A few days later, after returning home from Canterlot, Philly gets a pleasant surprise, a visit from her husband, daughters, and son. "Hey Charles, hey Milly and Melody, hey Junior," says Philly as she embraces them in a great big hug and Andromeda flits down and lands on Charles's shoulder and gives him a nuzzle. "Oh, Andry missed you guys too, by the way." Philly lets out a giggle.
"Well, how'd the performance for the princesses go?" asks Charles as he swings Milly up into the air and onto his back.
"It went well, but a few stallions put a bad taste in the performers' mouths," responds Philly.
"Well, that's going to happen sometimes," responds Charles. "Remember, not all ponies are friendly and happy go lucky."
"Yeah," responds Philly, "but they don't know that, well, they didn't until recently anyway." She rubs her neck.
Charles then lifts up Milly from his back and puts her back down on the ground. He then goes over and puts his arms around Philly and begins to sing. "We live in a world of happiness and light, but sometimes it's not all that grand. Sometimes it's a world of darkness and a world of pain. Teach them these things. They need to know. Sometimes ponies will tear them down. Help them find their voices, help them speak out. Help them be who they want to be. Take my word, listen to me, this circus is their home, their place where they belong, their family. Now, what does family mean? What does family stand for? To them, it's a place where comfort is found and where refuge is taken. To them, this tent, these walls, this is home. To them, this tent, these walls, this is their home."
"You're right," responds Philly. She begins to sing along with him. "This is their home, this is where they belong. I need to teach them how to be themselves, how to be confident, how to be strong. I can help them get through these walls. I can help them break down these walls. This is their home. This is where they belong. This is their home, this is where they belong. Yes, indeed, this is where they belong. Now I see, this is where they'll always belong."
A few minutes later, Philly parts ways from her family and takes Andromeda to the vet for a quick visit before the night's performance. At the vet's office, Fauna gives Andromeda a look over and then sends her on her way with Philly back to the big top. Once back at the big top, Andromeda helps Philly hang up the flags and banners for the night's show. As she watches Andromeda fly across the open air within the tent, Philly looks up and smiles. She then begins to sing. "This big top is my life. Show every night, every weekend, every holiday. Sometimes it can be hard. Not only am I a show pony, but a mom, and sometimes that's hard. Sometimes that's hard. The circus has always been my dream and always been my life, I know nothing besides, I know nothing besides. Look at this tent, look at them as they get ready. They enjoy being here, this is their home. They know nowhere else. Not only am I a mother to my own children, but to my performers as well, to my performers as well. Look at all the joy within these walls. Hear them laugh, see them smile, all their time here is worthwhile. Sometimes they may get hurt by those outside, but that pain fades away as they enter into these walls. This is where they feel safe, this is their home. This is their home. This is where they belong. This is where they'll always belong. This is where they'll always be safe. Look over as they get ready for the show. They are stars, they are stars, that's what ponies think they are. As for the others, who cares what they think? They are bullies, they too have flaws, you are home, you are safe, now let's go show them what you've got. Show them you're not afraid. Show them this is your home. Show them your world. Show them all of it. Show them all of it. This is where you belong. Oh, oh, this is where you belong."
Philly then goes outside and checks on the performers. As they see her approach them, they go and embrace her in a great big hug. Philly just smiles and then tells them that it's two hours until show time. Philly then goes back into the tent and looks out the top and back up towards the stars. The performers, however, go into their single room tents and change before returning to the big tent to practice a few minutes later. As they practice, the performers can't help but think about their run-in with those boisterous stallions in Canterlot. They're still a little shaken by that and Philly knows that's going to take them some time to heal from. Hopefully, they will still do well tonight. That's all Philly can really do right now is hope that the performers give it their all despite their feelings about some ponies and their reactions.
Two hours later, the performers share their acts with the world to great applause same as every night. As they perform, they can't help but smile. Their worries about being hated by ponies have now disappeared from their minds and thoughts entirely. Now, they can relax and perform to their fullest, and to them, that is the best feeling of all.
A few minutes later, the giraffes and elephants take to the floor and perform alongside the other performers. Andromeda then takes her ribbon and flies through the tent and then lands down on top of one of the elephants before taking off in a tailspin back into the air. As she does so, ponies ooh and ah and even begin to clap. All the while, the ponies can't help but smile and Philly can't help but smile as she watches from the sidelines before taking the center ring. Once in the center ring, Philly introduces all the acts in the show and then hops on top of an elephant and rides it around the ring. All the while, the ponies look at her and her performers in awe. As they do, they can't help but clap and stomp in approval.
A few hours later, the show comes to an end and the performers turn in for the night. As they sleep, they think about all the joy they provide to the ponies around them. As for Twinkle, she just sits and smiles as she plays with her powers for a few hours before she finally falls asleep for the night. Tomorrow, it's another night of making ponies happy and honestly, she can't wait.
Not long after the performers fall asleep, Charles sneaks up behind Philly and embraces her in a hug and kisses her on the cheek. "I saw the show tonight, they were really enjoying themselves. Good job."
"Thanks," responds Philly with a smile. "Did the children enjoy it?"
"Yes, they loved it," responds Charles. "Milly even got a rainbow pony doll and she now sleeps with it every night."
"I'm glad," responds Philly. "Because I do this for them. All of this is for them."
Philly and Charles then go and sit down on a box in the corner. Charles then wraps his hoof around Philly's. "I'm proud of you, ya know?" says Charles with a smile.
"I know," responds Philly as she places her head on his shoulder. The two then sit there for hours staring at the stars. Around midnight, the two part ways. Charles returns home to their girls while Philly returns to her personal tent and turns asleep as she holds onto a picture of her, Charles, and their children in her hooves. As she sleeps, a smile appears on her face. She's glad that her performers are happy and that her family is proud of her. To her, that means the world. To her, that means everything.