Breath of Fire

by Shahrazad

Breath of Fire chapter 2

Written by: Shahrazad
Edited by: Level Dasher
Cover art by: TheNoodleFace

Breath of Fire, chapter 2

~~~~~

Twilight blinked and her face went slack. Dash was bouncing on her hooves, concern etched across her face as she waited for a reaction. Rarity was the first to speak, “What? How? Oh this is terrible! Twilight, is anypony in the-“

“SPIKE!” Twilight Sparkle’s brain parsed the situation and went to the only logical place it could go: blind terror for her companion, assistant, and friend. There was a flash of indigo light and she was gone. Dash felt relief, that’s the Twilight she knew. Dash tried to bolt out the window, only to be stopped short. Her tail was being held back keeping her in place as she flapped her wings in futility, she hated that. Looking back she found Rarity with her prismatic tail held in her magical grip, it was unlike Rarity to do such a thing.

“Hey what gives! I need to help put out the fire!”

“There’s glass all over my kitchen.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Ok I’m sorry I broke your window, but can we please do this AFTER Ponyville isn’t about to go up in smoke?” Rarity sighed and released her magic as a memory of sleepovers flashed a warning to her about priorities.

“Alright, let’s take care of Twilight and Spike first.”

~~~~~

Twilight appeared in a flash of indigo light right outside of the library. She had never teleported that far before, especially when she couldn’t see the destination. It was a supreme risk to do so but she didn’t even think about it. She just reacted and went home - all she could think about was not seeing Spike ever again. The thought made her heart pound and her breath shallow.

The library was surrounded by fire stallions, a chain gang of them passing water buckets from the well to the library. One of them was a unicorn, his horn peeking under his fire helmet. His magic was exemplary, moving liquids was always a difficult trick. But he took each bucketful of water and with a deft turn of his head floated it up to the second story balcony. That balcony was belching flames, black smoke rising from Twilight’s bedroom. The fire wasn’t huge, but it still frightened Twilight to her core. She was about to buck the front door open when one of the fire stallions stopped her by physically body checking her, making her nearly fall down. “Where do you think you’re going? Stay back, can’t you see the building is on fire?” The bucket of water sloshed as he set it down. “Let the professionals handle this.”

Tears were in her eyes and not from the smoke. There was another flash of indigo light and the purple mare was gone. The fire stallion blinked, “Where’d she go?”

Twilight appeared inside of her library, that familiar place she called home. But this wasn’t her home, at least not the one she recognized. Smoke and heat filled the room, billowing out from the second floor bedroom. Coughing, she stumbled upstairs into her bedroom, “SPIKE,” she called out. She sucked in a lungful of air trying to call his name again but all that came out was a coughing fit. Staying low she crawled on her belly trying to stay below the smoke and flames.

Her bed was on fire, the sheets turned to ashes. Her wooden bed frame was cracked, flames curling about it. Hot ashes and burning cinders floated down to dust everything. She yelped as a hot flake of ash settled on her flank. Smoke stung her eyes and lungs. She found the charred remains of a basket buried beneath a pile of ashes. SPIKE! Tears flowed freely from her eyes, she couldn’t see anything beyond the blur of tears and smoke. Her lungs burned and all she could smell was the acrid fumes of her life drifting away. She began to tear through the warm piles of ash, using her hooves more than her eyes.

SKNNNXXXX

Her heart fluttered, she dug faster. She was nearly hyperventilating when her hoof struck a warm, breathing lump. She pulled that warm purple lump towards her and held it with a strength she didn’t know she had.

“Miss? Are you in here? We gotta get you out.” She stumbled down stairs towards the source of the voice. She kept coughing and gulping air, but somehow her legs kept moving forward. “I found her!” a hoof was thrown around her. She kept coughing, her eyes useless now with all of the smoke and tears. But she kept going forward.

~~~~~

Twilight Sparkle was laying on her back on soft grass. Her friends and a fire stallion were around her. The fire stallion was a dark green earth pony with a blonde mane named Heat Wave. He kept Twilight cool with a water soaked cloth and he checked her vitals every so often. He wore a weak smile on his face that grew with each passing minute. He also shot annoyed glances at her friends and tried to shoo them away without success. Spike was sleeping next to Twilight, still snoring softly and covered in a fine layer of ash. Despite the smudge and scorch marks on him, he seemed unharmed.

Rarity was holding Spike’s head in her hooves, stroking him softly. Once she realized Spike was still in the library all thoughts of her broken window were forgotten. Fluttershy finally convinced Heat Wave to leave them alone as she could administer first aid. Heat Wave grumbled something about being a professional but left to put out the last of the fire. Fluttershy put her doctoring gear on and went to work. Her expression was calm, nothing was wrong and she could tell this within seconds. Smoke inhalation would pass before dinner time, and Twilight’s other vital signs were good. “She’s going to be alright.” Everypony breathed a sigh of relief.

They continued to stare at the ground with concerned expressions. Spike in particular drew their eyes. He was still snoring, but every time he exhaled a thin trail of smoke escaped his nostrils. Spike giggled in his sleep, and shifted in Rarity’s hooves with a smile on his face.

