Keeping a Friend After Leaving the World (Part 2)
Flash pressed his face harder into his cushion, the world was still spinning.
Sure, he’d traded a lump of fluff in a volatile rage of winds for a spongy mattress in a crystal castle, but that didn’t erase what felt like an hour spent in the spin cycle!
Spike was kind enough to set him up in a quiet room while Twilight took care of the situation. Apparently the Rainbow Dashes were in big trouble. Flash didn’t get the details though, only that it had awoken a very unhappy purple princess.
Wait.
Twilight’s awake!
He picked his head up, groaned at the wobbling room, slid off the mattress, and … spent a few minutes getting on his hooves instead of his face again.
Once in the hallway, it was a matter of … actually, he had no idea where he was so he just wandered until he heard noises. Thankfully, keeping one eye closed helped with the spinning walls.
As the noises got louder, they became clearer. But why did they sound like a room full of teenage boys pigging out? Boys with suspiciously high pitch voices.
“*nom*Thank you,*nom*Spike,” the pig-outer said. “These hayburgers are*nom*really hitting the spot.*sluurrp*This is definitely*nom*not a salad day.”
Now that he was closer, that voice sounded very familiar.
Nah. Couldn’t be. He must still be dizzy.
“You’re welcome.” That was Spike’s voice, but who’s he talking to? “Salad just doesn’t cut it when you’re stressed. In times like this you gotta have something greasy and bad for you.”
“Spike,” whined the eating voice, after a slight burp. “I don’t need another reminder about watching my figure.*nom*Rarity gives me enough as it is.”
There was no mistaking that voice any longer. Flash turned the corner into a dining room.
“I just want to eat in peace where*nom*nopony’s gonna see me,” the voice continued on, muffled through food, as Flash’s eyes confirmed what his ears suggested.
She saw him just two bites later. Twilight Sparkle, royal Equestrian princess. Messy mane, kinked tail, frizzed fur, mouth stuffed. Her face turned bright red. Or was that just ketchup?
It was ketchup.
She had been in the process of wiping some of it off with her burger when she froze.
“F-Flash?” She swallowed then disappeared in his namesake.
The burger in her purple aura lost its glow and flopped onto the table.
That was twice she’d teleported away from him in one day. He let his head droop with a sigh.
“What? Oh, hi, Flash,” greeted Spike. “You, uh, okay there? Can I get you something?”
Flash looked down at the little dragon. Strange how that wasn’t strange anymore. Like talking dogs. “I’m fine, Spike. But I think I’ll go lie down again.”
“We got plenty of hayburgers if you want.”
“No, it’s alright, I’m just—oof!“ he grunted, falling back upon bumping into something.
“Oof!” came another grunt.
He looked over at the sudden reappearance of the Princess of Friendship, quickly picking herself up off the floor. “T-Twilight?”
The too large smile was the first thing he noticed, then the wide eyes and blush that wasn’t ketchup anymore. Her hair and fur were combed, though a few juts and loops were spread around. Behind her, not quite out of sight, Spike discreetly leaned in and plucked out the brush still clinging to her tail and hid it behind himself.
“Sorry!” she squeaked. “I thought you were still sleeping.” She held out a hoof. “We, uh, got to stop bumping into each other like this?”
With a blush of his own, he reached out and she helped him to stand. “I think that’s become our thing by now,” he answered.
They stood there on three hooves each, still holding out the fourth until Twilight noticed and put that one down as well, with a sheepish giggle, followed by Flash.
“Um,” Twilight attempted.
“So,” Flash tried.
“Either of you going to finish those hayburgers?” Spike succeeded.
That snapped them alert. “Spike,” Twilight rolled her eyes with a sigh before turning back to Flash. “Are you hungry?”
“What? O-oh, I’m fine. Thank you.”
“Yes!” Spike cheered, heading back to the greasy take-out boxes.
“Don’t eat all of them!” Twilight scolded him.
“Of course not. I’ll save you some.”
“Thank—I mean, you’ll get a stomach ache.”
“I’ll eat slow!”
