Rekindling the Flamesby corythompson32298ChaptersCh. 2: Would You Like to Try Again?Ch. 3: A Poor Choice of WordsCh. 3.5: Seeking AdviceCh. 4: Clearing the AirCh. 5: Study Session, Take TwoCh. 6: Finding Out the TruthCh. 8: A Walk In The Park - Part 2Ch. 9: The FalloutCh. 10: Royal GuidanceCh. 11: AmendmentCh. 12: The Planning StageCh. 13: ConfessionCh. 14: Close CallCh. 15: HelplessCh. 16: The Big Night Part 1Ch. 17: The Big Night Part 2Ch. 18: EpilogueCh. 1: Well, This Is AwkwardCh. 7: A Walk In The Park - Part 1Ch. 2: Would You Like to Try Again?Sunset arrives outside of Sugar Cube Corner. Before heading inside, she pulls out her phone from her pocket to check the time. 12:47 PM. Sunset puts her phone away and turns to face the door. She hesitates going inside. On any normal day she wouldn't give it a second thought, but today isn't a normal day. Her stomach churns with anxiety and her mind runs at a million miles an hour, thinking of worst case scenarios. What if I accidentally insult him? What if he's just leading me on in order to make me look foolish? What if a UFO crashes right on top of us? Each scenario becomes more imaginative than the last. Sunset feels her heart picking up, her breathing hastening, and her eyelids opening wide. I don't think I can do this. I can't do this, I need to--I need--. "Sunset," a voice calling out from behind brings her back into reality. Sunset turns around and sees Applejack and Twilight running towards her from the other side of the street. "Sunset, oh my goodness," Twilight says with a tone of concern, "Are you ok? What's going on?" "I--I just--I," Sunset struggles to get a sentence out, she breaths quick breathes between each word. "Hey, hey, Sunset. Look at me, look at me," Applejack says as she gently grips Sunset's arms, "breath, breath." The farmer demonstrates a deep breathing method with her hand. Sunset takes in and lets out several deep breaths. She begins to feel a good part of her anxiety slip away. "Thanks Applejack," says Sunset as she takes in one more deep breath, "I have no idea what came over me there." "Do you usually get panic attacks?" Twilight asks. "No, I've never really had one before," says Sunset, shaking her head "that was a first for me." "I guess you're more worried about talking to Flash than we thought," says Applejack. "I guess I am," Sunset says as she rubs her left arm, "I knew this day was going to be hell." "Well you know, Dante wouldn't have gotten through hell if he didn't have Virgil," Twilight says as she walks up to Sunset's right, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. "You've got your friends by your side to help get you through this." "She's right," Applejack says as she walks up to Sunset's left, "I’m not sure about that first part, but we're not going to let you go through this alone." "Pluuus," Twilight reaches into her purse and pulls out a five-inch-thick stack of index cards, "I made you some ice-breakers and talking points, just in case you can't think of anything to say." Twilight smiles and gives a small squee as she hands the cards to Sunset. Sunset looks at the cards. "Gee, I hope I have enough," she says dryly. "Not to worry, I brought three more stacks just in case," says Twilight, oblivious to the sarcasm. The three girls turn around and face the door. Well, abandon all hope ye who enter here, Sunset thinks. "Ok," she sighs, "let's do it." The three girls walk inside the shop and head over to their usual seats, where Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie are already sitting. The three girls take their seats on the couch; Sunset places the cards on the coffee table as Mrs. Cake comes over to them. "Hello girls, might I take your order," she says in a cheery voice. "I'll take a small strawberry and banana smoothie," says Twilight. "I'll have a medium coffee, two cream one sugar, and an apple fritter," says Applejack. "I'll just have a small black coffee," says Sunset. Mrs. Cake jots down the orders, tells them it’ll be out in a few minutes, and walks off. "So Sunset," says Rarity, "how are you feeling about today?" "Like I could throw up," Sunset groans. "Feeling nervous?" Fluttershy asks, prompting Sunset to nod. "It'll be fine," says Rainbow Dash, "if there's one thing I've learned from playing sports the past three years, is that everything is far more worse in your head than it is in reality." Rainbow then looks down and sees the stack of notecards on the table. "So, uh, what's with the cue cards?" "They're ice breakers," Sunset explains, "Twilight gave them to me just in case I can't think of anything when I'm talking to Flash." Rainbow Dash leans forwards and picks up the top card and reads it out loud. "’What's your favorite kind of pasta?’" Rainbow says quizzically, "Seriously Twilight?" "Hey that's a very important question," Pinkie interjects, "you don't want to be friends with someone who likes Rigatoni." "Why is that Pinkie," Applejack asks, her curiosity piqued. "Trust me, AJ," Pinkie's tone switches from cheerful to deadpan, "you don't want to know." As they continue their chatter, Mrs. Cake comes over with Twilight's, Applejack's, and Sunset's orders. She places the drinks and the fritter on the tables and tells the girls to enjoy before heading over to the next table. Just as Sunset reaches for her coffee, she hears the front door bell chime. She looks up and sees Flash Sentry walking into shop with his hands in his jacket pockets, looking around the shop. She begins to feel her stomach churn again. Rainbow Dash turns around to see Flash. "Well, look who's early," Rainbow says, "Hey Flash, we're over here!" Rainbow waves Flash over. He sees the rainbow-haired girl and begins walking over. Sunset slides down in her seat a little, hoping she'll become invisible. Her worries subside when she feels Applejack's hand on her shoulder. She looks up and sees Applejack giving her a comforting smile that says "everything is going to be okay." Sunset sits back up and slowly takes a few deep breaths. Rainbow walks off and pulls over an empty chair and places it in between her and Rarity, so that he'll have a direct line of sight of Sunset. Flash sits down in the empty seat. "How's your day been going Flash," Applejack asks, starting things off. "It's been a pretty slow day so far," Flash responds, "you know, when I read that Sunset wanted to meet with me, I didn't realize it meant all of you girls. I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" "Don't worry Flash, you're in the clear," says Rainbow, "for now." "Excuse me?" Flash asks with concern. "Relax dear, she's just teasing you," says Rarity, placing her hand gently on Flash's shoulder. "We're just here to support Sunset," Fluttershy explains, "and to make sure that she’s comfortable." "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Flash asks with growing concern. Oh no, this is just making things worse, Sunset thinks, ugh, I don't want to but...if this is going to get done, then I need to be with him one-on-one, not one-on-seven. Sunset clears her throat. "Hey Flash, why don't we take this conversation to one of the outside tables. Just you and me...." All six girls look at Sunset with a mix of confusion and surprise. Flash, also looking confused, slowly nods and says, "um… yeah, sure, that works." "You go wait by the door," Sunset suggests, "I'll be over there in a bit." Flash nods, gets up from his seat, and walks over to the door. The girls lean in towards Sunset. Twilight is the first to ask, "are you sure that's a good idea? What if you… you know?" "Are you sure you don't need us by your side?” Fluttershy asks. "Listen girls," Sunset explains, "I appreciate your support but if I'm going to do this then it needs to be between just me and Flash. He's the last person I need to make amends with; the last leg of my journey from what I used to be. I don't need you right by my side but I do you need backstage should anything bad happen. If things go south, or I start to panic again, then I trust you girls to handle it. You’ve never let me down before." The girls look at each other for a minute until Rarity stretches out her hand and lays it on Sunset's hand. "We understand Sunset," Rarity says. "this is your final battle against the old you, now go and crush it."The other girls nod in agreement. "We'll be right here if you need us," Rainbow says with assurance. "Don't you worry about thing Sunset," Pinkie says as she reaches into her hair and pulls out a vanilla and a chocolate cupcake, both with white buttercream frosting, "I've got emergency cupcakes on standby!" Sunset chuckles, "thanks girls, you're the best friends I could ever ask for." She looks over at Flash, breaths in and breaths out, "let's do this." Sunset stands up with confidence and walks over to Flash. "You've got this, girl!" Applejack cheers. "Oh, don't forget the notecards," says Twilight as she picks the cards off the table and holds them up to Sunset, who stops and looks at Twilight. "I think I'll be ok without them," says Sunset, "but thanks anyway." Twilight's jaw drops and her eyes widen in shock as she begins to mumble nonsense until she finally sputters, "a whole night's work...wasted!" Her top half from the waist flops forward with the cards landing on the table, somehow remaining neatly stacked. Fluttershy leans across, picks up one of the cards and begins to read it aloud, "if you were stuck on a deserted island with only one book to read, what would it be and why?" "Ooooh," Pinkie exclaims, "that sounds like a fun one." “Well it’s obvious, ain’t it?” Applejack says, “A survival guide.” Sunset walks over to Flash, who has been waiting patiently by the door for her. "You good?" Flash asks. Sunset nods and moves her hand towards the door handle. Flash steps in front of her and opens the door for her, "after you," he says. Sunset chuckles, "still the gentleman I see." Flash responds with an abashed shrug. The two of them step outside and walk over to a table directly to their left. They take their seats across from each other, sitback in their chairs, and stay in awkward silence for a good minute. Flash is the one to break it.. “So um...how's it going?" he asks. "It's going...good, it's going good," Sunset responds, oh god please don't turn out like it did yesterday. No I won't let it happen. Sunset and Flash both close their eyes, take a deep breath, and, at the same time, they say, "look, I think we need to talk about us." The two of them are both taken aback by what just happened, "uh, you go first," they say together again. They both give off a nervous chuckle as their cheeks begin to blush. Sunset clears her throat and begins, "I guess I'll go first. Flash, back up at Camp Everfree, those things you said to me, did you mean it?" Flash raises an eyebrow, "we talked to each other a couple of times up there," he says, "you might need to clarify." "You know what I'm talking about," says Sunset with some irritation, "you told me about how much I've changed and how you liked this new side of me, did you mean it?" Flash looks down for a moment, raising his hand to his chin, trying to recall that conversation. "Yeah, I meant every word," he answers nodding, "you are a completely different person from when we used to date. It's actually kind of refreshing to see you be nice again." "Did you also mean what you said before I ran off," Sunset asks, then adds, "which I do apologize for by the way." "Hey, if you hadn't I'm sure we'd all still be stuck in Camp Everfree," Flash responds, "and yes, I really do want to start over as friends, that is if you're willing?" "You're being 100 percent serious, no jokes?" Sunset asks in disbelief, "even after how I treated you when we dated?" Flash leans forward and puts his hand on her hand, "Sunset, that was the old you," he tells her, "I don't want to be friends with her, I want to be friends with you, is that so hard to believe?" Sunset's eyes widen and she feels her heart flutter as she hears the words of her friends repeated. Sunset's eyes look down and dart across the floor, trying to think of something to respond with. She then looks up at Flash, nods and says, “Okay, I would like to try again." The front door of the shop suddenly opens and Mrs. Cake walks out with a large to-go cup of coffee. She walks over to their table and notices the two having a moment. "Excuse me," she says, Flash leans back into his normal seating position and looks up at the waitress, "sorry to interrupt this intimate moment but here's your large black coffee sir." She places the drink in front of Flash. He and Sunset both look at each other blushing at the comment Mrs. Cake made. Not wanting to revert back to their awkward state, Sunset breaks the silence. "You take your coffee black as well," Sunset says, “Funny, I guess I never noticed.” Flash chuckles. "Of course," he says with a grin, "it's the only way to properly drink coffee." Sunset slams her hands on the table and spreadsboth of them in Flash's direction. "Thank you!" she says in a louder voice, "Finally someone who understands! Do you have any idea how long I've been trying to convince my friends of the superiority of black coffee?" "I'm going to bet just as long as I have with my friends," Flash says while laughing, "I mean it's healthier, it tastes better, and the energy comes from the caffeine and not the sugar." "I can think of one friend who would definitely not like to hear that," she says, "although I think I'd be terrified to see her on caffeine instead of sugar." The two of them begin to laugh over this small connection. Any awkwardness that was originally between them disappeared over a simple similarity. "So why do you need so much?" she asks, "I can only drink the small, otherwise I get the jitters." "I've got a paper for Mr. Turner," Flash explains, his voice conveying some stress, "and coffee really helps me concentrate." "Wait, you're taking AP World too?" asks Sunset . "Yeah, I am," says Flash with a nod, "I didn't know you're taking that class." "Huh, how did it take us this far into the semester to realize we're in the same class together?” says Sunset. "Yeesh," Flash says, exhaling through his teeth, "I knew things between us were bad, but I didn't think it took us literally running into each other in order to figure it out." "Well we're starting over," Sunset answers, "a lot should hopefully change from this point." An idea then pops into her head. "Hey, since we're in the same class, do you wanna meet up tomorrow, around 1:30 at the Pour Jons library and work on this paper together?" Flash places his hand on his chin and thinks about that idea. He slowly begins to nod and says, "yeah, I like that idea." "Oh I'm so glad," Sunset exclaims with relief, "because I really need some help on this paper." "Of course, it's a date then," Flash's eyes suddenly open wide as the realization of what he just said sinks in, "Uh, what I mean is--what I meant to say is...um...it's not a date. It's a purely platonic meeting between two friends with the purpose of working on a mutual class assignment...yeah." Sunset lets out a laugh, "Don't worry Flash, I know what you meant." Flash nervously chuckles as he takes a look at his watch on his left wrist. "Hey, um, I've gotta go," he says, "I need to pick up my little sister from soccer practice." He grabs his coffee and gets up from his seat. Sunset gets up from her seat and walks by Flash's side to the door. "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," Sunset says, her arms folding around her torso and her feet point towards Flash's direction. "Yeah, I'll see you later...alligator," Flash says with a smirk and a playful wink. Sunset closes her eyes and shakes her head with a grin. "I am not responding with the crocodile one," she says. Flash chuckles, "Alright, then I'll just say ‘see you tomorrow’." With that, Flash turns around and begins walking up the street towards his car. Sunset waves to him then turns to face the door. Before she walks through, she turns back to see Flash. "Hey Flash," she shouts, he stops and turns back to face Sunset, "you don’t drink decaf, do you?" "Nope, only caffeinated," he shouts back, "decaf is just water that's lying about being coffee." "Right answer," she shouts with a big smile across her face. The two wave goodbye. Flash turns back around to walk towards his car and Sunset faces the door and walks back into the shop. She enters the shop and walks back over to her group of friends, who are all looking at Pinkie Pie as she rubs her hands against her temples. "Come on Pinkie," Rainbow Dash says with a groan, "you've been thinking of an answer for the past ten minutes, just pick one already!" "I can't," Pinkie shouts, "do you have any idea how hard it is for me to pick my favorite kind of cupcake!?" "Why don't we just move on to another question?" Rarity suggests. "NO!!" Pinkie snaps, "I will answer this question even if it's the last thing I do!" "Uh, girls," Twilights says, pointing her finger at Sunset. The girls break their focus on Pinkie and turn their attention to Sunset. "Oh hey Sunset," says Applejack, "did everything go okay?" Sunset shimmies between her friends and sits back down her original seat. She lets in a deep breath and then lets it out. She looks at her friends and smiles. "It went really well,” she says. Author's Note So first off, I just want to say, WOW! I never expected such a huge response about this story. It hasn't even been 48 hours since it's publication and already is has 200 views, 24 likes, it's on 109 bookshelves, has 40 people tracking, and it's been added to the popular stories tab and has been featured! I've also gotten several comments from people providing constructive criticisms or just saying how much they love it. Just thank you all, so much. I'm hope you've enjoyed this chapter. I plan on getting chapter 3 out before the week is over. After that, I'm going to take a break from this tale next week, so I can focus on working on my other story and to move myself back in to college. Thank you all so much for reading! Ch. 3: A Poor Choice of WordsFlash Sentry stands in front of his bedroom mirror, examining his appearance. He leans in and bares his teeth, checking for anything stuck or if he needs to brush again. He closes his mouth and flares his nostrils, checking for runaway hairs. Finding one, Flash grabs the tweezers on his dresser, grabs the loose hair, and pulls it out hard and fast. His face clenches up as a single tear wells up in his eye. Why does it have to hurt THAT much? he thinks. Tossing the loose hair away in a small plastic trash bin, he puts the tweezers down on top of the dresser. To finish off his routine, Flash takes his comb and begins to groom his hair. As he combs, a figure comes into the mirrors view. Said figure is a boy, roughly the same age as Flash. He has medium length navy blue hair that’s brushed back. He wears a black t-shirt underneath a blue, unbuttoned shirt with the collar popped. He watches Flash as he grooms himself. “So, just a study session huh?” he asks with a look of amusement. Flash rolls his eyes. “Yes Soarin, we are just meeting up together to work on this paper for Mr. Turner,” Flash explains, “nothing more and nothing less; it’s purely platonic.” Soarin chuckles and shakes his head, “If it was ‘purely platonic’ then I don’t think you need to clean yourself up like you’re about to see the Queen of England.” “It’s common courtesy to clean oneself up before they go out with someone,” Flash argues. “Your parents raised you up to be too much of a gentleman,” says Soarin. “Well okay, Mister Author of the Chivalric Code,” Flash says as he puts down the comb and turns to face his friend. “What do you suggest?” Soarin looks around the room and walks over to Flash’s closet. He opens the double doors and pulls out Flash’s old windbreaker with a red and white stripe wrapping around the chest, and a white t-shirt with a blue shield with a lightning bolt in the center. He tosses the two items across the room towards Flash, who catches them both. “Try going with something a bit more familiar and more ‘you’,” Soarin suggests. Flash looks at the shirt and jacket. “What do you mean?” he asks. “The two of you used to date, right?” Soarin asks. Flash nods in response. “Well even if you’re ‘starting over’,you don’t want to go completely new. You want to have a good mix of the old and new, and it all starts with what she sees. With your old outfit and the new hair, she’ll see that things will be different but not completely foreign.” “Since when did you become a social expert?” Flash jokingly asks. “Last night,” Soarin replies. Flash rolls his eyes as he lays the clothes on the bed and begins to take off his sweater and white shirt. “While I appreciate, and question, your advice Soarin,” Flash says as he dresses, “this is just a study session. It’s not like I’m about to go on a date with Sunset.” Suddenly there’s a knock on the bedroom door followed by a young, scratchy female voice shouting through. “Hey Flash, are you almost ready for your big date?” the voice asks with a bit of a teasing tone. “It’s not a date, sis,” Flash shouts back with a groan. “Can we come in and see you?” a different voice shouts with a squeak in her voice. “We can’t have you leavin’ all sloppy like a pig,” a third voice shouts with a country accent. “Hold on,” Flash shouts back, he puts on his jacket and straightens it while looking in the mirror. “Okay, now you girls can come in.” The door opens and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom rush in. The three of them sit on Flash’s bed and observe him as he straightens his jacket a second time. “Come on Flash,” Scootaloo begs, “let’s get a good look of you.” Flash rolls his eyes and chuckles a little. He turns to face the girls and half-heartedly holds out his arms in a presenting manner. The three girls examine him from their seats. They look up and down his outfit, fingers pressed against mouths and eyebrows cocked. They keep at this for a few minutes. Flash and Soarin look at each other, each wondering how much longer they’re going to take. Finally, Apple Bloom declares, “I like it!” “Me too,” Scootaloo concurs, “your old outfit looks good with your new hairstyle.” “Ooooh this is so exciting,” Sweetie Belle exclaims, placing her hands on her cheeks, “I can’t believe another one of our ships is getting ready to sail!” “Okay, first off,” Flash holds up his index finger, “this is just a study session; we are not dating.” “Yet,” Scootaloo mutters to her friends, causing them to giggle. “Second, just because I’m part of one of your little fantasy ships doesn’t mean it’s going to happen,” says Flash. Scootaloo, insulted by Flash’s comment, stands up and walks in front of her brother. She stands on her toes, trying to get to his eye level, even though he’s a foot taller than her. “‘Little fantasy ships!?’ I’ll have you know that we take our shipping very seriously. So much that our ships have a 90 percent success rate!” “What’s the other ten percent?” Soarin asks. Applebloom groans. “All our ships between the Main Seven.” “It was a sad day when we found out that none of them swing that way,” Sweetie Belle says wistfully. “Not sure how I feel about that,” Soarin’ says wryly. Flash places his hands on Scootaloo’s shoulders and gently pushes her back on her feet. He takes in a deep breath, “Look Scoots, I know you’re excited about this, but don’t set your expectations so high. Sunset and I are starting over as friends, nothing more. Besides, I doubt she ever liked me in that way.” Soarin begins to laugh as he walks up and places his hand on Flash’s shoulder. “Oh poor little Flash,” he says, “Please tell me you aren’t so oblivious to the obvious?” “What are you talking about?” Flash asks. “Rainbow Dash told me everything about what Sunset said about yesterday,” Soarin explains. “So did Applejack,” Apple Bloom interjects. “And Rarity,” Sweetie Belle adds. “According to Rainbow Dash,” says Soarin, “Sunset giggled like a school girl when she talked about your little mistake, calling the study session a ‘date.’” “AHA,” exclaims Scootaloo, “so it is a date!” “No it’s not, shut up!” Flash snaps back. “Applejack says that her face blushed brighter than a newly ripe apple when she talked about when you meant what you said at Camp Everfree,” says Apple Bloom as she jumps off the bed and joins the growing crowd around Flash. “And when she talked about you reaching across, laying your hand on hers, and confessed how much you want to be friends with the new her,” Sweetie Bell says, her voice softer and smoother than usual, mimicking the way Rarity said it. “she, according to Rarity, ‘fell into a euphoric state faster than the blink of an eye.’” Apple Bloom giggles a little at Sweetie Bell’s Rarity impression. “Come on Flash, the evidence is abundantly clear,” says Scootaloo, “Sunset Shimmer likes you.” “I do not like him,” Sunset Shimmer exclaims while she stands t-posed on one of Rarity’s stands, getting her measurements taken. “And why am I even up here? Prom isn’t for another month.” Rarity scoffs. “Bold of you to assume I would wait this long to do our prom dresses,” she says, “I’ve had those done months ago. This is for this afternoon.” “This afternoon? Rarity,” Sunset groans as she gets off the platform, “we’re just going to work on our papers for Mr. Turner together. This isn’t a date.” “Oh for goodness sake, Sunset,” says Rarity, “everything about this screams ‘this is a date.’ Just think about the setting, a quiet library on the second floor of a coffee shop…” “It’s a good place to keep focus,” Sunset counters. “Candlelight providing a warm glow around the room,” Rarity’s tone grows increasingly more romantic. “The… the warm lighting is… ideal for studying?” Sunset knew that point was bull, “Besides, they aren’t really candles.” “Candle shaped lights,” Rarity counters, “Cool jazz playing over the speakers...” Rarity leans in towards Sunset, shaking her shoulders for effect. “Um…” Sunset can feel her argument begin to falter. She fidgets in growing discomfort as Rarity emphasizes the romance behind each point. “And to top it all off.” Rarity swings around and throws her arm over Sunset’s shoulders. “it will just be you and him, all...alone...together.” On her last three words, Rarity walks the fingers of her free hand up Sunset’s shoulders, tapping her on the nose at the end. “Because none of our other friends are in the class with us!” Sunset says with rising panic as her final counter argument, quickly pulling away from Rarity. “Look Rarity, I really just want this to be friendly get together with Flash. I don’t see me and him ever getting back together. I don’t like like him.” Rarity approaches Sunset and takes hold of her hands. “Sunset dear,” she starts calmly, “I love you, but you are terrible at bluffing. The way you talked about Flash yesterday, the euphoria you radiated, it was like he was the only person in the world you truly cared for. I know you two have a rough past, but that does not mean you cannot still love each other.Are you really going to deny these feelings inside your heart?” Sunset thinks about Rarity’s words for a second. Her interaction with Flash yesterday did have several moments of intimacy. Flash holding the door, him holding her hand, his blunder of calling their study session a date, and their small moments of genuine connection. Not to mention how she acted when recanted their interaction to her friends afterwards. Her schoolgirl giggling, the hard blushing, and her euphoric state of mind. Is it possible that there was still some love between them? No, there couldn’t be, how can there be after how their previous relationship ended? Sunset slowly lets go of Rarity’s hands. “I’m sorry Rarity, but I can’t deny feelings that I’ve never had.” Sunsets leans over and looks at the clock on the wall of Rarity’s boutique. The clock face reads 1:09 PM. “Look, I have to go meet up with Flash. I’ll see you tomorrow?” “Very well dear,” Rarity sighs, “you have a good productive time studying. I’ll see you tomorrow.” The two girls hug each other goodbye. Sunset grabs her backpack off one of the counters and walks out the door. Sunset walks up a rickety staircase with a small cup of black drip coffee in her right hand. When she reaches the top, she looks around the room and sees Flash sitting at one of the tables in front of his computer, surrounded by several books. Flash has his head in his hands with his elbows on the table. Sunset walks over to him and sets her backpack down on the table, causing a thud as it lands. Flash lifts up his head in response, he turns his attention to Sunset. “Hard at work I see,” Sunset jokingly says. Flash chuckles a little. “This paper is a lot harder than what I thought it was going to be,” he admits. “How many pages do you have written?” Sunset asks as she pulls out her computer and materials. “Two,” he responds. “And how many are we supposed to write,” she asks. “Eight,” he says with contempt, “eight stinking pages about the importance of the Sun-Sen-Sengo.” “The Sengoku Jidai,” she says, helping him finish, “Or ‘Warring States Period’. I’m surprised about your attitude towards this paper. I remember you being an avid Samurai Jack fan when we were younger.” She sits down in a seat across from Flash and opens up her computer. “I like the samurai and Japanese history. It’s just… my friend and my sister and her friends were driving me up the wall this morning,” Flash says, resting his head on his hand. He reaches over for his coffee without looking and takes a big gulp. “I empathize; Rarity was being extremely persistent about her view of this study session.” Sunset rubs her finger tips against her forehead. “Hey, um, can I ask you something?” Flash looks up from his computer. “What’s up?” “Are we… is this… a date?” Sunset asks, struggling to bring the words forward. Flash closes his eyes and lets out a deep breath. Well might as well clear the air here and now. “No, we’re not on a date, this is just a, um…” “A purely platonic meeting between two friends with the purpose of working on a mutual class assignment?” Sunset suggests with a small giggle. Flash smiles, hearing his own words repeated back to him. “Yeah, that.” The two went back to writing their paper, occasionally glancing at each other while delivering sheepish smiles. It isn’t brough to a halt until Flash mutters, “I mean, if we wanted to we could.” Sunset’s fingers stop typing. She looks up at Flash. “What did you say?” she asks. Flash also stops typing; his face begins to turn red. “Ah crap, I did that out loud, did I?” Flash looks up at Sunset, who looks a little shocked. Flash lets out a sigh. “I guess there’s no point in lying or avoiding it. I said if we wanted to we could.” “What? You mean date?” Is he really suggesting that? Sunset feels her heart rate begin to pick up, and her palms begin to sweat. Flash gives a shrug and quick look to the side. “I mean, why not? It’s not such a terrible idea, is it?” He looks at Sunset with a soft grin. Sunset’s mind races out of control. Why in the world would he even suggest such an idea? I thought he just wanted to start over as friends? I can’t date him, not after what I’ve done to him, I’d hurt him worse! Think, Sunset, think! You need to...push him away somehow. Sunset looks directly at Flash, and her eyebrows angle down. “Is that why you wanted to start over? So you can win me back?” Flash’s face changes to a shocked state. Oh crap, I pushed it too far. “N-no, no, that’s not w-w-what I meant, I-I-I was just s-saying that…” Before he could finish, Sunset shoots up from her chair, stuffs all her belongings in her bag, and swings the bag over her shoulder. “I can’t believe you,” she says, perhaps a bit louder than she should, “I thought we could be friends and not have to deal with this… this… middle school nonsense! You know what, you can just finish this paper on your own. I’m going home!” Sunset turns around and winces a little at the expression she saw on his face. Telling herself it was for the best, she storms towards the stairs. “Sunset, wait,” Flash tries to stop her but fails. He considers going after her but figures it would be best to not confront her when she’s this angry. Flash sits back down and puts his head in his hands and groans. “Flash, what have you done?” Sunset storms out of the coffee shop with all the indignation she can muster and marches her way back to her motorcycle. It isn’t until she reaches her bike that self-reflection hits her. Princess Twilight trusted her to spread the magic of friendship in the world, and she pushed away a potential friend. “Sunset, what have you done?” she moans, pulling her helmet down to cover her eyes. Author's Note Well...that escalated quickly. And it was going so well. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I got a lot help from my editors Donnnnn, Scholarly-Cimmerian, and Needling Haystacks. All three of them have been such a huge help in making this story what it's becoming. Best part is they all volunteered to help. They didn't have to do this, they could've let me float by myself down the river. But the fact that they chose to help speaks volumes to me. Thank you so much guys! And thank you all for reading, I expect to have chapter 4 out by Friday evening or Saturday morning. Once chapter 4 is out, I will be going on a week long hiatus from this tale to focus on my other story, "Finding Her Path in Life," and to move myself back to college. Hope y'all have a wonderful day! P.S. For those who are curious, Pour Jons is a very real place. It's the name of a coffee shop near my college. They've moved locations recently but their old location really did have a library of sorts on the second floor with books, board games, and vinyl records. Ch. 3.5: Seeking AdviceAuthor's Note Before you begin reading, you should know that this isn't really another "chapter." In fact, I am writing this about two weeks after the publication of chapter 3. This is more of a deleted scene of sorts. It something that one of my editors suggested but unfortunately, chapter 3 was already published by the time he made the suggestion. However, it was so good I couldn't pass it up. What this is, is a discussion between Flash and his dad about the events of in Chapter 3 and Flash seeking advice about what he should with Sunset. Now if you would rather just skip ahead to chapter 4, feel free to. However, if you are curious what Flash's dad has to say, then go right ahead. Ch. 3.5: Seeking Advice Flash pulls into the drive way of his home. The sun still hangs in the sky though it is beginning to dip. He turns off his car and pulls the key out. Before he gets out, he places his hands at the two and ten position of the steering wheel and hits head against the top of the wheel, keeping it there for a moment. What the hell was I thinking? he wonders, Why would I bring up such a suggestion, especially after how our last relationship went? He lifts his head off the wheel, opens the door, and steps out. He reaches behind the driver's seat and pulls out his bookbag, he then closes the door and saunters over the front door of the house. I didn't really think I could win her back by being her friend, did I? Do I even want her back? Does she even want me back? He opens the door and is greeted by the barking of a German Shepherd. The dog rushes towards Flash and lifts himself so his paws are holding on to Flash's shoulders. The dog welcomes Flash home with a flurry of licks. Flash laughs, enjoying the welcome but trying to get the 70 lb. dog off of him. "Down boy, down," Flash commands. The dog obeys, receiving a head rub as reward. "It's good to see you too, Ranger." "Ranger!" a gruff voice calls from the living room, "Come here boy!" Ranger runs off to the living room at the end the entrance hallway. Flash walks up the hall, following the source of the voice. He looks and see's his dad, Thunderchief, standing in the entrance to the kitchen with a sports drink bottle. He's a man in his late 40s, medium lean build, has a dark blue crew cut, and he's wearing gym shorts and a sweat soaked, grey shirt with "Air Force" written across the chest. "Sorry about that Flash," he says, "we just got back from our run and he's still a little excited." "It's okay Dad," Flash says as he drops his bag next to couch and takes a seat. He leans his head back, lets out a deep sigh, and rubs his eyes. Thunderchief walks over to his recliner, in the far corner of the room, and takes a seat. "I'm guessing the paper turned out to be a lot harder than you expected?" he jokingly asks. "No it's... something else," Flash says, holding his position. "Oooh dear," Thunder remarks, reading the signs, "things didn't go so well with your friend, eh?" Flash slowly shakes his head no. "So, do you wanna tell me what happened, or are going to keep calculating the rpm of the ceiling fan?" Flash sits up and tells his dad about the events of the study session. He tells him about both of their friends kept thinking that it was a date, how she even asked him if it was a date, which it wasn't. He then tells him about how he brought up that dating wouldn't be such a bad idea, and how Sunset reacted to such a proposal. "She then stormed off and left me alone in coffee shop. I stayed for another 15, maybe 20 minutes after she left." Thunder rubbed his lip with his left index finger. "Well," he starts, "from the sound of how she stormed off, it seems you might have scared her." "Scared her?" Flash asks with a confused look, "how can you tell?" "Because she sounds exactly how your mother reacted when I first asked her out," he says, walking to the kitchen to throw away his now empty sports drink bottle. "We had been friends for about two months, back when we were in college," he shouts from the kitchen, "We enjoyed each other's company, and I was starting to really like her." He walks back into the living room and sits back down in his recliner. "One day, I ask her if she wanted to go out and get a bite to eat, or get a cup of coffee. She reacted the same way your friend did, accused me of only wanting to be her friend just so I get into her pants." "Why did mom accuse you like that?" Flash asks. "Because, not long before we first met, she broke up with sleaze ball who had that same goal in mind," Thunder explains, "Me asking her out was like opening up an old wound for her." "What did you do?" Flash asks. "Well, the next morning, I went to our campus's coffee shop, got her favorite cup of coffee, gave it to her in our first morning class, and apologized," he says, "After that, we remained friends for a few more months and then we went out on our first date." Flash looks down at the ground and ponders his father's actions for a minute. "Listen Flash," Thunder says, Flash looks up at his dad, "There is no use in rushing a relationship. This isn't like one of your games where romance happens after a few clicks of some buttons. These things take time. My advice is you first need to apologize to her tomorrow and afterwards, start by being her friend. You need to have a friendship before you begin a relationship. Do you understand?" Flash slowly nods. "Yeah," he says, "yeah, I understand." "Good," Thunder says as he slaps his knees and gets up from his chair, "now are you hungry? I'm going to grill some T-bones tonight?" Ranger, who had been laying by the recliner this entire time, perks his head up and lets out a small bark. "Yes boy, I even got a small one just for you," Thunder says chuckling as he scratches behind the dog's ears. "Actually," Flash says as he gets up from his seat and grabs his bag, "I'm gonna get this paper done and turn in early. Goodnight." "Ok son, try not to work yourself to hard, sleep well," says Thunder. Flash makes his way to the stairs and begins his ascent towards his room. As he walks, he ponders over his dad's advice. He agrees that he needs to fix this mess and start being Sunset's friend, but a relationship? Is that something he really wants? Despite Sunset's accusations, he doesn't want to be her friend so he win her back, but because she's different. She's more considerate, selfless, and honest now, a far cry from what she used to be. He wants to be her friend because of those qualities. Then again, would having an intimate relationship be such a bad thing? He was the one to suggest trying dating again, perhaps the two of them can finally make it work out this time. On the other hand, the pain from their previous relationship still lingers a bit inside him. Is he even ready to go down that path one more time? Well, it's like dad said, I need a friendship before I have a relationship. I need to make sure I apologize to her tomorrow morning. Now what was her favorite kind of coffee, Venezuelan? Or was it Columbian? Ch. 4: Clearing the AirSunset walks into her AP World History class, wearing a dark grey hoodie and jeans. She is a dreadful sight to behold. Dark circles and bags occupy the area underneath her eyes, and her hair is statically held to the side, as though a side wind is always blowing against her. She keeps her appearance hidden underneath her hood. “Hoods off when indoors Miss Shimmer,” Mr. Time Turner says, in his precise English accent, as he writes on the whiteboard. Mr. Turner is a thirty year old, fair skin man. His hair is slightly wild and folded to the right on top, the sides and back are short but he has two slightly narrow sideburns that reach just above the back corners of his jaw bone. He wears blue sports jacket and dress pants along with a red tie, white dress shirt, and an hourglass pin on his left lapel. Sunset turns to face her teacher. “Mr. Turner,” she says, the teacher turns around. Sunset, not saying a word, pulls her hood off to reveal her mangled appearance. Mr. Turner muffles a gasp that would be entirely inappropriate for a teacher, much less a gentleman.“Uhhh, you can keep your hood up for today, Miss Shimmer.” Sunset pulls her hoodie back on. She thanks the teacher and walks to her seat in the back-right corner of the room. The room is empty, class doesn’t begin for another fifteen minutes. Good for her, because she could use some silence. Sunset drops her bag onto the floor, slides into her chair, folds her arms on the desk, and places her head in the center of the shape her arms form. She hopes to get a few more winks of sleep in before class begins. The previous night was rough. Not only did she stay up until 2 AM working on the paper, which never got finished, but sleeping was an impossible task. He mind plagued her by repeating the dramatic scene from yesterday at Pour Jons. All she wanted to do was to stay friends with Flash without falling into another intimate relationship with him; avoid hurting him again, but not push him away forever. If only she had handled that like a mature, reasonable person, perhaps things could’ve turned out better. Perhaps they could still remain friends, instead of reverting back to strangers. She wouldn’t blame him if he decided to not speak to her again... Flash deserves someone better than her. A few minutes of sleep go by when Sunset hears a student next to her taking their seat. The noise is followed by the sound of a paper cup landing on her desk. She looks up and sees a small to-go cup of coffee sitting in front of her. She looks over at the student sitting next to her. Her eyes widen when she sees that it’s Flash. He sits there with his body facing towards her. His hair is also a mess; his eyes are dreary and laden with bags and dark circles. He wears his black hoodie and dark blue jeans. Despite his tired appearance, he still manages to greet Sunset with a smile. “I’m guessing you didn’t get much sleep last night,” he asks, despite it being plainly obvious. Sunset takes the cup of coffee and drinks a big gulp. Black, Colombian blend, her favorite. It’s still hot but not scalding. After she swallows and feels the warm liquid begin to flow through her veins, she answers with a yawn, “Not a wink, you?” Flash shakes his head, the yawn catching in response. He looks away from Sunset, trying not to make eye contact after what happened yesterday. Sunset does the same. A minute passes by before the two of them turn to each other and together say, “I need to apologize about yesterday.” The two are taken aback but then begin to laugh. “God I hope that gets old fast,” Sunset says, stifling her laughter. Flashes finishes his laughing and clears his throat. “Sunset, I want to apologize about what I said yesterday.” He leans forward, weaving his fingers together and resting his arms on his legs, he fixes his gaze on her. “I really shouldn’t have pushed the idea of dating. We just started over as friends and I was thinking immaturely. I didn’t want to be friends because I thought I could win you back. I really do want to be friends. Do you think you could forgive me?” “Oh, Flash,” Sunset puts down the coffee, turns towards him, leans forward, and cups her hands around his, “Of course I forgive you. But I too need to apologize for my behavior. When you brought up that idea, I got...scared and the only way I could think of to react was to resort to my old, mean ways. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that, I should have talked to you like a mature adult. I was afraid afterwards that I might have pushed you away for good. Can you forgive me?” Flash grins. “Of course I forgive you. It’s going to take a lot more than some snapping to push me away.” Sunset lets out a sigh of relief as she releases Flash’s hands, tension visibly leaving her body. “Thank you, that really puts my mind at ease.” She tilts her head back, closes her eyes, and rubs her temples. “Now I would like a chance to be a mature adult about this. Can we talk about what you said yesterday?” The first bell rings just as Flash was about to answer. The rest of the students in AP World begin to file into the classroom. “We can talk about it at lunch. By the way, does anyone sit in this seat?” Sunset shakes her head. “No, that seat is empty, you’re good to sit there.” “Good. Oh one more thing.” Flashes leans down and reaches into one of the pockets on his bag. He pulls out a small tin box and sets it front of Sunset. She looks at the tin container and reads the label on top. “Mints.” It takes her second for her to realize what Flash was trying to say. She looks at him with a playfully annoyed look and gives him a lewd gesture with her right hand. “Ass,” she says. Rarity, Applejack, and Sunset walk out of AP Statistics and make their way down the hall toward the cafeteria. Sunset has her hood down, letting her hair out. Earlier in the day, Rarity had worked some of her “magic” on Sunset’s hair to bring it back to its natural state. While her eyes still presented a picture of exhaustion, she no longer looks like a complete train wreck. “So Sunset, you never did tell us how your...time with Flash went yesterday,” Rarity states as they walk. “It, um… it didn’t go so well,” says Sunset. “Oh no, what happened?” asks Applejack. “I’d rather not go into it too much, just that he said something he wasn’t supposed to and I overreacted, bit his head off, and left.” Sunset rubs the back of her neck as her face turns red. Applejack and Rarity look at each other and shrug. “Well,” Rarity leads, “as far as first dates go, it’s not the worst outcome. I mean as long the two of you apologized afterwards.” “First off, it wasn’t a date,” Sunset had grown tired of making this correction, “second, yes we did apologize to each other before first block. I’m actually going to meet him at lunch to discuss something important.” “Oh?” Rarity leans in towards Sunset. “What kind of ‘something’ are you two going to discuss?” Applejack pulls Rarity back. “Knock it off Rare, whatever Sunset and Flash have to discuss should only be between the two of them. Sunset will tell us when she wants to tell us.” Rarity rolls her eyes and lets out a sigh. “Very well, I will respect Sunset’s wishes.” Sunset lets out a chuckle. “Thanks girls, and don’t worry, I’ll tell you and the others how it went after school.” The three girls make there way inside the cafeteria and get their trays of food. Once they have what they desire, they walk around the area looking for a place to sit. Rarity and Applejack see their four other friends and Sunset sees Flash, waving her over. Sunset tells her friends she will see them later and makes her way over to Flash. As the remaining two walk over to their friends, Rarity’s face dons a look of curiosity with a tinge of concern. “What do you think they’re going to talk about?” she asks Applejack. “You don’t think they’re going to end things now, are they? I hope Flash didn’t say anything that terribly offended Sunset. Oh, and it was all going so well too.” “Calm down Rare,” Applejack says reassuringly, “You heard what Sunset said, he already apologized for what he said yesterday. I may not know Flash well but I do know he’s quick to mend any friendship on the verge of breaking. And Sunset isn’t one to so quickly push away a friend just because some words got under her skin. Try not to worry about it, let's just go eat lunch.” Sunset places her tray of food on the table and takes a seat across from Flash. “Hey Sunset, how was Statistics?” Flash says, elevating his voice above the noise of the cafeteria. Sunset places her elbow on the table and pinches the bridge of her nose as she lets a sigh of frustration. “Oof, that bad huh?” She places her hand back on the table. “I don’t understand a single thing in that class,” she complains, “I took it so I wouldn’t have to take College Algebra or Calculus. Yet somehow, Princess Celestia’s course of transformation and transmutation seems easier than trying to understand univariate and bivariate transformations.” Flash picks up a few fries off his tray and dips them in a little ketchup container. “I can probably help you with that,” he says as he munches on his fries. Sunset gives him a quizzical look. “You? But you hate math.” Flash shrugs and gives a quick side look. “Well yeah, but I love statistics.” Sunset raises her eyebrow, her doubt increasing rapidly. “Oh come on, have you never been on one of those weird statistics sites? For instance, did you know you’re more likely to die from being poisoned than from being struck by lighting? Or if the mortality rate today was still the same as it was in 1900, less than half of the people in the world would still be alive? Being on those sites made me want to learn more about Statistics. So I took AP Stat last semester and got an A.” “So are you saying you want to tutor me?” Sunsets asks, still skeptical. She didn’t know that Flash is so fond of Statistics. In the past, it was always Sunset who had to help Flash with his math homework. This time, the roles are reversed. Flash smiles and nods. “Yeah, consider it me finally cashing in all time you helped me in… geometry,” Flash says with great disdain as his body shivers. Sunset chuckles a little. She finds it hard to believe that the boy she helped, or rather dragged, through Geometry is now offering to help her with Statistics. She smiles and holds out her hand. “Alright Mister Alan Turing, you’ve got yourself a deal.” Flash reaches out and accepts her handshake. “It’s always a good day when I get equated with Benedict Cumberbatch,” he quips. Sunset laughs in response. As they retract their hands, Flash’s face gets more serious and he changes topics to the reason they are meeting here. “So, about yesterday?” Sunset’s mood slowly changes from amusement to dread. She knows there’s no point in trying to dodge this topic; better to just clear the air now so they can move forward. She looks away nervously. “Yesterday, right,” she pauses and scratches her head, trying to think of what to say, “You weren’t wrong about what you said. Dating isn’t the worst idea…” She trails off, searching for the right thing to say. “But?” Flash injects. “But given how our last relationship turned out, I’m not sure I’m ready to visit that trail again just yet.” She rubs her hands as she tries to put her thoughts into words. Flash processes her words through his head and purses his lips in thought. He understands her hesitations; the exact same thought had occurred to him. The pain of their last relationship still lingers a bit inside him. It may have been a year and a half since their breakup, but finding out she was using him as a means to an end is not something one gets over easily. He is mostly over it, but that niggling little sore spot in his heart is still there. The only way he can think of to finally get rid of it, is to mend his relationship with Sunset. There is still the physical attraction, of course, but also a romantic longing that had never gone away completely. But Flash is well aware that the person he is hung up on, if she ever existed, is not the person in front of him right now, and acting based on his idea of what was would be a discredit to who Sunset is. And whoever that is, he can see she is someone worth being friends with. Flash looks at Sunset and slowly nods. “I agree. I’m not sure what I was thinking back there, probably thinking with the wrong head.” He and Sunset chuckle. “In all seriousness, I don’t think I’m actually ready to try dating again either. But I still do want us to be friends.” “I do too,” Sunset says smiling, “and who knows? Maybe we will or maybe we won’t, but I think baby steps is the right course of action for now.” “Agreed,” says Flash nodding. “So when do you want to start tutoring me?” Sunset asks, changing the topic as she stabs her salad and takes a bite. “Well I’m a little busy this week with band and blitzball practice,” Flash says as he picks up a few more fries and eats them. He swallows and continues, “but I’m free Friday after school. You can come over to my place and afterwards, if you want, we can do something that isn’t math related.” “What do you have in mind?” Sunset asks, just a touch warily. She takes another bite of her salad. “Well we have a game room with foosball, air hockey, and two TVs, both with PS4s,” Flash says casually. Sunset, after hearing that, slightly chokes on her salad and goes into a coughing fit. “Whoa, are you okay?” Flash asks with concern. Before he could get up to help, Sunset dislodges the piece of lettuce from her throat and coughs it across the table, landing on Flash’s left cheek. Her face turns beat red when she sees the small piece of romaine on his cheek. Flash slowly picks the piece of lettuce off and holds it for a bit. Eyes wide open, he looks at the lettuce, looks at Sunset, and then begins to laugh. Flash’s laughter eases Sunset’s embarrassment as she joins in the mirth. The rest of the Main Seven look over at Flash’s and Sunset’s table and watch in amusement as the two converse. “Look at them, they’re so cute together,” Pinkie Pie says letting out a small sigh of admiration, “they’re like two scoops of ice cream.” “Do you think he’ll ask her to prom?” Fluttershy wonders. “Now hold on y’all,” says Applejack, bringing the group back to reality, “Sunset and Flash have only just now started over. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and go thinking they’re gonna live happily ever after.” “As much of a romantic as I am, I have to agree with Applejack,” says Rarity, “These sort of things take time. We don’t live in a fairytale world where love happens in an instant.” Applejack looks at her friend with surprise. “Why, thank you Rarity,” she says with gratitude. “Though that does not stop me from planning her wedding dress,” Rarity declares. “...Thank you, Rarity,” Applejack says with much annoyance. “Oh come on AJ, just look at them!” Rainbow points at the Sunset and Flash. “They are clearly head over heels for each other. Sunset is looking at Flash the way Twilight looks at Timber.” Twilight, about to counter Rainbow’s point, looks over at Sunset, shrugs, looks at Applejack and says, “Well, she’s not wrong.” “Look, all I’m saying is we shouldn’t rush things,” says Applejack, “I’m not going to deny that there’s a mutual attraction between the two, but we should just let things happen. Help her if and when she wants it, but like Granny says, go meddlin’ in other folks’ affairs and everything ends up in a muddle.” “Ugh, fine, we’ll do it your way Applejack.” Rainbow then looks over Applejack’s shoulder and her eyebrows raise. “If we’re going to go hands-off, you maaay want to tell them that.” Rainbow points over at something between Applejack and Rarity. The two look behind them and see Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo huddle together looking over at Flash and Sunset. Their faces light up with amazement, their mouths grow huge smiles, and suddenly they let out a collective shriek. “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!” The ear-splitting sound is heard throughout the entire cafeteria. Applejack places her face in her hands. “Oh sweet apple pie,” she mutters. Author's Note Thus ends the first act. Well folks, that's the last chapter I will be doing for a while. Don't worry, I'm not cancelling the story, but it will be going into hiatus mode. However, either 8/31 or 9/1 I will put this story back into incomplete mode and begin working on chapter 5. If you want to know more details about reasoning behind the hiatus, I will be making a blog post here in a little bit explaining everything. Thank you guys for reading, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I will see you the week of 9/1. Ch. 5: Study Session, Take TwoThe door for the men's locker room by the outside track flies open as a group of young men dressed in gym clothes and drenched in sweat come marching in. Each and every one of them panting, trying to get every single atom of oxygen. They have just finished running for five straight miles, as part of the weekly Five Mile Friday run in their PE course. They each either take a seat on one of the benches or lean up against the rows of lockers. The last two to enter are Flash and Soarin, who share a similar state of exhaustion. They go over to their lockers, open them,pull out their water bottles, and chug the refreshingly cool liquid. “I… hate… Fridays,” one of the other boys says through his breaths. “Coach… Spitfire… can go… eat… a dick!” says another. A pounding noise is suddenly heard from the door, followed by Coach Spitfire shouting. “You boys better be showered, dressed, and out of there before the final bell rings or I’m going to make you run another five miles!” “Yes ma’am,” they all shout back, then mumble curses under their breath. They all then begin to undress and make their way towards the showers. Flash and Soarin are the first in and the first out. They head to their lockers, towels wrapped around their waists, pull out their normal clothes, and begin to dress. “So Flash, are you ready for this afternoon?” Soarin asks with a tone of anticipation as he dresses. “What are you talking about?” Flash responds as he puts on his underwear and pants. “Come on man, your tutoring session with Sunset,” Soarin says teasingly while nudging Flash’s side with his elbow, “Just the two of you, alone, teaching her… probabilities.” That last word he lustfully whispers as he repeatedly lifts his eyebrows. Flash’s face cringes and his spine shivers. “Why do you have to make math sound so… creepy?” Flash asks with great discomfort, “Look, I just want to help her in that class. I’m good with statistics, and she helped me a lot when I took geometry. I’m just paying back a favor.” He grabs his shirt and pulls it onto his body. “Is that really all there is?” Soarin asks with growing suspicion, “Just ‘repaying the favor,’ there isn’t anything else?” “You’re not sounding less creepy,” Flash says in annoyance. But as Flash reaches for his windbreaker, he starts to think over if there is some other reason.Once that reason comes into mind, he begins to feel he’s cheeks grow red. “Well… there may be one more reason,” he says sheepishly. “I knew it!” Soarin exclaims, “And I see those red cheeks, so come on now, spill it!” Flash feels his cheeks grow more red. “Well… I may… also… like her,” Flash murmurs. “I’m sorry what was that?” Soarin asks, leaning in, “You’re gonna have to speak up.” “I… like her,” Flash murmurs again, avoiding eye contact with his friend. “One more time, still can’t hear you,” Soarin says teasingly, leaning his ear towards Flash. “I like her okay!!” Flash shouts for the entire locker room to hear, prompting a series of “woos” and inappropriate jokes from the other boys. Flash’s neck shrinks with embarrassment. He looks at Soarin, who was trying very hard and failing to stifle his laughter, with pure anger. A number of ways to hurt Soarin fly through Flash’s imagination. Soarin gets a hold of himself and calms down the rest of the locker room. “Ok guys, I think Flash has heard enough… for now,” he says with a grin; the boys let out several “awws” of disappointment and go back to getting ready to leave. Soarin turns to Flash, seeing his angry look. “Oh calm down man,” he says, “It’s your fault anyway for shouting out your answer.” This reasoning does nothing to curve his anger. “Besides, isn’t it better getting it all out there now?” Flash takes in a few breaths. “Yeah, I suppose,” he responds still feeling miffed. “So then, why do you like her? I thought after how she rejected you the other day, you had decided that was out?” Soarin’ asks. “Did she put a spell on you,” he adds teasingly “No, it’s not like that,” Flash answers, “It’s just… I don’t know man.” He pulls out his bag, closes the locker, and leans his back up against it. “We’ve spent quite a bit of time together this week and… I just can’t stop thinking about her. It’s like freshman year all over again. No matter how hard I try, she doesn’t escape my mind. It especially doesn’t help that her name is ‘Sunset,’ something I see every single day.” Soarin closes his locker and leans his side up against it, facing Flash. “So you do want to date her?” he asks. “No… maybe… I don’t know man,” Flash says with an embarrassed shrug, “I don’t even feel ready to get back into that game with her again, and neither does she. You forget how our last relationship ended?” “Of course not, but you were dating the old Sunset,” says Soarin, “and she’s definitely not like the present Sunset.” “I know, but a part of me thinks that feeling is just me still being in love with the old Sunset,” says Flash, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. “Why would you still be in love with that manipulative demon?” Soarin asks, Flash just shrugs in response, “Have you forgotten how she used you?” “How can I,” Flash says, throwing his hands up as he straightens up and sits on the bench in front of him, “I can vividly recall the day I first realized I was being abused, right down to the smallest detail.” He leans forward with arms crossed, looking at the ground with a sullen look as he recalls that day. Soarin sits on Flash’s left side and places his hand on his shoulder. “Look, it’s quite clear to me that you have feelings for Sunset, the present and friendly Sunset. I get it that you’re not ready to try dating again with her, but one way or another you’re gonna have to do something or else those feelings will eat you from the inside-out. Like the chestburster from Alien.” Soarin then puts his hand on his chest and flares his fingers at Flash, replicating the gruesome birth of the xenomorph. Flash closes his eyes, shakes his head, and chuckles. “What a lovely mental image,” he says in a dry sarcastic tone. Flash then pulls his phone from his pocket and looks at the time, 2:57 PM. “Listen,” Flash starts as he puts his phone away, “I’ve gotta head out, I’m supposed to meet her over at my place.” Flash stands up and swings his bag over his shoulders. “Your place, seriously? Ok man,” Soarin says standing up as he gives Flash a fist bump, “Try not to have too much fun now.” Soarin give Flash a playful wink, causing him to roll his eyes. Flash secures his bag and makes his way out of the locker room. The final bell for school rings and all the students in AP European Literature begin to file out of the classroom. But as they leave, Mr. Doodle delivers one final statement. “Students,” he shouts, “Don’t forget to read the first five chapters of Candide over the weekend. We’ll be having a quiz about it on Monday.” The students groan as they leave the room, any hopes of not having weekend reading were quickly tossed into the wind. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Sunset are the last three students to leave. They walk up the hall towards Sunset’s locker, chatting about their afternoon plans. “Hey Sunset,” Fluttershy says, “Are you ready for this afternoon?” “Oooh yes,” Twilight exclaims with excitement, “you’ve got your big ‘tutoring’ session today with Flash!” “Don’t get your hopes up girls,” Sunset says trying to curb their enthusiasm, “It’s not like we're going to prom or anything. He’s just going to help me get started on my stats project and afterwards we’re just going to hang out.” They stop at Sunset’s locker. She begins to fiddle with the lock. “‘Hang out’?” Fluttershy asks with a slight tease in her voice, “It seems we’ve with reached a new level.” “What are you talking about?” asks Sunset as she opens her locker and searches through for her Statistics notes. “Well we maaay have been keeping track of your relationship with Flash,” Twilight admits with fake guilt, “For instance, the two of you have eaten lunch together a few times.” “You’re not having anymore awkward run-ins in the hallway,” Fluttershy adds. “And the two of you have been talking to each other a lot more lately,” Twilight concludes, “All signs that this pointing towards a--” “A growing friendship between two people who happen to be of the opposite sex,” Sunset interrupts as she slams the door of her locker in her annoyance, “Girls, I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times, there is nothing between me and Flash. We are just good friends.” Both girls look at each other then look back at Sunset with looks of skepticism. “What?” she asks. “I don’t want to pry Sunset,” Fluttershy says, “but are you certain that’s all you feel for Flash?” “Yes Fluttershy, I am certain,” Sunset responds confidently “Really?” Fluttershyasks skeptically, “Because everytime I see you talking with Flash, you look at him as though he put you under some sort of love spell.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sunset says as she folds her arms and turns away from them. To them it may seem she’s turning out of defense or annoyance but it’s really to hide the red color beginning to appear on her cheeks. “Also, that’s not how love spells work,” she adds. “Think about it Sunset,” says Twilight as she draws closer to Sunset. “All the classic non-verbal cues are there. Laughing at every other word he says, gazing at him in admiration, gushing smiles, constantly brushing your hair behind your ear, and - the cutest one of all - swinging back and forth on the heels and balls of your feet. Oooh!” Twilight gushes when she brings up that point. “I-I-I don’t do any of that,” Sunset argues as she looks down at the floor and vigorously pets some strands of her hair. Twilight walks over to Sunset and places her hand on her shoulder. “Sunset you don’t have to hide your feelings from us,” says Twilight, “It’s okay if you like Flash, there’s no harm in feeling you want to be more than friends with him.” Sunset looks down at the ground, she processes what Twilight said. Does she really have strong feelings for Flash? If she does, are they even genuine emotions, or was it just convenience and familiarity? She’s not going to deny that Flash has some admirable qualities: he’s handsome, adorkable, he loves music, and he is kind. What girl wouldn’t find him endearing? His kindness and friendliness is what won Sunset over in the first place. However, there is that lingering fear inside her. A fear she has conquered many times but not when it comes to him. The fear that she may end up hurting Flash again. After a short time, it was relatively easy to get over this fear with everyone else. The biggest pain she ever caused to her friends and the student body was either extortion or tearing apart their friendships. Not that that was good, but it had not been personal. But Flash, he was a different case. She abused and manipulated him, turned him into nothing more than a pawn to raise herself up above all others. Snips and Snails voluntarily worked for Sunset, rather like minions in some fairy tale, but Flash was different. All he had wanted was a girlfriend who loved him. When they broke up, she felt nothing, he felt everything. Sunset fears that if she gets close to him again, the same mistakes will be repeated. She does not want to cause him any more pain. Sunset looks at Twilight and gently brushes her hand off her shoulder. “I appreciate the comforting words, Twilight,” Sunset says in a soft, strained tone, “But… there can’t be anything between me and Flash.” She quickly glances over to the left at the clock on the wall, 3:12, and adjusts the backpack straps around her shoulders. “Listen, I gotta go,” Sunset says walking off, “I’ll see you girls tomorrow.” Sunset walks down the hall, waving back to her friends. Fluttershy gazes down the hall with a look of disappointment. “It’s a shame,” Fluttershy sighs, “I was really hoping there might be something there.” She looks over at Twilight, who is also looking down the hall but with a look of studious confusion. “Twilight?” Fluttershy asks, getting the attention of her friend. Twilight breaks her concentration and looks at Fluttershy. “Hm? Oh, sorry,” she says, “I just got caught up on something she said.” “What is it?” Fluttershy asks, raising a curious eyebrow. “Well, she said ‘can’t,’” says Twilight. “‘Can’t?’” Fluttershy asks. “Yeah, ‘there can’t be anything between me and Flash,’” Twilight repeats thoughtfully. “What does she even mean by that?” Sunset pulls over to the side of the street in front of Flash’s house. The building is a two-story house with grey siding. A long sidewalk reaches from street all the way up to the front patio, where the front door stands in the center. There are two windows on the far ends of the front, and three windows on the second floor that line up with the windows and door below. The front of the house has a rectangular shape, and on top is a shallow pyramid roof. The front yard has flower beds that cover both sides of the patio. Not much has changed since the last time I was here, Sunsets thinks as she gets off her bike and removes her helmet. She walks up the pathway and rings the doorbell. She hears a barking noise coming towards the door followed by the noise of claws scraping the door. The lock unlocks and the door opens up slightly. Flash sticks his head out as he tries to keep his dog inside. “Hey you made it,” he says, trying to keep the dog from escaping. “Excuse me a moment. Ranger is getting out of hand.” The door closes as Flash pulls the dog to the backyard. Sunset remembers the German Shepherd from when they used to date, but he was just a puppy back then; now he’s fully grown. Flash opens the door all the way, leading Sunset inside. “Sorry about that, Ranger can be pretty aggressive with guests at the door.” “Well he certainly isn’t the puppy I remember,” says Sunset jokingly. “Is that your friend, Flash?” a gruff voice calls from up the entrance hall. “Yeah dad, it’s her,” Flash responds. He leads Sunset to the end of the hall where the living room is. In the far corner is a recliner and in it sits a middle aged man reading a newspaper. He has dark blue hair shaped into a crew cut and his body is a lean medium build. He still has on his work clothes - a burgundy polo shirt, pressed khaki pants, and brown dress shoes. He looks up from his paper to see the two kids. “Sunset, you remember my dad Thunderchief, right?” Flash asks. “Of course,” Sunset says trying to be polite, “how are you doing sir?” Thunderchief looks at Sunset with a stern face. He folds his paper, gets up from the recliner, and slowly walks towards Sunset. Even though he’s only a few inches taller than her, he makes himself seem more colossal with every step. Sunset tries to maintain a polite demeanor, forcing a smile as he walks, but she feels her blood turn ice cold and a shiver run up her spine. Flash places his hand over his eyes and shakes his head. Not this again, he thinks. Thunderchief stops right in front of Sunset and looks down at her. Sunset can feel herself beginning to shrink. “So,” he says in a stern tone, “the girl who broke my son’s heart over a year ago has now found herself back in my house.” Sunset gulps hard and chuckles nervously. She can feel her heart rate begin to increase. Her anxiety subsides when she sees his face soften and he holds his hand out, requesting a shake. “Well, it’s nice to see that the two of you are friends again,” he says with a more friendly tone. Sunset accepts his handshake and gives him a firm one. “Honey, you’re not frightening Flash’s little friend are you?” shouts a voice from the kitchen. Around the corner walks a short, round, middle-age women with short, light blue, curly hair. She wears a cream-orange t-shirt, light tan capris, sandals, and a flour covered apron. Her face lights up when she sees Sunset, “Oh my stars, Sunset darling, how are you?” she exclaims, walking over to give her a hug. Sunset looks over and her face lights up as well when she sees her. “Mrs. Heartsong,” Sunset says as accepts the hugs, “it’s so good to see you again! I didn’t know you would be here.” When Sunset first met Heartsong, it was not long after her exile from Equestria, and when Flash and her had initially started out as friends. To Sunset, Heartsong was the closest thing to a mother figure she had in this world. There was always a place for Sunset in her home. Even when she became more cruel and distant, Heartsong always kept that space open hoping one day she would change back. After her reformation, Sunset was hesitant to go back to Heartsong, thinking there was no way she would take her back. It wasn’t until a few weeks before Camp Everfree that the two ran into each other just down the street from Sugar Cube Corner. Heartson ran and embraced her, like the father and his prodigal son. Ever since then, the two have met up every now and then for coffee or tea, mending the relationship that was nearly lost between them. Heartsong pulls away from their hug but keeps her hands on Sunset’s shoulders. “I was finally given a few days off from the hospital so I can spend some time with my family,” says Heartsong, smiling. “Well Sunset and I are going to head up to my room and get started on her statistic project,” Flash says, leading Sunset over to the stairs. “Okay, but be sure to keep your door open mister,” Heartsong says. “Yes ma’am,” Flash responds, looking at Sunset and rolling his eyes as he and Sunset make their way up the stairs. Sunset stifles a giggle that would almost certainly have been misinterpreted. The two reach the top of the stairs and walk across the hall to the right. Flash opens the door to his room and leads Sunset in. Sunset scans the room and notices how neat it is. The last time she was here, the entire room resembled a pigsty. Now it’s clean enough for a hotel guest. “Wow, I see you’ve been trying to keep things orderly in here,” Sunset comments. Flash sits down on his bed, “Yeah, I’ve been trying to live more like a civilized human recently,” Flash responds, “now, shall we begin?” “Yes, we shall,” Sunset replies in a mock-formal voice. An hour and a half goes by. Flash spends that time trying to help Sunset get started on the big final project for her class. The assignment requires her to conduct a survey or experiment that revolves around a topic or question of her own interest. Sunset decided to go with an experiment around the question: does drinking coffee before an exam have any effect of the test takers performance? Within that hour and a half, the two come up with population targets, controls, sample sizes, test parameters, and so on. Also during that time, they both were fighting an internal battle of emotions. Sunset caught herself many times laughing or giggling at something Flash said, even if it wasn’t funny. Whenever Flash had to lean over Sunset to look at her notes or textbook, he could feel his heart fluttering when he got close to her, Sunset would feel the same as well. These kind of intense emotions, it was like they were still freshmen, and they disliked the distraction. As they near the end of their studying, a knock is heard on the door. Flash, who’s sitting at his desk chair, looks over and sees Scootaloo standing in the doorway, trying to keep herself from gushing. “What is it Scoots?” Flash asks. Scootaloo collects herself and says, “Mom wants to know if you want anything to drink and if Sunset would like to stay for dinner?” “I’ll just have a bottled water,” Flash responds, “What do you want Sunset?” “I’ll take a water as well,” says Sunset, who’s sitting on the bed, “and I would love to stay for dinner.” Scootaloo nods and walks off. “By the way, when did Scootaloo become your sister?” Sunset asks Flash. “I don’t remember you having any siblings when we ‘dated.’” “About a year ago,” Flash says, “we adopted her a few months after you and I first broke up. Apparently no one knows who her birth parents were. She was just dropped off at the local orphanage one night when she was still a baby. No papers, just a name.” “Damn, that’s pretty rough to hear,” Sunset says, “but she seems to be happy being a part of the family now.” “Oh yeah, it’s really nice not being an only child anymore,” Flash says as he thinks about all the fun him and his sister have had the past year. Flash then changes the topic by asking, “Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?” “Just as long as you don’t ask me out,” Sunset jokes, prompting Flash to chuckle nervously. “No it’s nothing like that,” he says, stifling his laughter. “I actually wanted to ask you about those magical geodes you and your friends got at Camp Everfree. Like, what do they do?” “Oh, well they essentially empower us with certain types of magic based on our personalities,” Sunset explains as she pulls her geode up, “for instance, Rainbow Dash can run faster than any normal human and Fluttershy can communicate with animals.” “And what’s your power?” Flash asks. “I can see a person’s memories by touching them,” she says, “the memories I see are usually based on what I intend to find out but sometimes it can be controlled by my emotions.” Flash leans forward in his chair and holds out his hand. “Oh that’s cool. You think you can try it on me?” he asks. “Um, are you sure?” she asks with some caution. “Yeah, I want to see this power for myself,” he says, “besides, what’s the worst you can see, the times I sang in the shower?” His eyes pop wide open and his cheeks begin to blush, “Actually, um, don’t look at those.” Sunset giggles and leans forward. “Okay then,” she says. She takes a hold of Flash’s hand, concentrates, and, all of a sudden, her eyes glow white as she is taken back to a memory from a few years ago. It’s the beginning of freshman year and a younger Flash Sentry walks through the halls among a crowd of students who are both taller and older than him. His clothes are similar to his normal get up but minus the windbreaker. He tries to navigate his way to his locker, hoping he can get his stuff arranged before the beginning of his first class. He weaves his way through the crowd, trying to get to his destination quicker. In his hurry, he is accidentally shoved, causing him to stumble out of the crowd and into a more open space. He attempts to regain his footing but he runs into another student. The two of them both hit the floor, spilling their contents everywhere. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to run into you,” Flash says, his voice cracking with nervousness. He gathers up all his belongings. “No I should’ve gotten out of the way,” says the other student in a young female voice. Once the two have all their items, they get up and get a look at each other. The student he ran into is a younger Sunset Shimmer. Her red and yellow hair is pulled over to her left side with a light blue flower in it. She wears a sky blue t-shirt with a sunset graphic centered on the chest, a black leather jacket with magenta lapels and golden suns on the hinges, a buttercup yellow skirt, and black boots with rings of gems. Flash’s pubescent mind is dumb striken at the sight of her. Oh my gosh, she’s pretty, he thinks as looks at her with his mouth wide open. “Um, are you ok,” Sunset asks with a confused look. Flash snaps out of his euphoric state and quickly collects himself. “Sorry, um, hi, my name is Flash,” he says lifting his hand up and giving a small wave, “I don’t think I’ve seen you before. Are you new?” “I’m… not from around here,” Sunset responds sheepishly, trying to hide behind her hair. “Do you have a name?” Flash asks, trying to get her to open up. “Um, Sunset Shimmer,” she responds quietly, but loud enough that Flash can hear. “Well Sunset Shimmer, do you want to be friends?” Flash asks, “If we’re going to survive our first day of high school, we oughta stick together.” Sunset comes out from behind her hair, looks at the boy giving her a friendly smile and holding out his hand. Sunset slowly puts out her hand in a fist-like shape, lets the boy take hold of it, and shakes. “I would like a friend in this strange new world,” Sunset says. Flash walks around to her side and puts his arm around her shoulders, smiling. “Well Sunset,” he says, “now you’ve got one.” The two then walk down the hall, together. The white glow from Sunset’s eyes fade away as she comes back into the present. She takes a minute to process what she just saw. “So, what did you see?” Flash asks. “I saw… our first day of freshman year,” Sunset responds, “the day we first met.” Flash leans back in his chair as he remembers that fond memory. “Oh yeah, I remember that,” he says, he starts to chuckle a little, “I pretty much tackled you in the hall just trying to get to my locker.” “Well, the crowd of students certainly did help with things,” Sunset commented. “Yeah but at least I ran into you and not the school bully or Principal Celestia,” Flash says. “Seeing that memory, it makes me curious,” Sunset remarks, “why were you so willing to be friends with someone you’ve never seen before?” Flash leans forward in his chair. “You seemed like you really needed one,” he says with a warm smile. Sunset leans back on her arms. “You know, I never really gave much thought to that day,” she says, “but, after seeing that again, I realize just how important that offer of friendship was.” “How so?” Flash asks. “Well, that memory takes place about a week after I first came to this world,” says Sunset, sitting up, “I had defied Princess Celestia’s orders and broke her trust by coming here because I thought I could prove to her that I was ready for the next level. But when I entered, the portal closed just minutes after I arrived. I was a young and foolish girl trapped in a foreign place, in a foreign body, and was completely alone. When school started and I ran into you, you were the first person to offer me their friendship without question or prejudice. That meant the world to me in that moment.” Flash could feel his insides warm up. “Well, you can thank my mom for that,” he says, glancing over Sunset’s shoulder, “she always said that everyone needs a friend, no matter who they are or where they came from.” He gives her a warm friendly look with a half smile. Sunset wraps her arms around her lower torso, makes a half smile, then quickly looks down at the ground blushing. She briefly looks up at him then looks back at the ground. The tender moment is interrupted when they hear a knock at the door. They both look over and see Scootaloo standing there with two bottles of water. “Here’s your guys’s water,” she says, walking over and handing them their drinks, “and Mom says the first pizza will be ready in about fifteen minutes but you need to come downstairs and prep your salad.” As Scootloo walks off, Flash takes a quick swig of his water before he calls out to her. “Hey Scoots,” he says, Scootaloo turns around and looks at him, “I’m going to push for eight slices this time.” “Only eight slices?” she scoffs, “HA! Those are rookie numbers, I’m going for twelve.” Scootaloo walks out of the room and down the stairs. Sunset looks at Flash with a quizzical face. “Oh we have this little competition every time Mom makes homemade pizza,” Flash explains, “We set a goal before dinner and whoever reaches or exceeds their goal first or is the closest by the time we’re all full, doesn’t have to clean up after dinner.” “And your mom makes enough to keep this going?” Sunset asks as she takes a drink of her water. Flash takes a swig before he answers, “Oh yeah, Mom always makes sure to make enough pizza to last for a few meals.” Flash gets up from his chair and sets the bottle on his desk. “Come on,” he says, “we should go get our salads ready. And after dinner, we can play some Mortal Kombat.” Sunset stands up from the bed and also places the bottle on the desk. “Ok,” she says, “but I should have you know that I’m a master with Kitana.” She gives him a smug grin as she walks towards the door. “We shall see,” Flash says slyly, “but you won’t stand a chance against me and Raiden.” Flash then follows Sunset to the door. Before Sunset walks through, she stops and turns to face Flash. “Oh and by the way,” Sunset says as she points her finger at Flash, “ten slices.” She then turns back around and walks over to the stairs. Flash shakes his head and chuckles, then makes his way towards the stairs. Author's Note Oooh boy this was a long one to write! I figured you guys waited long enough so I figured I give you guys an nice long one for your patience. Going forward from here, due to me being back in college, new chapters will be released on a more weekly basis. So the next chapter will probably be out either next Monday or Tuesday. That's all I have to say, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and have a wonderful week. Tops to you! Ch. 6: Finding Out the TruthAuthor's Note So I usually put the Author's Note at the bottom but I need it to be at the top this time. Mainly because I need to offer a warning for this chapter. This chapter involves usage of alcohol by characters who, according to US law, are under the legal drinking age. Reader's discretion is advised. Now on a more positive note, this story has just surpassed 400 views and 1,500 total views, which is really awesome! Now I kept you guys waiting long enough, enjoy chapter 6! Ch. 6: Finding Out the Truth Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash walk through the aisles of the grocery store. Rainbow Dash pushes the cart behind Rarity and Applejack while they look at the shelves, following the list Rarity had put together early. The cart is filled with an assortment of different snack foods and drinks. Potato and tortilla chips, salsa, queso, cocktail weiners, crackers, cheese slices, and soda. They are preparing for the Main 7’s monthly game night tonight. They hold it every last Saturday of the month where they play a JackBox party game, the most popular choice being Quiplash, with a special twist. They almost have everything on their list, except for a few items that can only be found in one aisle. As they walk, they start talking about their friends, two in particular. “So have we heard anything new about Sunset and Flash?” Rarity asks as she scans the list. “Not really,” says Applejack, “Other than that they’ve been growing closer as friends, but nothing beyond that.” “Soarin’s got nothing to report as well,” Rainbow says with a groan. “The only significant news was Flash confessing to him about his feelings for Sunset, but that was like a week ago.” “Since when did you get your boyfriend involved on this?” Applejack teasingly asks. Rainbow’s eyes widen and her cheeks blush. “Soarin’s not my boyfriend!” she hasteningly says. “I-I-I don’t even like him... in that way.” Applejack and Rarity chuckle as Rainbow’s entire face turns bright red. “I gotta say, things between those two have been moving a lot slower than I thought they would,” Applejack admits. Rarity lifts her head, raises her eyebrows, and turns her head to face Applejack. “Oh, so then are you reconsidering what our stance should be?” she asks. Applejack pinches her chin and thinks about it for a minute. When Flash and Sunset reignited their friendship, the rest of the Main 7 decided to take a hands-off approach to their relationship. Applejack has been the strongest advocate of this stance. But recently, some of the members have been thinking of changing that stance to be a bit more active. Rainbow, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie have thrown their support behind this idea, but Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight are still unsure. Applejack shakes her head slowly. “No, I still think we should let things happen on their own,” she says, “no matter how slow they may be happenin’.” “Oh come on AJ!” Rainbow groans. “Those two are never going to end up together if we just sit back and let things happen.” “We just need to be patient,” Applejack argues, “If we go meddlin’ in their affairs, then no one wins.” “I’m going to have to agree with Rainbow Dash, dear,” says Rarity. “It’s quite obvious that the two admire each other but, let’s be honest, they have colder feet than a penguin. We’re not saying we should control them like puppets, rather just give them a little… push.” She motions her hand into a small pushing action. “Could you be a bit more clear about what exactly this ‘push’ entails?” Applejack asks, raising an eyebrow and placing her hands on her hips. “Don’t worry AJ, we’ve got a plan,” Rainbow says with confidence. “We’re going to invite Flash and Soarin to game night tonight. We would invite just Flash but that might seem a bit suspicious to Sunset. At some point in the evening, we’re going to isolate Flash from the rest of the group. We’re going to get him to spill his guts out about Sunset, hear it directly from the horse’s mouth. Then, we’re going to let him know how Sunset truly feels. Anything he tells us will remain just between all of us, excluding Sunset. Then we work with whatever information we have and continue on from there.” Applejack processes the plan through her mind. “The first part sounds ok, I guess,” she says with uncertainty, “but it sounds to me like you’re plannin’ on violatin’ Sunset’s trust. I ain’t havin’ no part in that.” “We had hesitated on that point,” Rarity says, “But just getting them to admit it might not be enough. if someone doesn’t tell someone else something, that someone might never pick up on someone else’s hints.” “...What?” Rainbow Dash says. “I don’t care how you say it,” Applejack says, “You just forget about that end of things and I’ll think about it.” “Oh very well, I’ll make sure Rainbow Dash doesn’t go off-script,” Rarity says. “You know I’m standing right here?” Rainbow exclaims. “Yes I know dear,” Rarity answers dryly. Applejack thinks it over while they show. The plan could work. Getting things out in the open might be just the subtle push they need.. Applejack slowly starts to nod, “Okay, you can go along with your plan, just know I’ll be watchin’,” she states. “Don’t push too hard. The last thing we need is to get them together by makin’ ‘em mad at us… y’all. And easy on the drinks.The last thing we need is someone confessing their feelings while in a stupor, like at the last Apple Family Reunion when Cousin Northwood didn’t tell anybody his cider was hard. “Yeah you know, you never did tell use that story,” Rainbow Dash says. “That’s ‘cause it’s private,” Applejack says, “Now do we have a deal or not?” “Right, right,” Rainbow Dash says. “We’re gonna be reeaal casual about it. We’re gonna corner him after the first game.” “Speaking of which,” Rarity says, changing the topic and turning to Rainbow, “I believe it’s your turn this month to pick out our poison, Rainbow Dash.” “Yes!” Rainbow exclaims, pumping both of her fists towards her. “I know exactly what to get. Be right back!” Rainbow dashes past the girls and towards the liquor aisle, leaving a rainbow trail behind her. Flash and Soarin pull up in front of Applejack’s house on the other side of the street. They can tell from the vehicles out front that they are the last to arrive. Flash turns off the engine, steps out of the car, locks it, and heads towards the house, Soarin following suit. In Soarin’s hands are a bag of solo cups and a jug of apple cider. The two walk side by side to the house. “So you ready for tonight?” Soarin asks Flash. “Ready to hang out with… Sunset again?” Soarin light jabs Flash’s side with his elbow a few times. “Yeah, I guess,” Flash says rolling his eyes. He’s pretty much gotten used to Soarin’s teasing at this point and is almost immune. However, this time he has a counter. “But the real question, are you ready for tonight?” Flash asks. “What are you talking about?” Soarin asks with a hint of concern. “Oh you know.” Flash points to the jug of cider, “Tanners Orchard cider, Applejack’s favorite non-Sweet Apple Acres cider, you trying to impress someone… cowboy?” Flash raises and lowers his eyebrows a few times. “I-I don’t know what you mean,” Soarin says, slightly blushing and looking away from his friend. Of course, he does know what Flash is talking about. Soarin has had a slight crush on Applejack ever since last year’s Fall Festival when the Apple family was selling a new style of their traditional apple pie, Dutch Apple Pie. Soarin loved their dutch apple, so much that he bought seven slices from them. But it wasn’t just the pie that had him coming back, it was also the beautiful, blonde, freckle-faced girl who was serving the pie. Everytime he went back, he always intrigued by a different aspect about her. Her country persona, her love of the business, and her warm and kind personality. Ever since then, he’s been wanting to get to know her better, but behind his snark and confidence lies a nervous lad who would not know the first thing to say to her. Tonight, however, might give him a chance. “Sure you don’t, cowboy,” Flash teases. They walk up to the door, ring the doorbell, and wait for someone to answer. A few seconds go by until the door opens with no one behind it. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie pops up in front of the two, exclaiming, “Flashlight! Clipper! You made it!” They both jump and yelp at being startled by Pinkie. “Sweet Lauren Faust!” cries Soarin, nearly dropping the items. “Pinkie Pie! Please don’t ever do that again.” “Also you’re not allowed to call us those names outside of P.E.,” Flash lightly scolds. “Whatever you say, guys,” Pinkie says smiling. “Come on in! Everyone else is waiting for you.” Pinkie skips inside, leading the two boys in. Soarin enters first, followed by Flash, who closes the door behind them. They walk into the living room where the rest of the girls and Big Mac are sitting around in front of the TV. Applejack is the first to see them. ”Hey y’all, glad you can make it,” she says. She gets up from her seat and walks over to the two. She notices Soarin holding the cups and cider. “I can take those off your hands Soarin,” she says holding out her hands. Soarin hands her the items. Applejack flips over the jug to get a look at the label. “Oooh, Tanners Orchard cider, you picked a good one Soarin,” she says with amusement. “Oh, good, I was, uh, hoping I did,” Soarin says, fumbling over his words and scratching the back of his head. As Applejack turns around and walks towards the kitchen, Soarin eyes begin to look down and focus on her rear as it sways while she walks. Flash notices this and gives his friend a light elbow jab to the gut. “Enjoying the view?” he teasingly whispers. “I-I-I wasn’t looking at her um… her,” Soarin whispers back, feeling his face begin to turn red. “Her ass?” “Um, yeah.” Soarin stands there awkwardly, not saying a word, instead letting his red face do all the talking. Finally he says in a normal volume, “Lets just go find a seat.” Soarin walks over and takes a seat on the floor next to the coffee table. Flash follows and takes a seat in one of the empty armchairs. Applejack walks back into the living room and takes her seat on the couch. “Alright,” she says, “now that we are all here, Sunset, why don’t you explain the rules to the new players?” “Sure thing,” says Sunset who’s sitting at the opposite end of the couch. She turns to face Soarin and Flash. “Alright you two,” she says, getting their attention, “now I assume you are familiar with the game Quiplash?” They both nod. “Okay, well we play it with a little twist. By twist I mean we make it a drinking game. The rules are, if you are in first at the end of the round you don’t take a shot, if you are last you take a shot, and if you’re not in either first or last then you take half a shot.” Flash and Soarin look at each other with raised eyebrows of intrigue. They look back at Sunset and Flash says, “Well this night just got a lot more interesting.” Pinkie Pie, who’s sitting on the other end of the coffee table, stands up holding a baseball cap upside down. “Since there are ten of us playing,” she says, “we’re going to split up into teams of two by selecting our teammate at random from this hat. I’ll go first!” Pinkie reaches into the hat, runs her hands through the slips of paper, pulls one out, and reads it. “Twilight!” “Yes!” Twilight exclaims, “Team TwiPie for the third time in a row!” “Oh come on!” Rainbow exclaims, “You guys are too good when teamed up! I demand a redraw.” “There are no redraws Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy says gently. “It’s all random, you’ll just have to deal with Twilight and Pinkie teaming up again.” “E’yup,” says Big Mac. “Ugh, fiiine,” Rainbow groans. “Your turn Flash,” says Pinkie as she places the hat in front of him. Flash reaches his hand into the hat and reads the slip of paper he pulled out. “Rarity.” “Oooh,” Rarity exclaims, “this ought to be interesting.” She gets up from her seat on the couch and sits on the left arm of Flash’s chair. However, Flash gets up and offers his seat to Rarity, not wanting to have her sit on the arm while he’s in the chair. “Such a gentleman,” Rarity says alluringly as she takes the seat. When she sits down, she looks over at Sunset who is glaring at her with wincing eyes, almost as if she’s jealous. “You’re up Soarin,” says Pinkie. Soarin reads the name he pulls out. “Applejack.” “Alright, this is going to be fun,” Applejack says as she gets up from the couch and sits down on the floor next to Soarin. Applejack looks over and notices Soarin’s face turning red, lips pursed, and eyes wide. “Uh, are you okay sugar cube?” she asks with some concern. “UhyeahI’mfine,” Soarin says rapidly. Rainbow looks at Soarin’s composure. He’s not acting like the pompous, over-confident athlete she knows him to be. In fact, he’s never acted this insecure around anyone, especially around the ladies. What is going on with him? Rainbow thinks “Sunset,” Pinkie says handing the hat to her. Sunset reads her name. “Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow is snapped out of her thoughts when she hears her name. She looks and see Sunset holding the piece of paper with her name on it. “AH yeah!” Rainbow exclaims, “Team SunDash is finally back!” Rainbow vaults over the couch and lands next to Sunset. “That leaves Fluttershy and Big Mac,” says Pinkie.