Princess Flurry Heart, Defender of the Crystal Empire

"Sweetie, are you sure about this?" Shining Armor asked his daughter as the two, along with Cadance and some crystal guards were in the throne room. "Seeing Majesty might just make things worse."

"I'm sure daddy." Flurry replied back with as much confidence as she could muster. "If I see her in her cell, locked up and powerless, maybe than I'll know not to fear her." Flurry answered as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, casting a spell as her horn lit up with black magic as a secret entrance on the throne room floor opened up to reveal a long winding staircase going down.

Shortly before her 18th birthday, Flurry learned from her Auntie Twily the magic used to open up what was once King Sombra's secret entrance in the palace, she remembered it hurt her head very much and this time was no different as the young alicorn rubbed her head, shaking it to clear her mind as the staircase was open.

"Well here I go..." Flurry spoke.

"Don't worry sweetie, I'll be right behind you with some guards in case you need us." Shining Armor reassured his daughter as the group began trotting down.

After a long trot down to the very bottom, with Flurry and the unicorns of the group using their magic to light the way, they reached the bottom of the staircase, a few locked doors leading to some rooms as one of the crystal guards unlocked one of the doors, which was the room where Majesty's prison cell was...

"Last chance to back out of this sweetie, you don't have to do this." Shining Armor trying to convince his daughter not to face the evil unicorn.

"No, I need to see her, let her know I'm still strong." Flurry replied as the guard who opened the door stepped aside to let in Flurry as the young alicorn went into the room.

And well what a surely unwelcome sight it was... It was a small, dimly lit room, with only a few torches lighting the room as the cell itself sat in the center, mostly it was a covered up one, with three solid walls and the fourth... Which was facing Flurry, had only a small open space, which was covered up by strong metal bars, affording little light inside. It was terrifying, especially since Flurry couldn't quite see that pony that was inside as the young alicorn saw a hoof wrap around one of the metal bars, startling the princess a little, but she quickly regained her stand as a voice spoke out from the cell...

"Well, well..." Majesty's voice, deep and menacing spoke through the bars. "Isn't it the little pretty princess of the Crystal Empire... What have I done this time to deserve this honor..."

"Nothing..." Flurry answered, speaking as bravely as she could, but she could feel her hooves were shaking a little. "I just came to reassure myself that you're in here and can't hurt anypony else again, I came to face my fears."

"Fears?" Majesty questioned, interested now. "Why, whatever has happened to you? Last time I saw you, you took away my magic and beat me."

"Over the past weeks, I been seeing you, everywhere and it has terrified me ever since, but I decided if I saw you helpless, locked up, my nightmares will go away..." Flurry revealed.

"Am I really that scary?" Majesty now coming closer to the metal bars, her face now visible as Flurry flinched even more and now her shaking was a little visible. "Poor, poor princess... Can't catch a break can you?"

"I'm not... Afraid of you..." Flurry struggled to get out, but actually seeing Majesty's face brought back all the horrors and nightmares she has been facing as Flurry felt her legs go weak and numb as she very nearly fell right away, but managed to keep herself up as she tried to maintain eye contact with Majesty, trying to tell herself that she was the stronger one here...

It failed miserably...

"AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!" Flurry screamed out as she submitted to her fears, laying with her belly on the ground as she held her hooves her face, crying out loud as Shining Armor and the guards came rushing in, magic and spears at the ready as Shining Armor came down to his daughter.

"Sweetie, sweetie, it's okay, I'm right here." Shining Armor urging his daughter up as Flurry did, but right away buried her face in her father's chest, crying out loud and holding onto him like when she used to when she was just a little foal.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry..." Flurry repeated as she held onto her father for dear life while he patted her back. "I shouldn't have done this..."

"It's alright sweetie..." Shining Armor spoke softly. "Come on, lets get you out of here." Shining Armor helping his daughter back up on her hooves and helping her to walk out of the prison room and back up to the throne room, where Cadance was waiting eagerly for the problem to be solved, but...

"Sweetie?" Cadance asked. "What happened?" Cadance seeing the downtrodden state Flurry was in.

"I wasn't strong enough like you and daddy, mom..." Flurry answered. "I thought this would solve all my problems, but it didn't and I don't know what to do..."

"Cheer up sweetie, I promise we'll keep looking for ways to help you get better, you'll get over this soon." Cadance trying to keep an optimistic view of the situation.

"I wouldn't bet on it mom..." Flurry sighed as she hung her head low, trotting out of the throne room. "I'm going to my room, get some rest if I can..." Flurry said as her parents looked at each other with great concern.

More weeks went by as Flurry's condition remained the same or even worse, days going by where she would stay in her room or not eat at all, there were whispers and rumors going on in the Crystal Empire that Princess Flurry Heart was no longer capable of even being a princess. Cadance and Shining Armor had to keep guards posted around the palace to keep out the press and from them torturing their daughter more about what she was facing. However Cadance and Shining Armor knew they couldn't keep this up for long as they tried thinking of a solution.

