Chapter twenty two

The next day breeds a warm, sun filled morning as the sky welcomes ponies out to play in its tender embrace. Twilight and Flash got back to Ponyville yesterday morning, and after taking an hour or two nap from their trip. The pair took care of anything that needed to be done around the house, such as storing the books that Twilight brought with her, and Flash checking the house for any signs of entry while they were gone that Spike could have missed. While on top of that getting in touch with Spike and the girls to set something up for this day, something that considering the events of their visit to the Empire, is much needed.

Twi packs a basket for the day out by the local pond, seeing as it’s a perfect day for it, and to literally calm their nerves. She is more than happy to relax in the water, or read a good book on the edge of the bank. She tosses in a few snacks to the basket for while they are out there, seeing as the main course of dinner is planned to be at her house while they all stay for the night, just like old times.

Flash dons his armor and puts the sword across his back, ready for a fight, considering the fact that lately he has been running in to them often more often than not in his recent duty change from the Crystal Empire to a place such a Ponyville. Looking it over once more as he walks to see that everything is in order. His blade is still sharp, and any mark from the scuffle is taken care of as he walks in the kitchen where the Princess finishes up with the basket.

“How are things coming, Twilight?” he asks as he sees the last apple go in.

“I’m packed and ready to go. The girls should meet us there, and Spike will fly in shortly afterwards,” she answers, putting a blanket on top of the basket and levitating it up off the table next to her, “do you have your things?”

“Only thing I need,” he taps the hilt with the back of his head.

Afterwards Flash takes the basket from her in his mouth as he carries it and holds the kitchen door open for the mare while Twi chuckles and passes by him as the colt follows suit. Heading out the door and down the road to their destination.

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At the pond, the other mares have arrived earlier than their friend would have expected along with the dragon of the bunch as they lounge about on the water’s edge. Only the cold blooded one in the group actually cooling off in the water while the others gossip along the water’s edge. The only two who haven’t seen the new guard are Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, so before they can meet the colt first hoof, the other do their part and fill them in as best they can.

“So wait, this is the guard from the Chrystal Empire that Twilight has a crush on but still won’t admit that she does even though it’s so obvious when her face turns like a cherry whenever he is around and he feels the same way about her because how Flash acts towards her yet for some reason they still don’t say any-” Pinkie rants nonstop on the same breath, until Rainbow Dash holds a hoof over her mouth to halt the noise.

“Yes Pinkie… that’s the same guard that we’re talking about,” the mare states while she rubs her already sore ears.

“It really is that obvious, from what I remember, at least,” Fluttershy mutters under her breath, barely loud enough for them to hear, “…but I haven’t seen Flash in a while now. What does he look like again?”

Applejack thinks back to when she met him in the market, and if any of them could judge from the slight tinting of her cheeks, it was a rather impressive sight, “Let’s see ‘ere. Handsome, young, strong looking colt. Yet at the same time very sweet and gentle, especially to Twilight,” she processes some more information as it flows back to her, “Looks very good in uniform, and at the same time polite and incredibly well-mannered.”

“Over all a great colt for somepony like Twi,” Rarity adds from her own interpretation of him.

“Don’t forget about being a guard to keep her out of trouble!” Spike yells to them while lying on his back after ease dropping on their conversation from a far.

The mares look at one another at first thinking how he could have heard them, especially when his head is half submerged in the water to begin with. But then they remember he is a dragon after all. His hearing has gotten even better in the latter years as he matured. Nearly nothing will slip by him now a days.

“Thank you Spikey Wiky…” Rarity calls back cooing over to him, able to see the grin plaster itself on his face while she looks at the others all raising an eye brow to her, “…what? Back to the subject at hoof,” she changes the subject.

“Anyways…” Rainbow starts off, “long story short. Good guard, better colt, and possibly a great coltfriend for our Twilight. Nuff said.”

“For now that should be all that is said,” Rarity glances over Fluttershy’s shoulder, “Seeing as…”

She passes them off a glimpse, gesturing behind them as they turn to see the ‘couple’ just coming over the hill. Acting as normal as possible. Pinkie leaps up off the ground and dive bombs in to the pond, landing right next to Spike missing him by only a few feet. Surfacing and squirting a mouth full of water in the dragons face. Meanwhile Rainbow breaks out a mirror to catch some rays, Applejack dives in to the water behind Pinkie. While Fluttershy and Rarity remain on the water’s edge, chatting with one another as girls will do.

