Chapter 1
Twilight Sparkle should have known something was up. She’d seen that look before when the Crusaders had something they were planning. Looking back on it now she nearly facehoofed realizing this was potentially her fault. At least a little bit. Pipsqueak was on the ground with his parents and Nurse Redheart, his coat soaked and burned away in several places, his ears drooping, and his eyes closed. A lot of damage had been done and Pipsqueak had been in the very middle of it. Standing with four of her closest friends, Twilight’s gaze went back to the Everfree Forest. Tall dark trees reached into the mid-afternoon sky. Some of them were still smoking.
“I’d expect somethin’ like this from my sister an’ the other two,” Applejack said quietly. “But from Pip?”
“The poor dear,” crooned Fluttershy in sympathy. “I’m sure it was just an accident.”
“Accident or not, darling,” Rarity intoned, “he could have seriously hurt somepony, himself included! Just look at him!”
“...and I said, glitter on a cactus? Does that mean it makes sparkling water?” The other four looked at Pinkie Pie who simply blinked. “Get it?! Sparkling water!”
“It’s a good thing Rainbow an’ the others were able to act so quickly, else we could’ve lost the entire forest.” Applejack lifted her eyes to the treetops, anxiously looking for the blue pegasus as she spoke. “Anypony know why in the hay he was in there in the first place?”
“The fire rose.” Her friends turned, looking at Twilight with question. All she could do was sigh. “Pipsqueak was reading a book about flowers at the library earlier. Near the back of the book is a section of rare flowers, ones that either nopony has seen for generations or ones that aren’t believed to even be in exitance anymore. When he left it was in a hurry and the book was open to the section on the fire rose.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” said Rarity. “What is it, exactly?”
Twilight sat on her haunches and frowned. “It’s a rose that grows in the summer and can only be picked on the hottest day of the year. If they’re picked too early or too late in their season they can be rather dangerous. And it’s said that they only grow in dark places.”
Fluttershy looked over at Pipsqueak. “But what would he want something like that?”
Pinkie Pie bounced past them all. “Maybe we should just ask! Hiya, Pip!”
Pipsqueak’s eyes were open now and he looked up as the earth pony approached and offered her a wan smile. “Hi, Pinkie Pie.” As the others joined their friend, the little colt sighed. “I’m really sorry. Please don’t chuck me out of Ponyville.”
“Nopony’s chuckin’ nopony sugarcube,” Applejack promised gently.
“Speak for yourself!” Behind the group landed Rainbow Dash, Raindrops and Cloud Kicker flanking her. All three of them looked completely worn out, their fur singed in places and soaked in patches. Stepping forward, Dash withered Pipsqueak with a fixed glare. “What the hay were you doing in there, Pipsqueak? Do you know how close that fire came to destroying Zecora’s hut? You could have killed her. You could have killed yourself!”
Applejack touched a hoof to her friend’s withers. “Easy, Rainbow. Poor thing already feels bad enough as it is.”
“He should feel bad!” She sat on her haunches. “Tell me everything. Now.”
Pipsqueak’s parents had been called aside for a special chat with Mayor Mare so they weren’t there to protect him. He looked up at the eight ponies that seemed to stand directly over him, shaking. After a few minutes he head with his hooves. “I just wanted one fire rose!”
Twilight motioned for everyone to take a step back and gently put a hoof on Pipsqueak’s back. “It’s all right, Pip. Why don’t you start from the beginning?”
“The very beginning?”
“It’s a very good place to staaaaart,” sang Pinkie.
He sniffled and gave a loud sigh. “Okay. It all started today at school. During recess we were playing a game of tag. Everypony was playing and we were all having a lot of fun. Dinky was running away from Checkered Flag. He was It, you know. And she tripped and fell and he started making fun of her, saying really mean things about her mum and how she must be as clumsy as Derpy is. It really hurt Dinky’s feelings and she went inside crying.”
“Poor, Dinky,” Fluttershy breathed.
“We tried to cheer her up but she didn’t even want to talk to us for the rest of the day. I tried to think of something to make her feel better and remembered that sometimes my dad brings flower home for my mum and it always makes her happy.”
