> Swift Swap comes to Ponyville
>  by Swift Swap
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Swift Swap meets Pinkie Pie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a quiet, peaceful morning in Ponyville, like so many others the little town had seen. The sun was bright and the sky was cloudless, for once so soon. Probably because that day Rainbow Dash had to go to the Wonderbolts Academy, for her monthly flying training, and so she decided to make all the cloud-busting before to go. Anyway, that day showed promise to be a fantastic one.

As usual, Lily Valley was watering the flowers in front of the town hall, but then she  suddenly stopped to greet Sprinkle Medley, who was passing over her head, carrying a basket full of  strawberries.

At the same time, Lucy Packard was passing in the street, while writing a note with her magic, when all of a sudden an orange bolt crossed her way, distracting her and making her drop the note and the quill. 

"Why don't you watch where you're going, little pest!" Lucy outcried, addressed to the pony who had almost ran down her.

The pony in question was Scootaloo, riding as usual her scooter, with a red cart attached to it, where Sweetie Belle was comfortably seated.

“Hurry up, Scootaloo!” Sweetie Belle said to the pilot “We have to go get Apple Bloom before seven forty-five, or we will be late for the math test!”

“Don't worry, friend! I had just finished the warming up!” Scootaloo answered, and then she started flapping her tiny wings at a crazy speed, that made the scooter accelerate beyond belief.

“HERE WE COME, APPLE BLOOM! DOUBLE TIME!” shouted the filly, while Sweetie Belle was trying to hold on.

The two fillies passed Sugarcube Corner, just when Cranky Doodle was about to enter the bakery. But before he manage to push the door, Pinkie Pie appeared on the threshold out of nowhere.

“Hello there! How are you doing, Cranky?” she said, with her usual enthusiasm.

Scared to death from the unexpected apparition of Pinkie, the donkey screamed and fell backwards, with a terrified expression and shortness of breath.

“Woah, kid!” he said just then he managed to catch his breath “You know that I am a little too old for that kind of surprises? I almost had a heart failure!”

“Oh, I'm sorry for have startled you,” she answered, with a sorry look, “But don't worry! I have the perfect remedy for almost-hearth-failure right there for you!”

Then she disappeared into the shop, and a second later she came back with a dish full of freshly baked cookies.

“Here we go! A giant dish of delicious Snickerdoodles for my friend Cranky Doodle! And don't worry: we faithfully followed the recipe you and Matilda gave to us. I am one hundred and ten percent sure that you will love them. You and her both........oops, you are right! Nopony except Matilda call you Doodle!”

“Oh, Pinkie,”he said, “you know that I am no more that finicky about that! Anyway, please call me just Cranky, alright?”

“Okey-dokey-lokey, Cranky!” she replied, while jumping over him, landing at the bottom of the last step and start trotting on the street, “The cookies are a gift! Now go inside and fell free to take whatever you want. It's all Pinkie's gift for today! You know, as excuse gift for the  almost-hearth-failure!”

“Thanks, Pinkie!” called after her Cranky.

“No problem, because you, and everyone in Ponyville know that, if there is a thing I love to do, is making my friends smil-Ouch!”

She couldn't finish the sentence, because she bumped into something, lost her balance and fell to the ground. Still a little shaken she looked up, and saw that she didn't hit something, but somepony. Somepony that she had never seen before.


The newcomer was a unicorn stallion, with golden eyes, tangerine coat and spiked, black mane and tail. Also his hooves were hairy and black, and his horn was thin but rather long. He had also pretty broad shoulders and fairly sturdy front legs. Anyway, he didn't seemed intimidating at all. On the contrary, he looked pretty sorry for the incident, and also very worried for the mare that he had knocked down.

“Oh, my gosh! Look, I'm so sorry!” he said, with a fairly deep but gentle voice, as he handed his hoof for help her get up, “I wasn't paying attention to where I was going because I was looking around and....”

"CODE NEW MUZZLE!" Pinkie shouted in front of the stranger, and then she dashed off, in the opposite direction, leaving him speechless in the middle of the street.

There were some other ponies in the street, at that time of the day, and everyone of them was looking at the new stallion, with a look halfway between the confused and intrigued. For his part, he seemed very embarrassed, and completely clueless about what just happened.

“Oh no! I knew it! I scared her! I did something wrong!” he said panicking, as he turned and began to trot away  “Now what I- Woah!”

“Hey, there!”

Pinkie has returned, and she also had a big, red wagon with a picture of her cutie mark attached behind her. And, of course, one of her best smile on her face.

“Oh, it - it's you! I - I repeat I'm sorry for before!” started to say him, after he calmed down himself by her sudden reappearance, “I didn't mean to scare you....”

“But you didn't!”she exclaimed, "It's just that, since I have my 'Welcome Wagon', I never left anypony new in town unwelcomed by it! And, guess what, you are new in town! Because I've never saw you before and if I've never saw you before that means you're new in town, because I know everypony, and I mean everypony in Ponyville! So, you're new in town, and if you're new in town, you absolutely need to welcomed by me and my 'Welcome Wagon'!”

She finished her sentence with a smile even bigger than the previous one, then she detached the wagon from her back and placed it in front of him.

“By the way, I'm Pinkie Pie, just Pinkie for friends. And you are?” asked then the pink mare.

The unicorn looked at the overly smiling face of Pinkie, with a confused but at the same time reassured expression.

“My pleasure to meet you, Pinkie. I am Swit......Swift Swap! Yes! My name is Swift Swap! Sorry, even I can't pronounce it well!” he said, with a note of embarrassment in his voice.

“Swift Swap? Swift Swap? Hihihihi, what a funny name! Sound like a tongue twister! Swift Swap! Swift Swap! Swift Swap! Swift Swap! Swift Swap! Swift Swap! Swift Swap!.......”

And she continued to repeat his name over and over again, while jumping all around him, until him started to move away, while saying “Ok, it was a pleasure to meet you, but here things are getting a little awkward. Maybe it's time for me to go....”

“Wait!” Pinkie shouted, while grabbing him and dragging him (not without effort) in front of the 'Welcome Wagon', “You haven't received the welcome from my 'Welcome Wagon' yet! Don't tell me that you don't want it! Because  since I have my '“Welcome Wagon', I never left anypony new in town....”

“OK! OK! I get it!” said Swift Swap, with bit of impatience in his voice, “Look, I  was just passing by this town, looking for a place to rest, because I am traveling for one days and two nights uninterrupted, and I'm exhausted,  so I absolutely need some rest, because I intended to leave tomorrow.....”

“WHAT!?!” she screamed, alarmed, “You leave TOMORROW? But then we must hurry! We shouldn't lose even one more second! There is SO much to do! And, for first, the welcome!”

Then she pushed a big, red button on the right side of her wagon, and instantly it opened, revealing lost of trumpets, organ pipes and flags, plus a pink oven in the center. An istant later, the strange contraption started to play a merry jingle, and as it started, Pinkie started to sing a merry welcome song, while dancing all around Swift Swap, who was looking at her, extremely confused, but at the same time quite amused.

At the end of the song, she power-slided in front of him, and then she said “Wait for it....”

The oven opened.......revealing a freshly baked cake, and from the organ pipes an explosion of confetti blasted off, covering the entire street.

“Oh, it worked!” Pinkie exclaimed, super excited, “You see, I usually put the confetti in the oven and the cake in the confetti cannon, but this time, I said to myself 'Why don't you try to put the confetti in the oven and the cake in the confetti cannon on purpose, so if you go wrong again, you will do it right, by doing it wrong  on purpose!' And it worked. I did it right by doing it wrong! Isn't that funny?”

Swift Swap was completely covered by the confetti, and he seemed a little dazed by the explosion, but before he managed to say anything, Pinkie put into his mouth a big slice of the cake she pulled out from the oven. Then she ate the rest of the cake in one single bite.

“Mmmm, it's even better by cooked! What do you think, Swift Swap? You like it?”

He looked like he was about to protest, but suddenly his face went from a confused expression to a delighted one, and into his face a big smile appeared.

“Like it?” he said, “This is probably the most delicious thing I ever tasted! And to be honest I was starving. But now I feel much better! Thanks, Pinkie!”

Istantly, the mare turned, made a gesture of  triumph and whispered “Nailed it!”

“What?”

“Uh, ehm, nothing. Anyway, did you say you are hungry?” Pinkie said , then she dashed off again, and returned an instant later with another cake on her back.

“Here we are! Another gift for my new friend Swift Swap!” she exclaimed, while putting the cake on the ground and motioning at him to take some, what he didn't hesitate to do.

While he was eating, Pinkie asked “So, you said that tomorrow you will leave, right? How sad! Where you're headed, if I can ask?”

He swallowed the mouthful, and then said, “To Canterlot. I have an important message to deliver to Princess Celestia from a foreign nation. You see, I am an ambassador and.....”

“Ooh, maybe you will tell me the rest later!” interrupted her,“It's already eight o'clock, and we haven't already started to check my 'Make Your New Friend Meet All Of Your Old Friends' checklist!”

“The 'Make Your New.....' what now?” he asked.

She tucked her hoof inside her mane, and pulled out a huge parchment roll and a quill. Then she unrolled it, making an end of it to end down the road.

With the other extremity in one hoof and the quill in the other, she started to explain “The 'Make Your New Friend Meet All Of Your Old Friends' checklist! I use it for make my new friends meet my old friends and for be sure to not forget anyone! My friend Spike helped me write it down! He has plenty of experience into 'Writing down checklists'!”

Swift Swap looked at the long scroll and gulped, while Pinkie was saying “Ok! 'Meet Pinkie Pie', check. One down! Now for the rest! Ready, Swift Swap?”

He, with an anxious expression and rather sweaty, started to walk backwards while saying “Oh, ok, look, it was a pleasure to meet you and everything, but as I say before, tomorrow I will leave and I need a good sleep, so if you excuse me........”

“But wait, this is just the beginning. Now we have 'Meet Applejack',  'Meet Fluttershy', 'Meet Rain'-Hey, where are you going?”

The reason why she had shouted that last statement was because Swift Swap, at that time, had turned around and was quickly running away.





He ran like crazy, from street to street, continually looking over his shoulder for be sure not being followed. In the end, he leaned against a crate on the side of road to catch breath......until Pinkie popped out from the crate saying “ 'Meet Flitter', 'Meet Junebug', 'Meet Sea Swirl', 'Meet' ”

“I don't have time for all that!” Swift Swap replied, recovering to run.

This time, he stopped in front of a garbage can, and although disgusted with the idea, he opened it to slip inside......but inside there was already Pinkie, saying “ 'Meet Lemon Hearts', 'Meet Raindrops', 'Meet Shoeshine', 'Meet' ”

“LEAVE ME ALONE!” he shouted, before slamming the lid of the bin on her face and recovering to run once again.

“Come on, think!” he then said to himself, “There must be a way for leave her behind!”





“ 'Meet Minuette',” Pinkie said, leaning over the roof of a house, “ 'Meet Dizzy Twister', 'Meet'-What?”

Swift Swap wasn't under her, as she expected. Instead of him, there were two ponies: a light purple stallion with gray mane and a tangerine old mare with black mane.

“Hey, you two down there!” Pinkie called from the roof, “By chance did you see a unicorn that look physically like you,” pointing the stallion, “but have the same colors that you have?” pointing then to the mare.

“Uh......” the mare started, “I.........actually.........”

“NO!” intervened the stallion, while plugging the mouth of the elderly mare with one hoof, “We haven't seen anyone like that! Anyone!”

Pinkie looked up, scratching his chin and saying “Uhm, that's odd. Nopony until now outmarched me. However, I was sure that he had come this way. Well, nothing to worry about. I will find him, and then we will complete my 'Make Your New Friend Meet All Of Yo'-Wait on a sec. I've never seen you two before! But....but......but this means  you two are new in town! And this.......this means DOUBLE CODE NEW MUZZLE!"

She looked down again, but, with her surprise, the two new ponies were disappeared. There was only Chelsea Porcelain, an elderly mare that Pinkie had know since a long time.

“Oh, hello there, miss Chelsea!” Pinkie said, forgetting momentarily about the two new ponies she thought to have seen.





“Uff! Thank goodness it worked!” Swift Swap whispered, looking from a nearby corner, for be sure that Pinkie had forgotten him, or at least, that she no longer wanted to look for him.

“Now, maybe I can finally search for a place where I can take a nap!” he said, as he headed for the city limits.
> Swift Swap meets Fluttershy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not even a sunbeam could seep through the thick foliage of the Everfree Forest.

In that gloom, the trees seemed more like ogres, or trolls, ready to crush anyone who unknowingly approaches them. And instead of leaves, they appeared to be surmounted by ominous storm clouds.

The shrubbery, and the bushes, that stood at the foot of the trees, looked like tangles of vipers, tightly wrapping and biting each over, in a foolish, violent and endless fight.

A gentle breeze blew through the branches, moving them slowly and making them seem alive.

Furthermore, passing through the leaves, the wind took the sound of a loud, piercing whistle, and to accompany that noise, there was also the creaking of the branches, the sound of muffled footsteps in the darkness, and dozens of different, slight verses, that seemed to come from everywhere, and formed an unsettling, haunting melody.

That was the cry of the forest, the terrifying call of the Everfree Forest.

The forest gave an overwhelming feeling of uneasiness and apprehension, as if it could observe, in turn, the beholders. Like a gargantuan, shapeless monster with thousands of intimidating eyes and hundreds of claws ready to tear apart the prey. A single, powerful creature that inspires awe and terror on anyone who look at her.





And in fact, Swift Swap couldn't refrain from staying in respectful silence in front of that motionless, majestic green menace. He had just arrived at the edge of it after leaving the city limits, and now he seemed undecided about what to do.

“No,” he muttered to himself, as he pondered, “I just can't go back in there. I just can't. Not after the two nightmarish nights that I've already passed into it, and not after the three times I almost lost my life inside! And also, if I get in again, I risk to getting lost, and all the efforts I did for cross it the first time would have been useless! But I also can't go back in town, not with that pink, potty pony and her endless checklists looking for me!”

He then turned his gaze from the forest and began to look around. He was in the area in front of it. A flat, rather bare area, without buildings or trees. There were only some thickets of brambles, before the frontier of the Everfree, and no trace of a decent refuge.

He glanced around, and uttered a loud yawn before saying “There must be a shelter, somewhere! I can't sleep on the ground, and I can't even take refuge in the forest or in the city center!”

He then went on to seek, more and more tired, until finally,  about ten o'clock of the morning, he saw a small building, very close to the borders of the forest.

The building was a cottage, with yellow walls and a green roof, due the large amount of plant and vines that grew above it. The little house was surrounded by a few trees, with a lot of birdhouses hung over them.

The house did not look abandoned, but inside or around it there was nobody. Only some small animals wandered quietly around the house, as if it was their.

“Maybe this place may be fine,” he said, approaching the cottage, relieved, “Maybe here I'll find some peace and privacy. I just hope that the owner is at home!”

To its passage, the critters that roamed around moved out of his way, annoyed and alarmed by the unusual presence. Some of them approached and began to sniff him, and immediately later seemed to get quite hostile towards him.

He didn't notice that, and went to the door and knocked, while the animals were becoming more and more fidgety.

“Hello? Anyone inside?” Swift Swap called, while knocking, “It's just a traveler who needs a little rest before resuming his journey! Hello? There is anypony home?”

No answer came from within. He then cautiously tried to push the door, and it immediately opened with a slight creak.

The inside of the cottage was very bright, and the few, but colored furniture, combined with numerous flower pots, created a homely and cheerful atmosphere. Into each wall there were many holes and perches, from which protruded several critter snouts, peering at the intruder.

Swift Swap stood in the doorway, uncertain whether or not to enter, looking at the unfriendly eyes of those animals.

“Ok, this is just a little strange,” he murmured, a little uneasy, as he gingerly stepped inside, “well , I hope that the owner won't be too angry if, while waiting for him, I lay for a moment on that couch. I feel so tired I could fall on the floor at any mom-Ouch!”

The reason of his sudden interruption was a sharp pain coming from his rear left leg. He turned his head to see what was happening, and see a little, white bunny biting his hoof.

“What the......Leave me alone, you!” he cried, while shaking his leg to get rid of the troublesome animal.

But the bunny doesn't seem willing to let go. Instead, he further sank his teeth into his leg, while angrily squealing and screaming.

The cry of the annoying critter triggered all the other animals, which all together swooped down on Swift Swap. All the birds began to peck him on the head and face, while all the other animals, mostly mice, rabbits and squirrels, grabbed him by the tail, trying to drag him out, or clung to his legs, like the white bunny, mercilessly scratching and biting him in the meantime.

“Enough!” shouted the unicorn, while his horn began to glow of an intense golden light, “Now Mr.'Nice Swift Swap' is officially gone!”

