Mobile Suit Gundam: Alicorn

by Alines Reinhard

Chapter 18

One thing that should be noticed is that he has seen the same nightmares, the one where the creatures chanting “Free us now” with that scary lifeless face, over and over again. In addition to that, the frequency started to intensify, especially after the battle of Manehattan. They have visited him almost every single night. The only thing that stopped him from seeing those dreams again are night shifts, which mostly lasted from 9 pm of the night to 7 am the next morning.

He has experienced that phenomenon for more than a month.

Along with the somewhat low morale of the whole ship due to continuous failures in battles, the events he has experienced have nearly knocked his mental health down.

However, the trouble that was caused by the nightmares doesn’t end there: they have caused lack of sleep to the point that he was sometimes known as “Sleepy Brad”, as he can sleep anywhere and anytime during his day shift and even during meetings. This also led to some punishment he got from Haystack. Haystack, although he believes what Zecora has said about “The Haunting Curse”, doesn't believe Flash got it.

“It was too ancient for any creatures to know how to use it!” He said why Flash expressed his condition and his suspicion that he might have gotten the curse. “And in case some creature did that, either the Council of Friendship or the Heroes of Friendship have stopped that evil for a long time.”

Zecora is also too busy. She frequently goes from parts to parts of the ships to help creatures cure their injury that was caused by battles. The ship sustained heavy damages, to the point that about 25 creatures have lost their lives and about 152 injured. Flash even has to help her in some shifts along with his ship mates. Sometimes he tells the curse to her, but everything Zecora advises is “keep your morale up” and “be happy”. None of his ship mates, even Yamina, heard his concern about the curse anymore. They mostly believe he just has some mental problem, and since they don’t have much knowledge on neurology, they advise him just like what Zecora has told.

He can’t blame anything, not even the creatures that haunt him. He thought the curse is the punishment for what he has done in the past, and for his greed.

He was severely depressed, although he can talk a lot. He doesn't want to talk about the curse anymore.

But sometimes he thinking of suicide, thinking of how to get out of the depressing situation he is in. He looked around and seeing how depressed and desperate the fight against Black Wine is: they are outlawed by him, which will make them arrested and charged for treason once they entered Equestrian airspace, some kingdoms have already closed their door to them, and he don’t know when Orthinia will banish to nowhere. Almost every creature was exhausted, and while they had some resupply as well as some crew members breaked out of the ship to go to the festival, the docking at Parrot Peaks was merely a relief, at least to him. He even has to go to another ship after leaving Parrot Peaks, which would force him to live in worse conditions…

Then, sometimes the strongest creature’s mind can be broken, and Flash is not an exception.

Sometimes, the creatures at the ship’s convenience store noticed the blue haired human, that they knew was one of the MS pilots of the ship, came to their place to buy some razor blades. He always said he wanted to remove some of his facial hair, and quickly get away after the buying was done.

But Flash Sentry never grows a beard on his face! He have attempt suicide for a couple of times, with using the razor blades to cut his artery vein on his left hand’s wrist. However, every single time, something stopped him from doing that. He didn’t know why: maybe that’s the creature trying to prolong their toture or it's just he is a little bit trembling, knowing that he might never see the sun again if no creature sees him bleeding. But there is one thing in common: the razor blades fall off his hand every time it touches his skin.

But that night, the creatures decided to cheer him up a little bit.

…

“Uhm… Flash!” Yolinda said gently from outside of the door “Are you still awake?”

After hearing the voice, he knows that they wanted to put some disturbance to his sleep again. He mumbled grumpily.

“Get away, evil witches… Get away, evil witches…” Flash held his head tight and mumbled. He knows that he is already inside their nightmare, but he still does that. It makes the nightmare a little bit more bearable.

“Evil witches? What are you saying?” Luster Dawn answered “And why have you held your head right in the middle of the grass field?”

Confusing, Flash decided to look out of where he was.

