Chapter thirteen

A single crystal raises itself out of a pouch and seats itself in to a suit of armor. King Sombra looks patiently at the suit that was given to him and replaces all the decorative stones and gems that were in it with his own that he recently got from the empire. Admiring the craftsmanship that was put in to the suit itself at times. The gems it has in it are exquisite, and the etching that has been done in to the metal to give it a decorative pattern on the surface while maintaining its function one can simply not compare to in times like these where armor is usually mass produced by teams of foundry workers pounding away at metal. All of this is not lost on the king who has seen the process that individuals would go through to personalize their armor. And although the jewels that it had are valuable and certainly better looking than the ones he replaced them with, these new ones actually add a purpose to the suit as well that only he will really benefit from. Finally finishing the process upon fusing the last stone in place by wrapping the metal around it once more. Sombra takes a step back to admire his own craftsmanship in the piece.

Just in time to have the queen burst in to the little cottage that has been made for him. Chrysalis hadn’t known what the king was up to until this point, only seeing the glow of magic and hearing the occasional pounding of a hammer, though when she sees the armor that he has changed. Her jaw nearly hits the ground along with the gems that he put off to the side to follow. “You twat!” she yells at him, running up to it to see what else he has done other then throw the precious jewels out, “this suit was crafted hundreds of years ago by the finest artisans of their time in the changeling empire!”

“Yet you said I needed a new suit,” he points out, just to drive the knife deeper and deeper as has become somewhat accustom between them, “and you turn around and give me a tin can that was probably gathering dust in a corner before you brushed it off.”

“It was still in a better shape than your old suit!” she whips her head around and snickers back at him, as he drops what he is doing at the moment and death glares the queen.

“Whoa now, hold your rungs!” he jumps down Chrysalis’s throat while, up to this point, Sombra was calm and mellowed out, quietly doing his work.

The king had gotten to kill a few ponies, get his crystals… although not all of them. Yet also finished what he wanted the extra crystals for. It has been a good last couple days, and he much would have wanted that to stay… though one thing he can never take is an insult to his image as a colt, a unicorn, or especially a king. “I was taken out by the crystal heart and torn from this very existence, my own body ripped from its moral form and cast in to the gates of Tartarus! You were thrown to the boarders of Equestria because of a married couples love… I think I have more of a reason to have my armor look like the hind quarters of mare that has taken it to many times up their back side, than you do!”

Chrysalis wasn’t expecting such an answer to come from him, which just leaves her stumped for words. Then again she has been pissing him off on a regular basis, and on top of that she has started to learn which buttons to push more and more. At the same time, it’s not that she was surprised that he had a comeback for her. It’s the fact that he had such a good comeback at that. All the queen can do is shrug her shoulders and submit… for once.

“I suppose, you’re right,” she calms her nerves finally and lowers her head down a bit.

“I hope!-” Sombra starts to say before it finally clicks in his head what the mare across from him actually just said, “…umm… wait what?”

“Oh you heard me,” she waltzes up to the side of the armor, looking it over of what he’s done to it. Even she must has to say that what has been changed honestly isn’t that bad of a loss. Seeing as the king may have a reason though after all, “I said your right… don’t get used to it though.”

“Wouldn’t think of it to begin with,” he says taking a position on the other side of the suit, checking his own work.

“So now that that’s behind us… what did you do to it?” the queen asks, “Other than destroy a priceless suit.”

Sombra points out all the jewels that were removed and replaced with his own stones as he explains why he went and ‘destroyed’ the ancient suit. “As I told you before, I draw power from the crystals… they are as much a part of me as I am them. There for, instead of carrying a bag of crystals around when I need them. It makes more sense to have them built in to a suit that I will be wearing.”

“Well…” Chrysalis says pausing before she says a word to think it over, “That does make more sense than I would have suspected. Although you weren’t exactly subtle when it came to getting those rocks of yours,” she says rolling her deep green eyes at his grand, and bloody, entrance in to the empire. “Seriously you were there for only, what? An hour? And killed four guards.”

“Still, slow for me,” Sombra answers proudly.

Leaving the queen just to shake his head at his measure of the word ‘pride.’ “However, I will give you credit for leaving a few of the soldiers I sent with you behind to act as spies. They certainly will come in handy. Seeing as I lost the one in Ponyville.”

