Author's Note

Я ебал этот ваш фимфикшен, он глючит на 15 тысяч слов блять. Поэтому я поделил первую часть пролога на две части. Благодарю за понимание
translation:
Due to problems with the publication of this part of the prologue, we decided to divide it into two separate parts.

I repeat, the author's staff is looking for an assistant who can bring the text into a readable state.

Prologue. Part 1/6. Another World

So the two sisters maintained balance in their kingdom and among their subjects: ponies of all breeds and colors. But as the years passed, the younger sister harbored a grudge. During the day, the ponies frolicked and played under the rays of the bright sun, did not hide and slept during her beautiful night. And the fateful day came when the younger sister refused to lower the moon from the sky, preventing the dawn from coming. The older sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the heart of the younger one turned her into a fierce mistress of darkness - Nightmare Moon. She swore that she would envelop the world in eternal darkness. The elder sister had to resort to the most powerful of the known forces of magic — the Elements of Harmony. With the help of the power of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister and banished her to the moon forever. The elder sister began to manage…
General Strasse reading aloud was interrupted by the nearby Sturmbannfuhrer Heinrich Koenig, who clearly did not share the General's fascination with Equestrian mythology.

June 1966. Reichskommissariat Equus, the new fortress "Skulls". Elevator.

''Herr Totenkopf, personally, it seems to me that a person… Ahem, a general with your fame should not get carried away with such myths and legends...'' Koenig said with slight fear and contempt, staring at the elevator doors.

''Don't worry, Herr Koenig, I'm trying to find ways how we can resist them. In addition, do not forget that all these "myths and legends" of Equestria are real phenomena, and disregard for them is simply unacceptable," Strasse replied cryptically, closing the book and putting it in his saddlebag.

''I'm sorry, Herr Strasse. I probably should have realized that it's none of my business, but don't you think that as long as an ordinary pony can be killed in the ways we know, we have nothing to fear? Yes, your knowledge of Equestrian magic allowed you to exterminate the spirits of Windigo, but still I trust the usual methods...'' the officer replied dryly, without taking his eyes off the doors.

''We have no need to exterminate the enslaved population, as long as we get magic, knowledge and resources from Equestria. But I am stressed by the threat of the rebels, who are rapidly gaining momentum, which is why we need ways by which we can exterminate them without destroying everything and everyone,'' the general replied, looking at how the elevator doors began to open. Another second — and he left it, heading straight down the corridor, moving closer to the topic. ''So that… What is her condition? You know very well who we are talking about, Herr Koenig.''

''She's in the torture room, in good health...'' The officer said, following him.

''Who could doubt it? But I need to know more… Did you do everything according to the instructions?''

''Yes, a week before the daring rebel attack, we transferred her to your fortress, and we pulled her out of chrysal'ds three days ago, on your first order. She was undergoing therapy with an increased dosage of medications, in accordance with her, um, large size... Doctors believe that her mental and physical abilities have been successfully restored. Now she's ready for questioning,'' Koenig explained in more detail, stopping at the door they needed.

''How would you assess her condition as a whole, Herr Koenig?'' Strasse asked with interest, looking at the door needed.

''She looks like an excited child who can't connect even a couple of words, and is afraid of every rustle.'' he answered immediately and with concentration.

''Hmm-m-m… Let me conduct the interrogation without your intervention...'' Strasse said, opening the door with telekinesis.

''Jawohl, herr Strasse!''

Entering the interrogation room and closing the door behind him, General Wilhelm Strasse first looked at the two guardsmen at the entrance and at the torture chair to which she chained...

***

Six years before that. Equestria is familiar to us

"A long time ago, the magical land of Equestria was ruled by two sisters. Together they created harmony throughout the kingdom. The elder sister used her magic horn to make the Sun rise every morning, and the younger sister made sure that the Moon shone at night. This was the only way the sisters could maintain harmony in their country between all the ponies. But over time, the younger one began to change. Thanks to the care...”
Luster read without taking her eyes off the paper, as if the text interested her very much, and she was reading it for the first time. Luster's serene pastime could have lasted until the evening, but suddenly the library doors opened broke this silence, which caused the unicorn to drop the book from her hooves with fright and almost fell off her chair herself. The book fell to the floor with a thud, and Luster looked at the intruder of silence.

Twilight Sparkle Castle. Ponyville. A beautiful summer day.

Luster, with a tired look with wrinkles and bags under her eyes, looked at Starlight, who, with a wide smile on her face and a stack of books in an aura of a delicate mint color hovering nearby, went into the library with curtained windows and the only light source in the form of a dim candle standing on the table. Starlight was followed by a thoughtful Sunburst, who was skeptical about the state of Luster and the library. Starlight's wide smile instantly disappeared and she tried to reason with Luster, breaking an unspoken vow of silence.
“Luster, you are reading this book for the fifth time, without leaving the library for the second day!” Starlight looked at Sunburst, puzzled. “Have I told you I'm worried about her?”

"Is this all because of Twilight's errand? Even you weren't so worried about it during your training..." Sunburst joked, for which he was rewarded with a contemptuous look from Starlight, which instantly disappeared when she turned to Luster.

"Luster, I beg you, don't worry about this! You won't be able to find friends..." then Starlight quietly added, "Or a friend..." turning around again and lifting her leg, she continued: "You should go out in a pony and try to talk to someone at least! Think about what Twilight would do in your place!"

