Princess Twilight Sparkle stirred lazily in her bed. The Fall Formal had been draining, and this year's Princess of the Fall Formal was reluctant to rise. The first rays of the sun made returning to slumber unlikely at best, but part of her wanted to get back to the dream she had been enjoying. After a few fruitless minutes of attempted sleep, Twilight threw off the covers, swung her legs over the edge of the bed, and sleepily rubbed an eye with her fist while walking to the bathroom from memory.
For some reason, her hand wasn't moving properly. Or her legs. She opened her eyes and looked down at herself. "Oh, right." Twilight lowered herself to all four hooves and shook her head, attempting to clear out last night's dream and the events of the past few days. Looking around the room, she realized she wasn't in her bedroom in Golden Oak Library, but her room at the crystal palace. Cadance had said she was welcome to use it anytime; she must have decided to spend the night after getting back from the mirror world.
A slightly sad smile crossed Twilight's face as she remembered her time with Flash Sentry in the world beyond the mirror. Even though it had only been a few days, she had allowed herself to get caught up in the whirlwind of unfamiliar emotions that Flash awoke in her. Part of her admitted that, had it not been for her duty to Equestria and all of her friends in Ponyville, she probably would have stayed in the mirror world with Flash. Duty won out over romance, and the Elements of Harmony remained united. Plus, it seemed Flash Sentry existed on this side of the mirror as well; how lucky was that? Twilight Sparkle eagerly trotted into her room's private bath, getting ready to face the day and maybe spend a little time with a certain pegasus.
Twilight stepped into the hall from her chambers, a hint of a smile dancing at the corners of her mouth. Her early morning confusion had faded and the young princess was eager experience everything one of her rare days away from studying had to offer. Stepping around a corner, she glimpsed an orange wing-- Rarity described it as 'brilliant gamboge' or some such, but to Twilight 'orange' was apt enough --and a flicker of gold armor. "Flash!" She nearly galloped down the hallway to catch him before she lost sight of him again, slowing to a trot as soon as he turned around.
"Princess Twilight." He nodded in acknowledgement and then, remembering himself, turned it into a bow. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"You don't have to be so formal, for starters." Twilight smiled at him, color rising in her cheeks. Just being around him made her so light-headed! "I just thought I'd see how late you're working today. I haven't had the chance to see much of the Crystal Empire without a threat to Equestria hanging over my head, so I was thinking maybe..." The words caught in Twilight's throat; she willed herself to force them out all at once. "ifyourenotdoinganythinglaterwecouldhangout?"
Flash Sentry smiled. "Yeah. That could be fun. I'm off at three but I'll need a bit to stop smelling like a guard, so... maybe five, we meet up in the field south of the stadium? Maybe we could go flying." He spread his wings for a moment, grinning in a way that reminded Twilight briefly of Rainbow Dash. "I could show you some of my favorite places in the Empire from a view I don't get to share too often."
"Flying?" Twilight grinned nervously, glancing off to one side. "I don't-" She hesitated; she didn't want to seem uncool, but on the other hand she had still only been flying a few weeks. Twilight steeled herself, her face the very picture of determination. "Actually, yes. I'd love that."
"Cool. See you at five in the south field. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my rounds before your brother has my head. See you around!" He trotted off slowly, a vague smile on his face.
"See you around..." Twilight barely made it back to her room before gushing with delight, dancing like an excited filly. "He said yes! He said yes!"
"Who said yes? To what?" Spike rolled over in his basket and stretched, yawning widely enough to show all his teeth.
"Flash Sentry is taking me on a date tonight, Spike! This is the best day ever." She picked up her baby dragon friend and swung him around, setting him down on the floor after a few rotations.
"Wow, what's with you today, Twilight? You don't usually go all gaga over little stuff like this. I mean, you might want to calm down before you scare him off." Spike began his morning stretches while they talked; a baby dragon needs his sleep but he also needs to be limber.
"Oh, Spike, you'll understand when you're older." She patted Spike on the head and sighed, blissful possible futures drifting through her head.
