Rekindling the Flames

by CoJoThom98

Ch. 17: The Big Night Part 2

Flash stands before his standing mirror, looking at and admiring his tuxedo for tonight. He wears a three-piece tuxedo with a white shirt, crimson tie and vest, and black pants and sports jacket. He turns side to side, impressed that Rarity’s skill with suits is on par with her dress skills. He strikes a pose and looks at himself with a smirk and allure in his eyes. “Well hello there, handsome,” he flirtatiously says. “You certainly are going to be quite the looker tonight. A lot of ladies are certainly going to swoon upon the sight of you. Oh yes.”

A pounding at the door snaps him back to reality. “Are you done admiring yourself in there, lover boy?” Scootaloo shouts through the door. He waits until the furious blushing fades before walking to his door and letting her in. She takes a seat on Flash’s bed and gets a good look at her brother. “Hot damn, I had no idea Rarity could also make suits.”

He takes another look at the mirror and answers with exaggerated bravado. “Well, let’s be honest, I make this suit look good. Rarity’s work only boosted my good looks.” Scootaloo rolls her eyes and gets off to the bed to walk over to him. She takes her index finger and imitates a poking gesture near the side of his head. He gives her a curious look. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to deflate that big head of yours,” she responds. He rolls his eyes and flicks her hand away. “Anyway, Mom wants to know if you’re ready for pictures yet?”

“Almost,” Flash answers as he walks over to his desk and searches for a comb. “Tell her I’ll be down in about five minutes.”

“Alright, and um…” Scootaloo hesitates for a moment, thinking about how to word her next question. Rather than speaking, she reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a small, crumpled piece of paper. Flash looks over and looks at the piece of paper, it’s the list he threw away earlier. He looks up at his sister quizzically. “I saw you drop this in the trash when I was on my way to see you,” she answers before he can ask anything. “I was just around the corner from you.”

“Was that all you saw?” Knowing his sister’s sneaky reputation, he figures she might have also seen the fight with Soarin.

Scootaloo shakes her head no. “I saw you talking with Soarin, I didn’t hear anything, but it looked heated. After that, you threw away the list.”

He stands up straight then leans his head back, looking at the ceiling. He sighs, “Well better for you to find it than one of the girls.” He looks over at her and sees she’s still confused about finding the list in the trash. He turns to face her. “I decided that I’m going to trust the girls in whatever they’re planning. I know you and your friends have been helping me a lot the last few days, but I don’t think it would be right to spoil whatever plans they have in store.”

After a brief moment of silence, Scootaloo cracks a smile, tears up the list, and tosses it in the trash bin next to the desk. “I was hoping you would say something like that.”

Confused, Flash asks, “Wait, what’s going on? I thought you would adamantly defend that list and everything you and your friends have done?”

Scootaloo shrugs. “Normally I would, but we were able to piece together what they are up to yesterday. We thought about telling you but decided we were not going to ruin their surprise. That’s what I was coming to tell you earlier.”

“So not even a hint about their plans?” he asks as he returns to searching for a comb.

“Only that you’re going to have a great night tonight,” she teases. “Now you better hurry up and fix that rat’s nest of a hairdo. Mom’s probably getting real antsy about taking pictures.”

“I’ll comb as fast as I can. Now shoo!” he responds. Scootaloo skips out of the room, closing the door behind her.

---

Over at Rarity’s boutique, the girls are finishing getting ready for tonight. Rarity, Twilight, and Fluttershy are ready to go but are helping Pinkie Pie and Sunset Shimmer with their hair and makeup. Applejack and Rainbow Dash, also ready for tonight, sit at one of the long couches playing cards. Normally, they would help but seeing as how tonight is the biggest night of their adolescent lives, they deemed it best to leave the finishing touches to more experienced hands.

Rainbow Dash looks up from her hand at Applejack with an intense look, preparing to enact her next move. Applejack looks back with a cool yet cocky half-grin, anticipating Rainbow Dash’s attack. Rainbow draws her card and slams it down, revealing a ten of hearts.

“Try and beat that!” Rainbow challenges, a proud smile across her face, but she celebrates too soon. Applejack draws her card and slams it down - the jack of hearts. “Oh come on!” Applejack takes both cards and places it in a large pile next to her.

“How’s it comin’ over there y’all?” Applejack asks as they continue their game.

“Almost done with the curls, then I need to braid Sunset’s hair,” Rarity responds as she releases the clamp on the hair curler. “Darling, could you turn your head to the right please?”

Sunset turns her head and sees Fluttershy working, or rather struggling, with Pinkie’s hair. The big poof ball of hot pink hair almost appears to be swallowing her. She tries to tame the beast with bobby pins and a hairbrush, but it refuses to surrender.