Twilight nodded. “Thus the book on flowers.”
Pipsqueak bobbed his head sadly. “I wanted it to be special and when I read about the fire rose I thought she’d be really chuffed. I mean, all girls like flowers and if I could get her a really special one...”
“Oh, Pipsqueak,” sighed Rarity. “You’re such a considerate young stallion. Perhaps you can give some of the others about town a lesson or two, hmm?” Everyone looked at her and she blushed. “Right. Back to the story.”
“I’ve only been inside the Everfree forest one time before,” Pipsqueak continued. “I was with a group of ponies and never alone so I was a little scared going in my myself. But I took a flashlight and packed my saddlebags with snacks just in case I got lost. The book said I had to find a place that was really dark. So I took out my flashlight, turned in on, and went in...”
~~~~~~~~~~
Maybe if he could just fancy himself an adventurer like Daring Do this trip would not be so terrifying. Pipsqueak took slow steps as he walked through the underbrush of the Everfree forest. Between his teeth was a flashlight that shone a bright beam of white ahead to light his path. The dark didn’t scare him as much as what hid in the dark did. There were ponytales of the horrors of the Everfree forest and none of them were things Pipsqueak wanted to live for himself. He was especially careful as he walked, looking out for a blue flower called Poison Joke. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle told him one time what the plant had done to their sisters and though it had been a funny story to hear, Pipsqueak didn’t want to find out what it would do to him.
To find this flower one must see,
a light in the darkest of the trees.
Whitetail Wood was always beautiful and light and full of life. As soon as he read where to find the fire rose he knew where he had to go. Funny that it was a rhyming clue since Zecora lived in the Everfree. Maybe somepony she was related to wrote the book, or maybe she wrote it herself! Now there was a thought. If he could just figure out how to get to Zecora’s hut he could just ask her. She lived in these woods, after all. If anypony would know where to find a fire rose, whether she wrote the book or not, it would be Zecora. Now to figure out which way was the right way to find her.
Shining the flashlight around himself, Pipsqueak didn’t know where to go or even which way he’d come from. A thread of panic crawled up his spine when he realized he was lost. There was a sound to his left and he whipped his head around to see nothing but more foliage. Still searching, he took a few steps forward and tripped on an upturned root. As he stumbled the flashlight fell from his teeth and hit the ground hard enough to go out. Almost at a full on panic now he scabbled for the flashlight and clicked it on and off with no success. It was broken and he was alone in the dark.
His breathing picked up pace, horrifying things being born in his imagination. He’d never see his friends again, his parents. He’d never see daylight again. Tears filled his eyes and spilled over onto his cheeks. “HELP!” he cried into the forest. “Somepony please help!” Maybe Zecora would somehow hear him and come to his rescue. Maybe one of the pegasus ponies was flying somewhere above and would save him. But no one came. This had been a terrible idea. He tried for the flashlight again, once more calling out for help and looking around as though he might be able to see something.
It was shocking when he did.
It was hard to tell how far away it was, but a faint light shone in small dots off to his right. “Hello?” he called. The lights didn’t move. “Is somepony there?” Still nothing. Well, light was light and so, taking very deliberate and careful steps, the colt headed for the luminance. As he got closer their disembodied glow took on more of a rounded shape that flickered like ghosts. They were golden and red and orange, moving like the wind was blowing through them though there was no wind at all. Drawing up closer, Pipsqueak could make out thin lines of petals, could see the stems that held them up in the casting of their light. “Fire roses,” he breathed. They were beautiful and strange. How was he supposed to pick them and carry them home? He didn’t get that far in his reading.
Bending down, he touched his nose gently to the stem of the flower. It was warm but not hot, something he could easily carry in his teeth if he was gentle. The light from the fire would be his new flashlight and it would help him find his way back home. Dinky would be so surprised! Imagining her smile gave him the courage he needed to take the stem between his teeth and give it a tug.
~~~~~~~~~~
“The book said it has to be the hottest day of the year!” Twilight gasped.
“I didn’t read that far!” Pipsqueak cried. “I don’t know what happened after that. I remember hearing a big explosion and there was light everywhere. I could see everything in the forest for a split second. And then I don’t remember anything.”
