight’s a good mare… mostly.” She wouldn’t attack an innocent pony.
“Well, someone has faith,” a voice chuckled and Flare’s head snapped up, looking into the eyes of a tall human woman, long, straight-cut brown hair. She had deep ruby eyes and a small smile on her face. Her garb was a loose-fitting white kimono, trimmed and gilded with gold thread. Hanging from her neck was a necklace made of magatama beads. Her hip held a katana, sheathed in a red scabbard, the end of the scabbard adorned in a white sun pattern.
What was curious was that her robes had Princess Celestia’s cutie mark on them. Huh.
“Hello Teacher,” Flare smiled at her and waved a hoof. “What brings you here?”
“Well,” the woman said and rubbed her chin. “I’d heard my silly student made an enemy of Twilight Sparkle. I am rather glad to find you whole and hale.”
“Yeah well… I was planning to talk to her, but she seems to be out,” Flare sighed, as Amaterasu sat beside him.
“Yes, I do believe she is out making Miss Trixie’s life a living hell,” she giggled and placed a hand on his withers. “So, what’s got you down Flare?”
“I just want to know why she’s so angry,” Flare said. “I just don’t understand her.”
“Hmm well…” Amaterasu paused and looked at him. “Look, all I’ll tell you is that, she does have a reason for her apprehension. I’m not making excuses for her, nor will I tell a story that is rightfully hers. Just… She’s not unreasonable. SO take your time and talk with her okay?”
“Yeah, Mom gave me the same advice,” Flare nodded, getting a raised eyebrow in response.
“Oh? You mean to say Upper actually gave some sound advice that didn’t require a hoof to the face?”
“I know right!” Flare exclaimed. “She was… actually being a Mom.” He sat down next to Amaterasu and smiled. “I mean, she’s a pretty great mom. I could have done a lot worse.”
“Celestia chose well,” Amaterasu nodded as she pet his neck. “And, how’s your training coming along? Managed to tap into your full power yet?”
“You keep saying that,” Flare said with a small frown. “But you never tell me how I’m supposed to do that. And how would I know if I have?”
Amaterasu smiled and booped his nose with a finger. “You’ll know. And I can’t tell you because everypony is different. Still… you’ll get there.” She put her hands in her lap and smiled. “But back to the topic of Twilight. Might you tell me what you did to make her so mad in the first place. That particular detail is unknown… though, might it also have to do with why Cadenza is practically pinging off of the walls?”
“Well uh…” Flare blushed and looked down at his hooves shyly. “I um, might be planning to propose to Velvet and Dar—urk!” He never got to finish as Amaterasu hugged him tightly, the goddess knocking the wind out of him as she squealed happily.
“Ooohhhh! I’m just so happy for you!” she laughed and smiled brightly, the woman literally glowing. She gasped and dropped him suddenly. “I have to tell Tia!” And with that, a nine-tailed fox was suddenly tearing down the halls, still giggling happily.
“Well, that happened,” Flare groaned as he picked himself up. Well, he had a unicorn mare to go and talk with… as soon as he could find her.
Whatever Grand Princess Celestia was trying to say was cut off as the throne room doors slammed open, a woman practically bounding through, ignoring all the looks she was getting from the line of petitioners.
“Tia!” she beamed brightly, still glowing. “I have the most wonderful news and I simply have to share my jubilation with you!”
The current petitioner just stared slack-jawed, before recovering and frowned. “Now see here Miss! It is my turn to have the princess’s ear and you’ll not—”
And on that, Amaterasu flicked her hand as a gust of wind blew him clean out of the throne room, the doors slamming closed behind him.
“Now where was I?” the goddess hummed.
Celestia sighed, “Ammy, how many times have I told you. We don’t throw around mortals.”
“Well this is important,” Amaterasu thusly ignored the comment. They were mortals, they’d get over it. “Oh yes! I have the absolute best news!” She bounded up the stairs to her throne and stared Tia right in her amethyst eyes. “My little colt is finally getting married! Eeeeee! I’m so excited!”
Celestia blinked in confusion before a large grin popped onto her face, “I’m really happy to hear that, Ammy. I hope everything works out well for him.”
“So naturally, I’m going to plan his wedding for him, as a little present for being a good colt,” Amaterasu nodded sagely. “So much to do… Of course, I can count on my favourite mare’s assistance yes?”
Celestia nodded, “I don’t have much planned any time soon. Well, except for some Roman delegations but I can work around them.”
