Four Alicorns stood surrounded by E.U.P. Guards on a cobblestone roadway more than a League outside of New Humansville. They and their Guards were not the only Ponies present, though. The Element Bearers and a significant number of the Apple family were present as well. More than eight hundred other Ponies from all over Equestria were there to see the Humans that so many rumors and urban legends spoke of. The very vast majority of the Ponies there had never seen any Humans at all and those rare few who had, had either seen the Emissary or Chris. The rumors about Humans, however, were wild and varied from one Pony to the next. The newspapers had published stories about the Human Emissary the previous year, but few remembered all the details and so filled in the blanks with their imaginations.

The day was the official opening and presentation of New Humansville to the rest of the world. To commemorate the event, the citizens of New Humansville had managed to put together what was rumored to be an absolutely spectacular festival. The idea was that the Ponies who had paid to take part in the event could gain some measure of insight not only into various Human culture and customs, but to those of the unusual other inhabitants of the quickly growing town in a grand festival. Most of the Ponies knew that a number of Changelings had been accepted, but few knew about the moderately recent addition of Bloodmages and none, save the Alicorns knew what kinds of numbers were to be expected.

Earlier that morning, the waiting Ponies had congregated in the courtyard of Canterlot Castle to be flown by Sky Carriage to the outskirts of New Humansville. Before their flights, they had been told that nothing dangerous would occur while they were in New Humansville, but there were some things that might be very startling. They were given the offer to back down from attending and were offered a full refund for their Bits if they did. None had chosen to do so.

Behind the Alicorns, the Element Bearers talked among themselves. All except Pinkie Pie. Pinkie vibrated in place, biting her lower lip to keep from exploding. "Ugh, how long do they intend to keep us out here in the wilderness? Civilization is right at the top of the hill and we have to wait in the bushes like filthy vagabonds." Rarity complained, she was definitely not whining.

"Aw shush Rarity!" Applejack replied, "These are Artex' folks we're talkin' about here! They done worked their tails off tryin' tuh make this here festival thingy real nice for us so we can catch a glimpse o' how Humans live. Besides, like 'em or not, we got Changelings as neighbors now, an' they even helped tuh make peace with them Bloodmage scoundrels. Ah'd say that's worth the wait." Unbeknownst to Applejack, her statement caught the attention of almost the entire crowd. However the friends were ignorant of the attention they had garnered.

"Yeah well, just let one of the Changelings come near me and we'll see how un-peaceful things get!" Rainbow Dash asserted.

Rarity rounded on the aggressive Pegasus, "You will do no such thing Rainbow Dash! You DO realize that Artex has a Changeling in his herd don't you? From what I heard she sacrificed herself to help the Humans and nearly died! What a terrible thing for you to say!"

Twilight turned her head toward her friends, "She didn't almost die, she DID die. She was dead for some hours before she recovered... somehow."

"Um, Twilight," Fluttershy addressed quietly, "I work with animals, I've seen some of them die... and I know you're smart but... death isn't really something you can recover from."

Twilight rolled her eyes, "I know that Fluttershy. Apparently if the injury to the Changeling's body isn't too extreme, like dismemberment or something, and they have plenty of love energy stored up, it can happen."

Dash lowered herself down to the ground, "So... just as a question, IF I pummeled a Changeling till they stopped moving... they would get back up?"

Twilight narrowed her eyes at her poly-chromatic friend, "For the last time Rainbow Dash, you are NOT hurting any of the Changelings here! If I hear you say something like that again I'll teleport you back to Ponyville!"

Cadence and Shining Armor had their own group of Humans to take care of in the Crystal Empire. The Emissary, Artex, had said the Humans who ended up in their realm were from a place called Russia. Cadence had initially thought the Humans were angry because of how harsh their language sounded to her ears. She had fixed the problem on her own. Since she ruled the Crystal Empire, she had leeway to bend the laws as she saw fit. She used a hooves-on approach to the newest arrivals in her lands. As such, she offered to use her magic to teach the Humans Velensovth so as to avert as many misunderstandings as possible. Not all of the Humans had accepted the offer, but the integration was going smoothly. She and her husband decided to attend the New Humansville celebration to see what other Human cultures there were and because she wanted a short break from her duties.

