//------------------------------// // The Scars of Sacrifice // Story: Brighter Horizons // by Destiny Chaser //------------------------------// Eighteen months earlier. Bright Skies shifted in her chair at her kitchen table in her Cloudsdale home, the last two hours of sitting making her feel a little stiff. The mid-afternoon sunlight streamed brightly through the windows, illuminating the homely kitchen with a pleasant light. “I’d say about ten minutes, Sunset Shimmer.” The orange unicorn’s teal eyes flicked up from the empty mug resting between her hooves on the table between them, she had been staring at it as if lost in thought. She swallowed nervously. “Does he suspect anything?” Bright Skies tilted her head to one side, squinting slightly in concentration before suddenly jumping as if she had been sharply poked. She shook her head. “No, I’ve managed to hold him off. But he’s being very insistent that I tell him what the hay is going on.“ She winced, rubbing the side of her head with one hoof. “He’s definitely a bit cross that the Princess ended his shift early and didn’t tell him why.” Sunset sighed as she rubbed her temples with her hooves. “Great, just great.” Bright Skies smiled in sympathy for her, still amazed that the mare before her still appeared as youthful as the day she had disappeared. Not that she herself was that old, only thirty-four. But Sunset still appeared to be only twenty years old, if that. But that’s what happens when you are soul-bound to a Phoenix I suppose. She thought, calling to mind Philomena, the Phoenix that Sunset had hatched at her entrance exam decades earlier and that had been Princess Celestia’s pet ever since. For the last two hours, she and Bright Skies had been catching up on everything that had been going on in her absence for the last 8 years. She couldn’t believe how much this fiery, headstrong, and at times arrogant mare had grown since then, even if she never physically aged past her prime. She was so much more humble, so kind and thoughtful. It’s like she’s a different pony. A crisis in the strange world she now called home had driven her back to Equestria, seeking Princess Twilight Sparkle’s help. In the course of solving that problem, Sunset had reconciled with Celestia her former mentor and for the past week, had been doing her best to mend the other rifts that had been created by her abrupt departure all of those years ago, save one. At her request, both Celestia and Twilight had kept her return a secret up until now as she did not want Flash to know yet that she was here. That, however, would soon change in less than ten minutes. It would have been difficult enough if she were merely here to amend fences with him, that in and of itself was more than she wanted to consider. But Sunset was also here for an even more difficult problem, one that Twilight, Celestia, and even this new Princess Luna had begged her to address. “So you’re telling me he still hasn’t forgiven him?” Sunset asked. Bright Skies face fell as she sadly shook her head. “Not even close, even though both Celestia, Twilight, and all of his friends have talked seriously to him about it. Not even Princess Luna, Rainbow Dash, or even Burnt Oak have been able to reason with him, and that’s saying something.” Bright Skies sighed as she looked down, shaking her head. “And poor Fluttershy,” She shuddered at the memory of her tears after Flash had snapped at even her, the very Element of Kindness and one of his earliest childhood friends when she had tried to broach the subject with him. “Their relationship has suffered as well...” Bright Skies sniffed, “He’s never been this way...all his life he has been quick to forgive. But not this time, and it’s tearing him apart.” Sunset nodded but said nothing. It had been over two months since Tirek had attacked Equestria, she of course, had not been present when it happened. Bright Skies had been part of one of the first hastily assembled response teams led by the very Wonderbolts, and it had been an unmitigated disaster. She explained to Sunset that she, like all the others, had her magic forcefully taken from her by the ruthless centaur. That it had felt as if her very soul was being ripped from her body. Flash had been in garrison near Canterlot, he and the other cadets being confined to quarters for their safety and told little of what was actually occurring other than that there was an imminent threat to Equestrian National Security. Slipstream had later recounted to Bright Skies that at that moment, the moment her magic was stolen, that Flash had fallen to his knees, clutching his head and howling as if somepony were tearing his very heart out of his chest. It appeared as if he had gone completely insane to those around him. Ignoring every order, Flash had torn his way towards her location, running so fast across Equestria that his feet had bled. He had found her seemingly more dead than alive. It was then that he caught up to Tirek in a murderous rage, attacking him with all the deranged fury of a madpony. It had ended very badly for him, he was in the hospital for more than a week after that. And of course, he blamed it all on Discord for betraying them. After the Lord of Chaos had initially reformed, Flash had been one of the few Equestrians along with Fluttershy to welcome him with open arms. He strove to give Discord the benefit of the doubt, shrugging off his mischievous teasing as just how he related to others and insisting that friendship could change anypony for the better. He would even get into heated arguments at times with Rainbow Dash for her often openly hostile attitude towards him. All of that of course, had made it so much worse, the most colossal knife between the ribs for Flash when Discord had given into temptation and betrayed them all. The betrayal made all the more soul-crushing by Flash’s experience of his mother’s pain; he had literally thought she had died. Ever since that day, he had not been the same. A black hatred was slowly consuming his heart, robbing him of his former joy and slowly poisoning his other relationships. He had even gone so far as to irrationally threaten Discord when he had tried to apologize to him, telling him that the next time he saw him, only one of them would walk away alive. Not even his upcoming graduation and commissioning in three months, a milestone for his life up to this point, could raise his spirits. Each week he was becoming more distant and hollow, focusing only on his duties and isolating himself from others, even his mother. It was into this dreadful situation, that Twilight and the others had asked Sunset to insert herself; and at this point, she was not even confident that Flash would forgive her for leaving him, let alone if she could talk to him about forgiving Discord. “He’s below Cloudsdale, Sunset.” Bright Skies said, smiling sadly. Sunset marveled at how much stronger and precise her bond with Flash had grown, to the point that they could even talk to each other telepathically and even know the other’s thoughts if allowed. I wish I’d been here to see that part of him grow. The unicorn pushed herself back from the table and got to her hooves, stretching as she stood. She walked around to the end of the table, facing the front entrance and letting out a stressed sigh. “I don’t know if I can do this, Bright Skies.” Sunset said as she glanced from the door to her, anxiety seeping through her features. “After all the things I’ve done, I’m hardly the one to talk to anypony about doing the right thing.