The King's Son

Chapters

Twilight comes back
Spike's Day Out
Showing Shooting Star around
A Ponyville Wedding
A Friendship Problem
Returning from Appleoosa
Kings Can Create Nightmarish Sheep Part 1
Kings Can Create Nightmarish Sheep Part 2
A Shocking Revelation and more Reunions
Too good to be true
Attack on the Castle
Recovery
Meeting Prep
An Important Meeting
More Secrets Revealed
Cadence's Offer
Fortification
The Social Spectator
Investigation
Discorded Memories
Anxiety and a Long Overdue Converstion
Reforming a Bully
Scavenger hunt
Another Redemption

Twilight comes back

Hearths Warming

The party at Derpy's and the Doctor's place was in full swing. The room was filled with the warmth of laughter from the four creatures, the twinkling of festive lights, and the joyful chatter of the new friends. Spike and Shooting Star found themselves quickly swept up in the celebratory atmosphere. The dragon found himself on the couch, chatting with the Doctor about the many adventures he and Derpy went on, including an underwater city filled with seaponies, which Spike wanted to see one day. Their conversation was punctuated by hearty laughter, as they swapped tales of close calls and triumphant victories. The Doctor, ever the animated storyteller, gesticulated wildly as he recounted their run-ins with Daleks and Cyberponies, while Spike countered with stories of the battle against changelings in Canterlot and an encounter with a powerful tyrant the ruled the Crystal Empire with an iron hoof before he helped save the empire with the help of cadence and the crystal heart.

Derpy, meanwhile, was in the kitchen with Shooting Star, showing off her special recipe for Hearth’s Warming muffins. The young pegasus watched in awe as Derpy expertly mixed the batter, her hooves a blur of motion. Despite her usual clumsiness, in the kitchen Derpy was a maestro, every move precise and practiced.

"What's your secret, Derpy?" Shooting Star asked, eyes wide with admiration.

Derpy chuckled and winked. "It's all about love and a little bit of muffin magic," she said, sprinkling a pinch of cinnamon into the batter. "Every Hearth's Warming, I make these for my friends and family. It wouldn't be the same without them."

As Derpy put the muffins in the oven, they both trotted over to the couch where Spike and the Doctor were still deep in conversation. Derpy handed a cup of hot cocoa to Shooting Star, who accepted it gratefully and took a seat next to Spike. The Doctor paused in his tale of daring escapades to smile at Derpy and Shooting Star.

"Ah, you've brought reinforcements," he said with a grin. "Just in time for the grand finale of our story."

Shooting Star sipped her cocoa, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Grand finale? What happened next?"

The Doctor leaned back, his expression turning thoughtful. "Well, after we reformed Wisen, we found ourselves on the surface of the beach where a ton of things happened..."

As the Doctor continued, Derpy settled down beside him, her wings draped around his shoulders in a cozy embrace. Spike listened intently, his eyes wide with fascination, while Shooting Star hung on every word, her imagination running wild with the vivid images conjured by the Doctor's storytelling.

The room was filled with the warmth of friendship and the spirit of Hearth's Warming. The festive lights twinkled merrily, casting a soft glow over the gathering. The aroma of freshly baked muffins wafted from the kitchen, adding to the cozy ambiance.

After a while, the timer for the muffins went off, and Derpy jumped up with a start. "Oh, the muffins! They're ready!" she exclaimed, hurrying to the kitchen.

Shooting Star followed her, eager to help. Together, they carefully pulled the tray of golden-brown muffins from the oven, the sweet scent filling the air. Derpy handed one to Shooting Star, who took a bite and closed her eyes in bliss.

"These are amazing, Derpy!" Shooting Star said, her voice muffled by the mouthful of muffin.

Derpy beamed with pride. "Thanks Shooting Star. These are a special recipe I make when guests come over."

Shooting Star smiled and both of them made their way back to the couch where Spike and the Doctor still were. They were given the muffins that just came out of the oven and they ate them. Both Spike's and the Doctor's eyes rolled to the back of their head as they savored the taste of the muffins which Spike thought were the best muffins he had ever tasted.

"Derpy, these muffins are amazing. They may even be the best I ever had."

Derpy just smiled at him. "That's almost exactly what Shooting Star said when she tried my muffins just a minute ago."

Shooting Star then talked. "They were awesome. I just wish my parents were still around to try them."

"I don't mean to pry, but what happened to your parents?" the Doctor asked.

She sighed and looked down. "Let's just say there was... an accident that killed my dad. My mom didn't take it too well and she died a few months afterward. I've been all alone for years wandering Equestria, hoping to find new friends to call family and a new place to stay to keep me warm."

The room fell into a gentle silence as Shooting Star shared her story. Derpy reached out a comforting hoof, while Spike and the Doctor listened with sympathy etched on their faces.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Derpy said softly. "Losing loved ones is never easy."

It was the that the Doctor had an idea. "Derpy, can I talk to you for a minute?" She nodded and Derpy and the Doctor stepped out of the room, leaving Spike and Shooting Star to their own devices.

Shooting Star looked at Spike and said, "Are you still feeling a little bit of pain from last night's endeavors Spike?"

"No, I don't feel the pain anymore. I think the elements of harmony got rid of that pain for me. Also, who do you think sent your necklace and my journal to us?" Spike asked.

"I don't know, but I'm glad they did. Those were some awesome gifts." she said.

Just then, Derpy and the Doctor returned to the living room, where Spike and Shooting Star were deep in conversation. The Doctor cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "Shooting Star, Derpy and I have been talking, and we have a proposition for you. How would you feel about staying with us? We have plenty of space, and it only feels right that you have a nice place to stay at. We can both look after you"

Shooting Star's eyes widened in surprise and hope. "Really? You mean it?"

Derpy nodded, her smile radiant. "Of course, Shooting Star. You've already brought so much joy into our home today. We'd be honored to have you stay with us."

Tears of gratitude welled up in Shooting Star's eyes as she looked from Derpy to the Doctor. "Thank you... thank you so much. I've been searching for a place to belong for so long. This means the world to me."

Derpy, the Doctor, Shooting Star and Spike then joined together for one big group hug. The room was filled with a palpable sense of warmth and belonging as Derpy, the Doctor, Shooting Star, and Spike embraced. The festive lights around them flickered merrily, reflecting the joy that was now shared among friends who felt like family.

Spike then yawned and looked out the window, only to see it getting dark. "I best be getting back to the castle guys. I have to look after it and besides, I'm pretty tired from partying all day."

Derpy walked up to Spike. "Spike, you can always stay the night here too if you want. We won't mind."

Spike shook his head. "Twilight's coming back tomorrow so I have to get the place ready for her. Thanks for the offer, but its ok."

Derpy nodded understandingly, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "We understand, Spike. But you're always welcome here, anytime."

Spike gave a warm smile and nodded. "Thanks, Derpy. I'll definitely visit more often. I really had a great time tonight."

As Spike got up to leave, the Doctor stood and extended a hoof. "Take care, Spike. And remember, there's always room for more adventures. If you ever need a break from royal duties, you know where to find us."

Spike shook the Doctor's hoof firmly. "Absolutely, Doctor. And I'll be sure to keep an eye out for seaponies." They both chuckled at that, sharing one last laugh before Spike headed to the door.

Shooting Star followed Spike to the door, her eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you for everything today, Spike. It was really fun."

Spike nodded. "No problem, Shooting Star. I'm glad we could all spend Hearth's Warming together. It was... perfect."

With that, Spike stepped out into the cool evening air. The festive lights of Ponyville twinkled in the distance as he made his way back to the castle, his heart full of warmth and contentment. On his way back, he saw many ponies in their homes, spending time with their families, and this made Spike smile. Even though Twilight didn't really care about him anymore, he was still glad that he could call Derpy, the Doctor, and Shooting Star his own pseudo family.

He arrived at the castle where he went in, locked the doors and went to his room so he could rest. He sat down on his bed and put his 10 diamonds he got from Lyra into his drawer, and while doing so, he saw his journal. He picked it up and began writing.

Day 1.
It was a pretty great Hearths Warming for me. I got to spend the day with Shooting Star and also with Derpy and the Doctor. Who knew that Derpy and the Doctor had so many great adventures before settling into Ponyville. I especially liked the story about the seaponies, and it makes me hope I get to see seaponies soon. In other news, Twilight is coming back tomorrow and I'm mentally preparing myself for the explanation of the amazing time she had not even knowing I wanted to be there, but made me stay in Ponyville. I'll write tomorrow.

After he wrote that entry, he put his journal away on his bedside table and put the covers around him and went to sleep.

The next morning, Spike woke up to the gentle light of dawn filtering through his window. He stretched and yawned, feeling surprisingly well-rested. Remembering that Twilight would be returning today, he quickly got out of bed and set about making the castle ready for her arrival. He dusted, tidied up the living areas, and prepared a pot of tea.

As he worked, Spike couldn't help but think back on the wonderful time he had spent with Derpy, the Doctor, and Shooting Star. The memory of their laughter and the warmth of their company brought a smile to his face. He hoped that Shooting Star would find happiness living with Derpy and the Doctor. The thought of her finding a place to belong gave him a sense of fulfillment.

It was then that he heard the door opening and he heard voices coming from the entrance

He heard a voice that sounded like Rainbow Dash say, "That party was sooooo awesome."

He then heard a voice the sounded like Applejack say, "You really know how to do parties Pinkie, that was a gosh darn amazing party.

Spike's heart raced as he realized Twilight and her friends had returned. He took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for the barrage of stories about their adventures. He walked towards the entrance hall, the voices growing clearer as he approached.

Pinkie Pie's unmistakable voice rang out, full of excitement. "I know, right? Hearth's Warming is the best time for parties!"

Twilight Sparkle was the first to spot Spike as he entered the hall. "Spike! We're back!"

Spike forced a smile and waved. "Welcome back, Twilight! How was the trip?"

"Oh you should've been there Spike. Cadence and Shining went all out to help Pinkie Pie make the best Hearths Warming party possible. There was a Hearths Warming game tournament that lasted all night, and Pinkie Pie even organized a scavenger hunt around the Crystal Empire!" Twilight gushed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Rainbow Dash chimed in, "Yeah, and there was a race, too! I got to fly around the spires of the Crystal Palace, and it was epic!"

Rarity chimed in. "I just wish that party could last forever. The party was so divine, even with the blizzard on Hearths Warming Eve."

"Yeah, I didn't even know there was a blizzard scheduled, but I don't argue with the weather team. I'm pretty sure they knew what they were doing." Rainbow said

On the outside, Spike was smiling, pretending to be happy for them. On the inside however, he was screaming, wondering why he wasn't even invited.

Spike listened to Twilight and her friends share their stories with a smile that grew increasingly strained. The more they talked about their fantastic Hearth's Warming, the more Spike's heart sank. He nodded and laughed at the appropriate moments, but his mind was elsewhere, replaying the warmth and joy he had felt the previous night at Derpy's and the Doctor's home.

Eventually, Twilight noticed Spike's distant expression. "Spike, are you okay? You seem a bit quiet."

Spike forced a brighter smile. "I'm fine, Twilight. Just tired from all the decorating and preparing for your return.

Twilight smiled again. "Well I think that is very nice of you Spike, thanks for that. I won't have anything to do today so how about you take the day off while I unpack."

Spike smiled genuinely. "Really? Thanks Twilight."

Twilight then turned to look at her friends. "How about you guys get home so you can unpack too. It was a busy few days for us.

Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie smiled and headed out of the castle to their own homes. Twilight went up to her own room to unpack, leaving Spike alone. Spike frowned, wishing he was invited to the party at the Crystal Empire

After a while, Spike smiled as he remembered Twilight saying he had the day off, so he left the castle and towards Derpy's, the Doctor's, and Shooting Star's place. He decided that Shooting Star should get a tour of Ponyville and that's what he is gonna do.

Author's Note

Shooting Star is staying with Derpy and the Doctor, and Twilight and her friends have come back to Ponyville. This is just the beginning though.

Note: This is the official sequel to "The Glue of Harmony". The other story I wrote was just something I wrote at the top of my head. You can read it, but you don't have to read it because it won't be as important at this story.

Spike's Day Out

As Spike finished unpacking and settled into his room, he took a deep breath, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that still lingered. He looked out the window at the Crystal Heart, its glow radiating a sense of peace and protection over the empire. The sight comforted him, if only a little.

A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts. "Come in," he called.

The door opened, and Cadence stepped in with a gentle smile. "How are you settling in, Spike?"

"Pretty well, thanks," Spike replied, trying to sound upbeat.

Cadence's eyes softened. "Is something bothering you, Spike? You seem a little... off."

Spike hesitated, then sighed. "I guess I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed. There's so much going on, and being back here feels... strange, but also really good. It's hard to explain."

Cadence nodded understandingly. "I get it. You've been through a lot recently. It's natural to feel a mix of emotions. Just know that we're here for you, and if you need to talk, we're always ready to listen."

Spike smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Cadence. I think I just need some time to adjust."

"Take all the time you need," Cadence said warmly. "How about you go for a walk around the empire tomorrow? It might help you relax and get more comfortable."

"I'd like that," Spike said, feeling a bit more at ease.

"But for now, come. It's time for dinner." Cadence informed him

"Ok." Spike and Cadence left the room and over to the dining room where Shining Armor already was. He was looking through some papers. He glanced up as they entered and smiled.

"Hey, Spike! I hope you're hungry," Shining Armor said, putting the papers aside.

"Yeah, I am," Spike replied, taking a seat at the table.

Cadence sat down next to Shining Armor, and a servant soon brought out their dinner: a delicious spread of roasted vegetables, crystal berry salad, freshly baked bread and a whole bowl of gems for Spike. Spike's mouth watered at the sight and smell of the food.

"This looks amazing," Spike said, eagerly reaching for a helping of the salad.

Cadence smiled. "We wanted to make sure you had a warm welcome. Enjoy!"

They ate in comfortable silence for a while, the food and the warm atmosphere helping to ease Spike's lingering unease. As they finished their meal, Shining Armor spoke up.

"So, Spike, do you have any specific places you'd like to visit while you're here?"

"Well, I kind of just want to explore this place as a whole, see what it has to offer. I was just thinking of aimlessly wandering around the Crystal Empire as a whole, and if I get lost, I can always come back here. I do think this place was lively the last time I was here, especially since it was for the Equestria Games." Spike said

That made Cadence's heart drop. The fact that the only other time he was here except for the saving of the empire was during the Equestria Games and nothing else. That made her be filled with more guilt than before. However, she made sure not to show it.

"Well, some of the places I usually like to go to are the marketplace and the library." Shining Armor continued. "The marketplace is always bustling with ponies and and the Library has a ton of great artifacts I'm sure you would love to read."

"That sounds like a great plan," Spike said, perking up. "I'd love to check out the marketplace and the library. Maybe I can find some cool artifacts or rare gems."

Cadence smiled, though she couldn't shake the guilt that lingered in her heart. "We'll make sure you get to see everything you want, Spike. Tomorrow morning, we can start with the marketplace, and then head to the library in the afternoon."

Spike nodded eagerly. "That sounds perfect. Thanks, Cadence. Thanks, Shining Armor."

As dinner wound down, they chatted a bit more about the day's plans, the food, and the excitement of being back in the Crystal Empire. Spike's unease started to melt away with each passing moment, replaced by the anticipation of his upcoming adventures.

After dinner, Cadence and Shining Armor showed Spike back to his room. "Get a good night's rest, Spike," Cadence said gently. "Tomorrow will be a big day."

"I will. Good night, Cadence. Good night, Shining Armor," Spike replied.

"Good night, Spike," they both said in unison before closing the door.

Spike climbed into his bed, feeling more at ease than he had in a long time. The bed was incredibly comfortable, and as he settled in, he thought about the day ahead. The promise of exploring the Crystal Empire filled him with excitement, and soon enough, he drifted off to sleep.

Spike's dream

Spike woke up in his bed and looked out the window, to which he saw that it was morning. He got up out of bed and looked in the mirror right across from him.

"Looking sharp." he said before he heard a knock on his door. He went to answer it and when he opened it, he saw a crystal guard waiting outside the door with a serious look on his face. "Uh, good morning sir." he said nervously.

"The princess requires you to come down to the throne room at once." the guard said. Spike, not knowing what was going on, just decided to follow his orders and follow him to the throne room.

Once they got there, the guard opened the door and led Spike inside. When they were in the throne room, Spike could see a platoon of guards on either side of the throne, and on the throne, sat Cadence, with an ice cold look on her face. Spike was unnerved by it.

"Uhh... Hi Cadence." he said.

"Restrain him!" Cadence ordered her guards, catching Spike off guard. Right after saying that, the guards instantly followed her order. Spike felt himself being lifted off the ground. He then felt ropes and chains being placed on him. He saw chains keeping him from moving his arms and legs, and the rope only made it impossible for him to move.

Spike was scared out of his mind, and he stared into Cadence's cold and unforgiving eyes, who were boaring directly into his soul. "Cadence, please help."

He then felt himself being slammed to the ground with a thud, sending a wave of pain through him. He tried to call for help, but it was worthless. All he could do was continue looking into the princess' eyes. "Cadence, why are you doing this? Just why?"

"Spike, you caused fear throughout the Crystal Empire because you are a dragon. You are a monster Spike." Cadence said in her royal voice.

Spike felt tears welling up inside of him. "But... but I thought you invited me here to have fun."

At this, Cadence scoffed. "You really think that I would want a lowly monster around my empire? You thought wrong, and I will fix this mistake by doing something I should have done 2 years ago."

She then picked up the restrained dragon and flew out the door. She flew right up to the tippity top of the crystal castle and then looked into Spike's tearful eyes one more time.

"You deserve to die, you monster. Let's give Equestria what they want." she said with venom in her voice. After saying that, she dropped Spike off the castle and smiled at him falling. Spike was calling for help, but he continued falling until everything became dark. The last thing he heard was his own screaming.

Spike jolted awake out of breath and shaking violently. While he was struggling to catch his breath, he looked around and saw that he was back in his guest room, and also saw that it was nighttime.

Spike tried to take deep breaths, even though it was hard for him to do so with his heart still racing and him shaking. "All of this is just a dream." he whispered to himself. "Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream." he continued whispering throughout the night.

It wasn't until 2 hours later that he was able to get to sleep. The next morning, he woke up, still a little tired, and got out of bed, going to look in the mirror. He saw a very tired self and couldn't get his mind off the nightmare he had last night.

"I don't look too good. I may need to ask Cadence and Shining if they have any energy spells, because I don't have any energy right now." he said to himself.

He left the room and saw that a guard was coming up to him. She had a warm smile, making him feel a little more relaxed.

She walked up to him and bowed to him. "Good morning, brave and glorious. I was told to come retrieve you for breakfast time. The fair Princess Cadence and the Captain Shining Armor are already there waiting for you."

"Thank you ma'am." Spike said to her. "I could use some help from them." He followed the guard to the dining room where they saw a plethora of food. On the table, he saw gems, pancakes, a giant fruit bowl, some eggs and glasses of juice. Next to the table, he saw Cadence and Shining Armor waiting for him with smiles on their faces.

Spike took a deep breath, trying to shake off the remnants of his nightmare as he entered the dining room. Despite the welcoming smiles from Cadence and Shining Armor, he couldn’t completely rid himself of the uneasy feeling that lingered from his dream.

"Good morning, Spike!" Cadence greeted warmly. "I hope you slept well."

Spike forced a smile. "Morning, Cadence. Morning, Shining Armor. I, uh, had a bit of a rough night, but I'm okay."

Shining Armor's smile turned into a concerned frown. "A rough night? What happened, Spike?"

Spike hesitated, not wanting to worry them with his nightmare. "Just a bad dream, I guess. But I'm really looking forward to today. The marketplace and the library sound awesome."

Cadence and Shining Armor exchanged a quick, concerned glance but decided to let it go for now. "Well, we're here if you want to talk about it," Cadence said gently. "But let's focus on having a good day today. Breakfast first, and then we'll head out."

"Actually, I kind of want to explore the place by myself." Spike told them.

That caught Cadence and Shining off guard. "Are you sure, buddy?" Shining asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Like I said, I want to wander aimlessly and see the sights for myself."

Shining and Cadence were more than concerned about it, but they respected his decision. "If you say so Spike, but don't get lost, ok?" Cadence asked.

"I'm sure I won't. The castle is impossible to miss, so I can find my way home easily. Also, do you guys have any energy spells you can put on me? I might need it."

"I do know an energy spell, but it may not last the entire day. Are you sure you want it?" Shining asked.

"Yes I do Shining." he said confidently. So Shining lit up his horn and encased Spike is a light pink aura. Spike was covered in the aura for a few seconds before the aura wore off. After that, he felt a lot more energized and ready to tackle the day.

"I feel much better. Now, shall we have breakfast?" Spike asked. Cadence and Shining nodded, and started eating their breakfast. Spike had gems, pancakes and juice, while Cadence and Shining had Pancakes, eggs, fruit and juice.

After breakfast, Spike bid farewell to Cadence and Shining, and went off to explore the Crystal Empire for the day. The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the sparkling buildings and streets. He took a deep breath, feeling the energy spell working its magic, and began his aimless exploration.

Immediately after stepping out into the sun, he was surrounded by his fans. They were chanting things like, "Welcome back, Spike the Brave and Glorious" or "He's returned." Spike smiled at his fans and they followed him everywhere he went.

The first place Spike found himself in, was the marketplace that Shining and Cadence recommended. He was taking in the sights and sounds of the various stalls and vendors. Crystal ponies greeted him with smiles and waves, recognizing him as the "brave and glorious" Spike who had once saved their empire. Spike returned their greetings, feeling a sense of pride and warmth from their admiration.

At one stall, he found a vendor selling a variety of rare and exotic gems. His eyes widened at the sight, so he went over to look at them closer.

"Hello Spike the Brave and Glorious, did my gems catch your eyes?" the vendor asked.

"Yeah, I would like to purchase a few gems from here. How much are they for?" Spike asked.

"Oh, for you, they're on the house. You can have as much as you want for free." the vendor told him.

Spike's eyes widened. "Are you sure sir? I am able to afford them."

"Of course I am sure. You are a hero here and I want you to have a good time here, so go ahead and take some." he said, so Spike thanked the vendor and grabbed a few gems and put them in a bag, but before he left, he (Being an Element of Generosity) took some bits and gave them to the vendor. The vendor didn't have time to protest, because Spike was already gone.

The day was passing and Spike found himself by many places. He found himself by a music shop, a blacksmithing place, a candy store and even an arcade. He spent a few minutes in the arcade and saw the games they had to offer, like Pac-Pony, Mare-io Bros, and even a shooter game called Battle for Stalliongrad.

He left the arcade and continued on his way. Before long, he saw a grand building that loomed ahead, its crystal spires reaching for the sky. He walked closer to it and saw a sight that said 'Crystal Empire Library' on the building. He stepped inside and saw that the library was vast and filled with rows upon rows of books and artifacts. Spike wandered through the aisles, his eyes wide with wonder. He wondered if Twilight ever went in here and got a nosebleed from all the books in here.

He found a comfortable place to sit and decided to look for some books nearby. He found books on ancient Equestrian history, magical artifacts, and even some rare tomes on dragon lore. But one book stood out to him, and that was the book of forgotten heroes. He picked it up and went back to his spot and started reading.

As he read through the book, he was both fascinated and confused at the same time. "It says here that this one hero was great friends of the princesses, but then Celestia, for some reason used a spell to wipe him from history, making creatures think he never existed. What's up with that? And if creatures don't know if he ever existed, then why is he in this book?"

After finishing the book, Spike decided that it was time to go home. He saw the castle in the distance and began his trek back. Although as he was walking, he heard what sounded like somepony yelling.

"YOU ARE A SPITTING IMAGE OF YOUR FATHER, YOUNG FILLY!!"

Spike followed the sounds of the yelling and saw that an old mare, one with turquoise fur, a brownish pinkish mane and tail, some glasses and a trophy as a cutie mark was yelling at a small filly that had light pink fur, a neon green mane and tail, some headphones and no cutie mark. She also had tears in her eyes at being yelled at.

"NOW GET HOME OR I WILL PLACE YOU IN THE CHOKEE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY TOMORROW!!" the old mare yelled.

"Y-Yes ma'am." the filly shakily said as she watched the old mare walk away before she walked away from the premises.

Spike was distraught for the filly, so he decided to go after her. "Wait, I want to talk to you." he called out. The filly stopped and turned around to look at him. Her eyes widened at him, knowing that he was the savior of their empire, so she did her best to stop crying and try and give him her best first impression. "H-hi Spike the Brave and Glorious."

"Hey, you don't need to be so formal," Spike said kindly, noticing the tears still brimming in her eyes. "What's your name?"

The filly wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm Lemon Zest."

Spike smiled warmly. "It's nice to meet you, Lemon Zest. Are you okay? I couldn't help but overhear what happened back there."

Lemon Zest glanced back in the direction the old mare had gone, then looked down at the ground, her ears drooping. "That old mare was the principal of the school I go to, which is Crystal Elementary. Her name is Abacus Cinch and she's... she's pretty strict. I didn't mean to get in trouble, but sometimes it feels like nothing I do is ever good enough for her."

Spike's heart ached for her. "I'm sorry to hear that, Lemon Zest. No one should be treated that way. Do you have any friends or family you can talk to about this?"

"I do have a few friends, but they're already back home with their families, so I can't really go to them right now. And my parents... all they ever seem to care about is their own television."

Spike thought for a moment, trying to come up with a way to help. An idea then clicked into his mind. "What I saw from that Abacus Cinch was straight up child abuse and child neglect. I can probably find evidence to incriminate her and put her behind bars, so you won't have to worry about her anymore."

Lemon Zest was skeptical about it though. "How are we going to incriminate her?" she asked.

Spike smiled and reassured her, "Just leave it to me. Now, I think you should get home and get some dinner. You look tired and you should go home and get some rest."

"I hope I see you later Brave and Glorious." Lemon Zest said before going back to her home. Spike, who was starting to feel the effects of the energy spell wear off, decided to go back to the castle and see how Cadence and Shining were doing.

Spike made his way back to the castle, feeling the effects of Shining Armor's energy spell beginning to wear off. The day had been long and eventful, but the encounter with Lemon Zest weighed heavily on his mind. He knew he had to find a way to help her, but first, he needed to talk to Cadence and Shining Armor about what he had witnessed.

As he approached the castle, the sun was starting to set, casting a beautiful golden hue over the Crystal Empire. The sight was breathtaking, but Spike was too focused on his mission to fully appreciate it. He entered the castle and made his way to the dining room, where he found Cadence and Shining Armor discussing something quietly.

"Hey, Cadence, Shining Armor," Spike greeted, trying to mask his fatigue.

"Spike! How was your day?" Cadence asked, her smile genuine and warm.

"It was great," Spike replied, then hesitated. "But I need to talk to you about something important."

Shining Armor's expression grew serious. "What's going on, Spike?"

Spike took a deep breath and recounted his encounter with Lemon Zest and Abacus Cinch, detailing the harsh treatment he had witnessed. Cadence and Shining Armor listened intently, their expressions growing more concerned with each passing moment.

"That's unacceptable," Cadence said firmly once Spike had finished. "No child should be treated that way, especially not by someone in a position of authority."

Shining Armor nodded in agreement. "We need to look into this and ensure that Abacus Cinch is held accountable for her actions. Spike, thank you for bringing this to our attention."

"How can we help Lemon Zest?" Spike asked, his worry for the young filly evident in his voice.

"We'll start by investigating Abacus Cinch," Shining Armor said. "If she's been abusive, we need to gather evidence and make sure she's removed from her position."

"I think we should investigate Crystal Elementary tomorrow, see what she has." Spike suggested.

"Great idea Spike. Now, you look a little tired, let's have some dinner and then you can go to bed." Cadence said.

"That sounds great." Spike said as he get ready for dinner.

Author's Note

This is Spike's first day at the Crystal Empire. Hope you enjoy.

Showing Shooting Star around

Spike left the castle and saw that all of the snow has melted, which isn't something new for Spike. He did remember this one time where it snowed for one day and the ponies were saying it's was time for winter wrap up. Spike was confused at that, seeing as how it only snowed for one day, but as he continued to live in Ponyville over the next few years, this became nothing new to him. Spike stopped thinking about that though as he continued to where he would find Shooting Star, which is now Derpy and the Doctor's place.

Spike walked through Ponyville, enjoying the crisp morning air and the quiet stillness of the town. As he approached Derpy and the Doctor's house, he could hear the sounds of laughter and conversation from inside. The festive decorations seemed to be put away since it was the day after Hearths Warming, but the home still felt inviting to him.

He went up to the door and knocked a few times to get their attention. Derpy answered the door and she smiled seeing Spike.

"Good morning Spike. Come on in." she exclaimed as she stepped aside, letting him enter the abode. Spike walked in and instantly smelled the sweet aroma of fresh muffins. He also saw the doctor fiddling around with what looked like a strange gadget. Derpy picked up the muffin tray and brought it over to Spike. "Would you like a muffin, Spike?" she asked.

"Sure, Derpy, I'd love one," Spike replied, feeling the warmth of their hospitality wash over him.

Shooting Star bounced over to the Doctor, who looked up from his gadget with a grin. "Morning, Spike. How was the castle when you got back?"

"It was fine. Twilight and her friends are back from the Crystal Empire. They had quite the party up there," Spike said, trying to keep his tone light, trying to hide the angst that gnawed at him on the inside.

Derpy frowned. "I still don't think it was fair that they leave you behind like that, especially on a big holiday where you're supposed to spend it with family."

Spike tried to avert the sadness. "You don't have to worry about me guys. I'm used to it. I've pretty much grown numb to them leaving me behind to do chores while they have fun."

At this, the Doctor frowned. "That's even worse, Spike. You shouldn't have to go through with that."

Spike sighed, his shoulders slumping a little. "I know, but it’s just the way it is. I'm glad I got to spend Hearth's Warming with you all, though. It made it special."

Derpy put a comforting hoof on Spike's shoulder. "Well, you're always welcome here, Spike. Anytime you need a break from the castle or just want to hang out, our door is open."

Shooting Star, her eyes filled with determination, added, "And if you ever need to talk or need help with anything, I'm here for you too, Spike. You're my friend, and friends look out for each other."

Spike's heart warmed at their words. "Thanks, you guys. It means a lot."

Shooting Star, willing to change the subject asked, "Hey Spike, I'm gonna go explore Ponyville today and see what it has to offer. Would you like to come with me?"

Spike beamed at that. "I'd love to. I actually came here to ask you if you'd like a tour around the town.

"Well the answer will be a yes Spike."

Hey Derpy, hey Doctor, would you like to come with us on this tour of the town?" Spike asked.

Derpy shook her head. "Sorry Spike, but I have to deliver some invitations for a wedding that's going on in a few days here in Ponyville. I may see you two while delivering them though."

The Doctor also shook his head. "I can't come either because I have some amazing ideas for new inventions and I want to have some time to work on those."

Spike nodded, understanding. "No worries, Derpy. No worries, Doctor. Shooting Star and I will make sure to enjoy the tour and maybe bring you back some stories."

Derpy smiled warmly. "Have fun, you two. Ponyville is a wonderful place with lots to see. Oh, and be sure to try the Apple family's cider stand if they're open today."

With a final wave, Spike and Shooting Star left Derpy and the Doctor's cozy home and stepped out into the bright, crisp morning. The streets of Ponyville were bustling with ponies going about their day, many of them still in high spirits from the previous day's Hearth's Warming celebrations.

"So, what would you like to see first in town?" Spike asked her.

Shooting Star thought for a moment, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "How about we start with Sweet Apple Acres? Derpy mentioned their cider, and I’d love to see the farm.”

Spike nodded, leading the way through the town. “Good choice! Sweet Apple Acres is one of the most iconic places in Ponyville.” So Spike and Shooting Star started walking towards Sweet Apple Acres and soon after they started walking, they arrived in the marketplace.

"This is the marketplace Shooting Star, this is where ponies buy things. It's pretty self explanatory." Spike explained.

"I've been here before, when Timor unleashed those wild beasts onto the town. They were about to eat me, but you saved me from the beasts like a knight in shining armor."

Spike snickered. "Like that will ever happen. He's married."

"What?"

"What?... Anyway, moving on."

They moved through the bustling marketplace, Spike pointing out various stalls and vendors as they passed, such as the candy shop which Bon Bon sold her sweets at, and a couple more stands where there were apples and pears being sold. The sights and sounds of the market were vibrant, with ponies chatting and haggling over goods, creating a lively atmosphere. Shooting Star marveled at the variety of items available, from fresh produce to hoofmade crafts like paper.

As they reached the end of the marketplace, they started making their way towards Sweet Apple Acres. The path led them past rolling hills and picturesque fields, the air filled with the scent of apple blossoms.

When they arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, they were greeted by Applejack, who was busy tending to the apple trees. She waved as she saw them approaching. "Well howdy, Spike! I thought you would still be in the castle with Twilight working.

Spike sighed and gave a smile. "Twilight gave me the day off to to whatever I want, so I am giving a tour around Ponyville to my new friend here. Sweet Apple Acres was the second place on our agenda after the marketplace."

Shooting Star decided to introduce herself. "Hi there. My name is Shooting Star and I'm new to Ponyville. I was actually gonna explore the town by myself, but then Spike asked if he could give me a tour of the town, so now he's showing me around. We were actually hoping to try some of your sweet, delicious apple cider that I heard a lot about, if it's available, that is."

Applejack nodded warmly. "Nice to meet ya, Shooting Star. And you're in luck! We just finished a fresh batch of cider this mornin'. Follow me and I'll get ya both a cup."

As they followed Applejack to the cider stand, Shooting Star took in the beauty of the farm. "This place is amazing," she said, her eyes wide with admiration. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Sweet Apple Acres is one of Ponyville's pride and joys," Spike explained. "The Apple family works really hard to keep it running."

They made it to the apple cider stand where Applejack started making two cups of cider and handed them to Spike and Shooting Star. "Here you go you 2. They're freshly made and full of flavor."

They took a sip, and Shooting Star's eyes lit up with delight. "This is delicious! Thank you, Applejack."

"Anytime, sugarcube," Applejack replied with a grin. "Enjoy yer tour of Ponyville. There's plenty more to see."

"Actually Applejack, before we leave, is your family here. I think Shooting Star should get to know the entire apple family." Spike asked.

Applejack smiled warmly at Spike’s suggestion. "Of course, y’all should meet the rest of the family. Follow me, they’re all around here somewhere."

As they walked through the orchard, Applejack pointed out different areas of the farm and talked about the various activities that kept them busy throughout the year. The apple trees stretched out in neat rows, their branches heavy with ripening fruit, and the scent of apples filled the air.

They soon reached the farmhouse, where a pony with light green fur and pure white hair was sitting on the porch in a rocking chair, enjoying the morning sun. Applejack waved to her. "Granny, we've got some visitors!"

Granny Smith looked up and smiled. "Well, ain't this a pleasant surprise! Who do we have here, Applejack?"

Applejack introduced them. "This is Spike, Twilight’s assistant, and his new friend Shooting Star. Spike’s givin’ her a tour of Ponyville, and they wanted to meet the family."

"It's always nice to meet new friends. I'm pretty sure the rest of the family is already on the field."

Just then, a giant red stallion walked up to the house, carrying baskets of fresh apples, freshly bucked. "Howdy." was all he said.

Applejack introduced him as well. "This here’s Big Macintosh, my big brother. He’s the muscle of the family."

Spike chuckled. "Hey Big Mac! Good to see you. Are you still on for guys night in a few days?"

Big Mac smiled. "Eeyup."

Shooting Star smiled shyly. "It's really nice to meet all of you. Your farm is beautiful."

"Thank ya kindly," Granny Smith replied. "We put a lot of love and hard work into it. It's been in our family for generations."

Apple Bloom came running out of the house, her eyes bright with curiosity. "Who's here, Applejack?"

Applejack laughed. "Apple Bloom, Spike is here and his new friend Shooting Star. He's showing her around since she's new to the place."

"Well howdy Shooting Star. It's nice to have you at Sweet Apple Acres."

Shooting Star smiled warmly at the younger Apple sibling. "Thank you, Apple Bloom. It's wonderful to be here and meet all of you."

Apple Bloom's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "If y'all got time, I can show ya around the farm and maybe we can go see the clubhouse. My friends and I usually plan how to get our cutie marks there."

Spike glanced at Shooting Star, who nodded eagerly. "That sounds like fun, Apple Bloom. Lead the way!"

As Apple Bloom led them towards the clubhouse, the trio chatted about various aspects of farm life. The clubhouse itself was nestled in a tree, painted with bright colors and adorned with posters and drawings from the Crusaders' adventures. Shooting Star admired the creativity and effort put into it.

"This is amazing, Apple Bloom," she said, genuinely impressed. "You and your friends have done a fantastic job."

Apple Bloom beamed with pride. "Thanks! We’ve had lots of adventures here, and we're so close to getting our cutie marks, I can almost taste it."

After spending some time at the clubhouse, they made their way back to the farmhouse. Spike and Shooting Star thanked the Apple family for their hospitality and promised to visit again soon.

"Y'all come back anytime," Applejack said with a wave. "And enjoy the rest of yer tour!"

As they left Sweet Apple Acres, Shooting Star turned to Spike, her face glowing with excitement. "This has been so much fun already, Spike. Thank you for showing me around."

Spike smiled, feeling a sense of fulfillment in making his new friend happy. "I'm glad you're enjoying it. So, where to next? We still have plenty of Ponyville to explore."

"How about that building that looks like a cupcake."

"Sugarcube corner it is. They sell many delicious things which I believe you will love." So the pair walked back into the town where they saw a cupcake shaped building in the distance. As they entered, the sweet aroma of freshly baked goods filled the air. Ms. Cake walked up to them, smiling.

"Hi Spike, Welcome back to Sugarcube Corner. Who's your friend?"

"Hi Ms. Cake. This is my friend Shooting Star. She's new here and I'm giving her a tour." Spike said

"Hello Shooting Star, it is a pleasure to meet you. Since you're new to this town, your order will be on the house." Ms. Cake explained.

"Really? Thanks. In that case, I'll have a blue cupcake with sapphires." Spike ordered.

"And I will have a regular chocolate cupcake." Shooting Star ordered.

"Coming right up." With that, she went to the back of the counter and got a both their orders. She came back and gave Spike and Shooting Star their orders. "Here you go you 2. Have a great day."

Spike and Shooting Star left the store and continued the tour. They came across a building that looked like a carousel.

"That over there is the Carousel Boutique, where Rarity creates her amazing fashion designs," Spike explained, his eyes lighting up with admiration.

Shooting Star glanced at the elegant building with curiosity. "I'd love to meet her sometime. Her designs must be incredible if you're this excited about them."

Spike blushed slightly but nodded. "Yeah, Rarity is really talented. And she's always happy to meet new ponies."

They continued walking, eventually arriving at the town square, where the large, ornate town hall stood proudly. Spike gestured to the impressive structure. "This is the town hall. It's where Mayor Mare holds meetings and important events take place."

Shooting Star looked around, taking in the hustle and bustle of the square. "Ponyville really is a charming place. There's so much to see and do."

Spike smiled, pleased with her enthusiasm. "I'm glad you're enjoying the tour. There's still so much more to show you. How about we head over to Fluttershy's cottage next? It's a bit of a walk, but it's worth it."

Shooting Star nodded eagerly. "I'd love to see Fluttershy's cottage. I've heard she has a lot of adorable animals there."

They made their way out of the town center and along a path that led to the outskirts of Ponyville. The scenery gradually changed to more rural and tranquil surroundings, with lush green fields and the occasional woodland area. As they walked, they chatted about their favorite activities and interests, growing more comfortable in each other's company.

After a pleasant walk, they arrived at Fluttershy's cozy cottage, nestled near the edge of the Everfree Forest. The cottage was surrounded by a variety of animal homes and feeders, and the soft sounds of birds singing and animals chattering filled the air. Fluttershy was outside, tending to a group of rabbits.

"Hey, Fluttershy!" Spike called out as they approached.

Fluttershy looked up and smiled warmly. "Oh, hello Spike. It's so nice to see you. And who is your friend?"

"This is Shooting Star," Spike introduced. "She's new to Ponyville, and I'm showing her around."

Fluttershy walked over, her gentle demeanor putting Shooting Star at ease. "It's lovely to meet you, Shooting Star. Welcome to Ponyville."

Shooting Star smiled. "Thank you, Fluttershy. Your cottage is beautiful, and the animals are so adorable."

Fluttershy beamed with pride. "I'm glad you like it. Would you like to meet some of the animals?"

Shooting Star nodded eagerly. "I'd love to."

Fluttershy led them around the cottage, introducing them to various animals and sharing stories about each one. Shooting Star was enchanted by the peaceful environment and the care Fluttershy put into looking after her animal friends. Spike watched with a smile, happy to see Shooting Star enjoying herself.

After spending some time with the animals, they thanked Fluttershy and continued their tour. They walked back towards town, discussing what they had seen and planning their next stop.

But as they were walking, something caught Shooting Star's eye. "What happened over there Spike?" He turned and saw what she was looking at. It was a a charred crater that used to hold a very special tree.

He sighed and looked down. "That used to be the golden oaks library, and it also used to be... my old home?"

That made Shooting Star's heart stop. "Wh-What happened?"

"A monster by the name of Lord Tirek attacked Equestria and in an attempt to kill Twilight, he destroyed our old home." Spike said in a monotone voice.

Unexpectedly, Shooting Star hugged him. "Oh Spike, I'm so sorry about that."

Spike hugged back and told her, "It's ok Shooting Star, you don't have to worry about it. I live in a castle now, it's just... different."

"Well I hope things get better for you Spike. You deserve it."

"Thanks. On a side note, would you like to meet Twilight at the castle?" Spike asked.

"Sure. I would like to see her and see how she's like." And with that, they walked over to the castle. Once they got there, they opened the doors and saw her walking around, exploring.

Twilight saw them and walked over to them. "Hi Spike. I hope you're having a great day off."

"I am Twilight. I'm showing my new friend around Ponyville since she's new here."

"Well, it's great meeting you Shooting Star. I'm Twilight, the princess of friendship. Spike knows this town really well so you'll be in great hooves. Or claws in his case."

"This was actually the last place of the tour we're touring, so I'm gonna bring her home now."

"Aw Spike, such a good gentledrake. Kind of like the time Cadence taught him all about love when we were younger."

"See you around Twilight." Spike said with a wave. Twilight waved back and they left the castle.

As they were going back to Derpy's and the Doctor's place, Spike and Shooting Star began talking. "Thanks for giving me the tour around Ponyville."

Spike nodded and said, "No problem. A friend of mine should always know where to go when walking around town." They continued walking until they got to their destination. Spike and Shooting Star said their goodbyes and hugged before Shooting Star went into the house and Spike made his way back to the castle.

A Ponyville Wedding

A week has passed since Spike gave Shooting Star the tour around Ponyville and things happened. Spike started working around the castle again while Twilight got to have fun. They even had a new year's party at Sweet Apple Acres while he cleaned the castle, but once he was done, he invited Shooting Star, Derpy and the Doctor over to spend new years with him.

The Doctor smiled. "Thanks for inviting us Spike. It's nice to be at the castle."

"No problem Doctor." Spike replied with a smile. "Twilight made me clean the castle while she was at her own party with her own friends, but now I have my own party with my own friends."

"Speaking of parties, are you coming to Cranky's and Matilda's wedding tomorrow, Spike? I heard that even the princesses are coming to this wedding." Derpy asked.

"You bet I am. I'm coming even if Twilight makes me stay behind." Spike said.

"Perfect, I'll make sure we get seats for all of us to sit together then. It will be a great day."

As they talked, Shooting Star looked at the clock and saw that it was 15 seconds until midnight. "Guys, It's almost time. 13 seconds."

Then they all started counting down the seconds.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!" all of them shouted at the same time and they started celebrating like crazy, with the Doctor pulling Derpy to him and they kissed. Spike hugged Shooting Star as was tradition to close friends.

After another while, Derpy, Shooting Star and the Doctor left the castle to go home, while Spike went to his room where he got into his bed and went to sleep.

The next morning, Spike woke up to, nothing. No orders for breakfast or for cleaning, just nothing. He's guessing that Twilight was still at Sweet Apple Acres after they had their party which he thought was amazing. So he got out of bed and went to the kitchen to make himself some breakfast. He decided to make some waffles and he added some blue sapphires into the batter for color, flavor and texture. Once he finished making his waffles, he put his slightly blue breakfast onto a plate. He ate it up and washed his dish and cleaned up a little around the kitchen counter. Wouldn't want Twilight to be angry at him.

He walked to the main hall to get ready for the day and the wedding when he saw a note on the middle of the floor. He walked up to it, grabbed it and read it. It said,

Dear Spike,

I just got word that a bugbear has gone rogue in Ponyville today, so while me and my friends fight it off, I want you to take my place in getting things ready for Cranky's and Matilda's wedding. There should be music, flowers and catering to the wedding. And don't embarrass yourself in the process, the princesses are supposed to be at the wedding too, even Cadence and Shining Armor.

I wish you the best of luck, and sincerely, Twilight Sparkle

Spike sighed in frustration at the last part. Why would he even embarrass himself? He doesn't need to be told that all the time. Spike just shrugged it off and went into town to help the best he can with the wedding.