“Romans are so… boneheaded sometimes,” Ammy sighed. “I swear Bellona is the only tolerable one… aaaanyway!” She gave the alicorn a rather overdramatic smooch on the lips and bounded away from the throne, still giggling as she strode from the room, a trail of flowers following her footsteps.
Celestia couldn’t say anything. She literally couldn’t. She was far too busy at that moment turning from white to red. Her wings were flapping at her sides and she floofed up. She was far too flustered to think of much at that moment.
Her aides and guards had no idea how to reset a broken alicorn. Was there a technical support they could call?
“Mistress Upper!” her unicorn maid came running into her office, not even bothering to knock. “It’s an emergency! All the Gallimimus! Someone’s let them loose!”
Upper jumped to her hooves, “How could you let this happen? I put guards near their living quarters. They shouldn’t be able to get loose.”
She followed the maid out into the yard and… it was true, the dinosaurs were running about, most in a panicked frenzy. And the reason the guards hadn’t stopped them?
Well, the fact that their quarters were on fire was a good indication for that. The door was also barred shut with some kind of metal rod stuck in the ground.
Upper’s eyes widened, before they quickly narrowed and she snarled. She sent a blast of magic that destroyed the metal rod. Then she looked towards the Gallimimus, “Don’t tell me the tranquilizers were destroyed.”
The doors opened as a few guards escaped the blaze… some, hadn’t been so lucky as they mobilised to put out the fire. The only dinosaur that wasn’t running amok was her own mount, Swiftfoot remaining calm as always.
Then Upper saw the reason why everything had quickly gone to hell. A pony, garbed in a black robe stood there, on the opposite side of the chaos as he smirked from under his hood.
“A cultist?” Crystal gasped and narrowed her eyes as several knives floated out from under her skirt, her horn glowing. “I shall remove this filth from your home Mistress.” She would not allow such… uncleanliness into her home. She darted forward, her training allowing her to effortless avoid the stampeding dinosaurs…
But not the grotesque mount that kicked her in the chest, sending her flying back and tumbling across the ground. She skidded to a stop at Upper’s hooves as the cultist mounted the fleshy equine abomination and cackled.
“Look at the feared Upper Crust now!” he laughed. “She’s just an old mare, hiding behind her maids!”
Upper helped her maid back onto her hooves, “Get everyone organized and into a defensive position. I will be with you once I slay this fool.”
“Slay? How will you do that? Nag at me?” he cackled madly as he swung his lance, beheading a guard that tried to tackle him. “Whoops~” he giggled. “Aww, they don’t make ponies like they used to huh?”
“Swiftfoot,” Upper called. The dinosaur rushed over and she quickly mounted. “Now to put you in your place.” She reached out with her hoof and her horn glowed. The gauntlet on her leg followed suit and a lance materialized into existence.
“Ohhh scary~” the cultist cackled and laughed. “Catch me if you can grandma!” And with that, he turned as he fired a beam of red energy from his lance, blowing a hole in the wall and running out of it.
Upper smirked and urged her mount forward. What Gallimimus generally lacked in strength, they more than made up in speed and maneuverability. She was going to make this arrogant piece of dung pay dearly for this transgression.
“M-Mistress!” Crystal coughed, still winded… and she was pretty sure two of her ribs were broken. “It’s a… a trap…” She groaned as Upper tore off after the cultist, vengeance in her eyes. Oh dear… this was not good.
Flare was headed towards his home. He knew his mother had a gem that could track Chaos magic, and he’d use that to find Twilight.
What he wasn’t expecting was to see a plume of smoke rising from the manor. He dug his hooves in and galloped faster…
What he found shocked him. Her guards were trying to put out a fire that was raging, while Feather and Clean were tending to Crystal, who’d gotten hurt somehow. First things first. He ran towards the fire and opened his mouth, starting to draw the flames in and swallowing them. They had a… certain foulness to them. This was cast using magic…
Feather and the guards blinked as Flare helped the fire die down to a manageable level, before he sighed and turned to the maids. “Okay, what the hell happened here!?”
“A cultist,” Crystal coughed again, groaning as the magical bandages did their work. “He snuck in somehow… we don’t know. But he did this…” She coughed again as Clean shook her head and put a hoof on her sister’s muzzle.
“Mistress Upper has gone in pursuit,” Feather said,more annoyed at herself for not being able to help. It was their job to protect the Mistress and all she owned… “But, we fear she might be running into a trap.”
