Dawn Star: Manehatten Mare

Chapters

Wild Fire
The Morning After
Changeling Status
The Bells of Manehatten: Part One
The Bells of Manehatten: Part Two
Prisoners of War
In the Darkness of Manehatten
Something Far Worse
With Fire and Sword
HearthFire

Wild Fire

A loud 'boom' filled the air again.

The spell collided with the metal target at the end of the range and exploded in a bright ball of purple fire. I had cast the spell and was pretty proud of myself, considering this was only my third hit that day. I was distracted. As usual, but for different reasons than plans for my future. This time it was about the horrible rumours going around, about the company. And me. They were rumours that this magic testing company were taking homeless and weak ponies off the street and, using them in our tests. Not only that but I was the one who had decided we should do this. It is true ponies seem to be going missing, especially the homeless. But it isn't our fault. No pony I know in this building has experimented on any pony, let alone cast a spell toward another living being. I certainly hadn't. However casting experimental fire spells and blowing up metal targets at a range of fifty to seventy feet away was certainly my specialty. I looked to my rump for a moment, just to check the bright red flame that was my cutie mark was still there. Obviously it still was. I walked over to the large glass walk of the testing range, where I knew my bosses were watching. I caught my own reflection in the glass for a moment and gave myself a little look over. My long black and red mane was still in one piece and even as flat and brushed as when I confronted it this morning. My onyx orange eyes looked back at me as I stared at my figure. My horn sat above my head as it had done since birth. The dark orange, almost black coat of mine was on me looking like a layer of coal on my coat. I wasn't a particularly pretty mare, but had some good looks. Mainly my mane, how it stayed in one place even after a days work. I smiled at the screen, showing my bright, white clean teeth. The light on the other side turned on suddenly, cutting off my reflection. I was now smiling at my three bosses, all wearing white lab coats and glasses. All three were unicorns, however the CEO of this company, whatever his name was, had the longest horn. His cutie was a bit surrounded by magic and his coat hid much of it since he was near on the same shade of grey as his magic was. So far off it just looked like a single bit. Which isn't that exciting. He had short curly brown hair and the attempts at a mustache. He was even wearing a visitor badge, showing ponies like me he doesn't stay with lower ponies, when he does. He doesn't stay, nor say anything to anypony who aren't someponies bosses. I mean, I am team leader, but that doesn't have boss in the title. They looked at me in what seemed like shame. But I hadn't done anything wrong, well from what I could tell. The target was dead.

"Yes well done Dawn Star, now show us what your team produced this term." One of the ponies commanded. I paused, our latest spell was solely a group casting, and none of them were here. I only knew a fraction of the spell. I needed around six ponies to actually cast it, and the whole team of twenty to cast it right. I gulped down. We weren't really meant to produce group spells, especially times like these, where the examiners of the four teams going against each other constantly in this company. I gulped again, if I couldn't show them something amazing, somepony was going to get fired, and it was bad enough paying the rent to the apartment.

What was worse is this job actually paid pretty well, enough to make me a name in one of the richer ponies of the city. But if I lost this I had around a years worth of savings which I couldn't really afford to spend. I was saving up on moving. I didn't know where yet, just out of the city. I heard somewhere that another Magic testing site had been opened in Canterlot and required ponies who knew magic. That would be great for me, working alongside the princesses in the capital. But I had grown a bond with my team, it wouldn't feel right to leave them. I knew them all personally. I realised I hadn't moved at all and one of the ponies was calling my name through the glass. I gulped again and nodded. Then walked over to the sand bags. Another metal target popped up. I had to do something. I just didn't know what. I decided to improvise, which using magic, is one of the worst ideas any unicorn could have. I didn't know what I was casting, just hoped it was an offensive cast that didn't blow me up. My horn began to glow the light blue colour and a small orb began to form. It looked black at first, then as it formed more and more I realised it was like black glass, no. Oil. It was glass full of oil. The orb floated there for a moment, trapped in my magic for a moment. I was unsure what to do. I had created, something. In a matter of seconds, but it was what I needed to keep my job. I was sweating, I could feel it running down my checks and brow. I dared to dart my eyes toward the glass, the light was off so I just saw the reflection of my tail, slightly showing my plot. I moved my tail to the left a bit, blushing. I was still holding the orb. I decided to go with it and thrown the orb. It was shot through the air toward the target at a fairly slow speed, it was a pretty terrible throw and looked like it would go to short to the the target. It did. The orb fell and hit the ground with a loud thud just a few feet away from the target. Nothing happened. I could feel my life disappear before my eyes. Planning out the sentence 'you're fired' in my head. But suddenly, the orb exploded in a ball of fire. Destroying the metal target and much of the artificial grass and shrubs nearby. Flames licking into the air and surging back down before burning away at the plastic ground. I turned to hear something drop behind the glass. I walked over to it and smiled again. The light turned on and the three unicorns looked to me in shock. One was missing his glasses.

