It's a sad day at the Rainbow Friendship Kingdom castle. Candles are lit in a room where someone sleeps...and may never ever wake up again due to a cowardly attack a few days ago. It doesn't look good for the individual...known as Lorcan.

"By the name of the Ma'gne...watch over him...your servant." Phobos booms while reading from a book. "May he passed through beyond to..."

"Phobos!" Nyx scolds Phobos, interrupting him. "Lorcan is in a coma! He's not dead yet!"

"Well, excuse me for trying to make this dramatic, Nyx!"

"Nyx, Phobos, calm down." Spike said, patting the two on the back. "Lorcan will be all right. Hopefully we can find a cure to save him soon."

Twilight groans, sobbing a bit. Ben hugs his love, saying, "It's all right, Twilight. We can get through this. This isn't the first time..."

"Oh, Ben. The truth is, I haven't forgotten what a jerk I was back before this...if I was still a jerk...I would've enjoy this. But now...I don't...because it's wrong." Twilight said, nuzzling Ben a bit in sadness.

"Yeah, we had some rough times when you hated Lorcan a bit. Remember when Spike suggested that he has the last name of the family Sparkle?"

"I haven't forgotten....."

------------

It was a while after Lorcan had saved the CMC from the Timberwolves. Most of Ponyville are slowly accepting the one who once tried to conquer them all. Lorcan had helped out a lot throughout Ponyville. Looks like he's becoming a hit and a hero.

Well, not everyone thinks so, anyway. Twilight still doesn't trust him and doesn't want the one who took Starlight away around. Yes, Detective Dan had proven that there's a possibility that her little brother is alive...and Lorcan had been acquitted of all crimes...but Twilight is still giving the "crook", to her anyway, the middle hoof if one could call it that.

Twilight is having another council meeting with her friends and Spike insisted that Lorcan attends. Saber Dragoon is there, keeping an eye to make sure that nothing goes wrong.

"All right, before we end this meeting, any pony got any last minutes suggestions?" Twilight ask her friends in exhaustion.

"None come to mind." Rainbow remarks as the others nod in agreement.

"Actually, I got an idea." Spike said, holding a claw. Lorcan watches in interest, wondering what his brother had in mind.

"Yes, Spike? Any idea you have may be a good one...depending on what it is." Twilight said with a nod. She too wondered what her adopted son got in mind.

"Well, it involves Lorcan. He had been with us a while now...all of Ponyville is accepting him now."

"Oh yes, he is becoming a true friend, isn't he?" Fluttershy ask with a smile, agreeing with Spike's words.

"Yep! And a fun funny Dragon!" Pinkie exclaims, bouncing up and down in her seat. Some of the heroes, even Lorcan laughs at that.

"And...well as he is my brother and no longer got any family of his own...I mean, mom has been dead for many years and dad...don't get me started." Spike said with a shudder. Lorcan looks down, his brother, noticing, hug Lorcan a bit before letting go. "Already, my brother is being a member of ours. He had gotten around well with Ben, Nyx, Phobos and..."

"Spike, get to the point." Twilight said in annoyance. She doesn't know what Spike had in mind, but the Alicorn suspects that it involves Lorcan.

"Well, it's this...I want him to have the last name of Sparkle."

Most of everyone in the room gasps in shock, shock and/or disbelief. Most of the disbelief came from Twilight who is disbelief. Spike wanted his brother, the same monster who tried to wipe out the pony race, to have the last name of Sparkle.

"Me? A Sparkle? Why?" Lorcan ask Spike curiously.

"You're my brother and Twilight's my mother, adopted anyway." Spike explains to Lorcan with a smile. "After everything that happened, you are indeed a true member. I think it's time you become a family member permanently."

"That...sounds touching, Spike...I had been missing a family since mom and dad died. Grandpa is far away...your family teaches you all so well like a son they never had. Perhaps..."

"Forget it!" Twilight snaps angrily, interrupting what Lorcan was going to say. "I am not having him be a member of my family!!!!

"Shoot, girl, why not?" Applejack ask Twilight with a deep frown.

"You know why!"

"Oh sure, go back to what I did...which is now in the past, Sparkle!" Lorcan groans, rolling his eyes at this. Typical! Twilight still won't let go of the past. How many times must he prove himself over and over until it gets through that thick headed pony skull of hers?! "At least try to make your "son" Spike happy."

