Difference In Perspectives.

[Ponyville - General Hospital - Nancy Kingston POV.]

The walk to the hospital was calm. Poor Julie and Angela were whimpering the whole trip. Well, Julie whimpered. Angela was a series of angry growls and curses. I wasn't going to add any of them to her maid term. But, we were going to talk about her actions. But I can't say I didn't want to cause some harm to myself. Our first time out of detainment and we were both shunned and attacked. A sign of what's to come has never been more unmistakable. We might need to hold another meeting. But, for now, getting treatment would help. The lobby was sparse. It almost resembled a skeleton crew. There was one receptionist—three mares sitting by the waiting area. And a janitor sweeping the floor. And, of course, we drew the eyes of everyone here the moment we stepped inside. The three mares on the bench trembled in fear. The janitor swept a little faster until he exited the lobby. And the receptionist wished death upon us with daggers in her eyes. Bugger all. She had whiteish-pink fur, an orange mane, and a standard blue nurse's garb. Miss Heartstrings sensed the palpable tension and walked up to the receptionist first.

"Hiya, Nurse Heartthrob," I swear these ponies must have loose jawlines. No bone structure should allow a smile that big.

"Lyra. I hear you're playing zookeeper these days," The nurse replied hotly.

She's a cheery one already. But, I could tell that wasn't the reaction Lyra expected. "Um, no. That would be more Fluttershy's thing. The crown called on my cryptozoologist expertise to help guide my new friends in this crazy world of ours. More on that later. Julie and Angie are hurt. Juliet got bit by a bunny, and Angie received first-degree mana burns. We need--"

"Did you make an appointment?"

"No, it's--"

"We only allow walk-ins at the end of the week. You have to make an appointment,"

"That's only for non-emergencies, which we do not have. Look!" Lyra gestures to the injured in our party.

Nurse Heart had the nerve to roll her eyes as she spoke. "Names?"

"Juliet Crews and Angela Nyx," I answered.

The nurse glances up at me, probably because of my tone. But, I met her glare with my own. Today started proper, and now we're dealing with this nonsense. "First time?"

"Yes,"

"One moment,"

As she left, I turned to Lyra. "Do you have a way to contact Doctor Hooves?"

"Well, yes. Doctor Whooves is supposed to be my partner in this. But he was busy today. That stallion seems to pop in and out,"

"Alright, but can you contact him for me anyway?"

"I can send him a letter via dragon fire. Why?"

I almost let out a sigh at the young mare's naivete. "Lyra, that nurse isn't back. Or she will take her time in coming back. And I would not let my girls suffer for someone's else prejudice,"

Lyra winces at my tone. But, I felt a bit miffed after everything that happened today. "I can send a letter to him. Heartthrob might be having a bad week. She's always been--"

"Rude, stand-offish, racist?" Donny said.

"H-hehe, wouldn't be specist?" Julie corrected. Leo gently rubs her shoulder while applying pressure to her injury with one of Xavier's cloth.

"I don't give a shit! Someone give me some morphine! Anesthetic! Or Benedryl! I can feel my blisters bubbling!!!" Angela shouted.

"Aah!!!" One of the mares on the bench screamed. We all turned to the cream-colored one with a two-toned red mane. The mare in question freezes when we look at her and covers her mouth. Getting a good look at the three, one mare of cream colored with a two-toned red mane. She wore a green dress shirt with blue jeans, and a rose in her hair. The other was light purple with a lime green mane. She wore a yellow strapped shirt with a daisy picture and a white skirt. The last mare was a darker shade of pink with a two-toned blonde mane that sported a Lilly flower. She wore an orange shirt with black and gold stripes on the sleeves, a yellow skirt, the same stripe pattern cross from the left, and three Lilly flowers on the right. The pink mare that yelled looked embarrassed as she shied away from our gazes.

"Lilly, Daisy, and Roseluck. What are you three visiting for?" Lyra asks the timid mares.

"O-oh. It's - uh - nothing really," Lilly stated.

"Y-yeah, just a simple check-up. Nothing out of the ordinary. Right, Roseluck?" Daisy said with just as much nervousness.

"...Um, yeah. Let's go ahead and come back another time. We shouldn't be wasting the nurses' and doctors' time," Roseluck said as they gave their best impression of Pinkie's disappearing act. It was probably for the best that they left.

"Lyra. I am only willing to wait five minutes. There should be no reason it would take longer for the nurse to return,"

"Can you at least make it ten? Sure, it's empty out here, but something could be happening in the back. And, it might not be what you think," Lyra pleaded.

I relented under that doughy-eyed stare. "Ten minutes, that's all,"

"Thank you. You'll see that you have nothing to worry about at all. I bet Heartthrob will be back any second now,"

Unfortunately for Lyra's optimism, it did not take a second. As I knew it would happen, we waited at the reception area for eight minutes. The crummy place resembled the scene from the walking dead when Rick Grimes woke up. I felt horrible for Lyra. Every second chipped away at her faith in her fellow ponies' good nature. It would seem this world's inhabitants have some preconceived notions of superiority about themselves. At least, the ponies do. We're still up in the air about the other species. Regardless, I place a hand on Lyra's shoulder.

"Sorry, love--"

"Oh! Look! They're back!" Lyra exclaimed.

