Chapter 13 - A Day with the Sparkle Family and Twilight's Decision

Chapter 13 - A Day with the Sparkle Family and Twilight’s Decision*Joshua’s P.O.V.*

“Mmm!” I said after swallowing a bite of my lunch, “This crystal corn on the cob is delicious!”

Cadance’s servants had brought in a pretty big lunch.  These were special foods that were made and grown in the Crystal Empire.  There was crystal corn on the cob, Crystal Empire nectar, Crystal Empire fritters, and a Crystal Empire berry pie for desert.

“The castle’s servants always do a wonderful job with our meals,” Cadance said to me.

“Cadance?” I asked, “How did you and Shining get to rule the Crystal Empire?”

“Well,” she said, “A little over one thousand years ago, an evil unicorn king named Sombra, who’s heart was black as night, took over the Crystal Empire.  He enslaved the Crystal Ponies and had caused them pain and suffering that made them loose their crystal look.  He was ultimately overthrown by Aunt Celestia and Aunt Luna, turned to shadow, and banished to the ice of the arctic north, but he placed a curse on the empire before that, and it vanished into thin air.”

“Wow,” I said, “What happened next?”

“One thousand years later, shortly after Shining Armor and I got married, the Empire returned, as well as King Sombra.  Shining Armor and I were sent to protect the empire until Twilight and her friends arrived to help us find a way to protect without me having to use my magic,” Cadance said.

“This happened shortly before I came along though,” Nyx said.

“After Twilight, Spike, and her friends arrived, they put together a Crystal Fair.  It’s held once every year to renew the spirit of love and unity in the empire so it can be protected.  Unfortunately, they didn’t know that the Crystal Heart outside was the source of power needed to protect the empire.  Twilight and Spike went to find the real Crystal Heart, while Applejack and the others worked to keep the fair going while trying to distract the Crystal Ponies from a fake Crystal Heart Twilight carved.”

“And they found it right?” I asked.

“Yes we did,” Spike said, “But I was the one who brought it, because Twilight got herself caught in a trap Sombra set up.  I fell out of the tower with the Crystal Heart and straight toward Sombra.  But then Shining threw Cadance toward me and the heart and she caught me with the heart floating in front of her.  She then put the heart back where it belonged, and the heart with the power from the Crystal Ponies destroyed Sombra.”

“Wow!” I said, as we finished lunch.

“Now then, how does a walk around the empire sound Joshua?” Cadance asked.

“I’d like that Cadance,” I said.

Twilight used her magic to lift me onto her back and we walked out of the castle.

For the next hours, Cadance and Shining showed me around the Crystal Empire.  First, we went to the spa.  Twilight and Nyx took a dip in the crystal mud bath.  Spike was sitting on a chair with pieces of cucumber over his eyes and his arms behind his head.  Night Light was giving Velvet a massage, Shining gave Cadance a massage, and one of the crystal spa ponies gave me a massage too.  It felt really nice.  Later we went out in the fields behind the castle and picked crystal berries.    I sneaked a few in my mouth while picking.  They were really good.  Next, Shining Armor showed me a race track where the Equestria Games were held.  Nyx, Spike, and I had a race while we were there, and Nyx won.  After that we went back in, had dinner, and played some board games.  Twilight told me we were going to be sleeping in the castle tonight and going back to Ponyville tomorrow morning.

We were going to the room where Cadance said we could sleep, with me and Nyx on Twilight’s back, very tired, and Spike walking next to us.

“Did you have fun today everyone?” Twilight asked me as we went to our room.

“I sure did,” I said with a yawn.

“It sure was a fun day,” Nyx said.

“You said it sister,” Spike added with a yawn.

“Well, we’ve all had a long day, and we’ll need a good night sleep before we head back to Ponyville tomorrow,” Twilight said, “Just so you know Joshua, school will be starting up the day after tomorrow for you and Nyx.”

“School?” I asked nervously.

“Don’t worry Joshua,” Nyx said rubbing my back, “The other crusaders will be there, so you’ll know others there besides me.”

“And you should try and make some other friends while you’re there too,” Twilight said, “Nyx knows a few colts there around your age.”

“I’ll try,” I said as we entered our room.

After I put my pajamas on, and brushed my teeth, I went to sleep next to Nyx.  I had just closed my eyes, when I found myself in what looked like Ponyville, except it looked destroyed.  The sky was red with black clouds, there were fires all over the place, and giant rocks were falling from the sky.  It was just like my dream from last night.

