Fiery waves – the ups and downs of Summer Pride

Chapter 2: Rage


Oh, I find it so cliché to rewind or forward the events, but I keep so many reels of my life, down in the cellar of my soul... and I have given the key only to a few; because most ponies would be terrified of what they might see... that cellar is dark and scary and full of demons... and I was trapped down there for so long... but if you wish to understand me and the things I've done, you'll have to take the risk and go down the stairs... Let's just start from the beginning.

As I look back, during my long lifetime, I've been called many things... a misunderstood pony, the black sheep of the family, a pushover, a rebel, a Queen of the Unicorn Kingdom, a philosopher, a protector of the land, an outcast, a lone wanderer, an explorer and adventurer, a lover, a pawn in a game of manipulation, a heartbroken mare, a loving mother and wife and... a dangerous, cruel and vengeful villain filled with hatred and rage.

Hmm... it is cold... Here, let me put more wood on the fire before we jump into the events long past....

Oh, yes, the fire... you know, I've always found something about the dancing flames so... soothing. Even before I discovered who, or more precisely, what I meant to be. I don't remember much about my childhood, except it was full of misery. Oh, not because of my parents, they surrounded us with unconditional love. Yes, us. I had three siblings; two brothers and a sister. I was the youngest, the meek and clumsy one, the sister with led hooves. I was the troubled one, indeed. Even though my family supported me and done everything in their power to help, I merely wobbled through elementary school. Why? I always got into fights because of my temper... and my origins. Of course I didn't know where this burning passion came from. Hah... come to think of it, everything was so different back then. The world was... rougher... edgier. Even our games were more brutal... and the bullies too. Not even my royal blood could save me from them. What? Yes, you wouldn't tell by the look, but I'm royalty. Not by your standards of course. In the ancient times, royalty wasn't defined by a pair of wings, but by blood. And my bloodline is the purest of all dynasties! It originates from the very first unicorn, Queen Golden Aura herself. I understand you have doubts, but it's a historical fact. That is why our magic is stronger. Oh no, I'm not the only one... For instance, there's that Princess... Twilight Sparkle... her blood is pure, but not many of us left in the world. Time turned unicorns into weaklings.. in the old days, unicorns were powerful, we were the lanterns to lead ponykind out of the dark ages. But I did not wish to accept that for a very long time.

You see, I was terrorized at school a lot... Believe it or not, I was a... what do you call them nowadays? Blank-flank? Yes, that's right! I was a blank-flank for quite some time. Until I turned 12... the memory of that day still lives vividly in my mind. There, in that carriage junk-yard, I found my special talent. I remember it clearly.

“Hey, dweeb!” the stallion shouted as he pushed me up against the wooden lockers, at that cursed preppy private school. “You think you're so much better than everyone!”

His grasp was strong and I was weak. Yet, I never ran away from a fight. That is why I often came home with bruises and scars.

“Well, you know what I think?” the unicorn stallion continued with pure hatred peppering his words. “You're just a stuck-up, annoying little dwarf, who hasn't even got her Symbolum yet!”

Cutie marks were called Symbolums back then.

“You're not worthy of being royalty!” the muscular aggressor exclaimed loudly, while a circle of bystanders was forming around us. “You're just here because of your father and your filthy mother who just happened to put her giant flank to a good place!”

If there was one thing I could not stand, if somepony insulted my family. Family is sacred to me... always has been, always will be. I felt the familiar thrill of rage filling up my soul, but he had me in his relentless grasp.

“You leave my family out of this!” I yelled in frustration. “If you want to beat me, fine, go ahead, but don't you dare talk about my family like that!”

“Or what?! You're gonna tell your cursed mother about it and have me imprisoned?”

Actually, I could have done that, but I never told my parents about these kind of things. Haha, I was so naive and idealistic! I had these crazy ideas about honor and sacrifice... you know, to turn the other cheek... Yes, I did not know how to take care of my enemies. And I got punched in the face. And nopony gave a flying feather about it. Why you look so surprised? I told you those times were rough. I know such situations don't occur anymore, but back then, the widely accepted concept was this: what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. And mares were as much powerful as stallions. So he kept punching me. I felt the iron taste of my own blood in my mouth, but I never begged him to stop before, and I wasn't going to start on that day. After a few more strikes, he let me go and I fell down on the marble floor. My ears were ringing and small, colorful circles were dancing in front of my eyes.

“Pathetic...” the stallion hissed with despise. “Just like your mother.”

I finally managed to stand up, but my legs were shaking, they barely kept my weight. Until this point it was an ordinary day, this sequence happened about twice a week. But I felt something was different... in my heart. A sudden, unexplainable urge overwhelmed me, I cannot really describe it with words. It was... warm... and got warmer and warmer with every second.

“Don't you dare speak my mother's name!” I said quietly.

