Rain of Fire

by LessThanHuman

Chapter 19 - Nightmares and Reality

The feeling of sleeping at night was very foreign to Firestorm, ever since he came to Ponyville he felt his sleep cycle becoming ever more distorted. He had been roused from his sleep in the Everfree Forest when he sensed the fillies in danger from their fire and since then, found himself drowsy yet unable to attain to sleep. Tonight he had fallen asleep relatively soon after tucking Scootaloo into bed but now found himself being roused once again from his sleep by his heightened senses.

Something was wrong. Firestorm, with his changeling magic sensed fear, panic, abandonment, and sadness. Firestorm’s amber eyes shot open, “Scootaloo!”

Without even thinking he jumped out of his cloud bed and shifted into his draconic form before flying through his open door, down the hallway, and practically bursting through the door to his daughters room had his magic not opened it. With a swift thrust of his wings, Firestorm stopped beside the lower bed Scootaloo had been sleeping on. Her blankets were wrinkled and twisted from her tossing and turning in her sleep, even now she was still kicking as if trying to escape from something in her dreams.

Firestorm reached down and placed his hand on her back, “Scootaloo, wake up, it’s just a bad dream!” he said while gently nudging her.

Scootaloo woke up and sat upright in her bed and screamed, “NO!”

Firestorm picked her up and placed one hand over her back and the other under her bottom while he pulled her in close to his chest. Scootaloo immediately wrapped her hooves around Firestorm’s neck when she felt her body come into contact with his. Her eyes had been shut the entire time but tears still found a way through. Firestorm held her as she cried, he felt her tears and cold sweat clinging to his fur as her sobbing continued.

Before long, Scootaloo had stopped crying altogether and her admirable grip in Firestorm’s neck loosened. Firestorm brought his entire body down onto the bed as he set her down in the same motion. Scootaloo sat back on her bed and flicked her tail so it wrapped around her side and covered her scared leg. Firestorm sat up and shifted back into his pony form, “Are you alright, Scootaloo?”

“I… I was back in the forest. The wolves were chasing me and… and… I couldn’t get away from them!” Scootaloo choked out.

“Where was I?” Firestorm asked.

“I… I don’t know. I kept calling out for you, for anyone, but I was all alone!”

Firestorm moved closer and nuzzled his cheek against Scootaloos, “It was just a nightmare, I will always be here for you.”

Scootaloo sniffled, “Promise?”

Firestorm got off the bed and stood right in front of Scootaloo, “I will always be here for you, I will always love you no matter what, and I won’t ever let anything bad happen to you ever again, I promise.”

Scoodaloo leapt towards Firestorm and wrapped her hooves around his neck. Firestorm sat back on his haunches and returned the hug. Their embrace did not last as long as when Firestorm roused her from her nightmare but it was just long enough for them both. Scootaloo pulled away from the hug, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome Shad… Scootaloo.”

Scootaloo cocked her head, “Can I ask you something?”

Firestorm perked his ears when he heard the seriousness in her voice, “Sure sweetie, you can ask me anything.”

Scootaloo twiddled her hooves together, “When you healed me in the forest and kissed me goodnight, you called me Shadow Light…”

Firestorm let out a long sigh, “I’m sorry…”

“I’m not saying I don’t like it, it sounds really cool, I was just wondering why you call me that.”

Firestorm took a deep breath, “There was a time when I was going to have a foal of my own, a daughter in fact, I decided before she was born her name would be Shadow Light.”

“You had a daughter?” Scootaloo asked as her wings buzzed in excitement.

“I was going to have a daughter, but she… she was never born…”

A perplexed expression spread across Scootaloos face, “Never born, how can that be?”

Steeling his nerves, Firestorm took another deep breath, “She didn’t survive the pregnancy, she died before she was born.”

Scootaloo felt as if her heart had stopped beating as Firestorm’s words echoed through her ears. Before she could speak, Firestorm continued, “I never met her, but I knew in my heart the kind of pony she would be. She would have been a lot like you. Smart, headstrong, quick thinking, idealistic… When I met you, you reminded me of how I imagined her. I’m sorry I started calling you Shadow Light, I’ll try to stop myself from now on…”

“Actually… I’d be alright if you called me Shadow Light, I mean, it sounds really cool, and honestly, I think it better suits me.”

Firestorm brought his daughter into a warm hug, “Whatever makes you happy Shadow Light.”

After a minute passed, Firestorm broke the hug, “Think you can get back to sleep?”

Shadow Light shook her head. Firestorm smiled and lifted himself off her bed, “Good, get on my back, I want to show you something.”