"I would want to make him happy...but not if it means letting a monster into the family." Twilight said angrily to Lorcan. "Especially a big clumsy smart flank doofus!"

"Ugh! You know what? I am not in the mood for this! I can see where this is going. I will be in my room will you stop being the abusive attorney."

Lorcan turned and headed to his own room to be left alone. The others looks at Twilight who notices their concerned looks.

"What? Come on, you know as well as I do that I can't let him be a Sparkle." Twilight said bitterly, crossing her upper forearms.

"Twilight, darling, he already had proven himself changed so far." Rarity said calmly to Twilight. "At least, for Spike's sake..."

"Rarity! I can't! I mean, yes, he saved your sister and her friends from the Timberwolves, yes, he did prove himself a bit funny...but does that even excuse him for he did?! Like almost killing Starlight, who may or may not still be alive, try to wipe the ponies out, you know the usual."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it." Rainbow remarks rolling her eyes. "But do you get it? I mean, you didn't like Discord at first but now he is now a friend and a honorable member of the family."

"Discord's different! He just spread chaos and causes mischief before...he didn't kill anyone! As far as I know." Twilight said, upset that Rainbow would tried to use Discord as a subject to prove her point.

"But Lorcan can be fun, fun, fun!" Pinkie exclaims, bouncing up and down. "Besides, I happened to be an honorable member of Applejack's family."

"Shucks, we still don't know if she was a true member o' 'de Apple Family...but we considered her family nevertheless." Applejack said, nodding. "At 'de very least, yew could make Lorcan a member o' 'de family an' allow 'de lil' fellew 'ta use yer name..."

"N-O! Just drop the subject!" Twilight snaps angrily, much to Spike's disappointment as are the other Council members. "He is not being in my family, honorable or no, and that's that!"

Saber decides that it's time to speak his mind, "Don't you think you're overdoing it? Besides... You're not giving him a chance."

"Oh sure... It's not like you have any problem in fitting into a family."

Saber sighed, "Actually... I do..."

"What? Really?" Spike ask Saber in surprise.

"When was 'dat?" Applejack ask Saber curiously, pondering what Saber meant.

"I wasn't really Lord Virtue's son but my adopted younger brother was. I was adopted." Saber said seriously to the Mane Six and Spike.

"You were adopted?!" Fluttershy ask Saber in surprise. "Just like Nyx was to Twilight and Ben is to Princess Celestia?"

"My goodness! When did this happened?!" Rarity ask Saber in surprise, wanting to know his story.

"It happened when my dad and uncles lost the Battle of Flooding Fort to Azure Phoenix." Saber said, looking down as he explains his story to everyone. "My dad went to the Griffon Noble Family for help to rebel against Azure Phoenix's Army. That was where I met him. I was a soldier from the noble family. They all treated me like a peasant, not equal. But not to Virtue, he helped and cared for me like a father. And so he adopted me. I followed him everywhere I go."

"Kinda like Scoots is to me...except in a sister matter." Rainbow comments in observation.

"Sounds like you were having a good life so far." Twilight said, suspecting that the hard part is about to come.

"But the problem is... its Uncle Blade. He thinks of me unworthy. And when my little brother was born, he thinks I'm not needed to be his family." Saber sighs, cringing at the memory of his Uncle Blade's dislike towards him. "But my father insisted me to be one. I'm just happy to have him and Uncle Warpath to support him. But at the same time, he hated my own Uncle Blade so much."

"You're kidding!" Pinkie gasps in shock. "Virtue didn't like your Uncle Bladie?!"

"Man; that stinks!" Spike exclaims, frowning a bit while shaking his head.

"You wouldn't think that Blade would learn to look beyond appearances." Fluttershy said in agreement with Spike's words.

"But as time passes since the Dragon Kingdom was created, my little brother became a bit of a problem to my dad. He didn't take any job seriously or thinking of others too." Saber said as the story continues on. "So he thinks me as his successor. Uncle Blade respected me a bit. I tried everything to earn his respect.

"When the Great Defender Fort was a failed invasion, I tried to rescue him but he, my cousin and some brave soldiers remained behind to fend the enemies off. He told me that he was glad to have me to be a part of his family. That was the last time I saw him before his death before becoming Mystic Ponies."

"Wow...that's sad." Twilight said, feeling pity for Saber. To think, the Mystic Pony didn't see the one who finally came to his senses until the transformation.

