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// Dilema at Dawn 
// Story: Killing Time 
// by JohnnyNorthrain 
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	I had slept little during the night and when the morning came and the sun rose I greeted the first rays of light standing at the tall window of my bedroom. Clad only in pants and bandages I looked out over Canterlot from my view within the palace. It was a beautiful city that was remarkably clean. I looked towards the tallest tower and saw Princess Celestia there with a telescope nearby. It was as if she suddenly became aware of my attention on her and she shifted her head to the telescope pointing it in my direction. When I rested my hand against the metal frame of the window she raised her head and moved inside the tower disappearing from my view. 
I’d seen that look a hundred times before. It was something only women could do and it had always perplexed me how every single one of them regardless of species could pull it off. She had been stone faced with a slight narrowing of her eyes and down turning of her lips. Reserved anger directed towards me and I could feel it over the gap that separated us. What had sparked her anger? I had an idea but there was no way I was going to ask her directly. 
I stood at the window for half an hour more just watching the city below and the palace come alive with motion. While I watched the distant ponies the door opened with a soft click. I felt the light electric tingle of magic in the air and turned around slowly seeing my partner levitating a tray of porridge towards me. She sat it down on the small table against the wall and offered me a shy smile with her head slightly lowered.  I walked over to her and knelt down putting my good arm around her neck giving her a hug.
“You couldn’t have done anything.” I whispered to her. 
“I should have been there.” She said choking back tears. 
“I wouldn’t want you hurt.”
“YOU were hurt!” She shouted and I cringed slightly. 
“I’m ok now.” I let go of her and pushed myself to my feet.  
To disprove what I had said or just to show me that I was not ok she touched my shoulder with her horn. It was not hard at all and she did not mean it to be malicious. Even so that did not make it hurt any less. I bit my lip hard to keep from yelping and I staggered over to the breakfast she had brought me. Sitting down I started to eat spoonful after spoonful of sweet porridge.
“Yesterday,” She sat in the other chair opposite me. “There was panic. When I received the letter from Twilight that you’d been hurt my heart sank. Ponies are seeing the attack against you as an attack against Canterlot. I came in the middle of the night on a train and had to be searched from horn to hoof before I was allowed to come see you in the palace. They wouldn’t have let me even go to Canterlot if I was not your partner.
“Johnny I’m worried about you and about this. Twilight told me everything you told Princess Luna. Chrysalis is after you specifically and… you… you don’t want to be under her power. Not even for a moment. I couldn’t do anything. Somepony else had taken over my body and voice. She’s already messed with me once. If she wants you then she is going to have to go through me.”
I finished off the last bite of my breakfast then set down spoon and chuckled lightly. Here I had nearly been killed by my former friend who was an agent of the Queen who had enslaved my current partner and who had also bit my arm. I was slowly turning into a Changeling myself and the icing on the entire FUBAR cake was that I had been shot with my own gun. I couldn’t help but laugh at the situation. 
“It’s not funny Johnny.” She put her hoof loudly on the table. 
“It’s absolutely hilarious Lyra.” I leaned back in the chair and gave her my most winning smile. “I asked Miss Sparkle about Chrysalis when we were on the train. She told me everything that she could. I think I know why she wants me… why she needs me and not Nickolas.”
“I’m listening.” She said flatly. 
“When she was banished to the badlands the princesses met with a group of ponies and created a barrier so that she couldn’t get out of there. Her brood by now has starved and most likely died. She wants someone to start a new brood.”
“You think she wants to mate with you?” She rolled her eyes. “Typical stallion. A woman shows any interest in you and you think all she wants to do is roll with you in the hay stack.”
“I know she does but I don’t know exactly why. Nickolas was already too much a Changeling when she found him. I’m still human and if she wants to create something different… well… Sparkle said that the brood that attacked here looked like ponies. She needs to mate with me before I become a Changeling.”
“That’s all and well Johnny but I think you just have sex on the brain. When was the last time you had any?”
“When was the last time you did?” 
I’d never seen her turn that shade of red before. She stammered over saying something for a moment then slammed her hooves on the table and stood up quickly. She galloped out of the bedroom without saying anything else and the door slammed behind her. I stood from the chair and returned to my position looking out of the window. 
I’ll freely admit that I loved Lyra Heartstrings but not in a way that would ever cause me to want to… copulate… with her. We were more than just partners. We were close friends. The thought of cross species bedroom antics did not really sit well with me and I pushed it out of my mind. I had struck a nerve when I asked her and she became a tomato. Perhaps she had not fully admitted it to herself yet but there was something more than just friendship there between Bon Bon and herself. For me though sex had always led to something bad and more heartache and pain then I cared to have. The last time I became involved with anyone Nick stepped in and took her away from me. One bad relationship after another turned me off to the whole affair and I’d stayed clear ever since I…
“The magic administered has healed you greatly in only one night.” Princess Celestia’s voice came from behind me. 
