Fall of Equestria: two worlds collide

by Gray Kirin

Rating: teen
Tags: Anthro, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Original Character, Violence, Death, Human
Length: 63716

Collision between ponies and human unity and caribou from Fallen Equestria

Ponies and humans have been friends for several years. They trade, conduct joint research, and communicate. Equestria is thriving, and the Alliance is healing the last wounds of a long-ago, terrible war.
What happens if the wondrous world of ponies collides with its "reflection"? Once a beautiful country, now fallen to the ruthless invaders. Languishing in the thrall of those whose appetites are irrepressible?

Published 2021-07-04 02:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2022-02-06 07:49:40 UTC

From here we start to working

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 03: 59

Princess Luna and a team of sorceromedics from the Royal Hospital were standing at the Canterlot Spaceport runway. The ponies had already deployed equipment to take in the injured if necessary, and were just whiling away their last free minutes.

From the direction of the service buildings came the rapid sounds of running, and Osinin appeared, accompanied by two infantrymen.

The man saluted Luna and looked up at the sky, roughly in the direction from which the boat would appear.
"General. The pilot said they'd be here any minute,”
"All right. Hostages released, bandits burned, we can live on,”
"And get ready to meet new ones. You remember what Twilight said, right?”

A small red light flashed overhead, coming fast, blinking merrily. And soon, it was possible to make out the silhouette of a boat coming to land. The pilot came in almost without a glide path, hovered, turned his stern to the waiting delegation, and landed. The ramp descended with a soft hum of gears.

The General has seen a lot in his life. So, "humanized" ponies descending on the runway didn't surprise him. But behind that portal, damn it, there's a whole country of them. Enslaved and tormented by the "deertaurs" that were burned by the attack boats today.

The sorceromedics examined and probed the newcomers with scanning spells. But to the healers' surprise and shock, there were no transforming spells or alchemical effects on the altered mares. All such questions were answered negatively by the equas, even sometimes without understanding what the medical experts were talking about. What kind of altering spell? They were born that way.

Osinin automatically calculated, how much force would be needed, and how much could be sent beyond the barrier without weakening the defenses here. It turned out that a very decent number of troops would be recruited for the maneuver "behind the veil". And General had no doubt, that the order would come from the princesses not only to rescue captured ponies, but also to help the "neighbors".

Princess Luna approached the newcomers and spread her wings. As if she wanted to wrap a warm, fragrant canopy around her little pony and all the aliens.
"Greetings, my dears. You are now among friends, in safe, do not be afraid of anyone or anything,”

An invisible and inaudible but palpable wave rolled from an alicorn. Even the General and troops felt a momentary peace and contentment.

Osinin made a sign to one of the soldiers accompanying him. He tossed the khaki bag to the ground and deftly unzipped it.

"General. I entrust you and your people with the care and protection of our guests. And Strawberry Jam I invite you to come with me,”

"Yes, there is. Fillady, please, here's some underwear and some clothes. Take it, put it on, and I'll take you to your houses in the nearest future,”

After what seemed like an interminable few seconds, the first mare came around the edge to the trunk. Then another one. And more. Most of them tried not to look up at Osinin, except for three. A small, but noticeable difference was only the color of the collars, which soldiers were carefully cut off. Those" humanized " ponies, that behaved bolder and somehow freer, collars and bracelets were black. The rest have a juicy, red color.

Osinin noted it in his neuro-notebook that this would need to be taken into account and brought to the intelligence group that would go to that other Equestria behind the veil.

Mares had some problems with their underwear. Sewn on humans, it did not want to fit properly on the tails and wings of the equas. The General's folding knife, which was put into the hands of resqued, solved the problem, although not in the best way. But it will be enough to walk to the spaceport recreation centers, and tomorrow morning they will come up with something more capital.

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 5: 11

Vetrov's squad was standing guard near the houses where the freed were housed. Soldiers were in high spirits after the brief encounter and the overall success of the operation. Sometimes a joke or two would slip over the intercom, mostly about the "scarletness" of the recent foes. Everyone understood that if there was a big fight, it would not be so easy. But a soldier's mockery of the enemy, especially a defeated one, is sacred.

The figure moving at a brisk pace from the control tower was spotted very quickly. And just as quickly they recognized General Osinin.

The General gathered all the infantrymen and, surprisingly, began a personal briefing.

Vetrov's squad, which today inspected the village and pulled out the prisoners, is assigned responsibility for their accommodation and safety. Also, soldiers will have a difficult task of establishing contact and providing them with all possible assistance in rehabilitation.

How much to "establish contact" let the infantrymen themselves look at. If a miracle happens, Osinin will not hesitate to give three days of vacation for the wedding. If something goes wrong, the culprit or the entire squad will be hung upside down under the city ledge. And not by the legs, as they may understand.

To say that the infantrymans are fucking sick of such news is nothing to say. Yes, they were all expirienced, bombarded soldiers. Yes, they were able to do a lot, they were afraid only of their company sergeant-major and the General.

But to help equas, crippled by long slavery, recover? How?

Osinin, contrary to expectations, did not fuck up for the "stupid" question, but replied that only with affection, warmth and all possible softness.

The soldiers shook off the shock and went to their posts, waiting for the last few minutes.

Soon they will have to run a lot.

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 04.47

In the black void, laced with hard radiation and the light of thousands and thousands of stars, far away from everything ever could be named, black boat hanging and waiting for the signal from the automatic probe, sent to jump ahead of him.

The machine of swift and smooth outlines was almost invisible in the cosmic abyss. This was provided by a whole complex of passive and active means of disguise. However, in battle, this boat could very unpleasantly surprise even a corvette.

Finally, the instruments caught the probe's report. The machine meticulously performed everything that was put into it by the program, sent an encrypted report to the owners and burned without a trace in the atmosphere.

The navigator made a couple of corrections to the course, the pilot accelerated the reactor and engines.

Black boat went into hyper-jump, surfacing in the orbit of the blue planet.

All outlines of continents corresponded to Equestria. But only the astronauts' senses and the delicate instruments indicated that there were some differences.

After making three turns, the boat plunged into the atmosphere, balancing on the edge of dawn and rapidly approaching the earth.

Spetsnaz of humanity is getting to work.

And only one equa on this planet knew about the visitors. Only one of them had a strong enough connection to the star web to feel two new, irregular, and unfamiliar objects in the sky, even when she was trapped in her own body, as if in a cage.

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 6: 54

Velvet woke up to the sun in her eyes. Out of habit, she got tangled in the blanket and almost fell to the floor. After a moment of prostration from the unfamiliar surroundings and the lack of a collar, she sighed with great relief and reached for the underwear issued yesterday.

Shorts, with a knife-cut hole for the tail, and a black T-shirt were not the limit of dreams, but they were already happy to get dressed. Unicorn thought that it would be nice to sew them on the figure, so that they did not hang out, as they are now. And also the trousers and tunic, that had come from the bounty of the soldiers, who had saved them yesterday.

Velvet tingling with worry about what would happen next. Bad thoughts about how unexpected saviors might prepare something worse than what the caribou had. General uncertainty about the next minute.

Velvet's gaze fell on the crumpled pack of cigarettes that Danil had given her yesterday. For some reason, the simplest thing was shocking in its very appearance. Cantata picked it up for a closer look.

"Gifts of Camelou" was the name of the brand, of course, unfamiliar.

Opening the window, she sat on the sill and lit a cigarette, squinting into the sunlight and enjoying the peace.

Everything will be alright.

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 7: 00

Chiraine Hart went into her office, yawned, and poked the coffee maker with her telekinesis. Under the cozy purring and bubbling of the device, reminiscent of the purr of a cat who has eaten tin cans, saberhorn turned on the work tablet.

The morning abruptly ceased to be carefree.

In the "Urgent" column, there were several operations at once. Three installations of the horn prosthesis, six restorations of the tendons and bones of the wing marked " heavy. trauma."

Saberhorn pulled the cup to her without looking at it, swallowed all the coffee in one gulp, and rode off to collect the doctors and prepare the operating rooms. Such requests do not arrive for nothing, especially from army.

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 7: 40

Six people were moving toward the rest houses. Half of the Vetrov's squad and he went to wake up the freed, and dragged them new, already specially tailored for them, clothes. The spacesuit technician, relying only on the recordings from the armor cameras, selected the dimensions. And in just half an hour, made fourteen simple pantsuits out of light and strong silver carbone fabric.

The soldiers dispersed among the houses, knocking on the doors.

Some fillies opened immediately, some had to wait for several minutes.

Someone was peeking timidly out of the crack between the door and the jamb, like a green earth equa, but very happy with the new thing. The mare literally jumped with happiness, impulsively hugged the plasma gunner and dived into the house to change her clothes.

Someone bravely greeted the guests, like a Velvet Cantata, who came out with a cigarette in her hand and a cloud of tobacco smoke. She took a drag, thanked the Corporal for the new clothes, and asked him to leave her and let her change.

And someone...

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 7: 41

At the knock, Graceful Glide jumped out of her chair as if stung and rushed to open the door. It was only when she turned the handle and opened the door, she remembered that she was wearing the clothes the soldiers had given her yesterday. And she's not supposed to wear clothes.

But it was too late, and all the pegasus could do was mumble an apology and try to get rid of the forbidden clothes, falling to her knees as she did so. Maybe if Graceful was quick, she wouldn't be punished.

What she didn't expect at all was that the soldier would rush to catch her, almost falling down himself. She saw him more and more blurrily with each passing moment.

His cry of "Doctor, this way! " did not reach her immediately, as if through a pipe stuffed with cotton wool.

The pungent smell of ammonia brought pegasus back to reality. Glide was lying on the floor, and two soldiers were working on her. One held the cotton wool in front of her nose, the other moved his hands over her head and chest.

"Thank to beamgun, just a faint. I was afraid of a seizure or an arevrism,”

From the fluttering hands above her, there was a warmth that washed away the fear, then a fresh chill that drove away the disgusting lethargy from her body and a sticky lump from her throat. Graceful feeling very good in this moments.

The second infantryman, seeing that equa was awake, took her hand very gently and put a cotton ball with ammonia in her fingers.

"Here you go. Yes, here's a good fellow, near the nose. And ... are you so scared of me? Sorry, I... I didn't mean to, honestly!”

The soldier clearly looked confused and upset at his own blunder. Graceful don’t understanding why.

"Can you get up now? Or will you rest first?"

"Can I rest? Master?

The medic shook his head.

"Comrade Hendricks. This is Comrade Zhilin. What should we call you?"

"As you wish, Master.”

"What did your mother call you?"

"G-Graceful Glide, Master Hendricks.”

"Comrade Hendricks, please. And there are no "masters" here, don't worry, Graceful,"

"Even if they suddenly appear, we will shoot them all down and will not let them near you.”

"Comrade Zhilin" smiled so easily and disarmingly that pegasus herself could not help but smile.

"We're going to put you on the bed. Just so you don't rest on hard wood, but on a mattress. Just move you? Ok?”

Graceful was a little lost. It had been a long time since the stallions had treated her so carefully. Last six years, they usually dont asking her anything. So, why are these soldiers like this?.. Affectionate?

Closing her eyes, she nodded and felt two pairs of strong hands gently lift her off the floor and raise her into the air. Glide squeaked, shivered, and found herself on the soft mattress.

The warm hands moved over her again. The pegasus relaxed a little and opened one eye. Zhilin had already left and Hendricks was almost at the door.

"Rest, Graceful, I'll wait outside. New clothes on the purse. When you're ready, we'll go to the doctors to treat your wings.”

Glide sat up abruptly, unable to believe her ears.

"You... Will you really do it?! Will you give me back the Sky?!”

Hendricks nodded. Pegasus covered her face with her hands.

"Sisters of Heaven, please, please, please, let this be true...”

"When you know you can go, get dressed and see for yourself that it's true. I'll wait outside.”

As soon as the door closed behind Hendricks, Graceful sprang out of bed like a tight spring. Ripping off her old wear, she grabbed a bundle of silver fabric from her purse.

If it was a dream, Glide didn't want to wake up.

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 10: 00

"Well, let's sum up. We're facing an attack from the parallel, if you want to, "reflect" Equestria. Caribou, as the interventionists call themselves, have come for captives and an expansion of the territory of influence, nothing unusual. Their technical development is low, at the level of the ponies of the Age of Strife. There is a certain disunity of society, which is united only by a military leader. However, caribou are good fighters, morally stable, and have a strong mentality. The exact mechanism of its action is unclear, but the standard means of protection save from it completely,”

The General made a slight bow to the purple alicorn sitting next to him.

"Princess Twilight's calculations allowed us to send several reconnaissance and sabotage groups to this “reflection”. Their priority is to search for the ponies captured in Dandeline Fields, but information is being gathered along the way. Some details reported by the captive caribou are confirmed. Here, forces are prepared to intercept the opening portal and prevent the incident from happening again,”

"General, I know I'm asking for more than I should... But we just can't stand by and see equas's torment. Let your soldiers see what can be done to fix their situation,”

Luna stared at Osinin. Despite all the psych blocks, despite the protection, despite the implants, the princess' voice whispered in his head. And the General grudgingly admitted that the Luna had expressed his own wishes to him.
"You saw their pain! You saw their suffering! Pay it back! Here is my order: stain the land of Equestria reflection with blood of caribou! Make them suffer! Just like they made our ponies and equines suffer!"

The Lady of Dreams’ eyes were slowly suffused with a milky glow, and her voice made the air tremble.

"As soon as you're ready, go ahead, and we'll stand by you. We will not allow to be tyrannized over our subjects or the ponies of another Equestria! No one! And you, General, will help us in that!”

Osinin smiled faintly.

"No, Princess. We won't deliberately torment anyone. We'll just wipe out all the caribou that come in sight. "

"This is also the right motivation, General. Go ahead!"

Sparks of hope

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 14: 56

A strange, at first glance, group crowded around the rest houses. The fourteen released equas and a squad of infantrymen stood facing each other.

The general mood was high, especially among the pegasuses and unicorns. Doctors and healers have already added artificial horns to replace the ones they sawed off, and restored feathers and wing bundles. Equas couldn't believe such happiness, which had fallen on their heads like a snowball, and therefore they constantly checked what they had returned. There was a rustle of feathers as the pegasus's wings moved restlessly, reveling in the return of their strength and movement. Magic rang and crackled as the unicorns played with small spells and energy lights.

The Corporal stepped forward, wedged between them so that he could see them all, saluted, and addressed the equas.

"Filladies. Since neither at night nor in the morning we could not really talk and get acquainted, we will do it now. My name is Danil Vetrov, or Comrade Vetrov, or Comrade Corporal. I am responsible for your protection and placement here,”

Vetrov made a vague gesture with his hand in the direction of the houses and the construction site visible behind them. A team of spaceport workers and earth ponies were expertly erecting a two-story building of a pleasant sand-pink color from finished panels.

"Today, until the end of the day, you will stay here, in rest houses, and you will spend the night in your own hostel,”

"Well, is it ours Comrade Vetrov? This is dormitory, isn't it shared?"

Cantata smiled, a little maliciously, magically twirling the lighter in front of her. But it was clear that equa was in a good mood.

"But yours! For you, it is built at the rate of two faces per room. The square footage there, by the way, is decent... We will be there, today and in the future. If you need anything, please contact me or Comrade Zhilin, my deputy,”

Infantryman saluted.

"Private Maxim Zhilin. I am responsible for all the same things that Comrade Vetrov is responsible for,”

The Corporal continued to represent his squad.

"Private Herbert Williams. Our plasma gunner and responsible for everything related to sports and movement in your country. New equpment, the organization of a sports ground- to him.”

The plasma gunner gave a silent salute and earned a couple of shy smiles in return. But it didn't make them any less warm.

"Private Mark Hendricks, aka Croaker. Our full-time medic, with everything that hurts, you can safely approach him. His hands and heart are golden, believe me, fillies. How many times he darned us and pulled us out of the other world I can not count,”

Graceful Glide, peering over Citrine's shoulder, smiled a little. With the hands of Hendricks, she had already met and it was nice.

"Private Egor Baelman. Our technician and a bright head. When we're done, he'll give you communicators and explain how to use them.”

Then the names fell on equas as if from a cornucopia.

Private Fyodor Lazin, a rifleman. Can help with getting a job if the money allowance seems small.

Private Denis Khrunichev, a rifleman. He draws decently for a soldier, if you want to draw yourself-to him, everything will be provided.

Private Harry Stanfield, a rifleman, will be able to get any kind of musical instruments.

Private Artem Guberman, a sniper, a good psionicist. Can brought every kind of literature, from technical to tabloid.

Private Lee Mcfinnigan, a sapper, who able to arrange an excursion or a trip to theaters and museums.

Private Anton Gamayun, a rifleman, his responsible for the procurement and distribution of provisions and household items.

Private Jeremy Young, a rifleman, could help to find a tailor or a hypernet store where you can buy something new for your wardrobe.

And something remained unsaid. That each of the soldiers will first of all protect and protect each equa. Because there is an order, and because it is right.

"I understand that there are many of us, and that we are, at first equinae glance, the same. If you suddenly forget what someone's name is, it's okay, there are tags on the right side of the chest on the combos. You've already noticed, fillady... Rocket Flare? Very pleasant,”

An orange pegasus with a red-and-purple mane snorted, its wings moving restlessly. She seemed impatient for the sky.

"Well, fillady, you've met us. And now we will be very happy if you introduce yourself,”

Equas exchanged a few uneasy glances.

Finally, a white earthequa with a red mane stepped forward and bowed her head slightly.

"Vibrant Aberration. Very long time ago i was a magophysicist-optician, now... Unemployed, alas,”

A gray equa with a blue-green mane and a strongly curved horn, quite unexpectedly for everyone, waved a flirtatious hand.

"Willow Wisp. Remember the name, because I respond to it in any form,”

And finished off the infantrymen, smoothly changing shape. There was no flash of green fire like the Changelings, just a pearly, iridescent hue to her fur, and her mane fell in a wave almost to her knees and was dyed a deep ultramamarine. Willow's figure grew taller and thinner, her voice come velvety and purring. A white unicorn with a long blue mane squinted at the transformed Wisp. Instead, she sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.

The whole squad, led by the Corporal, realized that they would not be allowed to work quietly. The sniper, without any second thought, chuckled.

"Great, fillady Whisp. But can you simulate this?’

He ruffled the sleeve of his armored jumpsuit which was painted in pixel camouflage.

"Come to me at night, and you'll see. You’ll see whatever you want, Private Huberman,

The sniper realized that it would be doubly difficult for him.

"Willow, please don't! Don't embarrass our friends like that. I am Citrine Neklace, a jeweler by vocation and profession. And thank you for saving us all, gentleme... Comrades,”

Citrine smiled a little sheepishly, clasped hands behind her back. The Corporal assured her, that it was their job. Equa snorted merrily, twitching her head and causing her white mane with its mischievous yellow strands to hang over her face like a veil.

A tiny blue pegasus with an aquamarine mane inhaled, clearly about to say something, but stopped abruptly, clasping her hands to her chest. Willow, noticing this, immediately went to her and gently hugged her, whispering something in her ear. Equa relaxed, taking Wisp's hand, which clearly gave her confidence.

"I'm glad you're making us feel so welcome... My name is Graceful Glide. And I'm an aerial dancer. At least, I was...”

Equa smiled a little shyly, her eyes still on Mark.

An electric green pegasus with a mane of three shades of orange stretched her wings with obvious pleasure.

"If it's such a drunken night... Frisky Riff... Remind me, which one of you can help with musical instruments? Comrade Stanfield? Great, we'll talk about it sometime.”

The former "black" clearly preferred to catch good luck by the tail and other things

Velvet tucked the lighter into her breast pocket and made an almost imperceptible bow.

"Not all of you know me, comrades. So, for those who were not on the boat yesterday-Velvet Cantata. Musician and composer, was, is and will be,”

However, it so happened that everyone already knew the pink-maned one. It's hard not to pay attention to the fragile coffee unicorn, which has enough rage for an entire platoon of mobile infantry.

"Frisky, do you mind if I fall on your tail later? About the insruments? Oh, thank you,"

"My name is Silver Radians. And if you need an experienced sorceress, I will be happy to help, friends,”

The unicorn, Willow had taunted, made an elegant curtsy. There was a sense of nobility and dignity in her bearing, in her pose, in her accent. This equa could not break and "awarded" a black collar.

"Balmy Grape. You can just call me Balmy... Oh, Comrade Vetrov? Will it be possible to set up a little garden near the hostel?”

Having received assurances that it is possible, and if it is for peace of mind, it is absolutely necessary, the honey-colored earthequa with a purple mane broke into a satisfied smile.

"Yes, a great idea! Herbs, berries, flower beds... I almost forgot! I'm Tea Lief,”

A dark caramel-colored equa with a red-and-white mane immediately started talking to Balmi.

"Blue Orchard. Can I join you, fillies? Can I? Yes? Hooray!”

An orange filly with a gray-yellow mane, having heard the consent from her companions, rushed to them to hug, slightly squeaking with happiness.

The purple pegasus with the black mane smiled

"I didn't think it would be like this... Lilac Skyce, and tell the doctors my great thanks for my wings,”

A pale yellow, almost white pegasus with a violet mane patted Lilac on the top of her head.

"Another one? Skye, you were still in the infirmary with the medics, you should be sorry, they can't take it anymore. I'm Ciarin Streak, a weather equa, who digs in the hot winds. Maybe you need such winged one at the spaceport?”

"Summer Drops. I flew with Streak, but I did more watering and regular rain.”

Ears of the earth-equas immediately turned with interest in the direction of the pink pegasus with a white mane. After that, they continue asking Vetrov about the garden and the trench instrument. Corporal puzzling sapper with the search for earthmoving equipment for future gardeners, and slapped the technician on the shoulder.

"Now, Private Baelman, it's your turn."

Yegor walked over to the equas, handing out communicators, spare batteries, and chargers. And briefly explained and showed, how to use all this, at least as a phone and alarm clock.

Equas's mood went from elated to, if not joyful, then approaching it. Their movements became smoother, their shoulders straightened, their eyes began to shine, smiles flashed more often and chuckles were heard.

They're free. They were given their magic and wings back, without asking for anything in return. Close friends that will protect and hide is near. They were given a new life for nothing.

Of course, it would be some time before the equas fully recovered from their horrors. Even such strong ones as Cantata, Silver, Riff.

The sorceress, who had already put the communicator in her pocket, touched the sleeve of a passing technician.

"Comrade Baelman. Can you answer one question? What will happen to our Equestria? Will you do something with caribou?”

Everyone froze. In one simple phrase, the aristocratic unicorn drew attention to herself and expressed what all the freed were concerned about.

Equas's eyes darted from one infantryman to the next. There was hope in them. Waiting for help. Surely these soldiers wouldn't leave their home in the lurch? After all, they will help those who are still languishing in slavery?

Corporal sighed.

"Excuse me, fillady Radians, I'll answer for my comrade... I do not know exactly what the General will do, but he will not leave your country without help. And about caribou, we'll do much the same as we did tonight. They deserve only shot in the head,”

The hope that shone in the eyes of each freed equa flared up like a hundred megaton sun after Vetrov's words.

Every infantryman saw it. Everyone felt it. And everyone made a vow not to let this fire die out.

03.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 4: 22

Glide sauntered across the dew-covered grass and flexed her shoulders and wings in a circular motions. The pegasus wanted to fly until the sun came up and then a little more. Graceful had always liked the dawn. It helped her to gather her strength and give her new hope. At home, while there was a chance, every time Princess Celestia raised the sun, pegasus tried to expose herself to its very first, most gentle rays.

A thin streak of orange and yellow was visible above the horizon. In the city behind, one by one, the streetlights went out. Only the spaceport had a life of its own, and the lights on the control tower were unquenchable red beacons.

Graceful pulled her communicator out of pocket and turned on the transponder mode with a couple of jabs. Glide spread her wings, catching the air currents, smiling as she remembered how Hendricks had begged her and the other pegasuses not to fly over or near the spaceport without indicating their presence in the air. As the medic explained, it is more necessary for the ships to notice the Pegasus in time.

Pushing off, Graceful soared like a rocket into cool sky. Artificial silver-colored feathers, donated by doctors in addition to the healed ligaments of the wings, were kept as if they were her own.

It was beautiful.

Climb into the sky, dance with the wind and the rising sun. Dance for them.

Soar and fall, laying an unthinkable U-turn at the very ground and flying up like a candle, as if defying gravity.

Splashing in the fiery glow that fills the whole sky, the whole world, and the magnificent freshness of an autumn morning.

Cutting the wind with the feathers, to feel the air swirl on the wings, leaving thin traces behind the tips.

Meet the whole body with a flaming wave of light, as soon as the sun's disk appears completely. Allow this radiance to reach the farthest corners of the soul, burning out and purifying all that is superfluous and oppressive.

For an interminable moment, Graceful hovered in the air, arched, wings and arms outstretched, head thrown back. The sun bathed her in golden fire, glittered on her new feathers, and continued its journey across the firmament.

The pegasus fell like a stone. She skidded to a stop near the ground, then came down gently. A smooth, flowing curtsy to the dawn sky completed today's dance.

A little to the side, there was a gasp of genuine admiration and a quick, stomping sound. As Glide already knew, the ponies in this world applauded this way.

The pegasus turned to face the fiery golden unicorn, who was still stamping her hooves on the ground and laughing happily. She smiled and bowed to the audience member, who had not been seen before, thanking her for the applause.

"You were amazing! I have no words for how you were able to merge with the dawn! Bravo!”

"Thank you... Did you really like my dance?”

"That's not the word! This... This! It's simple... I couldn't take my eyes off it! You're gorgeous!”

Pegasus squeezed her eyes shut with pleasure and gave the curly-haired unicorn another bow.

"Viiiii! Let's get acquainted, I'm Sunny Trail! I work as a dispatcher here,”

Pony tossed her lush mane in the direction of the tower at the runway.

"Graceful Glide... Whoa. Is it difficult? "

"Not really. But it is very interesting! You're sitting in a tower, watching the locator, and the spaceships are moving at your commands. Mighty ships unquestioningly follow instructions of the little pony! Tee-hee!"

Sunny broke into a wide, happy smile. Her face literally lit up with the consciousness of her own importance and usefulness. Glide snorted with amusement at the sight of the little sun blooming beside her. And she just couldn't resist hugging this curly-haired miracle.

"Whoof! Be gentle, Glide, I'm a little pony, not an infantryman!”

Resisting the urge to lick Trail's nose, the pegasus released her and sat down next to her. The dispatcher, once free, fell dramatically on her back, her legs tucked up and her tongue hanging out, showing her indignation with an excessively strong hug. However, under the giggling pegasus, Sunny quickly “came to life”

"Would you like some coffee, Glidee? With cookies? With delicious cookies? Will you? Great, morning picnic! So, where did I throw the bag?”

03.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 13: 00
Equestria.

Silver Radians knocked on the door of the office marked "Major Pressley Harper, Military mission."

It wasn't too difficult to find a human embassy in the city. Soldiers offered their help, but the sorceress refused, saying that independent actions would help her recover faster.

Now, she standing in front of the door of the officer she wanted to talk to. And she hoped, that this conversation would help to free up her house a little.

There were quick footsteps outside the door, and the Major invited equa inside. He took the coat from her and pulled out a chair, offering her a seat.

Silver found the strength to accept the fleeting concern, even if a chill prickled inside her. Orders of magnitude weaker than before the rescuing, but still cold. Equa only hoped, that one day this cold would leave completely.

"I'm glad you found time for conversstion, fillady Radians. A cup of tea? Coffee? Sorry, I have no wine or liquor, just some moonshine,”

Silver smiled faintly and agreed to the tea. Harper glanced quickly at the electric kettle, which immediately clicked the switch and made a businesslike noise. He took a couple of simple mugs of thick carbon fiber from the table, poured tea leaves and sugar.

Setting the steaming tea in front of equa, Harper sat down at the table across from her.

"So, fillady Radians, you wanted to talk with me. About what, may I ask?”

Unicorn pulled the mug toward her and just stared for a few seconds at the thin tendrils of steam rising from the surface.

"Mr. Harper, I want to tell you something about how things were in my house during the Fall and after. In the hope that this will bring the liberation of my country a little closer. You know how difficult this is for me, don't you?”

Radiance looked up at the Major.

"I hardly know you or your race... But seeing, how friendly you are with the ponies, talking to your soldiers, I think you can help. And not to harm my homeland any more...”

Silver led the story. About how a beautiful country fell after being stabbed in the back by one of the most trusted ones. As someone who used to be the first defender became one of the first tormentors. How the Keepers of the Elements broke down.

And she called out names. Those, who sold their home for the opportunity to command the bodies of the equas. Those, who helped the invaders to restore their order, tempted by gifts. Those, who were stabbed in the back when they should have been standing till last drop of blood.

She talked about their traits, their characters, their old and acquired habits. About their affairs and finances. About where they live.

Harper listened very carefully, without interrupting or asking again. Major had a tenacious memory and a habit of keeping his voice recorder on the comm. What Radians had said could not only simplify the liberation, but also eliminate many of the problems afterward.

Silver, from what Harper had seen, was willing to take whatever part she could in preparing for the release of her Equestria. And since the sorceress could not defend her homeland face to face with the enemy, at least she would stab them in the back.

"I'm very grateful to you, fillady Radians. Words, you have told me, is equally disturbing and reassuring,”

"May I? What's reassuring, Major?"

"Information about traitors and their buisnesses, fillady. This is a great opportunity to make a lot of interesting things, that can help in the liberation of your country. And I am troubled by the news of your Princess Cadence's treachery. This can be a problem. Not immediately, but still,”

Harper rested his chin on his folded hands and sighed.

"However, I would like to ask how all this information came to you. Not because I doubt it, but because I need it for a more accurate assessment of them,”

"I understand, Mr. Harper. Life in the high society of Canterlot is quite a spectacle. Where everyone watches everyone, listens and draws conclusions. Otherwise, there is simply no holding back. When the Fall began, I was in the capital. In the thick of it,”

Equa sighed, setting down her cup and rubbing her temples. It wasn't easy for her to talk about what she was going to say, but it was necessary.

"I tried to fight... But I couldn't even stand up before traitors. However, I remember well those who turned away from the country even before the arrival of the caribou and falling under them... Influence. And then, in captivity, I talked to other aristocrats. And so, I made up the picture I just told you, Major. In the hope that this will help,”

"It will help, no doubt. And thank you again, fillady Radians. If you want to tell me anything else, I'm yours at any time. You can call on the comm or come in person, as you like,”

"Thank you, Mr. Harper. However, can I ask you to tell me something?”

"Depends on what you want to know. You understand,”

"Why do you look so much alike? I mean, the soldiers and everyone else involved in the army service?”

"Explain yourself, fillady. What do you mean?”

"You look like brothers. I can't find the exact words for this feeling, but you all seem to be connected by a single spirit. It's a mystery to me,”

Harper, hearing the sorceress's surprise, only smiled. This was not the first time the Major had heard such a question, and, as the beamgum sees, it would not be the last time. Ponies were asked about the same thing so often that many military men had their own prepared answers.

"Oh, I think I can answer that question for you. This is absolutely not a secret, information can be found even in military encyclopedias for children and foals,”

Harper grabbed his mug and leaned back in his chair.
"What you describe as "the spirit that permeates you" is called a psychomatrix. In short, it is a complex of knowledge, skills, ideas, attitudes and awareness that is embedded in our mind and soul,”

Equa's eyes widened in surprise. Neither the officer sitting in front of her, nor the soldiers with whom Radiance had communicated before, looked at all like a washed-out dummy, as she used to think of all magically programmed ones.
"But this is, in fact, the erasure of identity? How so?”
"Not erasing. An add-on, a new full-fledged fragment. The matrix is embedded in an existing personality and belief system. However, after engraftment, the personality begins to change in accordance with the nature of the nested. It is not completely erased, but it becomes different. Have you ever wondered if it would be good to add responsibility for someone around you? Or to make the official obligations and ethics self-fulfilling, even within certain limits? Psychomatrices allow us to do all this,”

Radiance listened, playing with a lock of her mane. The revelations were quite unexpected for her. The sorceress took care of her mind and simply could not imagine, what it would be like to voluntarily accept a structure that would change you to fit the template.
"That's why matrices are put to all human military and politicians. In our hands the power is concentrated. We can do a lot of unpleasant things if we don't keep ourselves in check.”

Harper chuckled softly, as if somewhat embarrassed by what he wanted to say next.
"And after all, what is the main task of a every soldier? Protection of the civilian. Protection of those who cannot stand against a force superior to him. This is the basis on which military matrices stand. We are primarily defenders of the weak,”
"It sounds very chivalrous, but...”
"Stupid? Here is another plus of psychomatrics for you-awareness. I understand that my task is to protect and I will perform it in the best possible way, taking into account my capabilities and skills. Am I a mobile infantryman? I will act in battle in such a way as to complete the task as efficiently as possible, without being distracted by anything. Am I a tank driver? The same thing. Am I a pilot? The same thing. Am I a counterintelligence officer? No matter, same thing. After all, how well I will cope with the combat task depends on how well I will be able to protect civilians. Humans, ponies, equines, it doesn't matter,”
"That's strande. It seems that your matrices allow you to combine in your mind what, in principle, does not combine. Caring for civilians and composure in battle? But how?”
"Awareness, fillady Radians. And, you say, to combine the incompatible? Perhaps, one of the functions can be described like this. The matrix allows you not to harden your soul completely. Not to be a soulless machine all the time, but, let's say, to turn the toggle switch, changing the perception and the course of thoughts depending on the situation.”
"It turns out that these charms, although they bring alien features to the personality, strengthen it and make it more whole? Interesting. Although it is quite scary,”
"To the point, fillady, this is not a spell, but a psycho technique. Would you like me to send you some literature on the topic? Again, nothing secret, everything is from open access,”

At the words about literature on the topic, the sorceress perked up. Radiance love to read and learn something new, to find new strength. This was, perhaps, the most important hobby of equa, harmoniously intertwining the desired and the necessary.

After struggling with the communicator and the Major's offers to help for a couple of minutes, Silver managed to receive the files and save them to the desired folder on the device.

Harper handed Radiance the coat, escorted her to the exit, and still managed to insist on a taxi to the hostel of the freed. Silver sent the Major a small smile in farewell, got into a cab and told the burly earthpony that she was ready to leave.

03.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
13:30
Equestria Fallen, Ponyville.

The train hissed, screeched its brakes and stopped. Stallions, accompanied by their slaves, were getting out on the platform, porters were pulling out luggage, casting greedy glances at the newcomers. But everyone preferred not to notice and give way to the two caribou that got off the tail car. One of them sported fresh bandages across his broad chest and a manticore sting on his belt, confirming the hunting feat.

The newcomers cordially said goodbye and went to the city, in different directions. "Healthy" to the city hall, and "wounded" to the market square.

If you don't look very closely, and without special equipment, both caribou just slowly strolled along the street. And no one felt their tenacious gaze, grasping every little thing.

In the market square, a bandaged one was also leisurely strolling, examining the surroundings.

The stalls with various goods, including live ones, seemed to absorb all his attention. He meticulously chose a loaf and a bunch of sweet rhubarb stalks. He simply left the payment on the counter, to the surprise of the hostess "red" and left, angrily wincing from the pain in his wounds. Apparently, the hunting trophy comforted him sufficiently and the deer did not want to "play" with the mare.

Waving the package, the caribou crossed to the side of the square, where merchants of a slightly different kind were clustered. There were scaffolds, tethers, and pens. There were talkative barkers or bored owners who were spinning around, as if they were not interested in the revenue.

And there were equas. Plenty. In slave collars, with dim eyes and drooping shoulders. Plunged into despondency and hopelessness. Conquered, enslaved, broken. In their properly place.

The bandaged caribou walked past the rows, looking closely at everyone, merchants and "goods". Until he stopped at one mint-colored equa without a horn, who wore a black collar. He called a gray pegasus, who was putting up her for sale.
"How much for this one?”
"My Lord, are you sure?" I have more skilled and obedient...”
"Now you will get in the gut. How much for a mint mare?”
"Two hundred and fifty bits. A leash and a gag are attached,”
"Two hundred, and keep the gag. You can even put it on yourself, since you're so smart,”

Pegasus breathed a sigh of relief when the caribou took his purchase away. The problematic product went to an equally problematic buyer. Well, and the tree wolf will eat them both.

The caribou was already leaving the square a little faster, carefully watching that his "purchase" did not stumble and fall. The amber gaze, full of pain and anger, did not touch him.

At the edge of the square, the bandaged one met his friend and he handed him the key to the rented house where they were to live.

When he reached the place, the caribou picked up the mare on his shoulder and so went into the house, ignoring the growing red spots on the bandages.

Going into the living room, he put the "acquisition" on the sofa and walked around. The curtains at the same time crept down by themselves, closing the windows.

Caribou released equa's wrists with wave of his hand and squatted down in front of her. And then he took and ruthlessly tore up the remnants of the templates.
"Fillady Heartstrings, I'm going to ask you not to shout, no matter, what you will see.”

Taking her hands in his, the bandaged stag continued.
"There's something I want to show you. Can you promise me to be quiet? Again, what would you not see?”

Lyra, convinced that this was all a dream, nodded in fascination.

For a split second, the air around the "caribou" rippled, blurring and hiding his outlines.

Futuristic armor that covers the entire body. Behind the right shoulder is the fluted hilt of a short blade. On the chest on the belt is something vaguely similar to a griffin fire crossbow, only more elegant and perfect in appearance. Feet in armored boots. And a hairless, pale, flat face under the raised visor of the helmet.
"Remember the promise, fillady Heartstrings. Don't yell,"

Said the human holding her hands.