As he entered the town, he saw Shooting Star looking for him, so he walked up to her and said hi.

"Hi Shooting Star. How are you doing today?" he asked

"It honestly could be better. Derpy is really stressed and sad today and I don't really know why, but I haven't tried asking her yet, so that might be why I don't know."

"Then should we go and ask her why she's like this, if you know where she is?" he asked.

"Yeah, let's go find her and ask her what's wrong." and with that, they both walked around Ponyville, hoping to find both her and some answers. After walking for a little bit, they saw a cafe that was familiar to the one Spike ate at on Hearths Warming Eve, and in one of the tables, sat Derpy who was looking sad.

They both walked up to Derpy and Spike said, "Hi Derpy, is everything ok? You look pretty stressed and sad."

Derpy looked at the two and smiled, before frowning and looking down again. "Hi Spike. It's just that I've really messed up on those invitations. I feel just awful."

Spike was confused. "The invitations to the wedding that's today?"

"Yeah. Apparently, the wedding was supposed to be tomorrow but I messed up and changed the date to today. Cranky was pretty angry at me this morning. I tried to offer him muffins, but he just got more angry and walked away.

Just then, a waiter giving out drinks walked by and said, "Hm, perhaps that explains why I never got mine." and then casually walked away.

Derpy then explained, "I told Cranky I could get them printed for cheap, but that meant hiring somepony with no experience using a printing press. The only pony I knew fit the bill was a small colt.

Shooting Star then asked, "So you used a colt to make the invitations?"

"Yeah." Derpy answered. "It may sound bad, I know, but he offered and I desperately needed somepony to help me with them, but now I see that was a mistake. Oh I wish there was a way I could go back in time and fix all of this."

"I have a better idea." Spike, Derpy and Shooting Star looked to whoever said that and discovered that the Doctor was there too. He walked up to them and said, "Derpy dear, I think it's time I show you guys something I never showed anyone before.

"Huh" was the unanimous response from the 3.

"I have a secret lab where I work on top secret inventions. I can show you it, but I need you to promise me to not tell anypony about it. Do you promise?" They all nodded.

So they followed the Doctor into his and Derpy's house and entered a secret passage right by a painting on the wall, they entered and were greeted by another door. The doctor entered while saying,

"Going back in time is, old thinking my friends. I was working on a cutting edge theory, making time come forward to us." He looked around and saw that Spike, Derpy and Shooting Star weren't in sight. He then saw Derpy in an oval shaped basket with wings and a tail, with Spike and Shooting Star looking at it, mesmerized. He pulled a lever next to him and lowered it down.

"My life's work. Decades of research and experimentation and I nearly had it cracked, but it turns out there's already a magic spell for it." He then turned around and saw Shooting Star touching an electrical orb thing with her mane and tail rising and falling with every touch.

He walked over and said, "Yet there are somethings magic can't explain. Where science and mathematics are the real magic."

"Like these?" he heard Spike ask. He saw Spike looking at glowing things in a tank that looked a lot like flowers. "They look beautiful."

"Those are my flameless fireworks. never could figure out how to get them to ignite."

Derpy walked up to them and asked. "How could you even make all of this stuff anyway."

The Doctor smiled and said, "I have been studying science my whole life. Ever since a traumatic experience, I used it make the world around me make sense. It gives us explanations to the unexplainable, things we never thought were possible."

Then the doctor turned serious. "Now for the reason we're here, you sent invitations with the wrong date, so... Oh no, I need to get my suit tailored." With that, he ran out of the room.

After they all walked out, Spike began thinking. "Should we get something to wear for the wedding?"

Shooting Star replied with, "How about we just wear our necklaces that we got on Hearths Warming after defeating Timor."

"That's a good idea. You go back in and get yours, while I run to the castle and get mine." So they parted ways for the moment as Spike began running to the castle. While he was running however, he saw a crowd talking about something. He walked up to the crowd and saw what they were looking at. It was Twilight and her friends huddling up for something. He heard the Cutie Mark Crusaders talking about whether it was a friendship problem or a monster attack and he also heard another pony known as Octavia complaining that she can't figure out what to play at the wedding, especially with a monster attack. Then they heard buzzing, they all turned around and saw a massive bugbear twice the size of big mac beginning it's attack. It swooped down and hit the ground, then Twilight shot a bolt of magic at it, but Spike didn't care to see the rest as he continued running to the castle to get his necklace.

He entered the castle and ran up to his room, where his elements of harmony necklace was tucked away in his drawer. He put it on and ran back into Ponyville. The attack was still continuing, but he didn't care, he continued running until he saw Shooting Star with her necklace on. Spike had to admire the necklace she was wearing. She looked more beautiful with it on... Wait, what? Nevermind. He ran up to her and smiled.

"Now that we have out necklaces on, what do we do now?" he asked.

"I say we save some seats for the four of us for the wedding. It's supposed to be in the town hall." Shooting Star said. Spike nodded and went on their way to town hall. On the way there, they saw Derpy with a few other ponies that worked for the flower shop fainting and screaming, "It's awful" or "THE HORROR, THE HORROR!!" But they didn't care and continued to town hall. When they got inside, they saw Lyra and Bon Bon decorating the place. They were talking about things and other things, but Spike and Shooting Star didn't eavesdrop. they went up to some appropriate seats and began discussing.

"So, how would you like it to be seated? I was thinking, Derpy, the Doctor, then you, then me." Spike suggested.

"I was thinking it should be me, the Doctor, Derpy, and then you." she suggested.

"How about we compromise then. Let's be seated like this. You, then me, then Derpy, and then the Doctor."

Shooting Star smiled. "Perfect." Then they hoof/clawbumped. It was then that they heard, "Fine, BUT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS LATER."

Spike walked up to Lyra and asked, "Hey Lyra, is everything ok?"

Lyra turned around and said, "Hey buddy, I just found out that my marefriend was lying to me."

"I'm sorry about that. What did she lie to you about?"

"She lied to me about being part of a secret organization that Princess Celestia disbanded because of a bugbear that escaped tartaurus a few years back."

"Oh, that sounds scary. Anyway, see you at the wedding Lyra." Spike waved goodbye as he left town hall.

"Bye buddy" Lyra waved back.

As they left town hall, Spike and Shooting Star saw Derpy looking downtrodden. They walked up to her and asked, "Is everything ok Derpy?"

"No, the flower ponies couldn't get the flowers ready soon enough for the wedding. I don't know what to do. There may not be any flowers for the wedding.

Spike thought for a second, before coming up with an ingenious idea. "How about the flameless fireworks from the Doctor's secret lab. They look a lot like flowers and they glow too, and if we can get them to fire off, we could be in for an amazing firework's show."

Derpy's eyes beamed at the idea. "That's an amazing idea. Shooting Star, go get the fireworks from the lab and be sure to be careful with them. I'll go explain our idea to the Doctor. I think he's at a bowling alley for some reason. Spike, if you haven't bought them a wedding gift, now is the perfect time to buy it.

Everyone nodded and they each went to do their respective thing to do.

Spike POV

As Spike entered the market, he wondered what Cranky and Matilda would like. He saw many stands, some for food, some for toys, even one for expired newspaper. He thought that since they were old, they might like a lot of expired newspaper either to read, or do other things with it.

He walked up to the stand where the pony behind the counter smiled at him kindly. "Hi there buddy, what can I get you today?"

"Can I have 6 rolls of expired newspaper please?" Spike asked.

"Sure. That will be 3 bits." Spike paid the 3 bits and got all of his rolls of newspapers. "And if this is for the wedding today, here's a green present box with gold bows to put them in, and don't worry, the box is on the house. Also, I really love your necklace. Where did you get it."

Spike beamed a smile at him and said, "Thank you sir, that is very kind of you. Also, I got my necklace on Hearths Warming, but I'm not gonna say anything else. I want to keep its origins a secret." And with that, he lifted the lid off, put the rolls of newspaper in, and went back to the center of town.

Shooting Star POV

Shooting Star went back into Derpy's and the Doctor's house where she entered the secret passage and into the secret lab. She went up to the tank that held the flowers and started wondering.

"How am I going to get this tank open?' She asked herself. Then she saw a wheel at the bottom of the tank, so she turned it and it the water drained from it. Once the water was drained, she tried another way to open it. She saw what looked like a button right next to the wheel, so she tried to push it, but to no avail.

She then saw the lid on top of the tank and got an idea. She flew up so she could get on top of the tank and with all her might, tried to pry the lid off. The first few tries were fruitless, but on her next try, the lid popped off and the tank shook.

What happened next was this. The tank started tipping over. Shooting Star tried to stop the tank from falling, but to no avail. The tank toppled over on her, so she closed her eyes and braced for an impact. She heard a thud and when she opened her eyes, she saw something surprising.

The tank was toppled over, but nothing broke. Better yet, the flameless fireworks were easy to get out of the tank now. So Shooting Star grabbed as many as she could into 2 baskets and then left the secret lab to get to the center of town where she was certain the others would be waiting.

Soon after, Spike and Shooting Star were back in the center of town. They saw each other and walked up to each other.

"It looks like you got the flameless fireworks." Spike said as he smiled. "They really do look beautiful."

"Thanks Spike. I also see that you got them a gift." Shooting Star said as she looked at the gift and became curious. "Tell me Spike, what did you get Cranky and Matilda?"

"Well, seeing as they're old, I got them expired newspaper." Spike smiled sheepishly.

"Ok. Now we should look for Derpy and- No need to find me." Spike and Shooting Star turned around and saw Derpy there with them.

"Great job everyone." Derpy smiled at them. "Now let's get these stuff over to the town hall and... wait, what's that."

Spike and Shooting Star looked to where Derpy was looking. It was then that they heard hip hop music. They saw a giant sound boosts with Vinyl and Octavia on it. It also had a couch and other ponies on the couch. It kept picking up other ponies wherever it went until it was a giant ball of ponies. That was when they saw it coming towards them. They tried to run, but it was no use since it already hit them and now they were on the sound boost thing with the other ponies and couch. They then saw Matilda, Ms. Cake, Mr. Cake and the cake twins carrying a cake to town hall, and they got picked up by the new abomination. They were about to hit Cranky, but somehow, he managed to dodge them just in time, while losing his toupee in the process. However, the wheels caught onto a staff that looked like Twilight and everything just flew into the air. When they landed, they landed inside the town hall, where everyone got their own seats, including Spike, Shooting Star and Derpy. The music players, Vinyl and Octavia were in their respective place, the cake wasn't harmed and was put on the cake pedastal, and the flameless fireworks were put on either side of the altar where Cranky and Matilda would exchange their vows.

Spike go up from his chair to place the gift on the gift table, when he got there, he saw Princess Celestia and Luna bickering about something. When he got closer, he realized that they were fighting about forgetting a gift.

Celestia started asking, "What do you mean you left it on the counter?"

"I thought you were bringing it." Luna replied

Spike saw that this is getting heated, but they stopped arguing and made way for him so he could put the gift onto the table.

Celestia looked at Spike's necklace and smiled. "That was a nice necklace Spike is wearing."

On the way back however, Spike heard crying from one of the rows behind him. He looked at who was crying and saw that it was Shining Armor, with Cadence trying to get him to calm down.

Cadence looked at the others and said, "It's alright, he always cries at weddings. Usually it's not until the wedding starts." Shining Armor started crying even more.

Spike looked at Cadence and Shining Armor and started to feel a bit sad as certain thoughts started going through his head.

"They didn't even invite me to celebrate Hearths Warming with them and the rest of the family at the Crystal Empire. Do they even see me as a friend or family member, or just a dragon?" Spike thought to himself. Spike pushed away those thoughts as he put on a smile and went back to sit with Shooting Star and Derpy.

When he sat back down with them, Derpy started admiring the flameless fireworks. "Those flameless fireworks look even better than flowers guys. Hehehe."

Just then, the door burst open and Bon Bon entered. "Attention everypony, Our friends have done it. They defeated the bugbear." And with that, everyone started cheering, Bon Bon sat down with Lyra, with them having a conversation until the wedding started.

Derpy got up from her chair with a frown. "Now where is the doctor, he's running late." So she walked to the door and looked outside.

She then heard, "There you are." Derpy saw the Doctor running up to the building with a big scarf around his neck. He slowed down and said, "Sorry I'm late dear, but my suit has vanished and this scarf was the only thing left in my closet. How do I look?"

Derpy wrapped a hoof around him and nuzzled him before saying, "Like a million bits."

The Doctor then shook his head, saying, "Great wickering Stallions. Look at the time. We'd better get inside. Allons-y." before walking inside and sitting with Spike and Shooting Star.

Cranky and Matilda walked up to the altar where Mayor Mare was waiting. "So, is everypony here?"

Derpy looked out the door and saw Twilight and her friends running to the building. She glared, remembering the things they did to her dragon friend, so she shut the doors and locked it. "All set mayor." she said before walking back to her seat.

Mayor Mare began her speech. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join these 2 in matrimony. As I look around this room, I can only imagine how... uncomfortable Cranky must be." That caused everyone in the room to laugh. "But I also see so many ponies from all trots of life, brought together by love. Cranky searched all across this great land of ours to find Matilda, and no matter what obstacles kept them apart, love would finally bring them together. Just as it has brought all of us together now. It's remarkable to me how a story like Cranky's search for Matilda could fill this room with suck a unique collection of ponies. It makes you realize that everypony is the star of their own story. And it's not just the main characters in our stories that make our lives so rich, but rather, it's everypony. It's those who play big parts and those who play small parts. If it weren't for everypony in this room, and many more who couldn't be here today, Cranky's and Matilda's lives wouldn't be as full and vibrant as they are."

Then they heard crying. Spike turned around and saw that the water creature knows as Steven Magnet was crying.

Then Mayor Mare continued her speech. "And so, in front of all these loved ones, Cranky, do you take this donkey to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

Cranky answered with, "You bet I do."

Then Mayor Mare turned to Matilda. "And do you, Matilda, take this donkey to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Matilda answered with, "I do."

"Then I'm proud to say, I now pronounce you, Jack and Jenny." And with that, Cranky and Matilda kissed and the entire building erupted in applause. It was also then that the flowers started glowing and levitating, before creating a spectacular fireworks show.

Everyone was mesmerized by the fireworks, and the Doctor was ecstatic. "OF COURSE. THEY NEED LOVE TO IGNITE. HOW COULD I HAVE MISSED IT."

While the Doctor was gawking at the fireworks igniting, Spike asked Derpy something that was on his mind throughout the entire wedding. "Derpy, where do you think Twilight and her friends are. I thought they would be here and sitting next to Princess Celestia and Luna."

"To tell you the truth Spike, I saw them running to the building, but I remembered what they did you you, so I closed the doors and locked them out, so they wouldn't get in."

Spike smirked at that. "I like the way you think Derpy. Let's see how they like it when they're not invited to something." With that, they looked back up and continued watching the fireworks show and being mesmerized by it.

Author's Note

If you guys think this is slow or getting boring, don't worry guys. Things will get interesting soon.

Also, I'm going on vacation starting the 5th, so don't expect me to upload a chapter every single day. until sometime in July.

A Friendship Problem

A few days after Cranky's and Matilda's wedding Spike was at the local cafe having lunch, and talking to his waiter. "I didn't think that Cranky and Matilda would like my gift as much as they did." Spike told the waiter. "I mean, it was just some expired newspaper that expired a long time ago."

"Well, my guess as to why they liked it so much is that they're old and find anything old or expired a nice gift."

Spike nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, maybe you're right. It felt good to see them so happy."

Just then, the waiter asked a question to Spike. "Hey! Mind if I join you? It's not like there's a lot of customers today so I have some free time"

"Of course not," Spike replied with a smile. "Have a seat!"

As he sat down, he couldn't help but notice the warmth and familiarity of the café, reminding him of the Hearth's Warming Eve celebration he had with his family. "So, have you heard anything from the princess?" she asked.

Spike sighed. "Not really. She's been busy with her duties and dealing with that bugbear incident. But it's been kind of nice having some time to myself and hanging out with my other friends."

The waiter nodded. "Yeah, sometimes it's good to have a break and spend time with friends who appreciate you."

Their conversation was interrupted by a tingling feeling on Spike's head. He wondered what was making his head tingle like that. He got his answer when the waiter asked, "Um, why is your head glowing like an arrow to the local bar at night."

Spike instinctively reached up to touch his head, but the glowing sensation only intensified. He felt a strange mix of curiosity and mild panic.

"Uh, I have no idea. This is definitely new," Spike admitted, his voice tinged with confusion. He looked around the café, noticing that other patrons were now also staring at him. "I guess I should probably find out what's going on."

"I think that's a good idea," the waiter agreed. "Maybe you should head back to the castle or find Twilight."

Spike nodded, standing up quickly. "Thanks for the lunch and the chat," he said, leaving a few bits on the table before hurrying out of the café. The glowing sensation persisted as he made his way through Ponyville, attracting curious glances from ponies along the way.

As he approached the castle, he saw Twilight Sparkle and her friends just arriving back from what looked like a long day of adventuring. They all looked tired but immediately perked up when they saw Spike's glowing head.

"Spike! What's happening to you?" Twilight asked, her eyes wide with concern.

"I don't know! It just started glowing a few minutes ago," Spike explained, pointing to his head. "Do you know what's going on?"

Just then, Shooting Star came out of nowhere with a look of horror on her face. "HELP!! MY CUTIE MARK IS GLOWING AND RELEASING MORE CUTIE MARKS!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON!!'

Twilight thought for a minute before smiling. I know what's going on. Both of you are being summoned by the cutie map for a friendship quest. Follow me." So everyone went into the castle and into the room where the cutie map was. That was when they saw it. They saw a small version of Spike's head and Shooting Star's cutie mark hovering over the map.

Spike stared in awe at the sight of his head and Shooting Star's cutie mark hovering over the map. The map, a magical representation of Equestria, glowed with a mystical energy that made the holographic images shimmer and pulse. The holographic images of Spike's head and Shooting Star's cutie mark started moving until both of them started hovering over a specific part of the map.

Twilight Sparkle, ever the scholar, quickly analyzed the map. "It looks like the map is sending you two to... Appleoosa!" She looked up at Spike and Shooting Star with a mixture of excitement and pride. "This is incredible! The map has never called a dragon and a pony together before."

Shooting Star, still trying to comprehend what was happening, took a deep breath. "What do we need to do there?"

"The map usually sends us to solve friendship problems," Twilight explained. "So, there must be some kind of friendship issue in Appleoosa that needs your unique skills."

Spike, despite his initial surprise, felt a growing sense of excitement. "Alright then, Shooting Star. Let's head to Appleoosa and see what this is all about."

Shooting Star nodded, determination replacing her earlier confusion. "Let's do it!"

Before they left, Twilight said to them, "Once the friendship problem has been solved, your head and cutie mark will glow again, so try not to freak out, ok?"

Spike and Shooting Star nodded in unison, the excitement of the adventure ahead beginning to overshadow their initial confusion. They quickly gathered a few essentials and said their goodbyes to Twilight and the others.

The train ride to Appleoosa was filled with eager anticipation. Spike and Shooting Star chatted about their previous experiences and speculated on what kind of friendship problem they might encounter.

"I wonder what kind of issue could be big enough to need both a dragon and a pony," Spike mused, staring out the window at the passing scenery.

"Whatever it is, we'll handle it together," Shooting Star replied with a confident smile. She decided to look out the window with Spike and looked at the scenery moving past them. "Wanna sing the train song Spike?" Shooting Star asked.

"Sure. Train, Train, Train, Train, Train, Train, Train, Train,"

When I'm on the train
Strangers are next to me (Train, Train)
When I'm on the train
A journey just for thee (Train, Train)

When I'm on the train
Faces are new and strange (Train, Train)
When I'm on the train
The world begins to change (Train Train Train)

Let's all sing the train song
I wanna sing it all day long
Let's all sing the train song
Lets all sing, the, train

Not long after they finished their song, the train arrived at it's destination. As the train pulled into Appleoosa, the two friends disembarked and were immediately struck by the vibrant and welcoming atmosphere of the town. The inhabitants went about their daily activities with a sense of camaraderie that spoke of strong community ties.

"I must say Spike, this is quite the welcoming town." Shooting Star whispered.

"Yeah, I've only been here once, but it's never lost that charm of a great welcoming atmosphere, not to mention it smells amazing." Spike replied, wafting in the scent of freshly baked apple pie.

Spike took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air and the scent of apple pies wafting from the nearby bakery. "Alright, Shooting Star, where do we start?"

Shooting Star glanced around, her eyes landing on a group of ponies gathered near the town's center. "Maybe we should start by talking to some locals. They might know something."

The two friends made their way to the center of town, where they were met by a familiar face. Braeburn, the enthusiastic and ever-friendly cousin of Applejack, spotted them and trotted over with a big smile.

"Well, howdy there, Spike! And who might your friend be?" Braeburn greeted, tipping his hat.

"Hi Braeburn! This is Shooting Star," Spike introduced. "The Cutie Map sent us here. Do you know if there's any kind of friendship problem around?"

Braeburn thought for a moment before saying, "I'm not sure about a 'friendship' problem, per se, but we do have a problem."

"Really? What's the problem? I'm sure me and Shooting Star can take care of it." Spike asked while puffing up his chest and doing a superhero stance like in one of his comic books.

This made Braeburn and Shooting Star giggle slightly, but afterwards, Braeburn put on his serious face again. "On Hearths Warming, Appleoosa was attacked. Weird dark monsters attacked with a fury not even the buffalo have. And just a few days ago, we got word the the weird dark monsters attacked the buffalo as well, we also know that one of the buffalo didn't survive the attack, so the rest of the buffalo are moving into Appleoosa until further notice."

Spike and Shooting Star exchanged concerned glances, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Dark monsters attacking a town and its neighboring buffalo tribe was far more serious than they had anticipated.

"Dark monsters?" Shooting Star echoed, her brow furrowing. "What do they look like?"

Braeburn sighed, his face etched with worry. "They're shadowy creatures, like living nightmares. They appear out of nowhere and vanish just as quickly. We've never seen anything like them before."

Spike, trying to piece things together, asked, "Has anyone been able to figure out where these monsters are coming from or why they're attacking?"

Braeburn shook his head. "We've got no clue. I only know of one other creature that knows about these monsters and where they came from, but he went missing on the very same day of the attack on Hearths Warming."

"Do you know who this creature is?" Shooting Star asked.

"All I remember is that he was a dragon, but that's all I know. We've tried everything to protect ourselves, but they seem to know how to get around our defenses. It's got everyone on edge, and now with the buffalo joining us, space and resources are becoming an issue too."

Spike and Shooting Star exchanged determined looks. The situation was dire, but they felt confident that they could help.

"We need to find out more about these monsters and why they're attacking," Spike said resolutely. "And we also need to help everyone here feel safe and secure again."

"Agreed," Shooting Star added. "Maybe we should start by talking to more of the locals and the buffalo. They might have seen something or know something that can give us a clue."

Braeburn nodded, appreciating their proactive attitude. "That's a good plan. You might want to start with Chief Thunderhooves. He's the leader of the buffalo tribe, and he might have more information about the attacks."

"Sure thing, do you know where he is right now?" Spike asked.

"He's on the outskirts of town, discussing matters with the sheriff. Follow me and I'll lead you there." So Spike and Shooting Star followed the southern pony to the outskirts, where the chief of the buffalo and the pony sheriff was.

As they followed Braeburn to the outskirts of town, Spike and Shooting Star couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and apprehension. The town of Appleoosa had always been a place of peace and harmony, and now it was facing a mysterious threat that even the Cutie Map had deemed significant enough to send them.

When they reached the meeting spot, they saw Chief Thunderhooves, a large and imposing buffalo with a feathered headdress, deep in conversation with Sheriff Silverstar, a no-nonsense pony with a stern expression. Both turned their attention to the newcomers as Braeburn introduced them.

"Chief Thunderhooves, Sheriff Silverstar, these are Spike and Shooting Star. The Cutie Map sent them here to help with our problem."

Chief Thunderhooves nodded solemnly. "Greetings, Spike and Shooting Star. We are grateful for any help you can provide. These dark monsters have brought much fear and sorrow to our tribes."

Sheriff Silverstar tipped his hat in greeting. "Glad to have ya both. We're at our wits' end trying to figure out how to stop these attacks."

"Do you guys know what these monsters are and why they're here in the first place?" Spike asked.

"We don't know anything about these monsters." Chief Thunderhooves explained. "They're just monsters, dark, fast and strong. They just attacked without warning on Hearths Warming, making us lose one of our best warriors."

Sheriff Silverstar added, "We've tried tracking them, but they leave no trace. It's like they're not part of this world. And with the buffalo joining us, our resources are stretched thin. We need to find a solution fast."

Spike and Shooting Star exchanged thoughtful looks. They had come to solve a friendship problem, but it seemed they were also dealing with a mysterious and dangerous threat.

"Alright," Spike said, determination in his voice. "We'll start by talking to the townsfolk and the buffalo to gather more information. Maybe someone has seen something that can give us a clue. And we'll also keep an eye out for anything unusual."

Shooting Star nodded in agreement. "We'll figure this out together. We're here to help."

Chief Thunderhooves and Sheriff Silverstar both looked relieved. "Thank you," the chief said. "We appreciate your willingness to help. The buffalo and the ponies of Appleoosa are counting on you."

As Spike and Shooting Star walked away, Spike was hugged from behind. He looked behind him and saw Little Strongheart hugging him. "Hi Spike, I'm so happy to see you again."

"Hi Little Strongheart. We're here to solve a friendship problem and solve the monster problem. Do you know anything about them?"

"All of them come in all different shapes and sizes. They can have 3 heads, others can have big meaty claws, others can even have their own magic. They are all vicious and absolutely horrible to deal with." Little Strongheart said.

Spike and Shooting Star stared in awe at those descriptions. The descriptions that were given to them made them look terrifying in their minds, but they didn't back down from the problem.

"Thanks Little Strongheart. Your descriptions were very helpful." Spike told her.

"You're welcome Spike. I wish you luck in your friendship problem." she said to Spike and Shooting Star, and with that they walked back into the small town to get more clues on the monster attacks.

Spike and Shooting Star continued asking around about the monsters until day turned to evening. Braeburn offered them a place to stay at his house, and they are currently eating an apple pie and ice cream dessert.

"So this is what we got from asking around today. The monsters are dark, fast, strong and come in all shapes and sizes." Spike started explaining.

"We also found out that somepony saw these monsters before the attack on Hearths Warming." Shooting Star continued.

"Do you guys know what to do to help?" Braeburn asked, hoping the answer was yes.

"Right no, we don't know what to do. But tomorrow, we will continue asking around, see if anypony knows anything useful." Spike promised.

"Thanks guys. It's a shame that no one knows anything yet, but there's still hope. But for now, how about you guys get some rest. I'm pretty sure that today was a long day for you guys." Braeburn suggested. Spike and Shooting Star nodded before going up the stairs and getting into the bed and going under the covers.

"Spike?" Shooting Star started, "Do you really think the Cutie Map sent the right pony and dragon for the job?"

"I'm pretty sure that the Cutie Map wouldn't have sent us if the problem was too much for us. I still think we're the right ones for the job." Spike reassured her.

"I hope you're right." And so, Spike and Shooting Star fell asleep, resting up to continue their friendship mission the next day.

The next morning, Spike woke up from his nightly slumber. Spike tried to get up to get breakfast, but Shooting Star grabbed him in her sleep and held him close to her, thinking he was a stuffed animal. Spike felt very warm and uncomfortable at the situation at first, but then he started melting into it.

"I guess I can stay like this for a couple more minutes." Spike thought to himself. A minute later however, Shooting Star woke up and realized something was in her hooves. She looked down and saw that she was holding Spike in her hooves and he was completely conscious. She immediately let go of him, face red and looked down in embarrassment and shame.

"Sorry Spike, I don't know what came over me." She apologized.

"Heh, don't worry about it. It kind of felt nice, just a bit unexpected." Spike accepted. "How about we get out of bed and continue the friendship quest." She nodded and both got out of bed. They went down the stairs, but before they could get to the bottom of the stairs, they heard a high pitched, bloodcurdling scream coming from outside.

They sprinted over to the front door and what they saw horrified them. Lots of monsters attacking the town, and they looked a lot like the monsters in the locals descriptions. They looked strong, and they were definitely fast and looked like they were from the shadows. They saw all of the locals, and all of the buffalo try to fend them off but to no avail.

Spike and Shooting Star ran out, wanting to help however they can, but a monster with three heads and a spike as a tail blocked them. Having no other options, Spike used his fire breath to deter the monster and to get it away from them. It worked as the monster whimpered and disappeared from their sights.

"Nice work Spike, It's a good thing you have that fire breath. Now, lets try and fight off all of these monsters." Shooting Star said. Spike nodded and both Spike and Shooting Star went into the town that was completely overrun by monsters.

The fire breath must have caught the attention of the other monsters, because when they were in sight, they attacked Spike and Shooting Star head on. They tried their best to fend them off, with Spike using his fire breath, and Shooting Star using her combat skills, but there were too many monsters. It looked like that when one of the dark monsters was going to use their big meaty claws to hurt the dragon and pony, a loud slash was heard and the monsters scattered, leaving Braeburn in their sights.

"Thanks Braeburn. That was a nice save." Spike thanked.

"No problem Spike. Now come on, those monsters will regenerate soon, so we need to get away from this area." Braeburn said, helping the 2 up to their hooves/feet and running away from the area. They ran for a long while until they found themselves in an alley. They rested up for a minute and got back into the fight.

Spike saw a monster with a lobster arm and a griffon head, so he charged at it hoping to defeat it, but the monster was too quick. When Spike tried to use his fire breath, the monster dodged with ease. Shooting Star saw the monster's arm going to swat at Spike.

"SPIKE LOOK OUT!!" She yelled, but it was too late. The arm swatted at Spike and he was sent into the air and flung away from this town.

"SPIIIIIIIIKKE!!!!!!" Shooting Star yelled out.

Spike was in a state of panic. He didn't have his wings yet, and he knew that the impact would be painful when he finally began to fall down.

"What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?" Spike asked himself over and over again. While he was asking what he could do, he saw that he was descending to the ground at a rapid pace. He braced himself hoping that the impact won't be too painful, and then he impacted. Thankfully, he landed in a large dune so there was not a lot of pain. There was, however a lot of sand in his mouth. Spike spit it out and began to look around.

After a bit of looking around, he saw a small cave in the distance. Spike smiled at this, thankful that there is a bit of shade in the scorching desert. He started walking towards it, and when he was close to the cave, he found what looked like a dragon that looked just like him, except that his scales were orange and his fins were red.

Spike was confused, so he called out to him. "HEY YOU, YOU IN THE CAVE. CAN YOU HEAR ME?" That got the dragon's attention and he made eye contact with Spike. When he looked at Spike however, he suddenly looked nervous and began to run back into the cave.

"Hey wait." Spike called out as he began running towards the cave. When he got to the entrance, he looked around and saw just an empty cave. He decided to explore a little, hoping to find this mysterious dragon. After walking around and seeing nothing, he decided to leave, believing what he haw was his imagination, that was until he heard something in the center of the cave. He walked to the center of the cave and walked around.

"I know you're right there, just come out and show yourself." Spike said, looking at the center of the cave. To his surprise however, the dragon he saw from before became visible to him.

He looked at Spike with a nervous smile. "Hi, I guess you found me out."

Spike smiled. "I'm Spike. Are you ok?"

The dragon frowned and looked down. "I don't think you should be here. I don't want to hurt you."

Spike was confused by that. "What are you talking about? Is something wrong?"

"After everything I did, I don't deserve to be around others." the dragon said.

"What? You didn't do anything wrong. You just tried to hide."

The dragon sighed. "I suppose I should tell you. We met before, but I didn't even look like this. I did so many horrible things to you. I caused you so much pain, and I regret doing the things I did."

Spike thought about what he was talking about, before he realized what the dragon was talking about, and his face turned to horror as memories came back.

Spike started stepping back from him. "Wait, no. Timor? How are you here right now? I saw you explode. I saw the blizzard die down after I defeated you. I saw you gone. I thought I destroyed you."

"Spike, he-"

"STAY BACK TIMOR. If you try to harm me, Shooting Star or anyone else, I will not hesitate to use the elements on you again. And this time, I will make sure you never recover from that."

Timor was shaking in fear. "Please, hear me out, please don't hurt me."

Spike decided to listen. "I'll hear you out."

Then Timor explained. "I'm not the same evil creature you see me as anymore. I changed for the better. I don't want to hurt you or anyone anymore."

Spike continued listening. "Really?"

Timor nodded. "When you used the elements of harmony against me, I was blasted out of the castle at high speeds, and now I'm back to being the dragon I once was."

"So, if you're not here to hurt anyone, then why are you here?" Spike asked.

"After I was blasted out of the castle by the elements, I was flying until I landed in a desert. I was given a place to stay, but then the monsters and their leader came and ruined all of it. I thought I was the reason, but I swear I am not. I had to run, so I ran, until I arrived in this cave." Timor explained.

"Wait, leader? The monsters have a leader?" Spike asked

"Yeah. Do you remember when we were in the cave during Hearths Warming Eve and I told you my name."

"Of course. You said you were a being of darkness, insanity and evil and that you were created by somepony named King Naeus.

"He's their leader." Timor confirmed.

"WHAT?"

"On Hearths Warming, he came to that very town over there and started releasing monsters. I met him face to face on that day and many times before that. King Naeus is coming back to Equestria and he will do way worse things to every creature than I did to you on Hearths Warming Eve." Timor continued explaining.

"Is there something we can do to stop him?" Spike asked

"Please, let me help. I want to earn your forgiveness and I think helping you defeat those monsters and Naeus might be the way. And believe me, I can be a great help."

"Great, so now I have to team up with Timor." Spike said sarcastically.

"I don't want to be called that villain name anymore." He said.

"Then what do I call you?"

"My true name is Solaris, so call me Solaris." he said.

"Ok... Solaris. I still have a few questions, but that will have to wait. We have monsters to defeat." Spike said.

"Grab onto me. I can teleport us to Appleoosa and we can defeat those monsters in a jiffy." Solaris suggested. Spike was a little skeptical still about Solaris, but he had to learn to trust him if he really wanted to earn forgiveness. So he grabbed onto Solaris and with a snap of his claw, they were both teleported back to Appleoosa.

Back in Appleoosa, nopony was faring well. The monsters were attacking at a much more rapid pace than before and ponies were getting seriously injured. The attacks were so vicious, they couldn't even get the wounded out of the battleground and to safety.

Just then, Spike and Solaris entered the town and saw the horror unraveling between them. Buildings were destroyed, ponies and buffalo were injured and the monsters were gaining the upper hand. Solaris looked at it all and smirked.

"Hey Spike, watch this." Solaris lifted his claw up into the air and summoned projectiles that looked like swords. They launched at a monster and when the swords hit it, the monster exploded.

Spike was in awe at the spectacle. That awe didn't last long when the monsters started coming at Spike and Solaris, ready to attack. Solaris wasn't fazed by them as he blew a bit of fire, which then turned into a giant phoenix, which was shot at the monsters, decimating 10 of them at once. The last remaining monster tried to attack, but it didn't even get the chance to since Solaris encased it in an impossible to get out of box and shrunk it to where it looked like a speck of dust.

The town was silent, absolutely dumbfounded about what just happened. But that silence didn't last long as everyone started cheering, for their heroes have saved them from the monsters.

Shooting Star bolted at Spike and squeezed him into a giant bear hug. "Spike, I was so worried about you. I'm so glad you're ok."

Spike hugged back and said, "It wasn't just me, but my new friend did most of the work in defeating the monsters."

Shooting Star looked at Solaris and gave him a smile that said 'thank you'. Solaris in return gave her another nervous smile

Then Sheriff Silverstar entered the fray and said, "Not to be a debby downer, but what are we gonna do about the wreckage and the wounded?"

Solaris gave a confident smile and said, "Leave it to me." And with another snap of his claw, everything was fixed and all of the wounded were healed. "Now, everything should be fixed and every creature should be healed."

Everyone was dumbfounded, but they cheered that everything was fixed and that they didn't need to send a letter to the princess for help. Shooting Star walked up to Solaris and asked, "Who are you?"

Solaris looked down and sighed. "That is something I want to discuss with you and Spike privately." So Solaris teleported them to a private room in one of the buildings. He looked at Shooting Star and said, "What I'm about to say to you won't be easy for you to hear."

"It's ok buddy, but who are you?"

"I'm just gonna come out and say it, you know me as Timor."

Shooting Star gained a look of horror, then a look of anger. "You, you tried to kill us all. You little bu-"

Before things got too escalated, Spike decided to intervene. "What he meant to say was that he used to be Timor, but when I blasted him with the elements of harmony, he turned into a good guy now."

"It's true." Solaris said. "And I want to do everything I can to earn your forgiveness."

"And I can see you were genuine in your efforts, I can see you really want to be a good guy, so I'll forgive you and maybe help you be better." Spike smiled at Solaris.

Shooting Star smiled at him too. "I forgive you too Solaris, I'll help you become a great friend to others."

Solaris smiled warmly, grateful for their forgiveness. "You guys are so kind."

"Well, since I'm every element of harmony, kindness is in my veins." Shooting Star giggled at this. Just then, Spike and Shooting Star started feeling tingly again like when they were summoned by the map yesterday. They looked at Solaris and asked, "What's happening?"

Solaris said, "It looks like the fins on your head and your cutie mark are glowing."

Spike and Shooting Star smiled. "We did it Spike, we solved the friendship problem." Shooting Star said happily.

"I think I know why we were picked. It was because of you Solaris." Spike said, getting Solaris' attention. "When you confessed who you used to be, I was able to listen. If you confessed that to anypony else, you would already be dead, but we gave you the chance to prove yourself and you took it, knowing you want to be good."

Shooting Star smiled. "How about we go home Spike, I'm pretty tired from today."

"I agree with you Shooting Star. Let's head home." Spike said while standing up. He looked at Solaris and offered, "You can come home with us too."

Solaris' fins perked up. "Really?

"Of course, we said we were gonna help you, and we'll stick by that. Come on and come with us." Shooting Star offered. Solaris walked up to them and said thanks. The three of them walked into the town, said goodbye to the townsfolk and made their way to the train station, where a train was waiting for them to take them home.

Author's Note

So Spike found a new friend in Solaris. Once his enemy, now his friend.

Returning from Appleoosa

As the train pulled away from the train station in Appleoosa, Shooting Star, Spike, and Solaris found a quiet compartment to sit in and were soothed by the sound of the wheels on the railway. The scenery outside the window was a blur of colors as the train sped through the countryside. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

Shooting Star broke the silence first. "So, Solaris, tell us more about how you changed from who you were to who you are now. What was it like when you were hit by the Elements of Harmony?"

"Well to be honest, the entire time I was Timor felt like I was in a giant nightmare. When you blasted me with the elements, I felt like I woke up from it, except this time, I was flying over a giant forest. When I found out that the supposed nightmare I had was real, things made much more sense as to why I was flying." Solaris explained, before a face of apprehension and uncertainty showed on his face.

Spike noticed this and gave him words of encouragement. "That must have been scary to be blasted and then wake up flying over the Everfree, but everything's okay now. You're our friend and friends always look out for each other."

Solaris nodded and smiled. "Thank you Spike, it means a lot to hear that." Solaris' smile faltered a little after realizing something. "But what about the others? If they find out I created a massive blizzard just so I could end all life in Equestria, then things won't end well for me."

Spike then put a claw on his shoulder. "You don't have to worry about ponies being mad at you for the blizzard. For all they know, they think that blizzard was just a malfunction in the weather factory. You shouldn't have to worry about it."

Solaris looked relieved but still troubled. "I hope you're right, Spike. It's just hard to shake off the guilt sometimes, knowing what I almost did."

Shooting Star leaned forward. "Hey, Solaris, we've all made mistakes. What matters now is that you're trying to make amends and be a better creature. That's what counts."

"Yeah, you're right, but when we get to where we're going, can the both of you refrain from telling everyone who I once was and what I tried to do?" Solaris asked.

"I pinkie promise," Spike said while doing the movements. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

Solaris was confused at this. "Pinkie promise? What is that?"

"It's a fun way to promise something to any creature else. It's also sacred because if you break it, you'll lose that friend's friendship."

"FOREVER!!!" Pinkie yelled while making some cupcakes at Sugarcube Corner. Carrot Cake and Cup Cake flinched at the volume of her voice and looked at her with a slight glare.

Pinkie saw and asked with a smile on her face, "What?"

Solaris seemed intrigued by Spike's explanation of the "Pinkie promise," a gesture of trust and friendship among ponies. He nodded slowly, appreciating the sentiment behind it.

"I understand," Solaris said softly. "Thank you, Spike, Shooting Star. I appreciate your understanding and support."

Shooting Star smiled warmly. "We're here for you, Solaris. No matter what."

As the train continued its journey, the three friends settled back into a comfortable silence, the rhythmic clattering of the wheels on the tracks a soothing background to their thoughts. The sun was just past the midway point, casting a warm, golden glow over the landscape, and the compartments of the train were bathed in a soft, amber light.

Solaris gazed out the window, lost in thought. He was grateful for Spike and Shooting Star's unwavering support, but the weight of his past actions still lingered heavily on his mind. He knew he had a long way to go before he could fully forgive himself.

Solaris saw a town in the distance and grabbed Spike's and Shooting Star's attention. "Hey Spike, Shooting Star, I think we're getting closer to our destination."

Spike and Shooting Star looked out the window and saw that Ponyville was indeed in their sight. Spike was surprised at this because they should've arrived at Ponyville during the evening.

"That does look like Ponyville. Although we should have arrived later than this. I'm not complaining though, because we're finally home." Spike said.

Solaris looked at Spike with curiosity. "Is Ponyville your home, Spike?"

Spike nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! It's where Twilight and I live, along with all of Twilight's friends. It's a great place, and I think you'll like it there."

Solaris sighed at the term "Twilight's friends" and not "our friends". "I made you hate them, did I?"

Spike caught on to what he was saying and put an arm around him. "Hey hey, its alright. I don't hate them, I just lost a bit of respect for them. They did that to themselves, you had nothing to do with it."

"I'm sorry for showing those awful illusions to you."

"Like I said, don't worry about it. I sort of thought those were illusions because I don't think the ponies would do that to me. How about we get your mind off the guilt and welcome you to Ponyville." Spike reassured

Shooting Star added, "Ponyville is known for its welcoming community. You'll fit right in, Solaris."

As they pulled into Ponyville station, Spike, Shooting Star and Solaris took a look at how peaceful the town was right now. When the doors opened, the three of them stepped onto the platform, greeted by the lively hustle and bustle of Ponyville.

The warm summer breeze carried the scent of blooming flowers and freshly baked goods from Sugarcube Corner. Ponies of all kinds wandered the streets, chatting and going about their daily routines. Solaris marveled at the vibrant and friendly atmosphere, feeling a pang of regret for what he had once tried to destroy.

"Welcome to Ponyville, Solaris!" Spike exclaimed, spreading his arms wide.

Solaris took a deep breath, absorbing the sights, sounds, and scents of Ponyville. He could feel the warmth and friendliness in the air, waiting to welcome him in.

"Thank you, Spike," Solaris said, his voice filled with a mix of gratitude and apprehension. "It's beautiful here."

Solaris took a deep breath, absorbing the welcoming energy of Ponyville. He felt a strange mix of apprehension and hope as he took in the sights and sounds around him. Spike and Shooting Star flanked him on either side, providing silent support as they began to walk through the town.

The trio passed through the bustling marketplace, where vendors called out their wares and ponies mingled, chatting and laughing. Solaris couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth and community here that contrasted sharply with the isolation and darkness of his past.

As they made their way towards the center of town, they saw Pinkie Pie walking around. Spike decided to show Solaris to her.

"There's some ponies I'd actually like you to meet Solaris. One of them is actually over there right now. It's the pink one. Wanna go meet her?" Spike asked, not wanting to pressure him.

"Sure, we can meet her." Solaris answered, and with that, the trio made their way over to Pinkie. Once they made their way over to her, Pinkie caught sight of them. Solaris walked forward sheepishly and said, "Uh, hello?"

Pinkie rose into the air as she gasped and zoomed off over their heads, literally.

Solaris was unnerved at this. "Do you think she knows, guys?"

"I haven't really known her for that long Solaris," Shooting Star admitted. "but Spike usually tells me that when she acts like that, it's just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie."

Spike added, "She can be a bit random at times, but she does have that pinkie sense, so that may be a bit of an issue."

Solaris sighed. "If she zoomed off because she was scared and had to tell every creature about me, then my second chance will be ruined."

Spike and Shooting Star put a claw/hoof on each of his shoulders. "Hey, don't be like that." Spike reassured. "If Pinkie tells anyone, then we will reassure the ponies here that you aren't a threat and are here for a second chance."

"Also, did you say 'every creature'? Usually around here we say 'everypony'." Shooting Star added.

"Well, there are more creatures than just ponies in Equestria. There are ponies, dragons, griffons, yaks, and chang-" Solaris stopped when Shooting Star put a hoof to his mouth with a glare, making him stop.

"Don't you dare say the name of those parasites again." Shooting Star warned.

Solaris was confused at this. "What? They're just chang- I said don't ever say that word again." Shooting Star interrupted. "They are nothing but parasites that deserve to die."

Solaris appeared offended, but not towards Shooting Star. "What did they do?" he asked.

