"The Twilight of His Life"by TheTalentlessPonyChaptersA Long NightSpeaking Words of PainThe Flash of Her LifeTo Be TogetherA Long NightTwilight's legs felt like jello as she hobbled into her castle. Her head was throbbing, making her unable to be fully aware of the noises Starlight was making as she trained her magic upstairs, though it wasn't as if it mattered. She made her way across the floor, eyes half-lidded and the sound of her own hoofsteps echoing in her head. Meetings, greetings, and all sorts of things she'd done today thoroughly wore her out. She might not've had any more duties to take care of, but it was only afternoon and she felt like collapsing. "Spike..." She had tried to call louder, but her voice was completely drained. Part of her hoped he wouldn't hear. "I'm...I'm home..." She didn't bother stopping to wait for him to come by, figuring that he wouldn't hear her anyway. "Twilight?" Hearing his voice from down the hall, she wondered if maybe the echo of her hoofsteps had reached him. Spike soon appeared, sprinting upon seeing her. He'd grown taller and slimmer over the years, though thankfully not more greedy, and was constantly concerned about her state of health. "Geez, you look awful..." He was testing her, she was sure, but she gave no reaction, making him realize how exhausted she must be if she couldn't even snap back with a sly remark. "You should get into bed." "It's afternoon," Twilight argued, "so I'll sleep whenever I get home from seeing Flash." She attempted to walk past him, only to be blocked. "Uh uh, no way! You're going to bed." She squirmed weakly as he wrapped his arms around her and managed to pick her up; they were about the same height now and Spike had a lot of strength to lift her, so it couldn't be helped if she felt far too tired to move. Spike had reached such a feat roughly a year ago, and Twilight secretly suspected that he'd asked for Starlight's help in the matter, just to ensure that he'd be strong enough to carry her on her more tired days. She deeply appreciated his efforts, but it saddened her to think that he gave up on his childhood just to keep her in check. "...He'll be waiting for me," she murmured, muzzle buried in his shoulder. "I'll go across and let him know, okay?" She relaxed slightly as he ran his claws through her mane. "You can't keep doing this, Twi..." She hid herself more into him at those words; did he think she didn't know? Of course she knew. She wasn't prepared to accept it. Always travelling between worlds to see him, while one of the biggest joys of her life, took a lot of time; you don't go to a different world just to spend a few minutes there, right? Spike went into her bedroom, the lights already off and pillows already fluffed. He set her down, and she obediently snuggled into the comfy mattress. Spike had his own bedroom now, so Twilight was well aware that he wouldn't be staying long. "Spike?" "Yeah?" He was giving her a cautious gaze. "Can you please get my messaging book for Sunset?" "Twiliiiight..." "I promise, it won't be for long." Spike raised a brow, but shrugged and searched through Twilight's drawers, pulling out said book. He set it next to her on the bed, then left, leaving Twilight to relax in the silence; as much as a princess could, anyway. She glanced down at the book, then used as much magic as she could - without getting a potential headache - to pick it up, a purple pen from the human world slid into the pages where she'd left off. No message from Sunset... She wasn't too surprised; the last time she'd checked the book wasn't that long ago. She pulled out the pen, then started writing. Are you there, Sunset? Not as formal as she'd usually be, but she wasn't feeling like a formal conversation today. Twilight wasn't sure how much time passed, but a reply eventually wrote itself across the page. Yeah, I'm here. Do you need something, Twilight? She smiled fondly, reminiscing on times spent with her. Funnily enough, Sunset had become even more supportive than herself as time went on. She acted as everyone's crutch. Just to talk. I'm so tired today. That bad, huh? Spike wouldn't even let me leave to see Flash. I was going to visit you too, but I suppose it didn't work out that way. There was hesitation on a response. You're still seeing him? Twilight played innocent, hoping she wouldn't pry. What do you mean? You know what I mean. I'm not saying Flash is a bad guy, but we both know it takes a lot of time out of your day to visit him and the rest of us. I mean, how many times do you visit him, really? Once a week? A blushed crossed her face as she wrote. ...Every other day. Every other day?! There was sudden sloppiness in the handwriting, probably due to shock. I know, I know, but visiting the human world helps me relax from everything, even if I know I'll be more tired when I get back. She could almost feel Sunset's patience being tested. It's not just that, Twilight. Twilight nervously bit her bottom lip, inwardly heckling herself; of course Sunset would think this through as thoroughly as she was, but that didn't mean she wanted to face it now! I've seen you two. You always look so happy together, but what about the future? You might get busier and Flash will have his own life to look after too. You know you can't stay in the human world. I know. I have things to do. Even if I quit being a princess, there's too much here to give up. There was another hesitation on Sunset's end. Do you want me to talk to him? NO! She'd become so startled that she'd accidentally scribbled a bit on the page while writing. I mean, please don't. I have to face this myself. She already knew what'd come next. Are you going to break up with him? Those words thrust a dagger into Twilight's heart. Her first and only boyfriend? They'd been together for years; he loved her and she loved him. She didn't want to lose that, and she didn't want to break up with him; she never wanted to. But she had to, didn't she? Her magic flickered faintly as tears came to her eyes. Do you think he'll understand? I'm sure he will. Sorry I never told you, but I've talked to him a little bit about you. He was always worried that he was holding you back. Holding me back? Flash? Never... A hoof went to one of her pillows as she hugged it longingly. Flash didn't hold her back at all; he made her happy in a way no one else could. All of her friends made her happy in so many ways, obviously, but her relationship with him was special too. To give that up would be near-unthinkable. They shared a bond like Shining Armor did with Cadence. But this wasn't like Shining Armor and his relationship with Cadence either; they could live together, while Twilight and Flash couldn't. With a sad sigh of defeat, she kept writing. Thanks, Sunset. Get lots of rest, okay? I will. Her magic died down as her book and pen plopped down on her nightstand. Her wings shuddered with unease, but she tried to keep herself calm. Tomorrow, she'd do it. She'd tell Flash the truth. Even if it broke her inside. Speaking Words of PainThe now-familiar feeling of standing on two feet overtook Twilight as she stepped through