Act 1 - Broken
Chapter III – Breaking a Wall
Edited by Vertorm
*****
Ten years ago… I watched you vanish. With a sudden crack, you crumbled before my eyes and through the cloud flooring… You abandoned me.
“Come back… Come back… You promised…”
Those where the last words I said to you… I wasn’t even sure you heard them, but then again… I wasn’t sure if I wanted you to hear them. That night was so heart-wrenching, so life-changing…
When I looked below the house, I couldn't find you... It's as if you had literally vanished from my life.
I was found a day later by Fluttershy. She told me I looked like I had seen a ghost. The experience had put me into shock for a week. My mind was constantly racing and replaying those few months that apparently… never existed. I couldn’t force myself to tell anypony. It’s as if you somehow made it so I couldn’t.
It was torture… Nopony even noticed you were gone. I was disgusted… Not a single soul even mentioned you… Not even Spike. Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore. I ran… I left everything behind and I fled… I fled all the way to Cloudsdale.
Once there, something began to chew on my mind. A constant irritation, one that made me systematically re-do everything that happened when we travelled there together. I applied at Cloud Nine… I went to the same house… and I met her.
Midnight Sun… She was still there. I could mouth every word she spoke to me… It was as if she were reading from a script. What was more irritating was that something was forcing the same words out of my mouth. It’s as if there was a pony using me like a puppet.
I became friends with her again… Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t of my own will, but eventually after spending a month or two with her… those feelings of resentment faded. I began to enjoy her company… Again, don’t get me wrong… Nothing really happened between us. It was a strange, true friendship like between me and Pinkie Pie… or Applejack.
Speaking of our friends… Actually… I’ll talk about them later.
By the year’s end, I was accepted into the Wonderbolts Academy… Without those wings, I made it easy… just like you thought… but guess who was there right beside me…? Middy.
*****
The next morning following Fyre’s unintended stay at Rainbow Dash’s, he was carefully walking around the main room and looking at the massive number of books she kept. Rainbow was mysteriously gone when he awoke that morning. He figured she was temporarily out, but it relieved him slightly not having to wake up in her embrace like before. He shook his mind of the whole thing and peered at the title of a book that caught his eye.
“‘Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone’. What a strange book to have. It must be the only work of fiction in here.” He briefly looked around before his interest fell back on the book. He noticed there was a row of them. “There must be around twenty of these. Why does she have them? I guess everypony needs to have some fun… Even Rainbow Dash.”
“Someone say my name?” Fyre heard Rainbow ask as she entered. He spun slightly to face her. “You’d better not be snooping around a mare’s home, Red.”
Fyre shook his head with a bothered grin. “Don’t worry. I’ve only been looking at your collection here.” His eyes returned to meandering around the field of leather-bound books, as if he was desperately looking for the answer to something. “You know you should really alphabetize these… It’s so difficult to find anything in this mess.”
There was a brief silence as Dash joined him by the bookcase. “See anything that interests you?” She briefly looked around the bookcase herself.
“Hmm...” He scanned some book titles. “‘History of Chess’… ‘Gardening 101’? Have you actually read any of these?” His attention turned to her. “You never seemed like the type.”
Dash lifted a hoof and shrugged. “Eh… Some of them. At one point in my life I began searching for something in these books, but I never found it.” She placed the hoof on one of the Daring Do books. “Now I just like to have them around. They’re comforting in a weird way.”
“Ah, I figured.” He sneered. “You never struck me as an intellectual.”
Rainbow’s hoof slid down and hit the wooden flooring with a thump. “You always have something nice to say, don’t you, Red?”
“I have my moments, Blue. Besides… what goes around comes around.” He pulled one of the books out and opened it up.
“You’re still hung up on that.” The mare hung her head; a gentle sigh escaped her.
“It’s not that I hate you personally, Rainbow Dash. It’s just that you hurt a lot of ponies that day.”
Dash silently sat on her haunches and looked out of one of the few windows in the house. “To be honest… I didn’t mean to actually hurt anypony. I just wanted to stick it to Spitfire. She had it coming.”
“Was it really important enough to do that to her?”
“Look! Look… Let’s just drop it, okay?”
“Fine,” Fyre uttered with little emotion.
Dash moved a little closer to him. “How’s your side feeling?” She bent her head to look at a large stitched wound on the left side of his chest. “Been hurting?”
“I can’t complain.”