Well, bugger me then, the nurse returned—this time with two other ponies. One was a white mare with a pink mane and a similar nurse attire. The other was a chocolate brown stallion with a three-toned black mane. I would've said the Doctor looked cartoonish if we weren't in a pastel-colored pony land straight out of Natalya's story books. He even had an oversized head mirror. Looking at the Doctor and his new nurse, I saw that the mare was highly nervous. Several beads of sweat poured from her forehead as her gaze focused on the boys.

In comparison, the Doctor seemed to have professional indifference to our presence. But, he was just as nervous. It almost felt like he was about to deliver the news that he had lost a patient. Lyra, however, was more than ecstatic. "Hey, Doctor Horse,"

"Fuck me running. Really?" Angela stated.

"At least he's not here to horse around," Donatello jokes.

"J-Joke about it later. I need help now," Julie winces.

Leonardo walks up to the Doctor, who visibly tenses as he speaks. "My sister and friend--"

"I am afraid I will have to ask you all to leave," Doctor Horse stated.

"What!?" Lyra shriek. "You can't refuse to help! Look at their injuries. She is bleeding profusely, and she has mana burns. Possibly second or even third degree!"

"I understand, but we've run their names, and nothing came up. None of your companions here are in the Equestrian registry. And, in case you forget, Miss heartstrings, there is a standing law against administering medical aid to unregistered creatures. Do you recall the Clover Shroud incident?"

Lyra's ears went against her head as she flinched back. She went downcast as she realized the mistake. "But..."

"If you like, you could go to the veterans for the rabbit wound. They may even have--"

"Do I look like a fucking dog to you!?" Angela stated angrily.

"With the way you are barking, who could tell?" Heartthrob said in a snide tone.

I don't know how, but Angela pulled off an excellent lunatic face and smiled at the nurse. "Hey, I'm a bad bitch on a good day. Are you sure you want to see my bite?" That got the nurse to duck behind the Doctor. I felt the girls scamper behind me when they got a lot at Angela. Something about that face just sent off warning bells. The ponies seem to lose all their color and are as pale as the tile floor.

(Something like this, but the eyes are much wider and bug-eyed because of the pain.)

Before a murder could take place, the door behind us opened up. We turned around to see Doctor Whooves stroll through the lobby doors. "Good dusk, everyone. See what I did there? Good dusk. No one ever says that, but it's a part of the daily cycle. Well, I give the dusk its rightful due. Now, what about mana burns and a rabbit wound?" I had no idea what this stallion was saying, but Julie and Angela showed him their wounds. "Aw. Hold on a moment..." I just noticed that he reached into his bag and pulled out a strip pad and an aerosol can. He walks to Angela first while pulling a layer from the strip. That's when the normalcy ends as the stallion licks the strip and puts it on Angela's arm.

"Eh!? What the hell!? Did you spit on my arm!?!" Angela exclaimed.

"It's a fast-acting solvent paper. Perfect mana burns, but active through saliva,"

"Ewwww!!!" Cecelia said while Natalya stuck out her tongue in disgust.

"Are you still in pain?" Doctor Whooves asks.

"No," Angela said in confusion, poking the pad tentatively.

"Ha, good. Now for miss Julie here," The Doctor inspects Julie's hand. "Oof. A rather nasty bite and from a familiar little rodent,"

"Y-you know that bunny?" Julie asks while Doctor Whooves sprays a solution onto Juliet's wound.

"Oh, yes. I treated Angel for some worms he got from eating a rotten carrot. He was a funny way of adhering to good advice. Although he never drew blood to this extent,"

"Doctor, a moment, please," Doctor Horse said. A forlorn express forms on his features as the bleeding stops and the wound begins to close. He wraps the damage in fresh bandages before walking to Doctor Horse and the two nurse. "How is it you came across these supplies? I've never seen such fast-acting treatments. They don't appear to be EIB standards,"

"Well, unfortunately for you lot, Doctor. I can't disclose that information,"

"Using illegal medical practices can have you disbarred and jailed!" Nurse Heartthrod stated.

"Quite true. Luckily..." Doctor Whooves pulls out a scroll from the bag and unfolds it. All the ponies gasp for it in shock from the stylish pendant resting on it.

The ponies all gasp while I turn to Lyra for an explanation. "That's a royal pendant. It symbolizes the complete trust of the crown. It pretty much allows a pony to do whatever they like because they answer directly to the princesses themselves,"

"Huh, doc's got clout? Nice," Donatello said.

"That's right. It certainly helps my projects when I can show the authenticity to the Princess. But, then again, keeping the hypocritic oaf isn't a hard practice," Now, the doctors and nurses frown. "Now, let's be off then. Dinner time is right around the corner, and I can't wait to try that banana pudding,"

And with that, we left the hospital. Our armed formed their little circle around us for the trek back home. However, Xavier had a quizzical look about him and spoke to the Doctor. "Doctor Whooves. A moment?"

"Sure. What do you need?"

"The Doctor there mentioned something about a Clover Shroud incident concerning their refusal. What exactly is this incident?"

"Yeah, I never heard of any hospital refusing service. They usually drop massive fines in your pocket," Donatello said.

"Ah, yes. A bit of a tragedy that incident. You see, around fifty years ago, Canterlot estate hospital got patients. Now, back then, any creature could receive aid regardless of whether they were citizens. The problem was that this mare - Clover Shroud - was already dead,"

"Oh! Was she a ghost pony?" Cecelia asks.

"Haha. No. What I mean is Clover died a little over a month before, and some creature took her appearance,"

"Pfft. Like what? Invasion of the bodysnatchers?" Angela joked.

