//------------------------------//
// Day 4 Part 1: Into the Fire 
// Story: The Curious Case of Michael Crawford 
// by The Gunny 
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	The next morning Michael groaned as he got out of bed, for a moment his mind was blank until he saw the sleeping filly. His blood began to boil, he swore to god that he would get the monster responsible. Throwing his fatigues on he grabbed his M16 and began to reload the weapon when he heard a familiar noise outside.
"Shit." Michael cursed, he put his helmet on and walked outside. The buzzing of Insect like wings was incredibly loud, after finishing the reload and pulling the bolt back on the M16 he took aim at one of the flying creatures which twilight had called "Changelings". The round flew from the barrel and punched a hole the size of an orange through the creatures body causing it to crash to the ground leaving a trail of its green blood behind it. Without hesitating Michael began to lay into the creatures.
"What's going on out he-" Twilight began. As she groggily rubbed sleep from her eyes she was met with the sight of changelings everywhere and Michael dropping them like flies. "I thought was just a dream!" she shrieked as one of the Changelings crashed inches from her feet, a massive hole in its head. Michael was firing at a group that was charging a group of ponies when he heard a click that made his heart stop. As if in one fluid motion he dropped his M16 and reached for his Colt 1911. Bringing the weapon up from its holster Michael focused on the group which was now charging at him, several shots rang out as the group landed on the ground dead. Michaels pistol was now empty and so in the same fluid motion he pulled a large combat knife from his belt.
"Twilight! GET INSIDE OR HELP ME FIGHT!" Michael shouted seeing the unicorn just staring at the sight in front of her. As if a switch clicked Michael saw Twilight's eyes flash with anger and her horn begin to glow brightly, a flash of purple light shot out at one of the changelings causing it to vaporize. Several more flashes killed dozens more. After minutes of fighting the buzzing noise faded, several of the creatures were twitching on the ground and Michael was covered in green blood.
"What is that thing?" a voice said, a crowd of ponies had surrounded Michael. 
"Is it an alien?" another said, a bright light filled the sky and Princess Celestia arrived with dozens of guards. When she saw Michael covered in green blood and the piles of dead or dying changelings she shuttered, she saw the anger in his eyes but why was he so angry?
Michael walked over to one of the wounded changelings and grabbed it's throat, he lifted it up and looked it in the eye.
"Who sent you!?" Michael shouted, the crowd jumped back. The changeling muttered something. "SPEAK UP!"
"Q-Q-Queen Chrysalis." it managed to say before Michael crushed its windpipe.
"Michael stop." a voice said, the princess was standing behind him. When he turned around she saw the anger and hatred even clearer in his eyes. "You've done enough."
"No I haven't! Not until I kill Chrysalis!" Michael shouted, he tossed the dead carcass aside. 
"You'll get your chance Michael." The princess said, she looked to the guards. "You'll all get your chance." she looked at Michael "Come we must speak privately" Michael kicked one of the corpses out of his way.
"Yeah?" he said when the princess had lead him out of earshot.
"I know what you are feeling right now, I under-"
"No you don't!" Michael snapped, the princess looked shocked "You've never seen what I've seen! In nam everywhere you went was a deathtrap! Every kid, every girl, every old woman could be packing enough Explosives to turn you into a pile of red mush!" The princess had a knack for reading people's eyes but she wanted to know more, to do this she had been working on a spell that would allow her to see the memories of others with their permission.
"Allow me to see what you have seen." she said confidently, Michael shook his head. If it was that bad she was sure she didn't want to see now and so she conceded for now. "Very well. I have a request to make of you."
"Ask away." Michael said, his rage was cooling and he was easier to talk to now.
"These weapons you used were very effective, can you teach us how to make more of them?" Celestia continued, Michael thought for a moment. His field guide had enough information to use in production but introducing automatic weapons to a different culture like this?
"I'm sorry princess but I fear if I did they would fall into the wrong hands." he finally said, the princess nodded as she understood. "However, If you could make some more for me I could use them to help you and give them to guards you deem fit." The princess smiled and nodded. "Could I also get my uniform washed?" The princess nodded as well.
"I am told you found a young filly at the Apple Orchard, Is this true?" the princess asked, Michael nodded. "How is she?"
"She's okay, a little skittish at first but now she's just mourning her family. If it's all right with you your highness I would like to take her in." Michael said, his rage was near non existent now.
"I suppose, but only after this is over. And I take it you'll be staying here then?" Celestia said, Michael nodded again. "A good chat we had, Luna will be wanting to speak to you as well." With that Celestia walked back to her guards, Michael turned around to see Twilight walking over to him.
"Thank you Michael, reports of Changeling attacks are coming in from Detrot to Manehattan." Twilight said, tears were in her eyes. Michael knelt down to get on her level "If it weren't for you the changelings would have taken ponyville."
"Hey as long as I'm here you won't have to worry." Michael said with a fake smile, he hated seeing Twilight like this. He was only here three days and he already liked her a lot. Twilight smiled and wrapped her forehooves around Michael in a hug that almost crushed his ribcage which ,although fully healed, was still tender. Twilight looked over and saw her friends, they didn't know yet. "Go, tell them. I have something to take care of." Twilight nodded with tears flowing down her face before she ran to her friends, Michael walked back to the Library where he found Applebloom hiding under his bed.
"A-Are they gone?" Applebloom said with a shutter, Michael reached under the bed and pulled the filly out. She was shaking like a leaf, that was the effect of gunfire though.
"I put each one of them in a permanent time out." Michael said, a wicked smile crossed his face. This was going to be a long day....