The Fugitive

It was a beautiful sunny day. The luminary, which had not yet reached its zenith, slowly crawled across the blue sky, throwing its rays onto the green crowns of a dense forest, preventing the light from penetrating below - where the cover, beautiful from a bird's eye view, turned into a gloomy thicket, in which twisted trees intertwined with branches into an impassable labyrinth. fraught with many unknown dangers. However, this fact did not in the least prevent one person from jumping along the old path.

There is a girl who live alone,
In land of dusk and dawn,
Where nature leads the game...

A fluffy pink tail touched an equally fluffy bush. Blue eyes followed the flock of disturbed birds with interest. The whistling lips spread into a carefree smile.

...and clouds are drive insane.

The freshness of the forest invigorated and charged the walking one with enthusiasm. And although she shivered slightly from the cold familiar to this place, the fire of poetry with every second flared up more and more in her soul.

Her life is like a silent storm,
Her dreams are burning road to home,
And nothing she can do,
Will help her to live through.

Strange shadows wandered between the tree trunks, inexorably following the lonely traveler. Numerous pairs of yellow eyes did not take their expectant gazes from her. But the filly did not pay even a fraction of her attention to them. They did not even dare to try to approach her.

She's the prinсess of the night,
Rising in the sunsets light,
Dancing in a shadow,
Acting like a child.

No friends the girl has got...
No friends she want...
No shame and no regret,
Only desire to forget.

The land of noice and greed,
Where she isn’t need,
And hoofs beats the ground,
Turning round and round.

Hooves rattled on a log thrown over a small stream, soon jumping back to the ground, rustling their way through the dense grass.

She's the prinсess of the night,
Rising in the sunsets light,
Dancing in a shadow,
Acting like a child.

Overcame the fear,
Get back to real,
Look at the friendships light,
Which turn off the night.

Another turn brought the wanderer to the edge, almost immediately turning into spacious meadows. After enjoying the views, she followed the slowly flowing water, soon stopping not far from a lonely house on a hill.

Be friend of mine,
Forget the sunsets shine,
And run away,
Like last days of may.

Something heavy fell on the dragon's head. Groping his clawed paw on the floor, he came across an impressive-looking primer. I saw double in my eyes, but even without a clear picture it was clear that the book was teaching Old Equestrian. The experience made itself felt. The lizard looked up, meeting the eyes of the guilty-looking purple unicorn.

''Oh, Spike, I'm sorry...'' she giggled, magic pulling the tolmud out of the assistant's palm ''You didn't hurt yourself much?''

''I'm used to pain'' the spiked one answered with pronounced indifference ''Do you want some fry oats?''

''Um...yes, it would be nice'' the head, already buried in the book, disappeared behind the ledge.

''Your horse mother...'' hissed the assistant trudging into the kitchen, lightly scratching the aching back of his head ''Someday this stump will finish me off. Although, what is there to be surprised - my fate is written only in libraries to live''

Spike always had a lousy mood in the morning. Such is his dragon essence. However, this did not at all affect the degree of roasting of the oats so beloved by the hostess. Stop. The hostess? No, no...a mentor. Business partner. An older sister, finally. Yes, this is definitely better.

Ten minutes later, the filly and the cold-blooded were sitting at the same table, sweetly devouring what most artiodactyls considered junk food, and what they themselves perceived as jewelry.

''How was the night?'' without looking up from the book asked the unicorn.

''As always'' the spiked one squeezed out of himself, biting another emerald with a crunch ''Mmm ... and what did you just find in it? All morning you can't take your eyes off.''

After a moment, he regretted such a careless question.

''This is the memoir of Rockwin the Good-natured - one of the strongest wizards of his time! While still a foal, he managed to stop an entire army, the speaker squeaked with pleasure ''Can you guess with what?''

''I think the sudden offer of the phoenix. Or the big dipper. Or dropped something on their heads. Unicorns love this business'' the best assistant muttered, realizing the uselessness of resistance.

''No no and one more time no! He touched them''

Spike choked.

''W-what? ..''

''And the fact that Rokvin was nicknamed Good-natured for a reason. For almost a century of his life, he did not take away not a single life - a great achievement for those wild times. So that's it. When the army of earth ponies broke into his hometown, the baby accidentally caught the eye of their leader. He was so mesmerized by the cute foal that in a matter of seconds he changed his mind about fighting and turned the army back. And the cunning townspeople also imposed indemnities on them - but this is already lyrics...''

The dragon whistled. Reluctantly. But with a bit of interest.

''What does not happen in the world...''

''Uh-huh. By the way, we're running out of food. Could you go to the market?''

''No, I have plenty of other things to do, - cold-blooded drawled through a yawn ''Go yourself''

''Spi-i-i-ke?'' in the voice of the unicorn was heard a barely noticeable note of threat.

''I will be back in time for lunch'' the front door slammed shut behind the protege.

As soon as the fresh air hit him in the nose, his soul somehow felt better. And besides, the view of a spacious meadow with neat houses scattered around it, from the pipes, which lazily drifted smoke, could not help but cheer up. More precisely, he could, but with very gloomy personalities. And Spike, for all his difficult nature, was definitely not one of those.

With a brisk gait, he stepped out from under the canopy of a massive oak tree, going around it and honoring it along the cobbled city street. The market was a leisurely five minute walk. Despite a rather early hour on the way, every now and then came across in a hurry somewhere about inevitably inevitably healthy with a cool head. He reciprocated.