“You never eat slow.” With no further reply from Spike, Twilight shook her head slowly then looked to Flash with a small smile. “Want to talk? Let’s go to the lounge, Spike can be a bit of a messy eater sometimes.”
Flash blinked and looked from Twilight to Spike. “Really,” he remarked simply.
*** *** ***
The walk through the halls was fairly quiet, only their blushes managed to communicate. Through the windows Flash noted they were on the ground floor. Around a few more corners and there was a cozy-looking room with a fireplace, carpet, and pony furniture. Lots of bookcases too. A door at the other end of the room appeared to lead toward the foyer.
“We use this as a sort of meeting place,” explained Twilight. “Less formal than the throne room. Especially with visitors.”
“Oh!” Throne room. Yet another reminder he was crushing on a princess. “Yes,” Flash agreed. “I bet.”
Twilight climbed onto a little sofa along one side of the room and gave a smile. Flash copied her in a neighboring sofa as best he could.
Flash glanced at Twilight and thought hard on what to say, absently biting his lower lip before looking away and taking in more of the room. On a second attempt he saw Twilight doing the same despite having much more familiarity with the room.
“SO!” she suddenly said, snapping her head up and startling him in the process. “How’s been … you? Heh,” she ended with an awkward giggle.
“Uh, the, um, band in. We have.” Flash stopped and shook his head. “Still playing in the band.”
“Yes! Sunset has been writing to me about that. Flash Drive. I don’t really know what that means but it sounds cute. She even wrote down the lyrics to some of your songs. I really liked—“
She stopped suddenly, her blush taking over her face.
“Liked?” Flash asked.
“…’ve in a Flash.”
“What was that?”
“Love in a Flash!” she blurted out quickly.
They returned to looking at the walls.
Flash cleared his throat. “I was t-thinking about you when I wrote that.”
“Eep,” Twilight squeaked. “Oh. Heheueh,” she finished up with a breathy giggle while twirling her mane in her magic.
Their blushes then returned to being the loudest things in the room.
Until Trixie found them.
The door slammed open and the caped inconvenience pranced in. “The Great and Powerful Trrrrrixie has returned for her medal!”
“Trixie?!” Twilight bolted out, reeling back. She would have fallen off her sofa if it wasn’t against the wall. Flash didn’t have that benefit. “What medal?”
“For saving Ponyville single-hoofedly!”
“What?!” Twilight called back while helping Flash back onto his sofa. “When was this? From what?”
“Two days ago in the battle against the changelings that looked like you and your friends and those mysterious ponies with no fashion sense.”
“Two days? But. Who? What?”
“Trixie used up all her fireworks in one grand performance to become—“ Trixie swished her cape, reared onto her hind legs, and lit her horn, sending colored sparks and streams of magic all around her for dramatic effect. “—The savior of Ponyvilletm!”
Dropping back down to four legs she followed up with a disclaimer. “For the most recent invasion at least. Some other ponies may need to step up if the next one occurs before Trixie has time to replenish her supplies.”
Twilight put a hoof to her face. “I don’t even know where to begin,” she said before pausing. “How’d you know I was here?”
“Your servant told Trixie while she was retrieving her frozen cinnamon nuts,” Trixie said while lifting a small bag out of a pocket in her cape. “And was quite generous in providing Trixie with a free hayburger.”
“Spike?! He’s not a servant.”
Trixie put a hoof to her chin and thought back to everything she knew about the dragon. “Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
“Butler?”
“He’s my Number One Assistant,” Twilight explained proudly.
Trixie tilted her head. “Those aren’t the same thing?”
“Of course not!”
“What’s the pay like?”
Twilight paused with her mouth open. “Uh … I give him an allowance? He normally just uses it for comics and junk food.”
“Sounds like he needs a raise.”
“I, I’ll take that under advisement—Wait, those are your cinnamon nuts? They’ve been in there for moons. You don’t live here. Why are you using our icebox and on nuts?”
“They were on sale, freezing them preserves the flavor, and Starlight gave Trixie permission.”
“Of course she did.” Twilight rolled her eyes.
