CoH (Book Two) : Of Ancient Castles and Soldier Hassles

by Diespitris

Chapter Eleven : Tuned In

It was with a full belly and a smile on her face Twilight happily made her way back home. Settled on her back was a content baby dragon, who yawned and stretched until a few of his joints popped. “So,” he started, “what else do we have to do today?”

Thinking, Twilight looked to the sky. “I was hoping to send letters to my brother and the Princesses.” Shining Armor expected another one already, and she was positive Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wanted to hear how she and her friends fared. “Did you have anything else in mind?”

Spike looked contemplative for a moment. He then held up a hand to count his claws. “Well, it's been a while since we've gotten groceries,” he muttered, his voice loud enough for the unicorn to hear. “And I think we're down to our last two or three inkwells.”

Ah, so there were chores to be done. In her mind, a crude map of Ponyville materialized. They were close to Sugarcube Corner, which meant the marketplace was only a few yards from where they currently stood. If they chose to get their groceries first, however, they would have to haul them all the way over to Barnyard Bargains, then back to the library.

She supposed she could rely on her teleportation to save some time, but her aim was far from precise. The last time she willed herself into the marketplace she startled Roseluck and her sisters so badly they leaped into Carrot Top's stall. In a simply unwanted outcome, said stall promptly collapsed.

Twilight found herself fixing the mess she made and attempting to calm the hyperventilating mares.

Such was life in a town majorly populated by earth ponies. This included Filthy Rich, who was not startled by Twilight's last appearance in his store. Rather, at the sight of her embarrassment when the aftershock of her spell caused a nearby shelf of canned goods to fall, he stifled his laughter and aided her in cleaning up the mess; despite the stallion's repeated reassurances, her string of apologies didn't stop until the task was completed.

So, with those examples still fresh in her mind, she decided against relying on her magic. She groaned and hung her head in defeat. Oh, if only Quills and Sofas sold more than two things!

“Okay,” she began, “so we'll start at Barnyard Bargains, then we'll swing by the marketplace for groceries on the way back.” She looked back and smiled. “How does that sound?”

“It would sound better if you magicked up a paper and quill so I can whip us up a list.”

She laughed. “Alright!” In a flash, she summoned the requested items (and by “summoned”, she simply teleported them from home) and she levitated them into Spike's waiting hands. “Better?”

He grinned. “Better! Thanks, Twi.”

“No problem, Spike.” Besides, the dragon knew the kitchen and its contents as well as she knew every book, nook, and cranny of the library. Rightfully so, he was the best fit for the organization of a grocery list.

She honestly couldn't have asked for a better assistant.

“Miss Twilight!” suddenly called a voice.

She paused, looking around. “Huh?”

“Over there, Twi,” said Spike as he pointed the quill.

Twilight's eyes followed the invisible line pointed out to her, until they landed on a familiar orange pegasus. “Flash?” she called. “What are you doing?”

With a single flap of his wings, Flash Sentry hopped across the distance between them—planting his hooves directly on the spot in front of them. He adjusted his hat as he flashed the unicorn a large smile. “I'm on my lunch break,” he explained, “and I thought I'd say hello!”

More focused on his list than anything else, Spike gave a lackluster wave. “Hi.”

“Yes, hello Flash,” chuckled Twilight. “Was that all you wanted to say?”

The stallion's smile faltered. Instead, his body language wilted into self-consciousness as he averted his gaze. “W-w-well, no, n-not really,” he stuttered. “I was heading over t-to Cremello for a bite to eat and I-I was wondering if...” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I-I-I was wondering if, um, would you like to join me, Miss Twilight?”

Twilight wasn't sure she heard him right. “I beg your pardon?”

“Lunch!” he exclaimed. Startled by the volume of his own voice, he winced and cleared his throat. “I-I mean... Would you like to have lunch with me?”

Oh, so she did hear him correctly. She and Spike shared an uncomfortable glance. “Well,” she sighed, “I would, Flash, but we just ate.”

Disappointment came again, though this time Flash had a hard time hiding it. His body appeared to deflate a little as he turned away from the duo. “Oh,” he whispered. “Okay...”

“But!” called Twilight. Though she was well aware it wasn't her fault, she felt a little guilty—too guilty to let Flash walk away. “What about tomorrow?” she asked.

Bewildered, the stallion spun to face her. “Huh?”

She repeated, “What about tomorrow? I don't have anything planned for then.” She looked to her assistant. “Right?”

Spike nodded. “Right.”

Smiling, she returned her attention to Flash. “So, how about it?”

The pegasus's eyes widened. “That... That sounds great,” he breathed. “Where should we meet up?”

“How about Hayburger?”

“Yeah, sounds great.”

“Alright! I'll see you then! Now, if you don't mind, Spike and I have some errands to run. Bye!”

Flash merely waved as they left. “Bye...” His heart continued to pound away in his chest—now more out of excitement than nervousness. He... He did it. He actually did it!

