“Sentry, focus!” TA shouted for the millionth time when I zoned out, “What in Equestria are you thinking about? Like, you’ve been daydreaming for several hours now!”

“Uh…”

“Yeah...okay, that’s not an answer.”

“Do I have to answer?”

“Unless you want me to personally report you to Captain Armor, then yes.”

I gulped, hopefully she won’t report me if I do tell her. But what if she does? I can’t put my job at risk.

“I’m waiting.” she persevered, impatience in her voice. I could tell that she would only stop once I told her; so I gave in.

“Promise you won’t tell anypony?” I said, defeated.

Tinted put a hoof to her lips and formed a zipping-like motion, “My lips are sealed.” Sigh, here goes nothing...should I lie? There’s my honesty going bust. “I am… thinking about my life.”

“I’m not buying it.”

“I didn’t tell you to buy anything.”

“You’re lying. As an expert liar myself, I can tell.” Beads of perspiration formed on my forehead. Well that didn’t help whatsoever. “Since you want me to talk to Captain Armor so dang much, I guess I can’t argue-”

“OKAY OKAY! I’ll tell you!” Just come out clean, Flash. No more hiding, from TA at least; she does not have mercy. Sigh, “I am thinking about...a pony.”

“And?”

“It’s a mare”

“Go on.”

“I think I like her”

“Ok...who is it?”

I mumbled her name quickly under my breath. “What?”, she pushed further.

“Twilight Sparkle.” her mouth hung open in surprise. For once, Tinted Assistance had nothing to say.

“Um...” She was seriously puzzled. There you go, ego. Something like hours later, TA spoke again, although not breaching the subject about my crush, but instead highlighting the key things we needed to look out for when guarding the Crystal Heart: reporting anything unusual, making sure everything was in its place- all that jazz.

“Oh, and Flash, since we need somepony to guard Princess Twilight’s room, we’ve decided that you’ll need to alternate. So, today, you’ve been guarding the Crystal Heart with me and tomorrow you’ll be guarding her room, so on so forth.”, she added, with noticeable reluctance. Can this possibly get any worse? Yes, yes it can. Murphy’s law is about to get me, I can feel it.

“Right, Flash, I think-” she looked up at the clock, “-that the day is over - dinner time.” She added at the end. I realised that it indeed was getting dark and wondered how the day had passed so quickly. “I think I’ll eat out tonight”, I said, “just in case ‘you-know-who’ is in the Mess Hall again.”

She sighed. “Whatever. Wait, can I tell my friends? You know, Sunny, Auri, Saphie…”

I considered it. I was kind of expecting her to ask that. Just say yes. “Um, uh, you can’t tell anyone other than them.” What in the name of Tartarus? What have I just done? What am I? A pony? AM I PONY? Guess not. Sweet Celestia, help me.
Well, she would probably have threatened to tell everyone if I didn’t agree to it…

“Come on, TA!” Her friends surrounded her.

“Do you wanna eat out?” Saphie offered.

She took a sideways glance at me and smirked. “Yeah! We should invite Twilight as well, you know, so that Auri and I can catch up on what’s been going on in her life, and hopefully Sunny can talk to her properly.”

Great. Should have known.

Auri looked at me suspiciously. TA laughed, and whispered something in her ear, and her mouth dropped open. Great. I think it’s time to get lost before I get humiliated by these idiots.

As we were walking to the Crystal Empire’s Restaurant Row, I pulled TA behind and gave her a scowl, “I thought I was eating out alone.”

“You never said anything about eating alone”, she said with a smug grin on her face.

“Well, maybe not, but I did say I didn’t want Twilight to be there,” my eyes narrowed.

She sighed. “Well maybe you did, but did I say that I would listen to you?” she smirked. Well I’m going to die. At least I was right about it getting worse. And...it's getting even worse. Auri told us that Twilight would be meeting us at Restaurant Row, and it was up to her to decide where we were going to eat. All I’m hoping for is that we don’t get hayburgers.

“Wait, but who said I was gonna eat with you?” I asked, trying to bring back an argument.

She shrugged. “This is a restaurant. I can always set up a date for you and Twilight, which could happen very easily if I ask Auri to-”

Shoot. “Okay, okay.” I said to her, as Auri caught up with us, and the quartet walked through the doors of the restaurant, followed by stupid, idiotic, stupid me. Twilight is going to be here! Spark up some conversation.

Fall started jumping up and down again. “Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh is that-”

Auri rolled her eyes. “Yes, it is.”

They all walked over, sat down, and I picked the seat furthest away from Twilight, just because.

“Hi!” Twilight said.

“Hi!” The girls chorused back.

“It’s been ages, Twilight!” TA sparked up some conversation. At least she’s doing better than you. Ugh! What did I say about the second person?

