Dependent

by toxiconym

Rating: everyone
Tags: Flash Sentry, Lyra, Drama, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Princess Celestia
Length: 6797

Flash Sentry's life changes when he falls in love with a filly fooler.

Flash Sentry used to work for the royal guard. He used to care about his life. He used to care about keeping a healthy diet. He used to care about socializing with ponies.

Then he met Lyra Heartstrings: a pony who became closer to him within a few short days than anypony else had within years. Sparks fly for the young stallion, but there's just one problem. She's interested in mares.

Published 2016-01-21 23:30:02 UTC
Last updated 2016-05-25 01:43:00 UTC

Intrandum

A stunning white unicorn with a stylish purple mane walked down the street, smiling at the yellow sun above her. The cozy warmth in the air hugged her body, warming her muscles as she moved. “Oh, thank Celestia for beautiful days like these.”

“Stop thanking her.”

The mare turned around, and saw a yellow colt with a blue mane. “Excuse me?”

“I said you should stop thanking her.”

“Stop thanking who?”

“Celestia.”

She bit her lip and looked up at the sky, taken aback by his casual tone of the princess. The sun shone brightly in the blue atmosphere, casting down a comfortable heat for all the ponies to enjoy. Birds flew in the air, and pegasi moved around doing their job to make the weather as comfortable as possible. “Why wouldn’t I thank her? Princess Celestia went through all the trouble to create such a beautiful day for us to enjoy, when she has other pressing matters to attend to.”

“No, she did not. The pegasi made the sky beautiful today, not her.”

“What? Who are you?” Rarity slowly stepped back. She didn’t like this pegasus’s strange disposition, treating the princess as if she was some mere common peasant walking down the street, buying street food and making inappropriate jokes.

“My name is Flash Sentry. I worked for Princess Celestia as a royal guard for five years, but I have had enough of her lies. Celestia most certainly does not raise the sun. That lie is a fairy tale, just like how she made up Discord, and the elements of harmony.” the stallion said with a surprisingly monotone voice.

“What? How dare you talk about her like that, after all the good she has done? Stop treating her like some… some lying menace! Princess Celestia is much better than that!”

The stallion sighed, pawing at the grass with his front hoof. “You are completely missing the point, miss. Instead of asking me how I know, you are telling me off for treating her differently. Instead of contradicting me, you are ridicule me.”

“Why, I’d never… I’ve had enough of you, sir. Good afternoon!” the mare turned around and continued trotting to wherever she was going, putting a little too much weight in each step.

Flash sighed and sat down. Every time he brought up anything about the princess, her subjects defended her to the death, no matter what he said. Most wouldn’t even argue with him, dismissing all of his debate as mere conjecture, when in reality it was them that ignored everything he said and assumed complete bias. Why couldn’t ponies ever listen to him?

With the road to the marketplace surprisingly idle, and his home taken from him, Flash Sentry had nothing to do. His job was stolen by a young hotshot, replaced like a broken toy. All Flash did these days was bicker about how things used to be, how his life used to be great. Now there was nopony around to care about what he said. And that’s what scared him most of all.

Flash Sentry wanted to change Equestria, to get rid of Celestia’s influence. But he couldn’t make a difference, no matter how hard he tried. Losing his profession only hindered him further.

It’s not like it mattered, though. Nopony believed him before anyway.

“Excuse me? What was that all about?” a mint green unicorn startled him, walking to his side and sitting down on the pasture next to him.

“Oh, nothing. You would not understand.”

She smiled and scooted closer to him, grazing the grass. “Maybe not, but I’d like to know anyway!”

“Trust me, you most likely will not like what I have to say.”

“So?” the unicorn pouted her mouth, pleading with her golden eyes.

Flash raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean, so?”

“So what if I don’t like what you have to say? I still want to hear it.”

Flash Sentry looked up. “I haven’t gotten an answer like that in a long time... alright, I will tell you what happened. That mare thanked Celestia for the beautiful day we are currently having, so I took it upon myself to inform her of the truth of the matter.”

“Why?”

He blinked, turning to look at the mare. “What do you mean, why?”

She giggled. “You sure ask what I mean a lot. What I meant was, why contradict her like that? It was just a statement. You put her in a bad mood and she was just trying to enjoy the day, of course she didn’t want to talk with you.”