~~~~~

She was there, shifting closer to him in the dark. The night was warm, but the Everfree forest seemed to crowd closer to them, the trees threatening to attack at any moment. “Spike I’m scared, what ever are we going to do?” Rarity said with obvious fear in her voice.

Spike, a big strong dragon with a shining sword and shimmering scales held her close, “Don’t worry lady Rarity, I will not allow anything to happen to you.”

“Oh Spike,” she placed the back of her hoof to her forehead and swooned into him. Spike’s smile stretched wide and blush crept up his cheeks.

AWOOOO

“Timberwolves? Get behind me lady Rarity!” Spike shifted the mare behind him as she used his tail like a safety blanket. A trio of timberwolves appeared from the undergrowth, their wooden limbs creaking as they moved. They growled and started to slink in closer. “Stay back foul beasts. You will not lay a claw nor tooth on her!” Spike filled his lungs with a mass of warm air. The timberwolves got too close, one of them crouched, ready to pounce.

Spike exhaled fire with abandon and the timberwolves caught like kindling. He laughed with joy to see them run away with flames outlining their forms. They lost all semblance of stealth or courage and were little more than candle flames in the distance when Rarity hugged him from behind. “Oh Spike, I was so worried.” He knelt down near her and puckered his lips. And now for the hero’s reward he thought with glee.

~~~~~

Twilight was standing now but Applejack was always near her ready to catch her should she fall. Her legs had the occasional tremor in them but she refused to stay in bed. She demanded to see Spike the moment she could stand. Applejack and Twilight walked down the hospital ward, passing nurses and open doorways. Each room contained a tragedy that was slowly healing by the tender love and care of the staff. Their own purple tragedy was occupying room 229 at the end of the hall. Applejack and Twilight entered the brightly lit room, the sun was out and the nurses opened all of the blinds in the hospital to let the light in. It set a cheery mood for an otherwise melancholy ward.

Spike was still in bed, with Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy surrounding him with bated breath. Each time he exhaled the ponies tensed, watching for any more signs of smoke. “I’m more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room fulla rockin’ chairs.” Applejack’s drawl made the other four ponies turn to see Twilight on her own hooves.

They all smiled. Pinkie Pie bounced over to Twilight and exclaimed, “I’m going to throw a get well soon party as soon as you two are out of here. It’s going to have balloons, and cake, oh and candles! We’ll laugh in the face of fire and danger just like Twilight did. Oh-oh-oh and we can include those joke fire extinguishers too!” She turned, “Spike is going to get better just as soon as he stops eating spicy food, right?” She spoke while pointing at a mirror hanging in the open closet, her big blue eyes stared into it with a knowing look and a huge grin on her face.

Twilight laughed weakly, “Who are you talking to Pinkie? Yourself?”

Pinkie Pie laughed, “No silly I don’t talk to myself! Well not too much, and I never get a reply anyways. I was talking to-“

“Shhh, Pinkie don’t make so much noise, we’re in a hospital. Um, if that’s alright with you.” Fluttershy’s voice trailed off at the end becoming almost a whisper.

Twilight managed to get to Spike’s bedside, everypony was gazing at him waiting for something. “Is he ok? You’re all watching him like he’s about to explode.” Rarity sniffed and scrunched her nose. She blinked back tears. The other’s looked away from Twilight.

“Uh, poor choice of words egghead.” Rainbow Dash said biting her lower lip. She looked down at her own hooves and continued, “After you rescued him we watched him breathe out smoke. And once he even snorted out a little fire.”

Twilight tilted her head, “Well that’s normal, did you get the letter?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head and Rarity explained, “No Twilight, not green flames like our cute little Spike, but the red and orange kind that dragons normally breathe.”

Twilight gasped, “You mean like a full grown fire-breathing dragon? And smoke like, I’m going to take a nap and cover the town in black oily smoke, smoke?” Her friends all nodded. Twilight’s ears dropped to her head, “No, not my Spike.” Her mind slowly worked through the situation, “Wait a minute, you don’t think he started the fire do you?” She looked at all of her friends.