This finally sparks the king’s interest, considering to this point he is still on a ‘need to know’ basis. And as of now, he never needed to know about this, “What happened anyway?”

“Of one of the many spies I have out there,” she waves a hoof about as she speaks nonchalantly, “I had there to watch the relatively new Princess… but it would seem that when I ask him to break in and look for something in her house, he goes and gets bucked off the side of a balcony and snaps his neck.”

“Your changelings really aren’t that smart are they?” Sombra states the obvious, insulting her subjects, but to his surprise she goes along with it.

“Tell me about it…” Chrysalis puts a hoof on her fore head and nods in agreement, already feeling the migraine brought on by her subjects fumbles, “individually they aren’t that great, minus a few star pupils here and there who can lead on their own. However, if you put them in a group, then they start to shine,” she explains to him, “changelings without a leader will follow the simple rule of ‘survival of the fittest’. Not the best thing, but it does weed out the weaker ones, the one I sent out there wasn’t that high on the totem pole, so he was expendable. I’ll just have to send another subject to keep an eye on her.”

“What exactly did you send him to get in the first place though?”

Chrysalis takes a breath as she sorts out a small portion of her plan, “as I told you… the Elements of Harmony are no longer in the hooves of those that rule Equestria. They have been placed back in to their original home of the Tree of Harmony… I simply figured if they are no longer being watched, then the Elements should be taken and probably used before Twilight and her little interfering friends can get a hold of them.”

“Well I think this is something we can agree on finally,” Sombra grins wickedly at her. While the queen returns the same look towards him, “Now… let me do my part and prep for this little mission.”

King Sombra with help of his magic, slides the suit on after taking his old one off. Never to be without some sort of protection. Although it’s not just a suit of armor anymore…

The crystals start to glow brightly as they connect with their true owner as the magic forces itself in to him after being away for so long. Slowly the king closes his eyes while the process takes place, as he has grown used to this by now. The empress in the room starts to back up a few paces as she sees him rise a few feet off the ground while she witnesses his full power returning to him.

Sombra’s horn itself surges with red as sparks fly off glowing brighter and brighter from the buildup of energy. Even the king’s eyes start to glow through the lids while the process is taking hold. The magical energy leaches through his body, lighting up the veins of blood under his skin as they almost protrude from his flesh while the sound of his teeth grinding against themselves fills Chrysalis’s ears. The queen watches over him from her position, but even by now a few paces from him, she can feel the hairs of her mane starting to tingle from the static buildup of just pure energy in the room.

Small arcs of magic leap from crystal to crystal on his chest armor as they all connect, soon sending a single arch to their owners horn as his body and mind drink in the full power that they provide to him. While his heart rate starts to almost make the metal he wears rattle from the speed as it pumps the life fluid through him. Although this may seem like a painful process to the queen. Sombra has gone through this once or twice in his years past, and in a short time there’s a loud snap, as all the power fuses itself to the king and he stands there proudly feeling the raw power built up inside him once more.

The purple haze that has been absent his eyes returns just as his full abilities do as well, and those blood red and green orbs in his skull shoot open as he touches the ground again. The once proud strong body that he had in his years passed returned to him as the muscles of the stallion almost even protrude from his form along his powerful sculpted legs that he has used to crush others beneath them in one stomp. With a slight grit to his teeth, dragging the sharpened ends along the edge of his tongue, Sombra cracks his neck before looking at the queen across from him dead in the eye.

Even Chrysalis is lost for words at first when she sees the change that has taken place. Sombra now stands eye to eye to her, if not slightly taller, instead of a half head shorter than he was earlier. ‘Being killed really does take that much out of you,’ she tells herself, already liking the new look, ‘…this I can work with,’ she formulates as she calmly walks up to him. Watching the eyes of his swivel about, following every step she takes.

The curves on her, sculpted beautifully in the eyes of the king, as her own hindquarters almost pop with the queen’s every step. Chrysalis slowly runs a hoof across his collar and around his neck as he doesn’t even turn his head to follow her, and only listens to her speak. “Well then…” she purrs in to his ear, “from what I heard you never had this stature about you when you first came back?”

