Can't Start a Fyre Without a Spark

by CarcinoFlavors

Chapter 1

M.
Can’t Start A Fyre Without a Spark Pt.1

It was around midnight in Equestria. Luna’s moon hung high in the sky, the huge white orb blazing through the darkness of night. Blaze was pacing around nervously. His bright red coat and fiery mane stuck out in the otherwise peaceful and dark evening. For a pegasus who was well know for his calm level headiness it was strange to see him so frantic. However like any father can tell you, there is no experience quite like your first child. It brought him such a strange mix of joy and fear. What if something went wrong? What if he was a bad father? What if the kid hated him? He continued to push himself further and further into his own fears until he was shocked back into reality by the opening of the door to the house.
“It’s done.” said a young Nurse Redheart with a satisfied smile, “The operation was a success.” At that moment the immense joy and relief Blaze felt immediately trumped any doubts or fears he may have previously held. He was a father now. Redheart led Blaze inside where mother was with child. Blaze felt his eyes get wet, and for half a second his vision was blurred with tears of joy. The moment seemed to hang in the air forever, then finally after what seemed like ages, Blaze walked towards his wife.
“He’s beautiful Crystal.” he said whispering to his wife. She looked up at him and gave him a weak, tired smile. “He’s a she, Blaze. You have a daughter.” Blaze was dumbstruck. He had a daughter. HE HAD A DAUGHTER. He wanted to run through all of Equestria and scream it. BY CELESTIA HE HAD A DAUGHTER. He looked at the foal clutched in Crystal’s hooves. She had a bright yellow coat like her mother. She also had a fiery red and orange mane like her father. He could have looked at that foal all night and it was, in a way, love at first sight. Suddenly the foal turned and looked straight at her dad. Blaze looked right into her eyes. She had fire in them. “Just like her father,” he thought.
He broke his gaze and looked again to his wife. “What should we call her?” he asked. Crystal took a moment and thought. “Spitfyre, we’ll call her Spitfyre.”
Blaze smiled, it was a good name.”My little Spitfyre.” Nurse Redheart nudged him gently.
“Excuse me, Mr. Blaze, but your wife has just made a delivery and both of you could use some sleep, why don't you two rest and I'll send a doctor over to check on your wife tomorrow.”
She then turned and quietly left the house, leaving the young couple alone with their new foal.
“She’s right Crystal, we shou-.” Blaze began but he stopped and smiled. She was already fast asleep with Spitfyre curled tightly in her hooves.
“Goodnight Crystal,” he whispered leaning over giving her a small kiss on the cheek.
“And goodnight little Spitfyre,” he said leaning over and gently ever so gently kissing the new foal on the cheek. He paused for a moment and looked around the room.
“My Spitfyre,” he said to himself one more time before he promptly sat in a nearby chair and fell into a deep, dreamy, slumber.

