> I Think I'll Have A Heart Attack > by flashsentryxtwi > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight Narrates I trotted through my castle. Everypony I had loved. Dead. Blood trickled down Rainbow Dash's muzzle. Half of a knife's blade stuck out of Rarity's chest. Fluttershy's wings, detached, lay on the ground, her head cut off her body. Pinkie's eyeballs had been removed from their sockets, her flesh stabbed where her cutie mark once was. Applejack, her hat ripped and stained with blood, lay lifeless on the steps of my castle. Her forehooves lay about a meter away, veins and arteries sticking out. "I heard you're supposed to be keeping the sky clear," I sighed, my hair curled up and messy, "I'm Twilight Sparkle and the princess sent me to check on the weather." Rainbow Dash was resting on a cloud, her hooves behind her head. She ushered her hoof to me dismissively, " "Yeah, yeah, that'll be a snap! I'll do it in a jiffy. Just as soon as I'm done practicing." "Practicing for what?" I asked. "THE WONDERBOLTS!" she declared enthusiastically, pointing her hoof at a Wonderbolt poster nearby, "They're gonna perform at the celebration tomorrow and I'm gonna show 'em my stuff!" With that, she did 3 quick air flips and sat on a cloud. "The Wonderbolts?" I said in a taunting voice. "Yup," she retorted, now resting on a cloud once more. "The most talented flyers in all of Equestria?" I said. "That's them!" she said with tons of confidence. "Pff...please! They'd never accept a pegasus who can't even keep the sky clear for one measly day," I teased, turning my head. "Hey! I could clear this sky in ten seconds flat!" she stated. "Prove it," I said, with a competitive look upon my face. I smirked. She reciprocated the smirk and took off, flying ever so fast, clearing the clouds along the way. It took her 9.7 seconds to be exact. My mouth fell agape. "Good afternoon, my name is Twilight Sparkle-" I began. Applejack began to shake my hoof fervently. "Well how'd you do, Miss Twilight? A pleasure makin' yer acquaintance. I'm Applejack. We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making friends," she said, still shaking my hoof with energy coursing through her veins. I was dizzy. "Friends? Actually I..." "Come on Twilight, try!" Spike said. "Hello," I said to Pinkie. She looked at me with absolute shock, gasped and fled. Rarity jumped upon me and gasped, "Twilight, darling!" I looked at her. "WHERE'S YOUR CROWN?" "It's in my bag," I said. "Oh, if I had a crown like that, I would wear it everywhere, even while I would sleep!" she said, flipping her mane. "Fluttershy," she said, trying to tell her name. "I'm sorry, I couldn't quite catch that," I retorted. She squeaked,"Fluttershy." I still didn't get that. That's when she saw Spike. She quickly ran up to him and started talking to him, admiring him. Tears came out of my eyes, I felt like I could flood all of Equestria with them. Why was I alive? I shouldn't have survived. I walked further and saw Spike, every one of his scales pulled off his body. My heart ached so bad. My body shook like crazy. I was alone in this world. Everypony had died. "I don't think you're supposed to be any different than who you are," I told Spike, concerned. "Maybe you just don't like that I have a real parent now,"he said, pointing at me, threateningly. It broke my heart. As I limped forward, my eyes met Shining Armor's corpse. My BBBFF. I never even imagined how life would be without him. He'd always been by my side. I screamed, my voice echoing through the castle walls. "Twily, we better go to sleep," said 10 year old Shining Armor. I was five. I jumped onto his back. "I'm bored! Tell me a story, big bro!" I yawned. It was midnight. "Hmm...Once upon a time, there lived a magical tree that would eat ponies-"he began. I began to tremble. "You know I get scared, Shiny! Something else!" I cut in. He pulled me close to himself with his right hoof and I fell asleep in his embrace. I was engrossed in a book. I bumped into Shining Armor, who was 11 years old at the time. My eyes sparkled at the sight of him. He made me so happy that I began jumping around him. He laughed happily. He picked me up and ruffled my mane. I giggled and we hugged each other. Tears fell down my eyes like a waterfall. I saw my former babysitter and sister-in-law, Cadance hugging Flurry Heart, my niece. Both of them had perished. They lay in a puddle of blood, with Celestia and Luna's bodies chopped into pieces nearby. My heart hurt so bad. I teleported myself out of the castle, screaming in agony. "But, I don't wanna make friends," I groaned. Celestia hugged me with her wing. "You've been doing exceedingly well in your studies but it's time you make friends." I wanted to stop thinking about them. But I couldn't. I looked around. More dead bodies. Everypony had died. I had no point of being alive. Sure, I had defeated Chrysalis once and for all by killing her, I couldn't get anypony back. I