"Geez, Flash! Can't you even take a break on your day off?!" Sky said, clearly irritated.
Flash, looking up from the paper in his hooves, frowned to his friend. "I've got at least three new patrol routes to memorise by the end of the day, Sky. Taking a break can come later."
Sky groaned, but his mood perked up considerably after Vapor finally came back, bringing with her a tray of coffee cups for the three of them. Sky smiled to her, accepting his and taking a good swig of it, while Vapor, by contrast, simply took a few sips. Flash too gave Vapor a thankful nod, but even as he started on his drink his eyes never left the papers. Vapor, seeing him, smiled. "I appreciate devotion to your work as much as the next pony, but Sky's not exactly wrong. You should at least try to take it easy, Flash. It's been, what a month since you last had an easy day?"
Flash smiled, raising an eyebrow. "I find this sort of thing relaxing enough, thank you. Besides, I'm more than happy just being able to spend a day with the two of you."
Vapor giggled. "I'll say! It's been far too long since we've managed to meet up."
Sky chuckled. "Yep! Being Wonderbolts is pretty time-consuming when you get right down to it."
Flash looked to him inquisitively. "Aren't you still technically a recruit?"
"Pfft! Details!" Sky replied.
Both Vapor and Flash rolled their eyes to this bravado, but soon enough, the former looked to the latter, reaching out and putting her hoof onto his to get his attention. "So, what's this I hear about you catching a certain Princess' eye?"
Sky gained a mischievous look to him as he too gave Flash his undivided attention. "Yeah! Spill the beans already!"
Here, Flash finally put his papers down, sighing deeply before addressing the two of them. "If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, Princess Twilight and I are not an item! We just bumped into each other a few times, that's all."
Sky chortled. "Yeah right! Don't lie, everypony knows you'd just love to get together with a mare like that!"
Flash frowned. "Of course I'd be happy getting together with her! She's a Princess, and more importantly a mare who's saved Equestria and all of us several times over. She's a remarkable pony. I'd be honored to have somepony like her in my life." But he soon shook his head. "But we don't have a relationship. And you know what? I'm totally fine with that. She's busy with her duties, and so am I. Neither of us have time for romance."
Sky groaned again as he reclined into his chair. "Uuuuuuuuuugh! Come on, buddy! You can't stay single your whole life! Can't you at least attempt to find somepony?!"
Flash picked up his papers again, doing his best to ignore his friend's remarks. "If you expect me to just waltz on over to a mare and try to start a relationship, you're talking to the wrong stallion."
Sky gave a quick "hmph" to that, but then his eyes drifted to the side. He'd noticed something, or, to be more precise, somepony. A blonde pegasus mare, just entering the café, who sat next to a table by the main window of the place and was calling over the waiter, no doubt to get herself a drink. Giving his friend a quick look, Sky cleared his throat, getting Flash to look at him again. "You know, if you like, there's a rather lonely-looking lady over there if you want to maybe have a little love in your life."
Flash frowned, looking over his shoulder to the mare in question. She'd just been given her coffee by the waiter, smiling to him before giving the drink a few licks. Vapor too looked over to her, before giving a quick nod. "Yeah...you two would definitely make a cute couple."
Flash looked to her, almost disappointed. "Oh no, not you too, Vapor!"
Vapor shrugged. "Hey, guess I'm just a romantic."
Smirking to that, Sky looked over to Flash again. "Tell you what. How about this? You go over there, you introduce yourself, to maybe talk to her a bit, and if you don't hit it off, I'll never bother you about this again."
Flash slowly raised an eyebrow. "I doubt it's a good idea to start a relationship with a mare just because I'm trying to get my friend off my back about something."
Sky frowned right back to him. "Oh pleeeeeeeeeease just try it!" he said, almost begging at this point.
Naturally, Flash was getting rather tired about this, but after swigging down the last of his drink, he once more set his papers aside, looking to his friend with utter seriousness. "Alright, fine. But Vapor? I want you to make sure he holds his word on that one."
Vapor giggled, giving him a salute. "No problem, Sir."
Flash, in spite of his annoyance at this whole thing, smiled, then got out of his chair, walking towards the mare he'd been directed to. As he did this, Sky leaned over to Vapor, whispering to her. "Wadda ya think? Five minutes before he fails at this?"
"Mmmmmm, let's say ten. I'm feeling generous today," Vapor replied.
Taking a few deep breaths, Flash drew closer to the mystery mare, and when he was close enough, he cleared his throat. Soon, she was looking at him, her eyes widening slightly with surprise. "Oh! Hello, Sir. Can I help you?"
Her voice was soft and polite, and for just the briefest of moments, Flash thought he'd heard it somewhere before. But he put that suspicion out of his mind for the time being, instead speaking up as respectfully as he could. "Ma'am. I couldn't help but notice that you were alone here today. With your leave, I was wondering if you'd perhaps enjoy some company this afternoon while you were here?"
The mare looked him over, then smirked a little. "You don't talk to many mares, do you?"
After a moment Flash, sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "That obvious, is it?"
The mare giggled, and then, to Flash's surprise, patted the empty chair beside her. "You know, I actually would enjoy some company today. It'll be nice to have somepony to talk to."
