Back at Ponyville Hospital, Storm Shade had shifted off to a restless sleep. Tossing and turning, images kept flashing through his head that he just couldn't place.

A letter addressed only to Storm Shade slips underneath a door on the largest building in Cloudsdale. The fact that no address is attached doesn't phase anyone. Anonymity is the name of the game. A dark figure opens the letter and walks to the next room.

"Storm Shade. It's time." The gray stallion gets up and walks to the door, disappearing into obscurity.

Storm Shade shifted, the pain in his wings forcing a small grunt from his mouth as he turned in the hospital bed, pulling the sheet further up. The orange mare with a blonde mane and stetson opens her eyes and sees the stallion writhing in the bed, a sense of worry comes over her before falling back to sleep.

The gray pegasus flew from Cloudsdale to the glowing blip on the horizon. As he got closer the city of Fillydelphia came into view. He landed just outside a nondescript building. Meeting with a smaller mare not a word was spoken between the two. The mare, hidden in the shadows, handed over a small piece of paper that had one word written on it. "Ponyville." Flipping the paper over was a picture of somepony he had never met. Unfortunately for Shade, the blob of ink never materialized into a face.

"Yeeaagh!" Storm Shade let out a sharp cry. He had shifted just too far, crushing his broken wing between his body and the bed rail. Even in the cast the pressure turned into radiating pain and he awoke in a cold sweat. Applejack jolts awake, a line of drool coming from her muzzle.

"Ahm awake!" She explains, wiping her mouth with her foreleg she sees the look on Shade's face. "Nurse Redheart," she hollered, "Ah think he needs help!"

Nurse Redheart came rushing in, but by that time Shade had moved off of his bad wing and the pain had quickly subsided. "Nurse, as grateful as I am, how long until I can get out of here?"

"Well you seem to have stabilized, but if you're having trouble remembering things still I'm not sure the doctor will let you go." She gave him a worried look. "If you lose consciousness again or forget where you are and no one is around you could be in serious trouble."

Applejack's ears rotated front when Nurse Redheart said that last part. She had no idea what possessed her to do this but before she even knew what she was doing she heard her own voice. "Well shoot Nurse Redheart, if ol' Shade here just needs someone to keep an eye on him, Ah can manage that until he's up and doin... uh... whatever it is he usually does."

The look on her face as soon as she finished speaking told it's own tale of 'what were you thinking?' Awww ponyfeathers, she thought to herself. What didja jus' get yerself into, AJ?

Nurse Redheart looked at Applejack for just a moment before cheerfully telling her that if she was willing to follow the discharge instructions, Shade could be released from the hospital that night. "He needs to be back here in one week for a follow-up, and keep moving," she said staring at the pegasus intently. "Go easy, but keep moving. Given everything you went through it's a miracle you're in as good of shape as you are, I think keeping active should even help the healing. Just don't overdo it."

The nurse shot Applejack a quick look as she gave Shade his final instruction. She knew that despite the Apple generosity, that same generosity also tended to garner help around the farm. The farm pony gave a curt nod in reply.

"Well then! I'll just go get the doctor and square this all away!" The  pearl white pony went back to her usual cheerful self and wandered out of the room as Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were walking in.

"Hey guys!" Boomed Rainbow Dash.

"Hey Rainbow, Fluttershy! How are y'all? So glad ya made it! Nurse thinks that ol' Shade here may actually get out soon!"

"Hey Applejack. Oh... well I don't want to interrupt..." Fluttershy could barely be heard over the sound of moving ponies.

"Nonsense, sugarcube! Yer not interrupting. A friendly face is always welcome!"

Fluttershy smiled gingerly at Applejack before turning her gaze on the gray stallion. "Oh well... in that case... I'm Fluttershy." She finished her introduction looking down at her hooves, trying to hide behind her flowing, pink mane.

Storm Shade blinked at the butter colored pegasus. "Well it's nice to meet you." Looking back around the other ponies in the room he started to speak again, "well as much as I love laying here, I don't suppose we can move these introductions somewhere else? By the way, Fluttershy, I'm Storm Shade."

Shade reached a hoof out towards the mare who still seemed to be trying to hide from her own shadow. Upon realizing that she was still in the spotlight a small "eep" escaped her lips and she disappeared around the corner and out of the room.

"Uhhh....?" Shade blinked repeatedly, looking to Rainbow Dash and Applejack for an explanation as to what just happened.

"Aw, t'ain't nothin, Fluttershy is just a lil skiddish is all. She'll warm up to ya." Trotting to the door and leaning out she yelled after the timid mare, "if yer not gonna stay and be social at least tell Pinkie Pie we're gonna be stoppin' by!"

