Chapter 2: The families of Canterlot, and Ponyville

It was another beautiful day in the high class city of Canterlot, and within the castle walls, the royal family was having breakfast, while conversing with one another. "So, what are doing today Mom?" Chris asked his mother, who was the sun Princess.

As Celestia was about to answer her son, when a scroll appeared before her in a puff of smoke. Celestia recognized the royal seal of Cadence, "Huh, what could Cadence be writing to us about on a wonderful day like this?" Celestia asked no one in particular as she opened the scroll, and it read,

Dear Aunt Celestia,

I wish for you and aunt Luna to come to the Crystal Empire at once. There is a young girl, younger than any of human children we've encountered, save for Heaven, here in the Crystal Empire, named Mavis, who is in dire need of happiness and love. But she's also extremely timid and easy to scare, so I feel we may need to try and find why she acts this way,

With Love,

Princess Cadence.

Reading over the letter once again to make sure she didn't miss anything, Celestia looked up to see her family all looking at her with perplexed looks on their faces, "Luna, Chris, Drake, and Timmy, pack your bags, we're heading to the Crystal Empire to meet a new human girl in need of love and comfort," Celestia instructed her family, who didn't question her orders, and went to their rooms to start packing, 'I sure hope this new girl will feel welcomed by all the warmness of my family and Twilights friends,' Celestia thought to herself, as she left to go and pack her own bags.

Meanwhile, in Ponyville,

As morning rose in the tranquil town of Ponyville, the princess of friendship began to stir in her bed. Sitting up, and giving a soft yawn, she looked out the window, "Wow, its going to be another beautiful day," Twilight said to no one in particular, "I better go down and get breakfast started," Twilight said, getting out of her bed, and making her way to the dining room. On her way, she also decided to make sure all her children were up and fully awake. Her first stop was Kelly's room, "Kelly, are you up?" Twilight asked, knocking on her daughters door.

"*Yawn* Yeah, I'm up!" Twilight heard her daughter call to her.

"Ok, I'll be in the kitchen making breakfast for everyone!" Twilight called back, walking towards the kitchen, before stopping by everyone's rooms and waking them up. After she got to the kitchen, she began making pancakes for everyone. After making the last batch, she placed the pancakes on a cart, and wheeled them out to the dining room, where she smiled, seeing all of her children seated at the table, "Good Morning my sweet angels!" Twilight said to her children.

"GOOD MORNING MOMMY!" they all rang.

"What're we doing today Mommy?" Josh asked.

Twilight was about to answer, when Spike came running in, totally out of breath, "*PANT* Message from *wheeze* Cadence!" Spike said, giving Twilight a scroll.

Reading it over, Twilight frowned sadly at the fact that the girl that Cadence and Shining Armor found was all alone, and extremely timid, and in need of love and friendship, "What does the letter say Mommy?" Trinity asked her mother curiously.

"Well, it says that Cadence and Shining Armor found another human girl, but this ones a bit timid around even her and Shining Armor, so to answer your question Joshua, we're going with our friends to the Crystal Empire," Twilight replied, giving her children all a warm yet sad smile. Her kids all nodded in understanding, and proceeded to finishing their pancakes so then after they can go and find their friends.

Later at the train station,

"So all we have to do is make this new Mavis girl feel welcome and loved?" Rarity asked her lavender friend.

"Yes, but we should carefully introduce ourselves. The letter said that Mavis was extremely timid, and easy to frighten," Twilight replied with a sad shake of her head, which the others all nodded in understanding.

"I hope Mavis won't be too scared," Toby said sadly, hugging his mommas leg.

"We hope so too Toby, but we'll just have to wait and see," Twilight reassured her nephew. Just then, the train pulled into the station.

"ALL ABOARD THATS GOING ABOARD! NEXT STOP, THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE!" the conductor called.

"Well, that's us, c'mon everyone," Twilight said, leading her friends and family on the train, just as it was ready to pull out.

Meanwhile, in the Crystal Empire,

Cadence was beginning to stir in her sleep, and sitting up, she stretched her forelegs, and gave a soft yawn, "Looks like todays going to be a beautiful day," Cadence said to herself, just then remembering what transpired last night, "I'd better see if Mavis is up," she said, making her way to Mavis' room, before stopping by Nathans room, "Nathan, are you up?" Cadence asked her bat winged son, knocking on the door.

"*Yawn* Yeah, Ah'm up," Nathan said in a sleepy voice as he came out of his bedroom in his pj's.

"Good morning sweetie, why don't you go get breakfast while I see to Mavis?" Cadence asked her son.

"Ok mommy, Ah'll see ya and Mavis in the dining room," Nathan said, making his way to the dining room, while Cadence went to check on the little girl.

