The sun shone its light on to the large field of grass. Already there were benches and seats of various kinds scattered and arranged throughout the field. Changelings haphazardly sitting down here and there, wherever they felt like. The noise of the chatter and of the prattle of the changelings only grew louder as more and more changelings entered the grass field, not to mention the buzzing sound of the changelings' wings flapping adding to the commotion.
Despite all odds, the changelings guards that weren't showing their immense enthusiasm and joy over Princess Twilight Sparkle's upcoming friendship talk were placing their best efforts into the regulation of the audience, no matter how rowdy the audience itself was. Their faces showed no emotion, or at least the guards tried to make their faces show no emotion. There was one guard that, every few seconds, glanced at a certain spot.
"I hope that's Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends!" the changeling guard muttered before looking back to keeping the peace.
Various makeshift stands were standing and were present on the field, serving and selling a wide variety of things and items from the typical food stands with their bottles of water and other drinks to the sellers of changeling souvenirs—which were shoddily-made crafts of rock. They weren't making that much money, judging from the lack of any customers.
More changeling guards roamed the streets, watching and looking at every nook and cranny of the kingdom.
As the crowds of changelings grew, more guards moved away from the streets and towards the crowds, hovering around them, making sure that no trouble was to be caused or to be found among them.
The changelings whispered, said, spoke, and shouted to each other. Others played it quiet, watching the rest of their fellow changelings making an unpleasant, combined noise.
There was the smell of good food on the field. Lines of changelings flocked to those stalls.
There were also lines of changelings at other stalls, specifically the stalls that sold items from Equestria such as souvenir items. The lines for those stalls were as long as the lines of changelings waiting for their food. The lines for the Equestria-items stalls were also louder, if not ruder as well.
Now, many of the changelings were checking a certain road, a certain place. Changeling guards were stationed there, standing firmly and sometimes glancing here and there. Those guards were the only ones who showed no emotion—the rest of the changelings were showing their excitement in different ways, from the humble smile to the jumping up and down to the flying around while making loud buzzes while flapping their wings to the point that some of the quieter changelings were annoyed and irritated.
Moving around within the crowd was now getting difficult. Sometimes, changelings bumped into each other, although there was no dangerous escalation to a fight. Instead, there were even a few hugs from the would-be attackers.
Many changelings were wearing something that showed their enthusiasm and eagerness for Equestria and its ponies. Some were recycling their Wonderbolts marchandise. Others were sporting new, fresh clothes that showed that they were indeed admirers, even fans, of Equestria. Still, others were wearing plain clothes, yet they were still excited that the clothes were made by ponies.
The excitement of the moment intensified as the minutes passed.
The changeling guards had looks of worry. The changeling audience was getting rowdier, getting impatient. There were still no fights. Peaceful talks and the occasional hugs were the things that defused the situation. However, the changelings were becoming disorderly, all with the constant moving around.
"It's Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends!" a changeling shouted from her place.
And the changelings roared into a happy, large group of elated joy.
Princess Twilight Sparkle was not arriving on a royal carriage, not even a normal one. She was just walking and smiling at the changelings that were now swarming the sidewalks. Cameras flashed their lights at her, but her face remained calm and happy. Beside her were her five closest friends from Ponyville—generous Rarity, honest Applejack, loyal Rainbow Dash, kind Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie who was already laughing. Of course, beside Twilight Sparkle was also her dragon assistant, Spike, who made charming waves towards the cameras.
Surrounding this warm and friendly group of friends were pony guards dressed in their metal armor, looking serious and even gruff at the changelings that were attempting to get their way to the Princess and her friends.
"Wow!" Rainbow Dash expressed, walking with her friends on the clean yet rough streets of the kingdom, seeing all the unrestrained enthusiasm and intense interest of the changelings. "You get this kind of reception every time, Twilight?"
She sighed, still smiling. "And it gets even crazier every time."
Fluttershy struggled to keep her face away from any possible and potential camera angle. "How do you manage this level of attention?" she asked quietly.
"I...just sort of get used to it." She looked at Fluttershy. "When you've attended enough events and visited enough places as a world-famous Princess, changelings covering the streets isn't out of place anymore."
"I, for one, do adore the endless amounts of attention!" Rarity blurted out. "I wonder if they're going to write about my dresses in their fashion magazines soon, hm?"
Applejack gave a small chuckle. "Come on, Rarity! We're going to show those changelins' how to be better friends, and all ya' ar' thinkin' about is fashion?"
"Why," Rarity countered, "I might open up a boutique here!"
Applejack sighed.
