Lady Haven looked out of the window in concern, the flashes of light bouncing off the silk fabric of her gown. "This storm only seems to be getting worse," she said, as the room was briefly illuminated by a bright flash of lightning. "I fear at this rate we may have to cancel the event- some of the guests are yet to arrive, and with the railway and the road blocked they won't be able to get here."

Sunny looked over. "But what about the fundraiser?"

"I fear that's off the table as well." Lady Haven looked to a servant. "Fraser, could you prepare the guest rooms? I suspect we'll have many guests tonight."

"Yes, Your Ladyship," the servant replied, and headed away.

Just then, Pipp and Zipp arrived, clad in all the nightly finery. "I wish she hadn't put it on so tight," Zipp complained.

"That's how I normally have my corset set," Pipp replied. "It's wearing a crinoline without one that feels weird." She then noticed the look on her mother's face. "Is something wrong?"

"We may have to cancel the event," Lady Haven replied. "What is weird is how this storm appeared out of nowhere."

Sunny walked over to her friends. "Looks like the plan to get Milky Way to switch you two back completely backfired."

"No doubt she'll just keep moving the goalposts to ensure she never has to switch us back," Zipp complained.

Suddenly, Pipp had an idea. "I think I have an idea. I've been getting loads of videos of people sharing their meals on the internet recently. That is, sharing videos of their meals, not the actual meals, as that would TOTALLY not work with modern technology."

Zipp was starting to cotton on. "Of course! If we cannot host it in person for everybody... we just have a digital one instead!" She turned to Lady Haven. "Mom, you've got the email addresses of all the planned guests, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I'm going to send them a streaming link they can follow, so they can join us in the Great Hall!" Zipp replied. "Let me just make a video." She hit some buttons and held the phone up. "Hey everybody! Just to let you all know, the Help for Heroes Charity Dinner isn't off, just gonna happen a little differently this year. We're hosting it through streaming! I'll be sending all the guests a link so they can join, and you can join if you're a regular follower of mine as I'll put a link in the chat. Send the link to everybody you know and we can get this party started!"

Sunny then had an idea as well. "And hold an in person event for everybody here! That works twofold!"

"How?" Pipp asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Panini said that Milky Way undid his wish when enough of his friends challenged her, and not only that if Zipp is performing, she'll be performing to a live audience. Therefore, she'll have fulfilled the criteria!"

Suddenly, the comments section exploded into life, and Zipp went to check it. Her heart sank when she saw the messages in it.

"Well, this isn't fun," she said. "They're accusing me of fishing for sympathy after what I said to Carotang."

Misty, who had been there, looked over. "That's only a small number of people," she said. "There was a mass walkout at Panini's cafe earlier when Carotang showed up. I also showed him the video, and he had an emotion on his face I never thought I'd see."

"What was that?"

"Remorse."

"So what if a small number of bad eggs refuse to accept the truth? Move on."

Zipp still looked down. "I'd still feel better if I said something, though. Truth or not, I did kinda threaten him. Or it could be interpreted as a threat, but you know what I mean."

Pipp smiled. "I have an idea. It might require me to pull a few strings, mind."

"Good luck," Misty said. "Zipp, could you help me get my gown on?"

Carotang stepped in through the door at Falmouth Manor, slightly surprised. He looked to the servant and passed his coat over. "Hang that up over there, please."

"Miss Pipp will see you shortly. Wait in the Music Room," the servant replied, his voice devoid of warmth. Carotang understood why. Given what he'd said about this man's boss it made sense he was annoyed.

He stepped into the music room, a room dominated by a vast Grand Piano, and took a seat, placing his guitar down next to the chair. "Now to wait and find out what fate has in store for me."

A few minutes later, the doors on one side of the room opened, and whom he thought was Pipp entered the room. "Hey, Carotang," she said.

"Uh, nice dress," was all the musician replied. "Suits you well."

Zipp sat down in a chair, smoothing her skirts out to avoid something awkward happening. "Look, Carotang, I want to apologise for what I said earlier, and-"

"Pipp, I'm the one who should be apologising."

Zipp stopped for a moment. "Pardon?"