The warm wind picked up, brushing their fur intensely. “I… I guess so. Yes, you are correct.” Flash Sentry said. The corners of the mare’s mouth turned up and she booped him on the nose.

“Silly pony! Next time be more considerate.” she laughed, standing up from her position and flicking his face with her tail. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“I’m not sure. Just trying to find purpose, I guess. What’s your name?”

“Lyra Heartstrings. What’s yours?”

“Flash. My name is Flash Sentry. I used to work as a royal guard for Princess Celestia, but a startup took my job from me. I have been doubting the princess ever since.”

“Oh. I’m sorry that happened. But why doubt the princess over that?”

“Because…” he trailed off, looking at the sun slowly rise. “Because she does lie. I saw her once. The sun was rising outside like usual so I walked into her bedroom, assuming she was awake. There was an emergency in the castle at the time, so she was needed immediately. However, she was not awake. She was sleeping, yet the sun was rising.”

“Oh. Well, I don’t know what to say about that. Maybe you’re right!”

“Yeah. Who knows? She could be hiding more things from us. Even if I had not lost my job, I was close to quitting.”

“I’m sure she has a good reason.”

“I guess you could say that. Wait, you actually agree with me?”

Lyra grinned, but didn’t reply. A pink pony walked past them and down the street. She stopped at a counter, and talked with the shopkeeper. After a few seconds, she bought something and continued on her way. As she turned the corner, Lyra turned to Flash Sentry.

“Well, how are you feeling right now?” she asked, scooting closer to the stallion.

“Useless. I can bicker and argue all I want, but I will never be able to actually change anything. That cannot happen, there must be something I can do.”

“Well, why can’t it happen? Why don’t you just enjoy life, and spend time with others?”

“I’m not scared of death, Lyra. I’m scared of dying unknown.”

“Oh.” Lyra checked her watch, and looked at the sun above them. It was right around noontime, which meant lunch hour would begin soon. Business was slow as it was, she was going to need every customer she could get.

“Hey, I’m a university student, so I don’t have a real job yet, but I work at a sweets store. It’s called Cream’s Crepes. They’re hiring right now, maybe you could apply and we could spend more time with each other?”

Flash Sentry closed his eyes and lied down on the lawn, deep in thought. But the grass was pretty uncomfortable, so he stood up again. “I think I’ll pass. But I will make sure to visit anyway, there is not much for me to do here anymore.”

“Don’t you have family? You could do something with them.”

“Well… yes, but I really do not want to see them right now. Or at all, for that matter.”

Lyra leaned in and hugged him, much to his surprise. “Hey, don’t worry. You seem pretty smart, you’ll figure something out. I have to go, bye for now! ” Shocked at being inexplicably embraced, he couldn’t help but gaze at the pretty mare as she walked away, slowly shrinking the farther she went. For the first time since he lost his job, Flash genuinely smiled.

The moment didn’t last. Flash Sentry grabbed the bit bag hanging from his neck and opened it, spilling out the golden coins onto the ground. He counted them, each coin making a clinking sound as he touched it with his hoof. He had roughly 540 bits left, mostly in increments of twenty or fifty from doing odd jobs.

It was enough to pay the hotel for only a few days. After that, it was back to job hunting. As an ex-royal guard, acquiring a job was easy, but he could never keep the same position for more than a few weeks. He simply didn’t enjoy the boring Canterlot work.

But he did enjoy talking to the mare, and he did enjoy simple work. She told him things he had never really thought about. Why argue? Why bicker? Why not enjoy life?

“You know what?” he asked himself. “Maybe I should apply for that job…”

A red bird landed on the grass next to him. Flash watched as the creature pecked the ground for bugs and worms, devouring anything he found with gusto. It also ate a few grasses, grains, and nuts as it hopped around on the hill. “Omnivorous.” he muttered quietly, standing up and walking down the hill at a slow pace. 540 bits will last me, say, four days of hotel service. Food will cost roughly 50 bits per day, 30 if I buy it low-quality. So three days of hotel service with food.

“Oh, what the hell.” he sighed and began walking down the paved roads. Might as well get a job. He stopped to look at one of the shop windows, there was a small wooden statue of two mares dancing together on display.

