Childhood

by Past Adventures

First published 5th of March, 2012

Phoenix remembers the old days, the days with his father.

Phoenix is always friendly around others; he never has any problems with them. However, there's another side to it all. Witness the events of Phoenix's childhood, and you may learn something new. Something about this pegasus doesn't seem so friendly. Maybe it was his father? No...The town doesn't dare speak of that day.

As If It Were Yesterday (chap. 1)

Dark. Cold. Depressing. These words all describe the Everfree forest at night. Phoenix walks there at night, fearless. Some may think "Something could attack me in there, I could be hurt," but not Phoenix. For him, it's more like "Something could attack me in there, more combat training." However, tonight, Phoenix walked to the center of the forest, and there, in the middle of the cold, unforgiving trees, lies a cross. On the cross, the words "Celestia, forgive me for my sins" stood out, carved into the wood. "I miss you." Phoenix whispered, unable to speak up. He looked up at the clouds. "It's starting to rain. Oh well, I don't mind." He said to himself. He sat by the cross, with his back against a nearby tree. He looked at the patch of dirt lying in front it, and then at his cutie mark. A single fire. His father once said "Equestria will end in flames, and even though you may not be around to see it all come down, you can still create the spark." His father. Walking towards the cross, he said "Look how much I've grown." He sat back down in front of the cross and ran his hoof along the words. "I know you would be proud of me, Dad."

A Better Time (chap. 2)

It was a sunny day out, and all the young colts were talking in a circle. One of them pointed to a far away cloud. "Hey, I bet you 2 bits I can reach that cloud and back in 30 seconds or less!" He said confidently. None of them had their cutie marks yet. Phoenix, standing up, said "You're on!" and placed his bits on the ground. "I guess." said another, and he, too, dropped his bits. He was slightly shorter that Phoenix, with a blue and yellow mane, and a small red dash on his white coat. The others did not want to lose their money, so they all backed up. "Ok, here I go!" The young pegasus flew to the cloud and back. "Ha! 30 seconds!" A shy unicorn spoke up "Actually, that was 33 seconds." "So what? I want my bits!" Phoenix stepped forward. "The deal was 30 seconds or less. You went over 30. Pay up." "What if I don't want to?" The pegasus said, trying to sound tough. They both knew he was weaker than Phoenix, and would be easily beat. His father was Celestia's combat expert, for revolutions were becoming a threat. "Then we're going to have a problem." Phoenix said, unmoving. "Uh, uh..." The pegasus was running out of things to say. Lucky for him, his friends stepped up to defend him. "He said he didn't want to pay, so he's not gonna pay!" they yelled. Alone, they were no match for Phoenix, but together, they had a shot. The next few minutes was chaos. It ended with Phoenix holding the pegasus down, and the 2 friends on his back. Suddenly, a voice all too familiar to Phoenix spoke. "What is going on here?" A white and blue pegasus landed in front of the 4. He was much, much older than them. 'Well, Phoenix?" He said. It was Ace, Phoenix's father. Without knowing their past, one would have a hard time believing they were even related. The police have even stopped Ace a few times in Ponyville for attempted kidnapping, only to realize the little black and red colt on his back was his own son. "Uh, nothing Dad!" Phoenix said, letting the other colt back up. The 2 friends fell, but immediately stood back up after looking into Ace's eyes. "Meet me in the kitchen, NOW." Ace said, flying away. Phoenix was the only one in trouble, yet all 4 were scared.

When Phoenix got home, his father was sitting at the kitchen table. "Listen, Dad-" "I don't want to hear it, Phoenix. I've told you before, you can't go out getting into fights. Eventually, you'll get yourself into something you can't handle!" Phoenix wanted to say something, but decided not to. "I didn't start that fight!" Ace didn't feel like hearing his son's excuse. "Alright, since you like fighting so much..." He stood up. "Fight me." Phoenix was confused. "Um...what?" He said. "You heard me, fight me." Phoenix backed up. "That's not such a good idea..." He said, trailing off. "What? You were fine with fighting a few minutes ago, now you want to avoid it at all costs?" Ace was about to do that thing again. He would make Phoenix's decisions seem like things nopony would ever do, not even Derpy. "Yeah, but-" "Make up your mind, son! It's not that hard!" "Well, I don't-" "You don't what, son, you don't what?" Phoenix was now whispering. "Never mind." Ace stepped forward. "What was that? You need to speak up." "Never mind!" Phoenix yelled. "What did I tell you about yelling?" Ace said. It was about to happen all over again, and Phoenix knew it, so he didn't say anything. All was silent for a moment. "You know I don't like to do that, son." Ace said, walking towards Phoenix. "I'm sorry Dad." He said, hanging his head. "Why can't you just do what you're told?" His father said, picking Phoenix's head up. "It's just that, well..." He began. And so, Phoenix told his father about the cloud, and the bits, and the pegasus's friends. He was in the middle of explaining how he tackled the pegasus, when he looked as if he just remembered something. "I left my bits in the grass!" He almost yelled. "Relax" his father said, walking upstairs. He came back down, and threw his son a small pouch. "Here's 4 bits." Phoenix caught the money, and ran outside. "Thanks Dad!" He yelled behind him. "Don't start any more fights, okay?" His father replied. "No promises!" Phoenix was glad he got what he earned, but he would soon realize that his father wouldn't always be there for him.

