Reflect
Some time had passed.
If it weren't for the torchlights, Flash would probably have gone to sleep to experience the monotony less. Such was a lie and he knew it.
The noise of the celebration continued, haunting... taunting...
His head conjured up a million glittering images—of royal dignitaries in elegant finery enjoying the music of Octavia, Lyra, and Vinyl. She imagined Bon Bon passing trays of candy around from table to table, fraternizing with ambassadors from all over the equine globe. He imagined the smiles of Mr and Mrs Cake as they told tall tales of Ponyville while serving pie slices to visiting strangers. Last but not least, she imagined Soarin's dashing smile and Derpy's giggling voice... and just how heavenly those two disparate things felt when cocooned warmly within the same room.
Flash shivered. Just as he couldn't bear to imagine those things anymore...
...he heard hoofsteps again. Dozens of them. They were marching down the steps faster than ever.
His heart fluttered—only slightly—but he chose to ignore it. Just as he chose to ignore the voices beyond the cell bars at first. Ponies were mumbling with one another—even arguing in hoarse tones. At long last, a familiar voice cleared its throat and called out to him:
"You there," Shining Armor's unmistakable tone echoed. "Stand up and face us."
"You mean he doesn't have a name?" complained a curiously nasal, somewhat effeminate voice.
Wincing to himself, Flash reluctantly sat up. He swiveled off the bed, plodded down on four weak hooves, and shuffled towards the bars.
What he saw standing on the other side nearly threw him back onto his flank.
Shining Armor was there—as was a contingent of armored crystal guards. However, standing betwixt them was something that resembled a mutant cross between a moose and a stag beetle. The creature possessed lime-green chitinous flesh that sparkled in the torchlight and turned to darker neon shades of emerald across his belly. Dragonfly wings flared out from his side and a matching fibrous tail glistened translucently. To compliment all of this absurdity was a trio of horns—one green stub and two enormous orange things that nearly scraped the ceiling.
Flash was too busy trying to comprehend all of this that he barely noticed the conversation going on.
"From what we've learned, he's taken on the name of 'Brad' for some reason," Shining Armor said, regarding the jailed pegasus with an aloof expression. "Although Soarin of the Wonderbolts insists that he goes by 'Flash Sentry.'"
"The same as your Lieutenant of the guard?"
"Precisely. Maybe now you'll understand why we've brought you here, Your Highness." Shining Armor bowed slightly. "I'm so sorry that we had to interrupt your meeting with the Griffonstone representatives—"
"I only wish you had interrupted me sooner!" the insectoid creature said in a dramatic tone. "He's been down here this entire time?"
"Yes. He was escorted here the day before the festivities."
"At least tell me you've tried feeding him!"
"We... have brought him rations," Shining said. He looked towards a guard who nodded. "On at least four occasions. He... hasn't eaten anything. But if he's one of yours—"
"He's not one of mine," the creature declared, his compound eyes reflecting Flash's lonesome figure.
Shining's eyes narrowed beneath his helmet. "You're... you're sure of this, Thorax—?!"
"Of course I'm sure!" The creature reeled about with a chitinous frown. "And even if he was—I evidently have reason to be concerned! After all, if this is how you treat those you suspect to be my brothers and sisters of the hive, then I assure you I... I..." Thorax squirmed in place before finally finding the strength to slap a green hoof down. "...I'm certifiably peeved."
Gasps lit the room.
Half of the guards shifted in their armor.
Shining Armor cleared his throat. "I assure you, Your Highness, we did not mean to offend you."
"You... you think I'm offended?" Thorax briefly smiled. "R-really?! I-I mean..." He stood tall, the tips of his horns burning with an emerald fire. "Of course I am offended! Why... I-I have a good mind to send Pharynx here and teach you a thing or two about proper security protocol!"
"I understand why you are upset, Thorax, but we have these precautions in place for a reason," Shining spoke. "With all of the representatives converging on one spot—it would be perfect timing for Chrysalis to send loyal drones here to conduct something nefarious—"
"He is not a nefarious pony," spoke a feminine voice from above.
The guards rattled at attention.
Thorax and Shining stepped apart...
...and Flash Sentry watched as a pink... pink... pink pony trotted daintily down the stairwell, flanked by finely-dressed servants. She bore a tiara and bore a resolute expression that was both pleasant and serious all at once. When she spoke, it was like a Disney song was about to break out at any moment.
