Perspectives

    "What the hay Scarlet?!" Scarlet stumbles as Styre pushes her, she huffs and dusts herself off. Stia doesn't look happy at Styre for that, but she doesn't object.

    "I don't know what you're yelling at me for, I saved us. I've been the one helping us this whole time because you all suck at lying and keeping secrets," Scarlet retorts.

    "You didn't have to kill him!" Styre yells back.

    "It was an accident!" Scarlet hisses.

    "We all saw you break down at the party. We couldn't feel that sadness, but we saw you feeling it and then not feeling it," Styre retorts.

    "So?! That doesn't mean I made him come at me so I could kill him!" Scarlet argues.

    "You liked it," Stia speaks up softly, Scarlet freezes at this.

    "What makes you say that?" Scarlet asks cautiously.

    "The way you stared at the body in morbid fascination, and the knife in a similar manner." Stia declares.

    "You monster," Styre says in shock.

    "Okay, I liked it. So, what? You're telling me you didn't feel it? That thrill in a kill?" Scarlet tries to persuade, Styre backs away a little in disgust.

    "Scarlet? How could you?" Starlet gasps from beside Diz. Diz just raises an eyebrow, continuing to say nothing. Joy seems to be trying to comfort Sable, whose rocking quietly turned into shaking while desperately trying to hold onto Joys hoof while crying manically at Scarlets admission. Diz just continues his stoic indifference, but he does seem to be leaning away from Scarlet.

    "How could I? You forget, I've done nothing but help you since we've got here." Scarlet spits acidly.

    "She's got a point, and while she isn't in the right... arguing isn't going to help any," Stia points out.

    "Like hell it won't help, she killed another living and sentient being!" Styre argues.

    "But arguing won't bring him back, will it?" Stia asks, a little more forcefully.

    "No..." Styre grumbles.

    "Thank y-" Scarlet is cut off by Stia.

    "No, I'm not helping you. Actually, right now I'm quite cross with you. You've done an adequate job of keeping suspicion to a minimum up until that little stunt, now we've got blood on our hooves. Do you know how complicated this is going to make our eventual meeting with Celestia?" Stia asks, pacing in a frenzy.

    "Calm down, Stia. Everything is under control," Scarlet tries to soothe, Stia turns on her.

    "Under control? Under control?! Everything is most definitely not under control! Under control is not having a fight in the first place. Under control would require us not to be in a hospital. Scarlet, in one day you managed to kill a stallion, get the tar beat out of you because they think we're suspicious, then blow yourself up multiple times!" Stia yells in a frenzy.

    "I only had to fight because Styre slipped up, I killed him in self defense, and I was trying to save Pinkie. My actions are what kept us alive and keep other ponies trusting us," Scarlet retorts.

    "You don't deserve their trust..." Starlet speaks up, Scarlet looks at her in shock. "I know they don't remember... except Sable, she knows. I don't know why, or how... but I can see it in her eyes, she remembers. She remembers seeing you break at the party, she knows what that feeling is. She and I know what the urge to kill feels like, but actually killing someone..." Starlet shakes her head.

    "So you know that feeling? You know how great it feels," Scarlet counters.

    "Yeah, I know the feeling. I know it's great, and I hate myself for feeling that way... it's wrong and I know it, but I can't help liking it." Starlet spits venomously.

    "It's not wrong, it's just a way of life" Scarlet reasons.

    "An illegal and immoral way of life," Starlet exclaims, close to shouting.

    "But you want it, don't you?" Scarlet asks cautiously.

    "Yes..." She whispers, Scarlet smiles a small happy smile.

    "No, don't..." Sable whispers from her position on the floor.

    "I'm not planning on it... but it would be a lie to say I don't want it a little," Starlet mutters lowly before looking back up with cold eyes, "I don't want to be a killer," she growls.

    "I don't plan on becoming one." Scarlet answers slowly and concisely.

    "You expect us to believe that?!" Styre interjects, Scarlet turns to her slowly.

    "Yes. But it doesn't matter if you believe me," she scoffs.