“I didn’t have my full strength back then,” he growls as he locks eyes back on her when the queen makes her way around him, “after all I couldn’t exactly get back to the palace to get them.”

“So this is what you were before you were killed?” she speaks, not in malice, but in curiosity. Waiting for him to nod in agreement.

“Don’t sound so happy,” Sombra picks up the lack of sarcasm in her voice. Now only watching as her ears splay back, and she simply glares at him with a minor tint of red to her cheeks.

“It was a complement more than anything, so get over yourself,” she rolls her eyes in response, “however, if we can get back to our previous subject. You can see the problem with trying to get the Elements, when I have no idea where this tree is.”

Sombra raises an armored hoof to his chin, finally breaking the posture that he held for so long as he himself ponders their little dilemma, “So you sent the guard to look and see if the location could be found at Twilight’s?”

“Exactly.”

“Then again,” the king slides the blade across his back as he now points out the less then obvious, “the location can could also be in Canterlot itself, or even the Crystal Empire itself…”

Chrysalis looks at him and glares, seeing through the new set of eyes he wears at what his true motive is, “you want to go play in your old kingdom again, don’t you?”

The king starts to nod vigorously with a grin like a young colt who just asked his first mare on a date. Even the queen can’t help but grin at him for the child like aspect of this about the king, “That I can agree to… considering while you go there to look around. I will check Canterlot, we both have our own experiences there that we aren’t really proud of,” Chrysalis’s mind winces at the memory, “Yet that has allowed us to know each place very well.”

Chrysalis starts to leave to get ready. That is until she hears the last comment from the king, “Don’t get kicked out again,” he passes the piece of advice to her mockingly.

All the queen does is turn her head around just enough so she can get a look at him through her bangs. Batting her long eye lashes at him with a mischievous, malevolent, menacing… and attractive look about her. A slight sincere smile comes over her. In such a way that the king himself stops his grinning and his face goes completely straight. The queen chuckles back at him, “Try not to die, again, I would hate to have you lose this look of yours…” she flirtatiously swipes her tail in his face as she slowly walks towards the door again, leaving him to stand there in utter bafflement. Holding a hoof to where the tail hit.

Rubbing the spot on his face. Sombra watches Chrysalis’s slender form slip out of the door as the last part of her tail leaves his sight. ‘Oh… I’m going to enjoy this little partnership that we have going,’ he grins to himself, pulling the shield on his back as well. Getting ready to go about his own business, and reclaim what is his.

____________________________

Twilight flips through a book in her library with a pair of reading glasses on her muzzle, although she doesn’t have the age that would require one to read with them. Celestia awhile back suggested a simple magnifying pair for those long nights of reading that she is frequents to overall help ease the strain on her eyes that would develop over time. Sound advice coming from a mare that has been around for over a thousand years. Laying calmly on her couch, with a cup of hot tea next to her and a blanket brought up over her trimmed legs and torso that shows off every curve she has to offer.

Although it certainly took some getting used to when It came time to learn how to fly with her new wings after getting them for the first time. In time, practicing with her friend Rainbow Dash, and probably more crashes in to the ground (along with trees, ponds, windows, sides of buildings, hay piles, barns, walls, and cellos) then she would have hoped to remember. Twilight eventually got used to them in their entirety, and can’t imagine what she would do without the useful comfort that they can give. And the helping hoof they can have when her hooves are occupied. Right now for instance she uses a wing to scratch the back of her head while she reads so she never has to take a hoof off the book.

It is always nice being able to layback and study what Celestia has assigned for her to do. This time looking over a few spells and incantations that were once used to enslave other ponies. Not the most enjoyable subject for an afternoon, but never the less she has to learn it. ‘Those who don’t know history, are doomed to repeat it,’ As Celestia would say from time to time, after going over a long history lesson of fallen leaders. Twilight has always been ready to learn, and still can remember the time when she held learning over friendship.

However while Twilight goes about her usual study routine. Flash Sentry is in his own room flipping through the Pony Ville paper. As ordered, as she put it, he is to take the time to do what he would like to do. If he wants to cook, so be it. Wants to read on his own, he’s free to do so. If Flash wants to go out in town even, he can. Flash just has to let Twi know if he chooses to do the latter. That way he doesn’t meet the wrong end of a spell when he comes back.

