Seven Months
Funny how the snow had only partially melted away from the Crystal Empire. Enough had been cleared for transport and agriculture to grow, but beyond that… the Crystal Mountain Range was a wilderness covered in snow, ice and unforgiving harsh winds.
It was almost unimaginable that there were things out there that could sustain themselves in the wilderness. Ice dragons, wildling ponies, usually thought of as descendants of outcasts from Equestria or those that once preferred Sombra’s rule once for the Crystal Empire, and who knew what else.
Twilight looked out the window from the castle. It’s been how long since he left on his two-week mission?
Steps were heard and Twilight turned her head to see her sister-in-law. “I know what you’re gonna say, I still believe he’s out there alive.”
“I wasn’t gonna say that.” Cadance sounded sympathetic, understanding of why Twilight did what she did. “But believing isn’t always enough. It may work at some points, but there comes a time when belief in an ideal won’t help, no matter how much you want it to.”
“That’s Princess Celestia talking,” Twilight retorted.
“I know. It’s the same thing she said to me when I was anxious like you.” Twilight’s expression must have told Cadance everything. “I was in a relationship with Shining before the wedding, you know. But I do know that you aren’t with Flash Sentry.”
Twilight faltered under her sister-in-law’s smug gaze. “No… no, I’m not.” She turned her attention back out to the wilderness. “That doesn’t mean I want him to be safe.”
“Twily, I have seen that same look on a lot of young mares in love with their stallions. Especially those who date guards and soldiers.” Cadance nuzzled her and Twilight returned it gladly. “There’s just one thing I’d like to know.”
“Why,” Twilight answered and Cadance’s eyes told her everything. Twilight sighed softly. “I don’t know. Ever since I went to that world after Sunset Shimmer and ran into… someone, I’ve been confused.”
“Pinkie said something about you meeting some boy and Flash Sentry reminds you of him?”
“Yes, that’s the confusing thing.” Twilight began pacing back and forth. “Flash back there was a nice guy. Loved to play music, stood up for me when I was in trouble, helped me fix things in time and liked me even when my real nature was revealed. I can’t see him for at least thirty moons after the portal closed, but then, like something ordained by… I don’t know, I ran into Flash here. I can’t tell if it’s just a phase I’m going through, or something like what you have with Shining. I know I can’t convert things back from there to here, but…” She stopped there.
“You don’t want to let go of him, because you believe there is a chance for something bigger,” Cadance said.
This time, Twilight sniffled. “Yes.”
Cadance sighed and hugged Twilight. “I can get behind that,” she said. “But seven months is a long time to be MIA.”
“Nopony gets left behind,” Twilight retorted with Shining’s favorite saying in the Royal Guard.
“True,” Cadance replied. “But even if Flash doesn’t know the land, it shouldn’t be hard to see the light that stems from the castle. Nearly anypony within a hundred miles can see it.”
“I’m not giving up on him.”
“Neither am I, Twilight,” Cadance said. “But this is pushing it. Seven months is way too long for somepony to be out there, and even so, there is little chance that they are still alive. I don’t want to cancel the search on account that it’s high priority, but I’ve been getting complaints that we’re on a wild goose chase.”
“They’re saying we should just abandon him?” Twilight asked. “What happened to nopony gets left behind?”
Cadance didn’t answer immediately. Twilight could read on her face that Cadance wasn’t happy about it, but pressure from outside was starting to show on her. Cadance handled stress very well, but Twilight didn’t know just how long she has been getting said complaints. Who were sending them, anyway?
Twilight groaned loudly. “For the first time in my life, being a princess stinks.”
“It has its ups and downs, like everything,” Cadance told her. “I’m doing what I can, but you need to rein in your own impulses over this. You can’t always be up here in the Empire waiting for him. Celestia must be worried herself.”
Twilight relented. She’s been dogging her own responsibilities for too long with her concern for Flash. “I’m going to bed. And then I’ll head back home tomorrow.”
If there was anypony who noticed that glum look on her face as she left the room and headed for the royal bedroom, nopony showed it.
“How was your day, Shiny?” Cadance asked.
“Another patrol came in today,” Shining replied. “They didn’t find anything.”
