As the next day rises, AJ has put Big Mac and Applebloom in charge of the stand at the market for today, while she told Everchange that he was working nonstop on the farm, and needed a break. So to make sure nothing was dull, Applejack is bringing him along on a trip across town to visit her friends, see if he can expand his friends list.
Applejack and Everchange walked over to the only fashion store in town, the Carousel Boutique, where AJ proceeded to knock on the door. Everchange was a bit nervous... very nervous.
"Look, Boss, I know you're tryna be nice, but I honestly feel like I could be working on the next selling cartful of apples, not running across town and exhausting myself. Really, I'm fine with working the day away, it's been how I've coped." Everchange explained, shaking a bit, his casual clothes looking ragged and a bit worse for wear. Applejack sighed and turned to Everchange, giving him the all knowing look.
"Partner, I'll be honest with you. the Flim and Flam incident, that made us a lot of bits, I don't know how you pulled off a magic trick like that for you to disguise yourself as my brother," She saw Everchange flinch, he wasn't expecting her to somehow find out about that. She continued, "But your intentions were of the important kind, you wanted to help, but not be looked at like filthy vermin. I'll let you do that more if you explain to me how you do that trick without a horn. Besides, word around town says you had yourself a speech at Sugarcube Corner, no wonder some people haven't been lookin' at you like a rampaging creature, what you said had an impact, and it worked out, but don't think that will work on everypony, understand?" Applejack explained. Everchange just sighed and nodded.
"And another thing, don't call me boss when we aren't working. If we're gonna be friends, call me Applejack, or AJ for short." Applejack motivated. Everchange just looked scared and contemplated on the many things that seemed worse than doing any of this, but was cut short by a sudden halting of motion.
As the door to the boutique opened, Everchange saw another mare, a unicorn, her coat was as white as an unroasted marshmallow, she wore slightly light purple gloves on her hooves, her mane was a bit unkept as it went down, but it was so curly and well taken care of as it curled at the top of her head. She wore what looked like dark blue pants with a black belt, her tail was tied into a bun, but she didn't seem to mind it at all.
"Heya Rarity, I don't suppose you'd mind a friendly visit right now, would ya?" Applejack asked the unicorn.
Rarity simply smiled and laughed with a form of elegance. "Of course, darling. I assume this gentle stallion is also with you, or are you in desperate need of a new outfit? because I can assume the latter, the holes in this designer vest, atrocious! the thorns tearing up the stitching of this dress shirt, it won't do! And this... this scarf! Bright spot patterns were so last year, darling! Not to worry, though, I can fix this! Applejack, you go sit down. And you, sir, come with me, I must fix this!" Rarity stated dramatically, pulling the two earth ponies inside with her magic.
Rarity proceeded to use her magic to remove Everchange's ruined and tattered outfit, and decided to try something a bit more modern, but keep it simple. Rarity took a few measurements and was about to ask about the gem on Everchange's hoof, but went back to figuring out potential designs for the stallion.
"So, how are things, Applejack? And who is this stallion you've brought over, by the way?" Rarity asked as she continued drawing ideas on a notepad with her magic.
"Well, this is Everchange, he's new to town and I've let him work on my farm for 5 easy months now, but I felt like he's been working too hard, and since I thought it wouldn't hurt to try and be his friend, I gave him today off and I'm goin' round Ponyville to introduce him to the others. Since I was on my way to do so, I started with you, since you were much closer." Applejack explained.
Everchange looked around the boutique and could barely look at everything without feeling a type of headache wash over him. "This place is a bit overwhelming for me. I can feel my head splitting already." Everchange said, holding his head as he tried to breathe.
"Darling, if you aren't feeling well, then I'd recommend stopping by Nurse Redheart's for a check up, could be that physical work has you worn out, Darling." Rarity suggested, smiling warmly.
Within a couple minutes of waiting, Rarity had finished an ideal sketch of the outfit and raced off to start sewing. "Applejack darling, bring him back here in a couple hours, I'll have this done soon! Or I can just send it to the farm if that's alright." Rarity called out.
"That'll be just fine, Rarity, we gotta get goin' anyhow, see ya later!" Applejack called back, closing the door, leading a woozy and dazed Everchange to a home up on a hill.
