//------------------------------//
// Swift Swap meets Applejack 
// Story: Swift Swap comes to Ponyville 
// by Swift Swap 
//------------------------------//

"Now, nice and slow, Big Mac! This is the last one, and then we're done!"

The one who had spoken that way was Applejack, addressed to her brother, who was carrying a giant wagon load of corn cobs, directed toward their east barn. 

"Eeyup!" replied Big McIntosh, that despite the enormous load, was advancing towards the big barn almost effortlessly.

"By the way, never see you workin' so hard, bro," she said, "It's nearly eleven o'clock, and we're almost done. This year we'll finish the harvest in record time, so we could dedicate more time to the maintenance of the roof!"

Her brother nodded solemnly, and together they watched their home.

Not much time was passed since they had their new farmhouse, after that, by mistake, Applejack had caused the destruction of the old one. There was still something extraneous, something unfamiliar about that barn, but anyway, it was a place that smelled like home, perhaps because it was identical to the original, or maybe because it was built by their entire family, with love and dedication. And those feelings were radiating from those walls, giving a sense of belonging and peace to the two Apples. The red walls, the purple roof tiles, the apple shaped weather-vane on the top.... Yes, that was definitely a home which was worth all their work and all their sweat. The house of the Apple family.

"Isn't the most beautiful house in the world?" said Applejack, "And think that once I wanted to leave all this and go live in city! I just had to be an immature girl, isn't it?"

His brother chose to not answer, but still gave her a pat on her back with his hoof, and smiled encouragingly to her. The two siblings exchanged a complicit gaze and then burst into laughter.

"Yes, I suppose that was an 'Eeyup'," she said amidst the laughter, "but my sweet big bro didn't mean to say in face of her little sis that she was a naive little girl. You're such a sweetheart! Where can I find another brother like you? I guess nowhere! Uh, here we are. Now carefull, because the door is a little tight!"

Calmly, he turned, along with the wagon, and then, walking backwards, slowly brought it into the barn. Then Applejack lowered the tail board, while Big McIntosh cocked the carriage by lifting the tugs, sliding down the burden, which went to pile up at the foot of the mountain of corn already present in the granary.

"Hoo-wee, this is a beautiful little bit of corn, big bro!" she cried enthusiastically, "This winter we won't have problems, even if the Cider Season goes wrong! Now what's next? Oh, yeah, the roof! Now I'll get the ladder and tools, and you'll see that the roof will be as good as new. We'll make a wonderful surprise to Granny then she returns from her trip to visit Apple Rose!"

"I'll do it!"

Applejack looked at her brother curiously, who was already holding the toolbox by the teeth with self-confident air.

"Are you sure?" she asked, "I mean, I know you'd be perfectly able to do that, but in two we would do much more quickly! And anyway, as you'll be fixin' the roof I would not know what to do!"

"You could go get Winona from Fluttershy, and then hang out a little with her. You could take the day off, for once!" he replied, while checking the various tools in the box.

She was about to reply, but then he stopped and began to think about that. And then she finally said "You know what? It's not a bad idea at all! After all, it's been a while since I spent a bit of time with my friends just for the sake of stayin' together! I think that I'll follow your advice, big bro! Just remember to go get Applebloom after the end of classes, okay?"

"Don't worry. I'll take care of everything, sis! Just think to have fun!" he said with air of assurance.

"Well, see you later then, bro. Bye!" she said, heading for the exit, but then suddenly stopped, and turned to look mischievously at his brother.

"Oooooh, now I get your diabolical plan. You wanted to make sure you're goin' to get Applebloom from school, so you'll have an opportunity to see her! Isn't it, loverboy?"

The effect was instantaneous. His fur, which was already red, blushed even further, while an extremely embarrassed expression appeared on his face.

"I-I do-don't know what are you talkin' about!" he stammered, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Gotcha, bro!" she said chuckling, "Only on three occasions you're so talkative: when you're angry, when you're worried about somepony, and when you think about your sweet Cheerilee! I don't know how I didn't get it before!"

As soon as she said 'Cheerilee', he became almost purple for the embarrassment, but then she gave him a vigorous pat on his back and said, "Don't worry, Big Mac! With me you can leave your tough attitude, and also be sentimental! With me your secret is in good hooves! Now go and get yourself nice! Cheerilee will never go out with a dirty and sweaty workhorse! She do have some standards, you know?"

After the last sentence, she burst out laughing. His laughter quickly drove away the embarrassment and concerns of his brother, and soon also him began to laugh. A joyful and liberating laugh. At the end, he sweetly looked at her sister and said, "Where can I find another sister like you? I guess nowhere!"

"You betcha, big bro!" Applejack replied, as she headed toward the door, "Now go get nice! I go get Winona, okay? See you later, namby-pamby-dandy!"

"See you later, AJ!" he called after her.

