“Oh, Flash... you're so funny!” Twilight said as she giggled.
Flash chuckled to join her laughter “Well, I actually don't consider myself very funny, but I don't know,” he grabbed Twilight's shoulder “You make me a lot of things, Twilight.”
She smiled and stayed silent for a moment. A small blush appearing on her cheeks “W-well, I better get going, see you soon I guess.” Twilight ran to the portal to get back to Equestria, leaving Flash staring at her with a dreamy look and sigh.
Back in her pony self, Twilight jumped in circles like an excited filly, she didn't acknowledge Spike looking at her with his best 'are you kidding me?' expression. “Are you done?” he said.
The princess stopped in that moment and turned to see her assistant “Spike! How long have you been standing there?!”
“Long enough, I guess,” he shrugged “Look, to each their own. I like a pony so I'm not exactly one to talk but come on, not even I do those things.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow “No, you just float and your pupils turn into hearts,” she smirked.
“Hey, I least I have an excuse! I've lived around ponies my whole life, you see the guy for like, once every month!”
“It's not like that, Spike.”
“It's exactly like that! I would understand it if you were attracted to... You know... Pony Flash.”
Twilight rolled her eyes “Oh, don't bring that up right now,” she said in an annoyed tone.
“You never speak with him! Even when Cadence transferred him you still prefer that-”
“Human, don't say 'thing' again” she interrupted.
“Human, right,” he crossed his arms and there was an awkward silence.
It had been a year since Twilight was given her own royal guard, composed by many of Luna, Celestia and Cadence's own. They weren't that many since Ponyville was no kingdom or great city but she still deserved it. Her incursions to the other world weren't frequent, and she often used them only to visit sunset and her alternate dimension friends, so that meant she never actually gave herself time to know the human in an actual conversation. Though the crush was still there, and crushes are never left alone until they go somewhere or are completely... Uh... Crushed.
“I know! Hang just a second, I'll bring Flash to talk to you and that way you can get to know him better! Maybe even forget about the other Flash.”
“Now wait just a minute, Spike. I don't think that's a good idea, what would we talk about? And even if we found a topic he's not the Flash I know.”
“You don't know either!”
“Aaand, they behave differently. I have found out that even if there are remarkable similarities between ponies and their alternate selves, they still are unique, complex beings.”
“Then who knows if you'll like our Flash even more! I'll be back in a second, just give it a try.”
Twilight opened her mouth to complaint, but Spike left too quickly. She bit her lip What am I supposed to say? she thought It's not like I really want to speak with him anyways. She wandered around the room until she heard Spike clear his throat. She looked at the entrance and saw Flash Sentry standing.
He made a quick vow “Did you summon me, Princess?”
This is a bad idea “Well, in fact...”
“She totally did! After all, I shouldn't have called you if she hadn't, right?” he grasped the room's door and pulled it as he made his way out “I will go uh... Read comics while you discuss your... matters...”
The ponies stared at him, then blinked in anticipation. “So yeah, uh, bye.”
“Is something troubling your mind, highness? Did I violate a code or am I not up to your expectations?”
“No, no! Nothing like that. I uh;” Might as well get done with it “You see, I just wanted to... Chat!”
“Chat?” Flash asked in confusion.
“Precisely, get to know you better. It has to do with Spike, he's playing matchmaker.”
“M-matchmaker?” Flash shook his head, and then bent his head as a symbol of respect “I-I-I I'm honored, your highness but, why did you chose me? Why not any other member of the guard or somepony you've met before?”
“That's the thing, Spike believes you are just like another Flash I know, one that I've met before, which is very probably not the case.”
“Oh, well, I certainly wouldn't know. However I must ask, you've met another Flash Sentry? As in with the same name?”
“No, I mean you in an alternate dimension.”
Flash's eyes were wide opened “Wow, and I thought our lives were weird enough.”
Twilight laughed at that “Haha! I know, there's always a way to make crazy things seem normal after many of them happen, right?”
“Yeah, I guess.” Flash smiled “Tell me, how is this... Other me like?”
“First of all, he is not a pony. It's a kind of creature called human.”
“A human? I don't remember reading anything about those.”
“Trust me, they're not in books, I've looked them up.”
“A shame, I'm always eager to learn something new.”
Twilight's ears perked up “Me too! I even found a way to make the portal to the other world work whenever I want.”
“That sounds amazing! Have you met your other self?”
Twilight tapped her chin “I have met her,” she shrugged “But I don't think I actually know her,” then an idea hit her “But you could meet your other self! Wouldn't that be incredible?”
“Splendid! I can already imagine discussing with another me about all the things I like without worry! Tell me, is he a royal guard like me? Has he sworn to protect the citizens of his world at all costs?” Flash finished with a heroic pose.
“Hmmm, well, not at all... I don't think there's a thing like the royal guard there... Hall monitor is more like it.”
Flash gave Twilight a questioning look “Hall monitor?” he glanced at the closed door of the room “Like, a guard of a main hall or a hall like the chamber's?”
Twilight laughed “More or less, but it's not quite as important and it's definitely not a profession.”
“Then, what does he do for a living? Is he a tailor? I was always curious about that art. Oh! Oh! I know, he's a talented fencer!”
Twilight cringed. Human Flash was nothing like that “He is uhm, still studying, to be better than anypony else at what he does!” she tried to defend him “Whenever he starts doing it, that is.” she mumbled.
“I guess that's acceptable...” Flash began to question if this counterpart of his was what he expected him to be “What does he do in his spare time?” he ventured.
“He plays the guitar, the electric guitar! And he's really good at it.”
Flash's right eye twitched “Electric guitar, you say?”
“That's right, he can also dance real good and has some very smooth moves and-” she saw that the guard wasn't paying attention “Flash? Equestria to Flash, are you there?”
Such a loud and irritating instrument! How can a some me play that thing?! “I might have second thoughts on meeting this... Human...”
“What? But why? I'm sure you two would have much to talk about.”
“We would talk alright... Mainly about his probable lifestyle...”
“Are you worried about that? I can almost guarantee he's doing something interesting for his future, he really seems like a nice guy.”
“That's an 'almost' and a 'seems' right there, Princess Twilight. I'm not sure of this.”
“Please! It could be the perfect field research to investigate interactions between two of the same pony from unique worlds!”
“Sorry Princess but it doesn't sound convincing enough.” Flash said with decision.
“Then it's a command.” Twilight answered, firm as well.
Flash gulped “You mean it?!”
“I do, and as the loyal pony you are, you will heed my order, won't you, Flash Sentry?” she taunted.
Maybe it's not that bad of a guy, I can even check if he needs to be knocked some sense into “Alright Princess, I will give this a try for the sake of... Hmmm.”
“Science?”
“Nah, that would be a lie. For the sake of my honor as a royal guard.”
“Good,” Twilight smiled “Let's go right now, there's no time to lose.”
The orange pegasus watched as his ruler powered up a strange machine, operating with magic and some kind of light bulbs he was unfamiliar with.
Finally, a portal opened and Twilight presented it with a hoof “Behold, a new world!”
Flash was hesitant to enter, but when he moved, he marched with strength. Whatever was on the other side, he would face it as the great soldier he was.
Poor Flash didn't know that ahead of him, was something not even a millennium of training in the academy could prepare him for.