Lyra's breath caught in her throat. It began to get dark in her eyes, and equa collapsed on the sofa. When Lyra woke up, the human was still there, sitting next to her and stroking her palm with his armored-gloved fingers.
"I understand that you have a lot of questions to the revived myth, fillady. And I am ready to answer them, to the extent of my knowledge. But first, I want to learn something from you. Do you agree?”
"Are you sure you're a real human? Not a caribou, who decided to make fun of me?”
"One hundred percent human. Caribou can't produce things like that, can they?"
Huan pulled out from the holster on his belt a pistol, as black, as his armor. He pointed it to the side and pressed the trigger. The weapon made no sound, only a hole appeared in the wall.
"A dark energy emitter, aka a disruptor pistol. A versatile, powerful and very quiet toy,”

The human unlocked a part of the pistol and handed weapon to Lyra.
"You can take a look. I removed the battery and it is not dangerous,”

Equa took the gun in her hands, closing her eyes. Almost cold, made of a material unknown to Lyra, heavy. Real. The gun seemed to have the imprint of the owner's power and the race that created this weapon. Races of scientists, inventors, researchers. And, as it turned out, soldiers.
"I want to know why you're here. Why were you pretending to be a caribou?”

The man took the gun, loaded it and returned it to the holster.
"You see, Lyra, the caribou's appetites are absolutely irrepressible, it's not for me to tell you. And they began to open portals to other worlds in search of new slaves and prey,”
"Oh, Sisters! Tartarish idiots! Ouch... Excuse me...”
"Fillady Heartstrings. Quieter. Or I won't tell you anything,”

Lyra covered her face with her hands, held it as if removing a spider web. And she sat down on the sofa, patting her palm next to her. The human smiled warm and soft. He sat down next to equa, took her hands and continued the story.
"Caribou came to our friends. Also to Equestria, but different. They came and stole an entire village into captivity. These are not equas, like you and your friends, but real little ponies. Four hooves and a long bang, big eyes and a panicle tail,”

Lyra couldn't help but smile as she heard a warrior who looked like he could lay down a whole hird of shield-bearers, chanting a nursery rhyme.
"Have you seen any of them here? We came here because we want to bring them home. These are our agreements with the Heavenly Sisters of that Equestria. That's our job. Lyra, can you help us with this? Do you know anything? Have you seen anything?”

Lyra stared at the human without taking her eyes off him. He scratched her wrist with his fingers, bringing her back to reality.
"I don't remember exactly... Everything is too confused right now. I'm sorry, I...”
"You're worried, I understand. If you sleep, will you be able to remember? Can I help you sleep? A pill? A spell? Or sing a lullaby? Or read a fairy tale? Or all of them together?”

Lyra giggled and laughed, following human’s smile.
"Give me a pill. It is interesting to try your inventions,”

First insert, contact of ponies and humans.

04.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria
The time is 16: 30.

The aroma of coffee with a slight hint of cognac enveloped the office like a thick, soft fog. Not viscous enough to drown thoughts in it, but cozy enough to relax and get into a good mood.

Silver, who was sitting in front of a battered life table, was just arriving in such a way. The Major went to great lengths for her second visit, found excellent coffee and cognac for flavor, a stock in the refrigerator in addition to his dry rations, also a bottle of cream. And to all questions about hospitality, he answered that it was just a pleasure to communicate with Radians and nothing more.

Equa, who was pouring cognac into her own cup, almost believed it. And along with the weakening stab of cold, a new feeling came. Vague and quiet, but pleasant.
"Thank you again, fillady Radians. You know, I'm starting to think that you're my colleague. What? There are no exes, in any of the worlds."
"Alas, but I'm just an observant equa with a good memory. There is no other way to become a good sorceress,"

Taking a sip of the fragrant, thick coffee, equa smiled slightly. Her thought, jumping up and down like a mischievous cat, was caught by the tail.
"Mr. Harper, how did humans find and make friends with Equestria in general?"

The Major poured more brandy into his cup and began the story.

It all started three years ago, what a surprise, with a reconnaissance jump of one proud hunter corvette, with the name of the north wind. After leaving the hyper, navigator then felt an unknown anomaly and the captain decided to take a closer look at it.

After three more jumps, the crew discovered that the "anomaly" was a blue planet. A beautiful, shining pearl of the abyss that is extremely rare.

The corvette stand into orbit, aiming at the planet all possible means of observation that it have. The crew was surprised - the world was inhabited by a huge number of sapient, completely different from each other! Different luminosities of auras, different psychobackground said that they could not be representatives of the same race. But there were no fires of mutual hatred. Nowhere did the war crumble with crimson sparks.

Amazed, astronauts just looked at this splendor.

When the corvette flew over the country, most brightly shining in the mental background, the navigator went out to the hull, admire this beauty and try to reach the surface with his mind. And he did not expect was that the princess of that shining country would fly up to meet his ship.

Princess Luna, seeing that the astronauts did not pose a threat to her subjects, invited them to descend to Equestria.

Thus began the first contact between humans and ponies. Relations between the two races, so different, but surprisingly well got along, began to develop rapidly.

Ponies received the products of human science and industry in abundance, sharing their knowledge about magic and engaging in joint projects of unprecedented audacity.

Equestria, in addition to the "magic of friendship", which was permeated and bonded, suddenly gained access to previously not only inaccessible resources, but simply unimaginable opportunities.

Work on the development of lands that were previously considered unsuitable for life flourished in full bloom. In the frozen tundra, cities of eartpony miners appeared and grew, observatories and research stations of magical universities were built, which scientists from all over the world sought to get to.

In the southern deserts, gardens and greenhouses bloomed, watered with water from deep wells and protected by pony magic from sandstorms. The sorcery of unicorns, the work of earthpony and the technologies of people made it possible to turn useless and dangerous lands into one of the breadbaskets of the country.

Howewer, not everyone was happy with this state of affairs.

Griffins grumbled, that they were deprived of the wonders of science, in response to which princesses poked their beaks at the suspiciously organized gangs operating on the borders, which were chased by the Children of the Night.

The Minotaurs, known for their conservative approach to life, were wary of aliens and refused to deal with them en masse. Only a few decided to communicate with the humans themselves and buy their goods.

But the natives of distant islands in the cold seas were neither so reasonable nor so disorganized. King Storm, seeing how Equestria is blooming, decided to pay a far from friendly visit.

The Children of the Night were the first to meet and stop the invasion group, giving time for the residents of a small coastal town to leave. At the same time, humans sent three companies of mobile infantry to help the Night Guard.

And during the next attack, yeti were simply exterminated. Some of their airships could not even reach the landing point, burned by humans spaceboats.

This was the impetus for the treaty on the creation of an expeditionary force in Equestria for a case like the Storm King. A mobile infantry division and a space marine battalion were transferred to the subordination of the Sisters.

As time later showed, the forces are excessive for those tasks that the world could set. Even Tirek, the Chthon who escaped from Tartarus, was destroyed quickly.

But neither Luna, who directly managed the corps, its placement and setting goals, nor Celestia, who was engaged in planning in a longer and broader perspective, agreed to reduce the contingent. Even if them had to pay a lot for it in magic and artifacts, but it was worth it.

However, humans did not sit still, training and equipping the pony guard. The first to try out the novelties were the Children of the Night, who drove the gangs of "free knights". And thestrals liked, what aliens bring to them.

And so the expeditionary Force remained in Equestria. De facto, crown mercenaries, de jure "contract peacekeeping contingent". Harper pronounced the latter with a fair amount of malice.

Radiance, remembering how four infantrymen had dumped a hundred caribou, appreciated the sarcasm.

"Yes, peacemakers kind to look for... I like it."

The Major spread his hands, smiling a little. As if he wanted to show that the huge war machine, of which he is a part, is powerless before the will of Heavenly Sisters.

"We wanted to remain just an expeditionary corpus or an Equestrian Division... But Their Highnesses decided otherwise,"

Equa clicked her tongue in mock reproach and pulled the coffee pot and cream to her with telekinesis. The Major's coffee was really good.

Life goes on as usual

03.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Time 23: 15
Equestria.

The night was quiet. A scattering of stars hung overhead. A cool breeze gently curled near the ground.

Cantata leaned back on the bench and took a deep breath from the open pack. Yes, Vetrov was right, it's better to smoke such cigarettes in freedom. The smell was softer and deeper than that of the "Gifts of Camelou", the aroma of cherries was felt.

Equa pulled a cigarette out of the pack, patted her pockets, and remembered that she had left the lighter in her other shirt. She didn't want to go to the dorm, it was just an amazing night to jump back and forth like that.

Maybe she should wait a little while for someone else to come out for a smoke? Frisky or one of infantrymen? In the meantime, Velvet can just admire the bottomless starry sky and the lights of the city to the side.

Footsteps sounded from the direction of the dormitory.
“Good night, fillady,”
“Good night, Comrade Vetrov. I forgot my lighter, can you share it?”

The Corporal sat down on the other side of the bench and handed Cantata a lighter. Equa nodded gratefully, lit a cigarette from the blue flame and put the metal box on the bench next to her.

Vetrov watched the ring of fragrant smoke that the unicorn released and reached for the lighter himself. But Velvet had a habit of twisting something in her hands and a lighter was perfectly fit for this.

Cantata grinned when Danil touched her hand, at the same time reaching for the ill-fated lighter. The man quickly withdrew his hand and coughed in embarrassment.
“I'm sorry, please. I didn't want to,”
“Oh, Corporal, Corporal... Are you so afraid of the fragile equa?”

Vetrov lowered his head into his hands. And he grinned.
"Well, not quite. More than the General who will tear me apart, if something unpleasant happens to one of you,"

Velvet grinned, taking a drag. Equa was in no hurry to answer, seemingly completely absorbed in contemplating the clouds of thick, delicious-smelling smoke.
"You tried to excuse yourself wit the General, Vetrov. You excused yourself, I myself heard "not quite"... Why didn't you finish telling me, huh?"

Equa stared into space in front of her and smiled slightly. Her cigarette gradually shortened as she puffed. Finally, Velvet chuckled as she tossed her cigarette butt into the trash.
"Well, Corporal, you've missed your chance... For today,”

Unicorn got up and went to the dorm door. But halfway through, she looked over her shoulder.
"Next time, don't pull your hand away. And it's better if you hold mine... Daniel,

Vetrov waited until the Cantata disappeared in the doorway, picked up a lighter and lit a cigarette, feeling a sprout of warmth settle inside.

There was still a report to write for the General. Vetrov took out a comm, connected and began to form something intelligible from the images of the day

04.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 03: 00
Equestria Fallen.

"Wake up, fillady Sparkle. Wake up, but don't sing,

A quiet but confident voice pulled Twilight out of the arms of a restless slumber. Equa got up on her litter and saw an unfamiliar caribou next to her.

Twilight doubted that she was awake. So that the deer addresses the equa "fillady"? It's just not possible.

But here he is, squatting in front of her and smiling strangely.
"Fillady Sparkle, I want to show you something now. Promise to be quiet, no matter what you see,
"Yes, Sir, everything, what you wan..."

The air around the caribou rippled for a second. And he revealed a creature clad in an unprecedented black armor. Or even a golem, since the living need slots in their helmets.

Twilight watched in a daze as the "golem" raised its blind visor and a pale, flat face appeared under it. Which smiled and said cheerfully in a quite ordinary stallion voice.
"Hope, you didn't bet for money with Lyra Heartstrings about the existence of humans"

Twilight had a sharp and clear mind, which even years of being in slavery could not dull. It quickly dawned on an alicorn, that the mythical creature in front of her was more than real.

But the habits learned during the years of captivity took their toll. Twilight offered herself to the stallion as politely as she could.

But the human just clicked his teeth, pulled her by the shoulder and touched her forehead with the tips of his fingers. Right under the stump of the horn.

Sparkle was doused with cold water. Alicorn pulled away, realizing what she had done. Covered up.
"Here, it's already good. Fillady, the psychoconture won't last long, I really need to learn something from you,"
"Won't it last long? Then I'll come back... To the previous state? I will be again... Publicly available? "

Twilight almost hissed the last word. The man nodded.
"I'm not a wizard. It will take a lot of work to get back to what it was before the caribou. We can help with this. But we also need your help,"

Twilight smiled sadly.
"How can a sex slave help a mythical race that has conquered time and space? Is there really something that is beyond the control of you, the inventors?"
"There is. And also something that is simply unknown for us. And what you might know, fillady Sparkle,"

Human pulled a flat box out of the pouch on his belt, pressed a button on the end and a three-dimensional image of a four-legged pony appeared above it. The alien briefly told about why they are here and who they are looking for. He told about another Equestria, about the friendship of two such dissimilar races.

And now the visitor is asking Twilight to help his friends. Tell her what she knows about the ponies that are here.

The words of the human touched the long-silenced strings in Twilight's soul, forcing them to shake off the dust and barely audible, but still sing.

Twilight told the guest about the unusual creatures, so similar to the Equins and so much different from them. All Twilight knew, was that they had been taken by train to Canterlot and were going to be made a curiosity and a highlight of the upcoming fair. Out of the corner of her ear, equa also heard, that Dainn himself claimed these prisoners as the first prey from the perallel world.

The human thanked to an alicorn, and again touched her forehead with an imperceptibly quick movement. Twilight didn't even feel that she was falling asleep.

Upon awakening, only the chill of the "psychoconture" in the consciousness reminded of the reality of the night guest. Moreover, the fact that the right wristband has now turned into a computer, as if it came down from the pages of fantastic comics.

The bracelet, seemingly unchanged, greeted her with the voice of a night guest and said that now it was a way to contact him. And in addition, an anchor for a sobering "psychoconture".

04.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 07: 00

The system was not particularly hospitable. A white dwarf, a small planet and swarms of asteroids around. Nothing that could attract at least someone who was friends with his head.

An ideal place for an automatic backup base.

One of the many reference points scattered throughout the least explored part of the universe, patiently waited for the ships. If a passing ship sent the correct request, the base cheerfully lit the lights, turned on the mooring beacons and opened the doors of the hangars. And she kept silent if something was wrong.

The corvette with the proud name "Boreas" was hospitably embraced by automation.

The ship floated gently into the hangar and sank to the floor. Immediately, manipulators and mechanical hands reached out to him. They changed the chipped armor tiles and dead sensors. They loaded rockets and new cells to the plasma cannons and took the shot ones. Automatic hoses supplied high-pressure air and refrigerant to the corvette.

After a few minutes, the "Boreas" was completely ready to continue the campaign. But the crew was in no hurry to go on the route.

The corvette, however, did not mind at all that its crew took a breather. He understood that not everyone, like him, was made of niobium, fullerenes and psychocomposites. Some people need a rest. "Boreas" was generally understanding about his crew. However, he never told them this. Well, what if they relax?

Captain Gideon Summerend, who was dozing without leaving the control room, smiled, completely agreeing with the thoughts of his ship.

Maxim Kormukhin, the gunner, who had already crawled past all the guns and emitters, inspected the loaded missiles, went to the shower with a sense of accomplishment.

The power engineer August Kholodov sent a dirty natelka and a spacesuit jacket to the cleaner, waved his hand to the shooter and stomped to his cabin in his mother's clothes.

Henry Jenkins, an engineer, had been in bed for a long time and had a tenth dream. Something bright, exciting and wonderfully plausible that you dream only in space.

Vadim Krylov, the navigator, went into the cabin, took the violin out of the case, adjusted it and put the bow on the strings. But before he could take even a couple of notes, his communicator beeped angrily. The message that came was not particularly pleasing, even taking into account where I had to fly, throwing a rest.
"Comrade Summerand! The order has come - we start the reactors and rush to Equestria! Priority is the highest, urgency is the highest. Eh... I feel that some kind of trouble has happened there,x
"Don't panic, Vadim! When we arrive, we'll see, what is going on. And we will draw a full ass of dark energy to everyone, who need this. Crew! Get in your seats, departure in three minutes! Course to Equestria,"

04.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
The time is 12: 10
Equestria
"Well, look, Vibrant. Here we have a section of laser and raser processing. Cutting, engraving, there are even several metal printers. Everything whag you wants, and the hooves will be programm,"

A crimson-colored pegasus pony with a yellow mane led equa around the shop, showing and telling. Vibrant really liked the level of equipment, and these are ordinary repair shops at the spaceport! What can you find in laboratories?

Sting Ray laughed and said that it was more than she could imagine. Equa sighed dreamily. And she caught herself thinking that maybe it's not worth stopping at the workshops? Maybe work and ask for recommendations somewhere else?
"Sting, tell me, will it be possible to learn how to work with all this?"
"If possible? Vibrant, you very welcome! We will ride you on your back and humans carry you on their hands if you master the entire machine park!"
-"Hmm. I think a slightly higher salary will be enough for me,"
"And here I'm sorry. There-e-e no buje-e-ets!"

Pony and equa simultaneously broke into knowing grins and laughed. Ray leaned against equa's leg for a couple of seconds and led her further through the workshops, showing and telling.

Vibrant listened without interrupting. It was pleasant to plunge back into the atmosphere of production, where something new was done every day and hour, where unexpected and interesting tasks were constantly solved. Yes, this was not the native lab, where Aberreishen and her colleagues worked on puzzles of the interaction of magic and light rays. But nevertheless, it was good here.

At some point, equa's hearing was pricked by something very familiar, so familiar and ordinary earlier that she did not notice how they did not notice their nose. After a moment of nostalgic prostration, Vibrant listened and broke into a satisfied grin from ear to ear.

The air of the neighboring workshop was shaken by mighty, like a centuries-old oak, just as lush and spreading dirty words, addressed to the machine that had suddenly gone mad.

Vibrant sighed happily.
"Oh, it's almost like home…"

04.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Time 21: 22
“Satellite lock this group a few minutes ago. While they are far from any villages, but they are moving quite quickly. Our task is to intercept them, if there are prisoners, to release them. Everyone on board and move on,”

Two dozen mobile infantrymen and four unicorns from the Manehatten city guard boarded the boat. It was not the first time that Sergeant Ortega and Lieutenant Copper Shield went out on a joint task and the teams were lapped up. Both ponies and humans were calm and focused, preparing to meet those who invaded without an invitation.

The boat hummed faintly with its engines, climbing into the stratosphere and higher, gaining speed with every second.

Soldiers talked and joked in low voices before disembarking. For them, this was not the first and not the last operation. And the fact, that thay going to meet with intruders from another world, gave confidence. Guys at Dandeline Fields did it, and they will do it too.

Ponies, who had to pull off the evacuation of the prisoners themselves, if there were any, were no less confident of success than the earthlings. Four bright-eyed fillies perfectly mastered all the necessary magic. And they had to see a lot in their lifetime, even if not as much as the infantrymen.

The boat passed the upper point of the trajectory and began a rapid descent through the night and sparse clouds. The machine was speeding towards a group of intruders spotted in the plains.

The pilot brought the weapon to readiness, activated missiles and guided bombs. Ponies closed their helmets tightly and turned on the pulse amplifiers of magic in their armor. Humans loaded beam rifles and plasma carbines. The rocket man pulled his folded launcher to him, plasma gunners attached cells and coolant cassettes to their guns.

The boat, having extinguished the lights, fell out from under the clouds. The navigator immediately spotted a hundred caribou marching towards the town fifty kilometers away. The pilot flew around them in a circle, carefully peering into the sights. A small group was clearly visible, walking in the tail and differing in luminosity from the main mass of caribou.

Copper Shield, a lieutenant in the Manehattan police department, shook her head, looking at the tactical screen.
"Twenty civilians... Fillies, we'll have to give everything thoroughly. Sarge! We'll need all the magic we have, so cover us on the way,"

Sergeant Ortega, who was instructing his subordinates, nodded.
" The first squad goes with me. Sukhov, Witold- you will cover the breakthrough,"

Plasma gunners nodded, unbuckled their belts and prepared to disembark.

The boat dropped the soldiers and ponies at a distance of attack and went up, preparing to cover with fire if necessary.

Ortega sent a team to the psycholink.
"According to the plan! Let's get rid of this scum!"

The attack began. The night was pierced by the first razers and psychostrikes, cutting down warriors in the rearguard. Caribou died instantly and fell like a logs. Only clouds of smoke escaped from the place where razers hit and their faces were cramped in a death mask from psychostrikes.

For a long few seconds, caribou did not understand what was happening. Then the shouts of the foremen and the centurion were heard. The razers successfully burned through the raised oak shields, but gave up before the magical fields that the deer unfolded.

The protective spells didn't help for long. Infantrymen quickly felt, that they were no longer holding the "bundle" of a shot and a psychostrike.

And after a few of seconds, plasma gunners joined the fun and bring a natural hell on earth. The roaring jets slashed through air, earth, metal and flesh, making no distinction. The collective protective field, that caribou were trying to raise, was buckling and tearing under the plasmoids.

The first squad, led by a sergeant, flew at full speed to the group of prisoners cut off from the guards. Under the cover of their armor and protective fields, galloping four police mares.

Copper lit up her horn, pumping a teleportation spell, as an alien, killed by an Infantryman, collapsed right under her hooves. Shield jumped over dead body in one easy leap, but slipped and skidded on her side almost under the feet of the equas, who were huddled in a ball and looked with horror at the chaos going on around them.

But, praise be to Sisters, they did not try to run anywhere.

Copper and her partner completed a synchronous teleport, pulling half of the captives onto the boat. They barely had time to put them in their places, when a second group of released equas appeared in a blue-green flash, which also had to be hastily placed. There were problems with one of the "human-fillies", she rested with all her limbs, barely seeing the seat belts.

Copper, as if to a foal, explained to a terrified unicorn that these belts were not meant to do something bad. And so that nothing bad happens to her with sharp maneurs. The boat is made of metall, but honey... Amaretto? No. Amaretto is nice and soft and she doesn't need to knock on sharp pieces of iron at all. Maybe even see how Copper herself will buckle up. Well, it's not scary at all!

The pilot, seeing that all equas were on board, shouted to soldiers to move away. Ortega replied, that there were not many caribou left, they would finish them off themselves. There is no need to spend expensive bombs on them.

Moreover, now it's just a matter of principle for Infantrymen to personally waste scum, who enslaved and tormented equas.

It is not known whether the speakerphone was accidentally turned on at that moment or not, but everyone who was on the boat heard it. Released equas reacted differently, but there were more unbelievingly happy faces than suspicious or frightened ones.
“Oh, Les Déesses. Détruire une centaine en moins de cinq minutes... I wonder if our saviors are so principled in everything?”

A snow-white equa with a lush light pink mane shook her head.

On the ground, Infantrymen were finishing off last caribou. Constantly moving, changing positions after each burst and psychostrike, soldiers did not allow deers to either approach the melee or understand where the fire was coming from. The battle spells that the caribou threw did not find their targets, plowing the ground in vain or flying away into the darkness.

Here are twenty deer left. Fifteen. Eight. Trio. Not a single one.

A hundred were completely destroyed and Ortega with a clear conscience called the boat. The car picked up infantry and headed for Manehetten. Where healers and doctors were already waiting for the released with open arms.

On board, the soldiers handed to equas flasks of water and chocolates from dry food. Someone got a grillage, which caused a righteous indignation.

Copper was still reassuring Amaretto. The crippled equa didn't say a word, just wrapped her arms around unicorn's neck and shook slightly. Especially if one of Infantrymen said something out loud. Shield remembered what the briefing had said about how to handle "red" and "black" equas. The policemare had no idea what the purple collars meant. Only in her heart of hearts she agreed with the sergeant's words about the matter of principle.

Those, who do this to the defenseless mares, should be killed.

First touches

04.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Time 22: 34

"So, Willow. What did you want to talk to me about?

Hendricks put a cup of coffee with a generous amount of condensed milk in front of Whisp.

Willow, who now sported a long ivory mane and a coat of "coffee with milk," accepted the cup. And then, smiling innocently, she slowly swapped her folded legs. Coupled with a short dress, the effect could be amazing, if only the medic did not look into her eyes without looking away.

Wisp radiated a silent sexual invitation for a few more seconds, but after making sure that Hendricks was not impressed, she calmed down.
"You know, Croaker, I've been thinking about something... After all, I can work not only in the port spa. You yourself said that I have... "atypical-restoring interaction" with otherone's auras. I want to help put on the feet of equas that you pulled out. And those whom you will release in the future,”

Mark chuckled. He had expected something like this from Whisp, but not so soon. For the medic in general, it was a kind of shock that the previously subdued equa recovered faster than those who had the will to resist.

Hendricks attributed this to her nature of half-chaining, because he did not see any other reasonable hypotheses. There was no time to go to the Canterlot Academy of Magical Arts, where they could sort everything out on the shelves. And there was no time to talk in person, and the professors there refused to discuss such issues on the network, at least with the private of the infantry medical service. Mark has already inserted a couple of slanderous lines into the report that Vetrov will have to forward to the General.

Whisp also turned out to be a powerful mental donor. She could help others heal emotional injuries and wounds simply by communicating. And, the closer the communication was, the stronger the effect. Vibrant Aberration and Lilac Skyce have already tried Willow's "donation" on themselves, and it has become easier for them. Moreover, both of them liked it.
"Well, Willow, this is a good idea. But keep in mind, this work is regular and hard. And you will have to at least learn first aid,”

The half-changeling snorted and laughed merrily.
“Mark, I'm begging you, hard regular work! Don't make my lower lips laugh!”

Hendricks didn't even flinch at Willow's expression.
“I'm free and there are friends nearby. I have a soft bed, a warm bath whenever I want. Great food and the opportunity to have fun with stately stallions, even aliens, when the desire arises,”
“There are complaints about the latter to you. More precisely, about how often it occurs to you,”

Whisp batted her eyelashes, pretending genuine interest mixed with surprise.
“Ha. Do you think it's too rare? Are there really so many people who want my favor?”
“Too often, Willow. Consistently molest others three or four times a day each other... Williams and Huberman are already hiding from you,”

Willow grinned broadly, so much so that she did honor even the most arrogant representatives of the cat family. Equa studied the contents of her mug carefully, chuckling.
“The sniper must blame himself. He should not to tease me, offering to repaint myself in camouflage. I've had enough of such jokes since school. And Williams is just very soft. I confess, I can't resist taking advantage of this,”

The medic chuckled incredulously. He knew perfectly well how "soft" Herbert Williams was. Sometimes even Vetrov could hardly cope with the plasma gunner. Truly, beauty and charm are a terrible force.
"That's what I'm talking about, Willow. Your nymphomania needs to be controlled at least a little,”
"Why, Mark?" I'm fine as it is,”
“Willow, with this approach, there can be no question of your participation in the rehabilitation of other equas. So we'll have to choose,”

Willow sighed.
"Listen, Croaker... I need it as... Like your beam guns need batteries. I just can't to live without it. You've probably wondered how an equa who survived a terrible slavery can still want sex so much? It's simple, Mark,”

Willow put down her empty cup. Her fingers seemed to have intertwined themselves into an awkward lock.
“I'm a half-changeling, not an equa. I feel differently, I think differently, I use magic differently. Violence, disastrous for an ordinary equa, is for me about like eating too much fast food to the point of being unable to walk. Unpleasant, but not fatal. But there are also disadvantages,”

Whisp hugged her knee and did not look up at the medic.
"I can't store energy for the future, like a real changeling, and therefore I need constant recharge. In some ways, it was easy to live in slavery, simply because I was provided with this nourishment every day. And here I have to find my own "recharge". And another such moment... Imagine, Croaker, that you sat on dry rations for six years and then got into a restaurant with a luxurious buffet. And they are trying to pull this food out of your mouth. You'd be upset, Mark,"
"You should have told me earlier. So that we don't break our heads and worry about why you behave like this,"

Hendricks looked into the mug, chatted and finished his coffee in one gulp.
"Taking into account your anomalous-regenerative interaction with someone else energy, I will only be in favor if you start helping other equas. But you will have to find someone constant for the role of partner,"

The half-changeling looked into Hendricks's eyes. Long. And she smiled, half-anticipatory, half-carnivorous.
"Constant, huh... Doctor, you have no idea how much I want this. Considering, the way Glidee looks at one infantry medic... Mmm, I think I have one candidate in mind. With "golden hands and heart","

Willow leaned closer to Mark, still smiling broadly. There were hungry sparks in her eyes, calling like will-o'-wisps. The aroma of the equa has changed, it has become more saturated and sweet-spicy, her hair has acquired more volume and an alluring shine. Whisp half-closed her eyes, purring softly and showering Mark with all the charm and attraction available to her.
"Guess who the lucky guy is, Hendricks?"
"Approximately. But what does Graceful have to do with it?"
"Glidee and I are very close friends, even more like herd sisters... Don't get off the subject, Mark. I agree to leave your squad, the port staff, and the officers alone of my attention... But only in exchange for you, my sweet,"

Whisp went up to the medic and put her hands on his shoulders. As if she didn't notice that her dress was pulled up to dangerous limits somewhere, where it was stretched, emphasizing everything that should hide. Hendricks swallowed.
"Well, doctor, will you save your comrades? From the scarrrry and naaaaugty Willow?"

There was a strange heat coming from the equa, confusing thoughts. The spicy aroma, not of perfume, but of her body itself, enveloped everything around in soft waves, changing fluidly, but remaining equally alluring.
"Make up your mind now, Croaker. I can do a lot of good, you know that. I can help equas to erase the horror they have experienced. I can help heal their emotional wounds. But I need you. In return, I want you. What do you say, Mark?"

Hendricks touched Willow's arm. After all, nothing terrible will happen if he hugs Whisp? Just once, especially since her eyes are so sparkling?

The moment when Willow was sitting on his lap and moaning thinly from his kiss, the medic missed. And Hendricks didn't care about anything anymore.

Except for the sparkle in her eyes. Except for her heat, felt even through the interfering dress. Except for her pleading whisper in his ear.
"Nothing terrible will happen, right?"

Hendricks, without realizing it, said it out loud. Whisp grinned, pulled away, and in one graceful movement got rid of the dress. As it turned out, worn on a naked, stupefyingly beautiful body.
"No, my sweet, it won't happen. And I'm glad that you agreed to my proposal, doctor."

Stunned by the proximity of Whisp and by her sizzling, but so pleasant heat, Mark stood up, picking up equa like a feather. Willow sat down on the narrow bunk and put her arm around the back of the medic's head. Hendricks could no longer make out her words, only he knew that Whisp was calling him to her.

05.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Time 08: 00

The meeting room was very different. Instead of the usual naval minimalism, the work of a very good designer was clearly felt here.

The blue-black ceiling, painted with a map of constellations. Elegant lamps resembling vines, dotted with "berries" exuding a pleasant white glow. The table is made of polished ebony, unusually low, but surrounded by a dozen pillows of blue silk.

All but three of the seats were now occupied. At the head sat Princess Luna, looking at something on the laptop screen and surrounded by mnemocrystals, scrolls and printouts.

Osinin was sitting next to her, absolutely impassive. It seemed that the General was more interested in contemplating the lamps and the switched-off communicator lying in front of him. But the impression was deceptive, because Vyacheslav was now receiving a stream of information via neural communication more than the princess.

Opposite sat the full crew of the “Boreas”. All five were expecting something serious, for which they were pulled from the patrol route and sent here. The presence of both Luna and Osinin spoke very clearly about this.

Finally, the princess sent a couple of files to the captain and navigator and broke the silence.
“So, my friends, you have already understood, there is something important for you. You have to join the battle for the freedom of Equestria. Not ours, but its reflection,”

Luna waved her wing over the laptop, revealing a hologram.
“Captain Summerend, Lieutenant Commander Krylov. I have sent you information about the location of this reflection. Your task is to calculate and plot the fastest possible course to it. Until the end of the day, I allow you to rest and prepare without leaving the port. At midnight, you must take off,”
“There is. Your Highness, may I ask? Will there be passing tasks? Delivery, reconnaissance, bombing?”
"Yes, Captain. You will take on board a set of observation satellites and will continue to work with ground groups. The General will tell you about them already,”

Osinin "woke up" and put the comm aside.
“Comrades astronauts, you have already worked as a support for ground special forces groups, so there is no need to explain anything to me here. Codes, channels and psychomarks in cryptoarchives were transmitted to the captain's and communications specialist's comms. You will open it only by entering the orbit of the Fallen,”

The old soldier, as always in a working environment, was laconic. He just reminded to the astronauts that everything they heard here is classified.

After receiving confirmation that the task was clear, and the files were accepted without damage, he said goodbye to those present and left.

Alicorn shook her head after the General.
“Always on the move, always on guard… Well, my friends, you know what to do and I do not dare to detain you. All except Lieutenant Commander Krylov,”

Left alone with the navigator, Luna quickly spread an additional canopy of silence in addition to the existing complex of protective charms. She sank down on the pillows close to the man and smiled gently.
"I'm glad you've arrived, my old friend. I'm sorry that I called you only to send you on a hike again,”
“Luna, I'm grateful even for such a short meeting, you know. And I feel like you have something else to do?”

Chuckling softly, an alicorn extended her wing in Vadim's direction. As if she wanted him to admire the beauty of delightful blue feathers and even stroke them. And her expectations were not deceived.
"You're right. There is something that I would not want to show to anyone other than… But it might help you, starwalker,"

Leaning against Vadim and being in his arms, Luna quietly lit up the horn. Navigator closed his eyes to make it easier to take mental images.

The transfer from the princess was truly masterful. Despite the richness and complexity, the images did not flood the consciousness, but smoothly scrolled. They did not rush past, leaving only vague outlines and a headache, but revealed themselves completely, in all details.

Finally, Luna ended the magic. But she never took her head off the man's shoulder. The princess felt too good.
“I know you can handle it, Vadim. And, I hope, my last gift will help you in this,”
“It was very ... unexpected. But since you think that the image of your reflection will help me, then it will turn out that way. I trust you,”
“I am glad to hear this… Tell me, will your comrades be angry if you stay a little longer?”

Krylov hugging Luna to him and gently scratching behind her ears. And burying his face in the wonderful, fragrant mane of the princess, he grinned.
“There are twenty minutes for hugs. Is it the most before going to bed, Luna?”
“Indeeeed… A little to the left, yes, here's heeeereeee..."

An alicorn purred with pleasure as sensitive fingers massaged and scratched her neck, then her head. And she tried not to fall asleep, so that the navigator would not have to carry her in his arms to her chambers.

05.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Time 19: 30
Equestria

It was unusually quiet in the hostel of the released. Someone went to the city for an excursion, someone just went for a walk in the park near the spaceport

There was a light on in the kitchen and a delicious smell of fresh pastries. Graceful was spinning at the stove, who decided to sacrifice the cultural program for the sake of the opportunity to remember how to bake pies correctly. Pegasus had already set the first batch to cool down and, having loaded the second, she was pleased to realize that she had not lost her skills.

Nearby, Hendricks was doing something with a grater, cheese and boiled eggs. Either he was attracted by the aroma of baking, or the need to cook for himself. But he did not attempt to eat Graceful's pies without permission.

The smell of garlic filled the air. The pegasus turned her nose around, turned to the man.
“Oh, Mark, what is it?”

Glide poked with the tip of her finger at the yellowish-white mass in the bowl that the medic was stirring.
“Salad, names “putty”. Eggs, cheese, mayonnaise. And garlic, for flavor,”
“And how do you eat it?”
“With a spoon. Together with pasta or something else. Do you want to try it, Glide?”

Equa took the putty on the tip of the spoon, touched it with her tongue. And carefully put it back on the table.
“No, it's not mine. What do you say, “putty”? Well, yes, the waist will just cover up well. That's what to eat it, that just spread it on the sides with a spoon - it will turn out equally in speed,”

Hendricks grunted and reached into the bottom drawer for a new head of garlic. Graceful, pleased with her teasing, opened the locker in search of cinnamon and burnt sugar.
“Well, I'm not an aerial dancer, I can eat this. And show me at least one infantryman with a waist, Glide! Whoosshhhhhh!”

Following equa's laughing gaze, Hendricks got up and flew headfirst into the sharp edge of the open closet door. It rattled violently, slammed its contents, but held on to the fastenings.
“I'm fine! I'm fine, i have even worse hits. Glide? Glidee?”

The jar of cinnamon fell from Graceful's fingers and rolled on the floor as equa backed away from Hendrix, trembling.
“I'm sorry... Excuse me... Excuse me... I didn't mean to hurt you. Honestly, I didn't want to! Please, please, please, I'm sorry! Please, don’t punish me... Don't! I'll be good, I'll be obedient... Please...”

Hendricks quickly and gently guided Graceful to a chair, helped her to sit down on it. He squatted down in front of her and took her hands, concentrating. The force responded and flowed into the equa, some seconds ago, lively and cheerful, and now numb with fear. Directing the flow of energy, the medic tried as best he could to warm and calm Graceful.
“Glide, listen. Listen to my voice and get out. Don't fall, go to the light. Come into the light,”

The filly continued to tremble and mutter unintelligibly, tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Graceful, listen to me and breathe. Please, Glide, breathe. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale...”

In time with the words, Mark slowly raised and lowered his hand, setting the pace. The Pegasus, as if hypnotized, followed his movements.
“Inha-ale-e. Exha-ale-e. Inha-ale-e. Exha-ale-e,”

Listening to Hendricks's soft voice and watching his palm rise and fall, Graceful gradually came out of her stupor. Soon, the pegasus pulled her hands out of the human's palm, hid her face and just burst into tears in a voice.
“It's all gone, Glidee. Only friends are here. Friends do not hurt and do not punish. It's all over. He is dead and will not hurt you or any other equa,”

Hendricks stood up and very carefully touched Glide's palms, sending a warm mental message. Equa shuddered, uncovered her face. She saw a man in front of her, looking at her with concern and pain. She felt the healing heat from his palms. She sobbed and hugged him.

