Chapter 8: Flash backs
"Flash? Is that you?" Anti struggled to say as she slowly opened her eyes.
"Huh? Oh!" He said snapping back into focus. "Auto! She's awake!" He grinned at her, "Next time we sneak into the enemies camp, let's not okay?"
Auto trotted into the room, "Anti, Celestia bless you you're awake! How are you doing?"
"What happened? I remember a voice and then... just cold."
"I can answer that one!" Flashburn blurted out. "We were all sneaking and we heard those ponies talking then we were found and frozen solid in ice! Then the Captain and everypony found out and rescued us! It was amazing! Then you didn't wake up... so we brought you back and nursed to back to health, well maybe not back to health, but at least you're awake!"
"Well at least I can be happy about that... Where are the others?"
"I sent them out on patrol. Don't worry about them. Just get better." Auto told her.
"I'm sorry Auto, I made a mistake and you risked everything to save me and Flash. Thank you."
"I'd never leave you or anypony behind. Think nothing of it. Now, you get some rest, you need it if you want to get better. Besides who knows what really happened? Maybe it was Flash's fault."
"Oh ha, ha, ha." Flash said sarcastically. "Actually Anti I can't let you sleep without me being able to keep your temperature stable and I haven't slept yet so please stay up awhile then when you think you can't just wake me up. " His head fell and he fell immediately asleep.
***
It was a dark, gloomy night when Celestia received the letter that informed her of Anti's accident and the sudden disappearance of Absol. She spent the night pacing wondering what Evandra was planning. Why suddenly bring Absol back to her side? He was as loyal as Rainbowdash so treachery was out of the question. As loyal as Rainbowdash... Loyalty. Loyalty? Loyalty! The Elements! What if instead of bringing him back to her, she sent him out? With all the commotion caused by Anti's unfortunate situation he would have the perfect opportunity to slip through the front lines undetected! She needed to send a detachment of soldiers out to Ponyville right away.
***
Mister Cake was taking out the garbage when he thought he heard something upstairs. That was odd as Pinkie Pie was away with her friends. He decided to check on it. He walked up the stairs and saw her room completely destroyed! "Dear! Call the police! We've had a break in!"
AppleBloom heard the strangest sound from across the hall. It sounds as if someone knocked over that jewelry box that AppleJack defiantly "didn't have." "I knew she had one!" Then it occurred to her; AppleJack is away with Twilight and all her other friends. "What in tarnation? Big Mac! Someone is in AJ's room!"
"WHAT!?" She heard him roar as he charged from his room into AppleJack's. "Who are you!?" She couldn't hear the response but she did hear the thump and triumphant yell of "Nope!" When she worked up the courage to join Big Mac she saw him looking out th window as several dark figures fled into the darkness. One was unconscious and on the floor.
"Did they take the Element?" She asked worriedly.
"Eeyup."
***
"Who?" Owlicous hooted. "Who! WHO! WHO! WHO!"
***
"HISS!!!" Opal hissed.
***
Tank didn't say anything because tortoises kinda just sit there looking cool. He was all like what? You want that element? So what? I don't care, I'm just a cool tortoise over here. 'Cause I'm just that cool.
***
Angel bunny was lucky he was wearing his helmet that night. When the strange ponies tried to break in they met their match at the hands of his legion of animal comrades. They fled with their tails in between their legs! "Squeeeeeeeeek!" He commanded his troops to begin making patrols. They held their forks and spoons threateningly.
***
"We managed to get all but one, sir. The team sent to Fluttershy's cottage have yet to return, I recommend we all go in force." Snowchaser recommended to Absol.
"A seemingly wise move but we need to be out of here long before the dawn. We shall to send you and that is all. Catch up if your name really is SnowCHASER." With that Absol began gathering his troops as Snowchaser sprinted toward the cottage.
***
The squad Celestia sent to Ponyville arrived to find the town in chaos. Everywhere they turned a pony screamed about break-ins and a cottage being frozen over during the night. None of the Elements had been recovered so the soldiers sent a runner back to Canterlot and began investigating.
They were searching houses until they found out they had five ponies to interrogate. Four were found outside of the frozen cottage (presumed Fluttershy's) and the fifth unconscious in the Apple's house. Once they were all gathered up in the library they found out something they already knew. Freezers are incredibly loyal and no amount of persuasion or magic could get them to profess the enemy plans. All they got were names. Snowgazer, Frostchaser, Icemolder, Chilla, and Frosty, none of them were officers nor would they reveal the identity of their commanding officer. Now they at least were able to confirm Celestia's suspicion that they were making a grab for the elements.
***
"Caaaaaaaaaaake!" Pinkie finished singing and bowed. "Well Rocky I think this talent night went very well!" She laughed at the statue of an ancient Pony. "You know you should compete next time! What's that? Think you'd get cold feet? I'm sure the audience would crumble! You'd win by a landslide!"
"Pinkie, could you be quiet? I think I hear something!" Twilight whispered excitedly. She had run out of books a while ago. "Listen!"
