Author's Note

Let's make something abundantly clear. Not just in this chapter, but for the rest of the fic at large.

If you are ever in a relationship--be it amorous or casual or whatever--and at some point a stipulation pops up that goes something like: "For ____ to happen then you must have sex with me" or "I require sex in order to maintain the ____ in our relationship" or "For things to remain ____, you must have sex with ___"...

...then you must--without hesitation--ABANDON any and all sociopathic mindfucks assholish enough to give you said stipulation.

Sex isn't holy--as we live in an unholy world. But it is deeply integral to the human experience, and almost always directly related to the cultivation/and/or/ruining thereof. It's not meant to be a means of currency, and fuck anyone who says otherwise (except, no, don't).

This story? It's pure fantasy. Really convoluted and unnecessarily drawn-out fantasy, sh00r, but a fantasy nonetheless. Anyone who takes it seriously should probably start over at Gene One. It exists here so that it doesn't have to exist elsewhere, as is the means of all escapism.

But just know that I know that if any of the things that transpire in this fic were to transpire in real life...? It'd be all kinds of effed up.

Thank you. American people. ~~I've never gotten my rocks off so hard~~.
=SS&E

When Sissidom Hits the Fan

There were many things in life that Flash Sentry had a distaste for.

They were mostly “things.” Gross things. Disgusting things. Cringey things.

On a few occasions, they were even people—mean people. Cruel people. Violent people. Ignorant people.

But then—in rare instances—such things turned out to be states of being that Flash Sentry despised. At least in regards to himself. Usually just being Flash Sentry was enough to render the young man depressed. But then there was a state of being even worse than that, and as such it was a scarcity whenever it happened to occur.

Flash loathed being angry. It was the worst emotion of all. His aversion to it went beyond being a mere ineffectual sissy. Anger—at least in Flash's experience—magnified all of his other negative emotions: such as sorrow, doubt, guilt, and conceitedness. There was very little in existence that Flash was proud of, and yet anger made him coddle those very tiny and indefinable things as if they were his lifeblood. On top of all that, being angry only accelerated the rate at which Flash did, said, and perceived stupid things, which only added extra blinding layers to his already inordinately unbearable ignorance.

So when Flash Sentry found himself feeling angry at Sunset Shimmer—the only person who had done anything of merit in his lonesome existence—he realized that he could not contain it for very long.

This came to a shuddering boil one hundred feet from the exiting Cadenza Corp Industries. Flash and Sunset had parted ways with Cadance and company. Sunset was packing an extra weight of “unmentionables” to her purse... and Flash was barely dragging his. The boi scraped the sidewalk with his frown while Sunset strolled on ahead, flanked by verdant lawnscapes that mirrored the happy-go-lucky shine of her innocent eyes.

“I don't know about you, but I'm feeling refreshed!” Sunset beamed. Sunset hummed. Sunset moved with a veritable skip to her gait. “Like I just took a quick, cold, autumn shower! Heeheehee! Funny how a simple 'how-do-you-do' with old friends can bring out the best in a morning!”

Flash said nothing.

“Mmmmmmmm... alicorns alive! The weather's so bright and crisp! Let's do something today, Flash! What say you?” Sunset tossed her crimson hair into the dewy breeze, grinning into the bright blue yonder. “I know I said we should take you shopping. But what about a country drive? With the windows down? Oooh! You should tell me what kind of music you've been listening to all these days! I've got satellite radio! You could share it for the road!”

Flash said nothing.

“Better yet... how about a walk in the park? I mean... hah... this is a great park and all... but I mean one closer to downtown! Like where we used to go when we dated! Only... it'll be different this time! Better! Happier! You have my promise on that, sweetie!”

Flash said nothing... and his sandals scuffled to a stop.

Sunset did not realize this at first. She had strolled a good twenty feet ahead when the boi's voice finally broke his end of the so-called conversation.

“Alright, Sunset,” he droned, his voice breathy. Scratchy. He couldn't even try to sound intimidating if he tried—which is what made the tone so alarming. “What's the catch?”

