//------------------------------//
// Chapter 13: The Last Front 
// Story: Shadows of the Past 
// by Double Rainbow 
//------------------------------//

The door swung open to Flash's office back in the Canterlot Castle.

"There's a letter for you on your desk, Flash. From Princess Celestia." Flash's friends Night Breeze and Dust Storm had walked with him to his office, though Dust was called away by Lieutenant Silvershot for something.

Flash nodded and walked into his office, Night Breeze of which left him alone. The letter on his desk had the usual royal seal stamp on it, signifying it was from the royals. Flash opened it and read it off -

Captain Flash Sentry,

Earlier today we have gather information as to whereabouts of the changelings that were banished from Equestria on Princess Cadance and Captain Shining Armor's wedding have gathered at the western border of Equestria. It was decided by the hierarchy that you would lead (or choose somepony) a patrol to the border. This mission is classified, and we do not want anypony knowing about this, as well as this mission is to be conducted with the utmost stealth and you are not to engage in combat unless needed. You must send a patrol out as soon as possible. Should you be captured, we will deny all involvement in this operation. Fair travels.

Signed,
Princess Celestia
Princess Luna

Flash read the letter over and over again. He didn't understand several things, as to why the mission had to be secret, or why the changelings would gather at the western border, or gather at all.

He pushed the thoughts from his mind and thought carefully on who to pick. He might want to bring Night Breeze. Dust was never good in stealth occasions. Night Breeze was also a good tactician, so Flash put him down for one of his members, and decided that he would have a team of four ponies to conduct the mission, pegasus only in case of a hasty escape being needed.

Flash gather up names and had them assembled to the meeting room, where he had a prepped a briefing for the guards.

The guards entered curiously, since the setting was dark and moody, and the only light was a dim ceiling light and a bright light on the map of the area.

"Glad you could all come. Please, sit down. I have important business to talk to you about." Flash spoke with a flat voice, which grabbed all of the pony's attention, especially Night Breeze. Once everypony had gotten comfortable, Flash began. "What I'm about to tell you ponies, is classified, and you have been hoof-picked for this mission. You should be honored, and stressed out, this is an important mission."

A hoof flung up and Flash sighed mentally, and turned to the pony. "Yes?"

'So..." The guardspony shuffled his hooves. "Why is there only four of us?"

"If you would let me continue, you would figure out why." Flash explained, and the guardspony nodded simply.

The briefing was boring, but informative, just like any other briefing. The small group was sworn to secrecy, and were told to meet at the same place in one hour.

Flash trotted up and down the castle, trying to find something to do. At least until a messenger came trotting up to Flash. 

"Captain!" He called. "A message from Princess Sparkle." He told Flash as he handed him a scroll, sealed the the familiar purple stamp of Twilight's cutiemark.

Flash wasn't surprised by the message, as he opened it up with little emotion.

Flash,
Since you have to go off to do something, I'm going to stay with my parents for a few more days or until you get back. Best of luck, and I'll see you soon!
Princess Twilight Sparkle

Fair enough. Flash thought as he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the messenger. "Thank you very much. You may go." He told the guard, who swiftly saluted and trotted off into the distant corridor of the Canterlot Castle.

Flash walked back to his office slowly, attempting to clear his mind of his thoughts, but as he cleared his minds of current thoughts and saw the entrance of his office, a shiver ran down his spine that reminded him of bad times.

Flash locked up and stumbled from painful memories. He looked around worried, muffled yelling sounded in the distance.

"Captain Sentry!" The muffled voice said, the figure coming closer to him. Finally until a hoof connecting to Flash's shoulder brought him back to reality. "Flash. I was looking for you."

The figure turned out to be Spitfire, Captain of the Wonderbolts. "Oh, I - How are you Spitifre?" Flash said, while still coming to.

"I'm fine. Are you okay? You don't look to good." Spitfire gave him an ice cold look.

Flash shook his head. "I'm fine. What did you need?" He re-routed the subject.

"Well," Spitfire perked up with pride. "my Wonderbolts are going to have a Field-Training Exercise this weekend, and I would like to know if your guards could participate, making it a Joint-Operations exercise. What do you think?" She edged closer to Flash. "Think your guards are good enough?" She smirked, giving Flash a daring look.

Flash huffed. "Yes, my guards are good enough, and I would love it if we could participate."

Spitfire lit up. "Fantastic! We'll be in touch about the date -"

"Except we can't."

Spitfire stared at him. "What? Why?"

