Chapter 3
Twilight looked around. Everypony was having a great time celebrating the marriage of the newly weds. "Where are Cranky and Matilda?" she wondered. "I still need to congratulate them." Before she could even begin to look, her ear drum was assaulted by a loud high pitch voice coming from her right.
"Twilight! Over here!" Pinkie Pie shouted enthusiastically.
Twilight turned to see her pink overly enthused friend running towards her.
Pinkie Pie jumped up and did a cartwheel before landing back on all fours. "Twilight, Twilight," she said. "You have to meet my friend Switchback. Just promise me you wont freak out, though."
"Okay," Twilight said slowly in confusion. "Why would I freak ou-..." She stopped at seeing a changeling in front of her. Her mouth didn't hang open as much as Switchback expected, but he could still read the confusion on her face. He could also taste it. It was one of the few emotions that no changeling could really describe. It was confusion after all.
"Um... hi," Switchback said with a nervous smile. "It's nice to meet you."
Twilight recovered from her confusion relatively quickly and looked at Pinkie. "This isn't a joke is it?"
"Of course not silly," Pinkie replied. "Switchback is my best changeling friend." She moved beside him and put a hoof around the back of his neck. "He's been living in Ponyville for two years now, hiding in his house, but I'm helping him make some friends."
Twilight squinted at the changeling carefully, observing him. He was interesting. An insectoid creature that had the wings of a bug and a horn similar to that of a unicorn. He could use his magic to shape shift as well. She found the holes in his legs especially intriguing. "How curious," Twilight said to nopony in particular. She had always wanted to study the changeling race, but never got the chance to because of recent hostilities.
Twilight brought herself back from her deep thought, only to notice that she was holding his hoof in hers, looking at the pores in his hooves. She looked up at him after letting it go. "So, you're here to make friends?" she asked.
"Uh, yeah," he replied. "Pinkie actually invited me. I wouldn't have even known that there was a wedding if it wasn't for her."
Twilight thought about his answer as she inspected him again. "So what were you doing here in Ponyville in the first place?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "Surely there's a reason you've been living here for so long." She squinted at him, this time with a mild amount of preeminent anger.
"Uh, It's not what you think," Switchback said defensively as he backed up a little. "I... um... I came here because I wanted to get away from the hive."
"Wait, what?" Twilight thought she had him. She expected a lie of some sort from him, but nothing like this.
"Yeah," Switchback replied. "Ever since the famine started a few years ago, things have been pretty tense there. So, I left. I was going to try and seek aid, but then Chrysalis lead an invasion on Canterlot, so I figured that was out of the question. I've been living here ever since."
"So, you had nothing to do with that," Twilight said. As she spoke, she couldn't help but just keep staring at him. He was a very interesting creature.
"Right," Switchback said "I left because I didn't want to hunt ponies and suck them dry like we were being forced to do. I came here because Ponyville is a small town and easy to hide in. Not a lot of guards either."
It was all starting to make sense to Twilight now. The side of her that was still cautious and somewhat angry over the whole Canterlot mess was telling her to mistrust this changeling and to keep an eye on him. Her logical side that made most of her decisions, especially the important ones, was telling her to calm down a little and take his word. He was a friend of Pinkie's after all. "Alright then. Welcome to Ponyville." She hesitated for a second. There was something she wanted to ask him, but she didn't know if it would be appropriate at this time. "Can I ask you something?" Twilight finally said after a quick thought.
"Yeah, sure," Switchback answered. "Ask me anything."
Shining Armor stared an evil glare across the dance floor and just over the punch bowl table in the direction of a few ponies having what appeared to be a normal conversation, at least, most of them were normal ponies. He growled softly to himself.
"Is something wrong Shining?" Cadence asked worriedly.
"Yeah," Shining replied without taking his eyes off his target that to him had big red flashing letters above it that said 'DESTROY.' "One of those things is here."
"One of what things?" Cadence asked, not sure what her husband was talking about.
Shining Armor pulled his wife close to him and pointed out the changeling that was only thirty yards away. "Must kill," he said robotically.
"I don't know, Shining," Cadence said. "He doesn't look like he's causing any harm. I think he's just here to enjoy the wedding. Can't you just leave him alone."
"No, absolutely not," Shining responded. "That thing, that monster needs to be taught a lesson."
