Back at Our Town, Double Diamond and the others had finished packing and started leaving along with Starlight, Trixie and Tender Taps. The group was making their way to the train that would take them to Ponyville.
"I don't like walking," Trixie complained.
"Trixie it's not that far of a walk, you should know, you walked all the way from there," Starlight reminded.
"Still, I don't like walking," Trixie said, much to Starlight's annoyance.
As they continued to walk, Sugar Belle trotted closer to Tender Taps, "So, you're close to Starlight right? She said you're like her little brother?"
"Yeah, she wanted to know what it's like to have a younger sibling, and I wanted to know what it was like having an older one," Tender Taps said.
"That's cute," Sugar Belle said. "What's it like anyway? Having an older pony to look up to?"
"I like it, she's really nice and friendly, she's a great older sibling," Tender Taps said. "She's been spending a lot of time with me these last few months."
"How did you two meet exactly?" Sugar Belle asked.
"She helped tutor some of my friends, in fact her mentor Princess Twilight is friends with their sisters too," Tender Taps said.
"Oh right, The Elements of Harmony, and Starlight is helping tutor their little sisters," Sugar Belle said.
"Exactly, since they along with two other foals have older siblings or somepony that's like an older sibling, I wanted to have one myself, and Starlight offered," Tender Taps explained.
"That was nice of her, anyway what about the other foals? Night Glider mentioned one that she thought was kinda cool, I think it was Rumble," Sugar Belle said.
"Oh Rumble, he's doing fine. He's training with his older brother and Twilight's other pupil Lightning Dust. After the fight with Queen Chrysalis and her Changelings, he decided he wanted to get stronger and keep his marefriend safe," Tender Taps said.
"Marefriend? Wait which one was he dating?" Sugar Belle asked.
"Sweetie Belle, Rarity's little sister," Tender Taps said.
"Oh her, yeah she's cute, I like that one," Sugar Belle said. "Um, how about you? Got a filly you like?"
Tender Taps looked a bit gloomy, "I do have one, but it hasn't been like I thought it was. Our dates weren't really that exciting and I felt very nervous each time."
"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that," Sugar Belle said.
"It's fine, we're still pretty close and we do care a lot about each other, it's just hard to put it into romance for us," Tender Taps said.
"Sometimes it doesn't always work out," Sugar Belle said. "I'm pretty close with my friends but that doesn't mean it'd be easy to date any of them, even though I'm sure one of them would love to try."
Tender Taps sighed loudly, "It's just frustrating, Rumble managed to make it work with Sweetie Belle, which was much harder than you think since she didn't really like him that much at first. Me and Apple Bloom were such good friends before we dated, but it still didn't even work."
"Love's kinda tricky, even if you like a pony it doesn't always mean you'll be with that pony. You move on and find another pony to love, even if it's not Apple Bloom," Sugar Belle said.
"I guess you're right," Tender Taps said. "There's another filly that I was a bit interested in, but dating her would be complicated since she's not even too sure of her own emotions."
Sugar Belle pulled Tender Taps close to her, "You'll figure it out, you have plenty of time after all."
"I guess," Tender Taps said. "I just wish things weren't so confusing."
"Hmm, maybe I can help you out a little, give you some good tips on fillies, after all who better to ask than another filly?" Sugar Belle said.
"Oh you don't have to do that," Tender Taps said.
"I know, but I kinda want to, just for fun," Sugar Belle said.
"That would be nice of you, thanks," Tender Taps said.
"Hey!" Trixie called. "You two are moving too slow, speed it up!"
"Right, sorry Trixie!" Tender Taps called, then hurried to the train.
The group had boarded the train and sat close together, with Starlight going into a little more detail as to what Twilight was planning. During the train ride, Sugar Belle held Tender Taps very close to her, liking how soft he felt to hug. Tender Taps wondered what fillies find so cuddly about him.
As time passed, the group had arrived at Ponyville, Starlight's friends noticing some of the decorations around the town.
