Eveningray-Who is that foxy?

by ChevalNoir

Cold hooves and blue mane

Brook climbed up a near hill in order to know which way to go. In a distance, she saw a group of guards who were about to cross a frozen lake. The mare spread her wings but then folded them again. "No, I won't run and hide anymore!"

The Princess put the moldavite ring on. Her horn shone bright. She sent a very strong stream of fire to the lake. The ice on its surface melted down. Trees around caught fire. The heat drove the guards deep into a near forest. Right after that, she sank on her knees and lay down. Brook was confused. Unicorn Silver Mane with several guards walked out of their hiding place. Two stallions came pulling a cart with a small barrel.

"You have no idea what has happened, do you, Princess Polar Sky?" Silver Mane laughed. "That moldavite junk on your horn makes it ten times stronger, but it takes the needed energy directly from your body. So you've just gotten exhausted ten times faster."

He took the ring off her horn and threw it on the snow. One of the guards broke the barrel with a big hammer. A dark liquid came out of it. As it was nearing her, she stood up and spread her wings. But she was too weakened. The mare fell down. The dark matter covered her and hardened to a solid crust. The guards loaded her on the cart and took away.

For six days Eveningray was waiting for Brook. Then she went to Maple.

"... so Blizzard and Brook are away. I don't know where to find them and what to do!"

"Oh, my little wild mare, you are already a young lady. You must be hungry. Have a piece of my apple pie and then I'll give you something that will answer your questions," Maple said.

Eveningray ate the pie.

Maple gave her an amethyst. "Last time Blizzard had a foreboding and left this here for you. Take it up that hill. You'll know how to use it."

There was a small pyramid on the top of the hill. She put the amethyst in it and a picture of Blizzard appeared.

"As you know," she said, "all the food we have come from Green Fields, warm places heated from the underground by eternal flame. Without its effect, life in our land, but even in Equestria and the Southern Kingdom, wouldn't be possible. Princess Polar Sky, your ability to rule fire is not fortuitous. You are predestined to become a guardian of the eternal flame. Malevolent has been trying to control it, in order to destroy all the kingdoms of ponies. Eveningray, you must protect our Princess! Forget me. Obey Maple and practice your magic. I am sure that someday you two will defeat the evil usurper, but now you are not ready for such fight yet. Avoid our enemies!"

The picture of Blizzard disappeared.

Back in the log cabin, desperate Eve told Maple, "Blizzard hasn't told me where I can find her, so as not to imperil me!"

"All I know is that Malevolent is some dark creature that doesn't like cold. It came to our land though. It is the only kingdom where the eternal flame can be tamed. The only place where Malevolent's lair can be is Five Rivers. Four hot rivers flow together into the fifth one there."

"It sounds romantic."

"There is nothing romantic about Five Rivers. It's a swampy area full of dirt, mud and tar pits. That place is very suitable for a monster."

"Will you give me a map to get there?" Eveningray asked.

"First, show me how good you are at using your power!" Maple set a cup of hot water on a table. "Cool it down, just a little," She said.

Eveningray focused. A thin layer of ice covered the table, then chairs, and on the third try she made an ice rink on the floor, but the water remained hot. Angry Eve touched the cup with her hoof and froze it.

"What have you done now?" Maple asked her.

"I know I was to have cooled it down just a little, but it raised my anger."

"No. I mean, how did you do it?"

"Normally, I used my horn and..."

"No, there was no aura around your horn. You lowered your body temperature instead. There is still hoarfrost on your hooves. And look at this." Maple showed her a hoof-mirror.

Shocked Eve saw that her mane was light blue, which turned red again in a minute.

"Oh, no! I am a monster! Other ponies will be afraid of me!" Eveningray worried.

"You have to separate control of this weird capability from your magic skills in your mind, and when you master it, ponies will have no reason to be afraid of you."

That night, Maple led Eveningray to Red Rock.

"Look up at the stars in the sky. They are all in a perfect harmony. Each of them has its place and purpose. Don't think about it, just perceive it," Maple said and went home.

After three hours of sitting in the moonlight alone, Eveningray thought to herself, 'This is good for nothing!'

The following morrow, Maple climbed up Red Rock and found Eveningray joyful.

"Maple, the meditation helped me to feel my magic. It's like peculiar waves coming through my body. I feel like there's nothing I can't do."

"So, show me what you've got."

"Can you see that pinecone on the tree over there?" Eveningray froze the distant target.

"Nothing special," Maple provoked her.

"Hm, you left a bucket of water in front of your log cabin." The foxy shot twice and turned it into the ice.

"On the second try? You still have much to learn," Maple judged her performance.

The morning sun melted snow on the tops of trees around. Eveningray noticed small drops of water falling from the branches down behind Maple. In the air, she froze one drop that fell on a branch beside the piebald mare, bounced and tapped her ear.

"I'm sorry, Maple, I just couldn't resist," Eveningray snickered.

"Well, it seems you have found your inner harmony after all."

They went back to the log cabin. Maple took the frozen bucket, put it on a stove, and found a message written with hoarfrost on the table, 'I told you I'm good.' She looked at Eveningray.

"This is the first try," the red-maned unicorn smiled.

After breakfast, Maple gave Eveningray the map and the red-maned mare set out.