Previously, the hero, a unicorn with an odd cutie mark named FlameStar, arrived in Ponyville looking for a place to settle down. He then had a nightmare about his mark and Luna counseled him which opened his eyes to Friendship. He then is called by the map but it turns out to be a test! Now, the Tree of Harmony has brought FlameStar's fear to the Mane 6. What happens now?!
"FlameStar, y'all wanna tell us what the hay is going on?" Applejack asked.
"Its... its nothing! The Tree was just talking nonsense!" FlameStar answered.
"You came to me saying you had a nightmare about your cutie mark." Twilight replied.
"Oh sweet Celestia..." FlameStar groaned. He then looked outside and it was nighttime. FlameStar pretended to look tired "Oh dear... look at the moon. Its getting late. Good night, amigas!" FlameStar teleported back to Ponyville.
"FlameStar must be hiding something..." Rainbow pondered.
"Its better if we don't pester him about it." Fluttershy replied.
"You're right, Fluttershy." Applejack said. "He needs to tell the truth when he--"
"THAT'S IT!" Rainbow exclaimed. "Let's do what we did when we forced Applejack to admit the truth."
"Really, y'all?"
"Hmm... I wonder what we did do..." Pinkie said obliviously. The others turned to Pinkie.
"Well it seems like the right call." Rarity said.
"What the hay? Count me in."
"Agreed." The others said.
"Ok. We'll do it in the morning." Rainbow said. "And Fluttershy, can you ask Discord for some help too?"
"Why Discord?"
"You'll see..."
The next morning, FlameStar was up bright and bushy tailed when Discord arrived.
"Well well well..." Discord chuckled. "If it isn't the pony of heartbreak."
"Hi Discord." FlameStar said unamused.
"What are you doing this fine day today?"
"The Tree of Harmony brought my fear to the attention of Twilight and her friends!"
"Oh dear... this could be embarrassing... maybe even... Chaotic..."
"Hah!" FlameStar scoffed. "Nice try, Klutzy Draconequus. I'm smarter than that. I got half a mind to just avoid any and all questions about what happened."
"Well what about what Fluttershy said about---"
"LALALALALA!! I'M NOT LISTENING!!" FlameStar sang.
"Darn it. Time for plan B..." Discord snickered.
Later, Pinkie was helping Applejack on the farm. FlameStar arrived to check up on his friends.
"FlameStar! Just the pony I wanted to see!"
"Uh really?"
"Of course. Work is busy today so can you go with Pinkie to help out?" Applejack asked.
"Well... ok."
FlameStar and Pinkie went toward the outskirts of the farm.
"Say FlameStar, can I ask you a question?" Pinkie wondered.
"If it's about The Tree of Harmony or what happened yesterday, then no."
"No. This is completely off topic."
"Let me hear it."
"Have you ever had a cherry chonga?" Pinkie asked.
"I've been around Equestria and Beyond. I haven't had a cherry chonga because I've never heard of one." FlameStar answered.
"No wonder because I made it up!" Pinkie squealed.
"Ugh..." FlameStar groaned.
"Hey FlameStar?" Pinkie asked.
"Yes?"
"What's your standing on love?"
"Love?" FlameStar said. "Isn't love like friendship but it's more... intimate? I'm more on with friendship thank you."
"FlameStar?"
FlameStar was getting aggravated. "Yes, Pinkie Pie?" FlameStar said through clenched teeth.
"How much sweets can you eat before having to give up?"
"Psshh." FlameStar scoffed. "Not many. After half a cake, I'm out cold. Protein is where it's at!"
"You mean... MEAT??" Pinkie screamed.
"Hey!" FlameStar remarked. "When you travel as much as I do, you start to pick up eating habits."
Pinkie's barrage of questions went on an on for a good 20 minutes. FlameStar finally snapped.
"OK, Pinkie Pie... WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME??!!" FlameStar yelled. Rainbow put her hoof on Pinkie's mouth.
"If you want this to stop, you'll tell us what fear you have." Rainbow explained.
"NEVER!" FlameStar yelled. Rainbow let her hoof go and all Tartarus broke loose. FlameStar finally saw through the Mane 6 plan: They were going to torture him using Pinkie Pie until he told the truth. FlameStar knew what he had to do.
"ALRIGHT!!" FlameStar said. "I'LL TELL EVERYPONY WHAT'S GOING ON!! JUST TAKE THAT... THING AWAY FROM ME!!!"
"Well?" Rainbow said.
"What happened?" Fluttershy asked.
"Can this wait till tomorrow though?" FlameStar asked. "I really, really need to sleep off this nightmare!"
"Tomorrow, darling?" Rarity asked.
"I don't trust him..." Rainbow said. Pinkie walked up.
"FlameStar. let me show you The Pinkie Promise."
Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.
"Now, do you Pinkie Promise you'll tell us what happened to you tomorrow?"
FlameStar pondered then sighed in defeat. "I'll tell you the whole truth at The Castle of Friendship tomorrow. Pinkie Promise..."