“ The pink pegasus hopped off of her chair and walked around to join her, and then completely surprised her by giving her a heartfelt hug. Sunset blanched for a moment before leaning into it, allowing the comforting gesture to sooth her stressed feelings. She had never been much of a hugger, an oddity among most ponies, but now she saw just how good they could really be. All the wasted years... She sighed inwardly to herself. “That, that right there,” Bright Skies whispered into her ear, “That is precisely why you’re the best pony to talk to my son. Because you know what it’s like to come back from a fall.” Sunset felt a tear come to her eye as she raised a forelimb to return the embrace. “I couldn’t be more grateful that you were the pony that helped me to raise him, and I know you can help him now in his time of need.” They stayed that way for a moment as Sunset realized that after all of these years, she and Bright Skies were finally friends. “Wow, you really are a great mom, aren’t you?” Sunset said with a small chuckle as they parted; she wiped her eye. Bright Skies smiled warmly at her. “I’ve picked a few things over the years.” She said with a wink. Causing Sunset to laugh a little. “Comes with being the first pony to ever raise a...” Bright Skies squinted in concentration, “A hyooman?” Sunset laughed again. “Hu-man.” She said with careful enunciation. Both ponies jumped at the sound of a metallic clatter coming from the threshold of the house, one of the few solid areas of the cloud-home. They both looked over to see Flash standing at the door in his khaki working uniform, his Gallic-style helmet had fallen from his hand as he had stepped inside. The human dropped to both knees, staring in shock and awe at the one pony he thought he would never see again. His head tilted to one side as he continued to stare at her. “S-Sunset?” He said in barely a whisper. She smiled at him, her eyes sad. “Hey kid.” Ella squinted in the blinding light, her eyes taking a moment to adjust as the black bag covering her head was abruptly pulled off by the large man she had surrendered to; he neatly folded the bag in half as he turned and stepped away. True to his word, the man had not harmed her or even treated her roughly thus far. Shaking her hair out of her face, it didn't take her long to gather in her new surroundings. She was in a windowless, nearly featureless pale-white room. To her it looked to be a storage room of some kind that one might find in the basement of a building, which it probably was judging by the staleness of the dry air. It spanned about twenty-five feet in length and width with a ten-foot high ceiling composed of concrete-encased steel girders. The cinder-block walls and cement floor had been painted with a thick, non-stick paint. There, lying in the center of the room, lay Flash's battered and unconscious form. His jacket, shirt, shoes, and socks had all been removed, leaving him in only his blue-jean like slacks. He was lying on his side with his head and back slightly angled towards her. His hands were cuffed behind him. The handcuffs were connected by a long, braided stainless-steel chain which went through a thick steel loop embedded in the cement floor behind him. A similar set of cuffs restrained his ankles. Ella's heart ached as she could now see the full extent of the damage from his brutal fight with the big man. Most of his back was covered in a mottled assortment of dark and purple bruises. The gunshot-wound on his shoulder-blade had partially opened up again and smeared a portion of his back in dried blood. What concerned her the most, though, was the spot on the side of his neck where the man had bitten him. Curiously, there were no traditional teeth marks, only two small holes as if he had been bitten by a large rattlesnake. The veins in that area had grown a bit dark and discolored, easily visible through the skin. It was as if a poison was spreading through his body from his neck. Ella eyed the man warily, knowing that like Flash, he was more than he appeared. Is he same as Flash? She still had trouble absorbing what he had told her before about being from a world of magical talking ponies, but the sheer number of bizarre realities she had personally witnessed was making her wonder if it could actually be true. Ella looked down at her right hand which had been cuffed to a thick pipe running down from the ceiling and through the floor. She couldn't help but give it an experimental tug, causing a metallic rattle and confirming for her what she already knew to be a solid connection. The big man on the opposite side of the room didn't even bother to look at her. He was standing next to a dull steel table that was bolted to the wall arranging some things on a metal tray that she could not make out. Stepping away from the table, the man approached Flash and got down on one knee next to him. Ella watched with interest as he placed two fingers on the side of Flash's neck while he flicked his other arm out in front of him to check the watch on his wrist. After a few moments, seemingly satisfied, the man stood up and stepped back to the table. It was then that Ella noticed that the center of the room to which Flash was secured was slightly concave, and that there was a small drain in the floor right where he was lying. A horrifying realization began to dawn on her as she began to understand the purpose of the room's design: the non-stick paint, the drain, the isolation. This is a torture chamber. Flash was going to be tortured to death and she was going to have to watch it. As if confirming her suspicions, the man turned back around holding a large, hypodermic needle. He held it up in front of his face with a scrutinizing gaze as he carefully tapped it and squirted some of the clear fluid out to clear any trapped air. "HEY!" Ella shouted as she gave her handcuff a violent tug; the man seemed to ignore her. "Hey, I'm talkin' to you!" She yelled as she angrily rattled the metal against the pipe. After a moment, the man finally glanced over at her, appearing a little annoyed. She glared back, "What'd ya think you're doing?!" She continued to yell as he began to step towards her with long, steady steps. "You're plannin' on hurtin' him aren't you ya sick freak?! I bet you are, you're just like Damian. You get off on hurtin' people! You haven't the guts-" Ella stumbled backwards and fell seated into the metal folding chair she hadn't even realized was behind her as the large man stepped abruptly into her space, towering over her. She glared angrily up at him as he gazed down at her with a slightly irritated expression. They stared at each other for a few seconds