From the Ashes: Ember's Story

by Zoljen

Words from Nowhere

A knock at the door to Embers home startled everyone present, which was Lode, Ember, and Quicktail. The changelings glanced towards the door, detecting both excitement and curiosity from a single source. Ember shrugged slightly and got up, heading over to the door and opening it. She blinked when she didn't see anypony there and looked down.

She grinned warmly at a young unicorn filly of a deep purple color with a blue and bright pink striped mane and tail grinning up at her. She had a set of saddlebags on her back, a few letters and other things sticking out of them at the moment, and a symbol of the Cutie Mark Crusaders sewed onto its side.

“Hello, Miss Haze!” The filly chirped as Ember looked her over.

“Hi Magenta, what are you doing here?” Ember asked gently, her eyes remaining on the saddlebags.

“Helping out the Royal Guard by being a cou… couri… a mail pony!” She grinned eagerly, “Speaking of! You have a letter from somepony named Talon. I thought you already had a special somepony.” She reached back and pulled out a stack of letters, and rifled through them until she found the one labeled for Ember.

“He’s my brother,” Ember let out a soft sigh to herself as she watched, “A long lost sibling, you could say.”

“Oooh, I wanna meet him one day!” She finally got the letter and hoofed it over to Ember, “Where is he now?”

“Don't know, hopefully, this letter explains it.” Ember floated the letter up, looking at it and spotting Talon’s familiar, and horrible, hoof-writing on the envelope.

“But this is a part of the stack of letters that a dark-dressed pegasus dropped off for Yearling to separate,” Magenta says as she put the letters back in her bag.

“Well, it just means he was a part of the group helping the Wonderbolts.” Ember let out another soft sigh, looking back at Magenta, “How many more deliveries do you have to make?”

“Just a few more, then I am to report back to the castle for another mission.” Magenta gave a quick and sloppy salute to mimic what the Royal Guards do. “With your permission ma’am.”

Ember nodded and saluted back with a chuckle, “Carry on, little courier.” With that, the filly turned and cantered back to the street before turning and heading to another nearby home. Ember lets her eyes linger on the filly for a bit longer before turning, closing the door, and reclaiming her spot by Quicktail, holding the letter out in front of her with her magic.

“Who was that?” Quicktail asks quietly as he watches Ember.

“Magenta Phase, a young filly that I’ve tended to in the clinic a number of times. Good parents that take very good care of her, and she has become a friend of mine. Not as close as others, but still.” She said as she opened the letter and started reading it, grinning and rereading it out loud for the others to hear.

---

---

“Well, I feel better now.” Ember relaxed on the couch, grinning and snuggling up under Quicktail's wing.

“You certainly look it.” Quicktail chuckled softly, as he wrapped his wing around her, “One weight off your shoulders.”

“Nice to know he’s still kicking. It seems our little soldier is truly a survivor. That's how many times he’s come close to fading into the hive-mind?” Lode sighed as he read the letter. “Also, his writing could use a lot of work.”

“Well, he didn't really do a lot of writing before Lode. You should know that.” Ember chuckled, “Still, it's good to actually hear from him.”

“How do you know it's him and not somepony else playing a joke?” Quicktail queried, looking down at Ember who glared back up to him for a moment. Ember shook her head after that, wearing a soft grin.

“It's him. Only he would be that excited about getting discovered and not being horribly hurt. Plus he mentioned Rime and Crimson. Not many know their first names.”

“I assume,” Lode started, looking up at her, “Those two were with him when he…was nearly killed?” Ember nodded slowly.

“I don't think I’ll ever forget that night. Seeing him barely breathing, and so wounded.” She sighed, shivering visibly. Quicktail hugged her closer for a moment, “I know he is a soldier, and it's great to know he didn't go down without a fight. I honestly wish I could have seen him fight.”

Lode watched Ember as she spoke, sighing a little. “Sucks meeting him had to be like that.”

“Yeah, but he got better. Obviously,” she chuckled. “The energy from that Cloudsdale show certainly helped give him a major boost.”

“Cloudsdale show?” Lode raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, a Wonderbolt show in Cloudsdale a week before Canterlot went to Tartarus. We attended, Quicktail was in the seats and I… er… was down on the floor where the other trainers were.” She grinned, “It felt like I was at the bottom of a funnel. It was… interesting.”

“Yeah, and the train ride after was a thrill. And getting you to the castle, and to Talon’s room.” Quicktail listed and chuckled as Ember looked up at him apologetically.

“I said I was sorry! I remember the train station, after that it was kind of a blur until I woke up next to you on that fancy bed they let Talon sleep on.” Ember whined as Quicktail leaned down and kissed her.

“And I forgave you too. It wasn't like I couldn't handle you anyway. I am stronger than you.” He grinned widely.

“I’ve heard of Wonderbolt shows. I honestly never dared to go to one.” Lode chuckled weakly, “I'm not a harvester, I don't know what that much energy would have done to me.”