Spike decided to explain. "A while back, we were in Canterlot for a wedding, but we found out that the queen of the 'parasites' kidnapped and sealed away the bride and took her place. The bride was actually Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or Cadence for short. This allowed her to brainwash my 'brother', Shining Armor and let the 'parasites' invade Canterlot. And if it weren't for the power of love, the invasion would have been successful."

Solaris looked down, deep in thought before answering with a small, "oh."

"Yeah, so how about we stop talking about that and head to the castle where I can show you to somepony else." Spike said.

Solaris nodded, understanding the sensitivity of the topic. The three continued their walk through Ponyville, passing by familiar landmarks such as the town hall, the schoolhouse, and various quaint shops.

As they approached the crystalline structure of Twilight's castle, Solaris marveled at its grandeur. "This is where you live, Spike?"

"Yep, home sweet home! You can see it anywhere in Ponyville." Spike said proudly. "Although I though you already knew. You sent that ominous letter to me on Hearths Warming Eve."

"Oh, I guess I should have known." Solaris realized. "But on another subject, it looks absolutely beautiful."

"Shooting Star smiled. "It really is. Come on, let's head inside."

They walked up the steps and entered the castle, the cool air inside a welcome relief from the summer heat. There was one problem though. It was absolutely dark, no lights were on in the castle whatsoever. Spike thought that Twilight had at least some lights in the castle, but there was nothing.

"I have a feeling an ambush is about to happen." Solaris said, but he was proven wrong when the light switch turned on.

"SURPRISE!!"

The trio looked around and saw that almost everypony in Ponyville was there, and it looked like they were having a party. Spike and Solaris were surprised, while Shooting Star smiled widely.

As the party guests cheered, Spike, Shooting Star, and Solaris looked around, taking in the colorful decorations, balloons, and banners that filled the room. A large banner hanging from the ceiling read, "Welcome to Ponyville!"

Pinkie Pie bounced up to them with a big grin on her face and looked at Solaris. "Surprise! Welcome to Ponyville. My name is Pinkie Pie and I threw this party just for you. Were you surprised? Were you, were you?" Pinkie asked while getting a little to close to his face.

Solaris teleported a meter back and answered, "Yeah, definitely. I thought something else was going to happen."

"You see, I saw you when you first got here and you said hello and I was like *gasp*, remember? If I never saw you before then that must mean you're new, so I had to throw this party for you because you get to be friends with everypony now."

Solaris, Spike and Shooting Star mentally sighed a sigh of relief that Pinkie didn't know anything yet and that there was nothing to worry about. Pinkie then started again. "How about you meet the rest of my friends." and then she shoved a few ponies towards them.

They gave her a glare before the cyan pony walked forward. "Hey there squirt, My name is Rainbow, to the Dash, the most awesome pony around."

"Really, because there's more cyan to you than rainbow."

Rainbow Dash chuckled, clearly amused by Solaris' comment. "Yeah, but my mane and tail make up for it. Nice to meet you, Solaris."

A white unicorn with a perfectly styled purple mane stepped forward next. "I'm Rarity, darling. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If you ever need anything fashionable, you can find me at the Carousel Boutique just down the road."

"Thank you, Rarity," Solaris replied with a polite nod.

An orange earth pony with a blonde mane and a cowboy hat tipped her hat to Solaris. "Howdy sugarcube! I'm Applejack. If ya ever need some good ol' honest advice or some delicious apples, come on down to Sweet Apple Acres."

"Nice to meet you, Applejack," Solaris said, feeling more at ease with each introduction.

A yellow pegasus with a pink mane ran forward with a big smile on her face. "Its another baby dragon. You look sooo cuuute too. I'm Fluttershy. It's nice to meet you, Solaris."

"Nice to meet you too, Fluttershy," Solaris responded happily, sensing her happiness. He looked over to Spike and Shooting Star and said. "I think this one likes me."

"She was like that to me when me and Twilight first got here. Say, where is Twilight anyway?" Spike asked.

Just then, A lavender unicorn with wings walked over to them. "Welcome to Ponyville Solaris, my name is Princess Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship."

Solaris gave a curt bow. "Nice to meet you princess."

"Oh you don't have to call me 'princess'. I'm not one for formalities, so you can call me just Twilight." She said, embarassed by the formality.

"Ok then, Twilight."

Just then, Spike walked to to Twilight. "I actually have an idea. Me and Shooting Star would be his teachers because he wants to learn about friendship."

Twilight was confused at this. "Are you sure? Why can't I be his teacher? I'm the princess of friendship."

Solaris answered with, "Mostly because I knew these two longer than I knew you, so I trust them more, sorry if it offends you."

Twilight was disappointed, but she couldn't argue with the logic. Solaris would most likely gravitate to them anyway since he knew them more than her. Besides, they knew a lot of friendship teachings too.

Twilight nodded understandingly. "That's alright, Solaris. As long as you're learning about friendship, that's what matters. If you ever need any help or guidance, feel free to ask me anytime."

Solaris smiled, relieved that Twilight was so understanding. "Thank you, Twilight. I appreciate it." Then Twilight had a big smile on her face.

"OHMYGOSH, OHMYGOSH. Spike has a student. Spike has a student. This is amazing."

Spike laughed inside while Solaris went over to Spike and Shooting Star. "Thanks for becoming my teachers you two."

"No problem. Just remember, we'll be here every step of the way." Shooting Star replied.

"Besides, I didn't think it was a good idea for you to be Twilight's student in the first place, considering Hearths Warming and a bunch of other times." Spike added on.

"You both make good points, but I think we should just enjoy this party." Solaris said. Spike and Shooting Star nodded and they went back to enjoying the party for them.

Place: ???????????
Time: ?????

"YOUR MAJESTY, YOUR MAJESTY, IT'S URGENT!!!" a guard yelled while running to the throne room. Inside the throne room, sat the king of the phoenix, king for thirteen thousand years, turned dark. The king wore a golden crown with a ruby at the front of it. The robe he wore was a purple color scheme with strands of red and gold.

He looked at the guard running into the throne room yelling and glared at him, growling. "What is it this time, Captain Valley?"

My lord, something's going on in Equestria. The warrior is back, along with a pegasus and a dragon that can use the elements of harmony."

At this, the king only chuckled before looking at Captain Valley. "We both know very well that the elements of harmony are useless against me, they tried 835 years ago and it did not affect me. But still, we can't take any chances. They could know about me right now, and that can complicate things."

Captain Valley, catching his breath, stood at attention. "What are your orders, my lord?"

"Do you know of anything that we can use against them, Captain?"

"We know of a creature of blue smoke that turn dreams into nightmares. We can use that against them."

"So the princess of the night is back too." The king said while chuckling. "Go back to your post. Leave the creature of the dreamscape to me. I'll find a way for it to escape the princess' dream and let it terrorize Equestria before we make our move."

"Yes sir." and with that, Captain Valley left the throne room, leaving the king to his thoughts.

"Your days are numbered Equestria, that blue smoke creature will only be the beginning of our plan. Once I'm done with you Equestria, you will be wiped off of the dimensional plane, forever. And the whole multiverse will cower at the name of, KING NAEUS!!!!" he laughed loudly and maniacally.

Author's Note

I'm back from vacation everyone. Here's a new chapter to quench your thirsts.

Kings Can Create Nightmarish Sheep Part 1

The party continued for quite a while, only calming down when it was late in the night. During that time, Solaris talked to quite a few ponies and properly introduced himself to them. After a while, the party was over and everypony went home.

"Wow, that was an amazing party." Shooting Star said while patting her full stomach.

"It was a Pinkie party. Of course this was going to be a good party. I'm just glad I was invited." Spike replied, while yawning. after Spike yawned, Solaris followed suit and then Shooting Star yawned too.

"I guess all of us are tired after a long day." Spike giggled. "How about we all get some shut eye."

"That sounds like a great idea, but... Where will I stay and sleep?" Solaris asked.

Twilight, overhearing the question, walked over with a kind smile. "Solaris, you can stay here at the castle. We have plenty of guest rooms."

"Really? That's very generous of you, Twilight. Thank you," Solaris replied, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.

"It's no problem at all," Twilight said, leading the way. "Let's get you settled in."

Spike, Shooting Star, and Solaris followed Twilight through the castle's winding corridors. The crystalline walls shimmered in the dim light, casting a soothing glow. Eventually, they arrived at a cozy guest room with a comfortable-looking bed and a small window overlooking Ponyville.

"Here you go, Solaris," Twilight said, opening the door to the guest room. "I hope you find it comfortable."

"I'm sure I will. Thank you, Twilight," Solaris said, stepping into the room.

Spike and Shooting Star stood at the doorway, smiling. "We'll be right down the hall if you need anything," Spike said.

"Goodnight, Solaris," Shooting Star added.

"Goodnight, you two," Solaris replied, feeling a warmth in his heart from their support.

Spike and Shooting Star closed the door, leaving Solaris to his thoughts. As they walked down the hall, they arrived at the castle's main doors.

"I have to get home to Derpy and the Doctor. I haven't seen them in 2 days and I think they're worried." Shooting Star said while Spike nodded in understanding

"Ok then, goodnight Shooting Star." Spike said before giving her a hug. Shooting Star hugged back before opening the castle doors and going out into the night.

Spike walked to his room and opened the door. He went in and put things from the party away. After he did that, he climbed into bed and layed down, before he fell asleep a few minutes later.

Spike's dream

Spike was walking around Ponyville with no particular destination, he was just walking around. The streets were bustling with activity as ponies went about their daily routines, smiling and greeting Spike as he passed by. The sun shone brightly, casting a warm glow over the entire town. Spike felt a sense of peace and contentment as he wandered aimlessly, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere.

He then saw Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity looking at him with smiles on their faces, gesturing for him to go over to them with their hooves. So he did just that, and they cheered and Pinkie unleashed and banner that said "Happy Birthday." Spike smiled widely that they were finally celebrating his birthday after they missed his last one, choosing to celebrate their friendship anniversary instead.

Just then, Spike saw something peculiar through the corner of his eye. He turned around and saw a creature of blue smoke with a wisp of black smoke leaving the dream. He saw the blue smoke descend before it touched the ground with a light tap, and suddenly, the mood changed.

Ponyville was in complete ruins and now Twilight and her friends were now glaring at Spike, their smiles replaced with harsh, judgmental expressions. The once warm and inviting atmosphere of Ponyville grew cold and ominous. Spike's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to understand what was happening.

"Twilight? What's going on?" Spike asked, his voice trembling.

Twilight stepped forward, her eyes filled with an eerie intensity. "Spike, how could you let this happen?" she said, her voice echoing unnaturally.

"Let what happen?" Spike replied, taking a step back. Before anything else happened, Rainbow Dash flew over and struck him in the nose. Spike could feel blood coming out of it and the pain along with it.

"You tried to destroy Ponyville with your growth spurt, you monster. You deserve to be executed." She yelled at him.

Spike could feel tears threatening to come out of his eyes. "I'm not a monster, I don't let my greed consume me. It was just a one time accident."

"And what then Spike?" Twilight asked, her glare unforgiving. "You could turn into a monster at any time. Did you really think we could trust you after that?"

"We gave you so many chances, Spike," Rarity said, her voice cold and distant. "But it seems you are nothing but a danger to all of us."

Spike's heart sank as he saw Fluttershy, usually so kind and gentle, looking at him with fear and disappointment. "We can't trust you anymore, Spike," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Just as Spike was about to respond, the ground beneath him cracked open, and he fell into a deep abyss. He screamed, reaching out for help, but no one moved to save him. The darkness swallowed him whole, and he felt an overwhelming sense of despair and loneliness.

Out of his sight, the creature of blue smoke left the dream in a burning building.

Spike woke up with a cold sweat, his breathing erratic. His heart was racing and tears were spilling out of their eyes after a few seconds of waking up. Spike buried his face in the pillow and began to sob.

"Is that all they see me as? Am I just a monster to them?" he asked himself, his voiced muffled by the pillow. He tried to find sleep, but the nightmare was on his mind too much and he struggled to find sleep.

The next morning, Spike woke up very groggy, since he barely got any sleep after the nightmare. The morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting a gentle glow across Spike's room. He rubbed his eyes, feeling the remnants of his tears dried on his cheeks. As he stretched and slowly sat up, he couldn't shake the lingering sense of dread from his nightmare. His heart felt heavy, and he wondered if the others would really see him that way.

He got out of bed and went to the bathroom to splash some water on his face, hoping to clear his mind. The cool water was refreshing, but it did little to erase the haunting images from his dream. He left he bathroom to the main hall where nopony was at the moment. Just then, he heard a knock on the front door, he answered it and saw that it was Shooting Star.

Shooting Star didn't look too good either. There were bags under her eyes, and she was yawning every 2 minutes.

"Are you Ok Shooting Star" Spike asked groggily.

"Physically, yes. Every other thing, nooo-" was all Shooting Star could say before she started dozing off. It was only when she hit the floor that she snapped awake again. "TWO, NO THREE!!"

"You both didn't sleep well either?" came a voice from behind them. They turned around and saw Solaris, bags under his eyes and a tired expression on his face.

"Looks like none of us had a good night," Spike said with a weak chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess so," Solaris replied, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "I had some... unpleasant dreams."

Shooting Star nodded in agreement. "Me too, like last night, this blue smoke creature entered my dreams and turned it into a horrible nightmare."

Spike's eyes widened at that, so did Solaris'. Shooting Star looked at their shocked expressions and said, "What?"

"That's exactly what happened in my dream. A blue smoke turned my dream into a nightmare." Spike replied.

"The same thing happened to me. But why did the same thing happen in all of our dreams?" Solaris asked.

"I don't know." Spike admitted. "But I do know someone who might. Let me write a letter to Princess Luna."

Unknown to Spike and Shooting Star, Solaris gasped slightly. "L-Luna is back?" he barely whispered.

Spike grabbed a piece of parchment, a quill and some ink and began writing his letter.

Dear Princess Luna,
Last night, my friends and I all dreamt of a creature made of blue smoke. I'm sure you're busy, but whenever you have the chance, please let us know if you have any idea what the creature could mean."

Yours Truly, Spike.
P.S. Maybe you should check on Twilight and her friends too. They might have dreamt of the very same thing as well as us.

With the letter finished, he rolled it up and blew his green fire onto it and the smoke travelled out the window. Not even a second later, they all heard a sound of teleportation outside the door and the door burst open to reveal Princess Luna.

"Which of you saw the creature of blue smoke in your nightmare?" she asked.

"Wow, that was fast." Shooting Star said in surprise.

"We all did. So you encountered the smoke monster too?" Spike asked Luna.

"The tantabus is a creature of my nightmares. It escaped from my slumbers last night with the help of another wisp of black smoke. I don't know what that black smoke was, but it helped the tantabus get stronger, until it was strong enough to escape my dream and enter the dreams of others and turn them into nightmares." Luna explained.

"So that must be why we had those nightmares, and that also explains why I saw another wisp of black smoke before it terrorized my dream. But what did you dream about last night?" Shooting Star asked.

"I dreamt about the elements of harmony defeating my alter ego because the tantabus wasn't there. It must have learned about them by the dream which means... OH NO. We need to find Twilight and her friends at once." So Luna captured Spike, Shooting Star and Solaris in her magic and teleported to the Carousel Boutique.

Upon entering, they saw Twilight and all of her friends in a rather messy boutique. Animals were scattered everywhere, and so were grooming equipment. They were all in the same state as Spike, Shooting Star and Solaris.

Twilight walked up to Luna groggily and began talking. "Princess Luna, this is actually perfect timing. We were actually about to wri- Forgive me for interrupting, but this is important, did you see a blue smoke monster in your nightmare last night?" Luna interrupted.

Twilight and the others were surprised at this. "Yeah, we all did." Twilight explained.

"Spike wrote to me about this earlier and I had to see if you had the same dream."

"What was that blue smoke monster anyway?" Rainbow asked.

"It's called the Tantabus, my own creation. It escaped from the sleep because of another black smoke creature making it stronger."

"But we didn't see any black smoke, just blue." Fluttershy explained.

"I saw the black smoke enter with the tantabus, but left before the tantabus terrorized my dream." Spike explained

"Me too." Shooting Star and Solaris replied in unison.

"So that must mean that the black smoke creature was just seen by us." Solaris said.

"So that thing just gave us nightmares." Rainbow cockily explained. "No biggie."

Then Luna explained. "If the power of the tantabus grows into something we can't control, it will find a way into the real world, where it will turn everything into a living nightmare."

That made everyone terrified. "Okokokok I take it back. That does sound bad, really bad." Rainbow said in a scared tone.

"There is something that can be done about it though. I need all 9 of you to sleep in the same room tonight. That can help me jump between dreams easier and I can pursue the tantabus easier as well." Luna explained

All nine creatures nodded and ran to the castle as quick as possible. They opened the door and ran to Twilight's master bedroom.

"We need to find a way to get 8 beds in here." Twilight said. "Can anyone help with that?"

"I'm on it." Rainbow saluted but before she could zoom out of the room to get beds, 8 beds appeared in a fire of flames.

"You're welcome." everyone heard Solaris say.

Twilight and her friends were surprised. "Ho-How did you do that Solaris?" Twilight asked.

"I have my ways." was all Solaris said.

They chose to dismiss it and wait for the night to come to resolve the issue.

Later that night, Luna arrived at the castle and went to the room with all 9 beds, which was Twilight's room.

"The time has come everypony. I will pursue the tantabus and stop it from infesting your dreams."

Everyone got into their respective beds while pinkie cheered that it was like a princess sleepover.

"Speaking of Princesses," Twilight wondered. "Won't you ask Celestia for help?"

"There is nothing my sister can do. She doesn't have the power to enter dreams. Only I can, so nopony can help me tonight."

"I believe I can help." Luna heard Solaris say. "You said nopony can help, but I'm a dragon. I can help more than you think."

Spike and Shooting Star were unsure about this. "Are you sure Solaris?" Shooting Star asked.

"I know what dreams are like and what to do with them, so I can help." Solaris explained.

"No Solaris, you already suffered enough because of me. I can't put you through that again." Luna reasoned.

"That doesn't mean I can- NO!" Luna yelled at Solaris. He flinched at her tone and untimately backed down.

"Fine."

"Alright everypony, let's get some sleep and destroy a parasite." Twilight announced. And soon, one by one, everyone fell asleep. The last one to fall asleep was Spike, who still had doubts. Once everyone fell asleep, Luna rose into the air and her horn started to glow. 9 strings unraveled from it and connected to the sleeping creatures.

Kings Can Create Nightmarish Sheep Part 2

Shooting Star's Dream

Shooting Star found herself in the middle of a peaceful, starlit meadow. The night sky above was filled with countless twinkling stars, and the air was cool and refreshing. She smiled, feeling a sense of calm and serenity. The stars seemed to dance and form constellations right before her eyes.

But soon, the peaceful atmosphere was shattered. A shadow passed over the meadow, and the stars began to dim. Shooting Star's heart pounded as she looked around, searching for the source of the disturbance. She saw the blue smoke of the Tantabus materializing, spreading darkness and fear throughout the meadow.

The stars in the sky began to fall, crashing to the ground and causing the meadow to erupt in flames. The once serene landscape was now a scene of chaos and destruction. Shooting Star tried to run, but the ground beneath her hooves cracked and crumbled, trapping her in place.

Then Luna came into the dream through a crashing star and declared, "The Tantabus is here."

The Tantabus then wove through the flames, creating monsters of fire that looked a lot like the ones she saw in Appleoosa. They were all coming towards them with wicked snarls on their faces.

"Who would even create these awful monsters?" Shooting Star asked.

"The Tantabus." Luna replied.

"Then, we must destroy it at all costs." But before Shooting Star could attack, Luna held out a wing to stop her.

"No, please." she said while flying in front of her. "I don't want you to suffer anymore because of me. So I will catch it."

Meanwhile, the Tantabus began creating monsters that were even more terrifying. Luna summoned her magic, fighting off the creatures and pushing them back with powerful blasts of energy. Shooting Star watched in awe as Luna's strength and determination shone through, but she could see the strain in Luna's eyes.

"Please princess." Shooting Star said. "Let me help."

Before anypony could do anything, the Tantabus flew out of sight and into a hole in the ground, blocking it off with dirt.

"It has jumped into another dream. I'm sorry but if I am to stop it then I must follow it where you cannot." Luna told her.

"I wish I could've helped more, but you have to go and stop it." With that, Luna blasted a hole in the ground and went into it to pursue the Tantabus.

Shooting Star turned around and saw the monsters stalking towards her. "I just hope it's fast." she said in a scared tone. But then she heard a laugh from behind her and saw the black smoke monster behind her and it laughed evilly, scaring her even more.

After leaving Shooting Star's dream, she went into Rarity's dream, where the Tantabus was turning the flying dresses into pony eating monsters. When Luna showed up, she saw the Tantabus turning dresses into monsters and destroying the flying dresses. When Rarity said she could help, Luna stopped her saying she could do it herself. She fought the dress monsters, but saw the Tantabus escape through a window after bricking it off. After destroying the bricks, Luna pursued it.

She next went into Pinkie Pie's dream where she was jumping from one destination to another. Luna found herself in Cloudsdale. She said all she had to do is find it, but pinkie kept on jumping from destination to destination. Until she found herself in Sugarcube corner. That was where the Tantabus was, and it turned the cake into a cake monster that spit frosting all over Pinkie. Then another cake jumped forward and revealed it to be Luna. She created a shield that then turned into a shockwave to destroy the cake monsters, but the Tantabus escaped again into a cake box. Luna tried to pursue it, but Pinkie place jumped again, landing them in the Crystal Empire. Luna created a portal and continued pursuing.

After Pinkie pie's dream, Luna went over to Fluttershy's dream where she was being taken care of by a giant version of her bunny, Angel. The Tantabus came into the dream and corrupted the giant Angel and turned it into the giant Demon. Fluttershy was scared out of her mind. The Giant Demon was going to claw at Fluttershy, but Luna swooped in to save the day. After Fluttershy thanked her, Luna saw the Tantabus escape again into a birdhouse, so Luna created a door and flew into it at fast speeds, continuing the pursuit.

Solaris' dream

Solaris found himself in a barren, frozen wasteland, the sky a dark, swirling mass of storm clouds. The ground beneath his feet was cracked and dry, devoid of any life. He looked around, feeling a chill run down his spine as he recognized the desolation around him. This place mirrored his past, a reminder of the chaos he had once caused.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and the air grew colder. Solaris turned to see the Tantabus materializing before him, its blue smoke swirling menacingly. It touched the clouds above him and everything turned dark. The snow began to fall relatively quickly and Solaris could see lightning and hear thunder all around him.

Although it was hard to see, Solaris could still use his eyes as a flashlight. So he lit them up so that there was a big glowing fire in his pupils and then he could see just fine. However, what he saw made his scales go pale. What he saw was black smoke turning into icky gooey mounds and giving an evil laugh that sent chills down his spine. He tried to teleport away but the mound caught up to him and started sucking his life force away.

Just when he was about to go unconsious however, he could feel the mound he was trapped into being blasted away. He looked up and saw Luna fighting off some mounds. He decided to help her and summoned some swords that were shot into the mounds and made them dissipate.

He ran over to Luna, checking to see if she was ok. "Are you ok Luna? And thanks for freeing me from that mound."

"It was no problem. But I must pursue the Tantabus now." Luna said as she saw the Tantabus enter a cloud to escape.

"I know you said no help, but you are clearly struggling." Solaris said to her. "Please, let me help."

"I can't let you help. Only I can defeat the Tantabus." Luna said sadly.

"Please." Solaris pleaded, but it went onto deaf ears as Luna followed the Tantabus through the cloud. Solaris sighed and continued summoning more swords to shoot at the icky gooey mounds.

Luna followed the Tantabus into AppleJack's dream where she was polishing a giant apple. The Tantabus touched apple trees and shriveled them to the point of being diseased. Luna appeared in an apple blossom and saw the Tantabus heading into the giant apple Applejack was polishing. It created a hole into the apple to escape, while also making it diseased.

Luna followed suit and then saw Rainbow dash fighting off changelings. Luna helped and thought that the Tantabus already turned her dream into a nightmare. Rainbow reassured her that this was her usual dream and she was loving it. Then the Tantabus touched a branch and turned it into a field of singing flowers. They continued singing and when one of the singing flowers began blowing into the flute, Rainbow screamed at the top of her lungs.

Luna followed the Tantabus into a cloud and landed in a giant library, where books were flying so Twilight could read them. In one of the books however, flew out the Tantabus. It touched books and turned them into baks. They started attacking her and she flew away. When she was flying, she flew into the Tantabus, but when they were about to collide, Luna flew in and started shooting lasers at it. She tried to turn it into crystals, but it flew into a bookshelf. Luna tried to pursue it, but she just crashed into the bookshelf. Luna tried to open a dream door, but the black smoke monster stopped her.

"Well, we meet again Luna. Enjoy your flight." The black smoke said, before it created an explosion that engulfed both Luna and Twilight."

All 9 creatures woke up simultaneously, all with a scared 'ugh'.

"That was terrible. I never want to have that nightmare again." Fluttershy said.

"Me neither." Rainbow Dash added, while rocking back and forth.

Spike just buried his face into his pillow and asked, "Luna, why didn't you stop it?" so silently that no one could hear him.

"I'm sorry, but the Tantabus is somehow growing stronger and it made me fail, and the presence of the black smoke monster made it even more difficult. The Tantabus will be back to infect your dreams the next time we sleep."

"Oh no." Fluttershy said.

Applejack added on with, "I reckon I could do without having to see that thing ever again."

"But you will." Luna said. "Again and again, until it's strong enough to corrupt the waking world." She then walked towards the window. "After what I did as Nightmare Moon, the fact that I am once again responsible for harming others is more than I can bear."

Pinkie, being as enthusiastic as ever said, "It'll be ok. Everypony makes mistakes."

Luna nodded before saying, "As long as you didn't dream of anyone else, the tantabus will only confide to your dreams. I still have a chance to stop it."

"That's good to hear." Pinkie said. "Although after you left, I dreamed of me eating a giant ice cream cone with all of Ponyville taking a test we haven't studied for. See, what did I tell you? Everypony makes mistakes."

That made every creature horrified and showed looks of horror on their faces.

"Then that must mean the Tantabus is turning every dream in Ponyville into a nightmare." Twilight said.

"It's far worse than that. More dreams gives it more strength and soon it will be able to escape into the real world." Luna said in alarm.

"PINKIE, WHAT THE FUCK?!?!" Everyone turned to look at Solaris who was fuming.

"Solaris, where did you learn that language?" Twilight asked Solaris accusingly.

"That's not the point, Twilight. The point is that because of Pinkie, the Tantabus is turning every dream into a nightmare. Luna, I said this once, and I will say it again. Let, us, help." Solaris said

"I agree with Solaris princess, please let us help." Rarity said.

"But how?" Shooting Star asked. "The Tantabus could escape Princess Luna with just the 9 of our dreams."

Twilight thought for a second and asked, "What is everypony in Ponyville had one dream?"

"I can share dreams, yes. But for everypony in Ponyville? I don't know if I can do such a feat." Luna said sadly.

"Well it is worth a try, isn't it." Fluttershy asked.

"It is worth a try, and I will accept your help, but now you must go back to sleep and hope that I can create a dream big enough for this." Luna ordered.

So everyone went back to sleep, and Luna's horn glowed once again, connecting every dream in Ponyville into one.

The dream realm

All of Ponyville found themselves in a much different Ponyville. Muffins were flying around and everypony looked at each other with confusion. Mayor Mare walked backwards into a giant Derpy that made cat noises. Lyra and Bon bon were in the same body and berry punch held a balloon that held her own head.

"PONIES!!" Everypony heard someone say. They turned and saw princess Luna

"Princess Luna?" everypony asked before bowing.

"There is no time for bowing, my friends." Luna shouted. "There is something coming, something terrible. Wait, no. IT'S ALREADY HERE!"

Everypony looked to where she was pointing her hoof at and what that saw was horrifying. The Tantabus had grown larger than most of the building and almost covered the entire sky. Everyone ran away, scared.

"I'm sorry ponies, I brought this upon you, but I will end it now." Luna shot a laser at it, but it didn't work. Everypony ran away, while Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Spike, Shooting Star and Solaris ran to Luna.

"Luna, are you ok?" Spike asked.

Luna panted. "It- Its taking all of my strength just to hold this dream together. You will have to stop it on your own. I truly wish I didn't have to ask of this of you."

Twilight then gave a look of determination. "Well you're in luck."

"Yeah, we're already on it." Rainbow said proudly as everyone ran to attack it. However, a wall of black smoke stopped Spike, Shooting Star and Solaris in their tracks.

"Welcome back to Equestria Solaris, how was the past 835 years?" The smoke asked

Solaris grew pale again. "No... No... You're King Naeus."

"You are quite observant Solaris. Although I'm just black smoke created by the mighty king." The smoke said, before engulfing the trio in the smoky confides.

Meanwhile, the Tantabus turned a house into a giant monster. It got up and started walking away. The Tantabus then turned another house into a monster which pulled a pony known as Filthy Rich out of the interior and held him in it's claws.

He was pleading with the monster to not kill him, he even pulled out a bit and showed it to the monster. Unfortunately, the monster just roared and was about to eat him, when Rainbow Dash swooped in and delivered a swift kick to the monster's face, making him drop Filthy Rich. Rainbow Dash saw this and swooped in and caught him just in time.

The other house was walking around was was about to eat another pony before Twilight shot a beam at it and made the pony fall out of it's mouth. He would have hit the ground if it weren't for Applejack coming in clutch and catching him just before he hit the ground.

"Help, Somepony help." Fluttershy heard the pony's plea and went to the sound. In between the monster's toes, the Doctor was stuck. Fluttershy then turned into her flutterbat form and bit the toes to free him. The Doctor then ran to Fluttershy who turned back to her original form.

"Fluttershy, where's Shooting Star?" he asked.

"I-I don't know. I just heard you calling for help and I just acted on instinct."

"Oh no." The Doctor said as he ran off. "DERPY, DERPY WHERE ARE YOU?"

After the smoke engulfed the trio, it started creating wild beasts around them that looked like sheep but with scary faces.

"What are these things?" Spike asked.

"I'll give you a hint Spike." The smoke said. "Kings can create nightmarish sheep."

"They're the beasts you fought before Hearths Warming. King Naeus can create them too. We need to fight them with all we got." Solaris informed.

The three friends stood back to back, facing the oncoming horde of nightmarish sheep. Spike took a deep breath and released a torrent of green fire, incinerating several of the creatures. Shooting Star flew up into the air and started attacking them by swooping down and knocking them out. Solaris wielded his fiery energy with precision, slashing through the creatures with blazing swords of light.

"We can't let them overwhelm us!" he shouted, his voice full of determination. "Stay focused and keep fighting!"

So Spike and Shooting Star did just that. When the sheep were in range, Spike blew torrential fire at them, while Shooting Star punched them over and over with her hooves while they were still dazed.

Solaris decided to try and break the wall of smoke. He summoned swords and started slashing at the wall, but it just filled in with more smoke. Solaris kept on slashing though, until the smoke had enough and caught him in it's grasp.

"This smoke can also pick up other creatures Solaris. And I can also see that my beasts are useless. Come back to me, my little beasts." The beasts then turned back into black smoke while going back into the confides of the wall.

To the trio's surprise, the wall lifted up from them. when they could see the dream again, they saw all the ponies of Ponyville fighting off the Tantabus with their dream powers, Filthy rich with his bit carpet, scootaloo with her giant wings, Rainbow dash with her superhero persona and Fluttershy leading a giant Demon to attack.

Before they could help them though, the black smoke grabbed Shooting Star. Spike and Solaris looked on in horror as it grabbed her.

"Another thing I can do, is a little thing called "Possession." and with that, the smoke forced its way into Shooting Star's body. Once all of it was in her body, she slowly, but surely began to gain some kind of smoke armor that made her grow in size.

Solaris and Spike watched in horror as Shooting Star was overtaken by the black smoke, transforming into a towering, menacing figure clad in dark, smoke-like armor. Her eyes glowed with an eerie light, and her movements were no longer her own.

"Shooting Star!" Solaris shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. "Fight it! You have to fight it!"

But it was no use. And she flew at Solaris with full speed. Solaris dodged it just in time, and summoned some phoenix's to shoot some of their fire at it to get rid of the smoke. But that just made her grow even more.

"Oh, right. Smoke comes from fire." Solaris continued fighting it, while Spike tried to join in. As soon as he tried to fight it though, Shooting Star swatted him far away from the fight, leaving Solaris to fend for himself.

Spike flew until he crashed into something, or rather somepony. He turned around and saw the Doctor on the ground, and then he got an idea.

"Doctor, are you ok?" Spike asked.

"Yeah, quite well actually, but where's Derpy and where's Shooting Star?"

"Shooting Star is in danger. We need your help."

"What?" the Doctor asked with a horrified look. "I won't let her die to this blue smoke."

"It's not the blue smoke, it's black smoke, created by a outside force."

Doesn't matter. I won't let her die, I took her in and I won't waste that."

"Me neither." Spike and the Doctor heard someone say. They turned around and saw a giant Derpy looking down at them.

Spike smiled and then turned into a tall dragon with a red cape and silver armor. Derpy and the Doctor looked at him with confused looks.

"What, if you want to dream, dream big." so with that, Derpy hoisted him up onto her back and and charged to where Spike was pointing. What they saw was a battle, Spike and a bunch of phoenixes were battling a giant being in black smoke armor.

"Shooting Star is possessed by that clad armor. We need help." Spike said as he got off of her back. Derpy then charged at Shooting Star and hit her with a force of 3 kilotons because derpy picked that force. Shooting Star was tossed back while some of the smoke dissipated. Spike saw this and smiled.

"We need to keep hitting her." Spike said

Then something from the armor was whimpering. "Help... me." with Shooting Star trying to pull out.

That was when Solaris got an idea. "Derpy, Doctor, try and pull Shooting Star out. Spike, use the elements of harmony and I will support you with my magic."

Derpy, with a determined look on her face, nodded and rushed towards Shooting Star. She grabbed her firmly, trying to pull her out of the smoky armor. The Doctor joined in, using his own strength to assist.

"Hold on, Shooting Star! We're going to get you out of there!" the Doctor shouted, his voice filled with resolve.

Meanwhile, Spike and Solaris stood back to back. Spike concentrated, tapping into the power of the Elements of Harmony. His body glowed with a brilliant light, and the Elements' magic began to form around him. Solaris, focusing his energy, channeled his own magic to support Spike's efforts.

"We can do this, Spike. We have to!" Solaris encouraged, his eyes fixed on the struggling Shooting Star.

Spike's eyes glowed with the combined power of the Elements. He released a powerful beam of harmonic energy towards the smoky armor encasing Shooting Star. The light from the Elements collided with the dark smoke, causing it to crack and weaken.

Derpy and the Doctor pulled with all their might, feeling the resistance of the smoke beginning to lessen. Shooting Star's face emerged from the smoke, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination.

"You're almost there, Shooting Star! Keep fighting!" Derpy urged, her voice unwavering.

With a final surge of energy, the harmonic beam shattered the smoky armor completely. Shooting Star was freed, and she fell into Derpy and the Doctor's arms, exhausted but relieved.

The black smoke, now without a host, swirled angrily, trying to regroup. Solaris and Spike didn't give it a chance. They combined their powers, creating a vortex of fire and light that enveloped the smoke, incinerating it until nothing remained.

Shooting Star, breathing heavily, looked up at her friends with gratitude. "Thank you... all of you. I couldn't have done it without you."

Solaris smiled warmly. "We're a team, Shooting Star. We'll always be here for you."

Spike reverted back to his normal form, looking equally relieved. "We did it. But we need to make sure the Tantabus is gone for good." But before they could do anything, the Tantabus grew larger and caused the ponies around them to lose their dream powers.

Spike, Shooting Star and Solaris ran to Luna while Twilight and her friends did the same. They saw that Luna was crying with tears coming from her eyes.

"I think it's feeding off your guilt Princess Luna" they heard Twilight say.

"If that's so, then that must've been how it was able to escape in the first place." Luna cried

Solaris flew up to Luna and asked, "Is that why the Tantabus was created Luna, to help with your guilt?"

Luna looked at Solaris and started explaining. "I created the Tantabus, to give me the same nightmare every night." She started sobbing. "To punish myself for the evil I caused as Nightmare Moon."

"Why would you do that?" Shooting Star asked.

"I did it to make sure I never, forgave myself for how much Equestria suffered because of me... but it seems I haven't learned my lesson, because I only made you suffer more."

Solaris' heart broke to see how much Luna was making herself suffer like this. He put a claw under Luna's chin.

"Luna, look at me." Solaris lifted her chin so she could face him. "Even I know you weren't in complete control of yourself, but that isn't a reason to punish yourself to this extent." He looked at the Tantabus and saw it walk into a rift to the real world.

"But Equestria suffered so much..." Luna said but was stopped.

Solaris continued in a gentle and caring voice. "I remember when you did something wrong when you were young. You told the truth and you tried to make up for it. You are still doing that now. Nightmare moon would have wanted the Tantabus to ruin everything in Equestria. You're trying to stop it and that shows that you changed. You will always be Luna to me. Please Luna," He put his claw by her cheek. "Forgive yourself, not only for us, but for you."

"I-I..." But before Luna could say anything else, her eyes started to glow brightly. Solaris back up and joined the others.

"Solaris, what did you do?" Rarity asked.

"I-I don't know." Solaris answered truthfully, so they just watched Luna to see if anything would happen. Her eyes continued glowing before a light gold aura came out of her. After the aura got out of Luna, it disappeared into nothing. Her eyes stopped glowing and looked at Solaris with more tears in her eyes.

"S-Solaris?" she asked

"Yes Luna. I'm here, I'm back." Solaris said.

Using her magic, Luna levitated Solaris over to her and hugged him tightly, crying into his shoulder, him returning the hug.

"Solaris, I missed you so much." Luna cried.

Solaris also got tears in his eyes as he hugged her. "And I missed you too, Luna.

Although this confused everyone watching, they smiled at the heartwarming scene. After Luna and Solaris broke from the hug, Luna smiled and said, "I forgive myself."

That caused the Tantabus to back away from the rift abruptly, giving a shocked look at Luna and shrunk down back to her size, and walked into the bubble that held Luna, disappearing forever into her regalia.

Luna then smiled at the 9 creatures below her. "Thank you, thank you all before everything turned white.

Every creature woke up, but Twilight awoke before the others and shouted "Luna did it."

Everyone awoke as she said this and smiled. "She sure did." Applejack said. "Although I'm not sure what she did."

Solaris decided to explain. "Luna created the Tantabus to punish herself for being nightmare moon. She had to be shown how much of a good pony she was and she forgave herself after I showed her that."

Then Fluttershy saw something below Solaris' eyes and decided to ask. "Solaris, were you crying in your dream?"

"Yes I was and I am not ashamed to admit." he answered

"Shhh." Shooting Star shushed everyone and pointed to a sleeping Luna.

Spike asked, "What do you think she's dreaming of now?"

"How about we just leave the room and let her get some sleep." Solaris suggested. Every creature nodded and left the room one by one. Solaris was about to leave the room, but looked over at Luna sleeping peacefully.

He walked back over to her and started rubbing her mane. "Sleep well, Luna. You deserve it." And with that, he left the room along with the others.

"I just hope she doesn't tell Celestia about me." he thought to himself.

Author's Note

This was a hassle. Sweet dreams.

A Shocking Revelation and more Reunions

Solaris caught up with Spike and the rest of the gang a minute after they left Luna to slumber. Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, and Rarity were talking about something, with Spike and Shooting Star watching in the distance. When they saw him coming, they all turned to him and smiled at him.

Twilight approached Solaris, her eyes filled with understanding and sympathy. "You did something amazing back there, Solaris. You helped Luna see the light and forgive herself. That takes a lot of strength and compassion."

Rarity added, "Indeed, darling. Your words and actions helped save Luna from her own torment. We're all very proud of you."

Solaris gave a small smile, his heart warming at their words. "Thanks, everyone."

Although they were happy that the nightmare was over, Rainbow still had a question. "Solaris, I still have a question. What exactly happened back there? We saw Princess Luna's eyes glow after you gave her a small 'pep talk' and she suddenly hugged you like you haven't seen each other for over a thousand years."

Solaris sighed at this. "I suppose what you saw does require some explanation, and I hope you believe me. If not, I understand. You see, me and Luna used to be great friends over a thousand years ago. I even helped her come out of her shell when she was just a young filly, her and her sister, C-Celestia."

Twilight was astounded. "You knew the princesses when they were just young fillies? How old are you?"

"I don't think you will believe me. Despite my size, I'm pretty old." Solaris said.

"Of course we will believe you silly. I always believe when it comes to birthdays." Pinkie reassured.

"If you say so." Solaris sighed and admitted, "I am over twelve thousand, four hundred seventy eight years old."

The group stared at Solaris in shock and awe, trying to comprehend the immense span of time he had lived through. After a while, Spike walked up to him and broke the silence.

"Tha- That... That is incredible, how could you age this much and be this size though?" Spike asked, a little bit skeptical still.

"Let's just say... there was a bit of a curse put on me. I was cursed to stay young for my whole life, and it was hard." Solaris continued. "Staying young while watching my friends and family grow old and die peacefully, leaving me behind."

The group fell silent, absorbing the weight of Solaris' revelation. Each of them tried to imagine the loneliness and sorrow he must have endured through the millennias.

Shooting Star stepped forward and placed a gentle hoof on Solaris' shoulder. "That must have been so hard for you. I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

Solaris gave a small, sad smile. "Thank you, Shooting Star. It has been difficult, but I've also learned a lot. I've seen the world change in ways you wouldn't believe. And now, I have amazing abilities not even Luna and her sister have."

"Wow, that's amazing. Do you think you could show us one day?" Twilight asked.

"One day, but not today."

"That's ok Sugarcube. I hope you don't mind me asking, but when is your birthday?" Applejack asked.

"It was actually 4 days before Spike and Shooting Star went to appleoosa, so about 6 days ago."

Pinkie gasped for a long time before she unexpectedly rushed out the door, leaving Solaris confused. "Uhhh, what just happened?"

"It's just Pinkie being Pinkie darling. Don't question her." Rarity said.

Solaris chuckled softly at Rarity's comment, feeling a bit lighter. "I guess I'll have to get used to that," he said, glancing at the door Pinkie had rushed through.

"Trust us, you'll never get used to it," Rainbow Dash joked, earning a few laughs from the group.

"Me and the rest of us will go catch up with Pinkie." Twilight informed. "Spike, can you stay behind while we find Pinkie?"

Spike's eyes widened at the request. "But why can't I come with you guys to help?"

"Sorry Spike, but there is something that needs to be done by us. Besides, I think this castle could use a good cleaning." Twilight informed.

Spike sighed, knowing he wasn't getting out of cleaning her castle. "Alright." He said, faking a smile. "I'll do it."

"You're a good dragon." Twilight told him while looping a foreleg around him. She then released him and went to her friends.

"Come on girls. Let's do this." the girls cheered and they went out the door, leaving Spike, Shooting Star and Solaris alone.

Spike turned to face Solaris and Shooting Star with a glare. "I really hate when they do that." he then sighed in defeat. "I guess I should get started then."

Before he could start however, Shooting Star stopped him. "Aw, don't be like that. We can help you clean."

Spike smiled at them. "Thank you, you are too kind."

"I'll do you one better. I can instantly clean the castle with a snap of my claws." Solaris said while they looked at him with intrigue.

"Really?" Spike asked. "If so, that could save us a lot of time."

"You guys saw me defeat a lot of monsters by summoning things and using fire too when we first met in my true form, so you can believe me when I say I can clean this place with a snap of my claws." Solaris told them. He then led them to a dusty counter and snapped his claws. Before he snapped his claws, the counter was as dusty as can be. After he snapped his claws however, the counter was as shiny as a piece of iron.

Spike and Shooting Star were amazed, and they now knew cleaning the castle could be as swift as snapping your claws, literally, At least with Solaris around.

"That's amazing. We can clean the castle by snapping your claws and then we can see what the rest of the day will bring." Spike said. So Solaris snapped his claws and suddenly, the whole castle even felt cleaner. They looked around the room they were in and saw that it was clean.

"See, I told you I can do that. Did you ever doubt me for a second" Solaris asked.

Spike and Shooting Star looked around the now spotless castle with wide eyes, clearly impressed by Solaris' abilities.

"That's incredible, Solaris!" Shooting Star exclaimed. "You really do have some amazing powers."

Spike nodded in agreement. "Yeah, this is going to make things a lot easier around here."

Solaris smiled at their reactions. "I'm glad I could help. Now, let's make the most of the day. Any ideas on what we should do next?"

Spike thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "How about we check out the town? It's been a while since we've had a chance to just relax and explore."

Shooting Star agreed. "That sounds like a great idea. We could all use a break after everything that's happened."

Then Spike stopped. "What about Twilight? I don't think she will be happy about me leaving the castle."

"Don't worry Spike, I can spawn in a note for them." Solaris closed his left eye and a flame appeared in his right, letting him spawn a paper in front of him. "So what would you like it to say?"

Spike was in awe. "You still surprise me Solaris. I think the letter should say, 'Dear Twilight. I have finished cleaning, so I am going to spend the day with my friends. Hope you like the clean castle. From Spike."

