Thomas was still sleeping peacefully next to Princess Amore and felt warm as he was curled towards her belly while laying on his back. Princess Luna then woke up and then looked down to see if he was doing okay, but when she saw him finally sleeping with pleasant dreams, she smiled warmly. “He is adorable when he sleeps,” Princess Amore said. Princess Luna nodded in agreement, and then Princess Amore kissed him on the forehead.
Suddenly the others quietly came inside to check on him, until they saw him sleeping underneath the blue alicorn’s comforting wing and the warm blankets of the bed. They all smiled warmly at the adorable sight, until they suddenly saw him open his eyes.
“Look! He’s waking up!” Rarity said softly. “Look at that. He must be really tuckered out real bad,” Applejack said, softly ruffling his hair. Thomas suddenly saw his mother smiling warmly at him, “MOMMA!” He got up and she held him in her forelegs while standing closer by the bed, and felt him nuzzling with her chest fur. “Momma! It was amazing!” Thomas said. “What happened in your dream, sweetheart?” Fluttershy asked. Thomas suddenly heard his stomach growling, until Cadance shook her head with a smirking giggle, “Well, looks like somepony’s hungry.” Thomas nodded, and then he saw Flurry reaching out for him with a cute sound of laughter, and then she flew over to him for a hug. “Thanks, Flurry. I’m glad you’re safe, too. Congrats, by the way,” Thomas said, until the baby pressed her muzzle on his cheek. “Can we stay here for one more day? I’d like to get to know this place a little more,” he asked Cadance, until she replied. “Yes. We’d love for you to stay.”
Thomas then got up and hugged her chest until she hugged him back. “Why don’t we go grab a bite to eat?” she asked. “Okay,” Thomas said, until he got his shoes on and climbed onto her back. “Thomas?” Princess Amore asked. “Yes?” Thomas said. “Thank you... for saving my life. I am in your debt,” Princess Amore said. “You’re welcome,” Thomas said.
Meanwhile, at the local restaurant in the Empire, Thomas sat closer to Cadance and then saw his plate full of pierogis with a side of crystal glazed broccoli, crystal fritters and some crystal corn on the cob. “This crystal corn is really good, and so are these fritters,” he said, after swallowing. “I’m glad you’re enjoying your food,” Cadance said. “Princess Cadance? Can you tell me more about the Empire?” Thomas asked, when he finished his plate. “Sure,” she said, and then she wiped his mouth with her napkin and scooted him closer towards her side and looked down at him. “Okay, so we also host some olympic tournament events called the Equestria Games. It takes place at that stadium right there, where my husband trains some recruits.”
“I wish I was there for the games,” Thomas said. “Aww... I know, sweetie. Maybe next time it happens again, we’ll invite you over for them,” Cadance said, then thought of an idea after she saw that everypony was finished with their plates. She got up and magically placed him on her back, “How about if we do a stroll around the Empire?”
“Okay,” Thomas said, and then the others went back to the castle with Shining Armor and then Cadance took Thomas for their stroll around the Empire. First, she took him to the stadium and showed him how Shining Armor gets ponies in good shape. After that, she showed him the crystal library, and he seemed into some of the Power Ponies comics, so he asked for a few copies, which she thought was a marvelous idea. She then took him to the crystal spa, and she got herself a mud mask on her face and some cucumbers over her eyes while getting her mane and hooves taken care of, and Thomas was given a few massages by a few spa ponies. After they had their spa treatment, Cadance took Thomas to the outfields and he saw some bushes filled with crystal berries. He asked if he could pick some, and then Cadance nodded and got some for him to eat, and when he tried one of them, he found them perfectly juicy and tenderly sweet. He also picked some crystal flowers for her, “Aww... thank you, sweetheart.” She leaned over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Thomas then hugged her on the neck while he pressed his cheek on her chest.
When they finished up their day together, Cadance brought Thomas back in time for dinner. They were having poached salmon with a side of salad and some glistening crystal water. Thomas had some pasta salad instead, and some fresh baby carrots on the side, with some of the water.
“Thomas, I’m so proud of you for saving Princess Amore. You have no idea how much pride we have,” Cadance said. “Thank you, Princess Cadance. I just didn’t know she was a princess, so I felt like helping her,” Thomas said. “And we’re grateful for that,” Princess Celestia said. Thomas nodded with a soft blush l and then he continued eating.
After dinner, they went to the main living room for some social time, until Fluttershy saw Thomas standing out in the balcony. She gently walked over to him and gently rubbed her foreleg up and down on his back, and then after he turned his head up, she gave him a little kiss on the top of his head. “Are you feeling okay, sweetie?” she asked. Thomas looked up at her and nodded, “Yes, Momma.” He then turned around and after he was lifted up from the floor on her hoof, he gave her a big warm hug around her neck and then laid his head against her soft chest, as she lowered her head down to hug him back.
“Let’s go back inside and get you ready for your bath. It’s cold tonight,” Fluttershy said. “Okay, Momma,” Thomas said, then she brought him back inside as she kept holding him. The others smiled warmly at them, and then Cadance thought of an idea, “How about if you all have a slumber party here in the living room? You deserve it after a long day from saving our home from Sombra.”
“YIPPEE! A SLUMBER PARTY! WOOHOO!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed happily as she bounced in a circle. They all laughed in unison, and then later on, they set up some spare pillows, cushions and brought over some blankets for their slumber party. Thomas came out wearing a new set of pajamas, but in a forest green plaid plush fabric. “Aww... are you wearing the pajamas Auntie Applejack and I made for you?” Rarity asked. Thomas nodded and then sat with Fluttershy as she wrapped her forelegs around him and pulled him towards her chest and then he hugged his teddy bear, until she gently patted his shoulder while hugging him.
