Love
To Proper Postal, there was nothing between that flash of green light and finding himself standing in the street. The armor he was wearing - ashen gray steel - was unfamiliar and he had no idea why it was on him. As big a mystery was why he was surrounded by others wearing the same armor who were just as confused as he.
It took several hours to be given even the slightest bit of context, and most of a week before the full story took shape. The time was helpful, at least, in that it gave all the ponies involved the chance to process it.
Princess Amore was dead. They had been mind controlled by her usurper Sombra, and had been soldiers in his enslavement of the Empire. Sombra had been defeated by the Two Sisters (and then by the power of the Heart), but the Crystal Empire had been cast forward in time.
It had been a thousand years.
Proper Postal had cried without shame when the weight of that had hit him.
Then he had made a simple request to the new Princess Cadance. Almost a moon later, she called him for an audience.
Unlike Princess Amore, Cadance preferred one of the more intimate sitting rooms rather than the throne room. From what little Proper had learned of her, she was shockingly casual for royalty. But it was her prerogative and he wouldn't argue. Not when she was being so kind.
But as he sat down at the little tea table, the look on her face was not one of kindness - it was sorrow.
"Thank you for seeing me, your Majesty." He bowed his head.
She shook hers. "It's fine, Proper Postal. Should I call you Proper?"
"You may call me whatever you wish, your Majesty."
Cadance sighed heavily enough for her entire body to slump. "Please relax. I know it's difficult but I'm a pony, just like you."
Proper wanted to object as she was very obviously not like him - but disagreeing with royalty was also not something one did, so he stayed quiet.
Ironically that made Cadance pout more. But she pressed on, even if she visibly didn't want to. "I've investigated as best I could, but I'm afraid I have bad news for you. There's no record of what happened to Flash Magnus. He simply vanished from history one day. So while yes, it's been a thousand years and he certainly passed in that time, there isn't any record of his death."
Her sorrow made sense now. Proper bowed his head. "So there is no grave or tomb."
"No," the Princess lamented. "There isn't."
Proper's eyes pinched shut to hold the tears. "I cannot even pay my respects." Steadying himself, Proper tried to stand and stumbled only a little. "Thank you, your Majesty, for your efforts on my behalf."
"As Princess of Love, it was my duty." Cadance rose as well. "You deserve closure. I'm sorry I couldn't help you get it." She hugged him, though Proper remained stiffly stoic. "What will you do now?"
"Deliver mail," he said with a lackluster shrug. "There isn't much else."
Cadance pursed her lips. "Didn't you say that you planned to move to Equestria with him before everything happened?"
"With him," Proper noted darkly. He bowed. "Thank you."
And he left, allowing the Crystal Heart to dim slightly.
Returning from Limbo was surprisingly easy. It was as if Flash Magnus had never left. One moment they were facing down the Pony of Shadows; the next they were… also facing down the Pony of Shadows, but along side Princess Twilight and her cadre of friends.
But he had left. A millennia had come and gone. And there was so, so much to catch up on.
Truthfully, Flash had never anticipated returning. They had all gone in with the expectation of it being a final sacrifice, but Flash all the more had thought it was an end. When it turned out to not be, he was conflicted: he had prepared for oblivion, and a small part of him had welcomed it. But it also felt wrong to not feel joy at living another day. The relief of seeing the Sun when you expected not to was as instinctive as breathing.
There was little time to think about it in the heat of battle. Seeking and fighting the Pony of Shadows was duty, and could not be ignored. But now that it was over? There was discovering a new land and coming to grips with what their lives had become. Equestria was foreign yet familiar.
Princess Luna had become key: in the two weeks since their return, she was tutor and guide to the Pillars. While Princess Twilight and her friends meant well, it was Luna - similarly displaced in time - who was able to understand. They didn't need history lessons. They needed to be told about trains and indoor plumbing and lightbulbs. Starswirl could study until his eyes bled; Flash cared more about how to live his daily life.
But there were still some formalities to be addressed. The Pillars of Equestria (with Stygian now included) were heroes and that meant politics. A thousand years had passed, true, but some things would never change.
So all seven of them stood at attention when Princess Luna had called upon them to gather in the palace's foyer to meet a foreign diplomatic mission. (She had said it with a roll of her eyes and a smirk, suggesting this was formality rather than true diplomacy.)