Once she was outside Mavis' room, Cadence could hear a faint weeping sound that she knew was Mavis' crying, "Mavis, are you ok?" Cadence asked, knocking on the door, and carefully opening the door, to reveal Mavis sitting on the bed with her head in her arms, crying her eyes out. Cadences heart shattered when she saw Mavis in such a poor state, "Mavis?" Cadence asked, gently reaching out to the girl.

Looking u, Mavis saw the pink alicorn that rescued her from the ally, with a very worried look on her face, "O-oh, P-princess C-cadence, I'm s-sorry if m-my crying w-woke you," Mavis said, fearing for the worst.

Cadence was saddened even more when she said that, "Shh, don't worry, I'm not mad, but can you tell me why you were crying?" Cadence asked the young girl.

"I-I had a n-nightmare, b-but you d-don't h-have to c-comfort m-me, only g-good g-girls and b-boys can h-have l-love and c-comfort," Mavis said guiltily.

Cadences heart shattered even more at what Mavis had just said, "Shh, you are a good girl, I know you are in your heart," Cadence said in a calming tone.

Mavis shook her head furiously, "N-no P-princess, I-I'm anything b-but g-good," Mavis said, before covering up her mouth, realizing she disagreed with royalty, 'Oh no! Princess Cadence is going to be furious at me for disagreeing with her,' Mavis fearfully thought to herself, but instead of getting hit like she expected, Mavis was engulfed in a warm and loving hug.

"Shh, there's no reason to be scared," Cadence reassured her, "And I don't want you ever talking about yourself like that, you're a wonderfully, sweet angel, and I don't want you to forget that," Cadence told her in a serious, yet sweet, motherly tone.

"O-ok," Mavis said, admitting defeat at her caregivers kind words.

"Good, now would you like some breakfast before you meet the rest of my family and friends?" Cadence offered.

"I-I w-would like that, but I d-didn't do anything b-bad, d-did I?" Mavis asked, worried that she may be all sorts of trouble if the rest of Cadences family was coming.

"Shh, you didn't do anything bad, they're just coming here to meet you, and try to get to know you better," Cadence reassured the girl, rubbing her back gently, "Now then, how's about that breakfast?" Cadence asked.

"O-ok, that s-sounds n-nice," Mavis said, smiling for the first time ever since Cadence and Shining Armor found her. With a smile, Cadence set Mavis on her back, and made her way to the dining room, "Uh, P-princess, I can w-walk m-myself, you don't h-have to c-carry me," Mavis said, feeling guilty for having a princess give her a piggy back ride.

"Don't you worry, I don't mind it at all," Cadence reassured the young girl, who nodded guiltily. After a bit of walking, the two finally made it to the dining room, "Ok pumpkin, what would you like for breakfast?" Cadence asked the young girl.

"I w-would like some m-more t-toast please, I-I'm not a h-heavy e-eater," Mavis replied, still feeling bad for asking royalty for food.

"As you wish, but would you like something to go with it?" Cadence asked the young girl.

"M-maybe s-some c-cinnamon?" Mavis suggested.

"Not what I had in mind, but ok," Cadence said, giving a nod to the chef, who nodded in return, and proceeded to the kitchen to begin work on breakfast, as Cadence and Mavis took their seats, with Nathan already sitting at the table, enjoying a bowl of oatmeal.

"Morning Mavis," Nathan cheerfully greeted the young girl, trying to lift her spirits.

"O-oh, g-good m-morning Nathan," Mavis timidly said to the boy with bat wings, just as hers and Cadences breakfasts were brought to them, "W-wow, that was quick," Mavis quietly said to herself as she began to nibble on her first slice of toast, while Cadence ate away at her meal. After a few bites on each slice, Mavis finished her toast.

"My, you were hungry, weren't you?" Cadence asked the girl with a giggle, but Mavis didn't giggle, she just looked away shamefully for not taking her time, Cadence saw the motion, and frowned at her shyness, "Oh no, I didn't mean to make you feel ashamed!" Cadence said, trying to lift Mavis' spirits. Just then, she saw her aunts carriages flying towards the castle, "Ok Nathan, you go get dressed, while I go and help Mavis get cleaned up," Cadence told her son, who nodded, and went back to bathroom to get ready for the visit, "Now then, as for you, lets go and get you cleaned up," Cadence said, taking Mavis to another bathroom, "First, lets get your teeth brushed," Cadence said, pulling out a spare toothbrush and some toothpaste, and giving it to the young girl.

"P-princess, can I t-try to get cleaned up myself?" Mavis timidly asked the pink alicorn.

"Of coarse, but if you need help with anything, just let me know," Cadence told her, which Mavis nodded in understanding, and proceeded to brushing her teeth. After a two minutes of brushing, she spat out the toothpaste, and tried to washing her face, but couldn't reach the faucet handles, "Here, let me help you," Cadence said, turning the faucet handles to make the perfect temperature, not too hot nor cold.