Twilight knows the instant that she walks in to the group what they’ve been talking about before her and Sentry arrived. It’s pretty much plastered on their faces as they all catch sight of the guard standing next to the Princess, and quickly go back to whatever it is that they were doing. Fluttershy catches sight of him and instantly cowers behind Rarity in her usual introverted self. While the others fall back out of their acts to come meet the colt. Rainbow gets up and has to help the fashionista nearly drag Fluttershy by her hooves to meet the guard. As AJ, Spike and Pinkie come out of the water.

The timid Pegasus nervously extends a hoof to the colt, “It’s nice to meet you Flash,” she welcomes him, “I hope you like our little Town so far.”

“It’s growing on me, that’s for sure,” he beams at her.

Fluttershy is relieved that he doesn’t have the usual horse and assertive tone that most of the few other guards she’s met do, which just makes her all the more relaxed, “It’s probably not as exciting as the Empire though,” she opens a little more.

With a single chuckle, and nerves knotting in the back of his neck. Flash glances for a moment at the princess, while Twilight just keeps a false smile on, “you could say that. Though it does have its-”

Though the guard never sees the bright pink pony dart towards him, lifting his whole armored self off the ground in a crushing embrace. If it wasn’t for the metal, Sentry may have had the breath knocked out of him. Though she did come rather close as Pinkie holds him up on her hind legs, “It’s so nice to meet you Flash Sentry!” she screams at him point blank. While the guard swears he can feel the plates of metal bending and bowing under the force of her fore legs.

Flash manages to wiggle out a bit and get his footing back on the solid ground as he straightens his sword on his back, “And you must be, Pinkie Pie?” he answers getting a rather violent hoof shake in return.

“Oh he’s good…” she mutters, “Are you physic?!” the overtly sugar high pony beams at him trying to get an answers. Before Twilight uses her magic to separate her hoof from his.

“Calm down Pinkie,” holding her rungs back, “I already gave him some insight on you and Fluttershy so he wasn’t completely lost when we got here. Plus I think the pink coat, mane and tail kind of give it away,” Twilight answers her as they head back to the water to relax, “however, I brought a light snack for us to hold over until we get back to my place.”

AJ holds her nose up in the air taking a breath, “ya have some of my fresh apples in there don’t ya?”

“Yes Applejack, and oranges, crackers, bread, jams and jellies, a few tarts and cupcakes to match… you get the picture,” the Princess stops as she catches her self rambling.

Setting down the basket, Flash helps Twi bring the large plaid blanket out on the ground under a tree next to the pond for them to lounge on in the shade. Taking a moment or two to break out some of the munchies and talk. Flash is bombarded by random question after random question by the party pony known as Pinkie pie while she goes through the motions and does her own interrogation of the colt, as the other just sit by and watch to their surprise Flash answer every single one as they fly off her tongue.

“Favorite pie?” she asks out of the blue.

“Key lime.”

“What’s meaning behind your cutie mark?”

“Flash, explains the lightning bolt. And the shield… well I’m a guard.”

“Coffee black, or with cream and sugar?”

“Black. And only black.”

“Racist…” Rainbow mutters under her breath, before getting a jab in the side by AJ.

“If I have twenty seven eggs, and I use twelve oranges to bake a bread, how many trees will be able to be harvested next year?”

Apple jack is lost.

Rainbow is half asleep.

Fluttershy is trying to figure this out in her head.

Rarity is wondering what new fashion line to put out next season.

Spike slams his head in the ground at the thought of a math problem.

And Twilight is trying to solve problem out logically as she draws in the dirt, there’s just one problem with that. This is Pinkie Pie, logic knows no limits of what is possible in her mind, “Pinkie that doesn’t make any sense!” she yells out after trying to show her work in the ground.

“Of course it is!” the mare shouts back in response, “That’s what every math word problem looked like to me in school…”

“Umm…” Flash pauses to think of the first thing that could come to his mind just as ridiculous as that question, “purple, because dragons don’t wear hats?”

There’s a long pause between them all as Pinkie mulls over the answers for a few moments, “you make a good argument… I’ll accept that answer,” she eyes him, thinking of something else, “What made you come out here to be Twilights guard?”

