//------------------------------//
// Broken Minds, Broken Hearts 
// Story: Brighter Horizons 
// by Destiny Chaser 
//------------------------------//

Three days earlier.
The sun was setting low in the horizon, blanketing the Equestrian countryside in a soft orange glow as another beautiful day prepared to give way to the beautiful night. The weather was perfect, not too warm with just a hint of a cool breeze flowing through the air. Flash looked up from the piece of wood he had been carving at with a small, black-handled dagger as another breeze passed by, pausing to savor the feel of it passing through his wind-swept hair. Wearing a white shirt and khaki slacks, his bare feet kicked over the side of Burnt Oak's front porch, the old stallion himself lounging on a bench, a wooden tobacco pipe dangling lazily from one side of his mouth as he watched the sunset. 
Flash looked down at the small block of wood in his hands, turning it over slowly as he considered it. There were no real defining features so far, he wasn't even very sure what he wanted to carve. He sighed as he stared at it, almost as if he were willing an image to reveal itself from the block.
"You're a bit worried, aren't ya son?" Came the warm voice behind him. Flash smirked as he looked up but didn't turn around.
"I didn't say that I was." He replied.
"You didn't have too." Burnt Oak said with a chuckle. "I've known ya long enough to tell when somethin's knawin' on your mind." Flash smiled at that, glad that the old stallion was not like other ponies. One of the biggest complaints he had always gotten from other ponies in the guard was that his immobile ears and lack of a tail made it very difficult for anypony to read his mood in a given moment.
Look at you! No ears! No tail! No way to know what's going on in that head of yours! How do I even know if you're not thinking of killing me?! I bet you was thinking of killing me, weren't you?!
No sir!
No?! Well why in Tartarus not?! Are you a pacifist Candidate Skies?!
No sir!
Are you gonna hug the changelings to death?!
No sir!
Bull-spit! I'll bet your so lovey with the enemy that the bugs will label you a new major food-group! I'll be watchin' you!

Flash laughed a little to himself at the memory of Gunnery Sergeant Hard Tack singling him out on the first day of boot camp. Slipstream had almost had an aneurism trying to suppress his laughter. 
"It's only natural that you'd feel nervous, takin' a trip to wherever it is ya come from is a pretty big event." Burnt Oak said. Flash smiled and shook his head,
"No, it's not that. Well, I mean," He stood up and stepped off the porch, "Yeah, I am a bit nervous about that, but that's not what's worrying me." Flash said as he turned around. One of Burnt Oak's ears flicked at him as he raised one bushy eyebrow.
"Oh, and what's that?" Flash sighed, looking down at the small, shiny dagger in his hand, loosely hefting it a few times before turning around and throwing it at the chopping block in the middle of the yard where it embedded itself with a sharp thunk. Hitting the small knot in the wood he had been aiming for.
"Discord paid me a little visit the other day." He said, letting that statement hang in the air for a moment. Burnt Oak didn't say anything to that, but Flash noticed the curious look the old stallion was giving him. "Don't worry, we're good." Flash quickly remarked, "But he was uncharacteristically serious for once."
"What did he want?" Burnt Oak asked. Flash half turned so that he could see the stallion out of the corner of his eye while at the same time, staring off into the evening twilight. 
"He said he came to ask me something, that he wanted to know why did I need to try and go to my home world? He said that I have everything I could ever need here: a beautiful home, a noble responsibility, friends and family who love me. So why should I go? Why not leave well enough alone?'" Flash remained silent for a moment as he considered the chaos spirit's cryptic words. "I think he might have peeked. Celestia knows he's more than capable of it. I think that was his strange way of looking out for me, maybe trying to warn me off." Burnt Oak took a long draw on his pipe before breathing out a plume of smoke, the rich scent of pipe tobacco lingered in the air for just a moment before being carried off by the evening breeze.
"And what did you say to that, son?" He asked. Flash shrugged,
"I said that I wanted to go to find out who I was, where it is I come from. That I want to know if there's others like me. After all, Sunset Shimmer told me that the world she had been in was not mine, that the humans there are a different kind than I am." Flash paused to look down at the block of wood in his hand, he just now realized that he had been squeezing it so hard that his hand felt cramped. He relaxed his grip before continuing, "Discord responded with 'what we want is not always what we need', challenged me to 'think about it' before bidding me well and vanishing." Flash glanced at Burnt Oak. The pony flicked an ear at him again but otherwise remained silent. "Maybe he's right," Flash said with an air of uncertainty. "Maybe I am poking my nose around where I shouldn't and I should just be content with my good life here." Burnt Oak said nothing at first, chewing thoughtfully on the stem of his pipe as he allowed a long period of silence to stretch out between them. Just as Flash was about to ask his friend to say something, the old stallion spoke.