"You know that you're kind of being racist, right?" Cadence replied with a worried expression. "Just because he's a changeling doesn't mean that he's a monster."
"Racist?" Shining Armor repeated. "Racist? This isn't racism. It's righteous anger. There's a difference you know."
"Yeah, just like there's a difference between crying and liquid pride," Cadence retorted sarcastically.
"There is," Shining argued.
"So which one was it before and during the ceremony?"
"Neither. It was fluidic joy."
Cadence rolled her eyes. "Right," she said before looking back over where the changeling was standing. "Well it seems to me like he's just fine the way he is. Twilight sure looks like he's enjoying his company."
Shining Armor froze. He had been so focused on the changeling and lining "it" up in his crosshairs, that he didn't even notice that Twilight, his little sister, was standing right there next to "it." He gasped loudly before taking off. He sped across the dance floor, managing to not knock anypony over, and leaped over the punch bowl table in a single bound. "You!" he said furiously. He stopped and gave the now worried looking changeling who had noticed him a death glare. "Get over here!"
"Oh crud, oh crud, oh crud," Switchback said aloud. Now he had done it. The captain of the royal guard was after him.
Shining Armor enveloped the hilt of his sword in his magic and drew it. The only problem was that there was no sword, and he now looked like an idiot as the ball of his aura hovered in front of him. "Darn it," he said. "I knew I should have brought my sword."
"I'm glad you didn't," Switchback said as he covered his head with his hooves, preparing himself for the beating of a lifetime.
"Quiet you," Shining Armor barked back. He looked around and picked up a stick that had conveniently fallen from a nearby tree two days ago just for this moment. That sad little stick was now about to find purpose in life once again. "This will do," Shining said before he started making his advance.
"Please don't hit me," Switchback pleaded.
Fortunately for him, Switchback had Pinkie on his side. She jumped in between the two and held out here hooves to protect her changeling friend. "Stop," she said. "Please?"
Shining Armor halted, but only by his own will for a few seconds before a purple magical aura, belonging to a certain alicorn grabbed him by the ear and dragged him away. "Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch," he complained as his hooves skidded across the ground toward his little sister, who disappeared around a corner with him following.
"Sorry about that," Cadence said as she stepped forward. "He still hasn't gotten over what happened before our wedding."
"That's alright princess," Switchback replied as he felt his heart slow back down to a normal rate. "I understand. I probably wouldn't be happy to see me either if I was him."
"I tried to talk him out of it," Cadence explained. "But once he goes into kill mode, he can be hard to persuade."
After the apology, formal introductions proceeded in a civilized manner that would have made the warrior in Shining Armor sick to his stomach. Cadence was very understanding and welcomed Switchback to Ponyville, even though he wasn't new anymore. As they talked, it became very clear to Cadence that she was right. Not all changelings are monsters. Switchback even apologized for the whole wedding fiasco in Canterlot, even though he had nothing to do with it in the first place.
Just then, Twilight returned with a Shining Armor who wore an unamused expression as he held his head low and stared straight ahead. The two stood silently before the alicorn, earth pony, and changeling who all looked at them, waiting for something to happen. Finally, Twilight punched her BBBFF in the shoulder blade and then jerked her head to the side, motioning toward Switchback.
Shining Armor huffed loudly, then looked back at Switchback who stood there squeamishly, preparing himself to fly away if he needed to flee. "I'm sorry that I yelled, and attacked you like I did. I beg for your forgiveness and hope for a future where we can be friends." He forced a smile.
"See," Twilight said. "Was that so hard."
Shining Armor kept staring at the changeling with his forced smile that began to seem less and less genuine as each second passed.
"Well, thanks," Switchback replied somewhat uncomfortably. "I know it must be hard for you to trust me. I really am sorry about your wedding."
Shining Armor, not wanting to stick around the changeling anymore, excused himself to go to the punch bowl. Before he left though, he gave Switchback a squinting glance that conveyed the message, 'I have my eyes on you.' He then backed up slowly.
"I'll talk to him about this," Cadence said as she too took her leave. "It was nice meeting you."
After Cadence left, Switchback looked back at Twilight to continue their conversation. "So what was it that you wanted to ask me before all of..." He looked around, trying to find the right word. "Whatever that just was?"
"Oh, right," Twilight said as her original thought popped out of the file cabinet that she kept in her head. "I was just wondering if I could study you."