“I was given orders by Shining armor after he was instructed from his wife, Princess Cadance.”

Going through the motions of a Pinkie promise, the mare asks one final question to the guard, “Do you Pinkie promise to uphold your duty and protect our dear Twilight with every fiber of your being?”

Flash does the same motions and answers with two words, “I do.”

“Welcome to the club!” Pinkie shouts before cracking the guard’s back in another hug, soon dropping him back to the ground.

“You were right when you said ‘…having too much of a sugar rush from time to time…’” he comments to the Princess.

Getting a giggle from all of them, except for Pinkie who stands there bewildered, opening her mouth to say something. That is until a cupcake is shoved in her mouth by Twi so as to keep it that way, now just savoring the sweet icy goodness.

“Easy there Pinkie,” the Princess sits back down along with her guard, as she swallows a lump in her throat. ‘Why did I wait this long to tell them about this…’ she wonders with her procrastination, “Flash has more than proven that he is ready to protect me if need be… though I would rather avoid that situation, again.”

Getting an expected quizative look from her friends. Twilight explains the events of the first night with him being around in the house, and who was there to visit when they came back. Going in to details about what he did and the changeling’s death after the scuffle. The mares and dragon stand by with open ears and hanging jaws while they are filled in about this little event that their friend over looked. After the changeling at her own home, the attention turns to Sentry. Who up till this time, has been sitting idly as the Princess explained it all.

“Well I’ll be,” Applejack says, resting a grateful hoof on his shoulder, “glad to see that our Twilight is safe.”

“It’s what I’m here for ma’am,” Flash nods at her, “though I’m sure Twilight is more than capable of taking care of herself if need be,” he looks over to her. Recalling all the past things that she and the mane six have done before, and how her skill with magic has come in handy.

“Never the less, Flash…” Twilight assures him, “It does bring comfort knowing that there is another pony with their ears open, sleeping under the same roof as me. Though you seem to get yourself in trouble all on your own… you recall what happened a few days ago at the Crystal Empire?”

“That’s just a stroke of luck that I knew the guard there… and he didn’t know his own disguise” Flash grins at her, while the others remain oblivious. “Have you heard anything from Princess Celestia after the letter that you sent?”

“Only that she would look in to it, and start checking the guards in Canterlot as well,” Twilight answers him, taking note of her oblivious friends around her as they look trying to figure what is going on, “Well explain later…” she tells them as they continue their day at the pond. Carrying on with one another and having a good time all around.

Rainbow dive bombs in to the ponds center, causing a wave that covers the others that joined her in for a dip. Applejack nearly loses her hat, while Spike is tossed underneath, surfacing as they both just glare at the sky blue Pegasus. “Hehe… sorry about that,” she grins at them. Before the soaked pair two nod to one another in agreement of what the only solution to this is. Picking up the winged mare and dunking her in the water. Meanwhile the ponies on the shore are laughing to themselves, both at the antics going on in the water. As well as from Pinkie pie finishing off a few jokes that gets them all riled up.

Calming themselves down though, Rarity wipes a tear from her eye as she brings up another topic, “So Twilight, how have your studies been with Celestia sense we last chatted?”

“Oh…same old same old. Learning a new spell here and there, me and Flash had to go to the Chrystal Empire earlier to get books that weren’t in Canterlot or my library,” the young Princess tries to sum up, before she switches to another subject in mind, “Speaking of Celestia though. How would you all be up to having a day out with her and the family?”

Pinkie looks at Twi with a blank stare, “All of them? Celestia, Discord, Rosebud, and Havoc-”

“Along with Shining Armor and Cadance,” Twilight fills in. As she continues with this matter, “it was originally brought up by Cadance about her and the kids coming down to Ponyville, though while down you all are more than welcome to join as well. As for my brother, he’s going to be dragged down here by his wife no matter what he says.”

“Well that sounds just lovely dearie,” Rarity says as she lounges out on the shore with a hat to keep the sun out of her face, “I’m sure that we’ll all be able to make it, though when would it be?”

“That’s still up in the air… though it should be soon. The kids are looking forward to coming down as is, and considering they will see their uncle then it’s going to get pushed up even more,” Twilight answers the question as best as she can, “Until then though…” she gets up, taking off her crown and slippers, “I think it’s about time for a dip…” she flaps her wings to get off the ground a bit before splashing in to the water with the others.

