Author's Note

Fwoofles!

Hey, do y'all play Mario Maker?

KCS-QDM-J6G

I'm so sorry
-SS&E

I Know You I Eavesdropped With You Once Upon a Dream

Flash Sentry lay still and silent in Sunset's arms. The amazon's embrace was gentle—but ultimately inescapable. There was nowhere to run to evade that last question.

And what a question: What if Flash could start living a girly, princessy, sissy life from that point onward?

Flash had indulged Sunset's curiosities. He had humored her with this... amateur frolic through fantasy and self-analysis. And—apart from the trailing embarrassment of having been essentially forced to spill his most sacred beans by the authoritarian valkyrie—he had been relatively enjoying himself. In truth, he'd be lying if he said he didn't appreciate Sunset taking the reins and demanding that he 'fess up. But it was all still a matter of hypothetical rambling.

… … … wasn't it?

Now, a true shiver ran through Flash's narrow spine.

What if Sunset was actually serious?

She couldn't have been. She hadn't been serious about anything since he fell in her lap. Well... she had been serious about her concern for him and his well-being... but everything about the tall, ravishing woman's demeanor had been facetious, teasing, and more than a little bit mischievous.

And yet... beneath all of it... there lay a tender foundation... the same softness and angelic empathy that was cuddling him close on that couch. Stroking his hair. Humming tenderly and giving him light squeezes when he divulged the most tender of topics.

What if she was serious?

There was no way Sunset could actually have been considering such a thing. She should have known better. For all of her statements of concern for Flash's happiness and well-being, she wouldn't ever risk yanking his chain and getting his hopes up over something that he had spent the wiser slivers of his life completely forsaking.

Wouldn't she know how monumental such a proposition was?

Wouldn't she realize how much it would enthrall him...?

...if only just to crush him?

No.

The universe didn't work that way.

It never worked in Flash Sentry's favor. At least—not in favor of his dreams.

“Dream big, Princess.” That was a marketing statement Disney once used in advertising. Flash always dwelt on it because the saying both tantalized and depressed him. What more could a princess do than dream? For reality—even if pursued—would only ever be a let-down. And he knew better than to hope.

And Sunset—what did she know? Sure, she could read into his mind... but not into his future. She only wanted to make him happy, and even if she was remotely serious about something—anything—that resembled the pink, pastel wonderland of the lonely boi's mind, he knew better than to humor it... or humor her. She'd only destroy him with the shadow of such an artifice. Flash wasn't about to let Sunset's very own empathy backfire in her face. He still admired her too much to make a farce out of her gentle, sweet kindness.

At first, he thought about finding an excuse to leave that very place. That moment. He contemplated pretending to have to throw up and then sprinting straight towards the bathroom. But he knew it wouldn't fool the telepath. So...

...he just absorbed himself with the sweaty men in tights slapping each other's oily chests in the ring. As his eyes lost themselves in the laptop's old wrestling footage, he allowed time to fill in the gap between him and the amazonian house guest.

Until Sunset shattered it: “Do you not want to answer, Flash?”

Flash growled inwardly. He had to keep his frustrations inside. If he tried to vocalize it, he'd sound like a raspy kitten pawing at the air.

“Do you know what I want, Sunny?” he murmured.

He felt her stroking his blue head of hair from behind. “Tell me, sweetie.”

The boi navigated a lump in his throat. His mind centered itself, and soon he didn't have to create a lie whatsoever. “I want this,” he confessed, relaxing into the soft bosom of the woman holding him. With perfect timing, a soft smile crossed his features. He wasn't even acting. “Just... to feel warm... toasty... safe...”

It didn't take much to convince her. “Oh, honey... of course...” Her arms rested around his chest. The air smelled of spice and lilacs. “And to be honest, I'm digging it too.”

“For real...?”

“Yeah. Just having you here. Sharing something you enjoy. Talking straight from the heart.”

Flash's eyes thinned, and he drank in the moment through a cloudy skull. There was no denying that—yes—for months... years, even—he had dreamt of something like this. He had hoped that someday his lonely nights spent watching old videos or trendy internet clips could turn into something that would be intimately shared. That instead of hugging a pillow he'd be hugging someone's strong arm... or he'd be lying against a chest with his ears serenaded by a handsome heartbeat. That idea used to form a tranquil blanket that would rock his lonely heart to rest. Now, he felt the march of Sunset's heart through her bosom as she held the boi close. And—from what Flash could tell—she was every bit as thrilled to have him there as he was... was...

