A Brand New Beginning

by StoryWeaverKP

An Unexpected Reunion

Chapter 3 An Unexpected Reunion

Flash’s pen danced across the page, and his imagination flowed out from him like a river. The cool autumn wind zipped around him and chilled him slightly. Ever since the first day of school, he and Sunset had hung out with one another frequently. Most of the time, it was coffee or lunch, and while they laughed and reveled on one another’s company, there was always this perceivable distance between them.

It wasn’t necessarily his doing, but he responded to Sunset’s lead. While she occasionally touched his lips with her finger to quiet him, there were few other actual and meaningful touches or embraces. Something held Sunset back from stepping forward, and something in the air suggested that he should be comfortable with that as well.

Flash stopped writing, and glanced down to his work. His current endeavor was a very short story about a young unicorn who explored an abandoned house on the edge of her town. Great warmth flowed through Flash’s body as he leaned back against the tree. In the midst of their hang-out sessions, Sunset divulged such wonderful secrets to him about her home world. While Aria’s information and lore had been unique, based on her own admission, Aria had been long banished from the world to provide anything of relevant substance.

A soft voice spoke over him. “I thought I’d find you here. So how is today’s story coming along?”

Flash peered up at Sunset, who leaned against the tree, and she gazed back at him.

He handed it to her. “Care to peruse it? It’s not terribly long, and it’s just the start anyway.”

A bit of reluctance waltzed within her eyes. “I would, but I have plans in a bit. I was just walking by when I noticed you.”

A sudden weight tugged down on his heart, and yet, Flash didn’t let that affect his smile. A small truth resounded in his head, one that he didn’t want to actually speak aloud. If he did, then it would make that fact all the more apparent and tangible. Unspoken thoughts were easy to manage, for you could easily just push them to the back of your head and silence them behind a curtain of distracting quandaries, memories, or other such things. However, once you actually said them, then they became more real. This particular thing…. Flash didn’t want it to be real.

“Oh, then I suppose I’ll see you later?” Flash said.

Just like she always did, Sunset beamed that wonderful grin at him. “Sure. By the way,” she placed her hand on her hip and gave him a chiding expression that one might expect over a doting older sister or aunt. “You’re balancing all of this free-writing with your homework, right?”

Flash chuckled. “Yeah, I already finished this week’s assignments for all of my classes.” He gestured to the notebook. “This is how I blow off steam.”

Sunset took several back steps and then started to turn around. “Well, don’t work too hard. Later!”

His breaths became a bit thicker and potent, and he watched her walk away. Most of the time, he just averted his eyes, but this time, Flash couldn’t help but admire her for the strong, beautiful woman that she was. She strode across the open quad with her shoulders back, her head high, and an apparent sense of grace in her steps.

“One day,” he whispered.

When he tried to go back to the story, his creative juices came in select drips. His mind buzzed with delightful images of dancing, cuddling, and kissing. Many of these were memories from a time when Sunset had manipulated him into amplifying her sense of coolness in the eyes of her peers. However, despite the fact that the overall intention had been devious, the small intimate moments when they were alone were different. They had been away from the prying eyes of the school, and during times like those, Sunset had allowed the mask of absolute certainty and control to fall away. How many times did she cry into his shoulder? About as many times as she had asked him to simply hold her without words to distract them.

Flash scoffed. Those times were gone, and perhaps that was for the best. Neither Sunset nor Flash were children any more, and the passage of four years had forced the both of them to adapt to a new and ever expanding world. Sunset clearly blossomed bigger and brighter than he did.

Then again, a person’s blossoming wasn’t comparable to another’s.

Flash took several deep breaths, and pushed all thoughts, including those of Sunset from his mind. His pen started moving again, and he began asking himself several questions.

What is the conflict that’s going to happen in this story? Who is the adversary? How will this unicorn grow from this experience? And what was the overall lesson?

A deeper, richer, and unmistakable voice ripped him from the isolation of his imagination. “Well, well. Why am I not surprised?”

