> My Little Pony: The Next Generation
>  by MedicHorse
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> The Chapter with Character Introductions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation


The One Wherein Characters are Introduced

The last day of school. For students, it is a day to imagine all the possibilities of summer. For parents, the last day before their kids run wild all day every day. Being mid-May, it was exactly the kind of warm spring day that Ponyville is famous for. With the sound long-awaited to some and dreaded by others, all of Ponyville’s school aged population flooded out of the schoolhouse. 
As everypony went their separate ways, seven ponies (although pony was a stretch for two) walked together down the street towards Sugarcube Corner. They were each obviously different, but any passerby could tell that they had been together a long time. Leading, as always, was Starburst, her proud demeanor ruling the path they walked. Behind her were Prism Bolt and Cotton Candy, already planning the summer’s pranks and other general shenanigans. The third row was made up of Golden Delicious and Anthea. While he would never admit it to her, he took pride in being the blind young pony’s escort, protector and confidant. 
Bringing up the rear was the most curios sight in Equestria. A pair of pony-dragon hybrid siblings, Turquoise Blitz and Crystal Clarity walked tall and proud. They always wound up in the back, mainly because T never spoke while the group was deciding where to go, and Claire was almost always by his side. While she always wore the same mask of sophistication and seriousness, she had a soft spot for her younger brother. They weren’t the most social of ponies, as T was very reserved and most everypony thought Claire was kind of a jerk. While she admits to having her moments, she couldn’t imagine her life without these dear friends.
“So,” said Candy, “Who’s down for a party tonight? I’ll even get Mom to make those awesome triple-chocolate cupcakes!”
“You had me at party,” stated Bolt bluntly. “What kind of crazy pony would turn down Pinkie Pie’s world famous cupcakes?”
“This kind,” Claire suddenly interjected, as she never really liked chocolate. “But I will make every attempt to attend your little get-together, assuming Mother and Father approve.”	
“Please, we all know Missus Rarity is gonna wax all poetical bout how parties are nothing but trouble, then Mister Spike is gonna say you can go, the Missus Rarity is gonna say ‘fine’ and try to get you all prettified.”
“Yep,” stated T, having more than enough experience to verify the likelihood of this scenario.
“Regardless,” Claire countered with a roll of her eyes, “just because our parents aren’t as laid-back as Missus Applejack and Mister Caramel, I still find it courteous to ask.”
“First off,” started Gold, “I always ask. And second, you know they hate that ‘Mister and Missus’ junk. They like to be treated as friends, not teachers.”
“Your parents are quite friendly,” Annie said in her trademark near whisper. “At least you can get a straight answer out of them, instead of an endless string of ‘gosh, I don’t know.’”
“Yeah, but Miss Fluttershy always lightens up when Prince Charming here shows up to bodyguard you,” joked Bolt, eliciting a stern look and a slight blush from the colt in question.
“Speaking of Price Charming,” began Candy, “When does Soarin get back from his tour?”
“Mom says he’ll be back next week, and they’re gonna teach me how to do a Sonic Rainboom!” Bolt nearly jumped up as he ecstatically made his remark.
“Only if you don’t break your nose this time,” Star finally piped up.
“Hey,” defended Bolt, “Just cause Princess Sparkle and Prince Sentry don’t want you being cool doesn’t mean we have to be boring.”
“My parents value hard work and tenacity, not lounging on a cloud until your parents report you missing,” Star shot back, as Bolt shrank back and giggled nervously.
“Hey, we’re here,” said Candy excitedly as she noticed a certain stallion standing in line. “Daddy!”
“Wha-” he started, but was cut off as he was almost choked by a flying hug from his daughter. Just like her mom he thought as he giggled to himself. “Hello dear. Hello, children,” he said as he noticed his daughter was not alone.
“Hello Mister Pierce,” they said in unison.
“Please, call me Pokey. As I have said a hundred times before,” he mumbled, and pushed away from Candy. “So what brings you kids to Sugarcube Corner?” he asked.
“We’re gonna have an after school snack, then get ready for our school’s-out party,” said Candy. “By the way, is Mom around?”
“She’s working right now, trying to keep this line under control. Also, how nice of you to ask permission to throw a party,” he said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow as he finished.
“Glad you think so,” she giggled and ran into the store. “Mom! I need three dozen triple chocolate cupcakes and the store tonight at six.”
“That didn’t sound like a question,” noted Pinkie Pie with a stern tone.
“Please?” Candy pleaded with the biggest eyes she could muster.
“Fine,” said the pink mare, “now get back here and help me with this rush.”
“Ok!” Candy said with a smile, waving to her friends. “See you at six!”
“Well, I guess it’s time to collect parental approval,” said Claire, not wishing to stand in the long line before them. The other ponies nodded in agreement and headed their separate ways

“Mom, I’m going to a party tonight!” called Bolt, unsure exactly where his mother was in their large cloud home.
“Ok, but don’t let things get too exciting. You know how those Pinkie parties get,” Rainbow Dash called from the kitchen, remembering her own shenanigans with the pink party pony.
“Candy’s throwing it,” he corrected.
“Same warning. It runs in their blood.” She said, as she saw first-hand the filly’s appetite for crazy when she first got her cutie mark.
“Noted. Now I’m gonna try and look good in case there’s any cute fillies there,” he said with quite a bit of confidence.
“Wow,” Rainbow said with a shrug and a giggle, “you’re so much like your father it’s almost unsettling.”
“You’re the one who fell for him,” Bolt added playfully.
“Touché,” his mother replied.

“Hey Ma, Pa, is it alright if I go to a party tonight?” Gold asked, knowing the response he would receive.
“You know the drill,” Caramel said as he had many times before, “at least three barrels and a shower.”
“Yes, sir!” Gold chirped and ran off towards the orchard.
“Wow,” Applejack breathed, “already done with junior year. Seems like only yesterday he was my cute little baby colt.”
“It doesn’t help that you still treat him like one,” Caramel snickered. “Don’t you think it’s about time we give him some room?”
“Well, excuse me for loving the hay out of my son,” she shot back, “but I still think he’s the second best looking stallion around, and I’m a little scared that he’s gonna have marefriends soon.”
“Probably,” the stallion said, getting up, “and I’ll bet he’ll have pick of the litter.”

“Hi sweetie. How was school?” Flash asked as Starburst walked into their home.
“Fine,” she replied. “Is it alright if I attend a get-together with my friends from school?”
“Well, I need details first. When, where, yadda, yadda.”
“It will be at Sugarcube Corner at six P.M. this evening,” she said with a pleading undertone hidden well by her mannerisms.
“You know I can’t say no to a Sugarcube Corner party. Have fun. I’ll let your mom know as soon as she pulls her muzzle out of that book or she’ll get worried sick.”
“Fair enough,” she replied, as her mother’s propensity to miss things while reading then worry about them was well known, “and thank you.”

“Mother, Father, I would like to attend a party tonight at Sugarcube Corner. Your input is desired,” said Claire with a voice strongly reminiscent of her mother.
“Why ever would you want to do that?” Rarity questioned. “Parties are the basis for a multitude of silly mistakes and irresponsible actions. I simply will not allow any daughter of mine to gallivant the town with those ruffians, regardless of their parent’s opinion.”
“I’ll allow it,” Spike said quietly but definitively.
“But,” Rarity started, but stopped when she noticed the unwavering smile on her husband’s face. “Fine,” she finally huffed out, “but I won’t allow you to go out without looking fabulous, and THAT is non-negotiable,” she finished as she shot a glance at Spike who smiled and walked away.
“Déjà vu,” T began, as he got off the couch he was lounging on to head upstairs and prepare for the night ahead.

“Mom, I want to go to Sugarcube Corner with my friends tonight. Is that ok with you?” Annie asked timidly, already guessing what her adoptive mother would say.
“Gosh, I don’t know,” Fluttershy said, earning an eye roll from her daughter. “You know I don’t like it when you go out.”
“Golden Delicious will be there.” Annie added, as this was her go to statement when her mother was unsure.
“Oh, well, as long as you have somepony responsible looking after you, I guess it’s alright,” Fluttershy said, still feeling protective but more relaxed, as Golden Delicious was one of the few ponies she trusted with her dear Anthea.