“Looks like you two are teaming up again.” “Woohoo, let’s go Team FlutterMac,” Fluttershy gently cheers. “E’yup!” Big Mac exclaims, giving Fluttershy a high five. “Alright y’all,” says Applejack, “login and enter your team name.” Applejack, Flash, Sunset, Twilight, and Big Mac pull out their phones and login to Quiplash. Five names appear on the TV: FlutterMac, SunDash, TwiPie, SoarinApple, and RariFlash. “Oh before we begin,” Sunsets says before she hits start, “this room is a safe space, so feel free to enter anything as your answer.” “What she means is, the more vulgar, crude, and offensive your answer is, the better,” Rainbow explains. “So be prepared to lose whatever innocence you may have left,” jokes Rarity. “As if we had any innocence to begin with,” Soarin jokes but freezes when realizes what he just said. “Wait, that came out wrong.” Everyone around the room laughs. “Ready to lose to me again, she-demon,” Flash says to Sunset. “In your dreams, horse lover,” Sunset retorts. “Hey, let’s save the heckling for when we’re wasted,” says Applejack. “Hit play Sunset.” “Alright, here we go!” Sunset hits play and the intro screen begins to roll. At the end of the first game, the score is: RariFlash: 0 shots SoarinApple: 1.5 shots TwiPie: 1.5 shots FlutterMac: 2 shots SunDash: 2 shots “How the hell is the noob beating us!?” exclaims Rainbow Dash. “My dad was in the Air Force, RD,” Flash says as he leans in his chair and crosses his arms. “I know jokes your small brain can’t even comprehend.” “I don’t think I want to learn what you know,” says Fluttershy as she takes her half-shot. She shudders from both the alcohol and the thought of what Flash’s psyche might look like. “We need to step up our game, Pinkie,” Twilight says. “Or we’ll lose our winning streak.” Twilight takes a whole shot and rapidly shakes her head after she swallows. “Agreed,” says Pinkie as she takes her shot. Pinkie then leans over and whispers to Twilight, “Do you want me to break out… the book?” “Not yet,” Twilight whispers back, “Wait until we’re really desperate.” “You’re really good at this game, Flash,” says Rarity, “I’m starting to regret that we never invited you over for game night sooner.” “The only thing I regret is letting Rainbow buy strawberry vodka,” groans Applejack as she pours her and Soarins half-shot. “Yeah this stuff is really sweet,” Soarin says as he accepts his glass. “Cheers, Applejack?” “Ha, cheers, Soarin.” They clink their glass and shoot back their shots. They go into a small coughing fit, reacting to the sweetness of the booze. “Well, we should probably start breaking out the snacks,” says Rarity. “We can’t fill our stomachs with vodka alone.” She gets up from her seat and walks towards the kitchen. Before she enters, she turns to face the group. “Rainbow, Flash, could you two come help me, please?” They both nod and follow Rarity into the kitchen. They find most of the food gathered on the kitchen island, still in its packaging. Rarity goes to the fridge and pulls out all the cold items while Rainbow grabs dishes and Flash begins unpacking. After working for roughly ten minutes, Rainbow and Rarity shoot each other a side look and give a nod. They all gather around the island and begin arranging the food. Then Rarity puts the plan into motion. “So Flash, what do you think of Sunset?” Rarity asks with a tone of interest. “She’s great,” Flash says casually as he arranges the food. “I’m really glad we’re friends again.” “Is that all?” she asks. “There isn’t anything else you might feel about her?” Flash halts his arranging and feels his face turning red. “I’m… not sure what you mean,” he says. “Come on dude,” says Rainbow as she looks forward towards him. “You don’t need to hide it from us. We can tell you like her anyway.” Flash does not say anything. He remains silent and focuses on the food as his face grows red as a tomato. He looks up and sees the two girls looking at him with intrigued faces. He looks back down and gets back to his work. “We’ve seen what you’re like when you’re around Sunset,” says Rainbow. “You never break a smile, you listen to everything she says, and, according to Soarin, you were swooning about her last week after PE.” “Soarin said that?” Rainbow nods. “I’m going to kill him later,” Flash mutters to himself. “The point she’s trying to make dear,” Rarity explains, “is that we can tell that you have some rather strong feelings for our friend. But we want to know for certain if it's true. Is it?” Flash stops his work, leans against the counter with both hands, and lets out a big sigh. “If I tell you,” he looks up at both of them, “can you promise that you won’t tell Sunset?” Rainbow and Rarity place their right hand over their heart and raise their left hand. “On my honor,” says Rarity. “You have my word,” says Rainbow. “...Okay.” Flash takes in a deep breath and says, “Yes it’s true, I do have some strong feelings for Sunset.” “Awesome,” says Rainbow. “So what are you waiting for?” “Excuse me?” says Flash in confusion. “Rainbow Dash!” scolds Rarity. “What?” says Rainbow. “If he likes her so much, then why doesn’t he just go ahead and tell her?” Flash scratches the back of his head and looks down at the floor. Rarity looks over at Flash and can read the signs. “You’re worried she may react the same way she did a few weeks ago,” Rarity predicts. “I am,” he confesses. “I like her, but after what happened at Pour Jons, I’ve been very hesitant to tell her. Not only that, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to try dating again. Especially after how our last relationship ended.” Rarity walks over to Flash and places her hand on his shoulder. “I can understand your hesitation,” Rarity says empathetically. “I wasn’t fully ready to accept Sunset as a friend right after the Fall Formal. But now we are closer than ever, practically sisters.” “And what makes you think things will turn out like last time?” asks Rainbow. “I don’t,” says Flash, “but if there wasn’t anything between us then, how can there be now? I may have feelings for her, but I highly doubt she feels the same way.” Rainbow and Rarity look at each other and begin to snicker. They use every fiber of their body to keep their laughter under control. Flash notices them trying to hide their laughter and looks at them confused. “What’s so funny?” he asks. “No offense Flash,” Rainbow says stifling her laughter, “but please tell me you’re not that oblivious?” “Excuse me!?” Flash exclaims in an insulted tone. “What she means to say dear,” Rarity says, getting a hold herself, “is that it’s quite clear that Sunset also has strong feelings about you.” Flash looks at the two with much skepticism. He has a hard time believing their words, especially after Rainbow’s question. “So, I pour out my feelings and you girls are trying to lead me on so I can make myself look foolish?” He violently turns his back towards Rarity and Rainbow and takes a few steps away from them. The two girls snap back into serious mode when they notice Flash’s offended attitude. “Of course not dear,” Rarity says, trying to ease things. “We would never do that to you.” “Yeah we’re being a hundred percent serious,” says Rainbow walking over to Rarity’s side. “Sunset totally has the hots for you.” Flash takes in a few deeps breaths and turns back to face the girls, his arms crossed. “No jokes?” he asks. “You’re being serious?” They both put their right hand over their hearts, raise their left hand, and nod. “How can you tell?” “How can you not?” Rarity gently asks. “When we see you two together, she looks at you like you’re a perfectly cut diamond.” “She laughs at just about every joke you make,” says Rainbow, “even the ones that aren’t funny.” “She constantly brushes her hair behind her ear and will sometimes look up at you with red cheeks and a sheepish grin,” says Rarity, slightly gushing at the mental image. “Those can mean anything,” Flash says, still deep in his skepticism. “Has she said or confessed anything?” “Weeell,” Rainbow says scratching the back of her head, “not exactly.” Flash raises his eyebrow, steeping further back into his doubts. “She’s never explicitly told us,” Rarity explains, “and if she had we could not break her trust, but whenever the topic comes up, she doubles down, rather suspiciously, on how you two are ‘just friends.’” “But the biggest give away was after your chat at Sugar Cube Corner a few weeks ago,” says Rainbow. “When she recounted your guys’s chat, she fell into a euphoric state so high it took her an hour to come back down.” Flash looks off to the side and thinks over their points. It could be possible that Sunset holds similar feelings for him. The points they laid out are pretty compellingly. He’s never considered her mannerisms towards him until they pointed it out. Now that thinks about, her actions do seem like she holds some sort of attraction for him. But without a direct confession, it is hard to accept this claim with full certainty. Flash looks at the girls and asks, “Are you certain she feels this strongly about me?” “We are ninety-five percent certain that she does,” says Rarity, “but the only way to know for sure is if you ask her.” “Or get her piss drunk,” Rainbow says nonchalantly. “Rainbow Dash!” Rarity exclaims in horror. “What?” Rainbow responds, “It’s called liquid honesty for a reason.” “It’s liquid courage,” Flash says correcting her, “and I don’t think that’s a good idea. A drunken confession isn’t a really good confession.” “A wise decision, darling,” says Rarity, giving Rainbow Dash a stern side look. “So then what do you plan on doing?” Rainbow asks with an annoyed tone. “I don’t know,” Flash admits. “Probably nothing at the moment.” “Nothing? That’s your plan?” Rainbow exclaims. “Fair enough,” says Rarity, “It has only been two weeks, but I wouldn’t wait too long. I suggest revisiting this issue within the next week or so.” “Or tell her tomorrow!” Rainbow exclaims in frustration. “This has been dragging on for long enough!” “Hey, are you guys almost done in there?” Pinkie yells from the living room. “Yeah we’re getting pretty hungry in here!” yells Sunset. “We’re almost done, just another minute,” Rarity yells back. “I’ll decide something later,” says Flash, “but right now, remaining friends is the safest bet.” “Fine, take things slow,” Rainbow begrudgingly says, throwing up her hands and rolling her eyes. “We better get this food out there before they get too hangry,” says Rarity as she grabs some of the platters. Rainbow and Flash grab the rest of the food and follow Rarity out of the kitchen. At the end of the night, the final score is: RariFlash: 2 shots TwiPie: 8 shots SoarinApple: 9 shots FlutterMac: 10 shots SunDash: 12 shots While Rarity and Flash are the winners of game night, one could argue that they are really the losers. They are only slightly buzzed while the rest of their friends are completely wasted, and they have to be the babysitters. “I think it’s time everyone went to bed, don’t you think?” Rarity asks Flash. They are standing against the far wall of the living room, observing the chaos taking place in front of them. “Do we have to drive everyone home now?” Flash asks, not looking forward to taking care of a bunch of drunk toddlers. Especially Soarin, who is dancing like a male stripper with a lampshade over his head, while Pinkie is playing heavy bass music from her phone, and Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Sunset, and Twilight fling dollar bills at him and dance along. Fluttershy is currently passed out in one of the armchairs, and Big Mac already retired to his room upstairs. “Thank Faust no, we usually just spend the night,” says Rarity. “You and Soarin don’t have to, but if you’re not feeling up to drive, then you’re more than welcome to stay.” Flash observes his friend as he thinks over what he should do. “Probably be best just to stay here,” Flash concludes. “I’d rather not risk getting a DUI while I got a buzz.” Rarity nods in agreement. He continues to watch his friends, especially Sunset who’s dancing with her whole body to the music. Even though her moves are unsteady and erratic, Flash finds them to be rather graceful and even sexy. Sunset catches Flash looking at her and motions her finger towards him, telling him to get over here. Flash slowly starts to walk towards her, but he’s stopped when Rarity places her hand on his chest and points towards Soarin and Applejack. The two have their arms around each other, swinging around. They both begin to move their hands down and each towards the others--, “NO, SOARIN, BAD DOG!” Flash shouts as he and Rarity run to break the two apart. “HEY!” shouts Rainbow Dash in a drunken fury, “Get your hands off my man, you slut!” “Make me, bitch!” shouts Applejack as she wobbles towards Rainbow with balled fists. The two come face to face but before anything can happen, Rarity pinches the back of both their necks causing them to collapse. “Bedtime for everyone!” she declares. After about an hour or two, Rarity and Flash successfully get all their friends to settle down and go to sleep. Rarity has Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight sharing Applejack’s bed. Flash has Soarin and Rainbow Dash huddled in fetus positions on opposite ends of the couch and Sunset curled up in the other armchair. They decided not to bother Fluttershy since she seemed comfortable enough as she is. The two meet in the kitchen after they’re done taking care of the toddlers. They both lean up against the island and rub their temples. “I think we got them all to bed,” says Flash letting out a yawn. “I think so too,” says Rarity, catching the yawn. “I think I’m going to retire to the guest room now. You think you’ll be okay down here?” “Yeah, I’m going to use the bathroom first, and I’ll curl up in between Soarin and Rainbow on the couch,” says Flash. “Very well, good night Flash, I’ll see you in the morning,” says Rarity as she walks out of the kitchen. “Good night Rarity,” Flash says. He stands up straight and stretches his arms. He walks out of the kitchen and towards the bathroom, just down the hall. Once he takes care of his business and washes up, he turns off the lights and he walks out of the bathroom but runs into someone in the dark. He turns the bathroom light back on to see that it’s Sunset he ran into. She wobbles as she stands and her eyelids are half open. He reaches out a hand to her shoulder to steady her. “Sunset, what are you doing up?” he asks in a hushed tone so as to not wake everyone else. “I just wanted to see the cutest boy on the planet,” she says, slurring her words and giggling. “That’s very kind of you, but you need to go to sleep,” he turns her around and starts pushing her back to the living room. “Now come on, let’s get you back to your chair.” “No!” she quietly shouts. “Not until I tell you something.” She tries pointing at him, but her finger can’t remain still, as though it’s having difficulty picking a target. Flash lets out a sigh. “Alright, what is it?” “Flash, I think you’re--,” she stops and takes in a sharp breath, “I think you--hergh,” she stops again, her body suddenly jolting as though something was trying to get out. Sunset pushes pass Flash, runs to the toilet, and vomits all the contents of her stomach into the bowl. Flash goes over, kneels beside her, and holds back her hair as she spews, rubbing her back to give her comfort. When she finishes, Flash rips off some toilet paper and folds it a few times. “Hey, look at me,” he tells her. Sunset sits up against the sink counter and looks at Flash. He takes the toilet paper and wipes her mouth of any left over stomach fluids. After her mouth is clean, he throws the toilet paper into the bowl and flushes it along with the rest of puke. “Flash,” Sunset quietly says. Flash looks at her. She takes her hands, wraps them around the back of his neck, and quickly pulls him in for a kiss. While her eyes are closed, enjoying the kiss, Flash’s eyes are wide open, taken complete aback from action. When she lets go, Flash steps up and back, Sunset passes out. Flash stares at her wide eyed for a few seconds. What the hell was that? he thinks to himself as he wipes lingering the acid from his mouth with the back of his hand. That wasn’t real, she’s drunk. She’s not thinking clearly, or at all. That wasn’t real. He takes in a deep breath and recovers from the shock. “Let’s get you to bed,” he murmurs as he picks Sunset up. He wraps her arms around his shoulders as he cradles her. She gives tired moans as he carries her, her head resting on his shoulder. Flash gets her back to the living room and places her back into the armchair. Before her head leaves his shoulder, she briefly regains consciousness and whispers into his ear, “I love you Flash,” then passes out again. Flash walks away from her, and curls up on the middle section of the couch. Her words repeat his head, but he shakes it off, thinking to himself, It’s not real Flash, it’s not real… was it? Ch. 8: A Walk In The Park - Part 2The evening sun hangs in the sky, covering the land in a soft orange light. The sky beholds colors of purple, orange, and pink. Down below, the festival grounds of Canterlot Park are bustling with activity. It’s the monthly Food Truck Festival, where food truck owners from all over the city show off their products and introduce new items. Pop and classic rock music play over speakers as hundreds of guests walk around the festival trying everything. The smells of cultures from around the world fill the air. From Latino to European, Middle Eastern to Indian, Asian to Polynesian. The entire world in one place for one day. Outside the festival gates, Flash Sentry stands by the entrance patiently waiting for Sunset Shimmer to arrive. As he waits, he flips through a small stack of three by five note cards. Written on the cards is, essentially, his script for when he confesses his feelings to Sunset. He flips through the cards multiple times, murmuring his lines to help him better memorize them. After he finishes going through them again, he pulls out his phone to check the time. 7:10 PM. She should be here by now, he thinks. He looks up and down the road, no sight of her anywhere. I should probably call her. Flash goes into his contacts, scrolls to her name, and is about to press call. But he hesitates when he hears a car horn honking from up the street. He looks to his left and sees a small purple and white car pull up in front of him. Inside the car, he sees Fluttershy in the driver's seat, Rainbow Dash in the passenger seat, and Sunset sitting in the back seat behind Rainbow. When the car comes to a full stop, Rainbow gets out of the car and moves the seat forward, allowing Sunset to exit. “Hey Flash,” says Sunset as she steps out of the car. “Sorry if I’m late. My bike refused to start for some reason.” “Ah it’s no big deal,” Flash says, flicking his hand in the air and placing the cards in his back pocket. “The festival doesn’t end for another few hours.” “Awesome, you ready to head in?” Sunset asks. Before Flash can answer, he briefly glances over Sunset’s shoulder and notices Rainbow Dash calling him over with her index finger. “Uh, why don’t you head inside and scout out the area?” Flash suggests. “Rainbow needs to talk to me.” “Okay... but don’t take too long,” says Sunset as she walks past Flash and into the festival. Flash walks over to Rainbow. “What’s going on?” he asks her. “Are you ready?” Rainbow asks. “Yes! Kind of. Not really,” says Flash, his confidence waning. Fluttershy gets outs of the car and walks around to Rainbow’s left side. “It’s okay if you feel nervous,” Fluttershy says. “This is a big step you’re making. Do you still have those notecards you and Twilight worked on?” “Yeah, I got ‘em right here,” Flash says as he reaches into his back pocket and holds up the stack of cards. "I've been memorizing them all week, hopefully I can remember what to say." “Hey, can I see those for a second?” asks Rainbow Dash. Flash hands her the cards, she briefly glances at the top card. Without missing a beat, she rips the entire stack down the middle and throws the pieces into the wind. Both Fluttershy and Flash look at her with wide eyes and jaws dropped. Rainbow maintains a neutral expression. “What. The actual. HELL!?” shouts Flash. “Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy say in what for her is a shout. “That was completely uncalled for! Not only did you destroy what he was going to say, but you are littering!” “Calm down you two,” Rainbow says holding up her hands in vain defense. “Flash, you don’t need those cards.” “You better have a good reason for thinking that,” says Flash as he gets up in Rainbow’s face, his anger growing. Rainbow places her hand on his chest and pushes him away from her. “You need to speak from your heart, not from your cards,” she argues. “Elaborate,” says Flash, crossing his arms over his chest. “Look, you’re about to take a big and important step in your relationship,” says Rainbow. “Do you really think some note cards are going to help you take that step? No way! You need to stop thinking with your brain and start going with your gut. Or heart or whatever. Just tell her everything you feel, everything you like about her.” “That’s your advice!?” Flash exclaims with bewilderment. “Go with my gut? I can’t do that! I’ll screw up it up for sure!” “No, you won’t,” says Rainbow. “Your confession needs to be unfiltered, unscripted, and unadulterated. Don’t think about it too much. If you truly love her, then the right words will just come to you.” Flash looks at Fluttershy, who’s been quiet during this exchange. “Fluttershy, don’t you have anything to say about this?” he asks her. Fluttershy rests her hand on her chin, stirring Rainbow’s words through her head. “She does have a point,” Fluttershy admits. “While you do need to be careful, words straight from the heart are more real and true than some note cards.” Flash pinches the bridge of his nose and seals his eyelids in frustration. Without any sort of tool to make this process easier, he now has to improvise his entire confession, and they think it’s a good idea. “I can’t believe you two,” he mutters. “I can’t just ‘go with my gut’. What if I completely flub it up? What if I put my foot in my mouth? What if I scare her off again? What if--” He stops himself, realizing what he’s doing. If I’m going to just keep asking ‘what if,’ I might as well be paddling up stream, he thinks, recalling Granny Smith’s words. He runs his hands through his hair and lets out a groan, I can’t believe I’m jumping into this pool without a life vest. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy walk to Flashs side and place their hands on both his shoulders. “We know you’re nervous about this,” says Fluttershy, her tone gentle, “and that’s ok. You’re about to ask a big question and it can be scary knowing you may not get the answer you want.” “It’s completely understandable if you don’t feel ready for this,” says Rainbow. “The truth is, no one is ever ready for something like this. You’re going in unprepared and uncertain of how it may turn out. But you know what, life’s--.” “Life’s all about uncertainty,” Flash says cutting Rainbow off. “That’s what makes it so exciting.” He looks at Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, both smiling and nodding in agreement with what he said. “Actually I was going to say ‘life’s a bitch and sometimes you gotta just stare it down,’” Rainbow Dash says with a grin, “Either way, what you gotta do is the same.” Their nods and those words light a new fire of confidence in him. Is he prepared to take this new step? No. Is he certain everything will turn out alright? Absolutely not. But he’s going to take this new step regardless of what may happen. Forget the outcomes, forget the consequences. I’m going to get my answer one way or another. “Since when did you become such a relationship expert?” Flash asks Rainbow Dash with a small smile. Rainbow Dash glances around to see if anyone is eavesdropping. “Promise not to tell?” she asks. She waits for Fluttershy and Flash’s nods of agreement. She takes a deep breath. “Romance novels.” Fluttershy and Flash look at her skeptically. “I know, I know, I don’t seem the type, right?” Rainbow Dash says, “I prefer adventure books most of the time, and most romance novels are trash, but every now and then you find one that’s obviously real. There’s more suspense in a good romance than all but the best Daring Do books!” Flash chuckles at this. His spirits raised, he takes a few quick deep breaths, and faces the direction of the entrance. “Alright, let's do this,” Flash says as he leaves the two girls and makes his way towards the entrance. “Go get her tiger!” shouts Rainbow. “Good luck Flash!” Fluttershy quietly ‘shouts’. “Okay, should we go meet up with the rest of the gang?” Rainbow suggests as she walks toward the passenger door. Fluttershy grabs Rainbow’s arm, pulls her back, and points at the pieces of paper blowing down the street. “Oh come on, you’re not seriously going to make me clean all that up are you?” Fluttershy looks at Rainbow with a stern expression. “That’s like twenty pieces of paper, and it’s scattering everywhere!” Fluttershy cocks her left eyebrow. “Ugh, fine!” Rainbow groans as she begins picking up the torn-up cards from off the sidewalk. Flash walks through the gates into the festival grounds. He looks around the sea of people to find Sunset. He can’t see her from where he is standing, so he walks further into the area, without heading in any particular direction. As he walks, he scans the area trying to find Sunset, but she’s nowhere to be found. A few minutes go by when he hears a voice calling his name. “Flash! Flash!” the voice calls. He looks around to find its source. “Flash, I’m over here.” He spots a hand waving in an open section of the grounds. Flash jogs over to her position. “Hey, I finally found you,” Flash says when he reaches Sunset. “Sorry, that took so long. Rainbow Dash had a lot more to say than I was expecting.” “Well, while you were chatting it up with Rainbow, I found us the perfect truck to get some food,” Sunset says with a smug look. “It’s over on the far side. Follow me, and don’t get lost this time.” “Hey, I wasn’t--WHOA!” Sunset grabs Flash’s hand and tows him through the crowds. “Excuse me!” he says as he bumps into someone. They walk for about five minutes before finally stopping near the edge of two rows of food trucks. The crowds are thinner here though there’s still plenty of people around. When they stop, Sunset points to the right side at a truck painted in bright colors of orange, green, purple, and gold. Flash reads the sign above the service window. “The Tasty Treat?” he reads aloud with some curiosity. He looks at Sunset with a confused look. “I’ve always wanted to try some real Indian food, ever since I saw that movie about the Indian family that moved to France,” Sunset says with a growing excitement. “And these guys look like they're the real deal. So what do you think?” Flash looks back at the colorful truck. Indian cuisine wouldn’t be his first choice, mainly because he’s never had it before. Usually when he comes to a festival like this, he would go for more traditional fair food, which is anything that’s been deep fried. However, this is Sunset’s day, and he’s open to trying new things. Plus, the line is a decent size, so the food might be pretty good. “Alright,” he says with a nod. “Let’s get in line.” The two of them hop into the back of the line for the Tasty Treat. Despite there being being fifteen to twenty people in front of them, the line moves fast. Within ten minutes, it’s their turn to order. A lady in her mid-twenties with light brown skin, purple eyes, and poofy dark brown hair greets them from behind the window. “Hello, welcome to the Tasty Treat, my name is Saffron Masala. How might I take your order?” she says with a Hindi accent. Sunset takes in a deep breath through her nose, smelling all the aromas from the kitchen. “Oh, that all smells really good,” Sunset says while her mouth begins to salivate. “Why thank you,” Saffron says with a gleaming smile. “Is this your first time trying our food?” Sunset and Flash both nod in response. “Wonderful, I always love introducing new customers to my home country’s cuisine. If you are looking for recommendations, I suggest trying our Rogan Josh.” “What’s Rogan Josh?” Flash asks. “It is a lamb dish braised in a gravy flavored with garlic, ginger, and other aromatic spices served on top of a bed of white rice,” says Saffron. “You can also get it with tofu instead of lamb and for the same price. We also serve every dish with a piece of naan bread and hummus.” “Oh that sounds good,” Sunset says, licking her lips. “I think I’ll have that, with the tofu.” “As will I,” Flash says, “But with lamb.” He pulls out his wallet and hands Saffron his debit card. Saffron charges Flash’s card the total amount and hands it back to him. “Thank you very much,” she says cheerfully. “You will be order number forty-seven.” Flash and Sunset thank her and step out of line to allow the next guest to order. As they patiently wait for their order a few yards from the truck, the two converse with each other to pass the time. “I hope your fitting last week with Rarity wasn’t too terrible?” Sunset asks. “Nah,” Flash says waving his hand. “It wasn’t as bad as some would think. All she did was get mine and Soarin’s measurements, had us try a few pieces, and that was it.” “I assume she’s being secretive with you as well,” says Sunset. “What do you mean?” Flash asks. “Rarity hasn’t even given us a peek at our dresses,” says Sunset. “She says they’ve been done for months now, but she’s adamant on waiting until the week before prom to show them to us.” “Sounds like she hasn’t even started on them yet, and she’s trying to make excuses to cover her procrastination,” Flash speculates. “But I could be wrong; Rarity may want to make sure that the reveal is a big surprise.” “The latter sounds more like her,” says Sunset. “Rarity isn’t one to put something off this important to the last minute, especially when it comes to fashion.” Flash is about to say something else, but he stops himself when, out of the corner of his eye, he notices something peculiar. Big, poofy, hot-pink hair. But when he turns his head to the left to scan the crowd, however, the pink hair is nowhere to be found. As if it had suddenly vanished. “Is something wrong?” Sunset asks with a little confusion. “I thought I saw…” Flash trails off from his original sentence and shakes his head. “Never mind, it was probably nothing.” “Okaaay,” Sunset responds with a tinge of suspicion. “FORTY-SEVEN!” a male voice shouts from service window of the Tasty Treat food truck. Flash and Sunset walk over to the window and grab their plates. The white rice lies on their plate, topped with chunks of lamb, or tofu in Sunset’s case, dressed in a brownish-red gravy. Smells of cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon fill their noise, causing their mouths to start salivating. To the side of the dish is a quarter piece of naan bread, still warm from the oven. Next to it, a small puddle of freshly made hummus. If not bound by societal manners, they would tear into the meal right then and there. Instead, Flash and Sunset decide to leave the festival grounds and go to the main park, where there’ll be more seating available and where it'll be quieter." They walk for a few minutes until they take their seat at a picnic table near the duck pond. They sit across from each other and reinitiate their conversation. “So, have you got anything planned after graduation?” Flash asks. “Well, I’m thinking of college but I might take a gap year before I make that commitment,” she says after swallowing her bite. “Besides, my streaming channel is doing really well. I might stick with that for a while before I decide to do anything else.” “And what about your home world?” Flash asks. It was no secret at this point that Sunset was from the same world that Princess Twilight came from. “What about it?” Sunset responds. “Well, I mean, that’s your home,” says Flash hesitantly. “Have you thought about… going back? I don’t mean to be rude, it’s just, well…” “You’re worried I might leave you and the girls to go back to Equestria?” she assumes, prompting Flash to slowly nod. “I have thought about it, but this world is my home now. Now that we can come and go whenever we want, it’s not that different from someone leaving their childhood home when they get older. Bersides, there’s no way I’d be able to leave all my friends behind now.” “Well, that’s a relief to hear,” Flash says, causing Sunset to make a small giggle. They eat in silence for a minute before Flash asks, “So what’s it like over there?” Sunset swallows her bite. “What? Over in Equestria?” Sunset asks, Flash gives a few quick nods in response. “Well, you might want to brace yourself. It’s going to sound very weird.” Flash raises an eyebrow. “Sunset, you can read other people’s memories, and Applejack can lift ten times her weight now,” Flash jokes. “We've already crossed over into weird territory.” Sunset laughs. “Okay then,” she says stifling her laughter. “Well, the world I come from is inhabited by many different creatures that are considered to be mythical over here. The most common species you’ll find over there are ponies.” Flash raises his eyebrow in confused surprise. “I warned you it was going to sound weird. Anyway, there are five races of ponies but the three most common are the Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi. Earth Ponies are much like normal ponies over here but they’re stronger and do all of the farming and manual labor. Unicorns possess the ability to control magic, though some, like myself, can control more magic through study and practice. Finally the Pegasi can fly and are the ones who control the weather.” “You said there are five races,” says Flash, “what are the other two?” “The Alicorns and the Thestrals,” says Sunset. “Alicorns are the most powerful, they can control magic like Unicorns and can fly like Pegasi. However, to my knowledge, there are only four of them and they’re all Princesses of Equestria. Now the Thestrals, well… they’re a bit of a mystery. They’re not an uncommon race persay, it’s just nopony-.” “Hold on, ‘nopony?’” Flash asks trying to hold back his laughter. “Yes, it’s something we say, now pay attention,” Sunset says slightly scolding him. “Nopony really sees the Thestrals out and about. They’re like normal ponies, but they possess bat-like features, such bat wings and enhanced hearing. They’re a nocturnal race, so the only time you’ll see one is late at night, but very few ponies are up at that time.” “Now these worlds, they’re parallel with each other, correct?” Flashs asks, prompting Sunset to nod in response. “So if there’s a Twilight for this world and that world, does that mean everyone else here has a counterpart over there?” “Yup, just about everyone I know here has a counterpart in Equestria,” says Sunset. “So what’s my counterpart like?” Flash asks with a growing curiosity. “Well, I’ve never actually talked to your counterpart, though I did see him once. All I really know about him is from my messages with Princess Twilight,” says Sunset. “Apparently, you are, or he is, a Pegasi and you’re… he’s also a member of the Equestrian Royal Guard. Also, from what I gathered from Twilight’s messages, she’s got a little bit of a crush on you, HIM!” Flash chuckles a little at Sunset’s slip ups, causing her to blush from embarrassment and nervously chuckle. “Well, it’s nice to know my counterpart is as much of a lady killer as I am,” Flash says with a smug look. Sunset rolls her eyes and chuckles at his faux confidence. “So if you’re from Equestria, have you ever run into your counterpart over here?” he asks. Sunset eyes widen; she’s never considered the possibility that she might run into her counterpart over her. If she met the human Twilight over in this world, then there’s no doubt that Sunset’s human version is out there somewhere. “I… haven’t,” she says. “I’ve been here for almost four years, and I’ve never seen her.” “Well, if we haven’t seen her now, it might not be something to worry about too much,” Flash says as he takes the last bite of his meal. Sunset fiddles a bit with her last piece as she swirls a thought around in her mind. There has been no sight of the other Sunset, and that fact alone brings up so many questions. However, tonight is not the night to dwell on it. Perhaps he’s right, maybe it’s not something to worry about… just yet. She purges the thought from her head for now and enjoys the gravy braised piece of tofu with much delight. Flash takes a paper napkin and wipes his mouth of any sauce that might have gotten around it. “Well that was a very tasty meal,” he says as he gets up from his seat grabbing his and Sunsets empty plates. “You made a good choice.” Sunset closes her eyes and gives an innocent grin. “I have my moments,” she says. Flash walks over to a nearby trash can and throws away their paper dishware. Just as the plates hit the base, lamp lights around the pond begin to light up, providing a romantic glow to surrounding area. The lights remind Flash of the reason he is here tonight. He closes his eyes, puts his hand to his chest, and takes a deep breath to steady his sudden nerves. Okay Flash, it’s now or never. Forget the consequences. Go with your gut. Flash turns around and heads back to their table. “Hey Sunset,” he says, straining to keep his voice steady. Sunset turns her attention away from the pond and towards him. “Do you want to take a walk on the bridge?” “Sure, that sounds lovely,” Sunset responds as she gets up from her seat and walks beside Flash. The two follow the path toward the Duck Pond Bridge, about sixty feet away from them. The bridge is a concrete structure that stretches over the pond in a zig-zag pattern. The straight line distance between the two points is roughly a eighty feet but the total length of the bridge when stretched out is nearly a hundred twenty-five feet. The design is meant to give guests several viewing areas to watch the ducks swim around in the pond. It is a popular spot for families, friends, and couples. Lamps, placed twenty feet apart from each other, provide the area with a warm glow during the evening. Flash and Sunset walk across the bridge, taking slow steps in order to admire the evening atmosphere. A gentle breeze blows, providing a cool comfort. “It certainly is a lovely evening tonight, isn’t it?” says Sunset gazing up at the sky. “It most certainly is,” says Flash. “Sunset, I’ve been meaning to ask--.” “Wait, do you hear that?” Sunset asks, cutting him off. A subtle quacking noise is heard nearby. Sunset runs over to the nearest corner of the bridge and looks over the side, Flash catches up with her. A mother duck and her three ducklings are seen swimming through water, making their way to the other side of the pond. “Oh my gosh they’re adorable,” Sunset gushes. “I had no idea there would be any out at this hour.” Flash smiles in admiration at how cute Sunset is acting. He leans up against the rail and takes a subtle deep breath. Alright, I can do this. I can do this. “Hey Sunset, can I ask you something?” he asks. “Sure,” Sunset responds, not breaking her attention from the ducks. “Do you remember anything from game night a few weeks ago?” he asks. “Not really,” Sunset says. “I don’t remember anything after shot seven. Why do you ask?” “Well, you kind of did and said some things to me while you were drunk,” says Flash. Sunsets eyes widen in concern. She turns to face Flash who’s standing to her right. “If I said or did anything to insult you, I hope you understand that I was completely wasted,” says Sunset. “None of it was intentional.” “You didn’t insult me, and I knew you were drunk; it was quite impossible not to see that,” says Flash, still looking at the water. “But, I don’t know, ever since that night I’ve had this nagging feeling.” “What did I say or do?” Sunset asks, fiddling her hands. Flash pushes himself off the rail and turns to face Sunset. “After Rarity and I got all of you guys to sleep, I went to go use the bathroom before I went to bed,” says Flash. “When I came out, I ran into you in the hallway. You said you had something to say to me but, before you could say it, you ran past me and threw up in the toilet. I stayed by your side, giving you company as you spewed.” Sunset smiles and blushes slightly. “You’re too much of a gentleman,” she says, causing Flash to give a small chuckle. Flash continues to tell her the events of that night. “After you finished throwing up, I helped clean you up. Once I was done, you… kissed me, right on the lips. I was pretty shocked by the action.” Sunsets face turns beet red from embarrassment. “After you passed out, I carried you back to the living room and laid you back down on the chair. Before I pulled away from you, you… um... whispered ‘I love you’ into my ear.” Sunset strokes her hair as she processes this new information. Did I really say that to him? she thinks. I can’t really love him, not after what happened the last time we dated. No, that was just the alcohol talking, yeah that’s it. “Well, Flash, you must understand that I was drunk,” says Sunset. “That was just the booze talking, you can’t really think that’s how I actually feel about you, can you?” “I figured it was just booze talk at first, but then I started asking around,” he says. “I talked to a few people, got some answers, and now… I’m not sure what to think, I just need a solid answer.” What is he talking about? He’s not seriously considering… Oh no, is he? “What I’m trying to ask is, how do you truly feel about me?” Flash asks. Sunsets eyes widen, she feels her heart rate begin to pick up. “W-What?” she responds. Flash rephrases his question. “What are your true feelings about me?” he asks. My true feelings? Well of course I like him. I mean, he has a good heart, good looks, he’s funny, charming, what’s there not to like about him? But I can’t love him, can I? Ugh, this is getting too difficult. What can I possibly say? I can't lie to him but I also don’t want to hurt him again. She struggles to find a response but she can’t seem to get a single word out. “I’ll go first,” Flash says as he takes a hold of both of her hands and looks her straight in the eye. “Sunset, I really like… no, I’m in love with you. You’re a smart, empathetic, caring, and beautiful young woman. No matter what, you are always there to help people, even if you barely know them. You’re willing to meet every challenge head-on, even when you feel afraid facing it.” He lets go of her left hand and cups her left cheek with his right hand. “I know things didn’t work out for us last time, but we’re different people now. I… I want to try again, what do you say?” Sweet Celestia, what do I say after that? Sunset feels a trance come over her. Without thinking, she moves her free hand around Flash’s back and places it between his shoulder blades. Flash lets go of her right hand and slowly moves his left arm around her back. Wait a minute, what’s going on? What’s happening? The two lean closer into each other, eyes closing, the distance between their lips shrinks. No no no, this can’t be happening! This can not happen! You'll only hurt him again! Stop it! STOP! Sunsets eyes shoot open as she sees what’s about to happen. Suddenly, she moves her right hand to Flash’s chest and halts him, her hand shaking in its place. She stares at her hand, the tremors spreading to the rest of her body. Her breathing becomes heavier, her eyes tear up, and her heart begins to pound. Flash opens his eyes, confused. He feels her shaking in his arms and sees a look of fear on her face and a single tear dripping down her cheek. “Sunset, what’s wrong?” he asks with growing concern. “I… I… I can’t,” Sunset says as more tears begin to fall down her cheeks. She pulls away from Flash and starts to run off. “Sunset, wait,” Flash says as he tries to reach out to her. Instead, he is met with a swift shove to the chest, causing him to stumble backwards and trip. He looks up at Sunset, whose hands are held out in front of her, shaking. “Please… don’t,” she manages to say through her tears. “I don’t want to hurt you again.” Flash breaks his view of Sunset as he gets off the ground. “Sunset, you’re not--,” he stops speaking when he can’t see Sunset in front of him. “Sunset? Sunset!” he calls out, hoping for a response but none is heard. He turns his head in all directions, searching for her, she’s nowhere to be found. He runs back to the point of origin of the bridge, but he can’t find her anywhere. He calls out her name one last time, no response. “Please let this be a dream,” he mutters to himself. “Let this just be another bad dream.” He pinches his arm, hoping to wake up. He winces at the pain, his heart sinks; this is not a dream, but a nightmare made into reality. Author's Note If you were expecting Flash and Sunset to, for lack of a better term, tie the knot in this chapter, I am so sorry if I played with your emotions. Anyways, I'm hoping to have the next chapter out by next Monday or Tuesday but I've got some assignments to do between now and Monday, it really all depends on how much free time I'll have. So if the next chapter isn't out by Monday, expect it to be out Tuesday at the earliest and Wednesday at the latest. My college work load is starting to catch up with me, so expect future chapter releases to be more sporadic than previous chapters. I hope you guys have a good rest of the week and I'll see you next time. Tops to you! Ch. 9: The FalloutSunset walks down the street with a slight skip in her step. Today is a great day; there’s not a cloud in the sky and the temperature is comfortably cool today. She even feels happy today, so much so that she decided to wear one of her favorite outfits. Her sky blue blouse, blue jeans, and high heel boots. No leather jacket this time around, the weather is just too perfect to be wearing long sleeves. As she walks, her elation grows with every step she takes as she gets closer to her destination. She’s heading to the Pour Jon’s coffee shop to meet up with Flash Sentry, her now-boyfriend. Ever since they decided to give dating another shot, the two have never been happier in each others company. Even though this isn’t a first date, she can’t help but feel excited every time she gets to spend the day with her man. Sunset turns a corner and sees Flash off in the distance, standing outside the coffee shop, patiently awaiting her arrival. Deciding not to let him wait any longer, and allowing her excitement to take a hold of her, she quickens her pace to a jog for the final stretch of her journey. When Sunset gets to Flash, she wraps her arms around him but the momentum from her speed causes Flash to stumble a bit. Startled, he regains his footing and looks over to see Sunset embracing him. She looks up at him with starry eyes and a wide smile. “A little excited today, aren’t we?” he jokes as he shifts his body to return Sunset’s embrace with one of his own. “Why shouldn’t I be?” Sunset asks teasingly. “We’re just getting coffee and going for a walk,” says Flash. “It’s not like we’re going to the moon or anything.” “Yes but I’m doing all of that with you,” she says as she taps the tip of his nose. Flash gives a small chuckle as he leans his head forward and gives Sunset a small peck on the lips. The kiss fills Sunset with an abundance of elation. Who would’ve guessed that she would end up with the best kisser in the world? Flash pulls away from his kiss and looks at her. “You are too adorable,” he comments, causing Sunset to giggle. “Come on, let’s head inside.” They walk side by side to the door. Sunset embraces Flash’s arm, nuzzling her cheek against it. When they get to the door, Flash leans forward and holds the door open for Sunset. “After you my lady,” he says in a jokingly English accent. “You are too much of a gentleman,” Sunset comments as she walks to the doorway, causing Flash to grin. She walks through the entryway and finds herself facing… a parking lot? She looks at the lot perplexed. What happened to the coffee shop, she thinks. Sunset turns back around to face the entrance but can’t see the doorway anywhere. Instead all she sees is the back side of Canterlot High. What am I doing behind CHS? How did I get here? She takes a few steps back but she stops when she walks into something, or someone. She takes a step forward and turns around to see Flash standing before her. A wave of relief comes over her. “Oh thank goodness you’re here,” she says with a sigh, initially failing to notice the scowl on his face. When Sunset approaches him, he crosses his arms and she finally notices his cross look and demeanor. She becomes confused and worried. “Flash, is something wrong?” “What the hell is wrong with you?” Flash scorns with a disgusted tone. His words cut deep into Sunset. “Um okay, let’s calm down for a bit,” says Sunset. “What’s going on?” She tries to reach out her hand to him but he whisks it away. “I heard about what you did at the Fall Formal,” he says. “Wh-What are you talking about?” she asks. Sunset feels her heart begin to sink; something about this scene feels familiar. “Threats of blackmail, manipulating voters, tampering with the final vote, and all to win some stupid crown!?” Flash shouts, his anger growing with every point. “Flash, I-I,” Sunset tries to say something but she becomes choked with emotions of sadness, guilt, and fear. “And to top it all off, I’ve realized what I am to you,” he presses on. “I’m not your boyfriend; I’m just an… an accessory to make you more popular! You’re always lying to me, you always make my decisions, you use my own reputation to get what you want!” “Flash I’m not like that anymore,” Sunset pleads. “I’ve changed, I do love--” “I don’t want to hear anymore of your excuses,” Flash says cutting her off. “I’m done with the lies, the manipulations... and I’m done with you!” Sunset’s eyes widen and tears swell up and trickle down her cheeks. “We’re through Sunset, go find yourself another boy toy to use as your pawn.” Flash turns his back to Sunset and stuffs his hands into pockets as he walks away. Sunset falls to her knees, weeping streams of tears. This was a moment she hoped to have never relive again, yet she just did. As she weeps, a voice calls out to her. The voice is strange, yet familiar. “Oh poor little Sunset,” the voice mocks. “What makes you think you possibly deserve him after what you did?” Sunset’s eyes shoot open and she sits straight up in her bed. Beads of cold sweat dot her forehead, her breathing is heavy, as though she just ran a 5k. What the hell was the dream about? she thinks as she wipes the sweat from her forehead and rubs the sleep out of her eyes. She looks around her loft and notices how dark it is. She pulls off the covers, turns around, and opens the curtains above the head piece of her bed. The morning sun causes her to wince. She blinks a few times to allow her eyes to adjust to the light. Well, might as well start the day since I’m up. She gets out of her bed, grabs her phone sitting on the nightstand, and walks down the stairs of her loft. She walks into the kitchen and heads over to the coffee pot, which had just finished brewing. She pours herself a cup and sits over at the kitchen table. Sunset scrolls through her messages as she sips on her coffee; there are quite a few messages from her friends. Every message revolves around a similar theme. “Hey Sunset, checking in to see if you’re doing alright after last night. -- Rainbow Dash.” “Sunset darling, are you ok? Do you need someone to talk to about last night? -- Rarity.” “Sunset, it’s Soarin. Listen, I talked to Flash last night and he told me what happened, I wanted to see if everything is going okay. He’s a little shaken up, so maybe give him a call or text or something? -- Soarin.” “Is everything ok? Your friends are here for you if you need someone to talk to. -- Twilight Sparkle.” “Hey sugarcube, I heard last night was rough. Do you need anything? -- Applejack.” Searching through the messages aroused fresh feelings of guilt within Sunset. She tosses her phone halfway down the table and rests her forehead between her right thumb and index finger, closing her eyes and slowly shaking her head. She moves her hand down to cover her mouth as she stares off into the distance. She begins to choke with guilt and sorrow as she recalls last night on the bridge. How could I have done that to him? she thinks. He pours out his entire heart before me and I just… push him away. What is wrong with me? A lump grows in her throat as a single tear streams down her cheek. As she recalls the events of last night, she thinks about what lead up to that moment. She thinks about that one particular question. “‘What are your true feelings about me’?” she mutters, reciting Flash’s question from last night. I might as well answer this question to myself. Okay Sunset, think back to every moment you were with him, what did you feel? She first recalls back to their meeting at Sugar Cube Corner, the one where they decided to start over again as friends. While it may have started out as awkward and uncomfortable, the two were able to hit it off almost instantly. It was like a switch inside me was suddenly flipped. I was enjoying his company, and afterwards, I felt… a strange euphoria. She ponders what those emotions could have meant. Was it a sort of “love at first sight” kind of deal? No, that’s ridiculous. That sort of thing isn’t possible. It could’ve just been new friend energy, or something like that. But it... wasn’t exactly first sight… Maybe ‘starting over’ is the wrong phrase when you already know the person. The next memory Sunset recalls is from several weeks ago, when she and Flash worked on her Statistics project together. She remembers feeling comfort, enjoyment, and a sense of belonging. She felt like she could be herself around him and not worry about dampening any part of her personality. The time she spent with him felt like they had been friends for years. Then there’s the memory she saw of the first time they met. An unintentional reminder of his kind and friendly nature, something she admired about him that day. It’s hard to not like someone whose first instinct towards people is to make an offer of friendship. With all the jerks out there in the world, what girl wouldn’t find genuine kindness attractive? The final memory she recalls is from yesterday. Not wanting to focus on that particular event, she focuses on the events leading up to then. She remembers their walk to her class, how she was freaking about her project. However, his embrace made her feel safe and made her still. She was becoming a nervous wreck over a five minute presentation, but him simply wrapping his arm around her removed every bit of anxiety she had. His words of encouragement also gave her the boost of confidence she needed in that moment. Sunset also remembers their hug outside her classroom; she’s not sure what came over her but in that moment of pure gratitude, she remembers feeling something light up inside of her. Then, of course, there’s that moment on the bridge. She tries to remember what came over her up until the moment she stopped him. It felt like there was nothing holding me back. Like there was something inside that desperately wanted this but, at the same time, it didn't. Sunset sets her coffee cup on the table and rubs both of her temples with her hands. This is all making my head hurt. There’s gotta be someone I can talk to about this? She looks up at her phone sitting half way down the table. She briefly contemplates asking one or all of her friends for help but decides against it. They’ve been wanting to see me and Flash get together for a while. Any advice I get from them is going to be heavily biased. She then remembers that she can talk to Heartsong, Flash’s mom. She’s always been a mother figure to her, perhaps she could offer some helpful advice. No, Flash is her son. Bias is definitely going to play a factor. I need a neutral party, but who? She slams her head against the table in frustration and she lets out a heavy groan. As if waiting for its cue, a vibrating sound appears. Sunset looks up at her phone but the screen is still black. She hears the sound again and realizes where it’s coming from. She gets up from her seat and walks into the living room. On the coffee table, her message book to Princess Twilight is lighting up and vibrating, indicating that the Princess is writing Sunset. She takes a seat on the couch, grabs the book, and opens it up to see the message. Dear Sunset Shimmer, The coronation was… interesting, but things have been pretty slow since. It seems a big part of being a good ruler is knowing what to delegate to whom. Anyway, now that things have calmed down, I thought it was time I see how one of my favorite students is doing. How have you been? How are the girls on that side getting along? Your teacher, Twilight Sparkle Sunset grabs the pen sitting on the coffee table and is about to write back. She stops herself as the head of the pen hits the page, an idea popping into her head. I could ask Princess Twilight for advice. She’s always been able to help me, and she can provide an outside voice and neutral advice. She begins to write. Dear Princess Twilight, Relatively speaking, things are pretty quiet over here as well. There hasn’t been any Equestrian magic to worry about recently. However, I could use some advice about a certain matter and I think you’re the only one who can help me. Your student, Sunset Shimmer A few seconds pass before the pages light up again with Twilight’s response. Certainly, I will help in anyway I can. What seems to be the problem? A new student who’s hesitant to try friendship? Is your worlds Celestia and Luna not getting along? Do you need advice on how to end the rivalry between CHS and Crystal Prep? To answer in order: no, not as far as I know, and that’s not going to end any time soon. I actually need advice about one of my friends. Do you remember Flash Sentry, human Flash? Of course I remember. Kind of hard to forget him now that his pony counterpart and I are dating. Sunset’s eyes widen when she reads that last message. “Well that’s news, since when!?” she exclaims. She’s about to ask Twilight but quickly brings herself back to the task at hand. “Focus Sunset, one thing at a time.” She continues to write to Princess Twilight. I’ll want to hear more about that later. Anyway, Human Flash and I started over as friends a little over a month ago, wanting to put our shared past behind us. But I’ve recently had some… conflicting feelings about him. What sort of conflicting feelings? Are you saying you’re starting to like him? That’s the thing, I don’t know. I want to say yes, but I also want to say no. I would go to my friends but they’re pretty adamant on seeing me and Flash become a thing. I need some advice from a neutral party. I know this isn’t the usual kind of life or death scenarios or friendship problems you’re used to dealing with, but I could really use some help. A few seconds pass by, then a few more seconds pass. It begins to seem that Twilight is not going to write back. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” Sunset mutters to herself. She places the pen on the page and is about to tell Twilight not to worry about it. But before she can begin writing, the pages light up. Sunset, whatever is important to you is important to me too. You need help and so I will help you. Sunset feels her heart leap with joy. She begins to write back. Thank you Princess Twilight! I’m so happy you are willing to help me. I’m happy to help you, but this is something we’ll need to meet in pony for. I would come over to your world, but I’m now the Princess of Equestria, and my interdimensional travel opportunities are pretty limited. Why don’t you head through the portal yourself? I just got the mirror set up in my office in Canterlot. Plus, it’ll give us an opportunity to do some catching up. Certainly, I’ll head over as soon as I can. Just one more thing: when did you become the ruler of all of Equestria? Oh, right, I haven’t told you about that yet. It’s a long story, I’ll tell you about it when you come over. I’ll see you soon. Sunset closes the book and sets it and the pen back down on the coffee table. A surge of energy reignites her drive, and it’s not the caffeine that’s causing it. She gets up from her seat and makes her way to the bathroom to get a shower and to get ready to head back to Equestria. Finally, I’ll get some good answers and a solid direction. Flash walks down the sidewalk towards Sugar Cube Corner, his pace slower than usual. His head hangs low, his face is mellow, and his hands are stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie. It’s not been a good morning for him: he still feels the effects from last night. He feels empty inside, like something that used to be there is gone. He’s hoping a coffee and donut will make him feel better. He knows that it’s not going to be enough, but it’s better than nothing. As his mother would say, “a little comfort food can help ease a hurting soul.” As Flash walks, he replays the event through his head, trying to figure out where things went wrong. He pays close attention to every action made and every word said. Was it something I said? Did I push too hard? But with every replay he’s left with more questions and no answers. Everything was going perfect, then it all went to hell. Where did I go wrong? He can feel his frustration beginning to grow. He does his best to put a stop to those thoughts as he reaches Sugar Cube Corner. He walks through the front door entrance, not paying much attention to the store environment, instead focusing on the cashier. He walks up to the counter and is greeted by Mrs. Cake, who is in a chipper mood this morning. “Good morning Flash!” she exclaims. Flash doesn’t say anything in response, just a strained smile and a polite nod. Mrs. Cake softens her positive attitude when she notices the glum look on his face. “Oh my, having a rough morning dear?” “You could say that,” Flash says as he pulls out his wallet. “Can I get a small drip coffee and a glazed donut?” “Certainly, dear,” Mrs. Cake responds as she rings up his total. Flash hands her his card. She applies the charges and hands it back to him. Mrs. Cake then walks over to the display case and pulls out a glazed donut, using a piece of wax paper to grab it. She places the donut into a bag and sets it on top of the display case. She then walks over to the coffee pot behind her and pours some coffee into a small to-go cup. Mrs. Cake places a lid on the cup, grabs the donut bag, walks back over to the cashier counter, and hands the items over to Flash. “I hope your day gets better, dear,” she says with a motherly smile. Flash thanks her and walks back towards the entrance. “Hey Flash,” a voice calls out to him. He stops in his tracks and looks over to his right. He sees Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Applejack all waving him over to an empty seat in their normal area. He hesitates for a moment, but decides it would it be rude to just ignore them. Perhaps it would help to talk to them. Flash thinks as he takes the empty seat pulled up to the end of the booth. Applejack is the first to speak, “How’re you doin’, sugarcube?” she asks. Flash takes a large swig of his coffee before he answers. “Well, considering how I just got my heart broken last night for the second time by the same girl, I think I’m doing just fine,” Flash responds facetiously, causing the girls to cringe in discomfort. Flash places the cup and bag on the coffee table and leans forward with his head in his hands, staring at the floor. “Sorry, I shouldn’t take it out on you. I’m still getting over last night. I’m guessing you girls heard what happened?” “More or less,” Applejack says as she winces at the other five girls who are donning guilty looks. “W-Why don’t you tell us what happened, from your perspective,” Twilight suggests. Flash sits up in his chair and proceeds to tell them everything that happened that night. From right after his talk with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, to the drama that happened on the bridge. He initially intended to summarize, but once he starts talking everything comes out. Maybe they can see what went wrong, he thinks. “When I got up off the ground, she was gone,” Flash says. “I tried looking for her, even calling out her name, but I couldn’t find her. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to figure out what went wrong, but I’ve got nothing.” He leans forward again and looks back at the ground with a groan. “Everything was going perfect, right until that very moment.” Flash feels a hand landing on his back. He looks to his left and sees Rarity giving him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry this has happened to you, darling,” Rarity says. “Sometimes, things don’t pan out the way you want them to.” “Even if we account for everything we know about, there will always be hidden variables that can easily subvert the predicted outcome,” says Twilight. “But the important thing to remember is to keep trying,” Fluttershy adds. “That’s right!” exclaims Rainbow. “You may have lost this battle, Flash, but the war has just begun. You just gotta keep fighting!” Flash sits back up, his face unchanging. “I appreciate the rally cry, but I’m not sure if trying again is the right way to go,” Flash admits. “The first time I told her, I got my head bitten off. This time, she was pretty clear that it wasn’t going to work. And even if she hadn’t been, I don’t think I can take a third hit.” He crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. “You don’t have to try again right away,” says Applejack. “Give it time and be patient. If you came that close to hittin’ things off last time, then I’m sure she’ll come around eventually. Just give it time.” “Well,” Flash sighs, “if I ever do consider trying again, I’m making sure I have you guys nearby for support. Things probably would’ve progressed differently if I had you girls there to help.” “Well, we thought about intervening while we were watching you guys last night,” Pinkie Pie says, causing the other girls faces to drain of color and causing Flash to look up at her in confusion. “PINKIE!” Rarity hisses. Pinkie’s eyes widen and her face drains of color as well, realizing she wasn’t supposed to let those words slip from her lips. “Oops,” she squeaks as she covers her mouth with both of her hands. “What did you just say?” Flash asks, his eyebrows furrowing. “Nothing!” Rainbow Dash exclaims, extending her arms and displaying her palms. “She didn’t say anything! What she meant to say--” “You were watching us?” Flash asks in disbelief, he feels his blood begin to boil.“So that was Pinkie’s hair I saw at the festival last night!?” Pinkie, recognizing his growing anger, slowly nods and holds her hands up in defense. “How much did you see?” “That’s not important dear, now let’s try to calm down now,” Rarity says, trying to ease the tension. Flash collapses back into his seat and looks up at the ceiling, unable to keep any energy going. “Just tell me,” he says in resignation. All six girls cringe, hesitant to answer. Fluttershy speaks up while hiding behind her hair. “We were watching you two for the entire evening,” she confesses in a very meek tone. Flash faces forward and rubs his forehead. He feels like he was just shot in the gut. He can’t believe it; these friends he thought he could trust, just watched him make a fool of himself. “And you didn’t think THAT was the time to say something? What, did you think it was funny?” His anger is starting to rise again. “And after you tore up the notecards!” he says, looking at Rainbow Dash, jabbing his index finger in her direction. Twilight’s eyes widen in shock. She turns her head to face Rainbow Dash, “You did what!?” Rainbow Dash holds up her hands in a firm defense, concern comes over her face. “Whoa, Flash, calm down!” she says. “That’s not why--” Flash cuts her off and turns to Rarity, pointing an accusatory finger at her. “The things you told me about Sunset during game night, was any of that true? Or is this some sort of game to you!?” Rarity tries to respond, but fear and concern have a tight grip around her tongue. She has never seen Flash get this angry before. She looks away, at which Flash’s face tightens. Thankfully, Applejack comes to her rescue. “Okay, let’s simmer down partner,” Applejack says placing a hand on his shoulder and gently turning him around to face her. “Everything she said then was true. They honestly thought they were helpin’ the pair of yah’. Now let’s take a deep breath…” “So what, are you saying you weren’t involved?” Flash says, nearly in a growl. His arms are now crossed and he looks almost pouty. Applejack looks him directly in the eye. “No, I didn’t help them,” Applejack says. “But… I did know about it and I didn’t stop ‘em.” “Applejack is innocent, Flash,” Twilight speaks up, causing Flash to face her. “She wanted to be more hands-off, only helping when either you or Sunset wanted help. The rest of us… we wanted to be more involved.” The remaining four girls nod in agreement. “Now thanks for sayin’ that, girls,” Applejack says, “But I didn’t try to hard to stop yah either, so Flash’s got every right to be mad at me, too.” Fluttershy quietly chimes in. “We just wanted to make sure everything went well, but we didn’t want to take away, what should’ve been, your victory. We were as stunned as you were, or we’d have done something then.” “It was wrong of us to just sit on the sidelines and watch you fumble,” says Rainbow Dash. “I should’ve, I dunno, gone after Sunset. I mean, it’s not like I couldn’t have caught up to her. But…” “But I said she looked like she needed to be alone,” Fluttershy says, hanging her head “I’m sorry, I… we should have said something to you then.” “I was worried we’d make it worse,” Rarity says. At a look from Applejack, she adds, “Well, no, I’m not being entirely honest. I was worried you’d be mad at us for spying.” “I guess this isn’t any better,” Fluttershy says quietly. “I deserve some blame for the spyin’, too,” Applejack admits as she takes her hat off, holding it with both hands in front of her chest. “I knew about their little stakeout,” Applejack says as she looks at Flash with guilty eyes. “They even asked me if I wanted to join. I declined because it didn’t seem right to me. But I didn’t say anything to you or Sunset, either. I didn’t even raise much protest. I guess I thought everything would be fine and there wouldn’t be much harm in them wanting to be an audience. None of us expected things to turn out the way they did last night. When I found out what had happened, I felt horrible for allowing them to go in the first place. Even if things had gone well, y'all shouldn't had an audience. In truth, we’re all to blame for something.” Flash is about to say something when he suddenly feels a force come up from behind. He looks behind him and sees Pinkie Pie wrapping her arms around his mid-torso, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. “Please forgive us Flashy,” Pinkie says in a sorrowful tone. “You’re our friend, and we would never do anything to hurt you.” Flash looks around at the other five girls. The looks on their faces reflect genuine emotions of guilt, regret, and sorrow. It is abundantly clear that they are sorry and truly seek forgiveness. Flash’s anger subsides, replaced with more hurt. Flash lets out a heavy sigh. “Listen girls, I can tell you regret what you did. I know you would never intentionally hurt me, whatever I might have said before. And I want to forgive you… but I can’t.” Each of the girls feels a knife hit their hearts. They each look at him in shock and disbelief. After a pointed pause, Flash continues, “I guess, maybe eventually, but… the fact that you spied on me and… on me, the fact that you just sat there and watched when I was hurting, the fact you, Applejack, didn’t do anything to stop them… that’s not something I can forgive just like that.” He pries Pinkie’s arms off of him, grabs his coffee and donut, and gets up from his seat. He walks towards the entrance, but stops before he exits and looks at the girls. Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity look at him, covering their mouths, eyes swelling up with tears. Applejack remains standing, looking down at the ground and kicking her foot in disappointment. She places her hat over her face. A tear slips past it and down her cheek. Rainbow Dash crosses her arms and steadfastly refuses to look at him, but even in profile she looks ashamed. Flash looks away from them and places his hand on the door. “I’m sorry,” he mutters as he walks out of the shop. Author's Note I know, I know, it's another sad ending! I swear things will get better! Here's some cute Flashimmer stuff to help you decompress. Also, I know I said I would have this published this past Wednesday but there were certain elements in this chapter that needed extra time to work on and my college work has begun to take up most of my time. From this point on, new chapters are going to be released when I can get to them, college has to come first. We're getting closer to the end here people, I have three, possibly four, more chapters planned and then Rekindling the Flames will be complete! I hope you guys have a great weekend and I'll see you next time. Tops to you! Ch. 10: Royal GuidanceSunset stands in the middle of the CHS quad, facing the portal to Equestria. She’s been standing there staring at the portal for a few minutes, hesitant to walk through. On her way over, she was eager to meet Princess Twilight and finally get some guidance about her current conflict. Now that she stands right before the entrance to her old home, she is having second thoughts about this meeting. What if I walk away with more questions than answers? Sunset thinks. Is she even the right person to talk to about this? How can I know if she’ll give me the advice I need? More and more questions and concerns run through her head. However, she shakes these thoughts away. I need to see her regardless of the outcome. I need an outsider's perspective. With that thought in mind, Sunset takes in a deep breath and steps through the portal. Within a few seconds, she successfully crosses over to the other side and finds herself back in Equestria. She looks around and takes in her surroundings. She is in what was, the last time she was here, Princess Celestia’s office, still with a desk, several tall bookshelves, and a fireplace with a lounging area in front of it. There are picture frames on the desk, but as they are facing away from her she cannot tell if those have been changed yet. She looks around the room and notices that Princess Twilight is nowhere to be seen. Sunset steps off the portal’s stand but wobbles as she walks. She falls forward and lands on her front hooves. Oh right, back to quadrupedal walking. She trots around the room to see if the princess is behind the bookshelves, but Princess Twilight is nowhere to be found.Sunset is perplexed by this. Aside from the time Starlight Glimmer met her, Princess Twilight was always by the portal to greet Sunset whenever she came over, especially when it came to matters of Equestrian magic. Well, she might be busy with other duties. She is the Princess of Equestria now. I guess I should wait in here until she returns. Sunset trots over to one of the bookcases, deciding to do some casual reading to help pass the time. She casts a magical aura on one of the books that catches her eye and pulls it down in front of her. She reads the title on the cover, “Hm, ‘Everything You Wanted to Know About Sleepovers But Were Too Afraid to Ask,’ well this should be interesting.” She takes a seat on one of the chairs near to her and begins to read. An hour goes by when Sunset’s impatience becomes too much to bear. She closes the book and sets it on the stand next to the chair. She gets off the chair and trots around the room in frustration. “Shouldn’t she be here by now?” she mutters. “What is taking her so long?” Her trotting finds herself in front of the office door. “You know what, screw it! I’m going to look for her.” She opens the door with her magic and walks into a hallway devoid of any kind of activity. This doesn’t strike her as odd since this part of the castle, as Sunset remembers, was always a bit more private and meant more for Celestia and her students. She walks down the hall until she comes to an end, where it splits off into two directions. Sunset looks down both ends and doesn’t see very many ponies walking about, aside from a few guards standing at their posts. She takes a right and continues walking towards one end, where some guards are stationed. She considers asking them, but they are doing a fifty-yard stare and paying her absolutely no attention, so she decides to look around a bit more on her own. She keeps searching for Princess Twilight but her search is starting to become fruitless as every new hall or room shows no evidence of the Princess’s whereabouts. Ugh, she’s gotta be around here somewhere. She makes another turn into a new hallway but she halts after taking a few steps when a voice from behind calls out to her. “Excuse ma’am, can I speak with you for a moment,” the voice calls. It sounds familiar to her. She turns around to face the source of the voice, her eyes widen when she sees who’s walking up to her. It’s a stallion pegasus with a yellow-orange coat, dark blue mane and tail, wearing maroon armor with gold trimmings and a blue shield chest piece with a lighting streak going down the middle. Sunset freezes in place, she stares at the pony counterpart of Flash Sentry. Flash responds to her staring with a confused and concerned look. “Uh, are you alright ma’am?” he asks. Sunset shakes her head, bringing herself back into reality. “Yes, yes,” she quickly responds. “Sorry, you just look an awful lot like someone I know.” Flash chuckles. “Yeah I get that a lot,” he says. Sunset blushes a little bit from embarrassment. “Well anyway, is there a problem, sir?” Sunset asks. “There is no problem, ma’am,” Flash responds. “However, you do seem to be a bit lost. Are you looking for something or somepony?” Sunset is hesitant to tell Flash her true intentions at first. After all, if she popped into the castle seemingly out of nowhere and tells him she’s looking for Princess Twilight, he might get a bit suspicious. On the other hand (or hoof) if he’s anything like his human counterpart, he won’t presume the worst and might be more than willing to help her. “Um, yes,” says Sunset, “I’m actually looking for Princess Twilight. I’m supposed to be meeting her today.” Flash adopts a curious look. “I see, what’s your name?” “Sunset Shimmer.” Flash raises his right hoof to his chin and looks off to the side, appearing as if he’s trying to remember something. “I don’t recall there being a ‘Sunset Shimmer’ in the Princess’s appointment book for today,” he thinks aloud. Sunset starts to feel a few drops of sweat forming on her forehead, a lump begins to grow in her throat, and a shiver of fear creeps up her spine. “But, then again, she does have a habit of inviting ponies over unannounced and off-schedule.” Sunset feels a wave of relief come over her; she lets out a heavy sigh, as though she’s been holding her breath. “Well,” Sunset says, “do you know where I can find Princess Twilight? It’s kind of important that I see her.” “Certainly, follow me,” Flash says as he walks pass Sunset and down the hall. Sunset doesn’t follow at first, she instead looks at him with confusion. Flash stops after taking a few steps when he notices he doesn’t hear her following him. He looks back at Sunset and asks, “Aren’t you coming along?” “Aren’t you going to ask what this meeting is about?” Sunset asks. “You are part of the Royal Guard, isn’t it your job to screen for possible threats?” Flash turns back around and walks up to her. “First off, I’m the Captain of the Guard,” he says, sounding a tinge insulted. “Second, whatever business you have with the Princess is something she will be aware of if true. Third, in the time we have been conversing, you have not displayed any signs that you are a threat to anyone, including the princess. I think it’s safe for me to presume that you mean the princess no harm. Now if we’re done here, shall we go see Princess Twilight?” Sunset nods and allows Flash to lead the way. She trots alongside him. After walking for a minute or so, Sunset tries to strike up a casual conversation. “So, I don’t think I ever got your name,” Sunset says. “It’s Flash,” he responds. “Captain Flash Sentry.” “Well, nice to meet you Flash,” Sunset says. She tries to think of something else to say but nothing comes to mind. It becomes more difficult when an awkward silence fills the void. “Forgive me for asking,” Flash says breaking the silence, “but what exactly is your relationship with Princess Twilight? You seem familiar but I don’t know from where. Are you an old friend of hers?” “Kind of, but I’m really one of her students,” Sunset explains. “A student? You seem a bit old to be part of the School of Magic, even for an upper class pony,” says Flash. “Well it’s… it’s kind of hard to explain,” she says. “I’m a long distance student?” She’s at a loss as to how to properly explain her situation to Flash without confusing him or making him think she’s crazy. Before she can explain any further, a look of realization comes across Flash’s face. “Oh wait, are you that one student who lives in a parallel universe?” Flash asks. Sunset dons an expression of surprise. “Yes! How do you know?” “Twilight talks about you every now and then,” Flash explains. “Plus, I think I remember you from an incident several moons ago that happened during my first assignment at the Crystal Empire.” Sunset’s face blushes as she remembers the night she stole Twilight’s Element of Harmony. She finds a bit surprising that he remembers that night, but it’s not every day that an Element gets stolen and is brought to a parallel world. “Oh, right, that,” Sunset says sheepishly. “Ah, don’t feel so insecure,” Flash says looking down at her with a grin. “I’m well aware of your reformation. Honestly, it’s impressive how far you’ve come, from the exiled student of Princess Celestia to the star student of Princess Twilight. You should feel proud; I certainly know your teacher is.” “Thank you, and I am,” Sunset says. “Hey can I ask you something? It’s a little bit of a gnawing thought.” “Certainly,” Flash answers. “Before I came over to Equestria, Princess Twilight told me that the two of you were dating. Is that true?” Sunset asks. Flash closes his eyes briefly and blushes before letting out a sheepish chuckle. “I honestly would be surprised if she didn’t tell you,” Flash says. “Yes it’s true, we’ve been dating for nearly a month now.” “Wow,” Sunset says, astonished. She finds it amazing that she hadn't known about this yet. “So how did it happen, if you don’t mind me asking?” “Not at all,” Flash says. “There’s hardly anything confidential about our relationship. Well, we started out as friends. We officially introduced ourselves to each other about a day or two after her coronation, when I was appointed as the new Captain by her brother, the former Captain. At first, things were professional, but after a while though, we decided to start to get to know each other better and about four weeks later we decided to go steady. So far, there’s been zero regrets.” “Huh, you make it sound so easy,” Sunset says as she faces away from Flash and glances at the ground. Flash glances over at Sunset, his curiosity beginning to grow a little. “Well, it became easier once I got over my cold hooves,” says Flash. Sunset cocks her right brow in curiosity and looks back up at Flash. “What do you mean?” she asks. “I was terrified to ask Twilight out, especially once I realized I was developing feelings for her,” he says, “I mean, she is technically my boss, and the Ruler of Equestria, but once I realized she was still a pony, and mustered the courage to actually talk to her about it, it was pretty much smooth sailing from there.” Sunset gives him a doubting look. “It can’t be that easy can it?” she asks, her tone shifting from doubt to frustration. “I mean, aren't you afraid that you might screw it up? Or that you might end up hurting him—her?” Flash is taken slightly aback by this sudden shift. This conversation certainly has taken a one-eighty. He realizes that these questions have been brought in with some extra baggage. “Are you asking me those questions, or yourself?” he asks. Sunset’s expression changes when she realizes her questions and the tone in which they were delivered. Her face turns a shade of red from embarrassment. Before she can say anything else, they arrive at a set of large, wooden double doors. “It appears we are here,” Flash says as he opens the right door with his hoof and leads Sunset inside. The room is a large study area with numerous bookshelves, almost like a miniature library. Flash leads Sunset over to a desk, cornered off into a section of the room, where Princess Twilight is sitting while looking over several sheets of parchment. “Princess Twilight,” Flash says, trying to grab her attention. When she doesn’t look away from the parchments he adds, “you have a visitor.” Twilight looks up from her work and her eyes widen when she sees Sunset standing before her. “Sunset Shimmer!” she exclaims as she gets up from her seat and walks over to Sunset to give her a hug. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t meet you in my office,” Twilight says as she pulls away from her hug. “I had an impromptu meeting with some of the castle staff right after our conversation. I was going to meet you after the meeting, but they gave me a lot more reports to look over than I was expecting.” Twilight quickly looks over and notices Flash still standing at attention, waiting to be dismissed. “That’ll be all Flash.” “Your Highness,” Flash says as he bows and proceeds to exit the study. “I’ll see you for dinner tonight,” Twilight calls out to him. “Certainly, Your Highness,” Flash calls back. “‘Your Highness,’ do you have all your coltfriends call you that?” Sunset asks with a slightly teasing tone. Twilight giggles and gives Sunset a small nudge. “No, Flash just prefers to act professional when he’s on duty,” Twilight responds. “I’ve tried telling him he doesn’t need to, but he insists on setting a good example for his guards.” Twilight walks back over to her seat while levitating an additional chair from another desk close by, setting it down on the opposite side of her desk. “Have a seat, I’m sure we’ll have lots to talk about. I can order some tea if you like?” “Some tea sounds nice,” Sunset remarks as she takes her seat at the desk. “I could use something more soothing than coffee after last night.” As Twilight takes a seat, she pulls up a small, golden bell from seemingly out of nowhere and gives it a shake, causing soft jiggles to ring. A servant mare also appears seemingly out of nowhere, nearly giving Sunset a heart attack, and bows to Twilight, awaiting orders. “Would you be so kind as to fetch us some tea, please?” Twilight politely requests. “Certainly Princess,” the servant replies in a congested-sounding voice. “How would you like your tea?” “Earl Grey, hot,” says Twilight. The servants nods in response and walks off to fetch the tea. Twilight then focuses her attention on Sunset. “So, I’m guessing you’ll want to get straight to business?” “Are you sure you don’t want to finish up all that business first?” Sunset asks, pointing at the array of parchments on the desk. “I can wait until your done.” “Oh don’t worry,” Twilight responds, “I was practically done by the time you came in. Besides, as I said earlier, whatever is important to you is important to me. Now, what’s going on between you and Flash?” Sunset looks away briefly, anxiously rubbing her front hooves. She takes a deep breath, looks at Twilight, and begins. “Well, I guess I better start from the beginning,” says Sunset. “It all started about a month or so ago. The girls, or rather Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, set up a meeting between me and Flash to finally put our past behind us and start over as friends. We met up at Sugar Cube Corner, and we both agreed we should do so and had a pleasant conversation afterwards.” “Well, it’s nice to hear you’re continuing in your efforts to right your wrongs,” Twilight remarks with a swelling pride for her student. “So when did you start to feel conflicted about him?” “I guess, it was the next day that essentially put me down this path,” Sunset says. “We’re in the same history class, and we decided to work on our paper for the class together. At some point during our study session, the topic of dating came up, and I basically freaked out and said some things I immediately regretted soon after. We made up the next day, of course, and we continued being friends.” “So during this month, was there a point where you started to develop deeper feelings for him?” Twilight asks. “I’m not sure. Even looking back, I can’t exactly point to a specific point of origin,” says Sunset. “It was just something that naturally began to develop. Though during that month, I was pretty much in denial that I was starting to like him. The girls kept insisting that I was, and I kept insisting that we were just becoming really close friends. It wasn’t until last night that I finally realized that these feelings for Flash are real.” “What happened last night that made you realize this?” Twilight asks. Sunset is hesitant at first to revisit the events of last night. “Well, Flash and I went out to this festival to celebrate the good grade I got on a project,” she says. “We had a nice dinner, a pleasant conversation, and a lovely evening walk through the park. Looking back, I should’ve known something was up, because it was during this walk that he revealed his deeper feelings for me. He poured his entire heart out, I became entranced by everything he said, and we nearly kissed. The strangest thing is that there was a big part of me that wanted this to happen, and it just took me over.” “I sense there’s a ‘but’ coming,” Twilight says. “A huge ‘but,’” says Sunset. “There was also another big part of me that said that this can’t happen. That part took control and caused me to stop us from kissing at the last second. I suddenly was afraid and guilty. I was shaking like I had seen a ghost and even started to cry. Then I just ran away as fast as I could. He tried to reach out to me but I pushed him away. I told him I didn’t want to hurt him again.” Sunset briefly looks down at the floor as feelings of shame begin to take over her. She looks back up at Twilight who’s composure hasn’t changed, even after what Sunset said. “I’m guessing that is what prompted you to write to me?” Twilight asks. Sunset nods. “Yeah, I normally would go to the girls about something like this, but they’re too adamant on seeing me and Flash become a thing,” she says. “I need a neutral and sound voice to give me some guidance.” Before Twilight says anything else, the servant from earlier walks with a silver platter that has a teapot, two white tea cups with gold trimming, and a small sugar bowl. Twilight thanks the servant for the tea and pours her and Sunset a cup. Twilight stirs in a few teaspoons of sugar into her cup and takes a sip. “Well, before I can offer any advice, I need to know what are your feelings toward Flash,” she says. “How does he make you feel when you’re around him?” Sunset takes a sip from her cup as she ponder Twilights question. “I guess I feel comfortable around him,” she says, blushing a little, “Like putting on your favorite sweater. We’ve hugged a few times, and he makes me feel secure when I’m in his arms, like nothing can harm or scare me. He makes me laugh and instills confidence in me when I need it. It's almost like he fills a part of me that has been left vacant for so long.” “Hm,” Twilight muses, before she takes another sip of tea. “I think I’m getting a picture. Now, tell me what it is you like about him?” “Many things,” Sunset remarks with another blush. “He’s funny, charming, kind, helpful, inspiring, and he’s great to talk to. There really isn’t anything I don’t like about him, or at least that’s how I feel right now.” Twilight takes another sip of her tea. “Well, knowing how he makes you feel, what you admire about him, and how strong the friendship between the two of you is, it’s quite clear that you’re in love.” Her tone is straight forward, no teasing and no hidden implications. Sunset leans back in her chair, her face takes on a look of disappointment. “I’m guessing my answer displeases you?” “No, it’s just,” Sunset pauses, trying to find the right words to say, “I pretty much figured that was the case. What I’m looking for is guidance; I know I have these feelings but I don’t know what to do with them.” “Tell him,” Twilight says. “What?” Sunset responds. “You tell him how you feel about him,” says Twilight. “If you have these feelings for him then he needs to know. There’s no point in hiding it, especially since you already know how he feels about you. Once you do, then you can move on from there.” “But I can’t date him,” Sunset says with increasing frustration. “Why not?” Twilight asks. “Because I don’t want to hurt him again,” says Sunset. “I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes again. I’ve already caused him enough pain in his life.” “What makes you think that you’ll repeat the same mistakes?” Twilight asks. “Sunset, you do realize that you are a different person now than you were back then?” “I know I’m different now,” says Sunset. “I was an awful person, and I’m glad I’m not like that anymore.” “So then you have nothing to be afraid of,” Twilight answers. “The Sunset who hurt Flash is not the same Sunset who is sitting right in front of me. I know for a fact that you would never intentionally cause harm to anyone.” “But what if I do end up harming him?” Sunset asks. “I don’t want to end up being a source of pain for him.” Sunset leans forward on the table and places her head in her hooves. Twilight cocks her eyebrow in skepticism. “Setting aside that rejection almost certainly hurt him, answer me this question, Sunset,” says Twilight, Sunset looks up at her. “If you are so afraid about potentially hurting him, why are you even friends with him?” Sunset contemplates before answering. “I don’t know,” she responds. “I guess because we share similar interests, we enjoy each other’s company, and we help each other when we need it.” “That still doesn’t answer my question,” says Twilight. “If you are afraid of hurting him, why are you friends with him? If maintaining distance is supposed to keep you from hurting him, then why remain close at all?.” Sunset tries to think of an answer but isn’t able to come up with one. “I think you truly do want to have a romantic relationship with him; everything I’ve heard from you says so. You admire how helpful he is, you find his charm and humor appealing, and he makes you feel secure and whole. However, your fear is keeping you from pursuing a different relationship. So while you are more than willing to accept a friendship as a suitable substitute, there’s a big part of you that says that in this case, friendship isn’t enough, and that is the part of you that came out last night.” Sunset looks off to the side, contemplating Twilight’s words. How could I’ve been so blind? Everything she said somehow makes sense. Perhaps I do want something deeper with Flash, and the only keeping me from having that is myself. But, that begs a rather important question. Sunset looks back at Twilight and asks, “So how do I keep my fears from becoming a reality?” “You face it,” says a voice off to the side. Twilight and Sunset look over to see pony Flash walking up to them. Flash bows to Twilight and says, “Apologies for interrupting Your Highness, but the ambassador from Nova Griffonia wishes to speak with you.” “Tell him I’ll see him in a short bit,” says Twilight. “Before you go Flash, could expand on what you said to my student?” “I’m sorry, Your Highness,” he says, “I just heard the last bit of your conversation and felt like I needed to say something. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” “There's no need to apologize Flash,” Twilight says with a small giggle. “But I still would like you to elaborate on what you said.” “Certainly, Your Highness,” Flash says as he rises and looks at Sunset. “When I was first assigned as Captain of the Guard here, I was terrified that I would mess up. Princess Twilight's brother left some pretty big shoes to fill, and I thought I would never be able to live up to him. But with every new day I faced that fear and I grew more confident in my position.” “So are you no longer afraid that you might screw up?” Sunset asks. “No, the fear is still there, it never truly goes away,” says Flash. “But as I continue to do my job, that fear loses power. It’s something you’ll always have to overcome, but it gets easier the more you do it.” Sunset looks down at the table and thinks over what Flash said. “I guess I never really thought of it that way,” Sunset mutters, she looks up at Twilight and Flash. “I need to head back to my world. I think I have an idea of what I need to do.” A smile appears on Twilight’s face. Sunset gets off her chair and trots over to Twilight, who gets off her chair and meets Sunset halfway. The two embrace each other in a friendly hug. “Thank you for your help,” she says. They pull away from each other and Sunset looks at Flash. “And thank you as well.” Flash simply smiles and nods in response. “Would you like if I get one of the guards to escort you back to my office?” Twilight asks Sunset. “No thank you, I think I remember the way,” says Sunset. “I was Celestia’s student after all. Anyway, I better hurry back, thank you two again.” With that said, Sunset dashes off and head back to the portal. “Good luck Sunset!” Twilight calls out as Sunset runs off. When Sunset reaches the mirror, she hesitates for a moment to collect her thoughts. Alright, if I’m going to make things right between me and Flash, I need to get the girls involved. If they want to see me and Flash become a thing, then I need their help. Sunset steps up to the mirror and is about to walk through, Okay Sunset, time to face your fear. She walks through the mirror and travels back to her world. Author's Note Sorry this one took a lot longer than usual to get out. College has been keeping me pretty busy. I'm hoping to have the next chapter out before Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 28 for those who don't live in the U.S. We're getting close to the end here folks, I've got roughly three more chapters planned. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, let me know what you think, and I'll see y'all next time. Tops to you! Ch. 11: AmendmentFlash sits in his room working on his history homework. He’s at his desk, looking over a text about the First World War and the 1920s, and it is a dry, confusing read. His eyes scan over the pages trying to make sense of the words, while he tries to maintain focus by rubbing his tiring eyes and lightly slapping the temples of his head. He looks over at his phone that sits on the right side of his desk. He thinks about calling his teacher, Mr. Time Turner, to ask him something. At the beginning of the semester, the teacher laid out an option for students who would happen to be absent from class for an extended period, wish to give their grade a major boost, or for any other reason. He grabs the phone, pulls up his list of contacts, and clicks on the contact for Mr. Turner. The line rings a few times until Mr. Turner picks up. “This is Time Turner, to whom am I speaking?” he answers in his British accent. “Hey Mr. Turner,” Flash says, “this is Flash Sentry, from AP World.” “Ah Mr. Sentry, how are you doing on this lovely Sunday?” Mr. Turner asks. “I’m doing fine,” Flash responds. “Listen, Sunset Shimmer and I had a little bit of a… falling out last Friday and since we share first block, I was wondering if I could um…” “You want to take an independent study hall so as to avoid triggering any sort of tension?” Mr. Turner assumes. “Yes sir, but just for this week,” Flash says. “I’m hoping things will be smoothed out between us at that point.” “Hmmm, well this is highly irregular,” Mr. Turner says, “But as you have been an exemplary student, I believe I can accommodate your request. Come by the classroom before first block tomorrow, and I’ll give you your assignment, recommended sources, and your study hall approval form.” “Thank you, sir,” Flash says with a sigh of relief. “You are more than welcome, Mr. Sentry,” says Mr. Turner. “I hope things between you and Ms. Shimmer get better.” “I hope so too,” Flash responds. He ends the call, sets the phone down in its original spot, and tries to reassert his focus on his homework. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work; as he turns the page, his mind plays the memory from yesterday at Sugar Cube Corner. He remembers the shock and betrayal he felt after he heard what they did. Finally, he remembers and feels the disappointment, not in them but in himself for failing to forgive them. His mind again replays that scene from Friday evening. The distraught look in Sunset’s eyes and the pain he felt from her rejection. Flash leans far back in his chair, runs his hands through his hair and lets out an exhausted sigh. There’s a small knock at the bedroom door. “Come in,” he calls. The door creaks open and in walks Scootaloo along with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. Flash retains in his tired posture. “Hey, bro,” says Scootaloo with some restraint. “How’s it going?” “We wanted to see if yer doin’ okay,” says Apple Bloom. “We heard about what happened yesterday,” says Sweetie Belle. “And… the day before that.” Flash doesn’t look at them. Instead, he closes his eyes and rubs them with his right thumb and index finger. “I’m fine, girls. Thanks for checking on me,” he says in a tired tone. He still feels their presence and briefly looks over to confirm his suspicion. Each of the three girls are staring at him with concern. Flash looks back at his book and says, “Is there something else you want?” “We just want to hear what happened from you,” says Apple Bloom. “We want to help you Flash,” says Scootaloo. Flash can feel a bitterness begin to rise. “Look, girls,” he says. “If you want to hear what happened, all you need to know is my heart got broken on Friday and my trust was breached on Saturday. I’d rather not talk about it.” Sweetie Belle begins to speak, “But Flash—” “I said I don’t want to talk about it!” Flash snaps, cutting Sweetie off and causing the girls to jump back. Flash looks at the girls who stare at him with shocked expressions. He looks up and sees his mother standing right behind them, looking at him with a stern look and her arms crossed. Flash’s expression changes from frustration to dread, he can feel the color drain from his face. “Excuse me, girls,” says Heartsong The Crusaders to turn around and face her. “Could you wait for me down in the kitchen? I will need to have a chat with you, but I need to talk with my son first, alone.” “Yes ma’am,” the girls collectively say. They walk past Heartsong as she walks into the room. As Heartsong closes the door behind her, Scootaloo sneaks a last concerned peak before it shuts all the way. Once they are alone, Heartsong softens her look a little, walks over to Flash’s bed, and takes a seat at the end. Flash swivels around in his chair to face her, though he doesn’t look at her directly. