Author's Note

And at last I see the light.

And it's like the fae has lifted...

All at Once Everything is Different

“Eee-hee-hee-heeeeee!” Cherish kicked at the air before flopping back down on her sofa cushion. She hugged her Tinkerbell plushie to her chest while pointing at the floating holo-screen in the middle of the room. “I just adore how happy she is to be at the lantern festival!”

“Don't you love the part when she spins around in the courtyard dance?” Flash remarked, sitting a seat beside her.

“I know! And the flowers in her hair?!”

“The girls were soooooo pleased to be able to braid it like that.”

“Aaaaa-aaaah! I love this movie! It's just so... so...” Cherish bit her bottom lip, bubbling at the core. “...so pink!”

Flash giggled, smiling at the footage. “One thing I never understood—Rapunzel and Eugene are trekking across half the kingdom, right? Wilderness and caves and city streets...?”

“Yeah?”

Flash gestured. “Why does she have to be barefoot the entire time?”

“Cuz Punzie never stepped foot out of her tower before. Literally. She's got no shoes.”

“Yeah, but that's gotta be super painful on her skin and joints and all.” Flash cleared his throat. “It always felt to me that the animators just had an obvious thing for feet.”

“Well... she does have adorable feet.”

Silence.

“Yes. Yes she does.” Flash nodded, bereft of a new string to the argument.

The “sun” had gone down outside. Only, it wasn't a sun. The rectangular platforms had simply begun their rotation past the bright beam that illuminated that particular portion of the habitat. Nevertheless, the softness and rosiness with which the “sunset” slowly played out convinced Flash that it was the real thing. Focusing on it too much would likely drive him insane, which is why this princess distraction was just perfect. Sitting down before an animated feature with lots of bright eyes, music, and songbirds made him feel almost as if he was home. Only—instead of squalor and loneliness all around him—he had an energetic little movie buddette who made his heart jump with each thing she said.

“Ohhhhhhh I love how the tempo in the music builds up and up here!” Cherish sniffled, her blue eyes glossy with adoration. “And how the locals join in with the dance—both young and old? It's just so... so...”

“Bouncy?”

“Innocent.”

“That too.”

“Oh, I wish the other fae were into movies like this.” Cherish sighed, hugging the doll tighter. “I mean, I enjoy the daily fashion or runway show like any other faerie, but it's rare that I can share an appreciation of plain ol' pretty pink princesses.”

“Here's something that's bugging me, though,” Flash said.

“Yeah?”

“So... like... five thousand years ago, two new sexes came into being. And this led to people ultimately living for over three times the natural life cycle as well as technology improving so much that civilization has branched out beyond the stars...”

“Uh huh...?”

“... … ...how come your universe and mine still have the same Disney movies?” Flash blinked. “And pop culture references and everything?”

“Would you want to live in a reality without Disney Princesses?”

“... … …guess you got me there.”

“Just relax and enjoy the girliness.” Cherish curled up, smiling drunkenly at the bright, moving images. “That's my philosophy.”

“I feel like I might want to steal your philosophy, Cherish.”

“I think I just might let you, Flashie.”

They both giggled.

After a moment of silence, Flash glanced over at Cherish. He noticed how calm and content she was. Perhaps now was as good a time as ever—

“Say... uh... Cherish...?”

“Mmmhmmm?” She rubbed her eyes, stifled a yawn, and lay curled up cozily on her side. “Yes, Flashie?”

Flash felt goosebumps from the nickname. He carefully continued: “Have you... uhm... have you thought about what you'll do if... if the Flash you know can never come back?”

Her expression remained tranquil. Both blue eyes remained glued to the screen in front of them. When she spoke, it was with a peaceful air: “I might just be facing that kind of a reality. Not sure there's a choice to be had in it.”

Flash bit his lip.

“Besides...” Cherish continued. “I think that's more of a concern for you than it is for me.”

