What Should Have Been

by Sunny_and_Auri_23

Just Another Day

The crystals gleamed in the rays of Celestia’s sun. I looked up, expecting to see something boring. Something everyday. I didn’t know that what I would see would be so…beautiful.

The Princess of Friendship.

Couldn’t she just use a train like normal ponies?

Of course she couldn’t. She was special. Only that wouldn’t make a difference; I was only another guard in the Crystal Empire.

“Focus!” Captain Armor started, pacing back and forth in front of us, as the other guards and I formed a line. I flinched. Of course the Princess’s brother would have a problem with me.

Princess Twilight's brother. My boss.

But who cared? I was just another lovesick pony awaiting love from a princess. My eyes looked up again, hoping to catch another sight of the Princess, but there was only the Crystal Castle.

Shining Armor returned and stopped in front of me. “Straighten up, Private Sentry.”

I didn’t know what to say. I straightened up, and avoided eye contact, “Yes, sir!”

“As you all have probably guessed, Princess Twilight is here, she arrived this morning on the Friendship Express,” he turned from me and looked at the other guards, “I expect all of you to stay strictly at your stations and make sure that the Princess Summit is undisturbed.”

Oh, so she did come by train, I’m an idiot, I guess, I thought. What I couldn’t put my hoof on was the fact that there was a Princess Summit, yet, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were not in the Crystal Empire. But, I decided to keep my mouth shut and not ask any questions to my boss, who I’m sure was silently hating me.

“Right. We need a few guards near the Princess herself. Okay, how about…? Yes, Private Sentry, and AA? Officer Aqua Aura yes, and Private Sunshine, is Officer TA here? Yes, Tinted Assistance, and right, okay then, Private Sapphire Moonlight.”

Great, I thought. Surrounded by a couple of idiotic girls. But why me? He obviously hates me, so why recruit me to guard the one pony I have feelings for- his sister?

“Private Sentry?” He snapped me back from my thoughts of confusion. Why do I think this is a setup? I thought again, not really easing my situation.

“Uh, yes sir?” I responded, dumbly.

“You are guarding Princess Twilight’s bed chambers”

I gulped audibly. I followed after the four girls, who looked like good friends.

Lucky.

I never had anypony I could call a friend.

But somewhere deep down, I hoped that Twilight would change that. Maybe. I just had to wait.

Mom always used to say: good things happened to those who wait. I could almost hear her say it again from the cloudless sky.

I miss you.

“Hey!” A blue pegasus with fiery hair waved - I think her name was Falling Sunshine, or something like that. I don’t know. I must be getting dumber by the second. “Hurry up!”

Officer TA and AA were more normal to see, though. They were, like, a year younger than me, but they were far more respected by Captain Armor.

“Sentry, get over here!” TA shouted at me. She was almost as intimidating as Shining Armor, with her jet black coat and her red and blueblood mane. If not, maybe even more intimidating.

But if there was anything I did, I probably slowed down. Officer AA sighed. “Sentry, please hurry up.” She put up a softer face, albeit with narrowed magenta eyes, but inside there was hardcore. I should know, that is literally my expression all the time to the other guards. At least she was trying to be nice, I thought.

We soon approached the crystal hallway that was embellished with banners and carpets of the Crystal Empire’s flag. What was her name? Sapphire Moonlight, yes, she bumped head first into Princess Twilight's door. Classic. At least I'm not the only one who’s gonna embarrass themselves in front of Twilight.

“So, according to Captain Armor,” Officer AA started, “Sunny, your station is the library, you know how the Princess loves books; Tinted, you’re stationed near the Crystal Heart, since you’re real good at fighting off ponies who might try and steal it; Sapphire, your station is the hallway next to this one, where Princess Cadence, Captain Armor and Princess Flurry Heart’s bed chambers are located; and I guess, my station is the throne room!”

I was slightly insulted by the fact that she didn’t tell me my station, although I was told beforehand. But she spoke again, “Oh, and Private Sentry, you are stationed here”, she spoke in a way that made my skin crawl. So much for being nice. The girls giggled before leaving for their respective stations.

Sigh. All I could do was do what I was told and stand in front of the door of the Princess of Friendship’s bed chambers, motionless and expressionless.

Before I knew it, the door swung open. “Uh...Flash Sentry? What are you doing here?”

I was caught by surprise by the familiar voice behind me and lost my stiff posture. Glaring behind me, my face softened when I met her amethyst eyes, full of concern and confusion.

“Uh..hello, Princess Twilight.” Sigh, why do I do this to myself? “I’m stationed here.” I calmly replied. Or, as calmly as I could.

“Right,” She gave me a look,“I hate the title ‘Princess’.” Why in Equestria is she telling me this? “You don’t need to call me that, okay?” I only nodded.