“Ummm, I could fly myself…”

“Trust me kiddo, you’ll feel better if you let me fly you,” Firestorm assured her as he shifted into his ghost form.

Shadow Light complied and flew off her bed and gently landed on Firestorm’s back. Once she was secure, Firestorm moved to the window, opened it, and flew out into the cool night air. A few silent minutes passed before Shadow Light realized how enjoyable it truly was to be riding on Firestorm’s back while he flew, it was calming. Another minute passed silently by before Shadow Light spoke up, “Where are we going?”

“Nowhere in particular, I just wanted to fly and talk with you.”

“What did you want to talk about?”

“Anything you’d like kiddo.”

Looking back at her wings she asked, “Why did you adopt me?”

“What do you mean why did I adopt you?”

Shadow Light sighed, “When I was at the orphanage, couples would come looking for a foal to adopt when they couldn’t have any of their own. Most unicorn couples adopted unicorn foals and the same with earth ponies. I mean, sure, they would talk to the filly or colt to get an idea about what they were like and would either move on to the next or adopt them. If they had trouble deciding, Haven had a way to determine the best possible match between potential parents and foals. But whenever a pegasus couple came in looking to adopt and saw me, the first thing they did was touch and examine my wings. I know my wings were supposed to be sensitive for when I was flying but I think they could tell they weren’t and knew something was wrong with me so they moved on without even talking to me. I think you knew my wings were messed up too, and I know when you healed my leg you healed, well, changed my wings as well, but would you have still adopted me if you hadn’t healed me?”

Firestorm looked over his shoulder and made sure he made eye contact with Shadow Light, “Absolutely. The reason I adopted you was because I saw a beautiful little filly who deserved a loving home and family. I didn’t care if you couldn’t fly, you deserved to be happy, you deserved so much more.”

As Shadow Light let her guardians words sink in she looked over the body she was riding on, “How do you shape shift?”

“I can change my appearance by remembering the features of anypony or similar and then will those features to become my own. The reason I can do that is because I’m part changeling.”

“Like the changelings that attacked Canterlot during the royal wedding?!” Shadow Light asked with alarm in her voice.

“I guess, I wasn’t there. I suspect they attempted an invasion because of a lack of food, namely love. Don’t worry though, I don’t feed off of the love of others, I just possess their ability to shape shift.”

Shadow Light let out a gentle sigh of relief, “Okay, good. Hey wait a minute! Does that mean I can shape shift too?”

“Hmmm, you do have my DNA in you now, it’s possible you could…” Firestorm banked to his left and began flying towards one of the nearby mountaintops which circled Ponyville.

“Are we going somewhere now?”

“Yes, I’d like to test that theory among other things…”

Firestorm touched down softly on the mountaintop he had selected and knelt down for his daughter to dismount off his back. Once she was clear, Firestorm returned to his pony form and turned to his right to face her, “Let’s start simple, I want you to imagine you look like me.”

Shadow Light looked over Firestorm’s features and then stared into his eyes, trying to imagine she looked like him.

“Close your eyes and remember what I look like, that might make things easier for you…”

Shadow Light did as Firestorm suggested and closed her eyes. Several minutes passed but she felt nothing happen. Firestorm could tell from her expression and the beads of sweat rolling down her face it was not from a lack of trying. Finally Shadow Light opened her eyes and took several deep breaths, “I… I don’t think I can do it. We don’t even know if I can do it at all.”

“Let me try something,” Firestorm said as he took on his draconic appearance while moving so his body was parallel to hers, “Close your eyes and just listen to my voice.”

Shadow Light took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Firestorm did the same and began to speak softly, “There are two of us here, you and me. Two bodies, two minds. But we can focus to move and think as if we were one. Listen to my thoughts and let your body move with mine.”

Firestorm opened his eyes, as did Shadow Light’s. Together they lifted they continued to look forward while they lifted their left hoof off the grass. Their bodies swayed in tandem under Firestorm’s instruction. Together they felt each other’s senses as their own. Firestorm guided them so they were standing upright on their hind legs before settling back down. “I am not controlling you. We are simply moving as one, if you move, I will move with you.”

Shadow Light took a cautious step forward, Firestorm moved with the same hesitation she showed. She extended her wing as did Firestorm. She giggled at the odd sensation of feeling two bodies move under her singular instruction, “Why are we doing this?”