“Uh, Fluttershy, do you need any help?” Sunset asks.

Fluttershy pushes down a big fluff of hair. “Nothing I can’t handle,” Fluttershy responds with exhausted determination.

“I tried to warn you, Fluttershy,” Pinkie Pie says as Twilight applies blush to Pinkie’s cheeks. “My hair practically has a mind of its own. It can not be tamed. There was one time I tried to get a new style at a hair salon and...well let’s just say we had to settle out of court.”

Fluttershy and Rarity exchange concerned looks with each other. “Uh, Fluttershy, why don’t you help me get started on Sunset’s braid instead? I’m sure no one will mind if Pinkie’s hair remains normal.” Fluttershy nods and abandons her duel to help Rarity.

“Alright Pinkie, you’re all set for tonight,” Twilight says as she closes the lid on the blush. Pinkie hops out of her chair and skips over to join Applejack and Rainbow Dash in their game. Twilight then shifts over to Sunset and begins applying base to her face.

As they continue to work, Rainbow Dash’s phone chimes. She picks it up and sees a text message from Soarin. “I just got a text from Soarin,” she declares. “He says that he and Flash are going to leave Flash’s house as soon as their moms are done with pictures.” She looks up with a smirk. “In other words, we’ve got plenty of time before they get here.”

“Twilight, you’re certain that I should be traveling with Flash to prom?” Sunset asks. “It’s only been a week since the incident at the park.” She closes her eyes to allow Twilight to rub the sponge across her eyelids.

“Which is why we had you ask for forgiveness on Monday,” Twilight replies. “With your apology and semi-love confession, you’ve sped up the resolution time a person needs to return to a balanced emotional state after a relational conflict.” Sunset blankly stares at Twilight, not understanding a word she just said.

“It’s been a few days since you apologized and Flash should be over last Friday night by now,” Fluttershy explains.

“I checked out some books on relationship psychology,” Twilight admits with a slight blush.

“Alright, but that still doesn’t answer my question,” Sunset responds.

“Think of tonight as a date, darling” Rarity suggests to her. “When you’re out with someone, you want to be with them from start to finish. They are the only world that matters to you for that evening, everything else is background noise. You’ve already told him that you want to be with him, tonight you need to prove it. Devote your night to him, and if he wants the same, he’ll devote his night to you. Before the night is over, you’ll both belong to each other.”

Sunset smirks and looks at Rarity in the mirror. “Exactly how long did it take to prepare that little monologue?” she jokingly asks. Rarity huffs and flicks Sunset’s ear in retort, causing the other girls to giggle.

Twenty minutes pass when Rainbow Dash gets another text from Soarin telling her they have arrived at the boutique. Rarity sends the rest of the girls to greet them while she finishes Sunset’s hair and makeup. The girls walk out of the boutique to see Soarin and Flash waiting for them in front of a black Camaro and a red minivan.

“Hey, I thought we were being picked up by two of the hottest guys in school, not you two,” Rainbow Dash teases.

“Well I thought we were escorting five lovely ladies, but I only see four,” Flash shoots back. Rainbow’s jaw drops for a moment, then she chuckles, feeling burned and impressed. “Speaking of missing ladies, where’s Sunset and Rarity? Are they not coming?”

“Oh no, they are,” Twilight replies. “Rarity is finishing up helping Sunset get ready.”

“Is that your ride, Soarin?” Rainbow Dash points to the minivan with some disappointment.

“Yeah, it is,” Soarin answers, blushing with embarrassment. “I wasn’t able to get a limo booked for tonight, so we have to settle on...my mom’s minivan.”

“As long as it gets us where we’re going, I think it will work out,” Applejack says walking over to Soarin, giving him a reassuring smile. “By the way, you look very handsome tonight.”
Soarin flashes back a smile. “Thanks, Applejack. You look handsome too, I mean nice, I mean--,” he pauses and takes a deep breath. “You look very beautiful tonight.” Applejack blushes and shyly looks away, feeling very smitten. Soarin opens the car doors for the girls and leads them into the van.

Once they’ve all filed in, Rarity pokes her head out of the boutique door. “Psst, Flash,” she says, catching his attention. She motions for him to come inside and he follows her.

Inside the boutique, Rarity points for him to look at the top of the stairs. He sees Sunset standing there, looking down at him. Time stops for him, his chest flutters and his eyes widen. He always thought that Sunset was attractive but here, she is beautiful. Her braid crown and curled hair flowing down her shoulders look elegant. Her red strapless dress with a red, white, and tangerine spectrum on her skirt is gorgeous. He watches her descend from the steps, feeling unworthy of her.