"You need to do this." He said with a calm but convicted voice. Flash blinked, a bit surprised at the forwardness of the pony's words. Burnt Oak shook his head as Flash turned to look at him, "It's not fair to yourself to keep yourself from the truth in order to please others. If you don't do this, you'll always be left wondering what might've been different with your life if ya had gone." Flash's eyes narrowed slightly,
"And if I find that it's no good?" Burnt Oak smiled,
"Then leave it a better place than ya found it." He replied. "What have I always told you son? 'Wherever you don't find any goodness?'"
"'Put some of your own there.'" Flash said with a smirk. The old pony nodded approvingly.
"You betcha. Just watch your back while doing it though, hmm? Don't let anypony take advantage of ya." He said with sly twinkle in his eye. Flash laughed at that, giving a sharp nod in return. The rest of the evening was spent in comfortable, aimless chatter that went well into the night, with no other purpose than to enjoy the other's company. Burnt Oak had even gotten a couple of mugs of hard cider out at some point, teasing the young human that he was still a bit of a light weight when it came to alcohol. Laughter was shared, stories recalled, and new memories were made. By the time they were done, the stars were twinkling in the night sky as Luna's moon bathed the countryside in a soft, comforting light.
Flash stepped down off the porch, stretching as he prepared to walk home. The cool night air and the chirping of crickets made it a nice night for a walk. He turned as Burnt Oak came up behind him and held up a hoof which Flash clasped in his hand, the old stallion's grip was still as strong as iron as he held the human's gaze with steely blue eyes. "You watch yourself now son, and get yourself back safe. I just want you to know that ya done me proud to see the kinda stallion you've turned out to be." Flash smiled as he felt the words swell his heart, staring back with grateful eyes at the gruff stallion who was the closest thing to a father he had ever known.
"I will, and thank you sir. Thank you for all that you've done for me, for always being there." He said as he released his grip before adding, "Love you, you old stallion." Burnt Oak gave a small smile and a gentle nod as Flash turned and walked off into the night. The pony stood there for a few minutes longer, watching the young human go off into the distance until he was unable to see him anymore.
"Love you too, son." He whispered before turning and walking into the house.



Flash Skies whipped his head out from beneath the elegantly shaped faucet, gasping for air. He coughed hard, spitting out a thick globule of coagulated blood into the sink. His whole body was groaning in pain, everything hurt. His head pounded, his neck burned, his bullet wound throbbed, and his torso felt like the whole Apple clan had mistook him for one of the trees in their orchard, twice. Chelicerae had directed him to one of the penthouse bathrooms where he had spent the last ten minutes or so retching into the toilet before practically drowning himself in the sink in an attempt to rehydrate and flush the venom out of his system. Shutting the water off, Flash grabbed a clean towel off the golden towel rack to his right, drying his face and hair.
Telson had sealed up his wounds with his magic as best he could, but the changeling was no doctor and his efforts were a far cry from any true healing spell. Flash sucked in a slow breath to steady himself as he took a moment to gaze at his countenance in the large, well lit mirror. His torso remained tightly bound in white bandages and his face bore a few red marks. Of course the most prominent new feature gracing his face was the scar that now ran vertically across his right eye. Flash took a moment to softly run his fingers over it. He shuddered slightly, knowing that if it wasn't for Ella, he would now be blind in that eye. He then reached over to feel the far larger scar that cut across his left shoulder, marring his cutie mark. He grimaced at the unfamiliar bumpy texture caused by the ridge of scar tissue now present there, wondering how his mother and friends would react to his battered appearance if they could see him now.
Flash held up a hand, focusing hard as he reached for his magic, the effort causing a spike of pain to go off in his head as he only succeeded in causing a few sparks to leap off his fingers before he finally released his focus. He leaned against the counter for support, breathing hard as his head swam. His body was still producing and storing electricity, but with his magic still suppressed, he was unable to reach it, let alone control it. 