Solaris used his magic to put Spike's words on the paper and put the letter on the table. "Now that that's out of the way, let's go exploring."

The trio made their way out of the castle and into the bustling streets of Ponyville. The town was lively as ever, with ponies going about their daily routines, chatting with friends, and enjoying the beautiful weather.

"How about we introduce you to the ponies that took me in, which are Derpy and the Doctor." Shooting Star suggested.

Solaris' eyes widened at the offer. "You mean THE Derpy and THE Doctor?"

Spike and Shooting Star were confused at this. "Well, yeah. Are you saying you know them?" Spike asked.

"Of course I do. The Doctor is a time lord and both Derpy and the Doctor are the knights of time and space. They even have a song about being knights of time and space. I won't sing it though because copyright infringement laws."

"Copyright infringement laws?" Spike asked.

"Yeah, the song was created by a different Derpy and Doctor from a different universe, so I'm not allowed to sing it or else I could be punished, but damn, its a good song." Solaris said.

Spike and Shooting Star, although disappointed that they couldn't hear the song, they were still intrigued about seeing Derpy and the Doctor again.

"Follow us Solaris." Shooting Star told him. So Spike and Shooting Star led Solaris to Derpy's and the Doctor's house. Once they were there, Spike knocked on the door.

After a few seconds, it swung open to reveal Derpy, with her trademark crossed eyes and a warm smile. "Hi guys, how are you guys doing after that nightmare last night? And you know you don't have to knock since you're staying with us."

"I'm doing well, Luna stopped the Tantabus and I'm doing much better after being possessed. Also, I guess I don't have to knock, but it would still be polite." Shooting Star told her.

"Anyway, welcome back you guys." she then took sight of Solaris. "and... who's this handsome fellow?"

Solaris chuckled nervously, stepping forward. "Hello, Derpy. It's been a while. I'm Solaris."

Derpy's eyes widened in recognition. "Solaris?! Oh my stars! It's really you!" She enveloped Solaris in a tight hug, surprising him with her enthusiasm.

"It's good to see you, Derpy," Solaris said warmly, returning the hug. "And Doctor?"

At that moment, the Doctor appeared behind Derpy, adjusting his bowtie with a grin. "Well, well, well! If it isn't Solaris, the phoenix with secrets as old as time itself! Welcome back, my friend!"

Solaris smiled genuinely, relieved by their warm welcome. "It's good to see you both. I hope my unexpected visit isn't too much trouble."

Derpy shook her head vigorously. "Nonsense! It's great to have a great friend back."

"Please, come in and make yourselves at home," the Doctor said, gesturing to a comfortable seating area. "Can I offer you some tea? Or perhaps something a bit more exotic?"

"Tea would be lovely, thank you," Solaris replied, taking a seat.

As Derpy bustled in the kitchen preparing the tea, the Doctor sat across from Solaris, his keen eyes studying him. "It's not every day we get a visit from an old friend. How have you been, Solaris? Still keeping secrets as always?"

Solaris chuckled. "Some secrets are being revealed but the rest will be revealed in due time, Doctor. But I've been doing well, considering everything."

"Considering everything?" Derpy echoed, returning with a tray of steaming tea. "What do you mean?"

"Let's just say I've had a few... eventful encounters recently," Solaris said, accepting a cup of tea.

"Eventful encounters? Like what happened with the Tantabus?" Derpy asked.

Solaris nodded. "Yes, and helping Luna find peace within herself, along with plenty more things that would be too much to explain right now. It's been quite a journey."

The Doctor leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "You always did have a knack for getting involved in the most interesting situations. But it's good to hear that Luna is doing better."

"She is," Solaris said, a soft smile playing on his lips. "She's finally starting to forgive herself, and that's a huge step forward."

Spike, who had been quietly sipping his tea, spoke up. "It's amazing how much you've done, Solaris. You've helped so many ponies, including us."

"Thank you, Spike," Solaris said, his gaze warm. "But I couldn't have done it without the support of friends like you and Shooting Star."

Derpy beamed at them. "Well, you're always welcome here, Solaris. If you ever need a place to stay or just someone to talk to, you know where to find us."

"Thank you, Derpy," Solaris said, touched by her kindness. "That means a lot."

The group spent the next hour chatting and catching up, sharing stories and laughter. After that hour, Spike, Solaris and Shooting Star decided to get up and go back to the castle. Before they could go however, the Doctor stopped Spike and gestured to go over to him with a hoof.

"I meant it when I said that you remind me so much of Solaris when we first met, now you can see why." the Doctor told him while giving him a sly smile.

"Yes I do." Spike replied while going back to Solaris and Shooting Star. The trio left the house, but when they did, Solaris found himself subdued with a bag around his head. Spike saw this and they also saw that is was Pinkie that subdued him.

"Pinkie, what are you doing?" Spike asked.

"QUIET YOU!!" Pinkie yelled at Spike, Shooting Star stepping in between them just is case. "Now, follow me or bad things will happen.

With Solaris subdued, they had no other option, so they just nodded. They followed Pinkie who had Solaris subdued in her hair and followed her to the Town Square. They saw a bunch of ponies smiling with party favors and streamers around, leading Spike to guess this was like a party. Pinkie noticed this and put a hoof to her mouth, gesturing for him to be quiet. After that, Pinkie put Solaris down and took the bag off of his head.

When he could see clearly, everyone shouted, "SURPRISE!! HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!"

Solaris blinked in surprise, taking in the sight of the decorated town square and the smiling faces of the townsponies. "A... birthday party?" he said, his voice a mixture of confusion and gratitude.

"Yes, a birthday party just for you!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing up and down with excitement. "I know it's a bit late, but nopony deserved to have their birthday go uncelebrated!"

Solaris smiled. "This looks great, but why did you subdue me and put a bag over my head like you were kidnapping me?" he asked Pinkie.

"Well, its a great way to surprise somepony, and it's also payback you yelling at me last night." Pinkie replied.

"Oh." Solaris said, looking down, shamed that he yelled at her last night. "I'm sorry Pinkie."

"Oh don't mention it Solaris." Pinkie reassured. "Besides, everypony makes mistakes."

Solaris walked over to Rainbow Dash and told her, "You are right Cyan, I will never get used to Pinkie's antics."

Everyone laughed while Rainbow looked at him because of her new nickname. "Cyan huh?"

"Yeah, because like I said, there is more cyan to you than rainbow." Solaris said

Rainbow thought for a bit. "I actually kind of like that nickname, it has a nice ring to it."

"I'm glad you like it. Now, how about we enjoy this party." Solaris declared. Everyone cheered, and started to party for a twelve thousand, four hundred and seventy eight year old friend.

While they were partying, Twilight went up to Spike. "I sure hope the castle got cleaned before you left." Twilight told him with a serious look.

Spike smiled confidently, "I'm sure the cleanliness of the castle will blow your expectations out of the water.

Earlier that morning in a different place

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty." Captain Valley ran into the throne room where King Naeus was hovering back and forth while gritting his teeth.

"What do you want, Captain?" King Naeus asked in an angry tone, scaring the figurative fire off of Captain Valley.

"Th-The plan failed. The Tantabus has been defeated." he said afraid.

King Naeus didn't say anything, which made Captain Valley even more afraid. After a minute and a half, he said "Captain, come over to me."

Captain Valley did as he was told, albeit a bit slow because he was terrified. Once he was there, a magic lasso of fire wrapped around his neck and levitated him in the air, strangling him.

"DO YOU NOT THINK I KNOW THAT?! DON'T STATE THE OBVIOUS!!!"

As King Naeus continued strangling him, another guard, this one a female, ran in. She saw King Naeus strangle Captain Valley with his lasso and yelled, "SIRE, SIRE PLEASE, LET HIM GO!!"

Upon hearing this, King Naeus reluctantly let him go, dropping to him to the floor with a thud. The female guard rushed over to Captain Valley and hugged him. "Valley, are you ok?" she asked.

"I am now that you're here." Valley told her.

King Naeus growled and said, "Corporal Pix, take Captain Valley and leave me be. I have another idea."

That made Valley and Pix grow concerned. "Wh- what is your idea your majesty?" Valley asked.

"I'm going over to Equestria myself, and I will kill those 3 myself." King Naeus informed

Looks of horror grew on Valley's and pix' faces. "You aren't really going to kill innocent young creatures are you?" Pix asked.

"You can come with me to watch me kill them."

"NO" Pix yelled, not wanting to see anyone die.

"THEN GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!!" King Naeus shouted. Valley and Pix just ran out of the door while King Naeus just smiled evilly.

"Your days are numbered you 3. I hope you have something on your side."

Author's Note

Looks like Solaris is hiding things, but he's gradually telling his secrets,

Too good to be true

It was a few hours after the party ended, and everyone decided to go home. Shooting Star went back to Derpy and the Doctor's place to spend tonight and tomorrow with them. As the sun set over Ponyville, casting a warm, golden glow over the town, Spike and Solaris made their way back to the castle. The streets were quieter now, with only a few ponies still lingering after the party, chatting and enjoying the evening.

"That was a great party. Pinkie really does throw great parties." Solaris told Spike

"Yeah, definitely. And if I'm being honest, you being here is getting me invited to more and more parties as of late." Spike said with a sad smile.

Solaris saw this and put a claw on his shoulder. "I'm sorry that you aren't invited to a lot of parties. If it makes you feel any better, when your next birthday comes, I will throw you the best party ever."

"Gee, thanks Solaris. Also just to let you know, my birthday isn't for another 2 months." Spike informed him.

"Noted."

"So, do you have any idea on what to do tomorrow since Shooting Star is going to spend the day with Derpy and the Doctor tomorrow?" Spike asked.

"I don't know what to do tomorrow, but I do know what I can do tonight. I'm going to pull a prank." Solaris said.

"A prank? It's not going to be harmful to anyone, is it?" Spike asked.

"It's nothing harmful. I'm just gonna ask Luna to make a dream for Cyan and Twilight." Solaris explained. "In other words, I'm going to make Cyan cuddle Twilight in Twilight's dream and I'm going to make Twilight cuddle Cyan in Cyan's dream."

Spike's eyes widened in surprise and then he burst into laughter. "That sounds hilarious! But are you sure Luna will agree to it? After all, the dream realm is her place"

"I'm sure Luna will find it amusing. But to make sure, when she comes in through that door in a few seconds, I'll ask for her help." Solaris said.

A few seconds later, Luna came into the room and saw Spike and Solaris. She walked up to Solaris and Spike and gave Solaris a big hug.

"Thanks again for helping me forgive myself and stopping the Tantabus. If there is something I can do for you, then just tell me and I will gladly accept." Luna told them.

"Well, there is this one thing."

"What is it, old friend?"

"I need your help with a little harmless prank," Solaris explained, detailing his plan to create dreams where Rainbow Dash and Twilight would cuddle each other.

Luna chuckled softly. "That does sound amusing. Very well, I shall assist you. Consider it done."

"Thank you, Luna," Solaris said, grateful for her willingness to join in the fun. "I owe you one."

"Just make sure to let me know how they react," Luna replied with a smile in her voice.

"Noted."

"Anyway, I must get back to Canterlot. Celestia must be worried sick about me not coming back this morning." Luna told the duo.

Solaris' smile faltered a little at the mention of 'celestia' but this went unnoticed. "Very well, I shall see you very soon." he said while giving her another hug, her returning it happily. "Oh, and one more thing, please don't tell Celestia about me, I want her to see me for herself."

Luna was confused, but then she nodded in understanding. "Very well, and in that case, I shall see you all very soon." and with that Luna teleported back to Canterlot.

Just as Luna left the castle for Canterlot, Twilight came in and saw them, so she approached them. "I must say, this castle is a lot cleaner Spike. You did a pretty great job."

Spike smiled at the compliment. "Thanks, I was hoping it would be up to par. I did get some help, after all."

Twilight's eyes widened at the word. "By help, do you mean you made your help party do the work for you?"

Spike didn't know what to say. It was true that Solaris did all the work, but that was because he cleaned the castle with a snap of his claws. Thankfully, Solaris stepped in and said, "Don't worry Twilight, we all did our fair share."

"That's a relief, I just want him to learn how to clean so when he makes a mess while I'm gone in Canterlot, the Crystal Empire or wherever, he can clean it up."

Although Spike didn't show it, he was not amused with that excuse. Twilight is usually the one that makes messes, and he has to clean her messes up.

He was about to retort something, but Twilight asked another question. "And another thing that's on my mind, where were you guys when we were battling the Tantabus?"

Solaris had an answer for that. "We were trying to save Shooting Star. The Tantabus possessed her and made her into a nightmarish beast, so we had to fight her and try to stop the Tantabus from possessing her."

Twilight's eyes widened in shock. "The Tantabus possessed Shooting Star? That's terrible! Is she okay now?"

Solaris nodded. "She's fine now, thanks to our efforts. It was a close call, but we managed to save her."

"That's a relief," Twilight said, her expression softening. "I'm glad everything turned out okay. Thank you for helping Shooting Star."

"Of course," Solaris replied. "She's a strong pony, and she had us there to support her. It was a team effort."

"I'm glad you did the right thing. Anyway, I'm going to bed, see you tomorrow before Rarity's Bouqitue opens in Canterlot."

"Oh, that's right. Twilight, before you go to bed, do you think I can come with you tomorrow?" Spike asked.

Twilight thought for a second before saying, "Well, since you cleaned so well, I'll see if I can make arrangements."

Spike smiled at being involved for once. "Thanks Twilight. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Spike." So with that, she was gone.

"I'm going to bed too. Goodnight Spike." Solaris said

"Goodnight Solaris."

Dream Realm

Luna entered the realm of dreams and used her magic to spawn Solaris in. "Let's go find Twilight's door." he declared.

So Luna and Solaris wandered the realm until they saw a door with a big purple star and 5 other small white stars. Solaris opened the door and saw Twilight reading in a meadow with book birds. Solaris used his magic to spawn a Rainbow dash in and made it fly to her. Twilight smiled and waved at Rainbow. Rainbow landed next to her and pulled her in for a big hug, not letting go. Solaris and Luna could see Twilight blush as she was being cuddled by the rainbow, but after a minute, she then snuggled back.

Solaris and Luna smiled contently before closing the door and moving on to Rainbow's door. After a few minutes, they arrived at her door that had her cutie mark on it. They opened it and found her fighting changelings.

"She told me this was her favorite dream." Luna told Solaris.

"Well, let's give her something to consider." With that, he made the changeling disappear, leaving her confused. They were then replaced by one of King Naeus' monsters. Rainbow saw this and smirked cockily. She flew in to give it a swift kick, but it evaded and grabbed Rainbow by the throat. It was strangling her and making it hard for her to breathe. When she was about to pass out, Solaris spawned a Twilight and she used her horn to make the monster dissipate. Rainbow dropped to the floor, and Twilight followed suit, wrapping her hooves around the cyan pegasus. Rainbow blushed and after another minute, snuggled back.

"My work here is done. See you later." Solaris said before leaving the dream realm.

The next morning, Twilight, her friends and Spike were on the train to Canterlot. Spike noticed that Twilight and Rainbow were sitting apart from each other, unable to look each other in the eye.

Spike saw this and decided to ask why, despite already knowing the prank was a success. "Hey Twilight? I couldn't help but notice you're face is a bit red and you haven't been looking Rainbow Dash in the eye when you saw her and since. What's up with that?"

Twilight's face got redder at that. "Sorry Spike, it's just I had a weird dream in which Rainbow snuggled me and and I couldn't help but feel comfortable in her embrace."

"So it was a dream that got you like this?"

"Yeah, I would rather not talk about it." Twilight said.

Spike smiled. "I understand."

After thirty minutes, the group arrived in Canterlot. The group stepped off the train and into the bustling streets of Canterlot. The city's towering spires and elegant architecture loomed above them as they made their way toward Rarity's boutique.

"Oh darlings, this will be a great thing for all of us." Rarity said. "Although I wish that Solaris could be here too."

"I don't even know why he just straight up refused either." Spike asked. "When I asked him if he wanted to come, he just said no."

"That's weird. But anyway, behold, me new boutique." Everyone stopped and looked at the new building. Everyone looked at it in awe. It looked like more pristine than the one in Ponyville and felt more homely to the elite. Everyone went inside and looked around.

"I take it from your reaction that you like the boutique?" Rarity asked/

"It's lovely." Fluttershy said in her shy tone.

"Gosh Rarity," Applejack added. "I know hard work when I see it, and it looks like you worked yourself to the nub."

"Despite my hooves not being real nubby, I worked really hard. Although I couldn't have done anything in time without the help of my new manager, Sassy Saddles." Rarity introduced.

Just then, Sassy saddles walked in, and when she saw rarity, she smiled. "Bust my buttons Rarity, the ponies from Ponyville."

Twilight and her friends said hi and Sassy Saddles smiled warmly. However, her smile faded when she noticed Spike standing near the ponies, eagerly watching the introduction.

Sassy's expression turned sour. "Is that a dragon?" she asked, her voice dripping with disdain. "What is that doing here?"

Spike's face fell, and all eyes fell on Sassy Saddles. Twilight stepped forward, her expression one of confusion and concern. "Sassy, Spike is my friend. He's helped Rarity countless times and is a member of our group."

Sassy Saddles sniffed disdainfully. "Well, this is a high-class establishment, and I'm afraid a dragon just doesn't fit in here. I'm going to have to ask him to leave."

Rarity's eyes widened in shock. "Sassy, that's unacceptable! Spike is a dear friend and has done nothing wrong."

But Sassy Saddles stood firm, her expression unwavering. "I'm sorry, Rarity, but I must insist. The boutique's image is at stake."

Twilight, clearly upset, looked around at her friends for support. Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie all seemed torn, unsure of how to respond to this sudden turn of events.

Twilight sighed heavily. "Spike," she said, her voice filled with regret. "Maybe it's best if you wait outside for now."

Spike's eyes welled up with tears, but he nodded bravely. "It's okay, Twilight. I'll be fine." He turned and walked out of the boutique, his head hanging low.

Spike walked out of the boutique and to the train station where he got on a train and left to Ponyville, his head down the entire way.

On the train, he looked out the window and looked at Canterlot. "I knew it was too good to be true."

He travelled back to Ponyville and got off the train to go back to the castle. However, his head was down, so he wasn't able to see where he was going, and he bumped into a small pink filly with a tiara. She looked at him with anger and disdain.

"Watch where you're going lizard." she shouted.

"I'm sorry about bumping into you. I was just heading home." Spike told her

"I can guess, the princess didn't want you around her so she had to send you home, is that it?"

"No, she would have kept me around but sassy saddles didn't like me." Spike told her.

"If so then she would have defended you at least a little. She didn't want you around her, you lizard. Heh, like any princess would want you as a friend. You're so worthless that even your own parents abandoned you."

Spike's heart sank even further at Diamond Tiara's words. He didn't want to cry in front of her, so he quickly walked past her and headed back to the castle. The walk felt longer than usual, each step weighed down by the hurtful comments and the cold reality of Sassy Saddle's rejection.

When Spike finally reached the castle, he went straight to his room, closing the door behind him. He sat on his bed, staring at the floor, feeling more alone than ever. "What even did happen to my parents? Was Timor right? Did they really just abandon me because I was weak?"

Author's Note

Poor Spike. It's hard to be a dragon in a pony world.

Attack on the Castle

Spike just lied down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling, thinking if he could be a pony, then he can be accepted. Spike's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching his room. He looked up to see Solaris standing in the doorway, concern etched on his face.

"Spike, are you alright? I noticed you came back earlier than expected," Solaris said gently, stepping into the room.

Spike wiped his eyes and tried to put on a brave face. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't feel like staying in Canterlot."

Solaris sat down next to him. "I can tell something's bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?"

Spike hesitated for a moment before sighing deeply. "It's just... Sassy Saddles didn't want me at the boutique. She said a dragon didn't fit in there. Twilight and the others didn't really stand up for me, so I left. And then, I ran into Diamond Tiara, and she... she said some really hurtful things."

Solaris's expression darkened with concern. "Like what?"

Spike's eyes filled with tears again. "She said my parents abandoned me because I was weak. What if she's right, Solaris? What if they really didn't want me?"

Unexpectedly, Solaris wrapped his arms around Spike, hugging him. "I just have two things to say about that. The first thing is that I know for a fact that it isn't true, and second, I ought to turn that filly into a donkey."

The second part confused Spike. "Why a donkey specifically?"

"Because she sounds like an ass."

Spike caught on and snickered, but then something else caught his attention and decided to ask, "Solaris, did you know my parents personally? If so, can you tell me about them?"

"I actually do know what happened to your parents. I was actually one of their friends. I was there when they laid your egg, and they loved you with all their hearts." Solaris told Spike

"If they loved me, then why were they not there for my hatching." Spike asked.

"The answer is King Naeus. He attacked many places with his monster army and the town your parents lived in was one of the first."

Spike's eyes widened in shock. "King Naeus attacked my parents' town? What happened to them?"

Solaris sighed, his expression filled with sorrow. "Your parents fought bravely to protect their home and your egg. They managed to hold off the monsters long enough to ensure your egg was safely hidden away, but... they didn't survive the battle."

Tears filled Spike's eyes as he processed this information. "They died protecting me..."

Solaris nodded solemnly. "Yes, Spike. They loved you more than anything and gave their lives to keep you safe. They didn't abandon you because they didn't want you; they sacrificed everything because they wanted you to live."

Spike wiped his tears, feeling a mix of sadness and gratitude. "Thank you for telling me, Solaris. It means a lot to know the truth."

Solaris smiled gently. "You have their courage and strength, Spike. And remember, you have friends who care about you deeply. If you ever feel alone, know that we're here for you."

Spike nodded, feeling a bit better. "Thanks, Solaris. I really needed to hear that."

"On another note, I got another note from some creature, they didn't sign their name." Solaris said while giving Spike the letter to read. Spike looked at it and saw that it read,

Dear Solaris
I want you to be in the castle of friendship with your friends Spike and Shooting Star tomorrow around noon. I have something you might want to know.

Spike's curiosity was piqued as he read the letter. "Do you know who this could be from?"

Solaris shook his head. "I have no idea. But given the request, it seems important."

"Should we tell Shooting Star?" Spike asked.

"Shooting Star is still spending the day with Derpy and the Doctor. I think it's best we tell her tomorrow morning instead of now. The sun is starting to set." Solaris pointed out

"Yeah, you have a point." Spike said. "Anyway, I think Twilight and her friends are going to spend the night in Canterlot tonight, so it may be just us."

"Well, would you like to try something new for dinner?" Solaris asked. "It's called a pizza, its just round shaped dough, with a tomato sauce and some cheese."

That caught Spike's attention. "That actually sounds nice." he answered.

Solaris snapped his claws and spawned a small square box. He opened it and a fantastic aroma of ingredients filled the room. Spike basked in the aroma before grabbing a piece of the pizza. He put the pizza to his mouth and took a bite out of it. Spike's pupils dilated almost instantly and he snarfed down the pizza in one go.

"That is one of the greatest things I ever tasted." Spike said as he took another slice. Solaris smiled and took a slice of his own. After 10 minutes, the pizza was gone. "Boy Solaris that hit the spot. I'm feeling better already."

"I'm glad. So, shall we get sleep?" Solaris suggested. Spike nodded and Solaris was about to go to his room, but Spike had other plans.

"Solaris, wait." Spike called out and Solaris turned to face him. "You know you don't have to do this, but you can stay with me for tonight." Solaris thought for a bit and nodded, he climbed into the bed and put a barrier of pillows between them, leaving Spike a little bit confused.

"What's with all of these pillows?" Spike asked.

"They're here to make sure we don't do anything in our sleep, such as canoodling and spooning."

Spike blushed, embarrassed but nodded in understanding. Neither of them would want to wake up and see the other spooning them, because that would be awkward for a lot of ponies, not including Spike and Solaris. So they tucked themselves in, shook claws with each other through the barrier, said goodnight and went to sleep.

Spike was walking around Canterlot, taking in the sights of the city. He saw the boutique in the distance, so he decided to pay another visit.

As he approached the boutique, the elegant sign above the door confirmed he was in the right place. With a smile on his face, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. The interior was as lavish and inviting as he had imagined, filled with beautiful dresses and intricate decorations. But something felt off. The shop was eerily quiet, and there was no sign of Rarity or any of his friends.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Spike called out, his voice echoing through the empty store. Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind him, and before he could react, he was seized by several elite ponies. They were dressed in dark uniforms and moved with precision, dragging him out of the boutique and into the streets.

Spike struggled and cried out, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. The ponies dragged him to the town square, where a crowd had gathered. Spike's heart sank as he realized that no one was coming to help him. He was thrown to the ground, and the elite ponies began to beat him mercilessly. Pain shot through his body with each blow, and tears streamed down his face.

"Help! Please, someone help me!" Spike cried out, his voice breaking with desperation. But the crowd remained silent, watching the brutal scene unfold.

After what felt like an eternity, Spike's vision blurred with tears and pain. Just when he thought he couldn't endure any more, he saw a group of familiar figures approaching. Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Relief washed over him, and he tried to call out to them.

"Twilight! Rarity! Please, help me!"

But as they drew closer, Spike's heart shattered. The expressions on their faces were cold and unfeeling. Twilight stepped forward, her voice devoid of the warmth he had always known.

"Spike, this is something we planned," she said, her words cutting deeper than any blow. "You needed to die. It's for the greater good. You needed to learn your place."

Spike's cries grew weaker as the beatings resumed, this time led by the very friends he had trusted with his life. He couldn't understand how everything had gone so wrong. His body was lifted off the ground, and he saw one of the elite ponies holding a spear.

"No, please... Twilight, don't do this," Spike whimpered, his vision fading.

With a final, devastating thrust, the spear pierced through Spike's neck. His body went limp, and darkness consumed him. The last thing he saw was the cold, unfeeling faces of the friends he had once loved.

Spike woke up and started panting hard. This went on for a few minutes before he calmed down. He looked over to his right and saw Solaris still sleeping. His breathing was still heavy, but at least he knew he was safe. Still, it took him a while to get back to sleep.

Spike woke up the next morning, still a little tired, but still ready to get on with the day. He went downstairs and he smelled something absolutely delicious. When he turned the corner into the kitchen, he saw Solaris busy at the stove, cooking breakfast. The table was already set with an assortment of fruits, pastries, and a large stack of pancakes. Solaris turned around and smiled warmly at Spike.

"Good morning, Spike. I thought I'd make us a nice breakfast to start the day."

Spike's stomach growled in response, and he couldn't help but smile back. "Thanks, Solaris. This looks amazing."

As they sat down to eat, Spike couldn't shake the memory of his nightmare. He picked at his food for a moment before Solaris noticed his troubled expression.

"Did you sleep well, Spike?" Solaris asked gently.

Spike hesitated but decided to share his thoughts. "I just had a bad dream. I don't think it's anything to worry about."

Solaris was skeptical. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Nightmares often reflect our deepest fears and insecurities," Solaris said. "It's important to talk about them because it helps to remind ourselves of what is real and who we can trust."

Spike took a deep breath and smiled. "Thanks, Solaris. You're right."

The two finished their breakfast in peace before they decided to go into town. They wanted to find Shooting Star and see if she was still hanging with Derpy and the Doctor. So they went to their house and knocked on the door.

This time, the Doctor answered. "Hello my dragon friends. How are you guys doing?"

"We're doing pretty well, and we actually want to talk to Shooting Star about something." Solaris told him.

This got the Doctor intrigued. "Really, well then, come on in. Shooting Star is helping Derpy make breakfast."

Spike and Solaris stepped into the Doctor's home, where the cozy atmosphere and the scent of fresh muffins welcomed them. They followed the Doctor to the kitchen, where Shooting Star was busy mixing batter while Derpy pulled a tray of muffins out of the oven.

"Hey, Shooting Star," Solaris greeted warmly.

Shooting Star looked up and smiled brightly. "Hi, Solaris! Hi, Spike! What brings you two here so early?"

Spike held up the mysterious note. "We got this letter last night, asking us to be at the Castle of Friendship around noon today. We thought it might be important."

Shooting Star took the note and read it over, her expression shifting to curiosity. "Hmm, interesting. Do you have any idea who it could be from?"

Solaris shook his head. "No, but it seems urgent. We wanted to make sure you knew about it."

"Well, it's definitely intriguing," Shooting Star mused. "I'll finish up here and then we can head over to the castle together."

Derpy smiled at them all. "Would you like some muffins to take with you? We made plenty!"

Spike's eyes lit up at the offer. "We actually had breakfast before coming here, but I think she should bring some."

After packing a few muffins for the road, the group thanked Derpy and the Doctor before heading out. They made their way through Ponyville, chatting and enjoying the morning air. The town was bustling with activity, and they waved to familiar faces as they passed by.

As they approached the Castle of Friendship, the grandeur of the crystal structure loomed over them. They entered the castle and made their way to the main hall, where they found themselves alone. Spike glanced around, his curiosity growing.

"Do you think whoever sent the note will actually show up?" Spike asked.

"There's only one way to find out," Solaris replied. "We'll wait here and see."

Minutes turned into an hour, and the anticipation grew. It was then that they heard a chiming noise outside. Spike looked at the clock and saw that it was noon. As the chime echoed through the castle, the anticipation in the room grew. Spike, Solaris, and Shooting Star stood alert, glancing around for any sign of the mysterious note sender. The main hall remained eerily quiet, save for the distant sounds of Ponyville bustling outside.

Suddenly, the silence was shattered by a loud crash. The castle's front doors burst open, and a chilling wind swept through the hall. Solaris's expression turned serious as he stepped in front of Spike and Shooting Star, ready to protect them.

From the shadows of the entrance, a tall, imposing figure emerged. His dark armor gleamed menacingly, and his eyes glowed with a sinister red light. It was King Naeus, the same tyrant who had attacked Spike's parents' town all those years ago.

"Well, well, well," Naeus sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "Isn't this a pleasant surprise? The young dragon and his friends, right where I want them."

Spike's heart pounded in his chest. "King Naeus! What are you doing here?"

Naeus chuckled darkly. "Oh, I've come to finish what I started. And this time, there will be no escape."

Without warning, Naeus raised his hand, and a powerful blast of dark magic shot towards them. Solaris quickly conjured a protective barrier, deflecting the attack. The force of the blast, however, sent them sprawling backwards.

"Shooting Star, stay close to Spike!" Solaris commanded, his voice filled with urgency.

Shooting Star nodded, positioning herself protectively beside Spike. Naeus advanced, his malevolent grin widening. He summoned more dark energy, preparing to strike again.

Solaris sprang into action, engaging Naeus in a fierce battle. The clash of their powers reverberated through the castle, shaking its very foundations. Despite Solaris's strength and determination, Naeus proved to be a formidable opponent.

King Naeus released more dark magic from him, and this time, he aimed it at Spike and Shooting Star. Solaris saw this and teleported them out of the way just in time. The blast of dark magic however, struck a dark pink mirror behind them and and the magic went into the mirror to another dimension.

As the battle raged on, Spike felt a surge of helplessness. He couldn't let Solaris fight alone, but he also knew he wasn't strong enough to face Naeus head-on. Desperation fueled his thoughts, and he wracked his brain for a solution.

"Shooting Star, we have to do something!" Spike said, his voice trembling.

"I can distract him with my flight strength." Shooting Star said. So she flew up and bolted straight at King Naeus from the side. King Naeus still saw this and tried to swat her away, but she was too fast and she dodged his wing just in time. While she was distracting King Naeus, Solaris breathed what looked like a giant sword that released a giant wave of energy, knocking the evil king back and making him lose his balance, making him fall over.

But the victory was short-lived. Naeus quickly regained his footing and retaliated with a devastating surge of dark energy. The force of the attack overwhelmed Solaris, Shooting Star, and Spike, sending them crashing to the ground.

Pain coursed through Spike's body as he struggled to get up. He could see Solaris and Shooting Star lying nearby, both unconscious. Naeus approached them, his malevolent presence growing stronger with each step.

"Foolish creatures," Naeus hissed. "You should have known better than to challenge me."

Despite being in a lot of pain, Spike still stood up and confronted Naeus. He walked up to him and breathed the biggest fire he ever blew. Despite the size of the flame, one it subsided, Spike could see that he wasn't even hurt.

King Naeus laughed and picked Spike up in his claws, squeezing him hard. "You know little dragon, you are just like your parents. They were weak and hilariously stupid to think they could stop me from doing anything. Nothing you will do will stop me, not even the elements of harmony that you used." So King Naeus threw Spike to one of the walls of the main hall with so much force that the force of the impact made the castle vibrate.

King Naeus chuckled evilly and looked at the defeated trio. Equestria will follow soon after you guys, once I settle back into my castle, I will find the sword and wipe Equestria off the dimensional plane, ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!"

Spike's vision was blurry, and all he saw was King Naeus chuckle evilly again before turning into a big cloud of black smoke and leaving the castle undetected. Once he saw King Naeus leave, Spike's world turned dark.

Author's Note

Whoop-dee-do, a double upload. You're welcome

Recovery

It was about 1:30 when Twilight and her friends entered the platform of Ponyville train station.

"I must say everypony," Applejack said, "That could have gone better than expected."

"Definitely, it's one thing Sassy Saddles had to push our Spikey-Wikey away from such a grand occasion, but then she had to be in control of everything and make me do a hundred orders of dresses. ONE HUNDRED!!" Rarity added on.

"Well, he has to be here since we couldn't find him anywhere in Canterlot. I hope the poor guy is ok." Fluttershy added along with Applejack and Rarity. As they approached the castle, Twilight noticed the front doors were slightly ajar.

"That's odd," she remarked, her brows furrowing in concern. "I don't remember leaving the doors open."

Rainbow Dash flew ahead and pushed the doors open wider, her eyes widening as she took in the scene. "Uh, guys, you might want to see this."

The rest of the group hurried inside, their expressions shifting from curiosity to alarm as they saw the main hall in disarray. Furniture was overturned, the floor was scorched in places, and there were signs of a fierce struggle. In the middle of the chaos lay Solaris, Spike, and Shooting Star, all unconscious and badly injured.

Everypony reacted almost instantly. Pinkie's mane deflated, Fluttershy hid behind Applejack, she putting her hat over her eyes, Rainbow and Rarity held their hooves to their mouths while Twilight had tears running down her face.

"Spike!" Twilight cried out, rushing to her assistant's side. She gently shook him, but he didn't stir. "Oh no, what happened here?"

Fluttershy knelt beside Shooting Star, checking her pulse and breathing a sigh of relief. "She's alive, but we need to get them to the hospital right away."

Rainbow Dash moved to assist Solaris, carefully lifting him with her strength.

"What in tarnation happened here?" Applejack muttered, worry etched on her face.

"We'll figure it out later," Twilight said, her voice trembling. "Right now, we need to get them help."

Twilight put Spike on her back, while Rainbow Dash put Solaris on hers. Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack and Fluttershy worked together to hoist Shooting Star up to carry all three of them to the hospital.

They all went out the doors, closed them and ran to the hospital. As the ponies made their way to Ponyville Hospital, a tense silence hung in the air. The urgency of the situation pressed down on them, and each step seemed to take an eternity. Twilight glanced back at Spike, worry etched across her face, and quickened her pace. Rainbow Dash flew just above the ground, carefully balancing Solaris on her back, while the others carried Shooting Star as gently as they could.

When they finally reached the hospital, the staff immediately sprang into action. Nurses and doctors rushed forward, taking Spike, Solaris, and Shooting Star from their friends and wheeling them into the emergency room. Twilight and the others were left in the waiting area, their hearts heavy with anxiety.

Twilight paced back and forth, her mind racing with questions. "What could have happened? Who would attack them like this?"

Rainbow Dash, her wings twitching with agitation, tried to offer some reassurance. "The jerk whoever did this is gonna pay. We'll find them and make sure they never hurt our friends again."

She then went up to hug Twilight. "I'm really sorry about Spike, Twi."

Twilight hugged her back and told her, "You didn't know that they would be attacked Rainbow. You don't have to apologize."

Pinkie pie, with her mane still deflated, said in a sad voice, "I really hope those 3 are ok."

"I'm sure they'll be ok. I know they're strong. Still, we need to send an urgent letter to Princess Celestia." Twilight said while she grabbed a nearby parchment paper. She then went over to the desk.

"Do you mind if I borrow a quill and some ink?" She asked the pony at the desk. The pony nodded and Twilight took the quill and ink and started writing on the parchment.

Dear Princess Celestia,
While we were in Canterlot, my castle was attacked. We don't know who would attack my castle, but he or she put Spike and his 2 friends in critical condition. If you have any information about this mysterious villain, can you give that information to us? Also, I think it's best that you come to Ponyville General Hospital... If you have time.
Yours truly, Princess Twilight Sparkle

After she wrote this letter, she rolled it up and put a purple seal of urgency to the princesses. She pressed the seal with her hoof and the letter turned into a puff of purple smoke and went out the window of the hospital. "I just hope they aren't too busy, this really is urgent."

Fluttershy, her eyes brimming with tears, nodded in agreement. "In the meantime, we just have to stay strong for them. They're going to need us when they wake up."

Spike was walking over to the castle right now. He was meeting up with his friends there. He walked past other ponies who had smiles on their faces. As he reached the castle doors, he pushed them open and entered the grand hall. The room was eerily quiet, and a sense of foreboding washed over him. Spike called out, "Solaris? Shooting Star?" but received no response. The silence was unsettling, and a chill ran down his spine.

Suddenly, the scene changed. The castle's interior morphed into a dark, twisted version of itself. The walls were covered in shadows, and the air was thick with an oppressive darkness. Spike's heart pounded as he saw his friends, Solaris and Shooting Star, lying motionless on the ground, their bodies battered and bruised.

"Solaris! Shooting Star!" Spike cried out, rushing to their side. He shook them desperately, but they didn't respond. Tears welled up in his eyes as he realized they were gone. His chest tightened with grief and guilt.

Before he could process his emotions, he heard familiar voices behind him. He turned to see Twilight Sparkle and the rest of their friends standing there, but their expressions were cold and accusing.

"Twilight, please! Help me! They're... they're gone," Spike pleaded, his voice breaking.

Twilight's eyes were filled with a mixture of sadness and anger. "Spike, how could you let this happen? You were supposed to protect them."

Rainbow Dash stepped forward, her eyes blazing with fury. "You failed them, Spike! Because of you, they're dead!"

Rarity's voice was laced with disappointment. "Spikey-Wikey, how could you? We trusted you."

Applejack's stern expression cut through Spike like a knife. "This is all your fault, Spike. You let the bad guy win."

Pinkie Pie, usually so full of joy, looked heartbroken. "You let us all down, Spike."

Fluttershy's eyes were filled with tears, but there was no sympathy in her gaze. "You weren't strong enough. You failed us."

Spike's heart shattered as their words pierced him like daggers. "No, please! I tried! I didn't want this to happen!"

Twilight shook her head, her voice cold. "You need to understand, Spike. You don't belong here. You're just a dragon who couldn't protect his friends."

Spike fell to his knees, his body wracked with sobs. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

The darkness around him grew thicker, and the voices of his friends echoed in his mind, taunting and accusing him. Spike felt himself being swallowed by the shadows, the weight of his guilt and sorrow crushing him.

Spike jolted awake, but in doing so, a severe jolt of pain travelled throughout his entire body. He groaned in pain as he felt it subside. It was then that he got a good look at his surroundings and saw that he was in a hospital room, a room that looks a lot like the one Twilight told him Rainbow stayed in a few years ago.

He then heard the door to his left open and saw that a white pony with a pink mane and tail, a red cross and some light pink hearts as a cutie mark and the same on her hat walked into the room. She looked surprised when she saw Spike awake and she walked over to him before stopping on his left side.

"Wow, you're awake already, you're stronger than you look." she told him with a smile.

Spike tried to shake off the nightmare and looked at her. "Thanks nurse." He then looked around, but to his dismay, he couldn't find his friends. He then looked at the nurse with a worried look, "Where's my friends? Where's Shooting Star and Solaris?" he started worrying more and started hyperventilating, thinking they were gone.

"Buddy, buddy, you need to calm down. Your friends are stable and are resting up." She reassured him.

He took some deep breaths and he calmed down, glad that they were safe. "That's a relief. So, where are they now?" he asked her.

"They're behind the curtains on either side of you, and before we go too far, my name is Nurse Redheart, one of the nurses." Redheart told him.

"Nice to meet you, Nurse Redheart." Before they could say anything else, both of them heard groaning on Spike's left. Redheart moved the curtains to see who was waking up and saw that Solaris was groaning as he was stirring.

"Solaris, are you ok?" Spike asked.

"Well, considering that we were attacked by a powerful creature, I should even count myself lucky that I'm even alive." Solaris said groggily while Spike nodded understandingly.

"It's good that you both are awake." Redhear told them while smiling. "By the way, you have some visitors if you want to see them."

"Are they Twilight and her friends?" Spike asked. Redheart nodded.

Spike sighed and nodded too. "Alright then, send them in."

Redheart then left the room and left them to their own thoughts.

In the waiting room, Twilight and her friends were waiting in the waiting room, hoping for anything good. Applejack was just sitting there, while Fluttershy was lying down on the bench, with Rainbow rubbing her mane, comforting her. Twilight was looking at Fluttershy and Rainbow together and her face started going a bit red. Ever since the dream she had a two nights ago, she wanted to feel Rainbow's touch again, see if it was as soft as it was in the dream.

While they were waiting, they heard trumpets coming from outside and a few seconds later, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stepped into the building. Everyone who saw this got up and bowed before their princesses.

"Please everyone, there is no need to bow, all of you may rise." Celestia informed, and everyone stopped bowing and rose up.

The princesses then walked up to Twilight and her friends. "Twilight, as soon as we got your message of urgency, we came as soon as possible. What happened?" Celestia asked.

Twilight began explaining immediately. "Yesterday, we were in Canterlot, but Spike had to go home early. So we let him go home, and we had to return home the next day, because Sassy Saddles made Rarity make 100 dresses for her new boutique." Twilight started tearing up at what she saw. "Once we got back, the castle doors were slightly open, which concerned us, so we rushed to the door and saw that the place was attacked and in the middle, Spike and his friends were battered and barely alive."

"We have no idea who in tarnation would do this princesses." Applejack told them.

Princess Celestia put a wing around Twilight as she tried to calm her down. "It's ok Twilight. I'm sure Spike will make it through this. In all the years I knew him, he proved to be a strong dragon, even in his baby form."

Just then, Nurse Redheart entered the room. "Well Twili..." she stopped when she saw Princess Celestia and Luna in the room. "Princesses Celestia and Luna!" She bowed to them.

"Please rise, fellow nurse. We're here to see Spike and his friends." Celestia informed.

"Yes, is Spike, Shooting Star and Solaris ok?" Luna asked. No one payed attention or saw it, but Celestia's face went a little bit pale at the mention of 'Solaris'.

"Yes, Spike and Solaris have woken up recently and Shooting Star is expected to wake up very soon." Redheart assured.

Everyone sighed in relief. "Can we please see them? Please Please Please?" Twilight asked.

"Of course, follow me." Redheart told them, and Twilight, her friends and the princesses followed her.

"Rock Paper Scissors" Spike and Solaris said in unison while Spike pointed out two claws to make scissors and Solaris made his claws into a fist to make rock. Solaris gently, touched Spike's 'scissors' with his fist and won the game.

"Hah, I win again Spike." Solaris said while doing a small victory dance on the confides of his bed.

"Dang it. Fine, you win. I'm either the worst player of Rock Paper Scissors or you're the best."

Solaris smirked at him. "Probably both if you ask me."

Just then, Redheart opened the door and walked in. "Your visitors are here." she then turned to Twilight and the others. "You may go in."

One by one, Twilight, her friends and the princesses walked into the room and up the the injured trio.

Twilight walked up to Spike and gave him a giant hug. "Oh Spike, I'm so glad you're ok.

Spike hugged back, albeit a little weakly due to the pain. "Thanks for coming."

Solaris smiled at the hug, but then his eyes landed upon Celestia, and his smile left his face. "I should have known you would show up."

Celestia smiled sheepishly, as if she was a little nervous. "Um, Hi Solaris."

Solaris sighed and looked away. "I don't want to talk to you." Celestia sighed and stepped away from him.

"Don't scare us like that again buddy." He heard Rainbow say to Spike.

Then the mood got serious as Princess Luna spoke up. "Spike, Solaris, I'm so glad that you two are ok, but you need to tell us, what happened?"

Spike then spoke up, "Yesterday, we got this note saying that me, Shooting Star and Solaris were to be at the castle at noon. When it became noon, everything turned dark in the castle before the doors to the castle burst open and a cold wind blew in. It was then that we were attacked. All three of us tried to fight him off, but he was too powerful for us and he knocked us out close to death."

They were horrified at this. "Do any of you know who attacked you?" Celestia asked.

Solaris, despite his reluctance to talk to the white furred princess, decided to speak up too. "We actually do, and it's not pretty. Princesses, I have a suspicion that, 'he' has returned."

That made everypony more concerned. "Are you sure 'he' is back?" Celestia asked

"I'm positive that 'he' is back. I saw him with my own 2 eyes, we all did."

"Wait, who's 'he'?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"'He' is someone that needs to be discussed by all four princesses. We need to arrange a meeting with all of us and the rulers of the Crystal Empire. And I recommend we do it in Ponyville at your Castle" Celestia informed everypony.

