//------------------------------//
// Debriefing 
// Story: Flash in the Pan 
// by Gladi Writes 
//------------------------------//

Flash awoke what he imagined was hours later- although it was hard to tell for the obvious reason of him having been passed out for the last... he wasn't actually sure how long. When he opened hs eyes- expecting to be either in a morgue, or a sick bay- he was surprised to find himself instead laying in a cold cell. To his left, the bars of a prison. To his right, a mirror. 

He was cuffed to the bed he laid on. That was rather disconcerting, to be certain, and he could hear a faint whisper of voices from behind that mirror followed  by the opening of a door, and then footsteps in the corridor beyond the bars. He tried his best, but he couldn't turn to see who it was.

"You know, Sentry," a  gruff male voice spoke. "Any other day and I'd make sure you got a medal for that-- but not today."

A key slipped into the cell door, and it slid open. "It took us three weeks to get a friendly changeling into that cell, and now he's too damn scared to even talk to us. Not only that, he was going to bring them a nice Alicornium surprise in one of those boxes. Thank Celestia that stuff doesn't burn or neither of us would be standing here."

The stallion proceeded to lean against Flash, supporting himself via an elbow pressing into his chest. "So, Flash- tell me... how is it you found out about this terrorist cell, and why in Celestia's name did you have to be some damn hero and go burn the whole thing down?

Flash coughed, "Confidential source."

The interrogator laughed, and pressed his elbow in deeper. "Sure, sure- you can give me that. I'll make a deal with you Flash- a simple one."

He pushed off, making Flash cough in reponse. "I let you go, we pretend this was all some sort of accident, or maybe the Zebra's had an agent we didn't know about. Cities on edge- it's not too hard to believe we could have missed one."

"And then you have two options- tell me who your source is, and I make you a goddamn war hero and you go to Canterlot to lead some parades, and get a nice cushy post in... mmm, Manehatten? You seem like the sort to like action, maybe a posting on the Magnificent with a squadron? Hell, play by my rules and I'll set you up with your own goddamn airship and a unit. Flash's Sentry's or something, your choice."

The pony then leaned again, hard. "Or you refuse, and I make you leave this city in shame. Don't think I can't or won't do it, Flash- this country owes you nothing, no mater how much you've done for it. I'll send you up the goddamn river if it serves Equestria's interests even for a second."

Flash groaned, and spoke awkwardly between short breaths. "What about.... your own interests?"

The pony turned to Flash, and adjusted his restraint to look at him. "I am Equestria, Sentry- our interests are the same."

Flash swore he'd heard a similar statement in a history text. "I thought you served... Celestia, what happened to that?"

The pony rolled his eyes. It was rather hard to see him in this light, but he was smaller than Flash, although not by much.

"Celestia doesn't know what's best for her- and it's best she doesn't know what we do. Equestria needs their figurehead, and Equestria also needs a silent scythe in the dark against the things that will take advantage of how naive she is."

"Like you?"

The pony laughed again, and stepped away. "Alright then, I can see you're not going to play. Fine, doesn't matter to me- we've got dumb action heroes signing up by the day."

The pony walked back to the cell door, looking back to Flash.  "Although I doubt any of them could have pulled that off without some blood, or more than you shed anyway. Look at you, trying to guilt me while you left a changeling to burn to death."

He stepped out through the cell door, and something hit Flash in the thigh. Once again, he passed out. 

The next time he awoke was closer to his original expectations- a hospital room. To his left, a blue curtain. To his right, a window. It was snowing outside, and by the looks of things it was evening of the same day- apparently he'd been having a busy one.

Commodus was sitting at the foot of the bed, speaking to a mare in the classic outfit of a nurse. He actually recognized her- Redheart, they had... a fling in Ponyville years ago.

Flash groaned, rather aching from all the strain today, and tried to sit up- which was foolish apparently and he yelped in pain before flopping back against the bed. Redheart dashed to his side, pressing him down gently against the pillow.

"Hold up now!  I'm surprised you're awake, let alone moving- do you have any idea how bad you were when we found you?"

Flash was silent, eyes watering from sheer pain. "Lacerations across your body.... second degree burns, wing fractures... bone fractures... seventeen seperate pieces of shrapnel... frostbite... minor amounts of water in your lungs..."

Redheart put the list back down on the side of the bed. "If we hadn't found you, you'd be dead."

Commodus shifted herself, sitting towards the side of the bed so she could turn to look at Flash. "What the /hell/ were you doing to get that messed up? We found you behind a bar, but that doesn't explain the shrapnel... or the burns... or the water. You're being charged for seven cases of assault and one case of public intoxication but the police are being oddly coy about who's pressing."

Commodus sighed, "You're in deep, Flash. Legally I can protect you for a little while as long as you stay here, thanks to being at war, but they're gonna want you on trial eventually."

Redheart sighed, "I don't think he can talk, let me... help with that," She said, and reached for a syringe of pain relief. The way she jammed into into his leg was a little odd, and she seemed to slip against the bed covers, leaning close to Flash's ear.

"That's for Ponyville, jackass."

The sharp pain of the bending needle soon gave way to cool relief, and Flash sighed audibly.

"... and so is that."

Redheart pulled herself off him, tightened her dress, and then stepped out. "If he complains, tell him he can't have another one of those for four hours. Just give him some sleep meds- the yellow ones on your left. Take two, it'll put you out for 12 hours. Do try and eat something first."

She then left the two alone, "Talk, Flash."

Flash was frank with her, and while his voice was rather quiet, he explained as best he could the truth of everything. She seemed to believe him, although some of the more fantastic elements had her commenting like she was looking for damn plot holes. "Why would the changelings slip out of disguise?"

Flash shrugged, "I guess the leader got burnt and dropped it by accident, and they just followed along."

"Well, it's a hell of a story- but it makes sense. Explains why the Wonderbolt's put up a blockade today too- they keep telling me it's classified and none of my business, but hell if that isn't a bad omen. Cities not in a good place, Flash."

Even so, it continued to snow.