“... … …?” Sunset Shimmer stopped on a dime. She blinked, and then she swiveled around. “Huh?”

He was still glaring at the ground. The purse hung from his right hand on the full length of its strap, where it nudged the sidewalk. Without returning Sunset's gaze, Flash repeated: “What is the catch?”

“Catch...?” Sunset's first reaction was to chuckle. She shook her head with an incoming shrug. “Flash, honey, what are you even talking about—?”

“A telepath who doesn't know what I'm talking about?”

“Huh—?!” She still look humored...

...which only served to tick him off even more. “I may not be the brightest, smartest, and sharpest of young men in this world, but I'm n-no idiot.” He clenched his teeth, still refusing to look her in the face. Judging by his own shakes, he knew what would happen to his already-misty eyes if he did. “I know you didn't bring us here j-just so you could show me around and check on research notes for Cadenza Corp!”

“Flash, I was with Sunburst and Cadance for well over—”

“You came here because you needed more of those weird bracelet thingies!”

The amazon stood in sudden silence, her mouth agape. The woman was teetering on the brink of something...

...so Flash threw his next words to push her over. “The same bracelets that Twilight made for you... that you told her over the phone last night that you needed more of!”

Her fingers gripped tighter to the strap of her purse. Her weight shifted left and right, and even in Flash's peripheral he could tell that the valkyrie was fidgeting for an excuse.

But the boi wasn't about to grant her the breath she needed to formulate one. “Sunset, I know that you're only wearing those things because you have to... that they do something for you when you're around me.” He swallowed a lump down his throat. “And I know that... th-that when you wear them... you can't read my thoughts like you normally c-can!”

She tightened her jaw, fidgeting more.

Flash couldn't contain his shivers at this point. He looked up at her finally—and he knew that he wanted to frown... to make sure that his anger registered somehow. But he also knew that such an attempt would fail. Instead, tears streamed down his sissy face, and he hated himself for it. Channeling that passion, he let loose as vehemently as he could:

“And I-I know that you think I don't notice any of these things. Or if you do realize that I've noticed... then you're choosing to act like it doesn't matter. And if so—is that seriously how little you think of me? Of my intelligence? Of my ability to... to absorb the weight of whatever's going on?”

She cleared her throat and took a pensive step towards him. “Fl-Flash...” It was dry. Weak. Exposed. “Please... sweetie... if you could just—”

He stamped a foot down—stinging his sensitive heel through the sandal's thick wedge. “Stop yanking me around, Sunset! I-I know I'm not the strongest p-person there is in this world. I know I've buried myself a hole in this st-stupid life I've lived. I know that—most of the time—I tend to yearn for someone to mold me, control me, even coddle me. But while all of this may or may not be true... at the end of the day... don't you think I deserve respect?!” He sniffled, bringing a dainty hand up to wipe his cheek dry, an act that failed to work. “For Christ's sake, Sunset... all my life I've done nothing but fail my parents. I know that nobody does anything unless they expect something in return! No matter how friendly or wholesome the motive, there is always... always a price!”

“Not with m-me, Flash...!” Sunset stammered. Pleaded. Her face had paled noticeably, as if she was watching a loved one careening off the railing of a bridge. “With me and the girls, there isn't—”

“There is always a catch!” Flash shrieked. A pigeon or two scattered out of the boughs of a nearby tree and he spent a few seconds composing himself for the next outburst. “In high school, I limped my way out of our little social circle. I own that, Sunset. I was the one who ghosted on everyone. Not you or the girls. And for five years, Sunset... five whole years... you and everyone else was satisfied with me having disappeared off the face of the map. Suddenly—without any explanation—you're back in my life, trying everything humanly possible to pamper, tease, and nurse me... as if those five years never happened! As if we never broke up from an abusive relationship! As if life suddenly didn't force us apart with... w-with magical bullshit and superhero shenanigans and the secret hidden existence of a five-foot-nothing sissy boi with nothing to give, prove, or claim in this world—”

“But I want to fix that, Flash!” Sunset exclaimed, a little louder and bolder, as if to shake him out of his hysterics. When it didn't work, panic flashed across her face again and she forced it into a furrowed corner through a smile. “All of the mistakes that I made... those years th-that I... that all of us just let you waste away... I want to make it up to you—”

“For what, Sunset?!” Flash flailed his arms out. He was sobbing, and yet his expression was rock hard. Determined. Livid. “For what in return?! I've got nothing to give you and the girls! Nothing! Except... except for this 'Harmonic Well' nonsense that I still don't know anything about!”