“Because I can determine if you can shape shift like me,” Firestorm said as he closed his eyes. Shadow Light could see the image of Firestorm in his ghost form as he visualized it. After a minute, her eyes opened with Firestorm’s as she looked down at her front legs which had become long arms with her wings merged with them. She looked over to Firestorm who seemed too look away from her but was merely mirroring her actions. Still he could see through her eyes what he looked like from her perspective so he severed their connection to move of his own will and look at her. He smiled warmly at her when their eyes met, with some guidance, she could shape shift. Firestorms smile faded, closing his eyes he reestablished his connection with his daughter and willed her back to her natural pegasus form, wings included. Shadow Light looked up at Firestorm who had taken his basic pony form, his bat like wings folding at his sides.

“Why did you do that?” Shadow Light demanded.

“Because I want you to be able to be normal, something I never got to have. I want you to be able to grow up with your friends, have fun, and do everything I couldn’t because I am different,” Firestorm pointed to Shadow Lights pegasus wings, “I know your friends saw your wings when they looked like mine, I just want to tell them I think it was a side effect of my adrenaline in your veins because your body was not used to my power and has since worn off…”

Shadow Light looked back at her feather covered wings, “Can I still fly?”

“Yes, my healing seems to be permanent in others, I’m sure Twilight would be satisfied with that reasoning…”

Shadow Light plopped down on her rump and extended her leg, “What about this?” she asked pointing her hoof at the discoloration.

Firestorm sighed, “I’m afraid that’s a scar sweetie, because it occurred during my healing you, it is permanent. You might be able to conceal it with your partial changeling magic but you will need to learn more focus and that could take several months, others will have definitely noticed by then.”

Shadow Light shrugged her shoulders, “I’m cool with the scar, but do I really have to hide everything else?”

Firestorm nodded, “Ponies tend to fear what they do not understand, they feared me when I first arrived, and many still do. I’ve lived in a changeling hive for several years and I know what they can really be like, and it’s not the monsters they probably made themselves out to be during the changeling invasion you mentioned. Please, just trust me, it would be better if you looked like a normal pegasus filly. It’d probably be better if I called you Scootaloo when were together in public but when it’s just us or we’re with Twilight and her friends, you’ll always be my Shadow Light.”

Shadow Light thought for a moment, “Can… can I tell my friends if and when I think I can trust them with the secret of what I really am?”

“Absolutely, just make sure they know how important it is to keep it your secret.”

Shadow Light nodded in understanding.

Firestorm leaned in and kissed her cheek, “You ready to go home?”

Shadow Light looked up at the moon looming over them, turning her gaze back to Firestorm she asked, “Can we stay out a little longer?”

Firestorm nodded and laid down on his belly. Shadow Light snuggled up next to him and the two spent several hours together exchanging stories of their adventures, telling jokes, and asking each other questions. Needless to say, Firestorm had a lot more.

Only a few hours remained before the sun was due to rise as Firestorm entered the front door with his daughter on his back. He carefully made his way upstairs and into her room where he deposited her onto her bed. He tucked her in, kissed her cheek, and made his way out of her room before closing the door quietly behind him. He stood by the door for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. Several hours earlier he had asked Scootaloo to hide the very power he had given her. He knew it was for the better, but it didn’t help the sick feeling he had in his stomach. Before moving away from her door he whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Firestorm made his way to his own room and flopped onto his bed. He thought about how things might change once he got the answers he had been looking for all his life. He never had anyone to teach him how to use his power since he was the only one of his kind. As he drifted off to sleep he silently prayed one of the princesses would have the answers he so desperately sought after.

Firestorm awoke the next morning with the rising sun, at least, that’s what he thought until he heard a knock at the front door. Firestorm heard the urgency in the frequency of the knocks but it didn’t help his mood. Rolling onto his back, Firestorm let out a groan before he teleported to the first floor just in front of the door, still lying on his back. He rolled over and stood up, checking himself in a nearby mirror to make sure he was in his pony form before opening the door.

Firestorm was greeted by the bright warm smile of Rainbow Dash even as she greeted him with, “Wow, you look terrible! Long night?”

Firestorm nodded.

“Scoots keep ya up?”

Firestorm furrowed his brow, “Yeah, how did you know?”

Rainbow Dash, rubbed a hoof against her chest triumphantly, “Had a hunch, I wouldn’t get much sleep after what she’s been through these past few days, it’s a lot for a kid ya know?”

