At some moment the flow of thoughts was turned on. It has been picking up speed smoothly until it became as usual. State analysis was completed. The nose was half blocked-up and the left leg became numb, but everything else was normal. Brief recollection has come. It covered yesterday’s events, and events that should happen today, adjusted for the presence of Her Lunar Majesty. It surprised me a bit, that my head was covered over and the blanket was tucked under from all sides with great care. Still being half asleep, I was recalling the dream, taking notice of the most significant parts: mirrors, full moon, two weeks... and, for all that, Celestia’s croup still looked appetizing.

Something touched me from the outside, glided along my leg cautiously. I moved to give a hint that I was not asleep anymore. The mattress bent under a considerable weight of the pony. Luna climbed onto me, mounted my hips, and hooves of her front legs began to “run” along my back tenderly. Sometimes I could feel the strength she put on it, but sometimes her hooves were passing over my shoulder-blades and spine almost imperceptible.

”Mr-r-rgh-h” - I murmured, arching and quivering from the wave of pleasure, which was rolling over me. The mare lay down upon me, pulled the blanket off my head and scratched the nape of my neck gently with her teeth. The tickling made me give a loud grunt, I barely hold my head to avoid hitting her lips with it.

”Good morning” - Luna whispered and rubbed her cheek against my ear - “Did you sleep well? Was it warm?”

”Mr-r-r, I am glad to see you. Could you come down on the floor, please”

The clock was showing the gaping holes of the number eight. The thin number one was having a tedious time next to the fat number zero. I overslept allright. Having waited for Luna to unload me, I moved to the wall, making room on the other half of the bed, and lifted the blanket with a welcoming gesture.

”Climb here, to me”

The princess hesitated. Having wandered under the blanket, her eyes looked at the naked model with distrust. Having snorted quietly in answer to some unknown thoughts, she jumped onto the bed delicately and lay down to keep her head next to mine. I covered the mare with the blanket and, having caressed her neck tenderly, leaned myself against her hot body, feeling regular pounding of the vigorous heart.

”I hope, you understand, what state I am in?..” - Luna stirred a little to make her legs comfortable.

”Chaotic?” - I answered at random, knowing that I would not guess right either way.

”Exactly. The bed is an intimate zone, after all, and you invite me there so easily. There is a swarm of doubts and apprehensions buzzing in my head. And still I want to trust you”

”These are “stereotypes”, Luna. Try to use less outside stereotypes regarding me” - I fingered the alicorn’s horn slightly, knowing that touching the part, she protected so much, would shift her attention instantly.

”Is these stereotypes?” - Luna eluded, releasing her horn from my grasp - “Fine. What the “bed” means to you?”

”The place, where one can sleep or rest comfortably. Or, sometimes, one can stay in bed, being in poor health”

”Is that all?”

”That is all”

”Pf-f-f, you have broken down at least ten of my walls”

”I hope, there will be less dark labyrinths in your bright head from now on”

”I wish” - Luna grinned merrily - “I am sitting amid the debris of my old knowledge, having no idea of how to treat you again”

”Try to take it lightly, interpret everything as it is. Do not try to find the hidden meanings of my words and actions. It can make your life a lot easier”

”It is not that easy to make a life easier” - Luna scratched her nose with a hoof - “I am accustomed to think differently, and there are you telling me that everything is blunt and easy. I say, you are harder to deal with, than a griffon!”

While listening to this inspired tirade about the hardships of life, I was smiling into my moustache, caressing the princess’ withers.

”Luna, what keeps you from putting aside the circumstances and being completely unbiased towards me? Try not to look back on your past experience. You admit that your old knowledge is useless yourself. So why would you continue to use them? Let’s start from a clean slate, turn over a new leaf”

The pony looked at me as if I had charged her with completing the task of astronomical complexity in a rather short period of time. All right then, it would do her good to work on something besides the movement of the Moon.

”So what keeps you from that? I noticed, that you mentioned griffons. What do they have in common with me?”

”Besides the fact, that you eat ponies... I meant, ugh, meat” - Luna made a wry face, looking irritated - “There are a lot of other similar traits. The griffons also are honest, stern, straightforward, harsh, they like power, but at the same time they are loyal friends and excellent lovers”

”There is some resemblance, I guess. But still I am not a griffon, which means, that trying to apply griffons’ stereotypes to me, you are bound to become disillusioned, disappointed of your expectations. You will react out of place, make a mistake after mistake, and I will remain as unpredictable and chaotic in your eyes as before. You will live in a constant tension, being not able to foresee my next move. And the reason would be, that griffons’ stereotypes dictate to you one thing, and I do another, or do nothing at all”

”Gee, now you are exacerbating everything” - Luna said it quite confidently, but one could see in her eyes, that doubts were gnawing her and she was not as sure of herself as she wanted to show.

”No, I have told you the truth as it is. Even if you do not want to accept it, nothing will change. In time you will know, that my words are right. So, why don’t you take them into consideration now, in order to save your nerves and our relationship? Take yesterday’s declaration of my love for example. Is that typical for a griffon?”

”No. The subject of love is very important for them. They do not declare it at random. Quite the opposite, the declaration is forestalled by careful preparations”

”See, your stereotype is cracking at the seams. The love is important for me too, but I can tell about it without any preparation, simply and whole-heartedly”

”I heard that and I heard the seams cracking too”

”It is like you are trying to find an exit from an unknown city, following the map of another, familiar city. In such a way, you will find anything, but the exit” - I was combing the mane of the lunar mare with my fingers tenderly, admiring the play of colors in her blue hair.

”If I find myself lost, I can fly and look around”

”And I am suggesting that you do exactly that! Fly above your stereotypes to understand that everything is different with me”

Until his moment Luna was lying sideways to me, watching me only with her left eye. Now, she turned her head and looked at me directly.

”You have a twisted way of thinking. You like to put everyone in a corner” - the resentment was straining her voice.

”I am not trying to put anyone in a corner. I am showing the situation from a different angle. It is up to you, will you agree with me or not. And you are taking the whole responsibility for the consequences of your mistakes”

”I understood” - having turned away, the pony stretched herself and closed her eyes. Even if she took offence, she did not show that. But, most likely, she just wanted to consider the situation calmly in silence. It was not an easy task to get rid of stereotypes and of habit to “measure everything with your own metre”. But Luna would have to do that in order to be leading a quiet life during the following weeks. She could, certainly, ignore everything and continue to compare me to griffons, but in this case she was sure to have headaches and misunderstandings out of the blue.

My fingers touched her ear tenderly, massaging its edge. And what did I know about her? She was an alicorn, the ruler of Equestria, a mythical creature, who was deprived of her magic. But how could she be “mythical”, if here was she, alive and warm, lying alongside and wheezing. She was wise, clever, curious, sentient, understanding. Beautiful, sensible, refined, emotional and expressive. Persistent, proud, ambitious, bold, determined, but she was willing to make concessions, when she realized, that it was better to give in and agree, than to hold her ground. Kind and friendly, she could sometimes lose her temper, but was restraining herself, trying to resolve any conflict peacefully.

I ran my palm over her graceful neck, feeling the pulse with the tips of my fingers. I already knew the power, which was hidden under the blue velvet, but surprisingly Luna did not look powerful at all. She evoked the desire to protect her from any troubles and misfortunes. Having embraced her neck, I kissed the closed eye, feeling the eyelid tremble.

When I drew back, Luna turned to me with her eyes opened. She looked embarrassed and confused.

”I love you, the joy of my life” - I whispered, caressing her muzzle.

”I am sorry, but I cannot say the same” - the pony smiled. She was looking down, but sometimes she seemed to cast covert glances towards me - “There is such a mess inside me... but I feel good and warm beside you, and I hope that this feeling is mutual”

“Yes. But what had happened the last night? Why did I freeze? The last thing I remember is Celestia lying upon me, breathing on my muzzle”

“I understood what that meant and left the dream at once. Having awakened, I came to you and saw that the blanket was sagging. You were lying, having curled up, and your mewing was so sorrowful. I almost cried. So I covered you with the blanked, tucked it under properly and returned to the sofa to have a sleep. You got warm, calmed down in the dream as well, and fell asleep too”

“Thank you, darling. I memorized the essentials. We are to live these two weeks till the full moon together, and then Celestia will open the way back home for you. But something else made me wonder. She wore the crown, breast-collar and the horseshoes, but you appeared without any jewelry”

“Those were not the horseshoes, but the hoof-shoes. The hooves are simply placed into them. Yes, I decided not to bother myself with the symbols of power and did not spend my energy on recreating them. It seemed like a good idea to fly in on the cloud. It was elegant and simple. But to tell the truth, I did not expect such a warm welcoming from my sister. And you were looking at me as if you were seeing me for the first time in your life too” - Luna laughed quietly.

“I saw you in your magical form for the first time. And you are as beautiful in the dream as you are in the real life. I admire you”

“I am glad to know it. And also I had a talk with my sister. And when she had asked about my life here with you, I did not keep anything back and share with her everything I experienced these past days in one breath. Absolutely everything, from my little rebellion next to the basement, when you had just came for me, to the recent sigh”

“So, how did it go?”

“You know, the good thing about dreams is that you do not have to think about putting your feelings into words well and nicely there. You can pass everything you would like to express to your interlocutor and they live it and feel it the same way you did. I could have said that I had shocked Celestia, but it would be a bit of understatement. Celestia was stunned by my memories, so I had to pour water from the lake on her”

I snorted merrily, imagining that picture: Luna lifted the centner of water with seaweeds, fish and frogs, using her magic, and then brought it all down on Celestia!

“Oh, you can snort” - Luna sighed - “It was not you, who got soaked. The most interesting is that I expected Celestia to react to you declaration of love, my gift and agreement to be your “special” pony somehow, but I did hear neither the approval nor the reprimand from her”

“She is likely using a wait-and-see approach in order to have a chance to think it over herself and to give us time to understand our feelings and relationship better”

“Maybe she is. But also she was disturbed by your view of life. You label everything as “profitable” or “non-profitable”

“And what is disturbing there?”

“You say, that you are thinking about your profit. Celestia promises you a reward of ten thousand bits for your efforts. Let’s suppose, that some-pony would give you fifty thousand and demand “Kill Luna!” Would you do that?”

“No”

“Why? To receive fifty thousand is much more profitable than to receive ten thousand”

“Well, right it is more profitable from the material point of view. But firstly, the deal, which has been already made, cannot be changed or canceled without the agreement of both sides, only because of someone, who meddled in and offered a bigger payment. Secondly, such a move would not be a deal, but a treachery. And thirdly, whom will I have to love, if I kill you, eh?” - I caressed the princess’ back between the shoulder-blades slowly, noticing with pleasure, that her breathing became uneven instantly and her wings rose as a reflex act.

“Ah-h... what if you will be offered a hundred thousand?” - my seducer turned up her eyes. I ran my fingers along her spine tenderly and massaged the base of her tail.

“I would not give her life even for a thousand of thousands” - I caressed Luna’s coat the wrong way and buried my fingers in soft feathers on her wing, feeling my beloved trembling with her whole body.

