//------------------------------// // The Ugly Truth // Story: Flash: Redemption // by FlutterTank //------------------------------// Chapter 3 The Ugly Truth “Flash, are you there? Get up! You’ve got to get up! We need you.” A voice was calling, but Flash didn’t want to listen. The outside world was full of pain and distress, confusion and loss. Like your thoughts are any more pleasant. He disdainfully opened his eyes, only to have them forced shut by a painfully bright light overhead. He slowly squinted them open and could vaguely make out, through the glare, the silhouettes of two ponies, one with a choppy, messy mane and the other looking like a bouncing cotton ball. His eyes began to adjust, allowing him to see the faces of the ponies, one cyan, with magenta eyes full of concern, the other pink, whose bright blue eyes darted every which way while she gleefully bounced up and down at the sight of Flash’s revival. Flash could hear a high-pitched beeping in his ears, a sound that annoyed him to the point of insanity. He looked towards the direction of the sound and saw a heart monitor which had been connected to his chest by a small wire. "Ugh, turn that thing off," Flash groaned, burrowing his head into the pillow. Frankly, he felt terrible right now. It was as if all his energy had been drained. All of his strength was gone, and he was but a feeble, sick, ant at the mercy of an adventurous young colt with a magnifying glass, burning him inside and out, torturing him. Flash sensed movement to his right side and after a soft click and a fizzle, the terrible machine was dead. With its silence, Flash's body seemed to absorb energy from the very air around him, gaining a sensation of true vigor and invincibility. The silvery blue color returned to his once greyish coat and he sat up in his hospital bed, alive and alert. Looking to his left side, he saw Rainbow Dash. Though he was glad to see such a friendly face, Flash set his mind straight and immediately got down to business. "Why am I here?" he asked. Rainbow Dash shrugged and nodded across the bed in Pinkie Pie's direction. The little earth pony began to narrate the series of events in her typical Pinkie Pie style. There was a lot of jumping, she talked way too fast, and half of the story was told by her dynamic facial expressions. To a pony who just woke up from a long, miserable sleep, the story made little sense. What Flash was able to get out of this was that Fluttershy, his Fluttershy, the center of his world and happiness in his soul, had been kidnapped, and instead of saving her, Flash froze up midair and fainted like a cowardly little worm. How can you live with yourself you pathetic little excuse for a sack of- "So, Flash," Rainbow Dash said, interrupting Flash's self-destructive thoughts with impeccable timing. A second further and Flash would be down the gutter right now, kicking himself in the flank and being miserable for quite some time. How did Rainbow Dash have such great skill in this? It was as if she knew exactly when to say something and, if required, she also knew what to say, dragging Flash away from his miserable attitude just like that. "Can you give us any information as to why those two err... ponies, took Fluttershy?" The gears in Flash's brilliant mind began to whir. Why were they here? Why did they take her? Who hired them to do it? Suddenly, a spark went off in Flash's head. His world began to spin. Images came in and out of focus. His pupils dilated and his mouth hung agape. The only thing he was able to do was let out a small whisper of shock and denial. "My dad." "What was that?" Rainbow asked, unable to make out his mumbling tone. "My dad, it was my DAD!" "Your dad?" "Yes, my dad! Ever since I left his precious mob, he's hated me. He disowned me and tried to have me killed. Now he wants revenge on me for disgracing him and our family honor." He stated the last part with much sarcasm and disdain, showing how much he thought of any honor his family thought they had. "I don't know what he's going to do to her, but it sure as hay isn't good. We need to get to Fillydelphia, now!" He bolted out of bed and gave a galloping lunge for the doorway, only to be stopped short by a strong stiff-arm from his cyan companion. "Now hold on. I know you want her back, Flash. Honestly, I do." The sensitivity in her voice was unlike her, but it soothed him, made him feel at home in this awful world. "I know what you're feeling, and it's terrible. You probably hate yourself right now. But you can't just march into mafia territory, guns a-blazing, and expect to come out alive. We need to plan this out." Her insight and wisdom was so out of character. She was Rainbow Dash, the most cocky, impulsive showoff to ever come out of Cloudsdale. She was acting as if she were Princess Celestia herself, with her words of wise advisement. But after months of being with quiet, reserved Fluttershy, Flash had learned very well to read a pony's emotions in their eyes. Rainbow Dash was no different, and her eyes and mouth were singing two different songs. He could tell she wanted to do the same as him; to march into West Fillydelphia and do whatever it took to get Fluttershy back. But something was holding her back. Something was making her uncharacteristically wise; the one thing that could make people act totally beside themselves; the very same thing that had made Flash so foalish and headstrong when he kissed Fluttershy for the first time. Love. Rainbow Dash loved Fluttershy. That explained why she picked on him and her so much. Her pride would never permit her to admit it, but she was jealous of Flash. Although he was her friend and she would always stay loyal to friends, she still did what she could to spite him. "Hey, Pinkie," Flash said calmly, breaking free from his deep thought. The cheery, pink pony turned to him, an attentive beaming smile on her face. "I think I need to talk to Dash in private for a second. Could you step out for a bit, please? I promise it'll only take a minute or two." "Okey dokey lokey!" she responded, her bright smile now stretching from ear to ear. She bounced out the door and quickly called back in, "I'll be outside the hospital. It's too dull in here for me." They heard her soft singing fade as she bounced down the hall. Flash shut the door and turned to face Rainbow Dash, who was starting to look rather nervous. "Now Dash," he began, "I've known you about four months now and I consider us very close friends. I need to know something, and I promise to keep it between us." "Sure," she said, "shoot." "Do you love Fluttershy?" "What?" She was shocked, taken aback, her voice cracking harshly in her surprise. "Why in Equestria would you think that?" Flash had a feeling this would happen. She was too proud to admit to him, so he'd have to dig it out of her with facts and evidence. "Dash, it suddenly dawned on me and I've realized now that it's been rather obvious. These past few months, you've been pranking and teasing the two of us almost exclusively. You're always nervous when you see us together, and I've held my tongue until now, but I've been catching glimpses of you every time her and I go out. And just now, I could see how badly you wanted to save her, but something stopped you. Something made you think with reason, and we both know that's not like you at all." He cracked a smile, trying to ease the stress in her mind, which was made obvious by her watering eyes and bright red cheeks. "Flash, I'm telling you the truth. I'm not in love with Fluttershy." Flash didn't understand. He had her backed into a corner, so why didn't she just admit it? He pressed more. "Then explain why you've been acting so strange, lately. You're my best friend, Dash. You can tell me anything. Seriously, whatever you do right now will never leave this room." "Promise?" She looked sullen, downtrodden, defeated, but there was a glint of hope in her pretty, magenta eyes. "Promise," Flash confirmed. Like he had said, she was his best friend. He would never hurt her. She walked towards him, getting uncomfortably close. Flash began to back up as she advanced, wondering what she was doing. She stepped closer and closer and he backed up further and further until he felt his backside press into a ninety degree nook in the wall. Now he was the one trapped in a corner. She came in close, nuzzled his left cheek, and whispered in his ear with tears dripping from her gently shut eyes. "I love you."