the portal. As always, a tall comforting presence came to her side. "Welcome back, stranger," Flash joked with a smile. Twilight gave a weak smile and lightly pushed him, having become so deeply comfortable with him over the years. "You know very well that I'm no stranger!" "Really?" Flash questioned. "You look much more beautiful than what my girlfriend looked like last time I saw her. You should meet her; she's a pony princess from Equestria." Twilight covered her mouth to suppress laughter at his cheesy attempt at flirting with her, while he pulled out a scrunched-up sticky note, suddenly looking a bit nervous. "Did I say that right?" She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, finding it very hard to stay completely sad in front of him. "You said it fine, don't worry." Though with a strange hesitance, he smiled, a hand going around her waist to pull her close to him. "I just wanted to help you feel better. You look so exhausted all the time." She leaned against him, frowning. "It's okay. Can we go to your house to relax today?" He looked confused at first, but nodded. "Sure. You want me to order some pizza too, maybe even find a movie to watch?" "That'd be nice." Twilight had no true preference. She just needed to spend the day with Flash before breaking the news. Part of her knew she was being selfish by doing so; he was going to go through his usual methods of making sure they had a good time, and yet here she was, about to break up with him. Still, she desperately wanted a little more time to soak everything in, hoping everything would fall into place. Flash's home was extremely modest and ordinary; size-wise, anyway. The inside had a variety of colors to reflect his personality, along with a few beanbag chairs and such. He definitely wasn't rich, but he did spend the occasional dollar to buy things for his home and Twilight. She even had a few things in her own room from him, and vice versa. She leaned up against him as they sat on the couch, inwardly hoping he wouldn't notice that she was being a bit more clingy than usual. If he did, he didn't show any sign of it, though his hesitance to grab her shoulder opposite of him was slightly suspicious. The movie itself was nice enough; Flash knew her more than well by this point, so he found it easy to know what she liked to watch. Not all the movies she liked were his thing too obviously, but it wasn't hard to find something they could both enjoy either. The pizza was nice too; it was something that Twilight didn't get to taste often, so she relished it when she could. They'd been ordering from the same place for all the time they dated, so the cheese against her mouth felt almost nostalgic when keeping in mind that it wouldn't last. It was Flash that made it complete, however; pizza in Equestria did exist, but Twilight found it hard to eat when Flash wasn't around. He was a massive dork about it too, as he often wrote songs about the things they did. Only he could make "pizza" sound romantic, making Twilight blush and giggle at the same time. Their love a long time ago though, she'd even admit, was based on some... complicated attractions. Maybe it was simply because he was the first person to reach out to her in the human world? She wasn't sure. She was told once that she had become a great judge of character after her ascension into an alicorn; perhaps that had something to do with it? Flash could never give a proper answer either. The best he'd put it was that the first touch of their hands held an odd impact and lingered in his mind, eventually becoming a full-blown attraction the more he saw her. It was a touch to a crush. Wanting to see the other to wanting to know each other. Hugging suddenly to hugging lovingly. It was the best way Twilight could describe it as well; plus, Flash had turned it into an amazing song, which was hard to argue with. Aside from that, she had suspected that he might've had some sort of mental link with the pony version of himself, who she'd bumped into before ever entering the human world, but those theories never ran very deep. When Flash was feeling particularly corny, he'd boil it down to being destiny. Twilight definitely believed in destiny, but would destiny truly be cruel enough to put her into this situation? "...Flash?" Her hand shifted over as her fingers intertwined with his. His grip on hers tightened. "Yeah?" There was a pause. "You want to talk about something?" She looked up, though couldn't bring herself to fully meet his gaze. "...Yes." She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped as Flash averted his gaze. "I know." Twilight stiffened. "W-what? You know?" "You want to break up, right?" The sadness in his eyes was evident despite his straight face. "No! I mean..." Her gaze fell. "Yes, but it's not like that. I..." She sighed sadly. "I'm tired, Flash. I don't want to hold you down or always come back here so sleepily." He ran a hand through her hair. "I know that too. You don't think your boyfriend would notice you looking so exhausted the more you came back here?" He had a point; Twilight supposed she'd just been hoping too hard that he'd remain oblivious. Flash gave her a serious gaze. "But you don't hold me down, okay?" He smiled. "Just making sure you know." She blushed, but nodded in understanding. He gave a small sigh in response, leaning back against the couch and staring up at the ceiling. "I should've said something earlier. I was just..." "enjoying the moments while they lasted?" Twilight guessed. He smiled. "How'd you know?" She giggled weakly. "I was too." The air was still, but Flash attempted to keep his spirits high. "Do you want me to walk you back at least?" As if he needed to ask. They both knew it wouldn't be right to stay here for much longer. "I'd love that. Thank you." With that, they got up and left the house, leaving a half-eaten pizza behind. Neither of them needed to say anything on the way; both of their hearts were heavy beyond words, but the message was clear: they didn't have a choice. And, as they reached the portal, Twilight didn't dare look back, fearing that things would only become sadder if she did. She walked forward without thought and felt Flash's hand linger on hers for just a second longer before she was able to walk away free-handed. The portal shifted around her form, but she could almost hear Flash's voice all the way from the human world as she was changed back into her normal pony form. It was too muffled, almost inaudible, so she tried to ignore it. The portal released her back into her own world after a moment, but the feeling of being home failed to register with her. She sighed, trying to rationalize what had just transpired to herself. This is what has to happen. I can't allow myself to get choked up over it! Still, she felt a few tears forming and reached a hoof up to dry her eyes. Come on, Twilight, keep it together! Princesses don't cry. She let out a small sigh, then began making her way to her bedroom. She didn't know the exact time; only that she was tired and planned on sleeping this day off like it was nothing but a bad dream. I suppose, in