“Hey, you!” Flash Sentry turned around to find the source of the voice. He saw an orange mare with a swirly pink and light green mane standing next to the other mare he had encountered earlier, the one he dissed for thanking Celestia.

“Uh… may I help you two madams?”

They both snorted and pointed their heads high in unison. “My fillyfriend said you were bothering her earlier. I’ve come here to demand an apology! You have no shame, insulting a noble pony, do you?” she sneered.

“Wow, you must be really bored to go around picking fights with random ponies. Do you not have anything better to do, Ms. Important?”

She gasped, taking a step backwards. “Take that back, or your home will be foreclosed and your reputation destroyed!”

Flash Sentry sighed, shaking his head. What are they going on about? They can’t do that. He could tell them that he had no reputation and home left, but then he remembered the kind mare Lyra’s words. Why bicker? He’ll play the mare’s game, for now.

“Alright, alright. You got me. May I have the pleasure of your names?”

They blinked their eyes, raising their eyebrows in confusion. The pony Flash met earlier shrugged and said “The name’s Magnetism.”

“Well, Lady Magnetism, I hereby plead for you to forgive me, on the account of mistreating you for enjoying such a beautiful day as this. I am genuinely sorry for causing you distress, and will attempt not to do so in the future. Will that be satisfactory?”

She frowned and pawed at the ground with her hoof. “I… did not expect you to forgive me so easily.”

Neither did I.

“I accept your apology, but I must implore you treat Princess Celestia with the respect she deserves next time. She’s a great leader. Good afternoon, sir.” and they both trotted off, brushing past him and into one of the stores. They smelled of thick perfume, though it wasn’t as stuffy as some of the perfumes he had encountered before. In fact, it actually smelled pretty nice, reminding Flash Sentry of back when he was a Royal Guard defending the princess.

That wasn’t so bad, now, was it?

Flash Sentry looked back to the window. The small wooden statue was gone, presumably sold. However, it had been replaced by a new statue, one made of some sort of brown metal. Once again, it depicted two mares dancing.

He shrugged and continued walking. The sun was a little past noon, now. He walked into a souvenir store to see if he could find a clock. Finding none, he quietly departed and continued on his way. What if I don’t get the job position? Oh, whatever. Is it really that important?

Images of Lyra’s smile filled his mind. She was the only pony in a long time that actually cared about what he said. Yes, it is.

Creme’s Crepes was just a little ways off, now. The signs of colorful stores glided past him as he walked, tempting him to go in and explore. A long time ago, he might have. Now, it was hard to find a purpose.

The ponies he walked by kept to themselves and didn’t talk much. It was a sharp contrast to some of the more rural areas he had visited. Smaller towns had much friendlier communities, while big cities like Canterlot were full of cynicism and greed. He wasn’t sure why he stayed here, the ponies were too jaded to care about anything. Actually… that was a pretty accurate description of himself, now that he thought about it.

At last, he found the shop. The window displayed an assortment of different kinds of delectable pastries, tempting ponies near to come inside and buy. They were summer themed. On the door, there was a sheet of paper with the words “Now Hiring” crudely drawn in ink. Flash Sentry pushed the door open, ringing the bell and stepping inside. Almost immediately he smelled the scents of many ingredients at once, overwhelming him. The only one he could isolate was the strong potent of rhubarb.

“Welcome to Creme’s Crepes, where all your delicious dreams come true!” a yellow mare in uniform stood at the counter, grinning from ear to ear. Her brown mane was neat, tucked behind her forehead and strewn across her back.

“Really? That’s what you tell customers when they come inside?”

Her grin faltered but for a second. “I assume you’re looking for employment?”

He sighed. “You assume correctly. How do I-”

“You’re hired!” she giggled, walking to his side of the room and sitting down on a chair. She spoke with a thick accent that Flash Sentry couldn’t determine. “Come, sit. We have much to discuss.”

“Do we, now? You hired me before looking at my cutie mark.” Flash sighed and sat down across from her, resting his hooves on the table. “Why so desperate?”

“Actually, you were referred to us by our only employee at the moment, Lyra Heartstrings. Lyra,” -- the mare shouted --“can you please bring us some drinks?”