Flare frowned, his mother could be… hotheaded at times. He had no doubt in her abilities but…
“They’re travelling by mount,” Clean said. “You’ll never catch them on hoof…”
Flare clicked his tongue in annoyance… then looked at the Gallimimus that were starting to calm down…
“Heeheehee! You can’t catch meeee~” The cultist sang in a singsong tone as he ran through the streets of Canterlot, his disgusting mount leaving a foul stench behind it. “Come on old mare~ You hanging in back there?”
Upper couldn’t use her more destructive magics to kill the beast as it could hit others. Thankfully, this was Canterlot. The idiot was going to run into Knights and everything under the sun. Upper would be the one to end him, however. That she was sure about.
He rounded a sharp corner, his mount surprisingly agile, given it’s size and bulky frame. She clicked Swift’s reins, closing in to follow him and—
She was slammed hard from the side. The cultist had stopped and his monster tackled her as she hit the corner, throwing her hard to the ground as Swift was pinned under a fleshy hoof.
“Oh me oh my, is this the day the great Upper will die?” the cultist hummed as he got off the beast and pointed his spear at the fallen mare. His mount pressed down harder. “But first… I’ll make you watch as I kill your steed. Look on the bright side, one less mouth to feed~”
Upper snarled, “If you believe this to be our end, then you are sorely mistaken.” With that said, she lifted her lance in her magic. It immediately began to spin, taking on a magical glow as it suddenly propelled itself forward, striking the mount in the skull and shredding it to pieces.
“Nooooooooo!” the cultist shrieked as his monster was practically beheaded… before he started to laugh madly. “Is what I would normally say. But you see old mare, I came prepared this day~”
The monster’s body twitched, before it’s head regenerated with a sickening, squelching sound. “I gave my pet a few little perk or two, but you hurt him and now I have to punish you…”
He wrested her spear away while she was shocked from the undead creature… and promptly drove the pointy end into one of her legs. “Such a naughty mare~” he chuckled as he twisted it in place.
Upper simply glared at him, not letting the pain get to her. A magical blast enveloped her horn and smashed everything away from her, including the weapon and its wielder. She lifted the injured leg, “Try thrusting it deeper next time. Then you might actually damage something.”
“Weeeee~” the madstallion cackled as he landed on his hooves, the spears still in his magical hold. “Well now, there’s a fine idea,” he mused. “Maybe I won’t kill you. Maybe I’ll just twist your little mind around and around. I always did want a spicy mare for a bride. Though… we’ll make a few modifications to you first. You’re much to… normal looking~”
He begun to spin both spears, much like she had earlier…
Before a stream of flame streaked in front of him, making him screech in surprise and terror as he fell back, his mount rearing up as a crimson glow dragged Swift away from it.
Upper turned her head… as she saw Flare, astride a Gallimimus as he glared down at the cultist. “You okay Mom?” he asked her.
Upper’s eyes widened. Everything else was forgotten in that moment. Her focus was on her son, “You’re… riding…”
“Huh? Oh… um, guess I am?” he blinked as he looked at her bleeding leg. “You’re hurt!” he said and glared at the cultist, who was batting flames down with a hoof. “Stay back, I’ll handle this freak.”
Upper snorted and trotted forth on her good legs. She made sure not to put that much pressure on her injured leg, “I’ve taken worse in the past. If he thinks I’ll back down from a simple cultist, he has another thing coming.” Turning her head, she sent out a ball of magic that collided with the chaos mount, crushing it’s chest and sending it crashing into a building. Swiftfoot jumped to his feet and rushed over behind Upper.
“Well damn,” Flare raised an eyebrow. Truth be told, he’d never seen his Mom in a serious fight before. “Well, how about you take him then? And I’ll take that ugly monster of his.”
“My mount is beautiful!” he screeched as he cast some magics and the beast regenerated again. A glow surrounded it too, some kind of shielding? “Well isn’t this lovely? I guess I’ll have to kill your son too~”
“Will you just shut up and actually be intimidating already?” Upper huffed. “To think that I had to stop my afternoon novel session for this wannabe threat.”
“Heeheehee, stabbed you once, and I’ll do it again,” he mused, before Flare and his mount leapt at the monster, jabbing at it with a spear, only for it to bounce off of the shield.
“Tch! That’s annoying,” he muttered before dismounting. “Time to fight my way then.”
And that was a stream of flame striking it, the shield stopping the damage, but the force was pushing it back.
