What to Choose

by FALG

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Original Character, Twilight Sparkle
Length: 8832

I have to make a decision...

Canterlot, my home, that's my current location in this last part of the story.

After my father passed away, I decided to take care of his house in Canterlot; it was a good idea to take some time off of my life and retake it somewhere else.

My standby relationship with Fluttershy made me ache, but luckily I found a hobby to take my mind off it, but only to test my fidelity to her.

It wasn't until an old friend made me realize what to choose.

Published 2012-11-25 16:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-11-25 16:50:01 UTC

The story so far

I moved to Ponyville 6 months and a half ago, I decided to leave Canterlot to start a new life. I earned enough money with my brother to be independant and move at an early age.
I took my brother to Ponyville, where we were received with a party after living there for a month.

If it wasn't for that party, I wouldn't have met Fluttershy, who caught my attention when I first glanced at her. She is the kind of pony I like to hang out with, sweet, quiet, shy, I never thought I'd find somepony just like me!

Things got a little tense between us when I suddenly confessed to her, a bit early if I say so myself. Then she gave me a chance but I blew it, and spent half a week not seeing her.

When I saw her again, everything went right, she gave me another chance.

I kept dating her for a month, trying to take things slowly, but the thought of kissing her never stopped going through my mind.

We almost got robbed one night, and after dealing with the muggers, I fell into a coma for almost a week. While unconscious, I had a dream, testing my love for Fluttershy.

When I woke up, I found myself surprised to know everything was a lie, but not exactly everything.

As stupid and strange as it sounds, my cutie mark revealed its last phase, which professedly showed my purpose in life, after protecting Fluttershy in both real life and in dreams.

Another month later, things went again a little complicated, I rushed too much the things with her and we ended up in an uncomfortable position between us.

By that same time, I was invited to the Grand Galloping Gala. To my surprise, Fluttershy too, so we met there again, a little tense at first but we managed to put things back in place after a dance.

That same night, we told each other some things we haven't told each other before, because we were too afraid to do so.

That night, everything changed between us. For good.

Half a year passed that I lived in Ponyville up to this point.

Applebloom became my apprentice, I taught her to fight properly and to freerun a little. At first it was rather hard, but in the end she started liking our lessons.

On the other hoof, I arranged a date with Fluttershy, but she didn't came.
We learned that she was filly-napped, and mounted up a rescue operation with Twilight, Rainbow and me to Anvil.

We were spotted, but we managed to rescue Fluttershy; Twilight cast a spell to teleport us back to Ponyville, and when we arrived we had to tell the village about the incoming attack of the filly-nappers.

Shining Armor and my father came to lead the army, the other citizens were evacuated to Canterlot. We mounted a defensive plan to counter the attack.

We were about to lose the battle, until Rainbow did a Diving Bomb and defeated most of the enemies. I fell unconsious at that moment.

When I woke up, I learned that my father was KIA, and that the filly-nappers attacked again; Shining received reinforcements from Canterlot and the second skirmish went easier, but he didn't stop there: he commanded the Canterlot forces to Anvil, where the attackers were located, and finally eradicated them.

After I reunited back with Fluttershy, I decided to take care of the house of my now deceased dad, it was hard for me to tell her about this decision, but I promised I'd come back.

I'm going to stick to this promise, I thought to myself. I never believed I'd have my doubts of that.

Here, is where my story starts, a few days later of leaving Ponyville.

Arrival

Nothing changed in Canterlot in all this time I was absent.

The same busy streets, the high class habitants, and the soldiers patrolling here and there, not for nothing it's called the Capital of Equestria.

My old home didn't change either, so much memories woke up in me when I entered it, now empty.

"Home sweet home." I mumbled.
My brother entered right behind me, and directed himself quickly to the room.

"I'm tired as hell, I'm going to rest a little." he said.

"Sure, I'll call you for lunch."

The main room was wide, a television stood right next to the door, an old green sofa in front of it. The kitchen was a little beyond the sofa, and going to the side a bit further to the left.
I shared my room with my brother, at the right, shaping the house in an irregular "T" manner. My parents room was at the back, along with the bathroom.

I left my suitcases and bags at which was my bed half a year ago, and went back to the living room, and sat on the sofa.
I closed my eyes, and started to think everything that happened. I opened them again and looked at the hearth at my right. On it's edges rested several framed photos of our family. Where we were still four.

I never mentioned my mother didn't I? Well, maybe because she left our family at an early age, she had a disease, I didn't know which, but I never dared to ask either.

Her name was Lavender. She had a talent for being a housewife, but that wasn't what her cutie mark represented. In fact, I don't even remember what her talent was, maybe I forgot because I'd feel sad of what I could have shared, but didn't, if I did.

Suddenly a large bird knocked on a window from the kitchen. I went to it and opened it to let the bird in.

"Hey buddy, what's going on?" I asked playfully.
He showed me two letters he was carrying on his claws.

"Those are for me?" I asked, and he nodded, so I proceed to get the letters from him.

I opened the first one:

Dear Flare:

It's me Fluttershy, how was your arrival at Canterlot? Everything alright?

I'm sorry for not waiting a bit more time, but I couldn't stop thinking of writing to you, I already miss you.