"That's not entirely inaccurate. What if I told you there exists a species capable of completely taking over your life in this world? Your looks, your speech, even your memories if the rumors hold any truth to them. The perfect infiltrators - the changelings," There was a chill that went up my spine when he said.

"C-come on, doc. Nobody's that perfect. We would know the difference," Juliet stated nervously. She sounded a lot better now, at least.

"Well, you might be able to spot some discrepancy, so long as you know each other well enough,"

"They wouldn't fool Nattie and me," Cecelia said, puffing her chest as Natalya nodded.

"Haha, yes, the old twin magic. But, changelings are great at utilizing metamorphic magic. The one impersonating Clover Shroud was able to sneak into the nursery and, unfortunately, abduct several newborn foals,"

Some of the guards stumbled in their stride as the rest looked at Whooves like he grew a second tail. "She stole the babies?" Xavier asked carefully.

The Doctor's cheerful demeanor fell once more as he explained. "Yes, See, changelings don't consume nourishment like ponies, or even humans do. They feed on love,"

"Like dopamine?" Leonardo said, earning a shocked look from his siblings. "What?"

"Aww. correct, don't forget norepinephrine. And who has an abundance of those two chemicals?"

"...Newborn babies and their parents..." I gasped out. The implication hits all of us like a freight train.

"And, with newborns being extremely co-dependent on their parents. While, at the same time, not exactly imprinting on them. Just about anyone can take a baby on their own," Mr. Chen stated.

"The worse part was when the foals return. While they harvest the love from the infants, the changeling can't be bothered with caring for them. Instead, they preserve them in cocoons. Perfectly fine for adults but lackluster and ill-suitable for foals. All that remained of them were dried-up husks. They say wails of anguish from the parents in Canterlot reached the ears of everybody in Equestria. That's why stricter laws regarding unregistered creatures entering Equestrian borders are in place. If you were not born, raised, or filed the necessary paperwork, you would receive no aid. Which--"

"--Is why our sudden appearance might've earned us more than a few second glances. Bugger all..." Xavier finished.

"Tch. It's not our fault we got shitted out of the universe's asshole," Angela mumbled.

"Thank you, Angela!" I warned. There is a limit to how much I will allow. We got back to the mansion just in time for the guard shift. Hopefully, the nocturnal ones will be less trigger-happy. But I'm not holding my breath.

[Golden Oaks Library - Pinkie's POV.]

I sat down with my arms crossed. I was mad. No, I was madder than angry. I was super duper mad. Rainbow got all the girls together. But, it wasn't for something fun like a sleepover party. It was like saying mean things about my new friends' party. But, it wasn't a party I would send invitations to because parties are supposed to be fun, and I was having anything but fun. We were sitting in Twilight's foyer in a circle while Rainbow told everyone about what she did. Mostly everyone here didn't seem to have a problem with it. But I know that's not right or funny.

"Hahaha. You girls should've seen the look on their faces when Harry came charging at them. I thought that blonde one was going to pee her pants," Rainbow laughed.

"That's not funny..." I grumbled, but I didn't say it too loud.

"That does sound like a good one, Dash," Spike said. He came from the kitchen with a tray full of cookies and milk. I wasn't feeling hungry at all.

"I don't know, Rainbow. It sounds like you gave them a good scare," Mythic Entry said from the chair.

"Eh, it's what they deserve anyway," Dashie said. I couldn't believe it! "Then that crazy red-maned Hyoo-mane jumped on top of me! Who knows what would've happened if the guards didn't blast her,"

"I figured that varmint would stir up some trouble. That Hyo-mane was ornerier than a nest full of lightning flies. I guess a dip in the muck and a hose shower wasn't enough to get that stink out," Applejack said. I picked up some cookies and bit down hard on them.

"Ahaha. Did Granny use the hose? That's awesome!"

"No, it's not!" I said. A lot louder this time.

"Pinkie, darling? Don't talk with your mouth full," Rarity scolded me.

Oh, right, I should swallow first. I gulped down the cookies and tried to speak again. "Das--"

"And you said you were following the humans for the whole tour?" Twilight said, writing something in a letter.

"What's with the letter, Twilight?" I asked.

"A report for the Princess. She'll know doubt want to know that her guards came under attack,"

What!? "That's not--"

"Yeah, maybe now we can get those apes out of here," Rainbow said.

"I'm just glad none of my animal critters got hurt," Not you too, Fluttershy! She was petting that little white meanie while he looked all smug.

I stood up, getting everyone's attention while picking up the cookie tray and my milk. I walked in front of Fluttershy and stared down at her. I was doing my best to use Big Nannie's disappointed face I've seen her use before dumping the cookies on her. Before the girls could say anything, I moved to Rainbow and poured the milk all over her. "What the hay, Pinkie!?" Dashie exclaimed.

"It serves you right for that bad prank!"

"What in sam hill has gotten into you, Pinkie?" Applejack asks.

"Was my cookies that bad?" Spike asked.

"None of you have any right to talk about my new friends that!" I said again, more firmly this time. I caught a glimpse of myself in a nearby window. My mane was going straight again. I wouldn't say I liked that.

"Pinkie, darling. I think you might be confused," Rarity tried to get closer, but I think my stare made her back off.

"She's right, Pinkie. We all knew those humans would show their true colors the moment quartine was over," Twilight tried to say.

"What "true colors?" Was it when Rainbow sicked a bunch of animals on them? Did Julie try and eat angel after he bit her and made her bleed!?"