> The Chapter with the Party
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation


The Chapter with the Party

As six o’clock grew closer, the seven friends found themselves on the way to the local sweet shop, which was now decorated with balloons, streamers, and a large banner that read “Summer Break: It’s About Time!” in festive pink writing. The older ponies of the community would recognize this as another Pinkie party, although she had grown much more reserved as she fell into the role of motherhood. She still had her fun, but her daughter was now firmly the bearer of the party-pony torch.
Candy, who had just finished decorating, was joyfully awaiting her guests. Prism was the first to arrive, as he normally was. He was not far ahead of T and Claire. The purple mare, always standing out when she could, wore a long, beautiful lavender gown, accented by two magnificent emerald earrings. T, wishing to avoid his mother’s “help,” wore a simple black bowtie. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make Rarity feel like he was trying. Prism, staying true to his word, had actually combed his mane. While he didn’t like to admit it, he did clean up quite well. Soon after the four settled in, Anthea arrived with her faithful escort Gold, wearing his trademark neckerchief. Last but not least was Star, as she had elected to take a relaxing walk and admire the sunset.
As the friends arrived and began pecking away at the snacks on the buffet table, other ponies in their class began to arrive. Soon after, right around seven, the music began to get louder as the newly freed ponies slipped into their newfound liberty. Ponies were dancing, talking, eating, or just hanging out. It wasn’t long before everypony reverted back to their comfortable states.
Prism was talking to mares who showed just enough interest to keep him blabbing. Claire wandered about with an almost regal flair, making sure everypony knew that she had, indeed, attended this event. T sat in his comfortable spot on the sidelines, engaging in his favorite activity which he called “pony-watching.” Gold and Annie sat not far away, discussing the myriad of plant and/or animal life they dealt with, living just off the fringes of the Everfree Forest. Candy ensured the guests were well cared for, as was her talent. Star was speaking with some of the recently graduated seniors who were joining the royal guard.
All in all, it was a successful party, with plenty of ponies but not a lot of chaos. Even Prism avoided getting punched in the snout, a feat he rarely achieved at parties. As the clock reached towards midnight and many ponies began going home, the seven friends truly felt the finality of the school year and the beginning of the summer. As they looked ahead they imagined all the wonderful things they could do, the ponies they could meet, and the trouble they could get into. Most ponies didn’t look forward to the last part, but two awaited it with an almost scary smile.

> The Chapter with the Train Ride
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
The Chapter with the Train Ride

Nearly a week had passed since school let out, and the seven ponies had done nothing spectacularly newsworthy. This, of course, had to change. The ponies sat in their favorite corner booth in Sugarcube Corner, trying to figure out what to do next.
“We could go swimming,” said Candy, nearing the end of her list of fun things to do.
“We did that yesterday,” said Gold, as he thought about the trouble he got into for shrugging off his afternoon duties to play with his friends.
“We could go for a nice, relaxing walk,” Candy sighed with a notable defeated tone.
“We do that every other afternoon,” Star countered, although she enjoyed her relaxing walks.
“Well, then I’m just out of ideas,” Candy blurted with a slouch. “Seems like we’ve done everything fun in Ponyville.”
“Yeah, but only in Ponyville,” Prism joked, but then his eyes went wide. “Wait a second…”
“That’s perfect!” shouted Candy, as she jumped from her seat. “We should go see Equestria! A summer road trip!”
“Too bad our parents won’t ever allow that,” Annie noted, with a slightly disappointed tone. “You would think they would like the idea, since they used to do those Harmony tours all the time.”
“Annie, you’re a genius!” Candy again shouted with glee. “We just have to talk our folks into doing the Harmony tour one last time and with them! It’ll be awesome! Imagine, traveling Equestria, meeting all kinds of ponies, having all kinds of fun, and our parents will think we’re just supporting their message!”
“I’ll admit, that’s actually pretty clever,” said Star, while still working out the details. “Still, that’s quite a bit of work to get our folks to just up and tour the country.”
“Nonsense,” stated Candy happily. “Misses Rarity would love an excuse to visit her outlet in Canterlot unannounced, Princess Twilight loves seeing Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor, Misses Fluttershy would love to see the animals in the Los Pegasus deserts, Misses Dash loves visiting Cloudsdale, Misses Applejack hasn’t been to Appleoosa in a long time, and my mom would be happy just to sample the local tastes!”
“Actually, that all makes sense,” Prism observed, getting more psyched for the plan by the second. “If we each get our parents onboard, we could have the greatest road trip in the history of summer road trips.”
“Well, I guess we all know what needs to be done now,” said Gold, as the seven friends shared a nod and a smile, then went their separate ways back home.

Two weeks. It took two weeks for parents to be convinced, letters to be sent, arrangements to be made and the first few stops to be announced. After a long night of packing and goodbyes, the Elements of Harmony were boarding the nine A.M. train for Canterlot.
“What are you guys gonna do first? I’m going straight to Mom’s favorite doughnut shop for some snacks!” said Candy, bouncing with excitement.
“That sounds quite nice,” said Pinkie Pie, remembering her trips filled with fun and custard long-johns.
“I can’t wait to see Dad!” piped Prism, as the Wonderbolts had a tour stop in Canterlot as well.
“You and me both,” stated Rainbow Dash. The previous tour had run long, meaning the mother and son had to go without their dear Soarin for another few weeks.
“I wanna see if this royal golden apple is all it’s cracked up to be,” declared Gold never really believing the stories he heard as a child. Applejack simply chuckled and rolled her eyes.
“I’ve always heard there’s a beautiful view from the top of the grand tower,” voiced T. Surprisingly, Claire had a plan completely independent of him.
“I simply must visit an old acquaintance of mine,” she spoke with an air of nostalgia. “It has been far too long since the last time we met.”
“I can’t wait for my private tour of the Royal Guard training facility,” said Starburst. “I need to start getting ready to sign up next year.”
“I’m just glad we get to spend this trip together,” came Annie, bringing up a loud and caring “aww” from the entire car, which the group had rented out for the duration of the tour.
The rest of the train ride to Canterlot was filled with idle chatter, giggles, and complimentary peanuts. As the train pulled in to the station, the crew got off and about half of their numbers stopped and gawked up at the city. The seven younger ponies had never been to Canterlot, with the exclusion of Claire, who was born here but the family moved back to Ponyville before she began developing memories. The Elements simply chuckled, as they were sure they had similar reactions the first time they landed in the capital city of Equestria. Before the children could run off to discover the wonders of the urban sprawl before them, they were snapped back to reality.
“Come on, y’all,” Applejack spoke louder than necessary. “Let’s get these bags to the castle before my legs fall off.” The entire pack groaned at the thought of lugging all of Claire’s stuff to the rooms they were staying in, as she always missed the point of the term “Travel Light.” The gleamed their solace, however, in the fact that there was still plenty of time to do everything they had planned in the city, plus so much more.

> The Chapter in Canterlot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
The Chapter in Canterlot

Everypony was finally done unpacking. Each family was given their own room in the castle, with access to a large lounge area for the group. As soon as they had permission from their parents, each of the children broke off to go do whatever they had planned. Annie, not really having a plan, decided she would follow T, as his agenda sounded the most relaxing. She couldn’t take in the view like he planned to, but that was okay. Nature seemed to speak to her anyway. As Annie heard her friends leaving, she locked on to the gentle but totally unique sound of T’s claws hitting the ground. She had gotten very good at this over the years, being able to pinpoint her friends’ gaits in crowds and follow them well, even on dirt or up stairs. T, being lost in thought as he usually was, failed to notice his tiny, timid tail. He simply walked up the stairs of the castle leading to its tallest tower. As soon as he cleared the door and was standing on the small patio, he was suddenly taken aback by the magnificent sight before him. He uttered a quiet “wow,” which garnered a response from the pony following him.
“Is it really that pretty?” she asked, not sure how T would respond. He jumped a little, and turned around. His face almost literally light up when he saw Annie standing there.
“It’s more beautiful than words can describe,” he said, and he believed it with all his heart.
“Could you try?” Annie asked timidly. They were both taken back to the first time she had asked him to describe something, and the many times since then. As a stallion of few words, he learned how to make the small amount he said carry vivid imagery and strong emotion.
“Of course,” he said, as he sat down on the patio. “The sun looks like a flaming amber sphere of passion, surrounded on all side by the mellow, tantalizing blue of the open sky. No clouds, no approaching storm, just endless freedom and beauty, stretching all the way to meet the mountains...” As he spoke, Annie found herself drawing closer to the sound of his voice, and was soon sitting next to him and losing herself in the description. “…but it’ll be even better at sundown,” he finished, planning to come back then to see it again.
“If you say so,” Annie replied, finding no part of nature any more or less beautiful than any other. “Thank you for this, Turquoise.”
“It was my pleasure,” he answered, finally getting up. “Now let’s go see what the others are up to.”

Claire, on a personal mission to find someone she hadn’t seen in years, decided to begin looking in the throne room of the castle. She reasoned this was the most likely place he would be. He was royalty, after all. As she walked, she noticed a strange sound coming from beneath her. She looked down, and noticed her hooves and claws were now covered by large, squeaky clown shoes. She vocalized in shock lightly when her brain finished processing the information it was receiving. After a little more thought, she smirked, knowing exactly what had happened.
“Illusion, get these tacky things off me this instant!” she hollered, knowing he could be anywhere.
“Now, now,” he started, and happened to be right behind her, making her jump a little. “Is that any way to speak to a prince? I would think you’d been taught better than that.” After a moment of intense staring, the two began giggling uncontrollably. Claire, realizing how silly she must look, stopped and cleared her throat.
“Didn’t your parents ever teach you how rude it is to play a silly joke on a poor, unsuspecting lady such as myself?” Claire said, trying her best to look upset with him.
“I simply couldn’t help it,” he said. “You looked so serious. And I can’t help that you were trotting about the castle looking for me. Besides, I figured I should be the one responsible for your annual laugh.”
“You have an ego larger than your mother’s sun. What makes you think I was looking for you?” Claire asked.
“No mare can resist the fluff,” he boasted, referring to the large patch of fluffy black fur on his chest. “Especially not you,” he added with a wink. As he finished, both ponies noticed a Royal Guard approaching.
“Prince Illusion, Princess Celestia wishes to speak with you at once,” he said with a tinge of urgency in his voice.
“Oh, poo,” Illusion started. “I was just about to get to the part where I ask you out on a date tonight at seven at that quaint little café down the street.”
“Wait, what?” Claire asked loudly, with a lingering blush left over from Illusion’s earlier statement.
“See you then!” he said with a wave as he walked into the throne room to see what he was interrupted for, leaving Claire with  a myriad of thoughts running through her head. One of which, strangely, was happy excitement. She decided to head back to the lounge to see if she could gain any advice whatsoever from her peers. She walked back towards the guest area with a noticeable pep in her step.