"Me too Flutters, me too." I snickered, and kept reading.

I wanted to thank you again for the date we had before you left, it was really sweet of you.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, remember you told me that you like to stargaze? Well, I told my friend Twilight (she loves to do that too) and she wants to spend some time with you.
I can't explain it well myself, but I'm sure she'll write you a letter about that, she has to go to Canterlot to take care of some things anyway so...

I hope you reply soon.

Fluttershy

"I'm sure my kind of stargazing is a bit different from hers." I thought.

I went to the other letter, and read it:

Dear Flaring:

I'm Twilight, how are you doing? I hope you're doing fine.

I have to ask, do you like stargazing? Fluttershy just told me and I wanted to make sure. You see, I love stargazing, the night is something I love to watch, and investigate every now and then.
I'm actually coming to Canterlot in a few days because Celestia requested my presence, and I thought that while I'm there, you'd like to spend some time looking at the night sky and learn about it a little. What do you think?

Whenever you send a reply, send it with Owlowiscious.

I looked at the bird closely:

"I suppose you are Owlowiscious." I assumed.

"Who?" he responded

"Who? You, Owlowiscious, are you?"

"Who."

"Are you him or not?"

"Who."

"I'm asking YOU! Oh whatever." I turned back to the letter.

I'll see you later, or not, depending on what you wish to do.

Yours truly:
Twilight Sparkle.

PS: Don't try to talk with Owlowiscious, you'll just be in a loop of "who" (since he is an owl, he can't say anything else). He likes to joke with that, it happened to Spike.

"I feel like an idiot." I said.

"Who." Owlowiscious said.

"Me, oh wait."
I facehoofed.

I wrote the replies to both the girls, I wrote to Fluttershy that I was doing fine, my arrival was okay. And to Twilight that I liked the idea, and that we'll arrange later the time for doing stargazing.

I had something to keep my head occupied, spending time with a friend could help me out.

Another stroll

Twilight arrived to Canterlot a few days later, I met her at the station and helped her with her stuff. She was staying at the castle, Princess Celestia charged her subjects to prepare a room for her.

"Thanks for receiving me at the station." Twilight said halfway to the castle.

"Oh no problem, I wasn't very busy anyway." I said.

"How is your living here?"

"Well, everything reminds me of my family, but I can't complain."

"Do you have any idea of when you'll come back to Ponyville?" she asked.

"Not really, but I have to still take care of some things in my father's house, so until that, I won't come back anytime soon."

"I see, well I hope you don't take too much."

"Yeah, me too."

I walked her to her room in the castle. And left her stuff on the bed.

"There, I'm sure you want to rest after the trip, so I'll just leave now, I'll see you later."

"Wait Flare!" she stopped me "I'm actually not tired, I rested on the way here, I was actually going to take a walk around."

"But shouldn't you be busy for what Celestia demanded your presence for?"
She hesitated a little.

"Well, yes... but I have some spare time!" she said.

"Oh okay, but why are you telling me this?"

"Um, I wanted to ask, would you like to join me?"
I thought a little.

"Well, I almost always take a walk around, but I've never been accompanied by another pony. Sure! Let's go."

"Really? Oh thanks!"

We walked around the castle, talking, remembering what happened these last months.

"I gotta say, Fluttershy never stopped talking about you." she said.

"I think you already told me about that." I pointed.

"Maybe, but you wouldn't believe her face when she does that."

"That much?"

"C'mon, one can tell from afar that she is in love with you."

"I know she does, but not to such point." I said.

We stopped at a coffee shop:

"You guys are lucky, you are so meant for each other." Twilight concluded.

"You think?"

"Absolutely! You're both pretty much alike!"

"Well, you got a point there." I said.

"Where wouldn't I have a point?" she asked.

"Well, maybe in our activities."

"What does it have to do with anything?"

"Think about it. She is fond to animals, while I'm fond to swords, that just doesn't add up."

"So? Just because she likes to stick around to animals and you... like to swing around a stick?" she joked.
We laughed a little at that.

"So what? Not everything has to be exactly the same for you two." she paused "But why am I telling you this? You guys have been dating for like 5 months! And now you worry about it?"

"I'm a little slow, I think I missed to say that." I snickered.

We walked back to the castle after a while:

"Listen, I'm going to take a nap now, if you wish, we can start our classes tonight, what do you say?" Twilight suggested.

"Sure, what time do I show up?" I asked.

"Around midnight. And don't worry about burglars, since guards patrol most places there should be no danger."

"Okay, see you at midnight then!" I said while leaving for my house.

"How's the Casanova?" my brother greeted when I returned home.

"You again with that?" I said.

"And will go on until you stop looking for mares."

"But I stopped looking for mares! I'm focusing on one now!"

"You said that everytime and yet you got dumped."

"I only got dumped once, all the other times I agreed with the others to stop the relationship!"

"Oh come on, that's a fancy way to say you got dumped."

"Since when?"

"Since you started having marefriends!"

"That doesn't make any sense! Would you just shut the hay up?"

"I would, but I won't." he said with a smirk on his face.
I grunted.

Just classes?

Just as I expected, Twilight's way of stargazing was way different than mine: I just like to look the stars, she analizes the universe.

