> Equestria's Pyre
>  by BludgeonWarrior
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Sparks
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Fillydelphia, one of the many fine cities in Equestria, or was, since it had been burned down last night! Not since the Changeling Invasion, had there been any sort of calamities. Celestia and Luna had been trying to investigate, but they were preoccupied with the mass panic and hysteria. So Celestia appointed Twilight and her friends to do so in her stead. Hopefully they can answer the question. How did this tragedy happen? What could have set an entire city ablaze so quickly? What, or who, could have done this...?  





The first thing the six of them noticed as they got closer to the ruin of what was Fillydelphia, was the smell. The cinders and smoke had polluted the entire area. When the had finally arrived though, they saw the true horror of it all. The entire city was in ashes and debris of buildings that had collapsed from the fire was scattered among the area. Pega-medics and Fireponies were still helping out with the wreckage, and the casualties. As they looked on speechless, Chief Flashpoint approached the girls. He was a dark brown stallion with a short dark red mane who had seen some action, but nothing like this.

"So," Flashpoint began, "you all are who Celestia has sent to help investigate this..." He paused, looked back at the ruined city, and then continued, "...travesty?" 

Twilight who had been staring at the devastation turned to him. "...Yes, Celestia... had appointed us to... handle the matter...," she replied, looking back as well. Twilight sent the other five to help with the Fireponies and Pega-medics while she talked with Flashpoint. "I j-just can't believe something like th-this would ever happen..." Twilight could never have imagined how intense the disaster had been. She saw the destroyed towers and buildings. How many homes were destroyed? How many lives taken? Twilight wanted to cry.

"I know," Chief Flashpoint replied with a sorrowful nod and a sigh, "but that cannot hinder us from doing our jobs." He took out notebook from his pocket. "We had done our own share of investigating, and came up with something you might want to look deeper into."

"Like what?" Twilight said taking the notebook from Flashpoint and began looking through it.

"Well according to one of the... few survivors, he said he witnessed a mare walking through the fire..."

"What!? Walking through the fire!?" Twilight gasped.

"Yes," Flashpoint replied, knowing how strange it sounded, "and it gets crazier, he also thought he heard..." He stopped.

"Heard what?" Twilight inquired anxiously, not wanting to know the answer.

"Singing," He replied, "He thought he heard singing..."

"Singing!?" Twilight wished she had heard that wrong. What kind of pony would be singing while inside a blazing fire, let alone walking in a blazing fire? Twilight guessed that this mare was most likely a unicorn, that would explain the walking through fire, but still... "Could this mare have been a unicorn?" She asked.

Flashpoint checked his report. "Maybe," he replied, "but remember that he saw this mare during the massive fire, so it would have been hard to tell..." A muffled voice then came from his pocket. "'Excuse me," Flashpoint then pulled his radio out. "This is Flashpoint. Over." Twilight couldn't understand what was said. "Really?! We'll be right over! Over and out!" He quickly put the radio back in his pocket.

"What happened?" 

"Follow me! I'll tell you on the way!" Flashpoint galloped at full speed down what was once 1st Street with Twilight right on his six. "The rescue crew found another survivor, thank Celestia! A filly!" Flashpoint yelled back at Twilight, who was a bit behind, not being as athletic as him. 

"Then there's not a minute to lose!" Twilight said, as she caught up with him.

They ran as fast as they could, while being wary of all the debris on the road. They soon arrived at the site. ""Where is she?" Flashpoint asked one of his stallions.

"She's right here," the rescue pony replied. A little filly stood by the stallion's leg. She was bruised and had a rescue blanket around her. She was twitching from being in such an awful ordeal, and had been bandaged around her waist.

"Where's my mommy?" The little filly asked them. "I want my mommy!" She ran over to Twilight and hugged her while she sobbed. 

In response, Twilight hugged the filly as well, knowing that the child's family, was most likely claimed by the fire. "Don't worry," Twilight muttered as she embraced the filly in her arms, "It's alright. Nothing going to hurt you now." This is all she could manage to say; how do you tell a child that her parents are dead? Flashpoint gazed at them, a tear going down his face. He looked to the ground, stared for a second, then continued to talk with the rescue pony.





"I don't want to be here..." Fluttershy meeped. She didn't even want to go, but was forced to by Twilight, as she was one of the best caretakers in Equestria. Twilight had her and Rarity to help look after the survivors, the few lucky ponies to have lived through this disaster...

"I don't want to be here either," Rarity replied, trying to step over all the ashes and debris. "but we have to help these poor ponies. They might be injured or scared."

"I still don't want to be here..." Fluttershy mumbled, now breaking into tears. "Whyyy!" She collapsed to the ground and continued to weep, "Why did this happen?! Why did it have to take so many?! Why?!"

"Fluttershy...," Rarity turned back to Fluttershy and laid by her friend. She held Fluttershy's hoof and wiped her tears away with the scarf she was wearing. "Darling, we need to be strong in this tragedy, for those ponies who are hurt."

"...okay..." 

Rarity helped Fluttershy back up, and after a quick hug, they proceeded towards the Med. Tent.





Twilight  assigned Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie to the rescue team. Applejack was the strongest of them and able to clear debris, so this was natural. Rainbow Dash, while also strong, is there if they find somepony who needed urgent care she could zip them quickly to the Med. Tent, being the fastest. Pinkie Pie, well, her Pinkie Sense might come in handy in such a dangerous environment.

"Man...., just look at all this!" Rainbow Dash blurted out as they searched for survivors. She also couldn't believe the devastation surrounding them.

"I know what 'ya mean, Rainbow," Applejack sighed, "All these here shops, stores, 'n houses.....'n all the good ponies who spent their lives here..."

"Huh?" Pinkie stopped and looked in an ally.

"Pinkie! What 're you doin'?" Applejack called back to her.

"I thought I saw somepony...." Pinkie puzzled, still looking into the ally.

Rainbow Dash flew back to where Pinkie was. "Let me see..." She went into the ally and searched for a couple seconds, then came back out. "Nothing..."

"But I know I saw somepony!" Pinkie declared again, this time a bit irritated.

"Pinkie, don't fool around with us," Applejack getting angry with Pinkie for some reason, "This ain't somethin' to joke about!"

"But I-"

"No more!" Applejack yelled at Pinkie and stormed off, "Come on, let's keep on movin'!"

Rainbow Dash went to follow her. "I know I saw somepony..." Pinkie mumbled to herself, then ran after the other two.





A minute after Pinkie left, a dark gray unicorn mare with a flame-like mane and tail walked out of the ally. Her cutie mark was just a fire. With a crazed look in her eye and a quick chuckle, she turned away to leave her handiwork behind.
> Embers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Two hours had passed, and other than the filly, no other survivors had been found, just more bodies. Twilight and Chief Flashpoint were sitting at a foldable table discussing how the fire started.

"But there's no possible way the fire could have spread across the city in such a short amount of time without drenching the city with oil..." Flashpoint explained to Twilight, who had suggested that the fire could have been arson.

Twilight shook her head. "Not oil, magic. I've read of spells that allows a pony to manipulate fire, but even then, it would be hard to control that fire without being in the city..."

"Okay then," Flashpoint replied, "so this pony would've had been in the city during the fire..., then they must've been fried..., nopony could stand the flames so long if they spread it across the city..."

Twilight nodded and continued to think, and then she remembered. "That mare!" Twilight exclaimed.

"What?"

"The mare that you told me somepony saw, he said she was walking through the flames and... singing, and not being burned by the heat!" Twilight elaborated.

"That's right!" Flashpoint said in agreement, "She would have been able to control the fire and not fry. Well then," Flashpoint said as he got up,"we've got a suspect! I think we need to talk to that stallion and see if he can't describe her better. Nice job, Twilight. I see why Celestia held you in such high regard."

The two of them then left for the Med. Tent.





"Two hours..." Rainbow Dash sighed loudly, "Two hours, and no survivors..." She, Applejack, and Pinkie had been looking for survivors in the west side of was once Fillydelphia, but with no luck. The only ponies they found, were their bodies and torched corpses.

Pinkie, who normally bounced alongside her friends with a big smile, was sullen and trotted slowly along. In her whole life, she had never seen anything so depressing. Looking for survivors of a massive fire that burned down an entire city and being met with nothing but dead ponies, it had crushed her any spirit she had going into this.

Pinkie wasn't the only one out of character. Applejack, who usually was jolly, was also sullen and sore. After yelling at Pinkie, she became extremely tense and irritable. When Rainbow Dash told her that she was a bit too rough on Pinkie, Applejack lashed out at Dash, giving her a black eye. She then just move on ahead, leaving Dash and Pinkie wondering what the hay was wrong with her.

They were on there way back, when they passed the ally from before. Applejack was quick to pass it. "Get a move on, you two!" Applejack called back angrily. Rainbow Dash followed, holding her eye as she flew. But then as Pinkie went by...

"Huh? What's this?" Pinkie stopped and looked at ground.

"Oh, fer cryin' out loud!" Applejack groaned as she turned around towards Pinkie. "What's it this time? A rock? A cake? What?!"

"Quit it, Applejack," Rainbow Dash scolded, sick of her attitude. "What'cha find Pinkie?"

"This hair.." Pinkie replied, holding a fiery orange hair in her hoof, "and it's really warm..."

"'Course it's warm," Applejack interrupted, "this whole place was on fire."

"But that was last night, Applejack," Rainbow Dash defended. "Let me see Pinkie..." Pinkie handed it to her, and immediately she felt how warm the hair was.

"And it's the same color as the mane of that pony I-"

"Enough!" Applejack shouted, "Fer the last time, you didn't see anyone, Pinkie!" She knocked the hair out of Dash's hooves and started to to smash it into the dirt and rubble til she couldn't see it among the ash. She then turned and galloped away to the camp. Pinkie and Dash stood there in shock at what she'd done, then proceeded to follow after her.





Twilight and Flashpoint arrive at the Med. Tent, which was the size of house. When they went in, Twilight saw that not even a quarter of the beds were occupied. She had counted only nine ponies...