Flash stands off to the side of the bank under the tree, watching the Princess and her friends play amongst themselves as the others from the shore follow suit and dive right in… some literally. Keeping a watchful eye over the area though can be boring from time to time, even though his sword has had to be used lately against an actual enemy.

Twiddling his hooves in full ensemble of protection in the mid afternoon sun. It is getting rather hot in the metal piece as it heats up quickly, even just from the radiant heat around him seeping in and not the direct sun light. Beads of sweat can be felt running down the side of his neck and chest as the minutes tick by ever slower.

‘Why didn’t I drink more water…?’ Flash kicks himself earlier while they were munching on the blanket, ‘probably should have packed my own drink if I knew it was going to be like this,’ he tells himself.

Though he soon feels some sort of relief as a jet of water squirts itself in to his face, not even caring where the cooling relief came from. Sentry soaks up as much of it as he can, moving his head around a bit to cover it all as the cooling effect takes hold and he allows it to run in and under the armor plates. As soon as it stops though, a confused look covers his face as he looks around with a brow raised trying to find its source. Soon enough though his eyes rest on Twilight muzzle deep under the water with still a visible grin on her face as she tries to play innocent.

In a short time though, the young Princess is unable to hold back any more after seeing the look on her guards face as she bursts out laughing, floating on her back in the water. “You…you should see… the look on…your face!” she tries to get a hold of herself, looking back at him and seeing the same expression. Losing it all over again when she does.

“You should probably see the one on yours right now though,” he snickers at her, watching the Princess try to breath a bit before saying another word.

“Flash I know the expression of a guard who is about to fall over from heat stroke,” the Princess’s face composes as her voice softens while talking to him, “you’re more than welcome to join in, if you’d like.”

“Ah…” the guard starts to fumble at even the thought of taking a dip with the Princess and her friends, “I’m quite alright…” he tries to maintain some sort of professionalism around her, without being rude.

“Flash… seriously you can,” she reassures him. While even a few of her friends get in on the mix.

“Come on, Flash” Rainbow flies over and nudges him on the shoulder wither her elbow, “the waters great.”

“Let’s go, Sentry! Let’s go!” Pinkie beams at him, coming seemingly out of nowhere up to his side with a pair of pompoms, “The days not going to relax itself away.”

“…Well, ahh,” he scratches the back of his head trying to stall from the pressure of the mares. Considering he is out on the town, more or less, for a nice day. It wouldn’t hurt to let lose here and there, seeing that not only the Princess is getting on his case.

“Come on, Flash,” the country pony follows up with, wading her way up next to Twilight in the water, before giving her a mocking glare, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“You wouldn’t want to keep your princess waiting now would you?” Rarity proposes from behind them all.

“Oh brother…” Spike drags his claw down his face in anguish.

Succumbing to the ponies pushing him to this inevitable decision, Flash reluctantly shakes his head with a slight smile on his face, “Okay then… give me a sec…” he answers, lifting his helmet clean off his head to show his face entirely.

Twilight has started to get used to seeing Flash like this by now. Watching his blue spiky mane flush out in the open and all the features of his face shown for them to see, while the cute blue eyes shine at their peak. That alone would answer why Twilight is attracted to him. The soft expression that he always has, gives way to his true self of a respectful colt that is always ready and willing to help when asked.

Though, that’s not the only thing that comes off in front of them.

The chest plate hits the ground along with the metal foot covers. The neck plating slides off as he places all of it next to the tree, taking the sword off and propping it up on the trunk for quick access if need be as he unhinges the strap that is used to help hold the blade in place when not at the ready.

Turning back around to see the others, they all take a view at the colt now fully exposed. Flash's strong chest, no longer covered, is shown in full as his powerful, yet toned legs hold up his frame. Even his wings at their base shows the strength that they have in them at the muscle showing through the base feathers, from years of flight and training. Clean crisp bright orange coat all around as it glistens in the sun, showing off even the sweat that was dripping down his coat moments ago.

Every single one of the mares eyes go wide as they take in this spectacle of a colt. Slowly but surely they all eyes go to the one mare that has the colt’s interest in mind. Twilight stands there in the water, thankful that it covers her shaking legs, but not enough to cover up the now flushed red face. With all eyes on her at the moment that doesn’t help her situation.