You wouldn't believe how something you like to do can become boring! I barely heard anything she told me. The only thing that caught up my attention was when she started talking about constelations.

"You know, you can save your monologue Twilight" I interrupted her at some point "I know enough of the universe."

"Hehe, sorry, sometimes I get carried away." she apologized.

"And now you're telling me?"
She gave me a sheepish smile.

We were on the astronomy wing of the castle, several telescopes were around and another way bigger than the others stood on the end of the room, we were using that last one.

"Do you have clearance to use this telescope anyway?" I asked Twilight.

"It's midnight, and the guards allow me to enter, need any more information?"

"I guess no..." I said scratching my head.

We kept looking with the telescope by turns, while Twilight used it to investigate, I looked at a nearby window to stargaze on my own.

"Hey check this out!" she called me after a while.
I went to the telescope and looked some rock bursting in some kind of flame.

"What's that, a meteor?" I asked.

"That's a meteoroid." she corrected me.

"Isn't it the same thing?"

"Not really, a meteor is the visible path of the meteoroid, that's exactly what everypony calls a 'shooting star'." she explained

"I never knew exactly what a shooting star was anyway."

"See? Not everything you hear from me is useless."

"I never said that, I just said you don't have to tell me everything."

"But you thought it."

"That..." I paused "...I won't discuss."

She kept teaching me a bit of astronomy, but I barely paid attention.

As classes went on, Twilight was even more light hearted to see me than the last, plus, she also tried to engage in talks with me.

On one hoof I found cool that she found these meetings not just to learn, but to spend some quality time. But on another, my head usually told me that there was something hidden in this.
I ignored those thoughts at first because everytime I thought that, it wasn't true at all.

I started to suspect something after some more classes.

"And you think there's something else behind the lessons?" Plaid asked, to which I nodded "Aren't you a little paranoic about this stuff? It happened to you before and it turned out the other way around."

"I know, I know." I said "That's why I said that I 'think', I may be wrong."

"I mostly think you are."

"I do so too, but I can't keep wondering."

"Why don't you ask her?"

"I will, but I'm afraid I may misunderstand, after all, she didn't make some kind of move yet."

"Then wait until she does, and ask her the next day, or right away, depending on what she does."

"That seems the best option."

The next class everything went like always, with her joy rising up when I entered the room.

"You came just in time! I found out that a meteor will show up soon in the sky!" she said

"So, should we see it with the bare eye? Because I don't think I can follow a meteor with a telescope." I replied.

"I was actually going to suggest we could go outside. To Canterlot's fields."

"To stargaze the way Celestia intended? Because everything we've done so far was astronomy."
She chuckled.

"Let me get some stuff, wait for me in the castle gates."
And so I did.

When she showed up again at the gates, I saw she was carrying...

"A picnic basket? What for?"

"I thought that maybe we could have something to eat while we wait for the meteor, you don't mind do you?" she said.
I shook my head in denial, and we parted to the fields.

We put the cloth on the grass and sat there, I checked whatever Twilight brought on the basket, a few sandwiches and drinks, along with some sweets.

"This is not any kind of picnic." I thought "There is definitely something else behind this." but I went on with it, to see how far would it go.

"So, you've come very prepared for this occasion." I said.

"I guess, but I like to do this most nights." she answered.

"Well, maybe I'm wrong after all." I thought.

We sat there, silent for some time, until I spoke:

"Do you contact with your friends regularly when you're here in Canterlot?"

"Well, not regularly, but every few days I write them a letter, why?"

"No reason." I quickly said and looked at the sky again.
Another silence.

"I actually want to know, how's Fluttershy?" I asked.
Twilight turned her head slowly and looked at me.

"Aren't you supposed to contact her on your own?"

"Well yeah, but I haven't wrote to her since your letter about this classes you wanted to share."

"Oh, that explains it." she muttered.

"Huh?"

"Oh! Er, nothing!" she gave me a strange smile.
I didn't ask again, I'd do it later anyway.

Some minutes later, the meteor showed up, and suddenly another few followed suit.

"Hey, I thought you said that only one meteor was going to show up." I said.

"You can't expect that everything that everypony else says is completely accurate." she replied.

"Well, not from everypony, but your info is, sometimes."

"Oh stop it." she smiled.

The few meteors that crossed the sky dissapeared as quickly as they appeared.

"So this was a quick meteor shower." I said.

"I tend to look at the sky whenever I predict a meteor shower, even if it's as short as this one." she explained.

"But do you prepare this much?" I asked while pointing the basket, and grabbing a sandwich.

"Hehe not really, I only did it because you'd be coming, and maybe you wanted something to bite."

"That's thoughtful of you."

We stared at the sky for some time, not saying anything and enjoying the peace surrounding us. But there was still that thought in my mind that all this situation was hiding something.

"Should I ask her if there's something going on? And how should I do it?" I kept thinking.

We kept quiet a long time, and eventually I made it obvious that I was feeling uncomfortable. My heart was racing again.

Finally Twilight spoke:

"Hey, remember a week ago, when I told you that I felt jealous about you and Fluttershy?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah? What about it?" I asked back.

"Well, I think I wasn't actually jealous of you both, only of Fluttershy." she explained.

"Why? I told you, you will have your chance someday."

