Tomorrow morning. It was 12 hours away. That was when she'd be leaving the Crystal Empire and returning to Ponyville. Who know how long it would be before she'd be able to return to the Empire? Weeks? Months? Years? Okay, maybe not years, but it would take a real long time.
Twilight had some royal duties to prepare for regarding the Summer Sun Celebration. She sure didn't want to flake on that, so this was her only chance to act on her crush. Her friends had been teasing her about it all day. Dash even called her a chicken for not talking to him. Twilight wasn't bothered by the teasing. It was just teasing after all. But there were good points they brought up. She only lived once, so she might as well take a chance. And, if things didn't go well, she at least got some dating practice in.
Flash's shift should be over about now. All Twilight had to do was go by the locker room as he left and ask him out. Easy, right? No reason to worry. No reason to sweat like a pig. No reason to be unable to keep her wings tucked in. Yet all those things were true, even though they shouldn't be.
And there he was. THERE HE WAS. Standing right there. His gamboge coat shined in Celestia's evening sun. Without his helmet, his sapphire mane was free to blow in the light breeze (okay, Twilight might have been imagining that breeze). Twilight took a deep breath. He was just another stallion. Another irresistibly handsome stallion.
"G-good evening, Flash," Twilight said.
Flash looked in her direction and bowed, "I'm sorry, Princess. I didn't see you there."
"Oh, it's okay," Twilight said, "You may rise."
Flash did and looked into her eyes with those beautiful cornflower blue eyes that reminded her of some far off memory.
"Did you want something?" he asked.
Twilight didn't realize that she'd just been gazing into his eyes and blushed at her mistake.
"Er...I was...wondering," Twilight said, brushing the back of her head with one hoof and shuffling the remaining three on the ground, "If you...would you...I wanted to ask...wouldyouliketogooutwithme!"
Flash blinked in confusion.
"S-sorry. I'm not very good at this. Would you...like to...go out with me?"
Did Flash blush? Twilight told herself it was just a trick of the light, but her heart wished otherwise.
"Sure. I'd love to."
"Great," Twilight said, "I found a wonderful gastrolounge in town."
"Trying to get me drunk, your highness? Didn't take you for that type."
Twilight blushed and said, "No...that's not what I--"
"I'm kidding. You're talking about Suddsy's Place?"
"How'd you know about that?"
"I live here, Princess," Flash said, "I've had time to get to know the place."
"Oh right. And call me "Twilight". All my friends do."
"Sure, Twilight. So...you live in...Ponyville, was it?"
"Yeah, I love it there. It's the first place I made any actual friends," Twilight said, excitedly, "I used to think friendship was a silly thing to strive for. Rather focus on studying magic. Ironically, friendship is the most powerful magic...so...um...you probably don't care about that."
"No, it's cool," Flash said, "Equestria was founded on friendship, so it's important to all of us."
Twilight was relieved. The whole walk to Suddsy's Place they talked about their friends. Flash apparently left a few behind in Canterlot.
"So why did you move here?" Twilight asked as they entered the lounge.
As they sat down, Flash said, "Well...um...my...mother needed to get out of the big city...and Captain Shining Armor needed some experienced guards here...so...yeah, get it over with."
"Get...what over with?"
"The jokes. I'm a mama's boy. Still live with my mommy because I'm scared of ghosts. Whatever."
"I'm not going to make fun of you," Twilight said, reaching across the table to place her hoof on his shoulder.
It was at that moment that the waiter came to their table.
"Can I take your order?"
"Oh," Twilight said, looking at the menu for the first time, "We'll need some time, but I'd like to have a crystal borovicka to drink."
"I'll have some barley wine," Flash said, "We should know what we want to eat by the time the drinks get here."
"Thank you," the waiter said, making a note.
"So...do you come her often," Twilight said as she skimmed the menu.
"At least once a week, if I can," Flash said.
Twilight nodded. She couldn't think of anything interesting to say. She was losing him. She knew it. He'd realize this was a mistake and go home. Twilight's heart pounded up into her throat.
"So what do you think of the Crystal Empire?" Flash asked, closing his menu.
"Oh, it's just beautiful," Twilight said, cursing herself for not having something wittier to say.
"It is, isn't it?"
"Your drinks," the waiter said, giving Twilight a few more precious seconds to think of something clever to say, "Are you ready to order?"
"Yeah, I'll have the spaghetti oregano delight," Flash said.
"Uh...I'll have...the daisy and daffodil--I mean asteraceae/narcissus muffuletta," Twilight said, wishing once again she could sound more clever.