essence, that could be accurate, considering the Flash in this world hardly knows me at all. It might as well have been a dream... She allowed her hooves to relax as she fell forward onto her bed, squirming a bit to get into the right position. Her stomach twisted, but she didn't want to alarm anyone in the morning, so she attempted to keep herself in check. Tiredly, her horn glowed softly, bringing over her book that connected her with Sunset. She opened it to the page she and Sunset had written in last, re-reading the conversation. He was always worried that he was holding you back. She deeply wished that she hadn't been right; that she had misheard him and he didn't actually worry about such things. There was so much she still wanted to say to him, but wouldn't that have just made it worse? Then again, she doubted she could feel worse than she did now. She levitated her pen back up, though it was shaky. I did it. Her vision grew blurry from her oncoming tears, followed by the book and pen shuddering, her magic flickering as she attempted to keep a firm hold. Finally, the book and pen fell as her magic flickered again. In a panic, she reached her hoof out to grab at least the book, but it still collided with the floor. She couldn't get it in time. She shook her head and frantically wiped her tears away, focusing her magic again on bringing it back up to her. Right... no hands. She almost missed them. Her pony body would always be the one she knew best but, in the strangest way, she almost felt more comfortable in her human form. Almost. It was more the feeling than the body. In her human form, she knew she could see him, because it meant she was in his world. It meant she could ruffle his hair with her fingers, and make him freak out adorably like he always did while trying to fix it. It meant a lot, to her, because in her pony form, she knew that the same source of comfort couldn't reach her. She wanted to check for a response from Sunset, but couldn't bring herself too. Opening her drawer, she put the book inside, shutting it with a little more force than normal as she turned away. She shut her eyes, wanting nothing more than to sleep her troubles away before being called away for some sort of princess business. Though, deep down, she knew it wasn't going to come easily. The Flash of Her LifeTwilight was slowly finding that she was correct. No matter how still the atmosphere or how relaxed she tried to be, sleep wouldn't fall upon her. If anything, it only made her desire Flash's company more. It was rare for her to be so needy, but she was so very tired from her princess duties. Tearful nights had become a typical occurrence. She clutched her pillow to her chest as the hours passed by, though it made her more aware of her unsteady heartbeat. She considered using magic to force herself to sleep, but feared it wouldn't be stable enough in her current state. Then, suddenly, a loud thud cut through the silence, making Twilight jolt up on alert. Her ears perked up and she was quick to abandon her pillow and blanket. Was there an intruder? Was it Starlight? Did something simply fall? Twilight leapt off her bed and galloped out of the hallway. It didn't matter; a distraction was more than welcome in such a situation. Regardless of what it came from, it would help keep her mind occupied. She turned a corner. The sound was continuing every now and then, and she could feel a residual magic in the air... a spell? No, that wasn't it... Another sharp turn, and Twilight suddenly collided with something unknown, knocking her back slightly while the opposite force went straight to the ground. She shook her head, rubbing her snout with a small groan. She stared down in front of her, looking unamused, but was met with surprise. An amber pegasus laid on the ground, looking sufficiently exhausted. Twilight figured she had knocked the wind right out of him. His blue mane was even slightly unkempt, which she assumed to be from the fall as well. Seeing his condition, she felt bad. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to--" She stopped herself. "W-wait, hold on, I shouldn't be apologizing! This is my castle! What are you..." Her voice trailed off as she saw him shift. There wasn't anything on him; no tools of any kind. No window smashing noises were heard earlier either, so how...? He got up finally, his legs shaky. His mouth opened up to speak, but both ponies felt a sudden spark as blue eyes met violet. This feeling... Twilight felt her heart skip several beats, backing up slightly, though her eyes never left the stallion. After a moment, a small but relieved laugh left his mouth. He retracted his gaze for only a moment, to stare sheepishly at the floor. "...Whoa, we've got to stop bumping into each other like this." The silliest grin grew on Twilight's face, the excited alicorn nearly knocking him over again as she rushed him into a hug. "FLASH! It's really you! You're here!" She paused, however, realization hitting. She released him, hoof at his chest. "Wait, you're... here? How did you get here? Why are you here?" He snorted. "The second answer's obvious." He smiled at the blush that came to Twilight's cheeks, but he grew serious immediately after. "I asked Sunset to activate the portal herself, so I could pass through." The residual magic I felt... "Though..." He cleared his throat, embarrassment all over his face as he looked upon the knocked over chairs and tables. Twilight understood where the noises had come from immediately. "I'd planned on sitting over there to wait for you, but I had a bit of trouble getting used to this." "That's okay. I did too when I came to your world," Twilight assured, the memory of meeting him for the first time still fresh in her mind. Her gaze was fond, but sad, as she nuzzled him. "You shouldn't stay here. I'll take you back." She began to walk towards the portal, but he shakily stepped in front of her. "Twilight, I..." He was stiff all of a sudden, needing a moment to breathe before getting any more words out. "...I don't want to go back. That's why I came." "What? Flash, you..." Her eyes widened in realization. "W-wait, no! Flash, you can't possibly stay! Your world is—" She found herself silenced as he placed a hoof on her chest, echoing her earlier motion. He looked hurt by her words. "I never wanted you to jump back and forth just to see me. I wanted to be with you all the time, and when you left, I...I couldn't take it." He pressed on her chest a bit harder. "Didn't you feel that way too?" His eyes were searching hers, as if praying to every higher power out there that she felt the same. Twilight opened her mouth, but immediately closed it, avoiding his gaze. "This isn't about me, Flash. I can't let you do this. You have your own purpose in your own world, just as I do in mine. To give it all up for me... I won't allow it." "Sunset said you would say that. She tried to talk me out of it, but I still convinced her to let me go through the portal anyway. You two are close, so if I could talk her into it, doesn't that mean you should at least give me a chance to talk too?" She wanted to. She