The light coming from his horn invaded in a short time the entire room, dazzling all the animals.

And suddenly, in the midst of that light, the imposing silhouette of a great, winged creature appeared....





“Oh, it seems you're feeling much better, Miss Sibyliss! I told you that Dr. Mane Goodall would fix your bad tooth in a heartbeat. She is such a nice pony, isn't she?” Fluttershy asked to her passenger, while flying slowly, a few inches above the ground.

The passenger was a brown, sinuous rattlesnake, who was curled up on her back with a meek expression, enjoying the trip.

The snake hissed kindly, to manifest her approval, and then rubbed her head against the mane of the pegasus, as a affection sign.

“It's okay. However, you should thank her this way, instead of frightening her with your rattle like you did. Don't you agree, Winona?”

The brown and white dog barked with conviction, as if to agree with her, while running all around her. For its part, Miss Sibyliss took a contrite look and lowered his head, visibly sorry.

“Oh, don't worry, Miss.” Fluttershy said, after seeing the genuine repentance of the rattlesnake, “Just promise that next time you will apologize with Dr. Goodall, and everything will be fine. So, that do you think about it?”

The snake, visibly relieved, gently wrapped her coils around Fluttershy head, in her bizarre way of embracing, while whistling happily. Winona in the meantime was cheerfully jumping all around, making feasts to both of them.

“I knew you'd agree, Miss Sibyliss. By the way, Applejack will be happy that your veterinary check went well, Winona!” she said then, addressed to the dog, “I know for certain that she's very sorry for not being able to accompany you, but since she and Big McIntosh were busy with the maize harvest today, she asked me to bring you to Dr. Mane Goodall in her place. I know that this isn't the first time I take care of your health in her place, but I'm sorry that she lost these important moments with you. The relationship between a pet and its owner is something unique and special, and I feel like I'm getting in the middle between you...”

Before she could say anything else, Winona licked her face, and then looked straight in her eyes, with a sweet and accommodating look.

“Yes. You are right, dear!” Fluttershy replied, serene, “As usual, I'm worrying too much. You are both my friends, and this will always be true. But the friendship between me and you, or her, will never match the relationship that exist among you two. You will always belong to Applejack, as she will belong forever to you, and nothing will change that!”

Winona barked joyfully, wagging her tail, while Miss Sibyliss showed her delight by further crushing Fluttershy's head into her “hug”.

“Ow! Ouch! Ehm....” moaned the pegasus, while raising the snake from her head, freeing herself from that painful embrace, and leaning she on her rump, “Okay, I know that you are happy, but you know that's not very ladylike crush ponies, right?”

The rattlesnake briefly nodded to show she understood.

“Very well, Miss. Oh, look! We are almost home! And should be about ten o'clock, so you have two hours before Applejack come to get you, Winona. So you can spend some time with your friends! I know for sure that Batbara is dying to see you ag...uh? What's happening?”

The reason of her question was the sudden, blinding light coming from inside her house. Although she was still quite far from the cottage, Fluttershy still had to cover her eyes with one hoof for avoid being dazzled.

A moment later, a huge crowd of terrified animals rushed out of the house, banging against each other in their haste to get away from the mysterious danger.

“Goodness! What's going on, sweetie?” inquired Fluttershy, approaching the group of panicked animals, with a worried expression.

As soon as they saw her, all the critters surrounded her, yelling and gesticulating all together in a incomprehensible cacophony of fear.

“One at the time, please!” she patiently said, “Angel, do you mind telling me what happened!”

The white rabbit, who for first had ran beside her, began to squeak agitated, while miming a large creature with large wings, and pointing to the door repeatedly.

“A.......mo-monster?” she stuttered, casting nervous glances toward the cottage and instantly folding her wings, landing abruptly from a foot in height, “Th-There's a m-m-mo-monster in our house? This is what you're telling me?”

The rabbit nodded with conviction, while all the other animals were doing verses or gestures for indicate that it was so.

“Oh my! That do we do now?” Fluttershy said panicked, “A monster! Maybe I should go to get help! Maybe Twilight will know how to drive it away! A monster! Or maybe I should let it sit there and sooner or later he will go away on its own! But how long it could take? A monster! Maybe in the meantime I should move in with one of my friends! Or should I totally abandon my house and find a new one? A MONSTER! OR PERHA-Ow!”

Angel had just slapped her.

Firstly, she looked at him surprised and offended at the same time, but before she had the time to reply he grabbed her muzzle with his little paws, and then pulled her head to his height, so that they found themselves face to face.

And then Fluttershy saw in the eyes of her impetuous, domineering, but over all loving pet a strong determination, and an unbreakable desire to not surrender.

She gently freed herself from his grasp, and looked at all her over critter friends surrounding her, and all of them made gestures of encouragement towards her, yelling loudly to make her hear their support.

“You're right, friends!” she said in a firm tone, getting up and looking with courage at her house, “This is our home! And we won't let any monster to take it away from us! Moreover, I've already broached manticores, hydras, changelings and even a dragon! I won't be scared by the first monster I meet! Are you all with me, friends?”

All the animals launched a loud battle cry, inciting her. Fluttershy then opened her wings, lifted in flight and headed resolutely towards her cottage, followed by the noisy critter crowd. Angel climbed her mane and positioned himself on top of her head, indicating the entrance, as a general who ordered the charge, pointing to his troops the weak point of the enemy formation. Miss Sibyliss, behind the bunny, started to shake her rattle, as if her was the drumbeat that accompanied the march of the animals.

“Here's what we will do! First we will enter, then we will present ourselves, and finally  politely ask if it can leave our home. It's a good plan, don't you think?”

The rattlesnake gradually stopped playing, while Angel took his face in his paws.





“Hello? Mr. Monster?” Fluttershy called, speaking from behind the doorway, to avoid being seen by the monster, “Listen, I don't know why you decided to come to my house and to drive away all my friends, but ple-Eep!”

The same golden light that she had seen when her friends had fled reappeared, this time much less bright, but in the light she still managed to glimpse a strange shadow. A shadow that grew bigger and bigger, and that seemed to come closer.

“No!” she yelled, falling down and covering her head with her hooves, while all the animals were trying to encourage her.

“Oh no! Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. Are you ok?”

At the sound of that kind and concerned voice, Fluttershy uncovered her face and slowly raised her head. What she saw was a furry, black hoof, tended towards her to help her up. She leaned on the hoof to rise, and she saw also the pony to which the hoof belonged: A unicorn with golden eyes, tangerine coat and spiked, black mane and tail.

“I'm......I'm fine,” she replied, looking at the stranger a little relieved, but also disoriented, “But, who are you? And where is that scary monster?”

“Monster?” he asked, growing pale, and glancing nervously around, “What monster? There are monsters around there?”

“Usually not, but just before there was a huge one in my house!” she answered, “To be honest, I haven't really seen it, also because of the strong golden light that it emitted. I've seen the shadow, but it was very big, and scary, and..”

“Wait!” he interrupted, “Did you say 'golden light'? And 'shadow'? Oh, but this....this explains everything!”

“I don't understand” Fluttershy said, looking at his sudden look of relief, and at the hostile glances that the animals were addressing him, “Where is that monster? Are you sure you didn't see it?”

“I could never see it, because actually that monster..... it was......it was me!”

“WHAT!” she yelled, turning white, “YOU ARE THE MONSTER?”

“It was just an illusion!” he explained, “An optical illusion I created to scare away intruders. I used it because I thought those pesky animals were back. And actually, they are!” he added, looking at all the creatures behind her.

In response to his comment, the animals looked at him even more menacing. Angel in particular seemed really upset, and continued to threaten him with violent gestures of the paws. Also Miss Sibyliss was threatening the unicorn, noisily shaking her rattle. Only Winona, who initially had growled at him, after noticing his gentle and friendly attitude, stopped snarling and quietly watched the stranger, in an attempt to understand his intentions.

“I didn't mean to scare anybody,” continued him, “it's just that after a day and two nights of travel I hoped to be able to rest a little. I'm sorry if I walked into your house without permission. Because you said it's your house, right? It's just that I was in desperate need of a shelter, and then I saw your house, I couldn't resist!”

The explanation seemed to allay some of Fluttershy's anxiety, but suddenly, as if she had noticed only in that moment a detail that she didn't noticed before, her expression became furious, and then she shouted, with a assertiveness that seemed impossible she could have before, “First of all, the 'pesky animals' you are talking about are my friends, and nopony insults my friends, clear? And, most important, how dare you frighten and drive off my friends from my home! Nopony taught you that you shouldn't scare anybody! How would you feel if somepony came into your house and  chase away you by force or by fraud, as you did? So, what do you have to say, to excuse you?”

Shocked by that unexpected outburst of anger, he stepped back, sheepish and uneasy, as he stammering replied, “I-I-I'm really sorry for that! I didn't think these animals were yours. I thought they were strays. And anyway, I would have left them in peace for sure, if they hadn't attacked me!”

“What?” Flutteshy asked, in a much less aggressive tone, “They attacked you?”

“Yes!” he replied, comforted by her new-found calmness, “As soon as I crossed the threshold, they all leaped on me, first of all that rabbit!” he added, as he pointed Angel, still perched on Fluttershy's head, continuing to threaten him with defiant attitude.

But his attitude became humble and subdued, when she picked him up from her head, took him at eye level, and severely asked, “Is that so, Angel Bunny?”

He nervously shook his head, proclaiming himself innocent. But, under her inquisitive gaze, shortly after succumbed, lowered his ears and nodded. A moment later, also all the other critters showed various signs of shame or guilt. They all looked like a class of children caught doodling the teacher's book.

“Listen, friends,” Fluttershy said, calmly but firmly, “I know I've taught you that it's rude to come into someone else's house without permission, but it's even more rude to attack whoever does so. Now, promise that you won't do it again and apologize, okay?”

The animals, resigned, made several verses of agreement, to make it clear that they agreed. Even Angel nodded, but while looking with antipathy at the stranger.

Satisfied, she turned to the unicorn and said, with the same tone in which she spoke to the animals, “And now, I expect some apology from you too, for have frightened them and me, and for have entered our house.”

“Of course!” he replied, and then, addressing not only her, but also to all the animals behind her, he said “I humbly beg pardon for my behaviour. My fatigue and my ignorance of the situation made me lose sight of common sense. For this I entered and I've fooled you with my illusions. I hope you can forgive me!”

He concluded his statement bowing his head, as a sign of repentance.

Fluttershy looked at him admired, and then said “What do you think, friends. Should we forgive him?”

All the animals looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

When suddenly, one of the birds stopped hesitating and perched on his head, gleefully chirping. Then, also Winona approached him, and cheerfully licked his face. 

One by one, all the critters began to approach and interact with him, until he was practically wrapped into a huge pet group hug. Only Angel stayed where he was.

"I-I wope this means 'yes'!" he said with difficulty, almost squeezed by all those creatures.

"I'm sure that's a 'yes'!" she answered, inviting all the animals to let him breathe, "I'm Fluttershy, and all these wonderful creatures are my friends. What's your name?"

"Pleased to meet you, Fluttershy! Oh, and you all too!" he added hastily, addressing the critters, "I am Swift Swap!"

"Nice to meet you, Swift Swap! I'm glad that everything is solved! But nevertheless, there's still one thing I don't understand!"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"That illusion," she explained, "it seemed so real. As if it was the shadow of a real monster!"

"Oh......that...." he said, with a hint of uneasiness ,"Well, I got the opportunity to practice. Or, to be honest, I had to. This trick saved me plenty of times!"

"In which sense saved you?"

"I spent the last two night to cross the Everfree Forest," Swift Swap explained, "and thanks to this illusion I saved myself thrice. The first time it allowed me to escape from a group of Timberwolves, the second time it scared a Treant that was about to attack me, and the third..."

"You crossed the Everfree?" she interrupted, "But...but.... how did you do? To my knowledge, nopony who didn't know the forest was able to cross it alone. It must have been awful, who knows how many dangers......"

But this time, he interrupted her, with a loud yawn. He hastily covered his mouth with his hoof, and then said "Look, I'd love to tell you the whole story, but, as I've already said, I spent two nights traveling, among dangers of all sorts, and now I'm beat! Maybe I'll tell you all after a few hours of sleep, what do you say?"

She looked at him, puzzled for a second, but then she noticed the bags under his eyes and suddenly realized that he was actually exhausted.

"Oh my! It's true! How I didn't realize at first what you were tired? And how could it not be, after two whole sleepless nights? I'm sorry if I bothered you with my insistent questions! It's just that I wanted to know......"

"Doesn't matter!" he quietly answered, "All I ask is hospitality until tomorrow morning, when I'll leave. I humbly beg if I can find shelter and rest in your home for today. You'll let me, Fluttershy?"

To that proposal, the bird perched on his head sang louder, while Winona and some other animals made ​​affirmative signs. Angel instead came down from her head, stepped between the two of them, and vehemently shook his head.

"But of course!" Fluttershy happily said, "I don't have much opportunities to receive guests! And anyway, I'm always happy to help those who need it! It will be a pleasure to have you as a guest!"

Some of the animals rejoiced, while Swift Swap took a relieved expression and said "Thank you so much. You don't know how pleased I am that you said yes!"

For its part, Angel squealed and waved his paws fiercely, to make it clear that he didn't agree.

"Now, Angel," she said, turning to the rabbit, "Be a good host and show to our guest where is the bedroom!"

More vexed than ever, the bunny unwillingly beckoned Swift Swap to follow him, and together they entered the cottage.

All the others, including Fluttershy, followed them, while she was saying "Oh, I'd better begin to prepare tea. I bet that when he'll wakes up he'll be hungry like a Parasprite!"
> Swift Swap meets Applejack
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"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!"
> Swift Swap meets Twilight Sparkle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the sound of that name, 'Pinkie Pie', reached Swift Swap's ears, from simple fear, his mood became complete terror. Taking advantage of the fact that the two mares were both facing towards the door, he ducked under the table, trying to calm down and rearrange his ideas.

"If she finds me, I can forget about being able to sleep!" he muttered to himself, "And if I can't rest, sooner or later it will happen... NO! I have to get out of here, now! As soon as she enters, I get out!"

He had just finished thinking about his plan of escape when the door swung open, and with the impetuosity of an avalanche, the filly that Swift Swap had met that morning swooped into the room with her eyes closed, and with a complex somersault in mid-air she landed on the table, balancing on her hind hooves, still with her eyes closed.

For some absurd reason her landing didn't shook at all the table. Not even the tea into the cups jiggled!

"Ta-daa!" she cried, raising her front legs to heaven.

Fluttershy and Applejack began to applaud, impressed, while Pinkie made ​​a deep bow, without opening her eyes. As to the other two, they were completely caught by the acrobatics of her friend.

So no one noticed that Swift Swap, in the meanwhile, was cautiously crawling away from the table, trying to reach the door without attracting attention.

"Wow, Pinkie!" said Applejack, stopping to clap, "One day you absolutely must explain me where you learn such tricks. I've never seen anypony move like that!"

"Eh, it just comes natural to me!" she replied, finally opening her eyes, "Hi, Applejack, I didn't know I'd find you here! However, since you're there, I would like to ask you something! Oh, and of course to you too, Fluttershy! Wait! To tell the truth, I came to you because I wanted to ask you, but since I greeted Applejack before, I have to ask her before! Oh, my gosh! I would have to greet you before, if I came here to ask you, but I didn't, and now I have to ask her before! Oh, my gosh! This reminds me that I haven't greeted you yet! Hi Fluttershy! Yes, that's better! But anyway, now I have to ask her before, and you'll get mad not only because I asked her before, but also because I greeted her before!  Oh, my gosh! And now ho-Umph!"

Tired of that paranoid and seemingly endless speech, Applejack had plugged her mouth with a hoof. After which, she said "Ehm, have you ever thought that you can ask the question to both of us?"

With her mouth still plugged, she still managed to say "Oh, yeah! What a great idea! So everypony will be first! Actually I wonder how I didn't think about it!"

"Never mind! So, what did you want to ask?" Applejack said, after having freed her mouth.

"Yeah, right. Well, I have an unfulfilled 'CNM' on my hooves!"

"A what?" Applejack asked.

"An unfulfilled 'CODE NEW MUZZLE', of course! Today I met somepony new, I introduced myself, I gave him my welcome and I made him smile, but we haven't completed my 'Make Your New Friend Meet All Of Your Old Friends' checklist, or 'MYNFMAOYOF' yet, and he is going to leave tomorrow morning!" At that point, she took off from her ear a huge parchment roll, and showed it to her friends, "There's no way I let him leave without having first completed my checklist! NO WAY!"

"Okay, okay, but now calm down, please!" Applejack told her, trying to appease her friend, "I know you don't like lettin' somepony without friends here in Ponyville, but after all, if he leaves tomorrow, doesn't make sense that he makes friends with everypony here! In the end, it may be that after today, he doesn't come back here anymore!"