Fluttershy got close to Sugercube corner, smelling the delicious culinary confections from blocks away. The smells of fresh baked pies, cakes, cookies, and cupcakes making even the most resolute pony's mouth water.

Rumor was that even Bulk Biceps had a bit of a sweet tooth he liked to indulge in from time to time.... though nobody could prove it. That pony was into fitness more than anypony else in town, but every week and order request was delivered by mail, requesting various treats be left on the back step at the same time. It was also no secret that every week at the same time a rather loud and rough "YEAH!" was heard from behind Sugarcube Corner before somepony galloped off before being seen picking up said treats.

Fluttershy walked tenderly through the front door, the bell ringing alerting the Cakes to her presence.

"Why hello, Fluttershy!" Mr. Cake came out from the kitchen, "need some treats for your furry friends?"

"Umm... no? Is... is... Pinkie around?"

"She's upstairs with the twins, you can go ahead!"

"Um thank you..." she made her way up towards the second floor of the bakery, which had been turned into the living space for Pinkie and the Cakes. Hoof sitting on the top step she spied Pinkie Pie finishing up what seemed to be some sort of dance routine for the twin foals, Pound and Pumpkin Cake. Not getting a response from them the pink, cotton candy haired mare proceeded to dump a bag of flour over her head until the two foals were laughing so hard that Pound Cake fell over backwards.

"...." Fluttershy was about to announce her presence but before she could even say anything Pinkie Pie appeared in front of her, seeming to disappear and reappear without walking across the space.

"Hi Fluttershy!" The party pony bouncing up and down on all fours scooped her friend into a big hug. "What's up? Well besides the sky... and I guess the ceiling. Hopefully not Pound Cake though because I really need to get him down for a nap and he shouldn't really be flying." She stopped for a breath before looking back at the two foals.

"Be right back!" Pinkie took off at light speed again to scoop the twins up and gently lay them down in their cribs to sleep.

"Awwww much better! So what's up Fluttershy?" The energetic mare stood back in front of her friend, still bouncing with a seemingly endless amount of energy.

"Oh, well, Applejack just wanted me to tell you that she and Rainbow Dash were bringing a new..." a pink hoof shot out to Fluttershy's muzzle before she could finish.

"There's a new pony in town and I'm just finding this out now!?" The mare jumped so high Fluttershy thought she was going to go through the ceiling.

"Well.... yes. You see..." Once again the meek pony was cut off by a hoof to the muzzle.

Pinkie took a deep breath and belted out a reply without a single stop for air, "Applejackwasouttendingtothefarmwhenshesawamoundofdirtthatwasn'tamoundofdirtitwasa ponythatgotcaughtinRainbowDash'sstormandtheponywashurtsosheandBigMacbroughthimtothehospitalandnowRainbowDashfeelsguiltybuttheponyisgettingreleasedfromthehospitalandAJwantstobringhimheretocheerhimUP!?" She started panting to catch her breath with a grin bigger than all of Canterlot.

"yes," replied Fluttershy. A look of shock on her face. "How did you know?"

"Eh," shrugged the mysterious pink pony, "lucky guess. It's also time to break out the party cannon!"

The bell rang from downstairs and Mr. Cake's voice boomed up the stairwell to the two mares. "Pinkie, Fluttershy, Twlight is here!" Before Fluttershy could even turn around, a cloud of dust was all that was left where Pinkie was standing. The mare yet again seemed to defy reason by simply vanishing rather than running from place to place. Fluttershy could hear the overly jovial greeting Pinkie was giving the lavender unicorn downstairs and knew Pinkie was trying to talk the poor mare's ear off. She shrugged and cantered down the stairs after her friend.

Shade, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash walked slowly through Ponyville, giving the stallion a chance to see the sights he missed when they brought him in on the cart the other day. One side of his mind was taken aback by the rustic beauty of the little town. Everything from the intricately designed town hall, the library that appeared as if it were built into a tree, and.... his nose started to twitch ever so slightly. Shade's nose lifted into the air and his pace slowed.

"Ah think the guy's caught wind o' Sugarcube Corner," chuckled Appledash. She wrapped her foreleg around Shade's shoulder, sending a shiver down his spine and eliciting a sideways glance from the stallion, before pointing him at the large cake shaped confectionery shop. Not having eaten in over a day he tried to take off for the sweets store, forgetting entirely that his wings were out of commission. Shade made a jump and extended his forelegs, and subsequently fell flat on his belly.