He just scored lunch with Miss Twilight!

Fighting the urge to leap in absolute joy, he took to the air. High above Ponyville, he floated (and, admittedly, he did a little loop-d-loop) towards his chosen restaurant. On this day, he was destined to dine alone, but tomorrow... He laughed. I can't wait for tomorrow!

---

In a town where it was common to see the occasional monster or Equestria-ending threat, one excited pegasus officer easily slipped into the background of Ponyville's bustling activity. Rarity, however, was in no way, shape, or form a staple of the background. It wasn't her fault her simple trip back to the Boutique just so happened to coincide with the enrapturing interaction between Flash Sentry and one of her closest friends. It certainly wasn't her fault she was close enough to hear their exchange, and she was certainly not at fault she had a clear view of Flash as he excitedly took off afterwards.

With the coast finally clear, Rarity emerged from her hiding place—a perfectly placed, and utterly convenient, tree. “Oh, Fluttershy!” she exclaimed. “Did you see what I saw?!”

Fluttershy, who was hidden within the same tree, poked her head out of a tuft of leaves. “Uh, Twilight and Flash were talking?” she retorted, puzzled. When Rarity yelled, “Hide!” earlier, it was the pegasus's own flight-response that caused her to leap up into the safety of the branches; she thought there was yet another monster rampaging through the streets. She didn't know she was about to partake in eavesdropping.

Huffing, Rarity motioned for her friend to join her on the ground. “But, did you see the way Flash talked to her?” she questioned. Before Fluttershy could answer, the unicorn's posture became tense and her eyes, alert with a sudden suspicion, scanned their surroundings. “Quickly!” she whispered harshly. “We must take this conversation inside at once!”

“But...!” Fluttershy squeaked, but it was no use, as Rarity spun and cantered towards the Boutique without another word. She didn't understand why the seamstress was so giddy. Whatever it was, it was obviously of great value in Rarity's eyes, and so the pegasus relinquished her complaints and followed suit.

Of course, it didn't help Rarity deemed it necessary to rush her. “Hurry, darling, please hurry!” she urged.

Fluttershy's anxiety soared. A bead of sweat trailed down her brow as she threw herself into the Boutique. She landed on her belly, with her limbs splayed out on the floor. She took a deep breath, gradually pushing herself back up onto her hooves. She hoped for answers as she circled around to watch Rarity, who had a look of glee on her face.

“Oh, Fluttershy, do forgive me,” she said, closing the door. “I know it's selfish to ask for another moment, but allow me to get you settled before I explain myself.” At a much more reasonable pace, she led her guest to the nearest couch. She then set about getting them freshly-brewed tea.

Celestia knew she needed an outlet for her newfound energy.

When it was all ready, Rarity poured Fluttershy's cup, naturally, before her own. “Now then,” she began, “allow me to apologize. I let my excitement get the better of me, and I'm so incredibly sorry about that.”

Carefully, Fluttershy took her cup between her hooves. She smiled. “It's all right. Though, I must admit, I am a little curious. The last time you were this excited since... Well, it's been a while.”

Rarity took a delicate sip of her tea, before her mouth widened into a toothy grin. “Yes, I suppose so, but this...!” Her eyes sparkled. “I'm not excited for me, dear Fluttershy, but for Twilight!”

“Huh?”

She leaned forward. “You saw Flash Sentry speaking with her, yes?”

“Uh, yes.”

“Well, I heard them. He sought her out specifically to ask her to lunch. Not only that, but the way he looked at her was filled with nothing less than admiration!” She squealed. “Our Twilight has a suitor!”

The pegasus's brow furrowed. “A-are you certain—”

Rarity waved her hoof. “Of course I'm certain! A disinterested stallion doesn't look at a mare like that, let alone perform exuberant aerials when she agrees to have lunch with him!”

“I guess Flash did look pretty happy.”

She clapped her hooves together. “See? This is a cause for celebration! When is the last time anypony showed such interest in our dear Twilight?” She threw her hooves up in the air. “It's never happened, Fluttershy! Never!”

“Yes, it's wonderful, but it's a little too soon to be celebrating, don't you think?” Fluttershy looked down into her tea. “I mean, just because he has a crush on Twilight... doesn't mean she feels the same way.”

“Well, not yet!”

“What?”

“We may not know much about Flash, but it's clear he's a good, hardworking stallion. I mean, he was a lieutenant in the Royal Guard! That's not a position they just give away to anypony! Not only that, but he was born and bred in Canterlot—same as Twilight!” Rarity stood and struck a dramatic pose. “Imagine it! Twilight Sparkle, beloved pupil of Princess Celestia, the bearer of the Element of Magic, and a hero of both Equestria and the Crystal Empire! Flash Sentry, former lieutenant of the Royal Guard and a current officer of the modest Ponyville Police Department!” She beamed. “Two Canterlot-born ponies with hearts of valor, who once served under the Crown, dedicated to the protection of Equestria and its citizens!”