"EXACTLY!" Pinkie yelled in her face, "If he never comes back, he will never have the chance to meet all the wonderful ponies that lives here! He will never met you, or you," and pointed Applejack first, and then Fluttershy, "or Dashie, or Rare, or Twi! NOPONY!"

She concluded her lament with a dramatic pose, which almost certainly she had copied from Rarity. The other two looked at her, undecided whether comfort her or tell her that she was definitely exaggerating. But before they could do one of these two things, she resumed, "Now you understand why I'm so anxious to find him! Unfortunately, even if we already have a short time, he started to play hide and seek, and he's good! Very good! In fact, it's from this morning that I'm looking for him, and nopony has ever beaten me at hide and seek, until now! Actually, while I was searching for him, it seemed to me to have met two other new ponies, but immediately after they are gone, so I guess I saw badly. However, that's why I'm here! I wanted to ask you if by chance you have seen him!"

"Well," Fluttershy interjected, "we will be happy to help you! And maybe our new friend could help you as well! What do- Hey! where is he?"

In fact, until that moment, none of them had noticed that Swift Swap had disappeared. They were too busy to hear the lamentation of their friend, and had momentarily forgotten about him.

For his part, Swift Swap realized that his diversion was over, but he hadn't reached the door yet, because the necessity of not make any noise, had forced him to go very slowly. But now he was in the middle of the room, and only Pinkie Pie's body was protecting him from the visual range of the other two, preventing them from detecting him. 

But now all the three of them were looking around, and he realized that it was a matter of seconds, before they found him. He also began to look around in search of a solution, before ending up at the mercy of the sparked pony and her endless checklist. In the end, from a window, he saw a little bird perched on a branch, singing blithely. And realized that it was his chance.





They were still looking around, when a small flash of light drew their attention. It was a bright and golden light. A light that Fluttershy instantly recognized.

"Hey!" she exclaimed ,"That's Swift Swap's magic! I recognize it! So he has to be there!"

"Swift Swap?!" Pinkie asked ,"Swift Swap?! But he's the pony I'm looking for since this morning! Are you telling me that he has been here with you all the time and you didn't tell me?"

Then she turned around, but saw only a little birdie who was on the floor, and was quietly singing. But immediately after they all began to hear strange noises coming from outside. Then there was a loud crash, as something that broke, and finally a heavy thud, followed by groans of pain.

Fluttershy and Applejack stood up and rushed out, leaving behind a disoriented Pinkie Pie, and as soon as they were outside, they spotted the source of the wailing. In fact, at the foot of a tree, which had a broken branch, there was Swift Swap, aching from the fall.

"Shucks!" he moaned, "I was hoping that the branch would hold my weight, at least until I come down!"

"Oh my goodness! Are you alright?" asked Fluttershy, helping him to get up.

"Now how in the hay did you get here? And why you went away secretly?" Applejack asked, looking at him confused.

He looked at the two mares with an embarrassed expression, and admitted, "Well, sorry if I slipped away, but the fact was that-"

"Swift Swap! I found you!" Pinkie said, making her way between the other two "I won! I found you! I knew it, I knew that nopony could beat me at hide and seek. Anyway, congratulations! You just beat the record previously established by Helia, in 'hide and don't let Pinkie Pie find you as long as you can'! And you beat her for three hours, thirty-six minutes and ten seconds! Congratu-pony-lations!"

In front of her, he felt that he could not escape anymore. So, in a tone that wanted to hide his deep desire to escape he said, “Ehm.....well.......good for me! I suppose I should feel lucky!”

“But of course you are, silly! You've met me, no?” she replied, crushing him into a hug, “However, you shouldn't play hide and seek now, you know? We're late on the schedule! Fortunately while you were playing you also brought yourself ahead with the 'MYNFMAOYOF' checklist, by meeting two of my closest friends, Applejack and Fluttershy!”

At that point, she freed him from the embrace, and took up his list, then using a leaf taken from the fallen branch as if it were a pen she began to write on it , while saying “Perfect! 'Meet Applejack', check! 'Meet Fluttershy', check too! Three down, now for the rest! Next one, 'Meet' Ra'-Wait! I almost forgot about it! Rainbow today is at the Wonderbolts Academy for her monthly training and she won't be back until this evening. And now that I think about it, also Rarity is busy. She has received an order for accessories that will keep her busy for most of the afternoon, and she told me outright that she doesn't want to be disturbed for any reason! She almost sent me off rudely when I went to her to search for you, and I don't think it's appropriate to disturb her again until she had finished! But don't worry, Swift Swap! You'll see that with my help you'll be able to meet everypony in town, even if we had to stay awake until dawn!”

At those words, he turned pale as a sheet, and his eyelids, heavy due the dark circles, had a thrill. In that moment both Fluttershy and Applejack realized why he sneaked away as soon as Pinkie Pie had arrived. Indeed, to think of it, they knew from the beginning that the last pony to ask for a bit of peace and quiet was her, and judging by the evident weariness of him, he really needed some.

So, in an attempt to distract Pinkie from her purpose and make her reasonable, Fluttershy approached her and said, “Ehm, I honestly believe that what he wants the most is a bit of rest and tranquility. So, why don't you let him go to Applejack's barn to take a nap, so after this he can help you complete the checklist?”

"She is right!" Applejack interjected, “Look at him, don't you see how tired he is?”

But she stayed engrossed by her thoughts, as if no one had spoken. They were going to insist when she leap at least six feet above the ground and shouted, “That's it! I know how we can recover the lost time and complete the checklist in a snap! Trust me and leave it to me, and you'll see that we'll end up in no time! Therefore, for the moment we'll skip these two points and we'll pass the next two: 'Meet Spike' and 'Meet Twilight Sparkle'!”

Said that, she stood behind Swift Swap and began to push him with her head, to make him advance. He jabbed his hooves on the ground and protested “Listen, I'm practically in pieces, and I don't think I have the strength to run all over Ponyville to complete your check-Wait a minute! Did you say 'Twilight Sparkle'? Did she lives here?”

“Why yes! I did!” she replied “And yes! She do live in Ponyville! Why, you've heard of her?”

“Oh, come on, Pinkie!” Applejack intervened, “Our friend is a princess now! It's normal for ponies to know her! Although, to be honest, it seems that there are also a lot of ponies that don't know her! But nevertheless, he's an ambassador, so I assume that he's always informed about the rulers of other nations!”

“Yes!” Swift Swap interrupted, “I'd heard of her, in fact! But I honestly thought that she was now in Canterlot, with the other princesses! But since she's here, maybe she can help me complete my mission!”

“Yes, it's true!” said Fluttershy, “She could put you in contact with Princess Celestia, so you can go back home!”

“That would be wonderful!” he said, relieved “and still, since now I know that she's here in Ponyville, I think it's my duty to bring my regards to her, as an ambassador!”

“Did this means that now you'll come with me?” asked Pinkie, hardly containing her excitement.

Finally more relaxed, he stretched his tired expression into a smile and said, “Only if you promise me that I'll have some time to rest, and there won't be too much hassle! Ok?”

“Don't worry! You'll see that you'll manage to relax!” she assured him.

“I come too!” Applejack said, “I'm curious to know how it will end!”

“I'm coming too, if you don't mind...” Fluttershy whispered.

“Of course we don't!” he retorted, then, turning to Pinkie he said, “Now that we all agree, lead the way, Pinkie!” 





The princess Twilight Sparkle, right at that moment, was lying on the floor of her library, eagerly reading the densely written pages of a thick volume, turning the pages slowly and gently with magic.

Her expression was one of peace and serenity, the typical expression which has someone then he does what he loves and gratifies him. In her deep, purple eyes, you could read a universe made of words, made of all the wisdom and culture that hundreds and hundreds of ponies before her had discovered, tested and written, from generation to generation, fueling the mighty and wonderful machine of knowledge.

That was her way, her vocation, her mission. Her destiny. 

To be a model, a landmark, a guidance. A princess.

She wasn't fully accustomed to be a princess yet. Despite all the adventures she had already lived with her new title, still seemed impossible to her all that really happened. It was too strange, too alien to her eyes. She, who was born into a family like any other, and that until recently was a unicorn like many others, now was one of the four princesses of Equestria!

And her body was changed as well! Every morning she looked in the mirror, and saw herself somewhat higher. Also her horn had thinned and stretched. But of course the thing that bothered her more were those protuberances still extraneous to her that unraveled from her back. Her wings.

It was true that now, at last, she could control them, mainly thanks to Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash's advices. Now she could even fly without too much trouble.

But the wings and the flight weren't the problem. It was rather the fact that, when she looked at her old photos of when she was a filly, or even to those newer when she had began her studies at Ponyville, she could no longer recognize herself.

It was rather the fact that she abruptly had such a drastic change, without that it was given to her the time to understand, or choose. If anyone, until a few months ago had asked her what she saw in her future, she almost certainly wouldn't have said "I want to be an alicorn!" or "I want to be a princess!".

She knew that no one can choose his destiny, but it weighed to her. She felt an immense pressure on herself. The fate of thousands of ponies were in her hooves, and she still didn't feel ready.

“Ehm...Twilight?” a voice said, sounding eager but still respectful, “Sorry to bother you, but I'm losing balance here. Have you finished or not?”

She looked up from her book and saw her impetuous, ironic, yet hard-working and loyal assistant Spike, that was balancing on the last rung of a ladder trying to reach the top shelf of the library, and that was already balancing on his head a stack of books taller than him.

She chuckled, amused by the scene, then said, “Okay, now I think I'm ready! Bring it here, please!”

Without let it repeat, the little dragon leaned forward, tipping the ladder towards the shelf, while all the books on his head fell tumbling to the ground. Then he stretched out his claw, and by doing so he managed to get a red apple that was on the highest point of the shelf, then he dropped himself, and landed exactly on top of the stack of books on the floor.

“Here I am, with your favorite apple for magic experiments!” he said loudly, handing to her the apple, as if he was an announcer delivering a prize to the winner. Then he looked around and saw all the books scattered on the floor, and then with a bit of embarrassment added, “Yeah, I think it would have been better if first I had tidied up those books and then I took the apple! I'm sorry about those books, Twilight. I hope nothing is broken or torn!”

“I'm sure everything is fine, Spike!”  she said soothingly , “And even if it were, the books can be repaired! And anyway, it was me who ask you to take down all those books too, right? I should known you wouldn't be able to do it. Not even I would succeed, without horn or wings!”

At those words, for a moment a dark shadow, a shadow of fears, doubts, and uncertainties, passed over the eyes of the dragon, but soon after, before she had time to notice it, he roused himself and said, “Well, thank goodness. And moreover , I never liked the cover of some of these books! If I break them, at least we'll have a good excuse to renew their cover, don't you think?”

Said this he began to giggle. And so did Twilight.

Spike always had that extraordinary power. The power to lift her spirits when she felt sad or unsure, but never to the point of making her feel too superior. He always kept her in the right balance between insecurity and vanity.

For this she felt that, without him, her identity, what she was before her transformation, would be lost. For this, she had thank him, and all of her other friends, who had been beside her in that so hard moment, as no one else had ever done in her life, except her brother. Without their friendship, her life would become unbearable.

So she gave a small caress on the crest of her best friend, and then said, “Okay, enough fooling around! I'm still not sure about this spell, so I'll need the highest concentration! The spell to show the spiritual essence is among the most difficult that has ever been created of the thirteenth level of sorcery! If I succeed to execute it, I can move on to the fourteenth, the level at which is Cadance! Think about it! I will be at her same level, and she told me that she has spent years for reach it!”

“It would be great!” Spike said, “but still, I have some doubts! This thing of 'spiritual essence', it seems much a thing of living beings! Are you sure it will work on an apple? I mean, it seems to me so........ lifeless!”

“It's true,” she said, pleased by the pertinent question of her assistant, “but still, the book says that the spell also works on parts of living beings, and this apple was part of an apple tree, which is a living being! And in any case, I would never dare to test a spell as complex on a cavy!”

He listened with concerned expression, as he always did when she was explaining something interesting. Then he nodded to show that he understood, put the apple on the ground and moved away a few paces, making silent signs of encouragement.

At that point she prepared herself, focusing all her energy into her horn as she whispered the words, “Composure and Concentration, Composure and Concentration, Composure and Concentration......”

Then, she began to mentally repeat the words of the real magic, as she felt her power increasing.

The magic. Since she was only able to turn a page until now, the magic instilled in her a sense of mastery and confidence that nothing else could give to her. When she used magic, all her fear disappear, all her doubts dissolve. There was only her, the words engraved on her memory like a poem, and the energy that flowed like a river through her. And around her, the world changed,  modeled himself, to reflect the design that she had in mind.

And it happened again this time. After that the formula was completed, she immediately felt the energy flowing through her, and entering in the object in front of her. And a slight, soft, white aura appeared around the apple.

Impressed, Spike couldn't restrain himself from saying, “Twilight! You made it! It's working!”

Those few words were enough to disrupt the absolute concentration of the alicorn, which quickly lost control of her power, immediately dissipating the spell, and the aura that had formed vanished after a few moments.

Realizing what he had done, the dragon covered his mouth, and walked away as much as possible, anticipating an outburst. But contrary to what he expected, she looked happy at him, and asked “I really made it? You managed to see that aura too?”

Surprised, he answered “Uhm......Yeah, of course I see it! Listen, I'm sorry I distracted you! I know that when you do a complex magic, I must be dumb as a fish, but I was so worried that you weren't able to make it, and when I saw that you were successful, I couldn't contain my excitement!”

In response, she looked at him tenderly. He was always worried to be inadequate, to be useless. If only he knew what those small gestures of affection and encouragement meant for her. 

“Don't worry!” she said, “Believe me, the concentration was already about to leave me. I wouldn't be able to maintain the spell a second longer anyway!”

Relieved, he approached her and said, “Eh, better so then! I gave you an excuse to let go without it being your fault, right?”

The two went back to chuckling when they heard a knock at the door. Before she could even ask him to, he had already rushed to the door, and had already opened it. She stood up and joined him, and what she saw made her smile even more.

In fact, on the threshold of her library, there were three of her best friends: Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. All three of them cheerful and smiling. 

“Oh, hi girls,” she greeted them, “I'm so happy to see you. Brace yourselves, because I have to tell you a fantastic thing! I just managed to...uhm?”

Her interruption was due to the fact that she had noticed someone that she hadn't seen early, and actually, he had never seen before. A unicorn stallion, with golden eyes, tangerine coat and black mane and tail.

Before she had a chance to speak to the stranger, Pinkie told her “Hey, Twi! We came here to introduce you to our new friend! His name is Swift Swap, and he's new in town! He wants to stop just today, but not before he had met every single pony in Ponyville! Uh, and get this! He's not even from Equestria! He comes from a foreign land, beyond the ocean, and came here as an ambassador to report a message to Princess Celestia!”

“Your Majesty!” said him, performing in a deep bow, which made her blush deeply.

“Oh, come on, there's no need to do all these formalities” she said, inviting him to stand up.

“As you want, princess!” he said, getting up, “but nonetheless, you are a ruler, and as an ambassador is therefore my duty to offer you the respect that you deserve, your Highness!”

“Well, I understand,” she said, still a little embarrassed, “however, I would appreciate a lot if you'd stop treating me in a so formal manner. You can simply call me Twilight Sparkle, or just Twilight, if you prefer. It's not that I don't appreciate your manners! It's just that I'm not yet accustomed to all this etiquette. After all, I became a princess only recently, you know?”

“Well, yes.“ Swift Swap replied, “In fact, I know that you newly became a princess. I don't know the details, but I perfectly know that until recently you were a perfectly normal unicorn, right?”

“Yes, it's true.” she said. Then, suddenly, she slapped her forehead and added, “ Oh, I'm here to talk about your manners, and in the meantime I have retained all of you here on the threshold, without inviting you to enter! Where are my manners? Come on in, everypony! Come on in and take a seat!”

Everyone thanked her and went into the library, except Pinkie, who politely refused the invitation by saying, “I would love to be your guest for the afternoon, Twilight, but now I have to go! I have a clear plan to get moving to make sure that Swift encounters everypony in Ponyville, and I can't afford to waste even a half second! Then, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go! Seeya  later!”

Said that, she darted away. 





In the following minutes, both Applejack and Fluttershy told to Twilight and Spike how they had met Swift Swap, and then he told to them where he came from and about his mission.

“Wow, what a story!” she said at the end, “So, you're from the county of Chipados, right? It's weird, because I've read many treatises on world geography, and I don't remember ever having seeing any mention of this county. Now, not that I would boast to know by heart the whole geography of Euhock, but usually I remember each name I read, even the most complicated!” 

"Yes, I understand that.” he replied, “The fact is that the county was founded less than a hundred years ago. Is fairly recent as a province. Maybe that's why your books don't talk about it!”

