The Adventures of Flare Brimstone

by Burningbloom78

Depths of the Misty Mountains

Flare Brimstone, a famous adventurer and owner of a shop in Ponyville, stood at the magnificence of a large mountain, heeding a summons from Princess Celestia to explore the mountain for rare minerals. The Misty Mountains is a frigid landscape, chock-full of rare crystals and the like.

The desire for these crystals was not unsubstantiated. The minerals contained traces of magic, and it's the reason why the Misty Mountains were named. Because of the minerals littered inside the Misty Mountains, these crystals were able to affect the weather surrounding the area, giving it the chilly climate it's known for.

A mining operation was administered by Princess Celestia many moons ago for the sole purpose to excavate and extract the extraordinary crystals. The crystals would be utilized in cities and towns as power sources when manipulated by magic wrought from the alchemists in their laboratorium stationed in Canterlot. However, due to excessive excavation for the crystals, an accident occurred and four stallions died in a cave-in.

After learning about the horrific incident, a distraught Princess Celestia had shut down the entire operation, heavily apologize and compensate the families of the late stallions. The Misty Mountains were abandoned, and Princess Celestia turned to different methods for power sources.

Following the events of the tragedy, the Misty Mountains, declared openly by Princess Celestia, was to be henceforth off-limits to all creatures unless given the full blessing of the sun princess. It was too dangerous for groups to traverse inside the mountain, and far too perilous for a single individual to tread.

And that's why Flare Brimstone was summoned.

The bat pony had the strength of a thousand stallions with the durability of Princess Luna. Flare's sense of adventure is borderline unhealthy, a perfect candidate for that sole reason.

Princess Celestia's face, instead of dread and fear, was filled with hope and fervor, and Flare Brimstone emulated the alicorn.

Unfortunately, due to the tectonic plates shifting over the past few hundred years, it is nearly impossible for a creature to traverse up the cliffs with relative ease, let alone discern and spot an entrance.

Whilst the bat pony pondered where she could infiltrate the Misty Mountains, Princess Celestia grabbed her agent's attention, wearing that motherly smile the alicorn expressed from the Lucid Fields.

The dutiful sun princess escorts Flare Brimstone to another entrance, a small passage the princess took the liberty in investigating recently. She deduces it leads into the Misty Mountains and gave Flare the order of investigating further to claiming a bushel full of the minerals for plans in the future.

Princess Celestia's horn glowed and an odd bag; a peculiar receptacle which the princess described as "willing to carry hefty amounts of minerals," manifested in front of Flare's face. Princess Celestia told the bat pony to utilize the vessel to store the crystals.

Used to being part of a family that explored Equestria all-around countless times, such scenes and conditions as these fill Flare Brimstone's vigor to the peak; advancing her insatiable lust for adventure and curiosity to the utmost spirits.

This is also the first time that she has been granted full access by the sun princess of Equestria, having faith in Flare Brimstone to come back not only alive and well, but with the crystals. There
might have a possibility that Flare would've gone anyway against Princess Celestia's wishes... but we'll never know.

With an embrace between the two ponies, Flare Brimstone proceeded into the dark passage, feeling a dank chill. The air was cool and the walls inside were wet and clammy. Coming prepared, Flare Brimstone carried two flashlights which she turned on and attached to her waist. The lights shined on very old and rotten carts, crates, and other various tools of different sizes and uses, which have aged horribly and are no longer useable.

As far as any creature knows, nothing lives in the mountains, but one can never be too careful. It is one of the oldest locations in Equestria.

With the light shining her darkened path, Flare Brimstone cautiously arrived at three corridors. Fortunately for her, two of the three paths have been blocked by rocks, during the fateful cave-in.

The path available was the middle that Flare Brimstone eagerly accepted. Going through the middle path, amidst the damp gravel of sediment and broken down objects, Flare Brimstone came across a ladder leading down further into the Misty Mountains.

She clung to the ladder and hovered herself, spiraling down. She reached the bottom and saw a bright light faintly shining through a pile of rocks. Flare Brimstone quickly removed each rock with all the might she had and revealed a cavern filled with the crystals she was sent down into the mountain to obtain.

Flare Brimstone had triumphed as she gathered tons of minerals she found in the ground, which were oddly soft. The crystals hummed in a low drone, an indication of their latent magical power, and Flare Brimstone spared no time in snatching what she could carry.

The elasticity of the receptacle provided by Princess Celestia was extremely beneficial; its effectiveness was able to contain more crystals than Flare Brimstone thought possible. That's the sun princess, always looking out for the bat pony.

More than satisfied with her massive haul, Flare Brimstone set out from the depths of the Misty Mountains, with the spoils full of crystal she hoisted with no hindrance.

After some time, Flare Brimstone exited out of the dark passage and ventured towards Princess Celestia, who was sitting with the other princesses: Princess Luna, Princess Cadence, and Princess Twilight Sparkle.

After presenting the haul of crystals, they welcomed Flare's triumphant return, rewarding the bat pony's eagerness. Princess Celestia, along with the other princesses, gave Flare Brimstone a crystal mirroring their coat colors, and also the blessing to do what Flare pleases with her treasure.

Though this may be a small kindness, Flare Brimstone took the rewards with the utmost gratitude and bowing before the princesses' generosity.

Four royal guards (pegasi) that accompanied Princess Celestia were given the task of lugging the bag filled to the brim with crystals to Canterlot for the alchemists to study. Although they struggled to heave the receptacle off to Canterlot, they managed to lift the vessel.

Princess Twilight bid farewell to the princesses, teleporting back to her castle in Ponyville. Princess Cadence headed back to the Crystal Empire, and Princess Luna stayed with her sister and Flare Brimstone.

The trio exchanges heartfelt stories for over an hour. Even though the conversation was getting lively, Princess Luna flew back to Canterlot Castle in preparation to raise the moon.

Princess Celestia, her countenance displaying motherly affection, offered to take Flare Brimstone out to dinner in Canterlot. Although the bat pony would love nothing more than to keep exploring the Misty Mountains, the poor mare was famished and took Princess Celestia up on her invitation.

Though it was only for a short time, Flare Brimstone will visit the Misty Mountains again to properly explore it in the future. For now, food calls out her name, an adventure her stomach could get behind.

Until the next adventure of Flare Brimstone.