Gold, excited to finally lay this whole “golden apple” thing to rest, slowly sauntered his way through downtown Canterlot. As he was walking, he couldn’t help but notice a familiar pink and white mane, but it looked uncharacteristically low. “What’s wrong, Candy?” he asked as he approached her.
“Doughnut Joe run out,” she said with a hint of whine. “What kind of doughnut shop runs out of doughnuts at two-thirty?”
Gold laughed at the statement. “Well, you’re welcome to come with me to see this apple that defies all reason and logic!” he said theatrically while still maintaining a sarcastic tone. Candy giggled a bit, then nodded with a smile. After a short walk, the pair found the apple in question. Unfortunately for Gold, it was as huge, beautiful, and magnificent as the stories had promised.
“Ya know, this thing looks just like your Cutie Mark,” Candy noticed, causing Gold to glance at his flank and giggle.
“Well, we saw the darn thing, what now?” he asked, growing bored with the giant gold apple before them.
“Why don’t we go grab something to eat?” asked Candy.
“That sounds wonderful,” Gold answered. The two headed off to a quaint little café that they had passed earlier, just down the street from the castle.

Prism had finally tracked down his father. He was at the Royal Guard recruitment center, trying to find Pegasi worthy of joining the Wonderbolt academy. As he walked he noticed Starburst walking out of the training facility that was just next door.
“Well, hey there,” he called to his friend, who had noticed him and was approaching him. “Done with your tour?”
“Yes, but there was a lack of useful information,” she seethed, obviously upset for some reason. “Less advice and helpful comments, more blurbs about mares never lasting long in the guard.”
“Dang, sorry to hear that,” Prism commented as if this was the first time something like this had happened. “Wanna stop by the recruiter’s office? You might qualify for the delayed entry program.”
She shot him a quizzical glance, as his knowledge of the guard was highly unexpected. “Fine,” she finally answered, and the two walked through the door.
“Hey son!” Soarin said excitedly as Prism walked through the door. “Finally taking your old man’s advice and singing up for the guard?”
“No, Dad,” Prism answered as he had many times before. “Just came down to give you our room number and your key. I’m sure Mom looks forward to seeing you again.” Soarin simply smirked, and accepted the key and the small note attached to it.
While this was happening, Starburst had been speaking to the Royal Guard’s Recruiter. “Do you know of any delayed entry programs near Ponyville?” she asked.
“I know where stallions from around there go for training,” he answered.
“Perfect,” she replied, ignoring the implications of his statements. “What paperwork do I need to fill out?”
“Look, sweetie,” the recruiter said while leaning forward in his chair. “We get your type in here from time to time, and we tell them the same thing. The guard isn’t for mares. If you’re looking for a job, there’s a quaint little café up by the castle hiring. I know the manager and I could…”
“You could give her the papers she’s asking for,” said Prism, who had heard the whole thing. The stallion said nothing, simply looking between the two with a smirk. “Hey, Dad!” when Soarin flew over, the smirk disappeared. “This guy won’t let Starburst sign up for the guard.”
“Really?” said Soarin, shifting his gaze to the recruiter. “That sounds like a riveting tale to tell the captain.”
“No need, sir,” said the recruiter nervously as he shuffled the papers towards Starburst.
“Thank you,” she said as she filled out the papers. After she finished, she turned around and walked out with Prism right behind her. “You didn’t need to do that,” she said to him.
“Yeah, but that guy’s face is a lot less broken then it would have been if I hadn’t.” They both giggled at the thought of a large military pony cowering before an admittedly smallish mare. “So, what now?” Prism asked.
“Well,” Star answered, “he did say something about a quaint little café…”

> Pittoresque Petit Café
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
Pittoresque Petit Café

It didn’t take long for Gold, Candy, Prism, and Star to find themselves at the afore mentioned quaint little café. As they sat down and order their drinks, they shared the stories of how they ran into each other. Prism and Star found themselves laughing at how upset Candy was at the lack of delicious doughnuts. Candy was not as angry about Star’s story, as she was still focused on doughnuts, but Gold made repeated claims of how he would “kick that dumb pony’s [RATED E].” Not long afterwards, drinks arrived, and the friends set about deciding what they wanted to eat. Three ordered the same delicious sounding sandwich, while Candy got a large helping of French toast. After eating and talking for quite a while, they decided to head back to the castle. On the way out, they saw a rather peculiar sight. Claire, dressed in a sleek pink dress, was standing in line with a stallion none of them recognized. He was also seemingly dressed to impress, with a black suit coat and a bow tie. After noting his rather unique features, they went back on their way, eager to delve into the new mystery.

Upon returning to the castle, the four friends found T and Annie sitting in the lounge area. T was reading a book, as he often did when bored, and Annie was listening to music. Figuring that he may know the mystery stallion, they set to describing him, right down to his two hooves with claws and his two unique horns. T did indeed know him, and identified him as Prince Illusion, son of Discord and Princess Celestia. T then asked why they were so curious about the young prince, they spun a tale of intrigue, mostly amounting to the fact that he and Claire looked to be on a date. Smirking, T decided that the only reasonable approach was to return to the quaint little café, observe the two, and ensure that Illusion was treating Claire well.

As they walked, the six friends decided on their roles for the adventure. Annie, having the best hearing of the group, would be designated eavesdropper. Star, having a keen eye for detail, would keep her eyes on the two. Candy would use her connections in the food service industry as an in to gain favor with the staff, and enlist their help in making this the best date possible. Gold was delegated to interference, keeping the way clear for the observers. Prism stayed on hand to regulate weather, as Canterlot weather had a reputation to change without notice. T, fearing he would blow the team’s cover by being a large dragon, agreed to sit in the back and simply pay for the date in secret, as he wanted to see who would offer to pay first. When they arrived, they were seated in the perfect position. It was close enough to observe the couple but far enough to remain hidden. It was also in a low traffic area, making Gold’s job much easier. The friends immediately set to work. Annie’s ears began quivering and rotating like a radar dish, while Star fixed her eyes on the spot with an intense, almost threating stare. Candy walked towards the back into the kitchen, as the head chef was a good friend of her mother. Within minutes, the information began flowing.
“She keeps blushing,” noticed Star.
“That’s because he keeps telling her she’s pretty,” added Annie, which drew a chuckle from T. It didn’t take long for the couple’s food to arrive, thanks to the pony in the kitchen that focused solely on their order. The evening proceeded without a hitch, thanks to the couple’s, unknown to them, assortment of aces in various holes. After Illusion offered to pay for the meal, unaware of the restaurant’s sudden new princes eat free policy, the pair got up to leave. Noticing this, Gold was sent to pull Candy out of the kitchen while Prism was sent ahead to stealthily clear any clouds. There was only one, which he dispatched expertly before hiding on a rooftop near the castle.

Claire was as happy as she could be. He she was, walking back to her temporary home with a handsome young prince who was rather insistent on her beauty. As they walked, she occasionally looked up into the evening sky, noticing how lovely it looked with no clouds. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she failed to notice that they were just in front of the castle.
“Well,” he began, “I’m afraid this is where I must leave you. I’ve agreed to make some appearances downtown this evening.”
“Oh,” she replied, not really sure what to say. She decided to simply gaze into his eyes, those wonderful, shimmering pools of crimson.
“Well, I shall see you again later. I do hope we get the chance to do this again soon,” Illusion said as he started to turn around. Claire, wishing to make the moment last just a bit longer, placed her claw covered hoof on his cheek, and planted a gentle kiss on the other one.
“Me too,” she said, causing Illusion to blush for the first time that night. He looked deep into her eyes, smiled, and walked away. Claire waited until he was out of earshot, then began jumping around and giggling like a little filly. After a while of this, the other six of the approached the gate, having secretly seen everything.
“So,” Candy began, “What’s got you so excited?”

> The Chapter with the Tour Stop
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
The Chapter with the Tour Stop

After a long night of questions and jokes, the seven friends awoke. Today was the day they would experience firsthand why their parents were famous. Anthea, being the only one who had been to a harmony tour stop before, insisted that it would be quite boring. The remainder of the group refused to believe her, as they had been treated to wonderful tales of adventure and triumph for their entire childhood. After breakfast, the entire group made their way to the designated area to prepare. A few ponies had gathered around already, hoping for an autograph from the Elements of Harmony. Not long after arriving, the festivities began, which mostly consisted of questions about the glory days of the six friends. The most common reply was the stories the children had heard many times before, but felt much less impactful in this setting. After this, the six resigned to a smaller table to give autographs, making the early birds feel kind of silly. The seven friends decided to wander off, and see what kind of fun there was to be had in downtown Canterlot.
“You know,” Annie said to T, “I think we were the only ones who didn’t get to try the food at that quaint little café. Care to join me for lunch?”
“Sure,” answered T, then turned to the rest of the group. “We’ll catch up with you later.”
“See ya,” was the communal reply, as Annie and T stepped off from the group. As they walked, T realized what a unique sight they were. A small, timid pony with glossy eyes being escorted by a large, green dragon-pony hybrid. He laughed internally at this thought, and soon they were back at the café. The two sat down at one of the patio tables and T looked up at the sky.
“It’s so beautiful today,” he mused, “perfect weather to go flying.”
Annie suddenly had a thought. “What is flying like?” T furled his brow, trying to think of how to adequately describe the sensation.
“It’s pretty hard to explain,” he admitted as their drinks arrived. “I guess you have to feel it to understand.”
“Oh,” Annie answered, slightly disappointed by his statement. While she was rather proficient with magic, she lacked wings. T noticed her dismay and silently hatched a plan.

