//------------------------------// // Chapter eight - Boyfriend stolen // Story: I stole your boyfriend, what are you gonna do about it? // by ultronquake //------------------------------// It was a day later and everyone was gathered around the lunch table to hear Sunset share what Princess Twilight had said in her letter. "-And Rainbow Dash, Twilight says it's probably not such a good idea to keep 'pony up' ing in public. You never know who might be watching." "Aw come on! All the little squirts get so excited when I do." "You know you really should take her advice Dash, just imagine getting hauled off to some secret government lab where they'd perform all sorts of horrible experiments on the freakish pony human hybrid." Aria said with false concern, "All because you wanted to show off your wing boners in public, 'tis a shame really." "Aria's right Rainbow Dash, learn to suppress those urges like the rest of us." said Flash. Rainbow was flustered to say the least, "But I- That's not what- I didn't- Urwargh!" Underneath the table Flash gave Aria a fist bump, her fascination with verbally knocking people off balance was rubbing off on him. "You have to admit deary, it is rather uncouth. In public and all." All the other hu-mane teens nodded in agreement with Rarity. "Well that's about everything girls, except for you Pinkie," the pink blur perked up at the mention of her name. "Twilight said she's going to try and make it to your Nightmare Ni- I mean Halloween party." "Well ah'll be, havin' the princess back in our little town again." "Hey Applejack, why do you insist on calling her the princess?" Adagio said crassly. "Cause it's her profession, bein' royalty an al'." "Oh okay, I'll just start calling you the apple farmer from now on. Glad we cleared that up." Applejack was about to appeal to Sunset for help but Flash interrupted her. "Are you sure that was it? There wasn't anything in her letter for me?" "Sorry Flash," Sunset said with all genuineness. "I was kind of surprised too but there was nothing in there. Maybe she's just waiting to talk to you in person, this is a public letter sent through me after all, I'm sure she wants to save it for when she's here." "Yeah, that must be it." There was no vote of confidence in his words, only glum disappointment. "I'm not that hungry girls, anyone want the rest of my lunch?" "Ooh Ooh, MEMEMEME!!!" Pinky was eagerly waving her arms about, something completely unnecessary since no one else was in any hurry to get at Flash Sentry's half eaten meatloaf. He pushed the tray across the table and trudged off to parts unknown. "Jeez what a wiener!" Rainbow exclaimed once he was out of earshot. "You don't see me moping around like that when Soarin is away." Everyone still at the table glared at their cyan friend, "What? What I say?" "Hey girls I hope you don't mind, I'm going to see how Flash is doing." Aria rose from her seat and walked off in the general direction of her lanky love interest. He was moping on the front steps of the school, cradling his head in the cups of his hands. "Hey their lonely boy." She sang in a falsetto. "It's 'Hey there lonely girl'." "I'm surprised you know that one. What's the matter? Horse princess troubles?" "*Ugh* You know it. I mean, how hard is it to write your own boyfriend a letter, even to mention him at all!? It's friggin ridiculous." Aria took a seat beside him, "I know, completely ridiculous. It almost calls into question if she even thinks of you as her boyfriend anymore." Her words dripped with ice and cunning and conniving. They had their desired effect. "And where does she get off on this anyway?! Leading me on like she actually cares and then jetting back to her easy street in magical pony princess land. Well I'm done, finished, finito, I'm, I'm-" "Angry?" Flash hadn't realized but he was breathing very heavy, his brow had become covered in sweat and his normally calm eyes were like something plucked from the socket of a wild beast. "Yeah, I'm angry." Aria got in closer and wrapped her arms around the boy, though he quickly threw them off, not wanting the affections of a girl so soon after being burned by another. "Look Flashy, there's a simple motto I live my life by. Never get mad, get even. If Twilight's hurt you then why don't you show her exactly what happens to people who disrespect Flash Sentry." Each sentence had it's own pantomime action to emphasize her words. "Alright, how do I get even then? I'm not a monster, I'd never hurt a girl." "No no no Flashy you misunderstand. She hurt you in love so the only recourse is to do the same back. What you need to do is burn her in love. She'll be coming to CHS for the Halloween party right? Imagine how she'll react when she finds you with another, infinitely prettier girl." "Yeah, you're right. I should get back together with Sunset Shimmer! That'll really show her!" Flash said with glee. Aria was stunned, "No doofus! ME! You're supposed to get with me-" She stopped herself when she saw the smug grin on Flash's lips. "I'm not an idiot Aria, it was just a little thing called a joke, maybe you've heard of them?" He quite enjoyed that little exchange, "So then, why you in particular? If it's just to upset Twilight then wouldn't getting caught with anybody work?" "Well it's..." She hadn't actually thought that through and he raised a good point. Being caught in bed with you're best friend would have allot more sting than the random girl you've spent a collective five minutes around. "-It's because I like you Flashy. There is no one here at CHS I trust more than you." Upon reflection latter that night she was surprised to find that statement was true. "For what it's worth Aria, I think if I wasn't already dating I would have tried going out with you. I've never met someone like you before." There was a brief moment of genuine warmth and connection between the two before the mood switched back into scheming. "So do we let our friends know what we're doing?" "Erm- no. We'll keep it a little secret between the two of us, until Halloween that is." This was it, the plan reaching fruition, only a few more weeks and her opponent Twilight Sparkle would be a humiliated pile of misery. Somehow though the prospect seemed less glorious than before. While she was lost in thought the reality of Flash standing beside her with eyes closed and lips puckered whizzed right by. "Uh Flashy? What'r ya doing?" "Well if we're going to be dating is a kiss out of the question? From the way you were talking on our dinner together it sounded like I'd be getting plenty. But if you're not then I-" He was oh so rudely interrupted by the girl forcefully shoving her tongue down his throat, a surprising and quite pleasant situation. She was doing it mostly to shut up his sass, but also to fulfill a desire she'd been fostering for a while. "What were you saying Flash?" "N-Nothing." He wasn't quite sure how to react, "Lunch is about over, should probably get back to everyone before they start wondering what's going on." "Yeah, wouldn't want to ruin the surprise would we?" Aria let her new boyfriend walk in ahead of her, as she did she let her mind wander once more. She didn't know what had led to this fortuitous event, why Ms. Pretty pony neglected to say even an edgewise word to Flash, but she'd take it nonetheless. Her mind raced too and fro, coming up with so many ways she could gloat and tout it over her any way she could pour salt in the wound. That was just the way her mind operated, Aria Blaze was a creature of spite, one thousand years of hardship did that to her and she was going to repay it, whether the target was deserving or not.