“Yes, it may be so!” she admitted, scratching her chin as he pondered, “Maybe later I'll try to see if the atlases that I own are updated! In any case, I'm glad you talked about this county to me. You know, these books have their years, and sometimes I forget to check if there are perfectly up to date. And however, it's always a pleasure to meet new ponies, especially when they come from exotic places, and especially if they are unicorns!”

Said this, she began to walk around him, watching closely his cutie mark.

His cutie mark was a double-headed arrow, which pointed in opposite directions and that, at the center, folded in on itself in a circle. At the tip of the left, the arrow was orange, then, on the rim, became striped orange and black, and finally, on the tip of the right, became completely black.

A little taken aback by that interest he asked, “Ehm, why are you so interested especially on unicorns?”

“Because of their peculiar magic!” Twilight answered, “The magic that reflects their special talent and makes every unicorn unique! Is fascinating, especially because very often allows me to learn spells that there aren't in the books. Spells very particular and often useful! For example, from Rarity I learned the spell to find and reveal gems, from Comet Tail I learned the one in order to accelerate the run, and Sea Swirl knows that fantastic spell that allows you to communicate with sea creatures! And many, many others! That's why I'm so interested! Please, could you show me your peculiar spell?”

He seemed very reluctant to do so. It was enough to look at his expression of deep distress to figure it out. But before anyone had the time to notice it, he said, “If the one who asks me is a princess, I can't refuse! Well....... my specialty....... is my swapping spell!”

“Your swapping spell?” asked all the three mares and the dragon, in unison.

“Basically, my peculiar spell allows me to swap things, or even just the characteristics of things. If I have a heavy object and a light one, I can make the first light and the second heavy! Here, I'll show you!”

Said this, he began to focus, while his horn was covered in a delicate golden aura, and right away, two books that were on the floor brightened of the same aura. After a few seconds, he suspended the spell, rubs his eyes more and more tired and said, “Here, I've finished!”

Applejack rolled over one of the two books, looked at it unconvinced, and then said, “I don't understand. It seems to me the same as before. Both of them seems to me the same as before!”

“If you open them, you'll see that everything will be clear!” Swift Swap said, with just a hint of pride.

Twilight took the book from Applejack's hooves and began to leaf through it. Spike did the same with the other book. And both, after a few pages, gaped.

“Let me see the other!” Twilight cried, while she had already taken it out of the claws of her assistant with the magic. She put the two open books alongside one another, and her astonishment increased.

“It's impossible,” she murmured “I remember to had read these two books just three hours ago! The words are always the same, but............the hoofwriting is changed! He traded the writing of the two books!”

The first was in fact a very complex treatise on trigonometry, while the second was a book of fiction, and she was sure to remember that the first was written in very small and dense characters, while the second was in a very large and finely adorned hoofwriting, worthy of a miniaturist. But now, all the mathematical formulas of the treatise were written in large and elegant characters, while the novel seems to have been printed in a printing press, so the writing was tight and linear.

Fluttershy and Applejack looked at the books as well, and even if they didn't understand all the way down the amazement of her, they still realized that he was able to impress her.

“Ok,” he interrupted them, “now, if you are done, I put everything in place now!”

Having said that, he concentrated for a moment, lit up his horn again, and in a moment both books returned as they were originally. At that point everyone looked up at him with curiosity. Then Twilight, with a touch of admiration in her voice said, “That spell looks just fantastic! I bet it's very versatile and has a lot of potential applications. Tell me, what else you can do with that spell?”

“Well,” he said, who looked like he regretted that he had given proof of its ability, “I can also swap the position of two objects, or two beings!”

And as he spoke, his horn lit up again, and a moment later he disappeared in a small golden flash, leaving Spike in his place. The other looked around confused, but then they saw him in the exact spot where Spike stood before the exchange.

“When it's used to swap the position of things, my spell is permanent,” he resumed to explain, “but when it is used to swap the characteristics of two things, once completed the spell, even if my horn has no longer to power up the magic, the spell sucks, however, the energies of my body! Therefore any swap of properties I do, I can do it only for a limited time! In fact, earlier, when I swapped the writing styles of the books, even though my horn didn't shine anymore, I was still fueling the magic with my energy!”

Both Fluttershy and Applejack seemed to not understand a word, and Spike was only vaguely confounded. Only Twilight seemed to have understood everything.

“Uhm, I see...” she said, “These are all very interesting details. However, just to know, what kind of attribute can be exchanged with that spell?”

“All those that may come to your mind!” Swift Swap answered, “It all depends on your imagination and your knowledge of things properties! There are only two limits: you can't confer to an object the properties of a living being, and vice versa, and besides, you can't do a swap that is beyond your strength. If you try to swap the weight of a feather and a mountain, it's very likely that you'll fail! Of course, I speak like that referring to my limits, since you don't know yours!”  he added in the end, fearing that he had disrespected her.

Twilight smiled, to let him know that the insinuation about her supposed limitations didn't offended her.

To that point, Fluttershy asked “So, this is how you managed to get out of my cottage, with that flash of light, leaving the bird in your place. You've used your spell, isn't it?”

He blushed a little. He was still sorry that he had tried to escape secretly.

“Yes, you've caught me!” he admitted, making a hint of a smile.

She smiled in turn, to give to understand that she didn't mind. Then she asked “So, if I understand it, you can't exchange the characteristics of a book and a pony, but for example, with two pony you would be able to do it, right?”

“Exactly!” he said, and then, as if struck by a sudden inspiration, began to focus on and then added, “Now watch this!”

Once again his horn glowed, but this time Fluttershy and Applejack were the ones that lit up with that golden light.

“Hey! What are you doin'!” Applejack wailed, but before she had time to say more, the light vanished.

Initially everything seemed quite normal, but then she heard a strange noise behind her. And slowly, but without her having the chance to resist, she began to rise in the air.

More and more disorientated, she looked around to see what was going on. While she was doing so, her eyes fell on Fluttershy, which was looking at her in turn, speechless by the amazement.

And then, Applejack saw something that made her realize everything.

Immediately she looked behind her and saw them.

A pair of soft, feathery orange wings flapping wildly.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!” she yelled, while waving her legs, trying to control her flight and hit the ground.

For her part, Fluttershy gazed with dismay at her smooth back, without wings, just like when Discord had stolen them from her.

And as for her, Twilight was simply shocked. Spike instead was enjoying the show, chuckling at Applejack's vain attempts to land.

Also Swift Swap was grinning, but then suddenly he grimaced in pain, as if he was having a terrible migraine attack. As a result, Applejack's wings instantly disappeared in a flash of golden light, causing her to fall ruinously on the floor, while Flutteshy's wings went back to their place.  

“What kind of stupid joke was that!” Applejack said furiously, as she stood up and walked toward him with a combative attitude, but then she stopped herself and her anger seemed to fade away, when she saw him on the ground, without a shred of energy.

All the others came to him, and Fluttershy held out her hoof, saying, “Are you okay? You aren't hurt, right?”

“Give me a second and I'll recover!” he replied, leaning on her and getting up painstakingly, “I'm sorry, I thought it would be a funny joke, but now I know it was a terrible idea!”

"I can't believe it!" Twilight said, still surprised by his previous performance, “How did you do it?”

“Simple, I swapped their races!” Swift Swap answered, “I swapped Applejack's race, of Earth pony, with Fluttershy's, of Pegasus! I thought it was a fun idea, but I hadn't taken into account of how tired I was! If before I was tired, in fact, now I am practically exhausted!”

“Don't worry!” Twilight told to him, “If you feel so tired, maybe you can rest a little on my bed! After all, I was the one who ask you to show your powers to me, even if I saw how tired you were!”

“Oh, thank you! That would be great!” he thanked her, “You know, is since this morning that I'm trying to get some sleep, so tomorrow I'll be able to leave for Canterlot, and complete my mission!”

“Oh, right, I forgot to tell you!” she said, slapping her forehead, “Unfortunately you won't meet the princess at Canterlot!”

“What!”

“She left a few days ago!” she explained, “She went to the conference about the origins of pony kind that takes place in Hoofidium, and she won't return earlier than one week from today! But anyway, if you have to deliver this message, you may report it to Princess Luna, which is in Canterlot, or Princess Cadance, which is in the Cristal Empire, or, if you prefer, to me! After all, I'm  a princess too!”

“I'm sorry,” he replied, “but I've received clear instructions from the Count: report the message only and only to Princess Celestia. Nobody else! Oh, shoot, what a waste of time! I crossed the ocean and half of a nation as large as Equestria, and now that I believed to be so close to the goal, instead I find out that I have to go back to the United Keldom, in Euhock! Aw, nuts! What do I do now?”

And at that point, he sat down on the floor and put his head in his hooves, trying to think. Fluttershy approached him and said, encouragingly, “Come on, cheer up! After all, from what I've seen, you're a smart pony. I'm sure you'll find a solution!”

At that moment, someone knocked at the door.

“I got it!” Spike said, as he ran towards the door. But as soon as he opened it, a huge, noisy and hectic crowds of ponies came into the library, like a herd of buffaloes.

“WELCOME PARTY!” they all shouted as one pony. And before he had time to understand something, Swift Swap found himself surrounded by a rowdy crowd of ponies who greeted him, presented themselves to him and made question after question to him, in a noisy and chaotic cacophony of words mixed together, which would have equaled the volume of a rock song a few steps from the stage.

“Swift Swap! Swift Swap! Am I a genius or what!” Pinkie Pie shouted, hardly making her way through the crowd, “I knew that by now I hadn't much time to be able to introduce you to everypony in Ponyville, but then I had the most obvious but at the same time the most clever, cool, brilliant idea EVER! To throw a great big ginormous super-duper spectacular welcome party and invite everypony in Ponyville! So, am I a genius or what! Oops, I've already used this joke! However, you'd better tie your seat belts, because this will be the most amazing, awesome, incredible, wonderful, astounding, marvelous, unbelievable, dazzling, cosmic, dreadful, smelly, tasty, random, shining, bigger, tiresome, fabulous, hilarious, astonishing welcome party EVEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR!”

He looked at her, and then at the immense multitude of ponies around him. And he realized a thing. He would never be able to sleep that day!
> Swift Swap meets Rarity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Like a stormy sea, but not made of water, but by dozens and dozens of manes, horns, wings and tails, so the pony crowd was overwhelming everything, while pouring noisily inside the library.  In their confused and disorganized advance, they swept away everything, throwing to the ground the furniture and stepping on the books that were on the ground, as well as trampling on each other hooves and tails, which caused a further series of cries, that added up to the excited screams of those who had come to meet Swift Swap, or simply that were enjoying the party.

The result was a confusion worthy of a revolution.

“PINKIE PIE!” Twilight cried on a rampage, while hovering in flight above the crowd, the only way in which she had managed to make her way through, “I don't recall to having given you permission to organize a party in my library! And to tell the truth, you didn't even ask for permission! Who in Equestria you think you are for do as you like in others's places?”

As for the others, they were still caught among the ponies. Especially Spike, who, crouched, was trying to get out of the forest of legs without being squashed by a hoof. But the task was proving to be quite difficult, since none of them stood still even for a second, and as soon as he was able to catch a glimpse of an opening to escape, it immediately shut, and he stayed even more surrounded.

Fluttershy instead, as soon as the throng of ponies had entered, she had been violently pushed against a wall, and now, squeezed between the wall and the mob, she couldn't find the strength or the courage to move. Regarding Applejack, however, she was opening her way by dint of shoves and leaps, in an attempt to reach Pinkie. And when she finally succeeded on that, she told her, “She's right. And anyway, you promised him that he would have the chance to rest, and that you wouldn't have made much fuss. Do you think this is the way to keep that promise?”

Pinkie looked at her two enraged friends, and then at Swift Swap, who now appeared exhausted, and which also appeared more dejected than ever, and then ruefully said, “Well, to tell the truth I didn't actually promised, but I'm sorry anyway. The fact is that, in this way, he will be able to meet everypony in the shortest possible time. It was the only way to ensure that he met all by tomorrow. But don't worry, Twilight! If you don't want us to  party here, we can move elsewhere in an instant. And as for your rest, Swift Swap, I'm two hundred percent sure that by tonight you will have met everypony, and after that I promise that nothing will separate you from the warm sheets of a bed. Promise! Pinkie Promise! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!”

He looked at her with a worried expression. But he didn't seem concerned about the party. He seemed worried about something else. However, in a voice that sounded almost pleading he said, “I understand that you were well-intentioned, and that you mean to achieve your goal while leaving me time to sleep, but the fact is that I need to sleep NOW, not tonight! I just did a rather tiring magic demonstration, and I was already tired before! Therefore, you can well understand that I'm in the worst possible mood for attend a party so loud, no offense to your style of celebration. And in any case, it's just past noon, and I haven't had lunch yet, as I'm sure even they haven't had lunch. Don't you think we could postpone this party to a more opportune moment, so that everyone can go to...” 

But then he looked at her and realized that she wasn't listening anymore. She seemed completely enraptured by her thoughts, as if she just had the idea of the century. Also Applejack and Twilight noticed that, and knowing her, they realized that the situation was going to escalate. They knew that when she had an idea for a party, nothing could stop her.

“Ehm, Pinkie?” Applejack began to talk to her, trying to distract her from her purpose, “I just think that he is right. Why not you-”

“Move the party in the Windy Plain, right on the border of Ponyville, then once there set the tables that are in the warehouse of Sugarcube Corner for the last-minute parties, and then organize a huge, massive banquet for everypony?” Pinkie said, looking at Applejack with a huge smile painted on her face, that kind of smile that implies "Come on, please! Pretty please!"

She in turn looked at Twilight, which was evidently thinking back to her welcome party, and then at Swift Swap, increasingly concerned. However, one thing was clear: all three agreed that that was a really bad idea.

But, for every second spent, Pinkie's eyes and smile widened further, in an expression that was irresistible but also unsettling at the same time.

In the end, Twilight couldn't resist anymore, and then came up to Swift Swap and whispered in his ear, “I'm afraid that she won't desist, as far as we can insist. You'd better give her rope, for the moment, and then, when the party is over, you'll see that she'll leave you in peace. She's stubborn and obstinate, but she always keeps her promises!” 

He glanced first at Twilight, then at Applejack, and both seemed firmly convinced that this was the best choice. And so, in a resigned voice he murmured, “Fine. I know I'll regret it, but I hope to stand up to tonight.”

“HOORAY!” Pinkie shouted, which indicated that, despite the noise, she had managed somehow to hear him. Then climbed up on a shelf, and pulled out from nowhere a little megaphone, within which she yelled “Hey, everypony! Last-minute notice! The party is now moving to the Windy Plain, where, offered directly by Sugarcube Corner, there will be the biggest, most fantastic, the most sensational feast EVER! And then, there will be an extensive program of entertainment, which will include dancing, ghost stories, puppet theater, outdoor cinema, seven-legged race, pillow fight,  mimes game and much, much more! And keep in mind that all this is in honor of our welcome, very welcome guest, coming from over the ocean, ambassador of Chidontrememberthename, Swift Swap!”

As she said his name, she pointed at him, and everyone turned to him, and who was already facing him looked at him with even more intensity. In front of all that attention, he turned red with embarrassment, and gave a weak smile.

He didn't make time to do anything else, because a few moments later a dozen of hooves grabbed him, lifted him up, and dragged him out from the library in triumph, while he showed throughout his disapproval by shaking and trying to free himself from the roaring crowd.

Soon, in the library there were only four ponies: Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie, still on top of the shelf. In the library there was also Spike, which had miraculously survived the hasty exit of the mob without too much damage, and was now cautiously raising. Also Fluttershy seemed not hurt, but she was still so terrified that she couldn't move away from the wall yet, as if it was protecting her from some mysterious danger.

“Well, I guess it went well!” Pinkie said, while with a leap she went down from the shelf and hid the megaphone under a book, “ I hope we can arrange the tables in time! I bet they have already arrived to the plain!”

“Are you worrying about the tables?” Twilight cried at her, “It's incredible as sometimes you can be so insensitive! How it came to your mind to organize one of your rowdy party for somepony who dies by sleep? Haven't you learned anything from what happened with Cranky Doodle? Somepony just want peace and quiet, and he told you that several times! It's possible that you haven't figured that out yet?” 

But, as she said those words, she remembered some of the first words Pinkie had said to her, the second time they had met: “And if you haven't met anyone yet, you must not have any friends, and if you don't have any friends then you must be lonely, and that made me so sad!”

That was true. Also thinking about what had happened with Cranky Doodle reminded her what that story had meant not to him, but to her. For her, who was friend of everyone, and considered wasted every second spent alone, the thought of a lonely pony would be inconceivable. The same had happened when she, Twilight herself, had come to  Ponyville. And now it had happened more or less the same thing. Which then the solution consisted of wild, chaotic and noisy parties, well, that was Pinkie Pie. She was that way. Take it or leave it. And, honestly, now she would have chosen to take.