saw Mom and Dad lying on the ground. Through muffled sobs, a choked sob escaped my snout, "I miss you." With that, I collapsed onto the ground, the world blurring behind me. > Chapter 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight narrates With her lustrous mane floating in the air, Princess Luna swiftly flew down towards me. "Princess Luna?" I said, astonished. "I thought you were-" She smiled at me," I am dead, dear. Everypony is. I could only come into your visions one last time to tell you that everypony loves you and has high hope for you." My eyes began to crystallize again," Can I commit suicide, Princess Luna?" She looked at me in absolute shock, "I thought you knew better, Twilight! You shall not do anything of the sort. Go to the alternate world; the human world, for dwelling in the past won't do. Additionally, staying here would keep on reminding you of us and the grief would linger life long. You cannot live all alone. And you know it. Your future in the human world, though full of obstacles you have never thought you would come across and consider as a difficult situation, will be great. Just trust yourself and your friends." With that, she embraced me. I almost felt warmth. But how could I? It was only a vision; a dream. I gained consciousness and I looked around myself. Equestria. In shatters, just like it was before the vision. I wiped my tears. I had to move on. I couldn't live like this forever. I had to fulfil my destiny. Make my family proud. I flew to the portal inside my castle. It was surrounded by rubble. It still worked. I touched my right forehoof to its surface, it felt just like it did three moons ago. A watery surface with unending depths. I walked in. The world contorted into different shapes around me, I swirled around, turning from pony to human. Rainbow lights illuminated the area around me. They almost blinded me. It had been a while since I last set hoof...Uh, I mean 'foot' in this world. I tried to gain balance but I almost fell. Almost. Someone had caught me by my waist before I fell, making me have butterflies in my stomach even before I had looked at them. I looked up and my cheeks heated up to see the one human I always ended up in a predicament with. The most handsome, caring and coolest guy in school. The whole world, actually. Flash Sentry. His blue eyes sparkled. "T-twilight?" he said, shocked. I only looked at him. "Y-you're Princess Twilight, right?" he questioned. "Y-yeah but you don't want to call me that... I mean, you don't will to call me that. Ugh, what I mean is, you don't need to call me that," I said hastily. He chuckled at how I was at a loss of words. "I missed you," he said in that sweet voice of his. Then he pulled me close and hugged me. Really tight. I hugged him back. Sure, he did make me stammer, but he gave me some sort of a comfort. He reminded me of Spike and Shining Armor. They'd been the closest dragon/colt to me and he was the closest boy. "I missed you too," I whispered. I couldn't keep the tears in. He reminded me of those two so bad! I began to weep. "Uh, you don't have to cry about that," he said, somewhat confused. He patted my back. I was crying and blushing at the same time now. I pulled away and giggled a bit. He wiped my tears with the back of his hand. My cheeks burned. "So, uh, why were you crying? I highly doubt you'd be missing me that much," he said with a smirk, crossing his arms. I turned my back towards him so he couldn't see me blushing. "Yeah, I wasn't crying because of that. It's just that...everypony in my world, or let's say everyone, for your liking, perished. I was the only one left," I sobbed. I felt arms hold me from the back. I blushed. "I..I'm sorry," he said gently, "Don't cry, Twilight. I hate seeing you cry. Just telling you, I'll always be by your side no matter what." I turned around and smiled and hugged him. > Chapter 3 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flash Narrates Gosh, today's great, I thought. Twilight was back! What could be better? And she was staying here forever too! I wanted to smile as big as the Sun but I couldn't . It tugged at my heartstrings to see her cry so much. She had lost everyone she had known. The people who had always been with her. She had lost everyone in her life all of a sudden. We, here in the human world, weren't a major part of her life. She barely came here. When she wasn't here, I thought I had lost her. I would spend the entire night engulfed in tears. My pillow would be soaked. And she'd lost everyone. The tears streaming down her pretty face struck a chord deep within me. I needed to lighten her spirit! Make her happy. She meant a lot to me. She was currently with her friends, talking to them about what happened in her world. Good thing the other Twilight had moved away to another school out of the country. It wouldn't be confusing anymore. What should I do to cheer her up? I snapped my fingers, "I got it! A song!" I sprinted