Applejack, as soon she came out of the barn, headed in the direction of Fluttershy's cottage, as he said to herself, "And think that until two years ago he was afraid to talk with mares! Ah, young love....."





"It's you again, right?"

The one who had spoken that way was Swift Swap, addressed to to that obnoxious white rabbit,  that his host had called with the name of Angel, and that since he was lying in bed, had not done anything but making noises of any kind, denying him any possibility of falling asleep.

He turned over, in order to look into the face the pestiferous animal, that was giggling, all pleased with the success of his disruptive action.

Annoyed, he said "Listen, I know you don't like me, and to be honest, even I don't like you so much! But even if I don't like you, I am willing to accept you anyway! Why can't you do the same? If you want some excuses for the fright, I thought that I had already apologized with you, as well as all the other critters! But still, I apologize. I didn't know that this was your owner's house!"

In response, the rabbit stuck out his tongue, jumped on the bed and started jumping all over the place with force, shaking the mattress as in an earthquake.

"Ok, I get it. You are still angry with me," Swift Swap sighed, "But nevertheless I'll leave tomorrow morning, and you won't see me again! Then, why you don't let me rest for a few hours, so that tomorrow I can get away? Is nearly an hour that you keep me awake, and I haven't complained!"

But Angel, instead of getting out of bed, jumped on his head and began to beat with his paw against his forehead, 
with a ruthless expression.

"Ow!-Ouch!-Ahi!-Urgh!-Ouch! Fine! Fine! You win! You win! I get up!"

Resigned, he got out of bed. At that point the rabbit stopped beating him, and assumed an air of triumph, as if he had won a battle.

"And think that your mistress is so affable," Swift Swap said, trying to look at the critter perched on his head, "I swear if it weren't for the kindness she has shown me, you should have to reckon with me!"

Angel gave him a final blow on the head, then jumped down and headed toward the stairs. The unicorn looked at him bothered, but then yawned and looked back with regret at the soft bed from which he had just stepped off.

"Well, I think I'll have to look for another place to crash. I hope that Fluttershy didn't take it too badly. She is so a caring and loving pony! I would hate to give her a displeasure. I don't feel even to tell her that is because of the rabbit if I couldn't sleep! After all, it's not her fault if he hates me!"

Said this, he began to descend the stairs. The dog that accompanied Fluttershy when they met was crouched at the bottom of the stairs, but when she saw him she barked to greet him, while other animals wandering around stopped and watched at him with curiosity.

He looked around, but didn't see the hostess. So he began to call, "Fluttershy? Hello? I'm sorry I had to leave, but there must be something wrong with your mattress! I don't know why, but there's no way I can fall asleep on your bed! My back must be too delicate for your mattress! Hello? Are you at home?"

But no one answered. He looked around again, and saw that one of the many squirrels that were in the house had stopped at his feet. The  little animal began to make various gestures, pointing to the front door repeatedly, and smoothing his tail to make it look like the one of its owner.

"Are you trying to tell me she's out?" Swift Swap asked.

The squirrel nodded. He looked around one last time and then said, "Well, I guess it's better that way. I have less explaining to do and more time to find a quiet place. But wait, I can't leave without at least leave a note. No, a note is not enough. I decided that I'll wait for her return before I leave. After all she has done for me, the least I can give her is some explanations. However, I think maybe I'll wait just outside the door, so I'll see her arrive- Woah!"

His sudden interruption was due to the appearance on the threshold of an orange earth pony, with blonde mane and tail, both tied-up by a rubber band, and a brown cowboy hat on her head.  Her deep green eyes looked at him with suspicion and distrust.

"Who in the hay are you, and what are you doin' in Fluttershy's cottage?" she said, with a a gritty but still feminine
voice.

Under her inquisitorial gaze, he stepped back, confused by the situation. She followed him, looking at him awry, and she seemed to want to say more when her look was suddenly distracted by the arrival of the dog who had previously greeted Swift Swap. The dog roamed her around a couple of times, happily barking and wagging her tail, then lay on her back at her feet.

Temporarily forgetting about him, she affectionately scratched the dog's belly while saying, "Uh, did you miss me, Winona? How are the most wonderful puppy in the world?"

Winona responded with enthusiasm to those cuddles wildly wagging his tail. The pony continued to scratch her for a while, then go back to look at Swift Swap with suspicion.

"Don't think that I've finished with you!" she said, "I've never seen you around, and you still owe me an explanation on why you are here! Aren't you a robber, right?"

Under that accusation, he retreated further, more and more agitated, while defending himself by saying, "No! I assure you that I'm not a thief. The hostess, Fluttershy, invited me to stay here today and I accepted. Now she's out and I don't know where, but please, you have to believe me. I wasn't doing anything bad. I swear!"

