The train pulled into Ponyville's station as the sun was setting on the horizon. Rage looks to Twilight as the train comes to a full stop. She was asleep. He got up and nudged her with his front hoof.

"No…I didn't forget to check the…" she mutters in her sleep. A soft smile crossed Rage's face. Sure he barely knew her but he could tell when someone had exhausted themselves.

He used some magic to pick her up just enough so he could lay her over his back. Slowly and carefully he took her off the train. He gave the conductor a thankful nod and he walked towards the library.

Twilight was a bit heavier than he expected. Though what could he expect? This was all so new to him. He slowly walked, doing his best to make sure she wasn't too disturbed.

As he walked Twilight would mutter various things incoherently. She was in such a deep sleep she hardly noticed when Rage would stop and readjust her on his back.

It took him a good twenty minutes but he managed to get to the Library. Thankfully Spike was waiting for them. When he saw Twilight he ran outside in a panic. "Twilight!" He shouts "What-"

"Shhh!" Rage hissed softly "She's fine just exhausted." He barks. Spike looked at him still worried but he seemed to be a bit relieved. "Can you get the door for me?"

"Right. Of course!" Spike says running back to the door and holding it open so the red unicorn could enter. He let out an exhausted sigh as Spike led him to Twilight's room. Once inside Rage used some magic to lift her up and move her over to bed. Spike helped tuck her in and made sure the door was closed as quietly as possible.

The two went back downstairs and Rage sat down with a heavy sigh. "Thank you…Spike." He says gratefully,

"Of course…is she okay?" Spike asks.

"I think so." Rage answers. "I am pretty sure she's just exhausted."

"That's a relief." Spike smiled, "She's got to learn to stop overworking herself like this."

"What do you mean?" Rage asks, turning his head to the dragon.

"She's been up almost nonstop since you and Sonic arrived." Spike explains. "Though it's not the first time. She gets too invested in something and this is what happens. Where is Sonic by the way?"

"Gone." Rage replied "We were able to send him back to our world."

Spike nods and looks at Rage. While he was doing his best to hide it, he himself was just as exhausted even if he had been out for three days after arriving. "You seem pretty out of it yourself Rage." Spike says "Why don't you stay the night?"

"You sure?" Rage asks looking at the baby dragon "I don't want to impose…"

"Don't worry about it, I am sure Twilight will understand." Spike says with a wave of his hand. "C'mon I'll show you the guest room." He says.

Spike led Rage to the guest room where a small but quaint bed was neatly made. "Thank you." Rage said to Spike with a sleepy smile. "Hey." He calls before Spike left the room.

"What's up?" Spike asks his eyes, showing a glint of weariness.

"Let's not tell Twilight I hauled her back here alright?" Rage requests. "She may not take it well."

Spike nodded as he closed the door and crawled into the bed. It was surprisingly comfortable all things considered. With a yawn he closed his eyes. It didn't take long for the welcoming grip of sleep to take him.

It felt like only a few minutes before he was startled awake by something nudging him. He opened his eyes to see Spike. "Hm? Spike?" He grumbled groggily. He then sat up.

"Hey, Twilight wanted to see you." The small dragon says. Rage looked to the window and rubbed his eyes. The sun was barely peeking over the horizon but it was just enough for the early light of dawn to cast a ray of light into the room.

"Okay." Rage yawns as he gets out of the bed. Once on the floor he stretched and shook himself. Then he followed Spike out of the room to the main library where Twilight was sitting at a table with a mug and a book.

"Good morning." Twilight says looking at Rage. "Did you sleep well?"

"About as well as I could, all things considered." Rage says rubbing the back of his neck to massage out a small spot of tension. "I feel like I should be asking you that."

"I'm sorry." Twilight apologized. "It wasn't very appropriate of me to pass out like that…and make you carry me back…"

Rage gave Spike a look who shook his head. "I didn't say anything." He says.