None of her friends could look her in the eye except for the element of honesty, “Sorry Twi, I speak for everypony when I say I reckon he started the fire.”

Twilight shook her head, “No that’s not…” but the logical part of her mind crushed her thoughts in her windpipe. “Maybe something else started the fire.”

She didn’t believe it. Neither did any of her friends and their expressions said as much. Fluttershy kept quiet, Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to say something but closed it and looked down. Even Pinkie Pie didn’t have a smile for Twilight. Rarity spoke first, “I’ll grant you that perhaps Spike didn’t cause it and this is just a coincidence. But even if he didn’t, he could cause a new fire if we leave him like this. We need to watch him for no other reason than to ensure he is unharmed.” But Twilight knew that wasn’t the only reason.

They all stared at Spike, he was lying in the hospital bed snoring quietly and each time he exhaled a little wisp of smoke trailed out. Spike started to shift in his sleep. He mumbled something about, “My lady Rarity” making all of the ponies stifle a laugh while Rarity started to blush. Spike’s face grew serious and he drew in a breath that filled his lungs and he held it there.

Everypony in the room leaned in a bit closer to watch him. When he exhaled, a bright gout of orange flame shot across the room, making Rainbow Dash yelp and dart out of the way. It hit the hospital curtains and set one on fire. Spike’s glass of water, waiting for him patiently for hours for him to wake, was sacrificed in seconds to rescue the floral curtains. Everypony’s heart was thumping wildly, Applejack just stood there with the empty glass wondering what to do. Rarity spoke up, “I hated floral patterns anyway.”

It took a moment but they all started to laugh, Pinkie Pie tore the burnt curtain down and waved it around like a streamer. “This is going to be the new party banner. I’ll give it to Spike afterwards, first curtain slain by the mighty dragon.” This made everypony laugh even more. They couldn’t help themselves; it was laugh or give in to fear.

“What is going on in here?” Nurse Redheart opened the door and trotted into the room. She glanced at Spike still snoring while she continued to scan the room. When her gaze fell on Pinkie Pie and the burnt piece of cloth in her mouth she narrowed her eyes.. “I knew it! He’s trouble - he’s not a little baby anymore. He’s a fire-breathing dragon and we have tanks of oxygen in this hospital, not to mention the injured and sick.”

Twilight tried to stop her as she spun on a hoof and headed for the door, “Wait, please, he needs help!”

“The doctors were being polite to take in an animal, but we’re not going to keep him here when he’s fit and a danger to every other patient in the building!” She trotted out.

Twilight Sparkle had never been so indignant in her life. Animal?! How dare she! Before she could march after her she turned to her friends with hope blossoming in her chest, “Wait a minute, did she say he’s ok?”

“I reckon so. The doc can’t do much for ‘im but they didn’t find anything wrong neither.” Applejack smiled, “They jus’ wanted to keep him fer ‘observation’.”

The door opened again and this time two nurses and a doctor were standing behind the doorway with stern expressions, “He’s officially discharged, take him outside where he can get some fresh air. And take the curtain with you.” Pinkie Pie bounced with joy at this, but the other ponies didn’t find it funny, especially Twilight.

~~~~~

The group found themselves outside, with Spike on Twilight’s back still snoring softly. “What do we do now? We can’t just leave him like that.” Rainbow Dash said with concern written on her face.

“Oh I know! Let’s wake him up and ask him to stop breathing fire!” Pinkie Pie bounced at her own brilliance.

Twilight stopped in her tracks, a faint breeze causing dust to flow around her hooves. The others continued for a few more paces before they realized she had stopped. They turned to face her, “That’s actually a good idea. He’s been asleep for too long anyway, it isn’t healthy.”

“YAY!” Pinkie Pie bounced in place, “I’ll get my tuba, and flute, AND BANJO!” She said this last bit with unrestrained glee. Twilight suspected she had been tricked into letting Pinkie Pie try to wake Spike with a one pony marching band.