“Be you kicked by pony! What are you doing?!” - the alicorn protested with a hot whisper, keeping her eyes closed. My hand was making its way through her mane, caressing her from withers to the horn.

“I am doing a pleasur-r-r-re for you” - I growled playfully in her ear, having fingered with its point. I myself began to become excited by this game slowly. The closeness of a beautiful, trustful mare lured me and stirred me up.

“I feel very good” - Luna glanced at me with a bit of fear. Her ears were lowered and the dark cheeks ere giving her embarrassment out - “But, please, do not try to... ride me”

“I will not” - I smiled softly, having understand the direction of her thoughts at once. Finally I have caressed the muzzle of the watchful princess and placed the hand below my chest.

The pony sighed, tidied her mane, examining my features thoughtfully. I was hearing a clear cracks of the stereotypes being torn down, and they were not all about griffons.

“Tell me, do you really like to excite me that way?”

“Yes”

“Why?”

“But I can ask you the same thing. Why did you came to me and was running along my back?”

“I wanted to please you. Did I do something wrong?”

“No, you did everything right. And that is the answer to your question. I caress you, wishing to please you. And in those moments, you are very beautiful, when you are embarrassed and happy. I like to see you like this”

“Listen carefully, Lairy” - the alicorn frowned and rubbed her forehead with her hoof in concentration - “You are right. You are not a griffon and I really do not know how to interpret your actions. When we had come here, you warned me, that you were going to ask direct questions and I should give honest answers to them. I think, I need to adopt this way of questioning to avoid making unnecessary puzzles for myself”

Hurray! Thrice-repeated salute, thundering ovation, fanfare! At last everything, I had told her earlier, hit her! I rubbed the moustache with my palm to hide the triumphant ironical grin.

“My question can sound provocative to you, Cheetah. It you would feel offended, agitated or enraged, please, do not vent our anger on me”

“Okay, I promise. Ask away” - I was already looking forward to hear what Luna came up with.

She had been remaining silent for a while, whether it was because of her trying to formulate the question the most tactfully, or just working up the nerve.

“When you are caressing my back and wings in such a way, like you have been doing now, do you want to tempt me to have sex with you?”

“No”

“Gee... “no”? It changes a lot for me” - having exhaled with a relief, the alicorn lied down on her side and suddenly fell off the bed with a short scream. I heard a muffled thud and could see her four hooves over the edge for a moment.

“Hey?!” - having sat up at once, I looked down. Luna was lying on the floor, her muzzle was twisted with pain.

“O-oh... a sudden falling is always painful” - she moaned.

Having bent closer, I reached my hands to her. She offered me her front hooves. I helped her to get up and to sit on the bed.

“Did you hurt yourself?” - I hugged her and pressed her to my chest tenderly.

“And took fright at too”

I have been sitting for a while, comforting Luna, waiting for her to calm down.

“Are you okay?” - I touched her back

“Yes, it does not hurt anymore”

“So, if you do not mind, explain to me the connection between sex and scratching someone’s back”

“Gee... the connection?” - the pony stared at me thoughtfully.

“What? If you find my question “embarrassing”, do not answer “

“I will answer. The question is logical. I simply did not expect it” - Luna switched her gaze to the wardrobe and then to the window. While she was thinking, I put on pants and vest. It was strange, but I felt chilly in the room.

“Please, scratch me one more time and I will know the exact answer”

Having sat up, I clawed Luna’s shoulder-blades with fingers crooked like a predator’s paw. The pony moaned, arching her back and giving a start on ever movement. The pupils of her eyes widened suddenly and the wings opened abruptly, having slapped my face.

“A bit lower” - the alicorn whispered, giving me a look under the wing. I shifted the activity to the centre of her back. Having sobbed, Luna wriggled herself, threw her head back and m free hand caressed her chin, neck and chest - “Now a bit higher...” - having reached her withers, I was rewarded with a long passionate moan and the pony’s languid glance over her shoulder - “That is it, thank you. That is enough”

“What did you manage to find out?” - I wondered, having finished the experiment.

Luna became engrossed in thoughts again. I began to suspect that Her Majesty was straying in impassable thickets of decorum, royal upbringing and other conventions, which were making the direct, frank and sincere communication much harder. I wondered, if it seemed to her as though I was an immoral, insolent animal. Nevertheless, it does not matter, does it? Luna definitely is not that kind of pony, which need to be told anything twice. And, as I said yesterday, if she does not like something, she is able to announce it at once. If she does not announce, she likes it. All the more, it is impossible to pretend to be so happy. One can see the bliss on her muzzle. And her eyes... those bright, piercing eyes cannot lie. Luna always express all her emotions and worries, such as distrust, fear, curiosity, joy, openly and sincerely, without hiding beyond innuendoes and equivoques. “ IT IS CRUEL AND DEMEANING!..” - what a rage she flied into that time, in the corridor.

She was dishonored, fucked out, dragged through the mud literally and morally, and still she remained a lively, proud, hardy princess, who was ready to defend herself and to survive despite all the odds. There was such a pure, undisguised fury, blazing in the alicorn’s eyes then. No one knows, how everything would have turned out, if I had not managed to drive her against the wall. And such a joy filled her at being bathed, riding and flying, singing and dancing, at her hair being combed. Luna was not simply radiant with joy, no, the energy of her happiness was running through everything around her.

Yeah, Luna... her sincerity is one of those traits I grew to love her for.

“Lairy, you are looking at me in such a way, that I do not know where to turn already. Should I go away, before you eat me or something like that?”

“And what will I say to Celestia? I am sorry, I have lapsed into a daydreaming, and ate your sister instead of a breakfast? Gee...” - I gave troubled Luna a pat on the head, laughing - “I really was thinking about you and about my feelings for you”

“Did they change?” - a little horse peeped out from under my palm.

“Yes. They changed for the better”

“That is good. I thought out the answer to your question. The point is that pegasi and alicorns have the most sensitive spots on the nape of the neck and between their wings. When you are scratching my shoulder-blades I became exited. This is evident from the involuntary lifting of the wings, so called “wingboner”, which is common for both sexes. You have probably already noticed that. And the scratching of the back, just like courting, is an intimate caress for winged ponies”

I burst out laughing. My winged pony turned her head a bit sideways inquiringly.

“Now I understood. When I caress our back, you involuntary wait for it to be continued with sex?”

“Frankly speaking, yes... you have exited me so much, I cannot fold my wings”

“Well, you asked me to scratch, so I scratched. If you are disturbed by such caresses, just say it. I will not scratch anymore”

“And now I even do not know what to tell you” - the alicorn shook her wings, trying to relax them - “The unfamiliar pony, scratching like that, is running the risk of being kicked by pegasus in their teeth. And one should avoid the caresses of the griffon. They have grave claws and can leave one with a hacked back. But I like you... and your caresses very much” - having took my hand, Luna press her cheek to the palm - “So I allow you to scratch my back and wings like you can do it. But please, do not go further than that, okay? Do not hurt your special pony”

“Okay” - I kissed her nose, looking at the reflections of the Universe in Luna’s eyes. Having moved closer, I hugged Luna and she rested her head against my shoulder. Our hearts were beating in harmony, flowing together with the indivisible stream of love.

The clock was reminding of the pace of time impassively, but every moment felt to me like an eternity, filled with happiness. What the wretched quartz chronometer could know about nirvana?

“Lairy, have you flyed to the moon or somewhere else?” - Luna pressed her nose against mine. Her breath was smelling like an orange - “Come back”

“As Your Majesty wishes” - I marked my coming back with licking Luna’s nose. She sighed quietly.

“Well, you...”

“Yes, I am” - I grinned boldly, from ear to ear, like a Cheshire cat.

“You are irresistible and I even know why. Let us go and have a meal”

“But you have had a meal already” - I pointed, having noticed a pile of orange peels on the table.

“And I will have it again. I am hungry like a horse after such eventful dreams. What can you offer?”

“There is a usual assortment for you, you can see for yourself. And there is nothing in particular for me. The food needs to be cook. And I suggest you help me with that”

“Help with the cooking? How?”

Having started some water to boiling, I brought the package of potatoes from the balcony, took a knife and a bowl, sat down on the kitchen floor and dropped the contents of the package between my stretched feet.

“Here are tubers, that need to be peeled and boiled, and then one can eat them. And to make it more interesting, let us engage in a competition and find out who will peel all this pile faster”

Having sat down opposite me, Luna took the bigger potato with her forelegs.

“How can I peel them?”

“Try to bite the skin thinly with your teeth. I usually throw the peels away, but if it is edible for you, you can eat it”

Rotating a potato in her hooves, the pony peeled the long stripe of its skin.

“It is edible, but it tastes bad”

“Then spit it out. Shall we begin?”

“Let’s go”

And so we began. Several seconds later, Luna dropped the first peeled potato into a bowl, and my potato followed hers. Having picked up a new tuber, I remembered an old, forgotten camp song and brought it back to life:

Hi, our dearest potato-tato-tato-tato
We pay our respect for you-you-you.
For a long time we’ve been waiting-waiting-waiting-waiting
Our dream meal to come true-true-true

The alicorn peeled tuber after tuber, her ears were waving cheerfully. When just a few potatoes have remained, I slowed down a little to let the princess take the last ones, so she could feel the joy of winning in this competition, which was quite new for her.

“O-of, I was quicker” - Luna laughed triumphantly.

“Excellent, my precious, you have done well. Now let us go to wash hands and feet”

Having placed the board across the bathtub, I sat down and began to wash my hands over a sink. Luna squatted on her hind legs and shoved her forelegs under a faucet.

“Could you give me that?..” - Luna asked.

“Soap?”

I gave. Holding a piece of soap between her hooves, the pony sniffed it all over and made an attempt to lick it.

“Hey, don’t. You cannot eat soap” - however, I did not take it from her, letting the pony decide for herself what to do.

Having placed the soap on her right hoof, Luna tried to rub her left leg. She was successful and washed her leg under the faucet with pleasure. Yet, when she later had tried to cover her right leg with soap, she failed to hold the piece and so the soap fell down under a toilet, having slipped out of her hooves. I managed to kick the piece out from under an outlet pipe with my foot.

“Ah!” - the alicorn pressed the soap to the floor with the hoof of her hind leg. And as soon as she moved, her catch slipped away from her under the bathtub. Having exchanged glances with me, Luna shrugged her shoulders perplexedly. I drove the soap out from under the bathtub using a besom, and found there a razor I had lost some time ago. At last we did washed Luna’s hooves, working together. Then I unwound the bandage on her right leg to check her injure.

“It has almost healed up. But a scar will probably remain as a reminder of that adventure in the humans’ world” - I ran my finger along glossy and gleaming pale-blue skin and met Luna’s eyes - “ What is important is that the wounds in your soul should be healed. They can be much more painful”

“I hope, they will close up too, while I am with you. We are looking great together, are we not?” - having hugged me a little, Luna looked in the mirror - “You are so epic and stern. It is hard to believe, that you are such a tender and caring person” - she ran her wet hoof over my moustache and beard, kissed my cheek and went out.

