//------------------------------// // Burning // Story: Destiny // by observer of dimensions //------------------------------// The pain coursing through my body and the smell of burnt flesh brought me back into conciseness that I unknowingly had lost. My body felt hot, uncomfortably hot, like I was standing next to the sun. Why? Why do I feel like this? What's going on? The only way to find out was to open my eyes. Slowly my eyes open to view the world around me. I wish I hadn't. Smoke and flame entered my vision. My eyes watered immediately as the heat stung my eyes. I however, did not close them, I could not close them. I had to see it, see it all. In time I was able to see through my watery vision. Along with the smoke and fire ash was falling all around me. Even though it is off color it reminds me of snow. The flames I see are feeding off the debris that they are rising from. The debris is made of wood and other flammable material. What they once were I can not tell. Some sort of structure or structures perhaps but beyond that I don't know. Movement catches my eye and I look. It is close by and on the ground. It is slowly dragging along the ground carried by the wind. It takes me a moment to recognize what it is. It is a stetson, though it is burnt, not doubt by what ever caused this mess. I continue to watch it drag across the ground until it is stopped by something in it's path. The hat stopping object is organic. Most of everything on it is brunt but I can see a bit of what might be yellow fur and some pink at the end which looks like what suppose to be a tail. I hear screaming. Some in pain others in worry or despair. There is one voice that is coming closer but I think little of it as I return to looking around. Now I see that there are other objects like the first around me. All of them are burnt, some more then others. One of them in particular, a unicorn is chard completely. I count five of them and from the looks of it they seem to have been trying to protect something. Oddly there is something familiar about them. It's hard to think and now I feel something wet and warm flowing down from my forehead. I try thinking hard as to why these...bodies seem so familiar to me. The pain which I had forgotten has now come back like it is purposely trying to prevent me from reaching my answer. I do not give up. I push forward and...and I get my answer. Tears are rolling down my face but it is not because of the stinging sensation coming from the flames. My friends...my friends are dead. They died protecting me. I will never see them again. I won't hear the laugh. I won't see them cry. I will never be able to hear them speak or make wonderful memories with them ever again. I feel a void open up in my heart and consume everything good within it leaving me empty. The voice from before but now it is join by others. They are calling my name, they are looking for me. Not just me however, for among the voices I here other names being called. Names belonging to my friends. My friends who will never answer back. I look up into the sky and through the smoke I see glimpses of the bight blue sky and the sun. I open my mouth despite my lips being dry. I took in a deep breath and... ... ... ... ... ... I screamed, I screamed in sorrow and despair, in the lost of my friends and for myself. The eyes of Princess Twilight Sparkle shot open. She gasped for air in a greedy manner and then Panting followed shortly after. She was laying on her back and upon something soft. She would have sat up if it wasn't for the pain that ran through her body as her muscles tighten in her attempt to move. While trying to calm down she took a look at her surroundings. She was in a dull white room. The room was bear besides a door on the wall in front of her and the window on the right wall. The reddish glow coming in through the window told Twilight that it was sometime in the late afternoon. Twilight's breathing finally returned back to normal. All across her body she felt cold patches covering her. pushing through the dulling pain she checked to see what was the cause of said patches. Her eyes shrunk slightly at realizing what it was. There were bandages placed over parts of her body. The cold feeling was probably some sort of gel that had been placed on the bandages before being applied to her body. Giving herself another look she found that her wings were still there and not badly damage. That gave her some relief for she had gotten quite attached to them. Once she conformed that she was alright albeit in pain and bandages, her mind began to wonder. What had happen? why was she in this room? Where was this room located? They were the question to first plague her mind. Soon however, her thoughts turned to what she had been doing before waking up in the white room. She had gone to the spring fair in Canterlot with her friends and then... smoke and fire filled her mind and all the feelings that came with that memory came flooding back into her. Her eyes began to tear up. Her friends...her friends were... At that exact moment the door opened to reveal the regal form of Princess Celestia, Twilight's former mentor and fellow Princess. Seeing Twilight awake Celestia's mouth carved into a small smile. "It is good to see you awake my faithful friend." She spoke softly, trotting to Twilight's bedside. Twilight looked up at the Alicorn mare with tear filled eyes. "My friends...My friends are..." "Are ok, in fact they are helping the Royal Guards in clearing up the fair grounds. They wanted to stay around to see if you were ok but when the request for help was sent out they just couldn't stand by and do nothing." Tears fell down Twilight's face but they were not of sorrow but of joy. "They're alive! thank goodness they are ok." Princess remained quite allowing her former student to cry uninterrupted. After a few minutes of crying Twilight wiped away the last of her tears with a hoof. "What happened? All I remember is heading into the fair grounds with my friends." Celestia nodded sagely. "I see, the blast must of cause temporary memory loss." Seeing the bewildered look on Twilight's face she continued on. "I would like to know what happened through you point of view but that will have to wait. For now I'll tell you what I know. There was an explosion on the fair grounds this morning. there are some wounded as well...as...a few dead." Uncomfortable silence descend onto the two Alicorns. It took a full five minutes before Celestia spoke again but in a more somber voice. "They found you on top of a wreaked plushie stand. The force of the blast must of sent you flying into it. Though even with your 'soft landing' it is a pleasant surprise that the only injuries you sustained were minor first degree burns and some bruises." Twilight nodded along with what Celestia was saying but by the time she had finished speaking Twilight had a question. "What about my friends? weren't they with me?" she asked. Celestia shook her head. "No and from what they told in the very little time I was able to talk to them they told me that you had separated from the group in order to find a popular book that was being sold at one of the stands. You wanted to get one before they sold out but didn't want to take time away from their fun having them follow you as you try to locate this infamous book stand." "Sounds like me" Twilight giggle a little before cringing in pain. Seeing this Celestia lowered her head and nuzzled Twilight's head. "Rest now Twilight, You had enough excitement for one day. We can continue this later with your friends once you have recovered." Celestia smiled sweetly at the mare in bed. Twilight replied with a nod. "If you need anything there are guards outside so don't hastate to ask." Again Twilight nodded but not as much as the first one. Satisfied Celestia turned around and headed to the door. Celestia reached out with her magic and grabbed the doorknob but stopped short of opening it. She turned her head back to Twilight. "Good Night Twilight Sparkle." "Good Night Pr- Celestia." Twilight replied, her eyelids slowing closing. Celestia smiled before opening the door and leaving the room. Fifteen minutes later Princess Twilight Sparkle's hospital room was engulfed in an explosion killing it's sole occupant.