I'm not too fond of this chapter. It felt rushed to me... oh well. Enjoi.

   Throughout the entire week, I had an absolutely wonderful time. Some of the best things of my life happened that week: Raindrop, Lemon Yellow, Ditzy, and I were invited to a couple's picnic in Canterlot (which, as I remember, was not as snooty as the original show put it), and we had a great time. Even better, Ditzy and I finally managed to pool our bank accounts (through much law research), and best of all, we had a visitor on Wednesday.

    I learned after the fact that Dashie had actually invited her over, for the same reason I would have: a secret exchange. See, there's an old tradition in Ponyville - well, actually, not really as much a tradition as a, uh... what's the word for, like, a habit? Not really a tradition, like a... like a routine, like a weird, unique practice. Rrgh.

    So anyways, it was a secret for a secret. It had to be the same degree of secret, like a little one for a little one, or a huge one for a huge one. I suppose Dashie had her own secret to trade with her, but I had mine too.

    I heard a knock at the door, while I was sitting at my desk, finishing up chapter... what... eight? Dashie was in her room next to mine. She wouldn't be out now, 'cause it was almost ten PM. That also explains my confusion; who could be at the door at night?

    I finished my sentence and floated downstairs, only to find that Dashie had beat me to it, and already had the door open to a green-and-white pony. "Woah..." I said, interrupting their greetings. "Daisy?" I walked forward to greet her. "It's been a while," I said, shaking her hoof.

    "Hi, um, Mister..."

    "Falling Star," I said, an stepped aside to let her in. "So, uh... why'd you drop by?" I said finally, after all three of us were seated at the table.

    "I was -"

    "I invited her," Dashie interrupted. "You got a problem with that?" she said jokingly.

    "Oh no," I said, in mock fear. "I was just wondering why you invited her so late."

    "It's part of the ritual," Dashie replied, apparently forgetting that I was kinda new to this.

    "Oh, wait, the - uh -"

    "The secret exchange."

    "Yeah, I remember that. I think Raindrop told me about that once."

    Daisy joined in. "You're supposed to do it at night, when, as the legend says, nopony but you and the exchanger can hear your secret." The candlelit room got quiet, and no sound could be heard except the crickets, humming faintly from he ground below.

    I interrupted the silence. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

    Dashie looked at me indignantly. "It was kinda supposed to be just us. But you can join in too," she added, more cheerfully.

    "Okaaay..." I looked a the two young ponies sitting across from me at the table. "How do we begin?"

    It felt like a seance. Even though I hadn't ever been to a seance before, I would have figured that this was like one. A small three-pronged candelabra rested on the center of the circular blue table, which was now covered with a white tablecloth. This wasn't some kid's truth-or-dare type of thing; it was serious chiz.

    We were all seated around the table in a perfect triangle, and we were totally quiet. Daisy started. "To do this, we have to teach any new ponies the rules first," she said, addressing me. "Rule one is equal degrees of secrets -"

    " - Rule two is the gradual increase of secret degrees -" Dashie continued.

    " - And rule three is no private matters," Daisy finished. She look at Dashie, then back at me. "Do you understand, Mr. Star?" she queried, and I affirmed.

    "Let the games begin," Dashie said, grinning mischievously through the dull candlelight.

    "You wanna go first, Dash?" Daisy asked.

    "Yeah, okay," she grinned. "I wear contacts," she said. I didn't notice. "They're not colored, though," she added, seeing my face.

    "I own a wedding dress," Daisy replied. What in earth would a- "Your turn, Mr. Star," she said, interrupting my thoughts.

    I hadn't had time to think yet. This was all so fast-paced. Thankfully, a knock at the door saved me.

    Woah, wait... a knock at the door? It was at least ten-thirty, if not eleven! Who could-

    "Come on in, Fluttershy," Dashie said, still staring intently at me.

    "You invited Fluttershy?" I asked, a bit surprised. "I thought you two knew everything about each other," I said as Fluttershy sat down at the table.

    "Good evening, Mr. Star," Fluttershy greeted me softly. "I was invited to a secret exchange tonight."

    "I can see that. Nopony else, right?" I said, turning to Dashie.

    "Nope."

    "I'm allergic to seafood," I said, having thought up at least something about myself that might qualify during turn one. I turned to Fluttershy. "Your turn," I said.

    I really didn't expect her to be prepared. "I love salmon," she said, in a different voice than the one she usually used when near me. I almost laughed at this; it was just so random. She turned to me. "I'm sorry you're allergic to seafood," she said, her voice reverting back. "Your turn, Rainbow Dash."

    "Turn two; I keep a diary." I looked at her, surprised. She didn't have a 'diary' personality. "Your turn, Daisy," she smiled.

    "I look good in ruffles."

    "I got my cutie mark a week and a half ago."

    "I whittle."

    The pace increased gradually, almost dramatically. Dashie told me later that this was supposed to leave you open and intimidated, to make you say bigger and bigger secrets.

    The turn I really wanted, though, turned out to be turn 37. By now, I knew that Fluttershy cut her hair once a year and has twenty-three siblings, that Dashie had a crush on Gale Winds, somepony at the flying school she had graduated from, and she had written a book of poems, and that Daisy blacksmithed as a hobby and that she had lived in Saddlesburg for most of her life.

    "Turn thirty-seven;" Dashie started. "My first parents were divorced and my father died because of it."

    Silence.

    "I have ancestry in the first generation of Equestrian royalty," Daisy said, her face remaining still and emotionless. So was everypony else's. That was the factoid I was waiting for. Score one for me.

    My turn. "I was originally of a different species, before a weird coincidental magical problem turned me into a pony."

    Fluttershy continued speaking in the voice that I wouldn't have recognized, had I not heardnit for the last hour. "My love for animals stems from a crippling anxiety disorder that I have since been cured of." Still totally emotionless.

    Immediately and oddly, all three Pegusi stood. I stood too, as soon as I realized everypony else had. All three nodded, and I did too (a little late), and Fluttershy and Daisy silently floated out the door. I looked back. "Why did -" But Dashie had already left to her room.

    How on Celestia's green earth did I manage to sit through that without cracking a smile? Why was I able to play along even though I didn't have the slightest idea what was happening? How could I have possibly not thought it was strange at the time?

    I floated back into my room, wondering why ponies would do this. What was their reason? WHY??

    Ah, well, whatever. Next Chapter: Chapter Twenty-Four - Big Day Estimated time remaining: 14 Minutes