“Oh no,” I said, “Not again!”  Just like before, I tried to find Twilight, Nyx, and Spike to see if they were okay.  I ran all over the place, but I couldn’t find them.  I then found the library, but it was split open.  Inside, the three of them were on the ground, hurt.  “No!  Please not again!”  I yelled.  I then heard something coming from behind.  I turned and saw a giant rock coming right at me.  “NOOOO!!!!”

But the rock didn’t hit me.  It was caught in a blue glow and thrown away from me.  Ponyville then disappeared and turned into the starry area where the princesses found me.  I looked around for Twilight, Spike, and Nyx, but I couldn’t find them.  I was starting to get scared again, but then I felt a wing across my back.  I looked up and saw that it was...

“P-Princess Luna?”

“Shhh,” she said rubbing her wing on my back, “It’s alright Joshua.”  I reached my arms up and around her neck and she held me close.

“What happened to Ponyville?” I asked her.

“Ponyville is alright Joshua,” Luna said, “It was just a bad dream, that’s all.”

“How are you here?  Aren’t you in Canterlot with Princess Celestia?”

“I’m the Princess of the Night Joshua.  It is my duty to come into your dreams.”

“I’m still dreaming?” I asked confused.

“Yes, you are.  And if I’m not mistaken, you had the exact same dream last night, correct?”  I could only nod my head.  “It is nothing to be ashamed about Joshua.  It’s just a dream.  Nothing like that will happen, I promise.”

“I know,” I said sadly, “but I still miss mommy and daddy.”

“I know you do, dear one,” Luna said, “but your mother and father wouldn’t want you to be sad all the time, would they?”

“No,” I said shaking my head, “They wouldn’t.”

“Just remember Joshua, your old home may be gone, but as long as you remember that your parents loved you, that love will never leave you.”

“Thank you Princess Luna,” I said.

“You’re welcome Joshua, and you can just call me Luna,” she said.  She then took her wing off my back and walked away with her horn glowing.  “Sleep well Joshua.  I’ll see you again soon.”  She then disappeared.

I opened my eyes and saw I was still in the bed in the Crystal Empire with Nyx fast asleep next to me.  I climbed out of bed, walked over to the balcony, and sat down looking at the night sky.  I was thinking about what Luna told me in my dream.  I also thought about how Nyx wanted to be my sister, and how Twilight was Nyx’s mommy.  I really wanted a mommy again, and Twilight was taking care of me.  I thought maybe she could be my second mommy.  I then pulled out the locket that mommy gave to me before I left my old home.  I looked inside and saw the picture again.

“What do I do?” I asked, “I want to have a mommy again, but I don’t want to replace mommy and daddy.”  Just then, I heard a voice in my head.

“Remember Joshua,” the voice said.

“Mommy?” I asked looking around, but seeing no one.

“We’re always with you,” the voice of my mommy said.

“We’ll always love you no matter what you do,” another voice spoke up.

“Daddy?” I asked again.

“As long as you remember how much we loved you, we’ll never leave you.”  Everything went quiet after that.  I then realized the voices were coming from my heart.  They really were with me, just like they said.  I then heard someone behind me.

“Joshua?  What are you doing up this early?”  I turned my head around and saw Twilight standing behind me.

“I had that same bad dream again,” I said to her, “but Luna calmed me down this time.  After that I woke up and couldn’t fall asleep again.”  Twilight laid down on all fours next to me, placed a wing over my back, and pulled me closer to her side.

“I’m sorry you had that same bad dream, Joshua,” Twilight said, “but remember, it was just a dream.”

“I know,” I said.  We sat together with her wing on my back, rubbing it.  I knew I had to ask Twilight sooner or later about her becoming my second mommy.  “Twilight?  Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” she said.

“When Nyx was showing me the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse, she asked me if I had any brothers or sisters.  I said I didn’t.  She then asked me if she could be my big sister and I said yes.  And since you’re Nyx’s mommy, does that mean you’re my mommy?”

“Well Joshua,” Twilight said, “I guess it kind of does, but are you sure?  I don’t want to replace your parents.”

“You won’t Twilight,” I said to her, “As long as I remember how much they loved me and how much I loved them, they’ll never leave me, but could you please be my second mommy?”

She then smiled warmly and pulled me in closer, wrapping one of her forelegs around me.  “Of course I will,” she said, “To be honest, I have been thinking about adopting you.”

“You have?” said a voice behind us.  We turned our heads around us and saw Nyx and Spike, rubbing their eyes.  Twilight nodded her head at them.  Nyx and Spike then smiled at us and came to join in the hug.  After a little bit, I spoke up.

“I love you all,” I said.

“So do we Joshua,” Twilight said, “So do we.”