They all trotted into the library while Pinkie Pie retrieved her instruments from various tree hollows, potted plants, and in one case another pony’s tail. Twilight set Spike down gently on the table and ducked into the basement to retrieve her own instruments (the medical kind not the musical kind). When she returned Spike was snoring loudly again, smoke escaping from his nose as he smiled in his sleep.

Fluttershy had her stethoscope out and was placing it against various spots on his chest and stomach. She must have hit a ticklish spot on Spike because he began to laugh. A bright stream of fire shot out of his right nostril and flew above Applejack’s head. Everypony in the room jumped back with a start.

“AHHHHH,” Applejack hollered as she galloped away in a panic, her precious cowpony hat had caught fire.

“Applejack, wait!” Twilight called but the farm pony was nowhere to be seen. She just shook her head, I’ll take care of that later, we need to wake up Spike first.

The faint smell of burning wood wafted from upstairs making Twilight feel out of place in her own library. Several of the books were wet, but thankfully few had been burned. Just a few of her personal books in her room, but these were far from her mind. Her three remaining friends stood around the table, torn between trying to help Spike and fear of what he might do at any moment.

Pinkie Pie burst into the room through the door covered in instruments. Without warning she trotted around the table Spike was laying on while playing every instrument on her at the same time. This included a harmonica, tuba, flute, drums, cymbals, and of course a banjo. The cacophony of noise was offensive in every way imaginable to the ears. Four sets of ears dropped and four jaws were set against the musical assault, it continued for some time before Twilight realized this “song” might not have an end.

“ENOUGH, MAKE IT STOP!” Rarity wailed. Rainbow Dash, her ears flat and her jaw clenched, hovered over Pinkie as she yanked away the banjo and the tuba.

“Not the banjo! I wasn’t finished with the symphony yet.”

SKNNNXXXX

Rainbow Dash’s ears perked up at the sound of snoring, “It didn’t work Pinkie.”

“Well it worked if you wanted to burst my eardrums,” Rarity mumbled.

“Ok it’s my turn,” Rainbow Dash said with trademark enthusiasm. She flew out the balcony and returned a moment later pushing a cloud that looked like a dark ball of cotton candy.

Twilight’s ears fell, “Please, no more water in the library, I have to replace enough books as it is.”

“Don’t worry egghead, the only one getting wet is: SPIKE!” she yelled as she bucked the cloud with all her strength. The cloud rumbled ominously for a moment before letting loose a torrent of water. It fell on Spike and soaked him in seconds. His open mouth collected rain water like a bird bath.

SKNNNXXXX-blurb-cough-cough

Spike rolled over. He wouldn’t need to wake up for a drink of water from this slumber. Rainbow Dash’s eyes went wide before she grit her teeth and glared at Spike’s sleeping form. “Gonna play tough huh? How about some thunder!” She leapt onto the cloud and treated it like a trampoline. Arcs of lightning shot around the library causing Twilight to yelp and cover some of her more precious tomes. Rarity and Fluttershy backed into the corner of the room. Pinkie Pie danced around singing in the rain.

Rumble-booOOOOMMMMmmm

Thunder rolled out of the library making the entire building vibrate. A few of the books and other small objects shook off of the shelves and tumbled onto the floor. The black cloud dissipated, it’s rain, lightning, and thunder were spent.

SKNNNXXXX

“Oh you have got to be kidding me!” Rainbow Dash was still hovering above Spike. Water, or perhaps drool, was leaking out of his mouth onto the table. Puddles of water were everywhere. Spike smacked his lips and stretched… before he rolled back over onto his other side letting out another puff of smoke. His chest began to rise and fall again in a steady rhythm. Twilight was scared but couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. She had never seen Spike sleep so well or so long before this, not even when he was a baby.

Fluttershy trotted over to the table and looked at Spike. Her eyes showed a gentleness that most ponies could only aspire to. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Fluttershy, if marching bands and thunder can’t wake him, what can we do?”

Fluttershy nuzzled Spike making him shift in his sleep and smile again. “Oh he’s so cute when he’s asleep, are you sure you want to wake him?”