“Mark... Mark! Mark, don't give me up! Don't give me to him! I beg you!”

Hendricks hugged Graceful to him, barely restraining himself from growling with anger. The medic hoped, that the bastard who had tortured her so much had died in agony, burned in colloidal napalm, or got a beam in the lung.
"I won't let anyone hurt you, Glidee. To nobody. Never. I'll die myself, but I won't let you get hurt,”

Graceful didn't say anything, just clung desperately to the human's shoulders.
"Should I take you upstairs to your room? I'll just carry you and cover you with a blanket. Do you allow it? Glidee... Do you allow it?”

Graceful didn't even have the strength to cry anymore. She whispered hoarsely, desolately.
“Y-yes... Mark. I allow it,”

When the medic gently and carefully lifted her into his arms, Glide fell silent. And she didn't say a word until he put her down on the bed and wrapped the blanket around her.
But as soon as Hendricks got up, Graceful reached out from under the blanket and grabbed the man by the sleeve.
“Don't go away. Please, don’t go away. I'm scared to be alone. Mark... I'm scared,”

Hendricks sat down on the edge of the bed, allowing Glide to grab his arm. Mark smoothed her disheveled mane, ran his fingertips over her cheek, wiping away the wet path. He held his palm over the filly's forehead, directing the warming current of life.
"It's all right, Glidee. All the bad things are gone, burned up in plasma, teared apart by missiles. There is no one who could hurt you. I'm here. I'm near. Don't be afraid of anyone and anything,”

The pegasus did not answer, only tightened her grip on the medic's hand. He stroked her face and whispered quiet, soothing words. Graceful, overcome by an attack of fear, fell asleep, sometimes trembling slightly.

It was getting dark in the room, Mark sat and listened to Glide's breathing. In the dream, equa relaxed a little and did not tremble so often. But she still held tightly to the soldier's hand. As if it was a lifeline over the abyss of fear.

Hendricks couldn't have known what she was dreaming. He just hoped, that the energy poured into Graceful and the constant watch of dreams, Princess Luna, would not allow pegasus to fall into nightmares from the past.

The medic really hoped that no one would need his help until the end of the day. Mark hoped very much, because prayers and appeals to "god" were despised by humans, especially by soldiers.

Much more effective was the appeal through the neurolink to the healer from the medical service of the port. The unicorn owed Hendrix one substitution, and the reason now was a good one.

When the clock was already past three in the morning, Willow returned. The sensitive half-changeling entered very quietly and silently showed Mark the comm.
"What's wrong with Glidee? Fear again?"

Hendricks telekinesis pulled out his comm, confirmed the neural connection and replied.
"Yes. I hit the closet door that Graceful had opened. She was in a great panic. I was able to stop it a little. She fell asleep instantly. "
"I see. Thank you so much, Croaker,"

Whisp pulled off a short, tight dress and lay down next to Glide, hugging her. Equa, sensing a familiar presence, smiled a little. Graceful half-waked and exhaled softly.
“Willow?”
“Yes, Glidee. It's me.”
“is Mark here?”
“I'm here, Glide,”
Glide purred "Good", hugged the medic's hand more tightly and fell asleep again.

In the morning, Hendricks woke up in the same sitting position, with his hand caught in Graceful's embrace. Pegasus was sleepily chewing on his fingers and muttering something about dried bananas. Willow buried her nose in her friend's mane and sniffed serenely, driving away nightmares from Glide.

New contacts

06.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria Fallen.
Time 07: 00

It was pleasant in the forest in autumn. A light coolness, filled with the smells of earth, falling leaves and mushrooms. The rustle and whistle of the wind in the branches, swaying under his touch and gusts. The soft rustle of bright orange, yellow, and red leaves swirling in the air, slowly covering the ground with a dense carpet.

A strange distortion of the air appeared over an unremarkable clearing, as if over asphalt on a hot day. The haze trembled a little and left behind a radically black space boat.

Lyra came down from the ramp in hiking gear and a human in a deceptively light armored suit.

The Major strapped the folded beam smg onto magnets under the armor pack. Now no one from Equestria would recognize this as a weapon.
"Well, fillady Heartstrings, it's time to go. We don't have long to go, about three kilometers. I hope you remember what you need to do?”
“Yes, Yura, do not doubt... Oh, it's a pity now you will pull the "skin" of caribou again. You're such quite cute in my opinion,”
“What can I do, Lyra...”

The soldier, lean even in armor, was enveloped in a haze on the move, just like the boat. But human did not disappear into thin air, but took the form of a caribou two meters tall and with a turn of the shoulders not at every door. Only the voice remained the same, soft and insinuating.
“It's necessary. Although I am flattered by your assessment, but I probably earned the lion's share of sympathy by my own deeds?”

Lyra giggled as she followed. It was good that the disguise was now only visual, the Major did not imitate the mental background of caribou.. And there was no pressure on the brain and soul that came from real caribou.

Equa was worried about something else entirely now.

The loss of the horn was felt more acutely than ever. Now, in freedom, it turned her thoughts every second and made her want to grind teeth with anger or hide in a corner, mourn the loss. But Lyra somehow held on.

Like a tocsin, the thoughts that she and the human were now on their way to the changeling hive buzzed. A place, that every sapient, who has self-preservation, has always bypassed by the long road. But after the occupation, the rumors about the Hive became even more terrible.

But humans seemed to be either completely devoid of fear, or somehow knew that not everything was as bad as rumors say. Or all at once.

Smirnov carefully probed and listened to the surroundings. The magic of changelings and their characteristic mental background became more and more distinct and tangible.

These emanations enveloped everything in a smooth veil, like a mental fog. In which it became almost impossible to detect border guards by their auras. Only very long training sessions and auxiliary armor systems allowed them to detect the squad moving towards them.

Hive guards surrounded them silently and deftly. But they did not hurry to show themselves, studying the newcomers. And the soldier felt that the changelings were slightly puzzled by the situation.

So that the caribou, who are not liked here and express dislike with magic and poisoned arrows, will go directly to the hive himself? And to have a thick-horned equa walking next to him, without a collar, in clothes, and even with a short blade on her belt?

The situation is strange and requires understanding it. That was the calculation.

Finally, one of guards dropped the masking spell and appeared a few meters in front of the mint equa and a strange caribou, in place of which there was just an empty place in the mental background.

The changeling in dark green armor drew his saber from its scabbard, but kept it lowered for now.
“You have entered the lands of the Hive. Halt and identify yourself,”

Lyra hid behind the “caribou”, not even thinking to reach for the blade.
“Changelings. Sisters, save us...”
“Calmly, please. Hello, Commander. My name is Yuri Smirnov. My beautiful companion-Lyra Heartstrings,”

It was impossible to tell from the changeling's blue eyes where he was looking. But apparently he was studying Lyra. He looked at crippled unicorn, listened to her mental background. And he felt that the equa was not frightened by the proximity of the caribou, to whose shoulder she was naturally huddled.

And then he turned to Smirnov.
"That's not a caribou's name. And you're not a caribou,”

The lips of the "skin" stretched into a smile.
"We're all different, Commander. There are all sorts of caribou in the world,

The patrol Chief remained impenetrable. He just swung his saber a little. It was as if the changeling was debating whether to lead a strange "caribou" into the hive or kill it right there. But then he waved his hand.
“You come with us to the hive. And don't think about running - I have excellent archers.”

"Yuri" reassuringly hugged Lyra. At this moment, a wave of peace and encouragement for equa spread from the previously empty in the mental background “caribou”, which the changelings could not help but feel.

Not only the commander, but the entire patrol was now convinced that it was not a caribou. And that it is better for the queen herself to deal with such a "miracle".

Which was only to the advantage of the human.

06.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
The time is 10: 02
Equestria.

The mobile infantry squad practiced actions on the ground. The rocky plateau provided a lot of opportunities for ambushes, traps and deceptive maneuvers, and the soldiers practiced either an assault and defense, or the pursuit of a single person or a group.

At one point, a signal came from the command post and the sergeant stopped the game, exactly at the moment when half of the squad "storming" the position was close to finishing the work.

“Spire-4 to the Bezzabotny. Five kilometers away from you, ships detected the opening of portal and the exit from it of about a hundred infantry units. Judging by the nature of the luminosity, this is a caribou. Inspect and report,”

“Bezzabotny to Spire-4, received you. So, troops! Games and fun are over, we are moving five kilometers to the south. Let's see what caribou forgot here,”

Infantrymen, abruptly becoming serious and plunged into a combat trance, stretched out in a chain and ran. Active camouflage systems of their armored suits were not as advanced as those of special forces soldiers, but they made detection very difficult. And it was simply impossible to notice them on the slope, overgrown with a sparse forest.

Soldiers reached the ridge, behind which ships detected someone’s presence, and lay down, not reaching a few meters to the edge. On sergeant’s command two riflemen crawl close to the ridge and carefully dragged fiber cameras on the ground.

The sergeant brought picture directly to the helmet screen. After a fraction of a second for the assessment, a call raced through the waves of the ether, already in the psychorange.

"Bezzabotny to Spire-4. We see caribou squad at your coordinates. Civilian prisoners were spotted. Awaiting orders."

Spire-4 was silent for a short time. There was a chill in the psycholink and the duty officer got in touch.

"How many prisoners do you see? Who is it?"

Bezzabotny reported that about a ten prisoners could be seen, all of them is equas. He can't say more precisely because of the orgy that the caribou staged.

The attendant said, that the boat would be there in ten minutes, and in four a fighter would come up to add a light if necessary. The squad is ordered to ensure the meeting of transport and the evacuation of prisoners. Caribou must be eleminated, as many as possible.

The sergeant loaded his underbarrel grenade launcher and reconnected to fiber cameras, assessing the situation beyond the ridge in more detail. Edgar Kingsley, his second-in-command, snorted.
"It will not even be a wipe, but an act of mercy. It's hard to live for such dumb retards. Orgy during the combat task, who could have even thought of such a thing?"

A plan of attack was quickly created. Who and where to hit, when and how to insure each other, how to cover equas until the boat approaches.

Bezzabotny lay down on the ridge, aimed a caribou in a fancy necklace of crystals, bones and other debris, enthusiastically using in aproud solitude a white equa-thestral. Most likely, a shaman, a dangerous bastard, that needs to be killed out first

The sergeant mentally grinned when, a fraction of a second later fighters confirmed capturing of targets, and the sniper reported that he was holding a second shaman.
"Good night, suckers. Squad, fire!"

Razers glared at caribou, who were standing three hundred meters away with their backs to the crest of the hill and were completely absorbed in the "fun" that was happening. They will never wait for their turn, a hole in the head calms very well.

After a short wave of bursts, humans raise from the ground and sent a single psychostrike towards the aliens. The suits amplifiers almost howled, pumping wave with additional energy. Not for long, but this wave caused the nearest caribou to freeze like salt pillars. Just to get their portions of X-rays and plasma.

At the same time, a plasma gun roared to the side on the ridge. Superheated ionized death struck caribou, who for some reason decided not to participate in the orgy, but to relax on the sidelines. Their rest will now last for a long time.

The sniper worked quickly and accurately, shooting everyone who somehow stood out from the motley gang and could pass for a leader. Josef Schwartz hit accurately and mercilessly, snapping caribou one by one.

Suddenly, a bluish light shone on the slope and the caribou vacationers, who survived the first bursts of the plasma gun, were covered by the translucent dome of the shield held by the third shaman. Having got rid of his vestments for the time of parking, he did not stand out in anything to interest the sniper, his psychobackground was shaded by two colleagues who were nearby. And for a rest, he settled down behind a boulder, which saved him from the first bursts.

Four soldiers and Bezzabotny, fixing bayonets, jumped on engines close to caribou who did not have time to orient themselves and sometimes to just pull out. The other four infantrymen also moved a little to the side, crushing deers that were huddled under the cover of their magician with fire.

This forced the shaman to go on the defensive and not think about attacking spells. The caribou, beads of sweat crawling down his temples, clutched his staff to his white knuckles, holding the fire of the plasma gunner and four shooters. And the area of the protective field was decreasing along with how his strength was running out.
The sniper, reaching out to the protective spell, and combining the sensations with what the sensors of the suit showed, passed it to the psycholink.
"I evaluated the shield. I can break throu and kill the shaman."
"While they are sitting, do not shoot. If they will run towards us or away from us- get out of the bastard."

Josef lowered the power of his rifle and joined the disturbing fire. But even on a half-charge, X-ray sniper rifle leave on the shield scorch marks, fading in few seconds.

Under the cover of their comrades, Bezzabotny and four soldiers landed nearby to the interrupted orgy. It is difficult to caribou, to maintain the mood when a plasma gun roars nearby and relatives fall dead, have killed under the beam.

When infantrymen came within striking distance, a quick and bloody melee boiled up on the slope. Caribou were extremely unpleasantly surprised by how quickly and deftly can move humans in their armored suits. Some barely had time to pull away from the equa or reach for a weapon, as they fell under the stab of a bayonet, punch of gun’s butt, armored boot or fist.

Humans did not stand on ceremony, did not slow down. Literally five caribou out of all those who "played" with equas were able to meet them normally. Only these five managed to pull away from the fillies, grab a sword, an axe or a hammer, and try to oppose something.

It turned out that the caribou frankly sucks. One was killed by the sergeant with a hit to the temple, without even letting him raise his axe. The second one got fingers in his eyes from Kingsley and collapsed with the bridge of his nose torn out. Simonov redirected the third’s caribou axe to the ground and twisted his neck. The fourth deer tried to move away to use magic, and "lucky" exposed himself to a shot at point-blank range from a plasma carbine. The sword of the fifth bounced off Volkov's protective field with a clang, and the caribou have hit in the chest with the butt of beamrifle, pushing through the ribs and stopping his heart.

Bezzabotny, realizing that the plasma gunner and the four covering ones would not be able to hold the caribou forever, who were collecting protective amulets from the bodies of fallen brothers and preparing to turn a more powerful synchronized shield. Sergeant barked to the equas, waving his hand towards the crest of the hill.

"Run! Over the hill, we'll cover you! Don't stand, move, move!”

The sergeant's roar, amplified by the suit's speakers, had an invigorating effect on equas, even beyond necessary. Even soldiers perceived it first with their spinal cord, and then with their head, and the frightened fillies did not even realize that they were rushing towards the crest of the hill.

After that, Shepovalov and Samukhin jumped next to fleeing ones. On the fly they discharged plasma carbines into the shaman's shield and reloaded.

Equas, from the sight of the infantrymen landing nearby, fell almost into a stupor. Soldiers in armored suits, for fillies unaccustomed to such a neighborhood, seemed like some kind of killer golems. First, they have slayed a hundred caribou, and now have come to their souls and ears. And there was too much driven-in fear, which made maresntense and shrink from the sight of the massive figures next them. For once, Shepovalov turned on the high-quality transmission on the speakers, so as not to frighten equas even more. Bezzabotny did not bother with this, giving the first command to run in the usual "metallic" tone. The medic couldn't do that.
"Don't stand there! Run on, we'll cover you!"

The white thestral with a delicate lilac mane clung to her white-maned friend, trembling and muttering something unintelligible under her nose. Legs of lilac-maned one gave way, and if not for the help of her companion, the equa, lost from fear, would have simply slid down on the rocks. Samukhin helped them up and dragged them over the crest of the hill, trying to cheer up, by saying that a fighter would come up and burn caribou to charcoal. Now, just a little bit left, some eighty seconds, and caribou will feel all evil-ness of precision engineering.

The infantyman was saying anything, just so that equas would listen to him and move their feet.

Bezzabotny and the squad were left against a scattered, almost defeated detachment of caribou. But the half-hundred was still a danger, at least for the fleeing equas. The sergeant gave the command to shoot so as not to allow caribou to gather and organize. On an open slope, at a distance that was constantly kept by infantrymen covering each other and heavy shooters, caribou had no chance.

But nevertheless, caribou was soaked in something that later went down in the history of soldiers' folklore for a long time, as an outstanding example of idiocy, incompatible with life. The application was not sent to the Darwin committee only because of secrecy.

The shaman, holding the shield, sent a ten caribou to intercept fleeing equas. Providing warriors with some kind of amulet from his own. He could do no more, holding the shield under the disturbing fire with obvious tension.

The selected ten, having removed the protective amulets they from their near fallen brethren, moved forward. Hiding behind a collective shield spell that extinguished single beam and plasma hits, caribou even briefly believed in the success of the chase.

Infantrymen appreciated such an act of suicidal idiocy. The plasma gunner jumped to a new position, and gave a long burst, cutting off caribou from their prey. The protective field was gnawed through by bundles of razer shots and psychostrikes. Incendiary and fragmentation grenades flew across the caribou, set up to delay the explosion in order to pass over the shield and work under it.

The suicide of the hunting group almost succeeded when the sergeant's psycholink pricked, notifying that the fighter had come to the firing distance and was waiting for target indications. The sergeant gave to the pilot a tip about the caribou trapped under the dome, wanting to finish them as soon as possible.

At this time, Shepovalov and Samukhin, having given turns for warning, lay down on the ridge, covering fleeing equas.

The slope flared up simultaneously in two places.

Under the feet of the suicidal ten, already battered, grenades explode, scattering an incendiary mixture and throwing out streams of shrapnel. Everyone who was under the shield died instantly.

Fighter's lasers and plasma bursts splashed with super-solar light, striking caribou, sheltering behind the shield. Cannons, designed to burn through the armor of starships and penetrate their protective fields, did not even notice the shield held by the caribou shaman.

The deer that came under the fighter's fire were scattered like dolls and ground. Few rose, immediately caught under fire from the infantrymen

A few seconds later, the fighter, shrouded in a cone of fog, passed with a thunderous roar at low level and abruptly climbed up, turning around and preparing to attack again. But it was no longer necessary.

Bezzabotny, glancing at the black triangle of the machine floating in the sky, throw into the psycholink.
"Simonov, Mortimer, inspect the place, finish off survivors."

Soldiers jumped on the engines to caribou, who came under fighter’s shot. Among bodies mutilated, scorched, crushed of explosions lay a mortally wounded, but still breathing caribou. Who came here for new conquests, for new loot, for new slaves. And the last thing, he saw in his life, is a plasma carbine in human’s hands

Soldiers, holding the shield over equas, received a signal that everything was clear and no one was threatening their wards anymore. Wanting to calm mares, who were lost and on the verge of panic, the medic opened his helmet and told them the sergeant's words that the last caribou had just finished. And he introduced himself as Comrade Shepovalov, if someone needed to contact him.

Then, without raising his voice, Shepovalov asked if anyone from equas needed help. One violet-colored earth filly in black accessories asked abnormally quietly if there were any painkillers. Looking at the way this equa was walking, the medic was at a loss to guess how she even managed to get here.

The medic slapped a transparent strip of rapid test on her shoulder. When it did not show any reaction, he put the injection and switched to other equas. Someone allowed himself to be examined without fear like a mint unicorn with a pink mane, someone huddled like a carrot-red pegasus with lush white curls, someone simply shrank into a ball, not reacting to external stimuli, up to the collar that was unbuttoned and thrown away, like a lilac-maned thestral. Which continued to shake and ask some Cantata to hold on and not give up.

Looking at her Mark, violin and bow against the background of the full moon, the medic assumed that she was encouraging herself. And with the help of her white-maned friend, who introduced herself as Deep Desire, the man was able to examine the trembling thestral.

In general, equas were in quite acceptable condition. Several abrasions, several bruises of unpleasant origin, one hoof knocked down after running on a rocky slope. For the infantry medic, it was not even a routine, but something that could be done without the participation of the brain at all.

Where to treat with a disinfectant, where to spray an aerobandage and inject nanites, where to stick an express test and inject an anesthetic. Many equas were openly happy about the last. The medic spat and said that after what was done to them on the slope, he would give an anesthetic to everyone.

A shadow slid across the ground and the soft hum of the boat’s engines was heard. The pilot brought machine directly to the slope where equas and Infantrymen were gathered.

Stones crunched under the chassis and the lowered ramp. Four pony medics immediately jumped out on the slope, rushing to the equas. Those, seeing such a thing, were completely lost. First, killer golems, then this. It's not an easy day.

Up close, the ponies produced a calming effect on equas. Especially for those who had previously worn purple collars. Hug a medic who puts a healing compress on your bruises? Easy sas pie. Refuse to detach and be brought into the boat in this state? Nothing complicated.

Equas reached out to the ponies, who exuded warmth and hope. Giving, if not peace of mind, then at least soothing disheveled feelings. When fillies pulled out from under the seats clothes that were urgently cut at the spaceport for the liberated, equas did not argue and did not clench, putting on an underwear and light jumpsuits. Someone had difficulties with magnetic fasteners, even when someone had her tail tangled, but equas was glad oportunity to get dressed.

The thestral, who was still muttering requests to Cantata not to give up, had to be dressed in a jump suit by the unicorn healer and Shepovalov. And also sit in a chair and fasten her seat belts.

When the boat took off, the lilac-mane fell silent, staring blankly in front of her. Even the promises of the medic, that they would immediately go to the restoration operations of the wings and horns upon landing in the Crystal Empire, which noticeably pleased the rest of equas, had no effect on her.

Deep, who was sitting next to her, hugged the white thestral, stroking her mane.
"It's going to be okay, Violin. Everything will be alright,"

06.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Fallen Equestria
Time 14: 10

The office looked like either the inside of a huge hollow, or a bright cave. All the furniture here seemed to have been grown at the same time as the interior and had smooth outlines that were pleasant to the eye. Along one of the walls of black stone, pierced with veins of all shades of green, aquamarine and blue, a small waterfall ran, cooing fervently in a bowl with water lilies under it.

Smirnov, still wearing his disguise, was sitting opposite the Queen at a massive green chitin table shaped like a lush inflorescence.
It might have seemed careless of Chrysalis to be alone with a stranger like this. But the Major knew perfectly well what the queen was capable of and knew that it was anything but carelessness.

And Chrysalis understood perfectly well that Smirnov understood.
"So, Yuri Smirnov, I want you to take your true form. Don't make excuses, who better than me to see that someone is hiding behind a disguise,"
"Caribou" with a strange name Yuri shrugged his shoulders.
"As you wish, Your Majesty. However, I warn you, my appearance may confuse you at first,"

Hearing this, the Queen only grinned, flashing her impressive fangs.
"How considerate, though. Don't keep me waiting, or I'll take the hassle out of you myself,"

Turning off the camouflage system, the Major grinned under his helmet. Would the Queen try to do this herself...

Chrysalis looked somewhat surprised at the man in light armored suit po sitting in front of her. The emptiness instead of emotions and a mental background, a deaf impenetrable visor caused a very definite association in the queen.
"It's amazing. A golem capable of disguise. Who created you?"

Smirnov first raised his visor, letting the Queen look at him.
"Your Majesty, soldiers are sometimes called golems when someone wants to offend them with their own effectiveness. That's not the best nickname,"

With Chrysalis' eyebrows rising, the Major lifted the helmet and lowered it to his knees. A slight smile touched his lips.
"And we have destroyed all our creators to one. Not wanting to put up with the situation of their slaves,"

Chrysalis leaned back in her chair and gave the Major a long, searching look. Neither from her face, nor from her posture, nor from her mental background, it was impossible to understand that she was experiencing anxiety.

The destruction of their own creators could be bragging and an attempt to intimidate. And it could be true.
"A human, then. I guessed that you are not a myth, there are too many characteristic details in stories about you. Do you really reject slavery so harshly?"
"Exactly so, Your Majesty, not acceptable at all"
"Why did you come to my hive?"
"Your Majesty, my superiors and command think that we have something to offer to each other,"

The Queen chuckled, feeling the conversation gradually return to its usual course. Which can be controlled, guided and played.

The mythical race, the inventors, who, according to the messenger, destroyed their own creators, wanted to trade. How nice it is sometimes to meet the familiar in the unknown and new.
"Wonderful, Yuri, just wonderful. Voice what humen want to offer changelings. And I'll tell you what we can give in return,"
"In the plural - humans, Your Majesty. And first, medical technologies and services, which you will undoubtedly find use for the benefit of the Hive. And the release of all changelings and half-bloods who are now enslaved in the territory controlled by caribou,"
"It sounds nice, but it only seems that you are sharing the skin of an undead maulwurf. There are more than one hundred of my children and many thousands of half-bloods scattered around Equestria. The amount of work is enormous,"

Smirnov barely smiled.
"Humanity has solved even more difficult tasks. I assure you, before the end of the year, everyone who wants to return to the Hive will be here. All others will be free from enslavers,"

The prospects drawn by a human could not but please the Queen. She felt all too well what was happening to her changelings in the occupied country. She remembered too well the reports from the scouts about what was happening with the half-bloods, who, despite everything, she also considered her wards.

And now before her sat a chance for well-being and salvation for all her children and subjects who were languishing in captivity. A fabulous chance, a magical one, who came in the guise of a mythical creature. Offering, as if at the wave of a horn, or the click of armored fingers, to get rid of troubles.

Chrysalis would not have lasted so long on the throne if she did not understand that this simply does not happen for free.
"I take this as a full-fledged promise, Yuri. And now tell me, what does your command want in exchange for the freedom of my children and halflings?"

"So that you can share your knowledge about the magic of emotions and mental techniques. And some of their products. Of course, for an appropriate fee, Your Majesty,"

The Queen smiled quite dazzlingly, showing the envoy satisfaction and willingness to cooperate.
"Then, I think we will agree,"

Leaning on the table, changeling openly examined the humsn sitting in front of her. During the conversation, there was no time for that, because trying to see what is hidden under the mental emptiness and the crust of gray ice required too much attention. The Queen became interested.

And Smirnov decided to finish her off.
"And also, the command is thinking about one combination… In which you can find something very pleasant for yourself personally,"
"I'm all attention. What did the inventors and scientists intend to please Chrysalis itself?"
"You are aware of what Princess Cadence and Shining Armor have done. We don't need them, and were initially planned to get rid of them… But you can use them in other ways, Your Majesty,"

Chrysalis's smile grew wider and more carnivorous, and a green fire flared up in her eyes. The legends about the ingenuity of people turned out to be true.

Let this also be an "undone skin" for now. But the possibility, in addition to freeing everyone for whom she considered herself responsible, to get her hands on the two equins, because of which they suffered, pleased the Queen. Very pleased.

Chrysalis telekinesis lowered a dark bottle and a couple of thin glasses to the table. The changeling's voice became soft and cooing as she poured the blue wine.
"I admit, this "combination" is really pleasant. And I will definitely find a little room for such dear guests,"

Smirnov caught the glass that floated up to him and gently touched the liquid with his finger. The armor obediently released a bundle of the finest fibers that collected information about the composition of the wine. Chrysalis snorted maliciously at the Major's manipulations.
"Are you trying to find poison in it?"
"I'm trying to determine whether it is not in itself a poison for me. We have different biochemistry, Your Majesty,"

Taking his finger out of the glass, Smirnov smiled at the queen. The wine did not contain anything dangerous for humans, neither toxins, nor "mirror" amino acids, nor magical weaves.
"Still, a momentary misunderstanding is better than accidentally slaughter, don't you think?"
"Indeed. And how do you feel about premeditated murders?"
"I approve it as a radical and powerful method of communication between sapient ones. But it is necessary to apply such measures deliberately,"

The Queen took a sip of wine and licked her lips, shooting a forked tongue. Perhaps this evening can become even more interesting. If an ambassador even takes a sip of wine, Chrysalis will be able to push everything in the right direction a little.

In the end, Smirnov himself came to her hive and offered exchange and trade. So soon he will get acquainted with the traditional ways of fixing deals for changelings.

Heart-to-heart conversations

06.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria.
Time 18:30

Cadance closed the door of her chambers and went into the bathroom. She threw off her regalia and hoofshoes right on the mat at the front door and jumped into the font.

In the blue glow of magic, the taps turned, the shower heads rustled, spurting warm water.

And under the rustle of warm streams, it was impossible to hear the quiet hiss of the princess. Clenching her teeth, Cadence shivered slightly, trying to calm the boiling cauldron inside somehow.

But the emotions did not want to subside. Time after time, Mi Amore saw the faces of the equas, whom she wanted to comfort, whom she wanted to help in some way.

Ice Creek. A blue crystal equa with a dark blue mane. She simply refused to talk to the princess, only asked the earthpony nurse to tell the traitor that she did not want to see her.

Vivid Blue, an ultramarine pegasus. She cried quietly without end. And she shuddered when a stallion's voice was heard within earshot.

Moonlight Violin. A white thestral with a purple mane. As if not noticing anything around, she quietly whispered requests to hold on and not give up to Velvet Cantata.

Hart Puzzle. A chocolate unicorn with a dark crimson shiny mane. She was just silent, not paying attention to anything.

The disgust, fear, and emptiness in their eyes when the princess tried to speak, burned Cadence like a hellish mixture of acid and napalm.

She remembered intelligence reports from that Equestria "reflection" that Celestia had sent. But the mind seemed to refuse to accept the fact that this other Cadence had committed such a monstrous betrayal.

Mi Amore felt it as her own. The princess knew intellectually that it was not her fault, she knew that she had not betrayed her people and country.

But still, her heart burned. And it burned unbearably. Cadence could not accept that her reflection had distorted the very essence of love. Violated. Defiled. Turned inside out.

When the pain, bitterness and such unusual anger reached a peak, something clicked in Mi Amore. Not as a break, but as a weapon's safety catch that has been removed.

The princess let the shower wash away last tears, got up and turned off the water. With a simple spell, she cleaned herself up, put on her regalia and rode to the library. Along the way, the princess typed on her comm a requests to the Canterlot University of Magic and one closed hypernet archive.

The princess knew for sure that there was something she needed in one of these places.

What Cadence had planned was an adventure and a very risky one. If something goes wrong, the consequences can be catastrophic. But Mi Amore felt, knew in her heart, that she was obliged to help broken equas.

And those four who were now in the care of doctors here, and those who were now suffering behind the barrier.

And Cadence clearly knew who could help her with this. Let him do a good deed for once in his life. The princess will figure out how to make him do it.

06.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Fallen Equestria
The time is 19: 00

In a public pool in a natural cave, several equas, changelings and equins were splashing around. And even one foal, whom the fanged father taught to swim. The half-breed baby was diligently floundering and sniffing, keeping his head above the surface.

Lyra, in a one-piece green swimsuit, was sitting on the side and swinging her legs in a thick, phosphorescent light green liquid. A young changeling was sitting next to her, kneading her shoulders and enthusiastically telling about the history of the hive and the kingdom. Especially about the last years, when the shifters began to accept refugees from Equestria.

Amber-eyed listened without interrupting. In recent days, the whole world of Lyra has turned upside down, all the usual patterns have been shattered. At first, people turned out to be a reality, in addition, they pulled mint equa out of slavery. And they offered to work with them if Equa wanted to.

And now the changelings turned out to be very friendly and sensitive creatures for testing. In addition, they differed in appearance from the usual image - there were no hard crests and seemingly broken limbs. In a peaceful environment, the Changelings did not hide the manes of all shades of gray and green and the usual, almost Equine, stature.

As soon as they were brought to the hive with the major, the man who had not taken off the "skin" was sent for interrogation, and the doctors took care of Lyra. Two Changeling fillies examined and scanned her with magic for damage. But not finding any other than the severed horn, they did something that put Lyra in a dead end.

Healers hugged equa, briefly, but warmly and gently. As if apologizing for not being able to heal her wound. As if asking for forgiveness for their impotence.

Then a shifter came, introduced herself as Firefly and dragged Lyra to the city for a "tour". Along the way, telling the most basic things that a filly who found herself in the changeling kingdom should know.

That Lyra is a political refugee and a guest here. No one will put her in a cocoon, no one will suck out love by force. Unless the Equa does something that the Equestrian criminal code wouldn't pat on the head for.

That the changelings have long understood that the shared feelings do not fade away, but grow stronger and continue to live, giving the equines strength and food for them. And it turned out to be a huge boon when the main flow of refugees began.

That the Equins live here quietly, having joined the Changeling society and brought new benefits with them. Eartheques and Equines ennoble the kingdom with greenery. Pegasus and pegasus work in the weather service. The horned ones are doing something, but everyone has found a niche here.

Only a few people are taken into the guard and the army, for obvious reasons.

So Lyra's day was filled with impressions, resembling a crumbling pile of bright postcards.

Here they are walking through the Silver Park, where all the plants are white with streaks of green and aquamarine color. The unusual flora was the fruit of the long labors of changeling breeders, who had previously simply played with bonsai and ornamental vines. Until one day a group of Earth-equas refugees got into the Hive.

Two of them got very close to one of the changers who were playing with plants. As it turned out, the magic of the earth's equas was the missing fragment that turned a frivolous hobby into a beautiful and lush park. Firefly even whispered softly to Lyra that the Silver Park had grown so well precisely because of the love in the herd that had bred it. Mint equa, who was lying on the silver-green silk grass at that moment and watching the clouds run across the sky, only snorted merrily in response.

Then Firefly treated Lyra to a cafe, despite the latter's desire to pay out of a modest allowance. And at the same time, with gratitude and awkwardness before the changeling, a reverse wave of emotions returns to the equa.

Here they see how in the square a hefty thestral, one of the few equine guards, tremblingly puts a wreath of mint-colored irises on the head of a desperately blushing equa. He gets down on one knee in front of her, making an offer to join the herd. And a white pegasus with a mane of three shades of red quietly cries with happiness and falls next to the furry ear, embracing him.

And now Lyra is sitting on the edge of the pool, thinking not only about whether to dive into the phosphorescent gel. Maybe she should go beyond the shoulder massage with Firefly today?

And since Lyra Heartstrings was happy and calm, she decided that it was worth it. She caught the black filly's hand that was squeezing her shoulder and gently kissed it. Lyra knew that the changeling would understand everything correctly. With her sensitivity to emotions.

The hot wave that swept over equa showed that Firefly understood everything correctly.

It was unexpectedly difficult to walk to the guide's house. Because of spontaneous hugs and kisses, when the resonance of emotions literally threw equa and changeling one to the other. Lyra couldn't remember ever being so overwhelmed with feelings in her life. Tenderness, gratitude, desire. As soon as her own weakened a little, absorbed by Firefly, a wave of returned ones came from her.

As soon as the membrane of the entrance to the small studio of the shifter was tightened behind the fillies, all decency and restraint were forgotten.

Lyra almost provoked an awkward moment when she tried to unbutton her jacket and attract Firefly for a kiss at the same time. The shifter laughed, easily picked up equa in her arms and lowered her onto a modest bed.

Firefly was gentle. Firefly was affectionate. Firefly was hot. Firefly was good at it.

Lyra arched and twisted, like a flower stalk swayed by the wind under hot hands. She moaned and gasped from soft lips and a long tongue.

And she would fall asleep, tired and very happy, hugging such a warm, such a pleasant Firefly. Who, even when sinking into sleep herself, did not forget to return joy and happiness to equa.

06.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria.
Time 20: 04

Cantata was sitting over a half-empty sheet of music and twirling a pencil in her fingers. Inspiration did not come.

With a sigh, the pianist dropped her head on the table, clasping her temples with her hands. A complete plug.

Velvet twirled a pencil aimlessly in her fingers and glanced around the room with an unseeing gaze. There was no neighbor and the room felt not somehow deserted, not somehow good and free

One moment Cantata was brought back to reality from the murky abyss of prostration and creative crisis by a delicate knock on the door. After the permission, a curious blue face looked in. Gracefull flashed her eyes with delight and waved her hand to the unicorn.
"Hi, Velvet! Now we want to get together with the girls and sit together for a while. It seems that even Mark and Harry promised to come."
"Thank you, Glide, but no. Unfortunately, I don't feel like it right now,"

Pegasus, still timidly looking out from behind the door, sighed.
"You really, really don't want to, Velvet? Well, maybe..."
"Not at all, Glide. And please don't ask again. Nothing will change from this,"

The Pegasus was clearly upset. Gracefull hoped that it would be possible to collect all the equas from their group. But Radiance has gone to Manehattan, Rocket disappears at the shooting range, where she explodes something under Lee's supervision. Two out of fourteen is not such a big decrease, but still noticeable.

More precisely, three.
"Glide? Are you just going to stand in the doorway?"
"Oh... Sorry, Velvet, I'm leaving. It's a pity that you're not with us,"

When the pegasus disappeared from sight, the pianist again dropped her head on her hands and muttered softly to herself.
"And how I'm sorry about that..."

Despite her dislike of the former submissive, Cantata could not be seriously angry with Glide. The pegasus was too soft and open. Moreover, Velvet remembered how Glyde got hurt... No, Cantata couldn't afford to be unnecessarily harsh with Gracefull.

So when the door was scratched once again and opened without waiting for an answer, Velvet did not yell or beat with magic.
"Gracefull, why are you like a foal, I'm ... Whisp?! What do you need?"
"I'm sorry that I didn't wait for permission... Cantata, is everything all right?"

Velvet with a groan leaned back in her chair and covered her face with her hands. She really wanted to throw something heavy at Willow, but she restrained herself. The half-changeling occupied a disadvantageous position right in front of the neighbor's locker with magic trinkets.
"Willow, don't bother me, please go away! I want to be alone and I am not eager to join the gatherings of the former "reds"!"
"Frisky is with us. And she does not feel any worries about this,"

"I'm not a Frisky. If she feels good around you, then I don't!"

The half-changeling sank into an empty chair. And she sighed softly.
"Velvet... Have you ever wondered why?"

As much as Willow was calm, Cantata was just as exploded.
"Fuck!!! Yes, I was thinking! Do you know what the point is, Whisp?! You know, you fucking nymphomaniac?! Do you know?!"