"Ooh! Twilight!" Pinkie Pie yelled, bouncing up and down her way on the street. "It's going to be my first time attending one of those friendship talks! Is it going to have any cake in it? Wait!" She took out a cake from her bag. "I've got some cake! I'm so nervous and excited for this! Nervous because there are so many changelings out there to see you, but excited because maybe they made cake! First, Equestria cakes! Then, Changeling Kingdom cakes! What's going to be next? The cakes from the Dragon Lands?!"
Twilight glanced at the gabbing Pinkie Pie and chuckled to herself as they walked on while being close to being mobbed by the changelings clamoring for them.
Spike was still acting charming towards the changelings' cameras, posing for the many pictures.
The Princess and her friends walked their way past the crowds of changelings on the field of grass. They walked up the large, wooden platform. They placed on their headed microphones. Another pony gave them a signal.
The six ponies walked to the front of the stage.
"Let's see how well this one goes," Nastic commented as he sat way behind the crowd.
A changeling was flying towards him. "Hey, Nastic! Why aren't you joining us? The official Pony Fan Club is at the front row!"
"Because, Long Winded, whether you like it or not, I don't like all this ruckus!" Nastic complained. "I don't think I'd be able to hear a clear word from any of th ponies there if I sit at the front!"
"OK, then," Long Winded said. "I hope you won't miss anything out!"
Then he flew back to the front seats.
"Hopefully, this is worth my time," Nastic said.
Thorax sat on the grass just some of his changelings. He looked up to the platform and the ponies that it held. He smiled as he observed and watched without a changeling interrupting him.
Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat and closed her eyes. Then, she opened her eyes, facing and viewing the grand audience before her.
The changelings were cheering, many raising their hooves and several flying about, delighted and thrilled to see, to listen, to live out whatever lesson about friendship the Princess was about to bestow upon them.
She took a glance at her friends.
They all gave her smiles.
Twilight looked at the audience again.
The field was immense, enormous in its width, tremendous in its area, massive in all the space that it covered. Again, she considered the crowd of changelings that were watching her. There were so many—a row of changelings there was already a lot. Most of them were smiling, truly and genuinely happy to see yet another friendship talk or maybe excited to attend one for the first time.
There were no lines at the stalls. Even the changelings tending the stalls were looking at her, paying attention to her and her friends from faraway.
The guards, though quiet, showed their interest—or, rather, their joy—on their faces as they stood at their respective positions.
Twilight saw all of that as the cheering of the changelings went on.
Then, the cheering became quiet.
Twilight's smile went wide.
"I...guess you're pretty excited today, aren't you?" Twilight began. Her voice blared through the speakers.
And the changelings answered with a resounding applause that rumbled the platform, slightly wobbling the ponies on it.
Then, the applause went quiet.
"Are you ready for another friendship talk, changelings?"
The changelings answered again with a loud, boisterous, approving cacophony of shouts and yells that were certainly positive and happy.
"OK, but if you want to listen, you have to quiet down, alright?" She smiled nervously at the changelings.
And they quieted down.
"Let's get straight to the point, changelings." She levitated a scroll and presented it to all the audience with her magic. "I've written this friendship lesson right after my first ever slumber party with AJ and Rarity. But, of course, the lesson isn't just about us. This also applies to your friends."
The changelings listened quietly and silently. Some were waving pieces of pony merchandise at the speaking Princess, though she did not take a long look at any of them.
"Now, as many of you probably know, Applejack and Rarity aren't quite the most similar of ponies."
Applejack and Rarity took a few steps forward together.
"Applejack's the simple farmer while Rarity's the sophisticated fashionista. 'How are they possibly the best of friends?' you may ask."
A changeling among the crowd raised his hoof.
"Why, yes," Twilight said, "what is it?"
A microphone levtiated towards the changeling.
The changeling grabbed the microphone. "Uh, 'How are they possibly the best of friends?'"
Twilight wasn't smiling. "You weren't supposed to actually ask that question."
"Oh..." The changeling then shyly lowered his hoof as the microphone levitated away and back to its place near one of the background edges of the platform.
She smiled again. "So, again, how could two ponies who don't have much in common be best friends? Well, what I've learned from my slumber party was that, though two ponies getting together might seem impossible due to their differences, it turns out that if you embrace the differences of the other pony, you can see the astonishing ways of how to be friends with that other pony."
And the changelings gave out a collective nod of approval. Whispers and mutterings of attained friendship knowledge were made among the changelings. Overall, the changelings were delighted by this newfound lesson.
"Ya' might be wonderin' how Ah' was able to endure the fussin' about of Rarity," Applejack said, gesturing towards the unicorn. "However, Ah've learned that ya' can't force a pony to change to suit yer' likins'."