“Yes, yes, YES!” Twilight said as excitement began to rise in her chest. “Do you have an idea? I’ve never had any trouble waking him up before, but if you know some special way to wake animals maybe it will work on Spike.” The thought of calling Spike an animal irked her. She considered Spike family, not a pet. But if it could work on all the little animals in Fluttershy’s care…

“Oh, um, no,” Twilight’s ears dropped. “I just wanted to try and wake him gently, um, if that’s ok with you.”

Twilight began to look around the library for books on sleep, “Sure thing Fluttershy, knock yourself out.”

“Oh no, I won’t hurt myself or Spike.” Her soft voice didn’t penetrate Twilight’s focus. She looked at Spike and sucked in a breath through her nose. Her lungs filled to capacity and she yelled as loud as she could.

“Yay.”

SKNNNXXXX-snort

Spike opened his eyes just a crack and sat up. Everypony in the room except Fluttershy had their mouth slightly open. Spike stretched with one claw in the air and the other claw rubbing his eye. He let out a huge yawn and slumped forward. He groaned, “It’s too early to be up, it must be the middle of the night.” Fluttershy smiled and nuzzle him. “Oh hi Fluttershy, when did you get here?” Spike’s eyes were now open and he took in his surroundings. “Uhhh…hi Dash, hi-“ he stuttered, “R-Rarity. What the hay is going on?

Twilight tackled Spike from his sitting position into a purple heap. Her hooves wrapped around him and her face buried in his little scales. “Spike, I was so scared. I was worried you’d never wake up.”

Spike tried to squirm out, his cheeks puffed out and his purple face turning a darker shade. He opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a little puff of flame, squeezed out of him by Twilight’s grip. “Oh- Twilight, please don’t hurt him or smother him.” Fluttershy put a hoof in between them trying to separate them and allow Spike to breathe. She might as well have tried to pull apart a rock with her bare hooves for all of the good it did. Twilight released all of her pent up anxiety at the same time she released Spike.

GASP

“What was that for? You nearly crushed me!” sniff “Say what’s cookin’? It smells like barbeque in here. And why is everypony here anyway? Why are you all looking at me like that?” They were all looking at him, Pinkie Pie and Rarity were blinking away tears. Even Rainbow Dash had a big grin on her face. Spike's voice grew quiet as his brow furrowed and he unconsciously drew closer to Twilight, “And what did you mean about not waking up?”

“Spike, you’ve been asleep for almost a full day. And I was so scared you would get burned in the fire. I guess you were asleep for that. A fire started upstairs in the bedroom, you have no idea how scared I was.” Twilight hugged him close again.

“Yep, and you were breathing fire. Just like a real grown up super scary dragon! That means you’ll never be able to blow out the candles on your birthday cake. Which means you’ll never be able to make a wish.” Pinkie Pie’s hair lost its fluff and her eyes began to leak little waterfalls. “Oh Spike it’s so sad-“ suddenly her hair returned to its normal cotton candy like fluffiness. “I know we can just put the candles on your birthday cake unlit and you can blow them ON! Problems solved!” She bounced around Twilight and Spike singing happy birthday.

Rainbow Dash started to laugh while Rarity stepped in to correct Pinkie, “What Pinkie is trying to say is the fire upstairs,” she pointed with a hoof causing Spike to look at the blackened walls and roof at the top of the stairs. “Was probably caused by you darling. I’m so sorry.” Spike’s gaze shifted between the charred walls and Rarity several times.

“That can’t be right-“ Twilight cut him off as she glared at Rarity.

“He’s not the cause of the fire. None of you are even considering any other possibilities.” Spike looked at Rarity differently, like he was looking at her for the first time.

“I don’t know what else could have caused the fire, Twilight. But I’m not an egghead, so do you have any other ideas?” Rainbow Dash was hovering over the little group with a pleading look. Spike tried to shrink away from Dash.

“There’re lots of possibilities, like...like...” Twilight trailed off lost in thought with one hoof scratching her chin.

“C’mon Fluttershy back me up on this.” Dash dropped to the floor in front of her oldest friend and folded her wings. She nudged Fluttershy forward causing her to stumble forward a few steps.

“Oh, um, well, I think, maybe Spike could have, might have...” eeep. She bit her lips together and said no more. Twilight’s ears fell and she hung her head. Spike tried to bury himself into Twilight’s chest.

“Even Fluttershy thinks so, what can I do?” Twilight thought out loud. Spike looked at her, at the other ponies in the room. He pushed Twilight away and backed away from everyone. His chest was heaving and his eyes were wide. “Spike...?”

