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.