Forgotten

Twilight couldn't help but open her mouth just a little bit in shock. Some tiny voice had been screaming at her that this was coming, but she had ignored it. She had been so focused on saving Equestria and returning it back to the colorful, friendly nation that it once was, that she had buried her own feelings under a mountain of excuses. We're too busy, she had told herself time and time again, he'll never tell me…he doesn't care for me that way…he's just my friend.

But now the moment of truth had arrived. Flame Mane had told her about his true love for her, and the ball was in her court. She shivered a bit as her mind flipped between potential circumstances surrounding this one response. If she told him how she truly felt, they might get swept up in a wave of love and forget all about their purpose in being there. If she told him a lie, and then later on he found out the truth, it would destroy their friendship.

Oh…but I do love him! She screamed internally, and I want him to know that. But still…Equestria has to come first. But I don't wanna lie to him! UGH! I HATE THIS!

"Twilight?" Flame asked softly, "is everything okay?"

"No!" She suddenly yelled, "nothing's okay! I'm stuck in an Equestria where nothing is normal, I can't make the decisions I usually make, and I've just been told that somepony actually gives a crap about me! I don't know whether to go here or there or what to do! I'M SO CONFUSED! NOTHING ABOUT ANYTHING IS OKAY ANYMORE!"

She noticed that Flame was giving her a rather frightened look. Her outburst must have startled him something fierce. She took a minute to calm herself and went through the deep breathing exercises that Cadance had taught her. She turned back and looked at Flame, noticing the deep longing within his gaze. He poured love all over her, even without saying a word, and her forelegs buckled a bit. She was sweating profusely, and her heart pounded out of her chest. She couldn't say anything. Her mind whirled in a sea of self-doubt, and she collapsed at Flame's hooves.

Flame was taken aback by the suddenness of Twilight's fainting, and he picked her up on his back. My dear Twilight, he said to himself, I never thought I'd ever meet somepony so amazing. You're the mare I want in my life forever, and I'll never let you go.

When they exited the secluded area, he put her down gently next to the waiting Starlight. The light purple mare gasped when she saw the unconscious state of her best friend. She looked up and became angered with Flame Mane. "What did you do in there?!"

"I didn't do anything, honest! I just told her the truth!"

"What exactly is the 'truth?'"

Flame sighed and said, "that I love her."

Starlight backed up a bit as her anger melted away. She realized that the abrupt nature with which Flame Mane became amorous with Twilight must have taken the poor princess by complete surprise. She didn't have time to react, so she had fainted. The guidance counselor now knew everything that had happened and she didn't judge Flame anymore.

"Flame Mane, while I love the fact that you care so deeply for Twilight…maybe now wasn't the right time."

"But if I didn't do it now, then when the hay would I have done it?"

"Maybe after we got Equestria back to normal?"

"No," Flame said, "the normal Equestria is the one where I never met Twilight. If Equestria is reversed, then my friendship with Twilight goes away. I couldn't live with that!"

Starlight put a hoof on Flame's shoulder. "That's not true," she told him, "friendship doesn't die when something is taken away or put into a tailspin. There's always some type of seed that lives on. Look at the Tree of Harmony. It was destroyed by Sombra, yet it still lives on. Why? Because of the friendship of six of our students. That's the seed that the Tree planted, and it essentially rebuilt itself as a treehouse."

"But what if we do go back and Twilight and I are separated? I can't lose her, Starlight!"

"You couldn't lose her!" Starlight responded, "that's my point! She fainted because she just couldn't bring herself to say that she loves you too! No amount of magic waves or Equestrian revolution will ever stop the feelings you two have for each other."

Flame realized that Starlight was right. If the love he had for the princess was true, then it would survive anything. One thing nagged him, though. If Equestria were returned to its normal state, then their memories would be wiped clean. Everything would revert to its original state. If that happened, would the feelings he carried in his heart survive the rattling rebirth of his mind? He would rather lose his new cutie mark and go back to being Bumble Trot than lose Twilight forever.

He turned and noticed that the unconscious princess was coming to. He bent down and nosed at her back a bit, trying to help her awaken. Twilight sat up with a dead look in her eyes. Their lids were half shut, fighting Twilight's faculties. They seemed to command Twilight to return to slumber, even though they didn't hold any sway over her brain. She finally flicked them open and returned to her normal state.

"Sorry about that, guys," she said, "but…weren't you telling me something, Flame?"

"Yes, I was," Flame said, "I was telling you that I love you."

All the memories of being scared before raced back into Twilight's mind, but she shook her head and fought them off. Not this time, she told them, I've been scared way too much. It's time for me to open up and be honest with Flame and with myself.

"Flame Mane," she said tenderly, "I love you, too. It's something that's blossomed ever since we met. I hold you in the highest regards, and you're one of my best friends. I want to be with you, but we have to save Equestria first. Our friends are counting on us, and I cannot sit idly by and have a romance with you while they continue to suffer. Sombra has to be stopped, at all costs. When we return to the normal Equestria, I want you to come to Ponyville. I know that we technically never met there, but just say your name and I promise I'll remember you. I'll help you find a home, a job, and other things. You'll have friends there, Flame…and you'll have me. I won't let you go. I promise."

With that, she stepped forward and brought her lips together with his. They were both moved by the completely beautiful and utterly sharp nature of the gesture. Twilight deepened the kiss, willing time to stand still so she and Flame Mane could enjoy this moment forever. But time did not acquiesce to her demands, and she and her new special somepony forced themselves to break apart.

They both turned and noticed Starlight standing there, blushing heavily. "Uh…I wish you would've warned me. I would've given you some privacy!"

Twilight giggled. "It's okay, Starlight. It was just a kiss."

"I don't think I've ever seen a kiss between a stallion and a mare that was so filled with pure love as that one was," Starlight quipped. "Oh, come here, you two!" She gathered her friends into a congratulatory hug, and they all smiled as one.