Therefore, she looked at her friend with an eye a little more forgiving, and then asked “Are you sure that this is the quickest way for him to meet everypony. Because believe me, he is in desperate need of sleep. He has performed a magic very complicated at my request, and he was already tired before, so it would technically be my fault if he faint in the middle of the party!” 

Pinkie, who was a little taken aback by the previous outburst, straightened up a bit and answered, “Yes, it's the only way. And if I have done well my math, within eight of this evening he will know everypony. And I promise you a thing! I promise I'll go easy on him. No, it won't be tiring at all! And one more thing. Regarding the music I had thought of something 'paaartay' style, but since I don't think that would be the ideal for somepony so tired, maybe I can find something less......well......loud!”

Twilight smiled, put her front leg around her shoulders and said, “Good, I knew you'd understand. So, since now we are all into it, there is something we can do to help you?”

Also Applejack, who was raised by the fact that Pinkie had finally surrendered, at least in part, approached her and made a sign of approval. And also Spike and Fluttershy did the same. They were all ready to help her.

Pinkie, touched, patted the tuft of her mane and said, “Okay, everypony! We have a party to organize, and we haven't a moment to lose. Applejack, you and Spike will go to take the tables at Sugarcube Corner, and while you do that, please tell the Cakes that today they will have to prepare a special order in record time, also tell them also that everything will be on my emergency fund for welcome parties! Fluttershy, you please gather your delightful choir of birds. And Twilight, do you have by chance a book of party activities exciting but not too much?”





With the sweetness of the moon reflected in the lake, the vividness of the rainbow falls, and the brilliance of a diamond that sees the light after being buried for millennia in the womb of the earth, so each bead of the bracelet shone in the light of the lamp.

That little ring of beads contained within itself the poetry of a starry sky. Each one of those little multiform and multicolored gems seemed to contain a constellation, and together they formed an iridescent and dazzling galaxy, profound and mysterious. A galaxy that you could tuck on your wrist.

These were the emotions that Rarity felt, while carefully observing her latest creation. She always did so because she wanted to make sure that the reflections of the bracelet weren't too similar to the one what she had made before.

Because any of her creations had to be the same as the previous one. Because each one had to give a different emotion, a different feeling to the one who was wearing it. Each of her creations had to be like the snowflakes: unique.

After having observed it for a long time, from any angle and in any light intensity, she finally gave her judgment: “Perfect!”

Having said that, she took it off from her pastern using her magic, and put it with the greatest delicacy in a big casket, filled to the brim with bracelets, earrings and many other different accessories, then, with a satisfied expression, gently closed the casket.

“Well, it was tough, but it was definitely worth it. I don't think I'll get another opportunity to create accessories for the 'Miss Diamond' beauty contest. It's one of the most prestigious beauty contests of all of Equestria. Only the best jewelry are used! Ah, I'd love to attend it. I bet that by seeing the work of all the other jewelers I would certainly find the inspiration for a new line of accessories, and maybe even a new line of dresses to go with them! Uh, that would be marvelous!”

As she said this, she turned off the lamp the light of which had manufactured and studied every single accessory, and put her glasses on the work bench. Her desk was in the usual chaos that accompanied and followed whichever of her creation: little gems discarded, spools of thread of various colors, needles, cloths, polishing products, various drawings and sketches, and much, much more.

She looked at the mess and for a moment he thought to reorder everything. No, the desk could wait. After all that work without interruption, she just needs a break.

“Oh, I must remember to thank Spike for helping me the other day to find all those gems.” she said to herself, “If it wasn't for him, it would take me hours just to extract them from the ground! It must be a nice convenience to have claws, at least when you have to dig! Well, I think that maybe I can find some gems in good condition to give him, among those that remain. I don't remember if he like more the emeralds or the rubies...”

While she thought, her eyes fell on the clock on the wall, and she nearly had a stroke. It was six and ten minutes in the afternoon.

“Oh, my! It's already after six?” she said shocked, “I was so taken by my work that I haven't taken into account the passage of time! And so I've worked for nine consecutive hours! And to think that today I was hoping to get me also the styling to the tail!”

While she spoke she looked at her tail. It was shining and perfectly curled, as always. Or that at least to the eyes of an inexperienced. Because to her eyes, acute and trained to catch even the smallest detail, didn't escape a slight ripple that the tail had taken near the end.

“Not that I don't like to look a little different sometimes,” she said, waving her tail to see the effect of that ripple seen from various angles, “but only when I want to. And I didn't decided at all to change my tailstyle. Well, maybe, although I am quite tired from all that work, maybe I can give it a sprucing up, before preparing dinner.”

And so, after placing the casket on a safe shelf, where she usually pinned the finished and ready for dispatch works, she came out of her workshop and descended the stairs, to pick up her hairdresser kit. But while he was looking for it, she saw, leaning on the doormat, a small pink letter.

Curious, she came over, picked it up and opened it with magic, and was instantly covered by a shower of confetti and streamers.

"Uhm, I think I know who is the sender!” Rarity said, while pulling the letter from the envelope.

The letter was decorated with a quirky drawing of what she recognized as Pinkie Pie and someone completely unknown, both with a party hat, both happy and smiling, both evidently intent on doing a strange dance. Along the edge of the paper, as a frame to the drawing, she read the following text:

“Dear Rarity, You are cordially invited to the welcome party in honor of Swift Swap, which will be held on the Windy Plains. There will be a rich banquet at one o'clock, plus a buffet for the whole duration of the party. In addition there will be music, fun activities, and much more. All this won't be too much over the top, as to the specific request of the guest, but the fun is guaranteed. Please don't miss it out and come! Pinkie Pie!”

“Oh, my!” she said, as soon as she finished reading, “If the party started at one o'clock, perhaps at this time it's already over. Wait, now that I remember, I think she's already come this morning to tell me about this fellow named Swift Swap. Maybe she wanted to tell me about this party, but before she could explain it all, I've driven her away in a bad way, because I was too caught up by the work!”

As she said this, she gave another look at the invitation. It was done with the usual rainbow of colors that characterize every invitations sent by Pinkie. The drawing was rushed, but the style, however, was so funny and light-hearted that automatically put a smile into anyone who looked at it. The words were in a messy and childish style, which however indicated how much she had enjoyed writing it. Because she knew that Pinkie wrote every single invitation personally, putting into each of them her emotions, and those who wanted to convey to the addressee. Pinkie always did so. Just as she always did the same for her clothes and her accessories.

That thought made her make a decision.

“I just hope it's not over yet, and I also hope that nopony notices my tail. Well, actually, I've heard that the 'messed up' style will definitely rage next season! I'll just have to find the right accessory, and it will be done!”

So, without losing a moment, she ran in her wardrobe, and began to try, one after the other, all of her hats. And finally she took one, not too big or flashy, but decorated with a beautiful assortment of precious stones and purple feathers. Then looked in the mirror of the wardrobe, and gave her judgment: “Fabulous!”

Satisfied, she turned off the light and walked out of her shop, locked it and went at the quick trot toward the Windy Plains.





Like an ice skate that slides gently on the ice, drawing a thin, stylish line, which formed chaotic artwork or fine arabesques on the white, icy canvas, so the bow glided over the strings, hanging like strands of cobweb between the bridge and the hoofboard, making them vibrate, almost imperceptibly. The vibrations of the string echoed in the sound box, causing it to vibrate completely, from the scroll to the endpin.

That vibration was the secret. It was that, by vibrating also the air in the sound box, produced the deep but melodious sound that she, Octavia Melody, loved so much.

Among the many things she had been taught, when she learned how to play that wonderful instrument, there was also the physics hidden in the music, those curious mechanisms that the nature put in place when she wanted to produce a sound.

But honestly, she wasn't interested in those details. It was like explain to a painter why the paint is colored. All that matters to him is to paint. And all that mattered to her was to play.

It was wonderful. When she was playing, there was only the music, as if by rubbing the bow against the strings she would build a world of her own. A world of symphonies and harmony. Nothing else.

For this she never had stage fright. There was no stage, when she played. No public. Only she and her cello.

It was in this spirit that, with the last movement, she played the last note, concluding her performance. Then she opened her eyes, and as if someone had suddenly turned up the volume of the public, she also heard their applause. Composed, but touched at the same time, as always, she made a little bow, not because she didn't want to make a more deep one, but because she had to hold the cello, or it would have fallen on the ground.

While raising her head she saw a couple of ponies who were approaching her. She knew one of them, it was Pinkie Pie. The other one was the famous guest, which until now she had just glimpsed.

She was amazed at how tired he was. His face resembled to Octavia her good friend Vinyl Scratch when, after a whole night of work, she insisted, however, to do the home chores, so that she doesn't get tired too, and the next morning she was completely worn out, after two whole days without sleep.

However, despite the extreme lassitude, he was making superpony efforts to be able to stay awake and follow Pinkie.

“Hey, Octavia! Octavia!” Pinkie called, at the foot of the stage, “Great performance, for the record. Now listen, can you come down for a minute? I have to introduce you to the guest of honor!”

Her, smiling, put the cello in its case, a little behind the scenes, then stepped down from the stage and said, “Thank you very much, Pinkie. You know, it's very rare that you invite me to your parties. As entertainer, I mean! You usually prefer a genre a little more....well..... noisy!”

“Yes, it's true,” Pinkie replied, “but today, since our guest isn't in the right mood to go wild, I opted for something quieter. And after the bird chorus of Fluttershy, I immediately thought about you! So, Octavia Melody, meet Swift Swap! Swift Swap, meet Octavia Melody!”

“It's a pleasure!” he said, “I listened to your performance, and I must admit that you have an extraordinary talent. I admit that I haven't been to many concerts of classical music, but after listening to you, I think I should do it more!”

She, rather flattered said, “Oh, thank you! I usually don't get so many compliments on my music. Also because I usually don't play alone. But it's a pleasure to know that I made somepony approach to good music!”

“Don't mention it.” he replied, “I'm glad you've been able to help Pinkie to animate my welcome party. You know, she wanted so much that was a good party, even though I wasn't exactly the best celebrated in history. But you know, it's really impossible to get bored with her. She manages to convey energy into you all the time. I think if it had been someone else to organize this party, I'd already fainted four hours ago!”

At that line both Octavia and Pinkie sniggered. Then Pinkie looked up and saw someone coming from afar. Someone who was advancing at the trot, apparently without haste, but with a sense of urgency in step.

“Rarity!” she shouted, overjoyed, “You made it! I was beginning to worry that you're offended by how I invaded your workshop this morning, and that you had decided to not come!”

“Don't even say that in jest, darling!” she answered, as soon as she reached the group, “On the contrary, it was rather me the rude one, who cast you away without leave you no time to explain everything! A behavior like this is not worthy of a lady! And I'm also arrived terribly late! I'm terribly sorry for my deplorable conduct. I promise that I'll find a way to make you forgive me.”

“Come on! Don't worry about that!” Pinkie reassured her, “The important thing is that you came. Nothing else matters!”

“Oh, I'm so relieved to hear you say that. And hello to you too, dear Octavia. It's a pleasure to meet you here!”

“I'm glad to see you too, Rarity!” Octavia replied, “Also because I haven't thanked you yet for the ceremony suit that you have prepared for me in occasion of the big gala concert of the Crystal Empire last week. Thanks to you, I made a great impression! I even got an engagement for another five important receptions for the next month, and all thanks to you!”

“Now, now, don't be so modest.” she demurred, “Maybe my clothes may have given you that extra touch of class, but I'm sure that was your wonderful music to make inroads into the hearts of the organizers of the concert.”

“She's right!” Pinkie interjected, “In the end, you go to a concert for listen to music, not for look to clothes, right?”

And having said that, she hugged her friends. But then, as if she had suddenly remembered the reason of the party, she let them go, and pushed Rarity toward Swift Swap, while saying, “Swift Swap, meet Rarity! Rarity, meet Swift Swap!”

“Ah, so you're the guest!”   she said, slightly embarrassed by the fact that until then she had completely ignored him, “Well, I'm happy to meet you. Every time somepony new comes along, here it's always a big party. And since this town is quite small, these festivals are always a great event, especially thanks to this pony here, Pinkie Pie! I know that sometimes her wild and unpredictable ways can catch off guard who doesn't know her, but after a few minutes, you always learn to love that!”

“Yeah, I noticed.” he answered, “ Believe me, I wish I came here in Ponyville less tired. Perhaps I could better appreciate everything she has done for me. Not that I don't appreciate it, all the contrary! It's just that I'm so exhausted that I think I may put me to sleep right here, and now. But of course I would never do that, with the risk of offending all those present, especially Pinkie Pie, who has worked so hard to make everything perfect for me!”

“Oh, my!” she exclaimed, “It's true. Those dark circles of your are really horrible. The last time I saw some that deep was that time that Applejack got the weird idea to buck every single apple of Sweet Apple Acres by herself! How did you get so much tired?”

“Well, the fact is that I've traveled by hoof a lot, and the last two days I've never stopped. It was an exhausting journey, and once I arrived here I intended to rest for a bit. Unfortunately, things didn't go as I had planned. So, here I am, exhausted but determined to not give up. Not after having met ponies so friendly!”

“Admirable!” she said, impressed, “I must say that your willpower is really admirable. I wouldn't know how to do, without the train, and the idea of traveling, even by train, for two consecutive days, get me tired just at the thought. But anyway, why did you embarked on a so difficult journey?”

“It's my duty.” Swift Swap answered, “I'm an ambassador, and I've received orders from my lord, the Count of Chipados, to deliver a secret and important message to your Princess Celestia. So, I leaved Euhock by taking the-”

“EUHOCK?!?!” Rarity cried, in the throes of a sudden and unexpected attack of excitement, “Do you really come from Euhock? The most glamorous, charming, inspiring, picturesque continent in the entire universe? Ah, I envy you so much! I've always dreamed to visit it, at least once in my life!”

“Goodness, Rarity!” was the comment of Octavia, “I've always believed that the place of your dreams and your desires was Canterlot.”

“Oh, but it's still so!” she replied, “But anyway, how can you resist to the lure of the exotic but at the same time classic old continent. Here in Equestria there are many classy city, but over there there are whole nations of class! And how can you, especially, forget the three great nations of style: Ponytalia, the homeland of artists, United Keldom, the homeland of gentleponies, but above all Prance, the homeland of stylists!”

At the word "stylists", she seemed almost fainting, in emotion. Fortunately, Pinkie was quick to move behind her to support her, and while Rarity stood there, almost completely abandoned in Pinkie's forelegs, the pink mare told her “Well, you're lucky, because the place where he comes, the county of Chistilldontrememberthename is located right in Ponytalia!”

“Really?” Rarity said, suddenly getting up and placing herself at an inch from Swift Swap's nose, “Have you ever been to Modalanum, one of the four fashion capitals of the world along with Manehattan? Every year there are fashion shows of international importance there! I've also heard that houses many historic buildings of world importance, both historical and artistic, as well as many works of art of inestimable value. And not to mention one of the oldest existing shopping centers! Oh, and then of course there is also Rumon, the capital, that....”

But she abruptly stopped, because from Swift Swap's face began to arise a strange golden light. It didn't come from his horn, but from his face. And when the light faded, he didn't seem the same. She couldn't say what the problem was, but there was something different in his eyes and in his ears. He no longer seemed him.

“Oh, no! Here it comes!” he whispered, with an expression of pure terror on his face.

Rarity kept looking at him, confused, and also Octavia began to look with interest to his face, struck by the bizarre change. Pinkie instead seemed to haven't noticed anything, because while they were discussing, she pulled out her checklist and was carefully checking it.

“Hey, Swift Swap!” she said excitedly, putting aside the list, “Good news! We are almost done! There are only five ponies missing for complete the 'MYNFMAOYOF' checklist! All we need is Raindrops, Thunderlane, Bulk Biceps, Cloudchaser and Rainbow Dash! Practically, we just have to wait for the team of Wonderbolts trainees to come back from their monthly training and we'll be okay! Now it's pretty late, so they should already be on the way back! Are you happy, Swift Swap?......Ehm, Swift Swap? Are you okay?”

She said that because she also had noticed the strange changes on his face.  Under the confused and worried gaze of the three mares, he stepped back trying to keep cool and find a solution.

“But....But....But of course!” he said, trying to hide his state of panic, “I'm fine, wonderfully fine! I just have a insane hunger! I think I'll head to the snack table. See you later!”

And he disappeared into the crowd, leaving behind Rarity and Octavia, looking at each other confused to understand what had happened, and Pinkie Pie, who suddenly seemed to forget the odd change. Too distracted by a moth that had just landed on her nose.

Swift Swap however, as he made himself room in the mob, he knew only one thing. He had to flee, now or never. Before it was too late!





