//------------------------------//
// Irony 
// Story: A New Flashlight 
// by Neroson40 
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	Master Chief Flash Sentry POV
I didn’t like this. I didn’t like this at all. My face looking older and my hair looking longer getting Twilight’s attention for a little longer than Flash was willing to talk about was the best part about our plan to get in. her only defense for looking at me longer than necessary was “At least I know what I have to look forward to.” Yeah, I hope my Twilight loves me at least partly like that. Going on with the whole “Punk” theme, Tenebrae also changed the appearance of my clothes. Instead of a graphic T-shirt, I was now wearing a tank top, one that I saw other boys change out with in the locker room. I kept the jeans, but instead of the red topped sneakers, I had combat boots that practically blended into the road. Instead of a grey hoodie tied around my waist, I was wearing a full on trench coat (or was it a duster?) on my torso. I didn’t even like my pretentious walk that I put on until one of the guards stopped me.
“Whoa buddy,” he said with one hand on my chest pushing me back. “You’re not getting in. You’re not on the list.” I knew this would happen. So I… there’s no nice way to say this, I sucker punched him, grabbed the clipboard and caught the pen that was launched out of his hand as it fell. On the paper on the clipboard I wrote… um… “Buck you, you son of a Mule,” and threw the clipboard and pen down on his unconscious body.
“Am now, Sucka’,” I said… I promised myself that I would perform self-lobotomy if I ever used another one-liner as bad if not worse. During the whole ordeal I could feel Flash just flinching every two seconds. Easy for him to do, he wasn’t doing any of this. I walked in, Glared at the security with a look that said “Don’t mess with me,” and recounted the Rules Flash and Twilight told me to follow. Don’t drink anything, don’t look at anyone and don’t dawdle. I went into the main area and saw bright colorful lights that bounced off the mirror ceiling and mirror pillars, and that’s all I could register without hurting my eyes.
Tenebrae was leading from the Breaklands, which my tattoos helped me to see into (among other things) I followed him to the area close to the stage… seeing more of the women than I’m sure I was supposed to. I found the Portal set, pulled out the vial Shining gave me and uncorked it. And I saw what Shining meant by “strange” when the setting around me changed to the Breaklands theme, I felt some sort of shift in gravity. In other words, I fell head first towards the ceiling, which cracked and showed everything as it was on the ground when I went into the Breaklands. Landing on my feet I followed rule three, got out as soon as possible.
I was somewhat happy to see people helping the bouncer to his feet; that meant I didn’t hit him too hard. I only got enough of a look at myself to see that Tenebrae’s “Glamour” trick was expired in the Breaklands when I was halfway around the corner. I felt a lot better looking like this; it meant I didn’t have to act like… Rainbow Dash without the loyalty… or the honor… I swear she’d skin me alive if she found out I made that comparison, don’t ask which, they’d both do that and worse. I reached the roof of the building that Shining told me to meet him on. And Zore was using a spray-can to put the finishing touches on a portal to (I swear there are better things to name place) Breaklands Deep.
“Just give Zore another minute and you’ll be ready to go,” Shining assured. Zore nodded to assure that he was almost done… not like he could do much else, in fact because of a Changeling “attack” (It was more like an uprising, but with a goal completely different from what Chrysalis wanted) he lost his voice, and his sister, Zecora, took up medicine, forever giving up on Witchcraft. Shining was hesitant at this point to inform me of the whole story, so I wasn’t too sure of what one had to do with the other. I’m sure whoever he had in his family, they were proud he could do this.

Soarin POV
Twilight and Cadence were getting by alright, though I was worried they’d work Ironsparks to the bone, and then the marrow. At least that’s one reason I kept coming back daily. The other one was Rainbow Dash. She was at the castle a lot, mainly to help Ironsparks take care of Twilight, and make sure that he didn’t make a complete fool of himself around Applejack whenever they were in the same vicinity.
Don’t get me wrong! It still felt too awkward just being near her to hold a conversation, but I just… I just… what? What kept me coming back for her? Was it the faint hope that she would understand why I didn’t tell her who I was when I was passing off as “Guardian Ventus?” Well that couldn’t be it, I was sure that wasn’t happening. Was it the idea that maybe, just maybe, what we had as foals was still there and I’d get a second chance? Again, after the way I treated her, she wasn’t my friend anymore, so I didn’t have a chance. Or was it because (like I said before) I was her friend whether or not she was mine? Was it because…? Heh, I’m hopeless.
That last bit just occurred to me when I reached the door to the Castle of Friendship. I knocked, and Boss’ little brother, First Base opened the door. He welcomed me with that boyish charm even Spike had. He ushered me in and I ran into Ironsparks, which again confirmed that he was fine… but he was with Rainbow Dash.
“Hey, Ironsparks,” I said. “I see you’re still fully flesh and blood.”
“Yeah, s’not that bad, yet,” he said.
“Hey… Soarin…” Rainbow said.
“Hi,” I felt awkward and sad all at once.
“Ironsparks, Base, can you give us a moment?” Really!? I’m the one who should be asking that!
“Alrighty then,” Ironsparks said. He butted his head behind Base and pushed him down the hall, despite his protests. I wanted to run away, to hide from this shame… but even I’m better than that.
“Why are you avoiding me!?” she said. “We used to be friends! We used to get along! What happened!?” she started to tear up. I felt like an idiot, in fact if anypony called me an idiot right there, I’d offer no counter argument.
“I was scared…” I said. She looked up, surprised… then again, wouldn’t you be? “I didn’t want to lose you! I started living your dream, which is pretty big! And you got stuck living a life too simple for your liking! If my dream was that big, and you started living it instead, I’d be mad!” she stared at me, wide eyed and frightened. I felt like a jerk now. “I’m sorry, I didn’t… I didn’t want you of all ponies hating me…” I started to tear up myself. “Heh… what kinda colt am I? Crying over one pony hating me-” she touched my cheek, brushing away some of the tears.
“I never, NEVER for a moment hated you,” she said. “You’re too… heh, cool for me to forget about. I might’ve been mad that you were keeping secrets from me, but I’d never hate you,” was she going where I thought she was going? “I love you too much.” I doubled over, laughing. I never thought she’d feel that way, let alone admit it. “You think I’m trying to be funny!?” she looked hurt.
“No… I just… I never thought you’d say it, and I’d go on loving you without anything in return.” She smiled and I swear I’d never feel any happier than I did right there.