"Are you forgetting when the red--"

"Angie. Her name is Angie. And, she only did that because of what you did! What kind of crazy prank involves wild animals running at you with fangs and claws?"

"Come on, Fluttershy's animals are not dangerous. Those Hyo-manes are," Spike said, and I only got more mad.

"Humans. H. U. M. A. N. And, while we might know Flutershy's critters, the Kingstons and Crews didn't. Anybody would freak out at the site of a big bear or rabbit making you bleed! Double C and Nat were scared out of their minds!!!"

"One of the Hyo-manes - I mean - humans were bleeding because of Angel?" Fluttershy said, looking down at the meanie in shock. The rascally rabbit started to squirm under Flutter's looks. Take that; you mean old rabbit.

"Yes! We went to the hospital and everything. Expect Doctor Horse told them to leave. He told us to see if the vet would help!"

"Why not? They're nothing but crazy animals too," Rainbow shot back.

I growled while pointing at Applejack. "Were they animals when they helped out on your farm and did a good job!?"

"Oh, well, um..." Applejack stumbles.

I pointed at Rarity next. "Did Xavy and his sister act like a bunch of meanies when they were in your shop?"

"...No, I found Mr. Kingston's presence and overall fashion sense quite respectful and refreshing. And his sister is rambunctious and not well-behaved. Plus, I did say something about wanting to talk shop, as it were," Rarity said in a subdued tone.

I pointed at Twilight next. "Was Big Nannie disrespectful here in the library?"

"No, they were delightful," Mythic said. Spike and Twilight glared at him as he ducked behind his book.

"Ok, so some of the humans may be less aggressive. But, Angie fits the criteria of malicious human nature from the textbook--"

Twilight tried to throw some facts at me, but I threw down some Pinkie facts. "I can't believe the most studious mare I know is taking pointers from an outdated book. You have a chance to see what humans are truly like if you come with Lyra and me!"

"Don't mention that traitor. She stopped the guards from--"

Dashie was about to badmouth another friend, but I didn't let her. "--From what? Is it defending each other from a meanie? If the humans did the same to you and called it a prank, wouldn't you get mad? Angie reminds me a lot of you, Dashie,"

"What!? I'm nothing like that psycho!!!"

"She's loyal and ready to defend her friends whenever her friends are hurt. Does that ring any bells?"

"...You bring up some good points, Pinkie. But, it's hard to trust them after everything we know," Mythic Entry said. "Even if they don't seem that bad from first glance,"

"Big Nannie likes to drink her tea to soft tunes on her stereo system music box. Double C likes to paint in the afternoon. She once drew a picture of me that came out super good. Nattie is good at chess. Did any of you know that?" I said.

"..." Everyone was silent. Alright, let's bring this home.

"Then, maybe you all should knock on their door and talk with them. It's not fair for everyone keeps assuming the worse without giving the humans a chance. It makes us all look like big fat jerks!"

"Um, don't you mean everypony?" Spike asked, and I just rolled my eyes.

"No, I don't. Big Nannie explained to me how exclusive and insensitive that is to non-ponies. Even to you, Spike," I let out a big sigh and walked toward the door. But, I felt someone grab my hand. Turning around, I saw it was Dashie.

"Alright, that's it. I'm not letting you go back there. Those Hyou-manes are messing with your head," Rainbow said.

"I told you how to say it..." I hissed. Uh, oh. "Now, let me go!"

"Not until you quit acting crazy. I know it's you being you, but you can't be that dense. Those apes are trying to drive us apart!"

"That isn't true. Now, let me go!" Please let go, Dashie. I'm starting to slip.

"No! If you were a real friend, you wouldn't be picking them over us--"

Before I could do anything else, I turned around and shoved Dashie off of me. She fell on her flanks while the girls gasped. I caught another glance from the mirror and saw that my mane was straight now. I wasn't in charge anymore. "...A real friend wouldn't try and make me choose. A real friend would trust my words. The humans didn't break anything apart. You did that yourself!" No!!! Don't say that! It's going too far!!! But, it was too late. I was already out the door and marching towards the mansion.

[Fluttershy's POV.]

"What is wrong with her!?" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Pinkie's never shown this level of aggression before. Scratch that. She's never shown any aggression at all," Twilight said.

It was true. Pinkie's never had that look in her eyes. It felt so cold, like she was staring a hole into our very souls. Did she have the stare too? "It was those Hyo-manes! They did something to her and Lyra!" Rainbow accused.

"Come on, now, RD. Use your head. The guards have been in and out of that fancy house for a month. And, not to mention all them Canterlot doctors and the such. We would've known if something terrible had happened by now," Applejack said.

"Well, Pinkie is a bit impressionable. Perhaps their sordid behavior has rubbed off on her?" Rarity offers. I hope that isn't the case.

"Or, maybe, I'd say you got what was coming to Ya,"

"What?!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"You can't go around grabbing a mare when she is trying to leave. She isn't a filly, Rd. And you ain't her parents,"

"And, what you said wasn't very nice either..." I mumbled, but I don't think anypony heard me.

Rainbow's ears flattened against her head, but she kept her stance. "Well, no, but I am her friend. We all are. And that means we're supposed to help her when she is in trouble. And those monkeys are nothing but trouble!"

"Maybe we should try to look at it from Pinkie's perspective. She has been the only one besides Lyra interacting with them. Our interactions have been brief. But, what are your opinions on humans?" Mythic asked.

