Moving Forward
Few Months Later........
Twilight woke up with a jolt as she heard her pet, Owlicious, slam into the window while holding the day's mail. "Jeez Owlicious," she groaned as she helped the owl onto its perch, "You're going to kill yourself if you keep that up."
"Who." was the only response from the owl as Twilight took the paper from its mouth. Twilight looked over them and put them in a bin labeled "To Sort". She was about to turn away but something caught her eye. She notice at the bottom of the recent pile was a soft blue crystal color. A message from Cadence? she wondered as she saw Cadence's Crystal Heart cutiemark on the paper. She kept wondering what the matter was as she used her magic to open it. The paper inside had "READ IMMEDIATELY" on the front. Now she was really worried. She unfolded the paper and it read:
Dear Twilight,
Please come to the Crystal Kingdom IMMEDIATELY!!!
There is something that you would love to see.
-Princess Cadence
"Something is would love to see?" she asked aloud. Then, something hit her. The date on the mail was from last month. "WHAT!?" she screamed, "NONONONONONONONONO!!!" She rushed around to get things into her saddle bag. "How could I have missed this???" she asked aloud again. She rushed down to the throne room below her and stood at the thrones. "Hope this spell still works!" she hoped as her horn started glowing her lavender hue. Just a few short minutes later and all of her friends appeared before her.
"Can you please not do that again?" Rainbow Dash asked, "I still get very nauseous from teleporting."
"Sorry but this is extremely important." she stated.
"What is? I'm trying to get the last of Sapphire's line finished!" Rarity complained as she took her mane out of the bun it was in.
"We missed it." Twilight stated. This caught everypony's attention. "When was it?" Pinkie asked.
"Last month." Twilight answered as she slid the mail to them.
"Then let's get goin'!" Applejack recommended as they all ran out the door.
As they galloped to the from door, Spike walked out from another hall, accompanied by Flash. "What's all the commotion?" Spike asked as Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack climbed onto his back.
"We missed it!" Twilight answered as she, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy took off to the skies.
"Missed wha-?" Flash stopped himself when he realized what she meant, "Time to fly, Spike!" Then he and Spike stepped out and went to catch up with the others.
Shining paced around on a balcony overlooking one of the crystal streets. When is she going to get here? he wondered as he continued to pace. "Don't worry yourself so much, dear." Cadence called out from the room the balcony was connected to, "She'll be here."
"It's been a month, Caddie." Shining informed, not stopping his circular trek, "She just must be held up by her own business."
"That might be." Cadence agreed as she saw figures flying towards them, "Or not." Shining stopped and looked at the incoming ponies and waved Spike downward as he was too large for the balcony. As for Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie, Twilight levitated them to the balcony. She turned to her brother and he gestured them to stay quiet. "Inside." he whispered as Twilight moved quietly to Cadence who was on the bed with one of her wings open.
After Twilight climbed onto the bed cautiously Cadence slowly lifted and retracted her wing to reveal Twilight's nephew. He was a small white pegasus, curled into a ball and peacefully resting. His features were like Shining's from when he was younger aside from the yellow streaks in his mane and tail and the blue feather tips on his wings. "What's his name?" Twilight asked as she lowered her head to his eye level.
"We decided on Valiant Heart." Cadence answered before nudging him slightly with her muzzle, "Say hello to your auntie, Val." In response, Valiant lifted his head with a yawn before blinking his light blue eyes open. He sleepily stared at Twilight before moving over to her. "Hey, Val." Twilight smiled, "I'm your aunt Twilight." That word she put before her name rang in her ears. Valiant sat down in front of her muzzle and touched her nose. This caused Twilight to smile more. Feeling this warmed her heart so much it felt like the sun. Valiant smiled before clinging to her muzzle, giggling throughout. "He'f a clinger......." Twilight noted as she smiled.
"Come to daddy, Val." Shining spoke as he climbed onto the bed with them. Valiant released his grip on Twilight and moved to Shining's chest and hugged it. "Any problems at all?" Rainbow dash asked as she looked at Val, "Because pegasi when there young can learn to fly rather quickly."
"None yet." Cadence answered, "Any tips?"
"Keep a close eye on him." she informed, "Because like how magic outbursts are for small unicorns, small pegasi can randomly fly sometimes." Cadence nodded.
"Anything else?"
"When he's old enough he will have to really get out there and fly," Rainbow added, "For real." Cadence shared a worried look with Shining.
"But you won't have to worry about it until he's about two or three when the wings are strong enough to support his body." Fluttershy added and answered by Cadence and Rainbow nodding at her.
