“I can’t believe we actually pulled that off…” I shook my head in disbelief, ascending the castle stairs alongside Mum, Spike, and Flash Sentry with a grimy bedsheet over him, complete with cut-out eye holes. I couldn’t tell what gave me the bigger headache; getting blasted by the warlord or trying to figure out how this joke of a plan Mum came up with worked.

“Of course it did. It was my idea,” Mum boasted. “Just imagine the headlines in the morning: Ponyville’s Love Guru and friends defeat the deadly Buttermilk phantom!”

I facehooved. Never thought I would miss Mum’s terrible jokes, yet here we are.

“It wouldn’t surprise me.” Spike chuckled. “This town has seen so many weird things happen that they just roll with it. Fluttershy actually has a tracker for how many days we’ve had without a Discord-related incident. Should’ve known something was up when we didn’t hit double digits this month...”

“I still think we should take this off before Zecora sees me,” Flash suggested.

"And ruin the surprise?" Mum gasped. "Don't take this away from me, Buttermilk. I need her reaction in my life."

“Need my reaction for wha—” Zecora turned the corner of the hall just before we crossed the connecting intersection of the hallway, porcelain mug clutched tight in her hoof. Her words trailed off at the ridiculous sight that was Flash Sentry. She turned her head down the hall, then back to us as if deciphering a mirage.

Flash shuffled in place. “So, uh, I’m sure you have a lot of questions...”

“This is… no, my eyes must be deceiving me. Are you truly Flash Sentry?” Zecora then took notice of us. Mum and I had maintained our previous disguises, Sassy and Nurse Redheart respectively, to both avoid detection and not give Zecora an immediate heart attack, thus why I hadn’t stripped Flash of his silly disguise. All of us except Flash were strapped with several saddlebags carrying all of my equipment and supplies from the hospital. “When did you wake, and why are you dressed in a sheet? This is hardly the time to play trick or treat!”

“Don’t worry, Zecora, it’s really me. It’s a long story, and would be best to sit down and explain it all at once.”

“I... see. You all certainly look worse for wear. Come, put down your things so we can rest and discuss things over here.” Zecora guided us to the makeshift triage center where I last ‘visited’ Flash. This raised another question about Flash’s new form I was curious to see unfold.

Zecora swung the door open, then stopped dead in her tracks. The mug of coffee fell from her frozen hoof and shattered on the floor.

Flash’s body was still on the bed, coat white as snow. The white aura of pathos engulfed it completely. All eyes snapped to Flash, who scratched his head underneath the sheet.

“I can explain... I think.”

Oh I can’t wait to hear this.

Shock overcame Zecora for only a moment before settling into curiosity. “How did… could it be?” Without warning, she reached for the sheet on Flash and ripped it off.

Zecora drew a Niekinis dagger from the pouch strung along her barrel and pointed it at the ghostly Flash’s throat, terrified eyes bouncing between each of us.

First Spike, now Zecora has the blade? Since when did Mum start giving away our precious relics like candy?

“Explain yourself, windigo,” Zecora glared. “If they are under your spell, I’ll cut you down lest you let them go!”

Flash reared back, eyes glued to the tip of the blade. “Whoa, calm down Zecora! I told you, it’s really me!”

Zecora glanced at the bed where Flash’s actual body lay. Her wary gaze returned to him, grip tightened on the blade. Mum moved between them before things could escalate further.

“He’s telling the truth, though the jury is still out on what is going on with him,” Mum said. “That aside, I don’t think you and I formally met. Well, you met ‘Trojan’ and ‘Sassy Love’, but not the real me.”

She moved closer to Zecora, standing just beyond the knife point, and extended a hoof and smile. “The name’s Noble Heart. Real name, that is. Pleasure to meet ya officially, Zecora.”

I nearly had my own heart attack. It blew my mind to witness Mum give away her sacred identity so easily. “W-what the bloody hay are you doing?!” I caught myself too late, tensing on instinct for Mum’s sharp reprimand thanks to my disrespectful outburst. Instead, she merely shrugged.

“There’s no point in hiding my true name anymore now that the Cold One knows I'm still alive. Besides, we’re long overdue to start being a little more buddy-buddy with our new allies, so let’s lose the disguise. That includes you, Elly.”

With a grumble I followed orders and dropped my disguise, Mum following suit. At least I got some satisfaction out of Zecora’s reaction to seeing me again.

Zecora drew her attention to Spike for confirmation, eyes pleading for answers. Once she got the smile and nod from him, the tension in her shoulders slacked and her weapon lowered. “By the earth, you all have given me quite the start. Please, get settled so we can talk and give me time to calm my heart.”

We dropped the saddlebags in the corner and sought out chairs scattered about the room. Our seats were organized in a large circle. I acquired the seat on Mum’s right, followed by Spike, Zecora, then Flash, who had yet to take his seat. The air shifted to a damp, bitter taste of suppressed melancholy. Flash’s gaze would flicker to his body as if ashamed of it. Spike avoided looking at Flash and Mum with every opportunity, failing to conceal his discomfort. Like always, Mum kept up her upbeat mood, never giving away her intentions or thoughts like a good changeling. I knew the good-natured farce from earlier would eventually collapse, especially given the horrors we've faced in the past hour alone. I was thankful for Flash and Spike not being completely oblivious of our dilemma.

Flash stood over his own body, mood souring with a single glance at the guilt-ridden drake who clearly positioned himself to sit away from him and Mum. I could understand Spike’s reasons for being away from Flash, yet it eluded me to why he treated my mother the same way.

Zecora left her seat and sidled up to Flash’s side, looking down at pathos-infused body. The expression on his face spoke volumes. “Though I am still perplexed with this form you’ve taken, I don’t believe it wise to leave your body forsaken.”

“I have no idea how to get back to my body,” Flash admitted. “I’m not even sure how I ended up outside my body in the first place.” His hoof landed on ‘his’ chest. “There’s this energy coming off the body. Never seen anything like this.”

I couldn't hold back my surprise. “You can see pathos?”

“That is pathos?!” Flash exclaimed.

Spike looked around, completely lost. “See what? I don’t see anything.”

“Only those touched by the Cold One can see the tainted aura of his vile magic,” I explained.

“Or those gifted in such a field of study,” Zecora added. “Though I admit my aura reading skills are somewhat rusty. Regardless, this is a discussion to have once preparations are done. Now that I have clarity on your crisis, I may be able to help your soul and body once again become one.”

Flash gaped. “Whoa, you can do that?”

“This manifestation of your consciousness is magic taking form. Though it has been many years since I’ve performed such art, I can still mend souls and bodies separated and torn. However, that is a story for another day. When you are ready, I will show you the way.”

“There’s no time like the present. Let’s do it.”.

“Keep your hoof upon the body’s chest. Close your eyes and relax your soul. From there I shall do the rest. Do not allow your mind to wander and soon you will once again be whole.”

Flash complied and waited. Zecora placed her hoof over his and chanted something in a language I didn’t bother trying to decipher. It wasn’t normal Zebrican, that much was certain.

Faint, amethyst energy burned off her body and channeled into Flash’s hoof. Whatever she did caused his incorporeal form to twist and melt into his body, literally sucking him in. Tangerine rushed in and overtook the white on his coat just before his eyes popped open. Flash gasped for air.

Zecora extended her hoof to him. “Welcome back, captain. It’s good to see you back in action.”

With a big grin, Flash accepted her hoof and hopped off the bed. “Thanks Zeco—whoa.” He barely caught himself on his designated chair, wobbling like a sickly foal. “W-well now. Looks like I need to get used to having weight again.”

Zecora's little magic trick stole my curiosity. We’ve known about shaman zebras for a long time. Powerful in magic not commonly seen in Equestria and held secrets to this day our brightest changelings have been unable to expose. Still, seeing it first-hoof made my skin crawl. What else could they do with souls? What had they done with them in the past? I made a mental note to investigate this once this crisis was over. If I was still alive to see the end of this madness.

“Welcome back, Buttermilk,” Mum greeted. The two exchanged a nod, Flash smiling widely at her.

“It’s good to be back, Noble.”

I barely restrained a snarl. How dare he address her so casually? I should put him in his place and teach him respect!

My seething paused when Spike got out of his chair and approached Flash. Nervousness flashed in his gaze. Only a fool couldn’t tell what made him uneasy.

“Flash…” Spike forced the words out, fists glued to his sides.

Flash placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Later. Alright?”

Spike hesitated. I half expected the reptile to protest Flash’s wishes until he loosened his fists. “Alright.” He returned to his seat, shoulders slightly more relaxed than earlier.

Flash swept his gaze over us and cleared his throat. “I’m sure we’re all burning to figure out what the hay is going on. I got questions, and I know you all feel the same way, but let’s save them until we have all the facts on the table. This way we spend less time answering questions and more on being productive with what little time we got. We’re gonna need it to plan our next move.”

“Makes sense to me,” Mum said. “And since you were the one to come up with such a brilliant plan, you should go first.”

“Seems fair. Guess I’ll just start from the beginning after I left home base…”

We listened intently to Flash’s side of the story. The more he talked about his possession experience, facing “Malice” in his dreamscape, and working alongside Discord and Chrysalis, the harder it was to fight down the urge to ask questions.

Everything about Chrysalis working with him and Discord assaulted my very senses. Our queen consorting with ponies? Utter madness! Yet, had Flash not appeared out of that strange portal within the warlord vassal and utilized magic no pegasus should be capable of, I would’ve sooner called him a raving lunatic. Learning what became of our queen was most unsettling.

Flash choked up when Twilight and, surprisingly, the death of my squad was brought up. We all exchanged a look with each other, realizing he had no idea Twilight was still alive. More troubling was the salty emotions wafting out of him. He genuinely regretted butchering my squad.

That struck a nerve like nothing else, spilling gasoline into my pyre of rage.