"But it's not the fact that she has a coltfriend."
I wished it wasn't what I was thinking it would be.

"It isn't? Then why are you jealous of her, if it's not because she has a coltfriend?"

"It's because... of the coltfriend she has."

"Er, I'm afraid I'm not following you there." I badly lied. I was more than certain what Twilight was saying.

"Don't you play dumb on me Flaring, you know very well what I'm talking about." she looked at me a little sad.
I waited.

"I like you, Flare."

I really wished I was wrong this time, but those four words crumbled upon me.

I'm a weak pony, when it comes to love, because if I don't have a crush on any mare sometime, it only takes a declaration from one for me to develop feelings for her. It happened to me once, but I had a marefriend by that time, and I felt it was like cheating.

Twilight likes me, that was the truth, and I couldn't do anything about it.

"A-a--are you sure?" I tried to reverse the situation "Maybe you just feel a...a crush! You know! It will go away with the time."

"No, I'm definitely sure about this." she said.

"But, how? And when did you start feeling that for me?"
She sighed:

"I started developing something for you around the time when you arrived to Ponyville."

"That long?"

"Not totally, you see, I think I've left those feelings dormant until then."

"I think I don't follow, for real this time."

"I only thought you were cute, nothing more."

"Oh I see. But what made you like me?"

"Hmmm, maybe what you told me in the hospital."
I was confused.

"What did I say?" I asked.

"That Shining didn't introduce us before because he was afraid of what could happen."

For a pony recently confessed, I was more nervous than her.

"He doesn't have the right to hide me stuff, or friends! I'm her sister!" she said.
I waited some seconds before saying something else.

"Look Twilight, you are a great mare, you're smart, pretty, I repeat it, I'm sure you'll find a colt that suits you."

"Didn't you hear me a few minutes ago? I said I like YOU, I don't care for other colts."
I sighed.

"I know that, but you know I already am with Fluttershy, and you know I love her."
I couldn't believe that this declaration would make me doubt my feelings.

"So I have to say it, as hard as it is for you, but I don't feel the same way for you."

"Are you totally sure?" My mind asked me.

Twilight looked down.

"I'm sorry." I said.

"Don't be, it's okay, at least I could tell you." she looked up again "You're not mad at me are you?"

"Why would I? Nopony can get mad at you for liking somepony else... well, unless that pony has a crush on you."
She giggled.

"I better go, I guess you want to be alone." I said.
She simply nodded, so I left.

Once I walked away some meters, I heard a quick noise. I turned back and only saw a little puff of purple smoke.

Revelations

I didn't go the next few classes with Twilight, I assumed she didn't want to see me after I rejected her.

I loved Fluttershy, but I was developing a crush on this unicorn.

"Such an ideal for monogamy I have." I thought.

Once, a friend told me "If you fall in love with two people, stay with the second, because if you really loved the first one you wouldn't have fallen in love twice". Now I was worried that I would have to leave Fluttershy just for some stupid crush.

I gave some thoughts to the situation, and came to the conclusion Twilight and I had more in common: we like to stay up late to stargaze, we like books, and we also share Shining Armor, who is like another brother to me.
But anytime I remember how much we have in common, I can't help but think of Fluttershy again, and remember why I've fallen in love with her in the first place.

I was very confused on what to do. So I decided to do something to help me think: go for a walk. I didn't want to greet anyone on the way, so I grabbed my black hood and cloak, put it on and left my house.

I needed to look down for my hood to cover my face. It was better that way, I can think better while looking down.

Walked down some streets, stopped at some hills, then walked again, I bumped into some pedestrians because my hood was covering too much.
When I wanted to correct it, I crashed into another pony:

"I'm very sorry! I wasn't looking." I apologized while getting up.

"It's okay, do not worry." a female voice replied.
I quickly walked next to the mare and kept on with my thinking. But a hoof in my shoulder stopped me.

"Are you okay?" the female voice asked.

"I'm fine, thanks." I quickly lied.

"You don't seem so. Is there something wrong?"

"Excuse me lady, I don't think this is any of your business. Please leave me be."

"Oh Flaring, you know it is my business too." she surprisingly knew my name.
I took off my hood, and looked at the mare, and I was met by two purple eyes.

But those weren't Twilight's:

"You!" I exclaimed.

"I can't believe it! How are you after all this time?" I asked.

"I am fine, thanks. And how about you? I have not heard from you for a long time." she asked.

"Well, besides today, I'm great."

"I see, so, have you met any mare you like?"

"You bet! In fact, I have a marefriend."

"Is that so? Well, congratulations!"

"Thanks. So how about you? Any colt that fell for the charms of the great cellist Octavia?"

Octavia was one of my other marefriends too, a few years back. She meant, and means a lot to me. After some time of our break up, we ended up as great friends, and helped each other whenever the other needed it.
I love Octy too, but as a friend, I don't feel anything for her now. Neither does she, but that doesn't stop us from being friends, does it?