She walks up to him with a gleaming face. “How do I look?” she asks, twirling around to show the whole outfit. She blushes a little at the theatrics.

Still stunned, Flash can’t find the words to describe her beauty. Rarity looks over at the love-struck boy and elbows him, bringing him back to reality. “Um...wow, just wow,” he says with an exhaling chuckle, Sunset smiles, and blushes. “You look amazing.”

“Thank you.” She says. She quickly looks him over. “You look very handsome yourself.”

“Well, you can thank Rarity for that.” He looks over at Rarity, who is admiring the duo. “You did an amazing job with these outfits, for me,” he looks back at Sunset, “and especially for her.” Sunset sheepishly looks away, tucking hair behind her right ear.

“Oh, pssh, I was only providing a slight boost to your appearance,” Rarity says dismissively. “It’s the wearer who makes an outfit shine.” She notices that they aren’t paying attention to her. They’re both too entranced with one another. “Alright, I’ll be waiting outside with the others, don’t take too long now.” She exits the boutique.

“I’m glad that you came tonight,” Sunset says. “I was a little worried I might have come on too strong on Monday. We haven’t had a good chance to talk since then.”

“Yeah, that was a lot to take in,” Flash responds. “Maybe you can clear some of that up for me?”

“Later, for now,” she takes both his hands. “Might I have the privilege of being your date for tonight?”

Flash smiles and bows his head forward slightly. “I would be honored to have you as my date.” He walks to her side and offers her his arm, which she accepts. Together, they walk out of the boutique and are off to the prom.

---

Soarin drives along the road in his mom’s minivan with most of the gang. The ride to prom is filled with excited chatter about tonight. He engages in the talk every now and then but keeps most of his attention on the road, not wanting to ruin his mom’s car. But his thoughts are somewhere else as well, so much that he doesn’t even notice a question being asked to him.

“Hm, did someone say something?” he answers absentmindedly while keeping his eyes on the road.

“I asked if you’re ready to tear up the dance floor with me tonight, knucklehead,” Rainbow Dash says, who is seated behind him. She turns her attention to Applejack, who is sitting in the passenger seat and points at Soarin. “Just you wait, Applejack, you’re going to be blown away by this guy's moves. Every post-game party we have, he always steals the show. Especially when Panic! At The Disco starts playing.” She gives a few firm pats on Soarin’s arm.

Soarin’s cheeks blush a little. “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m a good dancer,” he humbly admits, shifting his eyes to Applejack briefly. “I just move with the music, it’s not like I could be in one of the hip-hop dance groups. My dancing is more of fumbling around and trying not to trip.”

Rainbow Dash looks at him skeptically, she knows him to be a good dancer and he constantly brags about it to the team. Normally, she would find that kind of behavior annoying, despite that she also partakes in it, but at least Soarin backs his words up when most braggers can’t. It’s odd for him to suddenly act humble, or rather more self-deprecating, about his skill. It suddenly dawns on her who he’s talking to. He doesn’t want to seem like a pompous a-hole in front of the girl of his dreams.

Applejack giggles. “I’m sure your dancing won’t be any worse than mine,” she says trying to reassure him. “You won’t be the only one making yourself look like a fool tonight.” Soarin and Applejack share a laugh together.

She darts her eyes between the two of them then sits back in her seat. Rarity, who sits behind Applejack, leans over to Rainbow Dash and taps her on the shoulder. Rainbow looks and leans over to Rarity, moving her ear close to her mouth. “Are you going to be alright for tonight?” Rarity whispers. “If Flash and Sunset end up being an item, it’s likely Applejack and Soarin will as well.”

“Don’t worry Rare,” Rainbow Dash whispers back. “I’m going to be fine. In fact, I’ve got something planned for both of them tonight.” Rarity pops her head back and gives Rainbow a concerned look. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to try anything stupid. Just trust me, okay?”

“I’m not entirely sure I should.”

“Hey, we’re here!” Soarin declares to the van.

Before Rainbow Dash sits back up, she gently pats Rarity on the head and says, “I got this, just leave it to your Auntie Dash, okay?”

Rarity looks at her with much disdain. “I’m six months older than you,” she seethes.

As Soarin pulls up to the parking lot, he follows a trail laid out by a series of traffic cones that lead him to the entrance. They pull into a drop-off area that mimics an entrance for a five-star hotel. Several teachers dressed and acting as valets stand off to the side, one of them steps forward to accept them. Soarin squints at the valet, recognizing her. “Wait a minute, is that Coach Spitfire?” he asks aloud.

Rainbow Dash moves forward to see. “No. Way. It is Coach Spitfire!” she exclaims, laughing.