“I know it won’t mean much after what I did, but… I’m sorry.” Flash’s voice quivered. “What I did wasn’t right. I should’ve talked things out more. Thought things through. Instead, I acted like an idiot and nearly got myself and everyone killed.” His head and ears drooped. “I wish I could take it all back. Hurting you all. Killing those changelings and taking Twilight’s life. It’s… it’s all my fault.”

“Enough!”

This drew raised eyebrows in my direction from all except Flash. His head still hung low like a whipped puppy. “Everyone else can throw a pity party for you, but I won’t forgive you so easily for slaughtering my forces! My mother’s forces!”

“Elly.” Mum’s warning tone slipped in. Against better judgement I continued.

“Had you not been such an immature brat, more lives probably could’ve been spared. Not like you would understand what we’ve gone through!”

“Elly…!”

“I will never forgive you, Flash Sentry! The only thing stopping me from strangling your sorry little neck is—”

Mum’s magic wrapped around my muzzle and trapped it shut. My head was turned just enough to witness an icy glare from Mum that liquefied my nerves.

“No more,” she scolded. “The lost of our kin is not his fault. Malice is to blame for this mess. It’s because of Flash I found you. Because of him we haven’t killed each other. Because of him that you live. He doesn’t owe us. We owe him.”

Flash looked up at Mum, life returning to his features. It took everything in me to not glare at her. Why is she taking a pony’s side and not mine? What happened to her since she left that warped her this way? Was there something I was missing?

...Am I wrong?

No. That can’t be. Why should we owe him after what he did to our forces? Even worse, he has an aspect of Malice dwelling within him. Why should he deserve anything more than retribution through death? Why would—

“We will discuss this further another time,” Mum’s tone left no room for debate. “You will treat him, Spike and Zecora as you would treat me. I will tolerate no less than full respect of our very lifelines in this fight. Are we clear?”

I nodded. Her gaze held as she released my mouth, daring me to defy her orders. Discipline kept the deep scowl out of my face, maintaining an impassive facade as I took my seat. Tension in the air thickened like a stifling bog.

“So, with that mess out of the way, guess it’s my turn. But before that, gotta clear the air.” Mum turned to Flash, carrying on like she didn’t just verbally throttle me, wearing her usual perky smile. “I don’t know why you got the idea of Twilight being dead, but she’s not.”

Flash threw a dumbfounded look at Mum. “Wh… what did you just say?”

“Twilight. Sparkle. Is. Not. Dead.” Mum repeated as if speaking to a confused child.

Flash went still. His emotions tasted like unrefined cinnamon: sweet with a strong hint of spice. Shock and happiness. This taste intensified as his breathing picked up. “B-but she… I know I slashed her face with my spear! I remember seeing her unmoving in the snow! I know what I saw! I swear to Celestia if you’re messing with me…!”

“You’re not wrong about what actually happened,” Mum shrugged. “You certainly did a number on her face, but I’m not lying to you. Twilight’s still alive.”

His wide eyes stayed on her a little longer, the sweetness in his emotions almost unbearably strong. Just when his eyes started to water, he shot up from his chair so fast it nearly flipped. “Where is she? I-I need to apologize. Tell her what happened and sort out this mess. She must be—”

“Twilight’s not here,” I answered, catching Mum’s warning glare at the edge of my vision.

“Where is she? Is she alright?!”

I hesitated, not sure if my answer would lead to him or Mum mauling me. Maybe both if I was careless. I decided to be diplomatic, if only to avoid Mum’s wrath. “She was taken with the enthralled element bearers by Malice. He hasn’t told me where he took them when I handed off control.”

The look of horror on Flash’s face struck me with guilt. It was like I took Hearth’s Warming away from him. This didn’t last long. His expression gradually morphed, deepening to a bitter scowl. Spice flared from his emotions as he looked ready to tear me asunder.

“You did what?!”

Pathos flickered in his emotional aura, static in the air tickling my carapace. His voice reverberated similarly to Chrysalis’, a hint of Malice embedded in the double voice. Spike and Zecora tensed up. Mum showed no reaction outside a small twitch of her forehoof. Though caught off guard, I was ready to deal with him if needed.

Go ahead, Flash Sentry. Try your luck. We can settle this right now. Mum would have to agree you’re too dangerous to let live.

To both my surprise and minor disappointment, his anger receded as quick as it came. He took a deep breath, made a sweeping motion with a hoof, then reclaimed his seat. A storm of spicy, hostile emotions whirled in him. “Sorry. I just… any idea if Twilight and the others are safe? What does Malice have planned for them?”

I tilted my head, throwing him a surprised glance. Just when I think I have him figured out, Flash pulls a fast one and sidesteps my expectations. The emotional switch threw me off so hard I almost forgot he asked me a question. “If Malice wanted them dead, he would’ve had me do it. There’s something he wants from them. He would sooner use them as, ugh, “motivation” than kill them outright. He knows how valuable they are as a set, so killing even one of them would cut his potential profit. We have time. I just can’t tell you how long.”

Flash closed his eyes. Another sigh. His pathos shimmered to a soft ember. “I’m sorry. I threw us off track even though I was the one who said to hold questions. Let’s continue reviewing what’s happened so far. Looks like plenty happened while I was out.”

A ghost of a smile appeared on Mum’s lips as she gave him an approving look. Seriously, what does she know that I don’t? “Alright. I’ll continue where you left off after you left home base…”

Mum retold her side of the story up to this point. I was surprised she knew about the death of our comrades before now, yet still treated Flash like a respectable pony. Spike told his side right afterwards, filling the gaps of what happened after he left Mum’s residence. He and Mum both claimed they only had weapon’s training before he left, though for some reason grew uncomfortable talking about it. Zecora was last to confess her side, primarily an observer to some of these events until she ran into Flash in Everfree.

“Guess it’s my turn then,” I said. “It’s best I start from the beginning. Malice assigned me to what was originally Mother’s next mission; set up a covert ops base camp and intel network in Ponyville. This meant not only watching movements of high priority targets such as Twilight Sparkle, but also controlling all communications that went in and out of Ponyville. Well, except dragon mail.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Mum nodded. “Can’t remove him without raising too much noise, and enthralling or impersonating him would've been too risky thanks to Twilight Sparkle’s insight.”

“Right. And let me tell you, it is not easy to keep a town like Ponyville quiet. I couldn’t turn around for five minutes without some weird crisis popping up. We couldn’t risk some bizarre happenstance to convince Twilight and the others to start investigations. If either of those led to Everfree Forest, our cover would’ve been blown.”

Flash cupped his chin. “Complacency creates weakness. Why suspect anything when everything is at peace?”

“Exactly! The mission had progressed soundly. We were able to subjugate some of the more problematic monsters in the forest and maintain control through enthralling and pathos possession. Things started to go sour after Thorax got captured, which got Malice nervous about being discovered too soon. It’s only after Flash bumbled his way to the commanding vassal’s lair that Malice decided to initiate security procedures.”

“What does that entail exactly?” Spike asked.

“Remove the biggest threats. In other words, capture the element bearers and eliminate any witnesses tied to them. Everypony who was remotely aware of what was going on,” I threw a gaze at Spike and Zecora, “were marked for death.”

Flash frowned. “While I can’t say I like the idea of you enslaving them, I can at least appreciate that you didn’t have to go through killing them.”

“How’s the view from that glass house of yours, Flash?” Mum asked with feign innocence.

Flash glared. “Hey, that’s not fair at all! The Shield Choker was completely different. Besides, is that something you say to the stallion who set you free?”

“Just saying. You and Shiny had quite the hard on for seeing me in bondage.”

I sputtered. “Excuse me?!”

Flash facehooved. “Context, Elytra.”

I could never tell when Mum was joking with such… delicate matters. I decided it was safer to not think too hard about it. “Moving on, shit hit the bloody fan when Flash stumbled upon the vassal’s hideout in the Timberwolf cave. Whatever Malice saw in you made him want to catch and possess you. My team was supposed to detain you and do the job while I observed Twilight’s movements from my spy outpost within Stardew Horizon, but… well, we all know how that went.”

Flash’s gaze fell. “R-right.”

“The rest is as you can imagine. First Spike caught me off guard, then Mother and Zecora spotted me just as I finished transferring pathos into Flash, and the rest is history.”

“Ugh, what a mess,” Flash grumbled, “and all because I lost my cool. Buck my life.”

“Speaking of mess, there are a few things that I still can’t make sense out of,” Mum spoke up. “Now that we got caught up with each other, I just got to know; what in Tartarus was that ghost nonsense you pulled off earlier? Did you seriously break out from inside you own mind?”

“Wish I could tell you. All I know is that I really, really wanted to punch that warlord in the face and save you guys. This ‘Spark’ of mine seems to work off desire and willpower rather than actual thought like a reflex. I really don’t understand much beyond that, or even its limitations. In my mind, I was able to do just about anything as long as I committed to it on an instinctive level. Outside that? No idea. Just lucked out I guess.”

“I may have the answers that you seek,” Zecora spoke up, “though I fear my knowledge on this matter is a bit rusty and weak.”

“It already sounds better than what I got, so spill,” Flash said.

“After Discord’s seal was complete, Malice’s power and persona, a part of his very soul, became one with you. Just as he was able to connect to one of these vassals through you, you became capable of such feats too. Channeling your newfound power allowed you to breach reality through Malice’s connection. It’s proof the power within you is real with risks worthy of much consideration.”

“It hadn’t really sunk in till now that I could use the same magic outside the mind castle. It’s far more taxing than I expected, though. So as long as Malice is stuck inside me, I have access to everything he could do?”

“Careful, Flash Sentry, as it will work the other way around,” Zecora warned. “Malice is likely to try and abuse this connection that keeps you two bound. We will need to secure the limits of your control. Should you fail or use it too much, Malice could very well take over your soul.”