so badly wanted to, but the second she let go of her stance on the matter... "I-I'm sorry! I can't! You have a life there, Flash! There's nothing else for you here!" It was taking all her self-control to stop herself from accepting him wholeheartedly. "I'm... I'm not worth it." Another few steps forward, and Flash was in front of her again. He looked offended now. "You want me to just stand here and let you talk like that? I didn't come here on some sort of impulse, Twilight!" Twilight stepped back. It was so unusual to see Flash get heated over something. "I took as long as I could to think about it, I really did, but there was nothing in me that wanted things to stay like this! So..." His gaze softened. "I said good-bye to everyone. Heh, honestly, I think they were expecting it from the very start. They weren't even surprised." He blushed. "It was like you were all I talked about. You're so brave... amazing... selfless..." He shook his head, realizing that he was getting off track. "I don't know whether I love or hate that part of you. You give everything so no one else has to worry about you." He paused, his gaze turning sharp again. "Why can't you let yourself be selfish for once? You want me to go back to my world just so you can put all your focus into your work and never think about yourself? You want me to go because you think I'll stop you from over-doing it?" He huffed. "Because I would." His words hit Twilight hard. She turned her gaze away, not giving a proper response. What was she meant to say? Flash's eyes turned gentle, his hoof gingerly reaching up to bring her attention back to him. His eyes were watering. "You don't get it, do you? I can't go back to my world. I'm already here." He nuzzled her, the best that he could for someone who had only just become a pony. As his face brushed against hers, warmth filled their chests. His voice was quiet, his shyness clear. "You're my world, Twilight. I...I love you." That did it. Twilight's eyes widened. She teared up. Her forelegs wrapped around him as her face buried itself into him. She let out a happy sob. "I...I love you too. Please stay." His smile was wide and loving as he pressed his muzzle to her forehead. "Hey, that was my plan all along, remember?" To Be TogetherIt was quiet in the big castle; naturally, of course. It was so very late at night, the only sounds coming from Flash and Twilight's heartbeats as they hugged. For once in a long while, Twilight felt completely at peace. No concern about breaking up with Flash or feeling the constant want to return to the human world to see him. No, he was right here instead. He exhaled softly. "Sorry it took me so long." "It's all right. Sorry it took me so long too." She giggled. "Your hugs are pretty above average for just becoming a pony though." "Really?" Flash asked, pulling away with a silly grin. Twilight grinned back. "Nnnno, but I can tell you're trying, and that's more than good enough." "Hey, you try having human hands all your life and then getting a pair of hooves instead." He sat down to the best of his ability, holding up his front hooves for emphasis. "Fair enough. At least you get a pair of wings in addition to them." "Wings?" Flash was immediately intrigued, glancing at his back with curiosity. "I can fly? For real?" "For real!" Twilight echoed, spreading her own and giving them a rough flap. "The pony Flash - or I guess he's just the other Flash now - is a pegasus as well, so it makes sense that you have that trait too when crossing over to this world." He nodded sheepishly. "So, uh, how would I get them to work?" She smiled, turning and starting to walk out of the room. "I can teach you a little bit tomorrow if you'd like?" "That'd be great! I mean, I should get used to this whole pony thing if I'm going to keep up with you." He followed her to the best of his ability, eyes occasionally drawn to her hooves so he could imitate them. "I wouldn't worry. I still don't think I'm that amazing at flying," she admitted, though being embarrassed to do so. "My friend Starlight taught me how to use my magic as assistance, so I almost never fly with wings alone." "Yeah..." Flash drew his gaze up to her horn. "Do I have one of those too?" She glanced over at him to see what he meant. "Oh, a horn? No, only unicorns have horns. Alicorns, like myself, do too, but we're an amalgamation of all three types of ponies combined, so I don't particularly count it, especially since being an alicorn in and of itself is mostly exclusive to being a princess." She waited for a response, but he was silent. "...What?" He smiled. "You're incredible, you know that? Having such a big role in Equestria..." Twilight blushed, averting her gaze. "I-it was my destiny! That's what Princess Celestia told me." Flash gave a cheery laugh. "And then you go and say that you're not worth me staying here? Come on, Twilight!" He bumped into her slightly as they trotted along. "Not that I would've cared if you were a princess or not. I'm the one who doesn't deserve you if anything!" "That is so not true!" Twilight argued. Seeing his playful expression, however, she smiled and teased him back. "Though, if you disagree with my choice—" "No no, I don't!" Flash interrupted. "No arguments here!" The two had a few giggles over the conversation as Twilight opened her bedroom door and led Flash inside. He seemed curious about it, like he had with the few things he'd seen so far, but it came to a shy halt as they both approached the bed. Sure, they'd both cuddled and such before, but sleeping together was the one thing they hadn't done. Flash watched as Twilight slowly climbed onto the bed. "...Is this okay?" She nodded. "Is it okay with you? I know you're used to how I look as a human, so I imagine it's a bit weird for you now." He waved a hoof dismissively, smiling. "You might look different, but I still see the same the same old Twilight, human or not." He attempted to pull himself onto the bed with his forelegs, only to miscalculate and flop face-first into the bed, earning a giggle from Twilight. He squirmed a bit at first, then went over to her side, being careful not to crush his wings as he tried to get comfortable. Twilight watched him, recalling fond memories of the past; particularly, the day before she first met him, where she encountered the same problem. It was funny to think that her life wouldn't be nearly as enriched now if Sunset hadn't stolen her crown. "So..." Flash's voice brought Twilight out of her thoughts. "What's a pegasus like me to do about getting a guitar?" She chuckled, amused that such a thing would be on his mind. "I'm sure we can find something to do for you." She laid down next to him as they cuddled, albeit semi-awkwardly. "I would definitely miss hearing you play otherwise." He was flustered from the close contact, Twilight radiating an almost-magical warmth at such a range. It was nice; more than nice even. "I could still sing to you?" he offered, though eyes slightly droopy. "Starting tomorrow though, when I'm not so tired." She cuddled closer, nodding her head in approval. "I'd like that." Flash smiled, nuzzling Twilight lovingly as they slowly fell asleep in each other's embrace.