as Ella breathed hard through her nose. She noticed he had a small band aide on his cheek where she had managed to cut him. "Don't be dramatic." He stated flatly. He stared at her another moment before his gaze softened slightly, he tilted his head to one side. "What is your name, small one?" Ella blinked, the question catching her somewhat off-guard. Few people in the sordid world she had been a part of for the last two and a half years had ever actually been interested in who she was. What's more, there surprisingly seemed to be the slightest amount of care in his voice: a detectable measure of tenderness with the way he called her 'small one.' It was both unsettling and yet strangely, a bit comforting. "Ella." She finally said after a few moments. The man smiled slightly and nodded once in acknowledgement. "Ella,” He repeated in an approving manner, “Means ‘beautiful’." He smiled as he crossed his left arm over his abdomen and gave a slight bow of his head, again shocking her. "My name is Telson. And no, I have not been ordered to hurt anyone at his point so please, put aside your fears for now and remain calm." Ella resisted the urge to gape in surprise as without another word, Telson turned and stepped back across the room to the table from before where he grabbed a stethoscope and draped it casually around his neck; she watched him like a hawk. All of his movements appeared routine, as if he was accustomed to this sort of work. Turning back around, he approached Flash’s prone form, dropping again to one knee to get closer. “What are you going to do?” Ella asked as Telson checked the syringe he was holding once more. “Just watch.” He replied without looking at her as he gently raised Flash’s chin to one side with two fingers before inserting the needle into his neck, slowly depressing the syringe. The effect was almost immediate. Ella flinched as Flash suddenly jerked awake, his back arching as he took in a sharp breath before coughing violently. Telson quickly tossed the syringe over to the table as Flash shouted something incoherent, snarling as he tried to spring up only to be restrained by his bonds which allowed him to rise no higher than a kneeling position. “Calm down.” Telson stated firmly as the young man thrashed about like a wild animal, appearing completely disoriented. Flash pulled so forcefully against his bonds that the cuffs began to cut into his wrists. “Calm down!” Telson shouted as he grabbed onto the back of Flash’s neck with one hand to restrain him. Flash screamed wildly as he tried to mindlessly lash out at the larger man who responded by slamming his face cheek first into the hard floor, keeping him pinned there. “Calm!” Telson shouted again as Flash’s struggles started to diminish, the impact seemed to have knocked some sanity back into him. His hard breathing began to slow as Telson continued to speak to him in a soothing tone, “Calm, that’s right...focus on the sound of my voice...good...just like that. Control your breathing young one.” Ella couldn’t help but feel fascinated as she watched Telson work. It was incredible to see how a man who had earlier fought with such brutality, could at the same time be so gentle, relatively speaking of course. He’s an enigma... Ella thought as she rose to her feet to get a closer look. Flash’s eyes appeared distant as Telson continued to hold him down. “What’s five plus five?” Telson asked. Flash continued to pant but made no answer. Telson frowned, “Come on soldier, five plus five!” “T-ten...” Flash mumbled after a moment. Telson nodded, “Good, what’s six times six?” “Thirty....thirty-six...” Flash gasped between pants as Telson used his other hand to fit the stethoscope to his ears before placing the chest piece against the young man’s back. He listened carefully as he moved it methodically to each quadrant of Flash’s lungs. “Very good,” Telson said as he removed the ear pieces and slowly lifted Flash’s head off the floor, allowing him to kneel. He placed a hand on the side of his face, opening his eyes one at a time with his thumb and forefinger while shining a penlight into them that he had taken from his pocket. “Name?” Flash was quiet at first before relenting. “Flash Skies.” Ella gasped slightly on finally learning his full name. “Rank?” “Second Lieutenant.” “Serial Number?” “5149976184.” “Very good,” Telson said as he put away the light before placing one hand on Flash’s shoulder while using the other to gently tap down his back with the base of his fist. The young man winced and hissed sharply as the middle of his back on his right side was touched. Telson nodded to himself as if confirming something he already suspected. “Do you need to use the facilities?” Flash shook his head. “Well Second Lieutenant Skies,” Telson said as he continued to rest his right hand on Flash’s right shoulder. “You are both presently the guests of my Mistress. I advise you to not try anything foalish.” Flash kept his head bowed as Telson spoke, refusing to look up at him. “That shot of adrenaline I gave you should begin to counteract the venom, but don’t push yourself. I hit you with a pretty strong dose, I don’t envy how you will feel later.“ He gave what seemed to be a comforting pat on the young man’s shoulder. “And don’t bother with the chains, I’ve reinforced them with a spell. Not even you can break them.” He rose to his feet, adjusting the jacket of his suit and tossing the stethoscope to the table. “Do you have any questions for me?” He asked. Ella had a thousand that she wanted to ask, but Flash remained silent, breathing hard. Telson nodded, “Very well. I will return shortly, continue to focus on your breathing.” Telson glanced over at Ella and gave her a courteous nod. “Try to talk to him, but he may not speak for a while. His distress is deep.” Ella blinked as he turned to the table and retrieved the small metal tray with the stethoscope, syringe, and other medical items. He grabbed the handle to the heavy metal door and pulled it to one side, causing it to slide smoothly into a slot on the wall. Telson paused a second before glancing back at the small, defeated human kneeling in the center of the room. “If it means anything to you little Equestrian,” His mouth curved slightly into a smirk but mixed with a hint of sympathy, “Best scrap I’ve had in years, better than any human I’ve ever faced. I would have loved to have faced you uninjured.” With that, he stepped out of the room and slid the door shut with a heavy thud. A loud metallic noise sounded as a bar was locked in place on the other side. Flash coughed once, wincing as it pained his bruised and cracked ribs. His head was pounding and his mouth felt dry and sticky. The spot where Telson had bitten him burned and itched, though not nearly as bad as when it had actually happened. At that time, it had felt as if molten lead was being injected directly into his veins. What had hurt even more though at that moment, was realizing exactly what his enemy was and how he had failed to see it coming. Some officer you are... He thought as he berated himself. Ella bit her lip as she looked back at Flash, unsure of what to say. He had his face turned slightly away from her so that she couldn’t see his eyes. “Did he hurt you?” He asked quietly. Ella shook her head. “No. If anything, he's been kinda gentle. He promised he wouldn’t hurt me.” Flash nodded, grateful for small mercies but still did not look at her. