Author's Notes:

So here it is, the first of three parts. Now I split this down into three parts because it just flows better. Each part will show Solar working on getting the forgiveness of the Sparkle family. Now Cadance has also joined into the story. So expect to see her around a bit more. Now the second part will be posted soon.

Now as my famous sign off: like, comment, favorite and tell your friends. Now hope to see you all on the next Solar Son. And just to keep, you wondering, will Solar and Twilight be a thing or is Cadance just thinking they might be. I won't spoil anything. So see you next time. Bye Bye!

Three Step to Rebuilding a Relationship: Step One (Re-Edited)

Solar sat by his desk, his quill slowly scratching down notes. He sighed as he crumpled up yet another paper and threw it on the ground. It had been a week since he had attacked Twilight and turned against his teachings. He was happy that Twilight had survived but felt sorry for what she had. She had three broken ribs. She was lucky that they didn't pierce her lungs. He sighed that he hadn't poured more magic into the attack. She had minor bruises on her head, but no concussion. But she also had scorch marks where he had landed the assault. The fur was rough and black.

Solar would still have nightmares about what he did, but his mother would always be there for him. She always comforted him and told him that everything was going to be ok. Even though the staff at the castle knew that Solar was only acting on an instinct of protecting his mother, the Sparkle family wasn't that way. They saw Solar as a threat and nothing Celestia, and Stonewall said helped. They were loyal to Celestia and wouldn't reveal Solar, but they wanted their daughter to be nowhere around him. He knew that was enough for him to see himself as a monster. Though his mother always told him, he wasn't one.

He pulled a new sheet and looked over the books again. He knew the medical bills were piling on for the Sparkle family. So Solar had decided to use his knowledge to help them. He had been reading more into Theoretical Magic and how to combine spells. He also began to look into healing magic. He started to look at combining theory and medical together, though he had no real combo yet. But he knew he was getting close to one. But this desire was his only thing on his mind. He had a plan, three steps to rebuilding his relationship with the Sparkle family. The first step was to make a difference. Second was to apologize and speak. And last was to confront the biggest problem. Solar had started with the first step. He had to make a difference. In his terms, helping the Sparkle family with debt and Twilight's medical problems. He had begun and knew it was a long path to regaining their trust. But he knew it was a learning curve as the future prince of Equestria.

***

"I don't understand why you hid him from me. I'm your niece, auntie." Said Cadance

Cadance was Celestia's loving niece. She had a pink coat with a violet, rose and gold streaked mane. She didn't stand as tall as her auntie, but she was tall. She had on a simple shirt and a pair of track shorts. Her cutie mark was a crystal heart. For Cadance was the alicorn of love. Her eyes were purple. Her mane was tied up in a ponytail.

"I'm just saying, it's a little weird to receive news that I have cousin after the filly I watch, is attacked by him." Said Cadance

Celestia had decided to send Cadance to a private school. But of course, Cadance wanted to be closer to home. So Celestia transferred her back over to Canterlot three years ago. That's when she found the Sparkle's looking for a foal-sitter. She easily took the job and discovered that their home was much closer to the school. They had an extra room in the house and allowed Cadance to join them. Of course Twilight wouldn't need a foal-sitter much longer, so she was moving back to the castle. In her whole time in Canterlot, she never knew she had a cousin.

"I'm sorry I never brought you in, but it was for safety reasons. Before I presented my son in front of the staff, it was only me, Captain Stonewall, and Soft Bubble. Though I do miss that mare." Said Celestia

"What happened to her?" Asked Cadance

"After Solar turned seven, her husband found work in Detrot. She went her way, though sends Solar postcards. She was a lovely foal-sitter for my son." Said Celestia

"But you thought I wasn't as trustworthy as your staff. I'm family, auntie." Said Cadance

"Yes, but you lived with the Sparkles. I couldn't risk my son's existence yet. But I should have told you. I'm sorry for that. At least you get to meet him now." said Celestia

"You sure he is ok," said Cadance still a little uneasy after seeing Night Light and Twilight.