Flash began to methodically think back through all of the events that had occurred over the last few hours as he attempted to order his thoughts. What presently pained him more though than any of his physical injuries, or the knowledge that his parents were dead, or even the experience of being cowed by Chelicerae, was the guilt he was feeling for losing control of the situation so that the princess had turned her wrath on Ella. 
Flash had meant to tell Chelicerae what she had wanted to know if it came to choosing between operational security and his friend’s safety, but events had moved too fast. He had hesitated, and Ella had paid the price. What were you thinking? His reflection’s accusing gaze shouted at him. His roiling anger at both himself and the changeling curled up in his chest, threatening to burst out like a viper about to strike, but he immediately restrained it.
No! Keep it together soldier. Hot-headed decisions and self-loathing are not going to help anypony. There would be time to chastise himself later. Flash turned his thoughts back to his present predicament, searching for a solution. I have to get the gate-key back and escape with Ella. He thought as he considered his options, which were few to say the least. Even if he were at full-strength, getting the gate-key back from Chelicerae would still be extremely difficult. A well-fed changeling was a dangerous opponent, all the more so if she was of Chrysalis' blood. And she had no doubt by now protected the gate key hanging about her neck with more than a few spells anyways, a quick dash and grab would simply never work. And so long as Ella was her hostage, he couldn't risk any moves against the changeling that weren't guaranteed to succeed. 
'Don’t hate her Flash, don’t hate her…' Had been Ella’s last words to him before Telson had carried her off. Flash wondered to himself why she had said that to him of all things. Did she seriously want him to try and appeal to her darkened heart again? What had she meant by that? Flash slammed his fist against the counter in frustration. A strange mixture of guilt, anger, and sorrow was making him feel sick. I need to calm down, focus Flash. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. He repeated the breathing technique Princess Cadence had taught him years earlier for controlling his anger again and again until his pulse slowed and his mind began to clear. 
When he had forgiven the changeling, he had truly meant it. And he had sincerely hoped that his act of mercy would have been enough to touch her heart, he’d seen it work before with his friends. Twilight’s forgiveness of Discord was proof of that, even if he had been too blinded by hatred at the time to see it. But it hadn't worked this time. Perhaps it was simply naïve of him to think that a changeling that had been Tartarus-bent on her mission for 18 years would suddenly up and change because of one act of charity, however significant. 
Flash opened his eyes and glanced down at his black t-shirt that was folded up on the counter next to him. He thought back to the look on Chelicerae’s face when he had forgiven her, how a light of hope had glimmered in her eye, even for just a moment. It nearly worked, she was so close. He then remembered how her face had twisted in rage and her violent outburst. It reminded him of Chrysalis and how she had slapped away the hoof of friendship that Starlight Glimmer had offered her. Maybe she's too much like her mother, maybe I'm wasting my time trying to reach her and should just find a way to take her out instead... Then it hit him. 	
Flash looked up at himself in the mirror, his eyes widening with a realization. No, there is a difference between the two of them. Chrysalis lacked something, something that her daughter seemed to have in abundance: remorse, regret for the things she had done. Chrysalis had never been sorry for anything. Maybe that's it. He thought. Maybe that's what Ella meant. Perhaps that was the crack in her armor that he could use to get through to her, and get them all out of this mess. 
Celestia always says that the greatest power in the universe is not magic, but love. Flash thought as he pulled his shirt on. A happy memory of him sitting under Celestia's wing in the gardens of Canterlot Castle when he was very young came to his mind."Love, my little one, is the greatest power there is. It can remake all things, renew all things, because it is the same force that first made all things. Never forget that my dear Flash." Her words echoed in his mind, as he fastened the straps on his boots before straightening up. The power of charity, harmony... It was the Equestrian way that had allowed his adoptive home-world to live in peace for over a thousand years. How many times had he seen it change enemies into friends? Discord, Trixie Lulamoon, Starlight Glimmer...Nightmare Moon. Flash smirked to himself a little, Okay, that one was more of an exorcism, but still... 
His eyes narrowed, a confident smile beginning to pull at his lips as he started to see a possible way forward. "If it can cleanse the heart of even a demon-alicorn, it can heal Chelicerae as well." He said to himself. Alright Ella, I'll keep trying to reach her. I may not be an Element of Harmony, but by Celestia, I'll do my best to kill her with kindness. He knew this wouldn't be easy, but doing the right thing never was. Flash bowed his head, whispering a small prayer to the Source of all life for strength and guidance. If a tactical opportunity to escape with Ella presented itself, he would take it. But in the meantime, he resolved himself to the difficult task of shedding some light into this poor changeling's darkness.



