If Solaris had a Text-to-Speech Device

by Jay David

Background Checks

"SO THEN, SENTRY. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE ONE TALKING TO ME DOWN HERE, I THINK IT'S BEST IF I KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU."

"Fair enough," Flash admitted.

"FIRST THINGS FIRST, WHERE ARE YOU FROM?"

Flash shrugged. "Nothing special there, I fear. I was born in Cloudsdale."

"...I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS."

"Oh, really? The city of the pegasi?"

"THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES THAT WEREN'T AROUND WHEN I WAS RULING, KID. CANTERLOT, FOR INSTANCE. I WAS JUST MOVED HERE AFTER THE PLACE WAS BUILT."

"I see," Flash replied, considering what he'd said. "Well, as the name suggests, it's a city made of clouds. And, as you'd probably expect from that, only we pegasi really live there."

"I'LL HAVE TO TALK WITH MY DAUGHTERS ABOUT THAT. HAVING A LOCALE THAT SEEMS ALMOST PURPOSE-BUILT TO BE EXCLUSIONARY TO ALL BUT ONE TYPE OF PONY SOUNDS LIKE THE KIND OF THING THEY SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED."

"...Huh. Never really thought of it like that," Flash admitted.

"START," Solaris commanded firmly. "ANYWAY, CONTINUE."

"I didn't really have all that much of a bizarre childhood. Good parents, good friends, dreams of being a Wonderbolt, all the usual stuff."

"WONDERBOLT?"

"Oh, yes, they're a flight team. really popular. Most young pegasi dream of becoming members one day."

"A TOPIC FOR ANOTHER DAY. BACK TO THE MATTER AT HOOF?"

"After I sort of outgrew that childhood dream I enlisted in the Royal Guard as soon as I was old enough. Got my first big break when I was assigned to be an announcer for diplomats and other important visitors to the Crystal Empire."

"STRANGE TO HEAR THEY'D WANT AN EQUESTRIAN DOING THAT JOB. NORMALLY THE CRYSTAL PONIES RESERVE SUCH THINGS FOR THEIR OWN."

"Ah, well, there was a somewhat tumultuous history with the Empire after you left, Sir."

"REMIND ME TO ASK LATER."

"Anyway, after they got settled with their own guys, they didn't need the Royal Guard up there anymore, so me and the others who'd been assigned there returned to Canterlot, where I've been ever since."

"ANY ADVENTURES TO SPEAK OF?"

"A few days of danger here and there, but for the most part my service has been relatively peaceful." He smiled. "I suppose we should thank your daughter for that. It's not many nations that get to say they've lived through a millennia of peace."

"I TAKE IT YOU ARE AN ADMIRER OF CELESTIA THEN?"

Flash's smile widened. "Most definitely, Sir. In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find a single mare, stallion or foal who doesn't adore her. Anyone born in this nation in the last thousand years will have known little else except her rule." He gestured to the side. "A shining alicorn watching over us all."

"HMPH. AT LEAST SHE GOT THAT PART OF THE GOAL DOWN."

"Goal, Sir?" Flash asked.

"YES. IT WAS MY INTENT THAT I, AND TO A LESSER EXTENT MY DAUGHTERS, RAISE PONYKIND UP SO THAT, LIKE US, THEY COULD BE ALICORNS. TO ELEVATE OUR PEOPLE TO BE THE GREAT, IMMORTAL CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD I ALWAYS KNEW WE COULD BE."

"Well, that's certainly an ambitious hope, Sir."

"AN AMBITION NOT SHARED BY MY CHILDREN, APPARENTLY. SEEMS THEY VALUED YOUR HAPPINESS OVER YOUR POTENTIAL GREATNESS."

Flash's smile returned. "A sentiment I very much appreciate, Sir. And one I daresay they succeeded in. Happiness has been the defining quality of Celestia's thousand-year rule. In fact, I don't think there's ever been a time in our race's history where life has been better."

"YOU PAINT A PRETTY PICTURE, BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT PONIES SUCH AS YOURSELF COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH MORE THAN THIS."

The stallion in front of the king took a moment to think on that possibility, before speaking up in a softer tone than before. "Speaking personally, Sir...I'm not really sure I would have wanted that for myself."

"...ARE YOU SERIOUS? YOU WOULD HONESTLY TURN DOWN THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING COUNTED AMONG THE ALICORNS?"

"...Yes. Thinking on it, I actually would turn it down."

"YOU'RE GOING TO NEED TO LAY THIS ALL OUT FOR ME, KID. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I'M HAVING A HARD TIME WRAPPING MY HEAD AROUND IT. THE LIFE OF AN ALICORN IS THE GREATEST HEIGHT A PONY COULD EVER HAVE. THE ETERNAL LIFE, THE POWER, ALL OF IT. IT SHOULD BE THE DREAM OF ALL."

"The dream of others, perhaps. But not my dream."

"...WHY?"

Flash paused for a while as he thought on how best to answer. "Well...I don't think immortality is something I'd be happy with. Maybe I'm getting too far into philosophy here, but I think I'm more satisfied with life when I don't know which moment might be my last. I think...the moments I have are more important, more cherished, because I know I won't be around forever. So...I make the most of life while still have it."

"AND THE POWER?"

Flash shrugged to that. "All I've ever wanted in my life is to do well by others and be of service to the nation. And if you don't mind me blowing my own trumpet for a moment, Sir, I think I've done that. I never needed magic or power to be of use to people or to do good things. My accomplishments may seem simple or mundane to you and all the other big, important people in the world...but they're enough for me." After another moment of silence, his smile returned. "When it comes right down to it...I think the life of an ordinary mortal is all I could ever really want."

A long quiet fell over the chamber, and though Flash had not known this old alicorn for long, he could tell that he was thinking on what had been said to him. "YOU KNOW...IN ALL MY LONG YEARS...I DON'T THINK I EVER ACTUALLY ASKED ANYPONY IF ALICORNHOOD WAS WHAT THEY WANTED. I JUST ASSUMED IT WAS."

Flash stepped forward. "With respect, Sir...how many times did you ever have a conversation with your subjects?"

"...YOUR POINT IS WELL-MADE SENTRY. PERHAPS...MY REIGN DID INDEED HAVE A FEW BLIND SPOTS. IT COULD VERY WELL BE THAT YOUR ASSIGNMENT TO ME MIGHT BE MORE USEFUL THAN I FIRST SUSPECTED."

Flash gave a quick bow to him. "As I said, Sir, I'm happy to serve."

"SO IT WOULD SEEM. NOW TELL ME, WHAT IS THE STORY OF EQUESTRIA'S NEWEST RULER?"

Author's Note:

"Live, laugh, love" - Flash Sentry, probably

Comments

[Doctor_Den]

11635511
cyber-crutches for paralyzed disabled people and a combat exosuit are slightly different things ;)

[Draco Dei]

This guy is actually willing to learn... extremely surprising.

[Status L]

11635525
Very well Wraith knight it is.
(thats what the Eldari use)