Then again, Flash has his usual routine already.

After working on his leg and wing strength, with some good old fashioned pushups, and wing ups. He polishes his armor once more, doing some touch ups on the dents and scraps that it had from Discord's task. Once this is done though, the body guard is almost lost at what to do. Usually already having orders to take on another task in the Crystal Empire by now, to not have much to do in a small town like this, the guard is at a loss. He went in to Twi’s library, and even started to read a good action/adventure book. Checked up on the Princess and even brought her a light lunch, after he nearly pestered her for what she would prefer and Twilight realized that he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Flash went out in to town and picked up something from her favorite deli. Then as the night sky returned to them and the day went to rest, he admired the stars through one of the telescopes that Twilight has available to gaze up at the clear night sky.

Recalling what the Princess said about going out for some time together in the next few days before their trip to the Crystal Empire. Flash started to check out the local paper to get the scoop on what events are going on. Along with dinner, which while getting her some lunch Sentry had made a reservation out in a recommended restaurant (according to the locals, who are always willing to help a newcomer). He was hoping to have a little back up if needed.

Local plays in the town always are in the paper for anypony to find out when and where they will be, and right now there is a good one that has even been played in Canterlot, over at the town hall about a wounded pony making his way back to his beloved after being lost in battle. And it just so happens after looking over the head line of it, it’s being played tomorrow at eight.

“Hmm…” Flash puts it all together in his head as his tactician mind formulates a plan. ‘So far there is nothing planned for tomorrow, I’ll still confirm with her though, and the reservation is put in earlier that day… there should be time,’ he summarizes as he writes down the date and time on a note pad for later. Twilight doesn’t know about the play, and considering that it is new in town here. Then she probably hasn’t seen it either… all good seeing as it will be a surprise for now.

Flash looks over the information, double checking it all to make sure it’s right. This is something he wants to go off without a hitch. ‘It’s not a date, it’s not a date, it’s not a date,’ Flash keeps telling himself while looking over the paper. Once everything seems in check, he slides the paper off to the side, ‘…just a night out for us, take the edge off and ease some stress… then again Celestia did say…’ he shakes his head quickly to get his thoughts back in order. This is something that he is looking forward to, and doesn’t want to make a fool of himself out there. On top of this, although he may know of the princess’s feelings (due to a loving mentor). He wants them to be eased out gradually on her own, not forced by his own hoof of an eager guard. Sliding out of his room and down the hall to the library. Flash lightly taps the door with a hoof, soon enough he hears the sweet tender voice from the other side call out to him.

“You can come in, Flash,” Twilight says, looking over her shoulder to the door. Watching it open slowly as her guard steps in.

Flash is about to open his mouth when he sees the Twilight laying there in the position she is in.

Having the blanket up over her, the cup of tea made the young Princess a little hotter than she is comfortable with. So in turn, the princess opted to toss the blanket off to the side before he came in, and on top of this the slight sweat she had didn’t have time to leave her body quite yet. Flash walks in on Twilight laying there with a single hind leg up in the air and the other resting down as she lays facing away from the door. Leaving the guard with a perfect view of the sight to be seen.

A young, beautiful Princess laying there before him. The trimmed form running along the length of her torso on and down to a petite back end presented at the young colt for his eyes to see. A single bead of sweat atop her back slowly trickling down along her sides, while Twilight lies adorned with a pair of glasses on her muzzle. Giving her almost the look of the college book worm that many of her friends have come to know and love.

Though in this case, the images of ‘teacher Twilight’ start to fill all the darkest areas of the guard’s mind. Forcing Flash to hold his ground and not back trot out of the room in either embarrassment for the searing cheeks he knows he’s wearing, or the fact that he has had this image before when she would study in the empire.

“Good evening, Twilight,” he has to focus away from her, taking a new found interest in the half empty cup of tea on the table. Anything so as not to trip over his own words, “as I recall there is nothing planned for tomorrow correct?”

