"Good morning, Shiny."
"Good morning, Cadence."
The prince and princess woke up late after a hard night of sleep for the both of them. Shining Armour couldn't sleep because he was having conflicting emotions in his head, as well as the conversation he had with Flash. The conversation, though, did help things.
Cadence, on the other hoof, had trouble sleeping because of the storm, and also due to the fact that she had to deal with parching thirst as her husband completely forgot to bring her a glass of water. She just laid in her bed, waiting for the water, and eventually fell asleep.
"Ugh, Cadence? What is with your breath today?"
"I wasn't the one who forgot to bring a glass of water, was I, dear? My mouth was so dry I almost died of thirst."
"Oh come on, you're fine. But you're right. I'm sorry. I forgot to get you a drink. I ended up having a talk with Flash about Twilight."
"Didn't I tell you to just let the young couple date and have some fun? I've known Twilight a long time too, you know. She's a responsible mare."
"I know, my love, I know. My talk with Flash was actually quite good. I needed a little kick in the flank to know my place. I'm supposed to support my sister. If I think she needs help, I offer it to her, but I can't make her decisions for her."
"That's my hubby," Cadence said while throwing her hooves around her husband for a hug with a smile. "Besides, if you wanted to control Twilight's love life, you should have just asked me. I can make them fall in and out of love."
"No, please don't interfere. I want them to work it out themselves now."
"Good idea."
"Now, can you please brush your teeth? It's killing me!" Shining said to his wife, who rolled her eyes.
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"Good morning, Flashy."
"Good morning, Twily."
The princess and the pegasus woke up in the same bed together. Their pillow fort was completely destroyed due them moving in their sleep. The sky outside was bright and clear, and the storm had passed.
"Hey, thanks again for talking to Shining Armour last night. I really appreciate it. He probably won't worry as much now that you stood up for yourself a little."
"Yeah, and I also wanted him off your back." Flash used his hoof and moved Twilight's morning mane out of her eyes. "You're a big mare and you can make your own decisions."
"You're right, Flashy. Hopefully he sees it himself now. Hey, what time is it anyway?"
"About ten."
"Oh ponyfeathers!" Twilight shouted as her eyes opened. "I forgot Spike alone all night!"
"And I have a shift in an hour. Let's go."
Twilight and Flash got their things together in order to leave. They were just about to walk out the front door, when they were stopped.
"Hey, you two aren't just going to leave like that!"
Twilight stopped rushing and put her bag down. "You're right, mom. I forgot to say goodbye. But it's just that I have to go-"
"No buts! You need to give your mother a kiss."
"Okay, fine," Twilight responded. Twilight gave her mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"And now your father."
"Mom, he's not even he-"
"He's in the kitchen."
"Fine!" Twilight huffed. She went to the kitchen and gave her father a goodbye hug. That was when Shining Armour and Cadence got up.
"You're leaving already, Twily? Without even saying bye to your BBBFF?" Twilight rolled her eyes with a smile as she broke off the hug with her father. She trotted over and gave Shining a hug as well. "I'm sorry for policing you, Twily. It's just hard for me to accept the fact that you're growing up."
"Shiny, I've been a mare for years now," she said in his ear.
"See what I mean? I still feel like you're still a filly. I'm sorry for that, but I love you and I don't think that'll ever change."
"It's okay. I understand that."
Twilight broke off the hug, and turned around. Flash was giving a hug to both of Twilight's parents at the same time, which caused the mare to smile. Nopony could resist the tender feeling of a hug.
After Twilight gave a final hug to Princess Cadence, it was finally time for them to go. As they grabbed their bags and left the front doors, the four remaining members of Twilight's family stood at the door and waved their hooves to the couple leaving. The one night stay at her parents' house was a success, and her family seemed to like Flash.
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"...Spike?" Twilight asked as she returned to her room.
"Ohhhh..."
"Spike? Is everything okay?"
"Twilight... help..."
Twilight started to worry at the sound of that. The mare rushed over to her bed, only to find Spike laying down on it with his tongue sticking out and his eyes half open.
"Spike! What's wrong?" she asked him with concern, not noticing that he was completely covered with a dried-out substance.
"Noooo... My tummy hurts."
"Spike, is this... chocolate?" Twilight asked while using her hoof to pick up some of the substance. It was all over Spike's face and the bed. It had obviously melted and then dried.
"Yes. You should have never left me alone all night. I found your secret stash under the bed. I'm really sorry. I just couldn't help myself."
"That's okay, Spike," Twilight said while sitting on the bed beside her dragon assistant. "I'm sorry I didn't come back last night."
"What happened? I was so worried," he said while picking himself up from the bed and sitting down.
"There was a storm last night so it wasn't safe for me to come home. I stayed at my parents' house."
"Oh. You were with Flash again, weren't you?"
"Yes. Does that bother you?" Twilight asked with genuine concern.
"You don't need to know what I feel, Twilight. My job is to just be your assistant. That's why Celestia gave me to you."
"Even though that's true, I still view you as more than that. You're not only my assistant- you're one of my closest friends in the whole world. You're just as close to me as my brother. And of course I want to know what you feel about me and Flash being together."
"Well... are you sure, Twilight?" Spike asked while looking up at the princess.
"Positive," Twilight responded with a smile. She also put her hoof on Spike's head and lightly pet him.
"Okay. Well, it's not that I don't like Flash. And I want to see you happy, I really do. It's just that... Flash makes you so happy that you might... well... you might not want me anymore."
"That is not true. That is never true and it never will be! I love you like you were my own son. Even if Flash and I were too... well... get married one day, I'd have you live with us. After all, I don't think there has ever been anypony more loyal than you have been to me. I may be getting better as a princess, but I still will always value you as being at my side as my assistant. And I want you here forever."
"Really? Even when I grow up and become a ferocious fire-breathing dragon?"
"Of course, Spike," Twilight replied while gripping the dragon with her hooves and bring him up to her body for a hug. She continued, with Spike having his eyes closed as he leaned against her soft side fur, saying, "And when you're big and strong, you'll be able to protect us from enemies."
"Thanks, mom," Spike said while still in the mare's grip.
"Spike... I'm not-" Twilight started to say, but stopped. It was a tender moment that she didn't want to waste. After all, Spike never even met or knew what had happened to his parents. Twilight was the only family he ever had. "You're welcome, Spike. Now, can you help me clean up some of this mess?"
"That's what an assistant is for!"