When they pull up, Spitfire walks over to the driver’s side of the van. “Welcome to the Grand Galloping Gala,” she greets Soarin in an elegant tone as he steps out of the car. “I will be your valet for this evening. If I may have your key?”

“I don’t believe it!” Rainbow Dash says as she opens her door and steps out. “Coach Spitfire is our valet, this night is already great!” Spitfire doesn’t say anything in response, but she does slightly grit her teeth while she smiles.

“Dang Coach, I did not expect to see you serving us tonight,” Soarin says. “Did you lose a bet or something?”

“Don’t push it Soarin, or I will have you running laps until you graduate,” Spitfire threatens through her teeth. Frightened, he quickly shuts his mouth and hands her his key to the van. She spins the keys into her hand and forces a smile at him. “Enjoy your evening.” Soarin walks away from her and rejoins his friends on the red carpet leading up to the entrance. They walk up the carpet and enter the venue.

Behind them, Flash and Sunset wait for their turn inside his Camaro. They both laugh at the scene that just played out before them. “Oh man, I thought Coach Spitfire was about ready to tear Soarin a new one,” Flash jokes.

“Soarin looked as though he was this close to ruining his tux.” Sunset holds up her index and thumb barely touching each other. After Spitfire drives away, Flash pulls his car forward and they are greeted by a different valet. Sunset’s eyes widen with glee when she sees who their valet is. “Oh my gosh! It’s Mr. Turner!” She doesn’t wait for the car to come to a complete stop before she jumps out to see him.

“Welcome to the Grand Galloping Gala!” Mr. Turner declares with extravagance and elegance. The dress and his accent combined make him seem like a 19th-Century British servant. “I shall be your valet for this evening.”

“Wow Mr. Turner,” Flash exclaims as he steps out of the car. “You clean up good. Are all the teachers valeting tonight?”

“Only some, the rest are serving other roles tonight,” Mr. Turner explains. “After all the hard work you students put in the last four years, it seems only fair that we serve you tonight. Now, might I have your keys, good sir?” Flash hands him the keys and interlocks his arm with Sunset’s as they walk up the red carpet.

“Wait a second, did he call this the ‘Grand Galloping Gala?’” Sunset asks after a sudden realization.

“Yeah, I think it’s supposed to be a pun,” Flash ponders. “You know, Wondercolts, galloping.”

“Wow...” Sunset exclaims as a wave of memories come back to her.

“What is it?”

“Nothing, just, nostalgia,” she says as she remembers the one time she attended the gala back in Equestria. She shakes her head, pushing away those thoughts. “Never mind that, let’s go in, shall we?”

The doors are opened for them by two other teachers and they enter into what can only be called a dream. The music that fills the room provides an ambiance of luxury and nobility. The circular tables that surround the dance floor are decorated as though they’re intended for that upper-class English family from that BBC show Rarity loves. Surrounding the tables is an ivy fence with marble-like columns, giving off the impression that they are in a nobleman’s garden. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, lighting up the venue.

Sunset and Flash are blown away by what they see. Sunset had only seen glimpses of what to expect during her dance lessons with Rainbow, but seeing the whole picture takes her breath away. The decor brings back those memories from earlier, her first time at Princess Celestia’s gala made her feel like she was something special, and tonight she feels the same way.

Not wanting to block the doorway, they wander off to find their table. They go over to where their friends are sitting, correctly assuming that’s where their table is. Fluttershy looks up from the table and gently waves them over. She leans over to Twilight, who’s sitting next to her, and whispers, “The turtle doves are here.” They both giggle.

When they arrive at the table, Sunset goes over to Pinkie Pie. “I can’t believe what your team did with the place, Pinkie,” Sunset exclaims. “This is amazing!”

“I second that, I bet Crystal Prep’s prom doesn’t hold a candle to ours,” Flash compliments.

“Thanks, have you noticed the best part yet?” Pinkie Pie excitedly asks. She eagerly points her finger towards the ceiling. Flash and Sunset look up and notice that the ceiling looks like a night sky with twinkling stars. They look back down at Pinkie and their jaws drop to the floor. Pinkie laughs at their shock. “That’s the exact reaction I was going for! I thought of doing something like this about a week ago; Twilight was kind enough to lend some technical assistance.”

“It wasn’t difficult to pull off,” Twilight says. “Nothing a few black bed sheets and white Christmas lights can handle.”

“Don’t ruin the illusion Twilight!” Pinkie Pie snaps, causing Twilight to hold up her hands in defense.

“Well, illusion ruined or not, that is an awesome sky,” Sunset says. “Well done Pinkie and Twilight. Hey, is that Orion?”