"Very good," the waiter said, "your food will be ready shortly."
He left her to the wolves. She still racked her brain for something to say. Something clever. Something brilliant. Something that would make him not leave!
"So...what do you do with your free time?" Flash said, sounding nervous himself (but stallions as attractive as him didn't get nervous, did they?).
"I love to read mostly," Twilight said with a smile, finally having a topic she could say a lot about, "Daring Do books, Canter in the Sky, and I love to read of the adventures of Star Swirl the Bearded."
"You mean the father of the amniomorphic spell?"
"The one and the same."
"The one who single-hoofedly brought down the Quetzalcoatl Empress?"
"YES," Twilight said excitedly, "I've never met anypony as interested in Star Swirl as I am."
"Well, I'm more into Silver Shield myself."
"Of course. He was the founder of the royal guards. I can see that you relate more to him."
"And you'd definitely relate to Star Swirl. But the two of them worked together so often..."
The two of them went on and on about their historical heroes. Twilight was surprised and impressed that Flash knew so much about Equestria's history. He even knew some things she didn't.
"Commander Hurricane wasn't the leader of the Pegusis Tribe?" Twilight asked in shock.
"Yeah, the Pegusis Tribe was ruled by the Marshal. Marshal Constable didn't wish to join with the other two tribes, so Commander Hurricane took all who would come with him to Equestria," Flash explained, "And that's were--"
"The legends of Pegasopolis comes from," Twilight finished, "They say that the remaining pegusi remain behind a powerful squall--"
"Protecting them from the windigos."
"Wow! That's just amazing. I have to take another look at the Crystal Empire's library. I wonder if it has any books about King Sombra."
"I don't think so," Flash said, "Once he took over, I think he destroyed all scripts he thought could be used against him."
"Sounds like a smart idea on his part. How's the search for him going?"
"Nowhere really. I'm not sure what Princess Celestia expects, no offense meant."
"None taken," Twilight said, "I'm sure Celestia has a good reason for keeping up the search."
Silence again. But this time Twilight wasn't as nervous. She felt more comfortable and was able to come up with a good question.
"Why did you join the royal guards, anyway? Because Silver Shield was your hero?"
"Part of the reason I guess," Flash said, "Mostly it was because of my father."
"He was in the royal guards?"
"Yeah, one of the best too. Blue Sentinel."
"Oh, I met him once and...and...OHMYGOSH!"
"What's wrong, Twilight?"
"He...I...you," Twilight said, feeling a panic attack coming on.
"Hey, calm down," Flash said, putting his hoof on hers, "I already knew about him being killed in action, and about your involvement. I didn't think you'd have forgotten."
Twilight took a few deep breaths as she looked into those eyes. The same kind eyes Blue Sentinel had. How could she forget? Perhaps her grief-stricken mind blocked it out.
"I...I was just...it was the first time I saw anypony die. It was terrifying."
"Hey," Flash said, putting his free hoof under her chin to keep her eyes locked with his, "I knew he died protecting you, but I never really blamed you. He'd do that for anypony. Not just the student of Princess Celestia. And you know what else?"
Twilight didn't answer. She just gazed into those beautiful eyes. Kindness and understanding shown through them. She couldn't deny it any longer. She was falling for him. And what he had to say next won her heart and made it his.
"Even if you didn't become a princess, even if you didn't end up saving Eqestria half a dozen times, even if you never were Princess Celestia's personal student, I'd still say his sacrifice was worth it. Because Equestria would be a lesser place without you in it. Regardless of whether you were royalty or some goofy librarian."
Tears welled up in her eyes. Never before had she been praised so wonderfully. There was no use fighting it. She was now in love. Did he love her back? There was a way to find out (that must be the drinks talking). Feeling extra bold due to his amazing praise, she leaned forward and kissed him. Right on the lips.
But the most amazing thing. More amazing than that fabulous library in the Crystal Empire. More amazing than the revelation Flash gave her regarding the Pegusis Marshal. More amazing than Flash's cornflower blue eyes. He kissed her back! With passion, but gentleness. She hadn't been imagining it! It was real! He'd fallen for her. Just as she had for him.
Her first date. Her first kiss. Both were the best she'd ever had.
The End
Author's Note
As I said, this is part of my "Equestrian Empire" continuity. I had one story planned, but realized putting all I wanted into it would just clutter the thing. Having some one-shot fanfics to fill some minor details out makes things much easier.
I actually didn't want them to have their first kiss, but I knew everyone would be screaming at their computer screen "KISS HIM ALREADY". Seemed like what Twilight would do at the time, especially after a drink or two.