"But princess, my castle is a wreck. Furniture is flipped over, books are all over the place and some of the crystal is shattered." Twilight said

Thankfully, Solaris could solve that. "I can just snap my claws and clean the entire castle as quick as a snap of my claws."

Twilight was skeptical about that. "Are you sure Solaris? You're still injured and need to recover."

"I can just use healing magic and heal all 3 of us in a jiffy." After he said that, Solaris made his claws glow green and touched his forehead gently. The green glow then travelled all the way down his body until the glow subsided before disappearing completely. He then got out of bed and gently touched Spike's forehead. The magic began working it's wonders as the green glow travelled down his body and then stopped as it fully healed him.

Everypony was shocked. In a few seconds, Solaris and Spike were fully healed without incident. It was a risk to use alicorn magic for healing spells in Equestria, but this was an exception.

"How did you do that sugarcube?" Applejack asked Solaris.

"You can say that I'm a bit of a warrior and I can use magic more powerful than even Alicorn and Chaos magic." Solaris explained.

Twilight was going to ask something else, but then they heard somepony stirring and waking up. Every creature looked to their right and saw that Shooting Star was waking up. Spike and Solaris raced over and waited for her to wake up fully, When she did fully wake up, she saw Spike and Solaris smile at her and she smiled back. "Hello guys."

"Shooting Star, I'm going to heal you, you will be ok." Solaris told her. Solaris then did the same thing he did to Spike and himself. His claws glowed green and he touched her head gently. A green ring travelled down her body until it subsided and disappeared completely.

After Shooting Star was fully healed, she sat up slowly, looking around the room with a mix of confusion and relief. Spike and Solaris hovered nearby, watching her closely.

"Shooting Star, how are you feeling?" Spike asked, his voice filled with concern.

Shooting Star blinked a few times, as if trying to gather her thoughts. "I... I don't know what you did Solaris, But I feel really good, like I'm fully healed."

Solaris then explained. "I used healing magic on you, Spike and myself, so all of us are now fully healed."

"I'm so glad you're ok Shooting Star." Spike said happily while hugging her. Shooting Star hugged back and rubbed his scales. Every creature watched the sappy moment with smiles on their faces, even Rainbow Dash.

After a while, Spike and Shooting Star pulled away from the hug. Once they pulled away, she saw the princesses in the room with them. "Princess Celestia? Princess Luna? What are you 2 doing here?"

Princess Celestia walked up to her and told her. "That is something that will be explained in a meeting in the near future. We need you there because there are urgent matters at hand."

Author's Note

So now the princesses and the main 6 now know about king Naeus.

Meeting Prep

Once the nurse checked that Spike, Solaris and Shooting Star were fully healed, they were allowed to leave the hospital.

Once they left the hospital, Celestia turned to Twilight. "Now Twilight, I want you to make sure your castle is fit for a meeting with you, your friends, Spike, his friends and the princesses. For now, I must return to Canterlot for some royal duties as well as writing a letter to Princess Cadence and Shining Armor."

Twilight nodded, determination etched on her face. "Of course, Princess Celestia. We'll get the castle ready for the meeting."

Celestia gave a reassuring smile. "I have faith in you, Twilight. We will reconvene here as soon as possible. That will be tomorrow at the least."

With that, Celestia and Luna spread their wings and took off towards Canterlot, leaving Twilight and her friends to prepare for the impending meeting. The group hurried back to Twilight's castle, Solaris leading the way with a sense of urgency.

When they did get to the castle, they still shuddered at the state of the place. Who could be evil enough to attack their own castle? Solaris wasted no time however, and he stood in the center of the main hall, raised his claws, and snapped them. In an instant, the castle was transformed. The overturned furniture righted itself, the scorch marks vanished, and the shattered crystals reformed, leaving the castle spotless and pristine.

Twilight watched in awe. "That's incredible, Solaris! Thank you."

"Seriously Solaris," Rainbow Dash asked. "How can you do all these awesome things?"

Solaris looked at Rainbow and explained, "It's like I said a few days ago Cyan, I am over twelve thousand, four hundred and seventy eight years old. I had plenty of time to learn a few spells."

"Ok everypony, let's not get sidetracked, we have a meeting to set up." Applejack reminded everypony.

"And even though Princess Celestia is writing a letter to Cadence and Shining Armor, I still think I should write one as well. Spike, take a letter." Twilight ordered.

Spike sighed an inaudible sigh, but then he thought of something. "But Twilight, my fire breath only sends letters to Princess Celestia."

Twilight realized that he was right and sighed. "You're right Spike. I just can't help but think I should write one to them as well."

Spike walked up to Twilight and put a claw on her chin. "Listen Twilight, I'm sure the princesses have it all under control, and besides, I don't think Princess Cadence and Shining Armor need two letters explaining the exact same thing."

Twilight nodded, appreciating Spike's attempt to calm her down. "You're right, Spike. We should trust Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Let's focus on getting everything ready for the meeting tomorrow."

As the group worked together, they meticulously prepared the castle. Each pony had a task: Applejack and Pinkie Pie took care of arranging refreshments, Rarity ensured the decor was impeccable, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy set up the seating arrangements, while Twilight and Spike organized the documents and scrolls they might need.

Solaris, Shooting Star, and Spike found themselves with some free time after assisting where they could. They gathered in a quiet corner of the castle, discussing the recent events and their preparations for the upcoming meeting.

"I'm worried about this meeting," Shooting Star admitted. "Whoever attacked us is still out there, and we don't know what their next move will be."

"I'm still nervous about seeing Princess Cadence and Shining Armor again. The last time I saw them was at the wedding of Cranky Doodle's and Matilda's wedding, and quite frankly, it just gave me bad memories of Hearths Warming. No offence to you, Solaris." Spike said.

"None taken." Solaris told him. "Besides, I knew you weren't talking about me."

Shooting Star placed a comforting hoof on Spike's shoulder. "We'll get through this, Spike. You have all of us here to support you."

Spike smiled gratefully at Shooting Star, then turned his attention back to Solaris. "Do you think you'll be okay during the meeting? I know it's going to be tough with Celestia there."

Solaris nodded slowly. "I'll manage. This is bigger than any of our personal issues. We need to address 'him' and figure out how to stop 'him'."

As they continued their conversation, the castle began to feel more like itself. The signs of the attack were gone, and the atmosphere, while still tense, had a sense of purpose and determination. Twilight and her friends finished their preparations and gathered in the main hall, ready for the meeting the following day.

As evening fell, the group sat down for a simple dinner in the castle dining room, spawned in by Solaris. The meal was quiet, each pony lost in their thoughts about the upcoming meeting and the mystery of the attacker. After dinner, they decided to get some rest, knowing they needed to be at their best for the meeting.

Spike was continuing to talk to his friends about what happened, about the attack and what happened at the hospital. "So, Solaris, how did you heal us?"

"I used a healing spell to do that, and it was a pretty potent spell so now all 3 of us are now fully healed." Solaris explained.

Spike nodded, still marveling at Solaris's abilities. "That's amazing. We're lucky to have you on our side."

Shooting Star smiled, feeling reassured by her friends' support. "We should rest now and be ready for tomorrow. We need to stay strong."

So Shooting Star left the castle for the night, but not before giving Spike and Solaris big hugs, and went home. Spike and Solaris turned to each other and said goodnight to each other before going to their seperate rooms and settling down. Spike looked up at the ceiling, reluctant on going to sleep, but eventually, he became really tired and still decided to go to sleep regardless, and the night passed with no particular event to talk about.

It was the next morning, and everypony was up, bright and early. Twilight double-checked the arrangements, ensuring everything was perfect for the meeting and for the arrival of the princesses. Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy made sure everything was perfect because this was a very important meeting, as it could be the most important meeting of their lives.

Once everything was done and checked over, they decided to go over the plans for the day. "So here is the plan, we split up to 2 groups." Twilight informed. "The first group will go down to the train station and wait for Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. The other group will stay here and wait for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna to arrive. So I believe me, Pinkie, Spike and Solaris come go to the train station and meet up with Cadence and Shining, while Rainbow, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy stay here to wait for the princesses to arrive and to make sure everything is ready."

"Come on Twilight." Rainbow said. "Everything is ready, it will be awesome."

"Still, that's my plan and I think we follow the plan."

Rainbow sighed. "Fine."

Solaris spoke up. "I'm actually pretty excited to meet another princess."

Twilight then turned to him. "Princess Cadence actually foalsat me when I was younger. So we grew to be pretty close. I'm sure you will love her."

"I'm sure I will." Solaris said. "So, when do you think Princess Cadence and Shining Armor will be at the train station?"

"Seeing as they left about now, then the train ride to Ponyville will take at least 3 hours, So I think we should head over to the train station in 2 and a half hours to pick them up."

"This is going to be so much fun! I can't wait to see Cadence and Shining Armor again! Oh, I hope I made enough cupcakes." Pinkie said.

Twilight smiled at Pinkie's energy. "I'm sure you did, Pinkie. Cadence and Shining Armor will be happy to see us too. It's been a while since we all got together."

"What about the wedding of Cranky and Matilda, Twilight? They were there." Spike informed.

"Yeah, they were there, but some good for nothing pony locked us out and we had to watch through the window. We never even got to talk to them." Rainbow said.

"Rainbow Dash, don't say something like that." Fluttershy scolded. "I'm sure it was an accident, so don't call them a good for nothing pony."

Rainbow dash sighed and grumbled. "Fine, sorry."

2 and a half hours later, Twilight, Pinkie, Spike and Solaris were walking to the train station. As they walked, Pinkie bounced around them, her usual exuberance on full display. "This is going to be great, I can't wait to see Princess Cadence and Shining Armor again. We haven't seen them since Hearths Warming." Pinkie excitedly said while growing a little bit restless.

Pinkie's restlessness and excitedness was starting to make Twilight start to become a little restless too. Twilight took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "Pinkie, I know you're excited, but let's try to stay focused. We want to make a good impression when they arrive."

Pinkie stopped bouncing for a moment and nodded. "Got it, Twilight! I'll be on my best behavior!"

As they approached the train station, Solaris couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and anxiety. Meeting new ponies, especially royalty, always brought out mixed emotions in him. "So, Spike, what should I expect from Princess Cadence and Shining Armor?"

Spike smiled. "Cadence is really kind and caring. She's the Princess of Love, after all. And Shining Armor is Twilight's brother and the captain of the royal guard. He's super protective and brave. They're both great ponies."

Twilight added, "Cadence has a way of making everyone feel at ease, and Shining Armor is always ready to help. You'll like them, Solaris."

Solaris nodded, feeling a bit more reassured. "Thanks, Twilight. I appreciate the heads-up."

As they reached the platform, the train from the Crystal Empire was just pulling in. Steam billowed around the train as it came to a stop, and the doors opened with a hiss. Ponies began to disembark, and soon enough, a familiar pink alicorn and a white unicorn with a blue mane stepped onto the platform.

"Cadence! Shining!" Twilight called out, waving.

Cadence's face lit up with a warm smile as she saw Twilight. "Twilight!" she exclaimed, hurrying over to them before stopping in front of Twilight and doing a little dance with her.

"Sunshine Sunshine Ladybugs awake, Clap your hooves and do a little shake." Cadence and Twilight said in unison while doing their dance before hugging each other.

Solaris watched the whole spectacle and leaning over to whisper into Spike's ear, "What the hell did I just witness?" he asked.

"You just witnessed a dance that Cadence and Twilight know by heart since they did it when they were younger." Spike explained.

"Still, it's weird."

They stopped talking and saw that Shining Armor was giving Twilight a big hug too. "Hey, Twily! It's been too long."

Twilight beamed. "It really has. I'm so glad you could come."

Cadence then turned her attention to the others. "Hello, Pinkie! Spike!" She greeted them with a hug as well. Spike hugged back, but to hide the awkwardness on his face.

Cadence and Shining then turned her attention to Solaris and they stared at each other in intrigue. "And who may you be buddy?" Cadence asked.

"Princess Cadence, Captain Shining Armor, My name is Solaris. I am a friend of Spike's and Twilight's and pretty important for the upcoming meeting." He introduced himself.

"Oh Solaris, If you're a friend of Twilight's, then you are a friend of mine, so there is certainly no need for formalities. You can just call me Cadence and him Shining Armor." she said

"Ok then... Cadence and Shining Armor. It's nice to meet you guys." Solaris said.

"It's nice to meet you too Solaris." Shining said while they shook hooves and claws.

Pinkie Pie couldn't contain her excitement any longer. "We have so much planned for you! There's a meeting at Twilight's castle, and we made sure everything is perfect!"

Cadence chuckled. "I'm sure it's going to be wonderful, Pinkie. We can't wait."

"Yeah, I think we should get you guys settled in at my castle." Twilight told Cadence and Shining Armor.

Cadence and Shining nodded in approval. With the introductions and greetings complete, the group began to make their way back to the castle. As they walked, they caught up on recent events and shared stories. The atmosphere was light and filled with laughter, despite the underlying tension from the recent attack.

Author's Note

Would you guys like a double upload today? I'm feeling Generous.

An Important Meeting

Back at the castle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy were finishing up the last of the preparations. They had ensured everything was spotless and organized, ready for the meeting.

When Twilight's group arrived, Cadence and Shining Armor were warmly welcomed by the others. After some more greetings and small talk, they all settled in the main hall, ready for the meeting.

"Would you like to show me to your room Cadence and Shining, so you know where to go tonight?" Twilight asked them.

"Yes, that would be quite good. Thanks Twily." Shining said, and with that, they were off to see their room.

The rest of the group mingled for a few minutes, each of them wondering what was going to happen and who would attack Ponyville without anypony knowing.

As the group settled into the castle, anticipation filled the air. Cadence and Shining Armor were shown to their rooms by Twilight while the others gathered in the main hall, discussing the upcoming meeting and the recent events.

"I still can't believe someone would attack the castle, especially my little Spikey Wikey." Rarity murmured, her concern evident.

"Yeah, it's unsettling," Applejack agreed, her expression serious.

"The jerk who did this is going to pay and I will make sure of it." Rainbow chimed in.

Just then, Twilight returned to the main hall, her expression determined. "Cadence and Shining Armor are settled. They're getting ready for the meeting. Are we all set here?"

The group nodded in unison, their resolve firming. Just then, there was a knock at the castle door.

"I'll get it." Twilight said, and she went to the main castle doors. She opened them to see Princess Celestia and Princess Luna standing outside the door. Twilight remembered not to bow, since she was a princess along with them and decided to greet them formally. "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, welcome back."

"Thanks for the warm welcome Twilight. Now, shall we go in and discuss the matters?" Princess Celestia asked.

"WAIT FOR MEEE!!!!!" They heard someone shouting from behind them. They all turned around to see Shooting Star running towards the castle while gasping for air. She stopped at the door with the princesses and they smiled back at her.

"Welcome back Shooting Star. It's good to see you're here. Now, are you ready to talk about those urgent matters?" Celestia asked. Shooting Star nodded while gasping for air, making Twilight giggle a bit.

All 4 of them walked inside to the rest of the group where they greeted the Princesses, while Solaris turned away from Celestia. A few seconds later, Cadence and Shining Armor walked into the room, ready to talk about this villain.

The atmosphere in the castle grew tense as everyone took their places around the large table in the main hall. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stood at the head, with Cadence and Shining Armor on one side, and Twilight, her friends, Solaris, Shooting Star, and Spike on the other.

Celestia began, her voice calm but authoritative. "Thank you all for gathering here today. The attack on Twilight's castle is a grave concern, and we must determine the identity of the assailant and their motives."

Solaris nodded, stepping forward. "From what we experienced, the attacker was powerful and used dark magic. The level of destruction was alarming, and it's clear they have a specific target in mind. And I know for sure who was the one that attacked us."

"Yeah, you called him 'he' ever since yesterday, but you never gave us a name." Applejack said.

"The truth is, saying his name still gives me chills to this day." Solaris said. "He is actually the ancient king of an ancient phoenix kingdom, and his name is 'King Naeus'." Solaris said while shuddering.

Celestia shuddered too. "I was preparing for the villain to be King Naeus, but the fact that it's true actually scares me."

This worried the others. They never saw the princess be so scared of a villain that was fought. Cadence then decided to ask, "Who is this King Naeus creature? Is he like King Sombra?" she asked.

Solaris answered her question by saying, "Take the Tyranny of King Sombra, The hatred of Queen Chrysalis, a more threatening magic of Discord, The intentions of Nightmare moon, and the intimadation of Lord Tirek. Put them into one being and multiply that by 100, and you got King Naeus." Solaris said while sighing. "He is not a force to be reckoned with. Not even the Elements of Harmony were enough to stop him last time."

The room fell silent as everyone absorbed the gravity of Solaris's words. King Naeus sounded like a formidable and terrifying enemy, unlike any they had faced before. "Ok this is bad, this is really really bad. This is really really really really really really really really really-PINKIE!!" Everyone yelled to stop Pinkie from saying anymore things.

After Pinkie calmed down, the meeting continued on. "Something doesn't make sense." Twilight said. "If King Naeus was that powerful, how come he didn't attack the Canterlot castle and instead chose to attack mine?"

"I have an answer to that. It's because me and Spike were there. He sees us as powerful enemies and he had to get rid of us before something happened." Solaris answered.

"Why would you and Spike be seen as powerful enemies? What does Spike have to do with it?" Luna asked.

"Spike has a soul of bravery and sacrifice. It's more powerful than even the elements of harmony." Solaris answered again.

Everyone was surprised, but still a bit skeptical. "Solaris, are you sure that Spike has a soul of bravery and sacrifice?" Twilight asked him.

"I'm positive. I saw it with my own 2 eyes." Solaris replied.

"Even if he have a soul of bravery and sacrifice, we still need to find out his intentions." Rainbow said.

"Spike, Solaris, Shooting Star, did you hear anything about his intentions when he attacked you guys in the castle?" Luna asked.

"I did hear something King Naeus said right before he left. He said about using a sword of some kind to wipe Equestria off the dimensional plane forever." Spike informed every creature.

All creatures in the room went silent, before Celestia and Solaris started hyperventilating. "Oh no, oh no, oh no oh no oh no." Celestia said scared.

"THIS IS BAD!! THIS IS REALLY BAD!" Solaris shouted scared too.

This shocked the rest and put them on the same level of afraid as them.

"What does a sword have to do with anything?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I mean, it's just a sword, right."

"It is absolutely more than a sword Cyan. That sword used to belong to me, but the last battle I had with Naeus made me lose it. It could be anywhere in Equestria. If he gets his talons on that sword, then he exponentially grows more powerful, powerful enough to wipe Equestria from the dimensional plane." Solaris told her.

"Do we have any idea where this sword might be?" Shining Armor asked, looking around the room.

Solaris shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don't. It's like I said, it could be anywhere in Equestria. Even the undiscovered parts of it."

"Well until we find it, is there a way we can stop him from causing more harm?" Cadence asked.

"Unfortunately, we can't do anything against King Naeus himself." Celestia said, making everyone sigh in disappointment. "But there is something we can do about his hench creatures."

"Aw yeah. When those henchmen come up to us, then we can kick them to the curb." Rainbow said.

"Sorry, but your strength won't be enough to destroy his monsters Cyan. Only a powerful being can defeat them." Solaris said.

"So alicorns can defend us from them?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yeah, but my friend Discord is your best bet of fighting them off. I just have to find a way to free him from his stone prison." he said while giving Celestia a glare, with her pretending not to notice.

"Oh no. no no no no no no no no no." Applejack refused. "We are not letting Discord try to fight off these monsters. He may just join them like he joined Tirek."

"Yes, I agree with Applejack darling." Rarity agreed. "Discord will just ditch us again to be with the villain, again. He'd be better off back in stone."

"Rarity, Applejack, That is enough." Fluttershy scolded. "Discord gave us the key to defeat Tirek in the end. We know he changed."

"And what if that's not true Fluttershy?" Rainbow asked. "Discord is chaos, and he can join those monsters to create more of it."

"ENOUGH!!" Celestia, Luna, and Solaris shouted in unison, shutting the bickering ponies up.

Solaris took a deep breath before speaking again, "I understand your concerns, but we need all the help we can get. Discord's chaos magic could be a crucial asset against King Naeus and his hench creatures."

Celestia nodded in agreement. "Solaris is right. We must weigh the risks and benefits. Discord has proven himself in the past, even if his methods are unconventional."

"Wait, did you free Discord?" Solaris asked.

"Yes, and he was obnoxious ever since." Twilight said.

"Maybe I can make amends with him." Solaris thought to himself.

"So we have a plan. Find the sword before King Naeus does, defend ourselves from his monsters and when the time is right, we fight him and save Equestria." Shining said.

"Sounds like a good plan." Twilight said while everyone else agreed.

"Well now that we got a plan in place, would you like to talk about something else?" Pinkie asked.

"Like what?" Spike asked.

"Like talking about past reunions and past parties with each other, like that hearths warming party from about a month and a half ago."

That caused Spike's stomach to twist into a knot. "Um, maybe we can-" Spike was interrupted by Twilight.

"That sounds perfect Pinkie, we love talking about fun times."

Spike's anxiety spiked as he remembered not being there for the Hearth's Warming party, even though he wanted to go. "Maybe we can talk about something else," he suggested nervously, but the others didn't seem to notice his discomfort.

"Yes, I love talking about past fun times," Pinkie Pie said enthusiastically. "Remember when we played pin the tail on the pony and Rarity accidentally pinned the tail on Applejack?"

Rarity laughed softly. "Oh, I do remember that! I was mortified, but Applejack took it in stride."

Applejack grinned. "Yeah, that was pretty funny."

Spike was feeling more and more out of place as the conversation continued. He didn't want to know the full details of the party. He didn't want to feel more left out than he already has. "Um, guys, may-"

"There was an empire wide scavenger hunt too that took place around the whole empire." Twilight interrupted, making Spike more angry.

"Thanks for the help with that Pinkie." Shining said. Pinkie smiled and nodded in her usual pinkie way.

"Oo oo, don't forget about the race. It felt amazing to fly and race around the spires of the castle. I still can't believe that Bloodstone pegasus was about to cross the finish line before me, but heh, I still won."

"And don't worry girls." Princess Cadence said to Twilight and her friends. "I'll invite you 6 for a great time one day after this whole thing is over."

Spike was getting angrier and sadder. Cadence said she would invite them back, but she never invited him back ever since the Equestria Games. Did she not even care about him?

"Guys, I-" Spike was interrupted again by the others, again

"And the game tournament was absolutely divine. I can't believe the sheer abundance of games it included, Such as a shaking contest for a fizzy drink, A relay race in the empty ballroom, and a rock candy making contest inspired by Pinkie and Maud." Rarity added before looking at Spike, "Oh Spikey Wikey, you should have been there, it was so much fun."

That set Spike off in a fuse of anger. Spike's frustration reached a boiling point, and he slammed his claws on the table. "Stop! Just stop talking about all these amazing things."

The room fell silent as everypony turned to look at Spike in shock. Twilight's eyes widened with concern but a bit of scolding, while Cadence, Shining Armor, and the rest looked around in confusion.

"Spike, you know it's rude to yell at us." Twilight said, making Spike even more angry.

"WELL THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN FRONT OF ME." He turned to Pinkie, "LISTEN TO OTHERS OPINIONS BEFORE CHOOSING AN OPTION PINKIE!" he yelled with anger and tears in his eyes.

He then looked at everypony before shouting, "NONE OF YOU CARE FOR ME AT ALL!!" and once he said that, he get up from his chair and left the room.

The room was silent after Spike's outburst. Everypony exchanged worried glances, their previous excitement and tension now replaced by a heavy sense of concern. Shooting Star then looked at them in frustration, "Spike was right about you guys." she said before standing up and flying after him. "Spike, wait." before leaving the room after him.

"Um, did we do something wrong that made him this upset?" Fluttershy asked in a worried tone.

"Oh, no Fluttershy, you didn't do anything wrong. I think Spike is just feeling a little cranky about being attacked." Twilight reassured her.

Solaris then glared. "I'm going after him too. I know what is happening with him unlike you all." Solaris said before giving Celestia another glare. "Celestia." before going after the dragon and pegasus.

Spike opened his door before closing it and locking it. "They were talking about something I wanted to be a part of, and I'm the bad guy for being against it?" Spike angrily thought. Spike then got up onto his bed before grabbing his pillow and started punching it, not being able to punch anything else. After 2 minutes, he stopped and buried his face in the pillow.

Just then, he heard a knock on the door. "Go away."

"Spike, it's me, Shooting Star. Are you ok?" she asked.

"I said, go away." Spike said, getting more irritated.

"Spike, please- I SAID GO AWAY!! WHY DO YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT ME?!?! IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S GENUINE!!" Spike shouted through the door. Spike then stopped and grew guilty at the fact that she just yelled as Shooting Star. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please come in" he said while going over to unlock the door to let Shooting Star in. He then saw Solaris coming and decided to let him in too. Spike then hugged Shooting Star and buried his face into her fur. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." he said while starting to cry.

Shooting Star hugged him back and let him cry into her. "Shh, just let it out Spike." she said while he cried. Solaris just watched from the bedside as they embraced each other. After a few minutes, Spike calmed down and released himself from the hug. Shooting Star, who also released herself from the hug, looked at him. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Spike just nodded and began. "Ever since we moved into Ponyville, Twilight was beginning to forget that I exist day by day. I was hurt, abused, forgotten and a lot of other things. And they don't even care about any of it. And one day, they will just completely give up on me"

Solaris stepped into the fray and put a claw on Spike's shoulder. "Spike, I'm so sorry about what happened. Is there anything I could do?"

Spike just answered with, "Can you 2 just stay with me?" Solaris and Shooting Star nodded before she hugged Spike again.

"Spike, can I tell you a little story?" Solaris asked.

Spike looked at him and said, "Sure. What's it about."

"It's about my old friends and the elements of harmony."

That got Spike confused. "Your old friends and the elements of harmony? What do you mean by that?"

"Let's just say," Solaris breathed in before saying, "Those ponies back there, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity, they weren't the first bearers of the elements of harmony."

More Secrets Revealed

Spike looked at Solaris with wide eyes, curiosity overtaking his previous sadness. "You mean there were other bearers of the Elements of Harmony before them?"

"Yes, but something else you may want to know is that not all of them were ponies. All creatures used to live together in harmony before King Naeus attacked last time."

"So there were more creatures than just ponies that were bearers of the elements of harmony, like dragons for example?" Spike asked.

Solaris answered with, "The first bearers of the elements of harmony included a unicorn mare named Magic Show, a pegasus stallion named Green Meadow, a griffon named Uthando, a dark purple changeling male named Crypeus, and a blue green changeling female named Ro."

"So a bunch of other creatures were bearers of the elements of harmony?" Spike asked surprised.

"Even changelings?" Shooting Star asked in shock.

"Yes, and they were my very best friends. And to put things into perspective, Magic Show was the bearer of Laughter, Green Meadow was the element of Honesty, Uthando was the bearer of Loyalty, Crypeus was the bearer of Generosity and Ro was the bearer of Kindness" Solaris explained.

"Wait, there's something missing." Spike said. "That was just 5 bearers, who was the bearer of magic?"

"If I say that, you may not believe me." Solaris replied.

"Don't worry Solaris, we'll believe you. You're a very trustworthy dragon." Shooting Star assured.

"If you say so," Solaris said before taking a deep breath and said, "The bearer of Magic, was actually me."

Spike and Shooting Star did a double take on that. Was he actually the bearer of Magic?

"You were the bearer of Magic, Solaris?" Spike asked flabbergasted.

"Yeah, and I think it would be pretty believable, didn't you see the magic I could do?" He asked before he spawned in a tin metal can before poofing it away.

Spike and Shooting Star stared at Solaris in awe, his demonstration of magic leaving no room for doubt. "Wow," Spike murmured. "That's incredible."

Shooting Star nodded. "So, you and your friends were the original bearers of the Elements of Harmony. That is so cool."

"Yeah, we met a few years before King Naeus invaded Equestria and caused a terrible war to happen. They were amazing creatures."

"So how did you and your friends find out that you were bearers of the elements of harmony?" Spike asked. "When Twilight and her friends found out, they had to defeat Nightmare Moon by using the elements of Harmony. Is there a different way you found out?"

"Actually, yes. When Celestia banished Luna to the moon for becoming Nightmare Moon, she lost the respect of the elements. So the elements themselves had to find new bearers who actually had those elements in their personality." Solaris explained. "Eventually, they found the creatures for the job. They sensed Ro's kindness by taking care of a sick filly, They sensed Crypeus' generosity by giving the last of his currency to a homeless changeling, Unthando's loyalty by not taking a golden oppurtunity in favor of staying with his family, Green Meadow's Honesty by honestly explaining why he should work harder, Magic Show's Laughter by helping sad children be happy again with hugs and tickles, and my magic because I used my magic for good."

Spike's eyes widened with fascination. "That's amazing, Solaris. So the elements themselves chose you and your friends based on your actions and personalities?"

"Yes, Spike," Solaris replied with a nod. "It was a time of great unity among different creatures. We all came together, not just because of our abilities, but because we truly embodied the virtues of the Elements. And they made me truly happy after a few incidents in the previous few millenia."

"What happened in the past few millenia?" asked Shooting Star.

"Well, over 3,000 years ago, me and my mom were just flying around this land, but then and without warning, it got so much colder, and the wind picked up. Not long after, we were caught in a massive abnormal blizzard beyond anything I saw before, and it was so bad that me and my mom had to run. However, a strong wind seperated us and I had to fly low to take shelter in a cave. I almost got encased in a block of ice, but then a warmth that felt like it came through the walls behind me started melting the ice. Once I was free, I used my fire breath to melt the ice that trapped me in the cave only to find, nothing. I called for my mother, hoping that she was still around, close enough to hear me, but she didn't answer. Part of me thinks she died in that bizzard." Solaris explained and ending with a sigh.

Spike and Shooting Star were silent after hearing Solaris' tale about losing his mother, nothing was said for about 30 seconds until Shooting Star said, "Sweet Celestia Solaris, I'm so sorry about your mother. I bet she was a loving and caring creature."

"She really was." Solaris replied. "She even wrote her own lullaby for me a few years before she was lost in that blizzard. Would you like me to sing a verse of it?"

Spike and Shooting Star nodded at that. So Solaris cleared his throat and began singing.

Don't cry little one
Nothing will happen to you
I will protect you
I'll make sure you're safe all while you dream
You're a strong one, you will do great things
My child, you're safe
From all bad
Drift to sleep now
I'll love you always

Solaris' soft singing filled the room, creating a soothing atmosphere that made Spike and Shooting Star feel a little more at ease. The heartfelt lullaby carried a sense of nostalgia and love, and for a moment, the weight of their worries seemed to lift.

"Wait, my parents used to sing me that song before they were killed." Shooting Star said. "Are you saying you are where they got it from?"

Solaris was confused. "I never taught your parents that song, but I do believe that some creature else did. I did teach it to your parents Spike."

Spike's eyes widened at that. "Wait, you taught my parents that lullaby?"

Solaris nodded. "Yes I did, and they were quite quick learners too. Your mom had the voice of an angel when singing it and sometimes, it was so good it almost made me want to tear up. Here's another fun fact, did you know you're parents were going to name you Pogum before they were lost."

Spike thought about that for a while. Pogum actually sounded like a nice name to him. "That name sounds cool. I like it."

"Well, let's not get too off topic." Shooting Star reminded Spike and Solaris. "A question I have for you, Solaris, is what happened to your friends and former elements?"

Solaris sighed and looked down with a sullen look. "I think that was one of the worst days of my life, but you guys do deserve to know since I already told you all of this."

Shooting Star noticed his look and said, "If you want, you don't have to answer."

"You guys deserve to know the truth, but only you guys, what is said in here, stays in here, got it?" Solaris informed.

Spike and Shooting Star nodded before Solaris began. "I said that I met my friends and former bearers of the elements of harmony a few years before King Naeus tried to invade Equestria, and that is true, but time really seemed to slow down once the war happened. In one of the final battles of not THE final battle of the war against King Naeus and his monsters, we tried to use the Elements of Harmony to try and defeat King Naeus and his monsters, but he was too powerful, and the elements attempts were fruitless."

"So did King Naeus kill your friends just like he did my parents?" Spike asked.

"Honestly, I don't even know. After the elements of harmony failed, I was separated from Ro, Uthando, Green Meadows, Magic Show and Crypeus when a monster swatted me away from them. I tried to go back, but then I saw a towering white light in the general direction of where they were. When the light dissipated, I flew as fast as I could into the area, but I just saw nothing but a barren wasteland."

Spike's and Shooting Star's hearts stopped at the explanation. Solaris finished by saying, "That was when I knew my friends were vaporized instantly in the blast."

Spike and Shooting Star were silent, their hearts heavy with the weight of Solaris's story. They could see the deep sorrow in his eyes and understood the immense burden he carried.

"I'm so sorry, Solaris," Spike said softly. "I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you."

"My whole world was shattered in an instant. It was even more shattered 2 weeks later when one of my last friends, betrayed me." Solaris said.

Shooting Star, almost afraid of the question, still decided to ask, "How did they betray you?"

"They accused me for a crime I never committed, for murder, and for that, I was tortured. They beat me until I was numb every day, they tore my wings off," he said while showing off his back that had scars indicating he did indeed have wings. "And they were even ordered to break my arms and legs. In the end, I was banished from Equestria for the rest of my life."

Spike and Shooting Star felt sick to their stomachs after hearing the story. Why would he be tortured for something he never did, why would such a kind and caring soul be banished.

"I found myself in the frozen north after I was banished. I found a small cave, so I decided to go there and try and process everything. That was when I broke down crying like never before. I never even cried that much when my mother went missing, when one of my friends got turned to stone, when Luna became Nightmare Moon, or even when my friends were vaporized."

"What happened after you got banished?" Spike asked sadly.

"Well, while I was crying, I heard a deep voice from the entrance of the cave calling for me. I went over to the entrance and saw that a black floating heart was there. He was talking to me and then he gave me a proposition. He said I could be by his side in taking over Equestria. I obviously said no, but he didn't like that. It was then that he entered my body and possessed me. That was when, I became, Timor."

That was a revelation to Spike and Shooting Star. "So you weren't evil in the first place, you were forced to be."

"Yeah, and in all the thousands of years I was alive, I never even knew that the elements of harmony had a secret seventh element, until you unlocked it's true power Spike. You saved me from being evil and ending all life in Equestria."

Spike was a little embarrassed but he didn't show it, he just smiled. "It was honestly nothing." he said.

"Really? You saved the entire population of Equestria." Solaris said.

Shooting Star, then decided to ask, "Spike, do you want to go back?"

Spike then looked down and shook his head, "I don't think I'm ready to face them again. I did yell at them pretty good."

"You can vent to us Spike," Solaris told him. "We'll listen."

Spike looked at Solaris for a few seconds before nodding. "OK."

Meanwhile, the rest of the gang was still silent after that outburst from Spike. Some had looks of concern while some had looks of scolding.

"Oh dear, I hope that Spikey Wikey is ok. I haven't seen him or his friends in quite a while." Rarity said.

"Yeah, should one of us go check on them?" Fluttershy asked.

It was then that Cadence got up from her chair. "I'll go check on them, and see if they're ok. The rest of you stay here, ok?"

Everypony nodded and she left the main hall. She travelled down the castle halls until she started hearing them talking, and she knew that was where Spike, Solaris and Shooting Star were. She walked to the door, but before she could knock on it, she heard something that made her stop in her tracks.

"You know guys, I helped save the Crystal Empire, I delivered the crystal heart to Cadence, but she always abandons me just like the rest. She always invited Twilight and her friends to the crystal empire, whether it be for preparations, or just to have a little fun, or to show somepony important around. She always forgets to invite me."

Cadence couldn't believe her ears. She couldn't be that bad... could she?

"And you know what's worse, I always thought she still considered me as family, even after abandoning me a couple of times. That was until Hearths Warming where she and Shining Armor invited Twilight, her friends, the princesses and even my parents. My parents were invited to the Crystal Empire for Hearths Warming but I wasn't. I still don't know why that is even to this day."

Cadence still listened, even with the amount of guilt weighing on her. Why didn't she invite him?

"But that was when I knew that they were all no better than Twilight and her friends. I don't exist in her eyes. I don't exist in any of their eyes, especially when there is fun to be had. I almost fell to my death and they celebrate Twilight passing a simple test. She calls herself the princess of love, but I know the truth. She had made me feel more unloved than loved, and when push comes to shove, she's just going to give up on me, like the rest of them will."

That broke the dam that kept Cadence's tears from leaking out. Tears started rolling from her eyes as she realized that he was right. She was a horrible friend to him, and that she didn't even think of inviting him for Hearths Warming or all of those other times. How could she have been so careless to him, and she didn't even have an answer. She knew that with how she treated him, he had every right to think that everypony would give up on him, but she would never do that to him.

She put a glamour spell on herself, so it would look like she was never crying. When the spell was done, the tears were gone and she looked more composed. She then went to knock on the door again, but they continued talking.

"Are you done venting?" she heard Solaris ask him in a gentle and concerned tone.

"Yeah, I think I'm ready to go back." Spike then said.

It was then that Cadence knocked on the door so she would look like she just got there instead of eavesdropping on them. A few seconds later, Spike opened the door with Solaris and Shooting Star in tow.

Cadence smiled, before showing concern on her face. "Hey Spike, is everything ok? You guys were gone for quite a while, and I came to check up on you."

Spike nodded. "Yeah, I feel a bit better. I think I'm ready to go back to them."

"Ok." Cadence said while she led them to the main hall where everyone was. Spike smiled sheepishly before saying, "Um, hi guys."

Twilight walked up to them with a look of frustration before saying, "Spike, I think we should talk about-" Twilight stopped when Cadence interrupted her.

"It's ok Twilight. I already talked to him, and he learned his lesson. Everything's ok now." she said. Spike was confused because she never talked to him about the yelling, but he smiled at her, and she smiled at him in return.

"Oh, ok then." Twilight smiled before walking away from the group and went back to the table, before the rest of them went back to the table as well.

"Well, now that we have a plan in place, should we get dinner?" Solaris asked.

"That sounds nice actually." Shining Armor said. "I'm getting kind of hungry."

"Great. I can snap my claws and spawn in the meal that you want." He then spawned maitre D outfit and asked, "So what would everyone like for dinner?"

After everyone gave him their orders, Solaris snapped his claws and gave them their meals. Cadence and Shining were impressed by his abilities and gave him compliments.

After they ate dinner, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna went back to Canterlot to do their royal duties, Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Rarity went home and Spike, Solaris, Cadence and Shining, and Twilight went to their rooms. Shooting Star stayed with Spike for the night, seeing as how he needed her.

Cadence was walking around the halls, looking for the room Spike was in. It was dark and hard to see, so she used an illumination spell to help her.

When she arrived at his room, she carefully and quietly opened the door to see a nice sight. Shooting Star was holding Spike close to her. Cadence smiled, even though they may not know about it, it was still cute to see them like this.

Cadence started getting tears in her eyes again as she approached the duo. She then whispered, "Spike, my special little dragon, words can't describe how sorry I am about everything. But I promise you, I will do anything and everything in my power to make it up to you."

She then kissed his forehead, earning a small smile from the sleeping form. Cadence smiled at the sight before slowly backing away from the sleeping duo and quietly leaving the room, to go back to her's and Shining's room.

Author's Note

This was actually the chapter I was waiting to write the most ever since I finished "The Glue of Harmony" and now it's done. I'm happy

Cadence's Offer

The next morning, the sun rose gently over Ponyville, casting a warm glow through the windows of the castle. Spike woke up feeling a bit more at ease, though the weight of his vented feelings still lingered in his heart. He saw that Shooting Star was hugging him in her sleep, so he carefully extricated himself from Shooting Star's embrace, trying not to wake her, and quietly left the room.

As he wandered the halls, he found himself in the castle's library, a place that had always brought him comfort. He picked up a book and settled into a cozy corner, letting the familiar smell of parchment and ink calm his thoughts.

A little while later, Solaris and Shooting Star found him. "Morning, Spike," Solaris said softly. "How are you feeling today?"

Spike looked up from his book and managed a small smile. "Better, I think. Thanks for listening to me yesterday. It really helped."

"And don't hesitate to come to me if you ever need to vent something again." Solaris told him. "I'll listen."

"And I'll listen too." Shooting Star said.

Spike nodded, feeling grateful for his friends' support. "Thanks, both of you. It means a lot to me."

Shooting Star smiled warmly. "We're here for you, Spike. Always."

The warm moment stopped when all of their stomachs started growling. "Well, it looks like everyone in hungry. What would you guys like to have for breakfast?" Solaris asked.

"I honestly don't know." Spike said.

Shooting Star added on, "Me neither."

Solaris thought for a second before asking, "Do you like waffles?"

Spike and Shooting Star answered in unison, "Yes we like waffles."

"Do you like pancakes?" Solaris asked.

"Yes we like pancakes."

"Do you like yakch toast?"

"Yes we like Yakch toast." Spike and Shooting Star said in unison.

"Then what would you like to have?" Solaris asked.

"WAFFLES!!" Spike and Shooting Star shouted together. Solaris smirked as his little plan worked in terms of them deciding what to have for breakfast. So he snapped his claws and he spawned 3 plates of waffles in front of them to chow down on. They chowed down on the 3 plates of waffles before sitting back and patting their bellies, clearly having enjoyed a good breakfast.

After having enjoyed their waffle breakfast, Solaris made the plates disappear into a cloud of smoke and the 3 of them left the library. As they left the library, the three friends walked through the castle halls, heading toward the main hall where Twilight and the others were gathering for the day. The morning light filtered through the windows, casting a warm and inviting glow throughout the castle.

When they arrived at the main hall, they found Twilight, Cadence, and Shining Armor already there, chatting and preparing for the day ahead. Twilight looked up and smiled when she saw them.

"Good morning, Spike, Solaris, Shooting Star," Twilight greeted. "I hope you all slept well."

"Morning, Twilight," Spike replied with a nod. "Yeah, we slept pretty well. Thanks."

"So Twilight, what will we be doing today?" Solaris asked.

"Well, in a few hours, the train to the Crystal Empire will leave, so we'll say goodbye and see them off, and after that... well, I don't really know."

"I think we should set up some defenses in case King Naeus' monsters try to attack Ponyville, I know a good shield spell that can help defend us." Solaris suggested.

Twilight considered Solaris' suggestion, her expression thoughtful. "That's a good idea, Solaris. We need to be prepared for anything. After we see Cadence and Shining Armor off, we can start working on setting up those defenses."

Spike, Shooting Star, and Solaris nodded in agreement.

"Sounds like a plan," Spike said. "We need to make sure Ponyville is safe."

"Actually Spike, I want to ask you something." Spike heard Cadence say.

Spike looked up at Cadence and asked, "What is it Cadence."

Cadence then started to look a little nervous before she asked nervously, "Would you... Would you like to spend about a week or 2 in the Crystal Empire with me and Shining?"

Spike was taken aback by her offer. Was Cadence actually inviting him to spend a week or 2 in the Crystal Empire? Or was it just a hoax?

"Ooh," Twilight said in a curious tone. "You're inviting us back to the Crystal Empire again? We'd love to go."

Cadence looked at Twilight before correcting her. "Sorry Twilight, but I'm inviting just Spike to the Crystal Empire. You should probably stay and help with the Ponyville defenses."

Twilight's eyes widened in surprise. "Just Spike? Are you sure, Cadence?"

Cadence nodded firmly. "Yes, Twilight. I'm sure."

Shining Armor was also surprised, but pleasantly. "It would be nice to spend some time with Spike." he said before turning to Spike. "Would you like to come with us to the Crystal Empire, Spike?"

"Ok this is actually happening." Spike thought. "I'm actually being invited to the Crystal Empire for fun, not for anything else."

"Yes, I- I'd love to go to the Crystal Empire with you guys. I'd be honored." Spike said happily.

Twilight, while still surprised, respected Cadence's desision and smiled at Spike. "I hope you have a great time in the Crystal Empire, Spike."

"I'm sure I will Twilight. I bet the Crystal Empire would love to see me." Spike said. "After all, they do see me as their hero."

"Hey Spike, would you like some help packing your things for your stay at the empire of crystal?" Solaris asked. Spike nodded and Solaris teleported Spike and himself to Spike's room where the bed wasn't made. "Um Spike, would you like me to teach you how to make a bed?"

Spike rolled his eyes playfully before explaining. "Shooting Star slept with me for my comfort last night, and I woke up before her this morning, so I think you should be asking that question to her."

"Alright, I'll ask her that question, but here's another one for you. What will you be bringing to the Crystal Empire?"

Spike thought for a second before saying, "I'm going to bring my element's necklace," he said before picking up the multi colored necklace and putting it in his suitcase, "I'm definitely going to bring my toothbrush so I can keep my pearly white... well, white, some gems in case I get a little peckish on the train, and my journal that I got for Hearths Warming." he said before putting his toothbrush, some gems and his journal into the suitcase."

Solaris eyed the journal and then asked. "Have you been writing in that journal? How many entries are there?"

Spike then realized something. He never even wrote in his journal except for that one time on Hearths Warming the day before Twilight and her friends returned from the Crystal Empire. "Well, I just wrote only one entry in there and that was on Hearths Warming. I kind of forgot to write in it ever since."