"Honestly? Aside from that, Angie filly, I don't have too much bad to say about the others. The youngins are just youngins, but they have many more manners than most fillies their age. Although, one filly didn't talk much at all. The blonde human mare is a bit reserved but pleasant enough. The stallions seem to fall in line like ours do. But, the short is a bit of a rodeo clown. The one with the glasses is like the scheming type. The older one feels like an ex-guard. The tall one might be another varmint to keep an eye on. He didn't talk too much, but he didn't flinch when he saw Big Mac. And the older human mare is the alpha of their little group. I think she and Granny has that old pony connection,"

"I, admittedly, found Mr. Kingston to be reputable. His eye for quality work is impressive, and his fashion sense is outstanding. I did tell him I would seek collaboration with him. From a purely business standpoint, I assure you all," Rarity said. I can see she was more unsure about her feelings about most humans. "But, I must say that I find that Angie character utterly horrid! Her crassness surpasses even Rainbow's. And she looks and acts like a hoodlum from the streets of Chicoltgo! Oh, I have never been the victim of such vulgarity before. It's too much to bear!" Rarity made a big show of it by falling on the couch.

"Yeah, she called me a late bloomer!" Spike said indignantly.

"Yeah! She-- Wait, what do you mean by that, Rarity!?"

"Nothing!" Rarity said quickly.

"Hmm, I suppose out of all the humans, Angela displays the textbook behavioral patterns. But, we need more evidence to make a good case for Princess Celestia. Perhaps we can get closer to them," Twilight said.

I gasped out as I hugged Angel Bunny in my arms. "You want us to become friends with the humans?"

I don't know if I wanted that. All the stories we learned about humans are frightening beyond belief. I remember when our nanny told my brother and me scary stories as foals. One was how human foals stole the wings off of pegasi while they slept. I've been checking my closets, drawers, and under the bed for the entire quartine. Not to mention the nightmares of finding all my critters eaten by them.

"Yeah, what gives? You want us to hang out with those murderous, rape-happy psychos!?" Rainbow exclaims.

"Think about it. With the humans under constant watch--"

Twilight began, but Spike interrupted. "--You mean like you and your telescope every night?" That earned him a pillow to his head.

"--They won't do anything untold. But, if we can get the humans to lower their guard. We might--"

"Nope!" This time, Applejack interrupts Twilight. She wore a stern look as she explained. "Sorry, Twi. But I'm not going to be going along with that plan,"

"Why not?" Rainbow asks.

"You are asking us to lie. Now, I don't right trust humans. But I do trust Pinkie. And Granny vouched for their work ethic back at the farm. You all know Granny is a good judge of character. So, I reckon that's enough to give humans a shot," Applejack tips her hat and walks to the door. But not before she turns to Rainbow Dash. "You best apologize to Pinkie the next time you see her. I can't imagine how she must be feeling being in the middle of all this," With that said, Applejack walks out of the library.

"...I must admit, Twilight. That does seem disingenuous. While I will remain vigilant in my dealings with Mr. Kingston, it won't be through falsehoods. After all, we have a moral obligation to fulfill. And, we should resort to unsavory methods to do so. Anyway, darling, I must be off. It's past Sweetie's bedtime," Rarity waved us goodbye as she left next.

The library was silent for a while before Mythic went to Twilight and took her letter. Before she could say anything, Mythic rips up. "There, we won't be needing that,"

"Mythic! You wasted a perfect letter!" Twilight exclaimed.

"Sorry, Twilight, the majority vote wins. No backhanded methods," Mythic said.

"What majority? Only Applejack and Rarity voted no. You, Spike, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and I vote yes,"

"I vote no," Mythic said with a smile.

"What?"

"I know, curious, isn't it?" Twilight had a look of betrayal on her, but Mythic continued. "My reason is that we shouldn't send any call to arms when we don't have sufficient enough evidence. Right now, the events at Fluttershy's cottage paint the guards and Rainbow Dash in a bad light,"

"Well, the majority is still yes--"

"Actually. I, um, obtain. If that's alright...." I said. The others looked at me like I was crazy, but I had to consider how Pinkie felt.

"So, what? There's no vote? We do nothing!?" Rainbow asks in an exasperated tone.

"No, since there is no tie-breaker, we'll compromise. I won't write a letter to the Princess just yet, but those of us that voted yes will enact the plan," Twilight explained.

"You got it, Twilight!" Spike saluted.

"Oh, yeah! We'll be like secret agents! just tell me whatever you need, Twi. I'll be your eyes in the sky!" Rainbow said.

I felt Angel Bunny yawn in my arms as IO looked up to Rainbow. "Oh my, it's getting late. Rainbow, would you mind escorting me back to my cottage?"

"Sure, Flutters. Lately, Twilight, Spike, and Mythic," Rainbow said as we left the library. "So, what's the real reason you didn't vote with us?"

"Oh, well, I was thinking about a couple of things. What Pinkie said, and how we met the humans. Then I thought about the night we faced Nightmare Moon. Do you remember that manticore?"

"It's hard to forget something trying to eat us,"

Except it wasn't. It was cranky because of the thorn in its paw. We assumed it was dangerous because of everything we know about manticore. But all it took was a little kindness to get it to show its gentler side,"

"Ok, so what's your point?"

"What if the humans are like that manticore? What if we show them a little kindness, and they show us that they are not as bad as we think?"

