The Return of The Changelings

“Blizzard scale wake up” I say. “I need to go and pick up some things and I need you to watch the house for a while, is there anything you want while I’m out?” I ask, my half awakened assistant. “Yes, some fire aged rubies.” The small frost dragon replies. “Alright, I’ll see if I can find some while I’m out, but if and only if you clean up this mess you made in my work area, but do not touch my things or notes, this is important subject matter and the information is fragile” I say. “Yeah, yeah I heard you, clean up just don’t touch anything, don’t you have somewhere to be going?” Blizzard Scale replied. I pick my jacket out of the closet with my revised telekinesis spell that I’ve been working on. I button up the coat, fix the collar, open the door and start walking down the frost covered streets of Stalliongrad.
As I walk I see the clouds rolling in, getting ready to unleash a snowstorm, that’s why I’m going, to pick up some last minute supplies, winters here get awful cold, but I’m used to it, in fact, I doubt anypony who has lived here for more then a year notices it anymore, they all just wear light jackets, it’s so easy to spot visitors because of how heavy they dress. Today seemed normal, the typical calm before a storm, normally everypony would be inside taking inventory and getting ready for another winter, but today was different there seemed to be lots of ponies out, actually I can’t recall the last time I wasn’t the only pony out here before a storm. Even stranger, I am one of the about one hundred and fifty unicorns in Stalliongrad, this city is primarily populated by earth ponies, It’s strange, as if every unicorn decided to come out today. Did I miss a memo?
This all started about three days after that sonic rainboom in canterlot, which is when the royal wedding occurred. Maybe tourists decided to travel equestria after the ceremony. I just must be being paranoid about this whole thing; I’ve been so pre-occupied with my research I might just not have noticed, spending all my time indoors and what not. I reach my destination, the Stalliongrad supply depot, I trot in and speak to the clerk, “I need three bushels of green apples, ten quill pens, two ink wells, some wire to repair my epee, and any gemstones if you have any” The clerk looks at me and brings up all that I requested, “I have some opals here, will those work” he has a small paper bagful in his mouth and sets it on the counter along with all my other supplies. “Yes, these will do just fine” I reply. “That’s good, now I will need forty five bits and your name.” I undo my coat pocket and place the bits on the table all at once, in a perfect stack, every bit in line with the last. The clerk glares at me for this little stunt, probably shouldn’t be showing off anyway. He sweeps my money into the register with his hoof and asks again “Your name sir?” “Thinkerten” I reply “Thinkerten Stallionovich” the clerk bags my things and I walk out and start walking back to my home, across town.
While I’m walking snow begins to lightly fall and the wind begins to stir up a little. It’s starting to get cold so I’d better make it home before it gets to dark to see. As I walk, I notice a small black figure dart across the street; it was only the size of a small filly or colt. The wind is starting to blow snow in my face, so I put on my goggles which I normally only use when performing magic experiments or making adjustments to my fencing gear. With my eyes clear of the snow, I use a cast light spell to see through the snow. The figure however was gone, it darted into an alleyway, but from what I could see, it was not the only one, six more followed it. As much as I wanted to I could not investigate those small creatures, but I had to get home, the temperature was dropping rapidly and this jacket, although being made out of the best materials available to fight the cold, and with my inner warmth enchantment still won’t be enough to fight off the cold of a winter night in Stalliongrad.