Flash stopped, although he didn’t look up from the paper. A sudden sick and acid sensation coated the bottom of his stomach. He licked his lips and slowly raised his gaze.

The slender woman who stood over him had a pair of long pig tails that extended off of her head and stopped at her waist. Her hair was a brilliant purple color with streaks of light blueish green running through it. She had her arms crossed over her chest, and she had locked her purple irises on him. A smug smirk hung beneath her nose.

“A-aria,” Flash said.

She sat down in front of him with her legs crossed, and she placed her hands behind her to prop herself up. The acid inside Flash’s body started to violently thrash about.

“It’s been a while,” She said. “How are you?”

Flash swallowed hard. “Oh, me? I’m fine… how are you?”

Aria tiled her head to the side. “Why are you acting so nervous around me? I know it’s been a while, and we didn’t part on the best terms.”

A sudden billow of courage swept up within him. “You broke my guitar against a wall and screamed at me.”

She averted her eyes, and her usually dominant exterior wilted, and her shoulders slumped. “Yeah, I’m really sorry about that. I was… going through a lot of stress and other emotional challenges back then.”

Flash replied, “I remember. You had the fight with your two friends, Adagio and Sonata. Did that ever get resolved?”
Aria smiled. “Oh yeah, we’re fine now.” She drew in a deep breath. “I think we were all dealing with our own individual demons after we got beaten by the Rainbooms. For the first time in many years, we didn’t have a purpose, and we didn’t have our magic. Rather than rely on the ill will of others for sustenance, we had to eat … real food. It’s so plebeian.”

Flash chuckled. “I don’t know, does the ill will of others actually have a taste?”

She locked gazes with him. “You have no idea. It was marvelous. But I’m not that girl anymore, and neither are the others.” She paused for a moment. “The three of us had to deal with defining our new existence in our own ways. I’m sorry for taking my rage out on you.”

Another soft gust passed between them, and Flash shivered under its pleasurable touch. “It’s not a big deal. It happens. We were both vulnerable back then.”

Aria leaned forward and rested a hand on Flash’s. Her skin was cold, and yet, it radiated with a spark that zapped up his veins. Flash swallowed hard.

“I’d like to start over and try again,” Aria said. “I’ve changed so much, and I think we could be really good for one another.”
Flash pulled his hand back, and Aria’s eyes widened a little. Bitterness had formed in the center of her eyes.

“I’m sorry, but I have to be honest,” Flash said. “There’s someone else I really care about. I wouldn’t want to mess things up with her. And it would be unfair to you if I wasn’t 100% committed to actually building something with you.”

Aria crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you talking about Sunset Shimmer?” Venom dripped from each of her words.
She narrowed her eyes. “You know she has a boyfriend, right?”

A winter-like explosion burst within his heart, and the hidden truth that Flash wanted so desperately to keep locked away crashed into the conscious world. His eyes had widened, and his gut clenched like a fist.

Aria didn’t grin, nor did she reveal any sign of haughtiness or delight. In fact, an awkward sort of pain had painted itself on her face. “I know you two have been spending a lot of time together. As soon as I saw you two out for coffee, I started to feel really bad. I know how you are.”

“What do you mean, how I am?” Flash asked. He couldn’t hide the pain in his words.

Aria’s eyes shimmered with a softer light. “You’re a hopeless romantic fool, and you throw yourself at anyone who shows you a hint of potential love. You did it with Sunset, with Twilight…” she sighed. “and with me.”

Flash shook his head. “No, I’m a changed man. I’m not obsessing over anyone, I’m trying to be the best guy I can be.”

“You idiot,” Aria replied. “There is nothing wrong with being a hopeless romantic. The world could be better with more people like you. Take it from me, I was Tartarus-bent on ruining the world with negativity and control. You’re a great guy.”

She reached out and grazed her fingers against his cheek.