He hated having to hear that. Everyday since Flash Sentry went missing, he had to listen to soldiers saying they hadn’t found anything. Flash was a good soldier and Shining had been glad to get some pegasi into the Crystal Guard for once. Flash was in the first group to come and he was best overall, with his performance record. It was - would be a big loss if he was gone.
“They’ll find something someday,” Cadance said sadly. “I don’t think I want to hear the details.”
“I’ll spare you,” Shining told her and nuzzled her gently. “I’m just gonna go check on Twily, okay?”
“Okay.”
Shining left the room and walked to the bedroom where Twilight was spending the night. It had been great to have her over and to see her give attempts at being a princess and ruler. Cadance had on occasion, to take Twilight’s mind off-
He stopped himself there. He figured Twilight liked Flash, and ponies talk. Some guards who were buddies with Flash had teased him that Princess Twilight liked Flash. Flash rebuffed them, but Shining saw through it in an instant when he saw it.
Shining had done the same when he had been courting Cadance. And the signs he saw on Flash told him one thing.
Flash Sentry liked his little sister Twily.
Now, most big brothers have a stereotypical reaction to stallions coming a little bit too close to their little sisters. They get overprotective, inspect the guy with calculating eyes using their own - albeit ridiculous - criterias and judging the coltfriend through that. If the guy failed on any of those criterias, they were unsuitable for the little sister and thus thrown a good distance away or down a deep chasm, with their wings tied up if they were pegasi.
Most big brothers don’t have a good reputation like Shining Armor.
Shining may have had a free card at Twilight for past events, but he wasn’t that petty. Things had turned out okay in the end. Shining have seen Flash before and his rank as Captain would in some ponies’ eyes, reflect his criteria on how to judge the pegasus.
Shining steeled himself and said ‘Buck the ranks and the Guard, this colt needs to be seen through a fellow pony’s eyes,’ when he made his criteria.
Shining went on to talk some of Flash’s buddies about him and they went on how he was a nice pony, good with foals, polite whenever possible, gave to charity when he had a surplus of money. Bit of a dork but it didn’t show much. He was fond of reading (Twily would like that), old-fashioned Coltic music and always had a healthy diet to maintain himself. Health food and such.
Shining even went to talk to Flash when they were off duty, getting to know the pony as a pony. Shining wasn’t the best of actors, but Flash was too nervous on speaking to his superior in such a casual manner he had failed to pick up hints of Shining’s real goal. Cadance saw it straight away and had a good laugh.
She even got in on it, too. Cadance arranged for a young mare who didn’t have much faith in dating to go out with Flash. How she got him to agree to the whole thing was still beyond Shining, but he was told that Flash was a great stallion to go on a date with. Word was the mare was now engaged to somepony else down in Vanhoover.
What had convinced him the most, however, was when they had a talk in Shining’s office. The same day that Flash Sentry set out on his mission.
“So that will be your duty,” Shining told the stalwart pegasus. “Simple recon, suspicious activity sighted, no engagement.”
“Yes sir,” Flash responded. He stood still. Shining didn’t give his troops leave without the word “Dismissed”. But after a few moments of silence, Flash fell for the gambit Shining had left. “Um, sir? Is there something else?”
Shining nodded and sat down on his chair. “There is. You’ve no doubt heard those rumors.”
It took a moment for Flash to comprehend, but Shining figured he knew which rumors. “Yes sir. I’ve been teased rather often about it by the others.”
It seemed to be a regular start. “Well, I just want to talk to you about them, and also, about her,” Shining said without showing any expression. Flash gulped so loud, you could have heard it in the hallway outside. “So… what do you think?”
“Are you talking about the rumors, or your sister, sir?”
“Both.”
“Ah.” Flash took a look around and breathed in and out slowly. Good reaction, Shining thought. He was going to choose his words carefully to not make Shining angry, or so he thought. “Well… I must say that I am getting tired of the rumors. They’re somewhat annoying once you stop to think about it. I can barely walk down a hallway on patrol without hearing some snickering about “there goes the Princess’ favorite.” I’d prefer they stop.”
