//------------------------------// // Fire Fight {Part 2} // Story: Fanning Our Flames // by Evowizard25 //------------------------------// Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns The only sound Gingersnap could hear in the empty classroom was the slow page turns from their professor. The little unicorn filly was supposed to be spending her time studying for a series of pop quizzes for the semester. She mentally scoffed at that. ‘Why am I being punished? For calling that orphan out? Oh please, everypony knows she’s really stupid. She’s cheating somehow.’ She didn’t care to remember some other unsavory acts, because she felt they were justified. So having to take an additional set of quizzes for the semester made her blood boil. The teacher would occasionally give her a glare when he stared up from his book. Being mean to Celestia’s kid would get you those types of looks. Gingersnap was used to them. ‘They don’t understand. Sunset shouldn’t be her daughter. Celestia should be teaching me. She should be paying attention to me. She should have taken me!’ She glared over at the reading teacher. Usually they would make students do something to make up for their misdeeds. She did have to worry about the new quizzes, but doing nothing right now? That was torture. She already knew everything in the text books before her. She was the smartest being in this school, if you were to ask her. She gave the teacher a snooty gaze as he walked out. She was going to have to pull through this. She’s show them that she was great. She didn’t have to fear anyone here. Her parents would… she started to seize up at that. ‘I got detention. I got detention. Oh Celestia, please no. They’re going too… they’re going too…’ “Hey,” a hoof bumped against her shoulder. “Are you alright?” Gingersnap turned to look at a yellow filly beside her, “Wha- who are you?” “Giddilee,” the filly smiled. “I got in trouble when I threw a pie into the teacher’s face, which was on accident mind you. Then I saw you looked like you were having a fit, so I wanted to know if you were going to be alright.” Gingersnap narrowed her eyes, “Why do you care?” “Why can’t I care?” Giddilee asked in return. “Just leave me alone,” Gingersnap turned away from her and back to her books. “Are you sure?” Giddilee asked. “Well, maybe you are. I’m sure your friends are worried about you and they’ll make you smile.” “I don’t have any friends,” Gingersnap snorted. ‘Friendship is stupid. It holds you back.’ She was startled nearly out of her seat when Giddilee gasped. “No friends? That’s terrible.” She gave her a serious expression. “From here on out, I’ll be your friend.” Gingersnap blinked in confusion, “Wait, what?” ____________________________________________________________________________ Gingersnap cowered in the remains of what was once a home. She held her hooves to her ears, trying desperately to block out the sounds going on outside. She could have used a spell to block it out, but she was too scared to properly think straight at the moment. ‘It’s not happening. It’ll be alright. It’s fine.’ The crashing and burning kept happening around her. She just kept pressing harder and harder into herself as she kept up this mantra. She wouldn’t think about this. It’d go away. That’s what she told herself, at least. It would go away and she’d be fine. ‘Yes, fine. Fine. Fine. FINE! GO AWAY!’ Yet the fighting seemed to go on. Sometimes it would stop and she’d slowly get to her hooves, before jumping to the ground it started up again. The dragon kept shouting. ‘SHUT UP!’ She kept trying to think of herself somewhere else. Somewhere safe. To which the world gave her a resounding crash as something smashed through the wall. “WHAAAAAA!” Gingersnap looked up to see that it was a soot covered Sunset. Sunset shook most of it off and glared at the now empty hole. “Is that the best you’ve got?!! My mother could hit harder in her sleep.” “S-Sunset?” Gingersnap stuttered. Sunset looked over at her, “What are you doing here, Gingersnap? I thought you’d have ran for it the moment you had the chance.” What was left of Gingersnap’s pride pushed her back onto her hooves, “I wouldn’t run away from an overgrown lizard.” Sunset snorted, “That’s what you say. I don’t even know why he’s here anyway. This dragon was supposed……” Sunset’s eyes widened as she looked at Gingersnap. “Did you bring the dragon here?” “I….” Gingersnap gulped. “You did!” Sunset jabbed a hoof at her. “What the hay is your problem?” “How did you know?!!” Gingersnap stared at her. “I didn’t,” Sunset smirked. “I guessed and you just confirmed it. I mean, you happen to show up in town and not but a few days later the dragon that’s suppose to be asleep for the next several decades wakes up? Did you really