Chapter seven

The Ponyville train stops at the station as arrivals and departures get off or on it as desired. Many of them knowing exactly where they are going in town or where ever their final destination may be, while one Pegasus guard in full armor steps off with a single bag, reading only a scroll that has the directions ‘large house in Ponyville out skirts… really can’t miss.’ The guard in the golden armor with a dark blue mane piece protruding from the top of his helmet, while his matching tail flicks around, looks with his blue eyes for whatever he may actually be looking for in this small town. Sculpted strong looking face, yet kind at the same time. He looks different from the usual guards that are either a clean white coat or a dark grey, or crystal seeing as where he came from, considering he sports a bright orange coat. To top it all off a blue shield with a lightning bolt going through it as a cutie mark graces his hind, a mark that would lead any pony to recognize him as a guard.

Finally drawing to the conclusion that he’s going to have to use his wings for this one after scanning the area from the station gives him nothing. He grabs his bag and hoists it up over his head on to his back as he takes off in to the sky, scanning the area for whatever may look the part. Finally though, off in the distance, eyeing what could be his target. “Well if that’s not what I’m looking for,” he says to himself looking over the rather nice home, comparing it to the small description that he got to look for, “then I must be in the wrong town entirely.” with that he flies off to the house that he hopes is his target.

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Twilight rolls out of bed after seeing the time on her clock. Opting not to set an alarm to wake her up to early so she can push the day away as best she can. Though with the bright rays of her mentor’s sun beating down the sleep that held her for so long, it seems her wish for just five more minutes won’t be granted just yet. “Well the day isn’t going to start itself,” she says out loud. Walking in to the bath room and turning the water on, Twilight waits a second or two to let the steam fill the shower before stepping in herself and letting the hot water run down her and under her coat to her skin. Revitalizing every pore of her body it seems like a shot of espresso as her eyes perk up in an instant and she levitates a bottle of conditioner over to her before dabbling some in to her mane and using her hooves to get it silky smooth. Meanwhile Twi uses her magic to draw out a tooth brush and paste to multi task in the morning for the desire of efficiency. Finishing up in only a few minutes as she rinses out her hair and lets the suds go down the drain along with the spit before turning the water off. Now only to lean her head against the tile, “I don’t want to start the day so I don’t set an alarm, I go through my normal routine and finish in the shower quickly still, and then I don’t want to get out,” a slight chuckle escapes her lips as she finds the irony of her mind arguing back and forth at her, “Oh will you make up your mind.”

Finally working herself up to get out of the shower, the princess dries off in a second with a quick spell before brushing her mane ever so lightly to get it the same way she always wears it, and places her crown on so as to meet her new guest properly. Taking now only a moment to pause and look at herself over in the mirror so see that everything is in order. “Hair combed, teeth brushed, make up,” Twilight looks closer in to her face at the already well rested face, “… don’t need it. Let’s do this.” She perks up her face once more and slaps on a smile.

Walking down the stairs to the ground floor she looks over to the corner and sees a bag sitting there off to the side near the doorway. ‘Well that’s not mine,’ she summarizes quickly, ‘whoever he is must be here already.’ Taking a breath after sticking her nose up in the air, she analyzes the sent. Scrambled eggs, toast, and of course hay bacon ready and waiting. Seems to be that Cadance got up early and made breakfast. “Well somepony still knows how to cook,” Twilight says taking another deep breath of the wonderful aroma before walking in the kitchen entirely.

“Good morning, Cadance,” she greets while walking in.

It’s at that moment Twilight opens her eyes and sees who is sitting at the table as well. The young Pegasus colt guard there with has his helmet removed, showing his blue mane waving down his neck and spiking at the top. The light orange tint to his coat and the mane seem all too familiar to her. Almost not even wanting to believe it when she can clearly see who it is, her mind even being in denial. ‘No…’ she says in her mind in complete and utter denial, ‘it can’t be, him,’ though those thoughts, and any hope of being right, are blow to bits when he turns around and she sees the same gentle blue eyes from long ago for what seems like first time.