Meanwhile, the cultist lashed out with shadow magic, attempting to bind Upper with a dozen black, writhing tentacles. Upper smirked as she prepared herself. A magic burst destroyed the tentacles around her and she fired a beam of magic straight at her foe.
A beam he ducked, bending at an almost impossible angle. Seems this guy was as tricky as he was annoying.
Meanwhile, Flare‘s magic wasn’t having much of an effect against the monster. As long as that shield remained up, he couldn’t really hurt it. And his mother was having trouble landing a solid blow on the caster.
Worse still… his flames were starting to get low. The small amount he ate earlier had burned out quickly…
“Ooooh, seems you and your family can’t quite hack it,” the cultist sang as he danced around another of Upper’s beams. “Speaking of hacking~” he spun the spears and sent them hurtling towards Upper at tremendous speeds, the twirling blades shrieking through the air, the chaos magic surrounding them made their approach… unpredictable.
Blades made of magic smacked the spears away from her. Oh yes, their trajectory was unpredictable but she had honed her reflexes over the years. Not one of them would get close to her, “Is this really all that you have? I have faced more magically skilled earth ponies then this.”
Then a sharp pain shot throughout her entire body, as the cultist smiled. “Did you really think that all I did was stab you before?” he smiled viciously. “Noo, I was waiting for my magic to finish running through your body…” He grinned as she felt one of her hooves raise against her will. “Oh, I’m going to enjoy making you my puppet~”
Upper gritted her teeth, “You dare?!! You dare try to control me, pest?”
“Oh I dare~” he chuckled as he walked up to her and gave her her spear back. “So first… let’s have some fun.”
And with that, she found herself turning and looking at Flare, still locked in combat with the mount as she saw herself raise her spear… Upper snarled, “You will stop this or you will die horribly.”
“Maybe, but let’s have your son do so first,” he cackled as she started to walk closer to him. She felt her jaw clench shut… she couldn’t even warn him as to what was coming…
Upper glanced over at her lance. She wouldn’t let this simpleton defeat her. Not after everything she had been through. She was going to kill him. Using her rage and motherly love, she reached out to her lance with her magic. She poured everything she could muster into it to send it towards the cultist. She wasn’t sure if she could pull this off. If he was a high level chaos mage, this had little chance of working. Thankfully, she doubted he was that strong so she had the chance to end him.
It wasn’t working, why wasn’t it working!? Was this bastard actually stronger than he looked?
No… nononono, she couldn’t… she wouldn’t hurt Flare. Not like this!
Then she found herself staring into purple eyes… as Twilight Sparkle stared down at her.
“Huh… not bad… decent spell work,” she said as she looked the mare over, before smacking her nose with a rolled up newspaper, and Upper felt the Chaos magic leave her body, returning control to it’s rightful owner. “Normally I don’t interfere… but I owe Flare an apology so…”
“You can offer him an apology when that bastard is dead,” Upper snarled before grabbing the lance in her magic. She would rush the bastard. Most magi were terrible in close quarters combat.
The cultist sneered at Twilight for interfering. He’d been so close! Only for that false goddess to come along and ruin his plans! He grabbed his own spear as he looked at Upper… before teleporting away and landing on the back of his mount. “I’ll just kill you all!” he screeched.
Flare unleashed another flame, trying to stop the beast from charging… he wasn’t going to let him get through. Upper narrowed her eyes as she sent her lance straight at the cultist at high speeds.
Only for him to parry it away as it spun off into the distance. “I don’t think so,” he snarled. “I will kill the unicorn. Then… I’ll kill that damned false goddess… then I’ll finally have my revenge on you!” he pulled his hood back, revealing himself to be a white coated unicorn stallion.
Upper… knew him. He was a guard, one that had applied for her forces, but she turned down due to his lack of skill as a rider. He hadn’t taken it well, and apparently quit the guard soon after.
“You’ll regret rejecting me!” he howled. “I’ll make you suffer just as I have!”
An eyebrow couldn’t help but be raised as she stared at him, “You turned into a murderous, chaotic psychopath… because you were a terrible rider? Were you also not allowed to be a sniper because you were a terrible shot? Did you actually think subpar candidates get chosen just because they want to? Apparently you didn’t! I’m not actually surprised you became a cultist. They usually get the idiots.” She was stomping back and forth in fury, “Oh yes, I should get angry at that diner down the street because when I was a teenager, I wanted to be a chef. Turns out, I’m not good at cooking.” She thrust a hoof at Flare, “HE CAN ATTEST!”