Velvet's horn and fingers were enveloped in a dark crimson haze as she jumped up from her chair and turned to the half-changeling. Willow wished for a second that she hadn't even gone to the pianist. But she still managed to keep her concentration.
"I tried to get out of slavery as best I could! As I could, knocking everything I could into my blood! And you! You bitches put your feet up to the top and were happy with that! Of course! You've been fucked enough!"

Cantata subtly quickly threw her hand in Willow's direction and clenched her fingers into a fist. The half-Changeling rose into the air, enveloped in the same crimson glow. Magic squeezed her chest and neck, making it difficult to breathe. Whisp wheezed.
"Velvet... Velvet, please..."

"If we would help each other! If only we'd stuck together! It would be possible to do at least something! At least something!"

When Whisp was already wheezing from lack of oxygen, something broke in the unicorn. Cantata swung her arm, pinning Willow to the wall and sank to the floor. Angry, hot tears were running from the pianist's eyes.
"Anything at all, Whisp..."

Velvet clutched her knees, shaking in silent crying.
"Ah... you know what... The most... The worst, Whisp? They... they... In front of my eyes... They tortured and broke my best friend... Almost a sister... To hurt me. To break me... But I persevered. Moonlight Violin is not. And the "reds" helped them... Those who could help my friend, help me-helped to torture us... How can I love you after this, answer me, Willow?"
"Velvet, I would also hate those who did such a thing..."
"Here is no need for soul-saving conversations about friendship, Whisp! I'm an adult equa and I don't believe in these fairy tales anymore!"
"Even here? Even in this land? Among these ponies, who healed us just for beautiful eyes? Among humans, who pulled us out of slavery?"

Cantata growled, she felt like she was literally being torn apart. She wanted to kill Willow and hug her. She wanted to sob with grief and destroy everything around in a furious outburst.

Willow approached to Cantata very carefully, sat down next to her and hugged her. The pianist felt a wave of trembling.
"Take your hands off me, Whisp,"
"I won't, Velvet. All that gives you the strength to live is hatred?"
"Yes, Discord rip you! Only this keeps me going! Only this gives me the strength not to break down!"

With a sigh, half-changeling tightened her embrace. The unicorn growled something unintelligible, continuing to shake.
"Really, and now you need it so much? Do you really live now, hating everyone around you?"
"Yes!"
"Me?"
"Yes, damn you!"
"Do you hate Glidee?"
"Y... I... N-no..."
"And what about Vetrov?"
"Whisp. I..."
"You'll kill me, I know. But please, Velvet... Just for a second, give your own soul a chance to live. Look around you, Cantata. Is someone trying to break you? Now? Here? Or are there friends nearby who will not hesitate to stand up for you? And who are you hurting with your hatred?"
"Whisp, you're such a bitch..."
"Yes, Velvet, bitch, such as the world has not seen. But I pray, if not for me, then at least answer this question for yourself,"

Cantata was silent. But it was felt that she was holding on for the last seconds. Whisp took a deep breath, as if before jumping into the water. Her intuition and subconscious told her that everything was right, but her neck and back still hurt.
"You didn't let anyone near you... Were you afraid that it would hurt you yourself? Or you afraid of hurting your friends? After all, if they don't exist, they can't be tortured and broken?"

Velvet couldn't stand it. Throwing up her head, the pianist screamed at the ceiling. Bitterly and lingeringly, spilling out her own pain.

Willow did not let go of the pink-maned, and after a few seconds, with surprise and joy, she finally felt an answering embrace. Especially valuable to those from whom they were received.
"What should I do, Whisp?! After everything I said and did in captivity? After words on the boat?! Willow, who wants to come to me?! Who wants to be my friend?! Whisp... I strangled this opportunity with my own hands! Because I was afraid! And now it's too late,"

The half-changeling buried her nose in the Cantata's mane, feeling a hot knot tie in her throat and her eyes get wet.
"No, Velvet, it's not too late. Come with me. And I'll show you that it's not too late,"

Velet was shaking. Either from excitement, or from overflowing emotions.
"I've already refused Glide,"
"But you didn't refuse me! Come on, Cantata! Please! And I'll show you how much girls are waiting for you, despite all your prickles,"

The pianist sniffed and snuggled closer to Willow. Gathering her courage, Velvet stood up, at the same time lifting the half-changeling to her feet and resolutely wiped away her tears.
"Here's the Cantata I'm used to. Let's go,"

Almost all the Canterlot equas were already gathered in the hall below. When Willow appeared, someone cheered and waved their hands. When Velvet appeared, there was confusion in the air.
"Hi. I'm..."

Vibrant, as soon as she saw the pianist come down to the company, she broke into a radiant smile from ear to ear. It was unmistakably felt that the red-maned physicist was really happy to see the unicorn.
"Velvet, you've come after all! What a happiness! Fillies! Squeeze her!"

In the blink of an eye, Cantata found hersf in the midst of a whirlwind of hugs, kisses, kisses on the cheek and nose, affectionate pats for ears and mane. The pianist was crying, hugging her now friends. Which she haven't allowed herself to have for so long.

Velvet asked everyone present to apologize for her former anger. For turning away when she was needed.

And they hugged her. And they cried in the mane. And they said that everything was fine now.

Citrine. Glide. Willow. Orchard. Ciarin.Lif. Lilac. Belmi. Summer. Vibrant. Frisky.

All her friends were there now

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Fallen Equestria
Time 23: 34

The conversation flowed smoothly and gently, resembling either a dance of two experienced partners or a duel on the rapiers of equally experienced swordsmen. The topics varied from discussing possible deals and how to implement them to talking about life in general, Equestria or the humanity themselves.

When the bottle of wine from the "cave grapes" ran out, the Queen waved her hand to open a passage in the wall of the hive. And she offered to continue the conversation in a more calm and private atmosphere.

The Major, who was more interested in controlling the swarms of nanites that were splitting wine, chuckled.
"Isn't your office quiet and private enough, Your Majesty?"
"There is always an opportunity for more… Privacy. Come with me. Or are you afraid?"

Laughing, Chrysalis took Smirnov by the hand and led him behind the wall. In a small but cozy living room, also designed in green tones. But warmer shades have already prevailed here. Light green, young foliage, yellow-green.

And the furniture was much more comfortable than in the Queen's office. Actually, all the furniture consisted of a low couch and a huge semicircular bed that occupied half of the room.

The Major sent a request via psycholink. He was told to act on the situation, but to achieve agreements at any cost. And not to disgrace his regiment and humanity as a whole.

Smirnov sat down next to Chrysalis on the couch and accepted a bottle of green telekinesis aura. Wanting to entertain the Queen a little, he cut the neck of the bottle with a psychic impulse

The glasses were filled this time with a soft purple wine, playing with small purple reflections. Chrysalis grinned.
"And you're a risk taker. This wine is filled with emotions, and so close to it to apply an attacking technique... It could turn out to be a very powerful surge, clouding the consciousness. And, most offensively, the wine would instantly lose the entire bouquet,"

Smirnov, who had already run through the analysis cycle of the sparkling drink, was clearly not happy. It will be necessary to neutralize not only foreign substances with an unknown effect, but also a very tangible mental charge.
"And what emotions are ... dissolved in it?"
"You'd better have a sip. And you'll find out everything yourself, human,"

The Queen, who was sipping her wine, suddenly threw her legs over the Major's lap. And she made completely innocent eyes in response to the questioning look. Finally, the Queen managed to catch something in the emptiness that a person felt. Finally, a barely noticeable shadow flashed under the layer of gray ice.
"Your Majesty?"

And again an innocent smile and the flapping of the most luxurious eyelashes in response to the humans's question. Downright naive seminarian, not the Queen of changelings.
"Y-e-e-ea-ah?"
"Tell me, aren't you a distant relative of a certain half-blood one, named Willow Wisp? She also likes to combine business with pleasure,"

Chrysalis looked serious. She closed her eyes, reaching out to the distant echo. The echo of a weak voice that was no longer in this world.
"I don't know Willow personally. But the Hive remembers her quiet voice, from which only an echo remains. Why are you talking about a tortured soul in the present tense, Yuri?"
"Because Phyllady Wisp is alive and well. Not in the afterlife, but only in a parallel world,"

The Queen's eyes sparkled with barely suppressed interest. The fate of even one half-changeling was not indifferent to her. Even the one whom Chrysalis did not know by sight, she sought to protect. Changeling moved closer to the Major, not taking her hungry eyes off him.
"Tell me. What else do you know about her?"
"Brought into the world by a caribou squad along with several other equas. During the skirmish, invaders were destroyed and the prisoners were released. They have been provided with shelter and proper treatment. Now fillady Whisp works in a spa on the outskirts of the port city. She feels good mentally and physically,"
"So, caribou took her as a toy along with other such unfortunate mares… Well, I already have something to thank humanity for - one half-blood is rescued from captivity and rejoices in freedom. As far as possible with the horn cut off,"

Smirnov smiled softly, seemingly absorbed in the contemplation of the purple sparks dancing in the wine.
"I told you, all the released received proper treatment. So fillady Whisp is enjoying life to the fullest, with a restored horn, at a pleasant job and next to a very good person. Whom she did put before a choice without a choice, just as you have now put me,"

Chrysalis leaned back on the couch and let out a sigh of contentment.
"You're not lying. You're not telling the whole truth, but you're not lying either. What? I am the Queen of changelings! And I can distinguish lies from the truth even when they come from the mouth of a piece of gray ice,"

The human did not say anything to this, only continued to admire the sparkling and iridescent wine. And listen to the purring chest voice of the queen.
"To whom I did the great honor of offering to seal the deal exactly as I offered. But apparently, the deal will fall through. Or is it still not? What do you say, Yuri?
"You really know how to combine business with pleasure, Your Majesty. I apologize for inadvertently making you doubt the firmness of humanity's intentions,"

Chrysalis 's mile was getting more and more anticipatory by the second. Draining her glass in one gulp, Changeling giggled softly. Her green, hungry eyes glowed with their own light as she leaned against the human's shoulder and breathed softly into his ear.
"I hope that your word will be no less firm than ... intentions. In the meantime, take off my shoes. My legs got tired of them during the day,"

As far as Smirnov remembered, when the Queen led him into the living room, she was not wearing shoes. But now Chrysalis's legs were wrapped in green silk ribbons, holding intricate gold wire hoofshoes.

And it was neither a trick nor an illusion. Just a little secret of the Queen, who is very partial to evenings in pleasant company.

The silk ribbons slipped from Chrysalis's legs. And the next moment, the Queen gave a thin, completely girlish gasp, finding herself lifted in air on the Major's arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and reached for his lips.

Soon, next to the hoofshoes on the floor were armor and underwear, Chrysalis's dress and her lingerie.

The deal was sealed. And the evening turned out to be really interesting

New unions

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Time 08: 12
The Crystal Empire.

A pink pony figure was gliding outside the magic dome. As if not noticing the raging storm, a light winged silhouette, shrouded in blue radiance, was heading north. Deep into the icy wastelands, where there is nothing alive, where the world is permeated by strange magic. Where the border is thin.

After a long hour of flight, the alicorn left the storm behind and went to land. She slid over the ice hummocks, almost touching them with her hoofshoes, and landed on a relatively flat area. The ice under her feet was filled with the same unnatural, wrong magic as everything around her. But here was his node, his concentration. One of many scattered across this terrible icy desert and the closest to the Empire.

What she needs for what she has planned.

Cadance planted her hooves firmly on the dead ice and began to weave a spell. She was lucky to be an alicorn, she didn't need any ritual or trinkets. Only pure will and desire were required.

Mi Amore was fine with both of them. The spell enveloped her horn in a sharply shining spiral. So the stars shine in the cosmic abyss. So the welding shines. So the bursts of plasma machine guns shine. Lifeless, hard and biting light.

At one moment, the weave flared up, broke into sparks and dispersed into the air without a trace. But this was only an appearance. Like a detonator, the Cadence's pell set in motion the inanimate magic of the northern wastelands.

Invisible streams of energy boiled and swirled as something rose into the world of the living. Something dark, strong, long ago sent into oblivion.

When the magic storm subsided, not a single curl of Cadence moved. But now she was not alone in this frozen wasteland. The presence nearby was so powerful that it was almost overwhelming.

Right in the head of the alicorn, bypassing her ears, a quiet voice rang out.
"So. You dare to bother me, Princess. I could disembowel your mind, but I'm very curious to hear the reason why you came, from you personally. There's not much fun in the abyss, you know. So don't try my patience and start talking. Or think. It doesn't matter."
"I am the rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire, shadow! And my mind is beyond your control, otherwise you would not have spoken to me at all,"
"Do you think? Or maybe I'm just bored and I'm glad to have the opportunity to talk? Even like this? Don't get burned, princess... There's no one to help you here."
"Stop it now, shadow! You won't be able to scare me!"
"Oh, I'm just trying to be nice with you. I scare a little differently, you know, Cadence. So still, what brought the Princess of Love here? What made you wake me up?"

Cadance closed her eyes, forming a cluster of mental images. It took time, such magic was not her profile. When the information transfer spell was ready, the princess threw it into the space in front of her. The ball of light flew a few meters and disappeared without a trace, as if absorbed by the addressee.
Who was silent for a long time.
"Are you still here? Shadow?"
"Yes, I'm here. I'm studying your message, Princess. It doesn't hurt you to tighten up your mental magic, you know that?"
"Answer to the point. I showed you the reason why I applied. What do you say?"
"Very artless. Rough work. Who was doing this at all?"
"You're pretty good with pony nightmares, shadow,"

The mental roar almost flattened Cadance on the ice. Trickles of blood spurted from her nose, sweat broke out on her body as the princess somehow put up the shield spell.
"I DON'T WORK SO CLUMSILY, YOU, PINK WHORE!!! I'M A MASTER OF NIGHTMARES, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! MY HORRORS ARE MASTERPIECES, WORKS OF DARK ART!!! HOW DARE YOU ASSUME THAT THIS IS MY HORN'S BUSINESS?! THAT THESE MISERABLE MARES, WHO ARE FUCKED UP TO THE POINT OF INSANITY, WHO SHY AWAY FROM ANY STALLION, ARE MY WORK?!"

The pink alicorn smiled, wiping a trickle of blood from her muzzle.
"If you're as clever as you say you are, can you reverse it? Can you pull the unfortunate equas out of their nightmares, "master"? No? I thought so. Windbag,"

The shadow no longer roared. Now it looked like the most delicate silk, in which a poisonous snake was hidden.
"Give me a chance, princess. And you will see that I am what I think I am. Only now you would not be in shackles, at my hooves, humiliated and dishonored in a thousand ways... Well, can I show you what a "windbag" I am?"
"I will bring you back to life, shadow. But there will be conditions,"
"What? Conditions? You don't want me to allay the fears of those four, do you?"
"Either you agree, or you will continue to sit in the abyss. Decide, shadow. You are not the last chance of these equass, just the most convenient. There are others,"

The visitor fell silent again. Not for long this time.
"What do you want, princess?"
"I'm bringing you back to life, in full health and strength. You join the work of rehabilitation groups and psychologists. Here and, if necessary, in that Equestria reflection. You help every equa or pony that needs it or asks for it to recover. You are not looking for conflicts and you are not taking revenge for old grievances. You do not harm anyone intentionally, directly or indirectly, and you do not do anything to put anyone in danger due to the action of third forces. The exception is the protection of others, self-defense in case of an explicit threat, or a duel of honor. You do not manipulate anyone's mind if it does not fall under your work duties to get rid of nightmares or is not a tool to protect others and yourself. You abandon all claims to power over anyone and anything, unless it is provided for by your direct work duties. These are my conditions, shadow,"
"It could have been worse. I agree. "
"No, this is not enough. We'll make a deal, as it should be. By accepting this drop of blood, you will accept my help and its conditions unconditionally. If you decide to break the agreement, the magic that keeps you in the world of the living, will dissipate,"

The princess struck her horn on her leg, carving a small ruby drop. Warm, multicolored sparks of magic danced in it. Filled with life, love and light.

And something else that Cadence dug up in closed network archives of humans. On which she pinned her hopes no less than on the correctness of the ritual from ancient books. The princess did not hope for the reliability of methods individually, but her heart told her that together they would produce the desired effect.

This time, the shadow remained silent for the longest time. Finally, along with a gust of snow, a rustling voice came.
"Oh, Lauren the Creator, you are punishing me for my pride. To resurrect to clean up after the crooked inconsistencies... But I agree, and I accept your gift and conditions, Princess."

The shadow's voice barely perceptibly stirred the magic around the prepared response part of the agreement. Cadence chuckled.

And she swung her leg, sending a drop of blood flying beyond the shield. As soon as the red ball hit the frosty air, the magic around it seemed to go berserk. It seemed that from the tension of the raging streams, the world was about to break and everything would fall into oblivion. The shadows lengthened and became deeper, and something began to be seen in them that was not from here. A watery silence devoured all the sounds of the icy wasteland, pressing like the weight of a fever.

The tension of the magic reached its peak. A black dot appeared above the ice, growing into an incredibly deep shadow, the size of a large stallion. The clot of darkness trembled, took complete shape and finally manifested itself in the world.

A tall black pony with flaming scarlet eyes and a curved horn was left standing in the snow. The ancient mage inclined his head slightly in greeting to Cadance.
"Thank you for such a courteous invitation to the world of the living, Princess. And now, will you take me to the... patients?"

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Fallen Equestria.
Time 06: 32

After the morning "warm-up", Chrysalis was vigor and cheerful, fluttering around the rooms and humming a soft melody under her nose. However, the Queen barely had time to pull on half of her lingerie, as Smirnov was already dressed in armor. He shrugged at the questioning tilt of her head.
"Habit,"
"Then help me get dressed. Since you're so fast,"

The Major didn't mind. Moreover, he well remembered the sequence of fasteners of the Queen's dress from the evening.

However, outside the door of the chambers, Chrysalis returned to a businesslike mood, to Smirnov's great relief. For the man it was already just uncomfortable her private acting.

The Queen led the Major through the long winding corridors and galleries of the huge hive, introducing him to her people and kingdom.

Changelings didn't seem surprised by their lady's companion. It would seem that there is such a thing - a pale-skinned stranger in a strange armor? If the Queen decided that this creature was worthy of accompanying her, then why not? Let him go, giving their lady an elbow.

But the periodically occurring equas and even rarer equins followed the Major with surprised looks. An earthman, who did not look like any of the inhabitants of this world, attracted attention and carefully looked around himself.

And he noticed that among the pegasuses and unicorns there were almost no one, who were not crippled. Many of the winged ones had artificial feathers made of a translucent green membrane. He even met the equa once, obviously after a recent operation - the wing awns were covered with light dark-green splints and fixing bandages.

And of the unicorns, only four of all the met retained their horns. Others disguised the stump as best they could, with a hairstyle or a hat. But only the cold icicles of despair and hopelessness in the auras and eyes were much more difficult to hide.

Chrysalis, who had not missed Major's stares and psi-scanning, chuckled.
"Yes, there are really so many victims of caribou. And they all need your wonderful medicine, which you sang to me about last night,"
"And everyone will receive appropriate treatment. A ship with equipment and doctors is already on its way and will arrive at ten this morning,"
"He'd better not be too late, Major. Although, yours... Yours astronauts will warn you about the delay, won't they? "
"By all means, Your Majesty, be calm. You will have time to postpone your speech to the people. What? Just a lucky guess,"

The Queen snorted maliciously and lightly whipped the Major's legs with her tail.

The hive opened up to man in all its restless thirst for life. The hum of voices, the buzzing of wings, the ringing of magic intertwined in a single powerful background. It was surprisingly nice and calm here, even for Smirnov, who was wrapped in a multi-layered psi-protection.

After making a circle around a small square near the palace complex, Chrysalis led Smirnov back. But this time their path lay to the lower levels. Protected, fenced off from the outside world.

There was an infirmary there, where changelings treated the most physically seriously injured equas and equins to the best of their abilities and capabilities. The Major asked how it would be possible to deliver equipment here, to which the Queen waved off that it was not difficult for her and high-ranking officers to change the configuration of the passages, somehow they would pave the way

Finally, Chrysalis led the human to a wide transition membrane, from behind which muffled music and singing could be heard. Smirnov watched in amazement as the Queen put herself in the proper condition to enter there. Calms emotions, closes the mind and begins to radiate quiet joy.

When she addressed the human, both a request and a metallic threat were intertwined in her voice.
"Stop, Major. Stop and get your feelings in order. For behind this door are the most seriously injured. The ones that even I couldn't get out of their nightmares,"

The transition membrane trembled under the Queen's fingers, as if debating whether to disperse or not. As if she felt that a stranger was nearby.
"And now they are sleeping, waiting for the moment when someone will be able to help. Look at them, Major. Take a look and tell me, is this also possible for you?"

The membrane parted, allowing it to pass inside. Into a hall filled with an emerald glow from cocoons fixed on the floor, in which equas swam. All immersed in a deep magical sleep, all fueled by the currents of power that were being pulled into this place.

Near the cocoons, here and there, there were guttered candles, soft toys, flowers, withered and fresh.

And in the middle of the hall stood Lyra, playing her instrument and singing a soft and tender song about love and friendship. Closing his eyes, selflessly surrendering to the strumming of the strings and the sound of the melody. Tears ran down her cheeks, either of joy or of inspiration, sparkling like emeralds in the glow of the cocoons.

Next to Lyra, Firefly stood like a silent shadow, not daring to touch or even take too deep a breath, so as not to interfere with the music.

The Major chuckled a little, looking at the Queen, who came up to the singing equa. Of course, his ward was here completely "accidentally", brought by changeling. So that Smirnov would make sure once again that everything is fine with Lyra. A cute little gesture from Chrysalis.

When Lyra finished playing the last notes and the strings of her lyre fell silent, the Queen gently touched her shoulder.
"That was great, honey. Now give me… -

When equa obediently moved away to Firefly, who was hugging her, Chrysalis slightly spread her arms to the sides, sending a powerful wave of power to the sleepers. Happiness, peace, joy and tenderness were intertwined in her with passion and hope. The Queen was doing her duty of hospitality.

And the Major felt very clearly that in the power that Chrysalis poured into the sleeping "broken" there was a lot of that which he "poured" into her at night and in the morning. The way in which the Queen combined pragmatism and selflessness, liked the man.

Having briefly scanned the mental background of the "sleepers", Smirnov confidently rapped out.
"Yes, Your Majesty." We can help them too,

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria
The time is 10: 00

The door closed behind Sombra and the unicorn went deeper into the corridor.

To arrive in his old patrimony secretly, like a thief in a shop, to sneak around so that the guards and new neighbors do not notice? The mage didn't like it, but the damned pink upstart managed to correctly bind him with a deal.

And, what was more important for Sombra, to challenge his skill. He was perfectly able to plunge ponies and other creatures into the worst imaginable nightmares. But to pull out of the abyss of fear?

The unicorn was now interested in himself.

That's a heart-butted asshole!

The mage began to recall what Cadence had given him. Scroll through the images over and over again, studying them like a jeweler stones. Yes, the package formed by the princess was terribly incomplete and clumsy, but it allowed at least to roughly understand the picture.

The slow, confident tread of heavy hooves faded into a barely audible rustle of black smoke. And a brisk, crumbly, foal-like trot began to jump in the corridor.

Sombra hardly remembered what he looked like as a child, so he cut his appearance on a whim. Remaining true to his black-and-gray color scheme, the mage turned into a long-legged, big-eyed colt. Fluffy, with a curly mane and oversized ears. The appearance is harmless, cute and deceptive. What he needs for contact with broken equas.

Sombra went to the half-open door, from where the barely audible crying could be heard, put his nose inside. In the corner of the room, a blue pegasus with a blue-white mane was sitting with her arms and wings wrapped around her knees. Her companion was sitting on the bed, silently gliding around the room with an empty look and twirling a crimson strand in her fingers.

Brown eyes met with green ones that were blinking thoughtfully not far from the floor. Sombra decided it was time.

The mage sent the lightest mental message. Calm down, relax, leave all your worries. Forget about everything, as after a deep, long and sound sleep.

Hart Puzzle, having fallen under the spell, blinked in surprise, looked around the situation. She focused on Sombra, who was poking his lop-eared head through the door, and smiled.
“Oh, what a sweetheart... Don't be afraid, come here,”

And Sombra went. Feigning interest mixed with a willingness to run away, the foal clattered to the Puzzle that was pulling at him.

At the same time, he gently touched her mind. Imperceptibly for equa, Sombra was making a picture for himself. The consciousness of the unicorn suffered very much, the injuries even affected the soul. It reminded to Sombra of a beautiful mosaic, so complex that it was impossible to keep track of it, assembled in many dimensions. But it has lost its former luster and brightness, broken and shattered into pieces.

The mage began to carefully adjust and combine the fragments. He found and blurted out the fear he had driven in, the horrors and humiliations he had experienced. In a few minutes, Heart will remember almost nothing about the capture of those "caribou". Only that it was very bad. But there will be no crushing horror, no hopelessness, no apathy. equa will be free from crippling experiences.

Focusing on careful touches and assembling the Puzzle pieces of the mind, Sombra somewhat lost touch with reality. Just for a couple of seconds, but it was enough to be in a strong, chocolate-and raspberry-scented embrace. The foal's body was both happy about this and resisted in the spirit of " I'm already big!"

The mage wheezed.
“U-u-ugh! You're going to crush me to a pulp! Be careful!”

Heart just giggled and buried her nose in the curly top of the colt's head.
“Blue! Look at what a sweetheart has come to us! All fluffy and soft! What's your name, anyway?”
“Smokey Horizon. Or just Smokey,”

Sombra was composing on the go, putting the last patches and connections on the mind of the Puzzle. Just a little...

Pegasus raised her eyes red from tears and also fell under the spell of carelessness and relaxation that the mage spread around him. Vivid grinned and reached out to pat Smokey's ears.
“Guys said that foreign princesses were settled here. And, it seems, they did not lie,”

Blue laughed. Sonorous, iridescent, under the influence of enchantment, forgetting about everything that used to press and prevent breathing. Her fears disappeared, pushed away by a quiet whisper and a seemingly gentle wind touching her face. Now pegasus saw only her friend and a cute unicorn in front of her.

Sombra chuckled to himself. He could conduct the "game on two boards" confidently. And finish with honor in his favor.

An imperceptible mental probe touched the aura of the blue pegasus. Images flowed in a stream into the magie's mind. Her mind was like a watercolor. Complex, fluid, with many layers, flows, jets. Which was soiled by the dirty prints of someone's five-fingered paws and hooves, destroying the harmony and beauty of this consciousness. Sombra began to carefully remove the dirt stains, drop by drop.
“What princesses we are, Smokey, we are comon equas. By the way, how did we get here in the first place? I only remember the flying ship and those golems... Creepy,”

"Smokey", who was currently being caressed by four hands, blissfully closed his eyes and stuck out the tip of his tongue. Which was not completely fake, because the mage found such gentle and soft touches quite pleasant.
"It's not golems, it's... it's.... Infantrymen, yes!

The foal puffed up with pride that he knew such difficult words. In vain. Vivid decided to pat his cheeks.

It seems that Sombra should not in the future weave even the lightest forms of "want-it-take-it" into "touching" charms. Of course, he is only a half-material being, but the embodied body should be protected.
"They're a kind of sentinel... Only they have cooler armor! And beam rifles! Beam rifles instead of spears!”

Thank you Cadence, enlightened at least a little. So he could easily imitate the enthusiastic foal chattering about "cool armor with motors".
“Are you alone here? It's just that the foals were talking about four princesses, and there are only two of you...”
“How big-eyed you are, however. An individual? Let's go to Violin and Scream? Shall we introduce them to Smokey?”

Hart squeezed the colt's flanks a little and kissed the top of the smoke-smelling head.
"Okay, Smokey, do you want to meet our friends yourself?"

Sombra grinned inwardly. The game on the first two boards was coming to an end and it was time to switch to the next two. The mage feigned a lively interest on his face and raised his ears.
“I want to! I really want to!”
“Then let's go. We will introduce you to these "princesses",”

Blue made a strange gesture. She raised her hands and bent her index and middle fingers twice. "Smokey" blinked in confusion. And Sombra was not familiar with this gesture.
“Oh. What did you just do? With your fingers, just right now?”
“These are quotation marks. They mean, like, the conditionality of what was said,”

"Smokey" just blinked his green eyes. Blue went out into the corridor, beckoning to her friend, who was holding a foal in her arms.

Sombra briefly probed the surrounding space. Next to him, literally next door, were two equas, whom he was obliged to help with the deal.

But now it was also a sporting interest. Who would have thought that piecing together a broken mind and soul would be so exciting? The best puzzle in the world, never repetitive, never boring. Always throwing up new problems and material for reflection.

Definitely worth thanking Cadence. Then. Somehow.

While the mage was thinking, Blue with some effort took Sombra from Puzzle's hands, who did not want to let go of the warm foal. She sat him down on her shoulder and knocked on the door to her friends ' room.

“Fillies? Are we coming in? Here such a miracle has come to meet us! He says he was looking for princesses,”

Sombra reached out with magic through the wall, through the door. A veil of carelessness and lightness enveloped equas in the room, erasing the fears and pain from them. Leading to a relaxed mood and facilitating future contact of minds.

The small delegation was opened by a blue crystal equa, to the aura of which the mage immediately reached out. Before Sombra stretched the image of a green valley full of sonorous fast streams. Talkative jets polished colored stones and crushed rainbow splashes on the rifts. Branches and clusters of small blue flowers, like willow trees, bent down to the water. Now the clean streams were littered with garbage, where they were barbarously dug up and put into dams, dead fish lay on the banks. The trees were crippled here and there, cut down for bonfires that stained the green silk grass.

Sombra got down to work. The beautiful valley began to gradually return to its original state.

And crystal equa took the foal from Blue and sat it on her shoulder.
“Whoa, you heavy. Did you say you were looking for princesses? What makes you think we're princesses?”

"Smokey" hesitated. He lowered his gaze before the white thestral mare who came up and muttered softly.
“Guys say that only princesses are so beautiful,”

Moonlight Violin laughed softly. Booped unicorn in the nose and began to stroke his shaggy cheeks.
“And who says so? Other foals?”

Just as the lilac-maned equa touched his nose, Sombra gently touched her mind. A gentle, penetrating melody enveloped him to the depths of his soul. The chords became colored panels, flowing one into another, curling into spirals and fantastic lace. Music was everything here, creating the world around and itself.

And its sound was disfigured by sharp, rude shouts, blows and mocking laughter. The dissonance generated by them killed the beauty and brought somnae of false notes into the canvas of the symphony.

The mage very carefully began to catch and muffle other people's screams. Soften the sounds of blows until they completely disappear.

But still, the music around seemed incomplete, it lacked something indefinite. Important, expensive, taken away a long time ago. Sombra allowed himself to touch the melody a little in the place where the incompleteness was felt most strongly.

The ripples of the music wavered, as if frozen for a second, and a new sound was woven into them. The song is about loss, about a friend who was closer then sister. About the longing for her and the pain of parting.

Sombra did not muffle this melody, let it enter the general chorus and strengthen itself. Even if Violin is pining for her lost friend, meeting her will have such a powerful strengthening effect that the spirit and mind of the thestral will become stronger than they were before she was broken.

Holding and restoring four minds at the same time was difficult, even for Sombra. And “Smokey” began to slow down, as if falling asleep. The unicorn yawned and stretched his words, sometimes shaking his ears and smacking his lips sleepily. But somehow he kept up a conversation with the equas, who pulled blankets and mattresses from the beds and arranged a collective couch right on the floor.

Fillies were discussing how they ended up in the Crystal Empire, where they can go here if there are no bits in their pocket. They scratched the "Smokeys" behind ears, sometimes they rubbed his neck and chin. They stroked his mane, hugged him. They asked about the "infantrymen", who they are and what they do.

Of course, questions about what the equas were doing naked in the rocky hills remained unanswered. "Smokey "was genuinely surprised by such" carelessness". And he expressed the opinion that the "infantrymen" had flown to help the equas, whose clothes had been stolen by some bad ponies.

But that didn't answer the question of how they ended up in the hills. What happened before the flying ship descended from the sky and opened the ramp?

No one could remember. As if bumping into a blank wall, all four of the former broken ones were lost in guesses. And the mage carefully took these memories deeper into their memory, from where they would not just pop up ahead of time and destroy the fragile well-being of souls and minds.

Time after time, casting away the recovery spell, Sombra also touched the auras of Vivid, Hart, Ice, and Violin over and over again. And he understood that even he would need at least two more sessions to say with confidence that the job was done and the injuries of souls and consciousnesses were cured.

Even for him, a master of mind games and nightmares, bound by the will of Faust by a deal to renounce the past, it was not easy.

Having allowed the foal's body to finally "warm up and fall asleep" in the collective embrace, Sombra wondered if he would be able to meet those who broke this and other equas. And say a big professional "Fi!".
Slashing the claymore on the skull.

To lend a helping hand

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria Fallen
The time is 10: 05

The square in front of the palace spire was crowded. The Changelings and Equins listened to the Queen's speech.

Chrysalis's double voice rolled in and out in waves. The Queen was talking about an unexpected alliance and the benefits that it could bring to her children and wards who asked for shelter and protection. She was proud that the mythical race had chosen the Changelings to conclude the first agreement in Equestria.
“And now, I want to say something to all the Equans who have come to me, under my wing and hand. I am grateful for your trust. For the love and happiness that you have given to the hive and all my children. And I would like to make a reciprocal gesture of goodwill to you,”

Chrysalis pointed to the zenith, where the rapidly growing outline of the ship could be seen.
“I was able to convince our allies to supply us with unprecedented medical equipment. All the equas, who were maimed by the caribou will be cured. Your horns and wings will return to you in the next couple of months,”
"And all thanks to my art of persuasion" hung like an unspoken tail of a phrase over the square. Smirnov, who was standing a little apart from the Queen, smiled. Well done Chrysalis, she knows how to work.
“Yuri, come forward. Say thank you to the messenger that, although he came under the guise of a caribou, he brought good news,”

A wave of hubbub, exclamations of all kinds, a few flapping of arms and wings swept over the square. It seems that the Equins were really happy or just unconditionally believed Chrysalis.

Meanwhile, the corvette had dropped so far that it became clearly distinguishable. He made a wide turn over the hive and dropped four containers, which released parachutes. The cargo was descending to the ground slowly and smoothly, as if it had its own contracts with the force of gravity. Chrysalis turned to Smirnov, raising her eyebrows in question.
“So that's why you asked to clear not only the place for the landing of the ship, but also the area next to the palace… These domes are reliable, aren't they?”
“Reliable, Your Majesty. And there are not only parachutes, but also their own gravity brakes. Containers of the fifth safety class, with a duplicated braking system. Especially for valuable and fragile cargo,”

The corvette controlled descent of dropped cargo, moving circles over the hive. Along the way, giving himself a look to everyone who at that moment poured out into the streets and squares. Streamlined, smooth, dark gray, an elongated triangular silhouette with several gondolas and gun turrets slightly protruding from the hull, the ship glided through the air absolutely noiselessly, like a giant kite.

Finally, containers gently touched the ground in a square fenced and cordoned off by the guards for this purpose, a little away from the one where Chrysalis was performing. The parachutes drooped, covering the armored walls with a canopy of thin carbon fiber.

And the corvette, having released the chassis, went to the site prepared for it on the outskirts of the city. Ship hovered and slowly descended, slightly springing on the racks.

Several human medics, pony healers, and the ship's captain descended from the ramp. And if the guards-guides met the doctors in light spacesuits, we can say, cordially, then the cosmonaut in the flight "Granite" almost refused to let him into the hive.

Only a shout through the collective mind from the Queen convinced them that the stranger in the "heavy armor" does not pose a threat. On the contrary, he will lead the ship to deliver the most seriously injured equas to another, more powerful hospital.

Humans didn't cause much shock, but ponies were almost forced to drop their jaws. The guards practically spammed into the collective mind with questions, some with surprise, and some with just incoherent waves of emotion.

But discipline and a strict warning from the Queen did their job. And the last nail in the coffin of the desire to "touch the cute little ponies" was driven by the threat of one of the healers to cast a spell of mustard plasters to anyone who tries to grab. The crimson unicorn added that the changelings would not like it if they were among the ponies and they tried to squeeze them? This was the end of the incident.

Excitement, impatience, hope and joy were literally physically felt in the air. It seemed that emotions were swaying and wriggling with translucent panels. They looked at the strange delegation with expectation and hope. There were whispers and quiet conversations among the passers-by. Changelings and Equins made guesses about the arrivals, shared their thoughts. However, no one dared to talk to ponies or humans. For now.

Doctors reached the hive, where they were met by Smirnov and Chrysalis. The Queen greeted the specialists, not holding back a smile at the sight of that very formidable healer, a small crimson unicorn, wrapped in a light hermetic jumpsuit. And clearly overgrown not for the Equestrian warm winter - her cheeks and neck were so fluffy with gorgerous fur.

"Fluffy" bowed to the Queen, greeting, and introduced herself as Golden Lancet. Having received permission to get up, pony asked when it was possible to start work. The Queen said that even now.

And the work began. The medical team went deep into the hive, the captain of the corvette went together with the changeling healers to examine the cocoons of the "sleepers" and calculate their loading. The astroonaut, who introduced himself as Gideon Summerend, bowed to the Queen, shook hands with Smirnov and began to find out how many eqas will go on the first flight.

The shapeshifter healers? who were present among the greeters? warned the captain that they would fly along with their wards. Because it is extremely important to ensure a soft awakening for the "sleepers".

While the captain was communicating through the ship with the command post, Chrysalis seemed to be meditating. Closing her eyes and whispering something barely audible, the Queen connected to the collective mind, questioning and giving orders.
"Coming out of the astral," Chrysalis reported that there are at least three dozen more affected equas, to whom she would like to provide treatment as soon as possible, without waiting for the doctors to assemble and configure their equipment.

