A Little Visit

by Annabelle RTH

Chapter 5

Twilight’s POV

The girls, Spike and I were on our way to the Crystal Empire. It had been a while since we visited… you know, without it being out of royal business and such. It’ll be great seeing my brother and old foal sitter again. I’ve really missed them and Cadence said she had some news that she personally wanted to tell me. Every day since I got the letter I’ve been wondering what she would want to tell me. Could it be a new spell? A new Crystal Empire artifact with great power or something? Right now I guess it could be anything.

“Thinking about a certain stallion are we?” Rarity brought me out of my thoughts. When I turned to her, she had a rather… mischievous grin on her face.

I thought back to what she said. I blushed but quickly shook my head. “No Rarity. I’m thinking about the news Princess Cadence wants to share with me.”

“She possibly might just want to give you some advice.”

“What?” I asked not really comprehending what Rarity was telling me.

“Oh come now Twilight, she knows love when she sees it.”

I sighed. “Rarity, I’ve told you before, I don’t love Flash. I just really like him is all. It’s…” I huffed. “It’s really not such a big deal.”

“Hey what’re ya two fillies talkin’ about?” Apple Jack came up and sat on the opposite seat from me.

“Mm, Twilight has a thing for a certain,” Rarity sported that suggestive smile again… “Pegasus guard.”

I saw Apple Jack give her a curious look while I felt myself blushing a bit again. “Oh, you mean that Flash Sentry feller. Ah think he’s a mighty fine stallion. Nice pickin’ Twi.” She winked at me and I felt the blush reddening a bit more. “Funny guy dat one.”

I didn’t look them in the eye when I said, “It’s not like we’re a couple or anything.”

“Oh is there any doubt that you will be?” Rarity boasted.

I sighed. “Look, I may not have dated before, but I do sure know a relationship isn’t built so quickly.”

“She does have a point there Rarity,” Apple Jack agreed with me.

“Um, excuse me, but what are you girls talking about?” I saw Flutter Shy take the seat next to Apple Jack. “Oh, this seat isn’t taken, is it?” She had a worried look on her face as she looked towards us.

“No sweat Flutter Shy. We were just talkin’ about Twilight’s crush on that Flash guy. You remember him don’t ya Flutter Shy?”

“I believe so. He’s the Pegasus Pony that Twilight spent so much time with that one week.”

“The very one.” Apple Jack grinned.

Flutter Shy smiled sweetly. “I think it’s wonderful you have feelings for Flash Sentry Twilight. He’s a very nice and helpful pony. Remember when he repaired that hole in the roof of my cottage?”

I nodded.

“He did that?” Rarity asked.

Flutter Shy nodded. “He did a great job too. I was really grateful that he would take the time while he was on vacation.”

“Who did?” We looked up to see Rainbow Dash hovering over us.

“Oh Flash Sentry,” Flutter Shy responded.

“You mean that guard guy who visited Ponyville that one week?”

We all nodded.

Rainbow Dash landed. “Oh yeah. I remember.” She had a skeptical look that told me she was thinking back. “Hey… doesn’t Twilight have a crush on that guy?” She looked to me.

I was about to speak up but then Rarity said, “Oh she definitely has a thing for the stallion.”

I shrank into my seat a little. This was really getting embarrassing.

“Huh.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Well, he’s not a bad flier I’ll give him that.” I readjusted myself glad that Rainbow Dash wasn’t teasing. “I mean,” Rainbow chuckled, “He couldn’t catch up to me of course, but uh, yeah, just… not bad.”

“Right…” I said thinking back. “You did race him back in Ponyville.”

“Oh yeah.” She smirked. “He might’ve known who he was up against but that didn’t stop me from totally blowing him away when I took off.”

“You can’t really blame him Rainbow Dash. No one can ever truly understand your ability in flight unless they’ve seen it for themselves.”

“You got that right Twilight.” She smirked. “But you know, he’s… okay I guess.”

“Who’s okay?” Pinkie Pie came bouncing in. She gasped. “No one’s hurt right? I mean that would be such a total bummer. Cause when you’re hurt you can’t really have fun, and when you can’t have fun you’re not happy and when you’re not happy your sad and–”

“Whoa, hold it there Pinkie Pie.” Apple Jack interrupted Pinkie Pie.

“No one’s hurt Pinkie,” Flutter Shy assured her.

“Yeah, we’re just talking about Twilight’s crush on Flash Sentry,” Rainbow informed her.

Suddenly Pinkie was back to going on. “Oh yeah, the orange Pegasus.” She sighed. “Oh I really wanted to throw him a party. It would’ve been so much fun. There would’ve been balloons and games and dancing. Oh, but he wouldn’t let me.”

“He wouldn’t? Who does that guy think he is?” Rainbow Dash asked suddenly angered.