“On it!” she yelled from somewhere in the back.

“Why do you seek to work here?” the mare asked, leaning back into her seat.

“I thought I was already hired…”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, can’t we talk as friends?”

Mares…”Alright. My name is Flash Sentry, and I wish to use my tactical experience working as a chef cooking food for the guards when I was a Royal Guard and apply it in a more commercial atmosphere.”

“Wha-pf-darling, as friends!” she giggled once more. Flash Sentry looked towards the door.

Is it too late to back out now? “Ugh, fine. What is your name, then? I told you mine.”

“Oh, of course! My name is Exceltia.” Flash Sentry gazed at her flanks. Her flanks bore the image of an animal he hadn't seen before, it looked like the cross of a pony and a sheep.

“So how come a musician and a zookeeper are running a sweets shop?” The ponies in this city have the strangest names. Isn’t this supposed to be Creme’s crepes?

“I am not a zookeeper.” her face become more serious. Nervous sweat rolled down Flash Sentry’s neck, he gulped and looked side to side, focusing his gaze anywhere but on her face. “I’m a shopkeeper!” she burst out laughing, hiccuping on the table.

“You mares are so weird.” Flash Sentry stoically stated and lowered his face onto the table, which only added to her tittering. He looked at Lyra’s face, who was trying to contain her mirth by biting her lip, her cheeks rounded and hoof touching her snout.

“Oh, running a shop is just a silly dream I’ve always had. Do you know how to bake? Why did you consider this position?” Exceltia relaxed in the seat, resting her hooves behind the back of her head.

“Well, I am mostly bored of life. I thought a change of pace would do me good. I have some bakery experience, though I imagine I’ll learn a lot more now. Also… Lyra works here.” Flash blushed, looking at the floor.

For just a second, Exceltia bore a saddened look. He didn’t comment.

“Well, right now we are open, though hardly anypony comes by at this hour. Come, as equestrians say, let me show you the knots.”

“I think that’s ‘show you the ropes’, Exceltia.” Lyra said, walking toward the group. Exceltia’s mouth was agape, eyebrows raised high enough to hide in her brown mane. The three of them walked towards the counter, crossing through a horizontal door and stepping into a back room.

“Oh, whatever. Hey, whatever happened to those drinks?” Exceltia asked. Lyra grinned sheepishly, and they started talking about something or other.

Deep inside, Flash Sentry felt a strange vibration. His chest pounded, and his inner back thighs convulsed slightly. The mares didn’t notice, but Flash ignored it for the time being.

************************

“Welcome to Creme’s Crepes, where low prices are high quality. May we take your order?” Lyra and Flash both shouted, eyes open widely and grinning ear to ear. A young, light red colt with a fuzzy green mane stepped inside the shop.

“Jeezers, look at all of this stuff!” he laughed awkwardly and looked at the counter. “No way jose I can pick something from all of these sweets, this is all way past cool!”

“May I suggest our rhubarb pie? It’s on special today.” Lyra peered inside the counter, smiling at the colt as he looked through the sweets.

“Whoa! I’ll have three!” he reached inside his mane and pulled out a bit bag, spilling a few bits on the counter. Lyra wrapped the pies in wrappers with her hooves and placed them in a bag, along with a candy cane.

“Here you go, kiddo. And have a candy cane, on me!”

“Yeah!” the colt picked up the bag and trotted out the door. “I’ll come back here again some other day!” he shouted as he walked out the door.

Flash Sentry looked at Lyra, who bore a silly smile on her face. “Why didn’t you use your magic? To wrap the pies.”

“I dunno. Makes everything more casual and authentic, I guess.” she smiled, nudging him slightly. His cheeks reddened, but he looked away so she couldn’t see.

“I’ve never met a mare quite like you…”

She blinked, and cast a forlorn glance to the ground. “Oh.”

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing.” she replied. “Hey, tell me things. Tell me about Celestia.”

“Oh, okay.” Flash grinned. “Sure. See, I can’t really get along with other ponies that well because they’re so stuffy and stuck up. Especially here in canterlot, and they revere Celestia so much, it bothers me. Celestia lies to us! I’m not that worried that she doesn’t raise the sun. I mean, it’s not that important, I guess. But just the fact that she hides something so big like that makes me ask questions. Why would she lie? Is our history false? She must be hiding something.”