"There he is," Flashpoint pointed him out, "Right there next to your friend." It was Fluttershy, who had been tending to the patient's pillows.

"There you go, all fluffed," Fluttershy squeaked," I-I hope you get better soon, Mr. Gears." 

"Thanks, miss," He replied, "but please, call me Greasy." Greasy Gears was a mechanic who worked at the edge of town, managing to avoid the hotter part of the fire.

Flashpoint and Twilight walked over to his bed. Twilight waved at Fluttershy, who waved back eagerly. Flashpoint dismissed Fluttershy and proceeded to ask Greasy Gears about what he saw in the fire.

"I already told ya," Greasy replied hastily, "It was a mare walkin' through the flames!"

"We know that part," Twilight told him, "we just want to know any other details. She's our prime suspect."

"Well she was singin'-"

"We know that part too," She interrupted, "I mean physical features. Was she a unicorn?"

Greasy sat there and tried to remember. "Might've been," he replied, "I dunno, but she didn't have a mane or tail and-"

"Wait, wait, back up," Flashpoint butted in, "What do you mean no mane or tail?"

"Like I said, she didn't have a mane or tail," Greasy continued, "Least, none I could see..."

Twilight pondered this for a moment, and reached a conclusion. "Perhaps the mare had a fire-like mane and tail, that would explain why you didn't see them, Greasy."

"Yeah! Good thinking, Twilight," Flashpoint congratulated, "Now we can-" His radio went off. "'Excuse me again..." He walked away and responded. Couple seconds later, he's done and approaches Twi. "Your friends Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie are back, and the first two are fighting outside..."

	

	

	  
> Heat
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Far from Fillydelphia, the unicorn mare with the fiery mane was trotting towards Baltimare, laughing quietly to herself. She thought of the next blaze she would start there, and smiled sadistically when she thought of the charred remains and the valley of ash she would create... 

She looked up at the sun and smiled to herself. "If only I could be there instead of here... hehehe...." she whispered to herself. The mare then continued to her next target, still laughing to herself with her eyes and head twitching...





Twilight, Flashpoint, Rarity, and Fluttershy all raced out of the Med. Tent to see the commotion. To their horror, they saw Rainbow Dash angrily attacking Applejack, with Pinkie trying to break it up, to no avail.

"Take it back! Take it back!" Rainbow shouted as she was pushing Applejack into the dirt. Before Rainbow got another punch on AJ, Twilight and Rarity used their magic to separate them.

"What the hay is going on here!?" Twilight demanded. The two fighting mares went off, nopony able to understand them. 

"Quiet!" Twilight yelled, "One at a time. You first Rainbow Dash, and what happened to your eye?"

"She did!" Rainbow exclaimed, pointing at Applejack, "She went ballistic after Pinkie said she saw somepony and-"

"Pinkie didn't see anypony!" Applejack butted in, "She imagined it!"

"Then explain the hair Pinkie found!" Dash rebuttled.

"Hair? What hair?" Twilight inquired.

"It was orange, probably from somepony's mane," Dash explained.

"Likely from yer mane, Rainbow!" Applejack interrupted again.

"Stay out of this," Rainbow warned her, "but the weird thing was that it was warm."

"Warm?" Flashpoint surprised, "The hair was warm?"

"Yeah, and then Applejack took it and smash it into the dirt!" Rainbow yelled and pointed at Applejack.

"Why would you do something so horrid!?" Rarity spoke up, everypony now staring at Applejack, who only turned around and walked off.

"No you don't," Twilight teleported in front of Applejack. "Tell us now. Why are you acting like this AJ? Being mean to Pinkie, giving Rainbow a black eye? What's going on with you?" Applejack tried to walk around Twilight, but Twilight kept teleporting in front of her. "Now!" Twilight commanded. Applejack pouted and was looking down at her hooves. Twilight then stepped closer, "You can tell us, Applejack," she said caring, "I thought you knew that..."

Flashpoint was shuffling his hooves awkwardly. "I... probably have some other things... to do," he stammered, "soooo..., I'll let you girls sort this whole thing out. heh..." Flashpoint went back over to the Med. Tent, knowing that this was something that needed to be solved themselves.

"Alright...," Applejack gave in, "I'll tell y'all..." She said somberly. "But I 'ave to warn y'all, tain't a pleasant tale..." She began to tell them about her parents, something that she had never brought up before. The others had thought that she, Big Mac, and Applebloom were there to run Sweet Apple Acres and take care of Granny Smith, but they never considered that they were orphans! "Some months after Applebloom was born," Applejack continued, "this here massive fire appeared and engulfed the 'hole farm! Ma and Pa told Big Mac to get Applebloom an' me outta there, but I wouldn't leave..." Applejack then told them that one of the beams collapsed and was about to crush her, but then her parents both jumped in and pushed her out the way, the beam falling on them instead. Big Mac had then grabbed her trying not to cry as he carried his sisters out of the inferno. 

Applejack stopped, tears welling up, and finally broke out into a torrent of sorrow. The others all came to her, and embraced her, feeling her sadness inside them as well. It became so quiet, that one could her a drop of water from all the way back in Ponyville.





"So much Fire, so little time..." The flame-maned mare chortled as she look on over Baltimare. She began to laugh again, "So much Fire, so little time...," she repeated as walked down to the unsuspecting city.

"So.... much.... Fire..."

	

	
> Blaze
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Baltimare; another of Equestria's cities, and it was abuzz with commerce. Other than the news of Fillydelphia, it was a nice, normal day... til the flamed-mane mare arrived. Everypony she passed stared at her awkwardly. Being an ashen coated unicorn with a fiery mane and tail, she knew she would stand out, but she didn't care, but the townsponies will...

Then a yellow ball came out of nowhere and hit her, knocking her down. As she got up, two little colts ran to get their ball. "Sorry, sorry. We're really sorry!" one of them apologized. The fiery mare said nothing as she walk towards them, looking at them with sleepless, burning orange eyes . The two colts nervously grabbed their ball and ran off, the mare watching intently as they did. She then went off herself deeper into the city. "Hey, there's a burn mark on it!" One of the colts gasped..

The mare soon reached her destination; an abandoned warehouse for her to start her work... 

"Hehehe... In a few minutes, Baltimare will become a barren waste of ash and cinders...." She giggled to herself. She looked around and found just what she needed: a single drum of oil. The fiery mare smiled, went over to it and with a swift buck, knocked it and its contents out. She grabbed a wooden board with her magic and scraped it with her horn creating a spark that landed on the oil. She stared as the fire spread across the oil, her eye and horn glowing orange and a twisted smile growing on her face.

"Burn, baby, burn..."





The Mane 6 were heading toward the ally to try to find the hair Applejack had smashed. The others had forgiven her for that, and Applejack had apologized for her bad attitude and hurting Rainbow Dash. To her and the others' surprise, when they got there the hair was there on the ground, as if it burned away all the dirt. Twilight used her magic to pick it up.

"Careful Twilight," Pinkie warned, "it's very warm." Twilight nodded and put the hair in her hoof immediately feeling its heat. It was fire-like in color. Could it belong to that mare that Greasy Gears saw? Before she could postulate this further, three fire-pony chariots came, Chief Flashpoint inside one of them.

"Flashpoint, what are you doing he-" Twilight asked but was cutoff.

"Baltimare's ablaze!" He barked, "Get in!" The Mane 6 wasted no time getting in, the pegasi pullers quick to take off before they got situated. 

"I'll fly on ahead!" Rainbow Dash shouted, taking off incredibly fast. She was going as fast as she could and was soon out of the other's sight. 

"Good luck, Rainbow Dash," Flashpoint muttered.





The fire was spreading like parasprites in the streets of Baltimare. Ponies were running around frantically trying to escape it, except one. The fire-maned mare was dancing around in the middle of the flames, singing her own twisted version of a classic tune...


"Ohhh, the World might be frightful~
But Fire is so delightful~
There is no return~
Let it Burn,~
Let it Burn,~
Let it Burn!"






Rainbow Dash speeded her way across the sky, in attempt to get to Baltimare as fast as possible. "C,mon, I need to go faster! I need to save everpony!" She went faster, and faster, and faster, and then, Boom! Dash burst into her famous sonic rainboom, going faster than anything could possibly match!

At last Dash arrived at the blazing city, and like lightning, dived into the city. Right as she did, Rainbow saw a filly fall out of a window, and swiftly managed to catch her. Dash then brought the filly to the ground. "There," she said breathing heavily, "you're safe, now get away from here!'

"You saved me," the filly said as she hugged Rainbow's leg. She then saw her father and ran to him. "Daddy!"

"Shelly!" Her father exclaimed as he came to embrace her, "You're safe..."

"She saved me, Daddy," Shelly told him as she pointed to Rainbow Dash, "She caught me as I fell out the window!"

"Thank you, miss," Shelly's father said, tears leaking from his eyes, "How can I ever thank you?"

"For starters, get out of this area and help everypony else do so as well," Rainbow replied, "I'm going in deeper." She then zoomed deeper into the city, Shelly and her father watching.

"I will never forget you..."





The dark gray mare was still dancing in the flames when she heard something...

"You! Get out of there!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she swooped down to grab her. Then a stream of fire burst from the flames and hit Rainbow, sending her to the ground. "Ugghh, the hay was that?"

"Why would I leave," The mare with fiery mane ask of Dash, "when I can stay here and dance and sing with the fire?" The mare started to laugh, but was drowned out by the fire.

Rainbow Dash got up. "What are you talking about!?" 

The mare simply put a hoof to her ear. "Can you hear them?" she asked. "Their pain and anguish in this fiery inferno? That is my lullaby; a promise of tomorrow, and the ashes of today."

Dash had no clue what she was going on about, but was determined to get her out of here.

"Look," Dash started, "Lets talk about this." Rainbow trotted closer to her, but then another stream of fire came out and this time, knocked her into a wall

"HahahahaHehehehehe!!!!"

"Uhgghh..." Dash staggered, "Who are you?"

"I am Pyre, for that is what Equestria shall become! Hahahaha!" Pyre laughed as she then made another stream of fire strike the wall above Rainbow Dash, causing it to collapse.