"Well Ms Star. I think you and your team are in need of some extra funding. I would like to see more of this offensive magic. You are now the directors of Manehatten Offensive Spells." The CEO of the company said. I smiled, being director of anything was a big deal. Usually it was cast whatever the hell you wanted and see how it went, but to actually specialise in a certain spell division meant a lot. Considering a lot of my team had studied offensive magics in magic school. We were pretty set. Only two out of twenty-one knew any sort of respiratory spells and healing spells. Another three had studied shield spells whilst four more had learnt about old, forgotten magic that we either couldn't cast anymore. Or the spell shape didn't work anymore so the spell had died. Thus only seven of twenty-one were blank to offensive. We were the second team to have gotten our speciality. The first being Bravo team, who is now focusing on Mechanical magic. Whatever that meant, machinery wasn't ever my strong point. I was aloud to leave by the three bosses, now it was after hours so I could go home. But I wanted to give the news to my team. Well at least one pony of it. A stallion named Heart Seeker, a specialist in fire spells who was always working late and would still be in the lab at this time. I decided to at least tell him the news. I thanked the CEO and my bosses and left. Gamma team leader, a mare named Crystal Dust, stood at the door. I swear she tried to trip me when I left the room.

I made my way through the complicated hallways and stairwells toward our lab. It wasn't actually that far from the testing area. I just didn't want to go through B wing so went the long way. I have a thing against B wing. I went down a flight of stairs and noticed a few ponies walking around, it was normal for the leaders to be in since it was examination day, again. But not these workers. Maybe another room was being renovated. Or they were painting over the various burns on the walls of trainee rooms. I bumped into a pony who instantly apologized and ran off. A strange green goo dripping down his lab coat. I didn't think anything off it. Probably some experiment based on the edge of the facility; some chemical experiment seeing the effects of certain potions and remedies on ponies to see if there was a way to enhance magical abilities in unicorns. I turned a corner down a hallway marked 'C block: Labs 1A-9C' I walked down, on paper we owned this entire hallway, but only really ever used 3A-4A, only four labs. But it was more than we needed, I preferred everypony close together so we could share ideas easier. I looked in each of the first three doors and didn't see any signs of life, no lights nor ponies. However lab 4A had a light on and a brown coloured pony sitting at a desk, horn glowing and ink well next to him. Making noted on spells was always the hardest, for me anyway. I preferred casting rather than writing. But I suppose it is best to tell ponies what one did and how one did it. I opened the door slowly which still made Heart Seeker jump. He turned.

"Oh Star. You are back. How did it go?" He asked.

"Nailed the single spell tests, but when they wanted to see the group agreed spell I had to improv as normal. Since no pony was there to help me cast it." I replied.

"Oh right. Sorry, I have been busy." Heart Seeker replied. Looking to his notes, there was easily a good fifty pages in front of him.

"We all have Seeker. Also, I have some very good news." I said.

"No pony is getting fired?" The brown unicorn replied quickly. I laughed a bit.

"Well that too. But we have been specialised. In offensive magic. We are the head department in Manehatten, and probably the company." I replied, smiling again. Heart Seeker stood up for this.

"Really? Damn. That is impressive. What did you do?"

"I don't really know. But it worked. We are the 'Directors of Offensive Spells.'" I recited.

"Well then. We better get working."

"Woah. Not now. It is like ten, eleven in the evening. I am hungry and shattered. I'm going to clock out, grab the days wages and go home. I am-" I paused, fighting a yawn, which I quickly lose. "Shattered." I added, as the yawn ended. My eyes felt heavy and I could just fall asleep here in the lab, but certain spells have been cast in here that caused more than one clean up crew. I walked out of the room and closed the door. Only for it to open again when I was halfway down the corridor.

"Want me to walk you home Dawn? You look like you could pass out and sleep here." Heart Seeker offered. I thought about it.

"That thought did come into my head once or twice. Go on then, you know where I live?" I asked. This was obviously Hearts attempt at courting me. But I wasn't going to have any of his half hearted attempts at dating me. I had already put him down more than once in the last year alone. It wasn't just him either, a few other stallions had attempted wooing me.

Including a few mares.

That was a weird week.