think I wouldn’t suspect anything?” Gingersnap gulped and nervously smiled, “Coincidence?” Sunset gave her a deadpan stare. “Okay! I tried to fake a dragon kill and he got angry. So what? It’s not like I asked him to come here and burn down the town.” “That’s the dumbest excuse I’ve ever heard,” Sunset shook her head. “And I don’t have time for you. I have to go back out there and clean up your mess.” “Why?” Gingersnap snarled, stomping right over to her. “So you can be the hero again? So you can be Celestia’s prized daughter with all the glory to yourself.” “What is the matter with you?” Sunset glared right back at her. “This isn’t about us.” “It’s always been about us!” Gingersnap shouted in her face. “It’s always been me and you. ALWAYS! You’re the prized student. You’re the beloved daughter. You’re everything and look at what you’ve done to me.” “Done to you?!!” Sunset pushed her back with a scathing glare. “Do you know what you did to me and Spike when we were growing up? How much you put us through?” “Do you know what you put me through?” Gingersnap snapped. “I lost everything because of you. My reputation, my earnings, even my family. No one wanted me when they could have the pretty, perfect little unicorn.” She spat at Sunset’s hooves. “You didn’t earn it. You didn’t earn anything.” “Oh my mom!” Sunset facehooved. “You’re really doing this? Right now? There’s a dragon outside torching the town, trying to kill us.” “Well it wouldn’t have happened-” “IF WE WEREN’T TWO BITCHES!” Sunset shouted, accompanied by another crash and facing a female diamond dog. “No offense.” “None taken,” the dog dug down into the ground. “Uhhhh,” Gingersnap blinked in confusion. “It’s one of Rarity’s dogs,” Sunset nonchalantly explained and then sighed. “Look, I’m sorry for what happened. I’m not going to say I regret what I did specifically to you, because I don’t. I enjoyed tossing you around and beating you in tests. ” “Thanks,” Gingersnap snorted. ‘I hate her so much.’ “But we can’t go on like this,” Sunset said. “It’s not us that’s just being hurt by our feud. Everyone is.” “I don’t care!” Gingersnap snarled, closing her eyes. She tried to block out the pain, but tears started to pour down her face. “I don’t care about anyone. I don’t. No on cares about me, so I return the favor. I want to beat you. I want to show the world I matter. That I don’t live in your shadow. I want out of it! I want to live in the sunlight for one moment! Is that too hard to ask? Is a little appreciation too much?!!” Sunset was silent for a moment, “Giddilee cares.” Gingersnap looked at her in surprise, “W-what?” Sunset didn’t say anything and ran out after the dragon. Gingersnap was rooted in place. ‘I… but that doesn’t count. Giddilee is just Giddilee. I want more. I want… she’s the only one who’s cared about me, but she’s not my family. She’s not the world. She... ‘ She put a hoof to her head as it started to ache. Her medine should have been still active. She walked over to the whole and watched Sunset fight the dragon. From magic blasts to vine whips, nothing really worked. Sometimes, someone else would try to help. It was either the dogs or guards, but they didn’t prove to be much of a challenge to the dragon. ‘This is hopeless. They need to run. I need to run. They can distract it long enough… but they could die… That doesn’t matter. They don’t matter…. What if they do?... Shut up and run!’ Sunset didn’t run. She was racing around the dragon, teleporting and slamming a hard-knock spell into the dragon’s tail and fists when it came down. She didn’t seem afraid. She was a hero. ‘I should be the hero. I want people to see me for once. Is that too hard to ask?’ Her inner turmoil blinded her to the danger. The dragon had noticed her. He wanted to keep that one alive, but he was so frustrated he didn’t care at this moment. He just wanted to kill something. “You’re still here?” The dragon snorted. “Pitiful. Oh well, perhaps I’ll leave some of the peasants alive after all and remind them of the one who brought my fury down upon this disgusting little town.” “HEY!” Sunset shouted, “It’s me you’re-” She was cut off when the dragon’s tail wrapped around her legs and smashed her into the side of a building. Gingersnap couldn’t help but wince at that. She didn’t get to do much else when the dragon brought up his fist and went to smash her sideways with it. It didn’t really matter where or how he hit her. She was a unicorn and in a sorry state at that. Sunset could survive because she was using little shield spells. ‘This is how I go?’ The blow never hit her. Instead, it smashed into the barrier Giddilee put up the second she jumped in front of her. The unicorn’s magic gave out within seconds, but it was just long enough to stall the attack and save Gingersnap. Giddilee wasn’t so lucky as she screamed as the blow sent her flying. “Giddilee!” Gingersnap screamed louder than she ever had before. She raced on over as the dragon started to laugh. Her fallen from had almost smashed clean through a building and was lying on the ground. Her body was covered in bruises and blood trickled out from underneath her. Sitting down, Gingersnap gently picked her friend’s head in her hooves. “Giddilee, why? Why did you jump in front of me?” Giddilee gave her a weak smile. Her face twitched in pain as though the simple gesture was agonizing. “Because that’s what friends do.” “B-but…” Gingersnap choked on her words. Her cheeks were matted with tears. Some of them trailed downwards onto her friend. She couldn’t believe it. Even as she felt her friend go colder and colder. “I….” “W-we had a lot of fun…” Giddilee coughed, spraying a few droplets onto Gingersnap’s face. “Sorry.” “Don’t apologize,” Gingersnap sobbed. “Please don’t. Please don’t ever say you’re sorry. I’m… I so, so sorry. It’s my fault and… you shouldn’t have done that. You should have let me die.” “Never,” Giddilee said without any hesitation, causing slightly. “Y-you’d do the same for me.” Gingersnap didn’t move. She didn’t say anything. ‘Would I? Would I do that? She’s my friend, but… But? BUT?!!’ Gingersnap felt sick to her core. She hated every ounce of who she was at this moment and she just wanted to disappear. “Don’t leave me…Giddilee?” Her friend wasn’t responding. “GIDDILEE!” “Oh how sad,” Ragnok, the great green dragon, chuckled as he loomed over the pair. “To think, if  you had just listened to me, she would be okay.” He leaned his head down. “To think, if you had actually been smart and left my cave, she would be fine.” Gingersnap didn’t answer with anything more than a choked sob. ‘He’s right. She’s gone because of me. My only friend… GONE!’ She felt her whole world shatter around her. Her heart beat like a wildebeest, smashing against her ribcage as it fought to escape the pain. “Such a waste of life,” Ragnok mocked. “She could have lived to a golden age, but now?” He chuckled. His snout almost touched them. His piercing gaze cut right through her. “I am a merciful dragon. Let none tell you differently. You’re suffering. Agonizing.” He pulled away and Gingersnap couldn’t think of what he meant by that. “This day has been interesting and I have wished to soak myself in pure carnage for too long. I have to thank you for this. So pony, I shall give you a choice. How do you wish to die?” When the mare didn’t respond, he grinned. Flames licked his lips as he took a deep breath and fired point blank at them. Ragnok grinned through the fire and death and cut off his attack to see the damage. However, he didn’t expect to hear a sucking noise. He really didn’t expect to see that pony, Sunset Shimmer, actually eating his flames. She was sucking them into her mouth and didn’t stop until they were gone. “What is this?” _________________________________________________________________________ Sunset patted her belly, “Now that’s the stuff. Woo, I need to try out some more of your flyers because your flames are so spicy~” ‘Oh I’ve got to ask mom if we can visit the dragon lands again some time soon.’ Ragnok scowled, “You dare consume my fire, pony?” “I do dare,” Sunset smirked. “Thanks for the snack. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to make the next few minutes of your life a living Tartarus.” Ragnok laughed. “Oh really? You think you can take on a dragon? You’re nothing more than a measly fire mage.” “Pfft, says you.” Sunset’s eyes blazed with righteous fury. Fire licked around her body. “I happen to be a Fire Blood Elemental.” When the dragon’s eyes widened, Sunset chuckled. “Oh yeah, you’ve done it now.” The fire’s growing around her suddenly grew into an inferno that consumed her form. They shaped themselves to make her out in the blaze. Said form shifted and grew. From its back grew two wings and a tail fought its way out from behind. As soon as it was finished, the flames were gone. Instead of a regular unicorn, there stood a being thrice her size. She paled in comparison to the dragon still, but she could give a full grown Knight a run for their money. Draconic wings flapped about, sending small little embers flying about. Her tail slashed across the air. Her body was covered in furry plates of armor, like a mixture of a dragon’s and a pony. Her eyes were rather much like a dragons and her large fangs confirmed the mixture. “Do you think this is funny?” Ragnok snarled. “Taking the form of a dragon? You disgrace the very name ‘dragon’. I will make sure you die slowly.” “You can try,” Sunset flapped her wings. Like a rocket, she bolted up from the