"He is indeed Flash Sentry... but not our Flash Sentry."
"Cadance," Shining spoke in a softer tone, approaching the regal mare. "I thought you said you'd be attending the Royal Sisters during the Celebration. Go back up, dear. We've got this under control—"
"Not anymore, my love," Cadance said, caressing Shining's chin briefly. "Princess Luna sent me to release him from his cell. He's the pony your sister's been looking for."
"Twily?" Shining blinked. "She's been looking for... for... him?"
"Princess Cadance..." Thorax bowed slightly. "...it would seem that your husband still believes that this is one of my kind."
"He isn't a changeling," Cadance remarked, shaking her head as she approached the cell. "A changeling—especially a lost one—feeds on love. But this soul... well..." She scuffled to a stop, giving Flash a sad look that pierced straight to his teenaged heart. "...he reflects it. Doesn't he?"
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Ok so is Shining Armor just not aware of the Mirror or is he just being stupid at this point? Again if he is not aware of the mirror world I would seriously have to question why. He is the co-ruler of the Crystal Empire and still the Captain of the Guard it just makes very little sense for him not to be briefed on these kinds of things.
8847986 Certainly does seem a little odd that, being in charge of security, Shining Armor wouldn't have been told about a backdoor into the castle. Either he is ignorant or incompetent (when it comes to knowledge of Flash's nature), but that still doesn't make all this prison stuff right.
Thorax is the voice of reason here, with Shining Armor hiding behind rules and regulations, but the fact of the matter is he is the Captain of the Imperial Guard (I like that touch, BTW, separating him from Equestria). Any rules and regulations he is following are ones he has instituted. While I can certainly appreciate he feels bad about what happened last time changelings infiltrated somewhere he was in charge of protecting, I really hope this becomes a learning process for him. I think Shining Armor has almost as much weight on his heart as Flash, maybe too much for him to remain as Captain of the Imperial Guard.
8848026
Keep in mind the mirror is at Twilight's castle at this point, not the Crystal Empire; it's not a security risk that Shining is responsible for. And they've had issues with changelings before, but never humans coming through, so when you see a duplicate of someone the simpler answer is changeling.
FINALLY this mess is all about to be sorted out. But then Flash is going to have to face Twilight. And that's not going to be pretty.
8847986
Shining Armor is a fucking idiot. He's always been a fucking idiot.
8848078 He was in charge of security when it was moved from Canterlot to the Crystal Empire. He was in charge of security while it was in the Crystal Empire. He was in charge of security when it left the Crystal Empire. His wife knew all about it. His sister knew all about it. He is a prince and the in charge of securing the Crystal Empire, yet you claim everypony treats him like a mushroom?
If that is the case, then it is Twilight and Cadance that must share some of the blame here.
Thorax is adorable.
8848084
As you say, he is in charge of security. So if he finds a duplicate of one of his guard running around, and isn't sure why, securing them seems a perfectly reasonable course of action. I don't think that "he's not a changeling, he's just an interdimensional traveler that's here without permission" should get a different response.
8848100 He has done a little more than just "secure" Flash. Flash is under arrest for a crime he hasn't committed, is being held in a prison cell without anything being explained to him, and even after Shining Armor is assured by Thorax that Flash isn't a changeling, continues to accuse him of such.
i Absolutely love Thorax in this, you did a good job with the characterization.
Cadence is the Princess of Love. I think her very Domain and Cutie Mark compels her to seek and try to help Flash.
Gasp!
Well, at least that is cleared up.
This experience with Cadance may be a good thing for Flash.
I can just imagine Thorax's shifting expression as he tries to be "official" and worries he's either failing or over doing it.
Interesting out come
8848922
She is just tsundere as fuck.
All we need now is Iron Will, 3 doors, and a goat.
When an ocean of intelligence fails, Cadance arrives to offer a raindrop of reason to wash away what the ocean failed to touch. But how can she reach through the mirror that is flash sentry?
Yes yes yes twilight sparkle is looking for him is male my day!
8850044
She's looking for him to return him to the other side of the mirror portal. That's hardly something to celebrate in his case. Plus, it brings up all the awkward stuff he was running away from.
God I love King Thorax. He acts like S1 Twilight