"Well Ah gotta get back to the apples. Lot more Zaps this time and Ah've only done a third of the orchard." Applejack informed, "Ah'll be sure to send some Jam yer way."
"I need to head back, too," Pinkie added, "Pokey and I are planning for our seven month anniversary."
"Congrats to you two." Cadence congratulated, "And what about you Rarity?"
"I need to finish Sapphire's line and Fancy Pants requested some new clothes for Fleur as a part of their anniversary coming up so I need to head to Canterlot." Rarity informed, "Let's go Spikey!" Rarity went to the balcony and climbed onto Spike's back while he was mid-air and flew off.
"Okay." Cadence sighed, "What about you, Twi?"
"I freed myself all through the week." Twilight informed as Valiant crawled back to her and hunkered down with a yawn before falling back into a sleep against her chest.
They sat in a silence as they watched Valiant sleep. "So how's it been with you two?" Cadence asked, wondering about Twilight and Flash's relationship.
"It's been fun." Flash answered as he cautiously climbed onto the bed to Twilight's side, "We're finally able to wear Rarity's dresses now that it's been getting warmer."
"That's nice to hear." Cadence smiled.
"You should've seen the first dress Rarity made for Twilight." Flash added, "She was gorgeous." Twilight blushed a little as she felt Flash nuzzle her neck. They sat in silence a little more before Flash spoke up again. "Speaking of which," he continued, "I kept the picture we had taken that night." He reached into a chink of his armor and brought out a picture of them.
Cadence examined it as she held it with her magic. She saw Twilight's dress and thought that it, too, was beautiful. It was a nice cerulean and lavender blend which really brought out her eyes. "She has a wonderful friend to make these for her." Cadence smiled as she handed the picture back to Flash who put it back in his armor.
"Well I'm going to see if anything new has happened in the kingdom," Shining informed before kissing Cadence and climbing off the bed, "Care to join, Flash? Been a while."
"Coming." Flash answered back before kissing Twilight on the cheek and going to join Shining and they headed to the throne room and left Twilight and Cadence alone with Val.
Twilight and Cadence spent a little more time in silence as they stared at the sleeping Valiant who smiled, probably from a dream he's having. "So, Twi," Cadence started in a hushed tone, "When are you going to start?"
"Start what?" Twilight asked in the same tone.
"You know," Cadence answered with a smile, "Really getting into your relationship."
"H-How so?" Twilight blushed lightly, trying to figure out what her sister-in-law was implying.
"Marriage! Motherhood!" Cadence answered as she picked up Val and put him under one of her wings.
"I-I don't know......"
"Come on." Cadence smiled, "You and Flash have been an item for what, three or four months?" Twilight didn't deny it. She and Flash have been going out for some time now. She can't help but admit that she's waiting for Flash's proposal. Twilight sighed. "You're right, Cadence." she admitted, "But deep down, it scares me."
"How so?" Cadence wondered with concern in her voice.
"I mean.......What if I do end up marrying him and end up having a foal? How could I go back and forth between them and my duties?" Twilight asked in return.
"Twilight Sparkle." Cadence started with a hint of agitation, "You're getting too caught up with your duties it's all getting to your head." Twilight opened her mouth to say something but Cadence cut her off and continued. "Those decisions aren't from here," she stated as she pointed to Twilight's head, "But from here." Then her hoof moved to Twilight's chest, implying her heart. This caused Twilight to think a little before Cadence added, "Listen to it when you need to make a decision in your relationship. Bad, good, in between, doesn't matter. Listen to it."
"I'll keep that in mind." Twilight nodded as somepony knocked on the door lightly.
"Enter." Cadence answered quietly.
Flash entered and looked at Twilight. "Come on." he invited, "I don't think you've seen all of the Kingdom last few times you were here."
"Sounds good." Twilight answered as she got up and went to her coltfriend. The first thing she noticed about Flash was he didn't look like his normal self, instead he was shimmering like a crystal. Probably some of the Crystal Pony genetics working. She gave Flash a peck on the cheek as they headed out the door. "Cadence gave me some advice about our relationship." Twilight started as they headed out the door leading to the endlessly-spinning Crystal Heart.
"What type?" he asked as they walked along one of the streets.
"Just that we need to hurry up and marry." Twilight answered, "That what I get for being related to the Embodiment of Love." Flash stayed silent. His silence didn't go unnoticed. "Something the matter, Flash?" Twilight asked with concern.
"N-No." he smiled before nuzzling her as they walked, "Just thinking, that's all."
"Okay." Twilight smiled.
They moved along the streets as Flash pointed out some interesting buildings and sights. He then noticed the sunset. "Oh," he started, "That late already?"
