//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Visiting The Crystal Family/Thomas is Missing // Story: A Place in Equestria III: Lost in Another World // by GoebelTron //------------------------------// At the Ponyville train station, Thomas, along with his mother, Fluttershy, his aunties, Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Starlight, and his other friend, Spike were waiting for the train to the Crystal Empire to come because they planned for some time off from doing their usual part-time or full-time jobs or saving Equestria from evil as some plan for a weekly vacation. Thomas was sitting on Fluttershy’s back while waiting for the train to come. “Sweetie? Are you excited to see Shining Armor and Princess Cadance and Flurry Heart again?” Fluttershy asked. “Mmhmm. Yes, Momma,” Thomas said. Fluttershy smiled warmly and then gave her son a kiss on the nose, and nuzzled with his cheek. “Oh! Train’s here!” Starlight said. They all saw the train appear, and then boarded the passenger’s car, and took their seats across or next to each other, as Thomas sat next to his mother, and leaned by her side for comfort. When they were all situated, the train started moving and went all the way to the Frozen North. Later on, Thomas fell asleep by leaning towards his mother’s left flank and resting his head on her left side of her belly, and she had her wing wrapped around his small form as a blanket. After a several minutes and one hour, the train then pulled up and stopped at the train station for the Crystal Empire, and then the group walked off with Thomas riding on Fluttershy’s back. They were suddenly greeted by Princess Cadance, Captain Shining Armor, Flurry Heart, Sunburst, and Princess Amore, as a couple of crystal guards stood with them. “Cadance!” Twilight excitedly said, as she galloped over to her. “Hello, Twilight!” Cadance replied, and then they performed their greeting. “Sunshine, sunshine! Ladybugs, awake! Clap your hooves And do a little shake!” They laughed afterwards and then gave each other a hug. Shining Armor walked over with his guard armor on, and Sunburst was grasping the handle of Flurry Heart’s stroller with his magic. Cadance suddenly saw Thomas climb down Fluttershy’s back, “Hello, Thomas. Come here and give me a hug.” “Princess Cadance!” Thomas exclaimed as he ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her neck, until he was lifted up by her hoof and his body was rested against her chest. Princess Cadance then sighed warmly while hugging the child, then as he leaned back, she gave him multiple kisses on his cheeks, and then nuzzled her muzzle with his nose. “Wow... You’re getting so big,” Cadance said. Thomas nodded, and then hugged the pink alicorn and rested his head on her shoulder and softly stroked her mane. “Are you playing with my mane?” Princess Cadance asked. Thomas giggled, and Cadance lit up her horn and placed him on her back. “How about if you ride on my back while we walk to the castle, sweetheart?” “Is that okay, Momma?” Thomas asked. “Yes, sweetheart. That’s fine with me,” Fluttershy said. Thomas nodded, and then they all walked back to the Crystal Palace, and then got situated in the Crystal Living Room. “So, why’d you invite us here again?” Twilight asked. “It’s our wedding anniversary,” Cadance said. “And a reminder to thank all of you for saving my wife and me from Chrysalis’s wrath,” Shining Armor said. “How long have you been married?” Thomas asked. “We’ve been married for 3 years, honey,” Cadance said. “Oh, okay,” Thomas said. “So... am I invited?” Thomas asked. “Oh, sweetie! Of course you are!” Cadance said. “Why would we forget Twiliy’s brave little nephew?” Shining Armor asked. Thomas then hugged both Cadance and Shining Armor. “Shining? How’re the Royal Guards coming along?” Thomas asked. “Oh, well, some of them are lacking off, but most of them are coming along easily prepared for combat and always on time for duty,” Shining Armor replied. “Cool,” Thomas said. “How about if I show you another time this week, because our anniversary party is upcoming soon,” Shining Armor suggested. “Okay,” Thomas said. “But... could you be sure to keep a close eye on him. You know how sensitive Fluttershy is about him, darling,” Cadance said. “Don’t worry, Cadance honey. I’ll be sure to keep him close to me,” Shining Armor said. “How about if we show you to your rooms?” Cadance asked. “I think that’ll be wonderful, darling,” Rarity said. The group then followed Cadance and Shining Armor to their guest rooms. When they were unpacking, Thomas saw an opened door as he came out of the bathroom, until he saw Cadance walk by. “What’s in there?” Thomas asked Cadance. “Oh, that’s just a room that’s off limits, because the mirror in there has a magical ability to teleport somepony to another world, but it has been used three times,” she answered. “Who was the first to use it?” Thomas asked. “It was Twilight, but it was for a mission, which I can’t tell you right now, because it’s almost time for dinner,” Cadance said, “But if you want to go in and take a look, go ahead, but don’t touch the glass.” Thomas nodded, and then went to go take a look, and as he entered it and saw a dark room where it had the rarely unique looking mirror. Thomas suddenly saw the mirror, which had a lavender frame with deep magenta gems embedded around the frame, which was shaped in a horseshoe, and there was a symbol on top that looked like a embedded unicorn inside the horseshoe. Thomas suddenly walked over to the mirror, but as he got as far as he wanted, he accidentally slipped and fell towards the glass frame, and was suddenly sucked into the mirror as it made a deep magenta glow. “Thomas? Thomas? It’s time for dinner,” Twilight said, as she went to look for him. “Thomas?” She suddenly saw that he went through the portal, and then went to go warn the others. Thomas let out a scream as he was feeling himself being spun around and around like he was being sucked into a vortex, as his vision was somehow filled with a huge colorful kaleidoscopic light, until it started swirling at the endpoint. As he appeared into a huge white light, he somehow landed in another environment as it was black all around him as he was unconscious.