“You're a pesky little skunk aren't you?” the stallion turned around. “You want more? Fine. Dilly-Willy's carriage junk-yard. After school. ”

You might ask why did I agree on a fight I could not win. I've already told you. I don't run. Because once you start running, they will always be chasing you. It didn't take too long before the entire school knew about the fight and by the time I got to the junk-yard, numerous bystanders were already there.

“Hah!” the stallion snorted. “I didn't think you'd actually show up. Commendable. But futile.”

“This has gone on long enough!” I called out resolutely. “We must settle this once and for all!”

And the classic theme of a school fight went down... he started pushing me over and over again, circling around me, like a hungry mountain lion. Deep down I knew we both crossed that specific invisible line and there was no going back. He kept trash-talking about my mother, until I attacked him, with all my strength. But my attempts to avenge amused him. He was bigger, more agile and much more stronger than I was... at least that's what I thought, until I got real angry. It wasn't pretty.

“You've fallen far from the apple tree, Summer Pride!” he remarked scornfully. “You're nothing like your father, OR your siblings! You pathetic, weak, uptight, ugly, stupid bitch! Your mother will never be our Queen!”

And he struck me down.

“Stop it!”

“And neither will you!”

He punched me again.

“Enough!”

“Oh, why don't you make me?”

I was defenseless against his powerful blows.

“STOP!”

“Oh, I do what I want, and there's not a single thing in the world you can do to stop me, weakling!”

I lay before him in the mud as he rose his hooves to finish me off.

“No, you don't understand Something is wrong... I warn you...” I cried desperately as I felt the hot, black rage ripping wide open in my chest.

“Oh, you warn me?! Ha ha ha!” he laughed devilishly. “No, I warn you! Leave this place or...”

He could not finish his sentence. My uppercut struck him on the chin, snuffing out his last words. He fell on the ground and looked up on me with surprise and disbelief in his eyes.

“I told you to stop...” I panted. “Now it's too late.... AAARRGGHH!!!”

My eyes started to glow with a bright, suffusing white light and I suddenly snatched my temple as a terrible shock wave of pain rampaged through my body. I flopped down to the ground, squirming and groaning in anguish. It felt like my bones were exploding, while my skin was burning. I thought I somehow ended up in Tartaros. My horn flashed, but the natural cyan colors of my magical aura suddenly turned red. My flanks were hurting, like if somepony put a blazing branding iron against my coat. Well, it wasn't far from the truth. That is when my cutie mark appeared: the heart in flames. Suddenly, all my injuries regenerated and I stood up. The bright, crimson light of my horn blinded the bystanders as I approached my tormentor. The first signs of fear appeared on his face as I grabbed his neck and pulled him up.

“No, wait... please... I'm sorry!” he cried as my grasp around his neck tightened.

“Let's see who's weak now!” I grinned cruelly and my voice was as cold as the starless winter night.

Then I saw the faces of the ponies around us and realized what I was doing. I nearly strangled that stallion to death that day... The black flame in my soul died out, leaving nothing but confusion, fear and doubt. So I ran away...

After what you've just heard, you'll probably say my special talent was rage. But as I learned later, rage was only the instrument which caused my talent to reveal itself. And that was merely the beginning.

I didn't go home after the fight... My mother found me hours later, on the top of a hill, beyond the Castle of First Magic. I was crying under a large tree. I remember clearly: it was raining so hard that night... and we sat there in the cold, while she explained everything. I told her even the utter most details about what happened. She listened carefully, not saying a word.

“Mom, what is happening to me?” I eventually asked.

“I knew this day would come... I was hoping the circumstances would be better, but still. You've stepped on the path of the Elementals.” she replied kindly.

“What?”

“You didn't wonder, where your passion comes from? Or why do you experience emotions on such extreme levels? Your father tamed the pristine Elements of Nature. It allows us to control the Sun, the Moon and the weather. He handed down that ability to his children. To you. That mark on your flank represents Fire. My dear Summer, you are the Element of Fire, the most powerful, yet the most unpredictable and uncontrollable one.”

“I don't understand... why didn't you let me know?”

“Because you weren't ready, Summer. We had to wait until the Element reveals itself.

“So... I'm not a monster?” I whimpered, nuzzling close to my mother. “I certainly felt that way today...”

“Of course not, sweetie.” she smiled and gently stroked my mane. “What happened is not your fault. But you have to learn how to focus so that you control your powers, not the other way around.”

“But... but... I almost killed somepony today...”

“Yes. Fire burns with great passion and fueled by your emotions. That stands for your negative feelings as well. You got angry today and Fire enhanced that feeling. You will train and learn how to control it, so this will never happen again. Always remember: violence doesn't solve problems, it just causes more pain and suffering. Yes, your journey will be long and difficult; it will put your spirit to the test. But I'll be right beside you, Summer, along with the rest of your family. Let go of the anxiety and fear and accept your fate: you will rule this land one day. This is who you meant to be."