Stepping out of the bathroom, Flash scanned the ridiculously large area that was the main penthouse's living room. The ceilings were at least twenty-five feet tall, with large floor to ceiling panels of glass that made up the entire far side of the wall looking out into the city. Dawn was still hours away, but the distant skyline was lit up by the lights of the city in addition to the lighting of an approaching storm that Flash had felt long before he had seen. A subtle rumble of distant thunder followed a few seconds later, like the warning growl of some great beast.
The rest of the room was divided into two levels. The lower level cradled a large, sunken sitting area that had a soft, blood-red carpet upon which several dark leather sofas and armchairs were spaciously arranged in a semi circle around a large glass coffee-table. Three steps up connected it to the upper portion which was fitted with beautiful hardwood flooring. Against the wall closest to him stood a luxurious, wraparound bar with a black-granite counter around which several artistically designed metal bar-stools were arranged. And there situated on the stool furthest from him, still in human form, sat Chelicerae. 
Flash turned to his right to get a better look at her. The princess' face was obscured from view by her black hair as she stared down at the crystal rock-glass that she tilted about in one hand, idly swirling the amber liquid inside. A sapphire-blue crystal bottle of expensive-looking make sat on the counter in front of her. She had yet to so much as even look at him, focusing instead on the contents of her glass to the exclusion of anything else. His sharp sense of smell could detect the scent of alcohol in the air mixing in with the changeling's natural honey on clover scent.
Even as his heart pitied her, Flash couldn't stop his mind from racing for a moment at the possible opportunity presented before him. She was alone, he was out of her line of sight. Those bar-stools looked pretty solid. A quick burst of speed, aim a stool at the back of her head, and I could probably... He shook his head, dismissing the thought from his mind as he knew that it would probably not be enough, and that she was likely more on guard than she appeared. Besides, the thought of striking a mare still filled him with revulsion. Burnt Oak had always taught him that any stallion who dared raise his hoof against a mare was trash or worse. And Mama Skies didn't raise no savage either.
"I'm glad you didn't do that, Michail." Chelicerae said as she took a slow sip from her glass. "Otherwise I would have been forced to break Telson's heart. And then I'd really be the villain, wouldn't I?" Flash's eyes widened a bit in surprise at her situational awareness. He slowly walked over to her, pulling out one of the stools and sitting down next to her, leaving one seat in between them.
"You could tell all that just by reading my emotions?" He asked. Her wrist suddenly flicked as an object shot towards his head, his hand immediately sprang up and intercepted the mystery-item with a sharp smack. Flash looked to see that she had thrown a bottle of pain-killers to him. He smirked as he popped open the bottle and swallowed down some of the pills. "Thanks," he muttered quietly as he snapped the lid back on. Chel took another drink from her glass.
"I've always been particularly adept at guessing another's thoughts based on what they are feeling, sort of a special talent I guess." She replied, her voice sounded distant as if her mind were someplace else. Flash glanced over at her,
"Yeah? And what am I thinking now Chel?" She remained silent for a moment before setting her glass down hard.
"You waste your time and energy pitying me, Michail." She snapped at him. "You see unlike you, I am not a good person. I would think you'd have realized that by now."
"But you're not all gone yet either, princess. So you'll forgive me if I still have some hope for you." She shot him a venomous look,
"Don't act like you know me, human!" Chelicerae growled as she pushed off her stool and turned threateningly towards him, her disguise was stripped off in an instant with a burst of green flame. Flash matched her movements but in a slow, unthreatening manner so as to show he was not challenging her. Her hoofs impacted sharply on the hardwood floor as she closed the distance between them until she was only two feet away from him, her eyes smoldering with a mixture of anger and spite. "You should know by now that I have no pity left in my heart, none!" Flash could smell the alcohol on her breath and wondered just how much she had been drinking.	
"Why did you kiss me then?" Chelicerae blinked as if she had been slapped, the question obviously catching her off-guard. Flash remained silent, allowing the question to hang in the air for a moment. "Why did you embrace me, or tell me that Ella-" He paused at that, glancing down for a moment. He took a slow breath and then looked up, "It may have been a calculated measure of comfort, maybe because you didn't want to completely break me, but it was comfort nonetheless, princess. And you meant it." Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly,
“So what if I did, what difference does it make?” She hissed.
