//------------------------------// // Morals // Story: Fixing Flashlight // by Neroson40 //------------------------------// I watched Boss (I’m calling Flash Sentry “Boss” now, because he’s technically the leader of the Guardians) fly out the window in a rage. I would’ve followed him and had the wind carry me sooner, but the Spirits of Harmony stood in my way. “You will not interfere with Kayen’s fight,” Fluttershy said. I just watched for a while as Boss slashed and hacked against Kayen’s defenses. I knew I had to get out there, but I couldn’t with them in the way. I decided the best way to get to Boss was by breaking whatever spell was on these six girls. It would’ve been a problem if I didn’t have Shining Armor there for an idea. “Okay, how do we find out how to break Kayen’s hold on them?” I asked him. he put his finger under his chin, showing obvious awkwardness with the new appendages. “Small talk,” Shining said. I really didn’t like that idea. The only one of them I could make small talk with was Rainbow Dash, and anything I could think to say was not going to end in my favor. “Don’t worry Soarin. Can I call you that, or do you have a full title that I have to call you?” “Just Soarin is fine, I don’t have a title I’m gonna hold onto for long,” I wasn’t lying. As soon as this was over I was going to leave the Wonderbolts. “Well then, Soarin,” He continued. “They aren’t really themselves right now. You just have to get them to talk enough to get them to spill something about the artifact that has them... like this.” “We can hear you, you know?” Pinkie said. “And we’ll tell you anything you want to know… within reason, of course.” Knowing how infantile Pinkie Pie usually acted, it was scary to hear her use words Twilight would. I chose my words carefully, not something easy for somepony like me. “Is there anywhere in this place that Kayen keeps better guarded than anywhere else?” I asked. “We’re in the best guarded chamber here.” Rainbow Dash said. “You wouldn’t mind if we looked around, would you?” Shining asked. The girls shook their heads in unison. We started from the shelves on the left side of the door we came in. we found a few things out of the ordinary, a key, a copy of a book that was published a few weeks in the future. But shining didn’t see any of them as what could potentially be holding the girls under this… haze. We searched the rest of the room for what felt like five minutes, the clashing of Boss’ sword and Kayen’s ringing quietly in the air of what looked like the courtyard. I found a hollow behind a painting of a tree, and in it was a small amulet. It was glowing a red opposite its natural green. Shining looked at it, and based on knowledge that I found useless, since I can’t use magic as a pony, Shining deduced it was what we were looking for. He placed it delicately on the ground and I pulled out one of my spears. I brought it down on the gem and it shattered. The girls collapsed under themselves and turned back into Ponies, along with Shining. We went to see if the girls were alright, Shining checking on Twilight, Fluttershy and Applejack in that order. I checked Pinkie first, then Rarity, then Rainbow Dash. Rainbow dash didn’t recognize me. Good, I was still apprehensive about talking to her one on one. “Who… and what are you?” she asked. “Guardian Ventus. Just call me that for now,” I said. “As for what I am, it’s called a human.” “Wasn’t there somepony else with you?” Rarity asked. It took me that long to start worrying for Boss again. I looked out the gaping hole in the wall and saw that boss wasn’t doing anything to Kayen, not even scaring him. “Shouldn’t you stop them!?” Twilight asked “He’s not doing anything!” She was right. And this time, nopony was stopping me. I took out two of my spears and had the wind carry me to the fight so that I could intercept the blows. “Boss,” I said. “That’s enough! You aren’t doing anything!” “I have to do this for my dad!” Boss said. “It doesn’t matter what you have to do for your dad! It’s not working!” I yelled. “I trust you to do what you know is right! I know you’re better than he is! Don’t prove me wrong now!” I stared hard at him. He stared shocked at me. Finally he hung his head, pulled his sword off my spear and put it away. “Your right, Soarin,” he said. “I’m not Kayen; I won’t kill for what I think is right.” “Let’s get back to the others,” I said. “The girls are out of their trance, and should probably see you.” We flew back. I barely noticed the look of pure rage on Kayen’s face. Didn’t even register it on our way back to the others. Then he charged us when we touched down in the room, and he went berserk trying to kill Boss. He did very well with his defense, but he didn’t really take any chances with offense. Kayen wasn’t using any strategy whatsoever, it looked like he wanted Boss utterly destroyed. Unfortunately Kayen left himself wide open. And Boss took the opening.