Flash sighed. "I'm going on a mission Spitfire, and if I can't supervise my guards I don't want them participating."

"What mission?" Spitfire tilted her head. "Why wasn't I notified?"

Flash sighed. "I can't say. It's classified."

"Hmph. Do you want Wonderbolt support?" Spitfire offered.

Flash shook his head. "That won't be necessary, we can handle it. Thank you for the offer though."

Spitfire gave Flash a final look. "You always pride yourself on your guards Flash."

"I could say the same to you." Flash retorted with a smirk on his face."

"Hmph. I guess you're right." Spitfire admitted. "We're the best for a reason. Catch you later Flash."

Whew, glad that I didn't have to go into details about the mission. Always nice to talk to Spitfire though. He thought as he walked into his office, gather some items in briefcases, and headed into the briefing room.

In there, Flash rejoined with the group, and gave the run-down of the equipment. Instead of the regular golden armor they wore, they slid into specially made camouflaged armor that allowed the pegasi to blend in better with the brush and sky (don't ask how it works). They did not bring weapons, for better concealment, and the only utility was a notepad and flashlights.

"Sir, we aren't equipped to protect ourselves in case we get confronted." A guard complained.

Flash smirked at him. "I don't plan on getting caught. Just make sure your tail isn't sticking out of the bushes." His comment shut the guard up.

The group eventually left under the cover of a cloudy night and headed for the eastern border.

Most of the flight was boring, even as they reached the border, Flash warned the group of caution, but nothing was seen. At least, until a guard called out a spotting of a changeling. In which the squad dove lowered their altitude and eventually landed under the cover of the brush.

The group sneaked along the forest floor until they came to a cliff. Flash pried apart some branches and looked over. What he saw made his mouth drop to the floor.

In the valley below, laid at least one thousand changelings, or so it looked like. He couldn't tell. Night Breeze jotted down the findings and nodded to Flash.

"Alright, we got what we came for, lets go." A guard whispered to Flash.

Flash nodded, and signaled for the group to back up. As he went to turn around, movement caught the corner of his eye. When he looked back, the group of changelings were moving. "Wait, wait!" He called to his group quietly. "Activity in the valley." He pointed a hoof downwards. The group stalked up behind Flash and they began observing carefully. 

Night Breeze poked Flash, "I don't understand." He commented. "Where's the queen?"

"I don't know." Flash admitted. "If we watch, maybe she'll appear."

Time passed by, notes were jotted down, and the group agreed that enough information had been gathered now that they saw that Queen Chrysalis was present.

Flash gave one last look at the changelings that had amassed and gave the signal for his group to leave. Unfortunately, one of the guards was standing too close to the edge, and slipped on loose dirt as he turned around and a very loud yelp sounded as the guard slipped and was now dangling over the massive drop below him. 

"Crap! You two! Watch my back, I'll pull him up!" He quickly ordered the others, and leaped for the dangling guard, grabbing him and dragging him back up. The guard thanked him, and Flash nodded before his eyes going wide at the sight before him.

The changelings had all mobilized, and were right on top of the group, surrounded in all directions, the group was backed against the cliff. Outnumbered and outmatched in all aspects, this mission looked more and more like a suicide mission.

The two factions stood staring at each other, before the changelings made a dash for the group of four, in which the team sprung into action.

Flash was tackled to the ground by two changelings, but landed a punch into a changelings stomach, and threw one off, allowing him to wiggle out and stand back up. Then delivering a swift kick to the second changeling's jaw. An audible crack split through the air.

A look to Flash's right showed his team engaged in all directions. Flash saw a group of changelings tackle a guard to the ground, a second guard fending off against another group of changelings, and Night Breeze relentlessly slamming a hoof into the face of a changeling he had pinned to a tree.

Flash rushed to the pinned guard, blood roaring inside him as he felt like he heard his heart pounding as he slammed into the group of changelings. Kicking and punching furiously as he fought to get the horde off of his guard.

After the bodies cleared, Flash looked down at an unconscious guard, laying still on the ground. Flash had little time to think as he was slammed from behind and thrown onto the ground and all oxygen in Flash's body was sucked out.

Flash felt a swarm of changelings pile on him, Flash did what he could to defend against furious strikes to his body and head, most of which were futile, and Flash felt a stream of blood flow from his head.

The battle was short, the group, heavily outmatched, though he had killed a good number changelings. Although their best efforts, were eventually overrun, and taken prisoner. One guard was killed by a changeling piercing his neck with it's sharp teeth. The other three were rounded up and presented to Queen Chrysalis.

