Flurry looked out upon the view of the town from the Crystal Empire balcony. She sighed and looked at the stars, especially the brightest one. There had been rumors that the star wasn't always that bright. She wasn't sure what it was about though.

"Flurry?" came her mother's gentle and calm voice. Flurry sighed and didn't look at her mother. "I know you're upset, but could I at least explain?"

"If it will make me feel any better about myself," said Flurry.

"You're perfect just the way you are. You were just an innocent baby when that happened. All you did was cry and then the heart shattered. Flurry, you didn't understand," said Cadence as she placed a hoof on her daughter's shoulder. Flurry turned her head to glance at her mother.

"You, Skyla, Armored, and the new foal are best things that have ever happened to your father and I. We love you Flurry, no matter how many flaws you have," said Cadence.

Flurry sighed. "If I'm going to be the next ruler, what will the others think if they know I shattered the Heart? What if they reject me? What if-?"

"Flurry calm down please," said Cadence. "Anyways your father and I have something to tell you." Shining Armor at that moment came out onto the balcony.

"Pack your bags Flurry!" said Shining.

"Wait, why-?" Flurry began.

"We're going to Ponyville to visit Auntie Twilie for a few days!" said Shining Armor excitedly.

Flurry's jaw dropped. "Really? But who will be in charge of the empire?"

"Starlight, Sunset, and Sunburst have agreed to keep an eye on things. Also, Dawn, Pheonix and Bluebelle are coming too," said Cadence.

"Wow! What kind of occassion is this for?" Flurry asked.

"Just to visit family," replied Shining Armor.

Flurry squealed as she embraced her parents. A groggy Skyla came out onto the balcony. "Mom? Dad? When did we get a pig?" she asked before collapsing on the ground and falling asleep. Flurry giggled.

"So which one is it, Canterlot or Ponyville?" asked Bluebelle the next morning as they loaded up the train with their luggage.

"Ponyville is only about ten miles away from Canterlot," Dawn said.

"Nerd," mumbled Phoenix under his breath.

"I just love Canterlot! The elite, the fashions, the gorgeous palace, all of it!" squealed Bluebelle.

"I'm excited to see Amethyst and her friends. I wonder what Delilah has been up to lately," said Flurry.

"You know the Princess of Chaos, probably spreading... chaos?" said Pheonix.

"Oh no, Delilah's not like that, unlike Discord," said Dawn.

"Captain Tempest is Princess Twilight's leader of the royal guard. I have heard that her husband Sir Grubber helps in training. That, or it's the bakery," said Bluebelle.

"Canterlot gossip, I presume?" Skyla asked.

"My father is high up in elite, however Fancy Pants is the highest of rankings," said Bluebelle. "I hear all the gossip."

The ponies took their seats at benches and tables as the train started up. "These seats are absolutely luxurious!" exclaimed Bluebelle.

"Perfect for naps," Skyla said before unpacking a pillow from her carryon and falling asleep.

Dawn and Flurry began a game of chess and played for a while. Flurry concentrated on moving her piece. Then Dawn moved hers and Flurry's eyes widened. "Checkmate!" exclaimed Dawn.

"Aw horseapples!" said Flurry.

Shining Armor saw that Cadence seemed concerned and unusually quiet. "Are you feeling alright, Cadence? Is there something bothering you?"

"Well I have this... feeling. A feeling of danger," said Cadence.

Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. "It's just anxiety, I'm sure. Everything's going to be just fine." They were silent for a minute. "I think."

"Amethyst Spark Sentry, calm down," Princess Twilight Sparkle said as her eldest daughter jumped excitedly around the throne room. She was a orange alicorn with a blue violet mane with matching eyes and cerulean and red violet streaks in her mane. Her mane was spiked up slightly.

"I can't! I'm too excited!" Amethyst squealed.

"Trust me, Flurry and Skyla are just as excited as you are. Once they get here, do you and your friends want to help show them around?" Twilight asked.

"I'll ask them, Mom. I'm positive they'll agree," said Amethyst. Sure enough, her friends Diamond Twinkle, Honeycrisp, Delilah, Spectrum Prismbolt, and Strawberry Dreamcake agreed.

"Greeting the future queen of the Crystal Empire? Uh, absolutely!" said the dragon unicorn hybrid as she flipped her violet mane. Diamond Twinkle appeared most like her mother Rarity, except had pale blue scales from her neck down to underbelly. She had two matching horns in substitute for one horn.

"Auntie Cadence isn't a queen. The chances of Flurry Heart becoming one is very slim," replied Amethyst.