Little does he know though…

Twilight does have some idea what she’s doing to him. It didn’t click at first when she positioned herself like this and not even when he froze in place upon coming in. But after a few seconds it became clear that Flash was lost for words, because of her, and Twilight was enjoying every second of it. ‘Hmm,’ she chuckles while she watched him spit out his question, ‘…at least I’m not the only one that gets ‘hoof in mouth’, though I hope he knows I didn’t plan this.’

After having this little thought, Twilight finally decides to answer him and talk like nothing is wrong, “Other than the normal business here… nothing. So on that note we could probably have our night out then before leaving for the empire.”

“Exactly what I was thinking actually,” he points out to her, maintaining his footing while she shifts and flips over. Exposing her flat stomach look as Twilight props herself up on the pillows behind her, sets the book on the coffee table, and rests her fore hooves on her chest.

“Well…” she bats an eye at him, raking in the enjoyment of having him stumped and working every second of it on her own behalf while she can, “then this should work out very well for us. Now where to go is the question?”

“Dinner tomorrow at Tulips, six o’clock,” he says without hesitation. Now its Twilight's turn to be the one that is lost. Flash can see that all over her face when she shakes her head and maintains the wide eyed expression as her tongue falls flat against the bottom of her mouth. Soaking it in long enough as a little pay back, he elaborates, “While I was out earlier getting some lunch. I asked about for a good, local restaurant… and after getting several for Tulips, I made a reservation.”

Even with the explanation, Twilight still is surprised by the fact that he already got this entire plan thought out. Tulips is a very good place in town, almost to the point that they always have a full house and it wasn’t until recently that they started taking reservations for ponies. Then again for a royal guard, it couldn’t have been that hard to do so. “I like your taste in food,” Twilight finally manages to say, “That is a wonderful place in town, I’ve been there on just a few occasions and have never been disappointed.”

“Good to know,” Flash says to her. Thankful that he picked a good place and wasn’t lead astray by some of the ponies he asked. “Then again there is the question of what to do for the rest of the evening.”

“Well im done reading for now… and unless you’re hungry,” she says to him, getting a no from Flash while he shakes his head. “Then we can save dinner for later,” she looks around the room, picking up on a small box on one of the shelves, a foalish grin appearing on her face, “So, Flash. How are you at chess?”

____________________________

The mare and colt sit across one another in silence, staring at the board before them. It’s been a while sense Twilight has played, although she always had a place for the game…

Go figure.

Considering that Celestia is big in to the game when it comes to playing with her own sister. It is only natural that the same love for the simplistic game, although at times rather frustrating one, would pass over to her student. Twilight has played for a few years against her brother, more so as just for laughs and to pass the time, but it wasn’t until she became Tia’s student and the eldest Princess learned of her past experiences that Twi took a more serious approach to the ‘sport’. Throughout the years she has managed even to on occasion beat her teacher, something that Luna has yet to do.

Then again, Flash doesn’t need to know that.

The sentry in question sits idly on the opposite side of her, waiting and taking his time with every move he makes. All the while he sees the slight glimmer in her eye as she admires the planning he puts in to the game. “You take this very seriously don’t you?” Flash says to try and break her concentration. A simple strategy he knows from many.

“You have seen me with my studies,” the young Princess rolls her eyes at him playfully, “you can imagine what that translates to in this game.”

“Have you played it before?” he asks, still playing his side game against her.

Twilight can’t help but grin at the fact of the massive pool of experience that she holds in this field. With the best poker face she can muster though, she keeps up the conversation, “Oh… on occasion, I never had time to really play much when it came to the duties with Celestia.” though even with this little false face she wears. It is no match for the one with the trained eye that, while it may not be able to see the feelings of a mare to well, can spot such deception with ease.

‘And the Princess is a liar,’ Flash snickers, seeing right through the little mask that Twilight tried to put on.

“What about you?” Twily asks him out of the blue. Now having Sentry try and do the same as she did.

“Same here… except my duties involved the royal guard,” he plays off.

Little does the Princess know that while on duty, or even in the barracks. Guards have to find some way to entertain themselves, and among the tails of alcohol, one way that many of them would do so would be to play board games… just like this one. He wasn’t the best at it, but Flash was great at distracting the others while they played so as to get ‘around’ them in the game.