Twilight smiled "He didn't tell me. I didn't remember getting off the train so I sorta put two and two together." She said,

"I mean I couldn't just leave you there." Rage responds with a shrug "You were out cold."

"I'm sorry it's been a long last few days." She sighs, closing her book. "Anyway, that's not why I had Spike get you up so early…" she states. "I am going to meet my friend Applejack this morning and I want you to join me."

"How come…?" Rage asks, tilting his head curiously. "I don't want to be a third wheel on something…"

"Because you're going to want to get to know her if you plan to help us with Sombra." Twilight says. "She'll be joining us."

"How many will be going...?" Rage asks.

"Seven of us. You, me and the Elements of Harmony. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinky Pie, and Rarity..." Twilight answers.

"Elements...of Harmony?" Rage looked at her with more confusion.

"Right...I forgot you're not from Equestria..." Twilight half chuckles. "The Elements of Harmony are...hard to explain but we embody their power and together we can do great things with it. Including defeating Nightmare Moon."

"I...see..." Rage nodded. "So if this is such a solid option...why does Celestia want me to go with you?"

"I don't know." Twilight shook her head showing that the same question was bugging her. "It's possible she knows something that she doesn't want to tell us or she's worried that we may not be enough...his return is...strange."

"What do you mean?" Rage questioned her tilting his head.

"On the way." Twilight states as she walks out of the library. Rage followed her and she continued. "When Sombra was defeated...he was supposed to have been destroyed entirely. For him to return just doesn't make sense."

"Well I am sure whatever the reason we'll figure it out." Rage says with a soft nod looking ahead of them. The sun's light was slowly beginning to touch the horizon with a warm shade of orange. Some stars were still glittering in the skies above and the moon was at their backs. They were on the far end of Ponyville and he noted the large amount of apple trees. They were aligned very meticulously. It was some kind of orchard.

"Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres." Twilight says as they reach a break in two fields and a path that leads up to a large farmhouse and barn. They took the path leading to the farmhouse and barn as Twilight continues, "Applejack's family has run this farm for generations. They supply apples to a majority of the kingdom. Come the fall they'll be really busy."

Rage simply nods. He couldn't quite think of any words. Especially right now. They made it to the small patch of smoothed out dirt that was around the barn. "She should be around here somewhere..." Twilight says, tapping her hoof to the ground.

Almost as if on cue an orange pony with a blonde mane and a large cattle hat backed out of the barn with a large basket. On her flank was a trio of apples. Twilight had some strange magic like sparkles, then this pony's was apples and the Chaos Emeralds appeared to take the place of whatever Rage may have had there. Was there some significance to these markings? Rage could only think as to what if anything the connection was.

"Oh!" the orange pony exclaimed as she dropped the large basket from her mouth and trotted over "Howdy Twilight!" She hollered in a western accent. "I am glad ta see ya partner!"

"Good morning Applejack." Twilight says with a gleeful chuckle.

The orange pony then looked at Rage. "Who's yer new friend Twi?" she asks.

"Applejack I want you to mee Burning Rage." Twilight introduced Rage to the pony.

"Burnin' Rage huh?" she asks "That's a strange name alright."

"I prefer Rage." The crimson unicorn answers, bowing his head in greeting.

"So he's the one you've been lookin' after?" Applejack asks and Twilight nods.

"Princess Celestia wants him to accompany us to the Crystal Empire when the weather clears." Twilight explains.

"Are you sure about that sugarcube?" Applejack questions her, a bit concerned about taking a stranger with them.

"Positive." Twilight answers.

"I can handle myself." Rage pipes up. Applejack looks at him.

"Can ya now?" She challenges him cocking an eye. "We Apple believe in action not words."

"Name it." Rage smiks. Twilight looked at the two a bit worried they were about to erupt into some altercation.

"Rage I dunno if you-" Twilight tries to speak in a panicked voice.