“Y-You’re going to kick me out aren’t you. I’m just a fire hazard, and you don’t need me to burn down the library.”

“Spike I am going to fix this.”

“HOW?” hot tears began to flow but Spike spoke clearly, “How are you going to fix this? I’m just an accident waiting to happen.”

“I-I-I, that is, we can stop this if-” Twilight’s mind worked quickly to salvage the situation and a light bulb went off. “If we just feed you something really cold. Yes, that should work. You were breathing fire because you were eating those peppers for supper. So if we feed you something cold everything will be fine.” Twilight didn’t really like using one of Pinkie’s ideas but right now the thought was so comforting that she clung to it like a lifeline.

“Oh what a good idea darling,” Rarity trotted over to Spike and ran a hoof over his head brushing his scales back. The calming effect was more powerful and more immediate than any drug. “See Spike? Everything is going to be just fine.”

Twilight looked at her friends and took command, more out of fear than anything else. “Rarity can stay here with Spike while we get what we need. I’ll draw up a list,” Twilight was already scribbling on a long sheet of parchment and the checklist formed in record time. “And each of you can get an item.” Twilight assigned Fluttershy an item and pushed her towards the door, her hooves making shallow gouges in the wood floor when she resisted. “What are you all waiting for? Let’s go!”

“Oh is it time for a scavenger hunt? I love those.” Pinkie Pie darted out without much more than a glance at the checklist and was gone before Twilight could say anything.

Rainbow Dash sighed, “Ok ok, I’ll help, c’mon Fluttershy.” Fluttershy looked down and mumbled something. “What was that?”

“Um, ok, I’ll try to help.” She began to slowly walk out the door with Twilight right behind her. Twilight tapped a hoof, impatient with her less enthusiastic friend. The door slammed closed and the galloping of muffled hooves could be heard fading away outside.

Rarity smiled at Spike, “Everything is going to be just fine darling, trust us.” She ran a hoof over his scaly head one more time. Spike yawned, the soporific power of Rarity’s voice worked on him with incredible speed. She stopped when she looked at his droopy eyes. “Now don’t fall asleep on me Spike, we worked so hard to wake you. You couldn’t possibly be sleepy now, can you?”

Spike’s eyes snapped open, “No way, I get to spend time with you while the others are away.” Rarity rolled her eyes but kept a hoof on his head. Spike played his first card, “Do you want something to eat? I’m getting to be a really good cook.”

Rarity smiled, “No thank you Spike I’m not hungry. But I hear you can make a mean habanero stew.” Spike’s grin was framed by blushing cheeks from such a compliment. “Perhaps another time darling,” Spike’s grin turned into a stretched yawn, Rarity swore she could see the air dance as it exited his fanged mouth.

“I could... give you a massage?” Rarity rolled her eyes and this time Spike didn’t miss it. Honestly, how obvious can you get? It’s not cute Spike, it’s a bit creepy. But Spike was in trouble and wasn’t acting like himself so Rarity gave him some leeway.

Rarity decided to change the subject, anything to cool Spike off. “How about I read you a book, I’m sure there are plenty of choices here.” She gestured to the surrounding library but retracted her limb when she realized she was pointing at a partially burned shelf. Several of the books, especially those on the top shelf, were little more than large flakes of ash. Spike glanced at the books but quickly looked down. “Well I’m sure Twilight’s number one assistant can find us something wonderful to read,” she said with plenty of cheer in her voice.

Spike looked up at her with a particular grin on his face, “Or maybe I can put on a little show for you.” A hint of blush came to Rarity’s cheeks. Spike began to waddle towards the door pulling Rarity along with him.

“And just what kind of show would this be?” Rarity definitely agreed with Twilight’s earlier assessment, he was acting strange indeed. Almost like he was drunk. “And why are we going outside?” She breathed an inaudible sigh of relief, at least this show won’t involve any foolishness from Spike if he’s willing to do it in public.

“Don’t you think a little light show would be awesome? If you guys are right and I can breathe fire now, it’s going to be so cool!” Rarity’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. I was wrong, this is the worst possible thing! The most foolish possible thing!

