Mind Swap

by ravensky384

The Gangs All Here

"I wonder what's keeping them?" asked Mint Leaf.

The green unicorn flipped her light-blue mane out of her eyes and glanced at her companion, a red unicorn by the name of Firebrand. The two of them were good friends who lived in Canterlot, where Mint Leaf worked as an apprentice for a world famous chef, and Firebrand as a renowned musical composer. At the moment, they were waiting at the Canterlot train station for their other four friends, so they could all go to Ponyville for the Summer Sun Celebration.

In fact, Firebrand was supposed to perform there, at Princess Celestia’s request.
Though he would never admit it himself, it was clear to Mint that Firebrand was nervous about performing for all of those ponies. It certainly didn’t help that his very special somepony, Ink Rose, was in Manehattan competing in an art show, and wouldn't make it to Ponyville in time for the celebration. He had a lot on his mind.

Just then, a blue pegasus wearing glasses comes running up, his black mane rather unruly and windswept.
"Hey, sorry I'm late!” he puffed, coming to a halt. “I had a real brain-wave earlier, so I started writing before I forgot, and then, well, you know."
He looked sheepishly up at his friends. Mint and Firebrand just nodded, with knowing smiles on their faces. They both knew how Blazewing could get when he was in a writing mood; easily losing track of time. He was a pegasus, originally from Cloudsdale, but who now traveled all over Equestria searching for inspiration. He was a writer, and if he didn't tell you that himself, the typewriter on his flank made it a bit obvious.

For her part, Mint admired his kind-hearted dedication to others, and envied his wings. She loved being a unicorn, mind you, but Blaze could do more with his wings than just fly. He could wave, make gestures, and even type with them.

“It’s fine, Blaze,” said Mint, waving her hoof. “The others aren't here yet, either."

Firebrand just nodded his head, and a look of relief came over Blazewing's face.

"Oh, thank Celestia,” he breathed, “but, then, what’s keeping them?”

Firebrand shrugged his shoulders.

"We were kind of hoping you might know,” he said.

Blaze merely shook his head. Mint glanced at the station platform.
"The train will be here any minute," she said, sounding worried. “Where are they?”

“Now, Mint, don’t start getting worked up,” said Firebrand.

“Yeah,” said Blaze. “They’ll be here, don’t worry.”

It was of no avail, unfortunately. When Mint got worked up about something, it would take a miracle to stop her pacing and ranting, and she
was working herself into a frenzy now, as the two stallions watched pensively.

"What if something happened to them? What if they couldn't get off work? What if they’re sick? What if-”

Firebrand put his hoof up to her muzzle to shush her. Her cheeks puffed up briefly, but they shrank back again as she bit back her rant.
"I'm sure they’re fine,” said Blaze, comfortingly. “Everypony gets off work for the Summer Sun Celebration. It’s the kingdom’s biggest holiday, after all. It’d practically be a crime to keep anypony from coming!”

Mint giggled slightly at this, and Firebrand removed his hoof.
"Besides," he said, "Gregory’s a griffin, and Storm Cloud and Chocolate Gem are both pegasi. If the worst comes to it, they’ll just fly to Ponyville and meet us there. Simple as that.”

Mint thought for a minute, and gave them a weak smile.
"I suppose you’re right," she said.
She still looked slightly sad, though. After all, she had wanted them all to ride on the train together. It felt like the right thing for this circle of friends, but perhaps it just wasn't meant to be.

That is, until, with a rush of wings and clatter of hooves, paws, and talons, the very ponies and griffin she had been worrying about landed at their side. Mint’s face lit up with delight.
“See?” asked Blaze, grinning. “Told you they’d make it.”
"Hey, guys! What’s up?” asked Gregory.

Firebrand rolled his eyes.
"Oh, nothing,” he said, dryly, “Just waiting for you three for the past..."
He looked down at his wrist at an invisible watch.
"...Two hours."

