-- Canterlot Castle - Present Day, 10:30 am --
"Lieutenant." Celestia called to Thunder.
"Yes, Princess?" He asked, knowing it was something important.
"I'm sure you are aware of the Elements of Harmony?" She asked getting to the topic.
"Yes, of course." He assured her.
"Good, well I was supposed to meet with them to discuss some relatively unimportant matters, but I'm needed in Saddle-Arabia for a matter of larger importance, so I was wondering if you would be able to take my place." She explained to him.
"Oh, that wouldn't be a problem, I have been hoping to meet them, as well as the newest Princess of Equestria." He said looking forward to the meeting.
"Yes and from the sound of it Twilight Sparkle has been looking forward to meeting the commander of our military." Celestia said, she had a sound in her voice like Twilight meant more than a chat and visit, but Thunder was never good at taking hints. Contrarily Twilight did have some rather different feelings for Thunder, but Thunder did not, at least not yet.
"Alright then, well would you like an escort to your ride?" He offered.
"Sure." She said walking with him to her chariot. He always preferred to personally fly himself places. Once Celestia took off he looked towards Ponyville and started heading for the library.
-- Ponyville Library - 11:00 am --
Thunder hit the ground and shook the small tree that is the library. Twilight came out to check what happened, followed by Rainbow Dash and Applejack.
"Who are you?" Twilight started.
"I'm Lieutenant ThunderShock, Princess Twilight." He answered with the usual royal banter.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't expect you right now. Not to be rude, but where is Celestia?" Twilight asked looking around for the celestial princess.
"I'm afraid she had some rather important business to attend to and had asked me if I wouldn't mind taking her place temporarily." He explained.
"Oh, of course, how come she didn't mention it to me earlier?" She asked like she was abandoned.
"It came up moments before she was about to come here, luckily I was in the area and was able to come here." He answered, Twilight felt better knowing Celestia wasn't trying to avoid her for some reason.
"Any way, that aside, care to introduce me to your friends?" He said looking at Rainbow Dash and Applejack.
"Oh yes, of course. This is Rainbow Dash, element of loyalty and this is Applejack, element of honesty." She said pointing to the one she was talking about. "The others are inside." Twilight said walking into the library. Thunder fallowed behind the three. He slammed his head on the low door frame.
"Son of a bi--." He cut himself off.
"Oh, sorry, I'm the only large one who uses that doorway, Celestia and the others use the balcony." Twilight said using her magic to move his mane to see how bad he hit himself.
"Oh, it's nothing, I've been hit worse." He said blowing it off. Twilight looked and only saw a small bump and cut, but nothing urgent.
"OK, well if you're sure, tell me if you need something." Twilight told him, Thunder nodded in acknowledgement. Once they were in the main room with the rest all but Fluttershy bowed to him, Fluttershy hid behind Rarity fearing his larger-than-Celestia size.
"At ease, there is no need for formality, you are all friends of the Princess." He said as they all eased back to their original position.
"So you are the commander of the military right, darling?" Rarity said first.
"Yes, I am. I assume you are Rarity? Element of generosity?" He said.
"Yes, how did you know?" Rarity questioned.
"You are national heroes, everypony knows you all." He said giving them a humble manner.
"I take it the one behind you is Fluttershy?" He said walking slowly around Rarity.
"Ye...Yes I am. You won't hurt me right?" Fluttershy said shyly, of course.
"Of course not, it's my job to protect you." He assured her. Fluttershy stood up and walked towards him and put her hoof on his. He gave her a kind smile.
"OK then." Fluttershy said going back to her seat.
"Don't take it personally, she was shy around Celestia and Luna as well." Twilight told him.
They finished up the introductions and then started the meeting portion. After about an hour and a half they had finished the discussions and started on non-formal conversations getting to know one another. Afterwards all but Twilight and Thunder were left. Thunder looked at the clock, it read 7:30 pm.
"Oh wow, it's getting late, I hate to cut this short but I need to head back to Canterlot." He told her. But before Twilight could answer a flash of lightning and roll of thunder made themselves known outside.
"I'd better go before it rains." He said.
"What scared of the rain?" Twilight joked, but quickly realized he was. "But your name is ThunderShock, how can you be scared of weather?" He sighed and spread his wings.
"Look on the back of the right one." He told Twilight. She curiously looked and saw a large scar. "I was hit by lightning centuries ago and now I can't fly in the rain, not even the lightest sprinkle, but if it's the heavist storm ever I could walk outside like it's sunny. Never knew why." He explained.
"But don't you control a huge portion of the weather?" She asked.
"Actually no, my parents and Celestia wanted me to, but I chose to command the military and gave the job of weather to pegasi." He informed her.
"Oh, well, I have a spare bed if you need. Spike, my assistant, is away with some of his friends for a few weeks." Twilight said.
"Ah, the dragon, yes?" He confirmed.
"Mm-hmm." Twilight hummed. "And Owlicious, my pet owl, only comes at night once and a while, so I could use the company." She said turning around, 'accidentally' hitting Thunder with her tail. Thunder looked at her, again not getting the hint. She walked upstairs.
"Are you coming?" She asked, motioning him to come upstairs.
"Oh, yeah, be right there." He said walking up the stairs. When he got there Twilight wasn't there.
"Twilight? Where'd you go?" He called.