“So about that medal.” Trixie puffed out her chest. “Some reimbursement for the fireworks would be nice as well. And a guest room in the palace when Trixie visits? Near Starlight’s room of course. And a storage chamber for stage supplies.”
“Trixie,” Twilight sighed and gestured to Flash, “We were in a bit of a serious talk here. Can’t this wait?”
“What’s more serious than Trixie’s latest royal medal that you shall bestow upon her?”
Twilight managed to keep herself from saying anything, but whether it was the blush or the clenched teeth that helped the most was unclear even to her.
Trixie, however, only noticed the blush, and the matched pattern on Flash’s face. “Oh?” She raised an eyebrow then wiggled both up and down a few times with a growing smirk on her lips. “Oh, Sparkle, you heart-breaker you.”
“Huh, what?” Twilight startled back.
“Say no more! Trixie knows all too well how delicate these matters can be for she has many such admirers.” She had taken a resolute stance, though her eyes flicked near the end. She then swished her cape and took a step back. “You have ten minutes!”
A flash of her horn, a spark and an explosion, and finally a cloud of smoke preceded her departure.
A moment of coughing followed.
“Ugh,” Twilight groaned. “Maybe I should teach her how to teleport but knowing her, she’d keep using the smoke bombs anyway.”
“Well,” said Flash, “that was Trixie alright.”
“Heh, same in your world?”
“Pretty similar. She’s been nicer lately though. Hangs out with Sunset and Wallflower a lot. Does a lot of magic shows in the gym with her assistants, Lavender and Fuchsia.”
The Princess of Friendship smiled. “Good to know she has friends.”
She then took a breath, crossing a hoof over her chest, and Flash noticed a change to a taller, more regal pose. “Flash,” she said in a calmer tone, “It’s great to see you again. The situation, as usual, has been unfortunate, but I’m glad you’ve come.”
Flash smiled shyly, blushing to match. “Yeah. It’s, uh, been a strange couple of days. But it was worth it to see you again.”
He pointed to her with a set of finger guns but looked down at his hooves realizing it was a worthless gesture. Twilight gave an odd look to how he pointed both forehooves at her and he chuckled sheepishly. “Uh. So,” he trailed off.
“How are you finding Equestria?” Twilight giggled, getting Flash to look up from his hooves. “Getting adjusted to your world was quite the experience. Just re-learning to walk was a chore.”
“Oh, oh, yes. I’m still having some trouble with that. Flying almost seems to be easier if I keep it slow.”
“Magic-fueled instinct. Suddenly becoming a pegasus as an adult rather than growing through foalhood must have effectively given you a subconscious cram-session. And then you had a trial by fire jumping out that window and joining the fight with Sunset.”
Flash nodded. “Yeah, but I couldn’t not help. Sunset means too much to m—us.”
“All of us. Including you of course,” Twilight gave him an encouraging smile.
“Well … yeah.”
“How have things been between you two?”
“Well … good. Better friends than we ever have been.”
“That’s wonderful!”
“Especially now that she means it. Now that she isn’t trying to be something else.”
“Something else?”
“Before the Fall formal,” Flash paused to think back. “I always felt something was off. I knew she wasn’t the sugary sweet person she pretended to be, and while she hid from me how she was mistreating the other students, I caught glimpses occasionally. It’s why I broke up with her. But it never felt like that was really her. I don’t think the Fall Formal changed her so much as made her realize she wasn’t being who she was supposed to be. Like how she is now.”
That got Twilight chuckling. “Or, in other words, Princess Celestia was right about her all along. It just took a few more years than expected.”
After her chuckling died down, she turned back to Flash. “But are you two only friends?”
Flash’s eyes widened for a moment before settling down. He gave a small smile. “I don’t think I’m the ‘real’ Sunset’s type.”
Twilight dropped her gaze a bit. “That’s too bad.”
Flash tilted his head. “But I thought maybe you and—“
“I’ve heard you might have an admirer?”
“What?!” Flash’s head and ears snapped up to attention.
“A certain blonde with a gray coat, uh, skin?”