I walk in the door of my house, put up my coat and put the bags on the table near my work area, and drop the bag of opals in front of Blizzard Scale, from the look on her face, I can easily tell that the small dragon was not impressed. “Is this it?” She scoffed. I looked at here with disdain and promptly retorted in a calm voice with a solid poker face “Blizzard who in equestria do you think you are, you know how hard it is to get gems here. And may I remind you that you are my personal dragon given to me as an egg by the Stalliongrad School of Magic Application and Research, and are here only to assist me with my studies, you are no Princess Celestia and will receive what I have to offer, no special gifts, so take them or leave them.” From the look on her face, I could clearly tell that I had won the argument. I went back to the kitchen to begin making dinner; I wanted something warm and filling to eat after being out in the cold. I got out my knives and started chopping apples for some turnovers. I made the dough the previous evening, so it should be ready for the apples. I pack the apples into the dough and start placing them in the oven.
I head back to my study hall and begin writing down my findings of the effectiveness of charge magic. Typically unicorns produce and aura around their horn when they cast a spell, this is incredibly wasteful in the usage of magic energy, my hypothesis is that if all the magic is channeled through the horn instead of around it, anypony casting a spell will achieve the spell with more effectiveness and greater ease. My research is progressing very well and with a discovery like this, I will become well known, and maybe even receive a scholarship to Canterlot School of magic. Before I go to sleep I ask “Blizzard would you go outside and check to make sure all the windows are closed and that I didn’t leave anything outside that should be brought in.” “Can you not?” was the reply I got. “No, Blizzard Scale, I can’t. I’ll freeze if I go out there, I’m only a pony and I’m not meant for those temperatures, you can go outside, you’re a frost dragon, so go, now.” The dragon unwillingly walked outside and began throwing from what I could see a fit. I kept watching her flail here arms around and try to exhale ice storms. I found if rather comical to watch.
I kept on watching and laughing under my breath until I heard a loud, DING! That means the turnovers are done, and not a moment too soon, I’m hungry. I trot down to the kitchen, open the oven and grab out the two turnovers I made. It’s times like this where I’m glad to be a unicorn, being able to control the world around me and interact with the world via magic is a beautiful thing. I hold the piping hot pastries in mid air and begin to eat one, the entire apple juice dribbling out is great, and also the tartness of the green apple combined with the sweetness of the dough is a wonderful combination. I begin to eat the second and I was just as delicious as the first. Such a great meal, and now I am ready to retire for the night. I begin trotting up the stairs to my bedroom when I realize I almost forgot to let Blizzard in. I rush to the door and open it so forcibly that the doorknob leaves a dent in the wall behind it. Blizzard walks in; looking not agitated, but scared. Which is strange because that dragon acts as brave as Joseph Stallion when he led the original one thousand ponies during the battle of Stalliongrad. She looked completely white, and all of the blue had faded, making her look like the very snow she was hatched in. I ran over to her, kneeled in front of her “What happened, what did you see?!” I asked, she replied, stuttering heavily. After about an hour of talking and listening it was beginning to sound like she had described the same black creatures that I had seen only hours ago. “Blizzard, go to sleep, get some rest, we’ll piece this together in the morning,” I said, trying not to sound commanding, but caring. I was never good at that. I stayed up into the wee hours attempting to make sense of everything that had happened. But eventually I fell into slumber on my living room floor.
I awakened the next day; I cleared the sleep from my eyes and went to wake up blizzard scale. She was lying in her bed sleeping like nothing had happened, who knows, maybe nothing happened, after all I have been working really hard and I haven’t gotten around to sleeping much. I should still probably send a letter to Headmaster Graymane about these sightings. He may have insight to offer about this. “Blizzard scale, I need you to scribe something for me” my dragon assistant came quickly as I called. “I need you to take a letter,” I told her. “Alright, go for it” Blizzard said, quill at the ready.
“Dear Headmaster Graymane, I am writing to inform you about a series of sightings that I have witnessed over the past day and a half. I have noticed an abundance of ponies wandering the streets, more then normal. I have also seen several, about six or seven strange black creatures darting between buildings. I have never seen these things before and I never get to see them for more than a few seconds. It seems that everypony and every creature tries to hide itself from me as when I look it’s there, but when I look back at it, they vanish. Please send insight and advice.

Regards, Thinkerten Stallionovich
Blizzard Scale threw the parchment up in the air and with a burst of frost exhaled from her maw sent the scroll off to my mentor. I paced around my house, and was awaiting a response. I put my hooves on the window, and just watched the snow fall down on to the city that I call home, I was wondering, what would become of everypony if I was right, and there was some kind of new creature to plague us, for once in my life I was actually hoping I was wrong about something. I flicked my tail around in though and went through all my books on Equestrian wild life. I decided to go and relax myself through more of my magic research. I picked up my goggles which had been resting on my horn all night, I guess I had forgotten to take them off I was so stressed. I placed them over my eyes and started practicing my charge magic. The spirals in my horn surged the same emerald green as my eyes and I began moving objects around the room. I decided to try something more advanced, like invisibility. With normal casting techniques this spell is extremely hard to perform, and ever only successfully been cast by allicons. I spread my hooves shoulder and flank width apart to stabilize myself. I begin charging my horn and right before I release the magic Blizzard rushes in and yells “Thinkerten!” her sudden interjection startles me and I release all the power in my horn and I get a strange tingling feeling in my entire body, starting in my horn, and working it’s way down to my hooves. I looked in the mirror and I saw nothing, the spell had succeeded, I was completely invisible. I trotted over to Blizzard scale and asked, “What’s the matter.” She jumped. “Where are you?!” she exclaimed. “I’m right in front of you.” I said. “The invisibility spell that I had been working on for months has finally succeeded, now what is it you needed to tell me?” Blizzard puffed out a cloud of snow and ice, and a scroll landed on the floor. The spell being a first time cast by anypony who isn’t an allicorn didn’t last for more then thirty seconds. My opacity slowly came back until I was slowly visible again. I picked up the scroll and undid the ribbon holding and opened the scroll and began to read.
Dear Thinkerten,