"I can assure you Cadance. My son will not hurt you. I'm afraid that he struck Twilight out of fear. You remember the murder of Doctor Heart Pulse." Said Celestia

"Yes, the first murder in centuries," said Cadance with shivers.

"Well, he was a good friend to Solar. I believe he thought that if somepony else around me, I would die. He was only acting as the guard he was. Though I should have stopped him, the second he spoke out, though he tried to use his words at first. But when Twilight started to talk back to him, it broke him. I believe he had no choice at that time but to attack. I'm happy he didn't cause her more damage." Said Celestia

"Yeah." Said Cadance

They soon reached Solar's door. Celestia was about to knock when her son opened the door. Expect he was in his Solar Guard uniform. Stonewall had given him. He had both Lunar and Solar Guard uniforms. He also had his metal sword strapped to his waist. He was also holding a spear. She looked at him, and he looked back at her.

"Hello, mommy." He said

"Hello Solar, what are you up to?" Asked Celestia

"I'm heading to my job." He said

"Job?" Asked Cadance

He looked over to Cadance and bowed to her. She raised an eyebrow to him. My cousin is bowing to me like he isn't royalty. He then rose and looked back at the pink alicorn.

"Hi, I am Solar Flare." He said

"The names Princess Cadance. Your cousin." She said

"Oh, I didn't realize that I had a cousin. Well, I'm sorry, but I should be getting off to work, princesses." He said

He's acting like he's a guard. Strange, I know he is training to be one. But he is a prince. So what's up with him. She looked up at Celestia. Her face showed one of concern. Cadance could see she was concerned for her son.

"Solar, you're a prince." Said Celestia

"No mommy, I don't deserve that title. I struck an innocent filly. I shouldn't even be a guard, but at least Captain Stonewall has forgiven me. Now I promised Quick Shot I would take his place today. It's his son's birthday, and no father should be absent from his son's party. Good day princess and mommy," he said with a bow.

This is nothing like what Night Light described him as. Cadance watched as Solar walked down the halls and then turned the corner. She heard her auntie let go of a sigh. She looked at her face. She couldn't figure it out.

"So what was up with that?" Asked Cadance

"I guess I should tell you. You see Solar feels he is responsible for Twilight." Said Celestia

"But he is." Said Cadance

"Yes, but he has taken it to a new level. He believes that he failed as a prince and as a guard. Stonewall and I had taught him never to hurt the innocent ponies of Equestria. But after he attacked Twilight, he turned to a different life. He has turned to a life of being just a guard. Sure he is my son, but that's it. He doesn't consider himself a prince. He believes until he has the trust of the Sparkle family again, he can never be a prince. He also doesn't want to be considered one until then. He also has been keeping his head in books. He has been trying to combine magics together. He is working on a spell that will heal all of Twilights wounds. But when he isn't doing that, he is working jobs. No matter how much I tell him, he doesn't listen. He is on a mission to earn the trust of the Sparkles. He has even created three steps to that, though he hasn't told me about them yet. When he isn't doing those two, he is training. Then he sleeps and begins all again." Said Celestia

Cadance looked up to see her auntie was telling the truth, but she still wanted to hear it from other ponies. "Auntie, can I ask what the staff think of this Solar. I would like to give some of this info to the Sparkles."

"Sure Cadance, I'll be in my study when you want to talk. But please talk with Solar, he is a good kid. You two are cousins now," said Celestia as she walked away.

Time to figure this all out. No pony just makes an 180 two days after attacking a filly. No this has to be a facade, and I will break it down. Cadance walked away with only one thing, to expose Solar Flare. She wanted to have her revenge for Twilight. Since Shining Armor, Twilight's brother, couldn't come to the castle. She had to do the work.