"Study me?" Switchback said confused.
"Yeah," Twilight confirmed. "Not a lot of ponies have ever had the chance due to tension between our species, but since you aren't here to attack anypony, I was hoping you would let me study you. Not right now of course. I would love to have you over to the castle sometime, though... that is, if you're interested.
Switchback thought about this for a few seconds. "If by study, you mean ask me some questions, then of course. I'd be happy to come over sometime."
Twilight smiled enthusiastically. "Oh thank you! This will be great."
As Twilight danced around excitedly in front of him, Switchback began to sense a confusion mixed with fear radiating from behind him. He turned around to see who was causing these emotions only to see Pinkie again, who had slipped away and returned with four mares, three of which just stared at him in bewilderment. The fourth hid behind the others nervously. She must have been the source of fear.
"Well, go ahead," Pinkie Pie said. "Introduce yourselves.
"Are you nuts, Pinkie Pie?" one of the mares asked angrily. She was orange and wore an old Stetson hat. "You should know better than to bring a changeling here."
"Yeah," the rainbow mane pegasus in the middle agreed. "What made you think he can be trusted?" She shot a look at Switchback that made him uncomfortable.
"Because silly," Pinkie replied to Rainbow Dash, giving her a boop on the nose and giggling slightly. "He's my best changeling friend. Duh."
"Heavens dear," Rarity said in worry. "Are you sure that being friends with such a... a... creature is a good idea. The affects on your health could be disastrous. What if he gets hungry."
"Um... we don't eat ponies," Switchback said from behind Pinkie. "It's nice to meet you too, by the way."
"It can talk?!" Rarity exclaimed in astonishment.
Switchback made a confused face. He had been called an "it," been mistrusted, nearly attacked and killed, but somepony being surprised that he could talk was a first. "Yeah, I can talk," he answered. "And I'm a he, not an it. Also, I don't really get why ponies think I'm some kind of monster. I do live off of love after all."
"It does kind of make sense when you put it that way," Fluttershy piped up from behind the group that looked dumbfounded. "Um... maybe we should um... give him a chance."
"Are you crazy, Fluttershy?" Rainbow exclaimed. "It's one of those things that attacked Canterlot and nearly ruined the royal wedding."
"Again, I'm a he," Switchback interrupted. "Not an it. Also, I moved to Ponyville before that attack, so I pretty much had nothing to do with it."
Everypony but Pinkie and Twilight looked at him again in confusion.
"Did you know about this, Pinkie Pie," Apple Jack asked.
"Well of course I did," she replied. "I know everypony in Ponyville remember. Switchback has been living here for around two years, although I didn't know he was a changeling until a few months ago."
"And you didn't tell any of us?!" Rainbow Dash complained. "What were you thinking?!"
"Well, when I found out, I nearly freaked out," Pinkie Pie explained. "But one conversation later I ended up making a Pinkie promise that I wouldn't tell anypony that he was a changeling."
"You still ought to have told us," Apple Jack criticized.
"What?!" Pinkie exclaimed. "And break a Pinkie promise? I could never do that."
"Pinkie, darling. We're just trying to look out for you, that's all."
"I'm not dangerous," Switchback reminded. "I just came out to make some friends. Is that to much to ask?"
"No, not at all," Fluttershy began. "I think..." she was cut off by Apple Jack.
"Why? So you could lure them into a false sense of security and then drain them of all their love."
"He could be telling the..." Fluttershy tried to speak but was interrupted again, this time by Rainbow Dash, who flew just above the others with her forelegs crossed. She glared down at Switchback.
"Yeah, who says you didn't plan on sucking Pinkie dry?"
"I've known her for two years," Switchback answered. "If I was going to drain her, don't you think I would have done it by now?"
"Well... yeah, but..." Rainbow Dash thought about this for a second. She had to admit that this made sense. She wasn't going to admit it though. For what other reason would a changeling want to come to Ponyville? "Alright," she said abruptly, still hovering above the others. "Why did you come here then?"
"To get away from the hive mostly," Switchback began to explain. "Like I told Twilight only a few minutes ago and Pinkie when we first met, the hive was in a state of chaos. Everypony was fighting because of starvation. I came to Ponyville hoping to eventually be accepted into its society and maybe even find aid. Then there was the invasion that ruined any chances of that. Chrysalis pretty much has everything under military governance now."
