The two walked inside to a beautiful interior everything was of course cut from the crystals. The were quickly seated while Twilight looked around as a unicorn waitress came up to them glancing at Shining as he smiled.

"Hey Crystal this is my sister Twilight Sparkle from the Forgotten City, I taking her out to catch up on the times since she's been gone for so long." Shining stated as the mare smiled at Twilight.

"A pleasure to meet you ma'am, I'm Crystal Clare a friend of your brothers. It's a honor to meet you." She bowed a little as Twilight gave a small smile.

"The pleasure is mine ma'am." She looked over at Shining as the mare pulled up her notepad.

"Now what can I get you guys to drink?" She asked.

"Just a water for me." Shining stated as he looked at his sister.

"Um I'll take some of your Crystal fruit drink." Twilight looked unsure to Shining as Clare smiled.

"Trust me it's very good ma'am." The mare winked getting a nod from Twilight as she looked over her menu while Clare went to get their drinks.

After the two found what they wanted they sat in a awkward silence, neither knowing what to say to the other.

"I have to say Shining these people are lucky to have you and Cadence helping them with getting caught up to the modern times." Twilight looked up at him as he smiled.

"Thanks Twilight it was rough for them before we got here." He sighed as she looked at him confused.

"How so?"

"Well before they returned they had been slaves to King Sombra undergoing harsh punishments and death for the littlest things, they lived in a constant state of fear even now they still fear for his return." Twilight looked down remembering her earlier thoughts of these people.

'Well I feel like an ass right now.' She thought looking around at the ponies.

"I see. The reports I got were sketchy at best when it came to what happened here, I have to apologize for judging them too fast. I got the impression they were just like Equestrians." She sighed as he glared at her a little.

"That's a little messed up Twilight. These people have suffered under a tyrant for years and even then after the sisters freed them they were cursed by Sombra before disappearing for a thousand years." He growled at her as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I know that now Shining it's why I apologized." She growled back at him as he sighed.

"Sorry." The two said as Clare came back and took their order and refilled their drinks if they needed it as the two went back into silence.

"So tell me about yourself Twilight, tell me about my own nieces and nephews." He smiled a little while her face lit up as she launched into how great her children were, he was a little surprised at how many she had but that didn't stop the smile on his face.

"Skylance is a hoof full and Tusk is really quiet but I think he's a little like I was before, I met the girls." Twilight looked down feeling the years of loneliness in that statement as Shining looked at her with worry.

"You ok?" She sighed a little depressed even after all these years she never found a special person, she had lived off the love her son and children along with her mother but she didn't have any real friends let alone a special person that she could call her own. She just couldn't trust them enough and didn't want to feel the pain of a broken heart again. She sighed and looked up at Shining's worried face.

"Yeah just thinking is all, Spike is going to be getting married in a few months and it just kind of hit me that I haven't had a special someone ever since I was exiled." She sighed again as Clare brought them their food.

"Ma'am? Are you ok?" She asked as Twilight gave a sad smile.

"Yeah I'll be ok." Clare looked over at Shining who nodded while Clare gave a small nod.

"Well if you need anything let me know." Clare stated as she left to go help other customers.

"Don't worry Twilight I'm sure there is somepony out there for you." He patted her hoof while she sighed.

"Yeah right who wants a mare with 17 kids, and does what I do for a living? It's fine though I went this long without one and if I need to scratch an itch I can just ask Silvertooth to as a favor." She mused while he shook his head.

"It's your life Twilight, by the way last time you were here you mentioned something about a festival?" She smiled placing her hooves together in front of her.

"The festival is a celebration of our freedom from the last "boss" of the city and my take over and leading them into a brighter future. Its a chance for everyone to come together and make friends and just be together. It's also to remember the dead in the takeover and all the others that lost their lives in the battle." She smiled getting a nod from him.

" I see so tell me how is Spike holding up?" He asked getting another smile from her.

"Well besides him getting married he and Gilda have been dating about three years now." Shining looked very surprised as he ate his meal.

