Flare of Hope

"Wait... so, you're not mad at me?"

"No, but I do have only one question. What took you so long?"

Flare rubbed the back of his head, looking around the hall, where a massive ceremony was quickly thrown together to honor the bravery of the ponies who fought against the massive attack. "Well, it's kind of embarrassing, really."

"Good. More ammunition for me to use on you later."

"You know, you're the worst kind of evil."

"I get that a lot."

"Fine. Well, I-"

"Fillies, and Gentlecolts!" Celestia's voice filled the hall, before Flare could let another syllable out. "Today, we are here to honor the brave ponies who fought their hardest against the recent attack on our beloved city." The princess began reading of a long list of names, as each of them walked across the stage, and were given a medal by Princess Luna. Flare had to be in attendance, as part of royal protocol, and he was more than happy to have Star by his side in her elegant dress, since Cadance was busy on her honeymoon, and whatnot.

The list was long, and dragged out, naming off most of the royal guard, and a few civilians, who had taken down one or two changelings. Then, of course, the Elements of Harmony got their due. Then came a very special award.

Princess Celestia cleared her throat."The next award is presented to a very special pony, who not only saved numerous bystanders from the changeling forces, but also assisted Prince Flare, and Lady Star in the thwarting of a second plot against Equestria with his well used knowledge. May I have Sky Breaker to the stage?" The crowd erupted in a roar of applause, as the pegasus took the stage, and Celestia continued. "I, Princess Celestia, take great pride in presenting Sky Breaker with the highest honor anypony can receive, the coveted Equestrian Medal of Valor!"

The pegasus beamed, as the medal was levitated around his neck. He stepped forward, and began to speak, before Celestia spoke up again.

"I also would ask our honoree to kneel, in recognition of one more honor." The pegasus instantly kneeled before his princess, and closed his eyes, as the princess tapped each shoulder with her horn. "I hereby dub thee Sir Sky Breaker, Defender of Equestria!"

The crowd went wild, as he looked up at the princess, who nodded in reply of the implied "Permission to speak?" He stood, and trotted to the edge of the stage, and looked out at the audience. "Iget would first like to thank the royal family for bestowing me with these great honors. I would also like to thank those who supported me." He then pulled a scroll out from under his wing, and unrolled it, revealing it to be a small list. "First, there's my pals Snowflake, and Thunderlane, then there's my girl, Cloudchaser, and finally, my two best friends, the late David Flare, and Myra Star. May you two find each other in the afterlife."

The speech was nice and all, but the ending really caught the Prince, and his advisor off guard. As the crowd roared a thunderous applause, Flare and Star stood stricken, their eyes wide, and jaws dropped, at the shocking revelation.

A few hours later, the couple was sitting together in Flare's study, still trying to piece together what the buck they had heard, today. They both had their own pillow, placed next to each other, Star's back covered with a blanket. "Was that-"

"I have no clue."

"Ask him!"

"And look like a psychopath if it's not? No way!"

"Fine. I'll have him summoned to the castle, and ask him myself."

"Good. Now, you still have a question to answer."

"Fine, but afterward, you have to answer a question of mine."

"Fine. Now tell me."

"Fine," Flare said, burying his face in the pillow. After a moment, he whispered "I couldn't get it up."

"You what?"

"I couldn't get it up! Happy now?!"

Star thought a moment, and refrained from bursting into laughter. Instead she replied with a voice of genuine care. "Well... why couldn't you? Is something wrong with you?"

"I don't think so. She kept changing forms, trying to find something that I found attractive. Well, after about an hour, we found one."

"Oh? And what was it?" Star asked, her curiosity piqued.

Flare blushed, as he nervously pawed at the ground in front of his pillow with a hoof. "It was you."

Star smiled, and nuzzled into Flare's neck. "That's sweet, Flare. Hilarious, and weird, but sweet."

Without a moment of delay, there was a knocking on the study door, followed by a voice. "Sir, you have a visitor."

Flare looked at the door, and thought for a moment. "Send them in."

"Right away, sir." After a split second, the door swung open, revealing a white pegasus stallion with the biggest of smiles.

Flare looked at the pegasus, his eyebrow raised. "Can I help you, Sk-"

Flare was taken by surprise, as the pegasus wrapped him in a tight hug. The two guards outside the door went full alert, only to return to normal, after a hoof wave from Falling Star.

"David! I'm so happy I found you!" And with blinding speed, he released Flare, and wrapped Star in a hug. "Myra! ... You're still Myra!" After the display if affection, the pegasus released the mare, and looked at the two with a huge smile.

Flare looked long and hard at the pegasus, until it finally clicked. "Erik?"

"What, you were expecting Rainbow Dash? So, what happened to the Hornet? How'd you get here? Are you really Princess Luna's son? I mean I know you always used to say Luna was best pony, but WOW!"

"Whoa, Erik, calm the buck down. I'll answer all your questions in due time. Just rela- wait... something happened to the Hornet?"

"Well, yeah. Twilight Sparkle helped me watch you through a trans-world window. I hadn't visited her in a while, and one day, she said and I quote 'He's dead to me.' So I thought the worst had happened. Then just today, I find out that you're you, so I figured you must've gotten here just like Star and I, so that means that the Hornet got destroyed."

"Actually, that's way off," Star spoke up.

"Oh, okay." The pegasus nodded his understanding. "So, Star. If you ever need a flying lesson, I'll be more than happy to teach you."

"Thanks, Sky, but I'll have to pass. Right now, I'm just trying to forget that they exist."

Flare looked over at Star. "You still never told ne how you got those."

"Oh yeah. I guess you already told me how you couldn't get it up with the shade of lust trying to bone you, so it's only fair."

Flare heard a few snickers coming from the other side of the open door. He glared at the two female guards outside the door, who responded with a look of fear, just as the door slammed shut in their faces. He then looked at the pegasus in front of him, who had managed to keep his composure, despite his old joking demeanor.

"Well, now that you've thoroughly manged to embarrass me in front of my personal guards, tell me how you got the wings. In fact, I don't think I've even seen them up close.

Star sighed, and looked at Flare. "Cadance said that they may be really sensitive for a few weeks. Kind of like a moulting, but a hundred times worse." She tried to move her wings, and could feel every fiber of the blanket rubbing her wings, causing the very neurons in her brain to fire off. The increased feelings of softness caused her wings to rocket from ger back, sending the blanket flying, only to land on her head, perfectly covering the red of her cheeks.

Flare chuckled, and softly grabbed the blanket in his mouth, pulling it from the blushing mare's face. "Well, now that you've thoroughly embarrassed yourself, how did you get the wings, babe?"

Star sighed, and proceeded to tell the story of how she brought Flare back to life by making a deal with Death.

"Awwww, that's such a sweet story."

"Who are you, and what have you done with Erik?"