Shining blinked. That wasn’t what he had been expecting. “And… my sister? You’ve heard about her, you’ve even met her. What are your thoughts on her?”
Flash took another deep breath. “Princess Twilight Sparkle is… interesting, if I had to pick one word. A lot of stallions out there admire her, for sure. I can’t really say I’m not among them.”
“But you have a distinct leverage over the others. You know her. You’ve talked with her-”
“Been her target for being bumped into,” Flash added.
“And how many of those stallions can claim that?” Shining pointed out. “So, take aside the Princess status, take aside the fact that you are just one among many who… admire my little sister, Twily. What would you think of her, then?”
Shining had to wait a moment. Flash eventually asked, “You’re not gonna say ‘dismissed’ until I give my honest answer, sir?”
Shining felt dirty using tactics like this, but he was just too curious to find out. “Please answer,” he replied tactfully.
Flash took a final deep breath. “I would say… that any stallion who manages to date her can consider themselves lucky. Your sister, sir, is not only a great hero to Equestria and the Empire, she is also one of the most caring and passionate ponies I’ve seen. She’s more about being there for ponies and working for the good of everypony rather than being like those pompous nobles in Canterlot. Er, no offense.”
“None taken,” Shining said.
“Twilight Sparkle is one of those ponies that everypony should know, not as some prize or an achievement saying ‘I have good relations with Twilight Sparkle,’ but as one whom you can count on as a friend and a good unicorn. And I don’t know if I actually do have a shot with her like you did with Princess Cadance, sir… but I’m glad that at least I got to talk with her.”
Shining slumped down in his chair and exhaled. “Dismissed.” Flash took his leave without any haste and Shining took out a checklist. “Humble… check. Huh, Twily was right, these things do have a good purpose.”
Shining found himself face first into the door to Twilight’s bedroom. Didn’t hurt much, but he was worried he had woken her up. He opened it carefully.
Twilight was asleep, but she tumbled and rolled over in her sleep with a grimaced face. Her wings weren’t helping, either, as they flapped about whenever Twilight was lying on her belly and disrupted the duvet too often for a pony to sleep comfortably. Yet Twilight wasn’t even paying attention to that.
Shining walked slowly to her side and waited for her to get out of that nightmare she was having. He has seen the face before and it was when she always had a nightmare. By the looks of it, this was a nasty one. So far, she didn’t say anything, but not everypony who has nightmares talk in their sleep.
When Twilight was on her back, tossing her head about, Shining found a chance to calm her down. It always calmed her down when he nuzzled her gently right above the horn. At being nuzzled, she almost immediately went into a normal sleep, breathing more slowly and deeply. Shining beamed to see his little sister at ease.
Though when he turned to leave, he couldn’t help but overhear a bit of Twilight’s mumbling. “It’s okay… I’m here, Flash…” The mention of Flash made Shining go stiff. “I’m here…”
Shining Armor left the room quietly, contemplating the fact now that Twilight seemed to like him. Flash seemed a good match for her from what he had seen of him and now she was even dreaming about him. Twily’s growing up, he thought and headed to bed.
The next day the two siblings were at the train station.
“I’ll see you in Ponyville sometime, Twily,” Shining said. “Feels like I need to get away from the snow from time to time.”
“I’ll be glad to show you around,” Twilight replied with a fake smile. He knew it was fake: Nopony who’s sad can make a real smile. Good attempt, though. “I’m sure you and Big McIntosh would get along just fine.”
“That Applejack’s brother? He sounds nice,” Shining said and chastised himself for saying that. Why did I say that? Too soon after Flash!
“Yeah. He is. Great listener.”
“All aboard!”
“Ooh, gotta go! I want reports, Shiny!” Twilight ran to her private car and looked out the window when she got there. The two of them waved at each other as the train took off south. “Love you!” Twilight shouted through the glass.
“Love you!” He shouted back. He didn’t move until the train had left the station and then headed back to the castle. A guard came rushing up to him as he approached the town center. “Something to report?”
The guard took a moment to catch his breath. “Yes… sir… A patrol out there just hailed us. They found something.”