“Oh yeah, her cooking isn’t even suited for the undead,” Flare nodded, having suffered that particular torture many times. He was so glad Velvet was an amazing chef…
Daring and his Mom would get along though.
“Is it just me, or did all the tension just fly out the window,” Twilight giggled, before a streak of red light cut her cheek… her eye slowly lowering to look at the wound.
“Shut up!” the cultist howled with rage. “I’ll kill you all!”
Upper wasn’t concerned with him. He didn’t even register at this point.
What did… was the look in Flare’s eyes. It was a look even she hadn’t seen before. A look of pure… unadulterated rage. His eyes were wide, his brow furrowed deep as his iris's shrank to near pinpricks. Upper had never, ever seen him so angry, she actually took a step back.
This stallion had hurt his family. He threatened them.
Flare clenched his jaw so hard, his teeth threatened to crack as he looked away from Upper and Twilight. “Get back,” he said to them, his voice eerily calm. “Else you might get burned.”
Upper snorted and stomped away, “You’re lucky he wants to kill you or else I’d beat some sense into your thick skull.”
Flare nodded… before his mane and tail caught alight, burning brightly.
“Ooh, scaaaaary~” the stallion teased, waving his hooves. “You think you can take me alone? Your fire can’t do-EEEP!” he shrieked as a massive gout of flame consumed the beast, the shield barely holding it back.
“You think I’m worried about that,” Flare said as took a breath. His tail flickered, the flame taking a… specific shape, along with the flames along his neck and ears, giving him an almost… fox-like appearance. “Tell me… ever hear the story of Icarus, the pegasus who flew too close to the sun?” he opened his mouth and inhaled. “He got burned.”
Something deep inside him clicked, as his magic surged forth. A massive magic circle appeared underneath him as he strarted yo cast.
“No matter what,” Flare said as he gathered up every mote of power he could muster. “I'll protect my family from monsters like you!”
And when he exhaled, the flames were white hot, the cobblestone underneath them bubbled and glowed as the stone melted under the intense heat. Even from a distance, Upper could smell her fur being singed as Flare’s fire consumed the monster and it’s rider…
It burned away his shield, the stallion screaming as Flare’s spell finished being cast. A sphere of fiery light forming on the tip of his horn.
“Burn… may you never blight this world again,” Flare uttered. “Supernova!”
And then… everything exploded in a hellstorm of fire.
And when the torrent of flame finally ceased, steam venting from the corners of Flare’s jaw… all that remained was a smouldering, unrecognisable pile of charcoal. The bodies of the rider and his mount burnt to an unrecognisable crisp.
Upper peered over at the bodies, “Well that’s all well and done. I’ll go call the clean up crew and inform Celestia of another attack on the capital.” She furrowed her brow, “How are they getting inside? It should be impossible… Also, did you strain yourself, Flare?”
The stallion was standing there, the stone underneath him warped from the heat as steam rose from his body, his mane and tail slowly returning to normal. He panted, never having used a flame that… extreme before as he took a breath. “I… I’m okay…” he murmured.
Well so he said, before magical exhaustion kicked in and he collapsed.
“FLARE!” Upper rushed over to his side. She picked up his head and slapped him, “STAY AWAKE! THIS IS AN ORDER!”
“Eeesh, talk about tough love,” Twilight chuckled as she looked at him. “No need to get worked up Mommabear. He just used too much power all at once. Hehe, Sunny would blow a brain cell if she saw that. She thinks she’s the strongest… well, I mean she is. But Wondercolt here comes close.”
“...ow,” Flare groaned.
“... Sunny?” Upper blinked in confusion before shaking her head. “Nevermind.” She pulled Flare over her back and started to head back to her mansion. “Somepony will be coming soon to clean this whole mess up. I’ll get Flare somewhere safe.”
“Is that so?” Twilight reclined in the air and summoned a strawberry milk to sip on. “Suit yourself. Tell Flare I’ll meet him at home later. He and I have to have a little talk about things.”
Upper just nodded as she kept walking. Today had been a long day indeed…
A mare leaned against a wall some distance away, idly flipping a coin between her fingers. She wore a tan coloured vest and a short, blue pleated skirt, as long as thick white socks. Well now, that was quite the performance. She'd heard he was around a level 3… but that was definitely beyond that. With proper training, he might get even stronger.
“Hmm, guess I have some work to do,” the mare hummed as she walked away, whistling a small tune.