The next day, Twilight and Spike arrived in Ponyville to hear about FlameStar's story. Twilight's friends arrived outside FlameStar's cart.
"Good Morning, FlameStar!" Pinkie said. "Ready to tell us your-- *Gasp*" FlameStar was gone!
"Eeyup." Applejack said. "i knew that would happen."
"NOPONY BREAKS A PINKIE PROMISE!!" Pinkie yelled. She then stormed off to the train station where FlameStar was.
"These ponies are crazy..." FlameStar thought. "Where in Equestria is that train?"
"FLAMESTAR!!"
"hoo boy."
"YOU PINKIE PROMISED!!!!!!" Pinkie said demonically.
"Ok... TIME TO FLEE!" FlameStar ran off screaming. Spike, Starlight and Mane 6 followed closely behind.
"I Got this." Twilight used her magic and drew a circle around FlameStar. Discord appeared next to Twilight.
"Game's over, My Little Pony." Discord said. "Time for you to talk."
"That's what you think, Klutzy Draconequus!" he teleported away.
"Allow me." Discord offered. he disappeared and reappeared with FlameStar. "FlameStar?"
"GRRR... I didn't wanna do this but you're leaving me no choice." FlameStar teleported out from Discord and his cutie mark animated itself. Before he was abut to do something he snapped out of it and his cutie mark stopped. "I... no... not again..." FlameStar sighed. "I surrender. Come on, Lets go to the throne room."
FlameStar trotted last into the throne room where everyone waited.
"No more runnin, FlameStar." Applejack said.
"Its time you told us what happened." Rainbow said.
"And remember, we wanna help you." Fluttershy assured.
FlameStar sighed. "OK then..." Discord gave Fluttershy and himself popcorn.
"Listen up now..." FlameStar said. "When I was just a young blank flank, I used live a peaceful life that wasn't even in Equestria."
"Mount Aris?" Rarity asked.
"No." FlameStar answered. "A different sort of town." FlameStar opened the map. "You all are aware of what's beyond the Badlands down South. Klugetown and Mount Aris. I lived East. near the Changeling Kingdom."
"Woah..." They all said.
"I was one cute little pony and I was like everypony else my age at the time: find my cutie mark. What I didn't expect was for my mark... to ruin my once peaceful life."
"What? A cutie mark can't ruin your life." Twilight said. Starlight cleared her throat looking slightly annoyed.
"Hello? What about me?" Starlight said.
"To figure out what happened, i have to tell you how i got my Cutie Mark." FlameStar said "One day, I was with my friends. they were always by my side no matter what. until the day I got my Cutie Mark... I was playing with them when we saw some vines. Dark vines that was trying to destroy the village."
"Plunderseeds?" Fluttershy asked. "DISCORD!"
"Don't look as me!" Discord said. "I was with you the whole time, was I not?"
"I didn't know what they were so I told my friends to run." FlameStar explained. "I stood behind to try and buy time. i gathered all my strength and I performed my first flamethrower strike."
"So THAT'S why your cutie mark's a flame." Spike said. "Because you can control fire and make it."
"Eeyup. Next thing I knew I was fighting off the vines and I won and as a reward, I got my cutie mark. the town was bittersweet to me afterward. Sweet because i saved them but bitter because they were jealous. My parents didn't mind. They were happy I was a hero!"
"So what happened?" Starlight asked.
"Yeah, how'd your cutie mark ruin your life?" Applejack asked.
FlameStar's voice started breaking. "The town finally saw me as a threat and either wanted me banished or executed. My parents did everything they could to stop the rioters... but they couldn't do anything... Eventually, They packed me a wagon and sent me on my way. I never saw them again."
"Because of your cutie mark?" Starlight asked.
"I became a Wandering Unicorn learning things by visiting others, I went everywhere but every time I look at my mark..." FlameStar's voice cracked even more. "it's a cruel reminder that... THAT I'M A NOPONY!" FlameStar broke out in tears. "My mark rendered me as an orphan" he said through tears. "I lost my friends, my family, EVERYTHING!!"
"Then couldn't you try to explain to your folks?" Fluttershy asked.
"Nopony there would listen. That's why i came here to Ponyville. After hearing of your battles and exploits, not to mention you guys defeating The Storm King, I knew I could live here." He sniffed. "That's what my nightmare was about. That's why I wanted to learn friendship. That's why I came here."
Everyone felt sorry for FlameStar and what he had to go through.
"It's alright, sugarcube." Applejack said. "You were honest and let us know what happened. Now we can help you."
"Indeed we can." A voice said.
"Is that?"
The sparkly Twilight came back.
"The Tree of Harmony!" Everyone said.
"No time for greetings now, ponies." The Tree said. "FlameStar, you became honest and showed your friends your truest side. Although I sensed a disturbance in Canterlot."
"No it can't be..." Twilight said.
In Canterlot, A trio of villains rose up seeking revenge...