Blazey Blue is an autistic pegasus. A natural cheerleader, she is a bubbly and generous spirit who really wants to make you happy. Blaze loves all sports -- whether as a cheerleader, a coach, or a player. She has strong arms, and she is a very fast and agile runner. Blaze tends to be highly persistent, without much fear of failure.

In Friendsville, Blaze owns a successful sports shop (Tailgator's, whose mascot is an alligator cheerleader), selling everything needed to play or party. She loves making sports-related art, clothing, and merchandise. As an artist, Blaze specializes in modern art and cartooning. Putting together big parties is also an art form to her.

Blaze is an autistic extrovert. She loves nearly everyone's company, and she's highly affectionate. Unfortunately, she can have a hard time understanding and appreciating others' personal boundaries. For example, she may give a lot of unwanted affection.

Blaze can do some cartoonish stunts, and she can deflect some unicorn spells. Unfortunately, she has one hidden handicap: She has wings, but she cannot fly. To hide her disability, she often floats around with balloons. Blaze fears that she will get bullied if anyone finds out that she can't fly -- partially because of her traumatic childhood.

Blaze's parents were rich, but they were cruel and abusive. She was sent to the Judge Trottinberg Educational Center, a place that abused mentally disabled people in the name of medical treatment. One day, one of the teachers beat her so badly that it permanently damaged her wings. (The Judge Trottinberg Center mysteriously burned down afterward. Blaze suspects that her parents hired some henchponies. Her parents wanted to break her will -- not her body.)

Blaze does not want other innocent creatures to suffer the way she has. Her sense of happiness comes mainly from making the world a happier place. Even so, when persistently bullied or rejected, Blaze may occasionally explode. This can happen to someone who didn't mean to hurt her feelings.

Blaze loves to walk up and hug people -- but many people don't like this, especially many autistic people. What makes one person feel respected is not always what makes another person feel respected -- but this can be hard for Blaze to appreciate. Sometimes when people turn away from her, it's not because they're being mean. Rather, it's because she failed to respect their personal boundaries. Unfortunately, Blaze often can't tell the difference.

What Blaze really wants is to be loved and validated, and to have others' company to enjoy. What she has to learn is that different people speak different languages of love. It's not just an autistic thing -- it's a cultural thing. Over time, Blaze learns a lot about connecting with others' feelings. When she does so, she can have a seemingly magical ability to lift others' spirits.

Fortunately, Blaze has at least one close friend -- Ronnie Gearheart. Gearheart is a very strong ground pony, and she is mostly nonverbal. She's an autistic introvert, and she has a hard time feeling affectionate toward others. But she sees something very special in Blazey Blue. Blaze feels the same way about her best friend.

Blaze also starts to feel a special connection with Wingfire. Wingfire is a male pegasus, and he is another autistic introvert. Both Blaze and Wingfire had abusive childhoods. Both are usually kindhearted, but they can occasionally lash out when they feel rejected. Blaze tends to be loud, but Wingfire tends to be quiet. Blaze has no problem rushing out to make friends, but Wingfire needs great encouragement to get outside his comfort zone. Both Blaze and Wingfire love hugs, but Wingfire gives hugs only to people he feels comfortable with.

The special connections Blaze feels with Gearheart and Wingfire help her learn to appreciate the different languages of love. The more that Blaze learns to speak their languages, the more she learns to speak all languages.

Art by Parcly Taxel. Colors modified by me.