Out of Darkness

by Sir Shining Armor

Chapter 1: Girls

Chapter 1: Girls.
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~Flurry~

The heir to the Crystal Throne never gave much thought to the idea of dating, much less to how her friends would react when they heard - that turned out to be a room full of squealing mares - and that quickly escalated into an endless round of questions. When they finally did finish their interrogation, they insisted on planning out the date down to the last detail - as if it were some kind of military operation.

It really was funny how life turned out sometimes.

"First step - we get you something to wear that will show off your figure." Harmony was saying. "Something that will make Shard positively drool over you!"

"Aren't you going a little overboard with this?" Flurry asked dryly. "It's only dinner."

"Pish-posh!" She replied. "It's of the utmost importance that everything go off without a hitch. If it doesn't...-" She gasped, rather dramatically if truth be told. "-... but that's why we're here now. We're going to make you presentable!"

"I imagine that's why you brought everypony here now?" Flurry gestured to the other mares now occupying their mother's thrones. "So you can doll me up?"

"Don't think of it as 'dolling up' - dearie." Emerald said, making air quotes with her claws. "Just think of it as bringing what's on the inside out. To start, I'll handle the jewelry and accessories. We looking for sharp or casual?"

"Something in between." Flurry said before her cousin could reply for her. "This is just me and Shard having fun at Ponyville. Not like we're going to something fancy like Mane Refuge."

"Great!" Said Harmony, grinning. "Now that, that's decided, it's time to start Operation: Get Flurry Ready!"

Before she knew it, Flurry found herself surrounded on all sides by grinning mares.

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~Jelly Sandwich~

Jelly rolled her eyes as she watched her friends scatter like roaches about the Friendship Castle, going at the tasks that Harmony had organized to make Flurry's date quote-unquote "acceptable".

Personally, Jelly thought this whole idea was stupid - in her opinion, it was better to let things develop naturally between Shard and Flurry. They had always had a good relationship, even before they started dating. This just seemed like a recipe for disaster. Anytime they had tried to organize anything, it usually ended badly.

The pie-twin's role was to made the food and the music that would be eaten and played at the couple's dinner. Because Rosie was the only one with cooking experience, she had the kitchen. Jelly on the other hoof had occupied a space in the corner, writing up music sheets. Jelly's special talent was music related - partially from her parent's love of music - but also because of her mentor Vinyl Scratch's influence. But, because this was supposed to be a 'romantic' occasion, the usual dubstep wouldn't do it. Instead, she figured something a little more classical, like Vinyl's roommate, Octavia favored would be more fitting.

Ignoring the growing feeling in her gut, Jelly turned to her sister and made a sharp whistle - her way of getting another pony's attention. Since the accident when she was a foal, Jelly had lost her voice and had been rendered unable to speak - but she had no trouble in communicating with her twin, Rosie. Unlike her friends, Jelly never needed her signs. Through their twin-connection, they could instinctively tell what the other was thinking.

Her sister turned. "What is it, Jelly?"

Jelly stared blankly and after a minute, Rosie laughed.

"No, I don't think this is 'too much'. You can never have too many sweets!"

Jelly stared.

"Yes, I know - Flurry loves her peas, but it takes more than that to have a romantic dinner."

Jelly blinked and raised one eyebrow.

"What do you mean, 'sweets aren't romantic'?" Rosie replied, outraged. "There's nothing that says, 'I love you' like a heaping helping of chocolate!"

Jelly slowly shook her head.

"Yes, I know - I can get a little overboard, but this time - I promise it'll be exactly the right amount!"

Again, Jelly raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, fine. You win." Rosie said, raising her hooves in a calming gesture. "Just let me finish these strawberry cheesecakes. According to Mama Pie's party-dictionary and my portfolio, Shard loves them."

She turned her attention back to the oven - and as if on cue, it dinged. Rosie opened it with her mouth and pulled out a tray of said pastries, all of which were identical to her Cutie Mark. A moment of inspection and Rosie gasped.

"This one is off by three centimeters on the left side!" She gestured to one of them. "Fudge cakes, I overcooked it by a few seconds!" Her normally sweet voice took on a demonic tone. "I need to make another one, stat! This whole thing needs to be absolutely perfect!"