Rainbow sighs as she puts a hand on my shoulder. "Flutters. A manticore is a manticore. They hunt for food. They are territorial. If they get hurt, they lash out. A manticore is a wild animal that does what it needs to survive. But, the Hyou-manes? They know right from wrong, but they still choose to be evil. Are you sure you want to let your guard down around a bunch of thinking dangerous killers?"

"Well, no, I guess..."

"Good. Don't worry. Those monkeys will slip up, and I'll be there to help kick some Hyou-mane flanks!"

We got to my cottage, and I waved Rainbow goodbye. Opening the door, I saw all my critters greet. I was glad that they weren't hurt, but there was something I had to say to them. Walking over to the couch, I dropped Angel there, where he woke up immediately. He rubbed his bottom and made angry gestures at me for disturbing him. But, I had my stare in full effect. He flinched back and tried to look sympathetic. I almost stopped before Pinkies words came flooding back. So, I kept my gaze and looked at all my critters to get their attention.

"Angel. I heard that you and the rest of the critters let Rainbow into talking you into scaring the humans!" Angel gave me a swallow nod. When Rainbow said she would handle things, I didn't think she meant like that. All of you know better than to attack other ponies - Oh - other creatures like that!" I heard a shuffle behind me as Harry made a groaning sound. "I know all the stories about humans, Harry. But did those humans do anything?" I looked around for an answer, but none of my critters said anything. So, I turned back to Angel. "Pinkie said you bit down hard enough to make one of them bleed! How can any of you claim to be defending against evil creatures if your actions are just as bad or even worse?" Angel finally looked down in shame. I wanted to pat his forehead, but I had to be firm here. "Next time we see the humans, I expect an apology from all of you. Now, it is time for bed!"

[Ponyville Guard Barracks - Moonlit POV.]

Welp, it's back to the grind. The sols were coming in for the trade-off. I think I'll try those fruit roll-ups the twins got stashed next. As I got my helmet on, there was a loud commotion with the sols. I ran out with the rest of the Lu's to see what the hay the sun drinkers were doing. We go out to see the sols swarming Captain Shining Armor with Bitzkerg leading the helm. I spotted my brother in the back and moved toward him. As I got closer, I saw another sol bleeding from the snout. It looked like somepony introduced the poor sap with the brunt end of a Warhammer. Morning noticed my approach as I went to ask for details.

"What happened here, Breezie?"

"It was the humans! That Angela one. She attacked the guard and stole one of his weapons!"

"What? Are you sure you heard that right?"

Breeze shot me a smug grin as he continued. "I told you. The convicts would try something the moment they had wiggle room. It happened during the tour earlier. Now the lieutenant is petitioning the Captain to cart them away,"

"Captain. Look at our recruit. His muzzle resembles Rainbow falls with only the color red! We knew this would happen once the quarantine lifted. Let me take a contingent to that eyesore of brick and mortar and finally rid Equestrians of this plague!"

Captain Armor frowned as he nodded his head. "Alright, Lieutenant. Let's start preparing!" I felt a ping of guilt and panic as the sols began to cheer. However, before any of them could move, somepony cleared their throat.

"I'd belay that order if I were you, Captain," We turned to the entrance to see another bat pony. He was as tall as the Captain, if slightly older, judging by some of the grays in his silver mane. The stallion's posture was like any other guard. But, the scar on his dark purple-colored fur and muzzle set him apart. I noticed the medals on his uniform and went to salute the other lunars.

"And, who might you be, guard?" Captain Shining asked before saluting himself.

"I'm Silent Veil, newly appointed Captain of the Lunar guard. You'll have to forgive my absence as the paperwork just went through for my transfer to this station. Regardless, acting on that order will prove ill-advised,"

"Ill-advised? Does staying in the dark for so long make you blind? All the guards on escort detail report the same thing!!!" Lieutenant Blitzkerg said just short of yelling. Many of us bat ponies frowned at that jib.

However, the new lunar Captain was hardly fazed, "Then, everypony on that detail is a liar. But, what can we expect from the overeager solar guard," Ouch, That's not going to help the faction tension.

Captain Armor pulls back the lieutenant as he takes an aggressive step forward. "What do you mean by that, captain?"

Captain Veil pulls out an Astro gem as the incident plays out, Which wasn't how the sols said it went down. "I received this gem from Doctor Whooves on my way over. I also have sworn statements from him and a Lyra Heartstrings. Now, a question I now pose is how is it the escort detail didn't respond when the VIPs were under duress Yet, aggressively responded against said VIP?"

"You saw it. The monkeys attack an element bearer--"

The lieutenant tried to argue, but the Captain cut him off "--Who orchestrated an attack utilizing wild animals beforehand? So, do the solar guard attack those defending themselves while letting perpetrators run amok?"

"There is more to the issue than what you are insinuating, captain," Captain Armor spoke with an edge.

"I see only two possible issues Either the morning unit is grossly negligent or utterly incompetent," Captain Veil said in the same tone.

"What are you, a monkey-lover?" The guard with the bloody muzzle said.

Captain Veil glares down at the pony as he steps toward him. "What I am is a pony that takes their job seriously. I don't care about the humans. I do care about our reputation. I care about our ability to perform our duties. And, I believe you should care about the report of your conduct I will write to the princesses!"