Flash Sentry sits before her.

Twilight’s heart skips a beat as this hits home in her mind and she almost loses her footing in her own kitchen. The pounding getting deeper and deeper in her chest as she can feel her own blood temperature rising while somewhere between mouth, brain, and heart something doesn’t compute and the mare is left needing somepony to either flip her reset switch, or call customer support.

Although she isn’t the only one having the same realization hit her, Twilight seems to be getting the short straw of the matter. Flash himself gets up and turns to face her, taking a respectful bow at the sight of royalty like he would any of the other princesses. The blood sprinting to his face for but a moment as he gets his own mind under control before trying to process anything else. “P-princess Twilight Sparkle,” he nearly fumbles over his own words as he eventually picks his pupils up enough to look at her in the eyes, “what a surprise… I didn’t know you were going to be the one I was sent for?” Twilight though is still speechless. It’s as much of a surprise to her as it is to him, if not more, and her legs would give way to that.

Cadance slides a few slices of toast on to the kid’s plates as well as her own before stepping between the two to break up the silence. “Flash here came right on time,” she starts off, “luckily he found the house, considering the directions Shining gave him. Anyways, I answered the door and let him in, Twilight,” she starts to grin, “Meet your guard.”

Twilight’s body feels like a ton of bricks breaking under her twig legs. She knew something had to be up with Cadance picking the guard, but she wouldn’t have suspected this from her… okay maybe she should have expected it, especially seeing the gleam in her eyes several times over. The times she would go to the empire and Cadance just happen to be busy and unable to meet her, so Flash would be sent instead. Flash being assigned to her to assist when she would stay for a longer period of time to help the royal couple. Heck even the occasions that Cadance would come to Ponyville and who just happened to be one of the guards that would come with her?

But this is a different level, this is literally taking the colt and thrusting him in to her home where he would sharing meals with her, helping her study, and even be sleeping no more than twenty feet from her. A single bead of sweat trickles its way down her neck as she musters up the courage to say something finally after what seems like an eternity of silence, “It’s umm… wonderful to have you here, Mr. Sentry. Would you excuse me for a moment?” she grabs Cadance’s hoof and starts to drag her out of the kitchen, “I need to have a word with Cadance here in private.”

“Not at all ma’am,” he says, staying put in kitchen while Twilight leads Cadance up to her own room so there is no chance that he can hear what she’s about to say.

Her bedroom door swings open as she nearly tosses the Princess of love inside, quickly closing the door behind herself, leaning on it now almost hyperventilating in the process as a few stars start to show up in her vision from either the lack of oxygen, or too much. Either way she could care less, she has other matters to attend to. Looking over to the pony responsible for all of this. Cadance stands there with an eye brow raised and a grin plastered across her face.

“Don’t you dare give me that look!” Twilight snaps at her, huffing and puffing all the way, “Was this your game all along?”

“Actually I did walk in to hear of Celestia and Luna talking about getting you a guard” Cadance explains, knowing there’s no way she can get out of this one, “seriously? How did you not put it together of who I was talking about? I gave you enough hits after all… ‘He’s from the empire.’ How many other guards there do you know? ‘You’ve worked with him before.’ Is there really any other guard you have worked with on a regular basis? ‘If I told you who it was, you’d try to talk Celestia out of it.’ That one should have screamed it to you…”

“My mind… waded over the idea for perhaps, a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a second before…” she grinds out through her teeth as the sound of molars filing down fills the air, “though I guess I was subconsciously HOPING that my loving sister in law wouldn’t try to pull that card with me. Seeing as this is more than throwing both of us in to an awkward situation now, and probably many more to come later on… how does this help either of us?”

“Oh come now, it’s only awkward if you make it awkward,” Cadance waves her hoof around in front of her. Seeing no issue in this entire matter, “And he does meet all the things you asked.”