“Sweet Celestia!” I exclaimed and turned around quickly. I had not even heard her come in. 
“I see you’ve picked up some of the pony sayings.” She raised her head and looked down her nose at me.
“Could I please have some clothes?” I couldn’t think of anything else to ask at the moment. 
“You shall be provided garments. I believe that your friend Lyra Heartstrings brought a change of clothing with her.” 
“Princess…”
“Celestia.” She said coldly. 
“Celestia… what happened… I did not know he was here.” I shrank back slightly. 
“It is of no concern. You’ll be going back to Ponyville as soon as you are able to travel.” She turned and started trotting towards the door.
“It is something to be concerned about. Chrysalis may not be able to come here but someone else can and they did.”
“Were you going to tell me about the killings?” She turned and pushed her nose to within an inch of mine.  I had to step back or fall over. “When were you going to tell me that my ponies were dead because of this man turned Changeling?”
“I… I don’t know when… or if ever.” I whispered. 
“If not for my student Twilight Sparkle I would have never known.”
“I’m sorry. I need to find the Doctor. The disc he gave me is the key to all of this. He’ll be able to tell me more.” 
“Go then. Find the Doctor. I would appreciate it if you did not overstay your welcome here at the royal palace. You may stay until you are well enough to travel. Good day Mr. Northrain. “
After she left I was furious. Several times I picked up the porcelain bowl and nearly threw it at the window. I understood why she was angry with me. I understood it entirely too well and my rage was not directed at her but she had served to stoke it treating me like an unwanted house guest. I was angry at myself for allowing any of this to happen. When I found that first body at the edge of the forest I fell right back into my old profession without ever asking how any pony felt about the death. I never took their feelings into account and went on working when the second, Alissa had been found. It was no wonder Mrs. Cake acted as she did when I came to talk to her. I had stood there with a glare and cake crumbs in my palm not saying a word. She had no idea what to do and so she froze up until her husband broke the silence. 
I was an idiot. I was absolutely unsympathetic. I was pathetic. Of course Celestia would want me gone. What had I done since I’d come here besides screw with the way things were? Sure I’d made friends like Lyra and I was even accepted but really I was just that stupid boy that felt that he knew better and was going to get to the bottom of everything. That same kid that at twenty three shot a man to death because he thought that he was the guy that he was after. I never served time for that but I was kicked off the police force. I’d always had a chip on my shoulder since then and I had never let it go. 
Nick was my responsibility. If I hadn’t gotten so piss poor drunk one night that I ended up sleeping with the girl then treating her as if she was just a play thing he wouldn’t have stepped in. I wouldn’t have fought with him. We wouldn’t have ended up here and the ponies wouldn’t have died. 
Regret is a bottomless pool that continues to suck you down. The more you focus upon it the more you start regretting until it kills you. The only way to overcome it is to just stop cold and step away. I stepped away from the window and went to the bed. I had planned on lying back down and closing my eyes but there was a package on the sheets. Brown paper wrapped with a twine bow. I opened it and my second suit from Miss Rarity was inside. Lyra had gone to the trouble to fold my clothes then pack and wrap them. How did I thank her? I asked her when the last time was that she had been laid and talked about the Queen wanting me.  I felt like such an idiot that I did not dress for a few minutes. 
The pain in my shoulder prevented me from pulling on my shirt and I had to get creative to slip my arms inside and button it up. The tie was nearly impossible but I only almost passed out once while tying it. As far as the slacks and suit coat and vest those went far easier. The shoes weren’t leather but they had a nice shine and fit the suit. I don’t know what miss Rarity made them from but they soles felt thick and cushioned my steps. 
On a small dressing table were the contents of my pockets from the night before. I put tissues and various other things in the pockets of my suit coat then slipped my switchblade into the hidden sleeve pocket I had requested. The last and final touch was the Fedora. Lyra had not been wearing hers having probably left it outside the bedroom. It was bad manners to walk into some establishment or residence with a hat on. I waited until I opened the door of the bedroom and stepped into the hall before putting it on. There were no guards posted and there really was no reason for them to be there. I was not going to start trouble here in the palace. I just wanted to be gone for a bit and I’d decided to walk around Canterlot. If those ponies had not seen a Human they soon would. 
“Johnny!” I heard my partner’s voice down the hallway. She was galloping towards me at full speed. “There’s been another killing!” She pulled up short skidding on the carpet of the hall and catching her breath for a moment. My plans were forgotten and I bent down to look her directly in the eyes. 
“I’m sorry I’m such a jerk sometimes.” 
“Wh… what?” She said still breathless.
“That was completely rude of me to say what I did earlier.”
“Forget about it. We need to go. Its another pony with an hour glass cutie mark.”
“Colgate?” I asked suddenly fearing she’d been the victim of Nickolas.
“No… somepony else.”
“Kiddo, grab your hat.” I tapped the tip of her nose and she trotted towards her room.