“Well, do you really want to do anything about it? We live such happy lives.”

Flash Sentry thought back to the colt that had entered the shop. He was happy when he entered, and he left even happier. In fact, the only ponies he ever saw sad only stayed that way for a short while. Everything was calm in Equestria.

“It’s nice to talk about this with somepony who cares. I think you’re really special, Lyra.”

“Oh.” she was forlorn again, but Flash Sentry didn’t pay much attention.

“I mean, I guess you’re right. Maybe Celestia did have a good reason for doing this.”

“Does that mean you regret quitting the guard?”

“Oh, heavens, no. Being a royal guard is boring, the only ‘combat’ we get is Celestia’s monotonous training exercises. In my whole five years of service, I have yet to encounter a single thug.”

“Then that means whatever Celestia is doing is working!” Lyra smiled, taking a pie and placing it inside the glass display. It replaced one of the pies the colt had taken.

“I guess so. Why are you so open to talking about this? Most ponies look away in disgust.”

“Because I care about what other ponies have to say, whether I like what they tell me or not. And as a matter of fact, I do like what you say. I’m glad I found you when I did.”

“So am I.” Flash sighed. His chest throbbed for a few seconds, he glanced at the beautiful mare. “Never have I encountered a pony so caring like you.”

“Why, thank you.” she scoffed, preparing another pie. Had they not been friends, he would have taken that as a rude gesture.

He watched as she gracefully levitated ingredients around, sorting them together and creating the beautiful pie. Her cute smile, the way she worked, everything about her seemed… right. Moisture gathered in his eyes, and he felt his body convulse again. This time, Lyra noticed.

“Hey, are you alright? Your body’s been… acting strangely these past few days.”

“Oh. I don’t know.” Flash counted the golden bits they had made today. 242, and there were still a few hours until closing time. “How many bits do you usually make?”

“Oh, around sixty. How many do we have?” Lyra gasped as she looked inside the cashier. “Your management skills work! I’ve never seen so many bits, and we’re not even close to closing yet.”

“It’s not my fault I’m so superior and intelligent.” Flash puffed his chest out, Lyra rolling her eyes. “Oh, come on, you know I’m kidding.”

“No, you are superior!” the corners of her mouth turned up warmly. Now’s a good a time as any…

“Hey--” Flash was interrupted by Exceltia shooting past her office door, standing at the counter excitedly.

“We can pay rent for another month! We’re not going out of business any time soon.”

“Cool!” Flash buzzed his wings, looking at his employer. “Is… is that all you wanted to say?”

“Yep!” she snorted and walked back into the main office.

“Mares.” Flash Sentry whispered to himself, who in return got slapped by Lyra. “Hey!”

“I heard that!” she chuckled, nuzzling him with her body.

“Ugh, whatever. She’s so silly, but… hey, Lyra?” Flash turned his head to look at her mint green face. Her kept mane glowed in the afternoon atmosphere, secreting a sense of clarity that Flash rarely felt. The shop barely smelled of sweets to him, he’s worked here long enough to barely notice it, but he could still pick up her sweet scent.

“Yes?” she simpered, looking at him. “What is it?”

Sweat formed on his forehead. “Say, uh, do you, um.” he chortled awkwardly, resting a hoof behind his head. “Would you like to…”

Lyra’s ears perked up. “I’m listening.”

“Do you want to go out?” he blurted out quickly, looking back to the counter and closed his eyes. What the heck am I doing? His heart pounded quickly in his ribcage, his breath faster than normal. Both his ears were patted down against his skull.

“Oh.” she drooped her eyes, slumping her shoulders. “I’m sorry.”

What? No... “Huh?”

“I’m really, really sorry.” she cast her glance down at the floor. “I was afraid this would happen.”

When she said that, Flash Sentry convulsed again. This time, his head slammed into the counter, pain shooting down his veins from his throat. He started shaking, looking back at Lyra and pleading with his eyes. “Please… you’re all I really care about! The only reason I’m here at all is because of you.”

A tear formed on Lyra’s eye, she cast her gaze at the window. “I would, but… I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say, but.”

