Finding Happiness

by Wildcard25

The Crystal Empire

On the Ponyville express, the train was bound for the Crystal Empire. Among passengers included Twilight, the girls, Spike, and Anton.

Twilight was in her seat looking excited, "Oh, I can't wait to get to the Crystal Empire and see my brother, Cadence, and Flurry Heart!"

"Take it easy, Twilight. We're not even there yet." Rainbow calmed her.

"Sorry about that." Twilight said sheepishly.

Anton spoke up, "Seriously, you seem more excited about this trip than I am. And this is my first time going to the Crystal Empire."

"All the more reason to be excited," Twilight got off her seat and went to Anton, "This'll be the first time you meet my brother, Cadence, and my niece."

"I just hope the ponies of the Crystal Empire will be accepting of me like the residents of Ponyville." Anton hoped.

"Don't worry about that," Spike said, "After all, you won't be the only one there who's become accepted despite his differences from others."

"What do you mean?" the boy wondered.

"You'll find out soon enough." Twilight giggled.

"Speaking of, we'll be arriving soon," Spike noted, "Better slip into my disguise."

"Disguise?" Anton asked.

"I told you before I'm a big shot celebrity here. I got to avoid mob ponies." Spike said, as he dawned a green hoody with the hood up, and a pair of sunglasses.

"Do the ponies there know you travel with Twilight and the others?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Wouldn't they see through your disguise if you're next to Twilight?" the boy wondered.

Spike realizing that important fact face palmed and slowly brought his hand down his face, "Now they tell me!" The girls couldn't help but laugh.

---

Soon they pulled into the station and were let off. Anton looked around expecting something, "No escort?"

"Normally we would be given one, but since this is a casual visit there's no need for an escort." Twilight explained.

"Come on, ya'll. Let's get a move on." Applejack said, as they left the station.

Upon entering the Empire, Anton walked at Fluttershy's side while marveling at the kingdom, "Wow to the wow. No wonder they call it Crystal Empire. The whole place shines like a crystal."

"Indeed it does." Rarity agreed.

"That's the Crystal Empire for you." Pinkie added.

They walked through the town before stopping before a crystal statue of Spike holding a crystal heart. Anton looked up at it and smiled, "Now this is a piece of work," he turned to Spike, "Whoever sculpted this really got your good side, Spike."

"I know." Spike agreed, while marveling at his statue.

"Spike the Brave and Glorious!"

Spike was suddenly surrounded by many crystal ponies young and old, with each one showering Spike with attention. Many were asking for a picture or an autograph, while some of the younger ponies wanted him to tell them how he saved the Crystal Empire twice.

"Twilight, help!"

Twilight used her magic to levitate Spike out of the mob of ponies and back at her side, "Sorry, every pony, but Spike is needed elsewhere." the ponies sighed in disappointment, but dispersed.

Anton spoke to Spike, "You really weren't kidding about being a celebrity."

"Now you see. Sometimes the best kind of attention is no attention at all." the dragon replied.

"I don't mind the attention." Rainbow boasted, as the girls rolled their eyes.

They continued onward before reaching the castle. Anton looked and saw rotating in a spot was the same crystal heart Spike's statue held, "Is that it?"

"That's it," Fluttershy answered, "The Crystal Heart. The relic that protects the empire from harm."

"It looks beautiful."

"It does, doesn't it?" Twilight asked, marveling as well.

---

They continued inside the castle before reaching the throne room. Up on the throne they saw Princess Cadence with Shining Armor standing below the throne accompanied by three others. One was there friend Starlight Glimmer, her childhood friend Sunburst, Thorax the good Changeling, and a levitating stroller containing baby Princess Flurry Heart.

One of the guards standing off to the side announced, "Announcing Princess Twilight Sparkle and friends.

"Twilight." Cadence giggled, as the two sisters embraced.

"Twiley!" Shining called, as he embraced his little sister.

"It's good to see you both." Twilight told them, as Starlight and Sunburst levitated Flurry Hearts stroller over.

"How was your train ride in?" Starlight asked.

"Pretty boring." Rainbow answered.

"But coming here was all worth it." Twilight said, as she doted over her infant niece.

"Hey, Thorax. How's it going?" Spike asked his Changeling friend.

"All good, Spike." the two fist/hoof bumped.

"So this is the Changeling you befriended, Spike?" Applejack asked.

"Yeah. Girls, this is Thorax. Thorax this is Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity."

"Nice to meet you, girls." Thorax greeted them.

"I still can't get over the idea of a Changeling that doesn't wanna be bad." Rainbow said.

"Rainbow Dash, anypony is capable of wanting to be good. And Thorax is proof of that." Rarity noted.

"Thanks." Thorax replied.

Sunburst spoke up, "So, you said you were bringing with you a special guest?"

"Yeah. The one we mentioned in our last letter." Twilight answered, as she looked behind her to Anton who stood by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

Anton nodded and approached, "It's nice to meet you all. My name's Anton MacLeod."

The group approached as Cadence spoke, "I am Princess Cadence. As ruler of the Crystal Empire I welcome you."

"Thanks."

"I'm Shining Armor. Twilight's told us about you in her letter." her bro greeted him.

"I see."

Starlight and Sunburst approached, "My name's Starlight Glimmer, and this is Sunburst."

"When Twilight told us she was bringing something not native to Equestria. The both of us were curious." Sunburst admitted.

"Well, as you can see she was lying." Anton answered.