"I've been nothing but a twit to you the entire time. I hijacked your concert to make it about me, spread lies out of anger, and made fun of your struggles. I had absolutely no idea you've had to struggle with that your whole life- I'd just assumed the worst. When Misty showed me the truth and your video- I felt rotten inside. I hijacked your concert and made it all about me, Pipp. I let my ego get the better of me. I haven't been a good musician at all, and for that I'm sorry." He paused. "And there's something I'd like to do to make it up."

"What's that?" Zipp asked.

"Is the piano OK to use?"

"Yeah. You're a pianist?"

"Piano, guitar, voice- versatility is valued amongst musicians," Carotang replied, as he stepped over to the keyboard and flipped open the lid. "An original Penna e Divano piano. These are quite rare nowadays."

"One of my great great grandfathers brought it back with him after doing the Grand Tour," Zipp explained.

Carotang nodded. "Got the streaming equipment ready?"

Zipp nodded. "Ready when you are."

Carotang looked in the camera. "Greeting, fellow residents of the internet. I imagine you weren't expecting me to appear on Pipp's channels, but truth be told I'm doing something I should have done a long time ago. All of the things I said about Pipp were false, and I am formally retracting all the things I said. It's time to come clean- I'm the villain of the story here. I hijacked her performance. I was focused on being in the spotlight that I forgot this isn't about me."

In the background, he began playing a familiar chord sequence. "Sometimes life requires us to make sacrifices to serve things greater than ourselves, and to try and look forward as best we can and move forward not as enemies, but as allies. Oasis recorded a pretty good one about that, and all the money from this stream will go direct to Help for Heroes. So, Pipp, would you kindly join me for Don't Look Back in Anger?"

Zipp smiled. "I'd love to."

"And So, Sally can wait!
She knows it's too late/
as we're walking on by!
Her soul slides away!
But don't look back in anger/
I heard you say!"

A few hours later, everything was ready. Those who had been able to make it to the Charity Dinner were sat in their tables, and a camera had been set up to capture everything that was happening. Furthermore, a screen had been set up showing everybody who was joining the meal remotely. Some were at home, looking at the camera with their dining room tables. Others were sat in hotel rooms, and others appeared to be in their cars or on trains.

Zipp (as Pipp) performed a musical number to cool the atmosphere, before Pipp (as Zipp) said a few words of welcome. As was tradition, Lady Haven opened with a full speech. "Good evening, everybody. I appreciate that my appearance is somewhat pixelated right now, but the storm is causing some issues with the broadcast equipment.

"An enormous amount of work has gone into this event, and I'm sorry to say it nearly didn't happen thanks to the bad weather. However, this sort of problem never stopped those whom we are paying tribute to tonight, as those brave men and women who have served our country to ensure our freedoms always found a way through. As such, it is fitting that we found an ingenious solution rather than simply give up and wallow in despair.

"And for that solution I must extend my thanks to my friends and family. My daughters are the ones who proposed this alternate arrangement and got it all set up at such short notice, and as such I extend my thanks. I have always been proud of them and what they have achieved, but they really pulled out all the stops to ensure we could proceed as we are. So, I propose a toast- to Pipp and Zipp, the heroes of the day!"

"Hear hear!" called the assembled nobility.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and Milky Way materialised in front of them. "This is all wrong!" she said. "Now nothing can go as planned!"

Lady Haven's smile dropped, and her eyes narrowed. "Excuse me, but who are you?"

"That's the spirit who swapped our bodies over!" Pipp said.

Lady Haven looked rather more annoyed. "Apologies for the somewhat blue language, but you're the fool who's been messing with my family?"

Milky Way ignored her, and flew up to Pipp. "We need to talk!"

"Good thing you're live to a lot of people!" Pipp smiled, pointing to the camera. "Family is always complicated. We love each other, of course, but that doesn't mean we don't get frustrated sometimes, or get annoyed. However, I try my best to remember that family really does make us better.

"But it's only when we truly understand what others are going through are we truly able to connect. I know I hadn't done that at all well the last few days, and I'm trying to be better at it."

Zipp then spoke up. "But all of this is due to circumstances beyond our control. The being floating before you created this storm, which is why we're being forced to stream it to those not here."

There were loud gasps from around the room, mainly from those assembled at the tables.

"And," Pipp added, "may I remind you, Milky Way, that you said Zipp, and I quote, 'can only truly appreciate what it's like to be a performer if she performs to a live audience at a concert.' And she has- you never specified it had to be in a concert hall."