As Rainbow lay under the rubble, she heard Pyre sing another twisted rhyme as she went unconscious...


"Dancing in the Blaze~
All of my Days~
Ashes, Ashes,~
They all Burn Down..."



	

	
> Searing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The Mane 6 arrived in the middle of the blaze, and immediately went to work. Twilight, Applejack, and Flashpoint went directly into the fiery tempest, while Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie stayed behind to help those who had managed to get out.

Fluttershy noticed a little pale yellow unicorn filly and her father lying down. "Um, excuse me, but um, you need to go over to the Med. Tent," the shy pegasus told them, "so we can check for injuries."

The little filly shook her head, "Not til she gets back."

"Who?"

"A rainbow maned pegasus," Her father told her, "She swooped out of the sky, and saved my little Shelly." He embraced her daughter more closely.

"Oh, that must have been Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy explained, "She went ahead of us being as fast as she is."

"It's been half an hour since then," The father worried, "I hope she's alright..."

"Don't worry 'bout a thing!" Pinkie burst in, "If I know Rainbow, she's probably zooming in and out as we speak! She's just going so super fast that we can't see her."

Right as she said that, the bulk of the Fireponies arrived, and using magic, worked their water to smother the flames, while the stronger earth ponies helped clear rubble and set up the Med. Tent for survivors. The fire fought hard, but the Fireponies pushed harder, and Pega-medics were already carrying wounded ponies out.





Meanwhile, inside the burning city, Twi, AJ, and Chief Flashpoint raced to find that flamed-maned mare, avoiding debris and flames. 

"Huh?" Twilight sensed something using her magic. "Over here!" She shouted back to AJ and Flash, and they followed her to a large pile of rubble. "Somepony's under this!" The three of them began to dig into the mess. They kept at it for some time, til Applejack uncovered part of the pony.

"It's Rainbow!" AJ exclaimed and she began to dig faster. Twilight and Flashpoint joined her until finally, they manage to get her out. "Rainbow! Rainbow, wake up!" Applejack screamed as she shook her unconscious friend. Applejack's eyes started to fog up.

Twilight held her breath. Flashpoint came closer and examined Dash. "Applejack, she still alive, barely." He told her, "But she needs medical attention if she's going to survive. I want you to get Rainbow Dash there now."

With naught but a nod, Applejack picked up her hurt friend and rocketed back towards the Med. Tent, galloping as fast as she could.

"Twilight," Flashpoint put a hoof on her shoulder, "She'll be fine, but for now we need to keep moving. We need to get deeper, and find any other survivors!" He then raced off, Twilight clearing her eyes and following.





Applejack's heart was beating as fast as she was speeding through the burning street. She sweated fiercely, and tears were pouring from her burning eyes. Applejack was determined to save her friend, she'd never let Dash die.

All of the sudden Applejack heard a loud crack. She then saw a section of tall building fall off. It was going to block her path. Applejack knew she couldn't stop; there wasn't another path. She would have to turn back and go around, but she couldn't if she wanted to save Rainbow Dash.

She had to risk it. Applejack sped up; she was going to try to run through before the debris landed. She was going faster...

And faster...

Faster...

Faster..........

BOOOOOOOM!! 

Applejack made it! 

She smiled, "I'll 'ave to tell Rainbow 'bout that when she wakes up. Yeeee-Haww!" Applejack continued to race out of the city.





Twilight and Flashpoint were still in the inferno, and if on cue...

Fwooom!

A wall of fire raised from out of nowhere, blocking their way. 

"What!?" Twilight yelled. On the other side of the wall of flames, was the the fiery mare. 

"More interlopers?" The mare giggled, "Well, I guess I'll have to take care of you too..." She smiled as her horn and eyes glowed and the wall of fire moved towards the two ponies.

"Noo!" Twilight cried as she conjured a shield to protect them. "You will not hurt anymore ponies!" She decreed, thinking of Rainbow and the child from Fillydelphia. 

The mare kept forcing her fire wall onto Twilight's shield, but she stood firm. The mare soon gave up on trying to break Twi's shield and smiled, "I've already claimed this city, and soon, all of Equestria will Burn!" She cackled, and ran off.

"NO!" Twilight yelled as she tried to go after the mare, but more fire walls blocked her path. And to make it worse, the fire was getting stronger.

"Twilight!" Flashpoint grabbed her hoof, "We need to go, Now!"

"But-"

Flash pulled Twilight  away from the flames and proceeded to get the buck out of there.



	
> Burnt
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The Fire-ponies had the fire under control, and had half the city put out. Twilight and Flashpoint had managed to escape the blazing city unscathed, but Twilight was furious at the Fire-pony Chief. 

"Why didn't we go after her!?" She raged, "She's the one responsible for Rainbow's condition, and the deaths of hundreds of ponies!" She was seething in rage as if she was on fire.

"Don't you understand!?" Flashpoint barked, "If we went after that mare, she would've fried us!" He sighed, "I know how you feel, believe me, but we can't risk our lives on a mission we won't come back from!" There was sorrowful tone in his voice; the kind you heard from a sincere pony who has suffered. Twilight had noticed this and her anger disappeared as she looked into Flashpoint's stern yet sad eyes.

After a long pause, Twilight turned away awkwardly, "I'm going to check on Rainbow Dash again." She trotted off to the Med. Tent, leaving Flashpoint to his memories.





GRRRAAHHHHHH!!!!!

Pyre screamed in fury; she had been discovered. "How am I supposed to get to Manehatten now!?" She whined as she writhed in the flames. "They're sure to have guards at every exit! Gaaaahhh!" She collapsed to the ground and started to cry yet not shed tears...

"Pyre..., Pyre...," a strange, distorted voice called to her, "Don't cry, Pyre..."

She looked up, and saw Him. "You came!" Pyre cried as she galloped towards Him. It was a stallion, with the stature of Celestia and was an Alicorn as well, made entirely of fire.

"Pyre..., why are you crying...?" the Fire asked, comforting her, "Don't be afraid..., you can tell me..."

Pyre sniffed, "They know it's me; that I'm responsible!" she cried, "How am I going to get anywhere now!?"

The Fire chuckled, "Pyre..., you shouldn't need fear anypony..., you are stronger than all of them... If anypony tries to stop you...

Burn them Down!"

The Fire then disappeared as the flames died around her,and she was alone in the cinders.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" Pyre's eyes shot up; it was two Fire-ponies. "Ma'am?"

"Yes, I'm fine..." Pyre muttered, smiling as she stared at a small still-burning ember...





Rainbow Dash was stable; Applejack had gotten there just in the nick of time to save her dear friend's life. She stayed as the doctors got Dash into a bed and on life-support, and she hadn't said a thing or moved since she came. "Miss. Miss I'm sorry, but you're going to have to leave." It was one of the doctors.

"No."

The doctor shook his head, "I'm sorry, miss, but you need to leave. Don't worry about your friend. She's stable and only has a broken leg; she'll pull through."

Applejack nodded and went on her way. Before she left, she turned back to her friend, then went out.

Twilight was about to go into the Med. Tent when AJ came out. "How is she?" Twilight asked.

"Dash's stable fer now..." AJ's voice trailed off. 

Twilight sighed, then smiled, "Applejack, you really think Rainbow would go out under a bunch of rocks?"

Applejack smirked slightly, "I reckon not , Twi...." Her smile then left, "I just wish she didn't-"

"Excuse me?" It was the father stallion, his daughter Shelly at his side. "We heard that Rainbow Dash was here and-"

"I wanna see her!" Shelly burst out, unable to contain herself anymore. "Pleeeeease can I see her!?" she asked again, her eyes waving like the sea.

"I don't know if uhhhhhhh..." Twilight stammered, trying but unable to say no to the adorable little filly.

"Please let my Shelly see Rainbow Dash, she saved my little seashell's life, and Shelly wants to give her something to thank her."

"Please, Please, Pleeeeeeeeeease!" The little filly's eyes grew increasingly wide in anticipation.

"Uhhhhh..." Twilight still stammering.

"She's not gonna stop til you say yes," the father added jokingly.

"He's right, Twi," Applejack chuckled, "lil' fillies 're real persistent."

Twilight giggled, "I guess you're right AJ. Very well, Shelly, you can see Rainbow Dash," she told the anxious filly, "but she's hurt and asleep, so it has to be quick."

"Thank you! Thank you! Come on Daddy!" Shelly ran towards the Med. Tent, not wasting a moment.

"Shelly, wait! Eh, kids," the father then follow his daughter to the Med. Tent.





"Chief, Seeker and Pathfinder haven't returned." It was Thermal Vision, Flashpoint's second of command, and one of his closest friends.

"Uhhgg, I'll go look for them," Flashpoint groaned, "If Twilight or her friends ask for me, tell them where I'm at..." 

"Yes, Chief.... Flash... are you.."

"I'm fine Thermal..." Flashpoint groaned again and went into the ruined city to find the two ponies.





Shelly's mouth dropped when she saw Rainbow. "Daddy, is she gonna be okay?" The filly asked her father solemnly.

"I'm sure she will, Shelly. Now, go put your gift on the bedpost."

The little filly walked up and put her present on the bedpost; it was a yellow seashell, one of magnificent color and sheen. She got it on her latest trip to the beach, "So you'll always remember me." Shelly then kissed Rainbow's cheek and ran to her father, and they left.

Rainbow Dash began to stir...





Flashpoint trotted his way though the still smoking city, "Just why....?" He muttered. He was almost on the other side of the city. 

"I swear... if I find those two goofing off again, I'm gonna-Aahhhhh!" He turned the corner only two find the charred, smoking remains of Seeker and Pathfinder. Most of their flesh burnt off, and there mouths agape in horror.

Flashpoint took out his radio, "Thermal, get me forensics..., and bring two body bags....."

	
	

	
> Kindling
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The Fire-ponies zipped up the second body bag, Flashpoint watching and mourning. Though he was the Firepony Chief of Canterlot, he never really had much to do, being as there aren't many fires in Canterlot, or in Equestria. He had never truly seen such horror in his life, except that one town... 

"Chief, you ready?"