“It’s just like what Discord and Chrysalis told me. If I mess up and lose control, Malice will be freed. I… I could die.” Sweat trickled down his cheek, color drained from his face. I’d wager the price he paid for having Malice stuck inside him was too steep.

“Hey, are you gonna be alright?” Mum asked him.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Just… thinking about our next move." An obvious lie for our benefit, or so he believed. "Our first priority should be to find Twilight and the others’ location. If I had to guess, they’re likely in Everfree somewhere. The question is where in the forest? And why? Any ideas?”

“Only one place makes sense,” I said. “Malice’s main base of operations is at the tree of harmony. It’s the one place he didn’t want any of us to be at and the strongest concentration of pathos. Can’t figure out what he wants with the tree, though. Maybe protect it?”

“He wouldn’t need to make you generate pathos for him in that case,” Mum pointed out. “A token force with some vassals would be more than enough to defend it while staying hidden. The fact he summoned a warlord class vassal means something’s up. He has a bigger plan here.”

“Warlord class?” Flash asked.

“There’s more than one type of vassal,” I answered. “Each one requires varying levels of pathos and resources for Malice to create. Stronger classes of vassals contain more of Malice’s psyche, intelligence and memories. So far we’ve been able to classify reapers, hunters, warlords, warmasters and champions. Pathos gatherers, fighters like the one who possessed you, and overseers who run the show for the first three. Warmasters are basically replicas of Malice himself, and champions are his “privileged” few that are in a class of their own.”

“Apparently I’m his newest ‘champion’,” Flash spat. “As much as I don’t like it, that power helped us take down that warlord. From what you described, a warmaster is what was put inside of me. I bet that wingless dragon had to be what the real Malice looks like.”

“I can only guess another warmaster is at the tree of harmony, doing whatever he can to further his game plan.” Mum guessed.

“So what are we waiting for?” Spike hopped out of his chair, steam puffed through his nose. “Let’s get in there and save everypony!”

“Hold on, Spike,” Flash raised his hoof to gesture him to stop. “I want to get in there and save Twilight and the others as much as you do, but rushing in there, especially now, is suicide. We lucked out by catching that warlord off guard, but if this Warmaster is anything like what I faced, he’ll rip us apart as we are now. There’s another problem to consider as well.”

Mum’s shoulder sank at the unspoken concern. “Shining Armor, right?”

“Yeah. From what Noble described, he’s coming here with some much needed reinforcements. Unfortunately, he will also be coming with the wrath of the stars. What do you think will happen if an army of angry soldiers led by a furious prince were to show up in Ponyville as it is now? More importantly, who do you think would profit the most from it?”

I caught on immediately. “It would be a buffet of negative energy for Malice to feast on. Malice is all about sparking war and fueling rage. They would play right into his claws.”

“We need prepare ourselves and wait for reinforcements first,” Flash suggested. “Once we get that under control, we’ll have the backing of Shining Armor and whatever he brought with him to help secure Ponyville and Everfree. Beyond that, going into Everfree without proper rest or preparation is just asking for trouble. The smartest course of action is to wait until we’re rested and have taken care of Shining Armor.”

“B-but what about Twilight? What if Malice is torturing her? He might even…” Spike’s gaze fell, unable to complete the thought.

“He won’t,” Flash answered without hesitation.

That sounded rather confident. Is he just talking out of his ass? “How do you know that?” I asked.

“He only tortures traitors. It’s part of his code to impart that kind of punishment on those who betray him, such as Chrysalis. He’s the type who believes in burning one village to make the neighboring three surrender. Though he’s a bastard and a tyrant, torturing someone for ‘fun’ is beneath him. Waste of resources and time. What he wants, more than anything, is spark off the biggest Celestia-damned war he can profit of, and having a princess and the element bearers at his mercy plays into that almost too perfectly.”

“Flash,” Zecora started cautiously, “your level of comprehension concerning Malice is rather distinct. Were those words, by chance, spoken out of instinct?”

The accusation spoke volumes and matched my concerns perfectly. I’d spent nearly three years trying to understand the depth of Malice’s thoughts, actions and motivations. Flash is just learning about him, yet he spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Flash looked at us like we had just accused him of treason. “I… it just felt like that’s how he would think. I don’t think I’m wrong, but I can’t explain why it’s right.” His forehooves rubbed together as he averted his gaze from ours. “Hey, look, I’m still me, alright? No matter what happens, I won’t let that change.”

Despite his reassuring words, even Flash couldn’t ignore the dangers of having Malice infused within his own subconsciousness and soul. “That aside, I can’t disagree with what Flash said,” I admitted. “As long as I’ve studied his behavior, Malice made it abundantly clear he had a particular hatred for traitors. I just never pieced together that there was actual purpose to it rather than stigmatism from Discord’s apparent betrayal.”

“But if that’s the case, one thing doesn’t make sense,” Flash pondered. “Malice went out of his way to give Chrysalis the ‘easy’ way out. He had plenty of chances of severely crippling her mind or even killing her, but stopped himself each time.”

That… doesn’t sound like the Malice Mum and I know. Granted, he only began torturing Chrysalis after suspecting her of betraying him, but he already has her body and the grip on the hive mind through it. Why spare her?

“Don’t think it matters why,” I settled. “All that matters is dealing with him before it’s too late.”

“Agreed. So that’s it then. Settle matters with Shining Armor first, then assault Everfree,” Flash said. “Let’s get all the rest and prep work we can tonight. Once Shining Armor gets here, there will be no time to do anything but launch the offensive against Everfree.”

“We should have watch rotations to make sure Malice doesn’t get creative,” Mum suggested.

“Good idea. We can also use this time to take care of anything weighing on our minds. We may not get the chance later.”

“Way ahead of you, Buttermilk. Elly, you’re with me. Bring the equipment.” The grip of nervousness crawled up my back at the seriousness in mum’s tone. I had a feeling I was not going to slip away from her promised "talk" so easily.

“Sounds good. Spike, mind coming with me to prep food for everyone?” Flash turned his attention to Spike, who nodded.

“I suppose I’ll make myself useful and clean up this space,” Zecora suggested. “I recommend we sleep here so all can be in one place.”

A quick glance at Flash and my stomach twisted into a knot. The last thing I wanted was to sleep anywhere near him. Sadly, there was no arguing the point, as being in one place made it easier to keep watch.

Flash smiled. “Good call, Zecora. Alright, let’s break and regroup here later. Make tonight worth it.”

All except Zecora departed from the room, Flash and Spike heading down stairs while I followed Mum down the hall. An invisible weight pressed on my shoulders while we walked in silence, saddlebags hovering in my magical grip.

This very well could be our final night together.

Mum and I entered what appeared to be a music room. She pointed to one of the couches with a silent command. I didn’t hesitate to take the seat, dropping the saddlebags in a pile between us. Mum sat across from me. No words. No body language. Not even a hint of emotion on her face to decipher what was on her mind. Either I was still in trouble for my behavior earlier or something heavy weighed on her mind. At this stage it could be both.

“Something isn’t right.” Mum spoke cryptically as she pulled out the items in the bags. Ration canisters, melter bombs, alert bells, spools of garrote wire, broken down components and bolts for my crossbow, and other weapons were being organized on the ground. She rifled through the equipment, occasionally placing items that caught her eye by her side and others on the floor.

“Talking about the vassals, right?” I worked my magic to gather pieces of my crossbow and reassembled it.

Mum nodded. “When Flash freed my magic, I sensed reapers all over the hospital. Considering how much pathos was generated from the whole mess, I bet Malice had a reaper for every patient in the building. If he was serious, he probably could’ve made several hunters to help his warlord.”

Putting the pieces together, I started following Mum’s thought process. “The development with Flash was a surprising one. Perhaps he was caught off guard?”

“That warlord was likely made for me,” Mum’s brow knitted together, “and for all of that pathos to disappear, or rather, relocate…”

“He’s consolidating his resources.” I finished. “For him to reclaim all the reapers in the hospital, all the pathos lingering around the town, he must have an endgame in mind.”

“Exactly, which is why you will need these.”

Mum washed a layer of magic over her hind legs. Fours straps filled with Niekinis daggers emerged from invisibility. She unclipped them and passed the weaponry over to me via magic.

“Thanks, Mum.” I placed my completed crossbow on the side and fastened each leather bandolier to each of my legs. Mum recast her enchantment spell over me, causing the blades to disappear from sight. In turn, I grabbed some of the canisters containing siphoned love and passed them to Mum. “Please drink. Would be best for you to stay at full strength.” I couldn’t help the scowl unbidden on my face. “There’s a lot less mouths to feed. It would be a shame for this to go to waste.”

“Elly,” Mum frowned, grasping the canisters in her magic, “you must maintain control of your discipline. We will make Malice pay, but only if we stay focus and play smart.” She popped open the rations and downed the green viscous liquid one gulp per canister. Her magic brightened and shimmered with each drink, months worth of rations devoured in minutes.

How many weeks had she gone barely consuming her minimal diet? No wonder she’s so hungry.

“Please slow down a bit, Mum. The last thing we need is for your to go into shock.” I helped myself to one of the canisters to top off my strength, the sweet taste of pure love caressing my taste buds.

A pile of empty canisters at her side, Mum released a blissful sigh. “It will take more than that to overwhelm me. Besides, I need the extra juice just in case I screw up.”

One of my eyebrows quirked. “Screw up what?”

“I can’t risk being separated from you again. I don’t know what will happen from here on out, so we need to stay connected. But we can’t use the hive network without leaving the backdoor open for Malice. He’ll kill us in a second.”

“That reminds me; how did you disappear from the network like you did? It was so sudden we thought you were killed instantly… ahem, n-not that I thought those feeble ponies would get you.”