This was the first time I saw her up close since when we first met, but this time, I could explore the contours of her face in greater detail; from her starry eyes, to her hair, resembling the dusk sky and her lavender coat. I started blushing like an idiot, which caught her attention. I stared into her gleaming, purple eyes, just for a few more seconds, before looking away.

“Uh, are you okay?”

Yeah, I'm just an idiot, so you know . “Y-Yeah I’m great, Princess, I-I mean T-Twilight”, I stammered.

She just giggled and shook her head, “Don’t worry, we’ll work on that”

‘We’ll work on that’. Doesn’t that mean we’ll talk again?

“Sentry, we need back up. Come on!” Officer AA ran towards us. At the sight of Twilight, she bowed. “Good morning, Princess.”

Twilight wrinkled her nose in a way that made me smirk. “No, Auri, you don’t need to bow.” So humble, I thought, with a dorky expression on my face.

Officer AA rose and nodded. “It’s been a while. Bye Twilight.” Then she glanced towards me. “Sentry, come on, Crystal Heart with TA, let’s go.”

I was meant to guard the Crystal Heart. With Tinted Assistance. This had to be a million times worse than Tartarus. “Yes, Officer.” She nodded at Twilight and walked out.

I followed her. I guess that was my luck. “Bye, Flash!” I could hear Twilight call out to me. I turned around to be greeted by the warmest smile I’ve ever seen on a pony’s face. I smiled and waved to her until the mare was out of sight, walking backwards, stupidly, in the process.

As we approached the Crystal Heart at the heart of the Crystal Empire, TA scowled at me, and returned her gaze to Officer AA. “Aqua Aura! Why did you have to bring him, of all the ponies in Equestria?”

Nice of you to say that to my face, TA, I thought. Aura sighed, “Princess Cadence said that it would be best to keep him here to help you guard the Crystal Heart.”

“Yeah, I get that, but why him?” TA continued. Wow, she really hates me, doesn’t she. Whelp, at least that feeling’s mutual.

Aura sighed again, apparent exasperation in her voice, “Tinted, he has experience with fighting the changelings during the Canterlot Wedding and was one of the only ones who weren’t captured. He can easily take down the criminals.” Wait, what?

“Uh, wait, what criminals?”, I asked, unsure if what Officer AA was saying was actually true.

Officer AA sighed, yet again, “Over the past few weeks, Captain Armor had discovered several clues of a heist- we are not certain what these ponies are targeting, but it is likely the Crystal Heart.” Guess that’s just another day as a guard, put on duty to fight off angry ponies on a heist to steal this very special artifact, kept in a very accessible location. Huh, maybe I should talk to someone about that.

“Why doesn’t he-” TA pointed a hoof at me, “-just go to the throne room and you stay here with me.” She continued, with an annoyed look on her face.

“You think I’m gonna let him in the throne room?” Officer AA asked. Great sense of trust, guys. Lacking loyalty. But, definitely got the honesty on point, so.

“Good point.” TA replied, sighed, and looked over at me. “Come on then, FLASH.”

First name? Are you serious?

Officer AA left to go to the throne room, while I was left there, standing like an idiot.

TA stood casually, resting on a crystal pillar, looking around, alert for any criminals. “Flash, alert, please!” She said, her gaze returning to me and rolling her eyes.

Desperate to make my life better than literal Tartarus, I tried to spark up a conversation, “So, what do you think they’re talking about in the Princess Summit?”

TA looked at me, and rolled her eyes again. “I know what they’re talking about: NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.” Well, I get marks for effort, though, right?

I tried to spark up a different topic. “How did you girls become friends?”

She seemed less annoyed by my question, and answered. “Well, I dunno, honestly, we actually met in high school. I always was the ‘battle’ type, and Aqua Aura was always really generous and Sunny was dorky and we just became friends. Albeit, Sapphire’s a bit annoying sometimes, okay, well, a lot of the time, but we’re all good friends.” She shrugged.

I couldn’t help but smile, all I could ever see of TA was her passive aggressive side, for once she seemed genuine. My thoughts instantly drifted back to Twilight, she’s done a pretty great job of sharing her friendship.

If only I ever had friends.

If only.

It was just past noon. I followed the quartet briskly towards the Mess Hall; there were shining crystal pillars on either sides, beautiful amethyst curtains which reminded me of Twilight.

“Flash! Snap out of it!” TA snapped at me, pushing a door open.

There were a few tables here and there, and Princess Twilight Sparkle was sitting at one of them. Weird, I thought she’d be in the Banquet Hall, oh well.

“Oh my gosh! Can we sit there! Please please please please please please please please please please!” Falling Sunshine jumped up and down, excited as ever.

“Ay! Sunny, calm down!” Officer AA pleaded, tapping her on the shoulder whilst she continued jumping up and down, like the butterflies in my stomach. I don’t know why I decided to count the number of times she continued to say “please”. Huh, 23 times. Oddly specific.