Flash was surprised, but not so much so that he hesitated to accept the offer. So he sat down beside her, taking a moment to get himself comfortable, before finally looking to her. "I do apologise, Miss, but I don't really do this sort of thing very often."
The mare gave him a nod. "I understand. I'm not used to spending my time in cafes with members of the Royal Guard either."
Flash paused, looking to her with confusion. "How...how did you know I'm with the Guard?"
The mare hesitated here, her eyes darting around a few times before she put on another smile. "Oh! Er...I think I saw you around in their uniform once here in Canterlot. Outside the library, perhaps?"
Flash relaxed a little, smiling and nodding to her. "Ah, of course." Then he stretched out his hoof. "Flash Sentry."
The mare smiled again, taking his hoof and giving it a good shake. "Cel....er...Celly! My Name is Celly."
Flash smiled. "Very nice to meet you, Celly."
Then, "Celly" looked past him, to his two friends, who had just so happened to get themselves a local newspaper to hide their faces behind while they obviously tried to spy on their little get-together. She smirked, looking back to her companion for the afternoon. "So, I imagine your friends were rather insistent you be here?"
Flash chuckled, giving a nod of agreement. "Oh, you have no idea."
Taking another sip of her coffee, Celly mused on the situation. "I understand the feeling. My niece often speaks to me about trying to find somepony special. She means well, but it can get a little overwhelming at times."
Flash again looked to her with surprise. "Really? You have a niece? Pardon me if I sound a little forward here, Miss, but you don't exactly look old enough to be an Aunt."
Celly giggled, brushing aside some of her mane. "Oh, thank you. I do try to look after myself."
The two laughed together, making Flash feel a lot better about this than he had been until now. And it wasn't long before he again turned to her. "So, you live here in Canterlot?"
Celly nodded. "Oh yes. I spend most of my time here. But I like to get out and about a bit more. See more of Equestria, you know?"
Flash sighed. "I know. I was posted up at the Crystal Empire a while back. Just until they got their own Guard sorted out. I tell you, it was great getting to see a far-off place like that."
"Oh, absolutely. The way the light of the sun shines off the crystal ponies' homes? Truly beautiful," Celly remarked.
"You've been there too?" Flash asked.
Celly smiled. "I have. Though let's just say my visits have been a bit hectic most of the time."
Flash chuckled. "You should try talking to Princess Celestia. The way I hear it, she probably gets tired of all the weird stuff that happens whenever she visits someplace."
The two shared a laugh, with Celly giving him a sly look afterwards. "I'm sure she does." She began to look curious. "Tell me. Do you enjoy serving her? Few ponies would have met her first-hoof after all."
Flash didn't even hesitate to nod. "She's like no other mare I've known. It's like..." But he hesitated here. "You're gonna think I'm silly if I say this."
But Celly put her hoof on her chest. "I swear I won't."
Accepting her at her word, Flash looked around, then finally answered her. "It's like she's just always gonna be there. Like...like she is Equestria. She's ruled for so long that...that it's like she's something that can't even be put into words."
Another sip of her coffee, and Celly arched an eyebrow. "I see we have the soul of a poet in our midst."
As before, the two laughed, but Flash nervously scratched the back of his head afterwards. "I'm sure you don't wanna hear me talking about another mare like that."
Celly chuckled. "Oh, by all means, continue."
Flash gave her an odd look, and Celly quickly changed her tune as a result. "Well...I suppose if you want to change the subject..." She gave him some more slyness. "Is it true that you're the guard that Princess Twilight Sparkle has a crush on?"
Instantly, Flash buried his face on the table. "Uuuuuuggghhh! Not you too! Is there nopony in this country that hasn't heard that rumor?"
Celly giggled, patting him on the back. "I'm kidding! But I'm sure you got more than a little jealousy from your cohorts in the Guard from it, right?"
Flash let out a dry laugh as he again looked to her. "If by 'jealousy' you mean they wouldn't stop pestering me about it." He sighed. "Truth is...I'm not really the romantic sort. As you already said, the only reason I'm here right now is because my friends wouldn't leave me alone about my non-existent love life. It's just...I'm fine being single right now."
Celly smiled to him. "You have nothing to apologise for, Mr Sentry. Romance isn't for everypony after all. Not even me."
Flash raised an eyebrow to her. "Really? I'd have thought you'd have more than a few stallions asking after you."
Celly rolled her eyes. "Oh, they do. But they're not exactly at their most sincere when they do that." She softened in her expression as she looked back to him. "Truth be told? I'd much rather have a moment like this. Just a talk with somepony friendly."
Flash smiled back, taking his coffee cup and raising it to her. "That, Miss Celly, I can wholeheartedly get behind."
The two clinked their drinks together, taking simultaneous gulps of it. When they were at last done, Celly cast a glance to the side, smirking a little. "So...think your friends will be disappointed this didn't end romantically?"
Flash smirked right back. "Knowing them, I'm betting Vapor's already hoping to be the one to pick out the wedding dress for you."
Celly laughed. "Oh my. Then I suggest you get back to them to explain the matter."
Flash gave her a salute as he hoisted himself up from his chair. "As you say, Ma'am."
Celly watched him walk away, looking like she was thinking about him as he again went to his friends. Then, at the end, she smiled fondly, her eyes drifting to the slightly glowing golden amulet she'd been wearing this whole time. "Let it never be said I don't know how to recruit the good ones."