“So, I hear there’s a wonderful garden here in Canterlot. I figure you’d probably like to listen to the animals,” T said as the two finished their meals.
“Oh, yes!” Annie answered excitedly. “I had trouble finding it. Can you lead me there?”
“I can do better than that,” T answered slyly and spread his wings. “Come here.” Annie couldn’t see what he was planning but walked towards his voice. “Climb on my back,” he instructed. This was rather strange, but she decided to go along with it anyways. “Now, hold on tight.”
“Why?” asked Annie as she latched on to him with her front hooves. Without answering, he simply flapped his wings forcefully, taking off at a brisk pace and drawing a light “Eep!” from Annie. To him, flying was a wonderful experience, albeit a relatively normal one. For the filly who had barely even ran in her life, this was new, and beyond compare. The wind rushing through her mane, the feeling of holding tightly on to her oldest friend, it was almost too much for her. As she became more comfortable, she began to slacken her grip around the pony beneath her. She then began to notice how comfortable she was. His scales provided the perfect place to lie down and feel the sky. Through her entire flight, the same thought entered her mind over and over: “I could get used to this.” Soon, she felt the wind around her slow down and eventually stop.
T turned his head back towards Annie and said, “Thank you for choosing Turquoise Air, please exit to the left.” Both ponies shared a laugh as Annie stepped off of T and found the ground once more. Still reeling from what she had just felt, she was feeling quite brave. Without really thinking, she blurted out.
“Do you wanna go on a date with me some time?” Finally realizing what she said, she began to stutter and try to spit out an apology, or an explanation, or even words, all of which failed her.
T noticed this, and slowly walked up to her. He placed a claw on her lips, making her stop her endless train of random syllables.
“Of course I would,” he answered with a smile. “Are you free tonight?” Annie, now blushing wildly, nodded her head furiously. “Good,” T said. “Now let’s go see about this garden.” Taking Annie by the hoof, he led her into the Garden of Canterlot.

> The Chapter with the Adorable Date
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
The Chapter with the Adorable Date

After walking about the garden for a while, Annie and T decided to head back to the castle. They did have a date to prepare for, after all. Upon arriving, they noticed that while the parents of the group had returned, their friends hadn’t. T, knowing he was going to have an awkward conversation, elected to get it out of the way now.
“Miss Fluttershy, may I have a word with you?” he asked nervously.
“Well, of course,” she responded, and the two moved to a more secluded side of the lounge. Once they were out of earshot, she began speaking again. “What do you need?”
“Well,” he began, looking towards the floor, “Annie and I spent most of today together, and I wanted to ask you if I could take your daughter out this evening.”
“Really?” she replied, and thought for a moment. “You know I don’t like Annie being alone, but if you’re with her and she agrees, then I guess its fine.”
“Thank you,” he said quickly, then remembered to breathe. He then ran to his room as quickly as he could. While he didn’t seem like it, he was very awkward on the subject of dating, as he had never done it before. He decided to wear his favorite sport coat, custom designed by his mother. He accompanied it with his favorite bowtie. He had to admit, bowties were pretty cool. By the time he had cleaned himself, gotten dressed, and cleared away most of the nervous butterflies, it was time to go. As he exited his room, Annie exited hers. Strangely, T noticed, she was walking out of Twilight’s room. While a bit peculiar, he didn’t think much of it. Twilight was Annie’s source of advice, magic or otherwise. His thoughts were also hindered by one simple fact: Annie looked beautiful. She had done her mane up, and was wearing a stunning red dress. What a shame she couldn’t see it. He finally shook himself from his thoughts, walked up to her, and wrapped a wing around her.

T had picked out an activity he hoped Annie would enjoy: a fireworks display. While she didn’t care much for loud noises, he knew she could see colors. He figured all the wonderful, vibrant hues blending together in the night sky would be perfect for her. They had arrived about a half hour early, as they planned on having a picnic on the lawn where they sat to watch the display. No sooner had they finished then the show started, lighting up the sky with wonderful colors. Annie was slightly startled by the explosions at first, but grew accustomed to them. After a while, she decided to make her move.
“This is quite nice,” she began, “but I wish we weren’t in this crowd.”
T chuckled slightly. “Where else are we gonna sit?”
“Are there any clouds up there?” Annie asked.
“Oh, yeah,” T replied as he stood up, noticing one large cloud up above them. “Hop on,” he commanded, and Annie swiftly complied. Before Annie could even think, T had flown up and landed on the cloud. “Now, you’re gonna have to stay-,” he started before he noticed Annie already climbing off his back. He whipped his head around to see Annie gently land on the cloud without falling through. He breathed a sigh of relief once he figured out what had happened. “Twilight?” he asked, to which she nodded. The two shared a short laugh before sitting down and snuggling close together. While trying to focus on the fireworks, she was repeatedly distracted by how comfortable clouds are. It was like floating around riding on a cotton ball. She was also distracted by the comfort of the stallion next to her. His scales, which she had felt before, were just as lovely now. She suddenly noticed his scent, a sweet, honey-like note, drawing her in. T didn’t usually wear cologne, only on special occasions. As she pondered all these factors, she hardly noticed her face growing closer to him. Before she could stop what she was doing, she found herself giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. He turned his head slowly at smiled at her, gazing directly into her eyes. She blushed as she felt him shift, but she wasn’t sure why he was moving. She soon felt his clawed hoof land gently upon her neck, pulling the two closer together. As both sets of lips collided, it created a new kind of firework. Annie felt that she finally had somepony who understood her, who knew her flaws, and who loved her anyways. T felt like he was with someone he could open up to, that he could share his secrets with, and would still love him. As the passion flowed between the two and emotions flooded them both, there was one that stood out, one that was always there but was just now being realized: love. They now knew they loved each other. They had for a long time, but this moment had truly awoken that feeling in both of them. They broke apart after a kiss longer than most parents would allow. They simply stared at each other and smiled. Annie turned her head back to the fireworks, while T gently rested his head on hers. They stayed like this for the remainder of the show not sharing a single word. When the finale finally finished, Annie wordlessly climbed atop T and the two took off towards the castle. This flight was exactly what Annie needed. A quick rush of wind to end her night of rushing emotion. While she thought about the date, her mind fluttered back to one word: perfect. This was the perfect ending to the perfect night, sharing a perfect kiss with her perfect new coltfriend. Unbeknownst to her, T was having very similar thoughts. He never imagined he would spend such a wonderful evening with such a wonderful filly, in this wonderful weather sharing a wonderful kiss. While their thoughts were slightly different on the way back, they landed with an identical mental statement. Next time would be even better.
> Canterlot Wrap-up
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
Canterlot Wrap-up

It was an early morning for the touring ponies, as they had a train to catch. The relative silence of the castle’s guest suite was broken by the hubbub of ponies taking inventory of their possessions and packing them away. Soon, everypony but Claire was finished and ready to go, until Applejack made a rather unsettling discovery.
“Where’s Golden Delicious?” Every head in the room whipped up and began scanning the room. When the search of the lounge resulted in nothing, the ponies searched each individual room. He was not here either, and the search expanded to the entire castle. After this fruitless effort, the group split up to search Canterlot. They checked just about everywhere they could think to go: the golden apple, the shops downtown, even the quaint little café. When it was obvious the group was out of ideas, they returned to the castle to plan further. Soon, the new plan was ironed out. Prism and T would search from the sky, Star would take the ground with a photo and ask around, and Annie and Claire would remain at the castle to send up a magical flare should Gold return. Once everyone was clear, on their roles, Gold came strutting into the suite with a box on his back. A myriad of questions were immediately flung at him, so he decided the best thing to do was simply tell his story.

Gold was awake before everypony else, as was the norm for him. He decided to make the best of his lead and pack up first. This was easy, as he had only brought some toiletries and formal wear, just in case. As he finished, he realized that he was hungry. This lead to another thought: Candy never got those doughnuts she wanted. He quickly scrounged up what bits he had and snuck out. He was greeted as he left the castle by the warm but humid summer air. He took a deep breath, then began walking again. He reminisced as he walked, thinking about the trip so far. They had a lot of fun in Canterlot, and this was only the first stop. Imagine what they would wind up doing by the end of the tour. It was gonna be awesome! He was pulled from this as he approached Doughnut Joe’s. Even though they had just opened, there was already a line forming around the block. This was a good sign in his eyes, as he had come to associate large demand with quality. That’s why Sweet Apple Acres gets so much business, he rationalized and took his place at the back of the line.
He still had plenty of time, as the train didn’t leave for a few hours and Claire would probably still be packing when he got back. The line grew shorter and he grew closer to the counter over the course of about two hours, but it felt like days. While he was quite accustomed to tedium, his mind ventured to the list of things these ponies could be doing instead of waiting in line. It’s a wonder anything gets done in the city he thought, and soon found himself ordering. He simply ordered two dozen of the best doughnuts they had. Within minutes, he was walking back to the castle with a box on his back and a smile on his face. He opened the door to the guest suite, and was met with shocked glances and loud questions, rather than the happy faces he hoped to see.