Gideon, who knows the ship like the back of his hand, said that he could take fifty passengers, even if twenty of them were in cocoons. The Queen, without exaggeration, rewarded the captain with a beaming smile. She said goodbye to everyone present and left in the direction of her office.

Smirnov also had to control literally everything - both the loading of equas on the corvette and the installation of equipment by doctors. Another man might have grabbed his head, but not the Major. For a trained human, moreover, claded in power armor, it was not difficult to personally run between the “"Boreas"s” and the infirmary in the corridors of the hive. And if the situation, blood from the nose, required personal presence and control, then you could always contact by comm.

The Major first followed the transfer of the "sleepers" and the placement of the children, whom Chrysalis considered worthy of receiving treatment as soon as possible.

Cocoons were transported with all possible care, on a gravity cart, which was lowered from the ship and driven back and forth along the street. It took five slow flights to transport all the sleepers and place them on the “"Boreas"s”. Earthmen were in no hurry to go anywhere, with the greatest care helping to changelings to load cocoons with sleeping equas in artificial sleep on the pallet. Telekinesis was used to the maximum and right on the spot there were cut-out covers-holders made of carbon fiber, over which the engineer put on "sleeves" made of self-hardening material, which was used in armored suits. Changeling healers, although they grumbled at first about excessive manipulations with cocoons, still adopted this method of"packaging".

Two or five equas usually walked along with the pallet floating leisurely over the street. They were not so badly injured, but their faces bore the stamp of old pain and the nightmare they had experienced. The captain noticed that many of them had "scientific" and "magical" names and sometimes Marks embroidered on their clothes. Chrysalis also found here how to help her wards and get benefits - none of those who went on the "Boreas" wanted to return to Equestria later, preferring a new home in the Hive.

Meanwhile, Lancet was clearly in charge of the team of doctors - the fluffy mare managed to be literally everywhere where she was needed. Where to check and help calibrate the "Keratin", where to give a moral kick for "digging" with power connectors, where to yell at two changelings who lowered the container with the working part of the "Composite" without proper smoothness and accuracy.

If the medical team keeps up the pace, then by the evening the equipment will be connected and tomorrow morning the infirmary will start receiving. And Changelings will have to think about where to merge the streams of happiness that will be born here. And ponies and humans should make sure that the cured do not break their necks with hugs.

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria Fallen
The time is 12: 45
“Can I get in the cab? Please? Please-please? I will sit quietly and not touch anything!”

It was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the pleading eyes and soft voice of the ochre equa. The engineer filly began to squeak softly with joy on the way to the "Boreas", when ship just showed up. And the closer Paper Martlet was to the corvette, the stronger the enthusiastic squeak became and questions began to pour in.

What is it made of? What kind of engines? Where does it get its energy from? How far can it fly? And how fast? And how is the air on board updated? Is the servomechanics hydraulic or electric? And what is the mechanization of planes?

Engineer Jenkins, who accompanied the pallet with the last "sleepers", decided to enlighten the so obviously interested equa a little. To his misfortune.

Paper didn't leave him now, asking for more and more details. And when the loading was over and the "Boreas" was supposed to take off, she naturally hung on Henry's arm, asking for to look at the control room "at least one eye" .

Moreover, the equa clung seriously, it would not have been possible to gently pull the hand out of her grasp, and Jenkins did not want to shake her off at all.

The captain's voice poked through the psycholink.
"Jenkins, where are you? "
"Comrade Captain, there's such a thing… One equa asks to look into the control room, promises not to interfere and not to touch anything. Now she is hanging on my sleeve and looks with pleading eyes. Commander, shall we allow the filly to sit in the control room? You should have seen those eyes... "
"Who is she? "
"Was an aircraft designer, judging by the name and Cutie. Comrade Captain, I can't stand it for so long!"

The engineer threw the captain the image of Martlet, literally looking into the soul. After a microsecond of silence, the psycholink came to life again.
"Apparently, this will help her recover and stand on her feet in general. Let the foal stay with us, I allow it. So that not a step away from her, you are our compassionate. "
"There is. We're going to the control room."

The whole conversation took several infinitely long milliseconds. During which Jenkins tried not to drown in the eyes full of pleading, hope and old pain.

Equa did not even give him permission to express it aloud, having understood everything in advance by the doomed sigh and the changed expression on his face. Paper squealed with joy and impulsively hugged Henry, who was clad in a flight "Granite", poking her muzzle into his face and neck, which were the only ones not covered by hard and cold armor.
“Thank you! Thank you so muchs! Now, Martlet, calm down, you are an adult and responsible equa... Phew ... Sorry for jumping, mis… Comrade Jenkins,”

The engineer could not resist patting equa on the silk crown, fleetingly regretting that the suit does not convey the full range of sensations. And he made a sign to Martlet, who was indignantly puffing on her disheveled mane, to follow him. Equa sighed and followed the astronaut deeper into the corridor.

In the control room, Paper forgot how to breathe for a few seconds, making a thin, enthusiastic squeak on the verge of ultrasound. Huge viewing screens that covered walls, ceiling and even part of the floor. Five crew seats, of which one was now empty, located in a semicircle. Soft orange glow of holographic panels and indicators near the seats and above the horseshoe-shaped console. The very atmosphere of the spaceship's control room, about which Paper had only read and dreamed before, was dizzying and almost intoxicating. The filly remembered her promise not to distract or touch anything, so she was over the moon with happiness when Henry sat her down in the chair that he was supposed to take himself, helped her to buckle up and turned the holographic screen to the output.

The captain, who was finishing a pre-flight cycle of checks, turned around and waved to the curious equa.
“Well, hello, foal! Since you asked for it in the control room, seize the moment,”
“Thank you. But I'm not a foal anymore,”
“And who screamed and jumped with joy when she learned that he was going to the control room? Someone with ochre fur and a blue-black mane. Who is this, can you tell me, Fillady Martlet?”

Equa just sighed. The power engineer snorted cheerfully at the half-embarrassed, half-excited expression of Martlet's face, closed his helmet and leaned back in his chair, connecting to the ship's neural control systems.

The crew finished the pre-launch procedures and the corvette barely noticeably shuddered when the engines woke up and began to increase power to take-off. It was quiet in the control room at these moments, because astronauts were communicating via psycholink, and Paper did not dare to speak for fear of distracting or disturbing at such an important stage.

The ship lifted off the ground and smoothly went up. On the viewscreens, the earth floated further and further away, it became possible to see the entire Hive from end to end, the surrounding forests and steppes. The distant Kanterhorn Mountains appeared in the north and a thin blue strip of the Moon Sea in the west.
The engineer gently touched equa on the shoulder.
“You can talk now. Don't be afraid, you won't interfere if you don't deliberately interrupt our work,”

Paper, who was watching the altimeter in front of her with all her eyes, which had passed a kilometer, exhaled softly.
“I don't know what to ask right now. When I came here, my head was swollen with questions, but now everything is like a sweep,”
“I see. Well, then, if something comes up, I'm here. By the way, now we will gain two kilometers of altitude and turn on the horizontal thrust. See how the instrument readings will change,”

Jenkins, standing behind the back of his chair, pointed to a section of the holographic screen in front of Martlet, where information about the relative angular velocity was displayed.
“You will definitely like what you see,”

Equa stared at the scale and could not believe her eyes. The height and distance from the planet grew rapidly, the corvette reached escape speed, but there was no overload felt. According to Henry, the gravity compensators were responsible for this, now tuned to maximum power due to passengers and "sleepers".

When the ship rose into the stratosphere and the sky turned black around, the locator beeped, notifying about the contact. Paper pricked up her ears and looked at the engineer questioningly.
“We spotted someone in the air. Judging by the lights - airships. Yes, they won't even see us, but the automation works according to the specified programs,”

The navigator, who had been immersed in observing the situation around the ship, suddenly joined in the conversation.
“That's right. Because you never know what's out there-peaceful ships, enemy interceptors or worse, AAGMs,
“Come on, AAGM, this is half the trouble, you can shoot them down on approach. But ray guns are disgusting,”

The gunner, who had already managed to study the speeds and courses of the flashes, was calm and also allowed himself a remark. Hearing that the crew was talking in a voice, equa became emboldened.
“Hmm, I'm sorry… And what are these AAGMs?”

The shooter, without looking up from his screen and without losing concentration, nevertheless, explained.
“Anti-aircraft guided missiles. They carry not a firework charge and are needed in order to shoot down incoming ships. There are many types of them, and each is tailored to its own tasks,”

But the equa herself was already stuck in the course screen, where the flight path was drawn. Except for a small curved section above the Equs, straight as a string and ending about half the distance to Selena.

Paper was not an expert in celestial mechanics, but she understood that the ship could move like this only if there was constant acceleration. And a very large one, judging by how quickly the point indicating "Boreas" was moving along the laid course.
"Henry? And why does the course stop here? Well, here, where is the circle depicted at the end of the trajectory?”
“It doesn't end anywhere. It's just at this point that we make the first jump. In order to do this safely and at a lower cost, you need to move away from massive objects for some distance. The lighter the ship, the closer to the same mass it can go into hyper. Fighters and some light boats can generally jump almost from the surface of the planets. But "Boreas" needs to move away, even if he does it very quickly,”

The closer the jump point got, the more worried Martlet became. The equa restlessly cut the air with her ears, her gaze jumped from the observation screens, behind which the black abyss strewn with stars spread out, to the course screen, where there was less and less left to the cherished point.

Fifteen thousand kilometers and a minute and a half of flight remained to the place of transition. Numbers, that made Paper's head spin. How can you easily accelerate to such speeds? After all, this ship must weigh many tons! Hundreds, if not a couple of thousand! What are the graviengines, since now the power indicator lights up "35%"? What will happen if the corvette gives full speed?

A low hum and a thin ringing filled everything around - the breakdown engines were charging and preparing to break through space, throw the "Boreas" through an unimaginable distance to the target. The navigator began counting aloud, clearly for Paper to give her as much as possible to feel the atmosphere and spirit of the flight.
“Ten seconds to jump. Nine. Eight,”

The ringing of the breakdown engines gaining energy more and more resembled a song. Surprisingly strong, penetrating through. A strange feeling settled in the stump of Martlet's horn. Equa couldn't describe it in words, because she just didn't know the right ones. But it wasn't painful or unpleasant. And Paper somehow knew that she would be able to name what she felt if she had a horn. If she would let this song of power pass through her and flow as it should ...
“Seven. Six. Five. Four,”

The stars on the viewscreens were so serene that it was hard to believe that the ship was about to tear through the fabric of space, shattering all Martlet's ideas about physics and the universe.
“Three. Two. One. Breakdown!”

The ringing peaked and stopped. A wave passed through the ship, causing equa to freeze like a salt statue for several infinitely long seconds.

Martlet was ready to howl with resentment. If she had a horn right now, she would have feel it! She would have been able to understand what happened! Yes, equa remembered that she was flying just for a recovery operation, but a completely childish disappointment still gnawed with sharp teeth.

The captain's voice did not allow her to drown in scattered emotions and feverish thoughts.
“A minute to clarify the positioning and go to the next jump. How are you, foal?”

“OK. I’m OK... Only my horn feels somehow strange. And I'm not a foal!”
“Okay, "not a foal". The "Boreas" will make several more flights between reflections. Do you want to stay with us?”

Martlet broke into a happy smile.
“You ask! Of course yes!”

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria
The time is 18: 00

Another crisis council has gathered in the office of the Princess of the Sun. Celestia, Luna, Twilight, Cadence with her ears still red for her "feat", Osinin, looking at everything with complete calm.

The snow-white alicorn kept glancing at her comm, then one by one she looked through the papers from the table.

Luna seemed completely engrossed in watching the memory crystal from the healers from Mainhetten. The Lady of Dreams already had all possible information about the situation in the Fallen Equestria, because the General reported and discussed what was happening first with her.
“It's time to sum up the results of the week's work. I know that equas has been well received and helps to integrate into society. But the reflection still remains occupied. General, you have the floor,”
“A reconnaissance was conducted in the occupied reflection of Equestria. The location of enemy forces and key figures is known. There are sufficient forces to carry out the operation quickly and cleanly. There are opportunities and plans for the reversal of humanitarian assistance to the affected population,”
“I saw your calculations in this morning's letter. You want to send a battalion of the Children of the Night, a regiment of Mobile Infantry and two companies of Space Marines beyond the veil, so as not to expose the defenses here. Quite an impressive force, but they may not be enough, especially if we are talking about maintaining order immediately after liberation,”
“The Alliance can send additional forces and ships, if it be necessary. So unrest and destruction can be avoided, especially if we manage to persuade the Sisters of Reflection to address their people in time,”
"Very well, Comrade Osinin. In another situation, I would ask the question of whether it is worth sending troops somewhere at all. But to isolate from reflection, it will take an unacceptably long time, magic and constant effort to maintain the veil. And I am also very concerned about some details in the intelligence reports... So the need for a military operation is obvious to me,”

The white alicorn did not give either joy or pleasure to such a prospect. But Celestia was not a naive filly, and if the question was right, she could make tough decisions.

Luna was more direct and tough, openly saying that between the well-being of her ponies, the freedom of the equas from reflection and the lives of the invaders, she would choose the first two without hesitation.
“And we still need to decide what to do with the consequences of your hasty actions, niece,”

Celestia gave Cadence a long, slightly thoughtful look.
"You have resurrected Sombra, even if you have given him a new perception of the world, according to the model of your understanding and the directness of human soldiers. By the way, how did you get a sample of the matrix for installation?”
"I've done the right search in the archives, Auntie. I... I don't know where I got the right words from, as if my heart told me,”

Luna shook her head.
“If by the efforts of our dearest niece, Sombra now has a psychomatrix of the "military model", then I can take his part in the operation. But only in the first wave of the landing. Setting aside for now the question of how Cadence got access to such secrets and hired a great dark mage without warning anyone,”

Sombra, for obvious reasons, was absent from the council. The mage stayed in the Crystal Empire, finally put the four broken ones entrusted to him in order, and then he was going to jump to Mainhattan, where another mentally crippled equa was found.

The unicorn was not put under lock and key because he swore on his magic to the Sisters who hurriedly arrived in the Empire that he would not do old things and did not claim any power.

And it is also possible that he met alicorns with a crystal equa leaning against him, as if against an ottoman, reading a book at the same time.

Cadence sighed, unable to believe what she was about to say.
“Aunt Luna, I support the idea of taking Sombra with me on the offensive. When I have to return that Crystal Heart to its normal state, I need someone to turn it off first. Sombra fits perfectly here,”
“Plus, there is a large percentage of mentally broken mares in the reflection of the Crystal Empire, for which you have raised it. I approve of this idea,”

After a short thought, the Sisters also gave the go-ahead. Celestia rose and officially spread her wings, and Luna followed her example with a barely audible sigh.
"General, make final preparations and proceed according to the plan. I will take care of the safety of my little ponies, and Luna and you will go beyond the barrier,”
Osinin saluted and sent a package of commands to the psycholink. According to the wave of confirmations that came in response, he felt how the war machine began to warm up reactors and guns.

Assembling a puzzle

Author's Note

Yes, Zekora does not speak in rhyme. There are two reasons for this, an objective "plot".
First, even in Russian, a friend helped me to rhyme her lines. Secondly, in one of the "Fall" fics, there was a moment when the owner of Zecora decided to forbid her to rhyme.

Which reason you prefer, decide for yourself. But if one of the readers wants to "rehabilitate" the zebra, then I will be very grateful.

Assembling a puzzle

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Fallen Equestria
The time is 19: 00

In the house of Hirtir there was a hum of voices, the aroma of good tobacco and alcohol. The commandant of Ponyville welcomed two caribou who came from the Coast. Ingvar and Hagen were very pleasant guests. Brave, full of pride, befitting true warriors of the north. Their stories sometimes made everyone present burst into thunderous laughter, then listen with fascination.

Ingvar spoke particularly well about his recent fight with the manticore, boasting about the captured sting and the bandaged wounds on his chest.
“Yes, it was a nice hunt, although it cost me a lot...”

Hirtir, at whose feet a naked butter-yellow unicorn with a blue mane was located, snorted.
“What are you talking about, my friend? Are these scratches such a burden for you?”
“The Discord creature also casually hooked me with its tail. Now I need to drink the antidote for another two weeks so that the wounds do not open and rot. You know what kind of filth it is, manticore poison,”

The bandaged caribou, in turn, who was blissful when a light green pegasus with a blue mane massaged his shoulders, sighed sadly.
"But the bigger filth is the antidote. After all, together with the poison, it also oppresses the male power, even temporarily! Oh, as soon as the reception is over, I'll play with my new bitch to my heart's content. She will be even prettier than the one that you just put on me, friend,”
“Yes, Ingvar, really, a terrible price… But the trophy is magnificent,”
“Isn't there a good alchemist here in the city, by the way? My supply of antidote is running low, and I need to replenish it,”
"You're lucky, one of my slaves-a zebra who can mix potions”
“Sounds great. How much do you want for her time?”

Hirtir remembered the new poker deck he had bought today. Clearly handmade, it was a real work of art. And the deer couldn't wait to try it out.
“We'll see, we'll see... let the game decide everything. I'm putting together a little poker game today and I want you and Hagen to keep me company. Everything that you lose will be counted as payment for the work of the striped bitch. Whatever you win... well, it's yours by right,”

Ingvar nodded gratefully to Hirtir and leaned back in his chair.

The evening gradually came to an end. Six caribou, four city and two newcomers sat at the table. One even brought a former "princess of friendship"as a bet. She was launched under the table for more fun.

The game was hot. The bank constantly changed its composition and volume, changed hands. One caribou or another was gaining the upper hand, as if the wheel of fortune was spinning at the speed of a mad gyroscope.

The stakes turned out to be both the manticore sting, and Hagen's axe, and not even Zekora's time, but she herself. Zebra, who was serving at the table, did not show that she was interested in her own fate. On the contrary, a couple of shiny droplets have already managed to run down her thighs. Although, it could also be the effect of mare's aphrodisiacs, which the zebra usually prepared for sale by the owner.

Finally, the last con was announced. The tension hanging in the air could be cut with Hagen's axe, played back and hidden under the ass, so that the northern gods would not bring it, to lose it again.

Hirtir looked around the table with a sharp gaze and exhaled briefly.
“Opening up,”

He had a street. Tenmar, who was in charge of the city's "shelter" for orphan equas, has a set on jacks. Kaimo, the blacksmith, boasted of two pairs of tens and ladies. Simnir, the centurion, angrily threw a single pair of eights on the table. Ingvar laid out a set of sevens.

And Hagen, who almost lost his axe, slowly opened a straight flush.

There was silence. Finally, Hirtir sighed.
“Yes, it was hot… Well, winner, take your winnings. Ingvar, you will now negotiate with your friend about the use of a striped whore,”

Already in the rented house, where visitors came in the dark with their "winnings", Hagen grinned, closing and propping up the door. The curtains had been drawn before that, so that absolutely nothing could be seen from the street.

Having seated both eqvas on the sofa, "Ingvar" grinned.
“Well, Comrade Senior Lieutenant, we are opening up!”

The sound of the disguise being turned off and "golems" that appeared in place of the caribou made Zekora shudder and freeze. And Twilight slowly blossomed into a smile, sincere and pleasant. Reaching for the psychoconturer, which fenced her off from the hammered "etiquette", the princess sighed.
“From the very beginning of the evening, I was suspi... I was hoping for something like this. Zekora, meet humans. Yes, the very mythical creatures that Lyra is a fan of,”

The zebra's round eyes darted from one man to another. Then at the "Senior Lieutenant" standing at the door, then at "Ingvar"
“I dare to ask, even though I am very surprised, what is my service that masters want?”

The "Senior Lieutenant" shook his head and froze, listening to the transmission in the psycholink.
“We are not masters and you are no longer slaves, remember this firmly. But you were pulled out after all, not for the sake of your beautiful eyes, but in the hope of some help,”

Zebra was tied in a knot from the surging emotions. Panic, hope, timid joy mixed in her into such a potion that if she cooked such a thing in her cauldron, the hut would have to be washed for a couple of days in a row.

Somehow gathering her thoughts, Zekora timidly exhaled.
“Are you really giving us freedom, or for the sake of laughter, an evil joke to please?”
“Really. Moreover, you will definitely like the upcoming case. Your Highness, how long have you been doing magic? Fillady Zekora, when was the last time you made something other than aphrodisiac and submission potions?”

Twilight naturally shuddered at being addressed by her title, opened her mouth, but could not answer anything intelligible. Alicorn was ready to share the same storm of feelings as the zebra sitting next to her. To calm down, Twilight closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

And she felt Zekora, who was sitting next to me, begin to shake naturally from quiet, but gradually gaining strength sobs. Not that happiness, not that fear, not just overexertion.
"Fillady, you'd better calm down and not make any noise. There are three minutes left before the arrival of the boat that will pick you up. Yes, it has a camouflage field, but you should not test it for strength,”

The subordination invested in zebra over the years has now come to at least something really necessary for her. Even though Zekora couldn't stop the tears completely, but having hugged Twilight and buried her face in her neck, now she was only muttering softly in her native language.

Alicorn, stroking the striped equa's mane soothingly, looked up at the "Senior Lieutenant".
“A boat, you say... And where will it take us? Will we also find out on the spot?”
“To the hospital, to restore the amputee... Your Highness, don't tell me that you have some unfinished business here. Equestria needs you in full health as soon as possible,”

Twilight was literally torn in two. On the one hand, the promise to return the lost, health, strength, dignity. And on the other side there were five equas, whose faces rose up in front of Twilight as if they were alive. Five best friends, five who trusted her immensely, five Keepers. Rainbow, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack.

And to all of them, the former princess "helped to adapt", read, helped to bend and conquer, where the desecration of the Elements worked too slowly.

Because of the action of the “psychoconture" presented by a human, which neutralized the "upbringing of a good filly", the guilt collapsed on Twilight like a lead plate, crushing all other worries into a cake. It no longer mattered to her whether she would be able to heal or remain a cripple forever. The alicorn only wanted to see her friends in good health, whatever that might require.
"i... I can't, I don't deserve it. After everything I've done. “

Twilight's voice sat down, became hoarse. But then Zekora spoke up, already calmed down a little and came to her senses.
"Look, Twilight, don't blame yourself, we all have the same problem. You have led your friends forward many times, in your unity the power was all there, your friends will understand everything and forgive everything, take the treatment, because it's not a trifle. There is no need to torment yourself with guilt in the future, only together you can overcome everything.”

Looking into the eyes of alicorn, Zekora wiped away the quiet tears running down her cheeks.
“Did your friends help you once, you lit the light of friendship with them together. Now it's your duty to help them, save them from the darkness of nightmares of the soul.

The reward for the zebra was an answering hug and a quiet cry already on her shoulder.

The touching moment was interrupted by "Ingvar", who reported that the boat was already landing and it was time to leave.

Man opened the door and looked out into the street, where a black boat of rapid contours was sitting in front of the porch, lowered the ramp invitingly. The machine stood with its stern to the forest and its nose to the town hall, even so almost touching the edges of the console of the houses. The pilot must be just a jeweler to land so quickly and accurately, Twilight thought briefly.

There was no need to worry about late passers-by and overflights - according to the "Senior Lieutenant", the boat deployed a camouflage field so that it could only be seen from the house from where they were leaving.

As if in a dream, equas climbed up the ramp and strapped themselves to seats that were clearly designed for armor, even more massive than those of the warriors who pulled them out today.

The ramp closed and the boat smoothly lifted off the ground, invisible and inaudible. Ship soared up to the low-hanging clouds and headed to the southeast.

The take-off was imperceptible, only on the viewscreens surrounding the cabin, the environment smoothly floated down. Twilight took a last look at the evening city, which was getting smaller and smaller.

Alicorn remembered everything that had happened in Ponyville. Joy, sadness, victories and defeats. Zekora was right - if Sparkle framed her friends, thinking that she was helping, then it would be right for her to fix it. But will they accept her help?

"Senior Lieutenant", who was sitting opposite equas, coughed, attracting their attention and smiled faintly at the way they turned their ears.
“Fillady, under your chairs there is an underwear and clothes, take them out, put them on. And we have about twenty minutes to outline the situation as a whole. As you understand, you both have a lot of work to do. For fillady Zekora is simpler - you will need to get involved in the creation and adjustment of the production of alchemical drugs for skin regeneration. We can restore the horns and wings without much cost and effort, but the mass plastic of Cutiemarks will be too heavy for us,”

Twilight glanced down at her thighs, where there were burned-out brands in the form of chains crossing out the Mark on top of the symbol of magic. Few of the equas can wear such a thing and not weaken by the minute. Few mares could stand such a cruel, deliberate trampling of the personality and the manifestation of the soul, which were the Marks.

Zekora reacted to the task completely calmly. She just shook her head slightly.
“At least I can brew such a potion for you. There is one question that needs to be discussed first.
We will not do business without components, and I will definitely need help.”

“Of course, there will be help, no one will force you to pull such a volume alone. All the necessary reagents and equipment will be found for you. Any, that your soul asks for. After setting up the technical process, there is complete freedom of action,”

Zekora covered her eyes with her palms, leaning back in her chair. And she just breathed deeply, not holding back large, clean tears of happiness.

And the shadow of a smile passed over the face of the "Senior Lieutenant" as he turned to Twilight.
“Well, as for you, Your Highness, this is a real non-groin field, but no one else will do it, not even we can. You need to reassemble the Guardians of the Elements. And to clean the Elements themselves from the filth that brought the caribou. It's a long, difficult task, but there's no way without it,”

Twilight tensed. Now the man's words touched something wrong in her mind, awakened the very filth that entered her along with the magic that perverted the Crystal Heart and her own Element.

And rough, trumpet-like voices sounded like an alarm bell in my head.
"Know your place!" "Serve the master, whore! " "Your destiny is to worship my dick, meat!"

The filth that entangled the mind pulled viscous tentacles, gradually destroying the psychoconture that Twilight had held before.

And towards the oily, sticky slime, the long-forgotten light of the soul and will desperately flashed. The magic, which had not given up, had not disappeared, gave battle.

Twilight felt like she was on the edge of a precipice, where madness and frenzy lay, leaving no chance for a sober thought. And the alicorn was slowly and surely sliding down.

But the hands that caught her did not let her fall. On the one hand, they are warm, striped, smelling of distant savannah and herbs. On the other, they are covered with hard and cold armor made under distant stars.
“Twilight! Twilight! You've held on for six years, don't give up now! Not now, please!”

The whisper and aroma of the savannah herbs, the warm wind on the muzzle brought the knowledge that no drought lasts forever, and always ends with a life-giving rain. And the more fiercely the sun burned, the more luxuriantly then life will blossom after.
"Hold on, Your Highness. You are a strong equa, you were able to keep the light in your soul for six years. You will stand it,”

From the metall shells in the endless void, from the blooming worlds, from the uninhabitable stone planets, a clear digital signal came. That as long as the heart beats, as long as the mind remains clear, as long as there is strength in the hands, there is nothing hopeless and irreparable.

Twilight sobbed, hugging the arms of the man and the zebra that had caught her over the abyss more tightly to her chest. The sticky lust that had been entangling her soul receded.

The princess, drained dry by the attack, just sat and breathed heavily, shifting her grateful gaze from Zekora to the Senior Lieutenant, who did not give his name. Twilight wanted to ask what their savior's name was, but she couldn't connect two words meaningfully right now.

The boat tilted to the bow, descending. Less than a couple of minutes later, there was a dull thud of the chassis on the ground and the machone froze. But the pilot was in no hurry to open the ramp.

Twilight's questioning look was answered by "Hagen", who had been silent until then, immersed in either sleep or meditation.
“Please, Your Highness, fillady Zekora, do not interrupt, this is very important. We have just arrived at the Chrysalis Hive. Contrary to rumors, changelings do not commit atrocities and do not turn equins into live batteries or incubators.”

The human did not let the equas get a word in, holding his hand up in front of him. A simple gesture and message did not frighten, did not crush the will, but gently directed in the right direction.
“And also, we took the liberty to assemble a small meeting committee. I think you will find a couple of close and pleasant faces there. And now, fillady, the last minute to prepare mentally. Take a deep breath, put your disheveled feelings in order,”

Both Twilight and Zekora did not hesitate to repeat what "Hagen" said. And surprisingly, the simplest deep breathing now calmed and cooled the red-hot consciousness. When the ramp opened, equas were no longer on edge, only a slight worry remained.

But Twilight still couldn't hold back a convulsive sigh when the ramp descended enough to allow her to see the greeters. Alicorn wanted to spit on everything, just to rush and squeeze in the arms of two friends who were now standing among the greeters.

Rarity, in a steel-gray tight-fitting jumpsuit obviously donated by humans, shifted restlessly from one foot to the other and dusted herself off every second or cast quick glances at the ground, as if she was afraid of something that might be hiding under it.

Fluttershy stood quietly next to the unicorn. Pegasus did not pack into a jumpsuit, limiting herself to simple trousers and a shirt. But she didn't say a word, didn't even look up at the Changeling honor guard, or at Twilight arriving, or at Queen Chrysalis standing next to her.

Stepping down to the ground, the princess bowed briefly to the people who met her, observing the protocol that she had almost forgotten during the years of captivity. When alicorn thanked the Queen for providing shelter for her friends. Chrysalis snorted.
“What, Sparkle, didn't you expect things to turn out this way? But let's forget the old quarrels and welcome to my Hive. I can't wait for you to find yourself in the dungeons and appreciate the prepared surprise,”

At the reproachful sigh of the man standing next to her, Chrysalis only twitched her tail.
"Major, you're an ambassador, not an adviser, so don't stop me from having fun with innocent hairpins. Better tell me, did doctors connect the equipment? Have they configured it? Great! Let them start the reception,”

Turning around and waving her tail in the direction of Twilight, Chrysalis majestically departed, taking the guard with her, leaving equas alone with humans

Twilight feeling tears swell in her eyes and a bitter lump formed in her throat. Faster and faster, eventually breaking into a run, alicorn rushed to her friends and hugged both of them.

Rarity jerked, not immediately realizing that her best friend was next to her. The white equa clutched Twilight convulsively in response, and a trembling voice came from the helmet speakers.
"Twi, darling, it's so good to see you. Please watch your feet, they are just waiting,”

Rarity did not explain who was just waiting, and Twilight did not care about this when Fluttershy joined the convulsive hugs.
“W-hello. It's been a long time, Twilight. I missed you so much, my master did not allow me to see anyone,”

A few minutes passed in silence, which was not even broken by the take-off of the boat. Equas, separated for a long time, did not need words. Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity only tightened their hugs to quiet tears. Until recently, it seemed to all three of them that there was no hope, that everything was lost. And in one moment everything changed.

The man who accompanied Chrysalis gave equas time for hugs and displays of feelings. When Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity were able to perceive the surrounding reality a little, he coughed, attracting their attention and saluted.
“Major Yuri Smirnov, human ambassador to the Hive. Please follow me, fillady, healers are already waiting in the infirmary,”
"The infirmary? Wait, is this the surprise Chrysalis was talking about?”
“Yes. I don't know what connects you and the Queen, but be ready for new hairpins. However, it will not go further than them,”

Twilight, wiping away her tears, sighed happily.
"I'll give it up to Shy and Rarity. Zekora? Are you with us?”

The Major did not object to zebra walking with the Keepers to the infirmary. Although Zekora was completely healthy, it is never harmful for an alchemist and a healer to learn something new.

Zebra, looking with interest at the almost empty streets of the Changeling city at this time, asked.
“I will have to make my own potions work here, to remove the sign of slavery from the branded ones?”
“What? Oh, no, not here. The ship that will pick you up will be only in four hours. So, fillady, you have time to look at the changeling and our medicine and relax a little. It was a difficult evening, so a warm bath will be in place. Am I right?”

07.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria
Time 22: 34

After meeting with Cherry Amaretto, Sombra was satisfied. Equa, thanks to the efforts of Princess Luna and the Manehetten doctors, was on the mend even without his intervention. The unicorn didn't pry into her mind, only allowed himself to touch it to make sure that everything was in order.

The consciousness of the dark cherry equa met him with a fragrant forest, where the sun's rays pierced the crowns and a light steam curled over the ground, sometimes playfully changing colors.

The mage did not touch a single blade of grass there, did not disturb a single curl of fog, gliding through the wonderful forest. In some places there were traces of the former horror, but they were quickly drawn out by a new life and covered with a fragrant haze, as if licking these wounds. Interestingly, this haze had a distinct aroma of coffee with amaretto.

Sombra was not worried that he would have to redo after Luna, but something pushed him to make sure that everything was fine in person. Even in terms of getting rid of nightmares and the ability to heal souls, the princess was far superior to the unicorn.

Amaretto, although she was worried at first, met the former king of Crystal Empire very sincerely. Perhaps, because Sombra came as a simple pony, without regalia, a crown and an aura of fear, maybe because a silent lieutenant of the Manehetten police was sitting next to equa all the time. The copper-colored wiry unicorn did not say anything during the entire conversation between the mage and Golden. Only at the very beginning, she gave Sombra a "translucent" look and climbed onto Amaretto's lap, immediately finding herself in her arms.

And now the unicorn was just strolling along the embankment, enjoying free minutes and the feeling of the wind on his muzzle and mane. A wet mist, as if trying to impregnate the wool with something sticky. The hum and hubbub of a huge, unsleeping city around. The light of lanterns, where the usual crystal ones, where are clearly imported, flooded everything with a sharp white light.

The calm of the evening walk was disturbed by the demanding signal of communicator. With a sigh, the mage pulled out the presented device from folds of his cloak and, after a couple of seconds of remembering, accepted the call. The caller displayed on the screen was not disposed to ignore.

The soft voice that the mage heard for the second time after a thousand-year break made his heart jump, but the neutral-diplomatic tone immediately knocked off all the shadow of joy.
“Good night, Sombra. I'm sorry to interrupt your pleasant moments, but there a ship, waiting for you at the Canterlot spaceport. There are new circumstances, which I will tell you about on the spot,”
"Oh, Celly… You know how to break the charm,”
"There's a ship waiting for you. And it's not Celly for you anymore. You know why,”

The mage twitched his ears irritably, trying to hypnotize with his eyes the green circle on the screen that indicated the established connection.
“Is the task the same? Pull out of nightmares and madness?”
“Yes,”
“Three minutes. I'll calculate the portal.”

Celestia left the line and the communicator fell silent, once again becoming an annoying piece of metal and carbon composite for Sombra, whatever this stuff is, which he need to get used to and learn to handle.

The mage quickly hung the portal to the port quarters of Canterlot, wishing that there was no time to tinker with the protection of the spaceport and bypass it purely out of sporting interest, to the peak of Celestia and these newcomers.

Fifteen minutes later, the unicorn was in front of the lowered ramp of the space corvette, where Princess Celestia and the alien captain were standing.

Alicorn’s tone was again dispassionately friendly, as if at a social reception or a meeting with diplomats, and the mage sighed with relief. There was nothing left but a new life, a new world and a new job. Old hopes and desires have sunk into the past, leaving behind only acutely white skeletons of mistakes that had to be corrected.
“Maitre Sombra. Meet Lieutenant Commander Summerend, who will take you to the reflection of Equestria,”
The man and the black unicorn gave each other dispassionate appraising glances.
“You will probably have the most difficult job there. It is necessary to purify the reflection’s Keepers of Elements from the filth and fear first, and then the Elements. Without this, we will get bogged down in a whole sea of consequences and problems. Lieutenant Commander, maitre. I do not dare to detain you,”

The captain sighed after the majestically flying alicorn. Then he waved his hand to Sombra.
"Well, that's it. Come on, I'll help you get settled.”
“Yes, it will not be superfluous to show the way. It's the first time I've boarded this kind of ship,”
“You are quite calm, I would say, majestic. But in the control room I now have a miracle with a recently grown horn, which now cannot be torn off by a winch…”

Sombra only chuckled at the phrase about the miracle with the restroed horn. The way medicine developed through the joint efforts of ponies and people, the mage liked it.

The flight was not particularly remembered by Sombra, who spent all the time in the engineer's cabin, along with the equa, who flew to the Chrysalis Hive after her horn was restored. The enchantress was in such a happy mood that even when the black unicorn’s disguise fell off during the first jump, she did not scream or hide in a corner. The mage, as he could, explained to her that now he is different by virtue of the deal, and does not bite unless he is very much asked.

The conversation with Violet Star, as the unicorn introduced herself, allowed him to distract from the feeling of hyper-jumps, during which the ship seemed to fall into the Abyss and immediately emerged into the real world again. Only this Abyss was different, not the one where the Shadow King was sitting after meeting with the magic of the Crystal Heart.

Equa also felt the changes in the world. According to her, "Boreas" in these seconds passed into a space with a different dimension, where the usual concept of distance and time was erased and changed.

However, the essence of the process and the device of the aggregates that make it possible, Violet was extremely vague. She only knew that they use energy storage devices of exorbitant capacity and some "circuits".

When the ship shook slightly during landing, equa said goodbye to the mage and invited him to talk next time, when he had a chance.

But Sombra, even going down the ramp, understood that he would have a lot of time in the next couple of years. Which, of course, he didn't tell Violet about.