A Long NightTwilight's legs felt like jello as she hobbled into her castle. Her head was throbbing, making her unable to be fully aware of the noises Starlight was making as she trained her magic upstairs, though it wasn't as if it mattered. She made her way across the floor, eyes half-lidded and the sound of her own hoofsteps echoing in her head. Meetings, greetings, and all sorts of things she'd done today thoroughly wore her out. She might not've had any more duties to take care of, but it was only afternoon and she felt like collapsing. "Spike..." She had tried to call louder, but her voice was completely drained. Part of her hoped he wouldn't hear. "I'm...I'm home..." She didn't bother stopping to wait for him to come by, figuring that he wouldn't hear her anyway. "Twilight?" Hearing his voice from down the hall, she wondered if maybe the echo of her hoofsteps had reached him. Spike soon appeared, sprinting upon seeing her. He'd grown taller and slimmer over the years, though thankfully not more greedy, and was constantly concerned about her state of health. "Geez, you look awful..." He was testing her, she was sure, but she gave no reaction, making him realize how exhausted she must be if she couldn't even snap back with a sly remark. "You should get into bed." "It's afternoon," Twilight argued, "so I'll sleep whenever I get home from seeing Flash." She attempted to walk past him, only to be blocked. "Uh uh, no way! You're going to bed." She squirmed weakly as he wrapped his arms around her and managed to pick her up; they were about the same height now and Spike had a lot of strength to lift her, so it couldn't be helped if she felt far too tired to move. Spike had reached such a feat roughly a year ago, and Twilight secretly suspected that he'd asked for Starlight's help in the matter, just to ensure that he'd be strong enough to carry her on her more tired days. She deeply appreciated his efforts, but it saddened her to think that he gave up on his childhood just to keep her in check. "...He'll be waiting for me," she murmured, muzzle buried in his shoulder. "I'll go across and let him know, okay?" She relaxed slightly as he ran his claws through her mane. "You can't keep doing this, Twi..." She hid herself more into him at those words; did he think she didn't know? Of course she knew. She wasn't prepared to accept it. Always travelling between worlds to see him, while one of the biggest joys of her life, took a lot of time; you don't go to a different world just to spend a few minutes there, right? Spike went into her bedroom, the lights already off and pillows already fluffed. He set her down, and she obediently snuggled into the comfy mattress. Spike had his own bedroom now, so Twilight was well aware that he wouldn't be staying long. "Spike?" "Yeah?" He was giving her a cautious gaze. "Can you please get my messaging book for Sunset?" "Twiliiiight..." "I promise, it won't be for long." Spike raised a brow, but shrugged and searched through Twilight's drawers, pulling out said book. He set it next to her on the bed, then left, leaving Twilight to relax in the silence; as much as a princess could, anyway. She glanced down at the book, then used as much magic as she could - without getting a potential headache - to pick it up, a purple pen from the human world slid into the pages where she'd left off. No message from Sunset... She wasn't too surprised; the last time she'd checked the book wasn't that long ago. She pulled out the pen, then started writing. Are you there, Sunset? Not as formal as she'd usually be, but she wasn't feeling like a formal conversation today. Twilight wasn't sure how much time passed, but a reply eventually wrote itself across the page. Yeah, I'm here. Do you need something, Twilight? She smiled fondly, reminiscing on times spent with her. Funnily enough, Sunset had become even more supportive than herself as time went on. She acted as everyone's crutch. Just to talk. I'm so tired today. That bad, huh? Spike wouldn't even let me leave to see Flash. I was going to visit you too, but I suppose it didn't work out that way. There was hesitation on a response. You're still seeing him? Twilight played innocent, hoping she wouldn't pry. What do you mean? You know what I mean. I'm not saying Flash is a bad guy, but we both know it takes a lot of time out of your day to visit him and the rest of us. I mean, how many times do you visit him, really? Once a week? A blushed crossed her face as she wrote. ...Every other day. Every other day?! There was sudden sloppiness in the handwriting, probably due to shock. I know, I know, but visiting the human world helps me relax from everything, even if I know I'll be more tired when I get back. She could almost feel Sunset's patience being tested. It's not just that, Twilight. Twilight nervously bit her bottom lip, inwardly heckling herself; of course Sunset would think this through as thoroughly as she was, but that didn't mean she wanted to face it now! I've seen you two. You always look so happy together, but what about the future? You might get busier and Flash will have his own life to look after too. You know you can't stay in the human world. I know. I have things to do. Even if I quit being a princess, there's too much here to give up. There was another hesitation on Sunset's end. Do you want me to talk to him? NO! She'd become so startled that she'd accidentally scribbled a bit on the page while writing. I mean, please don't. I have to face this myself. She already knew what'd come next. Are you going to break up with him? Those words thrust a dagger into Twilight's heart. Her first and only boyfriend? They'd been together for years; he loved her and she loved him. She didn't want to lose that, and she didn't want to break up with him; she never wanted to. But she had to, didn't she? Her magic flickered faintly as tears came to her eyes. Do you think he'll understand? I'm sure he will. Sorry I never told you, but I've talked to him a little bit about you. He was always worried that he was holding you back. Holding me back? Flash? Never... A hoof went to one of her pillows as she hugged it longingly. Flash didn't hold her back at all; he made her happy in a way no one else could. All of her friends made her happy in so many ways, obviously, but her relationship with him was special too. To give that up would be near-unthinkable. They shared a bond like Shining Armor did with Cadence. But this wasn't like Shining Armor and his relationship with Cadence either; they could live together, while Twilight and Flash couldn't. With a sad sigh of defeat, she kept writing. Thanks, Sunset. Get lots of rest, okay? I will. Her magic died down as her book and pen plopped down on her nightstand. Her wings shuddered with unease, but she tried to keep herself calm. Tomorrow, she'd do it. She'd tell Flash the truth. Even if it broke her inside.