Spike lead Rarity to the park which was nearly empty at this time. It was unseasonably cold this time of year and most ponies were at home. Spike stopped under the shade of a large oak tree. Rarity noted the flammable objects nearby: one picnic table and a few dry twigs that had fallen from the tree. Spike spread his little arms wide and cleared his throat as if he were about to herald the Princess herself. Maybe he can’t breathe fire, I shouldn’t laugh if he doesn’t I should just tell him to wait and give it some time before he can-

FWOOSH

Spike opened his mouth and let loose a bright orange stream of fire. “Ha ha HA! I did it!” He seemed almost as surprised as Rarity that he could in fact breath fire on command. Rarity just stood there, her vision imprinted with the afterimage of flames. She shook her head to clear out the shock. Spike was almost doing a jig as he ran around the base of the tree laughing.

“That’s...very good Spike. But maybe we shouldn’t do that anymore until Twilight returns with-”

“You don’t like it?” Spike clutched her front leg and looked up at her with tears forming in the corner of his eyes. His lower lip quivered.

“Uh...no, I, um, LOVE it, it’s very pretty.” She couldn’t bring herself to shatter his fragile ego. The fire was pretty, but it was also quite dangerous and she knew it.

“And you want to see it again right?” Spike backed up a few paces and sucked in air.

“NO SPIKE, I don’t need-”

FWOOSH

Rarity blinked as it shot right at her. She had felt it this time the flame was so close. The heat was intense but afterwards she felt a cool breeze on her face. She blinked again, something was off. Spike’s smile drained from his face. He backed away from her slowly until his back was to the tree trunk. He unconsciously put his claws over his mouth and looked away from Rarity. Of all the expressions Rarity could see in her life, this is the one she feared the most.

“What’s wrong!” She fumbled for her mirror. “What happened?” She brought the mirror up to her face and looked at it with worry. Her mane was fine, her tail was fine, her coat was fine, her face was...no. This is the WORST POSSIBLE THING!

Her eyelashes on her left eye were singed off, giving her face a lopsided and unwholesome appearance. She had lost not only her false eyelashes but her real ones as well. Not to mention the dangerously close call she had just come to losing sight in one eye. A bit of soot was all that was left around her eye, making her look a bit clownish.

“Spike, you must stop-” She looked behind her small mirror but Spike was nowhere to be found. She checked around the tree and looked out over the park. She called out to him but the only response she got was birdsong. Horsefeathers, where has he gone now?

Comments

[UltiXevoz]

Asleep for a day? Can breathe fire all of a sudden? Seema to me that Spike might be beginning a Draconic hibernation.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

2762586 Uh-huh.

[KARLOS1234IFY]

2762586

[Cold Spike]

Now this is a neat Spike story. *Eats Popcorn* MOAR!

[OmniFox]

-Smothering is either Fluttershy's and/or Rarity's department.
-He needs to released all of this overheat flame so he can control it naturally.
-He needs to see his mom about this.

[APoeticHeart]

Oh, no. Now Rarity is going to hate Spike probably, and the others are going to be real mad at him maybe for this. I hope not though. Poor, poor Spike.

[DARKPHANTOM13]

Either he is going to take a long dragon nap or his fire is maturing becoming stronger and needs to vent it out.

[Rubakor]

I foresee Celestia waltzing in, declaring Spike a hazard to not just Ponyville but all of Equestria and banishing him.

[Fido]

I'm sensing a sad tag coming up.

[Romalisk]

You know, never before have I said this about Nurse Redheart, but... THAT BITCH NEEDS TO HAVE HER SPLEEN RIPPED OUT!!! Noone calls Spike an animal. Unless they're talking about his prowess in bed.

[Shahrazad]

2762994

No, no romance tag. This story is only 3 chapters long. A romance would make this story A LOT more complicated. My head cannon says Dream Rarity is pretty "accommodating" to Spike, but the real Rarity is much less so.

2763538

That would be horrible! She would never do that...
....right?

2763547

Nope, when I write stories I write them start to finish before I post the first chapter. There are some sad emotions, but I wouldn't call the story sad.

Final chapter should be posted next weekend. I'm shooting for Saturday again.

[Ignaltus]

Horseapples!

[Oneyearwarpilot]

2763924 I LOVE YOU... wait *cough* *cough* I Mean I love juice thats it I'll go stand in the corner

[the monkey ninja]

We already know that Rarity's eyelashes are fake, the only problem I see is that, if the fire was any closer, then she would probably have to go to the ER.