//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: The Whitetail Woods Fire // Story: Eric Sparkle and the Crystal Caverns // by Skywalker215 //------------------------------// Six days passed since Eric’s four-day visit to the Crystal Empire. Eric was in the living room, sitting on the sofa, the only thing that he thought about was his parents. He began to cry, then he buried his face in a couch cushion. Outside the lounge, Starlight could barely hear him until she entered. “Eric, what’s wrong?” Starlight asked. “I *sniffs* miss my parents, they’ve never been away from me for *sniffs* more than a day,” Eric replied while still crying. “I know it takes some getting used to, and I think they should be back later today,” Starlight said as she hugged him, “Besides, I brought Ron for you.” Ron came up, then nuzzled and licked Eric on his face. “Hi, Ron. You always know how to cheer me up,” Eric said as he stroked the otter. Soon enough, they heard some voices call out, “Eric, we’re home!” “Spike? Starlight? Where are you?” Eric ran down to the door with Ron on his shoulder and greeted his parents, “Mommy!” “Hi, sweetie!” Twilight greeted as she hugged him. “I missed you so much,” Eric said. “Shh... There there, I’m here. No need to cry anymore,” Twilight replied. “Don’t leave me out, sport!” Storm joked. “I missed you too, Daddy,” Eric said as he hugged him. “It’s good to be back, son,” Storm replied. The three of them got into a group hug and stayed like this for three minutes. “Twilight, how was your honeymoon in Las Pegasus?” Starlight asked. “It was a fun place to be, somewhere you ought to visit sometime,” Twilight replied. “Hey Storm, did you go gambling?” Spike asked. “A prince does not gamble with his money, Spike,” Storm replied. Meanwhile, in the Crystal Mountains ice fortress, Glacio had a sinister plan in mind. “Frostbite, summon Skywarp, Thunderckracker, Wind Rider and Descent here immediately,” he ordered. “As you wish, my lord,” Frostbite replied. Soon enough, Frostbite escorted Skywarp, Thundercracker, Wind Rider, and Descent to the throne room. “You wanted to see us, my lord?” Wind Rider asked rhetorically. Yes, Wind Rider. I want you, Descent, Skywarp, and Thundercracker to set Whitetail Woods on fire with a lightning storm. I want King Aspen and his deer herd wiped out,” Glacio replied. “How do we do that, my lord?” Descent asked. “You four are to infiltrate the weather factory in Cloudsdale and steal some storm clouds. Hot Shot! Hydia! Reeka! Draggle!” Glacio ordered. “Yes, my lord?” Hydia and Hot Shot asked as he and his partners entered the throne room. “You four are to meet Skywarp, Thundercracker, Wind Rider, and Descent at Whitetail Woods and kill any deer who try to escape the fire,” Glacio said. “It will be done, my lord,” Hydia replied darkly. “After your burning Whitetail Woods, all seven of you will go to the Everfree Forest and wrangle some more basilisks, then release them in Manehattan, Fillydelphia, Baltimare, Vanhoover, Silver Shoals, Appleoosa, Dodge Junction, and Las Pegasus,” Frostbite ordered. “Yes, general,” Wind Rider replied. Hot Shot, Hydia, Reeka, and Draggle quickly teleported themselves, along with Skywarp, Thundercracker, Descent, and Wind Rider, to the outskirts of Ponyville. The three unicorns kept hidden on the edge of Whitetail Woods, while the four pegasi went to Cloudsdale. Once there, they entered the weather factory. “Wind Rider, I want you to distract the workers by giving out autographs while the three of us steal the storm clouds we need,” Descent said. “Good thinking, Captain Descent,” Wind Rider replied. Descent, Skywarp, and Thundercracker managed to sneak into the area where the clouds were produced. The three of them managed to steal a few storm clouds, then went back to meet up with Wind Rider. Just then, two factory workers were blocking their way, but Skywarp and Thundercracker bucked them into the wall. Descent smashed their faces with his front hooves, strangled them and broke their necks. Soon enough, all four of them fled Cloudsdale before anypony could get wind of their break-in. Once over Whitetail Woods, they kicked the clouds, causing a series of lightning bolts to