I put the soap back upon a shelf, fixed a shower, thinking of how I could replace “stereotypes about griffons” in the alicorn’s mind by something more neutral and closer to my cheetah core.

“Luna?” - I looked back. No, she was not in the bathroom. But it appeared to me, that I caught a glimpse of Luna’s dark reflection in the mirror for a second. To tell the truth, it somehow seemed too dark.

***

When I stepped into the kitchen, my first care was to look at the pot. The water began boiling already. Having sliced potatoes, Lairy poured them into the hot water and added salt.

”Let it boil. Meanwhile we shall discuss your spare time”

I followed him to the TV set. Having sat down on the floor, Lairy took a big box out of the bedside-table.

”Gr-r-r, why it is so freezing cold in here?!” - he growled sourly and reached his leg to iron pillars, which were sticking out of the corner - “And here we go again! The heating is shut down. Now I see, why I froze at night”

”So what happens now?” - having passed around the human, I touched the heating pillar with m hoof too. It was cold.

”Nothing happens. I have no control over the heating. I hope, that these problems are temporary and soon the heat will be on. But if this disconnection is for non-payment, we shall live wearing sweaters and sleep together on one bed. Would you mind getting warm with me, if that happens?”

”I can only hope, that it would not come to that” - My sigh was deliberately loud and sad. Actually, despite all Lairy’s assurances, I feared the perspective of founding myself in a bed with a human. I was afraid of being taken rudely, having my muzzle buried in the mattress. I was afraid of being forced to obey. Echoes of the bitter past were hurting me badly, tearing my memories and feelings. But I know firmly deep inside, that if Lairy call me, I will come. The way I came already at night.

Involuntarily, I recoiled from the tender touch of the fingers I felt on my neck. My look drifted down and I met the eyes of Cheetah. I saw in his eyes something I could not even imagine... there was no blind worship of a mythical deity, there was no desire to own an amusing toy, nothing like that. There was a confident, calm calling for being beside him, for walking together as equals.

”Luna, you are so sad. What is wrong?”

Tears came into my eyes. Unvoiced resentments were caught in my throat like a sticky disgusting lump. I felt like I was stuck in a bog up to the neck, having no strength to move.

I staggered and fell on my knees, bumped into Lairy and might have hit him painfully. Having fell, I unknowingly buried my muzzle in the folds of clothes covering his stomach.

”Luna?!” - the human exclaimed worryingly, supporting me with his arm, because I flopped down sideways.

”I am sorry” - I sobbed - “I am just so terribly tired after everything I had lived through. And I am not sure if I am worthy of being with you”

”I am amazed to hear such a heresy from you, Princess Luna” - having pushed the box aside, the human changed his place. He leaned against the door, which led to the balcony, and placed my head at his lap more comfortably - “It is a great honor for me to be with you and to help you. Are you not worthy of something? Mr-rpf, how did such demeaning thoughts come into your regal mind?”

”We suppose they came from the same ill-fated basement” - I gave a crooked grin, wheezing with my nose in the folds of the T-shirt. The warm air and the scent of the body were somewhat soothing - “Depressing environment and vile treatment, which did not suit Our person, had a significant influence on Our self-appraisal”

Lairy emitted some sound, which was half-moan and half-groan. I did not see his face and was not able to interpret his actions well, but I hoped that it was not a threat to me. His hands were caressing my head and my side slowly.

”What can I tell you, Princess? You are now in another place, with another person. You are loved, you are being cared for. Do you remember how many good things you experienced during your time here?”

”We do remember” - there was a dry ache in my throat. I did not expected my voice to sound so muffled and hoarsely.

”I know that the first experience is very important. Unfortunately you have a negative one, and that is so. You are afraid of me and of my possible malicious actions subconsciously. But...”

Lairy lifted my head, rested on his palms, so I was able to meet his eyes.

”Luna, you should separate your past experience from what is happening now. Yes, you were lonely, it was painful and hard, those days, filled with violence, shame and filth, were not the best in your life. But they had passed. You deserve everything that you are getting now because of your spirit and will power. You are worthy of everything around you. You are worth of being with me, of being loved and happy. Accept it, Princess”

I was looking at Lairy, as if I was being hypnotized. His words were like a balm for my wounds.

He leant closer to me. I laid my ears back, frightened, and strained myself involuntarily, having felt his breath on my lips. The heart was fluttering inside my chest like a captured bird. Lairy kissed me tenderly. Having sobbed, I closed my eyes, returning the kiss timidly. Bitter tears were running down my cheeks, taking the sorrows, pain and fear, which had been haunting me those days, with them. I felt ineffable relief, even strange void, which frightened me a bit. But the Cheetah knew what to fill that void with.

I sighed quietly as our lips separated. The tip of my tongue ran over m lips, feeling unfamiliar flavor. I looked at Lairy. His eyelashes became darker and cheetah-like stripes on his face were gleaming with wet. Having smiled, I wiped his tears with my wing.

”But why...” - I did not find the right question.

”Because I love you”

***

Kissing a mare was not the same thing as kissing a human. Luna was different in everything. She looked, thought and felt the other way. Caressing her lips, I had a feeling, that she began to relax, as if she was melting. Was she a fallen goddess, alien or unusual smart animal? It did not matter to me. I did not care what gender, color or race this creature was. I saw a living being, who was longing for support and love. She was licking her lips, looking at me with a bit of amazement, curiously. Will she slap me? Or will she want me to continue? Her wing touched my face. She seemed not knowing, what to ask me about. But how could I explain, what I was feeling towards her, being next to her? Maybe, she had never loved and did not know what it was like, so my actions were beyond her understanding. I smiled, pressing my cheek against her wing. She just had to accept that for what it was.

Having sat down, the princess hugged me, whispering some indecipherable tender words in m ear. I seemed to shock her again. I scratched her wing, where feathery covering was turning into velvet pelt. Luna clung to me with a sigh, embracing me hot and twice: with her forelegs and with her wings. Now I was caressing her wings and back with the both of my hands, it was a pleasure to hear the alicorn moaning and shivering, being exhausted with a sweet torture.

”That is eno-o-ough, Lairy” - the Moon Princess sobbed piteously - “You can drove me mad with exhaustion”

Finally I ran my fingertips slowly along her spine, making the mare arch up and wheeze, and then I lowered my hands. It was difficult for Luna to wove her numb limbs apart, as she felt down with her hooves up.

”I got a taste for it. From now on I am the Great Torturer of Equestrian Princesses!” - I announced with an intonation of a dictator and clawed Luna’s stomach with a sadistic grin. Having uttered a weak scream, she kicked, but her softened body almost did not respond. I scratched her tenderly from stomach to chin, feasting my eyes upon the helpless alicorn.

Having lifted her head, Luna shot me an imploring look, which could touch the heart of the most hardened villain. But I was not a villain at all, so her glance did not make due impression on me. Having caressed the edges of shivery nostrils, I took away my hand to the pony’s indescribable relief.

”O-of, it is dangerous to get involved with you”

”Don’t you say, that you did not like it, unless I will do it again” - having brought a pillow from the sofa, I place it under Luna’s ears.

”No-no, that is enough!” - Luna waved her forelegs in protest - “You can scratch a griffon to the death”

”How is it possible, hm?” - I sat down on the floor next to Luna

”That is how” - I heard her blissful sigh - “He will fall dead after your caressing and will never get up again. Or did Celestia asked you secretly to torture me? So I would not put myself out the next two weeks?” - having winked, the alicorn prodded me in the ribs with her elbow.

”No, Tia has nothing to do with it. I came up with this activity myself” - having the pony’s leg under my arm, I felt her hoof all over and massaged it. It was hard along the edges, but quite soft and elastic in the middle, giving an impression of some “sucker”. Maybe that was how Luna could manage to hold items with her hooves.

”That is a good activity, a pleasurable one” - the alicorn nosed - “Is it a smell of our breakfast?”

”Yes, we are going to eat soon. But now...” - having leant over Luna, I pulled the box closer and took several cassettes out of it - “... let us return to discussing your spare time. These are the records of films about cheetahs. To keep you from boredom, while I am at work, I suggest you watch them and learn about my congeners and also about me. All the cassettes have the same label, so remember it and you will not make a mistake about the theme of the film. And unlike “Crin blanc” those films tell about the real wild life, beautiful, severe, cruel”

Luna was taking the cassettes out and examining them, lying on her side. I shook one cassette out of its case, showed Luna the label with an inscription “Cheetahs” stuck to it. The pony nodded.

”You can watch everything I have, there is plenty of anything inside the end-table. But bear in mind, that some of the films could be not for your taste”

”Can you give me an example?”

Having given it a thought, I dug up the cassette with “Terminator”.

”Well, this is about the nature, humans and horses” - I showed Luna the cassette with “Black Stallion”, then gave her the “killer cyborg” - “And there is only war, devastation, murders. And there is almost no point in watching something like that”

”I see. And, Lairy, did I hurt you much, when I fell down?”

”I was not so much hurt as I was shocked”

”I am sorry” - having given me a confounded smile, Luna touched my head with her hoof.

”It was nothing. Let us go to the kitchen”

I stirred the boiled potatoes, standing in front of the stove. The pony bent closer to the saucepan, sniffing.

”Where is your nose getting into?”

”My nose wants to ask a question. Is it done already?”

”Does it want the answer to hit it on the nose?” - I waved the spoon menacingly - “There is a boiled water with a temperature of hundred degrees. The last thing you need for a complete set of adventures is to scald yourself”

Having pushed Luna away, I poured the water out.

”Do you want to take part?”

”Yes”

”That is good. Add the butter there, please” - I put the saucepan on the table.

Luna got into the refrigerator with her inherent enthusiasm. While looking for the butter, she hit one of the shelves on the door with her horn accidentally and -bump- a chicken egg broke against the floor.

”Me and my horn, we should be warned” - the princess said sourly in a sing-song voice. Having placed the butter on the table, she put away the shells and licked the floor clean. Having unwrapped the butter, she bit several pieces off and threw them into the saucepan.

”Hold still” - I asked gently and wiped the alicorn’s lips with a towel.

”Thank you”- Luna’s smile shined, when she sat down at the table.

”And now we just have to wait, till our food cool a bit on plate” - I rhymed, filling the plates with potatoes - “Do you want sour cream or ketchup added?”

”I want both of them”

I gave pony a spoon, a jar of sour cream and ketchup. Taking advantage of Luna’s attention being occupied with her fight against a spoon, which she held with her teeth by handle, trying to draw the sour cream out of the jar, I concocted something quickly and put the cups in the stove to heat.

Having spread the potatoes out over her plate, Luna seasoned one half with sour cream and another half with ketchup. I was even intrigued, how was she going to eat that? I threw the pieces of cheese over it to diversify the taste of her meal. Meanwhile, my treat became warm and I put the cup in front of Luna.