I quickly came to his defense. “He didn’t feel comfortable with a party Rainbow Dash and he didn’t want Pinkie Pie to go through the trouble.”

“Comfortable?”

“He wanted to relax and take things easy on his vacation not party through the night.”

“But it sure would’ve been fun.” Pinkie Pie sighed and I saw her hair deflate a bit.

“Oh Pinkie Pie, I’m sure we’ll run into him while we’re visiting and maybe we can convince Cadence to let you throw a party in the castle.”

That perked her right up. “Oh, that’d be so cool.” She went on for a few more minutes while I just smiled and looked out the window. I let my friends continue to talk about my love life or the lack of one.

I let my thoughts wonder to Flash. He and I have been exchanging letters soon after he left Ponyville for the Crystal Empire. He really is a nice stallion, very helpful, funny, and humble. He has a more intellectual and geek side to him too. He’s a bit of a sci-fi nut and I… well I find it cute. Just the way he describes it I know he’s really into it and I can feel the excitement in his tone. The letters also gave me a fairly clear picture of a typical day for him. Granted, there really isn’t much to say since he mostly just stands and observes.

He’s not very organized though. In his letters he kind of loses track of his thoughts as if he writes just as he thinks rather than think about what to put in and then write it down in some sort of order. It’s a tad bit frustrating but I can tolerate it. His penmanship isn’t something to be proud of either but it’s readable for me. I showed one of his letters to Spike and he had no clue it was even a language.

When we got off at our stop I could see my brother Shining Armor waiting for us.

“Shining.” I ran up to him and hugged my big brother.

“Twily, oh it’s good to see you little sis.” He gave me a great squeeze before letting me go.

“It’s good to see you too.”

He smiled at me before looking behind me at the girls. “Welcome back to the Crystal Empire. All of you.”

The girls replied back in their own way. Then we heard a throat being cleared. I looked and couldn’t believe I didn’t see him in the first place, but there he was clad in his golden armor.

I smiled. He was about to say something before I wrapped my forelegs around him. I heard him grunt. “Oh, it’s good to see you Flash.”

“Uh…” I didn’t like the tone in his voice. It was as if he was a colt trying to think up an excuse for something broken. He cleared his throat. “Um, it’s good to see you too Princess Twilight.”

I let go of him and took a good look at him.

He lowered his head and whispered to me. “I’m back on duty, remember? Can’t really be too… friendly.” I understood what he meant but for some reason my heart still sank a little. It still hurt that Flash couldn’t just be Flash with me anymore… He had to be a guard.

“Exactly what’s going on here?” Shining Armor asked as he approached Flash and I.

I saw Shining get a little tense when he came to us while I Flash show a bit of nervousness before taking a deep breath. “Nothing Sir.”

I saw Shining grow a skeptical look. Flash remained motionless. “Hm, Sentry you and I are to… have a little chat when we return to the castle, you’ve got that?” I saw my brother give him order… with a sense of anger in his tone. Something told me Flash was in for quite the chat.

“Yes Sir.”

“Good.” Shining left to lead us back to the castle. Flash relaxed when he left.

“Are you okay?” I asked him worried. Shining has the inkling that something is up between Flash and I… even though there really isn’t so much going on in reality. Still, now Flash has to go and face my brother rather than his boss. And it was all my fault. If I didn’t hug him Shining Armor wouldn’t have thought there was something between us and Flash wouldn’t have to face Shining when nothing has happened.

He sighed. “I’m fine.” He looked towards my brother who was ahead with the girls. “For now anyway.” He glanced at me before turning to leave. “Come along your Majesty.”

He left and… I took a minute to just watch him go. I felt a small ache in my heart as he just left me there not really sure what do. I have sent him into a pretty bad situation for nothing and he’s just acting brave. I sighed and followed Flash eventually catching up to him.

I took a few glances at him before he said, “You might want to give me until sunset.”

“Huh?” I was surprised he was talking to me. He’s supposed to be on duty and I’m sure he knows my brother has been taking glances back at us.

“I’m off the clock then.” He smiled at me. “Think you’ll be free tonight? I still owe a little something.”

I smiled glad to see he was talking like himself rather than a guard. I felt a blush grow on my muzzle and a warm feeling started to take over me. I kind of liked the feeling… Then, in a burst of either bravery or just not thinking I pressed myself up against him and told him, “That would be… wonderful.”

Author's Note:

Yeah, this is the first time I've ever done a chapter with all the mane six engaged in a dialogue.
And why don't we all wish flash a bit of luck... he's going to need it.

Comments

[BravoKrofski]

oiy vey, good luck Flash you're gonna need it.

[zugzwang12]

GOOD LUCK, SURVIVE THE BBBFF