Out of the four Alicorns, Luna had the most experience among the group in New Humansville. She was a regular sight in New Humansville and the citizens openly adored her. Chris had been absent from the Palace for months, stating a need to aid in the preparations for the festival. She and Chris had been engaged for nearly a year and their wedding was set to occur in a few months. The gathered Ponies chattered among themselves while pointing to the town up on the small hill. Due to the poor eyesight of the Ponies, they could not make out much of the town. The Alicorns knew that the Humans had intended it that way.

A lone Human emerged from New Humansville and slowly walked toward the waiting Ponies. She was wearing a brilliant gold colored blouse and well-pressed pants. Her boots clacked on the cobblestones as she approached. The Ponies noticed her at a distance. Their chattering began to taper off as they all turned their eyes toward her. They studied her in great detail as she walked confidently but slowly toward them.

She stopped less than a Fathom away from the silent crowd, "I will be leading you into Town Square to begin the festival. All Pegasi are required to stay on the ground until the opening ceremony is complete. I need to give you all some instructions and rules to follow while you are here. The first rule is: do not stray beyond the barricades. The town must still operate while the festival is going on and there are some residents who do not wish to be disturbed. Many of you have paid to live with some of the residents of New Humansville for the duration of your stays. They have agreed to host you as members of their families and households and will strive to make you as comfortable as they can. This does not mean that the residents are your servants. Remember that you are guests in their houses and in the town. The Community Welfare Guardians will not hesitate to evict anybody who needlessly causes trouble.

Second: please respect all customs and social behaviors you witness. There are to be no racial, tribal, or social slurs or slander of any kind. New Humansville is a separate entity from Equestria as New Humansville is Sovereign Territory in and of itself. The rules, laws, and regulations apply as if you were visiting a foreign country, which you are. None of us here in New Humansville have any desire to flex any sort of social or political muscle so please do not force it to occur.

Three: follow all laws as stated by the Community Welfare Guardians, who can be identified by their metallic armor. If you have any questions or concerns pertaining to the local laws, the C.W.G. officers will be more than happy to provide any and all information you wish. They are there to ensure the safety of all beings who participate in the festival and will be friendly and polite, but firm in enforcing the laws. If one of them asks you to abstain from doing something, we ask that you please follow their directions.

Four: you will see some weapons on display. Do not make a scene about them. The citizens of New Humansville are allowed to wear any weapons they wish, it is their right. Weapons are a part of many Human traditions and that tradition extends to all citizens of New Humansville. Some of the citizens have offered to perform battle form demonstrations with their weapons. If you are watching any of the demonstrations, please stay behind the barricades that surround the performers. The barricades are there for your protection as some of the weapon demonstrations cannot be performed in a completely non-lethal fashion. Do not attempt to touch, or grab any weapons you see on display. Such actions will not be tolerated. Not all of the festival staff members will be carrying weapons so do not be concerned whether or not somebody does or does not have one on their person. The citizens have as much right not to wear or carry them as they do to wear or carry them.

Fifth: you will see many mixed species herds and couples and even same sex couples. Do not comment negatively about them. You are entitled to your own opinions and you are completely free to ask inoffensive questions, but we will not ask our citizens to subject themselves to negative treatment.

Sixth: we wish for this festival to be family friendly and fun-filled for all ages, however we do ask that all foals and offspring be within reach of parents or guardians at all times. Any young who are found wandering alone will be taken to the Community Welfare Guardian Headquarters until such a time as they are retrieved by their parent or guardian. Repeat occurrences may be met with your removal from the town.

Seventh: if you are curious about something, please feel free to ask. The staff who have volunteered to work the festival are here to provide information about any and all questions you may have. We wish for this festival to be both fun and educational.

Eighth: you will see Changelings here in New Humansville. The ones out on the festival grounds have volunteered to be there and will be happy to answer any questions you may have about their lives and culture, provided they are not intentionally offensive. They may or may not be in their native forms as they retain the right to go about as they please. Many have voluntarily chosen to wear a single earring to signify their species but it is not required of them. There is a very strict policy about acts of aggression against our Changeling citizens. Any acts against them will not be tolerated.

Ninth: you will have the opportunity to see displays and demonstrations of Blood Magic. These spells have been verified and cleared as safe by Arch Magister Catalyst and Blood Magister Starburst. They are only for display, however we caution parents and guardians to carefully consider whether or not to allow your young to witness such displays as they may be disturbing for some. New Humansville will not be held responsible for any mental trauma sustained by any visitors while witnessing these displays and demonstrations of Blood Magic.