“Don't... worry about me at the moment.” Flash delicately cleared his throat. “Every worst-case-scenario that's been presented to me as of late has... been pretty okay, in my view.” He gulped. “Personally speaking, that is.”

“Mmmhmmm.”

“But... it still doesn't seem fair. Not to you. Not to any of the fae or valks or people who got to know Flash.”

“You'll... mmm...” Flash saw her toes curl up... then relax. Her body shuddered forth a breath. “I don't think you'll find an extremely long list of people who... wh-who'll terribly miss Flash.”

A pit formed in Flash's stomach. For it felt so damnably familiar. He hung his head...

“I mean... there's me of course,” Cherish said. “And—while they might not outright admit it—I'm more than certain that Melody and Fannie will feel bad that he's gone.”

“But for you...” Flash looked up, eyes delicate. “Being an acquaintance of Flash meant something?”

“Yes.” Cherish smiled gently. “I adored him.”

Flash blinked.

“But... uhhhh...” She blushed in the flickering light from the holo-screen as she stole him a glance. “You might discover that... I-I adore most people.”

Flash bore a fragile smile. “Seems admirable in my book.”

“I... uh... I showed him lots of sympathy.” She gulped. “At times, maybe too much. He always wanted to be self-sustaining. Flash was... obsessed with 'manning up' and 'grabbing the bull by the horns' and such. But... I-I knew it simply wasn't easy for him. Not in the body that the blossoming gave him... gave us.” She closed her eyes for a brief spell, hugging Tinkerbell tight. “So... I gave him space. As much as I could afford. And with each passing day, I saw him grow more distant and... sad.”

Flash leaned his head to the side. “Did he ever... try to push you away?”

“No. That's just the thing. He always checked up on me—and the others. He was eager to support us—ever and always. I think it... well... I've always believed that...” She reopened her eyes, and they were moist. But she accompanied the expression with a sweet smile. “...he always loved us too... in his own way. In how he could afford to inspire us and take care of us. He may not have been very close—or even intimate—but he was always 'around.'”

“Until...” Flash winced as he said it. “...until now.”

“I think one of the biggest reasons why he always kept so distant is that he figured it would hurt us when he eventually took his leave. And... and for the longest time, I was afraid he would take his leave. Only...” Cherish sighed delicately. “...not in the way he ultimately did.”

Flash blinked. “Oh.”

“Maybe now you can understand why... I'm actually somewhat relieved that he's... just in some other parallel universe.”

“I... uh...” Flash rubbed the back of his head. “...I didn't know he was that bad off.”

“When you're stuck in a life that you refuse from all angles—in a body that you don't recognize as your own—how can you possibly keep going on without change?”

Flash hugged himself. He gazed into the shadows, reminded of the dark corners of his own apartment. He had felt miserable for a long time. So much so that—more often than he cared to admit—he too had contemplated taking the “ultimate exit.” But... the “prison” he had stuck himself in was one of his own construction. Nothing alien had been forced on him. Life hadn't committed some grand crime to sequester him in a place where he had no choice but to waste away. It was his own obsessions, frailties, and hangups that delivered him unto so much squalor and malaise.

It felt so very unfair... that he'd be given a free ticket to... to...

Whatever this was.

And as for the other Flash...

“...you really think he's happy now?” Flash asked.

“I want to believe that,” Cherish said. “I just wish that he wouldn't achieve that ultimate happiness by forcefully replacing the likes of you.”

“I... can't imagine he's got ultimate happiness,” Flash murmured.

Cherish's eyes flicked at him. “Oh?”

Flash smirked. “He left you behind, didn't he?”

Cherish blinked. A light giggle escaped her lips, and she leaned more comfortably against her side, gazing half at him and half at the movie. “Are you really truly liking the looks and sounds of this place?”

Flash slowly nodded. “More and more with each passing second.”

Cherish stifled a yawn. “Then... I like to believe that it's a fair exchange.”