“A normal disconnect would’ve tipped someone off, especially your aunt Guile. She, better than anyone, can tell apart the subtle nuance of a manual disconnect. Considering Shining Armor and I still had yet to be best buds, I had to think fast and get creative without letting anyling know what I was up to.” She tapped on her horn. I focused on two tiny cracks formed in the grooves of a hole in it. “Turns out sticking a Niekinis blade in here hurts like a bitch.”

“M-Mother!” I gasped. “What in the world possessed you to do that? You could’ve shattered your mind or suffered a psychotic break from severing your connection that way!”

Mum shrugged. “Between that or tipping off Malice, I had to take my chances. Besides, it paid off. I was able to play dead long enough to find you.”

“That is…” I grumbled, unable to find a counterpoint. Being caught lying by Malice would’ve certainly led to worst consequences. “Ugh, point taken. It was still far too risky.”

“And so is what I’m about to do next. For us to function as a unit again, we need that hive mind network.”

“But we can’t. Not without connecting to the Queen’s network, which won’t end well for either of us.”

“Exactly. You will be joining my network.”

I sputtered. “What?! But I thought the Queen refused to teach you how to create a hive mind network!”

“True. Stars forbid any of us dared to even think of leaving the hive to become queen by our own hooves,” Mum rolled her eyes, a hint of bitterness on her tongue. “Luckily, breaking the network and having a lot of time to think allowed me to figure some things out. I’m going to try and reach out to you with my magic. When you feel it, align your magic as you normally would. From there we should be able to forge a network… I think.”

“Not exactly a shining beacon of confidence, Mum,” I muttered under my breath.

“What was that?”

“I-I said let’s go for it.” I closed my eyes and, emptying my thoughts to strengthen my senses. After a moment and some frustrated grunts from Mum, a sudden warmth engulfed my horn. I gasped, feeling every inch of Mum’s warm presence in my mind. The sensation wasn’t nearly as muted as when we were part of the Queen’s hive mind network.

*Mum? Can you hear me?* I called out through the link.

*Huh. That wasn’t as bad as I thought. Regardless, connection established!*

I opened my eyes, as did Mum. Smiles erupted from our muzzles. “My goodness, it works! I can’t believe it!”

“I know. Ain’t I amazing?”

I rolled my eyes. “Modest as always, Mum. You haven’t changed a bit, have you?”

The smile dropped a bit. “Much to my surprise… yes, I have. A lot opened my eyes today.”

I was taken by surprise from the sudden shift of mood. “What do you mean?”

“Elly.” A touch of gentleness reached her voice. “Do you remember my assignment during the Canterlot operation?”

“Yes, Mum. Destabilize the residential district to attract attention away from the castle. You had to deal with Canterlot's Delta Company, right?

“Correct. All I had to do was attract enough attention to divide the pony forces stationed there. However, I’d gotten a bit… overzealous.” She paused. “I killed many ponies. Way more than the mission required me to. It was during that raid I encountered Flash’s unit. I’m not even sure if they were sent to intercept us, or if his unit just stumbled into our AO. Either way, we engaged them, and…” Another break. I had never seen Mum be this dismayed over some dead ponies. “I’m responsible for wiping out his entire team. His friends. I nearly killed him, too, until that barrier blasted us away.”

“That’s quite the odd coincidence to run into him again. Small world, I suppose,” I shrugged.

“Do you also believe it to be a coincidence that of all the ponies for your team to have faced, it was the one whose comrades I’ve had slaughtered in front of him?”

Now I understood what she was trying to get at. “Mum, please do not lump the tragic losses of our forces with his. Not even the death of a thousand ponies could replace one of ours. You of all changelings should know we can’t accept any further losses.”

A hidden pain flickered across Mum’s face for a moment before she sighed. “And thus the ‘truths’ of our queen blind us. As much as I love Chrysalis, her ways have led us to the dark ages we are in now.”

I barely withheld a gasp. “I-I know you two have had differences in the past, but she always had our best interests in mind. All of her work had been to help us thrive and survive. It’s either us or them!”

“You still don’t get it, do you?” Mum shook her head. “Back then, the operation was never about the survival of our species or even toppling the leaders. It was all because of the queen’s spite against Celestia. The marriage of the princess of love, a celebration generating more love than we could even fathom, was merely an opportune time for her to exact vengeance. The perfect cover.”

Everything coming out of Mum’s mouth hit my ears wrong. Words of heresy and treason against the great queen. All had been about survival and evolution of the species! No longer would we need to slink through the shadows, scavenging for food like a wild animal. Without the ponies, we would be free.

“Mum,” I paused to search for the proper words, “I don’t understand. None of this seems like our benevolent queen. Sure, any mention of Celestia usually struck a nerve, and the ponies always did seem less a menacing threat than she said they were…”

Even my own words felt alien. Everyling knew of the queen’s hatred for ponies, especially Celestia. How her battle against the sun princess scarred us in the past. An obnoxious reminder of the fate of anything who went against the ponies.

Whatever she saw in my face caused a small, bitter smile to appear in Mum’s muzzle. “I see you’re catching on that something is off. Our queen wouldn’t dare allow something as scandalous as her personal vendetta risk creating discord among the hive. Only myself and your aunties knew the truth behind her actions. We kept it secret for the peace and safety of the hive and help our queen cope with what she could. As you can imagine, centuries of festering your inner hatred can have some… disastrous results.”

My head spun as it assembled pieces and clues that’d stuck out in my mind for years. If our queen was really so biased, that placed every decision she’s made into question. How much was for the good of the hive? How much was only to satisfy her hatred? How many lives have we lost because of this?

“Where… are you going with this? Why are you telling me this now?”

“It’s a lesson I learned tonight, Elly. A lesson that took the deaths of many changelings for me to understand. Our Queen’s hatred led to the deaths of many ponies. This created ponies like Flash Sentry, a survivor whose hatred for us was born from our actions. That is what led to the demise of the squad you brought with you.”

Mum’s expression hardened, almost angry. “We have to change, Elly. I understand why you hate Flash. Seeing the aftermath of what he did is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. However, if we are going to survive this, we will have to move past it. That starts with having faith in Flash Sentry.”

I nearly choked. “Him? As in, the very same pony you just got through telling me has such a compelling reason for hating us so?”

“Heh, yes, that very one. His development will be pivotal in showing us that the possibility of peace between our races exist. If the stallion who hated us for so many years can be convinced to give peace a chance, then what’s to say others can’t? What’s to say that we can’t?”

How many years has it been since Mum talked about peace with the ponies? Chrysalis always detested such talks and would shut Mum down at every opportunity. I thought Mum finally abandoned such wild ideas years ago. Then again, tonight has been full of surprises, so what’s one more?

Mum continued. “Observe him tonight. Form your own judgement based on what I’ve told you. You know I would never speak this highly of a pony unless he earned my respect.”

I groaned. “You say that, but he’s also carrying Malice in his soul. I can’t be the only one who saw a bit of that bastard shine through when Flash started losing his shit. He’s too dangerous.”

“I never said it would be easy, nor did I miss that. I trusted him to keep it controlled and he did. If it comes down to it, I will stop him, just as Spike had done.”

“Regarding Spike, I don’t understand what you see in the feeble novice. You seriously trust him with our sacred teachings? With our relics?”

A strange smile appeared on Mum’s muzzle. Almost shy in nature. “Well, it started with just trying to manipulate him to do my bidding. But let me tell you, that drake is not to be underestimated. I couldn’t have made a better decision in taking him on as my disciple.”

I pursed my lips. “He’s too clumsy and naive. That drake will only slow us down”

“Alright, then. Remind me on how this clumsy drake slipped out of your sight back at the hospital?”

That… had not crossed my mind until now. That little shit...!

“I-I was distracted!” was my snap response. “With everything that was going on, Spike was the last thing I was concerned about!”

“Ah, so you admit my strongest disciple allowed herself to get distracted in combat? If you were his target, you would not be standing here right now.”

“I…” I wanted to throw myself under a carriage. Losing control of my combat awareness sounded just as bad as admitting that upstart evaded me. All I could do was growl at Mum, who giggled at my mortifying display.

“Relax, I know things were a bit tense. I admit, I’m grateful Flash showed up when he did. I couldn’t tell if Spike really was going to try and stab me in the back.”

I gasped. Thinking back on the fight, I scarcely remember the troubling look in his eyes as he held his weapon. I’d figured he was just emotionally confused and agitated, or preparing himself to kill me at the time. Not once did I consider the possibility of him hurting Mum.

“Him? Kill you? Impossible!”

“Believe me, you weren’t the only one I kept my eye on during that scuffle, a fiasco that I will let slide only once,” the glare she threw at me sent shivers down my spine. I’d hoped she forgot about my insubordination during that crisis. “It took guts for Spike to even think about killing me to save everyone. Knowing him, he realized the only way he could even dream to defeat me was to catch me off guard. Excellent threat assessment, considering the situation.”

I shook my head. “Only you would compliment a student who contemplated murdering you.”

“Well, I’m just glad I didn’t have to end up killing him in the end. I think he would be a good match for you.”

I coughed. The sudden shift in conversation nearly gave me whiplash. “Excuse me, what?”

“You’re not getting any younger, y’know. Sure, he’s dorky and inexperienced, but I do approve of his cuteness and mindset.” A look I was all too familiar with gleamed in her eye. The kind of look someone wore when they had their ‘best idea ever’. “Maybe after this is over, you two could have a private training session. You could, you know, tutor him in our ways. Embrace his culture… maybe even his—”

“Nope. Not having this conversation.” I shot from the couch and bolted for the door as fast as my legs could carry me.

“Have you seen that muscle definition? Don’t knock it till you try it~”

“Not listening!” I shouted back, disappearing around the corner. I could still hear her mad giggling from down the hallway.

*It’s rude to run away from conversation, young lady.*

*So is trying to throw Spike on me, Mum.*

*Only because I care… and curious to see if he’s into taking turns.*

I nearly tripped down the stairs. *Mother!*

I received no further response from her after that. Probably laughing her head off at my expense.