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on, Flash?” Heartsong asks in a calmer and more comforting tone. Flash sighs and “No, but I have to talk to someone,” he mumbles. He looked up at Heartsong and words start pouring out.“It started this past Friday. I told Sunset that night how I really felt about her, and she, more or less, said that a relationship between us is impossible,” Flash says. “And yesterday, I found out that her friends were watching us the entire night, even up to the point where I made a fool of myself in front of the girl I loved. So I guess I’m still frustrated about the past few days.” “I see, is that why you snapped at Scootaloo and her friends?” Heartsong asks, Flash nods. “Hm, well, let’s talk about Sunset, why don’t you go into a bit more detail about that night?” “Mo-om,” Flash whines, mostly reflexively. Heartsong smiles gently at him. Flash folds his arms and looks off to the side at the wall. He’s hesitant to replay that memory again. He would rather just sweep this whole situation under the rug and never come back to it; leave the past in the past. But a part of him knows that he needs to fix this problem and he won’t be able to do this on his own. He looks back at his mother and slowly nods. “Fine,” he says. “We spent most of the night at the food truck festival, but we spent the latter part of the evening in the park, by the duck pond. We ate dinner, had some nice conversation, and just enjoyed each other’s company. When we were walking on the bridge, I opened up my heart, and at first, I thought everything was falling into place. We came real close to uh… kissing.” He blushes furiously at telling that part to his mother. She simply nods and gestures for him to continue. “But at the last second, she stopped herself and told me that this can’t happen. She then ran off, leaving me alone.” He swallows a lump forming in his throat and purses his lips. Heartsong leans forward, places her hand on her son's knee and looks at him with sympathy. “Oh dear,” she says in a comforting tone, “I’m so sorry to hear that. Why didn’t you tell me or your father about this?” Flash shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know,” he admits. “I guess I didn’t want to trouble you guys with something like this. Plus, it’s embarrassing” “Embarrassment aside, Flash,” she says. “You’re our son, if it’s important to you then it’s important to us. We are your parents, and we want to help you in any way we can. Speaking of which, have you spoken to Sunset at all since Friday night?” Flash shakes his head. “No, I haven’t,” he says. “I haven’t even seen her since that night. We share first block but I already asked for an independent study hall from Mr. Turner, so I shouldn’t have to worry about awkward reunions this week.” “Well, you can’t avoid her forever,” says Heartsong, “You’re bound to run into her at school at some point. Anyway, have you thought about that night since? Any sort of reflections?” “I have but I don’t know what else there is to reflect on,” says Flash. “I poured my heart out, and she basically said that a relationship between us is impossible. I keep wondering if there was something I did wrong. Did I push too hard or did I say the wrong thing? No matter what, I can’t figure out what I did wrong or if she really does feel that way about me.” “Are you certain that’s how she truly feels?” she asks skeptically. “Because you seem to forget that I know Sunset too, and I’ve seen how she acts around you. It’s almost as if you’re the only person in the world that matters to her. My advice would be to give it time; she was most likely just a little scared of a romantic relationship between the two of you may yield. Just be patient and wait for her to do things in her own time.” Flash makes a small, skeptical huff with his nose. “You know her friends said something similar yesterday,” he says. “Right before they told me how they spied on me and Sunset that night. Regardless, I don’t think I can handle a third heartbreak from the same girl.” Heartsong leans back on the bed with both her hands propping her up. “Yes, let’s talk about those girls,” she says. “They spied on you two the entire evening, and didn’t do anything to help you?” “That’s right,” he says. “Even when my entire world was crashing down around me, they just sat there and watched. Not once did they think they should intervene or give me some kind of support. They were the ones who pushed me to start pursuing a relationship with Sunset, but in the end, they were some kind of voyeurs.” Heartsong slowly nods as she hears her son rant. “I thought they were my friends but I guess I was wrong.” He leans back in his chair and lets out a sigh of emotional exhaustion. “I see,” says Heartsong. “Let me ask you something, Flash: do you think that your friends would intentionally try to humiliate you?” “No, I know they wouldn’t do something like that on purpose,” Flash admits as he rubs both of his temples. “But that still doesn’t change the fact that they just watched.” “You right, it doesn’t,” says Heartsong. “Now here’s a follow up: why didn’t they do anything?” Flash shrugs in response, unsure of their reasoning for their inaction. “I believe,” she reasons. “That they felt that you had everything under control up until that final moment.” “Why would they think that?” Flash asks, confused. “Considering how close you and Sunset came to kissing, you had the situation in the bag,” she says. “Granted, things beyond your control changed the outcome but, up until that moment, you had everything handled. I imagine that your friends thought the same way. So when things did spiral out of control, they probably weren’t sure how to intervene, or even if they should intervene. Now, that doesn’t excuse their spying, or their not reaching out to you sooner, but it should give you an idea of what they may have been thinking. Besides, if these girls are anything like Sunset, then I’m sure they regret what they did.” Flash leans forward in his chair, placing his head in his hands. He thinks back to yesterday, remembering the hurt looks on the girls’ faces when he refused to accept their apology. It was obvious that girls were regretful of what they did and were sincere in their apology. But the bitterness he felt kept him from granting them forgiveness. “They did, and I refused to accept their apology,” says Flash, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him. “I’m such a jerk.” Heartsong gets up from the bed, walks over to Flash and places her hand on his left shoulder. Flash looks up at his mother, looking down at him with a warm smile. “I think you know what you need to do,” she says. “I’ll leave you to think about your next action.” She turns and walks to the bedroom door, opens it, and exits the room, closing the door behind her. Flash turns around in his chair to face his desk. Instead of resuming his homework, he stares at the wall, pondering what needs to be done. I’ve got to fix this mess, but how? Where do I even start? As if waiting for its cue, his phone rings. He grabs the phone to see who’s calling him, it’s Soarin. He accepts the call and holds the phone up to his ear. “Hey, what’s up?” he answers. “Hey,” Soarin says. “So Rarity just called me and said that our tuxedos for prom are finished and ready to be tried on.” “Yeah?” Flash replies. “Yeah, and I know you and the girls aren’t on the best of terms right now,” Soarin says. “So do you just want me to pick up your tux and bring it over to your place?” Flash takes a minute before answering. He first thinks about letting Soarin go by himself but he hesitates when a thought dawns on him. If I’m going to fix this mess, I might as wellstart with Rarity. She gave me the push to pursue Sunset. “Um, actually, Soarin,” Flash says. “I’ll meet you over there instead. I need to talk to Rarity.” “Oh,” Soarin says in a surprised tone. “Well alright, I’ll see you over there then.” “I’ll see you there,” Flash says. He ends the call, grabs his wallet and keys, and walks out his to his car outside. “Why would you do something like that?” Sunset exclaims to her friends. They are all gathered at Rarity’s boutique to try on their dresses for the prom. Sunset, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight are waiting in the sewing room while Rarity assists Applejack with her dress. Usually, the girls would independently try on new clothes from Rarity, but she insisted on assisting her friends individually this time around so that they can see her full vision. However, despite finally trying on their dresses for their big night, they are also gathered for another, and arguably more important, reason. Since her trip to Equestria, Sunset has been brainstorming methods to, for lack of a better term, tie the knot with Flash. She spent the rest of yesterday creating possible routes to pursue. Some were likely to fail and others have a strong potential to succeed. Today, she’s meeting with her friends to figure out a plan that would finally create a conclusion to this month-long saga. However, before the planning could even start, the girls felt it necessary to let Sunset know what they had been doing for the past few weeks. Including what they didn’t do that night on the bridge. “We thought you two had everything under control,” says Rainbow Dash. “You were inches away from making out. We felt pretty confident.” “Unfortunately, that confidence faded away quickly after your sudden change in attitude,” says Twilight. “We were just as shocked as he was; we didn’t know what to do.” “We thought about going after you or comforting Flash,” says Fluttershy. “But we were concerned that we would make the situation worse.” Sunset pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration. “Let me get this straight,” she says. “Not only did you defy my wishes by working behind my back, orchestrating our entire relationship, and not only were you planning to spy on us making out, but you also hung Flash out to dry when he needed you the most. Am I missing anything?” “We WERE planning to look away once you two actually kissed,” Rarity shouts from the dressing room, slightly indignant, “We are ladies of class.” “Um… there’s also what happened yesterday,” Fluttershy says quietly. Rainbow Dash crosses her arms and winces at Pinkie Pie. “Yeah, thanks to Pinkie,” she says. “Things between us and Flash aren’t exactly the best right now.” Pinkie stands up, looks at Rainbow Dash angrily, and lets out a loud scoff. “Ugh, how many times do I have to apologize for that?” she exclaims, slightly outraged. “You should know by now that I have loose lips!” Rainbow Dash gets up and gets in Pinkie’s face. “Yeah and they sink a lot more than just ships!” she scolds. Rainbow and Pinkie growl at each other for a brief second. The conflict is quickly ended when Sunset gets in between them and pushes them apart. “Enough, both of you!” she exclaims. Sunset takes in a deep breath. “Look, the fact of the matter is I need your help, and you need mine. So you have a choice to make: we can either spend all day exchanging blame or we can start thinking of ways to fix this mess we created. So what will it be?” The four girls exchange looks with each other and, after a brief moment, they look at Sunset and nod. Before one of them could say anything else, Rarity comes out of the dressing room and closes the door behind her. She clears her throat to get the attention of the other five girls. “Ladies,” she says. “May I present to you, Miss Applejack!” Rarity pulls the door wide open and out walks Applejack, displaying her dress. It is a shoulderless, apple-green dress with a brown leather outer corset, a long skirt with a slit down her right leg and tassels and a repeating red apple pattern lining the bottom. Her hair is braided and drooped over her left shoulder and her signature hat is decorated with a few red apples along the trim. The girls gaze at Applejack in wonder. “Whooooa...” Twilight exclaims with wide eyes. “You’re sure to knock a few guys dead come Friday night, Applejack,” Rainbow teases. “Without a doubt,” says Sunset. “Applejack,” Fluttershy declares. “You look beautiful!” “I’ll say!” exclaims Pinkie. “You sure went all out, Rarity.” “Oh, this is only the beginning darlings,” says Rarity. “What do you think, Applejack?” Applejack looks at herself in a mirror. She is stunned at how beautiful the dress is, how beautiful she looks; she is almost speechless. “Shucks Rarity,” she says. “This dress is amazing. I feel prettier than Reba McEntire at the CMAs. I don’t know how to thank you.” She walks over to Rarity and gives her a big hug. “There’s no need to thank me, dear,” Rarity says as they pull away from the hug. “I’m more than happy to share my gift with my closest friends. Now, go and change back into your normal clothes. Fluttershy, you’ll be next.” “Oh, I can’t wait,” Fluttershy says in quiet excitement. Applejack heads back into the dressing room and closes the door behind her. “Now, I overheard what you girls were talking about while I was helping Applejack,” Rarity says as she turns to face the girls. “And I agree with Sunset, it’s time we rebuilt our bridge to Flash. Which is why I made sure to invite Soarin today.” “Why Soarin?” Twilight asks. “Come on Twilight, use that big brain of yours,” Rainbow teases. “No one knows Flash better than Soarin, they’ve been best friends since middle school.” While Rainbow is talking, Fluttershy hears two car doors slam shut from outside. She walks over to the window to see who pulled up. She looks out and, from across the street, she sees two figures walking towards the boutique, Soarin, and Flash. “Oh no,” she mutters to herself. She turns around and tries to get the girls’ attention, “um, girls?” “If anyone is going to know the ins and outs of Flashy, it’s going to be Soarin,” says Pinkie “Girls?” Fluttershy says again a little louder. “I don’t see why it’s necessary to have Soarin over,” says Sunset. “I’ve known Flash a lot longer than any of you.” “Girls!” Fluttershy quietly shouts, she begins to grow desperate. “Sunset does raise a valid point,” says Twilight. “Besides, since Soarin and Flash are best friends, doesn’t inviting him run the risk of Flash also coming over as well?” “GIRLS!” Fluttershy shouts at the top of her voice. “What!” they all shout back. Fluttershy points outside the window. “Soarin and Flash are here,” she says. All their eyes shoot wide open and the color from their faces drain. Rainbow dashes over to the window and sees Soarin and Flash walking into the shop. “Crap baskets,” she says. Sunset collects herself and a determined spirit takes over. “Well, I guess there’s no point in avoiding this,” she says. “So much for coming up with the perfect plan.” Rarity whips her head to look at Sunset with shocked confusion. “Wait, you’re not seriously thinking about doing this right now, are you?” she asks. “I might as well,” says Sunset, “or else first block is going to be extremely awkward this week.” She begins to walk towards the sewing room door but she halts when Rainbow dashes in front of it, barricading the exit. “Are you nuts?” Rainbow cries. “Do you have any idea how awkward that’s going to be?” “In case you forgot Sunset, you basically broke his heart that night,” says Twilight. “If you tell him your true feelings now, it’s going to be incredibly jarring for him.” “Well then what do you suggest I do then?” Sunset asks frustratingly. “You need to hide!” Pinkie exclaims. “I’m not going to hide from him,” Sunset counters. Rarity and Pinkie rush over to Sunset and grab both of her arms. “We are not suggesting dear,” says Rarity. “What are--whoa!” Sunset cries as Pinkie and Rarity pull her towards the fabric closet. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Soarin asks Flash before they enter the boutique. “Not really,” Flash answers, “but I do know this is something I need to do. I burned this bridge, I need to repair it.” “I don’t think that’s how bridges work,” Soarin jokes to lighten the mood. “What are you going to do if Sunset is here?” he asks, more seriously. “If she’s here then I’ll just… kill two birds with one stone,” Flash says with wavering confidence. Soarin looks at his friend with suspicion. “You haven’t planned very far ahead have you?” Soarin asks. Flash rolls his eyes. “It’s a fifteen-minute drive from my place to here,” Flash argues. “I didn’t exactly have enough time to come up with a beautifully crafted apology. Let’s just go in.” Flash opens the door and walks into the boutique with Soarin following close behind him. The two enter into the main area of the shop, expecting to find Rarity there to greet them. Instead, they find the place to be empty. The boys look at each other confusingly. “Where’s Rarity? I thought she told you that she had our suits ready for us?” Flash asks. “She did, perhaps she’s upstairs in her sewing room,” Soarin says. On cue, a loud crashing noise is heard from upstairs. The boys snap their heads to the general direction of the source. Without thinking twice, the jolt towards the sound, heading up the stairs and down the hall to the sewing room. When they reach the door, Soarin reaches out to turn the doorknob but the door opens and Rarity takes a step out. “Oh, Soarin and… Flash, I wasn’t expecting you’d come,” she says with some surprise. Flash just gives a small nod of acknowledgment in response. “Is everything okay in there, Rarity?” Soarin asks. “We heard a pretty loud crash from here.” “Oh, yes yes, everything is perfectly fine,” Rarity says. “Pinkie just accidentally knocked over a pile of supplies.” “Pinkie Pie’s here?” Flash asks. “Everyone is here, except Sunset,” says Rarity. “Why don’t you come in?” Rarity leads Soarin and Flash into the room. The boys are greeted by Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. While Soarin verbally greets them, Flash gives a small wave and a nod. An awkward tension grips the room. “So, I imagine you gentlemen want to see your tuxedos?” Rarity asks them. “Yes, and I’d like to try mine on first,” says Soarin. “Flash wants to talk to you girls.” “Very well,” says Rarity. She walks over to rack and picks up a hanger with a suit bag protecting Soarin’s tuxedo. She walks over to him and hands him the suit. “The men’s dressing room should be right next door, just take a left as you exit.” “Thanks, Rarity,” he says. Soarin turns around and heads towards the door. Before he exits, he stops by Flash and puts his hand on Flash’s left shoulder. Flash looks at Soarin, who gives him a look assurance. He takes his hand off and walks out the door, closing it behind him. The awkward tension strengthens with Soarin’s absence. “So, Flash,” Rainbow says breaking the silence, “how um… how have you been?” “I’ve been okay, I guess,” Flash responds. “You... wanted to talk with us?” asks Fluttershy. “Yeeeah,” Flash says as he looks off to the side, rubbing his neck. “Listen, girls, about yesterday--” “Hey Rarity,” Applejack says as she comes back from the dressing room, interrupting Flash. “I’m all finished up in… there.” Applejack stops in her tracks when she notices Flash in the room. “Flash, I didn’t know you would be here.” “He wants to talk to us,” Twilight briefly explains to her. “About what?” Applejack asks. She then winces as she realizes what it probably is about. I really should’ve planned this out a bit more. Screw it, here goes nothing. Flash breathes in and collects his thoughts. “Girls, I’ve come to apologize to all of you,” he says. “Apologize?” Fluttershy asks. “For what?” Pinkie asks. “For my behavior towards you the other day,” he says. “You may have… No what I mean is, I was unreasonably angry and stubborn towards you. You showed immediate and tremendous regret for your actions, and I refused to accept your apology. I should’ve tried to help mend the rift that was beginning to form, instead I decided to drive a wedge into it. I wasn’t as forgiving as I should’ve been, but I am now. I accept your apology and I forgive you, my only hope is that you can do the same for me.” Flash lowers his head in humility. The girls look at each other, stunned. They expected there would be great difficulty, that rekindling their friendship would not be easy. They never expected Flash to forward wishing to amends. He is the wounded party after all, if anything, the situation should be revered. Yet here he is, offering forgiveness and only wishing for the same kindness in return. They are not sure how to approach him at first. After a brief moment, Pinkie Pie is the first to walk up and embrace Flash like a long-lost friend. One by one, the rest of the girls approach Flash similarly, ultimately resulting in a group hug. “What are you apologizin’ for? Of course we forgive you, Sugar Cube,” Applejack says as they all pull away, except for Pinkie. “And we’re glad that you’ve forgiven us as well,” says Rainbow Dash. Flash smiles gleefully as he wipes a single tear from his eye. The bitterness he once felt has been replaced by feelings of happiness. He looks down and sees Pinkie Pie still clinging to him. “I think you can let go now, Pinkie,” he says chuckling. “Not yet,” Pinkie says, “it hasn’t been long enough for an apology hug.” The rest of the girls and Flash exchange confused looks. “Is-Is that a thing?” Fluttershy asks in a confused, dry tone. Pinkie Pie pulls away from her hug and gives Flash a big smile. “Well, now that we sorted that out,” Rarity says as she wipes a tear from her eye. “I imagine you would like to try on your suit?” “Yes please,” Flash says with a half-grin. Rarity walks back over to the clothes rack and searches for his suit. “So what are you going to do about, well, you-know-who?” Rainbow asks, lowering her voice slightly on the last phrase. “Honestly, I don’t even know,” says Flash. “For right now, I’m just going to keep my distance. I’ve got a study hall lined up for first block this week, so that should help. Also, ‘you-know-who?’ Come on RD, you can say Sunset’s name, she’s not Voldemort.” “I think that’s a wise decision,” says Applejack. “Hopefully things will be a little less rough come prom this Friday.” “Here it is,” Rarity says in a sing-song tone. She comes over to the group with a Flash’s tuxedo in a suit bag. “I think you’ll love the color palette I picked out for you. You’re going to look so handsome come Friday.” Flash takes the suit from Rarity. “Thanks, Rare,” he says. “I’ll go try this on now.” Flash walks towards the exit, opens the door, and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him. A knocking is heard from the closet on the other side of the room. “Is it safe for me to come out yet?” Sunset shouts through the door. “You can come out of the closet now, Sunny,” Pinkie calls back. Fluttershy giggles at the phrasing. The closet door opens and Sunset stumbles out, taking in a few deep breaths. “Sweet Celestia, about time already, it was starting to get really stuffy in there,” she says as her friends go over to check on her. “Also, I heard everything that was said.” “That’s good,” says Twilight. “Now that the issue between the rest of us and Flash is fixed, focusing on you and him should be a lot easier now.” “I hope so, but we still need to plan carefully,” says Applejack. “Or else we might accidentally cause a forest fire if we fan the flames too hard.” “Wait, you’re actually going to help this time?” Rainbow Dash asks Applejack. “I thought you wanted to remain hands-off.” “I also said I will help if and only if Sunset asks for it,” says Applejack. “Anyway,” Rarity says ending Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s little spat. “AJ is right, we need to be meticulous in our planning if we want this to work.” “We better get started,” says Sunset. “We only have a few days before prom and we don’t have a time looper this time.” “Before we begin, this operation needs a name,” Pinkie says. “A name?” Fluttershy asks. “Oh totally,” says Rainbow Dash. “It needs to be some cool, like ‘Operation: Love Struck.’” “Ugggh. Is this really necessary?” Sunset asks, putting her hand to her head in exasperation. “Not really but it’s all in good fun,” says Rarity. “Oh, how about ‘Operation: Sun Beam.’” “‘Operation: Blossoming Romance?’” Applejack suggests. “Nah, that’s a dumb one.” “‘Operation: Turtle Doves?’” Fluttershy suggests. “That might work best if it was December,” says Rainbow. “Unfortunately it’s almost May.” “‘Operation: Solar Flare?’” Twilight suggests. “I got it,” cries Pinkie, “‘Operation: Peanut Butter Cup!’” The girls look at each other confused then look at Pinkie. “Peanut butter cup, really?” asks Rainbow Dash. “It makes sense when you think about it,” says Pinkie. “Peanut butter and chocolate are a perfect pair and Sunset and Flash also make a perfect pair.” “If this is happening anyway, I might as well have a say in it,” Sunset says. She raises her finger to her chin and ponders for a brief moment. “How about ‘Operation: Rekindling the Flames,’” she says. The girls look at each other and begin to nod in agreement. “That’s not a bad name at all,” says Twilight. “It perfectly sums up what we’re trying to do.” “I agree,” says Fluttershy. “I reckon it’ll work,” says Applejack. “So we’re all in agreement?” Sunset asks. The girls all nod their heads. “Alright, now that the naming convention is out of the way, let’s plan to meet tomorrow after school at Sugar Cube Corner to begin planning for this Friday.” “Excellent,” says Rarity. “And speaking of this Friday, Sunset, I want to show you your dress next.” Rarity leads Sunset into the dressing room and closes the door behind her. Author's Note As I'm currently writing this, chapter one of Rekindling has just hit 800 views. WOO! If it can get a thousand views by the end of the year, that would pretty amazing. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, only two more chapters remaining. In fact, both of these chapters will probably be released in the same week. As far as release dates go, I'm not sure but I'm aiming for some time between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Thank you guys so much for reading and for your patience. I know I promised to have this out before Thanksgiving, but I wanted to give my editors time to properly look over it. Thank you again for reading and I'll see you next time. Tops to you! Ch. 12: The Planning StageThe halls of Canterlot High are bustling with activity; sounds of students conversing fills the air and bodies are packed into the main foyer like sardines in a can. The time is 7:50, ten minutes before the first block begins. Flash squeezes his way through the crowd, trying to avoid stepping on toes or accidentally knocking someone over. He was hoping to get here earlier but a surplus of delivery trucks on their way to CHS were clogging the roads. A certain cross-eyed member of the prom planning committee forgot to spread out the delivery dates for the necessary materials and accidentally had them all delivered on the same day. The result is a drastic up-tick in traffic and the majority of the supplies being delivered sooner than they needed to be. Flash pushes his way towards the hallway entrance where the sardine pack ends. He pushes one arm between two students, then the other, and pulls the rest of himself out of the cluster. However, he doesn’t regain his footing after popping through and stumbles forward into Twilight. The two collide and fall to the ground, sending a slew of papers and books to the floor. Even Twilight’s glasses fall off. Twilight shakes her head and tries to make out who ran into her, but all she can see is a blur of electric blue. “Flash, is that you?” Twilight asks. Flash grabs her glass off the floor and gives them to her. She sees the embarrassed boy on the floor with her, sheepishly smiling. “Let me guess, you got trapped in that sardine can called a foyer didn’t you?” Flash nods in response. “Yeah, I was hoping to avoid the crowd this morning,” he says, “but my route from home was jammed with delivery trucks.” “Seems Pinkie forgot to tell Derpy to spread out the delivery dates,” Twilight says with a sigh as she begins picking up the mess around them. Flash also begins picking up the loose items. One by one, books, papers, and binders are picked up and returned to their respective owners. Flash picks up a large and heavy binder, his curiosity peaks at what’s written on the cover. “What is this?” he asks Twilight. She turns around to face him and sees what he’s holding, her eyes widen in distress. The front of the binder has a piece of printer paper inside the cover with “Operation Planner” printed out in big bold letters and Arial font. Flash begins to open the binder but before he can see what’s inside, Twilight snatches it away from him and hugs it tight to her chest. She quickly tries to think of a lie. “It’s, um, myyyyy senior project!” Twilight blurts out. “Yes, it’s my senior project for AP Physics, I mean Biology, I mean Chemistry!” Flash is a little confused and taken back by her actions, his brain tries to wrap around what just happened. “Wait a minute, I thought you already took Chemistry?” he asks. “When you were at Crystal Prep?” Twilight scrambles through her mind to recoup her lie. “I’m taking it again, for fun!” Twilight is so nervous now that her voice is well beyond acceptable tones for an indoor setting. A few students walk by giving weird side looks but then move on when they see it’s Twilight panicking again. Flash quizzically stares at her for a brief second before he shrugs and says, “Well I guess that makes sense.” He briefly looks at his watch and realizes it’s 7:53. “Ah crud,” he exclaims and begins to gather up what’s left of his things on the floor. “I gotta go, I’m supposed to meet Mr. Turner.” Once all his materials are gathered, he dashes down the hall, shouting back to Twilight, “I’ll see you later!” Twilight waves goodbye to him as he runs. Twilight pulls her binder away from her chest, gets a good look at it and lets out a sigh of relief. “That was a close one,” she says to herself. “What was?” Pinkie Pie jumps up from behind Twilight, giving her quite a startle and causing her to drop the binder again. She turns around and gives Pinkie a stern look, but she just looks back with her cheery smile. Rarity, Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, and Fluttershy sit at their usual table for lunch. While they wait for the rest of the gang, they ponder over a notebook in front of Rarity. “Are you certain something like that will work?” Rarity asks Applejack. “Eh, not entirely,” Applejack responds. “Big Mac really needed our parents' tree in order to seal the deal. I don’t suppose you have something like that, Sunset?” “Two massive trees intertwined together, symbolizing unity despite a long-standing family feud,” Sunset answers in a sarcastic tone, “I may have to double-check my apartment size.” “Scratch that off the list then,” Rarity says as she scribbles out the listed item. The list she holds contains ideas for the gang’s operation to get Sunset and Flash back together. Roughly twenty items have been scribbled out, leaving only two items left to revisit this afternoon. The girls try to press their brains for other possibilities to explore. “Well I’m spent,” Fluttershy admits, “I don’t think I have any more ideas to share.” “My thoughts are the same,” Applejack says. “What have we got so far?” Rarity reads off the two items that weren't scribbled out. “We have the duck pond and prom itself, both in my opinion are long shots but are also the most feasible. It’s not a lot but it might be enough to get a conversation started this afternoon.” With that said, Rarity closes the notebook, sets it aside, and proceeds to eat her lunch, as do the rest of the girls. “I’m not sure I’m satisfied with either of those options,” Sunset says rubbing her temple. “Revisiting that duck pond wouldn’t be appropriate, especially since it hasn’t been a week since the incident yet. As for prom, it seems the more plausible scenario but unless it’s executed perfectly, it could make that night awkward for everyone.” “Well, do you have any more ideas to share?” Rarity asks. Sunset lets out a defeatist sigh and leans back in her chair. “I don’t,” she says. “Sunset,” Fluttershy says, “did Princess Twilight have any advice on what to do when you went to visit her?” “As far as planning goes, not really,” says Sunset. “It was really more of a confidence booster if anything.” Applejack takes a big bite into a green apple. “Ya sure that’s all she gave ya?” she says while she chews. Rarity gives her a scornful look for her bad manners. “Pretty much,” Sunset admits. “Our meeting might have pushed me to finally face my fears but she didn’t really offer much in the way of solutions.” Suddenly a large thud lands on the table, causing the four girls to jump in their seats. They look over at the source and see Twilight standing behind her seat and over a large binder, the operations planner she dropped this morning. Their eyes glance between Twilight and the binder, bewildered by the size of it. “Oh, my,” Fluttershy says, “Twilight, what is that?” “This is the solution to our problem!” Twilight declares, shooting her hands into the air. “Good heavens Twilight, when did you put this together? It’s enormous!” Rarity exclaims, gawking at the sheer thickness of the binder. “I’ve been working on this all night,” she eagerly answers. “I just couldn’t wait until this afternoon to start scheming. Here, take a look!” Twilight pushes the binder towards the girls. Her body tenses up with excitement. Sunset turns the binder so they can all see and opens it up. The plan includes a day by day layout, including today, and ending with prom on Friday. It includes schedules, roles, maps, objectives, and fallbacks. It is designed with the planning expertise of a modern military. As the girls flip through it, they are more impressed with each passing page. When they reach the end, they all look at Twilight. “Golly Twi,” Applejack says, “it seems you thought of everything in this book.” “Yeah, it’s hard to believe that you came up with this just last night,” says Sunset. “I know,” says Twilight, “my mind was racing with scenarios and ideas after our fitting yesterday. I ran the numbers and considered every possible factor, I believe that this plan, if we follow it to the letter, could work on getting Sunset and Flash back together.” The girls exchange looks with each other. “I know we’re supposed to have our meeting this afternoon,” Fluttershy speaks up. “But I think Twilight’s plan is our best option. Though I’m sure something will happen that’s not covered...” “Try to be optimistic, darling,” says Rarity, “Anyway I agree that there's no point in planning what’s already been planned.” “They say no plan survives contact with the enemy,” says Applejack, “But I reckon this’ll last long as it needs to.” “Nooot sure about the war metaphors,” says Sunset, “But the rest looks good.” “Then it’s settled,” says Rarity, “Twilight dear, put your plan into action.” “Wait a minute, what about Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy interrupts. “Shouldn’t they be included in this decision?” “I already shared my plan with Pinkie Pie this morning,” says Twilight, “and she also thought that we should use my plan. As for Rainbow, I was hoping she would be here with the rest of the group so I could share it with everyone.” “Speaking of which, where are those two? They’re usually here by now,” says Sunset. “They’re still in Ms. Cheerilee’s classroom,” Twilight says in a slightly annoyed tone. “They’re spending their lunch period cleaning up after an incident involving bubble gum and silly string.” The other four girls exchange looks of confusion, each wondering if they should continue down this rabbit hole. “I think I can handle telling Rainbow about our decision; we share shop for our fourth block,” says Applejack. “It shouldn’t be too hard to convince her to go along.” “Well then, now that it seems we will all be in agreement,” says Rarity, “Twilight, what is the first step of your master plan?” Twilight pushes her glasses up, grabs the book, and flips the pages to the first objective of the plan. “Our first priority is ‘codeword: amending fences.’ Sunset,” Twilight says, grabbing Sunset Shimmer’s full attention, “in order for this plan to work, you need to apologize to Flash for what happened last Friday. Now I know you’re probably not looking forward to doing this, so I prepared some lines for you to say--” “I’ll do it,” Sunset says eagerly, interrupting Twilight. The entire table stares at Sunset, surprised with her confidence. She recognizes their gazes and begins to speak, “I get that you are expecting me to be hesitant but I can’t afford to be. The only way I’m going to get over my fear of myself, or my past self, is facing it head-on. He has PE during fourth block, I can meet him right outside the track and soccer field.” “That’s actually what I have written in here,” says Twilight. “Soarin is going to make sure you two meet, just in case Mr. Doodle keeps us in class after the bell rings. Once we get over this hurdle, we can still meet at Sugar Cube Corner and go over the rest of the operation.” “Sounds like a plan,” says Applejack. The bell signalling the end of lunch rings. The girls quickly finish their meals and make their way towards the exit of the cafeteria. After they depart on their separate ways, Sunset begins to ponder about this afternoon. Alright, I have three hours to think of a proper apology to the boy whose heart I broke a second time. No pressure. “Uggh,” she groans out loud, resting her head on a nearby locker, “This is going to make Celestia’s Enchanted Herbology class seem like magic kindergarten.” Muffins walks by and looks at her curiously, then pats her back reassuringly. Author's Note I'm back y'all! It really has been a while since I updated this story. There are many reasons why it's been so long. I had my final semester of college (which was a 19 credit hour semester), COVID-19 threw a lot of my life into chaos, and I was still getting through a massive writer's block. But now I'm back and I'm writing new chapters for this story, and I'm going to make sure it's completed. I thank you guys for your patience, I know there's been some frustration with my absence and the lack of communication, but I hope that y'all enjoyed the chapter. Tops to you! Ch. 13: ConfessionSunset Shimmer waits in the parking lot outside of the track and soccer field. Any minute now, Flash and Soarin will walk out of the locker room. She rubs her hands nervously; she knows that she needs to make up with Flash but she doesn’t know what to say. A number of concerns race through her mind. It’s only been a few days since the incident; how will he take her apology? Will he come away from this confused or angry? Sunset feels her stomach churn and beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Recognizing this, she takes a deep breath, holds it for a few seconds, and lets it out. Alright Sunset, she thinks to herself, steady your nerves. You can do this. You faced down greater challenges before. Her words of reassurance ease the tension. She takes one more deep breath and walks over to the locker room building. When she steps onto the sidewalk, the door to the boys locker room opens. Flash and Soarin walk out laughing, wrapped up in their conversation. “And so, Rainbow puts her gum on Pinkie’s silly string shooter,” Soarin says, “A big bubble expands from the gas in the can, it explodes, and silly string and gum goes everywhere!” Flash lets out a big laugh, “Oh man, I bet Mrs. Cheerilee was not happy.” “Oh, she was pissed,” Soarin says through his laughter. “I didn’t think I’d ever see a teacher angrier than Coach Spitfire.” Soarin looks over briefly and sees Sunset standing there waiting for them. “Anyway man, I gotta go. I’ll catch you later.” He gives Flash a friendly punch on the arm and hurries away. He walks past Sunset and gives her a reassuring nod. Flash waves goodbye to Soarin before noticing Sunset standing there. The two stare at each other. An awkward silence fills the six feet between them. Flash is surprised to see her here; he didn’t expect to see her at all this week, figuring she would want to avoid him as well. Yet, here she stands. Why did she seek him out? That could only be the reason why she came here since her motorcycle is parked nowhere near the soccer field. Flash doesn’t know what to say; he just stands there, staring at her in confusion. Sunset takes a few steps forward to shorten the distance between them. She stands right in front of Flash, leaving only a foot between them. Flash retains his confused expression as he looks down at her. Sunset briefly closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before speaking. “Hey Flash. I guess you didn’t expect to see me here?” she says nervously. Flash shakes himself out of his confused state and responds. “Oh, um, yeah no, I really didn’t,” he says, fumbling his words and fidgeting. “I didn’t really expect to see you at all this week. Figured you’d want to avoid me.” Sunset looks away and rubs the back of her neck; regret appears on her face. “Yeah, a part of me wanted to avoid you this week,” she says. Then she looks back up at him. “But I actually came here to apologize to you, about last Friday night.” “You want to apologize? To me?” Flash asks, perplexed. “Yes, I do,” Sunset responds. “I treated you horribly that night. I messed with your feelings, again, and I left you alone in the park. I didn’t even give you a chance to stop me and find out why.” Her voice becomes more rapid and a little distraught. As she talks, Flash places his hand on her shoulder. The act catches Sunset by surprise, but it also brings a familiar feeling of ease, one she has not experienced with anyone else. “Sunset, you don’t have to apologize for anything,” he says with a sympathetic smile. “I understood what you were trying to say that evening.” Sunset gives him a puzzled look. Before he continues, he takes his hand off and shifts the straps of his backpack. “I pushed a little too hard that night, and that’s my fault. I did hope that something could happen between us again, errr... romantic stuff, but that night I got my answer. If you don’t want to be a serious couple, that’s... that’s fine with me, but I still want to be friends and I hope that evening doesn’t put a damper on our friendship. I’ll see you later.” Flash walks past Sunset and begins making his way to his car. Sunset stands there for a brief moment, but for her, it seems as though time suddenly stops. Oh wow, nothing in Twilight’s plan said anything about this conversation doing a one-eighty, she thinks. I’m going to have to go off rails here to save this situation. Hopefully Twilight won’t be *too* mad I went rogue. Sunset turns and calls out to Flash, “Wait!” Flash stops and looks back. Sunset rushes to him and says, “You got it all wrong, that’s not what I was trying to say that night.” Flash looks at her, perplexed. “Um, okay, what were you trying to say that night?” “The truth is, Flash, I do want there to be something between us again,” Sunset confesses. “But I never realized how much I wanted it until that night.” Sunset holds one arm with the other and looks down. “And it freaked me out because a part of me was still afraid that if we got back together I’d end up hurting you again.” Flash is taken back by her confession. On the one hand he was pleased that she also feels the same way she does, but on the other he doesn’t know how to process this sudden turnaround. Not to mention, this amounted to a love confession. “Um, wow, o-okay,” he finally says. Sunset takes both of her hands and grabs his, holding them up between them at chest level. “Look, I know this is confusing and sudden, but know that I do have strong feelings for you,” she says. “However, before I can agree to anything, I need some time to think things over, alright?” “Yeah... yeah, for sure!” Flash says, his heart racing, “Take as much time as you need!” Sunset’s face lights up with a lovely smile. “Thank you,” she says, gratefully. Without even thinking, Sunset quickly pecks Flash on the left cheek. Flash’s eyes become wide open and his cheeks blush bright red. Sunset blushes back and smiles, “Just so you know I’m being serious. I’ll see you later Flash.” Sunset walks off, leaving behind Flash, who is rubbing his cheek in stunned silence. After a minute, Flash pulls out his phone and dials Soarin’s number. The line rings for a few seconds then Soarin picks up. “Hey it’s me,” says Flash. “Could you meet me at my house? I’ve got something important to tell you.” “You’ve got to be kidding me! Are you serious?” Soarin exclaims. He had hurried over to Flash’s house and they are up in Flash’s room. Flash is leaning up against his desk and Soarin is sitting on the edge of the bed. Flash has just finished telling Soarin what happened out in the parking lot. Soarin may be in on the plot with the girls to get Flash and Sunset back together, but he did not expect Sunset to go *this* far. He was expecting her to just apologize but to actually confess her feelings and finish it off with a kiss, even if it wasn’t on the lips, was really unexpected. However, he can’t let Flash know what he’s in on. “I’m being serious with you man,” says Flash. “I could hardly believe it myself.” “Well, did you say anything?” Soarin asks. “I just agreed to give her the time she needs to figure things out. After that, to show me she was serious, she kissed me on the cheek.” Flash nervously chuckles a little, “I was pretty much frozen with disbelief after that.” “Dang man,” Soarin says as he leans back on the bed, his hands supporting him. “Hard to believe she turned around so quickly.” “I don’t think it was a turn around,” Flash admits. “She said she always felt this way about me. I guess she’s just now coming to terms with her feelings.” Soarin pushes himself off the bed and stands up. “So, what do you plan to do?” “Like I said, she needs time to figure things out, so I’m just going to wait until she’s ready,” Flash says as he walks Soarin to the bedroom door. “But I’ve got a good feeling it’s going to work out.” Flash opens the door, and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom fall into his room from leaning up against the door. “Scootaloo!?” The three girls look up at Flash and Soarin. “Oh, um, hey big bro,” Scootaloo says nervously. “We were just...um…” “Making sure your door worked,” Sweetie Belle says rapidly. “Looks like it does, time to go check the others.” Sweetie Belle grabs Apple Bloom’s and Scootaloo’s arm and pulls them out of the room. Before they’re out of sight, Apple Bloom quickly turns around and asks, “Oh Soarin, when are you gonna to tell my sister that you like her?” “What?!” Soarin says. “APPLE BLOOM!” shout Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle as they pull her away. Soarin, unsure how to respond, stares into the blank space where Applebloom stood. His cheeks blush bright red from embarrassment. Flash laughs as his friend is the one uncomfortable for a change. Soarin looks over at his friend, his embarrassment still intact. “H-How did she know?” he asks, mortified. Flash collects himself and wipes a tear from his eye. “I might have told Scootaloo when a rumor surfaced that you like Applejack.” Soarin grabs Flash by both shoulders and shakes him saying, “Why would you tell her something like!?” “Dude, calm down!” Flash says, pushing him away. “She was bugging me about it. I told her to make her go away. You would too if you had a little sister obsessed with shipping.” Soarin puts his face in his hands and begins to groan in despair. Flash, though amused by his friend’s embarrassment, he walks to his side and wraps his arm around his shoulders. “How many more people know?” Soarin asks, looking up towards his friend. Flash shrugs, which doesn’t provide any encouragement for Soarin, who places his face back into his hands. “Hey don’t knock yourself down about it,” Flash says. “So what if Applejack might know? If you just tell her how you really feel, I can assure you that your love confession won’t be as bad mine was.” Soarin pushes Flash’s arm off his shoulders and steps away. “Oh sure, easy for you to say!” he says, throwing his hands up in the air. He turns around and points at Flash, “You’re already guaranteed to have a girlfriend by Friday!” Flash looks at him quizzically. “‘Guaranteed?’ I said I have a good feeling that Sunset would want to go steady, I never said it was a sure thing to happen. And what do you mean ‘by Friday?’” Soarin’s eyes widen and his mouth tightens up, like a child who said a foul word to their parent. Soarin tries to respond but he fumbles trying to find a good answer. “Soarin, what’s going on?” Flash steps forward, trying to press his friend for information. Soarin grows more nervous, beads of sweat form on his forehead, his eyes dart from side to side. Backed into a figurative corner, Soarin attempts to make an escape. “Oh jeez! Look at the time, I’ve gotta go, see ya!” Soarin rapidly says as he tries to leave the room, but he’s too slow for Flash. He grabs Soarin by the sleeve of his t-shirt and slings him back into the room. Flash closes the door and locks the door. Flash stands in front of the door. He turns to Soarin, crosses his arms, and sternly glares at him. “I’m not letting you leave until I find out what’s going on,” Flash says. “Twilight was acting very suspicious this morning, Sunset just happened to meet me in the parking lot right after my fourth block, and now you’re acting like you have something to hide from me. Soarin, I’m your best friend, we’ve been together since kindergarten. You’ve got two options: either tell me now and you can leave or don’t and remain here until you do? What’s it gonna be?” Soarin ponders for a moment; neither option is desirable. If he tells him the plan, it could ruin the entire operation. He remembers the last time the girls worked behind his back; it didn’t end well. If he remains silent though, who knows how long he will remain locked in this room, and he can already feel his stomach begin to grumble. He could also lie, but that idea doesn’t sit well with him. Between a rock and a hard place, he makes his decision. Author's Note We're going to be heading into the home stretch here soon people. Only two more chapters are planned and then the story will finally be complete. I know it's taken a while for us to get to this point and I want to thank y'all for being patient with me. Chapter 14 will likely take me a little longer for two reasons. It's likely going to be the longest chapter of the story, longer than Chapter 11. There's going to be a lot going on that I'm not sure I want to separate them into multiple chapters. Though that may change, I'm not entirely sure just yet. The next reason is I'm going to be working on the next chapter for my other story, Secrets of the Past. While this story is coming to an end, that story is just beginning. If you are looking for a story that's a bit darker and isn't a romance, you should check it out. The story is my take on "what if Sombra won during the Season 3 premiere," and I've always wanted to do a story like this. Be sure to check it out if you're looking for something a little different. Thank you guys very much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Be sure to check out Secrets of the Past, and I'll see you next time. Tops to you! Ch. 14: Close CallSunset finds herself behind CHS, near the rear parking lot. She doesn’t know how she got there nor why she’s there. She looks around to see if anyone else is around but sees no one. She tries to move but is stuck in place by some sort of force. She tries calling for help several times but no one answers. Is this another form of Equestrian magic? Why can’t she move? Before she calls for help again, Sunset hears voices from around the corner. She tries to get their attention but there is no response. She hears them getting closer, they’ll be able to see her if they can’t hear her. From around the corner comes Flash and... herself? Sunset is perplexed at the scene displaying before her. Why is there a doppelganger of her with Flash? “What do you want this time, Flash?” Sunset 2 says with an annoyed and disinterested tone. “I’ve got more important things to deal with.” Flash stops and turns around to face her, he crosses his arms and scowls her. Sunset 2 notices his demeanor but isn’t phased by it, it seems she’s grown used to this kind of behavior. She rolls her eyes and says, “Ugh, what?” “What the hell is wrong with you?” Flash says scornfully, disgust tinting his voice. Sunset 1, still stuck in place and unnoticed by Flash and the doppelganger, realizes the scene playing before her is the same one she dreamt about a few days ago, only from a different angle this time. Sunset 2, unamused by his attitude, inspects her fingernails and says, with a smirk, “Nothing really, I’m practically perfect in every way.” “I heard about what you did at the Fall Formal!” Flash continues, the volume of his voice escalating. “You’re going to have to be a bit more specific, sweetie,” Sunset says, her head tilted towards the ground but her eyes looking up at him. “The threats of blackmail, manipulating voters, tampering with the final vote, and for what?” he shouts. “Just to win some stupid crown!” Sunset 2, still unphased by his anger, steps closer to him and caresses his cheek while feigning pity. “Oh honey,” she says, “that crown means a lot more at this school than you think it does.” Flash slaps away her hand, “That’s a bunch of bull,” he says with a scowl. He takes a few steps past her, stops, and says, “You know what tops all of this? I realized what I am to you.” Sunset 2 turns around and crosses her arms, “And what is that?” “I’m your tool,” he says but doesn’t face her. “An accessory to make you popular. You used me and my reputation to make yourself the top dog of the school. I doubt I was ever really your boyfriend.” A tinge of sadness and betrayal is heard in his voice. Sunset 2 retains her cross composure but her face changes from annoyed to suspicious. Before she says anything, she contemplates her next move. Her expression and composure soften into something more sympathetic. She slowly walks towards him and wraps her arms around his torso. She leans the side of her head up against his back and nuzzles her cheek into his jacket, trying to provoke a romantic reaction. “Of course you’re my boyfriend,” she says in a deceivingly comforting tone. “Don’t listen to what the other kids say, I’m all that you need.” As Sunset 1 watches this scene, a shiver crawls up her spine. She always knew she treated Flash differently than the other students, but to see it for herself… Disgust and discomfort churn inside her as, stuck in place, she watches her old self manipulate Flash. Sunset 2’s deception doesn’t fool Flash, however. He pulls her arms off, steps forward, and turns around to face her, pointing his finger at her. “Enough of your lies!” he shouts. “I thought we were friends, Sunset. I thought we could have something more together. I loved you and I thought you did too, but I guess I was wrong. I don’t know if you’ve changed or if you were always like this, and I just failed to notice. I’m done, I’m done with the lies, with the manipulation… and with you.” The second Sunset takes a step back, she’s not used to being confronted like this, especially not with Flash. “Wh-what are you saying?” “We’re through, Sunset!” he shouts, loud enough that the entire school could probably hear it. Flash takes a deep breath to calm himself. “Go find yourself a new boy toy.” He turns around and walks away from her. Sunset doesn’t know how to respond. Flash just walked away from her, ending a two-year-long relationship. A few tears begin to well up in her eyes, the sting of a broken heart takes over her. Flash, her first friend, now her ex... no, her enemy. She clenches her hands into fists. The sadness she feels is suddenly replaced with anger, resentment, and bitterness. “Fine, go! I never needed you in the first place!” she shouts as he walks, tears falling down her cheeks. “You just wait and see what your life is like without me!” As Sunset 2 yells, Sunset 1 closes her eyes and looks away, trying not to witness the remainder of the scene. Having confronted this dark scene from her past, immense shame washes over her and a familiar fear begins to crawl its way into her. Fear of reliving the past, of resurfacing a pain brought on the both of them. It slowly begins to take over, like ink spreading through clear water As the fear creeps over her, a voice speaks to her in a deep, echoing tone. “After all the pain you’ve caused, you still go after him. How love can make us foolish.” Remembering her trip to Equestria, what Flash told her about facing her fear. She lifts her head and confronts the voice. “I’m no longer that person,” she calls out. “I’ve changed drastically since then.” The voice chuckles. “Oh please, we both know that’s a lie.” “It is not, I’ve made my atonement with my friends, the school, and Flash. I’ve begun anew with everyone else in my life, why shouldn’t I begin again with Flash?” “Have you already forgotten the scene that played before you?” the voice asks, frustration growing in its tone. “Have you forgotten the misery you caused him when you were together?” “I will never forget what I did to him,” Sunset says with regret. “But it doesn’t matter; if I have to face my past every day, for the rest of my life, just so I can be with him, then so be it. I deserve a chance to start over.” The voice snickers, “Such ambition, but it won’t make a difference. This isn’t one of your silly games, there is no ‘starting over.’ You can’t change the past.” “Maybe not, but I can still learn from it,” she says. “We both can learn from our past, move on, and grow together.” “Learn all you want,” the voice mocks from behind her. A clawed hand crawls onto Sunset’s shoulder, “You can never escape who you truly are. You are just one slip away from becoming me!” The hand spins her around to face the being before her: Demon Shimmer. Sunset freezes in fear of the monstrosity before her. The creature flares a Grinch-like smile. Sunset jolts up from her bed, breathing rapidly, her heart pounding a million miles a second. She rapidly looks around the room, hoping she’s back to reality. Though it’s hard to tell in the early morning light, relief washes over her when she realizes she’s back in her loft. She rubs her hands through her hair and holds them behind her head. She breathes in, holds for three seconds, and lets it out, she repeats the process two more times. “What the hell was that dream?” she mutters to herself after calming down. She turns her head to the right to look at her digital alarm clock, it reads 6:15 AM. “Might as well start the day now,” she says with a tired groan. Sunset pulls the covers off and proceeds with her morning routine. She tries to keep the dream off her thoughts but it doesn’t go away. The words that were spoken to her keep repeating over and over. Sunset goes into the bathroom and begins her shower. As she lets the warm water pour over her body, the first phrase her other self said returns to her. Is she really being a fool for pursuing Flash again? She doesn’t deny in the slightest that she has hurt him in the past, but that was a different time, a different Sunset. This time, it won’t be the same anymore. She genuinely cares for him now, one could say she’s in love with him. But are her feelings blinding her from the potential damage she could cause or are they another example of her changed nature? Once she exits the shower and gets dressed, Sunset goes to the kitchen and prepares some eggs and toast. Is she being honest with herself at this moment, or is she justifying another falsehood? It’s not like she hasn’t lied to herself before. She knows she’s changed: she’s no longer the cruel girl she once was. There’s no way this could be a lie; too much has happened for it to be one, right? When she finishes breakfast, she grabs her backpack and helmet and goes down to the street to get on her motorcycle. If she has changed for the better, is she one slip away from falling back into her old self? There’s no way she could fall back into wickedness. Then again, she’s seen others fall into the same trap for different reasons: Twilight to learn more about magic, Gloriosa to save her camp, Wallflower to make a point… There were many examples, and the motive was always different. Is she just as vulnerable? Sunset pulls up to the school and parks her bike in the east parking lot. She doesn’t get off, not yet. She takes off her helmet, shakes her hair out, and leans up against the handlebars. She thinks about what her demonic self said right before she woke up. ‘You’re one slip away.’ “Don’t let her scare you, Sunset,”she says softly to herself. I’m not going to let her get to me, she thinks, I don’t care what she says, I’m a better person now. I won’t hurt Flash because I won’t treat him the same way again. “Sunset!” someone yells out to her. She breaks from her thoughts to find the source of the voice. She looks to her left and sees Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Twilight, and Soarin running towards her. Hearing the urgency in Rainbow Dash’s voice, Sunset gets off her bike and runs to meet them halfway. “What’s going on?” she asks when they meet up with each other. The four students form a loose semi-circle facing Sunset. “We… have... a problem,” Soarin says as he catches his breath. “Flash knows we’re up to something,” Twilight says rapidly. “What are you talking about?” Sunset asks. Soarin takes a deep breath and says, “The operation. Flash confronted me yesterday after I slipped up and said something that gave it away. He kept me from leaving his house until I told him what was going on.” “And did you?” Sunset asks. “Thankfully, he didn’t,” Rainbow interjects. “He texted me what was happening and I dashed over to Flash’s house to get Soarin out of there.” “We got lucky this time,” Applejack says. “But I reckon we won’t get another chance like that again.” “But that doesn’t mean we’re out of the danger zone,” Twilight says. She turns to Soarin, “You’ve got to get him off the scent, Soarin. No matter how difficult it may be.” “I know, Twilight, I know,” Soarin says. “I won’t make the same mistake twice. Flash won’t know about anything.” “But is it so bad if he finds out?” Sunset asks, prompting curious looks from the others. “I mean, what we’re doing is for the benefit of the both of us, right? Would it be so bad if he knows?” “If we were operating under normal circumstances, sure, it wouldn’t be the end of the world,” Twilight explains. “But we’re not,” says Rainbow Dash. “We overstepped our boundaries with Flash last time, and just look at what happened after that.” “It’s best to play this whole thing safe and quiet,” says Applejack. “If he finds out about this whole operation, I’m not sure he’ll be as forgivin’.” “He won’t,” Soarin says, decisively. “I’ve known him the longest and I can tell you that Flash may be a good guy but he’s not a fool. He might have barely forgiven you girls after what happened last Friday, but he’s going to be a lot less forgiving if he thinks we’re meddling again. If you defend your case and explain yourselves well enough, you might be able to win him over, but he’s likely to think you’re overstepping boundaries again. Sunset and I probably have a better defense for our actions: me being his best friend since kindergarten, and Sunset, well, what she said yesterday might as well have given her immunity.” The three girls look at Sunset with bewildered looks and tilted heads. “What’s he talking about, Sunset?” Twilight asks. Sunset, uncomfortably, rubs the back of her neck and looks off to the side, color rising to her cheeks. “I might have,” Sunset covers her mouth and mumbles, “told him how I felt.” “What was that?” Applejack asks. “I told him how I felt!” Sunset blurts out, throwing her hands up in the air. Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s eyes widen slightly and exchanged concerned looks. Twilight, on the other hand, looks as though she’s witnessing a shocking tragedy play out before her. “That’s not all you did,” Soarin adds. They all look Soarin, who turns his head to the side and taps his cheek with his index finger. Sunset purses her lips and glares at Soarin like an aggravated parent. The other three girls are confused for a second, then they realize what he’s implying. Twilight’s mouth and eyes are wide opened in shock and horror, fearing that her beautifully crafted plan is falling before her eyes. She turns to face Sunset, holding her expression, and shouts with horrific intensity. “Sunset!” “Well, um,” Applejack clears her throat, “things sure seem to be speedin’ up.” “I agree, and that’s me saying that,” Rainbow Dash says, pointing to herself. “Why would you tell him that!?” Twilight exclaims, looking as if she’s on the verge of a heart attack. “Okay, first of all,” Sunset points at Soarin, “that’s enough out of you. Second, I was improvising. I was worried he was going to walk away thinking something else, and telling him how I feel was the first thing that popped into my mind. But I told him I need a few days to figure things out before I can give him a definitive answer. And yes, I kissed him on the cheek to show that I was being serious. Any of you would’ve done the same thing in my position.” “Nooope,” Soarin says, holding up his hands. “No, I wouldn’t.” Sunset rolls her eyes at him. Twilight takes off her glasses and rubs her eyes with her thumb and index finger. She lets out a frustrated sigh, “Just so I understand, you essentially gave him a love confession but said that you need a few days to figure things out first, correct?” “Well, I’m... not sure I would say it was a ‘love confession,’” Sunset says, shifting her feet in discomfort. Soarin smirks and snorts in disagreement, having heard what Flash told him. Sunset glares and points at him, “Shut up.” “Just answer the question please,” Twilight bluntly requests. “Is that more or less what you told him, yes or no?” Sunset hesitates a moment, then nods. Twilight puts her glasses back on and takes a deep sigh to calm herself. “Alright, I think we can still work with this. He knows you need to think it over, which will give us time to work through the rest of the plan. In the future, Sunset, try to keep the improvising to a minimum. And Soarin, you really need to make sure that Flash doesn’t catch wind of what’s going on.” “You got it. Speaking of which,” Soarin trails off as he pulls back his left jacket sleeve to look at his watch. “Flash’s going to be here any minute, I better go meet him.” He begins to run off towards the north-facing side of the school. As he leaves, he shouts, “I’ll see you guys later! See ya Applejack!” The four girls wave goodbye to Soarin, only Applejack is the one to shout back, “You take care now, sugarcube!” Sunset and Rainbow Dash are caught by surprise at what she said and give her curious looks. When Applejack turns back to face them, she’s confused by their expressions. “What? Is there something in my teeth?” “No, your teeth are fine,” Sunset says. “It’s just, since when have you called anyone outside of close friends and family ‘sugarcube?’” “Yeah, I didn’t even know Soarin was, I don’t know, ‘worthy’ enough to be called that,” Rainbow says with air quotes around “worthy.” “Well, um,” Applejack’s cheeks blush slightly pink, her eyes darting side to side. “I consider Soarin to be a close friend.” Sunset, intrigued, gives her friend a sly look, but Rainbow Dash looks at her with concerned suspicion. “And I-I-I’ve called plenty of people ‘sugarcube,’ not just close friends and family.” Her defense would’ve been more believable if her cheeks retained their normal color, but they become pinker by the second. “Let’s move on to the task at hand,” Twilight says, whipping her backpack around, unzipping the main pocket, and pulling out the binder. “Having avoided two crises, we should move onto phase two this afternoon, after school.” “Remind me what phase two is?” Applejack says, trying to get the attention away from her. Twilight opens up the binder and flips through a few pages. She stops on the targeted spot and holds it out for her friends to see. The top of the page has the words “Phase Two: Footloose” in 16 point, underlined, Arial font. “Since Prom this Friday is a crucial part of this operation, and the couples’ dance is one of the biggest events that night, you need to learn how to dance.” “I already know how to dance,” Sunset protests. “But do you know how to dance with a partner?” Twilight asks. “Fair enough,” Sunset concedes. “But prom is in three days, who’s going to teach me to be a master dancer by then?” “I will,” Rainbow says. Sunset gives her a look of surprise; she wasn’t expecting Rainbow Dash of all people to be her dance instructor. Rainbow Dash shrugs. “Coach Spitfire has the soccer team take dance lessons to improve our foot coordination. I know enough to teach you the basics, at least. We’ll cover the details after school.” The first bell of the day rings. The girls wish each other a good day and split off into pairs. Rainbow and Twilight, who share first block, dash off to the north side of CHS. Sunset and Applejack go into the east entryway, their first block is in the same hall but separate classrooms. As they walk, Sunset gives Applejack a playful nudge and an expression of intrigue. “So, Soarin huh?” she teases. Applejack’s back straightens up. “Nothing is goin’ on between us!” Applejack blurts out. “We’re just close friends, nothing more.” “I tried that same defense with you girls and didn’t work out,” Sunset remarks. “Look, there’s nothing to be ashamed about liking Soarin, he’s a sweet guy.” “I know he is, I’ve had a slight crush on him for a while,” Applejack admits as she relaxes. Sunset walks in front of Applejack and turns to face her with a look of surprise. “Hold up, since when?” she asks, holding her hands up in front of her. Applejack strokes the strand of hair hanging over her left ear, her cheeks turning pink again. “Since the Fall Festival last year,” she says. “He kept coming up to our table for a slice of pie, every time he did, we would talk together. Every conversation was a new topic: my country life, the family business, me, it was very sweet.” A small smile appears as she remembers that day. Sunset walks back around to Applejack’s side and they continue their walk down the hall. “Sounds like a creep who wants to study you,” Sunset jokes. Applejack snorts and shakes her head. “He wasn’t,” she says. “I could tell he genuinely wanted to learn more about me. I found it rather surprising that someone outside of my friends and family wanted to give me their attention. It felt weird but also nice to be on the receiving end of that type of kindness. The boy had me feeling kind of helpless afterward.” “Well, what’s keeping you from telling him how you feel?” Sunset asks. “It seems evident that you like, and I’m willing to bet he likes you as well. There’s nothing wrong in wanting to form a closer bond.” “I know, I know, look can we talk about this another time?” Applejack says, appearing wanting to avoid the latter topic. As they approach Applejack’s first block classroom, they stop right outside the door. “Sure, but before I go, could you tell me just one more thing you like about him?” Sunset teasingly asks. “A characteristic, a good deed he did, maybe a physical quality?” Applejack looks off to side briefly, then turns back with a gleeful smirk. She motions her hand to bring Sunset in closer and says in a low voice, “He’s got a cute butt.” Sunset’s jaw drops and gasps with laughter. She playfully pushes her friend's shoulder. They both wish each other a good day and go off to their respective classes. Author's Note If you follow my channel and see the blogs then you already know what's going on. If not, then here's a quick update. Instead of two long chapters to bring the story to a close, I've decided to break it up into multiple chapters. For a few reasons: 1) these smaller chapters give me time to develop characters and plotlines more thoroughly rather than rush it with two long chapters. 2) it allows me to release chapters more regularly rather than having you guys wait like a month, and it helps me avoid severe writers' block. 3) I didn't want to be mean to my editors and drop a 7,000, or so, word chapter for them to proofread, they're already helping me a lot and I believe dropping that kind of workload on them would be disrespectful and unappreciative of the time they volunteered to help me. So, rather than just two chapters to wrap this thing up, it's looking to be at least 4 or 5 chapters. My best guess is the total chapter count will be 20, but that's just a guess. Either way, I'm going to keep writing until I believe that I've reached a satisfying conclusion. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I will see you in chapter 15. Tops to you! Ch. 15: HelplessThe final bell for the day rings throughout the school. On the west end, Rainbow Dash is the first to exit her fourth block shop class. While she usually enjoys the class, today she was more than eager to get out. Not because the topic for the day was boring, but because she shares the class with Applejack. Normally this is never a problem; in fact, the two get along more than well in shop. With Applejack’s construction experience from working on the farm and Rainbow Dash’s adept ability for kinetic learning, they have built some of the best products of the class. Give them an assignment and they will work together like a well-oiled machine. Today, though, was a different story. After what happened this morning, she realized that they had something else in common besides shop. To Rainbow Dash, Soarin was the only male student in all of Canterlot High that she considered an equal. She has never met another boy who could match her in athleticism, leadership, and loyalty. When she first met him, she thought it was an act and that sooner or later there would be a catch. Yet as she got to know him better, she saw the honesty behind his qualities. Their conversations before practice, though only lasting a few minutes, held her attention in a way she normally reserved for the field. Their similarities nurtured her attraction towards him, and now she has strange fantasies, like taking him away from this place. That made little sense to her when she thought about it: She loved Canterlot High. All the more reason she didn’t quite know what to do with her feelings. Yet this morning, she realizes that Applejack also holds an attraction towards him, but one that is different. Rainbow Dash sees and knows she is helpless; her friend’s eyes tell the whole story. She’s known Applejack her entire life, she’s never found another person with more integrity, as trusting, or as kind. It makes sense that Soarin would catch her eye, better yet her heart. Rainbow Dash could tell Applejack that she loves him and she would resign herself, saying she’s fine, but she would be lying. She can’t do that to her friend, nor does she want to let go of him. Throughout the day, she’s been distant with Applejack on the topic, hoping to avoid the issue. At the end of the day, she fears that Applejack will bring up the subject; she’s not one to leave problems alone. Rainbow Dash hurries to her locker up the hall from the classroom. She fiddles with the padded lock but, in her rush, she messes up the combination and has to start over again. She turns the knob to the right, then to left, and back to the right, no luck. After two more tries, she gets the lock undone and opens the locker. She rummages through, grabbing any homework and books she needs for tonight, and her dance shoes, and closes the door. She stuffs the items into her backpack, except for the shoes, throws the bag on, and makes her way up the hall. As she begins to walk, she hears Applejack calling out to her, “Hey RD, wait up!” Rainbow Dash stops in place, she doesn’t turn around. Crap baskets, she thinks, here it comes. Applejack jogs up to Rainbow’s side. “In a rush to beat Sunset to the gymnasium?” Applejack asks in a joking tone. “Uh, yeah, you know me, I gotta be the first one,” Rainbow responds with shaky confidence. “Let me walk with you part way before I head out,” Applejack suggests. Rainbow nods in agreement and the two continue walking through the hall. Most of the journey is silent between them until Applejack says, “Listen Rainbow Dash, I wanted to talk to you about this morning.” Rainbow braces herself, afraid of what she thinks she’s going to hear. “I wanted to tell you that--” “Look Applejack,” Rainbow Dash cuts her off, walking and stopping in front of her. “I don’t know what I saw this morning. I don’t know what I heard, and quite frankly, I don’t want to know. It happened, alright? I’ve gotta meet Sunset in the gymnasium, I’ll see you later.” Rainbow adjusts the straps on her backpack and leaves Applejack, giving her more of a cold shoulder than she’d intended. She walks towards the gym with some weight in her stride. Her mind races with various thoughts. Does Applejack really believe Rainbow Dash is gullible enough to believe that whole ‘there’s nothing between us’ schtick? Contrary to what she told her recently, she knows exactly what she saw. She was suspicious that something was up way back at their first game night with Soarin and Flash, but she didn’t realize until recently that the attraction is going both ways. They look into each other’s eyes and they are both helpless for each other, something she has never experienced with him. She nears the gym doors, but before entering, she goes into the nearby women’s restroom. She locks herself in the handicap stall and leans up against the wall, her back sliding down to the ground. How could Soarin, essentially, choose Applejack over her? Rainbow has known him longer and knows him better. They have become close friends over the past year through their teams, and are practically the same person. Instead, he goes for Applejack, someone he barely knows, and yet shares a bond with her that Rainbow can’t provide. She leans her head back against the wall and sniffles. She feels tears beginning to form and closes her eyes to hold them back. Suddenly, a gentle knock is heard on the stall door. “Rainbow Dash, is that you in there?” It’s Rarity. She knocks on the door again, “Are you okay in there darling?” Rainbow Dash takes a deep breath, rubs her eyes, and says, “Um, yeah, yeah I’m fine.” “Are you sure?” Rarity asks. “You don’t sound fine. Could you come out of there and let me take a look at you?” Rainbow contemplates for a minute and gets up off the floor. She walks to the door and opens it to see Rarity standing there looking at her with some concern. Rarity notices the red color in her eyes from rubbing and knows something is up. “Oh no, what’s wrong Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asks with motherly concern. “You look as though someone broke your heart.” Rainbow Dash rubs her eye with the back of her wrist and sniffles. “It’s nothing, Rarity, I’m fine,” she responds. “Now Rainbow Dash,” Rarity says, placing her hands on her hips. “You might think it’s nothing but I know that it is not. I can tell your heart is aching and the only way to get through it is to open up. I won’t leave until you tell me what’s wrong.” “I’m fine Rarity!” Rainbow exclaims. “Just leave me alone for right now, alright? Jeez!” In a huff, Rainbow walks towards the exit. Right before she leaves, she’s blocked by a giant diamond-shaped disc in the doorway. Rainbow turns around to face Rarity, “That’s unfair! You can’t use your geode to stop me from leaving.” “Really? Is there a rulebook around here to consult?” Rarity sasses her. “If not, then let’s talk.” She lowers the disc, but Rainbow Dash doesn’t take the opportunity to leave. Rarity takes a deep breath and, in a calmer tone, says, “I’m trying to help you Rainbow Dash, I know what it’s like to have your heart broken. Let me help you.” Rainbow crosses her arms and looks off to the side with pursed lips, unwilling to open up. She’s been avoiding this topic all day, why should she start now? Rarity, recognizing her defiance, walks forward and places a hand on her shoulder, looking at her friend empathetically. Rainbow turns her eyes to Rarity, and sees the kindness she’s giving her. Slowly, she uncrosses her arms and moves her hands down into her pockets, her shoulders relax and lips unpurse. “What’s going on Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asks. “It’s…” Rainbow pauses and takes a deep breath, she can feel the tears coming back. “It’s Soarin and… Applejack.” Rarity slowly nods. “I had a hunch; Sunset told me about this morning. I know it’s hard to see a friend interested in someone you like, but I’m sure if you work things out--” “Soarin likes Applejack too!” Rainbow says, cutting Rarity off. “I know he does, I’ve seen the way he looks at and acts around her. I’ve known him longer than he’s known Applejack, I’ve been his friend for nearly a year, I thought we could become something more. Instead, he passes over me for Applejack.” Rainbow sniffs and wipes a tear from her cheek. Rarity pulls out a handkerchief from her purse and gives it to Rainbow. “Sometimes knowing someone for a long time doesn’t mean a romance is sure to happen,” Rarity says. Rainbow uses the handkerchief to wipe her eyes. “I know it’s just, we share a lot in common. I really thought things were going somewhere.” “I know, it’s hard seeing someone you adore have eyes for someone else,” Rarity says. “Do you remember Fancy Pants?” “That senior you had a massive crush on last year?” Rainbow asks. Rarity rolls her eyes in annoyance. “Yes, that one,” she answers, miffed. “When I found out that he had his eyes set on Fleur de Lis, I was devastated. Even though I have known him for such a long time, his heart was set upon a different woman. But, I was able to move on.” “How?” Rainbow asks. Rarity places her hand on Rainbow’s shoulder, gives her a comforting smile, and says, “Time. Given enough time, you will eventually move on and learn to let him go.” Rainbow looks down at the handkerchief and fiddles with it in her hands. “I don’t think I have the patience for ‘eventually,’” she mumbles but loud enough for Rarity to hear. “One way or another, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity responds. “You will have to learn to let him go. Otherwise, that love will turn into obsession.” Rainbow Dash smiles as best she can. “Like you with Trenderhoof?” she asks, remembering when Rarity had adopted Applejack’s persona to impress a boy. Rarity purses her lips in mild annoyance, before returning to the topic at hand. “Something like that,” she says, “For right now, you have every right to feel heartbroken.” Rainbow, still looking down, purses her own lips and slowly nods. She hands Rarity back her handkerchief but she denies it. “You keep it dearie. You’re going to need it more than me.” “Thanks Rarity,” Rainbow Dash says as she puts the handkerchief in her pocket. Suddenly, her phone dings. She pulls it and sees a text message from Sunset Shimmer, saying: Where r u? “Oh crud,” she exclaims, “I’m running late for Sunset’s dance lesson.” She quickly puts her phone back in her pocket and turns to head out of the bathroom. Right as she takes her first step, she stops and turns back around to face Rarity. She moves forward and gives her a hug, which Rarity returns in kind. “Thank you for your help,” Rainbow says. “If you ever need to talk, I’m always here for you,” Rarity replies. “Now go before you make Sunset wait another minute.” Rarity gently pushes Rainbow Dash away, and she runs out the doorway towards the gymnasium. Later that evening, Flash sits in his room at his desk working on his independent assignment for Mr. Turner. Things between him and Sunset appeared to have smoothed out, but he’s still stuck with this assignment for the week. His task is to present a five-page summary of his readings by Friday on the Arab revolts during the First World War and the French and British Mandates that followed. His reading for today is a journal entry from the famous Lawrence of Arabia. While it’s hard not to be entrenched in the life of such a grand figure, Flash finds himself distracted by recent suspicious behavior of his friends. His mind can’t help but think about what’s been going on. First Twilight nearly freaks out over a binder yesterday, then Sunset confronts him and, essentially, confesses her love for him, followed by Soarin’s strange remarks and Rainbow Dash breaking him out faster than he could blink. He can’t help but suspect that the girls are meddling in his affairs. This time, though, it seems that Soarin and Sunset are in on it as well. The only question is why? He could just confront them on it, claim that he knows what they’re up to. But he’s seen enough detective shows to know making claims without hard evidence is a recipe for disaster. Trying to squeeze Soarin for information would be beating a dead horse, and as for Sunset, he agreed yesterday to give her space and he’s going to keep it that way for now. Cornering any one of the six girls could potentially make things worse, and they would most likely deny it anyway. Well, maybe not Pinkie Pie, but he would feel bad knowing how seriously she takes keeping secrets and how much she suffers from it. There is, though, one more option to provide clarity. There’s a knock at his door. “Come in,” he calls. The door opens and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom walk in. Flash turns in his chair to face them, “So what have you girls found out?” The girls look at each other with looks of disappointment, look back at Flash and shrug. “Eh, we haven’t found much,” Scootaloo answers. “We tried everything we could think of,” Apple Bloom adds. “Directly askin’, eavesdroppin’, we even tried sneakin’ through their bags, but that backfired horribly.” Flash leans forward and rubs the bridge of his nose with both index fingers. “Have you been able to find anything at all?” “Well, Sweetie Belle was able to find something this afternoon,” Scootaloo says. Flash turns his attention to Sweetie Belle. “I was with Pinkie Pie in the gymnasium, helping her decorate for prom,” she says. “Rainbow Dash and Sunset were also in there but they weren’t helping us.” “What were they doing?” Flash asks. “Dancing,” Sweetie Belle answers, causing Flash to raise his eyebrow. “Rainbow was giving her a dance lesson. Nothing too complex, just basic steps on partner dancing.” Flash looks down at the ground, rubbing his chin in contemplation. A dance lesson isn’t too abnormal, especially given the fact that prom is this Friday. Though, it is interesting the kind of dancing she is learning, partner dancing, as if she’s planning on participating in the couples dance. He looks back up at Sweetie Belle and asks, “Did you see or hear anything else?” “Only that Sunset kept stepping on Rainbow’s toes during the entire lesson,” Sweetie Belle answers, trying to hold back a giggle. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo let out a snicker. Flash smirks and shakes as he leans back in his chair. “Well, even though it wasn’t much, thanks for your help today anyway,” he says. “You girls can leave now.” He turns in his chair back to face his desk. The girls begin to walk out of Flash’s room, but Scootaloo stops just before walking through the doorway. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, already standing in the hallway, turn to see what’s keeping their friend. Scootaloo waves her hand to tell them to wait a moment. She walks over to her brother and says, “I know we didn’t give you a lot, but we really are trying our hardest to find out what they’re up to.” Flash looks up from his homework and gives her a half-smile. “I know you are Scoots,” he says, nodding. “I didn’t expect you to find out everything today, just enough to clear the fog.” Scootaloo looks down at the ground and grips her arm. “If they’re messing with your life behind your back again…” She pauses, then looks up at her brother. “After what you told me happened last Friday, I don’t want that to happen to you again. I don’t care what their intentions are, it’s just wrong to do something like that, especially to a friend.” Flash turns in his chair, leans forward, and places both of his hands on her shoulders. “Thanks sis,” he says, “I appreciate your concern. We’ll find out what’s going on, but right now, I need to work on this assignment.” He scruffs up her hair and gently pushes her away. She walks out of the room, closing the door behind her. Flash turns back once again to his homework, but instead of immediately getting back to work, he pulls out a small drawer in his desk. He picks up a small notepad and pen from inside and flips the notepad open, laying it on the desk. Written on the paper is a list of the odd behaviors he’s witnessed about his friends: Rainbow Dash and Soarin’s escape from his house is the most recent. He takes the pen and scribbles down “Sunset dance lesson,” then leans back in his chair while tapping the butt of the pen against the paper. What are they up to? Author's Note I'm going to be taking a little break from Rekindling. Don't worry it's not going to be a six-month-long "break" like last time, but I need a week or two to give my brain some time to figure out what's going to happen next. This chapter took a lot of creative energy to write, I need a little time to "gather more creative juices" so to speak. Also, my other story, Secrets of the Past, has gone without a new chapter for several weeks, so I will be working on that for a bit. I will release a blog post on my account page when I'll begin writing Chapter 16, so keep an eye out for that. Thank you all so much for reading! Tops to you! Ch. 16: The Big Night Part 1The men’s locker room door opens as Soarin, Flash, and the rest of the boys in their PE class walk in. Their breathing is heavy as if they’ve been deprived of oxygen; a normal state after the Five-Mile Friday run. The boys find a seat on one of the benches or the floor. Some go to their lockers, pull out their water bottles, and begin chugging every last drop. One student, a skinny little freshman with a bowl cut, collapses face-first on the floor. Soarin looks over at the freshman and, through his heavy breathing, says, “Could...someone...pick up...Featherweight?” Bulk Biceps, an abnormally muscular senior, walks over to Featherweight, grabs the back of his shirt, and hoists him up onto his feet. There’s a pounding on the door. “Get showered and dressed, boys!” Coach Spitfire shouts at them through the door. “I don’t want your dates to be put off by your stench tonight!” Following a series of murmured curses, the boys follow Spitfire’s command. Soarin and Flash are the first in and out of the showers. They head over to their lockers to dress; as they do, they discuss their plans for the evening. “Are you feeling ready for tonight, Flash?” Soarin asks as he pulls a black t-shirt on. “Not until I’m in my tux, but I can’t think about that right now,” Flash says, putting his shoes on. Soarin pulls out a dark blue button-up and pulls it over his t-shirt, leaving the front open. “Oh come on, it’s going to be the biggest night of our lives. Who knows? You might even get a dance with you-know-who.” Soarin elbows his friend, playfully winking at him. Flash, rummaging through his locker, looks at Soarin and rolls his eyes. “Maybe, but for right now...” Flash pulls out his backpack, and a small notebook falls out of one of the outside pockets, but he doesn’t notice. He holds up the bag by the top handle and says, “I’ve got an independent study to wrap up with Mr. Turner first. He’s going to want to hear about my research, I’ve got to remain focused before I can think about prom tonight.” Soarin chuckles and rolls his eyes. “You are such an egghead, you know that?” he jests. Flash throws his bag on and smirks. “Whatever you say. I’ll see you at my house later tonight,” Flash says as he closes his locker and makes his exit. As Soarin continues to dress, his phone goes off from inside his locker. He pulls it out and looks at the screen to see who’s calling: it’s Applejack. He accepts the call and puts the phone between his shoulder and ear as he puts on his shoes. “Hey Applejack, what’s up?” he answers. “Hey, Soarin,” Applejack responds. “Twilight wanted me to tell you that we’re meetin’ at Sugar Cube Corner to go over the plan for tonight, can you make it?” “Yeah, I can make it, I’m just getting ready to--” “Hey Soarin!” one of the boys calls out, walking over to Soarin. “You talking to your girlfriend?” he asks in a mocking tone. “You asking if you can have some of her pie?” “Ooooh!” said the rest of the group, mockingly suggestive. Soarin, offended by his remarks, stands up and shoves the boy away with his free hand. “Piss off Thunderlane!” he shouts at him. Thunderlane grimaces, prompting a collective intake of breath from his hangers-on, but he shrugs and walks back to the group. Soarin flips the rest of the group off as he turns away. As he walks back to his seat, he notices a notepad on the ground and picks it up. “What was that all about?” Applejack asks. “Nothing,” Soarin groans. “It’s just Thunderlane being childish.” “Well, in case you’re wondering, there will be some of my family’s apple pie at the prom tonight,” Applejack says. “I don’t think that’s what he meant, but I look forward to having some,” Soarin chuckles with a little embarrassment. “About prom tonight, there’s been something I want to ask you?” Soarin casually flips through the pages of the notebook as he contemplates his question. “What is it, Soarin?” Applejack inquires. “I was wondering...um...if you would,” he stumbles through his words. “If you would save me a d--.” He stops in the middle of his question when he flips to a peculiar page. On it is a list of actions, items, and events that have happened the last few days, all that has been committed by him and the seven girls. A dance lesson, Soarin being rushed out by Rainbow Dash, supposedly numerous secret conversations, a mysterious binder titled “Operation: Rekindling the Flames.” Though the owner of the notebook isn’t written anywhere, he recognizes the handwriting as Flash’s. “Soarin, what do you want me to save?” Applejack asks, bringing Soarin back to reality. “Can-can I ask you later?” he requests. “Something has just come up, and I have to take care of it right away.” “Yeah, sure, I’ll see you later at Sugar Cube Corner,” she responds. Soarin hangs up the phone, rushes to dress and gather his things, and dashes out the door. Soarin’s one job during this whole operation was to keep Flash off the girls’ scent. He knows that if Flash was to find out what was happening behind his back, the reaction would be severe. He thought he was doing a good job, but, as it turns out, Flash has been on their scent the whole time and right under Soarin’s nose! It’s not that Flash suspects what’s going on that is bothering Soarin; rather, it’s wondering how he was finding out about these different items on the list. As far as Soarin was aware, the girls were making sure that everything they were doing would be outside of Flash’s knowledge, so how did he find out? There’s only one person who can tell him how, and that’s the man he intends to confront. Flash knocks on the open door of Mr. Turner, alerting him to his presence. Mr. Turner looks up from a stack of papers to see Flash. “Ah, Mister Sentry,” The history teacher greets Flash. “I presume you’re here to deliver the results of your independent assignment?” “Yes sir,” Flash says as he pulls out a stapled set of papers and walks over and hands it to the teacher. Mr. Turner slowly flips through every page, scanning over the structure and content of the report. He becomes more impressed as he flips through. When he scans through the last page, he sets the report on his desk and looks at Flash. “I must say, lad, this is some fine work,” Mr. Turner compliments him. “I especially liked your inclusion of appropriate pictures, a visual reference can always be helpful.” “Thank you, sir,” Flash says with a proud smile. “Now normally, I would interview the student about their research,” Mr. Turner explains as he stands up. “But, seeing as how prom is tonight, why don’t we postpone to Monday afternoon? I’m sure you’re more than eager to get ready for tonight.” “More than you know,” Flash chuckles. “Expecting a dance or two with a certain young lady?” Mr. Turner suspects, causing Flash to blush since he knows who he’s referring to. “Ahhh, I thought so. It certainly is pleasant to see you and Miss Shimmer smooth things out.” “Things aren’t entirely smoothed out yet,” Flash says. “But that might all change tonight.” “Well, I won’t inquire any further,” Mr. Turner responds. “And I won’t keep you here any longer. Go on home and have a safe, fun evening.” Flash thanks him and heads out of the classroom. When he walks out into the hall, he’s surprised to see Soarin waiting for him. “Soarin, I thought you were heading home?” “I was,” Soarin answers, he holds Flash’s notebook. “But then I stumbled across this in the locker room.” Flash can feel his heart beating faster, he knows he’s screwed if Soarin found the list inside. Though, it doesn’t appear that Soarin suspects him, so he plays innocent. “Oh, my notebook, thanks for bringing it back to me.” Flash reaches for it but Soarin pulls it away. Flash retracts his hand, knowing there’s only one reason why Soarin is resistant to give the notebook to him. Soarin looks at his friend with disappointment. “I’ve already seen the list, would you care to explain what you’ve been doing?” Soarin tosses the notebook to him and crosses his arms. Flash catches the book expertly and looks at it, knowing he’s backed into a corner here. “I guess there’s no point in avoiding this,” he sighs. He puts the book into his back pocket and looks at Soarin. “I’ve been, for lack of a better term, spying on you guys for the last few days. My sister and her friends have been helping me, reporting anything they can find.” Soarin rubs his forehead in frustration, pacing back and forth. “I can’t believe you would do something like this!” Soarin exclaims, followed by various disappointed mumbles. Flash doesn’t say anything, he just watches his friend gear up for a tirade. Soarin stops his pace and points at Flash. “Why were you spying on us? You were more than pissed off when you found out they were watching you last Friday night, yet you’re pulling the same crap on them! I can’t believe you would do something like this!” Flash’s composure doesn’t change, he appears calm and doesn’t show a tinge of guilt. “Is it a mystery why I would go this far?” Flash asks. “Both you and Twilight were acting incredibly cagy and suspicious when I saw something or brought up a certain topic, and Sunset pours her heart out, all of this on the same day and only a few days after the incident. They had already meddled once, and I wanted to find out what you were up to this time. I’ve already tried confronting you and it didn’t work, so I had to resort to spying with my sister and her friends.” Soarin pinches the bridge of his nose. “Oh my God, this feels like Anon-A-Miss all over again,” he mutters. “You would’ve done the same in my place, Soarin,” Flash says. “If the end is to stop a potential repeat of last Friday, it doesn’t matter what means I use to get there.” Flash walks past his friend, feeling he has justified his actions. Soarin darts in front of Flash, stopping him in his tracks. “You’re wrong,” he says. “I get why you’re concerned, you’ve been burned once and you don’t want to be burned again, I get it. But spying on the girls, on me, on Sunset, none of that is right. If you confront them with that list, they are going to want to know how you found out, and I can already tell you that they are not going to like the answer. You want to prevent another repeat of last week, that’s understandable. But that list, and the means at which you constructed it, will only cause more damage than what you think it will prevent.” “You think you and the girls have the moral high ground here?” Flash asks, crossing his arms. Soarin sighs. “Harsh,” he says, “Look, I’m only asking you to extend some trust,” Soarin requests. “If not on the girls, then on Sunset and me. If you truly believe what you say about her, and if we truly are friends, then you will end this escapade. Sunset is more than capable of reeling in her friends if they are pushing the envelope too much. And I know what they are planning is for your benefit. Do what you want with the list, just… think about who is standing to get hurt, ok?” Soarin pats Flash on the shoulder companionably, then heads on towards the exit. Flash doesn’t look at his friend, he just stands there mulling over Soarin’s words in his head. He pulls out the notebook and flips to the list. He’s been so deep in trying to figure out what the girls were up to he never took a moment to contemplate what the consequences would be. He had assumed that he would put an end to whatever scheme they were planning, but hadn’t thought past that. Yes, they had crossed a few lines themselves, but didn’t being on the other end means he should know better? Worse, Sunset hadn’t been involved before. Would she think he was against her? How would she even react to something like this? He knows she’s no longer the bully she used to be, and he assumed whatever was behind this list was another well-meaning but poorly thought-out plan. But was that just another way of saying he doesn’t trust her? Would she think that he expects her to use him again? It flies in the face of everything he believes her to be. Flash sighs. “Alright girls,” he quietly mutters as he rips out the list. “I’ll trust you on this.” He crumples up the paper in his hand and tosses it into the trash. Over at Sugar Cube Corner, the girls walk inside and sit at their usual spot in the store. Mrs. Cake comes over to greet them. “Good afternoon girls,” she welcomes them in her usual cheery tone. “Are you all excited for tonight?” “More than any word can describe!” Pinkie Pie exclaims. “Then what are you doing here?” Mrs. Cake asks. “You should be getting ready for your big night.” “We’re just going to go over our plans for tonight before we get ready,” Twilight explains, patting the binder she’s holding. The girls give Mrs. Cake their orders and begin reviewing. “Alright, before we go through the steps, let’s make sure everything is in place. Pinkie Pie, did you give Vinyl Scratch a good song for the couples dance?” “Yessiree!” Pinkie answers. “I made sure to pick something super romantic!” She leans over to Sunset, who’s sitting next to her, and gives her a nudge with her elbow. “You two won’t be the only couple falling in love tonight,” she whispers, her eyes motioning towards Applejack. Sunset muffles a giggle. “Fluttershy, Rarity, have the seating arrangements been properly made?” Twilight asks, moving on to the next topic. “Most certainly,” Rarity answers. “Sunset and Flash are seated across from each other, just as you asked,” Fluttershy says. “Good,” Twilight replies. “Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer, how have dancing lessons gone?” “Well after more than a few stepped toes,” Rainbow says, causing Sunset to blush and rub her neck in embarrassment. “She’s got a good grasp of the basics. Throw in a little improvisation and she’s good for tonight.” “Alright, Applejack, any word from Soarin?” Twilight inquires. “Does Flash suspect anything?” “Well I asked him to meet us here and he said he would, but he hasn’t shown up,” Applejack says. “Though, before he hung up, he did sound a bit urgent about something?” “Urgent? About what?” Twilight asks. Before Applejack can answer, Soarin enters the shop and walks over to the girls. “Hey, sorry I’m late, I had to take care of something,” he apologizes. He doesn’t take a seat, figuring he won’t be here for very long. “Was everything alright Soarin?” Applejack asks. “You sounded concerned about something over the phone.” “Oh it was nothing,” he answers, trying to avoid giving them the real answer. “I took care of it.” “Well since you’re here, why don’t you go ahead and tell us about Flash?” Twilight says. “Does he suspect anything about tonight?” Soarin looks at all seven of the girls, all eyes are on him. He could tell them what he knows, tell them about the list. But the same thing he told Flash held for himself. Tonight is the big night and it wouldn’t be right to spoil their plans with the knowledge of Flash’s espionage. Maybe this was one of those times when a white lie was better. Soarin shakes his head and says, “No, he doesn’t suspect a thing. You’re all clear to move ahead with the operation.” “Excellent!” Twilight places the binder on the table and opens it up to the plan for tonight. “Let’s get this review done quickly, so we can begin getting ready. Now, for most of the evening, it’s going to be pretty chill but that does not mean we can slack off. Sunset, you need to keep Flash invested in you. Shouldn’t be too hard for you, but if you need prompts, tuck your hair behind both of your ears as a signal for one of us to help you.” “What like this?” Sunset tucks her hair behind her ears but does it exaggeratedly, acting like a valley girl with a wide smile and high pitched giggle, causing Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack to chuckle. “Well, I can never unsee that,” Soarin jokes. “But I wouldn’t be quite that ridiculous. Valley girls annoy the heck out of him.” Twilight rolls her eyes. “I know it’s a ridiculous signal but it’s subtle enough he won’t think much of it while still being obvious enough for us to see it. Moving on, the crucial part is going to be the couples dance near the end of the night. By then, he should be more than willing to dance with you and you give a full confession this time. After tonight, you two will officially be a couple!” She added under her breath, “To within a 90% certainty.” “It’s all led up to this moment, darling,” Rarity encourages Sunset. “It certainly has, hasn’t it?” says Sunset. She leans forward, looking at the binder, feeling some uncertainty creep in. “Feeling nervous?” Fluttershy asks Sunset nods in response. “Don’t feel shame if you are, sugar cube,” Applejack says. “Think of it this way, our chances of success are much higher than our chances of failure.” “And we’ll be with you the entire time!” Rainbow reassures. Sunset sits up in her chair and looks at her friends with reinvigorated confidence and says, “Alright, let’s do this.” Author's Note Part two is still in the works. It's taking me a lot longer than I thought it would. I was hoping to release both parts back to back but it didn't pan out that way. However, I want to get it right because this is it, folks, the next chapter will be the final chapter. I don't want to rush it, I want to give this story a satisfying conclusion. That being said, I am a little less than halfway done writing the rough draft and I am aiming for it to be out on August 18th, which is the one year anniversary of this story. Keep an eye out on August 18 and I'll see y'all then. Tops to you! Ch. 17: The Big Night Part 2Flash stands before his standing mirror, looking at and admiring his tuxedo for tonight. He wears a three-piece tuxedo with a white shirt, crimson tie and vest, and black pants and sports jacket. He turns side to side, impressed that Rarity’s skill with suits is on par with her dress skills. He strikes a pose and looks at himself with a smirk and allure in his eyes. “Well hello there, handsome,” he flirtatiously says. “You certainly are going to be quite the looker tonight. A lot of ladies are certainly going to swoon upon the sight of you. Oh yes.” A pounding at the door snaps him back to reality. “Are you done admiring yourself in there, lover boy?” Scootaloo shouts through the door. He waits until the furious blushing fades before walking to his door and letting her in. She takes a seat on Flash’s bed and gets a good look at her brother. “Hot damn, I had no idea Rarity could also make suits.” He takes another look at the mirror and answers with exaggerated bravado. “Well, let’s be honest, I make this suit look good. Rarity’s work only boosted my good looks.” Scootaloo rolls her eyes and gets off to the bed to walk over to him. She takes her index finger and imitates a poking gesture near the side of his head. He gives her a curious look. “What are you doing?” “Trying to deflate that big head of yours,” she responds. He rolls his eyes and flicks her hand away. “Anyway, Mom wants to know if you’re ready for pictures yet?” “Almost,” Flash answers as he walks over to his desk and searches for a comb. “Tell her I’ll be down in about five minutes.” “Alright, and um…” Scootaloo hesitates for a moment, thinking about how to word her next question. Rather than speaking, she reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a small, crumpled piece of paper. Flash looks over and looks at the piece of paper, it’s the list he threw away earlier. He looks up at his sister quizzically. “I saw you drop this in the trash when I was on my way to see you,” she answers before he can ask anything. “I was just around the corner from you.” “Was that all you saw?” Knowing his sister’s sneaky reputation, he figures she might have also seen the fight with Soarin. Scootaloo shakes her head no. “I saw you talking with Soarin, I didn’t hear anything, but it looked heated. After that, you threw away the list.” He stands up straight then leans his head back, looking at the ceiling. He sighs, “Well better for you to find it than one of the girls.” He looks over at her and sees she’s still confused about finding the list in the trash. He turns to face her. “I decided that I’m going to trust the girls in whatever they’re planning. I know you and your friends have been helping me a lot the last few days, but I don’t think it would be right to spoil whatever plans they have in store.” After a brief moment of silence, Scootaloo cracks a smile, tears up the list, and tosses it in the trash bin next to the desk. “I was hoping you would say something like that.” Confused, Flash asks, “Wait, what’s going on? I thought you would adamantly defend that list and everything you and your friends have done?” Scootaloo shrugs. “Normally I would, but we were able to piece together what they are up to yesterday. We thought about telling you but decided we were not going to ruin their surprise. That’s what I was coming to tell you earlier.” “So not even a hint about their plans?” he asks as he returns to searching for a comb. “Only that you’re going to have a great night tonight,” she teases. “Now you better hurry up and fix that rat’s nest of a hairdo. Mom’s probably getting real antsy about taking pictures.” “I’ll comb as fast as I can. Now shoo!” he responds. Scootaloo skips out of the room, closing the door behind her. Over at Rarity’s boutique, the girls are finishing getting ready for tonight. Rarity, Twilight, and Fluttershy are ready to go but are helping Pinkie Pie and Sunset Shimmer with their hair and makeup. Applejack and Rainbow Dash, also ready for tonight, sit at one of the long couches playing cards. Normally, they would help but seeing as how tonight is the biggest night of their adolescent lives, they deemed it best to leave the finishing touches to more experienced hands. Rainbow Dash looks up from her hand at Applejack with an intense look, preparing to enact her next move. Applejack looks back with a cool yet cocky half-grin, anticipating Rainbow Dash’s attack. Rainbow draws her card and slams it down, revealing a ten of hearts. “Try and beat that!” Rainbow challenges, a proud smile across her face, but she celebrates too soon. Applejack draws her card and slams it down - the jack of hearts. “Oh come on!” Applejack takes both cards and places it in a large pile next to her. “How’s it comin’ over there y’all?” Applejack asks as they continue their game. “Almost done with the curls, then I need to braid Sunset’s hair,” Rarity responds as she releases the clamp on the hair curler. “Darling, could you turn your head to the right please?” Sunset turns her head and sees Fluttershy working, or rather struggling, with Pinkie’s hair. The big poof ball of hot pink hair almost appears to be swallowing her. She tries to tame the beast with bobby pins and a hairbrush, but it refuses to surrender. “Uh, Fluttershy, do you need any help?” Sunset asks. Fluttershy pushes down a big fluff of hair. “Nothing I can’t handle,” Fluttershy responds with exhausted determination. “I tried to warn you, Fluttershy,” Pinkie Pie says as Twilight applies blush to Pinkie’s cheeks. “My hair practically has a mind of its own. It can not be tamed. There was one time I tried to get a new style at a hair salon and...well let’s just say we had to settle out of court.” Fluttershy and Rarity exchange concerned looks with each other. “Uh, Fluttershy, why don’t you help me get started on Sunset’s braid instead? I’m sure no one will mind if Pinkie’s hair remains normal.” Fluttershy nods and abandons her duel to help Rarity. “Alright Pinkie, you’re all set for tonight,” Twilight says as she closes the lid on the blush. Pinkie hops out of her chair and skips over to join Applejack and Rainbow Dash in their game. Twilight then shifts over to Sunset and begins applying base to her face. As they continue to work, Rainbow Dash’s phone chimes. She picks it up and sees a text message from Soarin. “I just got a text from Soarin,” she declares. “He says that he and Flash are going to leave Flash’s house as soon as their moms are done with pictures.” She looks up with a smirk. “In other words, we’ve got plenty of time before they get here.” “Twilight, you’re certain that I should be traveling with Flash to prom?” Sunset asks. “It’s only been a week since the incident at the park.” She closes her eyes to allow Twilight to rub the sponge across her eyelids. “Which is why we had you ask for forgiveness on Monday,” Twilight replies. “With your apology and semi-love confession, you’ve sped up the resolution time a person needs to return to a balanced emotional state after a relational conflict.” Sunset blankly stares at Twilight, not understanding a word she just said. “It’s been a few days since you apologized and Flash should be over last Friday night by now,” Fluttershy explains. “I checked out some books on relationship psychology,” Twilight admits with a slight blush. “Alright, but that still doesn’t answer my question,” Sunset responds. “Think of tonight as a date, darling” Rarity suggests to her. “When you’re out with someone, you want to be with them from start to finish. They are the only world that matters to you for that evening, everything else is background noise. You’ve already told him that you want to be with him, tonight you need to prove it. Devote your night to him, and if he wants the same, he’ll devote his night to you. Before the night is over, you’ll both belong to each other.” Sunset smirks and looks at Rarity in the mirror. “Exactly how long did it take to prepare that little monologue?” she jokingly asks. Rarity huffs and flicks Sunset’s ear in retort, causing the other girls to giggle. Twenty minutes pass when Rainbow Dash gets another text from Soarin telling her they have arrived at the boutique. Rarity sends the rest of the girls to greet them while she finishes Sunset’s hair and makeup. The girls walk out of the boutique to see Soarin and Flash waiting for them in front of a black Camaro and a red minivan. “Hey, I thought we were being picked up by two of the hottest guys in school, not you two,” Rainbow Dash teases. “Well I thought we were escorting five lovely ladies, but I only see four,” Flash shoots back. Rainbow’s jaw drops for a moment, then she chuckles, feeling burned and impressed. “Speaking of missing ladies, where’s Sunset and Rarity? Are they not coming?” “Oh no, they are,” Twilight replies. “Rarity is finishing up helping Sunset get ready.” “Is that your ride, Soarin?” Rainbow Dash points to the minivan with some disappointment. “Yeah, it is,” Soarin answers, blushing with embarrassment. “I wasn’t able to get a limo booked for tonight, so we have to settle on...my mom’s minivan.” “As long as it gets us where we’re going, I think it will work out,” Applejack says walking over to Soarin, giving him a reassuring smile. “By the way, you look very handsome tonight.” Soarin flashes back a smile. “Thanks, Applejack. You look handsome too, I mean nice, I mean--,” he pauses and takes a deep breath. “You look very beautiful tonight.” Applejack blushes and shyly looks away, feeling very smitten. Soarin opens the car doors for the girls and leads them into the van. Once they’ve all filed in, Rarity pokes her head out of the boutique door. “Psst, Flash,” she says, catching his attention. She motions for him to come inside and he follows her. Inside the boutique, Rarity points for him to look at the top of the stairs. He sees Sunset standing there, looking down at him. Time stops for him, his chest flutters and his eyes widen. He always thought that Sunset was attractive but here, she is beautiful. Her braid crown and curled hair flowing down her shoulders look elegant. Her red strapless dress with a red, white, and tangerine spectrum on her skirt is gorgeous. He watches her descend from the steps, feeling unworthy of her. She walks up to him with a gleaming face. “How do I look?” she asks, twirling around to show the whole outfit. She blushes a little at the theatrics. Still stunned, Flash can’t find the words to describe her beauty. Rarity looks over at the love-struck boy and elbows him, bringing him back to reality. “Um...wow, just wow,” he says with an exhaling chuckle, Sunset smiles, and blushes. “You look amazing.” “Thank you.” She says. She quickly looks him over. “You look very handsome yourself.” “Well, you can thank Rarity for that.” He looks over at Rarity, who is admiring the duo. “You did an amazing job with these outfits, for me,” he looks back at Sunset, “and especially for her.” Sunset sheepishly looks away, tucking hair behind her right ear. “Oh, pssh, I was only providing a slight boost to your appearance,” Rarity says dismissively. “It’s the wearer who makes an outfit shine.” She notices that they aren’t paying attention to her. They’re both too entranced with one another. “Alright, I’ll be waiting outside with the others, don’t take too long now.” She exits the boutique. “I’m glad that you came tonight,” Sunset says. “I was a little worried I might have come on too strong on Monday. We haven’t had a good chance to talk since then.” “Yeah, that was a lot to take in,” Flash responds. “Maybe you can clear some of that up for me?” “Later, for now,” she takes both his hands. “Might I have the privilege of being your date for tonight?” Flash smiles and bows his head forward slightly. “I would be honored to have you as my date.” He walks to her side and offers her his arm, which she accepts. Together, they walk out of the boutique and are off to the prom. Soarin drives along the road in his mom’s minivan with most of the gang. The ride to prom is filled with excited chatter about tonight. He engages in the talk every now and then but keeps most of his attention on the road, not wanting to ruin his mom’s car. But his thoughts are somewhere else as well, so much that he doesn’t even notice a question being asked to him. “Hm, did someone say something?” he answers absentmindedly while keeping his eyes on the road. “I asked if you’re ready to tear up the dance floor with me tonight, knucklehead,” Rainbow Dash says, who is seated behind him. She turns her attention to Applejack, who is sitting in the passenger seat and points at Soarin. “Just you wait, Applejack, you’re going to be blown away by this guy's moves. Every post-game party we have, he always steals the show. Especially when Panic! At The Disco starts playing.” She gives a few firm pats on Soarin’s arm. Soarin’s cheeks blush a little. “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m a good dancer,” he humbly admits, shifting his eyes to Applejack briefly. “I just move with the music, it’s not like I could be in one of the hip-hop dance groups. My dancing is more of fumbling around and trying not to trip.” Rainbow Dash looks at him skeptically, she knows him to be a good dancer and he constantly brags about it to the team. Normally, she would find that kind of behavior annoying, despite that she also partakes in it, but at least Soarin backs his words up when most braggers can’t. It’s odd for him to suddenly act humble, or rather more self-deprecating, about his skill. It suddenly dawns on her who he’s talking to. He doesn’t want to seem like a pompous a-hole in front of the girl of his dreams. Applejack giggles. “I’m sure your dancing won’t be any worse than mine,” she says trying to reassure him. “You won’t be the only one making yourself look like a fool tonight.” Soarin and Applejack share a laugh together. She darts her eyes between the two of them then sits back in her seat. Rarity, who sits behind Applejack, leans over to Rainbow Dash and taps her on the shoulder. Rainbow looks and leans over to Rarity, moving her ear close to her mouth. “Are you going to be alright for tonight?” Rarity whispers. “If Flash and Sunset end up being an item, it’s likely Applejack and Soarin will as well.” “Don’t worry Rare,” Rainbow Dash whispers back. “I’m going to be fine. In fact, I’ve got something planned for both of them tonight.” Rarity pops her head back and gives Rainbow a concerned look. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to try anything stupid. Just trust me, okay?” “I’m not entirely sure I should.” “Hey, we’re here!” Soarin declares to the van. Before Rainbow Dash sits back up, she gently pats Rarity on the head and says, “I got this, just leave it to your Auntie Dash, okay?” Rarity looks at her with much disdain. “I’m six months older than you,” she seethes. As Soarin pulls up to the parking lot, he follows a trail laid out by a series of traffic cones that lead him to the entrance. They pull into a drop-off area that mimics an entrance for a five-star hotel. Several teachers dressed and acting as valets stand off to the side, one of them steps forward to accept them. Soarin squints at the valet, recognizing her. “Wait a minute, is that Coach Spitfire?” he asks aloud. Rainbow Dash moves forward to see. “No. Way. It is Coach Spitfire!” she exclaims, laughing. When they pull up, Spitfire walks over to the driver’s side of the van. “Welcome to the Grand Galloping Gala,” she greets Soarin in an elegant tone as he steps out of the car. “I will be your valet for this evening. If I may have your key?” “I don’t believe it!” Rainbow Dash says as she opens her door and steps out. “Coach Spitfire is our valet, this night is already great!” Spitfire doesn’t say anything in response, but she does slightly grit her teeth while she smiles. “Dang Coach, I did not expect to see you serving us tonight,” Soarin says. “Did you lose a bet or something?” “Don’t push it Soarin, or I will have you running laps until you graduate,” Spitfire threatens through her teeth. Frightened, he quickly shuts his mouth and hands her his key to the van. She spins the keys into her hand and forces a smile at him. “Enjoy your evening.” Soarin walks away from her and rejoins his friends on the red carpet leading up to the entrance. They walk up the carpet and enter the venue. Behind them, Flash and Sunset wait for their turn inside his Camaro. They both laugh at the scene that just played out before them. “Oh man, I thought Coach Spitfire was about ready to tear Soarin a new one,” Flash jokes. “Soarin looked as though he was this close to ruining his tux.” Sunset holds up her index and thumb barely touching each other. After Spitfire drives away, Flash pulls his car forward and they are greeted by a different valet. Sunset’s eyes widen with glee when she sees who their valet is. “Oh my gosh! It’s Mr. Turner!” She doesn’t wait for the car to come to a complete stop before she jumps out to see him. “Welcome to the Grand Galloping Gala!” Mr. Turner declares with extravagance and elegance. The dress and his accent combined make him seem like a 19th-Century British servant. “I shall be your valet for this evening.” “Wow Mr. Turner,” Flash exclaims as he steps out of the car. “You clean up good. Are all the teachers valeting tonight?” “Only some, the rest are serving other roles tonight,” Mr. Turner explains. “After all the hard work you students put in the last four years, it seems only fair that we serve you tonight. Now, might I have your keys, good sir?” Flash hands him the keys and interlocks his arm with Sunset’s as they walk up the red carpet. “Wait a second, did he call this the ‘Grand Galloping Gala?’” Sunset asks after a sudden realization. “Yeah, I think it’s supposed to be a pun,” Flash ponders. “You know, Wondercolts, galloping.” “Wow...” Sunset exclaims as a wave of memories come back to her. “What is it?” “Nothing, just, nostalgia,” she says as she remembers the one time she attended the gala back in Equestria. She shakes her head, pushing away those thoughts. “Never mind that, let’s go in, shall we?” The doors are opened for them by two other teachers and they enter into what can only be called a dream. The music that fills the room provides an ambiance of luxury and nobility. The circular tables that surround the dance floor are decorated as though they’re intended for that upper-class English family from that BBC show Rarity loves. Surrounding the tables is an ivy fence with marble-like columns, giving off the impression that they are in a nobleman’s garden. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, lighting up the venue. Sunset and Flash are blown away by what they see. Sunset had only seen glimpses of what to expect during her dance lessons with Rainbow, but seeing the whole picture takes her breath away. The decor brings back those memories from earlier, her first time at Princess Celestia’s gala made her feel like she was something special, and tonight she feels the same way. Not wanting to block the doorway, they wander off to find their table. They go over to where their friends are sitting, correctly assuming that’s where their table is. Fluttershy looks up from the table and gently waves them over. She leans over to Twilight, who’s sitting next to her, and whispers, “The turtle doves are here.” They both giggle. When they arrive at the table, Sunset goes over to Pinkie Pie. “I can’t believe what your team did with the place, Pinkie,” Sunset exclaims. “This is amazing!” “I second that, I bet Crystal Prep’s prom doesn’t hold a candle to ours,” Flash compliments. “Thanks, have you noticed the best part yet?” Pinkie Pie excitedly asks. She eagerly points her finger towards the ceiling. Flash and Sunset look up and notice that the ceiling looks like a night sky with twinkling stars. They look back down at Pinkie and their jaws drop to the floor. Pinkie laughs at their shock. “That’s the exact reaction I was going for! I thought of doing something like this about a week ago; Twilight was kind enough to lend some technical assistance.” “It wasn’t difficult to pull off,” Twilight says. “Nothing a few black bed sheets and white Christmas lights can handle.” “Don’t ruin the illusion Twilight!” Pinkie Pie snaps, causing Twilight to hold up her hands in defense. “Well, illusion ruined or not, that is an awesome sky,” Sunset says. “Well done Pinkie and Twilight. Hey, is that Orion?” “Oh yes, the constellations are as accurate as we could manage,” Twilight says, “It’s a flat projection and obviously they don’t move with time but…” “It’s great,” Flash interrupts before Twilight can get into a full lecture on astronomy. Rarity claps her hands together, gathering their attention. “Now that you two are here, why don’t you take your seats? They’ll start serving dinner soon.” Rarity points her hand to a seat between Applejack and Fluttershy. “Sunset, you sit over there--” Flash cuts her off. “Uh, Rarity, I was hoping Sunset could sit next to me? We did agree to be each other’s dates and I don’t want to be too far away from her.” He looks down at her with a dreamy look in his eyes. Sunset shyly looks away, grinning and blushing. Rarity’s eyes widen a bit at the sight before her. She looks over at Twilight, who is trying to contain a panic from witnessing the first hiccup in her plan. All the girls at the table begin to exchange looks, mentally arguing with each other over what to do. Some think they should stick with the plan, others think they should roll with it. Soarin, seeing the silent argument play out before him, rolls his eyes and makes a decision. Since Flash is supposed to sit next to him, he gets up from his chair. “Sunset, you can have my spot and I’ll sit in yours.” Flash looks at his friend with gratitude, who gives him a wink. He knew he was best friends with Soarin for a reason. Flash pulls out the chair for Sunset and she takes her seat and he sits in his assigned spot. Soarin walks over to the other side of the table and takes his new spot. Applejack leans over to him to whisper, “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” “I don’t see any problem with them sitting next to each other,” he whispers back. “I mean going against Twilight’s plan.” Soarin briefly glances over at Twilight. Though she may be taking deep breaths to relax, he can see the storm brewing inside her. She glances a look at him, one that could kill him. He quickly turns back to Applejack. “You may want to sleep with one eye open tonight.” Applejack says. “Yeah, that’s uh… that’s probably not a bad idea,” he says. After all the students expected for tonight arrive, the music ceases as Principal Celestia takes to the stage to greet all the students. She walks up to the microphone, her face beaming. “Welcome, students, to this year’s prom of ‘The Grand Galloping Gala!” The venue erupts with cheers. Celestia continues to speak after the students calm down. “These past four years, you have all worked so hard to get to where you are tonight. In a few weeks, you will all graduate and move on to the next chapters of your life. However, tonight is a night of celebration, dancing, delectable food, and memories that will last a lifetime!” Sunset and Flash smile at each other. “Seeing everyone here tonight warms my heart. I remember the day when you all started your journey here at CHS, and watching you grow has been an absolute honor. Watching you learn, form new friendships, rekindle old ones, and encourage each other every day, it makes me proud to call you my students. In my years here at CHS, I have never seen a more honorable and distinguished class of students than you. Tonight, forget about the deadlines, the assignments, and the tests. Forget it all for now. This is your night, and you more than deserve it.” “Now, without further delay, I, Principal Celestia, declare this prom to have officially begun!” The music became more upbeat as servers poured into the venue with trays filled with food. The night began with a decadent dijon chicken dish with roasted potatoes, freshly steamed broccoli, fluffy sourdough bread, and, for dessert, cake pops. The first part of the evening was filled with conversation of various subjects: plans for and after graduation, summer vacation ideas, and, well… “You can’t be serious,” Rarity exclaims. “Coffee is meant to have cream and sugar, it’s the only way to tolerate that bitter drink.” A debate over how coffee is meant to be consumed. “Coffee has always been drunk black,” Sunset retorts. She turns to Flash, who is leaning back in his chair pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration with the opposing arguments. “Flash, would you care to tell them about how Arab Muslims discovered coffee?” Flash leans forward and states, slightly mechanically: “Qahwa, or coffee, was a bitter drink used by Yemenis and Ethiopian mystics, and they drank it...wait for it...black.” “Yeah, and the Aztecs mixed chili peppers with their hot chocolate, and didn’t use sugar,” Soarin argues back. “Does that mean we should drink spicy hot chocolate now?” “Hold up,” Twilight declares, raising her finger. “Begging the question, and Xocolatl is still very popular in Central America. Now there are a number of health benefits to drinking black coffee…” This debate went on for thirty minutes. After things settled down at the table, the group splintered off to do various activities. Soarin, Rarity, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie went to go dance, Rainbow Dash and Applejack went to the drink table to get some more faux-champagne, and Flash and Sunset stayed at the table enjoying each other’s company. Flash leans back in his chair and lets out a big exhale. “Man, that got heated!” he remarks. “Soarin may be a chill dude, but, wow, that was a whole new level of anger I have never seen before.” “At least these knives aren’t sharp enough to cut anyone,” Sunset says looking back at him, chuckling. “Pinkie Pie looked ready to cut Twilight after saying sugar in your coffee is bad for you.” “Yeah you would think she would know better than to disparage the use of sugar in front of Pinkie Pie. That’s begging for a bad time,” Flash jokes, and they share a laugh. He sits up and turns his whole body towards her. “Well, back to the conversation we were having before... what do you really want to do after graduation?” Sunset gives a joking response to dodge the question. “Like I said, I want to spend everyday with a pot of black coffee and running my stream while never getting out of my PJs.” But Flash doesn’t fall for it, he tilts his head and gives her a questioning look, knowing she has a real answer to give. Sunset lets out a defeated breath. “Fine, I don’t know what I want to do. I know college is off the table for now; after five years of magic school in Equestria and four years of high school in this world, I want a break from assignments and tests. Other than that, I don’t know what the future holds for me, aside from working.” “That doesn’t sound so bad,” Flash admits, shrugging. “Not knowing what’s going to happen next, sounds exciting.” “Oh really?” Sunset shifts her body to face him, leaning a bit closer to him. “And what about you? I bet you already got your whole life planned out.” Flash chuckles and shakes his head. “Not my whole life, but at least the next four years. All I know right now is I will begin studying contemporary music at college come August. After that...well, I don’t know. But there is something I do want to know.” He takes Sunset’s hand laying on the table and holds it in his. Sunset feels her heart flutter, she quickly looks down at her hand then back at Flash, her cheeks blushing. “Last week I thought nothing was going to happen between us and this past Monday you told me the opposite, so now I’m confused. Sunset, what do you want to happen between us?” Sunset isn’t sure what to do at this moment. She knows she needs to stick to the plan, she’s supposed to confess her feelings during the couples dance but she can’t avoid this problem. She could do the double-tuck, signal one of her friends to help her out, bring up a conversation piece to redirect the conversation. It will only delay the inevitable, though, Flash will still find a way to pop the question again. However, Twilight did tell her that she needs to keep Flash engaged but she never said how. If telling him exactly how she feels is going to keep him hooked, then that’s what she’s going to do. She takes a moment to collect her thoughts and her breath. “Flash, after what happened last friday, I did some, for lack of a better term, soul searching and I found that I do want to be with you. But, I’ll admit, I’m scared.” Flash tilts his head and furrows his eyebrows. “Scared of what?” “Scared of past mistakes being repeated, old and difficult memories resurfacing, and of myself.” She crosses her arms across her stomach in a self-hug. “After what happened the last time we dated, I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready to try again. That’s why I freaked out last Friday: I was scared of what could happen again.” Flash leans forward, looking down at the ground and his hands grasping each other. “I know how you feel,” he admits. He looks up at Sunset, who is giving him a curious look. “Back when I first decided to help you out with statistics, I realized I was starting to develop feelings for you again. But I was hesitant to act upon them because of our last relationship. I knew you weren’t the same person anymore, but after going through something that awful, it didn’t feel right. I even convinced myself these were leftover emotions from years ago.” “Yet you’re here now as my prom date, what changed?” Sunset loosens her arms from around her lower torso. Flash sits up slightly and takes both of her hands into his. He looks her in the eyes and says: “I got to know you again. I saw your friendly nature, your fun side, and your drive for achievement. I got to see the Sunset you are now, and it rekindled something inside me.” Sunset feels her heart soar as she listens to Flash. All this time Flash had similar hesitations. Knowing that makes her feel as if a giant weight has finally been taken off her shoulders. She leans closer to Flash and tells him, “Would you believe me if I said I had a similar revelation?” He tilts his head and asks, “What do you mean?” “The time we spent together made me realize why I was attracted to you in the first place. You’re kind, thoughtful, and supportive, you complete me. This might sound cheesy but, I can’t imagine my life without you.” Flash feels his heart pounding with excitement, he swallows a lump form in his throat. He’s so taken by her words he doesn’t know what to say in response, but he doesn’t have to. Sunset sees the emotion in his face and knows he feels the same way. On the other side of the venue, Applejack and Rainbow Dash stand by the drinks table, looking over at Sunset and Flash. “Sunset certainly has got Flash invested in her,” Applejack comments. “Yeah, do you think she told him?” Rainbow ponders, taking a sip of her drink. “I’d imagine so, those two love birds are staring at each other like there isn’t a care in the world,” Applejack responds. “Seems Soarin had the right idea letting them sit together.” “Yeah, I guess he did,” Rainbow says. She stares down at her drink, swirling it around in her cup, pondering her next words. “Applejack, I want to talk to you about Soarin.” Applejack looks at Rainbow Dash with a confused but also concerned look, knowing where this conversation could lead. “What about him?” Rainbow rubs her finger around the rim of her cup. “Do you...what do you think of him?” Applejack looks off to the dance floor where she can see Soarin dancing along to the music, and dancing rather well. Seems Rainbow Dash wasn’t kidding about his dance moves. She smiles watching him, admiring the goofball letting loose and enjoying the night. “He’s a sweet boy, considerate, easy on the eyes,” she looks over at Rainbow, noticing she hasn’t looked up from her drink. “And you look like him too.” Rainbow Dash looks up at Applejack, who’s giving her a warm smile. She rubs the back of her neck and gives off an embarrassed half-grin, expressively admitting to Applejack that she does. Applejack steps toward Rainbow and places her hand on her shoulder. “Rainbow Dash, I know you like him a lot, and I don’t want a boy comin’ between our friendship. I won’t stand in the way of you two if that’s what you’re askin’.” Rainbow pushes her hand off and chuckles. “That’s not what I’m trying to say. Applejack, you’ve always been a selfless person, always thinking of others before yourself, but you can’t be selfless here because I know you. I’ve seen the way you look at him and, for whatever reason, you like Soarin more than apples, which is astounding. You wanna know something else, Soarin likes you too.” “Really?” Applejack asks as she sheepishly begins to stroke her braid. “I mean, I always suspected he did but I didn’t know for sure.” “You bet he does. Hell he’s practically head over heels for you.” Rainbow Dash throws her arm around Applejack’s shoulders and points her towards Soarin. “Now, why don’t you do yourself a favor, and be selfish for once. Go over there and dance with him, don’t be afraid to get too close.” She shoves Applejack towards the dance. She takes a few steps but stops and turns around to Rainbow Dash. “Are you sure, Rainbow? What about you?” “Don’t worry about me,” Rainbow says holding her hands up. “He’s not the only fish in the sea. Now go claim your man.” A big smile grows on Applejack’s face, her face beaming with joy. She looks over at Soarin, then back at Rainbow Dash. She runs to Rainbow and gives her a big hug. “Thank you Rainbow Dash,” Applejack says with a happy heart. She pulls back and looks at her, “I could never have asked for a better friend than you.” They hug one more time before Applejack runs off to join Soarin on the dance floor. Off to the side, Rarity walks up to Rainbow after witnessing that scene. “So that’s what you’ve been planning,” she says with a grin. “You let her and Soarin be together?” Rainbow Dash nods. “Yeah, I don’t know what they see in each other but I do know they’ll be happy together.” She watches her two goofballs of friends dance along to the music, having the time of their lives. “Was it hard to let him go?” Rarity asks, looking at Rainbow Dash with some concern. But Rainbow doesn’t appear to be heartbroken, rather satisfied. “A little,” she admits. “But it’s better this way, for them and for me.” Rainbow Dash smiles. “I’m proud of you, Rainbow Dash.” Rarity gently pats her on the back. “And don’t you fret, there are plenty of fish in the sea. You know, I believe Thunderlane is still single,” she teases. Rainbow looks at Rarity with disgust. “EW! God no, I wouldn’t touch that perv with a ten foot pole!” Rainbow pushes Rarity for such a suggestion, who laughs off her friend's discomfort. “Come on darling.” Rarity waves her hand for Rainbow to follow. “We need to find a good spot to stand, the couples dance should be starting soon.” They begin making their way through the crowd to get to the edge of the dance floor. Back over at their table, Flash and Sunset’s attention is drawn to the stage when Principal Celestia comes back on. She taps the microphone and speaks into it. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of the night. Please clear the floor for our school’s lovely couples for the annual Prom Couples Dance!” Several people leave the dance floor, leaving behind many others staying for the dance. Flash and Sunset look at each other. “I’m guessing you want to join the dance?” he assumes. Sunset decides to have a little fun and looks away from him, appearing disinterested. “Oh I don’t know,” she sighs melodramatically. “I’m not sure if you could even keep up with me, and I’d rather not have my toes stepped on.” She shifts her eyes to look at him with her peripheral vision and grows a sly smile. Flash squints his eyes at her. “Why you little tease!” he says, prompting her to look over her shoulder at him, innocently grinning. He takes her hand and they both get up and walk to the dance floor. “You’re right about one thing: I’m not exactly the best at this kind of dancing, so apologies in advance if I step on your toes.” Sunset giggles. “Don’t worry, I got a few lessons so just follow my lead, okay?” Flash nods in response. They find a spot on the floor and turn to face each other. “Now, offer me your left hand.” He holds it out and she places her right in it. “We extend our arms out, elbows slightly bent. Next, I take my free hand and wrap it behind your back, and you take your free hand and wrap it around--oh!” A rush of excitement runs through her as his hand touches her bare back. Thinking he did something wrong, Flash quickly retracts his hand. “Sorry about that,” he apologizes, his cheeks flushing red with embarrassment. “Oh no, you’re fine it was just, um… cold hands,” she says, but knows that’s not the reason. He places his hand back on her back. She feels a second rush but less powerful this time. “We’ll want to be closer together, only a few inches apart.” She pulls him in closer, so close that the pleasant smell of cedar and pine fills her nose. Sweet Celestia! She clears her throat and continues to instruct, “Okay, now the entire time just keep your eyes on me. Don’t worry about stepping on toes, once you’re in the groove everything just falls into place.” “Keep my eyes on you? That seems like a tall order, I’m not sure if I can,” he jokes. She rolls her eyes and struggles to hold back a smile. Once the music begins, they go into their dance. At first they are a little stiff, partly Flash ensuring he doesn’t mess up, but after a few seconds they begin to flow. Throughout the dance, their eyes are locked onto each other, never breaking away. The world around seemingly fades away for them, the only thing that matters is who is in front of them. They look at each other with wonder, joy, and desire. They are here and they wouldn’t rather be anywhere else. For Sunset, it’s hard to imagine that she would be with him again. Their breakup seemed like the end of her time with him. Never in a million years would she think that she would get a second chance. Yet, after a miraculous reformation, she was given one. She would’ve never believed that an awkward encounter in the hallway would become a romantic evening at the prom a month later, yet here she is. Through her struggles and her trials, she has won her friends, her school, and now the boy of her dreams. As they move through the rhythms, she takes every part of him in and savors it. The touch of his hand on her back, the smell of pine and cedar, the weight of his hand in hers, and the sight of his face. She wants to remember this night forever. “I never thought I would get a moment like this again,” Sunset tells him. “I was scared what would happen if we were together again, if old mistakes would repeat themselves. But now, I’m no longer scared, whatever happens I want to be with you, no matter what.” Flash smiles and draws her in a little closer. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.” He sends her into a spin and pulls her back to him, never letting go. All that time after their break up, a part of Flash never wanted to let go of Sunset. Though he acted disinterested and tried to move on, that little voice never gave up. After fixing their friendship spending time with her made him realize he will never be complete without her. Dancing with her underneath the faux-starlight feels like a dream, one that he never wants to wake up from. She rests her head on his chest and the smell of lilac and vanilla from her hair makes his chest flutter but also makes him feel at peace. After last Friday, he was worried that he lost his chance with her, but those concerns have vanished for she is here now. They are now together. As they dance, their friends watch from the sidelines. Not a word is spoken, they just watch the two of them with looks of pride and excitement. Applejack, who is standing next to Soarin, whispers into his ear, “They sure do look cute together.” Soarin looks at Flash’s face. He notices the satisfaction and happiness his best friend is projecting, an expression he hasn’t seen from him in a long time. Soarin knew from the beginning that Flash had a soft spot for her, and now he seems like the happiest person in the universe. Soarin smiles and whispers back to Applejack, “They sure do.” As the music slows to an end, Flash and Sunset slow their rhythm and look at each other with allure. They lean into each other, their eyes shuttering close. With nothing holding them back, their lips meet, and a wave of ecstasy comes over them both. Their friends look on with wide eyes and dropped jaws; Rarity and Pinkie Pie almost let out a scream but quickly muffled them. When they pull back, they lean foreheads against each other, and smile. Ch. 18: EpilogueA few weeks after the prom, Sunset and Flash ride through the city on her motorcycle. Excited that she finally got it working again, she offered to take Flash some place for the evening. Indifferent about whether or not his manhood would be bruised should he ride on the back of his girlfriend’s motorcycle, Flash gladly accepted. However, actually riding on the beast is something he was not prepared for. As they ride, he holds onto her torso tightly and silently prays for the trip to end soon. When they near their destination, Sunset slows down and parks on the side of the street, but Flash doesn’t release his arms. She pats his arms, “Flash, we’re here, you can let go now.” Loosening his grip, he looks around then immediately jumps off the bike. He pulls off his helmet and takes several deep breaths, his eyes are like saucers and his pupils like pin dots. He exclaims through his breaths, “That was...the most...terrifying experience...I’ve ever had!” He sets down the helmet on his seat and takes a few more deep breaths. Sunset, still sitting on her bike, takes off her helmet, shakes her hair out, and looks at the panicked mess that is her boyfriend. She chuckles a little at the sight before her as she gets off and kisses him on the cheek, which calms him down a bit. “You’re cute when you’re freaking out. You’ll get used to it after a few rides.” She hangs her helmet on the handle bar and makes sure the front wheel is locked in a turn position. He smoothes out the helmet hair with his hand. “I think I’ll just stick to a normal car. So where have you brought us?” He looks around and sees a paved pathway leading into the Canterlot Park. A sign next to the path shows that straight up ahead is the Duck Pond Bridge. He curiously looks back at Sunset, “What are we doing here?” She turns to him and charmingly smiles at him. “You’ll see.” She takes his hand and leads him to the bridge. She doesn’t reveal anything to him as they walk. He tries to find out more but his questions are met with silence or “you’ll see.” He gives up trying to figure out what’s going and rolls with whatever she has planned. After a few minutes, they arrive at the bridge and make their way across, stopping at the exact same spot where the unpleasant event took place several weeks ago. “Alright Sunset, now can you tell me what’s going on?” he asks. She excitedly turns to face him. Sunset walks toward him, takes both of his hands, and gives him a long kiss. He doesn’t deny the kiss, but he is still confused as to what’s going on. She pulls back, her face beaming. “That’s why,” she says. Still confused, Flash darts his eyes side to side, trying to understand her motives and action. “Wait, hold up, you brought me out here just to kiss me?” “No, I brought you out here to make up,” she explains. “‘To make up?’ Sunset, you haven’t done anything wrong,” he responds. “I’m making up for that night several weeks ago.” Flash looks off to the side for a second, then his eyes widen in realization. She rubs her hands up and down his arms. “I know we’ve been dating for a few weeks, but it still didn’t sit right with me that I haven’t made up for that night. Since you’re leaving for college in a few months, I don’t want a single part of Canterlot to have any bad memories for you. Or at least, have the bad ones over shadowed with good ones. That night, I denied you a kiss, so I’m paying my debt.” He chuckles with delight and takes her hand into his as they lean back against the railing, side by side.. “You didn’t have to do this, prom more than made up for that night.” Sunset sheepishly shrugs, “I know, but I still wanted to do something about this spot. We may be a new couple, but I want to show you that I’m serious about us. I want us to be together, no matter what happens.” Flash grows a large smile and cups the back of her head, bringing her in for another kiss. They turn to look out over the pond, his arm around her waist and and her arms strapped around him like a sling, their heads resting on-top of one another. They soak in the scenery, listening to the ducks and watching the sun set on the horizon. “We will always be together,” he tells her. “Even if I’m a million miles away, you will never leave my thoughts.” Sunset looks up at him grinning and pecks him on the cheek. “That’s good to hear,” she says. She leans her head against his arm as she looks back over the pond. They stand there enjoying the view, both wondering what the future holds for them. Author's Note This feels so weird, the story is finally complete. After a whole year, the story has finally come to an end. Hard to believe that just a year ago I had an idea for this story, and it just grew into something more. What's amazing is that this story nearly became another incomplete story on the large Fimfiction scrap pile. If it wasn't for that one fan, and you know who you are, who reached out and asked me to finish the story. Here we are, five months later, and it's done. I first want to thank my editors Donnnnn, Scholarly-Cimmerian, and Needling Haystacks for proofreading and advising. Whether or not you stuck with me for the whole journey, your work helped me tremendously. I also want to thank the commenters who were willing to leave constructive criticism. It has really helped me shape this story into something better. Finally, I want to thank you all for reading. This was my first real re-introduction to story writing and I'm glad that you all enjoyed it. Tops to you! Ch. 1: Well, This Is AwkwardIt's a beautiful, Friday afternoon in Canterlot city. The sun shines high in the sky with a few clouds dotting the blue background, giving occasional shade. The temperature outside sits within the 60 degree range, creating a feeling similar to be hugged by a grandmother. The birds fly across the sky and from tree to tree, singing their songs. A few spring flowers are still on the trees, dotting the green spheres with spots of white, purple, pink, and bright red. Squirrels run across the lawn, chasing each other and searching for food. The entire world outside is a picture of paradise. A paradise just out of Sunset's grasp while she's sits in AP European Literature. She sits in the back corner of the classroom with her two friends Twilight Sparkle, who sits in front of her, and Fluttershy, who sits to Sunset's left. The three of them listen to Mr. Doodle drone on about the themes and lessons of Hamlet. While the three girls usually enjoy this class, this subject is one of their least favorites. Twilight has never liked Hamlet, she calls the main character a "boneless, indecisive child who can't even figure out what socks he should wear." Fluttershy never much cared for Shakespeare, she always found the language to be confusing and the themes too hard to understand. As for Sunset, well she always summed up Shakespeare as "too much talking and not enough action," though she does find Macbeth interesting. As they listen, or try to listen, to Mr. Doodle, they each occasionally look outside and then back up at the clock hanging in the front of the room above the white board. Each time they do, the clock always seems to be moving slower. Sunset leans forward to whisper something to Twilight, "Is it possible for time to move slower than normal in this world," she asks in a hushed tone. "Not really," Twilight whispers back, "but that's still a topic up for debate." "How long do you think he's going keep talking about this skull monologue?" "I'm not sure, wanna make a wager about it," Twilight suggests. "Are we wagering about something," Fluttershy interjects with a quiet tone. "Yeah," Sunset responds, "whoever guesses correctly, or is the closest, to how long Mr. Doodle is going to talk about this skull, gets...," the girls think about a proper award. Twilight thinks of something, "a free drink and treat of their choice at Sugar Cube Corner, losers have to pay." "That sounds fair," says Sunset. "I like it," whispers Fluttershy. "Let's fist bump on it," says Sunset. Twilight and Sunset hold out their left fists and Fluttershy holds out her right. The three girls make a three way fist bump and nod in agreement. "Alright, I'm going to put my money on...two minutes before the final bell rings," Sunset bets. "An interesting guesstimation," Twilight responded, "judging by how long he takes with every line and how detailed he's making this monologue deconstruction, I'm going to say he'll end right as the bell rings." "You may be smart Twilight but this is your first class with Mr. Doodle," said Fluttershy with a small smug smile, "I've had him before freshman year in AP English 9 and sophomore year in AP American Literature. The bell will ring, he'll say 'the bell doesn't dismiss you, I do,' and then he'll take roughly 30 seconds, to deliver his final point, then he'll dismiss us." "That's very specific Fluttershy, are you sure you wanna go with that," asks Sunset, Fluttershy nods in response, "well alright then, the bets have been made, let the games begin." "What are you three whispering about back there," shouts Mr. Doodle. The three girls shoot up into an upright position, "nothing sir," they shout back in unison. "Well then quit your yapping," says Mr. Doodle, "I don't want to give my three best students detention for disrupting class." Suddenly, the final bell for the day rings. As the students begin to pack up their things, Mr. Doodle declares, "hold on everyone, the bell doesn't dismiss you, I do." Sunset and Twilight look at each other in disbelief. No way, there's no way she could be right, Sunset thinks. Don't tell me her prediction is correct, Twilight thinks. They both look over at Fluttershy, who's face is growing a small smile. Sure enough, Mr. Doodle takes 29 seconds to deliver his final point about the skull of Yorick. Twilight leans her head back in defeat, clinching her eyes. "Darn it," she groans. Sunset gives her desk a swift and light pound with her fist. "Damn it," she mutters. Fluttershy closes her eyes, smiles, and gently claps her hands. "Yippee," she quietly cheers. The girls gather up their belongings and proceed to exit the classroom with the rest of their classmates, after Mr. Doodle dismisses them. They walk out the classroom and stop in the hall to chat for a bit before they start heading towards the exit. "Well, Fluttershy," Twilight says reaching out her hand inviting Fluttershy to shake, "you've won again, fair and square." Fluttershy generously accepts the handshake. "That's like the fifth time I've bet against you Fluttershy," says Sunset, "I'm taking you with me to Vegas some day." "It's all about knowing your teachers," says Fluttershy, "Shall we go meet up with everyone else?" "You girls go ahead," say Sunset, "I have to get somethings from my locker." The girls wave to each other as they split off. Sunset's locker is just up the hall from the literature class. She gets to the locker, unlocks and opens the door, and searches through looking for a few items. Come on, where did I put them. Ah, there they are. She pulls out two paper back books and a sheet of paper. The paper is a list of criteria for a paper she's working on in her AP World History course. She sets the items on the floor as she closes and locks the door. She picks them back up, tucking the books in her left arm and holding the paper in her right hand. As she walks, she reviews the paper to make sure she has everything she needs to begin the assignment this weekend. Let's see, "two printed primary sources" I've got those, "two digital primary sources and one secondary source" got those saved on my computer at home, what else do I need? Sunset's eyes are fixed on the list, not paying attention to what's in front of her. All of a sudden, WHAM, she walks straight into someone, dropping her books. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Sunset apologizes as she picks up one of her books. "No no, it's ok, I wasn't paying attention," says the other person as he picks up the other book and hands it to her. "Thank you for getting th--," Sunset stops mid-sentence when she looks at the person she just ran into, "oh, um...hey, Flash." "oh uh hey, Sun-set," says Flash as he realizes it was his ex-girlfriend he ran into, "how's it going?" A strong tinge of awkwardness begins creeping in. "It's uh...it's going good," Sunset says, awkwardly nodding, "How about you?" "Same," he says, Flash puts his hands in his back pockets and leans back on his heels. "I...see you got a new haircut," says Sunset, desperately trying to break the awkward pauses. Flash combs his left hand through his hair, "yeah, I figured it was time tone down the size a bit." "It looks good on you," she says with a half smile. "Thanks," Flash responds. The two break eye contact, trying to avoid making the awkwardness any more unbearable. Flash rubs the back of his neck while Sunset rubs her left arm. "Well, I guess I'll...see you around?". "Uh yeah, yeah, see ya later," says Sunset, just go, get out there, don't make it worse, don't make it worse, "alli-gator." DAMN IT! "After a while," says Flash, wait, what I am doing? Don't say it me, don't you say it, don't you dare say, "croco-dile." That's it, I'm going to jump in front of car now! They walk past each other, ending the cringe-fest. "Ugh, why the hell did I say that," Sunset mutters to herself as she pinches the bridge of her nose in embarrassment. Sunset Shimmer walks through the front glass doors of the high school and out onto the courtyard. Her cheeks are still red from her embarrassing conversation with Flash. Actually, it really wasn't a conversation, rather it was a fumbling of words with awkward pauses in between that ended with a part of them each dying inside. Sunset walks down the path toward her friends who are all gathered around the pedestal. "Hey, Sunset, how's it goi--," Rainbow Dash greets her friend but pauses when she notices the redness in Sunset's cheeks, "are you ok?" "Did you accidentally walk into the boys bathroom again," Pinkie asks as she jumps up from behind Rainbow. Twilight, who is sitting up against the pedestal reading a book, looks up from her book upon hearing what Pinkie said, "wait, again, what do you mean 'again'," she asks. "It's a long story," Applejack, leaning against the pedestal, explains as she bites into an apple, "we'll tell you about it later." "Applejack, manners," Rarity snaps, who is kneeling on the ground braiding Fluttershy's hair. "So what happened," Rainbow insists. Sunset reaches her right hand behind her neck, "Well, I kind of ran into someone on my way here." "Really? Who," squeaks Pinkie. "Flash Sentry," says Sunset. Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, and Twilight all let out a collective, "oooh." Their faces transform from intrigue to slight discomfort. "Did you two...um...talk much," asks Rarity. "Not...really, it was..." before Sunset could finish, the girls make guesses about the ending. "Terrifying," says Fluttershy. "Awkward," says Twilight. "Uncomfortable," says Pinkie. "Cringy," says Rainbow. "Wanted to shoot yourself afterwards," says Applejack, the rest of girls minus Sunset look at Applejack, "what?" Sunset lets out a heavy sigh, "all of the above." "Well, hopefully you two gave each other a good farewell," asks Rarity, which prompted Sunset to rub her neck harder and cause her cheeks to blush brighter. Rainbow, seeing her body language, knew what she did but hoped she really didn't, "oh no, Sunset please don't tell me you did the alligator thing?" The only response she got was a slow nod of pure embarrassment. Applejack lowered her hat, trying to hide her clenched face. Twilight lifted her book up to do the same. Pinkie didn't bother hiding it, her face clenched up as though she just saw someone get punched in the gut. Rainbow visibly showed her discomfort by covering her face with her right hand. Fluttershy and Rarity just hid behind their hair and both let out an "oof." "Please tell us Flash didn't respond with the crocodile one," Rarity begs. "He...did," said Sunset, who's discomfort was reaching critical levels. Pinkie gives a sheepish grin and places her left hand her head, "I'm going to take the blame for teaching him that," she confesses, giving an awkward chuckle. "Can we please stop before we all die of cringe," Twilight begs from behind her book. "I'm going to second that motion," says Applejack as she puts her hat back on. "I don't understand," says Rainbow as she put her hands on her hips, "I thought the two of you made up at Camp Everfree. Why are you guys acting like you broke up yesterday?" "Well, I mean we did make up and we didn't," says Sunset. "Elaborate," Twilight says as she closes her book and gets up to get closer to her friend. "When I was trying to figure out what was going on with Timber and Gloriosa, Flash and I bumped into each other. We had a small conversation, he talked about how much different I was from when we used to date." "Sounds like that conversation went a lot better than the last one," says Fluttershy. "Yeah it did, he was being very sweet," Sunset said, her face warms up and her cheeks began to blush again, not from embarrassment but from amusement. "No wonder Sweetie Bell ships you two," Rarity mutters, prompting Fluttershy to giggle. "What was that," says Sunset. "Nothing darling, keep telling your story," Rarity waves her hand to Sunset, trying to stifle a giggle. "Anyways," Sunset continues, "he asked me if him and I could start over as friends and I accidentally...brushed him off." "You WHAT," shouts Rarity as she unintentionally tugs on Fluttershy's hair causing to let out big eep, "oh my goodness, I'm so sorry my dear." "Accidentally," Sunset emphasizes, "I saw Timber sneaking off into the woods and got distracted. We haven't really talked to each other every since." Applejack walks over to Sunset's side and places her hand on her shoulder, "well have you thought about arranging a meeting at some time so the two of you can finally put y'all's past behind you?" Sunset looks down, contemplating that idea, not noticing Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie turning their backs to look at something. "I have but...it's complicated," Sunset sighs. "I know what you mean darling," says Rarity as she and Fluttershy get up and walk over to Sunset, "trying to start over as friends with an old flame can be extremely difficult. But once you're able to get over that first hump, it's smooth sailing from there." "But it's not just one hump, it's several," says Sunset, "Flash was the first person to actually make me feel at home in this world, and I just used him to propel my social standing. I'm not sure why even wants to be friends." "But that was the old Sunset," says Applejack, "Flash doesn't want to be friends with her, he wants to start over with you. He was the one who asked you first if you wanted to start again as friends. Is that so hard to believe?" Suddenly, Pinkie and Rainbow turn back around, "alright, it's been arranged," exclaims Pinkie. "What has," asks Sunset. "You and Flash are set to meet each other tomorrow at 1:00 at Sugar Cube Corner," Rainbow declares, holding up her phone. "You what," Sunset rips the phone out of Rainbow Dash's hands and looks at the messages screen, concern wraps her face. Sure enough, Rainbow and Pinkie told Flash that Sunset wants to talk to him about something and that they should meet up at Sugar Cube Corner tomorrow at one. "Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, are you two insane!? How do you even have his number?" "Why would you arrange something like behind Sunset's back," Fluttershy asks. "Well technically we didn't do it behind her back," Pinkie explains, "we were in front of her the whole time, we just had our backs turned." "You know what she means Pinkie," scolds Twilight, "you can't just arrange something like without your friend's consent!" "Look, the only way that those two will finally make up is if they meet with each other, face to face, and talk things out," Rainbow Dash explains, she turns attention to Sunset, "other wise you're going to have more run-ins like you the one you had today. Also, Flash and Soarin' hang out a lot, I have his number just incase Soarin' is running late for practice and isn't answering his phone." "You can thank us later," Pinkie Pie says with a massive smile. Sunset feels her blood begin to boil, "if you two weren't my friends--." "Hold your horses girl," Applejack says, putting her hands on both of Sunset's shoulders, trying to calm her down. "As much as I disagree with their methods," says Twilight, pushing her glass up, "they do have a point. You can't keep avoiding this forever, you'll have to face it in order to move on." "I agree with what Twilight says," says Rarity, "better to get it done now and let life proceed normally, relatively speaking. Besides, what's the worst that can happen tomorrow?" "You'd be surprised how creative my imagination can get," says Sunset, "so you all agree I need to do this?" The girls all nod, "even you Fluttershy?" Sunset looks Fluttershy who is petting her new braid, trying to think of something to say. "Well," she says meekly, "you and Twilight do owe me a vanilla chai latte, think of that as an excuse to go?" Sunset thinks it over and lets out a heavy sigh, "fine, I'll do it, I'll see Flash tomorrow and let him know I want to start over." She hands the phone back to Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie cheers, "HOORAY, let's all go to Donut Joe's to celebrate." "I can't," says Sunset, "I have to get home and get started on this paper for Mr. Turner." "Well then will see you tomorrow at Sugar Cube," says Twilight. With that, Sunset bids her friends farewell and makes her way to the student parking lot. She thinks about the meeting tomorrow as she walks. Perhaps her friends are right, she and Flash still do need to reconcile their past. It isn't going to be easy, some how facing musical sirens or magically corrupted humans seems far easier than what this is going to be. Well maybe it won't be so bad, maybe things will go off without a hitch, right? Right? "Tomorrow's going to worse than hell." Author's Note Thank you so much for reading. This is a story I've been wanting to do for a long time. If you haven't read the full description, this entire tale is the first part of a three part series about the relationship between Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry. From their rekindling relationship to their romance to their life beyond high school. Feel free to deliver criticism, so long as it is constructive. Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter and the first step in this grand romantic journey. Update: Ok so I'm writing this like four hours I've already published this story, and I just saw that this is already under the popular stories tab of the home page! Holy cow I never expected to get such a huge response so fast! Ch. 7: A Walk In The Park - Part 1Flash walks down the middle path of Canterlot High’s front courtyard. It is a beautiful day: a few clouds dot the sky, the sun is shining brightly, and the birds are singing their songs. It is also peacefully quiet. He is the only one walking towards the school. There are not any other students out and about. Is he late or early? He cannot remember what time he woke up. No matter, he is not going to let an odd setting ruin this beautiful day. He ascends the steps and walks through the front glass doors. When he enters, he’s struck with confusion and curiosity. There’s not a single person in the building, at least not in the atrium. The building is filled with silence; there are no sounds of chatter, yelling, or laughing. Where is everyone? he thinks. He tries to listen and looks down halls to see or hear something. He stops at one hall entrance when hears a faint noise. It’s hard to make out what it is but he can still hear it. Hopefully there’s someone down there. He begins walking down the hall towards the noise. As he walks, the noise grows louder. He’s able to make out what it is. It sounds like someone’s crying. Flash picks up his pace to a fast walk. He rounds a few corners, following the noise to its source. He quickens his pace to a jog as he gets closer. He rounds a final corner when he reaches the rundown, dead-end hall with the faulty lighting. The source of the noise is coming from here. Flash walks towards the end where he sees a figure curled up, facing the left corner. He slowly walks closer, as to not frighten the individual. He stops when he sees the strands of red and yellow hair cascading down the person’s back; it’s Sunset Shimmer. Why is she crying? I’ve got to help her. He slowly moves closer, inch by inch. When he’s within arm’s reach, he places his hand on her shoulder. Sunset looks up, turns, and sees Flash giving her a comforting smile. “Hey are you ok?” he asks her gently, “What’s going on?” Before he can react, Sunset stands up and pushes him away, hard. He stumbles a few feet back. Shock covers his face when he sees Sunset looking at him with a terrified expression. She holds out her hands in front of her, preparing to push him away again. Tears stream down her cheeks, her hands shake out of either fear or concern. “Get away from me!” she shouts. “I don’t want to hurt you again!” “Sunset, you’re not--,” before he can finish, everything around him becomes pitch black. He cannot see anything, not even his own hands. He calls out Sunset’s name, but he gets no response; silence fills the void. Suddenly, Flash hears a faint whisper, it’s hard to understand what it’s saying. Another whisper appears, this one a little louder, then another, and another, each one louder than the last. Each whisper is Sunset’s voice berating Flash, old memories from their past relationship. “You wouldn’t say no to your girlfriend, would you?” “Don’t stand in front of me or you’ll get hurt.” “You’re nothing, you only have value because of me!” “I don’t need you, I’ve never needed you!” “What made you think I loved you to begin with?” Flash drops to his knees, covering his ears trying to block out her voice. He feels his mind going insane, each phrase stinging worse than the last. He pleads for it to stop, but it’s no use, the voices keep coming. He finally has enough and screams, “That’s not you anymore!” Flash’s eyes shoot open and he sharply inhales. He leans forward and looks around the room. It’s Sunday morning, he’s still Applejack’s living room with Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Soarin, and Sunset Shimmer. They are all still asleep, he didn’t wake any of them, thank goodness. He rubs his face with both of his hands, trying to compose himself after that nightmare. What the hell was that all about? he thinks. He looks over at Sunset and thinks back to what she said in his dream. “I don’t want to hurt you again!” Does she really think that? He looks back down at the ground and slowly shakes his head. Soarin’s right, these emotions really are going to eat me alive unless I do something. But what can I do? Flash’s train of thought is broken when a familiar aroma fills his nostrils. Maybe a cup of coffee will help clear my head. He gets up from the couch and quietly walks over to the kitchen. He walks into the kitchen and sees a three-fourths full pot of coffee sitting on its brewer on the far counter. He walks over, grabs one of the mugs sitting next to the pot, and pours himself a cup. “Good mornin’ Flash,” says a familiar young voice in a country accent. Flash looks to his right and sees Apple Bloom sitting at the kitchen table reading the Sunday comics while drinking a cup of orange juice. Next to her, at the head of the table, is a chunky, elderly green skinned lady who’s reading the paper while sipping on her cup of coffee. “Morning Apple Bloom,” Flash says with a tired smile. He walks over to the table with his coffee and takes a seat across from her. “Granny,” says Apple Bloom as she taps the lady's arm to get her attention. “This is the boy I’ve been telling you about. Flash, this is my grandma, Granny Smith.” “Ah, so yer’ the one who’s been-a smitten with Applejack’s friend,” Granny says as she folds her paper. “Well, um, I wouldn’t say that,” says Flash as he rubs the back of his neck. “Oh come now sonny,” Granny says as she lightly slaps Flash’s arm with her paper. “Lil’ Apple Bloom has been tellin' me all about you’s and Sunset’s romance.” “Has she now?” Flash says as he squints his eyes at Apple Bloom. Applebloom sheepishly grins and awkwardly chuckles. “Oh that reminds me,” she says. “I need to, um, take a shower before breakfast.” She shoots back to the rest of her OJ and dashes away, leave a dust cloud in her wake. Flash places his elbow on the table and rubs his eyes with his right index finger and thumb. “Is there something botherin’ you sonny?” Granny asks, seeing the signs. There are plenty of things that are bothering me. “No, not really,” Flash says, trying to be polite. But Granny Smith is persistent. “Oh, there’s definitely somethin’ wrong. Do you mind tellin’ me about it?” Yes, I very much would like to. “That’s okay, I don’t want to trouble you,” he says. Wrong answer moron! “Ah phooey,” Granny exclaims. “At my age, hardly anythin’ is trouble. If you don’t get that trouble off yer mind, you’ll end up lookin’ like me before yer’ thirty. ‘Sides, I like some juicy gossip.” Granny chuckles lightly at the last statement. Well that’s an interesting argument. “Okay then,” Flash starts. “So whatever Applebloom has told you about me and Sunset, it’s only partly true.” He tells her about how Sunset and him decided to start over again as friends, how they’re friendship has been getting stronger since they made up. He tells her about how he’s even starting to develop feelings for her again, but isn’t sure how to act on them. He even tells her about Sunset’s drunk confession last night and the out of the blue kiss. “I kept telling myself it wasn’t real, over and over again. But through out the night, there was a part of me that kept wondering if it was real. Then last night I had a dream where she wanted me to... stay away from her.” Flash leans forward and places his head in his hands. “Now I don’t know what to do, I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.” “Let me see if I got this right,” says Granny, “You like Sunset and you think what she said last night was more true than what you originally thought?” Flash slowly nods. “Hm, well a drunken confession ain’t exactly a good one…” “I know,” he says leaning back, “That’s why I kept telling myself--” “Ya didn’t lemme finish,” Granny interrupts. “It ain’t a good one, but it’s still a confession.” Flash looks at her with a confused look. “Booze can make ya say plenty of things, but it can’t make ya say things you don’t believe at least a little, and it can even reveal your deepest secrets. I once told someone how I felt about ‘em because the hooch had a hold of me. Only, it was how much I hated ‘em. I still haven’t forgiven Cousin Hardwood for that.” “What are you saying, Granny?” Flash asks. “I should take what she said last night at face value?” “Of course not,” she exclaims. “I’m sayin’ you should take it with a grain of salt. It’s hard to tell the difference between a genuine drunken confession and one that’s half-true or less. When you get the chance, ask her how she truly feels, then you’ll have your answer.” Flash rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t know if I should,” he says. “I don’t want to embarrass her or get my head bitten off… again.” “Sonny, you’ll never get yer answer unless you man up and ask her.” Flash spreads and lays out his hands facing up on the table. “But what if that really was just the booze talking?” he exclaims. “What if she doesn’t really like me in that way? What if--” “Flash,” Granny says interrupting him. “If yer’ just gonna sit there askin’ ‘what if’ then you might as well be paddlin’ upstream. If yah get one answer, you’ll be happy. Get the other, and you can move on. Find someone else. Either way, forget the consequences for just a bit and get your answers before yer’ eaten alive.” Flash leans forward and places his head in his hands. “I’m sorry, this is all just so… uncertain.” Granny Smith gets up from her chair, walks over to Flash, and places a hand on his shoulder. Flash looks up at the elder, who gives him a soft smile. “Life’s all about uncertainty sonny,” she says warmly. “That’s what makes it so excitin’.” She walks over to the fridge and begins to pull out milk, eggs, and butter. “Now go wash up, I’m makin’ flapjacks for breakfast.” Flash drinks the rest of his coffee, gets up from his seat, and walks towards the kitchen exit. He stops at the door and turns to face Granny Smith. “Granny Smith, why are you helping me?” he asks her. “You barely even know me.” “I’ve been helpin’ people since before you were even a gleam in yer pappy’s eye,” Granny says. She stops her work and looks around at Flash. “I know a tortured soul when I see one.” Later that week, Flash and Soarin spend their Saturday at Rarity’s boutique. This wasn’t how they originally viewed spending today. Originally, they had planned on spending the day playing their favorite dungeon raiding game, but their big mouths got them in trouble yesterday. They were eating lunch with the girls yesterday when the topic of prom came up. The girls were gushing over getting to finally see their dresses within a few weeks. Rarity made sure to keep the hype alive by dropping a few hints here and there. When they asked the boys on what they planned on wearing, they told they planned on just getting some hand-me-down tuxedos from the local Goodwill. They made the mistake of telling this right in front of the fashionista. Now, instead of fighting orcs and dark elves, they are getting their bodies measured and fitted. Soarin stands on a platform surrounded by three mirrors in a t-pose position while Rarity gets his measurements. Twilight stands off to the side with a pencil and clipboard, writing down any measurements Rarity takes, being sure to properly label them. Pinkie Pie and Flash sit on a lounge couch, playing card games while Flash awaits his turn. Soarin begins to impatiently fidget; he’s been on the stand for about thirty minutes and is a little eager to get off. The fidgeting starts to make it difficult for Rarity to measure. “Could you hold still dear?” Rarity asks. “I need to get an accurate measurement. I only have one more to make.” “You’ve said that like a million times now!” Soarin groans. “And I’m going to say it a million and one more,” scolds Rarity in frustration. “Now hold still!” “Is all this really necessary?” Flash asks as he scans his hand of cards. “We don’t mind just getting some hand-me-downs, plus I’m not sure if I can pay you back. Got any six’s, Pinkie?” “Go fish,” Pinkie responds, prompting Flash to draw a card from the stack in between them. “I am not going to have you boys go to the biggest night of your high school career wearing torn, urine stained suits,” Rarity argues as she wraps the tape measure around Soarin’s waist. “And never mind paying me, I design all my friends outfits for free. 30 inch waist, Twilight.” Twilight writes down the measurement. “Uh could you check that again?” Soarin asks, his cheeks slightly blushing. “I’m pretty sure my waist size is different.” Rarity wraps the tape measure around Soarin and doubles checks the measurement. “Ah you’re right dear, it’s not 30 inches. 32 inch waist, Twilight.” Twilight scratches out the original number and writes down the correct one. Soarin lets out an annoyed breath. “Sounds like someone needs to hit the gym after this,” Flash jokes. Soarin holds up a lewd gesture in Flash’s direction. “Oh Flash,” says Rarity, diverting his attention away from his game and to her. “Have you given any more thought to our discussion last week?” Twilight looks up from her clipboard, her curiosity taking a hold of her. “What discussion are you two talking about?” she asks. “We talked about Sunset and… how I feel about her,” Flash explains. Pinkie looks up from her cards and looks at Rarity, wide eyed. Twilight gives her narrowed eyes of disapproval. Rarity doesn’t react to any of their glances, self-assured of her innocence. “Rarity,” Twilight says, her voice sounding like a mother trying to get a child to admit their guilt. “I thought we agreed we would be hands off in our approach?” “We did,” says Rarity, not looking up from her work. “But Rainbow and I decided we needed to talk to Flash about this. We made sure to get Applejack’s blessing before we approached him. Anyways, Flash, you still haven’t answered me.” “Yes, I have,” he answers. “I’ve decided that I’m going to ask her.” “Ask her what?” Pinkie asks. “And do you have any fours?” Flash looks at his hand. “Go fish,” he responds, Pinkie draws from the stack. “I’m going to ask her… how she feels about me,” he says, mumbling the last part, a blush spreading over his face. “Excellent dear!” Rarity exclaims as she lays the tape measure around her neck. “Alright Soarin, that should be all.” Soarin puts his arms down and walks over to wear Flash is sitting. Flash hands him his cards and walks over to the platform. As Rarity works, she continues her conversation. “When are you going to ask her?” “Next Friday evening,” he responds. “Why next Friday?” Twilight asks. “Is it because she’s presenting her project that day?” asks Rarity as she stretches the tape measure down his leg. “Yep, I plan on taking her to the Food Truck Festival at Canterlot Park,” says Flash. “She’s been working hard, and, whether she passes or not, she deserves some reward for her efforts.” “Awww, that’s so sweet!” Pinkie says gushing. “At what point in the evening do you plan on asking her?” Twilight asks. “I don’t see why that’s your business,” Flash says uncomfortably, “But I was thinking after dinner we could take a walk on Duck Pond Bridge. Once we’re in the middle of the bridge, I’ll ask here right there.” “A very romantic setting with all the lamp lights and duck families, an excellent choice,” Rarity comments. “Do you know what you’re going to say?” “Oh, I can make some note cards for you if you don’t!” Twilight says, her face lighting up. “That’s okay,” says Flash, throwing up his hands defensively. “I think I’ll be fine without note cards.” Twilight’s eager face saddens and her head droops in disappointment. “No one understands the value of note cards,” she murmurs. “What is your script then?” Soarin’ asks as Rarity wraps the tape measure around Flash’s waist. “I’m just going to get straight to the point,” Flash says. “Rip it off quick, like a band-aid.” Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie look at each other with looks of uncertainty. Flash and Soarin see the girl’s faces and look at each other through the mirror with looks of confusion. “What is it?” “I’m not sure that’s the best option,” suggests Pinkie. “Asking someone about their feelings towards you is a really, really big question.” “Especially in this situation, this really isn’t something you can blunt with,” says Twilight. “This requires a degree of delicacy. Especially considering something Sunset said about you and… her.” Twilight tries to stop herself but the words fall out of her mouth. “What? What did she say?” Flash asks with some concern. “Weeeell,” Twilight rubs the back of her neck and purses her lips. “When Fluttershy and I tried to convince Sunset to confess her feelings, she said…” Twilight trails off and starts having second thoughts. “What. Did. She. Say?!” Flash asks, increasing the emphasis of each word. “Twilight, I need to know if I want to make this work.” Twilight closes her eyes, takes in a deep breath, and says, “She said that there can’t be anything between you and her.” Twilight opens her eyes and winces. Flash’s face becomes raked with sadness and confusion. The girl that he is falling for said that a relationship between him and her is impossible. Perhaps not those words exactly but it amounted to the same thing. He thought that she felt the same way about him, that she too wanted their relationship to be something more, he thought that… they were telling the truth. He suddenly feels an anger growing inside him, but it subsides when he feels a hand on his shoulder. He looks over and sees Rarity giving him a comforting look. “I know how it sounds darling,” she gently says. “But don’t believe for a second that she doesn’t have strong feelings for you.” “Oh totally!” exclaims Pinkie Pie as she skips over to his other side. “Sunset is head over heels for you. She just refuses to admit it.” Soarin gets up from his seat and walks over to Flash, getting on Pinkie’s side. “Listen man, everything I know about Sunset, I’ve heard from Rainbow Dash,” says Soarin. “From what it sounds like, she’s got walls that she’s too afraid to tear down. You need to help her tear those walls down.” “But you have to be delicate when you ask her,” says Twilight as gets by Rarity’s side, looking at Flash in the mirror. “Emotional compartmentalization is a tricky psychological state. I’ve not studied the psychiatric literature on it as much as I’d like to , but I know an individual can be angered by an attempt to get them to confront the contradictory…” “I think what Twilight is trying to say, Darling,” Rarity says, gently interrupting Twilight’s impromptu lecture, “Is you should choose your words carefully. Flash looks at himself in the mirror and grimaces. This isn’t going to be easy. In fact, standing in front of a crowd and getting ready to perform without a set composition seems far easier by comparison. But this needs to happen: it’s been pushed off for too long now, and the stress has been eating him alive. He likes her. Oh let’s face it, I love her.. This is going to be a difficult challenge, but the desired outcome would be oh so worth it. The other, though… Anyway, if I’m going to do this right, I’ll need the proper tools. He straightens himself up and looks at Twilight. “Twilight,” he says grabbing her attention. “Break out the note cards.” Twilight’s face beams as she leaps and squeals with joy. The bell, signalling the end of first block, rings. Students begin filing out of their classrooms and heading towards their second class for the day. Flash and Sunset walk out of their AP World History class together. They walk down the hall towards Sunset’s AP Statistics class. “Do you feel ready for your presentation?” Flash asks as they walk. “Absolutely not,” says Sunset as waves of nerves and stress come over her. “What if something goes wrong? What if the slide show doesn’t show up on the projector? Or I fall as I make my way up to the front? Or what if I suddenly forget everything I’m supposed to say?” She feels her heartbeat picking up, her hands begin to sweat, and her breathing quickens. Her nerves ease when she feels Flash wrapping his arm behind her, his hand gently clasping her upper right arm as he rubs it, trying to ease her. She looks up at him giving her a comforting smile. This physical connection between them causes a rapture to come over Sunset. His arm wrapped around her makes her feel warm, safe, secure, and still. Feelings she hasn’t had in a long time. “Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Flash says reassuringly. “You’ve performed in front of people before, this isn’t any different.” “But those times I was performing music,” says Sunset with waning confidence, “I wasn’t talking about statistics.” “Ha. Fair enough,” says Flash with a chuckle, “but you’ve prepared for this. Since you started on this project two weeks ago, you’ve been a well oiled machine.” He walks around in front of her, stops, and looks her in the eye with both hands on her shoulders. “You’ve conducted your experiments, you have your results, and you’ve made your presentation. All you have to do is talk for five minutes, and then you’ll be done.” “But what if my research wasn’t good enough?” Sunset argues. “What if I fail?” She looks down at the ground with a lack of self-assurance. Flash gently lifts her chin up to get her to look at him. “The final grade be damned,” he says. “You poured your head, heart, and hands into this project. If your teacher doesn’t recognize that, then that’s her loss.” His words bring waves of needed relief and confidence to Sunset. He can be a goofball, but he sure knows his way with words, Sunset thinks. She closes her eyes, takes in a deep breath, opens her eyes, and gives Flash a smile of confidence. “Alright, I can do this,” she says. “I can do this!” “That the spirit,” Flash says with a growing grin. He walks back around to her left side and the two continue their walk to AP Stats. It doesn’t take long until the two reach their destination. They stop in front of the door, facing the entrance. “You got this Sunset,” Flash says, patting her back. Sunset takes a few steps towards the entrance then stops. She turns around, walks back toward Flash, then wraps her arms around, holding him close, the side of her face pressed against his chest. “Thank you, for everything,” she says, “I couldn’t have done this without you.” The action catches Flash off guard, but he quickly adapts. He wraps his arms around her and rests his head on her shoulder. “You’re welcome,” he responds. The two hold each other for a few seconds, letting their emotions take over. Not newly born emotions, but ones that have been buried for a long time and are finally being resurrected. An old flame, long thought to have been blown out, being rekindled. “Ahem,” a voice calls from behind them. They pull apart and look at the source of the voice, it’s Vice Principal Luna. “Ms. Shimmer, Mr. Sentry,” she says in a stern tone. “Need I remind you about the school’s policy regarding public displays of affection?” “No ma’am,” they both say with looks of embarrassment. “Good,” says Luna, maintaining her strict persona. “I’d rather not give two of our Magna Cum Laudes detention six weeks from graduation.” She walks pass the two students, leaving them to wallow in their embarrassment. After a brief moment of awkward silence, Flash and Sunset look at each other and chuckle. “Well, I better head into class,” says Sunset stifling her laughter. “Yeah, I should head to class as well,” says Flash. “I’ll see you at lunch?” “Yes, I’ll meet you in the caf,” Sunset responds. The two bid each other farewell for now. Sunset heads into her classroom while Flash makes his way further down the hall to his next class. The bell rings, signaling the end of the second block. The students file out of their classroom. Some make their way to the cafeteria for lunch while others head to their third class for the day. Flash is one of the last students to walk out of his class. He makes his way to the cafeteria, trying to weave through the crowded halls. When he reaches the entrance for the caf, he’s suddenly stopped when a force from behind pulls on him. He turns around to see the source of this force. Sunset is standing in front of him, beaming with joy. “Hey, what’s going on?” he asks. “How did your presentation go?” Sunset doesn’t say anything, only handing him a sheet of paper. Flash takes a look at the paper: it’s a grading rubric with six different subjects. He looks down the list and sees the numbers listed. Original Topic:10/10 Research: 9/10 Experiment: 9/10 Presentation: 10/10 Slide Show: 4/5 Time: 5/5 Total: 47/50, 94% “Good Job!” Flash’s eyes widen; he looks at Sunset, looks back at the paper, then back at Sunset. Excitement grows on his face. Without thinking, he picks Sunset up and swings her around, both of them laughing ecstatically. “I knew you could do it!” Flash says. He sets her down and asks her, “Were you nervous?” “I was internally screaming the entire time,” says Sunset, giggling. “But once I got started, it was smooth sailing from there.” “And it shows,” he says, holding up the paper. “I’m so proud of you!” Rarity and Applejack come running up to Flash and Sunset, catching their breath. “Woo,” Applejack exhales, “finally caught up to you, Sunset. You ran out of that classroom faster than a prize horse out of a derby gate.” “I presume you already told him about your grade?” Rarity asks Sunset, noticing Flash and Sunset’s elated faces while fixing her hair. “She did,” Flash responds, “and I couldn’t be more proud of her!” He wraps his arm around her back and pulls her in for a tight side hug. Sunset reaches across him and takes back her rubric. “Come on, let’s go tell the rest of the gang,” she says. She pulls herself away from the side hug and walks into the cafeteria with her other three friends. The four of them walk over to their usual table where Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Soarin are already sitting, enjoying their lunch and company. The four place their bags in their chairs, marking their spots. Before they go off to get their food, Sunset places the rubric in the center of the table for all to see. Twilight is the first to pick it up and look at it. Her eyes widen and her smile grows when she sees the total grade. “You got a ninety-four?” she shouts with elation, causing some eyes in the caf to look at the group. Sunset smiles and nods vigorously. Twilight passes the paper around to everyone else at the table, each one making similar faces of joy and elation. They each congratulate Sunset on her achievement. “Dang, you nailed that project!” says Rainbow Dash. “Nice job, looks like having Flash as a tutor really helped,” says Soarin. “Hey Flash, maybe you should consider majoring in teaching.” “Absolutely not,” says Flash, holding up his hands. “Wow Sunset, you rock, woohoo,” says Fluttershy in her usual gentle tone, but still pumping her fist for emphasis. “OH! MY! GOSH!” shouts Pinkie Pie. “Do you know what this calls for? A PARTY!” “Uh Pinkie?” Rarity says tapping Pinkie’s shoulder. “Have you forgotten about…” Rarity motions her head towards Flash, reminding Pinkie about his plan. Pinkie gives a look of confusion for a brief second but then remembers what Rarity is referring to. “Oooooohhhh riiiiiiiight,” Pinkie says with a grin and an exaggerated wink towards Flash. Flash gives a nod towards Rarity, mentally thanking for her controlling the party animal. Sunset looks back and forth between the three of them with a suspicious look. “What’s going on?” she asks. “Why don’t we get some food?” Flash suggests. “I’ll tell you while we’re in line.” Flash and Sunset walk off from the rest of the gang to get in line. As the rest of the group watches the two walk off, Rainbow crosses her arms and looks over at Applejack with a smug look on her face. “So Applejack,” Rainbow says pridefully, “we gave them a small push and now things are finally moving along. Still think getting more involved is a bad idea?” Applejack looks over at the young couple. It’s hard to deny what’s right in front of her. That small push from Rarity and Rainbow Dash certainly has increased the pace. “It certainly looks like it helped,” Applejack admits. “But I can’t help but feel that things are moving a mite too fast.” “Come on Applejack,” Pinkie pipes in, “Flash and Sunset have been moving closer and closer the past two weeks and tonight, they’ll finally get their happily ever after!” “Let’s not assume that will be the result,” Twilight says, trying to keep the situation grounded. “However, I do think that they will finally put their past behind them and rekindle the flames once more.” “Oh, I can not wait to see them together at prom,” Rarity gushes. “I made sure that their outfits perfectly coordinate with each other.” “They’re going to look so adorable,” Fluttershy says, joining in on the gushing as she clenches her hands in front of her chest in glee. Applejack places one hand on her hip and rubs the back of her neck with the other while looking at the ground with a look of concern. She then looks over at Soarin, who’s been mostly quiet during this discussion, letting the girls fangirl away. “Soarin,” she says nabbing his attention, “have you got anything to say about this?” Soarin looks over the couple then looks back at Applejack and shrugs. “I mean, I’m just happy to see my boy finally getting back together with the girl of his dreams,” Soarin says with a small smile of pride. “What harm can come from a small push of motivation?” Applejack sits down in her seat and leans on the table with a look of defeat. She now stands alone in her position. “I guess not much,” she says in a weary tone, punctuating it with a sigh. “Cheer up Applejack,” Rarity says placing a hand on her shoulder as she takes her seat. “Everything will work out just fine.” Applejack decides not to argue her point any further. She instead turns her attention the sack lunch in her backpack. The entire time she eats, though, she can’t help but get a bad feeling about tonight. She briefly looks over at the couple during the entire lunch, noticing how much they are enjoying each others company. I hope you’re right Rarity, Applejack thinks. For both their sakes. Author's Note Part 2 will be released the evening of September 25th.