At the snack table, Applejack was standing on the sidelines, watching from afar, with a sly smile, her brother and Cheerilee dancing together, slowly, looking intensely at each other. Cheerilee had arrived in time for the banquet, while he had arrived about four o'clock, after he had finished repairing the roof. But since they had met at the party, they didn't separate even for a moment. They seemed very happy together, whether they were eating, or chatting, or, as now, dancing.

With a sigh, she turned and spotted Apple Bloom, that, together with Sweetie Belle was admiring their friend Scootaloo, who was doing a complicated balancing act on the back of a chair. And, not too distant from them, Granny Smith was chatting pleasantly with Apple Rose. In fact, she had decided to spend a little more time with her favorite cousin, and for that she had come with her back to Ponyville, with the intention of stopping for the evening. Couldn't have chosen a better time, since she had the chance to join the party too.

Yes, apparently, although that wasn't the kind of party that Pinkie organized usually, this was still a success! All around her everypony were enjoying themselves, and there wasn't even the shadow of a long snout.

The only thing for which she was worried was Swift Swap. It was since a few hours that she didn't see him anymore, but the last time she do he seemed at the end of his strength. And since now she could no longer see him, in the midst of the multitude of ponies, she began to worry seriously.

“Applejack, excuse me!” said a voice familiar to her, “Can I have a word with you?”

Although taken by surprise by that voice, she turned around. It was Twilight, with a concerned expression, and with a book floating in front of her, hanging with her magic. On the book was written, in elegant red letters, the title 'Magic Physics'.

“ Ah, that's where you were hidin'. It's been a while I haven't seen you around. What are you doing with that book? It seems impossible to me that you always have to read, even at parties !”

“It's not the time for jokes!” was the answer, “I'm serious. There's something wrong and I need your opinion!”

By the way in which she had spoken, Applejack realized that she was indeed serious. It was the typical tone she had when a trouble was about to happen.

“Okay, I got it! It's not a joke. Now tell me everything about it!”

“Good!” she said, opening the book and beginning leafing through it, “Do you want to know where I was gone? I was curious to try Swift Swap's swapping spell, but I found it tremendously difficult. But you know that, at least usually, I just need to see a few times a peculiar spell to be able to immediately replicate it!"

"So what?" Applejack said, surprised that she was worried just about not being able to do something for once, "You have found a difficult one to replicate. Isn't it better that way? Doesn't it mean that it's particularly powerful?"

"This is not the problem!" Twilight cried impatiently, "The fact is that when I tried it, I thought back at all the feelings it gave me every time Swift Swap performed it. It's in this way that I usually can repeat a spell performed by somepony else. And that's how I noticed something that I had missed before. When an object is under the influence of that spell, it emits a particular energy frequency. It usually happens that each spell has its particular frequency. But the point that he also emits it!"

"What do you mean?" Applejack asked, that even though she didn't understand everything she sensed that something was wrong.

"I mean that he used his spell on himself this whole time. I don't know how, nor why, but has exchanged its features with those of somepony else, as if he had something to hide about himself! Earlier, while he was chatting with Golden Harvest, I approached him stealthily and analyzed its energy frequencies. And, apparently, his whole body it's impregnated with that energy. This could mean that his whole body as we know it isn't really as it seems!"

That revelation caught her by surprise, but never as the scream that suddenly rang out in the crowd. A scream of terror.

“What's happenin'? Seems like somepony had just seen a ghost!” she said, rushing toward the source of the scream. Twilight followed her, flying above her.

And that was why, for the fact that she had the advantage of the elevated position, that she was the first to see everything.

She saw the circle that the ponies had made, in the middle of the group.

She saw Daisy, near the edge of the circle, paralyzed with terror and breathless.

And she also saw what Daisy was pointing with her trembling hoof.

It was Swift Swap, just as scared as she was and in the midst of a panic attack.

But it wasn't his state of mind, since his appearance to make her shiver. His eyes were now tilted in an odd angle, his pupils had become strangely tight, and his ears now seemed longer and furry.

But all this was a banal detail, when compared to the huge, scary pair of bat-like black wings, which now extended from his back.
> Swift Swap meets Rainbow Dash
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

For several, interminable seconds, into the crowd there was absolute silence. The only things you could hear were cries of terror immediately muffled and gasping breaths.

And one of those who breathed with difficulty was Swift Swap, the one who everyone, in that moment, was looking at. And while he was panting he looked around anxiously, the pupils strangely subtle darting from corner to corner of the eye.

He felt trapped, surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of faces staring at him blankly. Some looked at him with interest, others with curiosity, others with doubt. But above all with fear.

He wanted to try to explain. But he barely had time to open his mouth, to try, somehow, to justify that bizarre situation. And it happened. His mouth brightened, always in the same golden light, and when the light faded from his mouth protruded two huge, sharp canines.

“HE'S GONNA EAT US!” Daisy screamed before passing out.

That was the signal that gave way to the panic. In a moment, everyone present shouted as one with terror, and began to run in all directions, bumping into each other doing so, without any order nor any target, driven only by the need to save themselves by the winged monster with sharp fangs.

Everywhere you could hear cries of foals who called his mother in tears, screams of protest from those who shouted to the pony nearby to hurry to escape, and the shouts of those who, in the midst of confusion, couldn't escape and asked for help.

If there was confusion on the ground, the sky was even worse. In fact, all of pegasi had taken off at the same time, but between the fact that the sun was setting, and the fact that they were flying without looking where they were going, they clashed constantly into each other, and who was falling after a little recovered in midair and regained altitude, falling and raising again, in a cycle that seemed endless.

With all this, in the sky it seemed there was a swarm of crazy hornets, while on the ground it seemed there was a bison stampede.

It was over! His cover has been blown! Now the only thing he could do was run away, before everything was completely lost. And in any case, now that he had his wings back, there was no sense not to use them. So, he stretched them to the maximum, bent his knees and prepared to take off. But before he could do that, he felt enveloped in a rose light, and soon after found himself tied up like a turkey, with his legs and wings completely immobilized.

“You're not going anywhere!” said a voice by the resolute tone, which came from above him, “Not before you have given to us the appropriate explanations!”

He looked upwards, as far as the ropes allowed him, and saw the princess Twilight Sparkle, just above him, flapping her wings in order to maintain the position in midair, with a stern expression. Soon also Applejack arrived, and, subsequently, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Spike came as well and watched the curious being that now, no longer seemed a unicorn.

“What happened to him!” Rarity asked, barely concealing an expression of disgust, “I mean, those wings, and those fangs. They seems pretty familiar, doesn't it?”

“Indeed! Applejack agreed, studying more closely his ears, “All of these bizarre features, besides the manner in which he has turned in ......this, they remind me a........vampire pony!”

“Oh my!” Fluttershy said, covering her mouth with a hoof , “A vampire pony! Like........like I was!”

“No, I don't think that he's the same kind of vampire pony you were.” Twilight reassured her, “You've been turned in a vampire pony by me for mistake, and you were changing only at night when you were hungry. He, instead, was this the whole time. He only has concealed his identity thanks to his spell, assuming the race of somepony else that he has met, and that he must have locked up somewhere.”

“But if that's the case, where he comes from?” Rarity asked, still looking his wings,  “I've never seen other vampire ponies until now!”

“Princess Luna have some of them at her service, working in her private guard.” Twilight answered, “She told me that they are nocturnal creatures, usually evil, living in the Badlands. Those at her service are loyal and righteous, but the wild ones are treacherous, deceitful and ruthless, willing to use whatever dirty means to achieve their ends!”

At that description, they all shuddered, and looked at the creature at their feet, that was wriggling in an attempt to break free from those ropes.

“And....” Applejack began to say, hesitant, “What do you think is the end of this one here?”

“I don't know,” Twilight answered, “but that's why we have to keep him imprisoned and interrogate him. We must find out who he really is and what he wants!”

But it was in that moment that he, evidently driven by the adrenaline rush that the fear had given him, straightened up with all the remaining forces, raised his head and lit his horn. A moment later he disappeared, leaving in his place someone else, wrapped in the ropes.  A pony with a pale mane and tail and a gray coat.

“Hey!” protested the imprisoned pony, “Why am I bound? Did I did something wrong?”

Confused, they all began to look around, trying to figure out where he had gone. But then Twilight was struck by a sudden flash of awareness, and looked up. And she saw him, in the midst of the crazy flock of pegasi, as he flew away.

“Quickly, Fluttershy! We have to chase him!” shouted her,  spreading her wings and taking off. Her, although frightened, followed her immediately. But it was clear that it was a lost cause. None of them was a skilled flier, while he seemed quite at ease in the air. And so, while they had to do a thousand of maneuvers to avoid colliding with others pegasi, he was rapidly distancing them.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Applejack quickly undid the knots that were blocking the tied pony, apologizing, “I'm sorry, Derpy! I would stay here to explain everything to you, but it's a long story, and our friends need us. So if you'll excuse us, we have to go!”

Having said that, she, along with Pinkie, Rarity and Spike, ran away, following the trajectory of her friends in the sky.

Derpy remained there, but, before they disappeared from her sight, she had time to shout at them “Thanks for having freed me! Those ropes have given me an insane itch!”

Quickly the confusion around her began to decline, bit by bit that, finally, ponies were able to overcome the panic and found the way to leave. Soon only Daisy remained near her, still unconscious.

Concerned, Derpy helped the mare to stand up, and that seemed to help her to regain consciousness, even though all she managed to say were only incomprehensible verses.

“Uhm, you don't look so good!” Derpy said, “Well, maybe I have the solution. There's nothing that cheer you up like a muffin covered with chocolate. Or at least, nothing cheer me up more than that!”





A light breeze was blowing in the air, and there were only a few clouds in the sky. The sun, which was setting, gave to the celestial vault that typical red-orange color, which makes it seem like the sky was enveloped in flames.

It was a magical moment. Those magical, long minutes which marked the boundary between the day and the night. It seemed that the sun, before giving way to the moon, wanted, in a last desperate moment of pride, demonstrate all its glory, painting all the sky of his radiant and intense color, leaving an indelible mark in the hearts of the beholder. It was desperate, and it was an act of pride, but it was glorious in every way possible.

It was in that air as red as fire, that five figures stood out, throwing their dark shadows on the landscape otherwise perfectly linear. They were five pegasi in V formation, who were heading, perfectly coordinated, toward Ponyville.

At the edge of the group, forming the two extremities of the V, there were Raindrops to the left, and Bulk Biceps on the right, both visibly fatigued. Then, between them and the tip middle, there were Thunderlane and Cloudchaser respectively, they also rather weary. And finally, in the lead, to guide the group and dictate the pace of the flap,  there was Rainbow Dash.

Unlike the others, she was bursting of energy. Although she had struggled as the others, and even more, she looked ready to overfly the Pacitic Ocean. But in the end it was always so. For her, to go to the Wonderbolts Academy wasn't an effort, indeed. It was her fuel. It was what gave to her energy for a whole month. Being able to stay alongside her idols. Being able to showcase her skills. Being able to improve her flying style. Being able to live her dream. She didn't want anything else.

And anyway. in all likelihood the next morning she would wake up at noon.

“Alright, team!” she said, turning and flying backwards to be able to watch her teammates without stopping, “We're almost home. I know you're tired, but be assured that soon you can relax!”

“Thankfully!” Raindrops said, emitting a loud snort, “I don't know how I would be able to still fly. My wings are killing me!”

“I bet that they hurt.” Rainbow replied, “You've worked hard today. All of you! You're all making great strides! In my opinion, still a few training sessions, and finally we will all be admitted to the final exam!”

“To be honest, I think you should have done that exam months ago, regardless of your age.” Thunderlane said, “By now you have pulverized every existing record at the academy! Not even Fleetfoot has made her career so quickly among the Wonderbolts.”

“Yeah, I'm awesome!” she admitted, making a death loop backwards, “But I already knew that, as everypony else knows that too! Now let's talk about you guys, instead. For example, you Thunderlane have beaten Spitfire's minimal time on the Dizzitron! Only six point two seconds! And Bulk, today you have carried even three hundred pounds in flight!”

“YEAH!” shouted loudly the muscular pegasus.

“And Raindrops, great job in the trial of rainwater flying harvesting. I'll have to be careful that you didn't steal my work, one of these days!”

Rather embarrassed, she replied “Well, to tell the truth I'm already working as weather pony, but if you're referring to your position of forepony, nopony could steal it from you! I don't know anypony able to clean up the sky in nine seconds flat!”

“To be honest, the last time I did it in eight and half seconds.” Rainbow corrected her, “But as I said before, enough about me! You instead, Cloudchaser, for Celestia's sake, you've almost reached my cloud-busting record! I must say, you are simply amazing! If there is somepony who will be promoted immediately after me, that will be you! I bet you can't wait to tell your deed to Flitter, don't you?”

“You betcha, Rainbow!” was the reply, “I won't miss the chance to tell somepony that I almost beat you into something!”

“Well, boast while you can, because I bet I'll arrive to Ponyville before you. Even better, let's race, everypony! The last to arrive is a turkey!”

Having said that, always looking at them, she darted off, flying in reverse.

All the others, as soon as they had recovered from the surprise, accelerated to reach their team leader. Cloudchaser and Thunderlane were in the lead group, passing each other all the time. Then there was Raindrops, and finally, at the bottom of the group and losing more and more air, there was Bulk Biceps.

Enraged, he tried to flap his tiny wings at an incredible speed, shouting to give himself the charge, but it was pointless. He wasn't fast enough, and he soon lost sight of the group.

It was then that he felt a light pat on his shoulder. He turned, and saw with astonishment that it was Rainbow Dash who had touched him.

In fact, as soon as she was able to escape the visual radius of the group, she had stopped, flown very high and turned back, passing in the rear of the group.

“Ehm, BB?” she said, apparently embarrassed, “Can I have a word with you? I would like to ask you some sort of......favor.”

He gave a little grunt and nodded. He had understood that the story of the race was an excuse to chat with him, and now he was curious to hear what she had to tell him.

“Good. You see, the fact is that I would need some sort of advice. I'm asking you because, well, you fly! Although you have the smallest wings I've ever seen, you fly! Sometimes you have some difficulty in doing so, but you still manage to do it anyway! And then, you see, there's a dear friend of mine, indeed, more like a sister, who has some trouble to fly. She has tried everything, and I gave her all the advice that came to my mind, but the truth is that fly has always come natural to me. I haven't the slightest idea of how it feels to have difficulties in doing so. But I still want to help her with all my soul.”

“You're talking about Scootaloo, isn't it?”

Rainbow stared at Bulk Biceps in shock, completely taken aback by that question.

“Yeah, but how did you know?” she asked, “Do you know her?”

“Some time ago, she and her friends asked me if I could help them train for the flag carrying team selection for the Equestria Games. During breaks, she did nothing else that talk about you! About how much she admires you, how she likes to spend time with you, and how she dreams to being able one day to fly at your side!”

From what he said, and the intensity of his gaze as he spoke, she realized that it was all true. And didn't know whether to be touched by the fact that Scootaloo thought that about her, or embarrassed by the fact that she had told everything to Bulk Biceps. Aside from the fact that she talked about her all the time with the Crusaders, and that didn't bothered her. But this, she felt it was a whole different thing.

And so she blushed violently and remained silent, uncertain about what to say, until, suddenly, Bulk Biceps exploded in a powerful laugh, and shouted “What are my eyes seeing? Miss ' I'm hard as marble and strong as a bull ' is blushing?”

She, at those words, roused himself immediately and replied “Bu-but of course not. Why should I? The future captain of the Wonderbolts can't show any sign of weakness. I'm not allowed to be sentimental!”

But immediately after she regretted having said that. She knew that her emotions were anything but a weakness. They were what gave her the strength to get to where she was now. Her passion for flying, the affection she felt for her friends, even her stubbornness, had helped her to improve, to become a better flyer. A better pony.

And so, she put aside her pride and admitted, “Okay, I'm guilty! I've blushed! The fact is that I never had a sister, and in general, I've never had somepony to take care for! And now, that I decided to help somepony outside myself, I'm afraid of making the wrong choices. Let's face it, I'm probably the last pony who should be entrusted to a filly. I'm not responsible enough. And the idea that she can grow in the wrong way because of me scares me so much. But I never told that to anypony. You know, ' I'm the awesome Rainbow Dash, I'm not afraid of anything and I can do everything '. These are just stupidities. I have more fear of how much I would admit, and one of the biggest is not to be the amazing sister that Scootaloo deserves.”

“SHUT UP!”

Caught off guard by that cry, she flinched and looked at Bulk Biceps, the one who had shouted. He was staring at her with his big, bloodshot eyes. A reproachful look, but hiding a enormous and unconditional trust. A look that made her understand why he had yelled at her. He had just saved her from self-pity. He believed in her, because she always gave her best, and even more, to help her teammates. And he knew that she would do the same for Scootaloo.