towards the gym, got my notebook and pen and sat down. I flipped through the latest pages of my notebook. Songs written about how much I missed Twilight. I opened a new page and flattened it. I put myself into thinking mode. I needed to write something that could show her that she would never be alone. She'd always have friends by her side. Always. I grabbed my guitar and began to write. The song I came up with was in perfect sync to the rhythm of my guitar. A wave of contentment washing over me, I took my guitar to Sugar Cube Corner. Time to sing. As soon as I entered, the bell above the door jingled. Twilight and her friends looked my way. My eyes met with Twilight's. She blushed...? She's been blushing a lot around me recently. Cute. She looked away, still blushing. Even cuter. I carefully made my way close to their table. Not too close though. I turned my back, on purpose. I knew I'd start blushing if Twilight made eye contact for too long. Taking a deep breath, I began to sing: "Twilight, you're a shining star, In this world, you've come so far. When you're down, just take my hand, Together, we will understand. You're not alone, we'll face it all, Through the highs and when you fall. Together, we'll light up the night, With friendship strong, we'll take the flight. Memories of laughter and fun, They'll shine bright like the sun. We'll face the challenges ahead, With you, I'll never dread. You're not alone, we'll face it all, Through the highs and when you fall. Together, we'll light up the night, With friendship strong, we'll take the flight. So wipe away those tears, my friend, In each other, we'll find strength to mend. Together, we'll make a brand new start, With love and friendship in our heart. You're not alone, we'll face it all, Through the highs and when you fall. Together, we'll light up the night, With friendship strong, we'll take the flight. Twilight, you're a guiding light, With you, everything feels right. So do not fret, For all will be right, as the sun sets." Now, I turned around to see Twilight beaming at me. It felt like she was no longer sad. She ran up to me and gave me a hug, sending warmth through my body. "Thank you! You have no idea how much this means to me!" she exclaimed. "This dialogue seems familiar," I said with a smile. She giggled in response. Oh, how I love that giggle, I thought. > Chapter 4 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flash Narrates Yay, Math class. The worst class on Earth. Who needs to learn what 6434ab+8787632ab is to succeed in life? Surely not me. I'd rather eat hay than waste pages on writing numbers down. Dude, it's a waste of time! I entered Math class. Late , on purpose, as always. As soon as I entered, I ended up slipping because there was water on the floor. Oh no, I'll have to go to the infirmary. Math class will have to be skipped. There was a huge gasp around me and someone ran up to me and said, "Is everything okay? Do you need any assistance?" The all-too familiar voice. The sweetest voice around. Such a cute and caring voice . The one that always caught me off-guard. The one that ended up being nervous itself. The one that belonged to the prettiest, smartest, most caring girl around. More like perfect. Twilight Sparkle. I rubbed the back of my neck. "I'm fine," I laughed. My Math teacher, Mr. Cranky Doodles, took advantage of that. "Great, Mr. Sentry! If you're fine then you should get to your seat," he smirked. I groaned. Oh, come on. Why did I have to say that? Whatever, it was my fault anyway, not Twilight's. I mean, how can anything be her fault? Twilight lent her hand so I could get up. I took it and she helped me get up. She was blushing. Stop looking so cute. I can't help feeling like the ugliest guy around you. She hastily made her way to her seat, bumping into a table while doing so. She began twirling her hair and when I made eye contact, she put her book in front of her face. I was busy admiring her cute acts when Mr. Cranky Doodles snapped me out of my trance and asked me to go and sit in the only empty seat. Next to Twilight. I cautiously made my way to my seat and ended falling. Again. This time, I tumbled over Twilight and we both rolled down to the end of the class. Laughter surrounded us but that wasn't what made my cheeks burn. The proximity did. Twilight ended up falling on top of me and our faces were barely inches apart. She turned the brightest red and stumbled to get up. When she got up, I got up too, said a flustered "sorry" and ran to my seat. She also sat down and we both kept on blushing throughout the class. That was quite an eventful Math class. > Chapter 5 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flash narrates I was lying on my bed, arms crossed behind my head, humming to myself and thinking about a certain princess. That's when my phone rang. Fingers crossed. Hope it's her. Second thoughts. She doesn't have my number. Ugh. What are the chances she'd ask for it? None. It