"Wow, so pretty," Sugar Belle said.
"Such great looking party designs, I wonder if this was Pinkie Pie's doing?" Party Favor wondered.
"Mostly," Starlight said. "Twilight made most of the plans, but Pinkie does add her own ideas here and there."
"Speaking of Twilight, here she comes," Trixie pointed out.
Twilight trotted over to the group, greeting them with her cheerful smile. "Looks like you're back, and you got your friends."
"Yeah, they were more than happy to come," Starlight said.
"Sure were," Double Diamond said. "Good to see you again Princess Twilight."
"You know you don't have to call me 'Princess'," Twilight reminded.
"Sorry, sometimes I forget," Double Diamond said. "It's still good to see you, big party huh?"
"Something like that, I do have special plans though. I'm really glad you all came, I could really use your help," Twilight said.
"Just tell us what you need," Sugar Belle said.
"We'll all be glad to help," Tender Taps said.
"Aw, thanks Tender Taps, you're the sweetest little colt," Twilight said with great affection.
Tender Taps blushed at the affection, "You're too nice Twilight." Then he noticed Rumble approaching with Sweetie Belle, "Hey you two."
"Hey Tender Taps, looks like you, Starlight and Trixie came back with Starlight's friends," Rumble said.
"You're all here to help with this festival Twilight's planning right?" Sweetie Belle said.
"Yes, though I'm still curious what the point of this festival's supposed to be exactly," Double Diamond said.
"That you'll have to wait to see," Twilight said. "Don't worry, it's gonna be something great, I can promise you that."
"How big is this party?" Sugar Belle asked.
"It's not that big, so mostly ponies in Ponyville will be there, plus a few friends and family. It's something I want to personally celebrate and something I hope to see become bigger," Twilight said.
"Sounds like a big surprise," Party Favor said. "Surprises are fun though."
Twilight looked around at the designs, "It's mostly done, it's gonna take an extra day or two, but it'll be worth it." She turned back to the others, "Anyway I should bring the four of you to where you'll be staying. Tomorrow I'll ask you to do things but it's starting to get late."
"Are you sure about that? We're up to help in any way," Double Diamond said.
"That's fine, just be ready tomorrow. I have some room at my castle for you four, it'll be nice having more ponies over," Twilight said.
"That's kind of you, but it's no trouble though right?" Double Diamond asked.
"Of course not, I have plenty of room at my castle. Even Trixie and Tender Taps are both staying," Twilight said.
"Oh both of you are staying too?" Double Diamond asked.
"Yes, Starlight suggested the idea," Trixie said. "The castle's a little tacky for my liking but I do enjoy Starlight's company, so it'll be worth it."
Twilight glared a bit at Trixie as Starlight nervously chuckled. "She's just joking Twilight, she likes your castle." She spoke in a hush but loud tone, "Right Trixie!?"
Trixie shrugged, "Uh-huh, yeah, sure thing."
Twilight groaned, "Trixie's 'joking' aside, I thought it'd be nice if Starlight got to spend a little more time with her, ahem...friend, as she calls her."
"Don't be jealous, Princess," Trixie said, much to Twilight's annoyance.
"You know you could be a little more friendly to the pony that's letting you stay in her castle," Rumble said.
"I am friendly, how am I not? All I'm doing is giving my honest opinion, isn't Honesty one of the Elements of Harmony? Which is the Magic of Friendship?" Trixie said.
Twilight sighed, "Fine Trixie, whatever you say."
"Thank you, I'm right as always after all," Trixie said.
Twilight shook her head and turned to the group, "My apologies about that. Anyway Tender Taps is also staying because his family is away for now. They'll be back in time to see this festival, but until then I offered to let him stay at my castle since Starlight sees him as her little brother, plus I'm very fond of him myself."
"I feel so lucky that two of the most important mares in Ponyville even care that much about me," Tender Taps said, lightly kicking his hooves.
"He's cute when he's shy like this," Trixie said, then turned to Rumble. "Why can't you be that cute?"