Unexpected (chap. 3)

Today was probably the worst day in Phoenix's life. The Everfree forest was getting overcrowded. Celestia was in a bad mood, and Ace, being her combat expert, was ordered to kill as many animals as he could in the forest. "Why can't we just move them somewhere else?" He asked. "Nope! You've gotta kill them." Celestia said, almost happy. "Isn't that a bit much?" "Listen, I told you to go kill some animals, so I expect you to come back here with a pile of skulls!" Using magic, she pushed him out the door, and closed it behind him. Ace sighed. "This is unnecessary, but I guess I have to." Phoenix, who was busy messing around with the guards, thought to himself "What's taking him so long? My father should be done by now." Ace stepped out, and Phoenix walked over to him. "So? What's she making you do?" Ace looked at his son. He was older now, and had his cutie mark. His father was somewhat disappointed in what it turned out to be: A single fire. He feared that his son would get teased for being a pyro. "We're going hunting." He said, almost ashamed of himself. "Um...why? We don't eat meat." Phoenix asked innocently. "Celestia's orders. She says the forest is getting overcrowded. Personally, I think it would be a better idea to just move the animals somewhere else, but no, I've gotta kill them, and you're helping me." Phoenix almost fell over. "WHAT? Why me? Is this because of the whole fight thing 5 years ago?" "No, it's because you're good at setting fires. That way, we barely have to do any work, just ignite a stick or something, and we're done!" Phoenix began to walk towards the forest. "I'll do it because you're my father, but I won't stay and watch." After a while, they arrived at the forest. Everywhere they looked, squirrels were jumping from tree to tree, birds were flying through every little crack, rabbits were eating everything in sight. "Wow, when you said the forest was overcrowded, you weren't kidding." Phoenix said, taking out a match. "Not yet, son, we need to go deeper." Ace said, taking the match from his son. "Ok, fine..." Phoenix grumbled.

"Here's a good spot. Here you go." Ace said, handing the pyromaniac pegasus the match. He struck the match, and dropped it on a nearby pile of sticks. "Ok, my work's done, I'm gonna go talk with my friends." He began to walk towards Ponyville. "I'll see you at home, son." Ace called out. "Hey, what's that?" He said, walking towards a flickering bush. "Oh, more fire." He said, disappointed. "Wait a minute..." He thought aloud. "Phoenix dropped the match over there, so how's the-" He was cut off by a falling branch. "I better get out of here." He began to run. He stopped by Zecora's hut. When she looked at him, she stepped out, angry. "All of the woodland creatures, reduced to ash and coal. Celestia's combat expert, have you no soul?" "I know what you're thinking, and I told the princess this was unnecessary, but she wouldn't listen." Another tree branch fell, this time right behind him. "The forest is burning, you had best run away. If you do not move now, your life will end today." Zecora said, pointing to an opening in the trees. "You had better come with me, I don't think it's safe here." Ace said, running ahead. "Right behind you, murderous fool."

They had reached the center of the forest, when yet another falling tree branch pinned Ace to a burning tree by his stomach. The fire had made the end sharp, so it was easy for the branch to go through anypony. Ace screamed in pain. Zecora tried to get the branch out of him, but it was hopeless. "Go! you can still make it!" He yelled. "But Ace, this wildfire can claim many names. You, too, will surely fall to the unforgiving flames." He managed to grab her, and throw her into a spot of the forest that had not been burned yet. "Go!" He yelled one more time. Zecora was about to walk back, but the look in his eyes told her "If you take one more step towards me, I am going to rip this branch out of my stomach, and stab you." So, she ran away. Ace lay there, blood dripping out of his wound. His willpower had kept him from collapsing. He looked around. The entire area was on fire. He began to laugh, then he coughed up blood. "Phoenix...forgive me..." He struggled to say. He coughed up blood once more. "I know...you'll live." He continued. His back legs were now on fire. The inferno had burned the flesh away, and there was nothing left but bone. "Take care of yourself... for me." With that, the fire had made it's way up to his stomach. It hadn't instantly burned, so when the fire had burned a hole in Ace, his stomach fell out, into the merciless flames. Within minutes, Ace was gone. Phoenix had seen the fire from the kitchen window, and said to himself "My father sure had been in there a long time. I better check on him." He raced through the fire, not a single scratch on him. The fire at the center of the forest was beginning to die down, so Zecora had come back to check for damage. At around time, Phoenix jumped through the charred, lifeless trees. "Zecora, what are you doing here?" "Look for yourself, young one." Phoenix looked down at a single tree, and what he saw shocked him more than anything he had ever seen before. "Father..." He said, falling to his knees. "What a sad sight, a fatherless son." Zecora continued. "He was a good stallion, maybe even the best, you knew that, now please, let him have his rest." Phoenix and Zecora began to cry, and as the forest died around them, despite Zecora being right there, Phoenix finally knew what it was like to be truly alone.