The market was full of visitors. The chaos of unpretentious counters with multi-colored flooring, offering customers goods for any occasion in a matter of seconds, turned the head of the young assistant - his will and not a single crumbs would remain on the food counters (as well as displaying jewelry). But obligations and the realization of the inevitable death from absorbing so many sweets put pressure on the poor lizard, forcing him to strictly follow the list.

When all the prices had been bargained for and all the provisions had been bought, Spike was in no hurry to return home. Someone occupied all his thoughts. Whistling an uncomplicated melody, the dragon turned exactly the opposite direction from the library.

A beautiful snow-white filly stood right there - at the foot of her majestic palace, which bore the proud name of the Carousel Boutique. Her azure mane, even if it was disheveled by the morning bustle, did not lose one iota of its enchanting beauty. The eyes, as always, sparkled like the three diamonds depicted on the bewitching rump of the Queen of Ponyville. Its queens.

“Don’t be cool, Sweety! ..” the queen hissed, trying to throw the books into the backpack on the back of her naughty sister. It spun like a whirligig, unable to keep in place.

''Faster! I'll be late for school!''

''Do you think they will appreciate your zeal without textbooks?''

Finally, the clasp finished the designer's efforts and the young filly, with a foal squeal, ran down the country road, raising columns of dust and sand.

Shaking her head disapprovingly, the muse was about to return to the boutique, but then she caught sight of one person shyly shifting from foot to foot.

''Ah, good morning Spike!'' she smiled affably.

''H-hello, R-rarity ...'' the dragon mumbled, blushing like a tomato, - I came to see you ...

''Oh, my Spike-wiki ...'' sang the flattered beauty, involuntarily playing with luxurious eyelashes, - Sorry, I would gladly chat with you, but work does not wait. Imagine if you got an order from some sultry person and everything would be fine, only this person is of a completely atypical size.

''Yeah-ah-ah-ah ...'' without taking his eyes off his beloved, the cold-blooded one stretched out.

''Okay, it was nice to meet you ... Spike? Are you okay?''

The convulsions that gripped the dragon indicated otherwise.

An instant later, there was a clap-like sound, and a column of green flame erupted from the raptor's mouth opening. The tightly bound scroll fell to the ground. Spike leaned forward, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he tried to catch his breath.

''Uh, ahem, I'm sorry ...'' only the cold-blooded could give out, - I'm really, really very embarrassed ...

''Give up this nonsense!'' the unicorn was indignant, - Run to Twilight. Celestia never writes over trifles.

''Yes, it looks like you're right ... once again - I'm sorry'' the disgraced dragon stammered, grabbing the letter and hastily retreating from the eyes of the worried filly. In order to distract himself from the sudden surging thoughts, he hastily opened the manuscript. After reading it, it accelerated several times.

''Hey, sugar, is it too late for sleep?''

The body, sprawled on a cloud, yawned lazily, smacking its lips.

''Nope''

''You seem to have promised something to someone''

''Mmm ...'' stretched out the body, staring at the clouds above, - And something can not wait?

''Nope''

''Seriously? Maybe we'd better relax a little?''

''Yeah, as soon as we finish picking apples''

''Uff ... did I really sign up for this?''

''The Element of Honesty is unlikely to lie''

''Well, now you have all the trump cards on your hooves ...'' the body stretched, cracked its neck, but fell through the cloud, smoothly falling to the ground in the guise of a rainbow-maned blue pegasi, frowning with displeasure at the nose, - Be wrong with these promises, there is no freedom with them!

“If you don’t want to do them, don’t hand them right and left. Folk wisdom'' the orange earthling with a leather hat over golden hair and a spikelet in his mouth laughed ''Well, are you ready?''

''From birth'' in the voice of the pegasi was heard an undisguised passion.

A dark purple mane with a glimpse of bright purple flickered among the apple bushes. Sitting astride a galloping unicorn, the dragon kept its gaze fixed on the dangerously swaying fruit. As soon as they entered the Apple domain, a strange thought struck him.

''If you think about it, apples are no different from books. That those that will fall on your head ... and what if, instead of apples, books grow on the trees?''

The raptor's eye twitched nervously.

Powerful hooves hit the tree trunk, which showered the ground with fruit hail.

The shadow rushing between the crowns threw off the rest. Then the filly began to throw apples into wicker baskets, of which a dozen had already accumulated. The appearance of an inseparable couple came as a complete surprise to them.

''Hey-oh, Twilight! Where are you persecuting?''

''Yes to you she'' Spike jumped from the roommate.

''Another nasty threat to Equestria?'' without a doubt, the pegasus got into a fighting pose.

''You guessed it. Only this time, it seems, the situation is a little more complicated'' Twilight gave her friends a thoughtful look.

''Well, don't be too tired. What happened then?'' the farmer pricked up her ears.

“The point is, I ... I don’t know. The letter did not give any answers - only warned us to stick to each other like never before''

There was an awkward silence.

“And Celestia? ..” Rainbowmane finally shattered him.

''Will come soon. Until then, the others must be warned''

''Rarity is busy right now. I don't think it's worth making her nervous yet'' the dragon inserted his kopeck.

''Pinky went to get the ingredients for the new pie ...''

"By the way, has anyone seen Fluttershy?"

Tear-filled turquoise eyes gazed at her from the darkness.

''Blood ... why is there so much b-blood on me? ..''

The silhouette in front of the floor mirror shuddered with a fit of crying.

''That can not be true...''

The shine of amber was reflected in the glass.

''IT'S NOT ME!''

A deafening ringing echoed from the invisible walls.