"And you promise to have her in bed by eight?"
"Yes."
"And to make sure she brushes her teeth?"
"Uh huh."
"And check her homework for us, would you? I know it's a little advanced, but Twily will be pretty upset if she doesn't have it done."
"Dad, you can count on me."
Shining Armor laughed. "Okay, Flurry. But seriously...can you make the little airplane noises while you feed her?"
As her husband and daughter collapsed into laughter, Cadence frowned. "Enough, you two! Starlight is doing us an enormous favor by watching Flurry tonight."
"Cadence, she's ten. She can take care of herself."
"Plus," added Flurry, "there's always like, a thousand guards in the castle all the time."
"I can't help that I worry about you." Cadence hugged her daughter tightly. "You don't have to go to bed early, you can have extra dessert...just, please be good to her, alright?"
Flurry Heart squeezed her mother. "Yes, Mom."
"Sunburst, I don't think I've ever been so nervous in my life."
Starlight's whole body was shaking, her foot was tapping, and her fingers twitched as she tried to hold the teacup still.
Sunburst giggled. "I think you're going to do great, Starlight."
"But...Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor inviting me to babysit? It's an honor. Oh Celestia, I'm so afraid I'll screw up."
Sunburst took Starlight's hand. "What's the worst that can happen?"
Starlight froze, gruesome images coming to her mind. Sunburst cringed. "Nevermind, forget I asked. Have you even talked to Flurry Heart lately?"
"No..."
"Well, I see her everyday. She's a very intelligent ten year-old, Starlight. She's kind and gentle, I'm sure she'll just want to read all night. You don't have to worry."
Starlight took a deep breath. "Okay, okay." She smiled. "Thanks."
Starlight straightened her blazer as approached the guard. "Hello, my name is-"
The guard bowed. "Of course, Starlight Glimmer, protege of the great Princess Twilight Sparkle of Friendship."
Starlight laughed. "Ah, haha...Yes. That's me!"
"You are here under the request from the Prince and Princess, correct?"
"Yup. I mean, correct."
The guard led her to the main hall, where the enormous doors opened to reveal Flurry Heart. Starlight looked down.
"Hello, Starlight." The Princess folded her arms against her chest as she leaned against the doorway.
"Hello, your Highness." Starlight felt clammy. "It's lovely to see you again."
The two bowed at each other. "Oh, and you're so tall," Starlight cooed.
"Thank you. As my father is six foot five, I expect to only keep growing."
"Ah." Starlight groaned. That's all you've got to say?
"Come right this way, Mrs. Glimmer," said Flurry Heart, gesturing to follow the long carpet which lead to the Princess and Prince of the Empire.
Starlight bowed. "Your Highnesses."
"Starlight, it is such a delight to see you again," said Cadence, walking forward to hug Starlight.
Starlight tenderly hugged the Princess back. "Thank you. I am honored to be here."
"Don't worry," Shining Armor said, "there's no need to be so formal. We really like you, and we knew you would be the best choice for this task."
Starlight suddenly felt that nice, warm, fuzzy feeling in her stomach. "Well, thank you. I promise I won't let you down."
"So," said Cadence, clapping her hands together. "I suppose I should let you know what the plan is."
"Shoot." Starlight blushed. "I mean, go ahead."
"Cadence and I will be back at midnight or so. If anything goes wrong, we'll be just a few blocks away at that restaurant..."
"Crystal Confections," Cadence suggested.
"Yeah, that one."
"As for rules," Cadence said, then pausing to think. "Well, we trust Flurry, and I'm sure you know she's quite the goody two shoes."
Starlight laughed, and the Princess went on: "She can go to sleep whenever she pleases, or whenever it's most convenient for you. And she's already eaten dinner, so you won't have to worry about telling the cooks to make her something. Of course, if you haven't eaten, feel free to. And to ask a butler for anything you may possibly need."
"That is so very kind of you," said Starlight.
"Well, we best be on our way," the Princess said, taking her husband's arm.
"See you later tonight," the Prince said, and the two waved as they walked out of the castle.
Almost immediately after they left, Princess Flurry Heart said, "I hope you don't mind, but I have some research that I have been asked to do, and I thought that I should get that finished a bit early this evening."
"Oh," Starlight said. "But of course."
"Would you like to see it?"
"See what?"
"My father's study."
Starlight followed Flurry into what looked like a small library. Books covered all of the walls, in bookshelves crafted of a dark wood. There was a large desk in the center of the room, and a fine leather chair, in which Flurry Heart sat. She looked a bit silly, a small girl in her father's large chair, Starlight thought.
"It's magnificent," Starlight said, her eyes following the winding cases of novels, old and new.