"Why can't you be more tolerable?" Rumble asked with a smug grin, getting a giggle from Sweetie Belle.
Trixie turned away with a huff, "How bratty."
"Let's get along please," Starlight said with a forced smile.
Twilight shook her head at the situation and then turned to Spike. "Go make sure everything's going on time, I'll meet with you later, right now I just wanna show the others where they'll be staying."
"Sure thing Twilight," Spike said, walking off with the checklist.
Twilight turned to the others and gestured towards the castle, "Come on in, I'll show you your rooms." As the ponies nodded and trotted towards the castle, Twilight turned back to Rumble. "Come by tomorrow morning as well, ok Rumble?"
"Sure thing Twilight," Rumble said with a nod. "I promise to do my best."
"I'm sure you will. I have to say, you're so much different from when I first really got to know you. Something about you seems so much more confident, I'm guessing being with Sweetie Belle is the reason for that," Twilight said.
"Of course, Sweetie Belle makes me feel strong, I wanna be strong for her," Rumble said, slightly nuzzling his marefriend.
"You're plenty strong for me Rumbly, just as sensitive too," Sweetie Belle said.
Rumble chuckled a bit confidently, "I'm glad I can be a good coltfriend for you Sweetie Belle."
Twilight looked on with some pride, then joined the other ponies inside the castle. There she showed each of them to their room, there seemed to be plenty considering it's usually just Twilight, Spike and Starlight living together in one big castle.
"This place is so pretty, you're so lucky you get to live in a castle like this Twilight," Sugar Belle said.
"If I'm being honest, sometimes I feel like this is a bit much," Twilight said. "I may be a Princess but I was just fine with my old home."
"What was your old home like?" Party Favor asked.
"It was a simple Library in a Tree type house, I really miss it," Twilight said.
"Really?" Trixie said. "It was such a small looking place, not really fancy, at least if you're a Princess. I know you were born a Unicorn but surely you've adapted a Princess life rather than a more common one. If I became an Alicorn I'd want a castle even bigger than this one."
"For you and your ego?" Night Glider teased.
Trixie huffed, "So rude."
"Trixie, just because I'm a Princess now doesn't mean I've forgotten what it's like to be a regular pony, sometimes I still feel like one, it's a lot easier than being a Princess after all," Twilight said.
"Anyway what happened to your library? Did you have to move here when you became a Princess?" Sugar Belle asked.
"No, it was destroyed by Tirek, he was trying to get me but luckily I got out unharmed," Twilight said. "After me and my friends defeated him, I got this place from the magic of the Tree of Harmony."
Tender Taps remembered Tirek, and how scary he was. It once again amazed him that Twilight was so strong to defeat a monster like that. "Um Twilight...Tirek won't come back will he?"
Twilight turned to Tender Taps, noticing the worry on the colt's face, though that is to be expected, even she was afraid of Tirek. "I can't say for sure, but hopefully he won't."
"Oh...well if he did come back, you can beat him again, right?" Tender Taps asked.
"Of course," Twilight said. "Nothing's stronger than the Magic of Friendship. If me and my friends can access the Rainbow Power again, then it'll be easy."
"Ok good, just wanted to be sure," Tender Taps said.
Twilight trotted over to Tender Taps, rubbing his mane. "I know you're worried, and you've already experienced how dangerous it can be, especially after the fight against Chrysalis, and I hate knowing that you could have been hurt." Twilight lifted his chin, making his eyesight match hers, giving him a soft and affectionate gaze. "But I promise I won't let anything happen to you Tender Taps, anything at all. I promise to always protect you from whatever harm may try to come your way, alright?"
Tender Taps just gazed into Twilight's eyes, it's no secret how much the colt looks up to Twilight, and as far as he's concerned, she's very beautiful, the most beautiful mare in the land. Just being close to her makes him feel safe, so he could believe her when she says she'll protect him. Finally taking the time to reply, he nodded his head to the Princess. "Yes, I know you'll always be there for me, and I'll always be your faithful subject, Princess Twilight."
