Flurry Heart stood front and center upon a grand crystal stage. She exhaled slowly, before letting out what seemed to be finishing remarks. "And that is why you newest graduates of Crystal Academy must be unafraid. For your futures are bright and unbreakable, so go forth and remember, even if you feel you falter, your Princesses will ALWAYS be here to help light the way!" She leapt into the air and spread her wings, her horn exuding a vibrant crystal glow. "Goooooo, graduates!" Then, there was nothing but an awkward silence.

Flashes spread throughout the audience as they all held up the newest piece of Equestrian tech. Technology developed by Princess Twilight Sparkle and Princess Luna, known as the dream box. They all captured Princess Flurry Hearts pose in the moment, as many of the ponies in the audience conversed with one another in mutterings. One mare stating, "Look at this girl, I got her right as she spread her wings! Pretty great huh?"

Her friend responded, "Nice! Very nice! This'll look great on Instadream."

10 more seconds. Princess Flurry Heart remained suspended in the air, maintaining her smile and pose almost perfectly as if it were rehearsed a hundred times over. After the seconds passed, she descended back down to the stage and then smiled warmly, waving at all the now departing graduates. "A-And uh! Make sure to submit any inquiries you might have to the Crystal Empire Flurry Resource group! I read every single one!"

As the graduates departed, most were preoccupied on their dream boxes. However one ensured to respond to Princess Flurry Heart, "Thank you Princess! My friends will be so envious of that shot! You're the best!"

Flurry Heart waved and smiled awkwardly, "O-Of course! It's no issue."

Two other graduates soon ran up towards the stage, right past the guards who didn't seem to mind. Actually, they almost reacted as if there were no possibility of danger, almost bored doing their jobs. Even Princess Flurry Heart didn't realize the common breach in protocol, perhaps... she'd gotten used to it too at this point. The two graduates were right upon Flurry Heart, filled with excitement as one stated. "P-Princess, might we get a dream shot? I-If your schedule permits it of course. No issue if not!" They each gave her begging puppy eyes.

Flurry Heart blinked a few times, before looking out towards the rest of the departing graduates and noticing none of them were looking back any longer. They all were too preoccupied on their dream boxes. Flurry looked back to the two who remained and gave them a kind smile. "Uh, sure. It's no problem! Bring it on in!"

They each gasped as the one who spoke before cheered, "Yes yes yes! You always were my favorite Princess!" They then each got on one side of Princess Flurry Heart and held up their dream boxes, giggling all the while. Soon enough, the boxes flashed a blue light signifying the capture of the memory. They then looked it over, ensuring to show Princess Flurry Heart the product as well. "What do you think Princess? Groovy huh?"

In the shot Flurry Heart was smiling with clenched teeth and squinting some due to the flash. She blinked a few times before giggling a bit nervously. "Heh heh, uuuh yeah. Very cool! So uh, is there anything else I can-"

But before she could finish the graduates were already trotting off, still filled with excitement they got their shot. "Oh oh this is gonna be so awesome! We got PERSONAL shots with the Princess. This is gonna be a hit on Instadream. I'm sure the rest of the class is gonna be like, 'Uh wow that's a fake shot' hahaha, just you watch!"

As they were practically out of ear shot at that point, Flurry Heart finished... to herself. "Do." She glanced down, solemnly. She then looked to her guards at the edge now who were practically falling asleep. She sighed, and made her way over to them, lowering her head some. "Come on guys, let's head on back to the castle now."

One of the guards blinked a few times before shaking his head, "H-Huh! Wha? Is it over?" He rubbed the back of his neck, looking to the now empty stadium in surprise. "You'd think we'd get used to these things considering we head them at least twice a week! Maybe you can changeup your speech a little now and then Princess?"

Flurry Heart shrugged and sighed, eyeing the ground now. "I doubt they'd really notice anyway."

Back at the castle, Princess Flurry Heart laid on her bed as she too roamed on her own dream box. With one cheek resting on her hoof with half closed eyes, she seemed to be focused on one page in particular. Upon her screen was the verified instadream page of Princess Twilight Sparkle. She was followed by over a million ponies but was barely active despite being the co-creator of the product. A mere 67 posts was all she had. Flurry scrolled regardless, down to the very first one. It was a memory of her Aunt Twilight meeting Lady Applejack in Ponyville for the first time. A perfectly encaptured memory, pulled from a perspective once thought impossible, almost as if it were something out of a tv series. The caption stated, 'I was so clueless back then, ugh!'