Flash gazed contemplatively at the darkening windows past the holoscreen. If he let his eyes unfocus, it looked like floating yellow lanterns were dancing against a circular horizon. Like staring at stars down a revolving kaleidoscope.

“I can't think of anyone back home that would miss me,” Flash murmured. “My family and I broke ties emotionally long before I had gone out on my own. There's nobody I work with who shares more than a passing conversation at lunch. All of my friends were... just old ghosts from high school that I've long lost contact with.” He smoothed back his bangs and sighed. “It's almost like all of my life I've been preparing to... shut down and disappear. Only, I had no idea how it would happen. Or maybe I did, but I didn't know it. I labeled it all as a 'disgusting obsession.' When—in fact—it was just some crazy foreshadowing that... broke the laws of time and space. Hell, I've witnessed magic before—in my world—why couldn't I foresee a miracle happening. I mean... it's a miracle for me. I can only hope it's a miracle for your Flash too. Why else would he have chosen my life to leap into?” A passive smile. “All things considered, it looks like the switcheroo is working out for him as much as it's working out for me. I... know I've barely known you for a day or two, Cherish, but—” He looked over at her. “...I can only hope all of this works out for you—”

Cherish was asleep. Her pink lips hung open, pursed and delicate. The fae's body slowly rose and fell, curled up with the Tinkerbell doll clutched tightly in her embrace. The gold lights of the holoscreen's lanterns formed a delicate starry dance against her pixie gold hair.

Flash enjoyed a long, warm, contemplative breath. Then—on tip toes that... actually resembled a ballerina's for once—he sneaked over and grabbed a fleece blanket folded off to the side. He unraveled it—exposing Snow White with woodland creatures (of course)—and he gently laid it over Cherish's figure, warming her.

“Mmmmm...” A slight trilling sound escaped the femme's throat. Her pink lips smiled, and she curled comfortably under the fuzzy cover. “...thanksssssss Mom...”

Flash smirked at that—both delighted and confused. He tried to figure out a way to lower the volume on the high tech theatre system—ultimately deciding that it was too complicated to attempt without fucking something up. So—with quiet motions—he made for the only portion of the apartment that he felt was appropriate to retire. The other Flash Sentry's room.

But before he could completely Solid Snakette it through the bedroom door—

“Hey. Flashie.”

He scuffled to a stop. He turned towards the direction of the voice.

A petite figure with a girlish frame bird-stepped towards him. Flash saw long chesnut brown hair.

“... … ...Melody?” Flash asked.

She nodded. “Freshly-squeezed and full of bubbles,” she murmured, keeping her voice low with Cherish off in the distance. “I'm flattered that you remember me.”

“There's...” Flash rubbed the back of his head. “...an awful lot that I think will be burned into my brain bone from today.”

“Yeah, well, best that you take it one step at a time,” Melody said, her blue eyes flickering through the shadows. “Assuming, of course, that you're staying.”

Flash gulped. “I'm... not sure I have much of a choice.”

“Yeah.” Melody breathed, nodding. “I guess you don't, huh?”

Silence.

“So...” Melody folded her forelimbs. She was wearing a thin silk camisole that left little of her flat chest to the imagination—although Flash tried his damnedest not to stare. “What are you going to do?”

“I...” Flash winced. His toes squirmed against the plush carpet. “...I'm not sure.”

“It's a crazy world out there.” Melody smirked slightly. “An awful lot to fuck with.” Her eyebrow arched. “Literally.”

“Yeah.” Flash felt his heartrate increasing for a brief spell. “I... uh... I got that impression.”

“There're two ways to go about it,” Melody said. “Very slowly... or fast as balls.” A wink. “I prefer the latter. But... it's not without its bumps, so to speak.”

“And... there's also the path of not taking a path,” Flash said. He brought a hand up and tugged on his black collar. “So I suspect.”

Melody nodded. “I mean, if the other Flash could live that way, I don't see why you can't. But I doubt you would.”