It took about two days for the train to arrive in Ponyville, but Twilight did well with the spare time. Apparently, Celestia had predicted her staying that long and had arranged for a small amount of royal documents, petitions and statistics to help with the petitions being made.
The amount covered half the car and there were a few ponies who walked in to either petition Twilight for something, or help her with the written ones and sort it out for the mail. Twilight spent much of her time sorting it out.
Any reports, if any, would be down in Ponyville waiting for her so she had to wait.
“Princess?” The train conductor approached her on the second day. “We’re about to reach Ponyville soon.”
“Thank you,” she said to him and levitated up all the mail that had been sorted and those she hadn’t finished yet. She was greeted by Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie as soon as she stepped off.
“Twilight,” Rarity said first, trotting up to the princess. “You seem exhausted. And you have been working, I see.”
“Yes, I have.” Twilight dropped the finished mailbag on the ground. “That’s all the finished stuff. I’m gonna take some time with the rest of it. Princess Celestia certainly knows how to make sure one gets back on schedule.”
“Yeah, about that,” Rainbow Dash said and landed next to her. “What were you doing up there, anyway? Three weeks in the Crystal Empire is a bit long even for you.”
Twilight groaned. This next part was gonna stink. “I went up there officially because I still have much to learn about being a princess. While Celestia is a good mentor, she thought that I could also learn from Cadance, as she was new to ruling a kingdom and thus I had a glimpse of what it means to start ruling a kingdom.”
“Uh huh. And the real reason?” Rainbow pressured.
“That’s about it, really.” Judging by the stares she got, Twilight figured they weren’t buying it. She was a really bad liar. She groaned. “Fine. A guard went missing a few months back and I’ve been doing my best to try and find him.”
Rarity’s eyes lit up. “Would this guard happen to be…” Pinkie cut her off.
“That-nice-orange-stallion-with-blue-hair-and-blue-and-really-nice-flanks-that-you-seem-to-have-a-crush-on-because-of-what-happened-with-Sunset-Shimmer-who-stole-your-crown-and-you-ran-into-him-when-you-went-after-it-and-then-ran-into-him-again-when-you-came-back?”
One could practically hear the big squee from the smile Pinkie gave. Twilight tried to replay what she said. “...Did you actually say he had really nice flanks?”
Pinkie blinked and picked up some piece of paper. “I did?” She put it away after reading. “Huh, guess I did.”
Rarity looked smug all of a sudden. “Aww, somepony’s worried about their crush~.”
Twilight wasn’t going to have any of that. “One day, girls. One day, you’re gonna find a guy who’ll rock your worlds and I’ll have all the right in Equestria to be smug and tease you about it.”
“Oh, I’ll hand you the camera when that happens to Rainbow Dash, darling,” Rarity replied.
“Hey!” Rainbow Dash protested.
“But I’m just so thrilled that you have managed to find somepony for you, at least.”
“It’s not confirmed,” Twilight told her. “I’m not head over hooves for Flash Sentry. And it’s not for certain that it’ll happen.” That was when she saw Spike running up to her holding a scroll in hand. “Spike?”
“Hey… Twilight,” Spike said while catching his breath. “This came... about two days ago.” Twilight recognized Cadance’s seal straight away. “I’m just gonna…”
“You do that, you earned it.” With that, Spike plopped down and took a rest. Twilight read through the letter and her eyes lit up quicker than that odd running bird south of Appleloosa on the road going ‘meep, meep!’
Twilight could feel her other friends behind her having a look as well. “Yes. He’s been found. On the very day my train left the station.”
“Aww, you two didn’t get to see each other,” Pinkie said. “This need to be rectified.”
“I just got home, Pinkie. I’m not gonna go north just for his sake and push up my other work down here even further.”
Rainbow took off into the air. “I’ll go. I got off work recently so I got time to head upward.” All four of them looked up at Rainbow Dash in disbelief. “Hey, it’s me, remember? I’ll make it.”
“Has anypony told you that you are one, lucky, hybrid?”
Flash sighed for the third time since he was brought in. “Yes, they have, Flare. Specifically you.”
“And don’t you forget it,” His fellow guard, Flare Warden said. One of his closest friends and patrol partner by choice, Flare was sadly unavailable when Flash was given the assignment. “It’s hard enough that I didn’t get to go out there and look for you. The Commander had to put me on watching his wife during all that time.”