“Oh yes, the constellations are as accurate as we could manage,” Twilight says, “It’s a flat projection and obviously they don’t move with time but…”

“It’s great,” Flash interrupts before Twilight can get into a full lecture on astronomy.

Rarity claps her hands together, gathering their attention. “Now that you two are here, why don’t you take your seats? They’ll start serving dinner soon.” Rarity points her hand to a seat between Applejack and Fluttershy. “Sunset, you sit over there--”

Flash cuts her off. “Uh, Rarity, I was hoping Sunset could sit next to me? We did agree to be each other’s dates and I don’t want to be too far away from her.” He looks down at her with a dreamy look in his eyes. Sunset shyly looks away, grinning and blushing.

Rarity’s eyes widen a bit at the sight before her. She looks over at Twilight, who is trying to contain a panic from witnessing the first hiccup in her plan. All the girls at the table begin to exchange looks, mentally arguing with each other over what to do. Some think they should stick with the plan, others think they should roll with it.

Soarin, seeing the silent argument play out before him, rolls his eyes and makes a decision. Since Flash is supposed to sit next to him, he gets up from his chair. “Sunset, you can have my spot and I’ll sit in yours.” Flash looks at his friend with gratitude, who gives him a wink. He knew he was best friends with Soarin for a reason.

Flash pulls out the chair for Sunset and she takes her seat and he sits in his assigned spot. Soarin walks over to the other side of the table and takes his new spot. Applejack leans over to him to whisper, “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“I don’t see any problem with them sitting next to each other,” he whispers back.

“I mean going against Twilight’s plan.” Soarin briefly glances over at Twilight. Though she may be taking deep breaths to relax, he can see the storm brewing inside her. She glances a look at him, one that could kill him. He quickly turns back to Applejack. “You may want to sleep with one eye open tonight.” Applejack says.

“Yeah, that’s uh… that’s probably not a bad idea,” he says.

After all the students expected for tonight arrive, the music ceases as Principal Celestia takes to the stage to greet all the students. She walks up to the microphone, her face beaming.

“Welcome, students, to this year’s prom of ‘The Grand Galloping Gala!” The venue erupts with cheers. Celestia continues to speak after the students calm down. “These past four years, you have all worked so hard to get to where you are tonight. In a few weeks, you will all graduate and move on to the next chapters of your life. However, tonight is a night of celebration, dancing, delectable food, and memories that will last a lifetime!” Sunset and Flash smile at each other.

“Seeing everyone here tonight warms my heart. I remember the day when you all started your journey here at CHS, and watching you grow has been an absolute honor. Watching you learn, form new friendships, rekindle old ones, and encourage each other every day, it makes me proud to call you my students. In my years here at CHS, I have never seen a more honorable and distinguished class of students than you. Tonight, forget about the deadlines, the assignments, and the tests. Forget it all for now. This is your night, and you more than deserve it.”

“Now, without further delay, I, Principal Celestia, declare this prom to have officially begun!”

The music became more upbeat as servers poured into the venue with trays filled with food. The night began with a decadent dijon chicken dish with roasted potatoes, freshly steamed broccoli, fluffy sourdough bread, and, for dessert, cake pops. The first part of the evening was filled with conversation of various subjects: plans for and after graduation, summer vacation ideas, and, well…

“You can’t be serious,” Rarity exclaims. “Coffee is meant to have cream and sugar, it’s the only way to tolerate that bitter drink.”

A debate over how coffee is meant to be consumed.

“Coffee has always been drunk black,” Sunset retorts. She turns to Flash, who is leaning back in his chair pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration with the opposing arguments. “Flash, would you care to tell them about how Arab Muslims discovered coffee?”

Flash leans forward and states, slightly mechanically: “Qahwa, or coffee, was a bitter drink used by Yemenis and Ethiopian mystics, and they drank it...wait for it...black.”

“Yeah, and the Aztecs mixed chili peppers with their hot chocolate, and didn’t use sugar,” Soarin argues back. “Does that mean we should drink spicy hot chocolate now?”

“Hold up,” Twilight declares, raising her finger. “Begging the question, and Xocolatl is still very popular in Central America. Now there are a number of health benefits to drinking black coffee…”

This debate went on for thirty minutes.

After things settled down at the table, the group splintered off to do various activities. Soarin, Rarity, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie went to go dance, Rainbow Dash and Applejack went to the drink table to get some more faux-champagne, and Flash and Sunset stayed at the table enjoying each other’s company.

Flash leans back in his chair and lets out a big exhale. “Man, that got heated!” he remarks. “Soarin may be a chill dude, but, wow, that was a whole new level of anger I have never seen before.”