We walked out of the building in near on silence. Only as we left the building did we start talking. Mostly about how great it was our team had been promoted and how annoyed the team members who hadn't specialized in OS (Offensive Spells) would be tomorrow. Heart took me right to my door and smiled at me, looking into my eyes. I only had one on him. The other looking at the wall behind him. I was on a slight side of him, so as to not stand right in front of him in a perfect line. He looked into my eyes for what felt like hours. Until I found my door keys and quickly moved to the lock, opening it with my key.

"Well thank you. I would offer you an invite inside but as you can see. I am knackered." I said to Heart, steady behind the door and slowly closing it. I managed four yawns in that sentence. Whether some fake some real, only I will really know. I smile at Heart and say bye. Before closing the door and walking to bed, ignoring the growling of my stomach.

The Morning After

I opened my eyes to the sun whilst it was barely beginning to rise. It was about four or five in the morning. Too early for normal ponies to wake up at. I groaned in frustration. Why did I have to wake up so early. I was tempted to go back to sleep but I had stuff to do. Not that half of it was going to get done, but hey. I might as well try to get stuff done. The major two was food shopping, and seeing my friend and co-worker, Stone Force. Him and I went back years, since pre-pre school. We have known each other all our lives. And even work on the same team in the lab, which is why I want to see him before work. To tell him of our promotion. No doubt word had already spread around the labs like wild fire. Knowing Heart Seeker he would have been going to everypony's house in the dead of night and woke everypony to tell them. The pony meant well, but he wasn't the best at social norms. I stood up, practically falling out of bed only to get up and curse at it for a while. I walked over to the mirror, my hair was messy anyway, but all of one side was flat where I had slept. It had obviously been a silent night as I hadn't been disturbed by anything that made me move. Which was shocking due to where I lived, but also rather worrying, as now I needed a shower to sort my hair out.

I decided for a bath eventually.

Standing over the tub waiting for the water to fill up I smiled slightly. I wasn't sure why, maybe because I loved baths, maybe due to the fact my team were now the Directors of Offensive spells. Maybe I was just eager to smile. The smile quickly dropped when I let out a yawn and remembered how tired I still was.

The bath was now full, bubbles floated from the steamy water and a small rubber duck peacefully floated on the waves of the water. A few drops of water still leaked from the tap. I looked at the stillness of the water and slowly got in.

At first the heat of the water was enough to make me alter my plan, but I kept with it knowing the water would wake me up a bit more. A bit.

I finally managed to get one foreleg in before just squeaking a little and basically diving into the bath, the hot water hurt a little at first, then became more relaxing and I lent back into the tub with a groan of delight. Nearly submerging my head.

I felt something poking against my bum, at first I panicked and thought something was in here with me, until I noticed my duck was missing and put a hoof under water to save it. As i had thought. I had sat on my duck. I pushed it a little between my bum and between my legs, letting it float up to the top with a small splash. It wobbled a bit and I was worried I would have to use my magic to stand it up right in the water, but eventually it steadied and began to move around the bath with the current of the water. I dunked my head under to get my hair wet, the long knots of hair instantly became long and straight, only to slowly begin to curl up as soon as I left my underwater domain. I looked to the duck with was slowly disappearing into the bubble layer at the edge and end of my bath. I scooped some bubbles up and rubbed a hoof of bubbles through my hair. Some water droplets dripping down my forehead. I looked up to my nose where a small drop of water was, as I looked a scope of bubble dropped onto my nose and I sneezed. The sneeze was rather squeaky and to anypony else's mind, that would have been adorable. I washed my hair and body with soap and staying relaxing in the bath for a good half hour. Only to have forgotten a towel. My tail and mane were wet thus had draped down my neck and back legs. I made sure to look around and call out in case anypony was round, when I saw the coast was clear, I quickly dashed out of the bathroom and grabbed two towels. One I wrapped around my body, and the other round my mane. I then walked over to the window. There were ponies everywhere walking around. The time is what now? Seven? Half seven in the morning and everypony is up and out wondering the streets of Manehatten going to work. I could see ponies sitting on the streets, looking dirty and ill, the homeless were always sad and I wished I could do something for them, but a few bits to random ones doesn't seem to help. No one mare, or stallion, can change the world. Well maybe if you are somepony like Celestia. Or Luna, Cadence, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Ponies like those. Alicorn royalty. No unicorn mage could change the world. Not anymore. I had been told since birth the world didn't need another mage like Greybeard, or whatever his name was. I hadn't learnt about him since I could barely talk. So didn't really follow his studies much.