“I'm pretty sure your mother would have never done that.” Flash dared to say, “Except maybe as a mocking taunt. No, she would have ground me into the cement I was kneeling on, gloating all the while. But you’re different, there’s still some good, some empathy left in you. So understand if I hold out even a little hope for you.” Chelicerae took one step forward so that she was directly in his face, eye-level with him as she was just as tall as he was. Flash felt her breath on his face as she exhaled hotly through her nostrils, glaring at him.
“Compare me with my mother again, and I’ll cut off your hand. Do I make myself clear Michail?” She said in a low, heated voice. Flash had to resist the urge to shudder, but he held her gaze with confidence.
“As you wish, princess.” He calmly replied. Chelicerae looked at him a moment longer before turning about and stepping away. 
"I appreciate the return of my clothes, any chance I can get my wrist-blades back?" He asked, causing her to scoff incredulously.
"As soon as I'm sure you won't try to eviscerate me with them, then perhaps."
"Don't trust me yet Chel?"
"Patience, Michail," She said with a sigh, "It's something we're both going to need."
"Yeah well, just be careful with them. It was a gift from Her Majesty." She simply grunted in response. Seizing her glass in her green magic, she drained the rest of its contents before tossing it over the side the bar where it noisily shattered. 
“I’ll have a full accounting of your capabilities Michail,” She said as she glanced back at him, “And don’t omit anything, remember I can tell if you do. I want to know what I have available to me.” Flash sighed, rubbing a hand over his tired eyes for a moment before nodding and looking up.
“Alright, well, I’m basically a pegasus without wings, Chel. I have the strength, resiliency, and agility of a very athletic pegasus. And unless humans here are capable of reading the print of a newspaper on the street even from way up here, I’m guessing I have sharper senses than an ordinary human does as well. My body also generates and stores high levels of voltage which I can then capacitate and focus into offensive blasts.” He said. Chelicerae’s eyes widened in understanding,
“I see, so that’s how you killed Enrique.” Flash grimaced slightly,
“Yes.” She cocked her head at him,
“Do you regret it?” She asked as she turned back around to face him. Flash stared at her a moment before shaking his head.
“No, I don’t. Don't get me wrong, it was a bucking awful thing to go through and I pray that I'm never in that kind of situation ever again. That being said, the more I’ve thought about it, the more I realize I did the right thing. I’d do it again if I had to.” 
“Hmph, you’re more like your father than you think,” she said with a slight smirk. Flash clenched his jaw at that but chose not to respond. He found his eyes drawn to the gate key dangling around her neck for a moment before Chelicerae placed a hoof under his chin and lifted his face back to hers. "Eyes up here, Michail." She said with a tired, bemused expression and tone as she flicked her hoof away. "You mustn't look at things that might tempt you to make a very regrettable decision." Flash glanced away,
"Whatever you say, princess." He said while trying to keep his irritation from showing. Her eyes looked him over as if she were searching for something. 
“What else? There’s something else about you, what is it?” Flash hesitated a moment, reluctant to give up what had been a trump card for him countless times in the past, but he knew she would be able to tell if he denied it.
“I've had an enchantment placed on me.” She raised an eyebrow,
“Go on.”
“It’s a protection charm, it guards me from most any malicious spell and offensive magic. The only drawback is that it draws on my energy when it's activated. The stronger the spell, the greater the cost on my strength.” Chelicerae’s jaw dropped slightly in surprise as she motioned with her head for him to come closer. Flash stepped before her as her horn lit up with a pulsing, green glow. He felt an unsettling tingling sensation as she scanned him with her magic.
It required real effort for Chelicerae to maintain a neutral expression as she analyzed the enchantment, as what she found took her breath away. The spell was one of amazing complexity, with layers upon layers of construction, all functioning in seamless harmony. That combined with the fact that it was somehow perfectly knitted to the very fabric of his magic and life-force, as if it were something he was born with, boggled her mind. The thought that there was a pony capable of this level of spellcraft both amazed and terrified her. Whoever made this is an absolute genius, and a legitimate threat. I must be cautious...