was Soarin, my best friend. I picked up the call and heard him say in a euphoric voice, "DUDE HAVE AN IDEA!" "What is it?" I said, groaning. "Let's prank Twilight by putting a whoopee cushion under her!" he said, bursting out with laughter near the end. I was dumb-founded. No one was going to make me do that to Twilight! She would be embarrassed. Very embarrassed. And she was just going through a hard time. I didn't want to make matters worse. "No, I'm not doing it. And don't you dare think of such devious schemes against her ever again!" I said furiously. I had never known I could speak like that to my best friend. He scoffed. "Oh really, what if I tell her that you like her if you don't help me with this one?" he said. He actually sounded serious. My heart skipped a beat. No way was that happening. Yet. "Tell you what? You're a brat. Fine, I'll help you," I said half-heartedly. "Great!" he exclaimed. I pictured him with that casual toothy grin of his behind the phone. Sighing, I cut the call. I didn't want to hurt her. She was the nicest person around. And too innocent. But then again, I couldn't let my secret out. What was I saying? It wasn't even a secret at this point! Everyone knew. Everyone but her. The next day, Soarin dashed to me and showed me a whoopee cushion. Great. "So, what lesson does she have first thing in the morning?" Soarin questioned, eyes glistening. I rolled my eyes, "It's not like I know what lessons she has everyday." Soarin looked at me for a bit too long. He raised his eyebrow and then burst out laughing. I felt a tint of pink creep up onto my cheeks. "Dude," he said, slapping me on my back, "I'm your best friend! I know you have memorized her daily school routine!" And with that, he laughing so bad that he fell on his back. I looked at him for a brief second and crossed my arms, looking away. I had the most flustered frown one could have. Not going to lie, I think no one has a flustered frown anyway. I couldn't contain my laughter anymore. I roared with laughter like a hyena at a stand-up comedy show. I also fell, laughing. I heard someone say, "Why're you on the ground?" I couldn't recognize the voice because I was engrossed in laughter. Yes, I know. Inappropriate term for this. "Oh because we're laughing," I said, still laughing and not getting up. "Yeah," said Soarin, "We're planning on pranking Twilight by putting this whoopee cushion on her seat." I had stopped laughing now. I heard a giggle. I felt like my heart stopped beating. Twilight? I'm dead, I thought. Soarin, upon seeing her, hastily got up and I couldn't move. I was still lying on the ground. I wanted to die. Way to go for being the biggest idiot around! "Maybe next time try to do it without sharing your plans," she said with a giggle and went away. I was frozen to the spot. I didn't know what to do. I felt so embarrassed that it's hard to put my feelings into words. My heart was a tangle of feelings, that's all I can say. I was so ashamed of myself. I turned red, my heart etched with remorse. > Chapter 6 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flash narrates I had my headphones on, humming to my favourite song and occasionally singing along. “My heart’s a-” I began the best verse, when I was interrupted by a sudden jolt. Shaken to the core and my heart pounding a million miles per hour, I turned my face to ‘confront’ the other person. Soarin? Why would he pull me so hard? I kept my ground. “Hey wassup man?” I said, in my sick, handsome voice. Not that kinda sick. I’d only be that kind of sick if Timber stole MY Twilight away from me. Uh, what I mean is, Princess Twilight. Steering away from the point. Back to the story. “DUDE, DIDN’T YA HEAR?” Soarin exclaimed, his eyes showing too much excitement. “Uh, what now?” I retorted, rather puzzled. “DUDEEE! Principal Celestia received a letter from the king and queen that’s for you…” I would’ve cut him off right there. Asked him to put an end to his drab pranks and do something I’d fall for. Maybe say that Twilight likes me? I’d fall for it right away. I’m blinded with love at those stages. Anyway, he continued by saying, “And it says that you’re the prince.” Normally, I would’ve laughed. But I didn’t. He took me out of my singing zone for a prank that I was definitely NOT going to fall for. I did NOT like to be interrupted by anyone when I was in that zone. I would get furious at anyone. Soarin sometimes gets scared when I scream at him. I know it’s funny but I feel bad for him later on so I decided not to scream. I DO get angry at anyone but I’m sure I wouldn’t get angry at Twilight if she took me out of my singing zone. I mean, how could you yell at someone with those violet eyes that are as luminous as the moonlight? Maybe even more. Anyway, I just stared at him blankly. He seemed ecstatic. Since when did he get so good at acting to be feeling some way? I mean, he was never really good at faking emotions. Probably took some lessons from