Luster continued to look at the intruders with displeasure, for a second it seemed that she had fallen asleep, but then she lifted the book with the help of telekinesis and shook it off with a hoof, and only then did Starlight's words reach her.
"What would she do..." she fixed her gaze somewhere to the side and, having come to a conclusion and literally revived, cried out: "Exactly! She would have created a plan! Thank you, Starlight and Sunburst!"

Luster threw the book on the table and jumped up. Running up to the desk and opening the drawer, she prepared to take a stack of papers, but then stopped and thought: "And in what situation would she do it?".

Sunburst intervened and approached Luster, putting his hooves on her shoulders and trying to stop her:
"Wait… In another way! Think about it, you already have friends! I, Starlight, am the same Princess Twilight and her friends!"

Luster took a step back, breaking out of the grip, which almost caused Sunburst to fall, and then she sat back down in her seat, resting her head on the table, drearily responding to Sunburst's attempt at suggestion:
"No… Twilight demanded to find friends not related to you or her..."

"So, maybe we'll go to the Friendship School? I'm sure you'll find a friend or girlfriend there!" there was no limit to Starlight's enthusiasm, but her face twisted a little when she saw the chewed cupcake molds with the remains of these cupcakes. "Wait, are these the cupcakes that Pinkie Pie gave you?"

"Yes... but their crust is very strange - hard and tasteless… But I have nothing to do at the Friendship School… It hurts too much..." she didn't have time to finish because Sunburst opened the curtains with the help of telekinesis with the exclamation "It's time to let the light into this room!" Luster squeezed her eyes shut and muttered in a pitiful voice: "Please leave me alone..."

"Well, no! It's time for you to come with us!" a stack of books that hovered in the aura flew up to the table, and then the aura dissolved and the same aura appeared around Luster, lifting her from the table and forcing her to soar after the departing Sunburst and Starlight.

"Yes, you're kidding..." exhaling dissatisfaction and relaxing, realizing that there is nothing you can do now, Luster said.

***

Some time later. Friendship School

Sunny weather stood over Ponyville and the Friendship School, where the school day had just ended, but the students were in no hurry to run away, enjoying communication with other creatures and a pleasant summer day. It was perfect for everyone except Luster, who had not slept for the second day, spending all this time rereading the same book. The surrounding people looked skeptically and with pity at the Luster floating in the magical aura, some even found something funny about it, but meanwhile the trio came to the door of the school.

“Starlight, can you let me go?” Luster asked with obvious displeasure, not even trying to move in the magical aura.

“Yes, exactly...” scratching her mane and laughing uncomfortably, Starlight apologized and slowly lowered the Luster to the ground, removing the aura.

A pink unicorn with a dissatisfied and tired expression slowly got up on her hooves and dusted herself off, looked at Starlight, who stood in front of the entrance and, stretching out a hoof in her direction, began the story:
“Welcome to the Princess Twilight Sparkle Friendship School!”

“Well, what's the point? I know all about this damned school!.. What will my teacher say at all when she finds out that I am wandering around some Friendship school instead of doing her errand?” then she thought again and was horrified “What if she gets disappointed in me? He will understand that I am not capable of carrying out such a simple task..." she began to whimper, pressing herself to the ground and clutching her head with her hooves, going over all possible options for the outcome of the event. It is possible that this rampage was also affected by lack of sleep and the strain exerted by the inability to fulfill the princess's errand.

"She reminds me of Twilight in those moments when she started to sparkle," Sunburst grinned, but he definitely could not expect that instead of a remark, his punishment would be a saddlebag with Starlight's textbooks, which she would throw at his head. Lying on the floor and catching the most contemptuous look of Starlight, he muttered, smiling awkwardly: “Sorry, I couldn't resist…”

Exhaling and rolling her eyes, Starlight helped Luster to get back on her hooves and tried to comfort her:
“Luster! Princess Twilight trusts you completely and will be only too happy when she finds out that you are looking for friends at her school!” Starlight smiled a little in order to convey her mood to Luster.

“Yes... you're right...” having calmed down, Luster exhaled, looking simultaneously with a positive attitude and a slight fear at the doors of the friendship school, which opened in front of them with the help of Starlight telekinesis.

Luster, with some apprehension and distrust, examined the hall of the school, in which students were peacefully communicating with each other, and someone was in a hurry to go about their business. Among the visitors were various creatures from all over Equestria. Students, parents and teachers calmly conducted conversations and discussions in various circles, but during a walk through the hall, most of the creatures waved their hooves and paws in greeting to the director of Starlight and Luster, who was walking uncertainly behind.

Starlight noticed Osellus, who peacefully hovered over the floor and, chirping her wings, enthusiastically watched the younger group of students playing, who were under the supervision of their parents. Turning around and seeing Starlight running up to her, she descended to the floor and folded her wings under her shell.
“Hi, Starlight!” she greeted in a soft pleasant voice and asked the question that interested her: “Didn't you have business in Canterlot?”

"Trixie... Trixie has business in Canterlot... and she ran off without telling me!" - Starlight monotonously remarked, and then moved closer to the topic: - And yes, hello, Osellus. You have seats in the classroom, don't you? She turned back with interest to look at Luster, who was still looking around warily.