I met Octavia in one of the Grand Galloping Galas, a few years before meeting Fluttershy. She's older than me, that's true, but that didn't stop me from asking her name and chatting a little.
She told me she lived in Ponyville, rather unlucky if you ask, but I didn't care, so I asked her if she had an address where I could write to.
While writing each other, I developed a crush on her. And when I decided to confess, she said she had a crush on me too!
And we ended up dating for a few months, until we broke up. She said I was too young for her, she was a little right, by the time we were dating she had a legal age, and I am 2 years younger than her; but that didn't stop me from trying to get her back, to no avail.
Once I was done with my rage that she left me, we established contact again, just as friends, and we get along better as friends than coltfriends.

We were sitting in a table at a cafe where we could talk:

"Actually, I do have a colt in mind, but I don't think he feels the same way." she said.

"Did you ask him?" I asked.

"Not really, but I should, right?"

"Of course! Go for it! And if he doesn't care, well, better luck next time."

"Hehe, true..."

We kept talking of our lifes, what happened to us since the last time we wrote each other.
I told her that I moved to Ponyville, and I searched for her for a long time, but she told me I wasted my time because she didn't come to Ponyville for almost a year now. When I asked her why she answered that she took this year as sabbatical, and visited many places, she had a big quantity of savings, enough to last 2 years without a work.

"Wow, being the cellist of Canterlot sure does pay." I said.

"Well, my family has given me some money when I decided to move to Ponyville." she explained.

"And with that, plus your works here, you did save quite a bunch."

"Exactly, though I miss working too."

"Well, you are on the second half of your vacations, you'll work soon enough."

"That's right, but I had some little jobs on the cities I visited."

"Let me guess, it involves music?"

"Well, there are restaurants that pay very well."

"No argument here."

"So do tell, why are you sad?" she asked after talking some more.

"Just some love stuff." I waved a hoof dismissing the importance.

"Oh that's not good. What is your problem?"
And I told her everything.

"I remember playing that song in the gala." she pointed.

"Wait, you were there? But weren't you supposed to be on sabbatical?" I asked.

"Yes, but I took a few days off to work for the princess. I have to admit, that was a beautiful song."

"Yeah well, it's nothing compared to your music."

"So anyway, that is the problem? You do not know what to do?" she asked.

"Uh-huh, I mean, I love my marefriend, but I'm starting to develop some feelings for this other mare."
She brought a hoof to her chin.

"Well, I could help you if this involved only one of them, but when it comes to two, I can not tell you what would be right. That is up to you."

"That's true, I have to make this decision alone." I got up from the chair, and walked towards the door.

"Are you leaving so soon?" she left her chair and followed me.

"Yes, I've got a lot of thinking to do." I answered.

"Oh, that's okay, I hope to see you again soon."

"Me too. Well take care!" and I left.

A few steps away from the cafe, Octavia stopped me again.

"Sorry to disturb you again Flare, but I have to tell you something."

"What's up?" I asked.
She stammered a little.

"I want to talk to you again, but at night, at the park, do you mind?"

"What does she want?" I thought. "At night you say? Why?"

"I have something to tell you, before I leave Canterlot in a few days, please?"

"Well, okay."
We agreed an hour to meet, pretty late, and we said goodbye.

I waited at the park, until Octy showed up.

"Want to go for a walk?" she asked.

"You made me come here just for a walk?" I asked back.

"I'm just joking. I have to show you something, follow me." she said. So I did.

We stopped at the front of a house.

"Do you still do that freerunning stuff you told me a few years ago?" she asked.

"Um, yeah, why? Do you want me to show you?" I asked.

"Yes, I've never seen you do it, so..."

"Oh okay, hold on."

I prepared myself, and climbed the house.

"Is that it?" I asked from above.

"Not really, you see, I want to do it too." she said.

"What?! You want to freerun? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I want to try."

"Well, this is strange but, okay, don't whine to me if you get..."
Before I could finish the sentence, she was already at my side.

"...hurt?"

"Well, it's not as hard as I thought. Shall we?" she said while going to other roofs.

We kept jumping for some minutes, she was doing even better than me, how could this be?

"Hey how do you do it?!" I asked between jumps.

"Do what, this? I guess I'm a natural!" she smiled.

We stopped at an edge under the moonlight, and sat there for a while.

"Darn, how is it that you do this better than me?" I asked her again.

"I do not know, maybe I have a gift for this after all." she joked.

"No seriously, how do you do it? I thought that only a few ponies were able to freerun so fluidly!"

"Is that so? Who were this ponies you speak of?"

"I shouldn't tell you, it's kingdom's secret."

"And how do you know it, if it is as much important?"

"My father was Captain of the army in Canterlot, as his son, I had as much clearance as him to explore the archives."

A tear fell from my eye.

"Why are you crying?" asked Octavia.

"After mentioning him, I remembered..."

"Remembered what?"

I looked at her, and explained her about the battle that Ponyville went through, the reasons why it started, the rescue in Anvil, my father's falling in action, and the backstory, everything I didn't tell her before.

"It was all a misunderstanding then? They attacked Ponyville because they thought you were the last one in a guild which you had no relation to?" she asked.

"Exactly, I could have explained the situation, but I sneaked in with two other ponies instead." I explained.

"I see, I'm very sorry."

"What guild did those ponies believe you were in?" she asked.

"They thought I was with the assassins." I said.
She gasped.

"So it was the Guardians that attacked?" she asked.