Deft move of the pony’s leg wound her long locks and tossed them over her shoulder to keep the mane from getting into the food. At first she ate potatoes with ketchup, and spicy seasoning surely made her thirsty. Luna took a sip from the cup, which she was holding in her hooves. However the alicorn’s nose suspected that something was wrong. Having thrown a glance at me above the cup, she smelled it again.

”Well, “Discord”, declare, what have you mixed in to my drink?”

”Try it, do not be afraid” - I grinned slyly - “My cup has exactly the same mix”

”Hm-m-m, okay” - she took a mouthful carefully. The Princess’ eyes grew round with amazement, her shivering ears flattened against her head.

”It’s a nigh... my mane even rose” - she sighed and drank some more, narrowing her eyes in pleasure - “It is excellent, just excellent. Share a secret, what is it? “

I put a couple of jars on the table and placed a teaspoon upon them like a bridge.

”It is a coffeecoa. You need a cup of hot water, one spoon of coffee and two spoons of cocoa. Then mix it thoroughly and drink while it hot”

”Thank you, the taste is very pleasant and it is invigorating. My stomach feels so good and warm inside, o-o-oh” - having moved the plate closer to her, Luna began to shovel up potatoes very heartily.

”I have to go to work soon. I will come back it the evening. You have got something to do while I am away: origami, video, music. And I want to stipulate some limitations for you. Keep in mind, what I will say, please”

”I am listening” - the pony waved her ear expressively.

”The electricity, water, heat - all of those are chargeable. In order to keep me from paying more than usual, you should use them frugally. Turn on the light only when you really need it. To switch on the lamp by day is a nonsensical waste of energy. When you finish watching video and listening to the music you should turn them off. Concerning the water, you can drink only the boiled water from the kettle. It is dangerous to drink water from the faucet, you can fall seriously ill. You have to see that all the faucets are closed well and the water is not running”

”Gee... is the sun or the air chargeable as well?” - Luna stared at me, so surprised, that she had even stopped chewing.

”The sun is shining for everyone and the air is still free too”

”O-of, and I did imagined such a horrible picture”

”Well, that’s all. In fact, I do not deny you anything. But everything you do should be done quietly, or people can become interested in music, television and someone’s steps sounding inside a supposedly empty apartment. And the curiosity of humans never leads to something good. You know without me, that you should better not to walk out of the door as well”

”I know”

I clearly overdid it with my helping of food. I did not want to finish eating it, so I put the pieces of potatoes, which had left, to the Luna’s plate.

”Thank you. But I am full now” - the alicorn drank coffeecoa up.

”You can finish eating it later, when you are hungry”

Having put away the crockery, I kissed the pony on the crown of the head and said, that I would be waiting for her in the living room.

”Did you want to see me?” - the princess sat down on the sofa.

”I wanted to see, hear, smell and touch you” - I stroked her shoulder with a smile - “Here, I am attuning the television for you”

”And what is on there?”

”The same as on the video. There are good, interesting channels and programs, and there are middling ones. The television is not only the entertainment for you, but also a way to find out more about our world without leaving the house”

I moved “Disсovery”, “Animal planet”, “National Geographic”, “Culture”, “Cartoon network” to the first positions, explaining to her what was being shown on each channel. There was a program about outer space on “Disсovery” and Luna asked to keep this channel on. Taking into account, how many years the alicorn spent in the Moon, looking at the stars, her interest in the cosmic theme was easy to explain.

”So, princess, I entrust you with my apartment. You are in charge here”

”And how can I pause this?” - Luna wondered.

”The channel? You cannot. The pause is for the video only”

”I see” - the pony rubbed her cheek against mine. I caressed her head and neck - “Thank you, Lairy. Good luck to you”

My beloved escorted me to the door. Her sadness, caused by parting, could be seen, but she understood the reason behind this temporary separation and took it as a matter of course.

The weather outside struck me as the kingdom of the Snow Queen. There was thick-falling snow, the strong wind almost knocked me down. When I have reached the garage, I was happy to get into the warm cabin of “Passat”, being in the habit of driving out with time to spare. The trip was going to be a long one.

I reached the first crossroad. Snow-clearing vehicles were crawling by like tanks, with strained howling and rumble. They needed only a couple of laser guns to leave all Terminators without their jobs. Having taken a thin pack of “Stimorol” from the control panel, I chewed the last dried-up gum and threw the wrapper into the blizzard. Maybe I should offer Luna some food from our world? But it would better be tastier than this murderous gum. I drove off again.

The next crossroad was there. I relaxed, waiting for the green light. A few people were crossing the road. The muzzle of grunting “KamAZ” was staring at the stern of my car, and the square rear of articulated “Icarus” spattered with mud, obscured the front view. Sitting by the window there was some bored little girl wearing blue cap. She grimaced at me and stuck her tongue out, but I ignored her antics. Pray tell, where on the earth could they drive with this kid? Everyone stay at home watching TV in this kind of weather. Yeah, Lunawaswatchingittoo.There were no dogs, cats or even birds, only humans were roaming about. I wondered, what would a pegasus do, if it was to be caught out by a blizzard? I should ask a princess about it.

As I was driving closer to the parking lot, I gazed out over my colleagues’ cars, which were unrecognizable, covered with snow. Okay, so my car would be the third from the right, no recognizing would be needed. I spat the chewing gum out into a trashcan near the entrance.

I was stopped by the bored security guard in the corridor. The sounds of shooting could be heard from the “Tetrisor” game in his hands.

“Do you have a cigarette, striped one?”

“I do not smoke”

“You are the third not-smoking guy his morning. Did you sign up to the Ministry of Health, one and all?”

“I do not know about the others, but I am not working in any Ministry”

“Okay, move along”

I opened my study. The furniture here has been unchanged for a long time, consisting of a cabinet, a rack, a desk, two chairs, a hard bunk. The colour of the walls was light-greenish and cheerless. The bright incandescent “light bulb of Ilych” almost caused pain to the eyes. The clock on the wall had a form of a mermaid, who was pregnant with a dial, which looked so vulgar, that there was always summertime according to it - no one wanted to turn the clock back, and the battery was being changed once in three years. The barred window had bars thick as fingers. Obviously it was a ground floor. An ancient radio set “Ocean-209” was living its last years on a window-sill. Having been mended with insulating tape across its frame, it looked like it was threatening to break into little pieces of transistors from only an incautious glance. It turned on spontaneously from time to time, starting the incoherent radio broadcast, interspersed with agonizing howls and death-rattle. I gave it a nickname «Caution» inwardly.
A rack creaked, but agreed to hold my jacket. Having switched the table lamp on, I sat down, flicked through the notebook till the current date, made a mark in the timetable. The client was going to arrive soon. There was nothing to do, so I began to draw Luna on the closest blank sheet, recalling the look of her eyes after that “warming” kiss.

Would she be able to recover, having been traumatized so much? Her behaviour comprised of ascents and landings. Although, no. Those landings were more like “tailspins”. Sometimes she was gaining dizzying height, being caught up by the wind of happiness. The other times she was falling down in a flash, as if she had lost her wings, being left with no hope for salvation. Uncertainty and fear cut her down literally. I rubbed my forehead, being lost in thoughts. Still, she became calmer, than she was on the first day, not so wary and fearful anymore. Especially after ABBA’s songs, it was a true pleasure to look at Luna.

Someone’s heavy steps sounded behind the door. I gave a start and looked at it. Having trampled a little, the person went away. Footsteps receded at the end of the corridor. I bent my head over the notebook again.

So, what should I do with Luna now? Before my leaving, she kissed me on the cheek, so gently and modestly. Should I keep courting her and flirting to help her wipe from the memory all the terrible things she had endured before our meeting? Or should I start moving away little by little, hold some distance and wait until she would calm down by herself without my help? One should fight fire with fire. That is true, but how could I know what side to approach from, rambling in the shadows of another person’s soul? Especially, when that soul is...

The door had swept open so suddenly, that I jumped up. A snow-covered man stood in the doorway.

”Damn that blizzard. The busses have almost stopped running because of it. No wonder, I am late” - he grumbled, brushing the snow from his fur hat and taking the coat off.

”Gr-rh” - I breathed out, putting the notebook away - “Come in, Ivan. You are not too late, only ten minutes have passed”

The chair creaked under the massive body. Having clenched his thick hands, Ivan leaned on the table and looked around, as if he was searching for something. Despite being just in his middle thirties, he looked much older, tired and unkempt. His eyes with a heavy dim look were drifting around the room without focusing on anything.

Having picked a pack of “Prima” from the drawer, I pushed it to him across the table. Ivan’s hands moved slightly, as if they wanted to unclench.

”No, I have had enough of this filth”

”Well, did you have your way with the divorce?” - I swept the cigarettes back into the drawer.

”I had no way, to put it dully. For the third week I have been living by myself, eating spaghetti, recalling the pleasures of a bachelor’s life. Yeah, and also my heath is reduced, the USD exchange rate is increased”

I swear, after seeing a lively Luna’s muzzle, this human’s face seemed to me as expressive as a brick.

”How is your back?”

”My back feels the same as my shoulders and my butt. Everything is damned! Except for the work, but I still feel like a robot doing it. I could sleep there in the closet, just not to return home”

”Ivan, even if the married life did not work out for you, you must be healthy out of respect for your own life. If you leave your spine untreated, it will wreck you”

The look of “working drone’s” eyes fixed on my face.

”Alas, I am a sluggard, and I admit that honestly. While I am able to move - I will do nothing. Damn it, I have no time for anything like that. If I have to choose between sleeping and exercising, I will definitely choose sleeping anytime. I may try it on my leave, but I cannot be sure... it is no use to treat that, all I need is to live quietly, without trying to move mountains”

”Yeah...” - I took the pencil out of the glass and moved it in front of Ivan’s face.

”So that is what my conscience sounds like. Well, I am ashamed... and lazy... and how that can be solved?” - the man shrugged his shoulders without unclenching the hands.

”Try to imagine that one fine day, a minute you can crack and lose both your legs and spine. Will you enjoy that, pu-u-ur-r?” - I broke the pencil theatrically, with a crackle. Its halves rattled against the table.

”I will not enjoy that one bit. But I will have the time and, most importantly, an incentive, to improve my health at least. Living without legs? Honestly, it is horrifying just to think of that. The lack of movement will drive me mad”

”But when that happens, it will be too late to exercise. You see, your own laziness will be your doom”

”You are right about that. I need to trample to the hospital and solve the problems... before it is too late. And may the kick give me speed. Then I will get down to my back and other places”

”I can kick you every day with the phone calls. It does not tire me”

”I am sure of that” - Ivan smiled at the first time since we started this conversation - “But in such brass monkey weather I will not go anywhere at 6 a.m. When the March will arrive and the spring will come, I will be sitting on the butt in my car again... only then I will start touring the hospitals. But as for now - no-o, I do not want to do that”

”I have one or two slackers like you in my eye. And you are lucky that it is winter now outside. If it was spring, I would give you some good drills on the parade-ground!”

”Are you a control freak? Would you be building a hell of everyone ? What a drag...”