“I pr-promise you, Flash...” Sunset steeled herself with a deep breath. It was strange that a towering amazon would look so floored by a tiny waif's ranting display. “...it's no cause for alarm.”

He gnashed his teeth. “Then why does Cadance make it sound like it is?”

“... … ...”

“Why did she insist on handing me a business card so that I can talk to her outside of this little circle you and the other Elements of Harmony have built?”

“... … … you had a talk with Cadance?”

He frowned at her. “Is that a problem?”

Sunset only grimaced—as if the pain came from deep within her own gut, and not from Flash's response.

“Is there a reason why I shouldn't have talked with Cadance?”

“Flash... I trust Cadance with my life...” Sunset gulped. “She provides for me, Twilight—for all of us. But even still...” She gestured with a shaky hand. “...there are things about this... about us that she doesn't understand. That she can't understand.”

“Isn't that a good reason why I should take her concern into consideration?” He breathed easier. While still tearing up, Flash was far more composed than the valkryie at this point. “Isn't that a reason why I should be worried that she seems worried for me?”

Sunset bit her lip. She looked conflicted on who to defend and who to argue against.

“What is it about the 'Harmonic Fountain' and 'Harmonic Well' that would make someone like Cadance concerned, huh?” He waved his purse-hand. “What's causing you to drag your heels with explaining everything to me? What makes you want to cuddle and fluster me during the day and then march angsty circles while on the phone with Twilight at night?!”

“Flash—“

“What's with the bracelets and what's with inviting me into your home and what is the damn catch?!” He fought the urge to whimper, his tiny hands clenching into fists. “This isn't the first time I've been left in the dark, Sunset. Please... I beg you... don't be like my family.” A tear rolled loosely down his cheek, and he didn't bother to stop it. “I... I-I've got nowhere else to go now...”

She was silent for a long time. The woman looked at Flash... then past him. Each breath looked windy and windier, as if something had knocked her lungs loose. Deflated her.

In a slump, she pivoted about... heading seemingly nowhere...

...but then Flash realized that she was limping towards a nearby bench. Lumbering as if all the weight was on her shoulders, the amazon squatted down. It was a ridiculous position that she was forced to take; the bench was clearly meant for far smaller people. Sunset's legs rose up higher than they were supposed to, and she hugged them closely as she gazed depressingly into the sidewalk and flanking lawnscape.

Flash felt innumerable pangs of sympathy for her, and yet the sensitive boi stood his ground. Waiting for a response. Waiting...

...until the words finally mewled out of Sunset's anguished mouth.

“Flash Sentry, I love you. I truly do. I want the best for you. I want you to experience every dream come true and every wish in your heart fulfilled.” She cleared her throat, staring into the grass and shrubbery around them. “Finding you once again was an absolute joy. Your existence is a treasure to my heart, and I am fully prepared to go through the lengths that are required to assure that an old friend of mine—an old ex of mine, even—gets back on his feet again. Whether that means being a common factor in my life or moving far away, so be it. Even if it means you going back to your parents and restoring relations with them and Magnolia and pursuing a business degree as they always intended... I would be fine with that too. You mean the world to me, Flash, and not only will I fight for you and your dreams to the bitter end... but I know for a fact that all of my friends will too. Twilight... Rarity... Applejack... Fluttershy... Pinkie Pie... Rainbow Dash... we all love you, Flash. And we would never... ever do anything to harm you.”

She closed her eyes... took a deep breath... and exhaled just as slowly.

“...but I cannot lie to you. There is a catch.”

He stared at her. Quiet. Patient.