Flash rolled his eyes. “You’ve been talking to Rarity. She’s been trying to ship us.”
“Her counterpart in this world is very nice. Brave too. Saved my life once. Possibly all of Equestria. I gave her a medal.”
There was a sudden thump from under a nearby table.
They both turned and leaned down, peering underneath to see a very familiar cape.
Twilight leveled her eyes and voice. “Trixie.”
The pony under the table squeaked. “Trixie isn’t eavesdropping! She tripped over the table while galloping through the smoke cloud and then had to hide before it faded!”
As Twilight groaned softly, Trixie rolled out and stood up, smoothing out her cape and hat with a flair only a professional showmare could embellish. “So what’s this about a different world, and another Trixie? Surely no other being can be more great and powerfuller than—”
A purple hoof abruptly pointed toward the door. Trixie followed that hoof to the face it was eventually connected to, read the expression, and bid a retreat.
She didn’t trip on the table this time, but the smoke cloud lasted just as long.
After their coughing fits died down, and they confirmed they were alone this time, Flash steadied himself. “Twilight,” he asked softly, “are you trying to get me to start dating someone else?”
Twilight let out a slow breath. “Flash. Other than as friends, I can’t see us having any lasting relationship. We live in different worlds. Not just because we have such different lives, but also literally. It’s not fair to you that I can’t visit, and I can’t take you away from your world to live here.”
Flash let that sink in. “Don’t I get a say in this?”
“Of course you do,” Twilight replied earnestly. “How do you feel?”
“Disappointed,” Flash sighed before sitting up, “and honestly a little angry.”
Twilight closed her eyes and nodded slightly, letting Flash continue.
“We’ve had so little time together, and there’s always been something in the way. I’m actually here in your world now, with the crisis already over, and I’m just going to go home tomorrow and that’ll be it?”
“I’m sorry, Flash. I thought when I left the first time, that would be the last time we’d ever see each other. By the time the portal opened again on its own you would have graduated and long since moved on. And even if we could use the portal without risks, I can’t give up my crown to live in your world, and I can’t expect you to give up your life to live here either.”
“So that’s it?” asked Flash. “It’s over? And we never even had a date.”
The room was filled with silence. No voices, no blushes, just words unsaid.
Eventually, Twilight picked up her head and looked over at Flash. “Would you like to come with me to Canterlot?”
“Canterlot?
“The one in my world. It’s where I grew up.”
“Like, as a date?
“My schedule is packed for tomorrow dealing with a pair of ornery ambassadors, and I’ll have a few things to take care of the next day, but we can spend a couple days together after that if you’d like. Just have some fun.”
Flash met her eyes and the hopeful smile under them.
Then there was a knocking at the door.
They paused. Twilight looked at the door then back to Flash.
“Hello? Twilight?” came Sunset’s voice.
“Sunset?” Twilight returned, still watching Flash. “Uh. Come in?” she said when Flash looked toward the door.
The door opened and Sunset walked in, though she was still looking back down the hall she came from. “The Equestrian Trixie seems just as, uh, interesting as the Pedestrian one. And maybe I should keep wearing a dress or something over my wings. I think the whole random alicorn thing kind of freaked her out. Although," she put a hoof to her chin, "knowing the other Trixie, maybe that's normal for her.”
She then turned and saw Flash. “Oh! I can come back later if I’m interrupting.”
“No it’s okay. What’s going on?”
“I was just hoping to borrow some bits for a train ticket. All my money’s in a savings account in Canterlot. I’ll pay you back when I return.”
That perked up Twilight. “So you’re going to visit your family?”
“Yeah,” Sunset gave a sheepish smile. “Celestia and Sunburst.”
“But not your Dad?”
Sunset gave a snort. “He can wait.” She then looked to Flash with a lighter expression and tone. “My half brother became a magic scholar in the Crystal Empire. He’s even the Royal Crystaller, apparently.”
“Oh,” Flash chimed in. “That … sounds impressive?”
“Yeah. He was just a little twerp when I left,” Sunset giggled for a moment before letting it fade into a sad sigh. “I wasn’t very nice to him.”