Looking at the local Chrysalis meeting him, the unicorn experienced a slight deja vu. Celestia and Luna, who had arrived at Empire, initially looked at him with exactly the same expression.
"Welcome to the hive, Shadow King. If you come with good things for my wards, you will be a welcome guest. If not, you'd better leave now,”

The mage bowed his head in protocol to the Queen, who met him accompanied by a squad of personal guards. The experienced fighters seemed relaxed and not even paying much attention to the unicorn. But even he would have to work hard to cope with such a group. However, there was no need to cope with changelings in battle.
"Good to see you, Queen. Alas, but everything is exactly as you were told. The deal with Mi Amore changed me. But enough of this chatter, I was heard that there are three particularly important patients here. Is that true?”
“So. Follow me, Shadow King,”
“Wow, someone still remembers my title of a mage... I'm flattered,”

The road to the infirmary passed quickly. Chrysalis briefly told what happened to the Keepers after the recovery operations. And Sombra did not like the story, especially the reaction to the acquisition of horns and wings. No crippled person will panic and strain when lost body parts are returned to him. At least, it will not be without the appropriate suggestion magic.

The Queen brought Sombra to the membrane of the ward where equas were kept, resting after the operation.

The mage habitually reached inside with his mind to cast a relaxing and calming spell, but it was as if he ran into a wall.

The hive here very actively resisted any third-party magic and mental influences. Moreover, Sombra felt his unkind attention. It was like a big, very big dog got up and growled hollowly.

Chrysalis, feeling the same, sent a short command to the collective mind, not addressed to anyone, "Stop. Not the enemy." The mage who intercepted her only grinned.
“I sent the doctors to rest, and I took my healers away. Go ahead, mage. And show me how you've changed,”

The membrane parted and Sombra entered the room. Despite his usual appearance, he walked soundlessly, his hooves gradually turned into a veil of black smoke.

The membrane tightened and, in addition to it, a green glow ran along the walls, tightly cutting off this cell from the Hive.

The mage chuckled softly to himself as he approached the three beds where the equas Keepers slept.
“Ha, mother hen. So, what we have here...”

Without wasting time on nostalgia, reflection, self-reflection and other garbage of the mind, the unicorn touched the aura of Twilight-equa and fell into her consciousness.

A huge library under a stained-glass roof stretches around. The sun's rays, falling through the colored paintings, dressed everything around in magical colorful veils. The impressively drifting dust motes seemed like tiny firefly spirits. The air was filled with the soothing aroma of old wood, paper, caramel and fresh bread.

Sombra looked around, looking for traces of mental trauma, old nightmares and experienced slavery. But the library around was idyllically calm.

The mage grinned and abruptly pulled a heavy folio in a scarlet velvet cover from a nearby shelf.

And then the idyll ended.

The bookshelves began to flow, quickly turning into a dirty crimson slime, revealing gnawed skeletons, split boards and torn great works, which were also wiped afterward.

The foulness rushed at the mage, trying to wrap him in a suffocating cocoon and break him, as almost did with Twilight's mind. But the Sombra did not even move, only wrapped in cold black smoke. The dirt, that touched him, froze like a puddle in the bitterest frost and scattered into a fine black dust, already harmless to the master of nightmares. The mage allowed this coal suspension to join his "smoke", studying it.

The filth was not a work of art, it was not particularly insidious or dangerous for others. The spell had such a devastating effect on equa because it was imposed through an Element of Magic connected to her soul, which served as a gate and at the same time an anchor.

Because of the clumsiness, in Sombra's opinion, and the simplicity of the structure, it did not take much time to study and examine in detail the filth that swaddled Twilight's mind. And now all that remained to be done was to deliver a precisely calibrated blow to one of the components, which would destabilize the nail and force it to release back the energy and power cut off to it.

The mage caused clouds of his black smoke to boil and rise up in a whistling, furious hurricane. Wherever the smoke touched the dirty crimson slime, it stiffened and crumbled, exposing the mutilated library. An icy black whirlwind passed through the rows of shelves, walls, and stained-glass ceiling like a steel brush, cleaning the sticky abomination from them.

And along with this, Sombra faced the need to immediately begin restoring Twilight's consciousness. After all, the magic that was now devouring the stuck filth could easily break the mind of the equa completely.

The unicorn had to naturally split, split attention, magic and consciousness, performing absolutely opposite tasks for the purpose. Simultaneously control and skillfully direct the fiercely hissing and roaring storm of black snow. And to tighten the wounds of Twilight's consciousness, collecting it like a torn book on pages. Patch up holes, reassemble bindings and return the roughly stripped precious finish. Restore the writings and runes that tell about life and achievements. Collect stained-glass windows and shelves in pieces by fragments.

Breaking the contact, Sombra felt sweat pouring off him like a hail. Absorbed in his work, the mage did not immediately realize how much energy it consumed. And the fact that he himself devoured the defiling spell did not change situation, because it contained an offensively low energy.

And there were five more such desecrated Keepers ahead - two in this ward and three scattered across the occupied country.

In the soul of the unicorn, who gently approaching the bed of Fluttershy-equa, anger boiled up, of absolutely unusual origin. Watching the yellow pegasus restlessly tossing and turning in a medicinal sleep under a thin pale green blanket, the Shadow King gnashed his teeth at the realization that someone had done such a stupid thing to this miracle and the whole country. The realization, that someone had cruelly and viciously abused pure and defenseless creatures, caused a desire to cut right and left with a claymore and direct orbital strikes.

The last thought was so unexpected that it extinguished the anger. Sombra even spent a couple of seconds admiring the sleeping equa and spinning in his mind associations and memories that simply had nowhere to come from.

How to contact the ships. How to specify and designate the target and give corrections to the gunners in orbit. How to conduct a firing rampart.

All this knowledge surfaced from the part of his mind that was formed after the resurrection. The new formation was so harmoniously woven into the consciousness that the mage did not notice it until the present second. What did Cadence use? What did she put into the agreement that not only forced Sombra to change his behavior, obeying the conditions, but also changed himself, bringing new attitudes, new values and knowledge?

However, the answer to all these questions can be found later. And now there is a job.

Fluttershy's consciousness met the mage with a garden of fabulous beauty. The spreading trees stretched out their branches, entwined with lush creepers, trustfully revealing white and pink flowers. Fragrant lilacs grew here and there, filling the air with a delicate sweet aroma. Rose bushes, rose hips, hydrangeas and tulips covered the entire visible space with a lush colored foam, over which flocks of colorful butterflies fluttered.

Sombra, forming two counterweight spells, gritted his teeth. It will be more difficult here than with Twilight-equa because of the fragility and vulnerability of this consciousness and soul. It will be difficult not to break the fine structure and soft images of Fluttershy's mind.

The black smoke of the destructive spell swirled, fiercely and tightly. Forcing the filth, what hidden and masking wounds of the Element of Kindness, to rise up in a futile attempt to defend itself. Trying to act as carefully as possible, Sombra strained all his strength, giving the "smoke" properties that the new, "engrafted" part of Cadence's mind and memory told him about. "Intelligent dust", consisting of myriads of tiny automatons that aimed their appetites at something specific and were able to reproduce themselves by absorbing the target material. It was a pure idea, an encyclopedic fact, without technical details, but Sombra was enough.

Now the spell that erased and tore the fel structure worked even faster and posed less danger to Fluttershy's mind. But it began consume much more energy at the same time, which was completely not made up for by the energy from the destroyed and absorbed filth.

And at the same time, the mage restored and tightened the wounds and damage to the Keeper's consciousness. He nourished with life withered and barbarically trampled flowers, healed the wounds of trees and grew broken branches. He erased the traces of bonfires and fed the scattered garbage to the raging black blizzard.

Sombra literally fell out of contact with Fluttershy's consciousness. For the first time in an immeasurably long period, the unicorn felt approaching fatigue.

Without wasting time on thinking and analyzing the memories coming in an ever-increasing stream from the "psychomatrix", which finally helpfully called itself, Sombra drew strength into himself, compensating for what he had spent. A new fragment of the personality insistently demanded to act, because in front of Sombra lay, sweetly snoring and smiling in spite of everything in a dream, another thing. Rarity-equa, the Keeper of Generosity, also needed the help of a mage.

Sombra, just in case, took the form of Smokey and reached out to the aura of the snow-white craftsmare.

There he was met by a beautiful room that could belong to the palace of a person, particularly enthusiastic and understanding in the fine arts. The whole interior was harmonious, accessories, furniture and decorations complemented one another and the whole picture as a whole, while revealing their brilliance and elegance.

Once again, the mage provoked the fel to attack, and again she stomped on her forehead, unable to think of anything else.

The destabilizing spell worked even better this time, probably because the mage had time to think a little and polish the formula in a couple of places.

Working here did not take as much effort as with the fragile and sensitive Fluttershy, but it made him sweat, checking every detail and nuance. The exquisite decoration and decor returned to their former appearance, covered in the most crucial moments with splitting black smoke like a blanket.

The painstaking work took almost more time than the gentle cleansing of Fluttershy's mind. But the mage was satisfied with what he had done.

So unfamiliar before, but now growing stronger with each healed mind, the pleasure of helping someone, offering a shoulder and protecting, came in a warming wave. There was no way to understand from where-from the matrix, which was increasingly merging and dissolving in him, or from Sombra's mind itself, which, under the influence of the deal, got rid of the burdensome thirst for power and sadism.

Listening to the measured breathing of the three sleeping equas, who soon had to shoulder the restoration of the country on their fragile shoulders, "Smokey" smiled faintly.

Insert three, something about Alliance army

08.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria
Time 15:52

Amethyst Prism, the crystal pony enchantress, lightly shoved the pink-maned equa. Pony smiled gently at her companion, encouraging the mint-green unicorn with a warm touch of her side.

"It’s “yours” infantrymen Do you think they will refuse to talk?"

In a small square just down the street, there are five mobile infantrymen from the “guardianship” squad, and four bat ponies. Without taking off their armor and armored suits, they were clearly resting after training, which the garrison had a lot of in recent days. Only the helmets of those who rested side by side on the bench, who had them folded on their backs. Thermos flasks with something floating and sandwiches the size of bricks kept wandering over the hooves and hands.

"Ph-h-hew... and it’s scary and curious to hear first-hand... Will you stay close, Amethyst? As a moral support?"

“What else are friends for, Ivy?”

With a warm laugh, equa patted the crystal pony on the top of her head and drove off with her to the square, where human soldiers and night guards were chatting. A slight biting cold jumped in her chest, then the burning curiosity of the former guard. Ivy wanted to pass by and talk to the “golems”

The medic who was providing first aid to the freedmen on the slope, “Comrade Shepovalov,” also noticed Ivy and waved to her with a slight smile.
Thorny smiled back and pushed her doubts into the depths of her mind. It’s too interesting an opportunity to miss. Not letting the sprouts of uncertainty break through again, remembering the long-standing training of the guards, Ivy approached the company sitting in the square.

"Comrade Shepovalov! Can I join you?"

"Of course. Fillady, have a seat. A cup of tea?"

In Ivy’s hands and in Amethyst’s hooves, as if by magic, thermos lids full of steaming dark tea and sandwiches the size of half a brick turned out to be. For a couple of minutes, Equa and crystal ponyashka paid tribute to a simple but very pleasant treat.

Ivy kept glancing at the talking soldiers and thestrals. It was almost itchy for equa to ask humans about their service and device in general. But she did not dare, only exchanging short phrases and jokes. Amethyst, noticing this, rubbed her cheek against her friend’s shoulder. The gesture did not escape the sharp-eyed thestrals, and one of them, with a blue mane and fur the color of night clouds, chuckled softly.

“Did you want something, Ivy? Don’t be afraid infantrymen don’t bite while we’re around,"

"Slander! We don’t bite at all!"

"Yes, I want to ask you something. Comrade Shepovalov, how long have you been training? To move like on a slope in your armor?"

"A very long time, but armored suits also have special features. Professional interest, I see?"

"Yes. I was a guardsmare and, looking at you, I think to resume my career."

A joyful hubbub swept through the company. Now both people and ponies looked at Equa with respect and approval. Everyone was pleased to see how a colleague, even a former one, gets back on her feet after suffering injuries.

Blue-maned thestral was all smiles from ear to ear.

"So you’re our sister? Ivy, that’s great!"

Very quickly, the conversation took a turn and flowed much more vividly. It has become easier for Equa to perceive and communicate with both thestrals and people. Ivy literally bombarded the latter with questions about the specifics of the service, organization and training.

Edgar Kingsley, deputy sergeant, told how long training sessions and motorization in armored suits are combined. Infantry “Granites” literally carried themselves, accelerating and strengthening the owner. Controlled through a neural shunt, suits felt like a second skin and did not bother at all, it was only necessary to get used to it a little.

Ivy decided that she wanted such a “Granite”. Kingsley approved and said he would take care of her if Equa seriously decided to join the infantry.

Next, Sergeant Bezzabotny joined in, arranging a small educational program on the organization of the service as a whole.

In the regular army serve only contract soldiers, each “call” for thirty years. The first five years of the first contract are study and preparation. The first year they do not go out on combat missions unless absolutely necessary, giving it to in-depth and very intensive training. Work in a detachment, interaction with equipment and fire support, handling weapons, hand-to-hand combat, engineering, first aid, interrogation methods and much more that a soldier needs.
Absolutely the whole theory is invested in hypnoeducation, along with the soldier’s psychomatrix. And, in fact, five years of “study” are needed in order for the acquired knowledge to integrate normally, take root and become its own experience, which will never leave and will never fail.

After a year of pure training, combat exits begin, the further, the more. The fourth and fifth courses, in fact, already serve as full-fledged infantrymen and marines. In the Navy situation is similar.

After five years of training, active service begins in all its glory. And there’s as lucky as anyone.

The first contract was coming to an end for most of the department. And the sniper Josef Schwartz has already gone to the second one. At the same time, he looked quite young and calmly told that over the past two hundred years, humans have brought their life expectancy to three or four centuries. Unless you catch plasma shoot sooner.

The topic was picked up and developed by Shepovalov, telling about the body modifications necessary for a soldier. Accelerated reaction, strengthening skin and bones, improving muscles, changing the properties of blood and the immune system. The more experience, the more “augmentations” appear in the body. Modifications of everything that is possible are added to the standard ones. Expanding the range of vision and psi perception, implanted processors for working with technology, reinforcement of large arteries with carbon fiber, “microfactories” of nanites lacement in the body, replacement of bones with artificial ones made of heavy-duty composites, swarms of force field micro-projectors under the skin and many other things that may only be needed and help to last an extra five minutes on the battlefield.

Ivy relived the events on the slope. From what she had just heard, it turned out that going out ten to a hundred caribou for Infantrymen was not even a difficulty, but just a routine. Even putting aside equipment and body modifications, each of these people had twenty to thirty years of combat experience behind them. With an average age of caribou in the watagas of twenty-eight to thirty-five years.

Josef, seeing that equa thinking, calculating something, added that in the Equestrian corps, even among the infantry, there are veterans of the Last War, who are a hundred and forty or a hundred and sixty years old.

Unicorn tried to imagine what it would be like if the caribou encountered such veterans. And again equa got an emotional “push-pull”. On the one hand, it was pleasant to imagine what such veterans would do with caribou, forcing Ivy to smile after the experience.

And at the same time, a chill ran down her spine from the realization of what kind of war humans could call the Last.

But Thorny decided to ask about her anyway. Semyon Volkov, one of the shooters, surprisingly calmly explained that in that war humanity fought for its existence with its own creators. It began a hundred and twenty years ago, lasted thirty years, the most difficult in history. Then, at the cost of huge losses and efforts, hanity were still able to gnaw out their freedom and completely destroy those who had been feeding on their psi energy for many centuries.

The scale of what was happening was truly cosmic, and the Last War shook the whole society to the ground, leaving incandescent, non-extinguishing traces in all spheres of life. Humanity have remained a highly militarized race, where the army and society are so firmly soldered that borders are sometimes lost.

Ivy refused the proposed historical materials, arguing that she would come to herself properly after the slavery, and only then read the details about the Last War. But if there is a history of peacetime, the history of culture and art, then equa will be glad to get to know them. Volkov was only too happy to give Ivy what she requested.

Arised sword

08.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Equestria Fallen
Time 07: 15

Dodge Junction had woken up and was now pouring into another autumn day. The workshops were busy with noise, the market was already filled with the hubbub of customers and the periodic screams of those equas,who were being punished.

A group of equins and a few caribou were gathered around a large box placed at the edge of the square. The inscription "The best blowjob in the world! Try it for free only today! " and the hole drilled in the boards under it attracted stallions of both types, like a lamp attracted moths.

No one saw how this box was brought and put here. No one knew who could have done it. And no one was interested in it.

The stallion, who had poked his head into the box, was pushed away by the deer. Caribou shortly barked "Wait!" and unsuponized the lacing of his pants.

Five seconds later, an eerie, vibrating scream flew into the air. So tall that it was hard to believe that he even belonged to a caribou.

The impatient stag staggered awkwardly away from the box, trying to stop the blood gushing from the torn scrotum with his hands.

And there was a silent pause in the barn on the outskirts of the town. Micro-cameras installed on the square and in the box itself transmitted a beautiful picture of what was happening, and the cry of the caribou could be heard even without equipment.

The commander of the underground mares, a gray pegasus with a black mane, patted the man on the shoulder and laughed merrily.
"You've lost your bet! So when it's all over, you're taking me for a spin around the city!"

The officer just spread his hands, with an expression of utter bewilderment. He had never seen such stupid actions in his many years of service in the special forces before. And, although, according to the results of the dispute with the determined and malicious pegasus, he remained in debt, the prank was definitely good.

With a command through a psycholink, a man launched several signal rockets hidden in the town. Red howling lights soared into the sky, notifying the underground about the beginning of the operation. His soldiers already knew everything, having now come out ahead of the strike groups sitting in ambush.

And the dragon turtle, who was sitting in that very box, was extremely happy, despite the sticky tape that held it in place. After a hearty breakfast, the reptile always came to a good mood.

And reptile didn't care that now the town was flooded with fleeting street fights.

Now equas, who had been pressed, mocked and muzzled for many years, now got a weapon in their hands and an opportunity to take revenge. They didn't care about the death of equins, known for their particularly nasty attitude to slaves, caribou all cleaned up, guards who tried to "pacify and put in place".

Equas from the resistance, who had previously been hiding in the forests and impassable swamps, were determined to avenge their violated house for themselves. It was an extremely unpleasant surprise for the guards and caribou that the resistance went on this raid not with only magic and cold weapons, but with razers and light armor, the help of humans.

The four earthmen on the other hand, ran around the city like blood-thirsty spirits, supporting the attacks of equas where it was needed. Where rebels slowed down, having stumbled upon an enemy too strong for themselves, as if by magic, appeared a special forces soldier, to be breaking the situation in a few seconds.

In just half an hour, Dodge Junction was recaptured. Thanks to timely assistance and new equipment, not a single equa was killed. A few fractures and cuts don't count.

The leader of rebels, Frosty Winds, a silver pegasus with a black mane, climbed up on the statue of Dainn in the main square and gave a short but heartfelt speech, shaking the razer over her head.

And the euphoria, hope, happiness from finally throwing off the yoke enveloped the city with an almost visible veil sparkling with fervent gold sequins.

Let the unknown lie ahead. Let it be just a small provincial town. Let the rest of Equestria still languish in slavery. But the timid light of hope has already taken hold.

08.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria Fallen
Time 09: 11

Crystal Vision felt like she was burning alive. But this is only the beginning of the attack, it will only get worse. Equa struggled in the chains, tearing her arms and neck into blood again, unable to control the convulsions.

She could not direct the flow of spiritual energy, could not form and pass through a prophecy, when a short stump was sticking out in place of her thin, elegant horn, full of pulling, burning pain.

Like raindrops, clumps of memory about the future appeared one after another and merged together, unfolding events in front of Crystal.

Equa was tossing and turning on her pallet, screaming from the terrible pictures and the pain lashing her nerves.

Sharp eyes from a height, riveted to the ground. White streaks in the sky, like a bouquet thrown on a grave. The last seconds of silence of the old world.

Blue wings spread out to the whole sky, a glint of moonlight silver.

Blinding flashes that erase any protection, blowing away the shields of cities like a house of cards hurricane. Steel dragonboats that float across the sky and send out invisible stinging rays and fire arrows that find their prey themselves.

Mechanical warriors falling from the sky-high heights. Bipeds, like equines, and quadrupeds are intelligent - they go without stopping and without knowing pity.

Under the steel tread, the royal standard trembles and falls into gray ashes. The battle formations of mighty caribou mow down like grass. The smell of thunderstorms and burnt flesh hangs in the air like a thick, clogging veil.

The crown of caribou cutting like butter by a dark gray blade.

A massive figure in armor not from this world, with a blind, eyeless visor, takes a step around the corner of the house. The beam rifle descends, and the armored hand reaches out to the seer...

Her master's voice came as if through a thick layer of water, Krystal heard, but did not understand what Equin was saying.
"I've already told you to shut up once, bitch! Blame yourself!

The visionary's muzzle was wrapped in straps, her mouth was filled with cold, disgusting-tasting rubber, which Vision hated with all her heart. How can the words of the prophecy be so muffled? How can you so cruelly plug her soul with a cork?

Hands that had once been family for a long time, roughly put Crystal in the knee-elbow position. The seer gave a muffled cry of sharp pain, trying to hold the fragments of the elusive and broken vision. To get a little detached from what the one she once loved was doing to her.

When equin finished and pushed Vision onto her pallet, Equa could not hold back the remnants of the trance and somehow heard the last words.
"You will open your mouth when you think about your behavior, whorse"

Left alone, prophetess huddled into a ball, sobbing not so much from the pain below, but from the bitterness and heaviness of the vision. Until the execution of which there were a day left, hardly more. Krystal had a similar experience before the Fall, which she met lying in bed, absolutely crushed by the knowledge of what was coming, just like now.

Maybe the approaching apocalypse is fully deserved? Maybe the invasion will serve only for good and something new will grow on the ashes of the old world, maybe kindness, love and harmony will be reborn in the cleansing fire?

But is it possible to create it on the blood, even the blood of the enslavers? Can sparks of shots become a spark of hope?

Crystal, completely exhausted by the prophetic attack, once again humiliated by someone she once loved, purely and selflessly, by whom she was betrayed and tortured, lay and quietly sobbed from the acrid bitterness and despair that twisted her soul.

And, along with the tears running down her muzzle, came a soft, now affectionate echo of a visionary attack. It was as if a large and warm white wing wrapped around Crystal.

A new dawn. Broken chains. The elegant palm of the royal equa, shaking the massive, covered with unprecedented armor right hand. A new friendship.

Hope.

Exhausted, Krystal fell into a dreamless sleep. And there was the shadow of a smile on her lips.

08.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria
Time 11: 15

A soft push brought Zekora out of the embrace of slumber, in which the images of the last days were spinning in a surreal dance. Playing cards, on which the "skins" of "Ingvar" and "Hagen" rode, a black boat that grew huge bat wings, an endless ocean of stars, in which the equa that asked for the control room of the "Boreas" floats merrily laughing breaststroke.

Zebra blinked, still afraid in her heart that the modest little cabin would also melt away, like the recent phantasmagoria, and she would wake up in the house of Hirtir.

But the technological interiors surrounding her did not even try of blurring into a shaky haze, remaining reassuringly real.

Zekora opened the transparent soft flap and got up from the sleeping cell, stretching with pleasure. Everything was real, the shaman who had fully woken up could distinguish one from the other with confidence.

Even the strange aura of "Boreas", which for the first time was frightening with its strangeness, now began to seem cozy. Zekora, accustomed to always thanking her surroundings for their care and services, pressed her forehead against the wall in a silent expression of this gratitude. And the corvette did not remain unresponsive, sending a ticklish wave of approval to the zebra.

It was strange to feel such a response from something inanimate, but the ship now seemed to be a rational being with its own will, feelings and thoughts. Although, why did it seem? He was really there.

Zekora was pulled out from philosophical reflections by the rustle of the speaker and the voice of gunner, asking if she was dressed and if it was possible to enter. Zebra hastily wrapped herself in the blanket pulled from the bed and pointed at the icon of the opening door on the control panel. Woven of orange light with no visible source, the icon briefly changed color to green and the hermetic doors silently parted.

The man handed the striped equa the gold rings cleaned of paint.
"We are landed, and delegation waiting for you. And your jewelry, fillady. As good as new, not a flake of red left,"
"Yes, it was important for me to have a beautiful shine, Thank you for your caring gesture. However, I dare to ask A couple of minutes to be alone. Freedom again since I have been given, I want to get dressed in private,"

The gunner threw up his hands in a painfully familiar "no questions asked" gesture and disappeared through the door.

Sighing with satisfaction, Zekora pulled off and threw the blanket back into the sleeping cell and pulled out clothes from the bedside cabinet. Underwear, tight-fitting but weightlessly soft and delicate, a shirt made of light and durable "carbon fiber", trousers and a jacket made of a rougher "self-hardening", which the "Boreas" engineer gave zebra, saying that this "outfit" would hold even manticore claws and teeth, which zebra could hardly believe.

The gunner had already left with the rest of the crew to conduct a post-flight check and prepare for the next flight, but Zekora remembered the way to the ramp well.

From the side compartment, where several cabins were tightly huddled together, zebra walked past the stairs to the control room, which, contrary to all ideas, was located not on the bow or upper deck, but in the depths of the ship, past several locked doors to the technical compartments.

The sensitive herbalist caught how dry, repeatedly regenerated air mixes with fresh, smelling rain and grass.

And although she was grateful to the "Boreas"s, the ship was too alien and unusual. The zebra preferred to get off as soon as possible, to feel soft grass and earth under her hooves instead of composite corridors and armor.

Almost reaching the stairs leading to the hold, Zekora heard the cheerful clatter of hooves and froze, face to face colliding with herself. The same stripes, the same blue eyes, the same mohawks and gold rings on her neck and legs.

The zebra-equa was so surprised that she did not pay attention to the pegasus with the royal employee's medallion accompanying her pony-replica. The bright green winged filly did not interfere, allowing the two zebras to calmly survive and accept the meeting of their reflection.

Zekora-equa squatted down so as not to overhang herself, but about four hooves. Zekora-pony chuckled softly, not taking her long, studying gaze from her copy from the parallel Equestria. After a few long seconds, they both laughed in unison.
"I was heard, that I would like the assistant however, I did not expect this. But I managed to overcome my amazement. I'll tell you-welcome, savannah's daughter!"

"And my friends told me the same thing, and, as I see, they did not lie at all. I am glad to have such an unusual meeting. I wish you a warm rain under your hooves,"

The striped equa hugged the four-legged healer with a quiet sigh. The green pegasus giggled and joined in, wrapping the zebras in her wings.
"I would welcome you on behalf of the Sisters, but since we have spontaneous hugs… You can call me Dissolent, or Dissi, if we work well together. Come on, I'll show you the lab that we've prepare for you,"

08.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Equestria Fallen
Time 14: 57

Hirtir walked down the street in a gloomy mood. He was gnawed by resentment for losing a zebra to some visitor. The striped bitch was extremely useful and pleasant to handle, it was a pity to lose her, but card obligations are unbreakable.

Out of the corner of his eye, catching the turn to the street where Ingvar and Hagen stopped, the commandant chuckled and abruptly changed direction without slowing down. It is worth using the wonderful pocker deck again and winning back the zebra.

The door was opened by a starved maid who once owned this house. Without looking into Hirtir's eyes, she bent down and said that the gentlemen were not there right now, but she was ready to serve the guest until they arrived.

Hirtir took her by the throat and dragged her into the hallway, intending to take advantage of her helpfulness right now.

The door closed of its own accord and the world faded for Hirtir. The last thing he remembered was the terrible feeling of the wrongness of the chestnut maid and the cold metal under his fingers where warm, pliable flesh should have been.

After some time, the caribou went out into the street. He looked around the evening city, as if he had seen it for the first time, and quickly set off towards the guard barracks. The tune that he hummed briefly to himself would not be recognized by anyone in this world.

"It’s under crimson skies, hell’s horizon
Our trap will spring
Unaware of our presence they’ll be marching
Straight to their doom

We are prepared for war, ready to fire
Stand by to charge
Counting down as they march into destruction
Their time has come

They’ll never know, we give no warning
We set a trap, they took the bait
Leading them straight into hell

They will not live to tell the tale
We’ll strike at dusk and fight ’til dawn
Tonight our foe is bound to fail
Our time is now, all ready at arms

Upon our chosen ground dead men marching
No sign of hope
Victory will be ours before the dawn breaks
Tonight we charge

Chaos and disorder sound of the attack
Charging down the mountain, frontal assault
Guns light up the darkness, mortars rip the ground
Like a force of nature shaking the field

They’ll never know, we give no warning
We set a trap, they took the bait
Cut off retreat

Released
Unleashed
The beast within, berserker rage is
Released
Unleashed
A storm, a force, unbreakable warmachine..."

08.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria Fallen
Time 18: 31

The mood at Cold Creek garrison was rather gloomy.

For some reason, the commandant got stuck at the next drill review of the insufficiently polished armor and swords of several brand-new Pegasus. He yelled for a long time, selflessly and highly artistic, so that even the experienced ears rolled up into a tube.

The commandant was clearly in a bad mood, forcing the entire garrison to work on the sports town, clean equipment and march for the next three days until the end of the day.

And he also sent to the nearby town all the equas, that the guards kept for service, entertainment and a few caught underground mares.
"So that life does not seem like honey to you, assholes! Fucking cut it out!"

This is how the commandant commented on his order to the caretaker and the head of the guard.

08.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria Fallen
Time 20: 30

A caribou, whistling cheerfully, walked through the evening Baltimore, holding the leash of his new acquisition. A cream-colored equa pegasus of twenty-three years old got to him today not without bidding. A friend from the city council almost outbid the price, but the rune master went to extreme measures, uncorking the stash.

This bitch was too good to just let her go. "Red", petite and elegant, narrow where necessary, delightfully obedient and skillful.

At home, having had a lot of fun with his new slave, the rune master went to sleep, rejoicing to himself that the previous owner of this bitch broke his neck, falling drunk from the stairs.

The runemaster snorted and rolled over. The creamy pegasus opened her eyes. Stars outside the window shone coldly and sharply, turning reality into a frozen nightmare with a dead light. Time itself seemed to freeze under the touch of thin pale rays, pulling life out of the world. And it was not the velvet dome of the night sky that hung over his head, but the Abyss opened its mouth, dotted with needle-sharp teeth.

When the neighbors and the guards came running to the heart-rending and incoherent screams far after midnight, the room resembled a slaughterhouse. The walls, floor, and ceiling were splattered with blood, and pieces of the rune master's body were scattered in corners and furniture. The head of a caribou with horns stuck in its eye sockets rested on a table surrounded by a drawing of a four-ray star made in his own blood. The wind howled in the room, freely flying into the window, knocked inside.

And the cold autumn stars played mockingly in the shards of glass on the floor.

The new slave, who somehow miraculously survived, huddled under the bed in the far corner and shaking. When she was pulled out, the distraught equa kicked and bit, recovering only after several strong slaps in the face. Unable to understand from fear what was happening, not realizing that she had attacked the stallions, the cream-colored pegasus muttered incoherently about a demon that had descended through the star rays and taken the rune master.
"I-i-it-t-t b-bec-cames so cold-d and e-empty, so d-dr-rear-ry-y... E-everything made no-sense... He c-came from Ab-bys... He c-came... He will come again! He's coming for me! Please! Please! Good sirs! Protect me! Hide me! I don't want to! I don't want to! Beg you, sirs!"

To investigate what happened, two caribou shamans and a unicorn mage arrived at the house of rune master. But they didn't find anything, and equin fainted at all when he tried to investigate strange footprints on the floor, as if left by the soles of protective hoorseshoes, but of an elongated shape. Everything that the "demon from the stars" touched literally absorbed magic and breathed the Abyss.

Even caribou could not stand it for a long time and soon came out, sealing the house. On the advice of the shamans, the commander of the guard transferred his caribou and equins to martial law, gathering them in the garrison.

And the crazy pegasus was taken to a shelter for inspection and resale. Soon she was back on the trading platform, but already in a purple collar and with a big discount. The new owner was found quickly and the cream pegasus went along with the smart equin to his home.

It's just a pity that when leaving the palanquin, where the new mare was caressing him on the way, the dandy caught his foot on the threshold and fell with his temple on the curb stone.

In the confusion, no one noticed how the cream pegasus disappeared somewhere.

They found her much later, wandering around the Baltimore hydroelectric power station. The pegasus, even when she was shaken during the interrogation, continued to mutter about a demon from starlight, a soul-burning cold and three glowing green eyes.

Last silence

08.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Equestria.
Time 21: 00

Velvet squinted at the footlights. Trying to breathe slowly and deeply, she went on stage and stood in front of the audience.

Willow persuaded to Cantata to give a concert for an audience larger than those released in the dorm. And Mcfinnigan, Zhilin and Vetrov "threw a fishing rod" to the Canterlot House of Officers.

Cantata took a quick glance at the company standing behind the scenes, and felt a warm feeling in her soul. Glide, Willow, Citrine, Vibrant, Rocket. Her friends. And Vetrov and Mcfinnigan, looking out and waving their hands from behind the backs of the equas.

Velvet came on stage and bowed to the audience, feeling that she was about to take off from what seemed to be long-forgotten sensations. Impatience, joy, the tickling heat of anticipation made the soul ring.

The audience in the hall was overwhelmingly bullish. Patrol officers from the streets, night guards, palace guards. Somewhere in the gallery and on the balcony, you could see more familiar shapes of people, but there would not have been two dozen of them. Mostly in the black uniform of the navy, but there were a few olive-colored infantry combos.

“Good evening, distinguished audience. I want to thank you for accepting me and my friends in the hour of need, for extending a helping hand. And I want to thank you a little. I have already written these melodies here, and I have never played them for a wide audience yet,”

The coffee equa, feeling a tremor of impatience, went to the instrument and, only on the strength of will alone, slowly and gracefully sat down on a chair. Magically, she opened the score and almost gently put her hands on the keys.

For a few seconds, Cantata caught the count and concentrated. And she started playing.

A light, fast and mischievous melody poured out. Like a flock of colorful butterflies, she fluttered around the hall, breaking up with colored iridescences. The inspiration to create it came when, on a morning walk, Cantata saw Gracefull fluttering in the dawn glow. Pegasus generously shared with the world and the sky the beauty of the dance, gave it to the rising sun. Velvet was then naturally bruised by inspiration, she put off the comm with the music recording only closer to three o'clock in the afternoon.

The second melody was like a cool snowdrift. The same fluid, sparkling music enveloped everything in a foggy veil. Written literally in one evening, inspired by the story of the navigator of the space corvette, invited by Vibrant, about distant worlds and systems, about blue giants and white dwarfs, about quasars and voids. About wonders of the universe that the astronaut encountered during flights.

It seemed that the notes themselves sparkle and call for a long journey, like stars in a dark sky.

The third melody was broken up by colored splashes and shimmering notes. The coffee unicorn wrote it during a small hike to the Rainbow Falls. Having agreed with the ponies from the spaceport workers, Rocket and Frisky pulled out the Canterlot equas for a walk and lie on the grass. The day then passed absolutely idyllic and peaceful, with conversations, games and a picnic.

The fourth composition was full of majestic calm. It breathed secrets and primordial riddles of the universe and the mind. The melody was unraveled into myriads of sonorous drops flowing into one another, drawing a beautiful and complex pattern in a general harmonious dance. During a week of staying in this Equestria, Velvet met Princess Luna in a dream. And the Lady of Dreams helped the pianist a lot with advice and hugs of blue wings.

The fifth melody flowed smoothly and gently, like a pink dawn glow that warms and cleanses the world. It covered the hall with a soft and affectionate wave, enveloping the souls of the audience with solar heat. Cantata was written at a feverish pace, literally feeling strong hot wings behind her back, the night before last, when Princess Celestia visited the dormitory of the liberated. And, contrary to all the protocols and "etiquette", she honored equas with a collective embrace of huge white wings. Many of those released then did not even try to hide their tears of happiness.

Cantata stopped and took a deep breath. Her hands trembled slightly as she returned them to keys.

The notes in the score are over. For there are no more notes left that can capture this.

The first touches to the instrument gave birth to a seemingly impossible sound. Oppressive, heavy, it tried to bend to the ground, to flatten into a pancake, to destroy the will. Immediately, chords full of hatred and anger rose up to meet him, generating a real storm. A storm that made you shiver, tremble, anger and rage.

Velvet jumped up, knocking over her chair and literally hit her fingers in keys. Her hands moved like those of a possessed woman, carving her own story out of the piano.

Boiling, the music rapidly picked up the pace, approaching a crescendo. At the highest point, Cantata waved her hand over the keys and the melody changed. It acquired a clear rhythm, fractional metal notes were interwoven into it.

Like a red-hot hurricane, the sound soared under the high ceilings. Listen a little and you will hear the roar of plasma guns, sharp claps of X-ray lasers and the explosions of missiles.

But the storm subsided, only having time to unfold in full breadth. Cantata, exhausted by the playing, brought out the last, soft, affectionate chords.

With obvious difficulty, moving away from the instrument, the unicorn bowed to the audience. A wave of applause rose, pushed her in the chest, almost making her stagger. Velvet felt like she was bursting with happiness. From pride in their work.

The ponies stamped their hooves on the floor, scattering hollow, crunchy peals, in which the barely audible and more familiar claps of a few humans were mixed forlornly.

When Cantata went backstage, it got straight into a whirlwind of hugs, congratulations and joyful voices of her friends. They cried in the pianist's mane, she herself cried in someone else's. Velvet was kissed on the nose, on the forehead, on the cheeks. Canterlot equas deigned to let the pianist go only when they squeezed and hugged her enough, along and across.

Willow seized the moment and purred a few words in her ear, reminding the euphoric Velvet of something for which the pianist asked for help. Cantata, pulled out of a happy prostration after the first concert in six years, started up, gratefully kissed the half-changeling and rushed headlong into the dressing room.