"Y'all be quiet! Twi hears somethin'!" Applejack yelled.
At first Nopony heard a thing... But slowly... a slight scraping noise emanated from the wall that had caved in. "Rescue?" Rainbow asked sleepily.
"I hope so!" Pinkie yelled.
"Shhh..." Twilight shushed, "We don't know if that is help coming..."
"*SQUEEK* can it be... a Tetzel Worm...?" Fluttershy asked, you know, if that's okay with everypony... If it's not that's okay... She didn't have to say anything... She's sorry for intruding.
"Come on Fluttershy! Tetzel Worms are an old mares tale!" Rainbowdash laughed.
"Like the sonic rainboom?" Pinkie said slyly. They all laughed.
"The sonic rainboom was always real! Tetzel Worms aren't! You know that, Pinkie, I'm just trying to keep Fluttershy from getting nervous, right?" Rainbowdash whispered. At that moment the tip of a pick axe broke through the dirt by in the cave-in.
"EEEEK!!!!" Fluttershy screamed as she dashed behind Dash. The pick axe widened the hole and a Pony stuck their head through.
"Rarity!" Twilight called out to her.
"I have a digging team out here it should only be a few minutes! Just wait a little longer darlings!" She backed out as more picks began to knock down the barrier. They had them out in a matter of minutes. Unfortunately they couldn't get the staff, but Twi assured them that they had been gone too long as it was. After a few minutes of walking Twilight realized something odd.
"Excuse me Rarity but this isn't the right way to town... where are we going?" She asked.
"I was wondering how long it would take you to notice. I found another town and they came to help." She explained.
"Then how come I recognize some of these ponies?" Fluttershy asked... you know if that's alright. You know what nevermind she didn't really want to know anyway.
"Uh..." Rarity stuttered obviously flustered. "we-well... uh? They jus... Get them." She commanded as she was surrounded by a green nimbus. Then standing in front of them was Queen Chrysalis, the Queen of the Changelings! As soon as her order was given everypony around them transformed and they were surrounded and captured. "Hahahahaha! You were even easier to capture the second time! You'd think you'd learn... Now you won't be able to stop it!"
"What just is your plan!?" Twilight yelled.
"Why, just wait of course! With you gone your precious Princess will lose the war and we will rise to defeat these soon to be weak Freezers! Even if Celestia somehow wins she'll be unable to resist the take over this time!"
"What war?" Twilight slowly asked.
"You really don't know? Hahahaha! Your precious Equestria is under attack from the north! The Freezers didn't take nicely to converting Nightmare Moon into Luna; now they want to take her down so Evandra can rule! We will defeat them though, don't you worry!"
"They won't be able to defeat the Equestrian Guard!" Rainbowdash declared.
"Like we couldn't?" Chrysalis taunted.
"Oh I oughta!" Rainbowdash threatened as she struggled to escape her captors grasp but to no avail.
"All we have to do to insure our victory is keep you captive! In fact... I may just replace you..."
"Nooo..." Twilight gasped in horror as the Queen laughed maniacally.
***
"I just got a letter from the Princess! Funny, usually she only sends us orders on Sundays..." Flash called out to the group having breakfast.
"That's odd, who delivered it?"
"This Pegasus named Featherweight. He was the same as last week. Only a bit more tired... I guess making the run back to back so quickly must have been harsh. Here you go Cap." Flash passed the letter to Captain Auto Tomaton. "He seemed in a rush to get back... The message must be important. He's waiting for our reply in the clearing now." Auto had dropped the letter. "What is it? Auto? Auto what is it?"
"We... failed... WE MUST GO BACK TO EQUESTRIA!" He stood up, "Pack your things we must leave post haste!" He scribbled a note on a piece of paper. "Give this to Feather, then get back and pack your hat!"
"What happened!?"
"The Elements, are gone."
***
"I think I know when it could have happened!" Flashburn excitedly began to say as he skipped down the path, his pack bouncing all the way. "They must have slipped through when you were all saving me and Anti! It makes sense, after all that was the only time our vigilance slipped!"
"Congratulations, you've cracked the case..." James said sarcastically.
"Thanks James! I'm surprised we didn't figure this out sooner..." He said puzzled. "Wait a second...we forgot to go back for my boot!"
"We all worked it out a while ago, Flash." Rogue explained. Suddenly she stopped moving. "Do you hear that?" She questioned. "It sounds like wings... everyone down! Now!" They all scrambled for cover as the ground darkened before them. Then with a flash of light a most peculiar creature stood before them. It had the head of a pony but the claw of a lion and the talon of an eagle!
"Uh oh... not him again!" Flash whispered with dread.
"How do you know Discord?" Auto asked.
"Excuse me! Sorry if I'm interrupting something, but I was sent by Celestia to speed your travels now if you'd just all come front and center! I want to get this boring job over and done with as soon as possible."
"Do you not even remember me?" Flashburn asked cautiously.
"Hmm... according to Celestia your name is Flashburn... sorry doesn't ring a bell! Have we met?"