Applejack knocked on the door, and waited for a response. A couple seconds right after, the door opens, revealing a bright vibrant yellow pegasus with a bright pink mane, but most of it was hidden away in a puffy hat, the mare wore a type of brown onesie with a white undershirt underneath. She blushed and hid her face from Everchange.
Applejack chuckled and turned to the stallion. "Don't worry partner, she's always like that around new folks. Fluttershy, this is Everchange, a friend of mine and a brand new worker for the farm. He's been here for 5 months and I figured we could be his friends, since he's lacking in friendly company. Everchange, this is Fluttershy. She's a kind natured type of pony, but she's rather insecure and can be very shy about a lot of things, but once you get to know her, she's a delight to be around. Mind if we come in for a talk, Fluttershy?" Applejack asked.
Fluttershy moved out of the way, and invited the two inside. As they entered, Everchange took a seat on one of the chairs, and felt like nothing seemed wrong. But he did feel a bit unsettled by a rabbit looking at him, almost as if it had some real serious and bad intentions.
"Everchange, this is my pet bunny, Angel. Isn't he the cutest little thing you ever did see?" Fluttershy said, picking him up and snuggling him, as he looked uncomfortable with her snuggling. Everchange was holding back the urge to laugh, but just managed to regain some composure over himself as he sipped on a cup of tea.
Applejack and Fluttershy kept on talking about stuff, while Everchange just lightly moved his hoof over the gem, feeling far more curious about the thing's capabilities than he ever was before, but he knew very well that he couldn't do anything right now, lest he freaked out another pony.
As the mares said their farewells, and after becoming an eligible acquaintance to the shy pegasus, Applejack led Everchange back into town, near a house that seemed to reek with a powerful and potent sweet smell.
"By the Tomes of old Gaelic Ponish, what is that sweet scent?!" Everchange stated aloud, overwhelmed by the smell of sugar and sweet confections. Applejack laughed a bit at Everchange's reaction, not surprised somepony like him who wasn't too used to sweets would react in such a manner.
Applejack knocked on the door, and the door immediately swung open, as a bouncing pink earth pony bounced in every which way, and suddenly landed on their four hooves, unscathed and covered with sprinkles and confetti.
"Hi Applejack!!" The pink pony exclaimed. Everchange instinctively stepped behind the orange earth mare and lightly nudged her closer to the pink pony, a bit scared.
"Everchange, don't be scared, this is Pinkie Pie, she's the happiest party pony to set foot into Ponyville, she knows everyone and knows everything, and its easy for her to make and plan parties. Pinkie, this is Everchange, he's new to town and--" Applejack was quickly cut off by Pinkie pulling Everchange closer as she went wide-eyed.
"He's new to town!? He's been here for five months and I didn't know?! This calls for a belated Welcome Party!!!" Pinkie exclaimed happily, quickly dragging Everchange inside the house. Applejack followed suite and saw Pinkie quickly decorating the interior of her home with streamers, balloons, sweets, and put a party hat on Everchange as he just watch in awe and surprise that this one earth mare could do so much.
Everchange looked over to Applejack. "Quite the energetic one, isn't she?" Everchange asked, marveling at Pinkie's eye for detail and decoration. The happy and sporadic Pink Pony stopped in front of Everchange as she blew one of those party blowers in his face, kinda bringing a smile to his face as he held back the urge to laugh, feeling like he was in a much better mood than he was when he was bucking apples for the next shipment to the stand.
Pinkie was moving so fast, she was like a pink, giggling blur that moved constantly, her pink curls were bouncing as she moved, though he did not want to ask, he was rather curious of the scar on one of her eyes. Everchange didn't mind it for long and decided to delve into the sweet temptations that were prepared, actually feeling a bit hungry himself.
He ate a bowl full of Ice cream, a few assorted berries with a candy coating covering their healthy fruity exteriors, had three slices of cake, and even managed to chug a whole mug full of soda, reveling in the sugar high he was about to experience. But before things could get too off the walls, Applejack cut the visit with Pinkie short, wishing her luck as Pinkie exclaims that she's glad to have welcomed him properly to Ponyville.