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry...” He said, before going silent, grimacing as he clenched his jaw. “Flash, Flash look at me. Are you okay?” His labored breathing was his only reply. She didn’t need to be a psychologist to know that he was crushed. That he was likely berating himself for failing to get them to safety. Worse still, she could sense that he could not stand for her to see him so broken and vulnerable. Ever since they met, he had tried to be a pillar of strength and comfort for her. So confident, so capable and sure of himself. Ella understood now that his behavior had not been mere hubris or cockiness, but that he was earnestly trying to be strong for her, to give her hope in spite of his own fears and uncertainties. And now, he had failed in at that as well, or so he thought. Her heart went out to him as she tried again. “Flash, this isn’t your fault.” “Yes it is...” He grumbled in a low voice. “I’m such an idiot...I should have seen this coming...” Ella couldn’t fathom how that was possible, but then again, she suspected he likely knew more information that he might not have shared yet. Still, she was eager to keep him talking. “We can’t predict everything, Flash.” Ella said as she reached for the paperclip in her back pocket, “And beatin’ yourself up over it ain’t going to help either of us.” She scoffed to herself at the sudden reversal of roles. He’s been the one giving me advice all night, guess it’s my turn. Ella always kept a paper clip on her. With as much experience she had being on the wrong side of the law, she had become fairly knowledgeable about how to pick the lock on standard police-issue handcuffs, like the kind she was wearing right now. He made no reply to that, so she decided to switch gears. “What’s the deal with this Telson? He called you ‘human’, like he ain’t one. What is he, a vampire or something?” She asked, glancing at the two holes on the side of his neck. Flash let out a humorless laugh. “No, not exactly, but good guess.” Ella paused at that, looking up from her work of bending the paper clip into a usable shape. Flash glanced at her for a second before staring back at the floor. “They’re called changelings.” Ella swallowed nervously. “And...do they come from where you do?” Flash nodded. “I’m afraid so.“ “So, what are they like?” “They’re shape-shifters, insect-like. Sort of like an ant colony. A bunch of drones and soldiers with one queen.” Flash said as if he were merely reading from an encyclopedia. Ella shivered at his description, not wanting to know what Telson might actually look like. Bugs gave her the creeps. “Are they evil?” Flash shook his head. “No, not exactly. No more than any other creature has the potential to be evil.” Flash smirked as if recalling something funny. “I mean, we used to think they were. But in reality, they’re just hungry...always hungry.” “Hungry for what?” Ella whispered, almost afraid to ask. Before Flash could answer, a loud clang sounded at the door before it was pulled to one side. Ella felt her heart drop into her stomach, it wasn’t Telson. Damian stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. A disgusting grin split his sadistic face as he eagerly took in the scene. He looked from Ella to Flash, his smile widened further. “Alone at last.” Telson stepped into the nearly pitch black room, carefully closing the door behind him as he heard the electronic lock automatically secure behind him. The air in the room was warm, and slightly humid. A sickly, sweet smell clung to the air. Like fruit that had just begun to turn but was not yet completely spoiled. A faint green glow came from further ahead giving him just enough light with his human eyes to make out her dark silhouette as she sat on her haunches, her back to him. He immediately dropped to one knee, bowing his head as he waited for her to acknowledge him. The shadowy outline slowly rotated its head to one side and paused, a sliver of green light suddenly stabbed through the darkness as she cracked an eye open. “Status?” She asked, the single word cutting through the heavy silence like a knife. “Mild concussion, three cracked ribs, extensive bruising and contusions, and a partially-healed gunshot wound. He’s battered, but he’ll hold up. I should have him ready soon.” “And the gate-key...did you find it?” Telson smiled as he reached inside his jacket to pull out a small silver chain attached to a multicolored gem that swirled with a faintly glowing light. “It was in his jacket.” No sooner had he held it out when a green glow enveloped it and tore it from his fingers. An excited chittering and clicking noise coming through the darkness. “Yes...yes at last...” She hissed to herself, practically buzzing with barely restrained glee. Telson smiled as he kept his gaze to the floor, not daring to raise his head, but thoroughly pleased that he could give her the object of her longing. He was happy that she was happy. “Telson,” She hissed. “Yes Mistress?” “Look at me.” Telson swallowed nervously before obeying, daring to look directly at her. The single, glowing green slit in the darkness held his gaze with a piercing stare. After a few moments, its angle shifted slightly as her expression changed; he could tell she was smiling. “Excellent work, Telson. You have done well.” Telson dipped his head, bowing once more, feeling totally unworthy of her praise. “It is my honor to serve you.” “Let me know as soon as he’s ready.” She said, the green sliver disappeared into the darkness as she turned her head away. “Absolutely, Mistress.” Telson said before rising and exiting the room, the door securing behind him. Chelicerae opened her eyes as she dangled the gate-key in her magic before her, staring at it with utter satisfaction. She looked up to the ceiling at the more than two-dozen humans suspended in the luminescent, green cocoons attached to the ceilings. A cloudy, pink haze of their love that her changeling eyes could see hung in the air. Love caused by dreams of loved ones caring for them, dreams that they could practically touch, dreams that would never be a reality for them. They were mostly women and children. All runaways and strays. All unwanted and ignored in the mostly unnoticed underworld of human trafficking that so called ‘civilized society’ in this world chose to largely ignore. It was why she despised these humans she lived among: no loyalty, little order. Despite all of their impressive advancements in technology, there was often no care for their fellow hive mates outside their own immediate circles. And even these often carried with them disordered and broken relationships. They disgusted her, and were largely unworthy of her respect. But at least they were good for one thing. The changeling princess parted her jaws as