"Why is that a problem?" Twilight asked.
"Because I want you to see the most amazing thing about the Kingdom from the greatest seat in the house." Flash answered as he grabbed her hoof and took to the skies. They stopped in field a little ways away from the edge of the Kingdom. "Wait here." Flash instructed as he went to grab a nearby cloud.
Twilight boarded the cloud and Flash brought it so that it was level with the top of the Castle. After stopping the cloud, he sat beside Twilight who was looking downward at the city. "Breathtaking, isn't it?" he asked as he soaked up a sight he hadn't seen in a while.
"Yeah." Twilight answered with an awestruck smile, "I thought the view from my Castle was awesome but this is something on a new level!"
"I used to come up here when I was on leave or just bored." he added as Twilight looked up.
"Really?" she asked and was answered with a nod.
"Something even more amazing will start in a few seconds." he added and, as if planned and perfectly on cue, the top of the Castle lit up. Twilight turned and was engulfed by a plethora of vibrant colors rushing out from the top, enveloping the two of them. Her eyes widened at the truly amazing sight. She took it all in. Every second of every color. Flash smiled at her amazement. Here goes nothing. he thought. "Hey Twilight." Flash started.
"Yeah?" Twilight replied as she shook from her daze.
"I've been doing some thinking."
"That's new." she teased as they chuckled a little.
"And I have something for you." he continued.
"What's that?" she asked.
"This." he answered as he pulled a lavender and golden swirl jewelry box from his armor. She grabbed the box and opened it and forced back tears. Inside was a gold necklace that donned one thing: a heart-shaped amethyst resting on the crimson inside. "Flash........" she sighed as the floodgates in her eyes started to open as tears of happiness feel down her cheeks.
"Twilight Sparkle?" he started again as he lowered himself, "Will you marry me?" This caused the floodgates to open completely as she threw herself onto Flash in a big hug.
"Yes!" she answered before they shared what had to be the most passionate kiss thy shared in their entire relationship. Flash noticed as they kissed that a torrent of pink flew past them. This is amazing. he thought as they broke from the kiss and sat up, I've got an amazing job, I've got the perfect girl, and we're going to get married.
Meanwhile down below.......
Cadence stood on the balcony of her room holding Valiant as he stared and giggled at the lights above them. Cadence, on the other hoof, was staring in the other direction. She looked up at a single cloud that had two ponies on it. After she saw Twilight tackle Flash, she knew what had happened and smiled. Her horn then started to glow a bright blue color as she changed the color of the elegant Aurora Borealis to a pink hue. "Have fun you two." she spoke aloud and was only answered by the playful giggling of the colt in her arm. She looked down at him as she walked back in. "What was all that out there about?" Shining asked.
"Oh, you'll find out." Cadence smiled as she placed Val in his crib and kissed him goodnight.
"Caddie......." Shining sighed, "You know I don't like secrets I don't know about."
"But you'll like it if I kept it." Cadence replied in a sing-songy tone as she headed to their bed and climbed in to Shining's side. Shining sighed again. He knew not to argue with a wife who'd always win in the end. "How about you and I go out tonight?" Cadence recommended as she brushed her mane.
"Where to?" Shining asked, "We've used just about everywhere."
"How about the new Ponish (Irish) bar that opened?" Cadence recommended.
"Devil's Dance Floor?" Shining asked.
"Yeah." Cadence nodded as she finished her mane and started on her tail, "Twi and Flash could tag along, too. I mean, when was the last time you took her to a bar?" Cadence was right. He hadn't spent time with Twi in years. On her twenty-first birthday. "Sounds like a plan." Shining agreed before kissing his wife in her lips.
Back on the cloud.......
Even thought the brilliant light show stopped, Twilight and Flash laid on the cloud holding each other's hoof as they stared at an equally brilliant night sky. They watched in silence as their love grew into the wildest of fires. "Hey Twi." Flash started, "I think that bump really did it for me."
"Which one?" She chuckled and Flash chuckled back before it turned into a short burst of laughter.
"You know which one." Flash answered through his last chuckle.
"Oh. Jeez." Twilight sighed, "That was a hooffull of months ago."
"Yeah," Flash agreed, "And look how far we've come since then."
"Flash?" Twilight started as she turned to her betrothed,
"Yes, Twi?" Flash asked back as he turned in kind to his bride-to-be.
"Want to properly celebrate?" Twilight smiled.
"What do you have in mind?" he asked.
"Devil's Dance Floor?" she recommended.
"You read me like a book." he accepted before kissing Twilight again.