Solaris sighed in disappointment, but he knew it wasn't his fault. "Spike, it wasn't your fault for forgetting to write in it. It was the fault of some creature else." he said before looking to his left before glaring.

"Solaris, what are you looking at?" Spike asked.

"I'm looking at, 'The Author'." Solaris answered before looking back at Spike. "Are you going to write any entries in your journal I gave you?"

"Yeah, I think." Spike replied before his eyes widened at the last part. "Wait, you sent me that journal and Shooting Star that necklace?"

"Yeah, you saved me, so I thought I could give you something for Hearths Warming." Solaris said.

"Oh, so that's why there was a note that said 'Thanks for saving my life."

Spike closed his suitcase and buckled it up, before picking it up, "Well, I'm ready for my trip."

Solaris nodded and snapped his claws where they were back in the main hall where everyone still was.

Cadence smiled at him before saying, "I can see that you are already packed. You must be excited."

"I'm more than excited, I'm ecstatic. I get to go to the Crystal Empire and see the sights." Spike replied in excitement.

Cadence continued smiling, but guilt started crawling into her. If he was this excited about going to another place, then it really has been too long since he was back there. Her thoughts were interrupted when Shining said,

"Don't you worry Spike, it will be a great time for you and us."

As the morning continued, everyone finished their preparations. When it was time to leave for the train station, they all walked together, chatting and enjoying each other's company. The train to the Crystal Empire awaited, and Spike felt a sense of excitement mixed with a bit of nervousness.

On the way to the train station, Rainbow, Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy decided to walk along with them to the train station to also say goodbye to Cadence and Shining Armor.

When they got there, Rarity noticed Spike's suitcase and smiled. "Hey Spike, What's with the suitcase?"

Cadence told her, "I'm inviting him to the Crystal empire for about 2 weeks."

That got everypony's attention. "Oh, Really? If I knew we were invited to the Crystal Empire sooner, then I would have packed all of my stuff." Rarity said.

"Yeah, I'd love to go back to the Crystal Empire. It'll be sooo awesome with me there." Rainbow dash added.

That was when Cadence started to elaborate. "Actually girls, I'm only inviting Spike along. I think you should stay here in Ponyville and help with defenses."

That shocked them and Pinkie decided to speak up, "Well, that doesn't sound fair."

"Yeah," Rainbow added on. "Why does Spike get to go to the Crystal Empire but we don't?"

"Cyan, this is Princess Cadence's decision, so how about you shut up and respect it." Solaris said to Rainbow and Pinkie.

"I agree with Solaris girls, this is Cadence's decision, so we should all respect that decision." Twilight said in support. "I was surprised too, but I respect her decision and so should you."

Spike and Cadence smiled at Solaris and Twilight. Rainbow sighed and replied with, "You're right. I should respect your decision, and now, I do."

It was then that they heard a horn sound filled the air. They looked to their left and saw that the train has arrived. Twilight gave Spike a hug before telling him. "Take care of yourself, Spike. We'll be here when you get back."

"I will, Twilight. Take care of Ponyville," Spike replied.

The train stopped at the station and they saw many ponies get off. Spike looked at the ponies getting off and looked back at Shooting Star and Solaris. He went up to them and hugged them, with them returning it. "Have a great time you two."

"You too Spike." Shooting Star said.

After the ponies got off the train, the intercom called for the ponies going to the Crystal Empire to get on the train. So Spike, Cadence and Shining Armor got on the train and Spike found a comfortable seat next to a window. He sat down with Cadence and Shining Armor following suit to sit down next to him.

"So, Spike, is there anything specific you want to do in the Crystal Empire?" Cadence asked.

Spike already had an answer. "I want to explore the Crystal Empire in general, see if it has any cool places in town. Also, I'd love to spend some time with you and Shining Armor, just hanging out."

Shining Armor smiled. "We can definitely do that, Spike. There's a lot to see and do in the Crystal Empire."

Just then, the whistle blew and they were on their way out of the station. The journey took about a few hours, but it was a pleasent few hours. Soon enough, Spike could see the Crystal Empire in the distance. He felt excited, but he also felt a sense of uneasiness. He didn't know why, but he still felt uneasy about this.

A few minutes later, the train arrived at the Crystal Empire train station. Spike, Cadence and Shining Armor got off on the door not far from them. When they got off, Spike could see the empire in it's full glory. Everything was so shiny, and it looked absolutely amazing.

"Come Spike, let's get to the castle before crowds come up." Cadence told him. Spike did as he was told and walked along with Cadence and Shining Armor back to the castle.

While walking, Spike saw the crystal ponies adorning the sidewalks, trying to get a good look at him. They stared at him and started whispering things into one another's ears. This made Spike confused. Were they talking bad things about him?

His fears were put to rest when a random crystal pony shouted, "OUR HERO HAS FINALLY RETURNED!!" and with that, the crystal ponies on the sidewalks burst into cheer. They cheered all the way to the castle until the guards pushed them back so he, Cadence and Shining could enter. Spike loved that they were cheering for him and calling him their hero. It made him feel important.

When they entered the castle, Spike was lead to a special guest room had been prepared for him. It was cozy and beautifully decorated, with a stunning view of the Crystal Heart from the window.

"Wow, this is amazing," Spike said, looking around the room. "Thank you so much, Cadence."

Cadence smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Spike. We're happy to have you here."

Shining Armor added, "And if there's anything you need or want to do, just let us know."

Spike nodded, feeling a sense of belonging and excitement. "I will. Thanks, Shining."

Cadence and Shining left the room to give Spike some time and space to settle in. While he was unpacking, he still felt an uneasy feeling in his stomach, but he didn't know why. He was finally in the Crystal Empire, finally in a land he wanted to be in for so long, so why was he feeling uneasy about all of it then?

Spike didn't forget to write in his journal, so he took it out and started writing in it.

Entry #2

Hello Journal. I'm so sorry that I haven't written for so long. I guess I must have forgot. There is a lot to write about in here. A few weeks ago, there was a wedding of Cranky Doodle and Matilda, where I was able to take a big part in it. Then a week later, I was on a friendship mission where I discovered Timor, but he's a good guy now and he saved Appleoosa from giant monsters. But that's another thing. Equestria might be under attack soon. King Naeus already used Luna's creation called the Tantabus to create nightmares, and even though Solaris (Used to be Timor) was able to help Luna forgive herself and defeat the Tantabus, my nightmares continue. I don't know how long it will be until they end, but it's starting to make me sleep deprived. Then me, Shooting Star and Solaris were attacked by King Naeus, but Solaris healed us with his magic so we had to form a meeting about how to protect Equestria from him. I also learned that Solaris knew my parents and that his friends were killed by Naeus a long time ago before his last friend betrayed him and banished him. Finally today, Cadence invited me back to the Crystal Empire. I'm so excited, but it's also making me feel uneasy and I don't know why. I'll write soon.

With that Spike closed his journal and began to settle in.

Fortification

Author's Note

For the next few chapters, I'm going to split the perspective of the story from Spike to Solaris in Ponyville. This will be Solaris while the next chapter will be Spike.

Fortification

Back in Ponyville, the atmosphere was buzzing with a mix of determination and anticipation. Twilight, Solaris, and Shooting Star were already brainstorming ways to fortify the town. The rest of the Mane Six were eager to contribute, each bringing their unique strengths to the table.

"Alright, everypony," Twilight began, addressing her friends gathered in the town square. "We need to make sure Ponyville is well-protected. Solaris has suggested a powerful shield spell, and we'll need to combine our efforts to make it as strong as possible."

Solaris nodded in agreement. "I've used this spell before, and with all of us working together, we can cover the entire town. But we'll need to reinforce it with physical defenses as well. You have no idea how strong these monsters are."

Applejack stepped forward. "We can use the apple trees around Sweet Apple Acres to build barriers. They're strong and sturdy."

Rarity added, "I can provide some camouflage and disguise for the barriers, making them blend in with the surroundings."

Rainbow Dash hovered above the group. "I can keep an eye on the skies, make sure nothing gets past us."

"And I'll keep everypony's spirits high with some treats and a party when this is all over!" Pinkie Pie said, bouncing with enthusiasm.

Fluttershy spoke up softly but firmly, "I can ask my animal friends to help keep watch and alert us if anything unusual happens."

Twilight smiled, feeling a surge of pride for her friends. "Great ideas, everypony. Let's get to work."

Solaris then stepped back up. "I'll come by each and everyone of you and help you as much as I can."

Everypony nodded and went to do their tasks. Applejack went back to Sweet Apple Acres to help with barriers of trees, Rarity went back to the Carousel Boutique to start making disguises, Rainbow Dash flew to the skies, making sure nothing too suspicious gets into Ponyville, Fluttershy went back to her cottage to inform her animals of what needs to be done with their help, such as alerting anything suspicious and Pinkie Pie went back to Sugarcube Corner to make dessert to help people energized.

At the same time however, Twilight and Solaris were in the town square to work on the actual shield, to protect Ponyville. Twilight's horn glowed with a soft magenta light, while Solaris's eyes shimmered with a golden hue, reflecting the immense power within him.

"Alright, Solaris, let's start with the basic structure of the shield," Twilight said, focusing her magic. "We need to make sure it's strong enough to withstand any attacks."

Solaris nodded, his expression serious. "I'll add my magic to yours. Together, we'll create a barrier that's impenetrable."

As their magic intertwined, a glowing sphere began to form around them, expanding outward to encompass the entire town. The air crackled with energy, and the ground beneath their hooves trembled slightly. Solaris was using his magic to help make the shield. He looked over at Twilight and found that she was struggling a little bit.

So he went over to her and reassured her, "You're doing great Twilight. You just need a little more magic and then the main part of the shield will be complete, alright?"

Twilight nodded, her horn glowing brighter as she directed the spell. Slowly but surely, the shield expanded, enveloping the entire town in a protective dome.

Finally, with a final burst of magic, the spell was complete. The shield stood tall and firm, a testament to their combined strength and determination.

Twilight exhaled, wiping the sweat from her brow. "We did it." she said before collapsing.

"Uh Twilight, Are you feeling ok?" Solaris asked with a bit of concern.

Twilight nodded. "Yeah, I'm feeling ok. I'm just going to go back to the castle to make some tea."

"You know I can snap my claws together to help make some tea for you, right?" he asked her.

"I know." she said. "But you're still my guest since you're in Ponyville, and since Spike's at the Crystal Empire with my brother and sister in law, I should make the tea myself."

"Alright, see you later Twilight, I'm going to go around town to help the others with the fortification."

"Later Solaris." And with that, she went back inside the castle to make tea.

The first place Solaris decided to go to was Sweet Apple Acres. On the way there, he could see less trees than there were before. He must have guessed that Applejack and Big Mac were busy with taking trees and using them as another barrier to enhance the shield he and Twilight already made, so he went into the orchard to see if there was anything he could do to help them.

He walked up to the house they stayed in and knocked on the front door. A few seconds later, the young Apple filly named Apple Bloom answered the door.

"Well hi there. Are you a friend of somepony around here?" she asked.

"Why yes, I am a friend of somepony in Ponyville. I was wondering if Applejack and Big Mac were around. I want to see if I can help them in any way, shape or form."

Apple Bloom shook her head and said, "I'm sorry, but they aren't here at the moment. For some reason, they are chopping down apple trees and bringing them into town for some reason. I think they want to ruin our farm."

Solaris knelt down to be at eye level with Apple Bloom. "They're not ruining the farm, Apple Bloom," he explained gently. "They're using the trees to help protect Ponyville. We're setting up barriers to keep everypony safe from potential threats."

Apple Bloom's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, I didn't know that. I guess that makes sense. How can I help?"

Solaris smiled warmly. "Your brother and sister are doing great work, but maybe you can help by keeping an eye on things here at the farm. Make sure everything is running smoothly and that any of your farm animals are safe and sound."

Apple Bloom nodded enthusiastically. "You got it! I'll make sure everything here is taken care of."

Solaris stood up and gave her a reassuring pat on the head. "Thanks, Apple Bloom. You're a big help." With that, he turned and headed toward the orchard, where he could already hear the sounds of trees being chopped down.

As he made his way through the rows of apple trees, he soon spotted Applejack and Big Mac hard at work, loading logs onto a cart. Applejack wiped sweat from her brow and looked up as Solaris approached.

"Hey there, Solaris," she greeted. "We sure could use an extra pair of hooves if you're offering."

Solaris nodded. "Absolutely. Let me help with that." With a flick of his claws, he used his magic to lift several logs and load them onto the cart effortlessly.

Big Mac was surprised, seeing as how little effort he put into so much work. Applejack just smiled, thankful for his help. "Thank you so much Solaris, you really are a great help."

Big Mac smiled at him and the one word he said was, "Eeyup."

"It was no problem at all, and to top everything off, when we're done with putting the trees around Ponyville, I can snap my claws and put in new trees around this place, so you ponies get to keep the farm." Solaris told them, making them smile even more.

"Wow, you're an even greater help than I first thought. Thank you so much. I was worried that we may lose the farm if we did this." Applejack explained.

"Really?" Solaris asked. "Then why did you come up with the plan in the first place?"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Applejack explained again.

"Fair enough."

So Solaris helped Applejack and Big Mac for the next hour. He used his magic to pick up some logs to put them in the cart, while Applejack and Big Mac hauled the cart into town. Solaris helped with putting the trees into the ground around Ponyville.

"Thanks a bunch, Solaris," Applejack said, smiling. "This'll save us a lot of time."

Big Mac nodded in agreement. "Eeyup."

Solaris continued to use his magic to help gather and transport the logs. As they worked, he noticed Applejack glancing at him with curiosity.

"Something on your mind, Applejack?" Solaris asked.

Applejack paused, then nodded. "Yeah, I was just wonderin'... why do you care so much about helpin' us? I mean, not that we don't appreciate it, but it seems like you've got your own troubles to worry about."

Solaris took a deep breath, looking out over the orchard. "I've made quite a few mistakes in my past, Applejack. Helping others, protecting those who can't protect themselves... it helps me make amends. And besides, you've all welcomed me into your lives. The least I can do is be there for you when you need it."

Applejack's expression softened. "Well, we're mighty grateful for it. And for what it's worth, I think you're doin' a fine job of makin' up for whatever happened in the past."

Solaris smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, Applejack. That means a lot. If you don't mind, I'm going to go help the others with their tasks."

"Go right on ahead Solaris, have a great time." Applejack told him.

"Eeyup." Big Mac added.

Solaris left them and went to the Carousel Boutique to help Rarity with disguises. He went to the door and knocked on it. When the door was answered, it was revealed to be not Rarity, but her younger sister.

She smiled and said, "Hello there, my name is Sweetie Belle, are you the orange version of Spike?"

Solaris chuckled at that. "Yeah, you can say that. Me and Spike look exactly the same, so it makes sense you think of us that way. I was actually wondering if Rarity needed any help with anything. You see, Spike is at the Crystal Empire right now, so I decided to take his place to see if she needs any help."

Sweetie Belle smiled and invited him in. "I'm sure Rarity would need a lot of help. Come on in." So he went into the building and asked Sweetie Belle where Rarity was, with her telling him that she's upstairs working on her 'ideas'. So Solaris went up the stairs and knocked on the door.

Nopony answered for a while, so he decided to go in anyway. What he saw was a big mess. Fabrics were everywhere and so were other utensils.

Solaris took a moment to survey the chaotic scene in Rarity's workspace. The usually pristine room was now a whirlwind of fabrics, threads, and designs scattered all over. In the center of it all was Rarity, her mane slightly disheveled, focused intensely on a sketchpad.

"Rarity," Solaris called gently, trying not to startle her. "Need a hoof?"

Rarity looked up, her eyes widening in surprise and relief. "Oh, Solaris! Thank goodness you're here. I'm working on disguises for the barriers, but it's proving to be quite the challenge."

Solaris smiled warmly. "No worries, Rarity. Let's tackle this together. Show me what you have in mind."

Rarity quickly explained her vision: the barriers would not only be strong but also blend seamlessly into the surroundings, making them almost invisible to any potential threats. She wanted to use natural colors and materials to create camouflage that would make the barriers look like part of the landscape.

"Alright, let's start by organizing the materials," Solaris suggested, using his magic to lift and sort the various fabrics and supplies. Within moments, the room was back in order, allowing Rarity to focus more clearly on her designs.

Rarity watched in awe as Solaris effortlessly arranged everything. "You have quite the talent for tidying up, Solaris. Thank you."

"It's the least I can do," Solaris replied with a grin. "Now, let's get to work on those disguises."

Together, they began cutting, sewing, and assembling the camouflage coverings for the barriers. Solaris used his magic to shape and manipulate the fabrics, while Rarity's keen eye for detail ensured that each piece was perfect. They worked in harmony, their combined efforts speeding up the process significantly.

As they worked, Rarity couldn't help but ask, "Solaris, I've been curious. What drives you to help us so selflessly? You always seem to put others before yourself."

Solaris paused for a moment, considering his response. "I suppose it's because I've seen what happens when people don't help each other. I've made mistakes in my past, and I've learned that the only way to truly make amends is by doing good wherever I can. You all welcomed me into your lives despite everything. The least I can do is repay that kindness."

Rarity smiled softly. "Well, I believe you're doing a wonderful job. Your presence here has been invaluable."

"Thank you, Rarity. That means a lot," Solaris replied sincerely.

After a few hours of hard work, they had completed a significant number of camouflage coverings. Rarity looked at their progress with satisfaction. "These are perfect. They'll blend in beautifully with the surroundings."

"Great job, Rarity," Solaris said, admiring their handiwork. "I'll help you get these to the barriers."

Solaris lead Rarity to the trees around Ponyville, and they started wrapping them around the trees. When they were done, Solaris used his magic to make them so surreal that they almost looked invisible to the naked eye.

"Solaris, your skills are absolutely divine. I wish I had your magic." Rarity told him.

Solaris chuckled and said, "Be careful what you wish for."

So Solaris left Rarity to her own devices and went to Fluttershy's cottage. When he got there, he saw a ton on animals on alert, so much so that the animals zero'd down on him quickly. Solaris was about to use his taming magic to calm them down before he was chased down, but Fluttershy swooped in to save the day.

"Every creature, do not attack Solaris. Dragons are friends, not food." she yelled at them. Immediately after saying this, the animals stopped in their tracks and looked down, all while growling something. "I forgive you guys, all of you are ok." he heard Fluttershy say.

Solaris walked up to Fluttershy with a surprised look on his face. "Way to be assertive Shy."

Fluttershy blushed and said quietly, "I do try to be assertive from time to time."

"Anyway," he continued. "I see you have the animals on patrol. What are their jobs?"

"Well, the birds are in charge of the aerial surveillance, while the ground animals were tasked with monitering the ground." she said.

"That sounds perfect. I hope you're doing well, and I will see you later." he told her before making his last stop of the day, which was Sugarcube Corner. He walked into the building to see that there were more desserts than the actual building they were in.

Just then, Pinkie zipped up to him and started going on a diatribe. "HISOLARISIHOPEYOUAREDOINGWELLI'MSURETHEPONIESOFPONYVILLEAREGOINGTOBEEXTRAWORRIEDSOIMADEMOREDESSERTSTHANIEVERMADEINMYENTIRELIFEAND-" Solaris knew that everything was under control here, so he just decided to go out of the building.

After a while, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were back at the town square, as they were done with everything they needed to do.

"Well, is every pony done with their tasks?" Solaris asked.

"Everything I need to do is done. All the trees are in a barrier around Ponyville." Applejack said.

"Perfect." Solaris said, as he snapped his claws. "Expect a fresh orchard when you get back."

Applejack smiled before he went on to Rarity, "How was your day after I helped you with your part of fortification?" he asked her.

"It was great. I took a beauty nap today." Rarity said.

"And the skies have nothing suspicious, so Ponyville is safe." Rainbow Dash said.

"And the desserts have been made to last us a lifetime." Pinkie said.

"And the animals are on patrol." Fluttershy said.

Solaris smiled. "Great job, it looks like Ponyville is fortified."

Applejack spoke up again. "I just have a question. Where in tarnation is Twilight?"

Solaris answered with, "She said she was making tea back at the castle, so I think she's there."

So they went to the castle. When they opened it up, they saw the main hall looking clean. So they explored until they reached the kitchen.

The kitchen was in shambles. The table and chairs were flipped over, there was a small fire on the stove and it looked like there was tea stains all over the wall. In the middle of it was Twilight, looking like she was in a trance.

Rainbow Dash walked over to her and clapped her hooves in front of her while saying, "Twilight, Ms. Egghead, are you home?" That got Twilight out of her trance and she smiled sheepishly. Rainbow Dash then hugged her all of a sudden, making Solaris smirk.

"Twilight, what in tarnation happened here?" Applejack asked her.

Twilight blushed and gave a more sheepish smile. "I guess I don't know how to make tea."

"That's an understatement." Solaris said, making the rest of them burst into laughter, much to Twilight's chagrin.

The Social Spectator

The sun rose gently over Ponyville, casting a warm glow on the fortified town. The barriers stood firm, camouflaged perfectly by Rarity's designs and Applejack's sturdy trees. The shield created by Twilight and Solaris shimmered subtly, a protective dome ensuring the safety of everypony within.

Solaris was the first to awaken, stepping out into the crisp morning air. He took a moment to admire the fruits of their hard work, feeling a sense of accomplishment. As he walked through the town, he noticed the residents going about their morning routines with a newfound sense of security.

At Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack and Big Mac were already up, checking on the newly restored orchard. The trees were vibrant and full of life, thanks to Solaris' magic. Apple Bloom joined them, her eyes wide with amazement.

"Look at this, Big Mac! The orchard's better than ever!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.

"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed with a satisfied smile.

Applejack turned to Solaris as he approached. "Morning, Solaris. Looks like your magic did wonders for our farm. Thank you."

"No problem." Solaris replied. Just then, Applejack felt a tingly feeling on her flank. She looked at it and saw that it was glowing and producing more of the same cutie mark. "Now what could that possibly be?"

Solaris saw this with Spike and Shooting Star when they forgave him back in Appleoosa, so he already had an answer. "I think you're being summoned to the castle for something."

"It must be a friendship mission." Applejack deduced. "I must get over to the castle as soon as possible."

Applejack started running to the castle, but Solaris decided to teleport back because he wanted to. When he was back in the castle, he found himself in the Cutie Map room. He just decided to wait until Applejack arrived.

He waited for a few minutes until he heard the door open. He looked at who arrived, but saw that it wasn't Applejack. It was Rarity.

"Oh, good morning darling." Rarity greeted. "I take it you were also called by the cutie map."

"Nope." Solaris said. "But I know some creature else who did. Do you know where you're heading?"

No, but I can see that- *gasp*, TWILIGHT, TWILIGHT!!"

Not a few seconds later, Twilight came running into the room quickly, most likely thinking somepony was trying to kill Rarity.

"Ooh, Twilight darling, thank goodness. It seems that my-" She stopped when she heard another set of hoofsteps run into the room. Everyone turned around and saw that it was Applejack.

Applejack slowed down and said, "Woo wee, got here as fast as I co- *GASP*" Twilight interrupted her with a gasp. She saw that Applejack's Cutie mark was glowing. She looked at Rarity and saw that her cutie mark was glowing as well.

"YES!" Twilight yelled. "Finally, we been summoned. I wonder where the map wants up to-" Twilight was also interrupted when Solaris put a hoof to her muzzle.

"Twilight, you weren't summoned. Your cutie mark isn't glowing." he said while pointing at her cutie mark. Twilight looked at her flank and saw that her cutie mark indeed wasn't glowing. Twilight smiled before it faltered, and she fell to the ground, groaning.

"But Twilight, we've been called to MANEHATTEN! Oh, I've simply been dying to go back for a visit." Rarity fawned. "And now, I return. With a purpose."

Solaris then looked at the map and saw that they were summoned somewhere on the outskirts of the city. "It doesn't look like you're being summoned to the city itself. It looks like you're being summoned by the outskirts."

Rarity wasn't fazed however. "We're being summoned to one of the busiest, most vibrant cities in Equestria. Isn't this exciting?" Rarity asked Applejack.

Unlike Rarity, Applejack felt a little uncomfortable going to the big city. "Seems a hair odd though, don it? Map calling me to a big city like Manehatten?"

"You may be a country pony at heart Applejack, but the map picked you 2 specifically because it thinks you 2 are the best ponies for the job, kind of like when Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were sent to Griffinstone, or when Spike and Shooting Star were sent to Appleoosa."

Applejack still wasn't sure. "But how are we supposed to know what the mission's gonna be? That neighborhood might have twice as many ponies as all of Ponyville."

At that, Rarity blew a raspberry. "More like three times dear. It's not only home to the haypacking district, but it's also home to the fashion district." Rarity, Applejack and Solaris looked at Twilight who looked a little sad. "It's quite a shame you weren't called dear. You did become quite the fan of the hustle and bustle of the city on your last visit."

Twilight sighed. "There's still so much I want to do there. All the museums, the historical landmarks, and especially, all the libraries." Solaris swore he saw here eyes sparkle for a second. "But this is your mission. Don't worry about me, I have plenty of... books to keep me company."

Solaris saw that Twilight was getting more sad about not being invited to places. First, she wasn't invited to the Crystal Empire but Spike was, and now she wasn't invited to Manehatten.

"Aw Twilight, don't be like that." Solaris assured her. "You can spend that time with me. I heard that a tradition called the sisterhooves social is happening soon, and I want to see how it's like"

That made Applejack and Rarity frown. "Oh, I just remembered that." Rarity said.

"We'll have to miss it." Applejack added on. "No telling how long we'll be in Manehatten. I sure hope Applebloom and Sweetie Belle aren't too upset."

Then, Twilight became perplexed. "Wait a second, how will we get you girls to Manehatten with all the defenses around Ponyville?"

"The shield we put up can sense who is a threat and who isn't" Solaris explained, "And with no trees around the train station, they can get out and in with ease."

"Well, that is quite nice Solaris." Rarity said. "Now, let's head over to Manehatten, right now." she finished while rushing out the door. Applejack followed suit to catch up with her.

Twilight and Solaris were walking around Ponyville. "I heard Applebloom was pretty upset about Applejack leaving for Manehatten. I don't know about Sweetie Belle though." Twilight said.

"Yeah, she seems pretty content with watching the whole think like us, but I heard she really likes the Sisterhooves Social." Solaris added on. "Besides, Scootaloo gets to compete with Cyan even though they aren't truly sisters."

"That may be the case Solaris, but those 2 still share a special bond." Twilight explained. "There's a pretty loose definition of a sister after all, as long as you share a bond with somepony that even comes close to a sister, you're in."

"Hm, you seem to know a lot about the definition of sister, even though you don't even have one yourself." Solaris said to her, making her smile sheepishly. Then, he got an idea. "Wait, if you say if you come close to a sister, like a friend, then I think they might still be able to be in the competition.

That got Twilight intrigued. "Really, how?"

"Follow me." Solaris called out before he started walking somewhere. Since they were just walking, Twilight was able to catch up rather easily. They walked through town and to a certain building. "Here we are Twilight."

Twilight looked at the building and saw that it was rather familiar. "This is Derpy's and the Doctor's building, Solaris. What are we doing here?" she asked.

Solaris didn't answer her, but instead knocked on the door. After a few seconds, the door opened and revealed to be Shooting Star. She smiled with glee at him. "HI SOLARIS!!" she yelled before bringing him in for a tight bear hug. Solaris was caught off guard, but hugged her back anyway.

"Hi Shooting Star. I was wondering if you would like to be a sister for a day."

Shooting Star blinked in surprise, releasing Solaris from her bear hug. "A sister for a day? What do you mean, Solaris?"

Twilight, still standing at the door, chimed in, "I'm guessing Solaris was thinking you could participate in the Sisterhooves Social with Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle. They might need a partner since Applejack and Rarity are away on a friendship mission."

Shooting Star's eyes widened with excitement. "Oh, that sounds like so much fun! I'd love to help out!"

"Great!" Solaris said with a smile. "Let's go find Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle and see who needs a partner."

The group made it to the field where the social was taking place. Immediately, the sight of Scootaloo and Rainbow caught their eye.

"We sooo got this. I'm gonna go sign us in." they heard her say, and then she flew off to sign her and Scootaloo in.

They then saw Sweetie Belle come into the picture. "I guess I'm a little jealous that you get to compete but I don't. But at least I get to be here and cheer you on.

Twilight, Solaris and Shooting Star then walked up to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. "Hey girls." Twilight said to them.

"Hi Twilight." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle replied in unison.

Then Shooting Star walked up to Sweetie Belle with a smile. "Hey Sweetie Belle. I actually have a offer for you."

Sweetie Belle looked at Shooting Star. "Really, what is it?" she asked.

"Well, I know we technically aren't sisters, but I was thinking I could be your sister for the day. I know how much you like being in the competitions, so I was thinking I could be your quote on quote sister for the day."

That made Sweetie Belle smile, "You mean, I still get to be in the competition?" Shooting Star nodded at her.

"Oh my gosh I would love for you to join me." Sweetie Belle said with glee. "Come on Shooting Star, let's go get signed in." She said while running to the sign in stands, with Shooting Star following suit.

"I'm guessing Applebloom isn't coming. I guess she changed her mind." Scootaloo said. Just then, they saw Applebloom walking around and Scootaloo smiled. "There you are Applebloom. Are you ready to cheer on me and Rainbow Dash to victory?"

Apple bloom smiled nervously. "I'm actually going to be able to compete in the competition after all. My long lost cousin... Orchard Blossom was able to be here last minute." she said before laughing nervously.

"Well, I do declare that today is hotter than the business end of a corn cob?" Every creature heard somepony say. She had big blonde hair with a flower in it, with a sky blue dress with a tissue in the dress.

Solaris leaned into Twilight's ear. "What does she mean by business end of a corn cob?" he asked.

"I don't know." Twilight said.

'Orchard Blossom' walked up to Applebloom and Scootaloo, and said, "Oh my, I am so delighted to meet your little friends Applebloom. Would these be your beloved Cutie Mark Crusaders?"

"Well, only one of them. I don't know where the other one's at. But since we're here, let me introduce you guys." Applebloom said more nervously. "Scootaloo and others, this is Orchard Blossom. Orchard Blossom, these are my friends."

"It is my extraordinary pleasure to make your aquaintence." 'Orchard Blossom' said.

Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom with an unimpressed look. "That's Big Mac in a dress."

Solaris knew it was him all along but decided to keep it a secret. "OOOOO, kinky." he said. After he said that, he could sense Twilight about to hit him on his head for that remark, so he intercepted the hoof and put it down gently. "Don't even try it, Twilight."

"Then don't say things like that." Twilight said in embarrassment with a blush and a look of anger on her face.

"Big Mac? While I'm astonished that you see me as good as that... fine and noble stallion of the apple clan, I'm equally astonished in equal measure." Big mac said in his orchard blossom voice. "However I will take this starkling observation under advisement, given as it was from an observant and perceptive filly as yourself."

"That's nice to say cousin Orchard Blossom. However I think you should get yourself and Applebloom signed in." Scootaloo said.

"Oh that's right. Let's go get signed in Applebloom." he sad as he went over to the sign in table.

Solaris then looked at Twilight. "Well then, shall we take our seats on the stands?"

Twilight nodded and the 2 of them went over to the stands.

The first contest of the day was the singing contest. A pair of sisters finished singing their song, the crowd along with Solaris and Twilight were cheering for them.

"I still couldn't believe Big Mac was able to be in this competition." Twilight said.

"As you said, whoever shares a special bond can be here. It looks like they do." Solaris countered. "And speaking of the devil, here they come onto the stage now." They saw Big Mac and Applebloom go onto the stage and Big Mac pulled a song out of her wig.

"Excellent choice... ma'am." the judge said.

"What song do you think it is?" Solaris asked."

"I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine." Twilight answered

The song started playing while Big Mac rocked side to side to the beat of the song. Then they started singing and they were quite good.

"Who knew Big Mac had an amazing singing voice?" Twilight said.

Solaris just nodded. As the song went on, they continued singing, but at the end of the song, Big Mac accidentally went back to his normal voice.

Solaris cringed hard at that. "Dang it Big Mac, you were so close." They saw Apple Bloom and Big Mac leave the stage and they saw Sweetie Belle and Shooting Star go onto the stage. That was when he decided to make a bet with Twilight. "Hey, wanna bet that those 2 will win the singing contest?"

Twilight smirked. "25 bits. You're on."

The day went by smoothly for Solaris. He was currently holding a bag of 25 bits with a slightly irritated Twilight. "See, I told you they have amazing singing voices."

Twilight rolled her eyes playfully. "I guess you're right. Although I don't think Apple Bloom's day is going well, she didn't win a ribbon in anything yet."

"Tell me about it. Big Mac didn't even try with the jump rope and the cheer was a complete disaster. Not to mention the bowling pins."

"Well, the last part is the obstacle course. Let's hope they at least win that." Twilight said as he and Solaris sat on the stands.

"But you have to admit, Sweetie Belle and Shooting Star were doing amazing." Solaris said. "It's like they're in sync."

They stopped talking when Granny Smith walked up to the microphone. "Alright racers, take you positions." Everypony racing took positions. "On your marks, get set, GO!!"

The racers raced down the track. Rainbow dash and Scootaloo were the first to jump the giant mud puddle and the first to get to the bucket walk. However, when Big Mac got to the mud puddle, he couldn't jump and he slipped into the mud, making him fly into the air and onto the bucket walk. That was where he destroyed the buckets to continue. Next was the box hops, where Apple Bloom successfully jumped over them, but Big Mac just plowed through them. They made it to the pie eating part where the two of them chowed down of pie, but big mac kept belching for all of Ponyville to hear. He took off his bow, and continued eating and belching. They caught up with Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo and officially surpassed them when Big Mac used his super strength to push the hay bale to the finish, but throwing it in the air and making it land on another pair of sisters. They got to the wine making part of the course and Applebloom got into the bucket and squeezed grapes. However, Rainbow and Scootaloo got there too and both of them jumped into the bucket, making Big Mac jump into the bucket too, almost squishing Apple Bloom in the process. After that, they got to the chicken coop. Rainbow and Scootaloo surpassed Apple Bloom and got to the coop first. Thy picked up their eggs and brought them to baskets on their noses. After the pair put their eggs in the coop, Big Mac picked up Apple Bloom and literally plowed through the last part of the course, the hurdles and pushed a ton of ponies in the process. In the end, Big Mac also pushed Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo aside and crossed the finish line first.

Twilight and Solaris had their jaws gaping at the sight. What did they even witness? Then they saw Big Mac's dress fall off.

"Uh oh indeed." they heard the judge say. They went over to the pair and told them about sportsmanship and ultimately disqualified them.

"Looks like they win." Solaris said, pointing at Rainbow and Scootaloo. They cheered and picked them up and went to Celestia knows where. Solaris teleported himself and Twilight over to the pair where Apple Bloom was quite disappointed.

"Apple Bloom, are you ok?" Twilight asked.

"I should have waited until next year to compete with Applejack." Applebloom said before walking off. Big Mac followed with a sad look on his face.

Twilight and Solaris were about to follow until they heard another pony walk up to them with flowers. "Excuse me you 2, do you know where Orchard Blossom is?"

Solaris cringed and said, "You're creepy." and teleported himself and Twilight out of the premises.

Later that evening, Twilight and Solaris were walking to Sweet Apple Acres to check if they were ok. On the way, Sweetie Belle and Shooting Star caught up to them and Shooting Star tacked Solaris in a giant bear hug.

Solaris laughed as Shooting Star tackled him. "You sure are strong for your size, Shooting Star!"

Sweetie Belle giggled. "Shooting Star and I had the best time! We even got a ribbon for the singing contest!"

Twilight smiled warmly at the pair. "That's wonderful! Congratulations, you two. It's great to see that you had such a fun time together."

Shooting Star beamed with pride, still hugging Solaris. "Thanks, Twilight! I never thought I'd get to be in the Sisterhooves Social, and now I have this amazing ribbon to show for it!" They continued walking towards Sweet Apple Acres, but on the way, he picked up a sound. He looked over and saw Diamond Tiara yelling at another colt for bumping into her.

He glared. "You want to be an ass, I'll let you be an ass." he thought to himself before snapping his claws and turning Diamond Tiara into a donkey. When she found out that she was indeed a donkey, she ran off crying. Solaris, knowing his work there was done, caught up with the rest.

When they arrived at Sweet Apple Acres, they knocked on the door and the door opened to find Applejack.

"Woah, hi App-SHHH!" Applejack shushed Twilight and pointed out the window. When they looked out the window, they saw Big Mac and Apple Bloom spending quality time with each other, looking out towards the sunset.

Everyone smiled, while Shooting Star whispered, "That really is a nice sight."

Investigation

The next morning, Spike woke up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. He quickly got ready and made his way to the dining room for breakfast, where he found Cadence and Shining Armor already waiting for him.

"Good morning, Spike," Cadence greeted with a warm smile. "Did you sleep well?"

"Much better, thanks," Spike replied, taking a seat at the table.

"Good to hear," Shining Armor said, passing Spike a plate of breakfast. "We have a lot to do today."

As they ate, they discussed their plan for the day. Cadence and Shining Armor had already arranged for an investigation into Abacus Cinch's actions at Crystal Elementary. They planned to visit the school and gather evidence, as well as speak to other students and teachers to get a clearer picture of the situation.

After breakfast, the three of them set out for Crystal Elementary. The school was a large, impressive building, its crystal architecture gleaming in the morning sun. As they approached, Spike felt a mixture of determination and nervousness, hoping that if he did something as good as this, then maybe the others wouldn't see him as a dragon or anything but a friend or family.

When they made it into the school, they were greeted by the Vice Principal, who was a kind stallion named Mr. Crystal Clear. He smiled at them and walked over to them.

"Hello Princess, Captain Shining and Spike the Brave and Glorious. It's an honor to have you be here today. My name is Crystal Clear." he introduced himself.

Cadence smiled warmly at him. "Hi Crystal Clear. I take it you have been informed of our visit and investigations here today, regarding the principal Abacus Cinch?"

"Yes, I have." Crystal Clear answered. "Please, come inside and we can begin."

As they walked through the halls, Cadence, Shining Armor, and Spike could see the students going about their day. Some of them glanced curiously at the visitors, but most seemed too absorbed in their studies to pay much attention. Mr. Crystal Clear led them to his office, where they could discuss the situation in private.

"Thank you again for coming," Mr. Crystal Clear said, once they were all seated. "I've been concerned about Principal Cinch's methods for some time, but I haven't had the authority to intervene. I'm glad you're here to help."

"Well, you actually have to thank Spike here for telling us about this predicament. Yesterday, he heard a filly crying so he went to investigate." Shining said.

"Ah, Spike the Brave and Glorious, may you tell me what happened yesterday?" Crystal Clear asked.

"Well, I heard a filly crying, so I went to investigate just like Shining said." Spike began. "When I got there, I saw that an old mare, one with turquoise fur, a brownish pinkish mane and tail, some glasses and a trophy as a cutie mark was yelling at a small filly that had light pink fur, a neon green mane and tail, some headphones and no cutie mark."

Crystal Clear's eyes widened. "Oh my, I know that filly she was yelling at. I've grown quite fond of her. That's Lemon Zest, one of our best students. I honestly hate seeing her so sad. She would always come to me whenever she had a bad day, and it tore me up inside."

"Really, how would you say your relationship to her is?" Cadence asked.

"Like I said before, I'm just a vice principal, but I always thought she was the daughter I never had." Crystal Clear explained.

"Aw, that's sweet." Cadence said, before being tapped on by Spike. "I think we should focus on Abacus Cinch." he said.

Ah, yes. "We're here to ensure the well-being of all the students," Cadence said firmly. "Can you tell us more about what's been happening?"

Mr. Crystal Clear nodded and began to explain the situation in detail. He recounted several incidents where Abacus Cinch had been overly harsh with students, using fear and intimidation to maintain control, such as throwing a student who had a piece of candy out of the second story window, and the time she grabbed another filly by the tail and threw her across to the other side of the fence because of her ponytail. He also mentioned that some of the teachers had noticed signs of emotional distress in the students but had been too afraid to speak out.

Spike listened intently, feeling a growing sense of anger towards Abacus Cinch. He knew they had to act quickly to protect the students and put an end to her abusive behavior.

"We need to gather evidence and speak to the students," Shining Armor said. "Mr. Crystal Clear, can you help us with that?"

"Of course," Mr. Crystal Clear replied. "I'll arrange for some of the students to speak with you privately. In the meantime, you can review some of the reports and documents we've compiled."

As Mr. Crystal Clear left to make the arrangements, Spike, Cadence, and Shining Armor began reviewing the documents. They found numerous complaints from students and parents, detailing the principal's harsh punishments and unfair treatment.

"Wow, look at this." Shining said. "It says here that she puts some students in a thing called the Chokee."

"The Chokee?" Spike asked. "I heard Abacus Cinch saying to Lemon Zest while she was yelling at her yesterday that she would place her in that place all day tomorrow if she didn't go home. What does the report say it's like?"

"It says here that it's a tall narrow hole in the wall in the principals room. Students would have to stand there with drippy pipes, jagged edged walls, there is even broken glass and nails sticking out." Shining explained in disgust, reading the report.

Both Cadence and Spike were disgusted by what they had just heard. "Sweet Celestia, this is straight up foal abuse up to attempted murder of minors." Spike informed. "We need to place Cinch into prison or even Tartaurus."

Before he could finish that line of thought, Mr. Crystal Clear returned with a group of students, including Lemon Zest. She looked nervous but gave Spike a small smile when she saw him.

Cadence and Shining Armor took the lead in speaking with the students, "Hello everypony." Cadence said with a soft voice and warm smile, as to not scare them. "It's come to our attention that this school isn't a safe environment for you because of your principal. You don't have to worry, we are here to help. Now, if you're comfortable with it, can you explain what you had to go through when Cinch has been principal?"

Lemon Zest was the first to walk up and explain her testimony. "I... I... I was just walking around, talking to my friends, which were Indigo Zap, Sunny Flare, Sugarcoat, and Sour Sweet and minding my own business. But suddenly, Principal Cinch came walking towards us. We tried to run, but Cinch grabbed me with her magic, and started taking me away from my friends. I tried to get away, but it was useless. She was yelling that she was putting me in a thing called the Chokee because my dad scammed her. I was put in there for an hour and it hurt so much."

When she was finished with her testimony, she was struggling to fight back the tears that were threatening to spill out. It was only when Crystal Clear hugged her that she let the tears come out. Spike, Cadence and Shining had looks of sympathy for the filly, "Thank you for telling us, Lemon Zest. You're very brave, and we're going to make sure this doesn't happen to anypony else."

Up next, one student, a timid colt named Quartz Shine, shared a particularly heartbreaking story. "Well, I decided to bring some candy for the class to share with one another, but that was when Principal Cinch walked into the room. She saw the candy I was giving out and she walked over to me and socked me right in the muzzle. I felt blood trickle out of it before she picked me up with her magic, she raced over to the window and threw me out of it. It was a second story window, I had to go to the hospital for about 2 weeks after that. I don't even know why I'm at this school at all."

Every creature was shocked at that. They just heard that Abacus Cinch would throw kids out of the window because of a few pieces of candy. Cadence comforted the young colt, her heart aching for him and the other children who had suffered under Cinch's rule. "Don't worry Quartz, I'll make sure this never happens to anypony again."

The day continued as more and more students told their testimonies. They even had a teacher named Amber Glow that said that she made her daughter, Cozy Glow, run away from the Crystal Empire because of a threat that she would put her in the Chokee regardless.

By the end of the day, they had gathered substantial evidence against Principal Cinch. With Mr. Crystal Clear's assistance, they compiled everything into a detailed report.

"Shining," Cadence started, "Won't you be a dear husband and take this down to the local police station? They need to see that evidence." she asked him, giving him the file of evidence. Shining took the file in his magic and took off towards the police station.

With the evidence they had gathered and the testimonies from the students, Cadence and Spike knew they had enough to take action. They thanked the students for their bravery and assured them that things would change for the better.

"Let's head to Principal Cinch's office," Spike said, his voice firm. "It's time to confront her and put an end to this."

Spike and Cadence made their way to Abacus Cinch's office, their determination unwavering. Mr. Crystal Clear accompanied them, ready to support their efforts.

When they reached the office, Cadence knocked on the door. "Principal Cinch, we need to speak with you."

"Come in," came the curt reply.

They entered the office to find Abacus Cinch seated behind her desk, her expression cold and unwelcoming. She looked up, clearly surprised to see the princess and her companions.

"What is the meaning of this?" Cinch demanded.

"Principal Cinch, we've gathered evidence of your abusive behavior towards the students," Cadence said firmly. "Your methods are unacceptable, and we are here to ensure the safety and well-being of these children."

Cinch's eyes narrowed. "You have no right to interfere in my school. I have been running this institution for years, and I will not be questioned by the likes of you."

"You will be held accountable for your actions," Spike said sternly. "We have testimonies from students and teachers, as well as documented evidence of your misconduct."

"And who's going to listen to a dragon like you?" Cinch asked. "And you know what?" She gripped Spike with her magic and lifted him up. Cadence intervened, but Cinch's physical strength was better than Cadences, and she knocked the princess to the ground.

Abacus Cinch then looked at Spike and said. "You know, dragons like you are nothing but fire breathing lizard monsters." she told Spike, making him tear up a little. "Now, let's give those dragons an example of what happens when they mess with Abacus Cinch."

