A New Flashlight

by Neroson40

Fear

Author's Note:

Before the publication of this chapter... I nuked myself for in the place of anyone who didn't want this plot twist to happen in this way.

Shining POV

I was very worried about Flash and Twilight. I was proven wrong to doubt that the human everypony was terrified of at the Crystal Empire was Flash Sentry, the one Pony I trusted with my sister more than I trusted myself. I heard that Flash had been found and decided to pay him and Twilight a visit, and finally tell them that I’m an expecting father. I received another piece of news that any other brother would go insane upon hearing when Twily and her friends… and a couple ponies I didn’t recognize came back to the Castle.

The most obvious thing I noticed was that the colt next to Twilight wasn’t Flash Sentry, this one was significantly younger… and an Earthling, though I wouldn’t’ve been surprised if they were related. He was talking to my sister like a new friend… I guess she got that good at making friends.

The most concerning thing I noticed was that Flash was not in the group, there was one new pony who looked like that Apple Farmer in addition to this Mini-Flash, but Flash himself was not there, and I wouldn’t’ve asked where he was…

If it weren’t for the third thing. Unicorns have the ability to sense the magical presence of other ponies subconsciously. I found out that Cadence was pregnant because I felt a little of something different whenever I was near her with this sixth sense. Besides that she was complaining of Projectile vomiting and swollen ankles before I finally convinced myself to take her to the doctor. Twily had her usual presence to her, but there was something else about it, almost like… and here comes the tidal wave with which I would’ve beaten the snot out of Flash. Like something else was growing in it.

They reached the castle and greeted us, sharing some small talk and I was just stunned. I knew Flash as well as anypony, and he wouldn’t do… this.

“Honey?” Cadence said. “Isn’t there something you need to tell your sister?” I was snapped back to reality.

“Later,” I said. “Where’s Flash?”

“Somewhere called the Breaklands,” Rainbow Dash said like it was the most ridiculous thing she ever said. That was the last thing I ever expected. I’ve been to the Breaklands before, if I hadn’t I never would’ve asked Cadence out the first time… but was I greatful for that experience? NO! Nopony deserves to have every single fear stacked on them at once, especially if they have as many as Flash does!

“Shining!? Where are you going!?” I found a point on the west side of Twily’s castle where I could lay down a Portal to the Breaklands. I laid down the portal before saying anything.

“There’s a certain point in time where the Breaklands throw your fears on you, survive this and you can go back and forth any time without that problem. Flash has so many fears, I seriously doubt he’ll last twenty seconds at that point. I’m pulling him out!” before they could protest, I jumped in and true to my last experience my appearance changed… but this time, instead of an spirit, I was a human much like Flash could be.

“This’ll work,” I said out loud. I’ve been in a human body before, so I was used to how it works and moves… though I don’t remember having power over heat. I looked around for any sign of Flash… and got what I wanted when I heard him yelling in pain.

Flash POV

My mind wandered to the few memories I had of my mother. They weren’t good or bad most of the time, but whenever I saw her, I was scared of or sorry for her. I could never rationalize these emotions being associated with these memories until that encounter with the Nether Mare. All I was doing was fighting Breaklanders… on the surface, but in my head and my heart, I was beating myself up for not noticing that my mother was in medical and emotional turmoil. The real kicker was when we reached the Breaklander’s hiding place. We had somehow been dragged all over Ponyville, on a path that just wasn’t there in the real world. How could a piece of land that twisted like licorice and only had a path on one side actually have its own gravity that operates differently from the rest of the planet in reality? Well it worked in the Breaklands, and it took us to the lake where we found… Shining Armor.

“Shining! What are you doing here?” I asked.

“That’s ‘Commander Armor’ to you,” Shining said scornfully. “How did you ever get my trust?”

“What are you saying?” I asked.

“You were worthless from the day you joined the guard, Twilight didn’t see somepony to love in you, she saw somepony who needed the pity.”

“No… That’s not true!”

“If I’m lying I’m crying,” the smugness on his face filled me with hopelessness, greif, fear… and hate. I wanted to pull Sinhunter out of my scabbard and run him through so many times he’d feel it in his past lives. I would’ve too… if another Shining Armor didn’t punch a force field I had no idea popped up around me.

“Flash! Don’t listen to him!” he said. “Don’t give in to the Fear!” the field closed up again, silencing him to my ears.

“Heh…” the Shining in the field scoffed. “That liar sees you as a means to an end. At least I would tell you what I think of you.” Don’t give in to the Fear… I was afraid of being nothing, of being nopony to everypony. I wanted somepony to acknowledge that I meant something… having my best friend say that I was worthless… I got it!

“If you think I’m worthless… what does that make you?” I asked. “You would lay down the lives of others to protect your own. They were worth more than you if you felt no remorse at their loss!” Shining’s eyes went dark

“You are but dirt beneath me!”

“You are not real!” I yelled. His eyes went wide and he got struck mercilessly by lightning, blinding me for three seconds. When that was over I just let myself collapse. When I came back around Shining was holding me up. “Was that true?” I asked him.

“About you being worthless… I guess if you’re thinking big enough to make Princess Celestia a tool at the most influential, then yes. But you and everyone else in the guard is more important to me than I am.”

“Why did you come here?” I asked.

“Remember that news I told you about when Twily went missing? Recent events say… you deserve to know.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“In seven months, I’ll be a father.” Laughter and congratulations were all I gave. “You’re not gonna feel as good with this… other news I’ve got.”

“What do you mean?” he put on a face like he did something his farther didn’t approve of… that I was here to yell at him for.

“In nine months… I’m gonna be an uncle.”

Comments

[SageBrony07]

One moment please
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WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was a plot twist. Good job.

[JediWaffles]

“What do you mean?” he put on a face like he did something his farther didn’t approve of… that I was here to yell at him for.

farther? do you mean father?