she sucked in another healthy dose of the life-giving energy from the air. She swallowed contentedly, feeling more energized than ever before. One benefit that she and Telson had from being alone, was that there was never a need to ration and as a result, they had both grown far more powerful than was ever conceivable back in Equestria. She looked back at the gate-key floating in her magic, a delighted grin beginning to spread across her face as she bared her fangs. “Time for our long awaited reunion, my sweet little human.” Damian strolled casually towards the middle of the room, gloating every step of the way. “Aww, little soldier boy’s all tied up.” Flash continued to stare down at the floor, acting as if he was unaware that the other man was even in the room. He stopped in front of him, cocking his head to one side. “What, no ‘hello’? What happened to all that confidence of yours?” Flash remained silent, making Damian grow irritated at being ignored. Ella though, had had enough. She had always been afraid of this psychopath before, and in truth, she still was. But as of now, her care for Flash far outweighed her fear of this sick man. “Hey asshole!” Ella shouted mockingly. Damian held up a forefinger at her, but continued to look at Flash. “Patience honey, the show’s about to start.” “Yeah, the show where you prove what a ball-less wonder you’ve always been by trying to torment a chained up kid?” She said with all the dripping sarcasm she could muster. Ella closed her fist around her paperclip to conceal it as he glanced at her. “Aww, trying to help your little boy-toy?” Ella glared, infuriated at the degrading insult he had leveled at Flash. “Oh, I’ll help him. But he definitely doesn’t need my help with a pathetic loser like you. He could beat you with both arms tied behind his back.“ That seemed to finally have an effect as Damian turned and began walking slowly towards her. Ella felt slightly afraid, but at the same time, never more alive. It felt so good to fight back, to no longer live in this freak’s shadow. She smiled, “Yeah, that’s right. That kid’s a better man than you could ever dream of being. He’s worth a thousand of you.” Damian seized her by the throat and slammed her back against the wall, breathing hard through his broken nose. Ella continued to stare back defiantly. He gave her an unholy look. “Is that right?” He whispered. “Maybe I should start by reminding you what a real man is like.” He said while licking his lips. “Hey flank-face...” Came a low, threatening voice behind him. Damian turned his head and saw Flash with his face turned, looking up at him. A wicked looking smile curled his lips as his starburst eyes shone temporarily with a lightning-blue glow. His gaze held a deadly intent that actually sent a chill up Damian’s spine. “Wanna play?” Damian felt enraged, angry that even in this state, this kid was still making him feel fear. He spun around and stomped towards him, winding up a kick towards the kid’s jaw with every intent on breaking it. At the last second, Flash’s head suddenly twitched back with unnatural quickness, allowing his assailant's foot to sail by into open air. Damian lost his balance as his other foot flew out from underneath him, causing him to fall flat onto his back. Ella stared in stunned disbelief before bursting out in incredulous laughter. “Ooh, too bad.” Flash tutted, “Care to try again?” Damian sprang up in a rage and got right in Flash’s face, slamming his uninjured right fist as hard as he could into it. Ella winced as his head snapped to one side but immediately felt relief as Flash looked back up at him with an unimpressed expression, seemingly unaffected. Damian screamed in frustration as he struck Flash again and again, hitting him across the face with his fist and knees until he had to stumble off to one side, panting and out of breath. Flash spat a small amount of blood off to the side but otherwise, looked no worse for wear as he tilted his head, looking up with a judgmental glare at Damian. “That all you got? My grandmare hits harder than you.” Damian’s face twisted in utter rage as he punched as hard as he could square at Flash’s nose, intending to break it as he had broken his. Once again, he forgot about how unnaturally fast the younger man was. Flash waited until the last second before tucking his chin, allowing the fist to crash into his forehead, effectively head-butting it and causing the man’s wrist to painfully buckle. Damian screamed a string of foul expletives as he danced around clutching his wrist. “Yeah, you take a minute.” Flash said. Ella laughed again, she couldn’t help it. Damian was actually getting beaten up by a tied up man. Flash was glad that he could make her laugh, he was absolutely infuriated that this freak had dared to lay hands on her. He wanted to keep the man's attention completely on him, no matter what it might cost him. At the same time however, Flash was worried. He had wanted to charge his body with high voltage so that Damian would have been blasted across the room the second he touched him. But true to its nature, the changeling venom still coursing through his bloodstream was suppressing his active magic, cutting off much of his abilities. It was only a matter of time before Damian attacked him in a more vulnerable spot, like his damaged ribs. Blast it Telson, where are you... As if he had read his mind, Damian suddenly spun around and kicked Flash as hard as he could in his right side, directly into his cracked ribs. Ella stopped laughing as Flash cried out in pain, grimacing as he struggled to stay upright. "Flash!" She shouted as Damian kicked Flash again in the same spot, laughing gleefully at finally being able to hurt him. "Oh, does that hurt? Here, let me make it worse!" Flash clenched his jaw, unable to defend himself as Damian kicked him again and again, his vision going hazy with pain as the deranged man refused to let up. On the next kick, Damian aimed his foot so that the point of his toe speared into the young man's side. Flash felt a crack and a piercing agony sharper than before as something inside of him finally gave way. He fell to his side, coughing and unable to breath as he tasted hot blood entering his throat and mouth. Damian stepped in front of him, landing a brutal stomp on his head before he stomped onto his gunshot wound, twisting and grinding his heel into it. The pain was unbearable, and yet Flash could not even catch his breath to scream as darkness began to creep into the edges of his vision. He bit the inside of his cheek, using the pain to force himself to stay conscious. Damian's foot finally lifted off of him as he bent down, dropping to one knee to admire his handiwork. "Hey kiddo, don't fall asleep yet!" He sneered as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a large folding knife that he flicked open. "We're just getting started!" "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Ella screamed from behind, but he ignored her. Damian placed his knee on Flash's neck while casually holding the knife in his right hand. "You know, sometimes with