"You really expect us to believe that?" Apple Jack asked getting closer to the changeling.
Rainbow Dash also made a bit of an advance. "Yeah. You really think that we're dumb enough to believe some sob story? I bet you're just here as a spy."
Switchback began to retreat slowly as the two mares pushed toward him with their accusing glares.
"Now girls, please calm down," Rarity pleaded. "He could be telling the truth. The poor thing must have been desperate. We cant hold something against him just because he's different."
Switchback felt a little comfort when Rarity said this. He was glad that there were even more ponies willing to look passed his appearance on the outside. He was still a little scared of the two mares in front of him who seemed to be growing more and more hostile toward him. Before they could do anything that would make him regret coming here, a soft but firm voice spoke up.
"Apple Jack, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said in an upset tone. "You should be ashamed of yourselves. Picking on somepony and judging them based on your own prejudices."
"Oh come on Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash complained. "Not you too."
"No, Rarity has the right idea." Fluttershy's voice, although soft and delicate, spoke with a just harshness that could make anypony take heed of her words. "It isn't fair that you don't even give him a chance."
Apple Jack sighed. "She's right RD. It wasn't right of us to do that."
"What?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "You got to be kidding me."
"Rainbow Dash, don't you remember what happened with Discord?" Twilight reminded. "Fluttershy showed him kindness to become his friend. Giving Switchback a chance could lead to him becoming our friend as well."
"Yeah, but Discord betrayed us and almost destroyed Equestria when Tirek returned. Remember? Who's to say that Queen Chrysalis wont show up and use him to get to us."
"I don't even like Chrysalis though," Switchback said. "She was never very nice and is forcing us to steal love. That's why I left."
"Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy addressed her friend as she stepped forward. "We still have to give him a chance. It wouldn't be fair otherwise."
Rainbow Dash sighed loudly after thinking back to how things ultimately turned out with Discord. Sure there were some bumps, but things were okay in the end. This changeling supposedly didn't even need to be reformed. She could find it within her to give him a chance. Beside, how many ponies could honestly say that they were friends with a changeling. "Alright," she said. "I'll give him a chance."
Fluttershy walked up to Switchback and held out a hoof. "I know it may be hard for you here, but I want you to know that we'd love to be your friends."
Switchback returned the gesture, placing his hoof against Fluttershy's giving her a thankful smile. "Thank you," he said. "Thank you a lot." He looked back at the rest of the group that had gathered around him. "So, what now?"
"NOW WE PARTY!!!!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed ecstatically.
And party they did. Dancing and mingling followed and soon Switchback found himself not only meeting and talking to many different citizens of Ponyville, but actually being accepted by them, including Matilda and Cranky who were in too good of moods to even question him. The young fillies and colts that he had met during the wedding found him again and brought even more of their friends and even some of their parents.
Switchback was glad to share everything he knew about his species with everypony who was curious. At one point, he was confronted by Bun Bun and one of her friends who seemed a little too excited to see him.
"So you can like, change your form right?" the minty colored unicorn asked with a hopeful expression.
"Well of course," Switchback answered, changing into the crimson unicorn that he had used as a disguise for so long.
"Awesome!" the mare exclaimed in utter joy. "So can you change into things that aren't ponies? Like, creatures that don't have hooves."
"Oh boy," Bun Bun said. "Here we go again." She didn't seem to enthused about the topic for some reason.
"Switchback paused for a second. He had never thought about this before. "You mean like, a gryphon?"
"Yeah, like a gryphon. Only I was thinking more along the lines of something like a minotaur. They have these amazing things called hands on their upper limbs. I've always dreamed of having some."
"I'm sorry about this Switchback," Bun Bun said uncomfortably. "Ever since this minotaur named Iron Will visited Ponyville, Lyra here has had a bit of an obsession."
"Oh it's no trouble," Switchback assured. "I'm happy to answer almost anything." He turned back to Lyra who stared at him with a raging curiosity that he had only seen in small hatchlings discovering their magic for the first time. "As for your question, it really depends on the changeling. The queen is capable of becoming different species, but it takes a lot of energy. Bipedal creatures are even harder and I doubt that she would be able to mimic them perfectly. As for gryphons, that's an easier one. I could probably pull it off, but it would most likely leave me sore and exhausted. Also it might cause permanent damage."