"Apple buckin'." Applejack smirks "You and me. I wanna see you work. No fancy magic. Just good ol' fashioned hard work!"

Rage smiled a toothy grin. "You're on!" He states "I"m game."

"Applejack-" Twilight once again tries to speak but the two ran past her and she falls to the ground. Before she knew it the two were going from tree to tree bucking them and getting the apples to fall. Each one filling up basket after basket.

Applejack's technique was perfect. Having done it as long as she had she knew how to do it and well. Rage on the other hand was relying more on his strength. He had no idea how to do it but he was managing. Twilight sighed as she watched the two go at it.

A few hours passed and Twilight had dozed off. She finally woke up hearing laughing approaching her. She looked to see Rage and Applejack both with another basket of apples.

"Hoo wee you sure put up a fight there Rage." Applejack chuckles as she puts her basket down with the others they had harvested.

"That sure is some hard work." Rage exhaled with a soft chuckle. He huffed placing the basket he had been carrying next to hers and rolling one of his shoulders. "But I'll admit that was the most fun I have had in a long time."

"All done?" Twilight asks.

"You betcha." Applejack smiled. "You shoulda told me you had a friend like him ages ago!" she teases.

"I just met him a few days ago..." Twilight mutters.

"Well Rage, you more than proved yerself to me." she says putting a hoof out and Rage shook it. "For somepony who's never been apple bucking you did pretty well."

"Thank you." Rage says "We should do that again sometime."

"Well yer free to come back in the fall. I'll even treat ya to something nice." Applejack winks.

"I'd enjoy that." Rage chuckles before Twilight cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Ahem..." Twilight looks at the two "Are we done?"

"Course' we are." Applejack says "You coulda helped."

"I didn't want to interrupt you." Twilight comments. "You two seemed so into your competition ."

"So, ya hungry?" Applejack asks Rage.

"Now that you mention it…" Rage rubs his chin. He then felt a cold pit in his stomach as it grumbled "Yeah. I am."

"Alright hey can you grab the wagon quick?" Applejack asks as she sees the door to the farmhouse open up. Rage nodded and went around the corner to find the wagon used to transport apples.

A small yellow pony came out of the farm house. "Sis!" She calls her red mane was a bit of a mess and her flank had no mark. "Siiiiis!"

"What is it Applebloom?" Applejack calls looking around the corner. "I'm by the barn!"

The small pony walked over and looked at the pile of apples in baskets. "Woah." She says looking at the three "Big Mac wanted ta know if you needed help…but I can see you got it done…"

Applejack chuckles and puts a hoof to Applebloom's head "Thanks Applebloom but I had some…unexpected help today."

"I'll say!" Applebloom exclaims "I haven't seen you finish this fast except for when you and Big Mac work together!" she then looked at Twilight. "I didn't think you had it you Twi!"

"Uh…" Twilight didn't know what to say.

"It wasn't Twi, Applebloom." Applejack shook her head with a soft laugh.

"Applejack!" Rage calls coming around the barn with the wagon. "This one?"

"Yeah that's it." Applejack nods looking over to him.

"Who's that?" Applebloom asks "New friend-a yours?"

Rage put the wagon by the baskets of apples and walked back over to the three mares. "Thank you." Applejack says "Rage uh...meet Applebloom, she's my younger sister."

"Nice to meet you." Rage says with a polite nod. "I am Burning Rage."

"That's a funny name." Applebloom chuckles. Rage rolled his eyes in response.

"I prefer Rage." He says as she looks around his side to the mark on his side.

"Ooo how'd you get your cutie mark?" she asks looking at him.

"My what?" Rage asks turning.

"Oh! Uh would you look at the time! We should go and get lunch now!" Twilight suddenly bursts out pushing Rage away "He can tell you the story another time Applebloom!"

"Now hold-" Rage starts to object before she grabs him by the mane and bolts off with Applejack.

"Oh...okay! See ya later then!" Applebloom calls with a disappointed tone to her voice.