The three of them stood next to each other, their hooves bounded together. The queen towered over them, "Well well, what do we have here?" Her intimidating voice shook the ponies.

"Three spies, your majesty, the other is dead." One changeling commented.

"I know you idiot! I'm not blind!" Chrysalis hissed before turning back to the group of ponies, trying to show some pride. "I'm going to ask you ponies once." She lowered her head to eye level with the ponies. "Why were you spying on us? Did Celestia send you?"

No pony dared to speak, and kept their mouths shut. Chrysalis snorted and lifted her head. "Very well. Dispatch them however you see fit." She told her changelings as she stalked away.

The changelings grinned as they walked up to the three ponies. They unleashed a fury of violent attacks on the helpless ponies.

Flash felt a blur of kicks and punches that put him on the ground next to his comrades. His last vision would be his fellow guardponies being beaten, possibly to death.


~


Flash woke suddenly in a dark cage, he didn't know what it was made of, but he knew one thing. He was alive, but he hurt all over his body.

He sat up, his side sending shockwaves of pain up his body as he clutched it and gritted his teeth in pain. When he went to extend his wings, he found that they were bound by rope. 

As he struggled with the constricting rope around his wings, the door to his cage swung open, and Flash made out four changelings walk in, hit him, and dragged out the battered Captain into the sunlight. The changelings threw Flash into another structure, where he heard the hiss of yet another changeling.

"I'm going to ask you once. What were you doing on the cliff?" The changeling hissed in Flash's ear.

Flash looked up at the creature the best he could with the sunlight burning his eyes, and simply spit blood from his mouth onto the changeling, who hissed and slammed a hoof into Flash's face. 

"Filthy creature." The changeling whipped his face. "Take him back to his cell."

Flash was again punched and kicked then dragged back to his cold, dark cell, only to be thrown in, beaten again, and left to wait for the next beating to come.

Twilight. I hope you're doing fine, and I'm sorry. Flash sighed. I'm so sorry. I just want to be home right now. Flash covered his face with his hooves and wished he were home. His body battered and sore, he drifted off to sleep.


~


The sound of a stone hitting a jell-like substance sounded throughout Flash's cell. Flash picked up his head and perked his ears in the direction of the sound. Flash got up and spun around, he had to squint to see through the jell-like cell, and saw a purple figure moving in a cell next to him.

Flash gasped at the sight of his comrade Night Breeze. At least he was still alive, and well, not paralyzed or badly injured. Night Breeze noticed Flash's movement, and tried to make hoof-signals to him. Most were vague and understandable, but this didn't matter to Flash, he had a new confidence in him that he could make it through this.

The sun was barely rising over the horizon, and Flash saw four changelings walking towards the cells, Flash motioned to be quiet to Night Breeze, who nodded.

The changelings opened the cells and grabbed the ponies harshly and pulling this out of their cells. With a loud "oof" Flash hit the ground before getting on all four hooves again. Walking next to Night Breeze, two changelings were behind the two, and two were in front, leading the way.

The sun was shone through the holes in the top of the cave as the group made it to their destination, it was the same place as yesterday. Flash and Night Breeze were place in front of another changeling, presumably a high-up-in-command type of changeling for the same questioning.

"I'll ask you again, pony." The changeling lifted Flash's head. "Why were you on the cliff?"

Flash looked to his sides, then back to the changeling. "Where is our third guard?"

The changeling smiled. "None of your business. Now answer my question." He sat forward. "Why were you spying on us?"

Flash sighed as he looked over to Night Breeze, who stared back, an expression of shock on his face. "I will not answer that question." He gave the changeling a firm look. Speaking with as much intimidation as possible.

The changeling sat back, relaxing as he re-opened his mouth to speak. "That's quite honorable, pony. I can understand why you don't want to talk. Maybe you just need some encouragement." He said with a grin.

With that, two changelings then moved to the third cell, one Flash had not noticed. The cell containing the one other pony that survived their encounter. The changelings opened up the cell door, beat the pony more, and dragged him out in front of Night Breeze and Flash.

"If you don't want your precious guardspony to die, you'll answer the question." The changeling sneered, dragging a blade across the pony.

The pony stared at Flash. "Don't tell him anything! Don't - mmph!" Before the pony could finish his sentence, a changeling covered his mouth. The pony breathing rapidly underneath a changeling's hoof.