The old mustachioed major domo Kibitz cleared his throat. "ANNOUNCING THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES PRINCESS MI AMORE CADENZA AND PRINCE SHINING ARMOR OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE."
Flash Magnus stopped breathing. His world shrank to the point of a pin as two ponies entered: a snow-white unicorn and a pink alicorn.
Formal bows were exchanged between the royals, followed by familial hugs. "Welcome, niece." Luna's smile was far brighter than it ever had been in the old days. "I would introduce you to the heroes of ancient times - the Pillars of Equestria." Each was named and bowed in turn. "Starswirl the Bearded. Stygian. Mage Meadowbrook. Rockhoof. Mistmane. Somnambula. Flash Magnus."
He was named and did not bow.
Cadance didn't notice. Upon hearing his name, she froze up as well.
"...Niece?"
"No." Cadance's eyes jumped to her aunt. "He can't be."
Luna mentally stumbled but pushed on. "They are the ones spoken of in legend. 'Tis unbelievable but true. Trapped outside time for a thousand years–"
She got no further before Cadance's head whipped around to her husband. "Shiny, I need you to take over for me."
"But–"
"Please."
"...Uh, okay?"
She kissed him on the cheek before grabbing Flash by the shoulders. "We have to go to the Crystal Empire right now."
Hope blossomed. He didn't hesitate.
Right now was unfortunately longer than Flash Magnus would have liked. The train carried them in hours where it would have taken days on hoof, but it was still too slow.
Cadance told him the story of what had happened as the royal carriage rattled and swayed: of the Crystal Empire being locked out of reality and a thousand more details of Sombra's rule. Things that Princess Celestia could not have known in the heat of the now-ancient moment that now stood as cold facts.
His heart sang. Flash had lived for two years without his love before vanishing; Proper Postal had lived three after returning. But the thousand years in the middle was missing for them both, and that closed the gap.
Pegasus and alicorn took to the sky as soon as the train stopped - stalking like hawks for their prey. They spotted him crossing the Plaza of the Glorious, trotting his daily route and digging into his satchel for the next delivery.
Flash moved without thinking - his wings simply banked of their own accord, diving towards the road.
Proper Postal didn't turn. The sound of hooves on crystal wasn't unusual, and the beat of pegasus wings had become much more common in the three years since the Empire's return.
What was not common was the voice of a Princess. "Proper Postal!"
He turned.
He saw.
There were no words at first. Just a stare. The haunted, disbelieving stare of seeing what could not be.
Then there was the soft touch of a primary feather on cheek-fur and the ghost was real.
The lovers collapsed into each other's embrace. Crying, laughing, babbling half-words because where do you even begin?
They kissed in a way each thought they never would again.
Finally, after that, Proper managed a word. "How?"
"A sacrifice," Flash giddily related. "I was trapped in Limbo to seal away a monster. Outside of time for a thousand years."
Proper laughed, sobbing at the same time. "I thought you were dead."
"And I you. Princess Celestia said the Empire was gone and all within it lost."
Beside them, a different Princess cleared her throat. They looked to her, not breaking their embrace. She drew herself up, tall and regal over the pair. "As the Princess of the Crystal Empire, I, Mi Amore Cadenza, hereby order you, Proper Postal, to relinquish your mail bag to me."
Proper scrambled to stand and did as commanded, confused.
Cadance looped the bag across her barrel. "I will complete your route. Go home with my blessing."
Both stallions bowed their head. "Thank you, my Princess," Proper solemnly intoned.
"I said once you deserved closure, Proper Postal. I was wrong." Her smile shone as the Sun. "It was simply a pause before the beginning of your next chapter." Cadance bowed her head to them. "Go, and help the Crystal Heart shine brighter."
Flash Magnus looked to Proper Postal. "So it shall be," he said.
And it did.
Land in Canterlot is at a premium and difficult to come by. Even with the favor of multiple Princesses, carving out space is a challenge. But they have some sway and the names of heroes inspire generosity. The Duke of Cloudsdale volunteered a small plot on one of the outer terraces - and that was enough.
The house was small, but they needed little more. Walls of crystal sparkled under the Sun and reflected the uncountable stars under the Moon. Boxes of crocuses blossomed under each window. And the path that cut across emerald-green grass to the front door was lined on both sides by olive trees.