Ch. 2: Would You Like to Try Again?Sunset arrives outside of Sugar Cube Corner. Before heading inside, she pulls out her phone from her pocket to check the time. 12:47 PM. Sunset puts her phone away and turns to face the door. She hesitates going inside. On any normal day she wouldn't give it a second thought, but today isn't a normal day. Her stomach churns with anxiety and her mind runs at a million miles an hour, thinking of worst case scenarios. What if I accidentally insult him? What if he's just leading me on in order to make me look foolish? What if a UFO crashes right on top of us? Each scenario becomes more imaginative than the last. Sunset feels her heart picking up, her breathing hastening, and her eyelids opening wide. I don't think I can do this. I can't do this, I need to--I need--. "Sunset," a voice calling out from behind brings her back into reality. Sunset turns around and sees Applejack and Twilight running towards her from the other side of the street. "Sunset, oh my goodness," Twilight says with a tone of concern, "Are you ok? What's going on?" "I--I just--I," Sunset struggles to get a sentence out, she breaths quick breathes between each word. "Hey, hey, Sunset. Look at me, look at me," Applejack says as she gently grips Sunset's arms, "breath, breath." The farmer demonstrates a deep breathing method with her hand. Sunset takes in and lets out several deep breaths. She begins to feel a good part of her anxiety slip away. "Thanks Applejack," says Sunset as she takes in one more deep breath, "I have no idea what came over me there." "Do you usually get panic attacks?" Twilight asks. "No, I've never really had one before," says Sunset, shaking her head "that was a first for me." "I guess you're more worried about talking to Flash than we thought," says Applejack. "I guess I am," Sunset says as she rubs her left arm, "I knew this day was going to be hell." "Well you know, Dante wouldn't have gotten through hell if he didn't have Virgil," Twilight says as she walks up to Sunset's right, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. "You've got your friends by your side to help get you through this." "She's right," Applejack says as she walks up to Sunset's left, "I’m not sure about that first part, but we're not going to let you go through this alone." "Pluuus," Twilight reaches into her purse and pulls out a five-inch-thick stack of index cards, "I made you some ice-breakers and talking points, just in case you can't think of anything to say." Twilight smiles and gives a small squee as she hands the cards to Sunset. Sunset looks at the cards. "Gee, I hope I have enough," she says dryly. "Not to worry, I brought three more stacks just in case," says Twilight, oblivious to the sarcasm. The three girls turn around and face the door. Well, abandon all hope ye who enter here, Sunset thinks. "Ok," she sighs, "let's do it." The three girls walk inside the shop and head over to their usual seats, where Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie are already sitting. The three girls take their seats on the couch; Sunset places the cards on the coffee table as Mrs. Cake comes over to them. "Hello girls, might I take your order," she says in a cheery voice. "I'll take a small strawberry and banana smoothie," says Twilight. "I'll have a medium coffee, two cream one sugar, and an apple fritter," says Applejack. "I'll just have a small black coffee," says Sunset. Mrs. Cake jots down the orders, tells them it’ll be out in a few minutes, and walks off. "So Sunset," says Rarity, "how are you feeling about today?" "Like I could throw up," Sunset groans. "Feeling nervous?" Fluttershy asks, prompting Sunset to nod. "It'll be fine," says Rainbow Dash, "if there's one thing I've learned from playing sports the past three years, is that everything is far more worse in your head than it is in reality." Rainbow then looks down and sees the stack of notecards on the table. "So, uh, what's with the cue cards?" "They're ice breakers," Sunset explains, "Twilight gave them to me just in case I can't think of anything when I'm talking to Flash." Rainbow Dash leans forwards and picks up the top card and reads it out loud. "’What's your favorite kind of pasta?’" Rainbow says quizzically, "Seriously Twilight?" "Hey that's a very important question," Pinkie interjects, "you don't want to be friends with someone who likes Rigatoni." "Why is that Pinkie," Applejack asks, her curiosity piqued. "Trust me, AJ," Pinkie's tone switches from cheerful to deadpan, "you don't want to know." As they continue their chatter, Mrs. Cake comes over with Twilight's, Applejack's, and Sunset's orders. She places the drinks and the fritter on the tables and tells the girls to enjoy before heading over to the next table. Just as Sunset reaches for her coffee, she hears the front door bell chime. She looks up and sees Flash Sentry walking into shop with his hands in his jacket pockets, looking around the shop. She begins to feel her stomach churn again. Rainbow Dash turns around to see Flash. "Well, look who's early," Rainbow says, "Hey Flash, we're over here!" Rainbow waves Flash over. He sees the rainbow-haired girl and begins walking over. Sunset slides down in her seat a little, hoping she'll become invisible. Her worries subside when she feels Applejack's hand on her shoulder. She looks up and sees Applejack giving her a comforting smile that says "everything is going to be okay." Sunset sits back up and slowly takes a few deep breaths. Rainbow walks off and pulls over an empty chair and places it in between her and Rarity, so that he'll have a direct line of sight of Sunset. Flash sits down in the empty seat. "How's your day been going Flash," Applejack asks, starting things off. "It's been a pretty slow day so far," Flash responds, "you know, when I read that Sunset wanted to meet with me, I didn't realize it meant all of you girls. I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" "Don't worry Flash, you're in the clear," says Rainbow, "for now." "Excuse me?" Flash asks with concern. "Relax dear, she's just teasing you," says Rarity, placing her hand gently on Flash's shoulder. "We're just here to support Sunset," Fluttershy explains, "and to make sure that she’s comfortable." "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Flash asks with growing concern. Oh no, this is just making things worse, Sunset thinks, ugh, I don't want to but...if this is going to get done, then I need to be with him one-on-one, not one-on-seven. Sunset clears her throat. "Hey Flash, why don't we take this conversation to one of the outside tables. Just you and me...." All six girls look at Sunset with a mix of confusion and surprise. Flash, also looking confused, slowly nods and says, "um… yeah, sure, that works." "You go wait by the door," Sunset suggests, "I'll be over there in a bit." Flash nods, gets up from his seat, and walks over to the door. The girls lean in towards Sunset. Twilight is the first to ask, "are you sure that's a good idea? What if you… you know?" "Are you sure you don't need us by your side?” Fluttershy asks. "Listen girls," Sunset explains, "I appreciate your support but if I'm going to do this then it needs to be between just me and Flash. He's the last person I need to make amends with; the last leg of my journey from what I used to be. I don't need you right by my side but I do you need backstage should anything bad happen. If things go south, or I start to panic again, then I trust you girls to handle it. You’ve never let me down before." The girls look at each other for a minute until Rarity stretches out her hand and lays it on Sunset's hand. "We understand Sunset," Rarity says. "this is your final battle against the old you, now go and crush it."The other girls nod in agreement. "We'll be right here if you need us," Rainbow says with assurance. "Don't you worry about thing Sunset," Pinkie says as she reaches into her hair and pulls out a vanilla and a chocolate cupcake, both with white buttercream frosting, "I've got emergency cupcakes on standby!" Sunset chuckles, "thanks girls, you're the best friends I could ever ask for." She looks over at Flash, breaths in and breaths out, "let's do this." Sunset stands up with confidence and walks over to Flash. "You've got this, girl!" Applejack cheers. "Oh, don't forget the notecards," says Twilight as she picks the cards off the table and holds them up to Sunset, who stops and looks at Twilight. "I think I'll be ok without them," says Sunset, "but thanks anyway." Twilight's jaw drops and her eyes widen in shock as she begins to mumble nonsense until she finally sputters, "a whole night's work...wasted!" Her top half from the waist flops forward with the cards landing on the table, somehow remaining neatly stacked. Fluttershy leans across, picks up one of the cards and begins to read it aloud, "if you were stuck on a deserted island with only one book to read, what would it be and why?" "Ooooh," Pinkie exclaims, "that sounds like a fun one." “Well it’s obvious, ain’t it?” Applejack says, “A survival guide.” Sunset walks over to Flash, who has been waiting patiently by the door for her. "You good?" Flash asks. Sunset nods and moves her hand towards the door handle. Flash steps in front of her and opens the door for her, "after you," he says. Sunset chuckles, "still the gentleman I see." Flash responds with an abashed shrug. The two of them step outside and walk over to a table directly to their left. They take their seats across from each other, sitback in their chairs, and stay in awkward silence for a good minute. Flash is the one to break it.. “So um...how's it going?" he asks. "It's going...good, it's going good," Sunset responds, oh god please don't turn out like it did yesterday. No I won't let it happen. Sunset and Flash both close their eyes, take a deep breath, and, at the same time, they say, "look, I think we need to talk about us." The two of them are both taken aback by what just happened, "uh, you go first," they say together again. They both give off a nervous chuckle as their cheeks begin to blush. Sunset clears her throat and begins, "I guess I'll go first. Flash, back up at Camp Everfree, those things you said to me, did you mean it?" Flash raises an eyebrow, "we talked to each other a couple of times up there," he says, "you might need to clarify." "You know what I'm talking about," says Sunset with some irritation, "you told me about how much I've changed and how you liked this new side of me, did you mean it?" Flash looks down for a moment, raising his hand to his chin, trying to recall that conversation. "Yeah, I meant every word," he answers nodding, "you are a completely different person from when we used to date. It's actually kind of refreshing to see you be nice again." "Did you also mean what you said before I ran off," Sunset asks, then adds, "which I do apologize for by the way." "Hey, if you hadn't I'm sure we'd all still be stuck in Camp Everfree," Flash responds, "and yes, I really do want to start over as friends, that is if you're willing?" "You're being 100 percent serious, no jokes?" Sunset asks in disbelief, "even after how I treated you when we dated?" Flash leans forward and puts his hand on her hand, "Sunset, that was the old you," he tells her, "I don't want to be friends with her, I want to be friends with you, is that so hard to believe?" Sunset's eyes widen and she feels her heart flutter as she hears the words of her friends repeated. Sunset's eyes look down and dart across the floor, trying to think of something to respond with. She then looks up at Flash, nods and says, “Okay, I would like to try again." The front door of the shop suddenly opens and Mrs. Cake walks out with a large to-go cup of coffee. She walks over to their table and notices the two having a moment. "Excuse me," she says, Flash leans back into his normal seating position and looks up at the waitress, "sorry to interrupt this intimate moment but here's your large black coffee sir." She places the drink in front of Flash. He and Sunset both look at each other blushing at the comment Mrs. Cake made. Not wanting to revert back to their awkward state, Sunset breaks the silence. "You take your coffee black as well," Sunset says, “Funny, I guess I never noticed.” Flash chuckles. "Of course," he says with a grin, "it's the only way to properly drink coffee." Sunset slams her hands on the table and spreadsboth of them in Flash's direction. "Thank you!" she says in a louder voice, "Finally someone who understands! Do you have any idea how long I've been trying to convince my friends of the superiority of black coffee?" "I'm going to bet just as long as I have with my friends," Flash says while laughing, "I mean it's healthier, it tastes better, and the energy comes from the caffeine and not the sugar." "I can think of one friend who would definitely not like to hear that," she says, "although I think I'd be terrified to see her on caffeine instead of sugar." The two of them begin to laugh over this small connection. Any awkwardness that was originally between them disappeared over a simple similarity. "So why do you need so much?" she asks, "I can only drink the small, otherwise I get the jitters." "I've got a paper for Mr. Turner," Flash explains, his voice conveying some stress, "and coffee really helps me concentrate." "Wait, you're taking AP World too?" asks Sunset . "Yeah, I am," says Flash with a nod, "I didn't know you're taking that class." "Huh, how did it take us this far into the semester to realize we're in the same class together?” says Sunset. "Yeesh," Flash says, exhaling through his teeth, "I knew things between us were bad, but I didn't think it took us literally running into each other in order to figure it out." "Well we're starting over," Sunset answers, "a lot should hopefully change from this point." An idea then pops into her head. "Hey, since we're in the same class, do you wanna meet up tomorrow, around 1:30 at the Pour Jons library and work on this paper together?" Flash places his hand on his chin and thinks about that idea. He slowly begins to nod and says, "yeah, I like that idea." "Oh I'm so glad," Sunset exclaims with relief, "because I really need some help on this paper." "Of course, it's a date then," Flash's eyes suddenly open wide as the realization of what he just said sinks in, "Uh, what I mean is--what I meant to say is...um...it's not a date. It's a purely platonic meeting between two friends with the purpose of working on a mutual class assignment...yeah." Sunset lets out a laugh, "Don't worry Flash, I know what you meant." Flash nervously chuckles as he takes a look at his watch on his left wrist. "Hey, um, I've gotta go," he says, "I need to pick up my little sister from soccer practice." He grabs his coffee and gets up from his seat. Sunset gets up from her seat and walks by Flash's side to the door. "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," Sunset says, her arms folding around her torso and her feet point towards Flash's direction. "Yeah, I'll see you later...alligator," Flash says with a smirk and a playful wink. Sunset closes her eyes and shakes her head with a grin. "I am not responding with the crocodile one," she says. Flash chuckles, "Alright, then I'll just say ‘see you tomorrow’." With that, Flash turns around and begins walking up the street towards his car. Sunset waves to him then turns to face the door. Before she walks through, she turns back to see Flash. "Hey Flash," she shouts, he stops and turns back to face Sunset, "you don’t drink decaf, do you?" "Nope, only caffeinated," he shouts back, "decaf is just water that's lying about being coffee." "Right answer," she shouts with a big smile across her face. The two wave goodbye. Flash turns back around to walk towards his car and Sunset faces the door and walks back into the shop. She enters the shop and walks back over to her group of friends, who are all looking at Pinkie Pie as she rubs her hands against her temples. "Come on Pinkie," Rainbow Dash says with a groan, "you've been thinking of an answer for the past ten minutes, just pick one already!" "I can't," Pinkie shouts, "do you have any idea how hard it is for me to pick my favorite kind of cupcake!?" "Why don't we just move on to another question?" Rarity suggests. "NO!!" Pinkie snaps, "I will answer this question even if it's the last thing I do!" "Uh, girls," Twilights says, pointing her finger at Sunset. The girls break their focus on Pinkie and turn their attention to Sunset. "Oh hey Sunset," says Applejack, "did everything go okay?" Sunset shimmies between her friends and sits back down her original seat. She lets in a deep breath and then lets it out. She looks at her friends and smiles. "It went really well,” she says. Author's Note So first off, I just want to say, WOW! I never expected such a huge response about this story. It hasn't even been 48 hours since it's publication and already is has 200 views, 24 likes, it's on 109 bookshelves, has 40 people tracking, and it's been added to the popular stories tab and has been featured! I've also gotten several comments from people providing constructive criticisms or just saying how much they love it. Just thank you all, so much. I'm hope you've enjoyed this chapter. I plan on getting chapter 3 out before the week is over. After that, I'm going to take a break from this tale next week, so I can focus on working on my other story and to move myself back in to college. Thank you all so much for reading!
Ch. 3: A Poor Choice of WordsFlash Sentry stands in front of his bedroom mirror, examining his appearance. He leans in and bares his teeth, checking for anything stuck or if he needs to brush again. He closes his mouth and flares his nostrils, checking for runaway hairs. Finding one, Flash grabs the tweezers on his dresser, grabs the loose hair, and pulls it out hard and fast. His face clenches up as a single tear wells up in his eye. Why does it have to hurt THAT much? he thinks. Tossing the loose hair away in a small plastic trash bin, he puts the tweezers down on top of the dresser. To finish off his routine, Flash takes his comb and begins to groom his hair. As he combs, a figure comes into the mirrors view. Said figure is a boy, roughly the same age as Flash. He has medium length navy blue hair that’s brushed back. He wears a black t-shirt underneath a blue, unbuttoned shirt with the collar popped. He watches Flash as he grooms himself. “So, just a study session huh?” he asks with a look of amusement. Flash rolls his eyes. “Yes Soarin, we are just meeting up together to work on this paper for Mr. Turner,” Flash explains, “nothing more and nothing less; it’s purely platonic.” Soarin chuckles and shakes his head, “If it was ‘purely platonic’ then I don’t think you need to clean yourself up like you’re about to see the Queen of England.” “It’s common courtesy to clean oneself up before they go out with someone,” Flash argues. “Your parents raised you up to be too much of a gentleman,” says Soarin. “Well okay, Mister Author of the Chivalric Code,” Flash says as he puts down the comb and turns to face his friend. “What do you suggest?” Soarin looks around the room and walks over to Flash’s closet. He opens the double doors and pulls out Flash’s old windbreaker with a red and white stripe wrapping around the chest, and a white t-shirt with a blue shield with a lightning bolt in the center. He tosses the two items across the room towards Flash, who catches them both. “Try going with something a bit more familiar and more ‘you’,” Soarin suggests. Flash looks at the shirt and jacket. “What do you mean?” he asks. “The two of you used to date, right?” Soarin asks. Flash nods in response. “Well even if you’re ‘starting over’,you don’t want to go completely new. You want to have a good mix of the old and new, and it all starts with what she sees. With your old outfit and the new hair, she’ll see that things will be different but not completely foreign.” “Since when did you become a social expert?” Flash jokingly asks. “Last night,” Soarin replies. Flash rolls his eyes as he lays the clothes on the bed and begins to take off his sweater and white shirt. “While I appreciate, and question, your advice Soarin,” Flash says as he dresses, “this is just a study session. It’s not like I’m about to go on a date with Sunset.” Suddenly there’s a knock on the bedroom door followed by a young, scratchy female voice shouting through. “Hey Flash, are you almost ready for your big date?” the voice asks with a bit of a teasing tone. “It’s not a date, sis,” Flash shouts back with a groan. “Can we come in and see you?” a different voice shouts with a squeak in her voice. “We can’t have you leavin’ all sloppy like a pig,” a third voice shouts with a country accent. “Hold on,” Flash shouts back, he puts on his jacket and straightens it while looking in the mirror. “Okay, now you girls can come in.” The door opens and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom rush in. The three of them sit on Flash’s bed and observe him as he straightens his jacket a second time. “Come on Flash,” Scootaloo begs, “let’s get a good look of you.” Flash rolls his eyes and chuckles a little. He turns to face the girls and half-heartedly holds out his arms in a presenting manner. The three girls examine him from their seats. They look up and down his outfit, fingers pressed against mouths and eyebrows cocked. They keep at this for a few minutes. Flash and Soarin look at each other, each wondering how much longer they’re going to take. Finally, Apple Bloom declares, “I like it!” “Me too,” Scootaloo concurs, “your old outfit looks good with your new hairstyle.” “Ooooh this is so exciting,” Sweetie Belle exclaims, placing her hands on her cheeks, “I can’t believe another one of our ships is getting ready to sail!” “Okay, first off,” Flash holds up his index finger, “this is just a study session; we are not dating.” “Yet,” Scootaloo mutters to her friends, causing them to giggle. “Second, just because I’m part of one of your little fantasy ships doesn’t mean it’s going to happen,” says Flash. Scootaloo, insulted by Flash’s comment, stands up and walks in front of her brother. She stands on her toes, trying to get to his eye level, even though he’s a foot taller than her. “‘Little fantasy ships!?’ I’ll have you know that we take our shipping very seriously. So much that our ships have a 90 percent success rate!” “What’s the other ten percent?” Soarin asks. Applebloom groans. “All our ships between the Main Seven.” “It was a sad day when we found out that none of them swing that way,” Sweetie Belle says wistfully. “Not sure how I feel about that,” Soarin’ says wryly. Flash places his hands on Scootaloo’s shoulders and gently pushes her back on her feet. He takes in a deep breath, “Look Scoots, I know you’re excited about this, but don’t set your expectations so high. Sunset and I are starting over as friends, nothing more. Besides, I doubt she ever liked me in that way.” Soarin begins to laugh as he walks up and places his hand on Flash’s shoulder. “Oh poor little Flash,” he says, “Please tell me you aren’t so oblivious to the obvious?” “What are you talking about?” Flash asks. “Rainbow Dash told me everything about what Sunset said about yesterday,” Soarin explains. “So did Applejack,” Apple Bloom interjects. “And Rarity,” Sweetie Belle adds. “According to Rainbow Dash,” says Soarin, “Sunset giggled like a school girl when she talked about your little mistake, calling the study session a ‘date.’” “AHA,” exclaims Scootaloo, “so it is a date!” “No it’s not, shut up!” Flash snaps back. “Applejack says that her face blushed brighter than a newly ripe apple when she talked about when you meant what you said at Camp Everfree,” says Apple Bloom as she jumps off the bed and joins the growing crowd around Flash. “And when she talked about you reaching across, laying your hand on hers, and confessed how much you want to be friends with the new her,” Sweetie Bell says, her voice softer and smoother than usual, mimicking the way Rarity said it. “she, according to Rarity, ‘fell into a euphoric state faster than the blink of an eye.’” Apple Bloom giggles a little at Sweetie Bell’s Rarity impression. “Come on Flash, the evidence is abundantly clear,” says Scootaloo, “Sunset Shimmer likes you.” “I do not like him,” Sunset Shimmer exclaims while she stands t-posed on one of Rarity’s stands, getting her measurements taken. “And why am I even up here? Prom isn’t for another month.” Rarity scoffs. “Bold of you to assume I would wait this long to do our prom dresses,” she says, “I’ve had those done months ago. This is for this afternoon.” “This afternoon? Rarity,” Sunset groans as she gets off the platform, “we’re just going to work on our papers for Mr. Turner together. This isn’t a date.” “Oh for goodness sake, Sunset,” says Rarity, “everything about this screams ‘this is a date.’ Just think about the setting, a quiet library on the second floor of a coffee shop…” “It’s a good place to keep focus,” Sunset counters. “Candlelight providing a warm glow around the room,” Rarity’s tone grows increasingly more romantic. “The… the warm lighting is… ideal for studying?” Sunset knew that point was bull, “Besides, they aren’t really candles.” “Candle shaped lights,” Rarity counters, “Cool jazz playing over the speakers...” Rarity leans in towards Sunset, shaking her shoulders for effect. “Um…” Sunset can feel her argument begin to falter. She fidgets in growing discomfort as Rarity emphasizes the romance behind each point. “And to top it all off.” Rarity swings around and throws her arm over Sunset’s shoulders. “it will just be you and him, all...alone...together.” On her last three words, Rarity walks the fingers of her free hand up Sunset’s shoulders, tapping her on the nose at the end. “Because none of our other friends are in the class with us!” Sunset says with rising panic as her final counter argument, quickly pulling away from Rarity. “Look Rarity, I really just want this to be friendly get together with Flash. I don’t see me and him ever getting back together. I don’t like like him.” Rarity approaches Sunset and takes hold of her hands. “Sunset dear,” she starts calmly, “I love you, but you are terrible at bluffing. The way you talked about Flash yesterday, the euphoria you radiated, it was like he was the only person in the world you truly cared for. I know you two have a rough past, but that does not mean you cannot still love each other.Are you really going to deny these feelings inside your heart?” Sunset thinks about Rarity’s words for a second. Her interaction with Flash yesterday did have several moments of intimacy. Flash holding the door, him holding her hand, his blunder of calling their study session a date, and their small moments of genuine connection. Not to mention how she acted when recanted their interaction to her friends afterwards. Her schoolgirl giggling, the hard blushing, and her euphoric state of mind. Is it possible that there was still some love between them? No, there couldn’t be, how can there be after how their previous relationship ended? Sunset slowly lets go of Rarity’s hands. “I’m sorry Rarity, but I can’t deny feelings that I’ve never had.” Sunsets leans over and looks at the clock on the wall of Rarity’s boutique. The clock face reads 1:09 PM. “Look, I have to go meet up with Flash. I’ll see you tomorrow?” “Very well dear,” Rarity sighs, “you have a good productive time studying. I’ll see you tomorrow.” The two girls hug each other goodbye. Sunset grabs her backpack off one of the counters and walks out the door. Sunset walks up a rickety staircase with a small cup of black drip coffee in her right hand. When she reaches the top, she looks around the room and sees Flash sitting at one of the tables in front of his computer, surrounded by several books. Flash has his head in his hands with his elbows on the table. Sunset walks over to him and sets her backpack down on the table, causing a thud as it lands. Flash lifts up his head in response, he turns his attention to Sunset. “Hard at work I see,” Sunset jokingly says. Flash chuckles a little. “This paper is a lot harder than what I thought it was going to be,” he admits. “How many pages do you have written?” Sunset asks as she pulls out her computer and materials. “Two,” he responds. “And how many are we supposed to write,” she asks. “Eight,” he says with contempt, “eight stinking pages about the importance of the Sun-Sen-Sengo.” “The Sengoku Jidai,” she says, helping him finish, “Or ‘Warring States Period’. I’m surprised about your attitude towards this paper. I remember you being an avid Samurai Jack fan when we were younger.” She sits down in a seat across from Flash and opens up her computer. “I like the samurai and Japanese history. It’s just… my friend and my sister and her friends were driving me up the wall this morning,” Flash says, resting his head on his hand. He reaches over for his coffee without looking and takes a big gulp. “I empathize; Rarity was being extremely persistent about her view of this study session.” Sunset rubs her finger tips against her forehead. “Hey, um, can I ask you something?” Flash looks up from his computer. “What’s up?” “Are we… is this… a date?” Sunset asks, struggling to bring the words forward. Flash closes his eyes and lets out a deep breath. Well might as well clear the air here and now. “No, we’re not on a date, this is just a, um…” “A purely platonic meeting between two friends with the purpose of working on a mutual class assignment?” Sunset suggests with a small giggle. Flash smiles, hearing his own words repeated back to him. “Yeah, that.” The two went back to writing their paper, occasionally glancing at each other while delivering sheepish smiles. It isn’t brough to a halt until Flash mutters, “I mean, if we wanted to we could.” Sunset’s fingers stop typing. She looks up at Flash. “What did you say?” she asks. Flash also stops typing; his face begins to turn red. “Ah crap, I did that out loud, did I?” Flash looks up at Sunset, who looks a little shocked. Flash lets out a sigh. “I guess there’s no point in lying or avoiding it. I said if we wanted to we could.” “What? You mean date?” Is he really suggesting that? Sunset feels her heart rate begin to pick up, and her palms begin to sweat. Flash gives a shrug and quick look to the side. “I mean, why not? It’s not such a terrible idea, is it?” He looks at Sunset with a soft grin. Sunset’s mind races out of control. Why in the world would he even suggest such an idea? I thought he just wanted to start over as friends? I can’t date him, not after what I’ve done to him, I’d hurt him worse! Think, Sunset, think! You need to...push him away somehow. Sunset looks directly at Flash, and her eyebrows angle down. “Is that why you wanted to start over? So you can win me back?” Flash’s face changes to a shocked state. Oh crap, I pushed it too far. “N-no, no, that’s not w-w-what I meant, I-I-I was just s-saying that…” Before he could finish, Sunset shoots up from her chair, stuffs all her belongings in her bag, and swings the bag over her shoulder. “I can’t believe you,” she says, perhaps a bit louder than she should, “I thought we could be friends and not have to deal with this… this… middle school nonsense! You know what, you can just finish this paper on your own. I’m going home!” Sunset turns around and winces a little at the expression she saw on his face. Telling herself it was for the best, she storms towards the stairs. “Sunset, wait,” Flash tries to stop her but fails. He considers going after her but figures it would be best to not confront her when she’s this angry. Flash sits back down and puts his head in his hands and groans. “Flash, what have you done?” Sunset storms out of the coffee shop with all the indignation she can muster and marches her way back to her motorcycle. It isn’t until she reaches her bike that self-reflection hits her. Princess Twilight trusted her to spread the magic of friendship in the world, and she pushed away a potential friend. “Sunset, what have you done?” she moans, pulling her helmet down to cover her eyes. Author's Note Well...that escalated quickly. And it was going so well. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I got a lot help from my editors Donnnnn, Scholarly-Cimmerian, and Needling Haystacks. All three of them have been such a huge help in making this story what it's becoming. Best part is they all volunteered to help. They didn't have to do this, they could've let me float by myself down the river. But the fact that they chose to help speaks volumes to me. Thank you so much guys! And thank you all for reading, I expect to have chapter 4 out by Friday evening or Saturday morning. Once chapter 4 is out, I will be going on a week long hiatus from this tale to focus on my other story, "Finding Her Path in Life," and to move myself back to college. Hope y'all have a wonderful day! P.S. For those who are curious, Pour Jons is a very real place. It's the name of a coffee shop near my college. They've moved locations recently but their old location really did have a library of sorts on the second floor with books, board games, and vinyl records.
Ch. 3.5: Seeking AdviceAuthor's Note Before you begin reading, you should know that this isn't really another "chapter." In fact, I am writing this about two weeks after the publication of chapter 3. This is more of a deleted scene of sorts. It something that one of my editors suggested but unfortunately, chapter 3 was already published by the time he made the suggestion. However, it was so good I couldn't pass it up. What this is, is a discussion between Flash and his dad about the events of in Chapter 3 and Flash seeking advice about what he should with Sunset. Now if you would rather just skip ahead to chapter 4, feel free to. However, if you are curious what Flash's dad has to say, then go right ahead. Ch. 3.5: Seeking Advice Flash pulls into the drive way of his home. The sun still hangs in the sky though it is beginning to dip. He turns off his car and pulls the key out. Before he gets out, he places his hands at the two and ten position of the steering wheel and hits head against the top of the wheel, keeping it there for a moment. What the hell was I thinking? he wonders, Why would I bring up such a suggestion, especially after how our last relationship went? He lifts his head off the wheel, opens the door, and steps out. He reaches behind the driver's seat and pulls out his bookbag, he then closes the door and saunters over the front door of the house. I didn't really think I could win her back by being her friend, did I? Do I even want her back? Does she even want me back? He opens the door and is greeted by the barking of a German Shepherd. The dog rushes towards Flash and lifts himself so his paws are holding on to Flash's shoulders. The dog welcomes Flash home with a flurry of licks. Flash laughs, enjoying the welcome but trying to get the 70 lb. dog off of him. "Down boy, down," Flash commands. The dog obeys, receiving a head rub as reward. "It's good to see you too, Ranger." "Ranger!" a gruff voice calls from the living room, "Come here boy!" Ranger runs off to the living room at the end the entrance hallway. Flash walks up the hall, following the source of the voice. He looks and see's his dad, Thunderchief, standing in the entrance to the kitchen with a sports drink bottle. He's a man in his late 40s, medium lean build, has a dark blue crew cut, and he's wearing gym shorts and a sweat soaked, grey shirt with "Air Force" written across the chest. "Sorry about that Flash," he says, "we just got back from our run and he's still a little excited." "It's okay Dad," Flash says as he drops his bag next to couch and takes a seat. He leans his head back, lets out a deep sigh, and rubs his eyes. Thunderchief walks over to his recliner, in the far corner of the room, and takes a seat. "I'm guessing the paper turned out to be a lot harder than you expected?" he jokingly asks. "No it's... something else," Flash says, holding his position. "Oooh dear," Thunder remarks, reading the signs, "things didn't go so well with your friend, eh?" Flash slowly shakes his head no. "So, do you wanna tell me what happened, or are going to keep calculating the rpm of the ceiling fan?" Flash sits up and tells his dad about the events of the study session. He tells him about both of their friends kept thinking that it was a date, how she even asked him if it was a date, which it wasn't. He then tells him about how he brought up that dating wouldn't be such a bad idea, and how Sunset reacted to such a proposal. "She then stormed off and left me alone in coffee shop. I stayed for another 15, maybe 20 minutes after she left." Thunder rubbed his lip with his left index finger. "Well," he starts, "from the sound of how she stormed off, it seems you might have scared her." "Scared her?" Flash asks with a confused look, "how can you tell?" "Because she sounds exactly how your mother reacted when I first asked her out," he says, walking to the kitchen to throw away his now empty sports drink bottle. "We had been friends for about two months, back when we were in college," he shouts from the kitchen, "We enjoyed each other's company, and I was starting to really like her." He walks back into the living room and sits back down in his recliner. "One day, I ask her if she wanted to go out and get a bite to eat, or get a cup of coffee. She reacted the same way your friend did, accused me of only wanting to be her friend just so I get into her pants." "Why did mom accuse you like that?" Flash asks. "Because, not long before we first met, she broke up with sleaze ball who had that same goal in mind," Thunder explains, "Me asking her out was like opening up an old wound for her." "What did you do?" Flash asks. "Well, the next morning, I went to our campus's coffee shop, got her favorite cup of coffee, gave it to her in our first morning class, and apologized," he says, "After that, we remained friends for a few more months and then we went out on our first date." Flash looks down at the ground and ponders his father's actions for a minute. "Listen Flash," Thunder says, Flash looks up at his dad, "There is no use in rushing a relationship. This isn't like one of your games where romance happens after a few clicks of some buttons. These things take time. My advice is you first need to apologize to her tomorrow and afterwards, start by being her friend. You need to have a friendship before you begin a relationship. Do you understand?" Flash slowly nods. "Yeah," he says, "yeah, I understand." "Good," Thunder says as he slaps his knees and gets up from his chair, "now are you hungry? I'm going to grill some T-bones tonight?" Ranger, who had been laying by the recliner this entire time, perks his head up and lets out a small bark. "Yes boy, I even got a small one just for you," Thunder says chuckling as he scratches behind the dog's ears. "Actually," Flash says as he gets up from his seat and grabs his bag, "I'm gonna get this paper done and turn in early. Goodnight." "Ok son, try not to work yourself to hard, sleep well," says Thunder. Flash makes his way to the stairs and begins his ascent towards his room. As he walks, he ponders over his dad's advice. He agrees that he needs to fix this mess and start being Sunset's friend, but a relationship? Is that something he really wants? Despite Sunset's accusations, he doesn't want to be her friend so he win her back, but because she's different. She's more considerate, selfless, and honest now, a far cry from what she used to be. He wants to be her friend because of those qualities. Then again, would having an intimate relationship be such a bad thing? He was the one to suggest trying dating again, perhaps the two of them can finally make it work out this time. On the other hand, the pain from their previous relationship still lingers a bit inside him. Is he even ready to go down that path one more time? Well, it's like dad said, I need a friendship before I have a relationship. I need to make sure I apologize to her tomorrow morning. Now what was her favorite kind of coffee, Venezuelan? Or was it Columbian?
Ch. 4: Clearing the AirSunset walks into her AP World History class, wearing a dark grey hoodie and jeans. She is a dreadful sight to behold. Dark circles and bags occupy the area underneath her eyes, and her hair is statically held to the side, as though a side wind is always blowing against her. She keeps her appearance hidden underneath her hood. “Hoods off when indoors Miss Shimmer,” Mr. Time Turner says, in his precise English accent, as he writes on the whiteboard. Mr. Turner is a thirty year old, fair skin man. His hair is slightly wild and folded to the right on top, the sides and back are short but he has two slightly narrow sideburns that reach just above the back corners of his jaw bone. He wears blue sports jacket and dress pants along with a red tie, white dress shirt, and an hourglass pin on his left lapel. Sunset turns to face her teacher. “Mr. Turner,” she says, the teacher turns around. Sunset, not saying a word, pulls her hood off to reveal her mangled appearance. Mr. Turner muffles a gasp that would be entirely inappropriate for a teacher, much less a gentleman.“Uhhh, you can keep your hood up for today, Miss Shimmer.” Sunset pulls her hoodie back on. She thanks the teacher and walks to her seat in the back-right corner of the room. The room is empty, class doesn’t begin for another fifteen minutes. Good for her, because she could use some silence. Sunset drops her bag onto the floor, slides into her chair, folds her arms on the desk, and places her head in the center of the shape her arms form. She hopes to get a few more winks of sleep in before class begins. The previous night was rough. Not only did she stay up until 2 AM working on the paper, which never got finished, but sleeping was an impossible task. He mind plagued her by repeating the dramatic scene from yesterday at Pour Jons. All she wanted to do was to stay friends with Flash without falling into another intimate relationship with him; avoid hurting him again, but not push him away forever. If only she had handled that like a mature, reasonable person, perhaps things could’ve turned out better. Perhaps they could still remain friends, instead of reverting back to strangers. She wouldn’t blame him if he decided to not speak to her again... Flash deserves someone better than her. A few minutes of sleep go by when Sunset hears a student next to her taking their seat. The noise is followed by the sound of a paper cup landing on her desk. She looks up and sees a small to-go cup of coffee sitting in front of her. She looks over at the student sitting next to her. Her eyes widen when she sees that it’s Flash. He sits there with his body facing towards her. His hair is also a mess; his eyes are dreary and laden with bags and dark circles. He wears his black hoodie and dark blue jeans. Despite his tired appearance, he still manages to greet Sunset with a smile. “I’m guessing you didn’t get much sleep last night,” he asks, despite it being plainly obvious. Sunset takes the cup of coffee and drinks a big gulp. Black, Colombian blend, her favorite. It’s still hot but not scalding. After she swallows and feels the warm liquid begin to flow through her veins, she answers with a yawn, “Not a wink, you?” Flash shakes his head, the yawn catching in response. He looks away from Sunset, trying not to make eye contact after what happened yesterday. Sunset does the same. A minute passes by before the two of them turn to each other and together say, “I need to apologize about yesterday.” The two are taken aback but then begin to laugh. “God I hope that gets old fast,” Sunset says, stifling her laughter. Flashes finishes his laughing and clears his throat. “Sunset, I want to apologize about what I said yesterday.” He leans forward, weaving his fingers together and resting his arms on his legs, he fixes his gaze on her. “I really shouldn’t have pushed the idea of dating. We just started over as friends and I was thinking immaturely. I didn’t want to be friends because I thought I could win you back. I really do want to be friends. Do you think you could forgive me?” “Oh, Flash,” Sunset puts down the coffee, turns towards him, leans forward, and cups her hands around his, “Of course I forgive you. But I too need to apologize for my behavior. When you brought up that idea, I got...scared and the only way I could think of to react was to resort to my old, mean ways. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that, I should have talked to you like a mature adult. I was afraid afterwards that I might have pushed you away for good. Can you forgive me?” Flash grins. “Of course I forgive you. It’s going to take a lot more than some snapping to push me away.” Sunset lets out a sigh of relief as she releases Flash’s hands, tension visibly leaving her body. “Thank you, that really puts my mind at ease.” She tilts her head back, closes her eyes, and rubs her temples. “Now I would like a chance to be a mature adult about this. Can we talk about what you said yesterday?” The first bell rings just as Flash was about to answer. The rest of the students in AP World begin to file into the classroom. “We can talk about it at lunch. By the way, does anyone sit in this seat?” Sunset shakes her head. “No, that seat is empty, you’re good to sit there.” “Good. Oh one more thing.” Flashes leans down and reaches into one of the pockets on his bag. He pulls out a small tin box and sets it front of Sunset. She looks at the tin container and reads the label on top. “Mints.” It takes her second for her to realize what Flash was trying to say. She looks at him with a playfully annoyed look and gives him a lewd gesture with her right hand. “Ass,” she says. Rarity, Applejack, and Sunset walk out of AP Statistics and make their way down the hall toward the cafeteria. Sunset has her hood down, letting her hair out. Earlier in the day, Rarity had worked some of her “magic” on Sunset’s hair to bring it back to its natural state. While her eyes still presented a picture of exhaustion, she no longer looks like a complete train wreck. “So Sunset, you never did tell us how your...time with Flash went yesterday,” Rarity states as they walk. “It, um… it didn’t go so well,” says Sunset. “Oh no, what happened?” asks Applejack. “I’d rather not go into it too much, just that he said something he wasn’t supposed to and I overreacted, bit his head off, and left.” Sunset rubs the back of her neck as her face turns red. Applejack and Rarity look at each other and shrug. “Well,” Rarity leads, “as far as first dates go, it’s not the worst outcome. I mean as long the two of you apologized afterwards.” “First off, it wasn’t a date,” Sunset had grown tired of making this correction, “second, yes we did apologize to each other before first block. I’m actually going to meet him at lunch to discuss something important.” “Oh?” Rarity leans in towards Sunset. “What kind of ‘something’ are you two going to discuss?” Applejack pulls Rarity back. “Knock it off Rare, whatever Sunset and Flash have to discuss should only be between the two of them. Sunset will tell us when she wants to tell us.” Rarity rolls her eyes and lets out a sigh. “Very well, I will respect Sunset’s wishes.” Sunset lets out a chuckle. “Thanks girls, and don’t worry, I’ll tell you and the others how it went after school.” The three girls make there way inside the cafeteria and get their trays of food. Once they have what they desire, they walk around the area looking for a place to sit. Rarity and Applejack see their four other friends and Sunset sees Flash, waving her over. Sunset tells her friends she will see them later and makes her way over to Flash. As the remaining two walk over to their friends, Rarity’s face dons a look of curiosity with a tinge of concern. “What do you think they’re going to talk about?” she asks Applejack. “You don’t think they’re going to end things now, are they? I hope Flash didn’t say anything that terribly offended Sunset. Oh, and it was all going so well too.” “Calm down Rare,” Applejack says reassuringly, “You heard what Sunset said, he already apologized for what he said yesterday. I may not know Flash well but I do know he’s quick to mend any friendship on the verge of breaking. And Sunset isn’t one to so quickly push away a friend just because some words got under her skin. Try not to worry about it, let's just go eat lunch.” Sunset places her tray of food on the table and takes a seat across from Flash. “Hey Sunset, how was Statistics?” Flash says, elevating his voice above the noise of the cafeteria. Sunset places her elbow on the table and pinches the bridge of her nose as she lets a sigh of frustration. “Oof, that bad huh?” She places her hand back on the table. “I don’t understand a single thing in that class,” she complains, “I took it so I wouldn’t have to take College Algebra or Calculus. Yet somehow, Princess Celestia’s course of transformation and transmutation seems easier than trying to understand univariate and bivariate transformations.” Flash picks up a few fries off his tray and dips them in a little ketchup container. “I can probably help you with that,” he says as he munches on his fries. Sunset gives him a quizzical look. “You? But you hate math.” Flash shrugs and gives a quick side look. “Well yeah, but I love statistics.” Sunset raises her eyebrow, her doubt increasing rapidly. “Oh come on, have you never been on one of those weird statistics sites? For instance, did you know you’re more likely to die from being poisoned than from being struck by lighting? Or if the mortality rate today was still the same as it was in 1900, less than half of the people in the world would still be alive? Being on those sites made me want to learn more about Statistics. So I took AP Stat last semester and got an A.” “So are you saying you want to tutor me?” Sunsets asks, still skeptical. She didn’t know that Flash is so fond of Statistics. In the past, it was always Sunset who had to help Flash with his math homework. This time, the roles are reversed. Flash smiles and nods. “Yeah, consider it me finally cashing in all time you helped me in… geometry,” Flash says with great disdain as his body shivers. Sunset chuckles a little. She finds it hard to believe that the boy she helped, or rather dragged, through Geometry is now offering to help her with Statistics. She smiles and holds out her hand. “Alright Mister Alan Turing, you’ve got yourself a deal.” Flash reaches out and accepts her handshake. “It’s always a good day when I get equated with Benedict Cumberbatch,” he quips. Sunset laughs in response. As they retract their hands, Flash’s face gets more serious and he changes topics to the reason they are meeting here. “So, about yesterday?” Sunset’s mood slowly changes from amusement to dread. She knows there’s no point in trying to dodge this topic; better to just clear the air now so they can move forward. She looks away nervously. “Yesterday, right,” she pauses and scratches her head, trying to think of what to say, “You weren’t wrong about what you said. Dating isn’t the worst idea…” She trails off, searching for the right thing to say. “But?” Flash injects. “But given how our last relationship turned out, I’m not sure I’m ready to visit that trail again just yet.” She rubs her hands as she tries to put her thoughts into words. Flash processes her words through his head and purses his lips in thought. He understands her hesitations; the exact same thought had occurred to him. The pain of their last relationship still lingers a bit inside him. It may have been a year and a half since their breakup, but finding out she was using him as a means to an end is not something one gets over easily. He is mostly over it, but that niggling little sore spot in his heart is still there. The only way he can think of to finally get rid of it, is to mend his relationship with Sunset. There is still the physical attraction, of course, but also a romantic longing that had never gone away completely. But Flash is well aware that the person he is hung up on, if she ever existed, is not the person in front of him right now, and acting based on his idea of what was would be a discredit to who Sunset is. And whoever that is, he can see she is someone worth being friends with. Flash looks at Sunset and slowly nods. “I agree. I’m not sure what I was thinking back there, probably thinking with the wrong head.” He and Sunset chuckle. “In all seriousness, I don’t think I’m actually ready to try dating again either. But I still do want us to be friends.” “I do too,” Sunset says smiling, “and who knows? Maybe we will or maybe we won’t, but I think baby steps is the right course of action for now.” “Agreed,” says Flash nodding. “So when do you want to start tutoring me?” Sunset asks, changing the topic as she stabs her salad and takes a bite. “Well I’m a little busy this week with band and blitzball practice,” Flash says as he picks up a few more fries and eats them. He swallows and continues, “but I’m free Friday after school. You can come over to my place and afterwards, if you want, we can do something that isn’t math related.” “What do you have in mind?” Sunset asks, just a touch warily. She takes another bite of her salad. “Well we have a game room with foosball, air hockey, and two TVs, both with PS4s,” Flash says casually. Sunset, after hearing that, slightly chokes on her salad and goes into a coughing fit. “Whoa, are you okay?” Flash asks with concern. Before he could get up to help, Sunset dislodges the piece of lettuce from her throat and coughs it across the table, landing on Flash’s left cheek. Her face turns beat red when she sees the small piece of romaine on his cheek. Flash slowly picks the piece of lettuce off and holds it for a bit. Eyes wide open, he looks at the lettuce, looks at Sunset, and then begins to laugh. Flash’s laughter eases Sunset’s embarrassment as she joins in the mirth. The rest of the Main Seven look over at Flash’s and Sunset’s table and watch in amusement as the two converse. “Look at them, they’re so cute together,” Pinkie Pie says letting out a small sigh of admiration, “they’re like two scoops of ice cream.” “Do you think he’ll ask her to prom?” Fluttershy wonders. “Now hold on y’all,” says Applejack, bringing the group back to reality, “Sunset and Flash have only just now started over. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and go thinking they’re gonna live happily ever after.” “As much of a romantic as I am, I have to agree with Applejack,” says Rarity, “These sort of things take time. We don’t live in a fairytale world where love happens in an instant.” Applejack looks at her friend with surprise. “Why, thank you Rarity,” she says with gratitude. “Though that does not stop me from planning her wedding dress,” Rarity declares. “...Thank you, Rarity,” Applejack says with much annoyance. “Oh come on AJ, just look at them!” Rainbow points at the Sunset and Flash. “They are clearly head over heels for each other. Sunset is looking at Flash the way Twilight looks at Timber.” Twilight, about to counter Rainbow’s point, looks over at Sunset, shrugs, looks at Applejack and says, “Well, she’s not wrong.” “Look, all I’m saying is we shouldn’t rush things,” says Applejack, “I’m not going to deny that there’s a mutual attraction between the two, but we should just let things happen. Help her if and when she wants it, but like Granny says, go meddlin’ in other folks’ affairs and everything ends up in a muddle.” “Ugh, fine, we’ll do it your way Applejack.” Rainbow then looks over Applejack’s shoulder and her eyebrows raise. “If we’re going to go hands-off, you maaay want to tell them that.” Rainbow points over at something between Applejack and Rarity. The two look behind them and see Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo huddle together looking over at Flash and Sunset. Their faces light up with amazement, their mouths grow huge smiles, and suddenly they let out a collective shriek. “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!” The ear-splitting sound is heard throughout the entire cafeteria. Applejack places her face in her hands. “Oh sweet apple pie,” she mutters. Author's Note Thus ends the first act. Well folks, that's the last chapter I will be doing for a while. Don't worry, I'm not cancelling the story, but it will be going into hiatus mode. However, either 8/31 or 9/1 I will put this story back into incomplete mode and begin working on chapter 5. If you want to know more details about reasoning behind the hiatus, I will be making a blog post here in a little bit explaining everything. Thank you guys for reading, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I will see you the week of 9/1.
Ch. 5: Study Session, Take TwoThe door for the men's locker room by the outside track flies open as a group of young men dressed in gym clothes and drenched in sweat come marching in. Each and every one of them panting, trying to get every single atom of oxygen. They have just finished running for five straight miles, as part of the weekly Five Mile Friday run in their PE course. They each either take a seat on one of the benches or lean up against the rows of lockers. The last two to enter are Flash and Soarin, who share a similar state of exhaustion. They go over to their lockers, open them,pull out their water bottles, and chug the refreshingly cool liquid. “I… hate… Fridays,” one of the other boys says through his breaths. “Coach… Spitfire… can go… eat… a dick!” says another. A pounding noise is suddenly heard from the door, followed by Coach Spitfire shouting. “You boys better be showered, dressed, and out of there before the final bell rings or I’m going to make you run another five miles!” “Yes ma’am,” they all shout back, then mumble curses under their breath. They all then begin to undress and make their way towards the showers. Flash and Soarin are the first in and the first out. They head to their lockers, towels wrapped around their waists, pull out their normal clothes, and begin to dress. “So Flash, are you ready for this afternoon?” Soarin asks with a tone of anticipation as he dresses. “What are you talking about?” Flash responds as he puts on his underwear and pants. “Come on man, your tutoring session with Sunset,” Soarin says teasingly while nudging Flash’s side with his elbow, “Just the two of you, alone, teaching her… probabilities.” That last word he lustfully whispers as he repeatedly lifts his eyebrows. Flash’s face cringes and his spine shivers. “Why do you have to make math sound so… creepy?” Flash asks with great discomfort, “Look, I just want to help her in that class. I’m good with statistics, and she helped me a lot when I took geometry. I’m just paying back a favor.” He grabs his shirt and pulls it onto his body. “Is that really all there is?” Soarin asks with growing suspicion, “Just ‘repaying the favor,’ there isn’t anything else?” “You’re not sounding less creepy,” Flash says in annoyance. But as Flash reaches for his windbreaker, he starts to think over if there is some other reason.Once that reason comes into mind, he begins to feel he’s cheeks grow red. “Well… there may be one more reason,” he says sheepishly. “I knew it!” Soarin exclaims, “And I see those red cheeks, so come on now, spill it!” Flash feels his cheeks grow more red. “Well… I may… also… like her,” Flash murmurs. “I’m sorry what was that?” Soarin asks, leaning in, “You’re gonna have to speak up.” “I… like her,” Flash murmurs again, avoiding eye contact with his friend. “One more time, still can’t hear you,” Soarin says teasingly, leaning his ear towards Flash. “I like her okay!!” Flash shouts for the entire locker room to hear, prompting a series of “woos” and inappropriate jokes from the other boys. Flash’s neck shrinks with embarrassment. He looks at Soarin, who was trying very hard and failing to stifle his laughter, with pure anger. A number of ways to hurt Soarin fly through Flash’s imagination. Soarin gets a hold of himself and calms down the rest of the locker room. “Ok guys, I think Flash has heard enough… for now,” he says with a grin; the boys let out several “awws” of disappointment and go back to getting ready to leave. Soarin turns to Flash, seeing his angry look. “Oh calm down man,” he says, “It’s your fault anyway for shouting out your answer.” This reasoning does nothing to curve his anger. “Besides, isn’t it better getting it all out there now?” Flash takes in a few breaths. “Yeah, I suppose,” he responds still feeling miffed. “So then, why do you like her? I thought after how she rejected you the other day, you had decided that was out?” Soarin’ asks. “Did she put a spell on you,” he adds teasingly “No, it’s not like that,” Flash answers, “It’s just… I don’t know man.” He pulls out his bag, closes the locker, and leans his back up against it. “We’ve spent quite a bit of time together this week and… I just can’t stop thinking about her. It’s like freshman year all over again. No matter how hard I try, she doesn’t escape my mind. It especially doesn’t help that her name is ‘Sunset,’ something I see every single day.” Soarin closes his locker and leans his side up against it, facing Flash. “So you do want to date her?” he asks. “No… maybe… I don’t know man,” Flash says with an embarrassed shrug, “I don’t even feel ready to get back into that game with her again, and neither does she. You forget how our last relationship ended?” “Of course not, but you were dating the old Sunset,” says Soarin, “and she’s definitely not like the present Sunset.” “I know, but a part of me thinks that feeling is just me still being in love with the old Sunset,” says Flash, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead. “Why would you still be in love with that manipulative demon?” Soarin asks, Flash just shrugs in response, “Have you forgotten how she used you?” “How can I,” Flash says, throwing his hands up as he straightens up and sits on the bench in front of him, “I can vividly recall the day I first realized I was being abused, right down to the smallest detail.” He leans forward with arms crossed, looking at the ground with a sullen look as he recalls that day. Soarin sits on Flash’s left side and places his hand on his shoulder. “Look, it’s quite clear to me that you have feelings for Sunset, the present and friendly Sunset. I get it that you’re not ready to try dating again with her, but one way or another you’re gonna have to do something or else those feelings will eat you from the inside-out. Like the chestburster from Alien.” Soarin then puts his hand on his chest and flares his fingers at Flash, replicating the gruesome birth of the xenomorph. Flash closes his eyes, shakes his head, and chuckles. “What a lovely mental image,” he says in a dry sarcastic tone. Flash then pulls his phone from his pocket and looks at the time, 2:57 PM. “Listen,” Flash starts as he puts his phone away, “I’ve gotta head out, I’m supposed to meet her over at my place.” Flash stands up and swings his bag over his shoulders. “Your place, seriously? Ok man,” Soarin says standing up as he gives Flash a fist bump, “Try not to have too much fun now.” Soarin give Flash a playful wink, causing him to roll his eyes. Flash secures his bag and makes his way out of the locker room. The final bell for school rings and all the students in AP European Literature begin to file out of the classroom. But as they leave, Mr. Doodle delivers one final statement. “Students,” he shouts, “Don’t forget to read the first five chapters of Candide over the weekend. We’ll be having a quiz about it on Monday.” The students groan as they leave the room, any hopes of not having weekend reading were quickly tossed into the wind. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Sunset are the last three students to leave. They walk up the hall towards Sunset’s locker, chatting about their afternoon plans. “Hey Sunset,” Fluttershy says, “Are you ready for this afternoon?” “Oooh yes,” Twilight exclaims with excitement, “you’ve got your big ‘tutoring’ session today with Flash!” “Don’t get your hopes up girls,” Sunset says trying to curb their enthusiasm, “It’s not like we're going to prom or anything. He’s just going to help me get started on my stats project and afterwards we’re just going to hang out.” They stop at Sunset’s locker. She begins to fiddle with the lock. “‘Hang out’?” Fluttershy asks with a slight tease in her voice, “It seems we’ve with reached a new level.” “What are you talking about?” asks Sunset as she opens her locker and searches through for her Statistics notes. “Well we maaay have been keeping track of your relationship with Flash,” Twilight admits with fake guilt, “For instance, the two of you have eaten lunch together a few times.” “You’re not having anymore awkward run-ins in the hallway,” Fluttershy adds. “And the two of you have been talking to each other a lot more lately,” Twilight concludes, “All signs that this pointing towards a--” “A growing friendship between two people who happen to be of the opposite sex,” Sunset interrupts as she slams the door of her locker in her annoyance, “Girls, I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times, there is nothing between me and Flash. We are just good friends.” Both girls look at each other then look back at Sunset with looks of skepticism. “What?” she asks. “I don’t want to pry Sunset,” Fluttershy says, “but are you certain that’s all you feel for Flash?” “Yes Fluttershy, I am certain,” Sunset responds confidently “Really?” Fluttershyasks skeptically, “Because everytime I see you talking with Flash, you look at him as though he put you under some sort of love spell.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sunset says as she folds her arms and turns away from them. To them it may seem she’s turning out of defense or annoyance but it’s really to hide the red color beginning to appear on her cheeks. “Also, that’s not how love spells work,” she adds. “Think about it Sunset,” says Twilight as she draws closer to Sunset. “All the classic non-verbal cues are there. Laughing at every other word he says, gazing at him in admiration, gushing smiles, constantly brushing your hair behind your ear, and - the cutest one of all - swinging back and forth on the heels and balls of your feet. Oooh!” Twilight gushes when she brings up that point. “I-I-I don’t do any of that,” Sunset argues as she looks down at the floor and vigorously pets some strands of her hair. Twilight walks over to Sunset and places her hand on her shoulder. “Sunset you don’t have to hide your feelings from us,” says Twilight, “It’s okay if you like Flash, there’s no harm in feeling you want to be more than friends with him.” Sunset looks down at the ground, she processes what Twilight said. Does she really have strong feelings for Flash? If she does, are they even genuine emotions, or was it just convenience and familiarity? She’s not going to deny that Flash has some admirable qualities: he’s handsome, adorkable, he loves music, and he is kind. What girl wouldn’t find him endearing? His kindness and friendliness is what won Sunset over in the first place. However, there is that lingering fear inside her. A fear she has conquered many times but not when it comes to him. The fear that she may end up hurting Flash again. After a short time, it was relatively easy to get over this fear with everyone else. The biggest pain she ever caused to her friends and the student body was either extortion or tearing apart their friendships. Not that that was good, but it had not been personal. But Flash, he was a different case. She abused and manipulated him, turned him into nothing more than a pawn to raise herself up above all others. Snips and Snails voluntarily worked for Sunset, rather like minions in some fairy tale, but Flash was different. All he had wanted was a girlfriend who loved him. When they broke up, she felt nothing, he felt everything. Sunset fears that if she gets close to him again, the same mistakes will be repeated. She does not want to cause him any more pain. Sunset looks at Twilight and gently brushes her hand off her shoulder. “I appreciate the comforting words, Twilight,” Sunset says in a soft, strained tone, “But… there can’t be anything between me and Flash.” She quickly glances over to the left at the clock on the wall, 3:12, and adjusts the backpack straps around her shoulders. “Listen, I gotta go,” Sunset says walking off, “I’ll see you girls tomorrow.” Sunset walks down the hall, waving back to her friends. Fluttershy gazes down the hall with a look of disappointment. “It’s a shame,” Fluttershy sighs, “I was really hoping there might be something there.” She looks over at Twilight, who is also looking down the hall but with a look of studious confusion. “Twilight?” Fluttershy asks, getting the attention of her friend. Twilight breaks her concentration and looks at Fluttershy. “Hm? Oh, sorry,” she says, “I just got caught up on something she said.” “What is it?” Fluttershy asks, raising a curious eyebrow. “Well, she said ‘can’t,’” says Twilight. “‘Can’t?’” Fluttershy asks. “Yeah, ‘there can’t be anything between me and Flash,’” Twilight repeats thoughtfully. “What does she even mean by that?” Sunset pulls over to the side of the street in front of Flash’s house. The building is a two-story house with grey siding. A long sidewalk reaches from street all the way up to the front patio, where the front door stands in the center. There are two windows on the far ends of the front, and three windows on the second floor that line up with the windows and door below. The front of the house has a rectangular shape, and on top is a shallow pyramid roof. The front yard has flower beds that cover both sides of the patio. Not much has changed since the last time I was here, Sunsets thinks as she gets off her bike and removes her helmet. She walks up the pathway and rings the doorbell. She hears a barking noise coming towards the door followed by the noise of claws scraping the door. The lock unlocks and the door opens up slightly. Flash sticks his head out as he tries to keep his dog inside. “Hey you made it,” he says, trying to keep the dog from escaping. “Excuse me a moment. Ranger is getting out of hand.” The door closes as Flash pulls the dog to the backyard. Sunset remembers the German Shepherd from when they used to date, but he was just a puppy back then; now he’s fully grown. Flash opens the door all the way, leading Sunset inside. “Sorry about that, Ranger can be pretty aggressive with guests at the door.” “Well he certainly isn’t the puppy I remember,” says Sunset jokingly. “Is that your friend, Flash?” a gruff voice calls from up the entrance hall. “Yeah dad, it’s her,” Flash responds. He leads Sunset to the end of the hall where the living room is. In the far corner is a recliner and in it sits a middle aged man reading a newspaper. He has dark blue hair shaped into a crew cut and his body is a lean medium build. He still has on his work clothes - a burgundy polo shirt, pressed khaki pants, and brown dress shoes. He looks up from his paper to see the two kids. “Sunset, you remember my dad Thunderchief, right?” Flash asks. “Of course,” Sunset says trying to be polite, “how are you doing sir?” Thunderchief looks at Sunset with a stern face. He folds his paper, gets up from the recliner, and slowly walks towards Sunset. Even though he’s only a few inches taller than her, he makes himself seem more colossal with every step. Sunset tries to maintain a polite demeanor, forcing a smile as he walks, but she feels her blood turn ice cold and a shiver run up her spine. Flash places his hand over his eyes and shakes his head. Not this again, he thinks. Thunderchief stops right in front of Sunset and looks down at her. Sunset can feel herself beginning to shrink. “So,” he says in a stern tone, “the girl who broke my son’s heart over a year ago has now found herself back in my house.” Sunset gulps hard and chuckles nervously. She can feel her heart rate begin to increase. Her anxiety subsides when she sees his face soften and he holds his hand out, requesting a shake. “Well, it’s nice to see that the two of you are friends again,” he says with a more friendly tone. Sunset accepts his handshake and gives him a firm one. “Honey, you’re not frightening Flash’s little friend are you?” shouts a voice from the kitchen. Around the corner walks a short, round, middle-age women with short, light blue, curly hair. She wears a cream-orange t-shirt, light tan capris, sandals, and a flour covered apron. Her face lights up when she sees Sunset, “Oh my stars, Sunset darling, how are you?” she exclaims, walking over to give her a hug. Sunset looks over and her face lights up as well when she sees her. “Mrs. Heartsong,” Sunset says as accepts the hugs, “it’s so good to see you again! I didn’t know you would be here.” When Sunset first met Heartsong, it was not long after her exile from Equestria, and when Flash and her had initially started out as friends. To Sunset, Heartsong was the closest thing to a mother figure she had in this world. There was always a place for Sunset in her home. Even when she became more cruel and distant, Heartsong always kept that space open hoping one day she would change back. After her reformation, Sunset was hesitant to go back to Heartsong, thinking there was no way she would take her back. It wasn’t until a few weeks before Camp Everfree that the two ran into each other just down the street from Sugar Cube Corner. Heartson ran and embraced her, like the father and his prodigal son. Ever since then, the two have met up every now and then for coffee or tea, mending the relationship that was nearly lost between them. Heartsong pulls away from their hug but keeps her hands on Sunset’s shoulders. “I was finally given a few days off from the hospital so I can spend some time with my family,” says Heartsong, smiling. “Well Sunset and I are going to head up to my room and get started on her statistic project,” Flash says, leading Sunset over to the stairs. “Okay, but be sure to keep your door open mister,” Heartsong says. “Yes ma’am,” Flash responds, looking at Sunset and rolling his eyes as he and Sunset make their way up the stairs. Sunset stifles a giggle that would almost certainly have been misinterpreted. The two reach the top of the stairs and walk across the hall to the right. Flash opens the door to his room and leads Sunset in. Sunset scans the room and notices how neat it is. The last time she was here, the entire room resembled a pigsty. Now it’s clean enough for a hotel guest. “Wow, I see you’ve been trying to keep things orderly in here,” Sunset comments. Flash sits down on his bed, “Yeah, I’ve been trying to live more like a civilized human recently,” Flash responds, “now, shall we begin?” “Yes, we shall,” Sunset replies in a mock-formal voice. An hour and a half goes by. Flash spends that time trying to help Sunset get started on the big final project for her class. The assignment requires her to conduct a survey or experiment that revolves around a topic or question of her own interest. Sunset decided to go with an experiment around the question: does drinking coffee before an exam have any effect of the test takers performance? Within that hour and a half, the two come up with population targets, controls, sample sizes, test parameters, and so on. Also during that time, they both were fighting an internal battle of emotions. Sunset caught herself many times laughing or giggling at something Flash said, even if it wasn’t funny. Whenever Flash had to lean over Sunset to look at her notes or textbook, he could feel his heart fluttering when he got close to her, Sunset would feel the same as well. These kind of intense emotions, it was like they were still freshmen, and they disliked the distraction. As they near the end of their studying, a knock is heard on the door. Flash, who’s sitting at his desk chair, looks over and sees Scootaloo standing in the doorway, trying to keep herself from gushing. “What is it Scoots?” Flash asks. Scootaloo collects herself and says, “Mom wants to know if you want anything to drink and if Sunset would like to stay for dinner?” “I’ll just have a bottled water,” Flash responds, “What do you want Sunset?” “I’ll take a water as well,” says Sunset, who’s sitting on the bed, “and I would love to stay for dinner.” Scootaloo nods and walks off. “By the way, when did Scootaloo become your sister?” Sunset asks Flash. “I don’t remember you having any siblings when we ‘dated.’” “About a year ago,” Flash says, “we adopted her a few months after you and I first broke up. Apparently no one knows who her birth parents were. She was just dropped off at the local orphanage one night when she was still a baby. No papers, just a name.” “Damn, that’s pretty rough to hear,” Sunset says, “but she seems to be happy being a part of the family now.” “Oh yeah, it’s really nice not being an only child anymore,” Flash says as he thinks about all the fun him and his sister have had the past year. Flash then changes the topic by asking, “Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?” “Just as long as you don’t ask me out,” Sunset jokes, prompting Flash to chuckle nervously. “No it’s nothing like that,” he says, stifling his laughter. “I actually wanted to ask you about those magical geodes you and your friends got at Camp Everfree. Like, what do they do?” “Oh, well they essentially empower us with certain types of magic based on our personalities,” Sunset explains as she pulls her geode up, “for instance, Rainbow Dash can run faster than any normal human and Fluttershy can communicate with animals.” “And what’s your power?” Flash asks. “I can see a person’s memories by touching them,” she says, “the memories I see are usually based on what I intend to find out but sometimes it can be controlled by my emotions.” Flash leans forward in his chair and holds out his hand. “Oh that’s cool. You think you can try it on me?” he asks. “Um, are you sure?” she asks with some caution. “Yeah, I want to see this power for myself,” he says, “besides, what’s the worst you can see, the times I sang in the shower?” His eyes pop wide open and his cheeks begin to blush, “Actually, um, don’t look at those.” Sunset giggles and leans forward. “Okay then,” she says. She takes a hold of Flash’s hand, concentrates, and, all of a sudden, her eyes glow white as she is taken back to a memory from a few years ago. It’s the beginning of freshman year and a younger Flash Sentry walks through the halls among a crowd of students who are both taller and older than him. His clothes are similar to his normal get up but minus the windbreaker. He tries to navigate his way to his locker, hoping he can get his stuff arranged before the beginning of his first class. He weaves his way through the crowd, trying to get to his destination quicker. In his hurry, he is accidentally shoved, causing him to stumble out of the crowd and into a more open space. He attempts to regain his footing but he runs into another student. The two of them both hit the floor, spilling their contents everywhere. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to run into you,” Flash says, his voice cracking with nervousness. He gathers up all his belongings. “No I should’ve gotten out of the way,” says the other student in a young female voice. Once the two have all their items, they get up and get a look at each other. The student he ran into is a younger Sunset Shimmer. Her red and yellow hair is pulled over to her left side with a light blue flower in it. She wears a sky blue t-shirt with a sunset graphic centered on the chest, a black leather jacket with magenta lapels and golden suns on the hinges, a buttercup yellow skirt, and black boots with rings of gems. Flash’s pubescent mind is dumb striken at the sight of her. Oh my gosh, she’s pretty, he thinks as looks at her with his mouth wide open. “Um, are you ok,” Sunset asks with a confused look. Flash snaps out of his euphoric state and quickly collects himself. “Sorry, um, hi, my name is Flash,” he says lifting his hand up and giving a small wave, “I don’t think I’ve seen you before. Are you new?” “I’m… not from around here,” Sunset responds sheepishly, trying to hide behind her hair. “Do you have a name?” Flash asks, trying to get her to open up. “Um, Sunset Shimmer,” she responds quietly, but loud enough that Flash can hear. “Well Sunset Shimmer, do you want to be friends?” Flash asks, “If we’re going to survive our first day of high school, we oughta stick together.” Sunset comes out from behind her hair, looks at the boy giving her a friendly smile and holding out his hand. Sunset slowly puts out her hand in a fist-like shape, lets the boy take hold of it, and shakes. “I would like a friend in this strange new world,” Sunset says. Flash walks around to her side and puts his arm around her shoulders, smiling. “Well Sunset,” he says, “now you’ve got one.” The two then walk down the hall, together. The white glow from Sunset’s eyes fade away as she comes back into the present. She takes a minute to process what she just saw. “So, what did you see?” Flash asks. “I saw… our first day of freshman year,” Sunset responds, “the day we first met.” Flash leans back in his chair as he remembers that fond memory. “Oh yeah, I remember that,” he says, he starts to chuckle a little, “I pretty much tackled you in the hall just trying to get to my locker.” “Well, the crowd of students certainly did help with things,” Sunset commented. “Yeah but at least I ran into you and not the school bully or Principal Celestia,” Flash says. “Seeing that memory, it makes me curious,” Sunset remarks, “why were you so willing to be friends with someone you’ve never seen before?” Flash leans forward in his chair. “You seemed like you really needed one,” he says with a warm smile. Sunset leans back on her arms. “You know, I never really gave much thought to that day,” she says, “but, after seeing that again, I realize just how important that offer of friendship was.” “How so?” Flash asks. “Well, that memory takes place about a week after I first came to this world,” says Sunset, sitting up, “I had defied Princess Celestia’s orders and broke her trust by coming here because I thought I could prove to her that I was ready for the next level. But when I entered, the portal closed just minutes after I arrived. I was a young and foolish girl trapped in a foreign place, in a foreign body, and was completely alone. When school started and I ran into you, you were the first person to offer me their friendship without question or prejudice. That meant the world to me in that moment.” Flash could feel his insides warm up. “Well, you can thank my mom for that,” he says, glancing over Sunset’s shoulder, “she always said that everyone needs a friend, no matter who they are or where they came from.” He gives her a warm friendly look with a half smile. Sunset wraps her arms around her lower torso, makes a half smile, then quickly looks down at the ground blushing. She briefly looks up at him then looks back at the ground. The tender moment is interrupted when they hear a knock at the door. They both look over and see Scootaloo standing there with two bottles of water. “Here’s your guys’s water,” she says, walking over and handing them their drinks, “and Mom says the first pizza will be ready in about fifteen minutes but you need to come downstairs and prep your salad.” As Scootloo walks off, Flash takes a quick swig of his water before he calls out to her. “Hey Scoots,” he says, Scootaloo turns around and looks at him, “I’m going to push for eight slices this time.” “Only eight slices?” she scoffs, “HA! Those are rookie numbers, I’m going for twelve.” Scootaloo walks out of the room and down the stairs. Sunset looks at Flash with a quizzical face. “Oh we have this little competition every time Mom makes homemade pizza,” Flash explains, “We set a goal before dinner and whoever reaches or exceeds their goal first or is the closest by the time we’re all full, doesn’t have to clean up after dinner.” “And your mom makes enough to keep this going?” Sunset asks as she takes a drink of her water. Flash takes a swig before he answers, “Oh yeah, Mom always makes sure to make enough pizza to last for a few meals.” Flash gets up from his chair and sets the bottle on his desk. “Come on,” he says, “we should go get our salads ready. And after dinner, we can play some Mortal Kombat.” Sunset stands up from the bed and also places the bottle on the desk. “Ok,” she says, “but I should have you know that I’m a master with Kitana.” She gives him a smug grin as she walks towards the door. “We shall see,” Flash says slyly, “but you won’t stand a chance against me and Raiden.” Flash then follows Sunset to the door. Before Sunset walks through, she stops and turns to face Flash. “Oh and by the way,” Sunset says as she points her finger at Flash, “ten slices.” She then turns back around and walks over to the stairs. Flash shakes his head and chuckles, then makes his way towards the stairs. Author's Note Oooh boy this was a long one to write! I figured you guys waited long enough so I figured I give you guys an nice long one for your patience. Going forward from here, due to me being back in college, new chapters will be released on a more weekly basis. So the next chapter will probably be out either next Monday or Tuesday. That's all I have to say, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and have a wonderful week. Tops to you!