Rarity. “Yeah, not working, man. Your pranks are getting lamer by the day. The acting’s spot on though, not gonna lie.” He looked at me like I was a psychopath. Like, dude! Did you actually think I was going to fall for a prank of this sort? It felt like he hadn’t even thought over it properly. And the way he was pretending to be bamboozled left my mind in a tangle of arteries and what-not. Yes, I sound like a nerd but I like science. Physics at that. Physics is so much fun! Almost as fun as secretly taking pictures of Twilight every day because she looks so… uh… I’ll go too far if I say more than ‘pretty’ so I’ll just say pretty. So let me say my sentence again. Almost as fun as secretly taking pictures of Twilight every day because she looks so pretty. Rarity doesn’t let her wear the same outfit twice so she has new outfits every day which is kinda good for me as I can have a variety of cute pictures of hers. All her outfits are so much better than her other friend’s. It almost feels as if Rarity got her better clothes than herself. Well, she kinda did without realizing it. They’re mostly pink and that colour suits her so well! But when she wears blue. Wow. Hard to put into words. She looks so h- I MEAN BEAUTIFUL. I have 4,817 pictures of her. Yeah, I keep count. I know I sound like a simp and I’d admit it to anyone but her. I mean, she’d get creeped out and wouldn’t ever want to talk if she realized how much of a simp I truly am. And then I’d never hear her voice that is so sweet and like a symphony of- Shut up Flash. This is going too far. “Bruh, I’m not joking,” Soarin said, rolling his eyes, “If you don’t trust me, come along and see Principal Celestia for yourself. Besides, even if you did, you’d have to come anyway to get the letter.” I still didn’t believe him but my heart began to thump loudly. I could hear it in my ears. Very loud. Was I really going to be prince? No way, man. Me of all people? WAIT, IF I WAS GOING TO BE A PRINCE, THEN I WOULD BE CLOSER TO TWILIGHT’S STANDARD AND THE CHANCES OF HER LIKING ME WOULD INCREASE SO BAD!! And then we would both be in love and she would be the future queen and I would be the future king. Bruh, I’m so dumb. Planning out a whole future based on a measly prank. “You’re just saying that because you know for sure that I will not be going to her office,” I groaned. “Dude! Just come along! I am NOT lying!” he said, visibly irated. He stomped his foot. “Did you tag Principal Celestia along in this prank?" I asked, a bit curious. "Man, just come along! It's no prank!!" Soarin groaned, vexed. Principal Celestia wasn't really the type who would indulge in a prank against such a handsome student like me. But then again, the fact that she once tried doing the bottle flip on Snips' back and succeeded made me think otherwise at that time. I was baffled. What was going on? Was the time that Twilight would fall for me nearing? I didn't know then but my 'hunch' was actually spot on. But what I least expected was happening next. Something I had always had dreamt of when I was around 5. > Chapter 7 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flash Narrates I had no idea why I was walking to Principal Celestia's office. Just so I could be the laughing stock for the whole week? Perhaps. I rolled my eyes at Soarin precisely after every 5 second to show him how obstinate I was and that I wasn't really falling for this prank this dork had come up with. He reacted to it as if he was so happy that nothing in the world could lower his spirits. Dumbo. Did he really think I was falling for his prank? Upon reaching the office, I knocked. The door was opened by ... THE KING? My eyes widened. WHAT THE HELL WAS HAPPENING? Was...Soarin...telling...the truth? I hastily bowed down in respect, earning a laugh from the king. "You don't have to be so formal, son," my heart almost leapt out of my chest. Almost. It would completely leap out if Twilight said she loved me. "S-son?" I stammer. The king closed his eyes and sighed. Then he motioned for me to follow him into the office. I, without hesitance, obliged. He came to an abrupt stop in front of Principal Celestia's desk. I saw her standing behind it. And with her stood Vice Principal Luna, the queen and... Twilight? My cheeks burned upon seeing her. She had a timid smile and quickly hid behind Vice Principal Luna. I chuckled. The king cleared his throat so I would pay attention to him.His presence demanded respect and I tried to steady my racing thoughts as he began to speak. "Flash Sentry," he began, his voice carrying a weight that seemed to echo through the room. How did he know my name?"I am King Solaris, and I've come here today because... because you are my son." I froze, my mind struggling to process his words. It couldn't be! I was told that my parents...died in a car crash! I was supposed to be an orphan! "Your... son?" The words stumbled out of my mouth, barely a whisper. "But... but I don't understand. Why haven't I known this before?" The king's features softened with a mixture of regret and sorrow. "We thought it was best to keep you away, for your safety," he explained, his voice tinged with regret. "Your mother and I... we were misled. We thought you were different, abnormal. We were wrong." Those words shattered my heart. They thought that I was abnormal? Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring the figures in front of me. I fought hard to hold them back, to push away the overwhelming flood of emotions threatening to consume me. But the pain, the betrayal of feeling unwanted, clawed at my heart. I always viewed myself as handsome, definitely not abnormal. I tried to cheer myself up. Maybe my awesome looks made them think that I was too good to be true...Maybe abnormal in that sense? But no, they thought I was weird. That I had some sort of a disability. My parents. Had abandoned me. Merely because I was rubbish. Because I was worthless. And abnormal? Confusion, anger and hurt battled for dominance, about to spill out in uncontrollable tears. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "So, what now? You just show up out of nowhere and tell me I'm your son?" My tone was laced with bitterness, the shock of this revelation too much to process in one sitting. I was not only angered because of being abandoned but also because they said they thought I was abnormal in front of Twilight. She would probably think the same now. King Solaris' expression softened further, regret etched into the lines on his face. "I know this is a lot to take in, but we've been searching for you for years. We had to make sure it was safe for you to know the truth." I shook my head, feeling the heat of frustration rising within me. I yelled, "Safe? What's so dangerous about knowing who I am? Am I really that worthless? You had to throw me away only because I would ruin your 'reputation' right?" My fists clenched at my sides, the sense of betrayal gnawing at my insides. I looked at the king, my father, my eyes twin tempest, gleaming with hatred. The room fell into a thick silence as my words hung in the air, echoing the turmoil within me. Father's expression wavered between sadness and a deep regret. "Flash, please understand, it wasn't about worth or reputation. There are forces at play beyond what you comprehend." His words grated against my anger. "Forces? What forces? I'm not a puppet to be hidden away when it suits you!" My voice cracked with a mixture of frustration and hurt. The queen, my mom, stepped forward, her voice calm yet tinged with urgency. "Flash, there are dangerous factions that seek to exploit the royal lineage. We were trying to protect you from harm." "Protect me?" I scoffed, bitterness dripping from every word. "By lying? By making me believe I was nothing?" There was silence. My heart was so pent-up with emotions that I had even forgotten Twilight was there. I just acknowledged the king and queen's presence at the moment. I couldn't bear to look at any of them. They were supposed to be my family, my blood. Yet, they kept me in the dark, treating me like a pawn in some elaborate game. The tears I'd been holding back began to flow freely, the floodgates finally breaking under the weight of all the suppressed emotions. "Flash-" Queen Flare began. "I don't want to hear it!" I choked out, my voice cracking with despair. I turned away from them, unable to endure the looks of remorse and the words that felt too little, too late. With trembling steps, I dashed out of the office, each stride fueled by a cocktail of emotions—anger, hurt, and the stinging ache of abandonment. Storming out of the office, I felt an eruption of emotions tearing through me like a hurricane. Anger and betrayal intertwined in a tangled mess inside my chest. Each step I took down the school corridor echoed with my inner turmoil. Rushing up the stairs to the rooftop, I sought refuge in its deserted confines. Leaning against the railing, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. The weight of the revelation, the feeling of being discarded like an unwanted secret, was suffocating. The truth was a slap in the face – my parents, who I thought were lost in a tragic accident, had deliberately kept me in the dark. Loneliness and despair engulfed me as I grappled with the reality of their actions. Sobs wracked my body as I crumpled against the cold metal railing, consumed by an overwhelming sense of betrayal. It wasn't just about the royal lineage or dangers; it was about being lied to, about not belonging. The tears wouldn't stop, my chest heaving with the weight of suppressed emotions. In that moment, I felt utterly lost and alone, the rooftop becoming a silent witness to the storm raging within me. > Chapter 8 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flash narrates I couldn't bear it. I wanted to die. What was the point of living when I was abandoned by my parents because I was...abnormal? I