It took an entire day to plan, but in the end they did have a "welcome back to ponyville" party. Pinkie made sure there were snacks, balloons, bubbles, and music.
She invited everypony who could come, including her five closest friends.
They danced, they laughed, they had a great evening.
Afterward, Cheese walked Pinkie back to Sugar Cube Corner.
"That party was the best!" He smiled at the mare walking beside him.
"Uh huh! It was super fantastical!" Pinkie giggled.
They were quiet for a moment.
"Thank you Pinkie Pie. Not just for the party, but for being my friend."
Pinkie was puzzled. "You don't need to thank me for that. I'm happy to be your friend!"
cheese chuckled. "Well, I guess I just didn't expect that. You've always been my hero Pinkie." He blushed ever so slightly.
Pinkie smiled warmly at him.
They said goodbye at the door and Pinkie went inside, headed straight for her room. When she opened the door she was startled to see Fly Paper standing there next to her window.
"Yikes Fly! What are you doing? I almost had a heart attack!"
"Really? Usually nothing suprises you. You must have been preoccupied." The gray mare replied, ignoring the question. "I see that Cheese burger stallion is back in town." She changed the subject.
"His name is Cheese Sandwich." Pinkie corrected, shutting the door behind her. "And why weren't you at the party?"
"I had plans with a ...friend." 'That's more or less true.'
Pinkie gasped. "You made a friend?! That's great Fly Paper!"
She dropped her disguise and lept to give the other changeling a hug.
'What the heck is this?' The still disguised mare puzzled. She'd never been hugged before. Not in her entire life.
"So who is it?"
"Oh, um...Octavia. Octavia Melody."
"Ooh! She's cool."
Fly Paper sighed. "Yes, I suppose so. But that's not important right now. I'm worried for you Pinkie." 'Worried my hoof'
"huh? Why?" The pink haired changeling cocked her head to the side and gave her a puzzled look.
"Because you're getting so close to this stallion. I can tell you like him, but I'm warning you as your friend, that if you let him get to close he's going to find out what you are."
"So?" Pinkie countered. "Maybe I should tell him. Maybe I should tell all my friends. I hate keeping secrets from them."
"Do you even hear yourself? What do you think is going to happen when they find out you've been keeping this from them? The fact that you're a changeling! Do you honestly think they'll be able to trust you after that?" Fly Paper was talking with her hooves, trying to emphasise her point.
"I-I don't know...but they're all my friends. And I'm still the same pony, changeling or not."
There was a knock on the door. Pinkie was startled and quickly restored her disguise. "Who is it?"
"It's Apple Jack. Ah was just wondering if ah could borrow a cookbook." AJ's muffled voice came through the door. Pinkie opened it.
"Sure! The cookbooks are downstairs. Follow me!" She led the way, hopping.
Fly Paper, forgotten for the moment, took her leave.
Queen Chrysalis strolled from her chambers towards a large cavern that made up most of the changeling lair.
She was in a particularly good mood, having recieved a report from one of her operatives in Ponyville. Everything was going according to plan.
The cavern ceiling was full of green cucoons. She flew up to inspect them more closely. The majority of them were empty, but a few were occupied. Chrysalis looked absentmindedly at a cucoon holding a gray mare with a bow tie.
"Soon enough...My subjects will have the perfect home, I will have my revenge, and everything will be as it should be."
"No. It can't be true. Ah couldn't have heard...couldn't have seen...no. She couldn't possibly be a changeling." Apple Jack sat alone in her room, her eyes widened in fear.
"But she is."