Ch. 6: Finding Out the TruthAuthor's Note So I usually put the Author's Note at the bottom but I need it to be at the top this time. Mainly because I need to offer a warning for this chapter. This chapter involves usage of alcohol by characters who, according to US law, are under the legal drinking age. Reader's discretion is advised. Now on a more positive note, this story has just surpassed 400 views and 1,500 total views, which is really awesome! Now I kept you guys waiting long enough, enjoy chapter 6! Ch. 6: Finding Out the Truth Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash walk through the aisles of the grocery store. Rainbow Dash pushes the cart behind Rarity and Applejack while they look at the shelves, following the list Rarity had put together early. The cart is filled with an assortment of different snack foods and drinks. Potato and tortilla chips, salsa, queso, cocktail weiners, crackers, cheese slices, and soda. They are preparing for the Main 7’s monthly game night tonight. They hold it every last Saturday of the month where they play a JackBox party game, the most popular choice being Quiplash, with a special twist. They almost have everything on their list, except for a few items that can only be found in one aisle. As they walk, they start talking about their friends, two in particular. “So have we heard anything new about Sunset and Flash?” Rarity asks as she scans the list. “Not really,” says Applejack, “Other than that they’ve been growing closer as friends, but nothing beyond that.” “Soarin’s got nothing to report as well,” Rainbow says with a groan. “The only significant news was Flash confessing to him about his feelings for Sunset, but that was like a week ago.” “Since when did you get your boyfriend involved on this?” Applejack teasingly asks. Rainbow’s eyes widen and her cheeks blush. “Soarin’s not my boyfriend!” she hasteningly says. “I-I-I don’t even like him... in that way.” Applejack and Rarity chuckle as Rainbow’s entire face turns bright red. “I gotta say, things between those two have been moving a lot slower than I thought they would,” Applejack admits. Rarity lifts her head, raises her eyebrows, and turns her head to face Applejack. “Oh, so then are you reconsidering what our stance should be?” she asks. Applejack pinches her chin and thinks about it for a minute. When Flash and Sunset reignited their friendship, the rest of the Main 7 decided to take a hands-off approach to their relationship. Applejack has been the strongest advocate of this stance. But recently, some of the members have been thinking of changing that stance to be a bit more active. Rainbow, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie have thrown their support behind this idea, but Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight are still unsure. Applejack shakes her head slowly. “No, I still think we should let things happen on their own,” she says, “no matter how slow they may be happenin’.” “Oh come on AJ!” Rainbow groans. “Those two are never going to end up together if we just sit back and let things happen.” “We just need to be patient,” Applejack argues, “If we go meddlin’ in their affairs, then no one wins.” “I’m going to have to agree with Rainbow Dash, dear,” says Rarity. “It’s quite obvious that the two admire each other but, let’s be honest, they have colder feet than a penguin. We’re not saying we should control them like puppets, rather just give them a little… push.” She motions her hand into a small pushing action. “Could you be a bit more clear about what exactly this ‘push’ entails?” Applejack asks, raising an eyebrow and placing her hands on her hips. “Don’t worry AJ, we’ve got a plan,” Rainbow says with confidence. “We’re going to invite Flash and Soarin to game night tonight. We would invite just Flash but that might seem a bit suspicious to Sunset. At some point in the evening, we’re going to isolate Flash from the rest of the group. We’re going to get him to spill his guts out about Sunset, hear it directly from the horse’s mouth. Then, we’re going to let him know how Sunset truly feels. Anything he tells us will remain just between all of us, excluding Sunset. Then we work with whatever information we have and continue on from there.” Applejack processes the plan through her mind. “The first part sounds ok, I guess,” she says with uncertainty, “but it sounds to me like you’re plannin’ on violatin’ Sunset’s trust. I ain’t havin’ no part in that.” “We had hesitated on that point,” Rarity says, “But just getting them to admit it might not be enough. if someone doesn’t tell someone else something, that someone might never pick up on someone else’s hints.” “...What?” Rainbow Dash says. “I don’t care how you say it,” Applejack says, “You just forget about that end of things and I’ll think about it.” “Oh very well, I’ll make sure Rainbow Dash doesn’t go off-script,” Rarity says. “You know I’m standing right here?” Rainbow exclaims. “Yes I know dear,” Rarity answers dryly. Applejack thinks it over while they show. The plan could work. Getting things out in the open might be just the subtle push they need.. Applejack slowly starts to nod, “Okay, you can go along with your plan, just know I’ll be watchin’,” she states. “Don’t push too hard. The last thing we need is to get them together by makin’ ‘em mad at us… y’all. And easy on the drinks.The last thing we need is someone confessing their feelings while in a stupor, like at the last Apple Family Reunion when Cousin Northwood didn’t tell anybody his cider was hard. “Yeah you know, you never did tell use that story,” Rainbow Dash says. “That’s ‘cause it’s private,” Applejack says, “Now do we have a deal or not?” “Right, right,” Rainbow Dash says. “We’re gonna be reeaal casual about it. We’re gonna corner him after the first game.” “Speaking of which,” Rarity says, changing the topic and turning to Rainbow, “I believe it’s your turn this month to pick out our poison, Rainbow Dash.” “Yes!” Rainbow exclaims, pumping both of her fists towards her. “I know exactly what to get. Be right back!” Rainbow dashes past the girls and towards the liquor aisle, leaving a rainbow trail behind her. Flash and Soarin pull up in front of Applejack’s house on the other side of the street. They can tell from the vehicles out front that they are the last to arrive. Flash turns off the engine, steps out of the car, locks it, and heads towards the house, Soarin following suit. In Soarin’s hands are a bag of solo cups and a jug of apple cider. The two walk side by side to the house. “So you ready for tonight?” Soarin asks Flash. “Ready to hang out with… Sunset again?” Soarin light jabs Flash’s side with his elbow a few times. “Yeah, I guess,” Flash says rolling his eyes. He’s pretty much gotten used to Soarin’s teasing at this point and is almost immune. However, this time he has a counter. “But the real question, are you ready for tonight?” Flash asks. “What are you talking about?” Soarin asks with a hint of concern. “Oh you know.” Flash points to the jug of cider, “Tanners Orchard cider, Applejack’s favorite non-Sweet Apple Acres cider, you trying to impress someone… cowboy?” Flash raises and lowers his eyebrows a few times. “I-I don’t know what you mean,” Soarin says, slightly blushing and looking away from his friend. Of course, he does know what Flash is talking about. Soarin has had a slight crush on Applejack ever since last year’s Fall Festival when the Apple family was selling a new style of their traditional apple pie, Dutch Apple Pie. Soarin loved their dutch apple, so much that he bought seven slices from them. But it wasn’t just the pie that had him coming back, it was also the beautiful, blonde, freckle-faced girl who was serving the pie. Everytime he went back, he always intrigued by a different aspect about her. Her country persona, her love of the business, and her warm and kind personality. Ever since then, he’s been wanting to get to know her better, but behind his snark and confidence lies a nervous lad who would not know the first thing to say to her. Tonight, however, might give him a chance. “Sure you don’t, cowboy,” Flash teases. They walk up to the door, ring the doorbell, and wait for someone to answer. A few seconds go by until the door opens with no one behind it. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, Pinkie Pie pops up in front of the two, exclaiming, “Flashlight! Clipper! You made it!” They both jump and yelp at being startled by Pinkie. “Sweet Lauren Faust!” cries Soarin, nearly dropping the items. “Pinkie Pie! Please don’t ever do that again.” “Also you’re not allowed to call us those names outside of P.E.,” Flash lightly scolds. “Whatever you say, guys,” Pinkie says smiling. “Come on in! Everyone else is waiting for you.” Pinkie skips inside, leading the two boys in. Soarin enters first, followed by Flash, who closes the door behind them. They walk into the living room where the rest of the girls and Big Mac are sitting around in front of the TV. Applejack is the first to see them. ”Hey y’all, glad you can make it,” she says. She gets up from her seat and walks over to the two. She notices Soarin holding the cups and cider. “I can take those off your hands Soarin,” she says holding out her hands. Soarin hands her the items. Applejack flips over the jug to get a look at the label. “Oooh, Tanners Orchard cider, you picked a good one Soarin,” she says with amusement. “Oh, good, I was, uh, hoping I did,” Soarin says, fumbling over his words and scratching the back of his head. As Applejack turns around and walks towards the kitchen, Soarin eyes begin to look down and focus on her rear as it sways while she walks. Flash notices this and gives his friend a light elbow jab to the gut. “Enjoying the view?” he teasingly whispers. “I-I-I wasn’t looking at her um… her,” Soarin whispers back, feeling his face begin to turn red. “Her ass?” “Um, yeah.” Soarin stands there awkwardly, not saying a word, instead letting his red face do all the talking. Finally he says in a normal volume, “Lets just go find a seat.” Soarin walks over and takes a seat on the floor next to the coffee table. Flash follows and takes a seat in one of the empty armchairs. Applejack walks back into the living room and takes her seat on the couch. “Alright,” she says, “now that we are all here, Sunset, why don’t you explain the rules to the new players?” “Sure thing,” says Sunset who’s sitting at the opposite end of the couch. She turns to face Soarin and Flash. “Alright you two,” she says, getting their attention, “now I assume you are familiar with the game Quiplash?” They both nod. “Okay, well we play it with a little twist. By twist I mean we make it a drinking game. The rules are, if you are in first at the end of the round you don’t take a shot, if you are last you take a shot, and if you’re not in either first or last then you take half a shot.” Flash and Soarin look at each other with raised eyebrows of intrigue. They look back at Sunset and Flash says, “Well this night just got a lot more interesting.” Pinkie Pie, who’s sitting on the other end of the coffee table, stands up holding a baseball cap upside down. “Since there are ten of us playing,” she says, “we’re going to split up into teams of two by selecting our teammate at random from this hat. I’ll go first!” Pinkie reaches into the hat, runs her hands through the slips of paper, pulls one out, and reads it. “Twilight!” “Yes!” Twilight exclaims, “Team TwiPie for the third time in a row!” “Oh come on!” Rainbow exclaims, “You guys are too good when teamed up! I demand a redraw.” “There are no redraws Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy says gently. “It’s all random, you’ll just have to deal with Twilight and Pinkie teaming up again.” “E’yup,” says Big Mac. “Ugh, fiiine,” Rainbow groans. “Your turn Flash,” says Pinkie as she places the hat in front of him. Flash reaches his hand into the hat and reads the slip of paper he pulled out. “Rarity.” “Oooh,” Rarity exclaims, “this ought to be interesting.” She gets up from her seat on the couch and sits on the left arm of Flash’s chair. However, Flash gets up and offers his seat to Rarity, not wanting to have her sit on the arm while he’s in the chair. “Such a gentleman,” Rarity says alluringly as she takes the seat. When she sits down, she looks over at Sunset who is glaring at her with wincing eyes, almost as if she’s jealous. “You’re up Soarin,” says Pinkie. Soarin reads the name he pulls out. “Applejack.” “Alright, this is going to be fun,” Applejack says as she gets up from the couch and sits down on the floor next to Soarin. Applejack looks over and notices Soarin’s face turning red, lips pursed, and eyes wide. “Uh, are you okay sugar cube?” she asks with some concern. “UhyeahI’mfine,” Soarin says rapidly. Rainbow looks at Soarin’s composure. He’s not acting like the pompous, over-confident athlete she knows him to be. In fact, he’s never acted this insecure around anyone, especially around the ladies. What is going on with him? Rainbow thinks “Sunset,” Pinkie says handing the hat to her. Sunset reads her name. “Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow is snapped out of her thoughts when she hears her name. She looks and see Sunset holding the piece of paper with her name on it. “AH yeah!” Rainbow exclaims, “Team SunDash is finally back!” Rainbow vaults over the couch and lands next to Sunset. “That leaves Fluttershy and Big Mac,” says Pinkie.“Looks like you two are teaming up again.” “Woohoo, let’s go Team FlutterMac,” Fluttershy gently cheers. “E’yup!” Big Mac exclaims, giving Fluttershy a high five. “Alright y’all,” says Applejack, “login and enter your team name.” Applejack, Flash, Sunset, Twilight, and Big Mac pull out their phones and login to Quiplash. Five names appear on the TV: FlutterMac, SunDash, TwiPie, SoarinApple, and RariFlash. “Oh before we begin,” Sunsets says before she hits start, “this room is a safe space, so feel free to enter anything as your answer.” “What she means is, the more vulgar, crude, and offensive your answer is, the better,” Rainbow explains. “So be prepared to lose whatever innocence you may have left,” jokes Rarity. “As if we had any innocence to begin with,” Soarin jokes but freezes when realizes what he just said. “Wait, that came out wrong.” Everyone around the room laughs. “Ready to lose to me again, she-demon,” Flash says to Sunset. “In your dreams, horse lover,” Sunset retorts. “Hey, let’s save the heckling for when we’re wasted,” says Applejack. “Hit play Sunset.” “Alright, here we go!” Sunset hits play and the intro screen begins to roll. At the end of the first game, the score is: RariFlash: 0 shots SoarinApple: 1.5 shots TwiPie: 1.5 shots FlutterMac: 2 shots SunDash: 2 shots “How the hell is the noob beating us!?” exclaims Rainbow Dash. “My dad was in the Air Force, RD,” Flash says as he leans in his chair and crosses his arms. “I know jokes your small brain can’t even comprehend.” “I don’t think I want to learn what you know,” says Fluttershy as she takes her half-shot. She shudders from both the alcohol and the thought of what Flash’s psyche might look like. “We need to step up our game, Pinkie,” Twilight says. “Or we’ll lose our winning streak.” Twilight takes a whole shot and rapidly shakes her head after she swallows. “Agreed,” says Pinkie as she takes her shot. Pinkie then leans over and whispers to Twilight, “Do you want me to break out… the book?” “Not yet,” Twilight whispers back, “Wait until we’re really desperate.” “You’re really good at this game, Flash,” says Rarity, “I’m starting to regret that we never invited you over for game night sooner.” “The only thing I regret is letting Rainbow buy strawberry vodka,” groans Applejack as she pours her and Soarins half-shot. “Yeah this stuff is really sweet,” Soarin says as he accepts his glass. “Cheers, Applejack?” “Ha, cheers, Soarin.” They clink their glass and shoot back their shots. They go into a small coughing fit, reacting to the sweetness of the booze. “Well, we should probably start breaking out the snacks,” says Rarity. “We can’t fill our stomachs with vodka alone.” She gets up from her seat and walks towards the kitchen. Before she enters, she turns to face the group. “Rainbow, Flash, could you two come help me, please?” They both nod and follow Rarity into the kitchen. They find most of the food gathered on the kitchen island, still in its packaging. Rarity goes to the fridge and pulls out all the cold items while Rainbow grabs dishes and Flash begins unpacking. After working for roughly ten minutes, Rainbow and Rarity shoot each other a side look and give a nod. They all gather around the island and begin arranging the food. Then Rarity puts the plan into motion. “So Flash, what do you think of Sunset?” Rarity asks with a tone of interest. “She’s great,” Flash says casually as he arranges the food. “I’m really glad we’re friends again.” “Is that all?” she asks. “There isn’t anything else you might feel about her?” Flash halts his arranging and feels his face turning red. “I’m… not sure what you mean,” he says. “Come on dude,” says Rainbow as she looks forward towards him. “You don’t need to hide it from us. We can tell you like her anyway.” Flash does not say anything. He remains silent and focuses on the food as his face grows red as a tomato. He looks up and sees the two girls looking at him with intrigued faces. He looks back down and gets back to his work. “We’ve seen what you’re like when you’re around Sunset,” says Rainbow. “You never break a smile, you listen to everything she says, and, according to Soarin, you were swooning about her last week after PE.” “Soarin said that?” Rainbow nods. “I’m going to kill him later,” Flash mutters to himself. “The point she’s trying to make dear,” Rarity explains, “is that we can tell that you have some rather strong feelings for our friend. But we want to know for certain if it's true. Is it?” Flash stops his work, leans against the counter with both hands, and lets out a big sigh. “If I tell you,” he looks up at both of them, “can you promise that you won’t tell Sunset?” Rainbow and Rarity place their right hand over their heart and raise their left hand. “On my honor,” says Rarity. “You have my word,” says Rainbow. “...Okay.” Flash takes in a deep breath and says, “Yes it’s true, I do have some strong feelings for Sunset.” “Awesome,” says Rainbow. “So what are you waiting for?” “Excuse me?” says Flash in confusion. “Rainbow Dash!” scolds Rarity. “What?” says Rainbow. “If he likes her so much, then why doesn’t he just go ahead and tell her?” Flash scratches the back of his head and looks down at the floor. Rarity looks over at Flash and can read the signs. “You’re worried she may react the same way she did a few weeks ago,” Rarity predicts. “I am,” he confesses. “I like her, but after what happened at Pour Jons, I’ve been very hesitant to tell her. Not only that, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to try dating again. Especially after how our last relationship ended.” Rarity walks over to Flash and places her hand on his shoulder. “I can understand your hesitation,” Rarity says empathetically. “I wasn’t fully ready to accept Sunset as a friend right after the Fall Formal. But now we are closer than ever, practically sisters.” “And what makes you think things will turn out like last time?” asks Rainbow. “I don’t,” says Flash, “but if there wasn’t anything between us then, how can there be now? I may have feelings for her, but I highly doubt she feels the same way.” Rainbow and Rarity look at each other and begin to snicker. They use every fiber of their body to keep their laughter under control. Flash notices them trying to hide their laughter and looks at them confused. “What’s so funny?” he asks. “No offense Flash,” Rainbow says stifling her laughter, “but please tell me you’re not that oblivious?” “Excuse me!?” Flash exclaims in an insulted tone. “What she means to say dear,” Rarity says, getting a hold herself, “is that it’s quite clear that Sunset also has strong feelings about you.” Flash looks at the two with much skepticism. He has a hard time believing their words, especially after Rainbow’s question. “So, I pour out my feelings and you girls are trying to lead me on so I can make myself look foolish?” He violently turns his back towards Rarity and Rainbow and takes a few steps away from them. The two girls snap back into serious mode when they notice Flash’s offended attitude. “Of course not dear,” Rarity says, trying to ease things. “We would never do that to you.” “Yeah we’re being a hundred percent serious,” says Rainbow walking over to Rarity’s side. “Sunset totally has the hots for you.” Flash takes in a few deeps breaths and turns back to face the girls, his arms crossed. “No jokes?” he asks. “You’re being serious?” They both put their right hand over their hearts, raise their left hand, and nod. “How can you tell?” “How can you not?” Rarity gently asks. “When we see you two together, she looks at you like you’re a perfectly cut diamond.” “She laughs at just about every joke you make,” says Rainbow, “even the ones that aren’t funny.” “She constantly brushes her hair behind her ear and will sometimes look up at you with red cheeks and a sheepish grin,” says Rarity, slightly gushing at the mental image. “Those can mean anything,” Flash says, still deep in his skepticism. “Has she said or confessed anything?” “Weeell,” Rainbow says scratching the back of her head, “not exactly.” Flash raises his eyebrow, steeping further back into his doubts. “She’s never explicitly told us,” Rarity explains, “and if she had we could not break her trust, but whenever the topic comes up, she doubles down, rather suspiciously, on how you two are ‘just friends.’” “But the biggest give away was after your chat at Sugar Cube Corner a few weeks ago,” says Rainbow. “When she recounted your guys’s chat, she fell into a euphoric state so high it took her an hour to come back down.” Flash looks off to the side and thinks over their points. It could be possible that Sunset holds similar feelings for him. The points they laid out are pretty compellingly. He’s never considered her mannerisms towards him until they pointed it out. Now that thinks about, her actions do seem like she holds some sort of attraction for him. But without a direct confession, it is hard to accept this claim with full certainty. Flash looks at the girls and asks, “Are you certain she feels this strongly about me?” “We are ninety-five percent certain that she does,” says Rarity, “but the only way to know for sure is if you ask her.” “Or get her piss drunk,” Rainbow says nonchalantly. “Rainbow Dash!” Rarity exclaims in horror. “What?” Rainbow responds, “It’s called liquid honesty for a reason.” “It’s liquid courage,” Flash says correcting her, “and I don’t think that’s a good idea. A drunken confession isn’t a really good confession.” “A wise decision, darling,” says Rarity, giving Rainbow Dash a stern side look. “So then what do you plan on doing?” Rainbow asks with an annoyed tone. “I don’t know,” Flash admits. “Probably nothing at the moment.” “Nothing? That’s your plan?” Rainbow exclaims. “Fair enough,” says Rarity, “It has only been two weeks, but I wouldn’t wait too long. I suggest revisiting this issue within the next week or so.” “Or tell her tomorrow!” Rainbow exclaims in frustration. “This has been dragging on for long enough!” “Hey, are you guys almost done in there?” Pinkie yells from the living room. “Yeah we’re getting pretty hungry in here!” yells Sunset. “We’re almost done, just another minute,” Rarity yells back. “I’ll decide something later,” says Flash, “but right now, remaining friends is the safest bet.” “Fine, take things slow,” Rainbow begrudgingly says, throwing up her hands and rolling her eyes. “We better get this food out there before they get too hangry,” says Rarity as she grabs some of the platters. Rainbow and Flash grab the rest of the food and follow Rarity out of the kitchen. At the end of the night, the final score is: RariFlash: 2 shots TwiPie: 8 shots SoarinApple: 9 shots FlutterMac: 10 shots SunDash: 12 shots While Rarity and Flash are the winners of game night, one could argue that they are really the losers. They are only slightly buzzed while the rest of their friends are completely wasted, and they have to be the babysitters. “I think it’s time everyone went to bed, don’t you think?” Rarity asks Flash. They are standing against the far wall of the living room, observing the chaos taking place in front of them. “Do we have to drive everyone home now?” Flash asks, not looking forward to taking care of a bunch of drunk toddlers. Especially Soarin, who is dancing like a male stripper with a lampshade over his head, while Pinkie is playing heavy bass music from her phone, and Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Sunset, and Twilight fling dollar bills at him and dance along. Fluttershy is currently passed out in one of the armchairs, and Big Mac already retired to his room upstairs. “Thank Faust no, we usually just spend the night,” says Rarity. “You and Soarin don’t have to, but if you’re not feeling up to drive, then you’re more than welcome to stay.” Flash observes his friend as he thinks over what he should do. “Probably be best just to stay here,” Flash concludes. “I’d rather not risk getting a DUI while I got a buzz.” Rarity nods in agreement. He continues to watch his friends, especially Sunset who’s dancing with her whole body to the music. Even though her moves are unsteady and erratic, Flash finds them to be rather graceful and even sexy. Sunset catches Flash looking at her and motions her finger towards him, telling him to get over here. Flash slowly starts to walk towards her, but he’s stopped when Rarity places her hand on his chest and points towards Soarin and Applejack. The two have their arms around each other, swinging around. They both begin to move their hands down and each towards the others--, “NO, SOARIN, BAD DOG!” Flash shouts as he and Rarity run to break the two apart. “HEY!” shouts Rainbow Dash in a drunken fury, “Get your hands off my man, you slut!” “Make me, bitch!” shouts Applejack as she wobbles towards Rainbow with balled fists. The two come face to face but before anything can happen, Rarity pinches the back of both their necks causing them to collapse. “Bedtime for everyone!” she declares. After about an hour or two, Rarity and Flash successfully get all their friends to settle down and go to sleep. Rarity has Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight sharing Applejack’s bed. Flash has Soarin and Rainbow Dash huddled in fetus positions on opposite ends of the couch and Sunset curled up in the other armchair. They decided not to bother Fluttershy since she seemed comfortable enough as she is. The two meet in the kitchen after they’re done taking care of the toddlers. They both lean up against the island and rub their temples. “I think we got them all to bed,” says Flash letting out a yawn. “I think so too,” says Rarity, catching the yawn. “I think I’m going to retire to the guest room now. You think you’ll be okay down here?” “Yeah, I’m going to use the bathroom first, and I’ll curl up in between Soarin and Rainbow on the couch,” says Flash. “Very well, good night Flash, I’ll see you in the morning,” says Rarity as she walks out of the kitchen. “Good night Rarity,” Flash says. He stands up straight and stretches his arms. He walks out of the kitchen and towards the bathroom, just down the hall. Once he takes care of his business and washes up, he turns off the lights and he walks out of the bathroom but runs into someone in the dark. He turns the bathroom light back on to see that it’s Sunset he ran into. She wobbles as she stands and her eyelids are half open. He reaches out a hand to her shoulder to steady her. “Sunset, what are you doing up?” he asks in a hushed tone so as to not wake everyone else. “I just wanted to see the cutest boy on the planet,” she says, slurring her words and giggling. “That’s very kind of you, but you need to go to sleep,” he turns her around and starts pushing her back to the living room. “Now come on, let’s get you back to your chair.” “No!” she quietly shouts. “Not until I tell you something.” She tries pointing at him, but her finger can’t remain still, as though it’s having difficulty picking a target. Flash lets out a sigh. “Alright, what is it?” “Flash, I think you’re--,” she stops and takes in a sharp breath, “I think you--hergh,” she stops again, her body suddenly jolting as though something was trying to get out. Sunset pushes pass Flash, runs to the toilet, and vomits all the contents of her stomach into the bowl. Flash goes over, kneels beside her, and holds back her hair as she spews, rubbing her back to give her comfort. When she finishes, Flash rips off some toilet paper and folds it a few times. “Hey, look at me,” he tells her. Sunset sits up against the sink counter and looks at Flash. He takes the toilet paper and wipes her mouth of any left over stomach fluids. After her mouth is clean, he throws the toilet paper into the bowl and flushes it along with the rest of puke. “Flash,” Sunset quietly says. Flash looks at her. She takes her hands, wraps them around the back of his neck, and quickly pulls him in for a kiss. While her eyes are closed, enjoying the kiss, Flash’s eyes are wide open, taken complete aback from action. When she lets go, Flash steps up and back, Sunset passes out. Flash stares at her wide eyed for a few seconds. What the hell was that? he thinks to himself as he wipes lingering the acid from his mouth with the back of his hand. That wasn’t real, she’s drunk. She’s not thinking clearly, or at all. That wasn’t real. He takes in a deep breath and recovers from the shock. “Let’s get you to bed,” he murmurs as he picks Sunset up. He wraps her arms around his shoulders as he cradles her. She gives tired moans as he carries her, her head resting on his shoulder. Flash gets her back to the living room and places her back into the armchair. Before her head leaves his shoulder, she briefly regains consciousness and whispers into his ear, “I love you Flash,” then passes out again. Flash walks away from her, and curls up on the middle section of the couch. Her words repeat his head, but he shakes it off, thinking to himself, It’s not real Flash, it’s not real… was it?
Ch. 8: A Walk In The Park - Part 2The evening sun hangs in the sky, covering the land in a soft orange light. The sky beholds colors of purple, orange, and pink. Down below, the festival grounds of Canterlot Park are bustling with activity. It’s the monthly Food Truck Festival, where food truck owners from all over the city show off their products and introduce new items. Pop and classic rock music play over speakers as hundreds of guests walk around the festival trying everything. The smells of cultures from around the world fill the air. From Latino to European, Middle Eastern to Indian, Asian to Polynesian. The entire world in one place for one day. Outside the festival gates, Flash Sentry stands by the entrance patiently waiting for Sunset Shimmer to arrive. As he waits, he flips through a small stack of three by five note cards. Written on the cards is, essentially, his script for when he confesses his feelings to Sunset. He flips through the cards multiple times, murmuring his lines to help him better memorize them. After he finishes going through them again, he pulls out his phone to check the time. 7:10 PM. She should be here by now, he thinks. He looks up and down the road, no sight of her anywhere. I should probably call her. Flash goes into his contacts, scrolls to her name, and is about to press call. But he hesitates when he hears a car horn honking from up the street. He looks to his left and sees a small purple and white car pull up in front of him. Inside the car, he sees Fluttershy in the driver's seat, Rainbow Dash in the passenger seat, and Sunset sitting in the back seat behind Rainbow. When the car comes to a full stop, Rainbow gets out of the car and moves the seat forward, allowing Sunset to exit. “Hey Flash,” says Sunset as she steps out of the car. “Sorry if I’m late. My bike refused to start for some reason.” “Ah it’s no big deal,” Flash says, flicking his hand in the air and placing the cards in his back pocket. “The festival doesn’t end for another few hours.” “Awesome, you ready to head in?” Sunset asks. Before Flash can answer, he briefly glances over Sunset’s shoulder and notices Rainbow Dash calling him over with her index finger. “Uh, why don’t you head inside and scout out the area?” Flash suggests. “Rainbow needs to talk to me.” “Okay... but don’t take too long,” says Sunset as she walks past Flash and into the festival. Flash walks over to Rainbow. “What’s going on?” he asks her. “Are you ready?” Rainbow asks. “Yes! Kind of. Not really,” says Flash, his confidence waning. Fluttershy gets outs of the car and walks around to Rainbow’s left side. “It’s okay if you feel nervous,” Fluttershy says. “This is a big step you’re making. Do you still have those notecards you and Twilight worked on?” “Yeah, I got ‘em right here,” Flash says as he reaches into his back pocket and holds up the stack of cards. "I've been memorizing them all week, hopefully I can remember what to say." “Hey, can I see those for a second?” asks Rainbow Dash. Flash hands her the cards, she briefly glances at the top card. Without missing a beat, she rips the entire stack down the middle and throws the pieces into the wind. Both Fluttershy and Flash look at her with wide eyes and jaws dropped. Rainbow maintains a neutral expression. “What. The actual. HELL!?” shouts Flash. “Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy say in what for her is a shout. “That was completely uncalled for! Not only did you destroy what he was going to say, but you are littering!” “Calm down you two,” Rainbow says holding up her hands in vain defense. “Flash, you don’t need those cards.” “You better have a good reason for thinking that,” says Flash as he gets up in Rainbow’s face, his anger growing. Rainbow places her hand on his chest and pushes him away from her. “You need to speak from your heart, not from your cards,” she argues. “Elaborate,” says Flash, crossing his arms over his chest. “Look, you’re about to take a big and important step in your relationship,” says Rainbow. “Do you really think some note cards are going to help you take that step? No way! You need to stop thinking with your brain and start going with your gut. Or heart or whatever. Just tell her everything you feel, everything you like about her.” “That’s your advice!?” Flash exclaims with bewilderment. “Go with my gut? I can’t do that! I’ll screw up it up for sure!” “No, you won’t,” says Rainbow. “Your confession needs to be unfiltered, unscripted, and unadulterated. Don’t think about it too much. If you truly love her, then the right words will just come to you.” Flash looks at Fluttershy, who’s been quiet during this exchange. “Fluttershy, don’t you have anything to say about this?” he asks her. Fluttershy rests her hand on her chin, stirring Rainbow’s words through her head. “She does have a point,” Fluttershy admits. “While you do need to be careful, words straight from the heart are more real and true than some note cards.” Flash pinches the bridge of his nose and seals his eyelids in frustration. Without any sort of tool to make this process easier, he now has to improvise his entire confession, and they think it’s a good idea. “I can’t believe you two,” he mutters. “I can’t just ‘go with my gut’. What if I completely flub it up? What if I put my foot in my mouth? What if I scare her off again? What if--” He stops himself, realizing what he’s doing. If I’m going to just keep asking ‘what if,’ I might as well be paddling up stream, he thinks, recalling Granny Smith’s words. He runs his hands through his hair and lets out a groan, I can’t believe I’m jumping into this pool without a life vest. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy walk to Flashs side and place their hands on both his shoulders. “We know you’re nervous about this,” says Fluttershy, her tone gentle, “and that’s ok. You’re about to ask a big question and it can be scary knowing you may not get the answer you want.” “It’s completely understandable if you don’t feel ready for this,” says Rainbow. “The truth is, no one is ever ready for something like this. You’re going in unprepared and uncertain of how it may turn out. But you know what, life’s--.” “Life’s all about uncertainty,” Flash says cutting Rainbow off. “That’s what makes it so exciting.” He looks at Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, both smiling and nodding in agreement with what he said. “Actually I was going to say ‘life’s a bitch and sometimes you gotta just stare it down,’” Rainbow Dash says with a grin, “Either way, what you gotta do is the same.” Their nods and those words light a new fire of confidence in him. Is he prepared to take this new step? No. Is he certain everything will turn out alright? Absolutely not. But he’s going to take this new step regardless of what may happen. Forget the outcomes, forget the consequences. I’m going to get my answer one way or another. “Since when did you become such a relationship expert?” Flash asks Rainbow Dash with a small smile. Rainbow Dash glances around to see if anyone is eavesdropping. “Promise not to tell?” she asks. She waits for Fluttershy and Flash’s nods of agreement. She takes a deep breath. “Romance novels.” Fluttershy and Flash look at her skeptically. “I know, I know, I don’t seem the type, right?” Rainbow Dash says, “I prefer adventure books most of the time, and most romance novels are trash, but every now and then you find one that’s obviously real. There’s more suspense in a good romance than all but the best Daring Do books!” Flash chuckles at this. His spirits raised, he takes a few quick deep breaths, and faces the direction of the entrance. “Alright, let's do this,” Flash says as he leaves the two girls and makes his way towards the entrance. “Go get her tiger!” shouts Rainbow. “Good luck Flash!” Fluttershy quietly ‘shouts’. “Okay, should we go meet up with the rest of the gang?” Rainbow suggests as she walks toward the passenger door. Fluttershy grabs Rainbow’s arm, pulls her back, and points at the pieces of paper blowing down the street. “Oh come on, you’re not seriously going to make me clean all that up are you?” Fluttershy looks at Rainbow with a stern expression. “That’s like twenty pieces of paper, and it’s scattering everywhere!” Fluttershy cocks her left eyebrow. “Ugh, fine!” Rainbow groans as she begins picking up the torn-up cards from off the sidewalk. Flash walks through the gates into the festival grounds. He looks around the sea of people to find Sunset. He can’t see her from where he is standing, so he walks further into the area, without heading in any particular direction. As he walks, he scans the area trying to find Sunset, but she’s nowhere to be found. A few minutes go by when he hears a voice calling his name. “Flash! Flash!” the voice calls. He looks around to find its source. “Flash, I’m over here.” He spots a hand waving in an open section of the grounds. Flash jogs over to her position. “Hey, I finally found you,” Flash says when he reaches Sunset. “Sorry, that took so long. Rainbow Dash had a lot more to say than I was expecting.” “Well, while you were chatting it up with Rainbow, I found us the perfect truck to get some food,” Sunset says with a smug look. “It’s over on the far side. Follow me, and don’t get lost this time.” “Hey, I wasn’t--WHOA!” Sunset grabs Flash’s hand and tows him through the crowds. “Excuse me!” he says as he bumps into someone. They walk for about five minutes before finally stopping near the edge of two rows of food trucks. The crowds are thinner here though there’s still plenty of people around. When they stop, Sunset points to the right side at a truck painted in bright colors of orange, green, purple, and gold. Flash reads the sign above the service window. “The Tasty Treat?” he reads aloud with some curiosity. He looks at Sunset with a confused look. “I’ve always wanted to try some real Indian food, ever since I saw that movie about the Indian family that moved to France,” Sunset says with a growing excitement. “And these guys look like they're the real deal. So what do you think?” Flash looks back at the colorful truck. Indian cuisine wouldn’t be his first choice, mainly because he’s never had it before. Usually when he comes to a festival like this, he would go for more traditional fair food, which is anything that’s been deep fried. However, this is Sunset’s day, and he’s open to trying new things. Plus, the line is a decent size, so the food might be pretty good. “Alright,” he says with a nod. “Let’s get in line.” The two of them hop into the back of the line for the Tasty Treat. Despite there being being fifteen to twenty people in front of them, the line moves fast. Within ten minutes, it’s their turn to order. A lady in her mid-twenties with light brown skin, purple eyes, and poofy dark brown hair greets them from behind the window. “Hello, welcome to the Tasty Treat, my name is Saffron Masala. How might I take your order?” she says with a Hindi accent. Sunset takes in a deep breath through her nose, smelling all the aromas from the kitchen. “Oh, that all smells really good,” Sunset says while her mouth begins to salivate. “Why thank you,” Saffron says with a gleaming smile. “Is this your first time trying our food?” Sunset and Flash both nod in response. “Wonderful, I always love introducing new customers to my home country’s cuisine. If you are looking for recommendations, I suggest trying our Rogan Josh.” “What’s Rogan Josh?” Flash asks. “It is a lamb dish braised in a gravy flavored with garlic, ginger, and other aromatic spices served on top of a bed of white rice,” says Saffron. “You can also get it with tofu instead of lamb and for the same price. We also serve every dish with a piece of naan bread and hummus.” “Oh that sounds good,” Sunset says, licking her lips. “I think I’ll have that, with the tofu.” “As will I,” Flash says, “But with lamb.” He pulls out his wallet and hands Saffron his debit card. Saffron charges Flash’s card the total amount and hands it back to him. “Thank you very much,” she says cheerfully. “You will be order number forty-seven.” Flash and Sunset thank her and step out of line to allow the next guest to order. As they patiently wait for their order a few yards from the truck, the two converse with each other to pass the time. “I hope your fitting last week with Rarity wasn’t too terrible?” Sunset asks. “Nah,” Flash says waving his hand. “It wasn’t as bad as some would think. All she did was get mine and Soarin’s measurements, had us try a few pieces, and that was it.” “I assume she’s being secretive with you as well,” says Sunset. “What do you mean?” Flash asks. “Rarity hasn’t even given us a peek at our dresses,” says Sunset. “She says they’ve been done for months now, but she’s adamant on waiting until the week before prom to show them to us.” “Sounds like she hasn’t even started on them yet, and she’s trying to make excuses to cover her procrastination,” Flash speculates. “But I could be wrong; Rarity may want to make sure that the reveal is a big surprise.” “The latter sounds more like her,” says Sunset. “Rarity isn’t one to put something off this important to the last minute, especially when it comes to fashion.” Flash is about to say something else, but he stops himself when, out of the corner of his eye, he notices something peculiar. Big, poofy, hot-pink hair. But when he turns his head to the left to scan the crowd, however, the pink hair is nowhere to be found. As if it had suddenly vanished. “Is something wrong?” Sunset asks with a little confusion. “I thought I saw…” Flash trails off from his original sentence and shakes his head. “Never mind, it was probably nothing.” “Okaaay,” Sunset responds with a tinge of suspicion. “FORTY-SEVEN!” a male voice shouts from service window of the Tasty Treat food truck. Flash and Sunset walk over to the window and grab their plates. The white rice lies on their plate, topped with chunks of lamb, or tofu in Sunset’s case, dressed in a brownish-red gravy. Smells of cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon fill their noise, causing their mouths to start salivating. To the side of the dish is a quarter piece of naan bread, still warm from the oven. Next to it, a small puddle of freshly made hummus. If not bound by societal manners, they would tear into the meal right then and there. Instead, Flash and Sunset decide to leave the festival grounds and go to the main park, where there’ll be more seating available and where it'll be quieter." They walk for a few minutes until they take their seat at a picnic table near the duck pond. They sit across from each other and reinitiate their conversation. “So, have you got anything planned after graduation?” Flash asks. “Well, I’m thinking of college but I might take a gap year before I make that commitment,” she says after swallowing her bite. “Besides, my streaming channel is doing really well. I might stick with that for a while before I decide to do anything else.” “And what about your home world?” Flash asks. It was no secret at this point that Sunset was from the same world that Princess Twilight came from. “What about it?” Sunset responds. “Well, I mean, that’s your home,” says Flash hesitantly. “Have you thought about… going back? I don’t mean to be rude, it’s just, well…” “You’re worried I might leave you and the girls to go back to Equestria?” she assumes, prompting Flash to slowly nod. “I have thought about it, but this world is my home now. Now that we can come and go whenever we want, it’s not that different from someone leaving their childhood home when they get older. Bersides, there’s no way I’d be able to leave all my friends behind now.” “Well, that’s a relief to hear,” Flash says, causing Sunset to make a small giggle. They eat in silence for a minute before Flash asks, “So what’s it like over there?” Sunset swallows her bite. “What? Over in Equestria?” Sunset asks, Flash gives a few quick nods in response. “Well, you might want to brace yourself. It’s going to sound very weird.” Flash raises an eyebrow. “Sunset, you can read other people’s memories, and Applejack can lift ten times her weight now,” Flash jokes. “We've already crossed over into weird territory.” Sunset laughs. “Okay then,” she says stifling her laughter. “Well, the world I come from is inhabited by many different creatures that are considered to be mythical over here. The most common species you’ll find over there are ponies.” Flash raises his eyebrow in confused surprise. “I warned you it was going to sound weird. Anyway, there are five races of ponies but the three most common are the Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi. Earth Ponies are much like normal ponies over here but they’re stronger and do all of the farming and manual labor. Unicorns possess the ability to control magic, though some, like myself, can control more magic through study and practice. Finally the Pegasi can fly and are the ones who control the weather.” “You said there are five races,” says Flash, “what are the other two?” “The Alicorns and the Thestrals,” says Sunset. “Alicorns are the most powerful, they can control magic like Unicorns and can fly like Pegasi. However, to my knowledge, there are only four of them and they’re all Princesses of Equestria. Now the Thestrals, well… they’re a bit of a mystery. They’re not an uncommon race persay, it’s just nopony-.” “Hold on, ‘nopony?’” Flash asks trying to hold back his laughter. “Yes, it’s something we say, now pay attention,” Sunset says slightly scolding him. “Nopony really sees the Thestrals out and about. They’re like normal ponies, but they possess bat-like features, such bat wings and enhanced hearing. They’re a nocturnal race, so the only time you’ll see one is late at night, but very few ponies are up at that time.” “Now these worlds, they’re parallel with each other, correct?” Flashs asks, prompting Sunset to nod in response. “So if there’s a Twilight for this world and that world, does that mean everyone else here has a counterpart over there?” “Yup, just about everyone I know here has a counterpart in Equestria,” says Sunset. “So what’s my counterpart like?” Flash asks with a growing curiosity. “Well, I’ve never actually talked to your counterpart, though I did see him once. All I really know about him is from my messages with Princess Twilight,” says Sunset. “Apparently, you are, or he is, a Pegasi and you’re… he’s also a member of the Equestrian Royal Guard. Also, from what I gathered from Twilight’s messages, she’s got a little bit of a crush on you, HIM!” Flash chuckles a little at Sunset’s slip ups, causing her to blush from embarrassment and nervously chuckle. “Well, it’s nice to know my counterpart is as much of a lady killer as I am,” Flash says with a smug look. Sunset rolls her eyes and chuckles at his faux confidence. “So if you’re from Equestria, have you ever run into your counterpart over here?” he asks. Sunset eyes widen; she’s never considered the possibility that she might run into her counterpart over her. If she met the human Twilight over in this world, then there’s no doubt that Sunset’s human version is out there somewhere. “I… haven’t,” she says. “I’ve been here for almost four years, and I’ve never seen her.” “Well, if we haven’t seen her now, it might not be something to worry about too much,” Flash says as he takes the last bite of his meal. Sunset fiddles a bit with her last piece as she swirls a thought around in her mind. There has been no sight of the other Sunset, and that fact alone brings up so many questions. However, tonight is not the night to dwell on it. Perhaps he’s right, maybe it’s not something to worry about… just yet. She purges the thought from her head for now and enjoys the gravy braised piece of tofu with much delight. Flash takes a paper napkin and wipes his mouth of any sauce that might have gotten around it. “Well that was a very tasty meal,” he says as he gets up from his seat grabbing his and Sunsets empty plates. “You made a good choice.” Sunset closes her eyes and gives an innocent grin. “I have my moments,” she says. Flash walks over to a nearby trash can and throws away their paper dishware. Just as the plates hit the base, lamp lights around the pond begin to light up, providing a romantic glow to surrounding area. The lights remind Flash of the reason he is here tonight. He closes his eyes, puts his hand to his chest, and takes a deep breath to steady his sudden nerves. Okay Flash, it’s now or never. Forget the consequences. Go with your gut. Flash turns around and heads back to their table. “Hey Sunset,” he says, straining to keep his voice steady. Sunset turns her attention away from the pond and towards him. “Do you want to take a walk on the bridge?” “Sure, that sounds lovely,” Sunset responds as she gets up from her seat and walks beside Flash. The two follow the path toward the Duck Pond Bridge, about sixty feet away from them. The bridge is a concrete structure that stretches over the pond in a zig-zag pattern. The straight line distance between the two points is roughly a eighty feet but the total length of the bridge when stretched out is nearly a hundred twenty-five feet. The design is meant to give guests several viewing areas to watch the ducks swim around in the pond. It is a popular spot for families, friends, and couples. Lamps, placed twenty feet apart from each other, provide the area with a warm glow during the evening. Flash and Sunset walk across the bridge, taking slow steps in order to admire the evening atmosphere. A gentle breeze blows, providing a cool comfort. “It certainly is a lovely evening tonight, isn’t it?” says Sunset gazing up at the sky. “It most certainly is,” says Flash. “Sunset, I’ve been meaning to ask--.” “Wait, do you hear that?” Sunset asks, cutting him off. A subtle quacking noise is heard nearby. Sunset runs over to the nearest corner of the bridge and looks over the side, Flash catches up with her. A mother duck and her three ducklings are seen swimming through water, making their way to the other side of the pond. “Oh my gosh they’re adorable,” Sunset gushes. “I had no idea there would be any out at this hour.” Flash smiles in admiration at how cute Sunset is acting. He leans up against the rail and takes a subtle deep breath. Alright, I can do this. I can do this. “Hey Sunset, can I ask you something?” he asks. “Sure,” Sunset responds, not breaking her attention from the ducks. “Do you remember anything from game night a few weeks ago?” he asks. “Not really,” Sunset says. “I don’t remember anything after shot seven. Why do you ask?” “Well, you kind of did and said some things to me while you were drunk,” says Flash. Sunsets eyes widen in concern. She turns to face Flash who’s standing to her right. “If I said or did anything to insult you, I hope you understand that I was completely wasted,” says Sunset. “None of it was intentional.” “You didn’t insult me, and I knew you were drunk; it was quite impossible not to see that,” says Flash, still looking at the water. “But, I don’t know, ever since that night I’ve had this nagging feeling.” “What did I say or do?” Sunset asks, fiddling her hands. Flash pushes himself off the rail and turns to face Sunset. “After Rarity and I got all of you guys to sleep, I went to go use the bathroom before I went to bed,” says Flash. “When I came out, I ran into you in the hallway. You said you had something to say to me but, before you could say it, you ran past me and threw up in the toilet. I stayed by your side, giving you company as you spewed.” Sunset smiles and blushes slightly. “You’re too much of a gentleman,” she says, causing Flash to give a small chuckle. Flash continues to tell her the events of that night. “After you finished throwing up, I helped clean you up. Once I was done, you… kissed me, right on the lips. I was pretty shocked by the action.” Sunsets face turns beet red from embarrassment. “After you passed out, I carried you back to the living room and laid you back down on the chair. Before I pulled away from you, you… um... whispered ‘I love you’ into my ear.” Sunset strokes her hair as she processes this new information. Did I really say that to him? she thinks. I can’t really love him, not after what happened the last time we dated. No, that was just the alcohol talking, yeah that’s it. “Well, Flash, you must understand that I was drunk,” says Sunset. “That was just the booze talking, you can’t really think that’s how I actually feel about you, can you?” “I figured it was just booze talk at first, but then I started asking around,” he says. “I talked to a few people, got some answers, and now… I’m not sure what to think, I just need a solid answer.” What is he talking about? He’s not seriously considering… Oh no, is he? “What I’m trying to ask is, how do you truly feel about me?” Flash asks. Sunsets eyes widen, she feels her heart rate begin to pick up. “W-What?” she responds. Flash rephrases his question. “What are your true feelings about me?” he asks. My true feelings? Well of course I like him. I mean, he has a good heart, good looks, he’s funny, charming, what’s there not to like about him? But I can’t love him, can I? Ugh, this is getting too difficult. What can I possibly say? I can't lie to him but I also don’t want to hurt him again. She struggles to find a response but she can’t seem to get a single word out. “I’ll go first,” Flash says as he takes a hold of both of her hands and looks her straight in the eye. “Sunset, I really like… no, I’m in love with you. You’re a smart, empathetic, caring, and beautiful young woman. No matter what, you are always there to help people, even if you barely know them. You’re willing to meet every challenge head-on, even when you feel afraid facing it.” He lets go of her left hand and cups her left cheek with his right hand. “I know things didn’t work out for us last time, but we’re different people now. I… I want to try again, what do you say?” Sweet Celestia, what do I say after that? Sunset feels a trance come over her. Without thinking, she moves her free hand around Flash’s back and places it between his shoulder blades. Flash lets go of her right hand and slowly moves his left arm around her back. Wait a minute, what’s going on? What’s happening? The two lean closer into each other, eyes closing, the distance between their lips shrinks. No no no, this can’t be happening! This can not happen! You'll only hurt him again! Stop it! STOP! Sunsets eyes shoot open as she sees what’s about to happen. Suddenly, she moves her right hand to Flash’s chest and halts him, her hand shaking in its place. She stares at her hand, the tremors spreading to the rest of her body. Her breathing becomes heavier, her eyes tear up, and her heart begins to pound. Flash opens his eyes, confused. He feels her shaking in his arms and sees a look of fear on her face and a single tear dripping down her cheek. “Sunset, what’s wrong?” he asks with growing concern. “I… I… I can’t,” Sunset says as more tears begin to fall down her cheeks. She pulls away from Flash and starts to run off. “Sunset, wait,” Flash says as he tries to reach out to her. Instead, he is met with a swift shove to the chest, causing him to stumble backwards and trip. He looks up at Sunset, whose hands are held out in front of her, shaking. “Please… don’t,” she manages to say through her tears. “I don’t want to hurt you again.” Flash breaks his view of Sunset as he gets off the ground. “Sunset, you’re not--,” he stops speaking when he can’t see Sunset in front of him. “Sunset? Sunset!” he calls out, hoping for a response but none is heard. He turns his head in all directions, searching for her, she’s nowhere to be found. He runs back to the point of origin of the bridge, but he can’t find her anywhere. He calls out her name one last time, no response. “Please let this be a dream,” he mutters to himself. “Let this just be another bad dream.” He pinches his arm, hoping to wake up. He winces at the pain, his heart sinks; this is not a dream, but a nightmare made into reality. Author's Note If you were expecting Flash and Sunset to, for lack of a better term, tie the knot in this chapter, I am so sorry if I played with your emotions. Anyways, I'm hoping to have the next chapter out by next Monday or Tuesday but I've got some assignments to do between now and Monday, it really all depends on how much free time I'll have. So if the next chapter isn't out by Monday, expect it to be out Tuesday at the earliest and Wednesday at the latest. My college work load is starting to catch up with me, so expect future chapter releases to be more sporadic than previous chapters. I hope you guys have a good rest of the week and I'll see you next time. Tops to you!
Ch. 9: The FalloutSunset walks down the street with a slight skip in her step. Today is a great day; there’s not a cloud in the sky and the temperature is comfortably cool today. She even feels happy today, so much so that she decided to wear one of her favorite outfits. Her sky blue blouse, blue jeans, and high heel boots. No leather jacket this time around, the weather is just too perfect to be wearing long sleeves. As she walks, her elation grows with every step she takes as she gets closer to her destination. She’s heading to the Pour Jon’s coffee shop to meet up with Flash Sentry, her now-boyfriend. Ever since they decided to give dating another shot, the two have never been happier in each others company. Even though this isn’t a first date, she can’t help but feel excited every time she gets to spend the day with her man. Sunset turns a corner and sees Flash off in the distance, standing outside the coffee shop, patiently awaiting her arrival. Deciding not to let him wait any longer, and allowing her excitement to take a hold of her, she quickens her pace to a jog for the final stretch of her journey. When Sunset gets to Flash, she wraps her arms around him but the momentum from her speed causes Flash to stumble a bit. Startled, he regains his footing and looks over to see Sunset embracing him. She looks up at him with starry eyes and a wide smile. “A little excited today, aren’t we?” he jokes as he shifts his body to return Sunset’s embrace with one of his own. “Why shouldn’t I be?” Sunset asks teasingly. “We’re just getting coffee and going for a walk,” says Flash. “It’s not like we’re going to the moon or anything.” “Yes but I’m doing all of that with you,” she says as she taps the tip of his nose. Flash gives a small chuckle as he leans his head forward and gives Sunset a small peck on the lips. The kiss fills Sunset with an abundance of elation. Who would’ve guessed that she would end up with the best kisser in the world? Flash pulls away from his kiss and looks at her. “You are too adorable,” he comments, causing Sunset to giggle. “Come on, let’s head inside.” They walk side by side to the door. Sunset embraces Flash’s arm, nuzzling her cheek against it. When they get to the door, Flash leans forward and holds the door open for Sunset. “After you my lady,” he says in a jokingly English accent. “You are too much of a gentleman,” Sunset comments as she walks to the doorway, causing Flash to grin. She walks through the entryway and finds herself facing… a parking lot? She looks at the lot perplexed. What happened to the coffee shop, she thinks. Sunset turns back around to face the entrance but can’t see the doorway anywhere. Instead all she sees is the back side of Canterlot High. What am I doing behind CHS? How did I get here? She takes a few steps back but she stops when she walks into something, or someone. She takes a step forward and turns around to see Flash standing before her. A wave of relief comes over her. “Oh thank goodness you’re here,” she says with a sigh, initially failing to notice the scowl on his face. When Sunset approaches him, he crosses his arms and she finally notices his cross look and demeanor. She becomes confused and worried. “Flash, is something wrong?” “What the hell is wrong with you?” Flash scorns with a disgusted tone. His words cut deep into Sunset. “Um okay, let’s calm down for a bit,” says Sunset. “What’s going on?” She tries to reach out her hand to him but he whisks it away. “I heard about what you did at the Fall Formal,” he says. “Wh-What are you talking about?” she asks. Sunset feels her heart begin to sink; something about this scene feels familiar. “Threats of blackmail, manipulating voters, tampering with the final vote, and all to win some stupid crown!?” Flash shouts, his anger growing with every point. “Flash, I-I,” Sunset tries to say something but she becomes choked with emotions of sadness, guilt, and fear. “And to top it all off, I’ve realized what I am to you,” he presses on. “I’m not your boyfriend; I’m just an… an accessory to make you more popular! You’re always lying to me, you always make my decisions, you use my own reputation to get what you want!” “Flash I’m not like that anymore,” Sunset pleads. “I’ve changed, I do love--” “I don’t want to hear anymore of your excuses,” Flash says cutting her off. “I’m done with the lies, the manipulations... and I’m done with you!” Sunset’s eyes widen and tears swell up and trickle down her cheeks. “We’re through Sunset, go find yourself another boy toy to use as your pawn.” Flash turns his back to Sunset and stuffs his hands into pockets as he walks away. Sunset falls to her knees, weeping streams of tears. This was a moment she hoped to have never relive again, yet she just did. As she weeps, a voice calls out to her. The voice is strange, yet familiar. “Oh poor little Sunset,” the voice mocks. “What makes you think you possibly deserve him after what you did?” Sunset’s eyes shoot open and she sits straight up in her bed. Beads of cold sweat dot her forehead, her breathing is heavy, as though she just ran a 5k. What the hell was the dream about? she thinks as she wipes the sweat from her forehead and rubs the sleep out of her eyes. She looks around her loft and notices how dark it is. She pulls off the covers, turns around, and opens the curtains above the head piece of her bed. The morning sun causes her to wince. She blinks a few times to allow her eyes to adjust to the light. Well, might as well start the day since I’m up. She gets out of her bed, grabs her phone sitting on the nightstand, and walks down the stairs of her loft. She walks into the kitchen and heads over to the coffee pot, which had just finished brewing. She pours herself a cup and sits over at the kitchen table. Sunset scrolls through her messages as she sips on her coffee; there are quite a few messages from her friends. Every message revolves around a similar theme. “Hey Sunset, checking in to see if you’re doing alright after last night. -- Rainbow Dash.” “Sunset darling, are you ok? Do you need someone to talk to about last night? -- Rarity.” “Sunset, it’s Soarin. Listen, I talked to Flash last night and he told me what happened, I wanted to see if everything is going okay. He’s a little shaken up, so maybe give him a call or text or something? -- Soarin.” “Is everything ok? Your friends are here for you if you need someone to talk to. -- Twilight Sparkle.” “Hey sugarcube, I heard last night was rough. Do you need anything? -- Applejack.” Searching through the messages aroused fresh feelings of guilt within Sunset. She tosses her phone halfway down the table and rests her forehead between her right thumb and index finger, closing her eyes and slowly shaking her head. She moves her hand down to cover her mouth as she stares off into the distance. She begins to choke with guilt and sorrow as she recalls last night on the bridge. How could I have done that to him? she thinks. He pours out his entire heart before me and I just… push him away. What is wrong with me? A lump grows in her throat as a single tear streams down her cheek. As she recalls the events of last night, she thinks about what lead up to that moment. She thinks about that one particular question. “‘What are your true feelings about me’?” she mutters, reciting Flash’s question from last night. I might as well answer this question to myself. Okay Sunset, think back to every moment you were with him, what did you feel? She first recalls back to their meeting at Sugar Cube Corner, the one where they decided to start over again as friends. While it may have started out as awkward and uncomfortable, the two were able to hit it off almost instantly. It was like a switch inside me was suddenly flipped. I was enjoying his company, and afterwards, I felt… a strange euphoria. She ponders what those emotions could have meant. Was it a sort of “love at first sight” kind of deal? No, that’s ridiculous. That sort of thing isn’t possible. It could’ve just been new friend energy, or something like that. But it... wasn’t exactly first sight… Maybe ‘starting over’ is the wrong phrase when you already know the person. The next memory Sunset recalls is from several weeks ago, when she and Flash worked on her Statistics project together. She remembers feeling comfort, enjoyment, and a sense of belonging. She felt like she could be herself around him and not worry about dampening any part of her personality. The time she spent with him felt like they had been friends for years. Then there’s the memory she saw of the first time they met. An unintentional reminder of his kind and friendly nature, something she admired about him that day. It’s hard to not like someone whose first instinct towards people is to make an offer of friendship. With all the jerks out there in the world, what girl wouldn’t find genuine kindness attractive? The final memory she recalls is from yesterday. Not wanting to focus on that particular event, she focuses on the events leading up to then. She remembers their walk to her class, how she was freaking about her project. However, his embrace made her feel safe and made her still. She was becoming a nervous wreck over a five minute presentation, but him simply wrapping his arm around her removed every bit of anxiety she had. His words of encouragement also gave her the boost of confidence she needed in that moment. Sunset also remembers their hug outside her classroom; she’s not sure what came over her but in that moment of pure gratitude, she remembers feeling something light up inside of her. Then, of course, there’s that moment on the bridge. She tries to remember what came over her up until the moment she stopped him. It felt like there was nothing holding me back. Like there was something inside that desperately wanted this but, at the same time, it didn't. Sunset sets her coffee cup on the table and rubs both of her temples with her hands. This is all making my head hurt. There’s gotta be someone I can talk to about this? She looks up at her phone sitting half way down the table. She briefly contemplates asking one or all of her friends for help but decides against it. They’ve been wanting to see me and Flash get together for a while. Any advice I get from them is going to be heavily biased. She then remembers that she can talk to Heartsong, Flash’s mom. She’s always been a mother figure to her, perhaps she could offer some helpful advice. No, Flash is her son. Bias is definitely going to play a factor. I need a neutral party, but who? She slams her head against the table in frustration and she lets out a heavy groan. As if waiting for its cue, a vibrating sound appears. Sunset looks up at her phone but the screen is still black. She hears the sound again and realizes where it’s coming from. She gets up from her seat and walks into the living room. On the coffee table, her message book to Princess Twilight is lighting up and vibrating, indicating that the Princess is writing Sunset. She takes a seat on the couch, grabs the book, and opens it up to see the message. Dear Sunset Shimmer, The coronation was… interesting, but things have been pretty slow since. It seems a big part of being a good ruler is knowing what to delegate to whom. Anyway, now that things have calmed down, I thought it was time I see how one of my favorite students is doing. How have you been? How are the girls on that side getting along? Your teacher, Twilight Sparkle Sunset grabs the pen sitting on the coffee table and is about to write back. She stops herself as the head of the pen hits the page, an idea popping into her head. I could ask Princess Twilight for advice. She’s always been able to help me, and she can provide an outside voice and neutral advice. She begins to write. Dear Princess Twilight, Relatively speaking, things are pretty quiet over here as well. There hasn’t been any Equestrian magic to worry about recently. However, I could use some advice about a certain matter and I think you’re the only one who can help me. Your student, Sunset Shimmer A few seconds pass before the pages light up again with Twilight’s response. Certainly, I will help in anyway I can. What seems to be the problem? A new student who’s hesitant to try friendship? Is your worlds Celestia and Luna not getting along? Do you need advice on how to end the rivalry between CHS and Crystal Prep? To answer in order: no, not as far as I know, and that’s not going to end any time soon. I actually need advice about one of my friends. Do you remember Flash Sentry, human Flash? Of course I remember. Kind of hard to forget him now that his pony counterpart and I are dating. Sunset’s eyes widen when she reads that last message. “Well that’s news, since when!?” she exclaims. She’s about to ask Twilight but quickly brings herself back to the task at hand. “Focus Sunset, one thing at a time.” She continues to write to Princess Twilight. I’ll want to hear more about that later. Anyway, Human Flash and I started over as friends a little over a month ago, wanting to put our shared past behind us. But I’ve recently had some… conflicting feelings about him. What sort of conflicting feelings? Are you saying you’re starting to like him? That’s the thing, I don’t know. I want to say yes, but I also want to say no. I would go to my friends but they’re pretty adamant on seeing me and Flash become a thing. I need some advice from a neutral party. I know this isn’t the usual kind of life or death scenarios or friendship problems you’re used to dealing with, but I could really use some help. A few seconds pass by, then a few more seconds pass. It begins to seem that Twilight is not going to write back. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” Sunset mutters to herself. She places the pen on the page and is about to tell Twilight not to worry about it. But before she can begin writing, the pages light up. Sunset, whatever is important to you is important to me too. You need help and so I will help you. Sunset feels her heart leap with joy. She begins to write back. Thank you Princess Twilight! I’m so happy you are willing to help me. I’m happy to help you, but this is something we’ll need to meet in pony for. I would come over to your world, but I’m now the Princess of Equestria, and my interdimensional travel opportunities are pretty limited. Why don’t you head through the portal yourself? I just got the mirror set up in my office in Canterlot. Plus, it’ll give us an opportunity to do some catching up. Certainly, I’ll head over as soon as I can. Just one more thing: when did you become the ruler of all of Equestria? Oh, right, I haven’t told you about that yet. It’s a long story, I’ll tell you about it when you come over. I’ll see you soon. Sunset closes the book and sets it and the pen back down on the coffee table. A surge of energy reignites her drive, and it’s not the caffeine that’s causing it. She gets up from her seat and makes her way to the bathroom to get a shower and to get ready to head back to Equestria. Finally, I’ll get some good answers and a solid direction. Flash walks down the sidewalk towards Sugar Cube Corner, his pace slower than usual. His head hangs low, his face is mellow, and his hands are stuffed in the pockets of his hoodie. It’s not been a good morning for him: he still feels the effects from last night. He feels empty inside, like something that used to be there is gone. He’s hoping a coffee and donut will make him feel better. He knows that it’s not going to be enough, but it’s better than nothing. As his mother would say, “a little comfort food can help ease a hurting soul.” As Flash walks, he replays the event through his head, trying to figure out where things went wrong. He pays close attention to every action made and every word said. Was it something I said? Did I push too hard? But with every replay he’s left with more questions and no answers. Everything was going perfect, then it all went to hell. Where did I go wrong? He can feel his frustration beginning to grow. He does his best to put a stop to those thoughts as he reaches Sugar Cube Corner. He walks through the front door entrance, not paying much attention to the store environment, instead focusing on the cashier. He walks up to the counter and is greeted by Mrs. Cake, who is in a chipper mood this morning. “Good morning Flash!” she exclaims. Flash doesn’t say anything in response, just a strained smile and a polite nod. Mrs. Cake softens her positive attitude when she notices the glum look on his face. “Oh my, having a rough morning dear?” “You could say that,” Flash says as he pulls out his wallet. “Can I get a small drip coffee and a glazed donut?” “Certainly, dear,” Mrs. Cake responds as she rings up his total. Flash hands her his card. She applies the charges and hands it back to him. Mrs. Cake then walks over to the display case and pulls out a glazed donut, using a piece of wax paper to grab it. She places the donut into a bag and sets it on top of the display case. She then walks over to the coffee pot behind her and pours some coffee into a small to-go cup. Mrs. Cake places a lid on the cup, grabs the donut bag, walks back over to the cashier counter, and hands the items over to Flash. “I hope your day gets better, dear,” she says with a motherly smile. Flash thanks her and walks back towards the entrance. “Hey Flash,” a voice calls out to him. He stops in his tracks and looks over to his right. He sees Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Applejack all waving him over to an empty seat in their normal area. He hesitates for a moment, but decides it would it be rude to just ignore them. Perhaps it would help to talk to them. Flash thinks as he takes the empty seat pulled up to the end of the booth. Applejack is the first to speak, “How’re you doin’, sugarcube?” she asks. Flash takes a large swig of his coffee before he answers. “Well, considering how I just got my heart broken last night for the second time by the same girl, I think I’m doing just fine,” Flash responds facetiously, causing the girls to cringe in discomfort. Flash places the cup and bag on the coffee table and leans forward with his head in his hands, staring at the floor. “Sorry, I shouldn’t take it out on you. I’m still getting over last night. I’m guessing you girls heard what happened?” “More or less,” Applejack says as she winces at the other five girls who are donning guilty looks. “W-Why don’t you tell us what happened, from your perspective,” Twilight suggests. Flash sits up in his chair and proceeds to tell them everything that happened that night. From right after his talk with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, to the drama that happened on the bridge. He initially intended to summarize, but once he starts talking everything comes out. Maybe they can see what went wrong, he thinks. “When I got up off the ground, she was gone,” Flash says. “I tried looking for her, even calling out her name, but I couldn’t find her. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to figure out what went wrong, but I’ve got nothing.” He leans forward again and looks back at the ground with a groan. “Everything was going perfect, right until that very moment.” Flash feels a hand landing on his back. He looks to his left and sees Rarity giving him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry this has happened to you, darling,” Rarity says. “Sometimes, things don’t pan out the way you want them to.” “Even if we account for everything we know about, there will always be hidden variables that can easily subvert the predicted outcome,” says Twilight. “But the important thing to remember is to keep trying,” Fluttershy adds. “That’s right!” exclaims Rainbow. “You may have lost this battle, Flash, but the war has just begun. You just gotta keep fighting!” Flash sits back up, his face unchanging. “I appreciate the rally cry, but I’m not sure if trying again is the right way to go,” Flash admits. “The first time I told her, I got my head bitten off. This time, she was pretty clear that it wasn’t going to work. And even if she hadn’t been, I don’t think I can take a third hit.” He crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. “You don’t have to try again right away,” says Applejack. “Give it time and be patient. If you came that close to hittin’ things off last time, then I’m sure she’ll come around eventually. Just give it time.” “Well,” Flash sighs, “if I ever do consider trying again, I’m making sure I have you guys nearby for support. Things probably would’ve progressed differently if I had you girls there to help.” “Well, we thought about intervening while we were watching you guys last night,” Pinkie Pie says, causing the other girls faces to drain of color and causing Flash to look up at her in confusion. “PINKIE!” Rarity hisses. Pinkie’s eyes widen and her face drains of color as well, realizing she wasn’t supposed to let those words slip from her lips. “Oops,” she squeaks as she covers her mouth with both of her hands. “What did you just say?” Flash asks, his eyebrows furrowing. “Nothing!” Rainbow Dash exclaims, extending her arms and displaying her palms. “She didn’t say anything! What she meant to say--” “You were watching us?” Flash asks in disbelief, he feels his blood begin to boil.“So that was Pinkie’s hair I saw at the festival last night!?” Pinkie, recognizing his growing anger, slowly nods and holds her hands up in defense. “How much did you see?” “That’s not important dear, now let’s try to calm down now,” Rarity says, trying to ease the tension. Flash collapses back into his seat and looks up at the ceiling, unable to keep any energy going. “Just tell me,” he says in resignation. All six girls cringe, hesitant to answer. Fluttershy speaks up while hiding behind her hair. “We were watching you two for the entire evening,” she confesses in a very meek tone. Flash faces forward and rubs his forehead. He feels like he was just shot in the gut. He can’t believe it; these friends he thought he could trust, just watched him make a fool of himself. “And you didn’t think THAT was the time to say something? What, did you think it was funny?” His anger is starting to rise again. “And after you tore up the notecards!” he says, looking at Rainbow Dash, jabbing his index finger in her direction. Twilight’s eyes widen in shock. She turns her head to face Rainbow Dash, “You did what!?” Rainbow Dash holds up her hands in a firm defense, concern comes over her face. “Whoa, Flash, calm down!” she says. “That’s not why--” Flash cuts her off and turns to Rarity, pointing an accusatory finger at her. “The things you told me about Sunset during game night, was any of that true? Or is this some sort of game to you!?” Rarity tries to respond, but fear and concern have a tight grip around her tongue. She has never seen Flash get this angry before. She looks away, at which Flash’s face tightens. Thankfully, Applejack comes to her rescue. “Okay, let’s simmer down partner,” Applejack says placing a hand on his shoulder and gently turning him around to face her. “Everything she said then was true. They honestly thought they were helpin’ the pair of yah’. Now let’s take a deep breath…” “So what, are you saying you weren’t involved?” Flash says, nearly in a growl. His arms are now crossed and he looks almost pouty. Applejack looks him directly in the eye. “No, I didn’t help them,” Applejack says. “But… I did know about it and I didn’t stop ‘em.” “Applejack is innocent, Flash,” Twilight speaks up, causing Flash to face her. “She wanted to be more hands-off, only helping when either you or Sunset wanted help. The rest of us… we wanted to be more involved.” The remaining four girls nod in agreement. “Now thanks for sayin’ that, girls,” Applejack says, “But I didn’t try to hard to stop yah either, so Flash’s got every right to be mad at me, too.” Fluttershy quietly chimes in. “We just wanted to make sure everything went well, but we didn’t want to take away, what should’ve been, your victory. We were as stunned as you were, or we’d have done something then.” “It was wrong of us to just sit on the sidelines and watch you fumble,” says Rainbow Dash. “I should’ve, I dunno, gone after Sunset. I mean, it’s not like I couldn’t have caught up to her. But…” “But I said she looked like she needed to be alone,” Fluttershy says, hanging her head “I’m sorry, I… we should have said something to you then.” “I was worried we’d make it worse,” Rarity says. At a look from Applejack, she adds, “Well, no, I’m not being entirely honest. I was worried you’d be mad at us for spying.” “I guess this isn’t any better,” Fluttershy says quietly. “I deserve some blame for the spyin’, too,” Applejack admits as she takes her hat off, holding it with both hands in front of her chest. “I knew about their little stakeout,” Applejack says as she looks at Flash with guilty eyes. “They even asked me if I wanted to join. I declined because it didn’t seem right to me. But I didn’t say anything to you or Sunset, either. I didn’t even raise much protest. I guess I thought everything would be fine and there wouldn’t be much harm in them wanting to be an audience. None of us expected things to turn out the way they did last night. When I found out what had happened, I felt horrible for allowing them to go in the first place. Even if things had gone well, y'all shouldn't had an audience. In truth, we’re all to blame for something.” Flash is about to say something when he suddenly feels a force come up from behind. He looks behind him and sees Pinkie Pie wrapping her arms around his mid-torso, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. “Please forgive us Flashy,” Pinkie says in a sorrowful tone. “You’re our friend, and we would never do anything to hurt you.” Flash looks around at the other five girls. The looks on their faces reflect genuine emotions of guilt, regret, and sorrow. It is abundantly clear that they are sorry and truly seek forgiveness. Flash’s anger subsides, replaced with more hurt. Flash lets out a heavy sigh. “Listen girls, I can tell you regret what you did. I know you would never intentionally hurt me, whatever I might have said before. And I want to forgive you… but I can’t.” Each of the girls feels a knife hit their hearts. They each look at him in shock and disbelief. After a pointed pause, Flash continues, “I guess, maybe eventually, but… the fact that you spied on me and… on me, the fact that you just sat there and watched when I was hurting, the fact you, Applejack, didn’t do anything to stop them… that’s not something I can forgive just like that.” He pries Pinkie’s arms off of him, grabs his coffee and donut, and gets up from his seat. He walks towards the entrance, but stops before he exits and looks at the girls. Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity look at him, covering their mouths, eyes swelling up with tears. Applejack remains standing, looking down at the ground and kicking her foot in disappointment. She places her hat over her face. A tear slips past it and down her cheek. Rainbow Dash crosses her arms and steadfastly refuses to look at him, but even in profile she looks ashamed. Flash looks away from them and places his hand on the door. “I’m sorry,” he mutters as he walks out of the shop. Author's Note I know, I know, it's another sad ending! I swear things will get better! Here's some cute Flashimmer stuff to help you decompress. Also, I know I said I would have this published this past Wednesday but there were certain elements in this chapter that needed extra time to work on and my college work has begun to take up most of my time. From this point on, new chapters are going to be released when I can get to them, college has to come first. We're getting closer to the end here people, I have three, possibly four, more chapters planned and then Rekindling the Flames will be complete! I hope you guys have a great weekend and I'll see you next time. Tops to you!
Ch. 10: Royal GuidanceSunset stands in the middle of the CHS quad, facing the portal to Equestria. She’s been standing there staring at the portal for a few minutes, hesitant to walk through. On her way over, she was eager to meet Princess Twilight and finally get some guidance about her current conflict. Now that she stands right before the entrance to her old home, she is having second thoughts about this meeting. What if I walk away with more questions than answers? Sunset thinks. Is she even the right person to talk to about this? How can I know if she’ll give me the advice I need? More and more questions and concerns run through her head. However, she shakes these thoughts away. I need to see her regardless of the outcome. I need an outsider's perspective. With that thought in mind, Sunset takes in a deep breath and steps through the portal. Within a few seconds, she successfully crosses over to the other side and finds herself back in Equestria. She looks around and takes in her surroundings. She is in what was, the last time she was here, Princess Celestia’s office, still with a desk, several tall bookshelves, and a fireplace with a lounging area in front of it. There are picture frames on the desk, but as they are facing away from her she cannot tell if those have been changed yet. She looks around the room and notices that Princess Twilight is nowhere to be seen. Sunset steps off the portal’s stand but wobbles as she walks. She falls forward and lands on her front hooves. Oh right, back to quadrupedal walking. She trots around the room to see if the princess is behind the bookshelves, but Princess Twilight is nowhere to be found.Sunset is perplexed by this. Aside from the time Starlight Glimmer met her, Princess Twilight was always by the portal to greet Sunset whenever she came over, especially when it came to matters of Equestrian magic. Well, she might be busy with other duties. She is the Princess of Equestria now. I guess I should wait in here until she returns. Sunset trots over to one of the bookcases, deciding to do some casual reading to help pass the time. She casts a magical aura on one of the books that catches her eye and pulls it down in front of her. She reads the title on the cover, “Hm, ‘Everything You Wanted to Know About Sleepovers But Were Too Afraid to Ask,’ well this should be interesting.” She takes a seat on one of the chairs near to her and begins to read. An hour goes by when Sunset’s impatience becomes too much to bear. She closes the book and sets it on the stand next to the chair. She gets off the chair and trots around the room in frustration. “Shouldn’t she be here by now?” she mutters. “What is taking her so long?” Her trotting finds herself in front of the office door. “You know what, screw it! I’m going to look for her.” She opens the door with her magic and walks into a hallway devoid of any kind of activity. This doesn’t strike her as odd since this part of the castle, as Sunset remembers, was always a bit more private and meant more for Celestia and her students. She walks down the hall until she comes to an end, where it splits off into two directions. Sunset looks down both ends and doesn’t see very many ponies walking about, aside from a few guards standing at their posts. She takes a right and continues walking towards one end, where some guards are stationed. She considers asking them, but they are doing a fifty-yard stare and paying her absolutely no attention, so she decides to look around a bit more on her own. She keeps searching for Princess Twilight but her search is starting to become fruitless as every new hall or room shows no evidence of the Princess’s whereabouts. Ugh, she’s gotta be around here somewhere. She makes another turn into a new hallway but she halts after taking a few steps when a voice from behind calls out to her. “Excuse ma’am, can I speak with you for a moment,” the voice calls. It sounds familiar to her. She turns around to face the source of the voice, her eyes widen when she sees who’s walking up to her. It’s a stallion pegasus with a yellow-orange coat, dark blue mane and tail, wearing maroon armor with gold trimmings and a blue shield chest piece with a lighting streak going down the middle. Sunset freezes in place, she stares at the pony counterpart of Flash Sentry. Flash responds to her staring with a confused and concerned look. “Uh, are you alright ma’am?” he asks. Sunset shakes her head, bringing herself back into reality. “Yes, yes,” she quickly responds. “Sorry, you just look an awful lot like someone I know.” Flash chuckles. “Yeah I get that a lot,” he says. Sunset blushes a little bit from embarrassment. “Well anyway, is there a problem, sir?” Sunset asks. “There is no problem, ma’am,” Flash responds. “However, you do seem to be a bit lost. Are you looking for something or somepony?” Sunset is hesitant to tell Flash her true intentions at first. After all, if she popped into the castle seemingly out of nowhere and tells him she’s looking for Princess Twilight, he might get a bit suspicious. On the other hand (or hoof) if he’s anything like his human counterpart, he won’t presume the worst and might be more than willing to help her. “Um, yes,” says Sunset, “I’m actually looking for Princess Twilight. I’m supposed to be meeting her today.” Flash adopts a curious look. “I see, what’s your name?” “Sunset Shimmer.” Flash raises his right hoof to his chin and looks off to the side, appearing as if he’s trying to remember something. “I don’t recall there being a ‘Sunset Shimmer’ in the Princess’s appointment book for today,” he thinks aloud. Sunset starts to feel a few drops of sweat forming on her forehead, a lump begins to grow in her throat, and a shiver of fear creeps up her spine. “But, then again, she does have a habit of inviting ponies over unannounced and off-schedule.” Sunset feels a wave of relief come over her; she lets out a heavy sigh, as though she’s been holding her breath. “Well,” Sunset says, “do you know where I can find Princess Twilight? It’s kind of important that I see her.” “Certainly, follow me,” Flash says as he walks pass Sunset and down the hall. Sunset doesn’t follow at first, she instead looks at him with confusion. Flash stops after taking a few steps when he notices he doesn’t hear her following him. He looks back at Sunset and asks, “Aren’t you coming along?” “Aren’t you going to ask what this meeting is about?” Sunset asks. “You are part of the Royal Guard, isn’t it your job to screen for possible threats?” Flash turns back around and walks up to her. “First off, I’m the Captain of the Guard,” he says, sounding a tinge insulted. “Second, whatever business you have with the Princess is something she will be aware of if true. Third, in the time we have been conversing, you have not displayed any signs that you are a threat to anyone, including the princess. I think it’s safe for me to presume that you mean the princess no harm. Now if we’re done here, shall we go see Princess Twilight?” Sunset nods and allows Flash to lead the way. She trots alongside him. After walking for a minute or so, Sunset tries to strike up a casual conversation. “So, I don’t think I ever got your name,” Sunset says. “It’s Flash,” he responds. “Captain Flash Sentry.” “Well, nice to meet you Flash,” Sunset says. She tries to think of something else to say but nothing comes to mind. It becomes more difficult when an awkward silence fills the void. “Forgive me for asking,” Flash says breaking the silence, “but what exactly is your relationship with Princess Twilight? You seem familiar but I don’t know from where. Are you an old friend of hers?” “Kind of, but I’m really one of her students,” Sunset explains. “A student? You seem a bit old to be part of the School of Magic, even for an upper class pony,” says Flash. “Well it’s… it’s kind of hard to explain,” she says. “I’m a long distance student?” She’s at a loss as to how to properly explain her situation to Flash without confusing him or making him think she’s crazy. Before she can explain any further, a look of realization comes across Flash’s face. “Oh wait, are you that one student who lives in a parallel universe?” Flash asks. Sunset dons an expression of surprise. “Yes! How do you know?” “Twilight talks about you every now and then,” Flash explains. “Plus, I think I remember you from an incident several moons ago that happened during my first assignment at the Crystal Empire.” Sunset’s face blushes as she remembers the night she stole Twilight’s Element of Harmony. She finds a bit surprising that he remembers that night, but it’s not every day that an Element gets stolen and is brought to a parallel world. “Oh, right, that,” Sunset says sheepishly. “Ah, don’t feel so insecure,” Flash says looking down at her with a grin. “I’m well aware of your reformation. Honestly, it’s impressive how far you’ve come, from the exiled student of Princess Celestia to the star student of Princess Twilight. You should feel proud; I certainly know your teacher is.” “Thank you, and I am,” Sunset says. “Hey can I ask you something? It’s a little bit of a gnawing thought.” “Certainly,” Flash answers. “Before I came over to Equestria, Princess Twilight told me that the two of you were dating. Is that true?” Sunset asks. Flash closes his eyes briefly and blushes before letting out a sheepish chuckle. “I honestly would be surprised if she didn’t tell you,” Flash says. “Yes it’s true, we’ve been dating for nearly a month now.” “Wow,” Sunset says, astonished. She finds it amazing that she hadn't known about this yet. “So how did it happen, if you don’t mind me asking?” “Not at all,” Flash says. “There’s hardly anything confidential about our relationship. Well, we started out as friends. We officially introduced ourselves to each other about a day or two after her coronation, when I was appointed as the new Captain by her brother, the former Captain. At first, things were professional, but after a while though, we decided to start to get to know each other better and about four weeks later we decided to go steady. So far, there’s been zero regrets.” “Huh, you make it sound so easy,” Sunset says as she faces away from Flash and glances at the ground. Flash glances over at Sunset, his curiosity beginning to grow a little. “Well, it became easier once I got over my cold hooves,” says Flash. Sunset cocks her right brow in curiosity and looks back up at Flash. “What do you mean?” she asks. “I was terrified to ask Twilight out, especially once I realized I was developing feelings for her,” he says, “I mean, she is technically my boss, and the Ruler of Equestria, but once I realized she was still a pony, and mustered the courage to actually talk to her about it, it was pretty much smooth sailing from there.” Sunset gives him a doubting look. “It can’t be that easy can it?” she asks, her tone shifting from doubt to frustration. “I mean, aren't you afraid that you might screw it up? Or that you might end up hurting him—her?” Flash is taken slightly aback by this sudden shift. This conversation certainly has taken a one-eighty. He realizes that these questions have been brought in with some extra baggage. “Are you asking me those questions, or yourself?” he asks. Sunset’s expression changes when she realizes her questions and the tone in which they were delivered. Her face turns a shade of red from embarrassment. Before she can say anything else, they arrive at a set of large, wooden double doors. “It appears we are here,” Flash says as he opens the right door with his hoof and leads Sunset inside. The room is a large study area with numerous bookshelves, almost like a miniature library. Flash leads Sunset over to a desk, cornered off into a section of the room, where Princess Twilight is sitting while looking over several sheets of parchment. “Princess Twilight,” Flash says, trying to grab her attention. When she doesn’t look away from the parchments he adds, “you have a visitor.” Twilight looks up from her work and her eyes widen when she sees Sunset standing before her. “Sunset Shimmer!” she exclaims as she gets up from her seat and walks over to Sunset to give her a hug. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t meet you in my office,” Twilight says as she pulls away from her hug. “I had an impromptu meeting with some of the castle staff right after our conversation. I was going to meet you after the meeting, but they gave me a lot more reports to look over than I was expecting.” Twilight quickly looks over and notices Flash still standing at attention, waiting to be dismissed. “That’ll be all Flash.” “Your Highness,” Flash says as he bows and proceeds to exit the study. “I’ll see you for dinner tonight,” Twilight calls out to him. “Certainly, Your Highness,” Flash calls back. “‘Your Highness,’ do you have all your coltfriends call you that?” Sunset asks with a slightly teasing tone. Twilight giggles and gives Sunset a small nudge. “No, Flash just prefers to act professional when he’s on duty,” Twilight responds. “I’ve tried telling him he doesn’t need to, but he insists on setting a good example for his guards.” Twilight walks back over to her seat while levitating an additional chair from another desk close by, setting it down on the opposite side of her desk. “Have a seat, I’m sure we’ll have lots to talk about. I can order some tea if you like?” “Some tea sounds nice,” Sunset remarks as she takes her seat at the desk. “I could use something more soothing than coffee after last night.” As Twilight takes a seat, she pulls up a small, golden bell from seemingly out of nowhere and gives it a shake, causing soft jiggles to ring. A servant mare also appears seemingly out of nowhere, nearly giving Sunset a heart attack, and bows to Twilight, awaiting orders. “Would you be so kind as to fetch us some tea, please?” Twilight politely requests. “Certainly Princess,” the servant replies in a congested-sounding voice. “How would you like your tea?” “Earl Grey, hot,” says Twilight. The servants nods in response and walks off to fetch the tea. Twilight then focuses her attention on Sunset. “So, I’m guessing you’ll want to get straight to business?” “Are you sure you don’t want to finish up all that business first?” Sunset asks, pointing at the array of parchments on the desk. “I can wait until your done.” “Oh don’t worry,” Twilight responds, “I was practically done by the time you came in. Besides, as I said earlier, whatever is important to you is important to me. Now, what’s going on between you and Flash?” Sunset looks away briefly, anxiously rubbing her front hooves. She takes a deep breath, looks at Twilight, and begins. “Well, I guess I better start from the beginning,” says Sunset. “It all started about a month or so ago. The girls, or rather Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, set up a meeting between me and Flash to finally put our past behind us and start over as friends. We met up at Sugar Cube Corner, and we both agreed we should do so and had a pleasant conversation afterwards.” “Well, it’s nice to hear you’re continuing in your efforts to right your wrongs,” Twilight remarks with a swelling pride for her student. “So when did you start to feel conflicted about him?” “I guess, it was the next day that essentially put me down this path,” Sunset says. “We’re in the same history class, and we decided to work on our paper for the class together. At some point during our study session, the topic of dating came up, and I basically freaked out and said some things I immediately regretted soon after. We made up the next day, of course, and we continued being friends.” “So during this month, was there a point where you started to develop deeper feelings for him?” Twilight asks. “I’m not sure. Even looking back, I can’t exactly point to a specific point of origin,” says Sunset. “It was just something that naturally began to develop. Though during that month, I was pretty much in denial that I was starting to like him. The girls kept insisting that I was, and I kept insisting that we were just becoming really close friends. It wasn’t until last night that I finally realized that these feelings for Flash are real.” “What happened last night that made you realize this?” Twilight asks. Sunset is hesitant at first to revisit the events of last night. “Well, Flash and I went out to this festival to celebrate the good grade I got on a project,” she says. “We had a nice dinner, a pleasant conversation, and a lovely evening walk through the park. Looking back, I should’ve known something was up, because it was during this walk that he revealed his deeper feelings for me. He poured his entire heart out, I became entranced by everything he said, and we nearly kissed. The strangest thing is that there was a big part of me that wanted this to happen, and it just took me over.” “I sense there’s a ‘but’ coming,” Twilight says. “A huge ‘but,’” says Sunset. “There was also another big part of me that said that this can’t happen. That part took control and caused me to stop us from kissing at the last second. I suddenly was afraid and guilty. I was shaking like I had seen a ghost and even started to cry. Then I just ran away as fast as I could. He tried to reach out to me but I pushed him away. I told him I didn’t want to hurt him again.” Sunset briefly looks down at the floor as feelings of shame begin to take over her. She looks back up at Twilight who’s composure hasn’t changed, even after what Sunset said. “I’m guessing that is what prompted you to write to me?” Twilight asks. Sunset nods. “Yeah, I normally would go to the girls about something like this, but they’re too adamant on seeing me and Flash become a thing,” she says. “I need a neutral and sound voice to give me some guidance.” Before Twilight says anything else, the servant from earlier walks with a silver platter that has a teapot, two white tea cups with gold trimming, and a small sugar bowl. Twilight thanks the servant for the tea and pours her and Sunset a cup. Twilight stirs in a few teaspoons of sugar into her cup and takes a sip. “Well, before I can offer any advice, I need to know what are your feelings toward Flash,” she says. “How does he make you feel when you’re around him?” Sunset takes a sip from her cup as she ponder Twilights question. “I guess I feel comfortable around him,” she says, blushing a little, “Like putting on your favorite sweater. We’ve hugged a few times, and he makes me feel secure when I’m in his arms, like nothing can harm or scare me. He makes me laugh and instills confidence in me when I need it. It's almost like he fills a part of me that has been left vacant for so long.” “Hm,” Twilight muses, before she takes another sip of tea. “I think I’m getting a picture. Now, tell me what it is you like about him?” “Many things,” Sunset remarks with another blush. “He’s funny, charming, kind, helpful, inspiring, and he’s great to talk to. There really isn’t anything I don’t like about him, or at least that’s how I feel right now.” Twilight takes another sip of her tea. “Well, knowing how he makes you feel, what you admire about him, and how strong the friendship between the two of you is, it’s quite clear that you’re in love.” Her tone is straight forward, no teasing and no hidden implications. Sunset leans back in her chair, her face takes on a look of disappointment. “I’m guessing my answer displeases you?” “No, it’s just,” Sunset pauses, trying to find the right words to say, “I pretty much figured that was the case. What I’m looking for is guidance; I know I have these feelings but I don’t know what to do with them.” “Tell him,” Twilight says. “What?” Sunset responds. “You tell him how you feel about him,” says Twilight. “If you have these feelings for him then he needs to know. There’s no point in hiding it, especially since you already know how he feels about you. Once you do, then you can move on from there.” “But I can’t date him,” Sunset says with increasing frustration. “Why not?” Twilight asks. “Because I don’t want to hurt him again,” says Sunset. “I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes again. I’ve already caused him enough pain in his life.” “What makes you think that you’ll repeat the same mistakes?” Twilight asks. “Sunset, you do realize that you are a different person now than you were back then?” “I know I’m different now,” says Sunset. “I was an awful person, and I’m glad I’m not like that anymore.” “So then you have nothing to be afraid of,” Twilight answers. “The Sunset who hurt Flash is not the same Sunset who is sitting right in front of me. I know for a fact that you would never intentionally cause harm to anyone.” “But what if I do end up harming him?” Sunset asks. “I don’t want to end up being a source of pain for him.” Sunset leans forward on the table and places her head in her hooves. Twilight cocks her eyebrow in skepticism. “Setting aside that rejection almost certainly hurt him, answer me this question, Sunset,” says Twilight, Sunset looks up at her. “If you are so afraid about potentially hurting him, why are you even friends with him?” Sunset contemplates before answering. “I don’t know,” she responds. “I guess because we share similar interests, we enjoy each other’s company, and we help each other when we need it.” “That still doesn’t answer my question,” says Twilight. “If you are afraid of hurting him, why are you friends with him? If maintaining distance is supposed to keep you from hurting him, then why remain close at all?.” Sunset tries to think of an answer but isn’t able to come up with one. “I think you truly do want to have a romantic relationship with him; everything I’ve heard from you says so. You admire how helpful he is, you find his charm and humor appealing, and he makes you feel secure and whole. However, your fear is keeping you from pursuing a different relationship. So while you are more than willing to accept a friendship as a suitable substitute, there’s a big part of you that says that in this case, friendship isn’t enough, and that is the part of you that came out last night.” Sunset looks off to the side, contemplating Twilight’s words. How could I’ve been so blind? Everything she said somehow makes sense. Perhaps I do want something deeper with Flash, and the only keeping me from having that is myself. But, that begs a rather important question. Sunset looks back at Twilight and asks, “So how do I keep my fears from becoming a reality?” “You face it,” says a voice off to the side. Twilight and Sunset look over to see pony Flash walking up to them. Flash bows to Twilight and says, “Apologies for interrupting Your Highness, but the ambassador from Nova Griffonia wishes to speak with you.” “Tell him I’ll see him in a short bit,” says Twilight. “Before you go Flash, could expand on what you said to my student?” “I’m sorry, Your Highness,” he says, “I just heard the last bit of your conversation and felt like I needed to say something. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” “There's no need to apologize Flash,” Twilight says with a small giggle. “But I still would like you to elaborate on what you said.” “Certainly, Your Highness,” Flash says as he rises and looks at Sunset. “When I was first assigned as Captain of the Guard here, I was terrified that I would mess up. Princess Twilight's brother left some pretty big shoes to fill, and I thought I would never be able to live up to him. But with every new day I faced that fear and I grew more confident in my position.” “So are you no longer afraid that you might screw up?” Sunset asks. “No, the fear is still there, it never truly goes away,” says Flash. “But as I continue to do my job, that fear loses power. It’s something you’ll always have to overcome, but it gets easier the more you do it.” Sunset looks down at the table and thinks over what Flash said. “I guess I never really thought of it that way,” Sunset mutters, she looks up at Twilight and Flash. “I need to head back to my world. I think I have an idea of what I need to do.” A smile appears on Twilight’s face. Sunset gets off her chair and trots over to Twilight, who gets off her chair and meets Sunset halfway. The two embrace each other in a friendly hug. “Thank you for your help,” she says. They pull away from each other and Sunset looks at Flash. “And thank you as well.” Flash simply smiles and nods in response. “Would you like if I get one of the guards to escort you back to my office?” Twilight asks Sunset. “No thank you, I think I remember the way,” says Sunset. “I was Celestia’s student after all. Anyway, I better hurry back, thank you two again.” With that said, Sunset dashes off and head back to the portal. “Good luck Sunset!” Twilight calls out as Sunset runs off. When Sunset reaches the mirror, she hesitates for a moment to collect her thoughts. Alright, if I’m going to make things right between me and Flash, I need to get the girls involved. If they want to see me and Flash become a thing, then I need their help. Sunset steps up to the mirror and is about to walk through, Okay Sunset, time to face your fear. She walks through the mirror and travels back to her world. Author's Note Sorry this one took a lot longer than usual to get out. College has been keeping me pretty busy. I'm hoping to have the next chapter out before Thanksgiving, which is Nov. 28 for those who don't live in the U.S. We're getting close to the end here folks, I've got roughly three more chapters planned. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, let me know what you think, and I'll see y'all next time. Tops to you!