“Well, I’d suggest you avoid Cloudsdale. Manehattan was good, though.” Ember giggled.

Lode just shook his head, “I’d say we could use one of their shows about now. This city could use the morale boost.”

The others nodded as they looked at Lode, with Quicktail chuckling softly. “So, working under Faith Cure is amusing. She’d make a fine drill instructor.”

“Don't tell her that.” Ember looked up at Quicktail with a grin.

“It's true,” He grinned down at her, then looked at Lode, “So, what have you done today?”

“Mostly just helped with rebuilding what I can. Kind of wish I could become a unicorn or even a pegasus would help with getting to certain things.” Lode shrugged, “But oh well.”

“Right, kind of already established your identity already as an earth pony, huh?” Quicktail chuckled as Lode glared at him.

“Yeah, not as lucky as Ember here being a unicorn, or you with your paws.”

“Hey now you two, am I going to have to separate you both?” Ember glanced between the two that she was currently lying between.

“No ma’am.” They said at the same time, making her chuckle.

“Well, we should get rest. Tomorrow is another full day of work.”

“Oh yes, have to upset more pegasi tomorrow,” Quicktail said as he extended his paws and grabbed at the air a few times, chuckling.

---

Quicktail grinned as he held up one of the windows from the outside, watching a pair of unicorns wielding the window in place with their magic. Once they were both halfway up the sides, he let go slowly and floated back.

“Looking good, only...what, 40 more windows on this floor to fix?” He glanced down the row of windows, then back as he heard the unicorns groan, “Right, sorry. Forgot you guys don't have the same endurance I do. We should take a break after this window anyway.”

The unicorns gave a short nod as they finished up the window while Quicktail maintained his position, in case something about the window slipped. Once the window was finished, the unicorns grinned back at the griffin before turning and trudging off towards a small little break area set up.

Quicktail floated over to a window and flew through it, landing once inside and joined the unicorns at the table. He grabbed a cup of water and was about to take a swig before he heard a pair of hooves land somewhat behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Faith standing there, watching him.

“Can I help you, ma’am?” He lowered the cup and turned partially towards her.

“I would just like to get to know you better. I am currently on break and wanting my mind other places at the moment.” Faith turned and gestured to walk. Quicktail chuckled softly and followed her.

“And why would you want to get to know me better?” Quicktail raised an eyebrow, moving a little faster to catch up to Faith.

“Because you’re a special somepony to Emerald, one of my best nurses. And she barely talks about you. Why is that?” Faith stopped and looked at Quicktail.

“Probably because she is new to the relationship thing?” Quicktail stopped as well, chuckling, “I mean, when I met Leaf Wind and Witching Hour for the first time, she was embarrassed the whole time.”

Faith leaned into Quicktail and whispered, “And you know what she is, right?”

“Learned that nearly two decades ago, ma’am.” Quicktail smirked, “Doesn't matter anyway. I still love her all the same.”

Faith nodded, straightening up again, “Basically when I learned too. Good.”

“Anything else you wish to learn about me, ma’am?”

Faith raised an eyebrow, “Yeah, why’d you leave the Sky Wings?”

Quicktail let out a soft sigh, “To be honest, at first, it was cool, my inner chick enjoyed it. But after a while, it became a chore. Everygriff was stiff, lots of shouting. It changed since my father served becoming far too stiff. I suppose I should've expected it, being a military organization and all.” Quicktail paused to shrug, “When the Embassy thing popped up, I quickly decided to jump on it.”

He grinned as Faith watched him, “A chance to see new lands, be away from the drakes for a time. Sure I had to check in occasionally with the Sky Wings and everything back in the Kingdoms, but hey, I get to be among ponies. Sure this land has seen its fair share of chaos,” He paused, earning a flat look from Faith and chuckling in response, “but it's still tame compared to having drakes next door.”

“So you decided to stay here just to get away from drakes and dragons?”

“Well… let’s go with that and not the fact I had a...small...crush on Ember when I first truly met her.” He grinned and blushed faintly.

Faith chuckled softly, “I see now.” She let out a content sigh, “And it's nice to know she’s in good claws.”

“What? You were worried I’d leave her?” Quicktail scoffed and leaned in close, “Not when she can be whatever she wants, and give as well as she gets.” He grinned widely at her, making her blink for a moment then shake her head quickly.

“Just the image I wanted, thanks!” Faith grumbled.

“You kind of asked for it!” Quicktail chuckled, glancing back at the unicorns, “Suppose I should get back to the windows, huh?”

“That would be great, thanks for helping us here.” Faith grinned as Quicktail moved back to the window.

“Just doing my part as an Equestrian Citizen!” He waved back before jumping out the window.

Author's Note:

Look, a new pony! A filly named Magenta Phase. She will be making a few more appearances later on, especially after what happens down the road, the riots. She does make a small appearance in Witching Hours "A very Witchy Holiday" so look out for her there!

Comments

[Sylvian]

Yay for Magenta!

[harts fire]

Magenta.
this story rocks.