Your first day in Manehattan is going pretty well so far.
Sure, you know absolutely nopony here; and you have to find someplace to work within a week or you'll run out of money, but the stallion at the train station was very nice!
Manehattan is BIG. Really big. Definitely the biggest city you've ever been in. You've been in big cities before; in fact they are usually where you get most of your jobs. But this place is an absolute maze! You can definitely understand why the map making business is a thing here, and you're very glad that you purchased one. Not that it's helping much. Thinking back you probably should have payed the extra five bits for the 'YOU ARE HERE' enchantment.
You levitate the map in front of you again and try to figure out where you are exactly, but it's all a jumble of cross streets and tiny labels that you cant make sense of. Maybe you should hire a guide or something, you saw a couple of them back at the train station. But going back the way you came strikes you as counterproductive, and your supply of bits is dangerously low as is. You really cant afford to spend money on anything you don't absolutely need, and if that means a couple of hours wandering around looking for the hotel you're supposed to be staying at; then so be it. You're a grown mare now, so if you get lost; then you'll just have to get un-lost using your uncanny sense of direction and keen problem solving skills! So what if you're in one of the biggest cities in Equestria that you've never been to before, and all the streets look the same, and its eerily quiet, and its starting to get dark, and-Oh Celestia you definitely need help.
You sigh; fold up the map with your magic and slip it into one of your saddlebags. Then you start looking around to try and find somepony who looks like they might be willing to help a poor filly out.
And then find that you're standing almost completely by yourself in the middle of a crossroads, with a growing crowd of ponies gathered in a circle around you. Many of them are muttering or whispering in hushed tones to each other, but all of them appear to be staring at you. Startled, you just sort of stand there blinking and looking at everypony. Why are they all looking at you? Did you do something wrong? They don't seem angry. You must have done something really silly. You should have been looking where you were going! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Maybe you can just slip away and get lost in the crowd; forget any of this happened. You pause for moment when a thought hits you, and you furrow your brow. Forget what though? What exactly had you done?
A loud crackling noise causes you to squeak in surprise and whirl around; then stiffen in shock. A sizable area of space about ten hoofsteps away appears to be rippling, as if in an exaggerated form of heat distortion. Not only that, but it appears to be radiating power in such a strange way you're shocked you didn't notice it before. Another crackle causes your fur to stand on end as the space seems to bend and warp further; even tearing open for an instant before smashing back together and producing that electric crackling sound. It takes a few seconds, but you manage to recover enough from the surprise to realize that whatever this thing is; it's likely dangerous, and that you should keep away from dangerous things. You start to slowly back away from the rippling space; keeping your eyes fixed on it as you do so.
This tendency to freeze when scared is probably going to get you hurt someday.
BANG!
You feel your entire body lock up as the loudest sound you have ever heard reverberates through your skull. It actually takes you a moment to realize that you've just been blinded by an incredible blast of light. You blink rapidly as sight slowly begins to return; along with a very high pitched ringing in your ears. You're just able to start making out the outlines of things again, when-
BANG! BA-BANG! BANG!
You think you might have screamed a little. Sun and stars that hurt your ears, and your eyes! What in Equestria is going on? You need to get out of here! You take a few blind steps forward, then remember that forward is going TOWARDS whatever the thing is, and hastily try to change direction mid-step; succeeding only in tangling your legs up and falling over. You start full on panicking now, and scramble to your hooves again; deciding to wait until your vision returns before running off into a wall somewhere. Blinking seems to hurry the process up somehow, or at least you think it does. It might just be your imagination, but you like to think that you're accomplishing something other than just standing here waiting.
Your hearing returns before your sight though. At first all you can make out is ringing, but soon enough you can hear muffled noises, and there's a lot of it. You cant make heads or tails of it at first, but then something clicks in your head. Screaming. Everypony is screaming. Right about now seems a good time to start hyperventilating. You blink harder; almost jogging in place in your anticipation to get out of there. You can see large shapes moving around in front of you now, but not quite enough to trust yourself to run. You realize that there are voices speaking over the crowd, loud and powerful voices barking what you think are orders. You didn't notice them before, but they've been speaking the whole time. They sound very official. You really hope the police are here already.
"-epeat, do NOT fire!"
"My God. What in the nine hells is this?"
"Definitely not what I was expecting."
"Doctor? Doctor!"
There's five of them, and they are huge. Much too large to be diamond dogs. They almost look like minotaurs, but they are definitely not minotaurs either, the proportions are all wrong. They each carry a long tube-like contraption with them in their hands, and they are wearing some kind of elaborate green body armor with large backpacks that you've never seen before. Their helmets are bulky things with round opaque orange reflective visors concealing whatever features lie beneath. You wonder how they can even see. Two have crouched down around the others facing outwards, and are pointing the tube-things at the surrounding ponies who are all desperately attempting to run away. You should probably try to run too, but you don't because your legs wont let you.