“And something tells me that you didn’t enjoy it?” Flash inquired.
“Are you kidding me? I loved it!” Flare talked with a smile. “Princess Cadance is more than just a princess that everypony says is nice. She was absolutely wonderful during that time. I swear, whenever you were brought up as a subject for counsel, she fought the complainers every single step of the way! She even asked for my opinion in private. It’s no wonder she’s our leader. And-” Flare stopped, seeing Flash’s expression at the moment. “She’s right behind me?”
“Yes indeed.” Cadance’s tone was gentle as always as they remembered. Though Flash could see the big grin on her face whereas Flare couldn’t. “Flare, if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk to Flash in private, if that’s okay.”
Flare looked reluctant to leave her friend, Flash could see that right on her face, but she remembered who she was talking and left without a word. As soon as she left, Cadance abandoned her stature for a moment and glomped Flash for all it was worth. Oh no, Flash thought, please let me be just a target for one princess!
Cadance let go of him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”
Flash had to intervene there. “No, I didn’t mind that at all, Princess.”
Cadance sighed. “What happened out there? You were supposed to have a two-week reconnaissance out there and you went missing for seven months. Something happened to you out there.”
Make that the fourth sigh. Flash kept count because the doctors wouldn’t even let him have a ball to play with or a book. A good read would be good about now. “It was… just two days before the assignment was over. I was about a day’s flight away from the Empire so I was gonna take off and head back the next day. I got careless with handling my equipment and looking out for myself. An avalanche happened.”
“Ow,” Cadance said. She remembered the last one that had happened to a patrol. Flash Sentry must have been caught in the upper layers of it.
“I got lucky, anyway. I was stuck there for hours, until a group of…” Flash paused there, mewling over what to say next.
“Go on,” Cadance urged.
“Wildling ponies and caribou,” he continued. “Found me nearly about to be a polar bear’s meal and pulled me out of the snow. I was too hurt to fly and I was having frost nips all over. They brought me back to a camp where I could get warm and get rested. Then I had to go with them to their territory.”
“You went to Wildling land?” Rumors had to start somewhere. Rumors were about that the wildlings had their own country free of Equestria “oppression,” a city built from precious wood and what timber could be raided from down south. It was a harsh life, where ponies were forced to fight to survive. They were still together and they lived with one another as close friends, but they still fought. “I can scarcely imagine they were glad to see you.”
Flash nodded in agreement. “Though at first they thought me as a fellow outcast, stole the armor and flew off just to be safe for a little longer from danger. They got me to their chieftain and welcomed me. When I told them the truth… they weren’t as warming as they first were, but the caribou took my side at least. They would look after me until I got better.”
“Why do I feel like that was easier said than done?” Cadance inquired. “I’m glad you’re alive still, but I have to wonder… what made you come back?”
“My work,” Flash told her. “I couldn’t stay as a continued guest among Caribou, nevermind a hostile in a wildling city. So as soon as I was able and I had enough supplies, I went with a group of the caribou to find the route back to the Crystal Empire.”
“All in the span of seven months,” Cadance said. “I’m impressed, Flash. But I’m getting vibes here that your duty is not the only thing that made you go home.”
Flash blinked. She couldn’t be that potent. Those talks about her able to sense feelings was all humbug, they must be. “Your Highness, that was all to it, really.” Cadance raised her eyebrow with a grin. Uh oh, she can sense them! He sighed. “Okay, ma’am, it wasn’t just that. It was also… the ponies I know.”
“Go on.”
“At first there was Flare, she’d go nuts and break ranks just to track me down,” he first said. “Then there was your husband, Commander Shining Armor. He might just have let Flare go. Then Posey.”
“Posey?”
“A good friend. She’s in the hospital, last I checked. I tend to… go visit her every now and then and talk about things. Random stuff, that’s all. She’s gonna wail into me about how long I’ve been gone. Then my other buddies in the Crystal Guard. No doubt they’re gonna demand I buy them drinks next time we’re off duty.”
Cadance smiled. Flash felt like melting at seeing that smile. “And?”
