Maddock awoke the next morning feeling absolutely exhausted. His dreams had troubled him just as much as his thoughts did when he was awake. He wanted nothing more than for the confusion and unnerving feelings to dissipate. But, alas, nothing relieved him. He thought he would never find the end to the labyrinthine notions that inundated his weary head.

He noticed a stack of books on the desk in the room. Having nothing else to do, he rose from his bed and used his nose to open the first one. "A Journal of Friendship," he said out loud, "by…Twilight Sparkle?" Here, he couldn't help but laugh. Was Twilight so self-absorbed that she wanted him to learn from a book she had written?

Then he stopped and did a double take. There were five other names under Twilight's. Ah…so she's not a narcissist, he thought. The names read as follows: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and…RARITY?! He screamed internally, she's friends with that…that…that unicorn?! I suppose I should've guessed it. Their kind always sticks together. Once a unicorn, always a unicorn. No amount of magic transformation can change the inner nature of a unicorn. They'll always show off, no matter what.

At that point, there was a knock on the door. "Maddock?" A female voice said from the other side, "my name's Starlight Glimmer. Princess Twilight sent me to check on you and make sure you're ready for your first day of friendship tutoring." Having been beckoned, he moved to the door and opened it…to find a young unicorn standing there.

His mouth fell open. Not only was he being forced to learn friendship from a former unicorn, but she had a unicorn assistant?! He gave her a bit of a disgusted look. "Look, unicorn," he said sharply, using the derogatory term he used on every unicorn, "I'm fine. I don't need you. I just need to get these 'friendship lessons' over with so that I can return to Canterlot."

"Uh…OK. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Do you have gum stuck in your ears?! I just said-" here he got in her face, "-I DON'T NEED YOU! I'm perfectly fine! I don't need a UNICORN to help me out. If you were somepony else, like an Earth pony, then I'd probably be more inclined to accept it. But as it stands, you have that horn on your head, which means you perform magic, and since you aren't royalty, I can treat you however I darn well want! It was YOUR KIND that took everything away from me! YOU! I hate you, and I don't even know you! That horn betrays your own narcissism, and I DON'T NEED YOU!"

He finished his rant out of breath and he slammed the door in her face. Starlight's eyes welled up with tears. She was in shock. Wh…what just happened? She thought. At this point, the door reopened and Maddock appeared, carrying the books from his room. "Ugh! Are you still here?" He asked sarcastically, "look, I said I don't need you so just go away!"

Starlight began crying heavily and ran from the hall. Maddock smirked triumphantly. I sure put her in her place, he thought haughtily and began moving towards where Twilight had said to meet him for his first lesson. As he walked down the hall, his hatred for Starlight only grew. How dare she, a unicorn, ask him, an Earth pony, if he needed her help. He was above her. Only true ponies didn't use magic.

He arrived at the meeting location and opened the door, to find Starlight crying and Twilight giving him a very angry look. "Maddock!" She said firmly. Maddock immediately felt nervous and slunk across the floor, not daring to look Twilight in the eye for fear she would banish him. After all, she was a princess. "…yes, Twilight?"

"How dare you," the princess said sternly, "how dare you insult Starlight in my own home. How dare you!"

"But, princess, she's a…"

"A unicorn, yes," Twilight said with anger in her voice, "and every bit as equal to you as anypony else. I will NOT have you insulting the guidance counselor of my school, and one of my best friends. I will NOT stand for it. Do I make myself CLEAR?!"

At this, Maddock was shaking. What happened to the sweet and kind pony of the night before? This was a totally different pony. "…Y…Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Now, I think it's prudent that you learn your first friendship lesson from this. See, one of the elements of friendship is kindness, and it looks like you could do with a good dose of it. So, we're gonna sit in on Professor Fluttershy's class today."

"Professor who?"

"Fluttershy. She's a close friend of mine, and the best kindness teacher around. But before we do that, I think a fair punishment for you would be for you to write Starlight a letter of apology."

Maddock whined, "Apology?! Oh, come on, Twilight!"

"NO complaining, Maddock," the princess said sharply, "if you're going to live in my house, you're going to obey the rules, and one of the rules is that everypony in this castle treats other ponies with decency, courtesy, kindness, and respect, no matter what. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," Maddock said sheepishly

"Good," Twilight said before giving him another stern look, "and if I hear of another outburst like this, the punishment will be even more severe." Here, her gaze softened and she turned back into the sweet pony from the night before. "But let me make one thing clear. I am never going to give up on you." She smiled at him again. This time, the smile felt more genuine than it had when they first met.

"Now, I think you have a letter to write. Pens and quills are over there," she pointed to a desk with her hoof, "and there's some parchment in the drawer. I'll expect the letter delivered to Starlight in her office in the school before lunch. If that doesn't happen, then you'll be given marks off on your first lesson for being tardy." With that, Twilight and Starlight left the room and Maddock, swallowing his pride, slowly took out some parchment and ink and began to write…