It was him in his pony form again, lying on the soft grass of a picnic field just outside Ponyville. Not far away is the Sweet Apple Acres, and, a little bit further, the Castle of Friendship and the School of Friendship. They are the two large purple structures that were built with magic and friendship, located at one of the most attractive spots of the town of Ponyville. The Sweet Apple Acres is, as the name suggests, an apple farm with a large red warehouse, a house where the Apple family, the owner of the barn, lives, and a fairly large number of apple trees. This is the most famous town in Equestria, and he once heard Yamina wanted to visit it after the war ended. Towering near him is a large single tree that blocked the setting sun, and then, the creatures that have cast the spell on him.

“What the… Where… Where is this?” Flash sat up slowly while looking all around him, finding out he is sitting with the group in a circle. “What are you doing?”

But none of them seems like they are paying attention to the yellow pegasi. They are sitting in a circle, happily checking the bag that Flash has used to carry the rewards. Every time an item was pulled out, they cheered with each other in a way so adorable that even Flash had to remind himself that “they are evil witches”.

“Oh. My. CELESTIA!” Spring Garden said happily with her melodic voice when he pulled out the ballet dress “This is a very beautifully decorated dress: light green, plants-like décor on the sides as well as on the bodice. And the dress tie has a large bow behind it… This dress is so beautiful!”

“You're gonna be so gorgeous once you wear it, SG!” Butter Burger said with a dreamy voice, causing the whole group to laugh a little bit and even make Flash chuckled. However, this also brings him some confusion.

“Wait… I thought he said it is filly size!” Flash mumbled. He was still lying still on the grass as he looked at them.

“Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh! I always wanted this book!” Butter Burger hugged the book, cheering as he suddenly standed up, jumping around with the book in his hand. “100 Best ways for the easiest Equestrian dish was said to be the best recipe book for beginners. There is some food in this that I still have no idea how to make, so this is the one I really need!”

Yamina was so happy that when she take her hair out her eyes, their pupil widened and sparkling with joy:

“I don’t think this bracelet is so popular in fairs… It… It was pretty hard to find them back in Yakyakistan!” she said with a soft, excited voice “Thank you for this, Luster!”

With her front left hooves put on to her chest, eyes closed, Luster said with pride.

“No problem!”

Then, realizing he had let his guard down, the yellow Pegasus started to pay attention to every one of their movements as if they were waiting to do something bad to him. After a few seconds of preparing himself to run, he asked:

“What. Are. You. Doing. Here?” Flash growled.

“Huh? Oh, there you are, Prince Charming?” Luster said calmly. “Thanks for your help?”

“What?”

“Well… Don’t you remember Warmth Sunshine?” she asked with her hooves pointed to her again “The light cerise filly that helped you wins all of these rewards?”

“Are you harming her or not?” he said, still preparing for hypothetical nightmares that he assumed would come.

“Nonsense, we never do that?” Spring Garden answered “It was her, Luster!”

“What?” Flash was stunted again “Can it be…”

“Yep, it’s me!” Luster said with a proud attitude “Sorry to say that she is somewhat an illusion. But hey, at least you have a friend with you. Have to admit the time we spent with each other is some of the best, though!”

“No… you make me look like a fool. Every creature looked at me like I have a mental problem!” Flash answered in an angry mood.

“You are just… over reacting, Flash!” Grisela said “We’re not that dangerous… Oh, and how about my scarf?”

Her question made his anger even worse. Flash answer with a voice like he is barked:

“What, you still think you are innocent now, Ms Grisela!” he pointed his right hooves right to her “If I don’t decide to visit that tent first and then Luster here don’t lure me to go there back, I won't be in such trouble! Now answer me, Grisela: are you an evil witch?”

The black griffon barked back with tears in her eyes: “No way I’m a witch!”