"Besides," Rarity went on, "having a diverse set of friends will lead you to a couple of surprises on the road. I, for one, would never have discovered the true wonder of having a sister if 'simple farmer' Applejack hadn't been my friend, if I hadn't decided to live with a friend who was slobby and had a pretty informal way of life. Because of her, Sweetie Belle and I have been closer than ever before."
The changelings stomped on the ground, exhibiting their appreciation of the anecdote.
"And," Applejack said, "Ah wouldn't have learned the lesson that just because ya' know all the general details, it doesn't mean that ya' don't have to consider all the small ones, too, if Ah hadn't had 'sophisticated fashionista' Rarity as one of mah' best friends."
And again, the changelings showed their love for the talk by stomping on the talk.
"But, it's not just AJ and Rarity and I who learned the lesson," Twilight said. "It started with Applejack and Rarity with my first slumber party, but I've found out that my other best friends also learned that lesson about embracing the differences of our friends, even though those differences might be hard to, well, embrace."
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew forward.
"How can I, the most awesome flyer in Ponyville and also a member of the Wonderbolts," Rainbow Dash started, "hang out with Fluttershy, timid and shy and pretty much somepony who doesn't want all the attention? How can I hang out with her, a pony who used to be pretty scared of almost anything, and, let's be honest, she still is."
"Hey!" Fluttershy exclaimed.
"Well, we've been friends with each other since we were fillies, but I didn't get to know much about her until after we all saved Equestria for the first time. Heh-heh-heh. At first, I thought that her constant politeness was just annoying, getting in the way of the real action. But, I figured out that being brash and totally upfront isn't always the best way to go. With the help of Fluttershy and by spending time with her, I've learned that you've got to be considerate with other ponies. I think I've finally learned that lesson way back when I wanted to pull a seemingly harmless prank and then it ended up with me thinking that I've made a bunch of cookie-craving zombies. The prank my friends pulled on me wasn't funny at all—and that's what the ponies who were victims of my pranks were feeling at the time."
"What prank?" a changeling asked loudly from the audience.
"Let's not talk about it, little guy."
Fluttershy flew a little lower, hovering closer to the platform. "Um, it's honestly not easy at first to be friends with a proud pegasus like Rainbow Dash, always loving fast-paced action." She glanced at Rainbow Dash—she was giving Fluttershy an irritated look. "But, we've grown up as friends back when we were fillies at Cloudsdale, so I guess that it's easier when you've been friends since your foalhood."
Rainbow Dash groaned and displayed more of her irritation through a smack on the face with her hoof.
"However, if it hadn't been for Rainbow Dash's call for the pegasi of Ponyville to make a tornado to bring water to Cloudsdale for the rain later on, I wouldn't have realized that, no matter how small or how litle or how insignificant your contribution to an effort feels like, it actually does matter. On that day, this was the lesson I learned: If you remain ideal and hopeful about things, do your best, and believe in yourself, you could do anything."
And the changelings, once again, showed their loving approval and approving love for the talk and the lessons so far by stomping their hooves and roaring with elated shouts.
"But, I-I wouldn't have learned that if it wasn't for Twilight, too."
Rainbow Dash groaned again. "Really, Fluttershy?!"
And, then, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie walked forward. In Pinkie's case, she bounced forward.
"And, finally, there's us," Twilight said, gesturing a hoof towards Pinkie who was smiling and grinning and still bouncing up and down, even giggling. Meanwhile, Twilight just stood there, calm and collected, having a simple smile. "Rational me versus irrational Pinkie. Because of my studies, I've always expected there to be a good, reasonable enough explanation for everything. I've wanted to confirm whatever rumors I hear about—or, more appropriately, try to disprove them. If something proves to be true despite all the studies and experiments conducted, I'll be more than likely to accept that its true." She levitated several notebooks and books into the air, presenting them for the changelings to see. Then, she placed them back to where they had been—on the platform. "So, when I see Pinkie Pie, I don't see much sense in her. She's random, but at least she makes us happy. However, Pinkie Pie taught me that, you should always listen and be open to the opinions and ideas of others even if they don't make any sense." She gave the audience a wide grin. "Maybe they're right."
And Pinkie Pie bounced right in front of Twilight. "And, what I learned from being friends with Twilight, was a lot of wonderful things about friendship!"
"Pinkie! Out of the way!"
"But, if I were to pick one to tell all of you super-duper-friendly changelings," she went on while bouncing on the wooden platform, "it's that, sometimes, our desire for responsibility might actually be too much for what we can actually handle!"