“You never told me how you got that.”
“Is it important how I got it?”
He could see the mare getting slowly irritated with his terse, rude answers. “Maybe! You know you were attacked last night, right?”
This got his attention. “I was? By who?”
“I’m not sure. You were lying in the mud with this… pony I guess… on top of you. I managed to scare it off.”
His attention was lost and his gaze fell to the ground. “Oh… I can’t remember what happened after I left. It was a big blur.”
Dash placed a hoof on his shoulder. “You know… if I’m going to help you find your sister, you probably need to be more honest with me.”
He shrugged her off. “Don’t touch me. You had your fair share of touching for a while. You also don’t need to worry about what I do or what comes after me. I just need you to get me to Ponyville.”
Hearing that name made Rainbow wince. “Ponyville?” she said with a little disgust. “Why there?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Dash turned away from him. “Then what reason do I have to take you anywhere?”
“Well… it would be one step towards proving that you’re not a complete imbecile.”
The mare couldn’t help but bury her nose into her hoof. “You really need to chill out, Red.” She approached him again, an idea forming behind those sly, magenta eyes. “How about this? I’ll take you to Ponyville if… you stop being so obnoxious. Talk to me like a normal pony.”
Fyre’s head tilted slightly to the side. “What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean. No more snarky remarks... Treat me like you would treat anypony who just saved your life.”
“You didn’t save my- hrk!” Dash shoved a hoof into his muzzle.
“Ah ah! What’s that? You want to stay here even longer? That’s fine with me. I could use the company.”
Irritated, Fyre smacked the hoof out of his mouth and sighed begrudgingly. “Fine! I get it. If I be nice, you’ll take me to Ponyville.” He moved his face closer to hers. “Just so you know… it will be an extremely painful endeavor…”
“Good! I’m looking forward to it, but for now… breakfast!”
*****
As the day approached a bit of a breezy mid-afternoon, Dash decided to take a small walk around the meadow, and with a bit of convincing she managed to get Fyre to come along with her.
The mare sniffed the air and let out a relaxing sigh. “Doesn’t the air smell great after a good storm, Red?”
He tried sniffing the air himself. Musty and humid were the words that came to mind, but he gritted his teeth. “I suppose there’s a pleasing aroma to it.”
“‘I suppose there’s a pleasing aroma to it,’” she mocked. “You’re definitely from Canterlot… Who talks like that?”
“There is no fault in speaking properly, Rainbow Dash. You’d probably be more tolerable to listen to if you tried a hoof at it. Maybe you’ll actually keep a friend or two.” Fyre smirked and lifted his nose a little.
Dash was glaring a hole into him at that point. “Fyre…”
His eyes cracked open and became a little sheepish. “Oh, right. Sorry. I really can’t help speaking this way. It’s just how I was taught to speak.”
“Yeah yeah…” her response a little dismissive. Her attention was on something else at this point. “So what does it mean?”
“What? You mean how I speak? Kind of an odd question.”
“No… I mean your cutie mark. A star inside a cloud? What does it mean?” she repeated.
“Oh… It’s funny you should ask. My parents told me I got it randomly at a very young age. They don’t know what I did to get it though. Isn’t that strange?”
“Strange? Yeah, I would say so. So you don’t know what your cutie mark means?”
“No… I don’t,” he said simply.
Rainbow looked at him with dissatisfaction. “Maybe one day, you’ll figure it out.”
“Maybe…” he agreed.
“…And you said you never saw your sister get one?”
“Yeah, I don’t know why. She was always a little jealous of me because of it.” Fyre chuckled. “Sometimes I wished I didn’t have it… so she wouldn’t have felt so left out.”
“Your sister sounds like a pony I used to know… In fact three ponies I used to know. They all have their cutie marks now, but they used to go around Ponyville and trash the place trying to find their cutie marks.” She glanced into the sky with a smile as she recollected.
“Ponyville? So you’ve been there before?”
“Been there? Red, I lived there for a good portion of my life.”
“Then why did you seem so unenthusiastic about taking me there?”
Rainbow took a sudden turn to her right and continued walking. “It’s a little complicated, Red.” Fyre followed and trotted to keep up.
“Complicated? Trust me, I know that feeling. Did something happen?”
Dash again turned sharply, but to her left. She seemed to be moving a little faster as well. “You could say that. It was such a long time ago…”
The stallion followed her again only for Dash to turn to her right once more. “Hey, what are you doing?”