...happy.

For the briefest of moments, with no regrets and no strings attached, Flash was happy.

“I...” Flash curled up slightly, going fetal against the woman's center of gravity. He cooed through tired lips as the world around him grew dimmer and duller. “I-I'm digging this too...”

“I really wish you would answer my question, though.”

Goddess damn it.

Flash clenched his eyes shut, fighting off a brief wave of irritation. “Sunny...”

“Haha... I get it, sweetie.” He felt her hand stroking his hair and face from behind. “You've been through a lot today. First, waltzing through the dreamscape. Second, watching me stream Overwatch 3.”

Flash giggled—but it came as a series of light gasps. He yawned, his noodly limbs stretching cutely. Mayhaps some distant part of his subconscious summoned this sudden wave of slumber. In any case, Flash was happy for it. This meant that he could distance himself from the discomfort of where their conversation had lumbered.

“You are... too good... t-to me, Sunny...”

“Hard to match your own sweetness, Flash.” She felt a gentle kiss to the back of the head. “Would you like to go somewhere special this evening? Hmmm?” Flash was certain he heard the air crackling from her telepathic capabilities.

“No... just...” He pivoted away from the laptop slightly, drifting apart from the noise of the arena and the crowd that chortled through the computer speakers. “...just wanna be here...” He yawned. “With you.” He yawned again. “... … ...let me dream of this.”

There was a breathy chuckled, and Sunset's arms returned to the soft embrace.

“Dream like a sissy? Talk like a sissy.”

His last waking thought was to giggle at that, but he failed. Instead, he thought about a world that could have been. A fantasy realm where he could have been that princess doll that he always dreamed of. A happy place... a glittery place... where he could be whisked away by Prince Charming and carried off to a rapturous, romantic getaway. It had only ever been a vision—but now the valkyrie shared it too.

And that in and of itself made the dream as real as it ever could have been.

Flash knew better than to expect more. While succumbing to unconsciousness, his thoughts of Sunset were only of admiration.

The boi's faith was not misplaced.

Flash's sleep was blissfully blank—a relief to his exhausted mind. Instead of navigating a convoluted dreamscape, the young man was pleased to drift darkly through a warm recess of collected thoughts and moods: all of them delightful. What he wouldn't have given to experience such tranquil sleep back at his own place. He knew he had the amazon to thank, and not because she manipulated his mind. But rather, she had done everything in her power to make him feel loved and accepted.

It was never Flash's intention to trample over her gratitude. No doubt any other male individual in his place would be practically groveling before Sunset at this point. It's just that... he had a truly difficult time accepting her gentle-sweet kindness for what it was... or more specifically for how it was directed at him. All his life, he had grown so accustomed to the coldness of his family, the ridicule of others, and the bullying of everyone else—including Sunset herself. Well, the past Sunset.

It was just so... strange to be treated the opposite... to be appreciated... to be relished. Most of Flash wasn't willing to believe in the goodness that Sunset was exhibiting. The rest of him acknowledged it... but refused it... probably because he was so accustomed to an absence of empathy.

And—as always in situations like this—Flash's emotions turned inward. Negatively inward. He hated himself for not thanking Sunset more... or showing his gratitude in some fashion or another. He constantly rebuffed her affections and scoffed at her inquisitive motions. It was more than just an excessive show of humility. He was actively trying to pretend that he wasn't worth all of the good vibes Sunset was practically steamrolling his way.

At some point, this had to change. But Flash was more than a little bit scared of what this change might mean. Nobody had ever tried to approach the dull surfaces of his being before—much less attempt peeling it off in favor of replacing it with a glittery new coat. Who would he turn to in the event that the entire undressing drove him mad with confusion and fear?

It was then that he realized that maybe... just maybe... he had Sunset to turn to.

Sunset... and six other amazons who were so worried about him that they had sent him a Tinkerbell e-mail the day previous.

It was an e-mail he hadn't replied to. And Flash felt guilty about that too.

He felt guilty about so many things. It was a regular emotion; better than any alarm clock.

The boi stirred awake, stretching his arms and legs. He felt nothing but cool sheets and the scent of lilac and fabric softener.