"Three years!?" He shouted as she giggled.

"I know I didn't know if he would ever propose to the girl." He sighed smiling shaking his head.

"How you guys doing over here?" Clare asked as the two smiled as they got up.

"It was very good thank you Clare." Twilight smiled and put some bits on the table and they went to pay for their meal before heading out to take a walk through the empire.

As the two walked a comfortable silence fell over the two as Twilight took off her dress and teleported it to her room in the castle and then continued to walk just content at the moment.

"So what do you plan on doing once you leave here, are you going to see mom and dad?" He asked looking at her as she sighed.

"That's the plan I had after I left here." She looked around as he nodded.

"Good, mom hasn't been the same after you left a few months ago and neither had dad." He smiled at her.

"My mother made me promise to reconnect with my real family on her deathbed and I'm glad I'm listening to her. This had been a very refreshing evening Shining." She smiled over at him as he gave thousand watt smile.

"I'm glad that we were able to talk Twilight, I've missed you so much." He pulled her into a hug surprising her making her flinch at the contact as he nuzzled her cheek.

"I'm so sorry Twilight I wished so many times that I could take back what I did to you that day but I hope that we can a least start over, I know we will never be like we used to be but I want to at least have you in our families life and I know that Starbolt already adores you." He held her a little tighter as she felt the first tears fall on her shoulder while she felt a crack in her wall around her heart.

'Can I really forgive them after all that's happened to me and Spike?' She thought as she looked over at Shining who had his face in her mane.

'Should I risk letting them in after all this time?' She heard him sniff and squeeze a little tighter as a small smile came to her as she wrapped her arms around him feeling him stiffen up.

'Maybe it's time to forgive, they are the only family I have left and I do want to see mom and dad again. I'm just so scared of what I'll do if I see THEM again, maybe I should have Spike come with me to Equestria after I talk to mom and dad. Maybe even invite them to the wedding if Spike is ok with it after he talks to them.' She felt tears falling down her face surprising her.

"Ok Shining lets start over a clean slate." She stated from his shoulder as a sob broke from him and he squeezed her tighter.

"Thank you, Twilly." He sniffled as a smile went over her face burying her face in his mane.

"I missed you so much big brother." She sniffed closing her eyes just soaking up having her brother with her again.

'I just hope I don't see them when I go Equestria I might not be able to hold myself back.' She thought leaning into her brother's embrace.

'This is good right?'

(One week later)

"Hahahah NO! Mommy she's gonna get me!" A filly ran through the park as a purple mare chased her.

"Get back her so I can eat you!" She yelled after the filly pouncing at her as she tried to fly away only for the mare to grab her.

"NOOOOO! NOT THE SNUGGLES AUNT TWILIGHT!" The filly cried as a stallion appeared before them.

"I'll save you my daughter!" He yelled and charged the two.

"YAY! GET HER DADDY!" She called him as the mare wrapped her in her magic as she stood in front of the filly.

"She's mine now prince you can never have her back!" The mare nuzzled and blew raspberries on her stomach getting a squeal from the filly.

"NO NOT THAT! HAHAHAHA!" The filly tried to weakly defend herself trying to bat her evil aunts dreaded affection.

The stallion charged pulling out a sword and struck down the evil mare who cried out letting the filly fall as the stallion caught her.

"YAY DADDY YOU GOT HER!" She giggled as the mare smiled while pretending to be dead flashing away appearing on one of the hills.

"YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE LAST OF ME PRINCESS, I WILL RETURN FOR MY SNUGGLES!" She yelled and ran down the hill cackling as she went before she came around the hill smiling and giggling as the filly came running up to her.

"That was fun Aunt Twilight! What do you want to do next?" She asked as Twilight looked up at Shining who was leaning his wooden sword onto the bench and trotting up to them.

"Well what do you want to do Starbolt, your dad is going to have to go back to work soon." Shining sighed hearing that as his daughter pouted.

"Can't you stay daddy?" She asked giving the dreaded puppy dog look to him making him cringe.