“And I thought I’d been running late,” quipped Blaze.
Gregory opened his beak to speak, but thought better of it and closed it again. Chocolate Gem, looking rather nervous, said,
"It's my fault. They were helping me close up the shop."
Chocolate Gem was a chocolatier who owned her own candy shop in Canterlot. The three ponies just nodded in understanding. They all knew how Chocolate Gem tended to wait until the last minute to do pretty much everything.

"Well, the point is, we’re all here now,” said Storm Cloud, in an attempt to break the awkwardness, “so, let's go board the train."
She gestured her hoof towards the Friendship Express, which had somehow arrived without anypony noticing. Mint beamed.
"Yeah let's go! Come on, everypony!”

"Aww, yeah!”

“Ponyville, here we come!”

Amid these excited cries, the six friends boarded the train. As the conductor came around checking everypony's tickets, Gregory nudged Firebrand’s foreleg with his elbow and asked,
“So, Firebrand, you nervous?”

Looking smug, Firebrand waved his hoof and made a scoffing noise.
"What, me, nervous? No way. What have I got to be nervous about?"
The others exchanged looks.

“You sure?” asked Blaze. “I mean, I know you’ve performed in venues all over Equestria, Firebrand, but this is the Summer Sun Celebration. It’s a pretty big deal, you kn-”

“I know how big a deal it is, Blaze!” said Firebrand, with a bite of impatience in his voice, making the blue pegasus recoil. “I’m completely prepared for it, trust me. Princess Celestia wouldn’t have asked for me personally if she didn’t think I was up tor it.”

“Ok, ok,” said Blaze, holding his hooves and wings up in a placating gesture. “Didn’t mean to get your tail in a rustle.”

There was an awkward silence, as the train whistled, lurched forward, and started off. The silence persisted as the train picked up speed, leaving Canterlot behind. Everypony was either looking out the window, or determinedly avoiding making eye contact with Firebrand, who seemed lost in his own thoughts. Blaze, for his part, looked slightly guilty at making Firebrand lose patience.

“It’s ok, Blaze,” whispered Mint, putting a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. “He’s just a little edgy about...you-know-who,” she added, delicately, glancing briefly at Firebrand.

“Ohhh, so she can’t make it after all?” Blaze asked, concerned.
Mint shook her head sadly.

“Poor guy,” muttered Blaze. “A big event like this, and his own special somepony can’t make it…”
Mint nodded. If Firebrand heard any of this, he showed no signs of doing so. After this, the silence continued to drag on as the train rumbled on. Then, out of the blue, Chocolate Gem decided to break the ice.

"So, uh, how’s about a song?” she asked, smiling.
Everypony stared at her.
“Uh, what?” asked Storm Cloud, eyebrow raised.

Even Firebrand was jerked out of his thoughts by this. And without further ado, Chocolate Gem burst into song.

Tell everypony I'm on my way,
To Summer Sun Celebration.
With train tracks ahead
Yeah, I'm on my way
And nopony's gonna keep me away!

"Is she seriously doing that now?” asked Firebrand, exasperatedly.

Gregory shrugged his shoulders as Mint suddenly joined in, her and Chocolate’s voices blending beautifully.

Not the Darkness or the moon can change my mind
Nightmare Moon just stay away!

Now Storm Cloud joined in,

And we just know that Firebrand will just be so great.
Just as he is always!
Tell every pony we're on our way, to Summer Sun Celebration

The two stallions and griffin looked at each other, bemused. Gregory shrugged.
"Well, if you can't beat em, join em," he said.

Blaze nodded, grinning. Firebrand rolled his eyes, but smiled all the same. The three joined in with their friends.

With train tracks ahead, yeah, we're on our way,
And nopony's gonna keep me away!
We're on our way
Chocolate grinned before capping the song off,
Yes, we're on our waaaaaay

The ponies laughed together happily, all of the tension from earlier forgotten.
“You guys are the best!” said Mint.