"Yeah exactl... hold on, how do you know?" I asked back.
She flinched, and sighed.

"Remember that I needed to tell you something?"

"Uh, yeah?"
She searched for something inside her tie, and showed me a necklace.

But not any necklace. This one, had the assassin's insignia.

"No way..."
She nodded.

"I am one of the assassins from Anvil." she affirmed.

"So all this time, you've been from Anvil?"

"Exactly, I had a rough time there, so I was sent undercover to Ponyville; if the assassins were to get eradicated there, I could rally the troups from other cities and make them attack the Reds."
Suddenly I realised something.

"So that's why you've been on vacation this last year! You've been gathering all the assassins on a big retaliation!"

"I suspected there was something wrong when I lost contact with the Head Master's protégé, who sent me undercover to Ponyville."

"You've been sent to Ponyville by Swift Slash?"

"How is it that you know Swift?

"Uh, maybe I missed to mention that he had a short affair with one of my group of friends."
Octavia was very surprised to hear that.

"Huh, interesting, I did not see that coming from Swift." she said.

"How come that you've been sent to Ponyville for having a 'rough time' in Anvil?" I asked.

"Well, I wanted to be somewhere a bit more easygoing, Anvil wasn't suit for me, it looked very medieval for me. So Swift, who was my friend by then, recommended our Head Master to send me there, undercover." she explained.
She kept silent a little.

"I have to admit, I was about to defect from the assassins after a year of being sent here."

"What? Why? Why would you neglect their cause?" I asked stranged.
She looked at me, and put a hoof on my cheek.

"Because it was around the time I met you, Flaring."

"So, that's why you left me..."

"I couldn't risk your life for a desire of mine! You mean a lot to me." she said

"Then why didn't you defect your allegiance and stayed with me? I loved you." I asked
She sighed.

"Even if I did, chances are that my assassin past would have caught up to us, and we'd pay the consequences. Once an assassin..."

"...you never stop being one. I know that feel." I said.

"I'm very sorry Flare."

"It's okay, you can't achieve to have everything the way you want." I sadly smiled, which she responded with one of her own.

She kissed me on the cheek, and stood up.

"I have to leave know, I have a long day tomorrow." she said.

"Didn't you say that you'd be leaving in a few days?" I asked.

"An assassin can not have an specific schedule, Flare."

She looked at the sky, then back at me again.

"Make up your mind with those two, do what your heart tells you what's right. Take care." she finished, stood up, and with a Leap of Faith, jumped off.

When I tried to find her, she was already gone.

More doubts

The next day:

Octavia was right, I had to make up my mind, for real, and I couldn't just pay attention to what a friend told me, that wasn't right.

Since I already told Twilight that I didn't feel anything for her, there was nothing more to say. So I went to her room in the castle, to talk like nothing happened.

"Hey there." I greeted.

"Oh, hi..." she greeted back, a little depressed.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really, I still can't get over your rejection."

"I'm sorry."

"No no, it's fine, you are right, you're with Fluttershy, I had no right to confess myself to you." she said.

"If it makes you feel a little better, my relationship with Fluttershy is in stanby for as long as I'm here."

"But you promised you'd come back to her, how it will make me feel better?"

"How do you know that? I never told you."

"Because Fluttershy did. Before I left Ponyville."

"Oh."

"You don't care." Twilight suddenly said.

"What?" I asked.

"You don't care what you tell to Fluttershy." she defied.

"What are you talking about?"

"What I'm talking about? Do you really dare to ask me what I'm talking about, after yesterday?!"

"Did she see me with Octavia? But when?" I thought.

"I don't believe it."

"Hey, is it because of the mare I was with yesterday?" I asked.

"Well duh! I wouldn't have said that for just you saying no to me!"

"Okay, easy, she's an ex-marefriend of mine, I am over her, and that's it." I explained.

"Are you telling me the truth?"

"Of course, I only had a chat with her in that restaurant, nothing else."
She kept silent, incredulous:

"But I only saw you with her jumping roofs at night."

"Oh great." I thought after the mistake I made.

"I thought this was bad! But now..." she started.

"Twilight listen to me! That mare means a lot to me, I didn't hear anything from her for a long time. Believe me when I say, she's one of my deepest friends. But nothing else."
She looked away.

"What happened last night, with me and her, didn't go any further than jumping roofs." I reassured

"How can I believe that? When I saw you both stop on that ledge, I looked away, afraid of what you were going to do."
I couldn't believe myself, why was I explaining everything to Twilight? She had no right to question me, as much of a friend she was to Fluttershy.

"You don't believe me? Fine, let's leave it that way." I said angrily, and left the room.

"What a way to leave good impressions." Plaid pointed when I returned home.

"And now she'll tell Fluttershy." I said.

"Why don't you write her and say it was all a misunderstanding? Just to fix up things a little."

"Even if I did, Fluttershy wouldn't believe me. She knows Twilight for more than a year, and I appeared in her life later than that. It's the word of a best friend against mine."

"But you are her coltfriend..."

"My relationship is in standby with her, and plus, everypony knows that friends come before relationships."

"Who decided so?"

"I could explain you, but you wouldn't understand, you don't have that kind of friendship. So we'll leave it at that."

"Whatever."

I went to my room and collapsed on my bed.