Disturbing habits aside, Mum’s words about Flash and the future of our race stuck out in my mind, a nail begging to be hammered down. I wasn’t quite ready to take everything she said to heart, unwilling to let Flash’s crimes against us lay to rest. A lot more information would be required before I could make my judgment.

Mum did say I should observe Flash tonight. Not sure what she expects me to find that I haven’t already seen. Guess there’s only one way to find out.

I had wandered down stairs when I heard the sound of shifting plates and voices. I hugged the wall on reflex, head inched towards the edge until I could peek into the kitchen.

A collection of hay sandwiches and salads were spread over the table. Flash went about preparing the food while Spike helped with drinks, neither saying a word. I could taste the stifling awkwardness in the air. I was about to consider surveillance a waste of time until Flash spoke up.

“Hey Spike. Mind taking a seat?”

Spike hesitated, then hopped onto the seat as understanding dawned on his face. “Shouldn’t we take food to the others first?”

Flash dove for the cabinet below the sink. “We got time. Besides, I hadn’t forgotten that you wanted to talk. Figured now is as good time as we’re gonna get to spend some quality time and air out the laundry.”

“O-oh. Okay.”

A chuckle slipped out of Flash. “Why do you sound like I’m about to grill you? Just wanted us to have a quiet moment to just be us, y’know? You’re not in trouble.”

Spike folded his hands over the table, nervously twiddling his thumbs. “Really? I thought you would’ve been mad at me for… well, y’know. Even after you saved us, what you went through in Everfree, I just… it hurts.”

“Well good thing I bought the good stuff.” Flash pulled out a tall, ruby glass bottle and planted it on the table. Spike stared at the thing as if it might bite him. Recognizing the bottle, my eyebrow quirked.

Isn’t that Maelstrom Rum? That thing could knock a minotaur flat on their ass. Pretty good stuff.

“Uh, Flash? Why are you bringing out a bottle of alcohol? Why do we even have alcohol?” Spike asked.

Flash said nothing as he grabbed two glasses from the freezer and planted one of the cups next to Spike. He planted himself in a seat next to the drake with his own cup.

Spike’s jaw slacked when the answer sunk in. “Isn’t drinking this a really bad idea?”

“Not if you do it right.” Flash moved to pour their glasses. “This is how Shining and I like to spend our time before a big mission with the squad. This is really strong stuff, so drink slowly.”

“B-but what if Malice attacks us while we’re drunk? I’ve read enough comic books to know how that goes.”

I rolled my eyes at the paranoid drake. Seriously, what does my mother see in this twerp?

Flash frowned. “Only an idiot gets drunk before a mission. I won’t let that happen to you. I made that mistake once and got stupid drunk before a big bust. Do you have any idea how hard it is to chase down a diamond dog pack with a hangover?”

“Then why risk that?”

“We’re not risking anything as long as we’re careful.” Flash swished the brownish liquid a little before taking a sip. Though I’ve only had it a few times, I could still taste the cinnamon spice alcohol swirl on my tongue. I wouldn’t mind having a glass or two before we had to face Shining Armor and Malice tomorrow.

“You’re right about too much alcohol making someone stupid. It’s a dumb idea to do that right before a big battle. However, having too much stress and pent up thoughts is just as deadly. It makes you distracted and sloppy. Stress, anger, depression, it’s all poison for the soul.” He tipped his glass towards Spike. “And this antidote does wonders to help the cleansing process.”

Spike picked up the glass, eying the liquid with a cautious eye. “Should I be drinking this? Twilight said the drinking age was twenty-one. I still got two years to go.”

Flash placed the cup back down and fixed Spike a hard look. “Spike, you were nearly killed by changelings, had to stab me to keep me from killing you and everyone else, were a prisoner of war, and barely got through that fight against the warlord in the span of hours. Hours! As a member of the Royal Guard, honor-bound to uphold the law at all times, I saw screw the rules and drink. You’ve more than earned it after all you’ve been through.”

It hadn’t occurred to me until now that Spike had undergone quite the terrifying experience for a novice. Despite the adventures he’s had with Twilight, I don’t recall observing him going through something this hazardous to his psyche. I’ve seen tougher individuals crack through less pressure. For Flash to recognize and address this does say something for his character I suppose.

“Huh. Um, wow. G-guess I guess I can’t argue with that.” Spike took an experimental whiff, only to wince. “Gah, what is this stuff? Not even lava makes my nose burn like that.”

“I don’t get any of the weak-sauce crap you find at the street corner. This is vintage spiced rum, and you’re about to take that next step into stallion-hood. Well, so to speak. Now quit whining and drink up.”

“W-well, if you say so.” Finally, Spike took a sip. Unfortunately for him, he ignored the warning and downed his in one gulp. I winced, recalling my first time drinking that stuff. I couldn’t taste anything for three days.

“Hrk!” His eyes popped open, followed by gasp for air. His free hand moved to grasp his throat, tongue hanging out and face flushed.

“I told you to drink it slow, Spike. That stuff will knock you on your flank faster than you think.”

After a series of strangled gasp, Spike managed to gain control of himself ahead. He blinked the tears out of his eyes, staring down the empty cup in awe. “Whoa… this stuff is awesome!”

“Haha! That’s the spirit!” Flash poured Spike another round and passed it back to him. “Remember, slow.”

Spike nodded and took a slow sip. A hum of approval echoed inside his glass. Flash decided to start catching up with him.

While the two indulged themselves, I replayed their interaction in my head. For one who had a god of war plugged into his chest and was recently stabbed by this very drake, Flash seemed to be taking this quite well. At least, that might've been the case to those who couldn't taste the sourness emanating from his emotions. Something still weighed on his conscious that he did well to avoid showing.

True to his word, he ensured Spike did not drink too much too fast. It didn’t take long for the effects to show on Spike. His shoulders and demeanor relaxed. A spicy emotion drifted from Spike, gradually surging in intensity. His eyes narrowed as he glared down at his drink. If Flash noticed the aggressive change in the tipsy drake, he didn’t show it.

“Flash, you… you’re such...” Spike murmured.

“What was that?” Flash asked.

“You’re such a jerk!” Spike screamed, slamming his fist on the table. His body shook with barely contained restraint. “You abandoned your teammates and nearly got yourself killed! Now you just come back, act like some big damn hero and pretend that nothing happened? Like I didn’t attempt to kill you?!”

Spike downed the rest of his drink and nearly cracked the glass upon putting it down. I frowned at the sight. So he’s the angry type. He must be really pent up if he’s this bad while tipsy. Not the kind of personality you want anywhere near pathos.

“You know that’s not fair,” Flash said. “It’s not that simple.”

“Of course I know that!” Spike clenched his eyes shut, unsuccessfully stemming the flow of tears. “Nothing about any of this shit is simple or fair! I thought I killed the closest thing to a brother I’ve ever had! I almost had to kill Noble and Elytra too!”

“I saw. It’s a call I don’t know if I could’ve made.”

“Liar!” Spike slammed on the table again. “You… y-you hate changelings! They ruined your life! Killed your friends! Why wouldn’t you kill them to save ponies?”

Flash winced, wounded. He downed his drink before answering. “Had you asked me that yesterday, I would’ve completely agreed with you. If killing any and all changelings would mean saving everyone and stopping this madness, I wouldn’t have hesitated.”

My grip tightened at the edge of the doorway. Son of a...

“But after meeting Chrysalis and learning more about what the changelings and Noble has gone through, I can’t bring myself to look at them the way I used to.” Flash poured himself another drink. “Changelings are just as much victims in this mess as we are. I still worry about them stabbing me in the back or messing with my head. I’ll probably always be paranoid of them, but damn it, I have to at least try to make a difference or I’ll never get past this. I owe it to not only my comrades, but also for those changelings who died because of me.”

Try as I could, there was no hint of deceit to be found in him. It was a stern promise, albeit a hint of fear in his tone. Angry as I was with him, what he went through with the lost of his squad was not so dissimilar to what I'd gone through. I could still feel the gap in my consciousness and heart from the horror and pain my squad endured during that brutal encounter.

“That goes for you too,” Flash continued. “No one can say you made a poor choice in trying to kill me. I hurt Twilight. Hurt you. I don’t know if you realize this, but you saved everyone, Spike. You saved me. You did what was necessary to protect everyone. It may have been unpleasant, but you were the difference between everypony living or dying.”

Spike went for the bottle, but Flash pulled it away. A frustrated groan pulled out of his throat. “It doesn’t feel like it. And I even thought about...” His face twisted like he was going to be sick. Recalling what Mum warned me about, I knew it wasn’t the alcohol twisting at his gut right now.

Flash scooted over to help, slugging his foreleg over the drake’s shoulders. “I saw what was going down when that warlord cornered you all.” He lowered his voice. “The way you looked at Noble. It crossed your mind, didn’t it?”

Spike gasped. “I… I didn’t mean…” He faltered and shut his eyes, whimpering. “I’m sorry.” His words were drowned in blubbering tears. Flash pulled him into a hug.

“Let it out, Bro. It was a tough call to make. No one should have to go through that, let alone twice.” Flash patted Spike’s back, coaxing more sobs out of him. “Doing the right thing doesn’t always feel good. What matters is that you did your best. I’m proud of you, Spike. Just wish I could’ve been a better stallion so that didn’t happen in the first place.”

The two simply sat in silence, Spike crying his eyes out while clutched to the pegasus like a lifeline. I lingered a little longer before peeling myself away from the scene and going about my business in the castle. I’ve seen enough.

My disdain for the pegasus ebbed away, dwindling from utter hatred to mild nuisance. I had no plans to let him completely off the hook. However, I refuse to be morally outclassed by some low class guard. As long as his intentions stayed on the path to support my brethren, the death of my comrades would mean something.