"Uh, you learned that from Mr. and Mrs. Cakes' foals, Pinkie," Twilight said. "I wasn't even there!"
"But you were there!" She pointed at Twilight. "You had lots of studying to do when the Cakes were asking if you could be the babysitter."
"How is that related to—" She stopped herself and chuckled a little bit. "Nevermind, Pinkie. At least the changelings have a good friendship lesson to learn from you."
And the changelings, once again, cheered on, the sound of their cheering blaring not through the speakers but just through the open air, slightly shaking the platform the ponies were standing on.
All the ponies there had a look of concern on their faces as the platform shook a little.
Then, the cheering stopped.
"So, with the first part of the talk over," Twilight declared, "let's get to the favorite part—the open questions!"
And, again, the changelings were cheering and roaring. This time, several changelings were already making their way forward; a few were daring enough to rush their way to the platform, though they were stopped by their other fellow changelings that seemed more polite and considerate.
"And, yes, changelings," Rainbow Dash announced while she flapped her wings in the air, "you get to ask not just Twilight but all of us!"
"And, even me!" Spike shouted as he ran up the stairs, waving at the changeling audience.
But, the changelings were all looking at the ponies.
"Just don't get too unruly, all right?!" Applejack yelled from her place. "We need some lining up like ya' did with the stalls!"
And the changelings obediently formed a line, though the line was fragile, even volatile, as changelings were clamoring for an instant, immediate question and talk with any of the Elements of Harmony there. Shouts and yells of friendly admiration were made.
Spike waved at the changelings again.
But, the changelings were still looking forward to meeting their favorite ponies.
"Good thing we have guards to keep the order and the peace," Twilight said as both pony and changeling guards swooped in and surrounded the changeling crowd, several of them protecting the line from any further decay into chaos.
Twilight felt a hoof tapping her shoulder. She looked behind her.
"Fluttershy, what's wrong?"
"Are you sure about this?" Fluttershy asked. "Even with all six of us, I don't think we can entertain all those changelings."
Twilight smiled. "Which is why I've scheduled no important events or occasions for tomorrow."
"Really?"
She nodded. "Just enjoy yourself there."
And Fluttershy flittered away to her place on the platform. The changeling line was straightening up, the guards were in their positions, the ponies were ready.
"I can't believe it!" Long Winded yelled as he stood on the stairs to the platform. "I can't believe we're going to ask all of the six best pony friends ever, the Elements of Harmony, right in front of us!" He grabbed Humerus who was behind him in line. "Are you as excited as I am, Humerus?!"
"I'm just as excited!" Humerus yelled.
"Are you excited?"
"I'm excited!"
And the two bumped each other's hooves.
Neon Guard sighed behind Humerus in line, now on the grassy ground.
"Anything wrong, Neon Guard?" Blue Alarm asked before Neon Guard in line.
"Too crazy."
"I can see that," he commented as he eyed the two changelings in front as they were jumping, almost dancing even. "They're really excited about meeting the ponies. Who can blame them? They've saved Equestria a few times already."
"They weren't exactly the ones that saved us," Neon Guard responded.
Long Winded and Humerus moved a few steps forward. So did Neon Guard and Blue Alarm and the rest of the line before them.
In the background and all around them, the constant, animated chattering of the changelings both before and after them filled the air with the sense of liveliness, a sense of optimistic and young fervor, an innocent form of joy flooding the place. The occasional laughs were no longer occasional—one laugh at either a joke or just at the pleasant event rang throughout the field at any given moment now. More than a few changelings were joyfully uneasy, having to bear with wobbling hooves as they inched and inched closer every minute or so. The line was indeed long—and, though several minutes have already passed, it seemed to refill itself.
The voices of the Elements of Harmony, the greatest and most heroic best friends in all of Equestria, were muddled in all the cheerful noise—yet, if one were to strain their ears enough, their conversations could indeed be heard with clarity. In all of their voices, there was the tone of genuine amusement even as Rarity voiced her disgust over the apparel of the changeling in front of her, all in her high-falutin accent.
The line continued on. Long Winded was now in front. And he was bouncing up and down, unable to restrain his excitement as his grin and wide eyes showed.
"Now, now," Twilight said, facing the excited changeling. She faced her friends who were busy with talking with a few changelings. "Just enjoy the talk." Then, the Princess gave him a smile and gestured a hoof.
Long Winded instantly flew his way to the group of ponies there as the changelings who were already there made their way out of the platform.
He looked back at the line. "Come on! Let's introduce the official Pony Fan Club to them!" he hollered.
And a small swarm of changelings were rushing their way to the ponies.