“At least these knives aren’t sharp enough to cut anyone,” Sunset says looking back at him, chuckling. “Pinkie Pie looked ready to cut Twilight after saying sugar in your coffee is bad for you.”

“Yeah you would think she would know better than to disparage the use of sugar in front of Pinkie Pie. That’s begging for a bad time,” Flash jokes, and they share a laugh. He sits up and turns his whole body towards her. “Well, back to the conversation we were having before... what do you really want to do after graduation?”

Sunset gives a joking response to dodge the question. “Like I said, I want to spend everyday with a pot of black coffee and running my stream while never getting out of my PJs.” But Flash doesn’t fall for it, he tilts his head and gives her a questioning look, knowing she has a real answer to give. Sunset lets out a defeated breath. “Fine, I don’t know what I want to do. I know college is off the table for now; after five years of magic school in Equestria and four years of high school in this world, I want a break from assignments and tests. Other than that, I don’t know what the future holds for me, aside from working.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Flash admits, shrugging. “Not knowing what’s going to happen next, sounds exciting.”

“Oh really?” Sunset shifts her body to face him, leaning a bit closer to him. “And what about you? I bet you already got your whole life planned out.”

Flash chuckles and shakes his head. “Not my whole life, but at least the next four years. All I know right now is I will begin studying contemporary music at college come August. After that...well, I don’t know. But there is something I do want to know.” He takes Sunset’s hand laying on the table and holds it in his. Sunset feels her heart flutter, she quickly looks down at her hand then back at Flash, her cheeks blushing. “Last week I thought nothing was going to happen between us and this past Monday you told me the opposite, so now I’m confused. Sunset, what do you want to happen between us?”

Sunset isn’t sure what to do at this moment. She knows she needs to stick to the plan, she’s supposed to confess her feelings during the couples dance but she can’t avoid this problem. She could do the double-tuck, signal one of her friends to help her out, bring up a conversation piece to redirect the conversation. It will only delay the inevitable, though, Flash will still find a way to pop the question again. However, Twilight did tell her that she needs to keep Flash engaged but she never said how. If telling him exactly how she feels is going to keep him hooked, then that’s what she’s going to do.

She takes a moment to collect her thoughts and her breath. “Flash, after what happened last friday, I did some, for lack of a better term, soul searching and I found that I do want to be with you. But, I’ll admit, I’m scared.”

Flash tilts his head and furrows his eyebrows. “Scared of what?”

“Scared of past mistakes being repeated, old and difficult memories resurfacing, and of myself.” She crosses her arms across her stomach in a self-hug. “After what happened the last time we dated, I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready to try again. That’s why I freaked out last Friday: I was scared of what could happen again.”

Flash leans forward, looking down at the ground and his hands grasping each other. “I know how you feel,” he admits. He looks up at Sunset, who is giving him a curious look. “Back when I first decided to help you out with statistics, I realized I was starting to develop feelings for you again. But I was hesitant to act upon them because of our last relationship. I knew you weren’t the same person anymore, but after going through something that awful, it didn’t feel right. I even convinced myself these were leftover emotions from years ago.”

“Yet you’re here now as my prom date, what changed?” Sunset loosens her arms from around her lower torso.

Flash sits up slightly and takes both of her hands into his. He looks her in the eyes and says: “I got to know you again. I saw your friendly nature, your fun side, and your drive for achievement. I got to see the Sunset you are now, and it rekindled something inside me.”

Sunset feels her heart soar as she listens to Flash. All this time Flash had similar hesitations. Knowing that makes her feel as if a giant weight has finally been taken off her shoulders. She leans closer to Flash and tells him, “Would you believe me if I said I had a similar revelation?”

He tilts his head and asks, “What do you mean?”

“The time we spent together made me realize why I was attracted to you in the first place. You’re kind, thoughtful, and supportive, you complete me. This might sound cheesy but, I can’t imagine my life without you.”

Flash feels his heart pounding with excitement, he swallows a lump form in his throat. He’s so taken by her words he doesn’t know what to say in response, but he doesn’t have to. Sunset sees the emotion in his face and knows he feels the same way.

On the other side of the venue, Applejack and Rainbow Dash stand by the drinks table, looking over at Sunset and Flash. “Sunset certainly has got Flash invested in her,” Applejack comments.

“Yeah, do you think she told him?” Rainbow ponders, taking a sip of her drink.

“I’d imagine so, those two love birds are staring at each other like there isn’t a care in the world,” Applejack responds. “Seems Soarin had the right idea letting them sit together.”

“Yeah, I guess he did,” Rainbow says. She stares down at her drink, swirling it around in her cup, pondering her next words. “Applejack, I want to talk to you about Soarin.”

