MB -HOF - Chapter 7 - Conflict

 

CHAPTER VII:
CONFLICT

  Blazing and Chocolate were at the train station waiting for the Canterlot Express to arrive and take them to Canterlot. It has been three days since they got the letter from Spark inviting them to come any time they pleased.

---

  After leaving Sugercube Corner, they went straight back to the house and began packing for their trip to Canterlot. Later while they were packing, they heard some comotion coming from the Library.

  "Should we go see what's going on over there?" Chocolate asked. Blazing looked out the window toward the library, then back at her.

  "Trust me Chocolate." He said, his eyes wide. "The last place you want to be when Twilight is having an episode, is around Twilight." As though on cue, there was a loud BANG, the ground shook, both looked out the window just in time to see the library land on the ground kicking up dust and chunks of dirt landing all over. Blazing looked at Chocolate with an 'I told ya so' smirk on his face.

  The girls soon left after the explosion in the library. Twilight had to leave for Chocolate Castle to take some kind of test given to her by the Princess.

---

  The train whistled as it came into the station. Blazing helped Chocolate onto the cart as a conducter lead them in. They both sat down next to each other with their sattle bags in the overhead compartment.

  Soon, a conductor out side shouted 'all aboard' and the train began moving. Blazing and Chocolate enjoyed a quick meal halfway in the trip.

  "Blaze?" Chocolate asked. He looked up at her. "I just realized, we're going all the way to Canterlot so I can meet your friend, but you've hardly said anything about him."

  "I guess I haven't, have I?" He replied, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, he and I grew up in the same orphanage in Ponyville." Blazing's eyes began to water.
  "What is it?" Chocolate asked.

  "The orphanage was burned down years ago." He answered, his filled with a quiet sob.

  "Oh my!" She said, placing her hooves to her mouth.

  "That isn't the worst of it." Chocolate looked at him waiting for him to explain. "The worst part..." He fought back a sob. "was that his adopted mother was in the building when it burned." Chocolate gasped at this news while Blazing's sobbing grew. She wrapped her forelegs around him to comfort him. After a few minutes of letting his emotions run their course, a voice came from the train speakers.

  "Next stop, the Canterlot train station. Everypony out for Canterlot, please be careful with your carry on saddlebags. Items in the overhead compartments may have shifted during this trip. Thank you and have a nice day."

  There was a click, and the speakers went silent. A few minutes later, the train came to a stop, Blazing reached up and got the saddlebags from overhead and they both walked off the train. They walked through the train station, Chocolate looked around at the fully repaired town and frowned. Blazing noticed this from the corner of his eye. He wrapped his wing over her shoulder to comfort her.

  "Come on." He said. "There's a small hotel not far from here we can stay at. I told Spark to meet us at our room." Before Twilight left for Canterlot, Blazing had another letter sent to Spark telling him where he and Chocolate would stay at and to meet them there.

---

  Blazing and Chocolate settled in there hotel room shortly after arriving. They just unpacked the last item from their saddlebags when there was a knock on the door. Blazing trotted over to the door and opened it to find a dark blue pegasus with oddly shaped wings and a feather covered in electricity. The two embraced each other as they screamed each others names.

  Blazing stepped aside letting his old friend into the room. "Spark." He said, pointing a hoof to Chocolate. "This is my marefriend, Chocolate."

  "Hi Chocolate." Spark said. Chocolate's eyes went wide with shock and anger. She backed away from Spark hissing at the blue stallion. Spark backed away to avoid a fight while Blazing ran up to Chocolate.

  "Chocolate." Blazing said. "What is it?" She only glared at Spark. "Chocolate, talk to me. What's wrong?"

  "Storm bringer!" She snapped. Blazing looked over to Spark, who looked confused and surprised.

  "What?" Blazing asked.

  "He brought the lightning upon my kind!" She replied. It was Spark's turn to say 'what' while Blazing's eyes shot open with realization.

  "Blazing?" Spark asked. "What is she talking about?" Blazing started to answer but his attention was turned to Chocolate as she transformed into her changeling form. "WOAH!" Spark gasped as he outstretched his wings threateningly. Blazing jumped up to Spark knocking him to the ground. Spark looked up at Blazing, surprised by the tackle.

  "Spark." Blazing said with a calm voice. "Don't do that."

  "Blazing, you do know she's a changeling, right?" Blazing nodded his head. "Then, why are you calling her your marefriend?" Blazing told Spark everything, from the time he found Chocolate in the Everfree Forest, to when they arrived at the station. Spark listened intently as Blazing told the story, his expression shifting from surprise to shock and disbelief.

  "I completely forgot about the day you came back and had the pegasi bring the thunder clouds to the forest." Blazing finished.

  "Okay." Spark said. "Can you let me up now?" Blazing forgot that he was still standing over Spark from his tackle earlier.

  "No!" Chocolate snapped. "He'll try to destroy me like he did my mo... my queen."

  "Chocolate." Blazing said, letting Spark up from the ground. "This is my closest, most trusted friend. Yes, he hunts monsters, but that's just to protect ponies."

  "He brought the lightning on me and my kind!" She snapped. "The next thing you know, he'll tell your Princess I'm here!"

  "All of Canterlot will know you're here if you don't calm down." She huffed, not taking her eyes off Spark. "Please Chocolate. I don't want anything to happen to you and I know we can trust Spark with our lives." She never took her eyes off of Spark, but her defensive stance softened.

  "How can I trust him when he hunts my kind constantly?"

  "He's defended creatures that feed on ponies. He was willing to give his life to help one who could turn around and feed on him." Chocolate finally broke her focus from Spark to Blazing, shock in her eyes. This reminded her of Blazing when he first found her in the Everfree Forest.

  With a flash of green light, she was once again the brown pegasus, just in time too. A knock came from the door, making all three jump. Spark brushed his hoof through his mane, Chocolate calmed her expression while Blazing trotted to the door. He opened the door to find a blue earth pony stallion with a strict expression on his face.

  "Can I help you?" Blazing asked.

  "I'm the hotel manager." The stallion said. "I just received some complaint about noise and fighting in this room. Would you care to explain?" Blazing searched his mind for the right cover story but his efforts were in vain.

  "Sorry about that sir." Spark said. "We were just practicing for a play we are doing out of town. It won't happen again." The manager arched an eyebrow at Spark. After a minute, the manager nodded.

  "See to it that you don't." Spark nodded. The manager trotted away down the hall and Blazing closed the door then looked back at Chocolate with a hopeful smile.

  "See?" He asked. "Spark is willing to risk his neck to help."

  "I do apologize for..." Spark was cut off short by Chocolate's hoof.

  "I still don't trust you, storm bringer. But I will give you a chance because Blaze does." Spark scratched the back of his neck looking at Blazing, who just smiled.

  "You really care for her, don't you?" Spark asked. Blazing nodded.

---

  The next few days, Blazing and Chocolate spent alot of time together in Canterlot. The first day was hard for Spark because Chocolate never stopped glaring at him. It was obvious she was mad at Spark for the day of the wedding and she was not letting go of that easily. However, after a short amount of time, she began to open up to him more.

  Spark waited with Blazing and Chocolate for the train to Ponyville. When the train arrived, both Blazing and Chocolate gave Spark a hug goodbye. Chocolate even gave him a kiss on the cheek, thanking him for his kindness and for showing them a good time.

  The trip home was quite enjoyable for them as Chocolate laid her head on Blazing's lap while he stroked her mane.