ground, striking the dragon underneath his chin. Her large hooves and newfound strength sent waves of pain along the dragon’s jaw as he was forced upwards from the strike. Ragnok was stunned for a moment. He couldn’t comprehend a pony actually hurting him like that. Him! A dragon. Before he could process this fact, Sunset zoomed right smack dab between his eyes. She hit him with enough force to send him knock him down to the ground. She pulled up higher into the air and shot fire from her both into the sky. Her horn glowed, spewing another jet of flames. The two jets came together, fueling a large ball of flame that grew large enough to encase the dragon’s torso. Grinning, she fired the ball right into the dragon as he tried to get up. Needless to say, it smashed him into the ground. While normal flames were useless against dragons, these were imbued with dragon essence. It wouldn’t severely damage him, but it would hurt and that was enough for Sunset. She just needed to stall him until Vinyl and Turner came. ‘Hurry up, you two.’ She was also glad everyone else had run for it after a while. The guards and Rarity’s dogs were too tired to do much of anything at this point. Rarity and most of them were with the civilians, so they didn’t have the numbers to help her. She was on her own. So she charged up another blast. Ragnok quickly spun around and fired a plume of fire straight at her. The flames momentarily blinded her, but did nothing but give her another boost. As she slurped the last bit of it, she smirked. “Thanks for-” A massive hand gripped her tightly and plunged her into the ground. The blow knocked the wind right out of her. Ragnok wasn’t about to let her catch it again, so he smashed another fist into her and then another. He kept at it, grinning maliciously as he tried to pummel the mare into paste. Pulling back, he snorted. “I assumed the daughter of Celestia would have been smarter than this.” “She is.” Inside the crater, Sunset smiled up at the dragon. After the second or third punch, she used her magic to form a shield around herself. While she wasn’t that skilled with shields, she was able to mix it with dragon essence to strengthen it. Many of her scales were broken and bleeding, but she was fine overall. The magic of the shield zipped into a tiny sphere in her hoof, before she jutted it out. Instantly, the ball was the size of his eye and knocked him back with energy he hadn’t felt before. Teleporting up to his eye level, she sent a wave of magic with a flap of her wing that smacked the side of his head. Reacting quickly, Ragnok gave her a good backhanded slap that sent her flying into a building. She groaned as she laid in the rubble for a few seconds. ‘I can’t keep this up. I know he won’t use any more of his fire and he’s faster than I thought he’d be. Smarter too.’ She got up and glared out at the charging dragon. ‘But I’m not going to quit.’ ________________________________________________________________________ Gingersnap glanced over to see the dragon smash into a large barrier of magic. The dragon roared in pain and fury as he rubbed his head and was pushed back by another blast to his chest. It didn’t topple him this time. ‘She can’t keep this up. She’s using too much power in her strikes. She’s not going to win.’ Gingersnap closed her eyes as rivers of tears cascaded down. ‘I’m going to die. I’m… I”m…” She opened them up again to look at Giddilee’s still smiling face. Every laugh. Every hug. Every joke. She remembered it all. ‘Giddilee never abandoned me. She… was my friend and I treated her like dirt.’ “I never told you how much you mean to me, Giddilee. You were like a sister and I….” She choked up on those words. Until the dragon roared again. Something inside her snapped. She wasn’t going to run. Not anymore. She glowered at the dragon and gently laid her friend’s head down. “I’ll be right back.” She levitated herself slowly into the air. With each passing second, she poured more and more of her magic into her horn. She watched as the dragon pressed his attack against something. Sunset was giving the dragon Tartarus. One of the dragon’s hand was bent out of shape after Sunset set a timed explosion inside his fist. Still, he wasn’t going to relent and unless Sunset got a lucky hit, this wasn’t going to go well for the unicorn. Gingersnap was going to change that. She stopped the moment she could look the dragon in the eye. She wanted to savor this. “RAGNOK!” She hollered. He looked over at her. “You took my friend from me! The only one who ever cared about me! You’re going to pay.” Ragnok laughed, “Oh really? Pray tell, what is a unicorn like yourself capable of? A few magic tricks to frighten me, perhaps?” “No,” was all Gingersnap said. A sigil formed before her and she