“There's a catch and... I know it. We all know it.” Sunset gulped. “Cadance knows it. And—for the most part—she accepts it. Or... at least... I thought she did. But things are... different now. They aren't the same as they've always been these past five years. There's a new element in the mix, Flash. That element is you. It's something the girls and I have long suspected, even when we didn't know it would be you specifically. But when it did turn out to be you... I-I guess it wasn't that much of a shock to us. With Cadance... well... I guess I haven't put too much thought to it. But being in her place... it makes sense... in that nothing really makes sense. Outside of the Elements of Harmony... the stuff that we take as normal and usual must appear... fucking batshit insane to the rest of the world. Heh... Quite frankly, I don't blame Cadance... nor do I hate her. And... and I don't blame you...”

“What...” Flash slowly walked closer to where she was awkwardly seated. “...is so 'insane', Sunset?”

“You have to understand, Flash...” Sunset sniffled, and the first vestiges of sorrow crept through her facade. Genuine and fragile—unbecoming of such a strong valkyrie. “...while it's true that I was elated to see you again. Another part of me was...” Her face contorted into a sad grimace, but she fought it off with a determined glare into the treeline. “...was devastated. Because the moment I knew that you were the Harmonic Well, it just made everything so... so damned complicated. I want what's best for you. I truly do. But at same time... for some goddess-damn reason the fates had decided to assign these roles to you... and to us... to everyone.” She gulped. “I'm supposed to be the expert on Equestrian magic but I never asked for this, Celestia damn it... I never asked for—” Two tears ran down her cheeks, and she was quick to dab them dry. Finally, she looked towards Flash with a quivering mouth. “I'm sorry, Flash. I'm sorry that... things had to be so friggin' weird...”

“I don't want apologies, Sunset,” Flash said firmly. His heart hurt to continue, but he did anyways: “I want answers.”

She flinched, as if struck with a full-fledged punch. Nodding, she looked off again. “Right. Right.” Her fingers anxiously rapped along the top of her knees. “Right-right-right-right-right... uhm...” She sniffed, wiped her cheek again, and stammered to speak: “Do you remember h-how I t-told you that... uhm... that... th-that the girls and I... uh... we... w-we all love each other?”

Flash nodded.

“And-and-and-and that it's... it's directly related to the magic that empowers us? The Elements of Harmony? How... h-how we're all manifestations of the Harmonic Fountain? And that our connection... our union—as it were—is buffered and boosted through each other? And our closeness with each other? Our... our... intimacy with each other?”

Flash... slowly nodded, although he was giving Sunset a wary squint.

She locked eyes with him, and she was trembling slightly. “Well... uhm... I-I-I c-can't emphasize that latter bit enough.” She ran a shaky hand through her hair and tried to smile—it came out rattling and crooked. “We... we are very... very intimate with one another, Flash.” She was breathing rapidly, as if giving birth to this confession was a painful labor before the young man. “Every morning. Every day. Every night... in ways that you couldn't even believe.”

Flash's eyes wandered off her for a second. He couldn't help but remember something that he had been hiding from her... if only because she was evidently hiding it from him—

“I know that you know about the guest room, Flash.”

“...!” He threw her a surprised look.

She swallowed hard. “Not using telepathy,” she said, shaking her head. “I've known since yesterday afternoon. There are gaps in my power loss, Flash. Glimpses that I can afford—into your head and then some. Besides...” She sighed—almost guiltily. “I caught enough subconscious details to glean from when we both merged in the dreamscape.”

He rubbed his arm pensively, glancing at the ground.

“I knew that you heard me on the first night, Flash,” Sunset said. “You likely thought I was experiencing emotional distress, locked away in that ridiculous place. Truth is... I was attempting to... make up for the absence of the other girls in my day-to-day routine as of late. And from what you saw in that place... I bet you know how I went about doing it.”

Flash cleared his throat. “A few... ideas c-came to mind...”

“I was hoping... that... uh... th-that you would mention it yourself,” Sunset muttered. “On your own volition. That I wouldn't have to coax it out of you... or that it might come to a boiling point of confusion or distrust. But—who was I kidding?” She rubbed her forehead, sighing hard. “I was just stringing you along... wasting time... looking for excuses to keep from touching upon the truth.”