"So you're saying that there is a way to obtain hands," Lyra said quickly without missing a beat."
"If you have really strong changeling magic, then... um, yeah, I suppose so," Switchback said nervously. There was something seriously wrong with this pony.
"Uh, Lyra," Bun Bun said, trying to grab her friends attention. "You're kind of getting creepy... again."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Lyra said rapidly, waving Bun Bun off. "I'll be fine Bon Bon."
Switchback made a mental note to himself that her name was Bon Bon, not Bun Bun. He didn't know how he got that confused, but was glad that it was cleared up before he embarrassed himself. Before he could even give this another thought, he was barraged by more questions from Lyra who began leaning in really close to Switchback.
"Is there a way to get changeling magic? Can it be caught in a bottle? Or can you just give it to me? What is..." She was cut off by Bon Bon, who grabbed her and pulled her away.
"Excuse us for a moment," Bon Bon said, after noticing that Switchback was a bit off balance.
"I have to know!" Lyra cried from behind Bon Bon, struggling to make her way back to Switchback.
"Ooooookaaaaaay," said Switchback, who was now thoroughly weirded out.
Bon Bon had to think fast as Lyra began to make a scene, but thankfully, cake was now being cut. Everypony could smell it and wanted a piece. Even Switchback wanted to try it. He had never had cake before. He imagined it being very cold and crisp, like a fresh head of lettuce, only a bit softer. He didn't know why he imagined it to be like that.
"Oh boy!" Pinkie Pie said as she bounced up and down happily to Switchback's right. "It's time for the cake!"
Switchback leaned over to Pinkie Pie. "So, what exactly does cake taste like?" he asked.
Pinkie Pie immediately stopped jumping around and gave Switchback the most serious look that he had ever seen her give anypony. Her mouth literally dropped to the floor. "Are you saying that you've never had cake before?!" she asked in a panicked tone as she squished his cheeks together with her hooves and pulled him in, pressing her muzzle right up to his and staring him straight in his still purple eyes.
"Um... yesh," Switchback managed to say.
Pinkie Pie inhaled loudly without letting go of Switchback. "This is terrible. I have to get you a piece of cake right away!"
Switchback rubbed his jaw after Pinkie let go. She had really strong grip. When he looked back at her, somehow she was wearing a camouflaged headband and bandolier of tootsie rolls and had a black line under each of her eyes. She squinted and wore an even more serious face than before as she targeted the table with the cake that was being cut and distributed.
"Initiating Operation Cake for Changeling." She squatted down. Her joints made a noise that would accompany hydraulics as she did this.
Switchback held out his hooves and grabbed Pinkie. "Hold on," he said. "We can just walk over there like normal ponies. No need to go all commando."
"If you say so," Pinkie responded before she began to happily trot to the table.
Switchback followed her until they were right up next to the large cake that had a quarter of it cut out of the side. It's sheer size was almost intimidating. He looked over to see a slice floating just within his reach. It was sitting on a small paper plate and was surrounded by a purple aura, the source of which was Twilight.
"Here you go," Twilight said.
"Get ready Twilight," Pinkie warned. "You are about to see Switchback experience his first piece of cake. ISN'T IT AMAZING!!!!"
Switchback took the cake in his magic and levitated a piece up in front of him, eyeing it curiously. Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie and Twilight looked at him hopefully, each dying from the anticipation. He opened his mouth and ate the piece of cake. It was soft and creamy.
Switchback smiled. "This is amazing."
"That's what I said!" Pinkie Pie replied.
"Glad to see you like it," Twilight said. "The Cakes really outdid themselves on this cake."
Switchback continued to eat the cake. How could he have never discovered this on his own. It was like eating a piece of a sugary cloud. There was something so wonderfully strange about this new food from heaven that he was eating. It made him feel really fuzzy on the inside. After eating the rest, he found that if he wasn't awake when his adrenaline was pumping during the wedding, then he sure was awake now.
"Um... are you okay?" Twilight asked in a worried tone.
"OhI'mjustgreat," Switchback said rapidly. He changed into an orange pegasus and flew up above Twilight. "Everythingiswonderful!" He changed into his usual unicorn disguise and dropped down to his hooves. "IfeellikeIcouldjustexplode."
Twilight backed up a little. She could tell something was wrong. "Calm down, Switchback. You're talking way to fast."
