After a series of dark dreams over a period of a week and little sleep, Twilight steps out of her library to find that Ponyville has changed. Everypony is in a foul mood and Twilight can’t figure out why. Does this have anything to do with those dreams of hers, and where did those dark eyes come from. She just can’t seem to get them out of her mind.

Rusty Bucket is a pony that got injured at work. The doctor informs him that he will never be able to go back. Then he wakes up the next day to find that his cutie mark has disappeared. Her friends come over to try and cheer him up but to no avail.
Rusty Bucket then lives the next couple of months in a slum until he receives a letter from Twilight inviting him to come to ponyville. Now he will get to meet each of Twilight's friends as he gets closer and closer to discovering his new cutie mark.