He tried not to groan. “Which is...?”

“... … ...that whatever empowers the Equestrian magic of this world,” she eventually spilled, “It's through an inexplicably sexual filter, Flash.” A gulp. “An erotic one.” Another. “A perverted one. You see, Flash...” Sunset gazed at him intently. “Twilight, the Princess and I have all come to a singular theory—based on all of the magical evidence we've collected from the flow of leylines in this world and how they manifest themselves... chiefly among the Elements of Harmony.” She weathered a courageous breath. “And we have every reason to suspect that the artificial nature of the portals means that... this universe was also artificially created.”

Flash blinked through the cosmic blowing of his fragile, girly mind. “Wait... this universe is fake?”

“Not fake, Flash. Just created.” Sunset gestured. “The portals opened a pocket dimension from which most of the natural laws of Equestria poured into a rapidly expanding bubble that grew into this complex parallel living universe in rapid but slowly decelerating time... all on account of an act of equine sorcery committed long ago that was so strong and so mind-numbingly complex that no alicorn alive or dead in the history of my culture has any solid record to explain it. The only truth that can be gathered is form the evidence that we—the Elements of Harmony—have gathered since magic made a sizable explosion in manifestation here. Now the true nature of this universe is coming to life—capitalizing on the theory that whoever built the portals to come here wanted something that was specifically obvious. They wanted a universe mostly deprived of magic so that whenever they wielded it, they had the impact of gods. But that wasn't the half of it, for there was something even greater that they wanted.” Sunset's words poured out of an embarrassed expression. “Relief.”

“Relief?”

Sunset slowly nodded. “They wanted an escape.”

“Escape from what?” Flash breathed.

Her eyes settled on him. “Their inhibitions in their home dimension.”

His mouth hung open in blank thought.

“Flash, I can't pretend to tell you how the stars aligned when this pocket dimension came into being... or why it is that upright simians walk this planet and run cars on fossil fuels... or whether or not somewhere in this great, vast, expanding universe there's another set of celestial pony sorcerers and sorceresses making even newer pocket dimensions to stampede through...” She brushed her bangs back and huffed. “But one thing is definitely for certain. The beings who punched holes through the barrier between our worlds wanted to do a lot more with them.”

“How s-so...?”

“They were horny Flash,” Sunset said, glaring at him. “They were a bunch of horndogs and they created this universe so that a nondescript cabal of them could come in here, play god, and get their jollies in the process.”

“You're saying that...” Flash squirmed where he stood, hugging his purse to his chest. “...that this universe... me and humanity's entire existence is a gigantic magical horse brothel?”

“Only for those who practice magic these days,” Sunset explained. “The original... erm... seeders are long gone. Since then, magic has only manifested itself in objects... phenomena... geodes and crystals...”

Flash gulped. “Then you came along.”

“Well...” Sunset gestured. “...there were the Sirens before me, and they lived on this planet for a long time. Just the three of them.” Her brow furrowed. “Who knows for sure what bacchanalias they may or may not have engaged in during their stay... although Twilight and I have some intense theories...”

Flash blinked.

“But—you're on the money, Flash. Not long after I came into this world—and the Princess intervened—magic has been rapidly elevating with increased frequency. At long last, they focused on us—me... the girls... the Elements of Harmony. And... and... we... uhm... we are every b-bit the horndogs that the visiting pre-cosmic progenitors were...”

“But...” Flash's brow furrowed. “...you... carry yourselves so well.” He squirmed. “Er... I-I mean with such dignity and respect. You don't come across as perverts.”

“That's because we keep it to ourselves,” Sunset said firmly. “Among all seven of us. Deeply. Intimately. Away from the rest of the world. And...” She gulped. “It... it sustains us, Flash. It restores the balance in our harmonic magics. Without... without release... we cannot perform spells. We cannot be superheroes. And... uhm... that's a release best shared together.”

“I... see...”