"I'm going to have a talk with your mother for teaching you that look." He grumbled while Twilight giggled.

After their talk Twilight really opened up to her brother and the two really bonded over the days that came and went. They had talked of their time away from each other and the things they did during that time.

One night while she and her brother were drinking she told him of her time while in the Forgotten City, needless to say Shining was pissed at himself, at the others, and those that did the things they did that to her.

Twilight sighed as Starbolt jumped on her back wrapping her arms around and looked at her father again but he was looking away.

"Sorry sweetheart I have to head back or I'm going to be late for work, tell you what as soon as I get off-

"Shining don't promise a girl something if you might not be able to keep it." Twilight interrupted as he sighed.

"You're right I'm sorry sweetie but I won't be home for tonight but I'm sure mommy and Aunt Twilight can play with you while I'm gone." He suggested as she looked down sadly.

"Mommy can't since she had a night court tonight." Starbolt sniffed before Twilight nuzzled.

"Well then that means that it's just you and me tonight squirt, what do you think about camping out in the fields tonight?" She asked looking at Shining as he started to protest but shut his mouth.

"YEAH!!" The filly beamed.

"Ok well since your dad has to got to work why don't we go tell mommy and then got get our gear." She felt the filly bouncing on her back making her smile and thankful it wasn't Ironclaw.

"I don't know Twilight." Shining rubbed the back of his head before spotting the terrifying look on his sisters face.

"Your daughter is cooped up on that castle all day and night because you and Cadence are to scared to let her go to a public school and meet kids her own age. She needs to get out a little and have some fun with kids her age and have some friends." Twilight growled as the filly gave a glare of her own making him flinch.

"Fine." He growled as she smirked with Starbolt.

"Just take care of her Twilight." He sighed as she gave him a deadpan look.

"Who has more kids than who here?" She asked watching a sheepish smile cross his face.

"Yeah, right sorry." He looked at Starbolt and smiled pulling her into a hug.

"Be good for Aunt Twilight ok sweetie?" The filly gave a salute making him chuckle and give one back.

"Ok well I'll see you two in the afternoon then." He walked away with a worried backwards glance as the aunt and niece headed towards the castle before flashing away. Shining turned to one of his guards and gave a nod to him.

"Flash watch after Starbolt and keep an eye on Twilight." Shining said getting a nod from the pegasus stallion.

"Yes sir."

(Castle)

"And then we can roast marshmallow! Mmm marshmallows." The little filly moaned.

"Well we can do all that as soon as I stop by one of my friends places and then we go and get our gear." Twilight looked back at the nodding filly who was behind her bouncing as she went.

"Now why don't you go and get your toothbrush and stuff together and I should be done talking to your mom by then." Starbolt nodded and ran ahead to gather her things as Twilight turned a corner opening the door to find Cadence about to open it.

"Oh hey Twilight! How was the day in the park with Shiny and Starbolt?" She asked heading out as Twilight fell in step with her.

"It was great, I wanted to talk to you since I already talked to Shining. Is it ok with you if Starbolt came with me on a little overnight camping trip?" She asked seeing Cadence stop and look at her.

"I don't know Twilight I don't want her to get behind in her studies." Cadence stated as Twilight sighed.

"Cadence please that poor kid needs some off time, all she does is study in her room and has barely any time to herself. It's just overnight, if it makes you feel any better I was going to ask if Clare wanted to come with us." She offered as Cadence looked over at Twilight.

"I don't know Twilight, this is really sudden." Twilight narrowed her eyes and set her jaw.

"Cadence Starbolt isn't like me who loves to study, even prisoners have some time outside. It's just for a day Cadence, it's not like I'm going to take her to the Everfree in the middle of Froggy Bottom Bog." Twilight pressed getting a groan from Cadence.

"Ok, ok, fine you win. What time is she going to be back tomorrow?" Cadence asked while Twilight smiled just when Starbolt jumped on Twilight's back.

"WE CAN GO! THANKS MOMMY!" She shouted with her little saddle bags on as the two took off before Cadence could change her mind.