‘Yes girls… he likes me…’ she chuckles internally for a moment as a similar spark rises up in her from when she saw him get out of the tub, ‘Oh dear I just want a peak at something more… he is going to be home later. After seeing himself like this… Ah!’ she screams at herself. Kicking herself under the water, while watching Flash get in with them as he even turns red from their gaze.

“Ahh, hehe…” he cringes, “I don’t get out of that suit in public often.”

“Somepony should try to get you to dress like this more often,” Rarity whispers in to Twilight's ear, getting a bucking hoof to the back of the leg in response.

“Well… Ah…” Twi stumbles over herself while hearing her unicorn friend silently curse her under her breath, “glad you managed to after our pestering to do so,” she takes his hoof in hers and pulls him in farther in to the water, “You don’t have to be professional here, Flash, as far as I’m concerned, you’re among friends. Let lose a bit,” she assures him as they go in.

The others continue splashing and carrying on with one another as the colt joins in on the fray. Spike meanwhile has been floating on his back the whole time, taking in the sun and allowing it to warm the scales on his chest. Looking over side with a cracked eye open to see the ruckus carrying on, “well it seems that some Princess is having a good time…” he mutters to himself before carrying on with the plan of nothing, for now.

A white horn protrudes itself from the water next to him though and catches his attention as the pony responsible comes forth, “I trust you are enjoying yourself?” Rarity asks him, resting her head on his chest to hold her up in the water.

“Oh I’m doing just great… you should see Twilight over there,” he holds a thumb towards the Princess in the water, horsing around with her friends and guard as they have a little fun.

“They do look like a cute couple don’t you think?”

“Almost as cute as one I know…” the dragon grins at the unicorn as they both blush a bit. Leaving the pony to rest her body with his in the water while they listen to the others carry on.

“Never the less…” Rarity continues once more, “She hasn’t acted quite like this with any other.”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack splash water at one another while Fluttershy remains under water for the most part to avoid the onslaught, holding her breath as much as she can. The alicorn out of the bunch though picks up the party pony and lifts her up in the air as she drops, so Pinkie can dive in to the fun… all too literally.

“Cannon Ball!” she yells out as she drops, making a huge splash that upturns the shy Pegasus in the water. Flipping her over and making her do a tumble, landing on the water’s edge, face down in the ground.

“I think that’s enough… ah, fun for today,” she says getting to her feet as Fluttershy goes over to the blanket to rest.

In the water though, Twilight dives underneath and does a back flip, gladly allowing herself some aquatic acrobatics that she at first wasn’t even able to do in the air when she first got her wings. However, fully embracing her new found gift of flight, she comes up and out of the water in the air, sinking back in to the aquatic grip quickly and leveling out on the surface.

Lying flat out on her back and squirting out the water up in to the air. It’s not often that she gets to come out in to take a dip and just be at ease. Though then again, she doesn’t see the bright orange pony come up from under her either. Flash’s head pops up under hers as it pushes it up.

“Well hello, Princess Twilight…” he says coyly, “Fancy meeting you here.”

Twilight can’t help but chuckle, it’s not all that often that she gets to see ‘playful Flash.’ So when it does come out to play, she only can welcome it warmly with open hooves, “Well it’s an odd thing now that you mention it… you may want to leave before my guard tries to tackle you.”

“And who is this guard that you speak of?” he asks sarcastically, enjoying the new mood she urged him towards while out here.

‘A extremely handsome, sweet kind hearted colt that is drawing me closer and closer to throwing myself at him the more I put my true thoughts to the back of my head,’ she tries to say in her mind, but what really comes out is nothing close, “Oh I think you know him…” she says before flipping over on the sentry and playfully pushing him under the water.

At first she chuckles to herself, though that changes when she feels something else push back. Flash using his fore legs pressed against her form, lifts the Alicorn clear out the water and up in the open air. Looking around in surprise at the sudden lack of water surrounding her, Twilight looks down to see the fiendish grin on his face while she puts together what his game is all too late at the moment.

Pulling his hooves out from under her, it takes the Princess a second to hit the water, and another second more to realize what just happened. Her whole body going under in a moment’s notice, with some of her friends watching after they saw her get lifted out of the water. The laughter of the others can be heard even while she surfaces with her ears full of water.

