A fully-clothed and thoroughly-sweaty Principal Celestia shot up from where she lay on a couch.

And she was screaming.

“HAAAA-AAAA-AAAAUGH!!!”

The poor woman's howl echoed across the laminated cinderblock walls of the Canterlot High School infirmary. Bodies surrounded her—bodies that were flinching back at the tumultuous waking. Among them were Nurse Redheart and Celestia's sister, Principal Luna. But two bodies squatted closer: a bleary-eyed Flash Sentry and a startled Sunset Shimmer, the latter of whom had her hands resting on both the Principal and the young man in question.

Once Celestia was done hollering, Sunset Shimmer's eyes lost their concentrated glow. As the magic faded, she let go and teetered back, rubbing a hand over her aching head. “Unnngh...” She fought the urge to upchuck something, summoning the tiniest of proud smiles. “Well... she's back.”

“Praise be,” Luna exhaled with relief, relaxing her crossed arms.

“I'm...” Celestia trembled, clutching at her face and upper shoulders. “I'm...?”

“It worked!” Nurse Redheart jumped for joy, her scrubs flouncing. “Woohoo! Miss Shimmer... you must go and try the same thing on Principal Cadance and Dean Shining Armor!”

“Indeed.” Luna nodded, somehow maintaining a calm demeanor amidst all this. “Before it is too late. Time is of the essence.”

“Time...? Essence...?” Principal squinted blearily at those gathered. “Just... how long was I—?”

“I'm sorry, Principal Celestia.” Sunset Shimmer hobbled up to her feet. Flash gave her a helping hand, and soon she was scampering towards the door that led into the adjacent hall. “But Redheart's right. We have to save Twilight's brother and sister-in-law. Thanks to you—we now know that erotic fantasies are the key! That and finding a real-world familiar related to the fantasies to shake them out of their catatonic state!”

“My fantasies...” Celestia gulped. “But—Miss Shimmer! Did you actually see—?!”

“We can talk about all of that later and you can discipline me all you want for taking initiative—but this magical coma isn't going to fix itself!” Sunset made a hasty exit with Redheart following closely behind. “Just—try and rest! You will be fine now! I promise!” Her voice echoed as the two women frantically joined a noisy group gathered in another part of the school.

Celestia was left alone. Well, not really. Her sister and... a certain “familiar” lingered in the same awkward silence along with the recently-waking magic victim.

“How's your head?” Luna finally asked, breaking the silence with her stoic voice.

“It's... mrmmmfff...” Celestia rubbed her scalp, wincing. “...not the thing I'm most worried about right now.”

“You need not fret,” Luna said, reaching over to rest a hand on Celestia's shoulder. “You've done absolutely nothing wrong. And venturing into your mindscape was a necessary and last-ditch decision. One that worked.” She slowly shook her head. “Don't blame Sunset. If you have to, you can blame me for suggesting—”

“Nobody's being blamed for anything right now, Luna, I just...” Celestia froze in mid-speech, paling as she remembered who else had remained in the room. She gulped, fidgeting. “I just need... need...”

Luna glanced between Celestia and Flash. At long last, she nodded. “I understand completely.” With a clap of her heels, she marched firmly out of the infirmary. “I'll leave you two alone to hash it out, as t'were.”

“No—that's not what I—” Celestia snarled at her exiting sibling. “Dammit, Luna! Did Mother drop you down a well or what?!?”

Dead silence.

A young man's voice coughed.

Celestia clenched her eyes shut. She took a deep, meditative breath. Then, with her eyes still shut, she murmured: “Flash Sentry, my dear... … … student.” Another breath, tempered. “Whatever you may have seen in there... whatever you may have felt in there—”

He boldly held a hand out. “Before you start, Miss Celestia,” the teenager interrupted. “I want you to know that there's nothing for you to—like—feel bad about or nothing.” He stuck both his hands into his hoodie's pouch. “Fortune was throwing a bunch of punches yesterday and you took the worst of it. Nobody in your place would have asked for this either. There's no hard feelings, and I especially don't think of you any less for it.”

“That's...” She sniffled, her eyes opening with tender moisture. “That's very mature of you to say, Mr. Sentry.” A tiny smile bloomed.

“And... for what it's worth...” He blushed slightly, digging at the floor with his sneaker'd toe. “...I gotta admit... he... part of me is kinda flattered.”

