Art is the Weapon

After a slight mistake, Flash Sentry finds himself placed on temporary leave from the guard. His salvation now apparently rests in art (of all things), but for Flash it may be a fate worse than death.

A fic exchange gift for daOtterGuy! Written with help from Wish, thank you! Cover art by Snow Quill!

Chapters (3)

Happy Cabbage · 21st Dec 2021 · 1,061 words
1,061
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Bearcat · 21st Dec 2021 · 1,952 words
1,952
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Tail Between Your Legs · 21st Dec 2021 · 775 words
775
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Comments ( 5 )

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daOtterGuy

daOtterGuy #1 · Dec 21st, 2021 · 3 · · Tail Between Your Legs ·

Howdy, hi!

I see what you did there and I approve. This was great! Absolutely love the dynamic between the two of them. The opening anecdotes are super fun, and I like the flow of the whole thing. Absolutely adore my hearthswriting gift, thanks Red!

SigmasonicX

SigmasonicX #2 · Mar 3rd, 2022 · · · Tail Between Your Legs ·

This was an unusual pair, and an interesting way to have them interact. Flash unknowingly leading him on is also a conflict I haven't seen in a short fic like this before. The inserts about Flash Magnus were also a lot of fun. Great job!

Bicyclette

Bicyclette #3 · Aug 6th, 2023 · · · Happy Cabbage ·

That’s a phrase Flash Magnus taught me! Back when we trained together at the Crystal Empire exercises he taught me a few funny words. When he was a colt (which was thousands of years ago since he got spliced into the shadow realm, or something along those lines), it was often said that the farmers of the happy cabbage were the ones who pulled the strings.

aww, love that Flash Magnus has weird slang from growing up before he was spliced into the shadow realm for a millenium

I’m not in it for the cabbage, happy or otherwise. The Guard has never been about the money for me. It’s hard to pin down exactly what it’s about for me, really, but I can tell you with absolute confidence it isn’t the bits.

i mean, the whole cutie mark thing!

Flash perked up. “A raise wouldn’t hurt, sir!”
Shining’s frown fell faster than an elevator with all its cables cut.
“...guess not. Sir.”

oof, can’t fault a skint enlisted man from trying

Shining just sighed. “Corporal, I can put two and two together. You used Barr to get into the parade ground and put in more hours.”
Flash fell silent.
“Corporal Sentry, we have those regulations in place for a reason,” Shining nudged. “Overwork is a serious problem. Your dedication is admirable, but we all have limits.”

this pony sure loves Royal Guarding!

Bicyclette

Bicyclette #4 · Aug 6th, 2023 · · · Bearcat ·

The thing about bearcats, according to Magnus, wasn’t really that they were dangerous.
They were sassy.

well, they are cats!

See, the bearcats looked exactly like bears, but were much smaller and the mindset of a cat. As in, they’d do pretty much anything in their power to plot against you while looking adorable. Pegasi loved those little rats. Made them pets and everything, only for them to start yowling in the middle of the night, pushing vases off tables… that sort of thing.

aww! that must have been quite a sight. though i always thought that if cats were the size of bears they would torture us to death before eating is

But sass wasn’t enough to survive, and as far as I know that particular breed of bearcat died off when Filocuse fell out of the sky. Not sure where they’re at nowadays but Magnus thinks they’re probably doing ok.

love this as the closure to something without it

He said that it's just because these are the words he grew up with, and it's still shocking to him how many of them grew old and out of use. Reminds us that everything’s gonna fade with time.

so true, as will all things including the very last memories of you, whoever is reading this sentence

“Parade Rest,” he read. The term was familiar to him but nothing about the framed mess made him think of the position.

hehe, just like the canon appearance! dang, will Spearhead ever find somepony who truly gets his art

Flash grinned wider. “So, you ever make any paintings like… this?” Flash leaned forwards, resting his chin on his forelegs and flashed a droopy smile with half-lidded eyes in Spearhead’s direction.

hehe, oh Flash!

“Oh?” purred Flash. “Well, I dunno about you, but I’d kill for a gallery of shots like these.” He scooped up a tube of paint and squeezed it, all the while keeping a sultry smile. “Could invite friends over… squeeze out some paints. Have a good time…”

dang Flash, are you trying to kill this guy?

Flash worked his jaw, but there was nothing he could’ve said to change the situation. He hung his head and left, leaving Spearhead alone in the gallery, wondering what he had just done.

aww!

Bicyclette

Bicyclette #5 · Aug 6th, 2023 · · · Tail Between Your Legs ·

But I still haven’t learned that sometimes I need to pay more attention to how other ponies actually feel. It’s… a foalsih thing I’m sure, but damn it if I’m nothing more than a foal in adult armor.

i mean don’t we all feel that way sometimes

I’m sure Magnus has a word for how I’m feeling right now. He probably has a story too about how that term came to be, how it was circulated and used, and how it’s miles better than anything we use today. He surely wouldn’t have dug this hole, but maybe he’d have a way out.
But Flash Magnus isn’t here.

love that this also explains why this chapter breaks the structure

The canvas was covered in a mess of color, and what appeared to be a stick pony painted in the middle.

idk sounds like good outsider art to me!

Flash chuckled weakly. “Ah. See, I uh, kinda practiced too hard for a ceremony. Made a… pretty big mistake. See, I… Well, I accidentally poked Luna in the ass with my spear.”

rip

Then, the two leaned in, and when their lips connected there was no piece of artwork in the world that could’ve shown what they were feeling.

aww!

just love how well you capture the energy and feel of Otter’s work in this. that is skill, and what a great gift!

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