//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Fire and Ice 
// by X3n0heart 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 1: Calm before the storm


Gray. Everything was a grayish color. Silence was the next thing Fenix noticed as his cage floated quietly behind Twilight and Spike. The only sounds that he could hear is the snow squishing beneath hoof and claw. The sun was up but from all the clouds in the sky one could almost pass it as early dawn. Fenix huddled closely underneath his wings trying to keep himself warm. It was more colder today than it was last night he thought as he kept as quietly as he could just watching and waiting wondering what's going to happen next.
There wasn't any other signs of ponies around at this time or maybe they have all left this little town. Fenix still didn't know exactly where he was at and seemed so lost. There was nothing here he could recognize or anything that seemed remotely familiar to him. As they approached the center of town he noticed a fountain in the middle of the square which still had running water continuously flowing from it. It was strange to him for he noticed much of everything else was covered in snow or frozen solid. He wondered if that purple pony had something to do with it. Maybe some kind of magic she used to keep the water warm.
Twilight stopped and floated the cage over and sat it down between two other cages each with another pegasus inside of it. Fenix first looked to his left and saw a white and yellow colored mare with matching yellow hair with streaks of white running through it. Her cutie mark was of a sunflower with a smile face in it. She was making herself as small as possible as if trying not to get noticed by the unicorn. Taking a glance to his right he saw a charcoal colored stallion with silver hair laying in his cage. Fenix couldn't see his cutie mark for his flanks were covered with snow which seemed to cover almost half of his body. 
"But you mustn't..." said a soft voice.
"And why not?" said another more brash and confidant. 
"Because the small critters and animals will not survive."
"So you're saying they are more important than we are?"
"Well no..." the soft voice hesitated then continued, "...but they still should be treated equally."
"Gah! Why are you being to stubborn, Fluttershy?"
Looking up Fenix could see two pegasi who seem to be arguing with each other about something. One was a pale yellow with pink hair and with 3 pink butterflies for a cutie mark. The other was a sky blue pegasus with rainbow colored hair and a cutie mark which looked like a cloud with a lightning bolt coming from it. The pale yellow pegasus seemed to have the softer, gentle voice while the other was trying to get her to see her view being blunt and strait to the point.
"This is the only way we can do it quickly enough to actually be on time." the sky blue one said.
"But Rainbow...we can't." she said again quietly.
Fenix heard movement to his left and turned towards the mare that was in the cage. She was now staring at him for Twilight as moved away from the cages and towards where the two in the sky were arguing. Her face was one of shock and curiosity and she slowly moved closer to the bars of her cage and quietly said, "Hello."
"Hello." Fenix said back just as quietly as the mare's eyes widened once again at his accent. She blinked a few times and shook her mane before responding back to him.
"I'm sorry. I have not seen a pegasus like you before..."
"I've been getting that alot here..." Fenix sighed and sat down on his haunches. 
"Where are you from?" she asked as she sat down as well.
"From beyond the San Palomino Desert. Far to the south." he explained as she nodded. 
"I used to live here in Ponyville..." she said sadly then added with a soft smile, "My name is Sunflower. What is yours?"
"Fenix Fire." Sunflower's green eyes drifted to his cutie mark and then back to his own icy blue ones. "What is it?" he asked her for she seemed curious.
"Your cutie mark..." Sunflower hesitated before continuing, "how did you get it?" Fenix looked back at his cutie mark and then back to her and shrugged.
"I don't really remember honestly." Sunflower looked down at the ground feeling a bit disappointed at his answer but that was the truth. He didn't remember how he had gotten his cutie mark let alone what his special purpose was. Suddenly his ears shot up at some shouting which seemed to come from the sky where the 2 pegasi were still hovering.
"NO!" Rainbow Dash yelled her arms open wide as she was looking down at Twilight. "This has to be the only way to get it done."
"But we cant!" Fluttershy said back to her.
"Wait a minute. Let me get this strait: you want to make a sonic rain boom to clear the sky and melt the snow all at once?" Twilight questioned the blue pegasus.
"Yep, that's the idea." she nodded.
"Well that's not a very good idea." Twilight replied.
"And why not?"
"Cause it will flood the valley and all the critters and small animals wont have a chance to survive." Fluttershy commented.
"Pretty much." Twilight agreed.
