Smoldering It Over

by Turtlehaus

Chapter 11: The Next Big Thing

I awoke the next morning to the frantic sounds of a very distressed Rarity who seemed to be arguing with Tea Herbal about the nature of her emergency. I rolled off the slab of granite, flaring my mane with a yawn before stretching; almost sure that the argument was about me.

"I know that you are very upset at the moment-" Tea began holding her hoof out in front of Rarity.

"Upset doesn't come close to what I'm feeling right now!" Rarity cried trying to get by.

"Something the matter?" I asked aloud walking up to them.

"Oh thank Celestia! Smolder, I need to speak with you right away! I'm afraid I've lost the competition before it has even started!" Rarity cried rubbing her hooves together; looking very distressed.

"Well that does sound bad." I mumbled.

"Of course it's bad! It's terrible! Horrible! Hurry! You must come with me right away!" Rarity pleaded; pacing at the door.

I looked to see Tea had already walked away once I had shown up; having returned to the nursing station to begin working again.

"Rarity, could you give me a minute? I just have to speak with Tea before I leave." I asked, looking back towards her.

"What? Tea? Well if you must but please hurry! I'll be waiting in my room!" Rarity stated nervously before bolting off down the corridor.

Making my way over to the nursing station Tea moved some papers around before looking up at me.

"Sleep well?" Tea asked with a smile.

"Yes, actually." I replied, feeling my mane flare a little.

"I'm glad to hear it." Tea said, moving the papers into folders.

"Um, Tea? About last night?" I began, my mane flaring a bit more.

"Yes?" Tea asked, her seemingly getting prettier by the second.

"Well I… um… well… uh… thank you." I said trying to say more but could only get that out.

"Don't mention it." Tea said smiling brighter.

"Cool." I said feeling my inner dork kick in.

I nodded a few times, unable to think of anything clever to say and decided it was time to leave before I embarrassed myself further. I headed back towards the doorway, hoping to keep my calm, cool, and collected demeanor together.

"I'm here if you ever want to talk again." Tea called after me.

"Yeah! Sure! Totally!" I shouted back while looking over my shoulder.

I suddenly felt myself tripping over my own hooves in the process. I landed hard on my face. I could hear Tea trying to hide her giggling. Bolting back up, feeling my mane flare from embarrassment, I tried to walk out of the infirmary with whatever dignity I had left and once I was around the corner I hoof faced myself.

"Totally? What is wrong with me?" I asked myself in a whisper.

I climbed the tower staircase, wondering what had gotten to Rarity to make her son riled up. Nothing came to mind during my climb to Rarity's room. I eventually reached her door, knocking my hoof against the metal part of the handle.

"Rarity?" I asked aloud.

Pushing the door open I entered the room to find it very difficult to get any further than that doorway with the amount of things flying around via her magic; it was too dangerous for me to try and get by. I could see Rarity frantically running back and forth across her room doing her best to complete whatever task she had for herself as quickly as possible.

"Rarity?" I asked aloud again, trying to get her attention.

"Smolder! Thank the stars you're here! Come to the window! Quickly!" Rarity cried flinging all the things she could levitate with magic to the other side of the room.

I approached the window curiously wondering what had shaken Rarity so badly. Looking out, I saw some ponies in the courtyard below working on some sort of contraption.

"What is that?" I asked trying to figure it out.

"It's a band! A band!" Rarity cried, covering her face with her arm dramatically.

"What's a band? Is it that box?" I asked curiously, pointing my hoof at it.

"What? No darling that's a speaker, it amplifies sound so that it can be heard by every pony." Rarity clarified for me.

"Oh, that's cool." I said nodding.

"That's just it, Smolder! It's cool! Bands are the coolest thing! Fashion can be trendy, seasonal; all the rage but rarely is it ever cool! Those are fads! Fads are like catching lightning in a bottle!" Rarity cried in despair.

"Bands are the coolest?" I asked feeling confused.

"I'm slated to go on after the band down there does their performance. Every pony will be so electrified with their music that my fashion show will fall flat! I'm doomed." Rarity sobbed throwing herself onto the bed.

"Music?" I asked, never once hearing music in the Ashen Fields.

"You really don't get out much do you darling?" Rarity asked, looking rather sorry for me.

"Well then, what's the plan?" I asked, preparing to pose some more for Rarity.

"There is no plan, Smolder! I can't go up against the power of rock and roll!" Rarity cried covering her face with her hooves.

"They're going to roll rocks?" I asked, glancing back out the window.

"Okay this is becoming really sad really fast, Smolder dear. We need to get you in a sort of class or something to get caught up with everything." Rarity remarked tapping her chin with her hoof.

