//------------------------------//
// Chapter 15 
// Story: A Little Visit 
// by Annabelle RTH 
//------------------------------//

Flash’s POV
Well… that happened.
I had just come off my post and about to break for lunch when I heard, “Hey Flash!”
I was surprised and totally confused. I knew that was Shining Armor’s voice… so why was he calling me by my first name? While I’m on duty? 
I turned around to face him. The Prince took a few steps before he was right in front of me. 
“Sir?” I saluted him.
He smiled and almost… laughed? 
“At ease. Listen, Twilight and her friends leave in about an hour. I want you come with me to see them off.”
Somehow it sounded like I had a choice. Was this a test or something? I couldn’t really read protective brother. I read a good hearted chum. He seemed… normal.
I nodded and said, “Understood.” I didn’t see a better answer.
He gave me a weird look and we sort of starred at each other for a few moments… Well this awkward. He cleared his throat and continued with a stronger tone he said, “Meet us at the Crystal Heart in one hour.” 
“Yes, Sir.” He walked passed me a few steps but then I heard him stop. I turned around and saw his head turned towards me.
“Oh, and you can ditch the armor for this assignment. If you want.” Then he left walking down the hall.
I can ditch the armor when I help to drop off Twilight and her friends with my boss? What is he up to?
I shook my head. Okay, he’s my boss and my friend, I think. It’s still weird. I’m dating my boss’s sister essentially and he’s been trying to be nice to me. But it didn’t look like he was trying to anymore. He was totally cool with having me tag along. Either he got really good at acting or he’s not letting the whole thing bother him anymore. Maybe he finally got that having me around won’t change anything between him and Twilight. 
Then it hit me that I had to report to the Crystal Heart in an hour before my stomach reminded me that I had to eat. All right, quick bite then I gotta get out of this thing. 



Twilight’s POV
“What’s the big surprise?” I asked my brother. My brother and I were walking ahead of the girls and Spike. Shining Armor was coming with us to the train station to see us off. 
“You’ll see, and it’s not that big of a deal.”
I looked at him curiously. What could he be up to? He seemed a little excited when he mentioned he had a surprise for me. Now he seems to be trying not to smile. Whatever the surprise is, he sure seemed really pleased with himself. 
He changed the subject.
“So how was the tea party?”
“Fine, I guess.” I thought about Spike.
“What makes you guess?”
“Well, Spike kind of took a nap, after he came running in trying to give me the message that Cadence told him to give to me.”
He turned back and looked at Spike. “He looks fine. Struggling, but fine.”
I didn’t have to look back to know that Spike was carrying all of Rarity’s luggage by himself. I offered to help, but he insisted on carrying it all without any help. I think he thinks it’ll impress Rarity. 
“He does this all the time.”
We continued walking until we made it to the Crystal Heart and I saw Flash without his armor and a saddle bag. I stopped walking. What was he doing here? I was sure he would be on duty right now. I saw him smile and he started to walk towards us.
“Surprise!” Shining exclaimed.
I looked at Shining and saw him with a great smile on his face. This was his surprise? Flash?
“Really?”
“Uh-huh. I’m feeling better about this whole thing.”
“And we’re very glad Sir.” Flash said as he smiled at my brother. 
“Yes, thank you Shining.” I smiled and gave my brother a hug. 
“Aw, anything for you Kid.” He gave me a squeeze before he let me go and said, “Anyway, I’ll just lead the way.”
He walked ahead and the girls followed him. I could hear them giggling. Then Flash noticed Spike. 
“Uh, are you okay there Spike?”
“Huh, oh yeah…” He almost tripped. Never better. Hey, they’re not so heavy anymore.” Spike walked on very happily. 
I noticed that there was magic around Rarity’s luggage. It wasn’t mine and it definitely wasn’t Rarity’s so it had to be Shining’s magic. I look up to see his horn was glowing slightly. And then the magic was gone.
“Should we tell him?” I looked back at Flash. I assumed he figured it out that Shining just put a spell on the bags to help Spike out. 
“No, let him be happy.”
He laughed, “If you say so.”
