For Everfree

by NPP6

Flame of Defiance

"So tell me Sunbeam, exactly how did you reach the conclusion that she was getting ready to cook Mouse?"

"She was talking about 'taking care' of her while getting the kitchen ready to start cooking, what was I supposed to think?"

"And it never occured to you that her kitchen looked like a low budget version of my lab?"

"Inkwell, exactly how much cooking do you really think I've done in my life?"

Further response was cut off as another bottle of potion shattered across the floor between them. This one burst into flames, which Firebrand picked up and extinguished in her magic. "My mother's talent is ice magic, but we're from a long line of alchemists. It's honestly about the only thing I'm glad she gave me."

"I'm just glad we stopped her from getting that distress call out," Moonchaser inserted herself into the conversation, "Which reminds me, Contrail? Dusty? Are you two doing alright?"

The pair responded in the affirmative, the stallion's horn glowing and the mare pushing her hooves against one of Midnight's hastily scrawled spell circles.

Another potion flew towards the kitchen door, and was quickly returned by Sunbeam's magic. The acid splashed across the wall as Vinegar ducked back down behind the table she was using as a barricade. "You foals will never get away with this! The Draconequi will exterminate you!" The mare popped back up long enough to throw another potion.

Midnight blasted the bottle with the same spell crystal he had used to escape Discord's dungeon almost as it left her hoof. A white cloud of snow erupted in the middle of the kitchen, preventing either side from attacking for a moment. "The draconequi are coming to an end," He called out, "Haven't you heard? The alicorns are returning."

"You impudent little... What could you possibly know about the balance of power?"

"We know that it's changing." Sunbeam fired a spell blindly into the swirling snow. "And we know that Mayhem and his ilk never had true power."

Moonchaser tackled her sister out of the way and Midnight slammed the door as a dozen icicles as thick around as a pony's leg speared out of the snow. The sounds of icicles embedding themselves in the wall was punctuated by the three that were poking through the door.

Sunbeam sighed. "Moonchaser... I know you don't like this - a few of the others too, but you're the most vocal about it - but... I don't think we can let her go at this point. There are too many ponies it'll put in danger."

"What? No, Sunbeam, we can't-"

"She's my mother."

Midnight sighed, "We know, and we get that Firebrand, but-"

"No, you don't. She's my mother, so this is my responsibility."

Sunbeam gently set a hoof on Firebrand's shoulder. "That doesn't mean you have to do it alone. I'll come with you."

"No, I'll go," Midnight cut in, "Your illusion magic is good, but it won't help her very much."

"I can use my other magic."

"Bad idea." Dust Runner shook her head. "We rely on that too much. We barely even know how to use our powers, and how long do you think it'll really be before they figure us out? Especially if we're shifting at every available opportunity?"

Contrail nodded. "Dust Runner's right. We need to send somepony else. It won't be you though Midnight, I'll go."

"Contrail, I know you don't trust me, I get you don't like me, but-"

"This has nothing to do with that. I won't deny it, I don't really trust or like you. I'm waiting for you to backstab us. But you haven't yet, so I won't do anything about it until you do. But your magic isn't good for this kind of thing. My lightning spells will help a lot more here."

Grudgingly, Midnight nodded. "Fair enough. I'll be ready if you need help though."

"Great." Sunbeam clapped her hooves. "Now we need to plan, and plan fast."

---

Sunbeam had taken Contrail's place in the disruption spell so that Vinegar wouldn't be able to call for help. Midnight and Featherdancer were flanking the door, standing ready in case Firebrand and Contrail needed help. Moonchaser, Lotus Blossom, and Cloudwing were off making sure the others kept away from the fighting, just in case.

The kitchen door was thrown open and Contrail and Firebrand dove in. The pair slid across the floor, taking cover behind some cabinets. Ice spells and potions were flying at them almost instantly, and both unicorns returned fire and lightning.

"Surrender Vinegar!" Contrail shouted, "It's your only way out of here alive!"

"You think you can defeat me? You arrogant foals, who do you think you are!?"

"A filly who is rather confused as to how you ever got her father to marry you!"

Fire, lightning, and ice collided in the center of the room. The resulting explosion knocking all three ponies to the ground. Contrail's ears were ringing as Midnight dragged him too the door. Shaking his head to try and clear it, he noticed Featherdancer doing the same with Firebrand. The younger colt dove as a barrage of icicles perforated the air.