I followed my fathers, and mothers. They had both been pretty good mages back in the day, both becoming team leaders and their teams quickly becoming Directors of some spell type. My mother was illusive, magical trickery, I never really saw it as magic, rather cheap tricks to get some bits of ponies, but I suppose if it was what she wanted to follow, then sure why not. Then my father got his team focused on defensive shield spells. He didn't invent anything overly exciting, but certainly saved some ponies lives. I am not sure where I got my love for offensive spells from, both my parents following basically defensive kinds. Maybe it was something from generations ago, like my great-great-great somepony or another followed it. But I hadn't asked, I knew I was good at it, so I followed offensive.

I began to brush my mane with a hairbrush, levitating it with my red coloured magic and running my hoof through my hair, feeling it becoming softer and letting the water drip down my arm. I looked to the four droplets of water and put the hairbrush to one side. I began to then levitate the water from my arm, the four drops appearing in front of my eyes. I pushed them forward with magic and as they shot forward they turned to ice and sliced into the wood of my apartment wall. Before turning back to water when I released my magic. Four pin sized holes now occupied my wall. I smiled, then began to brush again.

Once I had finished that I walked to the door and out onto the lobby. First I had to go see Stone Force and tell him of the news. I walked out onto the stairwell, just as my neighbor, a nice old mare named Frost Cone, walked out. Her wrinkled cutie mark was that of an ice cream cone as she was superb at homemade ice cream making. It was honestly to die for.

"Hello deary." Frost greeted.

"Hello Ms. Cone." I replied, in a natural schoolmate manner.

"Now Dawn Star. I have told you many a time to call me Frost, never Ms. Or Mrs. I am Frost Cone deary. You aren't in school anymore."

"Sorry Frost. It is too early to think."

"Well whatever are you doing up at such a time. You don't have work until eleven." It was sweet she knew my working hours, really. Frost Cone had lived next door to me for years, she was already here when I moved in. That was when her husband, Streamline Cone, had still been alive and her grandchildren had been in Manehatten, they had moved, far away sadly about a year after Streamline's death. It wasn't a bad idea, Manehatten is a horrible place to live and grief doesn't help. It is what the city feeds on. I looked to Frost's cold, sad, tired eyes and smiled.

"Yeah, well my team just got a promotion so I have to spread the news to everypony. I will see you later Frost. I really must be going." I replied.

"Oh but deary!" Frost called as I reached the first step. I naturally paused.

"You are losing weight come here child." Frost added, I turned, the old mare had a bag in her hooves.

"Frost? I can't accept this." I said, staring at the old mares bag.

"Well I won't be around forever and my children and grandchildren have moved far away, my dear husband is gone. So you are all I have left. The least I can do is give you a few bits so you can go feed yourself properly."

"No, really Frost. I can't take your money." I said, the old mare was having none of it and kept the bag in my face. I wouldn't win this, I never do. But everytime I felt bad for taking money I don't really need. Eventually however, as always. I gave up on fighting the old mare and accepted the money. Thanking her and trotting away. Frost wishing me luck for the day and hoping I come back with more bits to survive with. I trotted down the stairwell smiling to myself as I left to speak to Stone Force. I still wasn't completely dry yet but hopefully it was a warm day outside so I could warm up.

It wasn't. The temperature had dropped nearly five degrees from my room to the apartment lobby. That didn't seem a lot but with a wet mane and a wet tail that I really need to grow longer, it wasn't the best of days. I stepped out onto the street and instantly lost myself, there were hundreds of ponies walking around out on the street as per normal, chatting away to friends and co-workers. Pushing through the crowd whilst being late for a meeting. It wasn't so bad, only two-thirds of Manehatten's population wasn't Pegasi, so the few that were here were just flying above the crowd. How I wished I could fly sometimes. But I wasn't that good a mage to conjure up wings, nor have the patience or time to learn such a craft. Princess Sparkle knew near on any school of spell, well. She apparently had limited knowledge of offensive spells and a few other attack and defensive spells. But she had mastered things like teleportation rather quickly. Or again, so I have been told.

I chose which direction I wanted to go in, which luckily, was where a good deal of the crowd wanted to go as well, and I stepped out into the streets, instantly being shoved and pushed in all directions. I cast the only illusive spell I knew, a small blue pathway to where I most wanted to go, this helped me figure out where to go when I was being pushing in all sorts of directions by ponies much bigger than me. To be fair on the city, not everywhere was this overpopulated, in truth it was only this part of the city. Nearer to the center no ponies really lived, so only shoppers and tourists went there. The north, west and south side were practically deserted most days, void of any ponies. It was mainly the old part of town, the parts where a pony wouldn't want to be late at night. So a good three-quarters of the city were basically empty of life most of the time, and it was a big city. One of the biggest in Equestria. The only bigger one being Canterlot. The castle city didn't look big, but most ponies missed the fact that the castle only controlled one corner of the city, plus there are cloud homes above the city for Pegasi, an underground area for the, sadly poorer ponies and small nameless towns filled the mountain side next to Canterlot, all the way down to Ponyville and Ponyton.