"Huh, what?" Flashpoint snapped out of his trance.

"We're ready to head back to base," one of the Fire-ponies replied.

"Ah, yes...," the Chief muttered, "Lets go then..." 

They left the site of the murder, and Flashpoint continued to think. "What's going on around here," he thought, "Fisrt Fillydelphia, now Baltimare! Why is that mare doing this!?" "Aahhhhrrrrggg!!" he yelled aloud.

"Uh, Chief, you okay?" 

"Huh, wha..." Flashpoint shocked, "Sorry, I uhhh..." He drifted off again into his thoughts.

"FLASH!!"

"Huh!" Flashpoint snapped out of it.

"Flash..., are you okay?"

"I don't know Thermal," he sighed, putting his hoof on his head and moving it through his mane.

Thermal Vision trotted beside him, "Flash..., are you thinking about him again?" Thermal asked softly.

"Yeah...," Flashpoint groaned, "It's just... well...," he sighed again, "Back there, it reminded me of him..."

"Yeah, your older brother," Thermal mumbled, remembering what had happened to him. 

Flashpoint's older brother, Fire Fight, was his BBBFF growing up, and he would do everything his bro did, including his job. When Fire Fight became a Firepony, that was all 'Flashy' wanted to be when he grew up, and when Flashpoint left to the academy in Canterlot, Fire Fight promised to meet him when he got back. That would be the last time Flashpoint ever saw him, because one day, an enormous fire erupted out of nowhere in a small village called Timberhill. Fire Fight had been on-route to Canterlot to visit his little brother, but then saw the flames and he rushed in, his friends following him. Fire Fight died in that fire, and not a single soul was found alive.

When Flashpoint learned of Fire Fight's death, he went into a catatonic state, and never left his room. His friends, Thermal Vision and Hot Spot, were the only reasons that Flashpoint didn't jump out the window of their room on the fifth floor. Together, the three stallions tried to learn more about what had happened in Timberhill, but all information of the incident was classified by the Equestrian Council. 

Flashpoint then swore that until he found out what happened in Timberhill, he would honor Fire Fight by being the best Fire-pony he could be. Since then, Flashpoint graduated from the academy with the highest honors, and served in the Canterlot Fireponies, until at last, becoming Chief, the youngest ever to achieve it.

When the Fillydelphia fire occurred, he was the first to offer his service to the Princess, hoping for any sort of clues about Timberhill. When he got there though, that was the last thing in his mind. The complete and utter decimation of Fillydelphia struck the reality of the situation to him, and now Baltimare as well.

Then there was the mare with the fiery mane, who is this mare? Why is she doing this? Is this mare responsible for Timberhill, and for Fire Fight?

All of this was racing though Flash's mind, and he couldn't hold back his tears.

"Lets head back..." Thermal suggested. 

Flashpoint nodded, and the two of them continued on.





"Where 're Rarity 'n Pinkie?" Applejack asked Twilight, "I know Fluttershy's still in the Med. Tent, but I ain't seen them since I got back."

"I sent to Ponyville to start a relief effort," Twilight answered, "Hot Spot, and four other Fire-ponies went with them. One of the Fire-ponies is tasked to bring Spike here, I need him so I can communicate with the Princess better." 

Twilight sighed, "What a day...,"

"T'ain't half of it," Applejack agreed.

Then suddenly, Fluttershy came running, "Rainbow's awake!" she exclaimed, quite unlike her. 

The three of them then galloped quickly over to the Med. Tent to check on her. When they entered they found Rainbow Dash holding the seashell in her hooves.

"Hi, Rainbow," Twilight started, "How are you feeling."

"Like I was crushed by a bunch of rocks," Dash replied bluntly. "Twilight, I need to tell you something."

"What is it, Rainbow?" Twilight inquired.

"That mare," Dash continued, "Her name is Pyre, and she said that she's gonna burn down all of Equestria!"

Fluttershy gasped, "Why'd she want to do such a thing?" 

"I'm not sure," Twilight pondered, "But we're not going to let her do that! C'mon! Lets go talk to Flashpoint!" 

Twilight and Applejack ran out, Fluttershy still behind. "Rainbow, stay here, okay?"

"Don't worry 'bout that," Dash stated, "I'm not in any hurry to leave." She was still in pain from her encounter with Pyre.

Fluttershy left to catch up with Twi and AJ, leaving Rainbow Dash to think about Pyre. This demented mare had burned down two of Equestria's finest cites in less than two days! If she isn't stopped soon, by the end of the week all of Equestria will be in flames!


	
	
	 

	 

	 
> Flare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Rarity and Pinkie arrived in Ponyville, to get the relief effort started. With them was Hot Spot, a brave Fire-pony and one of Flashpoint's closest friends, and four other Fire-ponies. They came with to set up accommodations for survivors that would be staying in Ponyville.

"I'm off to make food and treats!" With that, Pinkie sprang into the air and zoomed off to Sugarcube Corner.

"Right...," Rarity muttered, "Anyway, I'll see you to the Mayor so you can chat with her, sir Hot Spot."

"Thanks, miss Rarity," Hot Spot blushed, linking that she'd called him 'sir'.

"Hot Spot, sir, I'm gonna get Twilight's assistant Spike," said the pegasus Firepony.

"Sure, do that...," Hot Spot still enamored with Rarity.

The pegasus chucked as he left to retrieve Spike, and bring him over to Twilight.





Pyre slowed down, she'd been running since she left Baltimare, and was exhausted. She decided to rest and began to start a campfire. The sun was setting, one of the few things she'd call beautiful. Pyre had always been fascinated by it, even before her... incident.

"Such magnificent flames...," she thought, staring at the sun's majesty, but then she remembered, "Celestia...," Pyre spat. She knew that if she was going to engulf all of Equestria in flames, Celestia, and her sister Luna, would have to be dealt with.

"They're strong...," said Fire, appearing in the small flame, "but they have never encountered anything quite like you...

"I'm just not sure...," Pyre replied to the hallucination, "but how? Those six and the Elements-" she shuddered as did Fire. Pyre knew if anything could stop her, it was the Elements.

"Those things won't be any concern...," Fire replied, "Once they're dead..."

Fire drifted away as Pyre began to sleep, shaking as she did...





Spike was sleeping, as he does when Twilight was away, when there was a knock at the door. He didn't budge. More knocking. Still not budging. 

The pegasus Firepony got annoyed and bucked the door open, causing the baby dragon to jump from his bed, and fall face-first on the floor.

"Hello, Spike? Spiiiiike?" the pegasus called out. To his surprise, a baby dragon walked down the stairs, rubbing his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but the library's closed til Twilight gets back," Spike told the pegasus.

"Yeah, whatever, look, is Spike here?" He brushed away, "Twilight need him for something, so just tell me where he is, 'kay?"

"I'm right here!?" Spike responded, confused.

"You're Spike? Wow! I didn't know she had a pet dragon."

Spike was not amused by being labeled as a 'pet'.

"I'm Twilight's assistant," Spike replied curtly.

"Sorry, never did see a dragon. Anyway, Twilight needs you, so hop on my back and lets go!"

Spike proceeded to do so, and with a quick "Woo!", the pegasus ran out and took off into the sky.





Flashpoint and Thermal Vision to the camp, only to be greeted by Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy.

"Flashpoint..." Twilight started, "...we need to talk."

"Not now...," he mumbled.

"But it's really important and-"

"Not NOW!"

Flashpoint's huge yell made everypony jump, and Fluttershy hid behind AJ.

He sighed, "Not now..."

Flashpoint went inside his tent to be by himself and rest.

"I'm sorry about his brashness," Thermal apologized, "but two members of our search party...." He trailed off. "Well..., they ran into her...

The girls all shuddered, and Fluttershy began to wimper, AJ comforting her.

"You see...," Thermal continued, "Flash is quite upset..."

"What fer?" Applejack dared to asked.

Thermal sighed, then began to tell the three about Fire Fight, and what had happened to him. Thermal also told them about how Flashpoint even considered suicide, just to be with him.

All of them were touched by this, but none more so than Applejack, who could relate...

"I'm so sorry," Twilight muttered, "..but this way too important to ignore. Could you... umm, get him out here, Thermal?"

"I'll try...," Thermal sighed again, and he walked into Flash's tent.

After a few minutes, and quite a lot of yelling, Thermal came back out with Flashpoint.

"I apologize for shouting," Flash admitted, "I was just so..., nevermind. What was it you were trying to tell me Twilight?"

"Rainbow woke up," The purple unicorn answered, "and she said that the mare's name is Pyre, and she wants to burn down all of Equestria!"

Flash's eyes widened and Thermal had to catch his breath, "This is serious..." Flash concurred, "Then it's good that your assistant will be her soon so we can warn Celestia and-"

Just then, the Firepony pegasus dropped from the sky and stuck the landing, hoping to get some applause. There wasn't any.

"Spike!" Twilight picked up the dizzy dragon off of his back.

"Hehe, sorry 'bout that," he smirked.

"Immature as usual, eh, Sky Blaze?" Thermal glared, but Sky Blaze just kept on smirking.

Twilight put Spike on her back, "When he comes to his senses, I'll send a letter to the Princess."

"As for the rest of us," Flashpoint added, "Lets get some sleep.., I know I want to..." He proceeded back into his tent.

"I reckon that's a good idea," AJ agreed, "C'mon Fluttershy." The two left for their own tents, as did Thermal and Sky Blaze.

Around ten minutes later, Twilight finished the letter and had Spike send it, but he was quite worried and frighted by what he had written about Pyre.

"Me too, Spike....Me too..."

Twilight and Spike then went to their tent to rest for tomorrow, when they begin the search for Pyre...





Everything was burning! The houses, the ponies, EVERYTHING!!! All except for one small pale orange filly...

Pyre awoke; it was a dream, one of the few she has. She was breathing heavily. It was the same one though. The same dream she's had since... 

The ashen mare rubbed her eyes; it was sunrise. Pyre smiled, and picked herself off the ground. She saw two rocks, and picked them up with her magic. She giggled as she struck them together, sparks flying out.

She giggled again as she began her trek towards her next target, making the rocks spark all the while.