"T-thank you P-princess," Mavis said, scooping some water up, and splashing it against her face. After some splashes, she tried to reach for a towel, not opening her eyes, so no water got in her eyes, prompting Cadence to give her a towel, "T-thank you a-again P-princess," Mavis said, using the towel to dry off her face.

"Ok, now lets go meet my friends and family," Cadence said, helping Mavis onto her back, and trotting outside. Once outside, she saw her aunts and her sister in law. "HI EVERYONE!" Cadence greeted her family and friends, while doing the nursery rhyme she and Twilight always did when they were little.

"Sunshine, Sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves and do a little shake!" the two alicorn sisters in law giggled and hugged each other.

"Oh, its good to see all of you again," Cadence said, smiling at her family.

"Its wonderful to see you again as well Cadence," Celestia said, looking around for Nathan and the new girl, "Where're Nathan and this Mavis girl you told me about?" Celestia asked the pink alicorn.

"Here ah am!" they all heard Nathan call as he came out the door, "Sorry Ah'm late, ah had some trouble finding another sock," Nathan said, looking at his friend and family.

"And as for Mavis, she's here on my back," Cadence said, looking towards her back, where the young girl sat.

"Aww, she's so precious," Celestia cooed, with the others nodding warmly in agreement.

Looking up, Mavis saw a bunch of new faces looking at her. She squeaked, and hid in Cadences mane. The family frowned at how timid she was, "Calm yourself little one, none of them will hurt you," Cadence reassured the timid girl, who slowly, but surely poked her head out from Cadences mane, and slowly opened her eyes to see the family of ponies and humans before her.

"H-hello everyone," Mavis quietly said.

"Why howdy there Mavis, Ah'm Applejack, and these are my sons and daughter, Mike, Bolt, and Season Harvest," Applejack said in a soft tone as not to frighten Mavis.

"I'm Pinkie Pie, its very nice to meet you, and these are all my daughters and niece, Melody, Clover, Lucky Joy, and Blueberry Muffin," Pinkie Pie said in a calm tone, which shocked everyone, but could understand why she was calm.

"My name is Fluttershy, and these two are my son and daughter, Toby and Serenity," Fluttershy said with a smile.

"My, you are a sweet angel! Anyway, my name is Rarity, one the top fashion designers in Equestria, and these are my children, Conner and Crystal Charity," Rarity said, giving Mavis a warm smile.

"Hey kid, I'm Rainbow Dash, the fastest Pegasus in Equestria, and these two are my son and daughter, Echo and Vibrant Sky," Rainbow Dash said, giving another warm smile at the young girl.

"Its so nice to meet such a sweet little girl like yourself, my name is Twilight Sparkle, I'm Cadences sister in law, and these are all my sons and daughters, Josh, Cory, Kelly, Crystal, Trinity Star, and Nyx," Twilight said, introducing herself and her children.

The next to trot up was Celestia and Luna, "It is so wonderful to meet you young Mavis, I am Princess Celestia, and this is my little sister Luna, and this my son Chris, and Luna's sons, Timmy and Drake," Celestia said in a motherly tone. She then noticed a saddened look in Mavis' eyes, "Young one, is there something troubling you?" Celestia asked the young girl.

"Its ok sweetheart, we only want to make you feel comfortable," Cadence said, reassuring the little girl.

"I-I d-don't really w-want to t-talk a-b-bout it, its not a h-happy story," Mavis said, feeling ashamed for not for not being able to answer Celestia's question.

"Very well, we won't force you to tell," Celestia said in a reassuring tone, which did nothing to lift the spirits of Mavis, who simply went back to sleep, feeling tired from the nightmare she had. "Cadence, was this how Mavis was when you and Shining Armor found her?" Celestia asked her niece.

"She was abandoned in an ally, all alone, and when me and Shining Armor went to find her, she stopped her crying, as if so sort of trauma forces her to stop when someone approaches," Cadence explained. This made everyone gasp in horror.

"I think it would be best if we threw a celebration for young Mavis, so she knows that everyone in Equestria is really nice," Celestia suggested.

"That may not be such a good idea Princess, I've seen the types of ponies with similar timid natures like Mavis, and I know that a party will only worsen her fear, instead of making her feel welcome, so before we do that, we should let her get used to her surroundings," Pinkie Pie told the solar princess, who nodded in understanding, but the others were all shocked when Pinkie shot down the idea for a party, but with her explanation, it made more sense.

"Sister, should I try to find out why Mavis is so timid the way she is?" Luna asked the sun princess.

"I believe that would be a good idea, then from the memories, we can try to help her over come her sorrows, one step at a time," Celestia replied, which Luna nodded in understanding.

"I'll go and put Mavis to bed, she didn't have a good night. But you can all enjoy yourselves while you're here," Cadence said, which everyone nodded in understanding as she went to put the young girl to bed.