Blaze woke up and sunlight was already pouring in through the windows. He had slept in. He got up from the chair yawning and rubbing some of the sleep from his eyes. Then it hit him. He had slept in, on his daughter’s birthday. It had been five short years since that fateful night. Time seemed to go by so fast. He looked around the house. Either no pony else was awake or Crystal had already taken Spitfyre out somewhere for her birthday. He headed upstairs to their bedroom, and cracked open the door. Crystal was still sound asleep with Spitfyre curled up tightly right beside her. She had been having terrible night-terrors lately. She would always burst into their room with tears streaming down her face. She’d run towards and jump in the bed quivering and mumbling in between sobs about all the horrible things she had seen. He quietly closed the door and went back downstairs.
Blaze grabbed his goggles off the mantle place in the living room. They were old and covered with dust but still as sturdy as they were the day he first got them. He put them on, feeling the familiarity of them. Just one quick flight, he thought, to Sugarcube corner to pick up the cake. Besides, his daughter couldn’t rightly have a birthday without a cake now could she? He flexed his wings when he got outside, it had been some time since he had done a considerable amount of flying. He took off with one powerful down stroke and began rocketing towards the sky. He broke through the clouds and started to beat his wings in the direction of Sugercube corner. Blaze started moving faster and faster, the wind was whipping in his face and whistling through his ears as he streaked across the sky. “It’s almost like the old days,” he thought. He started to think back to his younger days. Back when he was still with them, but quickly pushed the memories from his mind. Those days were through; he was a father now. He landed outside the home of Mr. and Mrs. Cake and after a brief conversation, some laughter, and a couple of bits Blaze was on his way back home with birthday cake in tow. He looked off in the distance and spied some very sinister looking clouds. Must be the big storm the weather pegasi were planning to make up for missing all those days of rain, he thought. The clouds were huge and swollen, and jet black. Blaze had never seen such huge or dark clouds before, but he had faith in the weather team at Ponyville. Besides now was not the time for worrying. It was a time for celebrating. By the time Blaze reached home Crystal and Spitfyre both were already awake.
Blaze could hear Spitfyre anxiously pestering her mother about what she got for her birthday while she was desperately trying to get breakfast prepared. He swung open the door wide, shouting “I heard it was somepony’s birthday?” Spitfyre noticing the grand entrance of her father forgot all about trying to squeeze information out of her mother.
“Daddy!” she cried with delight.
“Hey there, pipsqueak.” he responded with equal mirth. Spitfyre ran over to Blaze nearly vibrating with excitement “Whatcha got there? Can i see it? Is it mine?” Blaze smiled at the energetic filly.
“I don’t know,” he replied playfully, “but if somepony isn’t a good girl and doesn’t sit down and eat her breakfast she wont get anything.” Obediently Spitfyre sat down in the nearest chair and tore into the plate of neglected breakfast.
“Slow down Spitfyre, I don’t want you to choke,” said Crystal “and sit up straight, and when was the last time you brushed your mane, young lady?” Crystal continued to nag the filly as she finished her breakfast. Blaze smiled. It was just another morning as usual. Far off he thought he heard thunder rumbling but quickly dismissed it. He quietly snuck into the kitchen and hid the cake on a high up cabinet where Spitfyre couldn't see and slipped back into the dining room. Crystal looked at him and smiled. The smile disappeared and was replaced by a look of puzzlement.
“Spitfyre, honey go play outside,” she said eyes still riveted on Blaze “mommy and daddy need to talk, and don’t go to far you hear me?”
“Yes ma’am.” Spitfyre responded as she dashed out of the room. as soon as the door closed Crystal spoke.
“You’re wearing your goggles.” She said quietly, staring at him.
“Yeah, I put them on when I went to go pick up her cake. I guess it’s just an old habit.” Blaze responded nonchalantly trying to avoid the subject.
“You’re retired Blaze. You’ve been retired for four years,” she was getting angry now. “Promise me you didn’t do any flying.” she said suddenly. Blaze knew he couldn’t lie to his wife so he didn’t even try.
“Yes I went flying today,” he sighed “I just needed to get out some pent up energy.”
“DAMMIT BLAZE, YOU AREN’T A WONDERBOLT ANYMORE.” she yelled tears now streaming from her face. Blaze just stood where he was, not knowing what to say. There was a loud crash as the far off storm was bearing down upon them. after a while Crystal began again.
“Do you remember why we moved to Ponyville Blaze?” she asked.
“To start a family,” Blaze whispered.