Twilight giggled a bit at how formal Tender Taps was. "You're so adorable, come on let's get you to your room." Twilight turned to Starlight. "I'll leave you to talk with your friends."
"Alright Twilight, I'll see you later," Starlight said as Tender Taps went to follow Twilight, though not before giving a hug to his big sister.
"See you later Starlight," Tender Taps said and trotted off.
Starlight nodded as the young colt left, then turned her attention to her friends. "Such a sweet colt."
"He is, I can't get over how adorable he is," Sugar Belle said.
"He's my personal favorite among all the foals, so mature and well mannered," Trixie said.
"Come on Trixie, you've known them for months, they're all sweet and well mannered," Starlight said.
Trixie scoffed, "Please, the original three Crusaders are too wild and way too over eager, Dinky's too sassy and Rumble's become way too arrogant."
"He's not arrogant, just more confident in himself," Starlight said. "When I first met him he seemed really shy, something about dating Sweetie Belle just brought out more personality from him." Starlight chuckled a bit, "Funny since I kept hearing on how Sweetie Belle thought he wasn't 'boyish' enough, but now he seems to emit 'boyishness'. Probably because he doesn't sound so much like a child, he's really starting to sound more like a grown pony."
"Princess Twilight seems to like those foals though, especially the one who was with you," Double Diamond said.
"She sees something special in all of them, I don't exactly disagree, they're all pretty amazing foals," Starlight said.
"Well I'm sure whatever it is it's gonna be amazing," Party Favor said.
"Yeah, I'm sure of that," Starlight said. "Anyway why don't we all go over to my room, we can catch up more."
The others nodded and followed Starlight to her room, though Trixie had gone into her own deep thoughts. She does wonder what exactly Twilight sees in the foals, what makes them so special to the Friendship Princess, and wants to see what Twilight has planned for them. She won't deny their talent, even if she doesn't care for them, aside from Tender Taps, but she isn't sure it's anything that grand.
Tender Taps had arrived in the room he was said to be staying at, and already felt comfortable. He had moved some things from his room to here so he felt a little more at home, Twilight even made a space for him to practice his dancing.
"Thanks again for letting me stay here Twilight," Tender Taps said.
"It's no trouble at all, Starlight would be happy to have her 'little brother' around, plus you get to be near your favorite Princess," Twilight said.
"Yeah...never thought this could happen though. I heard you're good with foals and you've always been friendly with them, but this is beyond what I expected," Tender Taps said, climbing onto his bed. "Though sometimes I wonder if I'm even worthy of this."
"Worthy?" Twilight asked. "Why do you keep asking if you're worthy? What makes you not worthy?"
"I've told you this before Twilight, I'm just a colt that likes to dance. I know I'm friends with Apple Bloom, but they have a lot of friends, what makes me more special than them?" Tender Taps asked.
Twilight trotted over to Tender Taps, "I wasn't always special myself Tender Taps, I was just a young filly who was lucky enough to get into Celestia's School of Gifted Unicorns. But I made my luck by at least trying. If you feel like you're here out of luck, just remember you went to Apple Bloom first, and that was to help her. Your kindness was rewarded with friendship with The Cutie Mark Crusaders, one that you made sure to keep. Any foal could have done that, you just happened to be the foal who did." Twilight nuzzled Tender Taps a bit, "I'm glad too, because I got to know you better. Maybe it was luck, but just be happy with how it turned out," Twilight then kissed his cheek. "Because I am. Don't doubt yourself sweetheart, you have what it takes to be so much special, and maybe you can help other foals feel that way about themselves too. Use this luck as you call it to your advantage for others, alright?"
Tender Taps couldn't feel any redder, Twilight's just so kind and sweet to this young colt. Even if he did feel like he's here out of luck, he's glad he has this chance. The Princess of Friendship is showing him such affection, he's in a position any other foals would love to be in. "You always know what to say Twilight, thanks, you mean so much to me."