Tenth: while watching a demonstration of any kind, please do not disturb the performers as some of the demonstrations might be dangerous to the performer.

Eleventh: all members of the press are encouraged to take pictures and request interviews with citizens, however we ask that you respect any and all barricades and not interfere with the goings on of normal life in the town. All citizens have the right to request that you do not photograph them, if they make the request please respect it and move on.

Any and all refusal to abide by these rules will be grounds for removal from the town. We do not wish for that to occur, so please be courteous to our citizens and staff. In the case of any medical emergencies, the town is equipped with a fully staffed hospital and the Community Welfare Guardians are trained to provide first aid to Ponies, Humans, and Changelings as needed." She clasped her hands together in front of her stomach, "Are there any questions before we head into town?" Not a single hoof was raised so the young woman continued with a bright smile, "Follow me please. Stay on the cobblestone path and please do not stray from the group." She turned and began slowly walking toward the town.

She led the long line of Ponies up on a casual walk to the town. The Ponies took pictures of the buildings as they passed them. There were tall wooden barricades erected between each of the buildings to indicate where the Ponies were not allowed to venture. The guide led the procession in a straight line into Town Square. She stopped at the entrance and motioned for the Ponies to enter the area. Stationed all around the Square were Human and Pony C.W.G. officers in their armor standing at attention like statues. The guests slowly wandered around the Square and around Town Hall, which was closed and locked. It did not take long for them to notice that all exits out of Town Square were blocked off. Many disappointed murmurs began circulating through the crowd and some even became alarmed when the guide closed a pair of swinging doors behind the last guest. With no place to go, the Ponies began looking around. It was then that they noticed Humans in fancy clothes standing on top of the sixteen buildings surrounding the Square. As the confused guests watched, more Humans and Ponies set up instruments on the roofs of the buildings. The crowd began to quiet down as the Humans and Ponies all seemed to complete their preparations.

The scene lapsed into silence as the Ponies waited for something to happen. Luna, who had been silent until that point, leaned over to her sister and whispered, "Did they craft these instruments?"

Celestia shook her head, "No. A few called in their boons and requested musical instruments and other musical equipment."

A series of stringed instruments began to play out soft slow chords of music. A dark colored Human woman standing on the building directly across from the front doors of Town Hall rose to her feet and lifted a violin to her cheek. She played a few fleeting notes as more and more instruments lent their voices to the rising music. The tempo began to slowly speed up and two Human women and a Pegasus mare stepped to the edges of three different buildings in a triangular pattern around Town Hall.

Humans sitting behind kettle drums suddenly began playing a rapid beat as brass horns added their voices to the rhythm. A single Human woman with dark hair began to sing as the drums and horns softened, "Sometimes in this life we hear, a calling from somewhere. Sometimes it's so loud and clear, sometimes it's so softly there."

As soon as her lines were finished the second woman standing on another building to her left picked up where she left off, "Sometimes it is in the sea, sometimes in the sky."

The Pegasus mare followed the second woman continuing the verse, "Sometimes it's in you and me, and sometimes it's a cry."

As the main chorus began, all the Humans and Ponies on the rooftops who were not playing instruments sung the chorus, male and female alike, "Open your heart, I am calling you. Right from the very start, your wounded heart was calling to, open your arms. You will find the answer when you answer to the call."

The violin picked back up and played with all the other instruments. It was a beautiful tune, warm and caring, yet exotic, alien, and unlike anything the Ponies had ever heard before. A fourth singer emerged from the top of Town Hall, her voice ringing out over the crowd like a clarion bell, "Sometimes it is in desire, or in the love we fear."

The lyrics were picked up by the second woman, "When the call keeps calling us, till the fear will disappear."

The Pegasus mare continued the song, "When we have no dance to dance," the Pegasus mare joined the fourth Human woman, as she flew up to the top of Town Hall. The two continued in perfect synchronization, "The call is in a song." Suddenly all four females were standing on top of Town Hall singing in time with one another, "When we have no voice to sing, and the call is calling strong."

The gathered performers blended their voices together in perfect harmony as they sang the chorus once again. The music and voices swam about on the air, looping and diving in time with the staccato beats of the drums. It was overwhelmingly beautiful. A faint shimmer of magic swirled in the sight of the gathered Alicorns. The Natural Magic was at work again. The Alicorns felt silent concern, the Natural Magic of the world had never been so active before, but the concern was gently pushed aside in the face of the current events around them.

