//------------------------------// // The journey Begins // Story: The Adventures of Cleansing Flame // by Fire_brand //------------------------------// Journal entry: “Well I’ve done it. I’ve finally left Fillydephia. I don’t know where the road will take me but I’m quite sure it’ll be far more interesting than the same old situation day in and day out. Ever since my parents died in the train accident, I’ve hardly been alone. Master Iron, and my Parents friends really looked out for me. Although those stupid colts really liked to try and make my life hell. I still don’t know truly why they needed to single me out but I don’t care. I won’t be seeing them anymore. It was difficult for me to say goodbye to Master Iron. I’m glad I was able to find such a great stallion as my mentor and friend, but Fillydelphia is full of too many old wounds and bad memories. If I hadn’t left, I fear I’d have been stuck in a rut the rest of my life. It’s time for me to carve out my own path.” After putting away my journal in my saddlebags I look around and just take in the country side. It is gorgeous out here! Why didn’t I ever come out here earlier? After a few minutes I decide it is time for my journey to truly begin and start walking. Too be honest I don’t care where I end up. Everyday is now amazing. I know longer know what's going to happen to me, who I'm going to meet, or where the road will take me. It's simply a thrill to wake up each day like this. After a few weeks, some forks in the road, and finding a few nice pony’s willing to let me stay the night, I noticed that the food in my saddlebags is gone. I coulda swore I had more food in there this morning. As I'm digging through my saddlebags I keep walking. When I look up I notice the path I’m on is has led me into the Everfree forest. How did I not notice the Everfree forest overhead? I’ve read about the Everfree Forest. I've heard all the tales about creepy monsters, pony eating plants, and the like. But now that I'm inside the forest, these stories do not do it justice. Holy Celestia is this forest creepy. Everywhere I look there is some strange plant or animal feeding off of something else. Every fiber of my body was telling me that this forest was wrong. Everything I see in this forest just puts me on edge. Suddenly I hear a loud, terrifying, and vicious howl! I slowly turn my head to look at where the howl came from, and I see a couple of timber wolves skulking towards me! My mind goes haywire. Oh buck. They’re gonna eat me. Immediately I run away as fast as I can. Now, being a unicorn I probably could have used magic, but I’m too scared to cast any spell right now. I’ve never seen a timber wolf before and now there are two of them chasing me down to EAT me. While I'm running there are plant putting scrapes and scratches everywhere on me. Once my saddlebags snagged on a branch, almost causing me to leave them behind. All the while the wolves were gaining on me. Once I realized I had to fight to escape something clicked. I had finally calmed down enough to think, If I'm going down at least I’ll up a fight. When the larger one lunged I threw up a crimson barrier of fire. When it touched the barrier the wolf ignited and quickly became engulfed. Seeing its fellow in agony the other wolf charged. So I telekinetically ripped its lower jaw off and shoved it deep into its chest, causing sap to gush out. However this backfired, I had merely pissed it off. I had hoped having its jaw forcefully removed would deter it but I guess not. So I quickly cast spells to increase my strength and encase my hooves in fire. The wolf came at me as I began to dodge and weave. Occasionally I would jab my fiery hooves at the wolf but would hit air. The wolf is not only larger but more agile than me; however it won’t come in too close. It’s probably afraid to end up like its buddy. After 15 minutes the first wolf has become a pile of coals, the wolf I’m fighting has regrown its jaw, and I’m beginning to reach my limits. Sensing this, coupled with having its jaw back, the wolf begins to get more aggressive and bolder with its lunges. More than a few times I barely manage to avoid its jaws from fully encasing my body. Now I'm covered head to hoof in relatively deep teeth marks from the wolf on top of thousands scratches from the local plants Just as I’m on the brink of collapse, the wolf makes a massive lunge towards my head. I drop down to avoid it and use every bit of strength I have left to launch my burning hooves straight into its chest, causing the wounds to ignite. The wolf howls in agony and run back into the depths of the forest. Finally at my limits, I released both of the spells and took a moment to rest. After a brief recovery, I used what little stamina I had to run out of the forest, not caring