Osellus had the right to believe that her answer could make Starlight angry, or she was just afraid of offending everyone.

"I'm sorry, Starlight, but I've finished my classes for today..." she raised her head back and smiled nervously, waiting for Starlight's reaction.

In fact, Starlight's reaction was surprise, not anger.
"Is it three-thirty already?" Starlight asked, looking around the room for a watch.

"Yes, but don't worry! You can ask the "Seekers of insignia" ... Maybe they still have lessons left..." Osellus spread her wings and apologized: - Sorry, Starlight, I promised to help Silver Stream! Bye-ah! - flying away, Osellus stretched out, waving her hoof.

Starlight waved after her with a puzzled expression and said sadly:

Starlight buried her hoof in her muzzle and barely intelligibly said
“Until...” then she thoughtfully muttered to herself: “And where do I even look for "Seekers...?" Turning around once more, she caught sight of a brown stallion intending to address her, but bounced back from a sharp U-turn.

“Excuse me, Director Starlight?” Still, he said it with the characteristic manner of speech peculiar only to aristocratic ponies. “I was told that you can help with one question.”

“Yes, but not now... contact the school counselor or my deputy!” Starlight replied, walking around the pony and smiling flatteringly.

“Your deputy is not in place, and there is no news from the adviser at all! And there's a queue outside your office!” indignation began to be felt in his voice.

Starlight buried her hoof in the muzzle and barely said clearly:
“So that Trixie would leave somewhere at least once more without warning me...” she removed her hoof and answered, trying to maintain composure. “Yes, I'll be right there!” at the same time, she noticed several ponies standing at the door to the director's office, looking around wearily and perplexed.

When the pony tried to show something or say something, Starlight had already moved away from him and returned back to Sunburst and Luster, with the second leading a lively discussion with a pony she did not know.

"How lovely! You've become friends!” closing her eyes with happiness and the realization of victory over the isolation and fear of Luster, Starlight said, approaching them.

“Oh, no… We just bumped into each other... ”Luster replied with an awkward laugh.

“Watch where you're going, you clumsy!” Pony snapped and went about her business, throwing a bag of textbooks.

Such an answer did not have the best effect on Luster, but Starlight was rather surprised by such a response from a student of the Friendship School. Starlight frowned after her for a while, then walked up to Sunburst and, pointing to the queue in her office, gave him an assignment in a tired voice:
“Just take her to the library… I have a lot to do right now, and Luster needs help…”

Sunburst realized a simple truth:
“Exactly! In the library she will find new friends of her interests!” lifting a hoof, he declared, to which Starlight smiled with peace of mind and went to her office.

“Well, what's the point of dragging me from one library to another?” Luster asked, having once again lost hope of success in her business and training.

“Okay, let's go already,” pushing Luster, Sunburst said, simultaneously voicing his thought: “Think about how many students go to the school library! How many friends in your hobbies can you find there!”

"That's not what they go to the library for..." Luster remarked, striding to her destination with displeasure.

Luster had been here more than once, so the neat rows of bookshelves and the cozy atmosphere, which included tea tables and sofas with carpets, did not surprise her a bit. They walked deeper into the room, while Luster tried to keep up with Sunburst. The library visitors looked friendly, but she was still afraid of them, without knowing why.

Sunburst put his saddlebag on the table and took out a stack of papers, pens and ink from it, simultaneously giving a parting word to Luster:
“Believe me, the best thing you can do now is to join some reading group and discuss interests with them...” Luster took a few hesitant steps towards a group of students engaged in reading, among whom were both ponies, werewolves and hippogriffs. “Well, you go, and I have a lot of paperwork…”

“Maybe I'll go back to the castle after all?” turning around abruptly, she asked in a pitiful voice.

“Luster, I'll tell you honestly that Starlight is very, very worried about you… And now is the time when you need to worry about her condition and about...” Sunburst interrupted Luster:

“Yes, you're right, but it's just...” the smile faded from her face when she realized that it was she who needed it, and Starlight was suffering because of this, and her prevarications only aggravated her guilt. “Okay, I'll do it...” she confidently stepped towards the students, which from the outside would look ridiculous if at least someone was looking at her.

“Good luck, Luster” Sunburst waved his hoof, buried in the papers.

The thought flashed through Luster's mind that she was definitely not ready for this and she needed more theory, but the further she postponed it, the higher was the chance that the princess would notice the neglect of her errands. On the other hand, a new theory could help Luster with this, and she promised herself that no matter what, as soon as she was ready, she would start looking for friends herself. Looking around, she noticed a secluded place for reading, located behind the bookshelves… It remained only to find the right books and get the right knowledge…

***

A few hours later. The same library

It's been less than two hours since Princess Twilight Sparkle lowered the sun and raised the moon. Meanwhile, Starlight entered the dark library with a lamp hovering in a magical aura nearby. The school, as well as the library, was already closed, but Starlight could not find Luster, who was supposed to be looked after by Sunburst, who was peacefully dozing at the moment at the table surrounded by scribbled papers and an extinguished candle.
"Sunburst..." Starlight's voice broke the silence, but the answer to it was the unintelligible mooing of the sleeping Sunburst. "SUNBURST!" this time she shouted, thereby waking him up.

"Aahhh! No, what? I'm not sleeping, no! he exclaimed, jumping up in his chair half asleep. "Starlight..." he noticed and calmed down.