Firestorm nodded, “So, what brings you by so early?”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, “Ugh! Well, somepony who shall remain nameless, *cough Thunderlane* had the Ponyville night watch last night to make sure no freaky Everfree Forest weather moved in and fell asleep on the job. I woke up early because of a stray cloud smashing into my cloud house, no major damage thanks for asking, so I cleaned up the mess before everypony else woke up. Well… almost everypony, Twilight apparently doesn’t need sleep anymore so when she was done she called me over and asked me to come you and Scootaloo so she could talk to you about something.”

“It’s so urgent she sent you over to get us at the crack of dawn?”

Rainbow Dash scratched the back of her head with her hoof, “Well maybe I was a little eager to see Scootaloo…”

Despite still not being fully awake, Firestorm smiled and invited Rainbow Dash inside, he guided her upstairs and stopped just outside of Scootaloos room, “I’ll be downstairs drinking something with caffeine, I’m sure she would love to be woken up by you, just be gentle with her, she had a long night too…” he said before turning and heading back downstairs.

About ten minutes passed before Rainbow Dash flew down the stairs with Scootaloo wrapped firmly around her neck.

“Morning dad, Rainbow Dash says we’re gonna go see Twilight?”

“Yeah, will you be ready to go in five minutes?”

“I’m ready to go now!”

“What about brushing your mane?”

Scootaloo ran a hoof through her mane and when she was done her mane looked its normal messy style. Firestorm rolled his eyes and smiled before making his way to the front door with Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo in tow.

Scootaloo flew between Firestorm and Rainbow Dash as they made their way to Twilights library. Upon arriving, Rainbow Dash took the lead and led them inside. Twilight sat at a desk reading a book, not noticing the presence of her new guests until Rainbow Dash yelled, “HEY TWILIGHT, WE’RE HERE!”

Twilight picked herself up off the floor and shook the dust from her coat and wings, “Thank you Rainbow Dash, I can see that…”

Firestorm took a step towards Twilight, “Rainbow Dash said you wanted to see us?”

Twilight nodded, “Yes, you and Scootaloo, I wanted to see how she was –” Twilight trailed off as she looked over Scootaloo who looked once again looked like a normal pegasus filly. She looked at Firestorm, “First, I’d like to talk to you…” she said as she led Firestorm away from the others. “What happened to Scootaloo? The other day she looked almost exactly like you!”

Firestorm shrugged, “My guess, her momentary shape shifting we saw was simply a result of my adrenaline being introduced into her bloodstream, I haven’t felt my heart beat that fast in centuries!”

Twilight was obviously unconvinced if her deadpan stare was any indication. After another few seconds any suspicion was confirmed, “I can still sense the high concentrations of abnormal magic radiating from BOTH of you, her appearance may have changed but not what’s on the inside…”

Firestorm sighed, “You’re right, it’s what’s on the inside that counts, she’s just like me now but I don’t want her to be treated differently just because of how drastically her body changed or the power she now possesses. Last night we made an agreement that she and I would do everything in our power for her t live the most normal life as possible.”

Twilight looked past Firestorm at Scootaloo, who was laughing at something Rainbow Dash had just told her, and immediately understood what Firestorm was talking about, “Alright, your secret is safe with me, I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

“That makes two of us…”

Before Twilight could speak again Spike came tumbling down the stairs. Once he hit the ground floor, he sat up and held up a scroll in his hand, “Princess Celestia sent you a letter, Twilight.”

Everypony was silent while Twilight read the letter and then reread it, finally she looked up to Rainbow Dash, “Go get the others, tell them to pack and meet back here in two hours.”

Rainbow Dash saluted and flew out an open window. Twilight looked at Firestorm, “We are going to Canterlot, and you are going to meet the princess…”

Author's Note:

I apologize for the excruciating delay, however, I have good reason for such. As you all know, Season 4 has ended. Now I have made a few changes to the storyline such as adding the "Alternate Universe" tag in the description. This is because, while the story will be similar to the events through seasons 1-4, there is no tree of harmony and thus, the elements can still be used by the mane six. Furthermore, this will be more of an alternate season 4 ending. One final thing, for those of you who subscribe to Silly Filly Studios on Youtube, I postponed any further updates until "Fall of the Empire" was completed, this is because they follow a similar timeline as will be seen in later chapters. I apologize for any confusion in this chapter regarding Firestorm calling Scootaloo "Shadow Light", however, this is crucial in later chapters and a definite sequel, Rain of Fire: Ascension.

O_O !

Comments

[Luna Secret Stallion]

You're not human.

[LessThanHuman]

4443462 lol, what do you mean I'm not human, is that a good thing?

[Luna Secret Stallion]

4444650 Well your at least less than human. And that is a very good thing. Also what up with the wait?