Flare of Hope

Flare and Star were laying in front of the crackling fire, the young prince pouring over a reference guide on warding magic. "Alright Flare, why have you been reading that particular book for about three hours, now?"

"How else am I going to defend myself from you when you get pissed at me again?"

Star sighed, and nuzzled Flare's neck lovingly. "Baby, I already told you I wouldn't go crazy on you again. So, let's put the book away, and have a nice quiet evening."

Flare smiled, and softly kissed Star on the cheek. "Alright, babe. You win." In a quick moment, Flare closed the book, and levitated it back to the bookshelf, then leaned into Star, feeling her soft fur against his side. "You know, you're right. This is a lot more relaxing than being in the castle. I don't think that anything could ruin this moment, babe."

Flare would soon be eating his words with a titanium spork that he would have bought from thinkgeek, if thinkgeek existed in Equestria, but for now, the only thing he wanted was a nice romantic evening with the mare of his dreams. And then the time finally came for the great interruption to come into place in the form of an all too familiar knocking on the door. The knocking was done in a code that Flare knew all to well. It was a pattern of two hoof-knocks, then the unmistakable sound of a head hitting the door. He was half expecting to hear the word "Smooooooke" not long after.

"Is that who I think it is?"

Flare sighed. "Yep. It's Sky Breaker." Flare didn't even bother to stand, but instead called out "We're bucking!"

Knock-knock-THUNK!

"I said we're bucking! Go away!"

The pegasus's voice called back through the door. "You're lying to me, Flare."

"No, I'm not. It's raunchy, and kinky, and most definitely not suitable for all ages!"

"You're lying, Flare. If you two were really bucking, why's Star being so quiet?"

"She's asleep."

There was an awkward silence. "...Right... I'll be back in five minutes."

Flare sighed and used his magic to fling the door open. "What do you need, Sky?"

Sky Breaker trotted into the living room at almost a canter's pace. "Flare, we have a problem."

Flare and Star both looked at the oegasus with slight looks of confusion, and a slight hint of worry. "What's going on?" Flare asked.

"Well, Cloudchaser and I volunteered to watch her friend, Thunderlane's little brother while he worked his weather shift, today. First he asked if he could have a friend over, and I said yes, so next thing I know, I've got Scootaloo over as well. Then without even realizing it, I had the other two crusaders at my house, and they decided to try to find out if throwing wild obnoxious parties was their special talent, and next thing I knew, my house was overrun with obnoxious fillies and colts. And I think Sweetie Belle almost burned the house down by trying to make milkshakes. Flare, you gotta help me. Please. I told Cloudchaser I'd only be gone for a few minutes. PLEASE!"

Flare patted the pegasus's back assuringly. "Don't worry, bud. We'll help you." Flare was definitely not expecting his old friend to have been overwhelmed by a bunch of foals, and he definitely wasn't expecting the massive hug that came with his offer of assistance. "OHTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!"

"Dude... can't... breathe!"

"Shut up, Flare, you're ruining the moment."

Less than a few minutes later, two unicorns, and a pegasus stepped into a warzone. The house looked as though a hurricane and a tornado had kinky, wild sex as an earthquake watched enthusiastically from the corner. There were colts and fillies running wild in each direction, and a single pegasus mare trying to get them all to calm down. Flare nearly went cross-eyed from trying to keep track of them all. "Just how many are there?"

"About seventeen," Cloudchaser called back, as she zipped to the other side of the house to rescue a falling lamp.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?"

"You're the one who fights demon-ponies and stuff! Think of something! Use your freaky alicorn powers or something!"

Flare pondered for a moment before the idea hit him. "I've got an idea, but you and Cloudchaser may want to go outside."

Sky Breaker, and Cloudchaser immediately followed Flare's suggestion. After a moment, Star joined them outside. "Shouldn't you be in there with Flare, Star?"

Star shook her head. "Nah. He's got it handled. Besides, I'm not tired."

Cloudchaser was slightly confused. "What does that have to do with anyth-" FWOOSH!

A blue light filled the inside of the house, disappearing a moment later, followed by numerous thuds in the hardwood floor, almost in unison.

"Um... what did he just do?" Sky Breaker asked, shooting a puzzled glance at Star.

"Well, he IS Princess Luna's son."

"He's what?' Cloudchaser asked with an eyebrow raised at Star.

"You didn't tell her, did you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Lunar Flare is actually Midnight Flare, and he's kind of a Prince of Equestria."

Cloudchaser looked between the two ponies, a look of disbelief in her eyes. "Yeah, and next thing you're going to tell me is that you're an alicorn, too."

"Well," Star began, "I am."

The pegasus mare trotted up to Star, and poked at her side. "Sure. Then where are your wi- What the buck?! They're invisible! How do you..."

"Masking magic. Princess Luna put a disguise on me and Flare so we could take a vacation."

"So, Flare's actually Prince Fla-... ohmygosh... I scared the buck out of a royal!" The light purple mare was nearly hysterical. She looked at her coltfriend, slightly angry. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

Sky Breaker shrugged off the meager death stare. "I wasn't supposed to tell anypony. They're on vacation. Imagine if you were really famous and decided to go on vacation, but you had ponies everywhere groveling at your feet."

"I could imagine it would be rather annoyi- wait... What's a feet?"

"Beside the point. We need to go check on the foals. I really hope Flare didn't go overboard." Sky started trotting toward the door, and opened it. His jaw dropped at what he saw. Sixteen colts and fillies out cold on the ground, table, wherever they were when the spell hit them, and Flare and a little orange pegasus filly sitting on the couch, talking among themselves. "Uh, Flare? How'd you do that?"

The little pegasus filly hopped up to her hooves, standing on the couch. "It was so AWESOME! Like Rainbow Dash, but with magic!"

Flare laughed. "Well, it was bed time."

"Cute. Really. I'll get a hold of their parents to come get them."

"Um... Mr. Sky Breaker?" the filly called out, waving a hoof high in the air. "Can I stay here, and talk to Mr. Flare some more? He's really awesome. And he says he knows the princesses!"

Sky Breaker smiled at the sight of both the little orange filly, and a full grown stallion giving him puppy dog eyes. "Okay, fine."

It was getting later into the night, and Star was fighting to keep herself awake, laid out on the couch, while Flare and the little filly were sitting on the floor, just chatting away.

"So have you met the prince, Flare?"

"Of course I have, Scoot," Flare half-lied. "I work with him all the time. So has Ms. Star over there."

"Wow! That's so awesome! Word around the orphanage is that he's one of the coolest ponies in the world. Almost cooler than Rainbow Dash or Sky Breaker!"

"Hah. Well, he IS pretty co- wait... Orphanage?" This little tidbit had caught even the prince by surprise. Even Star perked up from her half-sleeping posture at hearing this.

"Sky didn't tell you? I never met my mom or dad. I've been living in the Orphanage my whole life. The closest thing I've ever had to a family is Rainbow Dash, Sky Breaker, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom.

Flare stared at the filly, pure bewilderment in his eyes. He wondered how a pony with so much spunk, and such a strong personality could possibly be an orphan. Thankfully, for Flare, Scootaloo looked out the window, and her eyes went wide. "Oh, wow. It's getting late and I have school in the morning. It was nice getting to talk to you, Mr. Flare. We should hang out again soon!"

Flare waved a half-hearted hoof, as Scootaloo bolted out the door. "Yeah... definitely."