"Have you seen Luster?" she asked in a tired voice, yawning along the way, but then she heard a strange snoring, and the need for an answer disappeared.

"Hmm, I don't know… Maybe she's..." Sunburst paused, letting Starlight put forward her suggestion about this, but she had her own plans.

"No, it's something else… And I can even guess where she is," turning her ears in the direction of the sap, Starlight reported, and then headed for the source of the sound.

Sunburst stared at her blankly until she disappeared behind the bookshelves. Deciding not to interfere with the strange habits of the exhausted Starlight, he began to pack his things, intending to leave the library.
"Eh... Luster, Luster..." Starlight's voice was heard, followed by her footsteps. She came out from behind a bookshelf with a sleeping Luster floating next to her in a gentle mint magical aura. Starlight's gaze fell on Sunburst and she gave him a new assignment: "Okay, I'll take her back to the castle, and you put away the books that she threw in a pile..."

"Eh... well, anyway, I have a lot of paperwork..." Sunburst said sadly, looking at the departing Starlight. When the door closed, he used magic to light a candle on the table and spread out the papers again.

***

The next morning. Twilight Sparkle Castle.

Luster was sleeping peacefully in her room, as they say — without hind legs, after yesterday's gatherings in the library — do not forget about two days of lack of sleep. But this time her head was not filled with the idea that Twilight's assignment would not fulfill itself...
This blissful dream could last until the middle of the day, but Starlight, who entered, had other plans in this regard.

"Luster! Get up, we were urgently called to Canterlot," Starlight said, holding an expanded letter with the stamp of Princess Twilight with the help of telekinesis.

Luster muttered something into the pillow with displeasure and, forcing her eyes open, looked at her.
"Where to? Back to the Friendship School?" judging by the sluggish voice and the stupid question, she still did not fully understand what was happening.

Starlight opened the curtains with the help of the same telekinesis, to which Luster, closing her eyes, buried her head in the blanket. The next step of the director of the Friendship School was an attempt to pull off the blanket, which ended in success.
"Get up, come on, Princess Twilight personally calls us to Canterlot!" throwing the blanket on the floor, Starlight said, and then began to look around the room, thinking aloud along the way: "Well... I'll have to leave school for Sunburst… Although, because of the festival of the two sisters, there will be no classes..."

"What?!" Luster jumped up in an instant. "Two Sisters Festival? When?!"

Starlight began to carefully roll up the blanket while Luster sat on the bed and waited for an answer.
"Exactly three days later, but the princess called you personally to Canterlot… Well, and me for the company ..." Starlight replied with admiration, trying to move the Luster to make the bed.

"Wait... aren't you friends with her? And why am I there?!" Luster clutched her head with her hooves again, thinking over the worst-case scenario.

"Yes, we're still friends, but because of our new responsibilities, we don't even have a minute to talk, and besides, this is an official invitation."

"What?! Luster's eyes widened in horror, and then, with a growing tone of despair in her voice, she began: "Personally, I… She wants to embarrass me in front of the whole Canterlot by showing that I couldn't complete such a simple task!" she fell on the pillow and stared at the ceiling in despair.

"No, you'll just have to stand on the stage like Her Highness' best student… Although she doesn't like to be called that." Starlight noticed in time, continuing to look at the lying Luster.

It seems she didn't even hear Starlight's words, instead developing her thought out loud.
"HERE'S A DISCORD! The princess is waiting for me!" she jumped up abruptly and, pulling a suitcase out from under the sofa with the help of telekinesis, began to throw into it all the things that came under the hoof, but Starlight stopped her in time, lifting her with the help of telekinesis and pushing aside. Luster's indignation knew no bounds. "What? What are you doing?! We're late! And stop doing that! "Luster continued to float helplessly in a gentle mint aura.

"Firstly, the train is still four hours away, secondly, are you sure you need ALL your things?" Starlight asked, looking at the blanket that Luster was trying to shove into the suitcase, simultaneously slowly lowering her to the floor.

"Yes, I'm sorry..." Luster began guiltily, watching as Starlight began to make the bed. "This is the first time I will be in front of the whole Canterlot..."

"Well, let's start with the fact that there will be a maximum of a packed square, but not the whole of Canterlot, and let's continue with..." Starlight stopped thoughtfully and threw the blanket. "Why am I cleaning your room at all?" Luster didn't have time to answer, just mumbled something unintelligible in a dumbfounded and thoughtful way, and Starlight continued: "Don't burden yourself... Well, and try to clean up your room and not get stuck in the library, as you know how..." the headmistress admonished and left the room, leaving Luster alone with her thoughts, but she just stared out the window, looking at the Canterlot looming in the distance.

***

The Pegasi worked all night and all day so that the sky during the festival of the two sisters was perfectly clean, but even such wonderful and beautiful weather, which left no one indifferent, still could not solve the problem hanging over the princess's pupil. And now she and Starlight were sitting in a passenger car of a train that had almost reached Canterlot station. It is noteworthy that neither the view of the decorated Canterlot nor the happy faces of the ponies helped to tune in to the festive mood of the Luster... Starlight's attempts to somehow correct the situation and cheer her up turned out to be the same "success".

Soon, the tense silence, accompanied by Starlight's worried look, was broken by the creaking of the brakes of the train that stopped at the platform.