After a couple of minutes, buttoning her blouse with trembling fingers, the pianist went out into the corridor. Just in time to notice the almost gone corporal. The unicorn took a deep breath, as if before jumping into cold water.
“Danil! Come here for a second. I need to ask you something,”

The man, not sensing a trick, approached the equa and smiled a little.
“Yes, Velvet? What are you wan...”

Vetrov didn't have time to finish. Cantata, abruptly grabbed him by the neck, clung to him, since there was not enough strength to move the man from his place, and kissed him briefly but hotly.

The Infantryman was stunned. It reminded him of the explosion of a stun grenade, blinding, deafening, leaving a ringing in his head and a complete confusion of thoughts. But equa's kiss was a much more pleasant shock.

Pulling away, the pianist grinned at Vetrov's dumbfounded expression.
"That's what I needed... Com'ere!”

In the eyes of Cantata, a flame flashed, not inferior in heat and fury to the superheated plasma, when she half-stretched, half-pulled Danil already with telekinesis.

Almost growling and breathless with impatience, Velvet bit into the corporal's lips. Without letting him go and not letting him pull away, she kissed him long and greedily. Finally, equa rested her head on the soldier's shoulder and sighed softly, contentedly.
“My wind of free... Come on, give me a hug at last. You have no idea how much I need now,”

The Corporal, feeling as if he was about to take off without any engines, gently and tremblingly hugged the Velvet. Glowing, ringing now with tenderness and happiness.
“I didn't think I'd be so exhausted,”

Vetrov was not a particularly good empath, but stroking the pianist's mane, he felt tingling in his fingers from her raging emotions. He felt how the old crust, the armor that Cantata wore for six years only increasing its thickness, is now falling in whole layers, exposing the soul. And the man didn't say a word, bewitched by equa's affectionate trustfulness.
"And... I'm not sure I can walk to the dorm. I'm already shaking,”
“Do you want me to carry you? Or prosaically by taxi?”

Equa nuzzled the corporal's neck, hiding a smile.
"I don't need hired cabs. Carry me, my free wind,”

Velvet quickly dozed off, lulled by the pace of Danil's steps and soft swaying to the beat. Only sometimes, half-waking up, she would wrap her arms tighter around the human's neck and again plunge into shallow dreams. And the soldier wondered when he had managed to do something that deserved such a miracle.

On the approach to the hostel of the liberated, the Cantata woke up, yawned and stretched as far as the position on infantryman's hands allowed.
“Oh, we're almost there. You know, Danil, I just remembered something. My neighbor went to a get-together with the fillies from Manehetten for the night today... And I have a bottle of wine stale. Will you keep me company?”

Vetrov stopped, put equa down and looked into her eyes.
“Let's see, Cantata.”
“We'll see,”

Corporal, who was about to say something, stopped short. All the rage, all the old pain, which until today was constantly felt in Cantata, has gone somewhere. There was no more withering flame in the equa, hidden by a thin crust of self-control.

The soldier was about to say something again, but he lost his thought, slowed down for a second, enough for Velvet to cover his lips with her hand and the joint silence was much more eloquent than any words. The corporal put his arm around the giggling unicorn's waist and led her into the residential building.

The dormitory greeted them with silence and corridors immersed in dim duty lighting.

There was not only a bottle of wine in Velvet's room, but also a couple of glasses, which, as Vetrov remembered exactly, were not delivered to the hostel.

It was not very spacious to sit side by side on the bed and the pianist leaned back on the infantryman, tickling him with the aroma of spicy perfume and mane. With a slight smile, Vetrov gently put his arm around her waist again, catching her jumped pulse with his fingertips. The pianist snuggled up to him with a soft, tender sigh.
“Danil?”
“Yes, Velvet?”
“Tell me... What were you afraid of before? Break an order?”
“No. I was afraid of something else,”

The soldier put down his glass, hugged equa, who was leaning against him, and buried his face in her mane. Vetrov did not believe that this was happening for real. And he didn't see how the Cantata smiled, but felt her warm wave.
"I'm afraid I'll hurt you by accident. To say, to do something wrong. Yes, I understand... I can see how you are now... And I still feel like I'm in a minefield,”
“Come on, Corporal, you just can't do it. You're too good. Too kind and sensitive to hurt me,”

The corporal was about to object, but Cantata did not give. Only when she heard a breath, she twisted around and touched the man's forehead with her lips.
“And I'll prove it to you,”

Getting up from the bed, Velvet took hold of the first button of her shirt.
“I remember Willow was lamenting that you just escorted her out of the shower when she "accidentally" fell in there in lacy underwear,”

Under the pianist's fingers, buttons flew out of the loops one by one.
“And then you were yelling with your friends in the smoking room, again lamenting that you saw a girl in such underwear only in a picture... You know, I think I understood what the salt of your indignation was,”

Under the shirt was a tightly laced corset, and Cantata, with a truly devilish grin, put her hands behind her back, reaching for the clasp of the skirt.
"It just wasn't the equa you needed. Whisp could do anything, but she wouldn't be able to do anything. And here I am...”

The skirt fell to the floor after the shirt and Equa slowly turned on the spot, raising her hands to the ceiling and stretching out like a string. The man got up, took a step towards her, not believing his eyes and feeling the fire burning inside getting to his throat.

Velvet was wearing a classic full set of underwear. Stockings, belt, panties, corset. All the colors of ivory, which set off the coffee coat. Vetrov gently placed his palms on the cheeks of Equa, who closed her eyes in bliss.
“I'm better than a picture, don't you think? You can look at me. And to touch...”

Cantata clung more tightly to the corporal, burning with her whisper.
“Even necessary. My free wind...”

08.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria
The time is 22: 43

The hangars of the Manehattan spaceport were unusually busy. Weapons loaders, infrequent guests here, busily scurried between boats, bringing missiles and bombs in much larger quantities than was required for duty sorties. And no one has ever taken on a simple patrol of tactical plasma missiles of variable power.

Ian Zelinsky, the pilot of the attack boat, was examining his machine, thinking about what could require as many as four such missiles that were suspended on his "Bullfinch".

Even without the intuition, accumulated over many years of service, flights and battles, it was clear that there was a batch is bite to the bone. Zelinsky had guesses with whom exactly, he himself flew out with Infantrymen to intercept a detachment of intruders. And the way boats were equipped, it said that either a big invasion was coming, or the command decided to attack caribou on their own territory.

Climbing into the cockpit, where the navigator, Matt Taylor, was already sitting and waiting for him, Ian smiled faintly. On the helmet of a friend, in addition to the stickers "Don't shout, I'm scared too!", "Dont like my navigating? Call 666-666-eat shit!", now there was also a calligraphic inscription filled with a transparent protective layer: "At the right time - in the right place!" and a small drawing of three heraldic lilies. An autograph as a souvenir from one of the ekuas rescued that night, who once flew to Canterlot on their boat on business. It was fun to watch Taylor, who was looking at two Fleur-de-Lis, pony and equa, in unfeigned amazement at that time.

Having connected to the neural control, Ian felt a chill run down his spine, replaced by an electric tingling. The feeling of Taylor's presence came, the feeling of the body split into the usual human and the body of the machine that was now holding in its arms.
"Bullfinch-508 to the dispatcher, ready to start. Allow taxiing to the lane. "
"Dispatcher to 508. I allow taxiing, track 8."

08.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria
Time 23: 23

Osinin ruled his falchion, looking through reports on the execution of orders. The rustle of a "velvet" fullerite block on a blade of dull gray metal acted on the General like meditative music, making it easier to work in the neuro link.

Streams of information from all over Equestria were now passing through Vyacheslav's mind, spinning a picture of what was happening in their rapid run.

Here garrisons report one after another that groups of a company in each are assembled and ready to move out according to the schedule for conducting "training on the ground". Eight alerts, twelve hundred Mobile Infantrymen are waiting for the command to send.

Here, notifications come from spaceports about the opening of heavy weapons storage facilities and loading it on ships. Two dozen "Ravens", heavy fighters, half of which are piloted by Equestrian pegasi, and a hundred boats, from universal "Bullfinches" to attack "Kestrels", were collecting "goodies" that were to be delivered to the reflection of Equestria. The targets were already assigned and distributed.

Here comes a message from the nineteenth Space Fleet, which is sending three more corvettes. "Lapis Lazuli", "Maple" and "Silver Wolf" will wait at the intermediate point of the route and will go on a jump to the reflection after "Boreas". If the Caribou Empire could simply be burned from space, corvettes alone would be enough. But, alas, artillary in this operation will need to be extremely careful.

Here, short ciphers from reflection come through the repeater buoy. About prepared diversions. About the uprisings that have begun. About the substituted enemy commanders. About the beacons placed for aviation and orbital artillery.

Everything should go quickly, leaving no chance for caribou to understand the situation and strike back.

An offensive was being prepared for a whole week. For a whole week, ponies and people worked here and behind the veil. And tonight, the cocked trigger will be pulled.

General opened the locker with the armor. The deceptively light-looking armored suit was habitually wrapped in its embraces and weapon took its proper places.

Osinin sent a gathering signal to his platoon and went out the door.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 02: 32

The room was quiet. Only a light night breeze rustled the curtains a little.

Cantata, happy, contented and absolutely relaxed, hugged the Corporal, resting her head on his chest.

Today, for the first time in recent years, the rage and pain have gone completely and irrevocably, leaving not even a shadow. It was easy, even breathing more freely, when the white-hot hoop was not squeezing unicorn's chest.

Danil looked into her eyes. And with the very tips of his fingers he stroked her forehead, then the bridge of her nose, then her cheeks. Trembling, affectionately, as if afraid that if he touches her harder, Velvet will melt like a dream in the morning.

The languishing equa sighed, burying herself in the infantryman's neck, and purred.
“My free wind... Fell from the night sky... Took me away from captivity... To freedom. To the warmth. To the light. My dear fellow...”

Danil didn't know what to say. For the first time in his life, he felt so good. From the fact that he was hugging Velvet. From her trusting trepidation. From her heat. From what happened a little earlier.

Vetrov gently covered the Cantata's cheeks with his palms, drew her to him, slightly touching her lips.
“My dear. My happiness. My miracle. It was worth going a thousand times more for you than I have ever had in my entire life. Velvet... I just can't express it, I don't have enough words,”

The Corporal tightly hugged equa, who purred gratefully.
“The only thing I know is that I was incredibly lucky. To meet you, my miracle. Bright. Furious. Hot,”

Cantata, gasping with excess of feelings, clung to the Infantryman clung with her whole body. And she kissed him so that even the battered Danil almost took his breath away.

Biting Vetrov's lip, equa sat down on him. Thin, strong fingers ran over the man's chest, walked along several scars.

Velvet hummed softly to herself. Now her hands fluttered and touched Vetrov's chest already in time with the melody that the equa was purred. The Corporal sometimes touched her palms, intertwining his fingers for a second, then stroked her hips and waist. A slight smile played on his lips every time the Cantata caught his palm with her own. An answering smile and a sparkling look were the best of the awards.

Gradually, equa's melodies grew into something more.

Harmony music, usually collective and open, filled the room. And it sounded only for two souls who found each other when Velvet singing for Danil.

The soft, melodious voice sounded and sounded. Cozy, saturated with love and tenderness, gratitude. And it was as if the whole world froze while equa sang, closing her eyes and completely surrendering to the magical music flowing through her.

There was no applause, only the strong embrace of a man to whom Velvet clung with a cat's purr. The kiss blossomed like a promise of something magical and beautiful.

But the charm was broken by a sharp squeak of Vetrov's comm. The soldier impulsively kissed Cantata on the forehead and jumped out of bed.
“Velvet, I'm sorry. It's time,”

Cantata, having gathered her legs under her with a mixture of awareness and light sadness, watched how a person pulls on a podbronnik and a combat suit in seconds.
“Where to?”
“I'll find out for myself only on the boat. But I will definitely come back. I have someone for whom,”

The Corporal, without taking his eyes off Velvet's crimson eyes, stroked her cheek. The unicorn, with a soft sigh full of hope and tenderness, hugged him and whispered in his ear.
“I know, my free wind. I know,”

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Equestria
Time 03: 55

In front of the corvette, which opened the ramps, stood those who were to go to the reflection of Equestria. To rescue their friends, to lend a shoulder to those who need it, to return the debt to the invaders.

The landing company, the special forces group, the Children of the Night platoon, the medical team, the boat pilots, the crew of the "Boreas" stood and watched as a blue silhouette silently slipped down from the dark sky and landed in front of them.

Princess Luna lowered her wings to the concrete runway and shook her head slightly. The seconds dragged wearily, the ponies and the humans waited.

Quite unexpectedly, Luna spread her wings with one powerful stroke, threw herself into the air and began to sing. Her deep, charming voice enveloped the runway. Words of the ancient language did not bother the ear, forcing the hearts themselves to respond in time. The melody that came from the distant and sonorous layers of the world spread of transparent silver in warriors's souls.

It was not only on the canterlot "concrete" that her song was heard. Soaring up to the stars, the voice of Luna spread between them, resonated and from the reflected fell down to each spaceport, where soldiers and guards were preparing to go. The harmonics intertwined with the light of Selena and gave everyone who heard the impression that the Lady of Dreams was nearby. Then many ponies and even humans said that they saw princess Luna hovering over their spaceport.

The princess blessed soldiers to protect the weak. For the liberation of enslaved. For a just cause. On the feat. To fight a monster.

So that the hoof and the hand are faithful. So that the vibroblades and moon claws do not miss. So that spells and razers will accurately find their targets. To the suit withstand and the cuirass protect.

Having finished her song, Luna slowly sank to the ground and fell silent. For a few seconds there was silence over the Canterlot spaceport, thick as cotton wool. Suddenly, the princess raised her head and her voice soared to the night sky.
“All aboard, warriors! We're moving out!”

The pounding of hundreds of feet scattered the wadded silence as ponies and humans scattered to their ships. No one interfered with each other, Infantrymen, Space Marines, Children of the Night and special forces took their places in a matter of seconds.

Luna, smiling at the ships that were lifting ramps, took off and dived into the "Boreas"s ' hold, which was already beginning to close. The princess was supposed to be on the "flagship" of this small flotilla that was now taking off from the Equestria spaceports.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria Fallen
Time 06: 42

A thin pink streak of dawn appeared over the eastern edge of the sky. The capital on the mountainside was gradually waking up. Festive banners that had not been hung out yesterday were stretched out on the streets, the last preparations for the big fair, which should not be overshadowed by anything, were coming to an end.

There was a slight haze in the air, the smell of fresh bread and coffee from fashionable areas. There were shouts from the foremen of the guard and the clatter of hooves as the patrols dispersed along the routes after the shift change.

In a wide square not far from the palace, merchants were turning around at full speed. Someone laid out intricate groceries on the counters, someone jewelry and stones from distant lands, someone dresses, someone weapons.

Someone brought equas, zebras, rare minotaurs and literally a couple of forest fallow deer to low podiums and seated them at the tethers, so that the rare goods would not suffer. The slaves took their places, some with despair and indifference, some obediently, almost dancing.

Many glanced at the wide corral of strong iron bars located in the center of the row of slavers. Such strange creatures, so similar to the Equins.

The ponies captured in the Dandeline Fields huddled together in search of encouragement and at least an illusory protection. It's been a week since they were stolen from their home. A week in the position of disenfranchised slaves, a week of incessant fear and fading hope. The only thing that looked like a shadow of luck was that the deer king, who had usurped the throne of this Ekstria, had given an order that the first prisoners from the campaigns in the portals would belong to him. That's the only reason the ponies haven't been sold out individually yet.

With each dawn, with each new day, despair gnawed more and more, apathy and depression clouded their eyes more and more. The unicorns and pegasus had the hardest time, which were crippled, despite all the pleas and requests. Severed horns and clipped and sheathed wings dragged Equestrian ponies, completely unaccustomed to such horrors, like a stone around their necks, into the abyss of despair.

But they still believed that they would be followed. That the princesses and the Guardy will not leave in the lurch. Even if this faith became more and more illusory every day.

In the far corner of the cage, a little apart from most of prisoners, a dark green earth stallion reclining, hugging a sobbing unicorn. He rubbed his nose gently against her neck and murmured softly in the ear of the trembling filly
"It'll be all right, Slicey. They will find us, they will definitely find us. The princesses and the Guard will not abandon us,"

The unicorn sighed convulsively, wiping away tears. After the amputation of the horn, her head was constantly splitting with pain, and her soul was torn by the claws of despondency and black melancholy. If it wasn't for her stallion, she would have already lost all hope.
“I hope so, Brass... although less and less,”

Pony also sighed, licking his broken nose. When a friend was dragged to cut off the horn, he tried to rush at the caribou, but got a shock baton. Sliced Carrot gave the stallion a sympathetic lick on the cheek.
“Does it hurt much?”
“Nonsense... I'm more worried about Light,”

Pony nodded at the pegasus lying next to him. Since her wings were clipped, she practically did not react to the outside world, ignoring even the meager ration for lunch, but only looked with fierce longing at the sky turning blue through the bars. The unicorn looked at her friend with concern, and in turn hugged her and began to shake her
“Hold on, Lighty, hold on. Help will come, I know… We are with you... We won't leave you.”

Tacit Light was silent. And she continued to look at the dawn sky with endless longing.

And the flame rose.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.

The orbit of Equestria Fallen.

Time 07: 42

The space at the equilibrium point between Selena and Equus became waved. The previously unshakable surface was curved and rippled with distortions, from which ships emerged into the real world.

In less than a minute, a hundred boats and four hunter corvettes were in orbit. Creating a formation, the squadron moved at full speed to the serene-looking blue planet. The ether remained pristine, every pilot already knew what to do, every navigator knew his course and target on Equus. When the planet was a pitiful three thousand kilometers away, a command passed through the psycholinks.

"All ships, start jamming."

The ships began to decelerate, preparing to get into low orbits and enter the atmosphere, shooting off false targets that were running forward by inertia. Even if the caribou had a normal anti-space defense, it would not be able to distinguish anything in this chaos of radar and heat traps, psychic and magical simulators, jammers and gravitational phantoms and banal clouds of copper needles.

Hiding behind a cloud of deceptions and false targets, the squadron dispersed.

The "Boreas" took a low orbit and launched twenty-four space-surface rockets. Moving away from the carrier, the "Mountain Ashes" immediately established a connection with each other and formed a swarm. Modified in Equestrian workshops, these missiles carried spell shapers that completely transformed the blind, unrestrained rage of three-megaton warheads into spells that destroyed stationary shields, silencing long-range communications and teleportation with a unicorn.

The missiles dispersed along their trajectories and scattered in the explosions of the liquidators over the targets, when the thermonuclear energy absorbed to the last quantum pumped up the spells. In a split second, a magical veil, which would have taken a battalion of unicorns and an hour of work to create by conventional methods, hung over Equestria,.

When the special missiles worked out, the boats entered the upper layers of the atmosphere, sending their "goodies" after them, although not so powerful and perfect, but more numerous. Tactical and conventional, missiles and adjustable bombs rushed down in a wave, to their assigned targets. To the detachments of punishers sent to suppress the uprisings, to the garrisons from where the saboteurs brought the equas a little earlier, to the guard barracks in the cities, to the railway interchanges, to the bridges.

As soon as the gifts launched by the boats had gone far enough, "Boreas" and "Lapis Lazul" released Space Marines. Soldiers in heavy armored suits jumped from the ramps into the black sky and rushed to the surface, where they were waiting for a meeting with the invaders.

"Maple" and "Silver Wolf" went to a high artillery orbit, from where they had to work on ground targets with missiles and onboard guns.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.

Time 08: 10

The orbit of Equestria Fallen.

In the cargo hold of the corvette, a company of Space Marines gathered ready to be thrown out. One hundred and fifty soldiers checked and rechecked their equipment and weapons for the last time.

Captain Oscar Treville looked at his men.

Opening visor of his helmet, he took a deep breath. It was possible to use a psycholink, but the captain felt that it would be more right.

“Comrades Marines! There's a herd of the absolute faggots waiting for us down there! Reference, fucking, scumbags, even now in stasis and in the chamber of weights and measures! These fuckers do not know military honor, attacking those who are weaker, believing that this is the "right of the strong"! They mutilate prisoners for the sake of a sadistic whim! They turned a beautiful country into ruins, and enslaved the population!”

Treville was briefly interrupted when a red light flashed over the ramp and a countdown buzzer.

“Comrades, remember the order of General Osinin - not to leave a single caribou alive. Not a single motherfucker should survive an encounter with a human warrior. Not a single one!”

The buzzer switched from an intermittent signal to a constant beep. The pumps hummed, sucking air out of the hold.

The captain and his company slammed the armored visors shut. Oscar spoke the last parting words while the ramp was opening.

“And now go ahead! Let's show these victims of a drunken abortion what real soldiers are!”

Although Princess Luna blessed them before. But Oscar could not remain silent and not say guidance for his brothers before jumping.

A hundred and fifty Space Marines rushed down to the white-stone city on the mountainside.

The battle for Equestria has already begun. The special forces were now wreaking havoc and panic down there. And Treville's company was to deliver the final strike in the Battle of Canterlot, collapsing like a hammer.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters

The atmosphere of Equestria Fallen

Time 08: 10

Boats carrying the Children of the Night, special forces and Mobile Infantry, burrowed into the atmosphere, approaching their release points. They had to descend to at least fifty kilometers to land without problems.

Ahead of the landing wave, a blue star flashed as Luna teleported directly from the "Boreas"s to the crest of the attack. Alicorn, folded her wings, was first to rush to the ground, wrapped in a cone of plasma.

The end of caribou rule was coming.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters

Equestria Fallen, Dodge Junction

Time 08: 12

After the capture, the rebels fortified Dodge Junction as best they could. Streetsblocked by barricades of various junk, the pavement torn up into cobblestones, because there were few grenades brought by humans. All the tall buildings were monitored by the most sharp-eyed pegasuses.

The male population that survived during the capture was herded into the town hall so that they would not get in the way and not whinning. They also sent several equas, former "reds", who sincerely sobbed over the corpses of their former owners, but they were placed separately. The fact that a dozen partisans had to be assigned to guard all this bedlam made Frosty gnash her teeth.

A squad of punishers, sent by the capital, appeared on the horizon, and now there were no extra hands and guns! And she has to leave ten riflemares just so that disloyal civilians don't get out where they shouldn't and don't derail everything.

When Frosty, cursing through the teeth executioner who clipped her wings five years ago, ran to the outskirts, to which the punitive squad was supposed to go, she relax a little. The underground mares, who in a short week had been taught the basics by the human instructors and who had fixed them with their work today, were already preparing to meet the "guests". From several windows protruded mops painted with soot and bundles of rags, which were given the appearance of something resembling an equine silhouette. Equas themselves hid and disguised themselves on the spot, they had the richest experience in this.

A transparent silhouette detached itself from the wall, rapidly thickening, and Captain Stanley stepped forward to meet Frosty. At least, that's how the man presented himself.

“Wind,”

"They're fast. Have you sent any abusive letters to Dainn by any chance?”

“No. And Frosty, tell your people to hide behind houses and barricades. Time - a minute. After the flash, we return to the positions and shoot all those who survived.”

A week ago, Frosty would have sent Stanley to pedestrian erotic voyage, but now the pegasus has managed to imbue the "demon from abyss" with trust and some kind of affection. The alien captain inspired confidence by his mere presence, and when it came to fighting, he became a real angel of death.

Frosty, brushing away the momentary urge to put her hands to her mouth with a megaphone, pressed the radio's tanget.

“Everyone! New introductory, hiding behind the first line of houses and barricades! Thirty seconds!”

No one argued, no one hesitated, Frosty enjoyed a well-deserved authority. And four human soldiers, who followed the shelter along with equas, brought a small but still drop of its strengthening.

Stanley, leaning back against the barricade, for some reason began the countdown aloud from ten, ending it with a shout.

“Flash from the rear!”

The daylight was blocked by a burning white glow, which for a moment illuminated the city and turned it into a fantasmogoric photo. The air was filled with a dry, unnatural heat, which does not happen even in the depths of southern deserts. The city seemed to be illuminated by a giant flashbulb.

And then it was over as suddenly as it had begun. Someone from the rebels wanted to lean out from behind the shelter, to see what it was, but snuck back under the sharp shout of the earthman.

“Get back! The wave is coming!”

No one had time to ask what kind of wave, because a monstrous thunderclap hit the town, breaking the windows in many houses and driving a cloud of dust and small debris across the ground.

Before the equans could panic, Frosty barked into the radio.

“Take positions! Don't let the bastards near the city!”

Looking out from around the corner of the house, black-maned one involuntarily shivered. In the direction where the squad of punishers was supposed to move, were rising three huge mushrooms of gray smoke and dust. The monstrous toadstools grew and grew, and the wind was already beginning to carry them towards the uninhabited desert steppes. And the sky was full of white stripes, especially thick in the direction of the Canterhorn Mountains.

“Oh fuck that Molly in the ears through the nose... Stanley, what the hell is this? The same "tactical" ones that you promised yesterday?”

“Yes. Three missiles of a kiloton each, greetings to the punishers from the astronauts,”

“Yeah, serious guys... “

"Frosty, leave at least three dozen of your girls to calm down the civilians. Otherwise, they will crush city here in a panic,”

Wind snorted, muttered an order into the radio, and ran to the nearest house. Having got out on the roof, she took a well-looked-after place between the pipes. She leaned into the scope, looking for movement in the clouds of dust. She had no pity for the punishers, just like the other rebels, and she intended to finish off those who could survive after the "gift" from astronauts.

And, although something told pegasus that not a single living soul would appear from under the monstrous mushrooms of smoke and dust, Frosty wanted to control it personally.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.

Equestria Fallen, Canterlot.

Time 08: 14

King Dainn, who had come out to open the fair, watched a whole fan of white stripes unfold in the sky. There were many of them, at least several hundreds. Some of them twisted like a fit and quickly thinned out, some flew straight like arrows, some went in a dashing zigzag, like that red-haired whore from the former "Wonderbolts", until they cut her wings.

“Why is there a starfall in the middle of the day? What's it?”

He pointed a finger in the direction of the blooming bundle of contrails, addressing the mares standing nearby, chained in bondage accessories.

Equas reacted differently. The white mare smiled coquettishly and assured that she had no idea and certainly would not dare to spoil the pleasure of the fair for the lord.

“And you? A blue whore? Admit it, is it your business?”

"Go to Tartarus, you bastard. We won't talk to you,”

“Tartarus is waiting for you, in a couple of minutes. In the meantime, I don't have time to mess with you. Take her away! I'm tired of it,”

The king mounted the platform in front of the crowd gathered in the square and raised his hand, demanding silence.

And at that very moment, three nondescript clouds of smoke flashed over the city, scattering rapidly fading fragments. At the same time, an invisible wave of magic fell, erasing and dispelling Canterlot's shield magick.

Pegasi who were taking Luna away, got close and, as if by chance, pulled themselves up to the comrades who had taken Celestia off the platform, and dragged the Sisters through the crowd away from the dais.

The Princess of the Night herself very badly grinned, feeling how the hands of the pegasi without changing in appearance, acquired the texture of a hard fabric covered with armor plates. She knew what kind of stars falling from orbit now, and she understood who leading her and Celestia through the crowd. The realization that strangers were nearby was both invigorating and alarming, making the blood run faster through the veins.

Finding among the white stripes a bright blue dot leading the march across the sky, Luna quietly chuckled.

“You're on time... Lady of Dreams,”

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.

Equestria fallen.

Time 08: 14

On a gray mountain slope, covering under holographic cloaks in addition to the camouflage fields, sitting a sniper group, pointing their barrels towards the main square of the city.

The five focused on the motley pandemonium, checking the color, muzzles and psychophone with the available database, looking for traitors who sold the country and voluntarily let the caribou in. The commander also moved the sight in the area of the platform from which the king would have to speak. He had a separate task, which was unpleasant under normal circumstances.

A big action was about to unfold in the city below and further away on a well-visible square. Fair, festivities. The walkers, listening to the heralds, left the chaotic wandering around the square and turned their eyes towards the elevation. The crowd began to gather around him, in trembling expectation that the main fun would finally begin.

The king stepped onto the dais and raised his hand dramatically. A strong, confident conqueror. Having the right. Owner. He was firmly convinced that his rule was inviolable, that the conquered lands would continue to be under his hoof.

Having received a signal that special missiles were approaching, the snipers entered a combat trance. Their perception accelerated, their thoughts gained machine clarity and the speed of running. And the commander could not resist a slight smile and sent a message to the psycholink, not specifically addressed to anyone.

"Well, viva la vita!"

Dim bursts bloomed in the sky as the liquidators of the pulse bombs went off, demolishing the shield enchantment over the city and giving rise to the operation.

And the lieutenant pressed the trigger. Since humans have started a festive fireworks display today without any deadlines, they should also support it.

The X-ray rifle made no sound, only the beam cut off Dainn's manhood cleaner than any scalpel. And even festive, with clap and smoke. After all, today is a fair, it is necessary that there is a festive atmosphere.

Immediately, the human cut off one of the horns of the caribou that had not had time to fall. Also, with a flash and a haze. Celebrate, King!

But where are the officers and loyal vassals? Why aren't they rushing to their king? He definitely should hurry them up. For example, by shooting off Dainn’sear. And the second horn. Play a nice game, old as the sniper art itself, "Who is the main altruist and will die first?"

When, after a moment of prostration and shock, king's comrades finally decided to join in the fun, sniper group began firing in full force. And not a single warrior from the retinue, not a single bodyguard, not a single lord could get close to Dainn. Snipers cut off their lives quickly and mercifully, shooting at their heads and hearts. However, caribou have not been used properly these parts of body before, so the loss to the world is small, according to the eartmen themselves.

Seeing how the king trying to got up, clearly intending to leave the party, the commander hastened to correct this. Rays pierced the caribou king's hip and shoulder, crippling and making it impossible to move normally. Dainn collapsed onto the dais, screaming in pain.

Dance, king, dance. Rejoice in your conquests.

The sniper put another ray into the king's palm, which was desperately scratching on the boards. He grinned, seeing how Dainn twitched and tried to get to the aide-de-camp reaching out to him. And he shot both of them through the wrists, and also calmed the subordinate with a beam in the back of the head, so as not to interfere with the party.

They clipped wings and broke horns of prisoned and enslaved equas with enviable zeal. But when the time came to answer for what they had done, for some reason caribou were not happy.

One caribou was quick. Emerging from the crowd, where he was making his way crouching, he tried to cover Dainn with himself and a rune shield.

The lieutenant made two holes in the oak shield covered with intricate knitting. One in front of the king's hand, placing the beam next to the recent wound, the second where the head of an excessively selfless stag was. Who, if he had escaped, could have lived a little longer. For about five minutes, until the landing party arrived.

It did not occur to the caribou, that the shields did not help against sniper razers. Neither oak, painted with runes, nor spells that are deployed "from stone" in three layers. The third shaman in row, who was trying to protect the suzerain from “incomprehensible magic”, lay down next to the king after a merciful shot in the head.

The voice of the group commander, who was now down in the city, sounded in psycholink.

"Forty seconds to the first wave. Tel, finish playing. Secure a free area and press down the palace gates. "

"Accepted, executing."

The lieutenant ended Dainn's torment with two single shots to the heart and head and switched to the guard lines, who were trying to calm down and not let the panic out on the streets of the city.

The comrades, having received the appropriate commands, transferred fire to the gates of the palace complex, from where the guardsmen and caribou ran out, and to the unlucky gold-armored ones in the cordon.

A few seconds later, the cordon was broken where it was scattered by fire and the crowd poured out of the square where the Space Marines were to land.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters

Equestria Fallen, the Crystal Empire.

Time 08: 14

Shining, who had been busy checking the armor and mounted shield generators, looked up from his work and put his head on the withers of Cadence, who was sitting side by side with him, feeling how hard it was for her now. And not because they had to land in the "reflection" of the Crystal Empire together with the guards and human soldiers.

Shining understood that Mi Amore felt the background coming from the desecrated Heart best of all. That monstrously distorted and mercilessly castrated emanation that once gave hope, joy and light, but now only bent to the ground and crushed the will.

"Honey, please put on your helmet. Don't torture yourself,"

"Shining... The sooner I can fully feel it, the sooner I will return this Heart to its original state. And I'd rather listen to his background on board the boat, and not on the ground, under a squall of spells on your shield,"

The white unicorn only pressed his wife closer to him, sharing warmth and giving support.

"My miracle, please don't exhaust yourself. I don't think humans will allow to keep my shield under a "squall of spells". Although I don't like their... methods, but now they will be very useful. Cadence, please,”

The pink alicorn snuggled closer to her husband, covering her eyes and allowing his love to support and warm her. The princess was going to argue no matter what, but the pilot announced a three-minute readiness.

Mi Amore sighed and gave the command to the armor to close the helmet. The suit obediently shifted the sections and tiles, enclosing Cadence's head under the strongest composite. The helmet unfolded an augmented reality image, showing in real time where there were friends and foes. The princess saw that a platoon of Mobile Infantry had already landed on the city-state and began moving towards the center.

A shrill trill sounded, and a red light flashed invitingly over the ramp. The boat resounded with the combined clatter of the Diamond Shields shifting their visors, an elite squad of the Crystal Guards that reported directly to Princess Cadence.

When the boat came to the agreed point, the princess was the first to jump off, leading her warriors. For as much as she hated the very idea of war, it was her duty now.

The pilot took the boat very close to the Spire, landing the Diamond Shields in the square occupied by the vanguard, some three hundred meters from the Heart, which pulsed with a painful dirty crimson light.

The vanguard of the "Shields" was entrenched, waiting for the arrival of the princess and held their positions under the sluggish attempts of the equin guards to do something. The attack was too sudden, ponies were on the streets too quickly, leaving no time for preparation, packing and response. And in addition, Sombra was now on the side of the attackers. Which even pony guards, clad in shielded spacesuits, had goosebumps on their spine. And for the crystal equins, the aura of the mage pressed with the full power.

A pony guard ran up to Cadence, who had jumped behind an improvised barricade of stalls and cafe tables on the square, reinforced by a pair of field generators.

"Princess! Senior Lieutenant Glimin Spear!"

"Report back,"

"So far everything is going well, we are shooting through the whole city, some of the districts are already under control. There are no losses among civil equins. Only the Spire has organized resistance. Two assault squads and Sombra are moving there. Two squads of Infantry have landed in the city and are ready to approach if something goes wrong,"

Cadence nodded, accepting her guardian's report. She looked around the square, where a few guardsmen were now calming the equins and equas, most of them shining with the bright skin of citizens of the Empire. One of the doctors, contrary to all instructions, opened the visor of the helmet so that it was perceived easier and calmer.

A pair of wounded equine guards, under the supervision of the crystal pony-shooter, were dragging several caribou corpses to a corner of the square. Even the crystal ponies did not spare these fanatics, shooting to kill.

Cadence materialized her crystal spear and threw it resolutely into the psycholink.

"We are moving to the Heart. Sergeant Ruby Shimmer and three of her subordinates are covering our rear and following us. "

Shining turned the field over the squad, synchronizing it with the suit generators and the crystal ponies moved towards the Spire.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.

Equestria Fallen, Canterlot.

Time 08:17

Noise, screams, shouts, panic hung over the square. The King is dead! The King has been killed!

No one could even imagine such a turn that it would be in broad daylight, surrounded by loyal officers and mighty warriors who were now lying next to the ruler, smitten by incomprehensible, frightening magic.

The guards' cordons could not hold the crowd. Snipers from the mountainside walked through the cordon, leaving bodies in golden armor with neat holes in their heads to cool on the cobblestones.

The crush and panic, gaining a critical degree in a matter of seconds, spilled out onto the streets. The square was rapidly emptying as the equins fled through the streets from what had killed Dainn and his entourage, several aristocrats in the crowd and walked a terrible clicking death on the guards who were trying to stop the panic.

"Pegasus escorts", in the chaos that arose, closed around the Sisters, snatching disruptor submachine guns "out of the air". The camouflage and protective fields of the earthmen have united, hiding them and the royal equas both from the eyes of others and from possible fire. At the same time, the bondage accessories flew off the Sisters as if they had been shot off when it was shredded by the telekinesis of the soldiers.

Luna looked equally pleased and wary of what was happening, stretching with pleasure her arms, numb from long immobility. Celestia just looked at the "golems" covered with dark gray armor with disbelief. One of the commandos raised his visor for a second.

"Your Highnesses! We are friends, we will explain everything later! Moving to the rows, to the tray with shields!"

The star-maned grinned at the slam of the closed helmet, glancing briefly at the armband with the sun and the crescent moon, clean, without chains lying on them, and nodded briefly.

"Got it. Come on, Tia! There's no time to argue!"

Covering the Sisters with a force field and themselves, the commandos dragged them towards the trade rows. Luna, casting a brief glance over her shoulder, saw that the aliens had left some kind of illusion, completely repeating their appearance, in the place where they had been standing before. Soldiers, on the other hand, led the Sisters in such a way that neither the equines, who fled from the square, nor the guards, who tried to somehow curb this chaos, did not collide with them and did not fly.

The guards and soldiers of Dainn, who ran out to the square on alarm, were met by the same shooters who destroyed the king and his retinue. Neither unicorn charms nor caribou rune shields helped against their razers. Equins and stags couldn't really understand where they were shooting from at all, and shock spells were grinding chimneys in vain and exploding in the attic windows.

Luna, on the run, slapped Celestia on the shoulder and laughed loudly.

"I told you something would happen today! Gentlemen, uh, guards, would you lend me a firearm?"