“What is it?” Flash shed a few tears. The salty excrement dampened his fur, matting his face with moisture.

“I’m a fillyfooler. I hope you understand. Please, don’t let this get to you. We can be friends?”

Time stopped. Flash Sentry ceased shaking and stoof to a standstill. Immediately, his emotions were sucked away from him.

“Oh, okay.”

Lyra raised an eyebrow and looked at him. “I’m sorry. I knew you were fond of me, I just didn’t know what to say. I should have said something earlier...”

“No, it’s fine.” he deadpanned, looking at the store window. “Let me just…” he walked through the counter door, and trotted to the door.

“Wait!” Lyra gasped and tried to fire up her magic, but he was galloping at that point. He crashed into the door and fled down the street, trying to blink out his tears. “This is what I get for opening up, this is what I get for letting ponies get to me.” he cried as he ran away, pushing past surprised ponies as he went on his way to Celestia knows where.

The clear, hot sky felt hot on his fur, sweat started forming around his body. His lungs started to ache, but he kept running. Why am I running? Does she really mean that much to me?

His wings flapped open and he took to the sky, flying upwards at a sharp angle. Much better.

He continued flapping his wings. Higher and higher he went, pushing past cloud cover. The temperature started getting colder, but he pushed on. His body was starting to convulse again, but he ignored it. Upwards and upwards he went, flapping his wings in disgust. I don't understand why I love her so much, but now there’s nothing left for me.

It was getting harder to breathe. The buildings below him shrunk in size, he was at the point he could see the square districts below him as rectangles. Sharp, cold air entered his lungs as he gasped for breath, shaking his body even more.

Even the most carefree pegasi wouldn’t go this high, but he continued flapping. It was harder to stay aloft, and he breathed heavily with exertion. Blue was replaced with darkness as he rose up higher than anypony he’d ever known fly. It was extremely hard to fly now, each flap rose him only a few inches higher. Suddenly, the sky changed. It was no longer as simple as it was when he looked up at it on the ground. He gasped as he stared at the yellow ball of fire that he had mistaken for the sun he knew and loved. The moon also changed, and appeared to be much rockier than when he was on the surface. What is this?

Even the clouds were different as he looked down. Instead of their pastel, solid color, they merged and formed together like strands of vapor. The sky was no longer just blue, it was purple and orange and much more beautiful than before. Looking down at his own body, he found it much more irregular and toned than before. Instead of the smooth legs he used to have, he could see his muscles and knees. Everything seemed so surreal.

Then he blacked out from exhaustion. As his vision grew dark, the last thing he saw was the sky return to the simple blue and sun and moon go back to their original, pastel circles.

The sound of beeping woke him up. Flash Sentry gasped as he tried to stood up, but was met with the sharp pinpricks of pain shooting down his neck and body. He slumped back down, groaning at the pain.

His eyes felt like sandpaper, but he opened them anyway. A blinding white light filled his vision, and for a moment he couldn’t see. When he could see normally, the popcorn ceiling of a hospital room greeted him.

“Wh-aah!” Flash tried to speak but felt his throat choke down on him, forcing him to remain silent. He gagged and threw his hooves at his throat, trying to soothe the pain he felt.

“You’re alive. Good.” a familiar voice greeted him to his right. When he no longer felt pain in his neck, he turned to seek out the owner of said voice.

“Pr-” he choked again, coughing up a green liquid that spat onto the sheets. After that, his throat felt much better. “Princess… ah!” he jumped up from his bed, hitting his head on the wall. My voice!

The princess lit up her horn, cleaning the gunk off his bed. She stood up, towering above him. “Let me get something clear, Flash Sentry. Did you or did you not break reality?”

“What?” he squeaked once more, eyes widening at his voice.

“Did you or did you not break the reality barrier in the sky?” she huffed her nose, slamming the door closed with her magic so nopony could listen in.

“Is that wh-” that’s all Celestia needed to hear before she nodded her head and lit up her horn. Once more, Flash’s vision filled with darkness. His muscles gave out, and he collapsed onto the bed.

A short time later, Flash Sentry woke up once again. He felt much better, his muscles soothed and throat no longer burning.

Flash Sentry stood up and yawned, stretching his wings. His ears swiveled to the door as he heard it open, and saw the face of his coworker walk in. “Lyra!”