Whoo boy. Did that make this sol nearly soil himself? However, Captain Armor steps in again. "I appreciate you bringing the Astro gem to my attention. As Captain, we must use our best judgment to handle any situation with all the correct information. However, any conduct reports regarding the Solar guards fall under my jurisdiction. Let us respect each other's boundaries if we are to serve the country properly. Solar guards; you are dismissed,"

Captain Veil nods in agreement, but Lieutenant Blitzkerg has some reservations. "But, sir! We can't let the chimps get away with this!!!"

"I said dismissed, lieutenant!"

The rest of the sols begrudgingly left. I shot Breezy a grin of my own while he rolled his eyes. But, my ear twitched, and I managed to pick up something the lieutenant said on his way out. "Those Celestia bucking chimps are going to pay!"

That never sounds good. Sometimes having an acute hearing is a joy and a curse. I will have to keep an eye out for Lieutenant hothead there. I turned back to the Captain and saw him glaring at us with a frown. "Well, why are you standing here gawking? Report to your station!"

"Yes, sir!!!" I said with my colleagues. I might have to wait a bit on those roll-ups.

[Townhall - Mayor Mare's POV.]

'Take the rest of the night off, I said. It's only a small meeting with the council, and I can handle that on my own; I said Next time, don't send your assistant home earlier...' I grumbled in thought.

What was supposed to be a simple meeting with the town representative turned into a circus when the flower trio rushed in her with a mob of ponies. The fuss was about our new residents as if having the market closed for the day wasn't enough to diminish the fear. That act alone would set back the town's profit margin; these ponies were looking to stage a full-scale riot. I stood on the podium. The other representatives were spread out evenly from my left and right as the mob shouted and screamed over each other After a full minute of nonsensical gibberish, I took out a blow horn and pressed down on the button.

"Now then, if you have any grievous, please cite them in a civilized manner. Lilly, Daisy, Roseluck, You three were leading the charge; what is the problem?"

"It was horrible, Mayor. The hoo-mins came to the hospital!" Lilly said.

I blinked several times before letting out a long, drawn-out sigh. "Lilly, everypony goes to the hospital. I am sure they were coming in for a check-up,"

"More like they were terrorizing the hospital staff. The red-maned one started screaming for drugs. I think that one is an abuser!" Daisy stated.

"What were the drugs she was asking for?"

"Oh, um, we don't know. It was something we had never heard of before, But that red one had a wild look in its eyes!" Roseluck said.

"Ok, did the hoo-mins appear hurt?"

The flower sister looked amongst themselves with uncertainty. The panic and fear they were wearing started to leave. "Well, I did see that the red one was holding her arm..." Lilly said.

"And, I think another was bleeding from its hand..." Daisy added.

Another sigh left my muzzle. I started to piece together and went, "And, you three left as soon as the hoo-mins entered the building, correct?" The mares gave me a nod. "So, you don't know what went on after you left, correct?" Another nod from the excitable mares, but more shallow "So, it is safe to assume that you three panicked and left the building to escape from the hoo-mins who were more than likely at the hospital for injuries, correct?" As they backed into the crowd, the flower mares gave me a sheepish smile.

"That doesn't change the fact that those savages are a threat. They forced us to close down the market!!!" A mare called out. I looked to see that it was Carrot Top.

I had to shake my head at the new outburst. How quickly ponies tend to forget "All the store owners came to me requesting to close up shop because you caught wind of Pinkie's plan for a tour. Have any of you returned to your businesses before coming here? Was there any damage to your stalls?"

"W-well, no. but we lost out on a day's profits!"

"That was entirely your choice to do, so Ponyville is no stranger to exotic visitors and tour groups. We can't react to mass hysteria whenever something happens outside the norm, Especially when it comes to other species, or else we risk looking intolerant,"

"It's not any ponies' fault other species act like savages!"

"Yeah, What about those carnivores? How can we act civil with creatures that want to sink their teeth into us?"

"Those monkeys are no different. I heard one of them attack the royal guard!"

There were several gasps at this newest claim. I looked into the crowd and saw another trio of sisters. Honey Bee. Honey Dew and Honey Suckle. Two Earth ponies and a pegasus. "That is a serious claim. And one without merit. Why haven't the humans been carted away if such a thing did happen?"

"We have a friend in the guard. One of those primates went crazy and attacked the guard with some wild animals!" Honeydew said.

"I heard the humans can shoot lasers from their eyes!"

"I heard the monkeys can grow taller than the princess!"

"I heard they have some crazy mind control powers. That's why the guards haven't anything!"

More and more ponies began spouting what they believed the humans could do. Most of their theories came straight out of a foal's book. It wasn't until a loud ding went off that everyone went silent. I turned over to see Granny Smith with a belle. The apples practically built Ponyville, so if this old mare wanted silence. She got it. "You young ponies spend too much time with your head in the breeze today. I met with the human at the farm. And, they didn't have half that manure you're all spouting,"

"Be that as it may, Granny Smith, the humans have already disrupted our way of life with their sudden appearance," Filthy Rich said from my left.

"Urgh! I don't see why we are discussing this farce. We all know the reputation of those mongrels. That should be enough for imprisonment," Spoiled Rich said next to her husband.

"That's nothing but a bunch of goggble gook. I can name quite a few bad apples amongst us ponies that would make them humans blush. What came down to mah farm was just another family living by the day,"

"And we're supposed to trust the word of a senile--"

"Perhaps, Miss Smith has a point," Filthy Rich interrupts. He leans into his wife's ear and whispers something that makes her scowl.