“So you had us all worried sick over doughnuts?” Applejack asked sternly, still not quite down from her worry.
“I hadn’t expected to be gone so long,” he retorted calmly. “And I figured y’all would appreciate the gesture.”
“We do,” Fluttershy began, “but you really should let somepony know where you are. We would have no idea what had happened if you really did go missing.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gold replied dejectedly, “Now, let’s eat these darn doughnuts!” the entire crew grabbed a doughnut, starting with Pinkie Pie and Candy, who each took a long-john. Candy had almost come to terms with the fact that she would not get to taste these world-famous confections, and yet here she was. It was as good as she had heard, even better than she had hoped. Her mind began to settle on one fact: if not for Gold, she still wouldn’t have tasted the treat before her. She would have to make it a point to thank him later. For now, they sat in silence enjoying their breakfast and remembering what had happened over the last few days. Claire was plotting her return, as well as planning her next date with Prince Illusion. T was thinking up things he could do with Annie in Manehattan, while she simply yearned to go flying again. The remainder of the group simply decided to let the city lead them. The growing excitement was almost palpable as the group got on board the train. As they looked up at the display, it read “Next Stop: Manehattan.”

> Shocking Twist!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
Shocking Twist!

It was a long train ride to Manehattan. Some of the ponies elected to sleep, while others watched the landscape rolling by. One pony, however, had a thought nagging at her. She had something she wanted to share, but was unsure when would be appropriate. Before anypony even noticed, they were pulling up to Manehattan.
“Well, you all get your bags to the hotel. I have some business to take care of.” Twilight said as she began to walk away.
“Where are you going?” Star asked with a bit of concern.
“Celestia wants me to oversee treaty negotiations with the Changeling Empire about a new dam near their territory.” While the changelings were still hated by some, they had replaced the queen with a much more diplomatic mind and tried to start more peaceful relations with the other races. Since then, they have made huge strides, some becoming Equestrian citizens and gaining an embassy in Manehattan.
“Oh, paperwork,” added Rainbow. “Sounds like fun.”
“Well, we’ll catch up later, then,” finished Applejack. “Come on, y’all, let’s get these bags to the hotel.” The walk was much more challenging this time around, as Manehattan traffic is the stuff of nightmares. The hotel’s suite setup was very similar to the castle, only a bit larger and fancier, to the joy of some and chagrin of others. When the crew was finally unpacked and ready to explore the strange frontier, they decided upon the same activity as many Manehattan tourists: shopping! The fillies wanted to take a peek at the newest fashions, while the colts decided wholeheartedly on anything but that.
T, being one of the more observant of the group, noticed a trend: Rainbow Dash remained at the rear of the group, lethargically following the excited herd. “What’s wrong with her?” he discreetly asked Soarin.
“Oh,” he replied, as he looked back at his wife, “nothing serious. She didn’t feel well this morning.”
“If you say so,” T responded, and went on with the day.
Candy suddenly jumped in the air and spun around to face the rest of the group. “Hey guys! I’ve got a brilliant idea!” She then pointed down the street and spoke more quietly. “The changeling embassy is right up the street. We should meet Princess Twilight there. We could get to meet changelings!” Each member of the group looked about, and found no objections. They soon began to advance down the street towards the large, imposing government building. Out front was a regiment from the changeling army doing P.T. Star was impressed with them, as she had heard quite a few stories about how tough changelings were in combat. As the group approached the front door, they were stopped by two channeling guards and one with glasses and a clipboard.
“State your business.”
“We are the personal entourage for Princess Twilight Sparkle. We intend to escort her from the premises when her business is concluded.” Flash spoke for the group, relying on his past experience with the Royal Guard.
“One moment please,” the changeling responded and teleported away with a flash. A few minutes later, he returned. “The Princess would like you to enter, as she is still speaking with the Ambassador.”
With that the group entered the building, not sure what to expect. They soon found themselves in a large, open room with many display cases holding relics and other things from the changeling kingdom. As they were lead through the building, they couldn’t help but feel out of place. Here were a few ponies surrounded by changelings. Claire relished in the moment, as she finally felt different for a new reason. She was no longer a half-dragon among ponies, she was a pony among changelings.
They were soon motioned into a meeting room where Twilight was talking with the changeling ambassador. It seemed a majority of the boring stuff was done, as there was no one else in the room.
“Hello, everypony,” Twilight began. “I would like you all to meet Ambassador Dusk. I thought this could be a valuable learning opportunity. You kids don’t know a lot about changeling culture, after all.”
“Indeed,” spoke the ambassador. “I would love to give you all a brief lesson on the changeling way of life. And please, call me Dusk. Titles do get boring so quickly.” It turned out that changeling culture wasn’t very different from the ponies’. The biggest change was after graduation. Changelings had no large college system. They were expected to choose a career, either civilian or military, and receive specialized training upon acceptance.
With the adventures of the day complete, the herd decided to get something to eat on the way back to the hotel. After a wonderful dinner at one of Manehattan’s most famous quaint little cafes, they began the walk back to the hotel. One pony began having the same thoughts as on the train. However, instead of pushing those thoughts to the back of her head, she found herself determined to share her thoughts with her friends.
As the crew walked into the suite they shared, they began to break towards their individual rooms. They stopped however, as Twilight began to speak. “Before everypony heads to bed, I’d like to call a short group meeting.” This made the group somewhat trepidatious as they sat on the couches and chairs spread about the room. Soon, everypony was seated and watching Twilight intently. “Don’t worry, nopony is in trouble. I’ve just had something come up and I think you all should be the first to know. Back in Canterlot, I visited a doctor shortly after our arrival, as I had felt rather sick on the train. There, I learned something rather interesting.” She paused for dramatic effect. “I’m pregnant.”
This news was met with the normal shower of congratulations, hugs and questions. Due dates, name ideas, and the like. It was easy to share news like this in such a close group, as most of the ponies followed a rigid pattern of behavior that had been learned over the years. Everypony had reacted more or less how she expected, except for Rainbow Dash, who waited for the commotion to die down before adding, “Join the club.”

> The Chapter with New Characters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
The Chapter with New Characters

As the sun rose over Manehattan, the crew found themselves rising as well. They had all slept well after the previous evening’s excitement. The morning got off to its normal start of talking, joking, and togetherness in the lounge. They were interrupted before long by the sound of Spike receiving a letter, which Twilight began to read out loud.
“Dear Princess Twilight and Associates, My family arrived in Manehattan today, in anticipation of your harmony tour stop. When it was discovered that I have already met you, they expressed the desire to meet you all in a more relaxed setting. That said, I would like to invite you all to enjoy dinner with us after the festivities. Please respond post haste. Sincerely, Ambassador Dusk.”
As she finished reading the letter, the group had already come to a unanimous decision: Yes. It was a mere five minutes before Spike had written and sent the response. As the puff of flame rolled out the window, the crew was split into its two subgroups. The older ponies prepared for another tour stop, while the younger ones began planning for the day.
T had formulated a rather devious plan for the day. Annie had a great appreciation for sound, due to her condition. As such, she had always loved music. There was no better place in Equestria to hear live music than Manehattan (except for Nieghsville). While the others plotted out their adventures, T silently grabbed Annie’s hoof and lead her down into the streets.
“Where are we going?” she asked when the sounds of the city began to assault her ears.
“I can’t tell you. It’ll ruin the surprise.” She found herself strangely comforted by his answer, but was now excited to find out where she was going. Before long, she felt a gust of wind much cooler than usual, signaling that they had entered a building. She heard the gentle murmur of ponies talking amongst themselves and the smell of food. He had taken her to a restaurant.
T led Annie to an open table and helped her into her seat. He ordered a sweet tea while Annie preferred water.  T soon noticed the pony he wanted to see as he walked out on the small stage with an acoustic guitar. “Stay here,” he whispered to Annie and approached the performer. He had met this stallion years ago at a concert in Ponyville. T had always made a hobby of music, but never felt like he would be able to live off of it. He whispered in the musician’s ear and pointed towards Annie. The performer’s face lit up as he smiled and nodded, and T soon returned to his seat.
Annie soon noticed how close T was next to her. He had pulled his chair right next to hers and was almost leaning against her. Before she had time to question why, the music began to play. It was a gentle tune, a song about passion for music. Not long after she had realized this, she noticed something else: T was singing along, but only to her. He whispered the lyrics in her ear, his voice beautiful if not a bit gruff. He began to get a bit louder as the chorus came around.
Whoa-oh, I can hear em playin,
I can hear the ringing of a beat up old guitar.
Whoa-oh, I can hear em sayin
Keep on dreamin even if it breaks your heart.
She had never heard this song before, but it was quite obvious T liked it a lot. By the time the chorus rolled around again, she was singing right back to him, losing herself in the melody. By the time the last few notes rang out, they were both locked in a deep kiss, savoring the moment they had just experienced. While they were surrounded by other ponies, their world had become nothing but each other and the music. They pulled away from each other to applaud the pony on stage.
“That one goes out to a good friend of mine and his special filly.” The performer said before preparing for the next number. As he began to play again, the couple’s food arrived, and they began to eat and listen to the music. While both Annie and T would admit, this date wasn’t much, but it was absolutely perfect.