"Not this again!" Pinkie Pie screamed, running to the edge of the platform.
As the ponies were moving fast, trying to escape the potential mob, Twilight quickly glanced at the guards.
Changelings shoved them aside.
Twilight arched her eyes at the changeling swarm. Her horn glowed.
Then, there was no more noise and no more stomping.
Her horn stopped glowing.
In front of her was just a small group of changelings. Leading the group was the changeling who was bouncing up and down. "Uh, sorry for making you all have to run and panic," Long Winded apologized rather unprofessionally. "We'd just like to introduce ourselves to you and your friends, Princess Twilight Sparkle." He cleared his throat. "I'm Long Winded. I'm a member of the official Pony Fan Club. Yes, we changelings have a fan club for not just you, but for ponies!"
And Twilight Sparkle and all her friends stood there with eyes and mouth wide open.
"Good surprise, right?" Long Winded added.
"I get two fan clubs?!" Rainbow Dash cried out. "Awesome!"
"I think that's not the point, Rainbow," Twilight responded. She faced Long Winded who was standing right in front of her. "You're not joking about this, are you?"
"Nope!" he said, smiling and cheerfully.
"Hmm..." Twilight glanced her friends who were still shocked. She looked back at Long Winded. "What do you do in the fan club?"
"We just adore ponies and what they do!" Long Winded screamed, flying to the air in such raw emotion.
"And I get to lead the fan club!" Humerus yelled.
Twilight sighed. Then, she placed on a smile. "Isn't that...nice?"
Humerus nodded happily and rapidly.
Twilight looked at all the members of the fan club. Although there weren't so many, they were so varied—one was slightly bigger than the rest and was also wearing a hat. "And, I guess you adore friendship, too, right?" she asked, smiling, too.
"Who doesn't in the Changeling Kingdom?!" Long Winded replied loudly.
"Well...this is unexpected."
And a silence passed by between the two sides.
"Does this mean I get to use my party cannon?!"
And Pinkie Pie brought out her party cannon and it blew out confetti and balloons and streamers right at the members of the official Pony Fan Club.
Her five friends glared at her.
"What?" she defended. "A fan club like that is a cause for celebration, right?"
Her five friends continued to glare at her.
"OK, celebrating their celebration of friendship?!"
"Eh, I think that's passable," Rainbow Dash conceded.
After the second part of the friendship talk was over, there was now the third part: Just hanging out with the changelings. The six friends were spread out and just walked along and talked with whomever was there to talk with. The changelings made themselves look approachable and their efforts to do so paid off—or, it could be that, even if they weren't approachable, the six friends would still hang out with them and chat.
Rarity laughed in her fancy accent while she opened up several bags and revealed several nice dresses and suits. The changelings around her were impressed, judging by the elated looks on their faces.
Pinkie Pie was giving a rapid yet understandable explanation on how her party cannon works, pointing and gesturing at some parts of the cannon. A few unruly changelings scrambled their way to the cannon but Pinkie managed to move the cannon away from their hooves, leading to a few accidents and bumps into each other. Despite that, Pinkie and the changelings there laughed.
Fluttershy, meanwhile, was being pressured by over-enthusiastic, over-excited, even fanatical changelings, the word "Stare" being thrown about. The timid yellow pegasus was making her stand by diverting the attention away from the Stare to another thing worth talking about—like her pet bunny.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack were standing side-by-side, casually talking with the changelings around them as they walked through the grass field.
Twilight Sparkle was levitating several books, recommending which ones were the best to read for a changeling. However, the changelings themselves wanted some other books—books about pony history, books about Equestria, books about certain great ponies throughout history, books about great adventures that were written by ponies. A subtle frown appeared on her face. Twilight attempted to make the changelings want to borrow the first books—but, they were desiring the pony books.
Nastic looked at all of this from afar, standing in the sunset glow of the sky. His carapace, like the carapaces of the rest of the changelings, shone and glimmered in the sunlight. After adjusting his hat, he continued looking on. On his face was no obvious smile, nor was there a clear frown. He wasn't beaming nor was he glooming. His face was that of a neutral, blank expression—the only thing that it conveyed was that of observation, in contrast to all the changelings that were merry in their way as they walked and talked among their favorite ponies, the ponies that they've wanted to see for a long time though most of them had already met them just a short time ago.
He held his bag. He slowly opened it and brought out his comic book.
He stared at the cover of the comic.
Several ponies in masks and in costumes were fighting whoever was the bad villain of the day in front of a backdrop of a skyscrapered city.
He looked up from the comic cover and onto the ponies that were there.
He smiled.
Nastic hurried his way to the group where Twilight Sparkle was.