***

But Cadance found it hard to fight the urge to feel pity. As she asked around, she soon realized what Solar was doing. He had been doing everything. He wasn't just a morning guard. He was a Lunar Guard. He would do all the laundry. He would clean every room in the castle. He would even file papers. But all the money he gained never went to his use. She learned that Solar had been storing it in a bag for an important reason. She thought it was all going to the Sparkle family. She even learned that Solar would spend hours and hours in his room. He would spend hours training. The strongest part was that he only got a few hours of sleep before he was back to work.

Cadance soon found that Solar was in the guard break room. She easily knew her way around the castle. She opened the doors and saw him sitting at a table with a sandwich. He was looking over a couple of books. She didn't know what they were but seemed to come from the Canterlot Royal Library. One of Twilight's dreams was to visit the library. She went over to the table and sat down. She then saw what all the books were titled.

He's reading and understanding, Advance Theoretical Magic, Advanced Medical Magic and Combining Magic. But all that should be impossible for a child like him to read and understand. But I'm not entirely sure of all of Solar's past. I should talk with Celestia later tonight about it. Cadance saw that he was writing a spell on a piece of paper. He could see that it was nothing she had had ever written or read.

"Can I help you Princess Cadance," he said not looking up at her.

"Please, Solar were family. So just Cadance, I mean you are a prince." Said Cadance

"No, I'm not Cadance," he said crumpling up the paper.

"Yes, you are." She said

He sighed as he closed the books and placed them into a bag. He then pulled out a piece of paper. He handed it over to Cadance. She raised an eyebrow to it. She pulled the paper close to her and looked it over. Solar soon finished his meal and threw it in the trash. Cadance could see it was the medical records of Twilight.

"What does this mean?" She asked

"It is the reason that I am not a prince. I can't consider myself a prince if I sent a filly to the hospital. A prince is one who works for his people. He doesn't harm his people. He doesn't dare lay a hand on a mare or filly. He doesn't dare hurt the innocent. I broke those rules, how can I be a prince if I broke them. But I can't even be a guard since I broke the vow I took. A guard is to protect all and I turned against and hurt the one I was supposed to protect. But I was able to keep this job. But I am no prince." Said Solar

"So you are serious about not being a prince." Said Cadance

"Yes, I am no prince at all." Said Solar

"But auntie says that you will be revealed to Equestria when you are ten. You will be called prince then." Said Cadance

"No, if I haven't done what is right. Then I can't become the prince. A prince has to have the trust of all his ponies, but I don't. How can I be the prince if I don't have the confidence of all." He said

My, he believes he can't be the prince. So he does feel terrible for hurting Twilight. He is my cousin. She then thought of another set of questions. She wanted to know why he was working all around the castle.

"Can you explain your reasons for working. I mean, Celestia can pay for all of Twilight's medical bills." Said Cadance

"Because it was my fault. I should be the one to pay for it all. I also believe that this is how I will show that I am sorry. I believe that this work will be my punishment to learn to be a prince. I work day and night to help those that have helped me. I train to become stronger. I learn to do better. I will not stop until I believe I have made enough to help them. I can't be a prince until I have their forgiveness. When I've finished, then I can declare myself a prince. Now any more questions." He said

"Just one more, what are you writing." Said Cadance

"I'm building a spell, a spell that will heal Twilight. It was my fault that Twilight is in the state she is. I have been trying to combine Theoretical Magic and Medical Magic. I want to create a spell that will heal her broken ribs and also heal her fur. I know it may be a crazy idea, but I am coming close. I know you have been staying with the Sparkle family, but please don't tell them anything. I want this to be my burden and mine alone. I want them to forgive me and have no push by my mother or family. I have to do this to prove to them and myself. Now I have a question for you, Cadance." He said

"What is it?" Asked Cadance

"Now that you've heard everything, I have only one thing. Do you think I'm a monster? I don't need you to answer me. This question is for you to answer and only you. Now if you excuse me Cadance, but I have to get back to work." He said

He got up and left Cadance alone at the table with her thoughts. She still couldn't believe all that she had heard. Cadance was hoping to get something to use to attack Solar with, but instead, he gave nothing. Instead, she found a boy acting like a man. She sighed as she decided to ask her auntie for advice on the matter. She got up from the table and proceed to her auntie's study.