“And not only do we lose our powers... but we get... on edge. We... lose our ability to think. Our ability to reason and make rational decisions. We become angry... unpredictable... anxious... borderline sociopathic.” She clutched her skull and shuddered with emphasis. “We suffer... pains. Emotional. Physical. Neural. Spiritual. The same force at work in us that no longer requires us to eat or drink to stay alive makes us hunger for something else. And... with our deep friendship and respect and closeness... we've... w-we've been able to make do.”

Silence.

She sighed, her eyes darting towards the sidewalk. “Until now.”

“So...” Flash's brow furrowed as he thought out loud. “Having sex for you girls is like... recharging?”

“Sometimes just being close is enough. Cuddling. Sharing a bed together. Laughing and kissing and kissing. But... in the end... it always... always require more.” Sunset took a breath. “But lately... over the past few months... it's... not been working.”

“It hasn't?”

Sunset shook her head. “I mean... we can salvage our sanity and our peace of mind... barely. But our magic, Flash. Our gifts that we use for protecting and saving this world... what makes us the Elements of Harmony—it has not been recharging. The system we've shared and enjoyed so far... just isn't enough.”

“Then... what do you plan to do?”

“We already know what we need to do.” Sunset's body was slowly starting to tense up. “And we also feel deep within our guts what we want to do. The solution is... in s-sight. But... b-but just because it's in sight doesn't mean it's... accessible... or... or even right.”

“What is it...?”

“The same thing that we've been searching for all this time, Flash... that we—the Harmonic Fountain—have already found.”

The boi gawked at her, his lips hanging open.

“Flash... sweetie...” She slowly raised her head to look at him again, and it was with a vulnerable, worrisome expression. “The same way the girls and I feel and long for each other... we also feel in the exact same way drawn to the Harmonic Well... only by a magnitude of a hundred.”

Silence.

Then—at long long last, Flash Sentry let loose the sissy squeak that was heard around the world: “You all want to bang me?!?”

This inevitable outburst echoed more than a little bit, and the nearby shrubbery rustled as if the whole universe had come alive with hair-raising shock.

“Shhh! Shhhh!” Sunset Shimmer hissed at him—then hated himself for hissing at him. She promptly keeled over, clutching her fiery head in her hands as she took steady breaths, concentrated, then replied in a straight tone: “... … ...the Harmonic Well is what was designed in this universe to restore the magical energies within the Harmonic Fountain. And—as magic has been known to work so far among living manifestations—yes, Flash... it all comes down to deep, personal intimacy.”

“So you all want to bang me?!”

“No we do not all want to bang you!” Sunset finally looked up, serious and deadpan. “Honestly, Fluttershy would just settle for cuddling.”

“You're actually flippin' serious?!?”

“Flash, honey, why—“ She shook her head and frowned with a brief flicker of the valkyrie's usual fury. “You honestly think I'd tell you all this bullshit as a farce to somehow make you feel comfortable?!? I've basically admitted to pulling my destitute former boifriend out of a back alley so I could slowly mold him into being a sex tool for a bunch of horny amazons!” She snarled. “How do you think I feel?! Do you think I enjoy being in this position?! Equestria's very own cross-dimensional boislut pimp?!?”

Flash leaned back, grimacing.

Sunset blinked... then deflated into the tiny bench with a sigh. “Oh Flash...” She sniffled, hugging her knees to herself again. “How I wish... by the Goddesses how I wish the Harmonic Well wasn't you.” Another sniffle, and tears formed in her eyes again. “Don't get me wrong. I'm so... so very glad that you're in my life again... but I only found you because I sensed the Harmonic Well. And now that you and it are both one in the same... I... I feel as though I can't connect with you in the way that... that you need it.” She gulped. “Like a respectable human being. And not someone... or something that I wanna... th-that I would wanna...”

He squinted at her—as if wondering if this entire revelation was just some bizarre dream.