"Well, here we are," Luster excitedly remarked, while her pupils narrowed with horror, which she tried in vain to hide from Starlight.

That, tired of the endless excitement of Luster, noticed with a slight dissatisfaction in her voice:
''Luster, I've already said this many times! She can't just give up on you over this little thing…''

Luster's even more excited cry interrupted her:
''A TRIFLE?!'' this cry attracted the attention of several ponies, boring her with glances, to which she smiled uncomfortably and apologized, returning to the dialogue with Starlight. ''A trifle?! I've done everything all my life without a hitch… I just can't not do her errand!''

Starlight stood up, taking her saddlebags from the shelf, and, putting them on herself, responded to another surge of excitement Luster:
'There are no perfect ones among us and we all make mistakes sometime ... Even to this day I remember the mistakes of my youth with not the most pleasant consequences ...'' she tried to keep silent about her village, although she had long been forgiven, and this story was even more forgotten. Then she took Luster suitcase from the shelf, which that picked up with the help of telekinesis and followed her to the exit.

To Starlight's surprise, the station was not packed to the brim with ponies, but there was still one interesting unicorn who had boldly escaped to Canterlot "on a very important matter" and was now walking around the station.
''TRIXIE LULAMOON! COME HERE IMMEDIATELY'' Starlight shouted, dropping her saddlebags and running after her, leaving Luster alone with the extra load.

Trixie jumped on the spot when she saw Starlight rushing in her direction, and tried to get lost in the crowd. Luster, after looking at the bags for some time, still decided to take them into her telekinesis and walk to the castle alone... she did not forget the road this week - it pleased her.

***

Luster walked slowly through Canterlot, calming down for the first time in a day and just strolling around the city, casually heading to the castle. Expensive boutiques, fine restaurants — this was exactly what attracted her excited mind to a large extent and gave hope for a bright future… For herself, she decided to find a side job - in case everything goes according to the worst scenario for her.

Despite the inner calm, there was a new fear - to disgrace yourself in front of the whole Kanterlot, banal by taking an extra step on stage… Well, or Twilight will publicly declare that Duster is no longer her student. From the outside, it's hard to understand why Luster's head was visited by such terrible thoughts about Twilight Sparkle, but she had her own motives for thinking so…

"Stop! Who's coming?!"the Luster was stopped by the formidable bass of a guardsman standing at the entrance to the castle.

Luster was well aware that the two guards recognized the student Twilight Sparkle, because even she already remembered these two faces, not for the first time stopping her and interrogating her.
"You're kidding me..."

"Say the name!" the second guardsman intervened.

Luster's face showed obvious displeasure caused by this guards clowning, but then she remembered that their superiors could be watching them.
"Luster Dawn… Her Majesty's student Twilight Sparkle..." she gave out with unprecedented rejection, looking back at the castle windows, in search of the very "big brother" that haunted them.

The guards, hearing the answer, looked at each other and nodded.
"Good afternoon, Luster Dawn!" the first one reported, simultaneously opening the doors into which Luster went, rolling her eyes and barely whispering: "Well, kindergarten...".

The doors slammed shut, and Luster found herself in the hall of the castle, in front of a wide staircase with a red carpet. As always, she climbed the steps and approached the carved white door leading to the throne room.

Luster had already put her hoof on the handle, anticipating the shame and grief that awaited her behind this door, but a guardsman walking down the corridor distracted her:
"Hey! Luster! Good afternoon!" he greeted affably and, stopping next to the door, noticed: "The princess is not in place..."

"Oh... good afternoon..." Luster replied, but immediately heard the guardsman's message. "Wait, but then where is she?"

"Receives an important guest in the dining room of the castle… Even I was not informed about this guest," the guardsman replied with slight discontent and embarrassment, scratching his mane and continuing his patrol.

"Receives an important guest in the dining room of the castle… Even I was not informed about this guest," the guardsman replied with slight discontent and embarrassment, scratching his mane and continuing his patrol.

"A good guest, since he is met in the dining room," even in her condition, there was a bit of irony. "Yes, thank you so much!" the answer to this was "please" from the mouth of the departing guardsman.

After standing a little longer and looking at the doors, behind which there was no one, Luster rushed to the dining room, thinking over everything, starting with the ways of greeting the princess and the guest and ending with her report to her.

***

The dining room door, surrounded by Luster's magical aura, began to slowly open, and then Luster herself looked into it, seeing Princess Twilight sitting alone at a rectangular long table, looking at the door with interest, simultaneously pouring tea into a cup.
"Princess Twilight?" Luster asked, raising her head sharply and in a trembling voice. Entering the dining room, she bowed and began: "Your Highness, I have arrived at your first request!"

Twilight was instantly delighted to see that her best student was right here and now.
"Luster! Hello!" The princess, in response to Luster's words, smiled without malice, completely unintentionally not noticing her suffering. "Please, Luster, I hate such formalities from friends! Come on in, you must be tired..." She invited Luster to the table, putting a cup of tea and an empty plate for her… It wasn't hard to guess that Luster would have to put on the food herself, which was in abundance on the table.

"Yes... of course," Luster meekly trudged to a chair, staring at the floor.

Twilight stopped laughing, looking at her worriedly. The princess had no idea what exactly her student was worried about, but then she put forward the most logical assumption.
"Luster, I understand that such an unexpected call could greatly bother you, but I think things can be left on the floor..."