"YOU SENT ME FORWARD IN TIME!" Flash yelled as his horn began to spark.
"I was wondering when you'd turn up! So your name was Flashburn! I thought it was Fire something... Anyway how has life been treating my little fire starter?" He leaned in closely.
"You promised to make it all better! You said that Nopony would ever even know that it had happened..."
"Well? Do any ponies other than you know about it?"
"No... but I thought that you'd undo what I did! Instead you tore my world apart and shoved me into the future! You made things worse! I couldn't control my powers in my own home! How do you think I did in a strange new place all alone!? And at my age? I was a foal! Then you just abandoned me in the future! You promised me freedom and instead all I got was the loss of my friends and family! Literally everypony who was going to be born in the next decade is dead right now! I knew no one... I had no one... and you never came back... you never helped!"
"Well it was hardly my fault! Right after I sent you forward, I was turned to stone which by the way does wonders for ones memory. Then almost immediately upon being freed I was turned back! Since then I've been Celestia's stooge. Now speaking of which I need to HELP you!"
"No." Flash refused obstinately.
"What!?" The all gasped.
"Last time you "HELPED" me I was sent barreling into a new world! Do what you want to help them, but I want nothing to do with you ever again!" Flash yelled.
"I'm hurt, but also pressed for time, now to all you willing ponies I will give you wings and make them fly faster than normal! It will only last a day or two but it will definanetly speed your travels!" He explained as Captain Auto's wings began to glow. He turned and saw all but Flashburn gain these magical glowing wings.
"What do you mean a day or two? When will they wear off?" Auto questioned.
"Chaos magic." Discord shrugged as he faded away.
Flashburn began to skulk toward Cantorlot as ponies who couldn't normally fly slowly acclimated to their new wings. "Flash..." Rogue called as she flew over to him. "What happened between you and Discord? Why wouldn't you accept his help?"
"Promise me you will never, unless either you are in the most dire of circumstances or I give you permission, tell another soul of what I am about to tell you. Or I can't tell you."
"I swear."
***
Very well, I will tell you. When most ponies get their cutie marks it is a happy occasion. They finally know what their super special talent is! Maybe they can bake great cakes or paint beautiful pieces of art! It was not so for me... I will always be haunted by when I learned of my talent. I'm great at casting incredibly powerful fire spells! But, how does a filly or foal discover their talent? Why they use it! Unfortunately my talent wasn't controlling incredible fire magic. I was only trying to light the fire in my fireplace! It just... There was so much fire... I couldn't stop. I tried to STOP! But I couldn't... The fire was too strong... When I woke up... The entire town was gone... ponies had fled or perished in the flame. That's when I met HIM. H-he... he explained what I did... How everypony knew it was me who destroyed homes and families... How they hated me... He offered to fix it! Imagine that, a foal that had just inadvertently killed or ruined everything he loved or cared about was offered a way out! He said that it would all be better... That it would all be undone! He said nopony would even remember it had happened! He was right I suppose. Now nopony cares... It happened so long ago nopony even remembers... The incident was blamed on Discord and eventually nopony could even remember that a little foal had gone missing... He sent me forward. So far forward that now I'm older than Celestia herself! I... think... At first I didn't know what had happened so I just wandered in a forest... That's when I saw it. My old home. It was almost unrecognizable but I knew what it was, a burnt aged old house atop a hill, now overgrown with vegetation. It is where the Everfree Forest is now. I wandered until I found myself in Manehatten. Thankfully some generous guards helped me to survive until I got a job supplying fuel for a cruise ship. Then other stuff happened but that has nothing to do with Discord So I feel that is all you need to know.
***
Auto understood now. His erratic behavior, his half said comments, even his strange demeanor. All were caused by this childhood trauma. "Flash... I don't know what to say. I accept your decision to not accept his help but you must understand that we are needed in Equestria as soon as possible, so we must leave you. I'm sorry but there is no other way."
"I understood this the moment I refuse his help." He smiled. "Besides wings are for wimps! I'll still beat you there if I run!"
"No need, "Rogue cut in, "You see, I just so happen to be an ALICORN I'll just carry you! I mean seriously look at the size of my wings. Especially now that they are amplified by Discords magic."
"I don't know... it's a bit too close to him helping me... I've kinda sworn off his aid forever... but we do need to hurry... What do you even need me for? All I do is start the campfire, crack jokes and get foalnapped like some Damsel in Distress!" Flash jokingly asked.
"Don't forget that we will need you at the higher altitudes to keep Anti warm." Auto said.
"Oh my sweet Celestia I completely forgot about her! Who's been carrying her?" Flash hastily replied.
"You have two guesses..." Rogue hinted sarcastically.
"Are you sure you can carry both of us?" Flash asked.
"Normally only barely but with the magic, yes. Now let's take wing, we've been here far too long."
"Ok, I guess you're stuck with me for now!" Flash laughed, slowly he was joined by the others. Except James who kept a wary eye on Flashburn. After all he had just admitted to a terrible crime. He'd need to keep a closer eye on him. Especially when he was near Rogue...