special cases, I like to keep a souvenir. Something to remember our special time together." He lightly traced the edge of the knife along Flash's back, drawing a long, thin scratch. The young man grunted something, but made no outcry. "What was that? You need to speak up." Flash coughed, some blood splattering out of his mouth. "I said, 'You talk too much!'" He wheezed, finally opening his eyes as he glared up at his enemy. "I should have broken your jaw..." He growled before giving him a rather ghoulish, bloodied grin. Damian's brow furrowed as he placed the edge of the knife on Flash's left shoulder, right across his cutie mark, and slashed. "Oops." Damian said as Flash screamed once; but his scream wasn't so much one of pain. It rang more of despair and loss. "No..." he moaned as blood began to flow from the deep laceration. "Aw, you like your tats? Sorry about that." Flash gritted his teeth, a few tears coming to his eyes as he attempted to get up before Damian bashed him in the side of the head with the butt of his knife. He grinned, thoroughly enjoying himself. "You know those eyes of yours are pretty sweet, I think I'll keep one..." Flash tried to shake his head loose as he felt the tip of the knife begin to cut into his eyelid. Without warning, he suddenly heard Ella scream savagely and Damian shout in alarm as the weight on his neck immediately lifted. The young woman had tackled the lunatic from behind, leaping onto his back and clinging to him with her arms and legs. She clawed Damian across his face as if her life depended on it, drawing long, bloody scratches as she bit and scratched him in a frenzied attack. Damian dropped his knife as he was forced to defend himself, screaming at the pain being inflicted on him as she tore the bandages off his broken nose, grabbing and twisting. He stumbled from side to side, twisting his torso back and forth as he attempted to throw her off. He finally managed to grab onto one of her forearms with his right hand while swinging his left elbow back, catching her in the side and knocking the wind out of her. "YOU BITCH!" He screamed as he finally managed to fling her off and to the floor. Ella hit the ground and rolled to one side, struggling to overcome the shock to her system as Damian bore down on her. She involuntarily closed her eyes as he drew a leg back to kick her. A second ticked by and no kick came. Ella slowly cracked her eyes open as she heard muffled grunting. The first thing that came into view were Damian's black sneakers which oddly, were about six inches off of the floor and flailing wildly. The next thing she noticed were the two thick legs clad in dark slacks and polished dress-shoes standing directly behind him. Telson had seized him from behind by the neck with one hand, lifting him clear off the floor while choking him in a crushing grip which Damian clawed at in a futile attempt to get free. The powerful man held him aloft to one side in an unbelievable display of physical strength, grimacing as if he were being forced to handle a polluted rag, in his other hand he held his metal tray that was loaded with various medical supplies. What grabbed Ella's attention the most though, was the expression on Telson's face. Even though he was controlling his appearance, she could easily tell that he was apoplectic. A thick vein pulsed in his neck and temple, and his jaw was clenched so tightly that the muscles underneath his skin were deeply pronounced. A volcanic rage smoldered within his pale eyes as it appeared that he was using every ounce of his considerable self-mastery to not pop Damian's head off like an overripe grape from a vine. Ella shrank back in fear. "What...do you think you are doing with the Mistress' prize?" Telson said, forcing out each word. Each syllable that fell from his lips crashed down with the weight of destiny, every word sounding like a pronouncement of doom. Ella scrambled on her hands and knees to Flash's side, sheltering him with her body as she watched Telson toss Damian across the room with a flick of his wrist. The man hit the floor, rolling several times. Telson stepped in the opposite direction to set his tray down on the steel table before whipping back around, both hands free now. "I should kill you.” He snarled. “I WILL kill you!" He declared, raising his voice for the first time. His footsteps seemed to shake the room as he stomped towards Damian who was scrabbling across the floor like an eel out of water, trying desperately to get away. He cried out in terror, rolling over and trying to shield himself with his arms as Telson bore down on him. The large man stomped his foot onto the center of his chest, pinning him to the floor. Damian grabbed at Telson's ankle in a hopeless struggle to save himself. Ella tore her gaze away from the horrifying scene to look down at Flash for a second, he looked terrible. His whole side was now one, giant bruised and bloody mess. His right eye was obscured by blood as was his left shoulder. His breathing came in rattling gasps. "Flash..." She whimpered as she touched his feverish skin, feeling helpless as she looked back to Telson who was staring down at the man pinned beneath his foot. His face was full of killing intent but for whatever reason, he hesitated. He certainly wanted to kill, and yet something seemed to be holding him back. Finally, after another tense moment, Telson leaned down towards Damian, resting his forearm on his knee. "Listen, and listen well." He said in a low, quiet, and yet terrifying voice that caused Damian to freeze. Telson drew in a breath and let it out, "Make no mistake, the only reason you're still breathing you little cretin, is because the Mistress has not ordered me to kill you yet." He snarled as he stood back up straight. "So if I were you, I would make myself scarce!" He practically spat the last word as he kicked his foot, like he were trying to scrape something distasteful off the bottom of his shoe. Damian slid across the smooth floor and banged into the wall next to the entrance of the room. He didn't even look back as he scrambled to his feet, scurrying from the room like the roach he was. Telson continued to stare out of the room for a few moments, his rage still simmering. What a disgusting individual. This world would be better off without his existence. “Telson!” Ella’s voice rang out from behind, snapping him back to the present. He spun around and saw Ella kneeling next to Flash with her hands on the young man’s shoulders, trying to stabilize him. Her eyes were wide and glassy, full of worry and concern. “Help him, please!” With instant movement, the large man sprang into action, getting down on one knee in front of them as he gently lifted the boy’s chin, and took measure of his new injuries. “For order’s sake,” he cursed under his breath. Flash’s uninjured eye fluttered open as he looked at him, smirking slightly despite his obvious pain. “What took you big guy?” He gurgled weakly. “Give me room.” Telson said to Ella which she did, scooting back slightly. He turned Flash’s torso slightly to one side, performing an odd kind