His delicate eyelids fluttered open, and he saw the shadows of Sunset's bedrooms from the light in the adjacent hallway.

Sunset had carried him to bed.

He had fallen asleep and...

...she had taken him there and tucked him in like a small child.

Somehow the logical realization of this tickled his heart more than the sheer comfort of the bed. For the briefest of moments, Flash's joy barely superseded his self-loathing, and he found the courage to smile.

Then another part of his body tickled—his ears. There was a voice murmuring from the hallway. Breathy. Terse. Desperate:

“I'm telling you, Twi, I need another pair! Pronto! As quickly as you can whip them out!”

There was a silent pause. Flash didn't hear anyone respond. Without making too much of a stir, he lifted his head from the large bed and peered towards the hallway light.

Sure enough, he saw the tall shadow of the valkyrie pacing anxiously back and forth. She was holding a cell phone to her beautiful head.

“... … ...Yes. Yes. I know that you already gave me a second one for backup. But I've used it up already!” Another pause. Flash saw Sunset raising one hand as if the woman on the other end of the line could see her gesture. “Just like I said! It's all 'dried up!'” There was a rattling sound, and Flash could see a faint silver reflection of the bracelet on her wrist. “I don't know! Maybe if you were h-here and able to examine it, you could tell me!”

Another pause. A sigh escaped Sunset's lips and Flash saw as she rested her head in her palm.

“Yes. Yes, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Twilight but... but I'm not making this up. The first one wore out in a matter of hours, and the second one is already starting to lose its strength. I... I-I'm afraid of how I'm going to deal in the morning. Who knows how long it's going to last. And we both know it isn't a good idea for me to be around him without these—”

Her feet scuffled to a stop and Flash saw him staring into the wall.

“... … ...are you kidding me?! Twi, I'm not making this up! It's gotten worse! The feedback is way... way more intense than either of us have estimated. Maybe it's because I'm the only piece of the Harmonic Fountain or he's the only representation of the Harmonic Well but... b-but...”

She leaned against the wall, visibly shaking.

“... … ...it's so hard, Twilight. I'm doing everything I can to be there for him. Because I love him... and Flash deserves it. He deserves our help. But... but if these stupid things give out, then... then... I... I-I'm afraid, Twil.”

Her voice wavered as a sniffling sound came from her gullet.

“He's at such a tender, vulnerable point in his life and he deserves so much. He deserves so much more than all this magical crap that's rolling in from all sides. I-I know you and the girls are chomping at the bit, but... b-but I don't know if this could possibly work out in his favor. There's... there's gotta be more to it. Maybe the Harmonic Well has manifested elsewhere or in someone else or... or... I... I-I just can't... I-I don't want to hurt him! I wish you could understand. It's not the allure talking. I love him, Twi. I love him so much just like I love you and all the girls and... and...”

A longer space in silence.

Sunset shuddered, rubbing her face and sniffling.

“Yes, I know you're not—”

A beat.

“Yes, Twi. I understand. You're all better than that. I just—huh?”

Another beat.

“I... I know. Thanks.” She sniffled. “Thank you, Twilight. It's just so hard... it's so hard it's so hard it's so hard...” She slumped against a wall in the hallway and held a hand over her face, shuddering. “I wish... I-I really wish you could feel it too. What I've felt. For the few chances I've had to savor it. His emotions... his thoughts... his dreams. They're so precious, Twilight. They're precious and he's precious and... and I'm scared that this will only do more harm than good.”

There was a long pause as Sunset listened in.

She responded: “But you gotta understand, Twi. I don't want it to just be all chalked up to the magical feedback of the allure. I want to take care of Flash's spirit. We made some amazing strides today.” Silence. “More than the dreamwalking. He's... he's opening up to me. And... I-I really think he's feeling happier about himself. Of course, with the guards, that's difficult to expressively confirm—but I know him, Twi. At least... better than anyone else these days.”

Silence.

“No, of course I wouldn't insinuate that you and the girls only want—” Sunset stood up, sighing heavily. “I know, Twi. I know. And I'm really sorry for bothering you about it all at this hour.” She began pacing again. “Of course you are. Of course you are and I'm so happy for that. But, still, I'm sorry. Here I am bitching and moaning and you're there working around the clock on ways to help me. Just... if it isn't too much to ask for... I really really need you to whip out another pair guards. Hell, four if you can manage. I know that's asking for a lot, but the feedback is just... too intense. I... I-I think it might reflect Flash's mood, and the more he warms up to me... well... y-you get the idea...”

