The Flaring of an Ember

by Techie Inkwell

Flaring Ember

“Where is it? He must have one!” Twilight started to try and move the Alicorn to try and find it, but as she started to move him a groan was heard,

“U-Uh Twi…I hope that was your belly” Applejack remarked,

“N-No…” The Alicorn moved his front hoof and scratched his head, slowly he sat up,

“Oh no,” Fluttershy carefully lowered him back down, “you mustn’t move yet Mr Alicorn…” He coughed a little,

“M-My name’s Flaring Ember.” His soft voice still sounded weak from his ordeal,

“Well, Mr Ember, you should stay laying down for a while, I've got you a glass of water…oh wait a second.” She quickly picked up the toppled glass and filled it up again, “Here you go.”

“Thank you.” he takes a small sip and then looks around at the others, still staring at him, he wipes his mouth, “D-Do I have something on my face?” he quickly hid his face,

“N-No…it’s just…” Rarity started,

“It’s just that we've never seen a male Alicorn before,” Rainbow Dash cut in, “we've only seen female ones.” Rarity gave Rainbow Dash a puzzled look,

“Look he might not realize that he doesn't have a cutie mark.” Rainbow whispered, Ember finished his water and placed it on the side, looking around slowly,

“So, where am I?” Twilight looked at him with her mouth ajar,

“You’ve never heard of Ponyville?” Ember shook his head, “Princess Celestia?” Another shake of his head, “Equestria?!” One more shake of his head, “Oh come on, have you lived in a cave your whole life?!”

“Actually, yes, I have.” He replied seriously, they all stared at him once again,

“Y-You lived in a cave your whole life?” Pinkie Pie asked,

“Well, yes, I was left there when I was young,” he looked at their expression of shock, “were you not?” They shook their heads,

“Well,” Rarity said, “that explains the lack of a cutie mark.” They all turned to her,

“Rarity!”

“Wait, what’s that?” Ember looked at them with an eager to learn expression,

“W-Well…” Twilight looked at Applejack,

“I think I know just the three little fillies that can show you.” Applejack smiled brightly.

-----------------

“Welcome to the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell beamed happily at Ember,

“Um, thank you?” He smiled, a little unsure, “So, um, what exactly is a cutie mark?”

“Well,” Apple Bloom point to the top of her back leg, “when a pony finds out his or her talent, a mark representin’ that talent appears here.”

“So, I haven’t found my talent yet?” Ember tilted his head,

“Not yet,” Scootaloo chimed in, “but after a few days with us I’m sure you’ll find it!”

“Great!” Ember smiled, genuinely happy for possibly the first time since he woke up, “When do we start?”

“Well,” Sweetie Bell said, “we need to think of some new ideas first.” She giggles and sat down, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom sitting next to her,

“Oh, right, okay.” Ember sat down as well, watching them think. After a few moments Scootaloo jumped up,

“I’ve got it! Let’s try farming!”

“But I do that anyway.” Apple Bloom complained,

“You do apple picking, I mean like what Fluttershy does, you know, looking after animals.”

“You mean animal care then.” Ember smiled happily,

“Yeah, that to. Come on, let’s see if Fluttershy’s in.” with that they rushed out of the clubhouse. Ember walked out and watched them for a moment before flying after them.

When Ember arrived, the Cutie Mark Crusaders had already arrived,

“Please let us help Fluttershy.” They begged, she sighed a little then looked up and smiled,

“Hello Ember, feeling better?”

“A little, thank you.” Ember smiled warmly,

“That’s just great to hear,” she looked back down at the girls, “okay, but promise me you’ll be careful.”

“We promise!” They dashed inside and started rummaging around for medical supplies, Ember laughed a little and sat down, holding his head,

“Are you okay Ember?” Fluttershy knelt down,

“Hm? Oh yeah, just a slight headache.”

“That doesn’t sound very good, come on, I’ll get you some medicine for it.” She headed to the door, Ember slowly got up and followed her. When they entered they saw that most of her supplies had been scattered around,

“Now girls, I hope you’re going to clean this up when you’ve finished.” Fluttershy smiled,

“Of course Fluttershy.”

“Now, let’s get you some medicine Ember.” She went to a cupboard and started to look around in it. Ember sat and watched as Scootaloo chased after a kitten, Sweetie Bell tried to get a plaster off her hoof and Apple Bloom mixed some medicine,

“Oh Apple Bloom,” Ember laughed a little, “I wouldn't do that if I were you.”

“Why not?” She tilted her head,

“That’s two different medicines for different things, they’re meant to be separate.” Fluttershy looked at Ember with a puzzled expression,

“Oh…sorry Fluttershy.”

“I-It’s quite alright,” she walked over to Ember, “here you go, this should help you.” He took a sip of it and recoiled,

“Ick, that tastes horrible.”

“Well, you’ll feel better once you’ve taken it.”

“Oh, I guess so.” He hesitantly finished it off,

“So,” Fluttershy whispered, “You seem to know a lot about medicine.”

“Lucky I guess.” He laughed a little awkwardly, Fluttershy looked at him for a moment before turning her attention to the Cutie Mark Crusaders,

“Okay girls, I think that’s enough for today, maybe you could try some fun animal spotting and get a cutie mark for that?”

“Awwww, okay Fluttershy.” They started tidying up and then went back to their homes, Fluttershy smiled and then looked back to Ember with a raised eyebrow,

“Lucky?” He shrugged,

“I guess so,” he helped put a few other things away, “why?”

“You just seemed to know a lot about my medicines.”

“As I said, just lucky.” He smiled at her, placing a box back,

“It’s okay, I was just wondering if maybe that’s your talent.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.”

“Why not?”

“Well, I just don’t feel like it is,” He smiled again, “but thank you for helping me.” He nodded his head and took his leave.

Comments

[Techie Inkwell]

4001422 Thanks for the advice, I'll sort that soon