(Outside)

Twilight trotted to her friends house with a little pep in her step with Starbolt giggling the whole way as they came up to her house as she knocked.

Over the last week Twilight and Clare just seemed to click both had a hard past and from what Twilight learned Clares parents beat her as a filly while as a mare she was a slave to Sombra and even before she could celebrate her freedom it was taken away be the former king. The two had bonded and became fast friends and when Starbolt was busy along with her brother or sister in law she hung out with Clare.

"CLARE OPEN UP GIRL COME ON LETS GO CAMPING!" She hollered as the door opened.

"Camping? Sure I get could get away from town for a while and I see that you kidnapped the shrimp to." Clare smiled as the filly stuck her tongue out at her.

"I'm not a shrimp I'm a filly Clare!" Starbolt pouted before Clare blew a raspberry on the filly's neck making her squeal with laughter.

"So where are we going to camp?" Clare asked as they walked through the marketplace.

"I'll tell you in a bit but first we have to lose the tail." Twilight nodded back at the crystal guard trying and failing to be sneaky as Clare facehooved.

"Looks like my brother doesn't trust me with his baby girl." Twilight sighed as she grabbed them their supplies and after handing the saddle rucks to the other two and paying the vendors they flashed away just as Starbolt turned and gave the guard and sly smirk.

(Forgotten City)

Spike sighed as he looked over at his brothers and sisters as they sat around the campfire while Gilda played with Razor who was a dragoness that was with some of her other brothers and sisters trying to learn to fly at the same time trying to tackle Gilda.

"14, 15, 16, 17. Ok they're still all here." Spike sighed his claw brushing his weapon as he spotted the scars on his body from where the contract was cancelled.

'If I ever get my claws on that fucking mare I'll be sure to leave some scars of my own on her.' He thought darkly counting the children for what felt like the 1000th time.

As the week turned into the weekend Spike decided that it had been forever since the family actually had a day to themselves and had some fun so he took a couple of guards and Gilda along with the children on a camping trip outside the city and into the forest.

"Spike?" He looked down to see Darkfire pulling on his tail.

"Hey munchkin what is it?" He asked smiling at the little dragoness.

"I miss mommy." She sniffed as he sighed.

"I know, know sweetie but you know that mom is visiting some family right now." He smiled at her as she climbed into his lap while a few more of the kids crawled up next to him making him look around and sigh.

"I take it you all miss mom to huh?" He asked as they nodded.

"Yeah I do to." He spoke looking at the stars with a little smile having a feeling that she was looking at the night sky.

"When is momma gonna come back?" Spike looked over at Raven a solid black griffon that asked.

"In another week or so, but no more than a month I'm sure. Don't worry mom is coming back, she would never abandon you guys." Spike said as he felt Gilda's arms slide around his neck.

"Mmm hey babe, you look cute over here with all these kids around you. Makes me a little.." She trailed off running a claw down his back and along his tail making him freeze up.

"Tease." He grumbled as Gilda laughed picking up Darkfire and sitting by Spike as his tail wrapped around everyone on his left while he pulled the other kids close to him on his right.

"I wonder what momma's doing big brother?" He heard Blaze the little red and gold griffon asked next to him.

"Don't know but I'm sure she's having fun though." He smiled.

(Crystal Empire)

Twilight smiled looking down at the sleeping filly next to her and then looked over at Clare who was sound asleep as well with her head on Twilight's back.

"Come on you two let's get inside before we catch a cold." She got up picking the other two up with ease in her magic as she put the two on either side of her as they snuggled up to her making her sigh in content.

As she started to nod off she felt Clare wrap her hooves in Twilight's and pulled her closer making her blush feeling her hot breath on her neck until she nuzzled her face into it.

"Mmm night Twili-zzzzzz" Clare mumbled as Starbolt snuggled into Twilight's chest before falling fast asleep.

"Ugh. You guys are just too much." Twilight giggled as she felt the warm claws of sleep begin to take her while she zipped up the tent and put the fire out.