"If this is what I sound like around Rarity, I'm sorry and you've made your point."
"Huh?" Twilight snapped out of her pleasant reverie. "No, Spike, this is different. I can feel it. Now, you take it easy today, alright? We're both on vacation, after all."
"Awesome! I've gotten really behind on my comic books, what with the coronation, and the freaky mirror world-" he counted off items on his claws "- and all sorts of things!"
"It's important to read other things too, you know."
"Yeah, yeah. I'm on vacation." Spike was already curled up beneath a blanket with his stack of unread comics.
"Alright, Spike," Twilight said with a giggle. "Have fun with that; I'm going to start getting ready for tonight."
Twilight paced nervously by a tall tree; he had said five, but she showed up at four-thirty just to be on the safe side. What if he was late? It was nearly five now, what if he forgo-
"Hey. Were you waiting long?"
Twilight looked up to see Flash Sentry hovering overhead. "No, not too long." He was stunning, his mane- actually, he didn't seem to have done anything special. Twilight had to admit that he looked nice even without the armor, though. Briefly, she wondered if styling her mane and wearing eyeliner was a tad too much. "You look nice."
"You too. Not sure how well that mane is going to hold up once we get up to speed, though." He landed in front of her, folding his wings.
"Actually, I'm not sure how fast I can go. I'm still getting used to these things." She gestured at her wings and laughed nervously.
"You'll be fine. I'll take it easy on you." Flash flashed her an easygoing grin. "Ready for takeoff?"
"I hope so." Twilight flapped her wings clumsily, taking to the air after a few attempts. Flash Sentry joined her, pointing out various landmarks and hotspots, making sure to mention all the best eateries in the city.
After a few minutes of this, Twilight landed on a cloud, already out of breath. Actually, crash-landed-on-her-back on a cloud might be more accurate. "I'm... sorry. I just need... a few..." She took a deep breath. "Minutes to recover." Twilight grimaced. "This is actually the longest I've ever flown by about five minutes."
Flash Sentry landed next to her, tucking his legs beneath him. "It's fine. Nopony flies for very long at first, not even princesses." He grinned widely. "You did good, honestly."
"Thanks..." Twilight rolled over onto her stomach, her face inches from Flash's. "It was pretty amazing seeing the Crystal Empire from the air... it really does look like the most magical, romantic place in all Equestria."
"It is pretty great. My parents were worried when they heard I was going to be stationed in the frozen north. Hay, so was I. Then I saw the place and now I can barely imagine living anywhere else. It just seems like a great place, you know? Almost think I'd like to raise a family here someday."
Raise a family? Is he suggesting something? "I'd like that," Twilight responded. Flash Sentry raised an eyebrow at her and drew back slightly, which Twilight didn't catch. The early evening sun caught his eyes in far too distracting a manner for petty things like body language. Twilight leaned in, her heart pounding in her chest, her nostrils awash with his scent; cheap shampoo from his recent shower, the light sweat of his exercise...
She kissed him, her first real kiss. It was an awkward, nervous kiss, but she was an awkward, nervous mare. Her eyes were closed, her lips pressed against his, her wings unfurled. Everything about this moment was perfect, she decided. Even her aching flight muscles were providing a nice counterpoint to the pleasure this perfect kiss brought. She never wanted this moment to end.
Flash Sentry pushed her away. "What the hoof was that?" Confusion wracked his face.
"A kiss," Twilight supplied helpfully.
"I know what a kiss is. Why?" He was on his haunches now, forelegs crossed in front of his chest.
"Well, when two ponies love each other-"
"Twilight, how can you say you love me?" He snorted. "You don't even know me. One afternoon together isn't enough time for that. I mean, you're a nice mare. I'd probably think you were cool even if you weren't a princess, just..." He lifted a hoof to his forehead, his eyes screwed shut in frustration. "I'm not looking for a marefriend, okay?"
There was no response. Opening his eyes, Flash saw Twilight was already gone. "...This won't end well."