After a day of running about the city finding ways to entertain themselves, everypony was soon back at the hotel to prepare for dinner with the ambassador and his family. They were getting dressed, combing their manes, doing everything they could to look dignified. They were soon strolling down the street towards the rendezvous point with a noticeable pep in their collective step. They soon arrived outside the restaurant where they saw Dusk and two other changelings, one the same size as him and one a bit smaller.
“Ah, hello again everypony. Glad you could make it.” Dusk then turned to the two changelings behind him. “This is my wife Quartz and my son Ebony.” Just like most changelings, they looked quite similar, except for their eyes. Dusk’s were a deep, dark blue, while Quartz had a much lighter sky blue. The two combined rather counter intuitively to a green-eyed son.
“Pleasure to meet you,” Quartz said while holding out her hoof. “Ebony, don’t be rude. Say hello.” The young changeling in question was quite obviously awestruck, and struggled to make words come out of his mouth. “I’m so sorry about him. He’s a big fan of those elements of harmony stories.”
“Don’t sweat it,” Rainbow piped up. “That’s just the normal reaction to this much concentrated awesome.” This elicited a laugh from the whole group, and they entered the restaurant as it died down. The conversation was normal fare for a group dinner, with plans for the summer to the kids and opinions of the city from the adults. Before long, the meal was over and the two groups parted ways. The event was the main topic on the trip back to the hotel.
“I don’t think that colt uttered a single word the entire meal,” Claire observed.
“I know, right?” added Candy. “Shame, too. He was pretty cute…”

> Train Ride to the Empire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
Train Ride to the Empire

It was a rather uneventful morning as the ponies packed up for the trip they faced. The train ride from Manehattan to the Crystal Empire was by far the longest of the tour. Nopony was terribly excited for the trip there, but they knew it would be worth it when they arrived. None of them had seen Princess Cadence or Shining Armor for a long while, as they occasionally visited Ponyville.
As the crew approached the station, they couldn’t help but notice some familiar faces. “Well, hello, Quartz and Ebony. Taking the train somewhere?”  Twilight asked as the changelings turned around.
“Why, yes we are,” Quartz replied with a smile. “We’re headed to the Crystal Empire for the week. It’s our summer vacation trip.”
“Well, what a coincidence,” came Applejack, “that’s our next tour stop. Care to join us for the ride?”
“We would love to.” With that, everypony, including two new changelings boarded the train headed for the Crystal Empire.

T sat in his seat and watched the countryside roll by outside the window. He loved the natural side of Equestria. Only here could he imagine true freedom. No hubbub, no ponies everywhere, just pure, real connection to the land. Annie was leaned against him with his wing wrapped around her. She couldn’t help but hum one of her new favorite songs, which had been stuck in her head since the day before.
Gold had already fallen asleep, as he had prepared himself to. He wasn’t a big fan of long hauls, and usually chose to nap in between events. Prism and Star were sitting in a booth talking about just about everything that came to mind. The guard, the Wonderbolts, the trip, even the weather. For some reason, they found themselves getting more comfortable talking to each other since the trip started. Bolt attributed this to the fact that they didn’t spend a whole lot of time together outside of school. Star felt like she had just recently seen a new side of Bolt. He could be chivalrous when the need arose, which she respected. However, she felt like respect wasn’t the right word…
Candy had miraculously managed to pull some words out of Ebony. These words cemented what she had already suspected: he was much more interesting than he let on. He had maintained a love for art since he was young, making much more intricate chalk drawings than the other young changelings on the block. His parents were very supportive of his hobby, buying him painting supplies and canvas to work with. It wasn’t until he started high school that he found his true passion.
“There’s just something so unshakeable about it,” he explained. “Once it’s finished, it’s quite hard for it to get messed up. I just love seeing old sculpture, as weathered as it is, and thinking ‘maybe someone will be inspired by my sculpts like I was by this.’”
Candy found herself nodding along, as her cutie mark was inspired by a similar sentiment. “I know what you mean,” she continued. “When you see someone smile and realize ‘that was me,’ there’s just no other feeling in the world like it.”
Ebony smiled and chuckled. It wasn’t often that someone talked to him, let alone was empathic to how he wanted to spend his life. Even rarer still was the fact that he was talking to a girl. “I just didn’t expect that someone so shy would be so excited to share art with the world.”
“Well, I didn’t expect to spend my train ride talking to a cute ma-,” he cut himself off as he realized his thought was coming out of his mouth. “Uh, um…yeah.”
“Aww,” Candy replied and blushed slightly. “That’s sweet of you to say. You aren’t exactly bad looking yourself.” The dark cheeks of Ebony’s chitin were now practically glowing red. “Tell you what,” Candy continued, “got any plans for dinner when we arrive? I’d love to hear more about your sculptures.”
Rather than risk saying something embarrassing again, he simply nodded his head. “Good. I’m gonna go hang out with Claire now. She looks lonely.” Candy walked towards Claire’s seat with even more bounce in her gait than usual.
“Hey, Claire,” Candy began and then started speaking rapidly. “Do you remember that time in Canterlot when you went on a date with that prince guy and we followed you but you didn’t notice because we were sneaky and we helped you have an awesome date and it was awesome?”
“Not as clearly as I would like,” Claire seethed, being one of the few ponies that could understand full speed Candy speak. “Please do refresh my memory.”
“Well, that’s not important,” Candy continued, ignoring Claire’s obvious glare. “I need advice because I have a date and I want it to be awesome but I’m nervous because I don’t date a lot but you had that one awesome date so help me please?”
“Well, the first and most important step is to be yourself. Trying to be interesting is much harder and often less interesting than what actually makes you tick. Secondly, do not fear a failed date. If two ponies are not compatible, they are not compatible. Nothing can be done to change that. And lastly, comb your hair. Every colt likes to feel like he is special enough to make a mare take time working on her looks.”
Candy finished writing down some notes on a pad of paper that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. “Cool, thanks!” Candy turned to walk away before adding, “And tell Prince Fluffywhatsits I say hello. He picked quite the marefriend.”

> [Adorable Intensifies]
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
[Adorable Intensifies]

Upon arriving in the Crystal Empire, the ponies noticed a small group waiting on the platform. No sooner had they gained their footing than they were approached. “Cadence!” Twilight called, and launched into the little dance from long ago. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” There were chuckles from the crowd as the spectacle before them played out, as this was surprisingly common. Shining Armor and Shining Amor both approached as Twilight and Cadence finished.
“Twily!” Armor said, and wrapped her in a big hug. “It’s about time you visit your BBBFF.”
“We wouldn’t be visiting now if not for the kids,” she replied. “Speaking of kids, how have you been, Prince Junior?” Shining Amor had earned this nickname through shear lack of planning on his parents’ part, as having two Shinys quickly got confusing. Shining Armor attempted to fix this by simply calling him Junior. When he learned to speak, however, he demanded to be addressed as a prince, and Prince Junior was born.
“Fine. Summer break is the best time of the year, after all,” he answered with a smirk. “Plenty of time to hang out with my marefriend.” This comment was met with a chorus of “Ohhs” and ponies demanding details. After some defiance, Prince Junior finally gave in. According to him, she was a beautiful mare, the likes of which exist only in legend. A pegasus pony named Amber Sunrise. While some eyes were rolled at the vivid description of Amber’s limitless allure, she did sound like a sweet, friendly pony. As the conversation wrapped up, Spike, Rarity, Claire, and T turned their attention to the fourth face waiting for them.
“Well, hello Roxy.” Said Rarity as the diamond dog hugged each of the family members. “You simply must visit Ponyville sometime. It has been dreadfully long since we saw you last.”
“Not all of us have jobs that let us tromp around the country.” She was referring to her job as a mineral analysis specialist for one of the Empire’s largest construction firms. “Besides, you don’t write as often as you should.”
“You know as well as anyone how busy I can get. But, as usual, you are correct. Come on kids, we’re taking Auntie Roxy to dinner. Let’s handle these bags, quickly.” The group then began moving their bags towards the castle, where they were staying. Candy broke away from the group to give Ebony the details of their rendezvous.