The wet, dark blue mane covers her face as the highlights droop over her muzzle, before she spreads them with a hoof. Twilight sees Flash standing there in front of her with a worried look on his face as he wonders if he went a little too far. The scowl on Twilight’s face doesn’t help the situation that he’s in, though little does he know, it’s an act that she puts on rather well.

Up to the point where the edges of her lips curl up wards and she tackles the guard back in to the water. Laughing with one another like old friends at this point, Twilight and Flash start to play in the water, splashing and chasing one another about. Twilight has almost entirely forgotten that he is her guard, considering now the two are acting like a mare and colt in courtship with one another.

Even a few of her friends stop to watch the two horse around with one another, beaming that their friend Twilight may have found a colt just for her. Considering that the pair now share a bright smile between them as the foal side to each shows fully, while they enjoy themselves for the moment.

The young Princess has never acted this way with another colt that’s for sure, the closest one that she comes to acting like a complete child is with her older brother, but that’s about it. As for the young guard, he certainly wouldn’t act this way around any other pony. The fact alone that it’s a Princess he’s doing this with is shocking enough, though as odd as it feels… it also feels so right when he considers who it is that’s in the pond with him.

Twilight ducks under the water to lose him for a second, causing the guard to look left and right for any sign of her, though the few bubbles dribbling out of her muzzle give it away as he follows them around as she tries to circle him. That is until the Princess jumps out from the water, up in to his fore hooves as Flash lifts her off the ground gingerly as they both giggle and laugh with one another taking in the moment for what it is. A mare and a colt, having enjoying themselves out in the day.

Soon enough though as the ripples fade away, and the water on them drips down in to the pond for which it came, the two look at one another face to face as Twilight’s head tilts down to meet his while their eyes lock on.

Twi’s lavender meet his blue for but a moment as they feel the water around them even start to heat up, as their own heart rates rise in response from the actions that have lead up to this. With only a short space between them, their heads draw closer and closer to one another, as their eyes slowly close. The tantalizing scent of the other fills their nostrils as the heated breaths pass across the fur on their muzzle of one another. Ready for the contact that they yearn for to quell any sense of doubt they may have about what they have in their minds at the moment. Nerve endings continuing to fire off as their mouths even start to water in response to the thirst of pure desire of a pair of bleeding hearts waiting to be bandaged up. Each of their friends take notice and they go silent while they each start to mutter their own words of encouragement to the hopeful couple, watching the two have their lips start to purse together as the distance between them shortens …

Though that moment will have to wait.

Both their eyes snap wide open as the heads of each pony draws back to its original position. As Flash slowly puts her down, allowing the mare to slide down his chest to her hooves. Leaving both of them to awkwardly scratch the back of their heads.

“Well ah… it’s been a very fun day, Twilight,” Flash says to her as he goes red in the face. Neither one catching the face hoof that each of the friend do, or the slight groan that they let out as a result from the miss.

“I did tell you to let lose… and you did,” she tells him to try and lighten the mood between them. As she doesn’t fare much better while her cheeks flush more and more, “Considering I rather liked seeing the ‘carefree Flash Sentry’ today,” she playfully tells him while nudging his shoulder as they walk back to the shore.

“I must confess… I did like to see the Princess act like a foal a bit. And me being able to hang up the sword for the time being was a nice touch,” Flash grins as they get out of the water. While Twi returns the expression back at him as they shake to dry off, taking a moment to refresh themselves after their play.

The day has been long and tranquil while the others soon come out of the water as well to wrap up here and head back to Twilight’s for dinner. Packing up the basket and heading back down the path, Twilight gets nudged by Applejack as she tips her hat looking over to the sentry with her as she whispers.

“Well ya missed a golden opportunity there Twi…” AJ winks at her, the expression already telling the princess exactly what her next words will be about, “…we all saw y’all in the water.”

Twi’s head dips down slightly as she tries to shrink down as best she can, “you saw that did you?” watching her friend nod. Taking a deep sigh, she tries to answer, “well… the day is still young,” she tells Applejack as they continue to walk down the path and towards her house so they can continue with their little plan.

She still has a whole evening at the house with him and her friends, so considering that she isn’t going to go the night without hearing something or other about her and Flash. Twi might as well try to tell him something, anything would be better than nothing at this point, after all it’s been a good day.

‘What’s the worst that could happen?’ she repeats AJ’s words as they leave the pond behind them as the sun starts to cross in to the horizon.