could jump. I was on the school rooftop. I could jump easily. And die. Yeah, I'd do that. I took a deep breath and gulped as I looked down. I would definitely die. Do it Flash. It isn't that hard. You could jump easily. Just a jump. You jump all the time. Remember when you took such big jumps at the Fall Formal to get to the top of the stairs to get to ...Twilight! Wait! Maybe she might help me? No, no one wants to help an abnormal jerk. I wiped my tears that were still streaming down my face and I took a shaky breath. That's when I heard footsteps. They were light. Very ...I know it's weird to say...graceful. Twilight. Yeah, I know what her footsteps sound like . I mean, her shoes don't- Gah, no one's interested in the sound her shoes make... I didn't want her to see me in such a vulnerable state. I said I'd always be by her side when she was crying. What was I doing now? Waiting for her to console me? Give me a hug? See that I'm not strong? That I'm pregnable? That I'd never be able to protect her? I heard the footsteps drawing nearer until the door flung open. "Go away," I said in a rough voice. No reply. She drew nearer. "Twilight, I'm not in the mood-" "Of crying? You are." I stopped. I didn't want to, but I began to shiver. Uncontrallably. "Flash Sentry?" "Twilight Sparkle." She giggled and then cleared her throat because she didn't mean to giggle. I still didn't face her. "They want you back, you know. King Solaris cried after you went." "Did I not cry? You don't know what it feels like to be labeled as 'abnormal' !" "I could try to understand," she said. Her voice was low and soft. "You don't need to. I'm fine on my own. Besides, you'd become 'abnormal' too," I said, tears blurring my vision once more. "YOU AREN'T ABNORMAL!" she yelled. I'd never heard her screaming before. I flinched. "Where's that confident Flash Sentry that-" "I'm not confident, I just praised myself to cover up for the fact that I thought I was an orphan. It would've been better if I was an orphan! But I'm ABNORMAL!" I screamed in agony. "YOU'RE NOT!" "I AM!" "NOT!" "What if I am? You should stay away, it's probably some kind of a fatal disease. Well, good riddance to old rubbish! I'll die!" I yelled. "Y-you won't...die." Her voice cracked. Tears glistened in Twilight's eyes as she struggled to hold back her emotions. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "Please, Flash... don't say that. You're not... you're not alone. You're not abnormal. You're... unique. Special." I turned slightly, unable to face her directly. "Unique? Special? That's just... that's just words." "They're not just words. They're truths," she said softly, her voice choked with emotion. I shook my head, feeling the weight of despair crushing me. "It doesn't matter. I'll always be different. Always alone." "No, you won't. You have... you have friends who care about you," Twilight said, tears now streaming down her cheeks. Her attempts to remain composed faltered in the face of my pain. I hesitated, her tears piercing through my anguish. "I don't deserve friends. I'm a freak." "Stop saying that! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT? JUST LOOK AT YOU! You're amazing! P-Please stop thinking that way," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "I care about you, Flash. We all do. Please... don't shut us out." I clenched my fists, my own tears blurring my vision. "You shouldn't waste your tears on me. I'm not worth it." "But you are," she insisted, her voice filled with raw emotion. "You are worth it." Her vulnerability and genuine concern chipped away at my resolve. Slowly, I turned to face her, seeing the anguish etched on her face, tears cascading down like a waterfall. Twilight collapsed to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably, her words interspersed with broken gasps for air. "Please don't say anything of the sort." I felt a pang of guilt and a flicker of warmth in my heart at the sight of her anguish. "Twilight, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..." She looked up, her teary eyes meeting mine, filled with an intensity of emotion. "Just..." she couldn't continue. Her vulnerability broke through my walls and I felt a surge of emotions I couldn't contain any longer. With a choked sob, I collapsed into her embrace, letting out all the pain, frustration and fear that had been consuming me. Twilight held me tightly. Twilight's trembling hand reached up to wipe away my tears, her touch gentle and caring. "Let's go somewhere quiet, just you and me. We can talk, or not talk, whatever you need." "Thank you. For being here," I whispered. She smiled weakly. "You were here for me weren't you?" Drawing her nearer, I clung to her as if she were my lifeline. And she was. > Chapter 9 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Flash Narrates I wasn't crying anymore so, upon realizing how close I was to Twilight, my cheeks heated up. I chuckled awkwardly. I backed away slightly