Candy and Ebony met just outside the castle. As Ebony was nervous throughout the entirety of the planning process, Candy had made just about every decision of the evening’s activities. First, they would get dinner at the quaint little café Candy had heard Cadence talk about. After that, they would pay a visit to the Crystal Empire Art Museum. Candy didn’t care much for art, but she figured having somepony there who knew what he was talking about might open her eyes. Finally, they would watch the world famous beauty of the sun setting over the Empire. With schedule in mind, Candy set out to have an awesome date.
Ebony was nervous. He hadn’t ever been on a real date. He hoped his bowtie was fancy enough, but was afraid he was being too fancy since Candy wasn’t wearing anything. The conversation on the way to dinner was sparse, as Ebony couldn’t think much other than “I’m on a date with a pretty mare.” As they took their seats for the meal, Ebony was almost sweating. He tried to push the nervousness out of his mind, and was able to by the time the drinks arrived.
Candy, for the first time in her life, was at a loss for words. She had seen her share of dates in action, including the one she helped with, and had memorized the advice Claire gave her. Try as she might, though, she could not shake the feeling of butterflies in her stomach. She could tell by the look in his eye Ebony wasn’t faring much better. Once he began speaking, however, she found herself replying in a rhythm that helped calm her down. 
By the time dinner was wrapped up, the two were talking and giggling like old friends. Ebony paid the check as the pair walked out of the restaurant and towards the museum. On the way there, Candy made an interesting discovery. One that she just had to tell Ebony about.
“You’re shorter than me,” she stated with a smile, hoping to get a laugh out of him. She instead noticed a small blush form on his cheek as he tried to walk taller. “Aww, don’t be embarrassed. I think it’s kinda cute.”
“Well, the guys at school don’t seem to think so. Being one of the smallest changelings around is a bit of a challenge.”
“Come on, don’t get down. You know how boring it can get when everyone is the same. Being different is awesome. It makes you unique. And that makes you special.”
“Thanks. Now, let’s get down to the artsy-fartsy, shall we?” With a chuckle, they waked into the building, and were immediately taken aback by the sheer number of pieces. The halls were absolutely stuffed with paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Ebony was quickly drawn to the stone art.
“Wow,” he thought out loud, “this always blows me away. Even back then when just living was such a challenge, artists still took the time to make stuff like this. And they don’t even get to see how much they are respected.”
Candy had never really thought of art as anything but expression, but hearing Ebony’s rather objective view made her think. Had she been appreciating it wrong? She hadn’t ever considered the pony behind the painting, but she now realized that she was looking at the memory of some long gone artist. This was the closest that a pony could come to immortal. She shuddered at the thought, but soon found herself walking the halls with Ebony.
“I think we’ve seen everything,” Ebony said as the two walked towards the exit. “We need to get a move on if we want a good spot to see the sunset.” The new couple walked towards the edge of the downtown district and soon found a hill that offered a great view of the sun. As the sun dipped past the horizon, the last few beams of light danced off the crystalline buildings of the Empire. Seeing how awestruck Candy was by the display, Ebony decided to make his move.
Before Candy could react, Ebony had leaned over and planted a quick peck on her cheek. She looked back at him and noticed his adorable blush. She leaned in and gave him a kiss of her own, her lips meeting his. They broke apart after a moment and watched the last of the day’s light dance over the hills.
> A Night with Family
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
A Night with Family

After finally unpacking all of Claire’s luggage, Rarity and her family set to the preparations at hand. They had agreed to meet Roxy for dinner, and Rarity wanted the family to look their best. All the while, she couldn’t help but smile to herself. She was glad the puppy she had met all those years ago had grown into the dog she was today.
“Don’t you think we should be leaving soon?” Spike asked, pulling Rarity from her thoughts. She nodded wordlessly as she headed towards the door with the rest of her rather unique family. She had ensured that her family looked respectable, while Spike let the kids dress slightly less formally. Roxy was practically family, after all.
Claire’s mind was flooded with memories as the group walked to the designated meeting point. When she was young, Auntie Roxy always kept a gem or two for her. Sometimes she would eat them, some she held on to. In fact, she still had the first gem Roxy gave her. It wasn’t much, but she remembered hugging it tight when Roxy moved to the Empire. 
T didn’t really remember Auntie Roxy, as he was very young when she moved. He also had a few gems from her, but he wasn’t as attached to them as Claire was. Regardless, he always enjoyed her visits, as few and far between as they were. He couldn’t shake the feeling, however, that she had a plan for the evening.
As Roxy waited for her extended family, she couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious. How would they react? Would they be upset that she didn’t tell them sooner? She didn’t get the chance to stew on these thoughts for long, as the dragon/pony family arrived.
“Hey Roxy!” Spike said as the group walked up and shared a group hug. “What’s with the bag?” He was referring to the pink bag strapped around her shoulder and resting on her hip.
“Funny you should ask,” she answered, as she noticed two new figures approaching. “I want you all to meet someone. This is Stardust,” she said as she gestured to the other diamond dog approaching, then turned to the blanket he was carrying, “And this is Ruby, my daughter.”
As if reacting to her name, the blanket began to stir. Soon, the ponies were face to face with a tiny pup, and the soft red eyes that likely gave her her name. Ruby flashed a grin, and soon both Claire and Rarity were swooning and awing at her. Spike had a markedly less enthusiastic reaction, but still pet the child. T was never a fan of babies, and hung back to watch. Within minutes, the pup was cuddled, hugged, and held by everyone, even T for some reason.
“Well, as much as I appreciate the surprise, why didn’t we hear about this earlier?” Rarity asked with mock irritation in her voice.
“Well, between work, the wedding, and the baby, I didn’t have a lot of time to write. Sorry,” she finished as she rolled her eyes. “Speaking of the wedding, you guys haven’t properly met Stardust. Stardust, this is Rarity, Spike, Crystal Clarity and Turquoise Blitz.”
“Good to finally meet you all. She talks about you all the time,” Stardust said as he shook each of their hooves, “Which is why I’m confused as to why I didn’t see you at the wedding.” He shot Roxy a glance as she replied.
“We put that wedding together in, like, two weeks. There were six ponies there,” she reminded him. “I was never much for weddings. Too mushy.” She made an expression of disgust.
Stardust whispered something to Spike, which made them both giggle. This earned him a punch in the shoulder from Roxy, whom he then grabbed and pulled in for a kiss. “Well, we ought to get to dinner,” Rarity interrupted as the couple pulled apart. “We have a lot to catch up on.”

Pinkie and Pokey had taken the opportunity to have an evening to themselves since Candy was on her date. The couple hadn’t had a date night like this in a long time, with work and a child to take care of. To the average passerby, however, they looked like honeymooning newlyweds. They still walked hugged to each other like they did when they were dating, engaged, married, and pregnant. Everypony could tell these ponies shared a deep, true love.
As they walked to the quaint little café that had received such glowing reviews from Princess Cadence, Pinkie was momentarily distracted by an interesting sight. She saw two ponies walking a lot like they were, but slightly farther apart. As the other couple got closer, Pinkie saw why. Nestled between the two was a foal, strapped to her mother and babbling happily. As she passed the trio of ponies, she recognized the glow on the faces of the two adult ponies. She could sense how happy they were, feel the love rolling off of them. These thoughts combined into one statement that she whispered straight into Pokey’s ear:
“I want another foal.”

Twilight, Flash, Cadence, Shiny, Star, and Prince Junior were all sat together at the large dinner table, making small talk among themselves, when Cadence directed her attention to Twilight. “So, tell us more about this pregnancy you mentioned in your letters.”
“Well, there isn’t much to be said that wasn’t in the letter. What details could you possibly want?”
“I don’t want details, I want your thoughts. Are you hoping for a filly or a colt? A pegasus or a unicorn?”
“I hadn’t really thought about stuff like that. I don’t care either way for gender, but I’m sure Mom would love to see me raise a unicorn. I know I was a handful when I was young.”
“Understatement of the century,” Shiny added, earning a glare from his sister.
“Anywho, how about you two. Any more in the works?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Not for a while, if ever. This one’s quite the handful already. But, you never know what the future holds.”
Prince Junior gave an offended glare to his mother, but moved on with the conversation anyway. “So, anything else interesting happening other than all this baby making?”
Twilight chuckled in an attempt to hide her blush while Shiny and Cadence shot their son a disapproving glance, causing him to sink back in his seat. Twilight began speaking again. “This tour has been quite a bit of fun. The kids seem to be loving it. Maybe I have been too cooped up lately.”
“That ‘lately’ started about the time you were born,” Shiny responded.
“You know what,” Twilight began, “you’re right. I’ve got this wonderful family and only a limited amount of time to spend with them. From here on out, Princess Twilight Sparkle is gonna have fun.”
Prince Junior leaned over to Star and whispered in her ear, “This is either gonna be really good or really bad…”

> Princess Twilight's Day Off
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
Princess Twilight’s Day Off

The sun was beginning to rise over the Crystal Empire as the ponies began to stir from their beds. Today was yet another Elements of Harmony meet and greet. The elements and their spouses were not exactly in love with all the same, boring questions they received, but the kids loved the opportunity to explore the new cities on their own.
Today’s adventure began with a grand tour of the Crystal Castle, led by Shining Amor, as his parents had elected to attend the show. Everypony was impressed by some facet of the castle or another. Claire loved the way the crystals shimmered when the light hit them, while T marveled at the seemingly support-less architecture. Star was once again impressed by the professionalism of the guard. Candy and Gold broke off from the group to visit the kitchen and sample “a few” of the treats being prepared. Annie relished in the sounds of the royal garden, while Blitz was content to fly over it.
The tour wrapped up about the same time as the elements show, so the children met their parents outside the castle. It was here that Twilight dropped a bombshell on the rest of the group.
“You guys do whatever you want,” she began with a large smile on her face, “I need to head back to the castle to get ready.”
“Ready for what, exactly?” Rarity was the first to ask what everypony was thinking.
“I’m going clubbing. You know, live a little, dance a bit, and have some fun for once.” The rest of the group tried and ultimately failed to stifle their giggles as images of Twilight’s dancing came flooding into their minds.
“No offence, Twi, but you and dancing go together about as well as me and a mountain.” The reference to her numerous accidents earned not the laugh Dash was hoping for, rather sincere nods of agreement.
“Nonsense. I’ve been studying on howtoclubbing.com. It’s been really helpful!”
“You can’t get fourth place in dancing, Twilight,” Rarity said as she rejoined the conversation. “Besides, the clubs here are no fun for a single pony. A girls’ night out would be much more entertaining.” The crew shot quizzical glances at Rarity, as nopony understood this knowledge of the Crystal Empire’s club scene.
“Actually, that does sound like a good idea,” Applejack interjected. “When was the last time the six of us went out alone? No kids, no husbands… No offence y’all.”
“None taken,” Gold and Caramel replied in unison.
“Well then, it’s settled,” Pinkie Pie began excitedly, “tonight is the Elements of Harmony’s official Crystal Empire G.N.O.!”