"But the clothes you've made are amazing." I insisted, motioning over to the wardrobe that sat on display.

"Fashion Shows are about themes, Smolder, it has some music to it but the focal point is the fashion. Ponies won't want to see clothes right after having their saddles knocked off." Rarity said weakly.

"So... the band is all about the performance and the music. While you're fashion show is about the style and the art?" I asked trying to figure it out.

"Well typically music is also art and style. They are interchangeable really, it's all about perspective and presentation." Rarity informed me.

"So we just have to present your clothes in a way that will get the crowd excited?" I asked, starting to understand.

"It's impossible dear. Fashion doesn't always connect with people the way music does." Rarity said solemnly.

"But fear does." I mumbled looking back out the window.

"What did you say, darling?" Rarity asked curiously.

"You said that fashion shows have themes?" I asked, having a thought.

"Of course." Rarity replied.

"I might just have an idea." I said with a mischievous smile.

Rarity and I spent most of the day, and that night, working on the presentation for the event tomorrow. Rarity would have to make a few adjustments to her line of clothing, but the beginning of the show would be in my hooves. For my plan to work I needed to make sure that I had taken every precaution necessary. I even went to Princess Celestia to tell her what I was planning to do, and much to my delight she agreed to it. As an added bonus, my request to Princess Luna for her help was also met with a yes.

---

Tomorrow had finally arrived. The Next Big Thing event was well underway, ponies from all over Equestria had come to see what it may be. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance and Shining Armor presided over the event in the balcony facing the stage. Hundreds of ponies down below looked on as inventors showed off self-moving wagons, talking books, steam powered apple tree shakers, cupcake cannon, and much more.

It seemed to have a little bit of everything a pony could want or imagine, garnering the interest of several investor ponies. As the day wore on, the inventions became more grandiose, much more exciting, causing great crowds of ponies to gather to look at what was going on. Eventually night had fallen. The stage had been lit up, spotlights, multitudes of colors flashing all about as the band came out to rock the roll out of Canterlot; they were known as the Gee-Whiz.

Rarity was back stage desperately trying to put the finishing touches on some of her clothing that the Royal Guards were sporting. Princess Celestia had asked for any volunteers for Rarity's fashion show and many had stepped forward to help.

"Oh my! The band is almost done playing! Everything just has to be perfect!" Rarity squealed checking over all the royal guards' outfits.

"Rarity?" Twilight's voice rang out over the music.

"What? Who? Oh, Twilight darling. I didn't see you there. What are you doing back here?" Rarity asked, turning to see her friends.

"We all came to wish you luck." Twilight said motioning over to Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Spike behind her.

"Where's Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked curiously.

"Do you ponies hear this music? These ponies rock!" Rainbow Dash cried flying in from the rafters above.

"We're here to support Rarity, Rainbow Dash." Applejack said stomping her hoof down.

"I know that, it's just hard to compete with a band that had a twenty minute kazoo solo." Rainbow Dash replied.

"Where's Smolder? Isn't he here with you?" Twilight asked looking around.

"Oh he's here. He's going to be in the show." Rarity said nervously.

"Matchstick is going to be wearing a dress? On stage?" Rainbow Dash asked in disbelief.

"Not exactly but he will be on stage." Rarity assured them.

"This I got to see." Rainbow Dash said with a smile.

"I'm sure it will be a pretty dress." Fluttershy said encouragingly.

With the final note being plucked from the guitar the band bowed for the last time before clearing the stage. The stage hoof ponies rushed out to clear away the speakers and equipment in record time, and all the while the cheers from the crowds were still going. The stage was now clear but no pony came on. The cheering died down quickly while murmurs ran through the crowd wondering what was going on.

The lights of the stage switched off, the torches along the walls were suddenly snuffed out and the whole of Canterlot went dark. Many ponies shouted in fright while others began to question what was going on. I stood behind the curtains, feeling rather nervous now being here, but knew I had to go through with it if Rarity was going to get ponies to notice her new line of clothing.

"There is a power inside each of us." Rarity's voice came floating from the stage. "Begging to be released."

The curtains rolled back, my flames illuminated a small part of the stage. I walked out towards the center of it. I could feel every pony's eyes fixed on me. I took a deep breath and hoped I'd be able to pull this off without burning down the stage. If there was one thing my father had taught me, it was that fear was a good motivator.

I shouted into the air. My flames exploded from my body, more powerful then I ever thought possible, swirling around me and whipping over the crowd like ribbons caught in a breeze. The ponies in the audience screamed in terror, hiding behind their hooves from the flash of my flames, but it did not burn any of them. My flames leaped into the air, dancing about, swirling towards the sky creating vast colors of blue, yellow, white, orange and red.