"Urgh!" Shade recoiled from the pain, holding his hooves close to his chest. Rainbow Dash let out a laugh knowing all too well what the pegasus was going through thanks to having had her own injuries in the past. Applejack helped Shade to his feet and stared at the cyan flier as, who quickly zipped her lip. She couldn't even say anything though before his nose was back in the air and he followed the smell back to the door. Almost being carried by the intoxicating aroma.

Rainbow Dash flew quickly ahead and knocked on the door to the bakery. A small crack formed as the door opened and a lone eyeball looked out to see the other two ponies approaching. Rainbow streaked inside and the door slammed shut again.

Shade gave Applejack a confused look.

"Uhhh... s'cuse me," Applejack knocked on the door. This time it opened wide into a darkened sales floor. Nopony in sight. Applejack walked in followed closely by Shade.

"Ummm... where'd everypon..."

"SURPRISE!" Yelled the four friends inside. A loud boom with a short fizzle at the end coming from Pinkie's party cannon as streamers and confetti shot everything. Shade jumped backwards into the doorway before landing on all four hooves, haunches high, forelegs bent and his head and shoulders down in a defensive posture. Shade had his eyes narrowed and small snarl on his face for just a second before quickly regaining composure before anypony could notice. Anypony except one, anyways.

"What is all this?" Shade asked in amazement.

"Wellllllllllllllllllll...." the pink party pony started to explain, "You're new in town so I had to throw you a 'welcome to Ponyville party' and Dash said she was sorry about sending you to the hospital, so I made it an apology party, plus you just got OUT of the hospital so it's a released from the hospital party, plus youneededtofeelwelcomesoit'sapartyforthesake of a PARTY party." The pink mare just bounced on all fours with her same Canterlot grin.

"Uhh... Pinkie?" Applejack started, "how about ya get your guest some punch?"

The pony cocked her head and looked at Applejack and Shade... "Okie dokie lokie!" She bounced off on all fours with what Shade almost thought might be an actual spring in her step.

"Sorry bout that sugarcube," the orange country mare started, "Pinkie can be a little.... over tha top, but she means well."

"Heh, well I can honestly say I've never had a welcome like that before....." he scratched his head with his hoof, "I think anyways," he said chuckling to himself. Before he could say another word his nose was back in the air. His eyes closed he followed the smell to the table of tasty treats Pinkie had laid out before them.

After selecting a large slice of pie he turned around to talk with Rainbow Dash and Applejack. "So do you folks treat all newcomers with this much fun when they come to town?" He smiled as he stuffed his face full of pie and rather thank take another slice, simply put a whole pie on his plate before continuing talking.

"Uh yeah, because Ponyville is awesome!" Rainbow Dash spoke with her usual flamboyant attitude. "I am really sorry about the whole storm thing though, I could've swore I checked the area before starting it off..." she dipped her head in shame. "I hope you can forgive me and that this party makes up for it though!"

"Heh, sure Rainbow. You guys have been nothing but great to me since the accident." He decided to toy with the cyan pony though, "although the party is fun.... it could use to be maybe 20% cooler." He chuckled to himself. The blue pegasus' jaw just dropped open almost as if she were challenged. Shade wasn't sure where that comment came from, he just knew it felt appropriate. He made a mental note to figure out why.

Applejack took a hoof and closed the mare's jaw. "Lighten up sugarcube, Ah think he's messin' with ya." Rainbow Dash came back to reality and looked at the gray newcomer, eyes squinted shut, hoof over his mouth, fighting back a laugh.

A blush covered Rainbow's cheeks, almost making her face as red as her mane. "Alright alright new guy," she pointed a hoof at him. "You get one of those for free, now it's game on!" She gave him a wink.

"Uh annnnnnnyways," Applejack cut in. "Figure Ah'll show ya who's who 'round here." She took her hoof and pointed to each of the respective ponies. "This here ya know is Rainbow Dash, over there are tha two that run this joint, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. We got Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, oh and that there is Gummy," pointing to the small alligator who seemed attached to Pinkie's tail. The bell rang and a sterling white unicorn with a flowing purple mane walked in followed by an almost identical filly and a few others. "Tha' there is Rarity and her sister, Sweetie Belle an' some o' her friends." Swinging her hoof across the party she spotted her next friend, "an' tha' purple unicorn there is Twilight," she said with a smile.

Shade's eyes grew big. He didn't know why, but all of the sudden things just seemed to get very, very real. He took a step back as his eye twitched and before Applejack could stop him he bolted out the door.

"RD, stay here," she said to her friend before taking off after the newcomer. "Ah gotta go make sure he's ok." She sprinted out the door, hoping to catch up to the ground pegasus before he hurt himself.