I thank you for expressing your concern about the safety and security of Stalliongrad. However I believe that based on the information you have sent me, you are experiencing minor hallucinations from excessive magic use. I would strongly advise that you temporarily reside from you work to allow yourself to recover and prepare for your exams. In an attempt to help you relax and clear your mind of these troubles enclosed in this letter you will find two tickets to Octavia’s grand Concerto. I know of your love for classical music and I believe that this would be the best way to unwind and forget of what you have seen. I certainly hope that this helps.

Best Wishes, Headmaster Graymane

“Well, that certainly clears up my suspicions” I said. “Come one Blizzard, were going to the concerto.” I grab my jacket and put the tickets in my pocket, jot down some last minute notes on the success of my invisibility spell and we head out the door. I look at the tickets and my heart soars with anticipation. I had always wanted to learn to play the cello, but I had been far too preoccupied with my studies and fencing to find the time to do it. Blizzard and I walk into the concert hall and present our tickets to the mare at the box office. She gives me a bizarre look, like a smile of anguish, and enjoyment at the same time, she says nothing to us, just stamps our tickets and hands them back. We walk past and as we leave, the mare’s eyes flash from crimson to a bizarre lime green color and then back again. I’ve never seen anypony with eyes that change color before. But oh well, I’m here at Octavia’s grand concerto, right? We find our seats and go sit down. I am anxious to hear the beautiful melodies played by Octavia’s cello; in fact, this is here premiere performance in Stalliongrad. I really hope I can get and autograph, or even strike up a conversation with her. Wouldn’t that be something, getting a one on one conversation with one of the best musicians in all of Equestria. I might just blush and giggle like a little school filly. The lights in the auditorium dim.

The stage lights go on and Octavia walks on to the stage, her cello waiting for here in the center. She adjusts her bow tie, and grabs her cello, ready to play. She looked up at the audience, here amazing purple eyes glossed over everypony. Right before she looked back down at here music here eyes did exactly what the mares in the box office did. They flashed a vibrant green, in a pattern that looked like flames, then as quickly as they became green, they flashed back to purple. She began to play, the music was not at all what I expected, Octavia hit many sour notes and frequently included sharps and flats in the piece that even I knew weren’t there. I began to look closer, and I noticed here hooves were black on the bottom, the black slowly crept its way up her body, it even erases her treble clef cutie mark. Something very wrong is going on. “Blizzard we need to get the buck out of here now!” I whispered. A screeching C sharp pierced my eardrums, immediately bringing my attention back to the stage. The mare I though to be Octavia reverted to a form that I recognized all to well. Another one of those black figures. I grabbed Blizzard, threw her on my back and ran out the door. I went into a full on gallop to get home and away from whatever that…thing, was. I ran into the house and slammed the door shut. I grabbed every chair in my room at once with all my magic and piled them high against the door.

All right, if Headmaster Graymane won’t acknowledge the threat, maybe the highest authority in Equestria will. “Blizzard quick grab a quill and get writing” I shouted at her.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I write to you in my hour of need, for all of Stalliongrad is in need you your help. My name is Thinkerten Stallionovich and I am a student of Stalliongrad School of Magic Application. I need your help; strange creatures have been appearing all over the city I call home. They look like small black fillies and they have the uncanny ability to take the form of anypony they choose. They are a dire threat and I request that the Elements of Harmony and their wielders be summoned to Stalliongrad immediately to combat this threat. Please help.

Send Help, Thinkerten

I stayed in the house, desperately awaiting the princess’s response, I galloped at full speed around the house making sure that all doors and windows were barricaded so that nothing except the princess’s message was getting in or out. That’s when the thought hit me, Stalliongrad hasn’t really been up to date with the rest of Equestria, and I wrote that letter in the old Equestrian dialect, I fear that the princess may not understand my message. I run to my desk to write another letter, only to realize that I forgot to get parchment from the depot when I was there. I slammed my head into my desk, put my hooves over my eyes and just began hoping that Celestia could still understand my writing.