Ten years ago: the coronation of Princess Twilight Sparkle, the goddess of knowledge and power occurred. One year later, Spike the Dragon disappeared. Twilight Sparkle was broken. With the help of her fellow princess and bearers, as well as all of Equestria, she seems to have accepted the loss of her best friend.

On the nine year anniversary though, she, three other Bearers and Luna make a trip to the Western Badlands. Their mission? To get to Blackwater City, and arrive at an international political convention. However, things are turned upside down when they find out that their escort across the Badlands is the "Dragon Outlaw", Spike. However, he is not the same innocent child as before. Even though he is still biologically a child, the harsh world of the Badlands has forced him to grow up fast. Can Twilight help bring him back to her, or have the Badlands claimed his life as it has so many others? After all, once an outlaw, always an outlaw.