She scrolled up a bit with her expression unchanging, finding another shot of her Auntie Twilight and her friends now facing off against the immortal Discord. The caption now read, 'Always the jokester, this one.'

With that Flurry Heart sighed and scrolled back to the top, she stared long at the 'message dreamer' option beneath her Aunt Twilight's picture. There was a moment of frozen time for Flurry then, as she just solemnly laid in her bed and stared at the message option. Eventually she flipped over her dream box and then climbed out of bed, soon going over to her window and leaning atop the ledge and peering down at the sights below.

Young fillies and colts frolicked in the castle courtyard peacefully. Many citizens strolled without a care in the world. The setting sun in the distance was gorgeous, as it emphasized the crystal mountains in view. The valleys and rivers which hung upon them signifying nothing but beauty and natural wonder. Such a perfect sight.

Yet for Flurry Heart, a pinch of remorse coursed through her. She looked to those mountains and wondered. I could go explore them, I could be gone for days... years even. But, would there still be any reason needed for me to return? She looked back down at the streets. Do my subjects truly even need me here? She glanced back at her dream box. Does my family even need me here? A slight moisture tainted her eyes. Do you... Auntie Twilight?

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Flurry Heart flinched, thrown off by an unexpected knocking at her door. "Y-Yes?!"

A voice ushered through, "Apologies Princess, it was a rare occasion and one I thought you should be aware of. We had a citizen submit an emergency request to the Flurry Resource Group. When inquired about why yours in particular, the citizen stated that she knew you were, uh..., widely available due to the nature of your day to day tasks compared to the queue of your mother. We looked it over and.... I believe this may be a little too-"

The door flung itself open then as standing in the doorway was a guard. Princess Flurry Heart already upon him as she peered at him with wide almost hysterical eyes. "A request came through... for me? You're certain?"

The guard nodded nervously. "Y-Yes Princess... but as said I believe we should inform your mother and Prince Shining. I looked over the details of this request and such a thing is... impossible, in today's age."

Flurry Heart practically ignored him as she stated, "Let me see the request. Do you have it on you?"

The guard blinked a few times before nodding and pulling out a dream box, unveiling it to Princess Flurry.

Flurry Heart snatched it up, before peering down at it almost hungrily. She noticed it was a captured moment and squinted. "A captured moment? W-Who submitted this?" She glanced back to the guard in confusion.

The guard nodded, "A family member of the capturer. She states she's the cousin of the sender."

Flurry Heart nodded and focused back on the screen. "One of our subjects I presume?"

The guard nodded again, "Yes Princess. Another reason she went through us primarily."

Flurry Heart nodded again too before pressing play on the captured moment. "Well, let us see what this... is?" Nothing but silence hung in the air between the two as they bore witness to what was happening on screen. Nothing but screams of violence and thrashing could be heard. Princess Flurry Heart was practically stunned.

Within the captured moment, ponies of a distant village thrashed angrily and were pummeling one another. It was almost abhorrent violence, hatred the likes of which she'd never seen. Bruises, anger, destroyed homes and fires. It was an alien sight for Flurry, something she felt she couldn't even fathom since she was a mere filly.

The guard was sweating profusely now before he gulped. "P-Princess it's alright if you're scared. I'm sure your mother will know what to do, as will Prince Shining. But we must make haste before this gets too out of ho-"

Princess Flurry interrupted him. "We shall go investigate this ourselves. Let me grab my crystal sword."

The guard froze in place before muttering, "W-What?"

Princess Flurry peered at him nervously, shaking... but not with fear. Excitement. "Let us go on an adventure."

Do my subjects even need me here? Does my family even need me here?

Do you... Auntie Twilight? And laying on her bed still was her dream box, still on her Aunt Twilight's page.

Author's Note

If you made it this far, firstly thank you, secondly, I hope you enjoyed.

I plan to update every few days, likely twice a week so please stick around!