    "Ok, with that taken care of," Stia shoots Scarlet a look that assures her that the conversation is only over for now. "How do we delegate time in control?" Stia asks in an attempt at changing the topic.

    "After Scarlet was in control and we stopped talking to her we seemed to be pretty well off." Joy points out.

    "We could switch control every day, and offer help if they need it. Instead of just taking over and dealing with it for them," Joy suggested.

    "Why not take over if we know?" Styre asks.

    "She's right, it's too much of a hassle to take over everytime and more ponies will start getting suspicious. So, tomorrow..." Stia looks us over carefully and thinks on it. "Joy, you get control tomorrow," Joy lets out a cheer and Styre grumbles a little. "Ok, glad that's taken care of..." Stia says before just turning and walking away.

~~~~~~~

    I lay awake in bed, thinking. I've been just lying here for a while. I woke up a while ago and never bothered to get up, I've got a lot to think about. My thoughts drift to the day before, to the fight I hadn't even attempted to stop. I had been struck with shock and allowed Starlet to take a beating for it.

    That pony Cloud Kicker must have had training, because her moves were quick, strong, and precise. Starlet held her own surprisingly well, despite it only being her second day in these strange bodies. Then... that man... stallion? Yeah, he came at her. Then she killed him, in one brief movement. I could have stopped her, helped her, stopped the stallion, helped him, prevented it all... but I didn't. I just stood in the crowd, stupefied.

    I shake away the thoughts and curl up in my bed. I feel myself drifting to sleep in the comfy sheets. Leaving todays worries behind...

    I sit up, I'm not tired. I sigh and get up. I make my way to the bookcase and look over everything. I pull out a horror novel, a genre I like. I take the book out of my room and into the lobby, where theres a glass door I don't remember. Outside there's a thick layer of snow. I lean back in a chair and delve into my novel, reading with vigour. I stop as I hear a door opening, I look at the glass door. It's locked.

    I shrug it off and return to my book, until I hear the sound again. I look up and in the glass door I see a terrifying sight. Starlet is standing there with a crazed look, she's holding a knife that glints in the light.  She moves the knife to her neck and makes a slicing motion. I throw a blanket over my head and start screaming my head off, scared out of my wits.

    "What?! What's wrong?!" Someone runs in yelling. I peek out and look out the door. No ones there.

    "There was a pony... with a knife... outside..." I point outside and the pony goes to investigate.

    "That's impossible, because then there would be hoofprints in the snow." I hear the pony inform me. I get up and find the snow clear of prints. The pony looks at my book and holds it up. "This probably doesn't help things," he says good naturedly.

    "R-right..." I say, relieved. The pony leaves and I pick the dreaded book back up. I'm getting worked up over nothing. I step behind my chair and towards the bookcase to put the book away. *squish* I shake off my claw as it lands on something wet. I look down and find a puddle of water with snow in it. That pony must have tracked water in here when he went outside to check. Except... he never went outside, he came from one of the rooms. And he never stepped behind the couch. There didn't have to be hoofsteps outside because Starlet wasn't outside. There is more than one entrance, she came in earlier. I didn't see her outside the glass door, I saw her reflection in the glass door. Which means she was right behind me...

    "Tsk, tsk, tsk... a little late now, isn't it?" I turn to find Starlet inspecting her knife. She glances up at me and I'm paralyzed with fear. She lunges and I clench my eyes shut. I await death in all its gruesomeness, until I realize it's not coming. I look up to find Starlet frozen mid-lunge. I scramble back away from her and bump into another pony, a dark navy blue unicorn. No, pegasus... unicorn with wings?

    "Fear not, for you are safe from the terror. It is all in your head," she assures me.

    "All in my head? Do you mean... this is a dream?" I ask in wonder.

    "Indeed, it is not yet the season for snow." The pony says.

    "So then... what are you? My subconscious?" I ask her.