Besides, he did help get my mother back to me. I suppose he earned a bit of leniency from me. For now at least.

In the meantime, I’ll be watching you, Flash Sentry.

Dinner was more than a little awkward.

Center of the several mattresses pulled from adjacent rooms was a large table where we ate hay sandwiches and salad. A plain palate, but better than nothing. As I expected, Spike was still dazed from his little drinking adventure with Flash. Zecora seemed rather content with the tense silence. Mum seemed okay with it on the surface, but our mental conversation was a different story.

*Nope. I’m not doing it.*

*Elly, this is not the time to be a party pooper. Start a conversation with your new friends.*

*They are not my friends.* I tore into my sandwich with a little extra force, drawing a curious eye from Flash. *Our goals are simply aligned for the time being. I’m not going to “chat them up”.*

Mum threw me a look across the table as she took slow, deliberate bites. *If you don’t loosen up, you won’t be able to build any foundation of trust. Just do it. You’ll feel better. Everyone else will feel better for it too.*

*Ugh, fine. I’ll start a silly conversation.* I rolled my eyes and cleared my throat. “Flash Sentry.”

“Hmpf?” Flash looked up from his plate, muzzle stuffed with food. Zecora and Spike threw a curious look my way.

I pointed to the corner of the room where our “armory” was piled together. Majority of the space was taken up by my equipment, mixed with Zecora’s spear and Flash’s gear. “Is that tattered piece of scrap your only armor?”

Mum threw a scathing glare at me. *Really? Starting off with that?*

*If I have to force conversation, it’ll be a productive one.*

Flash glanced over where the broken strips of gold laid about, swallowed his food, then returned his eyes to me. “Yep.”

My eyebrow quirked. “You traveled rather light.”

“The goal was to travel light and fast. You don’t bring a cannon to a spear fight if the point is to avoid raising too much suspicion. I’m sure you would’ve noticed something was up if I carried the national armory on my back.”

“Hm. Fair point.” I took another bite of the sandwich. “We typically keep our armor stashed for emergencies, but make up for it with tools and weapons to facilitate our operations. It’s weird seeing you ponies be so… ill-equipped.”

“Feels like the opposite for changelings. I mean, you can turn into anything you want, right? Why do you even need weapons?”

“Same reason a unicorn brings a spear to battle.” I answered, and paused to take another bite. “Always bring a backup plan.”

A smile worked into Flash’s muzzle. “Couldn’t agree more. Speaking of weapons…” His gaze moved to Mum. “What’s up with those weird daggers you carry? Don’t tell me that’s standard issue.”

“Hmm…” Mum dwelled on the question, letting the silence linger.

*Mum, you’re not seriously considering answering that, are you? If he learns where we acquired them, it won’t end well.*

*It won’t matter if he knows. Besides, it’s better to gauge his reaction now than wait until he finds out eventually.* Mum threw an innocent smirk at Flash. “They’re not standard issue. Tell me, are you familiar with something called the Celestial Armory?”

Flash tilted his head. “No. I never heard of...” He trailed off as his eyes landed on the glassy eyed Spike, whose hand was raised, albeit swaying a bit. That rum was really starting to kick in.

“Twi saw somethin’ like dat in Celestia’s private study by accident. Celestia got all bitchy about it and wouldn’t spill the beans.”

“Well, then you all will find this rather juicy,” Mum steepled her hooves. “Spike already knows this part, but my blades are made of Nekinian alloy.”

I caught a flicker of surprise in Zecora’s gaze for an instant before she resumed her relaxed posture. “That sounds like a rather ominous metal. Please, continue.”

Mum nodded. “These nasty little bad boys erase whatever magic it touches. The only material that can safely contain this metal is the sheaths I carry. Turns out there’s a ton of weapons made of this stuff in an impossibly difficult vault that’s very well hidden. Well, heh, was inside this vault. After some extensive digging, we learned that right after the Discord incident some odd thousand years ago, Celestia and Luna got to work on countermeasures for any future threats like him.”

“Never heard of such a weapons project,” Flash commented.

“I’m not surprised, given the princesses tried to sweep this project under the rug. Guess they realized a little late these were just as deadly against themselves. These weapons are not supposed to exist, but you know how that song and dance goes.”

Flash sighed. “Sold to the highest bidder. But wait… if you guys had this, why wasn’t it used during the Canterlot Invasion?”

“Remember the ‘impossibly difficult and hard to find’ part? Yeah, we haven’t had these babies for very long.”

“So… Malice was perfectly okay with you carrying the very things that could hurt him?”

Mum sighed. “He knows we won’t use it against him openly. Not while he can kill us with the snap of a finger via hive mind network. With the way he sort of duplicates himself through the warmaster vassals, trying to kill one would only make the rest keenly aware we’ve broken our ‘contract’. Besides, he has one critical reason for us to keep them around. Three guesses as to what, or rather who, that reason is.”

“Discord, huh?” Spike answered.

“Ding-ding-ding, somepony give him a cookie! But yeah, not being able to use it against Malice, combined with knowing these would really hurt Discord, gave him too much incentive to have us discard them. Just in case, he enforced the idea only a select few were allowed to carry them.”

“Which I guess leaves me with just one question,” Flash quirked an eyebrow. “Why are you so confident about telling me all of this? Why not lie?”

Mum snagged a bite of her sandwich. “Because you know we need these weapons for Malice. I’m sure you wouldn’t do something silly like tell your boss that Elly and I are carrying weapons that were superbanned by Celestia and Luna.”

“Dat’s… dat’s a crime, yo,” Spike drawled tiredly. He waved his hand dismissively as if explaining away common sense. Likely an effect of the rum still sloshing around in his system. “If we know ya got bad stuff and say nothin’, then we just as guilty. But we say nothin’ cuz we ish good guys and shtuff.”

I expected Mr. Royal Guard to throw a fit, or at least admonish Mum using the law to keep his trap shut. He laughed instead. “Guess we really are partners in crime, huh?”

“Guilty as charged,” Mum laughed with him. She smiled in a way I hadn’t seen in years. She was genuinely enjoying this.

To think these two couldn’t stand each other little over a day ago. Even knowing what happened, what Flash did, she’s still treating him like an equal...

My gaze fell to the half-empty glass of water next to my empty plate.

Like a friend…

I sighed.

“Flash,” I called out.

The laughter ceased, Flash’s attention drawn to me. “Yes?”

“Before you set out to battle tomorrow, I will need to outfit you with some changeling gear tonight. It won’t do to have you killed on my watch because you can’t take care of yourself. For that matter, Spike, Zecora, you two will also be due for outfitting.”

Flash, Zecora and Spike exchanged a look with each other before looking back at me. “Oh, huh, thanks, Elytra.” Flash said finally.

I huffed. “No thanks needed. It’s my duty to make sure my team is running at optimal…” My words trailed off when I noted Mum’s empty seat.

Oh no…

“Awww~”

I nearly jumped out of my chitin as Mum slipped her hooves behind me, nuzzling me like her life depended on it. “My wittle Elly is making fwends~”

“Ack! Mother, c-cut it out!” I writhed and wiggled uselessly in her iron grip. Once she got like this, it was impossible to deal with her. It didn’t help having a highly amused audience. My chitin could only hide so many shades of red.

Zecora snickered. “On the surface, she is quite tough. Let her mane down for a moment and we witness softer stuff.”

“Nopony asked you, Zecora!”

“You’re lookin’ mighty comfortable there, Elly,” Flash drawled, a hint of mischief on his tongue. “You should do it more often. It’s cute.”

“Don’t call me Elly!”

“Yeah, she doesn’t like it when anyone but me calls her that,” The grin in her voice warned me of a follow up comment. “Although she didn’t seem to mind when Pharynx—”

A screech several octaves higher than I would’ve liked tore out of me as I flipped Mum over my shoulder and onto the nearest mattress. She bounced harmlessly on the bed, laughing herself silly.

“Are you, uh, alright there, Noble?” Spike asked.

I was about to admonish him for asking such as silly question when a thought forced me to hold my tongue. The concern on his face made me wonder if he saw what I already knew. His question was focused on something beyond the physical. It was the only reason I forced myself to bite my tongue whenever she got like this before a big mission.

I answered Spike for her. “She’s never been better.”

“Damn straight!” Lying on her back, Noble shot a hoof to the sky, staring at something past the ceiling with dead serious focus. “Hey Flash, I know you’re hiding that good shit, so cough it up!”

I facehooved. Mum and alcohol always, always ended up being an embarrassing combination. “Mother, please contain yourself just a little bit. I’m sure we’re all rather exhausted from—”

“Actually,” Flash mused, “that sounds like a good idea. Let’s keep the drinking to just between you and me, though. I think the others have had more than their share of excitement for tonight.”

My free hoof joined the other upon my face. “For the love of all that’s good, please don’t encourage her!”

“Woohoo! That’s mah bro!” Mum cheered. “Now gimme some of that good drank! I’m gonna drink your weak ass under the table tonight, Buttermilk!”

Flash laughed. “Yeah, you try that. I’ll be busy laughing my ass off while you’re blackout drunk!”

It was one thing for Mum to act silly, but I couldn’t allow Mum to drink, though it’s partially due to her embarrassing display when wasted. “Must I be the voice of reason here?! Look, it’s fine to cut a little loose. Blow off some steam. Whatever. But need I remind you that there is still a chance of us being attacked as we speak?”

Flash shook his head. “Been keeping that at the back of my mind. He would’ve seized the opportunity long ago. Something is gonna happen for sure, but not now. It would be dumb to not have an overwatch as we sleep, but we can live a little for now. Don't worry, we're both keenly aware to keep our guard and not drink too much.”

“See? He gets it!” Mum beamed.

“Ugh, sorry, but I’m with Elytra on this one. I’ve definitely seen enough alcohol for one night.” Spike groaned.