She swallowed a sad lump down her throat. “They've put so much pressure on me. The girls, that is. They know that you and I once were an item. We have history, Flash. Perhaps they figured that—out of all of us—I'd be the best to approach you. But they have no idea how hard that makes it for me. Even with my telepathy—which comes back whenever I'm near you—it only gets worse and worse. Cuz I sense every vulnerability and fear and need blossoming within you and I want to tend to you, Flash! I want to take care of you and put you on a good path... because you're so amazing and fragile... and yet so delicate and powerful. You need someone who can believe in you... and can do all of their best for you. But... you're right. There is a catch. And damn if it isn't frustrating... day in... day out... I... I've had to resort to emergency measures, Flash...”

With that said, she raised her and so that the beaded bracelet caught the sunlight in a silver sheen.

“These... are neutralizing geodes. They're powered by crystals that either manifest here in our dimension... or are ferried over from Equestria, courtesy of Her Majesty Princess Twilight. But the design of these particular geodes cause them to nullify Equestrian magic. So long as I'm wearing this, I can't perform my spells as an Element of Harmony. We used to use these things back in the early days, about four years ago, so that Applejack could hug her family members without fear of popping their heads off with super strength... or so that Pinkie Pie could bake a cake without blowing up a building. In my case? It keeps me from reading others' minds. But that's not what makes it so useful here.”

She slipped the bracelet off, only to cradle it in two hands for Flash to see closer.

“In edition to nullifying my abilities as an Element of Harmony... it also counteracts my... symptoms as a member of the Harmonic Fountain.” She cleared her throat. “Not only are your thoughts unreadable to me. But your... your...” She fidgeted for the right words. “...you essence as the Harmonic Well have less of an effect on me.” She managed a crooked smile. “I say less because... the way you resonate to the Harmonic Fountain is far greater than even Twilight had predicted. And with each day it magnifies more and more. So... yes... I came here to Cadenza Corp so that I could get plenty of replacements and backup...”

Flash was breathing harder and harder, almost seething. “This is absolute bonkers...”

“Without these geodes, Flash, there's nothing keeping your essence as the Harmonic Well from affecting me at full force—”

With an angry squeak, Flash lunged forward and snapped the bracelet from her grip.

The amazon gasped, eyes wide as she nearly fell out of the bench.

“Do you have any idea how crazy all this sounds?!?” Flash waved the bracelet around with a disbelieving frown. “'I'm magically horny for you and I gotta wear these rocks to keep myself in check!' Sunset, these are the words of a serial stalker! Not the girlfriend at CHS I once knew!”

“Flash—!” She wheezed, clambering to stay upright on the park bench. She was short of breath and sweaty all of a sudden. “Flash, please, give that back to—!”

“Have you gone insane?!” He leaned towards her, gritting his teeth. She only shirked away, but that didn't stop him from sputtering: “You expect me to buy all that—?!”

“I'm begging you! Don't—!” Sunset's entire body flinched. In broad daylight, the shape of the woman's nipples appeared like diamonds poking through the bust of her blouse. Tears streamed from her eyes, and they sizzled like steam when one... two... three flickers of glowing pink light emanated from her twitching pupils. She teetered on the verge of hyperventilation, and the poor amazon's frame almost shrank in how terribly she was flinching... crawling to the far end of the bench and full of shivers. “Flash... please...” She cried.

Flash's face paled as he witnessed the desperation and vulnerability in her expression.

Sniffling, she looked away from him, holding a hand up as if she was warding away a vampire. Her voice limped out through her lips, tiny and foalish. “...I-I know I may sound like a hypocrite for s-saying this... especially after all the w-ways I've flustered and t-teased you... but please... please don't toy with m-me like this! For... for y-your sake if n-not for mine. I... I'm scared, Flash!”

The mother of all sore lumps formed in Flash's throat. He immediately wilted, pulled down by the weight of the most immense guilt he had ever tasted. In shaky hands, he gladly held the bracelet back towards her.

She grasped it in a blur. Their fingers made contact, and Flash thought he saw a tiny spark of pink electricity bouncing between them. Within milliseconds, Sunset had slipped the bracelet onto her wrist. But the hyperventilation didn't stop. So—desperate—she reached into her purse and grabbed two fresh ones that Cadance had given her. She slid these onto her opposite wrist...