She stopped and turned to look at him. “How’s your side feeling? All of this walking is starting to make my legs restless.”
Fyre stopped as well. He bent his head to take a look at his wound. “It’s not hurting, but I don’t think I could do anything strenuous.”
“Yeah, I figured.” She sighed. Then suddenly her eyes became wide and she smiled. “Say… how about a little trade?” She proposed as she sat on the grass.
“Trade?” Fyre planted himself too.
“We could make it a game actually. I’ll start by asking you a question, and you have to answer it. Then you can ask me anything you want in return.”
Fyre was skeptical. “Seems like a trap to me. What if you don’t answer my question?”
“Don’t worry, I will.” Dash looked a little too excited about this idea.
“How about I ask my question first?”
“Fine, have it your way. Just don’t be too personal-” Fyre cut her off before she could finish speaking.
“Who’s Twilight Sparkle?”
The question hit her like a rock, but she still retained her smile. “She was Princess Celestia’s personal protégé in Canterlot.”
“Personal protégé? How did she-?” Dash interjected before he could finish.
“Hey, cool it, Red! It’s my turn.” She cleared her throat. Fyre rolled his eyes. “Your sister… What’s her real name?”
Fyre hesitated a little. “Glitter… Spark.”
“Glitter Spark? You’re not making that one up too, are you?”
“Ah ah, it’s my turn, Dash. How did Twilight get the honor of being Celestia’s protégé?”
“She did some fancy magic during some kind of school test and she got noticed.”
“That’s… all? Seems to be a little bit unbelievable.”
“Okay so… Where did you hear about Twilight?”
He stupidly hesitated again. “From… Canterlot.”
With that, Dash lightly punched Fyre’s chest. “You’re lying, Red.”
“Lying? Why would you say that?”
Dash stood up and inched closer to him. “Because I know something you obviously don’t. Now where did you hear it?”
Fyre leaned back a little. “It’s my turn…”
Rainbow just drew closer and became louder. “You just asked me why I would accuse you of lying. That was your question! Now where did you hear it?!”
“Fine! I heard it from somepony atop Smokey Mountain! There! Does that satisfy you?”
The mare was taken aback a little. “Somepony on Smokey Mountain?” she groaned. “Ugh… Forget it, Red. You clearly can’t be honest with me… The game’s over.” She turned and began walking back towards her house.
“Wait!” Upon hearing Fyre speak, Dash took to the sky with a flash and she was out of sight within a few seconds. He slammed a hoof on the dirt and growled. Fyre looked around the meadow. He was a little uncomfortable being alone out there. He slowly stood up and began the trek back. His mind raced with thoughts about what just happened. It seemed like no matter what he said, she would be unsatisfied with his answer. It must be the very fact that he knows about her which frustrated Dash.
Fyre sighed and closed his eyes.
*****
This pony… Fyreburst. I know there’s something more to him than what he’s telling me. He’s an impenetrable wall of lies and hatred. How can I believe anything he tells me? Looking for his lost sister. Could that be a lie too? Is he just trying to humiliate me or is he really looking for my help? He said he didn’t want it, yet… that night, he wanted me to go with him to Ponyville. Actually, he just wanted me to take him there. Why there of all places? Is that where his ’sister’ is? Glitter Spark? I’ve never heard of that name before… It could just be another lie.
Dash was sitting quietly at the doorway waiting for him to come back. She just stared at the doorknob waiting for the slightest movement.
I’m sure he’ll be ready to make the flight to Ponyville by tomorrow. He didn’t complain at all the entire time we were out. Still… Should I take him there? He’s been unpleasant to me the entire time… What reason do I have? … Twilight...? There has to be a way to get him to open up and get him to tell me about her. I think I can buy more time if I tell him he can’t fly with that cut still healing. It would take at least two days to get there if we go on hoof. That should be enough time… Now only if he would get back already.
Her eyes widened as she realized something, “What if he already left?!”
*****
That pony… Rainbow Dash. That rainy night… she told me that weird story about somepony she used to love. What’s so odd about it is that I felt like I’ve heard that story before… Like somepony told me about it when I was just a foal… She’s so irritating to be around, but that dream… and now her uncalled-for desire to help me find Glitter. What’s her deal?
Fyre was staring quietly at the front door to Rainbow’s house. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to go back in there again. This was the second time she had gotten angry with him. He wouldn’t be surprised if she just told him to buzz off.