"I love Manehatten."


	

	





	 


	

	 
	  

 
> Inferno
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Manehatten: the most metropolitan city in all of Equestria. It was another hectic morning in the 'city that never snoozes.' All sorts of ponies were trotting around, yelling and cursing at each-other to get out of their way.

Pyre entered the city and was immediately greeted by it's hospitality...

"Get 'da buck outah' my way, ya mook!" a stallion spat after he bumped into her, cause her to lose the rocks she was carrying with her magic.

Pyre was barely able to contain her anger, but managed to trot away deeper into the  heavily crowded city.





Twilight woke up to the sound of loud trumpeting outside her tent. She checked her clock; it was 7:15 in the morning. Spike slept through the noise, so Twilight decided not to wake him. She went outside to find that everypony was gathering. She saw Fluttershy and Applejack and headed over to talk with them, but Flashpoint stepped in front of her.

"Flashpoint?! What gives?"

"She want to talk with us," he replied.

Flash led Twilight through the murmuring crowd, and to her delightful surprise, Princess Celestia was waiting for her.

The two walked up to the Princess; she was grim, staring at the desolation caused by Pyre. Celestia lowered her head, "So much destruction...," she sighed, then turned to Twilight and Flashpoint, "I wish to speak with you. Twilight, bring your friends; Flashpoint, bring Thermal Vision." She turned away, and continued to gaze at the once, beautiful city. Twilight noticed a tear drop from her mentor's eye.

Flashpoint spoke to Twilight, "Twilight, go and get your friends, also, check on your friend Rainbow Dash. See if she's ready to be removed from her bed, I'm going to find Thermal."

Flash proceeded to find Thermal, as did Twilight with her friends. She didn't have to search long though...

"Hey, Twi!" AJ called out to her with Fluttershy behind, "What's goin' on?"

"Celestia wants to talk with us," Twilight replied, "Flashpoint said we should get Rainbow."

"Um, I don't think the doctors are going to let us," Fluttershy pointed out, "Dash is still very hurt."

"Rainbow deserves ta hear what the Princess has ta say," Applejack blurted.

Twilight nodded, "Applejack's right Fluttershy, and Rainbow's encounter with Pyre will be important to discuss with the Princess."

They went over to the Med. Tent to get Rainbow Dash. When the got there, they saw Shelly over by Rainbow, who was telling the filly of the time she made a sonic rainboom.

"And BOOM!, I broke into the sonic rainboom! And I won the race, and got my cutie mark."

"Wow! You're amazing!" Shelly praised, "Tell me another!"

"Sorry kid, but my friends look like they want to talk with me, maybe later."

"Okay! Bye, Rainbow Dash!" The little filly ran out the Med. Tent.

"Another fan?" Twilight joked.

Dash smiled, "Yeah, so what's up?"

"The Princess's here ta talk with us," Applejack replied.

"We're going to get you out of bed so you can talk to her with us," Fluttershy finished.

"Just be careful, my leg still hurts real bad."

Five minutes later, the four were outside with the Princess, as well as Flashpoint and Thermal Vision. Flash had made sure that they would be alone.

"Thank you for coming," Celestia started, her voice somber, "When you sent me your letter Twilight, I knew that I had to come here in person."

"For what?" Twilight asked.

The Princess sighed, "Timberhill..."

Immediately Flashpoint was at full attention at to what she said next.

"Timberhill is where this all started," Celestia continued, "The fire there..., it wasn't a natural fire..."

"Whad'ya mean, Princess?"

"When the fire died, we sent a team to check for survivors. Officially, there weren't any, but..... we did find one."

Flash's eyes widened, as did everyone elses.

"She was a filly. Her coat was charcoal grey, and her mane was like fire, and her cutie mark was fire. The mare you call Pyre."

They all gasped, except for Flashpoint, who just stood there and listened intently.

"Her real name is Candelle, as she had told us, but she was too unstable..." She sighed, "I had examined her personally, but she knew nothing of what she had done. Because of this and her dangerous power, the council had no choice but to send her out of Equestria to a facility to contain her. I didn't want it that way, but the council had more control on the matter..." Celestia sighed again, "I had no idea she had escaped until the second fire, and your letter Twilight. I pray that we can stop her in time..."





Pyre's anger grew fiercer as she shoved her way through Manehatten. She hated the ponies here, and was more than glad incinerate every single one of them. She shoved her way out of the sidewalk to go into the ally and think. That stallion had caused her to lose the stones she needed to spark. Despite her mastery of flame, she can't create fire, only manipulate it. She needed a new plan...

Pyre hit the wall in anger, and she smelled something, a smell she knew anywhere: smoke. There were a couple ponies smoking back in the ally. She trotted closer in til they noticed her.

"Care to offer a girl a smoke?" Pyre flirtatiously asked.

"Heh, sure thang, girl..." One of them smirked, handing her a cigarette with his magic.

"Could you light it for me~?" She batted her eyelashes, hiding any motives she had.

"Heh, sure..." Another stallion came up and lit it for the ashen mare.

She took the cigarette with her magic and inhaled it. 

With a flare of her eyes and a sadistic smile she exhaled, flames spewing from her mouth and quickly engulfed the stallions. They ran out of the ally burning and screaming, causing everypony to look at the ally. Pyre stood there, and inhaled on the cigarette again...





Flashpoint was silent. He hadn't spoken at all during Celestia's story. His eyes were burning the cold hatred that one who craves revenge has. After a good minute he finally spoke up.

"Why? Why did you keep this from ME!?" He shouted at the Princess.

"Because I knew the course of action you would take..." Celestia responded with sadness in her voice, "The one you are thinking of taking now. Revenge won't help anything or anypony, Flashpoint.."

Flash turned away.

"The other reason," she continued, "is I didn't know how ponies would react to this..  Somepony's talent being fire and destruction... I couldn't bring myself to admit it..." The Princess went silent.

Suddenly, an alarm went out throughout the camp. Sky Blaze appeared, "Cheif! Distress call from Manehatten!"

"No!" Celestia gasped, "Flashpoint! Get your unit over there!" 

Flashpoint raced to the chariots, a dark smile in his heart.

"Twilight! Go with him! Make sure Flashpoint doesn't do anything he will regret! I'll see you there!" Celestia launched into the sky and flew as fast as she could towards Manehatten.

Twilight raced to try to get to Flash's chariot, but it took off before she could get on.

"Hop on mine!" It was Thermal Vision, offering Twilight a ride with him. She quickly got on, and the pegasi on the chariot took off.





Pyre danced as she spat flames from her mouth, delighting in the ear-piercing screams of the burning ponies. The city rapidly caught on fire, and even those in their homes weren't safe. She took much pleasure from killing these ponies especially, for they were rude, inconsiderate, and cared nothing for the plight of others. Pyre was so entranced in her manic glee, that she started to sing...


"Burn, burn, burn it down~
With all the searing steam~
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily~
Fire is all I dream!~"


The wailing of the ponies echo throughout as she sang, adding to her delight. She wanted to make short work of Manehatten and then move on to Las Pegasus. She would not rest until all of Equestria is cinders and ash, and then, the rest of the world would feel the scorch of her flames. Everything will burn!

"CANDELLE!!

Pyre froze, and the fire with her. She hadn't been called by her real name for years.... She turned around and saw the graceful form of Celestia land by her. 

"Celestia... hehehe...., it's been so long since anypony has called me that," Pyre giggled, "I am Pyre now... and soon... Equestria shall become one as well!"

"Candelle....stop."

Pyre giggled manically, "Why would I stop? I'm so happy! Why are you trying to take Fire from me!?" The flames grew again as her voice raised; she was preparing to attack.

"Candelle!" Celestia cried out, "I don't want to hurt you..."

"Then this will be all the more fun!" Pyre laughed. She shot several streams of fire at the Princess, who managed to create a shield in time.

"Candelle! Stop!" Celestia shouted, pushing forward against Pyre's blasts.

Pyre just kept on laughing as she bombarded Celestia with stream after stream of hot searing flame.

"Please, Candelle!" the Princess pleaded again, "Think of what you're doing!"

"I've thought about doing this ever since you locked me away fourteen years ago!!!" Pyre screamed, releasing an insanely powerful wave of fire at Celestia. The Princess was unable to block it and her magical shield shattered and she fell back. Celestia looked up at Pyre who was levitating in the flames, a sick and twisted smile on her face.

"The Sun will set, now and forever!" she cackled as created a huge burning sphere of pure fire.

"Goodbye Celestia-ahhhh!"

Flashpoint had jumped out of his chariot and tackled Pyre before she could launch her attack, knocking her unconscious. The  great fiery sphere dissipated and the fire calmed around her. Flashpoint got back up to his hooves, and approached Pyre's unconscious form. His eyes burned, not just from the heat, but from  pure anger and rage.

"Flashpoint," Celestia called to him, getting up, "Stand aside."

"Why!?" He spat, "So you can just lock her away just so she can break out again! No, she needs to be put to death for her crimes against Equestria!"

"I will be the judge of that!" Celestia stepped in front of Flashpoint, "What's important now is the safety of the ponies here!" 

As she said that, multiple Firepony chariots arrive and proceeded to secure the city. Twilight and Thermal Vision ran over to them.

"What happened?" Twilight asked, seeing Celestia staggering and Pyre unconscious.

"I encountered her and tried to get her to see reason," Celestia sighed, "but she had overpowered my magic. It's because of Flashpoint that I'm still alive..."

Flashpoint looked away, still bitter toward the Princess, "Perhaps somepony else needs to see reason..."

He went off without a word to help put out the fire, leaving the Princess, Twilight, and Thermal to the comatose body of Pyre... 

	

	
	

	
	

	


	


	



	

	

 

	 
	
	


> Charred
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Ponyville was extremely busy; refugees were arriving from the desolated cities en mass. Many ponies offered their homes for the survivors. The refugees had nice new quilts, made by the Element of Generosity, Rarity. They were also well fed thanks to contributions by the Apple Family and the Cakes, and several generous ponies in town.