Next up was a pony that he was somewhat familiar with, as her rainbow colors were unforgettable. As Applejack and Everchange rose upwards to the skies via hot air balloon, they found a house within the clouds, and Everchange was the one to knock on the door this time, actually feeling a bit happier for a visit.
The door opens and the pegasus he lost his hoof race to is, as expected, the main resident of the house in the clouds. Applejack and Everchange walked on in and it was his turn to try and start a conversation.
"So, Miss Dash, do you have any goals in mind?" Everchange asked. RD just showed a picture of a group of pegasi wearing goggles and some type of uniform.
"Those are the Wonderbolts, and eventually, I'm gonna be the best wonderbolt someday." RD said proudly.
Everchange smiled and clapped his hooves together. "It's always nice to have goals." Everchange said with a smile.
RD went on and on about the wonderbolts, how she's been trying to join their ranks for years, and moved out so she could keep on going with her training to commit to the mind set that she can or will join the wonderbolts in the future, and by that time, Applejack had pulled him aside before he said farewell to RD, leading Applejack and Everchange back down to the ground and towards the library.
Everchange up and laughed heartily as he took in a deep breath and kept on chuckling. "I didn't think this could be so much fun, and with how I spent today, this could be the start of a wonderful friendship. For me, you, and your friends. Though I guess it is getting a bit late." Everchange said, smiling as the sun was beginning to set.
"Well, we still got one more friend to talk with, and before you start worrying, she might be a bit forward with a few questions, but I'm sure you'll be fine. That and, she has a tendency to go overboard with a few things." Applejack said, laughing nervously to herself. The two knocked on the door, within the darkness of the sunset, he looked down at the gem, and saw it was glowing yellow. Applejack noticed this as well, and decided to ask what it was doing.
"Partner, I know you don't like talking about that, but what exactly is it... and what's with the glowing?" Applejack asked, a bit skeptical and worried. Everchange tapped the crystal, showing some sort of spinning symbol as it just kept glowing. The door opened up, and Applejack smiled, glad that she was home.
Everchange's happy and giddy demeanor had suddenly stopped, and crashed into trillions of pieces as he saw Twilight, the alicorn from the other day, standing in the door of the library.
"Everchange, this is Twilight Sparkle, she just got appointed to princess status, but she's rather kind to everypony who means well. Twilight, this is--" Applejack was cut off yet again, with Twilight slowly, but steadily walking towards Everchange, causing him to start backing away.
"Why did you run away from me yesterday? Everchange, was it?" Twilight asked, curious about the stallion's reaction from the other day. "And your cutie mark, it's not like anything I've seen before, but it must have a special form of significance. What's your special talent, if I may ask?" Twilight asked.
Everchange was backing up as Twilight kept walking closer to him, unsure of how to respond, if he could at all. The stallion was sweating, the cold air of the night blowed, and it chilled him, but Applejack trotted up and shook Everchange a bit, trying to get him to say something.
"Partner, what's wrong? Is there something on your mind?" Applejack asked. The stallion didn't answer, and was just getting scared, terrified, even. Without thinking, Everchange slammed his hoof onto the gem, and within that sudden flash of light, the stallion was gone, and in its place was a changeling, who just screeched and flew away, trying to make distance from the princess and his former employer.
"Everchange! W-what?!" Applejack yelled, obviously confused and unable to think or process what exactly had just happened. Twilight however, had an idea, and immediately used her magic to teleport in front of the changeling. Still being freaked out, Everchange dove straight down and shapeshifted into a leaf, hiding itself in a random pile. Twilight started to trample on the leaves, as one blows away, letting the wind carry it.
After a long drift in the wind, the leaf changes back into the changeling, and that changeling flies away, making its way to the cave it had found and started to block off the entrance with its resin. The changeling touched the gem and reverted back into Everchange, who had been holding back tears and started to sob, worrying about the possibility of what will happen when they find him.
"Mother, please... give me strength, give me the courage to do what is right, give me the courage to brave the night..." Everchange muttered to himself. He felt his strength and his resolve crumbling.
"Mother... please give me the heart to forgive. and forget." He whispered to himself.