She immediately rushed to him and hugged him, crying softly into his shoulder. “Oh dear Celestia, I’m so sorry…”

He patted her back, looking down himself. “I’m sorry I ran away. It’s just… you’re all I care about now, really. You could say I’ve grown dependent on you.”

“Oh, that’s sweet.” she smiled, patting him on the head. If Flash wasn’t mistaken, it seemed as if Lyra was looking at him differently...“Hey, what’s this?”

Flash Sentry looked at the letter she was pointing at that was on his bed. Princess Celestia’s seal was stamped on it, along with a few runes.

“Lyra, would you mind stepping out for a bit? I think this letter is just for me.”

“Will you be okay?” she cooed, hugging his body.

“Sure.”

Lyra walked out of the room and closed the door. Why is she so huggy all of the sudden? And there’s something about my voice…

He broke open the seal and pulled out the paper inside.

Flash Sentry. You used to work for me in my royal guard, but I always knew you were dissonant. When I tried to comfort you, you simply walked away. I know why, Flash Sentry, and you’re very lucky I’m letting you stay in Equestria.

When you broke into my bedroom that day, I expected you to not notice the situation with the sun. All of my subjects are ignorant, in a way. However, you didn’t, and I believe that is the reason you have been acting strangely. Please understand that I fear for the safety of all of my subjects, and I must always choose the answer that is for the greater good. Without this morality, I would have never lasted as a leader all these years.

You are correct in assuming I cannot control the sun. However, it is not because I am evil like you seem to think I am. Long ago, the ponies were separated into three factions, much like your beloved Hearth’s Warming Eve play shows you. What the story doesn’t tell is of the bloody civil wars that occurred during that time. Please understand, I am completely against violence in every way. There is no way I could have let the event go on like it had, thousands of ponies were dying, and even more were to come.

I was one of the potential candidates as a ruler. Back when I was younger, I acted much like I do today. I was charismatic, intelligent, and gave ponies hope. Being an alicorn helped a great deal. However, they were so meddled in their bloody wars that they could not see the greater good. Joining together would create a prosperous nation, Luna was the only other pony who shared this vision with me.

So I spun the web of lies that exist to this very day. Yes, I used fear to control them centuries ago. If they thought that I controlled the sun, they had to do as I commanded. I am not strong enough to actually do that, but back when I was young I attempted the feat. The result is why the sky is so simple. It is extremely unusual for a pegasus to fly at the height that you did, you are the only pony alive at the moment that knows what it actually looks like. That’s what I call the reality barrier. Please don’t go above it again, I won’t be watching you next time to save you.

The result of what I have done is more than worth it. I have created a utopia, where ponies can sing, dance, and play without fear of war. I have eradicated violence. I have destroyed ill will. I have created the perfect nation.

I could spend years teaching you more about the subbject, but for now I want you to know this. It is far too dangerous to let you live how you are right now. My first thought was to execute you, and hush up the media. It’s not cruel, it’s what I have to do for the greater good. However, you yourself taught me something as I looked at your actions.

Ponies can change. You changed by meeting Lyra, and I believe you can control yourself. But please understand that it is still too great a risk for me to let you keep this knowledge as the male Flash Sentry. To the public, Flash Sentry is dead. A message was sent to your family confirming your death, I am deeply sorry for your loss.

If you haven’t already noticed, I changed you. Physically. You are a new pony now. However, I don’t think you’ll mind your new body too much, judging by the reason you broke the barrier in the first place. In fact, you can keep your name. After all, it is androgynous.

With all due respect,

Princess Celestia.

Flash Sentry slumped down in his bed, cradling his head with his hooves. The knowledge was too much to handle, his brain pounded inside his head. He felt dizzy, rolling his body around the sheets trying to please a foreign tick. He looked down at his body and gasped.

She was female. Flash Sentry was a mare.

“Lyra!”

Lyra walked in. “What was in the letter?”

She thought about the content inside, then took the letter and crumpled it into a ball. “Oh, nothing. Don’t worry about it.” Flash tossed it into a trash can.

“Well… can I ask the obvious question?” Lyra smiled warmly. “Why are you a mare?”

Flash Sentry chuckled, leaning back into his bed. “Does it matter?”