"It's...impressive." Chelicerae said as she finished her analysis, keeping only the barest hint of interest in her voice so as not to betray her actual thoughts on the matter. Flash nodded once,
“I’m glad you approve.” He said with a tired sigh. Chelicerae motioned for him to follow as she turned and walked towards a large, standalone counter past the bar. The countertop was made of the same, dark-colored granite as the bar. Further beyond it and to its side was a fully furnished kitchen with high-quality stainless-steel appliances and chestnut-colored cabinets lining the wall. On top of the counter, was a large piece of map paper which to Flash’s surprise, had a map of Equestria drawn upon it.
Even though it appeared to be drawn from memory, the images, areas, and scale were fairly accurate and well-sketched. “Didn’t know you were an artist, Chel.” He said as he stood next to her, to take in the sight.
“I didn’t draw this, Telson did. He’s always been the artistic type.” She said. Flash nodded but said nothing. Chelicerae’s eyes went to him before looking down at the map. “I want to know the current state of Equestria: where the changelings are living, what if any significant changes there have been, and any information on the current whereabouts of the Queen.” Flash nodded, clearing his throat.
“Well, the changelings are still living in the hive,” He pointed to a section on the map, “Out in this portion of what was formerly part of the Badlands. I say formerly because after the metamorphosis, the place is no longer an arid, barren wasteland. With the changelings no longer needing to suck the very life out of every organism within their territory, the place has transformed with rich vegetation now surrounding the entire area.” Flash noticed a strange look appear in her eyes as he said that; but as she said nothing, he decided to continue.
"One thing I'll say about your mother, she certainly knows how to stay hidden when she wants to. Other than a few insubstantial rumors here and there, we haven't seen so much as a glimpse of her since she fled the hive."
"I'll be able to find her, I'll always know how to find her..." Chelicerae whispered to herself. Her eyes were distant and her voice so disconnected that Flash found himself wondering if she had even meant to say that out loud; he could not help but feel a pang of sympathy for her.
“Princess…you have to know that you cannot succeed in this.” Her eyes snapped to him with a sharp glare,
“Don’t underestimate me, and when I want your opinion I’ll ask for it Michail, until then you’ll keep your mouth shut!” Flash shook his head,
“You don’t understand Chel, Thorax is not just the leader of the hive, the Changelings are now allied with Equestria directly. Your fight wouldn’t just be with him. He has friends and allies now, some of whom are more powerful than you can possibly hope to overcome.”
“There are more ways to victory than direct confrontation!” She spat, “All it requires is the right planning, the right deceptions! By the time I’m done, the hive will be begging for the Queen to return!” Flash felt his hands tightening into fists in frustration at her ignorance-fueled, self-delusion.
“And then what?!” He said, the volume of his voice steadily rising. “Say you succeed, say you are able to bring Chrysalis back! She hasn’t transformed Chel, she doesn’t want to! Do you think the Changelings are going to go back to the way things were? Being enemies with everypony, stealing love when there’s no longer any need to?!” Chelicerae clenched her jaw as she bared her fangs.
“They will do as the Queen commands! Or-”
“Or what, you going to exile them? Execute them?” He interjected, cutting her off.
“Michail…” She growled in warning tone, but he didn’t let up.
“Does that include the nymphs as well? The new younglings that have never even known hunger?!” Flash knew that touched a nerve as her expression recoiled, repulsed by such a horrifying suggestion.
“No, they’ll see reason, I’ll make them see!”
“Why are you doing this princess?"
"You know very well why-"
"Is it because of the awful things you’ve done? You feel as if you don’t do this, it would all have been for nothing?
“STOP IT!” Chelicerae screamed, stomping her front hoof for emphasis. “Just…stop!” Her eyes burned with raw emotion, no longer trying to conceal it. Her shoulders rose and fell with her hard breathing as she glowered at him, appearing once again caught between the verge of tears and wrath, unable to choose which one to succumb to. The tension between them was so strong that it felt like electricity running through the air. Flash chose his next words carefully, channeling all of the genuine sympathy he could into them.
“I won’t kill for you, Chel. And I won’t stand by and watch you kill yourself on some suicide mission either.” The changeling grit her teeth so hard that Flash could hear the enamel clicking. When she finally spoke, her voice sounded so strained that he thought her vocal chords might split.
“Why…why do you insist on caring about me so much you foalish, stubborn Equestrian?! Don’t you realize how many of your kind I’ve killed? How many I’ve tortured to death? How many men I’ve heard cry out for mercy before me as I crushed the life out of them?! This would be so much simpler for the both of us if you would just get over your misplaced morals and despise me! I thought hurting Ella would have been enough! So why, WHY?!” She screamed as she got in his face. Flash winced slightly at the mention of Ella, but didn’t let it throw him off.