Flare groaned as he sat up, feeling the sensation of something plush under him. He looked around, and saw that he was in his old bedroom in his mother's house. Everything from the shelf of textbooks and comics… to his little collectable figurines. This place hadn’t changed a bit.
“Huh… how’d I get here?” he murmured.
Upper patted his cheek lovingly, “I carried you here after you passed out.”
“Well that explains that,” the stallion said, totally not flinching from her sudden appearance. Or more likely, he’d just failed to notice her sitting there. He saw the bandage on her leg and let out a breath. “As embarrassing as that probably was. So, you’re okay then?”
Upper nodded. Her leg had a simple bandage over it, “It was nothing severe. Give it a day or two and everything will be back how it was.”
“Glad to hear it,” Flare smiled and nuzzled her. “Sorry if I got… carried away there. I saw him hurt you and I—”
Upper put a hoof over his mouth and gave him a warm smile, “I very much appreciate the sentiment, but I can take care of myself. However, you impressed me today. That foe was stronger then I thought and you incinerated him and his beast. That is no easy task as well….” She started to sniff. “As well…” A few tears started to fall down her cheek.
Flare blinked. Was… was she crying!? First good advice, now crying? Oh dear Epona above, somepony broke him Mom! He reached up and pet her mane. “H-Hey… what’s wrong?”
She hugged him tightly, “You actually managed to ride something! I’m so proud!” She was crying tears of joy into his coat.
“....wat?” Flare blinked, unable to process exactly what was going on.
“You were riding a Gallimimus and you fought against that idiot so well,” Upper sniffed and nuzzled him. “You are indeed my son and I can’t help but love you all the more for that.”
“I am so conflicted right now,” he murmured as he hugged her back regardless. “I… honestly wasn’t thinking too hard. I just needed a way to catch up to you quickly.” he chuckled and nuzzled her again. “Guess those lessons finally paid off huh?”
Upper chuckled, “I guess they did. I’m sorry if they were a little too harsh. I just wanted to see you ride well.”
“Yeah I know,” he said and pet her head. “Look, no matter what. You’re a pretty great Mom okay? And you’re gonna be an awesome Grandmom as well. I know it.”
Upper nodded, “Too true.” She pulled away and wiped away her tears, “Just don’t tell anyone I cried, alright?”
Flare hummed and tapped his chin. “I dunno,” he mused out loud. “That was aaaawfully adorable. I might even tell Princess Celestia how cute it was.”
Upper gave him her motherly sort of glare, “You will do no such thing.”
“Hmmm, I'm not entirely convinced,” Flare mused.
“Flare!” Upper snarled. “You will do no such thing or you will be grounded.”
“Hmm, it would probably be worth it,” the stallion laughed. “Ooh, I’m definitely telling Coco about it. She can make you a cute little dress and make you more adorable~
Upper scowled before sighing, “I’m just glad you’re alright, Flare.”
“You too Mom,” she smiled and booped her nose. “So, seeing as how I’m getting married. Isn’t it about time you got back in the saddle yourself?”
Upper rolled his eyes, “I very much doubt I’ll find anyone of interest.”
“Oh please,” Flare rolled his eyes. “I know better than anyone that you can. I mean, Velvet and Daring are around your age and…” He paused and shook his head. “I am banishing that train of thought right to Tartarus. Look, long story short. There’s a pony out there for you. I know it.”
Upper shook her head, “I doubt anyone could handle me, or wish to. I am a bit, how you say it, too much. I admit that only because you’re the only one here.”
“Heh, maybe a dragon then?” Flare chuckled, wincing when she swatted his shoulder. “Also… how’s Twilight doing? She wasn’t hurt was she?”
“Apart from a scratch on her cheek, she’s fine.” Upper patted his shoulder. He breathed a sigh of relief and sank back into his pillow.
“Honestly, my day has been stressful enough,” he sighed. “Still, I’m glad everyone is okay.”
Upper nodded, “Now get some rest. You deserve it.” She kissed his cheek.
“You as well,” Flare said with a smile. His mother just chuckled and left him be, stepping out into the hallway as she was greeted by Crystal, her barrel and ribs wrapped in bandages.
“Ah, I’m happy to see you and Master Flare are safe Mistress,” she smiled, wincing slightly with each step.
Upper looked over at her and walked over, “Yes, so am I. I’m also glad you’re doing well, Crystal. Though perhaps next time you should be wary of frontal confrontations.”