Eventually I made my way north and found myself at Force's apartment the door was unlocked as normal. The main door to most apartment blocks were locked between ten and six. Thus only ponies with keys or very advanced door spells. Again I say most since some of the poorer ones have little or no security. But most apartments have magical wards so no pony can teleport themselves into buildings. A few spells had decayed though as no pony came to repair them. Luckily I knew that, thanks to Force. So was updating the protection spells on my apartment daily. I stepped into the lobby and toward the stairwell. A pony ran past, I didn't think much about it but I swear I saw his eyes turn from blue to a bright green for a second. I continued on walked toward Force's room. When I got there however his door was already open.

"Stone? It's me, Dawn, I will just sit down since the door is open okay?" I asked into his room, no answer. As I neared the door I noticed something. It hadn't been opened lightly, it was properly broken into. The hinges were broken and the door had green goo and burn marks all over it. The apartment was a state, burns and goo dotted everywhere. On the floor in a small pool of blood was the pony I knew as Stone Force. But was now just a mutilated corpse of mush, the only think that made me know it was him, was the cut off head sitting on the table with a piece of paper on the table next to it. I threw up.

Changeling Status

Well, my day started fine. Then I found out one of my best friends had been brutally murdered in his own home. Next I am accused of said murder because when I didn't show up to work and was found crying next to the bloody remains of Stone Force's body, that gives ponies reason enough to treat me as a suspect. My day got worse and worse from there. So here I sit, in Force's apartment being questioned by two ponies. Unicorns scattered around looking for clues and evidence, all they have is the goo and burns. Showing that whatever killed my friend spat green goo and knew fire spells.

"When was it you arrived here ms Star?" One pony asked.

"I dunno. About two, three hours ago. I came here early before work to tell Stone my team, who he works in, was promoted last night during testing." I replied. The stallion wrote some notes down, he had a blue police officer cap on, black sunglasses and a black mustache, a real stereotypical cop.

"And What happened, tell us exactly what happened when you arrived at the doorway to coming into his apartment and finding your friend here dead." The cop asked. Then called over a unicorn. "Before you reply, do we have permission to test for truth or lies?" The cop asked. I paused, normally hating the idea of allowing ponies inside my head, but he would just break his way through my mental shields anyway and was too grief stricken to care at the moment. I nodded then began. The unicorn casting all the way.

"Well I got here as I said, around two hours ago I believe, and came up here. The doors to the lobby being unlocked. I noticed his door was open so called out saying I will just come in and sit down then. I got no answer to kept walking. Only to see the door how it is, green goo everywhere and his body laying where it is now and the head was on the table with a note. I lost my cool and burst into tears until you all came and started questioning me." I replied.

"What about coming up the stairs did you see anypony?" The unicorn asked.

"Ah yes. Well there was this one stallion who came galloping down the stairs and I swear that- actually nevermind. " I thought, but paused. I swear seeing his eyes change colour was just me.

"No, do go on Ms Star." The first cop said, the unicorn's face lost near on all colour.

"Well I swear I saw his eyes go green for a second." I said. The cop paused and got up when somepony called him. It was a blue unicorn, holding the letter that was with Stone's head he looked at it and I swear he smiled.

"Well Ms Star, believe me when I say, you are not behind his death." The cop said, I got up to follow. I wasn't behind my friends death, that's nice to know. I realised the unicorn was probably still in my head and put all my shields back up, the look of confusion of the stallions face would have been priceless in better times. I walked over to Force's head, they had just left it there, already gathering flies. I felt so bad for him. I knew I couldn't have done anything. But I still felt it was my fault he had died.

"Get Celestia on a Communication and send word to the general. We need to shut down the city and start doing random searches on people. Go get the shield up." The cop ordered to a unicorn, who nodded and ran out. A Pegasus pony also nodded and flow out the open window. I looked to the cop and he looked at me.

"How much magic do you know?" He asked.

"A lot. I am head of my team." I replied, confused.

"Good. You may need it." He replied, beginning to trot away.

"Why though?" I asked, if this pony was deliberately being dramatic, he was being a real dick about it.

"Manehatten may be under attack by an old enemy. They besieged Canterlot a few years ago and have been in hiding ever since. Bug-like ponies who feed off love through magic."

