//------------------------------//
// Nerves. 
// Story: Changing perspective. 
// by Phoenix Kitten 
//------------------------------//

Twilight gulped as she stood infront of the entire town in the town hall.
Her disguise flickered slightly and she put her hoof over the microphone. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." She whispered to herself, before clearing her throat and tapping the mic. "Attention everypony. Can I have everyponies attention?"

The crowd fell silent and turned to look at her which made her shiver slightly, her disguise flickered again.

"Thank you everypony. Now. I'm sure Mayor Rose told you all why she called this meeting, but just in case she didn't." Twilight magically pulled a dropchord and let a screen unfold behind her, the lights dimming as Spike started up a slide viewer.
The image of a Changeling appeared on the screen.

"We're here because I'm going to teach you all how to identify a disguised Changeling." She stated.

The crowd of townsponies started talking amongst themselves again.
"Finally! The mayor is taking some action."

"We'll be able to sleep easy knowing none of those dirty Changelings are stealing our love."

"Our foals aren't at danger of being abducted and replaced."

Twilight bit her lip and tapped the microphone to garner everyponies attention again. "The first sign is pretty simple. I'm going to ask for a volunteer to assist me."

She waited for a few minutes for anypony to volunteer. More than a few she noticed were looking around nervously.
With some effort she discreetly used one of her new Changeling spells to scan their thoughts.
"Hmm.... worried about being surrounded by Changelings... same... same... same...sa-Ah hah."

Twilight pointed at the pony in question. A blue stallion with a musical note cutie mark. "Blues. Can you come up here please."

Blues looked about nervously and slowly trotted up to the stage, taking his place across from her.

"Now then. Blues is going to help me show the signs that a pony is a Changeling in disguise." Twilight stated as her horn lit up. "First sign. Watch their eyes. If they are a Changeling their eyes will flash green when put under scrutiny. Like so."

Blues eyes were shifting back and forth when they suddenly flashed green from Twilight's magic.

Everypony talked between one another for a few seconds again.

"Now I know what you're all thinking." Twilight announced. "What about if somepony has naturally green eyes?"

Twilight continued her exposition, occasionally calling up other ponies to show off alternative methods.
Blues was becoming more and more nervous as the demonstration continued.
Until..

"And now. I'm going to teach you all a spell to peel away a Changeling's disguise. Now for this demonstration I have cast a multilevel illusion over Blues. This spell will peel away one level of the illusion to show off the fake Changeling skin I placed over him." Twilight explained as her horn started glowing purple. "Are you ready Blues?"

Blues shook his head.

"I understand you're nervous Blues, after all you've been my assistant through out this entire presentation. But please. It's just this last demonstration and then we're done."

Blues just stood there, shaking like a leaf.

"Now I'll just..."

Twilight never got to finish before Blues bowled her over and tore out the door causing Twilight to lose focus on the spells she had active.

Spike quickly ran over and helped her up. "Are you okay Twi?"

Twilight rubbed the back of her head. "Yeah. I'm fine. But that spot on my head is going to be so bruised after today."

"Uhh... yeah. Maybe we should get out of here."

"Why?" Twilight chuckled. "I'm a little sore but it's...not... like..." Twilight trailed off as she studied her foreleg, spotting a shocked town staring at her through the hole in her foreleg.
"Uh hehehehehehe uhhhh... right...."

"Changeling!" Somepony screamed before the entire town rushed towards the pair.