Jelly gave the pastry in question a once-over glance and found nothing wrong with it. Her sister had amazing sense of presentation, but also had gotten a rather bad case of OCD. If even a single pastry didn't meet her standards, to her, the whole thing would be ruined and Rosie would flip out.

Jelly looked up at her sister and gaze a wry stare.

Beside her, Rosie was fuming. "You may not care, Jelly, but I do!"

Jelly reached down and picked up the pastry to show her nothing was wrong, only to have it instantly turn to mold in her hoof. She had forgotten in that instant that, unlike her sister and their mother, Jelly had a horrific effect on food. Any food item she touched would instantly become inedible unless eaten by her. Somehow, all of their family's baking and cooking talent had gone into her sister. Before Jelly could offer a gesture of apology, Rosie looked at the now moldy cheesecake, her left eye twitching, face aflame.

"Jelly Sandwich! You are hereby banned from this kitchen, FOREVER!"

The last word was so loud it rang out through the entirety of the Castle - and likely all of Ponyville as well.
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~Emerald~

Now that the rest of their friends were occupied throughout the castle, focused on their tasks, only Emerald, Flurry and Harmony had remained in the map room - talking among themselves over the 'plan', discussing what Harmony had read about proper 'date etiquette'. The problems they faced were twofold. First was that Harmony felt the plan was missing something.

The second problem was Harmony using Flurry's magic to envision every scenario in what her father Spike called a "Twilight Fantasy Projection".

"I know! How about we get some nice flowers from Roseluck?" Harmony suggested. "That will set the mood perfectly!"

Flurry cast the spell - and the scenario unfolded before their eyes.

In the first scenario, Shard showed up wearing his very best outfit - exchanging greetings. All started out well with Shard kissing Flurry's hoof, sitting to a pleasant dinner accentuated by floral arrangements provided.

"But what if Shard's allergic to the flowers!?" Harmony worried aloud.

...Somehow this caused him to lose control of his magic via violent sneezing. This in turn led him to being rushed to the hospital.

"Harmony, that won't happen." Emerald deadpanned. "Shard's not allergic to anything we know of."

"But it could, Emerald!" Harmony insisted. Behind her, Flurry snorted.

"I know!" Harmony stomped her hoof. "How about we get him a different gift? Shard loves artifacts. Maybe we don't hold the date here. How about we have a Daring Do Adventu-cation?"

Second scenario, Shard did indeed love the exhibits. He and Flurry frolicked about them, happily exchanging stories about Daring Do - and about their commonality. Towards the end, they jumped into a ball pit full of fake rocks - Flurry playfully throwing one at Shard. Laughing, the stallion tackled her.

"But what if the real villain comes along and kidnaps him - like with Rainbow Dash?" Harmony worried again.

At her words, the fantasy changed again. This time, an aged Caballeron appeared. With a sinister grin, he pressed a button on a remote and snatched the two up with a net - ball pit and all.

"Harmony, Caballeron was caught twenty years ago." Emerald interjected again.

"He could be on the run again, Emerald!" Harmony said, her eyes darting back and forth. "Who knows?"

"That won't happen, Harmony." The dragon-hybrid asserted.

"But it could!" The princess cried. Anxiously she paced back and forth. "Alright.... new plan. How about we arrange the date in the Crystal Empire with Cosmic Flare? He'll probably put on a light show to celebrate you two becoming a couple!"

Flurry suppressed a grin, knowing that Cosmic Flare (the son of Sunburst and Starlight Glimmer), harbored romantic feelings for her cousin - a fact she had kept secret for some time now. She watched as the next fantasy unfolded - this time, the unicorn in question fired off a number of spells that exploded in midair - almost like fireworks, only these took the shape of planets and of the constellations. Flurry and Shard watched them explode with awe - and several Crystal Ponies in the crowd applauded and shouted their approval.

"Three... two... one." Emerald deadpanned, counting off the seconds with her claw. As if on cue, Harmony suddenly had an alarmed expression.

"But what if he hears a nasty rumor and loses control!?"

Like his Crystaller, Trixie Lulamoon - Flare had a bit of an ego problem - and like his mother - a stubborn streak a mile wide. Whenever he heard a rumor about her or even so much as a mean whisper about him, his temper went out of control.