***

Cadance couldn't believe her ears. She had asked Celestia to tell her everything about her new cousin. But everything she heard was beyond what she had expected. She still couldn't believe the child she talked to was the same child her auntie was describing. She blinked a few times and rubbed her head as Celestia finished her story.

"So does he even know about his real mother or the grave." Said Cadance

"No, I have been waiting to tell him and show him when he was ten. I thought it would be the first time he would encounter death. But instead, he met it with the death of Heart Pulse. I'm not even sure how to break it to my sister when she comes back to Equestria." Said Celestia

"You will find a way, but I'm impressed that he hasn't turned evil with all that power." Said Cadance

"Please Cadance, he has been taught well. I've been teaching him to be a prince and Stonewall has been teaching him to be a guard. He knows how to be. But I suspect you found that out from him." Said Celestia

"I did have a small chat with him. He surprised me with everything he has been doing. I have to say that is a boy, but acting like a man. I have no real words to say about it. I wanted to come here and punish him. But instead, I found something more. I found a boy trying to own up to his mistakes. I found him doing nothing but working to fix his mistakes. Somepony who doesn't want to be considered a prince until he has the trust of one simple family. But what impressed me more was something he asked me." Said Cadance

"And that was?" Asked Celestia

"He asked me if I saw him as a monster. He said that he didn't want me to give him my answer. He just wanted me to figure out the answer for myself. But I'm not sure what to think of him." Said Cadance

"Well Cadance, I can't help you with that. You must answer that question yourself. I know you can find the answer. You may have to look past his past actions to see it. But you are the alicorn of love. So I know you can find the answer, but you might have to look somewhere else than your mind. Now you should get back to the Sparkle house." Said Celestia

"Thanks auntie for letting me see my new cousin. I think I will reflect on that question. I will see you around auntie," said Cadance getting up and hugging her. She proceeded out of the study, but turned around and looked at her aunt one more time. She then closed the door and walked leaving her auntie in her room. Celestia looked at the door. She sighed as she got up and began to walk to her room. I know you will find the answer you're seeking Cadance.

***

Cadance opened the door to the Sparkle house. She closed and locked the door. She then walked up the stairs. She slowly opened Twilight's door and looked at her. She could see the brace she had on to help her ribs. She could also smell the cream that was on her body. It was to help the burn patch of fur. She gently closed the door and walked downstairs. She then went into the kitchen.

She started to make herself a cup of tea. When she finished, she sat at the table and thought of everything that happened today. She still wanted to be angry at Solar. But she couldn't after hearing everything he said. She wanted to believe that he was a monster, but she couldn't. She grabbed her head as she tried to understand her feelings. But then she remembered what her auntie said. She decided to look into her heart as the alicorn of love.

I know it should be right to hate him. I know I should be angry, but I can't. Everything he is doing, he's doing because Solar feels he is responsible. He knows that he has to gain the Sparkle family's trust back. He is acting like a man, even though he is just seven. But can I forgive him? Cadance thought over everything that all the staff and guards had told her. Everything she heard from her auntie. Then everything that Solar had told her. She looked down at her cup as the steam came off the tea. A smile appeared on her face.

Yes I can. Solar is not just doing this all for nothing. He believes he has failed. He wants to make everything right before he takes the throne with my auntie, his mother. He truly is an amazing cousin to have. I'm not sure what the Sparkle family will think of him, but I believe he has a good heart. He just couldn't deal with the loss of the mare that had been his mother. He easily has a strong desire to protect those he cares and loves. I know he will make a great prince one day. I guess I figured it out. Solar isn't a monster. He is a stallion.

Cadance drank her tea as she smiled. When she finished, she put the cup away and cleaned her mess. She went upstairs but stopped at Twilight's door. She knew she could feel something coming off of her for Solar. It made her smile more. She was happy to be the alicorn of love. I do hope this all works out because I see a bright future for Solar and Twilight. She then walked over to her bedroom and went to bed and waited for the next day to come.