of embrace as he placed his ear against his back and listened for a moment. “Order curse it...” He swore again as he pulled back; there was genuine worry on his face. He looked over at Ella and gestured with his head, “Bring me that tray, quickly!” Ella rose and obeyed without hesitating, crossing behind him and retrieving the laden tray from across the room. On it were rolls of bandages, ointments, a clean washcloth, a plastic bowl, and a few bottles of water among other things. She knelt by Telson’s side, holding the tray for him. The man snatched the washcloth from the tray and paused, staring for a moment as if he were trying to decide where to begin. He sighed as he replaced the cloth and took the tray from Ella, setting it on the floor. Telson reached into his jacket and pulled out the black cloth bag that he had pulled off of her head earlier. “I need you to put this on and go sit in that chair, now please.” He said as he held it out to her. Ella hesitated, a bit surprised that he was asking instead of forcing her. Flash coughed again, more blood splattering across his chin. “Ella, it’s okay.” He said weakly, “Just do what he says.” “Aw, hell.” She said snatching the bag from him and walking over to sit in the chair. “No matter what you hear, don’t take it off until I say so. I’m trusting you on this.” Telson said, looking seriously at her. Ella looked hard at him before nodding as she pulled the bag on over her head and waited. “Bite down on this.” She heard him say to Flash. “I’m sorry young one, but I’m afraid this is going to hurt quite a bit. It’s not exactly my specialty.” There was a noise that sounded like a rush of flames followed by a chitter and a loud, fleeting buzz as if a giant hornet had flown by, it gave Ella chills. It was as if an enormous insect had suddenly appeared. Flash groaned in renewed pain as a strange hum filled the air. “Try to hold still.” Telson said, but his voice sounded strange; more hollow with a hint of reverberation to it. Ella resisted the temptation to tear the cover off her head. In the end, it was fear of what she might see that helped her to resist. After what felt like a few minutes, the hum stopped and she heard the sound of rushing flames again. She heard Telson sigh. “Alright small one, you can take it off now.” He said, his voice sounded normal again. Ella pulled the dark cover off and rushed back over to Flash as Telson pulled the rolled up washcloth out from between his teeth. She caught onto his shoulders to support him as he panted hard, unable to raise his head. His breathing was no longer ragged. “What did you do to him?!” She snapped at Telson who was opening a bottle of water and pouring it into the bowl. He calmly soaked the washcloth and wrung it out before beginning to dab at the blood covering Flash’s right eye. “See for yourself.” He replied. Ella’s heart swelled with relief as she saw his now unobscured eyelid flutter open, his brilliant eye still perfectly intact though a thin, white scar now ran vertically across his eyelid. “Oh thank God,” she practically sobbed as she looked at Telson with a renewed sense of gratitude. He nodded once at her as he rinsed out the cloth and began to clean off Flash’s left shoulder. The laceration was closed, but a white scar now cut horizontally across his cutie mark. It was as if months worth of healing had happened in the space of a few moments. Ella shook her head in disbelief. “How did you?” Telson motioned with his head at Flash. “You can ask him later.” Though burning with curiosity Ella accepted the answer. She reached for another cloth on the tray and began to help him. Together, the two of them worked to clean him off and dress the remaining injuries that Telson had not healed. They worked together in silence and for just a moment, Ella could almost imagine that she was not presently a prisoner as she felt strangely comforted by Telson’s protective presence. Not a hint of ill-will towards her or Flash ever came from him. Even when he had attacked them, there was no malice in his actions, as brutal as they had been. It was like he was just going through the motions. Flash remained silent as they tended him, choosing not to speak, ask questions, or even look up at them. Telson smiled inwardly as he recognized the basic tactic. When captured, better to listen than to speak. Gather whatever details you can glean from your enemy. Not bad Lieutenant, you have good discipline. Still, he was extremely upset at what had happened. Not only for failing to guard the Mistress’ prize, but for failing in his personal pledge to little Ella. “I’m sorry,” Telson finally said as he finished wrapping Flash’s torso with bandages. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” He glanced at Ella, concern on his face. “Did he hurt you?” Ella winced slightly as she tested her left side where Damian had elbowed her; she knew it was bruised. “I’ll live.” She said. Telson made a disgusted noise as he tossed the rags on the tray and emptied the now sanguine colored water into the drain on the floor. Ella couldn’t take it anymore, she had to know. “Who are you Telson?” She asked pointedly, he paused and looked at her. “Why are you working for these people? You don’t seem like the kinda creep who fits this role. If anything, your the nicest guy I’ve met since Flash here. So why?” Telson sighed as he gathered up the tray and stood up. “My reasons are my own.” He picked up two bottles of water off the tray and handed them down to her. “It would have been nice to have met a human like you under better circumstances, but such as it is, I cannot change that.” Ella took the bottles from him. “I don’t understand.” She said as he nodded sympathetically at her. “It may become clearer to you soon, small one.” “Is there, is there any chance that we get out of this alive?” Ella asked, finally addressing the elephant in the room. Telson smiled gently at her though his eyes appeared sad. “I cannot say for sure, it is not up to me. But I certainly hope so, for both of you.” He said before turning and walking over to the handcuffs dangling from the pipe. He plucked the paper clip still jammed in the lock out of it. He held it up, raising an impressed eyebrow at her, “Not bad. You continue to impress me small one.” Ella blinked, unsure of what to say. Telson motioned to Flash, “Take care of him, and prepare yourselves for what comes next. This time, no one will get in here, that I can assure you.” Without another word, he turned and stepped out of the room, closing and locking the heavy steel door behind him. Ella sighed as she set the bottles down, opening one before offering it to Flash who gratefully accepted, draining more than half the bottle in one go. Ella took a sip from it as well when he finished. A few beats of uncomfortable silence passed as she tried to think of something to say to him. “So, a world magic ponies, huh?” She said lightheartedly trying to raise his spirits. Flash gave a small huff as he finally raised his head and looked at her, his face sad but he managed to give her a small smile. “Eeyup, among other