...and finally... finally calmed down. She shut her eyes and breathed steadily, as if cruising to a slow stop at the far end of a roller coaster. Reaching up, she smoothed her bangs and wiped the still-streaming tears dry from her face.

“I hope you... n-never have to know what it feels like...” She spoke in a wavering tone. “...to not be sure if you can control yourself.”

Flash bit his lip.

“Flash... sweetie... I know you're upset... confused... angry... and I don't blame you.” Sunset sniffed. “I would be too... if all of this was revealed to me in one sudden, shocking burst. That's one reason why I wanted to graduate your journey into finding the truth. But the real reason is far more cowardly.” She finally opened her eyes, and the pink glow was gone, replaced with a turquoise malaise. “I had hoped that... in slowly revealing the truth to you... while also catering to your needs and your wants... I might not just soften the blow of the truth... but maybe even make you accept it... even revel in it. Because, let's not kid ourselves here, Flash... there's a lot about the Harmonic Fountain and the Harmonic Well that makes us... compatible. I really, truly believe that. And... quite frankly... I will continue to believe that—even if it upsets you to know it.”

But Flash wasn't entirely registering her words at this point. He was still reeling over what he had just done... and what his own anger and confusion had made him do. He had never seen Sunset look so vulnerable, scared, and hurt. The fact that he was the one to bring that upon her was all the more nauseating. A real man might know how to quietly deal with such a “crime.” But Flash Sentry was not a real man. He was a sissy—and as sissies do:

“Oh gosh, Sunny...” He whimpered. “Oh Sunny, I'm so sorry...” He limped forward, clutching his face as tears streamed down. “That was so awful... so very awful of me...” He cried, his eyes clenching shut as he fell towards the bench. “So very awful awful awful...”

“Shhhhhh—!” Sunset very easily caught him, holding him close. “It's okay, Flash—”

“It's not okay!” He lay across the bench, sobbing into her knee, shivering all over. “How c-could you ever forgive me?!” He hiccuped and whimpered. “You've done so very much to me and... and I treat you like dirt!”

“I'm not angry, Flash. Do you understand? I'm not angry with you.” She stroked the small of his back. “How could I ever be angry with you?!”

“I just... I just don't understand...” He shivered and shook. “I don't... understand...”

She looked off, patting his heaving shoulders. “Neither do I, Flash. In the end, neither do I.”

Minutes passed in tense silence. The two sat together in the confines of nature, with the full brunt of the sun glistening off their tears.

When Flash's sobs finally relented, he found himself staring past Sunset's legs into the grounds surrounding Cadenza Corp. He felt tired, hungry, numb—all the above in a swirling mess of emotions, cocooned in an impermeable shock that refused to dissipate.

“Flash...?” Sunset gently squeezed his shoulder. “I... I honestly can't tell at the moment. So, please...” She sniffled. “Tell me what you're thinking.”

He hesitated for a moment. Then—at last—helplessly murmured: “I want to go home.”

Sunset nodded in contemplation. “Well... there's always my home. Would that suffice? For now?”

Flash slowly nodded, still tired and numb.

“But Flash, I need you to know something...”

He clenched his eyes as another wave of guilt at his recent actions rolled through him.

“Flash—Look at me.”

He reopened his teary gaze, glancing up to see that the valkyrie was staring down at him.

Sunset's eyes were full of both fury and determination. “I promise you. I promise... I will not hurt you.” She slowly shook her head. “I will never... ever do anything to harm you.”

He blinked at her. His little body shifted slightly—

“I don't care what the Harmonic Fountain and Harmonic Well have in store... your providence is my priority.” She bore a tender smile as she caressed his dainty chin. “We've come this far. I'm not about to have it any other way.”

He didn't reply. Even if he could, they both somehow knew it wouldn't make the situation any less awkward.

All Flash could do was trust her... even if he knew she had every reason to crush him.

But—all things considered—he always knew that. So it didn't really make the situation any different. That—if nothing else—was enough to give him the strength and relief to stand up.

Aside from Sunset's guiding hand, of course.

“That's it, sweetie. And don't forget your purse.”