The night’s adventure started as the sun finished dipping below the horizon. As the six walked down the street, it was obvious that they planned to have fun. Rarity was the only pony dressed, excluding Applejack with her hat, but even her getup was plain and understated. As Rarity had established herself as resident club expert, she had insisted on a place called “Slate,” located just outside the downtown district. As the crew laughed and joked their way down the street, the bright signs and long line made themselves apparent.
“Don’t worry, I can handle this,” Rarity stated plainly with a smirk. She walked straight up to the bouncer, who appeared to recognize her, as he pulled the velvet rope away to allow the six ponies inside. The music hit the group like a brick wall, causing Pinkie and Dash to begin to bob their heads to the rhythm. Twilight, Applejack, and Fluttershy covered their ears until they began to grow accustomed to it, Rarity, however, seemed completely unaffected.
Rarity headed straight to the bar, as she figured she knew better than the rest of the girls what they would like. She was the only one of the six who ever drank, although it was usually wine. The others would be too confused by the strange beverage names to make any kind of educated decision.
The five remaining ponies staked their claim at a booth in the corner, large enough for the six of them and maybe even another. As they settled down, Rarity arrived and magically doled out the drinks. After a few rounds, some of the other patrons began to notice the famous ponies in their midst. One stallion even worked up the courage to approach them.
“Hello,” he began with a large smirk adorning his face.
“Married,” was the reply from the table, as everypony but Fluttershy said in unison. The stallion let out a small chuckle as he walked away.
“Well,” Rarity began with a smile, “I guess we’ve still got it.”
“Darn tootin’,” Applejack replied, as her accent was much thicker after a few appletinis. “Now, I don’t know about y’all, but I’m in a dancin’ mood.” With that, the ponies moved from their seat to the dance floor. The other five ponies made sure to give Twilight plenty of space. She had indeed gotten better, but was left with quite a bit of room for improvement.
As they night wore on, the friends couldn’t help but notice the attention Fluttershy was receiving. She turned away stallion after stallion, never seeming to get any less nervous. As the group grew tired, they decided to return to the castle for the night. Dash was the first to bring up the issue most of the friends hoped to avoid.
“So, Fluttershy, still shooting down those colts?”
“Well, none of them seemed very nice, and their breath smelled bad.”
“Honestly, dear,” Rarity began, “it looks to me like you’re afraid of a little romance.”
“It’s not that. I’m just waiting till I meet the right stallion.”
“That can take a while,” Twilight added, “but whatever works for you is fine. You’ll find somepony someday.”
Fluttershy looked up to the moon and thought of all the chances she had and had blown, and weighed the chance that she would have another shot carefully. She finally said, with a tinge of heartache, “Maybe someday.”

> I'm in a balloon!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
I’m in a Balloon!

After quite a bit of adventure and slightly less sleep, it was finally time for the crew to leave to Crystal Empire. There was a huge group on the platform saying goodbye, each in their own ways.
“Come down to Ponyville sometime soon,” Spike said as his and Roxy’s families shared a big hug. “These meetings are way too far apart.”
“Absolutely,” Roxy replied. “It’d do us some good, since we haven’t left the Empire since Ruby was born.”
“Well, simply write us ahead of time so we can get a fun family vacation all set up,” Rarity finished, as she, Spike, Claire, and T all turned around to board the vehicle for their next leg of the journey.
Candy and Ebony were saying their goodbyes, sharing hugs and giggles while talking. “So,” Candy started, “When will I get to see you again? You don’t have any more stops on your vacation, right?”
“No, mom and I are going back home. Maybe you can come visit the Changeling Empire sometime?” he asked hopefully.
“Maybe, and you can try to talk your parents into coming to Ponyville. A diplomatic visit would make for good publicity for your kind,” she said, trying to stand straight and sound serious, but they both wound up giggling again.
Noticing the other ponies preparing to board, Ebony gave Candy one last, tight hug, before saying, “It looks like you’ll be leaving soon. Don’t forget to write.”
“Never,” she replied as she turned about to join her friends and compatriots.
The two royal families were also absorbed in idle chatter and promises to write to each other before Twilight spoke up and took control of the group. “Alright, it’s almost time to go. It was so nice to see you again, and I sincerely hope we get the chance to do this again soon.”
Shining was the first to reply. “Well of course we will. Ponyville is at the top of the list for our next trip.”
“Absolutely,” came Cadence, “and we’ll even convince Junior to enjoy himself.”
“Easier said than done,” he hastily snapped back before giving Twi, Flash, and Star and final hug. “Just kidding. I can’t wait to come down. Just don’t tell them that, because I won’t get any of mom’s famous convincing cookies,” he whispered in their ears, eliciting a small giggle from the three.
“Alright, then,” Twilight said as she finished giggling, “We need to get going. Goodbye, everybody!” With that, the crew boarded and waved their final goodbyes as the balloon began to ascend. It would be a rather long flight to Cloudsdale, but Twi began doling out the cloud walking spell regardless.
As the group settled in for the trip, most eyes turned to the Pegasus family, while some were still enjoying the view. “So,” Flash began, “are you two excited to be going back to your hometown?”
“Well, duh,” Dash replied, “it’s been way to long since our last visit. I can’t wait to see what old friends we run into.”
“There are certainly many to be found,” Soarin continued the thought before glancing at his son, who was wearing a strangely pensive expression. “Although, I think he might be focused on one.”

> Cloudsdale
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
Cloudsdale


The group of friends quickly perked up as the famous city of clouds appeared on the horizon. They would land in the early evening, so each pony's plans would have to wait until the next day. This did not, however, manage to make anypony less excited.
"I can't wait to see the Weather Factory!" shouted Candy, as she bounced about the ship.
"Just don't taste the rainbows.." warned her mother, making the other adults laugh.
"I hear Cloudsdale Arena has some of the best training facilities in Equestria," Star stated, earning a quick nod from Dash and Soarin.
"I'll have to pick up some cloud pearls for the shop. I've got a few pieces in progress that could use them," said Claire.
"They're delicious, too," replied her father, earning a stern glance from his wife.
"I hope you guys don't get too busy. I wouldn't know what to do with these Wonderbolts tickets I picked up," Soarin broke into the conversation, earning looks and a pair of surprised gasps from his son and a certain yellow Pegasus.
"Great! I've always wanted to see a Wonderbolts show in their home stadium," Star finished, walking over to examine the tickets. "Wait, you have an extra ticket."
"Oh, do I?" Soarin replied, as he looked to his son and winked. After thinking for a moment, Prism finally understood what was being implied, and tried to hide a slight blush. "Well, I guess we'll just have to see what happens. We're landing soon."



After a good night's sleep, the crew decided to visit the Weather Factory before heading into town. It was certainly an interesting tour, but one pony had an ulterior motive. While the rest of the group was distracted by the snowflake makers, Prism snuck off to find the one pony he wanted to see. After some hunting, he completed his quest when he entered the lightning preparation floor.
"Whirlwind!" he shouted, while crossing the floor. She turned to face him, and her eyes went wide as she realized who she was seeing.
"Prism? What are you doing here?" she asked as the two shook hooves.
"Well, the families are on tour, and Cloudsdale was one of the stops."
"Harmony tour?" she asked, to which Prism simply nodded. "Well, then, tell your parents to come visit Mom. She hasn't seen you guys in too long."
"We'll stop by after the Wonderbolts show tomorrow."
"You guys are going to that? I wish I could, but tickets sold out before I got one."
"Well, if you'd like, I've got an extra ticket," Prism stopped for a moment as he shook the image of his father throwing him a sly glance out of his head. "Do you want it?"
"Aw, thanks Prism!" she said as she gave him a hug. "I'll be getting of right before the show so come pick me up here."
"Great! See you tomorrow," Prism finished as he walked away. After finding the group again, he approached his mother and father.
"Hey there son. Where'd you run of to?"
"Just wanted to say hi to an old friend. Don't give that extra ticket away."
"I figured," Soarin finished with a smile.
> It's dead, Jim.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unfortunately, I was hoping to come back to this story, but that won't be happening. Sorry to all the loyal readers, but there is plenty more much better fiction in the group. Have a good day.