“I know! I’ve missed you all, and I told all my friends about you guys. I hope you get to meet them someday!” She looked at them, and then raised her eyebrows at me. “Flash? What are you doing here?”

“Oh, just hanging out with the cool girls.” TA looked like she was gonna burst out laughing.

And Saphie actually burst out laughing. I tilted my head over to her, and she looked up from her book. “Sorry. Reading.” They all gave her a weird look, and she rolled her eyes, and put her book down. “Whatever.”

“Right. Flash, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with-” She stopped speaking, as Princess Cadance walked into the restaurant, followed by Flurry Heart. “Why is this happening to me today?” She mumbled.

“AUNTIE!!!” Flurry went crazy, flying around and appearing and disappearing and reappearing, and ended up landing on Twilight’s head. She sighed. “I need to go. We’ll do this some other day, okay?” She said, and left to talk to Princess Cadance.

“The cool girls? Seriously?” Auri started, before the four of them burst out laughing. “Never gonna let you live this one down.”

I grunted. Why was I in love with this Princess? There was probably already someone in her life. She’s the Princess of Friendship. Not the Princess of Getting Dates. If she was in love with someone, he would be as famous as her.

I suppose there was always Sunny, Auri or Saphie to date, right? I couldn’t be with TA… she would scare me my whole life.

TA was just my annoying thought processor.

Sunny’s cute though. Wait, did you just think that?

I’m in love with two mares. Cheery.

TA, Auri and Saphie were talking about a book series. Morganville Vampires? And Sunny was walking behind them.

“Um, Sunny?” I called. What in Tartarus are you doing? What about Twilight? You’re in love with TWILIGHT SPARKLE not FALLING SUNSHINE. You got the name terribly wrong.
“Yeah?” She trotted back, and waited for me to say something.

“Um.” I stood there, like an idiot. My name should be changed to Idiot. Flashing Stupid, and the nickname can be Idiot. Then, I won’t have to change the initials on my guard armour. “Can you help me ask Twilight on a date?” Phew, at least I didn’t mess up that time, “and do you want to go on a date with me?” What did I just say? I hate myself. Double date. Interesting.

“Looks like somepony's confused.”, she laughed. That was not the reaction I was expecting. “Listen, if you like Twilight, then just tell her! And please don’t start mixing your feelings up. You’ve never shown much interest in me, I know you’re just confused. So, just go and ask her!” she continued.

“Wait. Um...what?” Did she just reject me? Wow. Okay then.

“No, you don’t understand! I’m not rejecting you. You didn’t even ask me out.”, she explained.

“But…I did”

“But your feelings didn’t. Like I said, you’re confused.” Can she read minds now?

“No I can’t, but I can understand what you're thinking from your expression” Well that’s not weird at all.

“Just. Ask. Her”, she persevered, “Ask her NOW!” Okay, okay calm down. “Good.”, she started pushing me towards the door.

“Wait! When you said ‘now’, you meant ‘now, now’?” I flailed my hooves around the mare’s surprising strength.

“Yes, of course I meant ‘now, now’!”, she replied, “Run and catch up to her! And don’t worry about us, we’ll just be heading to the dorm. See you in the morning go tell her go talk your heart out go go go!”

I started running, so fast that my hooves were burning, but I barely felt it. Run faster! You’ve got to catch up to her! RUN! The Crystal streets whizzed past my line of vision as I headed towards the Crystal Castle. Reaching the Square, where the Crystal Heart was located, I felt relief. Until the guard stopped me.

“Halt! Who goes there!”, he commanded. What the hay? I’m a guard! They should know that! Oh...wait, I’m not wearing my armor.

“Hehe, hello! I am Private Flash Sentry and I forgot my armor in my dorm...so”

“You may not enter,”

“What! Why not? I need to speak to Princess Twilight! It’s urgent!”

“A guard would know of letting a stranger into the castle to speak to the Princess. Only Shining Armor can allow letting a stranger in.”

I sighed. “But I’m not a stranger!”

“Flash Sentry?” Twilight emerged. “Uh, he’s not a stranger. You can let him go, Sir.”

“Sorry, Princess.” He replied.

She smiled. “It’s fine. Flash?” She left the door open, and I followed her in and closed the door behind me. “So, is everything okay?” She asked me.

Um, no. I was in love with you but then I was in love with Sunny so I asked her out but then she was like ‘no, ask Twilight out’, so I am trying to confess my love to you but this situation is driving me nuts. “Um, yeah.”

“Okay. So, Flash, if you don’t mind me asking, why exactly are you here?”

Great. She’s asking me what I asked her. Things aren’t going to plan.

“Um. Twilight, I wanted to tell you that…you...are...nice” Are you kidding me? That’s the best you could do?

“Uh...thanks?”, she smiled sheepishly.

Nope. You’ve made it so far, Flash. Well, not really, but here’s your chance. Just do it.