Despite the fact that Flash pulled away, Aria didn’t retract her hand, nor did her face scrunch up in disappointment. She left her hand there, floating in the air for a few seconds.

“Once upon a time, you reveled under my touch,” Aria said.

Flash winced. “That was a year and a half ago.”

Aria took her hand back. “Listen, just don’t get too involved or invested in Sunset. If anything, just keep it friendly, because that’s all she’s doing with you. And is that so wrong?”

It took nearly a minute for Flash to respond. “No, I don’t suppose it’s wrong.”

Aria hugged her knees to her chest, and she wrapped her arms around them. “It’s okay to be disappointed. I know how that feels.” She let the silence between them saturate her words. “If you really want to be the best man you can be, then don’t sweat that stuff so much. And if you really want to be with ‘somebody’, I’m right here.”

Flash averted his eyes, and despite his best efforts, he couldn’t think of a thing to say in response.

Aria started to get up. “I have to go to class now.” She turned to the side and took a single step. “D-do you think we could hang out, like what you and Sunset are doing?”

Flash glanced up at her.

Aria said, “Even if it’s just hanging out as friends, it would still be really cool to be around you.”

A wildness and mixture of tension, reluctance, and sorrow danced together, as if a rave were being held in his chest. “I suppose that could be fine.”

Aria smiled. “Do you still have the same number?”

Flash nodded.

“Great,” Aria said. “I’ll text you some time.”

With that, she waltzed away, and Flash watched her go. Much like Sunset had done earlier, Aria moved with a sense of poise, confidence, and strength.

His cell phone buzzed, and so Flash glanced at his screen.

Sunset: Hey! How was the writing session? You don’t have class today, so I assume you’re still there.

Flash’s heart clenched, and he gave off a heavy sigh. What did it matter that Sunset had a boyfriend? After all, did that really change how much he cared about her? A wellspring of bitter disappointment and dashed hopes had opened up within him, and it flooded his insides with murky water.

He replied.

Me: Oh, it was great! I discovered a lot of interesting things.

Sunset immediately responded.

Sunset: That’s awesome. Way to go! Want to meet up at Sugarcube Corner? Professor Discord’s test is on Wednesday, and I would love to get some more studying under my belt.

Flash’s heart clenched, and slight anguish flowed into him from the depths of his soul.

Me: I’m going to have to pass. I’m not feeling good at the moment, and I think I’m going to go home and rest.

Sunset: Oh? Is everything okay? Can I do anything to make you feel better?

For a long moment, Flash just started down at the screen. Only one thing could make him feel better, and it was beyond the realm of possibility at this point.

Me: No thanks. I’m good. I think I just need to go to my room and rest. Good luck with studying.

Flash gathered up his things and he placed them all in his bag. His phone buzzed.

Sunset: Did something happen to upset you?

A sudden chuckle bubbled up from his depths. How was he supposed to respond to that?

Me: I’m fine. How about a rain check? Coffee tomorrow or something?

It took a moment for her to reply.

Sunset: Sure

A heavy weight pressed down on him as Flash moved across campus to his dorm. Why was he feeling this way? It’s not like Sunset misled him. She only gingerly touched his lips with her finger and re-ignited a long-forgotten flame. It was from that flame that the desires for long-passed tender moments soared from. And like Aria had said earlier, there was nothing wrong with being a hopeless romantic. Flash had done nothing wrong for hoping either.

He got into his room, tossed the bag to the side, and then laid on the bed. His phone buzzed.

Crazy, psycho ex: Hey! It was nice to see you today. You doing okay?

Flash chuckled a little. He probably needed to change that name.

Me: Yeah, I’m okay.

He paused before he finished the text.

Me: Yeah, I’m okay. It was nice to see you again too.

Comments

[Sunset Sophie]

Awesome. I love this story, great job

[StoryWeaverKP]

8253754
Thank you very much. It makes me happy to hear that. I'm finally done with the last chapter, and this story is completed.