"Changelings? But they feed off love. This isn't a very loving thing to do." I replied quickly, gesturing to Stone's head with a hoof.

"Maybe they have found a new way of feasting. Like war, and death." The cop replied. His eyes flashed green. Shit. He was one of them.

So today was officially getting weird.

I took a step toward the door, only to find myself blocked by two more green eyed officers. I thought of a spell to cast and could only bring up offensive spells. A teleport would come in handy right now. But no, I had to go along the attacking route of mage training. So I guess I was fighting. My horn began to glow as I brought magic toward it, aiming for the first creature. Every pony in the room was changing form. To black bug-creatures, all looking roughly the same. Green eyes, long black horns and insect wings. I was surrounded. Their horns were all glowing green. If Stone had fallen to these creatures then what hope did I have, I would surely fall if I fought and I couldn't run. Or could I.

I turned and shot a Changeling behind me, it fell back screaming and burning black fire. I knew it would spread but now wasn't the time to worry about fires. I jumped upwards and a ball of goo launched under my body and striking the wall. I twisted my body in mid air so I was facing the door. Just as I landed I shot the other who also fell, still with around ten or so Changelings inside I saw my chance and ran out the door. Remembering back to the testing course that day before. I tried to gather back the same spell I had done in the test and after a few attempts I found it. The black orb floating above my head I saw three of the creatures run down the stairs toward me. I threw the orb and jumped. As I did the glass shattered and a blast of heat and fire spread down the stairwell. Knocking me back and burning my tail dry. I am sure a lot of the hair was gone too but I wasn't too worried. I fell and screamed as my left foreleg buckled and bent. I probably sprained it jumping three flights of stairs and landing on concrete. I limped out as ponies gathered, fire was spreading rapidly and I could feel the strength leave my body. Both from the multiple castings and now my leg. I limped out as ponies ran to help. Asking me what happened. All I could say was the word Changeling over and over until I finally pasted out. Unable to bare the pain of my leg. I may not have just sprained it.

I woke up on a bed, the pain in my leg gone, yet confusion in my mind. The cop had been a Changeling, yet ordered the shield up and Celestia warned, so was that just a fake, like the rest of that interview, or were those two ponies and they only wanted me dead. But that wouldn't make any sense. I was so confused. I blinked my eyes a little to stare at the ceiling of a hospital. I looked down my body to see my left leg in a metal brace of some kind. I began to lay up but heard a scared yell from somewhere. I turned to see a nurse galloping toward me.

"Oh nonononono! You mustn't get up Ms. You need to rest. Yesyesyes." The nurse said, she had such a strange voice, like that of a child.

"What. What happened?" I asked, following the steryotype of ponies asking that after they wake up in hospital.

"You were in a fire Ms. Very big. Yesyes. Very very big." The nurse replied.

"But. There were Changelings. They attacked me and killed my friend." I muttered.

"Nono. No buggies, no pony found no pony in fire. Only you." The nurse replied. I found it odd at the fact that no pony found any bodies in the fire. That and the fact the Changelings, and I were the only ones in the building at that time. I was looking deep into the nurses eyes, watching for any change in colour. She looked at me and smiled. Looking into my eyes too. She was taking this the wrong way and I wasn't sure if she was really qualified to be a nurse.

"I will go find your chart and see if you are good to go home. Yesyes. Home time for Ms Mare." The nurse said and ran off, wagging her tail a bit. This was certainly one of my strangest days of my life, definitely in my top ten, maybe even top five. But that week where apparently every mare in the office but me seemed to forget their heat protection spells and kept coming onto me all week, that was by far the number one. My team numbers drastically decreased that week and the days following.

The nurse did eventually come back and told me that it was okay for me to go home. I shouldn't put too much pressure on my (yeah definitely) broken leg and that my work has already been informed that I will be off full pay leave for a good three weeks whilst my leg heals. Then the nurse subtly asked if I was free tonight. No was the answer.

I walked home staring at the night sky, there was so much light pollution these days that there was barely ever a star out. But still I searched, hoping for a shooting star to appear so I could wish for my destiny. Maybe this whole Changeling thing was just a one off, a small group trying to cause terror in pony cities. Hopefully anyway. I wasn't really the kind of mare, or in the kind of state (physically or magically) to fight in a battle, let a lone a war. I passed out after a hurt leg and a few spells. I may be head of my team but I still couldn't control the amount of magic I put into my spells. That was always my problem, controlling my magic usage. That and not learning any sort of defensive or healing spell. And only focusing on fire and offensive.