Luster froze in horror, and drops of sweat began to flow down her face, only after a couple of moments, she turned her head in the direction of the suitcase hovering nearby, which she had forgotten about. In order not to look stupid in front of the princess, she threw off her saddlebags and put a suitcase next to them, simultaneously justifying herself.
"No… I'm not nervous… Simply… Well, let's say I practice magic..." Luster pretended to smile, but it was impossible to tell from Twilight's face that she believed in this excuse.

"Did you do something wrong?" Twilight asked, trying to figure out what was wrong with Luster. "Tell me, together we will find a way to fix it!"

"Well... it's just that I..." Luster began, but stopped because of the creaking of the door, accompanied by Twilight's dissatisfied muttering, "Oh, we'll have to get the workers to lubricate this door...". The same guest, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, appeared in the aisle, holding a tray with beautifully laid out oatmeal cookies and another porcelain teapot next to her with the help of telekinesis.

"Luster! You've finally arrived!" Cadence was delighted, skipping up to the table, which seriously worried Luster. She tried to bow while sitting on a chair, which caused her to lose her balance and fall on the suitcase with a characteristic thud.

Cadence stopped and looked at the pink unicorn lying on the suitcase with a slight fright, and then decided to go around the table and sit next to Twilight, putting the tray on the table. Luster got up and sat on a chair, trying not to look into the eyes of the princesses sitting in front of her. Then Cadence broke the oppressive silence by asking the question:
"Luster, are you all right?"

"Yes… That is, no! Princess Twilight Sparkle and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, I couldn't cope with such a simple task..." tears appeared on her face, and she, like a guilty filly, stared at the table, trying to restrain herself and not whimper, preparing to suffer the deserved punishment.

Twilight and Cadence exchanged glances, and then Twilight comforted Luster while Cadence tried to hold back her laughter.
"Luster, did you seriously worry so much about such an insignificant little thing?"

"Oh, Luster, you look so much like Princess Twilight right now..." Cadence remarked, burying her muzzle in a hoof and laughing softly

"What, really? Won't you give up on me? I will not go into exile from Equestria and will not live out my days trying in vain to avoid ridicule from others?" calming down and wiping her tears, Luster asked again.

Twilight's surprise knew no bounds, and then she blushed and turned to Cadence."Hey, I wasn't that worried!"

"But I remember being told that you staged in a fit of panic because of an unsent friendship lesson..." replied Cadence, trying not to laugh. Then she took a cookie and poured herself a cup of tea, starting to eat.

"You... were you really that worried?" finally calming down and smiling sincerely for the first time in recent times, Luster asked. Twilight, seeing that her student had returned to normal, also couldn't help laughing, remembering her stupid actions from the past.

"And yes, please don't call me 'Princess Mi Amore Cadenza'. Of my family and friends, only Flurry, when she is naughty, calls me by my full name with a title... Well, or Shining..." Cadence noticed, as if immersed in pleasant memories of her native home, where she will return only in a couple of days... "Just call me..." she didn't have time to finish because of Rarity's voice, which was heard from behind, to which the whole trio turned around.

"Cadence! And Luster!" Then the white unicorn, lifting her muzzle and elegantly approaching the table, turned to Twilight: "Oh, Twilight, if you only knew how much effort and time I spent searching for materials and sewing..."

"Yes, Rarity, your work is invaluable, but how are things going with the dress for Luster?" asked Twilight, fully supporting her best friend.

"Exactly! A dress for Luster!.." Rarity came to her senses and ran up to Luster, took out a centimeter and smiled, turned to that one. "Luster, darling, I'm sorry, it's just for a couple of moments!" A magical aura appeared around Luster and she rose up.

"Can you ask my opinion at least once?! Luster was indignant, floating helplessly in the aura again, while Rarity was taking the necessary measurements on her body, and Twilight and Cadence were carried away by their conversation.

***

Two days later. Luster's chambers in Canterlot Castle.

Despite the favorable outcome of the story of Luster's unrest, during these two days everything returned to normal again, when the upcoming holiday became a new cause for concern, in which Luster played a far from secondary role. And so Luster was once again doing what she can do best-reading books and worrying about every little thing, thinking about something important that she probably forgot.
"It doesn't look like a textbook, more like a work of art..." Luster remarked in frustration, falling on the pillow and putting the book on the shelf. "Maybe I should tell the princess about this after all?" she mumbled, continuing to look at the ceiling.

"Tell me about what?" came an eerily familiar voice, which Luster did not immediately recognize because of her distracted state. "Oh, I'm sorry we didn't knock, but we have an hour and a half left..." this voice belonged to Cadence, and Luster realized this by raising her head and looking into the aisle, and Rarity appeared next to Cadence, holding a new dress with the help of telekinesis.

"Yes… I'm still not sure if I should go on stagе… Precisely! Cadence, can you ask Twilight not to make me come out?" Luster perked up at her own idea.

Cadence, with her typical kind expression, tried to say something that Rarity was faster.
"No, dear, I don't want one of my best works to be in vain!" She looked with admiration at the work she had done.

"Rarity, you say that about every job you do," only after saying that, Cadence realized that it could sound insulting, so she corrected herself immediately: "Although, I don't deny it."