    "No, I am your princess. Princess Luna of Equestria. Have you never seen me? Understandable, considering you are a griffin. You must be new to Equestria, let me welcome you to my Sisters and I's domain." The princess? I bow out of respect.

    "Wait...but, you said this was a dream." I tell her.

    "Indeed, the dream realm is also my domain. I keep the dreams of my subjects peaceful, though... there is rarely need to. However, your dream is interesting. I haven't seen a nightmare about a... a killer in a long time." Luna says, trotting up to the frozen form of Starlet. She taps the knife and looks into her eyes. "Who is she?" Luna asks in interest.

    "A friend. Her name is Starlet Mint," I tell her.

    "A friend? Why would you dream of your friend doing such a thing?" Luna asks.

    "I don't know... maybe it has something to do with the fact that she killed somepony..." Luna gasps.

    "She truly is a killer?!" Luna exclaims in outrage.

    "No! Well... she did kill someone... but it was self defense! He came at her with a knife," I tell her she calms down a little.

    "I see... and why did he come at her with a knife?" Luna asks.

    "I'm not quite sure of it all. They said something about how they thought she was a changeling," I offer.

    "Why would they think that?" Luna asks.

    "I don't know... um... what's a changeling?" I ask cautiously. Luna looks at me in slight surprise before smiling sweetly.

    "A creature the form of a pony, but looks more like a bug. It has a hard shell and thin wings,and also has the power to take on the form of other ponies. They're philouphages, and very dangerous." I digest this information and watch as her horn starts to glow.

    "What's a phil- phi- that thing you said?"

    "A philouphage?" Luna asks.

    "Right, philouphage" I repeat.

    "It's an emotion eater. Emotions are their food source, love specifically" she explains.

    "Oh..." why did they think she was a changeling? Her horn stops glowing and Starlet starts moving again, I scramble away. She looks from side to side, then up and down. Eventually her eyes pass over me and land on Luna.

    "Princess," she bows quickly. "I assume this is his dream, correct?" She asks, Luna nods slowly. I look over to Starlet and notice something different, her eyes. Her eyes are emerald green, they're also cold and calculating. She picks up the knife and shoots me a look, but she says nothing. She walks over to Luna and swings, the knife passes right through the princess.

    "You... what is the meaning of this?! How dare you! You dare assault the throne?!" Luna screams in outrage. I balk at the sight, but Starlet stands her ground. She looks deep into the princesses eyes and snorts.

    "How dare I indeed." She turns to me and looks me up and down. She steps up to me and I back against a wall, I cower under her watchful gaze. "Why do you fear me?" She asks. I don't dare answer, but I glance at the knife. "Ahh, that. Merely a tool, and even then it's just a construct of your mind. Returning it does nothing," and with that she plunges the knife into my side. I gasp in shock, waiting for the pain. It never comes, instead the knife sinks into my being and disappears. I look at the spot in wonder as Starlet turns back to a livid Luna.

    "What justification is it if you know a weapon isn't real to attack me with it? The intent is still there!" Luna seethes.

    "Yep, you're the real Luna alright," Starlet concludes, I look at her in confusion.

    "You doubted my existence? And how does plunging a knife through me validate that?" She asks with slight intrigue.

    "Well, mostly the way you acted. Mike here, has never met you. He'd never be able to base a construct off you so perfectly, but that's not what I was wary of. I was worried your sister might have taken your stead, which isn't exactly an ideal situation for us." Starlet explains, Luna seems to have calmed down considerably.

    "Praytell, what might your situation be if you don't want my sister to know?" Luna asks.

    "Oh no, she almost definitely already knows. But the dream realm isn't an ideal meeting point." Starlet says.

    "That wasn't my question." Luna calmly points out, Starlet seems to pause at this. She looks Luna straight in the eyes and just stares for a while before she makes a small frown.

    "She hasn't told you yet? You think she'd learn after last time." Starlet mutters, it doesn't go unnoticed.

    "Told me what?" Luna asks a little frantically. Starlet seems to be debating something, and Luna looks almost anxious.

    "Perhaps she doesn't know? Oh, that's not good at all..." Starlet mutters.