“Because you need it.” He quietly replied. Chelicerae’s face softened for just a second before quickly rehardening,
“Well I don’t want it!” She snapped. Flash sighed as he slowly shook his head,
“How is it that you can know the taste of love Chel, and yet not know how to receive it?” Flash stared hard into her enraged face, noticing that there was something off about her, at least, something different than before. It was as if something drastic had happened to her in the short time between when they were in the basement and up here. There had been a total shift from her previous shrewd demeanor. She appeared vulnerable. 
A suspicion that had arisen earlier in his mind was now steadily growing into a certainty. So much so that he dared to put it into words. “You’ve never actually harmed an innocent before, at least not with your own hooves, have you?” Chelicerae recoiled a few steps, her face holding the expression of a child whose secret had been found out by their parents. The changeling stared silently at him with astonished eyes for a moment before turning her head towards the map on the table, her teal and red-highlighted mane falling to one side, obscuring her face from him. Since she didn’t respond, Flash decided to continue, 
“I’m guessing every human that you’ve ever harmed before have been people like my father, Damian, or Enrique. Individuals who were anything but innocent, who were destined to reap what they had sown anyways.” Flash paused but still, she said nothing. His mind felt like it was working in overdrive as the light of understanding continued to grow.
“But then, you hurt Ella…” Flash said, pausing to swallow as he forced down a sudden spike in his anger. Chelicerae shuddered slightly as if haunted by the memory.
“I realized that it was a line I never wanted to cross…” She finally whispered, her voice sounding distant.
“Then don’t cross it again.” Flash said. Chelicerae turned her head back to him, looking to his earnestly pleading face. He gave her a compassionate smile. "You know, if it weren't for you, I probably would be a very horrible person right now. I would have grown up the son of a mobster, probably far worse than my father knowing my temper. Instead, I had a saintly mother to raise me; friends and mentors who taught me the meaning of love and harmony. It's incredible how providence can bring good out of terrible situations, perhaps the same can happen for you?" Her face softened and Flash saw that glimmer of hope and longing return to her eye, far deeper and stronger than before. Just a little more, you're almost there girl... He reached out a beckoning hand to her, "Come back Chel…please. Before it’s too late.”
Chelicerae closed her eyes as she bowed her head in thought. She wanted to take his hand, so much so that it hurt. But she knew she couldn't. She had a job to do, a job that he had just made that much harder for her to accomplish. Apparently no amount of condescension, spite, or cruelty could deter this particular human from wanting to help her, and she both loved him and hated him for that. At the very least, she could abandon that vicious tactic for now. This wasn’t supposed to happen, none of this should be happening. You were supposed to be like every other human, you were supposed to hate me… Chelicerae held back the tears she wanted to release, biting her bottom lip so hard that she tasted blood, hating herself completely for what she was about to do. Opening her eyes she reached a hoof up to his hand, resting it there for just a moment, savoring what could have been. 
Flash smiled softly as he could see that the rage had faded from her eyes, though they remained painfully sad. 
Chelicerae watched his hope soar for just a second before seeing it shatter as she gently pushed his hand down. “I’m sorry, Michail.” She said in a trembling voice, “But you’re going to have to let me go. I…appreciate what you’re trying to do, I know you really mean it. You’re the only one besides Telson who has shown me any kind of genuine kindness in the last eighteen years…but it’s too late. There’s no way back for me…I need to complete my mission.” Flash shook his head, a pained expression of disbelief on his face.
“It will never work…”
“I failed her Michail, I failed my queen, my mother…I have to try.” Flash shook his head again,
“You know that I cannot help you do this princess, no matter what you forced me to say earlier.” He said with quiet conviction in his voice. Chelicerae nodded slowly,
“I understand Michail,” She said as she took a slow step towards him, her horn igniting with a subtle green glow. “But you’re still going to help me, whether you want to or not. For I cannot do this without you.” Flash took a step back, a chill going through him at the ominous vibe suddenly coming off of her, causing him to wonder why Sunset’s spell was not warning him. He could see the muscles tensing in her legs as he slowly shifted his feet into a more defensive stance.
