The Fire in My Heart

by inacti

Chapter One: Lost and Found

A little orange maned filly awoke at the edge of the everfree forest. She looked up at Canterlot Castle which was erected straight in front of her. She stood awkwardly and looked around; she was sitting on a blue blanket that she had owned since her birth. Where was her family? She looked back at where she had been laying and spotted a note. She read it to herself, it was a diary entry. Her mother, had abandoned her here? On the back of the page she read two little words.

“I’m sorry . . .” the filly read aloud.

She gaped at the note, she was still a young filly, yet her mother had left her alone on the edge of the woods. The little filly felt tears running down her scarred cheeks. She had been bitten and scratched up pretty bad by the animals and bugs in the woods. Where was everypony? She felt her head, how long had she been out? She picked up the blanket and sniffed, she was angry with her mother, angry for what she had done to her. She felt that same feeling she had felt a million times, her horn was heating up very slowly. In a sudden burst of energy her horn set out a fiery flame, burning both the note in her hooves and the trees next to her.

“Help!” she screeched, trying to run from the trees, she found herself tripping over the blanket from the panic filling every inch of her body.

Meanwhile, a white alicorn mare, by the name of Celestia flew over her castle, it was a lovely day, Twilight Sparkle would be going back to her library in Ponyville today, it felt incredible to have your own student go so far in such little time. She sighed happily, only to spot a fiery red flame in the distance. She soared down, if the fire reached the town ponies could be hurt, she would put it out easily. But, as she cast the water spell need to put out the flame she heard a loud cry from where the fire was, she immediately landed, before the water could so much as hit the flame, as it did, the fire flickered out.

“Hello? Is somepony hurt?” Celestia asked calmly.

The little filly crawled out from under the now dripping trees, the tip of her gnarled horn ashy and burnt. She wiped the tears from her eyes and rushed to the alicorn mare.

“My Momma left me here, and I don’t know where I am, and I accidentally set the tree on fire, and I’m so sorry, I was so scared. I promise I didn’t mean to, please don’t get mad, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” she sobbed.

Celestia was taken aback but stepped toward the little filly and put a hoof on her shoulder.

“It’s okay, nopony is going to hurt you,” Celestia said comfortingly. “What’s your name little filly?”

“I . . . I don’t have one . . .” she responded.

“Oh, dear, I’m assuming you need a home too?” Celestia asked, impressed by the little unicorn’s magic.

“Uh . . . uhhuh,” the filly whispered.

“Well, you come back with me to the castle, I think somepony there will be willing to take you under their wing.”

“Oh-okay . . .”

The little filly climbed up onto Celestia’s back, her dark velvet red fur shone brightly against Celestia’s white fur. She pushed back her orangey mane and looked thankfully down at her savior with her bright red eyes. They flew over the forest and to the castle. The little one went wide eyes at the gorgeous view. It was stunning. Nopony talked until they reached the castle.

Upon reaching the glorious castle, Celestia lead the little filly into the main hall. It was incredibly beautiful, the golden railings, and vastness of the room made the fiery young unicorn into a haze.

"Wow . . ." she gaped, her eyes widening at the sight.

Celestia smiled and lead the filly onwards talking as she walked. "So, you caused that fire?"

The filly stopped and nodded, shame filling her again. "I did . . ."

"I have never heard of such magic coming from a young filly since my very own Twilight Sparkle, would you mind demonstrating for me? It will only take a moment."

"Um . . . sure . . ." she replied, concentrating hard.

Her horn lit brightly, filling the room with a yellow glow, and in an almost blinding flash of light she burst a nearby plant into flames. She gasped, filling with dread, she hadn't meant to do that. She was on the verge of panic when Celestia flickered the flames away before she could even speak.

"Impressive, if you'll wait just a moment I will go call upon Twilight Sparkle, she may be interested in taking you in as a personal protégé," Celestia smiled, looking down at the little one.

"Miss- I mean Princess Celestia . . . what do you mean? Take me in?" she asked worriedly.

"I think its clear that your parents can't handle a small filly in their hooves, and with magical abilities like that I think you could . . . become something great," Celestia said kindly.

"Don't I need a name first? Before I could ever be anything good?" she asked.

"Ah yes, what do you wish to be called?" Celestia asked.

"Oh . . . I don't . . . I mean . . ."

"How about Fire Adara?" Celestia suggested.

"I like that! Its so pretty," she responded almost immediately.

"Then Fira Adara you shall be."

Just then Twilight Sparkle entered the room, her crown on her head and a worried look on her face.

"Is something wrong Princess? You sent for me?" she asked.

"I'd like you to meet somepony," Celestia said calmly, moving aside to show the little filly to Twilight.

Twilight tilted her head confusedly, she didn't understand why Celestia was showing her the foal, or why the foal have the misshapen horn or was covered in cuts.

"Her name is Fira Adara, and after seeing her magic, I was hoping you would take her under your wing as a protégé. Will you Twilight Sparkle?"

"Well . . . I . . ." Twilight thought for a moment and remembered how happy she had been when the Princess had taken her in. "Of course I will."

Fira Adara's eyes widened. "You mean I get to live with . . . a . . . Princess?!" she cried out, falling over and reopening the cuts on her flank.

"Oh my . . . here let me patch that up," Twilight said healing the small filly in an instant.

"Thank . . . you . . . Princess Twilight Sparkle . . ." Fira said shyly, as the pain left her aching sides.

"Twilight, you see, Fira was abandoned in the woods, I found her after she cast a remarkable fire spell."

"Interesting, does it have something to do with the . . . you know . . ." Twilight said, quieting as Fira strained to hear her.

"I believe so, that is what I want you to find out, not only does she need a home, but she needs help controlling her oddly powerful magic . . ." Celestia whispered.

"Is everything okay?" Fira blushed, looking up at the two older mares.

"Yes of course it is dear, I was just telling Twilight about you, she'd like to see your powers in action, but let us go outside first, if this is okay with you Fira?"

"Of course it is, I'd love to."

The three ponies walked outside the castle, Fira nerves racing through her waited for the two Princesses to call her out on her hideous horn.

"Here, Fira Adara, I think you could light this small bush on fire for us?" Celestia requested.

"Oh-okay . . ." she said concentrating all her anger and contempt into her horn, she felt heat, her eyes aglow, she sent out a burst of flame at the small bush, it shriveled in an instant, melting to the ground in a pile of ash. Fira gasped, wanting to apologize. But Twilight spoke before she could.

"Have you studied fire magic Fira? That was very impressive, how do you do it?" Twilight asked, curiosity growing inside her.

"I don't know, I used to lose control over it all the time, even when I was a baby, whenever I got angry, but I can sort of control when it happens now I just have to concentrate . . ."

Twilight's eyes grew wide. "You mean you never studied fire magic at all? That's incredible!"

"Thank . . . you?" Fira Adara was unsure what to make of this statement.

"Fira, you have a very special gift, you need to harness this power, it alone could make you more powerful with fire magic than any other pony I have ever met. You just need to master it. That is why, once you get used to life with Twilight, she can train you, much like I did for her," Celestia sighed, remembering when Twilight was a small filly too.

Fira Adara looked up at Celestia. "You really think I'm special? Me . . . but I thought I was a mistake," Fira gaped.

"You are a very talented pony and you are most certainly special," Celestia replied kindly.

Fira smiled back, maybe she wasn't such a horrible pony after all.