    "Doesn't know what? I demand to be informed!" Luna stomps a hoof to emphasize. Starlet looks at the hoof, then at her face. She sighs and seems to be thinking of what exactly to say.

    "We're not of this world. Much like another from a while back, I just don't know how much..." Starlet says bluntly.

    "Not of this world...? She kept me out of the loop again?! ...I will have words with my sister..." Luna declares.

    "Forgive me if I withhold my enthusiasm." Starlet responds, Luna looks at her curiously.

    "You, I was informed you were attacked." Starlet nods slowly and concisely. "On what grounds?" Luna asks.

    "Changeling suspicions." Starlet responds quickly.

    "I see, and do you know what a changeling is?" Luna asks.

    "A pony-like creature with anatomy resemblant of a bug including a hard chitinous carapace, thin wings, and even fangs. They're philouphages and built for espionage due to their form shifting abilities." How could she know all that? Is that how the show describes them.

    "I thought as much. You claim to be from outside of this world, yet you know so much about it. Apparently you know my mannerisms, previous circumstances involving outsiders, and even creatures citizens of equestria rarely see if ever. Your friend here obviously doesn't know any of the things you do. Is this correct?" Luna asks.

    "It is." Starlet replies with caution. Why is she revealing all this when she told me all that junk about secrecy?

    "Why reveal this to me?" Luna asks.

    "Because I trust you. To maybe help me, and not compromise our social standing." She says simply.

    "You trust me? Why is that?" Luna asks, a curious expression on her face.

    "Because your a good pony with a sound head and enough compassion. Your sister is a great ruler, but I don't trust her to be as benevolent with potential threats to national security," she scoffs.

    "Well, if you were a threat, you would know. But, what do you need from me?" Luna asks.

    "I need you to look after this feather brain, if it turns out I'm not able to for any reason at all." I tell her, she looks surprised.

    "And... why wouldn't you be able to?" I ask hesitantly.

    "I don't know, it's a contingency plan. Just in case." She replies, I don't like that answer.

    "I have duties as a princess, I cannot simply babysit," Luna responds.

    "I don't need you to. I just generally need you to keep him out of any trouble he might find from not knowing this world. For example, if Celestia deems me dangerous then I need you to protect him from her. I doubt she'd just try and take him out, but I need you to keep him out of public eye should things go awry. Please?" Luna seems taken aback by the offer, I am too. Why would things go awry?

    "Very well, I'll do what I can." Luna tells her.

    "That's all I can ask for," Starlet bows slightly and then rights herself. "Was there anything else princess?"

    "Oh, yes. Your eyes." She says intensely, scrutinizing the color she had apparently noticed a change in too.

    "My... eyes?" She says, puzzled slightly.

    "Were they not red before?" Luna challenges.

    "Oh, that... it's more of a state of mind in my dream," she defends.

    "And what state of mind would that be?" Luna asks.

    "Diplomacy? Tact? Strategy? Something of that sort," she waves it off with a hoof.

    "I see..." Luna says in intense thought.

    "If that's all, I would like to take my leave." Starlet declares.

    "Yes, certainly." Luna's horn flares and Starlets eyes change back.

    "Princess, so glad you can join us!" Starlet flings herself at the princess, only for her newly appeared knife to pass through harmlessly. She continues to swing in frustration and Luna looks at her with annoyance.

    "I see your view of her hasn't changed much," Luna notes.

    "She was... different. Almost like she was a different person entirely..." I tell her, Starlet stops her assault and freezes.

    "Hmm... she is a peculiar one... I will take my leave now as well." Luna looks around and with a flare of magic from her horn the scenery changes. I'm now in a pleasant forest with bright sunlight seeping through the thin leave layer above. Birds chirp and other animals speak softly, the chorus of the forest eases my nerves. "Pleasant dreams young griffon, I do believe we will meet in the waking world soon enough."

    And with that she was gone. I wait for something else to happen, but nothing else is forthcoming. I take a second look around and sigh before slumping to the soft floor of the forest clearing.