It was a warm, summer day in Ponyville. As usual, nopony was rushing or feeling stressed. Well, that is, all except one.
Twilight had just gotten out of her bed and was sprinting towards her closet,"Gotta pack, gotta pack, gotta pack!" She and her friends were going to visit the Crystal Empire that day, and for the first time in forever, they had nowhere to go, nothing to do, no imminent danger. Just as Twilight began to pack, a knock came at her door. "Come in!" she yelled, still digging through her closet. The door opened. It was none other than Flash Sentry, the stallion Twilight had particular feelings towards him since they first met. He had been transferred to Twilight's castle guard(Thanks to Cadence) and had been very helpful. "Good morning your Highness," he bowed.
"Please, call me Twilight. What are you here for?"
"I heard you yelling and panicking. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I just was having a hard time finding my crown,"
"It's right here your Highness- I mean Twilight-I mean-," Twilight chuckled. Many ponies got into the habit of calling her 'Your Highness' but Flash always never seemed to remember. Flash chuckled a bit too. "Thank you, Flash." Flash left the room with a tinge of red on his cheeks. Just then, Starlight stepped into the room.
"Were you just flirting with Flash?"
"Uh, no, n-"
"Well then what's this?" She played a magical recording of Twilight's interaction with Flash.
Twilight rubbed the back of her neck. "Okay, maybe I was kind of flirting but still, can you blame me?"
"It's fine, I get it. It's about time you got somepony."
Speaking of time, Twilight looked at a clock on the wall.
"Oh no! We have to get on the train in an hour and I'm not even done packing yet!" With that, she rushed back to her closet.
1 hour later
Twilight and Starlight met the others at the train station. "Where were you guys! You almost missed the train!" shouted Rainbow Dash.
"Let's just say somepony tried to flirt with a certain member of the guard," remarked Starlight. Twilight blushed.
"I was not!" she protested.
"Oh come on Twilight, you've had a crush on him since you first saw him!" Rainbow Dash almost screamed.
"Oh really then, what's going on with you and Soarin, hmm?"
"Umm, does it even matter?"
"Exactly,"
"Hey, we're already dating!"
"Sorry to interrupt your discussion, but yall' gonna get on the train or what?" Applejack beckoned for them.
"This discussion is not over!" called Rainbow Dash from inside the train.
Later on the train
Applejack and Fluttershy seemed to be the only calm ones. Pinkie was even jumpier than usual, Twilight was jumping in circles around the train, Rainbow Dash and Rarity were pacing nervously, and Starlight was, well, they weren't quite sure what. Her mood seemed to be a mix of excitement, anxiety, fear, and happiness.
"Gee Twilight, I haven't seen you this excited in years. What's going on?" asked Applejack.
Rainbow Dash gasped."You finally got over your habit of singing freak out arias?!" Everypony looked at Rainbow Dash."What? It's not a good habit!"
"No, I finally can go to the library and this time, the fate of the Crystal Empire isn't at stake! "
"What about you and Rarity? What are you so nervous about?" asked Applejack.
Rainbow Dash intruded, "I'm facing off against my rival, Lightning Dust,"
"And I, am having a, probably much more dignified meeting with my enemy, Suri Polomare,"
"But no matter what, SHE"S GOING DOWN!" they yelled at the exact same time. They looked at each other sideways.
"What about you Pinkie? What are you so excited about?"
"Joe's Donuts is opening a new shop and it's right next to Vinyl Scratch's Super Duper Party Pony Palace and its gonna have special new flavors and then I can be the first customer and get a coupon!" Indeed, they were all looking forward to great things(And donuts.). Little did they know, however, that one of them would make a discovery that would change her life.
"OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmyGosh! I can't believe we're here!" squealed Pinkie. They had just gotten off the train and Rainbow Dash was already about to leave.
"Sorry I have to leave so soon but I have to go practice to beat my rival,"
"Who's your rival again?" inquired Starlight.
"Lightning Dust. She's been jealous of me ever since I got into the Wonderbolts and she didn't. I haven't seen her for almost 3 years but she wrote a letter to me and we're gonna settle this once and for all!"
"And how do you suppose you are going to 'settle this'?" asked Rarity.
"With a race!" Rainbow Dash answered."Anyway, I gotta go. Later!" She dashed off into the sky leaving a visible trail of rainbows.
"I'm afraid I have to leave too." said Rarity, "I have to get a letter to Suri telling her that I'm here,"
"Who's Suri again?" asked Applejack.
"You know that time we went to Manehattan and we had to stay up almost all night creating outfits because somepony copied my line? That pony was Suri Polomare. I'm getting even with her. We're having a design contest. We pick out fabrics for each other to use and we have 24 hours to create an outfit with the fabrics we have."
"Yer kiddin', right? That's how you're gonna get even with her? In mah life, I settle things with real competitions. Paintball, wrestling, dares! Competitions of strength and wit! Not some lame fashion contest where ya wear some fancy getup!" remarked Applejack.
"Well, that may be how you do things but I for one do not care for uncouth competitions. Anywho, I must be going. Goodbye!"
"I'm gonna go to Joe's Donuts for the grand opening! I gotta get there early or else I won't be their first customer and if I'm not the first customer then I can't get a first customer doughnut and I promised to bring back Spike a first customer donut!" Pinkie took a long breath and sped off in a flash.
"Did anypony understand any of that?" asked Starlight.
"Nope. Not a clue,"Twilight shook her head.
"I'm sorry. I have to go too. I'm... meeting somepony." said Fluttershy. The rest of the group had almost forgotten about her since she was so quiet.
"Really? Who?" asked Twilight.
"I don't know. I just received a letter right before heading to the train station."
"Why do I get the weird feeling you're lying?" asked Starlight.
"I'm not,"
"Yes you are,"
"I'm not!"
"Yes, you are!"
Applejack spoke up "That's enough you two. Yall' can argue when Twilight and I leave but, fer now, get along will ya?"
Starlight huffed, "Fine. I know who sent you that letter and why you won't tell us,"
"Hey guys, as much as I'd love to figure out who sent the letter, I wanted to go to the library, so bye," said Twilight as she walked off.
"I'm gonna go get some food. I don't know about yall' but I'm really hungry after the long train ride." said Applejack. As soon as she left, Starlight began to talk to Fluttershy
"We both know who sent you that letter,"
"I really don't know,"
"Oh come on Fluttershy, who would send you a letter that appeared right before you left so randomly? I know only one pony who would do that, or rather one Draconequus,"
"Alright, I knew who sent it,"
"Then why did you hide it from us?" Fluttershy blushed, "Oh, I know what's going on here. You have a crush on Discord."
"I suppose so but, I can't let him know that,"
Starlight smiled a bit. She knew that Discord had a crush on Fluttershy but didn't say anything. She knew they should figure out their feelings on their own.
"Well then. You better go I guess. Bye,"
"Bye." Starlight smiled, she was happy that Fluttershy and Discord both loved each other. She decided to go to the home of a certain stallion she admired. He was none other than Sunburst. She was happy nopony had asked her about what she would do, for she knew that unlike Fluttershy and herself, all of their friends would pester her about it for the rest of the visit, and probably the rest of her life. She was so happy and calm. If only things could stay that way.