Applejack looks at Rainbow Dash with a confused but also concerned look, knowing where this conversation could lead. “What about him?”

Rainbow rubs her finger around the rim of her cup. “Do you...what do you think of him?”

Applejack looks off to the dance floor where she can see Soarin dancing along to the music, and dancing rather well. Seems Rainbow Dash wasn’t kidding about his dance moves. She smiles watching him, admiring the goofball letting loose and enjoying the night. “He’s a sweet boy, considerate, easy on the eyes,” she looks over at Rainbow, noticing she hasn’t looked up from her drink. “And you look like him too.” Rainbow Dash looks up at Applejack, who’s giving her a warm smile. She rubs the back of her neck and gives off an embarrassed half-grin, expressively admitting to Applejack that she does.

Applejack steps toward Rainbow and places her hand on her shoulder. “Rainbow Dash, I know you like him a lot, and I don’t want a boy comin’ between our friendship. I won’t stand in the way of you two if that’s what you’re askin’.”

Rainbow pushes her hand off and chuckles. “That’s not what I’m trying to say. Applejack, you’ve always been a selfless person, always thinking of others before yourself, but you can’t be selfless here because I know you. I’ve seen the way you look at him and, for whatever reason, you like Soarin more than apples, which is astounding. You wanna know something else, Soarin likes you too.”

“Really?” Applejack asks as she sheepishly begins to stroke her braid. “I mean, I always suspected he did but I didn’t know for sure.”

“You bet he does. Hell he’s practically head over heels for you.” Rainbow Dash throws her arm around Applejack’s shoulders and points her towards Soarin. “Now, why don’t you do yourself a favor, and be selfish for once. Go over there and dance with him, don’t be afraid to get too close.” She shoves Applejack towards the dance.

She takes a few steps but stops and turns around to Rainbow Dash. “Are you sure, Rainbow? What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Rainbow says holding her hands up. “He’s not the only fish in the sea. Now go claim your man.”

A big smile grows on Applejack’s face, her face beaming with joy. She looks over at Soarin, then back at Rainbow Dash. She runs to Rainbow and gives her a big hug. “Thank you Rainbow Dash,” Applejack says with a happy heart. She pulls back and looks at her, “I could never have asked for a better friend than you.” They hug one more time before Applejack runs off to join Soarin on the dance floor.

Off to the side, Rarity walks up to Rainbow after witnessing that scene. “So that’s what you’ve been planning,” she says with a grin. “You let her and Soarin be together?”

Rainbow Dash nods. “Yeah, I don’t know what they see in each other but I do know they’ll be happy together.” She watches her two goofballs of friends dance along to the music, having the time of their lives.

“Was it hard to let him go?” Rarity asks, looking at Rainbow Dash with some concern. But Rainbow doesn’t appear to be heartbroken, rather satisfied.

“A little,” she admits. “But it’s better this way, for them and for me.” Rainbow Dash smiles.

“I’m proud of you, Rainbow Dash.” Rarity gently pats her on the back. “And don’t you fret, there are plenty of fish in the sea. You know, I believe Thunderlane is still single,” she teases.

Rainbow looks at Rarity with disgust. “EW! God no, I wouldn’t touch that perv with a ten foot pole!” Rainbow pushes Rarity for such a suggestion, who laughs off her friend's discomfort.

“Come on darling.” Rarity waves her hand for Rainbow to follow. “We need to find a good spot to stand, the couples dance should be starting soon.” They begin making their way through the crowd to get to the edge of the dance floor.

Back over at their table, Flash and Sunset’s attention is drawn to the stage when Principal Celestia comes back on. She taps the microphone and speaks into it. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of the night. Please clear the floor for our school’s lovely couples for the annual Prom Couples Dance!” Several people leave the dance floor, leaving behind many others staying for the dance.

Flash and Sunset look at each other. “I’m guessing you want to join the dance?” he assumes.

Sunset decides to have a little fun and looks away from him, appearing disinterested. “Oh I don’t know,” she sighs melodramatically. “I’m not sure if you could even keep up with me, and I’d rather not have my toes stepped on.” She shifts her eyes to look at him with her peripheral vision and grows a sly smile.

Flash squints his eyes at her. “Why you little tease!” he says, prompting her to look over her shoulder at him, innocently grinning. He takes her hand and they both get up and walk to the dance floor. “You’re right about one thing: I’m not exactly the best at this kind of dancing, so apologies in advance if I step on your toes.”

Sunset giggles. “Don’t worry, I got a few lessons so just follow my lead, okay?” Flash nods in response. They find a spot on the floor and turn to face each other. “Now, offer me your left hand.” He holds it out and she places her right in it. “We extend our arms out, elbows slightly bent. Next, I take my free hand and wrap it behind your back, and you take your free hand and wrap it around--oh!” A rush of excitement runs through her as his hand touches her bare back.