“Yeah, you're right,” she said, “instead of wasting time on self-pity, I should tell you that I wanted to ask you! I was wondering if by chance you know some useful exercise for strengthen the wings, so maybe you can teach them to me, and then I could teach them to her. What do you say?”

“YEAH!” he replied, “EVERYTHING FOR YOU!”

She, relieved by the fact that he had accepted, suddenly regained all her boldness and shouted, “Great! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a race to win. You'd better hurry, BB!”

And she drove off at full speed. He was ready to accelerate again, shouting “BRING IT ON, RAINBOW DASH!”

But however hard he tried, he just could not follow her. As for Rainbow, it took her only a few minutes to return to the top of the group. And she had just passed alongside two stunned  Cloudchaser and Thunderlane, when, from afar, she saw three dark shadows quickly approaching to them.

“Hey, guys!” she said, addressed to her companions, “Look! Somepony is coming towards us. And at great speed. Apparently they are coming to welcome back us!”

“Great!” Thunderlane exclaimed, “It's nice that, for once, they come to meet us halfway. Can you see who they are?”

She squinted and said, “I dare say that the two most backward are Fluttershy and Twilight, but I've no idea who is the one on the lead. Besides, it seems to me that his wings are a little strange!”

“It's true!” Cloudchaser agreed, straining the view in turn, “I've never seen such big wings. And in any case, why his wings are black if his coat is orange?”

But they had no time to give an answer because, abruptly, he veered to their left and then upwards, disappearing in the clouds. Twilight immediately corrected the route to follow him, while Fluttershy seemed to hesitate. And it was at that point that, looking in their direction, she saw them.

“Rainbow!” she called, barely audible, between the fact that she was distant, and between the fact that, even when shouting, her voice was always gentle, “You guys! Help us! You must stop him!”

And suddenly, out of the clouds over them, popped out the stranger that her friends were following, heading, in swoop, just towards them. Now that they saw him better, saw that, in fact, he had very little of the pegasus. Despite the high speed at which he was moving, Rainbow saw a horn, a tail moving in a oddly unusual manner, and a sharp set of teeth out of his mouth. He didn't look like anything she had seen before, but the closest thing to that was her friend Fluttershy that time she had become a vampire pony!

Also Twilight emerged from the clouds, and cried, “Rainbow! Hurry, take him!”

Without let it repeat one more time, Rainbow Dash flew towards the mysterious pony at full speed, widening her front legs to grab him.

He noticed the move, and tried, with a feint, to avoid her. But she wasn't fooled by that trick. Indeed, to confuse him, made herself a feint, pretending to go in the direction he wanted, but then corrected the direction and gave an accelerated such that, in a moment, swooped upon the stranger.

"Hey! What's the rush, buddy?” she said, while holding the weird pony with her front legs, so that he couldn't ran away.

He, in response, lit up his horn, grunting for the effort, and a moment later he disappeared,  and in his place she found herself holding Thunderlane in her hooves.

“What the-!” they exclaimed, more confused than ever.

But a moment later, Cloudchaser called their attention, shouting, “He's running away!”

In a instant, they turned, and saw that he was getting away. He looked exhausted, but nevertheless he continued to fly as if it were a matter of life or death.

“Okay, It's on!” Rainbow said with a resolute expression. And immediately let Thunderlane go and threw herself in pursuit. Also Cloudchaser and Thunderlane followed her.

The three of them were a lot faster than him, and although he initially had a good advantage, they soon came in range of his tail, and, in order to stop him, tried to bite it. Rainbow managed to do so, and immediately began to pull to stop him. But he managed to give a powerful tug on the tail and broke free, leaving her with a few hairs in her mouth. And as soon as he was free, he dived down into the forest below, that, actually, was the Everfree Forest.

“Puh! Gross!” Rainbow said, spitting out the hairs that were left in the mouth. And immediately looked down, in an attempt to locate that elusive pony. But by now he had hidden in the forest, and it was impossible to see it from above. The vegetation was too thick.

In the meantime, both the stragglers of her team, Raindrops and Bulk Biceps, and both her two friends, Twilight and Fluttershy, had managed to reach them. Ad as soon as Twilight arrived, she said, “Did you miss him? Too bad! I was hoping that your flying ability would be enough, but it seems though his swapping powers have allowed him to escape! Now I don't think we'll find him easily in the Everfree!”

“So do I!” Rainbow replied, “Anyway, who was that weirdo, and why he was running away from you?”

“I don't have time to explain. Just know that there is the possibility that he had imprisoned somepony to take his appearance! We must find him to ask why he did it, what was his purpose, and where is the poor guy!”

“Possible prisoner. Find him for questioning. There's no time to lose. Got it!” she repeated, “Since we are all here, I propose to divide us and try to seek him from above. If he wants to leave in a hurry, sooner or later he will have to take off again. And when he does, we'll be ready! We just have to divide into four groups, and-”

“Three will suffice!” Twilight interjected, “At this time our friends are coming to the ground level. If he tries to go back, they will take him. And anyway, when he had taken off he was very tired, and I don't think, after the flight and the magic he has done, that he still has a lot of energy. So he won't go very far!”

All of them, after a moment of reflection, agreed that that was a good plan. And then they split up into three groups: Fluttershy, Raindrops and Bulk Biceps headed westward, Thunderlane and Cloudchaser headed northward, and ultimately Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle headed to the east.

But before they parted, Rainbow wanted to say a few words: “Listen up, guys, because this mission is important. Perhaps there is even involved the life of a pony! As soon as you find him, you immediately do the signal that we agreed on: three spins and a loop the loop. Don't try to deal with him yourself. Rather follow him and try to tire him. It will be easier to take him once he has stopped! Stay together, work together, and you'll see that we'll succeed together! You got it all?”

“Yes, ma'am!” they all said. Not only her teammates, but also Twilight and Fluttershy. Everyone was looking at her with respect, trust and devotion. They were looking at her such as a leader.

And suddenly, Rainbow understood better what she had understood before by talking to Bulk Biceps. Although often acted irresponsibly and carelessly, she had all the skills of a leader. She could understand the situation and know what to do consequently. She knew how to handle pressure and how to coordinate other ponies. And most importantly, she knew how to motivate others. She knew how to pull out the grit from anyone, including herself when she was feeling down. She had the qualities of the leader. She had the qualities of the sister.

“Alright! Then let's go, everypony!” she cried, raising her hooves to heaven. As did the other, cheering and yelling.

Then they parted, according to the plan, each group flying in a different direction.

“It was a pretty good speech.” Twilight said to Rainbow, while they were flying, “I didn't know what among your gifts there was also the oratory!”

“Let's just say that I manage, when I feel inspired!” the other replied, “If you insist, the next time you need to make a speech, you can use some of mine!”

Twilight giggled, but then she began to look carefully at her friend mane. In fact, in the midst of the wild multicolored mane, she saw a dark hair, with a tone that appeared familiar to her.

“What's that?” she asked, while with the magic lifted the hair and made it levitate in front of her eyes.

“Aw, shucks!” Rainbow said, disgusted, “It's one of the hairs that I had in my mouth before, when I grabbed the tail of that dude. Probably the wind blew it on me, after I had spit it out, and it has attached to my mane! Gross! I hope that nopony else has noticed it!”

But Twilight wasn't listening to the protest of her friend. She was thinking about Swift Swap. It was true that he had hidden his true identity all the time, but she found difficult to believe that also his attitude was a sham. To her he seemed sincere, honest, and above all harmless. He definitely didn't seem the kind of creature that encloses someone in a basement to assume his identity. Especially considering that she had known someone who had done so. But, she had to consider the facts. He wasn't what he wanted to make others believe. He had hidden his race and had infiltrated among them. And surely, these were not actions that suggested someone well-intentioned.

But, fortunately, as soon as she had heard of who was that hair, an idea came to her. That wouldn't allow her to understand his intentions, but at least she would know who they were dealing with.

And so, trying to ignore the whistle of the wind in her ears, she began to concentrate, as he repeated in a low voice the words, “Composure and Concentration, Composure and Concentration, Composure and Concentration......”





Exhausted, Swift Swap collapsed on the roots of a leafy oak tree, out of sight of the ponies that were hunting him.

He was out of breath. The flight, and that last swapping spell that he had been forced to do had completely depleted his strength. He felt that even the charge given to him by the adrenaline was running out.

After he had vowed not to get into it ever again, circumstances had brought him there, in the Everfree Forest, the place where he was almost eaten by a dragon, almost devoured by a huge herd of Timberwolfes and almost torn to pieces by a group of Treants. And now, busted, and chased like a monster, he was there, and he didn't know what to do.

He knew that his mission was failed. Soon the rumor would spread that a pony with the tangerine-colored coat and a black tail and mane was, in fact, an aberration. And at that point, not only he wouldn't be able to meet Princess Celestia, once she returned from her trip. He wouldn't also be able to return home, to his familiars. He would never again see his parents, or his homeland!

A tear, a single tear slipped out of his eyes, then fall into the ground at the foot of that tree. After which, he had one last dizziness and passed out.

And at that point, his entire body was enveloped by an intense golden light, which made him shine like a star. But not strong enough to cross the dense foliage of the oak. 





All around them reigned absolute darkness. Only the white light of Rarity's horn kept the shadows in check and sent them back, as her, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Spike went down the path.

From the foliage not even a thin ray of light filtered. And this not only complicated the search, but also made impossible to tell if they were going in the right direction, given that they had lost sight of Twilight and Fluttershy by several minutes. And so the four of them proceeded trying to keep the direction, which was quite complicated, due to the large amount of trees and the absence of paths.

Spike, for his part, stood silently beside Rarity. He was trying in every way to contain his nervousness. He wanted to be strong and resolute. As in his fantasies, where every time he saved her from scary pony-eating creatures.

But it was a long time that his fantasies were nothing more than fantasies. He knew that he had very slim chances. It was true, he continued to hang on the mere hope that, one day, she would stop ignoring him, and that she would accept his love. But in the end, what he had to offer?

There was nothing he could give her, that she hadn't already. And he hadn't any talent that made him indispensable to her eyes. He helped her often, he knew this, but those were all things that potentially she could have done alone, and certainly better. Or so he thought.

And anyway, even if he was her perfect mate, he was too young for her, and belonged to another race.

However, with time, he had learned. To not ask anything. And to give, give without expecting anything in return. He didn't want to be reciprocated. He didn't want attention. He didn't want affection. He asked only to be able to stay close to her. And to be able to still hope.

And so, he was standing next to her, touching her shoulder to find a little bit of confidence, as he looked around in that scary place. Speaking of Rarity, not even she seemed too comfortable in that darkness.

Beside them stood Applejack, with her usual confident and resolute expression. She seemed extremely self-confident, though a strange light in her eyes indicated that she was still worried, but she was fighting for not show it to the others. 

Pinkie, however, didn't seem nervous at all. She just trotted along behind them, and occasionally began to hum a song, only to be immediately silenced by all the others, too nervous to accept unexpected noises.

Eventually, Spike dared to ask, “Uhm, at which point of forest you believe we are?”

“I have no idea!” Applejack answered, “We have passed by a lot the last point of reference that I know, and now I don't know what to do anymore. The only thing we can do is carry on, hopin' that the foliage ahead is less dense, and than the others manage to find us!”

“If you ask me,” Rarity intervened, “maybe we should have leave some marks, to understand where we came from.”

“Yes, but it would take too long,” Applejack replied, “and we would have lost sight of them immediately!”

“What's the difference? We lost them now! At least in that case we could go back. I'm sick of staying in this dark and sinister place!”

“Come on, girls, calm down!” Pinkie said, stepping between the two litigants, “There's no point arguing. Why, instead, we don't sing something?”

“No!” said the other three, in unison.

It was in that moment that, from far away, they saw a light. A golden light that, for a moment, glowed, illuminating the forest floor, and then slowly fade.

Applejack recognized that light. The same that had enveloped her in Twilight's library, when Swift Swap was using his spell on her.

“It's him!” she shouted, “He's near! This way!”

And she ran toward the point where, previously, came that light. The others followed her, the best they could, considering the dark and the density of the insidious vegetation.

The light was now gone, but she remembered very well where it came from. All he had to do was go straight and she would find him.

But abruptly she stopped, astonished. Because, in the light of Rarity horn, a massive shape had appeared in the darkness.

It was definitely a creature, given that she could hear his powerful breath. And it was quite big, almost twice her size. She couldn't see well its appearance, given that there were few light, but she saw the outline of two huge wings and a long, spiny tail.

The creature, when she arrived, didn't move. It seemed unconscious. Despite this, she approached with caution, however, to prevent that the creature woke up, and continue the search. The others came up as well and saw the creature, and, following the example of Applejack, began to circumvent it in silence.

But while Spike was trying to get around the creature, his eyes fell on it for a second. And he saw. He saw something that struck him like a thunderbolt.

“Girls!” he called in a low voice, “Girls!”

“It's not the right time!” Applejack shushed him, still in a low voice, “We have to move, or we risk los-”

“Hey, look! This monster have a cutie mark!” Pinkie yelled, pointing to the very same point that also Spike was pointing.

Both Rarity and Applejack immediately motioned her to be quiet. However, the creature didn't move at all. And so, at that point, they also tried to look, and saw that it was true! On the rear leg of the monster loomed an image, depicting a black and orange double-headed arrow, which enveloped on itself.

“It's him!” Applejack said, looking shocked at the size of that being, “I can't believe it! I swear that I would never have recognized him, if I hadn't seen that! I had no idea that a vampire ponies could become so huge!”

“There's something that doesn't convince me!” Rarity interjected, “I have the strange feeling that things are a little different! Well, maybe with a little more light things will be clearer.”

So, with a little effort, the amount of light produced by her horn increased, illuminating the whole area.

And they saw him.

Passed several, interminable seconds, before Applejack took the initiative and said, “We must warn Twilight, now!”

“I agree, but it won't be easy!” replied Rarity, “ The foliage of this area is so dense that my light can't pass through! However, we must find a way to signal our location!”

“I've got this!”

All the three mares turned to the little dragon, the one who had spoken, while, with difficulty, was climbing on the trunk of the oak.

“What are you doing, Spikey-poo?” asked Rarity, “Come down, it's dangerous!”

Even though he couldn't deny that he liked her concern for him, and he liked even more to be called by that nickname, he didn't obey. It wasn't the time to be nice to her eyes, and it wasn't the time to be obedient. Now the situation called for his help, and he couldn't hold back.

“Don't worry, guys!” Spike replied, with confident attitude, “I've got a plan!”

And having said this, he continued to climb, until he disappeared entirely in the vegetation.





Twilight and Rainbow continued to fly over the forest, a few yards above the tops of the trees. Fortunately, they didn't need to look below the vegetation, because Twilight was able to perceive at  distance the energy waves emitted by Swift Swap's spell. For this they were gone in that direction, where the forest was more dense, leaving the rest to the others.

However, their hopes faded when, right before their eyes, Swift Swap's hair lit up with a golden light, and vanished, leaving one other thing in its place.

Rainbow looked confused at the small, black object, saying, “What's that? This thing is getting weirder every minute!”

“This isn't important!” Twilight replied, “Now we have to find him! But I fear it will now be much more difficult, because, if his hair has turned, it means that his spell is fading. Indeed, perhaps it's already finished! And if the spell ends, I won't be able to locate him anymore!”

“Then, what do you suggest?” asked Rainbow.

“We must continue to look for him, and hope that the spell has not ended!”

And so, they continued to fly over that part of the forest for several minutes, with no results. And they were about to give up, when, as they were returning back, Rainbow saw, from far away, a small, bright spot.

“Hey, Twilight!” she called, “Look! Look over there! Do you think it's him?”

“No, I don't think so.” answered the other, “His magic is golden, while that light over there is green. And anyway, it don't even look like magic. It seems rather ....... a fire! But of course! It have to be Spike. He's sending us a signal, perhaps because he and the others have found him!”

“Perfect!” Rainbow replied, “Then we'll go to them. Hold on to me, so we'll arrive more quickly!”

Twilight obeyed, and clung to the back of her friend. Immediately, Rainbow set off at high speed, and her friend nearly lost his grip, due to the high speed, but she held firm.

And so, in a few seconds, they arrived to Spike, who was perched on the top of an oak, spitting flames at the limit of his capacity. As soon as he saw them, he stopped immediately, and began to wheeze, exhausted by the extended effort.

"Phew. Luckily you saw the signal!" he said, out of breath, "I don't think I'd be able to spit flames for much longer!"

“You've done an excellent job, Spike!” Twilight complimented him, while stroking his head, “It was a very strong signal. We managed to see it from a long distance! However, why did you call us? Did you find him?”

“Yes!” he answered, “Exactly! But, you see, things are a bit different from what we thought. I think that perhap-”

“Yes, I know that things are not as we thought,” she interrupted him, “and this is why we need to act quickly!”