“What are you going to do Chel,” He asked in a guarded tone, “Mind control? I already told you, malicious spells won’t work on me.” She nodded once as she took another slow step forward,
“How fortunate then…” Flash caught himself staring into her shimmering eyes as she drew nearer and suddenly understood why Sunset’s spell was not activating. “…that I have never bore any real malice towards you, my child.”
A slight twitch of her wing, that was all the warning Flash had before he attempted to dive to one side as she pounced like a spider. The changeling collided violently with him, her hooves tightly gripping his shoulders as she drove him backwards, slamming him into the bar and knocking a stool to the floor with a deafening crash. Flash gasped, ignoring the pain the impact caused his damaged ribs, choosing instead to focus his attention on trying to fend off the invasive presence he now felt smothering his thoughts. 
He had been trained in the academy on the basics of mental defense, a skill he had excelled at thanks largely to the unique bond he shared with his mother. But nothing could have prepared him for this, it felt like he was trying to hold up the weight of a mountain with his mind. Even if Chelicerae hadn’t caught him off guard, he doubted that he would be able to hold her off for long, the changeling princess’ magic was incredibly strong. A mental ray of immense strength clawed hungrily for the center of his consciousness as he desperately attempted to get away from her. 
“Chel, stop!” Flash shouted as he grabbed onto her hooves, attempting to break her vice-like grip on his shoulders; his vision began to blur with tears of pain. With the panic of a drowning man, he threw himself sideways in an adrenaline fueled surge of strength, feeling her sharp chitin dig into his skin through his shirt as he dragged them both down the length of the bar, knocking over more stools with loud bangs. Chelicerae held firm though, her rear hooves gouging deep scratches into the hardwood flooring as she used her superior strength to shove him back against the bar counter, keeping him firmly pinned against it.
Flash heard something made of glass shatter behind him as he futilely tried to pry her off, the grip on his mind tightened further, like a python slowly squeezing the life out of its prey. As Flash attempted to reposition his hands for better leverage, he suddenly felt a small sting to the side of his neck, close to where Telson had bitten him earlier. Flash didn’t need to see her to know what had happened. A heavy warmth began to spread over his entire body, his knees buckling as his strength melted away.
“Shhh…” Chelicerae softly shushed in his ear as she gently guided him into a sitting position on the floor beneath the counter. She moved to sit next to him, cradling his shoulders to support his head, her horn continuing to steadily pulse with her spell. “That’s right, don’t fight it child…there you go...” Unlike Telson’s venom which had caused him searing, agonizing pain, hers caused the exact opposite. Flash felt blessed relief as all of his bodily aches and pain began to quickly evaporate, a sense of euphoria threatening to overcome him. 
“Princess…don’t do this…” He begged as tears streamed down his face. Chelicerae shook her head,
“Trust me, it’s better this way...at least this way, you won’t know what you’re doing. It won’t be your fault, I can take all the blame…and I won’t have to hurt Ella anymore. She’ll be safe, I promise.” She whispered. Flash felt the last of his mental resistance crumbling as he pulled his remaining free thoughts into a tight ball around his consciousness in a last, desperate stand. Chelicerae placed a hoof under his chin, raising his eyes to hers and saw with regrettable satisfaction that a faint, green glow had begun to form in them. She admired his resolve, his shoulders rose and fell with labored breathing as he continued to try and resist her spell, even though he had already lost. What amazed her more was that even now, his emotions were colored with love, a desire for her happiness albeit now tinged with a deep sadness and a little fear. She allowed herself a small taste of the bitter-sweet concoction so that she would always remember his efforts for her, he deserved that much.
“Do you know, when I first started caring about you?” Chelicerae asked with a small smile. Flash stared back blankly, hearing her, but unable to respond. “It was right after I saved you when you were a baby. Maybe it’s because I always felt a bit protective of you after that, or maybe it’s because I fed on some of your mother’s love for you, but I’ve never felt any hate for you my child. No matter what I may have said or did earlier in my anger." She sighed as she leaned forward to briefly nuzzle the side of his head, "You truly are something special child, something good. Don't ever lose that, don't change. Even if it did not work this time."
Chelicerae watched in astonishment as the human managed to raise a trembling hand, reaching up towards her face. “Please…” He murmured, the warm tips of his fingers barely brushed against the tip of her muzzle before his arm fell limply back to his side as the last light of consciousness faded from his eyes.
“I'm sorry…” Chelicerae whispered as she closed her eyes, bowing her head. A single tear slid down her face, “Forgive me.”