"Shucks, sounds like a sad ending up 'ta a new beginning." Applejack said as she and Rainbow nodded.

"When the Battle of Maze Grave Stone occurred, I tried to redeem my failures by helping my father avenged my uncles and fallen soldiers. But I died when the fire broke up. And it was because of our argument, Uncle Blade and I didn't have the chance to forgive one another and given the chance just before becoming Mystic Ponies. We did it." Saber said with a sigh, ending the story.

"Wow, I mean...wow." Pinkie said speechless. She doesn't know what to say.

"It's sad knowing that you lost your chances...until later on in life." Spike said in pity. "Twilight? I think you oughta learned from this."

"Especially since it shows one true fact about Lorcan." Fluttershy said seriously.

"So you're saying that I should give him a chance?" Twilight ask Saber calmly. She should give Lorcan a chance or when the Dragon finally learned her respect, it may be too late to forgive one another and given the chance...just like what happened with Saber and Blade!

"Yes." Saber said calmly to the princess. "And above all, let go of your hate. I don't even want to tell you why Grave Stone Maze is the worst nightmare to the Dragon Kingdom. I just want you do the right thing. Your brother wouldn't want you to become a monster... That's all I'm asking..."

----------

Lorcan sat on the top bunk, fuming a bit about what happened. Just then, the door opens as Twilight comes in, much to his chagrin.

"Well, well, come to hate me some more?" Lorcan ask Twilight bitterly.

"Lorcan, listen. I got something to say so you better listen." Twilight said seriously, making Lorcan groans a bit. "Turns out...you aren't the biggest doofus or a monster that I thought you to be."

"What, seriously? Did you decided that by yourself? Or did my brother and your friends helped?"

"....they helped...a bit...okay, a lot. Look, I still got grudges for what you did to Starlight, even though he may still be alive...and what you...look, I am going to tone down on my hatred a bit...give you a chance. Make you an honorable member of our family, just what Spike would want as is my brother Starlight."

"Right, give me a chance...until I blow it again." Lorcan said with a grudge. Twilight sighs a bit then hugs him, much to his surprise. "What?"

"Just hug me." Twilight insists.

Lorcan hesitates then he hugs Twilight, who hugs him right back. Once the two are done, they let go...both are feeling better.

"Wow...I mean...wow." Lorcan said in surprise and amazement.

"Welcome to the family...Lorcan Sparkle." Twilight said to Lorcan with a smile. She hopes that she did the right thing...

--------

"And I almost blew it forever thanks to Tadaka's cult and Drago's army." Twilight said, finishing the story up in the present. "I was a jerk back then. I should've followed my heart back then and investigated..."

"Twilight....sssh." Ben said, hugging his love calmly. "We all make mistakes. We apologize, we kiss and make up...at least now, Lorcan is a true member of our family. We must support and find a way to help him."

"Yeah, I hope he wakes up soon...so I can hug the nitwit for scaring me."

Suddenly a phone is heard ringing. Twilight excuses herself to go outside and answer the phone near Spike and Lorcan's room. She had this phone line installed for incoming calls.

"Yes? Princess Twilight Sparkle speaking?" Twilight answers the phone call.

"Twilight, it's me Rainbow! You wouldn't believe this!" Rainbow's voice exclaims eagerly. "I think we may have found a way to help Lorcan!"

Twilight gasps in shock and hope. Could this be it? A chance to save Lorcan?

Author's Notes:

The opening and ending happens after "Get Well Soon" but the flashback happens during "The Redemption".

Vic Mignogna: Lorcan
Tara Strong: Twilight Sparkle
Ashleigh Ball: Rainbow Dash, Applejack
Andrea Libman: Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy
Tabitha St. Germain: Rarity
Cathy Weseluck: Spike the Dragon
Will Friedle: Saber Dragoon

Jason Marsden: Ben Mare
Daveigh Chase: Nyx
Chris Sanders: Phobos the Dragon

Folks, things may be getting interesting. The call will be seen in the next episode for Rainbow Dash's E-Mails. For now, here's the next short story...

"Gratitude of the CMC: (takes place after the Redemption) The Cutie Mark Crusaders, wanting to show gratitude to Lorcan for his goodness, decides to make a tribute to him, though how to make a tribute to someone who was once a tyrant."

More will be coming so read, review and suggest.