She opened the door in the back of her office and and it revealed it to be the Chokee that everypony here was talking about. He tried to fight back, but her magic was too strong.

"FREEZE!!" Abacus Cinch stopped dead in her tracks. Abacus Cinch turned around to find Shining Armor and a group of cops from the Crystal Empire standing in the doorway. Shining Armor had his horn glowing, ready to use his magic if necessary.

"Release him, Cinch," Shining Armor commanded. "You're under arrest for child abuse and endangerment."

Cinch's grip on Spike faltered, and he dropped to the ground, quickly scurrying away from her. "You can't do this!" Cinch protested, her voice rising in panic. "I have rights! I have authority!"

"Not anymore," Shining Armor replied sternly. "We've gathered enough evidence to not only remove you from your position but to ensure you face justice for your actions."

The cops moved in, restraining Cinch and placing magical inhibitors on her horn to prevent her from using magic. She struggled and shouted, but it was clear she had lost. Spike watched with a mix of relief and satisfaction as the tyrannical principal was led away.

Cadence, recovering from the earlier scuffle, stood up and approached Spike, pulling him into a comforting embrace. "You did great, Spike," she said softly. "You were very brave."

Spike smiled, but Abucus Cinch's words cut deep. The nightmare from 2 nights ago and the words she said mixed together into a bad thought. All you are is a monster. Spike shook that thought away to smile at Cadence. "Thanks, Cadence," Spike replied, hugging her back.

Mr. Crystal Clear, who had been watching the scene unfold, stepped forward with tears in his eyes. "Thank you, Your Highnesses, and thank you, Spike, for helping us. The students here will finally have a chance to learn and grow in a safe environment."

"We're just glad we could help," Cadence replied. "The well-being of the students is our top priority."

As they left the office, they were met with the sight of students and teachers gathered in the hallway, watching the commotion. When they saw Cinch being escorted away in restraints, a cheer went up among them. The atmosphere of the school had already begun to change.

Lemon Zest and Quartz Shine were among the students in the hallway. They ran up to Spike, their faces filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Spike!" Lemon Zest said, giving him a tight hug. "You saved us!"

"Yeah, you're our hero!" Quartz Shine added, smiling brightly.

Spike blushed, feeling both proud and humbled. "I just did what any good friend would do," he said modestly.

Cadence and Shining Armor watched the interaction with pride, knowing that Spike had truly earned the title of "Brave and Glorious."

With Abacus Cinch dealt with, Cadence and Shining Armor worked with Mr. Crystal Clear to appoint an interim principal and ensure that the school would be run with kindness and respect moving forward. The students and teachers were assured that their voices would be heard and that a brighter future awaited them.

As they left Crystal Elementary, Spike felt a deep sense of accomplishment. He had not only helped the students but also shown everyone that he was much more than just a dragon; he was a hero and a friend.

"Let's head back to the castle," Shining Armor suggested. "We've had quite a day, and I think we all deserve a bit of rest."

As they left towards the castle, that thought still hadn't left Spike's mind. "They didn't invite you to Hearths Warming, why are they inviting you now? he asked himself.

Author's Note

I'm gonna be honest. I didn't want to write today, but I still did to make you happy. You're welcome.

Discorded Memories

4 days have passed since the Sisterhooves Social, and Twilight was as bored as all can be. She was currently doing a logic puzzles book while she was at it.

Just then, Solaris came into the room and got Twilight's attention. "Hey Twilight, Derpy gave me this letter and told me to give it to you. I thought you might want to see it." he said. Just then, she grasped the letter out of Solaris' claws with her magic and brought it over to herself. She unrolled the letter and read it aloud.

"Dear Princess Twilight,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to ask you to come up to Canterlot for a few days. There are some things I want to talk to you about. You will be part of a meeting with the elite and I think it would be an amazing oppurtunity to show you some things about being a princess. I also think it would be best if you were to go alone."

Yours Truly, Princess Celestia.

Twilight's eyes lit up with excitement as she read the letter. "A meeting with the elite in Canterlot! This is such an incredible opportunity!"

Solaris smiled at her enthusiasm. "It sounds like an important experience, Twilight. You should definitely go."

Twilight nodded, already thinking about what she needed to pack. "I'll have to make sure everything here in Ponyville is taken care of while I'm gone."

"Don't worry, Twilight," Solaris reassured her. "I'll help keep things running smoothly here. You focus on your trip."

Twilight smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Solaris."

Solaris helped Twilight pack her things that were needed for the week in Canterlot and then led her to the train station. On the way, her friends saw what was happening and decided to see her off at the station too.

"Oh Twilight darling, a meeting with the Elite, is something I always dreamed about. You are absolutely lucky." Rarity fawned.

"Yes well, Princess Celestia wanted me to go there for a week. She said it would be an amazing opportunity for me." Twilight replied. Just then, the train for Canterlot arrived in Ponyville. After everypony on the train got off, Twilight got on the train and found a seat. When the train started moving again, they all waved as the train got farther and farther away.

A few hours after Twilight left Ponyville, Solaris went on a walk around Ponyville, mostly because he wanted to, but to also check the defenses against King Naeus' monsters. He walked up to a nearby tree and inspected it. Everything here was fine, until he heard a voice he thought he would never hear again.

"My my, an orange Spike. Never thought I would see the day."

Solaris' heart stopped at the voice. He turned around and saw a tall figure. There was a creature that had a griffon claw, a lion paw, legs that were lizard and goat, and same for the horns. It was Discord, the draconequues of Ponyville, and Solaris' friend.

"D-Discord? Everypony was right." Solaris started smiling from ear to ear. "You really are back."

"In the flesh." Discord said before spawning is a Spike plushie and putting it next to Solaris. "But seriously, you look exactly like Spike." he continued.

Solaris was a bit confused at this. "Discord, It's me, Solaris. You know, one of your best friends?"

Discord then turned into a puppet. "Really, well I don't know any Solaris characters."

Solaris' confusion deepened. "Discord, it's me. We've known each other for centuries. Remember the time we played pranks on Celestia and Luna?"

Discord snapped his fingers, transforming back into his usual form, though his expression remained skeptical. "I don't know, Solaris. Maybe you have me confused with some other draconequus."

Just then, they heard another voice. "Ah great, you're here."

Solaris and Discord turned around and saw Rainbow Dash, looking at them a little irritated.

Discord teleported over to her and put an arm around her. "Oh, hello Rainbow Dash. It is absolutely great to sssee you again." he said while hissing and becoming a snake.

Rainbow's frown didn't falter. Solaris on the other claw, chuckled a little bit. "That is still pretty funny to this day."

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. "Yeah, yeah, hilarious. But seriously, Discord, you causing any trouble while I'm out training?"

Discord turned back to his usual form, feigning innocence, with a halo and angel wings. "Trouble? Me? Perish the thought, Rainbow Dash. I'm just here to catch up with a creature I just met."

"Discord, we used to be great friends. Why are you forgetting that? Is your memory a little foggy?" Solaris asked.

"Oh my dear fellow, my memory is juts fine. Have a look." He said while taking his head off his neck and reaching for his brain. He collected the brain and showed a memory, where he was causing chaos to Equestria before he got turned to stone.

Solaris was shocked at this. "You... You genuinely don't even know who I am, don't you?"

"Nope." Discord answered, "But 'orange' you glad that I'm back in this town?" he asked before snapping his claws and making it rain oranges. At that, Solaris couldn't help but laugh, even with that shocking revelation.

"Oh, Discord," he chuckled, shaking his head as an orange bounced off his snout. "Some things never change."

Even they heard Rainbow Dash snicker a little. "I get it, 'orange' you glad? That was a good one"

Discord smiled. "Well, I can be even more," he turned into a snake again. "Hysssterical."

That made Rainbow Dash laugh more. "Sneaky Snake." she said before going back to laughing.

Even though Solaris was a little sad that one of his best friends doesn't know him, he can still laugh with Rainbow and Discord. Discord then got out of his snake skin. "Well, I just, 'snake' around."

Then Solaris got an idea. "Hey, this could be like an inside joke. One for the 3 of us."

That got Rainbow and Discord thinking. "Well, that would actually be a great idea."

"Yeah," Rainbow said. "Now come on, wanna see the rest of our friends?"

"Yes, let's go." Solaris happily said before leaving the trees and out into the town.

"Ugh, this is boring." Discord said. "Let me teleport us to a good friend." he snapped his claws and in a bright light arrived at the Carousel Boutique. Before they could go in, Discord was gone.

"Ooh, Fluttershy. I'm back from the spectacle." Solaris and Rainbow Dash turned to their left, there Discord was hugging Fluttershy.

Solaris whispered into Rainbow Dash's ear, "Hey Cyan, I think that Discord has taken a liking to Fluttershy."

"Well, she gave him a chance to reform. I don't even know why she allowed him to reform, we should have blasted him back into stone."

"Hey" Solaris said. "Discord is a great friend. He really is."

Discord came back with Fluttershy and smiled. "Oh this is just great. I get to be with my good friends." he replied while he turned into a circle. "It's good to be 'around'."

That earned him a laugh from the 3 creatures. "Oh Discord. You are a riot." Rainbow Dash laughed. Just then, Rarity came out of the building because of the commotion at her door.

"Now what exactly is..." she stopped when she saw Discord spinning around like a wheel. That made her chuckle too.

"Oh, Discord, you never fail to bring some chaos wherever you go," Rarity said, shaking her head with a smile.

Discord came to a stop and stood up, brushing himself off. "Well, my dear Rarity, it's all in good fun. Besides, who wouldn't want to bring a little bit of chaos into their day?"

"True," Rarity admitted with a laugh. "But do try to keep it to a minimum in my boutique. I have some delicate fabrics that don't take well to... unexpected surprises."

Then Discord got a shocked look. "Are you saying that... You don't want your fabrics to be alive?" he asked before he snapped his claws. All of them heard singing in the boutique.

"My little pony, My little pony, MYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY" the singing stopped with a goat scream before the singing abruptly stopped.

Everyone laughed hard at the goat scream. "Oh Discord." Rainbow Dash laughed. "That was one of the funniest things you could have done."

"Yeah, that was awesome." Solaris said.

As the laughter settled, Rarity gave a playful huff. "Well, Discord, you certainly have a knack for turning any situation into a spectacle. But remember, we do have standards here."

Discord put on an exaggerated pout. "Oh, Rarity, you wound me! I promise, no more fabric-fueled chaos. For now, at least."

Fluttershy gently touched Discord's shoulder. "I appreciate you keeping things light-hearted, Discord. It’s always nice to have a laugh."

Discord's eyes softened as he looked at Fluttershy. "Oh, Fluttershy, you’re too kind. It’s always a pleasure to be in your company."

"Well, I must continue training. See you around guys." Rainbow said before flying off into the air.

"Well, I must continue making clothes. See you around Discord." Rarity said before going back inside to make more dresses.

Solaris, Discord and Fluttershy continued walking around Ponyville. "Hey, how about we go to Sweet Apple Acres. I'm sure Applejack would be quite happy to see me." Discord suggested while confetti flew out of him.

Solaris and Fluttershy nodded in approval and continued that way.

As Solaris, Discord, and Fluttershy made their way to Sweet Apple Acres, the countryside scenery of Ponyville provided a calming backdrop. The vibrant colors of the apple orchards and the earthy smell of fresh produce filled the air, making for a pleasant walk.

When they arrived at the farm, they saw Applejack working diligently on the harvest. Her orange coat gleamed under the sun, and she was focused on picking apples with impressive speed.

"Hey there, Applejack!" Solaris called out as they approached.

Applejack looked up and saw Solaris, followed by Discord and Fluttershy. Her face lit up with a warm smile. "Well, if it ain't Solaris and Fluttershy. It's good to see you around." She then glared at Discord. "And what do you think you're doing here?"

Discord, ever the mischief-maker, gave a dramatic bow. "Why, hello there, Applejack. I thought I’d pay a visit and spread a little bit of my unique brand of charm."

Applejack raised an eyebrow, not amused. "You and your charm, Discord. What kind of trouble are you planning now?"

"Oh come on. Why do people always keep expecting trouble from me? I'm just wandering around?" Discord said.

Solaris sighed. "Well, you can be quite a prankster."

Discord sighed after Solaris said this. "You're quite right Solaris."

"Anyway, would anyone like some peanut butter?" Solaris asked as he snapped his claws and spawned 2 jars of peanut butter.

Discord took the peanut butter and put it on the ground. "I love peanut butter, and I can even open it with my hooves." he tried to open it with his hooves but he miscalculated his math and his foot broke through the peanut butter lid and his hoof fell straight in.

This made Applejack, Solaris and Fluttershy laugh. "I guess you can say Discord has the 'peanut butter' hoof." Applejack laughed. This got Discord an idea, and without warning, he started tap dancing all around the orchard with his 'peanut butter' hooves. This made them laugh even harder.

"Woo-wee Discord. You are a great tap dancer." Applejack said while laughing.

"Well, thank you Applejack." Discord thanked her and was about to do something chaotic, but then his horns started blinking.

"Uh, Discord, what's happening with your horn?" Fluttershy asked.

Discord looked up at his horns and saw that they were blinking. "Oh, it must be time for an afternoon nap. Well then, I must go."

"Well, goodbye Discord, see you soon." Fluttershy said. Discord was about to snap his claws and teleport home, but then he felt a weight on his body. He looked down and saw that Solaris was hugging him.

"Um, what are you doing?" Discord asked.

"I just thought you might want a hug." Solaris answered.

Discord couldn't put his claw on it, but he felt like he was hugged like this before. "Not even Fluttershy hugged me like this before." and before he could say anything else, his eyes started to glow brightly. Solaris stopped hugging him and stepped back from him. His eyes continued glowing before a light gold magical aura came out of him. After the aura got out of Discord, it disappeared into nothing. His eyes stopped glowing and looked at Solaris.

"No, no it can't be." Discord said in a small genuine voice. "Solaris?

"Yes, it’s me," Solaris replied, looking both hopeful and apprehensive. "Does this mean you remember me now?"

Just then, Discord hugged him without warning, smiling the most genuine smile Applejack and Fluttershy had ever seen. "Oh Solaris. You're back, you're really back."

Solaris hugged him back and said. "Yes Discord. I'm back. Listen, I'm really sorry for--" he stopped when Discord put a claw to his mouth.

"Solaris, don't be sorry, you couldn't have done anything." Discord reassured him.

While they were having that heart to heart, Applejack and Fluttershy watched on, a little confused. "This is the same thing that happened with Luna a few nights ago." Applejack caught on. "Solaris reassures them about something, then their eyes glow before a light gold aura comes out of them, and after it disappears, they remember him like they are his best friends."

Fluttershy nodded. "Yeah definitely. Something is going on here."

After another few seconds, Discord releases Solaris and places him on the ground. "Well, now that we got that out of the way, toodaloo." he said before teleporting to his chaotic dimension house.

"Well Solaris. Would you like to come inside to get lunch?" Applejack asked.

Solaris nodded. "Definitely. I am getting hungry." So Applejack, Fluttershy and Solaris went into the barn to have a special apple related lunch.

Author's Note

So Discord has the same thing happen to him as it did to Luna. Hmm.

Also, I'm gonna be honest. I don't really think this was one of my proudest chapters. But it is still important to the story.

Anxiety and a Long Overdue Converstion

4 days have passed since the arrest of Principal Abacus Cinch, and it looked like everything was going smoothly for Spike. Spike's heroic actions had been celebrated, and the school was beginning to heal from the trauma inflicted by Abacus Cinch.

Currently, Spike was getting ready for bed. Today, they went to the courthouse for the trial. Since both Spike and Princess Cadence were attacked by Cinch, they had to go to the trial to state their testimony. After they stated that they were both attacked and Spike was almost falsely confined, they added that to her list of charges. After they stated the charges which included child abuse, false confinement, attempted murder, and assault of the royal family, she got sentenced to 40 years in prison with no chance of parole, with a fine of 65,000 bits.

After the trial, Spike, Cadence and Shining decided to go out for ice cream. Spike got blue moon ice cream with pieces of sapphire in it, while Cadence and Shining got a banana split sundae for the both of them to share. After they had all consumed their confections, they went back to the castle to settle back in for the day. After a few hours of rest, they had a nice dinner. It wasn't as extravagant as the first night, but it was still good nonetheless.

Now that brings us to now. Spike was in his bathroom brushing his teeth, thinking back to the past 4 days. "I wonder how everyone back in Ponyville is doing? I do know they set up defenses around Ponyville, so I know they're protected against King Naeus' monsters." Spike said to himself as he continued brushing his teeth. After he got done brushing his teeth, he went back to his room, to settle into bed.

Just as Spike was about to hop into his bed however, his vision seemed to change. He looked into his mirror and he saw himself, but not in his baby dragon form. He was the size of a mountain, like the time he let his greed control him. This happened in a split second, but it felt like a minute to Spike.

Spike was confused at what he saw, until he heard, "This is the true you Spike. All you are is a monster."

Spike recoiled from the mirror, his heart pounding in his chest. He shook his head, trying to dispel the lingering vision and the haunting voice that accompanied it. He took a deep breath and climbed into bed, pulling the covers up to his chin as he tried to calm himself down.

"Just a bad memory," he whispered to himself. "Nothing more."

Despite his attempts to reassure himself, Spike couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled over him. As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, his mind began to race with doubts and fears. What if Cadence and Shining Armor were just pretending to be kind to him? What if they saw him as a threat, just like Abacus Cinch had? What if everyone did?

He remembered the nightmare he had a few nights ago and how real it had felt. Cadence's words, the guards' cold expressions, the way Cadence dropped him from the top of the castle and ended his life—it all seemed so vivid, so possible. What if it wasn't just a dream? What if it was a warning?

Spike turned onto his side, curling into a ball as he tried to push the thoughts away. He thought about the good times he had shared with Cadence and Shining Armor over the past few days. They had been so kind to him, so supportive. They had even taken him out for ice cream to celebrate the victory over Abacus Cinch. But the voice in his head kept whispering, sowing seeds of doubt.

"They're just pretending," the voice hissed. "They don't really care about you. You're just a monster to them."

"No, They care about me. They all do." Spike tried to say.

"No they don't. You're only around them because you are useful and nothing else. If you weren't useful, they would have euthanized you when you hatched."

Spike buried his face in his pillow, trying to block out the voice. He didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to think that the ponies he cared about saw him as nothing more than a dangerous creature. But the fear was there, lurking in the back of his mind, refusing to be silenced.

Eventually, exhaustion began to take its toll, and Spike's eyes grew heavy. As he drifted off to sleep, he hoped that his dreams would be kinder to him this time, that they would bring him some semblance of peace.

Place: ?????????
Time:???????

King Naeus was using his magic to get his voice into Spike's mind. He was doing this ever since the Tantabus has gone rogue, but that was only his nightmares of his own creation.

"Heh, let's make you lose hope, Spike the brave and glorious." King Naeus said. "This nightmare ought to do the trick."

Using his magic, he created a new nightmare and put it into Spike's subconscience.

Spike's dream

Spike was walking outside in the Crystal Empire, being greeted by the crystal ponies who looked up to him so much. He was getting hoofshakes galore, and he was loving the attention. He looked up at the sky and thought that this was going to be a good day.

Except it wasn't. Clouds that didn't look natural started rolling in. This confused him, because there wasn't supposed to be any clouds at all for the next few weeks. The clouds swirled around the empire, making everypony scared and confused. Suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled, and the sky opened up, unleashing a torrent of black rain. The crystal ponies around him screamed in terror, their shining coats turning dull and lifeless as the rain touched them. Spike tried to shield them with his body, but the rain seemed to pass right through him, soaking everything in its path.

"What's happening?" Spike shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the howling wind and the cries of the ponies around him.

In the midst of the chaos, Spike saw a shadowy figure approaching him. He was wearing robe fit for a king, and it looked like a dark phoenix. Seeing this, Spike knew immediately was King Naeus. "Hey Spike, I'm back." he greeted in a melodious voice.

Just then, Shining Armor suddenly teleported in front of Spike and shielded him. "Whoever you are, stay away from Spike. And get away from our Empire too." Shining shouted at King Naeus.

King Naeus just looked at Shining with an 'are you serious' look. he then opened his mouth to create a lasso that tightened around Shining's throat, lifting him in the air.

"SHINING!!" Spike heard a voice he knew yell out. He looked and saw Cadence flying towards them. She dove at King Naeus, her horn blazing with magic, but the dark phoenix was too fast. With a flick of his wing, he sent a wave of dark energy at Cadence, sending her crashing into the ground.

"Cadence!" Spike screamed, trying to run to her, but his legs felt heavy as if he were moving through thick mud. The air around him seemed to thicken, and he struggled to breathe. The rain continued to pour, turning the streets into rivers of black.

King Naeus laughed, a cold, mocking sound that echoed through the empire. "You think you can protect them, little dragon? You are nothing but a pawn, a tool to be used and discarded."

Spike's heart pounded in his chest, his fear mounting. He looked at Shining Armor, still struggling against the magical lasso, and at Cadence, who was slowly getting back to her hooves. The crystal ponies around them were huddled together, their eyes wide with terror.

Just then, King Naeus looked back at Shining and smiled evilly. The then tightened the lasso around his throat so much that his neck broke. Shining fell to the ground in a heap, cold and unmoving.

King Naeus then looked back at Spike. "That was just a warning." he then teleported out of there, leaving the Crystal Empire in a river of black. Spike raced over to Shining, to check and see if he was ok. He couldn't feel a pulse, and he knew he was dead. But he didn't have time to mourn over his loss, as he was blasted back by a magical beam. He tried to get up, but then Cadence used her magic to lift him up and restrain him.

"You," She yelled at him with cold and unforgiving eyes. "You let him die. You didn't even do a thing."

Spike's tears started rolling down his face. "No, I tried. I tried to save him. I tried so hard." He then closed his eyes. "I never wanted this to happen. This was never supposed to happen. I wanted to be loved."

He opened his eyes and she immediately blasted him to shreds.

Spike woke with a start, his body drenched in sweat. His heart was pounding, and his breath came in ragged gasps. He looked around his room, trying to reassure himself that it had only been a nightmare. But the fear and doubt lingered, gnawing at his mind.

He pulled the covers tighter around himself, feeling more alone and scared than ever. He then started feeling tears falling, and he buried his face into his pillow and began sobbing, hard. "I'm trying." He said in between sobs. "I'm trying."

The next morning, Spike woke up with red eyes and a heavy heart. The weight of his dreams and the haunting voice from his nightmare clung to him. He was determined not to let his fears show, but the effort it took to put on a brave face felt exhausting.

As he joined Cadence and Shining Armor for breakfast, he tried his best to mask his unease. They greeted him warmly, their smiles genuine and comforting. Cadence's voice was gentle as she asked about his rest, and Shining Armor looked at him with concern, sensing that something was off.

“Good morning, Spike. How did you sleep?” Cadence asked, her tone warm but perceptive.

Spike forced a smile. “Morning. I slept okay. Just... had a rough night, I guess.”

Shining Armor leaned in, his eyes searching Spike’s face. “You don’t look so good. Are you feeling alright?”

Spike hesitated, the vulnerability he felt from the nightmare holding him back. He shook his head slightly. “It’s nothing. Just some bad dreams. I’ll be fine.”

Cadence and Shining Armor exchanged a worried glance, but they chose to respect Spike’s wish to keep things to himself for the moment. They continued with breakfast, trying to engage him in light conversation, but Spike found it hard to fully participate. His mind was still clouded with the remnants of his nightmare and the persistent doubts that plagued him.

After breakfast, Cadence and Shining Armor had plans to attend to, leaving Spike with some time alone. As he wandered through the castle, he found himself drawn to a quiet, secluded garden. The peaceful surroundings contrasted sharply with the storm raging in his mind.

Just then, he felt a sneeze coming on. He tried to stop it from coming, but it was fruitless and green flame came out from his nostrils and mouth, sending trails of the green fire to where he sneezed, burning a tiny piece of the garden.

"This just goes to show how much of a monster you are. Even when you don't mean it, you still ruin everything." the voice said.

"MY GARDEN!!!" Spike heard another voice from his right yell. He turned around and saw a pony that Spike knew was the gardener. She looked at Spike with a concerned look and asked him, "Brave and Glorious, do you know what happened here?"

Spike's heart sank at the gardener's words. The green flame from his sneeze had singed a small patch of the garden, and the gardener's concerned expression only deepened his feelings of guilt and self-loathing.

"I-I’m really sorry," Spike stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t mean to—It was an accident."

"Brave and Glorious?" she asked, caring about his emotions.

"I need to go." Spike muttered, and before the gardener could say anything else, he was gone.

Spike couldn't think clearly for the rest of the day. Spike spent the rest of the day in a fog of unease and guilt. The garden incident had compounded his fears, making him feel even more like a burden. He avoided interacting with others, retreating to the solitude of his room or the quiet corners of the castle.

As evening approached, Cadence and Shining Armor returned, their faces carrying the weight of their responsibilities. Spike noticed them looking tired and smiled at them. They noticed Spike's withdrawn demeanor but chose to give him space, hoping he would open up when he was ready.

Dinner was a subdued affair. Spike picked at his food, his mind preoccupied with the aftermath of his nightmare and the growing sense of isolation. Cadence and Shining Armor exchanged concerned glances but refrained from pressing him, respecting his apparent need for privacy.

After dinner, as Cadence and Shining Armor engaged in some light conversation in the sitting room, Spike excused himself, citing fatigue. He climbed into bed early, hoping that sleep would bring some respite from his troubled thoughts. As he lay there, he couldn't help but feel that no matter how much he tried to prove himself, the dark voice in his head was determined to undermine his efforts. After about half an hour, fatigue washed over him and he fell asleep.

Later that night, Cadence woke up with a need to get some water, since she was feeling parched. So she got out of bed, being careful not to wake her sleeping husband and left the room.

She walked down to the kitchen and used to magic to make herself a glass of water. When she was finished with the water, she left the kitchen to go back to bed. On the way there however, she could hear somepony crying for help.

"No, please no, Why are you doing this? Please don't hurt me." she heard. Cadence recognized the voice as Spike's voice and decided to see what was up. As Cadence approached the room, she heard Spike continuing to cry for help. When she entered the room, she saw Spike tossing and turning, as if he was in a horrible nightmare. She walked over to him and shook him to wake him up.

"Spike, wake up. It's just a nightmare." Cadence whispered.

Spike jumped awake and turned around. The sight of Cadence scared him and made him look down in anger. Cadence then asked, "Spike, I heard you were having a nightmare. Are you ok?"

"Why do you care?" Spike instantly covered his mouth as he realized what he just said. But he sighed knowing what was said has been said and he can't do anything.

Cadence became shocked. "Spike, why would you say that? Of course I care because you're a great friend."

"Am I? Or am I just a monster you want to put down?" Spike asked. "I don't even know if I can believe what you just said."

Cadence felt a little concerned. "Spike, did I do something wrong?"

Now Spike was beyond angry. He couldn't believe what she had just said. Smoke was coming out of his nostrils and tears were coming out of his eyes which worried Cadence.

Spike still stayed calm, so as to not wake anyone else up. "You abandoned me, just like the rest. You always invite Twilight and her friends to the Crystal Empire to have some fun, but you never invite me. You and the others leave me behind to do chores and everyone's work. So tell me, why did you invite me here? Is it because you want to kill me, so I'm not a burden anymore?"

Cadence's face softened, taking her friend's words to heart. "I-I just wanted to have fun with my friend."

"If you really wanted to have fun with a friend, then you would have invited Twilight and the others and never me, just like always. You didn’t even invite me for Hearths Warming last year. That is literally a holiday to spend time with family. I’m apparently not family to you, so what am I really to you? A dragon? A monster that you want put down? It has to be one of those because a friend clearly isn't one of them." Spike said with evident anger and tears.

Cadence started having tears in her eyes. Was she too late?

"Spike" she said in between heavy breathing. "I-"

"NO!! DON'T EVEN SAY WHAT I THINK YOU'RE GONNA SAY!!" Spike said, not caring who would hear anymore. Cadence flinched at his outburst and caused her to have more tears in her eyes.

"Spike..." Cadence tried to say but she was interrupted again.

"EVERYONE TELLS ME THAT! THAT SAME LIE OVER AND OVER AGAIN! THEY KEEP SAYING, 'OH SPIKE, I DIDN'T MEAN TO.' WELL IF YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO THEN WHY DO YOU KEEP ON DOING IT!?!? YOU'RE THE ONE THAT PREACHES ABOUT LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ME YOU SEEM TO BE FRESH OUT OF IT!! I SAVED THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE TWICE, YET YOU TREAT ME LIKE A THIRD CLASS CITIZEN!! I DO SO MUCH FOR YOU GUYS YET YOU AVOID ME AND NEVER CARE FOR ME BECAUSE I AM NOT A PONY!!”

Spike couldn't help but break down crying. "Am I even part of your family? Did you even love me at all? Well apparently not because you don’t even treat me as such. I guess I really am just a monster you want to put down."

Nothing was said for the past few minutes, though Cadence was breathing heavily with an isolated sob every now and then. Spike, hearing these sobs, started to feel remorse and guilt for what he said. "Cadence, I..."

"You're right Spike. You're absolutely right." Cadence said. "But you aren't a monster. You never were a monster."

Cadence’s words, though spoken through tears, cut through the turmoil in Spike’s heart. Her voice, filled with sorrow and sincerity, broke through the wall of anger and hurt Spike had built around himself.

"Spike, I’m so sorry," Cadence said, her voice trembling. "I never meant to hurt you, and I should have been more aware of how you felt. It’s true that I made mistakes, and I’ve let you down. But it was never my intention to make you feel like you don’t belong or that you’re a burden."

Spike looked at her, his anger slowly giving way to the sadness he had been trying to suppress. "But I always feel like I’m just... in the way. Like no matter what I do, it’s never enough. And it took me breaking down for you to see it."

Cadence took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Spike, I want to tell you a story, a story I never told anypony else in my life. I didn't even tell Shining Armor or Twilight this story. May I tell you that story?" she asked. Spike, still hesitant, nodded.

Cadence cleared her throat and began telling her story. "Once upon a time, there was a small filly. She was born to a pegasus and unicorn. Growing up, she had a big heart and she wanted to make the world a better place. She tried every day to make the world a better place and sometimes, it would work and other times, it wouldn't."

Spike wiped his tears, continuing to listen to the story.

"However, her parents weren't as loving as her. They were always out partying and they never spoke to the filly unless it was absolutely necessary. And before she ever got the chance to know them properly, they walked out on her."

Spike started to realize who this story was really about as his crying had stopped, his face glancing up to Cadence's gaze as his eyes widened in concern.

"The filly was heartbroken. She loved her parents, even though she never got to really know them. That was when she vowed to herself to not make anypony feel unloved ever again. So when she was about 15, she decided to get a foalsitting job. She went through numerous foals, but the one she loved the most was the purple unicorn that goes by the name of, Twilight Sparkle."

Spike was speechless. "Cadence..."

"Twilight Sparkle was everything to her. She poured all her love and care into being the best foalsitter she could be, and it was the most rewarding experience of her life. She wanted Twilight to know that she was loved and cherished, even if she had missed out on that kind of love herself."

Cadence's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "When Twilight went to Ponyville and found her own friends, I felt like I had done something right. I was so proud of her and the friendships she made."

"Cadence, I... I had no idea how you felt. I'm sorry."

Cadence shook her head gently. " No Spike. You have nothing to be sorry about. I realize now that I’ve been so focused on my own responsibilities and on making things perfect that I didn’t notice how my actions might have hurt you. You’ve always been a part of this family, Spike. You’ve done so much for us and the Crystal Empire. I never meant for you to feel like you’re not valued."

Spike's own tears started to well up again. "I just... I felt so alone. Like no matter how much I tried, I was always just a burden. And then I had this nightmare, and it felt so real. It was like I was losing everything and everyone."

Cadence took a step closer, her voice soothing. "Spike, you’re not a burden. You’re part of this family, and we care about you deeply. I know I haven’t always shown it the way I should have, but please believe me when I say that you matter to us. I’m sorry for making you feel otherwise."

Spike nodded slowly, his sobs quieting as he absorbed Cadence's heartfelt words. "Thank you, Cadence. I... I really needed to hear that."

Cadence reached out and pulled Spike into a gentle embrace, holding him close. "You’re not alone, Spike. We’re here for you, and we’ll do better. I promise."

Spike, while being reassured, still felt like he needed her for tonight. Spike took another deep breath, still trembling from the emotions he had just unleashed. He looked up at Cadence with pleading eyes. “Cadence… could you, um… stay with me? Just for tonight?” His voice was soft, almost fragile. “You don’t have to, but… it would really comfort me. I… I just don’t want to feel alone right now.”

Cadence’s heart ached at his request. She smiled gently through her tears and nodded. “Of course, Spike. I’d be happy to stay with you.”

Spike let out a small breath of relief as Cadence climbed into bed next to him. She wrapped her wings around him like a soft cocoon, pulling him close as he rested his head against her chest. The rhythmic sound of her heartbeat soothed him as she kissed his forehead tenderly.

For a moment, there was silence as they both settled into the comforting embrace. But Spike couldn’t keep his thoughts bottled up any longer. “Cadence,” he began hesitantly, “why didn’t you invite me to the Crystal Empire for the past three years? I mean… not for Hearth's Warming, or to even set up for the Equestria Games. The Crystal Ponies would’ve loved to see me.” His voice trembled, his claws clutching at the blanket. “Did I… do something wrong? Something so terrible that you didn’t like me or trust me? Did I… deserve to have my heart broken like that?”

Cadence’s breath hitched. She tightened her hold on him, her wings shielding him as though she could protect him from the pain in his heart. “Spike,” she said softly, her voice thick with emotion, “you didn’t do anything wrong. You’ve always been good, kind, and selfless. If anything, it was me who failed you. I was so caught up in everything happening here that I didn’t realize how much I was hurting you by leaving you out. I can’t apologize enough for that.”

Spike looked up at her, his green eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Then… why did you invite me now? What changed? Did you really want me here, or…” His voice broke. “Or is this just because you feel guilty? Are you just trying to make yourself feel better?”

Cadence placed a hoof gently on his cheek, her own tears falling freely. “I invited you because I wanted you here, Spike. I missed you. I missed your smile, your kindness, and your warmth. Yes, I feel guilty for not seeing how much I hurt you sooner, but I also wanted to make it right. I wanted to show you that you’re loved and cherished—not just by me, but by everypony who knows you.”

Spike’s tears began to spill over. “Do you still love me, Cadence? I mean... after everything that happened, I'm starting to doubt that."

Cadence’s tears flowed faster as she pulled Spike even closer. “Spike, I’m so, so sorry. I wasn’t thinking about how that might’ve made you feel, and that’s no excuse. It was wrong of me, and I can’t take it back, but I need you to know that I love you. I’ve always loved you. You’re family to me, Spike—more than that, you’re like a little brother. And I never, ever want you to feel like you don’t matter to me.”

Spike broke down, sobbing quietly into her chest. “It's have been so hard without the love of you and the others,” he choked out between sobs. “I don’t want to feel like this anymore. I just… I just want to feel loved.”

Cadence held him close, her wings wrapping tighter around him as she rested her head on top of his. “You are loved, Spike. So much. And you’ll never have to feel like this again. I promise.”

As his sobs began to soften, Spike smiled faintly at her. Cadence smiled back, pressing her forehead gently against his, nuzzling him with all the affection she could muster. Spike snuggled closer into her chest, his voice muffled as he spoke. “Sometimes… I wish I was a baby dragon again. Back then, everything felt simpler. I didn’t have to deal with all this pain.”

Cadence stroked his spines gently, her voice soothing. “I know, Spike. But you’re so strong for getting through all of this. And no matter how old you are, you’ll always be my little Spike.”

He looked up at her, his eyes heavy with exhaustion but filled with gratitude. “You’ve always given the best hugs, Cadence.” He yawned, nestling deeper into her embrace. “Please… don’t leave me tonight. I love you.”

Tears welled up in her eyes again, but this time they were tears of love and determination. She rubbed his back, soothing him. “I’m not going anywhere, Spike. I love you, too. Always.”

Author's Note

Finally, Spike said what needed to be said.

Reforming a Bully

After a hearty lunch filled with various apple dishes, Solaris, Applejack, and Fluttershy emerged from the barn, feeling satisfied and refreshed. The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm glow over Sweet Apple Acres.

"Thanks for the lunch, Applejack," Solaris said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "That was delicious."

"Anytime, Solaris," Applejack replied with a smile. "You're always welcome here. Now, what're y'all plannin' to do next?"

"I wish I knew." Solaris said with a small frown, then he suddenly got an idea. "Hey Applejack, do you mind if I explore your orchard for a little bit?"

Applejack smiles and said, "Of course you can Solaris. Like I said, you're welcome here, so you can explore this orchard at any time."

"Thanks Applejack." he thanked her and went off to explore the orchard. However, just then, a smaller colt than the others, a white colt with brown spots and a bushy mane and tail came rushing up to the farmhouse, out of breath.

"Hey everypony. Is Applebloom here? I need her help." the colt panted.

"Well, why do you need her Pipsqueak?" Fluttershy asked the colt known as Pipsqueak.

"Well you see," Pipsqueak started, "I'm running for student pony president at my school and I need her and her friends to be my campaign managers."

"Well I'll be." Applejack said. "Applebloom and the Cutie Mark Crusaders are in their clubhouse, probably planning on a way to get their cutie marks."

"Thanks." was all he said before he ran off in the direction of the clubhouse.

Applejack then turned to Fluttershy. "He's barely been on our land before. How does he know exactly where the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse is?" she asked.

"I don't know." Fluttershy confessed.

Solaris was just exploring the orchard and taking a look at the trees. "Hmm, this tree might be a good place to take a nap. Applejack told me that Cyan really likes to nap on these trees, so they must be quite comfortable." he said to himself

As he went deeper into the orchard, something caught his eye. When he got a better look at it, he saw that it was a type of treehouse. It had steps that went into the treehouse and it had a very home like color scheme.

Solaris was intrigued. "I never saw a treehouse like this for the past 835 years."

He decided to get a closer look at the treehouse, but he was instantly pushed aside by a colt who was in a panic, and he fell into a soft patch of grass. Solaris, still dazed from being pushed aside like that, started overhearing a conversation. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, HEELP!!" he heard the colt shout.

"What's wrong Pipsqueak?" he heard Applebloom ask him.

Pipsqueak answered with, "I'm running for student pony president. I was hoping you 3 would be my campaign managers."

After a second, Applebloom responded. "We never tried gettin' our cutie marks in campaign managin'. What do you say Crusaders?"

"YEAH!!" they all shouted together.

After another few seconds, Pipsqueak left the clubhouse with a smile on his face. He was about to leave when Solaris caught his eye. So Pipsqueak went over to him. "Spike?" he asked, a little confused. "Why are you orange?"

At this, Solaris chuckled. "Hello to you too. Spike is actually in the Crystal Empire as of right now. I'm just one of his new friends. My name is Solaris." he introduced, reaching out a claw to him.

"Well, hello Solaris. My name is Pipsqueak. Nice to meet you." Pipsqueak introduced himself to Solaris while reaching out his hoof and shook it with Solaris' claw?

"Although, you must have been is a panic, since you bumped straight into me on the way to that treehouse over there." Solaris said, pointing to the clubhouse.

At this, Pipsqueak was shocked. "Oh sweet celestia, I am so sorry about that. I guess I was so-" he stopped when he heard chuckling from Solaris.

"You don't have to be sorry for anything. It just surprised me. Speaking of which, I overheard you were running for class president." Solaris said.

"Yeah, I'm running against Diamond Tiara. She's like the tyrant of our school. I don't like her."

"Well, I actually gave you an advantage about 4 days ago. I think you will do great." Solaris said.

"Really? What was it?" Pipsqueak asked.

"I won't tell, You just have to find out yourself." Solaris joked.

At this, Pipsqueak sighed. "Fine, See you around Solaris." Pipsqueak bidded Solaris farewell before leaving the area.

Solaris also decided to go back to the castle and settle in for the rest of the day.

The next morning, Solaris decided to go to the schoolhouse to cheer Pipsqueak on in the class presidential election. When he got there, he was being put on a box by Scootaloo and then Applebloom asked, "What would you do if you were elected Student Pony President?"

Then Pipsqueak started her speech. "Our playground equipment took quite a beating during Twilight's battle with Tirek, If I'm voted in as Student Pony president, then I will march up to the school board and write that wrong."

Everypony started cheering, except for a silver filly and a pink donkey. "Well, I think that is just a huge waste of money." the donkey said.

Solaris sighed. "Even when she's a donkey, she continues to be an ass."

"It's just like when Twist proposed to repair the window that Discord destroyed. She just wanted to repair it like a plain old schoolhouse window. But you all know voting for me was the best choice because I convinced the school board to give that window visual appeal." she said while pointing at a window that featured herself.

"Of course. The pony turned donkey's mother is Spoiled Rich, the president of the school board." Applebloom asked.

"Well, when I'm elected student pony president," Diamond Tiara started, "I'm going to have a statue of me in the center of the school yard."

No one answered for a minute, but then, everypony in the schoolyard, save for Pipsqueak, Silver Spoon and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, all bursted out into laughter.

"You really think that we would vote for a donkey like you?" a random filly asked.

"Your new look really suits your persona. You really have a bad attitude." another colt said.

Then, Silver Spoon walked up to Diamond Tiara. "DT, I think they have a point. I think if you just-" Diamond Tiara then shouted at her.

"I don't recall asking you to speak. So how about you shut up?" Diamond Tiara shouted at Silver Spoon, making everyone gasp. That infuriated Solaris.

He stepped onto the school yard and asked "Would you really want somepony who treats her best friend that horrible?" he asked everyone.

Nopony said anything and just blinked their eyes. One colt then asked. "Who are you?"

"Let's just say, I'm a friend. And I am here to support Pip in this election." he said, making the other fillys and colts smile at him.

Just then, Diamond Tiara walked up to him with flames in her eyes. "HOW DARE YOU SUPPORT A LOWER LIFEFORM YOU LIZARD!! I BET YOUR PARENTS ABANDONED YOU AS WELL AS THAT PURPLE LIZARD!!"

Solaris felt his temper rising but took a deep breath to stay calm. "First of all, I am not a lizard. My name is Solaris. Second, insulting others only shows your true character, Diamond Tiara."

The other students murmured in agreement, clearly affected by Diamond Tiara's outburst. Silver Spoon looked down, hurt by her former friend's harsh words.

Pipsqueak stepped forward. "Diamond Tiara, being a leader isn't about putting others down. It's about lifting them up and making things better for everyone. I may be small, but I believe I can make a difference."

The students started to cheer for Pipsqueak, his sincerity and passion shining through. Even Silver Spoon gave a small smile and joined in the applause.

"Well said, Pip," Solaris added. "True leadership comes from the heart, not from belittling others. You have my full support buddy."

Diamond Tiara, now red-faced and embarrassed, stormed off the playground without another word. Pipsqueak continued his campaign speech, and by the end, it was clear that the students were rallying behind him.

"Oh class, It's time to put in your votes for the next Student Pony President." the teacher known as Cheerilee called out.

As the day progressed and the votes were counted, Pipsqueak was announced as the new Student Pony President. The schoolyard erupted in cheers, and Pipsqueak was lifted onto the shoulders of his classmates, who paraded him around in celebration.

Everypony was happy, except for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Despite how she treated them, they couldn't help but feel bad for Diamond Tiara. "I know Diamond Tiara was pretty awful, but we should probably make sure she's ok. Just because she doesn't care about anypony else's feelings, doesn't mean we shouldn't care about hers." Applebloom suggested.

At this, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo nodded. "You have a point Applebloom. But how did she even turn into a donkey in the first place?" Sweetie Belle asked.

At this, Solaris stepped in. "That was me. I turned her into a donkey 5 days ago."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were shocked at this. "Really, why did you do that? And how?" Scootaloo asked.

"Well, 5 days ago, me, Twilight, Shooting Star and Sweetie Belle were going over to Sweet Apple Acres to check on Applebloom and Big Mac to see if they were ok after being disqualified from the Sisterhooves Social. I stopped when I heard her yelling at another colt for bumping into her. That was when I used my magic and turned her into a donkey, because quite frankly, she's an ass." Solaris explained.

Then Sweetie Belle started remembering. "Is that why you didn't start walking with us again after we started moving, again?" Sweetie Belle asked. Solaris just nodded.

"One more thing," Solaris added. "You have to Pinkie Promise to never say the word ass."

The Cutie Mark Crusaders just nodded and did the movements while saying the mantra. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"Good, now shall we see if Diamond Tiara is ok?" Solaris asked. They nodded and they left the school to find the pink donkey.

Solaris, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were in Ponyville looking for Diamond Tiara, when they found her with her head down wandering the streets. Solaris teleported them behind a nearby building. Just then, they saw another pony come out of a door near Diamond Tiara.

"Diamond Tiara, why are you making that face?" she asked. "That isn't the face of a winner."

"That's because... I didn't win mom." Diamond Tiara.

Solaris was confused. "That's Spoiled Rich?" he asked. The CMC's nodded.

"What? You mean I hefted all these party supplies to celebrate nothing?"

"Mom, I-" Diamond Tiara didn't get to finish.

"You may as well stay as a low life donkey forever." Spoiled Rich insulted. "It's bad enough that you lost to that trans-plant from Trottingham, but imagine if you lost to one of those 'blank flanks'."

