Pinkie Pie and her friends, including Ray and Stevie were at sugar cube corner, Twilight was talking about the second book in the series she had been reading, Rainbow was actively trying to stay awake, Ray was listening with interest to what Twilight was saying.
“I learned so much.” Twilight finished telling her story, she been had reading the book about magical artifacts.
Applejack nudged Rainbow in the ribs, she jolted awake.
“Wuzzzup?” She asked raising an eyebrow at Applejack.
Twilight rolled her eyes and shook her head in amusement.
Applejack put her hoof around Stevie, they had been dating for 4 months now, Stevie kissed her on the cheek.
“Hey, Applejack so when’s the wedding?” Pinkie joked, noticing the exchange.
“Well, we’ve only been datin’ for 4 months, ah’m not sure we’re ready for that!” Applejack blushed as answered her pink friend.
“So you ever thought of children?” Rainbow asked.
“Dash, we haven’t!!” Applejack nearly snapped her face filled with anger and resentment.
Why would Rainbow ask something like that.
“I was only asking!” Rainbow quietly shrunk down in her seat.
Applejack let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah well, we aren’t ready for that!”
After a long and awkward silence.
“I’m going to go to the crystal empire to see Flurry Heart. I’m so excited to see her again.” Twilight exclaimed, eating another cupcake.
“Are you?" Rainbow asked with an inquisitive expression.
"Yeah, I told you about it just last week!" Twilight replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Can I tag along too?" Stevie asked eagerly, his face filled with anticipation.
"Yeah, can we, can we, please?" Pinkie begged her eyes wide and pleading.
Twilight let out a heavy sigh. "I suppose we could all go."
"Yay!!" Stevie and Pinkie yelled in unison, their voices filled with uncontainable joy.
"It's settled then, tomorrow we go to the Crystal Empire," Twilight spoke her tone decisive and resolute.
Arriving at the train station, Stevie, Ray and the main six sat on the platform, waiting for the train to arrive.
“I’m so excited, ohhh, I can’t wait!” Twilight clapped her hooves together in excitement.
“Ah know.” Stevie nodded in understanding, he was happy that Twilight was happy.
“Can we come?” Three voices asked as three young mares, one with yellow a coat and a red bow in her hair, one with a white coat and purple and white mane, the third one was an orange Pegasus with a purple mane.
All three of their cutie marks were similar yet they somehow looked very different
“Apple Bloom, is that you?” Stevie asked the yellow mare.
“Yeah, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom answered, motioning her friends.
Each of the three had a similar cutie mark, but yet it was somehow different, Apple Bloom’s cutie mark was a red apple being painted purple.
Sweetie Belle’s wasis a musical note and a microphone, indicating that her talent had to do something with music.
Scootaloo’s cutie mark was simply a red scooter.
“Well, it’s real nice to meet you!” Stevie greeted the other two.
“So can we come with you?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Yeah, sure!” Twilight nodded in approval as she walked over to them.
“Awesome!” Scootaloo pumped her hoof in the air as she jumped in excitement.
“Wow, you sure have grown-up!” Twilight said as admired she Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
The train arrived and the doors opened and ponies filed out of the train cars.
The main six, the CMC, Ray and Stevie boarded the train and sat down.
“So what are your plans, Twilight?” Stevie asked smiling at her.
“Not sure!” Twilight answered. “But I’m pretty excited to see my niece again!” She added.
Stevie rolled his eyes in annoyance, he already knew that she was excited to see her niece, he was just annoyed that she brought it up constantly, but he kept quiet as he did not want Twilight to be disappointed with him.
“I can’t wait until my coat is all shiny again!” Rarity excitedly grinned.
“That’s gonna be a first for me.” Ray acknowledged.
“Really?” Pinkie gushed. “I will show you everything you’re going to love it, the crystal ponies are so beautiful.”
“I’m sure!” Ray agreed with her, even though he had no idea what she was talking about.
Arriving in the Empire, Shining Armor and Cadence were waiting on a train platform.
When the train arrived, the ponies disembarked, the first ponies Twilight saw were her brother and her sister-in-law.
“Shining Armor, Cadence!” Twilight’s sparkled as she saw her brother and her sister-in-law.
“Twilight, we are so glad to see you! Cadence spoke excitedly, hugging Twilight.
“It is also very good to see you again, Cadence, I would like to see Flurry.” Twilight reciprocated the hug.
As they both pulled away, Cadence looked Twilight up and down, noting how tall she had gotten over the years.
“This way.” Shining Armor pointed them in the right direction as he and his wife lead the friends out of the train station.