Speaking Words of PainThe now-familiar feeling of standing on two feet overtook Twilight as she stepped through the portal. As always, a tall comforting presence came to her side. "Welcome back, stranger," Flash joked with a smile. Twilight gave a weak smile and lightly pushed him, having become so deeply comfortable with him over the years. "You know very well that I'm no stranger!" "Really?" Flash questioned. "You look much more beautiful than what my girlfriend looked like last time I saw her. You should meet her; she's a pony princess from Equestria." Twilight covered her mouth to suppress laughter at his cheesy attempt at flirting with her, while he pulled out a scrunched-up sticky note, suddenly looking a bit nervous. "Did I say that right?" She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, finding it very hard to stay completely sad in front of him. "You said it fine, don't worry." Though with a strange hesitance, he smiled, a hand going around her waist to pull her close to him. "I just wanted to help you feel better. You look so exhausted all the time." She leaned against him, frowning. "It's okay. Can we go to your house to relax today?" He looked confused at first, but nodded. "Sure. You want me to order some pizza too, maybe even find a movie to watch?" "That'd be nice." Twilight had no true preference. She just needed to spend the day with Flash before breaking the news. Part of her knew she was being selfish by doing so; he was going to go through his usual methods of making sure they had a good time, and yet here she was, about to break up with him. Still, she desperately wanted a little more time to soak everything in, hoping everything would fall into place. Flash's home was extremely modest and ordinary; size-wise, anyway. The inside had a variety of colors to reflect his personality, along with a few beanbag chairs and such. He definitely wasn't rich, but he did spend the occasional dollar to buy things for his home and Twilight. She even had a few things in her own room from him, and vice versa. She leaned up against him as they sat on the couch, inwardly hoping he wouldn't notice that she was being a bit more clingy than usual. If he did, he didn't show any sign of it, though his hesitance to grab her shoulder opposite of him was slightly suspicious. The movie itself was nice enough; Flash knew her more than well by this point, so he found it easy to know what she liked to watch. Not all the movies she liked were his thing too obviously, but it wasn't hard to find something they could both enjoy either. The pizza was nice too; it was something that Twilight didn't get to taste often, so she relished it when she could. They'd been ordering from the same place for all the time they dated, so the cheese against her mouth felt almost nostalgic when keeping in mind that it wouldn't last. It was Flash that made it complete, however; pizza in Equestria did exist, but Twilight found it hard to eat when Flash wasn't around. He was a massive dork about it too, as he often wrote songs about the things they did. Only he could make "pizza" sound romantic, making Twilight blush and giggle at the same time. Their love a long time ago though, she'd even admit, was based on some... complicated attractions. Maybe it was simply because he was the first person to reach out to her in the human world? She wasn't sure. She was told once that she had become a great judge of character after her ascension into an alicorn; perhaps that had something to do with it? Flash could never give a proper answer either. The best he'd put it was that the first touch of their hands held an odd impact and lingered in his mind, eventually becoming a full-blown attraction the more he saw her. It was a touch to a crush. Wanting to see the other to wanting to know each other. Hugging suddenly to hugging lovingly. It was the best way Twilight could describe it as well; plus, Flash had turned it into an amazing song, which was hard to argue with. Aside from that, she had suspected that he might've had some sort of mental link with the pony version of himself, who she'd bumped into before ever entering the human world, but those theories never ran very deep. When Flash was feeling particularly corny, he'd boil it down to being destiny. Twilight definitely believed in destiny, but would destiny truly be cruel enough to put her into this situation? "...Flash?" Her hand shifted over as her fingers intertwined with his. His grip on hers tightened. "Yeah?" There was a pause. "You want to talk about something?" She looked up, though couldn't bring herself to fully meet his gaze. "...Yes." She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped as Flash averted his gaze. "I know." Twilight stiffened. "W-what? You know?" "You want to break up, right?" The sadness in his eyes was evident despite his straight face. "No! I mean..." Her gaze fell. "Yes, but it's not like that. I..." She sighed sadly. "I'm tired, Flash. I don't want to hold you down or always come back here so sleepily." He ran a hand through her hair. "I know that too. You don't think your boyfriend would notice you looking so exhausted the more you came back here?" He had a point; Twilight supposed she'd just been hoping too hard that he'd remain oblivious. Flash gave her a serious gaze. "But you don't hold me down, okay?" He smiled. "Just making sure you know." She blushed, but nodded in understanding. He gave a small sigh in response, leaning back against the couch and staring up at the ceiling. "I should've said something earlier. I was just..." "enjoying the moments while they lasted?" Twilight guessed. He smiled. "How'd you know?" She giggled weakly. "I was too." The air was still, but Flash attempted to keep his spirits high. "Do you want me to walk you back at least?" As if he needed to ask. They both knew it wouldn't be right to stay here for much longer. "I'd love that. Thank you." With that, they got up and left the house, leaving a half-eaten pizza behind. Neither of them needed to say anything on the way; both of their hearts were heavy beyond words, but the message was clear: they didn't have a choice. And, as they reached the portal, Twilight didn't dare look back, fearing that things would only become sadder if she did. She walked forward without thought and felt Flash's hand linger on hers for just a second longer before she was able to walk away free-handed. The portal shifted around her form, but she could almost hear Flash's voice all the way from the human world as she was changed back into her normal pony form. It was too muffled, almost inaudible, so she tried to ignore it. The portal released her back into her own world after a moment, but the feeling of being home failed to register with her. She sighed, trying to rationalize what had just transpired to herself. This is what has to happen. I can't allow myself to get choked up over it! Still, she felt a few tears forming and reached a hoof up to dry her eyes. Come on, Twilight, keep it together! Princesses don't cry. She let out a small sigh, then began making her way to her bedroom. She didn't know the exact time; only that she was tired and planned on sleeping this day off like it was nothing but a bad dream. I suppose, in essence, that could be accurate, considering the Flash in this