"I'm in here. I'm getting ready for bed, if that's OK." Twilight said from in her closet.
"Oh, OK, well I'm going to sit down stairs for a while, is that OK?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'll be down in minute." She answered.
"Alright." He said walking back down stairs and sitting in front of the fireplace. After a minute or two he heard hoofsteps coming down the stairs, he knew it was Twilight so he didn't move. She walked up behind him and go close to his ear.
"Enjoying the fire?" She whispered.
"Yeah, I always do." He said looking at the fireplace. Twilight got next to him and laid down. He noticed her but stared at the fire, but did a double-take. She was wearing silk purple shirt, pants, and robe to match, all with dark neon-like pink lace on the edges. Twilight didn't notice him right away.
"I like your clothes, rather frilly, even for a Princess." He said looking back towards the fire.
"Oh, thanks, I had Rarity make them, I just wanted something simple, but if you know her she insisted it's what a Princess would wear, so I wasn't going to argue." Twilight explained.
"Oh yeah, she does seem like the kind of pony who knows a thing or two about that." He said. Twilight stretched her back and wings, placing her right wing on his back. He turned and looked at her confused. Her face turned bright red. She look like she wanted to say something.
"Is something on your mind?" He asked. She was surprised he wanted to know what she was thinking instead of why she put her wing on him.
"Yeah, I, ummm, well I don't how to say this so I'm just going to say it. I like you, a lot." Her cheeks burned red. He thought about what she just said.
"As a friend or......?" He asked.
"Something more, actually." She told him. He nodded and sighed lightly.
"Well, how long?" He asked, not annoyed, but curious. Twilight was surprised, she thought he would be mad or leave.
"Actually, when I became Celestia's student. I saw you and felt.....something different. When I became an Alicorn I was going to tell you, but the fact that Celestia had a impromptu meeting and sent you made me think it was for a reason. Call me a hopeless romantic, but I read a lot of books like that." Twilight said.
"Well, since you're being honest I will to. When you became Celestia's student I saw another Unicorn being taught by her, but after you became more advanced and then you used the Elements of Harmony many times to save the nation, I knew there was something special. When Celestia and the others were talking about you becoming an Alicorn I felt it was for a reason to. And, same with you, when Celestia had the meeting and asked me to come here I thought the same thing." He returned. They both had a soft surprised look that they both felt the same thing. Then they both looked at each other's eyes for a minute and slowly leaned towards each other and before they knew it they were sharing a soft kiss. They broke apart after a few seconds.
"Did we really just...?" Twilight started saying with a shocked look on her face.
"Yeah, I think so. How did it feel?" Thunder asked.
"Better than I had hoped." Twilight's face got a wide smile. Thunder had a feeling what she was getting at, so he rolled over on to his back. Twilight climbed on top him and playfully pushed his forelegs down and got as close as she could to him.
"Huh, I guess you learned a thing or two from those books." He laughed. Twilight giggled and gave him a quick kiss. She wrapped her rear legs around his.
"I guess so. I know I've wanted to do this for a long time." She said pushing her lips against his. Her wings instantly stiffed up. Thunder wrapped his wings around her body and she laughed a little.
"Is somepony ticklish?" He asked teasing the younger mare.
"No?" She lied and they both knew it. He brushed her back with his wings, just under the base of hers. She released her grip on his legs and fell on top of him in a laughing fit.
"Stop! Please! It tickles!" She begged.
"That's the point, silly." He taunted her. She couldn't speak, she was laughing so hard, her face was dark red. He decided to make her squirm. He pushed his forehooves into her sides. She wasn't expecting it and made a high-pitched squeal and pushed her head into his neck. She was on the verge of wetting herself, so he decided to stop. After he did, she was completely out of breath, she had just enough energy to hit him in the side, but not hard.
"Never.....do......that........again." She managed to pant out.
"You enjoyed it, admit it." He said, rubbing Twilight's back with his wings. "That better?" He said being more gentle.
"That's...better." She said a little more energetic.
"Alright then." He said still rubbing her.
"I'm going to get off before you tickle me to death." She joked and smiled then rolled off. He rolled over next to her. She put her wing over his back and he did to. Twilight put her hoof on his and he moved it and put on top of hers and kept going back and forth. She kept giggling and he chuckled once and a while, he got an idea. He started rubbing her side with his wing again, she giggled and pushed his wing away with hers.
"Do that again and I'll punish you." Twilight told him with a serious, but teasing tone.
"Promise?" He joked back. She pushed her flank into his.
"Maybe." She said biting her lower lip. He leaned closer and gave her a small kiss.
"I just thought of something." Thunder started with a sarcastic attitude. "What is Celestia and the others going to think?"
"Well Celestia knew I liked you and she had a feeling you liked me so I think that sums it up." Twilight said.
"Ah, that takes care of that." He said. She pushed her head into his neck and took a deep sigh.
"Do me a favor." Twilight asked Thunder.
"Sure, what is it?" He said to her.
"Lay on your side." She told him. He was confused, but he did and so did Twilight, she backed her self into him, he wrapped his wings and forelegs around her like her own personal blanket, given his large size he was very warm. She looked at him, his eyes were closed and he was on the verge of sleeping.
"Good night, Lieutenant." She said kissing his cheek before she closed her eyes and fell asleep moments later.