shot out her hooves as her magic reached its climaxed. “Watch in awe as the Stupendous Gingersnap performs her greatest feat: TWIN SERPENT STRIKE!” Her horn flared and out shot a beam of magic straight through the sigil. Through the air, the beam split in two, becoming serpent like. Ragnok didn’t have any time to react as the energy serpents slammed into him. The resulting blast knocked the wind out of his sails, so to speak, letting Sunset gain some needed distance. “Why you little-” Sunset took the opportunity to smashed a hoof into his jaw, “Don’t forget about me.” Ragnok roared, throwing them both back in the air. They caught themselves before they could fall. Out from Ragnok’s tail erupted several long spikes. “I’ve had it with you ponies. This ends now.” With that, he charged. It honestly sounded more like an earthquake, a real force of nature moving their way. Sunset looked over at Gingersnap, “You with me?” She reached out a hoof and in between the two of them, formed a sphere of magic. Catching onto what she meant, Gingersnap smiled. “Of course.” She reached out as well and the ball grew exponentially. “Just don’t call this attack, okay.” Sunset quipped. Gingersnap laughed, “Fine, just this once.” With that said, they let the ball fly forward, turning it into a beam of magic from the base of their horns. The beam struck the dragon, causing him to roar in pain. Yet, he wouldn’t stop advancing. He wasn’t running now, but he was steadily pushing through the attack. “KEEP IT UP!” Sunset yelled. “I’m trying,” Gingersnap was. She was giving it all. The mare could even feel blood starting to trickle out of her nose, mouth, and ears with this constant pressure. ‘I’m going to kill myself. Why am I okay with this?’ That’s when she remembered. “From here on out, I’ll be your friend.” ‘For her.’ Gingersnap gave a roar of her own as she put everything she had into this blast. The dragon finally started to buckle and finally they sent him flying several yards. The dragon crushed a few buildings underneath his body. ‘I… did it.’ With that, she fell into darkness. _______________________________________________________________ Sunset gently lowered Gingersnap’s body to the ground. She smiled as a few of the remaining guards took her and Giddilee away. ‘I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe she’s not all that bad.’ She flew over to the dragon. She knew he wasn’t dead, but maybe now he was in the mood to talk. “So, are you ready to surrender?” Ragnok didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. His tail shot up from the ground and one of his spikes snagged her wing. She screamed in pain as it was torn from her, falling to the ground. Her eyes widened when the dragon’s fire was depleted. In a flash of white, she was herself again. Ragnok chuckled, “Impressive display, I have to give her that. However,” he raised himself up. “It’s all over now.” He lunged forward, ready to sink his teeth into her at last. He didn’t get the chance. Spike struck the dragon’s jaw with his fist. Thanks to him being an Earth Dragon, it actually worked in diverting the death blow. “Don’t you dare touch my sister.” “Your sister?” Ragnok’s fire blazed in his mouth as though he was cleaning out a foul taste. “You dare associate with these ponies?” “I do,” Spike narrowed his eyes. “Traitor!” Ragnok struck again. Spike had his strength, but he couldn’t keep himself from being eaten for that long. He didn’t have to. “VINYL, NOW!” Time Turner’s voice shouted over the battle. A beam of pure energy struck the dragon’s chest. It was far stronger than any previously seen that night, which is why it took the dragon off his feet without any effort. Ragnok let loose a cry of agony and anger as he was sent hurtling into the Everfree Forest. “OH YEAH!” Vinyl let out a cheer. “That’s what happens when you mess with Ponyville, jackass… No offense.” She called over to an older donkey named Matilda who was watching over Giddilee. “None taken,” she waved it off without a care. “S-Spike?” Sunset looked up at her brother. “I thought-” “I wouldn’t abandon you,” Spike gingerly picked her up in his arms as he walked upright. He was thankful he could do that with ease. He smiled down at her. “I’m just happy you’re okay.” Sunset nodded, but then looked over at Gingersnap and Giddilee. “Not all of us are though.” “You actually care about those two?” Spike questioned. “I… I’m in no position to judge.” Sunset sighed. “Wow, that’s actually really mature of you.” He narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure you’re the real, Sunset?” “Ask me that again and I’ll drop you from a ten story building.” Sunset glared up at him. Spike laughed and nuzzled her, “That’s my sister.” Sunset could help but nuzzle him back.