Then, she turned towards her companion and said, “Rainbow, find your teammates and dismiss them. It's better than less ponies as possible know about this. Of course, we also need to find a justification for all those who have seen him at the party, but I think we can come up with something! However, send them home and bring Fluttershy here!”

“You got it!” she replied, and immediately set off, disappearing from the view in a few seconds.

As soon as she was gone, Spike, with a little hesitant approach, said, “Okay. Now, if you don't mind, maybe you should came down with me to see him, because I don't know what you meant before, with ' I know that things are not as we thought', but I don't think you meant what we have seen!”

And having said this, he began to descend, moving the branches in his path, creating a passage through which she could crawl. Although Twilight didn't understand what he meant with that statement, she followed him, being careful that her wings didn't remain caught in the branches.

And finally, when she managed to get out of the foliage, she saw a small area illuminated by a soft, white light, coming from Rarity's horn. And she also saw the object that was at the center of the light, that all the others were still staring at.

And after a few, interminable moments of stunned confusion, she dared to say, “Alright, I didn't expect this!”
> Swift Swap confesses
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Swift Swap head there was a big confusion. A chaotic, terrifying sequence of scattered images, combined with overlapping sounds invaded and upset his mind like a hurricane. The most common images were terrified ponies who pointed him out and fled from him. The most common sounds were their screams of terror. And everything was combined with other sounds, of beings calling him weird, different.....

He hated those moments. Those moments of unconsciousness in which all its anxieties and fears came together in a single, chaotic vision. He couldn't avoid them, as he couldn't avoid sleeping. And every time they returned, every time enriched by new horrors, to take away from him even the fleeting and fragile moment of peace that sleep gave him.

Every time he wanted to rip the nightmare, cross the threshold that separated him from wakefulness and open his eyes. But this time he didn't succeed. His mind and his body didn't respond, they had abandoned him, in the grip of his demons.

And so, he remained at the mercy of his tremendous, crazy nightmare for a time that seemed endless, until, unexpectedly, he felt that the energies were returning. Then, gathering all his determination, he roared against his nasty visions, shattering them like glass sheets.

Everything around him became white, but then, after a few minutes, one at a time reappeared all the colors of the environment around him. And he knew he was awake. But when he saw where he was, he realized that something was wrong. 

In fact, he was no longer in the forest where he had fainted. He was in a room with wooden walls, well-lit and full of shelves loaded with books. He remembered that place: it was the library of the princess Twilight Sparkle. And there was only one possible explanation to explain his presence there: that while he was unconscious, they had found him and captured him, and now they had left him in that place, waiting to figure out what to do with him.

It was over! Now that he had been taken, his mission was definitely failed. Now he would be locked up somewhere, and he would be interrogated for days to figure out what he was, and where were his fellows.

At that time he was alone, and wasn't even tied. This surprised him, but nevertheless he hadn't too many illusions. The one who had imprisoned him was a princess, and doubtless she had prepared some strange magic to prevent him from escaping.

In any case, he had to try. If he couldn't carry out the mission, he had at least to go back.

So, he stood up, despite the aching muscles and the blurred mind, and headed for the door, trying to open it. In vain, as it was closed. But it didn't matter. He was ready to break it down, to exit.

But before he could deliver even a single blow, he heard voices coming from the other side, followed by the sound of keys.

At that point he drew up another plan. As soon as the door was open, he would frighten his jailer, and taking advantage of his fright, he would escape. Sure, maybe so everyone would seen him, but it didn't matter. Probably the princess and her friends, by now, had spread the news throughout the city. Worry about his cover was now pointless.

So, just as the door was opening, he spread his forelimbs, opened his wings, began to shake wildly his tail and ruffled his fur, trying to make the most ferocious expression that he could. And at that point, he gave a deafening roar, straight in the face to the pony who had entered. Which, although didn't shouted of dread in turn, remained stunned from that unexpected, fierce appearance.

It was enough. And he was going to get out and take to the skies, when someone stopped him. Someone who, instead of fear, looked at him with curiosity and excitement.

“Woah, dude!” she said, “That was awesome! I wish I could roar like that! Although, to be honest, I'm quite good at it!”

And immediately she let out a roar incredibly realistic.

Swift Swap, caught off guard, fell back on the floor. Then he looked at the author of that incredible imitation. She was a light blue furred pegasus, with a messed mane that contained all the colors of the rainbow. She had a gritty and proud expression that he immediately recognized. She was the same that had blocked him as he tried to escape from the princess.

But the thing that surprised him the most was that she didn't seem scared of him at all. Even the princess Twilight Sparkle, to which he had roared in the face, wasn't scared. She was just startled at his sudden appearance.

“Oh, you're awake.” she said, “Thank goodness. I was beginning to worry. You have slept almost a full day!”

Along with them there were also her other friends, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Spike, and none of them was afraid.

Disoriented, he walked backwards, saying, “ I don't understand. Why aren't you scared of me? After all, I'm a monster in your eyes. A strange and dangerous monster!”

“Oh, goodness!” Rarity said, approaching him, “It's true that your appearance isn't exactly promising, but in the end, we live in a realm where you can meet all kinds of bizarre creatures. And trust me, you're not one of the nastiest!”

“Not one of the nastiest?” he replied, in disbelief, “Maybe you didn't understand! I'm a chimera! I'm a nasty creature by definition!”

“Honestly?” Applejack said, “Rather than nasty, I would say bizarre!”

And in fact his body was rather bizarre. His head was the head of a tiger, except for the unicorn horn that stood out on his forehead. Also the forelimbs were like those of a tiger, and of tiger were also the numerous black stripes that stood out on his orange body. The hind legs were rather those of a pony, with the cutie mark on the flank, between two black stripes. The wings were exactly as they were when they had sprouted during the welcome party, but now the ponies understood that they weren't bat wings. Those were the wings of a dragon, as of a dragon was the long, black tail, covered with scales, and the bony plates on his back.

All these traits, combined with his considerable tonnage, made him a creature who inspired fear, but not at that time. Not with his bewildered expression. And not as he stood huddled in that way, which made him look much smaller.

“Bizarre, you say?” he exclaimed, distraught, standing up and opening again his wings, “By chance, you find also this just bizarre?”

And he roared again, but this time, the roar was accompanied by a powerful burst of flames. The flames were of a very dark blue color, almost black, and they were very hot. Even if he had blown fire so that the flames didn't hit anything, flowing out the door without causing damage, the powerful wave of heat that accompany the flames invested them, straightening their manes and reddening their faces.

When he stopped blowing fire, he looked at them again, growling. But when he saw that they were just cowed, but not terrified, he calmed down.

“It means that you really aren't scared of me?” he asked hopefully, “What you really don't think I'm a monster?”

“Well,” Twilight started to reply, “to be honest, we are afraid of you. And not a little! But don't worry! We know that you aren't bad. We know that you're not going to hurt anypony! Yesterday we had mugged you because we believed that you had imprisoned somepony to take his likeness, with who knows what dark purpose in mind! But now we know that you are a good creature.”

All the others nodded, in support of Twilight claim.

And finally, on Swift Swap's lips, a shy smile appeared. A smile that showed his sharp teeth, but so timid, and accompanied by an expression such sincere and peaceful, that it wouldn't have frightened  anyone.

“Well,” he started, “what to say. I'm glad to know that you don't think that I'm evil. But how did you know? I never tried to defend myself, and when you found me, I bet that my appearance was the current.”

“Indeed!” Twilight answered, “But then I thought back to how you acted, and I found hard to believe that you really were a dangerous creature. Then, I found this.”

And she showed, by lifting it with magic, something that she had hidden until then. It was a black scale.

“Hey!” Swift Swap exclaimed, “That's a scale of my tail! Where did you find it?”

“Rainbow Dash had torn it from your tail, trying to stop you. It was a hair, when I found it. But it doesn't matter! What really matters is this!”

And having said this, she began to focus, wrapping the scale in a more intense light, which gradually, from rose became yellow. A shade of yellow that resembled the sunshine.

“There” she said, while she interrupted the spell and put down the scale on the ground, “This is my spell to reveal the spiritual essence. Each essence is associated to a different color. And yellow indicates a timid creature but with a good heart, which puts the welfare of others before his own, and who wouldn't hurt a fly. That's why I'm sure we can trust you, even if you deceived us.”

“Yes.” he said, “about that, I'm sorry I lied to you. I know I shouldn't, but it was the only way. The existence of my race must remain as secret as possible! In any case, rest assured that I haven't imprisoned anyone to assume the form with which you have met me!”

“By the way, talkin' about race,” Applejack intervened, “do you mind explainin' what you are? What is the word that you said before? Chimera, I think....But I thought that the chimeras had many heads!”

“There are many different varieties of my kind. However, yes, I'm a chimera,” he answered, “namely a creature that is composed of three different races. Usually the chimeras are composed by a kind of dragon or snake, a feline, and a ungulate.”

“A what?” asked everyone except Fluttershy and Twilight.

“It means an animal with hooves.” he explained, “In my case, I'm for a third a black dragon, for a third a tiger and for a third a unicorn. The chimeras usually have three heads, but sometimes they have only two, or even four. And sometimes, in very rare cases, they have only one head, like me. Oh, and if you're wondering how I managed to change my appearance without the need to exchange it with someone else, you must know that my swapping spell is capable of acting on each individual kind that composes a chimera. With other races it doesn't work. For example, I can't act on the different racial parts that compose a griffon, or a manticore, but as regards the chimeras I can. So if I want to, I can limit my dragon and tiger parts in tiny details, and look like a normal unicorn. Of course, I can do the same with my other races.”

Said this, he emitted from his horn a dazzling flash of golden light, and in a few moments he turned into a tiger. But before the others could comment on the scene, he returned to his previous form with another flash of light.

The others were a bit confused from all those information, but in the end Fluttershy managed to ask, “So, now we understand how you managed to transform yourself, but what about that story about your country, your work and your mission? Was also that part of cover?”

“Oh, no. That was all true!” Swift Swap answered, “I'm really from the county of Chipados, I'm really an ambassador, and I really have a message for Princess Celestia by the Count. I simply omitted to tell you that the county is the only country inhabited only by chimeras throughout the world.

“Really?” Twilight asked, “But I've never heard of a country inhabited by chimeras! And when I searched for that county on my atlases, they say that it's inhabited by ponies!”

“Yes, that's what all the atlases say. This is because the existence or our community is a secret. You see, in the past chimeras have embarked terrible wars with the inhabitants of Euhock, drawing upon us the hatred and the disdain of any other race. This until a century ago, when Bright Master, the most powerful chimera ever existed, gathered under his command all the tribes and the bands of chimeras scattered across the continent, and offered them something that no one had offered them before: peace. He was tired of the violence that we were suffering and that we were inflicting. He dreamed of a peaceful future for our race, he dreamed that, one day, we wouldn't be feared or hated anymore. But unfortunately, none of the other races accepted our offers of peace. No one trusted us. So, Bright Master did the only thing possible to carry on his dream: staged our demise. Thanks to his enormous magical powers, he made everyone believe that we had destroyed each other in a fratricidal war, and then he built a city, in which there is a powerful magical artifact that makes any chimera that lives there seem like a perfect normal pony! That's how the county of Chipados was born. And from that moment Bright Master became the Count of Chipados. Practically, the county it's a safe place where our race is hiding, pretending to be ponies, waiting for the conditions to reveal to the world our existence again. But unfortunately, no one can leave the county without regaining his true form. That's why my job is so important! I'm the only one, in addition to the Count, to be able to travel out of the county without arousing suspicion. My task is to reveal, little by little, the existence of our species to the world leaders, and ask for their protection when we will reveal ourselves to everyone. In this way, we don't risk arising more wars. Surely, now my mission has failed, since now the whole town saw me....”

“Oh, don't worry about that!” Pinkie said, approaching him and raising his face, “Your secret is safe with us!”

“What!” he exclaimed, surprised, “What do you mean! Everyone have seen me last night. I don't think you'll be able to convince everyone to keep it a secret!”

“That won't be necessary!” Twilight explained, “After we brought you here, we have convinced everypony in town that what happened last night was a joke. We convinced them that I was the one that made you tick wings and fangs. It wasn't easy, but we managed to convince them. So, when you'll have recovered your strength, you'll take back the appearance of a pony, you'll exit from here, you'll behave normally, and everypony will be convinced that it was really a joke, and that you are a normal unicorn. As for us, as Pinkie said, we'll keep the secret. Yours is certainly an important mission, which aims to restore the dignity of your kind, and we don't want to interfere.”

At those words, for the first time since Swift Swap woke up, his eyes lit up. Despite the scary appearance, he radiated joy. He hadn't failed! His secret was safe! His hope, that of the Count, and that of all his people, was still alive! He couldn't restrain himself, and stood up on his hind legs, spread his wings and let out a roar of triumph, strong enough to shake the whole tree.

Luckily, Rainbow rose in the air and covered his mouth, saying, “Take it easy, big guy! At this rate, you'll be the one that will reveal the truth to the entire Ponyville!”

Immediately, he calmed down, folded his wings and crouched down, saying, “Yeah, right. I don't have to let me go!”. Then he added, smiling but without open his lips, so as not to show his fangs, “It's just that I'm very happy that the situation is resolved. After last night, I was afraid of having irretrievably compromised the plans of the Count. And, honestly, I'm also relieved to be able to share my secret with someone without fear. It makes me feel lighter, as if I didn't need to constantly watch my back anymore!”

“Yes, I understand.” Rarity said, “It must be a heavy burden having constantly to hide your identity, right?”

“You can't imagine how much!” he replied, a bit embarrassed.

After that statement, there was a long moment of silence, after which Applejack asked, “So, now you're goin' to deliver this famous message to the princess, right? Therefore, you will leave soon!”

“Yes, but I don't know when,” Swift Swap answered, “since Twilight told me that princess Celestia has left Equestria for a conference in United Keldom, right?”

“There's no problem, for what!” Twilight said, “When she returns from her trip, I'll be happy to personally accompany you to her presence. In the meantime, I'll be hosting you with pleasure in my house.”

Amazed by so much gentleness, he said, “Are you sure about that? I mean, I wouldn't want to be too much trouble! In short, I'm a huge fire-breathing creature, and I don't think it's the ideal combination with a library full of books!”

She chuckled, and replied, “For this, there's already a fire-breathing creature that lives here. Another won't be a problem. And in any case, I believe that sustain your ideal is the right thing to do. And I also feel a little guilty for having falsely accused in front of everypony yesterday!”

“Don't think about that.” he reassured her, “I'm not offended by what you thought yesterday. Anyone would have done it! I mean, a couple of huge wings that sprout from your back all of a sudden raises many suspicions, isn't it?”

Everyone giggled, to release the tension. All that strange, bizarre but also scary thing was started as an ordinary day, for culminate in total panic, but luckily everything was resolved for the better. And everyone was relieved of this.

However, after a while, Pinkie said, pulling out of Applejack's hat her by now infamous checklist, “However, speaking of business, I dare say that we can now mark as done 'Meet Rainbow Dash', but I'm sorry to say that, although you have crossed them, you haven't really known Thunderlane and Cloudchaser. And you haven't met Raindrops and Bulk Biceps at all! So, as soon as you get out of here, after that you return to be a unicorn, the first thing you and I will do is go to find them and make presentations as it should be!”

All those present raised their eyes to heaven, and Twilight scolded her, “Pinkie Pie! After all that has happened, after all the problems and the troubles we've been through, you still think to your list?”

But then she saw that Swift Swap was smiling, and in front of her confusion, he replied, “It's okay. By now, since I can take it easy and I don't longer have to worry about passing out on the street, I can finish her checklist, especially if she cares so much about it!”

“Great!” Pinkie cried, happy. Then, after a while, she added “Oh, and while we're at it, I think you also want to see my latest addition to the 'Make Your New Friend Meet All Of Your Old Friends' checklist!”

Said this, she showed to everyone the end of her list, where, in big and messy letters it was written: “Meet Swift Swap”.

After seeing those three words, Swift Swap looked up, at the face of that exuberant pink mare, and she remembered Rarity's words: “I know that sometimes her wild and unpredictable ways can catch off guard who doesn't know her, but after a few minutes, you always learn to love that!”

It was true. From the first moment, he had been intimidated by her because he was afraid that, because of her, his secret would come to light. But now, in front of that sign of affection, his heart was flooded with emotion.

But not only for Pinkie, but also for all those creatures who were in that room. Of those creatures who weren't scared because he was monstrous, but who had looked at what he had inside, and gave him a chance. The chance of being accepted.

“Thank you!” he said, “Thank you everybody!”

And having said that, he broadened his powerful, feline paws and squeezed everyone in a hug. A hug with which, without saying a word, he marked forever something unheard and unthinkable for him before that time.

He wasn't a monster.