“What?!” she yells while trying to keep her voice down at the same time, “I said someone I’m ‘comfortable’ around also. Comfortable, comfortable, comfortable! Do I have to get you another dictionary for Hearths Warming Eve? Or should I have Rosebud bucking draw the word out for you in crayon?!” she points to the near crazy look on her face. Blood filling every pore it can on her violet cheeks, now almost crimson. While even her own eyes almost go blood shot, “what part of is this being comfortable?”

“Well you are comfortable around him, Twilight. You two get along just fine when you can, well how do I put this? ‘Speak’,” Cadance points out to her the best way she can explain it, “your just a tad bit, shy.”

“Thank you captain obvious!” Twilight leans back against the door and crosses her fore legs, “this is just perfect… what were you hoping to accomplish with this?”

Cadance just gives her a blank stare before turning it in to the look of ‘do you really even need to ask me that question?’ filling her face up while the other princess shakes her head a bit. Twilight knows exactly where she was going with this, but she just doesn’t want to admit it. “Well he seems to be the only colt that can make you act this way. Those are butterflies in your stomach after all, aren’t they?”

“I do not have a crush on him!”

“Oh please Twilight you aren’t fooling any pony,” Cadance rolls her eyes, while finding it rather funny almost in a sick kind of way at her sister in laws predicament, “especially not me, ‘the pony of love’. You don’t even do a good job at hiding it… I mean you felt an attraction to him after all before, right?”

Twilight remembers back to when her crown was stolen. It was the same day she first set eyes on Flash. She ran in to him when she walked in to the crystal castle for her first summit meeting. How could she forget after all? Considering she then had to go in to another universe to get the crown back. Where she met him yet again, a different version of him, but only on the outside. When she came back to her world and met a pony here that mimicked him. Pony Flash was still the same kind, gentle, sweet colt that she got to somewhat know over the years while she worked with Cadance in the empire. Although she never really knew him, more so just in passing or with the occasional ‘good morning’s’ or ‘how are you’s’, and the even more occasional times when he would help her with whatever she needed during a stay there. Twilight could never bring herself to go out of her way to talk to the colt on her own. For all she knew after all there was a special mare back in the Crystal Empire for him.

Never the less, there was no denying it. She did feel something for the colt in her kitchen currently. Even if she hated to say it because of embarrassment. It only grew over those years, and now fate has somehow threw him back in to her life (fate by the name of Cadance), forever how long that may be. She shakes her head to get her thoughts in order, “okay… so let’s say I do have a ‘crush’ on him,” she starts off, seeing the look on Cadance’s face start to glow, “and let’s say it’s been there for a long time. What am I supposed to say? ‘Nice to see you again, Flash. I met you in another universe years ago and started to get a huge crush on you then…’ he’ll think I’m insane!?”

“Well at one point you did say it was okay to lose your mind every once in a while,” Cadance replies sarcastically, “but then again you don’t have to tell him all of that. You could leave out the crush bit and just see what happens?”

“So what do I do now?” Twilight thinks, “I mean if I had the time I would go and read up on love and relationships in my library, but somepony didn’t think to give more notice on this matter…” she glares at Cadance. Who starts to walk to the door, opening it for the both of them.

“We might as well go down there now. Seeing as the library idea is out of the question.”

“I guess we should.”

The two step out and go back down the kitchen to see Flash still there, while the kids look over his armor and even start to play with the blue mane that had been fixed on the helmet. Havoc has the helmet slumped over his head, and Rosebud starts to laugh at him, even getting a smile to rise from the guard as it slips down low across the youngsters head hiding away nearly his entire face. Twilight takes a moment to see the genuine beam on him, and can’t fight back the one on her now as she even chuckles at the actions of the child.

“Sorry about that Flash Sentry,” she says to him announcing their presence. Watching him scramble more than the eggs to get up and greet her again. Raising a hoof and putting it on his shoulder though, Twi uses a little pressure on him to urge him back down in to the seat so as to make this seem as normal and casual as possible. “There’s no need to rise every time I enter a room,” she tries to giggle to relieve the tension in her, “after all you’ll be staying here, so that will happen quite often.”