Ch. 11: AmendmentFlash sits in his room working on his history homework. He’s at his desk, looking over a text about the First World War and the 1920s, and it is a dry, confusing read. His eyes scan over the pages trying to make sense of the words, while he tries to maintain focus by rubbing his tiring eyes and lightly slapping the temples of his head. He looks over at his phone that sits on the right side of his desk. He thinks about calling his teacher, Mr. Time Turner, to ask him something. At the beginning of the semester, the teacher laid out an option for students who would happen to be absent from class for an extended period, wish to give their grade a major boost, or for any other reason. He grabs the phone, pulls up his list of contacts, and clicks on the contact for Mr. Turner. The line rings a few times until Mr. Turner picks up. “This is Time Turner, to whom am I speaking?” he answers in his British accent. “Hey Mr. Turner,” Flash says, “this is Flash Sentry, from AP World.” “Ah Mr. Sentry, how are you doing on this lovely Sunday?” Mr. Turner asks. “I’m doing fine,” Flash responds. “Listen, Sunset Shimmer and I had a little bit of a… falling out last Friday and since we share first block, I was wondering if I could um…” “You want to take an independent study hall so as to avoid triggering any sort of tension?” Mr. Turner assumes. “Yes sir, but just for this week,” Flash says. “I’m hoping things will be smoothed out between us at that point.” “Hmmm, well this is highly irregular,” Mr. Turner says, “But as you have been an exemplary student, I believe I can accommodate your request. Come by the classroom before first block tomorrow, and I’ll give you your assignment, recommended sources, and your study hall approval form.” “Thank you, sir,” Flash says with a sigh of relief. “You are more than welcome, Mr. Sentry,” says Mr. Turner. “I hope things between you and Ms. Shimmer get better.” “I hope so too,” Flash responds. He ends the call, sets the phone down in its original spot, and tries to reassert his focus on his homework. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work; as he turns the page, his mind plays the memory from yesterday at Sugar Cube Corner. He remembers the shock and betrayal he felt after he heard what they did. Finally, he remembers and feels the disappointment, not in them but in himself for failing to forgive them. His mind again replays that scene from Friday evening. The distraught look in Sunset’s eyes and the pain he felt from her rejection. Flash leans far back in his chair, runs his hands through his hair and lets out an exhausted sigh. There’s a small knock at the bedroom door. “Come in,” he calls. The door creaks open and in walks Scootaloo along with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. Flash retains in his tired posture. “Hey, bro,” says Scootaloo with some restraint. “How’s it going?” “We wanted to see if yer doin’ okay,” says Apple Bloom. “We heard about what happened yesterday,” says Sweetie Belle. “And… the day before that.” Flash doesn’t look at them. Instead, he closes his eyes and rubs them with his right thumb and index finger. “I’m fine, girls. Thanks for checking on me,” he says in a tired tone. He still feels their presence and briefly looks over to confirm his suspicion. Each of the three girls are staring at him with concern. Flash looks back at his book and says, “Is there something else you want?” “We just want to hear what happened from you,” says Apple Bloom. “We want to help you Flash,” says Scootaloo. Flash can feel a bitterness begin to rise. “Look, girls,” he says. “If you want to hear what happened, all you need to know is my heart got broken on Friday and my trust was breached on Saturday. I’d rather not talk about it.” Sweetie Belle begins to speak, “But Flash—” “I said I don’t want to talk about it!” Flash snaps, cutting Sweetie off and causing the girls to jump back. Flash looks at the girls who stare at him with shocked expressions. He looks up and sees his mother standing right behind them, looking at him with a stern look and her arms crossed. Flash’s expression changes from frustration to dread, he can feel the color drain from his face. “Excuse me, girls,” says Heartsong The Crusaders to turn around and face her. “Could you wait for me down in the kitchen? I will need to have a chat with you, but I need to talk with my son first, alone.” “Yes ma’am,” the girls collectively say. They walk past Heartsong as she walks into the room. As Heartsong closes the door behind her, Scootaloo sneaks a last concerned peak before it shuts all the way. Once they are alone, Heartsong softens her look a little, walks over to Flash’s bed, and takes a seat at the end. Flash swivels around in his chair to face her, though he doesn’t look at her directly. “Do you want to tell me what’s going on, Flash?” Heartsong asks in a calmer and more comforting tone. Flash sighs and “No, but I have to talk to someone,” he mumbles. He looked up at Heartsong and words start pouring out.“It started this past Friday. I told Sunset that night how I really felt about her, and she, more or less, said that a relationship between us is impossible,” Flash says. “And yesterday, I found out that her friends were watching us the entire night, even up to the point where I made a fool of myself in front of the girl I loved. So I guess I’m still frustrated about the past few days.” “I see, is that why you snapped at Scootaloo and her friends?” Heartsong asks, Flash nods. “Hm, well, let’s talk about Sunset, why don’t you go into a bit more detail about that night?” “Mo-om,” Flash whines, mostly reflexively. Heartsong smiles gently at him. Flash folds his arms and looks off to the side at the wall. He’s hesitant to replay that memory again. He would rather just sweep this whole situation under the rug and never come back to it; leave the past in the past. But a part of him knows that he needs to fix this problem and he won’t be able to do this on his own. He looks back at his mother and slowly nods. “Fine,” he says. “We spent most of the night at the food truck festival, but we spent the latter part of the evening in the park, by the duck pond. We ate dinner, had some nice conversation, and just enjoyed each other’s company. When we were walking on the bridge, I opened up my heart, and at first, I thought everything was falling into place. We came real close to uh… kissing.” He blushes furiously at telling that part to his mother. She simply nods and gestures for him to continue. “But at the last second, she stopped herself and told me that this can’t happen. She then ran off, leaving me alone.” He swallows a lump forming in his throat and purses his lips. Heartsong leans forward, places her hand on her son's knee and looks at him with sympathy. “Oh dear,” she says in a comforting tone, “I’m so sorry to hear that. Why didn’t you tell me or your father about this?” Flash shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know,” he admits. “I guess I didn’t want to trouble you guys with something like this. Plus, it’s embarrassing” “Embarrassment aside, Flash,” she says. “You’re our son, if it’s important to you then it’s important to us. We are your parents, and we want to help you in any way we can. Speaking of which, have you spoken to Sunset at all since Friday night?” Flash shakes his head. “No, I haven’t,” he says. “I haven’t even seen her since that night. We share first block but I already asked for an independent study hall from Mr. Turner, so I shouldn’t have to worry about awkward reunions this week.” “Well, you can’t avoid her forever,” says Heartsong, “You’re bound to run into her at school at some point. Anyway, have you thought about that night since? Any sort of reflections?” “I have but I don’t know what else there is to reflect on,” says Flash. “I poured my heart out, and she basically said that a relationship between us is impossible. I keep wondering if there was something I did wrong. Did I push too hard or did I say the wrong thing? No matter what, I can’t figure out what I did wrong or if she really does feel that way about me.” “Are you certain that’s how she truly feels?” she asks skeptically. “Because you seem to forget that I know Sunset too, and I’ve seen how she acts around you. It’s almost as if you’re the only person in the world that matters to her. My advice would be to give it time; she was most likely just a little scared of a romantic relationship between the two of you may yield. Just be patient and wait for her to do things in her own time.” Flash makes a small, skeptical huff with his nose. “You know her friends said something similar yesterday,” he says. “Right before they told me how they spied on me and Sunset that night. Regardless, I don’t think I can handle a third heartbreak from the same girl.” Heartsong leans back on the bed with both her hands propping her up. “Yes, let’s talk about those girls,” she says. “They spied on you two the entire evening, and didn’t do anything to help you?” “That’s right,” he says. “Even when my entire world was crashing down around me, they just sat there and watched. Not once did they think they should intervene or give me some kind of support. They were the ones who pushed me to start pursuing a relationship with Sunset, but in the end, they were some kind of voyeurs.” Heartsong slowly nods as she hears her son rant. “I thought they were my friends but I guess I was wrong.” He leans back in his chair and lets out a sigh of emotional exhaustion. “I see,” says Heartsong. “Let me ask you something, Flash: do you think that your friends would intentionally try to humiliate you?” “No, I know they wouldn’t do something like that on purpose,” Flash admits as he rubs both of his temples. “But that still doesn’t change the fact that they just watched.” “You right, it doesn’t,” says Heartsong. “Now here’s a follow up: why didn’t they do anything?” Flash shrugs in response, unsure of their reasoning for their inaction. “I believe,” she reasons. “That they felt that you had everything under control up until that final moment.” “Why would they think that?” Flash asks, confused. “Considering how close you and Sunset came to kissing, you had the situation in the bag,” she says. “Granted, things beyond your control changed the outcome but, up until that moment, you had everything handled. I imagine that your friends thought the same way. So when things did spiral out of control, they probably weren’t sure how to intervene, or even if they should intervene. Now, that doesn’t excuse their spying, or their not reaching out to you sooner, but it should give you an idea of what they may have been thinking. Besides, if these girls are anything like Sunset, then I’m sure they regret what they did.” Flash leans forward in his chair, placing his head in his hands. He thinks back to yesterday, remembering the hurt looks on the girls’ faces when he refused to accept their apology. It was obvious that girls were regretful of what they did and were sincere in their apology. But the bitterness he felt kept him from granting them forgiveness. “They did, and I refused to accept their apology,” says Flash, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him. “I’m such a jerk.” Heartsong gets up from the bed, walks over to Flash and places her hand on his left shoulder. Flash looks up at his mother, looking down at him with a warm smile. “I think you know what you need to do,” she says. “I’ll leave you to think about your next action.” She turns and walks to the bedroom door, opens it, and exits the room, closing the door behind her. Flash turns around in his chair to face his desk. Instead of resuming his homework, he stares at the wall, pondering what needs to be done. I’ve got to fix this mess, but how? Where do I even start? As if waiting for its cue, his phone rings. He grabs the phone to see who’s calling him, it’s Soarin. He accepts the call and holds the phone up to his ear. “Hey, what’s up?” he answers. “Hey,” Soarin says. “So Rarity just called me and said that our tuxedos for prom are finished and ready to be tried on.” “Yeah?” Flash replies. “Yeah, and I know you and the girls aren’t on the best of terms right now,” Soarin says. “So do you just want me to pick up your tux and bring it over to your place?” Flash takes a minute before answering. He first thinks about letting Soarin go by himself but he hesitates when a thought dawns on him. If I’m going to fix this mess, I might as wellstart with Rarity. She gave me the push to pursue Sunset. “Um, actually, Soarin,” Flash says. “I’ll meet you over there instead. I need to talk to Rarity.” “Oh,” Soarin says in a surprised tone. “Well alright, I’ll see you over there then.” “I’ll see you there,” Flash says. He ends the call, grabs his wallet and keys, and walks out his to his car outside. “Why would you do something like that?” Sunset exclaims to her friends. They are all gathered at Rarity’s boutique to try on their dresses for the prom. Sunset, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight are waiting in the sewing room while Rarity assists Applejack with her dress. Usually, the girls would independently try on new clothes from Rarity, but she insisted on assisting her friends individually this time around so that they can see her full vision. However, despite finally trying on their dresses for their big night, they are also gathered for another, and arguably more important, reason. Since her trip to Equestria, Sunset has been brainstorming methods to, for lack of a better term, tie the knot with Flash. She spent the rest of yesterday creating possible routes to pursue. Some were likely to fail and others have a strong potential to succeed. Today, she’s meeting with her friends to figure out a plan that would finally create a conclusion to this month-long saga. However, before the planning could even start, the girls felt it necessary to let Sunset know what they had been doing for the past few weeks. Including what they didn’t do that night on the bridge. “We thought you two had everything under control,” says Rainbow Dash. “You were inches away from making out. We felt pretty confident.” “Unfortunately, that confidence faded away quickly after your sudden change in attitude,” says Twilight. “We were just as shocked as he was; we didn’t know what to do.” “We thought about going after you or comforting Flash,” says Fluttershy. “But we were concerned that we would make the situation worse.” Sunset pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration. “Let me get this straight,” she says. “Not only did you defy my wishes by working behind my back, orchestrating our entire relationship, and not only were you planning to spy on us making out, but you also hung Flash out to dry when he needed you the most. Am I missing anything?” “We WERE planning to look away once you two actually kissed,” Rarity shouts from the dressing room, slightly indignant, “We are ladies of class.” “Um… there’s also what happened yesterday,” Fluttershy says quietly. Rainbow Dash crosses her arms and winces at Pinkie Pie. “Yeah, thanks to Pinkie,” she says. “Things between us and Flash aren’t exactly the best right now.” Pinkie stands up, looks at Rainbow Dash angrily, and lets out a loud scoff. “Ugh, how many times do I have to apologize for that?” she exclaims, slightly outraged. “You should know by now that I have loose lips!” Rainbow Dash gets up and gets in Pinkie’s face. “Yeah and they sink a lot more than just ships!” she scolds. Rainbow and Pinkie growl at each other for a brief second. The conflict is quickly ended when Sunset gets in between them and pushes them apart. “Enough, both of you!” she exclaims. Sunset takes in a deep breath. “Look, the fact of the matter is I need your help, and you need mine. So you have a choice to make: we can either spend all day exchanging blame or we can start thinking of ways to fix this mess we created. So what will it be?” The four girls exchange looks with each other and, after a brief moment, they look at Sunset and nod. Before one of them could say anything else, Rarity comes out of the dressing room and closes the door behind her. She clears her throat to get the attention of the other five girls. “Ladies,” she says. “May I present to you, Miss Applejack!” Rarity pulls the door wide open and out walks Applejack, displaying her dress. It is a shoulderless, apple-green dress with a brown leather outer corset, a long skirt with a slit down her right leg and tassels and a repeating red apple pattern lining the bottom. Her hair is braided and drooped over her left shoulder and her signature hat is decorated with a few red apples along the trim. The girls gaze at Applejack in wonder. “Whooooa...” Twilight exclaims with wide eyes. “You’re sure to knock a few guys dead come Friday night, Applejack,” Rainbow teases. “Without a doubt,” says Sunset. “Applejack,” Fluttershy declares. “You look beautiful!” “I’ll say!” exclaims Pinkie. “You sure went all out, Rarity.” “Oh, this is only the beginning darlings,” says Rarity. “What do you think, Applejack?” Applejack looks at herself in a mirror. She is stunned at how beautiful the dress is, how beautiful she looks; she is almost speechless. “Shucks Rarity,” she says. “This dress is amazing. I feel prettier than Reba McEntire at the CMAs. I don’t know how to thank you.” She walks over to Rarity and gives her a big hug. “There’s no need to thank me, dear,” Rarity says as they pull away from the hug. “I’m more than happy to share my gift with my closest friends. Now, go and change back into your normal clothes. Fluttershy, you’ll be next.” “Oh, I can’t wait,” Fluttershy says in quiet excitement. Applejack heads back into the dressing room and closes the door behind her. “Now, I overheard what you girls were talking about while I was helping Applejack,” Rarity says as she turns to face the girls. “And I agree with Sunset, it’s time we rebuilt our bridge to Flash. Which is why I made sure to invite Soarin today.” “Why Soarin?” Twilight asks. “Come on Twilight, use that big brain of yours,” Rainbow teases. “No one knows Flash better than Soarin, they’ve been best friends since middle school.” While Rainbow is talking, Fluttershy hears two car doors slam shut from outside. She walks over to the window to see who pulled up. She looks out and, from across the street, she sees two figures walking towards the boutique, Soarin, and Flash. “Oh no,” she mutters to herself. She turns around and tries to get the girls’ attention, “um, girls?” “If anyone is going to know the ins and outs of Flashy, it’s going to be Soarin,” says Pinkie “Girls?” Fluttershy says again a little louder. “I don’t see why it’s necessary to have Soarin over,” says Sunset. “I’ve known Flash a lot longer than any of you.” “Girls!” Fluttershy quietly shouts, she begins to grow desperate. “Sunset does raise a valid point,” says Twilight. “Besides, since Soarin and Flash are best friends, doesn’t inviting him run the risk of Flash also coming over as well?” “GIRLS!” Fluttershy shouts at the top of her voice. “What!” they all shout back. Fluttershy points outside the window. “Soarin and Flash are here,” she says. All their eyes shoot wide open and the color from their faces drain. Rainbow dashes over to the window and sees Soarin and Flash walking into the shop. “Crap baskets,” she says. Sunset collects herself and a determined spirit takes over. “Well, I guess there’s no point in avoiding this,” she says. “So much for coming up with the perfect plan.” Rarity whips her head to look at Sunset with shocked confusion. “Wait, you’re not seriously thinking about doing this right now, are you?” she asks. “I might as well,” says Sunset, “or else first block is going to be extremely awkward this week.” She begins to walk towards the sewing room door but she halts when Rainbow dashes in front of it, barricading the exit. “Are you nuts?” Rainbow cries. “Do you have any idea how awkward that’s going to be?” “In case you forgot Sunset, you basically broke his heart that night,” says Twilight. “If you tell him your true feelings now, it’s going to be incredibly jarring for him.” “Well then what do you suggest I do then?” Sunset asks frustratingly. “You need to hide!” Pinkie exclaims. “I’m not going to hide from him,” Sunset counters. Rarity and Pinkie rush over to Sunset and grab both of her arms. “We are not suggesting dear,” says Rarity. “What are--whoa!” Sunset cries as Pinkie and Rarity pull her towards the fabric closet. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Soarin asks Flash before they enter the boutique. “Not really,” Flash answers, “but I do know this is something I need to do. I burned this bridge, I need to repair it.” “I don’t think that’s how bridges work,” Soarin jokes to lighten the mood. “What are you going to do if Sunset is here?” he asks, more seriously. “If she’s here then I’ll just… kill two birds with one stone,” Flash says with wavering confidence. Soarin looks at his friend with suspicion. “You haven’t planned very far ahead have you?” Soarin asks. Flash rolls his eyes. “It’s a fifteen-minute drive from my place to here,” Flash argues. “I didn’t exactly have enough time to come up with a beautifully crafted apology. Let’s just go in.” Flash opens the door and walks into the boutique with Soarin following close behind him. The two enter into the main area of the shop, expecting to find Rarity there to greet them. Instead, they find the place to be empty. The boys look at each other confusingly. “Where’s Rarity? I thought she told you that she had our suits ready for us?” Flash asks. “She did, perhaps she’s upstairs in her sewing room,” Soarin says. On cue, a loud crashing noise is heard from upstairs. The boys snap their heads to the general direction of the source. Without thinking twice, the jolt towards the sound, heading up the stairs and down the hall to the sewing room. When they reach the door, Soarin reaches out to turn the doorknob but the door opens and Rarity takes a step out. “Oh, Soarin and… Flash, I wasn’t expecting you’d come,” she says with some surprise. Flash just gives a small nod of acknowledgment in response. “Is everything okay in there, Rarity?” Soarin asks. “We heard a pretty loud crash from here.” “Oh, yes yes, everything is perfectly fine,” Rarity says. “Pinkie just accidentally knocked over a pile of supplies.” “Pinkie Pie’s here?” Flash asks. “Everyone is here, except Sunset,” says Rarity. “Why don’t you come in?” Rarity leads Soarin and Flash into the room. The boys are greeted by Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. While Soarin verbally greets them, Flash gives a small wave and a nod. An awkward tension grips the room. “So, I imagine you gentlemen want to see your tuxedos?” Rarity asks them. “Yes, and I’d like to try mine on first,” says Soarin. “Flash wants to talk to you girls.” “Very well,” says Rarity. She walks over to rack and picks up a hanger with a suit bag protecting Soarin’s tuxedo. She walks over to him and hands him the suit. “The men’s dressing room should be right next door, just take a left as you exit.” “Thanks, Rarity,” he says. Soarin turns around and heads towards the door. Before he exits, he stops by Flash and puts his hand on Flash’s left shoulder. Flash looks at Soarin, who gives him a look assurance. He takes his hand off and walks out the door, closing it behind him. The awkward tension strengthens with Soarin’s absence. “So, Flash,” Rainbow says breaking the silence, “how um… how have you been?” “I’ve been okay, I guess,” Flash responds. “You... wanted to talk with us?” asks Fluttershy. “Yeeeah,” Flash says as he looks off to the side, rubbing his neck. “Listen, girls, about yesterday--” “Hey Rarity,” Applejack says as she comes back from the dressing room, interrupting Flash. “I’m all finished up in… there.” Applejack stops in her tracks when she notices Flash in the room. “Flash, I didn’t know you would be here.” “He wants to talk to us,” Twilight briefly explains to her. “About what?” Applejack asks. She then winces as she realizes what it probably is about. I really should’ve planned this out a bit more. Screw it, here goes nothing. Flash breathes in and collects his thoughts. “Girls, I’ve come to apologize to all of you,” he says. “Apologize?” Fluttershy asks. “For what?” Pinkie asks. “For my behavior towards you the other day,” he says. “You may have… No what I mean is, I was unreasonably angry and stubborn towards you. You showed immediate and tremendous regret for your actions, and I refused to accept your apology. I should’ve tried to help mend the rift that was beginning to form, instead I decided to drive a wedge into it. I wasn’t as forgiving as I should’ve been, but I am now. I accept your apology and I forgive you, my only hope is that you can do the same for me.” Flash lowers his head in humility. The girls look at each other, stunned. They expected there would be great difficulty, that rekindling their friendship would not be easy. They never expected Flash to forward wishing to amends. He is the wounded party after all, if anything, the situation should be revered. Yet here he is, offering forgiveness and only wishing for the same kindness in return. They are not sure how to approach him at first. After a brief moment, Pinkie Pie is the first to walk up and embrace Flash like a long-lost friend. One by one, the rest of the girls approach Flash similarly, ultimately resulting in a group hug. “What are you apologizin’ for? Of course we forgive you, Sugar Cube,” Applejack says as they all pull away, except for Pinkie. “And we’re glad that you’ve forgiven us as well,” says Rainbow Dash. Flash smiles gleefully as he wipes a single tear from his eye. The bitterness he once felt has been replaced by feelings of happiness. He looks down and sees Pinkie Pie still clinging to him. “I think you can let go now, Pinkie,” he says chuckling. “Not yet,” Pinkie says, “it hasn’t been long enough for an apology hug.” The rest of the girls and Flash exchange confused looks. “Is-Is that a thing?” Fluttershy asks in a confused, dry tone. Pinkie Pie pulls away from her hug and gives Flash a big smile. “Well, now that we sorted that out,” Rarity says as she wipes a tear from her eye. “I imagine you would like to try on your suit?” “Yes please,” Flash says with a half-grin. Rarity walks back over to the clothes rack and searches for his suit. “So what are you going to do about, well, you-know-who?” Rainbow asks, lowering her voice slightly on the last phrase. “Honestly, I don’t even know,” says Flash. “For right now, I’m just going to keep my distance. I’ve got a study hall lined up for first block this week, so that should help. Also, ‘you-know-who?’ Come on RD, you can say Sunset’s name, she’s not Voldemort.” “I think that’s a wise decision,” says Applejack. “Hopefully things will be a little less rough come prom this Friday.” “Here it is,” Rarity says in a sing-song tone. She comes over to the group with a Flash’s tuxedo in a suit bag. “I think you’ll love the color palette I picked out for you. You’re going to look so handsome come Friday.” Flash takes the suit from Rarity. “Thanks, Rare,” he says. “I’ll go try this on now.” Flash walks towards the exit, opens the door, and walks out of the room, closing the door behind him. A knocking is heard from the closet on the other side of the room. “Is it safe for me to come out yet?” Sunset shouts through the door. “You can come out of the closet now, Sunny,” Pinkie calls back. Fluttershy giggles at the phrasing. The closet door opens and Sunset stumbles out, taking in a few deep breaths. “Sweet Celestia, about time already, it was starting to get really stuffy in there,” she says as her friends go over to check on her. “Also, I heard everything that was said.” “That’s good,” says Twilight. “Now that the issue between the rest of us and Flash is fixed, focusing on you and him should be a lot easier now.” “I hope so, but we still need to plan carefully,” says Applejack. “Or else we might accidentally cause a forest fire if we fan the flames too hard.” “Wait, you’re actually going to help this time?” Rainbow Dash asks Applejack. “I thought you wanted to remain hands-off.” “I also said I will help if and only if Sunset asks for it,” says Applejack. “Anyway,” Rarity says ending Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s little spat. “AJ is right, we need to be meticulous in our planning if we want this to work.” “We better get started,” says Sunset. “We only have a few days before prom and we don’t have a time looper this time.” “Before we begin, this operation needs a name,” Pinkie says. “A name?” Fluttershy asks. “Oh totally,” says Rainbow Dash. “It needs to be some cool, like ‘Operation: Love Struck.’” “Ugggh. Is this really necessary?” Sunset asks, putting her hand to her head in exasperation. “Not really but it’s all in good fun,” says Rarity. “Oh, how about ‘Operation: Sun Beam.’” “‘Operation: Blossoming Romance?’” Applejack suggests. “Nah, that’s a dumb one.” “‘Operation: Turtle Doves?’” Fluttershy suggests. “That might work best if it was December,” says Rainbow. “Unfortunately it’s almost May.” “‘Operation: Solar Flare?’” Twilight suggests. “I got it,” cries Pinkie, “‘Operation: Peanut Butter Cup!’” The girls look at each other confused then look at Pinkie. “Peanut butter cup, really?” asks Rainbow Dash. “It makes sense when you think about it,” says Pinkie. “Peanut butter and chocolate are a perfect pair and Sunset and Flash also make a perfect pair.” “If this is happening anyway, I might as well have a say in it,” Sunset says. She raises her finger to her chin and ponders for a brief moment. “How about ‘Operation: Rekindling the Flames,’” she says. The girls look at each other and begin to nod in agreement. “That’s not a bad name at all,” says Twilight. “It perfectly sums up what we’re trying to do.” “I agree,” says Fluttershy. “I reckon it’ll work,” says Applejack. “So we’re all in agreement?” Sunset asks. The girls all nod their heads. “Alright, now that the naming convention is out of the way, let’s plan to meet tomorrow after school at Sugar Cube Corner to begin planning for this Friday.” “Excellent,” says Rarity. “And speaking of this Friday, Sunset, I want to show you your dress next.” Rarity leads Sunset into the dressing room and closes the door behind her. Author's Note As I'm currently writing this, chapter one of Rekindling has just hit 800 views. WOO! If it can get a thousand views by the end of the year, that would pretty amazing. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, only two more chapters remaining. In fact, both of these chapters will probably be released in the same week. As far as release dates go, I'm not sure but I'm aiming for some time between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Thank you guys so much for reading and for your patience. I know I promised to have this out before Thanksgiving, but I wanted to give my editors time to properly look over it. Thank you again for reading and I'll see you next time. Tops to you!
Ch. 12: The Planning StageThe halls of Canterlot High are bustling with activity; sounds of students conversing fills the air and bodies are packed into the main foyer like sardines in a can. The time is 7:50, ten minutes before the first block begins. Flash squeezes his way through the crowd, trying to avoid stepping on toes or accidentally knocking someone over. He was hoping to get here earlier but a surplus of delivery trucks on their way to CHS were clogging the roads. A certain cross-eyed member of the prom planning committee forgot to spread out the delivery dates for the necessary materials and accidentally had them all delivered on the same day. The result is a drastic up-tick in traffic and the majority of the supplies being delivered sooner than they needed to be. Flash pushes his way towards the hallway entrance where the sardine pack ends. He pushes one arm between two students, then the other, and pulls the rest of himself out of the cluster. However, he doesn’t regain his footing after popping through and stumbles forward into Twilight. The two collide and fall to the ground, sending a slew of papers and books to the floor. Even Twilight’s glasses fall off. Twilight shakes her head and tries to make out who ran into her, but all she can see is a blur of electric blue. “Flash, is that you?” Twilight asks. Flash grabs her glass off the floor and gives them to her. She sees the embarrassed boy on the floor with her, sheepishly smiling. “Let me guess, you got trapped in that sardine can called a foyer didn’t you?” Flash nods in response. “Yeah, I was hoping to avoid the crowd this morning,” he says, “but my route from home was jammed with delivery trucks.” “Seems Pinkie forgot to tell Derpy to spread out the delivery dates,” Twilight says with a sigh as she begins picking up the mess around them. Flash also begins picking up the loose items. One by one, books, papers, and binders are picked up and returned to their respective owners. Flash picks up a large and heavy binder, his curiosity peaks at what’s written on the cover. “What is this?” he asks Twilight. She turns around to face him and sees what he’s holding, her eyes widen in distress. The front of the binder has a piece of printer paper inside the cover with “Operation Planner” printed out in big bold letters and Arial font. Flash begins to open the binder but before he can see what’s inside, Twilight snatches it away from him and hugs it tight to her chest. She quickly tries to think of a lie. “It’s, um, myyyyy senior project!” Twilight blurts out. “Yes, it’s my senior project for AP Physics, I mean Biology, I mean Chemistry!” Flash is a little confused and taken back by her actions, his brain tries to wrap around what just happened. “Wait a minute, I thought you already took Chemistry?” he asks. “When you were at Crystal Prep?” Twilight scrambles through her mind to recoup her lie. “I’m taking it again, for fun!” Twilight is so nervous now that her voice is well beyond acceptable tones for an indoor setting. A few students walk by giving weird side looks but then move on when they see it’s Twilight panicking again. Flash quizzically stares at her for a brief second before he shrugs and says, “Well I guess that makes sense.” He briefly looks at his watch and realizes it’s 7:53. “Ah crud,” he exclaims and begins to gather up what’s left of his things on the floor. “I gotta go, I’m supposed to meet Mr. Turner.” Once all his materials are gathered, he dashes down the hall, shouting back to Twilight, “I’ll see you later!” Twilight waves goodbye to him as he runs. Twilight pulls her binder away from her chest, gets a good look at it and lets out a sigh of relief. “That was a close one,” she says to herself. “What was?” Pinkie Pie jumps up from behind Twilight, giving her quite a startle and causing her to drop the binder again. She turns around and gives Pinkie a stern look, but she just looks back with her cheery smile. Rarity, Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, and Fluttershy sit at their usual table for lunch. While they wait for the rest of the gang, they ponder over a notebook in front of Rarity. “Are you certain something like that will work?” Rarity asks Applejack. “Eh, not entirely,” Applejack responds. “Big Mac really needed our parents' tree in order to seal the deal. I don’t suppose you have something like that, Sunset?” “Two massive trees intertwined together, symbolizing unity despite a long-standing family feud,” Sunset answers in a sarcastic tone, “I may have to double-check my apartment size.” “Scratch that off the list then,” Rarity says as she scribbles out the listed item. The list she holds contains ideas for the gang’s operation to get Sunset and Flash back together. Roughly twenty items have been scribbled out, leaving only two items left to revisit this afternoon. The girls try to press their brains for other possibilities to explore. “Well I’m spent,” Fluttershy admits, “I don’t think I have any more ideas to share.” “My thoughts are the same,” Applejack says. “What have we got so far?” Rarity reads off the two items that weren't scribbled out. “We have the duck pond and prom itself, both in my opinion are long shots but are also the most feasible. It’s not a lot but it might be enough to get a conversation started this afternoon.” With that said, Rarity closes the notebook, sets it aside, and proceeds to eat her lunch, as do the rest of the girls. “I’m not sure I’m satisfied with either of those options,” Sunset says rubbing her temple. “Revisiting that duck pond wouldn’t be appropriate, especially since it hasn’t been a week since the incident yet. As for prom, it seems the more plausible scenario but unless it’s executed perfectly, it could make that night awkward for everyone.” “Well, do you have any more ideas to share?” Rarity asks. Sunset lets out a defeatist sigh and leans back in her chair. “I don’t,” she says. “Sunset,” Fluttershy says, “did Princess Twilight have any advice on what to do when you went to visit her?” “As far as planning goes, not really,” says Sunset. “It was really more of a confidence booster if anything.” Applejack takes a big bite into a green apple. “Ya sure that’s all she gave ya?” she says while she chews. Rarity gives her a scornful look for her bad manners. “Pretty much,” Sunset admits. “Our meeting might have pushed me to finally face my fears but she didn’t really offer much in the way of solutions.” Suddenly a large thud lands on the table, causing the four girls to jump in their seats. They look over at the source and see Twilight standing behind her seat and over a large binder, the operations planner she dropped this morning. Their eyes glance between Twilight and the binder, bewildered by the size of it. “Oh, my,” Fluttershy says, “Twilight, what is that?” “This is the solution to our problem!” Twilight declares, shooting her hands into the air. “Good heavens Twilight, when did you put this together? It’s enormous!” Rarity exclaims, gawking at the sheer thickness of the binder. “I’ve been working on this all night,” she eagerly answers. “I just couldn’t wait until this afternoon to start scheming. Here, take a look!” Twilight pushes the binder towards the girls. Her body tenses up with excitement. Sunset turns the binder so they can all see and opens it up. The plan includes a day by day layout, including today, and ending with prom on Friday. It includes schedules, roles, maps, objectives, and fallbacks. It is designed with the planning expertise of a modern military. As the girls flip through it, they are more impressed with each passing page. When they reach the end, they all look at Twilight. “Golly Twi,” Applejack says, “it seems you thought of everything in this book.” “Yeah, it’s hard to believe that you came up with this just last night,” says Sunset. “I know,” says Twilight, “my mind was racing with scenarios and ideas after our fitting yesterday. I ran the numbers and considered every possible factor, I believe that this plan, if we follow it to the letter, could work on getting Sunset and Flash back together.” The girls exchange looks with each other. “I know we’re supposed to have our meeting this afternoon,” Fluttershy speaks up. “But I think Twilight’s plan is our best option. Though I’m sure something will happen that’s not covered...” “Try to be optimistic, darling,” says Rarity, “Anyway I agree that there's no point in planning what’s already been planned.” “They say no plan survives contact with the enemy,” says Applejack, “But I reckon this’ll last long as it needs to.” “Nooot sure about the war metaphors,” says Sunset, “But the rest looks good.” “Then it’s settled,” says Rarity, “Twilight dear, put your plan into action.” “Wait a minute, what about Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy interrupts. “Shouldn’t they be included in this decision?” “I already shared my plan with Pinkie Pie this morning,” says Twilight, “and she also thought that we should use my plan. As for Rainbow, I was hoping she would be here with the rest of the group so I could share it with everyone.” “Speaking of which, where are those two? They’re usually here by now,” says Sunset. “They’re still in Ms. Cheerilee’s classroom,” Twilight says in a slightly annoyed tone. “They’re spending their lunch period cleaning up after an incident involving bubble gum and silly string.” The other four girls exchange looks of confusion, each wondering if they should continue down this rabbit hole. “I think I can handle telling Rainbow about our decision; we share shop for our fourth block,” says Applejack. “It shouldn’t be too hard to convince her to go along.” “Well then, now that it seems we will all be in agreement,” says Rarity, “Twilight, what is the first step of your master plan?” Twilight pushes her glasses up, grabs the book, and flips the pages to the first objective of the plan. “Our first priority is ‘codeword: amending fences.’ Sunset,” Twilight says, grabbing Sunset Shimmer’s full attention, “in order for this plan to work, you need to apologize to Flash for what happened last Friday. Now I know you’re probably not looking forward to doing this, so I prepared some lines for you to say--” “I’ll do it,” Sunset says eagerly, interrupting Twilight. The entire table stares at Sunset, surprised with her confidence. She recognizes their gazes and begins to speak, “I get that you are expecting me to be hesitant but I can’t afford to be. The only way I’m going to get over my fear of myself, or my past self, is facing it head-on. He has PE during fourth block, I can meet him right outside the track and soccer field.” “That’s actually what I have written in here,” says Twilight. “Soarin is going to make sure you two meet, just in case Mr. Doodle keeps us in class after the bell rings. Once we get over this hurdle, we can still meet at Sugar Cube Corner and go over the rest of the operation.” “Sounds like a plan,” says Applejack. The bell signalling the end of lunch rings. The girls quickly finish their meals and make their way towards the exit of the cafeteria. After they depart on their separate ways, Sunset begins to ponder about this afternoon. Alright, I have three hours to think of a proper apology to the boy whose heart I broke a second time. No pressure. “Uggh,” she groans out loud, resting her head on a nearby locker, “This is going to make Celestia’s Enchanted Herbology class seem like magic kindergarten.” Muffins walks by and looks at her curiously, then pats her back reassuringly. Author's Note I'm back y'all! It really has been a while since I updated this story. There are many reasons why it's been so long. I had my final semester of college (which was a 19 credit hour semester), COVID-19 threw a lot of my life into chaos, and I was still getting through a massive writer's block. But now I'm back and I'm writing new chapters for this story, and I'm going to make sure it's completed. I thank you guys for your patience, I know there's been some frustration with my absence and the lack of communication, but I hope that y'all enjoyed the chapter. Tops to you!
Ch. 13: ConfessionSunset Shimmer waits in the parking lot outside of the track and soccer field. Any minute now, Flash and Soarin will walk out of the locker room. She rubs her hands nervously; she knows that she needs to make up with Flash but she doesn’t know what to say. A number of concerns race through her mind. It’s only been a few days since the incident; how will he take her apology? Will he come away from this confused or angry? Sunset feels her stomach churn and beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Recognizing this, she takes a deep breath, holds it for a few seconds, and lets it out. Alright Sunset, she thinks to herself, steady your nerves. You can do this. You faced down greater challenges before. Her words of reassurance ease the tension. She takes one more deep breath and walks over to the locker room building. When she steps onto the sidewalk, the door to the boys locker room opens. Flash and Soarin walk out laughing, wrapped up in their conversation. “And so, Rainbow puts her gum on Pinkie’s silly string shooter,” Soarin says, “A big bubble expands from the gas in the can, it explodes, and silly string and gum goes everywhere!” Flash lets out a big laugh, “Oh man, I bet Mrs. Cheerilee was not happy.” “Oh, she was pissed,” Soarin says through his laughter. “I didn’t think I’d ever see a teacher angrier than Coach Spitfire.” Soarin looks over briefly and sees Sunset standing there waiting for them. “Anyway man, I gotta go. I’ll catch you later.” He gives Flash a friendly punch on the arm and hurries away. He walks past Sunset and gives her a reassuring nod. Flash waves goodbye to Soarin before noticing Sunset standing there. The two stare at each other. An awkward silence fills the six feet between them. Flash is surprised to see her here; he didn’t expect to see her at all this week, figuring she would want to avoid him as well. Yet, here she stands. Why did she seek him out? That could only be the reason why she came here since her motorcycle is parked nowhere near the soccer field. Flash doesn’t know what to say; he just stands there, staring at her in confusion. Sunset takes a few steps forward to shorten the distance between them. She stands right in front of Flash, leaving only a foot between them. Flash retains his confused expression as he looks down at her. Sunset briefly closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before speaking. “Hey Flash. I guess you didn’t expect to see me here?” she says nervously. Flash shakes himself out of his confused state and responds. “Oh, um, yeah no, I really didn’t,” he says, fumbling his words and fidgeting. “I didn’t really expect to see you at all this week. Figured you’d want to avoid me.” Sunset looks away and rubs the back of her neck; regret appears on her face. “Yeah, a part of me wanted to avoid you this week,” she says. Then she looks back up at him. “But I actually came here to apologize to you, about last Friday night.” “You want to apologize? To me?” Flash asks, perplexed. “Yes, I do,” Sunset responds. “I treated you horribly that night. I messed with your feelings, again, and I left you alone in the park. I didn’t even give you a chance to stop me and find out why.” Her voice becomes more rapid and a little distraught. As she talks, Flash places his hand on her shoulder. The act catches Sunset by surprise, but it also brings a familiar feeling of ease, one she has not experienced with anyone else. “Sunset, you don’t have to apologize for anything,” he says with a sympathetic smile. “I understood what you were trying to say that evening.” Sunset gives him a puzzled look. Before he continues, he takes his hand off and shifts the straps of his backpack. “I pushed a little too hard that night, and that’s my fault. I did hope that something could happen between us again, errr... romantic stuff, but that night I got my answer. If you don’t want to be a serious couple, that’s... that’s fine with me, but I still want to be friends and I hope that evening doesn’t put a damper on our friendship. I’ll see you later.” Flash walks past Sunset and begins making his way to his car. Sunset stands there for a brief moment, but for her, it seems as though time suddenly stops. Oh wow, nothing in Twilight’s plan said anything about this conversation doing a one-eighty, she thinks. I’m going to have to go off rails here to save this situation. Hopefully Twilight won’t be *too* mad I went rogue. Sunset turns and calls out to Flash, “Wait!” Flash stops and looks back. Sunset rushes to him and says, “You got it all wrong, that’s not what I was trying to say that night.” Flash looks at her, perplexed. “Um, okay, what were you trying to say that night?” “The truth is, Flash, I do want there to be something between us again,” Sunset confesses. “But I never realized how much I wanted it until that night.” Sunset holds one arm with the other and looks down. “And it freaked me out because a part of me was still afraid that if we got back together I’d end up hurting you again.” Flash is taken back by her confession. On the one hand he was pleased that she also feels the same way she does, but on the other he doesn’t know how to process this sudden turnaround. Not to mention, this amounted to a love confession. “Um, wow, o-okay,” he finally says. Sunset takes both of her hands and grabs his, holding them up between them at chest level. “Look, I know this is confusing and sudden, but know that I do have strong feelings for you,” she says. “However, before I can agree to anything, I need some time to think things over, alright?” “Yeah... yeah, for sure!” Flash says, his heart racing, “Take as much time as you need!” Sunset’s face lights up with a lovely smile. “Thank you,” she says, gratefully. Without even thinking, Sunset quickly pecks Flash on the left cheek. Flash’s eyes become wide open and his cheeks blush bright red. Sunset blushes back and smiles, “Just so you know I’m being serious. I’ll see you later Flash.” Sunset walks off, leaving behind Flash, who is rubbing his cheek in stunned silence. After a minute, Flash pulls out his phone and dials Soarin’s number. The line rings for a few seconds then Soarin picks up. “Hey it’s me,” says Flash. “Could you meet me at my house? I’ve got something important to tell you.” “You’ve got to be kidding me! Are you serious?” Soarin exclaims. He had hurried over to Flash’s house and they are up in Flash’s room. Flash is leaning up against his desk and Soarin is sitting on the edge of the bed. Flash has just finished telling Soarin what happened out in the parking lot. Soarin may be in on the plot with the girls to get Flash and Sunset back together, but he did not expect Sunset to go *this* far. He was expecting her to just apologize but to actually confess her feelings and finish it off with a kiss, even if it wasn’t on the lips, was really unexpected. However, he can’t let Flash know what he’s in on. “I’m being serious with you man,” says Flash. “I could hardly believe it myself.” “Well, did you say anything?” Soarin asks. “I just agreed to give her the time she needs to figure things out. After that, to show me she was serious, she kissed me on the cheek.” Flash nervously chuckles a little, “I was pretty much frozen with disbelief after that.” “Dang man,” Soarin says as he leans back on the bed, his hands supporting him. “Hard to believe she turned around so quickly.” “I don’t think it was a turn around,” Flash admits. “She said she always felt this way about me. I guess she’s just now coming to terms with her feelings.” Soarin pushes himself off the bed and stands up. “So, what do you plan to do?” “Like I said, she needs time to figure things out, so I’m just going to wait until she’s ready,” Flash says as he walks Soarin to the bedroom door. “But I’ve got a good feeling it’s going to work out.” Flash opens the door, and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom fall into his room from leaning up against the door. “Scootaloo!?” The three girls look up at Flash and Soarin. “Oh, um, hey big bro,” Scootaloo says nervously. “We were just...um…” “Making sure your door worked,” Sweetie Belle says rapidly. “Looks like it does, time to go check the others.” Sweetie Belle grabs Apple Bloom’s and Scootaloo’s arm and pulls them out of the room. Before they’re out of sight, Apple Bloom quickly turns around and asks, “Oh Soarin, when are you gonna to tell my sister that you like her?” “What?!” Soarin says. “APPLE BLOOM!” shout Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle as they pull her away. Soarin, unsure how to respond, stares into the blank space where Applebloom stood. His cheeks blush bright red from embarrassment. Flash laughs as his friend is the one uncomfortable for a change. Soarin looks over at his friend, his embarrassment still intact. “H-How did she know?” he asks, mortified. Flash collects himself and wipes a tear from his eye. “I might have told Scootaloo when a rumor surfaced that you like Applejack.” Soarin grabs Flash by both shoulders and shakes him saying, “Why would you tell her something like!?” “Dude, calm down!” Flash says, pushing him away. “She was bugging me about it. I told her to make her go away. You would too if you had a little sister obsessed with shipping.” Soarin puts his face in his hands and begins to groan in despair. Flash, though amused by his friend’s embarrassment, he walks to his side and wraps his arm around his shoulders. “How many more people know?” Soarin asks, looking up towards his friend. Flash shrugs, which doesn’t provide any encouragement for Soarin, who places his face back into his hands. “Hey don’t knock yourself down about it,” Flash says. “So what if Applejack might know? If you just tell her how you really feel, I can assure you that your love confession won’t be as bad mine was.” Soarin pushes Flash’s arm off his shoulders and steps away. “Oh sure, easy for you to say!” he says, throwing his hands up in the air. He turns around and points at Flash, “You’re already guaranteed to have a girlfriend by Friday!” Flash looks at him quizzically. “‘Guaranteed?’ I said I have a good feeling that Sunset would want to go steady, I never said it was a sure thing to happen. And what do you mean ‘by Friday?’” Soarin’s eyes widen and his mouth tightens up, like a child who said a foul word to their parent. Soarin tries to respond but he fumbles trying to find a good answer. “Soarin, what’s going on?” Flash steps forward, trying to press his friend for information. Soarin grows more nervous, beads of sweat form on his forehead, his eyes dart from side to side. Backed into a figurative corner, Soarin attempts to make an escape. “Oh jeez! Look at the time, I’ve gotta go, see ya!” Soarin rapidly says as he tries to leave the room, but he’s too slow for Flash. He grabs Soarin by the sleeve of his t-shirt and slings him back into the room. Flash closes the door and locks the door. Flash stands in front of the door. He turns to Soarin, crosses his arms, and sternly glares at him. “I’m not letting you leave until I find out what’s going on,” Flash says. “Twilight was acting very suspicious this morning, Sunset just happened to meet me in the parking lot right after my fourth block, and now you’re acting like you have something to hide from me. Soarin, I’m your best friend, we’ve been together since kindergarten. You’ve got two options: either tell me now and you can leave or don’t and remain here until you do? What’s it gonna be?” Soarin ponders for a moment; neither option is desirable. If he tells him the plan, it could ruin the entire operation. He remembers the last time the girls worked behind his back; it didn’t end well. If he remains silent though, who knows how long he will remain locked in this room, and he can already feel his stomach begin to grumble. He could also lie, but that idea doesn’t sit well with him. Between a rock and a hard place, he makes his decision. Author's Note We're going to be heading into the home stretch here soon people. Only two more chapters are planned and then the story will finally be complete. I know it's taken a while for us to get to this point and I want to thank y'all for being patient with me. Chapter 14 will likely take me a little longer for two reasons. It's likely going to be the longest chapter of the story, longer than Chapter 11. There's going to be a lot going on that I'm not sure I want to separate them into multiple chapters. Though that may change, I'm not entirely sure just yet. The next reason is I'm going to be working on the next chapter for my other story, Secrets of the Past. While this story is coming to an end, that story is just beginning. If you are looking for a story that's a bit darker and isn't a romance, you should check it out. The story is my take on "what if Sombra won during the Season 3 premiere," and I've always wanted to do a story like this. Be sure to check it out if you're looking for something a little different. Thank you guys very much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Be sure to check out Secrets of the Past, and I'll see you next time. Tops to you!
Ch. 14: Close CallSunset finds herself behind CHS, near the rear parking lot. She doesn’t know how she got there nor why she’s there. She looks around to see if anyone else is around but sees no one. She tries to move but is stuck in place by some sort of force. She tries calling for help several times but no one answers. Is this another form of Equestrian magic? Why can’t she move? Before she calls for help again, Sunset hears voices from around the corner. She tries to get their attention but there is no response. She hears them getting closer, they’ll be able to see her if they can’t hear her. From around the corner comes Flash and... herself? Sunset is perplexed at the scene displaying before her. Why is there a doppelganger of her with Flash? “What do you want this time, Flash?” Sunset 2 says with an annoyed and disinterested tone. “I’ve got more important things to deal with.” Flash stops and turns around to face her, he crosses his arms and scowls her. Sunset 2 notices his demeanor but isn’t phased by it, it seems she’s grown used to this kind of behavior. She rolls her eyes and says, “Ugh, what?” “What the hell is wrong with you?” Flash says scornfully, disgust tinting his voice. Sunset 1, still stuck in place and unnoticed by Flash and the doppelganger, realizes the scene playing before her is the same one she dreamt about a few days ago, only from a different angle this time. Sunset 2, unamused by his attitude, inspects her fingernails and says, with a smirk, “Nothing really, I’m practically perfect in every way.” “I heard about what you did at the Fall Formal!” Flash continues, the volume of his voice escalating. “You’re going to have to be a bit more specific, sweetie,” Sunset says, her head tilted towards the ground but her eyes looking up at him. “The threats of blackmail, manipulating voters, tampering with the final vote, and for what?” he shouts. “Just to win some stupid crown!” Sunset 2, still unphased by his anger, steps closer to him and caresses his cheek while feigning pity. “Oh honey,” she says, “that crown means a lot more at this school than you think it does.” Flash slaps away her hand, “That’s a bunch of bull,” he says with a scowl. He takes a few steps past her, stops, and says, “You know what tops all of this? I realized what I am to you.” Sunset 2 turns around and crosses her arms, “And what is that?” “I’m your tool,” he says but doesn’t face her. “An accessory to make you popular. You used me and my reputation to make yourself the top dog of the school. I doubt I was ever really your boyfriend.” A tinge of sadness and betrayal is heard in his voice. Sunset 2 retains her cross composure but her face changes from annoyed to suspicious. Before she says anything, she contemplates her next move. Her expression and composure soften into something more sympathetic. She slowly walks towards him and wraps her arms around his torso. She leans the side of her head up against his back and nuzzles her cheek into his jacket, trying to provoke a romantic reaction. “Of course you’re my boyfriend,” she says in a deceivingly comforting tone. “Don’t listen to what the other kids say, I’m all that you need.” As Sunset 1 watches this scene, a shiver crawls up her spine. She always knew she treated Flash differently than the other students, but to see it for herself… Disgust and discomfort churn inside her as, stuck in place, she watches her old self manipulate Flash. Sunset 2’s deception doesn’t fool Flash, however. He pulls her arms off, steps forward, and turns around to face her, pointing his finger at her. “Enough of your lies!” he shouts. “I thought we were friends, Sunset. I thought we could have something more together. I loved you and I thought you did too, but I guess I was wrong. I don’t know if you’ve changed or if you were always like this, and I just failed to notice. I’m done, I’m done with the lies, with the manipulation… and with you.” The second Sunset takes a step back, she’s not used to being confronted like this, especially not with Flash. “Wh-what are you saying?” “We’re through, Sunset!” he shouts, loud enough that the entire school could probably hear it. Flash takes a deep breath to calm himself. “Go find yourself a new boy toy.” He turns around and walks away from her. Sunset doesn’t know how to respond. Flash just walked away from her, ending a two-year-long relationship. A few tears begin to well up in her eyes, the sting of a broken heart takes over her. Flash, her first friend, now her ex... no, her enemy. She clenches her hands into fists. The sadness she feels is suddenly replaced with anger, resentment, and bitterness. “Fine, go! I never needed you in the first place!” she shouts as he walks, tears falling down her cheeks. “You just wait and see what your life is like without me!” As Sunset 2 yells, Sunset 1 closes her eyes and looks away, trying not to witness the remainder of the scene. Having confronted this dark scene from her past, immense shame washes over her and a familiar fear begins to crawl its way into her. Fear of reliving the past, of resurfacing a pain brought on the both of them. It slowly begins to take over, like ink spreading through clear water As the fear creeps over her, a voice speaks to her in a deep, echoing tone. “After all the pain you’ve caused, you still go after him. How love can make us foolish.” Remembering her trip to Equestria, what Flash told her about facing her fear. She lifts her head and confronts the voice. “I’m no longer that person,” she calls out. “I’ve changed drastically since then.” The voice chuckles. “Oh please, we both know that’s a lie.” “It is not, I’ve made my atonement with my friends, the school, and Flash. I’ve begun anew with everyone else in my life, why shouldn’t I begin again with Flash?” “Have you already forgotten the scene that played before you?” the voice asks, frustration growing in its tone. “Have you forgotten the misery you caused him when you were together?” “I will never forget what I did to him,” Sunset says with regret. “But it doesn’t matter; if I have to face my past every day, for the rest of my life, just so I can be with him, then so be it. I deserve a chance to start over.” The voice snickers, “Such ambition, but it won’t make a difference. This isn’t one of your silly games, there is no ‘starting over.’ You can’t change the past.” “Maybe not, but I can still learn from it,” she says. “We both can learn from our past, move on, and grow together.” “Learn all you want,” the voice mocks from behind her. A clawed hand crawls onto Sunset’s shoulder, “You can never escape who you truly are. You are just one slip away from becoming me!” The hand spins her around to face the being before her: Demon Shimmer. Sunset freezes in fear of the monstrosity before her. The creature flares a Grinch-like smile. Sunset jolts up from her bed, breathing rapidly, her heart pounding a million miles a second. She rapidly looks around the room, hoping she’s back to reality. Though it’s hard to tell in the early morning light, relief washes over her when she realizes she’s back in her loft. She rubs her hands through her hair and holds them behind her head. She breathes in, holds for three seconds, and lets it out, she repeats the process two more times. “What the hell was that dream?” she mutters to herself after calming down. She turns her head to the right to look at her digital alarm clock, it reads 6:15 AM. “Might as well start the day now,” she says with a tired groan. Sunset pulls the covers off and proceeds with her morning routine. She tries to keep the dream off her thoughts but it doesn’t go away. The words that were spoken to her keep repeating over and over. Sunset goes into the bathroom and begins her shower. As she lets the warm water pour over her body, the first phrase her other self said returns to her. Is she really being a fool for pursuing Flash again? She doesn’t deny in the slightest that she has hurt him in the past, but that was a different time, a different Sunset. This time, it won’t be the same anymore. She genuinely cares for him now, one could say she’s in love with him. But are her feelings blinding her from the potential damage she could cause or are they another example of her changed nature? Once she exits the shower and gets dressed, Sunset goes to the kitchen and prepares some eggs and toast. Is she being honest with herself at this moment, or is she justifying another falsehood? It’s not like she hasn’t lied to herself before. She knows she’s changed: she’s no longer the cruel girl she once was. There’s no way this could be a lie; too much has happened for it to be one, right? When she finishes breakfast, she grabs her backpack and helmet and goes down to the street to get on her motorcycle. If she has changed for the better, is she one slip away from falling back into her old self? There’s no way she could fall back into wickedness. Then again, she’s seen others fall into the same trap for different reasons: Twilight to learn more about magic, Gloriosa to save her camp, Wallflower to make a point… There were many examples, and the motive was always different. Is she just as vulnerable? Sunset pulls up to the school and parks her bike in the east parking lot. She doesn’t get off, not yet. She takes off her helmet, shakes her hair out, and leans up against the handlebars. She thinks about what her demonic self said right before she woke up. ‘You’re one slip away.’ “Don’t let her scare you, Sunset,”she says softly to herself. I’m not going to let her get to me, she thinks, I don’t care what she says, I’m a better person now. I won’t hurt Flash because I won’t treat him the same way again. “Sunset!” someone yells out to her. She breaks from her thoughts to find the source of the voice. She looks to her left and sees Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Twilight, and Soarin running towards her. Hearing the urgency in Rainbow Dash’s voice, Sunset gets off her bike and runs to meet them halfway. “What’s going on?” she asks when they meet up with each other. The four students form a loose semi-circle facing Sunset. “We… have... a problem,” Soarin says as he catches his breath. “Flash knows we’re up to something,” Twilight says rapidly. “What are you talking about?” Sunset asks. Soarin takes a deep breath and says, “The operation. Flash confronted me yesterday after I slipped up and said something that gave it away. He kept me from leaving his house until I told him what was going on.” “And did you?” Sunset asks. “Thankfully, he didn’t,” Rainbow interjects. “He texted me what was happening and I dashed over to Flash’s house to get Soarin out of there.” “We got lucky this time,” Applejack says. “But I reckon we won’t get another chance like that again.” “But that doesn’t mean we’re out of the danger zone,” Twilight says. She turns to Soarin, “You’ve got to get him off the scent, Soarin. No matter how difficult it may be.” “I know, Twilight, I know,” Soarin says. “I won’t make the same mistake twice. Flash won’t know about anything.” “But is it so bad if he finds out?” Sunset asks, prompting curious looks from the others. “I mean, what we’re doing is for the benefit of the both of us, right? Would it be so bad if he knows?” “If we were operating under normal circumstances, sure, it wouldn’t be the end of the world,” Twilight explains. “But we’re not,” says Rainbow Dash. “We overstepped our boundaries with Flash last time, and just look at what happened after that.” “It’s best to play this whole thing safe and quiet,” says Applejack. “If he finds out about this whole operation, I’m not sure he’ll be as forgivin’.” “He won’t,” Soarin says, decisively. “I’ve known him the longest and I can tell you that Flash may be a good guy but he’s not a fool. He might have barely forgiven you girls after what happened last Friday, but he’s going to be a lot less forgiving if he thinks we’re meddling again. If you defend your case and explain yourselves well enough, you might be able to win him over, but he’s likely to think you’re overstepping boundaries again. Sunset and I probably have a better defense for our actions: me being his best friend since kindergarten, and Sunset, well, what she said yesterday might as well have given her immunity.” The three girls look at Sunset with bewildered looks and tilted heads. “What’s he talking about, Sunset?” Twilight asks. Sunset, uncomfortably, rubs the back of her neck and looks off to the side, color rising to her cheeks. “I might have,” Sunset covers her mouth and mumbles, “told him how I felt.” “What was that?” Applejack asks. “I told him how I felt!” Sunset blurts out, throwing her hands up in the air. Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s eyes widen slightly and exchanged concerned looks. Twilight, on the other hand, looks as though she’s witnessing a shocking tragedy play out before her. “That’s not all you did,” Soarin adds. They all look Soarin, who turns his head to the side and taps his cheek with his index finger. Sunset purses her lips and glares at Soarin like an aggravated parent. The other three girls are confused for a second, then they realize what he’s implying. Twilight’s mouth and eyes are wide opened in shock and horror, fearing that her beautifully crafted plan is falling before her eyes. She turns to face Sunset, holding her expression, and shouts with horrific intensity. “Sunset!” “Well, um,” Applejack clears her throat, “things sure seem to be speedin’ up.” “I agree, and that’s me saying that,” Rainbow Dash says, pointing to herself. “Why would you tell him that!?” Twilight exclaims, looking as if she’s on the verge of a heart attack. “Okay, first of all,” Sunset points at Soarin, “that’s enough out of you. Second, I was improvising. I was worried he was going to walk away thinking something else, and telling him how I feel was the first thing that popped into my mind. But I told him I need a few days to figure things out before I can give him a definitive answer. And yes, I kissed him on the cheek to show that I was being serious. Any of you would’ve done the same thing in my position.” “Nooope,” Soarin says, holding up his hands. “No, I wouldn’t.” Sunset rolls her eyes at him. Twilight takes off her glasses and rubs her eyes with her thumb and index finger. She lets out a frustrated sigh, “Just so I understand, you essentially gave him a love confession but said that you need a few days to figure things out first, correct?” “Well, I’m... not sure I would say it was a ‘love confession,’” Sunset says, shifting her feet in discomfort. Soarin smirks and snorts in disagreement, having heard what Flash told him. Sunset glares and points at him, “Shut up.” “Just answer the question please,” Twilight bluntly requests. “Is that more or less what you told him, yes or no?” Sunset hesitates a moment, then nods. Twilight puts her glasses back on and takes a deep sigh to calm herself. “Alright, I think we can still work with this. He knows you need to think it over, which will give us time to work through the rest of the plan. In the future, Sunset, try to keep the improvising to a minimum. And Soarin, you really need to make sure that Flash doesn’t catch wind of what’s going on.” “You got it. Speaking of which,” Soarin trails off as he pulls back his left jacket sleeve to look at his watch. “Flash’s going to be here any minute, I better go meet him.” He begins to run off towards the north-facing side of the school. As he leaves, he shouts, “I’ll see you guys later! See ya Applejack!” The four girls wave goodbye to Soarin, only Applejack is the one to shout back, “You take care now, sugarcube!” Sunset and Rainbow Dash are caught by surprise at what she said and give her curious looks. When Applejack turns back to face them, she’s confused by their expressions. “What? Is there something in my teeth?” “No, your teeth are fine,” Sunset says. “It’s just, since when have you called anyone outside of close friends and family ‘sugarcube?’” “Yeah, I didn’t even know Soarin was, I don’t know, ‘worthy’ enough to be called that,” Rainbow says with air quotes around “worthy.” “Well, um,” Applejack’s cheeks blush slightly pink, her eyes darting side to side. “I consider Soarin to be a close friend.” Sunset, intrigued, gives her friend a sly look, but Rainbow Dash looks at her with concerned suspicion. “And I-I-I’ve called plenty of people ‘sugarcube,’ not just close friends and family.” Her defense would’ve been more believable if her cheeks retained their normal color, but they become pinker by the second. “Let’s move on to the task at hand,” Twilight says, whipping her backpack around, unzipping the main pocket, and pulling out the binder. “Having avoided two crises, we should move onto phase two this afternoon, after school.” “Remind me what phase two is?” Applejack says, trying to get the attention away from her. Twilight opens up the binder and flips through a few pages. She stops on the targeted spot and holds it out for her friends to see. The top of the page has the words “Phase Two: Footloose” in 16 point, underlined, Arial font. “Since Prom this Friday is a crucial part of this operation, and the couples’ dance is one of the biggest events that night, you need to learn how to dance.” “I already know how to dance,” Sunset protests. “But do you know how to dance with a partner?” Twilight asks. “Fair enough,” Sunset concedes. “But prom is in three days, who’s going to teach me to be a master dancer by then?” “I will,” Rainbow says. Sunset gives her a look of surprise; she wasn’t expecting Rainbow Dash of all people to be her dance instructor. Rainbow Dash shrugs. “Coach Spitfire has the soccer team take dance lessons to improve our foot coordination. I know enough to teach you the basics, at least. We’ll cover the details after school.” The first bell of the day rings. The girls wish each other a good day and split off into pairs. Rainbow and Twilight, who share first block, dash off to the north side of CHS. Sunset and Applejack go into the east entryway, their first block is in the same hall but separate classrooms. As they walk, Sunset gives Applejack a playful nudge and an expression of intrigue. “So, Soarin huh?” she teases. Applejack’s back straightens up. “Nothing is goin’ on between us!” Applejack blurts out. “We’re just close friends, nothing more.” “I tried that same defense with you girls and didn’t work out,” Sunset remarks. “Look, there’s nothing to be ashamed about liking Soarin, he’s a sweet guy.” “I know he is, I’ve had a slight crush on him for a while,” Applejack admits as she relaxes. Sunset walks in front of Applejack and turns to face her with a look of surprise. “Hold up, since when?” she asks, holding her hands up in front of her. Applejack strokes the strand of hair hanging over her left ear, her cheeks turning pink again. “Since the Fall Festival last year,” she says. “He kept coming up to our table for a slice of pie, every time he did, we would talk together. Every conversation was a new topic: my country life, the family business, me, it was very sweet.” A small smile appears as she remembers that day. Sunset walks back around to Applejack’s side and they continue their walk down the hall. “Sounds like a creep who wants to study you,” Sunset jokes. Applejack snorts and shakes her head. “He wasn’t,” she says. “I could tell he genuinely wanted to learn more about me. I found it rather surprising that someone outside of my friends and family wanted to give me their attention. It felt weird but also nice to be on the receiving end of that type of kindness. The boy had me feeling kind of helpless afterward.” “Well, what’s keeping you from telling him how you feel?” Sunset asks. “It seems evident that you like, and I’m willing to bet he likes you as well. There’s nothing wrong in wanting to form a closer bond.” “I know, I know, look can we talk about this another time?” Applejack says, appearing wanting to avoid the latter topic. As they approach Applejack’s first block classroom, they stop right outside the door. “Sure, but before I go, could you tell me just one more thing you like about him?” Sunset teasingly asks. “A characteristic, a good deed he did, maybe a physical quality?” Applejack looks off to side briefly, then turns back with a gleeful smirk. She motions her hand to bring Sunset in closer and says in a low voice, “He’s got a cute butt.” Sunset’s jaw drops and gasps with laughter. She playfully pushes her friend's shoulder. They both wish each other a good day and go off to their respective classes. Author's Note If you follow my channel and see the blogs then you already know what's going on. If not, then here's a quick update. Instead of two long chapters to bring the story to a close, I've decided to break it up into multiple chapters. For a few reasons: 1) these smaller chapters give me time to develop characters and plotlines more thoroughly rather than rush it with two long chapters. 2) it allows me to release chapters more regularly rather than having you guys wait like a month, and it helps me avoid severe writers' block. 3) I didn't want to be mean to my editors and drop a 7,000, or so, word chapter for them to proofread, they're already helping me a lot and I believe dropping that kind of workload on them would be disrespectful and unappreciative of the time they volunteered to help me. So, rather than just two chapters to wrap this thing up, it's looking to be at least 4 or 5 chapters. My best guess is the total chapter count will be 20, but that's just a guess. Either way, I'm going to keep writing until I believe that I've reached a satisfying conclusion. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I will see you in chapter 15. Tops to you!
Ch. 15: HelplessThe final bell for the day rings throughout the school. On the west end, Rainbow Dash is the first to exit her fourth block shop class. While she usually enjoys the class, today she was more than eager to get out. Not because the topic for the day was boring, but because she shares the class with Applejack. Normally this is never a problem; in fact, the two get along more than well in shop. With Applejack’s construction experience from working on the farm and Rainbow Dash’s adept ability for kinetic learning, they have built some of the best products of the class. Give them an assignment and they will work together like a well-oiled machine. Today, though, was a different story. After what happened this morning, she realized that they had something else in common besides shop. To Rainbow Dash, Soarin was the only male student in all of Canterlot High that she considered an equal. She has never met another boy who could match her in athleticism, leadership, and loyalty. When she first met him, she thought it was an act and that sooner or later there would be a catch. Yet as she got to know him better, she saw the honesty behind his qualities. Their conversations before practice, though only lasting a few minutes, held her attention in a way she normally reserved for the field. Their similarities nurtured her attraction towards him, and now she has strange fantasies, like taking him away from this place. That made little sense to her when she thought about it: She loved Canterlot High. All the more reason she didn’t quite know what to do with her feelings. Yet this morning, she realizes that Applejack also holds an attraction towards him, but one that is different. Rainbow Dash sees and knows she is helpless; her friend’s eyes tell the whole story. She’s known Applejack her entire life, she’s never found another person with more integrity, as trusting, or as kind. It makes sense that Soarin would catch her eye, better yet her heart. Rainbow Dash could tell Applejack that she loves him and she would resign herself, saying she’s fine, but she would be lying. She can’t do that to her friend, nor does she want to let go of him. Throughout the day, she’s been distant with Applejack on the topic, hoping to avoid the issue. At the end of the day, she fears that Applejack will bring up the subject; she’s not one to leave problems alone. Rainbow Dash hurries to her locker up the hall from the classroom. She fiddles with the padded lock but, in her rush, she messes up the combination and has to start over again. She turns the knob to the right, then to left, and back to the right, no luck. After two more tries, she gets the lock undone and opens the locker. She rummages through, grabbing any homework and books she needs for tonight, and her dance shoes, and closes the door. She stuffs the items into her backpack, except for the shoes, throws the bag on, and makes her way up the hall. As she begins to walk, she hears Applejack calling out to her, “Hey RD, wait up!” Rainbow Dash stops in place, she doesn’t turn around. Crap baskets, she thinks, here it comes. Applejack jogs up to Rainbow’s side. “In a rush to beat Sunset to the gymnasium?” Applejack asks in a joking tone. “Uh, yeah, you know me, I gotta be the first one,” Rainbow responds with shaky confidence. “Let me walk with you part way before I head out,” Applejack suggests. Rainbow nods in agreement and the two continue walking through the hall. Most of the journey is silent between them until Applejack says, “Listen Rainbow Dash, I wanted to talk to you about this morning.” Rainbow braces herself, afraid of what she thinks she’s going to hear. “I wanted to tell you that--” “Look Applejack,” Rainbow Dash cuts her off, walking and stopping in front of her. “I don’t know what I saw this morning. I don’t know what I heard, and quite frankly, I don’t want to know. It happened, alright? I’ve gotta meet Sunset in the gymnasium, I’ll see you later.” Rainbow adjusts the straps on her backpack and leaves Applejack, giving her more of a cold shoulder than she’d intended. She walks towards the gym with some weight in her stride. Her mind races with various thoughts. Does Applejack really believe Rainbow Dash is gullible enough to believe that whole ‘there’s nothing between us’ schtick? Contrary to what she told her recently, she knows exactly what she saw. She was suspicious that something was up way back at their first game night with Soarin and Flash, but she didn’t realize until recently that the attraction is going both ways. They look into each other’s eyes and they are both helpless for each other, something she has never experienced with him. She nears the gym doors, but before entering, she goes into the nearby women’s restroom. She locks herself in the handicap stall and leans up against the wall, her back sliding down to the ground. How could Soarin, essentially, choose Applejack over her? Rainbow has known him longer and knows him better. They have become close friends over the past year through their teams, and are practically the same person. Instead, he goes for Applejack, someone he barely knows, and yet shares a bond with her that Rainbow can’t provide. She leans her head back against the wall and sniffles. She feels tears beginning to form and closes her eyes to hold them back. Suddenly, a gentle knock is heard on the stall door. “Rainbow Dash, is that you in there?” It’s Rarity. She knocks on the door again, “Are you okay in there darling?” Rainbow Dash takes a deep breath, rubs her eyes, and says, “Um, yeah, yeah I’m fine.” “Are you sure?” Rarity asks. “You don’t sound fine. Could you come out of there and let me take a look at you?” Rainbow contemplates for a minute and gets up off the floor. She walks to the door and opens it to see Rarity standing there looking at her with some concern. Rarity notices the red color in her eyes from rubbing and knows something is up. “Oh no, what’s wrong Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asks with motherly concern. “You look as though someone broke your heart.” Rainbow Dash rubs her eye with the back of her wrist and sniffles. “It’s nothing, Rarity, I’m fine,” she responds. “Now Rainbow Dash,” Rarity says, placing her hands on her hips. “You might think it’s nothing but I know that it is not. I can tell your heart is aching and the only way to get through it is to open up. I won’t leave until you tell me what’s wrong.” “I’m fine Rarity!” Rainbow exclaims. “Just leave me alone for right now, alright? Jeez!” In a huff, Rainbow walks towards the exit. Right before she leaves, she’s blocked by a giant diamond-shaped disc in the doorway. Rainbow turns around to face Rarity, “That’s unfair! You can’t use your geode to stop me from leaving.” “Really? Is there a rulebook around here to consult?” Rarity sasses her. “If not, then let’s talk.” She lowers the disc, but Rainbow Dash doesn’t take the opportunity to leave. Rarity takes a deep breath and, in a calmer tone, says, “I’m trying to help you Rainbow Dash, I know what it’s like to have your heart broken. Let me help you.” Rainbow crosses her arms and looks off to the side with pursed lips, unwilling to open up. She’s been avoiding this topic all day, why should she start now? Rarity, recognizing her defiance, walks forward and places a hand on her shoulder, looking at her friend empathetically. Rainbow turns her eyes to Rarity, and sees the kindness she’s giving her. Slowly, she uncrosses her arms and moves her hands down into her pockets, her shoulders relax and lips unpurse. “What’s going on Rainbow Dash?” Rarity asks. “It’s…” Rainbow pauses and takes a deep breath, she can feel the tears coming back. “It’s Soarin and… Applejack.” Rarity slowly nods. “I had a hunch; Sunset told me about this morning. I know it’s hard to see a friend interested in someone you like, but I’m sure if you work things out--” “Soarin likes Applejack too!” Rainbow says, cutting Rarity off. “I know he does, I’ve seen the way he looks at and acts around her. I’ve known him longer than he’s known Applejack, I’ve been his friend for nearly a year, I thought we could become something more. Instead, he passes over me for Applejack.” Rainbow sniffs and wipes a tear from her cheek. Rarity pulls out a handkerchief from her purse and gives it to Rainbow. “Sometimes knowing someone for a long time doesn’t mean a romance is sure to happen,” Rarity says. Rainbow uses the handkerchief to wipe her eyes. “I know it’s just, we share a lot in common. I really thought things were going somewhere.” “I know, it’s hard seeing someone you adore have eyes for someone else,” Rarity says. “Do you remember Fancy Pants?” “That senior you had a massive crush on last year?” Rainbow asks. Rarity rolls her eyes in annoyance. “Yes, that one,” she answers, miffed. “When I found out that he had his eyes set on Fleur de Lis, I was devastated. Even though I have known him for such a long time, his heart was set upon a different woman. But, I was able to move on.” “How?” Rainbow asks. Rarity places her hand on Rainbow’s shoulder, gives her a comforting smile, and says, “Time. Given enough time, you will eventually move on and learn to let him go.” Rainbow looks down at the handkerchief and fiddles with it in her hands. “I don’t think I have the patience for ‘eventually,’” she mumbles but loud enough for Rarity to hear. “One way or another, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity responds. “You will have to learn to let him go. Otherwise, that love will turn into obsession.” Rainbow Dash smiles as best she can. “Like you with Trenderhoof?” she asks, remembering when Rarity had adopted Applejack’s persona to impress a boy. Rarity purses her lips in mild annoyance, before returning to the topic at hand. “Something like that,” she says, “For right now, you have every right to feel heartbroken.” Rainbow, still looking down, purses her own lips and slowly nods. She hands Rarity back her handkerchief but she denies it. “You keep it dearie. You’re going to need it more than me.” “Thanks Rarity,” Rainbow Dash says as she puts the handkerchief in her pocket. Suddenly, her phone dings. She pulls it and sees a text message from Sunset Shimmer, saying: Where r u? “Oh crud,” she exclaims, “I’m running late for Sunset’s dance lesson.” She quickly puts her phone back in her pocket and turns to head out of the bathroom. Right as she takes her first step, she stops and turns back around to face Rarity. She moves forward and gives her a hug, which Rarity returns in kind. “Thank you for your help,” Rainbow says. “If you ever need to talk, I’m always here for you,” Rarity replies. “Now go before you make Sunset wait another minute.” Rarity gently pushes Rainbow Dash away, and she runs out the doorway towards the gymnasium. Later that evening, Flash sits in his room at his desk working on his independent assignment for Mr. Turner. Things between him and Sunset appeared to have smoothed out, but he’s still stuck with this assignment for the week. His task is to present a five-page summary of his readings by Friday on the Arab revolts during the First World War and the French and British Mandates that followed. His reading for today is a journal entry from the famous Lawrence of Arabia. While it’s hard not to be entrenched in the life of such a grand figure, Flash finds himself distracted by recent suspicious behavior of his friends. His mind can’t help but think about what’s been going on. First Twilight nearly freaks out over a binder yesterday, then Sunset confronts him and, essentially, confesses her love for him, followed by Soarin’s strange remarks and Rainbow Dash breaking him out faster than he could blink. He can’t help but suspect that the girls are meddling in his affairs. This time, though, it seems that Soarin and Sunset are in on it as well. The only question is why? He could just confront them on it, claim that he knows what they’re up to. But he’s seen enough detective shows to know making claims without hard evidence is a recipe for disaster. Trying to squeeze Soarin for information would be beating a dead horse, and as for Sunset, he agreed yesterday to give her space and he’s going to keep it that way for now. Cornering any one of the six girls could potentially make things worse, and they would most likely deny it anyway. Well, maybe not Pinkie Pie, but he would feel bad knowing how seriously she takes keeping secrets and how much she suffers from it. There is, though, one more option to provide clarity. There’s a knock at his door. “Come in,” he calls. The door opens and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom walk in. Flash turns in his chair to face them, “So what have you girls found out?” The girls look at each other with looks of disappointment, look back at Flash and shrug. “Eh, we haven’t found much,” Scootaloo answers. “We tried everything we could think of,” Apple Bloom adds. “Directly askin’, eavesdroppin’, we even tried sneakin’ through their bags, but that backfired horribly.” Flash leans forward and rubs the bridge of his nose with both index fingers. “Have you been able to find anything at all?” “Well, Sweetie Belle was able to find something this afternoon,” Scootaloo says. Flash turns his attention to Sweetie Belle. “I was with Pinkie Pie in the gymnasium, helping her decorate for prom,” she says. “Rainbow Dash and Sunset were also in there but they weren’t helping us.” “What were they doing?” Flash asks. “Dancing,” Sweetie Belle answers, causing Flash to raise his eyebrow. “Rainbow was giving her a dance lesson. Nothing too complex, just basic steps on partner dancing.” Flash looks down at the ground, rubbing his chin in contemplation. A dance lesson isn’t too abnormal, especially given the fact that prom is this Friday. Though, it is interesting the kind of dancing she is learning, partner dancing, as if she’s planning on participating in the couples dance. He looks back up at Sweetie Belle and asks, “Did you see or hear anything else?” “Only that Sunset kept stepping on Rainbow’s toes during the entire lesson,” Sweetie Belle answers, trying to hold back a giggle. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo let out a snicker. Flash smirks and shakes as he leans back in his chair. “Well, even though it wasn’t much, thanks for your help today anyway,” he says. “You girls can leave now.” He turns in his chair back to face his desk. The girls begin to walk out of Flash’s room, but Scootaloo stops just before walking through the doorway. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, already standing in the hallway, turn to see what’s keeping their friend. Scootaloo waves her hand to tell them to wait a moment. She walks over to her brother and says, “I know we didn’t give you a lot, but we really are trying our hardest to find out what they’re up to.” Flash looks up from his homework and gives her a half-smile. “I know you are Scoots,” he says, nodding. “I didn’t expect you to find out everything today, just enough to clear the fog.” Scootaloo looks down at the ground and grips her arm. “If they’re messing with your life behind your back again…” She pauses, then looks up at her brother. “After what you told me happened last Friday, I don’t want that to happen to you again. I don’t care what their intentions are, it’s just wrong to do something like that, especially to a friend.” Flash turns in his chair, leans forward, and places both of his hands on her shoulders. “Thanks sis,” he says, “I appreciate your concern. We’ll find out what’s going on, but right now, I need to work on this assignment.” He scruffs up her hair and gently pushes her away. She walks out of the room, closing the door behind her. Flash turns back once again to his homework, but instead of immediately getting back to work, he pulls out a small drawer in his desk. He picks up a small notepad and pen from inside and flips the notepad open, laying it on the desk. Written on the paper is a list of the odd behaviors he’s witnessed about his friends: Rainbow Dash and Soarin’s escape from his house is the most recent. He takes the pen and scribbles down “Sunset dance lesson,” then leans back in his chair while tapping the butt of the pen against the paper. What are they up to? Author's Note I'm going to be taking a little break from Rekindling. Don't worry it's not going to be a six-month-long "break" like last time, but I need a week or two to give my brain some time to figure out what's going to happen next. This chapter took a lot of creative energy to write, I need a little time to "gather more creative juices" so to speak. Also, my other story, Secrets of the Past, has gone without a new chapter for several weeks, so I will be working on that for a bit. I will release a blog post on my account page when I'll begin writing Chapter 16, so keep an eye out for that. Thank you all so much for reading! Tops to you!
Ch. 16: The Big Night Part 1The men’s locker room door opens as Soarin, Flash, and the rest of the boys in their PE class walk in. Their breathing is heavy as if they’ve been deprived of oxygen; a normal state after the Five-Mile Friday run. The boys find a seat on one of the benches or the floor. Some go to their lockers, pull out their water bottles, and begin chugging every last drop. One student, a skinny little freshman with a bowl cut, collapses face-first on the floor. Soarin looks over at the freshman and, through his heavy breathing, says, “Could...someone...pick up...Featherweight?” Bulk Biceps, an abnormally muscular senior, walks over to Featherweight, grabs the back of his shirt, and hoists him up onto his feet. There’s a pounding on the door. “Get showered and dressed, boys!” Coach Spitfire shouts at them through the door. “I don’t want your dates to be put off by your stench tonight!” Following a series of murmured curses, the boys follow Spitfire’s command. Soarin and Flash are the first in and out of the showers. They head over to their lockers to dress; as they do, they discuss their plans for the evening. “Are you feeling ready for tonight, Flash?” Soarin asks as he pulls a black t-shirt on. “Not until I’m in my tux, but I can’t think about that right now,” Flash says, putting his shoes on. Soarin pulls out a dark blue button-up and pulls it over his t-shirt, leaving the front open. “Oh come on, it’s going to be the biggest night of our lives. Who knows? You might even get a dance with you-know-who.” Soarin elbows his friend, playfully winking at him. Flash, rummaging through his locker, looks at Soarin and rolls his eyes. “Maybe, but for right now...” Flash pulls out his backpack, and a small notebook falls out of one of the outside pockets, but he doesn’t notice. He holds up the bag by the top handle and says, “I’ve got an independent study to wrap up with Mr. Turner first. He’s going to want to hear about my research, I’ve got to remain focused before I can think about prom tonight.” Soarin chuckles and rolls his eyes. “You are such an egghead, you know that?” he jests. Flash throws his bag on and smirks. “Whatever you say. I’ll see you at my house later tonight,” Flash says as he closes his locker and makes his exit. As Soarin continues to dress, his phone goes off from inside his locker. He pulls it out and looks at the screen to see who’s calling: it’s Applejack. He accepts the call and puts the phone between his shoulder and ear as he puts on his shoes. “Hey Applejack, what’s up?” he answers. “Hey, Soarin,” Applejack responds. “Twilight wanted me to tell you that we’re meetin’ at Sugar Cube Corner to go over the plan for tonight, can you make it?” “Yeah, I can make it, I’m just getting ready to--” “Hey Soarin!” one of the boys calls out, walking over to Soarin. “You talking to your girlfriend?” he asks in a mocking tone. “You asking if you can have some of her pie?” “Ooooh!” said the rest of the group, mockingly suggestive. Soarin, offended by his remarks, stands up and shoves the boy away with his free hand. “Piss off Thunderlane!” he shouts at him. Thunderlane grimaces, prompting a collective intake of breath from his hangers-on, but he shrugs and walks back to the group. Soarin flips the rest of the group off as he turns away. As he walks back to his seat, he notices a notepad on the ground and picks it up. “What was that all about?” Applejack asks. “Nothing,” Soarin groans. “It’s just Thunderlane being childish.” “Well, in case you’re wondering, there will be some of my family’s apple pie at the prom tonight,” Applejack says. “I don’t think that’s what he meant, but I look forward to having some,” Soarin chuckles with a little embarrassment. “About prom tonight, there’s been something I want to ask you?” Soarin casually flips through the pages of the notebook as he contemplates his question. “What is it, Soarin?” Applejack inquires. “I was wondering...um...if you would,” he stumbles through his words. “If you would save me a d--.” He stops in the middle of his question when he flips to a peculiar page. On it is a list of actions, items, and events that have happened the last few days, all that has been committed by him and the seven girls. A dance lesson, Soarin being rushed out by Rainbow Dash, supposedly numerous secret conversations, a mysterious binder titled “Operation: Rekindling the Flames.” Though the owner of the notebook isn’t written anywhere, he recognizes the handwriting as Flash’s. “Soarin, what do you want me to save?” Applejack asks, bringing Soarin back to reality. “Can-can I ask you later?” he requests. “Something has just come up, and I have to take care of it right away.” “Yeah, sure, I’ll see you later at Sugar Cube Corner,” she responds. Soarin hangs up the phone, rushes to dress and gather his things, and dashes out the door. Soarin’s one job during this whole operation was to keep Flash off the girls’ scent. He knows that if Flash was to find out what was happening behind his back, the reaction would be severe. He thought he was doing a good job, but, as it turns out, Flash has been on their scent the whole time and right under Soarin’s nose! It’s not that Flash suspects what’s going on that is bothering Soarin; rather, it’s wondering how he was finding out about these different items on the list. As far as Soarin was aware, the girls were making sure that everything they were doing would be outside of Flash’s knowledge, so how did he find out? There’s only one person who can tell him how, and that’s the man he intends to confront. Flash knocks on the open door of Mr. Turner, alerting him to his presence. Mr. Turner looks up from a stack of papers to see Flash. “Ah, Mister Sentry,” The history teacher greets Flash. “I presume you’re here to deliver the results of your independent assignment?” “Yes sir,” Flash says as he pulls out a stapled set of papers and walks over and hands it to the teacher. Mr. Turner slowly flips through every page, scanning over the structure and content of the report. He becomes more impressed as he flips through. When he scans through the last page, he sets the report on his desk and looks at Flash. “I must say, lad, this is some fine work,” Mr. Turner compliments him. “I especially liked your inclusion of appropriate pictures, a visual reference can always be helpful.” “Thank you, sir,” Flash says with a proud smile. “Now normally, I would interview the student about their research,” Mr. Turner explains as he stands up. “But, seeing as how prom is tonight, why don’t we postpone to Monday afternoon? I’m sure you’re more than eager to get ready for tonight.” “More than you know,” Flash chuckles. “Expecting a dance or two with a certain young lady?” Mr. Turner suspects, causing Flash to blush since he knows who he’s referring to. “Ahhh, I thought so. It certainly is pleasant to see you and Miss Shimmer smooth things out.” “Things aren’t entirely smoothed out yet,” Flash says. “But that might all change tonight.” “Well, I won’t inquire any further,” Mr. Turner responds. “And I won’t keep you here any longer. Go on home and have a safe, fun evening.” Flash thanks him and heads out of the classroom. When he walks out into the hall, he’s surprised to see Soarin waiting for him. “Soarin, I thought you were heading home?” “I was,” Soarin answers, he holds Flash’s notebook. “But then I stumbled across this in the locker room.” Flash can feel his heart beating faster, he knows he’s screwed if Soarin found the list inside. Though, it doesn’t appear that Soarin suspects him, so he plays innocent. “Oh, my notebook, thanks for bringing it back to me.” Flash reaches for it but Soarin pulls it away. Flash retracts his hand, knowing there’s only one reason why Soarin is resistant to give the notebook to him. Soarin looks at his friend with disappointment. “I’ve already seen the list, would you care to explain what you’ve been doing?” Soarin tosses the notebook to him and crosses his arms. Flash catches the book expertly and looks at it, knowing he’s backed into a corner here. “I guess there’s no point in avoiding this,” he sighs. He puts the book into his back pocket and looks at Soarin. “I’ve been, for lack of a better term, spying on you guys for the last few days. My sister and her friends have been helping me, reporting anything they can find.” Soarin rubs his forehead in frustration, pacing back and forth. “I can’t believe you would do something like this!” Soarin exclaims, followed by various disappointed mumbles. Flash doesn’t say anything, he just watches his friend gear up for a tirade. Soarin stops his pace and points at Flash. “Why were you spying on us? You were more than pissed off when you found out they were watching you last Friday night, yet you’re pulling the same crap on them! I can’t believe you would do something like this!” Flash’s composure doesn’t change, he appears calm and doesn’t show a tinge of guilt. “Is it a mystery why I would go this far?” Flash asks. “Both you and Twilight were acting incredibly cagy and suspicious when I saw something or brought up a certain topic, and Sunset pours her heart out, all of this on the same day and only a few days after the incident. They had already meddled once, and I wanted to find out what you were up to this time. I’ve already tried confronting you and it didn’t work, so I had to resort to spying with my sister and her friends.” Soarin pinches the bridge of his nose. “Oh my God, this feels like Anon-A-Miss all over again,” he mutters. “You would’ve done the same in my place, Soarin,” Flash says. “If the end is to stop a potential repeat of last Friday, it doesn’t matter what means I use to get there.” Flash walks past his friend, feeling he has justified his actions. Soarin darts in front of Flash, stopping him in his tracks. “You’re wrong,” he says. “I get why you’re concerned, you’ve been burned once and you don’t want to be burned again, I get it. But spying on the girls, on me, on Sunset, none of that is right. If you confront them with that list, they are going to want to know how you found out, and I can already tell you that they are not going to like the answer. You want to prevent another repeat of last week, that’s understandable. But that list, and the means at which you constructed it, will only cause more damage than what you think it will prevent.” “You think you and the girls have the moral high ground here?” Flash asks, crossing his arms. Soarin sighs. “Harsh,” he says, “Look, I’m only asking you to extend some trust,” Soarin requests. “If not on the girls, then on Sunset and me. If you truly believe what you say about her, and if we truly are friends, then you will end this escapade. Sunset is more than capable of reeling in her friends if they are pushing the envelope too much. And I know what they are planning is for your benefit. Do what you want with the list, just… think about who is standing to get hurt, ok?” Soarin pats Flash on the shoulder companionably, then heads on towards the exit. Flash doesn’t look at his friend, he just stands there mulling over Soarin’s words in his head. He pulls out the notebook and flips to the list. He’s been so deep in trying to figure out what the girls were up to he never took a moment to contemplate what the consequences would be. He had assumed that he would put an end to whatever scheme they were planning, but hadn’t thought past that. Yes, they had crossed a few lines themselves, but didn’t being on the other end means he should know better? Worse, Sunset hadn’t been involved before. Would she think he was against her? How would she even react to something like this? He knows she’s no longer the bully she used to be, and he assumed whatever was behind this list was another well-meaning but poorly thought-out plan. But was that just another way of saying he doesn’t trust her? Would she think that he expects her to use him again? It flies in the face of everything he believes her to be. Flash sighs. “Alright girls,” he quietly mutters as he rips out the list. “I’ll trust you on this.” He crumples up the paper in his hand and tosses it into the trash. Over at Sugar Cube Corner, the girls walk inside and sit at their usual spot in the store. Mrs. Cake comes over to greet them. “Good afternoon girls,” she welcomes them in her usual cheery tone. “Are you all excited for tonight?” “More than any word can describe!” Pinkie Pie exclaims. “Then what are you doing here?” Mrs. Cake asks. “You should be getting ready for your big night.” “We’re just going to go over our plans for tonight before we get ready,” Twilight explains, patting the binder she’s holding. The girls give Mrs. Cake their orders and begin reviewing. “Alright, before we go through the steps, let’s make sure everything is in place. Pinkie Pie, did you give Vinyl Scratch a good song for the couples dance?” “Yessiree!” Pinkie answers. “I made sure to pick something super romantic!” She leans over to Sunset, who’s sitting next to her, and gives her a nudge with her elbow. “You two won’t be the only couple falling in love tonight,” she whispers, her eyes motioning towards Applejack. Sunset muffles a giggle. “Fluttershy, Rarity, have the seating arrangements been properly made?” Twilight asks, moving on to the next topic. “Most certainly,” Rarity answers. “Sunset and Flash are seated across from each other, just as you asked,” Fluttershy says. “Good,” Twilight replies. “Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer, how have dancing lessons gone?” “Well after more than a few stepped toes,” Rainbow says, causing Sunset to blush and rub her neck in embarrassment. “She’s got a good grasp of the basics. Throw in a little improvisation and she’s good for tonight.” “Alright, Applejack, any word from Soarin?” Twilight inquires. “Does Flash suspect anything?” “Well I asked him to meet us here and he said he would, but he hasn’t shown up,” Applejack says. “Though, before he hung up, he did sound a bit urgent about something?” “Urgent? About what?” Twilight asks. Before Applejack can answer, Soarin enters the shop and walks over to the girls. “Hey, sorry I’m late, I had to take care of something,” he apologizes. He doesn’t take a seat, figuring he won’t be here for very long. “Was everything alright Soarin?” Applejack asks. “You sounded concerned about something over the phone.” “Oh it was nothing,” he answers, trying to avoid giving them the real answer. “I took care of it.” “Well since you’re here, why don’t you go ahead and tell us about Flash?” Twilight says. “Does he suspect anything about tonight?” Soarin looks at all seven of the girls, all eyes are on him. He could tell them what he knows, tell them about the list. But the same thing he told Flash held for himself. Tonight is the big night and it wouldn’t be right to spoil their plans with the knowledge of Flash’s espionage. Maybe this was one of those times when a white lie was better. Soarin shakes his head and says, “No, he doesn’t suspect a thing. You’re all clear to move ahead with the operation.” “Excellent!” Twilight places the binder on the table and opens it up to the plan for tonight. “Let’s get this review done quickly, so we can begin getting ready. Now, for most of the evening, it’s going to be pretty chill but that does not mean we can slack off. Sunset, you need to keep Flash invested in you. Shouldn’t be too hard for you, but if you need prompts, tuck your hair behind both of your ears as a signal for one of us to help you.” “What like this?” Sunset tucks her hair behind her ears but does it exaggeratedly, acting like a valley girl with a wide smile and high pitched giggle, causing Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack to chuckle. “Well, I can never unsee that,” Soarin jokes. “But I wouldn’t be quite that ridiculous. Valley girls annoy the heck out of him.” Twilight rolls her eyes. “I know it’s a ridiculous signal but it’s subtle enough he won’t think much of it while still being obvious enough for us to see it. Moving on, the crucial part is going to be the couples dance near the end of the night. By then, he should be more than willing to dance with you and you give a full confession this time. After tonight, you two will officially be a couple!” She added under her breath, “To within a 90% certainty.” “It’s all led up to this moment, darling,” Rarity encourages Sunset. “It certainly has, hasn’t it?” says Sunset. She leans forward, looking at the binder, feeling some uncertainty creep in. “Feeling nervous?” Fluttershy asks Sunset nods in response. “Don’t feel shame if you are, sugar cube,” Applejack says. “Think of it this way, our chances of success are much higher than our chances of failure.” “And we’ll be with you the entire time!” Rainbow reassures. Sunset sits up in her chair and looks at her friends with reinvigorated confidence and says, “Alright, let’s do this.” Author's Note Part two is still in the works. It's taking me a lot longer than I thought it would. I was hoping to release both parts back to back but it didn't pan out that way. However, I want to get it right because this is it, folks, the next chapter will be the final chapter. I don't want to rush it, I want to give this story a satisfying conclusion. That being said, I am a little less than halfway done writing the rough draft and I am aiming for it to be out on August 18th, which is the one year anniversary of this story. Keep an eye out on August 18 and I'll see y'all then. Tops to you!