“I’m sure you two can amend things,” Twilight offered. “Starlight can help, she’s visiting him too.”
She quickly turned to Flash. “Your counterpart also lives in the Empire. He’s a royal guard.”
“Wow,” Flash chuckled. “A lot of royal stuff around here.”
Sunset smiled. “That’s just because you’re hanging out with a princess and two, uh, former students of our nation’s ruler.”
“Also,” Twilight added, “my brother is the former captain of Celestia’s guard and the current prince of the Crystal Empire.”
“That makes him your counterpart’s boss twice over,” Sunset kidded. “So you better be careful how you treat his sister.”
Flash and Twilight glanced at each other then quickly away.
Smile gone, Sunset looked between them. “Everything okay?”
“Oh, we’re fine,” Twilight answered and turned to Flash. “Would you like to meet your counterpart? I can get you a ticket to the Empire. He already knows about the portal. He was one of the guards when we met. You can ride out there with Sunset.”
Flash looked from one mare to the other and considered his options. “Wouldn’t that be difficult to do if I’m going to be staying in Canterlot for a few days?”
Twilight smiled brightly, which Flash returned.
“So,” Twilight began her plan, “We’ll all ride out to Canterlot tomorrow morning. I’ll arrange a suite for Flash in the palace while Sunset continues on to visit family.”
“Works for me,” Sunset smiled then added with a chuckle, “Now I’ll get out of your way.”
They waved as she left and turned back to each other, a little blush returning.
“I’ll work out a schedule for our, uh, date,” Twilight giggled. “DJ-PON3 will be doing a show the second night. We could go dancing.”
Flash looked to his hooves. “I might look out of place trying to dance as a pony.”
“You’ll be fine. I’ll teach you. I’m a great dancer.”
Flash thought back to the Fall Formal. “Really,” he remarked simply.
*** *** ***
“—AAAAaaugh!”
Flash landed face first onto a stack of yoga mats hard enough for them to skid along the walkway a bit.
It was a nice few days with Twilight, almost a week. He got to see her favorite childhood libraries, the doughnut shop where she replenished her study calories, her old dorm in the castle, Moondancer who practically lived there now, the princess counterpart of his principal, and just went for some peaceful walks. It wasn’t just Canterlot either. They returned to Ponyville in a hot air balloon and got another tour of Twilight’s little town.
He felt they’d be friends forever.
Just … nothing more than that.
It hurt, but he was ready to move on.
“Flash!” a girl’s voice cried, followed by a shadow moving over him and an arm coming to his side.
He held out his arm, accepting help in standing back on only two legs and looked to his helper. “Muffin?” she asked, showing him a basket that might have recently been full.
She was … cute. Really cute. Why hadn’t he ever noticed it before? “Uh, t-thanks,” he replied, taking one from the basket. “Have you been waiting for me?”
“Yep!” Such a cheerful voice. One eye was on him, the other flicked toward the portal. “Pinkie told us you’d be coming back today! I’m supposed to bring you in to your Welcome Back party. So, what was it like? Were you actually a pony?”
“A pegasus! I had wings!”
“Wow! Could you fly? Rainbow Dash has been talking about it non-stop.”
“Yeah. Did a lot of flying. No stunts or racing like Rainbow, but for fun.”
“That must have been amazing. You have to tell me everything!”
“I—“ Flash paused, a slow smile growing on his face. “I will. How about after the party?” A blush began to form along with the smile.
“Oh, I can’t tonight, sorry. I have to leave in an hour.”
“Maybe tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow works.” She nodded enthusiastically.
“Where are you going tonight?”
“Bulk is taking me out to the movies.” She blushed. “Third time this month.”
Flash’s face fell. “Bulk? Third time?”
“Yep! He’s really sweet.” She blushed harder. “It’s been great.”
“Well that’s, that’s just great.” He pointed a forehoof at her—blinked at his curled fingers—then switched to a friendly finger gun. He’d always wondered why Sunset sometimes does the same thing with her hands.