creatures.” “Like magic bugs?” “Like magic bugs.” He repeated with a small chuckle. Ella smiled as she scooted a little closer to him. "And your last name is 'Skies'?" Flash nodded as he glanced away, as if reminiscing. "Yes, my mother's name. She gave it to me." Ella nodded. "I like it, it's kinda fitting." "Thanks, I like it too." Ella glanced back at the door. "Any ideas on how to get out of here?" "Working on it." Flash said as he looked around the peripheries of the room before going silent again. Ella paused, a small realization causing her to smile. "So tell me, was I the first girl you've ever seen?" Flash blushed slightly as he turned his head away, before nodding silently. "Yeah," He finally whispered. For some reason, Ella found that immensely satisfying and touching. That explains A LOT. No wonder he's so sweet and shy. The thought caused her to smile again. "You know, you're really cute when you get all shy like that." She gently teased which caused him to flush further. Her smile fell though, when her eyes landed on his left shoulder. A long scar now cut right through his cutie mark, dividing it completely in half. Ella was beginning to understand just how much these marks meant to him. His purpose. She slowly reached out to gently trace a finger over it, causing him to flinch hard as if she had touched a raw nerve, she jerked back her hand. His head snapped to hers and she recoiled slightly. His face was absolutely livid, his eyes full of anger and pain. It took her a moment to realized that the anger was not directed at her. Tears were beginning to form in his eyes as his shoulders rose and fell with heavy breathing. Ella stared back, locking eyes with him. Tears began to form in her own eyes as she could now see to what depths he had been wounded. Without a word, Ella immediately pulled off her jacket and draped it around his shoulders before taking his head into her hands and gently pulling him into a comforting embrace, resting his head under her chin. She tenderly stroked the side of his face as she held him close. He shuddered slightly, but made no sound as he melted into her embrace. Together, they stayed that way as an unspoken dialogue passed between them, a dialogue of compassion and shared sufferings that words could not even begin to describe. It was their most important conversation yet, and they savored every moment of it. Eventually, Ella felt moved to audible words, knowing exactly what she wanted to say to him. “Thank you, Flash.” She whispered after a few more moments, turning to rest her cheek atop his head, his hair was extremely soft. “Thank you for helping me, for everything you’ve done. No matter what happens, I just want you to know that you’ve made me happy. For the first time, in a very long time, I’m happy.“ She paused to swallow, choking back a sob. “You’ve helped me to remember what it means to be alive, to be human. You’re the best thing to ever happen to me, so thank you.” Ella barely got the last words out as hot tears began to roll down her face and into his gleaming hair. For the first time since her mother died, she had opened her heart to someone. She was glad that it could be to someone like him. Tears rolled down Flash’s cheeks as he absorbed the incredible weight of her words. He instantly thought of his mother, how her special talent was being able to brighten the lives of others and felt a deep, penetrating connection within the very depths of his soul. In spite of his failings, despite his pain and injuries, he had accomplished something far beyond simply protecting. His persistent efforts had helped to change another person for the better, to brighten their life. He was his mother’s son. His body may be scarred, but his identity was whole and never stronger, never more confirmed. Only through sacrifice and suffering do we grow in virtue. Luna’s words rang clearly through his head. Flash understood that now, better than ever. He had been tested by adversity, gone through the fire, and came out on the other side stronger than ever before. Far from being broken as he had first feared, he now felt renewed in purpose, and it was all thanks to this woman whom he could now call a friend. His earlier hope that there was still some glimmer of true beauty buried deep within her soul had not been in vain. And that beauty was now brilliantly on display for all to see. “Thank you, Ella.” He whispered, “I’m glad that I could help you.” She leaned back and held his face in front her of hers, smiling beautifully at him. She looked like a new person. Flash felt as if he was finally seeing who she really was for the first time, and she was truly beautiful. He blinked in shock as she leaned in and gave him a small, pure kiss on his cheek. She leaned back again, giving a small smirk at his bewildered reaction. Ella beamed as she realized that for the first time since she was a little girl, she had given a happy kiss. Before either of them could say anything, they heard the noise of the lock being pulled back on the other side of the door. They both looked at the door before looking back again to each other. Flash’s eyes narrowed in determination as he nodded sharply at her which she returned. The silent gesture said what they were both thinking: Together. The door slid back and Telson stepped inside. His face appeared worried as he looked at Ella, motioning with a slight jerk of his head that she needed to get back over to the chair. She nodded back to him in comprehension as she pulled her jacket off of Flash’s shoulder’s, her hand lingering on his cheek for just a second before she went over to the chair and stood next to it. Flash looked straight ahead, his eyes widening in surprise as Telson stepped aside, his hands clasped in front of him as another figure strode into the room from behind him. She was stunning, absolutely flawless in her appearance. Her looks were so peerless that they borderlined artificial, mythic even. Long, dark hair shimmered in the light like the night sky. Her fierce emerald eyes simply sparkled with delight. Her shapely figure was adorned by a modest white blouse that just covered her shoulders and a dark skirt that went to right above her knees. Even Ella, who was considered ‘good looking’ by any standard, felt a bit threatened at first by this woman’s looks. That feeling quickly vanished though, squashed by her reborn confidence as well as the bond she knew she now had with Flash. And despite her beautiful appearance, Ella wasn’t fooled. Something from deep within her instincts screamed at her that nothing about this woman was as it seemed. She knew from the moment that she had stepped into the room, that this creature was not human, and that she was absolutely lethal. The mystery woman walked forward slowly with the air of one who had power and enjoyed using it. She stopped about five-feet in front of Flash, staring down at him with the longing of a starving individual who now had a sumptuous banquet laid before them. A wide smile broke out on her beautiful face, her voice was like warm honey as she spoke. “Hello, my little Equestrian.”