“Auri, did you ever think that Sunny would calm down?” TA asked.

“No, not really. Wake up, Saphie! Are you alive?” Aura asked.

“Yeah, lost in thoughts. Read a book last night.” She replied. That makes two of us, besides the book part. TA and Aura rolled their eyes and followed Fall.

Fall dropped into one of the seats opposite her, and the other three sat into seats as well, which left me a seat next to Twilight. Good things come to those who wait, my ego told me. Sweet Celestia, I hate my life.

I carefully sat into the seat next to Twilight, avoiding eye contact, before looking up and realising that I was the only guy on the table.

“So, Auri, Tinted, how’s it going? You must be Fall and Saphie.” She looked at them.

“We’re fine, Princess.” TA replied.

“Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh”, Sunny said under her breath, Unsurprising, I thought, considering her enthusiasm earlier.

Twilight smiled, and shifted her gaze towards me. “Hi, Flash.”

“Hi.” I said, before reminding myself that I needed to eat, and followed the quartet to get my food.

I got two hayburgers and returned to the table, where Twilight had, obviously, already been served. She seemed to flinch at her food, which was some sort of weird - thing? On top of another weird thing? It’s called fine dining. Royals have it, my brain reminded me. She whispered something to the waiter, before he left with the weirdly fine dish. As we settled back into our seats, I asked Twilight, ”Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Nah, I’m fine, I just don’t like the excessively formal dishes.” she replied, but it was obvious that she was hungry.

“Do you want a hayburger?” I dumbly offered. Flash, what the hay are you doing? I reprimanded myself. Luckily the others were lost in their conversation- about some sort of vampire book series- to notice my embarrassing situation.

“U-Uh...sure! I mean um, thank you”, her lavender cheeks turned a slight pink tinge. Is she blushing? What? No! You’re just imagining things, I think you are. “Will you shut up?”, I mumbled to myself, then noticed the look of confusion on Twilight’s face.

“What?” She probably thought I was insane.

“W-What? No Nothing! Here’s a hayburger!” I said, while clumsily giving her a hayburger. Thinking to myself in second person is driving me nuts.

I was surprised that Twilight was a sort of messy eater, which was cute. But I was also unsurprised that Fall was a messy eater, though it didn’t look cute. TA and AA were talking the whole time; Saphie was lost in a book, and hadn’t even touched her hayburger; Fall was too busy eating, then there was me, smiling like an idiot. And then there was Twilight, blushing adorkably. I met her amethyst eyes again, then looked away to the other tables in the Mess Hall, buzzing with conversation. The Mess Hall. Wait.

“Twilight, if you don’t mind me asking, why exactly are you here?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. Her face fell. Flash, when will you stop messing up?

“I-I just decided to eat here, with some old friends and...stuff...” She wore a fake smile, lacking all the warmth from before. “I’ve known Auri and TA for a while.”

“Well, looks like they’ve known each other for a while.” I sparked up some more conversation. Can you shut up and be more normal?

“Yeah.” She replied.

Awkward silence. Come on, stop being an idiot.

“Twilight!” Shining Armor approached. “Why not the Banquet Hall?” He asked, taking a sideways glance at me.

She wrinkled her nose again, which made me want to laugh so much. “I hate fine dining.” She replied to her brother.

He looked amused. “This isn’t Ponyville, Twilight. I’ll see you round. I think Flurry will want to see you,” he winked, and walked up to the front. “Break’s over. Let’s get back to work!” He shouted.

Have a look at my luck, everypony. Well, at least there’s no way I can make Twilight think I’m even more insane.

TA and AA raised from their seats, waved at Twilight, and walked out, followed by Saphie and Sunny, who was still not over the fact that she met Princess Twilight.

“Um,” I said awkwardly, “Bye.” I walked briskly out, and I could feel her eyes on me, but I didn’t dare look back.

Author's Note:

Hello everypony!
This is our very first story ever, so expect it to not be the best story in the universe.
Some important background info:
I wrote this chapter (and the many chapters to come) with Aqua Aura (sound familiar?). Yes, we are characters in the story. We started writing this just for fun and made it up as we went, so please forgive us for any continuity errors. And yes, this is a Flashlight fanfic. We know that it's not the most beloved ship in MLP, but we don't mind it.

Anyway, thank you so much for reading and we hope you like it!
Feel free to give us feedback!

Comments

[Godslittleprincess]

Thank you so much! It's pretty difficult to find good FlashLight fics these days. I mean, I've been trying to get back into writing them, but I haven't put up anything in a while. I also know of one other person who regularly publishes them. Other than that, this ship doesn't nearly get enough love. I hope I get to read the rest of it.

[SuperSonicHeroes]

This seems really cute. Flashlight is my favorite ship so I will be sure to follow this.