At the sight of several ponies whispering, Flare's expression turned from joy to a scowl. With an enraged snarl, he fired off a few of those spells at the crowd - scattering them and causing explosions all over the city. In moments, the entire thing was aflame - along with the fantasy - which vanished in a puff of smoke.

"NO!" Harmony screamed, her eyes welling with tears.

"Harmony!" Emerald exclaimed, shaking her friend hard. "Snap out of it! That won't happen!"

"But it could!" Harmony said, turning around. "What are we going to do?"

Suddenly, there was a burst of laughter. The three looked up - and beheld the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle herself - laughing herself silly.

"Mother?" Harmony said.

"Auntie Twili!" Flurry said.

"Princess Twilight!" Emerald said.

"Oh, to be young and in love." Twilight said, gaining control of her mirth. With that, she outstretched her wings and gently floated to ground level. With a wide grin, she acknowledged all three mares - her daughter, her niece - and her best friend's daughter. The years had been kind to Twilight - both in appearance and wisdom. Her mane had gotten longer - and she had grown slightly in height with her Alicorn status. Stress had made her muzzle and face slightly more lined, but her status meant that she was aging slightly slower than normal.

She addressed her daughter first. "If you needed advice, you should have come to me before you started stressing yourself. Now, what's all this silliness about?"

"We were considering what would happen if Shard and Flurry went on a date." Harmony explained. "But every time we do, it might end in disaster!"

"I had a similar problem once..." Twilight admitted sheepishly. "But really, it's better sometimes to let things play out. Let it run its course - and hope for the best."

She turned to her niece, who rushed forward and gave her a great hug.

"It's wonderful to see you, Auntie!" Flurry chirped happily.

"And you too, Flurry." Twilight replied, returning the hug. "Now, what's this I hear about you and Shard on a date?"

"We were thinking of having it here in the Castle. It was Harmony's idea." Flurry explained. "But she went bonkers with how to go about it."

"Well, I think that sounds like a great idea." Twilight replied, either ignoring the glare her daughter was giving her niece, or not caring. "But you have to understand Flurry, not everypony is as optimistic or as hopeful as you. There's going to be times where you have to reassure them - let their fears run their course, or just provide a friendly ear."

"Yes, Auntie."

And finally, the Princess turned to the hybrid.

"And what's your problem, Emerald? Spike told me you wanted to speak to me about something import...-"

"It's Star Shield." She said quietly.

Everypony froze and Twilight blinked. "Come again?"

"I have..." Emerald hesitated. "...feelings for Star Shield."

"My son?" Twilight asked, her brow raised in mild surprise.

"My brother?!" Harmony exclaimed, her wings outstretched in alarm.

"My cousin!?" Flurry exclaimed, beating her own wings excitedly.

Star Shield was Twilight and Flash's adopted son. Three years before Harmony's birth, a bat-pony foal had been left on the doorstep of the Friendship Castle. It was not known who his original parents were, though Twilight had suspected he was the child of one of Luna's Night Watch, but that was never proven. Regardless, Twilight and Flash took the foal in and named him Star Shield, after one of Flash's old friends in the Guard Academy - and partly out of respect for Luna. The child quickly grew to be just as much a member of the family as any of the others, and once Harmony was born - they were as close as real siblings.

To hear that Emerald had feelings for him was indeed quite a shock.

"Well, I think I have a solution to all our problems." Twilight said, breaking the silence that followed. She grinned. "And don't worry - we still have plenty of time. I sent Flash and Starry out for a few things. They won't be back for a while."

Author's Note:

Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed the new chapter. It was quite a doozy to write. And eeyup, you'll notice there's quite a few allusions to Season 7 in here. Just thought I might pay a bit of homage to some of my favorite episodes so far.

The next chapter will be titled: "Boys" - and will be featuring Shard and his guy friends - the male cast.

And to answer some unspoken questions you might have - consult Eevee's character pages to see the next-gen OC's - or send me a message - and I'll clear things up.

Lastly, this is the second part of Act I - which is the light-hearted stage of things. Act II will be much darker.

As always, don't forget to comment, rate and have a good day!