Zecora hummed thoughtfully. “If drunkenness or hangovers are your concern, no need to worry. I can take care of that with my special remedy.”

“Zecora, you beautiful zebra!” Mum praised. “See that, Elly? We got permission to get wasted as shit!”

“I’ll grab the drinks. Hey Zecora, mind bringing out that remedy for us? Thanks!” Flash hopped out of his cheer and made out the door.

I slammed my hooves on the table, throwing a glare at Zecora. “Why are you encouraging them?!”

Zecora stayed silent as she left her seat, got a blue flask from her saddlebag in the corner, dropped back into her seat, placing the flask at the table’s center. Then she smiled. “I wish to be entertained.”

Silence.

Simultaneously, our heads slowly turned to Zecora.

We waited. And waited. Still nothing.

“Did…” Spike quirked an eyebrow. “Did you just—”

“Drinks are here!” Flash barreled through the door, half a case of rum balanced on his back.

“Whoop, whoop! Party train has arrived boys and girls!” The moment past, Mum bounced from the bed and back to the table.

When I caught the twinkle of amusement in Zecora’s gaze, I knew what was up.

My eyes turned to slits as I glared at her.

“...I hate you, Zecora.”

Thanks to Zecora’s potion, the alcohol Flash gave me had already worn off by light’s out. As promised, Elytra made sure to outfit us with as much changeling equipment as we could carry. Each of us had two bandoliers filled with various bombs and hoofblades, though mine had to be modified to work with my wrist. The form-fitting “carapace armor” took some getting used to. It was like wearing a dark blue beetle’s shell on our legs, chest, head, and in my case, arms. A little on the hefty side, but surprisingly flexible.

I offered to take first watch of the night, too restless to sleep. Noble offered to keep me company due to my inexperience. At least, that’s what she said. The way she had looked at me when she asked to help with overwatch told me she had other plans.

Noble and I took our spot by the balcony, keeping an eye on everyone sleeping in Twilight’s room and any movement in Ponyville. The night sky was cleared thanks to weather control teams, providing a clear view of a winter-torn Ponyville. Mayor Mare probably had her hooves full organizing recovery. On the bright side, everypony was well adjusted to bizarre disasters happening usually weekly and knew what to do by this point. Though I sometimes worried that Ponyville might be a little too used to disasters for an otherwise dead-quiet town.

Speaking of quiet, Noble hadn’t spoken since we started our watch. A lot happened in the past few hours, and the last time we spoke wasn’t in the best of terms. As much as I wanted to talk about it, my throat tightened up everytime I tried. I decided to just trust Noble and wait for her to start the conversation. If she wanted to.

“So, uh, crazy day, right Shortcake?”

The sudden break of silence caught me by surprise. Guess she’s ready to talk. “Tell me about it. At this point I’m just glad I’m still alive.”

“You and me both.”

A pause. My turn, I figured. “Hey, Noble?”

“What’s up?”

I blinked out the stinging sensation in my eyes. Here we go. “Back at the hospital, when that warlord tried to have us kill each other, I didn’t know what to do. I tried to kill him, but messed up. A lot of changelings and ponies died because of me.”

“Spike…”

I gestured her to wait. I had to get this out before I lost my nerve. “I was too weak to fight him, and none of us seemed to know what to do. I thought back to what you told me about sometimes needing to kill to save lives. It turns out you were right. But in doing that, I… for a little while, thought killing you would help me save everyone.”

I rubbed at the tears with my forearm. “I-I’m scared of myself, Noble. I nearly killed Flash and thought about killing you. Can’t believe I even considered it.” I grasped at my shaking shoulders. “I still don’t know what I could’ve done differently had Flash not come in to save us. I’m… I’m sorry I even considered doing such a terrible thing to you.”

Noble slipped her foreleg around my shoulders and brought me in for a half-hug. “Spike, hey, don’t beat yourself up over it. The fact you took action, no matter how much it hurts, shows how dependable you are in the heat of the moment. It’s all the more proof that you are trustworthy even in life-threatening situation.”

I sniffed and tilted my head to look up at her. “Really? Why?”

“You remembered what was important and followed through when it mattered. Had you taken inaction, more lives could’ve been lost. Maybe Flash would’ve killed everyone had you not stopped him. The warlord may have taken even more lives had you not stepped in during the confusion. I’d rather you acted on your best intentions than do nothing. Don’t be afraid of the hard choices. Just continue to learn how to deal with them.”

A weak smile broke out on my face. “I don’t know how you do it, Noble. How you can just hear me talk about almost killing you and just shrug it off like it was nothing.”

She grinned at me. “This isn’t my first rodeo, Shortcake. I’ve had to constantly make hard choices and made plenty of mistakes along the way. Besides, it’s not like you didn’t think it through or was indifferent about the decision. In fact, I’m proud that you used my lessons the right way and came out stronger for it. The hard decisions won’t stop here, but at least I know we can count on you in the future.”

“Thanks. I won’t let you down, Noble.” A huge weight rolled off my shoulders. I’d expected her to get mad or bothered by the whole thing. With such a burden off my conscious, I felt like I could take on anything.

“Hey, Spike?” Noble’s brow pinched together with discomfort. “I… have a confession to make.”

...Anything except that.

My heart skipped a beat. A boy and girl on a balcony at night, and a girl has a confession while holding me close? I’ve read enough magazines and Twilight’s hidden stash to know where this was going. The fact this was coming from Noble freaked me out. “W-w-what is it?”

She sighed. “When I first took you in as my student, it wasn’t just to prepare you for the mission. I’d intended to manipulate and control you.”

I released a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, feeling a strange mix of relief and disappointment. “Oh, okay. Thank goodness.”

Noble quirked an eyebrow. “Come again?”

“I-I mean, uh, how did you plan on manipulating me though training?”

She studied my face a bit longer, then shifted her attention out the balcony. “I didn’t want to only train your body. I wanted to mold your mind. Imprint my will into your subconsciousness. It was also my way of trying to understand who you truly were. Your habits, thoughts, perceptions, see what’s useful and what I can use under the guise of a training regiment. It’s easier to control someone when they look up to you as their instructor.”

I tried to think back to our sessions. While there was no specific point I could think of that seemed odd, it did bring to light how much I’ve adopted a bit of her teachings. How I snuck on the changelings and under the warlord’s nose. Evaded Flash when he was possessed and found the resolve to take him down. I couldn’t deny how much influence Noble really had on me.

Noble continued. “I’ve been so focused on controlling you, but after that chat we had earlier, I realized what I actually wanted. I just wanted something familiar close by. Someone who would eventually understand me in a way a pony probably couldn’t.”

“You were lonely.”

She nodded. “I’ve never needed to sever myself from the hive before. It’s isolating. Way too quiet in my head. When you confronted me on how I was acting, it was like everything I’ve kept down for months exploded. I hate feeling vulnerable, and you got to me in ways I didn’t think a non-changeling could.”

“I thought you were going to kill me.”

“The thought crossed my mind.”

I gasped. “W-w-what?!”

“When I spilled the truth about Elytra being my daughter, I overreacted and got caught up between wanting to erase your memories and outright getting rid of you. That is, until you gave the big scary bug a giant hug and made all those bad thoughts go away. I didn’t feel lonely anymore.” A mischievous glint reached her gaze. “And let me tell you, that pissed me off like you wouldn’t believe.”

I blinked, thrown off by the mixed message she was sending me. Did I do a good or a bad thing? “Um… sorry?”

“Heh, don’t be. You got me to ‘break’ character. Not an easy feat. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is thank you for being you, and sorry for thinking about brainwashing and murdering you.”

A laugh bubbled out of me. “Anytime, Noble.”

My laughter ceased when Noble hugged me out of nowhere. “Seriously. Thank you.” She whispered into my ear

“You’re welcome.” I returned the embrace wholeheartedly, face flushed. Now this was something I could get used to.

After a few moments, her hug tightened. Suddenly, it felt less like a tender moment and more like an ensnaring trap.

“So Spike,” her voice turned sultry, “what kind of confession did you think I was gonna give you, hm?”

I stiffened. Uh oh. “Uh… n-nothing. Nothing at all.”

“You totally thought I was gonna give you a love confession, didn’t you?”

Heat rushed to my face. “I-I, er, I didn’t mean it, really! It was just the moment, and you got really serious, and-and—”

“Shhh, relax. I’m just messing with you.” She giggled. Her hold on me loosened, though not enough to let me slip away. “Although, to be honest, I totally thought you were gonna kiss me during that moment back at home base.”

I sputtered. “H-huh!?”

“Oh yeah, I was so vulnerable,” the way she whispered it into my ear did awful things to my racing heart. “I mean, there’s just no telling what you could have gotten away with. Just you and I, alone, me wanting something strong and solid to hold me down…”

My mind raced to all the wrong places. I tried to pull away, only to find myself still snared in her hoof. “I-I-I would never take advantage of you like that! I respect you too much to—”

“I know, and that’s what I like about you.”

Before I could move, Noble tilted my head to face her and kissed me.

All sense of control of my body shut down. My senses focused into the smooth lips pressed against my own. Fire whirled in my stomach. Lightning danced along my spine. The only thing I could comprehend beyond the tingling sensation on my lips was the thundering heartbeat in my ears. I think my everything melted.

It only lasted a moment, but hot damn was it a moment I would never forget. Noble pulled back and flashed me a coy grin. I was ready to faint, lips still tingling and softening from the kiss.

“Never change, Shortcake.” She finally released me, leaving an affectionate pat on my cheek. “Might want to go take that cold shower while you can before I start getting more ideas.”

Still dazed, I nodded dumbly and fled as fast as my shaky legs could carry me.

I was starting to prefer her when she was angry at me. At least I wasn’t nearly as turned on.

Celestia damn it, Noble!