I sent her a disapproved frown myself. Whatever she was about to say wouldn't have gone over well. Regardless, Granny's words seemed to affect the citizens. "Alright, I will personally speak with the Captain about what happened during today's events. But, there will be no more flash mobs or market closing. As for the humans, I can not force any of you to interact with them. I can say to use your best judgment on that for yourselves. However, I do suggest talking with them. There's no harm in showing any creature the Ponyville spirit!" I put on my best smile as I said this. Unfortunately, there were mixed results. Ponies began to file out of the building, looking disgruntled and dissatisfied. I sighed again as I knew this would not be the last time the citizens would air grievances against our new guests.

[Later that evening - Kingston Manner - ??? POV.]

"Are you sure we want to do this?"

"You heard bet. All we have to do is get one Huu-men thing, and we win. Rotten and Spoiled will never bother us again. Diamond and Silverspoon will stop teasing us. And the whole class will like us!"

"B-but still, what if the Huu-men catch us?"

"I'm more worried about my mom. She could pop into my room at any time!"

"She won't even know we are missing by the time we get back. Plus, there's no way they'll find us. Look at this place! It's way too big. There's no way we'll run into them! Now, come on, I think there's a way inside through this vent,"

The two other ponies looked on with trepidation as their pegasus friend flew up to the vent. One hard buck was enough to open it. The pony flew inside and dropped a rope for his two friends. The other two quickly climbed up and entered the manner. "it's tight in here," One of the ponies said.

"And it's a little cold,"

"It's ok. All we have to do is find an empty room," The trio continued to crawl around in the vents. After a bit of time, the three ponies found another grate. "Hey, here's a room. Whoa!"

"What?"

"What do you see?"

The pony felt a flush of heat rise to their cheeks as they looked inside the room. A human lay on the bed, obviously sleeping, but that wasn't what caught the pony's attention. From the vent, the other two joined their companion to see what the problem was and felt the same flush of embarrassment. The female human on the bed had chosen to sleep in the nude.

"Whoa. S-she--"

"--In her birthday suit!"

"Maybe we should--"

*CREAK*

The trio looked at each other before the grate broke from their combined weight. The pegasus pony tried to catch the others with the rope. But, it snapped under strain, and the three fell to the ground. "Owww...!"

"My tailbone!"

"Uhh! Hey! Where's my hat!?" One of the ponies said in a panic.

"Um, it's right there..." Pointing to the bed, the ponies saw that the hat landed on the human's belly. Strangely enough, the loud fall didn't wake her.

The pony felt their cheeks flush harder this time while taking slow, tentative steps to the bed. Every action, the pony looked at the human's face to see if she was still asleep. But just as quickly looked away because of the human state. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the pony grabs the red, white and yellow cap with a tiny propeller on it and pulls it away. The trio froze stiff when the human shifted before letting out a sigh when she remained asleep. The pony places the cap back on and moves to the other two ponies as they continue to stare. All of them sported massive blush on their faces before the pegasus spoke.

"Wow. Huu-men don't have fur! And, look, Huu-men can get cutie marks too. But what does a big red splotch mean? And, why is it only on one arm?"

"W-we shouldn't be looking. It's indecent!"

"She almost looks like the mares in my brothers' magazines!"

"We're wasting time. Look around the room and grab something so we can go!"

"How about that thing?" The pony pointed to the metal object sitting on a stand. The design was intricate as it resembled a skeleton. The body had what looked like human skull bones all over the frame. And a ribcage around the shoulders. The three juveniles couldn't make out the letters, but they assumed it was terrible because of the horned skull on top.

"I-it looks creeping looking!"

"Maybe it's where the humans trap ponies' souls. Oooh!"

The pegasus rolled their eyes before grabbing the object. "Ok, looks, get out of here,"

"How? The rope broke,"

"I think I can fly you both back to the vent one at a time,"

However, as the pegasus got one of his Earth pony friends in the air, the door to the room swung open. The lights shined into the room as someone called out. "Aha!" The sudden entry and blinding light made the pegasus freeze up as both the ponies fell. The item in the Earth pony's hand slips and flies into the air. The cork popped off, and the object and its liquid contents fell directly into the ponies' mouths.

[Yu Chen POV.]

Miss Moonlit and I opened Miss Nyx and Miss Crews' room to a particular sight. Three youths, colts if I am not mistaken, were in the room. One of them was a white-furred Earth pony with brown splotches. He had a plain white shirt with a red collar. He stood frozen like a deer in headlights at our entrance. Another colt was a pegasus with a dazed look in his eyes. It seems we gave them a good scare. He had white fur with a blue mane. He wore a light blue shirt with a yellow lightning bolt over black shorts. The other Earth pony had a brown coat and a two-tone dirt orange mane. He wore a simple green shirt and blue pants.

However, I quickly noticed Miss Nyx's flask protruding from the young ponies' mouths. I quickly rushed and removed it. But its contents were already gone. Looking back at the child, I saw his eyes were unfocused and dilated; a droopy smile was present, and Barben's unmistakable stench on his breath. And, to add to these colts' growing misfortune, Miss Nyx had woken up. She hadn't noticed us yet while she reached out for her flask. I only now realized her state of undress as she patted the nightstand. She was still groggy, but it did not last when she couldn't find her drink. Once she regained more of her facilities, she looked around the room. She spotted myself and Moonlit, who had gathered the colts behind. But, more importantly, she spies her now empty flask in my hands. I believe she gave me the appropriate response.

"What the fuck, Jarvis!?"