I finally made it home and checked through the mail. Most of it was useless stuff, adverts and the like. I never read any of those and always dumped them. But there was one, the last of the pile with a abnormal mark on it. It was lavender coloured paper and this strange was seal on it. I held it in midair to the light and realised it was marked by Princess Luna. I nearly fainted again, but didn't in case it was a fake. I opened it, still holding it in midair and pulled the letter out.

'Dearest Subject Dawn Star,

It has come to mine, and my sisters attention that you have succeeded in promoting your Manehatten team to focus on offensive strategy spells. You are one of the first mares to accomplish this and we would very much like to thank you personally for this achievement and see what you are doing in your work time. We do hope you will reply with a date for Celestia and myself to come to you and meet you. We won't require anywhere to stay but that said if you have room we would very much like a tour of Manehatten, as we. Mainly myself. Haven't seen the city for years and I would like to see how it has changed.

Yours Faithfully,

Princess Luna.'

I looked at the letter, read the sent address, yep. Canterlot castle. I read and re-read the letter over and over. This was actually happening. The Princesses had heard about yesterday and actually wanted to meet me. Me, a common mage who made her team a Director team of offensive magic. I squeaked in delight and smiled to myself. Forgetting almost about today's events. Even sleeping pretty soundly.

The Bells of Manehatten: Part One

I woke up to the sun again. Got up after another moment of stretches and stood up. I looked at the window to see I had drawn my curtains for once. Last night I had such a strange dream. There were Changelings, Stone Force was dead. It was so weird. I stepped forward to open the curtains only to receive great amounts of pain my from left front leg. I screamed a bit and nearly fell. Tears forming instantly. That hurt, a lot. I looked down to see my leg was swollen and in a brace. Yet it didn't numb the pain at all. I started to panic a bit. Had yesterday happened? Or just some bits. I had broken my leg somehow and due to the medication I was dreaming things that I thought were real? I shock my head and limped to the window, taking a lot of weight of my leg, yet it still hurt. I reached the windows basically in tears and opened with my magic. The dark blue curtains pulled back to show the wall sized window overlooking Manehatten. I looked on the ground, there seemed to be a few more armed soldiers, but nothing unusual. Until I looked up. There was a huge, pale orange coloured shield covering the city for as far as I could see. I nearly fainted and limped toward the door. I needed to get to my work, see what in Equestria was going on. I reached the door and fell. My leg hurting so much. I looked around my white, plain walled room looking for an answer to my pain. On the side table I noticed a small box with a note attached. I fell down and began to crawl toward the table, thinking on it, that wasn't the best idea but I sure as hell couldn't walk any further. I reached the table and practically pulled it down. The box and note both falling to the ground, along with various other things, a now smashed glass cup, a photo of my family and I when I was a filly. I hated to admit it, but I was pretty adorable back then. Now I was on the floor, dragging my body across the light blue carpet to get a strange box and a note because my leg was broken. I picked the note up and read.

'Medication for [Dawn Star], to be used for healing/cure of [Left Foreleg]. To be taken [Once every five hours]. Then in brackets (Or if leg is playing up so bad you have to take them. Doctor Ares. Still waiting for you to be free) followed by a small smiley face and love heart. I looked at the box and it said to be taken once every five hours, how strong it was and when it would affect me. Apparently I could take one now and it would affect me after twelve to fifteen minutes. I popped open the box and took a pill. Not drinking any water as my cup was broken. Thinking on that matter I picked the shards of glass up and put them in the bin. Still crawling, levitating the glass over my head. Again, not the best idea. I then pondered to myself about yesterdays events, if they had happened, if not why was the city on defensive. How did they know. What was going on out there. Why were the Changelings attacking. Stuff like that, and before I knew it my leg was without pain and I found myself to be able to limp again.

It took nearly half and hour to get from my apartment to work today, half an hour, in what should have been a five minute wall (My fastest time was three minutes, twenty-three seconds). I limped in, everypony watching as I walked, or whatever I was doing all the way from my lobby to work. I finally reached the office to be greeted by one pony on my team; Firestarter. He watched my limp through the door with a shocked and confused face.

"Dawn?" He asked. I looked at him with a 'go-fuck-yourself' look and he blinked a few times. "Dawn Star, what are you doing here? You have been given full leave until your leg is better. What the hell happened yesterday?" The younger stallion asked, he was younger, and smaller than me so I had to look down on him normally, now I was fairly level with him, having to limp and keep weight of my leg.

"I have no idea. That's why I came here. Is Stone in?" I asked. Firestarter looked away from me, his dark red hair moving slowly with him. He had a look of sadness on him. And at that moment I realised all of yesterday had happened. Stone Force was certainly dead and there were Changelings in the city.