Among these survivors were Greasy Gears, who had recovered somewhat, and Shelly, who came here with her father. Greasy was staying at Sweet Apple Acres, where he'll work til reconstruction starts. Shelly and her father will be in town for the time being.

Shelly's father, Blue Tides, watched as his daughter played with some of the other kids.

"Something wrong sir?" Rarity came up to him.

"Oh... hehe.. nothing...just watching my daughter play..." He turned back to Shelly. She was laughing happily as she chased some other fillies and colts in the field. In Blue's hooves, he cradled a blue conch-like seashell.

"What's that lovely thing? The white unicorn pointed to seashell.

".....The one thing I managed to safe from the fire..... It was a gift from my wife... before Shelly was born...."

"It's very nice..."

"Yes...." Blue looked back to Shelly, "....It's the only thing either of us have left of her...."

Rarity was taken aback but managed to recompose herself. "I'm sorry..."

"......It's fine.... my little seashell..... she understands...I'm just glad I have her...."





Pyre slowly awoke and found she was in a special jacket coated in magic. She was also in a enchanted holding cell. She tried to break free of her bonds, but was unable to. Pyre muttered some unintelligible curses. Outside she heard hoof-steps. One of the walls suddenly became transparent and she saw that Celestia stood on the other side with the Twilight, the Element of Magic.

"Candelle," Celestia began, Pyre being able to hear her through the invisible wall, "Lets talk."

Pyre stared at the Princess with flaming eyes. 

"Candelle, you will speak!" 

Pyre smiled, "Stop calling me that, and I might..."

Celestia sighed, "Very well. Pyre, what is it that you plan to accomplish?"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA," Pyre roared with manic laughter, such that pierced their hearts, "You still don't get it, do you? I told you, Celestia, I will burn all of Equestria," she smiled with sickening glee.

"But why?" Twilight joined in.

More laughter erupted from the demented mare's mouth. "Because I am Pyre; I burn all things. It's my special talent..."

"Your talent is not fire and destruction," Celestia told Pyre, "there are other-"

"DON'T LIE TO ME!!!!!" Pyre shouted at the top of her voice, with a trace of a deep sorrow. Celestia was taken aback; she realized she had struck a chord.

(listen as you read)

"........Fire...," Pyre mumbled, "....Fire... Fire.... where are you, Fire?"

"Fire?" Twilight stepped up, "Who is Fire?" she inquired, seeking to examine Pyre's mind.

"Fire...," she muttered, breathing heavily, "is my friend... my only friend..."

"In what way?"

"He saved me..., from those who tried to hurt me...," Pyre giggled, then suddenly stopped. "He also took away from me the ponies who loved me..." Pyre started to sob, but no tears escaped her eyes. Celestia and Twilight began to understand. The ashen mare chuckled, "It's funny; I can't cry for them anymore..." She smiled, still sobbing, "Like my tears have been burned away..."

Celestia and Twilight watched Pyre as her face contorted into different emotions; she was giggling and sobbing, smiling yet horrified.

"That day," Pyre recalled, "I listened to their screams; the screams of my family as Fire engulfed them..., and the rest of Timberhill..." Pyre shut her eyes tight and shook her head violently, trying to suppress the memories. "When I awoke," she continued, "I saw them; the lifeless husks that used to be used to be my mother, father, and new-born sister..." Pyre winced. "Their charred, smoking remains that stared at me with black, scorched eyes...," she paused, and began to stare into Twilight's eyes. "I still see them..., every time I dream; reliving the nightmare again and again..." Twilight stepped back, trying to escape Pyre's stare that burned into her eyes. Pyre started to smile again, "That's how I got my cutie mark: by incinerating my home and the ones I loved..." She began to laugh, "My talent is Fire. To spread Fire. To burn down EVERYTHING AROUND ME!!!!!!"

Celestria choked up a bit before speaking, "I'm sorry for what happened to you, Pyre, but I will not let you hurt anyone else!"

"You can't stop me," Pyre cackled, "My Fire will break me free, just wait..." Pyre then burst into a hysteric cacophony of crazed laughter not uncommon to that of a pack of hyenas. It swarmed around Twilight and the Princess, and echoed past them throughout the entire camp, striking fear in all who heard it. She suddenly stopped, and froze completely still.. 

She started to sing, a horrific expression of her insanity...


"O, the World might be frightful~
But Fire is so delightful~
There is no return~
Let it Burn,~
Let it Burn,~
Let it Burn......~"


The Princess took her leave, unable took take any more of Pyre's madness, and Twilight followed shortly. The wall became normal again, Pyre staring into it, as if waiting for them to return...

	



	


	
> Flash
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	(Warning: Slight Alcoholism)

Flashpoint tapped his hoof impatiently; he was incredibly tense. He was waiting outside the tent where Pyre's holding cell was held. He was with Twilight's friends, also waiting for her and the Princess to come out.

Pyre's shrieking laughter had surprised everypony in the camp; Fluttershy hid behind Rainbow's wheelchair, and shivers went up AJ's spine, knocking her hat off. Flashpoint only gritted his teeth at the creature's howling, becoming angrier as the the time passed. That fiery mare killed Fire Fight, burned him alive trying to protect the ponies of Timberhill, and there was only one way Flash wanted to avenge him...

"Princess! Twilight!"

Flashpoint turned and found Celestia and Twilight exiting the tent, their faces pale and somewhat unnerved.

"So, what happened?"

"Wha'd she say?"

"What was that awful noise....?"

Celestia raised her hoof, and the the questions ceased. 

"Pyre..." Celestia started with a heavy sigh, "...she's lost...insane...she has no concept of reality, nor the wonders of life.. She also has no connection with Harmony at all..., I don't know how to help her..."

"Why try!?!" Flashpoint spurt loudly, "Why should anypony do anything for that thing, other than destroying it?!"

"She is still a pony and one of my subjects!" Celestia raised her voice, startling everypony, except for Flash, "And I need to help her!"

"Then help her! Down to Tartarus! Where she belongs!" Flash scoffed.

Everypony was taken aback by his decree, including Celestia, who confronted Flashpoint face to face.

"I will not kill one of my ponies!!"

"THEN LET SOMEPONY WITH ANY SORT OF CAPABILITY DO IT FOR YOU!!!!!!!

Flash turned away and trotted off to his tent, leaving empty silence, the shocked open mouths of Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack, Fluttershy hidden behind them, and Celestia, wounded from his hateful arrow.



 

Inside the cage, Pyre rocked back and forth on the floor, muttering, twitching, and tried to claw at the walls, but her enchanted bonds prevented her form doing so.

"Hehe... I will burn Equestria... I will... there is nothing they can do..." The ashen mare looked at the wall, "These walls won't hold me..." She chuckled, "My Fire... my Fire will come for me.... He will free me... like before... from that awful place..."

Pyre burst into another insane fit of laughter, this time, even more shocking and maddening than the first...





It was an hour later, Flashpoint sat in his tent, finishing his seventh mug of hard cider. He was also staring at his Fire-pony emblem, which he tore from his uniform.

"Flash..."

"WHAT, THERMAL!?!?"

"The Princess wishes to speak with you..."

"TELL THE PRINCESS TO BRING HER ROYAL FLANK IN HERE!!!!"

"Very well then..." Celestia stepped inside.

"SO, WHAT?!?!" He finished his mug and tossed it into the other six empty one.

The Princess walked up to him, "Flashpoint..........., I'm sorry..."

Flash turned away and began guzzling down his eighth mug.

"I shouldn't have kept the truth from you..."

Flash kept drinking.

"...but I had to...., because I knew this was how you'd react..."

Still nothing from Flashpoint...

"I understand...," Celestia sighed, "I know how it feels to lose someone you love..."

He stopped slightly and started to listen somewhat...

"When I banished Nightmare Moon for a thousand years..., I thought I'd lost my little sister forever..."

Flash said nothing.

"Even though she has returned to me..., the pain I felt was like the pain you feel now..., I just wanted to-"

The mug fell to the floor, tears soon following it.

"I MISS FIRE FIGHT SO MUCH!!!!" Flash cried between his sobs, "I just wish- I wish-"

"I know...," Celestia curled beside Flash, and warmly held him in her hooves "....you wish you could hold him..., one last time..."

"I just.... I wanted to be just like him.... but then... then..."

"It's alright Flashpoint...." The Princess looked into his tear-filled eyes, "It's alright..... I'm here.... "





"UUUGHHH!!! Guard duty sucks!!" Sky Blaze whined as he stood by Pyre's containment cell, bored out of his mind.

"PSSSSST..., Lights!"

A unicorn Firepony turned to him, "What?"

"A smoke?"

"Really?" Lights asked, "You really need one now?"

"Come on dude please?" Sky Blaze whined some more.

"Ugh.. I swear..." Lights took out a pack of cigurettes and handed one to Sky.

Inside the cell, Pyre's eyes snapped open to the striking match.

"Here.. and is Flash asks... don't bring me up..."

"Heh...thanks.." Sky Blaze smoked on his cigarette, the smoke exhale trailing to into Pyre's cell. The smoke crawled inside a crack and contorted into a shape that made Pyre giggle with delight. She stare as a the smoke formed into head, with fierce burning red eyes. Pyre's smile grew wider as the smoke began to form flames around her and she listened intently to her Fire's words....

"Time to play..."
	
> Scorch
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!

The explosion rocked the whole camp as the cell containing Pyre burst open from all the fire built up inside. Flames scattered everywhere, as well as the now lifeless forms of Sky Blaze and Lights, who have just opened Pondora's Box. A fiery tempest swirled around Pyre's form, her eyes and horn burning with orange. 

Everypony came to see what'd happened, but the flames were too strong, nopony could get close. Celestia, Flashpoint, and Twilight all raced over, and they saw the swirling flames, and Pyre in the center of the inferno she created. 

"Candelle!!" Celestia called to the crazed mare.

"Celestia! You have forced my hoof!! My next stop is Canterlot! And before the day's end, IT WILL BECOME A LIVING HELL WHEN I'M DONE!!!! THE SAME WITH PONYVILLE! AND ALL OF EQUESTRIA!!!!!!!!!