She looked at him unconvinced, but then Winona approached Swift Swap and licked his face. Then sat down at his feet, and let him caress her.

In front of that tender demonstration of trust and affection, the mare abandoned her aggressive attitude, then she came up and began to fondle in turn Winona on her head.

"That's incredible!" started to say her, "It seems that she believe you! And you know what, she has a kind of special talent to recognize good ponies. It's like she can understood the mind of a pony by the smell, or something like that! When she says that somepony is trustworthy, it is for real, at least so far! But anyway, I've never seen her so affectionate with somepony who wasn't me, or one of my family, of Fluttershy! She really seems to like you!"

"Well," he said, happy that the atmosphere was less confrontational now "what can I say, I'm happy to please her."

"Yeah, I'm happy too," she said, taking off her hat, "Listen, I'm sorry if I mugged you before. It's just that findin' a stranger in the house of a friend of yours as long as she's not there is a bit suspicious. You know what I mean?"

"Don't worry," he replied, "it's a perfectly understandable mistake! And in any case, yes, I totally understand what you mean! In fact, I have been robbed more than two weeks ago. They took me off the whole saddlebag with all my belongings and my money during my Transatlandic crossing to Baltimare..."

"What?" she interrupted, "You have been completely ripped off? And I was here saying that you were the thief? Ah, silly me! Not only I've wrongly accused you, but I've also brought back bad memories at you! I'm just an idiot!"

"Don't say that, it's all right! It's not your fault!" he consoled her, "Isn't your fault if I was robbed. Rather, just to change the subject, I understand that this is your dog. Winona, if I'm not mistaking!"

"Yup!" she answered, taking hearth and putting his hat back "She's mine. I'm Applejack, by the way!"

"Swift Swap, at your service."

For a while the two of them simply stood there, looking at each other and stroking the dog, both happy for the resolved misunderstanding.  Was at that point that Fluttershy crossed the threshold, carrying a bag with the mouth.

"I'm back, sweetie!" she said, muffled due the bag, "I bought the tea, so now we can prepare it for when Swift Swap wakes up. Oh, you're already awake, Swift Swap. Oh, Applejack, are you also here? I thought you'd come in about an hour!"

"Hi, Fluttershy!" they said as one. Then he added "If you're going to make some tea, go ahead, because I think that I have quite a few things to tell, and it's easier to talk when you can also drink something!"





While Fluttershy was preparing the tea, Swift Swap first tell to Applejack of how he met Fluttershy, and then to Fluttershy of how he met Applejack. Then the pegasus explained to the other two that she was out because in her pantry there was no longer even a tea bag, and she wanted to prepare a bit for his guest, so she had to go to the market to buy some. To himself, he said that probably that was why she had not noticed all the noise made ​​by the rabbit. However, he decided not to complain about it. Finally, Applejack said that she was ahead in the maize harvest, and decided to come early to take Winona. She didn't mention in any way of his brother date.  Instead, she asked as the veterinary check went, and Fluttershy replied that it was all right.

Finally, she brought the boiling teapot on the table, along with three cups, a pitcher of milk, a bowl full of sugar cubes and a tray of cookies. Applejack was the first to help herself, taking a cookie and making it disappear in her mouth. Swift Swap instead lifted his cup and the teapot with the levitation and poured himself the tea. Then added two lumps of sugar and brought the cup to his lips.

"Uhm, is great!" he said, laying down his cup "Anyhow, thanks again for your hospitality. I can assure you that I've never met someone more kind!"

"Yup!" Applejack said, with her mouth still full of biscuit, "I guarantee you won't encounter anypony as kind as our Fluttershy! She's the most thoughtful pony of Equestria!"

At those words, Fluttershy blushed deeply, and said, "Gosh, don't say so! You make me red!"

"Not only of Equestria, if you ask me!" he added instead, "Even though I'm from the old continent, I assure you that there are very few that have been so kind to me!"

"The old continent?" the mares asked in unison, confused.

By their confused looks, he realized that they didn't know what he was talking about. At that point added, "I'm from Euhock. You don't know where it is, right?"

The two mares shook their heads together.

"Well, fine. Do you have an atlas, or a globe?"

Fluttershy shook.

"Do you have at least a piece of paper and a pencil?"

"Oh, yes!" Fluttershy exclaimed, "just a moment and I'm going to take them!"

She rose in the air and rushed into the other room. Then she returned a few moments later, carrying between the hooves a sheet of paper and some coloured markers.

"Here you go!" she said, while depositing all on the table, "I always make good supply of paper and marker pens for when I have to do foalsitting!"

"These will do fine!" he said smiling at her. Then he assumed a concentrated expression, and then, maneuvering the marker with the magic, he began to draw a very vast and complicated pattern, full of great and strange figures. Applejack and Fluttershy watched him as he proceeded in the complicated drawing, at their still incomprehensible.

