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// An Empty Seat 
// Story: A Set-Up For Flash 
// by James Pwyll 
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The Sweet Snacks Café, as one of Canterlot's most popular venues, always saw its fair share of business at around lunchtime. Old and young alike found themselves having a good time thanks to a combination of the tasty treats and the exceptional service provided by the waitresses. And among this latter group there was one roller-skating girl who was known all over town as being the friendliest and most upbeat person you could ever hope to have at your table. Pinkie Pie, with her usual smile, was darting about all over the place, going from table to table to make sure everybody had what they needed. And of course, nobody was left unsatisfied when she'd been to them. A quick speed by the counter, as well as a quick fist-bump with her co-workers, had her stopping at the end, looking on with satisfaction at everyone she'd served today. A job well done was its own reward, or at least that's what friends like Applejack would have said if she'd been here, and Pinkie was certainly feeling it today. However, it couldn't escape her notice that there was a particular teen, in his usual booth, who was noticeably alone this afternoon, and before long she was right at his table. "No friends with you today, Flashy?"

To his credit, the boy seemed to not share the concern his classmate had for him. "Nah, not today. The guys had to stay and finish that essay that was due tomorrow. I offered to stay and help but they said it was fine for me to head off an enjoy the rest of the day."

Pinkie looked over to the other side of the booth, to the empty seat there, before casting an incredulous glance back to him. "And you're sure you're okay? All by yourself? I mean, the more the merrier, right?"

Flash chuckled slightly. "Yeah, it normally is. But it's fine. Besides, I'm enjoying myself perfectly well with this lovely milkshake one of your fellow waitresses brought me earlier," he replied, holding up said drink, which did indeed have a tasty-looking froth to it.

A look of pride came to the girl. "Well, we do make some pretty great milkshakes." Her smile faded a little as she looked back to him. "But you know what you need?" She got herself comfortable in the aforementioned empty seat, looking to him with all the affection one would normally reserve for an adorable puppy that had strayed into their path. "A girlfriend!"

Naturally, Flash nearly choked on his drink, and after seeing that his fellow student was likely not joking about having said that, he cleared his throat a little bit. "Um...I'm very flattered, Pinkie. But I gotta say this is kinda out of nowhere. I mean, that's not to say I wouldn't be grateful to have a girl like you in my life, but still..."

Pinkie blinked a few times, then gained a look of realisation before giggling loudly. "Oh no, silly! I wasn't suggesting I be your girlfriend!"

Flash laughed again, albeit with a tint of nervousness to it. "Ah, right, sorry for the mix-up." Then confusion came to him. "So...what were you talking about?"

Reclining back into her side of the booth, Pinkie took on a more mischievous expression. "Well, Mr Sentry. Today is your lucky day! For I have decided that I'm gonna help out your love life by setting you up with your soulmate!"

Flash, rather than but disturbed by this announcement, simply looked to her with a degree of appreciation. "Pinkie, don't think me ungrateful that you're thinking about me. And don't get me wrong, having someone like that again would make me happy, but...you can't just pluck the one I'm supposed to be with out of thin air just like that."

Pinkie waved him off. "Pfft! Of course not! I'm not magic!" Then she thought on her own words. "Well, I guess I kinda am, but that's neither here nor there." She failed to notice Flash roll his eyes slightly at that remark, getting back to the matter at hand. "But I think you'll find I'm pretty good at getting lovebirds paired up. And hey, you and I both know this town's got plenty of girls who'd be happy to have you as a boyfriend! I mean, heck, if you can attract princesses, then I'd say the sky's the limit."

Flash took a moment to rub the bridge of his nose. "Pinkie, I had a brief time with one princess, and even then it was pretty much inevitable that Twilight and I were never going to be able to have anything long-term." He looked to the side briefly, his voice betraying his feelings on that point. "Even if we'd have wanted to." Turning his gaze back to the young waitress, he continued. "And besides, even if I were to let you try this, what exactly would you do, just scream from the top of the building that I'm looking for someone?" Alas, Pinkie had not been paying attention to that particular question, as Flash now saw that she had instead been typing vigorously on her phone, complete with tongue sticking out of the side of her mouth as she did so. "Er, Pinkie?"

But the girl simply raised a finger to him, silencing him for the time being while her free hand continued typing. "Aaaaaaaand...done!" Putting her phone into the main pocket of her uniform's skirt, she looked to Flash confidently. "And that, good Sir, is how we do that!"

Flash looked to the pocket, then back to Pinkie before arching an eyebrow. "And...what did you do, exactly?"

Pinkie wiggled her eyebrows a little. "Oh, nothing, just setting up your profile."

This, of course, caused no small amount of concern for Flash. "My...profile?"

Pinkie nodded. "Yep! Your dating profile!"

Had he been drinking, he'd have probably done another spit-take. "My what?! You mean, like, one of those dating website types of things?!"

Pinkie shrugged. "Got it in one, boyo!"

Flash gave himself a quick facepalm. "Pinkie...how did you even manage to do that on someone else's behalf?"

But the girl simply gave him a wink. "Silly Flash. A magician never reveals her secrets!"

Leaning back into his chair, Flash folded his arms and looked to her with an understandable degree of irritation. "Pinkie, I know you're trying to do something nice for me, and I appreciate that. But you know how shifty those kinds of sites can get. How do I know this isn't just gonna send a bunch of weirdos my way?"

Pinkie tapped her chin with her finger for a few moments before answering. "Guess we'll just wait and see. Makes things more interesting that way, right?" Then, before either of them had a chance to say or do anything else, there was a sudden and unexpected beeping from Pinkie's skirt pocket, causing both excitement for her and dread for Flash. After whipping out her phone and looking to its screen, Pinkie's smile was as wide as it had been all day. "Oh yeah! That's what I'm talking about! You got a match already!"

Flash, for his part, was taken aback by that. "Seriously? Dang, that was fast."

Looking again, to her phone, Pinkie's eyes squinted as she looked to the details. "And it looks like...oh, they're already here! Pretty neat, right?"

Flash seemed pretty shocked by that, quickly glancing around the place to see who could have possibly been this mystery match, only to then have his question answered for him when, just then, a single figure rose from the neighbouring booth, causing both teens to look in their direction. And both looked on in surprise as the owner of a second phone, with Flash's newly-created dating profile on its screen, was held aloft in triumph, and its owner looking to the boy with a familiar smirk. "Score one for Trixie!"