Once they were at a decent distance Twilight lets go of Rage and Applejack looks at her. "Now what in blazes was that for Twi?" Applejack asks.

"Uh..." Twilight stuttered trying to think about how to explain it.

"Twilight just tell her." Rage sighs "Or I will."

"Rage I dunno..." Twilight replies.

"I'm not from Equestria." Rage stated plainly.

"Come again?" Applejack asks. She looked at him with a confused look.

"To save you the winded explanation I am from another world." Rage sighs "I am...here on Celestia's behalf...it's complicated."

"Ah...so you don't even know what she was talkin' about do ya?" Applejack asks. Rage shook his head. "Well partner, Cutie Marks are sorta what make us who we are." Applejack turns and points her nose to hers. "I mean you can probably tell mine is obvious..."

"Yeah..." Rage nods "So...what do they mean...?"

"It depends." Twilight says "I am gifted in magic so mine are just magic sparkles..." she then looks at Rage. "Your's are...gems?"

Rage turns around and looks at it. He hadn't noticed it before and he pondered. It made sense to him now. "The Chaos Emeralds..." he says "That's what they mean."

"So you're what...a gemcrafter?" Applejack asks.

"No...but that would make a good cover answer." Twilight says, looking at Rage.

"What I am exactly is complicated." Rage says "Simply put I am a...protector of sorts."

"I won't pretend to know what you're talking about." Applejack says as they began walking back to town.

"Sugar Cube Corner?" Twilight asks Applejack who nods.

"Of course. I am sure Pinkie will be happy to see us and I think sh is making those cucumber sandwiches today." Applejack answers.

"That sounds good." Rage sighs. The thought of food made the unicorn's stomach grumble. Now that he thought about it he hadn't eaten since he arrived.

"You have to be pretty hungry by now. " Twilight says "I don't think you've eaten since you arrived here in Equestria."

"Yeah..." Rage chuckles embarrassed. He looked up to the entrance of a store. A sign hung high reading 'Sugar Cube Corner'

"Here we are. You think Pinkie's here?" Twilight asks Applejack who shrugged as they opened the door. A small bell above the door jingled as the three walked in. It didn't seem like anyone was there. The counter was empty but it did smell as if something was in the oven.

"Oneeeee minuuuute!" A high pitched sing-song voice called. Shortly after a pinky pony with a messy pink mane walked out of a side room. Three balloons on her flank for her Cutie Mark. She looks at the three with her bright blue eyes. Next thing they knew her head stretched all the way to Rage. "Oooo Twilight! Applejack who's your new friend!?" she squeals.

Rage took a step back and turned his head nervously. 'Is this...normal for this world?' he thought. Twilight sighed and pushed her head away. "Pinkie Pie, meet Burning-"

"Burning Rage!" she says in a happy voice. "Spike told me all about you!"

"Spike...?" Twilight asks "he was here?"

"Not too long ago! He ordered some muffins and a sandwich." Pinkie says. "I wasn't expecting to see you though! Do you need something?

"If you'd be so kind Pinkie, a few of those cucumber sandwiches please?" Applejack asks.

"Okie dokie loki!" she hops up and rushes back into the room. It wasn't even ten seconds before she bolted out, sat Rage, Twilight and Applejack down and they had a plate full of the sandwiches in front of them. Pinkie then sat with them.

Rage looked simply flabbergasted and blinked with a blank stare before Twilight put a hoof on his shoulder. "Get used to it. " she says "This is just how she is."

"R-right." Rage says "I guess it's just...a lot to take in." he then looked at the plate of sandwiches.

"Weeellll?" Pinkie asks in a sing-song voice "Try it!" she gleefully shouts. Rage cautiously took one and looked at her then back to the sandwich. He takes a bite and chewed a bit. It took a second before the flavor of the sandwich hit him. He sighs in a relaxing way. It was great.