"Well?" The changeling grinned viciously at Flash and Night Breeze. "He's waiting for you. Answer my question, and he lives."

Flash and Night Breeze simply stared at the changeling.

With a growl, the changeling took the blade and stabbed the pony in the side of his stomach, causing him to reel and scream in pain. "Any day now, he's waiting on you!" The changeling challenged.

"Buck you!" Flash screamed. 

The changeling's grin disappeared, and with anger fueling it, he ripped the knife out of the pony's side and started jamming it into his throat, ripping it out, and jamming it in again, tearing it across his neck, behind slamming it home into the guardspony's chest.

Flash had never wished to see something like this in his life, nor had he ever wished for his guards to suffer as he watched the poor soul choke on his own blood, spewing from his neck onto the cold rock floor, his hooves useless as they twitched, still tied up by rope. He watched the pony's life drain from his eyes, as he felt a tear slide down his cheek as he bowed his head, only to be yanked back up by a changeling, forced to watch his comrade die.

"Still nothing?" The changeling sneered. Then postured up. "My my, they make them tough. Throw them back in their cells. 'Till tomorrow, ponies." He slammed his mouth closed, and made a clicking noise to the changelings around them.

On that queue, four changelings walked in and grabbed Flash and Night Breeze and dragged them out and back through the mud and brush and were thrown back into their cells.

Once the guards had gone, Flash looked over at Night Breeze's cell. It had the same air holes that Flash's cell had, big enough to throw a pebble through.

Flash scratched at the ground until he was able to get a small rock and tossed it through the hole. The rock flew and hit Night Breeze's cell, which made him perk up and look over. Flash pressed his muzzle to the hole and spoke softly, careful to alert the guard next to his cell. "Can you hear me?" He called.

Night Breeze nodded, and Flash continued. "Listen, I have an idea to get out. You need to trust me, it's either this or death."

The chilling words got the Night Breeze, who understood when he responded. "I understand. What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing, just sit tight. I'm going to act sick. When the guard opens my cell and checks me, I'll jump him. Then open your cell." He explained quickly.

Night Breeze nodded again, then sat back and watched. Flash looked at the guard, and slammed his hooves on the ground and yelled at the guard, "Ah! Guard!" He held his hoof, rolling in pain. "I think I broke my hoof!" He spoke through clenched teeth.

The changeling panicked and quickly opened the cell and knelt down and inspected Flash's hoof, when he turned around to shout for help, Flash quickly wrapped his hooves around the changeling's head, and twisted violently, ending the changeling's life.

Flash took the key off of the changeling and ran over to Night Breeze's cell and opened it quickly. "Come on, let's go!" He ordered.

The two ran out of the cave awkwardly, the ropes binding their front hooves together making it difficult, and having to avoid a few guards now and again, and rushed into the dense brush to conceal themselves and began stalking away from the cave. As they ran, the sound of changelings waking up and yelling was now behind them. "Looks like we just woke the hornet's nest." He wheezed to Night Breeze as he forced a smirk.

Night Breeze exchanged the smile, and the two ran off into the forest, although the changelings would be out for them soon.

Once a good distance, Night Breeze tapped Flash's shoulder. "Do you know which way Equestria even is?" He asked, obviously worried.

Flash looked at the sun, which was setting on the horizon, the direction from which them came. "The sun sets in the west, and our mission was on the eastern border of Equestria. That means we go this way." Flash pointed at the dense forest that lay ahead.

"How do you know that Equestria is that way?" Night Breeze questioned.

Flash sighed. "I don't." He confessed. "It's a shot in the dark, but we have to take it. Any better ideas?" He asked.

Night Breeze shook his head, and the pair ventured on.

When nightfall stuck, the two set up a make-shift camp for the night. Flash sat up-right, struggling with his ropes, Night Breeze was doing the same to his. "Celestia these damn ropes are too tight!" Flash complained through a mouthful of ropes. 

Night Breeze simply looked up to Flash, "I don't think they're going to budge anytime soon. We just gotta deal with it." He sighed. "Do you think we will make it home?" He asked Flash.

"I don't know." Flash spoke softly. "But for all reasons under Celestia's sun, I hope we do get home, and soon." He told his comrade. "I hope we do." He walked over and put a hoof on his friends shoulder. "Hey, come on. Let's get a fire going."

With a soft nod, the two trekked off to get wood, returned, and set a fire for the night. Struggled with their ropes once more to no avail, and with a soft sigh the two huddled together among the dense jungle and slowly drifted off to sleep.