“Flash, calm down!” Luster came to him and said “You make her cry…”

Grisela sitting right next to her with her claw holding the tears. Butter Burger and

“Cry what? Not just her, but all of you have pulled me into all of this mess…” then, he stopped in midfield, as if he had realized something. He continued:

“Or… this is really a punishment to me…” He started to say slower and calmer as he sit back down on the grass, his face gone sadder “You have seen all of my sins, from stealing Princess Twilight’s crown to failing your personality test… I… I…”

Struck with realization, all of the creatures looked at him with their eyes widened. However, Luster replied:

“Actually… I have set up that test so no one could pass it…” she said with a guilty manner, as she rubbed her front hooves “I’m… I’m sorry…”

“What… So you wanted me to fail?”

She nodded her head slightly.

“But… why?” he asked in sadness and a little anger “Why do you have to do this to me?”

“Be… Because we thought if it’s not you, no one else will try to save us?” Luster said.

“We’re sorry for pushing you like this, Flash…” Spring Garden followed “…we thought that the probability that any creature can find us is too low, so we have to set that curse up. We are deeply sorry about this…”

It takes him a few seconds to calm down. When his emotion have been settled, he looked at the group and asked:

“Are you trapped in that… Alicorn Gundam thing or what?”

“Oh… Yes… Yes we are!” Luster replied with a tone that, according to his speculation, she has felt a little bit better “We can’t get out of that thing and are trapped in there. It literally suffocates us, so I have to make that curse to make that thing consume us and find someone to free us out!”

Then ,all of the sudden, the dreams come back. He has seen how they ran away from Black Wine, and how they got trapped inside the Alicorn Gundam.

“Is… Is it real that… there is no way to lift this curse?” Flash asked after a few seconds of silence “… that the only way is to either free you guys… or die?”

The group looked at each other in concern. Then, realizing that’s the right answer, she slightly nodded:

“Yes… I’m aware that you are right…” she said in sadness “But… how do you know?”

“Zecora…”

“Zecora! Isn’t she the zebra that cured disease with potions back in the time when she was still at the Everfree Forest?” asked Spring Garden.

“Ye… Yes… But… Why do you ask?”

“Well… I’m a potion maker in training!” she pointed her hoof to her “I am determining the right kind of plants to make potions as a medicine. That’s why my name is Spring Garden…”

“Right…” Flash mumbled.

“Anyway, I want to make it clear that we have no intention to punish you…”

“Then why do you choose me?” Flash asked in anger again “A national criminal! If a creature knows who I am, they’ll straight up kill me!”

“It’s… because of destiny!” Luster answered “It’s your destiny for all of us to become friends, right guys?”

The whole team nodded.

“But… How about my scarf?” Grisela asked.

“Well… a pony called Haystack has taken it from me. He said I’m under investigation for helping a cult that worshiped an evil Griffonstonian’s evil witches. Do you know who she is?”

“Yes yes we know her! She is Gremlina!” Butter Burger said excitedly “Have to say… she is the ugliest griffon I’ve ever met!”

“Well… what happened?” Flash questioned “What did she do?”

“She is basically draining the griffons' trust in each other, as well as the power of color.” Yamina replied “Without the color and trust, there’s no more friendship, and the Griffonstone will become a lifeless place. In other words, she wanted to drain the life of Griffonstone!”

“Wait, so it was way worse than the rumor? I thought she only drained the trust and colors, in order to make creatures stay away from Griffonstone!”

“Yes… that is what she wants” Yamina said “We are the one who banished her!”

“What? You really…”

“Yeah! One time she attempted to do just that!” Grisela said with her right claw pushed into the air, flying around the group with some happiness and pride on her face “We have set up a fight, and with our Power of Friendship, we have banish her to Tartarus, restoring the trust, friendship and life back to Griffonstone!”

“No way…”

“Yeah… it is!” the black griffon landed as she was polishing her feathers “We have defeated evil creatures before… And now… would you take it back for me?”

“Depends on me!” Flash standing up with his face slightly pouting “I have to make sure you are not some kind of evil witches, or sorcerer before deciding to take that scarf back!”

However, when he nearly wanted to leave, Yamina suddenly said:

“Honestly… you're kinda cute with that pout face, Flash…” Yamina said “Aww!”

