Maddock found Starlight in the castle library, busily rearranging some books. "OK, that goes there, and that goes there," she said as she waved her horn around, magically transporting the books to their new locations. He was still somewhat nervous around magic, but he wasn't going to insult Starlight and blow this opportunity to impress Twilight.

He walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. "Starlight?" He said timidly. She turned around and saw him. Her face became frozen with fear and she backed up to the bookcase. "…Y-y-yes?" She stuttered. He opened his mouth to reply, but she began speaking rapidly and fearfully. "Maddock, I'm so, so sorry if I hurt you by asking you if I needed help. I know that you're your own pony, and you can do anything yourself, so I'm sorry if I did anything wrong!"

He smiled at her. "No, Starlight, you did nothing wrong. It was me. I'm the one who messed up. I'm the one who needs to apologize. So, here's the letter Twilight asked me to write you."

"Oh…thank you, Maddock," Starlight said as she used her magic to float the letter to her. She opened it and read it before grasping the surprised Earth pony in a hug. "This really means a lot to me," she said, "I know how difficult it can be to apologize after you've done something wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I enslaved an entire village and took all of their cutie marks and forced them all to be 'equal' to each other. Then, after Twilight and her friends stopped me, I tried to take away her friendships by manipulating the past through a time travel spell."

Maddock's mouth fell open. He had no idea that this seemingly sweet and kind pony could be capable of something so ruthless. "You did all that?" He asked incredulously. She nodded. "Yes, I did, and I'll forever be in debt to Twilight for showing me the way out of it. She gave me a second chance at being a true friend, and I will be forever grateful for that. I'm proud of the pony I've become, and it's all thanks to her. Now, I believe, she can do the same thing for you."

She put a hoof on his heart and smiled at him. He was still somewhat in shock. He had been sent to apologize to the pony that had enslaved an entire village? Well, he thought, I suppose hating an entire race of ponies because one of them did something wrong is just as bad as enslaving an entire village.

"Twilight told me what happened to your parents," she suddenly said. He looked up with a start. "She did?" He asked. Starlight nodded. "I wanted you to know that I understand how you're feeling. I lost my mother at a young age due to a cart accident with an Earth pony. But I don't blame every Earth pony in Equestria for it. It was just an accident, and they happen."

More of the hatred Maddock felt for unicorns melted away. It was as if his parents were standing in the room next to him, kindly and gently urging him to do away with his prejudice. There was a small part of him that didn't want to, but Starlight's friendly and understanding words were helping undo the spell that the pain of the past had unleashed upon him. The walls he had built against true friendship were crumbling.

"So…I have friends here?"

"You have one," she said, smiling, "and two, if you count Princess Twilight"

Once again, the warmth and happiness of his childhood spread throughout his entire being. This pony, that he had so selfishly and viciously insulted, was coming to him in friendship. "But how?" he asked in shock, "how could you possibly want to be friends with a brutal egotist like me?"

"Because that's what friendship is. The six elements of harmony: honesty, loyalty, kindness, laughter, generosity, and magic. Those six combine to form true friendship. But forgiveness and second chances are just as much a part of friendship as the main elements are."

"She's right," a voice said from the doorway. The two ponies turned to find Twilight standing there. A radiant smile painted the canvas of her face. Maddock felt as if his heart would melt at that smile. He thought he had never seen a more beautiful sight. Well, maybe except for the time he had snuck on board a zeppelin and caught a glimpse of the Northern Stars.

Twilight raced forward and threw her hooves around both ponies. "Well said, Starlight. You understand friendship on a truly high level. I'm proud to call you my guidance counselor and my friend." Then she turned to Maddock. A gleam shone in her purple eyes. "Maddock, that's what I've been wanting to see ever since you got here! This is friendship, and I feel like you have opened your heart to it."

"But all I did was write a letter of apology. For all you know, it could be insincere."

"But I know that it IS sincere, Maddock," Twilight said. "At first, you asked for my help. I was willing to give it, because that's what friends do, but then you took it a step further and said you would apologize on your own. I was so proud of you in that moment, because that showed that your hatred was falling away. Friendship was taking hold, and it kept taking hold. I know it was only one task, and yes, you still have a lot to learn about the true magic of friendship, but this was a huge step forward for you. I'm very pleased."

Maddock didn't say anything, but hugged Twilight in return. "I've been such a terrible pony," he said as tears came. Twilight smiled at him, "that's all in the past," she said, "now you can have a new life! Trust me, a life with friends is a whole heck of a lot better than a life without them. Also, you never, ever have to go back to sleeping on cold street corners in Canterlot."

Maddock looked at her and smiled. He felt warmer than he had felt in a long time. The prejudice that he used to hold was completely gone. He was ready to accept unicorns as fellow ponies. He was ready to learn the true value of friendship. Little did they all know it, but his change and the values he was slowly being taught would turn into something legendary…