”Yes, I would”

”It gives me food for thoughts. And I cannot do “building”, I do not have a knack for that. But I am not good at obeying orders. I am a convinced detached loner. I walk by myself and live of my own accord”

”Convinced detached loners will be convinced to be detached alone!”

”I prefer to stay in the second row, so that no one sees me, thank you very much”

”The second row! Step forward!” - I commanded harshly.

Ivan started waving his hands:

”No-o, I will only step aside to follow secret tracks through vegetable gardens”

”And you must be in the hospital after work tomorrow, being examined. I do not care about brass monkey weather. I have your phone number, so I will call you tomorrow and make sure of that”

”Aren’t you a real commander, lieutenant Marsh!” - the man spread his hands in surprise - “Usually the main characters detour”

”And the unusual main characters go on tour along the usual road, in anxiety and variety. Of ways “

”I cannot argue with you. I do not want anxiety, I want peace and quiet”

”The best decision is to do, what you are told, silently. Then there will be instant peace and quiet”

”There will be instant problems. I even contradict my boss and grumble at work. I am out of control by principle, until I control myself. So, what is next?” - Ivan leaned back in the chair. Having been heated by a verbal duel, he looked much livelier and was ready if not to take action, but at least to do his best to avoid taking action and responsibility.

”I had already told you why you must take control of your life”

”Yeah... because this is my normal life. And you are 120% right... I know”

”Even stray cats understand when people wish well to them. Because cats HAVE BRAINS” - I pointed at my forehead with the finger.

”Well... I cannot complain of the brains, but in my case they come with immense rebelliousness. And it does not matter that it does myself wrong. What a stupid disposition”

”Thus it appears that a hedge-born cat is smarter than so-called “homo sapiens”, who is willing to die just to BE LAZY till the very last breath! Wicked ! End of the line . Darwin and his famous Theory of Evolution go south!”

I raised my hand in a well-known gesture of the Communist Leader, pointing at the wall, behind which, supposedly, was the aforementioned south and some Theory was wandering in the jungle far away.

”It seems so”

”Okay, now go and take care of yourself, while there is still someone to take care of” - I put the halves of the pencil together.

Ivan burst out laughing.

”Yes, but it can wait until the spring... well, there is brass monkey weather, you know. And, by the way, Lairy, do you live in the country?”

”No, I live in the apartment. Why did you think so?” - I was surprised. “Because...” - Ivan’s nose sucked in a breath loudly - “You smell like a stable and the horse”.

***

“Oh, Cosmos you are Cosmos, indeed” - I sighed, when the broadcast about the outer space came to an end. I started to listen to the next program about the pyramids of Ancient Egypt, but lost interest quickly. I felt thirsty and, having turned the television off, went to the kitchen.

Having put the bowl of juice into the oven, I smiled. It was nice to know, that had learned something new. While taking the box away, I fixed my eyes on the freezer without any intent. Well, I freaked out really hard because of that meat. And the reason was that when I had found myself in this world and had been wandering in search for help, I looked through the window of some house and saw how treacherous and foul a human being could be, luring a living creature, who trusted him completely, just to kill it. At that moment I felt ineffable horror. What could have stopped someone from doing the same to me, when I was relaxed after the bath? Having approached from behind, he could throw back my head and slash my neck with a knife. The end. I had no magic to heal the wound . There would have been just a short excruciating agony and then death. O-o-oh...

Having shut the refrigerator, I pressed my cheek to the cool door. What was I thinking about again? After this caring, cordiality and tenderness, the respect, that Lairy showed me in word and deed... was I still afraid of him? Did I still look on him as an enemy? He had proved many times that I could trust him. He promised not to hurt me, and that was not an empty promise, he justified his words. He made them as clear as a bell. But it was so painful and difficult to forget the past... it was difficult even to think a bit less about it, let alone to forget. I heard a ring. My ear moved involuntarily.

I took the bowl, lay down on the table with my legs and tail tucked underneath me. I ate several leaves from the glass, which was standing on a window-sill, and began to sip the juice through the straw, looking at the raging snowfall outside, trying to restore the peace of mind.

”In another place, with another person”

How different was Lairy from the others? Was his behavior typical for humans in general or not? Would he care for me if I was not an alicorn, but an Earth pony? Or a human? No-no, I even did not want to imagine that. But how else could I get to know him better, understand his reasons? Hm, he had told me about the video. Let’s take a look.

Having looked through several video tapes about the cheetahs, I chose one randomly. The symbol at the end of each inscription was different. It could probably be a sequence number, but it was of no help to me.

I had been turning the cassette over and over in my hooves, trying to recall what was needed to be done next. I did not want to make a mistake and damage something. Well, the gaps were on top and the moving side was in front. I inserted the cassette carefully and it bumped against yet another video tape. Lairy had not taught me how to extract them, had he? It seemed that he had not. But I remembered, that on my first day, when I was exploring the house, I managed to make the videotape recorder throw a cassette out somehow. But, frankly speaking, I knew nothing about its purpose at that time.

I examined the panel closely. What did I press there, was it an angle with a small line? That was right, the box clicked, having given its contents away without arguing. I laughed contentedly, put the unneeded video tape away and inserted mine.

”Cheetahs are the quickest land predators, ideally suited for high-speed running. A cheetah is capable of accelerating to one hundred ad fifteen kilometers per hour in a few seconds”

I did not see the narrator, this male voice was coming from somewhere else. But the cheetahs were shown to me instead. They were very close, I could take a good look at every hair, every spot. When some animal turned its head towards me, I froze instinctively, trying to stay unnoticed. I was under the continuous impression that an animal could jump out of the TV set into the room anytime. It was strange, there was no such illusion in the case of the outer space. Everything, which was being shown then, seemed to me unbelievably far and thus unreal. And the congeners of Lairy were just a few steps away from me.

”So that is what he looked like once” - I was examining a stately predator - “Why has he become a human now?”

The longer I was looking, the more similarities I kept noticing. Of course, a human could not match an elegant gracefulness of a cat, but I saw now, that many things in the behavior of cheetahs had a lot in common with Lairy’s behavior as well: their curiosity, intense stare, calm definite movements, constant readiness to give a chase. The group of five adult animals was being shown, and I found out that endearment, love and thoughtful attitude towards fellow creatures are peculiar to cheetahs as well. These five could barely take a single step without rubbing against each other, licking the muzzles, touching others with their paws.

”Ah, here is an earbite” - I burst out laughing , when one of the cheetahs, while caressing the other’s head with its tongue, bit an ear gently and then licked it clean on the inside. For some reason earlier I thought, that Lairy was clinging to me constantly only because of my “unusual appearance”. I could not even assume, that it was simply in his character. Now I realized, that he actually acted like an animal, following his nature and instincts, but at the same time this animal was affectionate, sympathetic and caring. The same could not have been said about Al...

”Do not go back!” - I cut the reflections short, refusing to allow the dark thoughts to invade my mind again.

There was a plain being shown, seared by the sun. The trees and bushes grow sparsely on it.

”A troop of impala antelopes is heading southeast, passing the acacias, where the predators are having their rest” - the invisible storyteller continued his narrative - “And we will witness one of the most exiting spectacles - the cheetahs’ hunting”

I did not like that bit of the last sentence. I imagined being grabbed with the clawed paws “spectacularly”, and that made me feel a little uncomfortable.

Having formed a long line, these large cats walked round the herd leisurely, upwind. They were not masking their presence, while examining the antelopes with an idle interest. One of the animals lay down, the others kept walking, without even looking back at it. Impalas dashed aside - the cheetah, which has lain in hiding, scared them and it scared me as well. I nearly jumped out of my seat on the sofa. The troop broke into a run. Following it in a cloud of yellow dust, the silhouettes of swift hunters flashed by. For a moment the landscape was empty, and then a running impala appeared, being chased by three predators.

I was watching with growing tension, my breathing became heavy and the heart sped up on its own. Being worrying for the antelope ardently, I wished it to fling off the pursuers. The gossamer of hope snapped, when two more cheetahs appeared suddenly, having snatched the prey from the roundup. The antelope dodged, but fresh cats, bursting with strength, overtook it easily and brought the impala down, having slashed its hind legs with their claws.

I pressed a hoof to my lips, sucking back a scream of disenchantment and horror. The impala got up, but five cheetahs restrained it together, having grabbed a hold of its legs, sides and neck. The blood seeped from numerous wounds, the antelope was still struggling, standing in the deadly embrace of the predators. I could neither close my eyes nor look away. The cruel scene paralyzed me, having riveted my look upon it.

”Come on, break free, ran away!” - I whispered, unaware of the tears, running down my cheeks. If only I could help it somehow...

One of the cheetahs was tearing the hip, the other was clutching the neck in a rigid hard grip, the third one sank its fangs into withers. The weakened victim fell on its knees and was thrown down. The sun was fading away slowly in the black eyes.

They kill in order to survive, I remembered Lairy’s words. Did it mean that now they would?..

My terrifying guess has been confirmed. The predators rip impala’s groin and belly open, the blood poured onto the ground, the guts fell out.

”E-e-e-k!” - my stomach lurched, burning sourness stuck in the throat.

”No, anywhere but here!” - fighting the dizziness and weakness, I rushed headlong to the bathroom. My nose had almost struck the edge of the wall at a turn. I was wobbly. My legs were shaking, but still I managed to reach the water closet before I felt completely sick. Having fallen flat to the floor, I lolled my head over the toilet and threw up violently. My mind reeled, the body was shaking as though in a fever, some loathsome sour mash with chewed bits of leaves was gushing from my throat.

”O-o-oe-e-eh-h-h” - my head was bad, the hooves were trembling, the body became feeble and empty, as if it was I who was flayed and disemboweled. Having spat the slime out, I crawled away from the toilet and pressed my back against the cold wall. Something stuck to my chest. I turned on the light and examined myself. My mane was stained with some muddy yellow spew. F-r-r-r, that was disgusting! Leaning against the edge of the bath, I managed to stand up and started to wash the tresses clean. It was good, that the spew was only on the mane and not all over me and on the carpet to boot. That would be the most abject of me. And I would have to explain myself to Lairy, telling him that his films about nature make me sick.

Having wiped my mane dry, I peered around the corner with caution. What was on the picture ? The horrible feast was continuing there . The cheetahs thrust their blood-stained muzzles into the victim’s body, ripping the innards out and gnawing the flesh off the ribs. Having hiccupped loudly, I turned away and slumped against the wall.

Celestia... what a cruel world I have found myself in! I wanted to scream with pain and despair. I burst out sobbing bitterly, giving loose to my emotions. I felt so sorry for the deceased impala. I did not know how long I had been sitting like that. It was like I had slipped out of the time and space. An intense burning in the eyes woke me up. Having washed my face and having wiped the tears from my chest, I felt thirsty, but remembered that it was not safe to drink water out of the faucet. I trudged to the kitchen and took a long pull at a kettle, drinking out of a spout. Having climbed up on the sofa with great difficulty, I stared at the TV set with a dull apathy. The gorged cats with rounded bellies were lying in the shade of a tree there and were purring contentedly, while licking the blood from each other’s muzzles. I found myself so completely exhausted, that I would not have been able to react if I was shown another murder right now. Having turned the cassette recorder off on my second attempt, I got under the blanket, hoping to get some sleep. And as soon as my eyes closed, I fell down into the vortex of unconsciousness.

