//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Of Brothers // by FirestormFIM //------------------------------// “Oh my gosh! More new ponies!” Pinkie looked like she was literally about to explode, twice. “This is so exciting! I just have to throw you ponies a party! OH! And I still need to throw Shining Armor’s ‘in town on Guard Business’ party so it’ll have to be after that…” “No, no, that won’t be necessary, we aren’t going to be here long” interrupted one of the several new ponies, looking frantic. “But everypony likes a party” whined the energetic pink Earth pony. "Anyway," said Rarity, stepping past the slightly deflated party pony, "what brings you gentlecolts to Ponyville?" "Oh, umm, we just wanted to visit such a famous town." Said the pony. "Yah, you know, see where Princess Luna returned and all that." Confirmed another of the group. "Very well." Rarity said, her welcoming smile not wavering in the slightest as she spoke, "do come and visit Carousel Boutique during your stay," "Oh I'm sure we will." The pony who seemed to be the leader of the group replied. "Say, is there normally this many guards around?" "Oh goodness no, most of them came with Captain Shining Armor who's in town at the moment." Rarity replied. "Do you know why a Guard Captain would be in town?" the pony asked. "I really couldn't hazard a guess. Although he has been around the forge, but apparently he and Firestorm are old friends so I suppose that's to be expected. Twilight would probably know more." "Well thanks for the help, but we'd probably better get going." With that the group of new ponies turned and trotted towards the edge of town. "Ta ta!" Rarity called as they departed. Firestorm knocked on the barn door. It had been several days since Shining Armor's 'visit' to the forge and Firestorm had minimized his contact with other ponies while he calmed down. "Just a minute!" A familiar voice called from the other side of the barn. Firestorm waited for significantly less than a minute before the door was opened to reveal a tired Applejack. "Well hey there Firestorm! Haven't seen you in a few days. What can I do ya for?" "Hey Applejack! I was hoping to talk to you about Apple Bloom, I made a couple observations while I was teaching the Crusaders about blacksmithing." "Really? I'd be happy to talk to you about that, Big Mac and I were just finishing up with our chores for the day." "Perfect." Firestorm replied, "well first off she was actually pretty good at it, the shin guards she made were about as good as I could hope for anypony to make on their first try." "Well that's great news, I'm mighty proud of her!" Applejack exclaimed, the pride she mentioned evident in her expression. "Yes well, that's not all, otherwise she'd might have gotten her Cutie Mark. I noticed that the way she naturally tried to work the metal, especially when it came to her attempts to add designs to her work. I think smithing was close to her talent but maybe not the right material you know? The way she chipped at the metal I was thinking maybe you or Macintosh and I should help teach her about woodworking." "You know, I've thought about that too, I just didn't give it much credit 'cause I don't know all too much about it myself. I mean, I can do it alright but I'm not an expert or anything and Mac's better than me anyway. But with a craftspony like you suggesting it, I'll get Big Mac to give it a shot." "Applejack? Who's here?" A deep voice rang out from behind Applejack. "It's Firestorm! He was just stopping by to suggest the two of yah teachin' Apple Bloom about woodworkin'." Applejack called back. "Nope" Big Mac said as he appeared in the doorway. "Why not? Is there a problem Big Macintosh?" Firestorm asked, taken aback at the distaste in Mac's voice. "I'm not letting anypony who abandoned his own little sister have anything to do with mine." "What? I didn't abandon Scootaloo! I had my duty to the Guard and I felt Ponyville was a much better place for her than Canterlot was so I sent her to stay with Cheerilee until I could move here." "And left little Scootaloo without a family for two years while you made up your mind! I can appreciate loyalty to Equestria but your family comes first, and you turned your back on yours," Big Mac retorted. "I am not a traitor!" Firestorm roared. "This is the second time somepony's called me a traitor, and for opposite reasons! I will not sit by and let you call me a traitor, I don't care what you think about my decision to have Scootaloo spend the last two years here. What's