Hidden Loyalties

"Stop." The voice was so forceful that a few moments passed before Sunset realized who was speaking. Flash was an arm's length away from them. The bat was frozen mid-swing; brimming with the same motionless energy his eyes suddenly possessed. "Flash." Fluttershy's strong voice rang through the halls; her pupils expanded until the iris was only a thin ring of color. "You aren't one of them." Sweat broke out on his brow. He bit his lower lip. "Put the bat down, Flash." His grip started to wobble. "You don't want to hurt us."

"I- I . . ." The heavy wood crashed on the tile floor; he followed it. All signs of aggression melted from his face. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy." He stared at a pair of trembling hands. "I couldn't think, couldn't feel. I was numb." He shuddered. "It jacked up my emotions. Anger, fear, and disgust were cranked to the max, and every decent part of me was obsessed with . . . them."

She knelled and placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "You weren't anything, Flash. It was all the spell."

Sunset mentally cataloged this information. She had spent enough nights in the library to recognize a mind-control spell when she saw it. Something was off, though. Most of these types of spells simply removed a pony's - sorry, "person's" - free will. Even if they were aware of the magic, they were powerless to stop it. Any and all emotions were eradicated until the spell was broken. The subject was essentially a puppet. From what the young man said, this spell didn't suppress his emotions; it hijacked them. The closest comparison she could draw came from direct experience. Sombra could plunge a pony into their worst nightmares, but he couldn't directly control them, just torture them. Whatever these Sirens did was just as bad or worse. The faster she understood how magic worked in this world, the better.

As she tried to recall details from her studies, the boy triggered a more recent memory. "You!" She yelled. "You were with those thugs."
She took a few steps back. "I should have known this was a set-up."

"Sunset, wait." She stood up. "Flash is one of us. He keeps an eye on the Siren Squads."

"She's telling the truth, I swear." He scrambled to his feet and pulled a set of cracked, flesh-toned earplugs. "These usually block out most of the spell's effects. I'm not entirely myself, but I'm still in control."

"You didn't seem in control a few seconds ago," Sunset challenged.

"He's usually better. Flash Sentry has been risking his life for years. The information he's gathered has saved us a dozen times over." She took a brisk step forward. "He must have an explanation, and I'm willing to hear it."

You- you . . . you're lucky I already decided to trust you. Sunset crossed her arms defensively. And, more importantly, that you're my only option. "Alright, Sentry," she said. "I'm all ears. Let's hear this explanation of yours."

He sighed. "I was out with the squad as usual. It was a normal run, well, as normal as they can get. We go to where people have reported suspicious activity and knock the heads of anyone within a half mile radius. If I know the place is a safe zone or a rendezvous point, I try to get them to steer clear. It doesn't always work, but it does help. When I know the locations scheduled for a visit, I tell everyone I can to stay away." Flash rubbed his temples. "We were checking out a warehouse downtown. Pretty standard complaint: teenagers going in and out at night, music, smiling, etc. I saw the report a week early, so everyone and everything was long gone. Tore half the building apart before they were certain it was a bust. We were about to leave, but then something went wrong. Just as we stepped outside, this huge . . . thing appeared."

Sunset rolled her eyes. "Thank you for your thorough and detailed description, Sentry."

"I think you need to use a few more adjectives," Fluttershy timidly advised.

He gestured with his hand as he searched for a way to describe what he saw. "A pillar," he said. "A giant pillar of black and violet light shot up in the sky. It swirled around and blasted out like a shockwave. It must have shattered my earbuds. Before I could react," he shivered. "I heard them. There were no speakers in sight; they must have been miles away, but I their song washed over me like a tidal wave." He shifted from one foot to the next. "My memory gets a bit hazy after that. We headed to the old high school. I still don't know why, but we did. Nothing you do makes sense when you're under their spell. We ran into Fluttershy, then you ran into us." Noticing her glare, he blushed. "I have a feeling I'm not gonna live that down."

"Good instincts, buddy."

"The last few days have been a blur. I came here to tie up loose ends." He cast a reproachful glance at the crooked bat discarded on the floor. "Thank goodness I did. Thank goodness for you, Fluttershy." Flash placed a contrite hand on her shoulder. "You saved me."

The timid girl bit on her lower lip. "Flash," she said confused. "You couldn't have been under their complete control."

"Why not?" Sunset asked, seizing an opportunity to understand more about this world. "All you have to do to hear their singing to affected by the spell, and that shockwave destroyed the only thing protecting him."

"I know," Fluttershy confirmed, her mind still elsewhere.

Yes! Sunset thought, feeling the same smug satisfaction that always came with solving a magical problem. She had to fight the urge to turn to Sparkle and gloat. These Sirens control people with their singing. Magic still makes no sense in this world, but a start is a start.

"See," Flash urged. "You saved me. You broke the spell."

She shook her head. "Flash," she cautioned. "I came back here because I saw the same shockwave as you did. When you showed up, I tried to talk you down." She touched the dark oval under her eye. "If Sunset didn't show up . . . things would have badly." She paused. "That shockwave must have done something temporary. Once it wore off, I was able to help you snap out of it. That's it."