"Aw, you're adorable," Twilight rubbed his mane. "You know, since you're staying here for a few days anyway, why don't you come over to my room for a bit, we'll do some stuff together, just us two."
"Really!?" Tender Taps said. "That sounds fun."
"Let's go then," Twilight said, going to her room with Tender Taps eagerly following. He's gonna have so much fun here.
The ponies outside continued to work for a bit longer until Spike instructed them to stop for the day. He spoke to a few as he made plans for tomorrow, plans suggested by Twilight herself.
Rumble had taken Sweetie Belle to her home, and after kissing her good-bye started flying home himself. Along the way he heard somepony call out to him. "Yo, Rumble!"
Rumble turned to see Lightning Dust approaching him, "Hi Lightning Dust, you going home?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to make sure some things were set before I called it a night," Lightning said. "So how's your little marefriend?"
"She's doing good, I just took her home, now I have to get home myself, big day for me tomorrow," Rumble said.
"Does this have to do with Flurry Heart?" Lightning asked.
"Oh, you know about that?" Rumble asked.
"Sure do, I heard Twilight mentioning it, sounds like it's gonna be a big deal, you excited kid?" Lightning asked.
"Well I am a little bit nervous, it's the daughter of the Princess of Love, Flurry's even an Alicorn Princess herself, how can I properly take care of her?" Rumble asked.
"Simple, by not messing up," Lightning said, getting a glum stare from Rumble.
"That doesn't help, that actually makes me more nervous," Rumble said.
"Just telling it as it is, that's how I've always taught you since I made you my apprentice," Lightning said.
Rumble sighed in annoyance, "Yes, teacher, I know that's your style. But this is a little different from fighting or flying."
"Not really, it has one common thing at least, focus. You focus on taking care of Flurry like you focus on flying and fighting and you'll be fine," Lightning said, then rubbed his mane. "Look kid, I personally think you're more than capable of pulling this off, after all you're my pupil, and that means you can do anything."
"You're really confident in yourself aren't you?" Rumble asked. "But for good reason, you're very talented. I'll do my best with this Lightning Dust."
"Good, that's what I want to hear from my pupil," Lightning said. "Anyway I better get back, I'm sure Twilight misses my company."
"You two really get along nowadays," Rumble said. "When we first met you I don't think even she liked you that much."
"Well, I grew on her, like if it's any surprise," Lightning said, then flew off. "See you tomorrow."
"See you," Rumble said, waving good-bye. He still was a bit worried about having to take care of Flurry Heart, but like Lightning Dust said, he had to have confidence in himself. "Taking care of Flurry won't be easy, I don't even think I'll know how to," Rumble said, then looked ahead. "But I promised Twilight I would try. Plus this would look cool for me, imagine The Wonderbolts seeing how well I can take care of a Princess, plus Princess Cadance might one day make me an actual Knight, Sweetie Belle would be so proud of me."
He continued to fly home, unaware that Ponyville was being observed by the Sirens.
"So why are they having a party again?" Sonata asked.
"I don't know, probably one of their silly celebrations," Aria said.
"Whatever the reason, we'll be sure to be there, I'm sure we can help make things exciting for them," Adagio said with a sinister looking smile. "Soon Equestria will bow to us, and we'll finally be known for our own greatness."
"And take all their tasty sweets!" Sonata said, getting a pitiful glare from her teammates. "What? The sweets here are said to be really tasty. I like tasty sweets. Actually I like a lot of things, including sweets. Oh, maybe I'll even get ice cream."
"Do you even hear yourself?" Aria asked.
"Well yeah, I'm listening to myself talk about sweets," Sonata said. "You're so silly Aria."
Aria groaned and walked off, "I'm going to sleep."
"Me too, I want to have a dream about tasty sweets," Sonata said, also leaving as well.
Adagio sighed, "Sometimes I wonder why I'm stuck with them." She too left to join her allies, they were gonna be busy soon.