I was beginning to worry I teased Spike a little too much.

The poor guy made numerous trips to the bathroom, claiming he had too much to drink and needed to get it out of his system. I don’t regret giving him a taste of changeling appreciation and hospitality, though I almost felt bad for him. Almost.

I volunteered to take over the rest of the watch before switching rounds, giving Spike some much needed relief from my teasing. Once it was Zecora’s turn, I took the chance to get a good night's sleep, nestled next to Elytra.

A hint of the sun was just about to peek over the horizon by the time I woke up. I found Flash overlooking the town from the balcony, acting as the final watch of the night. We had a few hours at most before it was time to get down to business. Seeing as we had yet to spend much quality time together, now seemed as good time as any to catch up with my partner in crime.

“Want some company, soldier?” I flirted playfully, moving next to him.

Flash chuckled. “I appreciate it, but you can get some more sleep if you want.”

“I got all the sleep I need. Besides, I don’t think you and I had much sibling bonding time since the train ride here.”

Flash frowned, eyes drawn to the horizon as he leaned over the balcony railing. “How... can you be so upbeat with me?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know I killed all of those changelings. I’ve said such awful things to you. I ran off on my own and botched the mission. Throw in being Malice’s prison warden for who knows how long, and I’m surprised you can be this close without a knife in hoof.” His frown deepened. “How can you just pretend I’m not the worst pony in the world right now?”

I couldn’t fault him for feeling like he did. Last night opened all of our eyes in the worst possible way. He put on a brave face earlier, only now revealing the cracks in his facade. Even more surprising was his willingness to show me this level of vulnerability, a pony who outright hated my guts yesterday.

For so long I’ve just ragged on him for holding us back. I’ve made my peace with it, but Flash… no, I can’t let this hang over his head. I’m better than that.

I moved behind him. “Stay still.”

“Hm? What are you—whoa, hey!” I removed the armor locks surrounding Flash’s wings, placing loose chitinous plating on the ground.

“Just relax and let me work, alright?” His back now exposed, my hooves went work, kneading at the knots formed all over his back and near the base of his wings.

“Really, I don’t need a mas—oh. Oh damn.” Flash’s chin dropped atop his forehooves on the balcony railing, eyes half closed. All sense of resistance fizzled, granting me free reign. Sometimes it paid to be the head of the hive’s medical and support brood. “You—oof—make a persuasive argument.”

“Comes with the territory, Buttermilk. So, to answer your question, I haven’t forgotten about what happened with Elly’s squad. Your hatred for my kind is not something I take lightly. But when Zecora helped me cope with what happened with Elly’s crew, I remembered something important. It’s about what happened in Canterlot.”

“That you were there? Responsible for killing my squad?”

I froze. “You… you knew?”

“Subconsciously I did. I’d forgotten about it until Chrysalis helped restore those memories.”

I shook off the shock and continued the massage. “I really messed you up back then. To think such a thing came back to bite us all in the ass thanks to Malice milking that bit of hindsight dry. Don’t know if it will mean much, but I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. I’m not looking for forgiveness here. I don’t deserve it, but I do regret that whole mess we did to you all back then.”

Flash grew quiet for a beat, occasionally sighing as I worked on his back and wings. “The feeling is mutual. What I did to those changelings, even if it was to protect Spike, went too far.”

“Only because of Malice,” I reasoned. “We probably wouldn’t even be in Ponyville if it wasn’t for his orders. Don’t blame yourself for what he made you do.”

“It’s not that simple. I didn’t mention this earlier, but some twisted, terrible part of me enjoyed what I did. It was like some weird validation to see the ones who hurt my comrades pay. I’ve dreamed for years about getting back at you guys. Getting back at Chrysalis. But now, after all of that, it just feels empty.”

“War really does bring the worst out of all of us, doesn’t it?”

“This time it also has a name and face, and I’m going to tear him a new one,” Flash growled. “Not just for what he’s done to us, to me, but for every changeling that’s suffered because of him.”

His muscles tensed for a moment, then deflated. Something else was eating at him. “I’m sensing a ‘but’.”

Flash made a light, depressing laugh. “It’s stupid.”

“Am I going to have to twist your wing to get it out of you? Just say it.”

He groaned inwardly. “I just… I don’t know if I can do it.” The defeat in his voice spoke volumes. “Have you ever seen him in his dragon form? Ever fought him?”

“Seen his true form once, but never fought him. Never came off as a healthy idea.”

“He’s terrifying. I got my flank handed to me twice, and that was inside my own head. Even when I managed to finally be able to fight back, I could barely hold my ground against him. Without Discord’s help, I would’ve gotten creamed. Once we go into Everfree, I have no doubt I will have to face him again.” He trembled under my hooves. “If I lose this fight... if I lose Twilight and the others—”

“You won’t,” I said.

“But—”

“No ‘buts’, soldier. You will win. After all, you got a rhyming zebra, my talented and deadly daughter, an adorable sidekick dragon, and the sexiest badass alive to back you up. We’re gonna win, and we’ll look damn fine doing it too.”

Flash laughed. “You certainly have a way with pep-talks. But there’s one other thing I want to do.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“I want to stop this vicious circle of ponies and changelings hating each other. I don’t want any more of us ending up like I did. It’s what got us in this mess, and what I hope will get us out. That starts with saving Chrysalis.”

I smiled as I worked through the last few kinks of his back. “You’ve really changed. Flash. I mean, sure, it only took nearly killing Twilight, going on a rampage, and getting Malice locked up inside you, sure, but check you out now. You’re all grown up.”

“And like that, the magic is gone,” Flash groaned.

“Oh hush,” I giggled. “You’re gonna save Twilight. After that, you’re gonna ask her out. Then, if you play your cards right, get laid.”

Flash coughed, wings tense. “Wait, what?!”

“Phew, that wingboner is something else,” I whistled, touching the stiff wing muscles. “The things you can do to Twilight with this bad boy. I can give you some tips to how to really make Twilight sing if you want. Trust me, she’ll thank you for it later.”

“You can stop right there. That’s definitely not gonna happen.”

I rolled my eyes. “You and Spike are such dorks.”

Flash looked at me over his shoulder, eyebrow quirked. “What does Spike have to do with this?”

“Don’t dodge the question,” I cut him off, dodging the question. “Look, you don’t have to exactly body slam her onto a mattress. That’s for the third date. Just show her that you’re not just a guard who only lives to protect her. Let her know that deep down, you’re still a good-natured, goofy ass stallion.”

“Are you just gonna ignore that I nearly split her face open with a spear? Last I checked, not a way to pick up mares.”

“That’s because you used the wrong spear on her face.”

“Not. Helping.” Flash groaned.

“No need to be a negative-Shiny about it. Alright, so maybe you did cut her face up pretty good. And she’s probably not gonna like the idea of us dancing around her about the whole secret mission thing either. That whole lie about you being in love with her might ruffle a feather or two as well.”

“Gee, and you were doing so well to convince me to go for it,” Flash deadpanned.

“Did you already forget that I’m a Love Guru? I don’t get paid the big bits by feeding you BS you wanna hear.”

“I can’t believe I’m actually thinking about this,” He shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. After a moment he perked up. “Huh. When did I actually start thinking about this?”

“I’m assuming puberty?”

Flash threw me a frustrated glance. I rolled my eyes.

“Okay, fine, I’ll bite. What’s so special about you wanting to bang a pretty face?”

“Celestia damn it, Noble,” Flash snorted, failing to restrain his laugh. “I won’t get too deep into it, but there was someone I was really into when I was younger. I made a big thing over it, marriage proposal and all. Turns out that was not part of her plan and… well, that led to why I had a hard time playing music for anypony. Reminded me of what happened that night. It’s also why I wanted to dodge the whole dating mess.”

“You couldn’t bring yourself to move on.”

“At least until I met Twilight. I mean, it’s not love like the crap you told Twilight, but I… I think there’s something between us. That something was probably why I kinda overreacted a bit when I realized what you told her.”

I quirked an eyebrow at him. “Kinda overreacted?”

“Alright, fine, I really overreacted. Point is I really took her for granted. It wasn’t until I thought I lost her that it hit me just how important she is to me. Not as a princess. Not as someone I’m sworn to protect. Not as a pretty face. It was Twilight Sparkle, the smart and crazy mare with a beautiful voice who took joy in helping me become a better stallion that won me over.” Flash sighed, continuing in a sulking tone. “And I threw it all away in a temper tantrum. I had one job. Just one, and I screwed it up.”

“Hey, enough of that nonsense. Kicking yourself won’t solve anything. As your Love Guru, here’s some advice on what you gotta do: After we save her and get time to settle down, just tell her how you really feel. No BS. No hesitation or some big dramatic reveal. Just go for it with a hundred-and-ten percent confidence and authenticity. Twilight’s the kind of girl who wants genuine, honest chemistry. Give her that. Show some vulnerability, no matter how stupid you think you will look or what you think you actually deserve. I’ve seen more impossible looking relationships work out.”

Flash sighed deeply and shifted his gaze to Everfree Forest. “I...thanks, Noble. I’ll take that advice to heart once we save Twilight.”

“Good. I accept bits and food as payment for my services. No checks, please.”

“Ha, sure thing. Put it on my tab.”

We shared a laugh before falling into a comfortable silence. Finished with my ministrations I placed the armored pieces back on and moved to his side, looking over the town.

“...You’re gonna chicken out, aren’t you?”

“Just trying to tackle one crisis at a time.”

Author's Notes:

What's up, my fellow paladins?

After who knows how many months, the next chapter is finally here!

Good god this was a doozy.

I won't get into all the details that prevented me from having this chapter out sooner, but I will apologize for taking so long to do it. This chapter is almost like a sequel to "Progression", which was the launching point for some character arcs. There is plenty to digest here, so enjoy this monster of a chapter!

Until next time, stay classy, my paladins!