After walking for a little while they reached the crystal castle, going inside, they went down a hallway, Stevie listened to his surroundings as he heard his footsteps on the crystal floor.
“This is incredible!” Ray whispered as they walked his hoof steps echoing off the walls around him.
“Agreed!” Stevie whispered back.
Arriving at a door entirely made of crystal, Shining Armor opened the door to reveal a young alicorn filly.
“Flurry Heart, I’m so glad to see you, come give your favorite aunt a hug!” Twilight beamed as she saw her niece.
The filly got up from her bed that she had been sitting on and ran to Twilight.
“Auntie Twilight, auntie Twilight, I’m so glad to see you!” Flurry excitedly rushed over to her aunt and hugged her tightly.
Then she turned to see Stevie and Ray standing in the doorway.
“Auntie, who are those ponies?” Flurry questioned pointing a hoof at Stevie and Ray.
“Those are my friends, they are famous musicians!” Twilight answered her niece.
“But why do they wear those funny glasses?” Flurry asked looking puzzled at the two ponies before her.
“Flurry Heart, be nice!” Her mother scolded with a stern look on her face.
“Don’t worry about it, well you see, our eyes do not work like yours do, so that’s why we need these glasses!” Stevie answered as he smiled.
“Oh, hope you get better soon!” Flurry wished them well.
“We can’t, it’s permanent!” Ray spoke with some hesitation in his voice.
“So, how old are you?” Applejack asked the filly as she knelt down to her.
“I am…..7!” Flurry shyly admitted.
“That’s nice!” Applejack spoke as she went back to Stevie’s side.
“Hey, Flurry, you remember the bear game we played when you were younger?” Twilight asked.
“Yeah, I do.” Flurry answered jumping up and down in excitement.
Twilight produced stuffed bears out of thin air, and gave one to her niece.
“You can’t catch me!” Twilight excitedly shouted as she ran with her bear in her magic around the room, followed by her niece, and joined by Fluttershy and Rainbow
“Tag, you’re it.” Flurry shouted as she chased Rainbow around the room.
“Nice try!” Rainbow snuggly commented.
Flurry‘s horn lit up as she teleported behind Twilight to tag her.
Twilight noticed her niece behind her and turned around and tapped her on the shoulder.
“Tag!” Twilight shouted in glee.
Flurry stopped running and tackled her aunt hugging her, Twilight reciprocated the hug.
“Hey!” Ray spoke from the doorway.
The young filly looked up to the stallion, and flew over to him.
“Yeah?” She questioned tilting her head to one side.
“Are you not a princess?” Ray asked coming down to her level.
“Yeah, but I am not of maturity to rule yet!” The filly admitted shyly.
Twilight, Rainbow and Fluttershy stopped running when they saw Flurry conversing with Ray.
“Flurry, why don’t we show our guests around.” Cadence spoke gently as she came over to where Flurry was sitting, intensely staring at Ray.
“Yes, mother!” Flurry said as she took Ray and Stevie’s hooves and was followed by Twilight out of the room.
Her parents were so proud of her, she had really become a princess even if she was not of maturity to rule yet.
“So, Stevie, we would like to get to know you and Ray a little more, how about dinner tonight?” Cadence asked, as she and the others walked down the hall together.
“Sure, we would love to, right Ray?” Stevie agreed as he turned his head in the direction of Cadence’s gentle voice.
“I wonder what the meal is going to be?” Stevie asked himself quietly as they walked along behind Cadence.
“I hope that it’s hey, because isn’t that what horses eat?” Ray chuckled softly under his breath.
As they kept walking, they reached the dining hall, Cadence opened the door with her magic.
Entering the dining hall, Cadence used her magic to light candles along the walls.
Stevie and Ray both sniffed the air and listened to the guards setting the table, the clinking glasses, and the sound of plates being placed on the table.
“You smell that?” Stevie asked, walking further into the room.
“Yeah, salad!” Ray confirmed, following his friend further into the room.
Pinkie bounced up to a chair and sat down next to Stevie.
“Sounds like we’re sitting at a long table!” Stevie remarked.
“Yeah, I think we might be!” Ray agreed.
The others slowly sat down, with Twilight next to Cadence and her brother, Flurry sitting next to her mother grinning from ear to ear.
“Come on, let’s dig in!” Apple Bloom, who was sitting next to Applejack spoke up.
Twilight used her magic to levitate a bowl of salad over to Apple Bloom.
“Thanks, Twilight!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, taking some salad out of the bowl and passing it to Scootaloo who also took some salad out of the bowl and then passed it to Sweetie Belle.
“So how did you come to Equestria, Stevie?” Cadence asked.