Lyra walked up to him and lied down on the bed, snuggling close to Flash Sentry. They looked at each other and closed their eyes. Slowly, their heads came forward and they locked lips. A rush of emotion flew through Flash’s body, filling her with joy and nostalgia. She leaned in closer to Lyra, holding Lyra’s body close to herself. They broke apart, a strand of saliva connecting their mouths. “Lyra, I love you. I’ve always loved you, nopony could make me as happy as you. You understand how I am, how I think. Instead of pushing me away for thinking differently, you accepted how I am. You have no idea how much it hurt… when you declined me. Just because I’m a different gender you couldn’t love me? But I understand now. You went through the trouble of understanding how I think, I’m going to go through the trouble of understanding how you think.”

They snuggled together for a short minute. “Flash, I’m truly sorry that I made you go through this. Do you want to come back to the shop with me now? I know I may seem like a hypocrite, but… I’m willing to go out with you, if you want.”

Flash smiled, looking at Lyra’s beautiful gaze.

"What the buck? Just because I'm a girl, you're willing to date me?" For a few moments Lyra's eyes widened and she looked back at the door, sorrow in her eyes.

"Just kidding, of course I'll accept."

“I could teach you how to be a girl!” Lyra giggled, playfully hitting Flash’s side with her tail. She recovered quickly...

Flash snorted, then burst out laughing. The bed rocked as a squealing Lyra joined in, both of them grinning ear to ear as they laughed in hysteria.

“This situation is so weird!”

“You know what?” Flash Sentry asked Lyra. She turned her head to look at her, and they smiled warmly. “You transformed me, Lyra. And I’m not talking about my gender.”

They smiled and caressed each other, brushing their soft fur against one another. Slowly, over time, they fell asleep in each other’s embrace.

“Besides, you can’t let me go now," Flash said between droopy blinks. "I’ve grown dependent on you.”

Bonus Chapter

"I'm sorry." Lyra spoke softly.

Flash turned her head to Lyra, meeting her soft gaze with colorful tears. "That's not going to do. Tell me exactly what you're sorry for," Flash painfully choked and buried her face onto the table. The ceiling fan spun slowly, ruffling her fur that shone brightly from the sun's blaze peaking in through the windows.

They sat together in silence. The bakery had long since closed down. The table the two were sitting on was one of the few tables left. Almost all of the furniture they used to own had been sold in an attempt to keep the business running. A failed attempt.

Lyra brushed her hoof against Flash's cheek, tears gathering at her eyes. "Flashie..."

"Don't call me that," Flash pushed away her hoof without looking up. "You're not allowed to call me that. Not anymore."

Flash lifted her head off the table, gazing at her ex marefriend's round face. "Not anymore. No more, Lyra."

A fly droned around the air surrounding them, resting on Flash's head. The searing sun formed pools of sweat along her coat. They dripped unto the wooden floor below, matting her fur with humidity along the way. Uncomfortable, but she didn't shift or flick the droplets off.

"I didn't want this for you, Flash. I didn't mean to hurt you like this." Lyra reached over and stroke Flash's mane. "You know that I would never wish that upon you. I did love you, Flash. I really did, I meant it. But now, I need you to let go of me. You told me you would do anything for me. It's time to hold up your end of that promise," Flash shook and looked at a bronze painting on the far wall. "Could you please do that for me?"

Flash closed her eyes. "Six months, Lyra." Flash said and fought back a tear. "For six months you lied to me."

Lyra sighed and stood up from the table. "I thought you would understand, Flash. I thought you of all people would understand."

A stomach growled.

"Flash, when was the last time that you ate?"

Flash laid her head onto the table but didn't look up. A clock ticked in the far corner of the room, signaling the hour. Five fifty-five P.M. The time they usually had dinner together. It was Lyra's lucky number, she said. Five fifty-five.

"I'm going to go. I'll be back later, okay? Do yourself a favor and please eat something for me. I'll be back soon" Lyra walked toward the door. She turned back and looked at her ex one more time.

She hadn't moved at all.

With a sigh, Lyra opened the door and walked out into the sunny day. A cream-colored mare stood near a distant sweets shop. With a smile, she trotted toward her direction and didn't look back.