I've been too hard lately on the Changeling culture and I haven't shown enough of pure Changelings in my stories. As a Brony, that's unacceptable! So it's time for me to take a look at an imagining of what their people could be and might have been once upon a time with this little mystery story I've made, a tale meant to examine the Changeling race, it's culture and history through the microcosm of one Changeling singer who wants to develop himself further by becoming an actor, a tale that looks deep into themes of prejudice, identity, insanity and the realities that actors wrap themselves in.

What is false?

...what is real?

Shinedown T. Mare reminisces on the past with his friend Applejack, thinking back to his old partner, and to Sheriff Applejack's first real case, when he and she and Sunset the dragon discovered the emaciated body of a young filly tossed into the garbage...Shinedown's first murder...Applejack's first big investigation.

Unlike some of the earlier tales I did before I wrote this, this one's considerably more serious. Yeah, I know, there's waaaaaaaay too much tragic backstory in a lot of my characters, but what I want to try and do is show a character arc of them overcoming the sorrow in their past and becoming better people. Constantly angsting about what one's done wrong isn't being well-rounded. It's being whiny.

Having said this...I want to make something clear. Child death is not something I enjoy seeing in fiction. And certainly not without any kind of build-up or foreshadowing, and definitely not if its just shoved into a story solely to invoke an emotional reaction like that piece of SHIT that is "Cry for Justice", James Robinson's comic series. Death of any kind, especially the death of children, had better be taken freakin' seriously.

And yes. Shinedown's friend whom he's ashamed to even think about is exactly whom you think he is.

Trixie's nightmares about her mother have now taken a new turn...for her mother has evidently returned to make things alllll better. One small problem...her dad ends up dead. VERY dead. And Trixie's now under investigation as the prime suspect. Her brother, Shinedown, is unable to clear her name due to him being a member of the police force and it couldn't BE a bigger conflict of interest. Instead, Twilight Sparkle must take the stand for Beatrix Lulamoon Mare and prove her innocence!...but can she?

A playdate to Silver Spoon's house leads to an uncovering of what may be one of Ponyville's most horrific tragedies. The young foal known as Silver Spoon is missing, as is her family, and all are presumed dead. Can Applejack get to the bottom of this with the aid of her friend Twilight Sparkle, her sister Apple Bloom, and Squirt the Changeling and Shinedown T. Mare, two crime experts from of the Peacekeeping Council of Special Investigations?

Pupa, daughter of Queen Chrysalis of the Changelings, only wants to make her mother happy. And when her mommy's special crown goes missing, Pupa decides to go on the case! Yes, dark corners...dark secrets...in a dark, dark kingdom home to the Equestrian race known as the Changelings, one little foal is still looking for the answers to Life's big questions. And they call her...PUPA NOIRE.

Pupa's character was created by my friend MagicMan001, who's letting me use her for this story.

The Shadow. Mysterious character that aids the forces of Law and Order is, in reality, Shinedown Tulamoon Mare, a law enforcement officer of the highest caliber. Never seen, only heard. As haunting to superstitious minds as a ghost. As inevitable as a guilty conscience. With the aid Shinedown's adopted son, Squirt, born of Changeling blood, the mysterious Shadow and his assistant form an unstoppable duo against evil across Equestria!

Today's drama...Vinyl Scratch and the Cruise Caper!

Rainbow Dash and Soarin's child, Drizzila, has one tragic flaw: an inability to fly that has pushed she and her mother apart over and over again. But a chance for their relationship to be repaired may be close by with "Family Appreciation Day Weekend" at their local school, with Ms. Cheerilee assisting her with an important project. But the best laid plans of mice and mares often go wrong, including the plan of Shinedown T. Mare to adopt the young Changeling-blooded little foal Squirt, and raise him to follow in his crime-fighting footsteps...

Appletini, Bookworm, Brainy, Drizzila, Jack N' Box, Marzipan, Precious are property of MagicMan001:. Squirt, on the other hand, is my own creation, as is Shinedown and the "Sparkle Land" cast. All other characters belong to Lauren Faust, naturally. And if you see something you like or dislike, please, tell me, I'll never get better at this without input.

Squirt, a foal of Changeling Blood, hasn't got anyone to look after him, but Shinedown T. Mare has a plan: to adopt the kid and care for him. One problem: he doesn't know a thing about being a dad. Luckily his friends, from Twilight to Fluttershy to Rainbow Dash, DO know a thing or two about being parents...can they help him and Squirt, or will their own hang-ups end up hurting their efforts? Only time shall tell...

Appletini, Bookworm, Brainy, Drizzila, Jack N' Box, Marzipan, Precious are property of MagicMan001. Squirt, on the other hand, is my own creation, as is Shinedown and the "Sparkle Land" cast. All other characters belong to Lauren Faust, naturally.

Twilight Sparkle's friend Shinedown T. Marie's father, Sunray Cyrus, runs the beloved EQUI-FINA water that pumps all through Ponyville. And the Empress of the Griffins wants a bottle of his most special water, a bottle filled with water fresh from a deep mountain fountain said to grant the drinker eternal life. What Twilight, Spike and Shinedown don't know is that they're in for a lot of trouble when they arrive to make the delivery...

I had a lot of fun writing this. I wanted it to be a story that, while centered around something dramatic, still had a lot of funny moments and good characterization in it, and I think I did a pretty nice job. I hope you all enjoy reading it.

It's funny how two beings from two different races can become friends. Funny how friendships form. But that's the way life goes! ^_^

This particular story is really one of three. In fact, the second of three stories meant to introduce people to Shinedown and the world he inhabits, sharing a realm with beings from across the universe...

The hard part was trying to make Squirt a LIKABLE character, but not just an "oh, poor him" character, considering he actually is kind of a criminal who needs guidance, not just to be chucked into the jail. It's too easy to play changelings as total victims or total jerks, and I wanted to try and find a good balance. Heck, I'm STILL trying to find one. But hopefully, you'll like this Phoenix Wright-style tale. And no, no "human" tag for this, Staccato isn't actually a human, but a robot.