“Oh?” Flash leaned his head aside as he whispered. “Why do you say that?”

“There's something about this reality that... get your noodle going,” Melody said. “Even if your noodle currently has nowhere to go.”

“Are you an expert on this?”

“When you get around as much as I do, the Allure talks between fae as much as with valkyries.” Melody smirked proudly. “Lots of people say that's a myth, but they're all dumb melon fucks.”

“I... uh...” Flash fidgeted where he stood. “...I really really really like what I'm learning about this universe.” A deep swallow. “Almost too much.”

“Ohhhhhhh I'm gonna like showing you around.” Melody reached out and squeezed his shoulder—but upon Flash's flinching, she leaned back with her fingers curling delicately in the air. “Buttttttttt maybe you should take the 'very slow' path.” A delicate cough. “My bad.”

“No. I could... use as much advice as possible, I think,” Flash said.

Melody looked over at the flickering living room where a certain blonde lay curled. “The little doll been keeping you company?”

“Yeah. Cherish is cute.”

“Sir, Cherish is fucking adorable,” Melody growled. “And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Flash sweated. “You'll get no argument from me.”

“I think she's always dreamed a day like this would come.”

Flash winced. “You're saying she wanted her Flash to leave?”

“No, but she always goaded and prodded him to reciprocate her emotions—all of our emotions. I'd say it's no big secret that she wished he would give in to his blossoming—find the same Felicity we all have. But... that was always asking too much. And she respected him enough to let him live out the life he was meant to. She's doing it now—even if it's not by her choice. We all our. And now that you're in his place... curling up on a couch and watching pretty pink fruitcake productions... well... I think you're more or less Cherish's dream come true.”

“O-oh yeah...?” Flash chuckled lightly. “And what about you and Fannie?”

“As long as you don't steal our clothes without asking, you're A-okay in our book.”

“It... doesn't bother you that the Flash you knew is gone?”

“Flash was always something of a little bitch.”

Flash winced.

“I mean... don't get me wrong. He helped us out. He got us this apartment. He supported the fountain. But—he was such a stick in the mud, y'know? And not the sexy kind. The most grating thing—however—was all the tiny little ways he'd find to remind us on a nearly daily basis of how fucking unhappy he was with the state of things. But now...?” Melody stifled a yawn, then ran a hand through her luscious hair. “...he's off in his own fantasy world. So... like... I can appreciate him from afar, which as comfortable I can deal with him. Or—in this case—the memory of him.”

“Well... uh... thanks for being... honest with me, Melody.”

She smiled sexily. “It's the tenth best thing I'm good at.”

“And the other nine?”

“Switch your collar and I just might show ya.”

“Eheheh...” Flash took a noticeable step back.

Melody giggled—covering her mouth so as not to wake Cherish. “Awwww shit. You're gonna be soooooooo damned fun to tease.”

“I... I'll take your word for it.”

“There are worse things to share by mouth.” An eyebrow waggle. “Or better things.”

Flash took a deep breath. “What... uh...” He looked at the fae. “What do you think I should do, Melody?”

Silence—save for the Disney music playing in the background, faintly.

“I mean... this is the other Flash's body. This is the other Flash's clothes. This is his house, his Fountain, his everything...” Flash hugged himself delicately. “...would it even be right to just... take all of it and run?”

Melody stared at him solidly. Then she crossed the distance between them.

A nervous squeak escaped Flash's lips—but he found himself being engulfed in a soft, tender hug. The air ripened with sweet scents between each breath Melody took to speak to him:

“The first and most important thing about being a fae... is learning to love yourself,” she said, followed by a tender kiss to his ear lobe. Flash felt her stroking his chin and face, and then her smile engulfed all he could see. “I sense that you're someone who's struggled with that all his life. So... maybe here and now... this is your ticket to get started.”

Flash sniffled. Fresh tears formed along his cheek.