that I was no longer on the path. I managed to pick up more a lot more scratches this way. Once I finally got out, it is night time, and there are seemingly no houses around, just rows and rows of trees. Too tired to do anything else, but too nervous to sleep on the ground; I barely manage to telekinetically put myself in the tree. Once up there, it became clear that this was an apple tree! After eating one I found a good branch and passed out. I was well beyond my physical capabilities and my adrenaline had finally given out. While I was safe, I didn’t sleep well and had nightmares of being eaten. That is until the tree shook and I landed on my head. I heard “Ah shoot, ah didn’t reckon there’d be a pony in this tree. Are yah alright?” Having just landed on my head, I wasn’t that sure of what happened, but the nightmares were still fresh in my mind, so I freaked out and screamed “MONSTER!” Next thing I know a pair of hooves connected with my face and launched me head first into another tree. My last conscious words were, “Did someone get the number of that hoof?” When I came to, I’m in a hospital bed with a bandages all over and a splitting headache. The nurse noticed me stirring and came to check up on me: “Well you..” I say “shhhhhhh, quietly please, my head is pounding.” Softly now “Ok, I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake.” Oh, man. If how I feel is any indication, I must have sustained more injuries than I thought. After a few minutes a Stallion, who I assume is the doctor, enters the room with 6 mares following him. The first one I recognize as Princess Twilight. Instinctively I attempt to stand up to bow only to have a bolt of pain shoot through me. After getting some help from the doctor to lie back down I speak up. I say “Hello Princess, I didn’t think a simple injury was enough to garner royal attention.” I quickly notice that the other mares and the princess are all looking quite cross at me. Princess Twilight loudly says “Well…” Wincing I say “Softer please, I'm nursing a massive headache here.” Princess Twilight is being much softer now thankfully “Well normally a simple injury wouldn’t, but I do take notice when one of my FRIENDS gets called a MONSTER by some strange pony.” All at once the other mares started talking, each one getting louder in an attempt to be heard. Quickly their volume gets out of hand and I can’t get anything coherent from all of them talking at once, it’s all just noise. Of course as this happens the only thing I can do is shove my hooves into my ears and hope that it stops. This really isn’t helping my situation at all. Upon seeing my distress the doctor attempts to calm the angry mares, or at least get them to be quiet...It wasn’t working. There volume continues to grow. Eventually the doctor enlists the help of the nurses to escort the angry mares out of the room. Apologetically the Doctor says “Sorry about that. But you really should be careful who you anger here in Ponyville. Calling Applejack a monster was not wise on your part. What’s your name?” “Oh I’m Cleansing Flame, just call me Flame…Which of those mares, apart from the Princess, was Applejack?” “Applejack is the orange earth pony with blond mane, tail tied up at the ends, green eyes, and the large hat. I must say I don’t think I’ve ever seen all of them so mad before, especially Pinkie Pie, she’s usually so happy.” “Let me guess, Pinkie pie was the pink one?” “Correct, why were you in one of Applejack’s apple trees to begin with?” I recounted my journey through the forest and the aftermath to the Doctor. “I see, yes, now I understand. That's why you were covered in wounds. Your quite lucky, if one of those teeth went any deeper into your neck you'd be wolf food right now. While your reaction to the fall was extreme, you were brought back to the wolf attack. That would be tough on any pony.” “Yes Doctor. It’s rather frustrating that I just get into town and I’m instantly hated by a Princess and her friends. I doubt they’ll be quick to forgive me.” “I wouldn’t be so quick to judge the princess if I were you. I’m sure that if you talked to them after your migraine passes you’ll be fine.” “Yeah, except for Applejack, she must hate my guts right now.” “Worry about that after you’ve healed up. You’ll be here for a week but your migraine should go away in a few days.” “Thanks doc, I think I’ll just sleep for now. Oh by the way where is my journal? It was in my saddlebags.” “Your belongings should be in the drawer next to the bed and your saddlebags are under the bed. Let me know when your migraine clears up so I can reassess your cracked skull and wounds,” and he leaves the room. Wow, a cracked skull, I’m pretty sure falling out of the tree didn’t cause that. With that thought I got cozy in the bed and fell asleep.