“And Rook takes Knight…” he moves the pieces, taking hers in the process. The action surprises Twi, considering he did all this while she was trying to read the look on his own face.

“…So it does,” Twilight looks over the board. The move was a correct one in her book, and now she moves her own Pawn, taking his. The Bishop that he had in the background the whole time now comes in to play and takes her piece getting one step closer to her King.

“That’s Check,” he says calmly, watching the concern rise in her expression while she tries to keep her cool.

This is the closest that any pony, short of Celestia or even Luna has come to getting her King. Looking over the board she examines all of his pieces on the board. Queen guards her king, she has taken one Knight, leaving the other there as another guard. Half of his pawns are gone as well, then again so are hers. Bishops still in play, along with one Rook. Then again… there is one thing he has forgotten about. Twilights own Rook is still there on the board and has no other piece to bring it down. An almost sinister grin passes over her as she moves her piece and flips turns with him. “You know you are the only pony, short of Celestia and Luna, to get me in check?” Twi points out to him.

“I shouldn’t be all that surprised,” Flash folds his hoof under his chin as he props himself up, “considering how you play so far. I would have guessed that you have had some practice with this fairly often.”

“Hmm…” she mutters in response, “I could have said the same for you in this case. I mean Celestia and I have gotten in to a few matches with one another on actually a fairly regular basis,” Twilight shows some of her cards while she trails off looking over her shoulder as if she was speaking to some pony else.

“Well, being in the barracks, you can get boring if you don’t know how to keep yourself occupied,” Flash starts to grin at her as he does the same.

“Seems like we both had something up our sleeves didn’t we?” she winks at him to play his game right back at him and break the guard’s concentration, “oh and by the way… Checkmate.”

Twilight slides her Queen along with her Castle that she positioned earlier in a way that there is nowhere for his King to go. Flash sits there for a few seconds as the victor does the same. In a short time though he sees the error of his ways and lowers the King down on the table in defeat.

“You play a mean game, Twilight,” he says emphasizing her name jokingly.

“Why thank you, Flash,” she does the same as she beams with pride. That though changes as fast as he changes the subject at hoof.

“I didn’t know you needed glasses,” he says out of the blue. As Flash sees her expression go to straight confusion, he finally explains to her, “Back in the Library while you were reading, when I came in, you had a pair on.”

“Oh-h-h,” she draws out remembering that moment. More so the reaction it got out of him when Flash saw her posed unintentionally for him. “Well I don’t really need them, just a tip from Celestia for when I read too much to take the strain off my eyes. They kinda make me feel like a nerd though,” she starts to flush at a rather girly image of her with the glasses on walking through a school hall, carrying a mountain of books as one might expect, “…even though that has come in handy on more than one occasion.”

“So I’ve heard from your past exploits…” Flash answers simply, before taking a moment, “if I may though?”

“And of course you may,” she answers him with a light chuckle.

“You do look very… cute, in glasses,” he scratches the back of his mane looking away from her so as not to see the expression Twi may give.

Twilight though just looks at him after his complement, it’s actually the first time anypony has complemented her while she wore them. Considering most of the time when she does she gets playfully picked on by her friends. So to counter, Twilight usually only wears them inside her home while studying. ‘Did that really just happen? Did he really just say that?’ she asks herself trying to think on how to follow up with it, ‘I mean naturally I should do the same for him and pay him a complement, but what would I say? Flash you are one of the sweetest colts I have met, you’re kind, respectful, and there when I needed you in the past at the Crystal Empire. And certainly there now that you’re here for me as my protector,’ Twilight starts to think about the following day to come for them, ‘I would love to call our first night out tomorrow a date if you would let me, but I can’t seem to bring myself to say what I truly want to say-’ she starts to pout unknowingly at all the thoughts buzzing around her head.

Forgetting for a moment that he still is right in front of her, this sudden facial change sets off a few alarms in the guards own mind as he still learns how far to go with the mare. ‘And way to go now Flash,’ he scorns himself. “I’m sorry, Princess…” Flash bows respectfully, “I didn’t mean to overstep my mark with that,” he says regretting that he brought it up entirely.