"Ain't Celestia a queen?" asked Honeycrisp, Applejack and Caramel's daughter. She was a light tan color with a light brown mane and had her mother's green eyes. She wore a red plaid bandanna.

"Only because she married King Sombra after the events of them swapping realms," said Amethyst.

At that moment Frosted Berryblast, or Frost as she preferred to be called poked her head shyly into the room. She had a grayish violet coat and moderate opal eyes just like her mother. Her mane was violet red and carnation pink. She had a black nose and tail like her father, Grubber.

"Um, Princess Amethyst Spark?" the shy unicorn asked.

Amethyst spotted her mom's guards' daughter. "Yeah, Frost?"

"I-I was wondering if you guys need any help with the tour. I mean it's okay if you don't," stammered Frost as she looked up at her broken horn. Unlike her mother, she had been born with a broken horn.

"That sounds great Amethyst," Delilah said. "Frost knows the streets of Ponyville better than the rest of us."

Spectrum flew up from behind them. "I'm cool with it. Besides I'd like to show the princesses the best places to fly." She was a light cyan with a dark grayish phlatlo blue mane with rainbow streaks.

"But wait!" exclaimed an overly excited Strawberry Dreamcake. "I thought Princess Skyla didn't know how to fly!"

Spectrum gasped. "Well looks like she's got a teacher on her hooves!"

"Well we'll just have to see! They should be here any-," began Amethyst before a train roar interrupted her. Her mother dashed past her with a schedule in her raspberry aura. "-minute?"

"Yer ma and schedules," said Honeycrisp.

"Don't just stand there everypony, let's go greet the princesses!" exclaimed Strawberry as she bounced excitedly up and down. The new Mane Six trotted out of the palace with Frost not far behind them.

The crystal train pulled into the station. Flurry watched in anticipation as everypony else began to get off. Her parents began to get off but her dad was asleep and her mom looked nauseous.

"Mom? Are you okay?" Flurry asked in worry as she walked toward the exit.

"Don't worry about me, Flurry," reassured Cadence. "I'm just fi-," she began before Flurry lit up her horn. All of a sudden Cadence's nausea went away. Cadence gazed at her eldest daughter and sighed happily. "How did I get so lucky to have a daughter like you?"

Flurry chuckled and trotted off the train, immediately spotting her cousin and friends. "Ame!" cried Flurry as she ran to her cousin and embraced her.

Amethyst grinned. "Happy to see you too, Flur."

The ponies began to chat and get to know each other when all of a sudden Flurry heard a familiar voice. A pale grayish mulberry alicorn with an indigo mane with raspberry and moderate purple streaks approached regally at that moment. She wore a silver chestplate, crown, and gauntlets with a magenta amethyst star encrusted in center of the neckpiece. There was a pegasus stallion next to her who had a brilliant gamboge (light orange) coat and two-toned sapphire blue mane. He didn't wear any armor but the few guards surrounding them did. Their armor appeared similar to the alicorn that approached. Flurry knew automatically who she was. It was nopony other than her paternal aunt, Princess Twilight Sparkle and her uncle Flash Sentry. "Hello Flurry," Twilight Sparkle greeted warmly. Everypony bowed except for the four royals that were there; Flurry, Skyla, Armored, and Amethyst.

"Auntie Twilight!" Flurry exclaimed excitedly as she ran over to hug her aunt but the guards' spears blocked her from getting in.

"Let her through," addressed Twilight. The guards obeyed, and Flurry hugged her aunt. Flash ruffled her mane and Flurry giggled. Twilight glanced up at Skyla. "Care to join?" she asked.

"I'm good. Not big on hugs," said Skyla as she held up a hoof.

"I join!" replied Armored Shield excitedly as he trotted over. Twilight smiled but it quickly turned into a frown when she saw her brother and sister-in-law absent.

"Where's your parents?" Twilight asked suddenly, her eyes filled with worry. She spotted them come off the train as she said that. "Nevermind," sighed Twilight. "Anyway's let's head to the castle and chat."

Everypony began walking toward the Ponyville Castle. "Oh why did I choose today to polish my hooves?" whined Bluebelle as they walked down the cobblestone street.

About twenty minutes later the group gathered around a table. "I figured I should let you guys know," began Twilight to Shining Armor, Cadence, Flurry and the others. "There's a guest coming to Ponyville tomorrow. He hasn't been here in years though. Amethyst and her friends already know, to be clear. Anyways your rooms are ready upstairs. Make yourself at home."

Wow, thought Flurry as she looked around her aunt's castle. This might just be one of the best few days of my life.