The song ended at a perfect crescendo and immediately the gathered Ponies stomped the ground, cheering and whistling in deafening appreciation. The performers on the roof tops bowed in gratitude. To the surprise of the Ponies, one of the singers and more than ten of the instrumentalists were suddenly enveloped in green flames, leaving behind grinning and waving Changelings.

There were a great many gasps from the Ponies at witnessing the startling revelation and the stomping began to settle down. Before the appreciation could completely die off though, the Princesses stomped, whistled, and cheered all the louder. Seeing their sovereigns openly displaying such approval toward the Changelings, the Ponies renewed their applause, many in earnest. Even Rainbow Dash was touched by the demonstration, even if she would never admit it.

As the applause died down on its own, the double doors of Town Hall slowly swung open revealing a young, tanned Human woman wearing a blouse and skirt that Humans would describe as, 'business wear'. The young woman clasped her hands in front of her stomach and smiled brightly at the Ponies, "Welcome to New Humansville, friends. We are so very glad to have you with us today. I am Veronica DeLaCrus, Mayor of New Humansville. Before we open the doors and let you in to the festival grounds, there are a few things to get out of the way first. Members of the press, once these announcements are finished, you may come and receive your passes."

"For those of you who paid in advance for the chance to live with some of our residents for the duration of your stay, I am glad to say that all of the requests have been granted and we have your information packets. You may retrieve them as soon as these announcements are finished. We have very special guest packets for members of the Apple Family as well as the following Ponies and members of their families: Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. For all our other valued guests, we have a hotel with staff ready to serve your needs. The Town Hall here, is also our guest services center, so if you have any questions or concerns at any time, day or night, just come here and we will be glad to help you. To all attendees, we have special performances every evening. These special performances include orchestral Human music, modern Human music, Human folk music, and presentations of acting, plays, and even Human memory-retrieved motion pictures. Any and all questions about the special events will be provided by our Human festival volunteers. That concludes the announcements." Mayor De La Cruz finished with a bright smile.

As soon as the last word left her lips, a pair of double doors set into the barricades opened up in the outer perimeter of the Town Center. Most of the Ponies meandered their way toward the doors, but the members of the press, and Twilight's friends stayed behind. The members of the press received special V.I.P. lanyards which allowed them access to a few additional areas of the festival. Once the press had been dealt with and dispersed, the extended Apple Family was attended to. In total, there were eighteen extended members of the Apple Family who were offered hearth and home with volunteer residents for the duration of their stays. Applejack was offered to stay with Captain Joyner in his house as a show of gratitude for her kindness to Artex. Pinkie Pie was offered to stay with Alex Ludwig. Rarity was offered to stay with Kolo Calvin. Rainbow Dash was offered to stay with Darryl Hord and Fluttershy was offered to stay with whomever she felt comfortable. The Princesses were offered free-reign of the entirety of the town, but would be charged for food just like any other guest.

From the roof of Town Hall Captain Joyner and his best officers looked down on the town as the performers headed down to the third floor, "How long until we get our first accusation?" he asked.

Darryl Hord licked his lips and planted his fists on his hip bones, "My money is on one hour."

"It won't be long, that's for sure." Eduardo Ortega added.

"We'll deal with it as it comes." said Full Spectrum.

"Bobby is already preparing rooms for a variety of ailments from alcohol poisoning to blunt trauma." Kaneesha said. She kept her arm around her husband, Andrew. Andrew was not as happy though, "And you still think it's a good idea for you to be out in all this in your condition?"

Kaneesha patted her husband on his shoulder, "I'm pregnant, not infirm. Besides I'm only five weeks along and I'm not even going to be acting in the capacity of an officer, just a volunteer." She planted a brief kiss on his lips, "Besides, if anybody should be worried about a pregnant female, they should be focused on Alana. She's about ready to pop."

Captain Joyner shook his head, "Naw, Bobby is worrying about her enough for the whole town."

Darryl and Eduardo both chuckled and Full Spectrum threw in her two-cents, "No kidding."

Captain Joyner nodded to his friends, "Come on, let's get down there before the whole place falls apart."

Anybody who wants to is welcomed to play a round of: Spot The Typo. Remember to Like the story if you like the story.