Random Acts of Fiction

by Talia

Challenge 1 :: Fireworks

It was the perfect ending to a perfect night... almost. The moon shown down on the two ponies standing upon the plateau, its pale light washing softly over the valley. The mid autumn night was quiet save for soft burble of the stream behind them and the scream and booming pop as the fireworks whistled their way into the sky for their brief moment of luminescent fame.

“They’re beautiful,” Calliope whispered to the stallion next to her. “You’ve truly outdone yourself this time my love.”

“I made them for you Calli” replied the earth pony as he tried to keep from breaking into a thousand pieces on his last night with the pegasus he’d fallen so thoroughly for. It was earlier that day she’d told him she was leaving. Today was the celebration of the Autumn Moon festival and Talc had been putting the finishing touches on his last rockets that were to be shot off that night.
At this Calli laughed, “You big liar, you made them because the village hired you to, for the festival.” The sound of her laughter was like the sonorous tones from a flute dancing through the night air. She took a step towards him, bumping her flank against his, and nuzzling his neck. “They're spectacular though, and I’m glad we could spend tonight watching them like this.”

“I don’t want you to go Calli,” Talc said with a hard edge to his voice. He’d been so unsure about so many things in his life, but for once this was not one of them, he hated the idea of losing her. “Doesn’t that make any difference at all?”

The villagers had begun the evening’s dancing, the two ponies on the clifftop could hear the faint sounds of music and singing wafting up on the breeze, adding a light melody to the continued explosions above. The festival was the penultimate celebration of the year for the village. It signaled the first harvest of the season, and it had been a bountiful haul this year, which meant the remaining harvests were liable to be large as well.

“Of course it means something Talc,” she replied after a moment’s pause. “You mean so much to me, and I hate to have to leave you, especially like this, but you know I have to go.” The notice of the expedition’s approval and departure had reached Calliope just that very morning. She had been hoping for, and at the same time dreading its arrival for months now. Calli had applied over a year ago, at Talc’s urging, which was why it was so hard for her to see him so obviously distraught over her leaving. He had known it was a possibility. That was the trouble with love, you seldom got a choice in the matter, and it never took into account the direction each pony’s life might take.

The multicolored explosive display was picking up its pace, as was the music from the village. The sheer excitement and jubilant tones were a palpable counter to the somber ponies beside the quietly trickling stream. Talcum knew the fireworks routine by heart having designed most of it himself, the finale was drawing near.

“It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to you when you leave tomorrow. Not knowing if, or when, you’ll be back.” Talc looked over at the violet mare, her coat washed out to a light grey in the moonlight. He tried to look confident for her, but he was a terrible liar and he wore his worry like a zebra wears stripes.

Calliope didn’t say anything to that for a while, she just watched the beautiful star flowers bloom in the sky, the creations of the colt she cared for more than any other. Finally she took a half step away and spoke, looking Talc firmly in the eyes, “Don’t say goodbye then. I’ll be back, I promise. Some day.”

The light display was reaching its crescendo as all the remaining rockets were launched into the night air to burst in fiery glory. Talcum couldn’t bear to look at Calliope just then, it was all too overwhelming. He hung is head and tried to hold back the tears, his heart leaping to his throat, choking him. The pounding boom of the fireworks mimicking the throbbing of his head, drowning out any words he might have said, had he been able.

Finally the festival’s fireworks ended, right on queue thought Talc. He lifted his head to look once more at his beloved mare, to tell her once more how he felt about her. It was only then that he realized he stood alone on the cliff.

Author's Note:

Seto did the art up there in 30 minutes, with nothing but a description of "an earth pony + pegasus, night, river".
I attempted to follow that time limit, but got distracted and took about an hour.

I totally <3 Seto, he puts up with my crazy whims all the darn time. :)