"Yes, it's beautiful..." Luster agreed very unconvincingly, so as not to offend Rarity either, and then, realizing that she would have to try it on, got up from her bed.

It seems that Rarity was flattered by such praise from Luster, or simply did not pay attention, throwing the dress behind the screen and returning to the dialogue with Cadence.
"By the way, Cadence, who did you leave the Crystal Empire for? By any chance, not on Flurry Heart?" Rarity asked with interest, while Luster was looking for privacy behind a screen.

"No, what are you… Of course, she has grown and changed beyond recognition since your last meeting, but she is still too young to take over the reins..." having delved into herself, Cadence explained the situation.

Rarity came to an unprecedented delight, sharing her expectations:
"I can't wait to see her!.." After a sad sigh, she added: "It's still a pity that she stayed in the Crystal Empire..." the moment of sadness almost instantly disappeared when Luster came out from behind the screen in a pink dress with a shade slightly darker than the color of the new owner's wool. "Luster! It's like it was created for you!"

"Maybe the sequins are too much?" asked Luster nervously, trying to get used to the dress.

"I don't think so… Maybe it's worth adding more, or... exactly! Ribbons! Wait a couple of minutes!" Rarity was overwhelmed with enthusiasm for ideas to improve the dress.

"I don't think we have enough time… It looks so cute and beautiful on the Luster ..." hinted at another unfinished business of Cadence, in which Rarity's sophistication is needed.

"Sorry, I got carried away... okay, let's go," Rarity apologized.

Soon Rarity disappeared into the aisle, and Cadence stopped in the doorway to cheer Luster up a little.
"Luster, the dress really suits you, but the main thing is not to worry about such a trifle… Ponies are not so cruel to laugh at you or mock you if something goes wrong..." Cadence smiled to cheer her up, but then involuntarily looked at the grandfather clock, started up and also disappeared into the aisle.

Luster, after thinking a little about what could be done two hours before the inevitable, decided to just walk around the castle and, if lucky, personally talk to Princess Twilight, if she is not busy preparing for the holiday.

***

A few minutes later. The second tier of the castle hall.

Princess Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer were surprised to see a magic mirror that had just been delivered from the east, standing against the wall and outwardly indistinguishable from an ordinary mirror, of which there were plenty in Canterlot Castle. An oval mirror with a gold glossy frame, quite worthy of being in the chambers of Princess Twilight, was not just a mirror… At least, this was stated by the workers who brought him here.

After taking a closer look at the mirror, Princess Twilight uttered a loud "AHEM", making it clear to Starlight that it was time to tell the reason why the princess was distracted from important matters and brought to look at the mirror in a gilded frame.

Uh, yeah… It's magical," Starlight explained after an uncomfortable silence. "Well, at least the griffins told about the strange glow coming from it..."

"Okay, then we'll figure out what to do with it, and now we'll move it to the archive," a magical aura appeared around the horn with a characteristic sound, but Starlight's cry stopped it.

"STOP!!! Don't! The workers reported that it reacts very strangely to magic!" Starlight said it so quickly and clearly that later she wondered how she could even speak so quickly and confidently.

"Well... come on, I'll call the workers, and you write a letter to Star Swirl… Perhaps only he can know what to do with it," Twilight ordered, looking at her reflection in this mirror and afraid to come closer.

"Yes, exactly! Star Swirl! I'm going to get the parchment!" said Starlight, galloping into the next corridor, while Twilight began to descend the stairs with a majestic gait.

The hall was empty for a short time. Because, a saddened Luster entered it from a corridor decorated with paintings donated by the best Equestrian artists for Princess Twilight, whose attention was attracted by a mirror with a gold frame. After making sure that she was alone in the hall and no one could see her, she went to the mirror and straightened her mane with a hoof, but realizing that something was wrong, she decided to make herself look better.
"Maybe Rarity is right and it's not that bad? Although, I think I could use a hairpin," After looking at herself a little more, she removed the hoof from the mane and thoughtfully raised her muzzle up. "I began to turn into a Rarity… But still..." she lowered her muzzle again and examined herself with interest, continuing the monologue, "Yes! The light and the play of shadows... let's fix the mirror a little..." her horn lit up with an aura and the same magical aura appeared around the mirror, slightly tilting it down.

"Luster, what are you doing... run!" Starlight shouted, accompanied by the clatter of hooves.

"what? Starlight? What to run from?" Luster began to look around in panic, not noticing how the mirror began to shine with white light brighter and brighter.

Luster noticed the mirror only when the light became blindingly bright. At that moment, Starlight, closing her eyes tightly, tried to push the Luster away in a jump, but it was too late. The light disappeared, as did Luster and Starlight, and there was a parchment with ink on the floor, which splashed on the floor...

"...Drag the mirror to the archive without magic? Easy as pie!" boasted one of the workers, walking in front of the princess.

"Wonderful… And what is this?" The smile disappeared from Twilight's face when she saw the things left over from Starlight on the floor. "Hmm... I don't remember Starlight throwing everything around..."

***

The fortress of the "Skull". The Baltic Sea coast, near the Polish border. 1960.

The "Skulls" fortress, located almost on the very edge of the rocky coast and rebuilt from a medieval castle, became perhaps the most reliable and indestructible fortress back in 1946, during the invasion of the Americans, whose main goal was to eliminate the culprit of the technological superiority of the Third Reich — General Wilhelm Strasse.