Thorax approached, "My name's Thorax. It's nice to meet you."

Anton was taken aback by Thorax's appearance, "What're you supposed to be? Some pony bug hybrid?"

"I'm actually a Changeling."

"A Changeling?" Anton raised a brow.

"Yeah. My species is able to take the form of another."

"Like a shape shifter?"

"Yeah. Watch." Thorax suddenly transformed into Anton.

The boy jumped back in shock, before observing the transformed creature, "Whoa. It's like looking in a mirror," Anton said, as he moved around with Thorax mimicking his movements, "Though why were the girls so surprised about Spike befriending you?"

"Well, you see my kind isn't exactly the friendly type." Thorax began.

Twilight decided to elucidate, "You see during my brother and Cadence's wedding, the Changeling queen Chrysalis captured Cadence and took her place. She brainwashed my brother and attempted to take over Canterlot with the help of her Changeling army.

"Whoa." Anton gasped.

"We Changelings feed off the love of others for nourishment and for power. I was never like my kind so I broke away from the hive and was drawn here." the Changeling explained.

"Thorax still needed nourishment, but wanted to stay away from ponies. Until I helped him make friends." Spike said.

"And it turns out I don't need to feed on ponies love like a parasite. Just being surrounded by all this love and friendship is enough to keep me strong."

"Well, congrats." Anton said, until Cadence stood by his side.

"Now there's somepony we really would like you to meet," he showed Anton to the stroller, where he saw the little alicorn filly, "Anton, meet Princess Flurry Heart."

Anton looked down at the baby in wonder, "She's beautiful."

The baby alicorn cooed and giggled at Anton. Cadence smiled, "See, she likes you already."

Anton smiled as he reach his hand down, allowing Flurry Heart to wrap her hooves around it. This cute sight got the girls awing.

"Why don't we show you around the castle?" Cadence offered.

"I'd like that." Anton answered, as the group gave Anton a tour.

---

After giving Anton a tour of the castle, the group was in the parlor relaxing. Anton took a cookie from a tray and spoke to Starlight, "So you seriously tried equalizing a whole town of ponies, and traveled through time to prevent the girls from gaining their cutie marks?"

Starlight answered having accepted it, "Yes. I was too blinded by my own hate of friendship I wanted to make everypony equal so that no one would be better or worse. And more so I wanted to make them suffer by ruing their friendship by changing history. But thanks to Twilight showing me just what Equestria would've been without their friendship I learned friendship doesn't have to be completely erased because mine faded."

Sunburst spoke up, "But we reconciled and now our friendship is as strong as it was when we were kids."

"And I'm making a lot of friends around the Empire as myself," Thorax spoke, "All those ponies who were once in a panic have welcomed me as one of them. I tell you I've never been so accepted ever."

"We were thinking about putting Thorax into royal guard training." Shining Armor said.

"Really?" Spike asked, "That's great. What do you think of it Thorax?"

"A chance to do some real good for the empire by protecting it as a royal guard? I jumped at the chance when offered." the Changeling answered.

"It'll definitely be good for you." Twilight said in approval.

Cadence looked and saw Flurry Heart was getting a little fussy, "I think I'm going to go put Flurry Heart down for her nap. Anton, would you like to join me?"

Anton was curious before looking to the girls for advice. The girls smiled and motioned him to go with her. Anton answered Cadence, "Sure. I'll go with." Cadence smiled, as she took her baby and left for the nursery followed by Anton.

---

When they entered the nursery, Cadence placed her daughter in her crib, "There you go, sweetie." Flurry Heart cooed. Anton smiled as he looked at Cadence as if seeing his own mother again. When Cadence noticed this, she asked, "Is something wrong?"

Anton snapped out of it and answered, "Oh, no. Forgive me, it's just... Watching you care for Flurry Heart like this reminds me of how my mom cared for me."

Cadence answered, "Twilight did tell us what happened. Nothing could be more painful than to lose one's parents."

"I learned that first hand," he remembered his father's passing, "My dad told me to look after my mom and protect her. And I have. Any time my aunt or cousin got out of line with her I would always tell them off, even if my aunt in return told my mom I was behaving like a juvenile all because she wasn't raising me right. But if anything I do regret telling her off so angrily for being their doormat. That was the last side of myself I showed her before she died." he looked sad.

Cadence laid a hoof on his shoulder in comfort, "I'm sure she knew you didn't mean to sound like that."

"So do I," Anton hoped. He leaned over to look at Flurry Heart who looked up at him, "You're real lucky, Flurry Heart. You have your mom, your dad, and an aunt who love you. But know this, while it's a parents job to look after and care for their children, the child must also remember to watch over their parents too. I couldn't live up to my promise forever, but I know you will." he patted her head, and the baby giggled.

Anton smiled seeing the baby enjoyed it, before Cadence and him left her to nap. As they quietly left the room, and headed back to join the others, Anton thought to himself, 'Flurry Heart will grow into a fine pony as long as she has her parents looking out for her. Maybe I can still grow into a fine man myself, as long as I have Fluttershy and the others to care for me,' he smiled to himself, 'I guess only time will tell.'

Comments

[Silent Echo]

Yay uppdate wooohoo time to read

[Silent Echo]

More Hugs and cheek kisses. great chapter

[broncoman18]

When will the next chapter come out?

[butterfield pancake]

8065210
He already knew from a photo in a previous chapter

[ANW]

"Well, as you can see she wasn't lying." Anton answered.

Twilight is not a lair.