He quickly cycled between a few more forms before settling back into his pure form. "Noit's... alrightI'm... fine." He began to breath short, heavy breaths.
"Are you going to be okay?" Twilight asked worriedly, placing a hoof on his shoulder.
Switchback shook his head as he struggled to catch his breath. He fell back on his haunches and covered his abdomen with his hooves. His stomach then proceeded to make gurgling noise that could only mean one thing. "Oh no," he whispered.
Twilight noticed as Switchback visibly became several hues lighter until he was almost white. She rushed to his aid as quick as she could. "Breath, Switchback," she said, trying to help him. "Long calm breaths. In and out."
Switchback struggled to do this as he felt a hot burning sensation assault his throat. He placed a hoof over his mouth as his cheeks puffed up. He pushed Twilight back and hobbled on three legs to the nearest bush, leaned over it, and proceeded lose everything he had eaten over the last month or so. His species didn't eat much solid food, so for a changeling, puking was like resetting their entire digestive tract.
Twilight patted Switchback on the back as he vomited. "There you go, let it all out." She looked from side to side, hoping nopony would notice. Fortunately, everyone was too busy dancing or mingling to pay them any mind. She looked back down at him. "Better?" she asked.
"I think I'm going to stick to vege..." He was cut off by another wave.
Twilight continued to rub his smooth, furless back. She truly did find his exoskeleton interesting. How a creature could have one and so easily change into others fascinated her. She would have to do an in-depth analysis of it. She couldn't wait to begin drawing diagrams.
Switchback finished and collapsed onto the poor innocent shrub who's life had just been ruined. It was such a soft shrub. At the moment, it felt like he was resting on a cloud, which made him feel a lot better already. The pigment in his shell soon began to return and after a few more minutes he was back on his hooves. "Never again," he moaned.
"Yeah, something tells me that was the sugar," Twilight said.
"What makes you say that?" Switchback asked.
"Well you did seem to get really hyper just before things went south," Twilight explained. "Sugar might just be an energy source that's a little too foreign for your body at the moment."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you eat love, right? And love isn't a solid food. It's an emotion that you feed directly off of. Therefore your body is built to take in energy from the love you consume and not solids that you digest. I hypothesis that this new form of energy conflicted with your bodies normal functions and made you sick."
"Yeah, that sounds about right."
"Switchback cant have cake!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed frantically. "This is terrible! What a world!" She put her hoof on her forehead and fell backwards, only to be caught by her mane, which bounced her back onto her hooves.
Just then, Rainbow Dash flew by. "Oh hey everypony. Just a quick warning, somepony totally lost their lunch behind that bush over there." She pointed over to the miserable little shrub.
"Don't mention it," Switchback said, not wanting to remember what he had just done.
Dash looked at Switchback who seemed a little off and then glanced back at the shrub and then back at him. She put two and two together and realized just what he was talking about. She smirked a little, trying not to laugh. "Something go wrong?"
Switchback looked at her unamused. "Sugar," he said.
Dash didn't exactly know what he meant by that, but she didn't really care. After some more time, she eventually began to open up to Switchback and found that there really was friend in him. She didn't know it yet, but in the future she would eventually brag to ponies that she was best buds with the towns only changeling.
Switchback actually made a lot of friends that night. At the end of the night he looked around at everypony that he had met. It was a strange feeling for him, but a good one.
Eventually midnight came and only the late night partiers were left to enjoy the night. Switchback decided that it was time for him to go and said his goodbyes. A few ponies insisted on him staying longer, but to no avail. He was just to tired.
"Hey Pinkie Pie," Switchback said tiredly to his friend who had decided to walk home with him.
"Yeah?" she replied, curious to know what Switchback had to say.
"Thanks... for everything. I really enjoyed tonight."
Pinkie smiled at him. "No problem. It was great having you. I'm super glad you came."
Switchback smiled back. "Yeah, me too."
When Switchback made it back home, he sat down and looked out the window for some time. Things seemed so different now. To think that he had been afraid to go out and talk to anypony only a day earlier. It felt like Ponyville had some how changed, but also stayed the same. It was no longer a hiding place. It didn't feel like just a haven that he was having to sneak into. For the first time in his life, Ponyville felt like something more. To Switchback it felt like a home. And he was glad to call it that.