My fire now roaring loudly, shaking the very stage beneath me. I could feel my limit about to be reached. I took a breath before my fire rushed back into my body, my flame once more a small flicker. Leaving the stage nearly completely dark once again.

"Discover your inner power with a new line of year round clothing from the Rarity Collection." Rarity's voice floated in again.

The brilliant white lights of the stage went back on blinding all the ponies in the audience.

The stage was now filled with fifteen Royal Ponies, each one wearing a unique outfit. The garments were black as coal, ocean blue, red as apples, yellow so bright it gleamed like gold and crimson as deep as cherries. Gold thread weaved to create patterns resembling dragon scales, fissures in the earth, flames, and other shapes. Each pony carried an array of accessories ranging from cloaks to hand bags, capes, saddle bags and even false mustaches.

"This new line was inspired by our very own Flame Pony, Smolder." Rarity's voice floated in again.

The Royal Guards trotted around for a minute, showing off the clothing from all angles before gathering near me. With a sudden flare of my mane, I reared back my head breathing fire high into the air, to earn a collective 'ooo' from the audience.

"Leave a 'Smoldering' impression." Rarity's voice floated from the stage once more.

That was it. The whole presentation. Princess Luna had helped teach me to use the Royal Canterlot Voice, Princess Celestia had said it was okay to display my fire to the crowd. A couple of volunteers of the Royal Guard offered to lend a hoof to model and that was it. Rarity added the voice over bits saying the audience would need direction, but I was just hoping to scare them in hopes of having them forget about the band and focus on what we were pitching.

Rarity stepped out from behind the curtain looking nervous with a microphone in her hoof. Seconds later the crowd was in a hoof stomping uproar of cheers and applause. This boosted Rarity's confidence so high that she rushed out on stage waving at every pony. Speaking into the microphone expressing her gratitude and thanks for their applause. The Royal Guard Ponies had taken to strolling across the stage to model the clothing further, but I took it as an opportunity to exit the stage.

Leaving through the back of the stage was the best choice. Every pony was on the other side watching what was going on; allowing me to slip away without being bombarded with ponies. It made my escape a little easier, but I would have to take the long way round to get back to my nice cozy slab of granite in the Infirmary.

It wasn't that I didn't want to be there to see the rest of Rarity's fashion show, but I had spent all night practicing to control my fire as best I could. Having slept very little, mostly due to my nerves, and Rarity's insistence of rehearsing several times before.

Walking along the side of the corridor, taking care not to step on the fancy looking carpet that ran down the middle. Reaching the infirmary I noticed that it was empty. I could see no sick or injured ponies in bed, but I knew my slab of granite was calling my name. Closing the door behind me, I crossed the room towards the beds when I noticed movement from behind a sheet wall.

"Smolder?" Tea asked curiously stepping out from behind one of the curtain dividers.

"Oh, hello Tea." I said surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Tea asked curiously.

"Wait, what are you doing here?" I asked even more confused,

"A pony tried to launch himself out of a cannon as an alternative to taking the train to get to places. It ended up blowing up on the spot." Tea explained looking over her shoulder.

I took a gander to see a pony wrapped in several bandages, streams of smoke still coming off his mane, but he looked to be in good spirits.

"So that's what exploded." I said thinking about the boom I had heard earlier in the day.

"Yeah, I took him up here to get some rest. He's going to be alright." Tea said confidently, pulling the curtain divider closed to give the pony privacy.

"So I guess you missed out on Rarity's fashion show, huh?" I asked.

"Afraid so. How did it turn out?" Tea asked curiously making her way back to the nursing station.

"Well she got a pretty big applause from the audience, but I didn't stick around to see the rest of it." I said following her.

"Not one for the lime light, huh?" Tea asked sliding into her chair.

"I think I get enough attention already." I confessed.

"I suppose you're tired from working these last two days, your slab of rock thing is still here." Tea said.

I was indeed tired. Although, my heart rate had increased significantly since seeing Tea, which had me wide awake for some reason.

"No, I'm not that tired." I said trying to sound chipper.

"Really?" Tea asked looking at me.

"Totally." I said with a smile.

I could feel that same look from the other night, where she knew I was lying but knew I didn't want to talk about it.

"Alright then." Tea said hiding a smile.

We fell quiet for a few moments, I tried not to seem pathetic by pretending there was a rock in my hoof while Tea went about her business filling out papers.

"So… it's not weird that you drink green tea?" I asked.

Comments

[Robot Sparky]

wish i was there to see the show, *dramatic sigh* but alas i will have to settle for the authors words. Have to say great chapter as always!
11/10