strike. Within minutes, the lightning strikes triggered a forest fire, and the flames gave off smoke that could be seen for miles. In the village of Thicket deep in Whitetail Woods, Holly and her family saw the fire coming their way. “We need to evacuate immediately!” King Aspen said, “Willow, I need you to alert the rest of the herd.” While Holly and Bramble followed their father, Queen Willow soon had the whole herd behind her as they made for the edge of the forest. All of a sudden, their escape was all but cut off by Glacio’s minions. “Prepare to die!” Hot Shot said. Back in Ponyville, Twilight, Storm, Eric, Spike, and Starlight were in the park when they noticed the smoke. Starlight took a whiff and then came up and asked, “What’s up with the smoke?” “I’m not sure, but it’s not a good sign,” Spike replied. Last time Ponyville was under a blanket of smoke, it came from a snoring dragon napping in a mountain cave,” Storm added. “We need to warn the others,” Twilight said. Pretty soon, Twilight and Storm gathered their friends and stopped just outside town hall. “Rainbow! Forest! You go find the source of the fire and report back,” Storm said. “We’re on it, Storm,” Rainbow replied as she and Forest took off. Once they were in the air, Rainbow and Forest looked in every direction until they found were the smoke was coming from. “It’s coming from the west,” Forest said. Rainbow and Forest followed the smoke until they came up on Whitetail Woods. “Forest, look!” Rainbow said, “Whitetail Woods is on fire!” “What do you think caused it, Dashie?” Forest asked. “I did notice some storm clouds, then a lightning strike in this direction earlier, but we weren’t scheduled for a lightning storm today,” Rainbow explained. “Somepony must have broke into the weather factory and stole some storm clouds,” Forest replied, “I think we need to head closer to the woods and find out who’s behind this.” Once within better visual range, Rainbow and Forest noticed King Aspen and his herd surrounded by the fire and Glacio’s minions. “We need to get our friends over here,” Rainbow said. “Right behind you, Dashie!” Forest replied. Once they returned to Ponyville, Rainbow and Forest went to alert Twilight and the others. “Twilight! Storm! There’s a fire in Whitetail Woods!” Rainbow said. “We think Glacio’s minions are behind it, since they broke into the weather factory and stole some storm clouds,” Forest added. “And now King Aspen and his herd are in trouble!” they both finished in unison. “Let’s get going right away,” Twilight said. “Spike, take Eric home,” Storm ordered. “Aww… Daddy, please, can’t I come?” Eric asked. “No, son. It’s too dangerous,” Storm replied. “Don’t worry, sweetie. The weather team will put out the fire and we’ll get Holly out of there,” Twilight added as she kissed him on the face. Rainbow Dash and Forest Thunder gathered the weather team, then Twilight, Storm, and the others went off to Whitetail Woods. Just then, Glacio’s minions noticed Twilight, Storm, and their friends, plus the weather team coming towards them. “Commander Hot Shot, we’ve got company,” Thundercracker said. “They’ve got the weather team with them,” Skywarp added. “Stop them!” Hot Shot ordered. Soon enough, a clash of the Mane 7 and company (including Starlight, Forest, Jasper, and Smokey) versus Glacio’s minions broke out. Rainbow and Forest kept Wind Rider’s and Descent’s attention away from the weather team. “You’re a traitor, Wind Rider!” Rainbow said. “Joining Glacio seemed the best way for me to get back at you and Rarity for having me discharged!” Wind Rider retorted. Skywarp and Thundercracker went to stop the weather team, but Jasper and Smokey saw this and incanted in unison, “Stupefy!” With Skywarp and Thundercracker knocked out of the sky, the weather team managed to bring rain and put out the fire. For the deer herd, it was a bittersweet moment because they lost their village and half of them were killed by Glacio’s minions. The Mane 7 and company accompanied King Aspen and his herd to the old Castle of the Two Sisters, where they would stay until Whitetail Woods recovered from the fire. As evening fell, Twilight, Storm, and their friends returned to their homes.