"Yeah so? What's more important: losing the Apple farm or saving a few small critters?" Rainbow questioned back.
"She does 'ave a point there." said a peach colored earth pony that was trotting up to Twilight.  "If we wait to much longer we'll lose the orchard and then we will all starve ourselves." she added as she stopped next to the unicorn and looked up at the two pegasi.
"How much food do we have left in storage?" Twilight asked her. After thinking about it for a moment the earth pony replied, "About another months worth then we'll be plum out." 
"I see. Thank you Apple Jack." 
"See?" Rainbow Dash said holding a hoof out towards the earth pony.
"Yes I do, Rainbow, but Fluttershy is still correct in her own way as well."
Turning his attention back to the mare on his left Fenix asked her, "What's a sonic rain thingy?" The mare just blinked at him as if he just asked her if pegasi can fly. Seeing the seriousness on his face she just sighed and explained it to him.
"A sonic rain boom is where a pegasus like Rainbow Dash," Sunflower pointed a hoof at the sky blue pony with rainbow colored hair, "gets going so fast that it creates a sonic boom and a rainbow at the same time. It's pretty much how she got her cutie mark. She's the only pony in Equestria to pull it off." 
"You can do that?" Fenix asked in amazement.
"Well me, no, but Rainbow sure can. She wants to do one and clear away all the clouds, snow and ice. It will of course but in turn it will also flood this valley and part of the lower orchard of the Apple farm. Most of the small animals that Fluttershy takes care of are still hibernating and will drown if she does that. So she's trying to convince her to wait it out and follow tradition."
Fenix just nodded and listened to Sunflower as she explained everything to him. Looking back over to where there is a crowd now forming on the ground below the two pegasi, Fenix cocked his ears and tried to listen in again. He didn't noticed that the charcoal colored pegasus to his right was awake and was also listening in to his conversation as well as the commotion that was going on near the fountain. 
"I don't care! She can always get more critters and what not." Rainbow said agitatedly. 
"How could you not care?" Fluttershy gasped and looked shocked at her statement. 
"Everypony just calm down now, ya hear?" said Apple Jack. "There's no need to be fighting about all this. We're all tired of these long winters, which this one seemed to be the worst of."
"Excatly, and there is a nasty storm coming in from the East so we must get this done now!" Rainbow Dash stated as she pointed a hoof in that direction. "I know you earth ponies and unicorns can't really tell but us pegasi can feel it in the wind and in our wings." As she made that statement both Fenix and Sunflower looked at each other and both spread out their wings and ruffled their feathers. Sunflower stopped at the sight of his wing span as well as the shape of them.
"I see now..." she said quietly to herself.
"See what? My wings?" Fenix asked. Sunflower just nodded and gave him a sweet smile. Turning his attention back towards the others he wondered what the sky blue pegasus was going to do. Would she actually try to do a sonic rain boom or will she be convinced not to? He was both curious as well as worried for he knew if she did then they would most likely drown being trapped in these cages.
"Twilight dear, what is going on out here?" said a proper and refined voice as a pure white unicorn trotted up to the others. Fenix just glared at her. Another unicorn. She must be just like that other one that caught and trapped him in this confined cage.
"Hello Rarity. It seems we are at an impasse. Rainbow Dash wants to create a sonic rain boom and clear the ground and sky quickly but Fluttershy doesn't want her to do that because it will flood the animal's dens and homes, many which are still hibernating and will drown from the flooding. It will also cause problems for the lower orchard for all that water will also kill most of the trees there. On the other hand it will end this stupid winter and we will be able to plant and grow our crops again and rebuild or food supply."
"I see. That is a predicament." said the white unicorn. "Anything I can do to help?" she offered graciously. 
"Not sure really. Unless you can talk some sense into Rainbow here." Twilight huffed as she looked up at the blue pegasus. 
"I can at least try." Rarity smiled.
"Thank you, Rarity."
"Rainbow dear," the white unicorn called up to her friend, "could you come down here for a minute?"
"I can hear you just fine from up here, Rarity. What do you want?" 
"Well don't you think we could go some place a little more...private...to talk things through?"
"We can talk right here. Once again: what do you want?" Rainbow was getting more and more annoyed with everypony and how they weren't seeing things her way.