world hardly knows me at all. It might as well have been a dream... She allowed her hooves to relax as she fell forward onto her bed, squirming a bit to get into the right position. Her stomach twisted, but she didn't want to alarm anyone in the morning, so she attempted to keep herself in check. Tiredly, her horn glowed softly, bringing over her book that connected her with Sunset. She opened it to the page she and Sunset had written in last, re-reading the conversation. He was always worried that he was holding you back. She deeply wished that she hadn't been right; that she had misheard him and he didn't actually worry about such things. There was so much she still wanted to say to him, but wouldn't that have just made it worse? Then again, she doubted she could feel worse than she did now. She levitated her pen back up, though it was shaky. I did it. Her vision grew blurry from her oncoming tears, followed by the book and pen shuddering, her magic flickering as she attempted to keep a firm hold. Finally, the book and pen fell as her magic flickered again. In a panic, she reached her hoof out to grab at least the book, but it still collided with the floor. She couldn't get it in time. She shook her head and frantically wiped her tears away, focusing her magic again on bringing it back up to her. Right... no hands. She almost missed them. Her pony body would always be the one she knew best but, in the strangest way, she almost felt more comfortable in her human form. Almost. It was more the feeling than the body. In her human form, she knew she could see him, because it meant she was in his world. It meant she could ruffle his hair with her fingers, and make him freak out adorably like he always did while trying to fix it. It meant a lot, to her, because in her pony form, she knew that the same source of comfort couldn't reach her. She wanted to check for a response from Sunset, but couldn't bring herself too. Opening her drawer, she put the book inside, shutting it with a little more force than normal as she turned away. She shut her eyes, wanting nothing more than to sleep her troubles away before being called away for some sort of princess business. Though, deep down, she knew it wasn't going to come easily.
The Flash of Her LifeTwilight was slowly finding that she was correct. No matter how still the atmosphere or how relaxed she tried to be, sleep wouldn't fall upon her. If anything, it only made her desire Flash's company more. It was rare for her to be so needy, but she was so very tired from her princess duties. Tearful nights had become a typical occurrence. She clutched her pillow to her chest as the hours passed by, though it made her more aware of her unsteady heartbeat. She considered using magic to force herself to sleep, but feared it wouldn't be stable enough in her current state. Then, suddenly, a loud thud cut through the silence, making Twilight jolt up on alert. Her ears perked up and she was quick to abandon her pillow and blanket. Was there an intruder? Was it Starlight? Did something simply fall? Twilight leapt off her bed and galloped out of the hallway. It didn't matter; a distraction was more than welcome in such a situation. Regardless of what it came from, it would help keep her mind occupied. She turned a corner. The sound was continuing every now and then, and she could feel a residual magic in the air... a spell? No, that wasn't it... Another sharp turn, and Twilight suddenly collided with something unknown, knocking her back slightly while the opposite force went straight to the ground. She shook her head, rubbing her snout with a small groan. She stared down in front of her, looking unamused, but was met with surprise. An amber pegasus laid on the ground, looking sufficiently exhausted. Twilight figured she had knocked the wind right out of him. His blue mane was even slightly unkempt, which she assumed to be from the fall as well. Seeing his condition, she felt bad. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to--" She stopped herself. "W-wait, hold on, I shouldn't be apologizing! This is my castle! What are you..." Her voice trailed off as she saw him shift. There wasn't anything on him; no tools of any kind. No window smashing noises were heard earlier either, so how...? He got up finally, his legs shaky. His mouth opened up to speak, but both ponies felt a sudden spark as blue eyes met violet. This feeling... Twilight felt her heart skip several beats, backing up slightly, though her eyes never left the stallion. After a moment, a small but relieved laugh left his mouth. He retracted his gaze for only a moment, to stare sheepishly at the floor. "...Whoa, we've got to stop bumping into each other like this." The silliest grin grew on Twilight's face, the excited alicorn nearly knocking him over again as she rushed him into a hug. "FLASH! It's really you! You're here!" She paused, however, realization hitting. She released him, hoof at his chest. "Wait, you're... here? How did you get here? Why are you here?" He snorted. "The second answer's obvious." He smiled at the blush that came to Twilight's cheeks, but he grew serious immediately after. "I asked Sunset to activate the portal herself, so I could pass through." The residual magic I felt... "Though..." He cleared his throat, embarrassment all over his face as he looked upon the knocked over chairs and tables. Twilight understood where the noises had come from immediately. "I'd planned on sitting over there to wait for you, but I had a bit of trouble getting used to this." "That's okay. I did too when I came to your world," Twilight assured, the memory of meeting him for the first time still fresh in her mind. Her gaze was fond, but sad, as she nuzzled him. "You shouldn't stay here. I'll take you back." She began to walk towards the portal, but he shakily stepped in front of her. "Twilight, I..." He was stiff all of a sudden, needing a moment to breathe before getting any more words out. "...I don't want to go back. That's why I came." "What? Flash, you..." Her eyes widened in realization. "W-wait, no! Flash, you can't possibly stay! Your world is—" She found herself silenced as he placed a hoof on her chest, echoing her earlier motion. He looked hurt by her words. "I never wanted you to jump back and forth just to see me. I wanted to be with you all the time, and when you left, I...I couldn't take it." He pressed on her chest a bit harder. "Didn't you feel that way too?" His eyes were searching hers, as if praying to every higher power out there that she felt the same. Twilight opened her mouth, but immediately closed it, avoiding his gaze. "This isn't about me, Flash. I can't let you do this. You have your own purpose in your own world, just as I do in mine. To give it all up for me... I won't allow it." "Sunset said you would say that. She tried to talk me out of it, but I still convinced her to let me go through the portal anyway. You two are close, so if I could talk her into it, doesn't that mean you should at least give me a chance to talk too?" She wanted to. She so badly wanted to, but the second she let go of her stance on