“Well, you’re pretty great, too, Mint,” said Firebrand, grinning.

“Aww, shucks,” she muttered, her cheeks going briefly pink.

“Hey, Firebrand,” said Blaze, awkwardly. “Listen, I-”
“Ahh, don’t sweat it,” said Firebrand, breezily. “I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. I’m fine, don’t worry.”
Blaze smiled. Storm Cloud glanced out the window at that moment, and her face lit up.

"Hey, guys, look! We’re here”
The normally serious pony couldn’t contain her excitement as she pointed outside. Everyone gathered ‘round, and they saw, too, a large sign, declaring, ‘Welcome to Ponyville’. Up ahead, they could see the town itself. All six faces split into wide smiles of excited anticipation.
"We made it!” squealed Mint

"Finally!” said Blaze.

In what felt like no time at all, the train pulled to a stop in Ponyville Station. The six friends got off, talking excitedly, only to be collectively knocked over by a pink blur, scattering them like bowling pins.

"Oww, what the-?” groaned Firebrand, picking himself up.

"Everypony ok?” Blaze asked, concernedly, as he helped Mint and Chocolate up.

They nodded, then looked around to try and find the source of their unexpected loss of balance. They didn’t have long to search, however, as all of a sudden, a pink pony with a very poofy pink mane and tail came hopping up to the gang. She was rather pudgy, and a strong smell of both cotton candy and cake frosting was coming off of her. She got right in Firebrand's face, literally, both of their noses pressed together. Firebrand looked very uncomfortable from this invasion of his personal space.

"Hi!” she chirped, in a high-pitched, energetic voice. “My name’s Pinkie Pie! I'm sooo sorry I knocked you over, but, you see, I'm in charge of welcoming all the guests to Ponyville, and I got so excited because I thought ‘Yay! Six new friends’, and then you would meet myfriends, and that would be, like, a bunch more new friendships!”

All six friends stared in utter bewilderment at this excitable pony. Neither could recall ever meeting somepony who talked so fast, or said so much so fast. At last, Storm Cloud cleared her throat and said,
"Nice to meet you, Pinkie Pie. My name is Storm Cloud, and these are my friends: Gregory, Mint Leaf, Chocolate Gem, Blazewing, and Firebrand."
She gestured at all of her friends as she spoke, and they all made signs of salutation to her.

“Nice to meet all of you!” said Pinkie, beaming. “If there’s anything you need, all you’ve gotta do is ask! I know Ponyville like the back of my hoof!" She held up her hoof, curled at the wrist, and made a show of staring fixedly at it, as though reading a map, before giggling. Blaze, still rather befuddled, managed to find his voice, as he asked, after adjusting his glasses,

“Um, well, could you tell us where the hotel is, Pinkie Pie? We’d like to, er, drop off our luggage before doing anything else.”

“Of course!” exclaimed Pinkie. "That's one of my Summer Sun Celebration duties, after all! Follow me, everypony!"

She started hopping off, literally, like a pronking deer, then stopped. She turned to look at the confused faces of her new friends, still rooted where they stood.
"Come on, sillies!” she called. “The hotel is this way! It’s not gonna come to you if you just stand around like that! Let’s go-go-go!”

The group looked at one another, then, deciding that all they could do was follow this strange pink pony, started off in their turn, as she bounced ahead of them, singing tunelessly and happily.

Author's Note:

Hey guys, hope you enjoyed the first chapter, The song that they sung on the train was a parody of On my way from the Movie Brother bear. So the gang have met Pinkie Pie, Next time they get to meet five new ponies who they will get to know better than they ever wanted to. Why is Firebrand being so quiet all of a sudden? Why does Princess Celestia seem so nervous? and what is that strange scroll she keeps carrying around? Find out next time in the next chapter of Mind Switch. Also a HUGE thank you to Blazewing for his help proofreading and editing this chapter, he is one of the nicest people on here.