Fluttershy couldn't help but chuckle; Rarity's dramatics, as always, were a sight to behold. “You make it sound like one of those romance novels you love so much,” she commented, smiling.

The unicorn laughed. “Precisely! It's a beautiful love story in the making!” Her expression turned serious. “As Twilight's friends, we have to make sure her lunch tomorrow with Flash goes perfectly!”

Once more, Fluttershy was at a loss. “... Why?”

“Because, as brilliant as our Twilight is, she's... naive when it comes to matters of the heart.”

Fluttershy hummed in agreement. Twilight was a mare of science and magic, and had been since she was a filly—choosing the logic of non-fiction over the often irrational and complicated journey of friendship. Even now, there was still so much for her, and not to mention for everypony, to learn regarding the latter.

Romance, however, was in a totally different category.

“I don't recall Twilight ever taking an interest in romance,” Fluttershy said softly.

“That's why she needs our help,” retorted Rarity. “But, first, she needs a little time alone with Flash. And, when she sees what a wonderful gentlecolt he is, the rest will fall into place!”

“But what if she doesn't, Rarity? It doesn't seem fair to—”

“This could be her only chance at love, Fluttershy!”

The pegasus recoiled as Rarity, eyes wide with dread, latched onto her shoulders—their noses a mere centimeter apart. “Ask yourself, how does Twilight spend her free-time when she's not with us, and when we're not out battling the forces of wickedness?” the unicorn questioned. “She stays inside the library, with Spike and her books and her experiments, that's how!” She then put space between them to begin pacing before the table. “She's made quite the reputation around Ponyville. Everypony knows her name, knows her face, but what other friends does she have?”

“Rarity...”

“Sure, she has her family, Spike, Princess Cadance and us, but who else is there?”

“Rarity.”

“Certainly, there are no other stallions in her life other than her father and brother.”

Now, there were very few instances where Fluttershy found it necessary to raise her voice. This was definitely one of them. “Rarity!” she snapped, which finally caused the seamstress to cease her movements. With a sigh, Fluttershy set her cup down. “I'm sorry about that,” she said, her tone returned to it's natural softness. “I understand your worry, but is this wise?”

Rarity smoothed a wayward frazzle out on her mane. “Oh, not to worry, our meddling will be minimal,” she replied. She returned to her spot across from her guest. “A helpful push here and there, and nothing more! But, as I said, we first have to ensure Twilight and Flash's lunch goes perfectly. Other than the food, nothing and nopony must distract them from one another.” She shuddered. “I only wish they were to dine someplace with much more class, rather than Hayburger...”

Fluttershy chuckled. “They're having lunch, not a date.”

“Well, dear Fluttershy, as long as we simply nurture the seeds of their affection, they're guaranteed to sprout!” Rarity grinned. “Trust me, Twilight will be in love with Flash before she even realizes it!”

Comments

[Unkown101]

Can I please slap rarity because I hate how she’s is acting about twilight. It’s not her job for twilights romance. Love is personal, no one should controls another feelings like that. Like she does with spike by manipulating him to her whim. This is why rarity is My most disliked pony in mlp.

[Ether Space]

Oh goodness me... I am reminded of the series Inuyasha when I read this... Main character's friends trying to set her up with a guy she doesn't want...
until they meet the "bad boy" that they think is her boyfriend... and for once, said "bad boy" is civil enough for an actual conversation.
(Spoilers are that they peg Inuyasha to be "biracial" and decide he's not nearly as bad as they were warned. They stop trying to set her up with the other guy, after that... hmmmmm.... Rarity will need a moment like that with Sombra, me thinks, before she ever backs off trying to set up Twilight with Sentry.)

[A Predatorial Horse]

Oh boy, the train is speeding up and no one seems to have repaired the tracks.

[Wildfiretiremile]

I don’t like flash there’s....something off

[Baineblade]

Whelp...That took about two days but I got through both stories! Not bad so far, hope to see more from you soon!

[JohnrId03]

Why was it cancelled?

[-Brutus]

10388883
That's what I want to know.

[ickda]

Was waiting tdis, sad to see it canned

[Princess Luna21]

Why was this canceled? It was a beautiful story, I was so looking forward to more

[A Predatorial Horse]

Oh no, it died.

[Starlight Nova]

Why was this cancelled?

[Chaos Blitz]

Sad to see it canned

[Thyrrnatf]

Good story sucks it's cancelled :(

And Rarity if just you knew

[Z0S1A]

Good story, both CoH Book 1 and 2! But, it is sad to see that book 2 is cancelled.

[Fluttershylover3]

aww it's cancelled :(

[Boom44]

Sorry to see the canceled tag here. This series had a lot of potential, both plotwise and in the quality of the writing.