Meanwhile Flurry was also thinking of ways to get over her problems...

One night in the palace, dinner was being served as Cadance and Shining Armor sat down and by a miracle Flurry was just strong enough to join her parents as she saw down quietly as the family began eating. Flurry taking slow, little bites as her spoon and fork were seen shaking in her magical hold. Both Cadance and Shining Armor looked at each other and slowly nodded to each other as Cadance spoke.

"Sweetie, your father and I know that you need the time to overcome your fears and we don't want to rush you..." Cadance began.

"But soon enough you're going to have to be stronger, so your mother and I thought of a solution..." Shining Armor continued, but Flurry interrupted her father.

"Actually daddy, I been doing some thinking myself..." Flurry spoke. "I want to spend some time with Auntie Twily, in Canterlot, maybe help her out and see if I can do anything for her, besides I haven't seen her since the Crystal Fair." Flurry letting her parents know as they looked at each other with looks of hope.

"I think that's an excellent idea sweetie." Cadance smiled.

"Yes, my sister would be quite happy to see you in Canterlot, I'll send her a letter right away." Shining Armor added.

"No thanks, I want it to be a surprise." Flurry smiled as best she could.

The Next Day...

"Next stop: Canterlot!" The conductor shouted as the Friendship Express rolled into the Crystal Empire station. "All abroad!"

"Well, that's my ride." Flurry said as she had a couple of packed bags, as well as her saddle bags on her back, ready to get going on the trip to Canterlot.

"Have a good time sweetie." Cadance smiled. "I know you'll feel much better in no time."

"And we know you want to help out your favorite aunt, but remember... Your recovery comes first." Shining Armor reminded his daughter.

"I know daddy." Flurry replied as she got into a hug with both of her parents. "And I love you both, thank you for taking care of me through this tough time."

"That's what family is for sweetie." Cadance said as the family broke the hug. "Now get going, the train wouldn't wait forever."

And so Flurry got on the train, taking a window seat as she saw her parents waving goodbye to her as Flurry put on her best smile and waved back as the locomotive's brakes were let go and the train began rolling froward, slowly leaving the station as Flurry and her parents didn't let go of their smiles and waves. Only as her parents were out of view did Flurry stop and place her hooves back on her seat, sighing as her home and hopefully her problems got further and further away...

A Couple of Months Later...

The Friendship Express coming from the Crystal Empire arrived at the train station in Canterlot as it stopped at the station, letting off its passengers as a familiar royal couple were along them, Cadance and Shining Armor. Ever since Flurry left for Canterlot, she has been sending letters back home, letting her parents know how she was doing, in fact from the mood of the letters, it sounded like Flurry was in fact getting better as the letters were filled with Flurry having a lot of fun, getting to know the daily routine happening in the Equestrian capital, and helping out her favorite aunt a lot with her royal duties. Cadance and Shining Armor, once they had a free space in their own duties decided on a quick trip to Canterlot for a visit, to see how far their daughter has come along in her recovery.

As the royal couple left the train car, they were met by a familiar tall purple alicorn, who smiled seeing the couple.

"Cadance, Shining Armor." the purple alicorn spoke in a warm, welcome voice. "It's so good to see you."

"You too Twily." Shining Armor replied. "It's about time we come here for a visit." Shining Armor told his sister as Cadance was wondering where Flurry was and why she hasn't come with her aunt.

"So where's Flurry?" Cadance asked. "I thought she would have come with you to greet us at the station."

"Flurry?" Twilight giving a confused face. "What do you mean? She's back in the Crystal Empire, isn't she?"

"What?" Shining Armor joining in. "No, she came here a couple months ago to help you and hopefully recover from her trauma."

"I can assure you, Flurry isn't in Canterlot at all, I have not seen her since the Crystal Fair." Twilight confirming.

"Than where is she?" Cadance questioned, now fearful of what happened to her daughter...

Meanwhile, in the Equestrian city of Manehattan...

"Hey, I asked for more coffee several minutes ago!" A very bossy stallion shouted out as he was sitting down at a booth in a cafe.

"Ms. Lilly!" The owner of the cafe called. "Do you intend to keep a customer waiting!?"

"Oh..." A mare called back as she cleared her throat. "Yes boss, sorry about that..." A server mare replied as she got back to work, apparently occupied with something as she held onto a coffee pot with her magical hold and refilling the impatient customer's mug.

"You better keep up Ms. Lilly if you want to keep this job..." The mare's boss told her as she returned from serving the customer.

"Yes boss, it wouldn't happen again." The unicorn mare, with a pink body and a purple and light blue mane, wearing a stained server's outfit, apologized to her boss as she returned to being behind the counter.

The mare's name was Rose Lilly, a normal unicorn mare who worked a job serving customers at a cafe in the busy city of Manehattan, only she wasn't Rose Lilly, a unicorn, or even a normal pony...

She's Princess Flurry Heart of the Crystal Empire...