A pause. Sunset was gradually sounding calmer.

“Well, you've got the book. Just tell the Princess that I'll make it up to her. She knows how important this is to us. Plus, I'm sure that—deep down—she's just as concerned for Flash as we are.”

Silence.

Sunset chuckled. “Oh, she's got Spike working on it? Terrific. You give him a good word for me while you're at it. I miss the little mutt.”

Flash could see Sunset's tall body relaxing. A soft breath rolled through her.

“I know. I know. Thank you. I'm... I'm sorry to be a bother.” She brushed a hand through her own hair. “Thanks, Twi. I'll... I-I'll be fine...” Her cheeks turned rosy in the scant, visible light. “I love you. I love you so much and I miss you. I miss the girls too. Especially Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The angry side of me could really really use a battering ram right about now.”

She locked in place, then snorted a laugh—catching herself so as not to “wake” the soul in the adjacent room.

“No kidding? Both Fluttershy and Rarity? Awwwwww... well isn't that sweet. Well, that's nice. I'm so happy for you, Twi. I hope you're all thinking about me at some point. Heheheheh... I'm kidding, girl. Goddess... I could practically hear you blushing over the phone.”

She cradled the instrument close, her voice practically purring.

“I love you. I really, truly do, Twi. And I can't wait for you to be in my arms again. I know it's only been a day... but it feels like forever. I never thought I'd lose my sanity this quickly. It's not just the guards' fault. You can't fix a sad little puppy... heheheh... okay—bad joke after talking about Spike.”

There was a space in dialogue, and Flash sensed the amazon gazing towards the bedroom.

“Yeah. Totally. I mean... there's still a lot to work out, but... but I-I think he's coming around. He just needs to know that people care. That's the most important thing, Twi. I... I hope you and the girls understand. I want to take care of him first. Even if the Harmonic Well thing is true—which, so far, looks to be the case—I just want to make sure he's going to be okay. I owe it to him, but it's more than that. This universe simply... wouldn't be right if such a soul continued to suffer. I love him and I want to make sure he's okay... more than okay.”

Silence.

“Oh, but wouldn't that be fucking fantastic? Heheheh... oh goddess... I-I really can't wait for you to meet him. You and the girls would adore him. Fluttershy will practically eat him up. Heeheehee...” A breath. “Yeah, I'm wishing for that too. But I gotta keep my priorities straight. One step at a time. One way or another, we're gonna work this out for all of us... but right now I gotta keep it straight and narrow. He's my priority at the moment, Twi. Otherwise, I wouldn't be the one taking care of him. But... we've already been over that a million times.”

She nodded.

“Thanks, Twi.”

She nodded again.

“Great. That's a great idea. You give them to Cadance and I'll come up with an excuse to go see her tomorrow.”

A beat.

“Hell, maybe I will! No harm in the two of them crossing paths, right? Hahaha... although your BBBFF... I don't knowwwwwwwww... hee hee hee...”

She sighed.

“Sure thing, Twi. I love you, bae. From the bottom of my magical unicorn heart.” She kissed the air besides the phone. “Mwah. Sleep tight.”

Click.

The amazon hugged herself, leaning against the bedroom doorframe. She remained still, contemplative, and more than a little bit melancholic. She raised her hand, examining the beaded bracelet in the dim light. Another sigh rolled through her...

...and suddenly she turned towards Flash.

“!!!” Flash went limp, lying curled-up beneath the lilac-scented covers with his eyes shut.

She heard the heavy steps of the valkyrie drawing near.

The air rippled with the heat of her being.

The woman's presence lingered there... soon accompanied by a whispering voice:

“Sweet dreams, Flash Sentry...”

He squinted one eye open, hoping she wouldn't notice in the shadows.

The boi saw her hand reaching out, but it didn't make contact. She lingered in place, then drew her wrist back with a defeated sigh. She filled in the gap with a happy breath:

“Everything's going to be alright, princess.”

She stroked her own hair... turned around...

...and left the room altogether.

Flash drifted in anxious confusion... until it wore him out. And he slumbered yet again.