“My own foolishness cost me this injury, hence I shall forgo magical treatment and wait for my ribs to heal on their own,” she said. “A punishment for being so careless.”
Upper frowned, “Do not be a fool. I need you at your best as soon as possible. I order you to get that treatment.”
“But…” Crystal rose a hoof to respond,before coughing and wincing.
“The idiot thinks you’ll fire her for taking the easy road,” Feather said as she walked past, as Crystal’s eyes widened in horror. “And if you did that, she wouldn’t be able to bathe and perv on you.”
“F-Feather!” Crystal blushed hard as she tried to swat the mare, only to wince in pain again.
“Perv?” Upper quirked an eyebrow. “I am unfamiliar with that term. I believed our bathing to be rather relaxing.”
“Ahahaha! N-Nothing, it means nothing at all!” Crystal blushed and giggled rather loudly.
And then her other sister bounced east, the earth pony singing a small song. “It means she likes looking at your sexy bod~” she hummed as she kept bouncing away.
“...kill them… I’m gonna kill ‘em…” Crystal muttered under her breath, her horn sparking.
Upper blinked in confusion, “Can’t she look at it any time she wish? I do not see how it is different in a bath.”
“C-Cause nothing’s different, nothing at all. Ahahaha….” Crystal blushed and sweat through her coat. “S-Speaking of baths…”
“Are you well enough to take a bath?” Upper asked.
“W-Well, I have had one, but perhaps I should… wash you down,” she said and noted her singed coat. “You can’t because of your leg, but… I can use a sponge.”
Upper nodded, “That would be helpful.”
“R-Right this way,” her maid beckoned, trying to keep her tail from wagging at the thought of giving her mistress a sponge bath.
Upper marched on past, “I have been feeling rather tense lately. Hopefully this will ease it.”
Oh, Crystal would like to ease her ‘tensions’ alright. The mare giggled giddily as they headed for the master bathroom, lost in her own little fantasy world.
Flare groaned as he entered his home, leaning against the door frame as Velvet exited the living room and looked at him worriedly. Well, that was unusual.
“What’s wrong?” the stallion asked, before Twilight Sparkle walked, actually walked out from the living room as well.
“Come on,” she said as she brushed past him. “You and I are taking a little walk.” She paused and looked back at her mother. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt him… at least for now.”
“Twilight…” Velvet started but Flare raised a hoof and shook his head,before silently following the unicorn. Once the left, Twilight Velvet couldn’t help but shudder. Just… what was Twilight up to exactly?
Flare followed the chaotic unicorn as the two walked through town, some ponies staring… not accustomed to Twilight walking on her hooves. Flare was going to ask where they were going, but thought it best to remain silent and simply follow for now.
He didn’t have to wait long though. As the pair pulled into a familiar graveyard. And after a bit of walking, they stopped in front of Night Light’s gravestone.
“So… you know who this is right?” Twilight asked in an even tone. Flare nodded as he stepped forward.
“Yeah, Night Light. Velvet’s previous husband and your father.”
“Mhm,” Twilight said. “But, do you know how he died?”
Flare shook his head. “All Velvet ever said was that it was an accident involving you.”
“Accident huh?” Twilight snorted and shook her head. “No Flare. It was my fault. I killed him with my own power. No ‘accident’ about it.” her tone had turned bitter as she stared at the granite gravestone.
Flare paused, thinking carefully on how to word this. “Did you mean to do it?” he asked, making the mare lookup and blink. She was silent for a good while, before letting out a light chuckle.
“Mom was right about you,” she mumbled to herself. “No Flare, I didn’t mean it. But that doesn’t excuse me from the blame.”
“Maybe not,” the stallion said. “But it was an accident, a terrible one to be sure, but an accident nonetheless. He slowly raised a hoof and put it on her shoulder. “Look Twi. I’m not going to pretend to know how that feels. But, I know a little, I lost my parents when I was young. In an accident I caused.”
“Wait… you what?” Twilight turned and blinked. Wasn’t Upper Crust his mother?
“Mhm, Upper is my adoptive Mom. My real parents… well, I lost control of my powers as a foal and… well because of those powers, I was the only one that survived that fire.” he took a breath and sighed. “I don’t even remember them.”
“Huh…” Twilight hadn’t expected that. “Well, look. Coming here had three reasons. First I…” She bit her cheek and sighed. “I want to apologise okay? You… didn’t deserve for me to be that angry. It’s just… it’s because of the second reason I’m here.”
“And that is?” Flare asked in a gentle tone.