Ch. 17: The Big Night Part 2Flash stands before his standing mirror, looking at and admiring his tuxedo for tonight. He wears a three-piece tuxedo with a white shirt, crimson tie and vest, and black pants and sports jacket. He turns side to side, impressed that Rarity’s skill with suits is on par with her dress skills. He strikes a pose and looks at himself with a smirk and allure in his eyes. “Well hello there, handsome,” he flirtatiously says. “You certainly are going to be quite the looker tonight. A lot of ladies are certainly going to swoon upon the sight of you. Oh yes.” A pounding at the door snaps him back to reality. “Are you done admiring yourself in there, lover boy?” Scootaloo shouts through the door. He waits until the furious blushing fades before walking to his door and letting her in. She takes a seat on Flash’s bed and gets a good look at her brother. “Hot damn, I had no idea Rarity could also make suits.” He takes another look at the mirror and answers with exaggerated bravado. “Well, let’s be honest, I make this suit look good. Rarity’s work only boosted my good looks.” Scootaloo rolls her eyes and gets off to the bed to walk over to him. She takes her index finger and imitates a poking gesture near the side of his head. He gives her a curious look. “What are you doing?” “Trying to deflate that big head of yours,” she responds. He rolls his eyes and flicks her hand away. “Anyway, Mom wants to know if you’re ready for pictures yet?” “Almost,” Flash answers as he walks over to his desk and searches for a comb. “Tell her I’ll be down in about five minutes.” “Alright, and um…” Scootaloo hesitates for a moment, thinking about how to word her next question. Rather than speaking, she reaches into her back pocket and pulls out a small, crumpled piece of paper. Flash looks over and looks at the piece of paper, it’s the list he threw away earlier. He looks up at his sister quizzically. “I saw you drop this in the trash when I was on my way to see you,” she answers before he can ask anything. “I was just around the corner from you.” “Was that all you saw?” Knowing his sister’s sneaky reputation, he figures she might have also seen the fight with Soarin. Scootaloo shakes her head no. “I saw you talking with Soarin, I didn’t hear anything, but it looked heated. After that, you threw away the list.” He stands up straight then leans his head back, looking at the ceiling. He sighs, “Well better for you to find it than one of the girls.” He looks over at her and sees she’s still confused about finding the list in the trash. He turns to face her. “I decided that I’m going to trust the girls in whatever they’re planning. I know you and your friends have been helping me a lot the last few days, but I don’t think it would be right to spoil whatever plans they have in store.” After a brief moment of silence, Scootaloo cracks a smile, tears up the list, and tosses it in the trash bin next to the desk. “I was hoping you would say something like that.” Confused, Flash asks, “Wait, what’s going on? I thought you would adamantly defend that list and everything you and your friends have done?” Scootaloo shrugs. “Normally I would, but we were able to piece together what they are up to yesterday. We thought about telling you but decided we were not going to ruin their surprise. That’s what I was coming to tell you earlier.” “So not even a hint about their plans?” he asks as he returns to searching for a comb. “Only that you’re going to have a great night tonight,” she teases. “Now you better hurry up and fix that rat’s nest of a hairdo. Mom’s probably getting real antsy about taking pictures.” “I’ll comb as fast as I can. Now shoo!” he responds. Scootaloo skips out of the room, closing the door behind her. Over at Rarity’s boutique, the girls are finishing getting ready for tonight. Rarity, Twilight, and Fluttershy are ready to go but are helping Pinkie Pie and Sunset Shimmer with their hair and makeup. Applejack and Rainbow Dash, also ready for tonight, sit at one of the long couches playing cards. Normally, they would help but seeing as how tonight is the biggest night of their adolescent lives, they deemed it best to leave the finishing touches to more experienced hands. Rainbow Dash looks up from her hand at Applejack with an intense look, preparing to enact her next move. Applejack looks back with a cool yet cocky half-grin, anticipating Rainbow Dash’s attack. Rainbow draws her card and slams it down, revealing a ten of hearts. “Try and beat that!” Rainbow challenges, a proud smile across her face, but she celebrates too soon. Applejack draws her card and slams it down - the jack of hearts. “Oh come on!” Applejack takes both cards and places it in a large pile next to her. “How’s it comin’ over there y’all?” Applejack asks as they continue their game. “Almost done with the curls, then I need to braid Sunset’s hair,” Rarity responds as she releases the clamp on the hair curler. “Darling, could you turn your head to the right please?” Sunset turns her head and sees Fluttershy working, or rather struggling, with Pinkie’s hair. The big poof ball of hot pink hair almost appears to be swallowing her. She tries to tame the beast with bobby pins and a hairbrush, but it refuses to surrender. “Uh, Fluttershy, do you need any help?” Sunset asks. Fluttershy pushes down a big fluff of hair. “Nothing I can’t handle,” Fluttershy responds with exhausted determination. “I tried to warn you, Fluttershy,” Pinkie Pie says as Twilight applies blush to Pinkie’s cheeks. “My hair practically has a mind of its own. It can not be tamed. There was one time I tried to get a new style at a hair salon and...well let’s just say we had to settle out of court.” Fluttershy and Rarity exchange concerned looks with each other. “Uh, Fluttershy, why don’t you help me get started on Sunset’s braid instead? I’m sure no one will mind if Pinkie’s hair remains normal.” Fluttershy nods and abandons her duel to help Rarity. “Alright Pinkie, you’re all set for tonight,” Twilight says as she closes the lid on the blush. Pinkie hops out of her chair and skips over to join Applejack and Rainbow Dash in their game. Twilight then shifts over to Sunset and begins applying base to her face. As they continue to work, Rainbow Dash’s phone chimes. She picks it up and sees a text message from Soarin. “I just got a text from Soarin,” she declares. “He says that he and Flash are going to leave Flash’s house as soon as their moms are done with pictures.” She looks up with a smirk. “In other words, we’ve got plenty of time before they get here.” “Twilight, you’re certain that I should be traveling with Flash to prom?” Sunset asks. “It’s only been a week since the incident at the park.” She closes her eyes to allow Twilight to rub the sponge across her eyelids. “Which is why we had you ask for forgiveness on Monday,” Twilight replies. “With your apology and semi-love confession, you’ve sped up the resolution time a person needs to return to a balanced emotional state after a relational conflict.” Sunset blankly stares at Twilight, not understanding a word she just said. “It’s been a few days since you apologized and Flash should be over last Friday night by now,” Fluttershy explains. “I checked out some books on relationship psychology,” Twilight admits with a slight blush. “Alright, but that still doesn’t answer my question,” Sunset responds. “Think of tonight as a date, darling” Rarity suggests to her. “When you’re out with someone, you want to be with them from start to finish. They are the only world that matters to you for that evening, everything else is background noise. You’ve already told him that you want to be with him, tonight you need to prove it. Devote your night to him, and if he wants the same, he’ll devote his night to you. Before the night is over, you’ll both belong to each other.” Sunset smirks and looks at Rarity in the mirror. “Exactly how long did it take to prepare that little monologue?” she jokingly asks. Rarity huffs and flicks Sunset’s ear in retort, causing the other girls to giggle. Twenty minutes pass when Rainbow Dash gets another text from Soarin telling her they have arrived at the boutique. Rarity sends the rest of the girls to greet them while she finishes Sunset’s hair and makeup. The girls walk out of the boutique to see Soarin and Flash waiting for them in front of a black Camaro and a red minivan. “Hey, I thought we were being picked up by two of the hottest guys in school, not you two,” Rainbow Dash teases. “Well I thought we were escorting five lovely ladies, but I only see four,” Flash shoots back. Rainbow’s jaw drops for a moment, then she chuckles, feeling burned and impressed. “Speaking of missing ladies, where’s Sunset and Rarity? Are they not coming?” “Oh no, they are,” Twilight replies. “Rarity is finishing up helping Sunset get ready.” “Is that your ride, Soarin?” Rainbow Dash points to the minivan with some disappointment. “Yeah, it is,” Soarin answers, blushing with embarrassment. “I wasn’t able to get a limo booked for tonight, so we have to settle on...my mom’s minivan.” “As long as it gets us where we’re going, I think it will work out,” Applejack says walking over to Soarin, giving him a reassuring smile. “By the way, you look very handsome tonight.” Soarin flashes back a smile. “Thanks, Applejack. You look handsome too, I mean nice, I mean--,” he pauses and takes a deep breath. “You look very beautiful tonight.” Applejack blushes and shyly looks away, feeling very smitten. Soarin opens the car doors for the girls and leads them into the van. Once they’ve all filed in, Rarity pokes her head out of the boutique door. “Psst, Flash,” she says, catching his attention. She motions for him to come inside and he follows her. Inside the boutique, Rarity points for him to look at the top of the stairs. He sees Sunset standing there, looking down at him. Time stops for him, his chest flutters and his eyes widen. He always thought that Sunset was attractive but here, she is beautiful. Her braid crown and curled hair flowing down her shoulders look elegant. Her red strapless dress with a red, white, and tangerine spectrum on her skirt is gorgeous. He watches her descend from the steps, feeling unworthy of her. She walks up to him with a gleaming face. “How do I look?” she asks, twirling around to show the whole outfit. She blushes a little at the theatrics. Still stunned, Flash can’t find the words to describe her beauty. Rarity looks over at the love-struck boy and elbows him, bringing him back to reality. “Um...wow, just wow,” he says with an exhaling chuckle, Sunset smiles, and blushes. “You look amazing.” “Thank you.” She says. She quickly looks him over. “You look very handsome yourself.” “Well, you can thank Rarity for that.” He looks over at Rarity, who is admiring the duo. “You did an amazing job with these outfits, for me,” he looks back at Sunset, “and especially for her.” Sunset sheepishly looks away, tucking hair behind her right ear. “Oh, pssh, I was only providing a slight boost to your appearance,” Rarity says dismissively. “It’s the wearer who makes an outfit shine.” She notices that they aren’t paying attention to her. They’re both too entranced with one another. “Alright, I’ll be waiting outside with the others, don’t take too long now.” She exits the boutique. “I’m glad that you came tonight,” Sunset says. “I was a little worried I might have come on too strong on Monday. We haven’t had a good chance to talk since then.” “Yeah, that was a lot to take in,” Flash responds. “Maybe you can clear some of that up for me?” “Later, for now,” she takes both his hands. “Might I have the privilege of being your date for tonight?” Flash smiles and bows his head forward slightly. “I would be honored to have you as my date.” He walks to her side and offers her his arm, which she accepts. Together, they walk out of the boutique and are off to the prom. Soarin drives along the road in his mom’s minivan with most of the gang. The ride to prom is filled with excited chatter about tonight. He engages in the talk every now and then but keeps most of his attention on the road, not wanting to ruin his mom’s car. But his thoughts are somewhere else as well, so much that he doesn’t even notice a question being asked to him. “Hm, did someone say something?” he answers absentmindedly while keeping his eyes on the road. “I asked if you’re ready to tear up the dance floor with me tonight, knucklehead,” Rainbow Dash says, who is seated behind him. She turns her attention to Applejack, who is sitting in the passenger seat and points at Soarin. “Just you wait, Applejack, you’re going to be blown away by this guy's moves. Every post-game party we have, he always steals the show. Especially when Panic! At The Disco starts playing.” She gives a few firm pats on Soarin’s arm. Soarin’s cheeks blush a little. “Well, I wouldn’t say I’m a good dancer,” he humbly admits, shifting his eyes to Applejack briefly. “I just move with the music, it’s not like I could be in one of the hip-hop dance groups. My dancing is more of fumbling around and trying not to trip.” Rainbow Dash looks at him skeptically, she knows him to be a good dancer and he constantly brags about it to the team. Normally, she would find that kind of behavior annoying, despite that she also partakes in it, but at least Soarin backs his words up when most braggers can’t. It’s odd for him to suddenly act humble, or rather more self-deprecating, about his skill. It suddenly dawns on her who he’s talking to. He doesn’t want to seem like a pompous a-hole in front of the girl of his dreams. Applejack giggles. “I’m sure your dancing won’t be any worse than mine,” she says trying to reassure him. “You won’t be the only one making yourself look like a fool tonight.” Soarin and Applejack share a laugh together. She darts her eyes between the two of them then sits back in her seat. Rarity, who sits behind Applejack, leans over to Rainbow Dash and taps her on the shoulder. Rainbow looks and leans over to Rarity, moving her ear close to her mouth. “Are you going to be alright for tonight?” Rarity whispers. “If Flash and Sunset end up being an item, it’s likely Applejack and Soarin will as well.” “Don’t worry Rare,” Rainbow Dash whispers back. “I’m going to be fine. In fact, I’ve got something planned for both of them tonight.” Rarity pops her head back and gives Rainbow a concerned look. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to try anything stupid. Just trust me, okay?” “I’m not entirely sure I should.” “Hey, we’re here!” Soarin declares to the van. Before Rainbow Dash sits back up, she gently pats Rarity on the head and says, “I got this, just leave it to your Auntie Dash, okay?” Rarity looks at her with much disdain. “I’m six months older than you,” she seethes. As Soarin pulls up to the parking lot, he follows a trail laid out by a series of traffic cones that lead him to the entrance. They pull into a drop-off area that mimics an entrance for a five-star hotel. Several teachers dressed and acting as valets stand off to the side, one of them steps forward to accept them. Soarin squints at the valet, recognizing her. “Wait a minute, is that Coach Spitfire?” he asks aloud. Rainbow Dash moves forward to see. “No. Way. It is Coach Spitfire!” she exclaims, laughing. When they pull up, Spitfire walks over to the driver’s side of the van. “Welcome to the Grand Galloping Gala,” she greets Soarin in an elegant tone as he steps out of the car. “I will be your valet for this evening. If I may have your key?” “I don’t believe it!” Rainbow Dash says as she opens her door and steps out. “Coach Spitfire is our valet, this night is already great!” Spitfire doesn’t say anything in response, but she does slightly grit her teeth while she smiles. “Dang Coach, I did not expect to see you serving us tonight,” Soarin says. “Did you lose a bet or something?” “Don’t push it Soarin, or I will have you running laps until you graduate,” Spitfire threatens through her teeth. Frightened, he quickly shuts his mouth and hands her his key to the van. She spins the keys into her hand and forces a smile at him. “Enjoy your evening.” Soarin walks away from her and rejoins his friends on the red carpet leading up to the entrance. They walk up the carpet and enter the venue. Behind them, Flash and Sunset wait for their turn inside his Camaro. They both laugh at the scene that just played out before them. “Oh man, I thought Coach Spitfire was about ready to tear Soarin a new one,” Flash jokes. “Soarin looked as though he was this close to ruining his tux.” Sunset holds up her index and thumb barely touching each other. After Spitfire drives away, Flash pulls his car forward and they are greeted by a different valet. Sunset’s eyes widen with glee when she sees who their valet is. “Oh my gosh! It’s Mr. Turner!” She doesn’t wait for the car to come to a complete stop before she jumps out to see him. “Welcome to the Grand Galloping Gala!” Mr. Turner declares with extravagance and elegance. The dress and his accent combined make him seem like a 19th-Century British servant. “I shall be your valet for this evening.” “Wow Mr. Turner,” Flash exclaims as he steps out of the car. “You clean up good. Are all the teachers valeting tonight?” “Only some, the rest are serving other roles tonight,” Mr. Turner explains. “After all the hard work you students put in the last four years, it seems only fair that we serve you tonight. Now, might I have your keys, good sir?” Flash hands him the keys and interlocks his arm with Sunset’s as they walk up the red carpet. “Wait a second, did he call this the ‘Grand Galloping Gala?’” Sunset asks after a sudden realization. “Yeah, I think it’s supposed to be a pun,” Flash ponders. “You know, Wondercolts, galloping.” “Wow...” Sunset exclaims as a wave of memories come back to her. “What is it?” “Nothing, just, nostalgia,” she says as she remembers the one time she attended the gala back in Equestria. She shakes her head, pushing away those thoughts. “Never mind that, let’s go in, shall we?” The doors are opened for them by two other teachers and they enter into what can only be called a dream. The music that fills the room provides an ambiance of luxury and nobility. The circular tables that surround the dance floor are decorated as though they’re intended for that upper-class English family from that BBC show Rarity loves. Surrounding the tables is an ivy fence with marble-like columns, giving off the impression that they are in a nobleman’s garden. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, lighting up the venue. Sunset and Flash are blown away by what they see. Sunset had only seen glimpses of what to expect during her dance lessons with Rainbow, but seeing the whole picture takes her breath away. The decor brings back those memories from earlier, her first time at Princess Celestia’s gala made her feel like she was something special, and tonight she feels the same way. Not wanting to block the doorway, they wander off to find their table. They go over to where their friends are sitting, correctly assuming that’s where their table is. Fluttershy looks up from the table and gently waves them over. She leans over to Twilight, who’s sitting next to her, and whispers, “The turtle doves are here.” They both giggle. When they arrive at the table, Sunset goes over to Pinkie Pie. “I can’t believe what your team did with the place, Pinkie,” Sunset exclaims. “This is amazing!” “I second that, I bet Crystal Prep’s prom doesn’t hold a candle to ours,” Flash compliments. “Thanks, have you noticed the best part yet?” Pinkie Pie excitedly asks. She eagerly points her finger towards the ceiling. Flash and Sunset look up and notice that the ceiling looks like a night sky with twinkling stars. They look back down at Pinkie and their jaws drop to the floor. Pinkie laughs at their shock. “That’s the exact reaction I was going for! I thought of doing something like this about a week ago; Twilight was kind enough to lend some technical assistance.” “It wasn’t difficult to pull off,” Twilight says. “Nothing a few black bed sheets and white Christmas lights can handle.” “Don’t ruin the illusion Twilight!” Pinkie Pie snaps, causing Twilight to hold up her hands in defense. “Well, illusion ruined or not, that is an awesome sky,” Sunset says. “Well done Pinkie and Twilight. Hey, is that Orion?” “Oh yes, the constellations are as accurate as we could manage,” Twilight says, “It’s a flat projection and obviously they don’t move with time but…” “It’s great,” Flash interrupts before Twilight can get into a full lecture on astronomy. Rarity claps her hands together, gathering their attention. “Now that you two are here, why don’t you take your seats? They’ll start serving dinner soon.” Rarity points her hand to a seat between Applejack and Fluttershy. “Sunset, you sit over there--” Flash cuts her off. “Uh, Rarity, I was hoping Sunset could sit next to me? We did agree to be each other’s dates and I don’t want to be too far away from her.” He looks down at her with a dreamy look in his eyes. Sunset shyly looks away, grinning and blushing. Rarity’s eyes widen a bit at the sight before her. She looks over at Twilight, who is trying to contain a panic from witnessing the first hiccup in her plan. All the girls at the table begin to exchange looks, mentally arguing with each other over what to do. Some think they should stick with the plan, others think they should roll with it. Soarin, seeing the silent argument play out before him, rolls his eyes and makes a decision. Since Flash is supposed to sit next to him, he gets up from his chair. “Sunset, you can have my spot and I’ll sit in yours.” Flash looks at his friend with gratitude, who gives him a wink. He knew he was best friends with Soarin for a reason. Flash pulls out the chair for Sunset and she takes her seat and he sits in his assigned spot. Soarin walks over to the other side of the table and takes his new spot. Applejack leans over to him to whisper, “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” “I don’t see any problem with them sitting next to each other,” he whispers back. “I mean going against Twilight’s plan.” Soarin briefly glances over at Twilight. Though she may be taking deep breaths to relax, he can see the storm brewing inside her. She glances a look at him, one that could kill him. He quickly turns back to Applejack. “You may want to sleep with one eye open tonight.” Applejack says. “Yeah, that’s uh… that’s probably not a bad idea,” he says. After all the students expected for tonight arrive, the music ceases as Principal Celestia takes to the stage to greet all the students. She walks up to the microphone, her face beaming. “Welcome, students, to this year’s prom of ‘The Grand Galloping Gala!” The venue erupts with cheers. Celestia continues to speak after the students calm down. “These past four years, you have all worked so hard to get to where you are tonight. In a few weeks, you will all graduate and move on to the next chapters of your life. However, tonight is a night of celebration, dancing, delectable food, and memories that will last a lifetime!” Sunset and Flash smile at each other. “Seeing everyone here tonight warms my heart. I remember the day when you all started your journey here at CHS, and watching you grow has been an absolute honor. Watching you learn, form new friendships, rekindle old ones, and encourage each other every day, it makes me proud to call you my students. In my years here at CHS, I have never seen a more honorable and distinguished class of students than you. Tonight, forget about the deadlines, the assignments, and the tests. Forget it all for now. This is your night, and you more than deserve it.” “Now, without further delay, I, Principal Celestia, declare this prom to have officially begun!” The music became more upbeat as servers poured into the venue with trays filled with food. The night began with a decadent dijon chicken dish with roasted potatoes, freshly steamed broccoli, fluffy sourdough bread, and, for dessert, cake pops. The first part of the evening was filled with conversation of various subjects: plans for and after graduation, summer vacation ideas, and, well… “You can’t be serious,” Rarity exclaims. “Coffee is meant to have cream and sugar, it’s the only way to tolerate that bitter drink.” A debate over how coffee is meant to be consumed. “Coffee has always been drunk black,” Sunset retorts. She turns to Flash, who is leaning back in his chair pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration with the opposing arguments. “Flash, would you care to tell them about how Arab Muslims discovered coffee?” Flash leans forward and states, slightly mechanically: “Qahwa, or coffee, was a bitter drink used by Yemenis and Ethiopian mystics, and they drank it...wait for it...black.” “Yeah, and the Aztecs mixed chili peppers with their hot chocolate, and didn’t use sugar,” Soarin argues back. “Does that mean we should drink spicy hot chocolate now?” “Hold up,” Twilight declares, raising her finger. “Begging the question, and Xocolatl is still very popular in Central America. Now there are a number of health benefits to drinking black coffee…” This debate went on for thirty minutes. After things settled down at the table, the group splintered off to do various activities. Soarin, Rarity, Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie went to go dance, Rainbow Dash and Applejack went to the drink table to get some more faux-champagne, and Flash and Sunset stayed at the table enjoying each other’s company. Flash leans back in his chair and lets out a big exhale. “Man, that got heated!” he remarks. “Soarin may be a chill dude, but, wow, that was a whole new level of anger I have never seen before.” “At least these knives aren’t sharp enough to cut anyone,” Sunset says looking back at him, chuckling. “Pinkie Pie looked ready to cut Twilight after saying sugar in your coffee is bad for you.” “Yeah you would think she would know better than to disparage the use of sugar in front of Pinkie Pie. That’s begging for a bad time,” Flash jokes, and they share a laugh. He sits up and turns his whole body towards her. “Well, back to the conversation we were having before... what do you really want to do after graduation?” Sunset gives a joking response to dodge the question. “Like I said, I want to spend everyday with a pot of black coffee and running my stream while never getting out of my PJs.” But Flash doesn’t fall for it, he tilts his head and gives her a questioning look, knowing she has a real answer to give. Sunset lets out a defeated breath. “Fine, I don’t know what I want to do. I know college is off the table for now; after five years of magic school in Equestria and four years of high school in this world, I want a break from assignments and tests. Other than that, I don’t know what the future holds for me, aside from working.” “That doesn’t sound so bad,” Flash admits, shrugging. “Not knowing what’s going to happen next, sounds exciting.” “Oh really?” Sunset shifts her body to face him, leaning a bit closer to him. “And what about you? I bet you already got your whole life planned out.” Flash chuckles and shakes his head. “Not my whole life, but at least the next four years. All I know right now is I will begin studying contemporary music at college come August. After that...well, I don’t know. But there is something I do want to know.” He takes Sunset’s hand laying on the table and holds it in his. Sunset feels her heart flutter, she quickly looks down at her hand then back at Flash, her cheeks blushing. “Last week I thought nothing was going to happen between us and this past Monday you told me the opposite, so now I’m confused. Sunset, what do you want to happen between us?” Sunset isn’t sure what to do at this moment. She knows she needs to stick to the plan, she’s supposed to confess her feelings during the couples dance but she can’t avoid this problem. She could do the double-tuck, signal one of her friends to help her out, bring up a conversation piece to redirect the conversation. It will only delay the inevitable, though, Flash will still find a way to pop the question again. However, Twilight did tell her that she needs to keep Flash engaged but she never said how. If telling him exactly how she feels is going to keep him hooked, then that’s what she’s going to do. She takes a moment to collect her thoughts and her breath. “Flash, after what happened last friday, I did some, for lack of a better term, soul searching and I found that I do want to be with you. But, I’ll admit, I’m scared.” Flash tilts his head and furrows his eyebrows. “Scared of what?” “Scared of past mistakes being repeated, old and difficult memories resurfacing, and of myself.” She crosses her arms across her stomach in a self-hug. “After what happened the last time we dated, I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready to try again. That’s why I freaked out last Friday: I was scared of what could happen again.” Flash leans forward, looking down at the ground and his hands grasping each other. “I know how you feel,” he admits. He looks up at Sunset, who is giving him a curious look. “Back when I first decided to help you out with statistics, I realized I was starting to develop feelings for you again. But I was hesitant to act upon them because of our last relationship. I knew you weren’t the same person anymore, but after going through something that awful, it didn’t feel right. I even convinced myself these were leftover emotions from years ago.” “Yet you’re here now as my prom date, what changed?” Sunset loosens her arms from around her lower torso. Flash sits up slightly and takes both of her hands into his. He looks her in the eyes and says: “I got to know you again. I saw your friendly nature, your fun side, and your drive for achievement. I got to see the Sunset you are now, and it rekindled something inside me.” Sunset feels her heart soar as she listens to Flash. All this time Flash had similar hesitations. Knowing that makes her feel as if a giant weight has finally been taken off her shoulders. She leans closer to Flash and tells him, “Would you believe me if I said I had a similar revelation?” He tilts his head and asks, “What do you mean?” “The time we spent together made me realize why I was attracted to you in the first place. You’re kind, thoughtful, and supportive, you complete me. This might sound cheesy but, I can’t imagine my life without you.” Flash feels his heart pounding with excitement, he swallows a lump form in his throat. He’s so taken by her words he doesn’t know what to say in response, but he doesn’t have to. Sunset sees the emotion in his face and knows he feels the same way. On the other side of the venue, Applejack and Rainbow Dash stand by the drinks table, looking over at Sunset and Flash. “Sunset certainly has got Flash invested in her,” Applejack comments. “Yeah, do you think she told him?” Rainbow ponders, taking a sip of her drink. “I’d imagine so, those two love birds are staring at each other like there isn’t a care in the world,” Applejack responds. “Seems Soarin had the right idea letting them sit together.” “Yeah, I guess he did,” Rainbow says. She stares down at her drink, swirling it around in her cup, pondering her next words. “Applejack, I want to talk to you about Soarin.” Applejack looks at Rainbow Dash with a confused but also concerned look, knowing where this conversation could lead. “What about him?” Rainbow rubs her finger around the rim of her cup. “Do you...what do you think of him?” Applejack looks off to the dance floor where she can see Soarin dancing along to the music, and dancing rather well. Seems Rainbow Dash wasn’t kidding about his dance moves. She smiles watching him, admiring the goofball letting loose and enjoying the night. “He’s a sweet boy, considerate, easy on the eyes,” she looks over at Rainbow, noticing she hasn’t looked up from her drink. “And you look like him too.” Rainbow Dash looks up at Applejack, who’s giving her a warm smile. She rubs the back of her neck and gives off an embarrassed half-grin, expressively admitting to Applejack that she does. Applejack steps toward Rainbow and places her hand on her shoulder. “Rainbow Dash, I know you like him a lot, and I don’t want a boy comin’ between our friendship. I won’t stand in the way of you two if that’s what you’re askin’.” Rainbow pushes her hand off and chuckles. “That’s not what I’m trying to say. Applejack, you’ve always been a selfless person, always thinking of others before yourself, but you can’t be selfless here because I know you. I’ve seen the way you look at him and, for whatever reason, you like Soarin more than apples, which is astounding. You wanna know something else, Soarin likes you too.” “Really?” Applejack asks as she sheepishly begins to stroke her braid. “I mean, I always suspected he did but I didn’t know for sure.” “You bet he does. Hell he’s practically head over heels for you.” Rainbow Dash throws her arm around Applejack’s shoulders and points her towards Soarin. “Now, why don’t you do yourself a favor, and be selfish for once. Go over there and dance with him, don’t be afraid to get too close.” She shoves Applejack towards the dance. She takes a few steps but stops and turns around to Rainbow Dash. “Are you sure, Rainbow? What about you?” “Don’t worry about me,” Rainbow says holding her hands up. “He’s not the only fish in the sea. Now go claim your man.” A big smile grows on Applejack’s face, her face beaming with joy. She looks over at Soarin, then back at Rainbow Dash. She runs to Rainbow and gives her a big hug. “Thank you Rainbow Dash,” Applejack says with a happy heart. She pulls back and looks at her, “I could never have asked for a better friend than you.” They hug one more time before Applejack runs off to join Soarin on the dance floor. Off to the side, Rarity walks up to Rainbow after witnessing that scene. “So that’s what you’ve been planning,” she says with a grin. “You let her and Soarin be together?” Rainbow Dash nods. “Yeah, I don’t know what they see in each other but I do know they’ll be happy together.” She watches her two goofballs of friends dance along to the music, having the time of their lives. “Was it hard to let him go?” Rarity asks, looking at Rainbow Dash with some concern. But Rainbow doesn’t appear to be heartbroken, rather satisfied. “A little,” she admits. “But it’s better this way, for them and for me.” Rainbow Dash smiles. “I’m proud of you, Rainbow Dash.” Rarity gently pats her on the back. “And don’t you fret, there are plenty of fish in the sea. You know, I believe Thunderlane is still single,” she teases. Rainbow looks at Rarity with disgust. “EW! God no, I wouldn’t touch that perv with a ten foot pole!” Rainbow pushes Rarity for such a suggestion, who laughs off her friend's discomfort. “Come on darling.” Rarity waves her hand for Rainbow to follow. “We need to find a good spot to stand, the couples dance should be starting soon.” They begin making their way through the crowd to get to the edge of the dance floor. Back over at their table, Flash and Sunset’s attention is drawn to the stage when Principal Celestia comes back on. She taps the microphone and speaks into it. “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of the night. Please clear the floor for our school’s lovely couples for the annual Prom Couples Dance!” Several people leave the dance floor, leaving behind many others staying for the dance. Flash and Sunset look at each other. “I’m guessing you want to join the dance?” he assumes. Sunset decides to have a little fun and looks away from him, appearing disinterested. “Oh I don’t know,” she sighs melodramatically. “I’m not sure if you could even keep up with me, and I’d rather not have my toes stepped on.” She shifts her eyes to look at him with her peripheral vision and grows a sly smile. Flash squints his eyes at her. “Why you little tease!” he says, prompting her to look over her shoulder at him, innocently grinning. He takes her hand and they both get up and walk to the dance floor. “You’re right about one thing: I’m not exactly the best at this kind of dancing, so apologies in advance if I step on your toes.” Sunset giggles. “Don’t worry, I got a few lessons so just follow my lead, okay?” Flash nods in response. They find a spot on the floor and turn to face each other. “Now, offer me your left hand.” He holds it out and she places her right in it. “We extend our arms out, elbows slightly bent. Next, I take my free hand and wrap it behind your back, and you take your free hand and wrap it around--oh!” A rush of excitement runs through her as his hand touches her bare back. Thinking he did something wrong, Flash quickly retracts his hand. “Sorry about that,” he apologizes, his cheeks flushing red with embarrassment. “Oh no, you’re fine it was just, um… cold hands,” she says, but knows that’s not the reason. He places his hand back on her back. She feels a second rush but less powerful this time. “We’ll want to be closer together, only a few inches apart.” She pulls him in closer, so close that the pleasant smell of cedar and pine fills her nose. Sweet Celestia! She clears her throat and continues to instruct, “Okay, now the entire time just keep your eyes on me. Don’t worry about stepping on toes, once you’re in the groove everything just falls into place.” “Keep my eyes on you? That seems like a tall order, I’m not sure if I can,” he jokes. She rolls her eyes and struggles to hold back a smile. Once the music begins, they go into their dance. At first they are a little stiff, partly Flash ensuring he doesn’t mess up, but after a few seconds they begin to flow. Throughout the dance, their eyes are locked onto each other, never breaking away. The world around seemingly fades away for them, the only thing that matters is who is in front of them. They look at each other with wonder, joy, and desire. They are here and they wouldn’t rather be anywhere else. For Sunset, it’s hard to imagine that she would be with him again. Their breakup seemed like the end of her time with him. Never in a million years would she think that she would get a second chance. Yet, after a miraculous reformation, she was given one. She would’ve never believed that an awkward encounter in the hallway would become a romantic evening at the prom a month later, yet here she is. Through her struggles and her trials, she has won her friends, her school, and now the boy of her dreams. As they move through the rhythms, she takes every part of him in and savors it. The touch of his hand on her back, the smell of pine and cedar, the weight of his hand in hers, and the sight of his face. She wants to remember this night forever. “I never thought I would get a moment like this again,” Sunset tells him. “I was scared what would happen if we were together again, if old mistakes would repeat themselves. But now, I’m no longer scared, whatever happens I want to be with you, no matter what.” Flash smiles and draws her in a little closer. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.” He sends her into a spin and pulls her back to him, never letting go. All that time after their break up, a part of Flash never wanted to let go of Sunset. Though he acted disinterested and tried to move on, that little voice never gave up. After fixing their friendship spending time with her made him realize he will never be complete without her. Dancing with her underneath the faux-starlight feels like a dream, one that he never wants to wake up from. She rests her head on his chest and the smell of lilac and vanilla from her hair makes his chest flutter but also makes him feel at peace. After last Friday, he was worried that he lost his chance with her, but those concerns have vanished for she is here now. They are now together. As they dance, their friends watch from the sidelines. Not a word is spoken, they just watch the two of them with looks of pride and excitement. Applejack, who is standing next to Soarin, whispers into his ear, “They sure do look cute together.” Soarin looks at Flash’s face. He notices the satisfaction and happiness his best friend is projecting, an expression he hasn’t seen from him in a long time. Soarin knew from the beginning that Flash had a soft spot for her, and now he seems like the happiest person in the universe. Soarin smiles and whispers back to Applejack, “They sure do.” As the music slows to an end, Flash and Sunset slow their rhythm and look at each other with allure. They lean into each other, their eyes shuttering close. With nothing holding them back, their lips meet, and a wave of ecstasy comes over them both. Their friends look on with wide eyes and dropped jaws; Rarity and Pinkie Pie almost let out a scream but quickly muffled them. When they pull back, they lean foreheads against each other, and smile.
Ch. 18: EpilogueA few weeks after the prom, Sunset and Flash ride through the city on her motorcycle. Excited that she finally got it working again, she offered to take Flash some place for the evening. Indifferent about whether or not his manhood would be bruised should he ride on the back of his girlfriend’s motorcycle, Flash gladly accepted. However, actually riding on the beast is something he was not prepared for. As they ride, he holds onto her torso tightly and silently prays for the trip to end soon. When they near their destination, Sunset slows down and parks on the side of the street, but Flash doesn’t release his arms. She pats his arms, “Flash, we’re here, you can let go now.” Loosening his grip, he looks around then immediately jumps off the bike. He pulls off his helmet and takes several deep breaths, his eyes are like saucers and his pupils like pin dots. He exclaims through his breaths, “That was...the most...terrifying experience...I’ve ever had!” He sets down the helmet on his seat and takes a few more deep breaths. Sunset, still sitting on her bike, takes off her helmet, shakes her hair out, and looks at the panicked mess that is her boyfriend. She chuckles a little at the sight before her as she gets off and kisses him on the cheek, which calms him down a bit. “You’re cute when you’re freaking out. You’ll get used to it after a few rides.” She hangs her helmet on the handle bar and makes sure the front wheel is locked in a turn position. He smoothes out the helmet hair with his hand. “I think I’ll just stick to a normal car. So where have you brought us?” He looks around and sees a paved pathway leading into the Canterlot Park. A sign next to the path shows that straight up ahead is the Duck Pond Bridge. He curiously looks back at Sunset, “What are we doing here?” She turns to him and charmingly smiles at him. “You’ll see.” She takes his hand and leads him to the bridge. She doesn’t reveal anything to him as they walk. He tries to find out more but his questions are met with silence or “you’ll see.” He gives up trying to figure out what’s going and rolls with whatever she has planned. After a few minutes, they arrive at the bridge and make their way across, stopping at the exact same spot where the unpleasant event took place several weeks ago. “Alright Sunset, now can you tell me what’s going on?” he asks. She excitedly turns to face him. Sunset walks toward him, takes both of his hands, and gives him a long kiss. He doesn’t deny the kiss, but he is still confused as to what’s going on. She pulls back, her face beaming. “That’s why,” she says. Still confused, Flash darts his eyes side to side, trying to understand her motives and action. “Wait, hold up, you brought me out here just to kiss me?” “No, I brought you out here to make up,” she explains. “‘To make up?’ Sunset, you haven’t done anything wrong,” he responds. “I’m making up for that night several weeks ago.” Flash looks off to the side for a second, then his eyes widen in realization. She rubs her hands up and down his arms. “I know we’ve been dating for a few weeks, but it still didn’t sit right with me that I haven’t made up for that night. Since you’re leaving for college in a few months, I don’t want a single part of Canterlot to have any bad memories for you. Or at least, have the bad ones over shadowed with good ones. That night, I denied you a kiss, so I’m paying my debt.” He chuckles with delight and takes her hand into his as they lean back against the railing, side by side.. “You didn’t have to do this, prom more than made up for that night.” Sunset sheepishly shrugs, “I know, but I still wanted to do something about this spot. We may be a new couple, but I want to show you that I’m serious about us. I want us to be together, no matter what happens.” Flash grows a large smile and cups the back of her head, bringing her in for another kiss. They turn to look out over the pond, his arm around her waist and and her arms strapped around him like a sling, their heads resting on-top of one another. They soak in the scenery, listening to the ducks and watching the sun set on the horizon. “We will always be together,” he tells her. “Even if I’m a million miles away, you will never leave my thoughts.” Sunset looks up at him grinning and pecks him on the cheek. “That’s good to hear,” she says. She leans her head against his arm as she looks back over the pond. They stand there enjoying the view, both wondering what the future holds for them. Author's Note This feels so weird, the story is finally complete. After a whole year, the story has finally come to an end. Hard to believe that just a year ago I had an idea for this story, and it just grew into something more. What's amazing is that this story nearly became another incomplete story on the large Fimfiction scrap pile. If it wasn't for that one fan, and you know who you are, who reached out and asked me to finish the story. Here we are, five months later, and it's done. I first want to thank my editors Donnnnn, Scholarly-Cimmerian, and Needling Haystacks for proofreading and advising. Whether or not you stuck with me for the whole journey, your work helped me tremendously. I also want to thank the commenters who were willing to leave constructive criticism. It has really helped me shape this story into something better. Finally, I want to thank you all for reading. This was my first real re-introduction to story writing and I'm glad that you all enjoyed it. Tops to you!
Ch. 1: Well, This Is AwkwardIt's a beautiful, Friday afternoon in Canterlot city. The sun shines high in the sky with a few clouds dotting the blue background, giving occasional shade. The temperature outside sits within the 60 degree range, creating a feeling similar to be hugged by a grandmother. The birds fly across the sky and from tree to tree, singing their songs. A few spring flowers are still on the trees, dotting the green spheres with spots of white, purple, pink, and bright red. Squirrels run across the lawn, chasing each other and searching for food. The entire world outside is a picture of paradise. A paradise just out of Sunset's grasp while she's sits in AP European Literature. She sits in the back corner of the classroom with her two friends Twilight Sparkle, who sits in front of her, and Fluttershy, who sits to Sunset's left. The three of them listen to Mr. Doodle drone on about the themes and lessons of Hamlet. While the three girls usually enjoy this class, this subject is one of their least favorites. Twilight has never liked Hamlet, she calls the main character a "boneless, indecisive child who can't even figure out what socks he should wear." Fluttershy never much cared for Shakespeare, she always found the language to be confusing and the themes too hard to understand. As for Sunset, well she always summed up Shakespeare as "too much talking and not enough action," though she does find Macbeth interesting. As they listen, or try to listen, to Mr. Doodle, they each occasionally look outside and then back up at the clock hanging in the front of the room above the white board. Each time they do, the clock always seems to be moving slower. Sunset leans forward to whisper something to Twilight, "Is it possible for time to move slower than normal in this world," she asks in a hushed tone. "Not really," Twilight whispers back, "but that's still a topic up for debate." "How long do you think he's going keep talking about this skull monologue?" "I'm not sure, wanna make a wager about it," Twilight suggests. "Are we wagering about something," Fluttershy interjects with a quiet tone. "Yeah," Sunset responds, "whoever guesses correctly, or is the closest, to how long Mr. Doodle is going to talk about this skull, gets...," the girls think about a proper award. Twilight thinks of something, "a free drink and treat of their choice at Sugar Cube Corner, losers have to pay." "That sounds fair," says Sunset. "I like it," whispers Fluttershy. "Let's fist bump on it," says Sunset. Twilight and Sunset hold out their left fists and Fluttershy holds out her right. The three girls make a three way fist bump and nod in agreement. "Alright, I'm going to put my money on...two minutes before the final bell rings," Sunset bets. "An interesting guesstimation," Twilight responded, "judging by how long he takes with every line and how detailed he's making this monologue deconstruction, I'm going to say he'll end right as the bell rings." "You may be smart Twilight but this is your first class with Mr. Doodle," said Fluttershy with a small smug smile, "I've had him before freshman year in AP English 9 and sophomore year in AP American Literature. The bell will ring, he'll say 'the bell doesn't dismiss you, I do,' and then he'll take roughly 30 seconds, to deliver his final point, then he'll dismiss us." "That's very specific Fluttershy, are you sure you wanna go with that," asks Sunset, Fluttershy nods in response, "well alright then, the bets have been made, let the games begin." "What are you three whispering about back there," shouts Mr. Doodle. The three girls shoot up into an upright position, "nothing sir," they shout back in unison. "Well then quit your yapping," says Mr. Doodle, "I don't want to give my three best students detention for disrupting class." Suddenly, the final bell for the day rings. As the students begin to pack up their things, Mr. Doodle declares, "hold on everyone, the bell doesn't dismiss you, I do." Sunset and Twilight look at each other in disbelief. No way, there's no way she could be right, Sunset thinks. Don't tell me her prediction is correct, Twilight thinks. They both look over at Fluttershy, who's face is growing a small smile. Sure enough, Mr. Doodle takes 29 seconds to deliver his final point about the skull of Yorick. Twilight leans her head back in defeat, clinching her eyes. "Darn it," she groans. Sunset gives her desk a swift and light pound with her fist. "Damn it," she mutters. Fluttershy closes her eyes, smiles, and gently claps her hands. "Yippee," she quietly cheers. The girls gather up their belongings and proceed to exit the classroom with the rest of their classmates, after Mr. Doodle dismisses them. They walk out the classroom and stop in the hall to chat for a bit before they start heading towards the exit. "Well, Fluttershy," Twilight says reaching out her hand inviting Fluttershy to shake, "you've won again, fair and square." Fluttershy generously accepts the handshake. "That's like the fifth time I've bet against you Fluttershy," says Sunset, "I'm taking you with me to Vegas some day." "It's all about knowing your teachers," says Fluttershy, "Shall we go meet up with everyone else?" "You girls go ahead," say Sunset, "I have to get somethings from my locker." The girls wave to each other as they split off. Sunset's locker is just up the hall from the literature class. She gets to the locker, unlocks and opens the door, and searches through looking for a few items. Come on, where did I put them. Ah, there they are. She pulls out two paper back books and a sheet of paper. The paper is a list of criteria for a paper she's working on in her AP World History course. She sets the items on the floor as she closes and locks the door. She picks them back up, tucking the books in her left arm and holding the paper in her right hand. As she walks, she reviews the paper to make sure she has everything she needs to begin the assignment this weekend. Let's see, "two printed primary sources" I've got those, "two digital primary sources and one secondary source" got those saved on my computer at home, what else do I need? Sunset's eyes are fixed on the list, not paying attention to what's in front of her. All of a sudden, WHAM, she walks straight into someone, dropping her books. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Sunset apologizes as she picks up one of her books. "No no, it's ok, I wasn't paying attention," says the other person as he picks up the other book and hands it to her. "Thank you for getting th--," Sunset stops mid-sentence when she looks at the person she just ran into, "oh, um...hey, Flash." "oh uh hey, Sun-set," says Flash as he realizes it was his ex-girlfriend he ran into, "how's it going?" A strong tinge of awkwardness begins creeping in. "It's uh...it's going good," Sunset says, awkwardly nodding, "How about you?" "Same," he says, Flash puts his hands in his back pockets and leans back on his heels. "I...see you got a new haircut," says Sunset, desperately trying to break the awkward pauses. Flash combs his left hand through his hair, "yeah, I figured it was time tone down the size a bit." "It looks good on you," she says with a half smile. "Thanks," Flash responds. The two break eye contact, trying to avoid making the awkwardness any more unbearable. Flash rubs the back of his neck while Sunset rubs her left arm. "Well, I guess I'll...see you around?". "Uh yeah, yeah, see ya later," says Sunset, just go, get out there, don't make it worse, don't make it worse, "alli-gator." DAMN IT! "After a while," says Flash, wait, what I am doing? Don't say it me, don't you say it, don't you dare say, "croco-dile." That's it, I'm going to jump in front of car now! They walk past each other, ending the cringe-fest. "Ugh, why the hell did I say that," Sunset mutters to herself as she pinches the bridge of her nose in embarrassment. Sunset Shimmer walks through the front glass doors of the high school and out onto the courtyard. Her cheeks are still red from her embarrassing conversation with Flash. Actually, it really wasn't a conversation, rather it was a fumbling of words with awkward pauses in between that ended with a part of them each dying inside. Sunset walks down the path toward her friends who are all gathered around the pedestal. "Hey, Sunset, how's it goi--," Rainbow Dash greets her friend but pauses when she notices the redness in Sunset's cheeks, "are you ok?" "Did you accidentally walk into the boys bathroom again," Pinkie asks as she jumps up from behind Rainbow. Twilight, who is sitting up against the pedestal reading a book, looks up from her book upon hearing what Pinkie said, "wait, again, what do you mean 'again'," she asks. "It's a long story," Applejack, leaning against the pedestal, explains as she bites into an apple, "we'll tell you about it later." "Applejack, manners," Rarity snaps, who is kneeling on the ground braiding Fluttershy's hair. "So what happened," Rainbow insists. Sunset reaches her right hand behind her neck, "Well, I kind of ran into someone on my way here." "Really? Who," squeaks Pinkie. "Flash Sentry," says Sunset. Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, and Twilight all let out a collective, "oooh." Their faces transform from intrigue to slight discomfort. "Did you two...um...talk much," asks Rarity. "Not...really, it was..." before Sunset could finish, the girls make guesses about the ending. "Terrifying," says Fluttershy. "Awkward," says Twilight. "Uncomfortable," says Pinkie. "Cringy," says Rainbow. "Wanted to shoot yourself afterwards," says Applejack, the rest of girls minus Sunset look at Applejack, "what?" Sunset lets out a heavy sigh, "all of the above." "Well, hopefully you two gave each other a good farewell," asks Rarity, which prompted Sunset to rub her neck harder and cause her cheeks to blush brighter. Rainbow, seeing her body language, knew what she did but hoped she really didn't, "oh no, Sunset please don't tell me you did the alligator thing?" The only response she got was a slow nod of pure embarrassment. Applejack lowered her hat, trying to hide her clenched face. Twilight lifted her book up to do the same. Pinkie didn't bother hiding it, her face clenched up as though she just saw someone get punched in the gut. Rainbow visibly showed her discomfort by covering her face with her right hand. Fluttershy and Rarity just hid behind their hair and both let out an "oof." "Please tell us Flash didn't respond with the crocodile one," Rarity begs. "He...did," said Sunset, who's discomfort was reaching critical levels. Pinkie gives a sheepish grin and places her left hand her head, "I'm going to take the blame for teaching him that," she confesses, giving an awkward chuckle. "Can we please stop before we all die of cringe," Twilight begs from behind her book. "I'm going to second that motion," says Applejack as she puts her hat back on. "I don't understand," says Rainbow as she put her hands on her hips, "I thought the two of you made up at Camp Everfree. Why are you guys acting like you broke up yesterday?" "Well, I mean we did make up and we didn't," says Sunset. "Elaborate," Twilight says as she closes her book and gets up to get closer to her friend. "When I was trying to figure out what was going on with Timber and Gloriosa, Flash and I bumped into each other. We had a small conversation, he talked about how much different I was from when we used to date." "Sounds like that conversation went a lot better than the last one," says Fluttershy. "Yeah it did, he was being very sweet," Sunset said, her face warms up and her cheeks began to blush again, not from embarrassment but from amusement. "No wonder Sweetie Bell ships you two," Rarity mutters, prompting Fluttershy to giggle. "What was that," says Sunset. "Nothing darling, keep telling your story," Rarity waves her hand to Sunset, trying to stifle a giggle. "Anyways," Sunset continues, "he asked me if him and I could start over as friends and I accidentally...brushed him off." "You WHAT," shouts Rarity as she unintentionally tugs on Fluttershy's hair causing to let out big eep, "oh my goodness, I'm so sorry my dear." "Accidentally," Sunset emphasizes, "I saw Timber sneaking off into the woods and got distracted. We haven't really talked to each other every since." Applejack walks over to Sunset's side and places her hand on her shoulder, "well have you thought about arranging a meeting at some time so the two of you can finally put y'all's past behind you?" Sunset looks down, contemplating that idea, not noticing Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie turning their backs to look at something. "I have but...it's complicated," Sunset sighs. "I know what you mean darling," says Rarity as she and Fluttershy get up and walk over to Sunset, "trying to start over as friends with an old flame can be extremely difficult. But once you're able to get over that first hump, it's smooth sailing from there." "But it's not just one hump, it's several," says Sunset, "Flash was the first person to actually make me feel at home in this world, and I just used him to propel my social standing. I'm not sure why even wants to be friends." "But that was the old Sunset," says Applejack, "Flash doesn't want to be friends with her, he wants to start over with you. He was the one who asked you first if you wanted to start again as friends. Is that so hard to believe?" Suddenly, Pinkie and Rainbow turn back around, "alright, it's been arranged," exclaims Pinkie. "What has," asks Sunset. "You and Flash are set to meet each other tomorrow at 1:00 at Sugar Cube Corner," Rainbow declares, holding up her phone. "You what," Sunset rips the phone out of Rainbow Dash's hands and looks at the messages screen, concern wraps her face. Sure enough, Rainbow and Pinkie told Flash that Sunset wants to talk to him about something and that they should meet up at Sugar Cube Corner tomorrow at one. "Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, are you two insane!? How do you even have his number?" "Why would you arrange something like behind Sunset's back," Fluttershy asks. "Well technically we didn't do it behind her back," Pinkie explains, "we were in front of her the whole time, we just had our backs turned." "You know what she means Pinkie," scolds Twilight, "you can't just arrange something like without your friend's consent!" "Look, the only way that those two will finally make up is if they meet with each other, face to face, and talk things out," Rainbow Dash explains, she turns attention to Sunset, "other wise you're going to have more run-ins like you the one you had today. Also, Flash and Soarin' hang out a lot, I have his number just incase Soarin' is running late for practice and isn't answering his phone." "You can thank us later," Pinkie Pie says with a massive smile. Sunset feels her blood begin to boil, "if you two weren't my friends--." "Hold your horses girl," Applejack says, putting her hands on both of Sunset's shoulders, trying to calm her down. "As much as I disagree with their methods," says Twilight, pushing her glass up, "they do have a point. You can't keep avoiding this forever, you'll have to face it in order to move on." "I agree with what Twilight says," says Rarity, "better to get it done now and let life proceed normally, relatively speaking. Besides, what's the worst that can happen tomorrow?" "You'd be surprised how creative my imagination can get," says Sunset, "so you all agree I need to do this?" The girls all nod, "even you Fluttershy?" Sunset looks Fluttershy who is petting her new braid, trying to think of something to say. "Well," she says meekly, "you and Twilight do owe me a vanilla chai latte, think of that as an excuse to go?" Sunset thinks it over and lets out a heavy sigh, "fine, I'll do it, I'll see Flash tomorrow and let him know I want to start over." She hands the phone back to Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie cheers, "HOORAY, let's all go to Donut Joe's to celebrate." "I can't," says Sunset, "I have to get home and get started on this paper for Mr. Turner." "Well then will see you tomorrow at Sugar Cube," says Twilight. With that, Sunset bids her friends farewell and makes her way to the student parking lot. She thinks about the meeting tomorrow as she walks. Perhaps her friends are right, she and Flash still do need to reconcile their past. It isn't going to be easy, some how facing musical sirens or magically corrupted humans seems far easier than what this is going to be. Well maybe it won't be so bad, maybe things will go off without a hitch, right? Right? "Tomorrow's going to worse than hell." Author's Note Thank you so much for reading. This is a story I've been wanting to do for a long time. If you haven't read the full description, this entire tale is the first part of a three part series about the relationship between Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry. From their rekindling relationship to their romance to their life beyond high school. Feel free to deliver criticism, so long as it is constructive. Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter and the first step in this grand romantic journey. Update: Ok so I'm writing this like four hours I've already published this story, and I just saw that this is already under the popular stories tab of the home page! Holy cow I never expected to get such a huge response so fast!
Ch. 7: A Walk In The Park - Part 1Flash walks down the middle path of Canterlot High’s front courtyard. It is a beautiful day: a few clouds dot the sky, the sun is shining brightly, and the birds are singing their songs. It is also peacefully quiet. He is the only one walking towards the school. There are not any other students out and about. Is he late or early? He cannot remember what time he woke up. No matter, he is not going to let an odd setting ruin this beautiful day. He ascends the steps and walks through the front glass doors. When he enters, he’s struck with confusion and curiosity. There’s not a single person in the building, at least not in the atrium. The building is filled with silence; there are no sounds of chatter, yelling, or laughing. Where is everyone? he thinks. He tries to listen and looks down halls to see or hear something. He stops at one hall entrance when hears a faint noise. It’s hard to make out what it is but he can still hear it. Hopefully there’s someone down there. He begins walking down the hall towards the noise. As he walks, the noise grows louder. He’s able to make out what it is. It sounds like someone’s crying. Flash picks up his pace to a fast walk. He rounds a few corners, following the noise to its source. He quickens his pace to a jog as he gets closer. He rounds a final corner when he reaches the rundown, dead-end hall with the faulty lighting. The source of the noise is coming from here. Flash walks towards the end where he sees a figure curled up, facing the left corner. He slowly walks closer, as to not frighten the individual. He stops when he sees the strands of red and yellow hair cascading down the person’s back; it’s Sunset Shimmer. Why is she crying? I’ve got to help her. He slowly moves closer, inch by inch. When he’s within arm’s reach, he places his hand on her shoulder. Sunset looks up, turns, and sees Flash giving her a comforting smile. “Hey are you ok?” he asks her gently, “What’s going on?” Before he can react, Sunset stands up and pushes him away, hard. He stumbles a few feet back. Shock covers his face when he sees Sunset looking at him with a terrified expression. She holds out her hands in front of her, preparing to push him away again. Tears stream down her cheeks, her hands shake out of either fear or concern. “Get away from me!” she shouts. “I don’t want to hurt you again!” “Sunset, you’re not--,” before he can finish, everything around him becomes pitch black. He cannot see anything, not even his own hands. He calls out Sunset’s name, but he gets no response; silence fills the void. Suddenly, Flash hears a faint whisper, it’s hard to understand what it’s saying. Another whisper appears, this one a little louder, then another, and another, each one louder than the last. Each whisper is Sunset’s voice berating Flash, old memories from their past relationship. “You wouldn’t say no to your girlfriend, would you?” “Don’t stand in front of me or you’ll get hurt.” “You’re nothing, you only have value because of me!” “I don’t need you, I’ve never needed you!” “What made you think I loved you to begin with?” Flash drops to his knees, covering his ears trying to block out her voice. He feels his mind going insane, each phrase stinging worse than the last. He pleads for it to stop, but it’s no use, the voices keep coming. He finally has enough and screams, “That’s not you anymore!” Flash’s eyes shoot open and he sharply inhales. He leans forward and looks around the room. It’s Sunday morning, he’s still Applejack’s living room with Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Soarin, and Sunset Shimmer. They are all still asleep, he didn’t wake any of them, thank goodness. He rubs his face with both of his hands, trying to compose himself after that nightmare. What the hell was that all about? he thinks. He looks over at Sunset and thinks back to what she said in his dream. “I don’t want to hurt you again!” Does she really think that? He looks back down at the ground and slowly shakes his head. Soarin’s right, these emotions really are going to eat me alive unless I do something. But what can I do? Flash’s train of thought is broken when a familiar aroma fills his nostrils. Maybe a cup of coffee will help clear my head. He gets up from the couch and quietly walks over to the kitchen. He walks into the kitchen and sees a three-fourths full pot of coffee sitting on its brewer on the far counter. He walks over, grabs one of the mugs sitting next to the pot, and pours himself a cup. “Good mornin’ Flash,” says a familiar young voice in a country accent. Flash looks to his right and sees Apple Bloom sitting at the kitchen table reading the Sunday comics while drinking a cup of orange juice. Next to her, at the head of the table, is a chunky, elderly green skinned lady who’s reading the paper while sipping on her cup of coffee. “Morning Apple Bloom,” Flash says with a tired smile. He walks over to the table with his coffee and takes a seat across from her. “Granny,” says Apple Bloom as she taps the lady's arm to get her attention. “This is the boy I’ve been telling you about. Flash, this is my grandma, Granny Smith.” “Ah, so yer’ the one who’s been-a smitten with Applejack’s friend,” Granny says as she folds her paper. “Well, um, I wouldn’t say that,” says Flash as he rubs the back of his neck. “Oh come now sonny,” Granny says as she lightly slaps Flash’s arm with her paper. “Lil’ Apple Bloom has been tellin' me all about you’s and Sunset’s romance.” “Has she now?” Flash says as he squints his eyes at Apple Bloom. Applebloom sheepishly grins and awkwardly chuckles. “Oh that reminds me,” she says. “I need to, um, take a shower before breakfast.” She shoots back to the rest of her OJ and dashes away, leave a dust cloud in her wake. Flash places his elbow on the table and rubs his eyes with his right index finger and thumb. “Is there something botherin’ you sonny?” Granny asks, seeing the signs. There are plenty of things that are bothering me. “No, not really,” Flash says, trying to be polite. But Granny Smith is persistent. “Oh, there’s definitely somethin’ wrong. Do you mind tellin’ me about it?” Yes, I very much would like to. “That’s okay, I don’t want to trouble you,” he says. Wrong answer moron! “Ah phooey,” Granny exclaims. “At my age, hardly anythin’ is trouble. If you don’t get that trouble off yer mind, you’ll end up lookin’ like me before yer’ thirty. ‘Sides, I like some juicy gossip.” Granny chuckles lightly at the last statement. Well that’s an interesting argument. “Okay then,” Flash starts. “So whatever Applebloom has told you about me and Sunset, it’s only partly true.” He tells her about how Sunset and him decided to start over again as friends, how they’re friendship has been getting stronger since they made up. He tells her about how he’s even starting to develop feelings for her again, but isn’t sure how to act on them. He even tells her about Sunset’s drunk confession last night and the out of the blue kiss. “I kept telling myself it wasn’t real, over and over again. But through out the night, there was a part of me that kept wondering if it was real. Then last night I had a dream where she wanted me to... stay away from her.” Flash leans forward and places his head in his hands. “Now I don’t know what to do, I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.” “Let me see if I got this right,” says Granny, “You like Sunset and you think what she said last night was more true than what you originally thought?” Flash slowly nods. “Hm, well a drunken confession ain’t exactly a good one…” “I know,” he says leaning back, “That’s why I kept telling myself--” “Ya didn’t lemme finish,” Granny interrupts. “It ain’t a good one, but it’s still a confession.” Flash looks at her with a confused look. “Booze can make ya say plenty of things, but it can’t make ya say things you don’t believe at least a little, and it can even reveal your deepest secrets. I once told someone how I felt about ‘em because the hooch had a hold of me. Only, it was how much I hated ‘em. I still haven’t forgiven Cousin Hardwood for that.” “What are you saying, Granny?” Flash asks. “I should take what she said last night at face value?” “Of course not,” she exclaims. “I’m sayin’ you should take it with a grain of salt. It’s hard to tell the difference between a genuine drunken confession and one that’s half-true or less. When you get the chance, ask her how she truly feels, then you’ll have your answer.” Flash rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t know if I should,” he says. “I don’t want to embarrass her or get my head bitten off… again.” “Sonny, you’ll never get yer answer unless you man up and ask her.” Flash spreads and lays out his hands facing up on the table. “But what if that really was just the booze talking?” he exclaims. “What if she doesn’t really like me in that way? What if--” “Flash,” Granny says interrupting him. “If yer’ just gonna sit there askin’ ‘what if’ then you might as well be paddlin’ upstream. If yah get one answer, you’ll be happy. Get the other, and you can move on. Find someone else. Either way, forget the consequences for just a bit and get your answers before yer’ eaten alive.” Flash leans forward and places his head in his hands. “I’m sorry, this is all just so… uncertain.” Granny Smith gets up from her chair, walks over to Flash, and places a hand on his shoulder. Flash looks up at the elder, who gives him a soft smile. “Life’s all about uncertainty sonny,” she says warmly. “That’s what makes it so excitin’.” She walks over to the fridge and begins to pull out milk, eggs, and butter. “Now go wash up, I’m makin’ flapjacks for breakfast.” Flash drinks the rest of his coffee, gets up from his seat, and walks towards the kitchen exit. He stops at the door and turns to face Granny Smith. “Granny Smith, why are you helping me?” he asks her. “You barely even know me.” “I’ve been helpin’ people since before you were even a gleam in yer pappy’s eye,” Granny says. She stops her work and looks around at Flash. “I know a tortured soul when I see one.” Later that week, Flash and Soarin spend their Saturday at Rarity’s boutique. This wasn’t how they originally viewed spending today. Originally, they had planned on spending the day playing their favorite dungeon raiding game, but their big mouths got them in trouble yesterday. They were eating lunch with the girls yesterday when the topic of prom came up. The girls were gushing over getting to finally see their dresses within a few weeks. Rarity made sure to keep the hype alive by dropping a few hints here and there. When they asked the boys on what they planned on wearing, they told they planned on just getting some hand-me-down tuxedos from the local Goodwill. They made the mistake of telling this right in front of the fashionista. Now, instead of fighting orcs and dark elves, they are getting their bodies measured and fitted. Soarin stands on a platform surrounded by three mirrors in a t-pose position while Rarity gets his measurements. Twilight stands off to the side with a pencil and clipboard, writing down any measurements Rarity takes, being sure to properly label them. Pinkie Pie and Flash sit on a lounge couch, playing card games while Flash awaits his turn. Soarin begins to impatiently fidget; he’s been on the stand for about thirty minutes and is a little eager to get off. The fidgeting starts to make it difficult for Rarity to measure. “Could you hold still dear?” Rarity asks. “I need to get an accurate measurement. I only have one more to make.” “You’ve said that like a million times now!” Soarin groans. “And I’m going to say it a million and one more,” scolds Rarity in frustration. “Now hold still!” “Is all this really necessary?” Flash asks as he scans his hand of cards. “We don’t mind just getting some hand-me-downs, plus I’m not sure if I can pay you back. Got any six’s, Pinkie?” “Go fish,” Pinkie responds, prompting Flash to draw a card from the stack in between them. “I am not going to have you boys go to the biggest night of your high school career wearing torn, urine stained suits,” Rarity argues as she wraps the tape measure around Soarin’s waist. “And never mind paying me, I design all my friends outfits for free. 30 inch waist, Twilight.” Twilight writes down the measurement. “Uh could you check that again?” Soarin asks, his cheeks slightly blushing. “I’m pretty sure my waist size is different.” Rarity wraps the tape measure around Soarin and doubles checks the measurement. “Ah you’re right dear, it’s not 30 inches. 32 inch waist, Twilight.” Twilight scratches out the original number and writes down the correct one. Soarin lets out an annoyed breath. “Sounds like someone needs to hit the gym after this,” Flash jokes. Soarin holds up a lewd gesture in Flash’s direction. “Oh Flash,” says Rarity, diverting his attention away from his game and to her. “Have you given any more thought to our discussion last week?” Twilight looks up from her clipboard, her curiosity taking a hold of her. “What discussion are you two talking about?” she asks. “We talked about Sunset and… how I feel about her,” Flash explains. Pinkie looks up from her cards and looks at Rarity, wide eyed. Twilight gives her narrowed eyes of disapproval. Rarity doesn’t react to any of their glances, self-assured of her innocence. “Rarity,” Twilight says, her voice sounding like a mother trying to get a child to admit their guilt. “I thought we agreed we would be hands off in our approach?” “We did,” says Rarity, not looking up from her work. “But Rainbow and I decided we needed to talk to Flash about this. We made sure to get Applejack’s blessing before we approached him. Anyways, Flash, you still haven’t answered me.” “Yes, I have,” he answers. “I’ve decided that I’m going to ask her.” “Ask her what?” Pinkie asks. “And do you have any fours?” Flash looks at his hand. “Go fish,” he responds, Pinkie draws from the stack. “I’m going to ask her… how she feels about me,” he says, mumbling the last part, a blush spreading over his face. “Excellent dear!” Rarity exclaims as she lays the tape measure around her neck. “Alright Soarin, that should be all.” Soarin puts his arms down and walks over to wear Flash is sitting. Flash hands him his cards and walks over to the platform. As Rarity works, she continues her conversation. “When are you going to ask her?” “Next Friday evening,” he responds. “Why next Friday?” Twilight asks. “Is it because she’s presenting her project that day?” asks Rarity as she stretches the tape measure down his leg. “Yep, I plan on taking her to the Food Truck Festival at Canterlot Park,” says Flash. “She’s been working hard, and, whether she passes or not, she deserves some reward for her efforts.” “Awww, that’s so sweet!” Pinkie says gushing. “At what point in the evening do you plan on asking her?” Twilight asks. “I don’t see why that’s your business,” Flash says uncomfortably, “But I was thinking after dinner we could take a walk on Duck Pond Bridge. Once we’re in the middle of the bridge, I’ll ask here right there.” “A very romantic setting with all the lamp lights and duck families, an excellent choice,” Rarity comments. “Do you know what you’re going to say?” “Oh, I can make some note cards for you if you don’t!” Twilight says, her face lighting up. “That’s okay,” says Flash, throwing up his hands defensively. “I think I’ll be fine without note cards.” Twilight’s eager face saddens and her head droops in disappointment. “No one understands the value of note cards,” she murmurs. “What is your script then?” Soarin’ asks as Rarity wraps the tape measure around Flash’s waist. “I’m just going to get straight to the point,” Flash says. “Rip it off quick, like a band-aid.” Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie look at each other with looks of uncertainty. Flash and Soarin see the girl’s faces and look at each other through the mirror with looks of confusion. “What is it?” “I’m not sure that’s the best option,” suggests Pinkie. “Asking someone about their feelings towards you is a really, really big question.” “Especially in this situation, this really isn’t something you can blunt with,” says Twilight. “This requires a degree of delicacy. Especially considering something Sunset said about you and… her.” Twilight tries to stop herself but the words fall out of her mouth. “What? What did she say?” Flash asks with some concern. “Weeeell,” Twilight rubs the back of her neck and purses her lips. “When Fluttershy and I tried to convince Sunset to confess her feelings, she said…” Twilight trails off and starts having second thoughts. “What. Did. She. Say?!” Flash asks, increasing the emphasis of each word. “Twilight, I need to know if I want to make this work.” Twilight closes her eyes, takes in a deep breath, and says, “She said that there can’t be anything between you and her.” Twilight opens her eyes and winces. Flash’s face becomes raked with sadness and confusion. The girl that he is falling for said that a relationship between him and her is impossible. Perhaps not those words exactly but it amounted to the same thing. He thought that she felt the same way about him, that she too wanted their relationship to be something more, he thought that… they were telling the truth. He suddenly feels an anger growing inside him, but it subsides when he feels a hand on his shoulder. He looks over and sees Rarity giving him a comforting look. “I know how it sounds darling,” she gently says. “But don’t believe for a second that she doesn’t have strong feelings for you.” “Oh totally!” exclaims Pinkie Pie as she skips over to his other side. “Sunset is head over heels for you. She just refuses to admit it.” Soarin gets up from his seat and walks over to Flash, getting on Pinkie’s side. “Listen man, everything I know about Sunset, I’ve heard from Rainbow Dash,” says Soarin. “From what it sounds like, she’s got walls that she’s too afraid to tear down. You need to help her tear those walls down.” “But you have to be delicate when you ask her,” says Twilight as gets by Rarity’s side, looking at Flash in the mirror. “Emotional compartmentalization is a tricky psychological state. I’ve not studied the psychiatric literature on it as much as I’d like to , but I know an individual can be angered by an attempt to get them to confront the contradictory…” “I think what Twilight is trying to say, Darling,” Rarity says, gently interrupting Twilight’s impromptu lecture, “Is you should choose your words carefully. Flash looks at himself in the mirror and grimaces. This isn’t going to be easy. In fact, standing in front of a crowd and getting ready to perform without a set composition seems far easier by comparison. But this needs to happen: it’s been pushed off for too long now, and the stress has been eating him alive. He likes her. Oh let’s face it, I love her.. This is going to be a difficult challenge, but the desired outcome would be oh so worth it. The other, though… Anyway, if I’m going to do this right, I’ll need the proper tools. He straightens himself up and looks at Twilight. “Twilight,” he says grabbing her attention. “Break out the note cards.” Twilight’s face beams as she leaps and squeals with joy. The bell, signalling the end of first block, rings. Students begin filing out of their classrooms and heading towards their second class for the day. Flash and Sunset walk out of their AP World History class together. They walk down the hall towards Sunset’s AP Statistics class. “Do you feel ready for your presentation?” Flash asks as they walk. “Absolutely not,” says Sunset as waves of nerves and stress come over her. “What if something goes wrong? What if the slide show doesn’t show up on the projector? Or I fall as I make my way up to the front? Or what if I suddenly forget everything I’m supposed to say?” She feels her heartbeat picking up, her hands begin to sweat, and her breathing quickens. Her nerves ease when she feels Flash wrapping his arm behind her, his hand gently clasping her upper right arm as he rubs it, trying to ease her. She looks up at him giving her a comforting smile. This physical connection between them causes a rapture to come over Sunset. His arm wrapped around her makes her feel warm, safe, secure, and still. Feelings she hasn’t had in a long time. “Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Flash says reassuringly. “You’ve performed in front of people before, this isn’t any different.” “But those times I was performing music,” says Sunset with waning confidence, “I wasn’t talking about statistics.” “Ha. Fair enough,” says Flash with a chuckle, “but you’ve prepared for this. Since you started on this project two weeks ago, you’ve been a well oiled machine.” He walks around in front of her, stops, and looks her in the eye with both hands on her shoulders. “You’ve conducted your experiments, you have your results, and you’ve made your presentation. All you have to do is talk for five minutes, and then you’ll be done.” “But what if my research wasn’t good enough?” Sunset argues. “What if I fail?” She looks down at the ground with a lack of self-assurance. Flash gently lifts her chin up to get her to look at him. “The final grade be damned,” he says. “You poured your head, heart, and hands into this project. If your teacher doesn’t recognize that, then that’s her loss.” His words bring waves of needed relief and confidence to Sunset. He can be a goofball, but he sure knows his way with words, Sunset thinks. She closes her eyes, takes in a deep breath, opens her eyes, and gives Flash a smile of confidence. “Alright, I can do this,” she says. “I can do this!” “That the spirit,” Flash says with a growing grin. He walks back around to her left side and the two continue their walk to AP Stats. It doesn’t take long until the two reach their destination. They stop in front of the door, facing the entrance. “You got this Sunset,” Flash says, patting her back. Sunset takes a few steps towards the entrance then stops. She turns around, walks back toward Flash, then wraps her arms around, holding him close, the side of her face pressed against his chest. “Thank you, for everything,” she says, “I couldn’t have done this without you.” The action catches Flash off guard, but he quickly adapts. He wraps his arms around her and rests his head on her shoulder. “You’re welcome,” he responds. The two hold each other for a few seconds, letting their emotions take over. Not newly born emotions, but ones that have been buried for a long time and are finally being resurrected. An old flame, long thought to have been blown out, being rekindled. “Ahem,” a voice calls from behind them. They pull apart and look at the source of the voice, it’s Vice Principal Luna. “Ms. Shimmer, Mr. Sentry,” she says in a stern tone. “Need I remind you about the school’s policy regarding public displays of affection?” “No ma’am,” they both say with looks of embarrassment. “Good,” says Luna, maintaining her strict persona. “I’d rather not give two of our Magna Cum Laudes detention six weeks from graduation.” She walks pass the two students, leaving them to wallow in their embarrassment. After a brief moment of awkward silence, Flash and Sunset look at each other and chuckle. “Well, I better head into class,” says Sunset stifling her laughter. “Yeah, I should head to class as well,” says Flash. “I’ll see you at lunch?” “Yes, I’ll meet you in the caf,” Sunset responds. The two bid each other farewell for now. Sunset heads into her classroom while Flash makes his way further down the hall to his next class. The bell rings, signaling the end of the second block. The students file out of their classroom. Some make their way to the cafeteria for lunch while others head to their third class for the day. Flash is one of the last students to walk out of his class. He makes his way to the cafeteria, trying to weave through the crowded halls. When he reaches the entrance for the caf, he’s suddenly stopped when a force from behind pulls on him. He turns around to see the source of this force. Sunset is standing in front of him, beaming with joy. “Hey, what’s going on?” he asks. “How did your presentation go?” Sunset doesn’t say anything, only handing him a sheet of paper. Flash takes a look at the paper: it’s a grading rubric with six different subjects. He looks down the list and sees the numbers listed. Original Topic:10/10 Research: 9/10 Experiment: 9/10 Presentation: 10/10 Slide Show: 4/5 Time: 5/5 Total: 47/50, 94% “Good Job!” Flash’s eyes widen; he looks at Sunset, looks back at the paper, then back at Sunset. Excitement grows on his face. Without thinking, he picks Sunset up and swings her around, both of them laughing ecstatically. “I knew you could do it!” Flash says. He sets her down and asks her, “Were you nervous?” “I was internally screaming the entire time,” says Sunset, giggling. “But once I got started, it was smooth sailing from there.” “And it shows,” he says, holding up the paper. “I’m so proud of you!” Rarity and Applejack come running up to Flash and Sunset, catching their breath. “Woo,” Applejack exhales, “finally caught up to you, Sunset. You ran out of that classroom faster than a prize horse out of a derby gate.” “I presume you already told him about your grade?” Rarity asks Sunset, noticing Flash and Sunset’s elated faces while fixing her hair. “She did,” Flash responds, “and I couldn’t be more proud of her!” He wraps his arm around her back and pulls her in for a tight side hug. Sunset reaches across him and takes back her rubric. “Come on, let’s go tell the rest of the gang,” she says. She pulls herself away from the side hug and walks into the cafeteria with her other three friends. The four of them walk over to their usual table where Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Soarin are already sitting, enjoying their lunch and company. The four place their bags in their chairs, marking their spots. Before they go off to get their food, Sunset places the rubric in the center of the table for all to see. Twilight is the first to pick it up and look at it. Her eyes widen and her smile grows when she sees the total grade. “You got a ninety-four?” she shouts with elation, causing some eyes in the caf to look at the group. Sunset smiles and nods vigorously. Twilight passes the paper around to everyone else at the table, each one making similar faces of joy and elation. They each congratulate Sunset on her achievement. “Dang, you nailed that project!” says Rainbow Dash. “Nice job, looks like having Flash as a tutor really helped,” says Soarin. “Hey Flash, maybe you should consider majoring in teaching.” “Absolutely not,” says Flash, holding up his hands. “Wow Sunset, you rock, woohoo,” says Fluttershy in her usual gentle tone, but still pumping her fist for emphasis. “OH! MY! GOSH!” shouts Pinkie Pie. “Do you know what this calls for? A PARTY!” “Uh Pinkie?” Rarity says tapping Pinkie’s shoulder. “Have you forgotten about…” Rarity motions her head towards Flash, reminding Pinkie about his plan. Pinkie gives a look of confusion for a brief second but then remembers what Rarity is referring to. “Oooooohhhh riiiiiiiight,” Pinkie says with a grin and an exaggerated wink towards Flash. Flash gives a nod towards Rarity, mentally thanking for her controlling the party animal. Sunset looks back and forth between the three of them with a suspicious look. “What’s going on?” she asks. “Why don’t we get some food?” Flash suggests. “I’ll tell you while we’re in line.” Flash and Sunset walk off from the rest of the gang to get in line. As the rest of the group watches the two walk off, Rainbow crosses her arms and looks over at Applejack with a smug look on her face. “So Applejack,” Rainbow says pridefully, “we gave them a small push and now things are finally moving along. Still think getting more involved is a bad idea?” Applejack looks over at the young couple. It’s hard to deny what’s right in front of her. That small push from Rarity and Rainbow Dash certainly has increased the pace. “It certainly looks like it helped,” Applejack admits. “But I can’t help but feel that things are moving a mite too fast.” “Come on Applejack,” Pinkie pipes in, “Flash and Sunset have been moving closer and closer the past two weeks and tonight, they’ll finally get their happily ever after!” “Let’s not assume that will be the result,” Twilight says, trying to keep the situation grounded. “However, I do think that they will finally put their past behind them and rekindle the flames once more.” “Oh, I can not wait to see them together at prom,” Rarity gushes. “I made sure that their outfits perfectly coordinate with each other.” “They’re going to look so adorable,” Fluttershy says, joining in on the gushing as she clenches her hands in front of her chest in glee. Applejack places one hand on her hip and rubs the back of her neck with the other while looking at the ground with a look of concern. She then looks over at Soarin, who’s been mostly quiet during this discussion, letting the girls fangirl away. “Soarin,” she says nabbing his attention, “have you got anything to say about this?” Soarin looks over the couple then looks back at Applejack and shrugs. “I mean, I’m just happy to see my boy finally getting back together with the girl of his dreams,” Soarin says with a small smile of pride. “What harm can come from a small push of motivation?” Applejack sits down in her seat and leans on the table with a look of defeat. She now stands alone in her position. “I guess not much,” she says in a weary tone, punctuating it with a sigh. “Cheer up Applejack,” Rarity says placing a hand on her shoulder as she takes her seat. “Everything will work out just fine.” Applejack decides not to argue her point any further. She instead turns her attention the sack lunch in her backpack. The entire time she eats, though, she can’t help but get a bad feeling about tonight. She briefly looks over at the couple during the entire lunch, noticing how much they are enjoying each others company. I hope you’re right Rarity, Applejack thinks. For both their sakes. Author's Note Part 2 will be released the evening of September 25th.