“That’s where we come in,” said Rainbow Dash. “There I was, enjoying my usual mid-mid afternoon nap, when my entire day was ruined...”
~~~~~~~~~~
There was nothing as comfortable as a bed of clouds. It was like sleeping on nothing but with all the support you’d need. No mattress, no tree branch, no warm body could ever come close to being as comfortable as a cloud. With everything taken care of for awhile, Dash found a nice fluffy cloud to lounge on and rest her eyes for awhile. Though it was still technically summer the days were getting cooler and the breezes were beginning to have the chill of fall in them. She turned over to get comfortable, pulling some of the cloud with her to cover her like a blanket. A sigh of sheer contentment passed her lips.
And then Ponyville exploded.
At least it felt like it did. She sprang to her hooves and looked wildly around, trying to figure out where the sound had come from. Down below everyone was looking out past town in the direction of the Everfree forest. When she saw the tower of smoke rising in big puffy billows, the pegasus launched into action without even thinking. Raindrops and Cloud Kicker were at her side before she could even call to them.
“Think it’s Zecora?” asked Cloud Kicker, a thin line of worry between her brows.
“I don’t know,” Dash answered hastily. “But we’ve gotta get in there and find out.” Above them, other pegasai gathered and lowered to join them. Thinking as quickly as she flew, Dash started barking out orders. Half of her team banked in one unified movement to the left, the other half to the right, all sent to round up as many rain clouds as possible. With her two most trusted still at her side, Rainbow Dash dove headfirst into the unknown of the forest. All three of them were met with an almost impenetrable wall of smoke, ash, and flames. Cloud Kicker reared back just in time to avoid a falling tree and pulled Rainbow Dash back to save her from the same fate. Raindrops, nervous as ever, darted around like a fly against a window. Dash was about to yell at her but Raindrops froze in the air, her eyes going wide.
“Oh my gosh, Dash! It’s Pipsqueak!”
The other two flew to her side and from their elevation they could see the little pinto colt crumpled into a ball of burnt fur on the forest floor. “I got him!” yelled Cloud Kicker. Before either of the other two could object the purple pegasus tucked her wings in and dove, expertly weaving her way through the flaming tree branches and smokey ash.
Rainbow Dash turned to Raindrops. “I want you to get Pip out of here, okay? Cloud Kicker and I are going to go see if Zecora’s all right. As soon as you have Pipsqueak somewhere safe I need you to lead the team. They’re going to have to push all the clouds together and make it rain hard, harder than it ever has before if we have any hope of saving the forest.”
Raindrops looked at Dash with panic. “W-what? No! I can’t do that, Rainbow Dash!”
“Yes you can! I have faith in you, Raindrops.”
Cloud Kicker came up from beneath them, her own coat now missing several patches of fur where it was burned away. As she deposited the unconscious colt onto Raindrops’ back, the yellow pegasus shook her head. “I can’t do it, Dash! I’ll mess it up somehow!”
“No you won’t. Just count them off and get them to jump all at once. It’ll be fine. Now go!”
Scared or not, an order was still an order and Raindrops headed higher and higher to break through the tree tops and find a safe place to leave Pipsqueak. Rainbow Dash turned and led Cloud Kicker deeper into the forest in the direction she knew Zecora’s hut to be. They passed the worst of the fire but it was spreading quickly. If the rain didn’t come soon... Dash glanced at her friend and saw the wisdom in Cloud Kicker’s eyes. She understood just as well as Dash did that they had to move quickly or else risk losing their lives.
“What has happened in my forest dear? My home is not fireproof, this I fear!”
“Zecora!” The pegasai dove to find the Zebra standing in a place where the fire had yet to reach. Her hut was only meters behind her and her attention was fixed on the rapidly approaching destruction. “You have to get out of here,” Dash told her quickly.
“I will heed your word, my pegasus friend. For I do not wish to meet my end.”
The heat was pressing in on them and Zecora turned to run. She knew these woods well enough to know another way out besides the most often used and obvious path. As they watched her go, neither of the flying ponies realized the canopy above them was now on fire. Dash looked to Cloud Kicker and gave her a nod, and the two started to fly up. Only to stop shortly when they saw up was not an option.