He salutes her in response, “understood Princess Twilight Spark-”

“And…” she cuts him off, “Twilight will be just fine. After all hearing ‘princess’ over and over again could get old really quick,” Twi remarks while she and her guard both share a little light hearted laugh as they both agree on that part.

“Understood Prin-… ahh I mean, Twilight,” he nods at her.

Cadance even starts to giggle herself after seeing the two interact with one another. She goes over to the kids and whisks Rosebud atop her back, while removing the helmet from Havoc and handing it back to its rightful owner.

“I believe this belongs to you?”

Flash accepts the helmet and holds it under his wing, “thank you Princess Cadance. The young Princess and prince have never met me before,” he grins while looking off to the side at the playful nature of the kids, “a new guard they have never seen. Needless to say they were curious and wanted to see the armor up close,” he taps on the breast place.

Cadance knows how the young ones can be around guards, they used to see if they could get the guards in Canterlot to move from their posts when they were younger, play pranks on them while they were on watch, and on occasion even get their father to mess with them and join in on the antics. “It’s quite alright, I know how they are. However, I’ll leave you two be to get more acquainted, if memory serves it has been a while sense you saw one another last in the Empire? Its best I get these two back to their parents and I get back to my own husband.”

Twilight wishes her a good bye and gives her a tighter hug than usual, pulling her close in to her ear, “were going to talk more about this little stunt of yours when I see you next,” she whispers to her friend like venom, the serpent’s tongue almost even ticking Cadance’s ear. Letting her go while they pass a grin to one another.

Flash gives her a salute, “have a good day, Princess.”

“You as well, Flash…” she looks back to Twilight before repeating herself, “…you too.”

With that Cadance flies off in to the sky with her powerful wings, while the kids take to the sky with her. Havoc on her back, and Rosebud keeping up.

Meanwhile Twilight stands there for a few awkward seconds as she watches her leave before returning to reality. “Well I suppose I should show you around the home. That would seem like the first order of business,” she urges him to follow her.

Flash picks up his bag and tosses it over his back, “lead the way ma’am.”

He follows her around the house as she points out anything she can think of. Showing him the kitchen, which she nearly slaps herself considering that he already saw it, she tries to think of anything new to say.

“Well I have my own taste in food already here,” she tries to make some sort of talk with him that won’t make her look like a complete fool, “however if you would like me to pick up anything in particular, I'd be more than happy to make you feel at home away from home.”

“Oh? Ah…no thank you,” he tries to get out. Feeling foolish that the Princess is offering to get him food, “I can take care of that if need be. I don’t want to burden you after all, I’m just a guest here.”

“It’s no burden at all, Mr. Sentry,” she says to him with a smile, “besides it’s because you are here as a guest that I offer this.”

Flash sees the expression on her face, though as he is about to respond he bites down on half his tongue trying not to over step his boundaries, “ahh… excuse me, Twilight?”

“Yes?” Twilight says, picking up on his odd tone in his voice. ‘What did I say? He sounds like something’s off. Already messed this up didn’t I?’

“If it’s my place to say, and it’s all the same to you that is,” he tries to get out of his throat, “you can call me Flash, if you would like. Seeing as you’re already having me call you by name.”

Twilight mentally brushes a sigh of relief off her fore head that it wasn’t her. Alleviating the rest of her stress with nothing more than a slight giggle, “you always have a place to say your piece, Flash. We’re in my own home after all, I surely don’t have my friends call me princess. And to that I’ll extend the same to you.”

Twilight continues to show him around. Going to the living room, which he must have noticed as he walked in. The bathrooms, which any guest would need to know. And of course showing her pride and joy. The library, where if he needs to find her will probably end up being the first place he’ll look as he learns more about her habits. Eventually getting to the guest rooms, and showing him what she already thought through the night as her guard’s room, right across from her.

“And this,” she opens the door stepping in, “is your room.”

Flash steps inside and looks around. The room is more than he would have expected, by far. Fully furnished, large double bed, desk, window to the outside overlooking the town with a lounge chair next to it to relax perhaps after a long day in the sun as it peaks through, and as one may expect from a host such as Twilight. A fully stocked book shelf with maybe not as many books as her library, but still a variety for whatever the average reader may be craving at the time of day. The royal guard stops for a moment as he takes in his new living quarters, almost lost for words at the leap from barracks back in the empire to basically an apartment in itself. Though the silence that he speaks is broken by the nerves of a mare.