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Absolutely beautiful.
This is so good. One of the best romance stories here on this site. The evolution of Flashʼs and Properʼs relationship in the first chapter, their heartbreak an utter sorrow in the second, and sweet, satisfying reunions in the third.
Phenomenonal stuff as always, TCC56. All the best for the contest!
Feels safe to say this will be the entry to beat for this contest. Damn good work.
What a wonderful story! Excellent work ❤️
Great Golly did this make me tear up and smile. Loved it.
Nice whimsical stylistic writing used, I loved Proper Portal's design in his mail pony uniform. Great story dude keep it up.
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It's weird being the first one out of the gate for a contest. But also kinda fun? Being able to go 'come at me' feels neat, and I'm looking forward to see who gets over the bar I set.
there's something just so... satisfying about a romance story being short and sweet, and i definitely shed a few tears
it's a ship that doesn't have any weight in canon but yet, i yearn for more. i really really really like your writing style, and i hope you continue to write more beautiful stories!
Ah there's always something so nice about lovers finding each other again despite seemingly impossible odds
I love the rest of your stories and this is no different, good luck in the contest!
excellent words thank you for them
M4M is not really my thing, but I do love the plot hook of time displacement.
this is incredibly well done, my gosh. the concept!! the tragedy!!! their undying hope and the way love bent the rules a bit for them to be together in the end!!!! this was such a sweet read and has touched my heart so deeply; i rlly hope to see this place high in the contest, if not win it entirely ^^ amazing work!
Excellent
Short and sweet. Thoroughly enjoyed it
Cadance kinda stole the show at the end there for me.
First of all, props for using Proper Postal. He's a background character I've had my eye on. And I quite liked Flash Magnus' dialogue. It had a distinct flavor to it without ever being obscure.
Also it occurs to me that an olive tree lives a long time and could last that whole thousand years just as well as their love
A lot of ponies are gunna freak out when they open their doors for a letter only to see Cadance.
This was a beautiful little story, very nicely done
Very sweet, very good. It had been a long while since last a fic made me cry
This was one of the beautiful fics I've ever read and it was only 5k words
I would love to see some sort of follow up to their romance, but this story is perfect either way.
P.S Whoever keeps disliking the comments should swallow a cactus.
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I honestly find it pretty funny. It's such a sad statement about somebody (and probably their alt) that I can't help but laugh at them.
Excellent job on the story. :)
This was amazing. Took me by surprise, loved it all, from the way they spoke to their simple dreams. Lovely story, great work.
There is something really special about this line, able to make some abstract, impossible concept so simple and understandable in just four words. The ghost was real. It's really good.
You paired a fantastic concept with a beautiful execution, amazing work.
There's a lovely mythic quality to the first section that makes Flash and Proper's lives at that time genuinely feel like it's taking place in a foregone era. I think a lot of this comes from how their love of one another extends into the associated love for one another's cultures. It sets such a beautiful tone after Flash's description of the many forms of love; we get to see them move through eros to xenia as they prepare to build a life and home together. I love thematic details like this and you gave me enough to feast on to rival Proper and his grove of olive trees! I'll be thinking about this story for a while.
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This is one of the parts that made it fun to write. Getting that vibe down took some work, but it really made it sing to me.
I'm glad you enjoyed!
ah these Millennial princesses, am i right?
oof that is quite the paradox. surely everything like this is yet another reminder of the weight of those thousand years
i just adore these lines they are perfect
love this rhyme of Proper’s return proper
was this to explain the canon Flash not being a hollow shell of a stallion in the episode he’s revived in? a great way to explain it if so, but it is funny the little ways the canon gets in the way of our tragic gay romances
so true, Luna is the perfect bridge for the Pillars in this way
yay Kibitz is in this one!
could there even be a more exciting moment for the Princess of Shipping?
oof that touch of awkward realism
hell yeah
aww love this little touch
and augh, a perfect way to end it! brings a tear to my eye.
truly, magnificently written. the first chapters truly feel like they were taken from the early days of the Diarchy, and the characters from then carry that through to its beautiful end. i couldn’t ask for a better way to open up the contest. thank you so much for writing!
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It was. I had to reconcile the canon with the story - I couldn't abide not.
An adorable little romance. Lovely <3