Despite his attitude having shown his distrust and even hatred to them, Yamina somehow still manages to melt his hard with that line. As he slightly blushing, he asked:

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… you are one of the cutest Pegasus around… Is that okay?” the brown yak with her hair riding in 2 golden hair ties, said “That’s one of the reasons why we should call you Prince Charming!”

Suddenly being reminded with the first time he have ever heard that phrase from one of the creatures, he continue his questioning:

“You are the first one to say that, Butter Burger…”

“You can call me BB, for short!” the yellow earth pony said rapidly, to the point that he had a feeling that he was sticking words together.

“Okay, BB… Anyway, why do you call me ‘Prince Charming’?”

“I came up with that!” Spring Garden said, pointing her hooves to herself “Because you are the only one right now that could save us out, but the main reason is to cheer you up!”

“Uhm… Okay…”

…

The next morning, he woke up in a strangely happy mood. He doesn’t feel sad or blue anymore. However, as the ship still has a somewhat depressing mood, Flash has to adjust his action to not express his mood too much. Fortunately, he still managed to control his expression very well, as he had taught during his time serving as a royal guard.

Suddenly, the idea of suiciding has gone away, at least for that moment.

“Silly Flash… Now you let your emotions be controlled by those creatures…” he silently scolded himself as he walked.

But he knows deep down that he is really happy, since he hasn't received much positive attitude towards him after he was judged as a national criminal.

After breakfast, Flash came to see his MS after finishing fixing and maintenance by him and the mechanics of the ship. Greeting him right in front of the white MS is Seashell Blue, waving at him to signal the blue haired humanoid in the middle of the hangar.

“Yo Brad! Look at your work, bud!” he said, pointing his claws to the suit “Look just like it just rolling off the factory, eh? Thanks Lady RD and the Orthinians for the resupply. These MS will help us avenge our comrades, and for Blue Rock Mine, right?”

“Yeah… And how about other suits?”

“They look just as new, like your’s!” he said as he looked around the hangar. He then jerks up his beak to Yamina’s suit “They also finish fixing your comrades MS as well. Have to say Blue Thunder is also extremely lucky when there are spare parts for him also. It is currently at the starboard side hangar.”

The duo was standing at the port side hangar and looked around their place. The Canterlot is capable of carrying either 8 mobile suits or 15 fighters, something which even the military brass in some Earth Federation’s and Zeon’s fleet have to dream about, especially since they are the largest factions from the world that bring mobile suits to Equus. This explained why the both hangars’ MS cages are mostly left empty: only 5 of them are in use. S.M.I.L.E have proposed a plan to increase the carry capacity to 10 mobile suites, which would make the Canterlot the most capable MS carrier in the whole Equus.

As Seashell have said, the Strike Zeta Gundam, Yamina’s Jegan Sniper Pack and Haystack’s Jesta Commander were being stored at the port side hangar. Blue Thunder’s and Water Vapor’s Jegan D Type are both stored at the starboard side hangar. All of them have enough weapons and fuel to fight for another 2 months, which have already been transferred to their new airships.

“By the way, where are you going to go next?” the blue hippogriff asked “Let me guess… the Parrot’s Strength?”

“Yeah… Captain Celaeno herself commanded that airship!” Flash sighed “She is a highly capable Captain…”

Flash let himself remember all of the events he has come through since he set his foot on the Canterlot.

“How long has it been, nearly 2 months, I guess…”

“Yep, nearly 2 months since you were officially serving for S.M.I.L.E , and about 3 months if you count the time when you are still sleeping !” the blue hippogriff said.

“Hey!”

Suddenly, from behind their back, Lieutenant Haystack shouted.

“Aren't you supposed to present at the mission room now, Brad?” he asked grumpily, “you’re already late!”

Before going to bed, the pilots are notified by Haystack that they have to go to the mission room for some final notice before officially continuing Operation Rainbow Chaser on the airships. It was a crucial meeting because they will know what they will do next for the operation to succeed.

“So… when will you take back the scarf?” Grisela's voice echoed in his head as he trotted toward the mission room.