This place has become a historical monument and a reminder of the triumph of General Strasse and the small garrison of the fortress, which, thanks to the technical achievements of the "Skull", managed to fend off the airborne assault and destroy an entire air fleet even on approach… The few lucky ones who managed to land on the shore or survive the crash became victims of automatic turrets, a Baltic monitor and prototypes of panzerhunds, which did not leave the invaders a chance. But on the orders of General Strasse, they did not rake the wreckage of six-engine bombers and P-51 "Mustang" fighters, leaving them as a reminder of the massacre in which the Skull Guard and the SS emerged victorious.

It is also worth mentioning that this place was chosen for his fortress not just because of the natural protection in the form of rocks that prevent landing from the sea, and not because of attempts to hide the most important person of the Reich from the SOE and Soviet intelligence… Rather, the general agreed to this because of the terrible weather conditions and frequent storms, which allowed him to tune in to the right working mood, and this place itself was exactly where he wanted to spend the rest of his long — only this year he turned one hundred years old — life, continuing to work for the good of Germany.

General Strasse continued to conduct his inhuman experiments on people to this day, trying to unravel the mystery of the artifacts of the ancient order "Daat-Ihud", and with the acquisition of the necessary experience, things went uphill. Even despite such an advanced age, no one dared to call Strasse a decrepit old man or an old senile — he did not experience health problems, having managed to keep his composure and clarity of mind, but the general was in no hurry to tell how he achieved this.

And so, on one of these days — during another strong storm, which did not affect the beautifully constructed fortress, which will remain in the same condition for several centuries, if not millennia, General Strasse conducted an autopsy of a test subject that had not suffered an experimental anti-aging serum. The "skull" (as it was called) ceased to be afraid of death itself, but he was afraid that without it the Reich was waiting for a slow but sure decay, so at the moment he was trying to find a way for the future, how to prolong his life. Everything could have gone on as usual, but the Hauptsturmfuhrer Friedrich Boer, who entered, brought important news that Strasse was obliged to hear, significantly changed the local way of life.

Herr Strasse, in the archiv..." the officer stopped abruptly when Strasse waved his hand away, tearing his concentrated gaze from the body, whose head was covered with a cloth, and Boer already knew the reason why the general did exactly that, and it was clear from one of his quotes: "I don't want to see his Jewish face!", although Boer did not yet know what nationality the "patient" Strasse was.

The general turned in his direction, putting his hands behind his back. His general's uniform was wearing a bloody apron and long white protective gloves, acting as gloves, fastened with straps on the shoulders of the tunic. The cap was lying on the shelf of a steel table on which surgical instruments were laid out. Judging by the general's normal cold and slightly narrowed gaze, he was dissatisfied with such an invasion.
"Herr Boer… I asked you not to let anyone in to me!" he spoke with displeasure, removing the straps of his mittens.

The general turned in his direction, putting his hands behind his back. His general's uniform was wearing a bloody apron and long white protective gloves, acting as gloves, fastened with straps on the shoulders of the tunic. The cap was lying on the shelf of a steel table on which surgical instruments were laid out. Judging by the general's normal cold and slightly narrowed gaze, he was dissatisfied with such an invasion.
"Herr Boer… I asked you not to let anyone in to me!" he spoke with displeasure, removing the straps of his mittens.

"It's urgent! We have an emergency in the archive!" it seems that the situation in the archive seriously frightened Boer, "so much so that even Strasse's discontent did not stand as high as his fear."

Strasse reacted with interest to these words, throwing off his mittens on an empty operating table, simultaneously taking off his apron.
"Emergency in the archive?" he said it with such a neutral and detached expression, as if he could not believe Boer's words, considering them nonsense.

"One of the artifacts spontaneously activated... well, artifact C-979..." Boer straightened his back and put his hands behind his back, waiting for orders while Strasse adjusted the sleeves of his tunic and put on his cap.

Hearing the familiar name, he looked in surprise somewhere to the side, and then, heading for the exit, voiced his thought.
"C-979… I've always thought of it as an ordinary trinket..."

Strasse walked slowly out into the corridor with his back straight, followed by two of his guards who were guarding the entrance to the operating room. Boer immediately caught up with him and, continuing to keep his hand behind his back, trying to keep a distance behind the general. Suddenly, he made a gesture with his hand, because of which both guards instantly stopped, and gave them an order:
"No, no!" he pointed to the two escorts, who instantly stood at attention, listening to him. "Get this garbage out of my operating room… I have no plans to play with rot, because my plans have changed!"the guards silently nodded, turned around and went into the operating room, while Boer continued to pretend that he had already understood Strasse's intentions, although he could not even understand what was going on in his head.
"So how did you say it activated?" Strasse finally addressed him. "Was he dropped? Touched? Have you tried to recycle it?"

"No, the attendants reported that he spontaneously activated," Boer replied with firm confidence in his voice, continuing to look straight, not even moving his eyes and not looking at the general.

"Maybe it's a weapon? Or an energy storage facility? Hmm... whatever it is, I feel that a new scientific discovery is coming… Something that gives the millennial Reich a new technology..." Strasse continued on his way again, adding along the way: "Time is running out, Herr Boer, and we have a lot of work..."

TO BE CONTINUED...