***

Some strange crackle disturbed my ear. The air was humid with a smell of a storm. Staying still, I looked around watchfully. There was a mass of heavy thunderclouds around me. They were turning, rolling, occasionally letting a lightning fall with a crack. The sun could not be seen, but the light was coming from somewhere far below and it was bright enough.

I was lying in a strange corridor, made from clouds, which were stretching out into infinity. Having cast a glance both ways, I walked at hazard in the direction, which my head had been facing initially, avoiding bumping into the clouds whenever possible. I ducked, letting a swollen cloud pass by, and at that moment I heard the crackle right above my ear and my horn felt a faint surge of pricking energy. Having looked at the horn, I saw a lightning quivering on its tip.

"Ah, fie!" - I shook my head, the lightning died out. Having crouched, I moved away carefully, trying not to invite a new discharge over my head.

The corridor was widening gradually and ended with a dead end in the form of a huge white cloud. I touched it with my nose and hoof - it turned out to be soft and pliable. I tried to step through it, but the cloud flew apart with a deafening thunder and, having lost my footing, I slipped into the void.

"A-a-argh!" - having turned over several times without managing to spread my wings out properly, I splashed into the hot water. The heat was bearable, but the prospect of being stewed in my own juice slowly did not appeal to me, so, having floundered about for a bit, I came to the surface. My hair and feathers were soaked with water, bulging and dragging me under. However, the hooves could not find any foothold, and it probably was very deep down there.

There was a grey fog around. It was so dense, that I could not see beyond the end of my nose. Rowing with my legs vigorously in order to keep myself afloat, I used the spell "Clear path", but the fog became even thicker. I could swear, that it began to approach me from every direction with a menacing low sound. Vague, pale silhouettes of some creatures were wandering in the fog, encircling me in their round dance. When they were turning their heads towards me, I could see that there were dark blurred ovals instead of their eyes and mouths.

"Oh, back off... I am sorry, but I find your company unnerving" - I muttered, having made the "path" spell stronger, adding the "Fair weather breeze" to it. The fog crawled away reluctantly, the outline of the shore became visible behind me, and I swam there, having lifted the logged wings onto my back.

The thought about changing the fabric of a dream or teleporting ashore was cast away instantly. I found myself not in "my own" dream, so any changes could lead to unpredictable consequences for the dreaming person and for me. Besides, I wanted to get out of here on my own, not just teleport from one point of the space to another. Lastly, if I did not like the dream at all, I would be able to leave it at any moment. So I rowed hard towards the shore, hoping, that there were no creatures nearby, who would like to treat themselves with my legs and tail.

The gloomy weather-beaten cliffs were closing in upon water. I put my forelegs on the low edge of the bluff, feeling the rustle of small sharp stones. Suddenly the golden glow enveloped my hooves. Spreading fast over the legs and body, it wrapped round me, like the thinnest silk, which was woven with the warm rays of the summer sun.

"Let me help you, Luna" - Celestia came from behind the rock, her horn was radiating a soft glow.

"Have you seen everything?"

"Your "splashing" into the thermal spring was the most epic, little sister. Of course, I could not miss such a sight"

The white alicorn lifted me with telekinesis and, having kissed my nose, put me next to her. Her magic was not only moving me, but also helped me to dry. Without lifting the fabric of the spell, which was being cast, Celestia changed its structure.

"Actually, everything is much simpler. I felt, that something was wrong, and I fell asleep right during an important meeting, willing to help you. I hope no one will replace the documents, while I am sleeping. In any case, if something happens, everyone gathered will have to deal with me profoundly and for a long time" - the sovereign of the country of colourful ponies grinned.

"Thank you, sister. Everything is so bad for me" - I sighed.

"It is not comfortable here among the rocks" - Celestia looked around - "Let us move to more pleasant dream, where you will be able to tell me about your miseries, if you want to. The meeting will last very long and it, basically, does not require my extensive involvement, so I can sleep for quite a while"

"Well..." - having closed my eyes tightly, I focused.

"And where are we now?" - Tia inquired.

"I have found one of Lairy's dreams. It is a personal dream of his home"

"Is he not asleep now?"

"It is daytime, he is at work. And I am sleeping there" - I pointed to the sofa - "I am sure no one will interfere with us there"

"It is an interesting setting" - Celestia walked up and down the room, examining the pictures, furniture and the shelves of the cabinet - "The totemism is strongly pronounced: wherever one’s glance rests, there are cheetahs. And at the same time there are almost no items of personal power. There is nothing, which would have Lairy's energy concentrated upon it. It feels like he has no need of such objects at all. However, it can actually be that way"

"Let us go, I will give you a treat"

Tia was watching me heating the glasses of juice in the oven closely.

"What is saddening you?" - she asked, when we lay down on the sofa, holding the glasses with telekinesis.

"It is not easy to tell" - I sighed - "Showing it will be simpler. I warn you, you must watch without taking any measures like shooting with magic"

"Come on" - Tia laughed - "I can cast a statue spell on myself, but then you will have to disenchant me"

I had to use magic to find the remote control, which was rooted firmly in the floor under the sofa.

"Lairy suggested, that I should watch some movies about cheetahs to learn more about them and about him as well. Well, I had watched, I had learned, and I felt very bad afterwards"

Celestia was watching the video silently, frowning from time to time and taking sips from the glass. I was just lying, having closed my eyes and covered my ears. I had no desire to go through all of that for the second time. Finally, the sister touched my muzzle with her hoof.
"It is enough"

Having turned the movie off with a relief, I looked at Tia expectantly.

"Did I get it right, that you were disturbed very much by the act of killing and devouring of an antelope?"

"I was not just disturbed. That horror made me vomit" - having fiddled with the glass, I shove it between the cushions.

"Luna... there is nothing unusual about that"

"I agree. It is absolutely normal, anyone can throw up at the sight of..." - having swallowed, I pulled the glass out and took a sip.

"I am saying, that there is nothing unusual about killing to eat in overwhelming majority of developed worlds, which have division into herbivores and carnivores, including even Equestria"

"Wha-a-ath-ha?!" - I choked over the juice and lost my ability to think and speak for a moment - "What did you say?" - I rubbed my eyes, wiping away the tears.

"Perhaps, it will also be easier for me to show you instead of telling" - Celestia's horn lit up, she moved her wing, dissipating the dream. The walls of the apartment disappeared, we were standing in the middle of the plain - "Let us stroll a little"

We were walking slowly, knee-deep in the thick grass. Having bent, Tia plucked several blades of grass. I followed her example.

"You probably know, Luna, that there are many other living creatures in Equestria besides ponies, some are magical, the others are ordinary, and many of them are predators like snakes, owls, dogs, cats, tree wolves, manticores, cheetahs"

I gave a start at the mention of Lairy's congeners.

"As for the food, Lairy is right, when he is telling, that if you eat in a dream, you will be full in reality as well. Of course, we are not talking about absolute satiety, but you can really feel much better. Well, let us look at what the predators eat"

Having flown past over the alicorns' heads without making any noise, an owl caught a mouse. A cheetah rushed after a deer at some distance. And a manticore was watching this chase, lying in the grass.

"As you can see, Luna, if we are talking about predators in nature, the Earth world is not crueler, than the world of Equestria"

"But it is disgusting to see all of that up close"

"It happens at times, that large predators eat ponies as well" - Celestia plucked a mouthful of grass again and looked around. The manticore has gone somewhere else.

"Huh?" - it could not be said, that I was delighted by the news.

"And what is the difference between a pony and any other meat? There is none. Lunie, you should accept the fact, that you also can become someone's food. Alas. You are the princess in one world, but in the other world someone can eat you, without asking your name or title, without showing proper signs of respect, but with simple and artless pressure of their teeth on your throat"

"Tia, I have already almost been in the role of meat, you need not tell me that again" - I cast a short disapproving glance at my sister.

"I am sorry if I offended you somehow. But that is all that I wanted to tell you. Let us go back"

The manticore flapped her leathery wings abruptly, expressing disappointment. Large ponies, which she sneaked up to so craftily, have disappeared. However it was possible to look for a spotted one and take the meat away from him.

Sitting on the sofa, I looked at the white alicorn walking slowly, thinking about something. Having stood in front of the opened cabinet for a bit, she lifted one of the cheetah figures with magic.

"Lairy's dreams are very detailed, saturated and deep. Did you pick it up in reality?" - Tia turned toward me.

"Yes"

"There is just a tiny trace of your energy on it" - having smiled slightly, the princess put the cheetah on the shelf and closed the cabinet - "I want to talk about your friend"

I moved a little away on the sofa, letting Tia have a half of it.

"Luna, I had very little time to think over everything you had shown me the last night and to draw any valid logical conclusions. Still you have a right to know my opinion, even if it is just a fleeting glance on the surface of it. And I can be mistaken"

"Tell me everything, you deem necessary to say, sister"

"Lairy's love for you is very unusual. I looked through all your worries and conversations again, reread everything, they were able to find for me in the library about interracial and interspecific relationships. There was not much to be gathered. Those were either memoirs of those, who were desperate enough to challenge the fate and opposed the circumstances and society, or records about marriages of convenience, which were meant to solve some national problems. Your case is different. Lairy does not have any complicated lines of destiny in his relationship with you. He is not interested in politics as well, unless you offered him a snug berth at the royal court in exchange for his love"

"Tia, I am not like that"

"I know. That is why I do not even consider such versions as bribery. And I simply do not have any other versions. I did not expect such turn of events, it is difficult for me to imagine the development of your relationships. I have nothing to add to the words, which you have already heard from Lairy. He loves you just because you are with him and you let him express his love. Frankly speaking, I am also confused by some of his actions, but I have understood the reason. What we know as the rituals of sexual courting are just caresses with no relation to sex for Lairy. And I feel calm. The main thing is, that he does not abuse and demean you. That was my greatest fear"

"Well, I have already been in his bed" - I smiled sweetly.

Celestia's muzzle became stony, her whole body tensed, so I was really scared for Lairy.

"Kick my croup!" - finally Celestia exhaled hoarsely - "He did that too! What has he done to you?!"

"He caressed my withers, back and wings" - I answered calmly - "And there was nothing like "that", which you were thinking about"

Suddenly the alicorn's snow-white wings fell on the sofa with a muffled rustling. Tia's look was sad and tired.

"Luna, do not scare me like that"

"I am sorry" - having sobbed, I hugged the sister impulsively.

"Still, tell me what has happened between you?"

I retold her events of the last morning.