Celestia launched a magic beam from her horn, but it ricochet off the flaming walls.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU CANNOT STOP ME, CELESTIA!! NOTHING CAN STOP ME!!!

The swirling pillar of flames started to move as Pyre slowly trotted towards Canterlot, the flares barely drowning out the laughter coming from deranged mare. 

"Twilight! Flashpoint! I need to return to Canterlot now!" Celestia turned, "Hopefully, with Luna's help, I can hold her back..., but I need you to get there and be ready with the Elements..."

"But Princess-"

"There's no other option now!" Celestia barked, "....There isn't any other option....., Flashpoint." She turned to the stallion, who understood Celestia nodded in agreement. The Princess took off into the air for Canterlot, dodging fireballs that spurt from the pillar.

"Princess!"

"C'mon!" Flash pulled Twilight back, "We need to get your friends in Ponyville!" They ran off, Twilight still looking back for her mentor, wishing and praying for her safety...





Tears fell from Celestia's face as she zoomed through the sky to Canterlot; not since the banishment has she felt so helpless. The Princess tried to think of other solutions, but none would prevent Equestria from suffering Pyre's insanity again..., there was only one solution..., the solution she dreaded the most.. but had to take to ensure the safety of her kingdom and her subjects..

Pyre must be terminated....





Inside the towering mass of flames, Pyre was filled with pure glee, dancing with stallions of Fire, and imagining the end of all this. Herself and her Fire, dancing forever in the embers and ash that was once the populace of this cursed nation, spending eternity in the blazed world, until the end of time.

"Maybe I'll finally burn in Hell...," Pyre laughed.

"One could only hope...," Fire's voice echoed throughout the pillar, and in the ashen mare's mind.

Outside the flaming tower, the earth around burned away, screaming in agony as it writhed away into nonexistence. The trees roasted into charred remains, and flowers incinerated into ashes. Pyre made sure that everything in her way dies in flame and smoke. She hated all of nature; she hated how it tormented her, making her remember that day...when she had lost everything... everything she ever loved and cared for... for it was in a similar field that it had began....

"It will all be over soon... My Pyre...."





Celestia soon arrived at the castle and immediately summoned Luna. She had finished giving orders to the guards when her little sister came in.

"What is it, sister?"  Luna asked.

"See for yourself Luna...." Celestia pointed out to the horizon. Luna walked forward on the balcony and saw it. A giant conglomeration of burning destruction on a set path towards Canterlot.

"We need to warn the populace!" Luna started off, but was stopped by her elder sister.

"I know, but leave that to the guards, we need to slow her down!"

"Her?"





"So what's going on?" Pinkie asked. The team just left Ponyville, where they they picked up her, Rarity, and Hot Spot; the Elements, Flashpoint, Thermal Vision, and Hot Spot, were now on there way to Canterlot to stop Pyre.

"See that?" Rainbow turned Pinkie's head towards the towering inferno.

"Ooohh..." Pinkie trailed into a sigh.

"We need to get there before she sets Canterlot ablaze!" Twilight shouted from another chariot. She was with Flashpoint and Thermal. "Flash...?"

"Yes?"

"What did-"

"That's none of your business," Flash interrupted.

"Oh..., sorry..."

Flash sighed, "She set me straight, and convinced me that we can't kill Pyre," he sighed again, "but unfortunately , that seems to be the only option now..." He turned to gaze at the massive fire, "Pyre can't be contained... I was right... she will destroy Equestria if she isn't stopped...permanently..."

Silence spread across the chariots.

"HEY! Can't you guys go any faster?!?!" Dash yelled at the pegasi pulling, getting increasingly worried.

The three chariots streaked through the sky on their way to Canterlot in hopes of stopping Pyre, but the chances of that seem to be getting slimmer and slimmer as the the inferno raged it's way across Equestria.



	

	



	
	

	

	  
	






	
	

	
> Match
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Luna was lost for words; the story of Pyre and what Celestia had to do to stop her disturbed Luna greatly.

"Sister, I do not disagree with your decision," Luna sighed, "but this action will create unrest within the populace. They will begin to ask of other secrets you've been keeping from them..., and me..."

"I'm sorry, sister, I did not think she was a threat...," Celestia turned away, "I was teaching Twilight..., and preparing for...," Celestia paused again. Luna came closer and rested her hoof on her sister's shoulder. Celestia turned to her sister and saw  the understanding in Luna's eyes. 

"Lets go, Tia."

Celestia nodded and the two Princesses took off to confront Pyre.





The infernal tempest of flame and smoke grew closer and closer to Canterlot. Pyre was done with taking time with individual cities, no, Pyre was ready to challenge Celestia herself, and this time, nopony will drop from the sky and save her from the flames.

The two Princesses flew in and stopped in front of the tower of fire, it's heat nearly unbearable and smoke blinding.

"Ready, Luna?!" Celestia called out to her sister.

"Yes, sister! Let us end this madness!"

They then both fired two magical beams from their horns at the burning twister. They didn't seen to faze it, but the tower stopped in its tracks.

"So Celestia, you're finally trying to stop me?!" Pyre's laughter raged and echoed throughout the area as two gigantic orange eyes appear on the pillar.

"Pyre!!!" Celestia shouted, "I have given you a chance to turn away from your mission, and since you have refused to and continue to follow your misconceptions, I have no choice but to end your life!!!"

"HAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!" Pyre's mad cackling grew even louder and more crazed, even for her.

"MY MISCONCEPTIONS?! I AM FIRE! WE ARE THE SAME!"

The tornado of smoke and fire began to shrink, becoming smaller and smaller, until it was a hovering fireball the size of a house. It then lowered to ground, the Princesses following it. Pyre's laughter continued to grow louder and crazier, but then her voice started to become distorted, randomly raising and lowering in pitch. The sphere started to change shape; the center thinned out and limbs began to grow from it. A neck grew from it and shoulders formed as well. A tail of smoke appeared from the rear, and at the top of the neck a head formed and smoke flowed from it forming a mane of sorts. A  large feiry horn grew at the top of its head and wings of fire burst from its back. Two burning red eyes appeared on its face, and the new being emitted a screeching roar as flames erupted all around it.

Celestia and Luna stood shocked and horrified at this fiery mirror of themselves that was standing before them. This Alicorn of Fire that was nearly twice their size was the manifestation of Pyre's love and hate for Fire, and the very air around it seemed to burn away, screaming in agony. 

The two Princesses looked at each other and nodded, "We will stop your madness here Pyre!!" They both took a step forward and launched more magic beams at the new being.



 

"Look, down there!" Hot Spot called to the others. He was pointing to the ash ridden crater where Celestia, Luna, and.... something stood. They looked down as the Princesses launch attack after attack at fiery creature.

"It must be Pyre's handiwork," Flashpoint summed, "But what is that thing...?"

"I'm not sure, but we need to reach Canterlot," Twilight reaffirmed to all of them. 

The chariots passed above the battleground to reach Canterlot, but then several fireballs came zooming past them.

"What in tarnation!" 





The Fire Alicorn had launched several fireballs at the chariots, realizing that it was the Elements trying to stop it. Thankfully, Celestia and Luna intercepted most of them with their magic. The Fire Alicorn then turned to the Princesses and launch a giant fireball at them. They managed to dodge, but then a wall of fire erupted around the three of them.

"So, it's just the three of us, then?" Celestia spoke.

The Fiery Alicorn said nothing as it stared down at the two, pathetic princesses. It seemed unfazed by their words, no longer caring about such meaningless things. The Fire Alicorn had only one goal now: to incinerate everything it can, starting with the two in front of it. More fireballs appeared and were launched at the Princesses.

Celestia and Luna both raised magic shields and guarded against them, but the fireballs kept coming, faster and faster.

"Tia, I don't think I can keep this up much longer!" Luna shouted as she and her sister were being pushed into the flaming walls of the dome surrounding them all.

"We must stand our ground!" Celestia shouted back to her little sister, "We have to keep fighting! The least we can do is buy Flashpoint more time!!"

The distorted laughter returned and echoed around the Fiery Alicorn, knowing that its victory was at hand.



	

> Hell
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was sunset, not that anypony could tell. The entire Canterlot sky was smothered in smoke and flame. Everypony in the city was being evacuated from the city in case of the worst should happen. This would be easier, if not for the deranged laughter that everypony seemed to hear in their heads. Even the royal guard were disturbed by the cacophony of insanity.

The chariots arrived at Canterlot Castle, and the group ran into the hall where the Elements were kept.

"Look!" Twilight saw that the Elements were already laid out for them.

"Quick, get them on!"

Twilight, Rarity, Thermal, and Hot Spot helped the ponies put on the sacred tools of harmony. It took no time for the Element bearers to equip the artifacts.

"Let's go, girls!" The Mane 6 charged out of the hall to confront Pyre and end her insane dream of destruction.

Flashpoint sighed as he watched them leave.

"Flash..."

"What is it Hot Spot- what!?"

Flash turned to see a set of golden orange armor with an embroidered Firepony badge on the front. It glowed with a strange magical aura.

Flashpoint slowly walked up to the brilliantly shining armor, "What... what is this?"

Thermal walked up a picked up a letter left by it and read it, "This note says it's from the princess, she said she had it forged when the first fire happened, and it was meant for you, Flash..."

Flashpoint just stared at the magnificence of it.

"It also say that it grants the wearer..... fire-resistance!?"

"You mean like my spell?" Hot Spot asked Thremal.

"...Kind off.. but permanent..."

"Really...?" Flash looked at the armor once more and closed his eyes; he imagined his brother, Fire Fight...

"Flash...?" Thermal walked up to his friend and chief..

Flash exhaled, "I'm going."





The  Fiery Alicorn watched silently as the two princesses futily try to to defend themselves from the constant barrage of flares and fireballs. Soon enough, they will be pushed into the flaming wall, and they will burn, and become ash. Pyre, inside the consciousness of the Alicorn of Fire, laughed with what little of her heart was left in her twisted form. She has won, plain and simple; there was no possible way the princesses could hold their own for much longer, and even if the Elements were to show themselves, Pyre had a plan in store for them...