Flurry simply nodded. "Yes, my father and aunt have always shared their love of reading."
"I'm sure you do, as well."
Flurry nodded. Starlight stood in the doorway for a while, but soon felt awkward. "Well, if there is anything you need-"
"I'll be fine, thank you."
Starlight quickly walked away. That could have gone better.
It had been...at least an hour. Starlight had picked up one of her texts that Princess Twilight had suggested she read, and soon found that it was incredibly boring. But as Starlight looked around her, at the bare, crystaline castle, she noted that there wasn't much else for her to do.
Flurry Heart came in and sat between the couch upon which Starlight was sitting and a wooden coffee table, placing her books and pencils on top. Starlight sat in silence, until Flurry finally spoke.
"Do you wish to know something?"
"Uh...sure."
"Sunburst is quite taken with you."
Starlight felt her cheeks becoming red. Of course, she already knew that, but hearing someone besides Twilight say it...
"Well...I mean, we are very good friends..."
Flurry turned around, staring up at Starlight. Starlight became flustered.
"I mean...It has taken me many years to come to terms with with how people can still be my friends, despite the truly awful things I did...And I have to say...I am very grateful..."
Flurry Heart nodded. "Ah."
"So...how is your research going? Do you need any help?"
"Oh, no. I don't expect you to help me. You're doing my parents a big enough favor already."
That was a bit rude. Flurry went on: "I've almost finished."
"Oh."
Soon enough, she had finished. She grabbed a book off of the bookshelf nearby and began to read. Starlight tapped her fingers on her legs. "How about we...make some snacks? Pigs in a blanket are always good."
"Sure."
Flurry Heart set down the book and followed Starlight into the kitchen. "We don't have any dough."
"That's alright, we can make some." Starlight rummaged through the cupboards until she found some ingredients that seemed right. As she looked through the fridge for some hot dogs, she told Flurry to mix the ingredients until they looked like a dough.
Starlight peeked over the refrigerator door. Flurry Heart was frowning as she watched the mixture carefully. Starlight frowned. Sunburst was right. Maybe I should just let her read.
No, I have to try. By the end of the night, we will be friends.
The pigs in a blanket were made, and Starlight and Flurry Heart sat on the couch, enjoying their snacks. Starlight tried to mimic the way Flurry sat, which her back perfectly straight and her hands neatly folded in her lap when she wasn't using them.
"Well, Starlight, that was quite enjoyable. The cook never makes me snacks."
"What a shame," Starlight said, smiling.
"I best be off to bed now," said the Princess, grabbing her books.
"Oh...Yes, alright. Young ladies need their sleep, I suppose."
"Goodnight."
When Starlight went to check on Flurry, she was still awake, reading in her bed.
"Hello Flurry," Starlight said. "How is your book?"
Flurry set it down. "Fine."
Starlight sat delicately on the foot of her bed. "So...what's the four-one-one? Heard any gossip lately?"
"Gossip?" Flurry frowned. "That's quite childish."
A moment later, when Starlight was quite embarrassed, she quietly added, "I don't leave the castle often enough to know any gossip anyway."
"Okay, yes yes, goodnight." Starlight hustled out of the room and shut the door behind her.
The clock read nine o' clock. Nine o' clock.
Starlight put her head into her hands and groaned. "Oh Celestia," she said, to no one in particular. "How can it only be nine?"
She looked down the hallway and saw the light in Flurry Heart's room was still on.
Taking a deep breath, she marched down the hallway and barged into the Princess' room.
"Starlight?"
"Listen, I have something to say. I just wanted you to like me. I realize now that I don't know you as well as I thought, or as well as Sunburst knows you, but I just thought..."
Out of the corner of her eye, Starlight spotted some board games on a shelf.
"If you like, you can tell your parents to never invite me over again. But I just have one request." Flurry raised an eyebrow. Starlight asked,
"Can we play Monopoly?"
Flurry Heart said and did nothing. Starlight frowned. "Uh...Yahtzee? Scrabble? Uno?"
"Starlight, I already like you."
"You do?" Starlight felt stupid.
"I'm sorry I've been so rude. I have never liked the occasions when my parents call in a babysitter, and I expressed my feelings to you. It was very unfair of me. I apologize."
Flurry Heart climbed out of the covers, sat next to Starlight, and hugged her. Tears rolled down Starlight's cheeks. "Oh, Flurry, that was beautiful."
Starlight bowed to Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor. "I hope she wasn't any trouble," Shining said.
"Oh, no trouble at all. If you ever need a babysitter again, please feel free to let me know." Starlight smiled. "But I have to say, I think Flurry is mature enough to take care of herself now."