"Well my dear I think we should maybe wait a few more days and see if Twilight can get a few more pegasi to help us out." Rarity said politely up to her. 
"Rarity we don't HAVE a few more days. There's a nasty storm coming and it'll be here by tomorrow afternoon. We have to do something about this now or else it will be to late to do anything." Rainbow Dash pleaded with her. Fenix looked from the pegasus to the white unicorn standing next to Twilight. Rarity must be her name. She doesn't seem to bad, but then again his impression about unicorns hasn't been a good one. His icy blue eyes looked from Rarity to Twilight over to the earth pony, Apple Jack, up to Fluttershy and then finally resting on Rainbow Dash who was still arguing with Rarity and Twilight. 
"Those were very special ponies..." Sunflower softly said.
"What do you mean?" Fenix turned to her as he inquired to her comment.
"Well a few years ago they had the power of the Elements of Harmony and used them quite a few times to vanquish evil all across Equestria." Sunflower told him. "They even tried to use it on this weather but with no luck. The weather is controlled by the pegasi unless you use some kind of weather magic which some unicorns have learned how to use. We don't use that kind of magic down here in Ponyville. It was founded by earth ponies and winter has always been cleaned up without the aid of magic for centuries."
Fenix nodded once again to her and turned his attention back towards the others. There were a lot more ponies gathered around now than there were not 20 minutes ago. Fenix noticed it was mostly consisted of earth ponies and unicorns. Where were all the pegasi? He though to himself as his eyes scanned those he could see. Some he could not for the giant fountain was blocking his view from part of the square. 
"Fuck this!" said Rainbow Dash loudly as she darted strait up into the sky at an amazing pace. Fenix couldn't belive his eyes for he never has seen a pegasus fly that fast before. 
"Oh no..." Sunflower whimpered and curled up into a ball in the corner of her cage. Fenix quickly looked at her then his eyes darted back to the sky blue pegasus slowly becoming a small dot in the sky.
"Twilight!" called the pale yellow pegasus as she landed softly next to the unicorn. "You must stop her...please!" Twilight just looked at her and then back up towards where Rainbow was for she was so high now that she was out of sight. "Twlight, please...." she whimpered softly getting low on the ground almost as if she was afraid of her.
"Twilight dear," Rarity motioned with a hoof, "are you really going to let her pull off a sonic rain boom?" she asked as she kept her eyes on the sky.
Turning towards Fluttershy, Twilight offered, "If I stop her will you do anything to help me?"
Looking up at her the pale yellow pegasus nodded and in a barely audible voice said, "Yes."
"Pinky promise me then."
"W-what..?" she looked surprised as she sat up. "but we don't have time for that."
"Yes we do. Now Pinky promise that you'll help me no matter what if I stop Rainbow Dash from flooding us all just to end this year long winter."
Looking around nervously towards Rarity and Apple Jack who both nodded towards her she finally gave out a soft sigh and made the promise. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
"Good." Right as Twilight said that a loud crackling could be heard as Rainbow Dash flew into view once more heading strait down towards them the air becoming visible around her. Fenix's eyes went wide at the sight and the speed at which she was moving and thought it was impossible to go that fast. Shaking his head as if tring to wake up from a bad dream he looked back up and she was still coming, faster and faster the air around her becoming more and more visible and now was shrinking in on her. 
Smiling up at the sky Twilight's horn began to glow slowly. Brighter and brighter it got until there was another glow on top of that first one. Quickly looking at Twilight wondering what she planned on doing, Fenix's eyes shifted between her horn and Rainbow Dash coming in at an incredible speed. Suddenly that same glow appeared around Rainbow's right wing as her eyes became wide with surprise then glaring down at Twilight.
"Faster! Faster! Come on Rainbow...almost...." she told herself as she started to reach the thresh hold of the sonic rain boom.
Suddenly two things happened at once: first Twilight said the word, "Boom." and jerked her head slightly to the side, secondly Rainbow's right wing ripped from her body sending her spiraling out of control at that incredible speed. Blood and feathers rained down upon everypony on the ground as many gasps and then stunned silence filled the square. The only thing that could be heard was Rainbow's screams of pain as she free fell from the sky unable to stop or control her decent any longer with only a single wing.