“Well, I was originally human, but one day, it all changed, all I remember from that day is I was in a car accident, and then I don’t remember anything after coming to Equestria, then, a few years ago, I met Vinyl and Octavia!” Stevie answered.
“And what about you, Ray?” Shining asked, swallowing his last bite of a burger.
“Well, I was pretty young when I came here, I was pretty upset when I saw my brother in that well!” Ray sniffled, remembering how his mother scolded him after he had told her what happened. “And many years later, I was upset about it so I jumped in the same well, and ended up here!”
“I’m sorry that happened.” Cadence said as she tried to comfort him..
“Don’t be, honestly I’m glad that ah’m here!” Ray dryly admitted, taking a sip of his apple cider.
Stevie could feel his eyes fill up with tears, why didn’t Ray tell him what happened? He thought to himself as he started to softly cry.
“Hey sugar, everythin’ ok?” Applejack asked, noticing that Stevie looked sad.
“I’m fine.” Stevie lied, wiping away his tears from under his glasses.
“Ya ain’t, you can tell me, Ah ain’t gonna judge ya.” Applejack honestly said as she went over to him. “So tell me.”
“It’s not important!” Stevie mumbled under his breath.
“It’s not like Ray is gonna betray you and then marry Vinyl.” Pinkie blurted out.
Twilight glared at her as she went over to Stevie.
“What?” Pinkie asked, looking confused.
“Pinkie, now ain’t the time.” Applejack scolded the pink pony.
Twilight laid a hoof on Stevie‘s shoulder.
“You ok?” She asked the brown stallion.
“Do I look ok, no, of course I’m not ok.” Stevie snapped, removing his sunglasses to reveal his small gray eyes, now moist with tears.
“Pinkie, y’all better have an explanation for this.” Applejack growled at Pinkie.
Flurry was looking between the adults, not really sure what was happening.
“Flurry, sweetie, go to your room please, mommy and your aunties need to talk.” Cadence gently told her daughter.
“But mom, I wanna know what’s going on.” Flurry protested.
Flurry let out a heavy sigh, but did as she was told.
When she passed her aunt Pinkie, the young alicorn waved to her.
When Flurry was gone, Cadence stood up and walked over to Applejack and Pinkie.
“I understand that it can be hard when you believe somebody has betrayed you, but I also know that in the end you can apologize, so Pinkie, I think you should say that you are sorry for assuming that Ray would betray his friend.” Cadence gently advised.
“I’m sorry, Stevie for jumping to conclusions.” Pinkie went over to him.
“Well, if you promise that it ain’t gonna happen again, Ah guess Ah could let it slide.” Stevie wiped away his tears and put his glasses back on.
“This was really nice, Princess Cadence.” Ray said to her from across the table.
“I’m glad you liked it, but you can just leave the ‘princess’ part of my name out, you can just call me Cadence.” The princess of love gently advised.
“Of course, Cadence.” Ray grinned at her.
“Ray you better not get any ideas, she’s mine.” Shining defended his wife.
“Ah wasn’t, Ah swear.” Ray huffed in frustration.
Shining looked at his wife, who was giving him a disapproving look.
“Shining Armor, why in Equestria would you jump to a conclusion like that, just because Ray smiled at me, I for one don’t see an issue with that.” Cadence asked when they were back in their quarters.
“Yeah, I just want to make sure.” Shining embraced his wife.
Then there came a knock on the door.
“Come in.” Cadence called from the bed.
Their young daughter, Flurry entered the room, her face strict with tears.
“Oh, Flurry, what’s wrong?” Cadence asked.
“I went back into the dining hall, but they were fighting, auntie Twilight was trying to defuse the situation, I ... .I only tried to help.” Flurry hiccuped as fresh tears started to form in her eyes.
“Well, when your auntie Twilight is trying to defuse a situation, it’s best to stay out of her way.” Shining gently reminded his daughter.
“So maybe next time you should ask, before just trying to help.” Cadence gently added.
Back in the dining hall, Ray and Stevie were sitting at opposite ends of the table, Twilight desperately tried to get both of them to talk to each other.
“Ah ain’t talkin’ to him.” Ray growled.
“Ah couldn’t agree more.” Stevie interjected.
“ENOUGH.” Twilight shouted, the whole room group quiet except for the occasional hiccup from Stevie.
“But why do you want him to move out?” Rainbow asked Ray.
“Because Ah don’t need him tellin’ me, how Ah should live my life.” Ray granted.
“But you should at least try.” Fluttershy added.
“No thank you, he needs to go.” Ray yelled at the top of his lungs..
Fluttershy shrunk down in her seat from him yelling, Rainbow looked furious, but didn’t say anything more.