"Mmm." he said "This is really good." he praises taking another bite. "Thank you!"

"I knew you'd like it!" the hyper pink pony cheers bouncing up and down. "I know it's probably not what you're used to back home..."

"No no!" Rage says "It's better. This definitely beats the same old, same old back home." he compliments before finishing it. "Especially after not eating for a bit..."

"Glad you like it." Applejack says before looking to Twilight. "So is he joining us in The Crystal Empire then?"

"That's the plan." Twilight says. "I figured it'd be a good idea to introduce him to you guys first."

"I'm glad you did." Pinkie smiles "I love meeting new ponies!"

Rage smiled. He had this warm feeling inside of him. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but it was a nice feeling, one he hadn't felt in a long time. Was this the joy of having friends? One such thing he had forgotten after years of isolation on Angel Island? He closed his eyes and let a sigh out.

"Something wrong?" Twilight's voice interrupted his thoughts as she nudged him. He opened his eyes to see the three mares looking at him with concern.

"No." He says, shaking his head with a soft laugh. "It's just...it's been a long time since I've been around ponies that welcome me as a friend..." he says. "I almost forgot how it felt."

"Awe poor Ragey!" Pinkie says looking glum "How could anyone go on not knowing the feeling of being with friends?!"

"Pinkie..." Twilight says giving her a look.

"I dunno." Rage sighs "Anyway...It's nice to meet you." he says to Pinkie.

"You planning to see Rarity and Fluttershy today too sugar?" Applejack asks

"I dunno yet." Twilight says "I think Rage may be a bit overwhelmed after all of this." she says looking to see that he had trailed off again.

"What about Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie asks tilting her head.

"She's the one I am the most worried about. You know how she gets when it comes to new ponies...especially given the circumstances." Twilight sighs.

"I know what ya mean." Applejack nods.

"Rage?" Twilight asks, looking at the stallion who was looking out the window. He turns back to her.

"Yeah?" he asks her as he wiggles in his chair some sitting up right.

"If you want we can call it here for the day." She says "You can meet the rest of my friends tomorrow."

"Whatever you want, Twilight." Rage says "I am good with anything honestly."

Twilight nods "We can meet Rarity this afternoon then. I need to see her anyway about a dress."

"A dress?" Pinkie asks, perking her ears up "What kind?"

"One of the ones she made for me a while ago...it got a bit of a tear when we had an...issue in the library." Twilight answers.

"I've been meaning to ask." Rage pipes up. "You...don't normally wear clothing?" he asks.

"No...why?" Twilight asks. Rage shook his head.

"Well...where I come from it's seen as indecent." Rage answers. "Guess you could call it some culture shock."

"Interesting..." Twilight says, tapping her hoofs. "Sonic didn't...outside of shoes and gloves...why is it such a big deal?"

"It's...just a cultural thing." Rage says "I couldn't say why it is that way but it's just the way things were."

"Well I am sure you'll get used to it." Applejack chuckles looking at a clock. "I need to get back to the farm. I am sure Granny Smith is gonna have a lot of questions about the apples."

"Alright have a good day Applejack." Twilight says as they share a friendly hug. With a wave she left and Twilight looked at Rage. "We should probably get going ourselves." she says.

"Right." he nods getting up.

"Twi can I talk to you before you go?" Pinkie asks.

The purple unicorn turns and nods. "Sure."

"I'll meet you outside." Rage says pointing outside and walking out of the bakery.

"What did you need?" Twilight asks walking up to Pinkie.

"Soooooo you don't have to hide it!" She says with a sly grin "You two are-"

"No." Twilight says with a look. "And don't even think about it."

"Awe come on!" Pinkie whines.

"I said no." Twilight says with a frown. "See you later?"

"Okay." Pinkie says with a chuckle and a wave as Twilight left.

"All good?" Rage asks her as she sighs. Twilight nods and looks down the road.

"Yeah, let's get going." she says.