In the end, he looked at the result, rather satisfied, and said, "Ladies, this is a world map!"

The two mares watched, fascinated, the intricate and bizarre drawing. Fluttershy then asked, "Is this really the map of our planet? I've never seen one!"

"To be honest, it's pretty approximate!" he said embarrassed, "But in the end, it serves only to give you a concept! Now, this," he added, while pointing a picture in the upper left of the drawing, "It's North Amerump, one of many continents that make up the world. With South Amerump, " and he pointed the figure that was below the first one, "it composes the Amerumps, or New World. In the central part of North Amerump, occupying the majority of it, there is Equestria. Now, these other continents," and he indicated a shape in the middle-right of the map, "are the Euhock and the Masia, the first on the west, the second on the middle-east. They are separated from the Amerumps by the Atlandic Ocean. "and he pointed the empty space between the two figures, "There are four other continents, but it's not important for the moment. Everything you need to know is that I come from here," and finally, he indicated a very tiny protrusion on the lower part of the 'Euhock', "from Ponytalia, a small state that is part of the Euhock. To be more exact, I come from the county of Chipados, here in the north-east of the peninsula. Is a rather large county, with more or less than nine hundred thousand inhabitants."

At that point, he lifted his head and saw that the other two were looking at him rather confused and disoriented, like a couple of children watch an adult intent to explain them molecular chemistry.

"Huh, ok, maybe I went a little too fast." he said, a little disappointed by the outcome of his explanation, "Maybe now I'll try to explain it again."

"No! We get it!" Applejack interrupted him, "It's just that nopony never explained me geography this way!"

"It's true!" Fluttershy intervened, "I must say that you know a lot of things about it. For a moment you seemed to me like a good friend of mine. A studious, diligent and polite pony. I'm sure you'd love to meet her!"

Abruptly abashed by all those compliments, Swift Swap replied, "Oh, come on! It's not a big deal! I'm not as smart as you say. And anyway, if you didn't know the basics of geography, what kind of ambassador I would be?"

"Ah, then you're an ambassador!" Applejack said, more and more interested "I've never met one. How it is to be one?"

"Well, in a nutshell, an ambassador refers the wills of his lord in other countries. I have travelled extensively through Euhock on behalf of the Count of Chipados. But actually, it's the first time that I leave my continent. But nevertheless, the duty called me! The Count had an important and secret message for your Princess Celestia, and I was tasked to deliver it."

"I see," Fluttershy said, "so that's why you come here! How was your trip?"

"So, first I traveled up to Cabarcellona, here" and he and he pointed on the map to a location on the extreme west of Euhock, "There, I embarked for Baltimare, and once there, I planned to take the train to Canterlot. But unfortunately, during the journey to Baltimare, I was stripped, just as I already told you, Applejack. Luckily, for safety reasons, in our country the important messages are always delivered orally by the ambassador, to prevent the message from falling into the wrong hooves. So, without money, and having to do it quickly, I had to get here on hoof, and in order to shorten the trip of at least five days, I had to pass through the Everfree Forest. Got here, I was hoping to be able to stand for a day and then leave, now that I'm almost in sight of the goal."

"Wow!" Fluttershy said admired, "What an incredible story! And think that I hardly moved from Ponyville, while you've crossed the oceans. I've never seen the ocean."

"It's magnificent!" he said, with a poetic tone, "It's like watching a sky under the sky. When the ship was in the open sea, you could pretend that it was being raised into the air and hovered above the clouds. And the sunset, it's like watching two Suns kissing."

"It looks great, I'd love to see it!" Applejack said "However, I gather that you're stayin' here just for today, right?

"Yes!" Swift Swap replied, "And frankly, I would spend this day sleeping. Fluttershy has already lent her bed to me, but for some strange reason I can't sleep in it. I don't know, maybe it's because we're still so close to the forest, and it makes me think back to those two nightmarish nights that I've spent inside it."

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Fluttershy started to say, "I didn't know it was so hard for you, if I had known...."

"It's not your fault if you live here!" he interrupted, "It doesn't matter. I'll find another place to rest. Not a problem!"

"Well," Applejack intervened, "if you want to sit, in my barn there's a lot of free space. I am sure that we'll find an accommodation for you too!"

"That looks great!" he exclaimed, happy "Maybe later you could take me there. It would be an honour to be hosted by you!"

"Is the least I can do after I've falsely accused you. And anyway, Fluttershy's friends are also my friends, and I always help my friends!"

The three shared a smile when suddenly there was a knock, and a voice called "Fluttershy? Are you home?"

At that voice, the smiles of Applejack and Fluttershy widened, while on their face an expression of pure joy appeared. Swift Swap instead suddenly turned pale, and tried to be as small as possible, while whispering, "No, not her!"

Fluttershy giggled and said, "It's open! Come on in, Pinkie Pie!"