the matter... "I-I'm sorry! I can't! You have a life there, Flash! There's nothing else for you here!" It was taking all her self-control to stop herself from accepting him wholeheartedly. "I'm... I'm not worth it." Another few steps forward, and Flash was in front of her again. He looked offended now. "You want me to just stand here and let you talk like that? I didn't come here on some sort of impulse, Twilight!" Twilight stepped back. It was so unusual to see Flash get heated over something. "I took as long as I could to think about it, I really did, but there was nothing in me that wanted things to stay like this! So..." His gaze softened. "I said good-bye to everyone. Heh, honestly, I think they were expecting it from the very start. They weren't even surprised." He blushed. "It was like you were all I talked about. You're so brave... amazing... selfless..." He shook his head, realizing that he was getting off track. "I don't know whether I love or hate that part of you. You give everything so no one else has to worry about you." He paused, his gaze turning sharp again. "Why can't you let yourself be selfish for once? You want me to go back to my world just so you can put all your focus into your work and never think about yourself? You want me to go because you think I'll stop you from over-doing it?" He huffed. "Because I would." His words hit Twilight hard. She turned her gaze away, not giving a proper response. What was she meant to say? Flash's eyes turned gentle, his hoof gingerly reaching up to bring her attention back to him. His eyes were watering. "You don't get it, do you? I can't go back to my world. I'm already here." He nuzzled her, the best that he could for someone who had only just become a pony. As his face brushed against hers, warmth filled their chests. His voice was quiet, his shyness clear. "You're my world, Twilight. I...I love you." That did it. Twilight's eyes widened. She teared up. Her forelegs wrapped around him as her face buried itself into him. She let out a happy sob. "I...I love you too. Please stay." His smile was wide and loving as he pressed his muzzle to her forehead. "Hey, that was my plan all along, remember?"
To Be TogetherIt was quiet in the big castle; naturally, of course. It was so very late at night, the only sounds coming from Flash and Twilight's heartbeats as they hugged. For once in a long while, Twilight felt completely at peace. No concern about breaking up with Flash or feeling the constant want to return to the human world to see him. No, he was right here instead. He exhaled softly. "Sorry it took me so long." "It's all right. Sorry it took me so long too." She giggled. "Your hugs are pretty above average for just becoming a pony though." "Really?" Flash asked, pulling away with a silly grin. Twilight grinned back. "Nnnno, but I can tell you're trying, and that's more than good enough." "Hey, you try having human hands all your life and then getting a pair of hooves instead." He sat down to the best of his ability, holding up his front hooves for emphasis. "Fair enough. At least you get a pair of wings in addition to them." "Wings?" Flash was immediately intrigued, glancing at his back with curiosity. "I can fly? For real?" "For real!" Twilight echoed, spreading her own and giving them a rough flap. "The pony Flash - or I guess he's just the other Flash now - is a pegasus as well, so it makes sense that you have that trait too when crossing over to this world." He nodded sheepishly. "So, uh, how would I get them to work?" She smiled, turning and starting to walk out of the room. "I can teach you a little bit tomorrow if you'd like?" "That'd be great! I mean, I should get used to this whole pony thing if I'm going to keep up with you." He followed her to the best of his ability, eyes occasionally drawn to her hooves so he could imitate them. "I wouldn't worry. I still don't think I'm that amazing at flying," she admitted, though being embarrassed to do so. "My friend Starlight taught me how to use my magic as assistance, so I almost never fly with wings alone." "Yeah..." Flash drew his gaze up to her horn. "Do I have one of those too?" She glanced over at him to see what he meant. "Oh, a horn? No, only unicorns have horns. Alicorns, like myself, do too, but we're an amalgamation of all three types of ponies combined, so I don't particularly count it, especially since being an alicorn in and of itself is mostly exclusive to being a princess." She waited for a response, but he was silent. "...What?" He smiled. "You're incredible, you know that? Having such a big role in Equestria..." Twilight blushed, averting her gaze. "I-it was my destiny! That's what Princess Celestia told me." Flash gave a cheery laugh. "And then you go and say that you're not worth me staying here? Come on, Twilight!" He bumped into her slightly as they trotted along. "Not that I would've cared if you were a princess or not. I'm the one who doesn't deserve you if anything!" "That is so not true!" Twilight argued. Seeing his playful expression, however, she smiled and teased him back. "Though, if you disagree with my choice—" "No no, I don't!" Flash interrupted. "No arguments here!" The two had a few giggles over the conversation as Twilight opened her bedroom door and led Flash inside. He seemed curious about it, like he had with the few things he'd seen so far, but it came to a shy halt as they both approached the bed. Sure, they'd both cuddled and such before, but sleeping together was the one thing they hadn't done. Flash watched as Twilight slowly climbed onto the bed. "...Is this okay?" She nodded. "Is it okay with you? I know you're used to how I look as a human, so I imagine it's a bit weird for you now." He waved a hoof dismissively, smiling. "You might look different, but I still see the same the same old Twilight, human or not." He attempted to pull himself onto the bed with his forelegs, only to miscalculate and flop face-first into the bed, earning a giggle from Twilight. He squirmed a bit at first, then went over to her side, being careful not to crush his wings as he tried to get comfortable. Twilight watched him, recalling fond memories of the past; particularly, the day before she first met him, where she encountered the same problem. It was funny to think that her life wouldn't be nearly as enriched now if Sunset hadn't stolen her crown. "So..." Flash's voice brought Twilight out of her thoughts. "What's a pegasus like me to do about getting a guitar?" She chuckled, amused that such a thing would be on his mind. "I'm sure we can find something to do for you." She laid down next to him as they cuddled, albeit semi-awkwardly. "I would definitely miss hearing you play otherwise." He was flustered from the close contact, Twilight radiating an almost-magical warmth at such a range. It was nice; more than nice even. "I could still sing to you?" he offered, though eyes slightly droopy. "Starting tomorrow though, when I'm not so tired." She cuddled closer, nodding her head in approval. "I'd like that." Flash smiled, nuzzling Twilight lovingly as they slowly fell asleep in each other's embrace.
