After receiving unpleasant reactions from her friends and horrible reactions from the princesses regarding her engagement to Flash Sentry, Twilight was running through Canterlot with tears running down her cheeks. She knew that she had to pull herself together before she went to her parents' house. She stopped at the cafe for a bite to eat where she was greeted by one of the unicorn guards. He saw that her eyes were red from crying. He asked, "Oh hi Twilight, what is wrong?"

Twilight replied, "Oh my friends aren't overly impressed and the princesses are very unimpressed over a decision I am making."

The guard saw the ring on her horn and figured it must be costume jewelry given how huge the stone in it was. He asked, "Twilight, is there a costume party tonight? That CZ in your horn ring is huge."

Twilight snapped, "It is not costume jewelry. Flash Sentry gave me this ring when he proposed to me last night."

The guard, like basically everypony else who knew him did not care for Flash. He laughed, "What? The pony who drinks most of his check away every month is finally settling down?" He began to laugh harder and asked, "Your Majesty, how did he afford a ring that big? Did he strike it big in a poker game? Did he rob a bank or did he hold up the jewelry store and steal it?"

The princess was not amused by this question and had her suspicions about his mentioning drinking and poker. She yelled, "He did not rob a bank and he did not hold up the jewelry store." She became more angry and continued, "AND he does not drink nor does he gamble!"

The guard laughed, "Actually Twilight, he does gamble. He had to hand his entire check over to me a few months ago when he was stupid enough to think that a pair of twos would win a hand of poker."

Twilight could not see a pony as sweet as Flash as the gambling type. She yelled, "You lie! He does not gamble and he is not stupid." Twilight slammed her hoof on the ground and took off towards her parents' house. When she arrived she was in a fury. She pounded on the door so loud that it shocked her parents.

Twilight Velvet, her mother answered the door. She was shocked by the mad fury in Twilight's face. She asked, "Twilight honey, what is wrong? Why are you so angry?"

Velvet's* sweet and caring voice calmed Twilight down. She replied, "I have told great news to not just my friends, but the princesses as well and they seem to think I'm doing the wrong thing."

Velvet motioned for Twilight to come in and sit down. She asked, "What news could upset......." She then noticed the ring on Twilight's horn. Unlike other ponies, she could tell it was an engagement ring. She hugged Twilight and asked, "Twilight, you're getting married? Who is the lucky stallion? He must be well off to be able to afford a ring that huge!"

Twilight didn't know that Shining Armor and Cadence were visiting. Shining Armor heard this, came in and said, "Twily, you're getting married? I'm so happy for you." He saw the ring on Twilight's horn and figured that the stallion she was marrying was quite wealthy. He asked, "So who's the lucky stallion?"

Twilight excitedly replied, "Flash Sentry! We have been dating for over a year but I never imagined he would propose to me!"

While Velvet remained happy, Shining Armor's smile turned into a scowl. He growled, "Flash Sentry? Seriously little sis?"

Twilight asked, "Shining, why do you all of a sudden seem so upset?"

Shining replied, "Twily, I know things about Flash that you do not. He was under my command before I married Cadence and trust me, he is incompetent, he is lazy and he is disobedient. I wouldn't even wish him on Chrysalis."

Before Twilight could say anything Crescent Sparkle,** Twilight's dad and Cadence came into the living room. Cadence saw Twilight and ran up to her. Like always they did their song and dance, "Sunshine, sunshine, lady bugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

Cadence then saw the ring on Twilight's horn and was ecstatic. She hugged her and said, "Twilight, you're getting married! Who's the lucky stallion?"

Crescent added, "Yeah who is he and why haven't you brought him over to meet us yet?"

Twilight replied, "His name is Flash Sentry and he is in the royal guard."

Cadence's look of elation turned to one of concern. She asked, "Really Twilight? You're going to marry him?"

Crescent asked, "Twilight, it seems like Cadence and Shining Armor has their doubts about him but I would like to meet him for myself. I want to get to know the pony my daughter will be marrying for myself."

Velvet added, "As would I. After all, I want to know if what Shining is saying is true. I want to know if my daughter is going to marry a deadbeat."

Shining Armor replied, "Mom, dad, you don't have to get to know him. Like I said, I was his commander before I married Cadence. He is horrible at his job and I always overheard the guards talking about his drinking and gambling problems."

Crescent asked, "Twilight, is this true? Are you going to marry Flash despite these problems?"

Twilight replied, "Mom, that is a lie. Flash does not drink or gamble and he never has. How can you buy into these lies?"

Shining interrupted, "Twily, Flash just puts forth his best in front of you. You have never seen the real Flash Sentry. Trust me little sis, once you do see the real Flash, you will wish you never met him."

Twilight sighed, "Look, will you four just be here for me? No one else is even being supportive and it seems like Fluttershy would rather I be alone forever than seeing me with him."

Cadence knew of Fluttershy's nature. She asked, "Really? Fluttershy is against this?"

Twilight replied, "Yes. I never saw any pony act so rude and use as much sarcasm as she did when I told my friends about this." Twilight began to cry and continued, "I just want somepony to be here for me. I wish somepony besides me would be there for him besides me," Her crying intensified as she continued, "But NOPONY but me is there for him. Everypony in the guard hates him, my friends don't trust him and his family disowned him."

Shining laughed, "Well given how he is, it is no surprise that he has no friends, it is no surprise your friends distrust him and it is no surprise that his family disowned him. He is a loser Twily. I will be here for you but don't come crying to me when this sham of a marriage ends in divorce."

Pretty much ever since she first met Twilight as a filly Cadence had always been there for her. She had always been supportive of everything she did but she could not support this, she would not support her marrying Flash. Cadence added, "Twilight, I'm sorry but I am in the same mindset as Shiny. I'll be here for you but I will not support this."

Twilight had tears running down her face after hearing two of the ponies she thought cared about her the most saying they would not support her. She looked at her parents and cried, "Mom, dad, do you still want to meet him or are you going to side with them?"

Crescent replied, "I know your brother and Cadence wouldn't lie but I would still like to meet him. I want to see how nervous he is around me when I interrogate him about everything I have heard."

Velvet added, "He can meet Crescent and I together. I want to get to know him. Yeah I am not going to expect much from him but who knows, maybe he has changed since Shining married Cadence."

Twilight stormed out of her family's house and took flight back towards Ponyville. While she knew her parents did want to meet him and her friends said they would give him a chance, she knew Shining Armor and Cadence would never truly be there for her. She began to wonder if her and Flash should elope but then remembered that under Equestrian law, such a marriage involving a prince or princess would not be recognized and would result in her losing her wings and being stripped of her title so all she could do was wait until they could have a formal wedding.

Author's Note

* Given that both Twilight Sparkle and Twilight Velvet have the same first name, I am simply going to refer to Twilight Velvet as Velvet so that I do not have to specify which Twilight is speaking.

**While most use the name Night Light for Twilight's dad, I have heard him called Crescent Sparkle as well, and that is the name I shall use for him.