“That’s right and what is a family without a father, Blaze? After your accident I didn’t think that I would even be able to have a family with you, but you pulled through. I know it hurts that the doctor told you that you can’t fly anymore, it’s like telling a fish not to swim, but Blaze this family needs you, I need you, Spitfyre needs you.” Blaze cringed at the mention of the accident. It was a moment he would never forget. He had been young then; young and reckless. He was the head air-pony of the Wonderbolts, Equestria’s best team of fliers. They were doing a special celebration in Cloudsdale. It was to be Blaze’s last show before he retired and let somepony else take over. But Blaze wanted to go out with a bang, and what better way than to try out his newest most dangerous stunt? The Wonderbolts took to calling it the Blaze of Glory. Each one would accelerate straight upwards peeling off one by one until only Blaze was left. He would then turn and dive straight downward towards the crowd and a split-second before he hit the ground would pull up sharply and skid across the clouds leaving a trail of bright hot fire behind him. On the day of the show everything had been flawless, but when the time came for the Blaze of Glory, Blaze had flown too high in his own reckless abandon. The air was too thin, and it was hard for Blaze to breath. His vision began to blur. Keeping his eyes opened seemed harder and harder until finally he blacked-out completely. He began spiraling to the ground unconscious, but to the eager on-lookers it appeared to be part of the maneuver, until Blaze fell straight through the clouds. Blaze came to just in time to see the Everfree forest rushing up to meet him.
The trees softened the otherwise fatal crash but he was still in a horrible state. Bones broken everywhere. He was covered in head to hoof with all manners of cuts and gashes. He was a grisly sight to behold, but inside him was the real problem. A couple of his ribs had broken and punctured his lungs, and as the doctors would later tell him it was by the grace of Celestia alone that Blaze had lived long enough to receive care. He spent 6 months in Canterlot Medical Care and Trauma Center. It was a long painful fight that Blaze fought everyday just to stay alive. But after the long 6 months he was discharged from the facility almost as good as new. However, the damage done to the lung had held unforeseen consequences. The doctors told Blaze if he exerted himself too hard he could risk rupturing his lung again which could prove to be crippling and even fatal. So Blaze lived through the ordeal only to be striped of the only thing that gave his life meaning. Flight. On the day he was discharged the Wonderbolts came to visit. They brought him the only thing that had survived the crash; his old flight goggles. They told him he would always be a Wonderbolt even if he could never again take to the air.
There was a bright flash of light followed by a loud boom. Blaze was forced out of his memories and back into the present. The once far off storm was directly over-top of Ponyville now. Crystal was still standing in front of him. She was no longer crying but her eyes were red and puffy.
“I'm sorry, honey”, he said softly “I promise, no more flying.” Blaze pulled her forward and embraced her. She clung to him tightly, but something was still wrong. Crystal seemed to notice it too. they both realized it at once.
“Spitfyre! She’s still outside!” shouted Crystal. Without a moments hesitation both ponies burst outside into the pouring rain. Crystal headed towards the Everfree forest while Blaze went through the town.
“SPITFYRE, SPITFYRE!” he called but his voice was drowned out by the rain and peels of thunder. The streets were deserted. Everypony was inside their house cowering in fear. Ponyville had never experienced a storm like this before. Blaze ran and ran, calling her name but heard no reply.
Crystal must have found her, he thought. He turned around and headed straight for the forest. He was a third of the way to the outskirts of the forest when there was a blinding flash accompanied by a deafening boom that shook the very earth, and then there was a scream.
Blaze took off. He flew hard and he flew fast. He needed to be there and he needed to be there NOW. He was pumping his wings faster than he ever had. The ground became a blur beneath him. Suddenly he became aware of a dull pain in his side but pushed it back. Spitfyre was more important. However the pain only intensified, until his whole body seemed to be on fire. It was becoming difficult for him to breathe but he kept flying until the pain became so unbearable it forced him to land, and start walking. He staggered forward breathing heavily. He had to get to Spitfyre. He finally came to the outskirts of the forest. He was greeted by a large fallen tree, and he could make out a bright yellow speck in the distance. Blaze continued step by agonizing step until his hooves could no longer support him. He fell to the ground with a wet splash, defeated. Glancing up he could tell he was close. Only a few more feet. Gasping for breath Blaze began to crawl through the muddy ground digging his hooves into the earth and pulling himself along until he could no longer move and his hooves were cracked and bleeding. His vision began to fade and the crash of the rain and thunder seemed so far off. Before him he saw his daughter looking down at something pinned underneath the tree, and before the blackness completely took hold of him he heard her pleading to it.
“Mommy, please get up, please, I'm scared.”