Twi looks up and sees the general look of doubt on his face, the guard really is as lost as she is. If only she knew It was for the same reasons, this wouldn’t be so hard. None the less, they can’t read one another’s mind, so it’s up to the Princess to try and set it right for now. “Flash…” she says as soft as silk to get his attention, watching those blue eyes of his rise to meet hers, “You didn’t over step any mark, or boundary, or limit here…” the young Princess takes a breath as she prepares to say a little of what she was thinking.

“Sentry… I’m honored to have you as my guard, honestly I don’t think I would have felt better having any other pony here with me now,” she says watching his usual gentle look about him return slightly, “you’re sweet as can be around me, very polite, and willing to go the extra mile… heck even to the point of setting up a reservation in a town you don’t even know really,” Twilight friskily tags on with, “Let’s also not forget that you are willing to put yourself in harm’s way to protect me… although with that I have one request,” she extends a gentle hoof over the table and gingerly rests it on his.

The connection is immediate as they feel almost a spark between them. The closest they have ever come is that hug in the Castle, or that simple but all too meaningful kiss on the cheek out on the balcony. Although this seems far more meaningful than that, likely due to the subject of conversation, even Flash looks up at her dumbfounded. The blood pours in to his cheeks as it does the same for the Princess across him. Although she doesn’t seem to care at the moment. Just taking this particular moment to heart.

‘Celestia was right,’ He starts to smile warmly as he places a hoof over her own as well, ‘she really does have a soft spot for me. At least I know that much,’ he rubs it gently with his own before following up to her, “What is it you ask of me, Twilight,” Flash answers her.

“It’s obvious that at some point or another you will have to fight. After all you are here for a reason,” She points out the ‘duh’ aspect of this, “… just when it comes to that, don’t get yourself killed. I mean that Flash.”

He can see the seriousness in her face. This young, intelligent, gorgeous mare… a Princess none the less. Is truly worried for his safety, and even then holds him in her heart somewhere that he may never know how he came to deserve such a thing. ‘Don’t mess it up,’ he tells himself as he crosses his heart over his armor, “I swear I’ll try my best, Princess Twilight.”

“Good…” she says sternly. While they both find themselves getting up from the table.

Considering that it is quite late at night, their game took longer than expected, the two opt for a late night snack before heading off to bed. Just to hold their stomach over till morning. Twi goes for the simple strawberry jam spread on a few pieces of toast and glass of milk. While Sentry takes a bite out of an apple and sips on a glass of tea. Both of them munch while sitting in the living room, remembering the nice casual day they spent around one another. Well more or less… they do enjoy each others’ company. Something that Twilight never doubted, but at the same time she was worried about being too nervous or awkward around him for it to work. Something that, considering they have known one another for a few years in her working in the empire, has yet to rear its ugly head (besides the first few days).

Twilight though can’t help but think about the next day again. There’s nothing really on their plate, so the day is theirs… all theirs. ‘I can’t believe I’m going out with him tomorrow,’ she thinks to herself while watching him through the corner of her eye take a drink, ‘it’s not a date-date… but I wish I paid attention more when my mother would talk about colts,’ Twilight tells herself while finishing her own snack. Both of them do in fact. And after taking their glasses to the kitchen, the pair again runs in to that moment of the night…

Bed time.

“Well,” Twi tries to say something, just to open it up, “I think I know who I’ll be playing chess against from time to time now.”

“And I’m sure Twilight that you’ll enjoy every second of it as we go back and forth with one another,” he says with a leer, “although now we know each other’s secrets.”

“Should make for an interesting game then,” she twinkles at him. Before noticing that he isn’t on a path to the upstairs, “are you going to bed?”

“I will shortly… just doing a quick sweep of the house is all,” he answers her, “It couldn’t hurt.”

“Taking your job seriously… I like it,” Twi follows with as she almost back peddles up the stairs so she can keep an eye on him. “For when you go to bed then… good night Flash, sweet dreams… I look forward to our night out tomorrow.”

Before he can answer though she shoots up the stairs and out of sight. Leaving him standing there staggered, but at the same time shaking his head grinning at where the princess once stood. There isn’t much he can do to try and describe the Princess. Ever sense learning what she really thinks of him, he himself has started to see it more and more now. “Good night, Twi… Sweet dreams. I look forward to it as well,” and with that the guard goes about his business for the night.