done is done and there's nothing that anypony can do to change that, you or Shining Armor." With that Firestorm took off and flew towards town at full speed. Applejack glared at her older brother. "Well I hope you're happy, Macintosh, he was just tryin' to help Apple Bloom with what might be her special talent and you go and call him a traitor!" Mac gave a dark smile, "I never said he was a traitor, I said he turned his back on his family. He's the one who said traitor, He also mentioned that Shining Armor pony, do you even know why he left the Royal Guard in the first place?" "I-" Applejack hesitated, "I don't know exactly, but I'm pretty sure both he and Twi said it was so he could finally live here with Scootaloo." "And I bet Twilight heard that from Firestorm, not her brother." "Well, yah I guess so, but Shining Armor's here and I haven't heard that he's disagreed with it." "Is that so? I may have to pay him a visit and hear exactly what happened there." "No you won't, ya'll have work to do here on the farm and you know it." "I know, I'm not about to leave my family hanging." Mac grunted, looking annoyed at her sister's implication, "I'll visit him when I'm done with the plowing if he's still in town." Firestorm pounded on the red-hot metal furiously. He knew it would inevitably be one of his worst creations, he was simply using too much force and not enough care, but he didn't care, he just needed to vent. "I'm no traitor, I've done the best I can for everypony I could, both Scootaloo and the rest of Equestria." The smith Pegasus growled to himself. "Is everypony just going to judge me on the spot for something I did wrong? They're even opposite 'problems', and both Shining Armor and Big Mac are calling me traitors over them." "Firestorm?" An unusually small and timid voice asked. Firestorm turned and immediately hid his temper upon seeing his little sister standing in the doorway to the main house. "Scootaloo? What's up?" "You're hitting that metal a lot harder than usual, I can hear it from my room." The filly replied. "Sorry Scoots, I'm just stressed, I'll try to keep it down." "It's about Mr. Armor's visit isn't it?" The Crusader said, looking Firestorm in his violet eyes with her identically colored, though much more adorable, ones. Firestorm sighed. "You're getting to be really clever Scoots. Quit it, it's bugging me." This received a short giggle from Scootaloo, but her serious expression returned before Firestorm's hopes of having deflected the issue could solidify. "Yah, that's part of it, but don't worry yourself over it, I'll settle things with him." "And Big Macintosh?" Scootaloo asked, getting a raised eyebrow from her brother. "Apple Bloom told me that you got into some kind of fight with him." Firestorm sighed again. "I'll get that sorted out too, don't worry, it won't get in the way of you and Apple Bloom's crusading." "Good. And Firestorm? He might not be a trained Guardspony, but I'm still pretty sure he could hold his own in a fight." The sound of metal striking metal rang out from the forge as it's owner shaped pieces of armor and art alike. It had been two days since Firestorm payed his visit to Sweet Apple Acres and he had hardly set hoof outside of the forge since, only leaving for necessities. The two mares gulped as they crossed the street toward the entrance to the building; this would likely not be particularly pleasant. The Unicorn knocked on the heavy wood door with her hoof. The steady ringing stopped almost immediately and the mares heard metal-shod hooves crossing the room within. The door opened to reveal a slightly sleep deprived Firestorm. "Twilight, Applejack." The Pegasus asked, sounding like they were some of the last ponies he wanted to see. "What can I do for you?" "Umm... Morning Firestorm, we just had a couple of orders to place." Applejack replied, unnerved by Firestorms unwelcoming demeanor. "Depends, who would I be making them for? You two? Or did your brothers decide they can still get metalwork from a traitor?" "Firestorm," Twilight began, "I don't know why our brothers are so judgmental of you all of a sudden but that's not us, don't put that on us too." "Yah, and for the record, this stuff is for us, I'm not about to cover for Macintosh when he does something stupid." The farmer added. "Fine come in, I'll make you your jewelry or what not." AJ coughed, "Jewelry? I'm an Apple, I don't need some fancy-schmancy jewelry! I'm here to order nails and pans and such." "Well I'm here for jewelry." Twilight said, blushing slightly.