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// Decision Making 
// Story: A Better Place, A Better Time 
// by Mental_Zero 
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		I slipped out before Twilight woke up the next morning. The remainder of the Gala had gone well enough, if a bit awkward between her and I. We said our goodbyes at around midnight and returned home in silence, going to bed not long after we got back. The sun was just starting to come up when I left the library, the sky various shades of orange and purple. I spread my wings and took off towards the Everfree Forest, going for maybe half an hour before touching down again. I wanted to think in as quiet and unfamiliar a place as I could find, and the clearing I landed in seemed to fit the bill. It was a fairly small area, with a tiny pond in the center of it. Nothing like the one thing that can kill you the hardest and the fastest to make you think about life, right? I sat at the edge and looked into its depths, just trying to start the line of thought that'd get me to a decision. I sat there for a couple hours, motionless, just thinking, weighing pros and cons to either one. After a while longer, I came to an impasse with myself; I was very much interested in Vinyl, and she seemed to be plenty willing to reciprocate those feelings. On the flip side of that coin is Twilight, who completely fell for me, and I very much care for her, but I'm not sure how in what way just yet. Both were in a complete deadlock, neither option giving an inch in my decision making. I had specifically asked Fail and Safe to not give any commentary, so there was no asking them. I have to live with one if it doesn't work out, and I have to work with the other if it doesn't work out, it'll be a completely overblown scandal either way, but...wait...oh, I hadn't thought about that. But did it really mean that much? Yes, of course, it had to, something like that for her. It couldn't have been easy to do, so I guess-...that settles it. I rose to my feet, my wings spreading once more,
"You sure about this, Boss? I'm fine with either, but is she really the one?"
I nodded,
"Yeah, I'm sure. I've made this decision, and I have to convict myself to it. If it doesn't work out, then I'll just have to deal with that."
"And you are positive that you actually want to be in a relationship with her and not use her so that you won't be alone?"
That gave me pause for a half-step, but my decision had been made, I know why I made it, and I know why I had to think so hard about this in the first place, "Yes, I'm positive, Safe."
With that, I took off, flying back to Ponyville, shedding any remaining flecks of hesitation on the way.

I landed just in front of the front door, my wings disappearing as I knocked. I could hear her voice from inside,
"Just a minute!"
I waited patiently for the door to open. When it did, there she was, her mane still a little mussed from sleep, some crust still in the corners of her eyes, but not less beautiful. I smiled at her,
"Morning."
She smiled back, "Morning."
I folded my hands behind my back, "Is there still time for me to grab breakfast?"
She nodded, "Sure, I was just about to eat, anyway."
She opened the door for me. I sat at the table while she got some fruit together, "So, I made a decision."
She brought the fruit to the table, "Oh?"
I nodded and darted over to her side of the table, tilted her chin up, and kissed her lightly. She blushed brightly and kissed back. In that one moment, I knew that I had made the right decision. She smiled at me softly and nuzzled my neck. I couldn't help but smile down at her, "After all, home is where the heart is, Twi."