Melody wiped them dry with two well-placed thumbstrokes. She drifted backwards, smile and all. “Learn to be a bit selfish.” She did a tiny pirouette and walked backwards towards her room, arms spread. “It's what we faeries are good at, after all.” A slight humming sound, and she was gone with the shadows.

It left Flash with a happy, vibrating feeling. He carried it into the bedroom where he collapsed and surrendered to the joy's embrace.

Several untold hours and a line break later...

...Flash woke up, blinking delicately to a dim light entering the bedroom.

“Sunrise without a sunrise,” he heard a woman's voice murmur. It took a few seconds of putting two and two together, and he found a reason to smile and hug himself.

Seconds past. He then did something he always wanted to do. He sat up in the middle of the bed with his legs curled and slowlllllly stretched his arms up. In so doing, he resembled—(and new he resembled)—some pixie perfect nineteen year old supermodel reenacting the Birth of Venus. A melodic hum, and he brought his hands back down his slender frame and body—all down to his hips... which took the hands on a noticeably round detour on both sides.

A giggle escaped his lips. The endorphins were running so rapidly that it nearly forced tears out of his eyes. That was so damnably easy to do—he wondered if he would dehydrate himself from crying.

There had to be a balance. An equilibrium. Already—upon waking—he thought about food, only to realize he wasn't hungry. And if he wasn't hungry for food, and he wasn't needy for any other bodily function—so it was already a challenge to figure out just what kind of a rhythm his new body needed.

But it was a delicious challenge.

Standing up, he made for the bathroom...

...only to remember there was no mirror.

So he went towards the computer station instead. In the slowly intensifying “morning” light, he saw the reflection of his skinny, feminine figure. His hair was short—the other Flash had made sure of that—but it wasn't so short that he couldn't develop bed hair. There was a playful fluffiness to those blue strands that Flash couldn't remember enjoying from his past life. And yet—even as he played and toyed with the follicles—he could already sense how deliciously manageable it all was. He was confident that—if he grew it out long enough—he could wear it straight or put it in ponytails or even braid it into innumerable patterns...

...and just as his excitement was reaching a fever pitch, the monitors to his computer blipped on.

Zzzt!

“Aaaack!” he yelped—hopping uncontrollably—like a cartoon damsel encountering a doormouse. As his lungs calmed, he saw that he was looking at the holographic equivalent of a desktop. It took him a few pulsating seconds to figure out what had transpired. “It... it's a high-tech space computer.” He blinked. “It... probably responds to my body signature.” A beat. “His body signature.”

As he realized this—almost as if via magic—his gaze focused on a large icon lingering in the center of the plain black desktop. There was the .jpeg of a door, and beneath it the text read:

“For You, Flash.”

Flash's heart caught in his throat.

His hands clenched and unclenched.

He looked nervously at the apartment beyond his doorway... then back at the computer.

Biting his bottom lip...

...he reached his hand into the holoscreen... and “touched” the icon.

Bzzzzt!

Bright projector lights rose from the computer's mainframe and zapped a beam of light through his flinching body.

“Gahhh!” Flash tightened all over... then realized that something was being projected behind him.

He turned around...

...and stared into a translucent reflection of himself.

Only it wasn't a reflection, but rather a simulation of another him from a different place and time. The petite fae stood straight and tall in a Cinchcorp uniform. His hands hung heavy at his sides in fists. His hair was combed into a company-friendly anchorman cut. His face was stern and his eyes stone cold and serious.

After the newcomer's eyes stared at the simulation, the program began, and the doppelganger spoke in a forced deep voice—like a tomboy trying to fit into the boy's locker room.

“Hello, Flash Sentry. If you're seeing me right now, then that means that I've succeeded with my final spatial displacement experiment. I will have embarked on a new life. And—for better or for worse—so will you.”

Flash's breath caught in his throat. “Oh...” He leaned back and plopped down into the computer chair. Blinking. “...so here we go.”