Moving On (chap 4.)

The rain was falling harder now. Phoenix stood back up, and began to walk away. He only stopped when he saw a certain tree out of the corner of his eye. The tree still had the branch sticking out of it. The rest of the trees were still burned. Too many memories were filling his head at once. He began to run away from the scene. He ran past Zecora's hut, and she opened the door, and ran after him. "Phoenix, wait! I must speak to you!" She called out. Phoenix stopped and turned around. "What?" He yelled back "You still think of that day, that day so blue." Phoenix could feel tears in his eyes. "Phoenix, during the fire, you remained intact. Your father would be proud of you, and that's a fact." Phoenix turned back around, and started walking again. "He's dead because of me. I started the fire." he said in a voice that made everything around him seem depressing. "He does not blame you for his early death. Actually, he said he loved you, with his dying breath." Phoenix looked back. Zecora was holding a flower. "This was for his grave, he said he liked this kind. Place it there for me, and keep him in your mind. If you forget your father, his death would have been in vain. You don't want that, do you? After all the pain?" Phoenix took the flower, and started walking back to the cross. "Never forget." he was saying. When he reached the cross, he set the flower down on the patch of dirt. "This is for you." he said to the cross. Zecora came up behind him. "You know, he was really something." he said to her. "Yes, he was, we will never forget him, never. His name will live on, forever and ever." Phoenix looked back up at the moon, and softly said "You've done good, Ace."

Savior (Alternate Ending)

They had reached the center of the forest, when yet another falling tree branch pinned Ace to a burning tree by his stomach. The fire had made the end sharp, so it was easy for the branch to go through anypony. Ace screamed in pain. Zecora tried to get the branch out of him, but he stopped her. "No, go get Phoenix." He struggled to say. Zecora, not wanting to waste time, immediately ran off to find Phoenix. Flaming bodies of woodland creatures were dropping left and right. Phoenix was near the outskirts of the town, talking with the same pegasus he had tackled when they were little, when Zecora rushed over. "Phoenix, your father is in the burning forest! If you don't save him now, he may need to be put to rest." Phoenix was surprised. "I gotta go!" The pegasus stepped back. "I know. I'll be here when you return." Phoenix ran into the forest. "Where is he?" He asked Zecora. "Your father is in the center, pinned to a tree. This fire will not stop, so we must arrive quickly!" She ran ahead. "I'm coming, father." Phoenix said to himself, and sped up. They had reached him just in time. "Phoenix! Help!" Ace tried to yell. "Don't talk, it will only make things worse." Phoenix grabbed the end of the branch. "Don't move too much." He warned. As Phoenix pulled on the branch, Ace pushed it away from him. It was hard, but they finally got the branch out. "Come on Zecora, we have to help him out!" Phoenix said, picking up one side of his father. "I am always ready, young one. Let's hurry up and get this done." Zecora picked up the other side, and they both began to walk away from the ring of fire. They had made it out in a matter of minutes. "Hang on, father, we'll get you through this." Phoenix said, pointing in the direction of the hospital. "I can do this on my own..." Ace tried to say, brushing off their hooves. However, when he stood up to walk, he coughed up blood and started to fall. Phoenix and Zecora quickly picked him back up. "I guess I can't." he said.

When they reached the hospital, everyone gasped. "Celestia's combat expert has been hurt!" One pony screamed. "How did this happen?" The nurse asked. "Forest fire." Ace said. "Come with me." The nurse began to walk away. Phoenix and Zecora followed. Ace was put in a room, and did not allow anyone except Phoenix to see him. "You're gonna make it. I promise." Phoenix said, placing a hoof on Ace's stomach, trying not to touch the wounded area. "What if I don't?" Ace asked. "You can't die, father. Not yet." Ace looked up, and said "I'm going to die here, you know that." Another nurse came in. "I'm sorry, but we cannot have visitors in here during this procedure." Phoenix stood up. "I'll see you later, father." He said as he walked out. "Goodbye son." Ace replied. A few weeks later, Phoenix heard a knock at the door. he was reading in his room, and the sudden noise made him lose his place. "It's 3 AM, who could that be?" He thought. He opened the door, and almost dropped the book in the grass. "Hello, son. You were right after all." Ace was there, a smile on his face. Phoenix didn't know what to say. "Son, are you okay?" Ace asked. "Yeah, I'm fine. Does it still hurt?" "A little, but I'll live." Ace hugged his son. He had lived through a flaming branch in the stomach, and he will live through much more.

Phoenix found himself back in the cold, dark forest, the moonlight shining on a wooden cross. Despite what happened around 2 decades ago, the forest still had it's natural beauty. "You lived through so much..." He said, placing a flower down. "...didn't you, father?" Phoenix looked up. Clouds were beginning to appear, and soon, it would start to rain. "Who would've guessed a heart attack would bring down a stallion as mighty as you, father?" He began to walk back to Ponyville, when he stopped and looked back. "Rest in peace, Ace." With that, he walked away, leaving the night clouds to cry over his loss.