and saw that her face was red too. She began to twirl her hair nervously and I rubbed the back of my neck. "Uh...About the going somewhere alone thing, I didn't mean it in that way!" she said defensively. Her cheeks were red. What way? Oh. Upon realizing, my whole face turned a deep shade of red. "Of course you didn't!" I looked away. So did she. Then, we looked at each other. Our eyes locked. A tint of pink crept onto her cheeks. We stared at each other for what seemed like...hours. "Anywayyy," she said in that awkward voice of hers, "You should go talk to your parents." "Uh, yeah. I should. I think," I said, my hands slipping inside the pockets of my jacket. "What are you gonna say to them? Go with them to the castle?" she asked inquisitively. "Not happening. Nope. They'd expect me to apologize even if they ought to. They're probably stuck up, being royal. That's how royalty is." She flinched. Oops. I forgot. She's a princess. "Not that all royalty's stuck up!!" I said, moving my arms in front of my face defensively as if trying to counter an attack from her, "You aren't." I don't know why, but when I said that, a smirk found its way onto my face and a giggle escaped Twilight's lips. Her laughter echoed in the crisp air, and for a moment, all the pain and darkness in my heart seemed to fade away. In that moment, I realized that maybe, just maybe, there was hope for me after all. "You know what? I don't feel like going to them right now," I said, laughing a bit. She raised an eyebrow, clearly confused, "Huh?" I grinned mischievously. "I wouldn't want to let this moment slip away," I said. I felt my heart skip a beat as I said that. Since when ha d I become so bold around her? She looked away, her cheeks blazing. I laughed again, unable to hold the laughter in because of how flustered she was. Did she like me the way I liked her? Nah, I was overthinking. "Twilight?" I said, trying to catch her attention. Her eyes met mine. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound weird." "It's okay," she replied, her voice softening, "You didn't sound weird anyway." My mouth fell open as she added to what she had said, "You never do." And in that moment, my heart felt lighter than it had in ages. "You know, you really know how to flatter a guy," I said, leaning in closer. She giggled, "I do?" I nodded, my heartbeat quickening. "You going to talk to your parents or not? You can't really keep on delaying it. Tell them whether you're staying or not," she said. I paused for a moment, contemplating her words. "It's not as easy as it sounds, Twi," I replied, sighing. Hm, wait. I had called her Twi. Nice nickname. Maybe I could call her that more often. She didn't seem to mind. "Maybe you're right," I said, finally making up my mind, "I'll face them. I'll face them and tell them that I am more than just an "abnormal jerk." I am a person with worth, with dreams, and with the ability to change for the better." Wow, that sounded...motivational. I wasn't motivational normally. Maybe Twilight was motivating me. Maybe Twilight really was the ray of light I needed in my life. Uh, let's just forget the 'maybe'. I know that she is the ray of light I needed in my life. I nodded at Twilight and then ran downstairs like the hero in an action movie would run. Sweet. Me? The hero? That would be nice! And heroes even end up getting a happy ending, right? With a beautiful girl. Maybe mine would be Twilight. I'd make sure it would be her. No one else. I don't love anyone else. I love her. As I approached Principal Celestia's office, my pace slowed down. I wasn't ready to face my parents. But I'd do it. For Twilight had asked me to. Or she'd be disappointed. I didn't want her to be disappointed in me. Ever. I took a deep breath as I stood outside Principal Celestia's office, mentally preparing myself for the impending conversation with my parents. The door creaked open, and there they were, my mom and dad, looking concerned yet determined. "Flash," my mom began, her tone a mix of worry and frustration, "we've been waiting for you. Why have you been avoiding us?" I glanced at Twilight, who had followed me down. She shot me an encouraging smile, silently urging me to speak my mind. Taking another breath, I stepped into the room and closed the door behind me. "I need to talk to you guys," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I can't come to the castle with you. Not now, maybe not ever." My dad's brows furrowed, and my mom's expression shifted from worry to disappointment. The room felt heavy with tension, but I pressed on. "I know you want what's best for me, but I need time to figure things out. I can't just conform to your expectations without knowing who I am and what I want," I explained. "We know we've hurt you but we want to make amends and-" "GIVE ME SOME TIME!" I yelled, being louder than I wanted to be. They both blinked and then nodded. I sighed and exited the room. I needed time. I really did.