Twilight Sparkle was laying on the couch in her room, wearing her most comfortable pajamas (her only pajamas, in fact) and eating ice cream directly from the carton. The time for second-guessing herself out loud was long since past, and so she busied herself with tears and fudge ripple. A knock at the door interrupted her one-pony pity party. "Come in," she hoarsely.
"Twilight?" Cadance stepped through the door, shutting it behind her with her magic. Cadance looked over the younger princess, taking in details: mascara running down her cheeks, eyes puffy from crying, favorite pajamas, and-- yes, there's the ice cream. "I noticed the royal ice cream was missing from the kitchens. I thought I'd see if you were okay." She crossed the room to Twilight's couch, taking a seat next to Twilight.
"I'm fine, I'm just an idiot. I forgot how obnoxious and unlikable and hideous I am for a moment and I did something stupid." Twilight curled up tighter into a ball, turning away from Cadance so she couldn't see how hard she had been crying.
"Hey, none of that. You're not an idiot, or obnoxious or unlikable, and you're definitely not hideous." Colt troubles, she thought. Well, possibly filly, it wouldn't do to assume, and you haven't asked. "Did something happen?"
"Of course not! I just decided to cry myself to sleep with a carton of ice cream because I decided, after gathering empirical evidence, that this was the best course of action." Twilight snorted and crossed her forelegs.
"That's ridiculous and you know it, Twilight. You can talk to me; what happened?" She extended a wing around her favorite filly-- no, a mare now --and pulled her in for a hug that Twilight reluctantly accepted.
"I kissed Flash Sentry. It seemed like the right time, but when I was done he pushed me away and yelled at me, then he asked how I could love him when I don't even know him." Twilight looked up into Cadance's eyes, no longer caring if she saw how haggard she looked.
"Well, would you say you know him?"
"Of course I do! We saved Canterlot High from Sunset Shimmer and he wrote a song for me and he helped me get back to Equestria-" She was cut off by Cadance's hoof against her lips.
"No, Twilight. You didn't do any of that with him. He's a Flash Sentry, not that Flash Sentry. Think back. How long have you known this Flash Sentry?"
"...Oh." Twilight grimaced. "Well, I saw him the day before I left, I think? He didn't seem very important at the time. And then I came back yesterday, we bumped into each other, and today we went flying. That about covers it."
"One day. How would you feel if a stallion told you he loved you after one day together? How would you feel if he kissed you?"
"A little scared, honestly." Twilight wriggled out of Cadance's hug and sat back on her haunches. "I didn't even think about that. Part of me was just so sure we were destined to be together!"
"It might happen, it might not, Twilight. What you need to do is take things slow, talk about things as they come, and see where tomorrow takes you. Your brother and I were just friends for years before we decided to try for something more. You're still young, and you're a princess; don't feel like you have to rush things."
Twilight nodded silently, wiping her eyes off on her pajama sleeves. "I should talk to him about it in a few days, right?"
"That seems like a good idea to me." Cadance kissed Twilight on the forehead. "I'm glad you're feeling better. I'll see you tomorrow." Cadance pushed herself off of the couch and trotted to the door. "Oh, and Twilight?"
"Yes, Cadance?"
"I like your pajamas."
Twilight sat in front of a writing desk. Spike was nowhere to be found, so she would have to write this letter herself. Her parchment was prepped, her pen primed, and her inkwell... was also ready. She dipped her quill into the well and began to write. Twilight narrated aloud as she wrote, as though dictating the letter to herself.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Today I learned that it is important to let your friends be who they are, instead of imposing your own ideas of who they should be on them. Who knows, maybe that friend will turn out to be even better than what you wanted them to be!
Your faithful studen Faithfully yours, Princess Twilight Sparkle.
Epilogue
Three Days Later
Twilight Sparkle and Flash Sentry sat across from each other at an outdoor cafe. "... and that's what happened. I'm sorry I got so weird for a bit, I haven't been thinking clearly since I got back from the mirror world. Friends, right?"
"Friends," Flash answered with a nod. "Definitely."