"He has impudence and charm, straightforwardness and civility, persistence and complaisance. What an amazing combination of qualities" - Celestia whispered - "Lairy could have been the first stallion at the court even without trying much"

"If he had wanted to have his way with me, I would have already given in yesterday. I have had no strength to resist after the "ear bite"

"I believe you, Luna. From physiological point of view you are a mare, female, and I can suspect, that you are desired by him"

"Desired? Me?" - I was so surprised, that it made me gasp for air. Could I really have heard that from my sister?

"Luna, there is no need to wear such a sincerely innocent expression on you muzzle" - Tia snorted and pulled my ear with magic - "From the beginning of my collaboration with Lairy I had to consider the probability of the second raping of you after your release from the basement. But I knew that in Lairy's case that probability was minimal"

"Why?"

"His response to my request to save you was very expressive and unambiguous. When he found out, how you had been treated, he became frenzied"

"Well..." - I tried to imagine a "frenzied" Lairy and saw a cheetah's muzzle with teeth bared in rage. I flatly was not able to picture a furious human.

"And all Lairy's subsequent actions only proved to me that he was reliable, especially when he had growled at you a little in the kitchen"

"Oh, so you know even that..."

"My dear little sister, I know only what I have learned from you in our last dream. And you had told me almost everything. You should have seen the size of my head in the morning"

"I am sorry" - I sighed.

"But then, it was a first time in many days, when I was able to sleep soundly. So, Lairy is a male, and all his love for you originates from his "male-ness", first of all. He cares for you as he would care for his only one beloved female. In my opinion you have an ideal type of family, setting aside the difference of species. I am sure that he would not mind to share the bed with you. But he also knows, what you had to endure earlier, and spares your feelings. He thinks highly of you as a person, you will never become just an amusing toy for him. Lairy is reliable, you can feel as safely with him as behind a stone wall. He is your best medicine for every spiritual wound and he will help you to achieve the long-awaited inner peace and harmony"

"Tia, thank you so much, I am very pleased to know that. You set my mind at ease and answered some questions, I had not even asked"

"Yes, Luna, and I have one request"

"What is the request?" - I looked at the sister in surprise.

"I ask you to look after Lairy. The tree of love needs care to be strong, to protect from storms of miseries, to stand against the winds of trials... leave me alone" - the princess muttered suddenly in a sleepy and discontented voice - "Well, here comes an end of our conversation. They are waking me up there at the meeting. But you understood, did you not? Lairy gives you very much, do not stay in his debt, try to repay him with love, care and tenderness"

"I understood. And as for "sharing the bed", do you seriously think so?"

"I can give you no advice in this matter. You should decide about the bed for yourself whether you want it or not. In any case, Lairy will not do you wrong. All right. I will wake up now!"

The sovereign of Equestria disappeared, having managed to wink at me at parting.

I moved to the sister's place, absorbing the dear energy, which was dissipating slowly. And I felt very hungry suddenly at that moment. Of course, at first I had been throwing up in reality, losing everything I had eaten for breakfast, and after that there were those dreams with a lot of action and a long talk.

"Well, I can take advantage of Lairy's experience and fill up in dream" - with that thought I went to the kitchen cheerfully.

***

"He-ello-o" - I let out in surprise, having just come back home. A savour of something fried was filling the whole apartment.

"Oh, Lairy, I am so glad to see you!" - the mare, who came running to me, started to prance on her hind legs. Having locked the door, I sat down on a chair and let cheerful and a bit tousled Luna hug me.

"Hello, beauty. What has happened here?"

Her wings were shivering, she was probably overflowing with emotions, and the feathers bristled up in a funny way.

"I was waiting for you, and while I was waiting, I decided to make a supper for us. I think, I had succeeded. And I also succeeded in guessing the time of your return, you are just in time for the supper. Shall we go?"

"I will take the outer clothing off, wash myself and come at once" - I kissed the pony on the nose, and that made her close her eyes in happiness.

"Do you have a bag?" - without waiting for an answer, Luna grabbed the bag with her teeth and carried it away to the kitchen.

She surely has a lot of energy - I marveled. She ate her belly full, had a good night's rest, and things were in full swing.

While washing myself in the bathroom, I noticed smithereens of a plate in the trash can. But I did not care about the dishes, as long as the Princess of Night was not going to destroy the entire house with her enthusiasm.

"Well, what do we have here?" - having sat down at the table, I lifted the lid - "You ama-a-aze me!" - I laughed.

The omelet on the plate was shaped like a crescent, having tiny pieces of fruits and speckles of peppercorns in it.

"I do" - Luna chuckled - "I made the same for myself as well"

"Let us taste it" - I picked up the fork and the knife - "It is a bit singed at the bottom, but otherwise... it is great"

"Do you really like it?"

"I quite like it, yes. But how were you able to do all of that, m-m-m?" - I spun the fork in the air.

"Do you mean, without the hands or magic?" - the alicorn specified.

"Yes"

"It was rather easy. I saw you handle the igniting sticks, oven and fire. It may seem strange, but crockery and dinnerware are almost identical in our very different worlds, so I mostly know what is used for what here. Lastly, when I was having troubles, I was asking myself, what would a pegasus or an Earth pony do in my place. They have to handle all these stuff in their everyday lives, using just their bare hooves and teeth. And I managed to do it" - Luba concluded with a triumphant smile.

"Well done! Luna's cutie mark for a supper is a great idea"

"It was very easy to give it the shape of a crescent. I placed a small bowl inside a heated frying pan, poured whisked eggs near it, and put the bowl away as soon as they got thickened. That was how I did that"

I started purring approvingly, while eating Luna's treat. Together fruits and pepper formed a peculiar spicy flavor. I came across more pepper, than necessary, in another piece of food and had to look for the water promptly.

"How was your day?"

"It was great. I was eating, sleeping, watching video. Your congeners are amazing. And I have a lot of questions"

"I have only one question. Where is the bag?"

"It is under the table"

I began to lay the purchases on the table. Luna was taking and examining everything.

"Well, there is my food. And it seems to be your food by the look of it" - the alicorn turned a can of stewed meat in her hooves. A well-nourished cow was pictured on its label - "Nothing can scare me after I saw your cheetahs"

The pony pushed the can far away from her, having some ambiguous expression on the muzzle, which could mean either disdain or disgust. I decided not to ask her opinion on cheetahs, and diverted her attention with canned rings of pineapples.

"It smells so good!" - Luna tasted a pineapple carefully, like she always did dealing with unfamiliar produces.

"Ha-ha, and I was told that I smell like a horse at work"

"Do you mean my smell? Why?"

I rubbed the mare's shoulder with my hand vigorously and then raised it to her nose.

"Do you smell it? It is Luna's divine and unique aroma"

"Yes. And does that expose us now? Maybe I need to be bathed really well again?" - the princess began to fidget nervously.

"I think, there is no need of that. You are clean as you are, the smell is healthy and it is natural. This aroma is rather strong and pronounced, but..." - I smelled my palm and wiped it upon the trousers - "I like it. It is a normal animal smell. And I do not mind to wear it instead of a feather, pur-r-r-r"

"And what if people notice and start to ask, like it happened today? What will you reply?"

"And what keeps me from not answering them? It is my business, how I look, whose smell is on me, and I was never interested in outsiders' opinions. If I am to worry about some associates' thoughts about me, I will have neither strength nor time for my personal life"

"Lairy" - the alicorn's hoof pounded on the table demandingly - "I am asking you seriously"

"And I am giving you a serious answer" - I growled in a low voice, slicing the leftovers of an omelet - "I do not have to give an account for my private life to anyone. If someone is going to pester me with questions about the cause of the smell of collective farm and cattle on me, I will send this curious one to take a long hike in the forest"

Luna looked at me thoughtfully, but did not say anything else. Maybe she calmed down, or maybe she kept her doubts to herself.

The tongue got caught in something. With some effort I drew a long blue hair out of my mouth. Since my childhood I have never liked to find such "artifacts" in my food. The pony noticed the displeased expression on my face and interpreted it in her own way.

"I am sorry. You can take my helping of food" - she whispered, feeling embarrassed, then looked away from the plate and pushed it towards me with a hoof.

"Thanks, but there is no need" - having held her leg, I returned the plate - "It is nothing. I was not offended" - I gave an answer to Luna's unspoken question.

In order to break the awkward silence, I waited for the pony to bend over the table, picking the last crumbs up the plate with her lips, and put the pineapple ring on her horn. It slipped down to the middle of the horn and got stuck. Luna burst out laughing, catching the drops of syrup, which were falling from the ring and streaming down the spiral coils onto her forehead and nose, with her tongue.

"Wipe the princess, before she gets all sticky" - Her Majesty threw a towel at me, still laughing.

"Would you let me to wipe you in a bit different way, without a towel?" - I moved closer to Luna.

"Without?" - she asked again in a whisper, staring directly at me. The pupils of her eyes grew wider, and it seemed like she could scarcely breathe - "Yes..." - this sound resembled a meek outward breath.

I put my left hand on her shoulder-blades, feeling the muscles trembling involuntarily, and took her by the chin with the right hand. The alicorn closed her eyes, when I touched her nose gently with my tongue, licking a sweet winding trace off.

"What are you doing to me, what are you doing?.." - she was whispering. There were ringing notes of passion, pleasure and a slight panic in her voice. Having been spread wide, her wings had every feather quivering, showing the ecstasy. I could guess, what a storm of emotions was raging in Luna's soul, and kept walking a thin line, licking the mare's muzzle tenderly. She was trembling with the strain, like a taut wire.

When I touched the horn, the alicorn fell silent and started to wheeze nervously, as if I had crossed some forbidden line suddenly. My fingers were able to feel the pony's heart racing even through her back.

What could have speeded it up so much?

Having licked the coils of the magical instrument clean, I bit through the pineapple ring and touched Luna's lips, holding it in my mouth. Having sniffed it, she took my gift by feel. Having kissed her nose, I leaned back.

"So that is who you are, ca-a-at" - my beloved exhaled, opening her eyes slightly - "You just love to torment me, keep me at the breaking point and lead me along the edge of the cliff with my wings being tied up, do you not?"

"I do" - I smiled sweetly, licking my lips - "I love that. But I do all of that with your consent and reciprocal desire"

"When did I give my consent to such sophisticated love tortures?!" - Luna's look was a bit bewildered.

"You have given it just now. I asked your permission to wipe you. You let me do that. There can be no complains about me. But I will accept you gratitude gladly"

"You have my gratitude" - having put her head and forelegs on the table, the alicorn sighed wearily, her wings were reaching the floor - "Lairy, my head is spinning because of this outrage of yours"

"Do you not like it?" - I carried the dishes into the sink.

"I like it. And that is the strangest thing. It feels like I am examining a diamond, which has been known to me for a long time, and I am seeing some new facets, which I have never noticed before. And the reason is, that I am looking at my life from a different angle in the light of recent developments"

"When changes in life show new facets, it is good. It means that you have a room for growth"

"And what is the direction of my growing?" - Luna looked askance at me with one eye musingly.

"Time will tell. For now you are learning to accept love and take pleasure"

"I am a successful learner, according to the bedlam in my heart and mind. I wish I could figure that out"

"You will understand, when the emotions settle down" - having finished washing the dishes, I sat down at the table and opened a pack of fruit-drops - "I have brought a funny treat to you. Would you like to try?"

