Dawn Star: Manehatten Mare

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.