"You wouldn't be the first stallion to make that choice," Soarin' said.
Flash Sentry blew out the side of his muzzle. "Don't you mean 'mistake?'"
"I don't believe in calling inevitable things 'mistakes,'" Soarin' clarified. "Dude, I may not know you. But I can tell that you're young. You've been through one bad relationship and another nonexistent one. But—y'know what? It's not the end of the world."
Flash stared straight ahead. "I wish I'd witness the beginning of the world."
Soarin' stared at him contemplatively.
Flash eventually met his eyes with his own. "What I got—at best—was a glimpse. Between Miss First and Miss Second... I caught a glimpse of what living must be like. And... and ever since..." He grimaced.
Soarin' leaned in ever so slightly. "Yes...?"
Flash hesitated at first. "Ever since... Miss First turned into a good person and told me what I needed to hear... that I had to let Miss Second go... well..." He brushed his mane back. "I've just... been sinking. Nonstop. Into a deep dark hole. And... what sucks the most about it is that the hole is no different than what my life has been before... what it's always been." He breathed deeply. "I've always been a loser."
"Come on, dude—"
"It's true," Flash said in a deep tone. "I'm not... entirely certain what distracted me before. But my life has always been empty... not meaningless. Just... dull. Without direction. And I don't really know how I carried on before. Maybe I just didn't care... and now I do... but I'm at a loss as to what to do about it?"
"Because you feel so abandoned?"
"Because I feel so alone," Flash confessed. "And... after Miss First used me and Miss Second ignored me... I find myself in the same place I've always been... and loathing it. And... and I just can't figure out why this had to happen. What inspired the universe to bring me into the shining light and just drop me right back in. It just... feels like the whole world decided to wipe its butt with me." He gulped. "I'm not wanting to complain. Can't really blame anyone or anything but myself, really... but... but beneath all of the sighs and all of the days spent lying in bed... I kinda feel angry, y'know?"
"Can't blame you."
"Or at least..." Flash leaned back on his haunches. "I want to feel angry."
"I recall someone who recently gave me some sound advice." Soarin' smiled. "Maybe what you need is a change in routine, bro."
Flash smiled pathetically. "What do you think I'm doing here?"
Soarin' raised an eyebrow.
"This isn't my home, Soarin'," Flash said. "I don't belong here."
"If you ask me, you fit right in," Soarin' replied smootely. "You're a good pony, Brad. You don't deserve the kind of crud you've gone through."
Flash was listening to Soarin's words, but his eyes—as well as his mind—were elsewhere.
I know this is a little chance for character building for Soarin and Flash but both of them should understand it's not exactly a choice to become enamored with the idea of falling in love. I imagine in a proper conversation it'd be something more along the lines of "You wouldn't be the first stallion to feel that way."
The ad on this page is for Dr. Pepper.
I loved this series of chapters thus far. We finally hear the problem from Flash's view, and get a gauge on how he feels.
There are a lot less comments on this chapter than a lot of the other ones, so I'll put this here to even it out a bit.
Honestly, I'm kind of wondering just how good a person this universe's Sunset is. It sounds like after her change of heart, she neglected to talk with Flash and help him out when it was obvious that he was struggling in the wake of her asshattery, because of her asshattery.
8838537
Either that, or she got a serious case of Flash-blindness.
7962047
Ritz Crackers Variety Pack