“No that’s not all.” sigh, here goes nothing, “Twilight, you’re amazing and you never fail to care for anypony. You’re smart, and kind and beautiful...and I wanted to tell you that...I...I love you, Twilight Sparkle.” Without thinking, I leaned forward and brushed my lips against hers. We stayed like that for what seemed like a thousand years. Eventually, our lips parted and our faces were only inches apart. I could feel her short, shallow breaths. Time stood still. All I could hear was my own heartbeat. And all I could see was Twilight’s face, distraught. What on Earth did you just do, Flash? Did you just kiss a Princess? She didn’t do anything but stand there silently, her mouth hung open.

“What?” Twilight whispered. She started breathing heavily. Look at what you did. Don’t even think about asking her if she’s okay, because she probably isn’t.

Again, without thinking, I walked out, straight to the dormitory.

Twilight doesn’t like you. No mare will.

Need to get up. Get up! I couldn’t get up. I couldn’t face the world. Not after that.

“Flash, get up! Shining’s gonna kill you, literally!” Thunder Spark shook me awake.

Better get up and face the world. Not. “I’m up.”

I got up and walked to the Mess Hall. I looked around to see if the quartet was there. They were sitting in the corner, and I walked over to them and dropped into a seat opposite them.

“Looks like somepony had a bad night.” Officer AA said, before sliding a bowl of pancakes in front of me. “Twilight wanted to see you. She came a few minutes ago.” She said.

They know something you don’t. “Okay, what is it that you’re not telling me?” I asked.

“Okay. It’s just that we know that you asked Sunny out and…stuff.” She bit her tongue to stop herself from laughing.

Right. “Okay.” I replied, unable to know what else to say.

“Look, you’re nice and all, but don’t ask us out ‘cause we’re just your friends, okay?” Sunny replied.

I’m talking to a bunch of stupid girls who think I’m nice. “Okay.”

“Now, tell us. How’d it go with Twilight?” Auri asked, interested.

They’re asking me to trust them. “You probably don’t want to know.” I replied, having a mouthful of pancakes.

“Oh, trust me, we do.” Auri said in a convincing tone. I shook my head. “Trust me I can do this the hard way.” What hard way? Probably girls being stupid.

“No.” I replied flatly.

“TA, do your thing.” Saphie insisted.

Oh no, not TA! “OKAY FINE!”

“Sure. Start talking.” TA smirked.

Great. I started explaining last night’s events with Twilight; how she saved me from those guards, how I confessed my feelings to her, how we kissed. And how I ran from the situation. Sunny’s face fell, Auri looked horrified, TA face-hooved and Saphie shook her head.

“Wait! You’re telling me that you went through all that, and you didn’t even ask her out?”, TA shouted. My hooves started trembling and my lips started quivering.

“Tinted! You’re scaring him!”, Sunny reprimanded her before gently patting my back in an attempt to calm me down. I’m not ready for this. “Well, at least you tried, Flash. And you...well yeah, you tried”, she tried and failed to reassure me. Why can’t I just handle it like normal ponies do? Why do I have to screw up so much?

“Aw, no, you’re not a screw up, Flash”, she continued, “Your heart was in the right place. And I’m sure Twilight appreciated your compliments.”

Sigh, not again with the mind reading.

“What are you? Some sort of love expert? She was panting, she looked like she was terrified! There was no way she could appreciate anything from me if she was afraid of me!” I cried. I’ve waited for so long. How much longer do I have to wait?

“No, I don’t think that’s it. You’re too wimpy for anypony to be afraid of.” TA teased. No point in arguing I guess. I am wimpy for making such an awful move, I probably scarred her for life. And considering what villains she’s faced, that’s saying something.

Auri rolled her eyes. “You didn’t scar her for life, Flash. She wants to talk to you again, and that’s the thing that’s saying something.” She replied. “And TA, forget it, I know what you’re gonna say, shut up!”

Seriously! What is with the mind reading?
Sunny beamed brightly and embraced me in a giant hug, “Hugs make everything better!”, she said and pulled the others into it, forming some sort of invincible group hug. I smiled at that, and remembered what Sunny had said a few minutes ago. “Don’t ask us out ‘cause we’re just your friends, okay?” As those words rang in my head time after time in our never-ending group hug, my smile only grew bigger. I told them all of this. They supported me and helped me, even when I messed up. And I trust them. And they’re my friends.

Author's Note

Hi everypony!

We're back with the next chapter. At this point, we tried to build the friendship between Flash and the rest of the gals. I have no idea why Flash liked Sunny all of a sudden (that was Auri's idea ). No, I totally don't have a crush on Flash, I have no idea what you're talking about.

So, as before, feel free to give us feedback! (But forgive Flashlight. I'm starting to like it more after writing this )
Thanks for reading!

-Sunny