“I know you’re upset because of what happened between Ray and Vinyl, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t get to enjoy your time here.” The alicorn walked over to Stevie, lifting his chin to meet her face.
“Ah don’t wanna hear it, Ah don’t care and Ah ain’t changin’ my mind.” Ray raged. “He needs to move out,” Ah don’t care where he goes but Ah don’t ever wanna see him again.”
“Well, ya can come live with me, if ya want, sugar.” Applejack spoke softly as she came over and laid a hoof on Stevie’s shoulder.
“Really?” Stevie asked in surprise.
“Yeah, good idea.” Twilight agreed, nodding her head in approval.
“Thanks, Applejack.” Stevie exclaimed in surprise as Apple Bloom came over.
“We’re gonna have so much fun, Ah know it.” She beamed.
All the ponies filed out of the dining hall, and went to their respective rooms, except for Applejack and Stevie, who stayed in the dining hall.
“Ah know how hard it’s been for y’all, what with ya, comin’ into a world that ya didn’t know about.” Applejack softly spoke.
“Yeah, it’s been really difficult.” Stevie agreed getting up and feeling his way to the door. “You comin’, Ah’m goin’ to bed.” He yawned.
“Yeah.” Applejack smiled as she got up and together they left the dining hall.
“Good morning, Flurry.” Twilight stretched, and got out of bed.
Across the hall in Stevie’s room, he was getting ready, Twilight had helped him pack his bags the night before.
“So today we’re going to leave this place!” Stevie thought to himself as he walked out of his room, and across the hall to Twilight’s room.
Stevie lifted a hoof to knock on the door before he could hear Twilight’s hoof steps from inside come closer to the door.
“I’ll miss you, Flurry.” Twilight’s voice spoke softly.
“I’ll miss you too!” Flurry’s voice responded.
Stevie heard hoof steps behind him.
“Hey Stevie, you waiting for Twilight?” Cadence’s sweet and gentle voice asked.
“Yeah.” Stevie quickly said.
“What’s wrong?” Cadence asked noticing that Stevie was avoiding the question.
“Ah…well…Ah kinda, still upset with Ray!” Stevie stammered.
“I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.” Cadence reassured him, before opening the door to Twilight’s room and entering.
Stevie let out a heavy sigh.
“If you only knew.” He thought to himself.
“Flurry, have you said goodbye to auntie?” Cadence asked once she was in Twilight’s room.
“Yes, I have.” Flurry answered.
“Alright, then, I need to talk to Twilight alone.” Cadence gently said to her daughter.
Flurry already knew that that was the cue to leave, she slipped out of the room quietly, and passed Stevie.
“Now Twilight, you know as well as I do that, we should have to tell her eventually.” Cadence said to Twilight, who was packing her bags.
“Yeah, I know, but how?” Twilight exclaimed.
“I don’t know, but we need to think of something!” Cadence said.
“And fast.” Twilight added.
“What are you talking about?” Stevie who came into the room unnoticed asked.
“Stevie, but how did you come into my room?” Twilight deadpanned.
“The door was unlocked!” Stevie simply shrugged.
“So what don’t you want to tell Flurry?” The stallion asked.
“Umm, nothing!” Twilight and Cadence both said at the same time.
“Yeah right, you know Ah know when you’re lyin right?” Stevie grinned.
“I thought only Ray knew when ponies were lying!” Twilight exclaimed.
Stevie shook his head and let out a sigh.
Then suddenly with a flash of light Flurry popped into the room out of nowhere with a very angry look on her face.
“Is it true, Stevie, you’re leaving?” Flurry asked, angrily walked over to where he sat.
“You listen to me now, I’m gonna come back someday, but I just need some space from Ray for a while, ya hear?” The stallion asked as he knelt down to her.
“But why can’t you and Ray just get along for once, dinner was so nice yesterday but then, you and Ray needed to ruin it!” Flurry cried.
“I’m sorry, Ah’m leaving.” Stevie exclaimed.
Flurry’s face turned as red as a tomato as she let out ear piercing scream and stormed out of the room.
“I’ll go after her!” Twilight said, running off in the direction her niece had taken.
Once Twilight had caught up with her niece in the hallway.
“Flurry, I understand it’s hard letting go, I really do.” Twilight approached her niece with caution, as Flurry sat on the ground in front of one of the rooms.
“I don’t understand, why does he need to leave, why can’t he stay?” She asked when she was done crying.
“Well, it’s not that simple, like Stevie said earlier, he just needs some space from Ray!” Twilight comforted her niece.
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense!” Flurry said, coming over and hugging her aunt.
“Come on, let’s go back to my room.” Twilight said as she started to walk away.