Fenix couldn't take his eyes off of her as he watched her fall. Everyponies' eyes were on the sky blue pegasus as she came closer and closer to the ground. Seconds seemed like hours as they all watched her scream and fall and as quickly as it started it was all over as Rainbow Dash slammed into the wall of Sugar Cube Corner with a sickening thud which shattered the front windows sending shards of glass at the nearest ponies who were standing around watching. Sounds of breaking wood, glass and other things could be heard before there was nothing again. Nobody even heard the soft thud of Rainbow's right wing as it landed in the snow only feet away from Twilight.
"Rainbow Dash is that y..." called a higher pitched voice from inside the shop before turning to frantic screams. "OH MY GOD! RAINBOW!" was heard in the silence as a pink earth pony with a darker shade of pink mane came galloping out. "Twilight! Come quick it's Rainbow. She's hurt badly." Tears were in her eyes as she stopped in front of Twilight and pointed with a hoof towards Sugar Cube Corner.
"Yes, thank you Pinky Pie." was all she said and her horn began to glow again. She levitated Rainbow Dash through one of the broken windows cutting her already broken legs upon the sharp shards of glass. Rainbow's breathing was ragged and slowed for she had a punctured lung and probably more than a few broken ribs. Floating her up and above the fountain she held Rainbow there letting her blood drip into it making the clear water a rich crimson color. 
"That's enough Twi." said the peach earth pony quietly to her. 
"No she must be taught a lesson." Twilight said back and then in a louder voice so all can hear, "Listen up everypony. This is how we punish those who break the rules of tradition. Rainbow Dash decided on that HER way was better than cleaning up winter the proper way. The way we're been doing it for years now." Turning her attention towards the floating pegasus trapped in her magic she continued, "It is time we taught this pegasus some manners."
Fenix could only watch in horror as the scene unfolded before him. How could you treat some pony like this? Wasn't she a good friend of her's? He was saddened and confused and angry and filled with hate but most of all he was filled with sorrow for the young pegasus. His eyes filled with tears as he wished there was anything he could do to save her. He felt so useless, so helpless, and there was nothing in his power that he could do to help.
Twilight's magic split into two parts: one was holding Rainbow Dash the other encased her left wing and held it out for all to see. Rainbow tried to fight, to pull it back towards her body with the last remaining strength that she had but it was unless against the magic of Twilight Sparkle. As if on que more screams of agonizing pain shot through the square as everypony looked on as her left wing started to slowly tear away from her body. Skin and muscles ripping, bones snapping and feathers were being stripped from it. With a sickening pop sound her wing separated from her body as another spray of blood and tissue covered the ground and a few of the onlookers. 
"Twilight, stop!" beckoned Rarity as her eyes were filled with tears. "Please, oh please for the love the Celestia stop this madness." She begged her friend. Twilight looked at the white unicorn and shrugged while releasing Rainbow Dash from her magic letting her splash down into the fountain. At that moment Rarity took off in the bolt as fast as she can, jumping into the water and started to cradle Rainbow's head.
"How could...you do this..." she cried as she looked into Rainbow's fading eyes. With her last bit of strength Rainbow spoke to Rarity.
"..sorry for...getting...your coat..." she tried once more coughing up some blood as the fountain water was now completely crimson which had started to soak into Rarity's shiny white coat.
"Shhhh don't speak now...save your energy..." she whimpered as she brushed some of her multicolored hair out of Rainbow's face.
"If...it wasn't for...the horn..." Rainbow smiled as she slowly reached up and touched Rarity's cheek, "I swear...you...Pinky Pi...." and with that she let out her final breath as her hoof feel back into the water as the last of the color faded from her eyes. Rarity broke down at that moment and wailed uncontrollably for her friend. The silence still lingered for everypony was afraid to move save for Twilight who turned and started slowly walking towards the three pegasi locked in their cages.
"Fluttershy, come." she called without looking behind her. Pushing slowly out of Apple Jack's hooves, the pale pegasus was crying softly for her friend as she walked slowly behind Twilight, her head down in morning. Apple Jack wiped her eyes and walked over to Pinky Pie as she just sat there crying silently in shock at what she just witnessed Twilight do to one of their most beloved friends. 
"Now it's time to do what you promised and help me out." She said to Fluttershy as the pegasus stopped a few feet behind her before turning back to the three with a smile and an look in her eye that would freeze even hell over.