"Why do I believe it's getting harder for me to come back with Fluttershy?" I whispered to myself.

"I'll tell you why, because you haven't decided what to do yet." my inner self told me.

"But I did decide!"

"Without fully making up your mind, and that Twilight made you doubt again didn't she?"

"Yes. Ugh, why I'm so weak about love?"

"Because you never achieved a relationship worth calling 'true love'."

"But what about Octavia?"

"Okay... besides Octavia, you never achieved a relationship worth calling 'true love'."

"That's better."

"So what now?"

"I don't know, looks like my plan to forget about Fluttershy and anything related to love for a while, didn't work out."

This was just sad, more than sad, pathetic! There is no way I can come up right after all this event.

If I could turn back time, I'd go back to the battle of Ponyville and prevent that unicorn from killing my dad. But that was impossible, no matter how I wished it.

We finally found a will in the house, and after a bunch of paperwork, my brother and I were the owners of the house in Canterlot, and everything within it. We also found a secret chest full of bits our father had just in case, it was double as big as ours. It had enough money to pay the bills of the house for the next few years.

"When did dad get all that money?" I asked Plaid.

"Maybe during his time as Captain? Seriously, do some retrospective every now and then Flare." he answered.

"Okay okay, don't answer if you're going to be like that."

The main goal was accomplished, we found the will. Now what?

No answers

Three days later:

I had no clue on what to do, we finished our business here, what was I still doing here on Canterlot?

Well, we still had to decide what to do with the house, keeping it would be a waste, not to mention that we'd still have to pay the taxes. That wasn't much of a problem considering the fortune we recently found.

If keeping it would be a waste, leaving it would be a loss, there were so much memories there, and our house in Ponyville couldn't handle all the furniture unless we sell it.
But it is hard to get rid of stuff you got so used to, things that were there since your foalhood.

"What should we do?" I asked.

"Now, that's a very good question." my brother pointed.

"It's too hard to give up all this stuff, and the house."

"So? Let's not sell the house."

"Are you kidding? We'd be taking up space, when somepony else could need it."

"Why not rent the place?"

"Yeah right. I don't plan on feeding from others."

"Then tell them to pay you as much as the taxes ask!"

"Wait, you lost me."

"Oh forget it."

As always, I went for a walk, I had to decide what to do with the house, sure, that problem could wait. But I wanted to get rid of problems as soon as they come.

To my surprise, I ran into Twilight while walking.

"Hey." I greeted, without too much enthusiasm.
She made a grimace in response. Which was followed by an awkward silence.

"Listen, I..." I started

"Before you keep speaking Flare, there is something I have to tell you." she said.
So I nodded, allowing her to continue.

"Our arguing from a few days ago, had no reason to ever happen."

"I think I knew that already. But why exactly is that?" I asked.

"Maybe because I was a bit angry at the thought of you leaving my friend alone in Ponyville."

"That's where you're wrong, I asked Fluttershy to wait for me, I promised I'd come back for her."

"I know. But I still doubted you."

"It's fine, don't worry."

"I'm sorry."

"Twilight, it's okay. Sure, you doubted a promise I made, but in the end you regret doing so. That's what counts."
She smiled.

"Thanks for understanding. You're definitely a great guy." she finished, and turned around to leave.

As I was about to do the same, she stopped me:

"If I got paid for everytime I'm stopped this week, I wouldn't need my dad's chest for anything." I thought.

"Sorry, there's something else I have to tell you." she said.

"What is it?"

"Well... it's something a bit delicate. Please don't get mad."
I waited in silence, for her to finally ask me that "delicate" question.

"Is it okay... if I ask you for a kiss?"

"What?!"

"I won't ask for anything else. Please just give me this."

"Um, why are you asking me for this anyway?"

"Well... I do have a crush on you. But I know I can't ask you to be anything more than friends. So I'm asking it as a favor, and nothing else. I don't mind if you don't like me back."
I stammered a little, unsure of what to say.

"Besides, I never kissed anypony before." she added.

"Well, it's just a favor for a friend, there's no harm in it, right?" I thought.

"Anyway, this isn't a topic to talk in the middle of the street. Let's go somewhere else, a bit more private." she replied.

She took me to an alley, where we wouldn't be bothered by anypony.

Once there, we stayed still for some minutes, unsure of what to do.

"I'm pretty nervous, how about you?" she asked innocently.

"Hey Twilight." I started. "Do you really wish for me to do this for you? W-wouldn't you like to wait for another colt for that?"
She looked at me.

"I will not answer questions like that." she simply said.

The next moment, she closed her eyes, waiting for me to make a move.

"She's just like a doll, completely passive. And yet she asked me to do this in the first place." I thought.
No matter how much of a thought I gave to the situation, even if it was just a little favor for Twilight, I couldn't do it, it didn't feel right.

"I'm sorry." I said. "I can't do this."
Twilight looked at me, a bit surprised at first. But suddenly she looked brightly happy.

"Yes! I knew you would say that!"

"I beg your pardon?" I asked.

"Okay, here's the thing." she started and explained me the situation.