The Mane Six galloped as fast as they could, and they soon saw the blazing dome.

"The princesses must be inside!"

"I don't want to, but nopony will hurt any critters on my watch!"

"Fer Ma 'n Pa... this is fer ya both..."

"For everypony she's hurt..."

"For all the destruction she's caused..."

"For all of Equestria!!!"

"Let's go get that big, bad, jerky, meany, killer-pants!"

"Yeah!" Rainbow raced through the air to the cage of fire, the rest galloping after. 

"HAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!"

"Um, did anypony else hear that?"

"You actually believe that you can stop me? HA! Your stupidity is only surpassed by your predictability!" 

Pillars of blazing heat burst out of the ground around them. Streaming flares were erupting out of the pillars and flew around the Elements, before being launched at them. They defended themselves using the magical beams from the Elements for a bit, but the flares kept coming.

"We'll never save the princesses at this rate!"

"HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!! I TOLD YOU! YOU CANNOT STOP ME!"

"Oh, Yeah?"

Suddenly, the pillars began to fall over and disappear.

"WHAT?!?!"

"So quick to forget bout me? I'm hurt..." Flashpoint joked as he stood on one of the blazing pillars, his armor gleaming from the fire.

"Flashpoint!"

"GAHHHH!!" Pyre screamed as more flames appeared and engulfed Flashpoint. 

"This the best you got?" Flash smirked as he calmly walked out of the fire, "You're going to have to try harder..."

"GRAAGGGHHH!" Pyre screamed louder.

"Flashpoint?" Twilight ran up to him, "How'd.. where-?"

A flare aimed at her interrupted but was blocked by Flash, "The princess knows how to plan ahead..." He smirked as he blocked another flare, "I've got a plan, be ready!" Flash ran off, blocking all the flares and fireballs that were sent at him, and jumped into the dome.

Inside, Flash raced over and attacked the Alicorn of Fire, knocking it back a bit and causing the fireballs to stop.

Celestia and Luna both lowered their shields and collapsed to the ground, exhausted.

Celestia looked at Flashpoint and smiled, "I knew you'd get it..."

The Alicorn of Fire stared down at the armored stallion, it's eyes burning even redder. 

Pyre's voice began to echo inside the fiery dome, "YOU WILL BURN! YOU WILL ALL BURN IN MY HELL!!!"

An inferno of flares burst from the Flaming Alicorn's mouth at Flashpoint, knocking him into the firewall next to Celestia and Luna.

"Flashpoint..." Celestia crawled towards him.

"Just.. heh.. getting started.." Flash got back up and charged again, but was sent flying back by a wave of fire.

"It's.. too strong.. even for us..." Celestia muttered, "I... I'm not sure the armor will be enough..."

Flashpoint thought it over and came up with an idea, "Throw me..., both of you, throw me at it. If I can knock it out of the dome..., Twilight and the others can use the Elements on it..."

Celestia was silent, and then nodded, "Very well.." She looked to Luna, who nodded as well. The Princesses got up to their hooves, though with a bit of effort.

The Alicorn of Fire began charging a massive fireball...

"NOW!!!"

With their combined remaining strength and magic, Celestia and Luna launched Flashpoint at the Alicorn of Fire, and Flash literally punched it out of the fire dome and out side where Twilight and her friends were ready like he had told them earlier.

"NOW GIRLS!!"

The Elements glowed in majestic wonder and a rainbow appeared and streaked towards the fiery being. It completely enveloped it with light and began to change it.

"NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"

The entire area was bathed in a blinding light as Pyre's scream echoed across Equestria.



	



	

	

	


	
	
> Pyre
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Twilight opened her eyes and saw the now setting sun. All the fire and smoke had disappeared, as did the Alicorn of Fire, though the area around them was a desolate waste, utterly destroyed by the inferno. Twilight looked around and found her friends were also awakening. 

"Ugh..., I don't remember my head hurting this much the last time we used these...," Rainbow groaned as she got up to her hooves.

"Rainbow, your leg! It's better!" Fluttershy pointed out.

"It must be a side-effect of the Elements," Twilight theorized, "Everypony okay?"

"Yeah..., Ah'm fine...," AJ got up.

""I've been better...," Rarity complained as she cleared some ash out of her mane.

"Same as always!" Pinkie jumped.

"We're fine too, thanks," Flashpoint smirked. The princesses were  standing beside him.

"Celestia! Luna!"

"We're alright," Celestia comforted her student.

"ARE YOU NOW!"

They all turned, and in the center of the scorched area where the flaming dome had been, lying on the gound was Pyre, beaten and breathing heavily. 

Everypony there was shocked, including Celestia, but the princess just walked up to the edge of the circle, "Candelle..., you've failed in your insane mission..."

"Hehehe..., have I... have I....?" She began contorting her body on the ground, screaming and flailing wildly.

"You have nowhere to go Candelle...," Twilight spoke softly, "Turn yourself in......"

"FIRE!! FIRE! Where are you?! FIRE!!!" Pyre began to cry, again not shedding any tears.

"Candelle...," Celestia walked closer to the burnt circle.

"HE WAS MY ONLY FRIEND! My last friend..., everything I had left..., He wanted me, and me alone, and He destroyed everything and everypony I loved to have me..."

Everypony that witnessed this, despite the fact Pyre was responsible for hundreds of deaths, and destroying two entire cities, took pity on the wretched mare, including Flashpoint. As the Firepony chief looked at her he realized something in Celestia's story: Pyre couldn't have killed Fire Fight... She was unconscious, and couldn't control any of the flames. She was only a filly... she wouldn't of had any control over her immense power...

"Candelle.....," Flashpoint started, "I understand how you feel.....I lost someone dear to me to Fire as well, and even though it still hurts....I became better for it. Please, turn away Candelle.....Don't look for revenge...."

"I also lost my family to a fire...." Applejack came forth, "I miss them...., but I made my life to honor what they did fer me. I committed myself ta make them proud of me...Make yer family proud of you, Candelle...."

"STOP CALLING ME CANDELLE!!!!" Pyre screamed as she writhed in the burnt circle and continued to flail and moan. Her screams and wails echoed around everypony, surrounding them and spreading like the fires she created. Then she suddenly stopped, and looked to the ponies.

"Candelle burned away that day..." Pyre proclaimed, "...She is dead, and now so is Fire........HAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!" She erupted in manic laughter and kicked up the ashy earth around her before turning to them again, "But Fire will burn again in Equestria.....someday......."

With that, Pyre was engulfed in roaring flames, laughing as it covered her entire body. The maddening cackle echoed around the nine ponies as they saw her body being consumed by the blaze, until she burst in a great cloud of fire. When the smoke had cleared, they saw that nothing was left, but ashes, and the faint echoes of Pyre's laughter...





No knows what Pyre had done to herself, if she simply disappeared to some sort of hideout, or simply incinerated herself and ending her own life, though nopony wanted to think about it all that much. 

In the weeks to come, reconstruction began in Fillydephia, Baltimare, and parts of Manehatten, to fix the damage done to the once great cities by Pyre's flames. Celestia revealed to the public what had happened and of Pyre's. Though many ponies were greatly disturbed by this, some were more suspicious and decided to dig deeper into where the ashen mare had come from.

While Twilight and her friends were again, celebrated for saving Equestria, Flashpoint received a medal of honor and valor for saving Celestia in Manehatten, and saving her and Luna in the final battle, and was even recognized as a royal captain for his service, though he remained Canterlot Firepony Chief.

Much of the vegetation that was burnt and incinerated grew back in the time to come, except for that one circle where the fire dome appeared, and Pyre had vanished...

	
> My Fire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	(This is just a bonus chapter. Something that was really fun for me to write.)





Deep within a ruined building outside Equestria, a flame flared wildly; Pyre had returned to the scorched remnants of her prison.

She walked towards the burning flame and began to sing...


"O my Fire~
You know that I have failed~
That Equestria still yet remains~"


The flames began to rage....


"O my Fire~
They weathered the storm we hailed~
And will soon remove our stains~"


Flares shot out and swirled around Pyre...


"Then how is it, Fire?~
How did our plan turn to rust~
This outcome we did not foresee ~"


The flares grew wilder...


"I had them, I had them~
The Princesses nearly dust~
Just please don't leave me!!!!~"


The flames burst into a raging inferno inside the building...


"O Fire, My Fire~
Burning all my kin~
Our flaming, desire~
Has caused me to sin!~"


The flames died and ashes started to rise, forming the shapes of ponies...


"I'm not at fault!~"



"Mea culpa..."



"I have no shame!~"



"Mea culpa..."



"It is my reason for existing~
To burn, scorch and en-flame!~"



"Mea maxima culpa..."



"I'M NOT AT FAULT!!~"



"Mea culpa..."



"It is my plan!~"



"Mea culpa..."



"To burn and destroy all that I can!!~"



"Mea maxima culpa..."


The ash ponies fell, and the inferno rose again...


"What am I, Fire?~
Why the past, I cannot quell~
And let them see through what I've done?!~"


The flames swirled faster around Pyre...


"Help me, Fire~
Make Candelle burn in Hell~
And let her forever be gone!~


Pyre fell down to the floor and the flames followed. Then the flames rose and formed to her, Fire, who proceeded to sing as well...


"My Pyre...~
Dear Pyre...~
You will have your turn...~"


The flames grew higher and higher...


"You are~
My Pyre...~
You are mine and all will burn!!~"


Fire sank into the floor and the ash ponies rose again...


"Kyrie Eleison..."



"Fire, destroy her...~"



"Kyrie Eleison..."



"Fire, destroy them...~"



"Kyrie Eleison..."



"I am Pyre and all.... will.....BURN!!!!!!!!!!~"


The Inferno rose up again and took Pyre with it,  her cacophony of laughter screaming throughout the building. Then, the flames disappeared, and Pyre with them...



 

(I still can't believe I actually pulled this off! This is the 'true ending', I guess, but don't be asking me for anything else like this! This was hard enough as it is! Hard, but fun! And for the, I don't know, two people who don't know, the original song is "Hellfire" from Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. I don't own the song, just the altered lyrics. Goodnight Ev'rybody!)