"Well, I'm sorry but performing in this space does not count. She must perform in a concert hall with a real crowd who pai-"

"MILKY WAY!"

The room suddenly fell silent, all eyes looking forward to the source of the noise. Lady Haven had risen to her feet, and was looking at the nymph with furious eyes- an impression further magnified by the fact her face looked like a beetroot and her maroon ballgown drawing attention to her mood.

The nymph turned to look. "Who are you?"

"Their mother, and as such you will listen to me this instant. I do not understand the purpose nor the point of this little stunt of yours, but you have caused my family untold trouble this last day. I mean, what sort of swine tries to prevent a charity event designed to help people from going ahead just to satsify their own ego? I've had quite enough of this nonsense. They've fulfilled your requirements, so uphold your end of the bargain."

Milky Way looked at her. "What makes you think you could do anything to me?"

"It's not so much what I can do, but what we can do collectively."

Milky Way turned around to see the assembled Dukes and Duchesses looking at her, looking very cross.

"Alright, fine! I'll do it!"

Pipp suddenly felt herself being pulled out of the body she had been in for the last few hours, and was suddenly on the other side of the room, sitting at a table. She looked down, and quickly checked about.

That was her hair. And her coronet. And her evening gloves. And the puffy pink ballgown she'd been looking so forward to wearing! She looked over to see Zipp checking over herself in a similar manner.

"Zipp!" she called, and dashed over. "Are you OK?"

"Never felt better!" Zipp replied, and the two sisters hugged.

The crowd looked on with melted hearts as Pipp and Zipp embraced.

Zipp was the first to speak. "Pipp, I'm sorry for missing the rehearsal."

"I was the one who got us in this mess. If either of us should be sorry, it's me."

"Water under the bridge, my dears," Lady Haven said, who had made her own way over and drawn her daughters into a further hug. "I've never been more proud to call you my daughters."

Zipp glanced at the clock. "First course is in a few minutes. Pipp, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Totes, Zipp!"

Pipp leaned over and pushed a button before grabbing a microphone.

"Everybody needs a good friend/
Every now and then, yeah!
Somebody you can turn to/
For a little magic, for a little strength!
When we are together, everything is great, yeah!"

Zipp then took over for the next part of the verse.

"Bright sky, fly-high!
This life's gettin' better every day, whoa!
Day and night, you and I, side-by-side/
Wouldn't have it any other way?"

Before the two siblings launched off into a duet.

"I'm livin' my bestie life/
When I got you by my side!
Nothin' that we cannot do/
All I really need is you!
The bestie life, the bestie lifе!
Oh-oh, oh, oh-oh!
Ha, ha!"

The second verse then rolled in. Zipp led off this time.

"Everybody needs a little boost/
When it's timе to cut loose, hey, whoa! (yah, yah, yah)
You can party, party, party.
You can dance 'til the day is through, oh, oh-oh!"

Pipp then chimed in.

"Bright sky, fly-high!
This life's gettin' better every day, whoa!
Day and night, you and I, side-by-side/
Wouldn't have it any other way?"

Before, as before, the two sisters dueted.

"I'm livin' my bestie life/
When I got you by my side!
Nothin' that we cannot do/
All I really need is you!
The bestie life, the bestie lifе!
Oh-oh, oh, oh-oh!

"You, you!
I know that when I got you, you!
There's nothin' that I cannot do, do!
The bestie life/
Whoa, oh, oh-oh!

"I'm livin' my bestie life/
When I got you by my side!
Nothin' that we cannot do/
All I really need is you!"

As the song faded out, nobody was in any doubt as to how true those words were. Even if explaining all of this to Lord Haven would a bit complicated, that didn't matter now. The two sisters had each other, and the day's mishaps had brought them closer together.

Author's Note

This chapter is an adaptation of Comic 20, which concludes the cutie mark swap storyline. It was also the final G5 comic to use the Make your Mark artstyle; the comics from Kenbucky Roller Derby onwards used an artstyle inspired by Tell your Tale. The title is taken from the Oasis song of the same name, which released alongside Wonderwall on (What's the Story) Morning Glory? in 1995.

There's a G4 reference hidden in the story to one of Ponyville's shops if you can spot it.

The final part of the story is original, and not taken from the original comic; the original comic's ending has some issues, which I chose to remove in order to fit better with the changes made to earlier portions of the story.