Flame Prancer part 1

    As Luna landed, she deposited a small shivering pony on the floor. At first, all Shining Heart could process was the princess's blood stained coat. It took he a moment to realize all the blood had come from the small foal on the floor.

    She felt the nausea rising in her stomach, but instantly set into "sergeant mode" as Luna teasingly called it. "Stand up." she barked at the little foal. She did so gently, but backed it with a hint of magic for effect.

    The little foal glared at her, but obeyed anyways. Instantly, Heart wished he hadn't. He was covered in cuts and bruises. Several small pieces of shrapnel could be seen under his coat. But the worst was his hind leg, or more, what was left of it. The leg was gone, ripped off with only a bloody stump of bone and tattered flesh remaining. The wound had somehow been cauterized, but not before the loss of much blood.

    Heart began to fear that he wouldn't live long enough to be healed, but then he shouted back at her in just as commanding a voice as she had used on him. Even without being backed by magic it was still a daunting bark.

    "Ah ain't done nuthin' wrong!" he shouted. "You leave me 'lone, ya hear."

    Shining Heart smiled, both impressed and amused. This little colt couldn't be more than nine or ten, yet there he stood, with wounds that would drop even a war stallion. And he seemed to do so without even a second thought.

    Still smiling, and without another word, Heart set to work. Her magic began to glow and spread across the colts body as she set to mending him. She would have to draw on her heart gem for his leg, but it would be worth it.

    While she worked she caught snippets of Celestia's conversation with the colt. Apparently he had stolen the fireworks, but was jumped by a gang. One of the thugs had accidentally set off his entire stash of explosives. The foal had managed to duck behind a barrier, but it had been torn apart, taking his leg with it. The last thing he remembered was a large glimmering shadow shielding him from a wall of flames.

    "Ah did'n eva' mean nu'in ta hap'n like dat. Ah jus' thought dem sparkl'rs 'r pretty." Heart couldn't help but giggle at the colt's accent. Her laughter earned her another cold glare from him.

    It didn't take her very much longer to finish the healing. "There," she said, double checking her work. "Good as new, though I suspect the new leg will be a bit stiff at first."

    The colt examined himself, surprised, but still had a look of doubt on his face. "Ah reckin ah ought ta be grateful to ya, but ya'll 'r jus' gonna punish me fer stealin' ain'cha?"

    Celestia put off her smile, though Heart could still see the glimmer of mischief in the royal eyes. "Well now, we can't let any pony get away with crime unpunished. What is your name little one?"

    "Ah ain't got none. least ways, not a proper'un like ya'll probably do." 

    "Well, what do others call you?"

    "Most ma friends call me Sparklers, since Ah always 'ave a few on me."

    Shining Heart giggled again. "Well that is an interesting name, though it seems a bit mild. What do your parents call you?"

    The colt looked at her for a moment before his gaze dropped to the floor. A sad look filled his eyes and he muttered something so softly even the princesses didn't hear it.

    "I'm sorry," Celestia said gently. All mischief had been replaced by a tender care that Heart knew so well from sleepless nights. "I didn't hear what you just said."

    "Ah said ah ain't got no parents." The voice was barely above a whisper, but both Luna and Celestia shared a glance of deep concern.

    "I'm sorry little one." Luna said, settling herself next to him and draping a wing across his back.

    They could all see that the colt was crying, even though he was trying hard to hide it. For a few moments everything else was quiet. Heart was the one to finally break the silence. "Um, Princess Luna... um, if it wouldn't be a bother, perhaps...well..."

    "Yes Child?" Luna said. Her eyes seemed to look strait to Shining Heart's soul, and Heart couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

    "Well, you... Um, you don't have a student right now, and I was thinking... maybe you could... well... um..." Shining Heart dropped her head and shuffled her hooves nervously. But her head shot back up again at Luna's response.

    "Hmm, actually Little Heart, you are right." Turning to the colt Luna smiled gently. "How about it Sparks? Would you like to join me here at the castle as my student?"

    For a moment, the colt just stared in confusion and disbelief. Finally he said "But, ain'cha mad 'bout wat ah did?"

    "I'm not angry. Upset a little, and sad for those who were hurt. But you are young and you never meant to hurt anypony. You can pay the fireworks pony pony back by helping him in his shop every week, and I think we can call it fair. So what do you think?

    "...But... Ah'm street trash..."

    Luna gave a thoughtful look for a second before responding. "As far as I am concerned, the street trash known as Sparklers was killed in the explosion. This is an offer for a brand new start. No more stealing or crime. How does that sound?"

    For some time it was quiet as the colt let it sink in. Finally he looked up and answered. "If sparklers died, who'm ah?"

    Luna smiled. "You are Flame Prancer, student and son of Princess Luna."

    The colt's eyes went wide, an expression Heart was sure was mirrored on her own face. Luna had not only claimed the foal as her student, but also as her son. As far as Heart knew, no other pony had been offered this privilege in all of the world history.

    "Do... do ya mean it?"

    "of course I do." Luna said, smiling gently. She glanced at Celestia, who nodded while stifling a yawn. "Come now, though. We should go elsewhere and let these two day bugs sleep. You and I have work to do."

    "Now?" The colt looked confused. "But it's gotta be 'bout midnight."

    Luna just chuckled and said, "We work by moonlight and sleep by day. That is the way of the moon. We work at night so Celestia and her student can rest for their daylight work."

    For a moment, Flame Prancer looked thoughtful, but quickly he smiled. "All right. Ah ain't got no cut 'gainst bein' a night critter."

    Luna and Celestia both chuckled. As Luna and her new student walked from the room, Shining Heart found herself marveling as she sw the trust that had linked the Princess to the little colt. The bond between them, though not even an hour old, seemed stronger that any other, except the bond of the sister's themselves.

    Celestia, as usual, seemed to read her thoughts. "To be given a treasure you've never had, and didn't dare dream for can build the bonds of friendship and love far faster than most anything else. Little Prancer has never known the love of a parent, nor do I think he has seen any form of true kindness."

    Shining Heart thought for a moment. "Most ponies take friends and family for granted. He has found something in it most have never seen." Turning to her teacher she asked, "How can others come to feel it the way he does?"

    Celestia was silent for a moment. When she did speak, Heart was disappointed that it was not to answer her question. "I think we had best follow Luna's advice and head off to bed." She turned and walked to the balcony. "Good night, my little pony." And with that she took off, rising to her tower.

    Shining heart found it hard to sleep as she pondered on the evening. At length she did sleep, but she determined that she would learn what Flame Prancer had so easily found.