“It’s spreading too fast!” Cloud Kicker yelled. “What do we do?”
There was a crack above them and a tree limb as thick as a stallion’s neck came careening down. Before they had time to react the branch hit Dash’s wing and caught her plumage on fire. Cloud Kicker got the entire weight of it dropped on to her back. She cried out as she was thrown to the forest floor and pinned, Dash sailing down right behind her with one wing on fire. As soon as her hooves hit the ground she tucked herself into a ball and rolled to put herself out, then ran to her pinned friend. “I can’t move!’ Cloud Kicker cried.
“Close your eyes and cover your head!” Dash turned around and prayed to Celestia this would work. “If Applejack can do it, so can I,” she told herself. Gritting her teeth together, she bucked her back legs against the tree, just missing Cloud Kicker’s head. The purple pegasus cried out in both pain and fear, but Dash bucked again and sent the tree limb flying. Thinking quickly, she used her nose and nudged Cloud Kicker to the side, helping her roll until the fire across her back was out. “Can you get up?”
Cloud Kicker nodded, her face thick with tear soaked ash. “But what’s the point?” As they’d struggled with the tree limb the fire had completely surrounded them. There was now no way out and they both knew it. “Rainbow Dash?” Her voice was quiet, defeated, and Dash looked at her solemnly. “I couldn’t have served under a better pegasus. Thank you for teaching me everything you have, and for trusting me. I’m proud to call you my captain and my friend.”
“Don’t talk like that,” Dash chided weakly, coughing as the smoke settled in around them. “We’re going to get out of here.” Cloud Kicker nodded, crying softly. “But if we don’t... nopony served more faithfully on the Weather Team than you did, Cloud Kicker.” She lay down beside her friend and gave her a comforting nuzzle. “I’ll see you on the other side.” A cool drop of water touched her nose and Dash felt her eyes fill. Cloud Kicker’s tears were fast and free now. Another drop. And another. And another. Dash closed her eyes and rested her head on the ground.
“Rain.” Cloud Kicker nudged Dash and coughed. “Rainbow Dash, it’s raining!” Both of them looked up to see droplets of water showering down on them, picking up in speed and intensity. As the drizzle turned into a steady rain and the rain turned into a downpour, the fires shrank back, sizzling and dying as everything became saturated. “She did it,” Cloud Kicker breathed. “Raindrops did it.”
“Rainbow Dash! Cloud Kicker!” The nervous yellow pegasus darted through the charred remains of the forest, gasping when she found her friends. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“We’re okay,” Dash managed as Raindrops threw her forelegs around her neck. “I knew you could do it.”
Raindrops beamed, her own coat darkened in spots. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Pipsqueak looked down in shame and sniffled. “I’m so sorry, Rainbow Dash. I didn’t mean to.”
Dash frowned and looked away. For a long minute she didn’t say anything and Applejack eventually had to give her a nudge. “I know it was an accident,” she said heatedly. “But that doesn’t make it okay. You’ve got a lot to make up for.”
“I know. I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me!”
His sobbed exclamation was enough to soften Dash’s heart, even if just a fraction. She took a step forward and dipped her head to give him a quick nuzzle. “I don’t hate you. None of us do. But you’re going to have to figure out how to make this right and how to make up for it.”
“I will, I promise!”
“Pipsqueak!”
Heads turned to see a small purple unicorn with spiky blonde hair trying to get through the crowd. “Pip! Oh my gosh!” Dinky launched herself at Pipsqueak and embraced him as tightly as she could. “Are you okay?”
Twilight turned and nodded for her friends to follow her. “Come on, guys. Let’s give them some privacy.”
“Not so fast!” Nurse Redheart now had her eyes set on Rainbow Dash and the other two pegasus ponies with her. “Your turn.”
“Aw, come on!”
Twilight smirked and shook her head, watching Rainbow Dash protest as she was looked over and bandaged. After awhile she looked again to the forest. There were definitely dark and dangerous things in Ponyville, things she hadn’t even believed in herself. What other mysteries did the Everfree hold, and did they even survive the fire?
Someday, hopefully soon, she’d find out.