Fluttershy was very sad that I departed to Canterlot, I already knew that, and I promised I'd come back for her. But anyway Twilight felt bad for her, so she offered her help, to keep Fluttershy out of worries. She declined the offer, but Twilight did it anyways.
So she used the excuse of stargazing to have a way to approach me, and that leads up to this point.

"So summing up, it was all some kind of test?" I asked.

"Pretty much. I'm sorry I did it, but I wanted to make sure you were out of my league." she apologized.

"The fact that I promised Fluttershy to come back wasn't enough prove?"

"Many ponies make promises and the next day they forget them!"

"Are you implying that I wasn't going to keep my promise?"

"Well... no, but..."

"But what?"
She went silent. And looked down.

"I gotta admit I had my doubts about this anyway." I confessed.

"What?"

"After thinking about it a little, I found out you and I share some stuff together. That made me doubt my promise."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, absolutely. But a friend helped me decide."

"That one which I saw you with?" she guessed.

"Yes, and I repeat, she is my friend now, nothing else."

"I believe you, now." she said.

"Good."

"Well, now that all this situation was solved, I guess I can leave for Ponyville now. I'll see you there." she said and trotted off the alley.

"Hey wait, I got a last question for you." I stopped her.

"What's up?"

"What would you have done if your calculations were wrong, and I actually kissed you?"
She was very surprised at the question. But she gave me a smile and with her hoof she poked her lower eyelid in a sign of "careful with that", and she said:

"I will not answer questions like that."

Message to you

So this is where my story ends, that half of year I lived in Ponyville really changed my life.

Well yeah, that and, of course, Fluttershy did.

All this story you just read, I'm writing it right now, after 5 years have passed. I finally put my hooves down and settled with my love.

I still do some freerunning every now and then, just to keep my shape. In fact, I resumed my classes with Applebloom for a while, until I couldn't teach her anymore.
I realised that when we decided to test her skills, she defeated me! It was a little bummer because I wanted to keep being the teacher, but it was no use, she defeated me, and it would be useless to keep teaching her.

So when my brother turned the legal age, I moved to my father's house, and asked Fluttershy to come with me. She had a hard time deciding between moving with me, or staying with her friends.
They encouraged her to move in with me, but there was another problem, because who would take care of the many animals she babysitted? I'm sure as hay that my father wouldn't like animals on his house.

I told Fluttershy that if she can't leave her animals, I was more than okay with that, but she wanted to move in with me anyway, so she found a solution.
She asked her friend Applejack if she could take the animals in her farm, which she accepted, but made sure to hire another pony capable of taking care of animals.

And her cottage? She still keeps it, but we now use it as a staying place whenever we decide to visit Ponyville again. And all the animals gather there everytime we do so.

How's my life now? I gotta admit, it has become really boring, that year was very busy for me. But I don't regret it in any way.

So... this is the end folks! I know that this story won't be read by many ponies, maybe even nopony will get to know about this. But to anyone there, that is reading this, I confess that writing my story was something I enjoyed very much doing, and I hope you enjoyed reading it.

I'm putting my quill down now, for good. Besides, there's not much more to tell anyway.

So then, farewell... to all!

Hush?

Twilight returned to Ponyville, after a week of her departure. Her friends were waiting at the station to greet her and to help with her luggage.

During the night, she visited Fluttershy at her cottage. They both greeted each other with a hug:

"How are you feeling?" Twilight asked.
Fluttershy grabbed a little chalkboard with her wings, and with her mouth wrote something down:

"I'VE BEEN BETTER"

"How your voice doing? Any luck yet?"
Fluttershy shuffled her head, and moved away from the door to let Twilight in.

"Hey, I want to ask you something." the unicorn said.
The other had her ears perked up to hear.

"You're not mad at me, after I told you about my feelings with Flare?"
Fluttershy looked down, a little bad.

"Sorry, I didn't want to bring that up. But I just wanted to know." Twilight apologized.
The pegasus wrote down something else on the chalkboard.

"WE CAN'T CHOOSE WHO WE FALL IN LOVE WITH"

"You're right, but I don't feel THAT much for Flaring, this is just a crush." she blushed "Anyway, is everything fine between us then?"
Fluttershy nodded, smiling a little.

"Thanks." Twilight said.

"Actually, there's more than I have to tell you." she continued, and proceeded to tell her the events on Canterlot.

Fluttershy was very surprised, and she also felt kinda useless.

"I know I have no excuse for doing this, but I couldn't help it. It's very hard to see you sad." Twilight said.
Her friend wrote down in the chalkboard:

"YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO DO THIS, I'M NOT A FILLY THAT NEEDS EVERYTHING DONE BY OTHERS"

"I know, but this is something I alone wanted to do. I wanted to make sure I had no chance with him, so I could focus on something else. And it turned out correlating to you."
Fluttershy didn't answer.

"I'm very sorry, but you know what? Don't take the word from me." Twilight said and went to the door, and left.

Fluttershy let herself fall to the ground, the door opened again, and in a sudden rage she threw the chalkboard to the door.

I was lucky to duck before it hit me.

"Hey calm yourself down will ya'?" I told Fluttershy, who was astonished for seeing me.
And the next thing she did was run to me and hug me. But she made sure to give me a slap before that.

"I guess I somehow deserve it." I joked while she caressed the cheek that she slapped. And hugged me again. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too."