“I’m worried okay?” Twilight said in a quiet voice. “That it’ll happen again. That I’ll lose control and I’ll kill somepony close to me. I… look, I’m crazy okay? And that’s fine. It’s… simply my lot in life. But as much as I’ll happily slaughter my enemies… I don’t want to hurt those I let close.”
Flare nodded, letting her finish as he stood a bit closer, the unicorn mare feeling the warmth emanating from his body. It was… nice. Almost nostalgic really. She was almost annoyed at the small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“It’s okay,” Flare finally said. “You’re older now. And you have excellent control of your powers. I actually want to thank you for helping Mom before. You did what I couldn’t, even though no-one asked you too.”
“I… Well, I can do nice things, idiot!” Twilight huffed and folded her forelegs before her eyes widened in horror. “Oh gods… that was so tsundere. I’m turning into Trixie.”
“Nah, you aren’t a self absorbed megalomaniac,” Flare laughed and nuzzled her. “So, what’s the third reason you came here?”
“Oh,” Twilight’s mood calmed as she looked at the gravestone. “I’ve… never visited him. Not once since he… died.” She sat down in the grass and put a hoof on the gravestone. “I’m… not a very good daughter. He’s probably pretty steamed at me for taking so long.”
The clouds overhead parted as a ray of warm sunlight shone down on father and daughter, as Flare shook his head and smiled. “No, I think he’s pretty happy.” He said softly. “You’re a great daughter Twi. And I’m sure he’s really proud of the fine mare you’ve become… coltfriend choices aside.”
“Bloody is a perfectly respectable stallion… on the battlefield,” Twilight defended. “Absolutely everywhere else, he’s just disruptive. It’s why I have Emby. She’s the polar opposite.”
Flare chuckled as he nodded to the gravestone. Yeah, things were gonna be just fine.
“Nope…” Flare dug his hooves into the ground. “Can’t do this. I am SO not ready to do this!”
“Urgh!” Twilight dug her hooves in as she shoved him. “Quit being such a baby!” she yelled as she pushed against the stubborn stallion’s flanks. “I already said it’s cool. Now get… in… THERE!” And with a burst of magic, she sent Flare flying through the front door and sprawling out onto the rug.
“Flare?” came the simultaneous call of Twilight Velvet and Daring Do. The unicorn mare walked up to him, easing him to his hooves with her magic. “You’re… okay?”
“Hmph! Rude!” Twilight huffed and flicked her tail. “Well I know when I’m not wanted.”
“Tsundere~” Flare mused and Twilight blushed, pointing a hoof at him.
“You just shot to the top of my pranking list!” She said with an evil smile, before it softened. “But you get a freebie today. Make it count Wondercolt.” And with a burst of light and a fanfare of kazoos and bagpipes, she vanished.
“...You… made peace with Twilight!?” Velvet exclaimed, utterly shocked. “I don’t think anything could surprise me anymore.”
“Yeah…” Daring nodded, before noticing a small smile on Flare’s face. “Oh sweet feathers, what did you do?”
“Nothing yet,” he said as he drew closer. “You know I love you two right?”
“He did something,” Velvet agreed. “Look Flare, we know you had a rough day. So we promise not to get too mad…”
“I love you two very much,” Flare said as he stepped closer.
“I think I’m scared,” Daring gulped as Flare reached out with his magic, as his saddlebag floated out of the living room.
“Now… I’ve been a bit busy as you know,” Flare said. “Running around here and Ponyville. It’s been exhausting.”
“Ponyville? Why’d you go there?” Velvet blinked.
“Had a promise to fulfil,” Flare nodded. “Now…” he pulled out something, blurred in his magical aura. “Daring? Velvet?”
“Yes?” they blinked, looking so utterly confused as Flare lowered his aura and the mare’s eyes slowly widened. There, floating in front of them, inside little boxes… were two, stunningly beautiful rings.
“Would you lovely mares, do me the greatest honor… of becoming my brides?” Flare asked. “To form a herd, and be together forever?”
They just… stared. Too stunned to even breathe. Was… was this really happening?
Daring’s wing poking Velvet in the side reminded both of them that yes, this was happening. No, it wasn’t a dream. One they might have had a couple of times.
And yes, that was the two mares tackling Flare to the ground, giggling, laughing, crying and saying ‘Yes’ over and over again.
“Cool…” Flare groaned, buried under a pile of mare. He couldn’t breathe… but it was totally worth it. Yeah… life was pretty damned good sometimes.