Her newborn smile instantly vanished beneath a tight frown. “That... was not so mature.”

He winced, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Yeah... uh... s-sorry about that, ma'am.”

Part of her shook. Celestia found herself staring at where his hand rubbed... imagining the soft fuzzy texture of his short hairs blanketing the top of his slender, precious neck. She winced, ripping his eyes off him and sighing heavily to herself.

“Uhm...” Flash stabbed the quiet moment a bit too deeply. “Would it be too much if... uhm... I-I asked exactly why?”

“Why what?”

“Why me?”

She clenched her jaws, still looking away. “Yes. It is too much.”

He shuddered harder. “Sorry a-again.”

Celestia fought a groan. “Look... Flash...” She braved a look at him from where she sat, pale and disheveled from her ordeal. “...the truth is, you're a tender-hearted young man with great deal of talent and empathy. As a professional mentor, I owe you respect and guidance. Nothing more.”

“Yeah. I get it.” He nodded, fisting his hands deeper into his pockets as he braved a smile. “That's cool. Totally cool.”

“The... part that you played in my... m-mind... has had absolutely nothing to do with any of that. You simply filled a... … … niche. And a none-too-respectable one at that, might I add.” Her voice took on a stern tone. “And don't even think for a second that it has any purpose being played out in the real world. Even in jest.”

He gulped. Hard. “Don't worry. I-I wasn't.”

“Good.” She nodded.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Good.”

Silence.

“I know it must... suck to feel like you're so... uh...” Flash fidgeted, swiveling from side to side as he stared a hole through the floor. “...exposed and crud.”

“No.” Celestia huffed. “You don't.”

“But... you shouldn't—like—hate yourself or nothing!” Flash spoke up with an optimistic lilt in his voice. “You're not the only one with weird, uncomfortable fantasies!”

“Mr. Sentry...” Celestia rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Unless you somehow have unruly thoughts about peers who are at least fifteen years your junior, than I really don't think we should even be entertaining this conversation—”

“Well... no... not that—so much as...” He chewed on his lip. “For instance... like... I can't stop dreaming about this cartoon character.”

“Like who?” Celestia yawned. “Wonder Woman—?”

“Nah. Her name's Rouge. And... like... she's a bat. A bat woman.” Flash swiveled. “From the Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise.” He swiveled some more, flashing. “A Sonic the Hedgehog bat lady.” A gulp. “With boobs.”

Celestia arched an eyebrow, suddenly not wanting to look at the young boi, even in some off-dreamt fantasy. “Well... no doubt that you are a... personal gentleman to this 'Rouge,' Mr. Sentry—”

“Oh, we don't make love... heheh... so much as...” Flash trilled inwardly, rubbing the back of his neck again as he gazed into the corner of the room. “...she shrinks me super small... to the size of a double-a battery...” His nostrils flare. “Then she swallows me. Slowly.”

“... … ...” Celestia ellipsaid.

“That's... hahahaha... that's pretty weird, right?” Flash tittered. “Being slowly swallowed down the esophagus of a colorful video game bat woman?” He shrugged. “So... now you know my weird fantasy shit! That... sorta m-makes us even, right?”

“No, Mr. Sentry,” she grunted. “It really doesn't.”

“Yeah.” He kicked at the floor, deflating. “I guess not.”

Heavy footsteps.

Both the young man and older woman looked over in time to see Nurse Redheart rushing up to the door in a breathless sweat.

“Flash! Quick!” Redheart gulped. “We need you again for another mind-link!”

The room lingered in stunned silence.

Flash Sentry fidgeted in anxious confusion. “Uhm...” He looked inquisitively at the nurse. “...Principal... Cadance...?” his throat produced in a tiny, hopeful squeak.

“Actually...” Redheart's pale face reddened noticeably. “...according to Miss Shimmer, it's Dean Shining Armor.”

Celestia's eyes bounced loudly between Flash and the Nurse.

Flash—with a noticeable slouch—numbly walked into the long, foreboding hallway outside. “Well... then... let's...” He produced a shaking thumb's up. “...save more b-bodies in the name of friendship!” He wheezed as he approached the waiting group outside. “Am I r-right? Friendship...?”

Sitting alone in blissful silence, Celestia shuddered, gazing after the poor boi. “On the other hand. Maybe after tonight...” She ran a hand through her pastel locks. “...we will be 'even', my pet.”

Author's Note