Thinking he did something wrong, Flash quickly retracts his hand. “Sorry about that,” he apologizes, his cheeks flushing red with embarrassment.

“Oh no, you’re fine it was just, um… cold hands,” she says, but knows that’s not the reason. He places his hand back on her back. She feels a second rush but less powerful this time. “We’ll want to be closer together, only a few inches apart.” She pulls him in closer, so close that the pleasant smell of cedar and pine fills her nose. Sweet Celestia! She clears her throat and continues to instruct, “Okay, now the entire time just keep your eyes on me. Don’t worry about stepping on toes, once you’re in the groove everything just falls into place.”

“Keep my eyes on you? That seems like a tall order, I’m not sure if I can,” he jokes. She rolls her eyes and struggles to hold back a smile.

Once the music begins, they go into their dance. At first they are a little stiff, partly Flash ensuring he doesn’t mess up, but after a few seconds they begin to flow. Throughout the dance, their eyes are locked onto each other, never breaking away. The world around seemingly fades away for them, the only thing that matters is who is in front of them. They look at each other with wonder, joy, and desire. They are here and they wouldn’t rather be anywhere else.

For Sunset, it’s hard to imagine that she would be with him again. Their breakup seemed like the end of her time with him. Never in a million years would she think that she would get a second chance. Yet, after a miraculous reformation, she was given one. She would’ve never believed that an awkward encounter in the hallway would become a romantic evening at the prom a month later, yet here she is. Through her struggles and her trials, she has won her friends, her school, and now the boy of her dreams. As they move through the rhythms, she takes every part of him in and savors it. The touch of his hand on her back, the smell of pine and cedar, the weight of his hand in hers, and the sight of his face. She wants to remember this night forever.

“I never thought I would get a moment like this again,” Sunset tells him. “I was scared what would happen if we were together again, if old mistakes would repeat themselves. But now, I’m no longer scared, whatever happens I want to be with you, no matter what.”

Flash smiles and draws her in a little closer. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.” He sends her into a spin and pulls her back to him, never letting go.

All that time after their break up, a part of Flash never wanted to let go of Sunset. Though he acted disinterested and tried to move on, that little voice never gave up. After fixing their friendship spending time with her made him realize he will never be complete without her. Dancing with her underneath the faux-starlight feels like a dream, one that he never wants to wake up from. She rests her head on his chest and the smell of lilac and vanilla from her hair makes his chest flutter but also makes him feel at peace. After last Friday, he was worried that he lost his chance with her, but those concerns have vanished for she is here now. They are now together.

As they dance, their friends watch from the sidelines. Not a word is spoken, they just watch the two of them with looks of pride and excitement. Applejack, who is standing next to Soarin, whispers into his ear, “They sure do look cute together.”

Soarin looks at Flash’s face. He notices the satisfaction and happiness his best friend is projecting, an expression he hasn’t seen from him in a long time. Soarin knew from the beginning that Flash had a soft spot for her, and now he seems like the happiest person in the universe. Soarin smiles and whispers back to Applejack, “They sure do.”

As the music slows to an end, Flash and Sunset slow their rhythm and look at each other with allure. They lean into each other, their eyes shuttering close. With nothing holding them back, their lips meet, and a wave of ecstasy comes over them both. Their friends look on with wide eyes and dropped jaws; Rarity and Pinkie Pie almost let out a scream but quickly muffled them. When they pull back, they lean foreheads against each other, and smile.

Comments

[Scholarly-Cimmerian]

The big night is here, and it seems to have gone very well for Flash and Sunset. Good for them.

And also, very noble of Rainbow Dash in her part as well.

[BlackBlackwatch]

Great chapter

[sunset-starlight]

“Coffee has always been drunk black,” Sunset retorts. She turns to Flash, who is leaning back in his chair pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration with the opposing arguments. “Flash, would you care to tell them about how Arab Muslims discovered coffee?”

Flash leans forward and states, slightly mechanically: “ Qahwa, or coffee, was a bitter drink used by Yemenis and Ethiopian mystics, and they drank it...wait for it...black.”

I feel honoured that somebody actually put that in. I'm ethiopian-muslim

[Pr1deM0rn1ngstar]

“Nothing, just, nostalgia,” she says as she remembers the one time she attended the gala back in Equestria. She shakes her head, pushing away those thoughts. “Never mind that, let’s go in, shall we?”

And also I should probably add let's just hope it doesn't turn into one big ass cluster f*** like the last few Galas have in Equestria