We walked on. For a while we walked in silence. It was a nice silence though. I kind of enjoy just walking along side Flash. It’s peaceful and welcoming. It’s nice. 
“You really ought to be proud of him you know?”
“Hm?”
“He made a complete turnaround, or well, it seems like it, in just a week. Really fast and pretty impressive.”
I smiled. “I am proud of Shining Armor. I’m glad he isn’t so bothered by the two of us anymore.”
“Not that he won’t still keep an eye on me, but at least he’ll be rational and won’t try to scare me into yesteryear.” 
“I thought you got over that.”
“I am. I'm just telling you the truth. It's not like he'll stalk me or anything, but I think we'll be hanging out more often. He's not bad company."
I giggled. 
"What's so funny?" He smiled but looked at me questionably.
"It's nothing. Just something my brother said." I smiled again.
We continued to walk and talk. It was nice, like a last minute date, if only for a few minutes. 
"Ouch, all of that in one day?"
"It was a long, and painful day." I grimaced remembering everything that happened to me when I was trying to understand the Pinkie Sense. 
"All right girls, this is it." I looked ahead and saw we were at the train station and Shining was at the head of the group. 
I felt a little sad. I didn't want to leave. Not just yet anyway. As much I miss Ponyville I also know I’m going to really miss Flash. I’ve never felt this way about a pony before. And now that I have I really don’t want to let him go. 
"Hey don't look so glum." I turned to Flash. "I still owe you a second date. This isn't good bye Flash forever, just good bye Flash until next time." He smiled at me. 
He was right. Just because I'm going back to Ponyville, doesn't mean I'll never see him again. The letters might not seem like much but I think they’ll tie me over until we can see each other again. 
"Thanks, Flash."
"For what?"
"Everything." 
We stared at each other for a moment smiling when I heard, “You can hug him now you know.” I turned to see my brother who was smiling at us. The girls were too, but I think they were a little more excited than Shining. 
I looked back at Flash and saw him shrug but he smiled and said, “Let’s just go with it.”
I smiled back and gladly gave him a hug. I nuzzled into his neck as I heard applause coming from my friends. I heard Flash chuckle and for some reason, out of nowhere I gave Flash a quick kiss on the cheek. I felt a blush cover my face as I heard a slight gasp and glanced over to my friends and brother. My friends seemed pleasantly surprised and my brother was just… surprised. I looked back at Flash and saw his face all red. He was surprised too and so was I, but I was really happy I kissed him. I had never even done that before and it felt rather liberating. I couldn’t really place it, but it sort of relieved my nerves or something. It was as if something that was holding me back or down was finally gone… and I didn’t even know it was there. It’s strange but I don’t think I’ll complain. I feel so much better now that is happened. 
“I um, I have something for you too.” Flash said recovering from my kiss. He reached into his saddle bag and pulled out a book. I took the book from him with my magic and checked the back cover. It was filled with pony tales that I have never heard of. I looked at Flash. He still had a faint blush but he seemed more confident. He smiled slightly. 
“I got that book when I traveled the world for a while. I thought you might enjoy the stories. Plus the each story has a historical background section to them before you read that actual story.”
“Oh.” That’s right, he told me he traveled the world before he entered the Academy. I looked at the book again, “Thanks Flash.” I placed it into my saddle bag. 
“Welcome, I particularly liked the one about the quilter and I book marked it for you.” He smiled widely and we both laughed. Eventually, his smile turned into a sad one “I’ll see you Twilight.” 
“Yeah, I’ll see you soon Flash.” I smiled sadly too. He reached out for one more hug and I gladly hugged him again. He gestured to his side and I saw Shining smile and come over to us. Flash took a few steps back.  
“It was great having you around Twily.” Shining smiled at me. 
“It was great to be here.” I hugged my brother. 
“Bye Twily.”
“Bye Shining Armor.”
Afterwards, the girls and Spike bid my brother and Flash good bye and we were headed home. While the girls chatted away. I opened up the book Flash gave me to the page he marked for me. Again, I couldn’t really read. I just thought about Flash. There really was no use fighting it so I let my mind wonder off into different day dreams instead. Before I knew it, we were back in Ponyville.