"But, Fluttershy-"

"The rebellion has been trying to find a way to reverse the spell for as long as it's existed. The best we've been able to do is figure out how to block and delay it. You think after who knows how many centuries of experiments, research, and whatever else we could think of that the answer will be asking nicely?"

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry. Just got a little overexcited. I guess we're all getting pretty desperate to find a cure." Desperate to change the subject, he turned to Sunset. "I didn't catch your name," he said rapidly.

What the hay? She wondered. His comrade will tell him soon enough.. "Sunset Shimmer," she responded crisply.

"And what part of the rebellion are you from?" He asked, not seeing Fluttershy's 'cut it out Flash' gesture. "I've never seen you around the city."

Sunset just sent a mild glare his way. Fluttershy quickly explained. "Sunset wasn't with any group in particular before. She was just being a Good Samaritan a few days ago." Looking back, Sunset wishes she had corrected Fluttershy, but at the time she agreed with her. It had long been Sunset's opinion that good deeds were just unlucky accidents on the part of the do-gooder, and her case was no exception. "She's decided to join us here in Canterlot."

"That's right," Sunset agreed, trying to remember why she did. "Safety in numbers and all that." Neither looked convinced. Flash quickly raised an eyebrow, but Fluttershy shot back a subtle thumbs up, the universal sign for all clear. Truth be told, Sunset wasn't even convinced. She knew there was something strong pulling her to this girl, some inner voice saying she could trust her. The same one that told you to trust Sparkle.. She crossed her arms. "I just don't want to be alone anymore."

Fluttershy knew better than to try and touch her, but offered a comforting smile. "Like I said, Sunset. There's always room down at Canterlot Station."

"Yeah," said Flash, sticking out his right hand. "Welcome to the family, Sunset." She stared at his hand for several awkward seconds. She glanced nervously at Fluttershy. The girl gave her an encouraging nod. Sunset slowly reached out, touched his palm, and withdrew her hand. That was the moment Flash Sentry officially gave up trying to understand anything that day. Things might make sense tomorrow, but today was a lost cause. "We should probably get going." He started walking to the double doors at the end of the hall. The narrow corridor gave way to a domed atrium.

"Shouldn't we wait until it gets darker?" Fluttershy objected.

"Night doesn't make that much of a difference," he countered. "The sky will still be crimson, just a darker shade of crimson."

"We don't want to draw any more unwanted attention," she argued. "It's a long walk to the station. A little darkness could make a huge help, especially to three fugitives."

"Are you sure we're safe here?" Sunset asked. "You said this place was an old hideout, and we've already ran into one armed, brainwashed nutjob. What's stopping another from crashing in?"

"Exactly," said Flash, either not realizing he was insulted or not caring. "There's no shortage of crazies out there."

As if to confirm his theory, a panting teenager burst through the front doors. Her technicolor hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail. She wore a pair of knee-length, black basketball shorts and a navy blue t-shirt. The words "Canterlot Wondercolts" were printed in faded gold letters. The old sneakers on her feet looked like they had been through a wood-chipper. She looked around wildly. "Fluttershy!" She cried happily. Not seeing Flash, she sprinted towards her friend. Before Fluttershy could greet her, she caught her in a tight hug. "You're ok!"

"Good to see you too, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said, returning the hug.

Rainbow Dash grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her away gently. "What are you doing here? You've been missing for three days! I've been looking all over town. You can't just say you're going to check out some crazy lightshow and vanish."

"Sorry." She blushed. "Things got a little complicated. Something crazy happened to Flash-"

"Wait," Rainbow interrupted. "That traitor hurt you!" Boiling blood lit up her face. "I swear to Celestia, if I ever see Sentry again I'll-"

"The shockwave shattered his earbuds and scrambled his head," Fluttershy told her. "He wasn't himself. Even if he was, there was nothing he could do to help me without blowing his cover."

"Rainbow," Flash said tentatively. Fluttershy grabbed her upper arm to restrain her. ""Fluttershy brought me back. I don't know how, but she did. I'm normal again. I promise." He paused. "Look, I don't really remember the last three days, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything- everything I said, everything I did. Everything." He stared at his shoes, unable to meet her burning eyes.

Rainbow Dash glared at him icily. Several eons passed by in minutes. "You'd better be, Sentry," she said finally. "You'd better be." She turned to Sunset. One glance at her bruises told her everything she needed to know. "Loner?" She asked.

Sunset nodded. "We were just about to head to the station. You're actually the second interruption we've had."

The athlete's smile was a mix of sorrow and nostalgia. "I guess that makes two lone wolves you've brought back, Fluttershy. But, we can't go back to the old station." Fluttershy and Sunset shared a confused glance. Flash looked stunned. A dulled memory came creeping from the void, and a horrified, guilt-ridden look came with it. He started muttering to himself. "Fluttershy." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "They found the station. A little while after you went out, a whole mob came. I don't know how many people got out." She picked up the discarded bat. A silent promise came with it. "As far as I know . . ." Her voice trailed off. She took a deep shaky breath, refusing to yield to the tears welling up in her eyes. "We're the only ones left."

Author's Note

Thank you for reading my work. If you have any suggestions/critiques/questions/vague threats of physical violence about how I wrote any of the characters or how I explained magic, let me know in the comments. Until next time, friends. Thanks for your time.