The group of mares, fillies and Thomas were all seated around in a big crescent shaped circle with a safe fire set up in the center, so they could use it to keep themselves cozy and fix some s’mores with it. Twilight, Rarity and Starlight helped assemble the s’mores for everyone with their magic, and gave two or one to each of them. Rarity saved two of them for the little colt cuddling in Fluttershy’s forelegs and nuzzled against her chest as she generously levitated them over to him. “Here you go, darling. You truly deserve these,” she said kindly. “Thank you,” Thomas said, and then he took a bite of his first s’more and then made a warm smile. “Mmm... I never had a s’more like this one since before I lived in the orphanage,” Thomas said. “Aww... that’s okay, sweetheart. S’mores are always deliciously fun to have during a sleepover, and other snacks, but especially now since I have my precious little one to enjoy them with,” Fluttershy said, until she hugged him and gave him a soft kiss on the forehead. “Aww... Momma,” Thomas said with adorable embarrassment.
After Thomas finished his s’mores, he laid down on his back in cradle position as Fluttershy gently patted his shoulder for comfort. Apple Bloom came over and asked, “Thomas? Is this your first slumber party, or did ya have one before?”
“No, this is actually my first one,” Thomas said. “I know I said I never had friends back at the orphanage, because of their mean behavior and ignorance around me, but I never had anyone to have a slumber party with, except my Snuggle Bear right here.” He raised his teddy bear up in the air. “Other kids would also pick on me for being smaller and puny than them, or have no talent for perfection. But the orphanage was about making friends, but somehow it didn’t feel right.” He then leaned back down on Fluttershy’s forelegs and turned over to her chest and softly stroked her fur as she gently patted his back and shoulder.
Twilight came over and stroked his shoulder with her hoof until he turned around, “I’m so sorry you felt that way, bug. But I don’t want you to feel alone anymore, because you have lots of friends to make, if you just let them.”
“Plus, some ponies can be pretty heartless, but not all of them are,” Applejack explained. “I agree with Applejack, darling. Besides, you have a generously kind heart of pure love and friendship,” Rarity said. “And that’s what we love about you,” Fluttershy said.
“Thank you,” Thomas said. Rarity then thought of something, “Fluttershy, may I borrow him real quick?” Fluttershy nodded and then Rarity looked at him with a not-so mischievous grin on her face, “Auntie Rarity? Why are you looking at me that way?”
“Oh, don’t worry, darling. Auntie just wants to introduce you... to the TICKLE MONSTER!!” Rarity exclaimed as she playfully reached out her hooves to the side of his ribs and started rubbing them up and down in a tickling position. “Aah! Hahahahaha! Auntie Rarity! Hehehehe! Hahahahaha! No! No! Hahahahaha!” Thomas couldn’t stop laughing any longer as she continued to tickle his ribs. “Cootchie-cootchie-coo!” Rarity exclaimed cutely as she continued to tickle him. “Aww... looks like my sweet little Thomas is very ticklish,” Fluttershy said with a giggle. “Aww... you’re just so adorable, darling,” Rarity said. “I could just do this all night.”
“Auntie Rarity! St-Stop! Please! Hahahahaha! Stop!” Thomas said while laughing. “What’s that, darling? You want me to keep going?” Rarity asked, until the Crusaders came over to tickle him. “No! No! No! Stop! Hahahahaha...” Thomas giggled. “What was that, cutie? You want me to tickle you there?!” Sweetie Belle asked while tickling his little feet with a feather. “No! No! Please! Not there... Hehehehe!” Thomas laughed. Apple Bloom rubbed her little hooves over his belly and Scootaloo rubbed at his sides with her hooves. “Girls! Please! Stop! You’re gonna make me pee!” Thomas said. “Okay, girls. Let him breathe,” Applejack said. The girls then giggled as they stopped tickling him, and Rarity held him in her hooves, “Haha... I’m so sorry, precious. I just couldn’t absolutely stand just how sweet and cute you are when they tickled you.” She then leaned her head closer and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Feel better, darling?”
Thomas nodded, “Yeah. I’m fine, Auntie Rarity.” He then let out a soft yawn, and then rubbed his eyes. “Aww... I think an adorable little colt needs his beauty sleep,” Rarity said, before she gave him another kiss. “Momma? Can I go potty?” Thomas asked. “Of course, sweetie,” Fluttershy said as she then took him to the little colt’s room, and then he went into the room and had his private time.
When he came back, he was already tired, and then he went to the others to join them again. The Crusaders slept next to their sisters and nuzzled with their fur as the three mares comforted their sisters, and Spike was comfy underneath Twilight’s wing as a warm blanket. Thomas then laid down on the pillow Fluttershy was laying on and then curled up towards her tummy and then hugged his teddy bear as he fell asleep in fetal position. Rarity looked at him with a warm smile, and then levitated a blanket over to him and tucked him underneath it. Fluttershy looked down at her little colt and then gave him a kiss on the forehead, “Goodnight, my precious little one.” She then drifted off to sleep.
While they slept with pleasant dreams, the warm bright light of Princess Luna’s moon radiated its magical beam of warmth through the night and showered the Empire with comfort, and it made Thomas feel happy as he slept.