"I hope, I will not feel too "funny" because of it. I am tired of emotions"

"Nothing will happen. Just hold it in your mouth and listen"

Expression on Luna's muzzle was becoming more and more surprised and watchful gradually. The fruit-drops were fizzing, exploding, jumping on the tongue and bumping into teeth, making a peculiar noise.

"I have never tasted anything like that before. Thank you"

"And I thank you for the supper. Everything was amazing, both the supper and the dessert"

"What dessert? Was it here?"

"Yes, it was big, blue, with syrup, slightly nervous and very delicious"

"I am very glad to hear that, and I am glad that you liked it. Join me on the sofa"

Having placed her wings on the sides, the moon mare left the kitchen. I had arranged the cans in the refrigerator and followed the princess. If the royalty arranges a rendezvous with me, it is a sign of bad manners to try her patience.

***

Having smiled, I patted the sofa with my wing, offering Lairy a seat beside me. Having sat down, he relaxed and slumped against the back of the sofa. It seemed that such a reclining pose was the most comfortable for him.

"Do you want to ask some questions?"

"Oh, yes. These questions are quite important to me"

"I think the princess cannot have UNimportant questions"

"How would you have treated me, if I had been not an alicorn, but a pegasus or an Earth pony?"

"What do you mean?"

"Hm... I know, that you like my wings, you are interested in my horn and in all of my uncommonness in general. But if I had been like White Mane, without wings or magic, what would have changed?"

"Nothing would have changed" - he shrugged his shoulders - "My treatment of you depends on you, your behavior, and certainly not your anatomy or race. Although if you had been frightful by my standards, then it would have been more difficult"

"Then I am lucky to be beautiful. And here, among your songs I had found a curious one"

Having come to the table, I turned the stereo on. A mechanical wheeze was followed by a male voice.

Our life is like volcano. We are at the shooting-range,
And so every one of us becomes a target.
Calling our world so sinful, like a thing we cannot change,
We can't see our sins as if they're strings for puppet.

Having noticed, that Lairy was singing along, nodding to the rhythm of the song, I turned up the volume a little.

Our world is never perfect, it consists of all of us.
It presents direct reflection of our feelings and our eyes.
This world can't become a better, kinder place, unless we all
Become better and kinder to others...

Having listened to the song from the beginning to the end, I turned the technical equipment off and came back to the sofa.

"I want to know your thoughts about it" - I waved my hoof in the direction of the table - "Is there a meaning in this song, or is it a mere verbiage?"

I put my forelegs on Lairy's hip. He ran his hand over my leg, shoulder, slipped his fingers into the thick mane. I had already been used to his ingenuous caresses and my reactions became calmer. I was bending my neck, bowing my head to let the fingers scratch the most sensitive areas, such as withers, spots behind the ear and near the horn.

"There is a meaning. The world is neutral. It does not have good or evil, right or wrong. Every person sees only what they are able to see in this world, and every person gives the world only what they have inside, no more"

"Lairy, I had seen a lot of evil at those days. Does that mean, that there is as much evil inside of me and I see only evil things? But then, why do I see you and everything you give me, which is not evil?"

"No, you are not evil. You are an alien particle in this world, like a grain of sand from seashore, which finds itself in bank sand. This grain is different, but it will be lost among many others and it will not be noticed"

"I was not noticed as well, yes..." - I placed my head on Lairy's lap.

"And so, the world gives everyone, what they want to see. It recreates pictures, which every person imagines, in reality. The one, who is always thinking about problems, will spend all his life trying to solve them. The one, who is thinking about diseases, will be ill, even when everyone around is healthy. And no medicine will be able to help the body, if the soul and mind are sick"

"It reminds me of a book"

"How?"

"If I am reading a book, in which only hatred and malice are described, then I will see nothing, but hatred and malice on its pages"

"That is true. A person, who has malice in his heart, will be seeking for malice everywhere subconsciously and will see only malice. If he notices the images of goodness by chance, they will seem ridiculous and laughable to him, arouse abhorrence, disdain, desire to break, humiliate and destroy that image"

"There is one thing I cannot understand. You had horrified me recently by replying, that you could kill. But this is an evil deed to take someone's life. And at the same time you are very kind to me. What is there inside your heart, good or evil?" - having lifted my head, I looked at the human's eyes.

"There are both of them in harmony. Good gives a chance to improve and strive to become better, to help and support others. Evil gives strength to take a blow and respond with a blow, to overcome the obstacles and keep going despite the circumstances. So, I am neutral, selectively good and not evil, if no one makes me angry. It is dangerous to be just good. You will be either used by everyone, who feels like it..." - I gave a start involuntarily - "... or destroyed. It is a common opinion that if you are good, then you are a weakling and a loser. "Evil" sounds almost the same as "strong". But you know, what real malice feels like. To be evil means condemning yourself to degradation and chaos"

"I know, unfortunately. When I was wandering there, on the streets, I avoided coming across humans. But one time I was taken by surprise, tormented and beaten severely"

"Beaten?! You had been BEATEN?" - Lairy recoiled in terror.

"Ge-e?.. Yes" - I looked at the human with anxiety. I did not understand his reaction. He grabbed me suddenly, pulled me onto his lap and pressed to his chest tightly.

"Oh, my God, Luna, how that could had happened?.." - I heard him trembling with suppressed tears - " Luna, Luna, I really wish Celestia and I could have found you earlier" - he was whispering, kissing my head and neck randomly - "What else had they done to you?" - he stared into my eyes, as if he was looking for an answer.

"Shall I tell you?" - I asked timidly, sniveling.

"No. There is no need. There is no need to recall all of that. You are with me. Everything else is over now"

Lairy embraced me again. I threw my wings round him and buried my muzzle in his neck. We had been sitting there, calming down, for a long time.

"Your world is so cold and gloomy, because people have a lot of fear, hatred and malice in their hearts" - I said.

"What?" - Lairy's question was muffled. The worries had changed his voice in a strange way.

"There was a time, when different races of ponies in my world were at war. Vendigo, spirits of winter, appeared in every place, where were hostilities, discord, strife, malice, distrust, and the deadly winter followed them quickly. Ponies managed to defeat those spirits only when they had united. Is it like that here as well?"

"No, it is not like that at all"

"Is it not?" - I scratched my nose with the wing in surprise - "Then how is it?"

"The seasons change in the Earth world, spring always comes after winter, then summer comes, followed by autumn and winter again. It can be very cold in winter, nights are long and days are short. It is very hot in summer, days are long and nights are short. Those changes are continuous and they do not depend on humans or their emotions. When winter comes, we put on warmer clothes and wait for spring. Heh, you know, humans are funny creatures. They are wearied by summer heat, complain about thirst and the blaze of the sun, wishing for summer to end, giving way to the coolness of autumn and then winter. And then humans whimper over winter cold, complain about ice-covered ground, blizzard, snowfalls and dream of the quickest return of the summer. And that happens from year to year through the whole life. Humans are so inconstant"

"I had no idea about that" - having opened my wings halfway, I shifted on Lairy's chest to get more comfortable, making sure that the joints of my legs would not hit his body. Certainly, it would not be pleasant to feel a blow of someone's elbow on ribs - "There were bitter winters in Equestria, but little Snowdrop helped to mollify the weather's temper. She offered to give the winter gifts, so it would not feel lonely. Snowdrop was a blind pegasus, but she was able to hear the stars. And she gave us hope, that many things could be changed for the better by having a wish and some dedication. Snowdrop's life at Celestia's court was long and happy. I remember her cutie mark vividly even now. It was a snowflake flower"

"Hope" - the human whispered, smoothing the strands of my mane with both hands, and singed quietly:

My hope is like compass on Earth
My luck is a prize for the fighter
And there is one song, that is worth
Of singing: of home, which I strive for.

"Home... I will come back to my magical home soon" - I smiled, dreamily.

"And everything will be fine, green-eyed enchantress"

I longed to show my gratitude to my protector, introduce something bright into this sad evening. I looked at my horn. If only I could use my magic normally... but I could, could I not?

"Please, take this item off my horn"

"Do you want me to take the cap off? Why?"

"I want to do a little magic"

"So long as our house is going to stay undamaged by your magic"

"Do not worry, my powers are not enough for the house"

"Okay, but I will put it back on afterwards. You remember its purpose, do you not?"

"I remember"

Having ripped the sticky tape with a claw, Lairy put the cap off. Having sat up on the sofa comfortably, I took a few deep breaths, concentrating the magical energy, which was extremely rarefied, and tried to focus. A tiny blue spark began to glow on the tip of the horn, and the crane of happiness, which was lying on the table, moved.

"Oh-h, it is difficult"

"Try again" - having smiled warmly, Cheetah caressed my wing.

Автор - Lusilie

Having concentrated, I managed to lift the crane with magic and turn its head toward us. The thing, which I was able to do next, looked like a miracle to me as well. I applied the magic to the figure's tail, without losing my concentration.

Автор - Lusilie

The paper crane circled over our heads, flapping its wings and moving its tail, and landed on Lairy's palms.

"It worked! You have done that! It is great, I am so glad. You regained your wings and magic, you became an alicorn again" - I was kissed on the cheek with excitement.

"A-ah-h-hm" - I yawned - "Activities like that are wearing me a lot, I become tired quickly. All I can do in this world is moving small objects with a lot of effort. A fully fledged use of magic is out of the question"

"It may be so, but it is still your magic, a unique and inseparable part of you, princess"

"Thank you" - I tried to cover my new, obscenely loud yawn with the hoof.

"I will bring you a warm juice and we will go to sleep. Your yawning is conta-a-agio-o-ous" - Lairy yawned broadly, without even trying to hide it.

Having taped the cup to the horn, Cheetah went for the juice, and I wrapped myself up in the blanket, yawning constantly and fighting bravely to stay awake. The juice was brought to me in a bulky bowl. Having drunk the last of it, I recalled my last question, which I had partially forgotten.

"While I was watching video about cheetahs, I was troubled by one thought. The life you had then and the life you have now are extremely different. Your past life was very dangerous, but at the same time it had more freedom, than a human's life, as it seems to me. Why had you left savannah and became a human? You will probably tell me about that only tomorrow"

"Luna, but we can meet in dreams. Come to me in my dream, I will tell you everything"

"Oh, that is a great idea! Good night and till next time. I will try to find you" - I nuzzled Lairy's cheek drowsily.

__________________________
Notes about songs in this chapter:

"Our world is never perfect..." \ "This World" - Igor Talkov, USSR bard, 1993.

"My Hope" - Aleksandra Pahmutova \ Nikolay Dobronravov, USSR, 1971.

Translate \ adaptation to english - Captain Plunder.

Author's Note

1) This book is being translated from Russian. It is not reccomended to use google translator to read it, because many beautiful moments will be lost that way.

2) The usual request is to feel free to point out any errors in the comments. We are also looking for the regular beta reader.

3) Be patient, the translation is a slow process.