When we both arrived, the room fell silent as every pony bowed toward Flurry, Flurry had embarrassment seeping from her body and her expression.
But at once, Flurry composed herself and announced,
"Thank you all for coming. It is a treat to see so many smiling faces.” She smiled with her delicate and lovely features. “But don't stop the party just because I showed up… please enjoy." She waved a bit, cementing herself as part of the party’s monarchy.
Every pony in attendance recognized the Alicorn's wishes and stomped their hooves on the ground as all cheered, then the party resumed, and every pony started to mingle among themselves. Flurry looked down and let out a sigh. Seeing that something was bothering her, I asked,
"Is everything ok Flurry?"
She glanced at me and shook her head.
She woefully exclaimed, "I just get annoyed with my duties as a Princess." She spoke as her ears lay flat against her head.
I replied, “What do you mean?"
She replied,
“Zack, you need to understand that I am an Alicorn Princess. Every pony expects me to be my best and now that I'm 17, I have to go to events like these and make appearances as a Princess…But it’s starting to make me feel uncomfortable. All this pressure…They all expect me to be like my mom”
I looked at Flurry, a little confused, and said, "Why can't you just be yourself?"
She shook her head and said "Just forget it" After a little while another pony came over to Flurry. When Flurry saw this pony her face lit up instantly. "Aunty-Twilight! You made it!?"
Flurry ran up to her and gave her a hug. Twilight replied as she smiled, "It’s nice to see you too, Flurry."
After Twilight and Flurry tenderly reunited, Twilight turned her attention to me and asked, "Who is this, Flurry?" Flurry walked over to me and said,
"Oh this is my best friend Zack." Twilight smiled at Flurry and said, "Well it's good to hear that you’ve made a friend." Then Twilight turned to me and said, "It’s nice to meet you, Zack.”
I replied in a sheepish voice "h.. hi it's n... nice to m...meet you too…" anxiety started to rock my body, my fear was immense.
Flurry put a tender hoof on my shoulder, trying to help me feel more comfortable. I smiled at Flurry as I took a deep breath and said to Twilight,
"Sorry, I get a little shy meeting new ponies, but it is nice to meet you. Flurry has told me a lot of good things about you.”
Twilight smiled and replied, "Oh, you must tell me how you two met! Flurry has always been lonely. I wonder, when did you two meet?" Her voice was ecstatic, beaming with joy at the both of us. She clapped her hooves together in a show of her amusement. That Flurry finally made a friend.
My eyes widened as I tried to come up with an excuse, and replied to her question in a hesitant voice "Me and Flurry go way back." Then Flurry loudly interrupted, "TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.” Flurry stared at me and I anxiously nodded, “We have been best friends ever since."
When Flurry finished, Twilight's expression changed as she looked around and asked us to follow her. “Come with me.” She gestured forwards, and both me and Flurry looked at each other, before following Twilight outside the room into an empty hallway.
Twilight turned and said "Ok Flurry, I am going to ask you a question, don't be too alarmed…" Flurry nodded her head as she took a gulp before Twilight said "Is Zack a… changeling?"
Flurry stared at Twilight in shock as she said,
"How did you know?" Twilight replied,
"Because you just told me, and you also introduced Zack almost the exact same way that Spike introduced Thorax to me as Crystal hoof." Twilight chuckled, seeing that both myself and Flurry were utterly star-struck.
Flurry looked at Twilight, not knowing what to say. She took a breath before she said
"I'm sorry Twilight… I didn't mean to keep this from you, I was worried about what you would think about him if you knew he was a changeling".
As they continued to talk, I changed into my original form. Then I saw my body starting to have a warm glow. Suddenly Flurry and Twilight stopped talking as Twilight peaked behind Flurry to see me in my changeling form.