So you take solace in the fact that at least you know one thing for absolutely sure. They are definitely not the police.
One of the creatures who had been looking a little unstable suddenly falls over, and another one kneels down beside him.
"Doc is out cold, but his suit says he's fine."
"Typical." Another one says.
"What exactly ARE these things? They almost look like horses. Very small horses."
"Definitely intelligent at least. Looks like we're in the middle of a city!" The one closest to you says.
"Sentient life. Good lord. I can almost understand why the doctor fainted."
"I don't think anyone expected this."
"What should we do? The doc was supposed to be the diplomat on the off chance we actually DID encounter any alien life."
For some reason you find yourself transfixed, utterly fascinated with their conversation. It's like you're so scared that you've just overloaded. You cant do anything but stand there and stare.
"I guess.. We try and make first contact?" The creature crouching over the one they called 'Doc' says.
"They seem more interested in running away. Cant really blame them, we must look terrifying."
It was true, most of the other ponies had already vacated the area, but there are a few still stumbling around. Maybe they're still having trouble seeing. You notice quite a few pairs eyes peering out at the scene from the windows of surrounding buildings though.
"Not this one."
You snap your attention back to the creature closest to you, who you think is staring directly at you, but you cant tell with that bizarre helmet it's wearing. You really hope that's a helmet and not its face. It slowly lowers the tube-thing its carrying, letting it hang from its body with a strap. Then it raises its hands in what you assume is supposed to be a placating gesture. The things minotaurs have are called hands, right?
"Hey there. You're a brave one, aren't you?" The things voice takes on a softer tone as it takes a step towards you.
Finally it seems your brain is done being overloaded, and it permits you to feel the oncoming wave of fear wash over you in its full intensity. You find yourself shaking your head rapidly in response to the monsters question. You are definitely not a brave pony. You are just a terrified pony who is too stupid to run when you're supposed to.
One of the other things near the back speaks "Jake, are you sure we shouldn't just-"
"Sshh." the creature who had been coming over to you shushes the other one. Apparently its name is Jake.
"Give yourself some credit," Jake says to you. You think it's a he, it sounds like one. "I probably would have run away screaming if I were in your place." You find yourself trembling as it takes another step towards you, then another.
"N-not from lack of trying." You are surprised to hear your own voice. Talking to this thing was just going to encourage it to come closer. Why cant you move your stupid hooves?!
"It speaks English!?" One of the other monsters exclaims in surprise.
Jake actually chuckles a little, and confirms your worst fears by closing the gap between you entirely. It crouches down in front of you, bringing its head to almost the same level as yours. The most you can do is lean as far away from him as possible, still shaking with terror.
"As you might of heard from my friend Nichael over there, my name is Jake. Jake Armstrong. What's yours?" He says, pointing behind him with one of his hands appendages when he says the name 'Nichael'.
"What are you?" Instead of answering his question, you pose him one. You aren't even entirely aware of what you're doing at this point, it's as if your body is acting on autopilot. The entire situation has started to feel incredibly surreal. Is this even happening? Perhaps it's a dream. It certainly feels like one.
"I could ask you the same thing," he responds. "Though I suppose we are the uninvited guests here. Only polite for me to answer first." He reaches up to the side of his helmet and does something that causes the reflective orange part of his visor to slide up, revealing clear glass underneath.
You cant help but narrow your eyes and peer into the darkness inside his helmet; curiosity getting the better of your fear as you try to get a good look at his features. What you do see surprises you. It isn't the grotesque mottled thing you expected. Instead you see a smooth, hairless, blue eyed face smiling down at you. It's flat, entirely devoid of a muzzle aside from what you think is its nose that juts out slightly from the center of its face. It's overall design strikes you as very outlandish and streamlined. You might even say elegant.
Now that you know what they look like, some of their their names, even their gender, they seem a little more pony-like to you. Maybe they aren't here to harm you at all! You actually find yourself starting to calm down a little.
"I am a human being, and we are a species from another world. We came here through a rift in space as explorers, and we certainly didn't expect to find another sentient species here. I'm very sorry if we've scared you." His tone is soft, and kind. It reminds you of somepony you once knew.
"Mirror" You squeak.
"What?" Jake asks, tilting his head in his helmet.
"Mirror" You repeat, with a little more confidence this time. "M-my name is Mirror. But my friends call me Mira. I'm a unicorn." Then after a seconds pause you add "And this is Equestria."
Jake's smile becomes a grin. "Well, Mira of Equestria. May I take this opportunity to say that it is an absolute pleasure to meet you. And it is my greatest honor to extend to you on behalf of my entire race: Salutations and well wishes from the people of planet Earth!" He extends his hand towards you, still grinning and looking at you expectantly.
So, without having a clue of the meaning of what he just said, you slowly raise your hoof, and make first contact with Equestrias first alien visitor.