“What?” Now he was confused.
“I can tell. You’re holding back. There’s one more pony, isn’t there?” Cadance’s smirk was way too devious to fit on her face and yet it fit perfectly with what she had in mind. Flash wasn’t feeling well all of a sudden.
“Urhhh….” was all he could get out of his mouth. Cadance’s stare saw right through him, he could feel that. “Maybe it’s somepony whom you… bumped with, perhaps?”
“Are you a mind reader?” Flash could barely register the words coming out of his mouth at this rate. Cadance blinked at him before bursting out laughing.
“Oh, that’s a good one! ‘Mind reader!’ Where do you guys get that from?” Cadance wheezed out between laughs.
“Hey, what going on in here?” Flare walked in and saw the situation. Flash urgently shook his head and flailed his hooves, an understood signal that meant ‘This isn’t what it looks like.” Flare blinked at him and backed off, closing the door. Flash must have been red in his face.
Cadance cooled down. “Wow. Seven months of worrying about you, five months of complaints, three months of petitions to call off the search and boy, did that feel good.” She rose to her hooves. “But to move on to work, I find it necessary to have you discharged for a minimum period of two months.”
“Your Highness?” Flash was taken aback. Most guards who were discharged were usually given a much shorter time than that.
“Medical reasons,” she told him. “You have been listed MIA for months, and you have been within foreign lines. While given medical treatment, nopony is due to be out there for more than three weeks. You’ve spent more than a few months and thus still have the chance for frost nips or worse. I’m not willing to take the chance that you might be fine. I would like you to take it easy and relax down south. A doctor will still examine you for signs of initial frostbite.”
“And the two months?” Flash asked her.
“Consider that a bonus.” Then there was a knock on the door. “Come in.”
“I just arrived after flying straight from Ponyville,” said the cyan pegasus as she walked in. “Somepony reeeaaally worried down there sent me.”
“Rainbow Dash?” Cadance asked. “What are you doing here?”
Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. “Officially, I’m a liaison from Ponyville by request of Princess Twilight Sparkle to extend congratulations to finding the lost guard Flash Sentry.”
Twilight had inquired after him? Dangit, now he owed somepony five bits. Who was it again?
“Unofficially…” Rainbow Dash smirked and whispered in Cadance’s ear, causing the princess to giggle. Flash didn’t feel comfortable with what was being whispered between the mares.
“I see. Well, don’t suppose I could ask you to…?” Cadance asked while nudging towards him.
“Am I to take it that Ponyville is a recommended place of relaxation?” He asked them.
“Eeyup,” Rainbow said to him with a grin. Then she whispered something about Twilight and a camera. “Well, I’ll rest up and then I’ll fly back south to inform her Highness about this request.”
“Excellent.”
In full, it had taken Rainbow Dash two days to and from the Crystal Empire. A day to fly over there and a day to fly back to Ponyville. Twilight had kept count and whilst it was quick, it didn’t feel quick enough and it had, at least for a day, cost the weather team their best flyer, royal business or no. It was when Applejack had visited to talk about hiring extra ponies for harvest time at Sweet Apple Acres when Rainbow Dash came home with the most disturciting* (Darnit, Pinkie!) piece of news.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HE’S COMING HERE!?”
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. “After you ‘officially’ gave your congratulations to Princess Cadance for having Flash Sentry found and returned, Cadance saw fit to discharge Sentry for a minimum period of two months and sent him down here for recuperation to ensure he’s free of frost damage from being out in the wilderness.”
Twilight felt incredibly nervicited as Pinkie put it. Flash was coming here? Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no! “Oh no, this place is a mess!” She ran about the library, with Applejack avoiding her rush to clean up the place. “Gotta get everything set, bring out a spare bed-”
“Twilight.” Applejack’s voice cut in, sounding stern. It made Twilight calm down and stop what she was doing. “He ain’t staying here in the library. Rainbow Dash didn’t say anything about that, did she?”
“Nope,” Rainbow said. “I just said he’s gonna come stay in Ponyville. Of course, we could have him stay here in the library with-”
“No!” Twilight made her protest too forceful. “No. I don’t think that’d be necessary. I’m perfectly fine with just me and Spike living here. I guess, I was just excited to hear the news. But I think we can work around this.”