“Auntie Twilight, I like Stevie!” Flurry confessed, blushing a little bit.
“But you do understand that, he’s in love with Applejack, right?” Twilight asked.
“Yeah, I understand that.” Flurry sniffled a little.
“Then, why were you so upset when he said he was going to go?” Twilight asked.
“Because I didn’t know if he would come back to visit, now that he wants to live with Applejack.” Flurry admitted as they walked back to Twilight’s room.
“Well, it’s a good thing I was here then, so now you know not to jump to conclusions too quickly.” Twilight smiled.
In Ray’s room, Rainbow was helping him pack.
“What did I do, Flurry will never forgive me!” The Black stallion lamented as he sat on his haunches.
“I’m sure she’ll get over it, eventually.” Rainbow said as she loaded the last of Ray’s bags onto a court.
“Yeah, but I did say somethings to Stevie, that I can never take back!” Ray mumbled.
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up about it, if it makes you feel better when we’re back in Ponyville, we can have a talk with Stevie, how’s that sound?” Rainbow asked coming over to Ray.
Ray let out a sigh and noted. “Ok fine.”
Coming out of his room, Rainbow and Ray ran into Twilight and Stevie.
“Hey Twilight, you going to breakfast to?” Rainbow asked once she saw the purple alarcon.
The tension between Ray and Stevie was so heavy, but you could cut it with a knife.
“Yeah, we are.” Twilight answered before Stevie could say anything.
“Cool.” Rainbow added with a wink at Twilight, who nodded in understanding.
“Well, see you there.” Twilight waved as she and Stevie kept walking.
“Twilight, Ah know what you’re doin, ya want me and Ray to be friends again, but it ain’t gonna work!” Stevie said once they were in the dining hall.
Twilight shook her head as she sat down.
“Listen, I don’t think it’s that simple, Flurry really likes you, she doesn’t want you to leave!” Twilight spoke as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
“Wait, what, what does any of this have to do with your niece?” Stevie asked nearly choking on his own cup of coffee.
“She came to me and confessed to me that she likes you, it’s probably nothing more than a school pony crush.” Twilight told Stevie.
“I’ll talk to her after breakfast.” Stevie said as he bent down to eat his oats.
“Remember directly after breakfast we are leaving for Ponyville.” Twilight reminded him.
Rainbow and Ray came into the dining hall, when Rainbow spotted Twilight, she waved to her.
“Come sit over here.” Twilight called.
Rainbow and Ray made the way over to where Twilight sat.
Ray’s face grew angry when he sentenced Stevie’s presence.
“What’s he doing here?” Ray asked.
“We thought it would be a good idea if we taught you 2 a lesson in friendship.” Twilight answered Ray’s question.
“I’m out.” Ray crossed his front legs as he sat there.
After breakfast at the train station.
“Flurry, it was so nice meeting you, hope we can do it again sometime!” Stevie said to the young alicorn.
“Yeah, it was nice to meet you too, Stevie and Ray!” Flurry grinned, turning to her aunt to give her a huge hug.
“I’m gonna miss you most of all, auntie Twilight.” Flurry embraced her.
“Me too.” Twilight reciprocated the embrace.
“What about us?” Pinkie asked.
“Don’t worry, she didn’t forget us!” Rarity calmed the pink pony.
Shining Armor walked over to Twilight.
“I miss you, but you’ll come visit again soon, right?” He asked as he embraced her.
“Yes, of course!” Twilight replied.
Flurry and the rest of the main six were hugging when Cadence walked over with Stevie.
“Flurry, honey, Stevie’s got something to say to you!” Cadence knelt down to her daughter’s level.
“Yeah, what you gotta say this time?” Flurry asked indicatively.
“Ah’m sorry for we acted at dinner.” Stevie softly spoke.
“Thank you!” Flurry acknowledged, blushing a little.
When the train pulled into the station, the doors opened, and ponies went in and out.
“Next stop Ponyville station, all aboard!” The conductor shouted.
The main six, Stevie and Ray all boarded the train.
“Hey guys, has anyone seen the CMC?” Fluttershy asked, sitting down on one of the velvet cushions that was on one of the seats.
“They decided to stay a little while longer to explore the Empire.” Twilight explained as the train pulled away from the station.
Glancing out the window, Twilight could see Flurry, Shining and Cadence, standing on the platform waving, Twilight waved back.
Sitting back in her seat Twilight got out a book and started reading.
A few hours later, the train pulled into Ponyville station, Stevie, Ray and the main six got off and walked to the respective homes, Ray went back to Vinyls home guided by Rainbow.
And Stevie and Applejack went to Sweet Apple Acres, as Twilight went back to her castle.