The fact still stands… I don’t know where I am. I looked everywhere in those books for a map or an atlas or something. There wasn’t even a book on Ponyville in there. There aren’t any landmarks nearby or anything to follow. There’s too much of a chance of me getting lost if I go by myself. I need her… probably more than she needs me right now. I’ve been so mean to her… She’s done so much wrong that I can’t seem to get past that hatred for her. She told me I would have to treat her like a normal pony if we planned to go. I guess if it’s just to Ponyville… I could handle it.
Fyre shook his head and sighed. He was just staring at the doorknob. His right hoof felt magnetized to it, but he resisted the urge.
I don’t understand… Why does she care so much? I insult her… and call her out, and have been completely ungrateful… yet she doesn’t budge. She gets angry, sure… but she always comes back to me. Something tells me she’s got more vested in this than just being nice. By now, I can tell she has some strange interest in knowing why I heard about Twilight Sparkle… but I feel if I tell her, and it’s not what she wants to hear… she’ll just forget about taking me to Ponyville altogether… I have to be smart about this! I would just have to keep it a secret until I got there… or at least until I can make it on my own. Then it’s goodbye Rainbow Dash… and hopefully for good. All I’ve told her so far is that I heard it on Smokey Mountain… She didn’t believe that for a second it seems. I’ll have to think of something else to-
His eyes widened as he realized something. “What if she left?!”
He began to reach for the door when it burst open. Something colorful flew out and smacked right into him. They tumbled for a bit before he found himself kissing the dirt once again. “Oww…”
“Oh no! Fyre?! I’m so sorry! Are you okay?!” He heard the ever familiar voice scraping at his eardrums. “I was just going out to find you… I didn’t expect you to… Are you okay?!”
“I-I’m fine… I think. Could you get off of me? You’re not exactly the lightest thing in Equestria.”
He could hear her gasp. “Hey! Why you… I said I was sorry!” Dash smacked him on the head.
“Ow! What was that- oof!” He felt the wind being forced out of him as Rainbow pushed off into the air. “…For…?”
“You really are okay though? How’s your side?”
Fyre groaned and turned onto his back to look up at Rainbow Dash. “I told you… it’s fine. Now what’s with the rush?”
She placed a hoof behind her head and smiled. “When I left you out there… I thought you would have done something stupid like go out on your own again… so…”
“Why would I do that?” He tilted his head, his hooves raised endearingly in front of him.
Dash chuckled to herself. “I don’t know… It seemed like something you would do.”
“You told me to treat you like a normal pony… and that’s what I’m going to do. You’re the only one who knows where we are… so I’m not going to risk that information.”
“Ahh… So it’s an obligation not an actual… true choice you’ve made.”
“No! I… of course, I mean it! W-why would you say that?”
The mare rolled her eyes and landed next to him. “I get it, Fyre… You don’t have to like me… I’m not asking that. I just don’t want the next two days to be sour. I want to see a cool… blue Fyre. Not a burning hot red one.”
Fyre turned onto his side and slowly pushed himself back onto his legs. “Look… Could you go easy on the puns? Glitter used to do that to me all the time. It gets old.”
Dash laughed and put a hoof around his neck, giving him a quick hug. “Sorry. Sorry, Red. So her name really is Glitter, huh?”
He was a little peeved about the hug. “Yes, it is. I wasn’t lying about that.”
“But you were lying about other things, huh? Like Smokey Mountain? I mean… who would be up there anyway?”
“That’s… not a bad question actually.”
*****
That night, Fyre and I had a pleasant dinner. I could see it in his eyes… He was humbled. I don’t know if it was by his own will or by commitment to the requirement I gave him… but it was nice. I could actually talk to him without every word being a dagger in my side. He smiled more, and his eyes weren’t as cold and harsh as when I first met him. Maybe I finally got through to him… but maybe there’s something I’m missing. There’s a giant shadow looming over this stallion… he’s got more determination than I’ve ever seen in anypony.
What gets me more than anything he’s said so far… is that he lost his sister when he was young… How young? Why is he just now going on this journey to save her? What did he do all those years prior to coming here? I have to ask these things… Why? I don’t know why. He reminds me of you… That’s why. He’s got it all, the smarts, the passive aggression… That never-ending will… and he’s asked me why I care so much about his problems… That’s not a bad question either, my friend.