Author's Notes:

Well, hello there!

Since Exchange was published, I’ve received several requests for some sort of follow-up or sequel, in addition to many kind words of thanks and encouragement from readers. While I appreciate the support, I’m very happy with where things ended, so I’m sorry to say that no sequel for the story will be written. The multitude of further adventures Anon and Cel will share with one another over the ages are thus left to the reader’s imagination, and I’m certain they’d be even more fantastic and heartwarming than anything I could ever come up with myself.

But that being said, I wanted to give you guys something as a show of thanks for reading and sticking with me all the way to the end of this silly little story. As a result, I’ve put together this second extra chapter for you, but it requires a bit of explanation before you dive in.

What follows is a series of five short stories, each one based on a moment in time somewhere between the conclusion of the first bonus chapter, A Day in Winter, and the story’s Epilogue section. The stories are arranged in chronological order, with the first being set several days after Anon and Cel’s confrontation with Agamemnon, and the last set several months before Twilight’s departure.

I know it’s not much, but hopefully you’ll be able to get some enjoyment out of these little vignettes. And again, thank you so much for reading.

Rays of shimmering gold, tangerine tassels of wispy clouds, and crimson bands of light weave their way through the sky as the sun sets at the direction of the alicorn who stands before you, her horn like a conductor’s baton illuminated with magic which trails through the air as she gracefully moves through the field.

You sit there amidst the tall grass, your heart and mind battling over whether to focus your attention on the incredible, yet ephemeral piece of art unfolding before your very eyes, or on the artist herself who dances at the fringes of your vision. Eventually, you come to a decision and focus completely on the sky, and with a deep breath you turn to the setting sun once more.

She trots over to you as the aura fades from her horn, the moon rising into the sky behind her at her sister’s behest. You lock eyes with her and give her a gentle smile as she curls beside you in the grass, your fingers already wandering the fringes of her mane.

“It was beautiful, Cel. Amazing.”

“I would hope so,” she replies with a giggle. “I had an audience this time, after all.”

“Well, I’m flattered, but it’s the sunset. You’ll always have an audience for it somewhere.” You shift your gaze to behold the last bands of sunlight fade behind the mountains in the distance.

“True,” she hums, “Somewhere across the wide world, with each day that passes, there will always be those who take a moment and stop to watch the dusk unfold. Be it from boredom, as a distraction, a spontaneous flight of fancy or to answer the calling of a sentimental mood. But today is special by tradition, my precious human, and there are more watching the skies this evening as a result.”

She turns toward the star-filled expanse of the heavens, and your gaze follows hers to behold a meteor shower in progress that nearly takes your breath away.

She giggles again. “See? Lulu’s putting on a show for them, too.”

“Yeah, looks like it. So, what’s so special about today?”

“Today is Hearts and Hooves Day. A day meant to celebrate the love that two who have pledged themselves to one another share.”

You slide down a bit to use her folded wing as a pillow and more comfortably watch the meteors in the sky streak by.

“Yeah... I think I understand. We had a holiday like that back on Earth, too.”

“All across the land,” she continues, “there are those who’ve stopped to take in the sunset with their most precious someponies on this special day. For others, they watch alone, either in mourning of loves lost, or in despair of loves not yet found. For those ponies in particular, this day can be a bit painful, so I always try to bring out as much radiance from the sunset as I can in order to remind them that there is hope, and that there is still beauty to be found in this world, even when it sometimes seems otherwise.”

There’s a hint of melancholy in her voice, barely perceptible but still unmistakable to you, if only because of all the time you’ve shared together. You turn your head away from the sky to catch a glimmer of a tear as it pools in the corner of one of her eyes, and the sight of it causes you to sit up and face her. Gently, you place a hand on her muzzle to offer a comforting touch.

“...A reminder for yourself as much as for them, right?”

You can hear her breathing hitch for just one moment before a soft smile plays across her lips.

“Yes. But those days have passed, my treasure. The loneliness that once held sway over me on this day has become difficult to recall. I feared that without it, the sunset wouldn’t be as good as it usually is, but this time I felt it was even better. Perhaps it’s because, as I said before, I had an audience.”

She leans forward and touches her nose to yours, drawing a slight blush from you both.

“Well... I feel kinda bad. If I’d known about this, I would’ve gotten you something, but...” You reach over and pluck a single wildflower from amidst the grass, presenting it to her. “...I guess this’ll have to do.”

“It’s more than enough, Anon,” she whispers. “That you’re here to share this day with me now is more than enough.”

The two of you share a kiss, and as you pull away from one another, she promptly leans over and eats the flower from your hand. The strange sight, yet another stark reminder that you’ve fallen in love with a silly horse princess, causes you to laugh, and your laughter draws out her own.

The two of you lay back together on the grass to watch the stars, your engagement band shining in the starlight as your hand trails through her mane. Your breath mixes with hers as she rests her head on your chest, the two of you lost in the enjoyment of the newfound stillness and silence.

Who could’ve guessed that today would be the pony equivalent of Valentine’s Day? You resolve to get her a proper gift next time, as this is the first of undoubtedly many more Hearts and Hooves days to come as the years pass you by.

There’ll be many more wondrous sunsets to share; colors and cloudforms you can only begin to imagine as you drift off together, surrounded by the tall grass, her warmth keeping the cool night breeze at bay.