Midnight looked up, and Contrail followed his gaze to see Vinegar shakily getting to her hooves. The bat pony's eye glowed, and then a spell shot out of it towards the mare. Contrail recognized it, most unicorns would. Basic magical blast. He was trying to decide whether or not to be horrified that the other stallion had killed the mare, when the spell hit.

Striking right at the base of her horn.

The mare's eyes went wide as the bone crossed her field of vision. She looked like she was shouting something, but Contrail's ears were still ringing, so he couldn't make it out. She threw another potion with her hooves, but Midnight just blasted it out of the air. Desperately, the mare scrambled to pull another potion out of the bags beside her, only to stare in horror as one slipped from her hooves.

The first sound Contrail heard as the ringing faded was a dull roar. Then the shattering. As bottle after bottle burst under more and more magical effects, Vinegar sitting in the center, surrounded and trapped by it. The magical energies were swirling around her, competing with each other. The vortex began pulling in the flames that had been scattered around the room by the fight.

Contrail felt another tug on his shoulder and realized that this was probably bad.

Moonchaser met them as they rushed out, the orphanage foals in tow. "Inkwell, what's going on? Ditzy and the Doctor were saying something about-"

"Impending explosion," The mage cut her off, "Everypony out now."

Further debate was cut off as said explosion occurred. Everypony was rocked, but they stayed standing. Glancing over his shoulder, Contrail was very glad that his mother had taught him to always close doors behind himself. The heavy oak was completely enflamed.

"Well, that was the explosion, so now we can-"

"Moonchaser, there's a time to calculate and a time to act." Midnight was deathly calm. "The large wooden structure we are in right now is on fire." He gestured down the hall, where several parts of the wall had ignited. "Evacuate. Now."

---

The entire group stood there, watching the orphanage as it burned. There was a resounding crash as the second floor collapsed into the first, sending sparks high into the air. This was followed by an anguished cry, "No!"

Everypony turned to look at Sunbeam, confusion in their gazes as they saw the normally strong mare collapsed and in tears. "Sh-she trusted us, and we... we forgot about her!" She sobbed. The memory of a sick filly suddenly returned to everypony, and all their hearts dropped in a combination of sorrow and shame.

"Don't be too hard on yourselves." They turned to see a pink unicorn mare with a two-tone purple mane and amethyst eyes, her cutie mark of three gemstones clearly visible on her flank. "You were in a burning building, there was only so much time. I really doubt that Sparky blames you at all... Though I suppose promising to never leave anypony else behind for her sake would probably make her feel better." The mare shook her head. "But anyway, what would I know, I'm just passing through."

The mare turned and walked away, slipping into an alley between a pair of shops. The crying continued for a moment before Midnight and Featherdancer simultaneously started and looked at each other. "How did that mare know Sparky's nickname?" Featherdancer asked.

Sunbeam froze. Immediately, she jumped up and ran for the alley. She and several of the others skidded into the entrance, only to find it both empty and a dead end.

Midnight cleared his throat, "Just thinking out loud here, but is anypony else noticing that our favorite time travelers are conspicuously absent?"

Further comment on this subject was cut off by another mare, a light red earth pony with a white mane and tail and a black umbrella cutie mark. "Children, just a suggestion, but you may want to get the young one away before interested parties start sniffing around."

Eyes widened, as the group looked at each other for a moment. In lieu of any other volunteers, Moonchaser took command. "Sunbeam, Featherdancer, get Mouse out of the city unnoticed. Inkwell, you're the expert in faking deaths, make hers happen. Everypony else... Meet up at the tree."

By the time anypony else considered it safe enough to arrive and watch the end of the fire, the alicorns in disguise and their allies had vanished into the wind.

---

"So how'd you wind up doing it?" Featherdancer asked.

"I raided a pet cemetary. Slipped a chicken and the back half of a cat into the rubble. Made sure they got very burned."

The group sat in silence for a moment, drinking their various teas and juices as they lounged around Starswirl's living room, waiting for Contrail to arrive with Firebrand and her orphans.

Moonchaser broke the silence next, a curious expression on her face. "Midnight, what did you do with the front half of the cat?"

Author's Note:

Sorry for the long delay. I was trying for an epic, two-chapter battle with Vinegar, but... It just didn't work. Despite her own beliefs, she just wasn't important enouh to keep them busy...
Their next opponent on the other hoof...