“So…” he hears the mare starts to say still standing by the door way, “do you like it?” Twilight asks waiting to see the look on his face, but when she does she can’t read it and tries to catch herself, “I mean if you don’t I’m sure I can get it changed around to more you’re liking.”

“Ms. Sparkle…” he says slowly. Gingerly lifting her golden slippered hoof up to his lips as he kisses it respectively while bowing before her, “it’s more than what I could have asked a princess herself for, I can’t thank you enough for your hospitality.”

Twilights mind goes blank for a moment as she tries to think what to say. In the few years she’s been a Princess, she never had any guard kiss her hoof. And for as long as she can remember, she hasn’t been kissed by a colt (other than her father) in any way, shape, or form. The young Princess is lost at the gesture for the longest time, almost forgetting to breathe as she gasps in air when he lets go of her hoof and it returns back to its place. Her face goes from white to cherry red in an instant as her mind races to pick up what her mouth is trying to put out. “Oh…ahh…” she starts to fumble over herself. ‘Get yourself together Twilight!’ she screams in side of her head before a shake of her head sets her straight, “… it’s the least I can do Flash,” she says softly as he raises his head back to hers. Her heart stops for a moment as the trembles come back to her legs when she sees those blue eyes of his and the pure smile on his face. ‘Cadance was right, it really is obvious’ she wonders as she recalls the many things that her sister in law has said before, ‘now only if it’s that obvious to him.’ Her brain ponders the thought before realizing that further conversation will be needed to disturb the ever growing stillness between them.

‘Have you been out to this part of Equestria before?’ she asks, more or less to herself until her mouth had another idea for a set of words, “I think I’m going to enjoy our time together,” she says before realizing it. Only catching herself after the words have left and she is left cursing her nerves for working against her. Although through her fumble she does hear the slight laugh of the only pony in the room with her.

“I think I will enjoy it just as well, Twilight,” Flash doesn’t falter as his soft spoken words brings her back in to him.

“Good to know then,” Now only sharing the same whole hearted grin he does, Twi takes a breath or two to prevent another case of hoof in mouth, “however, have you ever been to this part of Equestria?”

“I honestly can’t say that I have actually.”

“Well then it’s settled,” she says while almost bouncing in place, slightly tinted red in the face from her fumble, “I’ll show you around town, seeing as you’re going to be here for quite a while.”

Flash simply nods to the princess, trying not to seem too eager with that fact of him staying here in town, “Seems to be that way Twilight. Let me just unpack a few things first.”

He sets the bag down atop the bed and opens it. Inside are only the essentials Twilight notices. Tooth brush, towel, armor polish, brush for the mane and tail, clippers for the wings. Then something that she finally takes notice of, a single blanket wrapped up.

“What’s that?” she asks him after seeing it.

Flash half smiles at her, unwrapping the blanket and puts the item inside on top of it. It’s a single broad sword, hardened steel, and double edged to a razor sharp finish leading down to a simple handle. No ostentatious or apparel, nothing fancy, just a run of the mill sword that has been battle hardened over the years.

“It’s the tool that allows me to do what I was intended to do as a guard,” he answers quietly, slowly drawing it out of its sheath as she looks it over even more. Scrapes and pieces missing from it as a result from previous strikes against Celestia knows what, scratches from traveling to where ever his duty was, and judging from the wear and tear on the edge itself. The guard has had to have it filed down numerous times to keep a good edge on it. “It follows me where ever I go,” he slides it across his back,

“Even out in town?” she asks him innocently.

Flash nods at her, “Even out in town. It’s my job after all.”

“I’m glad to have you here then,” Twilight says while back peddling to the door, “shall we?”

Flash is quick to follow the Princess out the bedroom door and down the hall to take a look at his new surroundings as they head outside in to town.