She giggled and started up the steps toward the school. “Come on, Flash. Your party’s inside.”
“Uh, I’ll be there in a sec,” he called.
Once she was inside, he dropped his head to sigh at the muffin in his hand. “Flash,” he chided himself, “you waited too long.”
He turned to give the portal another glance and smiled. “She looked happy though. I’ll find someone. You will too.”
As he turned to head up the steps of the school, and eventually his party, A noise behind him grabbed his attention. He turned but a force knocked him sideways and dragged into the bushes. “Whaa?! Hel—“
He tried to call out but a hand quickly covered his mouth.
Finally hidden away, he was pressed to the ground by the shoulders. He looked up at his assailant.
“Lyra?”
The girl had wide eyes and she bent down close, almost pushing his head into the ground with her forehead. “You were there!” she breathed. “They let you in.”
“Uh, I?”
“Did you see unicorns?” She squealed.
“Y-yes?”
The squealing increased.
He hoped it was happy squealing, but he couldn’t tell.
“I saw another me come out of the portal!” she continued.
“Wha—?”
“Before Twilight came back. It was me! She fell out of the portal, squealed at everyone around like I’m doing right now—“ she squealed more, “—then crawled back in!”
“Oh?”
“Was she a unicorn?”
“Uh ….” Flash thought back. While flying around town, didn’t he see two ponies being chased by a horde of cute animals? “Maybe? There was a unicorn that looked like you.”
“I knew it!” Lyra cheered. “I’m a unicorn!”
“Heh, y-yay,” Flash cheered awkwardly with her.
“HOW DO I GET THERE?!” She grabbed him by the collar. “The Rainbooms won't let me in!”
“Lyra!” another girl’s voice growled from above.
“Sweetie Drops!” Lyra called to her. “I’m a unicorn! Heheeeee—eek!”
Lyra’s cheer was cut off upon being doused by a spray bottle in Sweetie’s hand. “Down, girl. Let him go!”
“But, but, unicorns!”
“Yes, yes. But you’re practically burying our friend in the garden. Now come on.”
“Aw.”
Sweetie rolled her eyes. “You’re more like a cat than anything.” She turned to Flash. "She's been like this since Twilight got back."
“They talk about them, but never let me in!”
“Yes, yes.” Sweetie patted Lyra's hair.
Flash watched Sweetie Drops lead Lyra away toward the school. Lyra stared longingly until they got to the foot of the steps and pulled away, bolting for it.
And jumping through.
"Lyra!" Sweetie yelled at the portal, "get back here!"
Twilight might want to consider having the portal close quicker after being used.
“Well,” he said, “This could be a problem.”
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Lyra: YOU ARE SO INTERESTING!
Lyra: YOU ARE SO INTERESTING!
Sweetie x2: YOU ARE SO FRUSTRATING!
Dang. Shame that Flash missed out on his chance with Derpy. Still, I wonder what it was her pony counterpart did to save Equestria. Also, it looks like the ponies will be dealing with twice the Lyra and Bon Bon. Hope Twilight doesn't have a conniption.
10960926
Derpy saved Equestria in the MLP movie.
She took Tempest's statue orb instead of Twilight.
Flash just can't seem to win in love can he? No Twilight, No Sunset and not ever Derpy! So if Sunset and Sunburst are half siblings do they share a dad or a mom? Could see Stellar Flare being extra obsessive with Sunburst after Sunset vanished. I hope we get to see Sunset's visit to the Empire, also curious if she will think Starlight and Sunburst make a good couple.
About that,
Big surprise.
You giant drama queen.
Of course.
Yep.
Of course.
That's cold.
YEESH. Poor Flash.
Oh boy.
Thank you, Sweetie Drops.
Darn it, Lyra.
I do ship Flashderp, but he did miss the boat in canon. Poor guy can't help but chase after unicorns. Well, as long as he doesn't use a giant red bull to imprison them all in the ocean, he should turn out fine.
10962380
King
HaggardSentry: "Uuuuuuunicorns!"Lyra: "Yes! Yes! Exactly like that, but louder!"