"I'm sorry Dawn. Force is dead. You were there. I thought you would remember." Fire muttered. I looked down to the ground.

"I do Fire. I really do, I thought that had all been a dream. In that case then Manehatten really is under attack from Changelings." I replied. Firestarter nodded slowly.

"It is why the shield is up. The whole city is on high alert. I am surprised you weren't checked. There have already been five executions of Changelings. They are kicking any and everyone of them out. Even the peaceful ones. But there are defentitly spies in the city, some won't leave and are attacking guards and ponies. Its why they are being killed. The streets, mainly in the less developed areas are under attack, wars are going on all through the city Dawn. This is the time your team is needed most, and half of us aren't in today due to the attacks, are dead or wounded. Seriously Stone isn't the only one dead. Changelings are genuinely attacking ponies in the streets. Word is said that they are already breaking at the shield and could be in in a matter of hours. They may already be inside the city. I don't mean the small forces that are here now, I mean an army."

"The city isn't safe and no pony can leave or enter?" I asked.

"They are letting ponies leave, there is a secret underground tunnel system that had trains going straight to Canterlot. The Princesses are apparently on their way."

"Where are you getting all this info Fire?"

"Town hall. They are holding a meeting all day discussing the battle. If you want answers, head there Dawn. But we need to evacuate the city, and soon. War is coming."

"Okay then. I will head to town hall. You coming?" I asked, despite knowing Fire had already been I was about five minutes away from breaking down into tears again due to knowing a lot of my team was dead and a good friend since fillyhood was certainly dead and it wasn't some sick dream. So it would have been nice to be with a friend.

"No no. I need to talk to the remaining five who turned up today. Tell them where to head for news and what to do."

"Do you know what to do?"

"No. But I can't just tell them they may be dead by weeks end. If you aren't rushing come with me. You are team leader. But a few of us thought you were dead, so you may get some reactions from ponies."

"Yeah I understand. Okay, where is everypony?" I asked.

"Our cell block, as usual. I will say now that only seven aren't at work today. So figure the maths yourself." I did. Seven still alive, six at work. Plus me, that's six missing. Six dead from my team and it wasn't as if the enemy had it out for my team. As me and Fire walked I realised the true count of the deaths. Apparently there was no fourth team anymore. Delta had been wiped out. And the CEO was dead. Hundreds of ponies were laying on the streets this morning and battles had been raging all through the city. Just not on my apartment block apparently. Although I didn't see Mrs Cone today either. I hoped she was okay.

As we made our way down to our cell block Firestarter explained to me how the Changelings had no mental shield so they could just try to get into their heads and would find no resistance. He then proceeded to check mine. To find, obviously, the shield that I had placed. I checked his to find a shield. I then waiting for us to start moving again and checked, the shield was still there. It isn't that I doubted the fact the Changelings didn't have any shields. But I still had to be careful. From yesterdays experience I couldn't trust anypony. And I had a feeling things were just getting started. We walked in silence for a bit. Fire occasionally mentioning how many were dead and then going back to silence as if it were his fault. It took us a while to get to our area, mainly because we kept stopping for Fire to say something or for me to say something. We didn't see a single pony on the way there and it was making me feel a bit on edge.

We finally made it to our block, I opened to door to get a plasma spell shoot into wall above me. I looked toward my attacked to see seven ponies huddled together behind a table, all had horns glowing. I knew everyone of these ponies before me.

"Stay right there! Raise your shield and move to the side." One pony ordered, presumably the one who shot me. I knew him as Crash, a red coated pony with green and yellow hair. A sparking circle as a cutie mark.

"Hey hey. It's me." I said calmly, limping to the wall, Firestarter following. I felt a magical scan in my head and from Fire's expression so could he. It quickly passed as always and the horns stopped glowing.

"Dawn Star, you are meant to be on leave." Crasher said, standing up from behind the table.

"Not whilst you guys are stuck here. Besides, if the CEO is dead it doesn't look like I will get payment any time soon." I replied. Crasher nodded and smiled. Giving a low laugh off.

"Well that being said, what's the plan?" Crasher asked.

"We make our way to town hall. Met the Princesses and see what we can do to help the battle. If we can, and if you are up for it." I replied quickly.

"Yeah of course. These Changelings attacked my city. I wanna kill a few." Crasher said. Fire and a few others also nodded

"Well, let us get moving then. Don't want to miss out on the battle, or the princesses." I smiled and we walked out of the room toward the exit.

The Bells of Manehatten: Part Two