When Twilight saw me, she looked surprised. She then smiled and said to Flurry,
"Are you sure you're just friends? " Flurry looked at Twilight with a confused look as she said, "Of course we are. Why would you think we weren't?" Twilight replied, saying, "you look like you'd make a cute couple." Flurry opened her eyes wide and blushed, but when she gathered herself and cleared her throat, she responded to Twilight, "No, we're just friends."
Twilight smirked as she said, "Sure." Twilight rolled her eyes as she continued.
“Trust me, having a boyfriend isn't that bad, but don't worry, I'll keep this between us."
Then Twilight winked at me before walking back to the Party. Leaving me and Flurry in the empty hallway alone. I looked at Flurry, seeing that she was still blushing, still thinking about what Twilight said. Her posture was stiff, and she wouldn’t make eye contact with me.
After a few seconds of silence, I spoke to Flurry asking, "What did she mean about us being a cute couple?"
Flurry replied, still flustered, "I.. I think what she meant is that we would look cute if we were together."
I looked at Flurry, still confused as ever, "I don't understand. Aren't we together right now?"
Flurry giggled and said, "Well, yes, but no, it's complicated. Well, maybe, you see she thinks we should be together like boyfriend and girlfriend. Kinda like my mother and... kinda like Frosty and Ledger!"
I looked at her with my head tilted.
"Frosty and Ledger?"
Flurry replied, "...Kinda like mother and father." Her eyes became sad as she dropped her head, seemingly in pain.
After Flurry finished, she looked down and began to cry. I walked over to Flurry and pulled her in for a hug. A minute passed and Flurry stopped crying, but still held a woeful look, as she said, “Sorry about that… I-I just miss my father sometimes…” I gazed into her eyes.
“There is no need to apologize. You miss your father. I understand that, and I will always be with you to help you feel better.” As I spoke, Flurry's cheeks slowly turned red.
After I finished, Flurry quickly turned away from me as she said, “I... I think we should start heading back to the party.”
I stood up with a confused look on my face as I followed Flurry back to the party. I was wondering what happened back there. Why did she turn away from me? But I decided not to worry about it right now. There would always be other times to find out.
We spent the rest of the time having fun at the party together, and that was enough for me to be happy. I didn’t care what the other ponies thought. Various ponies glanced at us expectantly. But it was our night and our lives.
But it seemed to get to her. I tried to comfort her, but it didn’t seem like she was in the mood.
After a few minutes, the party ended and everyone left except for Twilight. Me and Flurry headed back to her room. When we got there I asked her “is everything ok? What’s wrong?"
Flurry replied, still hiding her face, “No, everything is fine.”
I replied, “Did I do something wrong to upset you?"
She quickly snapped and replied, “No! You did nothing wrong.” I walked up to Flurry and looked into her eyes and said, “Then why are you avoiding me? You have barely looked at me after Twilight spoke to us!”
Flurry sighed as she said in a soft voice,
“I-i don’t know how to explain this…but during the party, after you comforted me, my heart started beating and…” Furry paused as she saw a piece of paper on her nightstand and asked, “What’s that?" She pointed at the paper.
I replied, “That’s the present I made for you.” Flurry picked up the piece of paper and started to read it out loud.
(This poem is a placeholder)
“Bereft of a gift of the physical kind,
I have only words gifted from heart to mind,
So it comes: this approaching year's end,
Thoughts turn towards my dearest friend.
We steer through winding bends and handle all strife,
Leap over caverns, hills and valleys- the geography of life,
And like all friendships, it is so much more,
For the fellowship between us shapes our core,
It changes and rearranges us,
Makes us much better than before,
And the future of this rising new year,
New challenges yet new horizons lay near,
Let our fellowship last forever,
Let's stand together- Flurry my dear,
As she finished reading the poem, her eyes began to fill up with tears as I started walking toward her to give her a hug. Suddenly, Flurry pushes herself onto me, pressing her lips against mine. I stood still, as my eyes opened wide shocked at what had just happened. As flurry continued to kiss me, after a few seconds I started to settle down as we continued to kiss.