One of the men running from the rear, running backwards with casual ease, thrust a pistol into Luna's hand. Heavy, black and surprisingly comfortable.

"Thirty shots. The point on the glass is the hit point,"

The leading pair of commandos knocked over with telekinesis a tray with rune shields and in half a second folded them into an improvised barricade. Quickly seating the equas behind, and jumping in himself, one commented.

"Of course, it will not stand razer or gauss, but it will protect you from local scumbags. Plus our field,"

Already behind cover, leaning back against the boards of the overturned counter, Celestia finally protested.

"Luna! They're not friends! They also killed equins!"

"Traitors, Tia! Who tormented both our equas and us!"

"They're murderers!"

The dispute of the crowned Sisters was interrupted by a blue ray that struck from the zenith directly on the site behind the palace gates, where snipers clamped a detachment of guards and caribou. The monstrous power of the spell simply caused everything within a radius of fifty meters to disappear, leaving a mirror-smooth circle.

It was impossible for magical creatures not to feel such a blow. Celestia froze, staring in shock at Luna, whose aura was clearly felt in the spell. The star-maned shrugged her shoulders and tried to look out from behind the barricade, but the nearest soldier stopped her, giving her a handheld with a picture from a fiber camera. The white equa shook her head.

"Yes, you've always been good at disintegration..."

A supersonic shock rang out over the square and a blue comet crashed into a pen in the middle of the deserted slave trading rows with a dashing Afghan approach.

After her, Marines rained down from the sky, roaring with their engines after firing parachutes, and the Children of the Night, landing on their magical compensators almost noiselessly.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters

Equestria Fallen, Canterlot

Time 08:16

Minty Drops was even glad that she was now sitting in a solid paddock with the other ponies from the Dandelion Fields. The steel bars, which had previously plunged into apathy and despair, now seemed like protection, albeit conditional. A real doomsday was happening all around, which began with three dim gaps in the sky. The equines, who had crowded the square, now seemed to have gone mad, rushing about with screams. Minty didn't see what was happening at the exits from the square, but she understood that the cordon of guards had fallen when the crowd began to grow in front of her eyes. Only the slaves brought to the auction remained at their places, abandoned by their masters. Someone desperately tugged at the leash, someone succumbing to fear just shrank into a ball, someone looked at everything blankly.

A foal sitting on the back of the earth pony butted his forehead in the back of the head, drawing her attention to the already noticeable contrails in the sky.

"Mom! Mom! Look, look up! What's it? Big dandelions? What are they for?"

Drops, trying not to drop her son in a tightly packed pile of ponies, took a closer look.

Dozens of parachutes, similar in profile to a snowflake, were rapidly descending from the heights. There was a dot under each one, rapidly acquiring distinguishable outlines.

Minty remembered the stories of a familiar guard, how four of the same "snowflakes" fell on a pack of diamond dogs, with several shamans in it, and not a single robber left alive.

"This, son, is Marines..."

Seeing how the parachutes hang and begin to drift freely, and the black figures rush to the ground, Minty dropped the foal to the ground, lay down on top, covering herself, and tightly squeezed her eyes shut.

What happens after the shooting of the braking parachutes, the guardsmare told only under the "big glass". And the horror of what she saw then was clearly read in her eyes.

At the same time, Tacit Light, who had been staring in prostration from under the side of her stallion at how a bouquet of contrails bloomed from the zenith, slowly got up and put her front hooves on the grille, catching the landing parachutes with a mad look.

"Shoot! Hit for sure! I'm here! Shoot! Don't miss!"

Brass and Slicy tried to tear her away from the bars, but the pegasus clung unexpectedly tightly, screaming. Something broke in Tacit, hat she was now praying that those who came to help would not miss and cut off her torment. The deprivation of the Sky shocked pegasus so much that she did not want to continue a meaningless existence any longer.

There was a rock-crushing roar and whistle as the Space Marines braked before landing. Even before they crashed down with a heavy crash from ten meters in free fall, the air was filled with the pounding of shots and the barely perceptible hum of what humans had instead of magic.

The ponies covered their ears with their hooves, huddled together, feeling despair loosen its grip. And then a blue comet fell from the sky, bringing a warm sense of protection and the scent of lilac and cherry.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.

Equestria Fallen, Canterlot

Time 08:16

Enveloped in a plasma cocoon, Luna raced towards the Canterlot ledge, throwing herself from side to side with light movements of almost folded wings in order to prevent the enemy from aiming properly.

A few tens of kilometers from the capital and a few seconds of flight, the princess felt how the saboteurs in the city were highlighting a target for her. The dot stood out in the psychic background and reflected modulated radiation, which allowed not only consciousness but also automation to cling to it directly. The armor suit helpfully suggested the best course and time to attack, but Luna rejected the advice of smart armor. Even when it came to shooting from human weapons, she trusted her "North Star", but humans did not understand many of the subtleties of using combat magic.

Alicorn moved her wings slightly, dampening the speed and released a decoy spell that slid forward in an invisible clot, inspiring everyone who looks at it that this is the real princess.

Continuing to slow down, the Lady of Dreams transferred the energy of her movement into a disintegrating spell. Let the converted energy be small from the total volume, but the princess instantly extinguished the speed and left the previous trajectory.

After making sure that during those fractions of an instant, while the strike was being prepared, not a single civilian had time to enter the area illuminated by the soldiers, Luna released the spell. The blue ray licked the gates of the palace complex and about half a company of caribou and guardsmen trapped there by snipers on the slope.

And after the strike of the princess, a platoon of her personal guards and special forces led by Osinin fell on the castle. Flying into the windows, smashing obscene stained-glass windows, the fighters began to sweep the palace.

The fact that now Luna, with one effort of thought, cut off near a hundred lives, did not bother her. On the contrary, the closer the princess was to the ground and the lattice enclosure, the more her anger boiled. Savages who think with their own stallionhood and mutilate for fun, traitors who torture those for whom they should stand firmly. The greatest mercy for such is a quick death.

Alicorn's horn flashed dimly with another disintegrating spell, but this time aimed at the bars. A piercing blue ray, touching them, scattered into hundreds of thin streams, which scattered like a convolvulus along the rods and evaporated them. And the anger bubbling in her chest was picked up, transformed and poured into a new structure.

When the princess landed gently in front of the pony, a wave of power spread from her, pouring into the starved, crippled, desperate. And even though magical determination and cheerfulness were not eternal, especially for so many ponies, it was the best thing to do in battle.

Joyful exclamations, tears of relief and happiness, eyes lit up with the light of hope at this moment were more precious to the star-maned than all treasures. The way the ponies reached out to her, how trustfully they clung, looking for support and protection, thanking her for coming to the rescue, made her soul sing.

Luna pulled back the visor of her helmet, looking around at the fillies and stallions reaching for her. These were her subjects. They were the ones she was responsible for. These were the ones who needed her help and support.

Hearing heavy footsteps behind her and then the hum of portable shield generators being deployed by the Space Marines, the princess, allowing herself a momentary display of tenderness, knelt down, spreading her wings and hugging everyone she could reach.

"It's over, my little ponies. A ship will come for you and take you home soon. But we will stay here and avenge your suffering,”

After kissing on the forehead a gray filly, with two foals huddled at her feet, the princess briefly nodded to the Sisters of this Equestria who came up, accompanied by special forces and Children of the Night.

"Sisters-rulers. Please forgive our tactlessness, but our warriors are waiting for us. We will be glad to talk as soon as Canterlot is free."

"Sister ruler. I wish I could go with you now. Don't let your blade miss,"

Luna-pony and Luna-equa exchanged knowing grins. Pony slammed her helmet shut and jerked into the air, raising a small dust hurricane.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.

Equestria Fallen

Time 08:16

Sending telekinetic waves and deceptive spells ahead of them, the squad of the Children of the Night flew into the windows of the palace. The guards who found themselves in the corridor at that time did not understand what had happened, as they were cut off by razers and shock charms.

After a quick scan of the situation, the four guards dispersed along the walls in pairs and slid deep into the palace according to the plan. The armor, created jointly by pony masters and human engineers, in addition to excellent protection, allowed it to "stick" to any surfaces, which the Children of the Night were happy about. Few people look at the ceiling and walls in battle, which means that the first strike will belong to them.

And the faithful guards will not need more.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters

Equestria Fallen

Time 08:16

Feeling the boat begin to dive, Herdricks chuckled a little. After a few seconds, there will be an ejection and the fight will begin. The squad had to jump off in the Silverpine Hills area and knock out the occupiers and those who joined from the city.

Vetrov, who had studied the satellite images of the area, scattered action plans to the fighters and was now just catching the last seconds of calm. When the ramp opens, the corporal, along with everyone, will enter a combat trance and for a long time will stop worrying about anything other than completing the task. And now, judging by the slight smile, he watching the recording from Cantata concert in the House of Officers for the last time.

Hendricks was mentally reaching for his gift. Under the armored suit, on the same chain with the dogtag, hung a small blue feather, covered in a petal of transparent composite. A gift from Gracefull, made literally a day before departure. For luck, as equa said then.

A red lamp lit up above the ramp and servos hummed softly, revealing a sheet of armor. Closing their helmets, the Marines stood up, going into a trance state in which to fight. The corporal's command flashed through the psycholink.

"Coming out"

The morning Equestrian sky embraced a squad of soldiers. Moving away from the boat, the Infantrymen dispersed in a wide chain over the town, which supplied wood, some magic crystals from a small mine nearby, and a large amount of an incendiary mixture based on resin. The plant for its production was ordered to be captured as whole as possible so that its capacity could be used for the needs of the militia and the rebels.

Vetrov, Yang, Baelman, Gamayun and McFinnigan maneuvered towards the production workshops, fenced with a high mesh fence. The factory, located on the outskirts of the city, was not adapted to repel an air assault or any serious assault from the ground. All fences were built in such a way as to prevent getting out from the inside.

Opening the parachute and catching in sight the glow of the sentry on one of the towers, Winds threw into the psycholink.

"We are acting according to the plan, do not take caribou and overseers captive. Civilians should be silenced when resisting. Work with gauss carbines."

Huberman and Stanfield were gliding away from the city, toward one of the chain of hills encircling it. Too far away for Equestrians to shoot normally from them, but quite suitable for a Mobile Infantry sniper with his heavy razer rifle. The city, the territory of the plant and the approaches to it were shot from these positions well.

After shooting off the parachutes and slowing down with the engines, the sniper immediately turned on the disguise and ran away from the landing site for a couple of hundred meters, ending up on the edge of a neighboring hill. The shooter covering him is located nearby and slightly behind. Guberman froze like a statue, preparing to work.

Hendricks, Williams, Zhilin, Lazin and Khrunichev landed at the outskirts of the city, where the plasma gunner immediately gave a long burst at the guard barracks, in the psychophone of which there was no equas. The soldiers had to distract attention of the garrison and buy time for the group storming the factory. Then Yang and Gamayun will join them and the cleansing of the city itself will begin.

09.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters

Equestria Fallen, Cloudsdale.

Time 08:18

The boats pulled away over the cloud city and opened the ramps, releasing the pegasus.

Clad in heavy armor, the "Thunderbolts" rushed to the town hall, the cloud factory, the airship dock, shooting if they saw a local gold-armored guard or a caribou. Briefings with extracts of interrogations of caribou and recon data, the stories of several equas-pegasuses about the almost universal clipping of their wings, caused the pegasus stormtroopers a dull, silent black rage, which they now splashed out with razers and plasma.

The Wanderbolts, who arrived almost in full force, engaged in an air battle with their "colleagues" from the reflection and the local Cloud Guard alerted. The best flyers of both Equestria reflections converged on turns with each other, but the ponies had better equipment, training and a keen desire to put an end once and for all to slavery and predation, trying to spread like an infection. The pegasus razers hit accurately, sending opponents to the ground. The overseers of the weather teams they sprayed especially mercilessly, aiming plasma fire from boats at the amulets controlling the shrinking collars of the weather mares.

The Sky Blades, Cloudsdale's main combat units, were falling into the streets, preventing the Guardian Warriors from fortifying and barricading in houses. The sharp claps of their gauss carbines mixed with the glass ringing when the ponies switched clips to non-lethal "spell cartridges", if there was a guardsmare in a slave collar, or just a scared, obviously civilian equine or equa who decided to attack. Ponies did not know how to kill with the same cold-blooded ease as humans, and tried to save the lives of the enemy where it was possible without risking the operation.

Whistling engines, a platoon of Infantrymen landed on cloud bridges. Amulets enchanted by Equestrian unicorns allowed walking on clouds and could be recharged directly from the power systems of suits. The detachment, over-staffed with field medics, broke into fours, dispersing around the city, supporting the attacks of the "Thunderbolts" and capturing their own targets. Every second had a gauss carbine and the ringing of non-lethal shots was mixed with the sharp claps of regular, depending on who got into the sight. Before the start of the operation, the soldiers were ordered not to arrange a sweeping sweep among the Cloudsdale equines and to work more carefully where possible.

The boats, having landed the troops, stood in turns over Cloudsdale, waiting for target indications from assault groups and flyers, and broadcasting the disposition in the city.

Second insert, something about weapon

06.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters
Equestria
The time is 11: 34

Williams waved his hand around the surrounding shooting range, the targets in the distance, the rack with the prepared weapons, at which Vetrov was conducting last checks.
“So, we are in place, on the firing line. Fillady, does everyone remember the safety precautions?”

All five equas expressed the statement in one form or another. Hendricks, standing a little to the side, adjusted the medical bag on his belt.

Not all of the Canterlot freed were attracted by the idea of taking up arms, even if only for acquaintance. But five of them found some enough curiosity, some just determination.

Vibrant Aberration was attracted by the opportunity to "touch with her own hands" a sample of people's technologies.

Silver Radiance showed more academic interest, along the way asking if the shooting range was adapted for combat magic.

Velvet Cantata wanted to test the statement that shooting is good for relieving stress and helps to vent anger.

Frisky Riff was just for any loud and bright boiling, and then there is also the opportunity to shoot from a "fantastic" weapon.

Well, Willow Wisp came, it seems, out of pure curiosity, which is sometimes characteristic of cats. Maybe also to get on the nerves of the plasma gunner. Although the latter was in the "duty shift", hiding behind a psychomatrix and an armored suit.
“Okay, then let's start with a little acquaintance and a story about where what is,”

A hand in a massive armored glove hovered over the beam pistols and assault rifles lying side by side. Everything is made of dark gray metal, laconic and simple outlines. Above, below and on the sides of the "receiver" of assault rifles and pistols there were ribbed slats for installing additional modules. And the free space between the "picatins", as Williams called this fixture, was occupied by dull gray stripes of composite heat diffusers.
“These are X-ray lasers, razers, if short. The main weapons of Mobile Infantry and Space Marines. You see us constantly with them, who is on duty as Comrade Corporal and I, wearing an armored suit and a beam assault rifle, “beamer” if short. Who in the free shift usually carries only a pistol,”

The plasma gunner glanced approvingly in the direction of the "free" Hendricks, who also had a beamer hanging behind his back.
“X-ray weapons are relatively light, have neither recoil nor toss, but are prone to heat and it can be uncomfortable to shoot from army models at least without gloves. Powered by standard batteries, which come in three types - pistol, intermediate and rifle,”

Silver, who picked up a pistol from the table and tried on how it fits in her hand, raised her ears in surprise.
"Excuse me, Mr. Williams? You say army models of beam weapons... Does this mean that there are also civilian models exists?”
“Of course there are, and a lot. Different prices and quality, but they are sold freely. This is not a heavy weapon, so no permits and notifications from the authorities are needed,”
“I beg you, Herbert, get the permission even for a civil case for ten minutes. Yes, fillady, in Alliance society is completely fine with weapons,”
“I would say it differently... But I understand that we have very different cultures and what I think is madness is the norm of life for you,”

Silver, with some disappointment, put down the x-ray pistol that had not come to her hand. While Vibrant was studying the weapon with noticeable interest.
“Comrade Williams, is it possible to find literature on the principles of action somewhere?”
The plasma gunner nodded curtly, at the same time as the Aberration comm beeped.
“What was freely available was thrown over. Let's move on. Plasma weapons. My favorite,”

Herbert pointed to the pistols and carbines laid out in a row. More heavy and angular outlines than X-ray weapons, plasma models were distinguished by a "bar" appearance and clearly more weight.
“In principle, according to scientific terms, this is called a "directional ball lightning generator". It turned out to be easier to simulate this natural phenomenon than to try to launch plasma in the atmosphere "head-on",”

Frisky took a heavy, angular pistol, aimed at distant targets. But she did not put her finger on the trigger, remembering the morning briefing and the promised punishment for violating safety - suspension from any shooting.
“So, these things spit fireballs? Cool! I could use a couple of them at concerts. I'm kidding,”

Herbert did not move an eyebrow and continued to tell and show
“The recoil of plasma weapon is already there, and tangible. And it is desirable to put a compensator on some models. As you can see, this weapon is powered not from batteries but from charging cells that accumulate hydrogen or deuterium, if more power is needed. Also in pistols and plasma carbines there is a pistol battery, which acts as a starting energy source and recharges as it fires. If the weapon is in good condition and adjusted correctly, then it can almost never be changed. Yes, and so that there is no confusion - the plasma gun is what I am now with,”

The soldier patted the massive weapon, slung on his back.
“It is more powerful and longer-range, and also can not conduct a single fire, the "starter" in it is an intermediate battery. And plasma pistols or plasma carabins are what's on the table. Weapons for medium and short range, usually fired in short bursts or single shots. Fillady Velvet! Please wait, I'll get to that,”

With obvious effort, the pianist picked up a long rifle from the table. Unlike the previous types of weapons, there was also a battery socket and a window for a magazine with small pointed bullets, which now lay next to the sister of this rifle.
“You have taken, perhaps, the most intolerant weapon for beginners. Yes, this is a good old bullet rifle, but it has electromagnetic acceleration. It kicks like a prize-winning stalion, without a compensator it's not even easy for us to shoot,”

Vetrov took the rifle from Velvet and put it back on the table.
“Kinetic weapons are universal in use, reliable, cheap and quite common. For shooting, it requires standard batteries and superconductor bullets. No, you can't charge with pieces of nails. It will not explode, but it will work poorly and drain the battery very quickly,”

When he finished telling to equas about the small arsenal that was now laid out on the table, the plasma gunner smiled.
"And now, fillady, that why are we here. Take the barrel that is looking at you, ammunition for it and go to the border. We will make some holes in targets,”

Frisky, blurring in a satisfied smile, was the first to jump up to the table and grab a plasma carbine with a cell. She started to charging, but stopped, remembering the briefing. And, shining like a brand-new bit, she almost jumped to the line, where Vetrov tried to calm her down.

Velvet, saw Frisky off with a slight smile, and took an assault beamer with a battery. The pianist did not want to test the truthfulness of Williams's words about the recoil force of the initially attracted rifle on her shoulders.

Willow, who was not very interested in the weapon itself, hesitated for a second. And with a wide grin, she raised the kinetic pistol, the battery and the clip to him. Innocently batting her eyelashes, she purred to Herbert.
“Comrade Williams, will you back me up? I'm afraid of a strong recoil,”

The man flinched slightly. He remembered Willow too good.
“Fillady Wisp!”
“Yeeees?”

Hendricks coughed, drawing half-chngeling’s attention. The medic at that moment was not driven by jealousy, but by a banal desire to cover up a friend.
"Willow, please. We agreed,”
“What? I can’t make even a single joke? You're boring, Croaker,”

Vibrant snorted merrily as she watched Wisp goading Herbert and followed the example of Cantata. Red-maned one at that moment was possessed by pure scientific interest. She did not just want to see a razer shot, of which there were plenty on the night of liberation. Equa wanted to join this miracle of technology herself, even if it was created for war.

Silver was the last to approach the table. The sorceress pondered, weighing one or another weapon on her hand. Finally, she decided to start with a plasma pistol.

At the firing line, Vetrov and Williams checked the readiness of equas. Warned them that without permission, the weapon can not be loaded, even half, like a kinetic pistol.

The first, of course, went almost bouncing with impatience Frisky. The energetic pegasus quickly emptied the plasma gun cell in several bursts and rose from the foam, very pleased with the result. The roar of shots, the bright strokes of plasmoids, the smell of ozone acted on equa like New Year's fireworks on a foal.

Willow fired only one shot, then gave the pistol to Danil and said, that she would try something else, but later. The Corporal shrugged his shoulders, stood a little to the side of the Vibrant preparing to shoot, and fired the entire clip at the target without even twitching.

Aberration seemed to enjoy the process. Vibrant seemed to want to understand and feel from and to all the processes taking place in the beam. So the battery was enough for her for a long time. When the battery ran out, equa touched the forearm from all sides with her hand and grunted in surprise.
“I thought it would be hotter. Or is it because I was shooting slowly?”

The plasma gunner gave red-maned a hand, helping her to get up, accepted and discharged the weapon.
“Yes, the beamers are heated mainly in intense fire. When the battery is quickly dropped off, the recuperator can not cope with the amount of heat and it goes to the radiator,”

Velvet, before perching on her knee at the turn, asked if it was possible to give the targets at least the silhouette of a caribou. Vibrant shivered and said that she would wait on the sidelines while the pianist spits out her anger. Cantata muttered something unintelligibly through her teeth, while the Corporal was picking at the target field settings on the comm. After a few seconds, Vetrov said that he had downloaded a full simulation program, not only of the appearance but also of the behavior when hit. And he advised to shoot in the stomach.

A couple of minutes later, Velvet stood up with a wide, furious smile. Equa was shaking a little with adrenaline, her eyes glittered almost feverishly. Giving the weapon to Vetrov, the pianist expressed a desire to make another approach with each type of weapon later. It's a painfully pleasant sight, even if it's virtual.

Silver, who was watching how Cantata take her rage away, was surprisingly calm. It was as if she understood that the pink maned was shooting at inanimate targets. Or the sorceress was not at all touched by death of caribou.

Radiance, taking the pistol stance that she had spied a few minutes earlier, announced that she was ready to shoot. But sorceress asked to return the neutral appearance to targets.

The sorceress did not like the plasma pistol, it turned out to be too heavy and difficult to hold. Especially if you hold it with one hand, leaving the other free for magic. So for the next call, Silver decided to take a x-ray pistol

A couple of hours passed. All the batteries were depleted, cells and clips were empty. Equas, in general, were satisfied with the time spent.

Silver compared the capabilities of humans weapons and her spells, which she had wanted for a long time. And now she was seriously thinking about buying her own x-ray gun.

Vibrant held in her hands and tested in action a sample of technologies that did not give her peace of mind.

Cantata wonderfully took her anger away at caribou targets and left the shooting range with the face of a cat that had eaten too much cream. Vetrov looked at her with a mixture of apprehension and tenderness.

Frisky was satisfied with the bright and loud "blasters". And when Williams, yielding to her persuasions and plaintive eyes, gave a long qburst at the targets, she jumped and clapped her hands at all. And she expressed a desire to come and shoot again.

Well, Willow was just pleased with the company of friends and her medic, with whom she left the shooting range under the elbow.

Hendricks, who had Whisp clinging to his shoulder, was glad that there were no injuries today.

Rise and shine, comrade general!

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 03: 00

The military attache was awakened by an alarm. How many of them there were in his life-and not to mention. Only here he didn't expect to hear it.

Jumping out of bed, the man reflexively pulled on an armored suit instead of the usual "parquet" form and threw a disruptor gun behind his back. Five seconds after the first trill, the attache received an incoming call.
“Osinin.”
"General, there's a distress signal from Dandaline Fields. No clear message, a couple of shouts, and then an automatic beacon."
"Who was sent?"
"A group from the Baltimare garrison has flown out. The Aurora was supposed to arrive, but something is keeping them from teleporting."
"Report back if we know anything. No. Send the group's report to me directly."

The man turned off the headset, returned the weapon to the rack, and ran to report.

The princesses will definitely not like it.

Luna, who had previously been interrupted from her nightly meditation by the same report, was not happy about Osinin's visit either. But she immediately called an operational council in her chambers, summoning the captain of her guard and apparently pulling out of bed with her magic a disheveled and blinking Twilight Sparkle.

A burly thestral came out of the deep shadows against the wall, bowed to the Luna, and sat down at the table. The General opened his laptop and opened the comm window. The search party, which had already arrived at Dandelion Fields, was relaying the bleak news.
"There are no civilians in sight, no enemy, and the village has been looted."

The hologram above the table show images of a ruined village and infantrymen searching at houses, nooks and crannies.

Each creature in the chamber watched and singled out his own.

Luna could see that the attackers had left no one dead or wounded. This gave hope for the rescue of her pony and same time worryed her.

Blood Wing and Osinin noticed that the attackers acted quickly and confidently, catching Dandeline Fields off guard. Also, they see, technical development of invaders was low, when the frame briefly show incendiary arrow fallen into the pond and extinguished.

Twilight closed her eyes, reaching out with her perception and mind to the distant village. Traces of magic felt like nothing she known. And somewhere a little further away from village, there was an anomaly that made princess'd mane stand on end. It was as if the fabric of the world, usually smooth and solid, had buckled and torn.

"Princess Luna! There's a portal near the village. From where it is unknown. I need to get there right away! Then I can learn more about where the invaders came from."

Confirming her words, the commander of the inspection team cut in.
"Five kilometers to the west, the boat has picked up something, that looks like a dimensional breakout, and I'm sending a couple of soldiers to inspect the site."

Luna forbade Twilight to jump anywhere and ordered her to search the area with available forces.

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 03: 22

The pilot drive his boat in slowly widening circles over the looted village. Almost over the tops of the trees, almost catching them with the bottom and suspensions on the turns.

But neither the navigator's senses nor the alert instruments had detected anything unusual yet, except for a "breakout" a few kilometers away. The pilot had already requested permission to inspect the anomaly, but was refused, and two infantrymen were sent instead.

In the dark sky, two bright blue dots quickly rose from the glow of the fire. Soldiers turned on their jump packs to get to the place faster.

The pilot took the handle on himself, climbing a hundred meters higher. And then the navigator, who was in the "nirvana" of neural connection, sent a message. The image penetrated right into his mind and unfolded.

Direction. Range. The amount of manpower. The nature of the luminosity. Reach for weapons.
""Bullfinch" to the center. I detected a mass of manpower thirty kilometers from the village. Permission to inspect?"

A velvety, bone-chilling voice came over the earphones. It seemed that even the air in the helmet smelled of lilac and bird cherry.
""Bullfinch", permission to inspect. If you see any of our subjects, report immediately."

The pilot swallowed. Communication with Alicorns, if you do not muffle the feelings in time, is not easy even through the radio. Fortunately, General Osinin intervened after that.
"Take four infantrymen and Night Guards and go to the noticed mob. If there are civilians there, evacuate them. If not, report back,"

The boat quickly dived to the ground and hovered half a meter away, cheerfully opening the ramp. Four infantrymen and four saber-horns jumped on board, and the boat immediately jumped up to the level of the treetops.

Again, almost catching the leaves, the boat flew forward. The gravity engines made no sound, only the wind whistled softly against the hull. The pilot switched the weapon control to the "On" position, just in case.

The cluster of glows quickly approached and it was already possible to distinguish individual ones. The navigator did not leave the neural connection, collecting and processing the flow of information.

No sooner had the first turn over the incomprehensible bivouac for a hundred souls been completed, than a report from the connected navigator came to everyone sitting in the boat.

"Luminosity of unknown type, similar to the footprints in the village. 100-120 infantry units. Civilians have been spotted, possibly abducted from the village. Fifteen glows. Located closer to the center of the camp."

"Center to "Bullfinch". Get the civilians out and leave. Use of weapons at discretion."

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 03: 34

The lieutenant of the Night Guard glanced briefly at the view screen. Under the boat was a camp for a hundred spears, where there were several captive ponies, which were ordered to be pulled out.

There was a short beep in his helmet, and the layout of the camp, built by the navigator and the sensors of the machine, was laid out on the glass. As lieutenant turned out, the prisoners were located very tightly, apparently next to the commander's tent.

Saberhorn checked the snap of the talons, then unfolded and folded the back-mounted manipulator with the razer. He shivered as the magic booster in his armor kicked in.

His comrades and infantrymen checked their weapons and equipment for the last time before landing.

The red lamp above the ramp lit up.

Four guardians and four infantrymen leaped out into the night, dimly lit by the dying fires.

It was time to return the favor for Dandelion Fields.

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 03: 33

Strawberry Jam didn't consider herself a brave pony. The unicorn didn't even go far into the woods without a communicator and a medical kit. Not that they were useful, but it was safer that way.

And now she leads the terrible intruders in the direction of remote swamps. Where even guardy and human's soldiers try not to come without urgent need. If Berry was going to be lost, at least she wouldn't let the other ponies get hurt.

Jam didn't understand, how it happened. She remembered waking up in the night to screams and bangs. She jumped out into the street, blinded by the fires, ran without understanding the road, and suddenly felt a hard noose around neck. Then there was blissful darkness and a shout that woke her.

Strawberry would like to forget what happened next. She'd really like to. It was disgusting, scary, and disgusting again, when she agreed to lead the "deertaurs" to another nearby village.

But apparently, Heavenly Sisters heard her prayers, and pony found the strength to change the route a little. Jam decided, that even if she was lost, even if her horn was cut off, she would not allow these monsters to harm anyone.

Strawberry saw what they did with mares they brought with them. Changed by strange magic, crippled, broken.

But despite the horrors of the night, there was a glimmer of hope in her heart. Maybe the Guard is already rushing here? Were silent, fluid shadows about to fall from the dark sky? And thestrals in enchanted armor will protect, hide, take away from this nightmare?

Could it be that, the human spaceships had spotted the fire, or even seen what was happening in the Dandeline Fields from orbit? And now, their fearsome, heavily armed soldiers are on their way here, to push invaders back into the night?

After all, both the Guard and the army are needed to help ponies in trouble. Isn't that right? Is this right?

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 03: 34

The sleep of the camp was broken by the whistling of the suit engines as the infantrymen braked close to the ground. At the same moment, the plasma gun snarled and there were sharp pops of razer hits. The ringing bursts of under-barrel guns and the thud of incendiary grenades mingled with the hum and clang of psychostrikes.

The confusion was instantaneous, and the air was filled with the screams of those who had been shot, cut up by shrapnel, and burned alive. What kept the aliens from panicking, apparently, was the experience of fighting and the fact that there were only four infantrymen and the shooting was not as dense as it could have been.

Strike spells flew towards the humans almost immediately. Inaccurate and rare, because of the chaos created by soldiers and the commander's tent behind them. As well as instant retaliatory shooting at the noticed spellcasters.

Under cover of the shock of the sudden attack and the human fire, the Night Guards rushed to the command tent and the leash, where a few magic-altered and startled mares huddled together. The infantrymen, providing a safe rear, shot with long bursts, especially the plasma gunner, who literally pinned the "deertaurs" to the ground with fierce.

Two guardspony instantly cut the leashes with magic, simultaneously lit the horns and sent the mares to the safe boat.

The second pair of saber-horns met half-naked commanders of the deertaurs, who jumped out of the tent, with paralyzing spells. Deers did not have time to understand anything, did not even really notice the guards, because of their reflexes, trying to find an opponent of their own height

Guards, who had earlier teleported fillies to the boat, flew into the tent, shrouded in a canopy of invisibility. Inside were two modified ponies and an intact unicorn. All three of them stared at the Saber-horns blurred silhouettes, their eyes wide with horror. But the pony's face showed relief and joy when she realized who had stumbled into the tent, before she being teleported to the protection of the "Bullfinch"s armor

Once on the boat with the rescued fillies and the captivated deers, saberhorn barked into the headset.

"Civilians aboard, stand down!”

Two his comrades appeared in a dim flash, and the infantrymen flew into the ramp one by one with a whistling of engines

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.
Time 03: 37

As the last soldier jumped on board, the pilot abruptly threw machine to the side and up, avoiding spells flying from the ground. The boat's shield hummed under the occasional hits, but it didn't sink much.

“"Bullfinch" to center, civilians aboard, we're leaving”

“Very well. How many were saved?”

“All the fifteen ponies that were there. But all of them, except one... You'd better see for yourself, Your Highness, and I'll send you the video. I don't have words to describe it.”

“We'll arrange for the healers and arrive at spaceport ourselves. Hurry up, "Bullfinch"”

The pilot turned on the speakerphone and relayed that the boat was beginning to accelerate and enter suborbit, final destination is Canterlot. After that, pilot glanced briefly at the tactical screen as he put the boat on its trajectory. Two attack boats moving toward the camp, already well astern. And in front of them appeared one after another markers of missiles and rapid flashes of plasma bunches.

The bill for Dandeline Fields was almost paid.

01.11.20... from the Accession of the Sisters.

Time 03: 41

Corporal Vetrov closed his eyes. The hostages were released, the captives were taken, and no one of his people was killed. The operation was successful.

The condition of the pony, however, was disconcerting. Only one mare left... A mare. As many as fourteen had taken on the appearance of strange human-pony hybrids. Head, tail, and hooves on the legs be "ponysh", with the rest of the human body.

The sight of which, took breath away, even a soldier’s, who had seen something in his life.

How anyone can even hursh and torturing such sweethearts, and even more, drag them on a combat campaign? It was completely incomprehensible for Corporal.

An attempt to this question one of the captured “deertaurs” about this led only to a torrent of curses and threats from him. After that, deer received a hit in the gut from the nearest infantryman and a few rounds of duct tape from the ship's supplies on his muzzle.
"Ha, "King Dainn." And we'll get him too, don't worry. In the meantime, sit and think about your behavior.”

Plasma gunner sat back in his seat and strapped himself in.

The mares watched this closely, almost spellbound. Someone almost with horror, someone with interest, someone calmly, like seemed, paying more attention to the interior of the boat.

Corporal really wanted to smoke. Vetrov wouldn't dare go near fillies, knowing how sensitive they are to tobacco smoke. But his hands pulled the crumpled pack out of his frame pocket and put a cigarette between his teeth. Okay, let it hang, at least comfort him with the smell, he decide.

From the nirvana of tobacco aroma, he was brought back by the soft voice of one of the altered mare.
"Oh... can I have a cigarette? Please, mis... hmm,”
"Oh, you welcome, take it. But, if your friends do not smoke, please wait until landing,”
""Friends?" Such as I am "black", is not a friend for a good red collared. So i let them poison themselves with me,”

Catching the reproachful gaze of the real unicorn, the changed mare sighed.
"Oh... I'm sorry, little one. I'll wait until we arrive,”
"Would it really help you calm down?”
"Yes. A little, but still,”
"Then I think I can be patient, “

The altered one smiled thsankfully to pony and pressed the lighter button. She shushed her when its misfired and finally lit a cigarette. She inhaled with pleasure under the half-frightened, half-judgmental glances of the other unfortunate mares. She coughed and exhaled a puff of smoke.
"The first cigarette for how long? I don't remember. Thank you, uh ... ahem... Thanks,”
"Danil or better, comrade Corporal. What does red and black mean?”
"Velvet Cantata. Look at our collars and you'll understand,”

The soldier glanced sideways at the Cantata sitting next to him. On the chiseled neck sat a wide "collar" of black color. The same bracelets are on her wrists and ankles. Thick, with snaps and lugs for obvious purposes. And the slight scuffs of the fur and skin under them suggested that the mare wears this for a long time. For a very long time.
"They're scum, these deer. What have they done to you at all?”
"Caribou. But I agree completely...”

Velvet was silent for a long time. The cigarette was half burned in her fingers, but the mare ignored it. Her face contorted in anger, her ears flattened, and the first moisture glistened in her eyes.

The altered one, sitting across from her, shivered and whispered.
"Don't, do it, Velvet. Don't, do it, you'll be punished,”

The second deer, who had been silent until then, gave an unpleasant grin.
"You're getting bolder, mare... Are you sure there's a reason?”
Plasma gunner barked.
"There's still plenty of ducttape. Dont open your mouth on her,”

Finally, Cantata chuckled.
"I'm sure, Hurrin...”

When the filly called his name, the caribou froze. He flexed his jaw, but didn't say anything, remembering about the angry plasma gunner and the ducttape.

And the Cantata continued.
"Do you really want to know, soldier? Do you want me to tell you how all the equas used as slaves for years? How was I personally raped all day long? By the crowd!? Do you want me to tell you in detail!?”

If the look could kill, Danil would not have been saved by his "Granite" or even a plate of starship armor, so much rage was in the Velvet’s eyes. But the lieutenant of the Night Guard came to the rescue of the hapless infantryman.
"Fillady Velvet, Corporal Vetrov meant why do you have a body structure similar to his and not mine,”

Changed glared at the saberhorn, but relaxed a little as she took another deep drag. She wiped her eyes.
"Why? I was born like this... Just like any other equa,”
"Princess Luna will be waiting for us when we arrive. You should have told her about it,”
Cantata sighed and looked for a place to put the steer.
"And the princess is free... A wonderful world... Blessed One,”

Vetrov carefully handed the coffee filly a half-empty sigaret pack. Cantata looked at him intently, but accepted gift. The corners of the filly's lips twitched slightly.
"Am I that scary, Danil?”
"Scary, Velvet. Until uhm... A very,”
Across from Vetrov, saber-horn snorted.
"And you're not afraid to jump off in the middle of a hundred snouts in the middle of the night, are you?”
"Don't care at all! The brothers are nearby, we have razer guns, we have hardsuits, we will break through it! And what should I do now!?”

Vetrov shrugged his shoulders as far as the seat belts would allow. As Cantata lit another cigarette, a small but noticeable smile touched her lips.

The pilot announced that there were five minutes left before landing. And he asks passengers to finish off their cigarettes and not to unfasten their seat belts.