Diamond Tiara just sighed.

"As a rich pony, you must always think of your social standing." she said while waving to Fancy Pants and Fleur De Lis. "That starts here in Ponyville and reaches all over Equestria. Don't forget that Diamond Tiara, EVER. Unless of course, you want to be treated like the lowly lifeform you've become."

"N-no mom." Diamond Tiara stammered. Then Spoiled Rich just walked off, leaving her alone.

Solaris and the CMC just winced. "Wow, that Spoiled Rich pony might be worse than Celestia herself. I kind of feel bad for turning Diamond Tiara into a donkey." He then snapped his claws and then they heard music.

"Solaris, did you seriously turn this into a musical number?" Applebloom asked.

Solaris just shrugged. "I may as well, this song won't be copyrighted anyway."

Just then, Diamond Tiara started singing.

"If I'm a diamond then why do I feel so rough?"
"I'm as strong as a stone, even then that's not enough."
"There's something jagged in me and I made such mistakes."
"I thought diamonds were hard, though I feel I could break."

"Would you believe,"
"That I wish I could be somepony else."
"Yet I can see,"
"What I need to do to be the pony I wanna be."

"I've been told my whole life, what to do, what to say,"
"Nopony showed me that there might be some better way."
"And now I feel like I'm lost, I don't know what to do."
"The ground is sinking away, I'm about to fall through."

"Would you believe,"
"That I wish I could be somepony else."
"Yet I can see,"
"What I need to do to be the pony I wanna be."
"To be the pony I wanna be."

The song finished with Diamond Tiara walking around again with her head down. Solaris and the CMC just watched from a distance. "So she wants to change, but she doesn't know how." Applebloom deduced.

Solaris then turned to the CMC. "It looks like she could you a few friends to help figure things out." he said to the CMC.

"You're right. Let's go after her." Sweetie Belle said before they all went after Diamond Tiara.

"Diamond Tiara, wait." Applebloom called after her, and she stopped and glared at them.

"What do you 4 want? To gloat? To rub in my defeat?" she asked.

"Actually," Applebloom started, "We wanted to invite you to our clubhouse to hang out."

At this, Diamond Tiara was confused. "Really?"

Scootaloo stepped up and smiled at her. "Yeah, It'll be cool."

Diamond Tiara sighed. "I may as well."

"That sounds like a yes." Sweetie Belle said.

"Well then, I'll leave you girls to it. See you later." Solaris said while teleporting away from them.

A few hours later, he was eating lunch with the Doctor, Derpy and Shooting Star at Sugarcube Corner

"So how was your time here Solaris?" the Doctor asked.

"I'm doing pretty well." Solaris said, "During the Tantabus incident, I helped Luna remember who I was and yesterday, I helped Discord remember me."

Derpy smiled. "It's great to see friends helping other friends remember things, like when me and the Doctor were in a huge fight in Appleoosa a few years ago. The Doctor helped me remember how much he means to me."

Shooting Star smiled. "Aww, that's just beautiful. All of this is beautiful." she said while wrapping her hooves around Derpy, the Doctor and Solaris.

Just then, they heard a filly yell out, "Those ponies need to hear the truth and they'll hear it from me."

Solaris and the Doctor rose from their seats, but Solaris flew after them, but not before spawning in a few bits for Derpy and the Doctor to use to pay for the bill.

Solaris caught up with the CMC and asked, "What's going on?"

"Diamond Tiara is trying to kick Pipsqueak out of office for not having the budget to repair the playground." Scootaloo answered.

Solaris flew up to Diamond Tiara and said, "This isn't the way to go about this."

But Diamond Tiara just knocked him out of the way. "You don't know what my family would do to me if I ever failed at anything."

Solaris then teleported himself and the CMC in front of her. "You can redeem yourself by helping others and not by being mean." they all said in unison.

They were about to get through to her, but then they arrived at the schoolhouse where everypony else was.

"Everypony, I have an announcement." Diamond Tiara said.

"Diamond Tiara, please think about this." Solaris said.

"DIAMOND TIARA!!!" The loud noise got everypony's attention. They turned to the schoolhouse and saw Spoiled Rich coming out of the building.

"I just happened to be here for the school board meeting, and this is what I see? My own daughter socializing with insignificant low lives? Not to mention the lizard. That is not how you move up in Equestria. Now, come home with me, and I'll give you water from a bowl like the donkey you are." Spoiled shouted at her daughter.

Diamond Tiara looked back at Spoiled Rich, trembling with a mix of fear and defiance. The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Solaris stood by her side, offering silent support.

Diamond Tiara took a deep breath and faced her mother. "No, Mother. I won't come with you. I want to be a better pony, not just someone who steps on others to get ahead."

Spoiled Rich's eyes widened in shock. "What did you say?"

Diamond Tiara stood her ground. "I've been wrong. Treating others badly doesn't make me strong. It just makes me lonely. I want to be friends with everypony and make a difference the right way."

The other students, moved by Diamond Tiara's courage, began to cheer and show their support. Even Silver Spoon, who had been hurt by Diamond Tiara's earlier outburst, joined in.

"Step away from those horrid ponies Diamond Tiara." Spoiled shouted

"Those "horrid ponies and lizard' as you call them are the Cutie mark crusaders and Solaris, and they are my friends." Diamond Tiara retorted back to her mother, making her and everypony else shocked. "You need to stop calling them such mean and hurtful names. They're working harder to get their cutie marks than anypony I ever met, even myself. And they will get them when they discover their true talent. I know it will be amazing. Also, Solaris is a kind and noble creature, that loves to help the world be a better place."

Diamond Tiara then took a note out and gave it to her mother. "Now, will you please deliver this to father?"

"Y-Yes dear." Spoiled Rich said before running out of the area.

"What was in that note?" Solaris asked.

"I asked my father to help pay for the repairs on the playground." Diamond Tiara told him. She then turned to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "I have to thank you guys for helping me see the error of my ways. Now we can help the class president with his goals."

Everypony started cheering. As the sun was coming down, the renovations and repairs for the playground have been complete. Everyone gathered around Diamond Tiara and praised her for the help. Pipsqueak walked up to her and said, "Thank you so much for helping us with the new renovations for the playground."

Diamond Tiara just smiled at him. "Don't sweat it Pipsqueak. I just know that you will be an amazing class president." she told him.

After Pipsqueak walked off, Solaris then walked up to her. "Diamond Tiara, I have a confession to make. I was the one that turned you into a donkey 5 days ago."

Diamond Tiara was shocked, but then she smiled at him. "Well, I guess that I deserved it. It was kind of a wake up call for me. However, just out of curiosity, is there any way you can turn me back?"

Solaris chuckled softly and nodded. "Yes, Diamond Tiara, I can turn you back."

With a wave of his claw, a gentle glow surrounded Diamond Tiara. Within moments, she was back to her original pony form. She looked herself over, relieved and grateful.

"Thank you, Solaris," Diamond Tiara said with a genuine smile. "I promise to be a better pony from now on."

"You're welcome," Solaris replied. "Remember, true change comes from within. You've already taken the first step by recognizing the need to be kind and supportive."

Before anything could be said, they all saw a bright glow coming from the side of the schoolhouse. When they all looked, they saw the CMC gliding down to the ground from a bright light and what every creature saw, mesmerised them.

"Wow." they all said in unison

"What? What happened?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"It's your Cutie Marks. They're amazing." Diamond Tiara told them. When they looked at their flanks, they saw that they indeed finally got their Cutie Marks.

To say they were happy was an understatement. "WE ALL GOT THE SAME CUTIE MARKS!!! CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS FOREVER!!"

A few minutes later, Photo Finish was setting up a camera as everpony, including Solaris, the CMC, their sisters, cheerilee and the students took positions. "Ok everypony, close together."

They all smiled together as the picture was taken.

"Should we send that picture to the princesses?" somepony asked.

Solaris shouted before anypony else. "No, Celestia doesn't deserve to see it."

Then Applejack walked up to him. "What about Princess Luna?"

Solaris thought for a bit before saying, "Oh what the heck, go ahead."

Author's Note

I seen a pattern on this story. There are no comments on the chapters I post after my day off. It's a shame too, because this might be a good one. Let's see if it doesn't happen again.

On another note, here's another chapter and I feel like this ones a good one.

Scavenger hunt

The next morning, the sun shone into Spike's room. The sunlight made him stir for a bit before he woke up. When he woke up, he saw that he was still in his bed, and still nestled into Cadence's embrace, her warm frame providing a soft and comforting pillow for the waking dragon. Her wings were still wrapped around him like a protective cocoon.

Spike blinked a few times, taking in the peaceful morning light filtering through the curtains. The warmth and security of Cadence's embrace brought a small smile to his face. He carefully shifted to get a better look at her, not wanting to wake her up just yet.

Cadence stirred slightly, sensing the movement, and opened her eyes. She looked down at Spike, her expression softening into a loving smile. "Good morning, Spike. Did you sleep well?" she asked softly.

Spike nodded, his voice still a bit groggy from sleep. "Yeah, I did. Thank you, Cadence. I really needed that."

"You're welcome Spike." Cadence said, before she took a more serious look. "Spike, can you tell me a bit about your nightmares? I think it would help you feel better if you talked about them."

Spike didn't know how to answer that. "I... well..."

"It's ok if you don't want to tell me about them. If you are uncomfortable with it, then it's ok" Cadence added.

"It's ok Cadence, I can tell you about them. I do owe you one for staying with me last night." Spike said.

Cadence nodded and stayed silent, allowing Spike to start explaining.

"It started with me, waking up in this very room. I get out of bed, but then I hear a knock on the door. I open it up and see that it's a crystal guard that has a serious look on his face. He said that you required me in the throne room at once." Spike started explaining. Cadence was scared at how it might go, but she kept silent.

"I followed him to the throne room to see you, with a group of guards on either side of your throne with you on the throne looking at me with a cold and unforgiving look on your face." This made Cadence more scared about this.

Spike took a deep breath to calm himself before continuing. "You called for your guards to restrain me. They tied me up with rope and chains. I tried calling you for help, but you just continues to look at me like I was a monster."

Cadence brought a hoof to her mouth. "Spike, I would never-"

"Please Cadence, let me finish." Spike interrupted her. She just nodded slowly.

"I was slammed into the ground, and I asked why you were doing this to me. You said that I was just a monster and that I deserved to die. You said the only reason you invited me here was to kill me and do something you should have done 2 years ago. You unleashed a spell, and the pain was unimaginable. Before I blacked out, I could hear everyone cheering—Twilight, her friends, even Shining Armor. They were glad that I was gone. I called for help, hoping Luna would come, but she never did. Then, everything went dark."

Tears filled Cadence's eyes as she listened to Spike recount his nightmare. She couldn't believe the depth of his fear and the pain he had endured, even if only in a dream. She held him tighter, her heart aching for the young dragon who had suffered so much in silence.

"Spike," Cadence began softly, her voice trembling with emotion, "I'm so sorry you had such a horrible nightmare. I can't imagine how scared and alone you must have felt. But I promise you, with all my heart, that I would never do anything like that to you. None of us would. We love you, and we're here for you. You’re not a monster, Spike. You're a wonderful, brave, and kind dragon who deserves to be loved and cherished."

Spike nodded slowly, the lingering fear from his nightmare still present but less overwhelming now. "Thank you, Cadence. I know that now."

They stayed like that for a while longer, savoring the warmth and reassurance of each other's presence. After a few minutes, Cadence then unwrapped her wings from Spike and suggested, "Now, how about we go and get some breakfast."

Almost as if on cue, Spike's stomach growled. "I guess I didn't really eat much last night. I can eat."

So Cadence got off of the bed and waited for Spike to follow suit. Once he was off, they walked out of the room and to the dining room.

Upon entering, they found Shining Armor already seated at the table, engrossed in a newspaper. He looked up and smiled warmly. "Good morning, you two. Sleep well?"

Spike nodded, offering a small smile in return. "Yeah, I did. Thanks, Shining."

Cadence took her seat beside Shining Armor, her wing brushing affectionately against him. "Good morning, dear. We both slept well."

"Yeah, I was kind of worried when I woke up to not see you sleeping next to me, but then on the way to the dining room, I saw you guys sleeping together."

Spike felt a pang of embarrassment, but also relief that Shining Armor seemed to understand the situation. "Yeah, I needed some extra comfort last night," Spike admitted.

Shining Armor nodded sympathetically. "We all need that sometimes. I'm glad you have Cadence to lean on."

As they started breakfast, Cadence got an idea that Spike would love. "Hey Spike, would you like to do a scavenger hunt around the Crystal Empire today. It involves some news that you will be the first to know about."

This intrigued Spike. "I'd love to go on a scavenger hunt with you guys. That sounds really fun."

Cadence smiled with glee. "Wonderful, let me do a few things and then we can be on our way."

"Sounds good."

After breakfast, They each got ready to start the day, but before Shining got ready, he whispered something into the chef's ear. Spike went back to his room to make his bed and get himself ready for the scavenger hunt. Shining started brushing his mane and tail to look good and Cadence did the same thing. However, after she got ready, Cadence went into the study. She wanted to write a letter to princess Luna, so she could understand why Luna hasn't been helping Spike at all. She got parchment, quill and some ink, put it on the desk and began writing.

Dear Aunt Luna,
Can you come into my dreams tonight for a minute. I need to talk to you about something urgently.
Yours Truly, Mi Amore Cadenza, Cadence.

After she wrote her letter, she rolled it up using her magic, and put a seal of urgency on it. She tapped the seal with her hoof and it was sent off in a bout of smoke.

As Cadence sent off her letter, she took a deep breath, hoping for a quick response from Luna. She then made her way to the main hall where Shining Armor and Spike were waiting, ready to start their scavenger hunt.

Spike's eyes lit up with excitement as Cadence approached. "Are we ready to go?" he asked, his voice brimming with anticipation.

Cadence smiled warmly. "Yes, we're all set. This scavenger hunt will take us to some special places in the Crystal Empire. Let's see if you can find all the clues!"

Shining Armor handed Spike a small scroll. "Here's your first clue, Spike. Let's see where it leads you."

Spike unrolled the scroll and read the clue aloud. "To start your quest, you must have a full rest. Then the first place you seek is where young ones spend their week." He looked up at Cadence and Shining Armor. "Where do young ones spend their week?" he asked himself.

"You have to tell us, or the answer won't be special." Shining Armor told him.

Then a grin started spreading on Spike's face. "I think I know, It's the school. It's where young ones spend their week. Plus, it gives me an excuse to see how the school is doing without that tyrannical principal. Let's go."

With Cadence and Shining Armor following close behind, Spike led the way to the Elementary School. As they approached, Spike spotted a small group of students, including Lemon Zest, waving at him, cheering for him that he saved the school from Abacus Cinch.

"Aw, they look so much happier with the principal gone." Spike said, then looked at Cadence and Shining Armor. "I take it that this is the correct place?"

They nodded. "Yes it is Spike. Very well done." Shining Armor told him. "Although I suggest that you write down the places we go to and the things it includes, because at the end, you're gonna have to look back at where we went so you can guess the surprise."

"Ok." Spike said, before gaining a look of disappointment. "I didn't bring any paper or any pencils with me for this."

"Oh Spike." Cadence told him. "I'm sure the students won't mind if you borrowed one of their pieces of paper and a pencil from them. After all, you did save their school."

Spike thought about it for a moment, and then nodded with a smile. "You got a point." he then walked up to the fence where the group of students was.

"Hi Spike the Brave and Glorious." the group said.

"Hi students." Spike greeted them. "I know this may be out of the ordinary, but does anypony have any spare paper and pencils I can use?"

Almost immediately, a random colt said, "I got a spare piece of paper you can have."

"And I have a spare pencil you can use." another filly said. So the colt and filly opened up their school bags and took out a piece of paper and a pencil and gave it to Spike through the fence.

"Thanks guys." Spike thanked them.

"You're welcome Spike the Brave and Glorious." the students said in unison. Spike then started writing down a list and put 'elementary school: featuring playful fillys and colts'.

"Well done Spike." Shining Armor congratulated him before giving him the next clue. "Here's your next clue Spike."

Spike unrolled the scroll and read the clue aloud. "Though this hall is rather small, in it you'll find files of all kinds. This one's different from the rest, look behind the birth certificate of Lemon Zest." Then Spike had a confused look. "What does Lemon Zest have to do with any of this?"

Cadence smiled at him. "You'll have to find out, Spike."

"Well, I know where the next clue is taking us. It's the records hall. Let's go." As they walked, Spike kept thinking about the clue. They soon arrived at the records hall, a modest building filled with shelves of files and documents. Spike led the way inside, with Cadence and Shining Armor close behind.

The clerk at the front desk, a friendly mare named Crystal Note, greeted them. "Good morning, your highnesses. How can I assist you today?"

"We're here for a scavenger hunt," Shining Armor explained. "We need to look at Lemon Zest's birth certificate."

Crystal Note smiled warmly. "Of course, feel free to browse the records."

Spike headed straight to the section containing birth certificates. After a few moments of searching, he found the file for Lemon Zest. He looked at it, and saw an adorable picture of Lemon Zest as a foal.

"Aw, that's adorable." Spike said while looking at it. He took out his piece of paper and pencil and wrote down 'Records hall: Birth certificate'.

"Well done, Spike!" Cadence praised him. "And, here's the next clue."

Spike read aloud. "This next place is where, you can buy a table or chair. Or even a comfy bed, to rest your sleepy head."

Shining then asked him, "Where do you think the next clue is gonna be?"

"Well, It's definitely gonna be at the furniture store at the end of Main Street. Shall we head there?" Spike asked.

"Yes we shall, Spike the Brave and Glorious." Cadence said, giving a mock bow.

As they made their way to the furniture store, the streets of the Crystal Empire buzzed with morning activity. The sun was shining brightly, and the air was filled with the cheerful chatter of ponies going about their day. Spike felt a sense of excitement building inside him. The scavenger hunt was not only fun but also a comforting distraction from his worries.

When they arrived at the furniture store, Spike saw a friendly salespony named Maple Shine arranging some new chairs in the display window. She looked up and smiled as they approached. "Good morning, your highnesses! Spike! What brings you to our store today?"

"We're on a scavenger hunt," Spike explained. "I think the next clue is somewhere in your store."

Maple Shine's eyes twinkled with amusement. "A scavenger hunt, you say? How exciting! Feel free to look around. If you need any help, just let me know."

Spike began to search the store, checking behind various pieces of furniture and displays. Cadence and Shining Armor followed, offering encouragement and hints when needed.

"Wow, this store is so large that I may never find the answer to this clue."

"I believe in you buddy." Shining Armor told him while patting him on the head. "Would you like a hint?"

Spike nodded.

"Well then, here is your hint. It involves a tall frame with bars to keep foals safe."

Spike thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "A crib! It's a crib!" he exclaimed.

"Exactly," Cadence said with a smile. "Let's find the cribs." After a minute, Spike, Cadence and Shining Armor made it to the aisle where the cribs were. When they made it, Spike took out his piece of paper and wrote down, 'Furniture store: Cribs'

"Well done again Spike. Now, here is the last clue." Shining told him, giving him the last clue.

Spike read aloud. "This clue has been saved for last. I certainly hope you had a blast. Let's go to where this day began, because this is the end of our plan." Spike then got a grin on his face. "It's the Crystal Castle. It's where the day began. Let's get back."

With a sense of excitement and accomplishment, Spike, Cadence, and Shining Armor made their way back to the Crystal Castle. The streets seemed even more vibrant as the morning sun cast a warm glow over the Crystal Empire. Spike felt a mix of anticipation and curiosity about what awaited him at the castle.

As they approached the grand entrance, Cadence turned to Spike with a smile. "You've done an excellent job, Spike. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Cadence. This has been really fun," Spike replied, feeling a sense of pride in himself.

Once inside the castle, Cadence led the way to the dining room room, where Spike saw something giant and delicious. It was a giant cake with a pattern of blue and pink layers. Spike's mouth waters at this, but before he could let his urges take control, he took out his piece of paper and wrote down, 'Dining room: Blue and Pink cake'.

"So Spike, did you like the scavenger hunt?" Shining asked him.

"It was awesome." Spike told him. "Although at the end of a scavenger hunt, they have a prize. Is there one for this one?"

"Yes Spike," Cadence said, "All the places we went today had something in common, you just have to put the pieces together like a puzzle. You can use your list for help."

Spike then took out his list and started reading it over. "Let's see. We went to the school which had foals. Then we went to the record hall where we saw a baby picture of Lemon Zest for some reason. After that, we went to the furniture store to find a crib, and then we get back here to see a blue and pink cake."

"Take your time Spike." Shining said.

"So we have cribs, baby pictures, foals and blue and pink stuff." Spike deduced. Spike continued thinking what the answer was for a minute, and then he had a giant goofy smile on his face. "You guys are..."

"Yes Spike. We're gonna be having a baby." Shining Armor and Cadence said in unison.

Spike's eyes widened with joy and excitement as the realization sunk in. "Really? You're having a baby?" he exclaimed, his voice full of happiness.

Cadence nodded, tears of joy in her eyes. "Yes, Spike. We're going to have a little foal soon."

Shining Armor wrapped a hoof around Cadence, beaming with pride. "And we wanted you to be the first to know, Spike. You've been such an important part of our lives, and we wanted to share this special news with you."

Spike then started jumping around in joy. "I'M GONNA BE AN UNCLE!!! I'M GONNA BE AN UNCLE!!! I'M GONNA BE AN UNCLE!!!"

Shining Armor then gave Spike a heartfelt hug. "We know you'll be an amazing role model and friend for our foal." Cadence joined in the hug. They stayed like that for a while, basking in the warmth of their shared love and joy. The scavenger hunt had not only been a fun adventure but also a beautiful way to share the news of their growing family.

After a few moments, Cadence pulled back slightly and smiled at Spike. "Now, how about we celebrate with that cake? I think it's time for a sweet treat."

Spike nodded eagerly. "Yes, please! That cake looks delicious."

They sat down together at the dining table, and Cadence used her magic to cut generous slices of the blue and pink cake. As they enjoyed the sweet treat, they chatted excitedly about the upcoming addition to the family, making plans and dreaming about the future.

Later that night, Cadence was dreaming about reading under a tree, while Shining was playing with their foal in a big meadow. Just then, everything changed and Luna entered the dream. Cadence saw this and walked up to her with a serious look.

"I got your letter earlier today Cadence. Is something wrong?"

"Yes, something is wrong." Cadence said with a more serious tone. "It has been brought to my attention that Spike has been having horrible nightmares about all of us murdering and betraying him. Have you been stopping those nightmares?"

Luna sighed. She knew she had to say it. "No Cadence. I haven't been stopping them."

"WHAT?!" Cadence asked with angrily. "What do you mean you haven't been stopping his nightmares? Spike is clearly suffering and you're not doing anything about it?"

"Now hold on Cadence," Luna said so she can defend herself. "I tried time and time again to interfere and open his door to stop his nightmares, but something is keeping me from doing it."

"Really?" Cadence asked, not really convinced. "Like what?"

Luna's expression grew somber, her eyes reflecting the seriousness of the situation. "I think it's best if I just show you." she told Cadence while leading her out of her dream and into the dream realm where many doors were. "All of these doors are the gateways to many ponies dreams. Whenever they have nightmares, I can open them and stop them with ease, but an external force is keeping me from stopping Spike's nightmares."

Cadence's anger softened into concern. "So none of this is your fault?"

"No it isn't, and we're arriving at Spike's door." They stopped and stared at what was in front of them. It was Spike's dream door, but it was covered in a thick layer of black smoke. "Watch what happens when I try to open his door." Luna then tries to open Spike's door, but the smoke releases energy and knocks Luna on her back next to Cadence.

Cadence tried thinking of something, "Do you think my love spell can work Aunt Luna?"

Luna thought for a minute before getting back up and looking at her. "It might be worth a try."

Cadence took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing on her love spell. She visualized a warm, comforting aura of love and reassurance, directed specifically at Spike's dream. Her horn began to glow softly, and she extended the magic toward the black smoke enveloping Spike’s dream door.

The spell's gentle light touched the smoke, causing it to turn white, and then waver and slowly dissipate. Luna watched with a mixture of hope and concern as the black smoke began to clear. The once dark and forbidding door started to reveal its true colors beneath the shroud of darkness.

"Keep it up, Cadence!" Luna encouraged. "Your magic is making a difference."

Cadence poured more of her energy into the spell, and the door's outline became clearer. The swirling black smoke gradually dissolved, revealing a door that was now glowing softly with a warm, inviting light.

"Look, it’s working," Cadence said with relief, as she continued to focus on the spell. "We’re getting closer."

Once the door was fully revealed, Cadence and Luna approached it. The black smoke had been completely cleared away, leaving behind a door that seemed to be in perfect condition.

"I’ll open it now," Luna said, stepping forward. She carefully placed her hoof on the door handle and pushed it open. The door creaked slightly as it swung inward, revealing the dreamscape beyond.

Spike's dream was a bit unsettling, where many ponies were looking down on him with irritated looks on their faces. But what they saw next baffled them. A wave of magic moved through the dream and hit the dream. The ponies then had smiles on their faces and started hugging the dragon, with Spike hugging them back.

"It looks like the black smoke was causing his nightmares and stopping you from stopping them." Cadence said as she looked down. "I'm sorry for shouting and being angry back there."

Luna smiled. "Don't worry about that. You had no idea what was going on, so I forgive you. However, you should get back to your dream, I saw you reading and Shining playing with a foal, so you must have found that relaxing."

"Yeah it was." Cadence told her. "Let's go back." So Cadence and Luna walked to Cadence's dream door and Luna opened the door to let Cadence in, before closing it. "Have a good night Cadence." she said before turning over to Spike's door. "And good night to you Spike."

Another Redemption

The next morning, Solaris woke up and the moment he woke up, he smelled pancakes and tea coming from outside his room. "Huh, that smells good. I wonder who's making breakfast right now."

So he got up from his bed and walked out of his room, following the smell of the food that was currently being made. When he got to the kitchen, he was surprised that Twilight was cooking breakfast, and not anypony else.

When Twilight saw Solaris coming into the kitchen, she smiled and spoke up. "Oh, good morning Solaris? Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I did." Solaris answered. "Although I never thought I would wake up to see you cooking breakfast. I thought you weren't that good at cooking."

Twilight chuckled nervously, her cheeks tinting pink. "Yeah, I'm still not the best when it comes to cooking. Spike is still definitely better when it comes to cooking, but since he's still in the Crystal Empire, I thought I should try cooking again."

"Twilight, you know I could just snap my claws and make some perfectly good breakfast now." Solaris informed her.

"Well, that is true. However, I should try and learn how to do things myself. I'm a pro at studying things in books, but not things for everyday life, such as cooking. I want to try and change that."

Solaris smiled proudly at Twilight. "I'm proud of you Twi."

A few minutes later, Twilight and Solaris were at the table, munching on their breakfast and tea and so far, Solaris was impressed. "Wow, this is really good for your first attempt."

Twilight beamed at Solaris' compliment. "Thank you! I followed the recipe exactly, and, well, I might have over-prepared just a little." She gestured to the counter, which was covered in flour, used measuring cups, and a pile of cooking utensils.

Solaris chuckled. "I see you turned the kitchen into a battlefield like in one of you books. But, hey, it was worth it for this breakfast."

Twilight giggled and took a sip of her tea. "I'll clean up later, and don't say you can clean it up easily. I want to do it myself. For now, it's nice to just sit and enjoy breakfast with a friend. By the way, thanks for keeping me company while the rest of my friends aren't around. I'm serious, thank you."

"Aw, it's no big deal at all." Solaris began. "Speaking of which, what are the others doing today?"

"Well, Rainbow, Applejack and Rarity are spending the day with the CMC since they just got their cutie marks yesterday, and I'm still proud of them."

"Aren't we all." Solaris added on.

"Pinkie Pie and the Cake Family just got an order for a really big cake from, you won't believe it, the Crystal Empire. I wonder what's happening with Spike over there. And finally, Fluttershy is spending the day tending to the animals at her cottage, so it will just be you and me today." Twilight finished while sitting back in her chair.

"Well, you have anything planned for today?" Solaris asked.

"Well, I have one plan for today. I need to go to Zecora's hut and restock on herbs and leaves for our tea. Wanna come with?" Twilight offered.

Solaris thought for a moment before nodding his head. "I’ll join you. I’ve never visited Zecora before. Besides, a walk through the Everfree sounds like the perfect way to stretch my legs after this amazing breakfast."

Twilight’s ears perked up. "Great! I was hoping you’d say that. It’ll be nice to have some company for the trip. The Everfree Forest is always less intimidating with a friend around."

"Definitely." Solaris agreed.

After finishing their breakfast and tidying up the kitchen (with Twilight insisting on doing most of the cleaning herself), Solaris and Twilight gathered their things for the trip. Twilight packed a small saddlebag with a list of the herbs she needed, some empty jars, and a canteen of water. Solaris opted to bring nothing but himself.

"Do you think anything unexpected is going to happen today while we're in the Everfree Forest today?" Twilight asked.

"Well, this is Equestria we're talking about. It's highly likely that something will happen today that isn't just us getting plants." Solaris answered.

"Fair enough."

Their conversation continued as they left the town behind and approached the edge of the Everfree Forest. The cheerful atmosphere of Ponyville gave way to the dense canopy of trees, where shadows danced and the air grew cooler.

“Wow, it’s been centuries since I’ve been here,” Solaris mused, looking around at the twisting trees and vines. “I forgot how… unique this place feels.”

“It can be eerie,” Twilight admitted, “but it’s also fascinating. So many rare plants and creatures thrive here, and Zecora knows how to make the most of it. She’s incredible.”

Twilight continued talking about the Everfree Forest and Zecora until she bumped into Solaris, who was just in front of her. When she looked him in the eye, she saw that his eyes were wide. "Solaris, what's wrong?"

However, Solaris didn't say anything, he just pointed at what was in front of them, and when she saw what he saw, her eyes went wide too.

There was a pony on the ground, and the pony looked like she would pass out any moment. Twilight looked at the pony and saw that they were vaguely familiar. It was a unicorn, one that had very light lilac fur, with a mane and tail that was purple but had a streak of turquoise. She had blue eyes and her cutie mark was a star with 2 blue wisps of magic. Twilight knew exactly who this pony was. "Starlight?"

Starlight looked to where Twilight and Solaris were, and then she fainted.

"Twilight, you know her?" Solaris asked.

Twilight sighed and began explaining. "Yeah, this is Starlight Glimmer. We met not too long ago, and she isn't really a good pony."

"Really? What did she do?" Solaris asked.

Twilight continued explaining. "When we met, she looked like a nice ruler of a small town. However, the ponies that lived there, they didn't have cutie marks. We knew the reason after she lured us into a trap and took our cutie marks."

Solaris was surprised. "You can take cutie marks?"

"She did. She took our cutie marks before she trapped us in a big room until we agreed to follow her orders. It was only when Fluttershy tricked her into submitting to her rule that we were broken free from that room and we chased her out of town."

Solaris frowned deeply, glancing down at the unconscious Starlight. "That’s… quite the story. And now she’s here, passed out in the Everfree Forest. That doesn’t seem like a coincidence."

Twilight nodded, her brows furrowed in thought. "I don’t think it is either. The Everfree isn’t exactly a place ponies wander into by accident. She must have come here for a reason."

Solaris crouched next to Starlight and examined her more closely. She looked exhausted, her coat disheveled and her breathing shallow. "We should get her to Zecora’s hut. She might need medical attention before we can ask her anything."

Twilight hesitated. "You’re right, but… we should also be careful. If Starlight hasn’t changed, she might try to manipulate us once she’s awake."

"Understood," Solaris replied, his voice steady. "Let’s stay cautious. But for now, she’s clearly not in any condition to pose a threat."

With that, Solaris gently picked up Starlight using his magic, cradling her in a soft, glowing aura. Twilight led the way deeper into the forest, toward Zecora’s hut. Along the way, Twilight glanced at Starlight, conflicted.

"Do you think… we can get her to change?" Twilight asked after a while, her voice quiet.

Solaris glanced at her. "I think anyone can change, Twilight. Sometimes it takes the right circumstances—or the right ponies—to help them see a better path. But they have to want to change first."

Twilight considered his words, then sighed. "I guess we’ll find out soon enough."

"I told you before, something unexpected can happen at anytime. Maybe she genuinely wants to change."

The two continued their journey until they reached Zecora’s hut, the familiar smell of herbs and incense wafting through the air. Solaris knocked on the door, and after a moment, Zecora opened it. "Ah Twilight, it's good to see you at my door." Zecora greeted. "Now tell me, what are you here for?"

"Hi, Zecora," Twilight greeted with a smile before gesturing to Solaris and the unconscious Starlight Glimmer levitating in his magical aura. "We were on our way to pick up some herbs when we found her in the forest. She’s unconscious, and we thought you might be able to help her."

Zecora’s gaze shifted to Starlight, her expression thoughtful. She stepped aside, motioning for them to come in. "Bring her in, lay her down to rest. I will do what I can to give her my best."

Solaris carefully levitated Starlight onto a cot in the corner of Zecora’s hut. The zebra moved swiftly, gathering herbs and mixing a concoction in a small wooden bowl. "Her state is dire, her energy weak. She needs rest and care to regain the strength she seeks."

Twilight watched nervously as Zecora worked. "Do you think she’ll be okay?"

Zecora nodded as she applied the mixture to Starlight’s forehead. "She will heal with time and aid. Her fainting shows her strength has swayed."

Solaris took a step back, observing the room. The hut was warm and inviting, the shelves lined with potions and dried herbs. "Thank you, Zecora. We found her just in time."

The zebra smiled warmly. "Helping others is my creed. It’s kind of you to bring her in her time of need."

Twilight sighed, her ears drooping slightly. "I just hope she doesn’t wake up and cause trouble. Starlight’s… complicated."

Zecora looked up from her work, her wise eyes meeting Twilight’s. "Even those who cause despair may seek a chance to repair. Watch her closely, tread with care. Perhaps her heart holds kindness rare."

Solaris placed a comforting claw on Twilight’s shoulder. "Zecora’s right. Let’s see what happens when she wakes up. We can’t judge her yet—she might surprise us."

Twilight nodded hesitantly. "You’re both right. For now, we’ll wait and see."

They didn't have to wait long however, since after a few minutes, Starlight stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She looked around groggily, her gaze settling on Twilight and Solaris. Her eyes widened with recognition, and she tried to sit up, only to groan in pain.

"Take it easy," Solaris said gently, stepping forward. "You’re safe here."

Starlight's expression turned from confusion to a hint of malice upon looking at Twilight. "Hey, I know you. You're Twilight."

Twilight stepped closer cautiously, keeping her voice calm. "Yes, Starlight, it’s me. We found you unconscious in the Everfree Forest and brought you here to Zecora’s hut. You need to rest."

Starlight’s lips curled into a faint smirk, though it lacked her usual confidence. "Rest? That’s rich, coming from the pony who ruined everything I worked for."

Twilight frowned but maintained her composure. "Starlight, we’re not here to argue. You were hurt, and we wanted to help. That’s all."

Solaris watched the exchange quietly, observing the tension between the two. "Starlight," he interjected gently, "you’ve been through something difficult to end up in the Everfree like this. Maybe we can help if you tell us what happened."

"And who are you?" Starlight asked.

"I'm Solaris, and I just wanted to make sure you were ok."

Starlight sighed and looked down. "Before anything else is said, I just want to say that..." Starlight hesitated before saying, "I'm sorry."

Twilight blinked, startled by Starlight’s unexpected apology. Solaris tilted his head slightly, his expression softening. "Sorry?" he asked, his tone gentle. "For what?"

Starlight looked away, her voice trembling. "For everything. For taking your cutie marks, for trapping you and your friends, and... for being so blinded by my own pain that I couldn’t see what I was doing to others."

Twilight's ears perked up, and she exchanged a glance with Solaris. "Starlight... that’s a big step," Twilight said carefully, her voice tinged with a mix of surprise and hope. "But what brought you here? Why were you in the Everfree Forest?"

"Well, after I fled into the cave network, I stayed there, thinking about what I lost, then a month and a half or so later, I found a really big area in one of the caves. What I didn't know, was that a dark force was housed there. It looked like a dark smoke that could turn into anything like a dark form, and it started taking my magic and it used that magic to create beasts and something that looked like it came from the great Prench Plague."

Solaris was surprised, but didn't show it. "The Prench Plague?"

"Yeah, it looked like they were mounds of some kind, and before I passed out, I was captured in thick vines. They wrapped around me and I passed out from lack of magic and movement." Starlight continued.

Twilight was intrigued about this information, and Solaris feared that he might be found out sooner rather than later. "When did you wake up?" Twilight asked.

"My head lost track of time when I woke up, and when I woke up, everything was gone, including the mounds, beasts, vines and the dark being himself. I stumbled out of the cave and saw snow on the ground. That's when I knew, I woke up on Hearths Warming. I've been in the Everfree Forest since." Starlight finished her story.

Twilight looked at Starlight in shock. "Hearth's Warming? That means you've been out there for weeks, all alone?"

Starlight nodded slowly, her eyes distant. "I had nowhere else to go, and I was too scared to face anyone. I couldn’t even remember what happened in the cave... it was like I was trapped in a nightmare. That dark force... it took something from me, something I couldn't get back."

Solaris's expression darkened, a faint trace of worry crossing his face. "Dark force... You mean something like a curse? Or a possession?"

Starlight shook her head. "No, it wasn’t a possession... It was more like an... entity. It fed off my magic, twisted it, made me feel weak and helpless. It was like it was trying to turn me into something else, something I didn’t want to be."

Twilight’s expression softened. "That sounds terrifying. But you’re here now, and you’re safe. We’ll help you figure this out, Starlight. You don’t have to face this alone."

Starlight looked up at Twilight, her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and uncertainty. "I... I don’t deserve your help. I’ve hurt you and your friends so much... I don’t even know how to make up for it."

Solaris gave her a reassuring smile. "Redemption doesn’t come in one big moment. It’s a journey. You’ve already taken the first step by admitting your mistakes. That’s more than most ever do."

Zecora, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. "The past is a shadow, always there, but with each new dawn, we can repair. Take this time, to heal and mend, and let go of the pain that you defend."

Twilight nodded in agreement. "You don’t have to fix everything all at once, Starlight. We’ll take things one step at a time. And you can stay at my castle until you feel ready."

Starlight swallowed hard, her emotions raw. "I’ll try... I just don’t know if I can ever make things right."

"One step at a time," Solaris repeated softly, "is all anyone can do."

Starlight gave a faint nod, her gaze drifting to the window. The rain had started to fall lightly outside, the sound of it pattering against the hut’s roof offering a moment of calm amidst the storm of emotions within her. For the first time in a long while, she felt the possibility of hope.

"I can help heal you if you'd like. It would only take a few seconds, but it would make you feel like new." Solaris offered.

Starlight looked at him. "You would do that?"

Solaris smiled. "Of course." And just like that, he snapped his claws, causing his magic aura to wrap around her, healing her within seconds."

Starlight let out a soft gasp as the healing magic wrapped around her, filling her with a sense of warmth and calm. The pain in her body faded, and for the first time in a long while, she felt truly at ease. She blinked a few times, feeling the lingering effects of the magic, and then looked at Solaris, her eyes wide with gratitude.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur. "That... that was incredible."

Solaris nodded, his expression gentle. "You're welcome."

Twilight watched the exchange, her heart swelling with a mix of relief and cautious optimism. Starlight was still struggling with her past, but she could see the sincerity in her eyes, and that gave her hope. Maybe, just maybe, Starlight could find a path to redemption.

Zecora, who had been silently observing, spoke up again. "The healing of the body is but one part. The soul, however, must do its own part."

Starlight looked at her and answered, "I think that may happen soon."

"Oh, and before I forget..." Twilight began. "We need to refill on herbs and leaves for our tea."

Zecora smiled. "Of course my friend. Tea can help heal the soul. Once I grab the plants, you'll be on a roll." she said before picking up a few bags of herbs and leaves from the shelves and handing them to Twilight.

"Thanks Zecora." Twilight said before she went to the door. "Let's get home you 2. Tea's on me."

"Thanks Twilight." Solaris and Starlight said in unison as they left the hut.

On their way out of the Everfree, a red glow caught Solaris' eye. It confused him, since Twilight and Starlight didn't seem to notice it. "Actually, you girls go on ahead, I'll catch up with you later."

Twilight looked over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Solaris' sudden shift in focus. "Are you sure? It's getting late."

Solaris nodded, his gaze still locked on the red glow in the distance. "I'll be fine. I just need to check something out."

Starlight, still feeling a bit fragile, hesitated but then spoke up. "Be careful, Solaris. The Everfree Forest can be unpredictable."

"Don't worry," Solaris reassured her, offering a small smile. "I'll catch up with you soon."

Twilight gave him a concerned look but ultimately nodded. "Alright, just don’t be too long. We’ll be waiting for you."

With that, Twilight and Starlight continued down the path toward Ponyville, leaving Solaris alone in the shadows of the Everfree. After a while, the 2 ponies made it to the Castle of Friendship.

"Let me round up my friends, so they can see you. Don't worry, I'll vouch for you." Twilight assured her.

Starlight was unsure, but nodded anyway.

About half an hour later, Twilight rounded up Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack and brought them over to the castle. Starlight stood nervously in the Castle of Friendship, her eyes flickering between the five ponies who had arrived at Twilight’s invitation. Each of them looked at her with a mix of curiosity, caution, and, in Pinkie’s case, a little too much enthusiasm.

However, Rainbow Dash knew who she was in an instant and her face turned to anger. "Wait, it's you. The pony that stole our cutie marks."

"What is tarnation is she doin' here?" Applejack asked with a look of caution and anger.

Starlight lowered into her seat, but Twilight gave a warm smile and vouched for her. "It's ok everypony, she doesn't want to hurt us. She wants to change."

Rainbow Dash crossed her hooves, clearly still skeptical. "I don’t know, Twi. After everything she did to us—"

"I understand your anger," Starlight spoke up quietly, her voice trembling. "I deserve it. I’m not asking for your forgiveness, not yet. I just… I wanted to show you I’m different now." Her eyes filled with regret as she met each of their gazes. "I don’t want to be the same pony who hurt you all."

Pinkie Pie bounced over with a wide grin. "But if you’re really sorry, then that means you want to be friends, right? I love making new friends! Everypony deserves a second chance!"

Rarity raised an eyebrow but seemed to soften at Pinkie’s enthusiasm. "Hmm, well, as much as I still find it hard to forget what you did, I do agree with Pinkie. Everypony deserves a second chance—if they’re sincere about it."

Applejack sighed and stepped forward, her usual straightforward nature showing. "I reckon we all gotta give her a fair shot. But don’t expect us to forget the past overnight."

Fluttershy, ever the kind heart, gave a gentle nod. "I believe everypony can change if they really try. I just hope you’ve learned from everything, Starlight."

Starlight nodded, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and hope. "I’ve learned. I’ve been through a lot, and I realize now that I hurt others because I was hurting inside. I… I want to be better."

Twilight smiled, relieved to see that her friends were starting to warm to Starlight. "Thank you, everypony. I know it’s hard, but I think we’re all going to see something good come from this."

"Oooohh, we have a new friend I see." came the voice of what sounded like an old man. Then Discord spawned in, and everyone groaned, except for Fluttershy and Starlight.

"Oh come on Discord. What do you want right now?" Rainbow Dash asked, irritated.

"Well I saw that a villain is getting redeemed, and I want to get to know her, reformed villain to reformed villain."

"Discord, now ain't a good time, can you leave please?" Twilight asked.

"Oh what's wrong Twilight? Too many redeemed villains in the room?" Discord playfully asked while a halo hovered above him and Starlight.

Rainbow Dash was getting angry now, and she flew up to Discord's face. "Listen Discord. We don't need you around right now, so just take our advice and get out."

Discord saw the seriousness in her voice and frowned. "But Starlight was a villain too. Why are you treating her nicer than me? Besides, I just spread chaos, she actively tried to steal cutie marks and create a world order."

Starlight looked down in shame, and then Twilight got angry too. "That's enough Discord. She wants to change while you're still spreading chaos far and wide. Leave, this is the last time I tell you."

Discord frowned, feeling a mix of emotion he hadn't felt in a long time, sadness and anger. He looked away from the group and said, "Fine." before he teleported away in a flash of light.

"Discord, wait." Fluttershy called out to him, but it was too late. "Sorry guys, but that was mean. I'll go find him." She said before getting up from her seat and exiting the castle.

"Yeah, that was kind of mean." Starlight agreed. "He doesn't seem like a bad guy, just... stuck to his ways."

The rest of the ponies in the room sighed, only realizing now that they were kind of mean. "Sorry you had to see that Starlight. Discord isn't bad, just... obnoxious."

"Well, I would like to get to know him more, maybe be his friend." Starlight said.

"And when we get the chance, we can go apologize to him for being mean." Rainbow Dash said.

So with that, Everypony went their seperate ways for the day.

Solaris continued his way to where he saw that red light. When he got to the light, it looked like something was buried in the ground.

"Well, I might as well dig it up." he said to himself before he started digging. After he dug up some of the dirt, he saw what was glowing, and his eyes went wide.

"It can't be. That's where it's been all this time?"

Author's Note

Yay, Blockywocky's are gone.