“Oh?” Applejack asked. Twilight gave her a grin, hoping that she’d would get the idea. “Oh! Ah see yer point, Twilight. Ah’ll talk with Big McIntosh and see if we can make room for him at the farm.”
“Thank you.” Twilight turned her attention to Rainbow. “When is he coming?”
“If… if he took the train the same day I left, then he’ll be here…. round about tomorrow.”
And that was when Twilight threw another fit.
“Pinkie, Ah keep telling ya to calm down,” Applejack said with an annoyed grimace.
“Sorry, I can’t help it. Twilight’s potential coltfriend is coming here and I’m just so nervicited I can’t stay still longer than usual,” Pinkie said while bouncing all over the platform.
“That’s not a- oh, ya knew what, forget it,” Applejack said. Since she had arranged for a place that Flash could stay at, she had to greet him. Twilight couldn’t, or so she said, because she was stuck at Town Hall with the mayor about royal business being conducted. This did give AJ and Rainbow Dash some time to set up a marvelous prank on their friend.
Pinkie was being there because she had the obligatory duty of greeting everypony who’s new to town. Or so she claimed. Applejack figured that she was excited about getting to know Flash so she could hold a party for him and Twilight. Way too soon and it wasn’t confirmed. Better than Rarity who was probably already working on the wedding dress, just in case.
“I need to figure out what he likes, I need to find his personal tastes, I need to-” Pinkie had rambled on until Applejack put a cupcake in her mouth. “Mm!”
“Pinkie, all that can be figured out over time. Ah don’t think he’d appreciate that you come on that close in just the first meetin’.” Applejack leaned in close to whisper. “Might give off the wrong message.”
“Okie dokie,” Pinkie whispered. “I’m still gonna throw him a party.”
“Not just now, alright?”
As if perfectly on schedule, the train whistle blew as it came into the station. Everything checked, it was the train from the Crystal Empire. Applejack looked up to a cloud a small distance away. Rainbow Dash was perched on it and she signalled that Flash was aboard.
“Okay, here goes,” Applejack told herself and took a deep breath as the passengers stepped off. About six or so from the Empire stepped off before Flash did and Applejack took out a sign with his name on it. “Howdy, Flash Sentry,” she said as he stepped to her.
“I was expected?” He asked her.
“Sorta,” Applejack replied. “Rainbow Dash came home yesterday so we had to arrange for a place where you could stay during your recuperation.”
“Ah,” Flash said. “And you had a place open.”
“Eeyup,” She told him while looking at the corner of her eye to see Rainbow Dash give the prepared signal. “Come along, Flash - err, you don’t mind?”
“I don’t,” Flash said with a smile as they walked off the platform. “I just hope I get to do some exercise while I’m here.” Applejack noticed Rainbow Dash fly overhead.
“Well, we sure do have work to do at the farm,” Applejack told him, picking up the pace. He picked up as well. He was taking the bait, she thought. “Harvest time is just around the bend at Sweet Apple Acres and Ah’m getting extra horsepower where Ah can get them.”
“...haven’t got the time, Rainbow Dash,” She heard Twilight yell, running up to them. If they timed it right, they could meet at the corner. “The train’s arrived and-” Twilight came galloping around the corner and downright slammed into Flash, sending the two to the ground.
“Oooooh,” Applejack grimaced. Maybe they had gone a bit too far with the prank. “Y’all right there, sugarcube?”
Twilight groaned and rose up first. She hadn’t even noticed what she had run into. “Hey, Applejack,” she said as Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder. “What was it I ran into?”
Applejack took a quick look down at Flash. He seemed okay from the collision. And as soon as Twilight took a look down, he seemed to smirk. She got off him quicker than Applejack expected. “Er… hi,” Twilight said as meekly as a little lamb’s bleat as he was getting up on his own.
“Hi,” he replied softly when he looked at Twilight. “We simply got to stop meeting each other like that.”
Twilight squeaked out of embarrassment, Applejack could tell that much. She herself had to hide a grin. This was gonna be a fun two months.